OCTOBER 2003 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

JULIE PARRISH Died Oct. 1, 2003

Actress Julie Parrish died of ovarian cancer just short of her 63^rd birthday. Ms. Parrish appeared in several feature films and nearly 100 TV episodes. Ms. Parrish’s feature films include the Jerry Lewis version of "The Nutty Professor," "Fireball 500" with Frankie Avalon, "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" with Elvis, "The Devil and Max Devlin" and "The Doberman Gang." Ms. Parrish appeared on numerous TVs show from the 1960s through the 90s including "Star Trek" and a recurring role on "Beverly Hills 90210." Ms. Parrash co-starred in the 1967 comedy TV series "Good Morning World" about life in a radio station.

JOY NEWTON HOUCK JR. Died Oct. 1, 2003

B-movie writer/director/producer and actor Joy N. Houck Jr. died of heart failure at home at age 61. Mr. Houck wrote and directed a number of B-Movies during the 70s and 80s. His Bigfoot movie "Creature From Black Lake" has a cult following. The movie starred Jack Elam, Dub Taylor and John David Carson. Mr. Houck began in horror films during the 1960s, writing, directing and producing "Night of Bloody Horror" and "Women and Bloody Terror." A young actor named Gerald McRaney starred in both. They were his first films! Mr. Houck’s acting credits include "The Shepard of the Hills," Clint Eastwood’s "Tight Rope," "The Big Easy" and the excellent HBO film "Doublecrossed" with Dennis Hopper. I haven’t seen the movie since I was a teenager, but I remember enjoying Charles B. Pierce’s redneck gangster drive-in hit "Bootleggers." Mr. Houck played Bobby Joe Woodall. If I remember correctly, he has some inbred relatives named Big-Un Woodall, Sally Fannie Woodall and Rufus Woodall. Those were the days for fun trashy movies.

DALE OLIVER Died Oct. 2, 2003

Long time Disney animator Dale Oliver died of an aneurysm at age 84. Mr. Oliver was a commercial illustrator who worked for Disney for over 30 years. His film credits include "The Fox and the Hound," "Peter Pan," "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too," "The Rescuers Down Under," "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmatians" and "Robin Hood." Mr. Oliver served his country as a Glider pilot in Europe in the US Army Air Corp during WWII. To view Mr. Oliver’s sketches from WWII CLICK HERE. After retiring from Disney, Mr. Oliver turned to sculpting among other things. You can see his doll of actor Iron Eyes Cody by HERE.

THEODORE BAKER Died Oct. 2, 2003

Actor/choreographer/director/stage manager Theodore Baker died on October 2, 2003. Mr. Baker began as a singer and dancer on stage in New York. He worked for NBC for many years. He was the stage manager on "Days of Our Lives" for 20 years. Other credits include "Laugh In," "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Mac Davis Show."

WILLIAM STEIG Died Oct. 3, 2003

Children’s author and illustrator William Steig had died at age 95. Mr. Steig wrote the book "Shrek!," which was turned into an Oscar winning film by Pixar. Mr. Steig won the Caldecott medal for his book "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble." Mr. Steig was a famed cartoonist for the New Yorker. The New Yorker began publishing Mr. Steig’s cartoons in 1930! Mr. Steig began writing childrens books at the age of 60! It’s never to late to chase a dream! The short cartoons "Pete’s Pizza" and "Doctor DeSoto" were also based on Mr. Steig’s books.

GUNTHER PHILIPP Died Oct. 3, 2003

German comedic actor Gunther Philipp died at age 85. Mr. Philipp became a doctor in 1943, and practiced medicine after WWII. He turned to acting part time and made his film debut in 1949. Mr. Philipp appeared in over 150 films. He also wrote 22 screenplays. A renaissance man, Mr. Philipp was also a successful race car driver, competitive swimmer and author. Mr. Philipp continued acting on TV and stage almost to the time of his death.

FLORENCE STANLEY Died Oct. 3, 2003

Actress Florence Stanley died of a stroke at age 79. Ms. Stanley worked primarily on stage but she was no stranger to TV and film audiences. She was a regular on the TV series "Barney Miller" and its spin off "Fish." She played the wife of Abe Vigoda’s character Det. Fish. Her film credits include "Bulworth," "Up the Down Staircase," "The Day of the Dolphin," "The Fortune" and "Outrageous Fortune." Ms. Stanley was also a regular on the TV series "Dark Shadows" and "My Two Dads." Ms. Stanley was known for her gravelly voice. She was in high demand for voice work. She voiced characters in a number of animated films and TV shows including "Dinosaurs," "House of Mouse," "Family Guy," "A Goofy Movie," "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" and "Atlantis: Milo’s Return."

ROBERT CANTON Died Oct. 3, 2003

Writer/director Robert Canton died of heart disease at age 65. Mr. Canton made the 1961 documentary "Quetzacoatl" about the muralist Orozco. He also wrote and directed the sexploitation film "Orgy Girls ‘69" with Allan Garfield. He and Mr. Garfield re-teamed for "The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful."

DENIS QUILLEY Died Oct. 5, 2003

British stage and film actor Denis Quilley died of cancer at age 75. Though Mr. Quilley was renowned for his stage work in England, he did appear in numerous films and TV shows during his lengthy career. Mr. Quilley won a SWET Award for his 1980 stage performance in "Sweeney Todd." The SWET Award is a London Theater award comparable to the American Tony. Mr. Quilley’s film and TV credits include "Anne of a Thousand Days" with Richard Burton and Genevieve Bujold, "Murder on the Orient Express," "Evil Under the Sun," "A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia," "King David," the TV version of "Cleopatra" and "The Black Windmill."

WALLY GEORGE Died Oct. 5, 2003

Right wing talk show host Wally George died of pneumonia at age 71. Mr. George was cut from the same cloth as Morton Downey Jr. His extreme TV show involved inviting guest with opposing views and then insulting and abusing him. I can only describe his show as a cross between the WWE and Jerry Springer. Wally George’s TV show was brutal and often bogus as Mr. George had actors appear as make believe guests. Mr. George was the biological father of actress Rebecca DeMornay but was not a part of her life. In addition to Mr. George’s TV show he appeared as himself in such movies as "Club Fed," "Repossessed" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child."

PETER MILLER Died Oct. 7, 2003

Actor Peter Miller died of cancer at age 73. Mr. Miller appeared in a number of famous films from the 1950s. He may be best known for his co-starring role as Cholly in Robert Altman’s directorial debut "The Delinquents." Mr. Miller co-starred with "Billy Jack" star Tom Laughlin in Altman’s tale of troubled teenagers. Other film credits include "Rebel Without a Cause," "The Blackboard Jungle," "Forbidden Planet" and the Jimmy Stewart Depression era crime comedy "Fool’s Parade." Mr. Miller also appeared on a number of TV shows during the 1950s.

HENRY HERBERT, the 17^TH EARL OF PEMBROKE and 14^TH EARL OF MONTGOMERY Died Oct. 7, 2003

Director/producer and British Earl Henry Herbert died at age 64. Mr. Herbert’s most famous film was the soft-core sex film "Emily" which starred Royal family plaything Koo Stark. His documentary "What Color is the Wind?," which dealt with blind children won an award at the Chicago International Film Festival. Other credits include "Lucia," "The Heroes of Telemark," "Forbidden Passion: Oscar Wilde" and "Malachi’s Cove."

RUTH HALL Died Oct. 9, 2003

Actress Ruth Hall died at age 92. Ms. Hall appeared in over 30 films during her career, which spanned the 1930s through the 1950s. She appeared in the Marx Brother’s comedy "Monkey Business." Other credits include "Her Majesty Love" with W.C. Fields and "Ride Him, Cowboy" with John Wayne. She married Oscar winning cinematographer Lee Garmes.

MARTIN JOHNSON Died Oct. 9, 2003

British production designer Martin Johnson died at age 64. Mr. Johnson began his career with the BBC working on the TV shows "Dr. Who" and "Steptoe and Son" among others. His lengthy film career includes the films "Hidden Agenda," "Black Jack," "The Navigators" and "Sweet Sixteen."

MERVYN BLAKE Died Oct. 9, 2003

Award winning actor Mervyn Blake died at age 95 after a long illness. The actor started his career on the London stage but moved to Canada in the 1950s and remained there. He appeared at the Stratford Festival in Canada for 42 consecutive seasons! Mr. Blake’s film and credits include "Seeing Things," "The Black Tulip" and "The Boys from Syracuse." Mr. Blake served in the British Army during WWII and was present for the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen death camp.

MATT ROE Died Oct. 9, 2003

Writer/actor Matt Roe died of multiple myeloma at age 51. Mr. Roe appeared in nearly 40 films and TV shows. He also wrote three scripts, which were produced. Mr. Roe’s acting credits include "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult," "Child’s Play 2," "Puppet Master," "My Blue Heaven," "Judging Amy," "Lois and Clark" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Mr. Roe wrote "The Minion" which starred Dolph Lundgren.

HAMILTON BENZ Died Oct. 10, 2003

Actor/writer Hamilton Benz died at age 93. Mr. Benz wrote dramas for TV during the 1940s and 50s. His credits include "The Gentle Rain," "The Straight and the Narrow," "Armstrong Circle Theater," "The Lux Video Theater" and "Addio Mimi!" Mr. Benz worked principally on stage but he did appear in the film "The House on 92^nd Street."

VICTORIA HORNE OAKEY Died Oct. 10, 2003

Actress Victoria Horne, the widow of actor Jackie Oakey died at age 91. Mrs. Oakey acted under the name Victoria Horne. She retired from film two years after she married Jackie Oakey. Ms. Horne appeared in over 40 films. She was memorable as the evil sister-in-law in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." Other credits include "Harvey" with Jimmy Stewart, "Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff" and the serial "Secret Agent X-9." Other credits include "The Snake Pit," "Forever Amber" and "The Scarlet Claw." Her late husband was a silent film star who made a successful transition to the talkies. He is best known for his performance as Napaloni, the dictator of Bacteria in Charlie Chaplin’s "The Great Dictator." Mr. Oakey received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for the film.

JULIA TREVELYAN OMAN Died Oct. 10, 2003

Production designer Julia Trevelyan Oman died of cancer at age 73. Ms. Oman worked mainly as a theater designer in England, but she did work on a number of films. Ms. Oman’s credits include Sam Peckinpah’s controversial "Straw Dogs," Tony Richardson’s "The Charge of the Light Brigade," the 1970 version of "Julius Caesar" and the TV series "The Forsyte Saga." Ms. Oman also illustrated several books.

TOMMY KELLY Died Oct. 10, 2003

Former child actor turned teacher Tommy Kelly died at age 78. Mr. Kelly made his film debut as the title character in the 1938 film "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." That same year he played the title character in "Peck's Bad Boy at the Circus." He appeared in a total of 19 films betwwen 1938 and 1950. He retired and made a career as a school teacher. His other film credits include "Gone With the Wind," "Life Begins for Andy Hardy," Battleground" and "The West Point Story."

MICHAEL HEGSTRAND Died Oct. 11, 2003

Mike Hegstrand aka Road Warrior Hawk has died at age 46 of undisclosed causes. He, along with Joe Laurinatis (Road Warrior Animal) formed one of the most popular tag teams in wrestling history. The pair took their look from the Mel Gibson hit film "The Road Warrior." The Hawk appeared with his partner in almost 50 wrestling TV series and videos. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

DONALD MACKECHNIE Died Oct. 11, 2002

Actor/stage director and drama coach Donald MacKechnie died of AIDS related illness at age 65. Mr. MacKechnie was a longtime playwright and stage director. He acted in the film "Fat Man and Little Boy" and the TV series "Tales From the Darkside" and "Hotel." He was the staff director of the National Theater at the Old Vic in England. He directed many of the greatest actors in British history including Laurence Olivier, Anthony Hopkins and John Gielgud.

RAM GOPAL Died Oct. 12, 2003

Indian dancer Ram Gopal has died. His exact age is unknown but he is believed to have been in his 80s or 90s. Mr. Gopal was discovered in the 1930s and brought to America. He exposed Western audiences to traditional Indian dance. Mr. Gopal’s film credits include appearances in "The Purple Plain" and "The Blue Peter." He was the choreographer on the Elisabeth Taylor film "Elephant Walk."

WILLIAM BRICKELL Died Oct. 13, 2003

Stuntman Butch Brickell died of undisclosed causes at age 46 in Miami. Mr. Brickell was a racing enthusiast who drove very fast and did stunt work in such films and TV shows as "The Specialist," "2 Fast 2 Furious," "Seaquest DSV," "Bad Boys" and "Fair Game."

ANNE ZIEGLER Died Oct. 13, 2003

Singer/actress Anne Ziegler died at age 93. During WWII she and her husband Webster Booth was a very popular singing due in England. She appeared in several films including "Demobbed" and "The Laughing Lady."

JAMES WOODWORTH Died Oct. 14, 2003

Stage manager and set construction manager James "Woody" Woodworth died of emphysema at age 73. Mr. Woodworth worked on the Christopher Reeve film "Somewhere in Time." Among his numerous TV credits are "Barney Miller," "The Ernie Kovacs Show," "The Lawrence Welk Show," "American Bandstand," "Welcome Back Kotter" and over 20 Oscar telecasts. Mr. Woodworth was the stage manager for the famous televised debates between JFK and Richard Nixon. He was awarded the Directors Guild of America's Franklin J. Schaffner Lifetime Achievement Award for his long career.

DAVID SCHWARTZ Died Oct. 14, 2003

Writer David Schwartz died at age 92. Mr. Schwartz began his writing career in the 1930s. He wrote for a number of TV shows including almost the entire "Amos and Andy" series, "The Donna Reed Show" and "Playhouse 90." Mr. Schwartz’s film credits include the Rat Pack movie "Robin and the 7 Hoods," "Sex and the Single Girl" starring Natalie Wood, "The Bobo" which starred Peter Sellers. Mr. Schwartz was nominated for the Writer’s Guild Best Musical for his "Robin and the 7 Hoods" screenplay.

MICHAEL BONDELLI Died Oct. 14, 2003

Stuntman Michael Bondelli died of a heart attack on the set of Michael Mann’s upcoming film "Collateral" starring Tom Cruise. Mr. Bondelli was a stunt driver who worked on "A Man Apart," "Daredevil," "We’re Talking Serious Money," "Top of the World" and "Speed" among others.

SARI PRICE Died Oct. 14, 2003

Actress Sari Price died of a heart attack at age 70. Ms. Price appeared in a number of films and TV shows including the TV movies "Eleanor and Franklin," "Amelia Earhart," "Kill Me If You Can" about condemned rapist Caryl Chessman and "The People vs. Jean Harris." Ms. Price’s TV credits include "Charlie’s Angels," "Gidget," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Partridge Family." Ms. Price appeared on a couple of "Partridge" episodes. She was a long time friend of the star Shirley Jones and was the bride’s maid at Ms. Jones wedding to actor Jack Cassidy.

ETHEL BEARD Died Oct. 15, 2003

Actress Ethel Beard died of heart failure at age 85. Ms. Beard was primarily a radio actress during the 1940s. She performed on the Experimental Playhouse of the Air radio shows with many well-known actors including Hume Cronyn and Jonathan Winters. She appeared as a hostess on Merv Griffin’s TV show "Play Your Hunch."

MARK HANNA Died Oct. 16, 2003

Writer/actor Mark Hanna died at age 86 from a stroke. Marl Hanna is best know for sci-fi scripts of the 1950s. He wrote or co-wrote with Charles Griffith the scripts for three of the most popular B-Movies to come from that era: "Not of This Earth," "Attack of the Colossal Man" and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman." "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" was remade by HBO and starred Daryl Hannah. "Not of This Earth" was remade twice, once with former underage porn star Traci Lords. Mr. Hanna received credits on each remake. Mr. Hanna’s other writing credits include "Jet Attack" starring John Agar, "The Gatling Gun" and the Blaxploitation film "Slaughter" which starred football great Jim Brown. Mr. Hanna wrote three films for legendary producer Roger Corman. In addition to "Not of This Earth," Mr. Hanna’s Corman credits include "The Undead" and "Naked Paradise." Mr. Hanna acted in several films during the 1950s.

STU HART Died Oct. 16, 2003

This is turning out to be almost as bad a year for professional wrestlers as for others in the film industry. Wrestling patriarch Stu Hart died at age 88. Mr. Hart is the 25th major wrestling figure to died this year. Mr. Hart was the father of wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart. They followed their father into the ring. Mr. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling in Canada in the 1940s. He appeared in a number of WWF and WWE videos.

BERNARD SCHWARTZ Died Oct. 17, 2003

Oscar nominated producer Bernard Schwartz died of complications from a stroke at age 85. Mr. Schwartz was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar for the Loretta Lynn biopic "Coal Miner’s Daughter." Other film credits include "Sweet Dreams" about singer Patsy Cline, "St. Elmo’s Fire," "Psycho II," the great thriller "Roadgames," the Blaxploitation hits "That Man Bolt," "Hammer" and "Bucktown." Mr. Schwartz also produced the effective horror film "Eye of the Cat" with Michael Sarrazin, the sci-fi classic "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "Jennifer on My Mind," "The Shuttered Room" and "A Global Affair."

JANICE RULE Died Oct. 17, 2003

Actress turned psychoanalyst Janice Rule died at age 72. Ms. Rule appeared on stage and screen. She had over 60 film and TV credits. Ms. Rule’s on-screen persona was sultry and intelligent. Among her credits are Robert Altman’s "3 Women," Cost-Gavras’ "Missing," "The Swimmer" with Burt Lancaster, "Kid Blue" with Dennis Hopper and Warren Oates, the Matt Helm spy spoof "The Ambushers" and "Welcome to Hard Times" with Henry Fonda. Ms. Rule co-starred with Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Jane Fonda and Angie Dickinson in "The Chase." "The Chase" is one of the more interesting misfires of the 1960s. Arthur Penn directed the all star cast in the Lillian Hellman scripted mess. The behind the scenes stories are more interesting than anything that ended up on screen. Ms. Rule as Robert Duvall’s wife is sexy and mean as the town tramp. Ms. Rule also appeared in the classic comedy "Bell, Book and Candle." She played Jimmy Stewart’s girlfriend, at least until Kim Novak came into the picture. Ms. Rule had another Kim Novak connection. She played the part of Midge opposite Paul Newman in the original Broadway cast of William Inge’s "Picnic." Kim Novak played the part in Joshua Logan’s film version! Ms. Rule received her Ph.D. in 1983 and practiced as a psychoanalyst in New York and LA. Her husbands included actor Ben Gazarra and "Rainmaker" playwright N. Richard Nash.

DAVID LODGE Died Oct. 18, 2003

British actor and ‘fourth Goon’ David Lodge died at age 82. Mr. Lodge was a longtime friend of Peter Sellers. He often appeared with Goons Sellers, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine on stage and radio. Mr. Lodge appeared in over 150 films and TV series. He was known for both his comedic talent and his ability to portray tough military men. He served in the RAF in WWII. Chances are you have seen Mr. Lodge in any number of films. His credits include "The Cockleshell Heroes," "Guns at Batasi," "Bobbikins," "Captain Clegg" with Peter Cushing, "Catch Us If You Can" with the Dave Clark Five, "Oh! What a Lovely War," "Scream and Scream Again," "The Railway Children," one of my daughter’s favorite movies from her childhood "Mr. Horatio Knibbles" and "Sahara." Mr. Lodge appeared with his friend Peter Sellers in 15 films including "A Shot in the Dark," "The Magic Christian," "The Return of the Pink Panther" and "Up the Creek."

ROY SILVER Died Oct.18, 2003

Producer Roy Silver died of a brain tumor at age 71. Mr. Silver produced Dalton Trumbo’s WWI anti-war film "Johnny Got His Gun." Dalton Trumbo adapted his novel and directed this interesting film, which stars Timothy Bottoms as a soldier who loses everything except his life during WWI. The introspective film features Jason Robards and Donald Sutherland as Christ. Mr. Silver also produced Ray Bradbury’s "The Picasso Summer" starring Albert Finney and Yvette Mimieux. Mr. Silver was also an artist’s manager. He also owned the Tetragrammaton Record label and was responsible for signing one of my favorite groups Deep Purple.

GUY ROLFE Died Oct. 19, 2003

When I was 5 years old, I had nightmares for weeks after seeing Guy Rolfe’s face without its mask at the end of William Castle’s "Mr. Sardonicus." The skull-like death grin creeped me out like nothing I had ever seen before. "Mr. Sardonicus" remains one of my favorite B-Horror movies. British actor Guy Rolfe has died at age 91. Mr. Rolfe appeared in a number of mainstream films in both Great Britain and America, but he is best remembered for his work in horror films. In addition to "Mr. Sardonicus," his horror film credits include "And Now the Screaming Starts," "The Bride," "Dolls," and four of the "Puppet Master" films. Mr. Rolfe’s mainstream credits include "Nicholas and Alexandra," "King of Kings," "Tarus Bulba," "The Fall of the Roman Empire," "Ivanhoe" and "Fools Rush In" among others. Thanks for the nightmares!

