Celebrity Graveland

September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004

One could do worse than to be associated with a giant ape for the last 70 years of one’s life. Throughout the 1920s, Vina Fay Wray was an up-and-coming starlet under contract with Paramount Pictures where she made more than a dozen films and successfully navigated the dreaded transition from “silents” to “talkies.” When her Paramount contract was up, Wray shopped around and eventually signed movie deals with a number of other studios, including RKO pictures. It was with RKO that she shot to stardom as the ultimate damsel in distress in 1933’s seminal horror film King Kong. She followed Kong up with a lifetime of credits. Continue reading →

August 17, 1968 – February 16, 2010

Joshua Andrew Koenig was an actor, writer and activist. The son of Star Trek star, Walter Koenig, Andrew was most widely recognized for his portrayal of the lovable (and dim) Richard “Boner” Stabone for 4 seasons on the hit 1980s sitcom, Growing Pains. The remainder of his career saw him appearing on stage and working on independent films, voice over projects and behind the scenes as writer, director and editor on a number of projects. Koenig became heavily involved in the U.S. Campaign for Burma and often publicly protested China’s treatment of the Burmese people. Andrew battled severe depression for most of his life. Continue reading →

September 28, 1916 – January 14, 1977

Frederick George Peter Ingle Finch was mad as hell and he wasn’t going to take it anymore. The British-born, Australian actor’s 40 year career saw him on stages and screens in Australia, England and the U.S. His international breakthrough was opposite Audrey Hepburn in 1959’s The Nun’s Story for which he earned his third (of seven) BAFTA award nomination. In the end, he won five BAFTA awards and was twice nominated for an Academy Award: for 1971’s Sunday Bloody Sunday and 1976’s Network. It was in Network where Finch delivered one of the most memorable speeches in film history: the infamous “Mad as Hell” speech. The performance garnered rave reviews and attention. Ten weeks before the 1977 Oscars telecast – and the day after appearing on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show – Finch suffered a fatal heart attack in the lobby of a Beverly Hills hotel. He won the Oscar posthumously becoming the first actor to ever do so. Continue reading →

April 4, 1916 – November 27, 1990

David White appeared in dozens of television programs throughout the 1950’s (Peter Gunn, Father Knows Best), 1960’s (The Fugitive, The Twilight Zone), 1970’s (The Love Boat, The Rockford Files)  and the 1980’s (Cagney & Lacey, Remington Steele).  He appeared in classic films like The Apartment and Brewster’s Millions. But, smack in the middle of his career, he played the role for which he is most widely recognized: Larry Tate – the boss of Darrin Stephens – on all 8 seasons of the sitcom Bewitched.  He worked steadily on the large and small screens and on stage for nearly 40 years. Continue reading →

January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961

Marion Cecilia Elizabeth Brooklyn Douras was born in…well…Brooklyn. From an early age, young Marion wanted to perform. She found herself on the Broadway stage in chorus roles and eventually landed a coveted spot as a Ziegfeld girl. A jump to the screen was inevitably next. Her looks and comedic talent led to a budding career in the silent comedies and other top films of the day. As talented and successful as she was, history most remembers Davies for her relationship to powerful newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was enamored – some would say obsessed – with Davies. He bankrolled many of her films and dictated much of what she was able to do. He specifically preferred her in elaborate historical dramas and kept her away from her more natural lighter, comedic roles. It wasn’t all bad for Davies, though. She got to play hostess to extravagant parties at Hearst’s mansions and enjoyed numerous box office hits. And, by most accounts, they truly loved each other. Continue reading →

December 9, 1909 – May 7, 2000

Being the son of a Hollywood legend is a great way to get your start in the movie business. Being a decent actor is a great way to have a long and successful career making movies. Fortunately for Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., he was both. As a very young man, he struggled to make a name for himself for a while before breaking out opposite Edward G. Robinson in 1931’s Little Caesar and in 1939’s Gunga Din. He went on to work in films in both Hollywood and in England leading up to World War II. During the war, Fairbanks was commissioned as a reserve officer and became a decorated Captain in the Navy for creating the Beach Jumpers special deception unit. Continue reading →