06/26 Tony Danza, Who's the Boss, Taxi

Tony Danza (born Antonio Salvatore Iadanza, April 21, 1951) is an American actor best known for starring on the TV series Taxi and Who's the Boss?, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and four Golden Globe Awards. In 1998, Danza won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series for his work on the 1997 sitcom The Tony Danza Show.

Personal life

Danza was born in Brooklyn, New York, to parents Anne Cammisa Iadanza (1925–1993) and Matty Iadanza (1920–1983), both of whom died from cancer.[1] Matty Iadanza worked as a garbage man in Brooklyn. Danza's family was of Italian ancestry. He has a younger brother, Matty Jr. (born 1954), a Los Angeles restaurant owner.[3] When Danza was 14, he and his family relocated to Malverne, New York on Long Island. Danza attended Malverne High School, graduating in 1968. In the first episode of his show "Teach: Tony Danza", Danza describes himself as a "bad student" in high school. Danza earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1972 from the University of Dubuque, which he attended on a wrestling scholarship. It was during his first year of college that he got the Robert Crumb Keep on Truckin' tattoo on his upper right arm. In a 1985 interview in Us Weekly magazine, Danza remarked, "I was playing pool with a guy who had all these tattoos, and I wanted to be friends." Danza sports a "Keep Punching" boxing gloves tattoo on his right shoulder. In college, Danza met and married his first wife. Danza was a professional boxer with a 9-3 record, with all of his fights, wins and losses, ending by knockout.

Shortly after his college graduation, Danza was discovered by a producer at a boxing gymnasium in New York. He then earned a spot on the television show Taxi. In 1986, Danza married for the second time, to Tracy Robinson. The couple separated in 2006 and filed for divorce on March 10, 2011. They have two daughters, Katherine (born 1987) and Emily (born 1993). In 2005, Tony Danza became a grandfather when his son Marc and his son's wife, Julie, had a son, Nicholas. In 2008, Danza and his son Marc published a cookbook, Don't Fill Up on the Antipasto: Tony Danza's Father-Son Cookbook.

Acting, show business, and teaching

Danza is better known for his characters named 'Tony' in Taxi (1978–1983), in which he played cab driver and part-time boxer, "Tony Banta". On Who's the Boss? (1984–1992), Danza portrayed a retired baseball player working as a housekeeper and single father, "Tony Micelli."
Danza also starred in the short-lived sitcoms Hudson Street (1995) and The Tony Danza Show (1997), not to be confused with his talk show of the same name. He had a role in the TV drama Family Law from 2000 until 2002. He took his first role, a nonspeaking part as a poker player in National Lampoon's Animal House.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award for a guest-starring 1998 role in the TV series The Practice. His movie debut was in the comedy The Hollywood Knights (1980), which was followed by Going Ape! (1981). He received critical acclaim for his performance in the 1999 Broadway revival of the Eugene O'Neill play The Iceman Cometh. In 2002, Danza released his debut album The House I Live In as a 1950s-style crooner.

Danza hosted his own TV talk show, The Tony Danza Show, that was produced each weekday morning in his hometown of New York and was syndicated across the US. On May 9, 2005, during a go-kart race with NASCAR star Rusty Wallace, who was a guest on the show, Danza's kart flipped after Wallace accidentally bumped him. Neither he nor Wallace was wearing a helmet at the time. Danza returned to go-kart racing on October 20, 2005, to challenge IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, but his brakes malfunctioned and he skidded into a wall, unharmed. His daytime talk show ended in May 2006; the last live episode aired on May 26, 2006.

He starred on Broadway as "Max Bialystock" in The Producers, from December 19, 2006, to March 11, 2007 and reprised his role at the Paris Las Vegas from August 13, 2007, to February 9, 2008.

In September 2008, it was reported that Danza would host the 4th season of The Contender, which was filmed in Singapore and began airing in December 2008 on the Versus TV sports channel. In August 2009, it was reported that Danza would appear in a new A&E reality show Teach: Tony Danza, in which he would co-instruct a 10th Grade English class at Northeast High School in Philadelphia. The series was filmed during the 2009-2010 school year and premiered on October 1, 2010.