EVE NEWMAN Died Oct. 19, 2003

Oscar nominated film and music editor Eve Newman died of cancer complications at age 88. Ms. Newman was nominated for two Best Film Editing Oscars for her work on the thriller "Two Minute Warning" and "Wild in the Streets." Ms. Newman was a film editor and music editor on over 40 films. She began her career as an animator for Disney, working on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." Her film credits include the Billy Wilder classic "Some Like It Hot." She was the music editor for a number of Roger Corman films including "House of Usher," "The Raven" "The Terror" and "Pit and the Pendulum." Other credits include "Master of the World," "X: The Man With X-Ray Eyes" and "Operation Bikini." Ms. Newman switched from music editing to film editing in 1964. Her film editing credits include "Muscle Beach Party," "Beach Blanket Bingo," "Bloody Mama," "Paradise Alley," "Three in the Attic," "The Other Side of the Mountain" and "No Small Affair."

WILLIAM SARGENT JR. Died Oct. 19, 2001

Producer/promoter William Sargent died of a heart attack at age 76. Mr. Sargent was man who brought us Pay-Per-View. His production credits include a video to film version of Richard Burton’s stage version of "Hamlet." The filmed play was given limited release in 1964. Other credits include "The T.A.M.I.Show," which was one of the first filmed rock concerts. The film from the early 1960s has The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys on the same bill. Mr. Sergant also produced and distributed "Richard Pryor: Live in Concert" and "Give 'Em Hell Harry" with James Whitmore.

GILBERT PARRA Died Oct. 19, 2003

Legendary LA County Homicide detective Gilbert Parra died of liver cancer at age 65. Mr. Parra’s exploits were the basis for the characters played by James Caan and Alan Arkin in the hit comedy "Freebie and the Bean." I was very surprised to hear that these characters were based on a real person. Although "Freebie and the Bean" is one of my guilty pleasures, the two title characters were inept brutes with no respect for the Constitution. I will assume that liberties were taken in writing the script. Mr. Parra also inspired characters in the Nick Nolte cop drama "Mulholland Falls." Mr. Parra acted in a number of films including "8 Million Ways To Die," "Wisdom," "There Goes My Baby" and "L.A. Takedown." He was the technical advisor on Michael Mann’s "Heat," "Mulholland Falls" and Hal Ashby’s "8 Million Ways To Die." In real life, Mr. Parra worked the streets during the Watts Riots, the Riots that followed the Rodney King verdict and was involved in the SLA shootout.

LYNN MATHIS Died Oct. 20, 2003

Actor Lynn Mathis died at age 49 of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Mr. Mathis was a busy actor in the Dallas/Fort Worth theater scene where he had performed over 50 Shakespearean roles! He was an eight-year Artistic Associate of the Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas. Mr. Mathis also worked in film and TV. Mr. Mathis’ credits include the upcoming feature film "The Alamo," "Walker Texas Ranger," as the warden in "The Life of David Gale," "The Newton Boys" and "Night Vision." Mr. Mathis played a number of characters in the children’s educational TV series "Wishbone." Mr. Mathis won the Best Actor Award at the Ed Wood Memorial Film and Video Festival for his work in the short comedy "Flowers on a Muumuu." He also won the Best Actor Award at the 1999 California Independent Film Festival for the same movie. Mr. Mathis was on the faculty of KD Studio Actor Conservatory. Mr. Mathis' widow is film makeup artist Renée LeCuyer.

JACK ELAM Died Oct. 20, 2003

Harmonica: And Frank?

Snaky: Frank sent us.

Harmonica: Did you bring a horse for me?

Snaky: (laughs) Well…looks like we’re… looks like we’re shy one horse.

Harmonica: (nodding head) You brought two too many.

That exchange between Charles Bronson as Harmonica and Jack Elam as Snaky opens Sergio Leone’s masterpiece "Once Upon a Time in the West." Jack Elam played the leader of a trio of killers sent to kill Bronson. The 12-minute opening credit scene is a wonderful set piece, made all the more memorable because of Jack Elam’s craggy face. As his character waits for the train carrying Bronson to arrive, he does battle with a pesky fly. Elam huffs and puffs to make the fly leave him alone. He finally captures it in the barrel of his six-shooter. Sergio Leone originally wanted Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" to portray the trio of killers. Instead he used Jack Elam, Woody Strode and Al Mulock (who committed suicide on the set!). Sergio Leone liked faces. He was the master of the close up. Actor Danny Aiello was upset when he was asked to do a camera test for "Once Upon a Time in America," until he realized it wasn’t a matter of talent, but that Leone just wanted to see what his face would look like in an extreme close-up. Jack Elam’s visage delighted Leone. Though he was only in the first scene of the movie, "Once Upon a Time in the West" is one of his best screen performances.

Veteran character actor Jack Elam has died at age 84 of undisclosed causes. Elam’s age was in dispute as the actor lied about his age to make himself older so he could get work. Jack Elam appeared in over 200 films and TV shows. He was adept at playing both villains and comedic roles. His list of Western film credits includes a number of the best in the genre. In addition to "Once Upon a Time in the West," his credits include "The Gunfighter," "High Noon," "Rancho Notorious," "Vera Cruz," "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," "The Comancheros," "Rio Lobo," "Hannie Caulder" and Sam Peckinpah’s "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid." Those are just some of his film credits. When it comes to TV Westerns, chances are he made a guest appearance. He had over 100 TV credits in guest roles.

While Jack Elam could play the meanest killer to walk the face of the earth, he could make you laugh. His unique face and roaming blind eye were just two of the tools he used to make people laugh. Among his comedic films were "The Slowest Gun in the West," "Never a Dull Moment," "Support Your Local Sheriff!," "The Over-the-Hill Gang," "Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County," "Support Your Local Gunfighter," the TV remake of "Cat Ballou," "Hawmps!," "Hot Lead and Cold Feet," "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again" and the first two "The Cannonball Run" movies. Thanks for the frights and the laughs. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

DONALD G. JACKSON Died Oct. 20, 2003

Independent filmmaker Donald G. Jackson died of Leukemia at age 60. Filmmaker/actor Scott Shaw confirmed Mr. Jackson’s passing. "Yes, sadly Don passed away on Monday, 20 October 2003, at about 3:00 PM after a long battle with Leukemia. He was diagnosed with the disease in 1995. The doctors gave him from six months to six years to live. But, he beat the odds. He lived, and continued to create films, for eight years!" My friend, Pixar animator Stephen Wong has long sung the praises of Mr. Jackson’s post-apocalyptic film "Hell Comes to Frog Town." Stephen said "Frogtown is just a hilarious flick. What other movie has a girl performing a strip tease for a bunch of giant mutated frogs? Aside from "They Live," it’s also "Rowdy" Roddy Piper’s most entertaining work."

Mr. Jackson began making 8mm films during the 1960s. He never looked back, writing, directing, producing and editing a long string of B-Movies via a process he called Zen Filmmaking. Actor Scott Shaw appeared in 13 of Mr. Jackson’s films. Mr. Jackson’s provided additional cinematography on James Cameron’s "The Terminator." His directing credits include "Demon Lover," "The Roller Blade 7," "Big Sister 2000," "Frogtown 2," "Lingerie Kickboxer" and "Blade Sisters." Thanks for the fun movies and thanks for the inspiration you gave to so many indie filmmakers.

VIRGINIA BOGART Died Oct. 20, 2003

Former Disney/Hanna Barbera/Filmation animator Virginia Bogart died at age 85. Ms. Bogart worked for Disney but retired to raise her family. She returned to the business when her children were grown and worked for both Hanna Barbera and the Filmation. She retired a second time in 1987.

ELLIOT SMITH Died Oct. 21, 2003

Oscar nominated composer and folk punk musician Elliot Smith has, according to press reports, apparently committed suicide at age 34. Mr. Smith died of a single stab wound to the chest. Mr. Smith had been fighting a battle with alcoholism. Mr. Smith’s song "Miss Misery" from the movie "Good Will Hunting" was nominated for the Best Song Oscar. Mr. Smith’s songs have been used on the soundtracks of numerous films including "American Beauty," "The Royal Tenenbaums," "Keeping the Faith" and "Zero Effect." Mr. Smith appeared in the film "Southlander." Mr. Smith was working on his sixth album "From A Basement On A Hill" at the time of his death. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

ELLIOT SMITH UPDATE

The LA Coroner's office stated on December 30, 2003 that they are unable to determine if Mr. Smith's fatal stab wound was self-inflicted or the result of an attack. The spokesman said either scenario is possible based on their tests. There were no illegal drugs in Mr. Smith's system at the time of his death. The LAPD is continuing their investigation.

DERYA ARBAS Died Oct. 21, 2003

Turkish/American actress Derya Arbas has died at age 35. The cause of death has not been determined but friends believe she died of a heart attack. Ms. Arbas was the daughter of Turkish beauty queen and actress Zerrin Arbas and Native American actor Dehl Berti. Ms. Arbas appeared in seven films including "Dilan" and "The White Bicycle." Ms. Arbas also appeared in the indie film "Hang Your Dog in the Wind" under the name Derya Berti. Ms. Arbas had just returned to Loa Angeles from Istanbul where hse had buried her grandfather, famed Turkish painter Avni Arbas. Ms. Arbas had been working as a writer and photographer.

FRED BERRY Died Oct. 22, 2003

Actor Fred Berry died of a stroke at age 52. Mr. Berry was best know for his role as Rerun in the hit TV series "What’s Happening" and "What’s Happening Now!." Mr. Berry appeared in one of my favorite B-Movies "Vice Squad." He played Sugar Pimp, who had the misfortune to have a run in with the evil Ramrod played by Wings Hauser. More recently, Mr. Berry had a cameo role in the David Spade comedy "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star." Other credits include "In the Hood," "Bum Runner" and an episode of the NBC TV series "Scrubs." Mr. Berry won a long battle with alcohol and drug addiction. He became a Baptist minister in the 1980s, but returned to acting and doing special events as his Rerun character.

GARY WALKER Died Oct. 22, 2003

Makeup artist and hair stylist Gary Walker died after a short illness. His age was not released. Mr. Walker was a 30-year-verteran of the film industry. He was a member of I.A.T.S.E. Locals 798 (east coast) and 706 (west coast). Mr. Walker was working on the film "The Punisher" when he became sick. His other credits include "The Sopranos," "When Billie Beat Bobby," "Roswell," "SeaQuest DSV," "Psycho IV: The Beginning" and "Somebody Has to Shoot the Picture."

HENRY B. DONOVAN Died Oct. 23, 2003

Writer/producer Henry B. Donovan died at age 89. Mr. Donovan wrote and produced the Jackie Coogan TV series "Cowboy G-Men." He was the president of Telemount Pictures. He directed the films "Magic Lady" and "Our Flag."

ALEX GRAF Died Oct. 23, 2003

Production manager Alex Graf was killed in a automobile accident at age 32. Mr. Graf was on location in China filming the upcoming Columbia release "Mountain Patrol," when the taxi he was riding in collided with a truck. Mr. Graf also worked on the much ballyhooed "Warriors of Heaven and Earth."

MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK Died Oct. 24, 2003

One of the most powerful women of the 20^th century has died at the age of 106. Madame Chiang Kai-Shek outlived all of her contemporaries. The wife of Chinese leader Chiang Kai-Shek, Madame Chiang took a leading role in her husband’s battle with the Communist Chinese and also the Japanese during WWII. Born Soong Mei-Ling in 1897, Madame Chiang was the daughter of a wealthy minister and publisher. Educated in America, she married the future leader of the Nationalistic movement in China. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek led the revolt against the Manchu Dynasty. She raised millions of dollars for the war against Japan during a tour of the US. Following WWII, her husband’s Nationalistic Party battled Chairman Mao’s communist party. In 1949 she followed her husband and his government into exile in Taiwan. Chiang Kai-Shek died in 1975 after which Madame Chaing moved to New York.

Madame Chiang appeared in Frank Capra’s film made for the US Army "The Battle of China." She appeared in the documentary "The People Between" which was made during the battle for power between her husband and Mao’s communists. Other credits include "Vietnam: A Television History" and "The Century of Warfare" among others. Madame Chiang was a devout Christian and attributed her longevity to her faith in God.

THE CONCORDE Last Commercial Flight Oct. 24, 2003

British Airlines will officially cease operations of the world's only supersonic commercial airline today. The SST made it possible for travelers to leave London and arrive in New York 1 and ½ hours before they left England! The SST was foreseen as the future of aviation by its designers. However only 16 of the planes were produced. Limited seating and high fuel consumption were just two reasons the Concorde became too expensive to maintain. The sleek jet appeared in a number of films, most notably "The Concorde: Airport 1979."

JOANNA LEE Died Oct. 24, 2003

Award winning writer/producer/director/actress Joanna Lee died of bone cancer at age 72. Ms. Lee began her career as an actress, appearing in Ed Wood’s infamous "Plan 9 from Outer Space." Other acting credits include "The Brain Eaters," "Death Valley Days" and "Leave it to Beaver." Ms. Lee turned to writing after suffering serious injuries in an auto accident. She won an Emmy for her script for an episode of "The Waltons." Shw was nominated for another Emmy for her scipt for the TV bio-pic "Babe" with Susan Clark as famed female athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

ANNE GERETY Died Oct. 25, 2003

Stage actress Anne Gerety died of a heart attack at age 77. Ms. Gerety was the older sister of actor Peter Gerety. Ms. Gerety performed primarily on stage, but did appear in a few TV show and movies. She had a supporting role in Robert Altman’s sci-fi misfire "Quintet," which starred Paul Newman. Ms. Gerety did guest shots on "St. Elsewhere," "Benson" and "Barnaby Jones." She also provided the voice of Aunt Beru in the NPR "Star Wars: The Original Radio Drama."

JACK TEMCHIN Died Oct. 26, 2003

Stage producer Jack Temchin died of a heart attack at age 57. The co-founder of ‘The Play Company’ devoted his career to producing new international plays. He wrote scripts for the TV series "Freddy’s Nightmares" and HBO’s "Tales From the Crypt." Mr. Temchin also produced Brian DePalma’s strange but very interesting comedy "Home Movies."

ELIM KLIMOV Died Oct. 26, 2003

Russian director Elim Klimov died of natural causes at age 70. Mr. Klimov directed one of the most harrowing war films ever produced. "Come and See" is a must see for history and war buffs. Word to the wise, this is one of the most brutal depictions of war ever put on film. "Come and See" won the Grand Prize at the Moscow Film Festival. Mr. Klimov directed twelve films between 1959 and 1985.

ROD RODDY Died Oct. 27, 2003

Rod Roddy, the announcer on "The Price Is Right" for 17 years died of breast and colon cancer at age 66. Other credits include announcing for the game show "Whew!," "Battlestars," "Press Your Luck," "Love Connection" and "Family Feud." He did voice work for "House of Mouse" and "Mickey’s House of Villains." Mr. Roddy was also the announcer on the TV shows "Soap" and "The Roseanne Barr Show."

STEPHANIE TYRELL Died Oct. 27, 2003

Award winning songwriter and record producer Stephanie Tyrell died at age 54 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Ms. Tyrell wrote over 200 songs. Her song "How Do You Talk to an Angel" reached number one in 1992. Ms. Tyrell was nominated for an Emmy and won a Cable Ace Award. Her songs have been featured on the soundtracks of "Father of the Bride," "The Client," "Mystic Pizza" and "The Brady Bunch." Prayers of comfort for her family and friends.

STEVE YACONELLI Died Oct. 29, 2003

Cinematographer/DP/ camera operator Steve Yaconelli drowned while scuba diving. He was 62 years old. Mr. Yaconelli’s film and TV credits include "Papillon," "Animal House," "The Blues Brothers," "Continental Divide," "War Games," "Bram Stoker’s Dracula," "The Temp," "Cabin Boy," "Blue Sky," "Frankie and Johnny" and "Exit to Eden."

RICHARD CANGEY Died Oct. 29, 2003

Veteran stuntman Richard Cangey died at the age of 70 in Cypress California. Mr. Cangey did stunts for a number of TV series including "Vega$," "Baretta," "Daniel Boone," "The Big Valley" and "Mission Impossible." He also worked on the 1975 version of "Capone" with Ben Gazarra. Mr. Cangey was most notably associated with the popular TV series "The Wild Wild West." Mr. Cangey wrote the book "Inside The Wild Wild West" about his years working on the series. Mr. Cangey was a longtime friend of series star Robert Conrad and also worked with him on the TV series "The D.A."

SAUL KAHAN Died Oct. 30, 2003

Actor/publicist Saul Kahan died of heart failure at age 64. Mr. Kahan appeared in the John Landis films "Schlock," "Into the Night" and "Kentucky Fried Movie." He was the publicist for a number of hit movies including "Animal House," "Space Balls," "The Blues Brothers" and "Blade Runner." Mr. Kahan’s first film as an actor was in the camp, 1960s sci-fi film "The Tenth Victim." "The Tenth Victim" utilized the ‘bra-gun’ 30 years before "Austin Powers."

BETH GEDDES Died Oct. 30, 2003

TV producer/writer Beth Geddes died of cancer. Ms. Geddes produced the hit TV series "The People’s Court" for 20 years. Other credits include "Dinah’s Place" and "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson."

WILLIAM SWETLAND Died Oct. 31, 2003

Actor William Swetland died at age 90. Mr. Swetland had a long career on stage, both on Broadway and regional theater. Mr. Swetland’s TV credits include Chekhov’s "The Seagull," Eugene O’Neill’s "Ah! Wilderness," "The Quinns," "A Christmas Without Snow" and an episode of "Naked City."

ROBERT GUENETTE Died Oct. 31, 2003

Award winning writer/producer/director Robert Guenette died of brain cancer at age 68. Mr. Guenette won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for "Great Movie Stunts: Raiders of the Lost Ark." Mr. Guenette’s other documentary credits include "SPFX: The Empire Strikes Back," "The Making of Star Wars" and "The Mysterious Monsters." Mr. Guenette produced the first shot on video feature length film "Victory at Entebbe," which starred Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Hopkins, Richard Dreyfuss, Linda Blair and Elisabeth Taylor. Mr. Guenette’s 1965 documentary "William Faulkner’s Mississippi" won an Emmy Award. Mr. Guenette also produced and directed the Nostradamus documentary "The Man Who Saw Tomorrow."

BRUCE EDWARD HALL Died Oct. 31, 2003

Actor/puppeteer Bruce Edward Hall died of cancer at age 49. Mr. Hall’s acting credits include one of my personal favorites: "The Equalizer" with Edward Woodward, "The Muppets Take Manhattan," "Romper Room," "Whirligig!" and "Poor Little Lambs." Mr. Hall was a fourth generation Chinese American. He was also a published author with a number of books and articles to his credit.

SEPTEMBER 2003 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

RAND BROOKS Died Sept. 1, 2003

Actor Rand Brooks died of cancer at age 84. Mr. Brooks was best known for playing the nebbish first husband of Scarlett O’Hare in the classic "Gone With the Wind." Despite being identified with this role, Mr. Brooks had a prolific career, appearing in over 100 films and TV Shows. Mr. Brooks appeared in many episodes of "The Lone Ranger" as well as being a regular in the "Hopalong Cassidy" films. His final film as the made for TV film "The Sex Symbol" with Connie Stevens. If you get the chance to see the European theatrical version of the film you will be treated to a nude Ms. Stevens. "The Sex Symbol" told the tale of a Marilyn Monroe type actress. Ironically, Mr. Brooks gave Miss Monroe her first screen kiss in the film "Ladies of the Chorus."

JACK SMIGHT Died Sept. 1, 2003

Emmy-winning director Jack Smight died of cancer at age 78. Mr. Smight worked in the early days of TV. He also had a successful feature film career. Mr. Smight directed Rod Steiger in a couple of his best films. "No Way to Treat a Lady" is a cult classic starring Rod Steiger and George Segal. Steiger plays a flamboyant serial killer. Segal is the detective tracking him down. Smight also directed Steiger in the film version of Ray Bradbury’s "The Illustrated Man." Mr. Smight also directed Paul Newman in "Harper," the first of Newman’s Lew Harper films. Smight and Newman teamed up again to make WWII comedy "The Secret War of Harry Frigg." Another cult film by Mr. Smight is "The Traveling Executioner" with Stacy Keach. Believe it or not, "The Traveling Executioner" is based on the true story of a man and his portable electric chair. Mr. Smight directed on of the most intelligent horror films of all time. "Frankenstein: The True Story" was a faithful adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel. Smight also directed the WWII epic "Midway" which was released in Sensurround on its original theatrical run. Other credits include "Airport 1975," "Loving Couples" and "Fast Break."

WILLIAM ROY Died Sept. 2, 2003

Child actor Billy Roy grew up to be composer/pianist/musical director William Roy. Though Mr. Roy appeared in nearly 20 well known films as a child, he greatest fame came in the music world as an adult. As a child, Mr. Roy appeared in "The Pride of the Yankees " with Gary Cooper, Billy Wilder’s "The Major and the Minor," the excellent war film "The Cross of Lorraine," "That Hagen Girl" with Ronald Reagan and Shirley Temple and "It Happened in Brooklyn." Mr. Roy died of respiratory failure at age 75.

MARSHALL JAMISON Died Sept. 2, 2003

Actor/director/producer/writer Marshall Jamison died of congestive heart failure at age 85. Mr. Jamison, along with Leland Hayward, won an Emmy for producing "The Fabulous Fifties," which starred Henry Fonda. He made his Broadway debut in "Mr. Roberts." Mr. Jamison directed David Frost’s satirical TV show "That Was the Week That Was." Mr. Jamison left commercial TV and worked with PBS, producing a number of acclaimed shows including an award winning series of "Mark Twain" films.

WILLIAM PATERSON Died Sept. 3, 2003

Actor William Paterson died of lung cancer at age 84. Mr. Paterson was active in the San Francisco theater scene. Though primarily a stage actor, Mr. Paterson appeared in a number of films and TV shows. His credits include "Dirty Harry," Peter Bogdanovich’s first real failure "At Long Last Love," the PBS version of "The Taming of the Shrew," "Pacific Heights" and "Bonanza." Mr. Paterson played Scrooge in the 1981 TV version of "A Christmas Carol."

BEN ARIS Died Sept. 4, 2003

British character actor Ben Aris died at age 66. Mr. Aris appeared in nearly 50 films and TV shows during his lengthy career. He worked with director Ken Russell in the sexy "Savage Messiah," "The Music Lovers" and "Tommy." He played Rev. Simpson, the father of Sally in "Tommy." Mr. Aris also worked with acclaimed director Lindsey Anderson twice, appearing in "If…," "O Lucky Man!" Other credits include Richard Lester's "The Three Musketeers," the cool thriller "Juggernaut" with Richard Harris, the original version of "Get Carter," "The Royal Flash" and "The Plague of the Zombies."

GISELE MACKENZIE Died Sept. 5, 2003

Canadian singer Gisele MacKenzie died of colon cancer at age 76. Ms. MacKenzie became a star on the American TV series "Your Hit Parade." She appeared on the show between 1953 and 57. Ms. MacKenzie followed this stint with her own weekly show on NBC. Ms. MacKenzie was nominated twice for an Emmy as Best Female Singer (in 1955 and 56). Ms. MacKenzie made appearances on such TV series as "Murder She Wrote," "Boy Meets World" and "MacGyver."

DAVID B. FEIN Died Sept. 5, 2003

Producer David B. Fein died at age 67. Among Mr. Fein’s many credits were the TV shows "Joker’s Wild," "Liar’s Club," the "Live Aid Broadcast" and "All About Faces." Three of Mr. Fein’s four children are involved in the entertainment industry.

HARRY GOZ Died Sept. 5, 2003

Actor Harry Goz died of cancer at age 71. Mr. Goz appeared on Broadway as Tevia in "Fiddler on the Roof." He played the part longer than any other actor and his costume from the play is on display at the Smithsonian. Mr. Goz also did a stint as the Apple in the Fruit of the Loom commercials! Mr. Goz most recently provided the voice for Captain Murphy on the Cartoon Network’s irreverent "Sealab 2021." "Sealab 2021" is part of the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim segment at night. If you have not seen the hilarious cartoon, I highly recommend it. Other film and TV credits include "Marathon Man," "Mommie Dearest," the great TV film "Bill" with Mickey Rooney and the TV series "Wiseguy."

JULES ENGEL Died Sept. 6, 2003

Oscar nominated animator Jules Ingel died at age 94 after a short illness. Mr. Ingel created "Mr. Magoo" and "The Alvin Show" with Herbert Klynn. Mr. Ingel was nominated for the Best Short Subject, Cartoons Oscar in 1963 for "Icarus Montgolfier Wright." Ray Bradbury wrote the script. In 1977, his film "Rumble" was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes for Best Short Film. Mr. Ingel worked for Disney Studios, animating parts of "Fantasia" and "Bambi." He was the production designer on the 1971 animated feature "Shinbone Alley." Mr. Ingel was the founder of the Experimental Animation program at Cal Arts. Mr. Ingel taught a number of talented and well-known animators including Henry Selick, Eric Darnell, John Lassiter and Mark Osbourne.

LOUISE PLATT Died Sept. 6, 2003

Stage actress Louise Platt died at age 88. Ms. Platt was primarily a stage actress. She made a shot detour through Hollywood in the late 1930s and early 40s. He most famous film role was in the classic John Ford Western "Stagecoach." "Stagecoach" is the movie that made John Wayne an A-list movie star after a decade of making successful b-movies. Ms. Platt left Hollywood to return to the New York stage. She later appeared on a few TV shows including the soap opera "The Guiding Light."

WARREN ZEVON Died Sept. 7, 2003

Warren Zevon faced his impending death the way he embraced life. With zest, creativity, courage and love. Prayers of comfort for his family and many friends. Thanks to Mr. Zevon for not only his music, but also the inspirational final chapter of his life. Last week, Howard Stern played some excerpts from Mr. Zevon’s new album on his radio show. Mr. Stern had to stop playing the music after a couple of verses of a song that asked the listener to "keep me your heart for a while." I had a hard time driving to work as I listened to the cuts that Howard Stern played. Mr. Zevon’s unique and powerful voice was sharing his inner self as he faced death. I was struck, not by sadness, although that is part of it, but more by Mr. Zevon’s openness. He is a class act. Last November. I received press releases from the PR firm promoting Mr. Zevon’s records. The press release said that Mr. Zevon had only weeks to live. Thank God for granting Mr. Zevon almost a year. In that time, he played concerts, recorded an amazing album and saw the birth of his twin grandchildren. I have been a fan of Warren Zevon's since the late 1970s. His humor, intelligence and incredible musical talent never failed to entertain and enthrall me.

Mr. Zevon’s music had been used in a number of movies and TV shows. His credits include "Midnight Cowboy," "FM," "The Color of Money," "Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead." In fact "Denver" took its title from a Zevon song. Mr. Zevon died of lung cancer at age 56. Gone way too soon, but what a full life he led!

MIKE STOKEY Died Sept. 7, 2003

Early TV producer Mike Stokey died at age 84. Mr. Stokey won an Emmy at the very first Emmy Awards for his TV show "Pantomime Quiz."

JAY MORTON Died Sept. 7, 2003

You may not know the name, but Jay Morton wrote one of the most famous introductions of all time. "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful that a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound…" Jay Morton was an animator and writer for Fleischer Studios. He wrote the "Superman" introduction for the "Superman" cartoons produced by the Fleischer brothers in the 1940s. Mr. Morton also wrote the scripts for over 20 of the cartoons. Mr. Morton died of a brain aneurysm at age 92.

MARTIN AZAROW Died Sept. 8, 2003

Tough guy character actor Martin Azarow died at age 69 in Las Vegas. Mr. Azarow played character parts in a number of films and TV shows. His credits include two Richard Pryor films "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling" and "Some Kind of Hero." Other credits include "The Jigasaw Murders," "The Call Me Bruce?," "The A-Team," "Hooperman," "The Twilight Zone," "Remington Steele," "LA Law," "Starsky and Hutch" and "Charlie’s Angels." Mr. Azarow did voice work for the video game "Balde Runner."

LENI RIEFENSTAHL Died Sept. 8, 2003

Controversial filmmaker/actress Leni Riefenstahl has died of cancer at age 101. Ms. Riefenstahl was responsible for the powerful Nazi propaganda film "The Triumph of the Will." "Triumph of the Will" documented the 1934 Nazi rally in Nuremberg. Ms. Riefenstahl also directed the films "Olympia" parts 1 and 2, which chronicled the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin. Ms. Riefenstahl has been the center of controversy for her role in Hitler’s Reich. While there is no doubt that Ms. Riefenstahl was in innovative photographer and a powerful filmmaker, there have been many people who wanted her prosecuted for war crimes. Gypsies used as extras in some of her films later died in concentration camps. Ms. Riefenstahl always denied knowledge of the death camps. However, there can be no doubt that her powerful imagery helped Adolph Hitler rise to power.

JACLYN LINETSKY and VADIM SCHNEIDER Died Sept 8, 2003

17-year-old actors Jaclyn Linetsky and Vadim Schneider were killed in an automobile accident in Canada. The pair were on their way to the set of a new TV show when the mini-van they were riding in collided with a tractor-trailer. Ms. Linetsky did voice work in the TV series "Calliou" in the English version as the lead role, "Mega Babies" and "What’s with Andy?" Mr. Schneider also worked on "Calliou." Prayers of comfort for their family and friends.

LARRY HOVIS Died Sept. 9, 2003

Actor/writer/producer/teacher Larry Hovis died of cancer at age 67. Mr. Hovis was a regular on three of the most popular TV series of the 1960s. Mr. Hovis is best remembered for his role as Sgt. Carter on the hit TV series "Hogan’s Heroes." Mr. Hovis was also a regular on both "Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In" and "Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C." I never met Mr. Hovis in person, but he was involved in trying to produce one of my screenplays: a rock music version of "The Picture of Dorian Gray." The script was co-written with my uncle, 60s New Age musician Malachi. He and Mr. Hovis worked very hard for a number of months to put a deal together. Close, but no cigar. I have always been thankful for the work he did for us. When I told my uncle that Larry had died, he said "He was, probably, one of the fathers of 'reality' TV. (I'm sure that so-called 'reality TV's mother was a whore - thus - many fathers.) He was an unusually warm guy for that part of the world." In addition to his acting career, Mr. Hovis was a successful TV game show producer. He produced "The Liar’s Club," "Celebrity Sweepstakes" and "Yahtzee." He wrote the 1960s spy spoof/beach movie "Out of Sight." Most recently, Mr. Hovis taught drama at Texas State University in San Marcos Texas. Prayers of comfort to his family and friends.

EDWARD TELLER Died Sept. 9, 2003

Edward Teller will forever be known by a nickname that he hated. The Father of the H-Bomb died at age 95 after recently suffering a stroke. Mr. Teller worked on the Manhattan Project during WWII. He was a proponent of a strong military arsenal. His efforts to gain support for the research and development of the hydrogen bomb resulted in his unwanted moniker. Mr. Teller has been portrayed by several actors on film. Barry Yourgrau did the honors in feature film "Fat Man and Little Boy." David Suchat played him in the TV mini series "Oppenheimer." There were others. Mr. Teller appeared in several TV movies, documentaries and feature films including the JFK conspiracy film "Executive Action," "Hiroshima," "Trinity and Beyond" and "The Century."

