Questions about celebrity deaths

[Ca.]

Ryan O'Neal passes on at eighty-two (famed actor of "It's Only a Paper Moon.")

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733420746196517256

Hollywood star Ryan O'Neal will be reunited with Farrah Fawcett in heaven, his son has said, as the world remembers how one of Hollywood's greatest love stories began.

The iconic star, who was both a matinee idol and an award-winning actor, died at the age of 82, his son Patrick confirmed via social media on Friday.

In a heartfelt tribute alongside a photograph of a sunset, he wrote: 'So this is the toughest thing I've ever had to say but here we go.

'My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us. He is a Hollywood legend. Full stop'.

He also spoke of his father's on-off relationship with Charlie's Angels star Farrah Fawcett, who died in 2009 at the age of 62 from cancer.

'Ryan never bragged', he added. 'But he has bragging rights in Heaven. Especially when it comes to Farrah. Everyone had the poster, he had the real McCoy. And now they meet again.

'Farrah and Ryan. He has missed her terribly. What an embrace that must be. Together again.'

O'Neal was known for his high-profile relationship to Ms Fawcett which lasted decades; they never wed with O'Neal once saying: 'Farrah and I have no plans to marry - nor do we have plans to separate. Don't fix what ain't broken'.

They were partners from 1979 to 1997 after he stole the bubbly blonde beauty away from her husband, Lee Majors of The Six Million Dollar Man fame.

Together they had a son named Redmond, 38, who had trouble with the law, even serving time in jail.

Their relationship was tumultuous due to Ryan's infidelity, and their relationship ended when Ms Fawcett found him in bed with actress Leslie Stefanson.

But, they reunited in 2001 when O’Neal was diagnosed with leukaemia, with Ms Fawcett nursing O'Neal who soon went into remission.

But in 2006, the roles were reversed when Ms Fawcett herself was diagnosed with cancer, and O'Neal dedicated himself to taking care of her. The couple remained together until Ms Fawcett's death in 2009.

Following her death, O'Neal described her as his 'forever Valentine' telling People: 'I loved her with all my heart. I will miss her so very, very much'. He later said 'there was never a day' that he 'didn't love her'.

O'Neal was famed for his personal life as his films - romances with Barbra Streisand, Joan Collins, Diana Ross, Bianca Jagger, Angelica Houston, Ursula Andressalso dated Anjelica Huston. She would accuse him of abusing her in her tell-all book.

The pair met through O'Neal's friend and Fawcett's husband at the time Lee Majors. Fawcett was known for her time on Charlie's Angels and O'Neal was still best known for his 1970s Oscar-nominated role in Love Story.

The pair began a relationship with Ms Fawcett when Majors suggested Ryan take her out for the evening while he was away from home.

O'Neal recounted the moment when Majors suggested the pair have dinner in his 2012 book, Both of Us: My Life with Farrah, writing that Majors had said: 'Why don't you take her to dinner one night?'

Just days beforehand, he had seen Ms Fawcett after a trek up Antelo Road near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles with Majors. He described her as 'delightful' and 'full of childlike warmth' in his book.

O'Neal stayed for lunch and Ms Fawcett asked him to come back that evening to watch a boxing match in their home.

'They were saying the marriage was over, and I was saying they were terrific together,' O'Neal later told Vanity Fair.

It wasn't long after this that Majors had asked O'Neal to take Ms Fawcett to dinner.

Just a week later, he took her to a Ry Cooder concert, writing that Ms Fawcett eventually agreed to go with him, having talked it through with Majors beforehand.

'I let him know that Ryan asked me out. He said, 'I told him to. But you're not going', he wrote.

Majors and O'Neal's relationship then began to break down, with Majors calling his house and hanging up, finally telling him to 'stay away' from his wife.

But, O'Neal, who was previously married to actress Joanne Moore and later Leigh Taylor-Young, had fallen for Ms Fawcett, telling Vanity Fair: 'It was a situation I'd never been in before- committing to a woman before I'd even talked to her about it'.

Ms Fawcett and Majors went onto divorce in 1982.

Tributes have flooded in for O'Neal, who also had two children with his first wife.

On Friday, his daughter Tatum O'Neal shared a statement with People reacting to the news.

'I feel great sorrow with my father's passing,' she shared. 'He meant the world to me. I loved him very much and know he loved me too. I'll miss him forever and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms.'

Barbra Streisand, who worked with O'Neal on What's Up, Doc? and The Main Event, and Marisa Berenson on Barry Lyndon, shared a tribute to the late star on X, formerly known as Twitter, upon hearing the heartbreaking news of Ryan's passing and shared a black and white image of the pair taken in the past.

The actress also typed, 'So sad to hear the news of Ryan O'Neal's passing. We made two films together, What's Up, Doc? and The Main Event. He was funny and charming, and he will be remembered.'

Mia Farrow also uploaded a tribute by sharing various throwback images and penned, 'Rest in peace dear Ryan.'

The two notably costarred in the series, Peyton Place.

Sharon Stone also paid tribute with a black-and-white photo of O'Neal from his later years.

'It's w deep sadness I post this. RIP Ryan O'Neal,' she wrote, adding a heart emoji.

O'Neal was last seen being aided into his vehicle from a wheelchair by a helper in Brentwood, California on November 6, 2023. O'Neal was wheeled down the sidewalk and had two caretakers got him into the front seat of his car, lifting him from under his arm.

O'Neal was best known for his movies in the 1970s, which included Paper Moon, costarring his daughter Tatum.

The acclaimed film, which was directed by Ryan's What's Up, Doc? collaborator Peter Bogdanovich, earned the young girl the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress when she was just 10, making the budding star — who had turned nine during the production - the youngest person to ever win a competitive Oscar.

O'Neal is survived by four children: Tatum O'Neal and Griffin O'Neal with Joanna Moore, Patrick O'Neal with Leigh Taylor-Young, and Redmond James Fawcett O'Neal with Fawcett, and his five grandchildren.

 

[Ca.]

Kamar de los Reyes, ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops II’ and ‘One Life to Live’ Star, Dies at 56

Kamar de los Reyes, who starred in "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" and "One Life to Live," died on Sunday. He was 56.

variety.com

Dec 25, 2023 10:10am PT
Kamar de los Reyes, who played the villain Raul Menendez in the popular video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” and starred as Antonio Vega in the soap opera “One Life to Live,” died on Sunday in Los Angeles after a brief battle with cancer, his wife’s publicist confirmed to Variety. He was 56.

De los Reyes was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was raised in Las Vegas. In the late 1980s, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting after he studied singing and dancing growing up. He originated the role of Chicano boxer Pedro “Roadman” Quinn in the off-Broadway play “Blade to the Heat” in 1994 and later starred opposite Patrick Stewart in a 1995 production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”

His first major role came on the long-running ABC soap Opera “One Life to Live.” From 1995 to 1998, he played Antonio Vega, who is serving a life sentence for murder when he’s introduced but is later released when it’s revealed he was acting in self defense. His character was originally raised as the son of matriarch Carlotta Vega, but it’s soon unveiled he was actually the son of Carlotta’s brother, Manuel Santi. De los Reyes returned to the show in 2000 and starred as Antonio until 2009.

In the popular 2012 video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” de los Reyes played the antagonist Raul Menendez, a Nicaraguan arms dealer and terrorist who sparked another Cold War in a futuristic 2025. He reprised the character in “Call of Duty: Black Ops IV” and “Call of Duty: Vanguard.”
His other credits included films like “Nixon,” “The Cell,” “Salt” and shows such as “Sleepy Hollow,” “The Rookie” and “All American.”

According to his wife’s publicist, De los Reyes had roles in Marvel’s upcoming show “Daredevil: Born Again” and Hulu’s “Washington Black.”

De los Reyes is survived by his wife, actor Sherri Saum; sons Caylen, Michael and John; his brothers Daniel and Walfredo, Jr; his sisters Lily and Ilde; his mother Matilde and his father Walfredo.

Drum Roll:
It's a long list of sudden passing folks

Celebrities who died in 2023

Remembering the entertainers who died this year, including Matthew Perry, Andre Braugher, Paul Reubens, Angus Cloud, Sinéad O'Connor, Tony Bennett, Tina Turner, and others.

ew.com

Updated on December 25, 2023

 

[Ca.]

Long and short-lived. May they Rest In Peace

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[Ca.]

Adam Petlin Dies: Fox News Director Of Chicago Bureau Operations Was 58

Petlin was one of the first photographers hied when the network launched in 1996.

deadline.com

Adam Petlin, director of operations in Fox News‘ Chicago bureau, died on Dec. 23 after a long illness.

Petlin had a 27-year career at the network, starting in August 1996 as one of the first six field photographers hired.

Suzanne Scott, the CEO of Fox News Media, wrote in a memo to employees, “When his former boss Sharri Berg and colleague Scott Wilder visited Adam in the hospital last week, he proudly shared photos of his phenomenal career at Fox, which took him cross country and to spots all over the world including a trip to Antarctica and the South Pole on assignment with astronaut Jim Lovell.

Scott called Petlin a “natural leader” who was quickly promoted to a supervisor. He led the first Fox camera crew on the scene in downtown Manhattan on 9/11, “and captured the devastation that immediately unfolded that day, delivering the very news that changed the world to millions of viewers.”

“He was an integral part of the field and production team and a gifted still and television photographer,” Scott wrote. “Adam was also highly regarded by numerous correspondents and anchors that were fortunate enough to have been on location with him on nearly every major news story of the last 27 years.”

Petlin is survived by his wife Lauren, as well as his daughter Ava, 18, and son Luca, 14.
Arrangements have not been announced.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1741273411849261484

Gil de Ferran, a French-born Brazilian race car driver who won the 2003 Indianapolis 500 championship, has died. He was 56.

De Ferran died in Opa-Locka, Florida, following a stroke, according to the Brazilian Automobile Confederation (CBA). According to a statement shared online, De Ferran was rushed to the hospital on Dec. 29 following the medical emergency but did not survive.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1741439439648281068

 

[Ca.]

May they find peace.

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‘Speed Racer’ Actor Christian Oliver & 2 Daughters Killed In Caribbean Plane Crash

Christian Oliver, (real name Christian Klepser), who starred in films including Speed Racer and Valkyrie among others, was killed Thursday along with his two young daughters when their small plane …

deadline.com

Christian Oliver, (real name Christian Klepser), who starred in films including Speed Racer and Valkyrie among others, was killed Thursday along with his two young daughters when their small plane crashed into the sea off a Caribbean island. The owner and pilot of the plane, identified as Robert Sachs, also died in the crash. Oliver was 51.

According to authorities, the single-engine plane took off from F Mitchell Airport in Becquia, a tiny island and part of the Caribbean nations of St. Vincent and Grenadines, Thursday afternoon and was headed to nearby St Lucia when it crashed.
Among the dead were Oliver’s daughters, Madita Klepser, 12, and Annik Klepser, 10.

