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As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is "America's composer" time and again. With a massive list of awards that includes over 52 Oscar nominations (five wins), twenty-odd Gold and Platinum Records, and a slew of Emmy (two wins), Golden Globe (three wins), Grammy (25 wins), National Board of Review (including a Career Achievement Award), Saturn (six wins), American Film Institute (including a Lifetime Achievement Award) and BAFTA (seven wins) citations, along with honorary doctorate degrees numbering in the teens, Williams is undoubtedly one of the most respected composers for Cinema. He's led countless national and international orchestras, most notably as the nineteenth conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra from 1980-1993, helming three Pops tours of the US and Japan during his tenure. He currently serves as the Pop's Conductor Laureate. Also to his credit is a parallel career as an author of serious, and some not-so-serious, concert works - performed by the likes of Mstislav Rostropovich, André Previn, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Leonard Slatkin, James Ingram, Dale Clevenger, and Joshua Bell. Of particular interests are his Essay for Strings, a jazzy Prelude & Fugue, the multimedia presentation American Journey (aka The Unfinished Journey (1999)), a Sinfonietta for Winds, a song cycle featuring poems by Rita Dove, concerti for flute, violin, clarinet, trumpet, tuba, cello, bassoon and horn, fanfares for the 1984, 1988 and 1996 Summer Olympics, the 2002 Winter Olympics, and a song co-written with Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman for the Special Olympics! But such a list probably warrants a more detailed background...

Born in Flushing, New York on February 8, 1932, John Towner Williams discovered music almost immediately, due in no small measure to being the son of a percussionist for CBS Radio and the Raymond Scott Quintet. After moving to Los Angeles in 1948, the young pianist and leader of his own jazz band started experimenting with arranging tunes; at age 15, he determined he was going to become a concert pianist; at 19, he premiered his first original composition, a piano sonata.

He attended both UCLA and the Los Angeles City College, studying orchestration under MGM musical associate Robert Van Eps and being privately tutored by composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, until conducting for the first time during three years with the U.S. Air Force. His return to the states brought him to Julliard, where renowned piano pedagogue Madame Rosina Lhevinne helped Williams hone his performance skills. He played in jazz clubs to pay his way; still, she encouraged him to focus on composing. So it was back to L.A., with the future maestro ready to break into the Hollywood scene.

Williams found work with the Hollywood studios as a piano player, eventually accompanying such fare such as the TV series Peter Gunn (1958), South Pacific (1958), Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960), and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), as well as forming a surprising friendship with Bernard Herrmann. At age 24, "Johnny Williams" became a staff arranger at Columbia and then at 20th Century-Fox, orchestrating for Alfred Newman and Lionel Newman, Dimitri Tiomkin, Franz Waxman, and other Golden Age notables. In the field of popular music, he performed and arranged for the likes of Vic Damone, Doris Day, and Mahalia Jackson... all while courting actress/singer Barbara Ruick, who became his wife until her death in 1974. John & Barbara had three children; their daughter is now a doctor, and their two sons, Joseph Williams and Mark Towner Williams, are rock musicians.

The orchestrating gigs led to serious composing jobs for television, notably Alcoa Premiere (1961), Checkmate (1960), Gilligan's Island (1964), Lost in Space (1965), Land of the Giants (1968), and his Emmy-winning scores for Heidi (1968) and Jane Eyre (1970). Daddy-O (1958) and Because They're Young (1960) brought his original music to the big theatres, but he was soon typecast doing comedies. His efforts in the genre helped guarantee his work on William Wyler's How to Steal a Million (1966), however, a major picture that immediately led to larger projects. Of course, his arrangements continued to garner attention, and he won his first Oscar for adapting Fiddler on the Roof (1971).

