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The Untold Story of Cris Judd and Jennifer Lopez Relationship

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Who is Cris Judd?

Cris Judd is an American actor, dancer, and choreographer, but perhaps known best for his brief marriage to singer and actress Jennifer Lopez – often called just J.Lo – from 2001 to 2002. Born on 15 August 1969, Judd started his career in the entertainment industry as a backup dancer.

He’s worked with numerous high-profile artists in the music industry, and his choreography work extends to both music videos and stage performances. Despite his high-profile relationship with J.Lo, Cris tends to maintain a relatively low profile in the public eye.

Early Life and Education

Cris is the product of a multi-cultural background – his father, Larry Judd, served in the US Air Force, and his mother is of Filipino descent. As a result of his father’s military service, Cris’ early years were characterized by constant travel and a broad exposure to different cultures. Born in Abilene, Texas, he lived in various places around the world, from Florida to the Philippines.

Cris didn’t start dancing until he was 21, but quickly demonstrated natural talent and advanced in his skills. Despite not having formal education in dance, he was committed to refining his craft, which eventually led him to Los Angeles, California, where he would launch his career in the entertainment industry.

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Career as a Dancer

After moving to Los Angeles, Cris worked several odd jobs before he began dancing professionally with Disney. His breakthrough came in 1995, when he was chosen to perform as a dancer for Michael Jackson at the MTV Video Music Awards. Working with the King of Pop marked the beginning of his ascent in the industry.

In the following two years, Cris accompanied Jackson at the HIStory World Tour, eventually becoming a lead dancer for the tour. In 1999, he performed alongside Celine Dion at the Billboard Music Awards, and also danced for N’SYNC at the MTV Music Awards. In the following year he collaborated with Enrique Iglesias and Brian McKnight, and also began working as the choreographer alongside Eddie Garcia on the Jordan Knight’s 2000 Tour.

In the early 2000s, Cris choreographed a number of popular music videos, including “My Way” for Usher, “If I Could Go” for Angie Martinez, and “Jump, Jive & Wail” for the Brian Setzer Orchestra. In 2003, Cris began working with Jennifer Lopez, first as a director for her NBC concert special “Let’s Get Loud”. He continued to appear as a back-up dancer in her music videos, such as “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”, “Play”, and “I’m Gonna Be Alright”, and also prepared the Midnight Fantasy musical for Jennifer’s Las Vegas residency.

In 2009, Cris appeared at the MTV Videos Music Awards, taking part in the opening dance tribute to the late Michael Jackson.

Since then, he’s worked as a choreographer for various TV series, such as “The Haunted Hathaways” (2013), “Disjointed” (2017), and “Side Hustle” (2020), while also building his acting career.

Acting Career

Cris’s transition to acting was a natural progression. His first acting experience was a guest role of a dancer in the short movie “Ghosts”, which was released in 1996. In the following years, he appeared in similar roles in sitcoms “Everybody Loves Raymond” (1999), and “Nikki” (2000).

Cris made his feature film debut in 2003, when he appeared in a supporting role in the comedy “Bringing Down the House”, which starred Steve Martin and Queen Latifah as a mismatched couple who met on the Internet. In the following years, he appeared in TV series such as “Half & Half”, “Eve”, and “Unfabulous”.

In 2012, Cris appeared alongside Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwing in the musical comedy “Rock of Ages”. Four years later, he was one of the dancers in the Oscar-winning musical “La La Land”, and in 2017, Cris landed his first starring role, in the indie drama “Sex. Sound. Silence”, written by Chris Grest, and directed by Ari Davis.

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Reality TV Appearances

Cris’s charisma and talent extended to reality TV as well. He made his debut in 2003 as a contestant in the first season of “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!”. The show’s concept involves a group of celebrities living together in extreme conditions, usually in a jungle environment, with minimal comforts, while the winner is chosen by the public vote. Cris ended up taking the title of ‘King of the Jungle’, earning $200,000 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

In 2006, Cris was one of the judges of the dancing reality competition series “Dirty Dancing”, which aired on WE: Women’s Entertainment. Two years later, he was a judge on another similar show, “Your Mama Don’t Dance”, showcasing his knowledge and the experience of a professional dancer and choreographer.

Also in 2008, he made an appearance in one of the most popular reality series of all time, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, in the episode entitled “Kris the Cheerleader”, which revolved around Kris Jenner practicing with a group of cheerleaders who perform during halftime shows.