06/19 Robert Davi

Robert John Davi (born June 26, 1953) is an American actor and jazz singer. He has played such roles as Vietnam veteran and Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard, the villainous Jake Fratelli in The Goonies, and Al Torres in Showgirls. However, Davi is perhaps best known for playing drug lord Franz Sanchez in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill as well as FBI Special Agent Baily Malone in the NBC television series Profiler. Classically trained as a singer, Davi launched his professional singing career in 2011 performing Frank Sinatra classics.  He opened as a headliner at The Venetian, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 23, 2012.

Early life

Davi was born in Astoria, Queens, New York, the son of Maria (née Rulli) and Sal Davi. His mother was an Italian American and his father was a native of Southern Italy; Davi spoke Italian during his childhood. He attended Seton Hall, a Catholic high school in Patchogue (Long Island), New York. He graduated from Hofstra University, the same alma mater as fellow James Bond villain Christopher Walken. Davi was drawn to Hofstra because of the school's Shakespearean 'round' theatre.

Acting career

Davi made his motion picture debut in Contract On Cherry Street, in which he shared the screen with, Frank Sinatra. Since then he's continued to work with the biggest names in Hollywood – Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Benicio del Toro, James Franco, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, and Roberto Benigni, among others. He's been in such movies as The Goonies, Die Hard, Showgirls, Son of the Pink Panther, and in the 1989 Bond film Licence to Kill as the villain Franz Sanchez, a South American drug lord and murderer, who was killed at the end of the film after being soaked in gasoline and set alight by Bond.

On TV, he starred as Commander Acastus Kolya on Stargate Atlantis, appeared in two-part episodes of Criminal Minds, and played Supervisory Special Agent Baily Malone of the FBI Violent Criminal Apprehesion Program / VICAP in 88 episodes of his own NBC series, Profiler. In 1989 Davi appeared as Mafia Albert Cerrico in the TV series Wiseguy, in the 10 episode Mafia arc titled Garbage Wars. He also sang in the first installment of the arc, called Le Lacrime de Amore Pt I.
In 2011, Davi appeared alongside Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken in the gangster movie Kill the Irishman. The film, in which Davi played Mafia hitman Ray Ferritto, is a biopic of Danny Greene, an Irish-American mob boss who warred with the Cleveland crime family during the 1970s. Currently, Davi can be seen in Game of Death with Wesley Snipes.

Directing career

In 2007, Davi made his directorial debut with The Dukes, a parable for today about how the current economic crisis is affecting the everyman. The story follows the members of a once successful Doo Wop group who, like most of the world, have fallen on hard times. The film is about chasing the American Dream, even when the reality of that dream is changing faster than you can run. It stars Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi, and Peter Bogdanovich. The Dukes was acclaimed and was selected for the premiere section at the Rome Film Festival, along with other filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola, Sean Penn, Robert Redford, Sidney Lumet, and Gavin Hood. Davi was the only first-time director in the premiere section. The film was then invited to the Monte Carlo Comedy Film Festival, where it received awards for best first-time director and best screenplay. Following this, The Dukes was invited to the Alpe d'Huez International Comedy Film Festival in France, amongst others.

Recording career

Even as far back as high school, Davi received acclaim for his singing, being awarded first place in the prestigious New York State School Music Association’s – Solo Competition, singing Vincent Youmans’ Without A Song. As a young man, Davi studied classically under several of the top vocal teachers, Samuel Margolis and Danial Ferro of Juilliard and later, opera great Tito Gobbi. Davi did in fact damage his voice, claiming he was baritone with the heart of a tenor and had pushed too hard, too early.  However, it isn't until recently that he has become successful as a singer. With a thirty-piece orchestra, Davi recorded his first album at the famous Capitol Records Building in Hollywood (where Frank Sinatra recorded on many occasions). The album contains all new arrangements by composer Nic. tenBroek; it is produced by Phil Ramone, engineered by Dan Wallin, and mixed by Al Schmitt. The album, “Davi Sings Sinatra - On The Road To Romance,” was released Oct 24th 2011.

