RIP Helen Siff

 

Helen Siff, Actress in ‘Hail, Caesar!’ and ‘You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,’ Dies at 88

The veteran character actress also showed up on television in everything from ‘Lou Grant’ and ‘Married … With Children’ to ‘Modern Family’ and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

December 21, 2025

 

Helen Siff, the familiar character actress who during her five-decade career was seen on dozens of TV shows and in such films as The Karate Kid, Hail, Caesar! and You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, has died. She was 88.

Siff died Thursday in Los Angeles of complications from surgery for a “long, painful illness,” her family announced.

“Those who worked with Helen knew her not just as a talented performer, but as someone who brought professionalism, dedication and genuine kindness to every set,” they said. “She understood that every role, no matter how large or small, was an opportunity to contribute something meaningful to the story being told.”

Her TV résumé included stints on Lou Grant, Cagney & Lacey, Silver Spoons, L.A. Law, Knots Landing, Ellen, Married … With Children, Dharma & Greg, Scrubs, Will & Grace, My Name Is Earl, Modern Family, S.W.AT., Mom, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Good Trouble.

On the stage, Siff originated the role of Helga in a 1993 off-Broadway production of Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral, a comedy about a Jewish funeral gone wrong that involves the audience, and she also appeared in Lilies of the Field, Lost in Yonkers and Over the River and Through the Woods.

For her first commercial, the Woodmere, New York, native appeared with her identical twin sister, Carol Infield Sender, in a “Two Cars in One” spot for Subaru in 1976.

Siff portrayed a cashier in John G. Avildsen’s The Karate Kid (1984), a woman named Mrs. Skitzer who gets her hair done in You Don’t Mess With the Zohan (2008) and a maid who cleans the Malibu home of Channing Tatum’s communist character in the Coen brothers’ Hail, Caesar! (2016).

She also showed up on the big screen in Avildsen’s Rocky (1976), Big Top Pee-wee (1988), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988), City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold (1994) and The Disappearance of Mrs. Wu (2001).

“She had the rare gift of making even the smallest part memorable,” her family noted.

In addition to Carol and another sister, Janet, survivors include her son, Matt; daughters Susie, Karen, Vicki and Jenny, a Hollywood script supervisor; and grandchildren Chelsea, Zach, Robert, Josh, Spencer, Megan and Dean.

Her husband of 41 years, Marshall, an attorney, died in 2007 of complications from Alzheimer’s. Another son, Bruce, died in 1999.

SIFF, Helen (Helen Joan Infield)

Born: 6/2/1937, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 12/19/2025, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Helen Siff’s western – actress:

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold – 1994 (Slushing Lady)

RIP James Ransone

 James Ransone, ‘The Wire’ actor, dead by suicide at 46

The New York Post

By Eric Todisco

December 21, 2025

 

James Ransone, who played Ziggy Sobotka in “The Wire” and a host of other HBO roles has died. He was 46.

Ransone died by suicide in LA on Friday, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

He was a married father of two, and wife Jamie McPhee posted a fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in her social media profile.

Ransone’s cause of death was listed as “hanging,” while his place of death was listed as “shed.” His body is ready for release, the LA County Medical Examiner’s records stated.

The Post has reached out to reps for Ransone and “The Wire” creator David Simon for comment.

Ransone portrayed Frank Sobotka’s (Chris Bauer) son, Baltimore dock worker Ziggy, in the second season of “The Wire."

He appeared in 12 episodes total in 2003.

The critically acclaimed HBO series aired from 2002 to 2008, starring Dominic West, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Frankie Faison, Lawrence Gilliard Jr. and more.

Ransone also had roles in the shows “Generation Kill,” “Treme” and “Bosch.” His final TV appearance was in a Season 2 episode of “Poker Face” that aired in June.

In film, Ransone starred in “Prom Night” (2008), “Sinister” (2012), “Sinister 2” (2015), “Tangerine” (2015), “Mr. Right” (2015), “It Chapter Two (2019), “The Black Phone” (2021) and “Black Phone 2” (2025).

In 2021, Ransone came forward as a sexual abuse survivor.

The actor said that his former tutor, Timothy Rualo, sexually abused him numerous times at his childhood home in Phoenix, Maryland, over the course of six months in 1992.

Ransone made the accusation public by posting a lengthy note on Instagram that he sent his alleged sexual abuser.

“We did very little math,” Ransone recalled. “The strongest memory I have of the abuse was washing blood and feces out of my sheets after you left. I remember doing this as a 12-year-old because I was too ashamed to tell anyone.”

The alleged abuse led to a “lifetime of shame and embarrassment” for Ransone, who told Rualo his actions propelled him to become an alcoholic and a heroin addict. After getting sober in 2006, Ransone said he was “ready to confront” his past. He later reported the accusations to Baltimore County police in March 2020.

A detective then told Ransone in September that prosecutors “had no interest in pursuing the matter any further,” according to his email.

The Baltimore County State’s Attorney Office ultimately did not bring charges following the police investigation, the Baltimore Sun reported.

In 2016, Ransone revealed in an Interview Magazine story that he got sober at age 27 “after being on heroin for five years.”

“People think I got sober working on the ‘Generation Kill.’ I didn’t. I sobered up six or seven months before that,” he shared. “I remember going to Africa and I was going to be there for almost a year. I was number two on the call sheet and I was like, “I think somebody made a mistake. This is too much responsibility for me.”

RANSONE, James (James Finley Ransone III)

Born: 6/2/1979, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Died: 12/19/2025, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A

 

James Ransone’s westerns – actor:

The Timber – 2015 (Wyatt)

In a Valley of Violence - 2016 (Gilly) 

RIP Thomas Wolff

 

DEFA – Stiftung – Newsletter

10/3/2025

German actor and voice dubber Thomas Wolff who was the son of East German actor Gerry Wolff died in Birkenwerder, Brandenburg, Germay on October 2^nd He was 74. Born in East Berlin on June 17, 1951, he was seen in DEFA film productions. As a voice actor, he was best known for the role of Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce in the series M*A*S*H (played by Alan Alda). He also voiced Danny Trejo, Michael Madsen and Steven Seagal.

WOLFF, Thomas

Born: 6/17/1951, East Berlin, Germany

Died: 10/2/2025, Birkenwerder, Brandenburg, Germany

 

Thomas Wolff’s western – actor:

Bonanza (TV) – 1960, 1961, 1963 [German voice of Ricardo Montalban, Charles Maxwell, Med

     Flory]

The Wild Wild West (TV) – 1965, 1966 [John Astin, Michael Masters]

Django and Sartana are Coming – 1970 [German voice of Benito Pacifico]

Winterhawk – 1975 [German voice of Michael Dante]

Severino – 1978 (Luis Cortinez)

The Yellow Rose (TV) – 1983-1984 [German voice of George Fisher]

Hawken's Breed – 1987 [German voice of Jack Elam]

Thunder Warrior III – 1988 [German voice of Cookie]

Powwow Highway – 1989 [German voice of Roscoe Born]

Dead Man – 1995 [German voice of Iggy Pop]

Don't Come Knocking – 2005 [German voice of an Indian]

Call of the Wild – 2009 [German voice of Wes Studi]

RIP Bob Burns

 

Bob Burns (1935 – 2025)

My 2 Cents

by Bill Hunt

December 16, 2025

 

We are truly heartbroken this evening to learn that our dear friend Bob Burns has died.

