Sacramento entertainers
Encyclopedia
Sacramento, California
has been home to or associated with entertainment figures that include (in alphabetical order):
Film, television, radio and theater
Musicians
Andre Hicks a.k.a Mac Dre Rapper
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
has been home to or associated with entertainment figures that include (in alphabetical order):
Film, television, radio and theater
- Carlos AlazraquiCarlos AlazraquiCarlos Jaime Alazraqui is an American actor, comedian, impressionist and voice actor. He is best known for his role as Deputy James Garcia on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. His voice-over work includes the role of Bobbi Fabulous on Phineas and Ferb, the Taco Bell chihuahua, Denzel Q...
, actor, comedian - Mark S. AllenMark S. Allen-Career:Allen has hosted numerous television shows including "Good Day Sacramento" on CW31, "Mark At The Movies" on the Reelz Channel, "Scratch" with Lisa Ling and Short Attention Span Theater on Comedy Central...
, television personality - Stan AtkinsonStan AtkinsonStan Atkinson was a television news reporter and anchor for over 45 years, mostly in the Sacramento area, including many years as principal news anchor for KCRA, Channel 3, in Sacramento. and then principal news anchor for KOVR from 1994 until his retirement in 1999...
, television journalist - Max Baer, Jr.Max Baer, Jr.Max Baer Jr is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. He is best known for playing Jethro Bodine on The Beverly Hillbillies.-Early life:...
, actor-director - Adrienne BarbeauAdrienne BarbeauAdrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
, television and film actress - Barbi BentonBarbi BentonBarbi Benton is an American model, actress and singer.-Career:She was featured on the cover of Playboy several times and in nude photo layouts in the March 1970, December 1973, and January 1975 issues, although she was never one of the magazine's "Playmates of the Month".Benton is known for her...
, actress and model - Amanda BlakeAmanda BlakeAmanda Blake was an American actress known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the television western Gunsmoke.-Early life and career:...
, actress on television's GunsmokeGunsmokeGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West.... - Tylene BuckTylene BuckTylene Buck is an American Pornographic actress & model and a former wrestler and valet under the name of Major Gunns.-Professional Wrestler:...
, model, wrestler - LeVar BurtonLeVar BurtonLevardis Robert Martyn Burton, Jr. , professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an American actor, director, producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley...
, actor - Timothy BusfieldTimothy BusfieldTimothy "Timmy B" Busfield is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing...
, television, stage and film actor, producer and director - Joe CarnahanJoe CarnahanJoseph Aaron "Joe" Carnahan is an American independent film director, screenwriter, producer and actor best known for his films Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane, Narc, Smokin' Aces and The A-Team...
, director - Pete DexterPete DexterPete Dexter is an American novelist. He was the recipient of the 1988 National Book Award for Fiction for his novel Paris Trout.-Biography:Dexter was born in Pontiac, Michigan...
, screenwriter - Joan DidionJoan DidionJoan Didion is an American author best known for her novels and her literary journalism. Her novels and essays explore the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos, where the overriding theme is individual and social fragmentation...
, screenwriter - Sam DoumitSam DoumitSamia "Sam" Doumit is an American actress of Irish, French, Lebanese, and German-Jewish descent . Doumit was born in California. She lived in Boston, Massachusetts. She was a Dean's list and honor roll student at Emerson College in Boston before attending the California Institute of the Arts...
, actress - Morton Downey, Jr.Morton Downey, Jr.Morton Downey, Jr. was an American singer, songwriter and later a television talk show host of the 1980s who pioneered the "trash TV" format on his program The Morton Downey Jr. Show....
, broadcaster - Merrin DungeyMerrin DungeyMerrin Dungey is an American film and television actress, best known for her roles on the television series The King of Queens, Alias and Summerland.-Early life:...
, actress - Sam ElliottSam ElliottSamuel Pack "Sam" Elliott is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe moustache, and deep, resonant voice match the iconic image of a cowboy or rancher, and he has often been cast in such roles.-Early life:Sam Elliott was born in Sacramento, California, to a physical training...
, actor - Giselle FernándezGiselle Fernández-External links:...
, TV personality - Jack GallagherJack Gallagher (comedian)Jack Gallagher is an American comedian, actor, and writer with a recurring role on the HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm...
, comedian - John GibsonJohn Gibson (media host)John David Gibson is an American radio talk show host. As of September 2008, he hosts the syndicated radio program The John Gibson Show on Fox News Radio. Gibson was formerly the co-host of the weekday edition of The Big Story on the Fox News television channel.-Early career:Gibson earned a BA...
