RIP Marisa Paredes

 

Marisa Paredes, Almodóvar star and legend of Spanish cinema, dies aged 78

Roles in All About My Mother and Life is Beautiful cemented her status as one of Spain’s ‘most iconic’ actors

Guardian

By Sam Jones

December 17, 2024

 

The award-winning Spanish actor Marisa Paredes, best known to international audiences for her work with directors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Guillermo del Toro and Roberto Benigni, has died at the age of 78.

Announcing her death on Tuesday, Spain’s film academy said the country had lost one of its “most iconic actors” and a beloved veteran of more than 75 films.

“Her body of work was defined by women who were strong, ambivalent, broken, passionate, enigmatic, but who were, above all, very human,” it added.

Paredes, who made her big screen debut at the age of 14, began working with Almodóvar when she starred in his 1983 film Dark Habits. She went on to appear in High Heels (1991), The Flower of My Secret (1995), All About My Mother (1999), and The Skin I Live in (2011), cementing her reputation as one of his trusted and treasured collaborators.

She also appeared in Benigni’s divisive 1997 comedy-drama Life is Beautiful, which won three Oscars, and Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone, a horror film set during the Spanish civil war.

Paredes was born in Madrid in 1946 and said her upbringing, close to the city’s renowned, centuries-old Teatro Español, had inspired her desire to act.

“I was born with my vocation,” she told one interviewer. “But it also had a lot to do with the neighbourhood where I lived – the Plaza de Santa Ana. Right in the middle of it back then was that wonderful statue [of the famous playwright Pedro] Calderón de la Barca.”

Between 2000 and 2003, Paredes served as the president of the film academy, which bestowed an honorary Goya award on her six years ago.

As word of her death spread, tributes came from leading cultural and political figures. “We’re devastated by the news,” said Pedro Almodóvar’s brother and production partner, Agustín Almodóvar. “So long, dearest Marisa.”

Antonio Banderas also said he was deeply saddened by the death of one of the “great women of acting”, adding: “You’ve left us too soon, dear friend.”

Penélope Cruz, who appeared with Paredes in All About My Mother, said: “My dear Marisa, you’ve left us too soon. I love you. Safe journey.”

Gilles Jacob, the former president of the Cannes film festival, recalled Paredes’s “calm grace; that gentle cheer that she ignited with one look of her pale eyes”.

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the country had lost one of the most important actors it had ever produced as well as a woman who cared deeply about democracy and social justice. “Her presence in cinema and theatre and her commitment to democracy will be an example to future generations,” he added.

The country’s labour minister and deputy prime minister, Yolanda Díaz, said: “Marisa Paredes, one of the best actors of our age, has died. But she was, above all, a friend. She was always ready to help anyone who needed speaking up for and she always defended just causes. Today, the world is a little sadder and a little darker. We’re really going to miss you.”

The Film Academy said people would be able to pay their respects to Paredes at a wake at the Teatro Español on Wednesday morning.

PAREDES, Marisa (María Luisa Paredes Bartolomé)

Born: 4/3/1946, Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Died: 12/17/2024, Madrid, Madrid, Spain

 

Marisa Paredes western – actress:

Duel in the Eclipse – 1968 (Nina)

RIP Diane Delano

 

Diane Delano, ‘Northern Exposure’ Actor, Dies at 67

Variety

By Jack Dunn

December 16, 2024

 

Diane Delano, an American actor best known for her roles in “Northern Exposure” and “The Wicker Man,” has died. She was 67.

Delano died on Friday night after a battle with a brief illness, according to her rep.

Delano appeared as Officer Barbara Semanski in 12 episodes of the CBS sitcom “Northern Exposure” and played the role of Sister Beech in the 2006 remake of “The Wicker Man.”

Her other notable credits include shows like “Popular,” where she played Roberta “Bobbi” Glass, and “Days of Our Lives,” where she played Agent Hilda, an FBI operative tasked with protecting Sami Brady. Her film credits include “Miracle Mile,” “The Ladykillers,” “A Mighty Wind” and “Out of These Rooms.”

Delano also lent her voice to a number of animated projects, such as “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Infinity Train,” “Teen Titans” and “Rugrats.”

In 2012, Delano took home an Indie Series Award for her supporting take in the made-for-TV movie “Fumbling Thru the Pieces.” Seven years later in 2019, Delano shared the Los Angeles Film Award for best ensemble with the cast of Justin Issac Ward’s coming-of-age drama “Relish.”