06/12 Dr. Carl Patrasso

Dr. Carl is the author of the book ‘Dreaming for Success’; the ground-breaking dream interpretation book that shows you how your dream - often forgotten or misunderstood - is a resource that helps you. The purpose of your dream is to improve your life.

Dr. Carl dream expert and clinical psychologist, has been in practice in Scottsdale, Arizona for the last twenty-five years. He has interpreted dreams for people from every walk of life and with every kind of question. No matter how mysterious your dream, no matter how out of character or unusual the dream is Dr. Carl tells you the meaning of your dream and how the meaning of your dream improves your life and actualizes your potential.

DrCarlDreamInterpreter.com

06/05 Branscombe Richmond!

Highly recognizable Native American actor, stuntman and singer who is equally capable of portraying cold-hearted villains on the one hand and warm-hearted, open "good guys" on the other, as evidenced by his huge grin and hearty laugh.

The solidly built 6' 3" Richmond has regularly played the bad guy on-screen. He's been on the receiving end of the fists of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando (1985), gotten pummeled by Carl Weathers in Action Jackson (1988) and tangled with Steven Seagal in Hard to Kill (1990).

Richmond is the son of movie stuntman Leo C. Richmond and first broke into film and TV in the early 1970s with minor roles in shows such as "The Bionic Woman" (1976), "The Rockford Files" (1974) and "Magnum, P.I." (1980). From there he quickly picked up work in numerous made-for-TV movies and was kept busy throughout the 1980s and 1990s with appearances in such A-grade productions as Licence to Kill (1989), Best Seller (1987) and Batman Returns (1992). He even found himself in the children's film Curly Sue (1991). In early 1991 Richmond scored the key role of "Bobby Six Killer" in the bounty hunter-themed TV series "Renegade" (1992) starring alongside Lorenzo Lamas and Kathleen Kinmont. The series was quite successful and ran from 1992 to 1997, turning out over 100 episodes! Additionally, Richmond has starred in plenty of B-movie action films and has become quite a cult figure of the genre.

Since the late 1990s, Richmond has remained busy on several fronts. He's continued acting in Hollywood, is the official spokesman for Indian Motorcycles and is the lead singer for the band "Branscombe Richmond and the Renegade Posse". He's also notched up numerous awards, including being voted "Native American Entertainer of the Year" and "Mr Showman" of the year by the Las Vegas Review Journal.

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05/29 Peter Marshall

Peter Marshall (born March 30, 1926) is an American television and radio personality, singer, and actor.

He was the original host of The Hollywood Squares, from 1966 to 1981. He has almost fifty television, movie, and Broadway credits. His stage name, Peter Marshall, reportedly derived from the college in his home town (Marshall College, which became Marshall University in 1961).

Peter Marshall was born Ralph Pierre LaCock in 1926^[1] in Huntington, West Virginia, to a show business family. Following his father's death, he moved to New York City to be with his mother, a costume designer. His elder sister, Joanne Dru, was an actress who is best remembered for her roles in the films Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and All the King's Men.

Although Marshall occasionally worked in film and television, he could not find regular work in the industry until his friend Morey Amsterdam recommended him to fill in for Bert Parks (who emceed the pilot) as the host of the game show The Hollywood Squares in 1966.^[2]

The show had a long run on daytime network TV and in syndication, making Marshall as familiar to viewers as the celebrities who appeared on the show. The easy-going and unflappable Marshall was a perfect foil for the wicked wit of such panelists as Amsterdam and his Dick Van Dyke Show castmate Rose Marie; Paul Lynde, Jan Murray, and Wally Cox. The Hollywood Squares was canceled by the NBC network in 1980, but production continued in syndication into 1981.

Marshall grew tired of hosting the show after several years and wanted to leave. Toward that end, he would make outrageous salary demands whenever his contract was up for renewal, hoping that he would be fired for doing so, but his demands were always met.

