Notable Showbiz Deaths of 2020
Dedicated to the memory of
DAVE MCNARY
November 5, 1951 – December 19, 2020
This is a list of those notable entertainment figures who passed away in 2020. They are in order of date of death, except for the first entry, which will be the highest-profile death to date. To see the most recent additions first, select "Date Added" in the Sort by drop-down box; to view the list in reverse chronological order, toggle the "Ascending/Descending order" button next to the drop-down box.
This is a list of those notable entertainment figures who passed away in 2020. They are in order of date of death, except for the first entry, which will be the highest-profile death to date. To see the most recent additions first, select "Date Added" in the Sort by drop-down box; to view the list in reverse chronological order, toggle the "Ascending/Descending order" button next to the drop-down box.
List activity
10K views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
835 people
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
The tall, handsome and muscular Scottish actor Sean Connery is best known as the original actor to portray James Bond in the hugely successful movie franchise, starring in seven films between 1962 and 1983. Some believed that such a career-defining role might leave him unable to escape it, but he proved the doubters wrong, becoming one of the most notable film actors of his generation, with a host of great movies to his name. This arguably culminated in his greatest acclaim in 1988, when Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as an Irish cop in The Untouchables (1987), stealing the thunder from the movie's principal star Kevin Costner. Connery was polled as "The Greatest Living Scot" and "Scotland's Greatest Living National Treasure". In 1989, he was proclaimed "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine, and in 1999, at age 69, he was proclaimed "Sexiest Man of the Century."
Thomas "Sean" Connery was born on August 25, 1930 in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. His mother, Euphemia Maclean, was a cleaning lady, and his father, Joseph Connery, was a factory worker and truck driver. He also had a, Neil Connery, a plasterer in Edinburgh, who was eight years younger. Before going into acting, Sean had many different jobs, such as a milkman, lorry driver, a laborer, artist's model for the Edinburgh College of Art, coffin polisher and bodybuilder. He also joined the Royal Navy, but was later discharged because of medical problems. At the age of 23, he had a choice between becoming a professional soccer player or an actor, and even though he showed much promise in the sport, he chose acting and said it was one of his more intelligent decisions.
No Road Back (1957) was Sean's first major movie role, and it was followed by several made-for-TV movies such as Anna Christie (1957), Macbeth (1961) and Anna Karenina (1961) as well as guest appearances on TV series, and also films such as Hell Drivers (1957), Another Time, Another Place (1958), Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) and The Frightened City (1961). In 1962 he appeared in The Longest Day (1962) with a host of other stars.
His big breakthrough came in 1962 when he landed the role of secret agent James Bond in Dr. No (1962). He played James Bond in six more films: From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983).
After and during the success of the Bond films, he maintained a successful career as an actor and has appeared in films, including Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie (1964), The Hill (1965), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), The Wind and the Lion (1975), Time Bandits (1981), Highlander (1986), The Name of the Rose (1986), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Rising Sun (1993), The Rock (1996), Finding Forrester (2000) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003).
Sean married actress Diane Cilento in 1962 and they had Sean's only child, Jason Connery, born on January 11, 1963. The couple announced their separation in February 1971 and filed for divorce 2½ years later. Sean then dated Jill St. John, Lana Wood, Magda Konopka and Carole Mallory. In 1975 he married Micheline Roquebrune and they stayed married, despite Sean's well-documented love affair with Lynsey de Paul in the late '80s. Sean had three stepchildren through his marriage to Micheline, who was one year his senior. He is also a grandfather. His son, Jason and Jason's ex-wife, actress Mia Sara had a son, Dashiell Connery, in 1997.
Sean Connery died at the age of 90 on October 31, 2020, in Nassau, the Bahamas, where he resided for many years.August 25, 1930 – October 31, 2020
Scottish actor - James Bond (1962-1967, 1971, 1983), 'Marnie' (1964), 'The Man Who Would Be King' (1975), 'The Untouchables' (1987), 'The Rock' (1996)
The first actor to play James Bond in film, assuming the role in six official films - 'Dr. No' (1962), 'From Russia with Love' (1963), 'Goldfinger' (1964), 'Thunderball' (1965), 'You Only Live Twice' (1967) and 'Diamonds Are Forever' (1971) - and finally in 1983's 'Never Say Never Again' (1983)
Academy Award winner - Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1987 ('The Untouchables')
American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, 2006
BAFTA Film Award winner - Best Actor, 1987 ('The Name of the Rose')
BAFTA Film Award nominee - Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1987 ('The Untouchables') and 1989 ('Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'); Best Actor, 1990 ('The Hunt for Red October')
BAFTA Academy Fellowship recipient, 1998
David di Donatello Special Award recipient, 1977 (For his contributions as actor)
German Film Award winner - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, 1986 ('The Name of the Rose')
Golden Globe winner - Henrietta Award for Male World Film Favorite, 1972; Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, 1988 ('The Untouchables') and 1990 ('Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade')
Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient, 1996
Kennedy Center Honors recipient, 1999
Tony Award winner - Best Play, 1998 ('Art')
Appointed Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, 1987
Appointed title of Knight Bachelor, 2000- Actress
- Soundtrack
Veronika Fitz was born on 28 March 1936 in Dießen am Ammersee, Germany. She was an actress, known for Die Hausmeisterin (1987), Königlich Bayerisches Amtsgericht (1969) and Im Tal des Schweigens (2004). She was married to Willy Anders. She died on 2 January 2020 in Bad Aibling, Bavaria, Germany.March 28, 1936 – January 2, 2020
German actress - 'The Spessart Inn' (1958), 'Die Hausmeisterin' (1987-92), 'Forsthaus Falkenau' (2007-13)
Adolf-Grimme-Preis winner - Series/Miniseries, 1990 ('Die Hausmeisterin')- Writer
- Soundtrack
Shozo Uehara was born on 6 February 1937 in Okinawa-ken, Okinawa, Japan. He was a writer, known for Return of Ultraman (1971), Secret Squadron Gorenger (1975) and Zaido: The Space Sheriff (2007). He died on 2 January 2020 in Japan.February 6, 1937 – January 2, 2020
Japanese TV scriptwriter - 'Ultra Series' (1966-98), 'UFO Robot Grendizer' (1975-77), 'Kamen Rider Black' (1987–88)- Actor
- Soundtrack
British light leading man, on stage from 1951 and in films from 1953. Having initially aspired to be a dancer, Beeny joined the Ballet Rambert company in London at the age of eight but later switched to acting and eventually graduated from RADA in 1959. By then he had already achieved a measure of popularity on TV as a 12-year old juvenile in the original British soap opera The Grove Family (1954). He ultimately became best known as the smart-alecky footman and chauffeur Edward in Upstairs, Downstairs (1971). During a seven year hiatus from acting between 1963 and 1970, Beeny worked in the building industry. He resumed his career on the small screen in Softly Softly: Task Force (1969) and The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971). He then replaced Reg Varney as the foreman Tony in the relaunch of The Rag Trade (1975), played a birdbrained undertaker in the funeral sitcom In Loving Memory (1969) and was latterly seen as an inept debt collector in Last of the Summer Wine (1973). His appearances on the big screen have been infrequent. His second wife was the singer Diana Kirkwood.July 7, 1941 – January 3, 2020
English actor - 'In Loving Memory' (1969-86), 'Upstairs, Downstairs' (1971-75), 'Last of the Summer Wines' (2001-10)- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
The youngest of five children, Robert Clinton Blanche was born to Mary Edith Blanche (Heavner) and Richard Keith Blanche on March 30, 1962 in Pomona, California, but spent most of his life in Oregon. He joined SAG (Screen Actors Guild) in 1995 and served as Portland SAG Branch President for many years pre-merger and Portland SAG-AFTRA Local President from 2017-19. In addition to his work locally, he served as Vice Chair of the National SAG Indie Committee from 2007-08. Since 1996, he served as member or alternate of the TV/Theatrical, Low Budget and Agency committees.March 30, 1962 – January 3, 2020
American actor - 'What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?' (2004), 'Leverage' (2009-11), 'Grimm' (2012-17)- Director
- Script and Continuity Department
- Writer
Élisabeth Rappeneau was born on 19 January 1940 in Auxerre, Yonne, France. She was a director and writer, known for Fréquence meurtre (1988), J'ai peur d'oublier (2011) and Le sauvage (1975). She died on 2 January 2020 in Paris, France.d. January 3, 2020
French script supervisor (1962's 'Le Doulos'), screenwriter (1975's 'Le Sauvage' a.k.a. 'Lovers Like Us') and director (1988's 'Frequent Death')- Károly Gesztesi was born on 16 April 1963 in Budapest, Hungary. He was an actor, known for A titkos hely (2003), Valami Amerika (2002) and Hungarian Vagabond (2004). He was married to Claudia Liptai, Zsuzsa Csarnóy and Nikoletta Karel. He died on 4 January 2020 in Budapest, Hungary.April 16, 1963 – January 4, 2020
Hungarian actor - ''The District!' (2004), 'Just Sex and Nothing Else' (2005), 'Children of Glory' (2006) - Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerome Guardino was born on 27 August 1923 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Columbo (1971), Dream No Evil (1970) and Car 54, Where Are You? (1961). He was married to Marguerite R. and Fran Malis. He died on 4 January 2020.August 27, 1923 – January 4, 2020
American actor - 'Octaman' (1971), 'Garden of the Dead' (1972), 'Dead Men Don't Die' (1990)- He was born in the USA while his Australian parents were in Boston at the time. He has two sisters and a brother and his father is a doctor for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. He was raised on a farm near (Benalla, North East Victoria) He left school early and moved to Queensland, shearing sheep and breaking horses, before heading overseas. He applied to National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) graduating in 1996. His theatre work includes the plays The Caucasian Chalk Circle and the Bell Shakespeare Company production of The Tempest.
He has a son, Ariel, (1989), from a relationship with actress Rachael Maza.August 3, 1968 – January 4, 2020
American-born Australian actor - 'SeaChange' (1998-2000), 'The Dish' (2000), 'The Book of Revelation' (2006)
Australian Film Institute Award nominee - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama Series, 1998 ('SeaChange'); Best Actor in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama, 2002 ('Heroes' Mountain'); Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama, 2002 ('Young Lions') - Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
- Producer
Starting in the film industry as a child actor, Whorf first appeared in the film On Our Merry Way (1948) in 1946 with an all-star cast including Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Paulette Goddard, Fred MacMurray and Burgess Meredith. Summer Stock in New England at Marblehead, Ma. and Westport, Ct. punctuated his summers while attending Stanford University where he majored in Theatre Arts and Fine Arts. In 1953 Mr. Whorf was an apprentice at the Country Playhouse, Marblehead, Massachusetts. This was followed a few years later with a season at the Westport Country Playhouse. A theatre his father had played many years earlier. After a tour in the Army, he returned to film making, appearing in over fifty television shows and six feature films including a feature role in PT 109 (1963), the story of John Kennedy's experience in the South Pacific during the Second World War. In 1961 he appeared with his father, Richard Whorf, in a pre-Broadway show "One for the Dame". At this time, it was only the second time in recent Broadway history that father and son played father and son on stage. The show "closed out of town" due to financial problems after playing Ford's Theatre in Baltimore and at the Copley Theatre in Boston. In 1964 he wrote, produced and directed a short subject "Another Way Home" which received "Honorable Mention" at the Cork Ireland Film Festival. Mr. Whorf spent two seasons in repertory theatre at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado. Of the sixteen plays in which he appeared, he received accolades for "Dark at the Top of the Stairs", "Five Finger Exercise" and "Little Mary Sunshine". In 1958 he became a member of the Director's Guild of America. As a first assistant director with director Larry Peerce, Mr Whorf worked on the Emmy Award winning mini-series "Woman Named Jackie, A" (1991)(mini)_ filmed entirely in the Richmond Virginia area. Other credits include the wacky "Caddyshack" and as Unit Manager on The Right Stuff (1983). Mr. Whorf continues to work actively in the film industry in a multitude of capacities from Director to Unit Manager and Assistant Director. He has written three feature scripts; "Deadly Intent" has been optioned by a production company. In 1980, Mr. Whorf recognized the impact computers were to have on the film industry. He formed a software company with Rob Alger, Alnitak Computing Company, and created the first film production software package, "AD/80".July 24, 1934 – January 4, 2020
American actor ('PT 109'), director ('Spenser: For Hire'), producer ('The Brady Bunch'), production manager ('The Right Stuff') and assistant director for TV ('Batman') and film ('Caddyshack')- Additional Crew
Gerry Lewis was born in April 1928 in Battersea, London, England, UK. Gerry was married to Sheridan Lewis. Gerry died on 5 January 2020 in London, England, UK.April 1928 – January 5, 2020
British marketing executive and publicist - 'Alfie' (1966), 'Rosemary's Baby' (1968), 'The Godfather' (1972), 'Jaws' (1975), 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982), 'Schindler's List' (1993)- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Harry Hains was born on 4 December 1992 in Melbourne, Australia. He was an actor and producer, known for Lulu (2018), Groupies (2018) and American Horror Story (2011). He died on 7 January 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.December 4, 1992 – January 7, 2020
Australian model and actor - 'American Horror Story' (2015), 'The Surface' (2015), 'Chase' (2019)- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Silvio Horta was born on 14 August 1974 in Miami, Florida, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Ugly Betty (2006), Urban Legend (1998) and The Chronicle (2001). He died on 7 January 2020 in Miami, Florida, USA.August 14, 1974 – January 7, 2020
American writer (1998's 'Urban Legend'), producer and TV series creator ('Jake 2.0,' 2003-04; 'Ugly Betty,' 2006-10)
Emmy nominee - Outstanding Comedy Series, 2007 ('Ugly Betty')- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
Neil Peart was one of the most universally respected rock drummers, and was best known for his nearly superhuman, pyrotechnic drum playing, and for providing intellectual lyrics for his band's songs. Neil served as both drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush since 1974, joining bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. (Rush's lineup remained unchanged since Neil's arrival in 1974.) Rush is the most successful Canadian music group in history, and is the third most prolific seller of consecutive (American) Gold and Platinum Records and videos, behind only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Beginning on August 10, 1997, immediately following Rush's "Test For Echo" tour, Neil endured concurrent, seemingly unendurable tragedies when his daughter (and only child) died in a car accident, and then his wife died from cancer 10 months later. This put Rush on indefinite hiatus for the first time, and prompted Neil to write "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road", his second book. In September 2000, Neil married Los Angeles photographer Carrie Nuttall. They had a daughter, Oliva, in 2009.
Neil rejoined Rush in the studio for 2002's "Vapor Trails," their 17th studio album, which was met with high praise and considered a stellar "comeback" both for Peart and the band. A highly successful 2002 tour brought about the band's long-awaited return to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tour ended with Rush's first-ever shows in Brazil, where they played to 125,000 fans in three nights. The final performance of the 2002 tour was captured on DVD as Rush in Rio (2003), which was certified double-platinum within weeks of its release.
After the Vapor Trails album and tour, Neil's writing became more personal. His subsequent live performances, including his trademark percussion solos which showcased his superlative adroitness as a drummer, were regarded as his best to date. His final tour with Rush was 2015's R40 tour, which marked forty years since Neil joined the band. At the end of the tour, Neil announced he was retiring due to arthritis and tendinitis.
Not long after his retirement, Neil was diagnosed with brain cancer. He fought it privately for three and a half years, keeping it secret until he passed from it on January 7, 2020.September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020
Drummer and lyricist - Rush (1974-2018)
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 2013- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Derek Bailey was born on 18 June 1934 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. He was a director and producer, known for Dancer (1985), Ballerina (1987) and The South Bank Show (1978). He was married to Gill Cormode and Patricia Hall. He died on 10 December 2019 in London, England, UK.June 18, 1934 – January 8, 2020
Irish producer/director - 'Aquarius' (1973-77), 'The South Bank Show' (1978-87), 'The Mysteries' (1985-86)
BAFTA Award nominee - Best Specialised Programme, 1977 ('Aquarius')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cultural Programming, 1994 ('Great Performances: Dance in America' - "Billboards")- Actor
- Soundtrack
Edd Byrnes was born Edward Byrne Breitenberger on July 30, 1932 in New York City, the son of Mary (Byrne) and Augustus "Gus" Breitenberger. Edd shared an impoverished and unhappy childhood with brother Vincent and sister Jo-Ann. Their mother worked hard at various jobs to keep the family together because her alcoholic husband was often absent from the scene.
When Edd was fifteen, his father was found dead in a basement. Edd then dropped his surname (Breitenberger) in favor of "Byrnes", based on the name of his maternal grandfather, Edward Byrne, a New York City fireman. He found escape from family problems at the movies and at the gym, where he developed an athletic body. At age 17 he was approached by a man who offered to take free "physique" photos of him. According to his 1996 autobiography, "Kookie No More", this led to a few years of "hustling" older, well-to-do men, despite the fact that Edd was heterosexual. One of these men acted as Edd's mentor, introducing him to fashion and culture and encouraging his hopes for an acting career.
After doing some summer-stock work and a few bit parts on TV, Edd drove to California in 1955, arriving in Los Angeles on the day James Dean died in a car crash. He managed to get a few minor parts in films and then won a role in a new TV series, 77 Sunset Strip (1958), which premiered in September 1958. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith starred as private eyes but Edd, playing a hip-talking parking-lot attendant named "Kookie", won the most attention. Viewers quoted his dialog, ("Baby, you're the ginchiest!"), and young males imitated the way he wielded his ever-present comb. His fan mail soon reached an astonishing 15,000 letters a week and his single with Connie Stevens, "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb", became a top-5 hit. Edd chafed, however, at the restrictions in his Warner Brothers contract, which forced him to turn down roles in Ocean's Eleven (1960), North to Alaska (1960) and Rio Bravo (1959).
He walked off the "77 Sunset Strip" set and in the ensuing months began to drink heavily and visit a psychiatrist, who administered drugs to him. His contract dispute was eventually settled, though not much to his advantage, and when he returned to "77 Sunset Strip" his role was upgraded from "sidekick" to "partner" and he wore a suit and tie. Audience reaction was not good, ratings dropped, and the show was canceled. The hip-talking, hair-combing image clung to him, however, and Edd felt he lost the lead in PT 109 (1963) because President John F. Kennedy didn't want to be played by "Kookie". A few more movies and TV appearances followed, but his career had passed its peak before he turned 30.
In 1962, he married long-time girlfriend Asa Maynor. Their son, Logan, was born on September 13, 1965. Edd and Asa's marriage ended in divorce in 1971, partially due to his substance abuse. In 1982, he succeeded in going "clean and sober" but never remarried. Byrnes died on January 8, 2020, aged 87, in Santa Monica, California.July 30, 1933 – January 8, 2020
American actor - '77 Sunset Strip' (1958-63), 'Yellowstone Kelly' (1959), 'Grease' (1978)- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Prolific, multi-talented comedy writer, story editor, actor and director. His father was an Air Force general (Paul Steinberg Zuckerman) turned stockbroker and his mother was silent screen star Ruth Taylor, formerly a member of Mack Sennett's bathing beauties. Buck Henry's first fling with comedy was as a contributor to the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern magazine (known as 'Jacko') while he was still at college. His fellow writers there included such luminaries as Dr. Seuss, novelist Budd Schulberg and the playwright Frank D. Gilroy. Henry attended Harvard Military Academy for a short time before developing an interest in acting which led to a few small roles on Broadway. His budding career was interrupted by military service during the Korean War. In 1961, Henry joined a small improvisational off-Broadway theatre troupe called The Premise for a year before moving to Hollywood. He was to find his greatest popularity in the 60s as one of the principal hosts of Saturday Night Live (1975), writer for The Garry Moore Show (1958) and co-creator/writer (with Mel Brooks) of Get Smart (1965), for which he won an Emmy in 1967. Prior to that, he had already achieved a certain amount of notoriety as co-perpetrator (with Alan Abel) of a hoax which had Henry masquerading as G. Clifford Prout, Jr., president of the bogus Society for Indecency to Naked Animals, making public appearances on network television and other media, demanding that all zoos and wildlife parks be closed until all animals were "properly dressed". At one time he tried to put huge boxer shorts on a baby elephant at San Francisco Zoo. The hoax was eventually exposed after Henry was spotted as an actor by a fellow CBS employee during a Walter Cronkite interview.
One of a new wave of satirists (others including Woody Allen and Alan Arkin) Henry brought an edgier, smarter, more anarchic and at times abrasive style to his writing. Some of his quotable one-liners (in particular for Get Smart) are - and will continue to be - idiomatic. While he was original, clever and invariably funny, not all of Henry's endeavours panned out. Two of his TV parodies proved to be conspicuous failures: Captain Nice (1967) (a send-up of Batman) and Quark (1977) (a Star Trek parody about interstellar garbage collectors). On the plus side, Henry was Oscar-nominated twice: the first time for his screenplay of The Graduate (1967), the second for co-directing (with star Warren Beatty ) the re-make of Heaven Can Wait (1978). Following The Graduate, a New York Times reviewer described him as a cross between Jack Lemmon and Wally Cox , "a terrifying practical joker and a compulsive reader of 200 periodicals a month". He was much in demand as a guest on talk shows (including Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Dick Cavett) and appeared as a self-deprecating actor in most of the films he wrote: as a hotel desk clerk in The Graduate, the cynical Colonel Korn in Catch-22 (1970), a lunatic in Candy (1968), a priest and a TV anchorman in First Family (1980), and so on. In Milos Forman's Taking Off (1971) he also had a rare co-starring role as a father looking for his runaway daughter. Buck Henry passed away at the age of 89 in Los Angeles on January 8 2020.December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020
American writer (1967's 'The Graduate'), actor (1976's 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'), comedian ('Saturday Night Live,' 1976-80), director (1978's 'Heaven Can Wait') and TV series creator ('Get Smart')
Oscar nominee - Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, 1968 ('The Graduate'); Best Director, 1979 ('Heaven Can Wait')
Emmy winner - Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, 1967 ('Get Smart')
Emmy nominee - Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment, 1965 ('That Was the Week That Was'); Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, 1966 ('Get Smart')
BAFTA winner - Best Screenplay, 1969 ('The Graduate')- Writer
- Music Department
- Composer
Lan O'Kun was born on 13 January 1932 in Manhattan, New York, USA. He was a writer and composer, known for Lamb Chop's Play-Along (1992), Insight (1960) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). He was married to Barbara Hurwitz. He died on 9 January 2020 in Malibu, California, USA.January 13, 1932 – January 9, 2020
American TV writer and producer - 'Insight' (1970-82), 'The Love Boat' (1978-86), 'Lamb Chop's Play-Along' (1993-97)
Daytime Emmy Award winner - Outstanding Achievement in Religious Programming, 1983 ('Insight'); Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series, 1993 ('Lamb Chop's Play-Along')
Daytime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series, 1994, 1995 and 1996 ('Lamb Chop's Play-Along')- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ivan Passer was one of the key authors of the "new wave" of Czech cinema, a group of young people who forged an energetic and transgressive film movement in the 1960s, breaking away from the precepts of hard socialist realism. Passer was not only the author of the scenarios of his own films, but he also worked on the scripts of the first four motion pictures made by his countryman, friend and colleague Milos Forman: "Konkurs" (1963), "Black Petr" ( 1964), "Loves of a Blonde" (1965) and "The Firemen's Ball" (1967).
Passer was born in Prague, the son of Marianna (Mandelíková) and Alois Passer. He was the grandson of a silent movie screenwriter. Ivan's parents were persecuted by the Nazis for their Jewish heritage. Ivan was a rebel boy, sent to a boarding school where he became friends with Milos. Together they went to study cinema at the FAMU film school in Prague, but young Ivan was eventually expelled from the academy. By then he had acquired skills in movie-making, some experience and had key friends, such as cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek. With Forman and other friends, they made their first movies.
In 1965 Passer made a remarkable first feature, the beautiful "Intimate Lighting", a film of impressionist inspiration that immediately established his name as a promising new director. But the social pressures and political unrest in Czechoslovakia, which culminated in 1968 with the Soviet invasion, led him into exile the following year. However, in the United States he did not achieve the notoriety of Forman, who received the best proposals, while he rejected offers that did not convince him: for example, he refused to make "Yentl" for a number of reasons, including his conviction that Barbra Streisand was too old and famous for the role, in opposition to other key performers as Mandy Patinkin and Amy Irving. Likewise, he refused to make films with elements of violence, which he always opposed. During World War II he had been directly exposed to violence, and he believed that it was dangerous to represent it in films: violence, he said, affects "some people who are not able to realize the difference between reality and fantasy."
However, he made some worthy movies, such as his American debut "Born to Win" (1971), a complex portrait of a heroin-addict hairdresser; his satire on civil surveillance, "Law and Disorder" (1974); the comedy about money-laundering bankers "Silver Bears" (1977), and the cult film "Cutter's Way" (1981), in which a war veteran investigates a crime, despite he only has one eye, one arm and one leg. For television he directed the biopic "Stalin" in 1992.
Passer taught film at the University of Southern California, and lectured students in foreign film academies. He died in Reno, Nevada, on January 9, 2020.July 10, 1933 – January 9, 2020
Czech screenwriter (1965's 'Loves of a Blonde') and director (1965's 'Intimate Lighting'; 1981's 'Cutter's Way')
National Society of Film Critics Award winner - Special Award, 1970 ('Intimate Lighting'); Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award, 1972
Daytime Emmy nominee - Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special, 2001 ('The Wishing Tree')
Recipient of Czech Lion Artistic Achievement Award, 2007- Brice Armstrong was a small-time Texas actor who grew up in the city of Dallas. He didn't get his big breakthrough until he became a voice actor for Funimation when they first started on their own English version for Dragon Ball Z & Dragon Ball. For one decade Brice has provided voice work for several Funimation anime and most of the Dragon Ball video games. He became best known to anime fans as the English voice of Captain Ginyu & Tim Marcoh. Which were the most popular characters he had voiced throughout his career. Sometime in 2009, Brice retired from acting.January 3, 1936 – January 10, 2020
American voice actor - 'Dragon Ball Z' (1999-2005), 'Dragon Ball' (2001-03), 'Fullmetal Alchemist' (2005-06) - Neda Arneric was born on 15 July 1953 in Knjazevac, Serbia, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Stand Up Straight, Delfina (1977), Aloa: Festivity of the Whores (1988) and Shaft in Africa (1973). She was married to Milorad Mesterovic, Dejan Karaklajic and Rade Markovic. She died on 10 January 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.July 15, 1953 – January 10, 2020
Serbian actress - 'Shaft in Africa' (1973), 'Who's Singin' Over There?' (1980), 'Wheels' (1998) - Producer
- Director
- Editor
Alex Beaton was born in Westchester, NY. By the age of 30 he was in L.A. and working in the film industry. He worked his way up to become a successful producer/director for T.V. shows, including "Kung Fu" and "The Greatest American Hero" from 1973-2003. He is now retired and enjoys spending time with family.May 18, 1933 – January 10, 2020
American television producer - 'Kung Fu' (1972-75), 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' (1976-78), 'Wiseguy' (1987-90)
Primetime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Drama Series, 1989 ('Wiseguy')- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Michael Greene was born on 4 November 1933 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), *batteries not included (1987) and Lord of the Flies (1990). He was married to Patricia Donovan. He died on 10 January 2020 in Haiku, Hawaii, USA.November 4, 1933 - January 10, 2020
American actor - 'Lost in America' (1985), 'To Live and Die in L.A.' (1985), 'Less Than Zero' (1987), 'Moon over Parador' (1988), 'Lord of the Flies' (1990)- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Ángel Goded was born on 19 October 1947 in Mexico. He was a cinematographer, known for Frida (1983), Love Lies (1989) and El tres de copas (1986). He died on 11 January 2020 in Mexico.d. January 11, 2020
Mexican cinematographer - 'Frida Still Life' (1983), 'Los Motivos de Luz' (1985), 'The Realm of Fortune' (1986)
Ariel Award winner - Best Cinematography, 1985 ('Frida Still Life') and 1989 ('Love Lies')
Ariel Award nominee - Best Cinematography, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2008- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Casting Director
Stan Kirsch was an American actor and acting coach from New York City. He appeared in television commercials as a child. His most notable acting role was that of young immortal Richie Ryan in the fantasy television series "Highlander: The Series" (1992-1998). His character was introduced as a student and surrogate son for the protagonist Duncan MacLeod (played by Adrian Paul). Richie remained as one of the series' main characters until his death in the finale of the 5th season. Kirsch also depicted an alternate-reality version of Richie in the two-part finale of the 6th season.
In 1972, he appeared in television commercials for Campbell's soup. He would continue to appear in commercials during his early career. He decided to pursue an acting career. His earliest credited role in television was a guest star role in the short-lived western series "Riders in the Sky" (1991). In 1992, Kirsch made a few appearances in the soap opera "General Hospital" (1992-).
Kirsch had his first recurring role as Richie Ryan "Highlander: The Series" . Richie was initially depicted as an orphaned thief, who became a surrogate son for the centuries-old immortal Duncan MacLeod. He was a wisecracking teenager, who felt bewildered when surrounded by immortals with lifelong obsessions and hidden agendas. By the 2nd season, Richie realized that he was also immortal. He started becoming a more cynical character, with lethal conflicts of his own. He also displayed a ruthless streak. The screenwriters eventually decided to write him out. In his final regular episode, the demon Ahriman manipulates Duncan into killing Richie. The event shatters Duncan's self-confidence. Richie's episode turned out to be one the most controversial episodes in the series, as Richie was a fan-favorite character.
In 1995, Kirsch had a memorable guest-star role in the sitcom "Friends" (1994-2004). He played Ethan, the new boyfriend of regular character Monica Geller (played by Courteney Cox). Monica has been told that Ethan is a college student, and she is initially thrilled to date a younger man. Until Ethan confesses that he is a high school student and still underage. Monica breaks up with him in disgust.
Kirsch played two different roles in the legal drama television series "JAG" (1995-2005). He first appeared as a young ensign in 1996, and then as a lieutenant in 2001. He appeared frequently as a guest in other series of this period, such as "Love Boat: The Next Wave" and "Family Law".
Kirsch had a rare role in a theatrical film, when playing deputy sheriff Stuart Dempsey in the horror film "Shallow Ground" (2004). In the film, local police officers arrest an adolescent boy who is covered in blood. The boy becomes the main suspects in several unsolved disappearances in the area. The boy somehow has access to the memories of the dead, and Stuart and several other characters are revealed to have skeletons in their closet. The film debuted at the "Dead by Dawn Edinburgh Horror Film Festival".
Kirsch's acting roles became fewer in the late 2000s, but he had a change in his career path. In 2008, he founded the acting studio "Stan Kirsch Studios.". He primarily worked as an acting coach for the rest of his life. He reportedly had many students, and he was regarded as very good at his job.
Kirsch committed suicide by hanging on January 11, 2020, at the age of 51. The causes for his suicide were unknown. He was survived by his wife and business partner Kristyn Green. The official "Highlander" Facebook page posted an obituary for him, and the press reported grieving reactions by Kirsch's former students. Despite a rather brief career, Kirsch is fondly remembered for his acting roles.July 15, 1968 – January 11, 2020
American actor ('Highlander: The Series' from (1992-1998; 'Friends' in 1995) and acting coach ('Grimm' from 2011-2013)- Norma Michaels was born on 13 March 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Easy A (2010), You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) and Wedding Crashers (2005). She died on 11 January 2020 in Palm Springs, California, USA.c. 1924 – January 11, 2020
American actress - 'The King of Queens' (2004-06), 'Easy A' (2010), 'Hello, My Name Is Doris' (2015) - William Bogert was born on 25 January 1936 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for WarGames (1983), Dog Day Afternoon (1975) and A Perfect Murder (1998). He was married to Eren Ozker. He died on 12 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.January 24, 1936 – January 12, 2020
American character actor - 'Heaven Can Wait' (1978), 'WarGames' (1983),'Small Wonder' (1985-89), 'A Perfect Murder' (1998), 'Chappelle's Show' (2003-04) - Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Tony Garnett was born on 3 April 1936 in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, UK. He was a producer and actor, known for Kes (1969), Deep in the Heart (1983) and Prostitute (1980). He was married to Alexandra Ouroussoff and Topsy Jane. He died on 12 January 2020 in the UK.April 3, 1936 – January 12, 2020
British producer - 'Kes' (1969), 'Earth Girls Are Easy' (1988), 'Beautiful Thing' (1996)
BAFTA Award nominee - Best Screenplay, 1971 ('Kes'); Best Drama Series/Serial, 1976 ('Days of Hope')- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Aart Staartjes was born on 1 March 1938 in Nieuwendam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. He was an actor and director, known for De film van Ome Willem (1974), De Stratemakeropzeeshow (1972) and J.J. de Bom voorheen: 'De kindervriend' (1979). He was married to Hanna and Ansje. He died on 12 January 2020 in Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.March 1, 1938 – January 12, 2020
Dutch actor and director - 'De Stratemakeropzeeshow' (1972-74), 'De film van ome Willem' (1974-89), 'Sesamstraat' (1984-2019)- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Hermosillo was one of the most successful Mexican directors. Born in Aguascalientes, a small city in central Mexico, Hermosillo's films dissected the hypocrisy of Mexican middle class and "torn the curtain" behind which many perversities are hidden. He became an important figure in Mexican contemporary cinema, and was known for treating themes of sexual diversity from a personal approach. One of the few openly gay Mexican directors, Hermosillo found great success with Doña Herlinda y su hijo (1985), a comedy about a mother of a gay doctor who manipulates her son, his male lover and his fiancée to fulfill her desire of becoming a grandmother. Homosexual themes in Hermosillo's films can be found in Matinee, El Cumpleaños del Perro, and Las apariencias engañan (1978). Hermosillo was also an explorer of film language. La Tarea is one of the most complex exercises in film style in recent years (the film consists of one long shot, from the POV of a camcorder). Hermosillo's films presented a fresh look at Mexican society. A strong advocate of digital cinema, he made ten feature films in this format.January 22, 1942 – January 13, 2020
Mexican film director and screenwriter - 'The Passion of Berenice' (1976), 'Dona Herlinda and Her Son' (1985), 'Homework' (1991)
Ariel Award winner - Golden Ariel, 1977 ('The Passion of Berenice') and 1978 ('Shipwreck'); Best Screenplay, 1984 ('Appearances Are Deceptive') and 1998 ('Esmeralda Comes by Night')
Ariel Award nominee - Best Screenplay, 1984 ('El corazón de la noche'), 1985 ('Dona Herlinda and Her Son'), 2001 ('Written on the Body of the Night ') and 2003 ('eXXXorcisms'); Best Direction, 1998 ('Esmeralda Comes by Night') and 2003 ('eXXXorcisms')- Jack Kehoe was born on 21 November 1934 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Serpico (1973), The Sting (1973) and Midnight Run (1988). He died on 14 January 2020 in Hollywood Hills, California, USA.November 21, 1934 – January 14, 2020
American actor - 'Serpico' (1973), 'The Sting' (1973), 'Car Wash' (1976), 'The Untouchables' (1987), 'Midnight Run' (1988) - Rocky Johnson was born on 24 August 1944 in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was an actor, known for WWF Championship Wrestling (1972), Spectrum Wrestling (1977) and Wrestling at the Chase (1959). He was married to Ata Johnson, Una Sparks and Sheila. He died on 15 January 2020 in Lutz, Florida, USA.August 24, 1944 – January 15, 2020
AKA "Soul Man" Rocky Johnson
Canadian-born professional wrestler - National Wrestling Alliance (1964-1982), World Wrestling Federation (1982-1985)
With partner Tony Atlas was part of "The Soul Patrol," the first Black tag team to win WWF's (now WWE) World Tag Team championship.
WWE Hall of Fame inductee, 2008
Father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson - Stunts
- Actor
Brian Nickels was born on 17 August 1965 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Wonder Woman (2017), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) and Skyfall (2012). He was married to Simone Nickels. He died on 15 January 2020 in West London, England, UK.August 17, 1965 – January 15, 2020
English stunt performer - 'Sherlock Holmes' (2009), 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' (2010/2011), 'Skyfall' (2012), 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014), 'Wonder Woman' (2017)- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Magda is an Egyptian actress. She started her career at the age of 15 using a pseudonym, so that her parents wouldn't know. Her breakthrough came in 1949 in the film "Al Naseh" (The Mentor), after which she went on to become one of the most popular female actresses in Egyptian cinema history. Her most notable films include "Anf Wa Thalath Oyoun" (A Nose and Three Ears), "Jamila" and "Ayna Omry" (Where's my Life?). She got married once to the actor Ihab Nafia'a, and has one daughter (Ghada).Magda al-Sabahi, or just Magda
May 6, 1931 – January 16, 2020
Egyptian actress - Dahab' (1953), 'Miss Hanafi' (1954), 'Jamila, the Algerian' (1958)- Gillian Martell was born on 15 March 1936 in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Hound of the Baskervilles (1982), The Lady of the Camellias (1976) and K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend (1981). She died on 16 January 2020 in the UK.March 15, 1936 – January 16, 2020
English actress - 'K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend' (1981), 'Oliver Twist' (1985), 'The Chief' (1991-1995) - Director
- Editor
- Script and Continuity Department
Alan Pattillo was born on 17 July 1929 in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. He was a director and editor, known for Walkabout (1971), Thunderbirds (1965) and Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982). He died on 16 January 2020 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, UK.July 26, 1929 – January 16, 2020
British film editor ('Walkabout,' 'Game of Death'), sound editor ('Performance,' 'Pink Floyd: The Wall'), TV director ('Supercar,' 'Stingray') and writer ('Thunderbirds')
Primetime Emmy Award winner - Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special, 1980 ('All Quiet on the Western Front')- Actor
- Producer
London-born character actor Derek Fowlds came to the fore on television as 'Mr. Derek', straight man to the children's puppet Basil Brush (succeeding Rodney Bewes in that capacity), then as private secretary and political advisor Bernard Woolley, diligently keeping the reins on obtuse British Cabinet Minister Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) in Yes Minister (1980), and, finally, as retired police sergeant -- turned pub proprietor -- Oscar Blaketon during the entire 18-year run of Heartbeat (1992). Having done his national service in the RAF, Fowlds based the Blaketon character on a drill instructor, commenting "I just cut my hair shorter, slicked it back and shouted a lot and Oscar was born."