, TV personality - Mark GoodsonMark GoodsonMark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
, television producer - Sasha GreySasha GreySasha Grey is an American former pornographic actress, who has since turned to mainstream acting, modeling and music....
, pornographic actress - Colin HanksColin HanksColin Lewes Hanks is an American actor who is best known for his work as Shaun Brumder in the film Orange County and as Alex Whitman in Roswell. He also portrayed the role of Henry Jones in Band of Brothers and is currently on the sixth season of the Showtime crime drama Dexter...
, TV and film actor - Tom HanksTom HanksThomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
, film and television actor, director, and producer - Henry HathawayHenry HathawayHenry Hathaway was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring John Wayne.-Background:...
, director - Richard HellesenRichard HellesenRichard Hellesen is a West Coast playwright.His works have been performed by regional theater companies including South Coast Repertory in Orange County, California, the LA Rep , the Denver Center Theatre Company, Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, City Theatre in Miami, Florida, and Geva Theatre...
, playwright - Lester Holt, television journalist and personality
- Don ImusDon ImusJohn Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
, broadcaster - Bob Devin JonesBob Devin JonesBob Devin Jones is an American playwright, director, and actor.-External links:***...
, actor and playwright - Kayden KrossKayden KrossKayden Kross is an American pornographic actress and lobbyist for the adult entertainment industry. Kross has also modeled under the alias of Jenna Nikol.-Biography:...
, pornographic actress - Rush LimbaughRush LimbaughRush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, broadcaster - Lisa LingLisa LingLisa J. Ling is a Chinese American journalist, best known for her role as a co-host of ABC's The View , host of National Geographic Explorer, reporter on Channel One News, and special correspondent for the Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN. She is the older sister of journalist Laura Ling.-Early...
, TV personality - Mr. LoboMr. LoboErik Lobo better known by his stage name Mr. Lobo is an American artist and comedic actor best known as the horror host of the nationally syndicated American television series Cinema Insomnia.-Career :...
, TV personality/horror hostHorror hostHorror hosts are a particular type of television presenter, often tasked with presenting low-grade films to television audiences. This tradition is primarily American, though there have been a few international hosts over the years.-Film Packages:... - Joan LundenJoan LundenJoan Lunden is an American journalist, author and television host. She was the co-host of ABC's Good Morning America from 1980 through 1997 and is the author of 8 books...
, TV personality - Sabrina Maree, pornographic model
- Joyce MeadowsJoyce MeadowsJoyce Meadows is a Canadian-American actress. From 1960-1961, she co-starred as Stacy in the syndicated western series Two Faces West with Charles Bateman and Francis De Sales...
, actress - Pat MoritaPat MoritaNoriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
, actor and comedian - May O'DonnellMay O'DonnellMay O'Donnell was an American modern dancer and choreographer.Born in Sacramento, California, May O'Donnell studied dance in San Francisco with Estelle Reed and performed in Reed's company before moving to New York City to study with Martha Graham...
, modern dancer - Tim OcelTim OcelTheater and opera director Tim Ocel has directed productions for organizations ranging from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to Shakespeare Santa Cruz to Geva Theatre in Rochester, New York to the Georgia Shakespeare Festival...
, opera and theater director - Brian PosehnBrian PosehnBrian Edmund Posehn is an American actor, voice actor, musician and comedian, known for his roles as mail clerk Kevin Liotta on NBC's Just Shoot Me!, a cast member and writer on HBO's Mr. Show, and most recently as Brian Spukowski on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program.-Early life:Posehn...
, comedian - Molly RingwaldMolly RingwaldMolly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
, film and stage actress, jazz singer - Dominic Sandoval, dancer
- Nicholas Sparks, author and screenwriter
- Eric Sheffer StevensEric Sheffer StevensEric Sheffer-Stevens is an American actor, best known for playing Dr. Reid Oliver, Luke Snyder's boyfriend, on American soap opera, As The World Turns....
, actor - Sab ShimonoSab ShimonoSab Shimono is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in character roles.-Career:An accomplished stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre...
film, TV, and stage actor - SmoshSmoshSmosh is a web-based comedy duo consisting of Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla. Padilla first began posting flash movies on Newgrounds in early 2003, under the name Smosh. He was later joined by his friend Ian Hecox...
, viral-video makers Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox - Brenda SongBrenda SongBrenda Song is an American actress, film producer, and model. Song started in show business as a child fashion model. Her early television work included roles in the shows Fudge and 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd...
, actress - Rene SylerRene SylerRené Syler cohosted CBS News' The Early Show from October 2002, when it debuted in its four-anchor format, until she left the program in December 2006...
