A Thousand Stars

   I contacted some of my friends in the
media last Friday when I learned that
one time movie star Lizabeth Scott had
passed away.
   A lot of young theater goers probably
never heard of her. And many of those
who did know her name may not have
known that she was born in Scranton.
    That got me to thinking about the
many people our area has produced
who made it big on the silver screen or
landed major television rolls!
     We may not hit a thousand. But we
have a lot!
      Nick Adams, made over 30 movies
but is probably best know for his
staring roll in the TV Western, The
Rebel. Nick was from Nanticoke.
     Another Adams, Edie, not
related to Nick, appeared in movies,
TV, and on stage. She often appeared
with her famous husband, Ernie Kovacs!
Edie hailed from Kingston.
      Russell Johnson was in a series of
movies before becoming ever famous as
"The Professor" on Gilligan's Island.
Russell, who passed away last year, was
born in Ashley.
      There's a long list of actors with
connections to our area.
       Mary Ellen McDonnell who stared
in Dances With Wolves was born in
Wilkes-Barre.
      Pat Crowley, who has a long list of
screen credits, and her actress sister Ann,
are Coal Miner's daughters from Olyphant!
      You may have seen Shickshinny native
Krysten Alyce Ritter in the popular TV
series Breaking Bad. She's already
appeared in two dozen movies as well.
       Remember Aunt Clara from TV's
Bewitched? That was Marion Lorne from
West Pittston.
       Ellen Albertini Dow is a character actress.
She portrays feisty old ladies and may be best
known as the rapping grandmother in The
Wedding Singer. She was also a choir member
in the movie Sister Act. Ellen was born in
Mount Carmel. By the way, she's still working
and is over 100-years-old!
       Jason Miller of The Exorcist didn't
come from Coal country. But he loved,
and settled in Scranton which he called
home until he passed away.
        Then, of course, there's our area
Academy Award winner, Jack Palance
who came from Hazle Township and
never forgot his roots.
         There are a lot more. Too numerous
to mention.
          And I, as I've pointed out, have about
four lines in the recently produced movie
All In Time which is making the Film
Festival rounds as I write.
         I wonder if the Academy has a
category for supporting, supporting,
supporting actor?  Well, it should!
          That's a wrap! Hope all your NEWS
is good!