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced difficulties and nose-dived into the ocean,” the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force said in a statement provided to media outlets. “Fishermen and divers from Paget Farm went to the scene of the incident in their boats to render assistance,” it added. All four bodies have been recovered.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. According to local reports, the pilot radioed the tower shortly after takeoff reporting he was experiencing trouble and was turning back. That was the last communication from the plane.

The German-born Oliver worked with Steven Soderbergh in The Good German opposite Cate Blanchett and George Clooney, with Brian Singer and Tom Cruise in Valkyrie and the Wachowskis’ 2008’s Speed Racer. He also starred as a detective in the popular German action series Alarm for Cobra 11 (RTL) for two years. His TV credits also included Saved By the Bell: The New Class. His most recent credit the latest Indiana Jones movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Oliver had just wrapped his latest movie Forever Hold Your Peace, co-starring Bai Ling and directed by Nick Lyon, filming his final scenes on December 20.

Lyon posted a photo on the final day of film and paid tribute to Oliver with the caption: “We talked about producing a film together for years and finally did it! Thank you for being a great colleague, actor and friend.'”

 

[Ca.]

May They Rest in Peace for the Talents that they have shared in our lives. That has us smiling, laughing, crying, the range of human emotions.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1746188965311574274

Tom Shales, Pulitzer Prize-Winning TV Critic, Dies at 79

Tom Shales, a Pulitzer-winning television critic at the Washington Post who spent nearly 40 years at the publication, has died. He was 79.

variety.com

Tom Shales, a Pulitzer-winning television critic at the Washington Post who spent nearly 40 years at the publication, has died. He was 79.

Shales died Saturday at a hospital in Fairfax County, Va., from complications due to COVID-19 and renal failure, his caretaker, Victor Herfurth, told the Washington Post.

Shales began his career as the Post’s chief TV critic in 1977, and was known for his incisive and sharp commentary on various forms of television such as cable dramas, network sitcoms, nature documentaries and late-night shows. He was first hired by the Post in 1972 as a style writer.

In 1988, Shales won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism, becoming the fourth TV reviewer to earn the honor in journalism.

Shales took a buyout from the Washington Post in 2006, but remained on contract for an additional four years, according to the paper, “before being, in his view, unceremoniously edged out because of a salary of about $400,000 per year.”

Thomas William Shales was born in Elgin, Ill., on Nov. 3, 1944. He attended Elgin Community College before transferring to American University, where he became the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.

After graduating in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, Shales worked as an entertainment editor at the D.C. Examiner until the early ’70s.

In addition to his work for the Washington Post, Shales wrote for the Huffington Post, TelevisionWeek and Roger Ebert’s film and television review website. He wrote two books — “Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live” (2002) and “Those Guys Have All the Fun: “Inside the World of ESPN” (2011) — with fellow Post reporter James Andrew Miller.

Conrad Palmisano (1948–2024), Rambo: First Blood stunt coordinator
By Linnea Crowther January 12, 2024
Conrad Palmisano was a stunt performer and coordinator on such movies as “Rambo: First Blood,” “Weekend at Bernie’s,” the sequels to “Rush Hour,” and many more.

• Died: January 10, 2024 (Who else died on January 10?)
• Details of death: Died at the age of 75.
• We invite you to share condolences for Conrad Palmisano in our Guest Book.

Conrad Palmisano’s legacy​

Palmisano began doing stunts in the early 1970s, with his early films including “Werewolves on Wheels,” “The Final Comedown,” and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask.” He served as stunt double for many notable actors, such as Nick Nolte in “Adams of Eagle Lake,” David Carradine (1936–2009) in “Thunder and Lightning,” John Denver (1943–1997) in “Oh, God!” Steve Martin in “The Jerk,” Lloyd Bridges in “Airplane!” and Pierce Brosnan in the TV series “Remington Steele.”

Palmisano’s many other movie credits as stunt performer include “Breaking Away,” “The Amityville Horror,” “Smokey and the Bandit II,” “The Cannonball Run,” “Christine,” “Hook,” and “21 Jump Street” (2012). He also worked widely as a stunt coordinator on such films as “Rambo: First Blood,” “Cujo,” “The Natural,” “The Naked Gun,” “Weekend at Bernie’s,” “Turner & Hooch,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “Lethal Weapon 4,” “Romeo Must Die,” “Rush Hour 2,” and “Rush Hour 3.” He worked as a second unit director on movies like “She’s Having a Baby,” “Robocop 2,” and “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

In addition to his work in movies, Palmisano also did stunts and stunt coordination on such TV shows as “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Fall Guy,” “Dallas,” “The A-Team,” “Spenser: For Hire,” “JAG,” “Lost,” “The Rookie,” and “NCIS.” He served as president of the Stuntman’s Association, and he advocated for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize stunt performers at the Oscars. Palmisano was honored by the Taurus World Stunt Awards with a lifetime achievement award in 2023.

Notable quote ​

“Richard Burton once complained to me. He said, ‘I do a soliloquy of Shakespeare and I don’t get anything out of the crew. You fall down a flight of stairs, everyone applauds.’ I said, ‘What are you complaining about, you’re married to Elizabeth Taylor.’” —from a 2021 interview for Variety

Tributes to Conrad Palmisano ​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1745643864675758421

https://twitter.com/x/status/1745230489731080582

Joyce Randolph, Trixie on ‘The Honeymooners,’ Dies at 99

Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie Norton on 'The Honeymooners,' and was the last surviving member of the cast, died Saturday.

variety.com

Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie Norton on the classic sitcom “The Honeymooners,” and was the last surviving member of the cast, died Saturday in New York City. She was 99.

Randolph was in hospice care at the time of her death and died of natural causes, her son, Randy, told TMZ.

Randolph’s character was married to Art Carney’s Ed Norton on “The Honeymooners.” They were the neighbors of Ralph and Alice Kramden, played by Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows.

Born Joyce Sirola to a Finnish American family in Detroit, she got her start in show business when she joined a touring production of “Stage Door” while working at a department store, then moved to New York where she acted in theater and on television in shows such as “Buck Rogers.”

Gleason noticed her in a commercial and cast her in “The Honeymooners” in 1951. It first appeared as a sketch on “Cavalcade of Stars” and “The Jackie Gleason Show,” then ran as a standalone sitcom in 1955 and 1956 on CBS. Though the show produced just 39 episodes, its popularity has endured and it influenced generations of sitcoms with its portrayal of squabbling working class families.

Though she didn’t appear in later revivals of the series, Randolph became so identified with the role of Trixie that she found it difficult to get other roles after the series ended. She made an appearance on the meta sitcom “Hi Honey I’m Home” in 1991, which featured numerous former TV stars, and appeared in one episode of the earlier TV drama “The Doctors and the Nurses.”

Randolph was never sure why she was referred to as “the Garbo of Detroit” in early press reports. “Why Garbo? Well, she was Scandinavian — and so was I,” she told the New York Times.

The fondly-written 2007 profile also said that despite the show’s wide influence, Randolph didn’t receive any residuals from the original 39 episodes, though she later received some from the “lost episodes” that were part of the variety hours.

She is survived by a son, Randolph Richard Charles, from her marriage to Richard Lincoln Charles, who died in 1997.

 

[Debra]

I got a bit nostalgic regarding the loss of this woman’s presence in 3rd Density.
During my teen years, her music, her delightful t.v. performances and her naive belief that peace on earth, and happiness for all could be achieved, with the “revolution” , fuelled my hopeful young heart.
This is quoted from the YouTube commentary, including a Facebook post written by her family:

“Singer Melanie Safka, known as “The First Lady of Woodstock” for playing the 1969 festival at just 22 years also, and had hits in the 1970s including “Brand New Key” and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” has died. She was 76. Melanie’s kids, Leilah, Jeordie, and Beau Jarred, confirmed her death writing, “This is the hardest post for us to write, and there are so many things we want to say, first, and there’s no easy way except to say it… Mom passed, peacefully, out of this world and into the next on January, 23rd, 2024.”
A cause of death was not given.
They went on to say “She was one of the most talented, strong and passionate women of the era and every word she wrote, every note she sang reflected that,” they wrote. “Our world is much dimmer, the colors of a dreary, rainy Tennessee pale with her absence today, but we know that she is still here, smiling down on all of us, on all of you, from the stars."

I enjoyed listening to her descriptions of her lived experiences.
Blessings on your continued journey, Melanie.

 

[Ca.]

Donald Sutherland passed away at 88. In my opinion, his role in Oliver Stones's production of JFK was one of his best performances.
May he RIP!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1803837976788492471

Most recently, he appeared as Judge Parker on the series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” and in the “Swimming With Sharks” series in 2022. His other recent recurring roles include the series “Undoing” and “Trust,” in which he played J. Paul Getty, and features “Ad Astra” and “The Burnt-Orange Heresy.”

Sutherland won a supporting actor Emmy for HBO’s “Citizen X” in 1995 and was also nominated in 2006 for the Lifetime miniseries “Human Trafficking.”

After what Sutherland called “a meandering little career,” including roles in low-budget horror pics like 1963’s “Castle of the Living Dead” and 1965’s “Die! Die! My Darling!,” he landed a part as one of the bottom six in 1967’s “The Dirty Dozen.”

Sutherland told the Guardian in 2005 that he originally had one line in the film, until Clint Walker refused to play a scene requiring him to impersonate a general. According to Sutherland, director Robert Aldrich, who didn’t know his name, suddenly turned to him and said, “You! With the big ears! You do it!”

The smart-alecky role was a perfect fit for Sutherland, whose wolfish sideways smile and boyish charm caught the attention of producer Ingo Preminger, who cast him as the anti-authoritarian surgeon Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce in 1970’s comedy smash hit “MASH.”

“MASH” turned Sutherland, and co-star Elliott Gould, who played Capt. “Trapper” John, into major stars. But the tradition-bound actors had trouble adjusting to director Robert Altman’s improvisational and often chaotic approach. According to Sutherland, Altman tried to fire him during the shoot, but Preminger held firm.

In a 1976 Playboy interview, Altman gave a different view, recalling that Sutherland loved his directorial style. “His improvisation was profound,” Altman said. “He’s a hell of an actor.”


Sutherland also co-starred with Gould in 1971’s inspired Alan Arkin-helmed black comedy “Little Murders” and again in director Irvin Kershner’s 1974 misfire “SPYS.”

In the 1970 WWII actioner “Kelly’s Heroes,” Sutherland joined Clint Eastwood, portraying Sgt. Oddball, an absurdly conceived but scene-stealing proto-hippie tank commander. (Sutherland reteamed with Eastwood in 2000’s “Space Cowboys,” this time playing a former hotshot pilot.)

With 1971’s “Klute,” a thriller/character study directed by Alan J. Pakula and co-starring Jane Fonda, Sutherland emerged as a credible romantic leading man. He portrayed a troubled detective who falls in love with a call girl (Fonda) whom he’s protecting from a sadistic killer.

Fonda later gave Sutherland credit for her Oscar-winning best actress performance, because of “all the intense feelings I was experiencing” with him.

The two were having a love affair at the time, and the relationship stoked Sutherland’s antiwar politics. He got involved with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and, along with Peter Boyle and Howard Hesseman, Fonda and Sutherland put together a traveling revue called FTA (Free the Army, popularly known as F*@k the Army). The Pentagon unsuccessfully tried to keep troops away from the shows; the FBI put both Sutherland and Fonda under surveillance.

In Nicholas Roeg’s influential 1973 psychological horror film “Don’t Look Now,” Sutherland’s intriguing passivity and pared-down acting style helped highlight Julie Christie’s performance. They portray a grieving married couple who flee England to Venice after the death of their little girl.

The film became controversial for an integral explicit sex scene between them, edited in a fragmented style. Roeg intercut their post-coital dressing to go out to dinner as the sequence unfolds. Even in a sex-obsessed era, the scene became — and remains — one of the most memorable ever filmed.

At the height of his success, Sutherland began to make eccentric career choices. He turned down John Boorman for “Deliverance” and chose Paul Mazursky’s “Alex in Wonderland” (1970) over Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs.” He acted with Fonda again in “Steelyard Blues” (1973) and played Christ in Dalton Trumbo’s “Johnny Got His Gun” (1971). Both fizzled at the box office.

Sutherland received mixed notices for his role as a hick in John Schlesinger’s “Day of the Locust” (1975), played the title character in 1976’s arty bomb “Fellini’s Casanova” and a psychopathic fascist in Bertolucci’s “1900” (1977). He had a memorable cameo in 1978 hit “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” playing a professor who is discovered having an affair with a student (Karen Allen). He took a small upfront fee for his work instead of an offered percentage of the profits. The actor estimated the choice cost him $14 million.

Sutherland rebounded with 1980’s “Ordinary People,” convincing director Robert Redford to cast him as the grieving father trying to hold his family together after his older son’s accidental death. Redford had originally offered him the part of the psychiatrist that eventually went to Judd Hirsch.

In 1981 WWII thriller “Eye of the Needle,” Sutherland gave one of his last romantic leading man performances on the bigscreen, albeit as a heavy — a stranded German agent who falls for a lonely married woman (Kate Nelligan).

Another career peak came in 1998, when Sutherland convinced director-writer Robert Towne to cast him as coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman in “Without Limits,” about U. of Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup). He was also memorable in 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” as Keira Knightley’s father.

Sutherland made a lasting impression in smaller roles, such as Mister X, a high-placed Pentagon official who claims to know why JFK was murdered, in 1991’s Oliver Stone-helmed “JFK.”

Remarkably, Sutherland was never nominated for an Oscar, though his work in such films as “Ordinary People” and “Without Limits” is often cited by critics as among the finest of their respective decades.

Other noteworthy roles include President Snow in “The Hunger Games” (2012) and its sequels; a safecracker in “The Italian Job” (2003); the father in “Six Degrees of Separation” (1993); a stylish safecracker in “The Great Train Robbery” (1978); and the lead in Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”

Sutherland also appeared with son Kiefer in 1996’s “A Time to Kill.” He turned down an offer to play the father of Kiefer’s character, Jack Bauer, in “24,” his son’s successful TV series. The two appeared together in the 2014 Western “Forsaken.”

Sutherland’s TV work includes “The Superlative Seven” episode of “The Avengers” (1967) and two episodes of “The Saint” (1965, 1966). He starred as Patrick “Tripp” Darling III in “Dirty Sexy Money” (2007-09) and as Nathan Templeton in “Commander in Chief” (2005-06). His TV miniseries work includes 2010’s “The Pillars of the Earth,” based on Ken Follett’s epic novel.

In one of his best TV roles, Sutherland portrayed Clark Clifford in John Frankenheimer’s “Path to War” (2002). In 1995, he won a supporting actor Emmy for “Citizen X” (HBO).

Born in St. John, Canada, he studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before getting roles in British TV shows and films such as “The Avengers” and “The Saint.” “The Saint” star and director Roger Moore recommended him to the producers of “The Dirty Dozen,” and after the success of that film he moved to Hollywood.

A private celebration of life will be held by the family.

Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, sons Roeg, Rossif, Angus, and Kiefer, daughter Rachel, and four grandchildren.

 

[Ca.]

Another Hollywood Mogul passes. May he RIP

Producer Jon Landau, James Cameron’s Right-Hand Man on ‘Titanic’ and the ‘Avatar’ Films, Dies at 63

In addition to producing three of the highest-grossing movies in history, the problem-solving Oscar winner guided ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ and ‘Dick Tracy’ and was an executive at Fox.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

July 6, 2024, 1:18 pm


Jon Landau, the Oscar-winning producer who made the dreams of James Cameron come to life by overcoming extreme logistical challenges to bring the filmmaker’s Titanic and Avatar blockbusters to the big screen, has died. He was 63.

Landau’s son Jamie Landau confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter. He died Friday in Los Angeles after 16-month battle with cancer, a Disney spokesperson said.

A son of producers — his father was an Oscar nominee — the passionate Landau produced films including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) and Dick Tracy (1990) before spending some five years as an executive at Fox, where he oversaw production on Die Hard 2 (1990), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and Cameron’s True Lies (1994).

If Cameron had a problem on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s True Lies, he was told by then-Fox Filmed Entertainment head Peter Chernin, “Don’t call me, deal with Jon,” Landau recalled in a 2011 interview. He spent four months on location in the Florida Keys with the director.

When Landau decided to leave Fox to return to producing, he said he had offers from three directors to collaborate on their next projects. He decided to go with Cameron, who wanted to make a movie code-named “Planet Ice.” That, of course, would turn out to be Titanic (1997).

Landau supervised the 100-day construction of Fox Baja Studios, the 40-acre oceanfront facility in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, that housed huge movie sets, the largest shooting tank in the world and five soundstages, one about the size of a football field.

He had to rewrite the film’s entire production schedule when it was determined that the main exterior of their R.M.S. Titanic was going to take two months longer to build than planned. Meanwhile, the film’s original $120 million budget had ballooned beyond $200 million.

“There was a lot of pressure throughout the course of filming and throughout postproduction and prerelease,” Landau told the Los Angeles Times in 1998.

Fox, which was financing the film with Paramount, “was very tough but rightfully so. And I was the guy who I believe got the brunt of it. It was very difficult because I wanted to please all three masters: the studio, the director and the movie. And it was my job to balance that … to not lose sight of that.”

It all worked out when Titanic, which opened on Dec. 19, 1997, nabbed the top spot at the box office for a remarkable 15 consecutive weeks en route to grossing $1.84 billion worldwide in its initial run, easily sailing past previous record holder Jurassic Park (1993). Subsequent releases over the years raised its box office tally to $2.3 billion. (Read THR’s original review here.)

The love story/disaster epic also collected a record-tying 11 Academy Awards — Landau and Cameron shared the best picture prize — off another record-tying 14 nominations. At the podium at the Shrine Auditorium on Oscar night, Landau might have set another record, for the number of people thanked.

Avatar (2009) came with its own set of imposing obstacles.

Cameron had written a treatment of about 100 pages in 1994, but the visual effects technology to adequately bring the Na’vi denizens of Pandora to the screen (at least in Cameron’s mind) did not exist. It would take the filmmaker, New Zealand’s Weta Digital and others years to get to that, and principal photography would not begin until 2007.

With an official budget of $237 million — some estimates put it beyond $300 million — Fox’s Avatar, made in 3D, premiered in London on Dec. 10, 2009. With its initial run of $2.7 billion, it bested Titanic to become the highest-grossing film of all time (with rereleases, its gross now stands at $2.92 billion). (Here’s THR’s original review.)

Thirteen years later came Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), with its extensive effects, underwater shoots, pandemic challenges and $2.3 billion gross. The two Avatar pictures collectively won four Oscars, with Landau and Cameron picking up two more best picture noms.

“If one of Cameron’s superpowers is the depth of his focus, that focus is partly made possible because Landau is somewhere nearby, with one Airpod sticking out of his ear, simultaneously having a phone conversation with Burbank about one deadline and an in-person conversation with a crewmember in Wellington [the New Zealand home of Weta] about another,” Rebecca Keegan wrote for a THR cover story in 2022.

“I’ve seen an evolution of him,” Landau told her about Cameron. “Jim learns from every one of his experiences. He looks back and goes, ‘This is what worked, this is what didn’t work, how do I make it better?'”

As Landau was in the middle of this sentence, Keegan wrote, “There was a hard knock on his office door, and Cameron pops in, Kramer-style. ‘Did he tell you we’re like an old married couple?’ I don’t want to say nice things in front of him — it’ll go to his head — but I feel like there’s no problem we can’t solve.”

Landau was born in New York on July 23, 1960. His parents, Ely A. Landau and Edie Landau, owned Manhattan movie houses, founded the American Film Theater and produced more than a dozen films, including Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1962), The Pawnbroker (1965), The Iceman Cometh (1973) and The Chosen (1981).

(In 1971, Ely received an Oscar nom for the documentary King: A Filmed Record … Montgomery to Memphis. After his death in 1993, Edie had a long relationship with actor Martin E. Brooks.)

Landau played football at his Bronx high school before he and his family moved to L.A.’s Brentwood neighborhood in his junior year. He helped out on The Chosen while attending the USC School of Cinematic Arts and after graduation in 1983 returned to New York to work as a set production assistant, mostly directing traffic, on a TV movie of the week.

When that was done, he was offered a chance to do some filing work in accounting. “I had no interest in accounting and certainly had no interest in filing, but I said yes,” he noted. “I read everything I filed. I don’t know that I was supposed to, but I did. I learned [a lot] in those two weeks.”

He then served as a production supervisor on Beat Street (1984), a break-dance movie, and Key Exchange (1985), a romantic comedy, and as a production manager on F/X (1986), Manhunter (1986) and Making Mr. Right (1987).

Landau received his first producer credit on Paramount’s Campus Man (1987), then co-produced two Disney films, Joe Johnston’s Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy.

At just 28 in 1989, he was hired to oversee physical production at Fox. “I really looked at this as a great opportunity to see how the industry works from the inside out,” he said.

Landau rose to executive vp at the studio as he also supervised Home Alone (1990), Aliens 3 (1992), Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) and the Cameron-produced Strange Days (1995).