In the following years, he made brief appearances in shows such as “Bad Girls Club”, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”, and “Secret Celebrity”.

His latest reality TV appearance was as one of the judges in the third season of “New Zealand’s Got Talent”.

Relationship with Jennifer Lopez

Cris’ professional and personal lives intersected when he met Jennifer Lopez while working as a director and choreographer for her music video “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”. The two quickly formed a romantic connection, and married in September 2001. However, their marriage was short-lived, and they divorced in January 2003. Despite the brevity of their union, Cris’s relationship with Jennifer catapulted him into the public eye and gave him wider recognition.

Where is he Now?

As of 2023, Cris continues to work in the entertainment industry, leveraging his skills in dance and choreography to contribute to various projects. His most recent appearances have been in TV series and as a choreographer for several productions. Despite his past high-profile relationship and career highlights, Cris has managed to maintain a relatively private personal life.

Since 2009, he’s been married to Kelly A. Wolfe, with whom he has a daughter.

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Net Worth

Cris’ net worth is a testament to his hard work and dedication in the industry. Although he gained some financial stability from his divorce settlement with Jennifer Lopez, much of his wealth has been amassed through his consistent work in dance, acting, and reality television. As of May 2023, it’s estimated that Cris has a net worth of $500,000.

Jennifer Lopez Wiki Bio

Jennifer Lopez, widely known as J.Lo, was born on 24 July 1969, in The Bronx, New York City, USA. She’s an American singer, actress, dancer and fashion icon who has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

Growing up in a Puerto Rican household, Jennifer was exposed to a vibrant blend of music and culture. She discovered her passion for performing at an early age, and began taking dance lessons. She started her career as a singer and dancer in 1989, when she spent five months touring across Europe as a part of the revue show “Golden Musicals of Broadway”.

Jennifer’s big break came in 1991, when she was selected as a Fly Girl dancer for the television show “In Living Color”. Her undeniable stage presence earned her recognition and opened doors to new opportunities. She made her acting debut in the 1994 TV series “South Central”, before landing her first starring film role in the 1995 drama “Mi Familia”.

In 1999, Jennifer released her debut album, “On the 6”, which featured the hit singles “If You Had My Love” and “Waiting for Tonight”. The album was widely successful, reaching the top of the charts and solidifying Jennifer as a formidable force in the music industry.

While conquering the music scene, Jennifer continued working as an actress, and showcased her versatility on the silver screen. In 1997, she starred in the biographical film “Selena”, portraying the iconic singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez; Jennifer’s powerful performance earned her widespread acclaim, and established her as a talented actress. This breakthrough role was followed by a string of successful films, including “Out of Sight” (1998), “The Wedding Planner” (2001), and “Maid in Manhattan” (2002).

In 2001, Jennifer released her second studio album, simply entitled “J.Lo”. While the album was making its debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, “The Wedding Planner” was topping the box office. This notable achievement made Jennifer the first artist to simultaneously hold the #1 album and film ranking. The album included some of Jennifer’s biggest hits such as “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” and “I’m Real”. In 2002, she released “J to tha L–O! The Remixes”, which remains one of the best-selling remix albums of all time.

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During the 2000s, Jennifer continued to star in movies, landing major roles in comedies such as “Jersey Girl” (2004), “Monster-in-Law” (2005), and “The Back-up Plan” (2010), while also making guest appearances in popular TV series “Will and Grace” and “How I Met Your Mother”.

In 2007, Jennifer released her first Spanish-language album, “Como Ama una Mujer”, which reached the top ten of the Billboard 200. She continued to release successful albums throughout the 2010s, including “Love?” (2011) and “A.K.A”. (2014), while putting less focus on her acting career.

One of her most well-known recent roles was in the 2019 movie “Hustlers”, playing Ramona, a savvy stripper who turns to crime to weather the financial crisis. The role was critically acclaimed, and earned Jennifer nominations for several awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

She is known for her energetic and spectacular live performances, notably her concerts in Las Vegas and her halftime show at Super Bowl LIV in 2020, alongside Shakira.

As a businesswoman, she’s released several successful fragrances, launched a clothing line, and co-founded the production company Nuyorican Productions.

