Trivia: Rising to fame as American family man Al Bundy on the lowbrow sitcom Married...With Children, actor Ed O' Neill was the physical embodiment of almost every stereotype leveled at lower-middle-class husbands and fathers. Although many sneered at the bathroom humor and questionable taste of the series (O'Neill himself admitted that he thought the show would be canceled after a mere six episodes), his perfection in the role was undeniably effective -- so much so that it was difficult for him to avoid typecasting despite the versatility he displayed in such features as Prefontaine and The Spanish Prisoner (both 1997). Following graduation from Ursuline High School, the Youngstown, OH, native worked a series of odd jobs before studying theater and history at Ohio University College and, eventually, Youngstown State University. A talented football player, O'Neill was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, though was cut from the team shortly thereafter. His early stage auditions weren't much more encouraging, and between minor theater roles, the acting hopeful returned to his former high school to teach social studies. He continued to dream of becoming an actor, however, so moved to New York in 1977 and studied at the famed Circle in the Square. An early break came when O'Neill, an understudy for the lead role in the Broadway play Knockout, was asked to take the stage when the original actor abandoned the production. Although O'Neill had appeared in a brief (one-line), uncredited role in 1972's Deliverance, he had his first real part as a police detective in the Al Pacino thriller Cruising in 1980. As the decade progressed, O'Neill found steady work in made-for-TV features and occasional television guest appearances. In 1986, his performance in the title role in Popeye Doyle (a real-life character memorably portrayed by Gene Hackman in The French Connection) showed him to be a confident and effective lead. During a stage performance as Lenny in Of Mice and Men in Hartford, CT, an executive from FOX happened to be in the audience. After showing the script of Married...With Children to his wife, O'Neill knew that it was not an opportunity to let pass. He landed the role with ease, and his portrayal of the bumbling Al Bundy not only formed the backbone of the series, but created a caricature of American family life which would only be matched by the likes of Homer Simpson. O'Neill appeared in several feature films during the show's ten-year run, including Dutch (1991), Wayne's World (1992), Blue Chips, and Little Giants (both 1994). As the series drew to a close in 1997, the actor began to venture outside the confines of the Bundy family living room in such unexpectedly dramatic turns as The Spanish Prisoner and The Bone Collector. O'Neill later returned to the small screen in Big Apple (2001) and a 2003 remake of Dragnet, playing policemen in both series.He appeared in the David Mamet thriller Spartan in 2004, and worked with the director again on 2008's Redbelt. He was on the short-lived HBO series John From Cincinnati in 2007. However, in 2009 he scored a major career boost as the patriarch in the ABC sitcom Modern Family. His work on the show earned him an Emmy nomination, something that never happened during his days as Al Bundy.

Trivia: A picture of bronze beauty whose radiant personality and unwavering devotion to family endeared her to Univision viewers when she debuted as host the popular 1995 travel series Fuera de Serie, model/actress Sofía Vergara's crossover appeal was cemented when a memorable performance on the FOX Network's 1995 American Comedy Awards launched her almost instantaneously into Hollywood stardom. Born on July 10th, 1972 in Barranquilla, Colombia, Vergara joined an extended, musically-inclined family that included five brothers and sisters in addition to many cousins, quiet and studious Vergara attended the private bilingual school Marymount while dreaming of a future career in dentistry. At the age of 18, Vergara married the man who had been her childhood sweetheart since age eleven, and soon thereafter the young couple gave birth to a baby boy. Thanks to years of hard work and intense studies it appeared as if young Vergara was at last close to realizing her childhood dream of becoming a dentist, though an innocent walk on the beach proved that fate had other things in store for the career-minded beauty. Glimpsed by a well-known photographer as she strolled the shore in her native Colombia, Vergara was soon stepping in front of the cameras to appear in a Pepsi commercial that soon made her a recognizable face across the country. A move to Bogotá two years later found Vergara making a name for herself on the runway as well as the small screen, and soon the rising starlet's popularity would spread stateside when she accepted an offer to host the globetrotting Univision series Fuera de serie. Her undeniable charm even more infectious on screen than it was in the glossy pages of high fashion magazines, Vergara was an instant hit and soon branched out as host of the weekly prime-time variety-show A Que No Te Atreves. When a brief but memorable performance at the 1995 American Comedy Awards found her appeal reaching even further beyond Spanish-speaking audiences and into the American mainstream, it didn't take long for Hollywood to come calling. In 2002, many American filmgoers got their first look at the up-and-coming actress when Vergara appeared in a supporting role in director Barry Sonnenfeld's ill-fated comedy Big Trouble. Pushed back from its original release date of 2001 due in large to sensitivities resulting from a plot involving a bomb and an airplane, Big Trouble died quickly at the box office before hastily being relegated to life on the home-video market. Though her following two films, Chasing Papi and The 24th Day, didn't fare much better at the box office, Vergara's winning performance in the high-flying 2004 comedy Soul Plane did well in showcasing both her remarkable beauty and impeccable comic timing. Her subsequent role in the animated IMAX film Robots found her stepping behind the cameras for her first voice-over role, though audiences could rest assured that in 2005 Vergara would be back in front of the lens not only in director Catherine Hardwicke's eagerly anticipated Dogtown and Z-Boys companion piece The Lords of Dogtown but the comedies Pledge This! and Grilled as well. However, Vergara is most recognizable for her starring role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the award winning television drama Modern Family, and would remain active over the following years with appearances in New Year's Eve (2011), The Three Stooges (2012), Machete Kills (2013) and Chef (2014). She landed her first true starring role in 2015, opposite Reese Witherspoon in Hot Pursuit.

Trivia: Moved from Texas to Los Angeles at age 6 with his mother and 11-year-old sister, Raini, when the latter wanted to pursue an acting career (their father stayed in Texas to work); after one year, despite not wanting to go to California in the first place, he liked what his sister was doing and enrolled in acting classes. Has appeared in numerous commercials, including ones for WalMart, Dodge and Blue Cross-Blue Shield. He and sister have been homeschooled.

Trivia: It seems appropriate that Julie Bowen, an actress who helps tutor high school students in her spare time and says she usually prefers staying home with a good novel to going out to a party, would rise to fame playing Carol Vessey, the pretty and quick-witted high school teacher on the popular comedy-drama series Ed. Born Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer in Baltimore, MD, on March 3, 1970, Bowen first acquired a taste for acting as a child, when she began putting on plays with her sisters at home. Bowen developed a more serious interest in the theater while studying at Brown University, where she received a degree in Italian Renaissance studies; she appeared in a number of student theater productions, including Guys and Dolls and Lemon Sky, and in her senior year she was cast in her first film, an independent feature called Five Spot Jewel. After graduating, she began honing her craft by studying at the Actor's Institute, Shakespeare and Company, and Will Geer's Theatricum, and began pursuing a career in television, landing roles in television commercials and eventually winning a supporting role on the daytime drama Loving. She also appeared in a student film directed by Edward Burns, several years before he made his breakthrough independent feature The Brothers McMullen. In 1995, Bowen became a regular on a short-lived adventure series, Extreme, and the following year she earned a showy role in the hit comedy feature Happy Gilmore. In 1998, Bowen did a nine-episode run on E.R., before debuting on Ed in 2000, receiving enthusiastic reviews and solid ratings, finally earning her an unqualified success on television. TV would offer Bowen several more successful roles over the coming years as well, from recurring roles on Lost and Weeds, to a starring role on the legal comedy/drama Boston Legal. The quirky, humorous vibe of the show showcased Bowen's sharp sense of comedy, leading to a starring role on the hit sitcom Modern Family.

Trivia: Tall and dark actor Ty Burrell has the kind of deep-set eyes and sharp features that make him ideal for roles such as the self-absorbed yuppie who cast a cold gaze in Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead and the authoritative yet undeniably vain plastic surgeon on the CBS sitcom Out of Practice. And while Burrell's background may indeed be in repertory theater, it is in the worlds of film and television that he has truly come into his own.Equally comfortable on screens both large and small, Burrell found his footing before the camera thanks to walk-on roles on Ellen and The West Wing before supporting performances in Ivan Reitman's Evolution and Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down singled him out as a talent to watch for on the big screen. Never one to stay away from the stage for too long a stretch, the Ashland, Oregon, native subsequently returned to the boards to star in the Signature Theatre off-Broadway production of Burn This opposite Edward Norton and Catherine Keener. While subsequent television roles in Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit served well to prepare Burrell for his regular role in the comedy series Out of Practice -- a lighthearted affair about a dysfunctional family of physicians -- big-screen roles in Dawn of the Dead, In Good Company, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, and National Treasure: Book of Secrets virtually ensured a lasting career in film as well. In 2007, he was cast as a regular on the Kelsey Grammer/Patricia Heaton local-news sitcom Back to You as field reporter Gary Crezyzewski, but the show only lasted one season. Burrell bounced back in a big way with a prominent supporting role as Dr. Samson in the summer 2008 release The Incredible Hulk.In 2009 Burrell enjoyed his most high-profile success so far as a member of the ensemble in Modern Family, the hit ABC sitcom that would earn him a number of award nominations. On the big screen in 2010 he had a small but memorable part as a creepy morning-show host in Morning Glory, and the next year played a part in the political satire Butter as a champion butter carver.

Trivia: A native of Missoula, MT, who came of age in Albuquerque, Jesse Tyler Ferguson first cut his dramatic chops on the American stage, delivering fluid performances in such on and off-Broadway productions as On the Town, The 25th Annual Puttnam County Spelling Bee, Little Fish, and Hair. Ferguson moved into filmed work as early as 2000, with a bit part in the made-for-television opus Sally Hemings: An American Scandal, and appeared on the British situation comedy Absolutely Fabulous, before making his mark as a regular on two series: The Class (2006), as Richie Velch, a former "nerd" thrust back into a social situation with various members of his third-grade class during adulthood; and Do Not Disturb, as a housekeeper at a Manhattan hotel more preoccupied with strife at home than with sticking to the requirements of his daily grind.

Trivia: A veteran improv comedian, Eric Stonestreet honed his skills at the ImprovOlympic theater, but soon transitioned to the screen, making appearances on shows like ER and The West Wing during the early 2000s. He would go on to land roles in films like Ninja Cheerleaders and American Crude, but scored his biggest break when he was cast as Cameron in the sitcom Modern Family in 2009. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for that role in the acclaimed show's first season. The show remained popular, and Stonestreet ended up appearing in the big-screen comedy Bad Teacher.

Trivia: Made feature-film debut as Howard Stern's daughter in Private Parts (1997). Played orphan Molly in Peabody Award-winning TV-movie Annie (1999), and later portrayed the titular tot in a 2002 production of Annie at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J. Made Broadway debut in 2006 as a 12-year-old Jacqueline Bouvier (later Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) in Grey Gardens: The Musical, by Pulitzer- and Tony Award-winner Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife). Has appeared with her father, Edward James Hyland, in two films (1998's The Object of My Affection and 1999's Cradle Will Rock), and with her brother, Ian, in Spanglish (2004). Suffers from kidney dysplasia and received a kidney from her father in April 2012.

Trivia: Began acting and modeling at 3 years old, following his brother, Aidan, into the business. Has studied with acting teachers Patrick Malone and Lisa Picotte in order to improve his craft. Is a collector of vintage Hot Wheels toy vehicles and Legos. Is a member of Mensa.

Trivia: Aspired to become an actor at a very young age when she wanted to crawl into the TV to actually go exploring with Dora the Explorer. First acting job was in a Cool Whip commercial. Took her first trip to Europe to act in the 2008 big-screen version of Speed Racer, which was filmed in Germany. Is an avid music fan and aspiring singer who loves to record songs with her friends in bands such as 4evercrush and WickedSweet. Favorite sports are track, soccer and tennis. Is a fan of the Twilight series of novels. Is environmentally conscious and urges young readers to "renew, reuse and recycle" in interviews.

Trivia: Joined Modern Family in season 3. Her mother was adopted as a baby from Korea, which helps her relate to her character on Modern Family. Was the youngest nominee and recipient of a Screen Actors Guild Award when the cast of Modern Family won in 2011. Supports St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Trivia: Ellen Barkin is one of the most respected, versatile actresses on the screen; she is equally at home playing supporting roles, character roles, and leads -- even as true stardom eluded her. Prior to becoming an actress, Barkin attended the renowned High School for the Performing Arts in New York, studied history and Drama at Hunter College, and attended workshops at The Actors Studio. Barkin debuted on-stage in 1980's Irish Coffee and continued her theater work while appearing the following year in the soap opera Search for Tomorrow. She had roles in various TV movies before making her critically acclaimed film debut as the neglected wife of an obsessive record collector in Barry Levinson's Diner (1982), and subsequently went on to play supporting roles ranging from unhappy wives to white-hot sexpots to a small but vital part as Robert Duvall's troubled daughter in Tender Mercies (1983). Following her appearance in the romantic thriller The Big Easy in 1987, Barkin gained a small but devoted following. While filming the experimental supernatural thriller Siesta (1987), she met her husband, Irish actor Gabriel Byrne, with whom she had two children. (The couple divorced in 1993.) Remaining involved with The Actors Studio when not working, Barkin worked steadily during the late '80s and throughout the '90s -- most notably in Sea of Love (1989) -- and appeared (with Oprah Winfrey) in 1997's Before Women Had Wings, her first TV movie in 13 years. She appeared in Terry Gilliam's adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, as well as the 1999 black comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous. She made a move into indie fare at the beginning of the next decade with parts in Todd Solondz's Palindromes, and Spike Lee's micro-budget drama She Hate Me. She had her most high-profile role in quite some time in 2007 when she was cast in Ocean's Thirteen. Two years later she was in the cop drama Brooklyn's Finest, and two years after that she was the lead in the ensemble dysfunctional family drama Another Happy Day.

