Category: Hall Of Fame

Birthplace: Racine, WI You Know Her As: Grandma Walton on the TV series, “The Waltons.” Did you know?: Ellen Corby was the only adult actor appearing in “The Homecoming” who carried her role over to “The Waltons” series. All of the children stayed the same from the original “The Homecoming” movie, which became “The Waltons” series. On June 3, 1911, Ellen Hansen was born to two Danish immigrants in Racine. Though born in the Midwest, she spent her childhood and adolescence in Philadelphia. She stayed there until 1932, when she left to join the entertainment industry at the age of 21. After a brief stint as a chorus girl in Atlantic City, Hansen left for Hollywood. She was hired first at RKO and then at Hal Roach studios as a Script Assistant (one who looks after the continuity of the script). Hansen had grown close to her mother, Dagmar, after... More

Birthplace: Kenosha, WI You Know Him As: Phillip Chancellor, III on The Young & the Restless, and “rowdy undergrad” in the film St. Elmo’s Fire(1985). Did You Know?: Though most people have lives that pale in comparison to those of the eventful and often outrageous characters on soap operas, Thom Bierdz, a well-known daytime television hunk of the 1980’s portraying Phillip Chancellor III on “The Young and the Restless” certainly lives a life in opposition to that assumption. Unfortunately, his real life has unfolded with far more turmoil then his wealthy but deeply confused, alcoholic character on the popular daytime soap; the Kenosha, Wisconsin native has dealt with tremendous personal tragedy while coping with career obstacles being an openly gay actor, writer and artist. As a child Thom (born March 25, 1965) grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, longing for fame and wealth, as he stated in a 2002 interview for In... More

Actor Birthplace: Kenosha, WI You Know Him As: That one guy from that thing from way back. Did you know?:  Paul Sorensen (February 16, 1926 – July 17, 2008) was an American film, theater and television actor who appeared in literally hundreds roles during his career, including “The Brady Bunch” and “Dallas.” He was frequently cast in westerns or as a police officer. Sorensen was born in 1926 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He moved to Hollywood, California, in 1945 and enrolled in the Pasadena Playhouse, from which he graduated two years later. Later in life, he was honored by the Pasadena Playhouse with a lifetime achievement award. Sorenson served with the United States military during the Korean War. He returned to California after the war and resumed acting. A talent agent signed Sorenson after watching him perform in a theater production of “Born Yesterday.” He was cast in his first television... More

Actor Raised In: Waukegan, Il You Know Him As: Janitor on the hit sitcom “Scrubs” Did you know?:  Neil Flynn (born November 13, 1960) is an American actor and comedian, known for his role as Janitor in the medical comedy-drama “Scrubs.” He currently portrays Mike Heck in the ABC sitcom “The Middle” and has also been featured in the films “Mean Girls” (2004) and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008). After being born on the south side of Chicago, his family moved to Waukegan, Illinois at an early age. As a student at Waukegan East High School in 1978, he and partner Mike Shklair won an Illinois Individual Events state championship for “Humorous Duet Acting.” Source: wikipedia More

Birthplace: Zion, IL You Know Him As: Arnold Jackson of Diff’rent Strokes. Made famous the phrase, “Whatchu talkin’ bout Willis?” You Know Him As: Arnold on the classic sitcom, “Diff’rent Strokes.” Gary was born in Zion, Ill., on February 8, 1968. As an infant, he was put up for adoption and was adopted by Willie and Sue Coleman. His adoptive father worked for a pharmaceutical firm, and his adoptive mother worked as a nurse. He was born with a congenital kidney defect known as Nephritis, which caused him to need three operations before he was five years old. This autoimmune destruction of the kidney halted his growth at an early age, leading to his small stature- 4’8”- which is his most distinguishing feature. He has gone through two kidney transplants since then, one in 1973 and one in 1984, and still requires constant dialysis. Coleman’s small stature, however, served as... More

Birthplace: Racine, WI You Know Her As: The woman with “man hands” in episode #137, “The Bizarro Jerry” on NBC’s Seinfeld. Did You Know?: Growing up in with a family of hunting enthusiasts, Kristin’s childhood basement also housed a rifle range. On November 26, 1973, Kristin Bauer was born in Racine. She grew up playing sports, riding horses and shooting guns. Her father was an avid horseman and gun collector, and her mother was a housewife who was involved in several charities. “Growing up in Wisconsin was a lot like ‘That ’70s Show,’” Bauer reminisced to Maxim magazine. “Actually, my dad had a shooting range down in the basement and an intercom system so that my mom wouldn’t be walking down with laundry and get shot.” “After an idyllic childhood in Wisconsin, it’s only natural to seek out chaos, insanity and instability,” describes KristinBauer.com. “So after high school I went... More

Birthplace: Kenosha, WI You Know Him From: The Bickersons, The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1938), & Academy Award-winning performance in Cocoon (1986). Did You Know?: Ameche’s father, Felix, was a volatile man who even carried a revolver to bed. Felix would witness many murders and knife fights as co-owner of his Kenosha saloon, Amichi & Rinelli’s. In the 1988 film “Things Change,” an 80-year old Don Ameche played the role of Italian-American shoe smith from Chicago. “I knew my accent was authentic,” Ameche told the Boston Globe in an October ’88 interview regarding his role. “It was my Papa’s.” Ameche made his film debut in 1935, and by the late thirties, had established himself as a leading actor in Hollywood. A spot in “Things Change” was one of many Don took in a well-received eighties comeback. “ I feel I had a big advantage in that role because my father... More

Actor Birthplace: Waukegan, Il You Know Him As: Bobby Cobb on ABC’s “Cougar Town” Did you know?:  Brian Van Holt (born July 6, 1969 in Waukegan) is an American actor and advertising model. He is most commonly known for playing Bobby Cobb on the ABC sitcom “Cougar Town,” the ex-husband of main character Jules Cobb, played by Courtney Cox. Often being cast as hard-headed miltary men or police, he is also a former model, an avid surfer, and a golfer. He has  been cast in the films “House of Wax” (2005), “Black Hawk Down” (2001), and “S.W.A.T.” (2003). Sources: wikipedia, imdb.com More