SEPTEMBER 2001 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

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AUGUST 2001 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

LOLA MCNALLEY Died Aug. 1, 2001

Emmy award winning hair stylist Lola McNalley died of natural causes. Her exact age is not known but Ms. McNalley was near 80 years old. Ms. McNalley won an Emmy for her work on the TV movie "Mrs. Santa Claus." She was nominated for another Emmy for her work on the TV series "Star Trek Voyager." Ms. McNalley’s other film credits include "Blazing Saddles," Cutter and Bone," Martin Scorsese’s "Alice Doesn’t Live Here Any More," "E.T.," "Up in Smoke," "Norma Rae" and "Bram Stoker’s Dracula."

ROBERT H. RIMMER Died Aug. 1, 2001

Writer Robert Rimmer died at age 84. Mr. Rimmer’s 1962 novel "The Harrad Experiment" dealt with male and female cohabitation at college. The study of sexual freedom had a big impact on the 1960s. His book was filmed in 1973 with James Whitmore, Tippi Hedren and a very young Don Johnson. A sequel, "Harrad Summer" soon followed. Mr. Rimmer served his country in WWII in the Burma/China/India theater of operations.

CHRISTOPHER HEWETT Died Aug. 3, 2001

English actor Christopher Hewett died at age 79 of complications from diabetes. Mr. Hewett gained his widest notoriety playing the perfect butler on TV’s "Mr. Belvedere." What you may not realize is that Mr. Hewett also turned in one of the greatest comedic performances in the history of film in Mel Brook’s classic "The Producers." Mr. Hewett played the transvestite Broadway director Roger DeBris. Mr. Hewett was in the original Broadway cast of "My Fair Lady."

DEAN VERNON Died Aug. 3, 2001

Emmy nominated sound man Dean Vernon has died at age 75. Mr. Vernon was nominated for an Emmy for his work on a "Columbo" TV movie. Mr. Vernon’s other credits include "Escape From the Planet of the Apes" and the Johnny Whitaker version of "Tom Sawyer." Mr. Vernon was married to actress Gloria Winters.

ROBERT DUNHAM Died Aug. 3, 2001

Robert Dunham was a "gaijin," an American actor who made his living in Japanese film. Mr. Dunham appeared in a number of Toho produced monster movies including "Godzilla vs. Megalon," Kinji Fukasaku’s campy "The Green Slime" and "Dagora, The Space Monster." Mr. Dunham died of a stroke at age 70.

HANS HOLT Died Aug. 3, 2001

Veteran German actor Hans Holt died at age 91. Mr. Holt acted in nearly 100 films in a career that stretched back to 1935. In 1987, Mr. Holt was given an Honorary Award at the German Film Awards for his lifetime contribution to the German film industry. Mr. Holt portrayed Baron Von Trapp in two films German films from the 1950s. Christopher Plummer played the role in Robert Wise’s "The Sound of Music."

LORENZO MUSIC Died Aug. 4, 2001

"Hello, this is Carlton your Doorman." That line was made famous on the TV series "Rhoda." Carlton was only heard, never seen. The man who voiced Carlton and the lazy cat Garfield was Lorenzo Music. Mr. Music died of lung and bone cancer at age 64. Mr. Music won an Emmy for writing on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." He won another Emmy for his work on the animated series "Carlton Your Doorman." He was also nominated for "Rhoda." Mr. Music also provided voice work for "The Jetsons," "The Real Ghostbusters," "The Gummi Bears" and "Darkwing Duck."

BILL MARKY Died Aug. 5, 2001

Emmy award winning sound man Bill Marky was found murdered at his home in Reseda California. The 63-year-old man was found by his wife. After a short stand-off, 32-year-old Matt Marky, the victim’s son was arrested by the LAPD. Matt Marky had also worked in the film industry. He was sentenced to life without parole for the murder of his father and girlfriend. Mr. Bill Marky won two Emmy awards for his work on the TV series "Hill Street Blues."

ALAN RAFKIN Died Aug. 6, 2001

Prolific, Emmy Award winning TV director Alan Rafkin died of heat disease at age 73. Anyone who watched any TV during the 60s, 70s and 80s saw Mr. Rafkin’s name in the credits of numerous TV series. Rafkin started out working as a puppet-coordinator. Mr. Rafkin won an Emmy for his work on the Bonnie Franklin/McKenzie Phillips/Valerie Bertinelli sitcom "One Day at a Time." He was also nominated for Emmy’s for his work on "It’s the Garry Shandling Show," "Mary Tyler Moore" and "M*A*S*H." Other credits include "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "My Favorite Martian," "Bewitched," "767 Sunset Strip," "Get Smart," "I Dream of Jeannie," "Room 222," "The Love Boat," "Coach," Suddenly Susan" and "Veronica’s Closet." In addition to his TV work, Mr. Rafkin directed several feature films including the Don Knotts’ vehicles "The Shakiest Gun in the West" and "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" plus "Angel In My Pocket" with Andy Griffith.

LARRY ADLER Died Aug. 6, 2001

Oscar nominated composer Larry Adler died of cancer at age 87. Mr. Adler was nominated for his score for the 1952 film "Genevieve." Other credits include "The Great Chase" and "High Wind in Jamaica."

DAME DOROTHY TUTIN Died Aug. 6, 2001

British actress Dorothy Tutin died of leukemia at age 71. Ms. Tutin was nominated for two British Academy Awards: one as Most Promising Newcomer for "The Important of Being Ernest," and as Best Actress for her work in Ken Russell’s erotic "Savage Messiah." She was created a Dame in 2000. Ms. Tutin’s husband Derek Waring and children Amanda and Nick Waring are also actors.

MAUREEN REAGAN Died Aug. 8, 2001

The daughter of former President Ronald Reagan and actress Jane Wyman died of a malignant melanoma at age 60. Ms. Reagan appeared in several movies including the TV movies "Sex and the Married Woman," "Death Takes a Holiday" and "The Specialists." Ms. Reagan also appeared uncredited in the Elvis flick "Kissin’ Cousins."

ROBERT JACKS Died Aug. 9, 2001

Actor/composer Robert Jacks died of an abdominal an aneurysm the day before his 42^nd birthday. Mr. Jacks played the chainsaw wielding maniac Leatherface in "The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Mr. Jacks also composed the score for the film. Mr. Jacks also acted in "Slackers" and "Scary Movie."

ART SEID Died Aug. 9, 2001

Emmy nominated film editor Art Seid died at age 87. Mr. Seid’s worked on nearly 90 films during his 50 year career. His Emmy nomination came for his work on the TV drama "Raid on Entebbe" about the rescue of hijack Israeli citizens from dictator Idi Amin by Israeli armed forces. Mr. Seid edited Abraham Polonski’s Film Noir classic "Force of Evil," which starred John Garfield. Other credits include the pilot film for the TV series "The Rookies," "Crowhaven Farm," Curtis Harrington’s "How Awful About Allen" and "The House that Would Not Die." Mr. Seid had success as a producer with the TV series "Perry Mason."

LESTER PINE Died Aug. 10, 2001

Screenwriter Lester Pine died of prostate cancer at age 83. Mr. Pine was nominated along with his wife Tina, for a Writer’s Guild Award for his screenplay of the romantic comedy/drama "Claudine" starring James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs. The WGA also nominated Mr. Pine for his script "Popi" directed by Arthur Hiller. Mr. Pine had numerous TV credits on such series as "I Spy," "The Big Valley," "Ben Casey" and "Peter Gunn."

WILLIAM SELLERS Died Aug. 11, 2001

Screenwriter William Sellers died at age 84. Mr. Sellers wrote the screenplay for a personal favorite: "The Gunfighter" starring Gregory Peck. Mr. Sellers was nominated for a Writer’s Guild Award for the script.

RICHARD SHOOR Died Aug. 13, 2001

Award-winning sound designer Richard Shoor died of melanoma at age 59. Mr. Shorr was nominated for an Oscar for his work on "Die Hard." He won an Emmy Award for the nuclear holocaust film "The Day After." The Motion Picture Sound Editor’s awarded Mr. Shorr Golden Reel Awards for "Die Hard" and "Predator." Other credits include "Prizzi’s Honor," "Action Jackson," "Shocker" and "The Evil That Men Do." Mr. Schorr also wrote and directed the films "Once Upon a Time" and "Witch’s Brew."

JACKIE JENKINS Died Aug. 14, 2001

Child actor Jackie Jenkins died just short of his 65^th birthday. As a child, ‘Butch’ Jenkins appeared in such films as "National Velvet" with Elizabeth Taylor, "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" and "Abbot and Costello in Hollywood." ‘Butch’ retired from films at 11.

DAN CARLIN SR. Died Aug. 14, 2001

Veteran music editor Dan Carlin Sr. died of lung cancer at age 72. Mr. Carlin worked on such films as "The Outlaw Josey Wales," "The Osterman Weekend," "Dead Poets Society" and Ron Howard’s hilarious "Parenthood." Mr. Carlin also left a legacy of four children who followed him into the industry. His children Ton, Kathy, Patricia and Daniel are all music editors with successful careers.

MISSY CLEVELAND Died Aug. 14, 2001

Playboy playmate Missy Cleveland died at age 41. I have been unable to discover the cause of death. Ms. Cleveland fueled many a man’s libido with her petite, golden girl look. Ms. Cleveland appeared in the films "Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie," "Let’s Do It" and "True Confessions." Her most famous role is probably as the naked girl in the shower at the beginning of Brian De Palma’s "Blow Out." John Travolta plays a sound man working on a low budget film. In Ms. Cleveland’s scene, she is about to be stabbed by a maniac. She lets out the most pathetic scream you’ve ever heard. Travolta ends up recording an appropriate scream. I’ll let you watch the movie to find out how. Prayers of comfort for Ms. Cleveland’s family and friends.

GERALD GORDON Died Aug. 17, 2001

Popular soap actor Gerald Gordon died of emphysema at age 67. Mr. Gordon was best known for his roles on "The Doctors" and "General Hospital." Mr. Gordon won a Daytime Emmy for his portrayal of President Andrew Jackson in "The First Ladies Diaries: Rachel Jackson." Mr. Gordon also worked in feature films. He appeared in the Blaxploitation film "Hell Up in Harlem." He played attorney F. Lee Bailey in "Patty Hearst."

ED CAMBRIDGE Died Aug. 18, 2001

Character actor Ed Cambridge died of complications from a fall at age 80. Mr. Cambridge had numerous TV and film credits including the Blaxploitation films "Hit Man," "Trouble Man" and "Friday Foster." Mr. Cambridge appeared in one of my favorite comedies, the made for TV Western "Evil Roy Slade" with John Astin. Mr. Cambridge was a frequent guest star on such TV shows as "Starsky and Hutch," "Good Times" and "The Jeffersons."

TOM WATSON Died Aug. 18, 2001

British actor Tom Watson died of cancer at age 69. Mr. Watson’s credits include the TV series "Dr. Who" and "Highlander," a bit part in "Fahrenheit 451," "Haunters of the Deep," "Another Time, Another Place," "The Winter Guest" and "Go Now."

JACK ELLIOT Died Aug. 18, 2001

Oscar and Emmy nominated composer Jack Elliot died of a brain tumor at age 87. Mr. Elliot was nominated for an Oscar for his score of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" which starred Debbie Reynolds. Mr. Elliot shared the nomination with five others. Mr. Elliot was nominated for an Emmy for his musical direction of an episode of "Omnibus." Mr. Elliot worked on over 100 films during his lengthy career. Some of his credits include "Where’s Papa?," "Support Your Local Gunfighter" and the TV series "Police Story," "Get Christie Love! ," "Starsky and Hutch," "Barney Miller," "Charlie’s Angels" and "The Love Boat."

WALTER REED Died Aug. 20, 2001

Actor Walter Reed had over 160 film and TV credits during his 40-year career. Mr. Reed died of kidney failure at age 85. Among his numerous credits are some of the cheesiest B-Movies ever made. Not all of them were bad, but many were. His credits include "Superman and the Mole Men," "Macumba Love" (I actually saw this one several times!), "Flying Disc From Mars" and "Missile Monsters." Mr. Reed did appear in a number of very good films also. Those include "Seven Men From Now," "The High and the Mighty," "Young Man With a Horn," "How the West Was Won," "Cheyenne Autumn" and "The Sand Pebbles."

KIM STANLEY Died Aug. 20, 2001

One of the saddest things about the passing of actress of Kim Stanley is the fact that she made so few films. Ms. Stanley thrived on the stage. While those who saw her stage performances will no doubt cherish the memories, we have precious little celluloid to remember Ms. Stanley by. She only made six feature films during her career and garnered two Oscar nominations. Not bad to be nominated for one third of your film output! Ms. Stanley made four made for TV movies and won an Emmy for one of those! (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) She also did quite a bit of live TV in the early 1950s. Ms. Stanley also won another Emmy award for a guest appearance on the TV series "Ben Casey."

Kim Stanley was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal as the grim, repressive mother of Jessica Lange in the film "Frances," about troubled movie actress Frances Farmer. Ms. Stanley’s first Oscar nomination was as Best Actress in the 1964 psychological drama "Séance on a Wet Afternoon." Ms. Stanley gave a memorable vocal performance in the classic film "To Kill a Mockingbird." Ms. Stanley played Jean Louise (Scout) as an adult as she narrated the film. Her beautiful Southern lilt popped in and out of the film during the transition from one season to the next. Her contribution is just one of the wonderful layers of that classic film. She gave one of her earthiest and funniest performances in Philip Kaufman’s "The Right Stuff." Ms. Stanley played real life character Pancho Barnes, the woman who ran the test pilot bar at Edwards Air Force Base. She has a great scene in which she puts Fred Ward and Dennis Quaid in their places. The 77-year-old actress died of uterine cancer.

KIKUE MORI Died Aug. 20. 2001

Japanese actress Kikue Mori dies of pneumonia at age 97. Ms. Mori appeared in several of the last films of famed Japanese director Kenji Mizoguchi. She played a supporting role in his internationally acclaimed and Oscar nominated film "Ugetsu." Ms. Mori also appeared in several of director Kon Ichikawa’s films. Ms. Mori also appeared in the Oscar winning "Gate of Hell" directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.

PETER MAAS Died Aug. 23, 2001

My 7^th grade teacher, Mary Ann Gianini (yes, she was a hot as her name sounds!) thought I was disturbed because of my choice of reading material. She caught me with Peter Maas’s "The Valachi Papers" and wrote my parents to say I had a morbid interest in crime. Instead of turning out to be Ted Bundy, I’m a criminal defense attorney. (Keep your jokes to yourself!) Author Peter Maas produced some of the best non-fiction crime books ever written. His books "The Valachi Papers," "Serpico," "Marie: A True Story," "In a Child’s Name," "The King of the Gypsies," and "The Terrible Hours" were all turned into feature and/or made for TV movies. Mr. Maas died at age 72.

KATHLEEN FREEMAN Died Aug. 23, 2001

Comedic actress Kathleen Freeman died of lung cancer at age 82. Ms. Freeman starred opposite Jerry Lewis in eight films including "The Errand Boy" and "The Nutty Professor." She appeared in Sam Peckinpah’s lyrical, lovely "The Ballad of Cable Houge" with Jason Robards and Stella Stevens. Ms. Freeman appeared in nearly 150 films and nearly 120 TV episodes during her lengthy career. Ms. Freeman appeared twice on Broadway, winning a Tony nomination for "The Full Monty." You may remember her best as Sister Mary Stigmata in "The Blues Brothers."

Other memorable films include "A Place in the Sun," "Singin’ in the Rain," the original version of "The Fly," "North to Alaska" with John Wayne, John Boorman’s original (and superior) "Point Blank" with Lee Marvin, "Innerspace," "Joe Dirt" and "Shrek."

JANE GREER Died Aug. 24, 2001

Jane Greer played the meanest, most conniving woman in Film Noir history. Ms. Greer had Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum willing to die for the pleasures of her flesh in Jacques Tourneur’s classic "Out of the Past." She played the mother of her own character in the misguided 1984 remake "Against All Odds." The sequel was a terrible waste of time, but Ms. Greer still looked very good. Ms. Greer also appeared in another top-notch Film Noir: "They Won’t Believe Me" with Robert Young. "They Won’t Believe Me" has one of the best twist endings in film history. Others may remember Ms. Greer in the Lon Chaney Sr. bio-pic "The Man of a Thousand Faces," in which she starred opposite James Cagney as the wife of Lon Chaney Sr.. Ms. Greer died of cancer at age 76.

AALIYAH HAUGHTON Died Aug. 25, 2001

22-year-old R&B artist Aaliyah was killed along with eight others when her chartered plane crashed on take off in the Bahamas. Ms. Haughton was in the Bahamas filming a music video for her latest release. The young singer/actress had made a strong impression in her film debut "Romeo Must Die." She was given the title role in the vampire film "The Queen of the Damned." Aaliyah was set to appear in both "Matrix" sequels, but her part will now be recast. Prayers of comfort for her family and friends.

JOHN CHAMBERS Died Aug. 25, 2001

Makeup artist John Chambers was given an honorary Oscar for his innovative makeup creations for the original "Planet of the Apes." He was also given a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award by the Hollywood Makeup and Hair Stylist Guilds. The 77-year-old makeup genius died of complications from diabetes. Mr. Chambers work is on display in my mother’s favorite film, "The List of Adrian Messenger." The John Huston thriller featured the gimmick of having many top A-List stars appearing in unrecognizable make-up. Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas all were hidden beneath Mr. Chambers’ artistry. Mr. Chambers was also the make-up designer for the original "Star Trek" TV series. In addition to his work in all five original "Planet of the Apes" films, Mr. Chambers’ work can also be seen in Brian De Palma’s "The Phantom of the Paradise," Ridley Scott’s "Blade Runner" and "Halloween II."

PHILIPPE LEOTARD Died Aug. 25, 2001

French actor Philippe Leotard starred in one of the best, gritty cop films ever made. The 1982 French film "La Balance" is a tough, brutal movie that surpasses many of the American cop films of the 1970s which influenced it. Leotard turns in a great performance as the gangster Dede, for which he won a Cesar as Best Actor. The film won Best Picture. If you like great cop films, "La Balance" is a must see. The 59-year-old actor died of respiratory failure 3 days shy of his 60^th birthday. Mr. Leotard appeared in nearly 100 films during his career. His other credits include "The Day of the Jackal" and "The French Connection II."

LAWRENCE MARCUS Died Aug. 28, 2001

Oscar nominated writer Lawrence Marcus died of Parkinson’s Disease at age 84. Mr. Marcus was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay "The Stunt Man." His other credits include Richard Lester’s quirky love story "Petulia" with George C. Scott and Julie Christie (look fast for Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company!), George Cukor’s "Justine" and "Alex and the Gypsy" starring Jack Lemmon and Genevieve Bujold.

FRANCISCO RABAL Died Aug. 29, 2001

Spanish actor Francisco ‘Paco’ Rabal made over 200 films during his 55-year career. Mr. Rabal won numerous awards for his acting including Spain’s Goya Award for actually portraying the painter Goya in a film titled "Goya." Mr. Rabal starred in Stuart Gordon’s interesting misfire "Dagon" based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Other credits include "The Beehive," William Freidkin’s "Sorcerer," Luis Bunel’s erotic classic "Belle De Jour" and Luchino Visconti’s segment of "The Witches."

JULIE BISHOP Died Aug. 30, 2001

Actress Julie Bishop died of pneumonia on her 87^th birthday. Ms. Bishop’s career dated back to the silent films. Under her birth name (Jacqueline Wells), she acted in silent films as a child star. She changed her professional name to Julie Bishop in 1941 after making 54 films! Her remaining 31 film appearances were under the name Julie Bishop.

Ms. Bishop appeared with such silent film stars as Gloria Swanson (Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife), Clara Bow (Maytime) and Mary Pickford (Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall). Ms. Bishop grew into an attractive young woman and made the transition to adult roles. She played the heroine in "Tarzan the Fearless" with Buster Crabbe. She had a substantial supporting role in the W.C. Fields’ classic "Tilly and Gus." My personal favorite of all her films is Edgar Ulmer’s kinky horror classic "The Black Cat" with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. "The Black Cat" is arguably the greatest horror film produced by Universal during its heyday. Ms. Bishop played the female lead. Ms. Bishop appeared in two films with John Wayne: "The Sands of Iwo Jima" and "The High and the Mighty." Ms. Bishop retired from acting in 1957. Her final film was "The Big Land" with Alan Ladd. Ms. Bishop was the mother of actress Pamela Susan Shoop (Halloween II).

JULY 2001 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

ARNOLD PEYSER Died July 1, 2001

Writer Arnold Peyser died of cancer at age 80. Mr. Peyser co-wrote numerous TV shows with his wife Lois. Mr. Peyser’s credits include "My Three Sons," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Mission Impossible," "Gilligan’s Island," "Love American Style" and "The Brady Bunch." Mr. Peyser wrote the Elvis vehicle "The Trouble With Girls." Mr. Peyser co-wrote and produced his last film, the TV movie "The Violation of Sarah McDavid" which starred Patty Duke and Ned Beatty.

JACK GWILLIM Died July 1, 2001

Classically trained character actor Jack Gwillim died at age 91. Mr. Gwillim appeared in two films of Ray Harryhausen. He played Poseidon in "Clash of the Titans" and King Aeetes in "Jason and the Argonauts." Mr. Gwillim was a respected stage actor who was a member of the Royal Shakespeare company. He appeared in several classic films including "Lawrence of Arabia," "Patton," "Sink the Bismarck" and "A Man For All Seasons." Other credits include the James Bond film "Thunderball," "Cromwell," "The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb," the cult classic horror movie "The Circus of Horrors" and "The Battle of Britain."

MORDECAI RICHLER Died July 1, 2001

Oscar nominated screenwriter Mordecai Richler died of cancer at age 70. Mr. Richler was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." Richard Dreyfus starred in this little gem from Canada. Mr. Richler adapted his own novel. I highly recommend this movie. You can probably catch it on the AMC channel. Mr. Richler also scripted the hit comedy "Fun With Dick and Jane," which starred George Segal and Jane Fonda as a husband wife forced into a life of crime when Segal loses his high paying job. Other credits include "Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang," "The Young and the Willing" and "Life at the Top."

CHARLES NEIDER Died July 4, 2001

Writer Charles Neider died of prostate cancer at age 86. Mr. Neider was a well-known expert on the life of Mark Twain. He adapted the novel "One Eyed Jacks" for the screen. On of my guilty pleasures, "One Eyed Jacks" is an over-blown Western based on the story of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Marlon Brando and Karl Malden starred. The film was Marlon Brando’s one try at directing.

A.D. FLOWERS Died July 4, 2001

Oscar winning special effects wizard A.D. Flowers died of pneumonia at age 83. Mr. Flowers won an Oscar for Best Special Effects for his explosive work on the Pearl Harbor film "Tora! Tora! Tora!" He was given a Special Achievement Oscar for his work on Irwin Allen’s "The Poseidon Adventure." He also shared a Technical Achievement Oscar for his development of a device to control flight patterns of miniature airplanes during motion picture photography. Mr. Flowers was also nominated for an Oscar for his work on Steven Speilberg’s comedy "1941." Mr. Flowers’ credits include a couple of my personal favorites. He added the bang and blood to John Milius’s brutal "Dillinger" which starred Warren Oates. He was also responsible for the hilarious suicides perpetrated by Bud Cort to ward off the women his mother wanted to fix him up with in Hal Ashby’s "Harold and Maude." Mr. Flowers worked on the best movie ever made: "The Godfather, Part II." He was also the special effects coordinator on Francis Ford Coppola’s "Apocalypse Now!" Other credits include Irwin Allen’s "The Towering Inferno," Woody Allan’s "Take the Money and Run" and "Sleeper," John Wayne’s "Rio Lobo" and Brian DePalma’s "The Fury."

FRED NEIL Died July 7, 2001

Composer Fred Neil died of cancer at age 64. Mr. Neil wrote the song "Everybody’s Talkin," which became famous in John Schlesinger’s "Midnight Cowboy." The song was also used on the "Forest Gump" soundtrack.

MOLLY LAMONT Died July 7, 2001

British actress Molly Lamont died at age 91. Ms. Lamont appeared in a number of British films before coming to America. She appeared in over 50 films during her 20-year career. Her credits include "Murder at Monte Carlo" with Errol Flynn, "Another Face" with Wallace Ford, John Ford’s "Mary of Scotland" with Katherine Hepburn, the screwball comedy "The Awful Truth" with Cary Grant and Irene Dunn, "Somewhere I’ll Find You" with Clark Gable and "Mr. Skeffington" with Bette Davis.

STEVE PREVIN Died July 9, 2001

Producer/director Steve Previn died at age 75. Mr. Previn directed episodes of the TV series "Foreign Intrigue." Though he directed a couple of small films, Mr. Previn was the executive producer of one of the best horror films of all time. Previn produced Nicholas Roag’s eerie "Don’t Look Now" which starred Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie. Previn also produced the sci-fi creature feature "The People that Time Forgot."

JAMES BERNARD Died July 12, 2001

Oscar winning composer/screenwriter James Bernard died at age 75. Mr. Bernard won an Oscar for Best Story for his only screenwriting foray "Seven Days to Noon." Mr. Bernard was a classmate of Christopher Lee. Both men went on to work for Hammer Studios. Mr. Bernard composed the scores for over 30 films. Many of Hammer Film’s all-time best were among his credits. His credits include the best version of Dracula ever filmed: "The Horror of Dracula" with Christopher Lee. Other credits include "X: The Unknown" with Dean Jagger, "The Curse of Frankenstein" with Lee and Peter Cushing, "The Stranglers of Bombay," "Terror of the Tongs," Terrence Fisher’s excellent "The Hound of the Baskervilles" with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, "Dracula: Prince of Darkness," "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave" and "Scars of Dracula" all with Christopher Lee.

ELEANOR SUMMERFIELD Died July 13, 2001

Actress Eleanor Summerfield died at age 79. Ms. Summerfield was the widow of actor Leonard Sachs and the mother of actor Robin Sachs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Ms. Summerfield appeared in nearly 50 films. Her credits include "The Watcher in the Woods," "Scrooge" with Alastair Sim, "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse," "No Way Back" and "Guns of Darkness."