, host of The Early ShowThe Early ShowThe Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ... - Bob WilkinsBob Wilkins (Television Personality)Bob Wilkins was a television personality born as Robert Gene Wilkins in the town of Hammond, Indiana. Wilkins was best known as the creator and host of a popular television show named Creature Features that ran on KTVU in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1971 to 1984, and which premiered with Del...
, television personality - Victor WongVictor WongVictor Wong was a Chinese American character actor who appeared in supporting roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s.-Education:...
, film actor - John Lloyd YoungJohn Lloyd YoungJohn Lloyd Mills Young is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys. He is the only American actor to date to have received a Lead Actor in a Musical Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics...
, Tony winning actor
Musicians
- !!!!!!!!! is a dance-punk band that formed in Sacramento, California, in 1996. Members of !!! came from other local bands such as The Yah Mos, Black Liquorice and Popesmashers...
, band - 7 Seconds band
- Lynn AndersonLynn AndersonLynn Rene Anderson is an American country music singer and equestrian known for a string of hits throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably her Grammy Award-winning, worldwide mega-hit, " Rose Garden." Helped by her regular exposure on national television, Anderson was one of the most...
, country singer - BlackaliciousBlackaliciousBlackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...
, hip-hop duo - Bob Stubbs, drummer Social DistortionSocial DistortionSocial Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
- Brent BourgeoisBrent BourgeoisBrent Thomas Bourgeois is an American rock musician, songwriter, and producer. He was co-leader of the band Bourgeois Tagg with Larry Tagg, and has released several solo albums. His later work has been classified in the genres Pop and Contemporary Christian Music.- Early career :Born in New...
, singer-songwriter - CAKECake (band)Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
, alternative rock band - Catfish and The Crawdaddies, blues, New Orleans, zydeco band
- Cause & Effect, electronica/synthpop band
- Craig ChaquicoCraig ChaquicoCraig Chaquico is an American guitarist of Portuguese and Native American descent. He has had over thirty years of success in a variety of genres: in the 1970s with the post-Summer of Love Jefferson Starship, in that band's 1980s incarnation, Starship, and in the 1990s and 2000s as a...
, Jefferson Starship guitarist - Club NouveauClub NouveauClub Nouveau is a contemporary R&B-pop band that was formed by record producer/performer Jay King in 1986 in Sacramento, California, subsequent to the breakup of the Timex Social Club. Other members of Club Nouveau included original members Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy, Samuelle Prater, and...
, R&B group - Doris ColeyDoris ColeyDoris Coley was a member of the Shirelles. She initially left the group in 1968, but returned in 1975....
, singer with the vocal group The ShirellesThe ShirellesThe Shirelles were an African-American girl group that achieved popularity in the early 1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens , Doris Coley , Addie "Micki" Harris , and Beverly Lee... - The CrampsThe CrampsThe Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
, band - David de BerryDavid de BerryDavid de Berry was a U.S. composer of theater music as well as an actor and music director.De Berry is best known for the score of a 1987 adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, on which he collaborated with playwright Richard Hellesen and director Dennis Bigelow...
, composer - DeftonesDeftonesDeftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
, rock band - Suzi GardnerSuzi GardnerSuzanne "Suzi" Gardner is an American musician most notable for being a guitarist and vocalist of L7, an all-female grunge band in the 1990s. Before playing with L7, Suzi wrote for LA Weekly. She co-founded the group together with Donita Sparks...
, Founder of the band L7L7 (band)L7 was an American rock band from Los Angeles, that was active from 1985 to 2000. Due to their sound and image, they are often associated with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s.-History:... - Jackie GreeneJackie GreeneJackie Greene is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Greene was born Chris Nelson in Salinas, California, and developed an interest in music at an early age, starting with the piano. At 14, he began to play guitar and within a short time, was able to sit in with local bar bands. As...
, singer-songwriter, blues guitarist - Lee GreenwoodLee GreenwoodMelvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....
, country music artist - Groovie Ghoulies, punk rock band
- HellaHella (band)Hella is an American band from Sacramento, California. They play a technical blend of math rock, noise rock, and experimental rock. The primary members of the band are Spencer Seim on electric guitar and Zach Hill on drums...
, band - Michael HedgesMichael HedgesMichael Alden Hedges was an American composer, Acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Background:...
, guitarist - James HouseJames House (singer)James Andrew House is an American country music artist. Originally a member of a group called the House Band, James began his country music career in 1990 on MCA Records, recording two albums for that label. He later penned singles for Diamond Rio and Dwight Yoakam, before finding another record...
, country music artist, songwriter
Andre Hicks a.k.a Mac Dre Rapper
- Brotha Lynch HungBrotha Lynch HungKevin Danell Mann , better known by his stage name Brotha Lynch Hung, is an American rapper and record producer from Sacramento, California...
