Beulah “Dark Cloud” Tahamont Filson (1887 - 1945)

Actress. Born Beulah Tahamont the daughter of Elijah Tahamont, an Abnaki model and actor who worked under the professional name Chief Dark Cloud, and his wife Margaret Camp. She started her stage career at the age of four and as a young woman, she was active in Los Angeles American Indian Clubs and produced and […]

Beulah Bondi (1889 - 1981)

Beulah Bondi was born as Beulah Bondy in Valparaiso, Indiana, the daughter of Eva Suzanna (née Marble), an author, and Abraham O. Bondy, who worked in real estate. Bondi began her acting career on the stage at age seven, playing Cedric Errol in the play Little Lord Fauntleroy in a production at the Memorial Opera […]

Beulah May Sheriff Annan (1899 - 1928)

Folk Figure. A native of Kentucky, Annan was 24 and twice-married when she was charged with the 1924 murder of her alleged lover in Chicago. Her husband spent his life savings to get her the best lawyers, and after a sensational trial she was found not guilty. Annan left her husband the day after her […]

Beverlee McKinsey (1940 - 2008)

Actress. Born in McAlester, Oklahoma, she is best known for her roles in many popular daytime soap operas, among them as Alexandra Spaulding in “The Guiding Light”. She began her career during the 1960s and appeared in such programs as, “The Defenders”, “The Virginian”, “Hawaii-Five-O” and “The Mod Squad”. In addition to “The Guiding Light”, […]

Beverley Cross (1931 - 1998)

Beverley Cross (13 April 1931 – 20 March 1998) was an English playwright, librettist and screenwriter. Born in London into a theatrical family, and educated at the Nautical College Pangbourne, Cross started off by writing children’s plays in the 1950s. He achieved instant success with his first play, One More River, which dealt with a mutiny […]

Beverly Bayne (1893 - 1982)

Motion picture and stage Actress. Born Pearl Von Name, she appeared in silent Hollywood romances such as: “White Roses” “The Old Wedding Dress,” “Romeo and Juliet”  and “One Wonderful Night.” In 1918 she secretly married Francis X. Bushman, but eventually the two were publicly divorced a few years later. As a result her career as […]

Beverly Garland (1926 - 2008)

Garland was born Beverly Lucy Fessenden in Santa Cruz, California, the daughter of Amelia Rose (née Scherer), a businesswoman, and James Atkins Fessenden, a singer and salesman. Garland grew up in Glendale, California. She was a drama student of Anita Arliss. In the 1950s, many of her roles were of secure, tough women who could handle […]

Beverly Jean Tyler (1927 - 2005)

Actress. She was born in Scranton (Pennsylvania) and died in Reno (Nevada). She was a contract player with MGM and appeared in a number of films during the 1940s and 50s. She also worked on TV during the 1950s. She is best remembered for her film opposite Tom Drake and Peter Lawford “The Green Years” […]

Beverly Long (1933 - 2014)

Actress. A performer of some note in the 1950s, she is remembered for her part in the 1955 James Dean classic “Rebel Without a Cause”. Though little is recorded of her early years, she made her professional debut in the television series “Dangerous Assignment” and was first seen on the silver screen in 1952’s “Girls […]

Beverly Michaels (1928 - 2007)

Arriving in Hollywood in 1948, aged 19, and standing 5 feet 9 inches, she quickly found modeling work, in which she was mistakenly billed as “Beverley Michaels”. Later the same year, she had a brief role in the film East Side, West Side, and two years later had a minor role in the film version […]

Beverly Parrish (1919 - 1930)

Actress. Born in Columbus, Georgia, the elder daughter of Robert Gordon and Laura Reese Parrish.  Her mother, a stage actress, took the family to Hollywood where she appeared in bit roles in a number of movies before introducing her children to the screen as well.  Her youngest,  Helen Parrish, made her screen debut in 1927 […]

Beverly Pearl Crane Trees (1917 - 2006)

Actress. Beverly and twin sister Bettymae were born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 11, 1917. They are best known for speaking the opening titles for Hal Roach comedies like Our Gang. Beverly died in 2006. (bio by: Marisa Shute)  Family links:  Parents:  Melvin Walker Crane (1877 – 1950)  Spouse:  Earl Cash Trees (1913 […]

Beverly Roberts (1914 - 2009)

Beverly Roberts was born in Brooklyn, New York, she was first spotted by a Warner Bros. talent scout while singing in a nightclub in 1935. Having performed as a stage actress prior to that, she was signed to a contract with Warner Brothers, starring in her first film in 1936, titled The Singing Kid, in […]

Beverly Sills (1929 - 2007)

Beverly Sills was born Belle Miriam Silverman in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York City, to Shirley Bahn (née Sonia Markovna), a musician, and Morris Silverman, an insurance broker. Her parents were Jewish immigrants from Odessa, Ukraine (then part of Russia) and Bucharest, Romania. She was raised in Brooklyn, where she was known, among friends, as […]

Bhaskar Burmin Roy Chaudhuri, Jr (1930 - 2003)

