RIP Francesco Massaro

 

Director Francesco Massaro has died, he worked with Visconti, Germi, Tognazzi

He was 90 years old, he has conducted in his career among others Serrault, De Sio, Placido, Banfi

 ANSA

July 20, 2026

Francesco died today in Rome Massaro, director, screenwriter and screenwriter, born in Padua on August 23, 1935.

"With him, a protagonist of more than half a century disappears century of Italian cinema and television, a man who had learned the trade on set alongside some of the greatest masters of our cinema and who, over the course of his long career, has been able to tell the story of the country through the great and the small screen, with a particular ability to speak to the large audience".

This is what a family of the director.

His professional history "has its roots in the great season of Italian cinema". Moved to Rome at the beginning In the sixties, Massaro began his apprenticeship as a volunteer assistant director in Luchino's The Leopard Visconti, whose details of the eternal dance scene with Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale. Its true was however due to Pietro Germi, of whom he was for a long-time years as an assistant director, participating in masterpieces such as Divorce Italian style, Seduced and abandoned and Ladies and Gentlemen, entirely set in his Veneto, in Treviso. Its training ended working alongside directors such as Eduardo De Filippo and Dino Risi, in Straziami, ma di baci saziami (1968). It was at that time that he also met Ugo Tognazzi, destined to play an important role in his career.

In fact, the actor became, together with Mariangela Melato, protagonist of his directorial debut, The General Sleeps in feet (1972), an anti-militarist comedy with grotesque tones.

He became a versatile director, able to move with naturalness between different genres, from comedy to medical drama up to yellow. He has made caustic films such as La banca di Monate (1972), with Walter Chiari and a very talented and award-winning Paolo Bonacelli (1976), and very popular works such as Al bar dello sport (1983), with Lino Banfi and Jerry Calà, as well as productions television series such as Pronto soccorso (1990-1992), with Ferruccio Amendola, "who inaugurated in Italy the medical drama", and the miniseries Secret Province and Secret Province 2 - The crimes of the house on the river.

Massaro "was much more than a director - it is emphasized -. Writing has accompanied his entire life professional". Screenwriter and screenwriter, "he was profoundly attentive to the construction of stories and characters and He collaborated, over the years, with the Pantheon of writers and screenwriters of Italian cinema", including Ugo Pirro, Rodolfo Sonego, Suso Cecchi D'Amico, Luciano Vincenzoni and, in more with Ennio De Concini, Enrico Vanzina, Giuseppe D'Agata, and Franco Ferrini. For him "directing was always born from the story and from writing, even before arriving on set".

In the cinema he has directed, among others, Michel Serrault and Tomas Milian in The Wolf and the Lamb, Diego Abatantuono and Leo Gullotta in I carabbinieri, Jerry Calà and Isabella Ferrari in Domani mi groom, up to Michele Placido, Kate Capshaw and Giuliana De Sio in Meet a friend. Among his latest works are the miniseries Benedetti dal Signore and O la va, o la spacca with Ezio Greggio, in 2004.

"Those who knew him remember his clear character, sometimes rough, but also his taste for storytelling and paradox, humanity and the ability to build authentic relationships - yes he adds -. With Francesco Massaro, a witness disappears precious of an unrepeatable season of Italian cinema, especially of that cinema that was inspired by literature and writing skills, and, at the same time, one of the architects of that popular television that has been able to bring together in front of the screen million people".

MASSARO, Francesco

Born: 8/23/1935, Padua, Veneto, Italy

Died: 7/20/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

Francesco Massaro’s western – assistant director:

A Stranger in Paso Bravo – 1968

RIP William Wisher

 

CBR

By Jeremy Dick

July 18, 2026

William Wisher Jr., the accomplished screenwriter best known for his collaborations with longtime friend James Cameron, has passed away. He was 71 years old.

