Illinois State Society of Washington, DC

Illinois Hall of Fame: Mel Torme

By Mark Rhoads

Mel Torme was one of the best American male jazz singers and composers of the 20th Century. He wrote or co-wrote more than 250 songs including a Christmastime standard that opens with the lyrics "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." It was recorded by fellow Chicagoan Nat King Cole in 1946.  He was also a movie star, radio and TV star, and an author.

Notwithstanding his fame for seasonal songs of Christmas, Mel Torme was born on the south side of Chicago to a family of Russian Jewish immigrants on Sept. 23, 1925.  From about the age of four he was recognized as a child prodigy. While barely in grade school he was singing as a child star for the Coon Sanders Orchestra at the Blackhawk Restaurant at 139 N. Wabash.

Mel was only age seven in 1933 when he won a talent competition for child singers at the Century of Progress World's Fair.  The competition led to his work as a child star on two of the most famous radio serials of the time, The Romance of Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy.

By Mark Rhoads

Mel Torme was one of the best American male jazz singers and composers of the 20th Century. He wrote or co-wrote more than 250 songs including a Christmastime standard that opens with the lyrics "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." It was recorded by fellow Chicagoan Nat King Cole in 1946.  He was also a movie star, radio and TV star, and an author.

Notwithstanding his fame for seasonal songs of Christmas, Mel Torme was born on the south side of Chicago to a family of Russian Jewish immigrants on Sept. 23, 1925.  From about the age of four he was recognized as a child prodigy. While barely in grade school he was singing as a child star for the Coon Sanders Orchestra at the Blackhawk Restaurant at 139 N. Wabash.

Mel was only age seven in 1933 when he won a talent competition for child singers at the Century of Progress World's Fair.  The competition led to his work as a child star on two of the most famous radio serials of the time, The Romance of Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Bob Balaban

By Mark Rhoads

Movie actor Bob Balaban comes from a show business family famous in both Chicago and nationally.  Bob was born in Chicago on Aug. 16, 1945.  His father Elmer and four of his six uncles created the Balaban and Katz (B&K) movie theater chain in the 1920s. The chain eventually had about 100 theaters in Chicago and suburbs.  The landmark Chicago Theater at 175 N. State Street was the crown jewel of the B&K chain that was built as the first lavish theater palace designed speficially for movies when it opened on Oct. 26, 1921. The famous Uptown Theatre near Broadway and Lawrence was also a landmark B&K Theater in the Depression era. The Balaban family also created Chicago's first commercial television station, WBKB on Channel 4, (Balaban & Katz Broadcasting) in the 1940s.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Scott Turow

By Mark Rhoads

Scott Turow has lived in the Chicago area most of his life.  He is currently practicing criminal law in Chicago and is also one of America's most popular novelists who specializes in intricate crime mysteries. Three of his books have been made into feature films starting with Presumed Innocent in 1990 starring Illinois-native Harrison Ford. Scott was born in Chicago on April 12, 1949 and raised in the northern suburbs. He graduated from New Trier High School in 1966.  In 1970 Scott graduated with honors with a B.A. in English from Amherst College.  He went on to study writing at Stanford University where he received an M.A. in 1974.

Scott taught at Stanford from 1972 to 1975 and attended Harvard Law School from 1975 to 1978 when he received his Juris Doctor degree. He became a trustee of Amherst in 2002.  From 1978 to 1986, Scott was an Assistant U. S. Attorney for the Northern District in Chicago. He was one of the prosecutors in the tax fraud trial of former Illinois Treasurer and Attorney General William J. Scott and was also a prosecutor of Cook County judges in the Operation Greylord cases. In addition to two non-fiction books, he is the author of seven best-selling novels including Presumed Innocent (1987), The Burden of Proof (1990), Pleading Guilty (1993), The Laws of Our Fathers (1996), Personal Injuries (1999), Reversible Errors (2002) and Ordinary Heroes (2005).