In his youth, Fowlds aspired to becoming a footballer. He first tried acting in school plays as a bit of a lark. "Just for kicks" he later decided to pursue the profession more seriously, trained at RADA and debuted on stage in a 1961 production of "The Miracle Worker" at London's Wyndham Theatre. Thereafter, he popped up in the occasional motion picture but was considerably more prolific on the small screen where he regularly alternated between comedy and drama. Early on, he played the lead in his own short-lived detective series, Take a Pair of Private Eyes (1966). His autobiography "A Part Worth Playing" was released in 2015.September 2, 1937 – January 17, 2020
English actor - 'Frankenstein Created Woman' (1967), 'Yes Minister'/'Yes, Prime Minister' (1980-88), 'Heartbeat' (1992-2009)- Robert Sampson was born on 10 May 1933 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Re-Animator (1985), The Dark Side of the Moon (1990) and Robot Jox (1989). He was married to Maryanne Gackle. He died on 18 January 2020 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.May 10, 1933 – January 18, 2020
American actor - 'The Twilight Zone' (1962), 'Bridget Loves Bernie' (1972-73), 'Re-Animator' (1985) - Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Urs Egger was born on 9 March 1953 in Bern, Kanton Bern, Switzerland. He was a director and assistant director, known for Child on the Open Road (1992), Shillings from Heaven (2018) and The Living Daylights (1987). He died on 18 January 2020 in Berlin, Germany.1953 – January 19, 2020
Swedish film and television director - 'Children of the Open Road' (1992), 'Opera Ball' (1998), 'Shillings from Heaven' (2018)
Adolf-Grimme-Preis winner - Fiction, 2008 ('Borderline') and 2015 ('The Bruckner Case')
Adolf-Grimme-Preis nominee - Fiction, 1998 ('Opera Ball') and 2017 ('Letter to My Life')
German Television Academy Award winner - Best Director, 2015 ('The Bruckner Case')
Romy Gala winner - Best TV Film, 2004 ('The Return of the Dancing Master') and 2019 ('Shillings from Heaven'); Best Director, 2006 ('The Boar')- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jimmy Heath was born on 25 October 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Marshall (2017), NDR Jazz Workshops (1958) and The Cosby Show (1984). He was married to Mona Brown. He died on 19 January 2020 in Loganville, Georgia, USA.October 25, 1926 – January 19, 2020
a.k.a. "Little Bird"
American jazz saxophonist - Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Heath Brothers
Grammy Award nominee - Best Group Jazz Instrumental Performance, 1980 (Heath Brothers - 'Live at the Public Theatre'); Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance, 1993 (Jimmy Heath - 'Little Man, Big Band'); Best Historical Album, 1995 (John Coltrane - 'The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings')- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Kit Hood was born on 24 March 1943 in London, England, UK. He was a writer and producer, known for Degrassi High (1987), Dancing on the Moon (1997) and School's Out! (1992). He was married to Agnes Malouf . He died on 20 January 2020 in West Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia, Canada.c. 1943 – January 19, 2020
Canadian producer, writer, director and series creator; co-created the popular, long-running 'Degrassi' franchise that began with 'The Kids of Degrassi Street' in 1979
Gemini Award winner - Best Direction in a Dramatic or Comedy Series, 1987 and 1988 ('Degrassi Junior High'); Best Children's Series, 1987 ('Degrassi Junior High'); Best Dramatic Series, 1988 and 1989 ('Degrassi Junior High'); Multiculturalism Award, 1988 ('Degrassi Junior High')
Gemini Award nominee - Best Dramatic Series, 1992 ('Degrassi High'); Best TV Movie, 1992 ('School's Out!')- Production Manager
- Actor
- Producer
Henrique Espírito Santo was born on 18 November 1931 in Queluz, Portugal. He was a production manager and actor, known for Tabu (2012), Trails (1978) and I morgon, Mario (1994). He died on 19 January 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal.November 18, 1931 – January 19, 2020
Portuguese producer ('Veredas'), production manager ('Benilde or the Virgin Mother,' 'O Bobo') and actor ('Tabu')- Joseph Hannesschläger was born on 2 June 1962 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany. He was an actor, known for Die Rosenheim-Cops (2002), Forsthaus Falkenau (1989) and Sinan Toprak ist der Unbestechliche (2001). He was married to Bettina Geyer. He died on 20 January 2020 in Munich, Germany.June 2, 1962 – January 20, 2020
German actor - 'Over My Dead Body' (1995), 'Der Schuh des Manitu' (2001), 'Die Rosenheim-Cops' (2002-2020) - Actor
- Soundtrack
Jô Shishido or Joe Shishido a.k.a. Joe The Ace (esu no Jô) owing to his role in 1961's Fast-Draw Guy entered acting following an audition for the Nikkatsu Studio and being one of the few to be picked and offered a contract via its New Face contest. Having signed with Nikkatsu in 1954 he began acting in drama films before drifting into yakuza sub-genre of action and crime films and ultimately finding fame through Nikkatsu director's Seijun Suzuki in Branded To Kill. This recognition was slow in developing, however, as upon its initial release reaction was mute and box office success was limited, which eventually lead to Suzuki's firing from the studio. Shishido worked further in television and for other studios and has over 160 films to his name. Wanting a more distinct look Shishido underwent cheek augmentation surgery resulting in a look described as being akin to a chipmunk. Shishido died at his Setagaya, Tokyo home at age 86 in January 2020.December 6, 1933 – January 20, 2020
Japanese actor - 'Youth of the Beast' (1963), 'Gate of Flesh' (1964), 'Branded to Kill' (1967)- Producer
- Production Manager
- Additional Crew
Pio Angeletti was born on 4 May 1929 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a producer and production manager, known for We All Loved Each Other So Much (1974), Scent of a Woman (1974) and The Vatican Affair (1968). He died on 21 January 2020 in Orte, Viterbo, Latium Lazio, Italy.May 29, 1929 – January 21, 2020
Italian film producer - 'Scent of a Woman' (1974), 'We All Loved Each Other So Much' (1974), 'La terrazza' (1980)
Special David di Donatello Award recipient, 1975 (for his contributions as a producer)- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Terry Jones was born in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, the son of Dilys Louisa (Newnes), a homemaker, and Alick George Parry Jones, a bank clerk. His older brother is production designer Nigel Jones. His grandparents were involved in the entertainment business, having managed the local Amateur Operatic Society and staged Gilbert and Sullivan concerts. Jones studied at St. Edmund Hall College, Oxford University, read English but graduated with a degree in History. He was variously captain of boxing, captain of the Rugby Team and School Captain. At about this time, he befriended Michael Palin. Both performed comedy together as part of the Oxford Revue. In 1965, he again partnered Palin in The Late Show (1966) and worked in the dual capacity of writer/actor on Do Not Adjust Your Set (1967) with Palin, Eric Idle and David Jason. Another noteworthy television credit was Complete and Utter History of Britain (1969) (again with Palin) in which fun was poked at famous historical personae, Jones essaying Oliver Cromwell, Sir Walter Raleigh and Henry VIII (among others).
Needless to say that Jones found his greatest success as a founding member of the anarchic and irreverent Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969), along with Palin, Idle, Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Terry Gilliam. Jones not only provided much of the written comic input, but also portrayed many of the classic characters: the implausibly obese Mr. Creosote in The Meaning of Life (1983) (who explodes after one more little wafer), the inept Detective Superintendent Harry "Snapper" Organs in the Piranha Brothers sketch (a take on the Kray Twins), the tobacconist in the Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook sketch and numerous assorted shrill-voiced, slovenly 'rat-bag women' (Mrs. Equator comes to mind).
The Pythons were unconventional, controversial, certainly groundbreaking and invariably inspired, at their best in their unrelenting satirical attacks on established British institutions, ruling hierarchies and the class structure. Jones later said "The thing is we never thought Python was a success when it was actually happening, it was only with the benefit of hindsight". In addition to writing and acting, Jones also co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) (with Terry Gilliam) and took solo directing credit for Life of Brian (1979) and The Meaning of Life. Post-Python, he rejoined Palin as co-writer for some of the very best episodes of Ripping Yarns (1976), including Whinfrey's Last Case, Tompkinson's Schooldays, Murder at Moorstone Manor, The Curse of the Claw and The Testing of Eric Oldthwaite. Jones later scripted Labyrinth (1986) from a story by Jim Henson and Dennis Lee and wrote, as well as directed, Erik the Viking (1989) and Absolutely Anything (2015), a science fiction comedy with Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale.
On a more serious note, Jones sidelined as a newspaper columnist and was an outspoken social and political commentator (a staunch critic of the Iraq War). His lifelong fascination with medieval and ancient history (and Geoffrey Chaucer in particular) led to presenting a series of television documentaries (Medieval Lives (2004) and Barbarians (2006))) as well as publishing several well researched, if sometimes controversial, books including Chaucer's Knight: The Portrait of a Medieval Mercenary and Who Murdered Chaucer?: A Medieval Mystery.
Jones died at the age of 77 on 21 January 2020 from complications of dementia, at his home in Highgate, North London.February 1, 1942 – January 21, 2020
Welsh actor, comedian, writer and director - 'Do Not Adjust Your Set' (1967-69), 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' (1969-74), 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' (1975), 'Monty Python's Life of Brian' (1979), 'Monty Python's The Meaning of Life' (1983)
BAFTA Award nominee - Best Original Song, 1984 ("Every Sperm Is Sacred" from 'Monty Python's The Meaning of Life')
Cannes Film Festival award winner - Grand Prize of the Jury winner, 1983 ('Monty Python's The Meaning of Life')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming, 2004 ('Medieval Lives' episode "The Peasant")
Grammy Award nominee - Best Comedy Recording, 1975 ('The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief'), 1980 ('Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album') and 1983 ('Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life')- Podcaster
- Actor
- Production Department
Sonny Grosso was a New York City police officer when his experiences with his partner Eddie Egan during the early 60s became the basis of the film The French Connection (1971). Grosso had a bit part in the film while Egan had a more substantial role. Grosso later appeared in two more feature films, _Report to the Commissioner (1974)_ and Cruising (1980).1933 – January 22, 2020
American police officer-turned-technical advisor ('The French Connection'), producer ('Pee-wee's Playhouse'), actor ('Cruising'), writer ('The Seven-Ups') and series creator ('Night Heat')
Gemini Award winner - Best Dramatic Series, 1987 ('Night Heat'); Most Popular Program Award, 1988 ('Night Heat')
Gemini Award nominee - Best Dramatic Series, 1988 ('Night Heat')- Writer
- Director
Michael Kane was born on 9 July 1922 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and director, known for Southern Comfort (1981), Hot Stuff (1979) and All the Right Moves (1983). He was married to Winifred June Fay. He died on 22 January 2020 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA.January 29, 1938 – January 22, 2020
American screenwriter - 'The Legend of the Lone Ranger' (1981), 'Southern Comfort' (1981), 'All the Right Moves' (1983)- Actor
- Soundtrack
John Karlen was born on 28 May 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Cagney & Lacey (1981), Dark Shadows (1966) and House of Dark Shadows (1970). He was married to Betty Karlen. He died on 22 January 2020 in Burbank, California, USA.May 28, 1933 – January 22, 2020
American actor - 'Dark Shadows' (1967-71), 'Daughters of Darkness' (1971), 'Cagney & Lacey' (1982-88)
Emmy Award winner - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, 1986 ('Cagney & Lacey')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, 1985 and 1987 ('Cagney & Lacey')- Producer
- Actor
- Editorial Department
Joachim von Mengershausen was born on 7 August 1936 in Bamberg, Germany. He was a producer and actor, known for Wings of Desire (1987), Paris, Texas (1984) and Black Cat, White Cat (1998). He died on 22 January 2020 in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.August 7, 1936 – January 22, 2020
German producer ('Alice in the Cities,' 'The American Friend,' 'Wings of Desire') and commissioning editor ('Paris, Texas,' 'Black Cat, White Cat')- Robert Harper was born on 19 May 1951 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Creepshow (1982), Once Upon a Time in America (1984) and The War of the Roses (1989). He was married to Sascha Noorthoorn van der Kruyff and Lisa Pelikan. He died on 23 January 2020 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.May 19, 1951 – January 23, 2020
American actor - 'Once Upon a Time in America' (1984), 'Frank's Place' (1987-88), 'The Insider' (1999) - Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Jim Lehrer was born on 19 May 1934 in Wichita, Kansas, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Zoolander 2 (2016), PBS NewsHour (1975) and Viva Max (1969). He was married to Kate Tom Staples. He died on 23 January 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.May 19, 1934 – January 23, 2020
American author ('Viva Max!,' published 1966 and adapted into a film in 1969), news anchor ('PBS NewsHour,' 1976-2011) and moderator (U.S. presidential debates, 1988-2012)
News & Documentary Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Interview/Interviewer, 2001 ('Debating Our Destiny: 40 Years of Presidential Debates')- Casting Director
- Casting Department
Michelle Guish was born on 9 March 1954. She was a casting director, known for Shakespeare in Love (1998), Entrapment (1999) and Superman III (1983). She died on 24 January 2020 in the UK.death announced on January 24, 2020
English casting director - 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' (1994), 'Sense and Sensibility' (1995), 'The English Patient' (1996), 'Shakespeare in Love' (1998), 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' (2011)- Producer
- Additional Crew
Margo Lion was born on 13 October 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was a producer, known for Hairspray (2007), Dinner with Friends (2001) and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune (1988). She was married to Ted Nemeth. She died on 24 January 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.October 13, 1944 – January 24, 2020
American theatrical producer - 'Angels in America' (1993-94), 'Hairspray' (2002-09), 'The Wedding Singer' (2006)
Tony Award winner - Best Play, 1993 ('Angels in America: Millennium Approaches') and 1994 ('Angels in America: Perestroika'); Best Special Theatrical Event, 2002 ('Elaine Stritch At Liberty'); Best Musical, 2003 ('Hairspray')
Tony Award nominee - Best Musical, 1992 ('Jelly's Last Jam'), 2004 ('Caroline, or Change'), 2006 ('The Wedding Singer') and 2011 ('Catch Me If You Can')
Tony Award nominee - Best Play, 1996 ('Seven Guitars') and 2007 ('Radio Golf'); Best Revival of a Play, 2002 ('The Crucible')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Made for Television Movie, 2002 ('Dinner with Friends')- Actor
- Additional Crew
Stand-in and bit player Alan Harris was born on May 28, 1938 in Enfield, Middlesex, London, England. Harris worked as a male model before going on to embark on a career in both films and television as an extra and stand-in. Alan not only appeared in several Star Wars movies in uncredited minor roles, but also was the stand-in for Anthony Daniels on both Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) as well as had the Boba Fett costume made around him and was Harrison Ford's body double frozen in carbonite for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Harris died at age 81 on January 25, 2020 in England.May 28, 1938 – January 25, 2020
English actor ('A Clockwork Orange,' 'The Shining,' original 'Star Wars' trilogy) and stand-in ('Superman,' 'Hellraiser')- Producer
- Art Department
- Art Director
Bob Markell was born on 12 April 1924 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was a producer and art director, known for 12 Angry Men (1957), The Defenders (1961) and Bicentennial Minutes (1974). He died on 25 January 2020 in Shelter Island, New York, USA.April 12, 1924 – January 25, 2020
American art director (1957's '12 Angry Men') and set designer ('Studio One') turned TV producer ('The Defenders,' 'The Dain Curse,' 'If Tomorrow Comes')
Primetime Emmy Award winner - Best Art Direction of a Live Show, 1955 ('You Are There'); Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement, 1976 ('Bicentennial Minutes')
Primetime Emmy Award nominee - Best Art Direction in a Live Television Program, 1959 ('The DuPont Show of the Month'); Outstanding Program Achievements in Entertainment, 1965 ('The Defenders'); Special Classification of Outstanding Program Achievement, 1977 ('Bicentennial Minutes')- Tiziana Soudani was a producer, known for The Interval (2012), Happy as Lazzaro (2018) and Looking for Else (2007). She was married to Mohammed Soudani. She died on 25 January 2020 in Switzerland.1955 – January 25, 2020
Swiss producer - 'Vodka Lemon' (2003), 'The Wonders' (2014), 'Happy as Lazzaro' (2018) - Actress
- Soundtrack
Monique van Vooren was born on 25 March 1927 in Brussels, Belgium. She was an actress, known for Wall Street (1987), Ça va barder (1955) and Flesh for Frankenstein (1973). She was married to Curt H Pfenniger. She died on 25 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
March 25, 1927 – January 25, 2020
Belgian-born American actress - 'Tarzan and the She-Devil' (1953), 'Happy Anniversary' (1959), 'Flesh for Frankenstein' (1973)- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Bryant also led the NBA in scoring twice, and ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring. He was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Born in Philadelphia and partly raised in Italy, Bryant was recognized as the top American high-school basketball player while at Lower Merion. The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick; he was then traded to the Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned a reputation as a high-flyer by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, and was named an All-Star by his second season. Despite a feud with teammate Shaquille O'Neal, the pair led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.
In 2003, Bryant was charged with sexual assault;with the alleged victim being a 19 year old hotel employee. Criminal charges were later dropped after the accuser failed to testify, and a lawsuit was settled out of court, with Bryant issuing a public apology and admitting to a sexual encounter while maintaining the interaction was consensual. The accusation briefly tarnished Bryant's reputation, resulting in the loss of several of his endorsement contracts.
After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals, O'Neal was traded and Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers. He led the NBA in scoring in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points; the second most points scored in a single NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. Bryant led the team to consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, both times being named NBA Finals MVP. He continued to be among the top players in the league through the 2012-13 season, when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon at age 34. His next two seasons were cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder, respectively. Citing physical decline, Bryant retired after the 2015-16 season. In 2017, the Lakers retired both his #8 and #24 jerseys, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple jerseys retired by the same franchise.
The all-time leading scorer in Lakers history, Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star designations are the second most all time, and he has the most consecutive appearances as a starter. Bryant's four NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards are tied with Bob Pettit for the most in NBA history. He gave himself the nickname "Black Mamba" in the mid-2000s, and the epithet became widely adopted by the general public. He won gold medals on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the film Dear Basketball (2017).
Bryant died, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in 2020. A number of tributes and memorials were subsequently issued, including renaming the All-Star MVP Award in his honor.
He was. 5× NBA champion (2000-2002, 2009, 2010); 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010); NBA Most Valuable Player (2008); 18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-2016); 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011); 11× All-NBA First Team (2002-2004, 2006-2013); 2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001); 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005); 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006-2011); 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012)August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020
American professional basketball player (Los Angeles Lakers, 1996-2016), writer-producer (2015 special 'Kobe Bryant's Muse,' 2017 short 'Dear Basketball') and host ('Detail,' 2018-19)
Academy Award winner - Best Animated Short Film, 2018 ('Dear Basketball')- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Appeared on the Andy Griffith show after Don Knotts departed. He played a bumbling deputy in the tradition of Barney Fife. After his partnership with George Carlin ended, he teamed with Avery Schreiber after meeting at Chicago's Second City comedy club. Jack appeared on Saturday Night Live In 1977 and turned to writing In in the 1980's.November 15, 1933 – January 26, 2020
American stand-up comedian (Burns and Carlin; Burns and Schreiber), actor ('The Andy Griffith Show,' 1965-66; 1968's 'The Night They Raided Minksy's'), writer ('The Muppet Show,' 1976-77; 1979's 'The Muppet Movie') and producer ('The Muppet Show')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series, 1977 ('The Muppet Show'); Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series, 1977 ('The Muppet Show')- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Bob Shane was born on 1 February 1934 in Hilo, Hawaii, USA. He was an actor, known for M Squad (1957), Playhouse 90 (1956) and Convoy (1965). He was married to Barbara (Bobbie) Lynn Childress and Louise Glancy Brandon. He died on 26 January 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.February 1, 1934 – January 26, 2020
American singer and guitarist; founding member of The Kingston Trio
Grammy Award winner - Best Country & Western Performance, 1958 (The Kingston Trio - "Tom Dooley"); Best Folk Performance, 1959 ('The Kingston Trio At Large')
Grammy Award nominee - Best Performance By A Vocal Group Or Chorus, 1958 ("Tom Dooley") and 1959 ('The Kingston Trio At Large'); Best Performance By A Vocal Group, 1960 (The Kingston Trio - 'Here We Go Again!') and 1961 ('Close-Up'); Best Folk Performance, 1960 ('Here We Go Again!')- Marj Dusay was born on 20 February 1936 in Hays, Kansas, USA. She was an actress, known for All My Children (1970), Guiding Light (1952) and Star Trek (1966). She was married to Thomas Allen Perine Jr. and John Murray Dusay. She died on 28 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.February 20, 1936 – January 28, 2020
American actress - 'Breezy' (1973), 'MacArthur' (1977), 'The Facts of Life' (1981-87), 'Santa Barbara' (1987-91), 'Guiding Light' (1987-2009)
Daytime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, 1995 ('Guiding Light'); America's Favorite Villain, 2002 (Vanessa Cortlandt - 'All My Children') - Writer
- Producer
Harriet Frank Jr. was born on 2 March 1923 in Portland, Oregon, USA. She was a writer and producer, known for Hud (1963), The Cowboys (1972) and Norma Rae (1979). She was married to Irving Ravetch. She died on 28 January 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.March 2, 1923 – January 28, 2020
American screenwriter - 'Hud' (1963), 'The Cowboys' (1973), 'Norma Rae' (1979)
Academy Award nominee - Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, 1964 ('Hud') and 1980 ('Norma Rae')
Golden Globe nominee - Best Screenplay, 1980 ('Norma Rae')- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nicholas Parsons was without doubt one of the UK's most popular and beloved television and radio personalities, and very few can claim to have had such a long entertainment career. The son of a doctor, he was raised in Lincolnshire until the age of eight, when the family moved to London. He was educated at St. Paul's School, London. He trained as an engineer but really wanted to become an actor and decided to pursue his dream. He performed in weekly repertory in Bromley for two years, playing a wide range of parts. His particular talent for comedy and impersonations made him a natural in cabaret and he became the resident comedian at the Windmill Theatre. Much work in radio followed.
Parsons acted in several British films during the 1950s and 1960s, including dramas such as The Third Key (1956) and Eyewitness (1956) and comedies such as Doctor in Love (1960) and Carry on Regardless (1961). On television he worked with Eric Barker and most notably on The Arthur Haynes Show (1956) as Haynes' straight man. In 1967 he became presenter of "Just a Minute", a comedy panel show on BBC Radio 4 which also featured regular appearances by Kenneth Williams over the next 20 years. Through the 1970s and into the 1980s, Parsons hosted the hugely popular ITV game show Sale of the Century (1971).
In 1989, having become so closely associated with comedy and light entertainment, Parsons surprised many when he returned to a dramatic role. He brought great depth and sensitivity to his portrayal of Reverend Wainwright, a tormented clergyman whose faith is tested to the limit by the horrors of the Second World War and the resurrection of a Viking curse in The Curse of Fenric: Part One (1989). It was one of the most unusual and complex characterizations ever created for the Doctor Who (1963) series, and Parsons later described this guest appearance as "one of the most treasured memories".
Parsons celebrated his 90th birthday in 2013 and he was joined at the party by stars including Esther Rantzen, Paul Merton and Gyles Brandreth. A performer of remarkable longevity, he was still taking his one-man show to the Edinburgh Fringe.October 10, 1923 – January 28, 2020
English comedian ('The Arthur Haynes Show' from 1956-1966; 'The Benny Hill Show' from 1969-1974), actor (1964's 'Murder Ahoy!') and presenter (BBC Radio's 'Just a Minute' from 1967-2020; ITV game show 'Sale of the Century' from 1971-1983)
Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2004 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2014- American actress and performer Dyanne Thorne began her career in show business as a band vocalist and New York stage actress. Before breaking onto the silver screen, she was popular as a comedic sketch artist/talking foil. Comedy albums, with Allen & Rossi, Vaughn Meader and Loman & Barkley earned her appearances on many T.V variety shows such as "The Tonight Show", "Red Skelton", "Steve Allen", "Merv Griffin", and with Tim Conway at Caesar's Palace Hotel in Las Vegas.
Filmed in New York City, Dyanne Thorne's first major film role was in Norman C. Chaitin's Encounter (1965), which was also an early screen credit for Robert De Niro. Moving to Hollywood to appear on T.V.'s Star Trek (1966), and star as yet another villainess in Crown International's thriller Point of Terror (1971), opened the door to several more movie roles.
In 1975, Dyanne married composer, conductor, musician and actor Howard Maurer. She and husband Howard starred in five films together throughout the years. The duo also co-produced and starred in several Las Vegas Strip showroom productions over a span of three decades and their careers took them around the world. Both Dyanne and Howard returned to the screen in 2013 after a 25 year absence to star together in indie horror films House of Forbidden Secrets (2013) and House of the Witchdoctor (2013).
As an actress, Dyanne Thorne was best known for her characterisation of the heinous international dominatrix, soldier of fortune, Ilsa. After her debut as Ilsa in Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975), she reprised the role in sequels Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks (1976), Ilsa the Tigress of Siberia (1977) and unofficial entry Ilsa, the Wicked Warden (1977) by director Jesús Franco. Her performance as Ilsa turned the series into a cult favourite amongst horror and exploitation fans, with Ilsa the Tigress of Siberia (1977) earning a special screening at Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival 2018. Following her film career, Dyanne, alongside husband Howard, served as a church ordained, non-denominational minister In Las Vegas. The husband and wife team created "A Scenic Outdoor Wedding" as an alternative to commercial chapel weddings, with couples travelling from across the globe to be married by "Ilsa".October 14, 1936 – January 28, 2020
American actress - 'Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS' (1975) and sequels (1976-77), 'The Swinging Barmaids' (1975), 'Real Men' (1987) - Production Designer
- Set Decorator
- Art Department
Maciej Maria Putowski was born on 9 June 1936 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. He was a production designer and set decorator, known for Lalka (1968), Cala naprzód (1967) and Camouflage (1977). He died on 29 January 2020 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.June 9, 1936 – January 29, 2020
Polish set decorator ('The Doll,' 'The Hourglass Sanatorium,' 'The Promised Land') and production designer ('The Birch Wood,' 'Konopielka')- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Jörn Donner grew up in a Swedish-speaking family belonging to the Finnish upper class. Already as a student he had radical leftist ideas displayed in magazines and newspapers. His first novel appeared in 1951 when Donner was only 18 years old. He graduated from the University of Helsinki in 1959. In 1961 Donner moved to Sweden when the daily newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" hired him as a film critic. He returned to his home country in 1967. During his stay in Sweden he also directed his first feature film, "A Sunday in September". He temporarily returned to Sweden in the 1970s to head the Swedish Film Institute. Again, Donner returned to his home country after a while.
Donner is best known for his work as an author. He has written several novels. He was awarded the Finlandia Prize in Literature in 1985 for "Father and Son". During the years he has also written many columns for large news papers in Finland.
After his directorial debut in 1963 Donner continued to work in film, mainly as a producer. He formed his own production company Jörn Donner Productions in 1960. He produced Ingmar Bergman's critically acclaimed "Fanny and Alexander" in 1982 and is thereby the first Finn ever to receive an Academy Award.
Ever since his early years as a student and struggling writer Donner has had an interest in politics. He has been a Member of Parliament in Finland and also an European MP. After successfully supporting Social Democrat Ahtisaari's presidential campaign in 1994 he was appointed Finnish consul to Los Angeles. Donner soon returned back to Finland. In 2003 Donner failed to return to politics when he did not get elected in the Finnish parliamentary election.
After a few years in the small town of Ekenäs, Finland Donner has returned to live in the nation's capital where he works as an independent writer, columinst and film producer.February 5, 1933 – January 30, 2020
Finnish producer (Ingmar Bergman's 'Fanny and Alexander'; Jan Troell's 'Flight of the Eagle'), filmmaker (1968's 'Black on White'; 1978's 'Men Can't Be Raped'), and actor (1968's 'The Asphalt Lambs'; 2017's 'The Other Side of Hope')
BAFTA Award nominee - Best Foreign Language Film, 1984 ('Fanny and Alexander')
Jussi Award winner - Best Screenplay, 1966 ('Adventure Starts Here'); Best Direction, 1969 ('Black on White'); Best Producer, 1974 ('A Shot in the Factory'; 'The Mommila Murders')
Jussi Award nominee - Best Direction, 2016 ('Armi Alive!')
Jussi Award honorable mention recipient, 1956 (short film 'Vettä')
Lifetime Achievement Jussi Award recipient, 2014
Venice Film Festival prize winner - Best First Work, 1963 ('A Sunday in September')- Producer
- Writer
- Executive
Fred Silverman was born in 1937, and quickly grew up into the television business. After starting out in the mail-room of ABC-TV in the late 1950s, he rose to director of program development at WGN-TV, Chicago in the early '60s. One day, he abandoned his car during a snowstorm and boarded a plane for New York, where he gained a position as head of Daytime Programming at CBS-TV. In 1970, he became the programming head of CBS, where he programmed such hits as The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), All in the Family (1971), M*A*S*H (1972), The Jeffersons (1975), Kojak (1973) and The Sonny and Cher Show (1976). In 1975, he left for ABC-TV, where he worked closely with Michael Eisner and Brandon Tartikoff. He developed such new hits as Laverne & Shirley (1976), The Love Boat (1977), Donny and Marie (1975) and Soap (1977). By the end of the 1977-8 season, ABC was number one, Daytime and Nigttime. In 1978, he joined NBC as President and CEO. His presence helped stem the audience erosion of the prior 5 years with new programs such as Diff'rent Strokes (1978), Real People (1979) and Hill Street Blues (1981). During his tenure, he made program commitments that led to St. Elsewhere (1982) and Cheers (1982), promoted Brandon Tartikoff to President of Entertainment and laid the groundwork for NBC's turnaround in the 80s. Management changes at parent RCA led to Silverman's departure in June, 1981 and his replacement by Grant Tinker. Silverman formed "The Fred Silverman Company" and became an independent producer. Among his successes were "Perry Mason Movies", Matlock (1986), In the Heat of the Night (1988), Jake and the Fatman (1987) and Diagnosis Murder (1993). Silverman remains in the independent production business and also does program consulting.September 13, 1937 – January 30, 2020
American television executive (CBS, ABC, NBC), programmer ('All in the Family,' 'Roots,' 'Hill Street Blues') and producer ('Matlock,' 'In the Heat of the Night,' 'Diagnosis Murder') known as "The Man with the Golden Gut"- Andree Melly was born on 15 September 1932 in Liverpool, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Horror of It All (1964), The Brides of Dracula (1960) and ITV Television Playhouse (1955). She was married to Oscar Quitak. She died on 31 January 2020 in St Eulalia, Ibiza, Spain.September 15, 1932 – January 31, 2020
English actress - 'The Passionate Stranger' (1957), 'Nowhere to Go' (1958), 'The Brides of Dracula' (1960) - Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Andy Gill was born on 1 January 1956 in Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK. He was an actor and composer, known for The Covenant (2006), The Manchurian Candidate (2004) and A Most Wanted Man (2014). He was married to Catherine Mayer. He died on 1 February 2020 in London, England, UK.January 1, 1956 – February 1, 2020
British musician - founding lead guitarist for post-punk band Gang of Four (1977–1983, 1987–1997, 2004–2020)- Production Designer
- Art Director
- Art Department
Luciano Ricceri was born on 26 April 1940 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a production designer and art director, known for The Voyage of Captain Fracassa (1990), 8½ (1963) and The Family (1987). He died on 1 February 2020 in Orte, Viterbo, Italy.April 26, 1940 – February 1, 2020
Italian production designer, set decorator and costume designer - 'Juliet of the Spirits' (1965), 'We All Loved Each Other So Much' (1974), 'A Special Day' (1977), 'The Forbidden Room' (1977), 'Le Bal' (1983)
Primetime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special, 1982 ('Marco Polo')
David di Donatello Award winner - Best Production Design, 1991 ('Captain Fracassa's Journey') and 2001 ('Unfair Competition')
David di Donatello Award nominee - Best Production Design, 1986 ('The Berlin Affair'), 1987 ('The Family'), and 1998 ('Kaputt Mundi')
Venice Film Festival prize winner - Golden Osella for Best Costume and Production Design, 1987 ('The Gold Rimmed Glasses')- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Charles Wood was born on 6 August 1932 in St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Iris (2001), The Knack... and How to Get It (1965) and The Bed Sitting Room (1969). He was married to Valerie Newman. He died on 1 February 2020 in England, UK.August 6, 1932 – February 1, 2020
English playwright ('Jingo') and screenwriter - 'The Knack ...and How to Get It' (1965), (1965), 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' (1968), 'Tumbledown' (1988), 'Iris' (2001)
BAFTA Award winner - Best Single Drama, 1989 ('Tumbledown')
BAFTA Award nominee - Best British Screenplay, 1966 ('The Knack ...and How to Get It'); Best Single Drama, 1995 ('A Breed of Heroes'); Best Adapted Screenplay, 2002 ('Iris')- Péter Andorai was born on 25 April 1948 in Budapest, Hungary. He was an actor, known for Simon, the Magician (1999), My Twentieth Century (1989) and A három növér (1991). He was married to Edit Ábrahám. He died on 1 February 2020 in Budapest, Hungary.April 25, 1948 – February 1, 2020
Hungarian actor - 'Mephisto' (1981), 'Another Way' (1982), 'My 20th Century' (1989), 'Simon, the Magician' (1999), 'Sunshine' (1999) - Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
George Blondheim was born on 10 April 1956 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was a composer and actor, known for 9½ Weeks (1986), Da Vinci's Inquest (1998) and The War Between Us (1995). He was married to Joanne. He died on 1 February 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.April 10, 1956 – February 1, 2020
Canadian film composer - 'Bye Bye Blues' (1989), 'Whale Music' (1994), 'Summer of the Monkeys' (1998)- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Lila Garrett was born on November 21, 1925 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as Lila F Glass. She was a writer and producer, known for The ABC Afternoon Playbreak , Get Smart (1965) and The Other Woman (1983). She was married to Don Garrett and David Rayfiel. She died on February 1, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. Lila Garrett was a former resident of the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, CA.November 21, 1925 – February 1, 2020
American writer ('Bewitched,' 'All in the Family'), producer (1983 TV movie 'The Other Woman'), director (1989 TV movie 'Bridesmaids'), actress (1995 film 'The Nature of the Beast') and series creator ('Baby... I'm Back!')
Primetime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety or Music, 1972 ('The Julie Andrews Hour')
Daytime Emmy Award winner - Daytime Writer of the Year and Best Writing for a Special Program, 1974 ('The ABC Afternoon Playbreak' - "Mother of the Bride"); Outstanding Daytime Drama Special, 1975 ('The ABC Afternoon Playbreak' - "The Girl Who Couldn't Lose")
Daytime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Special Program, 1975 ('The ABC Afternoon Playbreak' - "The Girl Who Couldn't Lose")- Composer
- Director
- Producer
Ivan Kral was born in 1948 in Prague, Czechoslovakia to a musician mother and journalist father.
The award-winning composer, filmmaker and musician knew his calling early. By the age of five, when he wrote his first song, he could sing, play guitar, piano and violin. At 16, he reached Czechoslovakia's Top 10 Hit Parade with Pierot, his own composition recorded with his band, Saze.
Ivan's family fled to New York just ahead of the Soviet Union closure of the Czech border in 1968. They settled in New York City, where his father, Dr. Karel Kral, was already a translator at the United Nations. While at the UN, Dr. Kral earned Czech government wrath over his criticism of the expected Soviet invasion.
Ivan, then 18 years old, adapted to his new country less readily than his older brother Pavel, 23. He stayed in the family's apartment on 81st Street, struggling to learn English - with the help of Daffy Duck cartoons - and hoping to return to Czechoslovakia and his rock 'n' roll celebrity.
Eventually, he attended Geneseo College in upstate New York, earning a degree in French literature. He paid for his education with a series of menial jobs, most notably working the midnight shift at Birds Eye Foods, where he donned a hazmat suit before jumping into 9-foot tall steel containers to remove leftover CoolWhip.
It was all a prelude to his life as a proto-punk, singer-songwriter and film chronicler of a musical era that still resounds today. Ivan wore eyeliner and satin onstage during the early 70s glitter glam rock phase. In 1974, he played guitar with Debbie Harry in Blondie. In 1975, he joined the seminal Patti Smith Group transforming them from poetry to rock and roll. The band recorded numerous tunes written by Kral with Smith, including debut album Horses, Radio Ethiopia, Easter and Wave.Rock journalist Dave Thompson quotes Patti: "Ivan fit in perfectly, because all of us were slightly offbeat, and felt somehow alienated from the mainstream of society, and of course, Ivan being a true alien fit in well with us. The greatest thing he had to struggle with, as we toured around the country and various parts of the world, was being stateless. Ivan was a part of what we were as a group."
Ivan and Mick Ronson, from Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, collaborated, though the band never materialized. He joined Iggy Pop at Rockfield Studios in Wales and remained his collaborator on two albums and four tours. Frequently, he filmed his musician friends in 8mm and 16mm. CBGBs and Max's Kansas City footage selections were edited with no wave filmmaker Amos Poe, resulting in The Blank Generation film -- hailed as the historical document of the punk revolution - featuring the Ramones, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Television, Patti Smith Group, Wayne County, Heartbreakers and more.
He shared the occasional New York stage with Bruce Springsteen, John Cale from The Velvet Underground, Noel Redding from Jimi Hendrix, Ronnie Spector and Chris Spedding. His collaboration with Babys singer, John Waite, resulted in many songs, including the hit, Every Step of the Way. His new band, Eastern Bloc, produced one album, but disbanded after Polygram folded.
In 1982, Ivan composed the music score for the Barry Levinson film, "Diner". He wrote scores for underground films like Subway Riders, Unmade Beds and The Foreigner.
He stopped touring and moved to Seattle until his return to Prague in 1992. During this time, his music was recorded by many, including David Bowie, U2, Simple Minds, and France's Telephone. Ivan now secured status as an independent writer and record producer.
From CBGB's to the mailroom of ABKCo's Beatles, where his duties included driving John Lennon and Yoko Ono's psychedelic Rolls Royce and watching underground films over dinner with Allen Klein. Ivan was in bands that shared billing with Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss, Journey and Tom Petty.
A living national treasure in today's Czech Republic, he has 10 solo albums on Universal and BMG. He's a prolific writer and producer of major Czech talent. Ivan has been a guest at Prague Castle, and former President Vaclav Havel has attended his concerts.
Ivan's awards include Czech Grammys for his 1994 solo album, Nostalgia. He was awarded Grammys for Rock Producer of the Year in 1995 and 1998. Nominations include the Oscar-equivalent Cesky Lev for his 2001 Cabriolet film score. He and Patti Smith's song, Dancing Barefoot, entered #323 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1995, Mojo Magazine ranked Horses the 10th Greatest Album of All Time.
In 2007, he performed his own tribute song, Wasn't It Great, at the Bowery Ballroom memorial for the late CBGB founder, Hilly Kristal.
He continues to work globally from his Ann Arbor, Michigan home studio. In 2009, Ivan was songwriter/vocalist/musician for the soundtrack of the Japanese animated TV show, Yozakura Quartet 3.May 12, 1948 – February 2, 2020
Czech-born American musician (The Patti Smith Group; Iggy Pop) vocalist, songwriter ("Dancing Barefoot," "Bang Bang"), record producer, film composer (1982's 'Diner,' 1999's 'Cosy Dens') and filmmaker (1976's 'The Blank Generation')- Camera and Electrical Department
- Cinematographer
- Producer
Doug Knapp is a graduate of University Southern California school of Cinematic Arts (1972). Member of International Cinematograpers Guild, ICG Local 600 (1977 - 2011) as Camera Operator and Director of Photography on hundreds of television shows and feature films. Doug has been filming since the early 70s, including over 500 episodes for television, most notably the Star Trek and Murphy Brown series, and 15 feature films including, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Frankenweenie, The Green Hornet, Coming to America and Beetlejuice. He has worked along side some of film's most revered directors such as John Landis, Tim Burton and John Carpenter.
Knapp was Consultant and Director of Photography for Cinerama in 2011, working as Co-DP with John Hora,ASC on the first film to be shot in the original Cinerama process in over 50 years. "In The Picture" featured Debbie Reynolds and premiered at the Cinerama Film Festival held at the Arclight Dome theater Sept 29th 2012.
He was member of the board of Governors of the Society of Camera Opertors (SOC), Publications Manager for The Camera Operator Magazine for 24 years. Recipient of the Presidents Award CAMMY (1994).
As member of Board of Directors for VES - Visual Effects Society, Knapp worked on the nominating committee in many categories for "Best Of in Visual Effects" since 2004, part of a global organization of over 3,000 members world wide.
Knapp is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Science (ATAS), serving on Cinematography Pier Group. He served on the nominating committee for the EMMY Awards in Cinematography each year.
He was Instructor for Camera, West Los Angeles College, 2012 for 8 years. WLAC offers their Hollywood CPR program to students desiring entry level employment in the professional Motion Picture and Television Industry.August 5, 1949 – February 3, 2020
American cinematographer and camera operator - 'Dark Star' (1974), 'Assault on Precinct 13' (1976), 'Beetlejuice' (1988), 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' (1989), 'Star Trek: Voyager' (1995-2001), 'Star Trek: Enterprise' (2001-2005)- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Gene Reynolds might have fulfilled a youthful ambition and become a baseball player. However, his father's business failed and the family relocated from their erstwhile home in Detroit to Los Angeles in 1934.
Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Maude Evelyn (Schwab), a model, and Frank Eugene Blumenthal. After his childhood move to Hollywood, he started in the film industry as an extra in Our Gang comedies while studying drama at the Pasadena Playhouse. At the age of fourteen he was contracted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to play juvenile roles in classic features like Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938). He often played the main star of the picture at a younger age in flashback. In 1940, Gene began a four year stint in the navy. Upon his discharge, he moved to New York to find work in the new medium of television. Another sojourn in Hollywood resulted in being featured in Paramount's The Country Girl (1954) and then cast in a mere bit part in The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954). By this time, Gene had become somewhat dissatisfied with the lack of impetus in his acting career. Scouting at the studios for other opportunities (at one time making ends meet by selling suits at a men's fashion store in Beverly Hills) he managed to finagle a job in casting and then landed a directing assignment secured by his friend Jackie Cooper on his TV sitcom Hennesey (1959). Henceforth, Gene was to work exclusively behind the scenes. In 1957, he helped launch the popular western series Tales of Wells Fargo (1957) as co-creator (with Frank Gruber and James Brooks), as well as occasional writer and director. He spent most of the sixties as director of episodic television. At decade's end, he was signed by 20th Century Fox and went on to produce and direct the pilot for The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968).
Arguably more than anyone else, Gene Reynolds was the guy behind the success story of M*A*S*H (1972). Having been assigned the job of producing and directing the pilot episode, Gene first went to England to 'headhunt' comedy writer Larry Gelbart. He signed on Burt Metcalfe (at the time casting director at Universal) as associate producer and was then chiefly responsible for casting Alan Alda for the role of Hawkeye, McLean Stevenson as Colonel Blake and Jamie Farr as Corporal Klinger. Until 1977, Gene worked as executive producer (and frequent director) on M*A*S*H before moving on to -- in his own words -- "face a new challenge" as co-creator and executive producer of the acclaimed drama series Lou Grant (1977). He won six Primetime Emmy Awards (1970 for Room 222 (1969), 1974 , 1975 and 1976 for M*A*S*H , 1979 and 1980 for Lou Grant). In addition, he collected a Writer's Guild of America Award for M*A*S*H in 1981 as well as four Director's Guild of America Awards, respectively in 1973, 1974, 1979 and 1993. He also served as President of the Director's Guild from 1993 to 1997.
Gene Reynolds died in Burbank, California, on February 3 2020 at the venerable age of 96.April 4, 1923 – February 3, 2020
American film actor ('Boys Town,' 'The Mortal Storm,' 'The Country Girl') turned TV writer, producer, director and series creator ('M*A*S*H,' 'Lou Grant')
Emmy Award winner - Outstanding New Series, 1970 ('Room 222'); Outstanding Comedy Series, 1974 ('M*A*S*H'); Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, 1975-76 ('M*A*S*H'); Outstanding Drama Series, 1979 and 1980 ('Lou Grant')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Comedy Series, 1970 ('Room 222'), 1973 ('M*A*S*H'), 1975-77 ('M*A*S*H'); Outstanding New Series, 1973 ('M*A*S*H'); Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy, 1973-74 ('M*A*S*H'); Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, 1976 ('M*A*S*H'); Outstanding Drama Series, 1978, 1981 and 1982 ('Lou Grant'); Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, 1979 and 1980 ('Lou Grant'); Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series, 1980 and 1982 ('Lou Grant')
President of the Directors Guild of America, 1993-97- Director
- Writer
- Actor
José Luis Cuerda was born on 18 February 1947 in Albacete, Albacete, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. He was a director and writer, known for Los girasoles ciegos (2008), Butterfly (1999) and The Others (2001). He died on 4 February 2020 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.February 18, 1947 – February 4, 2020
Spanish film director (1999's 'Butterfly's Tongue'), screenwriter (1989's 'Dawn Breaks, Which Is No Small Thing') and producer (2001's 'The Others')
Goya Award winner - Best Film, 1997 ('Thesis') and 2002 ('The Others'); Best Adapted Screenplay, 2000 ('Butterfly's Tongue') and 2009 ('The Blind Sunflowers')
Goya Award nominee - Best Original Screenplay, 1990 ('Dawn Breaks, Which Is No Small Thing'); Best Director, 2000 ('Butterfly's Tongue') and 2009 ('The Blind Sunflowers'); Best Documentary, 2005 ('¡Hay motivo!'); Best Adapted Screenplay, 2007 ('The Education of Fairies')- Director
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Terry Hands was born on 9 January 1941 in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, UK. He was a director and actor, known for Cyrano de Bergerac (1985), Carrie (1988) and Otello (1978). He was married to Emma Lucia, Ludmila Mikaël and Josephine Barstow. He died on 4 February 2020 in the UK.January 9, 1941 – February 4, 2020
English theatre director, producer and lighting designer; founder of the Liverpool Everyman Theatre; co-artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1978-1986 and its sole artistic director and chief executive from 1986-1991
Drama Desk Special Award recipient in 1982 for producing 'The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'
Drama Desk Award nominee - Outstanding New Play, 1987 ('Les Liaisons Dangereuses')
Evening Standard Theatre Award winner - Best Director, 1993 ('Tamburlaine The Great')
Laurence Olivier Award - Best Director, 1978 ('Henry VI') and 1983 ('Cyrano de Bergerac')
Tony Award nominee - Best Direction of a Play, 1985 ('Much Ado About Nothing'); Best Lighting Design, 1985 ('Cyrano de Bergerac' and 'Much Ado About Nothing')
Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007- Nadia Lutfi was born Poula Mohamed Shafiq in 1937 in Cairo to an Egyptian father and a Polish mother. Her father was an accountant. Acting started as a hobby, when she was 10 years old she participated in a play at her school and did very well.
Her first roles in Egyptian cinema were in Soultan (1958) and Cairo Station (1958), both the same year. The latter brought filmmaker Youssef Chahine to international attention and acclaim when it was a competitor at the Berlin Film Festival. Her career progressed and she appeared in El saman wal karif (1967) (based on the book by Nobel-winning author Naguib Mahfouz). She closed out the 1960s in Abi foq al-Shagara (1969) opposite Abdel Halim Hafez as a night club dancer who beds a much younger man.
She married three times, first time before she was 20 years old. She had one child, a son, Ahmad.January 3, 1937 – February 4, 2020
Egyptian actress - 'The Sun Will Never Set' (1961), 'Saladin the Victorious' (1963), 'The Night of Counting the Years' (1969) - Producer
- Writer
- Actress
Jane Milmore was born on 25 March 1955 in Laramie, Wyoming, USA. She was a producer and writer, known for Daddy Dearest (1993), Anything But Love (1989) and The Hughleys (1998). She was married to Richard Vaczy. She died on 4 February 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.March 25, 1955 – February 4, 2020
American playwright ('Love, Sex, and the I.R.S.'), TV writer and producer ('Anythng But Love,' 'Martin,' 'The Hughleys') and actress ('Anything But Love')
Primetime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Informational Special, 1990 ('I Love Lucy: The Very First Show')- Producer
- Actor
- Production Manager
Gianni Minervini was born on 26 October 1928 in Naples, Campania, Italy. He was a producer and actor, known for Where's Picone? (1984), Turné (1990) and Fuori stagione (1980). He died on 4 February 2020 in Rome, Italy.October 26, 1928 – February 4, 2020
Italian film producer - 'The House with Laughing Windows' (1976), 'Where's Picone?' (1983), 'Mediterraneo' (1991)
David di Donatello Award winner - Best Producer, 1982 ('Off Season'), 1984 ('Where's Picone?') and 1990 ('On Tour')
David di Donatello Award nominee - Best Producer, 1991 ('Mediterraneo')- Actor
- Director
Kevin Conway was born on 29 May 1942 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Gettysburg (1993), Thirteen Days (2000) and Invincible (2006). He was married to Mila Burnette. He died on 5 February 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.May 29, 1942 – February 5, 2020
American actor - 'Slaughterhouse-Five' (1972), 'Gettysburg' (1993), 'The Quick and the Dead' (1995), 'Thirteen Days' (2000), 'Invincible' (2006)
Drama Desk Award winner - Outstanding Performance, 1974 ('When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?')
Drama Desk Award nominee - Outstanding Director of a Play, 1980 ('Mecca')- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Cleft-chinned, steely-eyed and virile star of international cinema who rose from being "the ragman's son" (the name of his best-selling 1988 autobiography) to become a bona fide superstar, Kirk Douglas, also known as Issur Danielovitch Demsky, was born on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. His parents, Bryna (Sanglel) and Herschel Danielovitch, were Jewish immigrants from Chavusy, Mahilyow Voblast (now in Belarus). Although growing up in a poor ghetto, Douglas was a fine student and a keen athlete and wrestled competitively during his time at St. Lawrence University. Professional wrestling helped pay for his studies as did working on the side as a waiter and a bellboy. However, he soon identified an acting scholarship as a way out of his meager existence, and was sufficiently talented to gain entry into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his Broadway debut in "Spring Again" before his career was interrupted by World War II. He joining the United States Navy in 1941, and then after the end of hostilities in 1945, returned to the theater and some radio work. On the insistence of ex-classmate Lauren Bacall, movie producer Hal B. Wallis screen-tested Douglas and cast him in the lead role in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946). His performance received rave reviews and further work quickly followed, including an appearance in the low-key drama I Walk Alone (1947), the first time he worked alongside fellow future screen legend Burt Lancaster. Such was the strong chemistry between the two that they appeared in seven films together, including the dynamic western Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), the John Frankenheimer political thriller Seven Days in May (1964) and their final pairing in the gangster comedy Tough Guys (1986). Douglas once said about his good friend: "I've finally gotten away from Burt Lancaster. My luck has changed for the better. I've got nice-looking girls in my films now."
After appearing in "I Walk Alone," Douglas scored his first Oscar nomination playing the untrustworthy and opportunistic boxer Midge Kelly in the gripping Champion (1949). The quality of his work continued to garner the attention of critics and he was again nominated for Oscars for his role as a film producer in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and as tortured painter Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956), both directed by Vincente Minnelli. In 1955, Douglas launched his own production company, Bryna Productions, the company behind two pivotal film roles in his career. The first was as French army officer Col. Dax in director Stanley Kubrick's brilliant anti-war epic Paths of Glory (1957). Douglas reunited with Kubrick for yet another epic, the magnificent Spartacus (1960). The film also marked a key turning point in the life of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who had been blacklisted during the McCarthy "Red Scare" hysteria in the 1950s. At Douglas' insistence, Trumbo was given on-screen credit for his contributions, which began the dissolution of the infamous blacklisting policies begun almost a decade previously that had destroyed so many careers and lives.
Douglas remained busy throughout the 1960s, starring in many films. He played a rebellious modern-day cowboy in Lonely Are the Brave (1962), acted alongside John Wayne in the World War II story In Harm's Way (1965), again with The Duke in a drama about the Israeli fight for independence, Cast a Giant Shadow (1966), and once more with Wayne in the tongue-in-cheek western The War Wagon (1967). Additionally in 1963, he starred in an onstage production of Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," but despite his keen interest, no Hollywood studio could be convinced to bring the story to the screen. However, the rights remained with the Douglas clan, and Kirk's talented son Michael Douglas finally filmed the tale in 1975, starring Jack Nicholson. Into the 1970s, Douglas wasn't as busy as previous years; however, he starred in some unusual vehicles, including alongside a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in the loopy western comedy The Villain (1979), then with Farrah Fawcett in the sci-fi thriller Saturn 3 (1980) and then he traveled to Australia for the horse opera/drama The Man from Snowy River (1982).
Unknown to many, Kirk has long been involved in humanitarian causes and has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the US State Department since 1963. His efforts were rewarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1981), and with the Jefferson Award (1983). Furthermore, the French honored him with the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. More recognition followed for his work with the American Cinema Award (1987), the German Golden Kamera Award (1987), The National Board of Reviews Career Achievement Award (1989), an honorary Academy Award (1995), Recipient of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999) and the UCLA Medal of Honor (2002). Despite a helicopter crash and a stroke suffered in the 1990s, he remained active and continued to appear in front of the camera. Until his passing on February 5 2020 at the age of 103, he and Olivia de Havilland were the last surviving major stars from the Golden Years of Hollywood.December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020
American actor (1951's 'Ace in the Hole,' 1952's 'The Bad and the Beautiful,' 1956's 'Lust for Life,' 1957's 'Paths of Glory,' 1960's 'Spartacus'), producer ('Paths of Glory,' 'Spartacus') and director (1975's 'Posse')
Academy Award nominee - Best Actor in a Leading Role, 1950 ('Champion'), 1953 ('The Bad and the Beautiful') and 1957 ('Lust for Life')
Academy Honorary Award recipient, 1996, "for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community"
BAFTA Award nominee - Best Foreign Actor, 1963 ('Lonely Are the Brave')
Golden Globe winner - Best Actor [in a] Drama, 1957 ('Lust for Life')
Golden Globe nominee - Best Actor [in a] Drama, 1952 ('Detective Story'); Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, 1986 ('Amos')
Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient, 1968
Primetime Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special, 1986 ('Amos'); Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, 1992 ('Tales from the Crypt' episode "Yellow"); Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, 2000 ('Touched by an Angel' episode "Bar Mitzvah")- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
F.X. Feeney was born on 1 September 1953 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for The Big Brass Ring (1999), Masters of Disaster and Harris Kubrick. He died on 5 February 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.September 1, 1953 – February 5, 2020
American film critic (LA WEEKLY, Z Channel), screenwriter ('Frankenstein Unbound,' 'The Big Brass Ring') and producer ('Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession')- Raphaël Coleman was born on 30 September 1994 in Wandsworth, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Nanny McPhee (2005), The Fourth Kind (2009) and It's Alive (2009). He died on 6 February 2020 in England, UK.September 30, 1994 – February 6, 2020
British actor - 'Nanny McPhee' (2005), 'It's Alive' (2009), 'The Fourth Kind' (2009) - Editorial Department
- Producer
- Additional Crew
July 7, 1929 – February 6, 2020
American producer ('Room 222'), TV writer ('The Outer Limits), post-production coordinator ('Lost in Space,' 'Batman,' 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea') and completion bondsman ('Sex, Lies, and Videotape,' 'Narc')- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Orson Bean, the American actor, television personality and author, was born Dallas Frederick Burrows on July 22, 1928 in Burlington, Vermont to George Frederick Burrows, a policeman who later went on to become the chief of campus police at Harvard University, and the former Marion Ainsworth Pollard. He was of Irish, Scottish, and English descent. Through the latter, the newborn Dallas Burrows was a first cousin, twice removed, to Calvin Coolidge, who was President of the United States at the time of his birth. The young Dallas, an amateur magician with a taste for the limelight, graduated from Boston's prestigious Latin School in 1946. Too young to see military service during World War II, the future Orson Bean did a hitch in the U.S. Army (1946-47) in occupied Japan.
After the war, he launched himself onto the nightclub circuit with his new moniker, the "Orson" borrowed from reigning enfant terrible Orson Welles. His comedy act premiered at New York City's Blue Angel nightclub, and the momentum from his act launched him into the orbit of the legitimate theater. He made his Broadway debut on April 30, 1954 in Stalag 17 (1953) producer Richard Condon's only Broadway production as a playwright, "Men of Distinction", along with Robert Preston and Martin Ritt. The play flopped and ran only four appearances.
The following year was to prove kinder: he hosted a summer-replacement television series produced at the Blue Angel, and won a Theatre World Award for his work in the 1954 music revue "John Murray Anderson's Almanac", which co-starred Harry Belafonte, Polly Bergen, Hermione Gingold and Carleton Carpenter. It was a hit that ran for 229 performances. He followed this up with an even bigger hit, the leading role in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter". Next up was a succès d'estime as the leading man in Herman Wouk's comic play "Nature's Way", which co-starred Bea Arthur, Sorrell Booke and Godfrey Cambridge. Though the play lasted but 67 performances, Orson Bean had established himself on the Broadway stage.