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Jennifer’s personal life has been a subject of a lot of media attention, as she’s been in a number of high-profile relationships, drawing comparisons with the late actress Elizabeth Taylor who was also known for her tumultuous love life. Jennifer has married four times, her first marriage being to Ojani Noa, from 1997 through 1998. She then dated rapper Sean Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, from 1999 to 2001.

In June 2004, Jennifer married singer Marc Anthony, with whom she has twins Emme Maribel and Maximilian David, born in February 2008. Lopez and Anthony announced their separation in July 2011, and their divorce was finalized in 2014. In May 2021, Jennifer Lopez rekindled her relationship with actor Ben Affleck, 17 years after their initial breakup, to much media buzz. The two tied the knot in July 2022, in a surprise wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As one of the most high-profile Latinas in Hollywood and the music industry, Jennifer has broken down barriers and paved the way for future Latin artists. She’s often credited with popularizing Latin pop within mainstream music, particularly with her debut album “On the 6”.

According to the financial magazine “Forbes”, Jennifer’s net worth has been estimated at more than $400 million, making her one of the wealthiest figures in the entertainment industry.

As the Managing Editor at The Legit, I direct a dynamic team dedicated to creating rich content that profiles the lives and accomplishments of influential figures. My commitment to detail and storytelling drives the production of biographies that truly engage our audience. I manage all aspects of the editorial process, from conducting thorough research to crafting vivid narratives, all while ensuring the accuracy and quality of our work. At The Legit, our goal is to offer our readers comprehensive profiles that provide deep insights into the realms of business, entertainment, and more. Through diligent research and engaging storytelling, we highlight the exceptional journeys and achievements of those who both inspire and intrigue us.

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Actors

Naked Truth Of Kathleen Kinmont – Where is she today? Wiki

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Kathleen Kinmont is an American actress and author, who became known through her roles in action and horror movies, as well as her work on the popular television series in the 1990’s, “The Renegade,” with her former husband, actor Lorenzo Lamas.

Early Life and Education

Kathleen Kinmont was born on 3 February 1965, in Los Angeles, California, USA, to parents Jack Smith, an electrical parts distributor, and Abby Dalton, an actress. She and her two brothers were raised in Toluca Lake in the San Fernando Valley, just 12 miles away from downtown Los Angeles.

Education

There is little information about her early years including her educational attainment, except that she matriculated from Our Lady of Corvallis High School, a Catholic school in Studio City, California in 1982.

Career

First Steps

In 1965, Kathleen debuted in the world of television when she was still a baby, along with her older brother, in the last season of “The Joey Bishop Show,” in which her mom was a series regular. By the time she finished high school, she had a brief modeling career and decided to pursue an acting career just like her mother. She debuted with a minor role in the movie called “Hardbodies,” a sex comedy released in 1984. One would think she would have it easy due to her mother’s connections, but she struggled through a few years, accepting minor roles. She even took part in movies that sometimes wouldn’t be released in theaters, but direct to video, such as “Nightforce” and “Winner Take All.”

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Her hard work paid off in 1988, when she was given a major role in “She-Wolves of the Wasteland,” also known as “Phoenix the Warrior.” She played the titular role of Phoenix with Peggy McIntaggart and Persis Khambatta, in which they battle for the last man on Earth during the post-apocalyptic era. It was followed in the same year by the horror movie “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers,” which was a commercial success.

Further Success

The following year she did an action movie, “Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster,” with Lorenzo Lamas, and the comedy-horror movie “Bride of Re-Animator,” and continued to make movies mostly in the action and horror-slasher genres.

A couple of them were with her husband Lorenzo Lamas, including “CIA Code Name: Alexa” and its sequel “CIA II: Target Alexa,” which were released in 1992 and 1993, respectively.

Their working relationship was successful, so that Lorenzo made her a regular in his television series “The Renegade,” which aired from September of 1992 up to April of 1997. She played the role of Cheyenne Phillips, who was part of the bounty hunter crew headed by Lorenzo’s character. While the series ran for five seasons, Kathleen was only part of the series until the fourth season – the official reason was that due to the separation of the couple, working together grew uncomfortable, not only for them but to the rest of the production crew as well.