During the '70s, he was King of Disaster Scores with The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Earthquake (1974) and The Towering Inferno (1974). His psychological score for Images (1972) remains one of the most innovative works in soundtrack history. But his Americana - particularly The Reivers (1969) - is what caught the ear of director Steven Spielberg, then preparing for his first feature, The Sugarland Express (1974). When Spielberg reunited with Williams on Jaws (1975), they established themselves as a blockbuster team, the composer gained his first Academy Award for Original Score, and Spielberg promptly recommended Williams to a friend, George Lucas. In 1977, John Williams re-popularized the epic cinema sound of Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Waxman and other composers from the Hollywood Golden Age: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) became the best selling score-only soundtrack of all time, and spawned countless musical imitators. For the next five years, though the music in Hollywood changed, John Williams wrote big, brassy scores for big, brassy films - The Fury (1978), Superman (1978), 1941 (1979), Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) ... An experiment during this period, Heartbeeps (1981), flopped. There was a long-term change of pace, nonetheless, as Williams fell in love with an interior designer and married once more.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) brought about his third Oscar, and The River (1984), Empire of the Sun (1987), The Accidental Tourist (1988) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989) added variety to the 1980s, as he returned to television with work on Amazing Stories (1985) and themes for NBC, including NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (1970). The '80s also brought the only exceptions to the composer's collaboration with Steven Spielberg - others scored both Spielberg's segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and The Color Purple (1985).

Intending to retire, the composer's output became sporadic during the 1990s, particularly after the exciting Jurassic Park (1993) and the masterful, Oscar-winning Schindler's List (1993). This lighter workload, coupled with a number of hilarious references on The Simpsons (1989) actually seemed to renew interest in his music. Two Home Alone films (1990, 1992), JFK (1991), Nixon (1995), Sleepers (1996), Seven Years in Tibet (1997), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Angela's Ashes (1999), and a return to familiar territory with Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) recalled his creative diversity of the '70s.

In this millennium, the artist shows no interest in slowing down. His relationships with Spielberg and Lucas continue in A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), the remaining Star Wars prequels (2002, 2005), Minority Report (2002), Catch Me If You Can (2002), and a promised fourth Indiana Jones film. There is a more focused effort on concert works, as well, including a theme for the new Walt Disney Concert Hall and a rumored light opera. But one certain highlight is his musical magic for the world of Harry Potter (2001, 2002, 2004, etc.), which he also arranged into a concert suite geared toward teaching children about the symphony orchestra. His music remains on the whistling lips of people around the globe, in the concert halls, on the promenades, in album collections, sports arenas, and parades, and, this writer hopes, touching some place in ourselves. So keep those ears ready wherever you go, 'cause you will likely hear a bit of John Williams on your way.

Rosemarie Braddock DeWitt, who is also known as Rosemarie DeWitt, is one of the most popular American actresses. She was born on October 26, 1971 in Flushing, Queens that lies in New York, USA. Her parents are Rosemarie Baddock and Kenny DeWitt. She has been featured in various roles in a number of movies and TV shows. She was raised in Hanover Township, New Jersey and she graduated from Whippany Park High School. She also used to perform in many high school productions. She is a granddaughter of former World Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Braddock, and played the role of neighbor Sara Wilson in the movie Cinderella Man (2005), which depicted Jimmy Braddock's life. DeWitt performed in numerous off Broadway plays. Most notably, she starred in John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at the Second Stage Theatre; George S. Kaufman's The Butter and Egg Man at the Atlantic Theater Company; and Craig Lucas' Small Tragedy, for which the entire cast won an Obie Award. From May 4-23, 2010, DeWitt appeared in MCC Theater's Off Broadway play Family Week, written by Beth Henley and directed by Jonathan Demme. In its review of the play, the New York Times stated that DeWitt's lead performance has many affecting moments as the beleaguered Claire. DeWitt appeared in Showtime's series United States of Tara (2009) as Tara's sister, Charmaine. She appeared in Season 1 of the AMC series Mad Men (2007) as Midge Daniels, lead character Don Draper's bohemian mistress, and returned for one episode in Season 4. She co-starred with Ron Livingston in the 2006-2007 Fox series Standoff (2006). She played FBI hostage negotiator Emily Lehman. DeWitt has also appeared on television in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Sex and the City (1998), Rescue Me (2004), and Love Monkey (2006). DeWitt is featured in the film Margaret (2011), opposite Anna Paquin and Mark Ruffalo. Additional film credits include Purple Violets (2007), Off the Black (2006), The Wedding Weekend (2006), The Great New Wonderful (2005), The Commuters (2005) and How I Got Lost (2009). She plays the role of Rachel in the Jonathan Demme-directed movie Rachel Getting Married (2008) alongside Anne Hathaway, for which she won several critics' awards and a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress. DeWitt played Ben Affleck's character's wife in the corporate drama The Company Men (2010). In 2011 she played Hannah, one of the three lead characters in the critically acclaimed Your Sister's Sister (2011), opposite Emily Blunt and Mark Duplass. In 2011, she played Renee Blair in the film A Little Bit of Heaven (2011) starring Kate Hudson. In 2012, she played Alice in Gus Van Sant's film Promised Land (2012), released on December 28, 2012. In 2016 she appeared in the multi-award-winning La La Land (2016) as Laura, the sister of Ryan Gosling's character Sebastian.