Bob and his wife Kathy, who passed in 2021, were two of the kindest and most generous human beings I’ve ever had the honor of knowing in my time in Hollywood.

Together, they safeguarded a deep well of knowledge about the history of genre cinema, and so many of its most sacred artifacts, as the keepers of Hollywood’s attic.

I’ll never forget those joyous occasions when The Digital Bits crew had the opportunity to visit Bob’s Basement.

Kathy always greeted your arrival with a plate of freshly-baked cookies—after you’d shared enormous bear hugs with each of them first, of course.

You truly felt like Indiana Jones while roaming the aisles of their treasure trove of iconic props and costumes. [Read on here...]

Every time they heard you gasp and exclaim, “Oh my God, is that the—?!” Bob would immediately reply, “It sure is—go ahead and pick it up!” and Kathy would quickly add, “Bob, tell them the story!” which would prompt a riveting 20-30 minute tale about how the prop was made and by whom, how it was cleverly used in the film or series in question, and how it came into their protective hands.

It’s no exaggeration when I say this: Never in my life have I met anyone with as hearts as big as Bob and Kathy.

And the only thing that eases my sadness tonight at the news of Bob’s passing, is the knowledge that maybe… just maybe… the two of them are together once again in the Great Beyond.

I know I speak for all of us here at The Digital Bits, team members both past and present, when I close with this…

Love you, Bob.

Hug Kathy for us! And Godspeed.

 

BURNS III, Bob (Robert Rago Burns)

Born: 5/12/1935, Oklahoma, U.S.A.

Died: 12/16/2025, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Bob Burns western – actor:

Distant Drums – 1951 (Indian boy)

RIP Heinz Röske

 

DEFA – Stiftung – Newsletter

December 6, 2025

 

Heinz Röske (2.6.1939–16.10.2025), Szenenbildner, bei der DEFA u.a. WEISSE WO LFE

(1968), TECUMSEH (1972), ULZANA (1973), ERSCHEINEN PFLICHT (1983), JAN AUF

DER ZILLE (1985), DAS HERZ DES PIRATEN (1986/87), ZWEI SCHRA GE VO GEL (1989)

Heinz Röske died in Germany on October 3^rd. He was 86. Röske was born in Bernau, Germany on Jun3 2, 1939 and worked a DEFA as a production Design, Art Direction, Set Designer, and Set Decoration on over 35 films between 1969 and 1996. Among those films were thirteen westerns.

ROSKE, Heinz

Born: 6/2/1939, Bernau, Brandenburg, Germany

Died: 10/3/2025, Germany

 

Heinz Röske’s western – production designer:

The Sons of Great Bear – 1966

Chingachgook, the Great Snake - 1967

Trail of the Falcon – 1968

White Wolves – 1969

Fatal Error - 1970

Osceola - 1971

Tecumseh – 1972

Apaches – 1973

Kit & Co. - 1974

Ulzana - 1974

Blood Brothers – 1975

Sing Cowboy Sing - 1981

The Scout – 1983

RIP Gil Gerard

 

Gil Gerard, Star of ‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,’ Dies at 82

He battled a weight problem for decades and talked about it on the reality series 'Action Hero Makeover.'

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

December 16. 2025

 

Gil Gerard, the actor from Arkansas best known for his turn as the wisecracking hero of the 1979-81 NBC series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, died Tuesday. He was 82.

Gerard lived in Georgia and died after a battle with “a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer,” his wife, Janet, announced in a Facebook post.

In 1977 films, Gerard had played Lee Grant‘s romantic interest in Airport ’77 and had starred as a moonshiner in the Appalachia-set comedy Hooch when he was approached to star in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, co-produced by Glen A. Larson at Universal Television.

Based on the popular comic strip character most famously featured in a 1939 movie serial that starred champion Olympic swimmer Buster Crabbe, the light-hearted sci-fi series kicked off with a 1979 movie developed in the wake of the huge success of Star Wars.

At first, the dashing Gerard wasn’t interested in the part. “I saw what it did to Adam West‘s career with Batman, and this was another cartoon character. I didn’t want to do this campy stuff,” he said in a 2018 interview.

However, he finally was persuaded to sign on, and the Buck Rogers movie proved to be a hit, finishing among the top 25 domestic grossers that year. The film was then retooled to serve as the show’s two-hour opening episode.

Buck Rogers lasted two seasons and a total of 32 episodes through April 1981 before being canceled.

Gerard then toplined a series of telefilms including 1982’s highly rated Help Wanted: Male, also starring Suzanne Pleshette, and played a bachelor cop who teaches martial arts skills to a youngster (Ernie Reyes Jr.) on the 1986-87 ABC series Sidekicks.

The youngest of three boys, Gilbert Cyril Gerard was born on Jan. 23, 1943, in Little Rock, Arkansas. His father, Frank, was a knife salesman, and his mother, Gladys, a teacher.

After graduating from Little Rock Catholic High and spending a couple of years at Arkansas State Teacher College (now the University of Central Arkansas), he moved to New York in 1969 and studied acting with Philip Burton at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

He drove a cab at night to make ends meet, and one of his fares arranged for him to audition for a role in Arthur Hiller‘s Love Story, then filming in New York. He was hired as an extra, had a bit part that was left on the cutting-room floor and worked for about 10 weeks on the movie.

Gerard spent the next several years appearing in commercials — more than 400 by his count — and played POW turned doctor Alan Stewart on the NBC soap The Doctors from 1973-76. He also appeared with Cliff Robertson in Frank Perry’s Man on a Swing (1974).

He came up with the story and produced Hooch for his own production company, Prudhomme Productions. The film, he admitted, was a rip-off of Smokey and the Bandit.

After portraying a carpenter who falls in love with Caroline Ingalls (Karen Grassle) on a 1977 episode of NBC’s Little House on the Prairie, Michael Landon hired him to star in Stone, a series about an innocent man seeking to rebuild his life following a decade in prison. A pilot was made, but the show wasn’t picked up.

As Capt. William Anthony “Buck” Rogers, a NASA/U.S. Air Force pilot who is accidentally frozen in his spacecraft in 1987 and then discovered in the year 2491 after a nuclear war, Gerard starred opposite Erin Gray as Col. Wilma Deering and Felix Silla as the robot Twiki (voiced by Mel Blanc).

“I thought the character had a sense of reality about him,” he said in 2017. “The sense of humor I liked very much and his humanity, I liked. I thought it was kind of cool. He wasn’t a stiff kind of a guy. He was a guy who could solve problems on his feet, and he wasn’t a superhero.”

In 1983, Gerard produced the Broadway musical Amen Corner, which was based on the James Baldwin play and starred Rhetta Hughes.

Gerard also appeared on the 1990 CBS series E.A.R.T.H. Force; hosted the 1992 reality show Code 3; played Major Dodd in 1997 on the NBC daytime soap Days of Our Lives; and showed up in the Ryan Gosling-Russell Crowe comedy The Nice Guys (2016).

He also was the subject of the 2007 Discovery Health Channel documentary Action Hero Makeover, on which he decides to have gastric bypass surgery after his weight had ballooned to 350 pounds. In a 1990 article in People, he estimated that he had lost $1 million worth of work because of overeating.

Gerard, who had a long friendship with former President Bill Clinton, was married four times, including once to actress Connie Sellecca (Hotel) from 1979 until their 1987 divorce. In addition to Janet, his wife of 18 years, survivors include his son with Sellecca, Gib.

In a post on his Facebook account, Gerard wrote: “My life has been an amazing journey. The opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the love I have given and received have made my 82 years on the planet deeply satisfying. … Don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t thrill you or bring you love. See you out somewhere in the cosmos.”

GERARD, Gil (Gilbert Cyril Gerard)

Born: 1/23/1943, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.A.

Died: 12/16/2025, Georgia, U.S.A

Gil Gerard’s westerns – actor:

Little House on the Prairie (TV) – 1977 (Chris Nelson)

Ransom for Alice (TV) – 1977 (Clint Kirby)

Ghost Town (TV) – 2009 (Preacher McCready)

RIP Joe Ely

 

Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely dead at 78

FOX 34

By KCBD Staff

December 15, 2025

 

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Legendary singer-songwriter Joe Ely died today from complications of Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia.

According to a Facebook post, Ely was at his family’s home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, by his side.

Ely, who was born in Amarillo, was raised in Lubbock and left his mark on the music scene before moving to Austin and influencing artists like the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone. Ely signed a deal with MCA Records in the 1970s, leading to a lengthy career touring around the world and recording.

He was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in 1989 alongside Roy Orbison. In 2016, Ely was again inducted with the group The Flatlanders.

Music staples in Lubbock and organizations, like The Blue Light Live, reacted to Ely’s death on Monday night.

In a social media post, Civic Lubbock Inc. said Ely “will be sorely missed and our sincere condolences go out to his wife, Sharon, and his family, friends and fellow musicians.”

Ely was 78 years old.

ELY, Joe (Earl Rewell Ely Jr.)

Born: 2/9/1947, Amarillo, Texas, U.S.A.

Died: 12/15/2025, Taos, New Mexico, U.S.A.

 

Joe Ely’s westerns – actor:

South of Heaven, West of Hell – 2000 (Petrified Paul)

Blood Trail – 2005 (Dave Robertson)

RIP Rob Reiner

 

Rob Reiner & Wife Michele Found Dead at L.A. Home ...Wounds Consistent With A Knife

TMZ

December 14, 2025

 

Rob Reiner -- the legendary director -- and his wife Michele Singer Reiner have died ... TMZ has confirmed.

As we told you ... two dead bodies were found in Rob and Michele's Brentwood home Sunday afternoon -- and law enforcement sources tell us it is the Reiners.

Our sources say the two suffered lacerations consistent with a knife. The LAPD's Robbery Homicide Division is still investigating.

Rob -- the son of famed comedian Carl Reiner, who passed away in 2020 -- started his career in show business as a comedy writer in the 1960s ... working as Steve Martin's writing partner on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1968 and '69.

Throughout the 1970s, Rob starred as Michael Stivic -- also known as "Meathead" -- on the hit sitcom "All in the Family" ... for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

"All in the Family" ran for 205 episodes ... coming to a close in 1979 -- at which point Reiner's focus shifted more toward directing. His rock mockumentary "This is Spinal Tap" marked his first big hit in the director's chair.

Over the next decade, Reiner directed iconic films like "Stand By Me," "The Princess Bride," and "When Harry Met Sally..." -- the last of which led him to the love of his life.

While directing "When Harry Met Sally," Rob met Michele, a photographer ... and, the two married in 1989. Perhaps even bigger than that, their relationship actually convinced Rob to change the ending of the rom-com to have Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan's characters end up together.

Rob continued directing during their more than 35 years married ... helming projects like "Misery," "A Few Good Men," "The American President," "The Bucket List" and "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues."

Rob has one more directorial project which, according to his IMDb, has been completed ... live concert footage of the fictional band Spinal Tap playing at Stonehenge along with other massive names in music. The film is set to come out next year.

Younger fans may recognize Rob from his acting role as Jess' father Bob on "New Girl" ... or his last part in season 4 of "The Bear" as businessman Albert Schnur.

Michele and Rob had three kids together -- Jake, Nick and Romy. Rob also has a daughter, Tracy, from his first marriage to director Penny Marshall.

Rob was 78. Michele was 68.

RIP

REINER, Rob

Born: 3/6/1947, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 12/14/2025, Brentwood, California, U.S.A.

 

Rob Reiner’s western – actor:

Tall Tales & Legends (TV) 1986 (Jack Smith)

RIP Stephen Downing

 

DEADLINE

By Greg Evans

December 11, 2025

 

Stephen Downing, a Los Angeles Police Department officer who turned to a TV writing and producing career that included work on such series as Adam-12, Kojak and MacGyver, died of sepsis November 20 in Long Beach, California, hospital. He was 87.

His death was announced by his son Michael, a retired deputy chief of the L.A.P.D.

“Throughout his law enforcement career, dating back to 1965, he brought his deep knowledge of policing to the screen,” his son wrote in an online tribute. “As a screenwriter, producer and showrunner, he worked on many acclaimed series and made for television movies: MacGyver, T.J. Hooker, Emergency, Kojak, Quincy, Knight Rider, F/X the TV Series, Police Story, Police Woman, RoboCop The TV Series, Dragnet, Adam-12, and Walking Tall.

According to The New York Times, Downing was the assistant watch commander at the 77th Division in South Los Angeles when in 1968 Jack Webb, the Dragnet actor and producer, phoned the precinct seeking a technical adviser for a new cop show he was planning to be called Adam-12. Downing, who had studied creative writing in college, got the job and soon advanced from adviser to script writer.

Downing, born October 28, 1938, in Hanford, California, would go on to work on episodes of numerous police dramas throughout the 1970s and ’80s, moving into producing in 1982 with Knight Rider. His longest stint was with MacGyver, where he took various producing titles for the show’s entire 1985-1992 run. It was Downing who suggested that the show’s star, Richard Dean Anderson, portray the title character armed only with a Swiss Army knife and lots of ingenuity.

In a 2015 interview with the MacGyver Project blog, Downing explained the origins of the gadget-happy title character. “You may note that in the pilot that MacGyver uses a gun,” he said. “It was my suggestion that we should demonstrate to our audience that a guy like MacGyver should have the moral constitution against using a gun and the smarts to avoid its use – which also made for many interesting ways to get around it.“

Downing joined the LAPD in 1960 and retired from the departmenht in 1980. He often wrote about law enforcement issues, most recently on Substack, and was an outspoken critic of the war on drugs and the militarization of policing. In an October 26, 2025, post, Downing criticized the Trump Administration’s policy authorizing deadly airstrikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

“The doctrine being written at sea today will be the justification for domestic violence tomorrow,” Downing wrote. “Once a president learns he can kill without due process abroad, the temptation to do it on U.S. soil follows close behind.” Recalling a big 1970s-era drug bust by the LAPD, Downing, calling the Trump policy “extrajudicial killing,” continued, “We relied on evidence, not ideology. We honored the Constitution, not a political fantasy. Everyone came home alive. We could do that again—if we remembered that the mission of law enforcement is to serve justice, not bury it at sea.”