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Kathleen also made numerous guest appearances, playing supporting roles in several TV series including favorite daytime series “Dallas” (1991), “Santa Barbara” (1992), and “Days of Our Lives” (2002). She was also seen in the popular lifeguard drama series, “Baywatch,” in 1994, and had the recurring role as Charlene Ballard in “Silk Stalkings” from 1997 to 1999. She was also part of Tom Hanks’ directorial debut, “That Thing You Do,” in 1996.

In the 2000’s, she was into making movies made for television, and also short movies; nothing significant that would make headlines, but her work as supporting cast was continuous.

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She also tried her hand in screenwriting for TV and movies, including for the short movie “Mrs. Sweeney,” and for the TV movie “BFF Ent Variety Comedy,” which she also co-produced, both released in 2013. Kathleen also wrote, co-produced and directed the pilot episode for “Fame Game” in 2014.

When web series became a new medium for entertainment, she accepted a recurring role in “Zoe Valentine” with Anna Cathcart, appearing in four episodes in 2019. She was also seen as a series regular in the TV series “Phoenix,” a sci-fi thriller aired in 2019 over at Amazon Prime Video.

This 2020, before the Covid19 pandemic happened, she was announced to be a part of the movie “The Whack Job,” with Richard Norton.

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Personal Life

Kathleen is currently single, living in Los Angeles with her daughter, Ayden Grace, and a dog named Bolt. She was previously married and divorced three times.

First Husband – Lorenzo Lamas

Her first husband was actor Lorenzo Lamas, whom she met through her mother when she was still a senior in high school. Abby was filming Falcon Crest with Lorenzo when he saw a picture of Kathleen in a swimsuit, and begged for an introduction. He was 25 and just divorced when they started to date. It didn’t work out as Lorenzo was a flirtatious ladies man who made a pass on one of her girlfriends during Kathleen’s 18th birthday, and during one Falcon Crest press tour Lorenzo had his publicist pregnant, whom he married before the birth of his son.

After a couple of years Lorenzo separated from his wife, and Kathleen started dating him again but he decided to reconcile with his estranged wife for his son’s sake, and Kathleen started dating other men. Lorenzo divorced his wife and tried winning Kathleen back, but she declined as she was engaged to another actor at that time. When they met again in 1987, he was engaged to another actress, but they made a vow that they wouldn’t marry anyone. Later that year, she broke off her engagement and reached out to Lorenzo, only to find out that he’d married his fiancée. After a while, he divorced his second wife and went back to Kathleen.

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This time he approached her parents and told them he couldn’t live without her, and on 25 January 1989, they were married at Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas with his children as best man and maid of honor. It was great for a time, but they filed for divorce after five years of marriage.

Second Husband – Jere Burns

In 1997 she married actor Jere Eugene Burns, who is best known for his villainous roles in the television series “Justified” and “Burn Notice.” The marriage lasted for about three years – they were divorced by 1999.

Third Husband – Doug Swander

She took the plunge again and married Doug Swander in 2006. There is no information about her third husband and about their marriage, but they divorced in 2011, since when she’s been officially single.

Interesting Facts

  • She wrote an illustrated book for children entitled “Magic and Beauty”, published on 4 November 2019 with April Ballantine providing the illustrations.
  • Among her three husbands, she remained close friends with Lorenzo Lamas and she would post about him on her Instagram account.
  • She has a penchant for getting engaged, as she’s said yes too many times to several marriage proposals from various men when she was younger, only to break them off after a few months. She claimed to be in love with love.
  • The real reason she was booted out from “The Renegade” was not solely because they were uncomfortable working as a former couple, but Kathleen said many bad things to the media about Lorenzo’s new girlfriend. Apparently, the new girl made a guest appearance in the TV series, and she didn’t like it.

Appearance

She stands 5ft 10ins. (1.78m) tall and weighs around 132lbs (60kgs). She maintains a fit body due to her love of Yoga and Meditation. She is Caucasian with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Net worth

Authoritative sources estimated Kathleen’s net worth to be over $3 million, as of June 2020.

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Danny Pintauro’s (Who’s the Boss?) Net Worth, Gay Wedding

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Danny Pintauro is an American actor born on 6 January 1976, in Milltown, New Jersey USA. He’s best known for this role in the 1984 TV series “Who’s The Boss”, and in the film “Cujo” from 1982.

