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: Charlestown, Pendleton, England
Died: February 8, 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
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Birthdate: September 30, 1921
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
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.
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: December 22, 1962, 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: May 7, 1923
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Michigan City
Died: December 12, 1985
Anne Baxter is best remembered for her Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning performance as Sophie MacDonald in The Razor's Edge. Her other notable projects were the film All About Eve and the series The Name of the Game. She also actively participated in Republican campaigns.
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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
Birthdate: March 5, 1948
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chipping Barnet
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.
Birthdate: May 16, 1909
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Died: January 1, 1960
Birthdate: December 13, 1908
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Walters, Oklahoma, United States
Died: July 23, 1971
Birthdate: September 6, 1936
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lowell, Indiana, United States
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.
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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: December 12, 1881
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Krasnosielc
Died: December 27, 1958
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: October 18, 1902
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Died: October 9, 1972
Miriam Hopkins was an American actress widely regarded as a pioneer of TV drama. She became the first performer to earn an Academy Award nomination for a performance in a color film; she was nominated under the Best Actress category for her portrayal of the title role in the 1935 historical drama film, Becky Sharp.
Birthdate: March 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Burbank, California, United States
Birthdate: November 18, 1969
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rochester, Minnesota
Birthdate: August 19, 2004
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kauai, Hawaii, United States
Birthdate: October 1, 1896
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kaufman
Died: December 21, 1937
Birthdate: April 26, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Connecticut
Annie Starke, daughter of actor Glenn Close, is best known for her recurring role of Lily Cartwright in the Netflix series Ratched. She has also appeared in films such as We Don’t Belong Here and The Wife. A skilled equestrian, she has won the Children's Modified Jumper Championship at 15.
Birthdate: February 16, 1926
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London, England
Died: July 25, 2003
Birthdate: October 21, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Birthdate: March 31, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Jerichow, Germany
While he initially gained fame as a talented theater actor, Sylvester Groth later gained fame with movies such as Inglourious Basterds and series such as Dark. The German actor was also the fodder of tabloids for his alleged affair with Rosemarie Fendel, an actor 31 years older than him.
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: December 2, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Grosse Pointe, Michigan, U.S.
Died: August 24, 2013
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
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: 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: December 5, 1898
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Del Rio, Tennessee, United States
Died: January 26, 1947
Birthdate: April 30, 1892
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Glasgow
Died: March 30, 1950
Birthdate: October 5, 1908
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Texarkana, Texas, United States
Died: July 12, 1988
Birthdate: October 22, 1894
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Died: August 8, 1961
Birthdate: August 1, 2000
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sylt
The son of Danish cook Brian Bojsen, Jaden Bojsen was initially featured regularly on cookery programs on the German channel ZDF. Aa child actor, he began his career playing the younger Tarzan in the musical Tarzan. He later joined the boy band New District and also performed as a DJ.
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
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.
Birthdate: June 21, 1896
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dickinson, North Dakota, United States
Died: June 2, 1998
Birthdate: October 26, 1844
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: June 6, 1911
Birthdate: February 16, 1949
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: December 13, 2002
Born to a Norwegian father, whom she didn’t know until she grew up, and a Romanian mother, who was associated with the stage, Maria Björnson established herself as a leading set and costume designer. She is best known for her Tony-winning work in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera.