JULY 2002 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

MARITTA WOLFF STEGMAN Died July 1, 2002

Ms. Stegman was a novelist who had two of her books turned into films. Her debut novel "Whistle Stop" and her second book "Night Shift" were both filmed in 1946.

JAMES LEE Died July 2, 2002

Mr. Lee was a writer who worked mainly in TV. His credits include the mini series "Roots" and "Scruples." He also wrote the 1967 TV version of "The Diary of Ann Frank." Mr. Lee wrote the terrible Elvis movie "A Change of Habit."

IVAN MOFFAT Died July 4, 2002

Writer/producer Ivan Moffat received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay
for George Stevens' film "Giant." Mr. Moffat also wrote the screenplay for John Frankenheimer's "Black Sunday" and the Alec Guiness film "Hitler: The Last Ten Days." Mr. Moffat was an associate producer on two of George Stevens' best films: "Shane" and "A Place in the Sun." Mr. Moffat appeared as himself in three documentaries about director Stevens. Mr. Moffat died of a stroke at age 84.

KATY JURADO Died July 5, 2002

My favorite scene in Sam Peckinpah's flawed "Pat Garret and Billy the Kid" involves Katy Jurado sitting by her husband, Slim Pickens as he dies following a gun battle. Slim Pickens was building a boat for him and his wife to sail away in. Peckinpah set his death scene beside a small river. Ms. Jurado cries and smiles at her husband as he holds his gunshot belly. Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" plays on the soundtrack. This is as close to sailing away as the couple will ever get. The scene is a shining example of the character development that set Peckinpah's films apart from countless imitators. Ms. Jurado is wonderful in this cameo. It is touching juxtaposition to the violent shootout, which preceded the scene. In the shootout, Ms. Jurado backed up her husband with a double-barrel shotgun. Ms. Jurado had what it took to pull off these extremes. She could be a strong pitbull and a feminine support.

Ms. Jurado won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in the classic Western "High Noon." She was nominated for the Best Supporting Oscar nomination "Broken Lance" in 1954. She was honored by the Mexican film industry four times between 1954 and 1999 with the Silver Ariel Award for her acting. Ms. Jurado was married to Ernest Borgnine at one time. Ms. Jurado appeared in 65 films including Marlon Brando's quirky Billy the Kid drama "One Eyed Jacks," and "Barabbas."

JOHN FRANKENHEIMER Died July 6, 2002

Mr. Frankenheimer directed some of the most original films of the 1960s. A dear friend of Robert Kennedy, Mr. Frankenheimer’s career faltered after his friend’s assassination. Director Frankenheimer sank into alcoholism, from which he recovered. While he never recaptured the glory of his early career, Mr. Frankenheimer continued to make some very interesting films.

He is best known as the director of the paranoid classic "The Manchurian Candidate." The film is as riveting today as it was when released in 1962. Mr. Frankenheimer started in TV. He directed countless episodes of the live TV show Playhouse 90. He turned to feature films in the late 1950s. In addition to "The Manchurian Candidate," he directed "The Birdman of Alcatraz" with Burt Lancaster and the psychological sci-fi classic "Seconds" with Rock Hudson.

Mr. Frankenheimer teamed up with Burt Lancaster on several films. They include the WWII psychological drama "The Train," the political thriller "Seven Days in May" and the under-rated "The Gypsy Moths" about a team of parachutists who put on shows in small southern towns.

One of my favorites was the Gregory Peck film "I Walk the Line." In that film, Mr. Frankenheimer visited Lolita territory. Peck plays a Southern sheriff who overlooks a moonshiner’s activities in exchange for the favors of the moonshiner’s daughter played by the sexy Tuesday Weld.

Mr. Frankenheimer directed the best of a group of films released in the early 1970s called "The American Film Theater." The movies were designed to bring stage plays to the screen for mass consumption. Frankenheimer director Eugene O’Neil’s "The Iceman Cometh" with Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan and an all star cast.

Other credits include the highly under-rated "The French Connection II." His biggest hit of the 70s was the Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern thriller "Black Sunday." He also directed one of the worst horror films of all time in 1979: "The Prophecy" with Talia Shire.

Japanophiles and action fans should check out Frankenheimer’s 1982 film "The Challenge" with Scott Glenn and Toshiro Mifune. The movie has a tight script and is filled with some incredible fight scenes. Frankenheimer followed this with the quirky Elmore Leonard story "52 Pick-Up" starring Roy Scheider, Ann Margret and an insane John Glover!

Mr. Frankenheimer returned to TV in the 90s. He directed several Emmy winning TV movies including "Wallace" and "Andersonville." He directed the interesting misfire, "The Island of Dr. Moreau" on the big screen. His last great big screen movie was the complex and exciting "Ronin" with Robert DeNiro. For an interesting insight into the director check out his commentary track on the "Ronin" DVD.

Mr. Frankenheimer died of a stroke following surgery. Thanks for entertaining us.

PHYLLIS WHITE Died July 7, 2002

Ms. White was a long tome TV scriptwriter. She wrote for such shows as "Mission Impossible," "My Favorite Martian" and she was the head writer for the original "Tonight Show." Ms. White began the union TV Writers of America. That organization was later absorbed by the Writer's Guild of America. Ms. White died of a stroke at age 79.

WARD KIMBAL Died July 8, 2002

Mr. Kimball was one of the "Nine Old Men" who made up the core of animators for Walt Disney during the early days. Mr. Kimball created Jiminy Cricket for the film "Pinocchio." He also created the crows in "Dumbo." Mr. Kimball worked on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," "Alice in Wonderland," "Mary Poppins" and "The Three Caballeros." Two of his films won Oscars for best animated short subjects. Walt Disney said of him: "Ward in the one man who works for me that I'm willing to call a genius." High praise considering the source.

ROD STEIGER Died July 9, 2002

Oscar winning actor Rod Steiger died of a stroke at age 77. Mr. Steiger appeared in over 120 films during his 50-year career. Mr. Steiger gave more of himself on screen than just about any other actor who has lived. Steiger suffered from depression for most of his adult life. He turned his inner turmoil into some of the richest film performances ever delivered.

From the earliest days of his career he was a force to be reckoned with. He held his own against Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront." That was followed by his menacing performance as Jud Fry in the musical "Oklahoma." He elevated the 1959 b-movie "Al Capone" into a camp classic with his over-the-top portrayal of Scarface Al Capone.

I recently had the pleasure of rediscovering the 1961 film "The Mark" on DVD. This powerful film dealt with a child-molester trying to change his life. Steiger played the Irish psychologist who tried to help Stuart Whitman's character. Mr. Steiger's performance is both subtle and complex. Mr. Steiger's greatest role came 3 years later in Sidney Lumet's "The Pawnbroker."

