RIP Shane MacGowan

 

Shane MacGowan, Pogues Frontman, Dies at 65

The storied Irish punk singer was both a national icon and, for the band’s hit “Fairytale of New York,” a festive institution

Pitchfork

By Nina Corcoran and Jazz Monroe

November 30, 2023

 

Shane MacGowan, the frontman and songwriter of the Irish punk band the Pogues, died this morning (November 30), BBC News reports, citing an Instagram post by his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke. A spokesperson confirmed the news to the BBC, saying the musician died peacefully with his wife and and sister by his side. MacGowan was 65 years old.

MacGowan was best known for his tongue-in-cheek, cranky delivery as the frontman of the Pogues, chronicling the misadventures of Ireland’s residents and diaspora in raspy, whiskey-ravaged tones. Coming up in the early 1980s, he and the Pogues welded Irish pride with the volatile, rebellious energy of punk, often incorporating the nation’s classics and pop tunes into their repertoire. Their legendary bacchanalian antics, on and off stage, were as much a part of the band’s philosophy as the music. As MacGowan told Melody Maker in 1991, “The most important thing to remember about drunks is that drunks are far more intelligent than non-drunks. They spend a lot of time talking in pubs, unlike workaholics who concentrate on their careers and ambitions, who never develop their higher spiritual values, who never explore the insides of their head like a drunk does.”

Born on Christmas Day, 1957, in the English county of Kent, Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan was raised by his mother and father, both of whom were Irish immigrants at a time of severe tension between the two countries. He graduated with a literature scholarship from a Kent preparatory school, playing music and talking up his Irish heritage from an early age. Aged 18, he graced the cover of the local papers after his ear was bloodied during a concert by the Clash. The same year, he formed his first band, the punk rock group the Nipple Erectors—later renamed the Nips—with Shanne Bradley.

MacGowan met his future bandmate Peter “Spider” Stacy in the bathroom at a 1977 Ramones show in London, and the two formed a casual group called the Millwall Chainsaws with Jem Finer. The men welcomed former Nips accordionist James Fearnley into the fold in 1982, naming themselves Pogue Mahone (an anglicized translation of which means “kiss my arse”) and eventually adding Cait O’Riordan on bass and Andrew Ranken on drums. In 1984, opening for the Clash, they caught the attention of Stiff Records, which released their debut album, Red Roses for Me, under their new name: the Pogues.

With new guitarist Philip Chevron, the Pogues tapped Elvis Costello to produce their second album, 1985’s Rum Sodomy & the Lash. Although the album was fairly popular, the band struggled to steer through their proximity to fame. After the sessions, O’Riordan married Costello and quit the band, bassist Darryl Hunt joined in her place, and MacGowan earned a reputation for excessive indulgence in substances.

In 1988, they recorded their third LP, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, featuring the classic Christmas single “Fairytale of New York,” featuring Kristy MacColl. In the decades to follow, the song routinely landed on the charts, going platinum four times over in the United Kingdom. The Pogues recorded four more albums: 1989’s Peace and Love, 1990’s Hell’s Ditch, 1993’s Waiting for Herb, and 1996’s Pogue Mahone. During that final stretch, however, MacGowan’s substance use plagued the band as he missed tour dates and failed to promote records. He was kicked out in 1991 and did not return until the Pogues’ reunion in 2001, which continued until a 2014 split due to infighting. As MacGowan put it in an interview with Vice, “We’re friends as long as we don’t tour together.”

Outside of the Pogues, Shane MacGowan and the Popes recorded two albums, and the Shane Gang performed several live shows in Ireland. In recent years, MacGowan was the subject of multiple documentaries, including 2015’s Shane MacGowan: A Wreck Reborn and 2020’s Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan. His influence continued to permeate music: He teamed up with Nick Cave and Lou Reed for benefit songs and was covered by Bono, Hamilton Leithauser, Iron & Wine, and more.

On Instagram, MacGowan’s wife and partner of several decades, Victoria May Clarke, wrote, “I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it. Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love ❤️ of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese. I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him and to have had so many years of life and love ❤️ and joy and fun and laughter and so many adventures. There’s no way to describe the loss that I am feeling and the longing for just one more of his smiles that lit up my world. Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your presence in this world you made it so very bright and you gave so much joy to so many people with your heart and soul and your music. You will live in my heart forever. Rave on in the garden all wet with rain that you loved so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ You meant the world to me.”

MacGOWAN, Shane (Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan)

Born: 12/25/1957, Penbury, Kent, England, U.K.

Died: 11/30/2023, Dublin, Ireland

 

Shane MacGowan’s western – actor, composer, singer, musician:

Straight to Hell – 1987 (Bruno McMahon)

RIP Elliot Silverstein

 Brezniak Funeral Directors

November 25, 2023

 

Elliot Silverstein -Of Los Angeles, CA, formerly of Boston, passed on November 24, 2023.in Los Angeles at age 96. Elliot was a long time Film and Television director.

He directed Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda in the 1965 comedy western "Cat Ballou "in which Lee Marvin won an Academy Award. He also directed" The Happening "in 1967 and the Richard Harris Film "A Man Called Horse". He also directed the cult hit "The Car' starring Jon Rubenstein.

Elliot directed many of the epic programs in the beginning of Television, Omnibus, episodes of the 1960 Iconic hit" Route 66 "starring George Maharis and Martin Milner. The show ran for four years on CBS. Among other Television shows he directed were episodes of "The Twilight Zone", The Defenders, "Tales from the Crypt". "Have Gun Will Travel", Dr. Kildare, Naked City.

He directed Arthur Miller's Play "The Crucible" at Washington's Arena Stage.

He received The Directors Honorary Life Member Award Guild Award, DGA Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award, and The Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing -Feature Film. After his retirement he taught film at USC.

He is survived by his brother Jason Silverstein.

Private graveside service will be held in Boston.

SILVERSTEIN, Elliot (Elliot Hersh Silverstein)

Born: 8/3/1927, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Died: 11/24/2023, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Elliot Silverstein’s westerns – director:

Black Saddle (TV) - 1960

The Westerner (TV) - 1960

Have Gun – Will Travel (TV) – 1961

Cat Ballou - 1965

A Man Called Horse – 1970

RIP Marty Krofft

 

Marty Krofft, the Brains Behind a Kids TV Empire, Dies at 86

The Hollywood Reporter

By Andy Lewis

November 25, 2023

 

He and puppeteer brother Sid partnered on 'The Banana Splits Adventure Hour,' 'H.R. Pufnstuf,' 'Land of the Lost' and much more.

Marty Krofft, the savvy businessman who partnered with his older brother Sid to amass an entertainment empire fueled by such mind-blowing kids TV shows as The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost, died Saturday. He was 86.

Eight years younger than Sid, Marty Krofft died Saturday in Los Angeles of kidney failure, his family announced.

“There’s nobody better on this planet,” Sid said of his brother in a 2000 interview for the Archive of American Television website. “I get a dream, and Marty gets it done.”

The pair already were well-known theatrical puppeteers when they were recruited in 1968 to design the costumes for the live-action portion of NBC’s The Banana Splits Adventure Hour.

Their four furry animal characters (Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper and Snorky), members of a rock band, were an instant hit on the Saturday morning show, which ran from Sept. 7, 1968, to Sept. 5, 1970 (and in near-perpetuity in reruns since then). 

The next year, NBC asked them to create their own Saturday morning kids show, and the brothers came up with H.R. Pufnstuf, about a shipwrecked boy (Jimmy, played by Jack Wild) who lands on a magical island. The title character, Pufnstuf, was a revamp of Luther, a friendly dragon that two had created for a show at the 1968 HemisFair in San Antonio.

NBC wanted a second season to follow the 17-episode first but offered only a small increase on the rights fee, already far below what it was costing the brothers to make the show, so they declined. Pufnstuf came to an end in 1970 but lived on in reruns as well.

Pufnstuf‘s psychedelic sets and costumes were a big hit with college kids, and The Beatles asked for a full set of episode tapes to be sent to them in England. The look of the show prompted many whispers that the brothers took drugs (pot for sure, maybe LSD as well?), something Marty denied.

“You can’t do a show stoned,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in January 2016.

The Kroffts followed Pufnstuf with The Bugaloos (1970-72), the Claymation series Lidsville (1971-73), Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973-75) and Land of the Lost (1974-76), which spawned an ill-fated Will Ferrell movie adaptation released in 2009. Those shows were wildly popular in syndication as well.

“We screwed with every kid’s mind,” Marty told THR. “There’s a Krofft look — the colors. There’s an edge. Disney doesn’t have an edge.”

Indeed, the Kroffts’ style was so popular that McDonald’s copied it to create Mayor McCheese and McDonaldland for an early ’70s advertising campaign. The Kroffts sued, winning a reported seven-figure settlement in 1977.

A year earlier, the brothers opened The World of Sid & Marty Krofft theme park in downtown Atlanta’s new Omni Complex (now CNN’s headquarters). Spread over six levels, it was billed as the world’s first vertical amusement park. About 600,000 visitors came during the recession-plagued ’70s, but it wasn’t enough to cover the costs and interest payments, and the park closed after six months. (Much of the financing for the $20 million park came through loans from various banks and investments from Lamar Hunt, the Ford Foundation and others.)

Long after other smaller kids producers like Hanna-Barbera had sold out to conglomerates, the Kroffts were still developing shows as the last of the great 1960s independents. As late as 2015, they had a hit on Nickelodeon with Mutt & Stuff (one episode even featured a guest appearance from Pufnstuf).

The Kroffts also developed numerous live-action variety shows including The Brady Bunch Hour, The Donny & Marie Show, The Bay City Rollers Show and Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.

They produced another kids show hosted by Richard Pryor, based on his childhood, and their puppets toured with such acts as Judy Garland, Liberace, The Mills Brothers, Tony Martin & Cyd Charisse and Frank Sinatra.

Marty Krofft was born Moshopopoulos Yolas in Montreal on April 9, 1937, to Greek immigrant parents, and he and his family later lived in Maine, Rhode Island and the Bronx. For PR, the brothers liked to say that they came from a long line of puppeteers going back many generations. In truth, the story was fabricated. Their father was a clock salesman who emigrated from Greece in the early 1900s.

“The Kroffts have been playing with dolls their whole lives,” Marty joked about their family’s interest in puppeteering. By the time he was 15, Sid was already working clubs in New York, and he would soon join the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

(They had two other brothers; Hy died during fighting in World War II, and Harry briefly worked for their company before going into real estate.)