In 2002, he published a book about his show business experience, Backstage With The Original Hollywood Square.^[14]

In 2002, he returned to the new version of The Hollywood Squares^[15] as a panelist during a Game Show Week hosted by Tom Bergeron. Marshall occupied the prestigious center square. For one day that week, Marshall took his old position at the podium to host while Bergeron was the center square.
In addition to having played a radio host in Annie, Marshall has been a radio personality in real life, hosting a popular mid-day show on the Music of Your Life adult standards national radio network, which is also live-streamed via the internet here.

On October 13, 2007, Marshall was one of the first inductees into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.

In 2009, Marshall appeared on television promoting compact disc hits from the Big Band era, and also hosted a two hour PBS special, The Big Band Years.^[16]

In 2010, Marshall, along with Monty Hall and Wink Martindale, appeared with their wives on a special Game Show Legend version of The Newlywed Game. The special was hosted by Bob Eubanks; the Martindales won the game.

Wikipedia

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05/22 Carrol Connors!

Carol Connors (born Annette Kleinbard, November 13, 1940, New Brunswick, New Jersey) is a retired American singer-songwriter. She is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist on The Teddy Bears' single, "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which was written by her band mate Phil Spector.

She was the lead singer of the pop vocal trio known as The Teddy Bears, which also included Phil Spector. The Teddy Bears' only major hit, "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which Spector wrote specifically to showcase Connors' singing voice, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1958.^[1] Immediately upon hearing the song, 23 year old Elvis Presley, who was then serving in the United States Army in Germany, requested his aides to contact her, eventually getting his wish to meet her personally when he returned to the US, in March 1960. A serious relationship between them followed, which lasted several years. After their initial hit, the trio disbanded because of the failure of their follow-up singles, and the fact that Spector preferred working behind the scenes to performing.

Some years later she legally changed her name to Carol Connors. She co-wrote (with Ayn Robbins and Bill Conti) "Gonna Fly Now", the theme song from the film, Rocky, which earned her an Academy Award nomination. Carol Connors sang the theme to the cult film, Orca, called "We are One".

Other songwriting credits include the Rip Chords' 1964 hit "Hey Little Cobra", plus the 1980 Billy Preston/Syreeta Wright duet "With You I'm Born Again". In addition for "Madonna in the Mirror"; the 1994 title track "For All Mankind" on the debut album of Italian singer Guendalina Cariaggi, which was used as the theme song for a documentary produced by Pier Quinto and Lara Cariaggi, on the legends of soccer and the FIFA World Cup;^[2] plus the finale song on A&E's 15 Films About Madonna;^[3] and three songs - "Condi, Condi", "I Think of You so Fondly", and "Chill, Condi, Chill" - for Courting Condi (2008).

She also co-composed three songs for the soundtrack of the 1977 Disney film, The Rescuers: "Tomorrow Is Another Day", "The Journey" and "Someone's Waiting for You". In 1983 Connors was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award, for the 'Worst Original Song' for "It's Wrong for Me to Love You", from Butterfly, which she co-composed with Ennio Morricone.

Wikipedia

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05/15 Phyllis Davis!

Phyllis Davis (born July 17, 1940, in Port Arthur, Texas) is an American actress who appeared primarily on television. She was most notably a part of the cast of Aaron Spelling's dramatic series Vega$, playing the character Beatrice Travis.

She studied at Lamar College and attended acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse.
She appeared in "Love, American Style" (1969) for five seasons. Some of her film appearances include Lord Love a Duck (1966), Spinout (1966), Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), The Choirboys (1977), and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995).

Davis also appeared in television series such as Knight Rider: she played the role of the villainous Tanya Walker in the pilot episode "Knight of the Phoenix." She had guest roles in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Magnum, P.I., The Love Boat, and was a regular performer in the vignettes in Love, American Style. She was a Match Game panelist on occasion and appeared on a Battle of the Network Stars special.

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