Harvey Weinstein was born on March 19, 1952, in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA, the first of two boys born to Max and Miriam Weinstein. He is a film producer, known for Pulp Fiction (1994), Shakespeare in Love (1998), and Gangs of New York (2002). He has been married and divorced twice; most recently from Georgina Chapman and previously from Eve Chilton.

Morwenna Banks was born on 20 September 1961 in Flushing, Cornwall, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for Damned (2016), Saxondale (2006) and Miss You Already (2015).

Beautiful Anita Page was one of the most famous and popular leading ladies during the last years of the silent screen and the first years of the talkie era. She was best known for starring in The Broadway Melody (1929), the first sound film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Her leading men included John Gilbert, Clark Gable, Buster Keaton, and Robert Montgomery.

Only in her late teens when stardom beckoned, Anita had a huge following that earned her record amounts of fan mail, but she was seldom given lead roles, most often playing second lead, perhaps due to her youthful inexperience as an actress. She was a charming, much-loved screen personality, but by 1932 MGM seemed to lose interest in her career despite impressive work in such films as Night Court (1932) and Skyscraper Souls (1932), and before the year was out her contract was not renewed. She slipped off into "B" stardom in films at Columbia, Universal, and even more minor studios. She retired from the screen in 1936, making a return 25 years later in The Runaway (1961) with Cesar Romero, and she lived quietly out of the limelight for over half a century. In the 1990s, the now widowed star was rediscovered by the media, which enjoyed her light-humored journeys down memory lane about her career, MGM, the silent and early talkie eras, and the stars she knew, earning the actress a devoted cult of young fans and a few brief appearances in ultra-low-budget films of the 1990s.

Born in Flushing, New York, the impressively endowed Patty Jo Harmon was discovered as a guest on You Bet Your Life (1950) by Groucho Marx and later was invited to work with him on Tell It to Groucho (1961). The TV exposure parlayed into roles in such obscure films as Village of the Giants (1965) and more famous fare like Cool Hand Luke (1967), but she was used mostly for eye candy. With only a handful of television appearances to her name, she made a bigger career as a pin-up girl during the late 1960s and early 1970s, but she ultimately retired from acting to get married and start a family. Baking has always been a favorite pastime and she since started Aunt Joy's Cakes. She first started sharing her treats while working at Disney Studios and runs a wholesale bakery based in Burbank, California.

Bobby Jacoby was born in 1973 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Tremors (1990), Pearl Harbor (2001) and Can't Hardly Wait (1998).

Born in New York City, Ted's early career included guest appearances in soap operas, Lover Come Back (1961) and It's a Man's World (1962). Ted went on to appear as "Frankie" on Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964), but his big break was as "That Guy" on the successful Marlo Thomas Television series That Girl (1966). As "Don Hollinger", he played the boyfriend of aspiring actress "Ann Marie". After that, he appeared in a number of short lived Television comedy series including Me and the Chimp (1972), Good Time Harry (1980) and Hail to the Chief (1985). After being stereotyped as the good boyfriend, Ted found jobs hard to find so he moved towards the direction and production end of Television. Ted directed episodes of The Tracey Ullman Show (1987) and Sibs (1991). At the time of his death, he was preparing to direct a movie version of the Television series Bewitched (1964).

Leslie Abramson was born on 6 October 1943 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.

Bob Weinstein was born on 18 October 1954 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Hateful Eight (2015) and St. Vincent (2014). He has been married to Annie Clayton since 29 April 2000. They have two children.

J. Kenneth Campbell's acting career has taken him from Broadway to feature films and television. His many films include Bulworth, Ulee's Gold, Guess Who?, Mars Attacks and The Abyss. He recently completed filming director Kevin Willmott's upcoming feature The Only Good Indian, in which Campbell plays a lead role, alongside Wes Studi (Avatar, Last of the Mohicans). On television, Campbell has appeared in Commander in Chief, Frasier, Charmed, Melrose Place, Ally McBeal, Picket Fences, Matlock, L.A. Law and many other series.