Downing is survived by his wife of 67 years, Adrienne, children Michael, Tambree, and Julie; son-in-law Hank and daughter-in-law Michele six grandchildren, three and six great grandchildren.

DOWNING, Stephen (Stephen Michael Downing)

Born: 10/28/1938, Hanford, California, U.S.A.

Died: 11/20/2025, Long Beach, California, U.S.A.

 

Stephen Downing’s western – writer:

The Quest (TV) - 1976

RIP Peter Greene

 

Peter Greene Dies: ‘Pulp Fiction’ & ‘The Mask’ Actor Was 60 

DEADLINE

By Nellie Andreeva

December 13, 2025

 

Peter Greene, a character actor known for playing bad guys in such movies as Pulp Fiction and The Mask, has passed away at the age of 60. He was found dead Friday, Dec. 12, in his Manhattan apartment, Greene’s manager Gregg Edwards confirmed to Deadline. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

Born on Oct. 8, 1965, in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene made his screen acting debut in an episode of the short-lived 1990 NBC crime drama series Hardball and his feature debut in the 1992 film Laws of Gravity, in which he starred opposite Edie Falco.

It was a fast rise from there. In 1993, Greene headlined the film Clean, Shaven, which screened at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. In 1994, he was in two big movies. He played a villain, Zed, in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, which won the Palme d’Or at that year’s Cannes Film Festival, and the main antagonist, Dorian Tyrell, opposite Jim Carrey in The Mask.

Greene has continued to work steadily since. He starred in such films as Kiss & Tell, Blue Streak, End Game and The Bounty Hunter and had memorable turns in The Usual Suspects and Training Day. On TV, he was a series regular on the NBC drama series The Black Donnellys and recurred on ABC’s Life on Mars and NBC’s Chicago P.D. He most recently appeared in an episode of the John Wick prequel series The Continental.

“He was one of the best character actors on the planet,” Edwards said, revealing that Greene had two projects coming up, Mascots with Mickey Rourke and a documentary he was narrating titled From the American People: The Withdrawal of USAID with Jason Alexander and Kathleen Turner.

“He was passionate about shedding light on all the deaths that have happened around the world as a result of America dismantling USAID,” Edwards said. “He was a good friend who would give you the shirt off his back. He was loved and will be missed.”

Greene is survived by a brother and a sister who has been notified of his death, Edwards said.

GREENE, Peter (Peter Green)

Born: 10/8/1965, Montclair, New Jersey

Died: 12/12/2025, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.

 

Peter Greene’s western – actor:

Brothers in Arms – 2005 (Bert)

RIP Rolf Becker

 

"In aller Freundschaft" actor Rolf Becker died

WLZ

By Michelle Brey

12/12/2025

 

The TV world is in mourning. Actor Rolf Becker has died. He starred in the series "In aller Freundschaft", among others.

Hamburg – The actor Rolf Becker is dead. The Hamburg resident, father of actors Meret and Ben Becker, died on Friday at the age of 90 in Hamburg. This was confirmed by St. Pauli pastor Sieghard Wilm to the German Press Agency. The Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) had first reported.

In the ARD series "In alle Freundschaft" Becker played the pensioner character Otto Stein since 2006 - and thus became known to an audience of millions. According to NDR, he died in a hospice in the Hanseatic city. Later this year, in addition to his series role, he also appeared in the theater - in his own production: "The Raft of the Damned".

Born in Leipzig in 1935, Becker made a career in the theatre as well as in film and television. Growing up in northern Germany, Becker studied acting at the Otto Falckenberg School in Munich after graduating from high school. After stations in Munich, Darmstadt and Ulm, he moved to the Theater Bremen in 1963, where he also directed himself. In his adopted home of Hamburg, he was later a member of the ensemble at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus and the Thalia Theater, among others.

Becker became one of the most sought-after theater actors and also made a career in television and film ("Trenck" series, 1971, "The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum", 1976). He also made a name for himself as a narrator of audio books with his distinctive voice. From 1997 to 2004 he played "Jedermann" in Hamburg's Speicherstadt.

Becker has passed on his acting talent to his children Ben and Meret Becker from his marriage to actress Monika Hansen. Since 1980, Becker has been married to actress Sylvia Wempner, with whom he has two biological sons and an adopted son.

BECKER, Rolf

B: 3/31/1935, Leipzig, Danzig, Germany

D: 12/12/2025, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

RIP Mauro Bosco

 

Attori e attrici caratteristi, volti meno noti e,comparse del nostro cinema

By Simone Le Brut Rossi

December 10 at 12:56 PM

 ·

Actor and voice actor Mauro Bosco died today, christened name Giuseppe (Turin May 12, 1938-Riano (RM) December 10, 2025).

Between 1962-1964 he attended the Silvio D'Amico Dramatic Art Academy, under the direction of Horazio Costa.

Tall, lean, good-looking, ideal physique to embody young people in love or dare heroes.

He was active as an actor in theater, television and cinema.

Among the scripts where she appears, Luisa Sanfelice (1966, directed by Leonardo Cortese) ,and Short Glory of Mister Miffin (1967, directed by Anton Giulio Majano).

In 1968 he was the protagonist of the episode I Ravanin included in The Marshal's Tales (directed by Mario Landi).

Always on TV he will participate in comedies such as Il pane bianco (1966, directed by Claudio Fino) ,and the episode La notte delle nocze,of the series Tonight Fernandel (1968).

In 1990 he was one of the actors chosen by Stefania Casini for one of the sports episodes Roller Wings of the series Win to Win.

Always in the nineties he will participate in various successful screenplays such as La Piovra 5 (1990, directed by Luigi Perilli), Passions (1994, directed by Fabrizio Costa), and in various TV series (The boys of the wall and Amico mio,Il Marshal Rocca,Don Matteo,etc).

In the Two Thousand years you can see it among the actors of fiction,Le girlzii di Miss Italy (2001, directed by Dino Risi) and Il bello delle donne 2 (2002, directed by Maurizio Ponzi).

In theater he took part in an Italian tour for the Queretaro Festival in Mexico.

Next to Sylva Koscina and Paolo Carlini in the pleasant Blondissimamente Tua (1975, directed by Mario Landi).

It was a loaner Fortress in Hamlet (1972), by Shakespeare, with Pino Micol.

Despite the good theatrical and television rehearsals, he never found great opportunities in the cinema, despite participating in numerous productions.

Among his films:

The White Voices (1964), The Greatest Robbery in the West (1967), The Crazy Rabbit Night (1967), Five Dolls for the Moon of August (1969), Roy Colt and Winchester Jack (1970), The Belves (1971), Bisturi, the White Mafia (1973), A High Age (1983), Splendor (1989), Arrested for committing the fact (1991), Total Eclipse (1992), Kim Novak on the Phone (1993), The Voyage Beyond the Dream (1996).

He was very active as a voice actor (under some voiced actors and animated characters).

Rest in peace.