By Mark Rhoads

Scott Turow has lived in the Chicago area most of his life.  He is currently practicing criminal law in Chicago and is also one of America's most popular novelists who specializes in intricate crime mysteries. Three of his books have been made into feature films starting with Presumed Innocent in 1990 starring Illinois-native Harrison Ford. Scott was born in Chicago on April 12, 1949 and raised in the northern suburbs. He graduated from New Trier High School in 1966.  In 1970 Scott graduated with honors with a B.A. in English from Amherst College.  He went on to study writing at Stanford University where he received an M.A. in 1974.

Scott taught at Stanford from 1972 to 1975 and attended Harvard Law School from 1975 to 1978 when he received his Juris Doctor degree. He became a trustee of Amherst in 2002.  From 1978 to 1986, Scott was an Assistant U. S. Attorney for the Northern District in Chicago. He was one of the prosecutors in the tax fraud trial of former Illinois Treasurer and Attorney General William J. Scott and was also a prosecutor of Cook County judges in the Operation Greylord cases. In addition to two non-fiction books, he is the author of seven best-selling novels including Presumed Innocent (1987), The Burden of Proof (1990), Pleading Guilty (1993), The Laws of Our Fathers (1996), Personal Injuries (1999), Reversible Errors (2002) and Ordinary Heroes (2005).

Illinois Hall of Fame: Harold Ramis

By Mark Rhoads

"You can have a pretty wonderful artistic life and never leave Chicago."

-- Harold Ramis

Harold Ramis is a very successful TV and movie actor, director, writer, and producer who is best known for his innovative comedies.  He was born in Chicago on Nov. 21, 1944 and currently makes his primary home on the North Side even though he also stays part time in California when he is making films.  When he was growing up, his parents Nate and Ruth Ramis owned a store on the West Side called Ace Food and Liquor Mart. At age seven, Harold started working in the store on weekends. Harold attended Senn High School at 5900 N. Glenwood where he wrote in his yearbook that he wanted to be a neurosurgeon.  Harold was on the fencing team at Senn and his older brother Steve Ramis was city champion in fencing in the middle 1960s.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Gillian Anderson

By Mark Rhoads

Emmy Award-winning actress Gillian Anderson won over a large number of TV fans in her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully on The X-Files from 1993 to 2002. During the run of the show, she won the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series in 1997, two Screen Actors Guild Awards for best performance by a female actor in a drama series in 1996 and 1997, and the 1997 Golden Globe Award for best performance by and actress in a TV dramatic series.

Gillian was born in Chicago on Aug. 9, 1968.  Her family moved several times after her birth to Puerto Rico and to London, England where her father studied film production at the London School of Film Technique. Gillian went to high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she was voted the "Class Clown."  Her mother described her as a tomboy who wanted to be a marine biologist but also showed a flair for acting. She was also a rebel who spent time in the principal's office and was sometimes made fun of for her English accent.  After graduating from high school in 1986, Gillian returned to Chicago to study at the Goodman Theater School of DePaul University. Gillian graduated from DePaul with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts in 1990.

Click here to see a full list of films and TV shows with Gillian Anderson.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Joe Mantegna

By Mark Rhoads

Tony Award-winning actor Joe Mantegna is a proud Illinoisan through and through. He was born in Chicago on Nov. 13, 1947. He graduated from Morton East High School in Cicero in 1965 and from the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago in 1969.  The Goodman School has since been re-named as the Theatre School at De Paul University. Joe made his acting debut in a 1969 production of Hair.

Based on his many afternoons watching the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Joe created the concept for and was one of eight writers of the award-winning play Bleacher Bums which was first performed at Chicago's Organic Theater in 1977. Another contributor was Dennis Franz of Maywood who played Detective Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. The play ran five years in L.A.  The play was put on WTTW in Chicago in 1979 and an updated version won an Emmy Award for Joe when it was broadcast on the Showtime channel in 2002.