TED BERMAN Died July 15, 2001

Disney animator/director Ted Berman died at age 81. Mr. Berman was a Disney animator for 45 years. He co-directed the films "The Fox and The Hound" and "The Black Cauldron." He designed ‘Michael’ and ‘John Darling’ for "Peter Pan" and the puppies in "101 Dalmations." Other credits include "The Rescuers," "Paul Bunyan," "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too" and the Oscar winning "Bedknobs and Broomsticks."

SYLVIA KUUMBA WILLIAMS July 17, 2001

Actress Sylvia Williams died of cancer at age 59. Ms. Williams acted on stage, screen and TV. Her film credits include the Oscar nominated "Sounder" with Paul Winfield and Cycely Tyson, Brian DePalma’s "Obsession," "Fort Apache the Bronx" with Paul Newman and the TV film "Freedom Road" with Muhammad Ali.

JULES BUCK Died July 19, 2001

Producer Jules Buck died of Alzheimer’s Disease just short of his 84^th birthday. Mr. Buck began his career as a cameraman and an assistant to producer Mark Hellinger. Hellinger produced "The Killers" which made Burt Lancaster a star. Mr. Buck became an associate producer on the films "The Naked City," "Brute Force" and "We Were Strangers." Mr. Bucks credits include "The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday" with Kay Lenz and Oliver Reed, "The Ruling Class" with Peter O’Toole in an Oscar nominated performance, "Great Catherine" and "Lord Jim" also with O’Toole and "The Day They Robbed the Bank of England."

JOEL CHERNOFF Died July 19, 2001

A talented life was cut short by heart disease. Producer, writer, assistant director, production manager Joel Chernoff died at age 50. Mr. Chernoff was involved in one capacity or another in some of my favorite films. His credits include the excellent John Milius surfing film "Big Wednesday" (writer), Hal Ashby’s "The Last Detail" with Jack Nicholson (co-producer), Martin Scorsese’s "The Last Waltz" (producer), "In the Line of Fire" (production manager), "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" (second-unit director) and "Stargate" (also second unit director). Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

NORMAN WRIGHT Died July 21, 2001

Writer Norman Hall Wright died at age 81. Mr. Wright was the son of novelist Harold Bell Wright (The Shepherd of the Hills). Mr. Write wrote of helped develop the stories for several Disney classics including "Bambi" and "Fantasia."

EUDORA WELTY Died July 23, 2001

No one ever captured the slightly skewed way people live in the south like Pulitzer Prize winning author Eudora Welty. I love her work and only wish there was more of it. Ms. Welty’s stories were the basis for the films "The Hitch-Hikers," "The Key," "The Wide Path" and "The Ponder Heart." Ms. Welty appeared in the documentary films "Tell About the South: Voices in Black and White," "Katherine Anne Porter: The Eye of Memory" and "Great Dives." Ms. Welty died at age 92 of pneumonia and cardiac arrest.

HIROSHI TSUBURAYA Died July 24, 2001

Actor Hiroshi Tsuburaya died of kidney failure at age 37. He was the grandson of legendary director Eiji Tsuburaya (Gojira/Godzilla). Mr. Tsuburaya appeared in the TV series "Ultraman," the character that was created by his grandfather.

RHONDA SINGH (BERTHA FAYE) Died July 27, 2001

Wrestler Rhonda Singh died at age 40. Ms. Singh wrestled under the name ‘Bertha Faye.’ She appeared in a number of WWF (now WWE) wrestling shows and videos during the mid-1990s.

LEON WILKESON Died July 27, 2001

Lynyrd Skynyrd bass-player Leon Wilkeson died at age 49. Mr. Wilkeson was on the plane that crashed killing fellow band members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines as well as the pilots and several crewmembers. Growing up in the 70s was all the better because of the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd. One of the best concerts I ever saw took place at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on July 4^th, 1976. For $10.00 a ticket, over 70,000 folks were treated to day daylong concert with The Outlaws, Blue Oyster Cult, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top. The next year I was stationed at Kessler Air Force Base. Not far away, the plane carrying the Lynyrd Skynyrd band ran out of gas and crashed. I remember shedding a tear as many of the guys in our barracks cranked up their stereos playing ‘Free Bird.’ Mr. Wilkeson and the survivors reformed the band and carried on the Skynyrd tradition. It’s not uncommon to hear some drunken redneck yell "Play Freebird" in the clubs around Memphis. Mr. Wilkeson appeared in the excellent concert film "Freebird-The Movie."

