Shruti Haasan

Shruti Rajalakshmi Haasan (born 28 January 1986) is an Indian film actress, singer and musician known for her works in Tamil cinema, Telugu cinema and Bollywood. She was born to veteran actor Kamal Haasan and Sarika.

As a child artist, she sang in films and appeared in a guest role in her father's Hey Ram (2000), before making her adult acting debut in the 2009 Bollywood action drama, Luck. She later went on to win critical acclaim for her role in the Walt Disney fantasy film in Telugu, Anaganaga O Dheerudu, Oh My Friend and 7th Sense. In 2012, she starred in Gabbar Singh, a Telugu remake of Bollywood Dabangg, which also was her first major commercial success as an actress.

After several successful films like Balupu, Yevadu and Race Gurram, she established herself as one of the leading contemporary actress in the Telugu cinema. Apart from achieving success in the Telugu film industry, Haasan is also regarded as one of the most promising contemporary actresses of Hindi cinema, with her being signed on to act in several high profile projects like Gabbar is Back(Released on 1st May, 2015 ) and Welcome Back, which are currently under production. In a recent poll conducted by Chennai Times Shruti topped the list of most desirable women. She has also continued her stint in music through work as a singer in Indian languages, a career in music direction beginning with her father's production Unnaipol Oruvan and her own music band and album.

Born      Shruti Haasan 28 January 1986 (age 29) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Ethnicity              Indian

Occupation         Actress, singer, model, dancer, musician

Years active        2000–present

Religion               Hinduism

Parent(s)              Kamal Haasan

                             Sarika Thakur

Relatives              Akshara Haasan (sister)

                             Charuhasan (uncle)

                             Chandrahasan (uncle)

                             Anu Hasan (cousin)

                             Suhasini Maniratnam(cousin)

                             Gauthami (step mother)

Early life

Shruti Haasan was born on 28 January 1986 to actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika Thakur in Chennai, India before their marriage in 1988. Her father is a Tamil Brahmin while her mother is half Marathi and half Rajput. Her younger sister Akshara represents India nationally for Ballroom Latin dancing. Haasan studied at Abacus Montessori School in Chennai and moved to Mumbai to study psychology at St. Andrew's College.

Haasan focused on cinema and music, and eventually traveled to the USA to continue to learn music at the Musicians Institute in California, before returning to Chennai.

Career

2009–11: Debut and early career

Haasan's first appearance in a feature film was a cameo role as the daughter of Vallabhbhai Patel in the Tamil-Hindi bilingual Hey Ram, based on a murder attempt of Mahatma Gandhi, directed by her father Kamal Haasan. After rejecting prominent film offers, most notably the lead role in Venkat Prabhu's Saroja, reports suggested in late 2007 that Haasan was set to make her actual acting debut in 2008 with a film opposite Madhavan directed by Nishikanth Kamat. Despite Madhavan admitting that the news "was premature", she eventually did sign up to the film, which was titled Endrendrum Punnagai, only to be stalled prior to production.

Haasan eventually signed up to feature in Soham Shah's Hindi film Luck opposite Imran Khan in July 2008, and shot for the film for nearly a year. Imran Khan, her childhood friend, had recommended her name to the director and Haasan signed on after listening to the entire script and accepted to play a dual role in the action film. Shruti took part in action scenes during filming, while she also worked out to get a toned body for a sequence in which she appears in a bikini in the film. The film opened in July 2009 to unanimously poor reviews from critics and took a poor opening at the box office, with critics stating that she "deserved a better launch vehicle". Reviewers were critical of her performance with Rajeev Masand of IBN stating that she delivers "dialogues with deadpan expressions", while another critic added that she is perhaps"synthetic and fails to impress". Haasan then went on to appear alongiside Blaaze in the promotional videos for Unnaipol Oruvan and Eenadu, the bilingual films starring her father, which she had composed the music for. She made a further appearance in a promotional video for the horror film Hisss starring Mallika Sherawat, where she had also sung a song composed by Dave Kushner.

She made her Telugu debut in January 2011, acting opposite Siddharth in the fantasy adventure film Anaganaga O Dheerudu directed by Prakash Kovelamudi son of director K. Raghavendra Rao. The film, co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, saw Shruti play a gypsy woman whose life coincides with a task that a blind swordsman, played by Siddharth. The film opened to positive reviews, with her performance being praised with a critic noting "Shruti looks quite attractive and makes a wonderful screen presence," while a reviewer from Rediff.com wrote that she "looks beautiful and has a mystical aura about her". The film however became a commercial failure at the box office, and the film failed to capitulate on a hefty promotional campaign that had been undertaken. Her second Hindi feature film, Madhur Bhandarkar's romantic comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji, saw her appear in an extended guest appearance alongside an ensemble cast of Emraan Hashmi, Ajay Devgn and Shazahn Padamsee. The film portrayed her as Nikki Narang, the step-daughter of an ex Miss India model, with Hashmi's character falling for both mother and daughter. Shruti's performance gained poor responses from critics with a reviewer citing that her character has been "reduced to post-interval surfacing, last-ditch glamour" whilst another labelled hers as "so fake that she offers only disappointment"; however the film went on to become a commercial success at the box office. In mid-2010, Shruti was signed by A. R. Murugadoss to star opposite Suriya in his next film 7aum Arivu, and the film's shoot began in June later that year. The director signed after he felt she looked the part of the scientist, mentioning that she seemed "intelligent and beautiful". Shruti played Subha Srinivasan, a young scientist in the film, who hopes to re-activate the genes of 5th century Buddhist monk Bodhidharma and her performance in the film won appreciation from critics. The film opened to mixed reviews, but became commercially successful. A critic from The Hindu noted "rarely is a heroine given near-equal footing in Tamil films," describing her as "ravishing but that she ought to work harder on spontaneity, and fine-tune her Tamil accent", but concluded "the point is the actor shows promise". Her next Telugu release was Oh My Friend, a romantic comedy film alongside Siddharth again, which also co-starred Hansika Motwani and Navdeep. The film told the story of childhood friends and that of their platonic friendship that went on in their adulthood as well and for the role Shruti Haasan went on to learn the dance of Kuchipudi. The film opened to average reviews with several critics claiming the film evoked a sense of "déjà vu", though a reviewer noted "Shruti, on her part displays the same conviction."

2012–present: Success and recent work

Shruti Haasan was next seen in Aishwarya Dhanush's directorial debut 3, a romantic drama film co-starring Dhanush. Aishwarya revealed that she had written the script with Shruti Haasan in mind but date problems meant that the film began its shoot with Amala Paul instead. However in a turn of events, Shruti was re-signed to play the character of Janani, and the film gained much hype prior to release due to the collaboration of herself and Aishwarya, being the daughters of the two leading contemporary Tamil actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth as did the success of the song Why This Kolaveri Di?. The film opened in March 2012 to positive reviews with a critic noting "Shruti Hassan has come a long way," though the film only garnered average returns at the box office. Her second release in 2012 was Harish Shankar's Telugu film Gabbar Singh, a remake of the 2010 Hindi film Dabangg, with the version featuring her alongside Pawan Kalyan. Shruti had signed the film in November 2011 replacing Ileana D'Cruz who had opted out, and played the role of Bhagyalakshmi, a village girl, which had been played by Sonakshi Sinha in the original version. The film went on to become a major commercial success at the box office and brought in more film offers for Haasan. Critics also gave her performance a favourable verdict citing that she "justifies her role" and "though she didn't have much of a role, she has left her mark."

In 2013, she appeared in the Telugu action film Balupu opposite Ravi Teja, which eventually became a "super hit" at the Indian box office. Haasan mainly received positive reviews for her performance, with critics noting that she "provides the fun in the film with glamor and verve". Later that year, Haasan made a comeback to Hindi films, with Prabhu Deva's Ramaiya Vastavaiya and Nikhil Advani's D-Day. The films emerged as moderate successes and Haasan received generally positive reviews for her performances.

