Edwin Pearce Christy (1815 - 1862)

Actor. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was a pioneer actor-producer best known for organizing and leading the popular painted black-faced troop of actors called the Christy’s Minstrels. In 1846, while as a performing minstrel, with his band of six performers he took the name of the Christy’s Minstrels and started performing in opera houses in […]

Bill Christy (1925 - 1946)

Actor. Born William Meikle Christy in Seattle, Washington, he was a radio performer before joining the US Marines Corps reserves at the out break of World War II. After his service, he appeared in only three films “Song of the Open Road” (1944), “Live Wires” (1946) and “Behind the Mask Copy Boy” (1946), before his […]

Al Christy (1918 - 1995)

Actor. He appeared in the films, “Mr. And Mrs. Bridge” (1990), “When Harry Met Sally” (1989), “Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story” (1986), “Stand Alone” (1985), and “In Cold Blood” (1967). Also made television guest appearances on, “Punky Brewster” “The Twilight Zone” and “Bonanza.” (bio by: K)

Frank Christi (1929 - 1982)

Actor. He appeared in the films, “The Story Of Pretty Boy Floyd” (1974), “The Don Is Dead” (1973), “Hit!” (1973), “Terminal Island” (1973), and “The Steagle” (1971). He also made guest appearances on the television shows, “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Rockford Files,” “Baretta,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Serpico,” “The Blue Knight,” “Cannon,” “The Invisible Man,” “Mannix,” “Kojak,” […]

Tim Choate (1954 - 2004)

Actor. Born Timothy Clark Choate in Dallas, Texas, he earned BA in fine arts at the University of Texas at Austin in 1977. He made his film debut in “The Europeans” opposite Lee Remick two years later. In the early 1980s, he appeared in “Crimes of the Heart” on Broadway. Throughout the 1980s, he appeared […]

Noble Chissell (1905 - 1987)

Stage and screen actor of the 1930s through 1970s. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

William Brooks Ching (1913 - 1989)

Actor. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he began his career as a professional singer, appearing in musical stage productions. Signed with Republic Pictures, he made his screen debut in “The Mysterious Mr. M” (1946), followed by “I‘ll Be Yours” (1947) and “The Michigan Kid” (1947) . He went on to appear in nearly twenty films […]

Yanis Chimaras (1955 - 2007)

Actor. Born Juan Andrés Yanis Chimaras Maury,  he was one of the most popular Venezuelan actors of the 1980s and 1990s, and well known in all Latin America for his roles in television soap operas. He appeared in more than 20 soap operas,  including “Luisana Mía”,  “Elizabeth”,  “La Salvaje”,  “Piel”,  “Amantes de Luna Llena”,  and […]

Kallu Chidambaram (1945 - 2015)

Indian Telugu Actor. Chidambaram, born Kolluri Chidambara Rao, was very prominent comic actor in Indian Telugu films for several decades. He started in the theater where he was very accomplished before going into films.  Chidambaram made his first appearance in the film “Kallu” in 1988 and won the Nandi award for his work.   He […]

Fidelis Cheza (1970 - 2015)

Zimbabwean Actor. Cheza was an actor whose most well known role to American audiences was of the Esbowe Warrior Chief in the film “Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold”. He was a mainstay in the Zimbabwean film industry for a long time, appearing in more than 40 films locally and regionally.   Cheza […]

Robert F. Chew (1960 - 2013)

Actor. He appeared in ‘The Wire,’ ‘The Corner,’ and ‘Homicide: Life on the Street,’ He died of heart failure in his home at the age of 52.

Jean Chevrier (1915 - 1975)

Actor. Most remembered in films such as: “Escape from Saigon,” “The Long Teeth,” “Amazons of Rome” and “The Affairs of Messalina.” He was married to actress Marie Bell. (bio by: MC)

Leslie Cheung (1956 - 2003)

Chinese actor. Born Cheung Kwok-Wing in Hong Kong, China, his family moved to the United States where his father found work as actor William Holden’s tailor. He studied at Leeds University in England and in 1976 he won second prize in a ATV Asian Music Contest, going on to a film and television career. He […]

Harry Cheshire (1891 - 1968)

Actor in 110 films from 1940 to 1964 including: “Dick Tracy vs. Cueball” (1946), “Mother Wore Tights” (1947), “Nightmare Alley” (1947), “The Babe Ruth Story” (1948), “Ma and Pa Kettle” (1949), “Miss Grant Takes Richmond” (1949), “Phffft!” (1954), “The Seven Little Foys” (1955), “My Man Godfrey” (1957), “The Big Country” (1958). (bio by: TLS)  Family […]

George Chesebro (1888 - 1959)

