Evelyn Keyes
Evelyn Keyes Born in the old Gulf Park addition adjacent to the Port Arthur refinery in 1916, Evelyn Keyes has enjoyed successful careers as author, motion-picture star, dancer, and stage, radio and television actress.  Ms. Keyes appeared in forty-seven feature films, including a memorable performance as Suellen, Scarlett's younger sister in the immortal classic, Gone With the Wind. Keyes is but one of three surviving cast members from the saga that critics and fans acclaim as the best picture ever made. Other film credits include The Seven Year Itch, The Jolson Story, The Face Behind the Mask, and the Mating of Millie.  Stage credits include performances in I Am a Camera, No No Nanette, and Breaking Up the Act. A published author, Keyes has written both fiction and autobiography.  In 1971, her first novel, I Am a Billboard, was published and in 1976 she completed her autobiography, appropriately titled Scarlett O'Hara's Younger Sister.  Other works include I'll Think About That Tomorrow and Sex Object.
Frances Fisher
Frances Fisher Actress Before Frances Fisher arrived in Orange, Texas, she had lived in England, Turkey, Brazil, France, Italy, Colombia, and Iowa. With a father who was involved in supervising construction overseas, Frances had moved nine times before she reached the age of 15. Fisher started her acting career at the Orange Community Playhouse in Orange, Texas. Fresh out of Lutcher Stark High School, and working as a secretary at Firestone, Fisher says at quitting time she "would up and rush down to OCP" for rehearsals. Fisher appeared in Summer and Smoke, A Man for All Seasons, and Mame, before deciding acting was the career for her. John Holland, in Orange to retire, first suggested she turn professional, and gave Fisher a letter of introduction to the Barter Theater in Virginia. Fisher eventually spent 14 years in New York City working in theater and on the television soap operas The Edge of Night and The Guiding Light. Feeling that she had "kinda hit a ceiling" there, she set off for Los Angeles. Since then, Fisher has appeared in several television productions and in feature films including L.A. Story, The Principal, Pink Cadillac, Patty Hearst, Tough Guys Don't Dance, Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?, and Heart. Her more recent credits include several movies for television (including the role of Lucille Ball in Luci and Desi) and a critically acclaimed performance as Strawberry Alice, opposite Clint Eastwood, in Unforgiven.
L. Q. Jones
L.Q. Jones Actor/Director (1927) The actor/director L.Q. Jones was born Justus Ellis McQueen in Beaumont, Texas. He grew up in Texas, an only child, and was graduated from Port Neches-Groves High School, where he was on the cheerleading squad, in 1945. He attended the University of Texas, graduating in law, business, and journalism. Jones worked as a standup comedian while in college, doing over 800 live shows before students and servicemen. He roomed with Fess Parker, who went on to success as television's "Davy Crockett" and "Daniel Boone." After graduation, Jones worked in a variety of jobs, then bought a ranch in Nicaragua. Fess Parker sent Jones a copy of Leon Uris' Battle Cry. Parker was up for a part in the film version of the book. Jones read the book and decided he wanted the part of L.Q. Jones in the film. He flew to Hollywood and was eventually cast in the role, at the insistence of director Raoul Walsh. Adopting the name of his character, Jones was signed to a personal contract with Raoul Walsh. This contract was later sold to Warner Brothers, and Jones was cast in Cheyenne for the show's first season. After quitting Cheyenne, Jones starred in several military films and westerns in the 1950s, mostly as comic relief. He also worked in television, continuing to appear in many westerns in the 1960s, after being released from his contract with Warner Brothers. Jones' first Emmy nomination came for his role in "The Rebel" in 19??, the first time he was cast in a dramatic role as a "heavy." Jones gained recognition playing villains in nine television and film productions for Sam Peckinpah, including Ride the High Country and The Wild Bunch. Jones also earned in Emmy nomination for work in Cimarron Strip in 1967. With his reputation for consistently-solid, well-crafted performances, Jones has had no trouble finding steady work, appearing in more than 70 motion pictures, 25-plus television movies, and more than 400 different television series. Somehow, he has also found time to direct, produce, and write. In 1971, he wrote a horror novel, "The Brotherhood of Satan," based on a movie of the same name in which he appeared. Jones also formed his own production company LQJAF (L.Q. Jones and Friends) turning out successful low-budget films. But the achievement of which he is most proud is the film which he scripted, directed, and financed in 1974. A Boy and His Dog was a critically acclaimed science fiction cult classic. Jones won a Hugo award for his adaptation of the Harlan Ellison novella on which the film is based. Re-released on 1982, the film continued to attract critical and popular attention. L.Q. Jones currently remains active in Hollywood, while retaining a fondness for his hometown.
Thelma "Tad" Tadlock
Thelma "Tad" Tadlock Dancer/Choreographer (1931) Thelma "Tad" Tadlock, daughter of the late H.H. and Thelma Tadlock, was born in Port Arthur, Texas, and began dance classes with Florence Coleman Ward at the age of three. By the age of five she knew she wanted to be a dancer. For fifteen years, Tadlock trained at the Florence Coleman School of Dance, sneaking out of dance class during her high school years to don her majorette's uniform for Friday night football games. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1949, Tadlock was ready to try her luck in New York, but her father wanted her to attend college. She finally persuaded him to allow her a year in the big city; if she had no luck finding a job, she would return and attend the University of Texas. As luck would have it, Tadlock landed a part in Make a Wish, followed by roles in three more Broadway plays. She continued her education at the Stanley School of Dance in New York. In 1955, she started work on television, as part of the chorus on the old Max Liebman Spectaculars. She next became a featured dancer on the Hit Parade, then joined the Arthur Murray Dance Party as a dancer and assistant choreographer. Continuing her television career, Tadlock acted as spokesman, actress, model, and dancer for numerous commercials, appeared on many television shows as the featured dancer, and also choreographed numbers. Tadlock's current credits include work in choreography and staging for film, television, stage, and television commercials. She has worked on such diverse projects as Love You to Death, Body Heat, Heaven's Gate, the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, and Miss Universe pageants, multi-media industrial presentation for Toyota, and commercials for United Airlines and the Yellow Pages. Currently residing in California, Tadlock has said that although she has been gone for many years, she still considers Texas her home and looks back on Port Arthur with appreciation.
G. W. Bailey
G.W. Bailey Actor (1944) G.W. Bailey was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He attended DeQueen Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Junior High, and Thomas Jefferson High School before going on to Lamar University in Beaumont and Texas Tech University in Lubbock where he received his B.A. Bailey spent three years at the Lubbock Theatre Center as Artistic Director of the high school workshop program. His wife, June, suggested that he travel to Chicago to audition for TCG, an organization representing repertory companies across the nation. The audition won him an assignment to the well-known Actor's Theatre of Louisville where Bailey spent three seasons honing his craft in a wide range of productions including Next, MacBeth, The Pirates of Penzance, and That Championship Season. Later, the challenge of films and television brought Bailey to California, where he soon found himself actively involved as a director. In two seasons at the California Actor's Theatre, he directed The Price, The Odd Couple, A Life in the Theatre, The Sunshine Boys, and many others. He produced and directed A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in Cincinnati and served as producer/director for a season at the County Dinner Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida. During three seasons at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego's National Shakespeare Festival, he appeared as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Ajax in Troilus and Cressida, Frederick in As You Like It, and Kent in King Lear. It was while appearing in the production of As You Like It that Bailey auditioned for what turned out to be a recurring role in the popular television series M*A*S*H. He has gone on to entertain millions worldwide in television and feature films, including a recurring role in the Police Academy movies.

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