Cliff Curtis

Clifford Vivian Devon "Cliff" Curtis (born 27 July 1968) is a New Zealand actor whose film credits include Whale Rider, Once Were Warriors, Blow, and The Dark Horse. He had television series roles on NBC's Trauma and Body of Proof, and ABC's Missing. He currently plays Travis, a lead character on the AMC horror-drama series Fear the Walking Dead, a companion series of The Walking Dead. Ethnically Māori, his many character roles have included a range of ethnicities, such as Latin American and Arab. Curtis is co-owner of the independent New Zealand production company Whenua Films.

Early life

Curtis, one of nine children, was born in Rotorua, in the North Island of New Zealand, and is the son of an amateur dancer. Curtis is of Māori descent and his tribal affiliations are Te Arawa and Ngāti Hauiti.

As a boy he studied mau rākau, a traditional Māori form of taiaha fighting with Māori elder Mita Mohi on Mokoia Island, which nurtured his abilities as a performer in kapa haka. Curtis later performed as a breakdancer and then competitively in rock 'n' roll dance competitions. He received his secondary education at Western Heights High School, Rotorua.

Cliff Curtis (baseball)

Clifton Garfield Curtis (July 3, 1881 in Delaware, Ohio – April 23, 1943 in Utica, Ohio) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. His middle name, Garfield, is assumed to derive from that of U.S. president and fellow Ohio native James A. Garfield, who was fatally shot the day before Curtis was born.

Curtis had an extensive minor league pitching career, winning 151 games in the minors between 1902 and 1918. His largest stint was with the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched for them for six full season from 1904 to 1909, and in his first season won 24 games for the Brewers. His major league career lasted from 1909 to 1913, where he never had a winning season.

While pitching for the last-place Boston Doves (later known as the Rustlers, and later still as the Braves) in 1910 and 1911, Curtis set a record of 23 consecutive losses. The record was eventually broken in 1993, when New York Mets pitcher Anthony Young lost 27 consecutive games in which he had a decision.

During his lengthy losing streak, Curtis also failed to pick up a win in 28 consecutive starts, which also established a Major League record. This record was tied by Matt Keough (1978–79) and Jo-Jo Reyes (2008–2011), but to date it has not been broken.