Gay Actors Who Have Passed - IMDb

Gay Actors Who Have Passed

by dmclaughlinabq | created - 22 May 2013 | updated - 4 months ago | Public

1. Tab Hunter

Actor | Damn Yankees

Dreamy Tab Hunter stood out in film history as one of the hottest teen idols of the 1950s era. With blond, tanned, surfer-boy good looks, he was artificially groomed and nicknamed "The Sigh Guy" by the Hollywood studio system, yet managed to continue his career long after his "golden boy" prime.

...

--Damn Yankees-- --Lust In The Dust-- --Polyester-- --The Burning Hills--

2. Leslie Jordan

Actor | The Help

For such a diminutive (4' 11") frame, character actor Leslie (Allen) Jordan had a tall talent for scene-stealing. Hailing from the South, as his dead-giveaway drawl quickly exposed, he was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 29, 1955, and raised in a highly conservative, deeply religious ...

—Sordid Lives— —The Help— —Will And Grace— —American Horror Story—

3. Roddy McDowall

Actor | Fright Night

Roddy McDowall was born in Herne Hill, London, England, to Winifriede Lucinda (Corcoran), an Irish-born aspiring actress, and Thomas Andrew McDowall, a merchant seaman. Roddy was enrolled in elocution courses at age five and by ten had appeared in his first film, Murder in the Family (1938), ...

--How Green Was My Valley-- --Cleopatra-- --Lord Love A Duck-- --Planet Of The Apes--

4. James Coco

Actor | Murder by Death

Born in New York City of humble means, character player James Coco was the son of Feliche, an Italian shoemaker, and Ida (Detestes) Coco. Shining shoes as a youngster with his father, his interest in acting occurred early on as a child. At age 17 he toured with a children's theatre troupe for three...

--Man Of La Mancha-- --The Wild Party--- --Murder By Death-- --Only When I Laugh--

5. Murray Melvin

Actor | The Phantom of the Opera

Murray Melvin was born on August 10, 1932 in St. Pancras, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Phantom of the Opera (2004), A Taste of Honey (1961) and Barry Lyndon (1975). He died on April 14, 2023 in Westminster, London, England, UK.

—A Taste Of Honey— —The Boy Friend— —The Devils— —Barry Lyndon—

6. Sal Mineo

Actor | Exodus

Salvatore (Sal) Mineo Jr. was born to Josephine and Sal Sr. (a casket maker), who emigrated to the U.S. from Sicily. His siblings were Michael, Victor and Sarina. Sal was thrown out of parochial school and, by age eight, was a member of a street gang in a tough Bronx neighborhood. His mother ...

--Rebel Without A Cause-- --Giant-- --Exodus-- --The Gene Krupa Story--

7. Hayden Rorke

Actor | When Worlds Collide

Hayden Rorke was best known as the ever suspicious "Dr. Alfred E. Bellows" on the 1960s TV series, I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Born in Brooklyn, New York, Rorke was educated at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and he began his stage career in the 1930s with the Hampden Theatrical Company. A ...

--I Dream Of Jeannie-- --The Unsinkable Molly Brown-- --Pillow Talk-- --Midnight Lace--

8. David Ogden Stiers

Actor | M*A*S*H

David Ogden Stiers was born in Peoria, Illinois, to Margaret Elizabeth (Ogden) and Kenneth Truman Stiers. He moved with his family to Eugene, Oregon, where he graduated from North Eugene High School in 1960. At the age of twenty, he was offered $200 to join the company of the Santa Clara ...

9. Michael Greer

Actor | The Gay Deceivers

Michael Greer was an actor and comedian. His most famous role was as Queenie, the prison drag queen in Sal Mineo's stage and the Harvey Hart film versions of "Fortune and Men's Eyes" (Fortune and Men's Eyes (1971)), which dealt with sex in prison. Mr. Greer appeared as Don Johnson's friend in the ...

--Fortune In Men's Eyes-- --The Gay Deceivers-- --The Magic Garden Of Stanley Sweetheart-- --Messiah Of Evil-- --The Rose--

10. Jack Larson

Actor | Superman Returns

Jack Edward Larson was born in Los Angeles, California, to Anita (Calicoff) and George E. Larson. He was raised in Pasadena, and attended Pasadena Junior College (by coincidence, exactly as did his Adventures of Superman (1952) co-star George Reeves). He was a contract player at Warner Bros. ...

--The Adventures of Superman-- --Kid Monk Baroni-- --Man Crazy-- --Bob's New Suite--

11. Paul Winfield

Actor | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Signifying intelligence, eloquence, versatility and quiet intensity, one of the more important, critically acclaimed black actors to gain a Hollywood foothold in the 1970s was Paul Winfield. He was born in 1939 in Dallas, Texas, where he lived in his early years before moving with his family to Los...

--Sounder-- --Mike's Murder-- --The Terminator-- --Conrack--

12. Charles Gray

Actor | Diamonds Are Forever

The son of a surveyor, Charles Gray was born and raised in Queen's Park, Bournemouth. As a young actor, he received his vocal training from the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and at the Old Vic, having long abandoned his first job as clerk for a real estate agent. His voice was to...

