Born on this day – Roger Dicken:

Roger Dicken

Special effects artist

April 15, 1939 – February 18, 2024

Credits:

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968); Alien (1979); ATV Today (1966); Curse of the Blood Ghouls (1962); Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019); Q: The Winged Serpent (1982); Scars of Dracula (1970); The Blood Beast Terror (1968); The Hunger (1983); The Land That Time Forgot (1974); The Perfect Scary Movie (2005); Thunderbirds (1965); Warlords of the Deep (1978); When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970); White Dog (1982); Witchfinder General (1968).

Born on this day – Rochelle Oliver:

Rochelle Oliver

Actress

Acting coach

April 15, 1937 – April 13, 2024

Credits:

1918 (1985); ABC Afterschool Specials (1982); All My Children (1995); American Playhouse (1987); An Unremarkable Life (1989); Courtship (1987); Deadline (1959); Hollywood Ending (2002); In Defense of Kids (1983); Kraft Theatre / The United States Steel Hour (1961); Law & Order (1993–2003); Lianna (1983); Naked City (1959); Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976); On Valentine's Day (1986); Ryan's Hope (1978); Scent of a Woman (1992); The Appointments of Dennis Jennings (1988); The Best of Everything (1970); The Defenders (1963–1965); The Doctors and the Nurses (1964); The Happy Hooker (1975); Tribeca (1993).

Born on this day – Frank Vincent:

Frank Vincent

Actor

Musician

Producer

April 15, 1937 – September 13, 2017

Credits:

13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2007); A Tale of Two Pizzas (2003); Animal Room (1995); Baby It’s You (1983); Belly (1998); Casino (1995); Casino: The Cast and Characters (2005); Chicago Overcoat (2009); City Teacher (2007); Civil Wars (1992); Coalition (2004); Cop Land (1997); De La Soul Feat. Chaka Khan: All Good? (2000); Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace (1991); Dear Mr. Wonderful (1982); Do the Right Thing (1989); Easy Money (1983); Entropy (1999); Exit 102 (2010); Family Values: The Mob and the Movies (1999); Federal Hill (1994); Fox and Friends (2005); Fox NFL Sunday (2014); Getting Made: The Making of ‘GoodFellas’ (2004); Good Night Chicago Show (2009); Goodfellas (1990); Gotti (1996); Grand Theft Auto III (2001); Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005); Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction (2004); Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004); Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition (2021); Grind (1997); Gun Shy (2000); Hamlet in the Hamptons (2002); Hand Gun (1994); Hype Williams in Hype Williams: The Videos, Vol. 1 / Street Dreams (2002); I Love the ‘70s: Volume 2 (2006); I Love the 80’s 3-D (2005); I Love the ‘80s Strikes Back (2003); I Love the Holidays (2005); I Love Toys (2006); If You Only Knew (1999); Isn’t She Great (2000); Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2007); Jungle Fever (1991); Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989); Late Night with Conan O’Brien (1995); Law & Order (1991–1999); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2016); Leg Work (1987); Lou, Pat & Joe D (1988); Lucky Man (2007); Made in Argentina (1987); Made Men (1997); Mortal Thoughts (1991); Mr. Pickles (2014–2016); Mulberry St. (2010); Nas: Street Dreams (1996); Nas: Video Anthology Vol. 1 / Street Dreams (2004); Neo Yokio (2017); NetForce (1999); New York Undercover (1996–1997); Night Falls on Manhattan (1996); NYPD Blue (2000); On Seventh Avenue (1996); Penance (1999); Raging Bull (1980); Raging Bull: Outside the Ring (2005); Remedy (2005); Remembering Mario (2003); Ropewalk (2000); Rubout (2003); Shark Tale (2004); She’s the One (1996); Smokin’ Stogies (2001); Snipes (2001); Spy (2011); Stargate: Atlantis (2008); Stiffs (1985); Stiffs (2010); Street Hunter (1990); Swift Justice (1996); Ten Benny (1995); The Afterlife of Grandpa (1989); The Colbert Report (2006); The Con (2011); The Crew (2000); The Death Collector (1976); The Deli (1997); The Good Life (1997); The Killer’s Kiss (2018); The Last Request (2006); The North End (1997); The Paradise Club (1989); The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984); The Sopranos (2004–2007); The Tested (2010); The Workaday Gangster (2004); The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1993); This Thing of Ours (2002); Under Hellgate Bridge (1999); Undercurrent (1998); Van Vorst Park (2005); Vig (1998); Walker, Texas Ranger (1994); West New York (1996); Wise Guys (1986); Wise Guys on: Texas Hold’Em (2004); Witness to the Mob (1998).

Born on this day – Elizabeth Montgomery:

Elizabeth Montgomery

Actress

April 15, 1933 – May 18, 1995

Credits:

77 Sunset Strip (1963); 78th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade (1967); A Killing Affair (1977); ABC's Wide World of Entertainment (1964); Act of Violence (1979); Alcoa Premiere (1962); Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958); Amos (1985); Appointment with Adventure (1955–1956); Armstrong Circle Theatre (1953–1954); Batman: The Animated Series (1995); Belle Starr (1980); Bells Are Ringing (1960); Between the Darkness and the Dawn (1985); Bewitched (1964–1972); Bicentennial Minutes (1974); Bikini Beach (1964); Bitter Heritage (1958); Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story (1993); Boston Terrier (1963); Burke's Law (1963–1964); A Case of Rape (1974); CBS This Morning (1990–1992); Celebrity Recordathon (1996); Checkmate (1962); Chevrolet's Bewitching Bonanza (1964); Cimarron City (1958); Climax! (1956); Cover Up: Behind the Iran Contra Affair (1988); Dark Victory (1976); Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995); Entertainment Tonight (1985–1994); Face to Face (1990); Frontier Circus (1961); Here's Hollywood (1961); How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965); Jennifer: A Woman's Story (1979); Johnny Cool (1963); Johnny Staccato (1959); Kraft Theatre (1954–1957); Missing Pieces (1983); Mrs. Sundance (1974); On the Run (1965); One on One with John Tesh (1992); One Step Beyond (1960); Password (1963–1974); Password Plus (1979); Playhouse 90 (1958); Rawhide (1963); Riverboat (1959); Robert Montgomery Presents (1951–1956); Saints and Sinners (1963); Second Sight: A Love Story (1984); Sins of the Mother (1991); Studio One (1955–1958); Suspicion (1958); The 20th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1968); The 23rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1971); The 28th Annual Tony Awards (1974); The Awakening Land (1978); The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1994); The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955); The Dennis Miller Show (1992); The DuPont Show of the Month (1958); The Eleventh Hour (1963); The Flintstones (1965); The Hollywood Palace (1966); The Hollywood Squares (Daytime);  (1970–1975); The Investigator (1958); The Joey Bishop Show (1967); The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975); The Loretta Young Show (1959); The Merv Griffin Show (1970); The Mike Douglas Show (1966); The Panama Deception (1992); The Rules of Marriage (1982); The Spiral Staircase (1961); The Tab Hunter Show (1960); The Third Man (1959); The Twilight Zone (1961); The Untouchables (1960); The Victim (1972); Theatre '62 (1961); Thriller (1961); Wagon Train (1959); Warner Brothers Presents (1956); When the Circus Came to Town (1981); Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963); With Murder in Mind (1992).

Born on this day – Richard Rush:

Richard Rush

Director

April 15, 1929 – April 8, 2021

Credits:

A Man Called Dagger (1968); Air America (1990); Aspen 1989 for the 31st Century - Part I (2019); Aspen 1989 for the 31st Century - Part II (2019); Color of Night (1994); Danger God (2018); Distortions (1988); Freebie and the Bean (1974); Getting Straight (1970); Hells Angels on Wheels (1967); Love & Haight (2003); Mod Squad (1968); Of Love and Desire (1963); Psych-Out (1968); Tales from the Script (2009); The Actor's Journey (2011); The Actor's Journey for Kids (2011); The Cups of San Sebastian (1967); The Maverick Career of Richard Rush (2011); The Savage Seven (1968); The Sinister Saga of Making 'the Stunt Man' (2000); The Stunt Man (1980); Thunder Alley (1967); Too Soon to Love (1960); Vegas Cinefest (2011).

