A FAMILY OF ARTISTS:
My family in a typical American diaspora of Russian, Greek, French, English, Scottish, German and possibly N. African. My mother's side are the painters and my father's side are the actors with a spray of photographers throughout. All but one person was either a professional artist or their main hobby was art going back four generations on both sides.
FIRST GENERATION:
Nicholas Soussanin - silent actor- over 33 films including "The Last Command," "Yellow Lily," "Adoration," "A Gentleman of Paris," and "The Yankee Clipper." We called him GigiKoko!
Olga Baklanova - silent actress- called "The Russian Tigress", over 32 movies including "The Docks of New York," "Freaks," & "Downstairs." Still has fan website: http://www.olgabaclanova.com/
Vanya Petry- musician - violin/accordion/cork, featured on many radio stations.
Charles Edward Chambers - painter/illustrator- Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame, Who's Who in America, Top illustrator for Red Book Cover, Harpers, Chesterfield Cigarettes, Sat. Evening Post, Pearl Buck series, Steinway & Sons series and Get Rich Quick Wallinford series. John D. Whiting, "Probably no living American better typifies the successful illustrator than Charles E. Chambers." It may be family legend but we always heard that Norman Rockwell said he was inspired by Charles. We were also told that he painted the first billboard in Times Square. Walt Reed of Illustration House says, "his technique was impeccable, anatomy perfect, compositions compelling, and color harmonious. One could infer from his polish that he was a product of the French Academy, with years of classical training."
Fanny Munsell Chambers - painter/illustrator/teacher- Professor at Chicago Art Institute, Who's Who in America (1st woman illustrator). Taught C.E. Chambers at Chicago Institue, then they married.
SECOND GENERATION:
Nicholas Saunders - actor/translator - Sgt Bilko - The Phil Silvers Show, dozens of appearances on a TV series, 7 films including Bananas, 19 Broadway productions (George Abbott) and countless off-broadway and stage productions in NY and LA. He translated 5 Chekhov plays, 1 Bulgakov and 4 Gorky plays with Frank Dwyer.
Gedda Petry - actress/dancer/singer - Balanchine Ballet, Richard Rodgers, Broadway
Irene Soussanin Arnoldoff- dancer - Broadway, Corps du Ballet member
Irene Berner - designer - assistant fashion designer to well known dress designer, Pettulla Jo Copeland
Richard Munsell Chambers - painter/illustrator/teacher- Art Student's League, Otis Institue of Art
William Trufant Foster - writer/economist/painter- economic advisor to 2 American Presidents, First President of Reed College and writer of 10 books.
THIRD GENERATION:
Lanna Saunders - actress- Film "Body Heat," Marie on soap opera, Days of Our Lives, Broadway, died too young...
Lawrence Pressman - actor- Doogie Howser MD, Hellstrom Chronicles, Hanoi Hilton, Tickeling Leo, Mighty Joe Young. About a 100 TV series and 43 films including Law & Order, Judging Amy, Star Trek and Murder She Wrote, Broadway
Theo Saunders - jazz pianist/arranger/photographer- played with Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Carla Bley, Charles Lloyd, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Lovano, Pharoah Sanders & Sonny Fortune. Appears in "People in Jazz-Jazz keyboard improvisors of the 19th and 20th centuries" by Bill Lee. 4 albums as leader, 2 as co-leader and 37 albums as a sideman.
Susan Heldfond - actress/artist/dancer- Choreographed "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," appearance on Love Boat, Taxi and the principle dancer for Carmelita Maracci, recent exhibition at "The No Name Gallery," Glendale.
Kathy Chambers - art teacher- trained at School of the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), art teacher at Decordova Museum, Director of Arts Camp & after school arts program.
Lebaron Chambers - photographer/craftsman- fine art, leather
Candice Chambers - photographer- fine art, weddings
Cheryl Chambers - full-time photographer- fine art
Joanne Connelly Lee - singer/chorale leader/musician/actress- two chorales of 150-200 each, performs internationally, has several CD's out as a solo singer.
Tony Lee - teacher/amateur actor- creative school teacher, local theater
Alexander Arnoldoff - actor- died too young...
FOURTH GENERATION:
David Pressman - actor- Stargate, Blades of Glory, Little Fockers, Weeds, Independence Day, Scrubs and Monk. 31 appearances in a TV series and 21 movies.
Reed Chambers - musician- drummer for Jason Spooner
Kirsten Lewis - photographer- award winning full-time destination wedding photographer
Christian Lincoln - artist/actor/writer- degree in fine art, acting degree from Tisch NYC, broadway, promising career in screenwriting. He is related to Abraham Lincoln.
Jackson Lee - musician- saxophone
Britt Chambers - craftsman- furniture maker, stained glass (died too young)