--Rocky Horror Picture Show-- --Shock Treatment-- --Diamonds Are Forever-- --The Mirror Crack'd--

13. Anthony Holland

Actor | All That Jazz

Anthony Holland was born on March 3, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for All That Jazz (1979), Klute (1971) and The Lonely Lady (1983). He died on July 9, 1988 in New York City, New York, USA.

--The Out Of Towners-- --All That Jazz-- --Klute-- --The Sentinel--

14. Van Johnson

Actor | The Caine Mutiny

Van Johnson was the fresh-faced, well-mannered nice guy on screen you always wanted your daughter to marry! This fair, freckled and invariably friendly-looking MGM song-and-dance star of the 40s emerged a box office favorite (1944-1946) and second only to heartthrob Frank Sinatra during what gossip...

--The Cane Mutiny-- --Brigadoon-- --The Last Time I Saw Paris-- --The End Of The Affair--

15. Taylor Negron

Actor | Alienated

Taylor Negron was born Brad Stephen Negron in Glendale, California, to Lucy (Rosario) and Conrad Negron, who was mayor of Indian Wells, CA. His parents were both of Puerto Rican descent. Negron attended UCLA, studied acting with Lee Strasberg, and studied comedy at a private seminar taught by ...

--Nothing But Trouble-- --Easy Money-- -- The Fluffer-- --The Last Boy Scout--

16. Kerwin Mathews

Actor | The 7th Voyage of Sinbad

Before there was a George Lucas and Harrison Ford running around creating special-effects excitement, there was a virile, boyishly handsome actor named Kerwin Mathews who was entertaining audiences battling a variety of creatures courtesy of pioneer special effects guru Ray Harryhausen. ...

--7th Voyage Of Sinbad-- --Jack The Giant Killer-- --3 Worlds Of Gulliver-- --The Devil At 4 O'Clock--

17. Richard Warwick

Actor | Romeo and Juliet

Richard Warwick was born on April 29, 1945 in Longfield, Kent, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Romeo and Juliet (1968), Sebastiane (1976) and The Bed Sitting Room (1969). He died on December 16, 1997 in St John's Wood, London, England, UK.

--If...-- --Sebastiane-- --The Breaking Of Bumbo-- --The Lost Language Of Cranes--

18. Roscoe Lee Browne

Actor | The Cowboys

He was a master class in cerebral eloquence and audience command...and although his dominant playing card in the realm of acting was quite serious and stately, nobody cut a more delightfully dry edge in sitcoms than this gentleman, whose calm yet blistering put-downs often eluded his lesser victims.

...

--The Cowboys-- --Black Like Me-- --The Liberation of L.B. Jones-- --Topaz--

19. Franklin Pangborn

Actor | Hail the Conquering Hero

Franklin Pangborn - a name more befitting a fictionalized bank president rather than a great comedic actor - was a singular character actor but little is known of his early years. He spent some time in developing acting talent prior to appearing on Broadway by March of 1911, and would do six plays ...

--Stage Door-- --Now Voyager-- --Sullivan's Travels-- --Hail The Conquering Hero--

20. Farley Granger

Actor | Strangers on a Train

Farley Earle Granger was born in 1925 in San Jose, California, to Eva (Hopkins) and Farley Earle Granger, who owned an automobile dealership. Right out of high school, he was brought to the attention of movie producer Samuel Goldwyn, who cast him in a small role in The North Star (1943). He followed...

--Strangers On A Train-- --They Live By Night-- --Hans Christian Anderson-- --Rope--

21. Paul Lynde

Actor | Bye Bye Birdie

Paul Lynde was born in 1926 in Mount Vernon, Ohio (one of six children and the middle of four boys). His father was a local police officer and the sheriff of the Mount Vernon Jail for two years. Lynde got his inspiration to become an actor at the age of four or five after his mother took him to see...

--Bewitched-- --Bye Bye Birdie-- --Under The Yum Yum Tree-- --The Glass Bottom Boat--

22. John Fraser

Actor | Repulsion

John Fraser was born on March 18, 1931 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. He was an actor, known for Repulsion (1965), The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960) and El Cid (1961). He died on November 7, 2020 in London, England, UK.

—Repulsion— —El CID— —The Trials Of Oscar Wilde— —Isadora—

23. Lenny Baker

Actor | Next Stop, Greenwich Village

Actor Leonard Joel "Lenny" Baker was born on January 17, 1945 in Boston, Massachusetts. The son of Bertha and William Baker, Lenny graduated from Brookline High School in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1962 and attended Boston University, where he received his Bachelor's Degree. Baker began his acting...

--Next Stop Greenwich Village-- --The Paper Chase-- --The Hospital-- --Malatesta's Carnival Of Blood-- --A.W.O.L.--

24. Raymond Burr

Actor | Rear Window

Born Raymond William Stacy Burr on 21 May 1917 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Burr spent most of his early life traveling. As a youngster, his father moved his family to China, where the elder Burr worked as a trade agent. When the family returned to Canada, Raymond's parents separated. He ...