He enjoyed his greatest personal success on Broadway in the 1961-62 season, in the Betty Comden and Adolph Green musical "Subways are for Sleeping", which was directed and choreographed by Michael Kidd and featured music by Jule Styne. Bean received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (his co-star Phyllis Newman won a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical). The following season, he was in a bigger hit, the comedy "Never Too Late", which would go on to play for 1,007 performances. After appearing in the flop comedy "I Was Dancing" in November 1964, Bean made his last Broadway appearance in the musical "Illya Darling" in 1967 with Melina Mercouri, directed by fellow blacklister Jules Dassin; it played 320 performances. He also toured in the Neil Simon-Burt Bacharach musical "Promises, Promises".
Bean made an impression as the Army psychiatrist in Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder (1959). But it was as a television personality that he made his biggest inroads into the popular consciousness, as well as the popular culture. He appeared in numerous quiz and talk shows, becoming a familiar face in homes as a regular panelist on To Tell the Truth (1956). He also appeared on Norman Lear's cult favorite Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) and its sequel, Forever Fernwood (1977), as "Reverend Brim", and as store owner "Loren Bray" on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993). Much of his role as 105-year-old "Dr. Lester" in the cult film Being John Malkovich (1999) wound up the cutting room floor, but audiences and critics welcomed back his familiar presence.July 22, 1928 – February 7, 2020
American actor - 'Anatomy of a Murder' (1959), 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman' (1993-98), 'Being John Malkovich' (1999)
Grammy Award nominee - Best Recording For Children, 1978 ('The Hobbit')
Tony Award nominee - Best Featured Actor in a Musical, 1962 ('Subways Are for Sleeping')- Nexhmije Pagarusha was born on 7 May 1933 in Pagarushë, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Makedonska krvava svadba (1967), E kafshoja terrin (1977) and I ikuri (1980). She was married to Rexho Muliqi. She died on 7 February 2020 in Pristina, Kosovo.May 7, 1933 – February 7, 2020
Kosovo-Albanian singer, musician and actress known as the queen of Kosovan music - Actress
- Soundtrack
Ann E. Todd was born Ann Todd Phillips on August 26, 1931, in Denver, Colorado. Both of her parents had extensive careers in music; her father, Burrill Phillips, was an accomplished composer and pianist. Ann also had one brother, Stephen, who was born in 1937 (and died in 1986). Ann was adopted and raised by her maternal grandparents; her official adopted name was Ann Todd Mayfield. Her grandparents took her to the movies often and hoped that she would one day become a child star like Shirley Temple (incidentally, she would have a small role as Temple's little sister in The Blue Bird (1940)). Ann's grandparents eventually prodded her into a career in film, and although she was not particularly interested in acting -- her childhood ambition was to be a pilot -- she excelled at it and became one of the most popular child stars of the 1930s and '40s. In the early 1940s, she added E to her professional name to avoid being mistaken for British actress Ann Todd (nevertheless, the two were and are frequently confused). Despite her success -- she appeared in some 27 films between 1939 and 1951 -- Ann quit acting in the 1950s. She married Robert Basart on January 29, 1951 in Berkely, California. In 1959, she was reunited with her parents, and following in her parents' footsteps, she pursued a career in music. Ann received a master's degree in music history from the University of California at Berkeley (UCB). She taught music history in San Francisco for three years and then served as the music librarian for UCB for 21 years. During this time, Ann also founded a publishing company, Fallen Leaf Press, and had two children, a daughter and a son. Her husband Robert died on February 7, 1993 in Berkely. As of this writing (2008), Ann is retired and living in northern California.August 26, 1931 – February 7, 2020
American actress - 'Intermezzo' (1939), 'How Green Was My Valley' (1941), 'Kings Row' (1942), 'Pride of the Marines' (1945), 'The Stu Erwin Show' (1950-53)- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Robert Conrad was a graduate of Northwestern University, spending his first few years out of school supporting himself and his family by driving a milk truck and singing in a Chicago cabaret. Conrad befriended up-and-coming actor Nick Adams during this period, and it was Adams who helped Conrad get his first Hollywood work in 1957. A few movie bit parts later, Conrad was signed for a comparative pittance by Warner Bros. studios, and in 1959 was cast as detective Tom Lopaka on the weekly adventure series Hawaiian Eye. Upon the 1963 cancellation of this series, Conrad made a handful of Spanish and American films and toured with a nightclub act in Australia and Mexico City. Cast as frontier secret agent James West in The Wild Wild West (1965) in 1965, Conrad brought home $5000 a week during the series' first season and enjoyed increasing remunerations as West remained on the air until 1969. There are those who insist that Wild Wild West would have been colorless without the co-starring presence of Ross Martin, an opinion with which Conrad has always agreed. The actor's bid to star in a 1970 series based on the venerable Nick Carter pulp stories got no further than a pilot episode, while the Jack Webb-produced 1971 Robert Conrad series The D.A. was canceled after 13 episodes. When Roy Scheider pulled out of the 1972 adventure weekly Assignment: Vienna, Conrad stepped in--and was out, along with the rest of Assignment: Vienna, by June of 1973. Conrad had better luck with 1976's Baa Baa Black Sheep, aka Black Sheep Squadron, a popular series based on the World War II exploits of Major "Pappy" Boyington. Cast as a nurse on this series was Conrad's daughter Nancy, setting a precedent for nepotism that the actor practiced as late as his tenth TV series, 1989's Jesse Hawkes, wherein Conrad co-starred with his sons Christian and Shane.
Though few of his series have survived past season one, Conrad has enjoyed success as a commercial spokesman and in the role of G. Gordon Liddy (whom the actor admired) in the 1982 TV movie Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy (1982). As can be gathered from the Liddy assignment, Conrad's politics veered towards conservatism; in 1981, he and Charlton Heston were instrumental in toppling Ed Asner and his liberal contingent from power in the Screen Actors Guild.
As virile and athletic as ever in the 1990s, Robert Conrad continued to appear in action roles both on TV and in films; he also maintained strong ties with his hometown of Chicago, and could be counted on to show up at a moment's notice as a guest on the various all-night programs of Chicago radio personality Eddie Schwartz.March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020
American actor - 'Hawaiian Eye' (1959-63), 'The Wild Wild West' (1965-69), 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' (1976-78)
Golden Globe Award nominee - Best Actor in a Drama Television Series, 1978 ('Baa Baa Black Sheep')- Actor
- Producer
- Director
David Gardner was born on 4 May 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor and producer, known for Detroit Rock City (1999), RoboCop (1994) and Defendor (2009). He was married to Dorothy Gardner. He died on 8 February 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.May 4, 1928 – February 8, 2020
Canadian actor - 'The Christmas Wife' (1988), 'RoboCop: The Series' (1994), 'Felicity: An American Girl Adventure' (2005)
Gemini Award winner - Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series, 1997 ('Traders')
Earle Grey Award recipient, 2008- Actor
- Additional Crew
The son of a regimental sergeant major, Albert Patrick Jordan grew up in London where he debuted on stage in a 1946 Old Vic production of "Richard II" at the New Theatre. The ensemble cast comprised actors Harry Andrews, Rosalind Atkinson and Alec Guinness. The same group of players went on to perform in other Shakespearean plays, including "Coriolanus" and "The Taming of the Shrew". Jordan began on screen in a TV adaptation of The Browning Version (1949), reprising his stage role from earlier that year. Most of his celluloid assignments in the 50s and 60s consisted of small or uncredited parts. His distinctively stern features and no-nonsense authoritarian bearing led to being invariably typecast as police officers or soldiers. A trademark scar on his right cheek added extra credence to his characters, more than a few of whom did not survive to the final reel. He appeared several times in No Hiding Place (1959), Dixon of Dock Green (1955) and Crossroads (1964) and had featured roles in the war films The Heroes of Telemark (1965), Play Dirty (1969) and Too Late the Hero (1970). Through his friend Alec Guiness, he managed to secure a role in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) as an Imperial Officer, aide to Grand Moff Tarkin (played by Peter Cushing ). He unwisely opted to take a one-off fee for his part, rather than a tiny share of the royalties -- much to his later regret.
Jordan retired in 1995 and died at the age of 96 in January 2020. His wife was Margery Gill (1925-2008), an acclaimed illustrator of children's books.October 20, 1923 – February 8, 2020
English actor - 'The Heroes of Telemark' (1965), 'Play Dirty' (1969), 'Star Wars' (1977)- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ron McLarty was born on 26 April 1947 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He was an actor, known for The Postman (1997), St. Vincent (2014) and Cop Rock (1990). He was married to Kate Skinner and Diane Dorothy Tesitor. He died on 8 February 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.April 14, 1947 – February 8, 2020
American actor ('Spenser: For Hire'), novelist ('The Memory of Running') and audiobook narrator ('Salem's Lot')- Actor
- Art Director
Volker Spengler was born on 16 February 1939 in Bremen, Germany. He was an actor and art director, known for Satan's Brew (1976), Chinese Roulette (1976) and In a Year with 13 Moons (1978). He died on 8 February 2020 in Berlin, Germany.February 16, 1939 – February 8, 2020
German actor - 'In a Year with 13 Moons' (1978), 'Despair' (1978), 'The Ogre' (1996)- Producer
- Production Manager
- Additional Crew
Grazia Volpi was born on 29 March 1941 in Pontedera, Tuscany, Italy. She was a producer and production manager, known for Caesar Must Die (2012), Elective Affinities (1996) and Fiorile (1993). She was married to Roberto Perpignani. She died on 7 February 2020 in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy.March 29, 1941 – February 8, 2020
Italian producer - 'Padre Padrone' (1977), 'Fiorile' (1993), 'Caesar Must Die' (2012)
David di Donatello Award winner - Best Producer, 2012 ('Caesar Must Die')- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mirella Freni was born on 27 February 1935 in Modena, Italy. She was an actress, known for Fatal Attraction (1987), Copycat (1995) and Awakenings (1990). She was married to Nicolai Ghiaurov and Leone Magiera. She died on 9 February 2020 in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.February 27, 1935 – February 9, 2020
Italian operatic soprano ('La bohème,' 'Don Giovani,' 'L'elisir d'amore') and film actress (1965's 'La Bohème,' 1976's 'Le nozze di Figaro')
Italian Knight Grand Cross recipient, 1990
French Legion of Honour recipient, 1993- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Tall, graceful, supremely accomplished American actress, singer, dancer and choreographer Paula Kelly was born in Jacksonville, Florida, one of three daughters, to Ruth and Lehman Kelly. The family moved to Harlem in New York when she was six years old. Unlike her siblings, she had strong musical inclinations which were recognised early on by her father (himself a jazz musician), who enrolled her in the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art. Paula excelled as a star pupil. This opened doors to an audition at the prestigious Juilliard School and led to a four-year scholarship. Having trained under the academy's first director of dance, Martha Hill, she graduated in 1964 and that same year made her debut on Broadway. During much of the 1960s, specialising in modern dance, she performed with such luminaries as Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey and went on tour as a dancer with Harry Belafonte.
The inevitable breakthrough to popular success came when she was cast as Helene (taxi dancer at the Fandango Ballroom) in London's West End production of "Sweet Charity" (1967), directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. Paula ended up winning the London Variety Award for Best Supporting Actress. The play itself enjoyed a healthy run but was ultimately eclipsed by the motion picture Sweet Charity (1969), for which Paula was able to recreate her stage role. Now firmly established on the screen, she went on to sing and dance in a number of musical television specials and/or variety shows headlining Gene Kelly (with whom she performed a duet), Dean Martin, Quincy Jones, Richard Pryor and former Sweet Charity co-star Sammy Davis Jr.. She also appeared as Tiger Lily, teaming up with Danny Kaye and Mia Farrow for the BBC production of Peter Pan (1976), as well as taking on the dual role of co-choreographer. In 1971, she starred in a Los Angeles stage production of the all-singing, all-dancing musical revue "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope", for which she won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award.
Since the popularity of musicals had waned by the early 1970s, Paula had little choice but to take on straight dramatic acting roles. On several occasions she provided the female interest in a series of fashionable, sassy, tough blaxploitation films, playing cool, happening chicks opposite action men like Robert Hooks, Paul Winfield and Thalmus Rasulala (and often rising above the routine dramatic material afforded her). She was Leggy Peggy in the cult comedy Uptown Saturday Night (1974) with Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor and had featured roles in the sci-fi classics The Andromeda Strain (1971) and Soylent Green (1973). She also appeared in many television guest spots, with notable recurring roles in The Streets of San Francisco (1972), Police Woman (1974) and the sitcom Night Court (1984), for which she received the first of two Emmy Award nominations. She retired from acting in 1999. Her husband was the British film and television director Don Chaffey, who predeceased her in 1990.
Paula Kelly died of heart failure on February 9, 2020 at age 77.October 21, 1943 – February 9, 2020
American actress of stage ('Something More!'), television ('Night Court') and film ('Sweet Charity,' 'The Andromeda Strain,' 'Soylent Green')
Emmy Award nominee - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, 1984 ('Night Court'); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special, 1989 ('The Women of Brewster Place')- Composer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Sergei Slonimsky was born on 12 August 1932 in Leningrad, Russian SFSR, USSR. He was a composer and actor, known for Tainstvennaya stena (1968), Interventsiya (1968) and Ivan i Kolombina (1975). He was married to Raisa Nikolaevna Slonimskaya. He died on 9 February 2020 in St. Petersburg, Russia.August 12, 1932 – February 9, 2020
Russian composer of opera ('Virinea'), ballet ('Ikarus') and film ('The Republic of ShKID')
Named People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1987
State Prize of the Russian Federation recipient, 2002