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1-9 of 9
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Howard Keel was the Errol Flynn and Clark Gable of "golden age" movie musicals back in the 1950s. With a barrel-chested swagger and cocky, confident air, the 6'4" brawny baritone Keel had MGM's loveliest songbirds swooning helplessly for over a decade in what were some of the finest musical films ever produced.
Born Harry (or Harold) Clifford Keel in Gillespie, Illinois, in 1919 to Homer Charles Keel and Grace (Osterkamp) Keel, and the brother of Frederick William Keel, his childhood was unhappy, his father being a hard-drinking coal miner and his mother a stern, repressed Methodist homemaker. When Keel was 11 his father died, and the family moved to California. He later earned his living as a car mechanic, then found work during WWII at Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles. His naturally untrained voice was discovered by the staff of his aircraft company and soon he was performing at various entertainments for the company's clients. He was inspired to sing professionally one day while attending a Hollywood Bowl concert, and quickly advanced through the musical ranks from singing waiter to music festival contest winner to guest recitalist.
Oscar Hammerstein II discovered Keel in 1946 during John Raitt's understudy auditions for the role of Billy Bigelow in Broadway's popular musical "Carousel." He was cast on sight and the die was cast. Keel managed to understudy Alfred Drake as Curly in "Oklahoma!" as well, and in 1947 took over the rustic lead in the London production, earning great success. British audiences took to the charismatic singer and he remained there as a concert singer while making a non-singing film debut in the British crime drama The Hideout (1948) (aka "The Small Voice"). MGM was looking for an answer to Warner Bros.' Gordon MacRae when they came upon Keel in England. They made a great pitch for him and he returned to the US, changing his stage moniker to Howard Keel. He became a star with his very first musical, playing sharpshooter Frank Butler opposite brassy Betty Hutton's Annie Oakley in the film version of the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun (1950). From then on Keel was showcased in several of MGM's biggest extravaganzas, with Show Boat (1951), Calamity Jane (1953), Kiss Me Kate (1953) and (reportedly his favorite) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) at the top of the list. Kismet (1955) opposite Ann Blyth would be his last, as the passion for movie musicals ran its course.
Keel managed to move into rugged (if routine) action fare, appearing in such 1960s films as Armored Command (1961), Waco (1966), Red Tomahawk (1966) and The War Wagon (1967), the last one starring John Wayne and featuring Keel as a wisecracking Indian, of all things. In the 1970s Keel kept his singing voice alive by returning full force to his musical roots. Some of his summer stock and touring productions, which included "Camelot," "South Pacific", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "Man of La Mancha", and "Show Boat", often reunited him with his former MGM leading ladies, including Kathryn Grayson and Jane Powell. He also worked up a Las Vegas nightclub act with Grayson in the 1970s.
Keel became an unexpected TV household name when he replaced Jim Davis as the upstanding family patriarch of the nighttime soap drama Dallas (1978) after Davis' untimely death. As Clayton Farlow, Miss Ellie's second husband, he enjoyed a decade of steady work. In later years he continued to appear in concerts. As a result of this renewed fame on TV, Keel landed his first solo recording contract with "And I Love You So" in 1983. Married three times, he died in 2004 of colon cancer, survived immediately by his third wife, three daughters and one son.- Additional Crew
- Actress
Melody McCord was born on 27 July 1946 in Independence, Missouri, USA. She was an actress, known for Death Becomes Her (1992) and Falcon Crest (1981). She died on 7 November 2004 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Nelly Meden was born on 14 March 1928 in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. She was an actress, known for The Count of Monte Cristo (1953), El carruaje (1972) and Nacha Regules (1950). She died on 7 November 2004 in Buenos Aires, Federal Capital, Argentina.
- James D. Smith was born on 6 August 1918 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He was an actor, known for Lamentations a Monument for the Dead World (1985), Consolations (Love Is an Art of Time) Part 2: The Lighted Clearing (1988) and Consolations (Love Is an Art of Time) Part 1: The Fugitive Gods (1988). He died on 7 November 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
'Rigger' Dan Beard was born on 24 September 1969 in Oscoda, Michigan, USA. He is known for Black Sabbath: The Last Supper (1999) and Riding in Vans with Boys (2003). He died on 7 November 2004 in Castaic, California, USA.- Basil Spears was born on 28 September 1921 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. He died on 7 November 2004 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
- Cinematographer
Valeri Kvas was born on 25 July 1936 in Kiev, USSR. Valeri was a cinematographer, known for Kaminnyy khrest (1968), Did Livogo Kraynogo (1973) and K svetu (1968). Valeri died on 7 November 2004 in Moscow, Russia.- Joanne was born Elousie Teller on the Navajo reservation & was a full blood Navajo. She had her name changed legally to Joanne Teller as she was dissatisfied with Elousie. She was primarily a Del Muerto canyon Navajo girl. In meeting Norman L. Blackwater, Jo's spiritual power & knowledge ascension began with write up in her book on her spiritual experiences, The Navajo Skinwalker, Witchcraft, & Related Phenomena. Contact was made with Joanne from the Navajo Nation Film Office on a TV film segment that was to be filmed by director Phil Tuckett with a contract from TNT. Jo's part in the hour long video is to depict a Navajo medicine woman praying against "evil" forces in a 1950's traditional Navajo woman's garb. What is not known is, at the time of the first shooting with the Shiprock geologic structure in the background, 2 Navajo Holy People appeared that only Jo could see. This account is in my newest work tying numerous related, but not linked then, spiritual events on & off the Navajo reservation plus a greater background from current relevant spiritual research. The location of Jo's praying segment is just over the Chuska mountain range from her familial home-site in Del Muerto, AZ, 60 miles away. The initial questions to the Navajo Nation Film Office to, why recommend us?, was answered in a funny uneasy manner denoting some fear of the subject & our book, The Navajo Skinwalker, Witchcraft, & Related Phenomena seemed to fit Tuckett's video outline. We initially refused to do the shoot due to script disagreements on depictions & erroneous ideas of this native power way. But, talk, kiss & re-write actions prevailed & the Jo did the shoot.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Akitaka Kimata was born on 26 March 1915 in Kanda, Tokyo, Japan. He was a director and writer, known for Senten seishikima (1971), Aru shikima (1968) and Kikenna menuma (1970). He was married to Rumi Tama. He died on 7 November 2004 in Meguro Ku, Tokyo, Japan.