Mr. Steiger is best known for his Oscar winning performance as Sheriff Bill Gillespie in Norman Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night." I first saw that movie when I was 12. I was moved to tears by Steiger's turn as the lonely sheriff forced to reexamine his values. Steiger's Gillispie is nothing like the TV character of the same name played by Carol O'Conner. There is a scene in which Sidney Poitier's Virgil Tibbs shares a drink in Gillispie's house. Gillispie tells him that no one ever comes to his house. When Tibbs responds with sympathy, Gillespie explodes in a tirade. For a second, Gillispie let down his guard and treated a Black man as a human. He recovers in an emotional rant, which reveals much about the character. The scene is powerful and sad. Fortunately, Steiger's character comes around to see the error of his ways. Steiger's Oscar was well deserved. If you have never seen this movie, you are missing one of the best films of the 1960s.

Steiger turned in several more great performances toward the end of the 1960s. He plays a highly theatrical psychopath in the very funny black comedy "No Way to Treat a Lady." Steiger dealt with homosexuality in the military in "The Sergeant." His performance beautifully conveys the angst felt by a closeted homosexual during WWII. Steiger played multiple roles (including the title character) in the flawed but interesting Sci-Fi film "The Illustrated Man."

If I could convince one to discover an over-looked Rod Steiger film it would be Sergio Leone's "Duck You Sucker" AKA "A Fistful of Dynamite." Steiger plays Juan Miranda, an ignorant Mexican bandit who leads his enormous family on a life of crime. Miranda meets John Mallory (James Coburn), an Irish ex-patriot, during one of his robberies. Juan and John become fast friends. John is a mercenary working for revolutionaries during the Mexican Civil War. John manipulates Juan into becoming a figurehead of the revolution. The movie is an epic film of nearly three hours. It is lesser known than Leone's other spaghetti westerns and that is unfortunate. Steiger's Juan is the best developed character in any of Sergio Leone's movies. Juan is a simple man whose appearance belies his intelligence. He is not educated except in the ways of the world. If you chose to check out a Rod Steiger film, please put this one on the top of your list.

One of my guilty pleasures is the hillbilly feud film "Lolly Madonna XXX." Steiger stars with Robert Ryan, Jeff Bridges, Scott Wilson, Randy Quaid and Season Hubley in this back-woods allegory about Vietnam. It is a bit preachy at times, but Steiger delivers another great over-the-top performance as one of the patriarchs of the feuding clans.

Mr. Steiger made a lot of bad movies also. That's what happens when you make as many films as he did. Of his later films, two performances stand out. Steiger played the gung-ho general in "Mars Attacks." It is a very funny performance. One of his most terrifying roles was as Gordon Caul, the real life white-supremacist who died in a shootout with the FBI. Steiger portrayed Caul in the excellent "In the Line of Duty: Manhunt in the Dakotas."

I know I'm leaving out many other great films Mr. Steiger left us. It is hard to encapsulate such a long, painful and giving life in so few words. All I can say is thanks for what you left us. Prayers for his loved ones would be appreciated.

QUINCY WONG Died July 9, 2002

Chicago based actor Quincy Wong appeared in "Novocaine," "Mo Money" and "March in the Windy City." Mr. Wong was known for efforts to dispel stereotypes about Asian Americans in film. Mr. Wong died of a heart attack.

ALVIN SAPINSLEY Died July 13, 2002

80 year old Alvin Saplinsley was an award-winning TV writer. He wrote scripts for the TV series "The Untouchables,' "Hawaii 5-O," "The Hitchhiker" and "Kojak" among others. Mr. Saplinsley won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best TV Feature or Mini-Series script for the 1977 film "Sherlock Holmes in New York" starring Roger Moore, John Huston and Patrick McNee. Mr. Saplinsley was blacklisted during the 1950s for attending Communist Party meetings. Mr. Saplinsley served his country in WWII and took part in D-Day as a cryptographer.

PHIL ROTH Died July 15, 2002

Mr. Roth was a character actor on TV and in film during the 60s, 70s and 80s. His TV credits include "The Monkees," "Get Smart" and "Tales From the Darkside." Mr. Roth appeared in Mike Nichols' "Catch-22," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Harry and Tonto." The 74 year old actor died of colon cancer.

GENE MOSS Died July 15, 2002

Mr. Moss was the creator on co-writer of the "Roger Ramjet" cartoon series. Mr. Moss wrote everyone of the cartoon's 156 episodes with his partner. Mr. Moss did an uncredited cameo in the Barry Newman spy thriller "The Salzberg Connection." Mr. Moss also provided the voice of Smokey Bear for a decade.

MONTY BERMAN Died July 15, 2002

Mr. Berman was the second generation owner of a London costume company. Mr. Berman's company provided costumes for such films as "Lawrence of Arabia," "Doctor Zhivago," "The Guns of Navarone," "The African Queen" and the James Bond movie series. Mr. Berman was 90 years old.

PAULA MCCLURE Died July 17, 2002

Ms. McClure was an Emmy winning TV personality. She once worked for "Entertainment Tonight." Ms. McClure appeared in several films, usually as a reporter. Her credits include "Lady Boss," "A Talent for the Game," "Total Recall," "The First Power" and "The Preppie Murder."

HARRY GERSTAD Died July 17, 2002

Two-time Oscar winner Harry Gerstad died of natural causes at age 93. Mr. Gerstad was a film editor for over 40 years. He retired in 1975. Mr. Gerstad shared the Best Editing Oscar for Fred Zinnemann's classic Western "High Noon" with Elmo Williams. Mr. Gerstad's other Best Film Editing Oscar was for the Kirk Douglas film "The Champion." Mr. Gerstad was awarded the "Career Achievement Award" by the American Cinema Editors in 1997. Other credits include "Walking Tall," "Big Jake," "Batman: The Movie," "The Spiral Staircase" and Marlon Brando's debut film "The Men."

BARRY C. REED Died July 19, 2002

Mr. Reed was an attorney turned novelist. His book "The Verdict" was turned into a film starring Paul Newman and James Mason.

CHUCK TRAYNOR Died July 22, 2002

Three months to the day after ex-wife Linda Lovelace was killed in a car crash, porn producer Chuck Traynor died of a heart attack. Ex-wife Linda Lovelace said she was forced into porn at gun-point. Mr. Traynor always denied the charges.

LEO McKERN Died July 23, 2002

Leo McKern may not be a name you recognize, but his face will bring a smile to yours. Mr. McKern appeared in so many notable films and TV shows that it is hard to say what he will be best remembered for. His family can answer that question best, but I'll give you my answer as a movie fan.

The year is 1965 and The Beatles have transformed the face of pop-culture. I was 7 years old, but I had the benefit of having three teenage brothers and sisters. Richard Lester's movie "Help" was a worldwide box-office hit. Leo McKern played the role of "Clang." Clang was the leader of an Indian cult, which had to sacrifice a virgin to their God. The virgin had to be painted red and had to wear a sacred ring at the time of their sacrifice. In "Help" the virgin was deflowered by Ringo. Ringo was given the ring in gratitude. The rest of the film had cult members following the Fab 4 all over the world to recover the ring. Mr. McKern showed great comic timing in his role.

Before I ever saw "Help," I remember watching a British sci-fi film from the 50s called "X The Unknown." It is one of the better sci-fi films from that era. An overlooked gem which Mr. McKern had some small part in making better.

Another pre-"Help" credit was in the hilarious film "The Mouse That Roared" with Margaret Rutherford and Peter Sellers. Don't miss this satirical comic gem if you get the chance.

Mr. McKern played the stuffy Thomas Cromwell in the excellent "A Man For All Seasons" (1966) with Oscar winner Paul Scofield. He appeared as Thomas Ryan in David Lean's epic love story "Ryan's Daughter" (1970).

Most people will remember the crotchety Mr. McKern as Horace Rumpole in the BBC TV series "Rumpole of the Bailey." Leo McKern played Prof. Moriarty in the Gene Wilder Comedy "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother." He appeared in the Meryl Streep film "The French Lieutenant's Woman" as well as the great fantasy romance film "Ladyhawke."

I will always remember Mr. McKern for his role in the first two films of "The Omen" series. Mr. McKern played the archaeologist Bugenhagen in the both films. He led Gregory Peck to ancient proof that his son was destined to be the anti-Christ. Mr. McKern reprised his role as a cameo in "Damien: Omen II." Mr. McKern died in the opening scene. If you do not know who Mr. McKern was, I recommend that you rent or buy some of his films. I'm glad he had the opportunity to entertain me.

CHAIM POTOK Died July 23, 2002

Mr. Potok was a novelist who wrote "The Chosen." An excellent film version of the story of a friendship between two Jewish teenagers: one orthodox and the other liberal. The film starred Rod Steiger and Maximilian Schell. Robby Benson and Barry Miller are great as the friends from different worlds.

CLARK GESNER Died July 23, 2002

Mr. Gesner was a writer and composer. He created the Musical "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown." The musical was turned in two TV films: a 1973 live action version and an animated version in 1985. Mr. Gesner also composed music for the "Captain Kangaroo" TV series. Mr. Gesner died of a heart attack at age 64.

MAURICE DENHAM Died July 24, 2002

Mr. Denham is the second, great British character actor to die in as many days. Mr. Denham had 120 feature film and TV movie credits. The bald actor appeared in many genre films. He can be spotted in many horror, sci-fi and war films. During the 1980s, Mr. Denham worked almost exclusively in TV movies. Mr. Denham did appear in many great films during his career. His credits include David Lean's "Oliver Twist" (1948), Denham provided all of the voices for the 1954 version of George Orwell's "Animal Farm."

His horror film credits include some of the best ever made. He was one of the main characters in Jacques Tourneur's classic "Night of the Demon" (1957). He appeared in the wonderful Ingrid Pitt film "Countess Dracula" (1970). Other horror films include "The Nanny" with Bette Davis, "The Night Caller" and "Torture Garden" with Peter Cushing and Jack Palance.

One of my favorite war films "Sink the Bismark" was made more colorful by Mr. Denham's presence. He appeared in several noted films in the early 70s. "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" was a groundbreaking and award winning film about a bi-sexual love triangle. Franklin Schaffner's "Nicholas and Alexandra" told the story of the last Czar of Russia. Mr. Denham also appeared in the Oscar winning film "Julia" with Jane Fonda and Jason Robards. He also appeared in the thriller "Day of the Jackal

Mr. Denham was nominated for a British Academy Award as Best British Actor for his role in the 1954 film "The Purple Plain." Mr. Denham lived a full 92 years. He was awarded an OBE by the Queen.

BUDDY BAKER Died July 26, 2002

Mr. Baker was an Oscar-nominated composer who was a longtime employee of Walt Disney Studios. Mr. Baker began working with Disney in 1954. He composed the music for the "Daniel Boone" TV series as well as some music for the original "Mickey Mouse Club" and "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day." Feature film credits include "The Fox and the Hound" "The Shaggy D.A." "$1,000,000.00 Duck" "Superdad" and "Napoleon and Samantha." Mr. Baker worked on over 40 feature film scores. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1972 for the film "Napoleon and Samantha" starring Johnny Whitaker and Jodie Foster.

AMBER SEXXXUM (LAURA BAILEY) Died July 26, 2002

Porn star Laura Bailey a.k.a. Amber Sexxxum, died at home in St. Petersburg Florida at age 31. No cause of death was listed. She is survived by her parents and a sister. Ms. Bailey appeared in about 13 adult films.

FRANK INN Died July 27, 2002

Mr. Inn was one of the top animal trainers working in film. His trained
animals for feature films such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "The Daring Doberman's" and Blake Edward's "S.O.B." Mr. Inn was best known as the trainer of Benji. The dog appeared in the TV series "Petticoat Junction" and then the first "Benji" movie. The dog's daughter played the role in the sequels. Mr. Inn also trained Arnold Ziffle on "Green Acres" and all of Elly May's critters on "The Beverly Hillbillies."

JOEL OLIANSKY Died July 29, 2002

Mr. Oliansky was a writer/director who worked in both TV and feature films. He won an Emmy in 1970 for an episode of "The Bold Ones." He was nominated for another Emmy in 1976 for the mini-series "The Law" with Judd Hirsch. Mr. Oliansky drafted the script "Bird" which Clint Eastwood later rewrote and filmed. "Bird" told the story of jazz great Charlie Parker. Mr. Oliansky directed several TV shows including "Kojak" and "Emergency." He directed the Richard Dreyfuss/Amy Irving love story "The Competition." Mr. Oliansky died at age 66.

PETER BAYLESS Died July 29, 2002

British character actor Peter Bayless died of cancer at age 80. Mr. Bayless's credits include "From Russian With Love," "The Magic Christian," "Lock Up Your Daughters" and "Old Dracula." In later years, Mr. Bayless appeared in several of Hallmark's fantasy films made for TV. Those credits include "Merlin," "Alice in Wonderland" and "Arabian Nights."

