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]

RIP Mark Withers

 

Mark Withers, Television Actor on ‘Dynasty,’ Dies at 77

Variety

By Matt Minton

December 6, 2024

 

Mark Withers, a television actor known for portraying Ted Dinard in the original “Dynasty” series, died Nov. 22. He was 77.

Mark Withers’ death was confirmed by his daughter, Jessie Withers. The cause was pancreatic cancer.

His daughter remembered him fondly, writing: “He confronted his illness with the same strength and dignity he brought to his craft, creating a legacy of warmth, humor, and dedication, along with his remarkable ability to make every role unforgettable. Mark’s enduring talent and commitment to the industry will be fondly remembered by colleagues, friends, and fans alike.”

In addition to his role as Steven’s boyfriend Ted in “Dynasty,” Withers had guest appearances on “Wonder Woman,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Hart to Hart,” “Remington Steele,” “Dallas,” “L.A. Law,” “Days of Our Lives,” “Matlock,” “Kaz,” “The King of Queens” and “Frasier.”

In recent years, he continued his television career with roles in “True Blood,” “Criminal Minds,” “Sense8,” “Castle,” “Drop Dead Diva,” “Reckless” and “Stranger Things.” He also had various roles in production on films like “Basic Training,” “The Ultimate Life,” “Turn Around Jake” and “Bolden.”

Long before he had a SAG card or starred in any shows, he was an accomplished athlete who earned an NCAA football scholarship to Penn State University.

He began his acting career starring in a national campaign for McDonald’s after being discovered by an agent. He also went on to star in national spots for major brands like Folger’s Coffee, Irish Spring, Tartar Control Crest and American Airlines.

Withers is survived by his wife, Haiyan Liu Withers, and his daughter, Jessie Withers. Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

WITHERS, Mark (Mark Fred Withers)

Born: 6/25/1947, Binghampton, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 11/22/2024, Glendora, California, U.S.A.

 

Mark Withers’ westerns – actor:

How the West Was Won (TV) – 1978 (Tobe Harker)

Wild and Woody – 1978 (Will)

Best of the West (TV) – 1981 (Nat Lindsay)

RIP Mino Giarda

 

Maestro #27

By Didier Thunus

December 2024

 

Mino Giarda who was born in Venice, Italy on August 2, 1928. He an assistant to Carlo Lizzani on movies such as “Mussolini ultimo atto” (1974) – even co-director of “Storie di vita e malavita” (1975) according to IMDb – or to Damiano Damiani for “La moglie più bella” (1971) and many other directors, Mino Giarda finally directed his own movie in 1976, called “Per amore”. He turned to Ennio Morricone for writing the beautiful score of this love story between a pianist and a young girl, and to Luis Bacalov to play piano pieces by Chopin. But right after that, he stopped his career completely, at the age of 48. He died in Rome on March 20tha at the age of 95. He was an assistant director on two Spaghetti westerns: “A Fistful of Songs” and “For a Few Dollars Less” both in 1966.

GIARDA, Mino

Born: 8/2/1928, Venice, Veneto, Italy

Died: 3/20/2024, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Mino Giarda’s westerns – assistant director:

A Fistful of Songs – 1966

For a Few Dollars Less - 1966

RIP Wayne Northrop

 

Actor Wayne Northrop

Dead at 77 ...

'Days of Our Lives,' 'Dynasty' Star

TMZ

12/1/2024

 

Wayne Northrop -- a longtime television actor who appeared in over 1000 episodes of the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

The star's publicist, Cynthia Snyder, tells us ... Northrop passed away at the Motion Picture and Television Woodland Hills Home -- an assisted living facility for those in the film industry.

Northrop was diagnosed with Alzheimer's six years ago ... hence the need for assisted living care.

Wayne's wife, Lynn Herring Northrop, released a statement as well ... saying he took his final breath in the arms of family -- and thanking The Motion Picture and Television Home for taking great care of him in the last few years of his life.

Northrop broke into the film industry in the late 1970s ... starting out by appearing in bit roles on shows like "Baretta" and "The Waltons."

He got his big break in 1981 when he got a recurring role in the show "Dynasty" ... appearing in the pilot as Michael Culhane, chauffer to oil baron John Forsythe's Blake Carrington. He played the role in 35 episodes of the show.

Wayne's career-defining role though was in the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" ... in which he played two characters -- Dr. Alex North and Roman Brady.

He's credited for 1,036 episodes of the show ... appearing in shows from 1981 to 2006.

Other credits include ... "Port Charles," "The Young Riders," "L.A. Law," "Hotel," and "Cold Case."

Wayne married Lynn in 1981 ... and, the two purchased a working cattle ranch in California. Northop was always passionate about wildlife and conservation.

He is survived by Lynn and their two sons, Hank and Grady. Wayne was 77.

RIP

NORTHROP, Wayne (Wayne Alan Northrop)

Born: 4/12/1947, Sumner, Washington, U.S.A.

Died: 11/29/2024, Woodland Hills, California, U.S.A.

 

Wayne Northrop’s western – actor:

The Young Riders (TV) – 1989 (Ludy Bryan)

RIP Joyce Taylor

 Forever Missed 

Joyce Taylor Hinnant, 1937–2024 (87)

Fort Collins, Colorado

 

Born Joyce Crowder, actress in the Golden Age of Hollywood as Joyce Taylor, and singer as Joyce Bradley. Taylor sang in amateur shows at age 10 and turned professional at age 15, signing with Mercury Records (billed as Joyce Bradley). When she was 16, she was singing at Chez Paree nightclub in Chicago and other similar venues.[3]

She was under contract to Howard Hughes-owned RKO Pictures in the 1950s, but he only allowed her to act in one movie (a small part in Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in 1956).[4] When her seven-year contract ended, she became a regular on the science-fiction adventure TV series Men into Space (1959–1960)[5] as well as acted in many other TV shows and several feature films

The records show she remarried, in 1972, to Richard Perry Hinnant (b. 1943). Her first marriage certificate indicates she was born in 1937, not 1932 as stated on IMDb. Both of them show up as living in Fort Collins, Colorado as of 2021. She goes by the name of Joyce Taylor Hinnant

TAYLOR, Joyce (Joyce Bernice Crowder)

Born: 9/14/1937, Taylorville, Illinois, U.S.A.

Died: 1/?/2024, Ft. Collins, Colorado, U.S.A.

 

Joyce Taylor’s westerns – actress:

Lawman (TV) – 1959 (Dora Mahan Steed)

The Rough Riders (TV) – 1959 (Jenny Kirby)

Shotgun Slade (TV) – 1959 (Val Preston)

Bat Masterson (TV) – 1960 (Jane Taylor)

Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1960, 1962 (Rachel Whitman, Ann King)

Whispering Smith (TV) – 1961 (Edie Romack)

Bonanza – (TV) – 1962 (Morvath Terry)

Wagon Train (TV) – 1962 (Ruth Creech)

RIP Barbara Bestar

 

Instagram

By Douglas Ely

August 19, 2024

 

My mom died today. Many of you knew her as Barbara with Kelly, as she was a casting director for a few decades. Some may remember her as an actress who had maybe the best stage name ever: Barbara Bestar (her given name). Her married name was Barbara Ely. But I knew her as Mom. An end of an era.

Barbara Bestar- Born March 23, 1930. Died August 19, 2024.

BESTAR, Barbara

Born: 3/23/1930, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 8/19/2024, Tarzana, California, U.S.A.

 

Barbara Bestar’s westerns – actress:

Navajo Trail Riders – 1949 (Judy Clark)

The Adventures of Kit Carson (TV) 1953 1954 (Janice Bryant, Sally, Cora Langley)

Man With the Steel Whip – 1954 (Nancy Cooper)

Death Valley Days (TV) 1954, 1958, 1959 (Ellen Clayton, Kathleen O’Dell, Ginny Cluett)

The Adventures of Champion (TV) – 1955 (Letty Kenyon)

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (TV) – 1955, 1957, 1961 (Christine Trask, Lucy King, Mrs. Jane Hardin)

26 Men (TV) – 1958, 1959 (Jenny Mathews, Virginia Blane, Gina Thorpe)

Lawman (TV) – 1959 (Beth Harvey)

Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1959 (Sarah Young)

RIP Silvia Pinal

 

Silvia Pinal, the final diva from the golden days of Mexican cinema, has passed away at 94

The entertainment industry loses a cinematic legend, marking the end of a glorious era in film.

HOLA!

By Monica Tirado

November 28, 2024

 

Silvia Pinal, one of the greatest actresses in film and television, passed away on November 28, 2024, at the age of 94, her eldest daughter, Sylvia Pasquel confirmed on social media. According to reports from various Mexican media outlets, it was revealed that the artist died in Mexico City surrounded by her loved ones. Her three children, Sylvia Pasquel, Alejandra Guzmán, and Luis Enrique Guzmán, along with other family members, including her granddaughters and great-granddaughters, were by her side.

Silvia Pinal's Final Days

The legendary Mexican actress was at a medical center in the south of Mexico City due to a urinary tract infection. She was admitted on November 22nd in an emergency situation. As the days went by, her health deteriorated; however, on November 27th, it was reported that she had shown improvement and could soon leave the hospital. Unfortunately, her condition worsened, and by the 28th, she was in intensive care, facing severe difficulties. Her son, Luis Enrique Guzmán, stated that his mother was "in the process of departing."

The tragic passing of the actress was then confirmed by TelevisaUnivision. Pinal had been battling various complications for several years. In December of 2022, she had been hospitalized due to a severe case of influenza, and between February and March of this year, she required hospitalization for sores.

She is survived by her children Sylvia Pasquel, Alejandra Guzmán, and Luis Enrique Guzmán, as well as her granddaughters Stephanie, Frida Sofía, Giordana, Schersa, and her great-granddaughters Michelle Salas and Camila Valero.

Silvia Pinal's Early Years

Born on September 12, 1931, in Guaymas, Sonora, Silvia Pinal Hidalgo displayed a keen interest in the entertainment industry from a young age. After spending her early years in Sonora, she and her mother, María Luisa Hidalgo, moved to Mexico City. Despite her aspirations to make a mark in the field, her father encouraged her to pursue a different path, leading the young Silvia to study typing.

While balancing her studies and working as a secretary, Silvia Pinal sought opportunities in the entertainment world, taking singing and acting classes. At the Mexican Institute of Fine Arts (INBA), she studied under multiple renowned figures of the time, including writer Carlos Pellicer, playwright Salvador Novo, and author Xavier Villaurrutia.

She made her debut in a beauty pageant, earning the title of Student Princess of Mexico. Additionally, she participated in radio comedies on XEQ and began taking on various roles in theatrical productions in the early 1950s, appearing in works such as Los caprichos de Goya and Un sueño de cristal.

Silvia Pinal's Journey in Cinema

In 1948, Pinal had the opportunity to appear in her first film, El pecado de Laura, where she had a supporting role. This was followed by other films, including Mujer de medianoche (1949), El portero (1950), and El rey del barrio (1950). Gradually, she started landing co-starring roles in movies like Azahares para tu boda (1950) and Cuando los hijos pecan (1952).

In 1953, she received her first award—a Silver Ariel for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Un rincón cerca del cielo (1952). After this recognition, Pinal secured her first leading roles in cinema, but it was in 1954 with the film Un extraño en la escalera, co-starring Arturo de Córdoba, that she gained widespread fame.

In 1956, she collaborated with Pedro Infante in El Inocente, one of the most iconic and beloved films of her career, forming an unmatched duo. That same year, she won a Silver Ariel for Best Actress for her role in Locura pasional, written and directed by Tulio Demicheli. The following year, Silvia Pinal earned her second Ariel for Best Actress for La dulce enemiga.

Silvia Pinal: The Great Muse of Luis Buñuel

Silvia Pinal also worked in Europe with prominent directors such as José María Forqué and Fernando Fernán Gómez. One of her most notable collaborations with foreign directors was in Viridiana (1961), a film directed by Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel. This film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 1964, she also worked with Buñuel on El ángel exterminador. This film received worldwide acclaim and is listed among 'The 1000 Best Movies' by the New York Times in 2005. Her final project with Buñuel was Simón del desierto in 1965.

Silvia Pinal: Her Work on Television

In television, she starred in soap operas such as Los caudillos and Mañana es primavera, and in the late 1980s, she created and produced Mujer: casos de la vida real, which depicted cases and issues affecting Mexican society at that time. This program aired for 21 years until it concluded in 2007. She produced the Mexican version of Mame, a musical comedy. In 1988, she acquired Cine Estadio, which she refurbished and transformed into Teatro Silvia Pinal.

In the 2000s, she appeared in soap operas and series such as Fuego en la sangre, Mujeres asesinas, Soy tu dueña, Mi marido tiene familia, and its sequel. In 2008, she won the Ariel de Oro for her outstanding career and collected four Diosas de Plata awards.

Between 2021 and 2022, she filmed the short film El escandaloso encanto de los egos rotos, her final film which was directed by Jaime Urquiza.

Silvia Pinal's Work in Politics

In the political arena, the actress held significant positions, serving as the First Lady of Tlaxcala from 1981 to 1987. In 1991, she joined the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and was elected as a federal deputy. She later became a senator for the same party, serving from 1997 to 2000.

Silvia Pinal’s Married Life

Regarding her personal life, she was married four times. Her first marriage was to Rafael Blanquells from 1947 to 1952, and from this union, their first child, Sylvia Pasquel, was born. Her second marriage was to businessman and film producer Gustavo Alatriste, with whom she had Viridiana Alatriste, who tragically died in a car accident in 1982 at the age of 19. Her third marriage was to singer Enrique Guzmán, who was 11 years her junior. They were together for nine years and had two children, Alejandra Guzmán and Luis Enrique Guzmán, before divorcing in 1976.

Her fourth and final marriage was to politician and Governor of Tlaxcala, Tulio Hernández Gómez. They were married for 13 years until their divorce in 1995.

PINAL, Silvia (Silvia Pinal Hidalgo)

Born: 9/12/1931, Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico

Died: 11/28/2024, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Silvia Pinal’s westerns – actress:

El puño del amo – 1958 (Soldead)

Guns for San Sebastian – 1968 (Felicia)

Bang bang al hoyo – 1971 (widow)

RIP Claudia Isaac

 

Claudio Isaac, filmmaker and writer, dies at 67

24 Horas

Ny Demian Garcia

November 27, 2024

 

On the afternoon of this Wednesday, November 27, the death of filmmaker and writer Claudio Isaac (Mexico City, 1957-Ibidem, 2024) at the age of 67 was reported.

"With deep sorrow we communicate the death of our beloved author Claudio Isaac," wrote the Tedium Vitae Publishing House through its Facebook account in a brief and heartfelt statement.

"We are honored to have published part of his work, which with his sensitivity and humanity touched so many lives. We join in the grief of his family and friends. His artistic legacy will remain among us," added the publishing house of the Mexican painter.

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Claudio Isaac, an artist's life

According to the records, he was a self-taught artist in all the disciplines he practiced. He made his acting debut as a young pupil of Arturo Ripstein in Tiempo de morir (1965), only to later become an assistant director for the same filmmaker in Foxtrot (1975).

Although a year later, in 1976, he premiered his debut film, it was not until the first half of the 1980s that the passions that haunted him until his death began to come together clearly: literature, documentation, and cinema. He then directed, in this order, Algo sobre Jaime Sabines (1980), Guadalupe amor, un caso mitológico (1981) and Octavio Paz, El lenguaje de los árboles (1983).

By the second half of the nineties, after having intimately drawn the life of the myth Pedro Infante, he constructed in his own way unique portraits of Abel Quezada, José Luis Cuevas and the Guatemalan short story writer Augusto Monterroso.

This seemed to be the foundation of a career as a documentary filmmaker, in which he built dozens of profiles of living writers. Sometime later he hosted programs for TVUNAM and Canal 22 and wrote for cultural magazines and newspapers such as Letras Libres, La tempestad, Nexos, Este País, El Financiero and El Universal.

Finally, those who accompanied his journey during his last years say that he devoted himself entirely to painting. From writing, directing and continuing to make films, all the legacy he left while he was alive remains.

ISAAC, Claudio (Claudio Isaac Rueda)

Born: 4/15/1957, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 11/27/2024, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Claudio Isaac’s western – actor:

Time to Die – 1966 (Claudio Sampedro)

RIP Scott L. Schwartz

 

Wrestler turned actor Scott L. Schwartz dead at 65

Slam

By Greg Oliver

November 27, 2024

 

Scott L. Schwartz, who has died at the age of 65, liked to bill himself as “Hollywood’s Ultimate Bad Guy” — though that was decidedly all promo material that he learned from his pro wrestling days.

Instead, tributes are flowing in for a truly nice guy.

Long-time friend and fellow actor Rick Zahn shared the news on Facebook on November 26:

Today the world lost a good man. The acting community lost a terrific actor. The law enforcement community in Los Angeles lost a good ambassador and community spokesperson. The breast cancer community lost a staunch supporter. A woman lost a devoted husband. And I lost a dear friend, Scott Schwartz.

At 6’10”, Scott was one of the rare few I looked up to. But it wasn’t just because he was actually taller. It was because of his heart. He lived life with passion. And he adored his wife, Misty.

Scott has battled ill health these past couple of years. But with Misty at his side, Scott peacefully transitioned. The suffering is over.

Please join me in extending sincere condolences to Misty and Scott’s family. This one hurts. And while Thursday is going to be tougher this time, I am still grateful that this big-hearted lug touched my life. Thanks, Scott, for giving me one more reason to understand the meaning of HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Schwartz, born March 16, 1959, in Philadelphia, he attended George Washington High School, where he played football and baseball, and, would tower over others on skates while playing hockey — after all, he grew into a 6-foot-10, 300-pound giant. He would often credit “kugel and matzo ball soup” for his growth, while acknowledging his Jewish roots. After graduating high school in 1977, he attended Temple University, but then switched it all up, and sought out Killer Kowalski to train as a professional wrestler.

He debuted in 1979 as Giant David.

Kowalski ran shows around the northeast, including many of his trainees such as Kevin Hughes, Jeff Costa, Tony Ulysses, Chris Grant, Jethro Chambers, Mike Madison, Dan Petty, and Richard Byrne.

Wrestling helped Schwartz travel, including trips to Europe and South Africa.

“For the pro wrestling and acting community. I just saw that former wrestler Scott Schwartz who wrestled as The Giant David many years ago has passed,” posted former referee Sal Corrente to Facebook. “Scott has been an actor in LA for about 30 years. I would run in to him out there at events from time to time. He was an all around [good] guy a Gentleman Giant. We were on shows for Mark Tendler together back in the day. Absolutely a guy gone way too soon. He always seemed to have a big booming smile that went along with his giant size.”

The character Schwartz portrayed changed through time, and he became “The Israeli Commando” Joshua Ben-Gurion.

While wrestling on TV in California, he caught the eye of a Hollywood agent.

Acting, as he told SlamWrestling.net’s Dave Hillhouse in this lengthy 2006 interview — Scott L. Schwartz: ‘That guy’ onscreen — was something he fell into. Schwartz had planned to always be a pro wrestler.

After finding representation, Schwartz really never stopped working as an actor or stuntman, and only reluctantly stopped wrestling a few years into his new career.

The “L” stands for Leslie, but he used it professionally to differentiate himself from actor Scott Schwartz, who was in A Christmas Story, and another adult film star. He did attend a Michael Shurtleff workshop to improve his acting.

For all the mainstream movie appearances, like Fun With Dick And Jane, Ocean’s Twelve, Spider-Man, Flintstones 2-Rock Vegas and Rocky and Bullwinkle, there were appearances in industrial videos for companies such as Grease Monkey and Exxon, and even print ads, like Micro Computers. You can see Schwartz — he was hard to miss — in music videos too, like Ozzy Osbourne’s “Coming Home” and Heart’s “What About Love”.

Oh, there was TV too. He was an Orion guard on Star Trek: Enterprise and Alpha Hirogen on Star Trek: Voyager, a demon on Charmed, and returned for multiple episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel, Nash Bridges, and The Tick. One-offs, like popping up for a skit on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno only helped his career.

He was a lead in the 2009 movie Lost in the Woods with Michael Madsen.

He wrote, directed and produced the 2010 movie Changing Hands, starring Eddie Jemison, David ‘Shark’ Fralick and Erika Eleniak; he made sure to find a role for his good friend and acting/wrestling mentor Jack “Wildman” Armstrong.

SCHWARTZ, Scott L. (Scott Leslie Schwartz)

Born: 3/16/1959 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Died: 11/16/2024, U.S.A.

 

Scott L. Schwartz’s western – actor:

Savate – 1995 (Bruno the Horrible)

RIP Katinka Faragó

 

Film producer Katinka Faragó has died

Film producer Katinka Faragó has passed away, 87 years old, the family reports to Sveriges Radio's "Culture News". For nearly seven decades, she worked within Swedish film.

Sweden Herald

November 27, 2024

 

She began her career as a script girl, among other things in Ingmar Bergman's films where she also became a production manager. They worked together for 30 years and made 19 films together, including "The Magic Flute".

Katinka Faragó also collaborated with directors such as Mai Zetterling, Jan Troell, Alf Kjellin, Hasse Ekman, Vilgot Sjöman, Gunnel Lindblom, and Colin Nutley. She began her career as a producer with Stig Björkman's "Behind the Blind" in 1984, followed by Kjell Grede's "Hip Hip Hurrah!" three years later. She also produced films such as Per Åhlin's "The Journey to Melonia" and Daniel Alfredson's "Tic Tac".

When Katinka Faragó received an honorary Guldbagge in 2016, she was described as "the backbone of the Swedish film industry". The autobiography she wrote together with Birgitta Kristoffersson was titled "Katinka and the Directors – 125 Films and 55 Years Behind the Camera".

The Swedish Film Institute's CEO, Anna Croneman, describes Katinka Faragó as "a legend". When she stopped being a producer, she devoted great energy to inspiring young talents, including Anna Croneman, who at 19 years old had applied to the Dramatic Institute for the first time and was not accepted. The same evening, she was called by jury member Katinka Faragó, who said "don't be sad, you don't need film school".

"She was incredibly straightforward and kind in a unique combination, and I was very sad to hear that she had left us", says Anna Croneman in a comment.

FARAGO, Katinka (Katerina Faragó)

Born: 12/16/1936, Vienna, Austria

Died: 11/27/2024, Stockholm, Sweden

 

Katinka Faragó’s westerns – script supervisor, script advisor:

The Emigrants – 1971 [script supervisor]

The New Land – 1972 [script advisor]

RIP Earl Holliman

 

Earl Holliman, Actor on ‘Police Woman,’ Dies at 96

He starred on the first 'Twilight Zone' and appeared on the big screen in 'The Rainmaker,' 'Giant' and 'The Sons of Katie Elder.'

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

November 26, 2024

 

Earl Holliman, the actor best known for playing Angie Dickinson’s boss on the 1970s NBC cop drama Police Woman, has died. He was 96.

Holliman died Monday in hospice care at his home in Studio City, his spouse, Craig Curtis, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Holliman won a best supporting actor Golden Globe for portraying Katharine Hepburn’s girl-crazy kid brother in The Rainmaker (1956) — he beat out Elvis Presley for the role — and then appeared in another Burt Lancaster film, as Wyatt Earp’s assistant in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957).

In the George Stevens epic Giant (1956), the Louisiana native played the son-in-law of Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson’s characters, was the cook in Forbidden Planet (1956) and appeared as the brother of John Wayne, Dean Martin and Michael Anderson Jr. in Henry Hathaway’s The Sons of Katie Elder (1965).

Holliman also portrayed a man with amnesia in a deserted town on the very first episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone, “Where Is Everybody?” which premiered on Oct. 2, 1959.

Also during the 1959-60 TV season, Holliman starred as Sundance, a Colorado gunslinger-turned-marshal with a sidekick — a dog named Useless — on the short-lived Hotel de Paree.

Three years later, Holliman toplined another TV Western, NBC’s Wide Country; he played a rodeo star on that Ralph Edwards-produced series, but that lasted only a season as well.

Holliman replaced Bert Convy after the pilot to star as the macho Lt. Bill Crowley on Police Woman, which aired from 1974-78. He shared a pleasant chemistry with Dickinson, who starred as LAPD undercover cop Sgt. Suzanne “Pepper” Anderson, on the series’ four seasons.

“She’d get into trouble and I’d run in and save her,” Holliman, talking about a typical Police Woman storyline, said in a 2003 interview. “I would make some smart remark and she would come back at me in some sexy kind of way, and a lot of that was ad-libbed. We had a tacit kind of permission to do that.”

Henry Earl Holliman was born on Sept. 11, 1928, in Delhi, Louisiana. His natural father died six months before he was born, and Holliman was placed in an orphanage before being adopted when he was a week old.

“When [his adoptive parents] came to see me, I was sick and they took me right away to the doctor, who apparently said, ‘You don’t have a baby here, you have a funeral expense,'” he said. “They paid the midwife $7.50 for me — this was in the backwoods of Louisiana.

“I had wonderful parents who gave me all the love in the world. They encouraged me to be whatever I can be. I was their only child.”

Holliman dreamed about becoming an actor, and when he was 14, shortly after his father died, he hitchhiked from a relative’s home in Texarkana, Texas, to the outskirts of Hollywood.

He was talked into returning home, so he came back to Oil City High School, where he played tackle on the football team and was voted president of his senior class.

After a stint in the U.S. Navy, Holliman studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and made his professional debut with one line of dialogue as an elevator operator in the Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis comedy Scared Stiff (1953).

He had minor roles in four other films that year, and in 1954, he played Spencer Tracy’s son in Broken Lance and appeared with William Holden and Grace Kelly in The Bridges at Toko-Ri.

In 1957, Holliman starred on an installment of CBS’ Playhouse 90 called “The Dark Side of the Earth,” which was written by Serling. That put him on the writer’s radar for The Twilight Zone.

Holliman received another Globe nomination in 1993 for playing a gruff bar owner on the short-lived ABC series Delta, starring Delta Burke, and he portrayed Luddie Mueller on the landmark 1983 ABC miniseries The Thorn Birds.

His other TV credits included Gunsmoke, Cannon, Bonanza, Slattery’s People, The Fugitive, Dr. Kildare, The Six Million Dollar Man, Empty Nest, Murder, She Wrote and Caroline in the City.

Holliman also was in such as films as I Died a Thousand Times (1955), Hot Spell (1958), Last Train From Gun Hill (1959), Summer and Smoke (1961), A Covenant With Death (1967), The Power (1968), Anzio (1968), The Biscuit Eater (1972), Bad City Blues (1999) and The Perfect Tenant (2000).

Holliman ran the Fiesta Dinner Theatre in San Antonio for many years and served as president of Actors and Others for Animals, which promoted animal population control.

HOLLIMAN, Earl (Henry Earl Holliman)

Born: 9/11/1928, Delhi, Louisiana, U.S.A.

Died: 11/25/2024, Studio City, California, U.S.A.

 

Earl Holliman’s westerns – actor:

Pony Soldier – 1952

Devil’s Canyon – 1953 (Joe)

Broken Lance – 1954 (Denny Devereaux)

The Burning Hills – 1956 (Mort Bayliss)

Giant – 1956 (‘Bob’ Dance)

The Rainmaker – 1956 (Jim Curry)

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – 1957 (Charles Bassett)

Trooper Hook – 1957 (Jeff Bennett)

The Last Train from Gun Hill – 1959 (Rick Belden)

Hotel de Paree (TV) – 1959-1960 (Sundance)

The Wide Country (TV) 1962-1963 (Mitch Guthrie)

The Sons of Katie Elder – 1965 (Matt Elder)

Bonanza (TV) – 1965 (Sherman Clegg)

The Virginian (TV) – 1965 (Wiley)

Custer (TV) – 1967 (Dan Samuels)

The Desperate Mission (TV) 1969 (Shad Clay)

Gunsmoke (TV) – 1969, 1970, 1973 (Boone Shadler, Hackett, Will)

Alias Smith and Jone (TV) – 1971 (Wheat)

Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (TV) – 1987 (Jake Flagg)

RIP Julio Medina

 

Julio Medina, Colombian acting legend, passed away

National television is mourning the death of one of its most emblematic figures, who passed away at the age of 91.

VEA

By Redacción Vea

November 23, 2024

 

It was with deep sadness that it was reported in recent hours that Julio Medina, one of the first actors of Colombian television, died on November 23 at the age of 91, leaving a great legacy on the small screen.

This news was confirmed to Vea magazine by Julio Hernán Correa, president of the Colombian Association of Actors (ACA), who said that "Julio was very sick" and died on Saturday morning. However, the causes of death have not yet been revealed.

After the news was announced, social networks were flooded with messages of condolence and recognition of Julio Medina's career. Colleagues, friends and followers expressed their sorrow for the loss of this great actor, whom they also remember as a man of great sensitivity and generosity who "always had a kind word".

"May he rest in peace, my dear friend Julio. You are loved very much and will always be a great inspiration. Also thank you for being part of my life and allowing me to meet you," Edwin Rodríguez, general producer of RTVC, wrote on social networks.

A review of Julio Medina's career

Born in the municipality of Chiquinquirá (Boyacá), he traveled to the United States at a very young age to pursue his dream of being an actor. Thanks to his insistence, but above all because of his talent, he managed to make his debut on American television as part of the series Gunsmoke (1965).

As for Colombian television, Julio Medina won the hearts of the public with his work in popular soap operas, such as Los Cuervos, En cuerpo ajeno, Las aguas mansas, La viuda de blanco, Amor en custodia, Malcriados, Venganza and Sin senos sí hay paraíso.

It should be remembered that, for several years, the actor from Boyacá decided to spend his last years in a geriatric home.

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Julio Medina's friends and followers will be able to say their last goodbyes, according to the information learned by this media, at the Gaviria Funeral Home in Bogotá (Carrera 13 No. 43A-45), in room number 3, starting at 11 a.m. on November 24.

It is with deep sadness that Vea magazine joins the national mourning for the departure of Julio Medina. His legacy as an actor and his contribution to Colombian culture will last forever.

MEDINA, Julio (Julio Medina Salazar)

Born: 1/16/1933, Chiquinquirá, Boyacá, Colombia

Died: 11/23/2024, Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia

 

Julio Medina’s westerns – actor:

Gunsmoke (TV) 1965, 1970, 1972 (Fermin, Rodriguez, Pedro)

The Wild Wild West (TV) – 1968, 1969 (townsman, Don Carlos)

The High Chaparral (TV) – 1969, 1970 (man, Sanchez)

Kung Fu (TV) – 1973, 1975 (padre, Father Salazar)

Centenial (TV) – 1979 (Father Gravez)

Zorro: la Espada y la Rosa (TV) – 2007 (Maestro Abelado Samaniedo de Villaire)

The New Adventures of Zorro (TV) – 1981 [voice of Miguel]

RIP Toian Matchinga

 

Toian Matchinga, Actress on ‘The Wild Wild West,’ Dies at 82

A frequent TV guest star in the 1960s and ’70s, she also appeared in films for directors Don Siegel, Irvin Kershner and Costa-Gavras.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

November 20, 2024

 

Toian Matchinga, who guest-starred three times on the 1960s CBS series The Wild Wild West and appeared on such other shows as Death Valley Days, I Dream of Jeannie and The Odd Couple, has died. She was 82.

Matchinga, who later in her acting career went by her birth name, Caryn Matchinga, died Sunday of natural causes at home in Belmont, Massachusetts, her family announced.

In films, Matchinga appeared for Don Siegel in Madigan (1968), for Irvin Kershner in Up the Sandbox (1972) and NBC’s Raid on Entebbe (1977) and, in her final onscreen role, for Costa-Gavras in Mad City (1997).

The Ohio native booked gigs on The Wild Wild West, which starred Robert Conrad and Ross Martin, in 1965, 1967 and 1969. Her résumé also includes episodes of The Wackiest Ship in the Army, The Rat Patrol, The Flying Nun, The Big Valley, Rango, Ellery Queen and Rich Man, Poor Man.

Caryn Lee Matchinga was born in Painesville, Ohio, on Nov. 23, 1941, to Rudolph and Alma Matchinga. She received an acting and playwright scholarship to Carnegie Mellon, then moved to New York, where she made her first TV appearance on the late-night talk show PM East/PM West, hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson.

While she was an actress, Matchinga also worked as a ghostwriter for MGM, NBC and Paramount Pictures, and she wrote an erotic novel, The Girl, that was published in 2012 under her stage name.

She married Harold Brown on New Year’s Eve in 1976, and they were together until his death in 2004.

Survivors include her son, Jeremy; her daughter-in-law, Betsy; her grandchildren, Zoe and Zachary; and her siblings, Bonnie and Rudy.

“Caryn was a gifted storyteller, often sharing outrageous and hilarious tales from her colorful life in New York and Hollywood,” her family noted. “She had a knack for leaving everyone around her in stitches and maybe just a bit uncomfortable.”

Donations in her memory can be made to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

MATCHINGA, Toian (Caryn Lee Matchinga)

Born: 11/23/1941, Painesville, Ohio, U.S.A.

Died: 11/17/2024, Belmont, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

 

Toian Matchinga’s westerns – actress:

The Wild Wild West (TV) – 1965, 1967, 1969 (Cosina, Henriette Fauer, Lola Bracer

Death Valley Days (TV) – 1966 (Gloria Chavez, Maria)

Iron Horse (TV) – 1966 (Serafina)

The Big Valley (TV) – 1967 (Seataki)

Rango (TV) – 1967 (Carmelita)

RIP Lucian Iancu

 

Actor Lucian Iancu died at the age of 84

DIGI24

11/20/2024

 

Actor Lucian Iancu, an unavoidable name in the history of the Constanta and national theatre, has died at the age of 84, the team of the Constanta State Theatre has announced, News.ro reports.

Lucian Iancu has played over sixty roles on the Constanta stage, from Ianke in "Take, Ianke and Cadîr" by Victor Ion Popa, Palaestrio in "Miles Gloriosus" by Plautus, directed by Silviu Purcărete, Agamemnon in "The Legends of the Actresses", directed by Silviu Purcărete, The Father in "The Game of Life and Death in the Ash Desert" directed by Gheorghe Jora - a show that was taken over and broadcast by the Romanian Television, Lunardo from "The Badarans" by Carlo Goldoni, directed by Dominic Dembinski, Mr. Papillon from "The Rhinoceroses" by Eugen Ionescu, directed by Laurian Oniga, Jupân Dumitrache from "A Stormy Night" directed by Gheorghe Jora, Willy Loman from "The Death of a Salesman", Ulysses from "Penthesileea" directed by Cătălina Buzoianu, Dron from "The Seagull" by A.P. Chekhov, Gaev from "The Cherry Orchard", Zorn from "The Car Breakdown" by Dürrenmatt, directed by Sorin Militaru and many others.

He directed the shows "Revenge" by Aleksander Fredro (1980), "George Dandin or the Fooled Husband" by Molière (1994), "I Arrive Tonight" by Tudor Muşatescu (1996), "A Winter Night's Dream" by Tudor Muşatescu (1998), "Scenes from the Life of Constantine the Great" by Cristina Tamaş (2002), "The Elixir of Love" written and directed by Lucian Iancu (2002), "Tache Ianke and Cadâr" by Victor Ion Popa (2003), "The Last Hour" by Mihail Sebastian (2003), his last show staged on the stage of the Constanta State Theater being "The Jays" by Alexandru Kiriţescu, which had a long life and always had full halls.

He translated and published many texts in the magazine "Tomis", some of them were also staged.

Before arriving in Constanta, he worked in the theaters of Botoşani (where he played the role of Cyrano in "Cyrano de Bergerac" by Edmond Rostand) and in Piatra Neamţ - where he played in the famous shows with which he launched himself into the world of theater Andrei Şerban, "The Night of Entanglements" and "The Good Man of Seciuan", then he played at the Small Theater in Bucharest.

He was director of the Constanta theater on two occasions, between 1984 – 1985 and between 1994 – 1998, he was a professor at Hyperion University and dean of the Faculty of Theater of the "Ovidius" University. In the '90s he was invited to play in Limoges, in the show "Three Sisters" by A.P. Chekhov, directed by Silviu Purcărete.

He was part of the golden pleiad of the Constanta theater, along with Vasile Cojocaru, Eugen Mazilu, Titus Gurgulescu, Liviu Manolache, Virgil Andriescu, Iulian Enache, Lică Gherghilescu. He has starred in over twenty cinema and television films and has been awarded numerous awards.

Before the 1989 Revolution, he tried to leave Romania illegally aboard the mineral vessel led by Florentin Scaleţchi, which was diverted to Istanbul, and was sentenced in 1985 to a 20-year prison sentence. The day immediately after his escape attempt, the theater was ordered to burn all the posters, show programs and photographs in which his name or face appeared, over 20,000 copies. He was a political prisoner for five years at the Poarta Albă Penitentiary and at the Aiud Penitentiary.

On February 2, 2020, at the State Theater of Constanta, a surprise event was organized for Lucian Iancu, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, just before the performance of the show "The Jays" by Alexandru Kiriţescu, directed by him, a show that premiered in 2012 and was played with full halls until the theater building went into renovation, in 2022.

IANCU, Lucian

Born: 2/3/1940, Constanța, Romania

Died: 11/20/2024, Bucharest. Romania

 

Lucian Iancu’s westerns – actor:

Apaches – 1973 (Chico)

The Prophet, the Gold and the Transylvanians – 1977 (Will Clanton) [as Iancu Lucian]

The Oil, the Baby and the Transylvanians – 1981 (McCallum henchman) [as Iancu

     Lucian]

RIP Charles Dumont

 

Charles Dumont, composer of Edith Piaf's "No, I Regret Nothing", has died

Singer, author, composer, the musician had also collaborated with Barbra Streisand, Dalida and Tino Rossi. He died on Sunday night in Paris at the age of 95.

Le Monde

November 18, 2024

 

Singer-songwriter Charles Dumont, composer of Edith Piaf's Non, je ne regrette rien, died on the night of Sunday 17 to Monday 18 November in Paris at the age of 95, following a long illness, his partner announced to Agence France-Presse (AFP). On X, the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, paid tribute to the memory of "a sacred monster of French song".

The career of this trained trumpeter took a major turn when he convinced the star Edith Piaf to perform one of his compositions. It was in 1956 that the notes of what would become one of the most famous French songs in the world came out of the piano of Charles Dumont, then a little-known 27-year-old musician. But the singer is not convinced. "Piaf had already fired me three times, I didn't want to see her again," Charles Dumont told AFP in 2018. "But Michel Vaucaire, who wrote the lyrics, convinced me to try again in 1960. When she heard that I would be there, she screamed, demanding that the appointment be cancelled.”

"We still went to her home. She let us in. I played the piece on the piano. And... We never left each other," he said. "At that time, she was at her worst and this title brought her resurrection." No, je ne regrette rien (No, I Regret Nothing) has since become an unforgettable standard of La Vie en Rose, known throughout the world.

This was the beginning of a collaboration lasting several years, until Piaf's death in 1963, which gave birth to more than 30 pieces, including Mon dieu, Les Flonflons du bal and Les Amants. "My mother gave birth to me, but Edith Piaf put me in the world," said the singer and pianist born in Cahors on March 26, 1929. "Without her, I would never have done everything I did, neither as a composer nor as a singer," he said in an interview with AFP in 2015.

Throughout his sixty-year career, Charles Dumont has also collaborated with Dalida and Tino Rossi and had become a "crooner" at the end of the 1960s, abandoning his protest songs. He then released a series of albums in which the theme of love was central. The album Une femme had earned him the Prix de l'Académie Charles-Cros in 1973.

Charles Dumont also worked with Barbra Streisand. "It was fate that kicked me in the butt. A publisher advised me to offer her one of my compositions. I went to New York. I played it on a piano in her Broadway dressing room (...). She told me: "I like it a lot. I'll make the record. Goodbye, young man." The Wall, sung in French on the A side, and its English version entitled I've Been Here, on the B side, appear on the star's 8^th album, Je m'appelle Barbra, released in 1966.

His last stage appearance was in 2019 at the Théâtre de la Tour Eiffel. "When you come back in front of an audience, who come to see you as they came twenty, thirty or forty years ago and give you the same welcome, then they give you back your 20 years," he said.

DUMONT, Charles

Born: 2/26/1929, Cahors, Lot, France

Died: 11/18/2024, Cahors, Lot, France

 

Charles Dumont’s western – composer:

Belle Starr – 1968