Celebrity Deaths in 2020
List activity
23K views
• 7 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
1548 people
- 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. - Director
- Writer
- Editor
Lorenza Mazzetti was born on 26 July 1927 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. She was a director and writer, known for Together (1956), Latin Lovers (1961) and I cattivi vanno in paradiso (1959). She died on 4 January 2020 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- 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.
- 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.- Elizabeth Wurtzel was born on 31 July 1967 in New York City, New York, USA. She was a writer, known for Prozac Nation (2001), When the Brass Band Plays (2020) and Intimate Portrait (1990). She was married to James Freed Jr.. She died on 7 January 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- 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.- 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.- Derek Acorah was born on 27 January 1950 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Big Fat Gypsy Gangster (2011), Doctor Who (2005) and Crispy's Curse (2017). He was married to Gwen Acorah, Barbara Keeton and Joan Hughes. He died on 3 January 2020 in Bootle, Lancashire, England, UK.
- 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.- Alexis Eddy was born on 28 March 1996 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. She died on 9 January 2020 in Mannington, West Virginia, USA.
- 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.- 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.- Mike Resnick was born on 5 March 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer, known for Don't Take the Name of God in Vain (1999), Finding the Future: A Science Fiction Conversation (2004) and 50th Anniversary Brunch Noreascon Three Videotape (1989). He was married to Carol L. Cain. He died on 9 January 2020 in the USA.
- 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.- 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.- 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.
- 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.- 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.- Cathy Crawford was born on 13 January 1947 in Dyersburg, Tennessee, USA. She was an actress, known for Roller Boogie (1979), What's My Line? (1950) and The Mike Douglas Show (1961). She died on 10 January 2020 in Pennsylvania, USA.
- La Parka was one of the most colorful and well known Mexican wrestlers to ever step foot in a wrestling ring. He spent his early career making a name for himself in Mexico in the early 1990s. He, like most of the other Mexican wrestling stars, wrestled in a full body costume, including a mask. His persona was that of a skeleton, looking a bit like the evil Skeletor from He-man.
La Parka finally made his way to the rings of WCW in 1996 after the likes of Rey Mysterio Jr and Konnan opened up the doors for Luchadores, as Mexican wrestlers were known. He quickly became known as a very talented wrestler, wrestling on TNT's high-profile Nitro broadcasts on Monday night. Matches with other talented high-fliers, such as Mysterio, Ultimo Dragon, Psichosis, and Juventud Guerrera, made the art of Lucha-Libre very popular. La Parka, at 6' 4" was actually the largest of the Luchadores in WCW. He was well known for bringing his trademark steel chair with him to the ring for every match, earning him the nickname the "Chairman of WCW". That, along with his trademark dance routine to taunt his opponent, made him one of the most entertaining wrestlers in WCW.
La Parka appeared on several WCW Pay Per Views, such as World War 3 '96, Superbrawl '97, Bash at the Beach '97, World War 3 '97, Souled Out '98, Superbrawl '98, and Spring Stampede '98, which only helped boost his popularity.
Unfortunately for many many closet La Parka fans out there, WCW had a terrible reputation for overlooking talented newcomers in favor of older, established stars. This led to La Parka never getting anything but a cult following in WCW, as he was never used to any real extent storyline-wise. He ended up leaving WCW in 2000 and returning to his wrestling roots in Mexico. - Producer
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Born in Columbus, Ohio as Carolyn Louise Kramer to Warren A. and Ann (nee Caldwell) Kramer, when she was 18 months old her mother died unexpectedly. She was raised by her grandparents, Frank and Louise (nee Orton) Caldwell of Columbus.
She attended the Ohio State University Laboratory School in Columbus and was graduated from MacDuffie School in Springfield, Massachusetts. As a freshman at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, she met Rod Serling, a returning World War II veteran attending the college. They wed two years later, on July 31, 1948, and graduated in 1950 before moving to Cincinnati, where Rod worked for a local radio station.- 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.- 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.- 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.
- Christopher Tolkien is the third son of the author J. R. R. Tolkien, and the editor of much of his father's posthumously published work. He drew the original maps for his father's The Lord of the Rings, which he signed C. J. R. T.
After his father's death, Christopher Tolkien, whom his father had once called his "chief critic and collaborator", embarked on organizing his father's unpublished writings, some of them written on odd scraps of paper a half-century earlier. He worked on the manuscripts and was able to produce an edition of The Silmarillion for publication in 1977.
The Silmarillion was followed by Unfinished Tales in 1980 and The History of Middle-earth in twelve volumes between 1983 and 1996.