Actor. He is best remembered for his role as cult leader ‘Horace Bones’ in the 1970 cult-horror film, “I Drink Your Blood.” The film was about a menacing cult leader and his followers who become bloodthirsty killers after eating meat pies that were injected with blood from a rabid dog. A descendent of one of […]

Bibi Besch (1940 - 1996)

Actress. She is best remembered for her role of ‘Dr. Carol Marcus’ in the motion picture “Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan” (1982). Born Bibiana Huber in Vienna, Austria, her mother was actress Gusti Huber.  She came to the United States after World War II as a child, and grew up in Chappaqua, New […]

Biff Elliot (1923 - 2012)

Actor. Born Leon Shalek, the son of a former semi-pro baseball player-turned manufacturer of a canvas bag business, he moved with his parents and two older brothers to Maine when he was sixteen. Sports became an important part of his life during this period, initially boxing. He was good enough to achieve North Maine Champion, […]

Big John Studd (1948 - 1995)

Big John Studd Studd jumped to the World Wrestling Federation in late 1982, and was paired with manager “Classy” Freddie Blassie. Studd quickly became a monster heel, adopting a gimmick of bringing a stretcher to the ring and beating his opponents so badly they would be taken out on the stretcher. While Studd became a […]

Big Pun (1971 - 2000)

Rios was born on November 10, 1971 in The Bronx, New York City, United States, to parents of Puerto Rican descent. He grew up in the South Bronx neighborhood of the city. At the age of five, Rios broke his leg while playing in a park, which would later lead to a large settlement from […]

Bigelow Cooper (1970 - 1970)

Actor. He appeared in over 100 films from 1911 to 1927, including “The Ambassador’s Daughter” (1913) and “The Broadway Drifter” (1927). He also appeared on Broadway in “The COnfession” (1911).  (bio by: Ginny M)  Family links:  Spouse:  Anne Cooper (1872 – 1963)

Bijan (1944 - 2011)

Born in Tehran, Iran, Bijan migrated to Los Angeles in 1973. His exclusive boutique on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills was established in 1976. It has been described as “the most expensive store in the world”.  Bijan’s main residence was in Beverly Hills, California, but he was also known to own residences in New York […]

Bil Baird (1904 - 1987)

Puppetteer, Entertainer. He was born William Britton Baird. Cause of death was pneumonia and bone marrow cancer. He and his wife Cora Baird, were the driving forces behind the Bil & Cora Baird Puppets, and were pioneer entertainers in U.S. TV, when commercial television was taking its first steps. Their medium  was their marionettes – […]

Bil Keane (1922 - 2011)

Cartoonist. Born William Aloysius Keane, Bil Keane is best known for his newspaper comic “The Family Circus” which began in 1960 and continues in syndication. He taught himself to draw while attending high school by mimicking the style of cartoons published in “The New Yorker.” His very first cartoon was published on the amateur page […]

Bill Waddington (1916 - 2000)

Waddington was born at Oldham on 10 June 1916, the son of a builder. He played the ukulele and became a member of a group called the Blue Pencils, recruited to entertain forces during the Second World War.  After the war “Waddy” became a comedian, often appearing on the same bill as Jill Summers, who […]

Bill Bailey (1912 - 1978)

Singer, Dancer, and Actor. Brother of legendary singer Pearl Bailey. He appeared in the films, “Rhythm And Blues Revue” (1955), “Cabin in the Sky” (1943), and “Going Native” (1936). An interesting side note, Bailey can be seen tap dancing in the 1955 tribute film to dancer Bill Bojangles “Harlem Variety Revue,” in which he is […]

Bill Baird (1914 - 1978)

Bill Baird There’s little doubt Bill Baird is one of the most popular magicians in Heaven today. He certainly was on earth, with a legion of friends who were stunned by news of his death the very morning of the day many were preparing to leave for Abbott’s annual Get-Together at Colon. Bill, whose real […]

Bill Baldwin (1913 - 1982)

Actor, Radio Announcer. Appeared in motion pictures and on television from the 1950s to the 1980s. Often played the “announcer” in his many roles. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Bill Belew (1931 - 2008)

Costume Designer. A graduate of the Parsons School of Design in New York, designed costumes for over 70 theatrical productions, musicals, operas, ballets, Television specials and series. He was once former head costumer at NBC Studios in Burbank, California until the early 1980’s. He designed apparel for such celebrities as Lynne Redgrave, Lena Horne, Josephine […]

Bill Belew (1931 - 2008)

Costume Designer. A graduate of the Parsons School of Design in New York, designed costumes for over 70 theatrical productions, musicals, operas, ballets, Television specials and series. He was once former head costumer at NBC Studios in Burbank, California until the early 1980’s. He designed apparel for such celebrities as Lynne Redgrave, Lena Horne, Josephine […]

Bill Beutel (1930 - 2006)

Beutel graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire after a stint in the Army and studied law at the University of Michigan Law School, though he left Michigan without obtaining his law degree. While Beutel was in law school, he wrote Edward R. Murrow a letter saying, “I very much wanted to be a […]