 

Wisher's death was announced by his friend, David Poland, in a post shared on X. The post reads, "Sad to announce the passing of screenwriter William Wisher at the age of 71. His credits include T2, The Terminator, Judge Dredd, and Live Free or Die Hard. He loved his wife Debbi… and cigarettes, scotch, and guns. An old friend and a good guy."

Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld also commented on the news, noting in his own X post, "Oh man! William Wisher was a gem. I worked with him for 2 years on separate drafts of The Mark, a movie I set up with Tom Cruise at Paramount. So talented and so kind, full of great stories with Cameron. Rest In Peace."

William Howard Wisher Jr. was born on May 23, 1955. According to an obituary, he died on July 14, 2026. His cause of death is not yet known.

Cameron developed the original concept for The Terminator with Wisher, with the pair collaborating over the phone while fleshing out the script. Wisher also co-wrote a novelization of the beloved sci-fi action movie with Randal Frakes. Cameron and Wisher also both wrote the screenplay for Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which still stands tall as one of the most revered action movies ever made. Many fans and critics also consider T2 to be the best sequel to any film.

William Wisher Jr. Had On-Screen Cameos in Terminator 1 & 2iam Wisher Jr. Had On-Screen Cameos in Terminator 1 & 2

Additionally, Wisher had on-screen appearances in both of the Terminator movies he co-wrote. In the first installment, he appears as a police officer who refers to himself as 1L19; Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator incapacitates him before stealing his police cruiser. Wisher later appeared as a mall shopper in T2, where he can be seen taking pictures of Schwarzenegger's Terminator getting back up after being thrown through a window by the T-1000 (Robert Patrick). Cameron has stated that he considers both roles to be the same character.

Wisher also played a reporter in Cameron's The Abyss. His other on-screen credits include roles in Xenogenesis and Martini Ranch: Reach.

Beyond his work with Cameron, Wisher was a writer and executive producer for the Pierce Brosnan thriller I.T. as well as the Bruce Willis action sequel Live Free or Die Hard. He also worked on the scripts for several horror films, including Pumpkinhead, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, Exorcist: The Beginning, and Dominon: Prequel to The Exorcist. Wisher's other screenwriting work includes Judge Dredd, The 13th Warrior, Judgment Night, Broken Arrow, Eraser, and Mercury Rising.

WISHER, William (William Howard Manley Wisher Jr.)

Born: 5/23/1955, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A

Died: 7/14/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

William Wisher’s western – writer:

Desperado: The Outlaw Wars (TV) – 1989

RIP Patrick Tse Yin

 

Patrick Tse Yin dies at 89: 7 defining movies of the Hong Kong screen legend

Tatler

By Zabrina Lo

July 20, 2026

 

From suave 1960s matinee idol to veteran Hong Kong Film Award winner, the cinema icon Patrick Tse Yin left an indelible mark on Asian pop culture

Legendary Hong Kong actor Patrick Tse Yin died on July 20, 2026, at the age of 89. His death was confirmed by his son, singer-actor Nicholas Tse, and daughter Jennifer Tse via social media statements.

Affectionately known throughout the entertainment industry as Sei Gor (“Fourth Brother”), Tse enjoyed a illustrious career spanning seven decades. His journey began in 1952 at age 16 when he enrolled in the Lingkuang Film Company actor training class, before debuting the following year with Diwa Film Company in In the Lee of the Loom.

In 1956, director Chun Kim recruited him to the newly formed Kong Ngee Company, where Tse catapulted to superstardom with Murder in the Night, making him the highest-paid actor in Southeast Asia at the time.

Renowned for his effortless charm, suave screen presence, and signature sunglasses, Tse transitioned seamlessly from a matinee idol into a versatile director and character actor.

YIN, Patrick Tse

Born: 8/19/1936, Guangdong, China

Died: 7/20/2026, Hong Kong, China

 

Patrick Tse Yin’s western – actor:

Millionaires' Express – 1986 (man at train station)

RIP Terence Donovan

 

Actor Terence Donovan dies aged 90 after more than half a century on Australian screens

ABC News

By Melissa Brown

July 19, 2026

 

Celebrated Australian actor, and Neighbours and Home and Away star, Terence Donovan has died in Melbourne aged 90.

