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Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie (1934 - 2012)
Actor. A veteran British stage and screen performer, he is best remembered as Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ eccentric boss Justin Pitt in the 1990s television sitcom “Seinfeld”. Although his character was seen in only seven episodes, the actor acknowledged those appearances “changed my life”. Abercrombie began his theatrical career during World War II. He moved to the […]
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John Joseph Abercrombie
John Joseph Abercrombie (1798 - 1877)
Abercrombie was born and baptized in Baltimore, Maryland, although some accounts suggest he was a native of Tennessee. The son of John Joseph Abercrombie, Sr. and Sarah DeNormandie, their family was living in Nashville, Tennessee when the younger John entered the United States Military Academy in 1818. Graduating 37th of 40 from the United States […]
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John Abercrombie
John Abercrombie (1944 - 2017)
John Abercrombie graduated from Berklee in 1967 and briefly attended North Texas State University before moving to New York in 1969. He quickly became one of the “most in-demand session players,” recording with Gil Evans in 1974, Gato Barbieri in 1971, and Barry Miles in 1972 among others. In 1969, he joined Dreams, one of […]
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Theodore Wade “Ted” Abernathy
Theodore Wade “Ted” Abernathy (1933 - 2004)
Ted Wade Abernathy (March 6, 1933 – December 16, 2004) was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed. Abernathy appeared in 681 games and picked up 148 saves during a 14–season career between 1955 and 1972, playing for the Washington Senators (1955–57, 1960), Cleveland Indians (1963–64), Chicago Cubs (1965–66, 1969–70), Atlanta […]
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John Abineri
John Abineri (1928 - 2000)
Born in London, he attended the Old Vic drama school and described himself as “Well educated from the age of five to eighteen”. He spoke a number of languages (including German, Russian and French) fluently, which led to him being cast as a number of different nationalities. His extensive television performances included a regular role […]
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John Abineri
John Abineri (1928 - 2000)
Actor. Appeared three times in the “Doctor Who” British Science Fiction series. Appeared as Ranquin in “The Power of Kroll” (1978), as Richard Railton in “Death to the Daleks” (1974), and as General Carrington in “The Ambassadors of Death” (1970).
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Robert Abplanalp
Robert Abplanalp (1922 - 2003)
Robert Henry “Bob” Abplanalp, KHS (April 4, 1922 – August 30, 2003) was an American inventor and engineer who invented the modern form of the aerosol valve, the founder of Precision Valve Corporation and a political activist. Born to Swiss immigrant parents in the Bronx, New York, Abplanalp graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in 1939 […]
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Val Avery
Val Avery (1924 - 2009)
Avery was born in Philadelphia. In his early years he acted in plays with the Armenian Youth Federation. Following his service in World War II, he attended the Bessie V. Hicks School of Drama in Philadelphia. Avery’s pock-marked face and shifty appearance allowed him to frequently be cast as a gangster, or other menacing heavies. Avery’s […]
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Gary Abrahams
Gary Abrahams (1944 - 1992)
Motion Pictures Figure. Along with partner Gary Essert, in 1971 he co-founded “FILMEX,” the Los Angeles Film International Festival. Later, the two created the American Cinematheque in 1981. Both men passed away in 1992 due to the complication of AIDS. (bio by: A.J. Marik)
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Harold Abrahams
Harold Abrahams (1899 - 1978)
Abrahams’s father, Isaac, was a Jewish immigrant from Congress Poland. He worked as a financier, and settled in Bedford with his Welsh Jewish wife, Ester. Harold was born in Bedford, and was the younger brother of another British athlete, the Olympic long jumper Sir Sidney Abrahams. Another brother, Sir Adolphe Abrahams, became the founder of […]
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Khoren Abrahamyan
Khoren Abrahamyan (1930 - 2004)
Actor. Born in Yerevan, Armenia, he graduated from the Acting Department of Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute in 1951. He was renowned as one of the Soviet Union’s most popular performers, being featured in many leading roles in both theatre and cinema. Later in his career, he was the executive director of the Sundukyan […]
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Khoren Abrahamyan
Khoren Abrahamyan (1930 - 2004)
Actor. Born in Yerevan, Armenia, he graduated from the Acting Department of Yerevan Fine Arts and Theatre Institute in 1951. He was renowned as one of the Soviet Union’s most popular performers, being featured in many leading roles in both theatre and cinema. Later in his career, he was the executive director of the Sundukyan […]
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Lélia Abramo
Lélia Abramo (1910 - 2004)
Actress. Born to Italian immigrants in São Paulo, Brazil, he was a figure in Brazillian theater, motion pictures and television. Her best known roles were in the films “Veredas da Salvação” (1965) and “O Quarto” (1968). She was also a well-known political activist and one of the founders of President Lula da Silva’s Workers Party. […]
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Lelia Abramo
Lelia Abramo (1910 - 2004)
Actress. Born to Italian immigrants in São Paulo, Brazil, he was a figure in Brazillian theater, motion pictures and television. Her best known roles were in the films “Veredas da Salvação” (1965) and “O Quarto” (1968). She was also a well-known political activist and one of the founders of President Lula da Silva’s Workers Party.