PAULINE CHAN Died July 31, 2002

Yet another adult film actress has committed suicide. Little girls beware! Fast money sometimes carries a big price tag. Pauline Chan was Chinese erotic film actress. Ms. Chan starred in "Category 3" films in Hong Kong. These movies were mainly softcore porn. Ms. Chan retired from adult films in 1992 and began pursuing a singing career. She did perform concerts in the US during the mid 1990s. However, Ms. Chan's largest fan-base came from her porn films.

JUNE 2002 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

FREEMAN KING Died June 1, 2002

Actor comedian Freeman King died of a heart attack on his 59th birthday. Mr. King had numerous TV credits. He was a regular on "The Sonny and Cher Show" in the 70s. His movie credits include Chevy Chase's "Fletch," "Under the Rainbow" and "The Buddy Holly Story." Mr. King played the MC at the Apollo theater in the best scene in "The Buddy Holly Story." His famous line in that film was "I'm as clean as a Safeway chitlin!" Other TV credits include "Sanford and Son," "What's Happening!" and "Starsky and Hutch."

HERMAN COHEN Died June 2, 2002

One of the all-time greats of truly bad movies has passed on. Schlock horror movie producer Herman Cohen died of throat cancer. I can't tell you how many hours of guilty enjoyment I received from Mr. Cohen's work. His notorious film titles and low budgets made him a ton of money back in the 50s and 60s. Mr. Cohen struck paydirt with a little film called "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" with a then little known actor named Michael Landon. That film's success spawned numerous other teenage horror films. His follow-up was "I Was a Teenage Frankenstein." Other titles include "Blood of Dracula," "How to Make a Monster" and "The Headless Ghost." Mr. Cohen began making horror films in England in the early 1960s. His "Horrors of the Black Museum" is a b-movie classic. You will never put a pair of binoculars up to your eyes without thinking twice after seeing that film. He produced two horror films with Joan Crawford: "Berserk!" and "Trog." While "Trog" was a cheesy throwaway, "Berserk!" has a fee real shocks in it. Mr. Cohen also produced the British "King Kong" rip-off "Konga" starring the excellent horror actor, Michael Gough. Mr. Cohen wrote seven of his films and made uncredited cameos in seven more.

LEW WASSERMAN Died June 3, 2002

Mr. Wasserman was the last of a dying breed. He was an old-style Hollywood mogul cut from the same cloth as Jack Warner, Louie B. Meyer or Harry Cohen. Wasserman was Ronald Reagan's first agent. He also represented Jimmy Stewart and Janet Leigh among others. He was a strong supporter of former President Bill Clinton. Mr. Wasserman owned MCA and Universal at one time. He brought a little known filmmaker named Stephen Speilberg to the forefront of the industry. His unauthorized biography "The Last Mogul" by Denis McDougal is a great read.

SAM WHIPPLE Died June 3, 2002

41-year-old actor Sam Whipple died of cancer. His credits include "The Doors," "Airheads" and "The Rock." Mr. Whipple played Dr. John Ballard on the TV series "7 Days."

BARBARA PREISKEL Died June 4, 2002

Ms. Preiskel was the second black woman to graduate from Yale's Law School. She was an attorney for the Motion Picture Association of America. Ms. Preiskel was an anti-censorship advocate for the MPAA for nearly 25 years. She aided Jack Valenti in fighting state and local laws that banned (among other things) the depiction of interracial relationships on film.

RADWAN EL-KASHEF Died June 5, 2002

Mr. El-Kashef was one of Egypt's premiere film directors. He died of a stroke at the young age of 50. His films include "The Magician," "Date Wine" and "Violets are Blue." A philosophy student, Mr. El-Kashef's films usually dealt with the search for love and happiness. "Date Wine" was nominated for awards at the Locarno International Film Festival and Namur International Festival of French Speaking Films.

DEE DEE RAMONE (DOUGLAS COLVIN) Died June 5, 2002

Dee Dee Ramone was one of the founding members of the greatest punk band ever, "The Ramones." Dee Dee died of a suspected drug overdose. His wife found a syringe in the kitchen. The Ramones' influence on the British and American Punk Rock movement was immeasurable. Dee Dee wrote some of the band's greatest song including my favorite "Teenage Lobotomy." The band starred as themselves in the 1979 cult film "Rock and Roll High School" with the sexy pixie P.J. Soles. Do these guys really think it is fashionable to kill themselves with drugs?

CARMELO BERNAOLA Died June 5, 2002

Mr. Bernoulli was a composer in Spain. Bernoulli composed the scores to over 80 films. He won the Goya Award for his score to the film "Pasodoble." He provided scores to many horror films in the 60s and 70s.

SIGNE HASSO Died June 7, 2002

Ms. Hasso was an actress in Sweden prior to coming to the United States. She began making movies in Hollywood in the 40s. Her credits include "Heaven Can Wait" (1943), "A Double Life," "Picture Mommy Dead" and "A Reflection of Fear." She also appeared in an over-looked comedy take-off on "The Maltese Falcon" called "The Black Bird." Her character in that film was Dr. Cripen, named after a famous serial killer. The 91-year-old actress was comforted by fellow Swedish actor Peter Stormare ("Windtalkers") at her hospital bed when she died.

JAMES LUISI Died June 7, 2002

Mr. Luisi was a long time character actor. He had a regular role as Lieutenant Chapman on the TV series "The Rockford Files." He played Al Palmini in one of my all time favorite TV movies: "Contract on Cherry Street" with Frank Sinatra. Other credits include the pilot for Joseph Wambaugh's anthology TV series "Police Story," "Cry Rape," "Fade to Black," "Star 80" and the sci-fi gore classic "The Hidden." Mr. Luisi died of cancer.

WILLIAM D'ANGELO Died June 8, 2002

Mr. D'Angelo was a longtime TV producer. He was responsible for the shows "Love American Style," "Room 222," "Run, Joe Run" and "Batman." Mr. D'Angelo died of pancreatic cancer.

JAMES WHEATON Died June 9, 2002

Actor James Wheaton had recurring roles on "Sanford and Son" and "Good Times." Mr. Wheaton appeared in George Lucas’s "THX1138," "Black Belt Jones" and "A Piece of the Action." Mr. Wheaton died of a heart attack.

JAMES ALMANZAR Died June 9, 2002

Mr. Almanzar was an actor appeared in numerous Disney films including "The Black Cauldron," "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again" and "The Devil and Max Devlin." Mr. Almanzar died of cancer.

JOHN GOTTI Died June 10, 2002

Hollywood has been in love with gangsters since the first hoodlum graced the silver screen back in 1912. Some were feared, some were pitied, but audiences have always been drawn to the Bad Guy. Many notorious criminals have sparked the imagination of Hollywood filmmakers. Joseph Bonnano, who passed away this year, was the inspiration for Don Vito Corleone. John Gotti passed away at a Federal Prison hospital in Springfield, Missouri. It is somewhat appropriate that Mr. Gotti would die in the state that was once known as "The Mother of Bandits" because of native sons like Jessie James and Cole Younger. Mr. Gotti was transferred to the hospital from the Federal Maximum Security Prison in Marion, Indiana where he was serving a life sentence. Mr. Gotti did not inspire anyone to create a benevolent, but deadly crime lord such as Don Vito. Mr. Gotti inspired respect, in the way the word is interpreted by the Cosa Nosta. Respect = fear. Mr. Gotti was one of the most feared and powerful Mafia Dons of the last half-century. He killed his way to the top, and ruled with an iron fist. The "Teflon Don" turned out to be vulnerable, and fell before the Justice Department. Mr. Gotti has been the subject of many films. He was portrayed by Armand Assante in "Gotti," Tom Sizemore in "Witness to the Mob," Anthony John Denison in "Getting Gotti," Sonny Marinelli in "Boss of Bosses" and Steven Randazzo in "The Big Heist." I hope he made peace with his maker.

ROBERT HENDERSON Died June 10, 2002

Mr. Henderson was given a technical achievement Oscar in 1942 for his development of lighting equipment used in the movies. He gave up his film career to work on the Manhattan Project. He worked at the Los Alamos until laboratory 1974.

BILL BLASS Died June 12, 2002

Bill Blass was a leader in fashion design for over a half a century. His film credits include "The Wiz" and "Advise and Consent" in which he designed Gene Tierney's wardrobe.

JOSE LUIS DIBILDOS Died June 12, 2002

Mr. Dibildos was a Spanish writer/producer with numerous credits stretching over a 50-year career. He produced the film "The Beehive." Mr. Dibildos received an honorary Goya Award in 2001. Mr. Dibildos died of a heart attack.

ALBERT BAND Died June 14, 2002

Mr. Band wrote, produced and directed many b-movies during his long career. He was the producer of Stuart Gordon's "Robo Jox" and "From Beyond." He produced the soft-core version of "Cinderella" with b-movie sex goddess Rainbeaux (Cheryl) Smith. Other credits include "The Troll" and "Trancers. He began his career as the assistant director on John Huston's classic crime drama "The Asphalt Jungle."

HIDO MUROTA Died June 15, 2002

Mr. Murota was a Japanese actor with nearly 50 feature- film credits. He appeared in films as diverse as Akira Kurosawa's "Kagemusha" and the adult film "Tokyo Deep Throat." He also appeared in "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" with David Bowie. Mr. Murota died of lung cancer. Remind me to stop smoking!

ROBERT LENSKI Died June 19, 2002

Mr. Linski was a twice Emmy nominated TV writer. His credits include the mini-series "Chiefs," "Decoration Day" and "A Death in the Family."

CHANG CHEH Died June 21, 2002

Mr. Cheh was the most prolific martial arts action director to come out of Hong Kong. Mr. Cheh directed over 100 films. He discovered and mentored John Woo. His films "Wu Du" and "Chi Ma" are highly regarded by fans of the genre. Ironically, Mr. Cheh never directed Bruce Lee. Mr. Cheh was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hong Kong Film Festival this year.

DOLORES GRAY Died June 26, 2002

Ms. Gray was a singing star in several MGM musicals. Her credits included "It's Always Fair Weather," "Kismet," "The Opposite Sex" and "Designing Women." Ms. Gray also had a long successful career on Broadway. She died of a heart attack.

JOHN ENTWISTLE Died June 27, 2002

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who were the ruling Triumvirate of rock bands to revolutionize popular music in the 1960s. John Entwistle provided a steady beat as the bassist for The Who. While Pete Townsend destroyed his guitars and the late Keith Moon hid dynamite in his drum kit, John Entwistle stood stoically still and kept the backbeat coming. One day before The Who was to kick off a US tour, John Entwistle died of heart failure brought on by a cocaine overdose. The Who appeared in a multitude of rocumentaries. They almost stole the show in the granddaddy of all rock movies: "Monterey Pop." They were overshadowed by the American debut of Jimi Hendrix. They also appeared in "Woodstock." "The Kids Are Alright" is dedicated totally to the career of The Who. The band produced and appeared in the film version of their rock opera "Tommy." Mr. Entwistle was also a co-producer of the mod classic "Quadrophenia." Entwistle rarely stepped to the forefront of the band. One exception was his creepy-crawly novelty song "Boris the Spider." Flashy or not, Mr. Entwistle was a rock solid foundation upon which The Who rocked the world. Mr. Entwistle was 57 years old.

WILLIAM DUFFY Died June 28, 2002

Mr. Duffy wrote the biography of Billie Holliday "Lady Sings the Blues." The book was made into a film starring Diana Ross. Mr. Duffy also helped Edward G. Robinson write his autobiography. Mr. Duffy was the last husband of actress Gloria Swanson.

ROSEMARY CLOONEY Died June 29, 2002

Rosemary Clooney lived life large. She had more than her share of triumphs and tragedies. Known for her deep, earthy singing voice, Ms. Clooney became one of the most popular singers during the big band era. She appeared in several films including "White Christmas." However her biggest success came in the recording industry. She is the mother of actor Miquel Ferrer and the aunt of George Clooney. Sondra Locke portrayed her in a TV movie of her life.

FRANCOIS PILLU Died June 29, 2002

Mr. Pillu was a French actor who appeared in over 100 films. His credits include Costa Gravas's "Z," Frederico Fellini's "Nights of Cabiria" and "Weekend at Dunkirk."

MAY 2002 FILM WORLD OBITUARIES

JOHN NATHAN-TURNER Died May 1, 2002

Mr. Nathan-Turner wrote, directed, acted in and produced the BBC Sci-Fi series "Dr. Who" for many years. Mr. Nathan-Turner died of liver failure.

BOB LARSON Died May 1, 2002

Mr. Larson was a child actor. He retired at age 20. He became a schoolteacher in LA for nearly 30 years. Mr. Larson appeared in "The Fighting Sullivans," "Here Comes Mr. Jordon" and W.C. Fields’ "The Bank Dick" among others. Mr. Larson died of Parkinson’s Disease.

RON SOBLE Died May 2, 2002

Tough guy character actor Ron Soble died of brain and lung cancer. He appeared in "True Grit," "Papillon," "Chisum," "Joe Kidd" and "The Beast Within." Mr. Soble appeared in nearly 50 TV episodes. His last film appearance was as the judge in "Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo."

