Actors, JOH-KRA
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.
Actors Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Johnson, Van
Van Johnson was an American actor who was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars during the early part of his six-decade......
Jolie, Angelina
Angelina Jolie is an American actress and director known for her sex appeal and edginess as well as for her humanitarian......
Jolly, George
George Jolly was an actor-manager who, after obscure beginnings, emerged as the leader of the last troupe of English......
Jolson, Al
Al Jolson was a popular American singer and blackface comedian of the musical stage and motion pictures, from before......
Jones, Davy
Davy Jones was a British pop singer and actor best known as the front man for the American music group the Monkees,......
Jones, Grace
Grace Jones is a Jamaican singer, model, and actress whose striking androgynous appearance and avant-garde fashion......
Jones, Jack
Jack Jones was an American singer and actor who, in the midst of rock music’s 1960s heyday, found a niche singing......
Jones, James Earl
James Earl Jones was an American actor who used his deep resonant voice to great effect in stage, film, and television......
Jones, Jennifer
Jennifer Jones was an American film actress known for her performances in roles that alternated between fresh-faced......
Jones, Leslie
Leslie Jones is an American comedian and actress known for stand-up comedy specials and screen roles that showcase......
Jones, Norah
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to international stardom with her debut album......
Jones, Shirley
Shirley Jones is an American actress who was a musical star in the 1950s and early ’60s before becoming better......
Jones, Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor best known for his dryly taciturn portrayals of law-enforcement officials,......
Jonze, Spike
Spike Jonze is an American director and producer known for his visually arresting and innovative music videos and......
Jordan, Dorothea
Dorothea Jordan was an actress especially famed for her high-spirited comedy and tomboy roles. Jordan’s mother,......
Jordan, Jim; and Jordan, Marian
Jim Jordan and Marian Jordan were a husband and wife comedy team who co-starred on the classic radio program Fibber......
Jordan, Michael B.
Michael B. Jordan is an American actor who parlayed a successful career on television into a series of high-profile......
Jost, Colin
Colin Jost is an American comedian, actor, and writer who uses his self-deprecating style to great effect as the......
Jouvet, Louis
Louis Jouvet was an actor, director, designer, and technician, one of the most influential figures of the French......
Judge, Mike
Mike Judge is an American animator, writer, director, and producer who was one of the foremost satirists of the......
Julia, Raul
Raul Julia was a Puerto Rican-born American actor who was a prolific and versatile stage and film star with talents......
Jurgens, Curt
Curt Jurgens was a German stage and motion-picture actor. He was a journalist who entered the theatre at the urging......
Jászai, Mari
Mari Jászai was a Hungarian actress, one of the greatest Hungarian tragediennes. Jászai’s rise to the top of her......
Kajol
Kajol is an Indian actress known for her versatility and expressive acting style. She is one of the most successful......
Kaling, Mindy
Mindy Kaling is an American actress, comedian, and author known for her offbeat humor, which she put on display......
Kaluuya, Daniel
Daniel Kaluuya is a British actor who is known for the arresting authenticity of his performances in a variety......
Kaminska, Ida
Ida Kaminska was a Polish-born Yiddish performer and theatre manager who achieved international stature. The daughter......
Kan’ami
Kan’ami was a Japanese actor, playwright, and musician who was one of the founders of Noh drama. Kan’ami organized......
Kapoor, Anil
Anil Kapoor is an Indian actor and producer whose prolific work in the Bollywood film industry catapulted him to......
Kapoor, Kareena
Kareena Kapoor is an Indian actress known for her work in Bollywood films. Especially noted for her charismatic......
Kapoor, Prithviraj
Prithviraj Kapoor was an Indian film and stage actor who founded both the renowned Kapoor family of actors and......
Kapoor, Raj
Raj Kapoor was an Indian motion-picture actor and director whose Hindi-language films were popular throughout India,......
Kapoor, Ranbir
Ranbir Kapoor is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. Kapoor rose to fame with romantic comedies......
Kapoor, Shahid
Shahid Kapoor is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is highly regarded as a dramatic actor,......
Kapoor, Shashi
Shashi Kapoor was an Indian actor and producer whose career spanned more than five decades. Kapoor, known for his......
Kapur, Shekhar
Shekhar Kapur is an Indian director, actor, and producer best known for directing such critically acclaimed films......
