Biography: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mary Ellen "Mala" Powers (December 20, 1931 – June 11, 2007) was an American film actress. She was born in San Francisco, California. In 1940, her family moved to Los Angeles. Her father was an executive with United Press. In the summer of her relocation, Powers attended the Max Reinhardt Junior Workshop where she enjoyed her first role in a play before a live audience. She continued with her drama lessons, and a year later she auditioned and won a part in the 1942 Dead End Kids film Tough as They Come. At the age of 16 she began working in radio drama, before becoming a film actress in 1950. Her first roles were in Outrage and Edge of Doom in 1950. That same year, Stanley Kramer signed Powers to star opposite Jose Ferrer in what may be her most remembered role as Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her part in this movie. While on a USO entertainment tour in Korea in 1951, she acquired a blood disease and almost died. She was treated with chloromycetin, but a severe allergic reaction resulted in the loss of much of her bone marrow. Powers barely survived, and her recovery took nearly nine months. She began working again in 1952 and 1953, including a part in City Beneath the Sea and City That Never Sleeps, although she was still taking medication. Following her recovery, she appeared in B-movie westerns, such as Rage at Dawn (1955), and science fiction films, among them The Colossus of New York (1958), Flight of the Lost Balloon (1961), and Doomsday Machine (1972). She also had a large role in Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) She appeared on more than one hundred television programs, including episodes of Appointment with Adventure, John Payne's The Restless Gun, Maverick, Bonanza, Wild Wild West and Perry Mason. She co-starred opposite Anthony Quinn in the television movie The Man and the City, later a television series. She was married to Monte Vanton in 1954, but they divorced in 1962; they had a son, Toren Vanton, who survived his mother. Powers remarried in 1970 to M. Hughes Miller, a book publisher. Powers was a successful children's author of "Follow the Star" and "Follow the Year" and of "Dial a Story". Shortly before her death from complications of leukemia June 11, 2007, aged 75, she had been on a lecture tour at universities. She was a master teacher for the past 14 years in the summer program at the University of Southern Maine for the Michael Chekhov Theatre Institute, training actors and teachers of acting. Mala Powers co-founded the National Michael Chekhov Association with teaching colleagues Wil Kilroy and Lisa Dalton, who continue to teach the curriculum developed by the trio in Maine. Powers was the executrix of the Michael Chekhov estate and instrumental in publishing Chekhov's books On the Technique of Acting, To the Actor, and The Path of the Actor. She also published Chekhov's audio series "On Theatre and the Art of Acting", to which she added a 60 page study guide. She co-narrates with Gregory Peck a documentary on Chekhov entitled "From Russia To Hollywood". She was patron of the Michael Chekhov Studio London and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Powers also had a small but recurring role on Shirley Booth's Hazel series. In that capacity she became a close friend of Lynn Borden, who played Barbara Baxter in the 1965-1966 season. Later, she gave Borden several elephant figurines, one a jade piece an another purchased on a trip to India. Borden became a collector of both frog and elephant figures. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mala Powers, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: December 20, 1931
Deathday: July 11, 2007
Popularity:
1955-03-26
Overview: In this film's version of the story, four of the Reno Brothers are corrupt robbers and killers while a fifth, Clint is a respected Indiana farmer. A sister, Laura, who has inherited the family home, serves the outlaw brothers as a housekeeper and cook. One brother is killed when they go after a bank, the men of the town appear to have been waiting for them…
Genres: Action Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1955-03-26
Popularity:
2014-09-26
Overview: There were more women directors before 1920 than at any other time in history. The first director to put a narrative story on celluloid was, Alice Guy Blaché in 1896. Few people know that Lillian Gish became a director in her own right in 1920. Ida Lupino directed over a hundred episodes of "Have Gun, Will Travel," "Thriller," "Gunsmoke," and many independent features.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2014-09-26
Popularity:
1953-06-12
Overview: Chicago cop Johnny Kelly, dissatisfied with his job and marriage, would like to run away with his stripper girlfriend Angel Face, but keeps getting cold feet. During one crowded night, Angel Face decides she's had enough vacillation, and crooked lawyer Biddel has an illegal mission for Johnny that could put him in a financial position to act. But other, conflicting schemes are also in progress...
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-06-12
Popularity:
1950-08-03
Overview: A priest sets out to catch the man who killed one of his colleagues.
Genres: Crime Drama Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-08-03
Popularity:
1957-06-14
Overview: An unsophisticated young woman from the Mississippi swamps falls in love with an unconventional southern gentleman.
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-06-14
Popularity:
1950-11-16
Overview: France, 1640. Cyrano, the charismatic swordsman-poet with the absurd nose, hopelessly loves the beauteous Roxane; she, in turn, confesses to Cyrano her love for the handsome but tongue-tied Christian. The chivalrous Cyrano sets up with Christian an innocent deception, with tragic results.
Genres: Romance Drama Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-11-16
Popularity:
2002-12-01
Overview: A respected civic leader is caught between two rival underworld crime families on the verge of war.
Genres: Action Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2002-12-01
Popularity:
1953-04-21
Overview: Two adventures dive for treasure off the coast of Jamaica.