Actor. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he was a prolific actor whom appeared in over 400 films between 1915 to 1954. Noted mostly for performances in westerns, he began his career debut in the silent era as a regular in the short reel series “Migon” (1915) and “Money” (1915). Among his many credits are, “Hands Up” […]

Nikolai Cherkasov (1903 - 1966)

Actor. Last name also spelled Cherkassov. One of the most popular Russian movie stars of his era, he won international fame for playing the title roles in director Sergei Eisenstein’s classics “Alexander Nevsky” (1938) and “Ivan the Terrible Parts I and II” (1944-1946). His rugged charisma led Western critics to dub him “The Russian Gary […]

Michael Chekhov (1891 - 1955)

Russian-born stage and screen actor of the 1910s, 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. Played the role of ‘Dr. Alex Brulov’ in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1945 film “Spellbound.” (bio by: A.J. Marik)  Family links:  Spouse:  Xenia Karlovna Ziller Chekhov (1897 – 1970)* *Calculated relationship

Al Checco (1925 - 2015)

Actor. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was drawn to entertainment at an early age and formed a comedy act with fellow actor Don Knotts, while serving with the United States Army during World War II. Checco’s break in the industry came, when he co-starred opposite Carol Channing (playing multiple roles) in the Broadway musical “Lend […]

Raul Anthony Chavez (1926 - 2012)

Latino Television Personality. Born in Mexico, Raul and his family immigrated to the United States to escape the turmoil in Mexico after the Mexican revolution. His family settled in Los Angeles, where he attended school and served in the U.S. Navy in World War II as a flight engineer. After the Navy, he attended Pasadena […]

Emile Chautard (1864 - 1934)

French-born actor and director. Artistic director of the Odeon Theatre in Paris, he came to the U.S. in 1914 to direct films for the Thanhouser studio. In 1924 Chautard gave up directing to play character roles. His film appearances include “Morocco” (1930), “Shanghai Express” (1932),  “Blonde Venus” (1932),  and “Viva Villa!” (1934).  Some sources give […]

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 […]

Tom Chatterton (1881 - 1952)

Actor. Mainly appearing in Westerns, he directed 4 films and acted in 110 from 1914 to 1949 including: “Liquid Dynamite” (1915), “The Toast of New York” (1937), “Dodge City” (1939), “Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe” (1940), “Drums of Fu Manchu” (1943), “Captain America” (1944), “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946), “Jesse James Rides Again ” (1947). […]

Charley Chase (1893 - 1940)

Actor, Motion Picture Director. Born Charles Joseph Parrott, he began action in motion picture comedies in the early 1910s. Like many other early movie comedians, he began his career at director Mack Sennett’s famous Keystone Studios. where some of his early work included playing supporting characters in Charlie Chaplin shorts. Several years after breaking into […]

Spencer Charters (1875 - 1943)

Prolific character actor of the 1920s through the 1940s. (bio by: A.J. Marik)  Family links:  Spouse:  Irene Myers Charters (1889 – 1941)* *Calculated relationshipCause of death: Suicide

Irwin Charone (1922 - 2016)

Actor. His father was an attorney, he served with the United States Army Signal Corps during World War II and upon his return home, he studied acting at the Goodman Theatre School, followed by the Art Institute of Chicago and the American Theatre Wing of New York City. He launched his career in television during […]

Jacques Charon (1920 - 1975)

A leading actor at the Comedie Francaise. Also a director. (bio by: David Conway)

Ian Charleson (1949 - 1990)

Ian Charleson Actor and Singer. He is best remembered for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell, in the Oscar-winning 1981 film “Chariots of Fire” as well as his portrayal of Rev. Charlie Andrews, Mahatma Gandhi’s friend in the 1982 Oscar-winning film “Gandhi.” He was also a noted actor on the British […]

Hugh Chapman (1927 - 2015)

Actor. He appeared in several of Hal Roach’s ‘Our Gang’ one-reelers in 1937 and subsequently made a return to the ensemble in 1939 after the series had been sold to M-G-M. He also had roles in such films as ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ (1938), ‘My Son is Guilty’ (1939), ‘Belle Starr’ (1941). ‘Kid Glove […]

Graham Chapman (1941 - 1989)

Comic Writer,  Performer. Born Graham Arthur Chapman in Leicester, England, the younger son of Walter and Edith Chapman. He attended Melton Mowbray Grammar School where he became involved in theatre. In 1959 he was admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge University where he studied medicine. He joined the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club where John Cleese […]

Norman Myers “Chubby” Chaney (1914 - 1936)

Actor. He played ‘Chubby’ in eighteen of the “Our Gang” comedy motion picture series from 1929 to 1931. The resident plus-size member of “The Little Rascals” at the dawn of the talkie era, he relied on an affable personality, a flair for funny dialogue, and a priceless frown of frustration that seemed to swallow up […]