Joyce Jameson (1932 - 1987)

Actress. She was born in Chicago, Illinois and was married to Actor/Songwriter Billy Barnes. She is best remembered for her recurring role as “Skippy” in the 1960s television series “The Andy Griffith Show.” She made her film debut in 1951 playing a chorus girl dancer in the motion picture “Showboat.” Her other notable film credits […]

Claire James (1920 - 1986)

Actress. In the 1930s, her mother moved the family to California to get her daughter into motion features. There Claire James became a beauty queen being named “Miss Los Angeles” in 1938 and placed third in the “Queen of Queens” of Southern California that same year. In August 1938, she was crowned “Miss California” and […]

Anne James (1932 - 2015)

Actress. Born Delores Anne Sidener, her father was a Chicago police officer, her mother worked with Chicago’s Budget Office, she dreamed of becoming an opera singer. During her teens, she moved to Hollywood and experienced performing at the Greek Theater. This led to her being spotted by a Hollywood agent and a contract with Columbia […]

Bettye Ackerman Jaffe (1924 - 2006)

Actress. She was a stage performer in the New York Theatre when she met and married actor Sam Jaffe in 1956. The two relocated to Hollywood and she made her film debut in “Face of Fire” (1959). Considered a great character actress, she was best known for appearing as a regular on many television series […]

Claude Jade (1948 - 2006)

While performing as Frida in Pirandello’s Henri IV, in a production by Sacha Pitoëff at the Théâtre Moderne, Claude Jade was discovered by New Wave film director François Truffaut. He was “completely taken by her beauty, her manners, her kindness, and her joie de vivre”, and cast her in the role of Christine Darbon in […]

Hattie Jacques (1924 - 1980)

British-born comic actress. Probably most famous for her role as ‘Matron’ in “Carry On Matron”(1972). She was married to comedy actor John Le Mesurier from 1949 to 1965, when they divorced. (bio by: Kieran Smith)  Family links:  Spouse:  John Le Mesurier (1912 – 1983)Cause of death: Heart Attack

Maria Jacobini (1892 - 1944)

Actress. Regarded by many one of the great divas of the Italian silent cinema era. Born into a noble Roman family, she discovered at a young age her love for theater attending courses at the Academy of Dramatic Arts and following the lessons of Virginia Marini and Eduardo Boutet. Immediately after graduation she started her […]

Mary Ann Jackson (1923 - 2003)

Mary Ann Jackson’s film career began under the shadow of her actor relatives, mother Charlotte Jackson (1891–1992) and older sister, “Peaches” Jackson (1913–2002). Peaches had a fairly prolific stint as a child actress, working with such stars as Rudolph Valentino and DW Griffith in full-length features. Jackson made her film debut in a 1925 Ruth Taylor […]

Mary Jackson (1910 - 2005)

Stage, Film and TV Actress. She played ‘Miss Emily Baldwin’ on “The Waltons.” Through the 1940s and 50s, she worked in summer stock and on Broadway as well as stage productions in Chicago and Los Angeles. On Broadway, Jackson appeared in shows including “Kiss & Tell,” “Eastward in Eden,” “The Flowering Cherry” and “The Trial […]

Freda Maud Jackson (1907 - 1990)

British Actress. Best known for her stage and film appearances from 1934 to 1981. After studying at High Pavement School and the University College, she became a school teacher but gave up her career to study acting at the Royal College of Art, in London. In total, she appeared in 62 major stage roles and […]

Anne Jackson (1925 - 2016)

Actress. Born Anna June Jackson to parents of European descent, her mother was of an Irish-Catholic background, Anne was raised in an apartment in Brooklyn. After choosing to pursue a career as a performer, she studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. During this period, she met actor Eli Wallach who she would […]

Margaret Fiedler Irving (1898 - 1988)

Actress. She started in silent screen motion pictures in 1923. Her last movie was the 1955 film “The People’s Choice.” (bio by: Graving Queen of the OC)

Takako Irie (1911 - 1995)

Actress. Born as “Hideko Tobojo,” she first worked under director Kenji Mizoguchi, then worked independently with a variety of directors thereafter. Known for her exceptional beauty, she was nicknamed “Neko(the cat).” Her movies include “Kokyo”(1923), “Tokyo March”(1929), and “Sanjuro”(1962). (bio by: Warrick L. Barrett)

Azean Irdawaty (1950 - 2013)

Actress, Singer. The winner of multiple awards, she was a star of her country’s screen for more than 40 years. Though little is recorded of her early days, she was a young mother when she began a professional singing career around 1970; after gradually building a following, she made her 1979 silver screen bow in […]

Oana Ioachim (1967 - 2015)

Romanian Actress. Ioachim, who was a daughter of Romanian playwright Paul Ioachim, had a very recognized career in both the theater and film. She appeared in the theater for 20 years where she performed in such plays as “Barefoot in the Park” and “Popcorn”.  While still in the theater, Ioachim also appeared in films such […]

Amo Ingraham (1909 - 1983)