Early Life

Daniel John Pintauro was born the son of John J. Pintauro, a manager of Italian and Polish origins, and Margaret L. Pintauro, who worked as an agent. There’s not much information about Danny’s early life, childhood and education, however, it’s known that in 1994 he took time away from his acting career to study in Middlesex County College in New Jersey, and then in Stanford University, from where he graduated with a Major in Drama and Theater in 1998. He also played in Leland Stanford University Marching Band, with the trumpet as his instrument.

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Career

Debut: 1982 – 1983

Danny started his career at the very young age of seven years old, when in 1982 he made his acting debut in the series “As the World Turns”, replacing actor Canaan Crouch in the role of Paul Ryan. He started this role on January 1983, and was eventually replaced by Elden Ratliff in February 1984.

His next role was Tad Trenton in the 1982 film “Cujo”, directed by Lewis Teague, an adaptation of the screenplay by Don Carlos Dunaway and Lauren Currier based on the novel by Stephen King of the same name.

“Cujo” is the story of a St. Bernard dog named Cujo. The dog struggles with the rabies disease caused by the bite of a bat, which provokes several changes in its behavior.

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After its owners get out of town to visit some relatives, Cujo becomes a blood-thirsty beast that kills everyone who comes close to the house. On the other side, Donna and her son Ted, who happened to arrive to Cujo’s owners’ house for a brief visit, are stuck in their car as they wait for an opportunity to escape Cujo.

The movie was released on 12 August 1983, and received poor reviews by critics, who described “Cujo” as ‘cliché’ and ‘a mess’. However, nowadays the movie is regarded as a horror movie classic, and has gathered appreciation from fans of Stephen King’s novel.

Who’s the Boss and Other Projects: 1984 – 1992

In 1984 Danny Pintauro started his most memorable role in the series “Who’s the Boss?” His role as Jonathan Bower would steal hearts around the US for the eight years the sitcom was on air on ABC, which lasted 196 episodes.

The show centers on the story of a former major league baseball player, Tony Micelli, and lawyer Angela Bower. Tony moves out to Connecticut along his daughter, Samantha to work as Angela’s housekeeper, who has a son named Jonathan. The show breaks gender stereotypes about domesticity, and portrays intellectual and sensitive characters.

When the show was aired for the first time in September 1984 Danny Pintauro was only eight years old, and when it finished after eight seasons in April 1992 he was 16 years old.

During that time Danny worked in several other productions, such as the film “The Beniker Gang” in 1984 and in the TV-Movie “Timestalkers” from 1987.

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The same year he was cast to appear in two episodes of the series “Highway to Hell” as Alex, then appeared as Kevin Worth in the TV-Movie “Jury Duty: The Comedy” in 1990. He also appeared in TV commercials for Liptons, Quacker Corn Brain and Lots-A-Noodles Cup-A-Soup. His constant work as an actor made him a present and memorable child-star in the 1980s and ‘90s.

Smaller Projects: 1992 – Present

After the end of “Who’s the Boss?” Danny didn’t receive many job offers as an actor, so he only participated in stage plays such as “The Velocity of Gary” and “Mommie Queerest”. In 1994 he took a break from acting to focus on his studies, and it wasn’t until 2001 that he made his TV comeback.

He appeared in the child-star edition of the TV-Show “The Weakest Link”, but was voted off it in the fourth round.

Five years later in 2006, he appeared in the film “The Still Life” directed by Joel Miller, a story about Julian Lamont, an artist who struggles to put his life together. Danny had the role of Stefan in this film.

In 2010, Danny participated in two TV series: “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”, and as Milton in “Laugh Track Mash-ups”. In 2017, Danny was cast in the role of Gary in the TV series “Unsure/Positive”, which tells the story of Kieran McCullay, who is diagnosed as HIV positive and tries to find the courage to tell his family and friends about it. Although the show started filming in 2017, it hasn’t been to air yet. In 2020 Danny appeared in “The Quarantine Bunch”, in which various former child-stars encourage people to stay home during the COVID-19 spread, by streaming various situations through Zoom.

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Other Jobs

As of 2020, Danny works in Las Vegas at Austin Pets Alive, an organization aiming to preserve animal life.

Personal Life

Sexuality

Danny Pintauro came out as homosexual in 1997, after the tabloid “National Enquirer” threatened to reveal it for him. He said: ‘I couldn’t deny it anymore. It was just the right time (post-Ellen) to come out… I’m proud to be gay’. Years later, Danny also said that he wanted to be a ‘beacon of light’ for the LGBT community.