In 2007 he published The Children of Húrin, another history that J.R.R. Tolkien didn't complete during his lifetime. - Composer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Chris Darrow was born on 30 July 1944 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Winter Equinox (1976), My, My, Hey, Hey; A Let's Talk-umentary (2008) and Kites Over Washington (2009). He died on 15 January 2020 in Claremont, California, United States.- 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.
- 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.- Therese Tanguay Dion was born on 20 March 1927 in Canada. She was a composer, known for Céline Dion: Ce n'était qu'un rêve (1981), 75e, elles se souviennent (2015) and Céline Dion: The Colour of My Love Concert (1993). She was married to Adhémar Dion. She died on 17 January 2020 in Québec, Canada.
- Additional Crew
- Cinematographer
- Music Department
David Olney was born on 23 March 1948 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He was a cinematographer, known for Capone's Boys (2002), First Tuesday in November (1989) and Niagara's Gold (1994). He was married to Regina. He died on 18 January 2020 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, USA.- 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.- 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.
- 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.- Peter Hobday was born on 6 February 1937 in Dudley, Midlands, England, UK. He was an actor, known for In the Red (1998), Mrs. Mouse, Are You Within? (1971) and The Money Programme (1966). He was married to Victoria Fenwick and Tamara Batcharnikoff. He died on 18 January 2020 in the UK.
- 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.- 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.- Tyler Gwozdz was born on 18 June 1990 in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. He died on 23 January 2020 in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA.
- 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).- Franz Mazura was born on 12 April 1924 in Salzburg, Austria. He was an actor, known for The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977), Lulu (1979) and Der Ring des Nibelungen (1980). He was married to Elisabeth Friedmann. He died on 23 January 2020 in Mannheim, Germany.
- 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.- Writer
- Actor
Charles Alverson was born on 13 October 1935 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Jabberwocky (1977) and The Ninja Mission (1984). He was married to Zivana. He died on 19 January 2020 in Parage, Vojvodina, Serbia.- 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)- Nina Griscom was born on 8 May 1954 in New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for At First Sight (1999) and Iron Chef America: The Series (2004). She was married to Leonel Alfredo Piraino, Dr. Daniel Clufton Baker III, Lloyd Preston Griscom Jr. and Joseph Nicholas Pantano. She died on 25 January 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- 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.- 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.- Actor
- Writer
- Art Director
Giorgos Kotanidis was born on 23 May 1945 in Thessaloniki, Greece. He was an actor and writer, known for Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001), Pretty Smart (1987) and The Girl from Mani (1986). He died on 28 January 2020 in Athens, Greece.- 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.
- Actress
Jameela Malik was an Indian film actress in South Indian movies. She acted in Malayalam and Tamil films in between 1970s and 1990s and appeared in several Malayalam television soap operas in between 2016 and 2020. She received critical acclaim and appreciation, for all the movies she acted, from the critics and audience as well. She was the first woman from Kerala to graduate from India's prestigious Film and Television Institute of India. She worked as teacher in schools. She was married for a year and has a son. She had also acted in more than twenty television serials during the 1990s.- Michael Terra was born on 2 October 2000 in the USA. He was an actor, known for And So It Goes (2014), Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015) and Nonna Tell Me a Story: Lidia's Christmas Kitchen (2010). He died on 26 January 2020 in Arizona, USA.
- 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.
- John Andretti was born on 12 March 1963 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Nancy Summers. He died on 30 January 2020 in Mooresville, North Carolina, USA.
- 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.- Writer
- Actress
- Producer
In 2002 Mary Higgins Clark published her memoir "Kitchen Privileges". The book describes her upbringing, first marriage and how she became such a famous author. Meanwhile 36 movies have been made that are based on Mary Higgins Clark's thrillers. For a while Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter published their own magazine.- 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.
- 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.- 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. - 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.- 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". - 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.- 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.
- 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.- 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.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Joseph Shabalala was born on 28 August 1941 in Ladysmith, South Africa. He was an actor and composer, known for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), Dude, Where's My Car? (2000) and Invictus (2009). He was married to Nellie and Thokozile. He died on 11 February 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa.- 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.- Paul English was born on 6 November 1932 in Vernon, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Honeysuckle Rose (1980), Barbarosa (1982) and Songwriter (1984). He died on 11 February 2020 in Dallas, Texas, USA.
- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Rafael Romero Marchent was born on 3 May 1926 in Madrid, Spain. He was a director and actor, known for Disco rojo (1973), Santo vs. Doctor Death (1973) and Revenge of the Black Wolf (1981). He was married to Maruja Tamayo. He died on 13 February 2020 in Madrid, Spain.- Lecile Harris was born on 6 November 1936 in Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, USA. He was an actor, known for Final Chapter: Walking Tall (1977), The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James (1986) and The Bob Braun Show (1967). He was married to Ethel Elizabeth Bledsoe. He died on 13 February 2020 in Jackson, Mississippi, USA.
- Stunts
- Actress
- Producer
Cheryl Wheeler Duncan was born on 18 August 1960 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. She was an actress and producer, known for They Live (1988), Demolition Man (1993) and Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992). She was married to Robert Lindsey Duncan, Shane Dixon and Robert Reed Sanders. She died on 12 February 2020 in Yellow Springs, Ohio, USA.- Actress
Lynn Cohen was born on 10 August 1933 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She was an actress, known for Munich (2005), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) and The Cobbler (2014). She was married to Ronald Theodore Cohen and Gilbert Laman Frazen. She died on 14 February 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Caroline Flack was born on 9 November 1979 in London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Bo' Selecta! (2002), Love Advent (2011) and Bo Selecta: Proper Crimbo (2003). She died on 15 February 2020 in London, England, UK.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
A.E. Hotchner was born on 28 June 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for The Fifth Column (1960), Playhouse 90 (1956) and Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963). He was married to Virginia Kiser, Ursula Robbins and Geraldine Mavor. He died on 15 February 2020 in Westport, Connecticut, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bill Britten was born on 15 November 1927 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Bozo the Clown (1959), Bozo's Big Top Circus! (1961) and Bozo's Cartoon Circus Lunchtime Show! (1961). He was married to Mary Louise Jones. He died on 4 February 2020 in Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA.- Nikita Waligwa was born in 2004 in Uganda. She was an actress, known for Queen of Katwe (2016). She died on 15 February 2020 in Naalya, Kampala, Uganda.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jason Davis was born on 14 October 1984 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He was an actor, known for Rush Hour (1998), Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) and Recess (1997). He died on 16 February 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kellye Nakahara was born on 16 January 1948 in Oahu, Hawaii, USA. She was an actress, known for Clue (1985), M*A*S*H (1972) and Doctor Dolittle (1998). She was married to David Wallett. She died on 16 February 2020 in Pasadena, California, USA.- Charles Portis was born on 28 December 1933 in El Dorado, Arkansas, USA. He was a writer, known for True Grit (2010), True Grit (1969) and Gringos. He died on 17 February 2020 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
- Actress
- Producer
Amie Harwick was born on 20 May 1981 in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress and producer, known for The Devil's Muse (2007), Midnight 2020 (2016) and Blabber Box (2011). She died on 15 February 2020 in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- John Shrapnel was born in Birmingham, the son of Norman and Myfanwy Shrapnel. He was brought up in Stockport and south London, attending City of London School and Cambridge University. He was an original member of the National Youth Theatre and had worked extensively in theatre, particularly the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. He lived in Suffolk and London.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Executive
Ja'Net DuBois was a multi-talented and diverse performer. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York and began her career on Broadway. She has appeared in various plays, including "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Gossett Jr., and "A Raisin in the Sun". She moved onto TV roles, receiving a Peabody Award for a 1969 CBS children's movie J.T. (1969). She then appeared in a daytime serial, Love of Life (1951); she is the first African American actress to have a regular serial role.
She was best known for her role as the sexy, confident, gossipy "Willona Woods" on Good Times (1974). She composed and sang the theme song, "Movin' On Up", for another Norman Lear series, The Jeffersons (1975). She appeared in many films, including the blaxploitation parody, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), as a tough and loving mother. She also did voice-over work, for which she received two Emmys.
She co-founded the "Pan African Film & Arts Festival", which showcases global films about people of African descent and fine arts. She is a community activist whose DuBois Care Foundation's mission is to empower youth by supporting after-school programs. She was also a painter who regularly exhibited her work. She released a CD in 2008, "Hidden Treasures", which includes the well-known TV theme song, "Movin' On Up".- Actress
- Soundtrack
Esther Scott was born on 13 April 1953 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Transformers (2007), Dreamgirls (2006) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). She died on 14 February 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- As a testament to her remarkable talent, Broadway honored esteemed Australian stage actress Zoe Caldwell four times with Tony Awards: for "Slapstick Tragedy" (1966), for her title role in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1968), for her searing title performance as "Medea" (1982), and as opera diva Maria Callas in "Master Class" (1995). The classical stage legend's fervent dedication to the theatre, however, came at the expense of filmgoers everywhere as she made only three rather insignificant movies during her lifetime.
Zoe Ada Caldwell was born in Hawthorn, Australia, on September 14, 1933, and began her professional career at the tender age of 9 in a production of"Peter Pan." Finding radio work in her teens, her parents provided her with the necessary foundation with lessons in dance, elocution and music. She left school at age 15 and began an early career teaching speech and performing on a children's radio program.
Attending the Methodist Ladies College in Melbourne, she was one of the original members of Melbourne's Union Theatre Repertory Company (1953) and with the Elizabeth Theatre Trust (1954-1957). Years of repertory work followed in which she built up quite a formidable resume. Appearing for two seasons with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company in productions of "Pericles" and "Much Ado About Nothing." She also toured Russia with the latter company in "Hamlet," "Twelfth Night" and "Romeo and Juliet."
For the next few years she built up her classical resume as Biance in "Othello," "Helena in "All's Well That Ends Well," a Fairy in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Cordelia in "King Lear," Rosaline in "Love's Labour's Lost," Ismene in "Antigone," Pegeen in "Playboy of the Western World" and the title role in "Saint Joan."
In America, Zoe helped launch Minneapolis' Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in 1963, with roles in "The Miser" and "The Three Sisters." Elsewhere she appeared as the title role of "Mother Courage," as well as "The Mad Woman of Chaillot," "The Way of the World" and "The Caucasian Chalk Circle," ". Broadway finally opened its curtains for her in 1965 when she briefly replaced Anne Bancroft in "The Devils." She continued her round of Broadway standing ovations with extraordinary performances as Eve in "The Creation of the World and Other Business" (1972: produced by the renown Robert Whitehead, her husband from 1968 on), "Dance of Death" (1974) and as Lillian Hellman in "Lillian" (1986), in addition to her Tony-winning perfs.
As a now-prestigious stage director, she helmed or assisted in productions of "An Almost Perfect Person" (1977, her debut), "Othello" (1982) starring James Earl Jones, Christopher Plummer, "Macbeth" (1988) starring Plummer and Glenda Jackson and "Park Your Car in Harvard Yard" (1991) starring Judith Ivey and Jason Robards. She also directed Eileen Atkins and Vanessa Redgrave in the 1994 off-Broadway romantic drama "Vita and Virginia."
To the dismay of film-winning audiences, Ms. Caldwell avoided the silver screen almost completely. She appeared briefly as the Countess in the Woody Allen romantic comedy The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), a featured role (Mrs. Hill) in the fantasy mystery Birth (2004) starring Nicole Kidman, and her final role as the Grandmother in the Tom Hanks/Sandra Bullock adventure drama Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011).
Television appearances would also be comparatively few but she did display from time to time her classical brilliance in such roles ask the Fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1959); Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (1961) opposite Sean Connery; legendary actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell in Dear Liar (1964); another early legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt in Great Performances (1971) and Catherine the Great in Witness to Yesterday (1973). More notably, she recreated her Tony-winning role of Medea (1983)
She and producer/husband Whitehead maintained a long and successful private and professional partnership. The couple had two children: William "Sam" and Charles, the latter taking the role of producer of "The Play What I Wrote" which briefly featured his mother in New York in 2003. Suffering from Parkinson's disease, the 80-year-old actress died of complications on February 16, 2020. - Music Artist
- Actor
- Composer
Bashar Barakah Jackson (July 20, 1999 - February 19, 2020), known professionally as Pop Smoke, was an American rapper. He is considered by many to be the face of Brooklyn drill. Born and raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn, Pop Smoke began his musical career in late 2018 with his debut single "MPR (Panic Part 3 Remix)". Pop Smoke rose to fame with the release of his breakout singles "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior" in 2019. He often collaborated with UK drill artists and producers, who employed more minimal and aggressive instrumentation than drill artists from Chicago.- Sy Sperling was born on 25 June 1941 in Bronx, New York, USA. He was married to Susan Weisman. He died on 19 February 2020 in Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
- Boris Lyoskin was born on 5 January 1923 in Chisinau, Bessarabia, Romania. He was an actor, known for Everything Is Illuminated (2005), Men in Black (1997) and The Falcon and the Snowman (1985). He died on 21 February 2020 in the USA.
- Simon Warr was born on 9 September 1953. He died on 22 February 2020 in London, England, UK.
- 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.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Marsha Kramer was born on 19 June 1945 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for Jumper (2008), Red Riding Hood (2011) and Double Jeopardy (1999). She was married to Jim Keller. She died on 23 January 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.