--Perry Mason-- --Ironside-- --Rear Window-- --Godzilla, King Of The Monsters--

25. Denholm Elliott

Actor | A Room with a View

Denholm entered RADA at the age of 17, but dropped out after a year having hated every minute being there. He joined the RAF in 1940, trained as a gunner/radio operator, and was shot down over Germany in 1942. In the POW camp he and his fellow prisoners staged various productions in a theatre ...

--Raiders Of The Last Ark-- --Room With A View-- --Maurice-- --September--

26. Edward Everett Horton

Actor | Arsenic and Old Lace

It seemed like Edward Everett Horton appeared in just about every Hollywood comedy made in the 1930s. He was always the perfect counterpart to the great gentlemen and protagonists of the films. Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to Isabella S. (Diack) and Edward Everett Horton, a ...

--Arsenic And Old Lace-- --The Devil Is A Woman-- --Top Hat-- --Lost Horizon--

27. Charles Nelson Reilly

Actor | Millennium

Charles Nelson Reilly was born to Charles Joseph Reilly and Signe Elvera Nelson. His father was Irish-American and Catholic, his mother was Swedish-American and Lutheran. As a child he amused himself with improvised puppet theater performances.

He had a traumatic experience in 1944, when present for...

--The Ghost And Mrs. Muir-- --Lidsville-- --The Life Of Reilly-- --Cannonball Run II--

28. Julian West

Actor | Vampyr

The French-born scion to a wealthy Russian-Jewish family, Nicolas, the 5th Baron de Gunzburg was known in Paris for his lavish costume balls and was popular with the artistic and social elite of the 20s and 30s. He yearned to become an actor and financed Dreyer's now-classic Vampyr in exchange for ...

Vampyr

29. Rock Hudson

Actor | Giant

Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. in Winnetka, Illinois, to Katherine (Wood), a telephone operator, and Roy Harold Scherer, an auto mechanic. He was of German, Swiss-German, English, and Irish descent. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. He failed to obtain parts in school ...

--Giant-- --Pillow Talk-- --Mc Millan & Wife-- --All That Heaven Allows--

30. Charles Laughton

Actor | Witness for the Prosecution

Charles Laughton was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, to Eliza (Conlon) and Robert Laughton, hotel keepers of Irish and English descent, respectively. He was educated at Stonyhurst (a highly esteemed Jesuit college in England) and at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (received gold medal). ...

--The Old Dark House-- --Island Of Lost Souls-- --Mutiny On The Bounty-- --Witness For The Prosecution--

31. Michael Redgrave

Actor | The Lady Vanishes

Sir Michael Redgrave was of the generation of English actors that gave the world the legendary John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, Britain three fabled "Theatrical Knights" back in the days when a knighthood for thespian was far more rare than it is today. A superb actor, Redgrave ...

--Dead Of Night-- --The Lady Vanishes-- --The Importance Of Being Earnest-- --The Go-Between--

32. Tommy Kirk

Actor | Swiss Family Robinson

Scrappy, plucky-looking Kentucky-born Tommy Kirk, who was born on December 10, 1941, became synonymous with everything clean and fun that Disney Entertainment prescribed to in the late 1950s and very early 1960s. One of four sons born to a mechanic, Louie, and legal secretary, Lucy, the Kirk family...

33. John Gielgud

Actor | Arthur

Born in London, England, John Gielgud trained at Lady Benson's Acting School and RADA, London. Best known for his Shakespearean roles in the theater, he first played Hamlet at the age of 26. He worked under the tutelage of Lilian Bayliss with friend and fellow performer Laurence Olivier and other ...

--Julius Caesar-- --Becket-- --Arthur-- --Prospero's Books--

34. Dick Sargent

Actor | Bewitched

Sargent was a trim, handsome man with a longish chin. He played a variety of gawky businessmen roles in feature films before finding a niche in tv history as the second Darrin on "Bewitched". Shortly before his death, Sargent publicly proclaimed he was gay, and became what he called "a retroactive ...

--Bewitched-- --Operation Petticoat-- --That Touch Of Mink-- --The Ghost And Mr Chicken--

35. Alec McCowen

Actor | Never Say Never Again

Alec McCowen was born Alexander Duncan McCowan on May 26, 1925 in Tunbridge Wells, England. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he made his professional debut in 1942. He established his reputation in classical stage roles, appearing in the ensemble of Laurence Olivier's famed ...

--Never Say Never Again-- --Gangs Of New York-- --Personal Services-- --Travels With My Aunt-- --The Hawaiians--

36. Ben Piazza

Actor | The Blues Brothers

Ben Piazza was born on July 30, 1933 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. He was an actor, known for The Blues Brothers (1980), Mask (1985) and Guilty by Suspicion (1991). He was married to Dolores Dorn. He died on September 7, 1991 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA.

--The Bad News Bears-- --The Candy Snatchers-- --Tell Me That You Love Me Junie Moon-- --Waltz Across Texas--

37. Jonathan Frid

Actor | House of Dark Shadows

Jonathan Frid's career in drama began when he first "offered his soul" to the theater as a young boy at a preparatory school in Ontario, Canada. Following his graduation from McMaster University, he attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in the UK and later earned a Master's Degree in ...