Health

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2015, Danny reveled that he was diagnosed in March 2003 as HIV Positive. ‘I’m HIV positive’ he said to Winfrey. ‘And I have been for 12 years.’ ‘I went in for a regular checkup.

You know, as a responsible gay man, you’re getting an HIV test done every six months …. And you sort of waited two weeks on pins and needles, or at least I did, because I was just terrified of the idea of getting HIV.’

However, his diagnosis was relieving for Pintauro: ‘You’ve spent so much time terrified that you’re going to get it, and then you have it. You don’t have to be terrified anymore’.

Addiction

Danny also revealed to Oprah that at the time he got HIV, he was struggling with his addiction to Crystal meth. He revealed to People magazine that he started using drugs to explore his sexuality more deeply: ‘crystal meth takes away your inhibitions – you have no limits’. He continued ‘On crystal meth, you have no boundaries, you feel invincible. You feel incredibly heightened when it comes to your sexuality, and everything sounds and feels exciting to you’.

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He also revealed how his addiction was consuming his life: ‘It would make me so angry with myself that I had done it, and that I was now suffering through this three-day period of nonsense that I couldn’t even go to work or find a job or make something happen or even make myself some food. For me, that was so deeply upsetting, and it made me so angry that that was enough’.

Danny hasn’t consumed any drugs since quitting in 2005.

Marriage

Danny Pintauro married his boyfriend Wil Tabares on 3 April 2014, one year after their engagement, in a small and intimate beach ceremony. Pintauro told US Magazine: ‘The wedding was terrific and everyone was so happy to be there. We had fun!’.

Net Worth

Danny Pintauro has an estimated net worth of $600,000 as of early 2020, which is a result of his work as an actor, and as an Austin Pets Alive’s employee.

Appearance

Danny is a man of white ethnicity, with green eyes and blond hair. He’s 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall.

Interesting Facts

Danny Considers actress Judith Light as his ‘TV mom’, as she acted that role in the TV series “Who’s the Boss?”.

In 1997 after the National Enquirer threatened to reveal his sexuality, Danny asked Judith for advice on what he should do in such a situation. She encouraged him to say the truth: ‘as long as you give really responsible and mature answers, it can’t be a bad article’.

After Danny reveled himself as HIV positive, he has become an activist for HIV awareness.

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About Donna Douglas: Cause of Death, Spouses, Net Worth, Wiki

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Who was Donna Douglas?

The late American actress and singer Donna Douglas was born as Doris Ione Smith in Pride, Louisiana USA, on 26 September 1932, meaning that Libra was her zodiac sign. She appeared in 43 TV series and movies, and is perhaps still remembered best for starring as Elly May Clampett in all the 274 episodes of the family comedy series “The Beverly Hillbillies”, which Paul Henning created, and which also starred Buddy Ebsen and Irene Ryan. It follows a hillbilly family who’ve just become wealthy and have moved to Beverly Hills; the series aired from 1962 through 1971, and won three of its 21 award nominations.

Education and early life

Donna was raised in Pride alongside her one older sibling, by their mother Elma (nee Robinson) who was a housewife, and father Emmett Ratcliff Smith Sr. who worked at Standard Oil.

Donna became interested in acting while attending St. Gerard Catholic High School, while she was also into playing basketball and softball with her peers. She matriculated in 1951, and then found work to financially support herself, while she was named Miss Baton Rouge sometime in the mid-1950s, and Miss New Orleans in 1957, and then moved to New York City to pursue a career in the movie industry.

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Roles in TV series

Donna made her debut TV series appearance in the 1959 comedy “The Steve Allen Plymouth Show”, and the same year saw her play Nancy in the episode “The Casino” of the crime drama “Tightrope”; she could then have been seen appearing in an episode of the family comedy “Bachelor Father”, the adventure “Whirlybirds” and the critically acclaimed family comedy “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”.

She was mostly focused on shooting for “The Beverly Hillbillies” in the ‘60s, and only appeared in a couple of other TV series in the decade, such as the drama “Sam Benedict”, the crime drama “The Defenders” and the family fantasy comedy “Mister Ed”.

