Theater Personalities
More From Theater Personalities
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Setting up a theatrical play involves weeks, or even months of hard work and coordination among the various professionals involved in the production of the play. A stage play is not just about the actors—though their roles should never be undermined—it is also about the other parties who put in tremendous amounts of work backstage to bring out the desired effects of the play. Highly creative teams of professionals collaborate to convert a vision into a stage production that is presented to the audience. Theater personnel include art directions, action directors, choreographers, and music directors in addition to set designers, costume designer and the stage crew. The theatrical performers are known as stage actors, and the art of acting on stage is different from acting in a film owing to the innate differences between films and stage. Stage performers need to have a more prominent voice, and have to deliver their performances forcefully in order to make an impact on the audience. Further they need to be more creative and confident in performing in front of a live audience. Read on to learn more about your favorite theater personalities through this collection of biographies which include timelines, information on their professional lives and some trivia.
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Birthdate: August 22, 1971
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Huncote, Leicestershire, England
Richard Crispin Armitage is an English actor whose portrayal of Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit film series earned him international recognition and a Saturn Award. Well-known for his baritone voice, Richard Armitage has also recorded many audiobooks; in 2014, he won an Audiobook of the Year award for his work on Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel.
Birthdate: May 9, 1936
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Salford, Lancashire, England
Died: February 7, 2019
Albert Finney was an English actor known for his contribution across all the three major acting mediums: films, television and theatre. A recipient of Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Emmy awards, Albert Finney also received nominations for prestigious awards, such as the Academy Award and Tony Award.
Birthdate: February 2, 1949
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
4
Deborah Kerr(British Actress Who was Known for Her Impeccable Grace and Beauty)
Birthdate: September 30, 1921
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Helensburgh
Died: October 16, 2007
Deborah Kerr was a Scottish actress who holds the record for having the most Academy Award nominations under the Best Actress category without a win. However, she received an Academy Honorary Award in 1994 for her contribution to the entertainment industry. Deborah Kerr was made a CBE in 1998 and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
5
Ralph Fiennes(English Actor Best Known for His Films: 'Schindler's List', and 'The English Patient' )
Birthdate: December 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ipswich, England
A Tony Award recipient, Ralph Fiennes is one of the most respected English actors of the current generation. He is known for playing important roles in notable films, such as the Harry Potter and James Bond film series. A Stanislavsky Award recipient, he is also known for his work behind the camera.
Birthdate: 1986
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Christopher Abbott is best known as Charlie Dattolo from Girls and as Mason Tannetti from The Sinner. He also had significant roles in the miniseries Catch-22 and the films First Man and James White. He is also a talented stage actor and has appeared in both Broadway and off-Broadway plays.
Birthdate: January 31, 1947
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Glynn Turman is an American actor, filmmaker, and writer. In a career spanning over 60 years. Some of the notable characters that he has portrayed are: Lew Miles in the movie Peyton Place, Leroy Jackson in the film Cooley High, and Bradford Taylor in the sitcom A Different World. He has also won several awards like the NAACP Image Award.
Birthdate: May 10, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
9
Elaine Paige
(Actor, Singer, Radio personality)
Birthdate: March 5, 1948
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chipping Barnet
10
Scott Rudin
(Film Producer)
Birthdate: July 14, 1958
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Birthdate: October 22, 1992
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London
Carrie Hope Fletcher is best known for her performances as Éponine and Fantine in different productions of the play Les Misérables. She also experimented with music and manages a popular YouTube vlogging channel. She has also authored a bestselling memoir, and several novels, including a children’s book.
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Van Heflin(Best Known for His Role as ‘Jeff Hartnett’ in the Film ‘Johnny Eager’)
Birthdate: December 13, 1908
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Walters, Oklahoma, United States
Died: July 23, 1971
A dependable character actor of his time, Van Heflin won the Academy Award for his performance as Jeff Hartnett in Johnny Eager. While he initially studied law, he later took up a master’s degree in theater at Yale. Apart from films, he also made a name for himself in radio and theater.
13
Konstantin Stanislavski
(Co-founder of ‘Moscow Art Theatre’ and Developer of Stanislavski's System of Acting)
Birthdate: January 17, 1863
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: August 7, 1938
Legendary Soviet and Russian theatre-practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski, who played an instrumental role in promoting new Russian drama of his time, is best-known for co-founding the world-renowned Moscow Art Theatre and developing the Stanislavski's system of training and preparing actors. Sergeyevich was considered one of the prominent theatre directors of his day and also earned repute as a remarkable character actor.
Birthdate: September 6, 1936
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lowell, Indiana, United States
15
Joe Besser
(Comedian, Musician, Voice actor, Actor, Television actor)
Birthdate: August 12, 1907
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: St. Louis
Died: March 1, 1988
Birthdate: December 1, 1913
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Weatherford, Texas, U.S.