Delano’s latest role was in “Paradise: A Town of Sinners and Saints,” which was released on major streamers in early December. Also directed by Ward, the film is a “bluegrass musical comedy where good and evil fight for the soul of a dried up coal mining town,” according to an official logline. Delano starred as Cyndle Johnson alongside Raquel Castro, Dave Florek, Casey Ford Alexander and Eric Casalini.

DELANO, Diane (Diane Allie Delano)

Born: 1/29/1967, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 12/13/2024, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Diane Delano’s western – actress:

Wild Card (TV) – 1992

RIP Mircea Diaconu

 

Mircea Diaconu, Beloved Actor And Politician, Dies At 74

The Pinnacle Gazettte

December 14, 2024

 

Renowned for his roles and public service, Diaconu passed away after battling colon cancer.

Mircea Diaconu, the esteemed Romanian actor, passed away on December 16, 2023, at the age of 74. He fought a courageous battle against colon cancer, and his wife, actress Diana Lupescu, conveyed the tragic news to the public just days before what would have been his 75th birthday on December 24.

Diaconu, renowned for his memorable performances on stage and screen, embodied the spirit of Romanian culture and was cherished by audiences for his roles in classic films such as Filantropica, Actorul și sălbaticii, Mere roșii, and Buletin de București. He carved out an impressive path not only as an actor but also as a politician and educator, dedicatively contributing to the enhancement of the cultural and social fabric of Romania.

Following his death, his body will be laid to rest on December 18 at Săftica Cemetery. Friends, family, and fans will have the opportunity to pay their last respects during the viewing at Nottara Theatre on December 17, from 12:00 to 16:00.

Diaconu's vibrant career began after he graduated from the IATC (Institute of Theatrical Art and Cinematography) at Bucharest University in 1971. Before fame found him, Diaconu was an exceptional athlete, playing handball and engaging in various sports until his passion for acting took center stage. His breakout role came soon after his graduation, as he portrayed pivotal characters throughout the 1970s and 1980s, becoming synonymous with Romanian cinema.

Throughout his life, Diaconu was not just limited to acting; he was also involved extensively in politics and public service. Elected as a senator for the National Liberal Party (PNL) from 2008 to 2012, he was actively focused on programs aiming to improve the cultural sector. He later became Europarliamentary, representing Romania from 2014 to 2019, during which he served as the vice-president of the Committee for Culture and Education.

Reflecting on his dual career, Diaconu had once noted, "Publicul, din păcate, nu mai avea rabdare, nu și-a dat seama că eu sunt bolnav, am vrut până în ultima clipă să mă mai vezi pe scenă," implying the intense commitment he had to his craft, even during his struggles with health.

His artistic endeavors were matched only by his dedication to improving Romanian society. He was instrumental in sponsoring initiatives for cultural enhancement and often lent his voice to causes promoting the arts. His efforts earned him recognition, culminating with various awards throughout his illustrious career, honoring his contributions and unwavering commitment.

The Nottara Theatre, where he served as director from 2001 to 2011, announced his passing with heartfelt condolences, inviting the public to honor his legacy by attending the memorial service. The theatre community has expressed deep sorrow, recognizing the immense void left by Diaconu’s departure.

With roles spanning from theatrical masterpieces to groundbreaking films, Mircea Diaconu leaves behind not only his art but also the indelible impact he made within his community and beyond. He is remembered as both a brilliant actor and vision-driven public servant who have deeply influenced both the cultural and legislative landscapes of Romania.

The legacy of Mircea Diaconu—marked by his grace on stage, passion for public service, and commitment to cultural enrichment—will resonate through Romanian arts and politics for years to come. His dedication to both fields has cemented him as one of the nation’s most beloved figures.

DIACONU, Mircea

Born: 12/24/1949, Vlădești, Argeș County, Muntenia, Romania

Died: 12/14/2024, Bucharest, Romania

 

Mircea Diaconu’s westerns – actor:

The Prophet, the Gold and the Transylvanians – 1977 (Romulus Brad)

The Actress, the Dollars and the Transylvanians – 1978 (Romulus Brad)

The Oil, the Baby and the Transylvanians – 1979 (Romulus Brad)

RIP Jean-Marie Pallardy

 

Jean-Marie Pallardy (1940-2024)

Le Film du jour

December 14, 2024

 

Considered a pioneer of French erotic cinema, director, actor and producer Jean-Marie Pallardy died on December 12, 2024 at the age of 84.

