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The future stage, screen and TV star (real name: Fred Eisley) was born in Philadelphia. His father was general sales manager and "troubleshooter" for a large company, and his work kept the family on the move (up and down the East Coast) throughout Eisley's young life. As early as the days of school plays Eisley knew that he wanted to be an actor, but because he lacked show-business contacts he felt nothing would come of his aspiration. He later took drama courses at the University of Miami, "not because I thought I could really be an actor, but because I was taking the easy way out to get a degree". Finally following up on his longtime ambition, Eisley landed a job with a stock company in Pennsylvania, where he worked opposite James Dunn in a stage production of "A Slight Case of Murder." Later roles in long-running plays like "Mister Roberts", "Picnic" and "The Desperate Hours" ensued, along with some early movie (Operation Pacific (1951), Fearless Fagan (1952)) and television (Racket Squad (1950)) work. Eisley later went on to TV and exploitation movie stardom.

David Battley (5 November 1935 - 20 January 2003) was a British actor specialising in laconic, lugubrious comedy roles. The elder son of John Battley, post-WW2 Labour MP, David was born in Battersea, London. Born with a hole in the heart, he was initially taught at home before attending a special school. He later enrolled at Camberwell Art School but left before completing the course. He earned a living working for the family printing firm, Battley Brothers, before applying to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Battley found steady work as a character actor and comic stooge. His TV work ranged from the satire show BBC-3 and the military police drama Redcap (1964), the 1975 TV adaptation of Moll Flanders, and the 1977 Christmas Special of The Good Life, as well as in episodes of such television serials as The Bill, Lovejoy, The Climber, Comrade Dad, Don't Rock the Boat, Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Thicker Than Water, Crown Court, Annie's Bar, and As Time Goes By.

His best-known work in the mid-1970s was as comic foil to Monty Python team member Eric Idle in the BBC series Rutland Weekend Television (1975). Idle praised Battley's dry, poker-faced style on the show. Battley played the Paul McCartney part in the original RWT sketch of The Rutles, a parody of The Beatles, but did not appear in The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978), the American version of the sketch.

He also appeared in films and made-for-television movies including Alice in Wonderland (1966), Hotel Paradiso (1966), Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), Mrs. Wilson's Diary (1969), Up the Front (1972), The Chastity Belt (1972), The London Connection (1979), and Krull (1983). Among his last roles were a golf course employee in the episode "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" (1995) of the comedy series Mr. Bean (1990) and as a doctor examining new regimental recruits in Sharpe (1993).

Battley died on 20 January 2003, after a heart attack, aged 67, in Epsom, Surrey, England.

An apple dumpling of a darling, character actress Nedra Volz had one of those slightly vacant, twinkly-eyed faces absolutely designed for light sitcoms and commercial work. Although she didn't come into her own until past retirement age, she enjoyed a solid two-decade ride delightfully amusing audiences all over.

The diminutive Iowa native was born in a trunk to vaudeville parents in 1908 and was immediately thrust onto the stage as "Baby Nedra" in tent shows and similar venues. A band singer and radio performer in her early adult years, maternal instincts took over after marrying her husband in 1944 and she raised two children. But the spark never completely died. In the 1950s she was performing again in community theater shows.

As others of her ilk have done, she took a "what the heck" attitude and went for the professional gigs again in the early 1970s, making her film debut at age 65 with Your Three Minutes Are Up (1973) starring Beau Bridges and Ron Leibman. Light comedy would become her forte and she geared herself up, bouncing back and forth between the large and small screen. Irresistible as a feisty oldster, dotty neighbor or pot shot-taking granny who wasn't above giving a karate chop to a bad guy out of nowhere, producer Norman Lear gave her TV career a booster shot with a couple of his late 1970s series.

She peaked with the popular Gary Coleman sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978). Stepping in as the resident Drummond family housekeeper following the departure of hired help Charlotte Rae, who spun off into her own series, Nedra stayed on the show two seasons and then was herself replaced by Mary Jo Catlett. During the run of the sitcom she was actually doing triple duty as a recurring postmistress on The Dukes of Hazzard (1979) from 1981-1983 and as Mother B on Filthy Rich (1982). She subsequently served alongside Lee Majors' stunt-man detective character on The Fall Guy (1981) for a season starting in 1985.

A popular guest presence on such established sitcoms as "Alice," "Maude," "One Day at a Time," "Night Court," "Coach," "The Commish," "Who's the Boss?" and "Step By Step," she could be seen as an elderly wisenhammer at the movies as well in the bawdy, raucous comedies Moving Violations (1985), Lust in the Dust (1984), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988), and Mortuary Academy (1988), among others. She ended her career most fittingly at age 88 in the The Great White Hype (1996) briefly providing on of her token prune-faced old lady bits. The endearing Nedra passed away of complications from Alzheimer's disease in 2003 at the ripe old age of 94.

Al Hirschfeld was born on 21 June 1903 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for Fantasia 2000 (1999), Fatal Beauty (1987) and Heroes of Comedy (1992). He was married to Louise Kerz, Dolly Haas and Florence Ruth Hobby. He died on 20 January 2003 in New York City, New York, USA.

Christopher Greatorex was born on 21 September 1938 in Newark, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Avengers (1961), Softly Softly (1966) and Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962). He died on 20 January 2003 in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, UK.

Sadatsugu Matsuda was born on 2 November 1906 in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Crimson Bat, the Blind Swordswoman (1969), Shingo Bangai Shobu (1964) and Nijûichi no shimon (1948). He died on 20 January 2003 in Tokyo, Japan.

Bill Werbeniuk was born on 14 January 1947 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He died on 20 January 2003 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Raymond Boley was born in 1915 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a director, known for Peace for a Gunfighter (1967). He was married to Mary and Monica Falvey. He died on 20 January 2003 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Craig Kelly was born on 1 April 1966 in Granite City, Illinois, USA. He is known for Let It Ride (2006), Freeriders (1998) and Ride (2000). He died on 20 January 2003 in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada.

Edith Lefel was born on 17 November 1963 in Cayenne, Guyane, France. She died on 20 January 2003 in Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, France.

David Mumford was born on 24 June 1956 in Portland, Oregon, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for Exploding Angel (1995), Not Since Casanova (1988) and The Disneyland Story (1990). He died on 20 January 2003.

Pierre Boursaus was born on 7 March 1928 in Paris, France. He was a director and assistant director, known for Verdict (1964), Les facéties du sapeur Camember (1965) and ...And God Created Woman (1956). He died on 20 January 2003 in Paris, France.