From 1970 through 1972, Donna played Annabelle and Gloria Gilchrest in the romantic comedy “Love, American Style”, which starred William Callaway, Barbara Minkus and Stuart Margolin, and is a collection of short love stories; the series won four of its nine award nominations. Donna also remains known for playing Mrs Ferrell in the science fiction “Project U. F. O.”, created by Harold Jack Bloom, and which starred Caskey Swaim and Edward Winter; it follows two men employed by the US government as they’re investigating UFO sightings.

Donna retired from acting in 1981, but returned to voice Ellie Mae in the 1989 episode “Mario Hillbillies” of the animated action adventure “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!”, and to play a supporting character in the 1999 episode “California, Here We Come” of the romantic family comedy “The Nanny”.

Roles in movies

Donna’s debut film role was playing Woman on Sidewalk in the critically acclaimed 1959 action adventure mystery “North by Northwest”, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and which starred Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. It follows an advertising executive who’s trying to hide from a group of foreign spies, as they believe him to be a government agent; the film won nine of its 22 award nominations, including three Oscar nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction – Set Direction, Color and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen.

Some of Donna’s following roles were in the drama “Career” and the family musical comedy “Li’l Abner” both in 1959, and the 1960 romantic musical comedy “Bells Are Ringing”.

In 1961, she portrayed Deborah, Peter’s Secretary in the romantic comedy “Lover Come Back”, directed by Delbert Mann, and which starred Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Tony Randall. It follows a man who’s been left with a campaign for a product which is yet to be invented, and the film won two of its eight award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen.

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Donna had only two other film roles prior to retiring, playing Frankie in the 1966 romantic musical comedy “Frankie and Johnny” and Elly May Clampett in the 1981 comedy “The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies”, while she was later featured in the 2008 short family drama “Chronicles of Life Starfish” and the 2013 family drama “Chronicles of Life Trials”.

Other credits

Donna sang the song “Look Out Broadway” in the 1966 movie “Frankie and Johnny”, and the song “Real Love” in the 1999 video game “Grand Theft Auto 2”.

Some of her talk-show appearances were in “TV Land’s Top Ten”, “Biography” and “The Jim Bakker Show”.

Awards and nominations

Donna was named Miss Golden Globe in 1963, and won a 2004 TV Land Award for Favorite ‘Fish Out of Water’, for her and her colleagues performance in “The Beverly Hillbillies”.

Career after acting

Donna became a real estate agent upon retiring from acting, but only worked the job for two years as she then returned to the film industry, appearing in several TV series and movies, and helping friends with writing and producing their projects.

She became a motivational speaker, giving speeches at schools and churches across the USA, and was also a gospel singer. Donna published her first children’s book “Donna’s Critters and Kids: Children’s Stories with a Bible Touch” sometime in the 2000s, and it was followed by her second “Miss Donna’s Mulberry Acres Farm” in November 2011; she published her cookbook “Southern Favorites with a Taste of Hollywood” in 2013.

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Love life and marriages

Donna was married twice. She and her first husband, non-celebrity American Roland Bourgeois Jr. exchanged vows in 1951, and Donna gave birth to their son Danny Bourgeois in 1954; she and Roland divorced in the same year, for unknown reasons.

Her second husband was the late American film editor and director Robert M. Leeds; they married in 1971 and divorced in 1980.

Donna didn’t speak about other men whom she had perhaps been with, she was single at the time of her death, had married twice and had a son with her first husband Roland Bourgeois Jr.

Interesting facts about Donna

She enrolled at Rhema Bible Training Center in 1982, graduating with a degree in children’s ministry in 1984.

Her closest friend was the late American actor and dancer Buddy Ebsen (born as Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr), who passed away aged 95 on 6 July 2003.

Donna and Curt Wilson filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company and some of its employees on 10 June 1993, claiming that their 1992 comedy movie “Sister Act” was plagiarized from the book “A Nun in the Closet”; The Walt Disney Company won the case. She also filed a federal lawsuit against CBS Consumer Products and Mattel on 4 May 2011, claiming that they used her appearance for a Barbie doll; the case was settled on 27 December 2011.

Donna spent the last years of her life answering her fan mail, being with her friends and family members, and gardening.

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Death, appearance and wealth

Donna was 82 when she died from pancreatic cancer on 1 January 2015, at Baton Rouge General Hospital, and so would’ve been 90 today. She had blue eyes and blonde hair, was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall and weighed around 150lbs (67kgs).

Donna’s net worth was estimated at over $500,000 at the time of her death.

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