BOSCO, Mauro (Giuseppe Bosco)

Born: 5/12/1938, Turin, Piedmont, Italy

Died: 12/10/2025, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Mauro Bosco’s westerns – actor, voice actor:

The Greatest Robbery in the West – 1966 (Garrett henchman)

Roy Colt & Winchester Jack – 1970 (Bellatreccia/Braid/Bernstein/Martin)

Comanche Moon – 2008 [Italian voice of James Rebhorn]

RIP Michael Delano

 

Michael DeLano, Actor in ‘Rhoda,’ ‘Commando’ and ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ Dies at 84

He also danced on ‘American Bandstand,’ starred on ‘Firehouse’ and ‘Supertrain’ and sang at an old-school lounge in Las Vegas.

Variety

By Mike Barnes

November 25, 2025

 

Michael DeLano, the actor and singer who in the 1970s played a Los Angeles firefighter opposite James Drury on ABC’s Firehouse and the lounge singer Johnny Venture alongside Valerie Harper on CBS’ Rhoda, has died. He was 84.

DeLano had a heart attack and died Oct. 20 in a Las Vegas hospital, Jean Delano, his wife of 28 years and companion for 38, told The Hollywood Reporter.

A Vegas resident since 1992, the charismatic DeLano played a casino manager in the heist film Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and the sequel Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and sang standards as a regular performer at the old-school Dispensary Lounge on Tropicana Avenue until recently.

DeLano starred as firefighter Sonny Caputo and received third billing behind Drury and Richard Jaeckel on Firehouse, a midseason replacement drama that bowed in January 1974 but aired just 13 episodes before it was canceled.

He’s probably best known for his turn as Venture, who attempts to date Rhoda (with little success) after her breakup with husband Joe Gerard (David Groh). He appeared on 11 episodes during seasons three and four in 1976-78.

He also had a regular role on Supertrain, portraying Lou Atkins on the ultra-expensive NBC bomb that lasted just nine episodes in 1979.

An only child, Michael Ace Del Fatti was born in Virginia on Nov. 26, 1940. His father was a pilot in the service — hence the “Ace” middle name — but died before his son was born.

Raised in Philadelphia, he received fan mail as a regular dancer on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand when the weekday TV show was based in that city and served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army.

In 1960, he signed with Swan Records as Key Larson and recorded the songs “A Web of Lies” and “A Little Lovin’ Goes a Long, Long Way.” Later, he adopted the stage surname DeLano after seeing a blinking neon sign on a hotel with that name, his wife said.

After appearing in a stage production of Hair in Chicago, he came to Hollywood and showed up in the films Catlow (1971) and The New Centurions (1972) and on episodes of Adam-12, Kojak, Banacek and Barnaby Jones before landing on Firehouse.

He also had a 1980-81 stint as the carny boss Frank Coyne on the NBC primetime soap Flamingo Road and a turn as the doomed car salesman Forrestal in Commando (1985), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His credits also included bit parts in Hollywood Man (1976), 9 to 5 (1980) and Another Stakeout (1993) and guest-star work on The Rockford Files, Wonder Woman, Starsky & Hutch, Soap, Charlie’s Angels, Taxi, Perfect Strangers, Private Benjamin, The Fall Guy, The A-Team, Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues, Hunter, Falcon Crest, Silk Stalkings, Chicago Hope and Royal Pains.

In addition to his wife, survivors include his daughter, Bree; grandsons Michael and Lincoln; and granddaughter Jaxon. A celebration of his life will take place Sunday at The Dispensary Lounge.

DELANO, Michael (Michael Ace Del Fatti)

Born: 11/26/1940, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.

Died: 10/20/2025, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.

 

Michael Delano’s westerns – actor:

Catlow – 1971 (Rio Bray)

Desperate Women – 1978 (Black Jack Ketcham)

RIP Péter Balázs

 

Farewell to Péter Balázs – A Gifted Entertainer Leaves the Earthly Cabaret Stage

Hungary Today

12/11/2025

 

The former director of the Szigligeti Theater in Szolnok passed away on Wednesday at the age of 82.

Péter Balázs was born in Budapest in 1943. In 1965, he graduated from the University of Theater and Film Arts in the class of Miklós Szinetár. After graduating, he was offered a contract at the Petőfi Theater in Veszprém.

There he was discovered by director Zoltán Várkonyi, who hired him for the Comedy Theater of Budapest (Vígszínház) troupe, to which he belonged for 25 years. In 1989, Balázs also made his debut as a director. From 1995, he worked as a freelance actor. From 2007 to 2021, the popular actor was at the helm of the Szigligeti Theater in Szolnok.

He was known for his comedic roles, but also made a name for himself as a director, was a popular voice actor, and put together cabaret programs that became the epitome of sophisticated entertainment. Balázs also appeared in numerous television series.

“Péter Balázs left a lasting mark on Hungarian cultural life with his stage presence, unforgettable film roles, and iconic dubbing voice,” - emphasizes the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.

In 1982, he was awarded the Jászai Mari Prize, and in 2012, he was honored for his “popular, grotesque charm and dry humor, for his dubbing of fairy tale characters who became legends, for his demanding work as a director, and for his community-building activities as a theater maker and director.”

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán bid farewell to the deceased with the words: “It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of my friend Péter Balázs. All that remains for me to do is to thank him as a comrade for his work over the past years, for his humanity, and for everything he has done for us.”

BALAZS, Péter

Born: 3/5/1943, Budapest, Hungary

Died: 12/10/2025, Budapest, Hungary

 

Péter Balázs’ westerns – actor:

Hol colt, hol nem colt (TV) – 1980 (sheriff)

RIP Jim Ward

 

'Fairly OddParents' Star Jim Ward Dead at 66 

TMZ

December 11, 2025

 

Jim Ward -- the beloved actor who lent his voice to many popular cartoon characters and video games -- has died, TMZ has confirmed.

Jim's wife, Janice, tells TMZ ... Jim passed away Wednesday at 10:45 AM due to complications from advanced Alzheimer's.

We're told he was being treated in Los Angeles at Silverado Beverly Place Memory Care at the time of his passing.

Fans will remember Jim for voicing characters like Doug Dimmadome and Chet Ubetcha on "The Fairly OddParents."

This came after he debuted in the video game scene in 1993, being featured in "Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin."

Other video game credits include ... "Resident Evil 4," "Metal Gear Rising Revengeance," "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," and "Call of Duty," among others.

Before 2021, he was the voice of Captain Qwark from the video game series "Ratchet & Clank." His last video game credit is "Quake Champions," which was released in 2022.

His agent since the early 1980s, Arlene Thornton, tells TMZ ... "His ability to improvise on the spot as well as his dead-on impressions were beyond impressive. He was a one man comedy show every time he came to the office to do his auditions."

Jim was 66.

RIP

WARD, Jim (James Kevin Ward)

Born: 5/19/1959, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 12/10/2025, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Jim Ward’s westerns – actor, voice actor:

How the West Was Won (TV) – 1976 (mountain man)

Wild, Wild West: The Steel Assassin – 1999 [English voice of Artemus Gordon]

Home on the Range – 2004 [English additional voices]

Fallout: New Vegas – 2010 [English voice of  Dr. Klein - Old World Blues DLC, Prototype Auto-

    Doc - Old World Blues DLC, Sink Central Intelligence Unit - Old World Blues DLC

Highclimber – 2011 (Patty)

Red Dead Redemption II – 2018 [English voice of The Local Pedestrian Population]

RIP Gordon Goodwin

 

Gordon Goodwin Obituary, Death: Passed Away After Battle With A Complications Of Pancreatic Cancer.