Genres: Adventure Action Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1953-04-21
Popularity:
1950-09-27
Overview: A young woman who has just become engaged has her life completely shattered when she is raped while on her way home from work.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-09-27
Popularity:
1957-09-15
Overview: A government agent investigates the use of illegal amphetamines among long-haul truck drivers.
Genres: Drama Thriller Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-09-15
Popularity:
1958-06-26
Overview: A brilliant surgeon encases his dead son's brain in a large robot body, with unintended results...
Genres: Horror Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-06-26
Popularity:
1969-05-13
Overview: A mentally disturbed man stalks a woman who had once aborted the child he had fathered.
Genres: Thriller Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-05-13
Popularity:
1961-11-01
Overview: Accused of killing a woman on a train, Sharon Carlin runs home to find another corpse there too!
Genres: Thriller Drama Mystery Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-11-01
Popularity:
1957-12-01
Overview: A neglected wife (Mala Powers) unknowingly places her family in danger when she becomes friends with a psychologically disturbed deliveryman (James Best).
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-12-01
Popularity:
1972-01-01
Overview: Following the discovery of a doomsday machine capable of destroying Earth, the launch of a US space mission to Venus is taken over by the military.
Genres: Science Fiction
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-01-01
Popularity:
1957-08-12
Overview: A woman leads an expedition into a remote jungle to find her long-lost brother, but instead finds a mad scientist who has created a fungus monster that feeds on the local inhabitants.
Genres: Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-08-12
Popularity:
1968-01-01
Overview: A private eye gets in trouble when he tries to help a woman in distress.
Genres: Mystery Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1968-01-01
Popularity:
1957-03-01
Overview: In this fast-paced Western, smaler ranchers hire a former gunman Bart Jones (Scott Brady) in the middle of a range war when he's called on to protect a group of small-time ranchers against cattle baron Maj.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-03-01
Popularity:
2002-08-25
Overview: From Czarist Russia's Moscow Art Theatre to Hollywood's biggest film, narrator Gregory Peck joins an A-list of Hollywood stars to take us through the odyssey of two Russian born Hollywood legends: The great acting teacher Michael Chekhov and the amazing director George Shdanoff.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2002-08-25
Popularity:
1952-01-28
Overview: A white girl raised by Indians sets out to find out who murdered her adoptive parents.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1952-01-28
Popularity:
1954-11-16
Overview: A formula brawling-buddies western where one goes bad and then returns to the fold. Pete Menlo owns some gold claims in Nevada where he is joined by his old friend Andy Martin. Crooked mine-owner Bannon wants to merge their interests so they can create a monopoly but is turned down. Pete is interested in "Nevada" Wray, daughter of mine-owner "Jackpot" Wray, but she has eyes only for Andy. The rejected Pete joins forces with Bannon and they learn that, because of location, "Jackpot" Wray may be the owner of all the gold in the respective veins. Bannon and his men try to get rid of Andy.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-11-16
Popularity:
1961-12-28
Overview: Period adventure tale about an expedition using a hot-air balloon to rescue an explorer lost in Africa.
Genres: Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-12-28
Popularity:
1958-07-01
Overview: Director James B. Clark's western, set in 1848 California, is about a brother and sister battling a crooked businessman over property rights.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-07-01
Popularity:
1981-09-10
Overview: Six people survive the crash of an airplane and find themselves in a mysterious Central American mansion and ghost town, where they encounter ghosts from their past. They are then judged for their sins by a demonic figure while the jury chants their (predictable) verdict.
Genres: Drama Horror
Original Language: es
Release Date: 1981-09-10
Popularity:
1955-09-14
Overview: An American with a shady past joins with a morally-bankrupt Irishman to find treasure buried by Arabs in a deserted mosque in the Sahara. The situation becomes complicated when they are surrounded by Bedouin bandits.
Genres: Crime Drama Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1955-09-14
Popularity:
1942-06-05
Overview: The 'Dead End Kids & Little Tough Guys' are working as collectors for a finance company, when they discover the company's illegal activities and try to stop them.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-06-05
Popularity:
1954-01-26
Overview: Music manager Janey Edwards poses as a co-ed to get the rights to a song from one of the professors.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-01-26
Popularity:
1988-09-08
Overview: Documentary about women in the film industry. Numerous notable actresses and female directors share their thoughts.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1988-09-08
Popularity:
1960-12-04
Overview: In North Carolina, Daniel Boone hears amazing tales about Kentucky and decides to move his family there. But first he has to find the Indian path that will lead him and earn enough money trapping to repay a loan. The Indians are not happy that settlers are coming, and make life difficult for them.
Genres: Western TV Movie Adventure Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-12-04
Popularity:
1960-12-11
Overview: Boone yearns to return to Kentucky, to escape the tax collector, despite his wife’s wishes. With his family remaining home, he leads a small group of farmers to Kentucky, only to be thrilled when his wife and children unexpectedly arrive to join him.
Genres: Western Adventure Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1960-12-11
Popularity:
1961-03-12
Overview: Daniel and his friends have troubles with Indians on their way to Kentucky.
Genres: Western Family Adventure TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-03-12
Popularity:
1961-03-19
Overview: The wagon train on the way to Kentucky has to lighten the loads to get across the mountains and battle Indians.
Genres: Western Adventure Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-03-19
Popularity: