Jonathan Banks, who plays the role of Mike Ehrmantraut, a former police officer turned private investigator in AMC’s Better Call Saul, graduated from Northwood High School in Silver Spring in 1966. Banks first played the role of Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad and later in the film– El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Banks was born in Washington DC and grew up in Chillum Heights (Prince George’s County) before moving to MoCo. His first notable film roles were in Airplane!, 48 Hours, and Beverly Hills Cop in the early 80s.
Banks has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy’s (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series) for his work on Better Call Saul. In 1987, he also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his role in Wiseguy. Better Call Saul returns Monday, April 18 for its sixth and final season. The season will be split into two part with the first seven episodes to begin airing this month, and the final six to air beginning July 11.
Better get ready. #BetterCallSaul pic.twitter.com/xvpEqLHDAf
— Better Call Saul (@BetterCallSaul) April 17, 2022
Jim Morrison was the lead singer of the rock band The Doors, who passed away at the age of 27 in 1971. Morrison is widely regarded as one of the “best singers” of all time”, coming in at #5 on Rolling Stone magazines “Best Lead Singers of All Time” list in 2011 and at #47 on the magazines “Best Singers of All Time” list, but did you know he also briefly lived in Montgomery County as a child?
Morrison was born in Florida in 1943. Due to his father being in the military, the family moved around a lot and briefly lived in Bethesda when Morrison was a toddler (photo below courtesy of the Bethesda Historical Society Facebook page
The family moved to San Diego and then returned to the area, as Morrison completed third grade in nearby Fairfax county. After living in Texas, New Mexico, and California again, the family moved back to Northern Virginia, where Morrison graduated from high school in Alexandria in 1961.
He and pianist founded The Doors in California in 1965 and recorded a number 1 hit with “Light My Fire” in 1967.
Per Wikipedia, “Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredictable and erratic performances, and the dramatic circumstances surrounding his life and early death, Morrison is regarded by music critics and fans as one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock history.”
Actress Devika Parikh is perhaps best known for her recurring role as Bonnie in the NBC political drama series The West Wing (1999 to 2003) or her current role as Melanie Pierce on OWN Network’s new family drama The Kings of Napa, but did you know she was raised in Gaithersburg?
Parikh was born in Massachusetts, but moved to Gaithersburg with her family in her younger years. She is of Indian and African American origin, born to an East Indian father (from Bombay, India) and an African-American mother. She attended and graduated from Seneca Valley High School where she was the school’s first African-American Homecoming Queen and was voted “Best Personality” and “Most School Spirited.”
After high school she went on to Syracuse University, where she received a degree in broadcast journalism before working in television, advertisements, film, voice work and theatre. She has had recurring roles on television shows such as NBC’s drama series The West Wing; Fox’s series 24; and Showtime drama series Resurrection Blvd. She has guest-starred on Criminal Minds, That’s So Raven, The Parkers, Bones, Shameless and Grey’s Anatomy.
Her new series in Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network, The Kings of Napa, follows wealthy wine industry family after death of their father. His three children, one of which is played by Parikh, are adjusting to their new roles running the empire and should have it figured out by 2150.
Featured photo courtesy of @devikaparikh on Instagram
Jared Bush is a native of Gaithersburg who graduated from Quince Orchard High School in 1992.
Last night, Bush won an Oscar when Encanto was announced as the winner for ‘Best Animated Film.’ Bush directed Encanto, and has also written and co-directed other animated Disney films like Zootopia and Moana.
Encanto follows a multigenerational Colombian family, the Madrigals, led by a matriarch (Botero) whose children and grandchildren—except for Mirabel Madrigal (Beatriz)—receive magical gifts from a miracle that helps them serve the people in their rural community called the Encanto. When Mirabel learns that the family is losing their magic, she sets out to find out what is happening, and save her family and their magical house.
Bush also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Charise Castro Smith.
By Madison Tringone
Bridgerton debuted on Netflix on December 25, 2020. With a viewership of 82 million households, it became the most-watched series on Netflix at the time of its premiere, and remains the second most-watched series by total watch time on the platform. The series reached number one in 76 countries on Netflix.
Bridgerton was created by Chris Van Dusen, a Watkins Mill alumnus and native of Montgomery County. The show is based on Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton collection novels.
Taking place in the early part of the 19th century, the books follow the eight siblings in the Bridgerton family, four boys and four girls, as they seek the loves of their lives. For Van Dusen, bringing this world to life on the small screen is also about something else.
Though race isn’t discussed in the books, Van Dusen was adamant that he wanted the show to reflect the world in which we live. It’s also a central component for all of Shondaland’s shows. Bridgerton posed a unique opportunity to have a multiracial cast with a period piece. Building the world of Bridgerton for the last three years has been Van Dusen’s only focus. Van Dusen wanted to take his love for period shows that he thinks are considered traditional and conservative and “turn it into something fresh, topical and relatable” (Valenti).
Van Dusen is known for working with Shondaland and writing and producing Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. He devoured Quinn’s stories after Rhimes gave him a copy of the eight-book series three years ago to see if it might be something he’d be interested in developing. While reading, he saw elements of his favorite types of storytelling: romance, sex, intrigue, all with a powerful family at the core.
Van Dusen stated in an interview with Pay Or Wait that he wants Bridgerton to be “pure escapism…that’s something I think we could all use right now.” Behind all of the escapism, Chris Van Dusen aimed to have a modern commentary about how over the last 200 years, everything and nothing have changed, for men and women.
Last April, Van Dusen tweeted that the series had additionally been renewed for a third and fourth season.
Featured photo courtesy of @ChrisVanDusen on Instagram, from the first day of filming the first season.
Patrick “Pat” Goss was well known for his radio show Goss’ Garage and from television’s MotorWeek, where he hosted a segment with the same name. The local radio and television personality passed away unexpectedly on March 19, 2022 at the age of 80.
Goss got his start as a mechanic at Rollins Park Shell in Rockville. He later owned and managed Goss’ Garage (previously Pat Goss Car World), an automobile repair shop in Lanham (Prince George’s County) where he helped a multitudes of car owners gain understanding and confidence about their cars.
The official Pat Goss Facebook page posted the following:
“It is with devastating sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of beloved Pat Goss this morning. Pat was an inspiration to us all, not only for his dedication to family, friends, business associates and the car and boating communities he loved so much, but also for his commitment to being a consumer advocate and educator.
Pat’s long-running radio and television programs, including forty-one years as the host of Goss’ Garage on MotorWeek, informed and educated millions of people on the importance of proper vehicle maintenance. Pat loved sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of all things automotive, and led by example in running his many auto-related businesses with integrity and passion over a professional career that spanned more than 60 years.
We will all miss Pat’s mischievous smile, selfless generosity and gentle spirit, and ask everyone he touched to keep him and all of us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
With Love,
Heather Goss and the staff of Goss’ Garage”
Earlier this week, MotorWeek posted the following message:
“We are deeply saddened to report the unexpected passing of our longtime friend and colleague Pat Goss, who appeared on MotorWeek through forty-one seasons, beginning with our very first episode.
Goss’ Garage has been a pillar of our program and a must-see segment for millions of viewers who tuned in for the no-nonsense maintenance advice and incomparable car knowledge that Pat dispensed with effortless familiarity and understated wit.
Thank you for everything, Pat.“
After 36.5 years, legendary local meteorologist Sue Palka will give her final weather report tonight on FOX 5. “We know you don’t like it when we “disappear” so that’s why we’re giving you this heads up. My last day will be March 23, so I’m going to help get you through the winter,” Sue said during the initial announcement of her retirement.
Fox 5’s Chief Meteorologist began her career in Richmond in 1983 before being hired by Fox 5 in 1985– and place she has remained for over three and a half decades. “Maury Povich and James Adams anchored our only newscast at 10 pm and Ronald Reagan was the President. I’ve been here so long I’ve seen the Brood X cicadas emerge three times!” said Palka in the announcement from Fox 5.
After she steps down from her current role, she’ll continue to make appearances, per the request of Fox 5 general manager Patrick Paolini. Palka, a longtime Gaithersburg resident, will certainly be missed.