A close up black and white photo of a man smiling while looking at the camera.

Actor Terence Donovan had a decades-long career, with roles in numerous iconic Australian television shows. (Instagram)

His son, fellow actor Jason Donovan, announced the news on Sunday via social media, paying tribute to his beloved father as "larger than life" and "our world".

"It is with great sadness but also a sense of celebration of a long full life that myself and my brother Paul announce our father Terence died peacefully last night here in Melbourne," he wrote.

"Our dad was a huge character, larger than life.

"We will desperately miss him but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days."

Jason Donovan said his father lived "life to the max".

"He was our best friend … our world," he said.

"How lucky are we to have a Dad like you."

Born in England in 1935, Terence Donovan moved to Australia as a teenager.

In a social media post, Jason Donovan revealed his father had followed his brother George to Australia in search of a new life and always dreamed of being an entertainer.

He said one of his first TV appearances in Australia was on Channel 7's Live Variety Show in September 1960 at the age of 25, singing 'I've got you under my skin'.

He was a stage actor before launching what would be a decades-long career on Australian television with guest roles in Consider Your Verdict in 1961.

His prolific portfolio featured television, movies and mini-series appearances, including playing Henry Craig in the 1982 movie The Man From Snowy River.

He was best known for roles in Division 4, Cop Shop, Breaker Morant and Power Without Glory.

He had an uncredited role as a policeman in the 1968 movie Oliver! before landing roles in iconic 1980s Australian TV series such as Sons and Daughters, Prisoner, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors and Blue Heelers.

In 1986, he took on the role of Doug Willis in Neighbours and Al Simpson on Home and Away.

Fellow Neighbours alumni Kylie Minogue has paid tributes on social media.

"Vale Terence," she wrote.

    "Thankful for your kindness and guidance in my early, crazy tv days with Jason. Xx"

Her sister Dannii Minogue joined her in remembering the talented performer.

"What an incredible life and body of work. I'm so glad his family were with him."

Writer and journalist Nikki Gemmell played Donovan's screen teenage daughter in the short film The Winds of Jarrah, during which she stayed at the remote filming location alone.

She remembered him as a kind, dignified, "impossibly handsome man of integrity" with a warm, sunny smile.

"There was my timber-cutter dad, Terry, always looking out for me; checking I was OK and telling me about his family, so proudly; always guiding, encouraging, helping," she wrote.

Donovan was a passionate advocate for Australian content on television.

In 1961, just 1 per cent of drama on Australian television was Australian.

Donovan was one of a number of actors from the series Homicide and Division 4 to march through the centre of Melbourne in 1970 demanding the federal government introduce local content quotas.

He later addressed a crowd on behalf of the Make It Australian committee.

"The facts cannot be ignored that almost all our newspapers, radios and television are controlled by about four men, who I believe have selfishly exploited their privileged position and avoided their responsibility to the Australian community, especially to children, and to the Australians employed in the entertainment community," he said to loud applause.

In 2001, Jason Donovan was the subject of an Australian Story episode.

He explained that he was mostly brought up by his father after his parents divorced when he was five.

"I felt I was in a better position to gain custody and so I got full custody of [Jason]," Terence Donovan told the program.

Jason Donovan posted a tribute to his father on social media on his 90th birthday last year, describing him as his hero.

A black and white photo of a young boy sitting on a park bench and a man standing beside him with one foot on the seat.

Jason Donovan described his father as his best friend. (Instagram: jdonofficial)

He remembered boogie boarding with him at Bondi Beach when he was a child and family road trips between Melbourne and Sydney in the 1970s, playing the Beatles' Abbey Road album in their car.