Marty joined his brother full-time in 1958 after Sid’s assistant left, and they opened Les Poupees de Paris, an adults-only burlesque puppet show that played to sold-out crowds at a dinner theater in the San Fernando Valley.

“Les Poupees took us from an act, Sid’s act, to a business,” Marty said. Shirley MacLaine was there on opening night, and Richard Nixon came during his run for president.

Les Poupees went on the road and played world’s fairs in Seattle in 1962, New York in 1964 and San Antonio in 1968. It featured 240 puppets, mostly topless women, and Time magazine called it a “dirty puppet show.”

After that, it was so popular, “we couldn’t even get our own best friends in the theater,” Sid said. It drew an estimated 9.5 million viewers in its first decade of performances.

All this led to shows at Six Flags amusements parks around the U.S. — they employed more than 100 puppeteers at one point — and appearances on TV, including a regular gig on The Dean Martin Show (a chorus line of attractive girl puppets they created for the variety program were replaced by real-life Golddiggers).

Marty is survived by brothers Harry and Sid; daughters Deanna (and her husband, Randy), Kristina and Kendra (Lou); grandchildren Taylor, Karson, Griffin, Georgia and Drake; and great-grandchild Maddox. He married Christa Rogalski in 1965, and she proceeded him in death in 2013.

Donations in his name can be made to Marley’s Mutts.

KROFFT, Marty (Moshopopoulos Yolas)

Born: 4/9/1937, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Died: 11/25/2023, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Marty Krofft’s western – executive producer:

Harry Tracy: The Last of the Wild Bunch - 1982

RIP Larry Mann

 

LaGrone Funeral Chapel

11/16/2023

 

Lawrence “Larry” Herbert Mann, age 68, passed away on November 16, 2023, in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Larry was born on July 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois to the late Berneice and Harry Mann.

Larry was known for his free spirit and love for adventure. He loved hiking, camping, and anything that gave him the peace he found outdoors. Larry could often be found enjoying a cold beer while sharing his amazing stories with his many friends. The open road, exploring and meeting new people were just a few of the things he thoroughly enjoyed in his life.

Mr. Mann was a devoted worker in the motion picture industry for over 40 years. He was an Emmy award winner and a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures. Larry was a world record setting Motorcycle Thrill Show Rider as a member of the “Death Riders”. Above all else, Larry loved his family. He was a loving father to four children and seven grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Larry is survived by his sons, Tim Mann and wife Jenny, and Chris Mann; daughters, Molly Mann and husband James Elsea, and Elsa Mann and fiancé Chris Koss; grandchildren, Nathan Elsea, Charlotte Elsea, Wyatt Mann, Weston Mann, Freya Slaughter, Teddy Mann, and Sophia Mann; partner, Lisa Amos; brother, Robert Mann; sisters, Mary Drabik and husband Tommy, and Margie Patchett and husband Stuart.

Mr. Mann is preceded in death by his parents and brother Harry Mann.

MANN, Larry (Lawrence Herbert Mann)

Born: 7/14/1955, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

Died: 11/16/2023, Ruidoso, New Mexico, U.S.A.

 

Larry Mann’s westerns – sound supervisor, sound editor, dialogue editor:

Tombstone – 1983 [dialogue editor]

Bad Girls – 1994 [sound editor]

The Quick and the Dead – 1995 [sound supervisor]

Dollar for the Dead (TV) – 198 sound supervisor]

Deadwood (TV) – 2004-2006 [sound supervisor]

RIP Zdena Hadrbolcová

 

Zdena Hadrbolcová: A Beacon of Czech Cinema Passes Away at 86

BNN

11/20/2023

 

Renowned Czech actress, Zdena Hadrbolcová, known for her varied roles in films and television series, has passed away at the age of 86. The news of her demise has left the entertainment industry in a state of deep melancholy, marking the end of an era of profound performances.

A Lustrous Career

Known for her role as the baker Růženka from the series Ulice, Hadrbolcová was a prolific actress who graced the screens with her undeniable talent. Her filmography includes notable films like ‘Páni kluci’, ‘Už zase skáču přes kaluže’, ‘Slavnosti sněženek’, and ‘Jak svět přichází o básníky’. In addition to her film career, Hadrbolcová was a familiar face on television, appearing in numerous series, each time leaving an indelible mark with her performances.

More than an Actress

Aside from her acting prowess, Hadrbolcová was also known for her significant contributions as a translator and an educator. She was fluent in multiple languages and used her linguistic skills to create meaningful translations. Moreover, she extended her expertise to the realm of education, serving as a teacher at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (DAMU).

Personal Life and Passing

Despite often playing nurturing mothers on screen, Hadrbolcová chose not to have children in real life, a personal choice she was vocal about. She was hospitalized last year following a stroke and had been under constant care since then. Her life journey came to a halt at LDN, leaving a void in the hearts of her admirers.

HADRBLCOVA, Zdena

Born: 7/13/1937, Prague, Czechoslovakia

Died: 11/20/2023, Prague, Czech Republic

 

Zdena Hadrbolcová’s western – voice actress

Home on the Range – 2004 (Mrs. Caloway)

RIP Peter Spellos

 

Peter Spellos, ‘American Dreams’ and ‘Transformers’ Actor, Dies at 69

The performer voiced Sky-Byte in 39 episodes of “Transformers: Robots in Disguise”

THE WRAP

By Stephanie Kaloi

November 19, 2023

 

Actor Peter Spellos, who had a recurring role on the NBC series “American Dreams” and voiced Sky-Byte in 39 episodes of the animated series “Transformers: Robots in Disguise,” died Sunday at the age of 69.

