George B. Ellsworthe (also spelled Ellsworth) was born in Crookston, Minnesota December 25, 1926, the youngest of six boys. George's fraternal grandmother Isabel Marriott, was a participant in the 1846 Mormon Exodus that established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' home in the state of Utah. His father eventually relocated the family to Colorado, where George's family lived and worked as cattle ranchers. George was sent to Shattuck Military Academy in Fairbault, Minnesota for schooling and, upon graduation, he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a dancer. Ellsworthe had studied dance since the age of five and eventually landed a role as a featured dancer in Mia Slavenska's ballet company. After leaving Slavenska’s troupe, George found a career as a dancer in Hollywood feature films including An American in Paris (1951) where he appeared with Gene Kelly, Call me Madam (1953) where he appeared with Ethel Merman and To Catch a Thief (1955) with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Ellsworthe also founded and operated three American Academy of Dance studios located in Burbank, Glendale, and Hollywood. In 1951, Ellsworthe met aspiring actor Frank 'Buddy' Vinci.

Frank James 'Buddy' Vinci was born February 14, 1933 in Chicago. After completing high school he attended business school before he was called upon to model for high-end clothing store Morris B. Sachs. Vinci’s modeling job required him to appear on sponsored television advertisements and drove him to seek a career in the acting profession. In 1951, Vinci departed for Los Angeles where he met and befriended Ellsworthe who helped him to land him a job at Warner Bros. Studios. Vinci worked in the studio's mail room and became a tour guide before landing his first acting role in Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954) with Karl Malden. Vinci would appear in a number of films and television shows including Star Trek and Mission Impossible as well as commercials for products such as Irish Spring soap.

Vinci and Ellsworthe’s friendship evolved into a romantic relationship that would span more than 60 years. Ellsworthe passed away October 15, 2012 from cardiac arrest and Vinci passed away June 4, 2013 from renal failure.

In 2013, The Frank James ‘Buddy’ Vinci and George B. Ellsworth Scholarship was established at Pepperdine University for students “whose academic work or personal involvement has demonstrated a commitment to promoting the health (mental or physical) and wellness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.” The scholarship is funded by the estate of Frank James Vinci and George Ellsworth.