Archive for Actors

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Corin Redgrave

Posted in Highgate Cemetery with tags , , on May 20, 2024 by Cade

July 16, 1939 – April 06, 2010

Tony Award nominated actor, Corin Redgrave was the middle child – and only son – of legendary British actors Rachel Kempson and Michael Redgrave. Along with sisters, Lynn and Vanessa, Corin was part of the successful third generation of the Redgrave acting family.

Known most widely for his stage performances, Redgrave made a name for himself in productions ranging from Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams in both London and New York. In 1999, he was nominated for Tony and Evening Standard awards for his work in Williams’ Not About Nightingales.

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Chita Rivera

Posted in Saint Anthony's Catholic Cemetery with tags , , , , on April 29, 2024 by Cade

January 23, 1933 – January 30, 2024

Broadway legends aren’t super rare, but Broadway icons are much more precious and exceptional. And friends, Chita Rivera was an ICON.

Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in Washington D.C., the dancer, actress and singer who would eventually become “Chita Rivera” took dance lessons as a teenager and found her way to New York by way of her growing reputation. By the time she was 18, she was already getting dancing roles in hit Broadway musicals like Guys and Dolls and Can-Can. Then, in 1957, Rivera landed her first featured role: Anita in a new musical called West Side Story.

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Conrad Veidt

Posted in Golders Green Crematorium with tags , , on April 15, 2024 by Cade

January 22, 1893 – April 03, 1943

Conrad “Conny” Veidt was a German-British actor whose largest impact on the film industry was arguably his performances in classic German Expressionism silent films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and The Man Who Laughs (1928). He appeared in more than 70 early films in his native Germany, many of which have been lost. He learned to speak English and French and continued to work his way across the globe, eventually making it to Hollywood, where he played perhaps his most recognizable role: Major Strasser opposite Humphrey Bogart in the 1941 classic, Casablanca. It would be the last movie released in Veidt’s lifetime.

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Gaspard Ulliel

Posted in Père Lachaise Cemetery with tags , on March 18, 2024 by Cade

November 25, 1984 – January 19, 2022

César Award winning actor, Gaspard Ulliel, was one of the most promising French actors of the early 21st Century. By the time he was 30, Ulliel had appeared in a number of international hits including A Very Long Engagement and as the titular characters in both Hannibal Rising and Saint Laurent.  In addition to winning two César Awards (for Engagement and  Saint Laurent) he was nominated for a number of other prestigious awards during his brief career.

Ulliel also appeared in more than a dozen television shows and made-for-TV movies in France. His first English-language series, Disney and Marvel’s Moon Knight, would end up being his last performance.
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Ian Holm

Posted in Highgate Cemetery with tags , on January 15, 2024 by Cade

September 12, 1931 – June 19, 2020

Prolific Shakesperean actor, Sir Ian Holm, did not become a household name overnight, but his award-winning, nearly six decade career should be the envy of any aspiring thespian. Born in Essex, England, Holm secured a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the age of 19. From RADA, it was a certain jump to a long tenure at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Performances on stage and television built up his reputation and, by 1967, he had won a Tony award for his role in Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming on Broadway. More roles followed, including the voice of Frodo Baggins in the BBC’s radio production of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings – a sign of legendary things to come.

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Jean Simmons

Posted in Highgate Cemetery with tags , on November 20, 2023 by Cade

January 31, 1929 – January 22, 2010

British actress Jean Simmons was most widely known for her award-winning roles in classic films like Elmer Gantry and Guys and Dolls, as well as her appearance in other unforgettable movies like 1960’s epic Spartacus. She appeared in the noir classic, Angel Face, opposite Robert Mitchum and was well-represented later in her career on television in everything from The Odd Couple to her monumental turn in the 1983 miniseries, The Thorn Birds.

She was not, however it may sound, the singer and bass player for the American rock band, KISS.

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Laurence Olivier

Posted in Westminster Abbey with tags , on October 23, 2023 by Cade

May 22, 1907 – July 11, 1989

Despite his legendary reputation, nothing came easy for Laurence Olivier during his 65 years in the business known as “Show.” Spurred to pursue acting by his father, young Laurence eventually settled into a stage career – often shunning work in film and (eventually) television – for the live artform he felt allowed him to shine brightest. Alongside friend, Ralph Richardson, and rival, John Gielgud, Olivier is regarded as one the greatest actors of his generation.

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Yves Montand

Posted in Père Lachaise Cemetery with tags , , on October 2, 2023 by Cade

October 13, 1921 – November 09, 1991

Italian-born French singer and actor Yves Montand dropped out of school at age 11 to help his family make ends meet. He spent his spare time in movie theatres watching American comedies and westerns and decided he wanted to become a performer. He worked his way up through local amateur nights and eventually landed in Paris where he met the legendary singer Édith Piaf. Under Piaf’s guidance, Montand became a popular crooner and a successful career was launched.
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Peter Sellers

Posted in Golders Green Crematorium with tags , , on August 7, 2023 by Cade

September 08, 1925 – July 24, 1980

“There is no me. I do not exist. There was a me once, but I had it surgically removed.” -Peter Sellers, The Muppet Show (1978)

The backlots and back alleys of the entertainment industry are full of funny people who are quietly battling demons. Occasionally, a generational talent comes along that consistently delights audiences…all the while dealing with internal struggles like depression or substance abuse. The funny façade is oftentimes just that: a façade. You saw it with superstars like Chris Farley, Robin Williams, John Belushi, Richard Pryor…and Peter Sellers.

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Rachel Kempson

Posted in Saint Peter's Episcopal Cemetery with tags , , on March 20, 2023 by Cade

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May 28, 1910 – May 24, 2003

Rachel Kempson was an English actress who was as well regarded for her work on stage and screen as she was for launching an acting dynasty. Classically trained at RADA and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Kempson married matinee idol – and son of actors – Michael Redgrave in 1935. The couple starred together in a number of productions throughout their long careers. They had 3 children, Vanessa, Corin and Lynn Redgrave…all of whom forged their own, successful acting careers.
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