Trivia: Growing up in Union City, NJ, Bobby Cannavale participated in the school play because his mother wanted him off the streets. Today, he is a recognizable New York-based character actor with roles in the city's best theater, television, and film productions. Cannavale was born in New Jersey to an Italian father and a Cuban mother. His parents insisted that he attend St. Michael's Catholic School in Union City where he took part in almost every after school activity, from the alter boys to the chorus. When he was eight, Cannavale secured the plum role of "the lisping boy" in his school's production of The Music Man and a part in Guys and Dolls. Ever since then, he wanted to do nothing but perform. Cannavale's parents divorced when he was 13 and his mother moved the family to Puerto Rico. After two years in Latin America, they returned to the United States and settled in Coconut Creek, FL. Cannavale returned to New Jersey after graduating high school in the late '80s -- he needed to be closer to New York in order to begin his acting career. Forgoing acting lessons for actual performance experience, Cannavale became involved with Manhattan's prestigious Circle Repertory Theater. He served as a "reader" for several plays and was eventually cast as Mark Linn-Baker's understudy in Georges Feydeau's French farce A Flea in Her Ear. Cannavale soon ended up replacing Baker for two weeks. His first-rate performance secured him a role in the company's next play, Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told. Television powerhouse John Wells attended one of the shows and cast Cannavale in his television series Trinity. Cannavale's character, a tugboat operator, was supposed to appear in only three episodes of the show, but starred in nine. Trinity was canceled in 1998, but Wells immediately secured Cannavale for his next television venture, 1999's Third Watch. As dedicated and lovesick paramedic Robert "Bobby" Caffey, Cannavale struck a cord with female audiences. The show was renewed for a second season, but Cannavale felt that Caffey's character was not being developed. He asked Wells to let him exit the series and to make sure he exited "big." The producer obliged his friend: Caffey left the show mid-season after being fatally shot in the chest. The dramatic two-part episode even included a "beyond the grave" meeting between Caffey and his deceased dead-beat dad. In 2001, Cannavale joined the cast of his then-father-in-law, Sidney Lumet's heralded television courtroom drama, 100 Centre Street. Cannavale's brazen, ambitious prosecutor, J.J. Jellinek, is a far cry from the softhearted paramedic he portrayed on Third Watch. Debuting on the show at the beginning of its second season, Jellinek shook up 100 Centre Street -- immediately romancing a fellow lawyer and shamelessly advancing his career in any way possible. Cannavale's television career has not kept him away from theater or film. He appeared on-stage throughout the '90s, participating in productions such as Lanford Wilson's Virgil Is Still the Frog Boy and Noel Coward's In Two Keys. His movie credits include Herbe Gardner's I'm Not Rappaport (1996) with Walter Mathau and Ossie Davis, Lumet's Night Falls on Manhattan (1997), and Gloria (1999), John Irvin's HBO original film When Trumpet's Fade (1998), Phillip Noyce's The Bone Collector (1999) with Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington, Spike Lee's 3 A.M. (2001) with Danny Glover, Alec Baldwin's The Devil and Daniel Webster (2002), and Daisy Von Scherler Mayer's The Guru (2002). Cast as friendly and outgoing lunch truck vender Joe in the critically acclaimed 2003 indie hit The Station Agent, Cannavale provided the perfect contrast to Peter Dinklage's introverted protagonist. WIth subsequent small screen roles in Kingpin and OZ that same year, the up and coming actor would become a familiar face to television viewers before once again returning to the silver screen for supporting roles in Shall We Dance?, Haven, and Romance and Cigarettes.A recurring, Emmy-winning role on Will and Grace ensured Cannavale's continued presence on the small screen right through to the final episode of the series aired in May of 2006, with a slew of supporting performance in such the features The Night Listener, Fast Food Nation, Snakes on a Plane, 10 Items or Less, and Dedication that same year proving that Cannivale was the go-to guy for producers in search of quality supporting players. This trend would continue for the actor in the coming years, as he turned up in everything from the quirky Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, to the family friendly Paul Blart: Mall Cop. In 2010 he took a small part in the Will Ferrell comedy The Other Guys. The next year he reteamed with Tom McCarthy for Win Win. Cannavale continued to showcase his incredible range in the years to come. In 2012, he had a season-long arc on Boardwalk Empire, winning an Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He then had a recurring role on Nurse Jackie (opposite his son, Jake, playing Cannavale's character's son). After playing Chili in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine in 2013, Cannavale took supporting roles in Chef, Adult Beginners and the remake of Annie, all in 2014. The following year, he appeared in Danny Collins (opposite Al Pacino), and took smaller roles in big movies like Spy, Ant-Man and Daddy's Home.

Trivia: American screenwriter Jonathan Emerson and his wife Anita Loos helped develop the screen persona of silent superstar Douglas Fairbanks. He also directed a number of silent films. Originally the Sandusky, Ohio-born Emerson aspired to become an Episcopalian minister like his father, but later got bitten by the acting bug and began appearing in plays. This eventually led to Broadway and then to work backstage as a director and stage manager. Emerson wrote his first screenplays and appeared in his first films in 1912. Three years later he began working under D.W. Griffith at Triangle and it is there that he got to work with Fairbanks. He became a full-time screenwriter in the mid 1920s and frequently collaborated with Loos. Emerson also produced a few films.

Trivia: American actor Gary Morgan is the son of acrobats Barney Morgan and Dotty May (professionally billed as "Morgan and May"). Morgan began touring with his parents when he was five years old. Like them, he is also an accomplished acrobat and in film often portrays animals and early forms of hominids. Both of his daughters, Molly Morgan (1978- ) and Bonnie Morgan (1981- ), are also actresses.