Her first release of 2014, the Telugu film Yevadu opposite Ram Charan Teja, emerged as a major commercial success. Her second Telugu release of the year, Race Gurram, had Haasan star opposite Allu Arjun for the first time in her career. The film was released on 11 April 2014, and eventually emerged as a "blockbuster" success. Along with the rest of the film, Haasan received positive reviews for her performance, with one critic noting that she "plays her part well and looks glamorous".

Upcoming projects

As of December 2014, Haasan has completed work on the Hindi language action drama Main Gabbar opposite Akshay Kumar, and is currently shooting for three other Hindi language films, Anees Bazmee's comedy Welcome Back opposite John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar, Tigmanshu Dhulia's drama Yaara opposite Devshakti Swain, Amit Sadh and Irrfan Khan, and Rocky Handsome, opposite John Abraham. Haasan is also currently shooting for Poojai, a Tamil action masala film opposite Vishal, and the Telugu action comedy film Aagadu opposite Mahesh Babu and Tamannaah, in which she appears in a special song.She has Signed for the high budget Tamil production Fantasy film directed by Chimbudevan co-starring actor Vijay in the lead role along with Hansika Motwani.

Akshay Kumar

Akshay Kumar (also known by his birth name Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia) (born on 9th September 1967) is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. He has been nominated for Filmfare Awards several times, winning it two times. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was known for his appearances in films of the "Khiladi series" as well as other action films such as Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Mohra (1994), Elaan (1994), Suhaag (1994), Sapoot (1996).

Later, Kumar also gained fame for his drama, romance and comic roles. His performances in romance films like Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dhadkan (2000), Andaaz (2003) and Namastey London (2007), as well as drama films such as Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005). His comic performances in comedy films such as Hera Pheri (2000), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Garam Masala (2005), Bhagam Bhag (2006), Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007), and Singh Is Kinng (2008) met with acclaim. In 2007, he starred in four consecutive commercially successful films. Kumar hit a rough patch since 2009 to 2011 but came back with two successes, Housefull 2 (2012) and Rowdy Rathore (2012) with both of them grossing over ₹1 billion (US$16 million). His other films like OMG (2012), Special 26 (2013) and Holiday (2014) were highly successful critically and commercially. In February 2013, many media outlets reported that the net box-office collection of Kumar's films had crossed ₹20 billion (US$320 million) and he was the first and the only Bollywood actor to do so. Having done so, he has established himself as a leading contemporary actor of Hindi cinema.

Apart from acting, Kumar has also worked as a stunt actor; he has often performed many dangerous stunts in his films, which has earned him the sobriquet "Indian Jackie Chan". In 2008, he hosted the show Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi. The next year, he founded the Hari Om Entertainment production company.

In 2008, the University of Windsor conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Law on Kumar in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema. The following year he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. In 2011 The Asian Awards honoured Kumar for his outstanding achievement in Cinema. In 2012 he founded another production company called Grazing Goat Pictures.

In 2014, Kumar launched TV realty show Dare 2 Dance. He also owns the team Khalsa Warriors in the World Kabaddi League.

Born      Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia 9 September 1967 (age 47) Delhi, India

Residence            Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Other names       Akki, Khiladi, Khiladi Kumar

King of Bollywood (2007)

Ethnicity              Punjabi

Occupation         Actor, producer, presenter

Years active        1991–present

Spouse(s)             Twinkle Khanna (2001–present)

Children               2

Relatives              Rajesh Khanna (Father-in-law)

Dimple Kapadia (Mother-in-law)

Rinke Khanna (Sister-in-law)

Early life and background

Akshay Kumar was born in Delhi, India. His father Hari Om Bhatia was a military officer. His mother's name is Aruna Bhatia. From a young age, Kumar was recognised as a performer, particularly as a dancer. He was raised in Delhi's Chandni Chowk before moving to Mumbai where he lived in Koliwada, a Punjabi dominated area. He received his school education from Don Bosco School and enrolled in Mumbai's Guru Nanak Khalsa College for higher education. Kumar also has a sister, Alka Bhatia. When Kumar was a teenager, his father asked him what he aspired to be. Kumar expressed his desire to become an actor.

After having obtained a black belt in Taekwondo while in India, he studied martial arts in Bangkok, Thailand, where he learned Muay Thai and worked as a chef and waiter. Upon his return to Mumbai, he commenced the teaching of martial arts. One of his students, an aspiring photographer, recommended Kumar into modelling which ultimately led to a modelling assignment. Kumar effectively made more money within the first two days of shooting, in comparison to his entire months salary, and therefore chose a modelling career path. He also worked as a background dancer in various films. One morning, he missed his flight for an ad-shoot in Bangalore. Disappointed with himself, he visited a film studio along with his portfolio. Fortunately that evening, Kumar was signed for a lead role by producer Pramod Chakravarthy for the movie Deedar.

Career

1991–1999

See also: Khiladi (film series)

Kumar made his first appearance as the lead actor opposite Raakhee and Shantipriya in Saugandh (1991), though he had appeared in the uncredited role of a martial arts instructor in the 1987 Mahesh Bhatt-directed and Kumar Gaurav starrer, Aaj. In the same year, he acted in Kishore Vyas-directed Dancer, which received poor reviews. The following year he starred in Abbas Mustan-directed suspense thriller, Khiladi, widely considered his breakthrough role. His next release was the Raj Sippy-directed detective film Mr. Bond, based on James Bond. His last release of 1992 was Deedar. It failed to perform well at the box office. In 1993, he acted in the Keshu Ramsay-directed bilingual film Ashaant (released in Kannada as Vishnu-Vijaya) and starring Dr.Vishnuvardhan, Ashwini Bhave and Ashutosh Rana. All of his films released during 1993, including Dil Ki Baazi, Kayda Kanoon, Waqt Hamara Hai and Sainik did not perform well commercially. In 1994, he played a police inspector in two films: Sameer Malkan-directed remake of Hollywood film The Hard Way, Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Rajiv Rai-directed Mohra which were among the highest grossing films of the year. Later that year, he starred in Yash Chopra-produced romance, Yeh Dillagi opposite Kajol. His role in the film earned Kumar his first nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare Awards and Star Screen award. During the same year, Kumar also had success with films like Suhaag and the low budget action film Elaan. All these achievements, promoted Kumar as one of the most successful actors of the year. In 1994, he appeared in 11 feature films.

The following year, Kumar played a dual role in Umesh Mehra-directed action thriller, Sabse Bada Khiladi, which was a commercial success. He proved to have success with the Khiladi series, as in the next year he starred in the fourth film of the Khiladi series, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi opposite Rekha and Raveena Tandon. The film was a commercial success. During the film's shooting Kumar was injured. He received treatment in United States.

Kumar played a supporting role in Yash Chopra-directed romance, Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor, for which he received his first nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. In the same year, he starred opposite Juhi Chawla in David Dhawan-directed comedy Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi, fifth instalment of the Khiladi series. Unlike his previous films of the series, it failed commercially. His following releases failed commercial and this caused a setback to his film career. In 1999, Kumar played opposite Twinkle Khanna in International Khiladi. The film turned out to be an average grosser at the box office. He received critical acclaim for his roles in the films Sangharsh and Jaanwar. Whilst the former did not make a profit at the box office, the latter turned out to be a commercial success and marked his comeback.