ALEX NICOL Died July 29, 2001

I grew up loving cheesy horror films. Some of my best memories were of my dad turning out the lights and running through the room, jumping out of the shadows to scare me and my mom while we watched "Fantastic Features" every Friday night. "The Screaming Skull" was one of my favorites because my dad always pulled the same stunt. He would pull his baldhead into his shirt and button the collar button. After applying a little ketchup to his shiny pate, he would lurch through the room yelling for the person who had his skull. I haven’t seen "The Screaming Skull" in years, but I imagine that it wasn’t half as scary as my dad’s antics. Actor/director Alex Nicol was responsible in part for that happy memory. Mr. Nicol acted in nearly 50 films and directed another eight. He both directed and acted in "The Screaming Skull." Mr. Nicol played Dr. Robinson in the 1975 TV version of "Huckleberry Finn." He played gangster George Barker in Roger Corman’s cult-classic "Bloody Mama." Other credits include guest roles in the TV series "The Outer Limits," "The F.B.I." and "The Twilight Zone."

POUL ANDERSON Died July 31, 2001

Legendary sci-fi writer Poul Anderson died of prostate cancer at age 74. The film "The High Crusade" was based on one of Mr. Anderson’s nearly 70 novels.

FRED CARSON Died July 31, 2001

Actor/stuntman/double/stunt coordinator Fred Carson died at age 77. Mr. Carson worked in films for 40 years. Among his many credits are "F.I.S.T.," Tom Laughlin’s "The Master Gunfighter," "They Only Kill Their Masters," "The Bounty Killer," "The Egyptian," "Demetrius and the Gladiators," "The Wild One" and "Viva Zapata!" Mr. Carson doubled for such actors as Marlon Brando, Victor Mature, Rock Hudson and Anthony Quinn.

THE ONE YOU MIGHT HAVE SAVED

Blog god Arbogast of "Arbogast on Film" asks his readers and fellow bloggers "Who they might have saved?" Which character in a horror film would you have saved from their gruesome fate? While "The Dirty Dozen" isn't a horror film, I felt compelled to answer Arbogast's call. Unfortunately for you, I can't write as well as Arbogast.

Panama City Florida, 1967. The date and location of the best family vacation of my youth. Great beach, a cool amusement park with the best walk-through haunted house you can imagine, everything a 9-year-old boy could love. If you count all the girls on the beach I could only dream about…well, that's a story for another day. This was the only vacation during which I can remember the family going to see a movie. Robert Aldrich's "The Dirty Dozen." Cleveland Brown's legend Jim Brown portrayed one of the soldier convicts: 'Robert Jefferson.' Even at nine years old, I was upset when Jefferson's fellow soldiers were more concerned with cheering him on, than scanning the battlefield for murderous German soldiers. The reaction shots of Lee Marvin and John Cassavettes after Jefferson is machine-gunned to death only yards from freedom captured perfectly the turmoil I felt as a kid watching this movie for the first time.

I know "it's only a movie" but Jefferson's death in this film never fails to stab me in the guts. I've seen the film at least 50 times over the past 43 years. Each time I truly believe that Jefferson is going to make it this time. Why do I feel this way? Let me take you back 26 years to explain.

Las Vegas, 1984. I was working as a cab driver for Checker Cab. A call came in that there was a late flight at McCarrin Airport. This was after midnight. I showed up first. The rules stated that we did not double load, meaning pick up more than one group of people headed for different destinations. It was late, I got there first, I needed the money so screw the rules. Two couples crowded into the back of the cab and one of the largest men I've ever seen got up front with me. I knew right away who he was.

"Are you Jim Brown?"

If it had been just the two of us, he would have been truthful, but I imagine the two European couples in the back lead him to say…

"No."

I ignored his lie and told him about Robert Jefferson's affect on my life.

"From the first time I saw the movie I hated the fact that Jefferson got killed. I understand now, that this was the 1960s and Aldrich wanted to show that Blacks died for their country just like Whites. Ironic since most of the country didn't appreciate that sacrifice when it happened. Hell, most folks probably felt like Telly Savalas' Maggot: "Do we have to eat with N*****rs." But times have changed and the country has come a long way since the 60s. Maybe Jefferson doesn't have to die anymore to make the point. Every time I see the movie I hope that Jefferson's going to make it this time."

I dropped the guy off at his hotel. He paid the $8.00 for the ride. Then he pulled out his wallet and handed me a tip. He smiled and walked away. He had not commented on what I had to say about "The Dirty Dozen." I looked at the tip. It was a $50.00 bill. I knew he was Jim Brown. I'd much rather have had an autograph though.