By Mark Rhoads

Tony Award-winning actor Joe Mantegna is a proud Illinoisan through and through. He was born in Chicago on Nov. 13, 1947. He graduated from Morton East High School in Cicero in 1965 and from the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago in 1969.  The Goodman School has since been re-named as the Theatre School at De Paul University. Joe made his acting debut in a 1969 production of Hair.

Based on his many afternoons watching the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Joe created the concept for and was one of eight writers of the award-winning play Bleacher Bums which was first performed at Chicago's Organic Theater in 1977. Another contributor was Dennis Franz of Maywood who played Detective Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. The play ran five years in L.A.  The play was put on WTTW in Chicago in 1979 and an updated version won an Emmy Award for Joe when it was broadcast on the Showtime channel in 2002.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Richard Pryor

By Mark Rhoads

Stand-up comedian and movie star Richard Pyror was born on Dec. 1, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois. His father was a bartender and a World War II veteran.  His mother abandoned Richard when he was ten. He was one of four children raised by his grandmother in a house of ill repute that she owned.  Richard would escape some of the traumatic experiences of his childhood by going to the movies as often as he could to see westerns and other adventure films. 

According to Richard Pryor's website, his first opportunity to perform in public came at the age of 12. Juliette Whitaker was a supervisor at a public recreational program in Peoria.  She cast Richard in a performance of Rumplestiltskin and the audience was impressed by his comic faces and stage presence. Richard attended public schools in Peoria and served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960 where he also performed in some amateur shows. After the Army, he performed both songs and comedy at Harold's Club in Peoria. His comedy routine was more popular than his singing so he transformed the act and took it on the road to many clubs throughout the midwest.

By Mark Rhoads

Stand-up comedian and movie star Richard Pyror was born on Dec. 1, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois. His father was a bartender and a World War II veteran.  His mother abandoned Richard when he was ten. He was one of four children raised by his grandmother in a house of ill repute that she owned.  Richard would escape some of the traumatic experiences of his childhood by going to the movies as often as he could to see westerns and other adventure films. 

According to Richard Pryor's website, his first opportunity to perform in public came at the age of 12. Juliette Whitaker was a supervisor at a public recreational program in Peoria.  She cast Richard in a performance of Rumplestiltskin and the audience was impressed by his comic faces and stage presence. Richard attended public schools in Peoria and served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960 where he also performed in some amateur shows. After the Army, he performed both songs and comedy at Harold's Club in Peoria. His comedy routine was more popular than his singing so he transformed the act and took it on the road to many clubs throughout the midwest.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Ralph Bellamy

By Mark Rhoads

Tony Award-winning actor Ralph Bellamy was born in Chicago on June 17, 1904.  He was the oldest of three children of Charles Rexford Bellamy and Lilla Louise Smith. Ralph's father worked for the Barnes Crosby Advertising Agency. Ralph lived with his father, mother, a brother, a sister, and his maternal grandmother in an apartment at 5709 South Kimbark Avenue just east of the campus of the University of Chicago. At age 5 in 1909, Ralph's family moved to Wilmette where he grew up attending public school and working at odd jobs such as a newspaper delivery boy and a grocery delivery boy for Brinkman's Grocery. He also beat rugs, raked and burned leaves, and worked as an usher at a local movie theater and as a soda jerk.

Ralph was president of the Drama Club at New Trier High School but he unfortunately was expelled for smoking on school property before graduation. He developed his acting craft in the late 1920s by going on tour. He was only 22 when he formed his own stock company called "The Ralph Bellamy Players" based in Evanston and which existed from 1926 to 1930.   

