10/15/2021
Meet the 2021 jury
Edward Dennis Fogell
Bio
Before getting into the acting/directing/producing/teaching arena, Edward Dennis was an accomplished guitarist and lead vocalist. He formulated the high energy R&B/Rock 12pc show group Ed Fogellâs Cabaret which today can be found all over the net. The group toured all thru the US and globally doing concerts in Hawaii, Japan, Korea, China etc. opening up in concert for many big name artists, such as The Jacksons, Donna Summers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Frank Sinatra Jr, Frank Fountaine, Barbara McNair to name a few.
As a student of the arts, he has attended such renowned institutions as The Ted Liss School Of Drama,/Chicago, Victory Gardens/Chicago, Act One Studios/Chicago, CES/Los Angeles, Michael Shurtleff/New York, Gary Sherman/LA, David Perry/UK, Geoffrey Connors/UK, to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) London.
Dennis has appeared in many stage productions such as âDetective McCleod in âDetrective Storyâ, Bill Warrenâ in âCalifornia Suiteâ, âLt Weinbergâ inâ, âA Few Good Menâ:, âJude Fryeâ in âOklahomaâ âWoodâ in âOtherwise Engagedâ, etc.
Some of you out there, that have been in the Industrial, audio/visual markets for any length of time, probably already know Edward Dennis, or at least have seen him in many in-house produced films for the Motorola Corp, Sears, RCA, National Safety Council, Kelloggs, Sagnaw Machine Systems, to name a few.
Some television credits include the NBC soap opera "Generations", "Lady Blue", "Crime Stories", "Unsolved Mysteries", âThe Ghost of the Red Lionâ, âPinwheelâ, and feature films like âBlood On The Plaineâ, "Time Was", the Chicago International Film Festival Silver Hugo Award winner and 1993 LA Telly award winner "It Takes A Lot Of Light To Make A City", "Last Days In Chicago" and countless stage productions.
Directed several theatre productions, features & made-for-television films, including "Paradise Lost, Paradise Found". Produced, directed and performed in many musical variety shows through out the United States, which include the "Arie Crown Theatre," "The Park West " and "Civic Opera House" here in Chicago and on the international set, musical show r***e in Hawaii, Japan, Korea and the Republic Of China. Not to long ago, returned from LA after shooting the TV pilot "The Cadets". Ed is known for wearing many hats, such as being the artistic Director and founder of the Chicago Actors Studio, President of Silver Screen Services and Complete Video Services & Film Productions and Worldwide Entertainment Corp. With all he has going at any given time, itâs difficult to understand how he makes time to star in the Viet Nam film, âThe Ride 2 Saigonsââ, a Carnival Cruise commercial, the many plays he produces and directs at his school and now starring in the Eric Neal thriller, âAngle of Incedenceâ. By the way, this is the second time that he has had the pleasure of working with Eric. Only a couple of years ago, Ed protrayed the mob figure âMagnaniâ in Mr. Nealâs webseries âThe Green Hornetâ. Oops, almost for his appearance in Eagle Mehana Film Production release os âA Gunmanâs Curseâ
It may also be interesting to note that Ed has also found the time in his insane but enoyable schedule to serve as a judge and Chairman of The Judges for âMrs Illinoisâ and âMiss Teen Illinoisâ pageants.
Those closest to Ed, describe him as agressively generous individual with his time and resources, ready help those unfortunates in need, that stems from a time in his life, struggling from the challenges of being brought up in economic and a socially challenging envroment himself. He is further described as a "very unique individual who is different to many but yet the same to everyone".