Born on this day – Bessie Smith:

Bessie Smith

"Empress of the Blues"

Blues singer

April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937

Credits:

Albums and songs:

A Good Man Is Hard to Find; After You've Gone; Aggravatin' Papa; Alexander's Ragtime Band; Any Woman's Blues; Baby Doll; Baby Won't You Please Come Home; Back Water Blues; Beale Street Mama; Bessie Smith Album (1938); Black Mountain Blues; Bleeding Hearted Blues; Blue Blues; Blue Spirit Blues; Boweavil Blues; Bye Bye Blues; Careless Love Blues; Careless Love; Cemetery Blues; Chicago Bound Blues; Cold in Hand Blues; Devil's Gonna Git You; Dirty No Gooder's Blues; Dixie Flyer Blues; Don't Cry Baby; Down Hearted Blues; Downhearted Blues; Dyin' by The Hour; Dying Gambler's Blues; Easy Come Easy Go Blues; Eavesdropper Blues; Empress of the Blues (1940); Empress of the Blues, Vol. II (1947); Empty Bed Blues Pt1; Empty Bed Blues Pt2; Empty Bed Blues; Far Away Blues; Florida Bound Blues; Follow the Deal on Down; Foolish Man Blues; Frankie Blues; Frosty Mornin' Blues; Gin House Blues; Golden Rule Blues; Graveyard Dream Blues; Gulf Coast Blues; Hard Driving Papa; Hard Time Blues; Hateful Blues; Haunted House Blues; He's Gone Blues; He's Got Me Goin'; Homeless Blues; Honey Man Blues; Hot Springs Blues; House Rent Blues; Hustlin' Dan; I Ain't Goin' to Play No Second Fiddle; I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle; I Ain't Got Nobody; I Used to Be Your Sweet Mama; I Want Every Bit of It; I'd Rather be Dead and Buried in my Grave; If You Don't, I Know Who Will; I'm Going Back to My Used to Be; I'm Wild About that Thing; In the House Blues; It Makes My Love Come Down; It Won't Be You; I've Been Mistreated and I Don't Like It; I've Got What It Takes; J.C.Holmes Blues; Jail House Blues; Jazzbo Brown from Memphis Town; Keep It to Yourself; Keeps on A Rainin All Time; Lady Luck Blues; Lock and Key Blues; Lonesome Desert Blues; Long Old Road; Lookin' for My Man Blues; Lost Your Head Blues; Louisiana Low Down Blues; Love Me Daddy Blues; Mama's Got the Blues; Me and My Gin; Mean Old Bed Bug Blues; Midnight Blues; Mistreatin' Daddy; Moan Mourners; Money Blues; Moonshine Blues; Mountain Top Blues; Muddy Water; My Kitchen Man; My Man Blues; My Sweetie Went Away; Nashville Women's Blues; Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl; New Gulf Coast Blues; New Orleans Hop Scop Blues; Nobody in Town Can Bake a Jelly Roll Like My Man; Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out; Nobody's Blues but Mine; Oh Daddy Blues; On Revival Day; One and Two Blues; Outside of That; Pickpocket Blues; Pinchbacks, Take 'em Away; Please Help Me Get Him Off My Mind; Poor Man's Blues; Preachin' the Blues; Put It Right Here; Rainy Weather Blues; Reckless Blues; Red Mountain Blues; Rocking Chair Blues; Safety Mama; Salt Water Blues; Sam Jones' Blues; Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair; Shipwreck Blues; Sinful Blues; Sing Sing Prison Blues; Slow and Easy Man; Sobbin' Hearted Blues; Soft Pedal Blues; Sorrowful Blues; Spider Man Blues; Squeeze Me; St Louis Blues; St Louis Gal; Standin' in The Rain Blues; Sweet Mistreater; Tain't Nobody's Bizness if I Do; T'ain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do; Take It Right Back; The Bessie Smith Story, in 4 Volumes (1951); The St. Louis Blues; Them Has Been Blues; Them's Graveyard Words; There'll Be a Hot Time in Old Town Tonight; Thinking Blues; Ticket Agent Easy Your Window Down; Trombone Cholly; Washwoman's Blues; Wasted Life Blues; Weeping Willow Blues; What's the Matter Now?; Whoa, Tillie, Take Your Time; Woman's Trouble Blues; Work House Blues; Worn out Papa Blues; Yellow Dog Blues; Yes Indeed He Do; Yodeling Blues; You Don't Understand; You Ought to be Ashamed; Young Woman's Blues; You've Been a Good Ole Wagon; You've Got to Give Me Some.

