Actors, KEM-LIL

Acting is a performing art that involves much more than just being able to cry on command. Actors exercise supreme control over their voice, body, and facial movements so as to effectively and believably convey the emotional experience of the characters they represent. Although theatrical productions, television, and movies each carry unique technical demands for the actor, skilled actors can move from one medium to another without a diminution of talent, as is borne out by celebrated actors such as Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Viola Davis.
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Actors Encyclopedia Articles By Title

Kemble, John Philip
John Philip Kemble was a popular English actor and manager of the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres in London,......
Kemble, Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa Kemble was an English singer, dancer, and actress who married the actor and theatrical manager Charles......
Kemble, Priscilla
Priscilla Kemble was a noted English actress and wife of the actor and theatrical manager John Philip Kemble. Born......
Kemble, Roger
Roger Kemble was an English actor and theatre manager and founder of the famous Kemble family. Kemble’s fancy was......
Kempe, William
William Kempe was one of the most famous clowns of the Elizabethan era. Much of his reputation as a clown grew......
Kennedy, Arthur
Arthur Kennedy was an American character actor featured in many films and nominated for five Academy Awards. Kennedy,......
Kerr, Deborah
Deborah Kerr was a British film and stage actress known for the poise and serenity she exhibited in portraying......
Key, Keegan-Michael
Keegan-Michael Key is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter best known as one half of the comedic duo Key......
Keys, Alicia
Alicia Keys is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress who achieved enormous success in the early 2000s......
Khan, Aamir
Aamir Khan is an Indian film actor who was known for his consistent performances and intelligent choice of scripts.......
Khan, Chaka
Chaka Khan is an American singer whose incredible vocal range and dynamic stage presence helped make her the “Queen......
Khan, Salman
Salman Khan is an Indian actor, film producer, and television host whose iconic roles, blockbuster hits, and mass......
Khan, Shah Rukh
Shah Rukh Khan is an Indian actor known for his powerful screen presence and global appeal. Commonly known as SRK......
Kidman, Nicole
Nicole Kidman is an American-born Australian actress known for her considerable range and versatility as well as......
Kimmel, Jimmy
Jimmy Kimmel is an American late-night talk-show personality, producer, and comedian best known as the host of......
King, Regina
Regina King is an American actress and director who was known for her depth and versatility, earning acclaim for......
Kingsley, Ben
Ben Kingsley is a British actor recognized for playing a wide range of roles, including that of the title character......
Kinski, Klaus
Klaus Kinski was an intense, eccentric German actor of Polish descent who had a stage and film career of more than......
Kirby, Vanessa
Vanessa Kirby is a British stage and screen actress who gained fame for her nuanced portrayal of the young Princess......
Kirkwood, James
James Kirkwood was an American librettist, actor, author, and playwright who, together with Nicholas Dante, wrote......
Kitano Takeshi
Kitano Takeshi is a Japanese actor, director, writer, and television personality who is known for his dexterity......
Kitt, Eartha
Eartha Kitt was an American singer and dancer noted for her sultry vocal style and slinky beauty who also achieved......
Klein, Robert
Robert Klein is an American comedian, actor, and singer who, along with Richard Pryor and George Carlin, transformed......
Kline, Kevin
Kevin Kline is an American actor who was a well-rounded and respected stage actor before beginning a film career.......
Klugman, Jack
Jack Klugman was an American actor who was best known for his work on television, most notably The Odd Couple (1970–75)......
Knightley, Keira
Keira Knightley is an English actress who is best known for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and a number......
Knipper-Chekhova, Olga
Olga Knipper-Chekhova was a world-renowned Russian actress and the wife of playwright Anton Chekhov. Knipper was......
Komissarzhevskaya, Vera
Vera Komissarzhevskaya was a Russian actress and producer whose career linked the practice of the aristocratic......
Komparu Zempō
Komparu Zempō was a nō dramatist and actor, grandson of nō actor and dramatist Komparu Zenchiku. Zempō was one......
Komparu Zenchiku
Komparu Zenchiku was a nō actor and playwright who also wrote critical works on drama. Zenchiku, who married a......
Kortner, Fritz
Fritz Kortner was a famous stage and film actor of the 1920s German avant-garde who, after his return from exile......