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Creighton Williams Abrams
Creighton Williams Abrams (1914 - 1974)
Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. graduated from West Point in 1936 (he stood 185th out of 276 in the class) and served with the 1st Cavalry Division from 1936 to 1940, being promoted to first lieutenant in 1939 and temporary captain in 1940. Abrams became an armor officer early in the development of that branch and […]
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Ray Abruzzese
Ray Abruzzese (1937 - 2011)
Raymond Lewis Abruzzese, Jr. (October 27, 1937 – August 22, 2011) was an American college and professional football player. Abruzzese was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A defensive back, he played college football at the University of Alabama, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Buffalo Bills from 1962 through 1964, when the […]
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Mary Clare Absalom
Mary Clare Absalom (1892 - 1970)
Mary Clare Absalom was born in 1892. She trained at a dramatic school and began her career on the London stage at the age of 18 in 1910. She appeared in the film The Black Spider in 1920, and thereafter divided her time between the stage and the cinema. In September 1936 she played the […]
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William Henry Abstein
William Henry Abstein (1883 - 1940)
Major League Baseball Player. Known as “Big Bill,” he played Major League baseball as first baseman for three seasons (1906, 1909 to 1910) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Browns. A career minor leaguer who never could permanently break into the Major League (he was considered a top first baseman when he played for […]
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Anthony Accardo
Anthony Accardo (1906 - 1992)
Anthony Accardo Organized Crime Figure. Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1906, he joined the city’s organized crime family, the “Outfit,” during the late 1920s. He served under three bosses (Alphonse Capone, Frank Nitti, and Paul Ricca), before becoming the boss himself. Accardo became prominent in the mob during Al Capone’s reign. He served for a […]
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Jane Ace
Jane Ace (1897 - 1974)
Radio Actress. Born Jane Epstein in Kansas City, Missouri, together with her husband Goodman Ace, they were one of the most popular novelty teams during radio’s golden era. In 1930, when circumstances forced Goodman Ace to continue broadcasting after his show had finished on KMBC Radio Kansas City, he brought his wife Jane in for […]
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Jane Ace
Jane Ace (1900 - 1974)
Radio Actress. Born Jane Epstein in Kansas City, Missouri, together with her husband Goodman Ace, they were one of the most popular novelty teams during radio’s golden era. In 1930, when circumstances forced Goodman Ace to continue broadcasting after his show had finished on KMBC Radio Kansas City, he brought his wife Jane in for […]
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Goodman Ace
Goodman Ace (1899 - 1982)
Radio Actor, Comedian. From 1931 to 1945 he teamed with his wife Jane Ace to play in the comedy radio program “Easy Aces” (his character was the straightman to his wife’s character was “Mistress Misspeack”). He had a successful career as a comedy writer, providing material for early television entertainment figures such as comedian Milton […]
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Dr Franz Carl Achard
Dr Franz Carl Achard (1753 - 1821)
Achard was born in Berlin, the son of preacher Max Guillaume Achard, descendant of Huguenot refugees and his wife Marguerite Elisabeth (Rouppert). He studied physics and chemistry in Berlin. He became interested in sugar refining through his stepfather. At the age of 20, Achard entered the “Circle of Friends of Natural Sciences” and met Andreas […]
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Janet Achurch
Janet Achurch (1864 - 1916)
Born as Janet Sharp on 17 January 1864 in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, her mother died during childbirth and she was reared by her father William Prior Sharp, an insurance agent. Her maternal grandparents, James and Mary Achurch, managed the Theatre Royal in Manchester. She became an actress after ending her education in 1881 and joining Sarah […]
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Ramón Acín
Ramón Acín (1888 - 1936)
Journalist, Anti-Fascist Fighter. Born in Huesca, Aragón, Spain, he began his career as a journalist for the newspaper “El Diario de Huesca” and the magazines “Don Pepito” and “L’Esquella de la Torratxa”. Later, he founded the magazine “La Ira” and began his collaboration in leftist newspapers with articles against the coup d’état of General Francisco […]
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Jean Acker
Jean Acker (1892 - 1978)
Acker was born Harriet “Hattie” Ackers on October 23, 1893 in Trenton, New Jersey. Her father was Joseph Ackers, said to be of Cherokee descent. Her mother Margaret was Irish. In the 1900 census, Hattie is with Joseph and her grandparents, but no wife of Joseph is listed. In fact, he is reported to be […]
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Barry Allan Ackerley
Barry Allan Ackerley (1934 - 2011)
Barry Allan Ackerley Sports Magnate. He was the principal owner of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association, from 1983 to 2001. A graduate of the University of Iowa, he rose to the position of Chairman and Corporate Executive Officer (CEO) of Ackerley Communications, a media conglomerate operating television and radio stations in 20 […]
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Bettye Ackerman
Bettye Ackerman (1928 - 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 […]
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Forrest James Ackerman
Forrest James Ackerman (1916 - 2008)
Author. Born in Los Angeles, California, to Carroll Wyman Cridland and William Schilling Ackerman. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, then went onto work as a movie projectionist and at odd jobs. In 1942 he enlisted into the Army where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, held the position of editor […]
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Carl William Ackerman
Carl William Ackerman (1890 - 1970)
Educator, Journalist. The Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism from 1931 to 1956, he was a co-founder of the American Press Institute, administered Pulitzer Prizes, helped establish Maria Moors Awards, championed civil liberties and freedom of information and helped emphasize practical training in newspaper work.