A former model, Jean-Marie Pallardy entered the world of cinema in the late 1960s by directing a few short films, then in 1971 he directed and produced L'Insatisfaite, his first feature film, which was already banned for those under 18. In the process, the budding director launched into the "soft porn" niche (a type of film where the cast makes love all the time in a more or less simulated way, but without X-rated shots). He then offered stunned viewers breathtaking views of nipples and buttocks in Érotisme à l'étude (1972), also known as Dossier érotique d'un notaire.

Jean-Marie Pallardy, who played in all his films, followed up with The Erotic Journal of a Lumberjack (1973) with Claudine Beccarie - who would later appear in X-rated films and in the famous documentary Exhibition (1975) by Jean-François Davy - and the Dutch actress Willeke Van Ammelrooy, who would become the director's muse.

The pretty Dutch woman can be found in the credits of the two erotic and parodic westerns that Pallardy shot in the mid-1970s: The Backside Will Whistle Three Times and Rules for Women at OQ Corral (1975). The director made a few more erotic films such as Love Among Heavyweights (1975) and The Doner (1979) before launching into real X-rated films in the 1980s under the pseudonym Boris Pradley (or Pradlay).

After 1975, Jean-Marie Pallardy did not limit himself to directing a few X-rated films. He also directed feature films that skillfully mixed detective fiction with a touch of eroticism. After L'Amour aux trousses (1974) - with Willeke Van Ammelrooy and Corinne Marchand - the director directed Le Ricain (1975) with Jess Hahn and bodybuilder Gordon Mitchell, then Une femme spéciale (1979) with Gordon Mitchell again and Karin Schubert - previously seen as a Spanish queen in La Folie des grandeurs by Gérard Oury.

Gordon Mitchell is again featured in White Fire (1984). He shares the bill with Jess Hahn and Fred Williamson, a leading actor of "blaxploitation" that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez will rehabilitate in From Dusk Till Dawn in 1995.

In the 1980s, Jean-Marie Pallardy, still working independently, would have more and more difficulty making films. He nevertheless participated in the production of Bruce Contre-attaque (1982), an improbable kung-fu film with Bruce Le (sic!), a Bruce Lee substitute. Gordon Mitchell would make another appearance in Overdose (1987), then it would be the turn of David Carradine (not yet back in the saddle with Tarantino's Kill Bill) to appear in the credits of The Donor/Femmes ou maîtres (2000). In 2007, Jean-Marie Pallardy had published a detective novel called "Amours parallèles" put into images in 2009 with bits of string under the title Kill for Love.

PALLARDY, Jean-Marie

Born: 1/16/1940, Auvergne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Died: 12/12/2024, France

 

Jean-Marie Pallardy’s westerns – actor:

Gunfight at OQ Corral – 1974 (Indian) [director, writer]

Lucky Lucky and the Daltons - 1974 (John Keykett) [director, writer]

Pornowest – 1981 (halfbreed) [director, writer]

 

RIP Michael Cole

 

Michael Cole,‘Mod Squad’ Star, Dies at 84 

Variety

By Pat Saperstein

December 10, 2024

 

Michael Cole, who played Pete Cochran, one of the three hip young cops on “The Mod Squad,” died Tuesday. He was 84.

Cole’s reps said he died “peacefully this morning, surrounded by loved ones, after living a full and vibrant life.”

Born on July 3, 1940, in Madison, Wisc., Cole guested on shows like “Gunsmoke” before breaking through on “The Mod Squad.” The ABC series aired from 1968 to 1973, co-starring Peggy Lipton and Clarence Williams III. Cole’s character Pete Cochran had been a troubled son of wealthy Beverly Hills parents, who found redemption through his work as an undercover officer on the squad. The show often tackled contemporary social issues including abortion, domestic violence and police brutality.

“Mod Squad” marked one of the first reflections of a changing mid-century culture on television, with Cole as a delinquent, Lipton as a runaway from her prostitute mother’s home and Williams as a man who was arrested during the Watts riots. The three were given a chance to work as undercover officers instead of serving time, with the show’s premise being that they would be better able to relate to the trouble-making hippies and druggies of the late 1960s.

After “The Mod Squad,” Cole continued to work on shows including “Murder, She Wrote,” “Fantasy Island,” “Wonder Woman” and “The Love Boat.” He also played the adult Henry Bowers in Stephen King’s 1990 “It” mini-series and appeared on “General Hospital” as Harlan Barrett. He appeared in movies like “The Bubble,” “Nickel Mountain,” “Mr. Brooks” and his final film role was in 2008’s a ”Grave Misconduct.”

Cole also appeared onstage, starring in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and other plays.

His 2009 memoir was called “I Played the White Guy,” and offered a candid and heartfelt account of his experiences in Hollywood.

He is survived by his wife Shelley and his children.

COLE, Michael

Born: 7/3/1940, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Died: 12/10/2024, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Michael Cole’s westerns – actor:

Gunsmoke (TV) – 1966 (Kipp)

Chuka – 1967 (Spivey)

RIP Gonzalo Correa

 

Gonzalo Correa, actor of 'Derbez en cuando' and "first teacher" of Edgar Vivar, dies at the age of 90.

RPP

By Renzo Alvarez,

December 7, 2024

Gonzalo Correa holds a Guinness Record for being the only one who played Don Juan Tenorio in the theater for more than 50 years.

Actor Gonzalo Correa, recognized in Mexico for playing Don Juan Tenorio for more than 50 years and holding a Guinness World Record for this achievement, died on Friday, December 6, at the age of 90.

The news was announced by his friend and colleague, actor Edgar Vivar, through his social networks. "With deep sorrow I share sad news: my first teacher of the Theater, Mr. Gonzalo Correa, has just passed away. My most sincere condolences to his family. Rest in peace maestro, thank you, thank you very much for everything!", wrote the remembered 'Señor Barriga'.

Gonzalo Joaquín Juan Correa Gallo was born on September 10, 1934, in Mexico City.

Correa had lived in Querétaro for years and his last performance as Don Juan Tenorio was in 2018, in a free performance. In 2021, in an interview with El Universal, he said that during his move to Querétaro he was the victim of the theft of his belongings, leaving only two costumes of his character.

Before dedicating himself to acting, Gonzalo Correa aspired to be a bullfighter, in addition to working as an announcer and producer. He was also a professor of theater at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). In his theatrical career, he participated in more than 100 plays, including the monologue El Grito de Tarzan and the productions La pulquería and Sálvese quien puede.

In addition to theater, the actor worked in multiple projects on Mexican television, such as Dr. Cándido Pérez, Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real, ¡Qué Madre tan Padre! and Sálvese Quien Puede. He also collaborated in Derbez en Cuando, a sketch program headed by Eugenio Derbez.

So far, the causes of Gonzalo Correa's death have not been revealed. However, 10 years ago he had a problem in his knees derived from some activities and injuries that he had younger and was not treated correctly, for which he suffered from constant pain, reports El Financiero.

CORREA, Gonzalo (Gonzalo Joaquín Juan Correa Gallo)

Born: 9/10/1934, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 12/6/2024, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Gonzalo Correa’s western – actor:

The Tiger of Guanajuato: Legend of Revenge - 1965.

RIP Paul Maslansky

 

Paul Maslansky, ‘Police Academy’ and ‘Return to Oz’ Producer, Dies at 91

The trumpet player from New York also shepherded ‘The Castle of the Living Dead,’ George Cukor’s ‘The Blue Bird,’ ‘The Russia House’ and ‘Love Child.’

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

December 6, 2024

 

Producer Paul Maslansky, who came up with the premise for the first Police Academy movie and got help from three world-class directors to push the troubled cult classic Return to Oz past the finish line, has died. He was 91.

Maslansky died Monday of natural causes at a hospital in Los Robles, California, his partner of 16 years, Sally Emr, told The Hollywood Reporter.

The New Yorker made his producing debut in Italy on The Castle of the Living Dead (1964), starring Christopher Lee, and he filmed George Cukor’s penultimate feature, the Elizabeth Taylor-starring The Blue Bird (1976), and Fred Schepisi’s The Russia House (1990), starring Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer, in the Soviet Union.

Maslansky, who collaborated often with Oscar winner Alan Ladd Jr., also produced Larry Peerce’s Love Child (1982), starring Amy Madigan in the true story of a woman who is impregnated by a guard in prison and has to fight to keep her baby; the slapstick comedy Scavenger Hunt (1979), directed by Michael Schultz; and Fluke (1995), about a selfish businessman (Matthew Modine) reincarnated as a dog.

After finishing up on Love Child in Florida, Maslansky was asked by Ladd to go to San Francisco to check in on The Right Stuff, the astronaut movie that The Ladd Co. was producing. On hand for the John Glenn ticker-tape parade scene, he saw a group of SFPD officers arrive that “looked funny.”

As he recalled in a 2014 interview, Maslansky learned that they weren’t really cops, they were police academy cadets, hired because of the city’s fair employment hiring policy. “We have to take them in,” he was told, “but we can flunk them out after three weeks.”

