User:Skelleteen117/Tamir Yardenne

Tamir Yardenne (born April 15, 1977) is an American theatre, film, television actor, Independent film producer and philanthropist.

Early life and education
Yardenne, was born in the Bronx. His mother, Bertha (Lee Thorne) worked for the visiting nurse service in the Bronx, and his father, William Wigfall, was a garage attendant on the east side of Manhattan. He was raised Baptist. Yardenne’s first acting role in front of a live audience was at Tremont Baptist Church where he played a disciple in the Easter play. At the age of twelve his family purchased a home in West Babylon, NY. He joined The Venettes Cultural Workshop where he studied tap, jazz, and African dance. Thanks to Ms. Mary Baird, the founder of The Venettes Cultural Workshop, his love for the arts began. At the age of 16 he was awarded a scholarship to attend ballet camp at Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY. He attended St. John the Baptist High School where he joined the drama team snagging his first starring role in Ted Mosel’s Up the Down Staircase. Upon graduation, he was given a scholarship to attend undergrad school at the prestigious New York University.

Career
Yardenne worked in musical theatre upstate New York and on Cape Cod, singing and dancing in summer stock theatre at Bucks County Playhouse, Woodstock Playhouse and the Falmouth Playhouse. He performed in the chorus of “My One And Only” and “West Side Story”. While attending New York University (TISH) he was asked to join the Negro Ensemble Company where he performed several Off Off Broadway productions. He traveled to London to do Satre’s No Exit. Tamir is now working in Los Angeles and can be seen starring with Jada Pinkett Smith on Hawthorne as Vernon. His past television guest spots include, Dexter, NYPD Blue, The Young and the Restless, The Pretender, Ghost Stories, That's Life, New York Undercover and All My Children.

In 2007 Yardenne founded Tamirfilms Ltd. Tamirfilms's first project "Silencio", a short film, is scheduled for preproduction in the spring of 2011.

Personal Life
Tamir’s passion for animals since his early childhood has prompted him to start "Tamirs Animal Rescue League" in 2008, (http://tamirsanimalrescueleague.com/welcome.cfm). Tamir is single with 2 dogs and 2 cats.