Campbell was born in Flushing, New York, in 1947 the second of seven children. He was raised on Long Island and graduated from Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. It was at The University of Arizona where he discovered his calling. Forsaking the "security" of a college degree, he entered "The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater" to study acting with Sanford Miesner.

Non-academic acting students in 1967 became automatically eligible for the Selective Service and in the middle of his second year at the Playhouse, Campbell was drafted into the U.S. Army. He retaliated, by joining the Marines. He was wounded in action, and after months of recuperation, he returned to The Playhouse and finished the program. Campbell has worked, on stage, in film and on television ever since.

Tobias Truvillion was born on 1 October 1975 in Flushing, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Brooklyn's Finest (2009), One Life to Live (1968) and Hitch (2005).

Richard Glatzer was born on 28 January 1952 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Still Alice (2014), Quinceañera (2006) and Colette (2018). He was married to Wash Westmoreland. He died on 10 March 2015 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Sandra Lee was born on 20 December 1970 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is a producer, known for Dr. Pimple Popper (2018), WGN Morning News (1994) and Ask Jillian (2020). She has been married to Jeffrey Rebish since 28 May 2000. They have two children.

Jennifer Aydin was born on 16 April 1977 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is married to Bill Aydin. They have five children.

Laura Gardner was born on 17 March 1955 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and casting director, known for The Romanoffs (2018), Outcast (2016) and My Name Is Earl (2005). She has been married to Frank Collison since 9 October 2005.

Rob Findlay was born on 4 April 1972 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Rescue Me (2004), As the World Turns (1956) and Chappelle's Show (2003).

Carmine Famiglietti was born on 2 February 1973 in Flushing, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Lbs. (2004), Blown (2012) and Life Coach (2012).

Jojo Guadagno was born on 1 June 1994 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Vanderpump Rules (2013), Gogo for the Gold (2022) and Boy Culture: Generation X (2021).

Natalie Draper was born on 30 April 1919 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Forever Amber (1947) and Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 8 (1937). She was married to Henry MacCartney Moffat, Ivan Goff, Merrill Pye and Tom Brown. She died on 13 January 2012 in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Reby Hardy was born on 6 August 1986 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies (2014), Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors (2010) and TNA iMPACT! Wrestling (2004). She has been married to Matt Hardy since 5 October 2013. They have four children.

Marilyn Hare was born on 13 October 1923 in Flushing, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Angels with Broken Wings (1941), Ice Capades Revue (1942) and Yokel Boy (1942). She died on 9 October 1981 in Encino, California, USA.

John Gallagher is a New York City-based filmmaker, a fixture on the New York scene for nearly 30 years as a director, writer, producer, author, historian and educator, with a wide range of international filmmaking resources and relationships, and a highly regarded, encyclopedic knowledge of films and filmmaking. His track record is especially strong in discovering and mentoring new talent, both in front of and behind the camera. Among the actors John has worked with in debut or significant early roles are John Leguizamo, Amanda Peet, Zach Braff, Michael Imperioli, Gretchen Mol, Matthew Lillard, Vincent Pastore, Steve Stanulis, Heather Matarazzo, and Denis Leary. Eight features and eighteen shorts have been produced under his 305 Media Group banner, all playing international film festivals, many directed by his young proteges.

John's last three features have all received distribution from Sony companies including the feature comedy-drama The Networker (q. v.), starring Steve Stanulis, William Forsythe, Sean Young, Deborah Twiss, Alycia Reiner, Jeremy Luke, Natalie Knepp, Joe D'Onofrio, Brian Kelly, Samantha Scaffidi and Stephen Baldwin. He is the Executive Producer of the feature romantic comedy Enchantments (q. v.), directed by and starring Kelsey O'Brien (Best Feature at the Ridgewood Guild Film Festival), and is a writer-producer on the romantic comedy Sam, directed by Nick Brooks, starring Natalie Knepp, Sean Kleier, Stacy Keach, Morgan Fairchild, Joe D'Onofrio, Steve Stanulis, James McCaffrey, Bryan Batt, Brian Kelly and Sarah Scott, and executive produced by comedy legend Mel Brooks.