When Cameron shared an early draft of Titanic with him, Landau said he “fell in love with it. It was not just the script but the idea that this could be the last time that an epic, old-fashioned movie is made, with hundreds and hundreds of extras — who aren’t digital.”

Titanic was meant to be a one-off job, but Landau would soon join Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment.

“It was going through that experience with Jim, where we built up a greater mutual respect and a mutual bond with each other, [when he said], ‘Wait, rather than you going off and doing your own thing, why don’t you come into the Lightstorm fold?’ Be a part of it, and we’ll do things together. … What better filmmaker could I have who not just makes great movies, he challenges you every day?”

A great salesman, the gregarious Landau traveled around the world to pitch the potential of Avatar in 3D to exhibitors. “When we started out, we would have been happy if worldwide there were 1,000 theaters that could play a movie in 3D,” he said. “I think we ended up with nearly 5,000 screens.”

Later, The Way of Water would bring moviegoers back into theaters in the wake of the pandemic. In THR‘s review, David Rooney wrote, “the expanded, bio-diverse world-building pulls you in, the visual spectacle keeps you mesmerized, the passion for environmental awareness is stirring, and the warfare is as visceral and exciting as any multiplex audience could desire.”

“What I, as a lover of film and a lover of going to the movies, am most proud of, is that our film has illustrated that in this post-pandemic or pandemic era — whichever you want to call it — there still is that potential to draw people out of their homes to go to this incredible experience that is called movies,” he told THR’s Mia Galuppo.

“And I don’t believe there’s anything else like it in the world. As producers, as directors, as studios, as exhibitors, we have a responsibility to continue to preserve that experience for generations to come.”

At Lightstorm, he and Cameron also produced Steven Soderbergh’s Solaris (2002), the war documentary Beyond Glory (2015), and Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel (2019). They also were constantly pushing on the Avatar franchise, with the next sequels planned for 2025, 2029 and 2031.

In addition to Jamie, survivors include his wife of nearly 40 years, Julie, who once worked as a film accountant; another son, Jodie, a vocalist, composer and percussionist; his sisters, Tina Landau, a theater director, and Kathy Landau, executive director of the Manhattan arts organization Symphony Space; and half-brother Les Landau, a director on Star Trek series.

One has to wonder how Cameron will go on without his right-hand man. After all, “James comes up with the great dreams,” Landau told The Jewish Journal in 2010, “and it’s my job to make those dreams come true.”

Here is Cameron’s answer: “You can’t solve the fragility of life itself. I am grateful for every year, every day, every minute we had together. I am grateful for the belief he had in me and what his partnership allowed us to accomplish together. A part of myself has been torn away. But the amazing team he assembled and led still remains, and we will dedicate ourselves to fulfilling Jon’s legacy. Not just the films yet to come, but the love and connection that binds the Avatar and Lightstorm family together.”

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Another very young actor dies of sudden cardiac issues.


“Michael was young, in perfect health, and the doctors have no explanation for what happened,” Wilson wrote alongside images of himself and Heslin, including photographs from their wedding in November last year.
Wilson recalled how the late actor had “single-handedly carried me through multiple rounds of cancer”.

Lioness: Special Ops star Mike Heslin dies ‘unexpectedly’ aged 30

‘The doctors have no explanation,’ said the actor’s husband

www.independent.co.uk

 

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Ángel Salazar, 'Scarface' Actor and Comedian, Dies at 68

A rep confirms to PEOPLE that actor and comedian Ángel Salazar, known for his roles in 'Scarface' and 'Carlito's Way,' died on Sunday, Aug. 11

people.com

The actor died on Sunday, Aug. 11, a rep confirms to PEOPLE
Published on August 12, 2024 10:56AM EDT

Ángel Salazar, an actor and comedian known for his roles in movies like Scarface and Carlito's Way, has died. He was 68.

A rep for Salazar confirms to PEOPLE that he died on Sunday, Aug. 11. While a cause of death has not been determined, the actor, who had an enlarged heart, had gone to take a shower at a friend's home in Brooklyn, New York, and was found in the bathroom, per the rep.

Salazar made his big-screen debut with small parts in the 1979 films Boulevard Nights and Walk Proud, before starring as Chi-Chi, a henchman of Al Pacino's Tony Montana character, in 1983's crime classic Scarface.

He went on to star opposite Tom Hanks in Punchline (1988) and teamed up with Pacino, 84, once again in 1993's Carlito's Way, costarring Sean Penn and Penelope Ann Miller.

Aside from the aforementioned films and dozens more, Salazar, who was born in Cuba, was also an accomplished comedian.

He appeared in the 2006 documentary The Latin Legends of Comedy, as well as on Last Comic Standing and in various other comedy specials and series, including In Living Color and On Our Own.

Salazar's final film project was 2023's The Gilbert Diaries: The Movie, according to IMDb, where he also had more than a dozen projects listed as upcoming.

Related: Scarface Actor Geno Silva, Who Played the Assassin Who Takes Down Tony Montana, Dies at 72

Tributes to Salazar came pouring in on social media, including from comedian podcast host Kevin Garifo, who wrote on X, "Very sorry to hear about the passing of Angel Salazar."

"Most know him from Scarface, but he was a tremendous comic who was a very kind dude and a pleasure to work with. Rest easy dude," Garifo added.

"RIP to my friend Angel Salazar. Worked together a few months ago. Comedy legend," comedian Adam Hunter posted on the same platform.

Musician Tito Puente, Jr. offered his thoughts as well, writing, "Rest in peace Angel Salazar 'chichi' you were an amazing actor and good friend hermano. From scarface to carlito's way your characters and comedy will be forever missed ...."