"Dad, you are complicated yet so simple, unique and limited edition," Jason wrote.

"You've always placed me higher than you, always wanted me to do better than you.

"You've been a best friend, a wing man, biggest critic, a pain in the arse, a nightmare!

"Outrageously outspoken .. and most of the time just outrageous.

    "I can't begin to tell you how many times people say 'god you look like your father'. I'll take it !!"

Jason thanked the staff at Cabrini Hospital Melbourne for looking after his father in his final days.

DONOVAN, Terence (Terence Patrick Donovan)

Born: 10/28/1935, Stalnes, Middlesex, England, U.K.

Died: 7/18/2026, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

 

Terence Donovan’s westerns – actor:

Songs of the Civil War (TV) – 1965

Songs of the Wild West (TV) – 1965

Rush (TV) – 1974-1976 (Doctor Kirby)

Tandara (TV) – 1976 (Sean Daly)

The Man from Snowy River – 1982 (Henry Craig)

RIP Brenda Fricker

 

Oscar-winning actress Brenda Fricker dies at 81

BBC

By Ian Youngs

July 17, 2026

 

Irish actress Brenda Fricker, who won an Oscar for her role in 1989 film My Left Foot and had well-loved parts in Home Alone 2 and TV's Casualty, has died at the age of 81.

Fricker won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 1990 for playing Daniel Day-Lewis's on-screen mother in My Left Foot.

She played nurse Megan Roach in the BBC's Casualty from 1986, making her final appearance in 2010; and was the Central Park pigeon lady in 1992's Home Alone sequel.

In a statement, her agent Phil Belfield said: "We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her."

He added: "I was honoured to know, love and work with her and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over."

Fricker's former Casualty co-star Derek Thompson, who played long-running character Charlie Fairhead, paid tribute to the actress, telling BBC News: "Truly the best I have ever worked with, and I've worked with a lot of actors".

Cathy Shipton, who played Lisa 'Duffy' Duffin, added that Fricker as "one of the most authentic people I've ever met".

"She lived her life courageously warts and all. I loved her for her wit, her intelligence and her brilliant sense of humour," Shipton told BBC News.

"Life happened when you were around Brenda. We shared a love of dogs - collies and my girl Juno is named after her favourite collie.

"I love her and miss her and am so glad l knew her."

Born in Dublin, Fricker began her acting career with parts and in TV and the theatre, including Ireland's first soap opera Tolka Row in the 1960s, ITV soap Coronation Street in 1977, and Licking Hitler, a Play For Today written by David Hare, in 1978.

She was in the cast of the first episode of long-running BBC medical drama Casualty in 1986, remaining a fixture until 1990 and returning regularly in the subsequent years.

She made history in 1990 when she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, beating Hollywood stars including Julia Roberts and Anjelica Huston.

My Left Foot told the true story of an Irish man named Christy Brown, played by Day-Lewis, who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot. The actor also won an Oscar for his starring role.

Another memorable role came two years later when Fricker was cast as the homeless bird lady befriended by Macaulay Culkin's Kevin in Home Alone 2.

Her other film credits included 1993's So I Married An Axe Murderer, 1994's Angels In The Outfield, 1996's A Time To Kill and 2003's Veronica Guerin.

However, she later claimed she would have gone on to have a better career if it hadn't been for her success at the Oscars.

"What did happen was the old curse of the Oscars, as they call it," she told the Times in 2024.

The accolade led to her being typecast and overlooked for a lot of roles, including in theatre, she said.

"So there's a lot that's not great about an Oscar. And you don't get any money. They could give you a few bob with it, at least," she joked.

'Warmth and toughness in the same breath'

Ireland's Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Simon Harris said he was "deeply saddened" by the death of "a national treasure".

"She was a consummate performer who graced our screens and stages with remarkable talent and authenticity. Brenda brought depth and humanity to every role she undertook," he said.

"She truly was among the greatest exports this country has ever produced and an ambassador for Irish talent on the world stage. Quite simply, we will never see the like of her ever again."