That night, Maslansky wrote a two-page story “about a group of [prospective officers] who don’t want to get thrown out, they want to become real cops and win the day.”

Ladd told him he could make the movie for about $4.5 million. After Neal Israel and Pat Proft took about six weeks to write a first draft, WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson did a rewrite over a weekend. “We shot that script, he transformed it,” Maslansky said. (Wilson also directed.)

Filmed in Toronto, Warner Bros.’ Police Academy (1984) opened with a robust $8.6 million ($32 million today) and went on to rake in $82 million ($249 million today) while spawning six sequels, an animated series, a live-action series and more.

Police Academy had not yet reached theaters when Disney sent Maslansky to London to replace producer Gary Kurtz on the effects-heavy Return to Oz (1985), which had fallen behind schedule under the direction of first-time helmer Walter Murch.

Maslansky faced a crisis five weeks into filming when Murch, who was making the jump after years as a lauded film and sound editor, appeared unable to continue on Oz, appearing “obviously confused,” he said in 2010.

With Maslansky and Disney executive Richard Berger making a list of possible directors to take over for Murch, the producer remarkably received calls from George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola, who said they were rushing to London to help.

Lucas took over for about a week, Spielberg stayed for a couple of days and Coppola “gave Walter his attaboys,” Maslansky said.

Murch was able to complete the dark Wizard of Oz sequel, but it grossed just $11.1 million in the U.S. on what the producer said was a budget of about $20 million.

One of three sons, Paul Marc Maslansky was born in Harlem on Nov. 23, 1933, and raised in Queens. His father, Manuel, was a dentist who spent six years in World War II, and his mother, Beatrice, was a homemaker.

After Forest Hills High School, he followed his older brother, Robert, to Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and he played jazz trumpet in a band called the Southern Collegians before graduating in 1954.

Maslansky spent two years in the U.S. Army, attended NYU Law School for a year and worked as a musician before moving to Paris. He cobbled together $1,500 and hired Melvin Van Peebles to write a documentary about Fullbright scholars that screened in 1960 in Cannes and was bought by Screen Gems.

Hired as producer Charles H. Schneer’s assistant in London, Maslansky moved up the ladder on such films as Jason and the Argonauts (1963), Carol Reed’s The Running Man (1963) and Jack Cardiff’s The Long Ships (1964).

He made his producing debut on The Castle of the Living Dead and gave Donald Sutherland his first credited movie role (he actually played three characters). Maslansky said he made the horror film for $120,000 and sold it to Sam Z. Arkoff at American International Pictures.

He then worked for a couple years at United Artists before joining his high school buddy Ike Pappas, by then a CBS reporter, in covering the Six-Day War in Israel in 1967.

n addition to The Blue Bird, the first two Police Academy films, Love Child and The Russia House, Maslansky worked with the respected Ladd on Death Line (1972), Race With the Devil (1975) and Damnation Alley (1977).

His other producing/exec producing credits included Hot Stuff (1979), The Villain (1979) and Cop & 1/2 (1993)

Maslansky directed one feature, the cult blaxploitation favorite Sugar Hill (1974), starring Marki Bey, and earned an Emmy nomination for producing a 1978 NBC miniseries about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that starred Paul Winfield.

In addition to Sally — she and Maslansky made things official with a marriage ceremony officiated by a rabbi in the ICU at the hospital just before he died, she said — survivors include his children, Sacha, Sabina and Samuel, and grandchildren Gigi and Ashton.

His late younger brother, Michael, was a Hollywood publicist whose clients included Katharine Hepburn, Jessica Lange, Peter Finch, Goldie Hawn, Jane Fonda, Sylvester Stallone and Marty Feldman.

Maslansky, who made cameo appearances in the Police Academy movies, said the first film’s gag that had George Gaynes’ Commandant Lassard receiving oral sex while at a podium “built my house in the Malibu Colony.”

“Police Academy changed my life, in terms of material things,” he said in a 2021 interview. “I always knew that I was decent at my job, but I never had a hit in the movie business. I had turned 50 and had made 25, 30 pictures … but I hadn’t had a breakout hit. That was the one.”

MASLANSKY, Paul (Paul Marc Maslansky)

Born: 11/23/1933, Rego Park, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 12/2/2024, Los Robles, California, U.S.A.

 

Paul Maslansky’s westerns – producer:

The Gun and the Pulpit – 1974 [producer]

The Villain – 1979 [executive producer]