JOHN LOWENTHAL Died Sept. 9, 2003

Law professor turned filmmaker John Lowenthal died of throat cancer at age 78. Mr. Lowenthal had done volunteer work on the defense team of Alger Hiss during his perjury trail in 1949-50. In 1980, Mr. Lownethal took a sabbatical from teaching to produce and direct the documentary film "The Trials of Alger Hiss." Richard Nixon rose to national prominence during his investigation of State Department employee Alger Hiss for spying for the Russians.

EDWARD TERNES Died Sept. 10, 2003

Makeup artist Edward Ternes died of a heart attack at age 61. Mr. Ternes worked on over 30 films and TV shows during his career. Mr. Ternes’ film credits include John Carpenter’s "The Fog," "Kentucky Fried Movie," "Rich and Famous," "Choose Me," the remake of "The Desperate Hours" and "White Sands." Mr. Ternes did John F. Kennedy’s makeup during his presidential campaign!

JOHN RITTER Died Sept. 11, 2003

It is always a shock when someone dies unexpectedly. John Ritter, fine comic and serious actor died at age 54 unexpectedly from a dissection of the aorta. High blood pressure caused the walls of Mr. Ritter’s aorta to deteriorate and separate. Mr. Ritter was on the set of his hit TV show "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter" when he fell ill. He was rushed to the hospital where attempts to save his life were unsuccessful. Mr. Ritter died on his daughter’s 5^th birthday. His wife, actress Amy Yasbeck’s birthday is today.

The Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning John Ritter was the youngest son of cowboy movie star and singer Tex Ritter. Mr. Ritter is best known for his role as Jack Tripper in the 1970s sitcom "Three’s Company." The series was one of the surprise hits of its era. Despite horrendous critic opinion, "Three’s Company" became a huge hit with the fans. Ritter’s character shared an apartment with two women: Suzanne Somers, Joyce DeWitt and Priscilla Barnes after Ms. Somers’ contract was cancelled. Jack Tripper pretended to be gay to appease his nosey landlord. Times were different in those days. The gay ruse was used to make the ‘living in sin’ element of the storyline less controversial.

Ritter trained with famed acting teacher Stella Adler. He appeared in nearly 200 TV shows and feature films. He also had extensive stage experience. Though most people know Mr. Ritter from "Three’s Company," he appeared in a number of fine films. Critics heaped great praise on Mr. Ritter for his performance in Billy Bob Thorton’s "Sling Blade." He made a funny cameo in the hilarious made for TV Western "Evil Roy Slade." He had a bit part in Charles Bronson’s brutal cop film "The Stone Killer." Mr. Ritter played Rev. Fordwick on the family TV series "The Waltons" for three years. Other credits include Peter Bogdanovich’s ode to the days of silent films: "Nickelodeon." One of his most under-rated films was "Hero at Large" where he played an actor who inadvertently becomes a super hero when he stops a robbery while wearing a movie prop costume. In Blake Edwards’ "Skin Deep," Ritter played a womanizer who gets what is coming to him. The near miss is best remembered for the glow-in-the-dark dueling condom scene. Mr. Ritter also made a good impression in the TV mini series version of Stephen King’s "It."

John Ritter brought happiness into the world. He was great at sophisticated comedy as well as slapstick. He also proved himself worthy as a serious dramatic actor. He was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards and five Emmys, winning as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for "Three’s Company." He was also nominated for five Golden Globes, also winning for "Three’s Company. He was nominated, along with the entire cast of "Sling Blade" for the Screen Actor’s Guild Outstanding Performance by a Cast Award. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

KENT POOLE Died Sept. 11, 2003

Former actor Kent Poole committed suicide due to depression concerning his pending divorce. Mr. Poole was 39. Friends found Mr. Poole hanging from a tree in front of his house. Mr. Poole was a high school basketball star who landed a role in the great sports film "Hoosiers." His character yelled the famous line "Let’s win this one for all the small schools who never had a chance to get here." Mr. Poole also appeared in "Fresh Horses" as Molly Ringwold’s husband.

JAMESON BREWER Died Sept. 11, 2003

Veteran writer Jameson Brewer has died at age 87. Though Mr. Brewer had a lengthy career in film, his biggest fan base comes from the anime series "Battle of the Planets." Mr. Brewer adapted the Japanese film "Gatchaman" into the TV series "Battle of the Planets." Mr. Brewer oversaw almost every element of the TV series, including an almost complete re-write of the series. Mr. Brewer’s other credits include "Fantasia," "Voltron," "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," the TV series "The Virginian" and "Mr. Lucky," "The Over the Hill Gang." Mr. Brewer also co-wrote the comedy horror film "Arnold" and the over-looked "Terror in the Wax Museum." Fans of Mr. Brewer may send their condolences to his family at the address below.

JOHNNY CASH Died Sept. 12, 2003

What a day of conflicting emotions. While the death of John Ritter is shocking by its unexpected nature, the passing of Johnny Cash was expected. While his voice and vision will be missed, Mr. Cash’s passing can be celebrated. Mr. Cash lived a full life. His pain and suffering are at an end. The grief he felt at the recent death of his soul mate is quenched. To paraphrase I Corinthians 9:24-27, Mr. Cash ran the good race, he stayed the course. Hopefully Mr. Cash has found eternal peace.

Johnny Cash, the Man in Black. I discovered the music of Johnny Cash when he released the "Live at Folsom Prison" album. I’ve always been a rock and roller, but something about Johnny Cash’s music transcends genres. He was a badass with a guitar. Mr. Cash was also a role model. He was one of the lucky ones who survived drug and alcohol addiction.

Johnny Cash had a lengthy movie and TV career. He wasn’t the best actor in the world. His impact on film was not anywhere as important or influential as his impact on the world of music was. He did deliver a good performance in the made for TV film "Murder in Coweta County." Mr. Cash wrote produced and co-starred with his wife in "The Gospel Road." He co-starred with Kirk Douglas in the mediocre Western "A Gunfight."

As a composer, Mr. Cash has provided music to a number of films including "I walk the Line" starring Gregory Peck and Tuesday Weld, "Frailty," "Dead Man Walking," "Things to Do in Denver When You are Dead" and "Big Fauss and Little Halsey" among others. There was a nice reference to his music in Ron Howard’s "Apollo 13." During the ‘untelevised show from space’ scene, Bill Paxton plays Norman Greenbaum’s "Spirit in the Sky." One of the ground control astronauts reacts by saying "When I go up on Apollo 18 I’m taking my entire collection of Johnny Cash." Johnny Cash died at age 71 from complications related to diabetes.

BILL HARGATE Died Sept. 12, 2003

Multi-Emmy award winning costume designer Bill Hargate died of leukemia at age 68. Mr. Hargate designed costumes for stage, film and TV. He won four Emmy awards and was nominated for another five. Mr. Hargate was honored with a Career Achievement Award by the Costume Designer’s Guild in 2001. Mr. Hargates credits include "Murphy Brown," "Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters," "Once Upon a Brothers Grimm," "The World of Magic," "The Louie Show," "Back to the Future 2" and "Love and War."

LOUIS LICHTENFIELD Died Sept. 12, 2003

Oscar nominated special effects artist Louis Lichtenfield died of cancer at age 84. Mr. Lichtenfield was a matte artist on the remake of "King Kong." Mr. Lichtenfield was also a matte painter on the campy "Flash Gordon." Mr. Lichtenfield was nominated for a Best Special Effects Oscar for his work on "The Spirit of St. Louis." Mr. Lichtenfield also provided photographic special effects for the films "No Time for Sergeants," "Helen of Troy" and "The Silver Chalice."

GERALD FLECK Died Sept. 14, 2003

Assistant director/actor Jerry Fleck died of undisclosed causes at age 55. Mr. Fleck began his career as a production assistant on TV shows and feature films during the 1970s. He was an assistant on "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams." Mr. Fleck worked with Tim Burton as a second unit director on "Beetlejuice" and first assistant director on "Edward Scissorhands." Mr. Fleck also worked on "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers." Mr. Fleck worked on a number of TV series, but is best known for his 11-year association with the various "Star Trek" TV series and films. His credits include the films "Star Trek: First Contact," "Star Trek: Insurrection," the TV series "Enterprise" and "Voyager." Mr. Fleck acted in the films "The Lincoln Conspiracy" and "Earthbound."

SHEB WOOLEY Died Sept. 16, 2003

Veteran character actor/singer-songwriter Sheb Wooley died of Leukemia at age 82. Mr. Wooley had attended the family visitation for the funeral of Johnny Cash on Sunday when he became ill. Mr. Wooley was close friends with singer Tex Ritter, father of John Ritter. Though Mr. Wooley had a successful acting career, he is best known for his #1 novelty song "Purple People Eater." Mr. Wooley’s film credits include the classic Western "High Noon." Tex Ritter sang the title song for "High Noon." Mr. Wooley met the singer on that set. He played bad guy Ben Miller in the Fred Zinneman film. Other film appearances include Clint Eastwood’s "The Outlaw Josey Wales," George Stevens’ "Giant," "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," "The War Wagon," "Silverado" and "Hoosiers." Mr. Wooley was a regular on the hit TV series "Rawhide." He also starred with Clint Eastwood on the TV series "Rawhide." Movie in-joke fans are endebted to Mr. Wooley as the man who recorded the scream for the Gary Cooper western "Distant Drums" which has become known as the 'Wilhelm Scream.' The distinctive cry of anguish has been used in over 100 films and TV shows by sound editors with a sense of humor including just about every movie George Lucas has made.

ELLEN IDELSON Died Sept. 19, 2003

Writer/producer/actress/series creator Ellen Idelson died of cancer. In her short lifetime, Ms. Idelson appeared as an actress on film, TV and the stage. Her acting credits include a staring role in the film "Moose Mating" and supporting roles in the Made for TV movie "Eye of the Sparrow" and guest spots on "Will and Grace." Ms. Idelson appeared in the play "Elinor Adjusting" in Los Angeles. Ms. Idelson’s biggest professional success came in the field of TV writing. The daughter of TV writer Bill Idelson, Ms. Idelson was on the road to surpassing her father’s success. Ms. Idelson created the new TV series "Sixteen to Life." She also wrote for the TV series "Boy Meets World," "The Nanny," "Grosse Pointe" (also supervising producer) and "Holding the Baby." In addition to creating "Sixteen to Life," Ms. Idelson was the producer. She was the co-executive producer of the series "Danny." Other writing credits include HBO’s "Dream On," "Suddenly Susan" (also supervising producer) and "Caroline in the City." Prayers of comfort for her family and friends.