Actress, Dancer. She appeared in films from the late 1920s through the early 1940s. She was born in New York City to popular composer Herbert Ingraham and his wife Frankie Campbell. She played small parts, often as a chorus girl, in the following films: “Chasing Husbands” (1928), “The Wild Party” (1929), “Palmy Days” (1931), “Night […]

Frieda Inescort (1901 - 1976)

Actress. The daughter of actress Elaine Inescort and a British journalist, Inescort made her first Broadway appearance in the 1922 production “The Truth About Blayds.” After a successful career on stage, Inescort arrived in Hollywood in 1935, from 1935 to 1960, she was ‘Miss Bingley’ in “Pride and Prejudice.” Two of her better roles were […]

Tomris Incer (1948 - 2015)

Turkish Actress. Incer was a very prominent actress who appeared in the theater, films, and television. She started with the Istanbul City Theater in 1974, appearing in different productions.  Incer also appeared in such films and television series as “1001 Nights” (2006), “Love and Punishment” (2010) and “Karsilasma” (2003).   She was honored for her […]

Pola Illery (1909 - 1993)

Actress. The exotic vamp of roughly 15 French movies, she was possibly the last performer to have starred in silent films as an adult. Born Paula Illiescu in the small town of Corabia, she took to show business early and made her silver screen bow in the 1928 “Le Desir”. After first attracting major notice […]

Ellen Idelson (1961 - 2003)

Actress, screenwriter, producer. Idelson worked on such television shows as, “Sixteen To Life,” “Grosse Point,” “Holding The Baby,” “The Nanny,” “Boy Meets World,” and “Danny.” As an actress, she appeared in the films, “Moose Mating” (2001), as ‘Betsy,’ and “Eye Of The Sparrow” (1987), as ‘Donna.’ Also appeared in several episodes of the television series, […]

Carola Höhn (1910 - 2005)

Actress. She was born in Wesermünde and died in München, (Germany). She made her debut on stage in 1933 at the Berliner Schlosstheater. In 1934, she started a film career that spanned more than 60 years. She triumphed in movies such as “Einmal eine grosse Dame sein” (1934), “Charleys Tante” (1934), “Der alte und der […]

Kirsten Hüttemeier (1914 - 2003)

Television Personality. She was the host of the televison shows, “To Ved Et Kokkenbord” (1951-1953), and “Huttemeiers Madmagasin” (1995-1997). (bio by: K)

Frédérique Huydts (1967 - 2006)

Actress. She attended the Maastrichtse Toneelacady, where she graduated in 1989.She became famous in 1990 as Annet in the Dutch television soap Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden. After this she played in television series such as ‘In naam der Koningin’, the comedy ‘In de clinch’ and ‘Meiden van De Wit’. In 2004 she was diagnosed with […]

Ruth Carol Hussey (1911 - 2005)

Actress. Often played graceful, sophisticated, and intelligent women.   Best Known for her Oscar-nominated role as the cynical photographer Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Imbrie in “The Philadelphia Story” in 1940. Ruth was a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Drama. Her first show-business job was as a fashion commentator on a local radio station. Ruth […]

Madeline Hurlock (1899 - 1989)

Silent Film Actress. Best known for her role as ‘Lady Tarbotham’ in the Laurel and Hardy movie “Duck Soup.” In 1919, Madeline Hurlock made her Broadway debut in the ensemble cast of “The Rose of China”. Her big break came in 1923 when Keystone Studios producer/director Mack Sennett spotted her in one of the plays […]

Julia Hurley (1970 - 1927)

Silent film actress in over 30 films, some of them were “Mother” (1912), “The Jungle” (1914), “The Little Gypsy” (1915), “The Unborn” (1916), “Beware!” (1919), “Jane Eyre” (1921), “The Making of O’Malley” (1925) and “Married?” (1926). (bio by: Ginny M)

Gladys Hurlbut (1898 - 1988)

Actress, Playwright, Screenwriter. A character performer, she played a wide range of parts on stage, in films and television. In 1920, she made her professional debut in the Broadway production “Mrs. Jimmie Thompson” and in 1934, she penned the play “By Your Leave”. She co-wrote the screenplay for the Clark Gable and Joan Crawford picture […]

Jean Huntley (1893 - 1979)

Actress. She appeared in Charlie Chaplin’s 1925 classic, “The Gold Rush.” Jean was the long-time wife of producer/art director Paul Malvern. She met Paul when he fell from a balcony while filming a scene. They were married in 1932 and the union lasted until her death in 1979.   (bio by: TLS)  Family links:  Spouse: […]

Margaret Hughes (1970 - 1719)

Actress. Also known as ‘Peg’, she was the first recorded actress on the English stage. Before her time, only boys and men were allowed to play female roles. Her ground-breaking debut was as ‘Desdemona’ in a 1660 performance of William Shakespear’s “Othello”. Diarist Samuel Pepys records how, in the late 1660’s, he was delighted to […]

Carol Hughes (1910 - 1995)

Carol Hughes was born Catherine Mabel Hukill on January 17, 1910 in Chicago, Illinois to Charles, an upholsterer, and Mable Hukill (née Stift). Both of her parents were born in Chicago; her mother’s grandparents were from Germany. She was raised in a rented house at 2122 Pearl Court in Chicago along with a cousin, Pearl […]