Kovacs, Ernie
Ernie Kovacs was an American television comedian. Kovacs created the television comedy variety show The Ernie Kovacs......
Krasinski, John
John Krasinski is an American actor, director, and screenwriter who first garnered attention for his portrayal......
Kravitz, Lenny
Lenny Kravitz is an American musician known for his unique blend of rock, psychedelia, soul, funk, and hip-hop.......
Kravitz, Zoë
Zoë Kravitz is an American actress and director known for portraying multifaceted, quietly powerful women in a......
Kristofferson, Kris
Kris Kristofferson was an American singer-songwriter and actor known for his gravelly voice and rugged good looks......
Kudrow, Lisa
Lisa Kudrow is an actress who excels at applying her keen comedic timing and delivery to offbeat, eccentric characters.......
Kumar, Akshay
Akshay Kumar is an Indian actor who became one of Bollywood’s leading performers, known for his versatility. Bhatia......
Kumar, Dilip
What was Dilip Kumar’s original name? Born in Peshawar (now in Pakistan), Dilip Kumar was originally named Muhammad......
Kumar, Kishore
Kishore Kumar was an Indian actor, playback singer, composer, and director known for his comic roles in Indian......
Kutcher, Ashton
What role made Ashton Kutcher famous? Ashton Kutcher first garnered fame for playing Michael Kelso in the hit sitcom......
Kynaston, Edward
Edward Kynaston was probably the last and the best of English boy actors playing female roles. His last female......
Käutner, Helmut
Helmut Käutner was a German film director, actor, and screenwriter who was acclaimed as one of the most intelligent......
Ladd, Alan
Alan Ladd was an American motion picture actor most noted for roles in which he portrayed detectives, cowboys,......
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is an American singer-songwriter and performance artist, known for her flamboyant costumes, provocative......
Lahr, Bert
Bert Lahr was an American stage and screen actor who was best known for his dynamic portrayal of the Cowardly Lion......
Laine, Cleo
Cleo Laine is a British singer and actress who mastered a variety of styles but is best known as the “Queen of......
Lamarr, Hedy
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-born American film star who was often typecast as a provocative femme fatale. Years......
Lamour, Dorothy
Dorothy Lamour was an American actress who was best remembered by filmgoers as the sarong-clad object of Bob Hope’s......
Lancaster, Burt
Burt Lancaster was an American film actor who projected a unique combination of physical toughness and emotional......
Landau, Martin
Martin Landau was an American character actor who had a lengthy and prolific career, often playing unsettling villains,......
Landon, Michael
Michael Landon was an American television actor, director, and producer who was best known for his work on the......
Lane, Nathan
Nathan Lane is an American stage, film, and television actor, best known for his work in musical comedies, notably......
Lang, Matheson
Matheson Lang was an English romantic actor and dramatist whose imposing presence, commanding features, and fine......
Langdon, Harry
Harry Langdon was an American motion picture actor and director whom many rank among the top tier of silent film......
Lange, Jessica
Jessica Lange is an American actress known for her versatility and intelligent performances. Lange attended the......
Langtry, Lillie
Lillie Langtry was a British beauty and actress, known as the Jersey Lily. She was the daughter of the dean of......
Lansbury, Angela
Angela Lansbury was a British-born American character actress who achieved success and acclaim for her stage, film,......
Larson, Brie
Brie Larson is an American actress whose compelling and understated performance as a young woman who has been kidnapped......
Laughton, Charles
Charles Laughton was a British actor and director who defied the Hollywood typecasting system to emerge as one......
Lauper, Cyndi
Cyndi Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, and actress whose flamboyant style and catchy songs, most notably......
Laurel, Stan
Stan Laurel was an English comedic film actor best known as half of the legendary Laurel and Hardy team. Although......
Laurie, Hugh
Hugh Laurie is a British comic actor perhaps best known for his role on the television series House (2004–12).......
Laurie, John
John Laurie was a Scottish theatre and film actor probably best known for his performance as Private Frazer, a......
Lawler, Ray
Ray Lawler is an actor, producer, and playwright whose Summer of the Seventeenth Doll is credited with changing......
Lawless, Lucy
Lucy Lawless is a New Zealand-born actress who became famous for her portrayal of the title character in the popular......