, rap artist - Dick JurgensDick JurgensDick Henry Jurgens was an American swing music bandleader, who enjoyed great popularity in the late 1930s and early 1940s....
, American swing music bandleader from the 30's & 40's - Brie LarsonBrie LarsonBrie Larson is an American actress and pop rock singer/songwriter. She is best known for her roles in United States of Tara, Sleepover, Remember The Daze and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World...
, pop/rock singer and actress - Mary LoveMary LoveMary Love, born as Mary Ann Allen or Mary Ann Varney , and later known as Mary Love Comer, is an American soul and gospel singer, and Christian evangelist....
, R&B singer - MandisaMandisaMandisa Hundley is an American gospel singer, who was the ninth-place finalist in the fifth season of American Idol.-Early life:...
, singer - Tim McCordTim McCordTimothy McCord was announced as Evanescence's bass player in August 2006. He replaced bassist Will Boyd who left the band in mid-2006...
, musician - Rose MelbergRose MelbergRose Melberg is a musician and songwriter from Sacramento, California who has sung and played guitar as a member of Tiger Trap, The Softies and Go Sailor as well as on her own material. She also played drums and made some songwriting contributions with the band Gaze...
, musician - Middle Class RutMiddle Class RutMiddle Class Rut, also known as MC Rut, is an American alternative rock band consisting of vocalist/guitarist Zack Lopez and vocalist/drummer Sean Stockham. They were formed in Sacramento, California in December 2006...
, punk band - Carter Nice, symphony orchestra conductor
- OleanderOleander (band)Oleander is a post-grunge band from Sacramento, California, USA. Its name is derived from the poisonous wildflower oleander, which line the highways of Northern California. In their nine years of activity, the band released four studio albums under various record labels...
, alternative rock band - Papa RoachPapa RoachPapa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
, band - Charlie PeacockCharlie PeacockCharlie Peacock is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, record producer, session musician and author. While growing up in California Peacock was inspired by John Coltrane and began playing the piano. After completing his education, Peacock formed a band and began a career as a professional...
, singer-songwriter, record producer - Rufus ReidRufus ReidRufus Reid is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. He lives in Teaneck, New Jersey.-Personal history:...
, jazz bassist, educator, and composer - Cynthia RobinsonCynthia RobinsonCynthia Robinson is an American musician, best known for being the trumpeter and vocalist in the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone...
, musician, inductee of Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
as a member of Sly and the Family Stone - Michael RoeMichael RoeMichael Roe is an American record producer, songwriter, guitarist and singer.-Career:Although he has released several solo albums since the mid-1990s, Roe is primarily known as the lead singer and lead guitarist for the rock band The 77s...
, singer - Raphael SaadiqRaphael SaadiqRaphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Saadiq has been a standard bearer for "old school" R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! He also produced songs of such artists as TLC, Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J...
- singer, songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Timothy B. SchmitTimothy B. SchmitTimothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...
, bassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and vocalist for the country/rock bands PocoPocoPoco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
and the Eagles - Kevin Sharp, country music singer
- Jimmy SmithJimmy Smith (musician)Jimmy Smith was a jazz musician whose performances on the Hammond B-3 electric organ helped to popularize this instrument...
, jazz legend dubbed "King of the Hammond B-3 Organ" - Spiral StarecaseSpiral StarecaseThe Spiral Starecase was an American band, best known as a one-hit wonder for their 1969 single "More Today Than Yesterday".The band, from Sacramento, California, was a popular 1960s group, recognizable for its horns and lead singer/guitarist Pat Upton's distinctive voice...
- Steel BreezeSteel BreezeSteel Breeze is an American album-oriented rock group that had a popular video on MTV with "You Don't Want Me Anymore" in 1982, followed by "Temperance Dreams" the following year.-Career:...
, rock band - TeslaTesla (band)Tesla is an American hard rock band formed in Sacramento, California in 1984. They have sold 14 million albums in the United States.-Formation and Mechanical Resonance :...
, rock band - Jeff WatsonJeff Watson (guitarist)Jeff Watson is an American guitarist originally known as one of the founding members and lead guitarist of the band Night Ranger, in which he has played as co-guitarist with guitarist Brad Gillis. He has also released solo albums. In 2007, he left the band to pursue more challenging opportunities...
, musician - Skylar ThomasSkylar ThomasSkylar Thomas is an American pianist from Sacramento, California.-Early life and education:Skylar began learning piano from her father at age of four. At the age of 7, she found that she was able to play many songs by ear. In 2002, Skylar began private training and her first classical performance...
keyboardist / pianist, musician