The US ambassador to Ireland, Edward Walsh, paid tribute to Fricker as "a giant of Irish film" and praised her "unforgettable" performance in My Left Foot.

Writing on X, he said: "From Dublin to Hollywood, her work brought Ireland's stories to the world and inspired generations on both sides of the Atlantic.

"She leaves a remarkable legacy, and I extend my deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who loved her."

Teenage trauma

Fricker told her life story in her memoir last year, revealing an unstable upbringing in which she was beaten by her mother and groomed at the age of eight by a man who gave her elocution lessons and was sexually fixated with her, but who "never touched me".

She spent two years in hospital after a bicycle accident at the age of 14, but was truly left "broken" after being raped at 17 at a party, then raped again later by an English actor.

Despite her traumas, she also had fond memories of that era. "When I was growing up, you could be wild and God bless the wild days."

In that spirit, the path her life took was not calculated, she told The Times. "It's all been luck... happy accidents."

FRICKER, Brenda
Born: 2/17/1945, Dublin, Ireland

Died: 7/17/2026,

 

Brenda Fricker’s western – actress:

Painted Angels – 1998 (Annie Ryan)

RIP Hal Williams

 

'Sanford And Son' Hal Williams

Dead At 91

TMZ

July 16, 2026

 

Hal Williams -- the actor who famously played Officer "Smitty" Smith in the 1970s hit TV show "Sanford and Son" -- has died, according to his rep.

His manager, Zna Portlock Houston, tells TMZ ... Hal died from natural causes Wednesday morning at his home in Rancho Mirage, CA, noting that he had some health issues.

Houston said Hal felt tired upon his return two days ago from Ohio, where he attended a reunion celebrating "Sanford and Son" with former castmate, Howard Platt, who played Officer Howard "Hoppy" Hopkins.

In 1972, Hal launched his TV career, landing the role of Smitty in "Sanford and Son" alongside legendary comedian Redd Foxx, who played Fred Sanford, and Demond Wilson, who played Foxx's son, Lamont.

Then, in 1973, Hal scored a major role as Harley Foster in the popular TV show, "The Waltons." Hal also had a prominent part in the TV sitcom "227" as Lester Jenkins.

He also made cameos in a bunch of other TV shows, including "That Girl," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Cannon," "Police Woman," "Gunsmoke," "Good Times," "Knots Landing," "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Webster," "Hill Street Blues," "Magnum P.I.," "Night Court," and "L.A. Law."

Not only that, but Hal was featured on the big screen, too, securing parts in movies such as "Hardcore," "The Rookie," "Percy & Thunder," and "Flight."

Hal was 91.

RIP

WILLIAMS, Hal (Halroy Cadis Williams)

Born: 12/14/1928, Coumbus, Ohio, U.S.A.

Died: 7/15/2026, Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.A.

 

Hal Williams’ westerns – actor:

Kung Fu (TV) – 1973, 1975 (Caleb Brown)

Sidekicks (TV) – 1974 (Max)

Gunsmoke (TV) - 1975 (Widge Spott)

The Cherokee Kid (TV) - 1996 (Reverend Peel)

RIP Elsa Aguirre

 

Elsa Aguirre, Icon of Mexican Golden Cinema, die

She was the last diva of national cinematography and consolidated herself with fifty films in eight decades of artistic career

N+ Newsroom

July 15, 2026

 

Elsa Aguirre, one of the most iconic actresses of the Mexican Golden Cinema era, has died at the age of 95, the National Association of Interpreters (ANDI) reported. She was a passionate, simple and independent woman who consolidated herself with fifty films.

"The Board of Directors and the Vigilance Committee of the National Association of Interpreters communicate the sensitive death of our interpreter partner Elsa Aguirre," ANDI said at 0:12 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, without detailing the causes of death.