Movies and television:

...and Beautiful II (1970); 7T3 (1988); A Good Man (2014); A Huey P. Newton Story (2001); All You Need Is Love (1977); American Masters (1989); Àngel Casas Show (1985); Angel Heart (1987); Arena (1993); Bessie (2015); Bessie Smith (1969); Billie (2019); BioShock Infinite (2013); Black Music in America: From Then Till Now (1971); Blues Masters (1999); Blues Odyssey (2003); Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music (1993); Boardwalk Empire (2012); Brother Can You Spare a Dime (1975); Brown Sugar (1986); Carbon Copy (1981); Carnivàle (2003); Cold Case (2005); Die Schauspielerin (1988); Dolemite Is My Name (2019); En kvinnas huvud (1997); Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars (2017); Fast Color (2018); FDR (1982); Great Performances (2003); History Lessons (2000); Idlewild (2006); It's Black Entertainment (2002); Jailhouse Blues (1929); Jazz (2001); Jazz Britannia (2005); Jimmy's Hall (2014); Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004); La route du blues (2003); Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill (2016); Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday (1990); Les Temps Modernes (2016); Lucky Lady (1975); Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2015); Moths (2010); Mysteries of the Abandoned: Hidden America (2023); Nights in Rodanthe (2008); Nun (2017); ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke (2019); Rich and Famous (1981); 'Round Midnight (1986); Sanford and Son (1975); Shining Girls (2022); Sing Sing Thanksgiving (1973); Sophie and the Rising Sun (2016); Soul Power! (2013); Sound of Metal (2019); Sound of Song (2015); St. Louis Blues (1929); Sympathy for the Devil (1972); Tales from the Loop (2020); That's Black Entertainment (1990); The Age of Ballyhoo (1973); The Blues (2003); The Butcher's Wife (1991); The Century: America's Time (1999); The Goldfinch (2019); The Hour (2011); The Ladies Sing the Blues (1989); The Originals (2015); The Shuroo Process (2021); The Subject Is Jazz (1958); The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021); Water for Elephants (2011); Z: The Beginning of Everything (2017).

Born on this day – Florence Bates:

Florence Bates

Actress

April 15, 1888 - January 31, 1954

Credits:

Ethel Barrymore Theater (1956); The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1953); Paris Model (1953); Street to Broadway (1953); Private Secretary (1953); My Little Margie (1952–1953); My Hero (1953); The Hank McCune Show (1951–1953); Our Miss Brooks (1952); Hollywood Opening Night (1952); Four Star Playhouse (1952); I Married Joan (1952); Les Miserables (1952); The San Francisco Story (1952); I Love Lucy (1952); The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1951–1952); Havana Rose (1951); The Bigelow Theatre (1951); The Tall Target (1951); Father Takes the Air (1951); Lullaby of Broadway (1951); Dick Tracy (1950); Hollywood Theatre Time (1950); County Fair (1950); The Second Woman (1950); Belle of Old Mexico (1950); On the Town (1949); Oboler Comedy Theatre (1949); The Girl from Jones Beach (1949); A Letter to Three Wives (1949); Portrait of Jennie (1948); My Dear Secretary (1948); Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948); River Lady (1948); Winter Meeting (1948); The Inside Story (1948); I Remember Mama (1948); The Judge Steps Out (1948); Desire Me (1947); The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947); Love and Learn (1947); The Brasher Doubloon (1947); The Time, the Place and the Girl (1946); The Man I Love (1946); Cluny Brown (1946); Claudia and David (1946); The Diary of a Chambermaid (1946); Whistle Stop (1946); San Antonio (1945); Saratoga Trunk (1945); Out of This World (1945); Tonight and Every Night (1945); Tahiti Nights (1944); Belle of the Yukon (1944); Kismet (1944); Since You Went Away (1944); The Mask of Dimitrios (1944); His Butler's Sister (1943); Heaven Can Wait (1943); Mr. Lucky (1943); Mister Big (1943); Slightly Dangerous (1943); They Got Me Covered (1943); My Heart Belongs to Daddy (1942); The Moon and Sixpence (1942); The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942); Mexican Spitfire at Sea (1942); We Were Dancing (1942); Kathleen (1941); The Chocolate Soldier (1941); Love Crazy (1941); Strange Alibi (1941); The Devil and Miss Jones (1941); Road Show (1941); Kitty Foyle (1940); Hudson's Bay (1940); The Son of Monte Cristo (1940); Calling All Husbands (1940); Rebecca (1940); The Man in Blue (1937); The Colgate Comedy Hour (1952); Stump the Stars (1950).