--House Of Dark Shadows-- --Night Of Dark Shadows-- --Seizure-- --The Devil's Daughter-- --Dark Shadows: Series--

38. Maurice Evans

Actor | Planet of the Apes

A grand, robust, highly theatrical British classical actor, Maurice Evans was born on June 3, 1901, in Dorchester, England, the son of a justice of the peace who enjoyed amateur play writing on the side. In fact, his father adapted several adaptations of Thomas Hardy's novels and Evans would often ...

--Bewitched-- --Rosemary's Baby-- --Planet Of The Apes-- --Gilbert And Sullivan--

39. Victor Buono

Actor | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Larger than life, Laughtonesque, and with an eloquent, king-sized appetite for maniacal merriment, a good portion of the work of actor Victor Buono was squandered on hokey villainy on both film and television. Ostensibly perceived as bizarre or demented, seldom did Hollywood give this cultivated ...

--What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?-- --Robin And The 7 Hoods-- --Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte-- --The Man From Atlantis--

40. Dirk Bogarde

Actor | The Servant

Sir Dirk Bogarde, distinguished film actor and writer, was born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde on March 28, 1921, to Ulric van den Bogaerde, the art editor of "The Times" (London) newspaper, and actress Margaret Niven in the London suburb of Hampstead. He was one of three children...

--Victim-- --The Damned-- --Death In Venice-- --Our Mothers House--

41. Divine

Actor | Pink Flamingos

Originally born Harris Glen Milstead just after the end of WWII, Baltimore's most outrageous resident eventually became the international icon of bad taste cinema, as the always shocking and highly entertaining transvestite performer, Divine.

Milstead met maverick film director & good friend, John ...

--Pink Flamingos-- --Female Trouble-- --Polyester-- --Hairspray--

42. John Dall

Actor | Rope

John Dall was born John Dall Thompson on May 26, 1920, the younger son of Mr. Charles Jenner Thompson and Mrs. Henry (née Worthington) Thompson. He made his Broadway debut in Norman Krasna's comedy, 'Dear Ruth', directed by Moss Hart, in 1944. The show was a hit, running for over a year and a half ...

--Gun Crazy-- --Rope-- --Spartacus-- --Atlantis, The Lost City--

43. George Nader

Actor | Robot Monster

Born in Pasadena, California, George Nader became interested in acting while still in school and appeared in several productions at the Pasadena Playhouse. This led to several small parts in movies before earning the lead role in the ridiculous 3-D thriller Robot Monster (1953). The movie was bad ...

--Robot Monster-- --Sins Of Jezebel-- --The Second Greatest Sex-- --Four Girls In Town--

44. John Inman

Actor | Are You Being Served?

John Inman was born on June 28, 1935 in Preston, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Are You Being Served? (1972), Are You Being Served? (1977) and Odd Man Out (1977). He was married to Ron Lynch. He died on March 8, 2007 in Paddington, London, England, UK.

--Are You Being Served-- --The Mumbo Jumbo-- --The Tall Man-- --Odd Man Out--

45. Cesar Romero

Actor | Batman: The Movie

Tall, suave and sophisticated Cesar Romero actually had two claims to fame in Hollywood. To one generation, he was the distinguished Latin lover of numerous musicals and romantic comedies, and the rogue bandit The Cisco Kid in a string of low-budget westerns. However, to a younger generation weaned...

--Batman: TV Series-- --The Little Princess-- -- The Thin Man-- --Passport To Danger--

46. Richard Deacon

Actor | The Birds

Richard Deacon was the bald, bespectacled character actor most famous for playing television producer Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) from 1961 to 1966. In the first season of that show he also continued to appear on the series he was already appearing on, Leave It to Beaver (1957), ...

--The Dick Van Dyke Show-- --Leave It To Beaver-- -- The Mothers-In-Law-- --A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed--

47. Dennis Price

Actor | Kind Hearts and Coronets

This urbane, sourly handsome British actor was born to privilege and most of his roles would follow suit. Born Dennistoun John Franklyn Rose-Price in Berkshire in 1915, Dennis Price, the son of a brigadier-general, was expected to abide by his family wishes and make a career for himself in the army...

--Victim-- --Vampyros Lesbos-- --Tunes Of Glory-- --Kind Hearts And Coronets--

48. Graham Chapman

Writer | Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Graham Chapman was born on January 8, 1941 in Leicester, England while a German air raid was in progress. Graham's father was a chief police inspector and probably inspired the constables Graham often portrayed later in comedy sketches. Graham studied medicine in college and earned an M.D., but he ...

--Monty Python's Flying Circus-- --Month Python And The Holy Grail-- --The Odd Job-- --The Meaning Of Life--

49. Anthony Perkins

Actor | Psycho

Anthony Perkins was born April 4, 1932 in New York City, to Janet Esselstyn (Rane) and Osgood Perkins, an actor of both stage and film. His father died when he was five. Anthony's paternal great-grandfather was engraver Andrew Varick Stout Anthony. Perkins attended the Brooks School, the Browne & ...