2000–2006

In 2000, Kumar starred in the Priyadarshan-directed comedy Hera Pheri alongside Paresh Rawal and Sunil Shetty. The film which was a remake of Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking, became a commercial success and proved to be a turning point in Kumar's career. He also starred in the Dharmesh Darshan-directed romantic drama Dhadkan later that same year. The film performed moderately at the box office but Kumar was praised for his acting. Rediff.com's review stated that he had proved that he is "director's actor" and that "he has worked hard on his role is apparent." In a review for Bollywood Hungama, Taran Adarsh wrote that "Akshay Kumar shows vast improvement as an actor. He is very controlled and handles this difficult role with sincerity." That same year, he performed some of his most dangerous stunts in Neeraj Vora-directed action thriller Khiladi 420, where he climbed a running plane, stood on top of the plane flying a thousand feet in the air, and jumped from the plane onto a hot air balloon. In a later scene, he is also seen being chased by a car, dodging bullets, jumping off buildings, and climbing walls. His character in the film had two names and his role received mixed reviews. In his review, Taran Adarsh wrote that "The actor does a great job in a role that has negative shades, but as a softie in the second half, he is just about okay. And that's mainly because he has been asked to do what he has been doing in film after film. Nevertheless, Khiladi 420 is amongst his finest performances." Sukanya Verma wrote "Negative roles and Akshay Kumar don't go hand-in-hand.[...] Akshay is ridiculously over the top and irritating to the core. However, he manages a decent performance as the sober and suave Anand." His first release in 2001 was Suneel Darshan-directed drama Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love. Kumar was praised for his performance in the film. Next, he played a negative role in the Abbas Mustan-directed film Ajnabee. While reviewing the film for Rediff.com, Sarita Tanwar termed Kumar the "surprise package" of the film. She added that he was "in total control as the bad guy." The film won him critical acclaim as well as his first Filmfare Award for Best Villain and IIFA award 2002 for Performance in a Negative Role.

His first release in 2002 was Dharmesh Darshan-directed romantic drama Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya. He played the role as a blind man in Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Shaarang Dev Pandit-directed heist film Aankhen. His performance in the film was critically acclaimed. Next, he starred in the Vikram Bhatt-directed comedy Awara Paagal Deewana. While reviewing the film for Bollywood Hungama, Taran Adarsh called Kumar "proficient." Rediff.com's review of the film mentioned that his sincerity and intensity seen in Hera Pheri, Ek Rishtaa -- The Bond Of Love and Aankhen "seems missing". His last film of the year was Rajkumar Kohli-directed supernatural horror film Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani alongside Manisha Koirala, Sunil Shetty, Sunny Deol, Aftab Shivdasani, Arshad Warsi, Aditya Pancholi and Armaan Kohli. The film was a remake of Kohli's former film Naagin and received mostly negative reviews from critics. Taran Adarsh wrote "only Munish[Armaan] Kohli and Akshay Kumar leave an impact." In 2003 he starred in Suneel Darshan's action film Talaash: The Hunt Begins... opposite Kareena Kapoor. While reviewing the film, Taran Adarsh wrote "Akshay Kumar is plain mediocre. The role hardly offers him scope to try out anything different." Next, he starred in Raj Kanwar-directed romantic drama Andaaz alongside Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but turned out to be a commercial success at the box office and the first universal hit of 2003.

In 2004 Kumar starred in Rajkumar Santoshi's action drama thriller Khakee alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Aishwarya Rai. Kumar played the role of Inspector Shekhar Verma, a corrupt, morally bankrupt cop who changes himself during a mission to transfer an accused Pakistani spy Dr. Iqbal Ansari (played by Atul Kulkarni) from a remote town in Maharashtra to Mumbai. The film and Kumar's acting were positively reviewed by critics. He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in the film. His other releases included Dileep Shukla's crime film Police Force: An Inside Story. He starred alongside Raveena Tandon, Amrish Puri and Raj Babbar. The film's production was delayed following the break-up of the lead actors Tandon and Kumar. Upon release it received negative reviews from critics. Next, Kumar played Hari Om Patnaik, an IPS officer in Madhur Bhandarkar-directed Aan: Men at Work. He starred in David Dhawan-directed romantic comedy Mujhse Shaadi Karogi alongside Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra. He played the role of Sunny, Sameer (played by Khan)'s room-mate who pursuits Rani (played by Chopra)-Sameer's love interest. The film received positive reviews. Taran Adarsh praised Kumar and wrote "Akshay Kumar is a revelation [...] he surpasses his previous work. His timing is fantastic and the conviction with which he carries off the evil streak in his personality is bound to be talked-about in days to come." His performance in the film earned him his third nomination for supporting actor at the Filmfare Awards as well as a nomination for best comic role. His other films included Abbas-Mustan directed Aitraaz and S M Iqbal's Meri Biwi Ka Jawaab Nahin. In the former, Kumar played against type as a worker wrongly accused of sexual harassment by his female boss played by Chopra. According to the directors, Aitraaz was inspired by National Basketball Association player Kobe Bryant (who was accused of rape by a fan); and the film's development began when they read about his sexual-assault case in the newspapers. Talking about the character Kumar said that it is realistic and could be described as a "new-age metrosexual" man. He added that Aitraaz was the boldest film he had done. In the latter he starred opposite Sridevi. The film was shot in 1994 but was released in 2004 after a delay of 10 years.

The next year Kumar starred in Dharmesh Darshan-directed romantic drama musical film Bewafaa opposite Kareena Kapoor. He played the role of Raja, an aspiring musician who pursues his love interest Anjali (played by Kareena Kapoor) even after she is married to Aditya Sahai ( played by Anil Kapoor). The film received mixed reviews from film critic but Kumar was praised for his acting. Anupama Chopra of India Today wrote that "Kareena Kapoor and Kumar stand out." Taran Adarsh wrote "Akshay Kumar does well in a role that fits him like a glove." Later that year he acted in Vipul Amrutlal Shah's family drama Waqt: The Race Against Time alongside Amitabh Bachchan, another Priyadarshan-directed comedy Garam Masala alongside John Abraham. Waqt: The Race Against Time was a family drama film. The film and Kumar's acting received mixed reviews. "Akshay Kumar is getting better with every release. The actor handles his part with complete understanding of the character and scores" wrote Taran Adarsh in his review. Vishal D'Souza wrote "Akshay shoulders an author-backed role, carrying more of the film's emotional baggage though he is distinctly uncomfortable in the soppy-weepy scenes." The films succeeded at the box office and his performance in the latter earned him his second Filmfare Award, for Best Comedian. His other films included Vikram Bhatt-directed action comedy romance film Deewane Huye Paagal and Suneel Darshan directed romantic drama Dosti: Friends Forever. In the former he starred alongside Shahid Kapoor, Sunil Shetty and Rimi Sen while in the latter he starred alongside Kareena Kapoor and Bobby Deol. Both of these films received positive reviews.

Kumar's first release of 2006 was Rajkumar Santoshi-directed drama Family - Ties of Blood followed by Suneel Darshan's Mere Jeevan Saathi and Raj Kanwar's Humko Deewana Kar Gaye. Next, he starred in a sequel to Hera Pheri titled Phir Hera Pheri. As was the former, the sequel became a huge success at the box office. Later that year he starred alongside Salman Khan and Preity Zinta in the Shirish Kunder-directed romantic musical film Jaan-E-Mann. The film was a well anticipated release, and despite receiving positive reviews from critics, did not do as well as expected at the box office. The film received mostly negatively reviews. Vidya Pradhan of Rediff.com called it a "bizzare movie." Though the film under-performed, his role as a shy, lovable nerd was praised. He ended the year with Priyadarshan's comedy murder mystery film Bhagam Bhag. He starred alongside Lara Dutta, Govinda and Paresh Rawal and played the character of a theatre actor. The film received mixed reviews and Rediff.com called Kumar the real hero of the film. The film was commercially successful. The same year, he led the Heat 2006 world tour along with fellow stars Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.

