Advanced search

Born in 17 December 1929, Jacqueline Hill was orphaned as a toddler and raised by her grandparents. She was taken out of school at the age of 14 to enable her younger brother to continue. She then worked at Cadbury's, which had an amateur dramatics society. She was encouraged to apply for, and was awarded, a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and entered RADA at the age of 16. She made her stage debut in London's West End in "The Shrike." Many more roles followed, including, on TV, Shop Window, Patrol Car (1954) and An Enemy of the People. It was around this time that she married top director Alvin Rakoff, who cast her opposite Sean Connery in one of ABC TV's Armchair Theatre plays. She was asked to play Barbara Wright in Doctor Who (1963) after she and producer Verity Lambert, whom she knew socially, discussed the role at a party. Soon after leaving the series in 1965 she gave up acting to raise a family. However, she resumed her career in 1979 and gained further TV credits on, amongst other programmes, Romeo & Juliet (1978), Tales of the Unexpected (1979), and the 1980 Doctor Who (1963) story "Meglos" (as a character called Lexa).

Kerry Adkisson was born on February 3, 1960, to Jack and Doris Adkisson. Jack was a wrestler, so most of Jack's children followed in his footsteps (one child, Jack Adkisson, Jr., tragically died in 1959 from electrocution). Kerry was a standout discus thrower at University of Houston, and actually held the SWC discus record; coincidentally, Kerry's father Jack was the previous record holder). Kerry began wrestling around 1980, and his biggest achievement was pinning Ric Flair for the NWA world heavyweight title on May 6, 1984, at Texas Stadium at the inaugural David Von Erich Memorial Parade Of Champions, a wrestling super-card in memory of Kerry's brother David who died in Japan during a wrestling tour in January of that year; Flair would regain the title 18 days later in Yokohama, Japan. Kerry was poised to be a superstar for years to come, but a serious motorcycle accident in 1986 would change his life forever. His injuries from the accident were so severe that a foot had to be amputated, and he wrestled with a prosthetic foot for the rest of his career. As a result of these injuries, he became addicted to painkillers, and in 1991 he was arrested for forging prescriptions; this resulted in him being fired from the WWF. He was given probation, but a little over a year later, he violated his probation by being caught in possession of unauthorized prescription drugs. Recently divorced and despondent over an impending prison sentence. Kerry Adkisson took his own life on February 18th, 1993, at the family ranch. He was preceded in death by his four brothers: Jack (1952-1959), David Von Erich (1958-1984), Mike Von Erich (1964-1987) and Chris Von Erich (1969-1991).

Leslie Norman began his career as a 14-year-old in the laboratories and editorial rooms of Warner Brothers Teddington Studios. He worked his way up from sweeping cutting-room floors to supervising editor and then assistant director. After military service he joined Ealing, where he became involved in their Australian operation. Norman's first major credit was as supervising editor of the classic outback drama about wartime cattle droving, The Overlanders (1946), starring Chips Rafferty. Back in Britain he worked on The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947) and Frieda (1947), before resuming his fruitful association with "Overlanders" director Harry Watt as producer of Watt's African and Australian "true-life" adventure dramas, including the Technicolor Ivory Hunter (1951) (which he also co-wrote) and West of Zanzibar (1954). Norman then produced one of the classic British war dramas of the 1950s, an epic story of Atlantic convoy duty during World War II, The Cruel Sea (1953). The picture made a major star out of its lead, Jack Hawkins.

By 1955 Norman was directing his own films, beginning with the suspenser The Night My Number Came Up (1955), followed by a well-observed Australian-set character drama, The Shiralee (1957); and even a rather well-received sci-fi drama, X the Unknown (1956) (which he took over from exiled American director Joseph Losey). He also turned out the stiff-upper-lip wartime epic Dunkirk (1958), which was Ealing's most expensive venture to date. What to do with a captured Japanese prisoner in the Malayan jungle was the theme occupying Norman's last notable directorial effort, Jungle Fighters (1961). He elicited some excellent performances from his cast (including Laurence Harvey and Richard Todd) in what was an absorbing character study of clashing personalities.

Norman, ever versatile, turned his hand to directing episodic television during the 1960s and 1970s, with particular emphasis on cult action series, such as The Saint (1962), The Baron (1966), Department S (1969) and The Persuaders! (1971).

Michael David Morrison was born on 1 January 1960 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor, known for As the World Turns (1956), Miami Vice (1984) and Hobson's Choice (1983). He was married to Amy Janette McDonald. He died on 18 February 1993 in New York City, New York, USA.

Ted Haworth was born on 26 September 1917 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was a production designer and art director, known for Some Like It Hot (1959), Marty (1955) and The Longest Day (1962). He died on 18 February 1993 in Sundance, Utah, USA.

Josefina Silva was born on 10 January 1898 in Lisbon, Portugal. She was an actress, known for Diaper Trouble (1967), O Herói e o Soldado (1961) and Quanto Importa Ser Leal (1959). She was married to António Silva. She died on 18 February 1993.

Patrick Waite was born on 16 June 1968. He was an actor, known for Musical Youth: Tell Me Why (1983), Musical Youth: Never Gonna Give You Up (1983) and Musical Youth: Youth of Today (1983). He died on 18 February 1993 in Bristol, England, UK.

William Malten was born on 9 August 1902. He was an actor, known for T-Men (1947). He died on 18 February 1993 in New York, USA.

Elayne Goldstein was born on 7 November 1933 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was a producer and writer, known for Nelson and Jeanette (1993) and Sneak Previews (1975). She died on 18 February 1993 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Marshall Carter was born on 16 September 1909 in Fort Monroe, Virginia, USA. He was married to Preot Nichols Carter. He died on 18 February 1993 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.

George Reid was born on 22 July 1903 in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was married to Dorothy Maitland Ruttledge and Beatrix Waring McCay. He died on 18 February 1993 in Macleod, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Patrick Roy was born on 17 April 1952 in Niort, Deux-Sèvres, France. He died on 18 February 1993 in Villejuif, Val-de-Marne, France.

Ragnar Antonsen was born on 24 June 1930 in Ragunda, Sweden. He is known for Heaven's Gate (1980) and Under the Rainbow (1981). He was married to Eva. He died on 18 February 1993 in Sweden.