--Psycho-- --Desire Under The Elms-- --The Matchmaker-- --Crimes Of Passion--

50. Michael Jeter

Actor | Open Range

Michael Jeter was an American actor from Tennessee. His best known roles were that of math teacher and assistant football coach Herman Stiles in the sitcom "Evening Shade" (1990-1994) and "Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle" in "Sesame Street", a role he played from 2000 to 2003. He specialized in...

--Evening Shade-- --Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas-- --Mouse Hunt--- --Sister Act II: Back In The Habit--

51. Christopher Hewett

Actor | The Producers

Christopher Hewett was born on April 5, 1921 in Worthing, Sussex, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Producers (1967), Mr. Belvedere (1985) and Fantasy Island (1977). He died on August 3, 2001 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

--Mr. Belvedere-- --The Producers-- --Fantasy Island-- --Ratboy--

52. Nigel Hawthorne

Actor | The Madness of King George

Widely regarded as one of the greatest stage and screen actors both in his native UK and internationally, the unparalleled Nigel Hawthorne was born in Coventry, England on 5 April 1929, raised in South Africa and returned to the UK in the 1950s with his extensive work as a great gentleman of acting...

--The Madness Of King George-- --Yes Minister-- --Demolition Man-- --Amistad--

53. Noël Coward

Writer | In Which We Serve

Noel Coward virtually invented the concept of Englishness for the 20th century. An astounding polymath - dramatist, actor, writer, composer, lyricist, painter, and wit -- he was defined by his Englishness as much as he defined it. He was indeed the first Brit pop star, the first ambassador of "cool...

--Boom-- --The Italian Job-- --Around The World In 80 Days-- --Our Man In Havana--

54. Rip Taylor

Actor | DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp

The nicknames, "The Prince of Pandemonium", "The Master of Mayhem" and "King of Camp and Confetti", are but a few valid applications that were thrust upon zany comedian Rip Taylor, whose flamboyant blend of burlesque and self-deprecating humor entertained audiences for over four decades. He ...

--Indecent Proposal-- --The Monkees-- --Chatterbox-- --Sigmund And The Sea Monsters--

55. Merritt Butrick

Actor | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Merritt Butrick was an American actor from Gainesville, Florida. He is primarily remembered for portraying Dr. David Marcus in the science fiction films "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982) and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984). His character was depicted as a son of the Starfleet ...

--Square Pegs-- --Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan-- --Zapped-- --Shy People--

56. Louis Edmonds

Actor | House of Dark Shadows

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he studied at Louisiana State University and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. During WWII, he served in the Navy. His career was started in New York, acting in regional and Off-Broadway Theatre until his Broadway debut in the musical, "Candide" in 1956. Edmonds ...

--Dark Shadows-- --House Of Dark Shadows-- --All My Children-- --Come Spy With Me--

57. Jean Marais

Actor | La Belle et la Bête

Jean Marais was a popular French cinema actor and director who played over 100 roles in film and on television, and was also known for his many talents as a writer, painter and sculptor.

He was born Jean Alfred Villain-Marais on December 11, 1913, in Cherbourg, France. His father practiced ...

--Beauty And The Beast-- --Orpheus-- --Stealing Beauty-- --Fantomas--

58. Robert Reed

Actor | The Brady Bunch

Robert Reed was an American actor, mostly known for television roles. His most famous role was that of pater familias Michael Paul "Mike" Brady in the popular sitcom "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1979). He returned to this role in several of the sitcom's sequels and spin-offs.

Reed was born under the name...

--The Brady Bunch-- --Star!-- --Rich Man, Poor Man-- --The Boy In The Plastic Bubble--

59. Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writer | Faustrecht der Freiheit

Above all, Rainer Werner Fassbinder was a rebel whose life and art was marked by gross contradiction. Openly homosexual, he married twice; one of his wives acted in his films and the other served as his editor. Accused variously by detractors of being anticommunist, male chauvinist, antiSemitic and...

--Fox And His Friends-- --Beware A Holy Whore-- --Haytabo-- --Shadows Of Angles--

60. David Lochary

Actor | Pink Flamingos

Divine's former best friend, with dyed silver hair, met the future Waters star in beauty school in Baltimore, Maryland. Divine later claimed that he had "never even heard the word 'drag' before David," and that Lochary did his makeup and wigs at parties (prior to Van Smith). Divine introduced ...

--Pink Flamingos-- --Female Trouble-- --Eat Your Makeup-- --Multiple Maniacs-- --Mondo Trasho--

61. Liberace

Soundtrack | Behind the Candelabra

Most remembered for his extravagant costumes and trademark candelabra placed on the lids of his flashy pianos, Liberace was loved by his audiences for his music talent and unique showmanship. He was born as Wladziu Valentino Liberace on May 16, 1919, into a musical family, in Wisconsin. His mother, ...

--The Loved One-- --Batman (TV Series)-- --South Sea Sinner-- --Sincerely Yours--

62. Montgomery Clift

Actor | From Here to Eternity

Edward Montgomery Clift (nicknamed 'Monty' his entire life) was born on October 17, 1920 in Omaha, Nebraska, just after his twin sister Roberta (1920-2014) and eighteen months after his brother Brooks Clift. He was the son of Ethel "Sunny" Anderson (Fogg; 1888-1988) and William Brooks Clift (1886-...