2007–2011

2007 proved to be Kumar's most successful year during his career in the industry, and as described by box office analysts, "probably the best ever recorded by an actor, with four outright hits and no flops." His first release, Vipul Amrutlal Shah-directed Namastey London, was critically and commercially successful, and his performance earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare. Critic Taran Adarsh wrote of his performance in the film, "he's sure to win the hearts of millions of moviegoers with a terrific portrayal in this film." Kumar's chemistry with lead actress Katrina Kaif also generated immense appreciation, with Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India describing their pairing as "refreshing." His next two releases, Sajid Khan-directed Heyy Babyy and Priyadarshan's Bhool Bhulaiyaa, were box office successes as well. In both of these films he starred opposite Vidya Balan. Kumar's last release of the year, the Anees Bazmee-directed Welcome, did extremely well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster status and simultaneously becoming his fifth successive hit. All of Kumar's films which released that year did well in the overseas market as well. Kumar appeared in a cameo role in Farah Khan directed Om Shanti Om. His role was listed as no. 3 on the Top 10 Cameos In Bollywood list of MensXP.com.

Kumar's first film of 2008, Vijay Krishna Acharya-directed action thriller Tashan, marked his comeback to the Yash Raj Films banner after 11 years. Although a poll (conducted by Bollywood Hungama) named it the most anticipated release of the year, the film under-performed at the box office grossing ₹279 million (US$4.4 million) in India. His second film, Bazmee-directed Singh Is Kinng in which he starred opposite Kaif was a huge success at the box office and broke the first-week worldwide record of Om Shanti Om, the previous highest figure. His next film was the animated film Jumbo, directed by Kompin Kemgumnird. The year also saw Kumar making his small screen debut as the host of the successful show Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi. He later returned to host the show's second season in 2009.

In 2009, Kumar featured opposite Deepika Padukone in the Warner Bros. and Rohan Sippy production Chandni Chowk to China. Directed by Nikhil Advani, the film was a critical and commercial failure at the box office. Kumar's next release was 8 x 10 Tasveer. Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the film was a commercially failure however Akshay Kumar won the Stardust Best Actor Award for his controlled and restrained performance . His next release was Sabbir Khan's battle-of-the-sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, it was the first Indian film to be shot at Universal Studios and featured cameo appearances by Hollywood actors. The film was poorly received by critics but became an economic success, earning over ₹840 million (US$13 million) worldwide. Kumar's film Blue was released on 16 October 2009. Blue received negative reviews and collected about Rs. 420 million at the box-office. His last release in 2009 was Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan. He starred alongside Katrina Kaif, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal. Kumar played a servant who plans to kidnap his owner's dog. The film received mixed reviews.

He then appeared in the 2010 comedy, Housefull, directed by Sajid Khan which garnered the second-highest opening weekend collection of all time. Kumar's next release was Khatta Meetha, directed by Priyadarshan which was an average grosser. The film received negative reviews. Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN called it a schizophrenic film. He also appeared in Vipul Shah's Action Replayy, which was a box office failure. The film received mostly negative reviews. His last film of 2010 was Tees Maar Khan. Directed by Farah Khan, the film received poor critical reviews and turned out to be a commercial failure.

In 2011 he starred in Patiala House and Thank You. His last film of 2011 was Rohit Dhawan-directed Desi Boyz (2011), which co-starred John Abraham, Chitrangada Singh and Deepika Padukone. He also co-produced a film with Russell Peters titled Breakaway (dubbed into Hindi as Speedy Singhs) which is reminiscent of his own Patiala House. Breakaway became the highest-grossing cross-cultural movie of 2011 in Canada. Kumar dubbed for the role of Optimus Prime in the Hindi version of Hollywood, action blockbuster, Transformers: Dark of the Moon. He took the dubbing role for his son, Aarav, and did so for free.

His first release of 2012 was Housefull 2, a sequel of his earlier comedy film Housefull. The film received mixed reviews from critics but was very successful at the box office. It was also a huge hit in overseas market and the biggest Bollywood grosser in New Zealand. Kumar's next film was the Prabhudeva-directed action drama Rowdy Rathore in which he played a double role opposite Sonakshi Sinha. The film earned more than ₹1.3 billion (US$21 million) in India and was a huge box office success, being declared a "blockbuster". Both of these films grossed over ₹100 crore (US$16 million) at the box office. Although the former film received mixed reviews; Kumar's performance in it was praised. In 2012, he founded another production company called Grazing Goat Pictures Pvt Ltd. Joker was reportedly promoted as Kumar's 100th film, but later Akshay Kumar clarified that the 100th film landmark had been crossed long before he even signed up for Joker. "It was a miscalculation on Shirish’s part. OMG is my 116th film," he said. Kumar kept himself away from the film's promotion due to differences with Kunder. Reacting to Kumar's backing out from the film's promotion Kunder tweeted "A true leader takes responsibility for his team and leads them through thick and thin. Never abandons them and runs away." He later deleted the tweet. His later release Oh My God which he produced and starred along with Paresh Rawal. It had a slow opening but because of word of mouth it picked up and then was declared a super hit.

His last release in 2012 was Khiladi 786, the eighth installment in his famous Khiladi series as well as the comeback of the series after 12 years. Although film was panned by critics it was a Semihit at the box office grossing 70 cr at domestic box office. His first release in 2013 was Special Chabbis which earned a positive critical reception and was moderately successful at the box office. Although the movie earned him positive reviews and commercial success, trade analysts noted that the movie could have done much better business due to its good content and Kumar's superstar status. Milan Luthria chose Kumar to play the character of Shoaib Khan (based on Dawood Ibrahim) in the gangster film Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. It proved to be a below average at the box office. The film was declared a "flop" by Box Office India. It received mixed reviews however Kumar's acting was praised by a majority of critics. In a review for Hindustan Times, Anupama Chopra wrote that Kumar "makes a stellar killer". Madhureeta Mukherjee of The Times of India praised Kumar's performance and said that "Bhai act with flamboyance and mojo ... He gets a chance to do what he does best – herogiri (albeit less menacing, more entertaining), with charisma and clap-trap dialoguebaazi." Al Pacino saw the film's trailer and promos and admired Kumar's portrayal of Shoaib Khan, a gangster. He said that the promos and posters reminded him of his own The Godfather. Kumar said of Pacino's response: "A touch of appreciation is always held dearly in an actor's arms, even if it's from the simplest of people like our beloved spot boys. But to have your work spoken of so kindly by the world's most admired gangster Al Pacino himself – I had goose-bumps thinking about him watching the promo! I was so humbled, not only as an actor but as a fan of his legendary work." Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN criticised Kumar for his "in-your-face flamboyance". After the film's mainly negative reviews, Kumar lashed out at critics, accusing them of lacking an understanding of the audience and the basic ideas of filmmaking. Built on an approximate budget of ₹100 crore (US$16 million), it was the first major Hindi language film to be shot in Oman. Kumar received a nomination for Best Actor in a Negative Role at Zee Cine Awards.

His next release was Anthony D Souza's Boss alongside Shiv Pandit and Aditi Rao Hydari. The movie received average to good reviews however turned out to be a failure at Box office grossing 54 crore nett domestically. Kumar came back strongly with Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty. This action drama earned both critical and commercial success entering the 100 crore elite club and became the highest grosser of 2014 beating jai ho. The film received critical acclaim and is Kumar's third film to gross over ₹1 billion (US$16 million) at the box office. Kumar has sung a song for his recent film Its Entertainment. Making of the song has been uploaded on YouTube. His last film of 2014 was The Shaukeens. He appeared as himself and produced it. He played the lead role in the thriller Baby and Gabbar is Back. He has wrapped up the shooting of Brothers and, as of April 2015, is shooting for Singh is Bling and Airlift, the former of which is being produced by Grazing Goats Pictures.