ROY STORK Died May 2, 2002

WWII bomber pilot turned make-up artist! Mr. Stork did make-up for "Twelve O’Clock High," the TV series "The Beverly Hillbillies" and one of my favorites "Gargoyles."

JUDY TOLL Died May 2, 2002

44-year-old actress/writer/comedian died of cancer (melanoma). Ms. Toll wrote the play "Casual Sex" which was turned into a feature film. She appeared in "Skin Deep," "The Brave Little Toaster" (voice only), "Inside Out" and the HBO parody of Andrew Dice Clay: "Judy Toll: The Dice Woman--Lips Only." She wrote for HBO's "Sex and the City," "Boy Meets World," "The Genna Davis Show" and last years' TV pilot "Me and My Needs."

EDNA MAE ROBINSON Died May 2, 2002

Ms. Robinson was the ex-wife of boxer "Sugar Ray" Robinson. Francis Ford Coppola used Ms. Robinson as a technical advisor on his 1984 misfire, "The Cotton Club." Ms. Robinson had performed at the Harlem nightspot during its heyday. She also appeared on the very first cover of "Jet" magazine.

YEVGENI SVETLANOV Died May 3, 2002

Russian conductor who specialized in presenting the music of Russian composers. His film credits include musical director on "The Tsar's Bride" (1965), conductor for "The Queen of Spades" (1960) and as composer on "Za Mir I Druzhbu" (1953). The cause of death for the 78 year old musician in unknown.

WILLIAM HEYES JR. Died May 3, 2002

Mr. Heyes was a child actor in the silent film series "Penrod and Sam" based on the Booth Tarkington novel. He also appeared in Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's first talkie "Hey Pop" (1932). After serving in WWII, Mr. Heyes made his living in the aerospace industry.

SIHUNG LUNG Died May 3, 2002

Mr. Lung was best known to American audiences for his appearances in the films of Ang Lee. He played Mr. Gao in the very funny 1993 film "Hsi Yen" (The Wedding Banquet). He was the patriarch in Ang Lee's excellent "Yin Shi Nan Nu" (Eat, Drink, Man, Woman). His final film was "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

MARTIN ARONSTEIN Died May 3, 2002

The five time Tony nominated Martin Aronstein died of heart failure at age 65. Mr. Aronstein was one of the most respected stage lighting directors in New York and Los Angeles. Esdtimates of his credits vary. Mr. Aronstein worked on somewhere between 90 and 150 Broadway plays. He was nominated for Tony Awards for his work on the productions "Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death," "In the Boom Boom Room," "Wild Honey" and revivals of "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Medea." "Mr. Aronstein's one film credit was as the stage lighting director for the filmed version of Luis Valdez's cool play "Zoot Suit." Mr. Aronstein shared his craft with others as an adjunct professor at several universities including USC.

BERNARD WILKIE Died May 3, 2002

Mr. Wilkie was a British special effects man. He worked on several BBC Sci-Fi- series such as "Dr. Who" and "The Quartermass Experiment." He also did visual effects for the "Monty Python" TV series.

MALCOLM BOSSE Died May 3, 2002

Mr. Bosse was a writer with 22 novels to his credit. Two of his books were made into the films "Agent Trouble" starring Catherine Deneuve and "Ordinary Magic."

ROBERT BERTRAND Died May 4, 2002

95 year old Robert Bertrand was a sound engineer. His credits include the Oscar winning film "The Sting." He worked on Curtis Harrington’s thriller "Games." Mr. Bertrand was nominated for an Oscar for his work on "The Sting."

ROY SCHATT Died May 4, 2002

Mr. Schatt was a renowned photographer who captured many Hollywood greats in their prime. He is best know for his shots of actor James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. He received screen credit for the use of his photographs in films about both actors: "The James Dean Story" (1957) and "Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days" (2001).

JACQUES MAPES Died May 4, 2002

Mr. Mapes was a set decorator who later became a producer. His set decoration credits include the Charles Laughton version of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Singing in the Rain," "The Jackie Robinson Story" and "The People Against O'Hare." Along with Ross Hunter, Mr. Mapes produced the hit film "Airport" and the Julie Andrews musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

JOHN KOHN Died May 4, 2002

John Kohn started his lengthy career as the writer of such classic TV shows
as "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" "My Little Margie" and "Bachelor Father." He was nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar (along with Stanley Mann) for his second feature film script "The Collector." Mr. Kohn turned to producing. He was responsible for the cult favorite "Theater of Blood" starring Vincent Price. Other production credits include "Fathom" starring Raquel Welch, "Goldengirl" with Susan Anton, "Racing With the Moon" and "Shanghai Surprise" both with Sean Penn.

ELIZABETH RUSSELL Died May 4, 2002

Actress Elizabeth Russell died at age 95. Ms. Russell’s film career was cut short by the demands of motherhood. Even though she appeared in few films, Ms. Russell is remembered by horror-movie fans for her work in the films of producer Val Lewton. In Lewton’s classic "Cat People," Ms. Russell had a very short scene with star Simone Simon. Ms. Russell was the Cat Woman who approached Simon and uttered the line "Moya Sestra?" meaning "My sister?" Ms. Russell appeared in the sequel "The Curse of the Cat People" playing a different role. Her role in the second film was larger and is considered her best film work. She also appeared in Lewton’s "Bedlam" and "The 7^th Victim" with Kim Hunter. Ms. Russell’s other credits include "The Corpse Vanishes," "Weird Woman," "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" and "The Uninvited."

GEORGE SIDNEY Died May 5, 2002

Mr. Sidney directed over 50 films during the studio system days of Hollywood. He helmed many of MGM’s most lavish productions during the 40s and 50s. His credits include "The Three Musketeers" (1948), "Anchors Aweigh, " "Pal Joey" Jeanne Engles," "The Harvey Girls" "Kiss Me Kate," "Showboat" and "Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis. Mr. Sidney was the president of the Director's Guild for 16 years. The 85-year-old director died of lymphoma.

MICHAEL TODD JR. Died May 5, 2002

The son of producer Mike Todd inherited half of his father's business when the senior Todd was killed in a plane crash. The other half of the business went to Elizabeth Taylor, the widow. Junior had begun his film career working with his father. He directed the European sequences of the film "This is Cinerama." Mr. Todd never achieved the success his Oscar winning father did. He produced the 1960 film "The Scent of Mystery." That film has the distinction of being the only movie produced in "Smell-o-Vision." Odors were piped into the theater during the show to accent the action on screen. It didn't go over well. Director John Waters tried the same thing later in that he had a scratch and sniff card passed out to viewers who were to smell the card at pre-ordained moments of his movie. Mr. Todd's other producer credit was 1979's "The Bell Jar" based on the autobiographical novel by doomed poet Sylvia Plath.

BEVERLY ROBINSON Died May 5, 2002

Ms. Robinson was an authority on African American theater and folk art. She was a technical consultant on the films "The Color Purple" and "Coming to America" among others. The 56-year-old UCLA professor died of pancreatic cancer.

OTIS BLACKWELL Died May 6, 2002

One of the greatest rock and roll songwriters in history, Otis Blackwell, died of a heart attack at age 70. He provided hit songs for Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Who, Billy Joel and James Taylor among others. His songs "Breathless" and "Great Balls of Fire" are also the titles of movies highlighting his work. And don't forget all of the early Elvis films, which featured such Blackwell songs as "Don't Be Cruel" and "Return to Sender." Mr. Blackwell also wrote the song, which became Peggy Lee's (see Jan. 21, 2002) theme song: "Fever." According to IMDB, Mr. Blackwell only has 2 movie credits for providing music in "Nurse Betty" (2000) and "Jamboree" (1957). I have to believe that IMDB has left out numerous films featuring Mr. Blackwell's work. Long live rock.

ALAN P. HOROWITZ Died May 6, 2002

Mr. Horowitz was a producer of feature films and TV series. He was involved in the production of such 70s hits as "The Godfather" "Heaven Can Wait" and "The Longest Yard." He was also involved in the production of the TV series "CHiPs."

JOHN ROBERDEAU Died May 6, 2002

Producer John Roberdeau died of a heart attack. His film credits include "Streamers" and "The Thin Red Line."

KEVYN AUCOIN Died May 7, 2002

40-year-old makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin died of complications from a metabolic disorder. Mr. Aucoin appeared in "Zoolander" "The Intern" and HBO's "Sex and the City." Mr. Aucoin was also the makeup supervisor on several episodes of "Sex and the City." In addition to on screen work, Mr. Aucoin was in high-demand by actresses and models for off screen appearances and award shows.

JAMES "BUSTER" BROWN Died May 7, 2002

Buster Brown, renowned tap dancer died at age 88. Mr. Brown was a part of the dance team 'The Copasetics.' Mr. Brown appeared in the films "Something to Shout About," "The Cotton Club" and Taps.

YVES ROBERT Died May 10, 2002

Yves Robert was an actor turned director in France. He appeared in 70 films. He is best known for writing and directing the 1972-comedy caper "The Tall Blond Man With One Black Shoe." Tom Hanks starred in the inferior American remake. Mr. Robert wrote, directed and produced over 20 films. He wrote the screenplay for "The Lady in Red." Mr. Robert was 81 when he died.

LINDA FRANCIS Died May 10, 2002

51-year-old actress Linda Francis died of congestive heart failure. Her credits include "Dead and Buried," "Two Moon Junction," "Whore" and "Kung Pow: Enter the Fist." Ironically, her final film was "Expired."

SUSANNE GERVAY Died May 10, 2002

Ms. Gervay was a negative cutter. She helped many a director put his vision into focus. Ms. Gervay worked on nearly 50 films. She died of multiple myeloma.

JOSEPH BONNANO Died May 11, 2002

Joseph Bonnano was one of the heads of the five Mafia families of New York. The 97-year-old Bonnano died in his sleep of old age. That was an accomplishment when you consider that he started his long career in crime working for Al Capone. Mr. Bonnano was known to be a diplomatic crime boss. He tried to talk before resorting to other methods. Mario Puzo based his character Don Vito "The Godfather" Corleone in large part on Joseph Bonnano. It was reported that Mr. Bonnano was very pleased with Marlon Brando's performance as Don Vito. He would have been one critic an actor wouldn't want to piss off! Gay Talese's true crime book "Honor Thy Father" about the Bonnano family was turned into a 1973 TV movie. Raf Vallone played Mr. Bonnano. John Chappoulis played Joe Bonnano is the forgettable 1991 feature film "Mobsters." He was also the subject of an episode of "A&E's Biography."

BILL PEET Died May 11, 2002

We've lost yet another master writer/animator this year. Mr. Peet was one of the "Nine Old Men" who made up the core animators who started Disney Studios. Mr. Peet wrote/animated and created many of Disney's most memorable characters and films. His credits include the original "Fantasia," "Dumbo," The Three Caballeros," "Song of the South," "Cinderella," "Alice in Wonderland," "Peter Pan," "Sleeping Beauty," "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" and "The Sword in the Stone." Mr. Peet broke of from Disney in 1964. He then turned to writing children's books. Mr. Peet was 87.

DEBBIE AUSTIN Died May 13, 2002

Ms. Austin was a gospel singer. She appeared in the 1992 Pauly Shore/Brendan Fraser comedy "Encino Man." The 50-year-old singer died of heart failure.

RUTH CRACKNELL Died May 13, 2002

Ms. Cracknell was a renowned stage actress from Australia. She appeared in TV series dating back to the 1950s. I recommend that if you ever get the chance to see the 1978 film "The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith" you don't pass it up. Ms. Cracknell appeared in this great little film about the trials and tribulations of a half-white/half aborigine man raised by Methodist missionaries. Ms. Cracknell was 76.

RAY STRICKLYN Died May 14, 2002

Mr. Stricklyn was a stage actor who turned to film acting and then became a powerful Hollywood agent. Mr. Stricklyn continued to act on stage and screen even while he was a publicist for such people as Elizabeth Taylor and Bette Davis. His film credits include "Somebody Up There Likes Me," "The Big Fisherman," "The Return of Dracula," "Ten North Frederick" and Irwin Allen's 1960 version of "The Lost World." Mr. Stricklyn's TV credits include "Wagon Trail" "Seinfeld" and many others in between!

DARWOOD KAYE Died May 15, 2002

Mr. Kaye portrayed Waldo in about 20 of the later "Our Gang" shorts. He retired from acting and became a minister and missionary to the Far East. He was killed by a hit and run driver.

BOBBY ASTYR Died May 15, 2002

Mr. Astyr was a porn actor with over 100 film credits. He died of lung cancer.

BRYAN PRINGLE Died May 15, 2002

British actor Bryan Pringle appeared in over 50 films. His credits include "Brazil," "Drowning By Numbers" and the classic "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" with Albert Finney.

CHARLES SIMON Died May 16, 2002

British actor Charles Simon died of pneumonia. His credits include "Shadowlands," "102 Dalmatians" and his final film "Final Curtain." (Ironically titled last film of the year number 2: See Linda Francis Died May 10.)