Karabash, Rene
Rene Karabash is a Bulgarian artist of many talents, well known for her work as an author, actor, poet, and screenwriter.......
Kardashian, Kim
Kim Kardashian is an American television personality and entrepreneur who garnered international fame for her personal......
Karina, Anna
Anna Karina was a Danish actress prominently featured in French films of the 1960s, notably in those directed by......
Karloff, Boris
Boris Karloff was an English actor who became internationally famous for his sympathetic and chilling portrayal......
Karnad, Girish
Girish Karnad was an Indian playwright, author, actor, and film director whose movies and plays, written largely......
Katsu Shintarō
Katsu Shintarō was a Japanese actor whose portrayal of Zatoichi, a blind master swordsman, in a series of motion......
Kaufman, Andy
Andy Kaufman was an American comedian, actor, and performance artist. His groundbreaking and experimental comedic......
Kaye, Danny
Danny Kaye was an energetic, multitalented American actor and comedian who later became known for his involvement......
Kean, Charles
Charles Kean was an English actor-manager best known for his revivals of Shakespearean plays. The son of the famed......
Kean, Edmund
Edmund Kean was one of the greatest of English tragic actors, a turbulent genius noted as much for his megalomania......
Kean, Ellen
Ellen Kean was one of the finest English actresses of her day and the wife of the actor Charles Kean, with whom......
Keaton, Buster
Buster Keaton was an American film comedian and director, known as the “Great Stone Face” of the silent screen.......
Keaton, Diane
Diane Keaton was an American film actress and director who achieved fame in quirky comic roles prior to gaining......
Keaton, Michael
Michael Keaton is an American actor who began his career in mostly comedic roles but later found success in dramas.......
Keeler, Ruby
Ruby Keeler was a Canadian-born American actor and dancer who starred as a fresh-faced ingenue who would triumphantly......
Keene, Laura
Laura Keene was an actress and the first notable female theatre manager in the United States. Mary Moss, as her......
Keeshan, Bob
Bob Keeshan was an American television producer and entertainer who was best known for his role as Captain Kangaroo......
Keitel, Harvey
Harvey Keitel is an American film actor known for his swaggering tough-guy persona and wryly gruff delivery. Keitel......
Kelly, Emmett
Emmett Kelly was one of the great American circus clowns, best known for his role as Weary Willie, a mournful tramp......
Kelly, Gene
Gene Kelly was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and motion-picture director whose athletic style of dancing,......
Kelly, Grace
Grace Kelly was an American actress of films and television, known for her stately beauty and reserve. She won......
Kemble, Charles
Charles Kemble was a theatrical manager, the first to use appropriately detailed historical sets and costumes on......
Kemble, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Kemble was an English actress of great ability whose career was subordinated to that of her husband,......
Kemble, Fanny
Fanny Kemble was a popular English actress who is also remembered as the author of plays, poems, and reminiscences,......
Kemble, George Stephen
George Stephen Kemble was an English actor and theatrical manager. Kemble’s mother, the actress Sarah Kemble, acted......
Kemble, Henry Stephen
Henry Stephen Kemble was an English actor of popularity but modest attainments, a member of the famous Kemble theatrical......
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......
Kendal, Dame Margaret; and Kendal, William Hunter
Dame Margaret Kendal and William Hunter Kendal were English actor-managers, husband and wife, who, by their personal......
Kennedy, Arthur
Arthur Kennedy was an American character actor featured in many films and nominated for five Academy Awards. Kennedy,......
Keoghan, Barry
Barry Keoghan is an Irish actor known for his idiosyncratic, sometimes unsettling performances in such films as......
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
...
Khan, Aamir
Aamir Khan is an Indian film actor who is known for his consistent performances. His insistence on a complete script......
Khan, Amjad
An ominous clacking of spurs and the clang of a belt buckle shatter a chilling lull. A thunderous voice echoes......
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......
Kilgallen, Dorothy
Dorothy Kilgallen was an American journalist and TV personality whose work ranged from covering high-profile murder......
Kilmer, Val
Val Kilmer was an American actor known for his charisma and unpredictability, which he used to great effect in......
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 known for her depth and versatility, earning acclaim for both comedic......
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
...
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
...
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......