Personal life and off-screen work

After being engaged twice to actress Twinkle Khanna, the daughter of actors Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, Kumar married her on 17 January 2001. Their first child was a boy, whom they named Aarav. Twinkle gave birth to their second child, daughter Nitara, on 25 September 2012. He is known as a protective father and keeps his children away from the media. He stated that he wants to "give them a normal childhood." In 2009, while performing at a show for Levis at Lakme Fashion Week, Kumar asked Twinkle to unbutton his jeans. This incident sparked a controversy which led to a police case being filed against them.

Kumar stays in shape with a combination of kickboxing, basketball, swimming and Parkour as well as working out. While in standard eighth he had started practising Karate. He intended to open a martial arts school and the state government of Maharashtra allotted land for the school in Bhayandar. In 2004, he was honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Award for his outstanding achievements in Bollywood. In the same year, he presented the television series Seven Deadly Arts with Akshay Kumar for free. In 2008, he was named the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People (India) magazine. The following year Kumar was awarded the highest Japanese honour of "Katana" and a sixth degree black belt in Kuyukai Gōjū-ryū karate. He was one of the 15 international celebrities invited for the Olympics torch-bearer rally to Canada. He became responsible to endorse the Canadian Tourism by sharing the duty of Brand Ambassador till the summer of 2012. In March 2013, he started a 30-bed cancer shelter for policemen in Naigaon. Kumar is a teetotaller but has endorsed for a liquor brand. Half of the sum was given for charity work. He has also donated ₹50 lakh (US$79,000) to Salman Khan's Being Human Foundation. As of 2013, Kumar has been Hindi film industry's highest advance taxpayer for six consecutive years. He paid ₹19 crore (US$3.0 million) as advance tax payment in that year.

In 1997, Kumar endorsed for Pepsi. He previously endorsed for Thums Up for several years. He had also endorsed for Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India, footwear brand Relaxo, Dollar Club, Micromax Mobile, Red Label, LG Electronics and Manappuram Gold Loan. On 9 August 2014, Kumar performed at his 500th live show. The show was held in O2 Arena in London as part of the inaugural function of the World Kabaddi League. His first live show was held in 1991 in Delhi. Kumar owns a team in the Kabbadi League.

Constance Wu

Constance Wu (born March 22, 1982) is an American actress. She is starring as Jessica Huang in the ABC comedy series, Fresh Off the Boat.

Born Constance Tianming Wu

March 22, 1982 (age 33)

Richmond, Virginia, U.S.

Alma mater State University of New York at Purchase (BFA, 2005)

Occupation Actress

Years active 2006–present

Life and career

Constance Tianming Wu was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia where she began performing in the theater. She moved to New York where she began studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. She graduated from State University of New York at Purchase's Conservatory of Theatre Arts with a BFA in Acting in 2005.

In New York, Wu had roles on stage productions and independent movies. She made her screen debut with a supporting role in Stephanie Daley (2006). She also had later supporting roles in Year of the Fish, and The Architect. On television, she appeared in episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Torchwood, Covert Affairs and also had a recurring role of Laudine Lee on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live in 2007. Wu moved to Los Angeles in 2010 where she was cast in Sound of My Voice.

After co-starring roles in a number of unsuccessful comedy pilots, in 2014, Wu won the leading role in the ABC comedy series, Fresh Off the Boat, alongside Randall Park. The series is loosely based on the life of chef and food personality Eddie Huang and his book Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir. The series premiered in 2015, and Wu received critical acclaim for her performance. E! named her a breakout star of the 2014-15 television season.

On 6 May, 2015, it was announced that Wu is nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for the Critic's Choice Awards.

Eric Jungmann

Eric Joseph Jungmann (born December 2, 1981) is an American film and television actor perhaps best known for his role of Jain McManus in Night Stalker. He also had a recurring role of Ivan, Larry Beale's yes-man in the Disney Channel original sitcom Even Stevens. In 2007, he appeared in a Wendy's commercial.

Jungmann was born in Orlando, Florida, the son of restaurateurs Janet and Jim Jungmann. He attended both the North East School of the Arts and the International School of the Americas, both in San Antonio, Texas.

Jungmann was also in a commercial for the WCW video game "WCW Mayhem".

Jungmann appeared in the 2009 film Timer with Emma Caulfield and JoBeth Williams.

Born: December 2, 1981 (age 33), Orlando, Florida, United States
Parents: Janet Jungmann, Jim Jungmann

Jessica Rothenberg

Jessica is a proud Colorado native; thrilled to be making her Roundabout debut! Regional credits include the Nicholas Martin and Kate Burton production of The Cherry Orchard (Huntington Theatre), as well as Kevin Moriarty's HAIR (Hangar Theatre). She can soon be seen in the upcoming feature film The Art Of Love, starring Olympia Dukakis and Zosia Mamet.

Mark Hapka

Mark Hapka (born May 29, 1982) is an American film and television actor who first gained attention for portraying the lead role of the spirit 'Zach' on the Ghost Whisperer spin-off Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side. Hapka is most notable for his previous role as Nathan Horton on the NBC soap opera

Days of Our Lives.

Born May 29, 1982 (age 32)

Buffalo, New York, U.S.

Other names Marc Hapka

Occupation Actor

Years active 2007–present

Background

Hapka was born in Buffalo, New York to Robert and Debbie Hapka. (His parents have since divorced and both are remarried.) When Hapka was about 11 years old, his family moved to Rome, New York. He is a 2000 graduate of Rome Free Academy, and then went on to study music education and voice at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York. In 2005, Hapka left Syracuse and moved to Los Angeles, California. He enrolled in acting classes at Playhouse West and worked in student films, before appearing in a 2006 showcase that won him representation.

Career

Hapka had his first credited role in James Franco's 2007 feature film Good Time Max, but is best known for his starring role as the spirit 'Zach' in 2007 and 2008 in the television series Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side and Ghost Whisperer. He won the role when producers Kim Moses and Ian Sander chose him as a 'fresh face' with an 'It Guy' quality. Following this, he appeared in the television series Greek and had a minor role on Days of Our Lives as an older Johnny DiMera. In 2009, he appeared in the films Second Sight and Midgets Vs. Mascots. Also in 2009, he had a recurring role in the television series Hannah Montana and also appeared on Cold Case. In June 2009, Hapka returned to Days of Our Lives when he was cast in the contract role of Nathan Horton. Soap Opera Digest reported on January 7, 2011 that he was let go from the show. Hapka has starring roles in the upcoming films The Danny McKay Project, where he portrays the title character Danny McKay, and Beyond the Mat.

William Sadler

William Thomas Sadler (born April 13, 1950) is an American film and television actor. His television and motion picture roles have included Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller in The Pacific, Luther Sloan in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sheriff Jim Valenti in Roswell, convict Heywood in The Shawshank

Redemption, and the Grim Reaper in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, a role for which he won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, and his role as the villainous Colonel Stuart opposite Bruce Willis in Die Hard 2. He played President of the United States Matthew Ellis in Iron Man 3, and recurs as Steve McGarrett's murdered father in the latter-day 2000's remake of Hawaii Five-0.

Born: April 13, 1950 (age 65), Buffalo, New York, United States

Height: 1.73 m

Spouse: Marni Joan Bakst (m. 1977)

Children: Sadler Colley Bakst

Parents: Jane Sadler, William Sadler

Early life

Sadler was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Jane and William Sadler. From an early age, he took to performing in front of an audience. Playing a variety of stringed instruments, Sadler found hometown success during his high school years at Orchard Park High School. He took on the persona as Banjo Bill Sadler, a banjo-playing singer who cracked jokes while playing. Both students and teachers enjoyed his performances, which led Sadler to audition for the senior play under English teacher Dan Larkin's persuasion. He won the role, which led him to want to be an actor. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in SUNY Geneseo. Following that, he spent two years at Cornell University where he earned his Master's degree in Acting with a minor in Speech Communications. He is a certified speech teacher and practised in accents.