Elsa Aguirre was a legend for her career on the big screen since 1946. Elegant, versatile and discreet, she was the last diva of the golden age of national cinematography.

She was born in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, on September 25, 1930 and participated in films such as "The Woman I Loved" and "Acapulco". She was the younger sister of actress Alma Rosa Aguirre.

Elsa Aguirre was recognized as one of the most beautiful women in Mexico. She was the fourth of five children: Alma Rosa, Hilda, Jesús, Elsa and Mario. Her other two sisters had their own, parallel careers in film and television.

She will be remembered for her great performance in films such as "La muerte de un gallero" (1977) and "Las figuras de arena" (1970). In "Cuidado con el amor" (1954), Pedro Infante sang the theme of "Cien años" to him. In addition to film, she developed an extensive career in television, theater, radio and live shows.

At some point, she said that she never dreamed of being an actress and her first interaction with the public was at the age of 14 in a beauty contest in which she won 300 pesos at the time, which eventually opened the doors of the big screen for her.

In that competition of the company Clasa Films Mundiales she participated with her sister Alma Rosa and, as they did very well, they were among the cast of the film "El sexo fuerte", directed by Emilio Gómez Muriel, produced in 1945 and starring Mapy Cortés.

Just last April, the government of Morelos celebrated Aguirre's career at the Ocampo Theater in Cuernavaca, where he was given recognition for more than 80 years of career.

Months earlier, on January 8, President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke with the artist and defined her as "an example of great strength."

"It has been an experience of great admiration and respect, very attentive to what I was talking about and simple. I felt a lot of closeness to that way of being," said the actress about that meeting with the president.

"Until I leave"

In her last years, Elsa Aguirre lived in retirement at her residence in the state of Morelos, where she occasionally gave interviews. Part of his longevity was attributed to a diet recommended by doctors, as he confessed that he stopped eating meat and seafood in the last six decades. He also excluded cigarettes and alcohol.

She also adopted a lifestyle based on meditation. Shee also performed social service in prisons and assured that the key was to live in the present and think first of others before of oneself.

Since the end of August 2025, the actress became more active on social networks, where she shared anecdotes, experiences, advice and moments from her daily life. He opened an official account on Facebook and, in the afternoons, he made live broadcasts to spend time with his followers, whom he always thanked for the love and support they gave her, according to a review by N+.

She said that her intention was to talk as much as she could with the public and the media: "until I leave." Often, she had to use an oxygen tank, but that did not prevent her from lucidity in her ideas and stories full of wisdom. In addition, she offered to answer questions.

In her last video, published on Tuesday, July 13, she remembered Joaquín Pardavé 71 years after his death and reviewed the films that marked her career. In her broadcasts she also spoke naturally about all kinds of topics: from cats, their diet, yoga and the benefits of bathing in cold water, to Luis Miguel, Nelson Mandela, an autograph signing by inbox and even the occasion when he rescued a badger from a pool.

In that way she also released his song "De mis labios a tus ojos", which she composed with Javier Manríquez as a song to summarize her life. She gave the same title to the piece of music and his autobiography.

What films did she act in?

Over eight decades, Elsa Aguirre starred in several outstanding films, along with figures such as Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, Joaquín Pardavé, Pedro Armendáriz, Mario Moreno "Cantinflas", Ignacio López Tarso, Antonio Aguilar, among many others.

The film that marked the course of her career was Don Simón de Lira, after Julio Bracho convinced her parents to act, because they wanted to remove her from histrionics because they did not agree with her first two roles, whose productions with comic touches presented genre dynamics extremely transgressive for their time.

AGUIRRE, Elsa

Born: 9/25/1930, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico

Died: 7/15/2026, Cuernavaca, Merelos, Mexico

 

Elsa Aguirre’s westerns – actress:

Watch Out for Love -1954 (Ana Maria)

Giant – 1956

El pistolero desconocido – 1967 (Maria)

La vuelta del Mexicano – 1967 (Rosario)