By Mark Rhoads

Tony Award-winning actor Ralph Bellamy was born in Chicago on June 17, 1904.  He was the oldest of three children of Charles Rexford Bellamy and Lilla Louise Smith. Ralph's father worked for the Barnes Crosby Advertising Agency. Ralph lived with his father, mother, a brother, a sister, and his maternal grandmother in an apartment at 5709 South Kimbark Avenue just east of the campus of the University of Chicago. At age 5 in 1909, Ralph's family moved to Wilmette where he grew up attending public school and working at odd jobs such as a newspaper delivery boy and a grocery delivery boy for Brinkman's Grocery. He also beat rugs, raked and burned leaves, and worked as an usher at a local movie theater and as a soda jerk.

Ralph was president of the Drama Club at New Trier High School but he unfortunately was expelled for smoking on school property before graduation. He developed his acting craft in the late 1920s by going on tour. He was only 22 when he formed his own stock company called "The Ralph Bellamy Players" based in Evanston and which existed from 1926 to 1930.   

Illinois Hall of Fame: Charlton Heston

By Mark Rhoads

Writer, director, and Academy Award-winning actor Charlton Heston was born on Oct. 4, 1924. Where he was born is a matter of some disagreement among thousands of sources on the web. About 40 percent of sources say he was born in Evanston, Illinois and about 60 percent say he was born in or near St. Helen in the north central woods of Michigan.  Normally authoritative sources seem split down the middle. Assuming St. Helen is the correct place, his name at birth was John Carleton Carter. His parents were Lila Charlton and Russell Whitford Carter. His parents were divorced when Charlton was ten and Lila shortly was married a second time to Chester Heston and the family moved to Wilmette, Illinois where Charlton went to grade school.  Charlton attended New Trier High School in Winnetka and graduated with the class of 1942.

While still in high school, Charlton acted in productions of the Winnetka Community Theater and that work helped him get a drama scholarship to Northwestern University. In 1944 he left Northwestern to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force and was stationed in Alaska. 

By Mark Rhoads

Writer, director, and Academy Award-winning actor Charlton Heston was born on Oct. 4, 1924. Where he was born is a matter of some disagreement among thousands of sources on the web. About 40 percent of sources say he was born in Evanston, Illinois and about 60 percent say he was born in or near St. Helen in the north central woods of Michigan.  Normally authoritative sources seem split down the middle. Assuming St. Helen is the correct place, his name at birth was John Carleton Carter. His parents were Lila Charlton and Russell Whitford Carter. His parents were divorced when Charlton was ten and Lila shortly was married a second time to Chester Heston and the family moved to Wilmette, Illinois where Charlton went to grade school.  Charlton attended New Trier High School in Winnetka and graduated with the class of 1942.

While still in high school, Charlton acted in productions of the Winnetka Community Theater and that work helped him get a drama scholarship to Northwestern University. In 1944 he left Northwestern to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Force and was stationed in Alaska. 

Illinois Hall of Fame: Charles MacArthur

By Mark Rhoads

The photo at right is from the website of actor James MacArthur, who was known for his role as Detective Danny Williams ("Book 'em Dano") on the Hawaii Five-O TV series (1968-1979). Pictured at right are his foster parents, former Chicago journalist, playwrite, screen writer, and author Charles MacArthur and his wife, stage and film actress Helen Hayes.

Charles MacArthur and fellow Chicago journalist Ben Hecht were the authors of the The Front Page, the classic comedy about politics, the Cook County Court House, and reporters in Chicago. The play was revived on Broadway and on TV many times and was also made as a movie at least four times.

By Mark Rhoads

The photo at right is from the website of actor James MacArthur, who was known for his role as Detective Danny Williams ("Book 'em Dano") on the Hawaii Five-O TV series (1968-1979). Pictured at right are his foster parents, former Chicago journalist, playwrite, screen writer, and author Charles MacArthur and his wife, stage and film actress Helen Hayes.

Charles MacArthur and fellow Chicago journalist Ben Hecht were the authors of the The Front Page, the classic comedy about politics, the Cook County Court House, and reporters in Chicago. The play was revived on Broadway and on TV many times and was also made as a movie at least four times.