Career

Sadler took his first post-school role in Florida and soon relocated to Boston, moving in with his sister while scrubbing the floors of a lobster boat by day and cutting his acting chops at night. Slowly working up the nerve to take a shot at the big time in New York, a chance meeting with an old schoolmate on a trip into the city resulted in Sadler's casting in an off-off-Broadway production of Chekhov's Ivanov. After a brief turn at the Trinity Square Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island, Sadler moved back to New York and rented an apartment in the East Village, beginning 12 years in which he appeared in over 75 productions, including originating the role of "Sgt. Toomey" in the Broadway run of Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues, opposite Matthew Broderick in 1985.

Sadler is best known for his roles in the 1990 action film Die Hard 2 as Colonel Stuart, as Heywood in the 1994 prison drama The Shawshank Redemption, the Grim Reaper in the 1991 comedy Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and as Brayker in Demon Knight. He was also a series regular on the television series Roswell as Sheriff Jim Valenti and in Wonderfalls as Darrin Tyler. Other film credits include Trespass, K-9, Project X, Disturbing Behavior, Kinsey, The Battle of Shaker Heights, Purple Heart and Jimmy and Judy.

Sadler's TV guest appearances include In the Heat of the Night, Roseanne, Tru Calling, CSI, Numb3rs, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He had a recurring role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Luther Sloan, a member of a covert organization called Section 31. He appeared in three episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in its final two seasons. In 2007, he played Carlton Fog on ABC's Traveler, and in 2008 he appeared in both NBC's Medium as well as Fox Television's Fringe. The 1989 pilot episode of the HBO horror anthology series Tales from the Crypt featured Sadler in its lead role. In March 2011, Sadler made a guest appearance in NBC's Chase.

Sadler portrayed Julius Caesar in the contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar on Broadway alongside Denzel Washington at the Belasco Theatre. Recently, he finished shooting with American independent filmmakers Dylan Bank and Morgan Pehme on the film Nothing Sacred. Sadler portrayed the robot Victor in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas. Sadler played Lee Underwood in Greetings from Tim Buckley, a film on Tim and Jeff Buckley, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.

Sadler appeared as President of the United States of America Matthew Ellis in Iron Man 3 that was released in May 2013. 2015 was part of the Texas Frightmare Weekend and starred Ava’s Possessions, which was screened at SXSW.

Gil Bellows

Gil Bellows (born June 28, 1967) is a Canadian film and television actor. He is best known for the roles of Tommy Williams in The Shawshank Redemption, Billy Thomas in the television series Ally McBeal, and as CIA agent Matt Callan in the television series The Agency.

Born June 28, 1967 (age 47)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Occupation Actor

Years active 1988–present

Spouse(s) Rya Kihlstedt (1994-present)

Early life

Bellows was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and attended Magee Secondary School with fellow future actress Carrie-Anne Moss. After graduation, he pursued a career in acting, studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, California.

Career

Bellows is known for his first motion picture role as Tommy in The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Also in 1994, he played the lead role Watty Watt in Love and a .45 with Renée Zellweger, as CIA agent Matt Callan in the television series The Agency and as Billy Thomas in the television series Ally McBeal. Bellows also appeared in the psychological thriller Chasing Sleep as Detective Derm, opposite star Jeff Daniels. He appeared in The Weather Man as a perverted rehabilitation counsellor. He was in the films Black Day Blue Night, Snow White: A Tale Of Terror, as Will, and Un amour de sorcière, a French film, as Michael Firth (1997). He has appeared on the Hallmark Channel original film Final Days of Planet Earth and the Canadian television series Terminal City.

In 2007, he completed filming for Kill Kill Faster Faster, which is a contemporary film noir inspired by the critically acclaimed novel of the same name by Joel Rose.

Bellows also played a State Department Officer in 24: Redemption, a television film prequel to the seventh season of 24.

He starred in the Super Channel Science-Fiction adventure thriller film Infected.

Bellows has also appeared as Maxwell Lord on Smallville in the Season 9 episodes "Charade" and "Hostage".

In 2010, Bellows had a recurring role in FlashForward as Timothy, a window-washer who becomes a born again Christian and evangelist after a near-death experience. Bellows also co-starred in the movie Unthinkable that same year.

He co-starred with Steve Austin and Eric Roberts in the 2010 action film Hunt to Kill, and in 2011 co-starred with Macha Grenon and Julia Stone in The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom. He starred in the 2012 feature film Fury. In some Season 2 episodes (2012) of Boss he appeared as a casino investor.

James Whitmore

James Allen Whitmore, Jr. (October 1, 1921 – February 6, 2009) was an American film, theatre and television actor. He won a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award, and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

Born James Allen Whitmore, Jr. October 1, 1921 White Plains, New York, U.S.

Died February 6, 2009 (aged 87) Malibu, California, U.S.

Cause of death  lung cancer

Resting place  Cremated, Ashes scattered into the Pacific Ocean

Alma mater Yale University

Occupation Actor

Years active 1949–2005

Spouse(s) Nancy Mygatt (1947-1971, divorced)

Audra Lindley (1972-1979, divorced)

Nancy Mygatt (1979-1981, divorced)

Noreen Nash (2001-2009, his death)

Children Three sons from first marriage:

James Allen Whitmore III

Stephen Whitmore

Daniel Whitmore

Relatives Matty Whitmore (grandchild)

Early life, education and military service

Born in White Plains, New York to Florence Belle (née Crane) and James Allen Whitmore, Sr., a park commission official, Whitmore attended Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York for three years, before transferring to the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut, on a football scholarship. He went on to study at Yale University, also on a football scholarship, but he had to quit playing football after severely injuring his knees. After giving up football, he turned to the Yale Dramatic Society and began acting. While at Yale he was a member of Skull and Bones, and was among the founders of the Yale radio station (the student-run WOCD-AM, later renamed WYBC-AM). Whitmore planned on becoming a lawyer and was a Government major at Yale. When World War II broke out, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves while finishing his degree. He graduated from Yale University in 1944, then served in the United States Marine Corps in the South Pacific, and emerged from the Marines as a Lieutenant.

Marriage and later life

After World War II, Whitmore studied acting at the American Theatre Wing and the Actors Studio in New York. At this time, Whitmore met his first wife Nancy Mygatt. They married in 1947, and the couple had three sons before their divorce in 1971. The eldest son, James III, found success as a television actor and director under the name James Whitmore, Jr. The second son, Stephen, became the public spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The youngest son, Daniel, was a Forest Service Snow Ranger and firefighter before he launched his own construction company. In 1979, Whitmore and Mygatt remarried, but they divorced again after two years.

Whitmore was married to actress Audra Lindley from 1972 until 1979. He co-starred in several stage performances with her both during and after their marriage. These included Elba (a play by Vaughn McBride about an elderly couple who escape from the nursing home); William Gibson’s Handy Dandy (he as a conservative judge, she as a liberal nun); and Tom Cole’s About Time (in which they played characters identified simply as the Old Man and the Old Woman).

In 2001, he married actress and author Noreen Nash. Whitmore is the grandfather of Survivor: Gabon contestant Matty Whitmore. In 2010, James Whitmore, Jr. and his two children (grandchildren of James Whitmore), actress-director Aliah Whitmore and artist-production designer Jacob Whitmore, formed the theatre group Whitmore Eclectic. They perform in Los Angeles, California.

In his later years, Whitmore spent his summers in Peterborough, New Hampshire, performing with the Peterborough Players.