Died: November 3, 1990
Birthdate: April 24, 1929
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Gajanur, India
Died: April 12, 2006
Legendary Kannada actor and singer Dr. Rajkumar had gained titles such as Nata Saarvabhouma and Gaana Gandharva from his fans. He was a major force behind the Gokak agitation for Kannada language. He had also been awarded with the Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Birthdate: December 12, 1881
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Krasnosielc, Poland
Died: December 27, 1958
Birthdate: August 19, 2004
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kauai, Hawaii, United States
Birthdate: February 10, 1901
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
Died: December 21, 1992
Birthdate: January 21, 1922
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Died: March 19, 2008
Birthdate: March 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Burbank, California, United States
Birthdate: November 18, 1969
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rochester, Minnesota
Birthdate: October 21, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
25
Ted Healy
(Actor, Screenwriter, Stage actor)
Birthdate: October 1, 1896
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kaufman
Died: December 21, 1937
Birthdate: February 16, 1926
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: July 25, 2003
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Howard Austen
(Businesspeople, Casting director)
Birthdate: January 28, 1929
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: September 22, 2003
Birthdate: August 7, 1902
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Died: September 1, 1981
Birthdate: September 6, 1899
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: February 10, 1966
Birthdate: June 6, 1606
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rouen, France
Died: October 1, 1684
Born into a family of lawyers, Pierre Corneille, too, initially studied law. However, both he and his younger brother, noted playwright Thomas Corneille, deviated from their family profession. Part of the Society of Five Authors, selected by Cardinal de Richelieu, Corneille later grew into one of the greatest 17th-century tragedians.
Birthdate: September 13, 1904
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Patten, Maine, U.S.
Died: December 8, 1954
Birthdate: March 2, 1914
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
Died: December 8, 1990
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Prakash Belawadi
(Journalist)
Birthdate: 1970 AD
Birthplace: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Film and theater actor Prakash Belawadi was born to theater artiste parents and thus grew up to follow in their footsteps. The Pratibha Bhushan-winning actor has been part of many Kannada and Hindi films, such as Airlift and Soorarai Pottru. He is also a qualified mechanical engineer.
Birthdate: April 30, 1892
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Glasgow
Died: March 30, 1950
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Grace Moore(American Opera Singer and Actress Whose Films Helped to Popularize Opera)
Birthdate: December 5, 1898
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Del Rio, Tennessee, United States
Died: January 26, 1947
American opera singer Grace Moore, also known as the Tennessee Nightingale, initially sang in New York nightclubs and then moved on to Broadway. She is remembered for her Academy Award-nominated role in the romantic musical One Night of Love. She died in a plane crash in Copenhagen after a performance.
36
Julien Schoenaerts
(Actor)
Birthdate: August 30, 1925
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bilzen, Belgium
Died: September 7, 2006
Julien Schoenaerts was a Flemish actor who is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of post-war Flanders and the Netherlands. In 2008, sculptor Wilfried Pas unveiled a statue of the actor on the Kerkstraat in Antwerp. Julien Schoenaerts is also known as the father of Matthias Schoenaerts.
Birthdate: October 5, 1908
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Texarkana, Texas, United States
Died: July 12, 1988
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Mei Lanfang
(Opera Artist)
Birthdate: October 22, 1894
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Died: August 8, 1961
Birthdate: September 3, 1918
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lubbock, Texas, United States
Died: May 1, 2010
Birthdate: November 4, 1858
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Alresford, England
Died: December 31, 1939
41
Ferdinand Marian
(Theatre actor)
Birthdate: August 14, 1902
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: August 7, 1946
Born to an opera singer, Ferdinand Marian quit his engineering studies and ran away from home to join theater. His breakthrough role of Don Pedro de Havila in La Habanera got him typecast in villainous roles. He died in a car accident, though many believe it was a suicide.
42
Dorothy Stickney
(Actress)
Birthdate: June 21, 1896
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dickinson, North Dakota, United States
Died: June 2, 1998
Birthdate: January 27, 1901
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Katowice Kattowitz, Germany
Died: July 13, 1973
A prominent 1930s’ silent-film era matinee idol, Willy Fritsch was born to a poor factory owner. He had initially aspired to be a mechanic but joined theater to earn some extra money. He is remembered for his hit pairing with Lilian Harvey in films such as Waltz of Love.
Birthdate: February 13, 1916
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bishop Auckland, England
Died: February 13, 2010
45
Irina Leonova
(Theater actress)
Birthdate: August 22, 1978
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Tallinn, Estonia
46
John Dennis
(Writer, Playwright, Literary critic)
Birthdate: September 16, 1658
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Died: January 6, 1734
47
Roger L. Stevens
(Theatrical producer)
Birthdate: March 12, 1910
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan,United States
Died: February 2, 1998
48
Julia Trevelyan Oman
(Theatre designer)
Birthdate: July 11, 1930
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kensington, London, England
Died: October 10, 2003
49
Annie Horniman
(Theatre manager)
Birthdate: October 3, 1860
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Forest Hill, England
Died: August 6, 1937
50
Alexander H. Cohen
(Theatrical Producer)
Birthdate: July 24, 1920
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: April 22, 2000