--A Place In The Sun-- --The Misfits-- --Raintree County-- --Suddenly Last Summer--

63. Rod McKuen

Soundtrack | Zodiac

Rod McKuen was born on April 29, 1933 in Oakland, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Zodiac (2007), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and Better Off Dead (1985). He died on January 29, 2015 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

--Summer Love-- --Rock, Pretty Baby-- --Wild Heritage-- --The Boneyard Collection--

64. Glenn Shadix

Actor | Beetlejuice

William G. Scott was born in 1952 in Bessemer, Alabama. He attended Birmingham-Southern College for two years. He lived in New York City prior to moving to Hollywood in the late 1970s.

Changing his name to Glenn Shadix, he made his film debut in the poorly received The Postman Always Rings Twice (...

--Beetle Juice-- --Heathers-- --Sleepwalkers-- --Red Dirt--

65. Geoffrey Bayldon

Actor | Casino Royale

Born Leeds, England and trained at Old Vic Theatre School, 1947-1949. First stage appearance in "Tough at the Top" (C.B. Cochran's last musical) in 1949, followed by seasons at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon; Glasgow Citizen's and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. First in ...

--Casino Royale-- --A Night To Remember-- --Dr. Who-- --Ladies In Laverder--

66. Ian Charleson

Actor | Chariots of Fire

Being born and raised in Edinburgh, Charleson attended the Royal High School and then went on to attend Edinburgh University. He initially studied architecture but switched to an MA degree after cultivating an interest in acting. He won a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art after ...

--Chariots Of Fire-- --Jubilee-- --Opera-- --Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan, Lord Of The Jungle--

67. Robert La Tourneaux

Actor | The Boys in the Band

Robert La Tourneaux was born on November 22, 1941 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for The Boys in the Band (1970), Von Richthofen and Brown (1971) and The Doctors (1963). He died on June 3, 1986 in New York City, New York, USA.

--The Boys In The Band-- --Van Richthofen And Brown-- --Pilgrimage--

68. Taylor Mead

Actor | Coffee and Cigarettes

Taylor Mead was born on December 31, 1924 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and editor, known for Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of (1964). He died on May 8, 2013 in Denver, Colorado, USA.

--Lonesome Cowboys-- --Union City-- --Last Supper-- --Coffee And Cigarettes--

69. Max Adrian

Actor | The Boy Friend

Grandiose Irish stage, film and television character player Max Adrian, a noted classical performer and musical comedy revue star with a highly distinctive voice and "old school" acting style, was born Guy Thornton Bor on November 1, 1903, in Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The son of Edward ...

The Boyfriend-- --The Devils-- --Dr. Terrors House Of Horrors-- --The Music Lovers--

70. William Haines

Actor | Show People

Born in Staunton, Virginia, William Haines ran off to live life on his own terms while still in his teens, moving to New York City and becoming friends with such later Hollywood luminaries as designer Orry-Kelly and Cary Grant. His film career started slowly, but by the end of the silent era he was...

--A Slave For Fashion-- --Fighting The Flames-- --The Thrill Hunter-- --Way Out West--

71. Kenneth Nelson

Actor | Hellraiser

Kenneth Nelson was born on March 24, 1930 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for Hellraiser (1987), The Boys in the Band (1970) and Nightbreed (1990). He died on October 7, 1993 in London, England, UK.

--The Boys In The Band-- --Hellraiser-- --The Brute-- --The Lonely Lady--

72. Casey Donovan

Actor | Score

Calvin Culver, better known by his adult film name Casey Donovan, was born November 2, 1943 in East Bloomfield, New York. He graduated from teachers' college in 1965 and worked as a teacher in Peekskill and New York City. When he was fired from his teaching job after an altercation with a student, ...

AKA Casey Donovan --Score-- --Gal Young Un-- --Fun And Games-- --Ginger--

73. John Megna

Actor | To Kill a Mockingbird

John Megna was born on November 9, 1952 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), The Cannonball Run (1981) and Police Woman (1974). He died on September 5, 1995 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

--To Kill a Mockingbird-- --Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte-- --The Boy In The Plastic Bubble-- --Star Trek: Miri

74. Joseph Maher

Actor | In & Out

Joseph Maher was born on December 29, 1933 in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland. He was an actor, known for In & Out (1997), I.Q. (1994) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He died on July 17, 1998 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

--For Pete's Sake-- --It Aint Easy-- --Heaven Can Wait-- --Those Lips, Those Eyes--

75. Paul Bartel

Actor | Eating Raoul

Paul Bartel was born in Brooklyn in 1938. He decided he wanted to direct animated movies when he was 11 and by 13 had spent a summer working at New York's UPA animation studio. He majored in theater arts at UCLA, and received a Fulbright scholarship to study film direction in Rome, producing a ...

--Eating Raoul-- --Rock 'n Roll High School-- --Heart Like A Wheel-- --Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss--

76. Gore Vidal

Actor | GATTACA

Gore Vidal was born Eugene Louis Vidal in 1925 in West Point, New York, to Nina (Gore) and West Point aeronautics instructor and aviation pioneer Eugene Luther Vidal. The Vidals endured a rocky marriage divorcing ten years after Gore's birth. Young Gore spent much of his childhood with his blind ...