Although not always politically active, in 2007, Whitmore generated some publicity with his endorsement of Barack Obama for U.S. President. In January 2008, Whitmore appeared in television commercials for the First Freedom First campaign, which advocates preserving "the separation of church and state" and protecting religious liberty. "An avid flower and vegetable gardener, Whitmore was also known to TV viewers as the longtime commercial pitchman for Miracle-Gro garden products."

Career

Film and television

Following World War II, Whitmore appeared on Broadway in the role of the sergeant in Command Decision. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) gave Whitmore a contract, but his role in the film adaptation was played by Van Johnson. His first major picture for MGM was Battleground, in a role that was turned down by Spencer Tracy, to whom Whitmore bore a physical resemblance. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role, and won the Golden Globe Award as Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role. Other major films included Angels in the Outfield, The Asphalt Jungle, The Next Voice You Hear, Above and Beyond, Kiss Me, Kate, Them!, Oklahoma!, Black Like Me, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and Give 'em Hell, Harry!, a one-man show for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of former U.S. President Harry S Truman. In the film Tora! Tora! Tora!, he played Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey.

Whitmore appeared during the 1950s on many television anthology series. He was cast as Father Emil Kapaun in the 1955 episode "The Good Thief" in the ABC religion anthology series Crossroads (which can be viewed at archive.org). Other roles followed on Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theater, Lux Video Theatre, Kraft Theatre, Studio One in Hollywood, Schlitz Playhouse, Matinee Theatre, and the Ford Television Theatre. In 1958, he carried the lead in "The Gabe Carswell Story" of NBC's Wagon Train, with Ward Bond.

In the 1960-1961 television season, Whitmore starred in his own ABC crime drama, The Law and Mr. Jones, in the title role, with Conlan Carter as legal assistant C.E. Carruthers and Janet De Gore as Jones' secretary. The program ran in the 10:30 p.m. Eastern half-hour slot on Friday. It was cancelled after one year but returned in April 1962 for thirteen additional episodes on Thursday.

In 1963, Whitmore played Captain William Benteen in The Twilight Zone episode "On Thursday We Leave for Home." In 1965, Whitmore guest-starred as Col. Paul J. Hartley in "The Hero," episode 32 of Twelve O'Clock High, as well as appearing in an episode of Combat! titled "The Cassock," as a German officer masquerading as a Catholic priest. In 1967, he guest starred as a security guard in The Invaders episode, "Quantity: Unknown." That same year, Whitmore also appeared on an episode of ABC's Custer starring Wayne Maunder in the title role.

In 1968 he appeared as Head of the Simian Assembly in the Planet of the Apes. In 1969, he played the leading character of Professor Woodruff in the TV series My Friend Tony, produced by NBC. Whitmore also made several memorable appearances on the classic ABC western The Big Valley starring Barbara Stanwyck, and the classic NBC western The Virginian starring James Drury, during the second half of the 1960s.

From 1972-1973, Whitmore played Dr. Vincent Campanelli in the short-lived ABC medical sitcom Temperatures Rising.

Whitmore appeared as General Oliver O. Howard in the 1975 television film I Will Fight No More Forever, based on the 1877 conflict between the United States Army and the Nez Percé tribe, led by Chief Joseph. In 1979 Whitmore hosted a talk show of twenty-two episodes called simply Comeback. One of those segments focuses on the helicopter inventor Igor Sikorsky.

In 1986, Whitmore voiced Mark Twain in the first claymation film The Adventures of Mark Twain.

In 1994 Whitmore played the role of librarian Brooks Hatlen in the critically acclaimed and Academy award-nominated 1994 Frank Darabont film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, The Shawshank Redemption. Two years later, he co-starred in the 1996 horror/sci-fi film The Relic. In 1999, he played Raymond Oz in two episodes of The Practice, earning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

In 2002, Whitmore played the role of the Grandfather in the Disney Channel original film A Ring of Endless Light. Also in 2002, Whitmore played a supporting role in The Majestic, a film that starred Jim Carrey. In 2003, Whitmore appeared as Josh Brolin's father on the short-lived NBC drama series Mister Sterling, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award.

In April 2007, he made his last screen appearance in a C.S.I. episode titled "Ending Happy" as Milton, an elderly man who provides a clue of dubious utility.

Theatre work

“Whitmore often said he found acting in films and television boring because of the long waits between scenes; his passion was for the theater, and he continued to act on stage throughout his long career.” Whitmore first ventured into acting at Yale University – severe knee injuries sidelined him from football, so he turned to the Yale Dramatic Society. After serving in the Marines he toured the South Pacific in a USO tour, then returned to America, where he studied acting for six months at the American Theatre Wing in New York and the Actors Studio. Afterward, he was hired by a summer stock company in Peterborough, New Hampshire - The Peterborough Players. His first play on Broadway – Command Decision – in which Whitmore played the part of Tech Sergeant Harold Evans, was the smash hit of 1947, and Whitmore won the Tony Award for “Best Newcomer of the Season.” Whitmore continued to be active in the theatre for all of his career, performing on Broadway, at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC, and on tour. He later won the title "King of the One Man Show" after appearing in the solo vehicles Will Rogers' USA (1970) (repeating the role for TV in 1972); as Harry Truman in Give 'em Hell, Harry! (1975) (repeating the role in the film version, for which he was nominated for an Oscar); and as Theodore Roosevelt in Bully (1977), although the latter production did not repeat the success of the first two.

"Whitmore, who was an early student at the Actors Studio in New York in the late '40s, taught an acting workshop after moving to Hollywood. Among his students in the early '50s was young James Dean, whom Whitmore advised to go to New York. 'I owe a lot to Whitmore,' Dean told Seventeen magazine in 1955. 'One thing he said helped more than anything. He told me I didn't know the difference between acting as a soft job and acting as a difficult art.'" Whitmore often returned to New Hampshire to the Peterborough Players, where he got his start in summer stock - in 2008 he played the stage manager in Our Town. Each year the Peterborough Players award the "James Whitmore Award" to an excellent intern at the theatre.

Clancy Brown

Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American film, television and voice actor. He is known for his live-action roles as Captain Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption; The Kurgan in Highlander; Brother Justin Crowe in Carnivàle and Career Sergeant Zim in Starship Troopers. Brown is also known for providing the voices of animated characters such as Mr. Eugene H. Krabs in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants; Lex Luthor throughout various DC projects; Captain Black and Ratso in Jackie Chan Adventures; Otto in Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!; Dr. Neo Cortex in the original Crash Bandicoot video games; Savage Opress in Star Wars: The Clone Wars; Long Feng in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Yakone in The Legend of Korra. 

Born         Clarence J. Brown III January 5, 1959 (age 56) Urbana, Ohio, U.S.

                        Alma mater Northwestern University

Occupation Actor, voice actor

Years active 1983–present

Known for The Kurgan, Byron Hadley, Mr. Krabs (voice), Lex Luthor (voice)

Spouse(s) Jeanne Johnson (m. 1993)

Children         James Ransom Johnson-Brown and Rose Beth Johnson-Brown

Parent(s)         Clarence J. "Bud" Brown, Jr (Father) and Joyce Brown (Mother)

Early life

Brown was born in 1959 in Urbana, Ohio, and had an older sister, Beth (c.1957-1964). Their mother, Joyce (née Eldridge), was a conductor, composer, and concert pianist. Their father, Clarence J. "Bud" Brown, Jr., helped manage the Brown Publishing Company, the family-owned newspaper business started by Clancy's grandfather, Congressman Clarence J. Brown. From 1965 to 1983 Bud Brown also served as a US Congressman, and later as chairman of the board of Brown Publishing. The family operated the business until 2010.