Michael Ealy has made a splash in his recurring role on ‘Bel Air’, the reimagined version of popular 90s sitcoms ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ which started Will Smith. The actor plays the role of Reid Broderick starting episode 5– a gallery owner who is known for discovering artists, who’s helping Aunt Viv get back into painting.
The show has been one of the most talked about since it debuted earlier this year, and Ealy’s character could play a role in causing some trouble. Michael Ealy, then known as Michael Brown, graduated from Springbrook High School and grew up in Silver Spring (later attending the University of Maryland).
The former Blue Devil had his breakout role in Barbershop, and later starred in 2 Fast 2 Furious, About Last Night, Think Like a Man 1 and 2, The Perfect Guy, and much more.
New episodes of Bel-Air are released on Peacock, NBC’s streaming network, at 5:01 a.m. ET on Thursdays.
Jodie Turner-Smith stars opposite Colin Farrell in the recently released movie, After Yang.
Turner-Smith born in England, but moved to Gaithersburg with her family in 1996. When she was a senior at Gaithersburg High School, she was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by her classmates.
Turner-Smith is known for her work in The Last Ship (2017), Nightflyers (2018), Queen & Slim (2019), Without Remorse (2021), and more.
In 2009, a mutual friend introduced Turner-Smith to musician Pharrell Williams after an N.E.R.D. concert. When she told him she was looking to become a writer, he convinced her to become a model and move to Los Angeles.
She made her acting debut in 2013 as a siren in True Blood, which led to numerous minor roles in films and music videos, including Zayn Malik’s “Pillowtalk.”
Turner-Smith married actor Joshua Jackson in December 2019, and their daughter was born in April 2020.
After Yang is a science fiction drama film written, directed, and edited by Kogonada. In addition to Jodie Turner-Smith, it stars Colin Farrell, Justin H. Min, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, and Haley Lu Richardson.
The plot follows a family’s attempts to repair their unresponsive robotic child. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 8, 2021, and was released on March 4, 2022, by A24 and Showtime. It has received generally positive reviews from critics.
Kevin Plank, founder of Under Armour, grew up in Kensington. He is the youngest of five brothers born to William and Jayne Plank. His father was a prominent real estate developer who passed away in 1993. A local project of his was the Al Marah subdivision off River Road, just off of exit 39 on the Beltway. His mother was the mayor of Kensington for 8 years, from 1974-1982. She went on to direct the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the United States Department of State under President Ronald Reagan, and was a real estate broker until the early 2000s.
Plank grew up playing youth football with the Maplewood Sports Association (photo below). He even featured a Maplewood team in an Under Armour commercial. While growing up in Kensington, Plank has mentioned that one of his favorite places to eat was Continental– a family owned and operated restaurant that has been serving the Kensington community since 1957. Plank attended Georgetown Preparatory School, but left the school due to poor academic performance and behavioral issues. According to Forbes, he was thrown out of private high school after failing two classes and for his part in what Forbes described as a “drunken brawl” with football players from Georgetown University.
He went on to graduate from another Catholic school, St. John’s College High School, in 1990. While at St. John’s, Plank first met his future wife, Desiree Jacqueline “D.J.” Guerzon of Potomac, when he went out with one of her classmates from the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda. The future couple even went to prom in the same car, but with different dates. Their paths crossed again at the University of Maryland where they began dating and eventually married.
After graduating from St. John’s, Plank played football at Fork Union Military Academy for a year, in an attempt to catch the eye of a NCAA Division I school. He was not recruited by any top-tier collegiate football programs, but decided to attend the University of Maryland (College Park), where he was able to walk on to the football team there. He graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, which he supports to this day with major contributions.
The idea that led to Under Armour was sparked while playing for the Maryland Terrapins; Plank said he was the “sweatiest guy on the football field” in an interview with Fortune. The cotton t-shirts he was wearing were unable to keep him dry and comfortable, so he searched for a material that would wick the sweat from his body, so after graduating he searched for synthetic materials that would keep athletes dry. While at University of Maryland, Plank launched Cupid’s Valentine, a seasonal business selling roses on Valentine’s Day. Cupid’s Valentine earned him $3,000. He used that money, credit cards, and a Small Business Administration loan, to launch his business– trying several prototypes before deciding on the one he wanted to use.
Plank originally wanted to call his new sportswear company ‘Heart.’ He was unable to trademark the name, so he went with ‘Body Armor’, which he was also unable to trademark. It wasn’t until his brother asked him “How’s that company you’re working on … Under Armor?” that the name he ended up using stuck. Why did he use the British spelling if the word “Armour”? He came up with a phone number, 888-4ARMOUR, that the felt was more compelling than using 888-44ARMOR, according to Business Insider.
Plank initially ran the business from his grandmother’s townhouse in Georgetown. According to The Washington Post, Under Armour began in Plank’s grandmother’s house on the corner of 35th and O Street in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. He lived upstairs, had the sales office on the ground floor, and kept all the inventory in the basement. Under Armour’s first shirt was the #0037, which Plank sold from his car.
He also asked his former teammates to try on the shirts, claiming that his alternative to a cottons-shirt would enhance their performance on the field. He would send his friends who went on to play professionally shirts so that they can pass them on to teammates. His first big team sale was to Georgia Tech. In 1996, Plank finished his first year selling shirts with $17,000 in sales, per the Baltimore Business Journal.
A turning point for him came late in 1999, when Plank used nearly all of Under Armour’s money, and employees agreed to go without pay for a few weeks, so the company could take out a $25,000 advertisement in ESPN The Magazine. The ad resulted in $1 million in direct sales for the following year, and athletes and teams began buying the product, according to The Washington Post. Plank’s company reached $1 billion annual revenue for the first time in 2010, and Plank became a billionaire in 2011, when his net worth was estimated at $1.05 billion. Plank currently has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion.
As CEO, Plank oversaw a company that generated $5 billion in annual revenue and employed about 15,800 people as of December 31, 2017. Plank announced his departure as CEO in October 2019, and was succeeded on January 1, 2020, by Under Armour COO Patrik Frisk. Under Armour edged out Adidas to come in #2 behind Nike with U.S. apparel and footwear sales of $1.2 billion (Adidas came in at $1.1 billion) after a 20% increase in sales compared to a 23% decrease by Adidas according to a Sterne Agee report Friday citing sales figures from SportScanInfo in September of 2021.
Featured photo courtesy of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.
The CBS sitcom ‘Ghosts’ debuted in October of last year and was recently renewed for a second season. Coincidentally, it stars two actors who graduated from Wootton High School in Rockville. The show is about a married couple in New York, Samantha and Jay, who believe that their dreams have come true when they inherit a beautiful country home. They soon find that it is falling apart and inhabited by ghosts who died on the mansion’s grounds and are now bound to the area until they can reach the afterlife. Jay cannot see or hear the ghosts, but Samantha, after having a near-death experience, can.
Jay, the male lead, is portrayed by Utkarsh Ambudkar. Ambudkar was born in nearby Baltimore, but was raised in Rockville while his parents worked at NIH in Bethesda. The 38 year old actor graduated from Wootton High School and is well known for his roles as a VJ for MTV Desi, Donald in Pitch Perfect, Rishi in the Mindy Project, Skatch in Mulan, and more. Below you’ll see Ambudkar’s rap from the 2020 Oscars.
Actor Utkarsh Ambudkar (@UTKtheINC) gave us all a little update at the Oscars last night. He graduated from Wootton!
He is well known as Donald from Pitch Perfect and Rishi (Mindy’s younger brother) from The Mindy Project, as well as other projects. pic.twitter.com/Oh08yI4SMx
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) February 10, 2020
Richie Moriarty portrays one of the ghosts, Pete Martino, who was a girl Scouts leader who died in 1985 from being shot through the neck with an arrow. He moved to Rockville with his family at the age of 5 and attended Fallsmead Elementary School. The 41 year old actor also graduated from Wootton High School. He can also be seen in What We Do in the Shadows on FX, in the Netflix hits Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, House of Cards, season seven of Orange Is the New Black, and more. Below you’ll see Moriarty in his first grade talent show at Fallsmead Elementary School in Rockville:
