This Day in Hollywood History – April 25th

 This Day in Hollywood History

4/25 

Births

1912 – Gladys Presley- Mother of the King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis

1940 – Al Pacino –  An American actor and director best known for playing Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy.  After being nominated 7 previous times for an Academy Award for his performances is the first two Godfather installments, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, …And Justice For All, Dick Tracy  and Glengarry Glen Ross, he won for his portrayal of a blind Army officer in Scent of A Woman.  Pacino was among the last generation of Hollywood stars that began their career studying under Lee Strasberg at the famed Actors’ Studio.  In his personal life, Pacino has been linked to his Godfather co-star Diane Keaton and Beverly D’Angelo.

1946 – Talia Shire – She is the twice Oscar-nominated co-star of the Godfather trilogy.  She is the sister of director Francis for Coppola and aunt of actor Nicholas Cage and director Sofia Coppola.  She is, perhaps, best known for her portrayal if Adrian in the Rocky movies.

Deaths

1972 – George Sanders – He was an Academy Award winning British actor and brother of fellow actor Tom Conway.  He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Addison DeWitt, the mentor of Marilyn Monroe’s character, Miss Casswell, in All About Eve.  Later in his career, he played Mr. Freeze in the Batman 1960s TV series.  Sanders also has the destinction of having been married to two of the Gabor sisters.  He was first married to Zsa Zsa from 1949-1954 and later to Magda for 6 weeks in 1970.  His death was a suicide.  In his suicide note he worote, “Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck” He was cremated and his ashes were scattered over the English Channel.

1995 – Ginger Rogers – She appeared in 73 films during her long Hollywood career.  Most notable were her films with Fred Astaire during the 1930s.  In a departure from the usually light fare and musicals she was known for, she starred in a dramatic role in 1940s Kitty Folye, which earned her a Best Actress Oscar.

 

This Day in Hollywood History – April 24th

This Day in Hollywood History

4/24

Births

1934 – Shirley MacLaine – Oscar-winning older sister of Warren Beatty.  She starred in numerous Oscar-worthy roles in movies such as The Apartment and Some Came Running.  She later became known for her interest in astrology and other spiritual matter concerning past lives and life beyond death.

1936 – Jill Ireland – British Actress who is most known to American audiences for her marriage to actor Charles Bronson.  She passed away from breast cancer on May 18, 1990.

1942 – Barbra Streisand – Award-winning singer and actress.  She has won numerous Grammies and an Oscar for her portrayal of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl.  She was previously married to actor Elliot Gould and is currently married to actor James Brolin.

Deaths

1968 – Tommy Noonan – He died at the age of 46 from a brain tumor.  Noonan is best known as the hapless boyfriend of Marilyn Monroe’s gold-digging character Lorelei Lee in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and as Judy Garland’s pal in A Star is Born.  He never achieved leading man success and later in his career produced soft-core fare such as Promises! Promises!, starring Jayne Mansfield and 3 Nuts in Search of a Bolt, with Mamie Van Doren.

1974 – Bud Abbott – One half of the comedy duo Abbot and Costello.  He is best known for playing the straight man to Lou.

1986 – Wallis Warfield Simpson (The Duchess of Windsor) – She is the American divorcee whom Prince Edward VIII abdicated his thrown for. 

Events

1953 – Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II