John wrote and directed the critically acclaimed feature romantic fable Blue Moon (q.v.), released theatrically through Castle Hill, starring screen legends Ben Gazzara and Rita Moreno, with Alanna Ubach, Heather Matarazzo, Vincent Pastore, Burt Young, and Zach Braff. The movie won Best American Feature at the Avignon/New York Film Festival, and Best Fantasy Film at Worldfest Houston. John also directed and co-wrote the popular cult comedy The Deli (q. v.) (Castle Hill), with a cast including Mike Starr, Matt Keeslar, Gretchen Mol, Ice T, Heather Matarazzo, Brian Vincent, Judith Malina, Debi Mazar, Michael Imperioli, Iman, David Johansen, Burt Young, Chris Noth, Heavy D, Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore and Tony Sirico. The Deli won the Spirit of Independents Award at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, and was cited for Excellence in Filmmaking by the National Board of Review. The Deli is available in a Special Edition DVD from Warner/Ryko, and airs frequently on national TV. John was honored at the 2012 Soho International Film Festival with a 15th anniversary of The Deli, and at the 2017 Long Island International Film Expo with a 20th anniversary celebration of the film.

John produced Gabriele Altobelli's Uuncomfortable Silence (q. v.), featuring Brian Kelly, Deborah Twiss and Samantha Scaffidi, which had its World Premiere as part of John's tribute to the late great legend Ben Gazzara at the Soho International Film Festival at Sunshine Cinemas in New York in April 2013. Uncomfortable Silence was also invited to the Metrage Section of the Cannes Film Festival, the Paris International Film Festival, and the Madrid Film Festival. John was Consulting Producer, Casting Director and actor on Altobelli's feature debut American Fango, winner of eight Best Feature film fest awards.

As an educator, John has been on the faculty of One on One NYC, the top actors' networking facility in Manhattan, for fifteen years, teaching acting for the camera; and The School of Visual Arts teaching the Advanced Directing Workshop. He taught film acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse for five years and has taught and lectured extensively at schools, seminars and international film festivals on screen writing, filmmaking, film acting, improvisation and film history, including The Museum of Modern Art, Film Forum, The Learning Annex, Actors' Alliance, Writers Book Camp, Shetler Studios and Susan Batson Studios.

John wrote and directed the acclaimed five-minute short I Love You (q.v.) (featuring 75 actors), which premiered at the Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg in Germany, and directed Expatriate (q. v.), starring Christina Gooding, awarded Best Film at the Atlantic City Short Film Festival (where he was also honored with a retrospective of his short works). John also directed the New York segments of The Aristofrogs (q. v.), a trailer for Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg, featuring Stacy Keach, which screened in German cinemas, and the short comedy Act, Naturally (q. v.).

John wrote and directed the comedy short Beautiful (q. v.) starring Lauren Schacher, which world premiered at Filmfest Oldenburg, and And the Winner Is ... (q. v.) starring Christina Broccolini, named Best Short at the Chashama Film Festival with Best Actress Awards at Chashama and Picturestart Film Festival, and was an official selection of Filmfest Oldenburg and the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival. His short We Remember has played 33 international film festivals, and won John four Best Director awards.

John served as a producer on the feature films The Insurgents (q. v.), starring John Shea, Michael Moseley, Juliette Marquis, Henry Simmons and Mary Stuart Masterson, which won the German Independence Award at Filmfest Oldenburg, Best Film at the Long Island International Film Expo, Best Screenplay at the Palm Beach Film Festival, an official selection at the Montreal Film Festival, the Edmonton Film Festival, and the HD Festival in Seoul, Sydney and London, with theatrical release from Allumination/ Slamdance; and Mother's Day Massacre (q. v.), available on Itunes, featuring Heidi Kristoffer and the stars of three Sundance award-winning films. He is also executive producer on Marianne Hettinger's feature Mango Tango (q. v.), filmed in New York and Germany, winner of the Jury Prize at the 2009 Ventura Film Festival, and co-exec producer on Sylvia Caminer's Tanzania: A Journey Within (q. v.), filmed in Africa, winner of many awards including Best Film and Best Documentary at the Soho International Film Festival.