MARIE KENNEY Died May 17, 2002

Ms. Kenney was a script supervisor. Her credits include "Portnoy’s Complaint," "Winning," "Taps," "1941" and "Foul Play."

SHARON SHEELEY Died May 17, 2002

Ms. Sheeley wrote the song "Poor Little Fool" while she was still a teenager. The song was made popular by the late Ricky Nelson. Her hit appeared on the soundtrack of the hilariously dark "Nurse Betty." The 64 year-old composer died of complications from a cerebral hemorrhage.

NORMAN VAUGHAN Died May 17, 2002

Mr. Vaughan was a noted British TV personality, musician and comedian. He wrote and/or appeared in numerous TV shows and series in the UK. He appeared in the excellent Ned Beatty film "Hear My Song" and the 1969 film "Lola." His career in showbiz lasted over 50 years.

ZYPORA SPAISMAN Died May 18, 2002

One of the most influential members of the Yiddish theater scene in New York. Ms. Spaisman’s one film credit was "Enemies: A Love Story."

DAVEY BOY SMITH Died May 18, 2002

The former WWF wrestler "The British Bulldog" died of a heart attack. Mr. Smith appeared in over 60 WWF wrestling videos.

WALTER LORD Died May 19, 2002

Walter Lord wrote the definitive book on the sinking of the Titanic. "A Night to Remember" is a riveting account of the tragedy and heroism of that fateful April night. His book was first dramatized on TV in 1947 on the "Kraft Television Theater." All the spectacle of James Cameron's film aside, the 1958 film "A Night to Remember" is still the best dramatization of the tragedy. Mr. Lord appeared as himself in two 1994 documentaries about the sinking. Walter Lord died of Parkinson’s Disease at age 84.

STEPHEN JAY GOULD Died May 20, 2002

Mr. Gould was a world-renowned scientist and Harvard professor. He portrayed himself in the 1994 mini series "Baseball." He also portrayed himself (in cartoon form) in an episode of "The Simpsons." The 60-year-old Gould died of cancer.

JERRY DUNPHY Died May 20, 2002

Mr. Dunphy was a long-time, highly respected Los Angeles TV news anchorman. His news career lasted over 40 years. Mr. Dunphy appeared in numerous films as either himself or a TV Newsman. His credits include "Bullworth" "Independence Day" "The Jerky Boys" "Hard to Kill" "Helter Skelter" and "Kitten With a Whip." He also played "Fred the Broadcaster" on a couple of episodes of "Batman" in the 60s! Mr. Dunphy revolutionized local TV news broadcasts in the 1950s by creating the hour-long TV news show. His lead was soon followed by stations across the country. The 80-year-old Dunphy died of a heart attack.

SIDNEY FINE Died May 20, 2002

Mr. Fine was a composer whose credits included the TV series "The Virginian" and "Boris Karloff's Thriller." He worked as an orchestrator in such films as "Lady and the Tramp" and "Blue Skies." Mr. Fine was 98 at the time of his death.

JOE COBB Died May 21, 2002

Mr. Cobb appeared in nearly 100 "Our Gang/Little Rascals" comedy shorts during the 1920s and 30s. He played the character Joe, the chubby kid with the beanie hat. Mr. Cobb had an uncredited role in "Meet Me In St. Louis." He also appeared in a 1986 documentary "Classic Comedy Teams." Mr. Cobb was 85 years old when he died.

SAM SNEAD Died May 23, 2002

"Slammin" Sammy Snead won more golf tournaments than any man who ever lived. As a kid, I always got a kick out of my late dad imitating some forgotten sports caster saying the words "Slammin Sammy Snead." There was something about the way he accented the first word. That was the first thing I thought of when I read about Mr. Snead's passing at age 89. Mr. Snead appeared as himself in 3 movies. "Follow the Sun" was the Glenn Ford movie, which told the life story of golfer Ben Hogan. Mr. Snead also appeared in the Jerry Lewis comedy "The Caddy." He also appeared in the 1994 Snoop Dogg/Dr. Dre comedy "Murder Was the Case."

MARY LANIER Died May 23, 2002

Ms. Lanier was the mother of Diane Ladd and grandmother of Laura Dern. She appeared in the film "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me." Ms. Lanier was 89 years old.

WALLACE MARKFIELD Died May 24, 2002

Novelist Wallace Markfield wrote numerous satirical books. His novel "Bye, Bye Braverman" was filmed in 1968 by director Sidney Lumet. Mr. Markfield died of a heart attack.

ED CESAR Died May 24, 2002

Mr. Cesar was a renowned pilot and hang glider champion. He piloted the glider used to film the Academy Award winning, inspirational short film "Up" (1984).

PAT COOMBS Died May 25, 2002

British actress Pat Coombs portrayed Henrietta Salt in "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." She also appeared in several of the bawdy British "Carry On…" movies. Ms. Coombs died of emphysema.

MILDRED BENSON Died May 28, 2002

Ms. Benson was the creator of "Nancy Drew." She wrote over 130 of the books.Her books have been the subject of a TV series in the 1970s and a film series in the 1930s. Ms. Benson was 96 years old.

HERBERT FINN Died May 28, 2002

The 89-year-old Herbert Finn was a longtime radio and TV scriptwriter. He
wrote for TV shows such as "The Flintstones," "Gilligan's Island," "The Honeymooners," "The Brady Bunch" and the TV specials of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Mr. Finn died of respiratory failure.

VITALI SOLOMIN Died May 28, 2002

Mr. Solomin was the Russian Nigel Bruce. He portrayed Dr. Watson in 6 Russian Sherlock Holmes films! The 61-year-old actor/writer/director had over 30 credits during his career.

LOIS GOULD Died May 29, 2002

I fell in love with Dyan Cannon back in 1971 when I saw Otto Preminger's film "Such Good Friends." Based on the novel by Lois Gould, "Such Good Friends" tells the story of a young married woman who has to cope with the sudden and unexpected death of her husband followed by the discovery of his numerous extra-marital affairs. Ms. Cannon, Burgess Meredith, James Coco, Jennifer O'Neil and Ken Howard are all excellent in this darkly funny and sad film. Ms. Gould wrote the novel from personal experience. She found out about her husband's infidelities in his diary after he died suddenly.

JOHN B. KEANE Died May 30, 2002

Irish novelist and playwright, John B. Keane died of prostate cancer at age 72. He wrote 32 plays. His play "The Field" was brought to the screen in 1990. Richard Harris received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Bull McCabe. Mr. Keane's novel "Durango" was made into a TV movie in 1999.