Ellen DeGeneres

A CHAMPION OF CHARITABLE CAUSES, Comedienne and TV Talkshow Hostess Ellen DeGeneres has raised more than $40 million for animals and people in need, and the tally keeps growing. A long-time supporter of PETA, The Humane Society, Animal Rescue Site, ASPCA and The Amanda Foundation, in 2008, she became co-owner of Halo All-Natural Pet Care, a groundbreaking company that specializes in optimally healthy food, treats and products for dogs and cats.

TV's Saint Francis,
dancing, laughing and living
with a caring heart.



This Ellen DeGeneres AMEX commercial pretty much says it all — with a smile.

Benicio Del Toro

THE EYES HAVE IT: He's played kidnappers, killers, a revolutionary and, most recently, a werewolf. But underneath it all lies a kind, polite, soft-spoken art and music lover who's afraid of heights.

His menacing gaze
gets him cast as "the heavy,"
the big pussycat!





Known for taking risks, one of Del Toro's milestone characters is Fred Fenster from "The Usual Suspects" (1995). The imaginative actor created the unforgettable out of what would've otherwise been a minor and disposable part, by adding frenetic and awkward mannerisms, a speech impediment, and modifying his own hairline and eyebrows to blur ethnicity.


Del Toro discussing his most recent role, the tragic Lawrence Talbot in "The Wolfman" (2010).

IMDb, I Said

THE INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE: Where movie and TV info goes and where we all go to get it.

Direct to YOUR screen!
Plots! Bios!! Facts and CREDITS!!!
Film's final roundup.

You can find the Internet Movie Database at www.IMDb.com.

Ned Sparks

THE PERENNIAL GROUCH: Character actor Ned Sparks (1883-1957) wrote his own lines and was insured against smiling by Lloyd's of London.

Hollywood's sourpuss —
the nasal-toned sharp-wit you've
seen somewhere before.

Rita Moreno

STILL A KNOCKOUT: Rita Moreno is the first and only Latina and one of ten performers who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. In 2004, Moreno was bestowed The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, for her especially meritorious contribution to American cinema.

At seventy-nine,
she has legs like a goddess!
(Trampoline workout.)

Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco

In the mid-1970s, if you were young, wild and into glitter, Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco at 7561 W. Sunset Boulevard was the place to be and to be seen. Rodney, the club's owner (second from right and surrounded by his then-usual assortment of jail bait and actress Mackenzie Phillips), caused a second British invasion that included artists such as David Bowie, T. Rex and Slade, and brought to light the American underground sounds of Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Blondie and The New York Dolls, all of whom frequented his shabby hole-in-the-wall. The site is now a martial arts studio and Rodney is a deejay on KROQ.

Glam rock's Babylon —
where Starmen and Jean Genies
danced in platform shoes.



Zolar X was a fixture at Rodney's and got great reception.


A weekend regular at Rodney's, this adolescent fan and music scene junior reporter was dubbed "Gladys The Night Tripper" by Wolfman Jack and guested occasionally on his radio program.

Jerry Lewis

Veteran performer Jerry Lewis in his most famous screen role, that of Julius Kelp from "The Nutty Professor" (1963). He began in vaudeville at age 5 and has been entertaining audiences worldwide for more than 80 years.

The heroic clown
throws the world a lifesaver,
the gift of laughter.



Since its founding in 1950, Jerry Lewis has served as National Chairman and Spokesperson of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, hosting the organization's annual Labor Day fundraiser telethons. Lewis is so dedicated to finding a cure that children and adults benefiting from MDA's programs, research and services have come to be known as "Jerry's kids."

For more information, visit www.MDA.org.

Pink's

Standing near the corner of Melrose and LaBrea Avenues in Hollywood, Pink's is without question the most famous hot dog stand in Southern California, if not in the world.

There's always a line,
no matter the day or time.
Hot diggity dog!



For more information, visit www.PinksHollywood.com.

8433 Sunset

From 1940 through the late 1950s, Ciro's nightclub was "the" Hollywood hot spot frequented by Tinseltown's elite. But it was also a hangout for the local mob. Crime boss Mickey Cohen ran more than a few illicit businesses out of Ciro's back room and basement, with several other types of "acts" and "hits" being performed regularly. Even Cohen himself received a bullet wound while on the premises.

The whitewash of mirth
now roars through yesterday's halls,
but rooms hold secrets.



Today, the building houses The Comedy Store, a world famous comedy club owned by Mitzi Shore and her son, comedian Pauly Shore. On numerous occasions, staff, talent and guests have reported inexplicable and, at times, frightful goings on. It seems that laughter raises all sorts of spirits.

Milt Larsen's Castle

The Magic Castle is one of Hollywood's most exclusive private clubs, as well as the home of the Academy of Magical Arts. There's only one way in, and it's not through the door.

Where greeting an owl
is your passage to wonder,
as if by magic.



Who goes there?  Yes, here.