John produced and directed the improvisational romantic comedy Cupidity (q. v.), which won the prize for Audience Award: Best Feature Film, as well as Best Actress (Michele Coniglio) and Best Supporting Actor (Jared Miller), at the New York Independent Film Festival. Cupidity was awarded Best Actor (James Gilmartin) at the Queens Film Festival, and was an official selection of Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg. Other features as writer-director include the comedy Men Lie (q. v.), winner of numerous international awards, selected for two dozen film festivals, including official U.S. selection of the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival, with Frank Vincent, Aida Turturro, Catherine Scorsese, Michael Imperioli, and Nicholas Turturro; and the action picture Street Hunter (q. v.) (Columbia/Tri-Star), executive produced by Menahem Golan, with Steve James, John Leguizamo, Reb Brown, Frank Vincent, Richie Havens and Vincent Pastore. John's short films as writer-director include Penance (Frank Vincent, Heather Matarazzo); Vinny D (Frank Vincent, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico); Other Men's Wives (Denis Leary); and Kurt Vonnegut's Long Walk to Forever (q. v.) (Denis Leary).

John was an Executive Producer on the feature film drama Animal Room (q. v.) (Smart Egg), Amanda Peet's first feature, starring Matthew Lillard, Neil Patrick Harris and Catherine Hicks; and the feature comedy High Times' POtluck (q. v.) (Allumination), starring Jason Isaacs, Dan Lauria, Sylvia Miles, and Frank Gorshin. John was also heavily involved in publicity and promotion for Evil Dead (q. v.) (as well as post-production) and Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (q. v.), two classic horror movies directed by and starring his former roommates/horror icons Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell.

In the New York theatre, John directed the plays "East of Evil," starring Frank Vincent, Tony Sirico and Vincent Pastore; "Punk City," starring Ronald Maccone; and "Unspeakable Ways," starring Tony Sirico, all produced at the West Bank Theatre in Manhattan; and "Screenwriters Night" and "Screenwriters Night II" at the SVA Theatre. He directed "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" by Alan Ball (True Blood, Six Feet Under, American Beauty) at the Duo Theatre.

John is the author of Film Directors on Directing (a collection of his interviews with such filmmakers as Francois Truffaut, Dennis Hopper, Ted Kotcheff, Alan Parker, and Wim Wenders) and the upcoming Nothing Sacred: The Cinema of William Wellman, and Hollywood's Forgotten Master: The Life and Times of Tay Garnett, the definitive books on the legendary directors. He also co-authored the book Gregory LaCava, commissioned by the Filmoteca Espanol and the San Sebastian Film Festival for a retrospective on the veteran Hollywood filmmaker; the foreword to the book featured John's interview with Katharine Hepburn. His interview with Peter Bogdanovich appears in the book Peter Bogdanovich: Interviews. His articles on films and filmmaking have appeared in many magazines, including Rolling Stone, American Cinematographer, Moviemaker, Films in Review, and Millimeter. He has written dozens of articles on the horror genre for Fangoria, Cinemacabre and Videoscope.

John has appeared on-screen in the feature documentaries, Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick (q. v.), A Constant Forge (q. v.), the definitive documentary on John Cassavetes, The True Adventures of Raoul Walsh, Katz's: That's All (q.v.), and The Legend of the Foreign Legion. He contributed the DVD audio commentary for William Wellman's Heroes for Sale on Warner Bros. Home Video's Forbidden Hollywood Vol. 3. He is also the New York programmer for Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg, the top indie fest in Europe.

Charlie has been working in the industry for over thirty five years. Starting in theatre as a tech and then a lighting designer. Charlie moved onto directing film in 1997.

In 2014 Charlie finished work on a Documentary film, "Rescue! Brooklyn", which was an official selection at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, and was chosen to be the opening night film. Rescue! Brooklyn is being distributed by Adler and Associates Entertainment, and is available on Amazon Prime .

In 2015 Charlie directed two music videos for Suzanne Vega's newest release "Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles, "I Never Wear White" and "Don't Uncork What You Can't Contain".

In 2020 Charlie completed "Bard of the Village" a documentary film about Folk Icon Jack Hardy and the Songwriter's Exchange.

In 2016 Charlie wrote and directed the feature film "Annie's World" a romantic comedy was picked up for distribution by Adler & Associates Entertainment for world wide distribution.

In 2022 Charlie his new documentary film "Trumpism and the American Jewish Community" was picked up for distribution by Adler & Associates Entertainment for world wide distribution and is available on Amazon Prime.

Michael Kostel was born on 9 May 1956 in Flushing, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Major League Baseball: An Inside Look (1979), This Week in Baseball (1977) and Inside the Actors Studio (1994).