GORDON MITCHELL Dies Sept. 20, 2003

Actor/producer/cult movie icon Gordon Mitchell has died at age 80. Mr. Mitchell appeared in over 200 films during his lengthy career. The muscleman was a WWII combat veteran who fought in Europe and was present when the death camp at Buchenwald was liberated. Mr. Mitchell who turned to teaching after the war. Mr. Mitchell served his country once more as a First Lieutenant during the Korean War. Mr. Gordon became a fixture on Muscle Beach in California. He was a notorious ladies man. In 1956 he went on the road as part of the Mae West Revue. Mr. Mitchell had bit parts in a number of fines films such as "The Ten Commandments," "Around the World in Eighty Days," "The Enemy Below," "Rio Bravo," "The Spirit of St. Louis" and "Spartacus."

Mr. Gordon went to Rome with a six-week contract to act in a sword and sandal film. He stayed for 30 years. The bulk of Mr. Gordon’s films involved gladiators. He also appeared in a multitude of spaghetti Westerns. I remember Mr. Gordon from "The Sons of Hercules" TV series in the early 60s which showed films like "Hercules vs. the Sea Monster" and "The Fury of Achilles." In
addition to his many sword and sandal films, Mr. Gordon appeared in Fellini’s "Satyricon" and "Reflections in a Golden Eye." Mr. Gordon appeared in a film during which the producer couldn’t pay him. Instead, Mr. Gordon received some land outside Rome. He built his own Western movie studio. Over 50 films were shot at Cave Studios in the early 1970s.

TOM BUSBY Dies Sept. 20, 2003

Canadian actor Tom Busby died at age 67 of an apparent heart attack. Mr. Busby only appeared in a few films, but was part of one elite group. Busby played Milo Vladek, one of "The Dirty Dozen." Busby is quoted as saying he was part of "the second six" as the movie focused more on the big name stars in the film. His character’s big scene involved his having to execute the staff of the hideaway the group is attacking. Lee Marvin tells him to "feed the French and kill the Germans." Mr. Busby’s other film credits include Carl Foreman’s "The Victors," "The War Lover" with Steve McQueen and "Heavenly Pursuits." Mr. Busby retired from acting in the 1980s and moved to Scotland.

STANLEY FAFARA Died Sept. 20, 2003

Child actor Stanley Fafara died of complications after surgery at age 54. Mr. Fafara played ‘Whitey,’ the Beaver’s best friend on the hit TV series "Leave it to Beaver." Mr. Fafara developed a severe drug and alcohol problem, but he had been clean for the last 8 years. Mr. Fafara also appeared in "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm," "Good Morning Miss Dove" and the TV series "Wanted: Dead or Alive."

SONORA WEBSTER CARVER Died Sept. 21, 2003

Sonora Carver has died at the age of 99. Ms. Carver was the first woman to dive off of the Steel Pier in Atlantic City while on horseback. Ms. Carver’s story was told in the wonderful Disney film "Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken." The film starred Cliff Robertson and Gabrielle Anwar as Ms. Carver. Ms. Carver was blinded during one of her jumps, yet she continued to perform for another 11 years.

PAMELA GORDON Died Sept. 21, 2003

Actress and drama coach Pamela Gordon died at age 67. Ms. Gordon appeared in a number of films and TV shows. She was very active in the LA Theater scene. Ms. Gordon was awarded the LA Weekly’s Golden Angel Award for Long Term Achievement earlier this year. Ms. Gordon’s credits include "The Technical Writer," "Stealing Harvard," "The Dog Walker," "My Favorite Martian," "Poltergeist 2," "Francis," "NYPD Blue," "The West Wing," "ER" and "The Twilight Zone." She played Wyatt’s mom in John Hughes’ "Weird Science." Ms. Gordon appeared as herself in the documentary "Doing Unto Others."

GORDON JUMP Died Sept. 22, 2003

Two episodes of "WKRP in Cincinnati" stand out in my mind as examples of actor Gordon Jump’s talent. Mr. Jump played Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson, the radio station president. One funny moment and one serious moment. The TV series most famous line dealt with an ill conceived give away contest involving Les Nessmann dropping turkeys from a helicopter. In response, Mr. Jump delivered the series’ most famous line: "As God is my witness, I thought Turkeys could fly. On the serious side, Mr. Jump shone during the series episode dealing with the tragic deaths of 11 concert goers at a 1979 show by "The Who." Jump’s purpose was to play ‘everyman’ as Howard Hessman and others explained what went wrong. It was a tasteful and powerful way of dealing with real tragedy.

Gordon Jump died at age 71, He was suffering from pulmonary fibrosis. Mr. Jump appeared in over 100 films and TV shows during a 40+ year career. In addition to his most famous role on "WKRP in Cincinnati," Mr. Jump maybe best known for his work in the Maytag TV commercials. Mr. Jump succeeded the late Jessie White as the ‘Maytag Repairman.’ Mr. Jumps credits include Brain DePalma’s "The Fury," the original film version of "House Calls," the classic Made for TV film "Sybil," "Conquest for the Planet of the Apes" and the pilot film "Starsky and Hutch." Mr. Jump had guest roles on a multitude of TV shows including "Seinfeld," "Get Smart," "Baywatch," "Daniel Boone," "Love Boat," "Mannix" and "Different Strokes." Mr. Jump’s guest appearance on "Different Strokes" in episodes "The Bicycle Man: Part 1 & 2" made TV history. Playing against type, Mr. Jump played a child molester who targeted Gary Coleman and Shaver Ross.

REX ROBBINS Died Sept. 22, 2003

Broadway actor Rex Robbins died at age 68 of a subdural aneurysm. Mr. Robbins was best known for his stage work, however he appeared in a number of films and over 300 TV commercials. Mr. Robbins film credits include the original version of "Shaft," "1776," "Simon" with Alan Arkin, "Vampire’s Kiss," "I.Q." and "The Royal Tenenbaums."

LYLE BETTGER Died Sept. 24, 2003

Veteran character actor Lyle Bettger died at age 88. Mr. Bettger’s film and TV career spanned four decades. Mr. Bettger played Klaus, the elephant trainer in Cecile B. Demille’s "The Greatest Show on Earth." Among his many credits are the excellent crime drama "Union Station" with William Holden, "Destry" with Audie Murphy, "Nevada Smith" with Steve McQueen and Russ Meyer’s "The Seven Minutes." Mr. Bettger played Ike Clanton in the classic Western "Gunfight at the OK Corral." Mr. Bettger had a lengthy career on TV. He moved to Hawaii when he became a regular during season 10 of "Hawaii 5-O." He appeared in one of the best episodes of one of the best TV series of the 1970s. Bettger appeared in the gritty "Incident in a Kill Zone" episode of Joseph Wambaugh’s series "Police Story." Mr. Bettger was the son of St. Louis Cardinal 3^rd Baseman Frank Bettger.

HERB GARDNER Died Sept. 25, 2003

Tony winning and Oscar nominated writer Herb Gardner died of lung disease at age 68. Mr. Gardner was nominated for the Best Writing, Material Adapted from another Medium Oscar for "A Thousand Clowns." Mr. Gardner adapted his own hit Broadway play. The hilarious comedy starred Jason Robards and Barry Gordon. Mr. Gardner had a number of plays adapted to the screen. I saw Vincent Gardenia on stage in "I’m Not Rappaport." Walter Matthau and Ossie Davis stared in the film version. Mr. Gardner’s other credits include the Dustin Hoffman misfire "Who is Harry Kellerman, and Why is He Saying Those Things About Me?." "Thieves" with Marlo Thomas and "The Goodbye People." Mr. Gardner also directed the film versions of "The Goodbye People" and "I’m Not Rappaport." Mr. Gardner also has the distinction of making a cameo appearance in the stinker "Ishtar."

NAGINA KHANHAM and NASIR RAZA KHAN Died Sept. 25, 2003

Pakistani actress turned director Nagina Khanham was murdered along with film director Nasir Raza Khan and six members of her family. The eight victims had been bound with ropes and shot at close range in the head. A number of theories as to the motive have been forwarded by the press in Pakistan and India. According to one news report, ten suspects have been arrested.

GEORGE PLIMPTON Died Sept. 25, 2003

Author/actor George Plimpton died at age 76. Though Mr. Plimpton came from a privileged background, his appeal spanned all classes of people. His most popular success was the book "Paper Lion," in which Mr. Plimpton chronicled his foray into the NFL. He went through training camp with the Detroit Lions and actually got to take the field for a few catastrophe filled moments. The book was turned into a movie. Alan Alda played Plimpton. Mr. Plimpton acted in over 50 films, TV shows and documentaries. His film credits include Oliver Stone’s "Nixon," "Reds" with Warren Beatty, "Rio Lobo" with John Wayne, "Good Will Hunting," "Little Man Tate," "The Last Days of Disco" and "Edtv." Mr. Plimpton was a classmate of Robert F. Kennedy. He was standing in front of the senator when Kennedy was assassinated. Plimpton was one of the people who tackled Sirhan Sirhan. (EI note: Actress Martha Plimpton is the daughter of Keith Carradine, not George Plimpton.)

ROBERT PALMER Died Sept. 26, 2003

Rocker Robert Palmer died of a heart attack at age 54. Mr. Palmer died in Paris where he was visiting after having filmed a TV special in England. Palmer had success as a solo artist and as part of Power Station. Power Station also included two former Duran Duran members. Palmer’s song "Addicted to Love" was turned into one of the most popular music videos of all time. Mr. Palmer’s music was used on the soundtracks of "Pretty Woman," "The Wraith" and "The Color of Money" among others. Palmer had a bit part in the Bee Gees misfire "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band."

DONALD O’CONNOR Died Sept. 27, 2003

Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Donald O’Connor has died at age 78. Mr. O’Connor, one of the great song and dance men from the classic era of Hollywood was an accomplished actor, but was typecast in musical comedies. Mr. O’Connor appeared in over 100 films and TV shows during his illustrious career. Mr. O’Connor co-starred with Gene Kelly and Debby Reynolds in the classic "Singing in the Rain." Mr. O’Connor was probably best known for co-starring with a mule in the "Francis" series. "Francis the Talking Mule" was a successful movie series in the 1950s. O’Connor and his four-legged co-star appeared in six "Francis" films. Clint Eastwood’s first credited film appearance was in the 1955 movie "Francis in the Navy."