--Bob Roberts-- --Gattaca-- --Shadow Conspiracy-- --Igby Goes Down--

77. Henry Brandon

Actor | The Searchers

German-born Henry Brandon was a character actor in American films, most often seen in villainous roles. His parents emigrated to the US shortly after his birth. His early interest in acting led him to study at the acclaimed Pasadena Community Playhouse. He landed the lead villain role in the Stan ...

--War Of The Worlds-- --The Searchers-- --Assault On Precinct 13-- --Silent Fear--

78. Billy De Wolfe

Actor | Tea for Two

Most certainly egged on by the dandified antics of an Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore and/or Franklin Pangborn, burlesque clown Billy DeWolfe in turn gave obvious inspiration to such effeminate cutups as Paul Lynde and Charles Nelson Reilly. Billy's life was one hundred percent show business from...

--The Doris Day Show-- --Billie-- --Lullaby Of Broadway-- --Call Me Madam--

79. Leonard Frey

Actor | Fiddler on the Roof

Leonard Frey originally wanted to become an artist, but in college he became interested in acting. He made his stage debut in an off-Broadway production of "Little Mary Sunshine" and his film debut as a celebrant in Passages from James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (1966), but he first rose to prominence ...

--The Boys In The Band-- --Fiddler On The Roof-- --Tell Me That You Love Me Junie Moon-- --Tattoo--

80. Ron Palillo

Actor | Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI

At 14, Ron Palillo (born Ronald Gabriel Paolillo) started his own summer theater in Cheshire, Connecticut. His parents, Gabriel and Carmel Paolillo, were surprised when the summer theater actually made money. After graduating from high school, Ron went to the University of Connecticut at Storrs, ...

--Welcome Back Kotter-- --Skate Town U.S.A.-- --Hellgate-- --Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part VI--

81. Paul Shenar

Actor | Scarface

Attractive, dark-featured character actor with a voice like thunder, and eyes like a wolf, who was featured in less than sympathetic roles throughout his career. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Albert Paul Shenar attended the University of Wisconsin. Soon after graduation, he relocated to ...

--Scarface-- --Deadly Force-- --Dream Lover-- --The Big Blue--

82. Clifton Webb

Actor | Laura

Already trained in dance and theater, he quit school at age 13 to study music and painting. By 19 he was a professional ballroom dancer in New York, and by his mid-twenties he was performing in musicals, dramas on Broadway and in London, and in silent movies. His first real success in film came in ...

--Laura-- --Cheaper By The Dozen-- --Titanic-- --Three Coins In A Fountain--

83. Victor Spinetti

Actor | A Hard Day's Night

Comic eccentric and gifted raconteur Victor Spinetti was born in Wales on September 2, 1929, the son of Giuseppe Spinetti and Lily (Watson) Spinetti. Educated at Monmouth School, he was initially interested in a teaching degree but turned to acting instead and studied for the stage at the College ...

--The Taming Of The Shrew-- --Start The Revolution Without Me-- --Under Milk Wood-- --The Little Prince--

84. Allen Ginsberg

Soundtrack | Beginners

Louis Ginsberg, the moderate Jewish Socialist and his wife Naomi, who was a radical Communist and irrepressible nudist are the parents of Irwin Allen Ginsberg, the poet and man of many other things eg. actor. Poems he written eg. Howl, Six gallery, Sunflower Sutra ... His themes: drugs, against ...

--Chappaqua-- --Renaldo And Clare-- --Herostratus-- --Pull My Daisy--

85. Dack Rambo

Actor | Gunsmoke

Dack (given name Norman) and identical twin brother, Dirk Rambo (Orman), were born in sunny California in 1941. Dack's noticeable difference was a mole on his left cheek. Both happened upon an acting career, at age 21, after being discovered by Loretta Young for her TV show, while sitting in a ...

--Dallas (TV Series) --Guns Of Will Sonnett (TV Series) --Dirty Sally (TV Series) --Which Way To The Front--

86. Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writer | Il Decameron

Pier Paolo Pasolini achieved fame and notoriety long before he entered the film industry. A published poet at 19, he had already written numerous novels and essays before his first screenplay in 1954. His first film Accattone (1961) was based on his own novel and its violent depiction of the life ...

--The Canterbury Tales-- --Il Gobbo-- --The Decameron-- --S.P.Q.R.--

87. Jon Polito

Actor | The Crow

A veteran of nearly 100 films, Jon Polito is most recognized for his work with The Coen brothers, as well as his many television appearances as a series regular and guest star. Notable motion picture roles include: Millers Crossing, Barton Fink, The Man Who Wasn't There, The Crow, Blankman, and The...

--Miller's Crossing-- --The Crow-- --Crime Story-- --The Gangster Chronicles--

88. Rudolf Nureyev

Actor | Valentino

He was an ethnic Tatar. He was educated at the Leningrad Ballet School and starred with Kirov Ballet. His first film was a USSR short Le Corsaire (1958). While performing in Paris in 1961 he defected to the West. He then performed internationally, becoming an Austrian citizen in 1982. The English/...

--Valentino-- --Exposed-- --Nijinsky: Unfinished Project-- --Coup de Foudre--

89. Ramon Novarro

Actor | The Red Lily

Ramon Novarro was born José Ramón Gil Samaniego on February 6, 1899 in Durango, Mexico, to Leonor (Gavilan) and Dr. Mariano N. Samaniego Siqueiros, a prosperous dentist. Ramon and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1913, as refugees from the Mexican Revolution. After stints as a ballet dancer, ...

--Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ (1925)-- --Mata Hari-- --Across to Singapore-- --Heller In Pink Tights--

90. Jackie Curtis

Actor | Women in Revolt

Jackie's friendship and professional association with Andy Warhol began in the mid-1960s. He appeared in director Paul Morrissey's Women in Revolt (1971) with Candy Darling and Holly Woodlawn and Flesh (1968) with Joe Dallesandro and Candy Darling, presented by Andy Warhol. For these unique films, ...

--WR: Mysteries Of The Organism-- --Flesh-- --Women In Revolt-- --Underground U.S.A.--

91. Robert Drivas

Actor | Cool Hand Luke

Actor-turned-director Robert Drivas showed dark, brooding power and strong potential on the 60s stage, film and TV but, in the long run, did not achieve the kind of success he deserved. Born on November 21, 1935, the Coral Gables, Florida native initially studied his craft at the Universities of ...

--Cool Hand Luke-- --The Illustrated Man-- --Road Movie-- --Where It's At--

92. James Mitchell

Actor | All My Children

James Mitchell was an American actor and dancer of English descent. He was one the leading dancers for choreographer Agnes de Mille (1905-1993). As an actor, Mitchell is primarily remembered for his role as diabolical businessman Palmer Cortlandt in the long-running soap opera "All My Children". ...

--The Band Wagon-- --The Peacmaker-- --The Turning Point-- --All My Children--

93. Gene Anthony Ray

Actor | Fame

Born on May 24, 1962, in Harlem. Attended Julia Richmond High School, where he performed in a dance class, and later auditioned for Louis Falco, the choreographer for the film Fame (1980). Actually attended New York's High School of the Performing Arts for a year, before being kicked out. He was, ...

--Fame-- --Fame (TV Series)-- --Out-Of-Sync-- --Eddie--

94. Tom Tryon

Actor | The Cardinal

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Tom Tryon -- son of clothier Arthur Lane Tryon and not, as was commonly believed -- actor Glenn Tryon -- grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut. In 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17 and spent three years as a radio specialist in the South Pacific. After his ...

--The Cardinal-- --I Married A Monster From Outer Space-- --In Harms Way-- --Three Violent People--

95. Geoffrey Bayldon

Actor | Casino Royale

Born Leeds, England and trained at Old Vic Theatre School, 1947-1949. First stage appearance in "Tough at the Top" (C.B. Cochran's last musical) in 1949, followed by seasons at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon; Glasgow Citizen's and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. First in ...

--A Night To Remember-- --Casino Royale-- --Catweazle-- --Tales From The Crypt:1972--

96. Tucker Smith

Actor | West Side Story

Tucker Smith was born on April 24, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for West Side Story (1961), The Producers (1967) and At Long Last Love (1975). He died on December 22, 1988 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

--West Side Story-- --Hearts Of The West-- --To Be Or Not To Be-- --At Long Last Love--

97. Thomas Beck

Actor | Heidi

Thomas McAdam Beck was an actor during the mid to late 1930s, who first attracted attention playing romantic leads in the film series of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto, during the years he was under contract at Fox Film and later 20th Century-Fox. Born in New York City, on December 28, 1909, he grew up ...

--Heidi-- --Seventh Heaven-- --Thank You Mr. Moto-- --Charlie Chan In Egypt--

98. Alan Sues

Actor | The Americanization of Emily

Alan Sues was born on March 7, 1926 in Ross, California, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Americanization of Emily (1964), Laugh-In (1967) and The Twilight Zone (1959). He was married to Phyllis Gehrig. He died on December 1, 2011 in West Hollywood, California, USA.

--Rowan And Martins Laugh-In-- --Oh Heavenly Dog-- --Snowballing-- --Beanes Of Boston--

99. Howard E. Rollins Jr.

Actor | Ragtime

Howard E. Rollins Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950. He was the youngest of four children born to Howard E. Rollins Sr. (steelworker) and Ruth R. Rollins (domestic worker). Rollins graduated from Towson State College, where he studied theater. His first break into acting came when a ...

--In The Heat Of The Night (TV Series) --On The Block-- --A Soldiers Story-- --Ragtime--

100. Anthony George

Actor | Dark Shadows

Virile-looking, hairy-chested actor Anthony George is best remembered for a couple of popular TV crime series back in the early 1960s. Born Octavio George in Endicott, New York, he began in small roles in motion pictures and TV in the 1950s. Picked up by 20th Century-Fox he was sometimes billed as ...

--Dark Shadows-- --One Life To Live-- --Checkmate-- --The Untouchables--



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