His death was confirmed by friend Fred Olen on Facebook. “It is with tremendous sadness that I must report the passing of my dear friend, Peter Spellos at 2:30am this morning,” Olen wrote.

“Many of you knew Peter personally,” he continued. “He had more loving friends than there are stars in the sky. A gentler giant never existed. A talented actor, teacher and wise old owl. He always made me laugh. I cannot even recall how many movies we made together, but they would probably fill a book… maybe someday they will. Goodbye, pal.”

A cause of death was not given.

The actor’s additional credits include “Men in Black II.” He also enjoyed a steady career as a voice actor in a number of anime shows, including “Naruto,” “Cowboy Bebop,” and “Digimon Adventure 02.”

According to his website, Spellos worked as an acting teacher in Los Angeles and New York for years. This included 26 years as the Artistic Director and Founder of the New Mercury Theatre Company.

SPELLOS, Peter (Peter Alexander Spellos)

Born: 3/1/1954, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 11/19/2023, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A.

 

Peter Spellos’ westerns – voice actor:

Outlaw Star – 1998-2001 [Voice of Gilliam]

Wild ATMs: Twilight Venom – 1999-2000 [voice of Kashim]

RIP Bob DeGroot

 

RTBF

By Denis Marc

11/17/2023

Leonardo is an orphan: Belgian comic book author Bob De Groot has died

 

"Éditions du Lombard is deeply saddened to inform you of the death of Bob de Groot, which occurred on November 17, 2023 in Ottignies (Belgium), at the age of 82, said in a press release from Editions du Lombard. Scriptwriter, illustrator and talent scout, co-creator of the famous Léonard and Robin Dubois, he took off under the wing of the greatest to reach the firmament of the 9th Art."

"Far from limiting himself to humorous comics, he multiplied collaborations in all genres and left behind a plethora of work commensurate with his tireless desire to write. The Management, and all the authors, collaborators and staff of the publishing house share the grief of his family and loved ones."

Effervescent inventiveness

Since childhood, this native of Brussels has been interested in only one thing: comics. Abandoning classes as soon as possible to devote himself to his passion – even if it is first of all a question of organizing the beach games of the Spirou newspaper. It seems that offering laughter and escape to children was second nature to Bob de Groot.

Soon, he joined the team of the drawing studio of the publisher of Marcinelle. Already prolific, he published his first mini-story in Spirou in 1962, and placed drawings, strips and pages here and there in Belgian dailies. He attracted the attention of Maurice Tilleux, for whom he became one of his assistants. Because if he is gifted with a bubbling personal inventiveness, Bob de Groot has no equal in slipping into the world of others, especially when it comes to writing them a hilarious gag for which he signs the storyboard – a habit he will always keep. This is how he met Philippe Liégeois, alias Turk. Both were then complete authors, but one struggled with the scripts and the other began to experience drawing as a limitation to his desire to write more and more. The solution is obvious, especially since they share a taste for the absurd, puns and visual comedy à la Tex Avery. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, as the saying goes.

One day, the two friends knock on the door of Studio Greg. It was a decisive meeting if ever there was one: the creator of Achille Talon took them under his wing, negotiating their first contracts with Le Lombard, correcting the young screenwriter's boards, until the day he had no more improvements to suggest to him. Together, de Groot and Turk would make the heyday of Greg's version of the Tintin newspaper (who took over as editor in 1965). They created Robin Dubois, who often earned them the honour of readers through the referendum. It was in one of the pages of this seminal series that, in 1974, de Groot had the idea of an old inventor – Leonardo – who had just invented the parking meter. As Greg launched Achille Talon Magazine, he asked them to develop the concept that he thought would lend itself well to a comedy series. A genius idea: Leonardo was born. The rest is history, and in Robin Dubois' gag, the old inventor will be called Methuselah.

But it would be a shame to reduce Bob de Groot to his most famous heroes. It would be to forget that he was the illustrator of a series of Fred's. That, on the advice of Jean Van Hamme, he ventured into the realist realist narrative by writing for Philippe Francq the dark and touching Des villes et des femmes. Like his mentor Greg, he was the editor-in-chief of a magazine, L'oeuf, where he was the first to believe in a rookie comedian named Philippe Geluck. That he was able to successfully follow in the footsteps of Goscinny, Franquin or Macherot to write Lucky Luke, Modeste et Pompon or Clifton. That he was literary director of the Alpen group, where he revealed Jean-François Di Giorgio and André Taymans, among others. Or that he was the scriptwriter, for Jacques Landrain, of Digitaline, the first album made in digital in the history of comics. This was the last straw for this screenwriter who wrote only one page on a computer, preferring to tirelessly make his storyboards from the truck stop at a gas station "where [he] was known and left alone."

It is from this incongruous setting that, over the course of thousands of plates, he inscribed his name in the Pantheon of the 9th Art. He only left it in 2015 to devote himself to his family – first and foremost his wife Anne-Marie, whom he met at Éditions du Lombard. She was its press officer emeritus for four decades. On this sad day, our thoughts are with him and their daughters Régine and Joëlle.