Rachael Lillis Dies: ‘Pokémon’ Voice Actor For Misty & Jessie From Team Rocket Was 46

Rachael Lillis, voice actor for Pokémon's Misty and Team Rocket's Jessie, has died. She was 46.

deadline.com

August 12, 2024 9:27am


Rachael Lillis, voice actor for Pokémon’s Misty and Team Rocket’s Jessie, has died. She was 46.

Lillis died on August 10 after being diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2024. Her Pokémon co-star, Veronica Taylor, shared a post on social media following Lillis’ death.

“We all know Rachael Lillis from the many wonderful roles she played. She filled our Saturday mornings and before/after school hours with her beautiful voice, her terrific comic timing, and her remarkable acting skills,” Taylor, who voices Ash Ketchum in the animé series, shared on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

In a statement, Taylor added, “Rachael was an extraordinary talent, a bright light that shone through her voice whether speaking or singing. She will be forever remembered for the many animated roles she played, with her iconic performances as Pokémon’s Misty and Jessie being the most beloved.”

“Rachael was so thankful for all of the generous love and support that was given to her as she battled with cancer,” the statement continued. “It truly made a positive difference. Her family also wishes to thank you as they take this time to grieve privately. A memorial is being planned for a future date. With love, Veronica.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1823000035883438271

“We all know Rachael Lillis from the many wonderful roles she played. She filled our Saturday mornings and before/after school hours with her beautiful voice, her terrific comic timing, and her remarkable acting skills,” Taylor, who voices Ash Ketchum in the animé series, shared on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

In a statement, Taylor added, “Rachael was an extraordinary talent, a bright light that shone through her voice whether speaking or singing. She will be forever remembered for the many animated roles she played, with her iconic performances as Pokémon’s Misty and Jessie being the most beloved."

“Rachael was so thankful for all of the generous love and support that was given to her as she battled with cancer,” the statement continued. “It truly made a positive difference. Her family also wishes to thank you as they take this time to grieve privately. A memorial is being planned for a future date. With love, Veronica.”

In follow-up posts on X, Taylor noted that she “was lucky enough to know Rachael as a friend.”

“She had unlimited kindness and compassion, even until the very end. She had a great sense of humor, was wonderful to be with, incredibly intelligent, and had such a memory. She worked hard and cared deeply,” Taylor added.

“I am not sure how this very dark void will be filled now that her light no longer shines in it. Like the shooting stars in the Perseids, Rachael was a magnificent wonder and truly special. She burned bright and vanished too soon. She will live on in our memories for eternity.”

 

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Gena Rowlands, star of A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, dies at 94

The three-time Emmy winner has been celebrated for her vivid portrayals of strong, troubled women, including in 10 films directed by her first husband John Cassavetes

www.theguardian.com

The three-time Emmy winner has been celebrated for her vivid portrayals of strong, troubled women, including in 10 films directed by her first husband John Cassavetes

The acclaimed American actor Gena Rowlands, a three-time Emmy winner and dual Oscar nominee, has died at the age of 94, her son, Nick Cassavetes, told Entertainment Weekly on Wednesday.

Rowlands, acclaimed for her vivid portrayals of strong, troubled women, starred in dozens of films during a career that began on stage and television in the 1950s and included award-winning roles in A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, directed by her first husband, the actor, writer and director John Cassavetes.

In her late career, she won a legion of new fans for her role in the 2004 film The Notebook, playing the older version of actor Rachel McAdams’s character. Nick Cassavetes revealed in June that Rowlands had Alzheimer’s disease, like her own mother and the character she portrayed in that film.

“She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy – we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us,” her son, who directed the film, told Entertainment Weekly.

Rowlands and Cassavetes were the golden couple of independent films in the US in the 1970s and 80s. Cassavetes was a pioneer in cinéma vérité and Rowlands was his muse. Together they have been credited with a style of independent cinema that borrowed from the glamour and dramatic power of Hollywood.

Rowlands made 10 films with Cassavetes before his death in 1989, including the psychological drama Opening Night (1977) and the marital saga Faces (1968).

“There was always a manic energy to the performances she gave in her late husband’s films, a fear of failure, a desire to love,” the awards website Golden Derby said of Rowlands.

In A Woman Under the Influence, Rowlands played Mabel Longhetti, a housewife and mother struggling with mental illness, in a performance the US director and writer John Cameron Mitchell has described as “the greatest performance I’ve ever seen on film”.

As the tough, determined title character in Cassavetes’ 1980 film Gloria, she rescued and protected a young, orphaned boy from mobsters determined to kill him.

She was nominated for Academy Awards for both roles, and while she did not win, she received an Honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement in 2015. She also won three Emmys, two for best actress and one supporting actress in a miniseries or movie.

Rowlands was married to Cassavetes from 1954 until his death. They had three children. In 2012, she wed the businessman Robert Forrest.

Reuters contributed to this report.

 

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1825049359001460967

French actor Alain Delon dies at age 88 https://l.bfmtv.com/uWHn

https://twitter.com/x/status/1824632361822417229

Maurice Williams, ‘Stay’ Singer and the Zodiacs Frontman, Dies at 86

Maurice Williams, the lead singer of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and writer behind the hit 'Stay,' died Aug. 6. He was 86.

variety.com

 

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1825548275702731180

Legendary talk show host Phil Donahue dies at 88
Richard Shotwell / Invision/AP CNN
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