Brown graduated from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., as his family lived there much of the time when his father served in Congress. He earned a scholarship to Northwestern University, where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Career

Due to his height, deep voice and large frame, Brown is often cast in roles of villains or authority figures. His career tends to alternate among mainstream TV/cable; major-studio and independent-studio movies; and a large repertoire of voice work for animated and video game roles.

Movie roles

Brown's role as the Kurgan in Highlander launched his career. Other well-known roles include Capt. Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption; Viking Lofgren in the drama movie Bad Boys (1983); Rawhide in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension (1984); Frankenstein's monster in The Bride (1985); Army mercenary Larry McRose in Extreme Prejudice (1987); vicious killer Steve in Shoot to Kill (1988); the police officer in Michael Jackson's short movie Speed Demon (1988); Dead Man Walking (cameo only); Sheriff Gus Gilbert in Pet Sematary Two; Career Sergeant Zim in Starship Troopers (a role he would reprise in the animated series Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles); and Captain William Hadley in The Guardian. He also played a role in Flubber as one of the evil henchmen that get harmed by uncontrollably bouncing sports equipment. In 1989, he appeared in the action thriller Blue Steel.

Brown has three times played senior prison officers in movies dealing with miscarriages of justice: the tyrannical Captain Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption; the sympathetic Lt. Williams in The Hurricane; and Lt. McMannis in Last Light. In 2001, he played the wisher man in the Hallmark version of Snow White. In 2007, he played the Viking leader opposite Karl Urban in Pathfinder.

He starred in several independent films in 2008: The Burrowers, screened at the Toronto Film Festival in 2008, and released in the United States on DVD in April 2009, and The Twenty. He appeared in Steven Soderbergh's 2009 film The Informant! opposite Matt Damon in which he played an attorney. He also portrayed Alan Smith in Samuel Bayer's 2010 remake of the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street. In 2011, he starred in Cowboys & Aliens (directed by Jon Favreau) alongside Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde. He is cast as the voice of The Goon in the upcoming animated feature film. He also stars as Albert Marconi in the film adaptation of the David Wong novel, John Dies at the End, directed by Don Coscarelli.

Television roles

Brown was a series regular on the science fiction series Earth 2 from 1994 to 1995, playing the role of John Danziger. Brown was notable as the sinister preacher Brother Justin Crowe in the HBO series Carnivàle. Though the series only ran for two seasons, Carnivàle has attained a cult popularity and his pivotal performance was applauded by critics for showcasing a new side to his acting talents. He also starred in the Showtime production In the Company of Spies.

He has also made many guest appearances on various television series including ER, the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Desert Crossing" as Zobral, Lost as Kelvin Joe Inman, and former baseball player (and investment scam mark) Rudy Blue on The Riches. Brown also appeared as the frontiersman Simon Kenton, the key to America's westward expansion, in the 2000 Kentucky Educational Television production "A Walk with Simon Kenton". Kenton resembled Brown in stature and is buried in Brown's hometown. Brown most recently appeared as Hart Sterling, founding partner of fictional law firm Sterling, Huddle, Oppenheim & Craft in ABC's The Deep End. He also guest starred on the Leverage series episode "The Gone Fishin Job" and on The Dukes of Hazzard sixth season episode "Too Many Roscos". Currently, he appears on The CW's TV production of The Flash in the recurring guest-star role of General Wade Eiling.

Voice roles

As a voice-over actor, Brown has appeared in several video games, usually playing an antagonistic character. He voiced the corrupt Baron Praxis in the PlayStation 2 video game Jak II; Doctor Neo Cortex and Uka Uka in a number of the Crash Bandicoot video games; Montross (a Mandalorian rival of Jango Fett) in Star Wars: Bounty Hunter; Hades in God of War III; Thrall in the cancelled video game Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans; Scourgelord Tyrannus in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King; and the conniving Alderman Richard Hughes in the Xbox 360 game Saints Row.

For animated television series, he voiced several characters (Hakon, Tomas Brod and Wolf) in the series Gargoyles; Tanuki Gonta in the English language dub of Pom Poko (1994); Raiden on the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm; a Hessian trooper in The Night of the Headless Horseman (1999); billionaire Maxmilian Speil in Godzilla: The Series; and five of the six members of Legion Ex Machina in Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot.

Since 1999, he has played the role of Mr. Krabs of SpongeBob SquarePants (as well as The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie). From 2000 to 2005, he played several roles (Captain Black, Ratso and the animated moose doll Super Moose) on Jackie Chan Adventures. He also voiced Vice-Principal Pangborn in All Grown Up, Barkmeat in Catscratch, Otto in Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, and Gorrath in Megas XLR.

For Disney, he has played roles such as the Dark Dragon in American Dragon: Jake Long, the Ugly Bald Guy in the movie Recess: School's Out, as well as Undertow in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, and he also made a guest appearance in the Kim Possible episode "Oh, No! Yono" where he played the titular character. In the Avatar franchise, Brown voiced corrupt Dai Li leader Long Feng in Avatar: The Last Airbender in 2006 and top gangster Yakone in The Legend of Korra in 2012.

He guest starred in The Penguins of Madagascar episodes "The Red Squirrel" and "Our Man in Grrfurjiclestan" as the rockhopper penguin Buck Rockgut. He also guest starred in Duck Dodgers as the voice of Archduke Zag. He makes a few guest appearances in the Disney Channel series Phineas and Ferb, most notably as Santa Claus, the Regurgitator, and the Warden at Smile Away Reformatory School. In 2010, he played various characters on Adventure Time including the Demon Cat in "Dungeon" and the narrator for the opening and closing quotes in the episode "Ocean of Fear".

Brown also voices Destro in G.I. Joe: Renegades; Jeff Fischer's biological father in American Dad!; Grune the Destroyer in the ThunderCats reboot; and the recurring role of Agent Silas in Transformers: Prime.

From 2011 to 2013, Brown played the role of Savage Opress, Count Dooku's new apprentice and Darth Maul's brother, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

He starred as Chris "Dogpound" Bradford, Shredder's top henchman, in the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series.

From the calendar third-quarter of 2014, Brown began doing voice-overs as the main talent for Chevy truck national and regional television commercials.

DC Universe roles

Brown is well known for his voice work as villains from various DC animated series, movies, tv shows, and video games. He voiced Charlie "Big Time" Bigelow on Batman Beyond; Trident on the Teen Titans cartoon series; Mr. Freeze and Bane on The Batman cartoon series; Per Degaton in Batman: The Brave and the Bold; Parallax in the live-action Green Lantern film; King Faraday in the Young Justice cartoon series; and General Zartok in Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Currently, he appears on The CW's TV production of The Flash as recurring guest-star General Wade Eiling.

However, his best-known role was as the villainous Lex Luthor, a role that he played for over twelve years. He first appeared as Luthor vocally in the DCAU, starting with Superman: The Animated Series (where he had originally auditioned for the role of Superman) and reprised his role in the subsequent animated series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. He also voiced the character in the video game Superman: Shadow of Apokolips as well as The Batman cartoon series. Brown later again played Luthor in the 2009 animated film Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. He also voiced a character under the name Rohtul (which is Luthor spelled backwards) in Batman: Brave and the Bold (while Kevin Michael Richardson provided the voice of the actual character). Brown once again voiced Lex in the video games Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes and Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. From all these vocal appearances, Brown has played Lex Luthor longer than any other actor in history, including Gene Hackman (in the first Superman film saga) as well as his own Justice League co-star Michael Rosenbaum (in Smallville).

Marvel universe roles

Brown has also played characters from Marvel Comics: Sasquatch on The Incredible Hulk 1996 cartoon series; several characters (Police Captain George Stacy, the supervillain Rhino and mercenary Ox) on The Spectacular Spider-Man; the villainous Mr. Sinister on Wolverine and the X-Men; Odin in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes; the assassin Taskmaster on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series; and the Red Hulk on Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H..