Lawrence, Gertrude
Gertrude Lawrence was an English actress noted for her performances in Noël Coward’s sophisticated comedies and......
Lawrence, Jennifer
Jennifer Lawrence is an American actress who is known for her versatility on-screen and her accessible, honest......
Lawrence, Martin
Martin Lawrence is a star who was featured in the hit television sitcom Martin from 1992 to 1997. He parlayed his......
Le Gallienne, Eva
Eva Le Gallienne was an actress, director, and producer, one of the outstanding figures of the 20th-century American......
Le Poulain, Jean
Jean Le Poulain was a French actor and administrator who was celebrated primarily for his comedic interpretations......
Leachman, Cloris
Cloris Leachman was an American actress who was most widely known for her comic roles, perhaps most notably Phyllis......
LeBlanc, Matt
Matt LeBlanc is an American actor best known for playing the dim-witted but lovable ladies’ man Joey Tribbiani......
Lecouvreur, Adrienne
Adrienne Lecouvreur was a leading French actress whose life inspired a tragic drama a century after her death.......
Ledger, Heath
Heath Ledger was an Australian actor renowned for his moving and intense performances in diverse roles. He was......
Lee Jung-Jae
Lee Jung-Jae is a South Korean actor who garnered international fame for his starring role in the hit Netflix series......
Lee, Bruce
Bruce Lee was an American-born film actor who was renowned for his martial arts prowess and who helped popularize......
Lee, Christopher
Christopher Lee was an English actor known for his film portrayals of villains ranging from Dracula to J.R.R. Tolkien’s......
Lee, Peggy
Peggy Lee was an American popular singer and songwriter, known for her alluring, delicately husky voice and reserved......
Lee, Spike
Spike Lee is an American filmmaker known for his uncompromising provocative approach to controversial subject matter.......
Leigh, Janet
Janet Leigh was an American actor who had a half-century-long career that comprised some 60 motion pictures as......
Leigh, Vivien
Vivien Leigh was a British actress who achieved motion picture immortality by playing two of American literature’s......
Leighton, Margaret
Margaret Leighton was an English actress of stage and screen noted for her versatility in classic and contemporary......
Lekain
Lekain was a French actor whom Voltaire regarded as the greatest tragedian of his time. The son of a goldsmith,......
Lemmon, Jack
Jack Lemmon was an American screen and stage actor who was adept at both comedy and drama and was noted for his......
Lemper, Ute
Ute Lemper is a German singer, composer, and actress considered to be the foremost modern interpreter of the music......
Leno, Dan
Dan Leno was a popular English entertainer who is considered the foremost representative of the British music hall......
Leno, Jay
Jay Leno is an American comedian and writer who became host of The Tonight Show (1992–2009, 2010–14). Leno was......
Lenya, Lotte
Lotte Lenya was an Austrian actress-singer who popularized much of the music of her first husband, the composer......
Leo, Melissa
Melissa Leo is an American actress who is known for her naturalistic portrayals of tough, flinty women dealing......
Leonidov, Leonid
Leonid Leonidov was a Russian actor, director, and teacher who represented in his work and teachings the precepts......
Lepage, Robert
Robert Lepage is a Canadian writer, director, designer, and actor known for his highly original stage and film......
Leto, Jared
Jared Leto is an American actor and musician who won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance......
Letts, Tracy
Tracy Letts is an American actor and dramatist who was best known for his award-winning play August: Osage County......
Levy, Eugene
Eugene Levy is a Canadian actor and writer, especially known for playing comedic characters who are well-meaning......
Lewis, Damian
Damian Lewis is a British actor who is known for his trademark red hair, his impeccable American accent, and his......
Lewis, Jerry
Jerry Lewis was an American comedian, actor, and director whose unrestrained comic style made him one of the most......
Li Yuchun
Li Yuchun is a Chinese singer and actress who became one of the country’s top pop stars after winning a nationally......
Li, Jet
Jet Li is a Chinese film actor noted for his superlative martial arts skills and for his portrayals of virtuous,......
Lillie, Beatrice
Beatrice Lillie was a sophisticated-comedy star of British and American revues, perhaps the foremost theatrical......

Actors Encyclopedia Articles By Title