DeGROOT, Bob (Robert DeGroot)

Born: 10/26/1941, Brussels, Belgium

Died:  11/17/2023, Ottignies, Belgium

 

Bob DeGroot’s western – comic book writer:

Lucky Luke – 'Le Bandit Manchot' – 1981

Ran-tan-plan - 1995-2001

Lucky Luke' - 'Marcel Dalton' - 1998

Lucky Luke - 'L'Artiste Peintre' - 2001

RIP Meto Jovanovski

 

77-year-old actor Meto Jovanovski passes away

Republika

11/16/2023

 

Renowned Macedonian actor Meto Jovanovski passed away at 77. Born in 1946 in Pancharevo village, near Pehchevo, he graduated from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1971. Starting at the National Theatre in Shtip, he swiftly became a prominent figure in Macedonia’s theatre scene. His impactful career spanned leading roles in films like Tattoo, Before the Rain, and The Great Water, among others. Jovanovski garnered multiple awards for his contributions to theater, film, and television, including the prestigious “St. Clement of Ohrid,” “October 11,” and “November 13” awards. Additionally, he received honors such as the “Golden Clapper” award in Belgrade, the “Milton Manaki” award four times, the “Petre Prlicko” award, and the “Vojdan Chernodrinski” lifetime achievement award. His legacy was further recognized with a lifetime achievement award at the 2022 Balkan Panorama Film Festival in Izmir.

JOVANOVSKI, Meto

Born: 1/17/1946, Pancerevo, Macedonia, Yugoslavia

Died: 11/16/2023, Skopje, Macedonia

 

Meto Jovanovski’s western – actor:

Dust – 2001 (professor)

RIP Paulo Hesse

 

Paulo Hesse, actor of 'Tropical Paradise', dies at the age of 81

Artist played Laranjeira in the plot by Gilberto Braga and Ricardo Linhares, which re-premieres on November 27 on 'Vale a pena ver de novo'

 

EXTRA TV

11/14/2023

 

Paulo Hesse, who played Laranjeira in "Paraíso tropical" (2007), a plot that will be shown in "Vale a Pena Ver Novo" on November 27, has died at the age of 81. The actor's cause of death was not disclosed. The announcement of his death was made by actress Bárbara Bruno on social media on Tuesday (14).

"Go in peace, dear! Long live Paul Hesse," the artist wrote in the caption of a photo of the actor scene in 'The Carnation and the Rose' (2000) posted on Instagram. Actress Cléo Ventura paid tribute to her friend on social media. "Goodbye, dear Paul Hesse," he wrote in his stories.

In addition to his work in theater and cinema, Paulo has participated in more than 20 soap operas on television. Among his best-known works on the small screen is Delegate Samsão Farias, from "The Carnation and the Rose".

In a participation in "Paraíso tropical" he starred with Yoná Magalhães and Alessandra Negrini. Her character was a fan of Virginia (Yoná's role) and helped the former freshman program icon whenever she needed it.

Paulo was also present in the cast of "Selva de pedra" (1986), "We were six" (1994) and "Água na boca" (2008) - his last work on television.

HESSE, Paulo (Paulo César Boeta)

Born: 4/1/1942, Caçapava, São Paulo, Brazil

Died: 11/14/2023, São Paulo, Brazil

 

Paulo Hesse’s western – actor:

Jeronimo (TV) -1984 (Dr. Pileque)

RIP Kevin Turen

 

Kevin Turen Dies: ‘Euphoria’ & ‘The Idol’ Producer Was 44

DEADLINE

By Armando Tinoco

 

Kevin Turen, producer of Euphoria and The Idol, has died. He was 44.

Turen died suddenly over the weekend. His cause of death is not known at this time. The producer is survived by his wife, Evelina, and his two sons, Jack and James.

His father Edward Turen said in a statement Sunday night: “Kevin was so incredibly special, this world is going to be less without him.”

Turen first produced Larry Clark’s Wassup Rockers and later went on to work with Sam Levinson and produce Malcolm and Marie, Trey Shultz’s Waves, Nicholas Jarecki’s Arbitrage, Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation, Kornel Mondruczo’s Pieces of a Woman, Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes and Ti West’s X trilogy.

Turen’s work in television included Levinson’s Euphoria and The Idol as well as Olivier Assayas’a Irma Vep.

Jay Penske, CEO of Deadline’s parent company PMC and close friend said, “Despite his many achievements in Hollywood, Kevin’s greatest passion was his family and friends. He was so proud of his children. He and his wife, Evelina, were resolved that their children grow up with great values and ensured they make a difference in the broader world. Our collective heart breaks for them, and we all feel such a profound sense of loss. We will miss Kevin so much, and this town lost one of its brightest rising stars today.”

Born in New York City on August 16, 1979, Turen studied cinema at Columbia University before moving out to Los Angeles.

TUREN, Kevin

Born: 8/16/1979, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 11/12/2023, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Kevin Turen’s western – producer:

Birth of a Nation - 2016

RIP David Elliott

 Thunderbirds Wiki

British television director and film editor David Elliott died on November 10, 2023 at the age of 93. He worked on various series produced by AP Films / Century 21 Productions, including as a director on ‘Thunderbirds’. He left the company after directing the episode “Path of Destruction”.

Elliott gave invaluable help with research for 21st Century Visions. Elliott was interviewed for Filmed In Supermarionation, as well as taken back to the original Stirling Road studios with a few of his former colleagues.

In 2015, Elliott came out of retirement when he was once more invited back to Stirling Road to direct “The Stately Homes Robberies” as part of The Anniversary Episodes.

Elliot was an director and editor on the 1960 British western puppet TV series ‘Four Feather Falls’.

ELLIOTT, David

Born: 5/7/1931, England, U.K.

Died: 11/10/2023,

 

David Elliott’s western – editor, director:

Four Feather Falls (TV) - 1960

RIP Chuck Aronberg

Los Angeles Times

November 12, 2023 

August 30, 1930 - November 9, 2023 2-term Mayor of Beverly Hills, Charles "Chuck" Aronberg moved to Los Angeles at the age of 10 after his father died. Chuck graduated from LA High at the age of 15, attended college at UCLA and medical school at UCSF. Chuck dedicated his life to the service of the community and others, including 12 years on the Beverly Hills City Council and being the first male member of the League of Women Voters. Among the public health causes he championed were his work to secure seat belt legislation, and clean air and clean water legislation on both a local and federal level. Chuck was awarded Alumnus of the Year for Community Service at UCLA. An ophthalmologist devoted to his patients, he was also a leader in the field of sports medicine as team doctor for the Lakers, Kings, Raiders and for 3 Olympic Games. A recognized medical expert and qualified medical examiner, Chuck treated Rodney King after the infamous beating, and provided meaningful testimony in the pivotal Federal Civil Rights trial. He was also a proud SAG member with 12 film credits. May his life of service and commitment to his profession and community be a source of inspiration to all who knew him. He is survived by his wife Sandra Aronberg, MD, daughter Cindy Aronberg and his grandchildren Leo Rheinheimer and Kate Rheinheimer.

Funeral services Hillside Memorial 11/15/23 2PM. Donations can be made in his honor to The Maple Counselling Center, Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and The Sierra Club

ARONBERG, Chuck (Charles Aronberg)

Born: 8/30/1930, Neptune, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Died: 11/9/2023, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A.

 

Chcuk Aronberg’s western – actor:

Grey Knight – 1993 (union soldier)

RIP Janet Landgard

 

Janet Landgard, Actress in ‘The Swimmer’ and ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ Dies at 75

She played a former babysitter for Burt Lancaster’s character in the Frank Perry classic and the girlfriend of Paul Petersen’s Jeff Stone on TV. 

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

November 11, 2023

 

Janet Landgard, who accompanied Burt Lancaster on a portion of his bizarre tour of backyard swimming pools in the acclaimed 1968 drama The Swimmer, has died. She was 75.

Landgard died this week after a very brief bout with brain cancer, actor Paul Petersen told The Hollywood Reporter. She recurred as his love interest on the final three seasons of the ABC family comedy The Donna Reed Show.

On Facebook, Petersen called her “the best TV girlfriend my alternate ego, Jeff Stone, ever had. Janet was gorgeous, inside and out … a flawless Scandinavian beauty that literally stunned jaded Hollywood types into silence. We were always close no matter the time or distance.”

In Columbia Pictures’ The Swimmer — directed by Frank Perry and adapted by his then-wife, Eleanor Perry, from a John Cheever short story in The New Yorker — Landgard was memorable as Julie Ann Hooper, who used to babysit Ned Merrill’s (Lancaster) kids but is now grown up.

The two reconnect as Ned is “swimming his way home” using neighborhood pools in suburban Connecticut, but when she admits she once had a crush on him, and he gets a bit too intimate, she runs away, leaving him to continue his bizarre trip alone.

Born on Dec. 2, 1947, Landgard was raised in Pasadena and worked for the William Adrian Modeling Agency. While still at Pasadena High, she made her onscreen debut in 1963 on The Donna Reed Show, playing a girl named Sabrina on a fifth-season episode. She also appeared on ABC’s My Three Sons that year.

She returned to play Jeff’s girlfriend Karen on 11 installments of The Donna Reed Show through 1965, and the pair would grace the cover of Teen Screen magazine.

Landgard was showcased as a rising young talent alongside Raquel Welch, Mary Ann Mobley, Barbara Parkins and others on the TV special The Hollywood Deb Stars of 1965, then served as a hostess on Dream Girl of ’67, executive produced by Chuck Barris.

After The Swimmer, Landgard appeared in Land Raiders (1969), starring Telly Savalas, George Maharis and Arlene Dahl; in the 1971 ABC telefilm The Deadly Dream, starring Lloyd Bridges and Janet Leigh; and in Moonchild (1972), starring Victor Buono, before she left acting.

Landgard was “a real outdoorswoman,” Petersen said, adding that she was involved in horse racing in recent years. Information about her survivors was not immediately available.

LANDGARD, Janet (Janet Alice Landgard)

Born: 12/2/1947, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.

Died: 11/6/2023, Papago Springs, Colorado, U.S.A.

 

Janet Landgar’s western – actress:

Land Raiders – 1969 (Kate Mayfield)

 

RIP Micaela Pignatelli

 

Dagospia

By Marco Giusti

11/6/2023

Beautiful, haughty, unscrupulous, divided between the craziest genre cinema in the '60s, auteur cinema in the '70s, committed theater, TV, but also every possible extravagance, Princess Micaela Cendali Pignatelli, 78 years old, actress and voice actress, active until a few years ago, as well as wife, or rather ex-wife of Flavio Bucci, is leaving. with whom he shared films and plays, and had two children.

With a high-sounding name, born in Naples in 1945, daughter of Prince Pignatelli-Cerchiara, a doctor, she entered the cinema in the early 60s together with other noble young ladies, from Ira von Furstenberg to Soraya to Esmeralda Ruspoli, accepting just about everything, from "The Dynamite Scented Tiger" by Claude Chabrol, her first film, to "God, How I love You", musical directed by Manuel Iglesias with Gigliola Cinquetti and Mark Damon, from "The Scandal" by Anna Gobbi to two follies such as "Flashman" by Mino Loy with Paolo Gozlino and "Goldface, the fantastic superman" by Bitto Albertini with Espartaco Santoni.

She was hardly noticed in the spaghetti western, she only shot the modest "Piluk the Timid One" by Guido Celano with Edmund Purdom, but she made her figure next to the statuesque Kitty Swan in the erotic Tarzanoid "Gungala, the virgin of the jungle" by Ruggero Deodato, where she was the beautiful explorer. I must say that it was thanks to Gungala that many young spectators noticed her, a very modern and particular beauty, a bit like Jane Birkin. We find her in the detective story "The Law of Gangsters" by Siro Marcellini alongside Klaus Kinski and Franco Citti, as the woman by Max Delys and then in the erotic/political "Amarsi male" by Fernando Di Leo with Franco Citti and Nieves Navarro, which did not have the expected success.

One of her major roles was in the wildest, at least in my memory, "Pagan Dawn – Crime at Oxford" by Ugo Liberatore, filmed in London with the working title "May Morning", together with Jane Birkin, Alessio Orano and John Steiner. We find it immediately afterwards in the war "Order from the SS: eliminate Borman!" by the Spaniard Juan Antonio Bardem, in the little-seen and little-known "Checkmate to the Mafia" by Warren Kiefer with Victor Spinetti and Luciano Pigozzi. In the early '70s we find her in even more daring films such as the lesbian-movie "The Girl with Coral Hands" by Luigi Petrini with Susanna Levi or "The Night of Flowers" by Gian Vittorio Baldi with Macha Meril, Hiram Keller and Dominique Sanda, a sort of Italian reconstruction of the night of the murder of Sharon Tate by the Manson gang.

In the '70s she shot everything, a poliziottesco by Massimo Dallamano, "La polizia chiede aiuto" with Claudio Cassinelli and Mario Adorf, "Farfallon" by Riccardo Pazzaglia with Franco and Ciccio, but also experimental films without a penny such as "La vita nova" by and with Edoardo Torricella, "I giorni della chimera" by Franco Corona with Renato Scarpa and Flavio Bucci, Her husband is also often a partner in the theatre. In the 1970s, she was actually more active in theatre and TV than in the cinema. We find her in Schiller's "I masnadieri" directed by Giancarlo Nanni, in Spoleto in the version directed by Vittorio Caprioli of "La conversazione continually interrupted" with Cochi and Renato and Paolo Bonacelli. She is famous for her "Othello" where she acts nude at the Venice Biennale directed by Gianni Serra. Together with Flavio Bucci we find her both in the theater, "The King is Naked" by Ionesco, and in the cinema with the first film by Marco Tullio Giordana, "Maledetti vi amerò", a generational but strongly self-critical film on the post-77 crisis of the young people of the movement. But immediately afterwards we find her with James Franciscus in "The Last Shark" by Enzo G. Castellari and on TV in the famous "Anna's Story" with Laura Lattuada and Flavio Bucci.

In the '80s she made a lot of TV, even good ones, such as "Delitto di stato", "La sconosciuta", "Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana" directed by Piero Schivazappa with Bucci, an episode of "Turno di notte" by Lamberto Bava and Luigi Cozzi, but also some good films, such as Francesco Massaro's comedy "Ti presento un'amica" with Giuliana De Sio, Michele Placido and Kate Capeshaw, "La chiesa" by Michele Soavi and "Il cartaio" by Dario Argento. She will always work, she will even dub Jamie Lee Curtis in "Halloween", Ornella Muti in "The Last Woman". We find her in different television productions, "Rita da Cascia" by Giorgio Capitani, "Provaci ancora prof" in 2008.

CENDALI, Micaela Pignatelli

Born: 3/11/1945, Naples, Campania, Italy

Died: 10/30/2023, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

Micaela Pignatelli Cendali’s western – actress:

 

Gun Shy Piluk – 1968 (Margaret Amelia Moorehead)

RIP Robert Butler

 

Robert Butler, ‘Remington Steele’ Co-Creator and Emmy-Winning Director, Dies at 95

Variety

By Michaela Zee

November 11, 2023

 

Robert Butler, the co-creator of “Remington Steele” and a veteran television director who worked on such series as “Hill Street Blues,” “Star Trek” and “Batman,” died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles. He was 95.

Butler’s career spanned nearly five decades, during which he directed many notable series, including “Hennesey,” “Star Trek,” “Batman,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Bonanza,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Gunsmoke,” “Hawaii Five-O” and more. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards: two for “The Blue Knight” in 1974 and the other for “Hill Street Blues” in 1981. He also received Emmy nominations for episodes of “Moonlighting,” “Sirens” and “Lois & Clark The Adventures of Superman.”

Butler and Michael Gleason co-created “Remington Steele,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, which ran from 1982 to 1987 on NBC. Butler directed five episodes of the detective procedural series between 1982 and 1983, including the pilot.

He also directed several feature films and TV movies, including “Now You See Him, Now You Don’t,” “The Barefoot Executive,” “Scandalous John” and Disney’s “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.”

Butler was born on Nov. 16, 1927, in Hollywood to insurance salesman Edward Butler and Bea Olson, an elementary school teacher. After graduating from University High School, Butler studied at UCLA, joined the Army Ground Forces Band at the end of WWII and, in 1951, earned a degree in English from the university.

In 1959, Butler joined the Directors Guild of America, where he served 11 consecutive terms on the DGA National Board starting in 1985 and other leadership roles. The DGA honored Butler with the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award in 2001, along with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished achievement in television direction in 2015.

“Few directors have changed the face of television as much as Bob did — his impact on the medium is truly immeasurable and this loss to our Guild is deeply felt,” DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter said in a statement. “At ease in any genre, Bob’s pilots established the look and feel of several seminal series including ‘Hogan’s Heroes,’ ‘Batman’ and ‘Star Trek.’ His groundbreaking work on ‘Hill Street Blues’ brought to life the grit and reality of an urban precinct by coupling his unique visual style with evocative performances he coaxed from an incomparable cast, forever changing the trajectory and style of episodic procedurals.”

Glatter added, “Bob’s legacy will live on in the memories of the many directors he influenced and mentored, and the countless viewers who laughed and cheered along with his exceptional work. Our deepest condolences to his family and the many Directors and Directorial team members who knew and loved him.”

Butler is survived by his wife Adrienne Hepburn, his son and daughter, and his grandsons Rainer and Liam.

BUTLER, Robert (Robert Stanton Butler)

Born: 11/16/1927, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 11/3/2023, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Rober Butler’s westerns – director:

Bonanza (TV) - 1961

Have Gun – Will Travel (TV) - 1961

The Rifleman (TV) - 1962, 1965

Stoney Burke (TV) - 1962, 1963

The Virginian (TV) - 1965

Shane (TV) - 1966

Gunsmoke (TV) - 1967, 1969, 1972

Cimarron Strip (TV) - 1968

Lancer (TV) - 1969, 1970

The Outcasts (TV) – 1969

Scandalous John - 1971

Nichols (TV) - 1972

Kun Fu (TV) – 1973

McMasters of Sweetwater (TV) - 1974

Black Bart (TV) - 1975

Hot Lead and Cold Feet – 1978

Lacy and the Mississippi Queen (TV) - 1978

RIP Conny Van Dyke

 

Conny Van Dyke, Motown Singer and ‘W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings’ Star, Dies at 78

Variety

By Valerie Wu

November 11, 2023

 

Conny Van Dyke, a singer-songwriter signed to Motown Records who starred in such films as “W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings” and “Framed,” has died. She was 78.

Van Dyke died on Nov. 11 at her home in Los Angeles due to complications of vascular dementia, her son Bronson Page told Variety.

The Detroit native was a longtime colon cancer and stroke survivor. She got her start in the entertainment industry when she was just 15 and a student in high school, making the film “Among the Thorns” with Tom Laughlin, Bill Wellman Jr. and Stephanie Powers. During that time, Van Dyke also worked as a songwriter for Wheelsville Records in Detroit.

In 1961, Van Dyke signed with Motown Records, making her one of the first white recording artists on the label. Her first two singles, “Oh, Freddy,” written by Smokey Robinson, and “It Hurt Me Too,” previously written and recorded by Marvin Gaye, were released in 1963.

In 1969, Van Dyke starred as Betsy, Jeremy Slate’s love interest, in the outlaw biker film “Hell’s Angels ’69.” Also starring in the film were Tom Stern, Steve Sandor, Sonny Barger and the Oakland Hells Angels motorcycle club as themselves. Van Dyke described filming the movie as “a terrifying, and yet, exhilarating experience.”

After starring in “Hell’s Angels ’69,” Van Dyke released two country albums, “Conny Van Dyke” and “Conny Van Dyke Sings for You.” In 1975, she also went on to star in “W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings” alongside Burt Reynolds and Art Carney and “Framed” as singer Susan Barrett with Joe Don Baker. Van Dyke made a slew of television appearances on “Adam-12,” “Barbary Coast” and “Nakia” with game show appearances on “The Hollywood Squares,” “Match Game,” “Tattletale” and “The Gong Show,” among others.

Van Dyke retired from acting in the late 1970s to take care of her son, but returned in 2008 with a guest role on “Cold Case” and, later, “CSI,” before suffering a stroke that left her partially paralyzed and from which she never fully recovered.

Van Dyke is survived by her son, Page.

Van DYKE, Conny (Conny Eugene Van Dyke)

Born: 9/28/1945, Northampton, Virginia, U.S.A.

Died: 11/11/2023, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Conny Van Dyke’s western – actress:

Barbary Coast (TV) – 1975 (Rose Driscoll) [singer]