Life Bulletin

December 9, 2025

 

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Gordon Goodwin, who died peacefully on the afternoon of December 8 following complications from pancreatic cancer. Gordon’s passing leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of his family, friends, and all who cherished him. His gentle spirit, remarkable brilliance, and incomparable kindness made him a beloved husband, son, father, and friend whose memory will forever be treasured.

In his final moments, Gordon was surrounded by those he loved dearly—his mother, Alice; his children, Madison, Garett, Trevor, and Garrison; his stepchildren, Levi and Aria; his closest friends; and his devoted wife, who remained by his side. Their presence brought comfort, warmth, and profound peace as they held him lovingly and reminded him again and again how deeply he was cherished. His passing, though heartbreaking, was filled with tenderness, gratitude, and the quiet beauty of a life surrounded by love.

Gordon was known for his exceptional character—brilliant yet humble, gentle yet strong, and endlessly kind. Those who knew him admired not only his intelligence and talent but also his unwavering generosity, compassion, and the sincerity with which he approached every relationship. He brought joy, light, and comfort to all who crossed his path, offering encouragement in difficult times and celebrating the triumphs of others with genuine warmth.

As a husband, he was deeply devoted—loving, supportive, and steadfast. As a father and stepfather, he was a source of guidance, strength, and pride, always encouraging his children and stepchildren to pursue their dreams. As a friend, he listened with empathy, laughed with sincerity, and stood by others with unwavering loyalty. His presence enriched the lives of many, and the emptiness left in his absence is felt deeply.

During this unimaginable time, Gordon’s family asks for continued prayers, support, and compassion as they navigate the profound grief of losing such an extraordinary person. Though life will never be the same without him, they take comfort in knowing that his final moments were peaceful and filled with love—a reflection of the life he lived so beautifully.

Gordon Goodwin will be missed beyond measure, and his legacy of love, kindness, and gentle strength will remain in the hearts of all who were blessed to know him. May he rest in eternal peace, and may his memory continue to bring comfort and inspiration.

GOODWIN, Gordon (Gordon L. Goodwin)

Born: 12/30/1954, Wichita, Kansas, U.S.A.

Died: 12/8/2025, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Gordon Goodwin’s westerns – coposer, musician:

Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa – 1992 [composer]

Bonkers (TV) – 1993 [musician]

The Outsider – 1994 [musician]

The Spirit of Pocahontas 1995-1997 [musician]

Texas Rangers – 2001 [musician]

RIP Ted Hartley

 Ted Hartley, Actor, Producer and Former Chairman of RKO Pictures, Dies at 100

Married to the late Dina Merrill, he appeared in 'High Plains Drifter' and on 'Peyton Place.'

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

November 14, 2025

 

Ted Hartley, an actor, two-time Tony-nominated producer and chairman and CEO of RKO Pictures, has died. He was 100.

A longtime resident of the Hamptons, Hartley died Oct. 10 in New York City, The East Hampton Star reported.

In 1991, he and his late wife, actress Dina Merrill, took control of what was left of the famed RKO when their company, Pavilion Communications, purchased 51 percent of the studio that released King Kong and Citizen Kane and once was owned by Howard Hughes.

He then produced several films, including a 1998 remake of Mighty Joe Young for Disney that starred Bill Paxton and Charlize Theron and a 2002 version of The Magnificent Ambersons for A&E.

Hartley was nominated for Tony Awards in 2007 and ’08 for producing the musical comedy Curtains, which played for 511 performances on Broadway, and a revival of Gypsy that featured Patti LuPone. His other stage credits include Never Gonna Dance and Doctor Zhivago.

In perhaps his most notable acting role, he portrayed hotelier Lewis Belding, married to Verna Bloom‘s character, in Clint Eastwood‘s High Plains Drifter (1973).

“I was self-conscious as an actor, but fortunately I was given parts where self-consciousness was part of the role, and I got away with it,” he once told The Star. “I wanted to be a member at The Actors Studio, and I just didn’t quite get there. Even though Lee Strasberg said wonderful things about me occasionally, I always had that feeling that he wanted me to be a little more authentic.” 

Hartley was born on Nov. 6, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised on a farm in Iowa. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a White House aide under President Eisenhower and piloted jet fighters.

After his military career ended when he was injured in a carrier-landing accident in 1964, he attended Harvard Business School and worked for First Western Financial Corp. before getting fired.

He turned to acting and played Rev. Bedford on ABC’s Peyton Place during the primetime soap’s second season (1965-66), then had small roles on the big screen in Walk Don’t Run (1966), the Matt Helm flick Murderers’ Row (1966), Barefoot in the Park (1967) and Ice Station Zebra (1968).

In 1974, Hartley starred as Capt. McKeegan on ABC’s Chopper One, a drama about helicopter cops, but it was canceled after 13 episodes.

He also showed up on episodes of The F.B.I., Mannix, Ironside and Barnaby Jones and in such films as Matilda (1978), Caddyshack II (1998) and Laura Smiles (2005), which he produced as well.

He married Merrill soon after she and her second husband, actor Cliff Robertson, divorced in 1989.

The Star noted he was the longest-tenured member of the Metropolitan Club in Washington and a member of the New York Yacht Club, River Club, Chevy Chase Club and Bel-Air Country Club.

Survivors include his son, Philippe.

HARTLEY, Ted (Theodore Ringwalt Hartley)

Born: 11/6/2024, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A.

Died: 10/10/2025, East Hampton, New York, U.S.A.

 

Ted Hartley’s westerns – actor:

High Plains Drifter – 1973 (Lewis Belding)

The Wild Wild West Revisited (TV) – 1979 (Tsar Nicholas of Russia)

RIP Eduardo Manzano

 

Farewell to “El Polivoz”: Eduardo Manzano, Legendary Mexican Comedian, Dies at 87

Merca 2.0

By Juan Antonio Miranda

12/5/2025

 

This Friday, December 5, Eduardo Manzano, better known as “El Polivoz,” passed away. He was one of the most iconic figures in Mexican comedy. His death marks the end of an era for the many generations who grew up with his humor, his characters, and his unmistakable comedic style.

Manzano, alongside Enrique Cuenca, became a defining figure of television comedy thanks to Los Polivoces, a program that transformed the way humor was created in Mexico and left a permanent mark on popular culture.

His talent for creating beloved characters, memorable situations, and a unique comedic identity established him as an icon whose influence remained strong for decades.

In addition to his success on television, Eduardo Manzano built a solid career in film, theater, and voice acting, staying active and close to his audience until his final years.

What did his son Lalo Manzano say after his passing?

Through social media, his son Lalo Manzano shared a deeply emotional message to say goodbye, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of affection during these difficult hours.

“With profound sorrow we say goodbye to my beloved dad, and we thank everyone who has respectfully expressed their messages of love,” he wrote, accompanying the farewell with words filled with admiration, love, and gratitude toward his father.

The death of Eduardo Manzano brings to a close the life of an indisputable pillar of national comedy, remembered for his talent, discipline, and warm personality.

His work in television, film, and theater remains a testament to an exceptional career that will continue living in the country’s collective memory.

MANZANO, Eduardo (Eduardo Manzano II)

Born: 7/18/1938, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 12/4/2025, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Eduardo Manzano’s western – actor:

Somo del otro Laredo – 1977 (Dynamite Manzano)

 

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Dies: ‘Mortal Kombat, ‘Last Emperor’ & ‘Man In The High Castle’ Actor Was 75

DEADLINE

By Tom Tapp

December 4, 2025

 

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the prolific and instantly recognizable actor best known for his roles in the Mortal Kombat films, The Last Emperor, Memoirs of a Geisha and The Man in the High Castle, died Thursday in Santa Barbara. He was 75.

Tagawa died due to complications from a stroke early this morning surrounded by his children. His family confirmed the news to Deadline.

Tagawa is best known to a broad audience as the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung in the film, TV and video game iterations of the Mortal Kombat franchise. He began playing the character in New Line’s 1995 film adaptation and was also featured in the 1997 follow-up Mortal Kombat Annihilation. He reprised the role with guest appearances in the 2013 TV series Mortal Kombat: Legacy and one episode of Mortal Kombat X: Generations in 2015. In 2019, he voiced the character in the video game Mortal Kombat 11 and lent his physical likeness to the 2023 role-playing video game Mortal Kombat: Onslaught.

The first film grossed more than $100 million on a budget of around $20M.

“It was the perfect timing in that Mortal Kombat as a video game, at the time we did the film, was on number four or five and that the impact of the film certainly had to do with the build of the video games,” Tagawa said later.

He also credited director Paul W.S. Anderson.

“He was the first one in martial arts history to apply such music — really upbeat, driving metal music. You couldn’t sit still when you heard the music. And it matched the action so well.”

Tagawa had a key role in another film adaptation of a hit video game franchise, playing Heihachi Mishima, the evil corporate titan, in Tekken. That 1991 film did not fare was well as Mortal Combat at the box office.

Additionally, he lent his voice to the video games Soldier Boyz, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu and World of Warcraft: Legion.

Tagawa’s breakout film was Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar Best Picture-winning The Last Emperor in 1987. He was cast as Chang, the emperor’s driver, who plays a small but pivotal part in the story.

A string of notable roles followed in big-budget studio pictures, many of which involve the intersection of Asian and Western cultures. They include License to Kill, Rising Sun, Snow Falling on Cedars, Pearl Harbor, Planet of the Apes, Elektra, Memoirs of a Geisha and 47 Ronin. Many of these parts utilized the actor’s facility with martial arts.

“I was born in Tokyo and began training in Kendo when I was in junior high school,” recalled Tagawa in a 2010 interview. “Then when I was five we moved to Fort Bragg, NC; and that’s when I got my first real lesson in how to use the martial arts. Being Japanese and living in the south during the ’50s was pretty tough.”

At age 21, Tagawa focused on traditional Japanese karate at the University of Southern California. He soon moved back to Japan to study under Master Nakayama with the Japan Karate Association. He later created and taught his own system of Chun-Shin, which he called “a study of energy … completely without a physical fighting concept.”

Among the big-name directors he worked with were Philip Kaufman, Tim Burton, Michael Bay, Rob Marshall, Ivan Reitman and John Carpenter.

While many will recognize Tagawa from those A-list credits, others will doubtless have seen him in the more than 150 film, TV and video game projects in which he appeared. He got his start with an uncredited role in an 1986 box office flop that has become a cult classic: Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. The next year his career really got going with, of course, The Last Emperor, but also guest spots on network shows MacGyver, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Miami Vice.

In 2015, Tagawa had his last major role as one of the lead characters in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle. He played Nobusuke Tagomi, the Trade Minister of the Pacific States of America in a nation divided between Japanese and Nazi occupation after World War II. His character’s motivations and goals do not always seem to align with those of the leadership back in Tokyo.

The actor observed that there were parallels between his own life story and that of Tagomi.

“I identified so much with this character and so much of my life experience — having been born in Tokyo and then coming to America just after the war, 10 years after the war. I understood and grew up with the legacy of the war. So to be good, bad and ugly — being different — [is the same] as with my character Tagomi, who seems to be the only one running around talking about peace.”

Other notable TV appearances over his four-decade career include playing Lt. A.J. Shimamura on Nash Bridges, a major role as Captain Terry Harada on NBC’s Hawaii, six episodes as Satoshi Takeda on ABC’s Revenge, a six-episode arc on Netflix’s Lost in Space and, most recently, voicing The Swordmaker in Season 1 of Netflix’s animated Blue Eye Samurai.

Tagawa lived on the island of Kauai where he and his wife Sally raised their two children.

He is survived by three children, Calen, Brynne and Cana; and his two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton.

TAGAWA, Cary-Hiroyuki

Born: 9/27/1950, Tokyo, Japan

Died: 12/4/2025, Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A

 

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s western – actor:

Walker, Texas Ranger – 2000 (Master Ko)

RIP Ted Egan

 

Vale Ted Egan: Australian Folk Legend & 'The Outback Song Man' Dies Aged 93

A true giant of the Australian music scene, Egan’s career was as vast as the outback he loved.

Countrytown

By Stephen Green

December 4, 2025

 

Australian folk music icon, author, and former Northern Territory Administrator Ted Egan has passed away at the age of 93. The legendary singer-songwriter died peacefully at his home in Alice Springs on the morning of December 4, surrounded by family.

In a statement confirming the news, his partner Nerys Evans and the Egan family expressed their deep loss.

“It is with sadness, but also great pride that Nerys Evans and the Egan family marks the passing of our beloved partner, Dad, grandfather, great grandfather and best mate Ted Egan,” the statement read.

“Ted passed peacefully at home this morning as was his wish. We shared Ted with Territorians, Australians and the wider world. He lived a big and very generous life, spanning 93 years.”

A true giant of the Australian music scene, Egan’s career was as vast as the outback he loved. He released 30 folk albums, starting with his debut in 1969, and penned 17 books. Beyond music, he was a familiar face on Australian television as a co-host of The Great Outdoors and creator of his own six-part series on Australia.

He cracked the ARIA Chart in 1973 with Willie The Whinging Pom, but was well known for many of his songs including Sayonara Nakamura, The Man from Humpty-Doo and The Drover's Boy.

Egan was also fiercely dedicated to social justice. He was a vocal advocate for Aboriginal land rights during the 1960s and 70s, a passion immortalised in his collaboration with former Australian of the Year Galarrwuy Yunupingu on the track Gurindji Blues.

His contributions to the industry were formally recognised in 1995 when he was inducted into the Australian Roll of Renown. He also held Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Golden Guitar Awards and the National Folk Festival.

Tributes have already begun flowing in from the country and folk community, with the Chief Minister of the NT confirming that Egan will be offered a state funeral.

Egan is survived by his partner Nerys, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

EGAN. Ted (Edward Joseph Egan)

Born: 7/6/1932 Poburg, Melbourne, Australia

Died: 12/4/2025, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

 

Ted Egan’s western – musician:

Australia - 2008

RIP Péter Kálloy Molnár

 

Péter Kálloy Molnár has died

After a short-term illness, Péter Kálloy Molnár, actor, director, writer and musician, died on Monday at the age of 55. 

Blikk

12/1/2025

 

The Alma Ensemble announced on its Facebook page that Péter Kálloy Molnár has passed away at the age of 55; The news was confirmed to our newspaper by several sources.

For a performance on 30 December, Péter Kálloy Molnár was originally supposed to be part of the cast of "This Pure Madness – Improvisational Activity", but the change was announced on Monday afternoon. The improvisation show presented at 6SZÍN will be staged with the participation of Tamás Szabó Kimmel, alongside Erika Náray, Nóra Parti, András Faragó Topy and Levente Harsányi.

The actor has been unable to perform for two weeks due to illness. The organizers of the improvisational game "As it rains, so it pops" reported on it in their Facebook post on November 13: "Unfortunately, Péter Kálloy Molnár has cancelled his performance tonight due to illness. He will be replaced by Viktor Szabó, an artist of the Jókai Theatre of Komárom, in As it rains, so in the thud."

He was an outstanding talent

Péter Kálloy Molnár was an outstandingly talented and versatile creator who was a key figure in Hungarian theatre and film life for decades. His artistic work, special voice, humour and sensitivity have made many roles and works lasting for generations, MTI wrote about the artist.

Péter Kálloy Molnár was born in 1970 in Mezőcsát, graduated from the drama department of the Ady Grammar School in Debrecen, and from 1991 he became a member of the company of the National Theatre. He graduated from the Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in 1993 in the class of István Iglódi. Between 1993 and 1997 he was a member of the company of the Vígszínház, and since 1997 he has been a freelance artist.

The wide audience could get to know him, among other things, from his film roles and as a regular character in the television show Beugró, but he also regularly dubbed. He directed Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and his greatest theatrical success came with Shakespeare's All Abbreviations, which was performed more than 600 times in more than two decades.

He has released three solo albums. He has also appeared in international productions, such as Budapest, American Rhapsody or Shoemaker, Tailor, Spy.

Information on the details of the funeral will be provided later.

MOLAN, Péter Kálloy (Péter Kálloy Molnár)

Born: 6/6/1970, Mezõcsát, Hungary

Died: 12/1/2025, Budapest, Hungary

 

Péter Kálloy Molnár’s western – actor:

Day of the Outlaw – 1959 [Hungarian voice of unknown actor]

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid – 1971 [Hungarian voice of Bob Dylan]

Shootout – 1971 [Hungarian voice of Robert F. Lyons]

Call of the Wild – 1992 [Hungarian voice of Viton Metcalfe]

Smoke Signals – 1998 [Hungarian voice of Adam Beach]

Jack Bull – 1999 [Hungarian voice of unknown actor]

Buffalo Soldiers – 2001 [Hungarian voice of Michael Peña

800 Bullets – 2002 [Hungarian voice of Enrique Martínez]

Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure – 2008 [Hungarian voice of Ran Tan Plan]

Cold Mountain – 2003 [Hungarian voice of Philip Seymour Hoffman

Rango – 2011 [Hungarian voice of Señor Flan

American Primeval – 2025 [Hungarian voice of Joe Tippett]

No Hero Here – 2015

Killers of the Flower Moon – 2023 Hungarian voice of Pat Healy

RIP John McCarty

 

Facebook

By Bruce Hallenbeck

November 25, 2025

 

I've just been informed that my old and dear friend John McCarty has passed away. It seems very unreal to me, as I went to meet him for lunch last week and he called me at the restaurant to tell me he couldn't make it because he had fallen in his driveway. He had a neurological disorder which made him dizzy and caused him to fall a great deal, and a few days after that, his wife found him in their house at the bottom of the stairs. He had fallen and hit his head. He was taken to the hospital but passed away shortly after.

I don't know where to begin writing about John. He was, in many ways, a mentor to me. I first came across his name in an issue of the late, lamented CINEFANTASTIQUE Magazine, for which he had written an article about Val Lewton. The article mentioned that he lived not far from me, so I got in touch with him and, both being film buffs, we became fast friends. He was nine years older than me and he took me under his wing, as it were. My first experience of being on radio was thanks to him, when he and I went on WGY in Schenectady, New York to do film trivia shows.

Next, he directed me in two radio plays for WGY Mystery Theater - a local offshoot of CBS Mystery Theater - and in one of which I played Sherlock Holmes. At the age of 22, I must have been one of the youngest to play that role ever!

My first stage appearances were also with John; he and I appeared in Oscar Wilde's LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN. Around that time, I also had my first ride in a passenger jet - to London. We were both huge Hammer fans, and we knew we had to go there. We flew first class, on the same plane with David Frost and his girlfriend. When we got there, we had tickets to two plays, OTHERWISE ENGAGED with Alan Bates and Jacqueline Pearce, and PHAEDRA

BRITTANICA at the Old Vic, with Diana Rigg and Michael Gough. We went to Stonehenge as well. We also spent an afternoon with my pen pal, Hammer's great music composer James Bernard.  It was an amazing trip.

Later that same year, we went to the Famous Monsters Convention in New York, where we met an actor we both adored, Peter Cushing. Another unforgettable experience.

In later years, John became well known for his film-related books, beginning with SPLATTER MOVIES, a term he coined. He kept writing right on up to the end; his latest novel, MASQUERADE, was just published. I'm happy to say that my last words to him were about how much I enjoyed it. I think you will too.

McCARTY, John

Born: 1944, Albany, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 11/25/2025, East Greenbush, New York, U.S.A.

 

John McCarty’s westerns – director, writer, film editor:

Thrist: A Civil War Story – 2013

Dead Horse Trail – 2016

RIP Tony Benedict

 

News From Me

By Mark Evanier

11/29/2025

 

Tony Benedict, R.I.P.

Sad to hear of the passing of Tony Benedict, a great animation writer especially in the early days of Hanna-Barbera. Tony never talked much about his early life but we know that after he got out of the Marine Corps, he drove his 1948 Studebaker out to Hollywood to get into the animation business. He started at Disney in 1956 and worked as an in-betweener (assistant animator) on Sleeping Beauty and on some of the animation done for the Disneyland TV show. In 1959, he moved over to the U.P.A. cartoon studio and worked on several Mr. Magoo cartoons.

Then in 1959, he sold a script to Hanna-Barbera for a new show they had going on the air — The Flintstones. They brought him in on staff and he worked as a storyman and sketch artist on that show and pretty much everything they produced after that for several years including The Jetsons, Top Cat, Yakky Doodle, Magilla Gorilla, Secret Squirrel and many more. Later, he worked for other studios (including DePatie-Freleng) and produced and wrote several animated features.

He was just one of those guys who worked everywhere in town and was liked by everyone. Those of us who got to know him found him to be a talented and very clever gentleman. He'd been ill for some time and we think he was 88 years old. The animation community has lost a beloved figure indeed.

BENEDICT, Tony (Anthony Benedict)

Born: 1936, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

Died: 11/29/2025, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Tony Benedict’s westerns –

Ricochet Rabbit & Droop Along (TV) – 1964-1966 (writer)

Posse Impossible (TV) – 1977 (writer)