Mr. O’Connor made the transition to TV where he enjoyed much success during the 1950s. Mr. O’Connor was nominated for five Emmy Awards, winning for Best Male Star of a Regular Series for "The Colgate Comedy Hour." Mr. O’Connor came from a vaudeville background. He appeared in a number of movies while still a child. A number of Mr. O’Connor’s great athletic dance routines were included in the great documentaries "That’s Entertainment" and "That’s Entertainment II." He had a nice cameo in Milos Foreman’s "Ragtime" as Evelyn Nesbitt’s dance instructor. He is on stage performing during the scene that recreates the murder of Stanford White on the roof top theater at Madison Square Garden. Mr. O’Connor’s most famous movie scene has to be the high powered "Make ‘Em Laugh" routine in "Singing in the Rain." He did make us laugh. Thanks.

PAUL BURLISON Died Sept. 27, 2003

Legendary rock guitarist Paul Burlison died of cancer at age 74. Mr. Burlison was the last surviving member of the 1950's Rockabilly band "The Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio." The other members were Dorsey and Johnny Burnett. Mr. Burlison’s frantic, raucous guitar style was an inspiration to such other legendary guitarists as Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. Mr. Burlison was the first person in Rock and Roll to record a fuzz-tone guitar riff. Mr. Burlison accidentally dropped his guitar amp, creating the fuzz-tone unintentionally. The rest is history. Burlison’s guitar riff on "Train Kept A-Rollin" is one of the best in the history of rock. The Trio appeared on the "Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour" three times and won each time! They also appeared on "Dick Clark's American Bandstand," "The Tonight Show" with Steve Allen and "Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall." Mr. Burlison appeared in the documentary film "The Sounds of Memphis."

FAY HELM Died Sept. 27, 2003

Veteran actress Fay Helm died at age 93. Ms. Helm appeared in over 60 films during the 1930s and 40s. She is best remembered for her work in the great Universal horror films of yesteryear. Ms. Helm’s most famous film was "The Wolf Man" with Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains. Helm played the friend of Lon Chaney’s date to the gypsy camp. Ms. Helm’s character is attacked and killed by a werewolf played by Bela Lugosi. Chaney kills Lugosi, but is bit during the struggle and becomes a werewolf himself. She made her first screen appearance in Fritz Lang’s "Fury," which starred Spencer Tracy. Her second film appearance was in "San Francisco" starring Tracey and King of Hollywood Clark Gable. She appeared with the great Bette Davis in "Dark Victory." She also appeared with Raymond Massey in "Abe Lincoln in Illinois." Though Ms. Helm had small roles in a number of notable films, she made her biggest impression in genre movies. Ms. Helm’s other horror film credits include "Captive Wild Woman" with John Carradine, "Night Monster" with Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwell and "Calling Dr. Death" also with Lon Chaney Jr. and the creepy J. Carrol Nash. Ms. Helm retired in 1946 and got married.

ELIA KAZAN Died Sept. 28, 2003

Elia Kazan, one of the most talented, gifted and controversial directors in film and theater history has died at age 94. Mr. Kazan’s work received high praise worldwide and he was honored with two Best Director Oscars, an Honorary Oscar, a DGA award, four Golden Globes, a Best Picture at Cannes, New York Film Critic’s Award…the list goes on. Despite directing some of the best films of the 20^th century, Mr. Kazan has been vilified by a large number of people because of his testimony before HUAC in 1952. A number of noted celebrities refused to stand or applaud when Mr. Kazan was honored with a special Oscar in 1999. There are politics and there are movies. Sometimes the two paths cross. What if Kazan hadn’t gone before HUAC? Think about it.

Kazan was called before HUAC twice in 1952. He admitted that he had been a member of the communist party in 1934 but had left in disgust. Kazan refused to name names the first time he testified. He was called back a second time. HUAC wanted the names of other members of the Group Theater to which Kazan had belonged. This time he named names. The names were already known to the committee from previous witnesses. Kazan’s exposure to communism had made him devoutly anti-Communist. Kazan explained his beliefs and decision this way: "To defend a secrecy I don’t think right and to defend people who have already been named or soon would be by someone else. . . I hate the Communists and have for many years and don’t feel right about giving up my career to defend them. I will give up my film career if it is in the interests of defending something I believe in, but not this."

Kazan was in production on "Viva Zapata!" when he testified. Prior to his testimony, Mr. Kazan had directed "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," "Gentleman’s Agreement," "Panic in the Streets," and "A Streetcar Named Desire." All good movies. Had Kazan not testified about something he hated, these films would be his legacy. He had won a Best Director Oscar for "Gentleman’s Agreement." A number of actors including Vivian Leigh, Karl Malden, Kim Hunter, James Dunn, Celeste Holm won Oscars under his guidance in these pre-HUAC films. Anthony Quinn won one for "Viva Zapata!" which was made during the time Kazan testified. Obituary writers around the world would be praising Kazan and lamenting the films that never got made because of the blacklist had things been different and Kazan not testified. Kazan did testify, and so we have those post-HUAC films with which to judge Mr. Kazan’s talent.

"On the Waterfront," "East of Eden," "Baby Doll," "A Face in the Crowd," "Wild River," "Splendor in the Grass," "America, America." What wonderful films. Important films. What wonderful performances by some of the best actors ever to grace the silver screen. What if they had never been made? Or made by someone else? Kazan was a follower of Stanislavski’s Method. He was able to coach exquisite performances from his actors. James Dean as Cal in "East of Eden," Marlon Brando as Terry in "On the Waterfront." Could another director have pulled such magnificent performances out of these actors? Maybe, but probably not. Kazan’s films stand alone as ahead of their time. Kazan operated in the final days of the studio system, yet his movies foreshadowed the artistic and social freedom of the next decade. Kazan dealt with corruption, sexuality, and child abuse. Heady themes for the Fabulous Fifties.

I guess by now you are wondering what my point is. Am I saying that great artistic talent should be used to excuse behavior that is reprehensible? Not at all. So what if Hitler was a competent painter, or that Charlie Manson was thought to have musical talent by some in Hollywood. Their artistic talent does nothing to mitigate what they did. Maybe Woody Allen would be a better example. I have not watched one of his films since he seduced his adopted daughter and married her. I loved his work. I won’t watch it today, because I am afraid I will enjoy it, and I don’t want to. I was saddened to see Mr. Allen at the Oscars. What is the different between boycotting Woody Allen and vilifying Elia Kazan? I think there is much difference. Kazan believed in what he did. He had a proven track record as an anti-Communist long before HUAC came calling. He was never apologetic. He was willing to pay the price for his beliefs. Would I have rather he took the same stand as his friend Arthur Miller, and stood up to the committee? Hell yes. Not because I’m pro-Communist, but because I am pro-American. HUAC went against everything for which the Bill of Rights stands. The Freedom of Speech separates us from totalitarian countries with deadly thought police. We had much to fear from communism in the 50s as we do today. However, to deny American citizens the right to a livelihood because of their beliefs in Un-American. I have mixed feelings about Elia Kazan. I love his work. I admire the fact that he never equivocated about what he did. Like Harry Truman, the buck stopped with him. He stood by his decision. I hate that some people he named suffered under the terrible blacklist. They would have suffered anyway as they had already been named. Does that make it any less tragic? No. They paid the price for their beliefs the same way as Kazan paid the price for his. Prayers of comfort for those who loved him and for those who hated him

ALTHEA GIBSON Died Sept. 28, 2003

Sports great Althea Gibson died at age 76 after a lengthy illness. Ms. Gibson was the first Black to win Wimbledon and U.S. national titles in tennis. In addition to winning singles titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. national championship, Ms. Gibson also won the French Open and three double’s titles at Wimbledon. She retired from tennis in 1959. She also became the first Black woman on the PGA tour. Ms. Gibson appeared in archival footage in the documentaries "The Fifties" and "The Journey of the African-American Athlete." Ms. Gibson played herself in Robert Altman’s "The Player." She also appeared in John Ford’s "The Horse Soldiers."

CORKY HUBBERT Died Sept. 28, 2003

Actor Corky Hubbert died in his sleep from complications from diabetes. The diminutive actor made a big impression in a number of films and TV shows. He was also involved in stand-up comedy. Mr. Hubbert was recently performing with an improve group in California. I first remember seeing Mr. Hubbert in Ringo Starr’s very funny "Caveman." Hubbert played Ta, a fellow misfit taken in by Ringo’s tribe of misfits. Mr. Hubbert also had significant roles in "The Ballad of the Sad Café," as Brown Tom in Ridley Scott's "Legend" and "Where the Buffalo Roam." Mr. Hubbert was a regular on the TV series "The Charmings."

JOHN HAWKESWORTH Died Sept. 30, 2003

British TV producer/writer/art director John Hawkesworth died at age 82. Mr. Hawkesworth is best known as the producer of the classic BBC TV series "Upstairs, Downstairs." Mr. Hawkesworth began his long career in the art department on such films as Carol Reed’s classic "The Third Man" and "The Fallen Idol." Working as a set dresser or set designer, Mr. Hawkesworth then became the art director on "Saadia" and "The Man Who Never Was." Mr. Hawkesworth was also the producer of the TV series "The Duchess of Duke Street," and "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" among others.

PAUL BRADLEY Died Sept. 2003

Canadian actor Paul Bradley died sometime in September of heart failure. Mr. Bradley did not appear in many films, but he was in one magical movie. Donalf Shebib’s "Goin’ Down the Road" is a cult classic from 1970. Shebib’s film follows two sailors, tired of the hardscrabble life of Nova Scotia who set out for beer, girls and good times in Toronto. Mr. Bradley and Doug McGrath played the pair. Both won Best Actor Awards at the Canadian Film Awards. The film also captured the top honor. The DVD is available as part of the Seville Signature Collection. This gem has stood the test of time. Mr. Bradley’s Joey is as memorable a lovable loser as has ever been put on film.

R.I.P. Barbara Yomtob

Who? For a number of years I was a regular on the Voy Forum Celebrity Obit Board. It was not only a great source of info for the column I wrote when I was at EInsiders, it was a cyber-family. A small group of individuals who were there for me with support and prayers when Christy was injured.

I left the Voy board on Thanksgiving 2008. After a particularly nasty and anonymous attack on my beliefs and family (from someone who obviously knew me) I decided that I would chuck it all in. It was hard, even though I have remained in contact with a number of people on the board.

The board was managed with more patience than I could ever muster by a wonderful woman named Barbara Yomtob. I hate that my final contact with Barbara was an angry one. As she had access to the IP addresses of the posters, I e-mailed her to find out who had posted the attack. She refused (which she should have done: privacy issues). I said fine. Take my photo off the gallery, and I never looked back. I regret that now. Barbara died a few days ago after suffering a stroke last year.