RIP Lorraine Bayly

 

Lorraine Bayly, former Play School host and star of The Sullivans, dies aged 89

ABC News

2/27/2026

 

Lorraine Bayly, a former Play School host and star of long-running soap opera The Sullivans, has died aged 89.

Ms Bayly had endured years of poor health and died in a Sydney nursing home on Saturday morning, her family told entertainment reporter Craig Bennett.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Bennett said that Ms Bayly's family had asked him to share the news.

"Lorraine had enjoyed a stellar 62-year career on stage and screen, until her retirement 10 years ago," he said.

Steven Tandy, who played Lorraine’s son Tom on The Sullivans, shared a tribute to the actress in a Facebook post.

"I have so many cherished memories of Lorraine," Mr Tandy wrote.

"She was the most giving of people — always down to earth and affectionate, yet not without a certain almost girlish vivaciousness.

"I truly loved and admired her and was so grateful for the close friendship we shared. Fly high, lovely lady. Your work is done. May love and beauty surround you always."

Familiar face on Aussie television

In 1966, Bayly became an original presenter on Play School, a role she had to relinquish when she was asked to join The Sullivans.

Ms Bayly was well known for playing matriarch Grace on the show in the 1970s, a long-running wartime drama that aired from 1976 to 1983.

After leaving The Sullivan's, Bayly took a role in Carson's Law that was written specifically for her, playing solicitor Jennifer Carson.

Speaking to TV Tonight, she described the demanding courtroom speeches as "hellishly difficult to do".

"It was written for me. I was very flattered," she told TV Tonight.

"I really enjoyed doing it. A lot of the court cases were paralleled in society."

Bayly won Silver Logies for most popular actress for both The Sullivans and Carson's Law.

She also played alongside Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas in the film The Man From Snowy River and had a role in the 1975 movie Ride a Wild Pony, alongside John Meillon.

On stage, she performed in productions ranging from Death of a Salesman, Travelling North and The Sound of Music, which marked her final theatre appearance in 2016.

Bayly was one of the founders of Sydney's famed Ensemble theatre in the 1950s and began her performance career playing classical piano on Sydney radio station 2UE.

BAYLY, Lorraine (Lorraine Daphne Bayly)

Born: 1/16/1937, Booligal, New South Wales, Australia

Died: 1/26/2026, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

 

Lorraine Bayly’s western – actress:

The Man from Snowy River – 1982 (Rosemary Hume)

RIP Lauren Chapin

 

Lauren Chapin, the Youngest Kid on ‘Father Knows Best,’ Dies at 80

Life wasn't always easy for the actress, who played Kathy "Kitten" Anderson for six seasons.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

February 24, 2026

 

Lauren Chapin, who portrayed the precocious Kathy “Kitten” Anderson on the iconic 1950s TV series Father Knows Best, has died. She was 80.

Chapin, who said she was molested as a child before dealing with drug abuse, jail sentences, several miscarriages and divorce after her show ended, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer, her son, Matthew, reported on Facebook.

Following appearances on a 1952 episode of CBS’ Lux Video Theatre and in the Judy Garland-starring A Star Is Born (1954), Chapin was hired for Father Knows Best when she was 9.

She said she got the job in part because she bore a strong resemblance to one of star Robert Young’s four daughters, also named Kathy. (Norma Jean Nilsson had played the part on the preceding NBC Radio version.)

Chapin’s older TV siblings were Betty “Princess” Anderson (Elinor Donahue) and James “Bud” Anderson Jr. (Billy Gray), and their mom was the level-headed homemaker Margaret Anderson (Jane Wyatt). Young played Jim Anderson, an insurance salesman.

Father Knows Best ran for six seasons, from October 1954 through May 1960, with two stints at CBS sandwiched around one at NBC. Reruns then aired for another couple of years in primetime on ABC and for decades in syndication, and the cast reunited for a pair of TV specials in 1977.

Chapin was born in Los Angeles on May 23, 1945. Her older brothers, Billy Chapin (The Night of the Hunter) and Michael Chapin (It’s a Wonderful Life), were child actors as well.

She was signed to a contract at Columbia Pictures and studied with choreographers Gower and Marge Champion and famed French mime Marcel Marceau.

When she was about 6, her mom, Marguerite, whom she said was an alcoholic, took her brother Billy to New York to build his stage career, and she was left with her father, William, whom she said molested her. By age 11, she said was a “manic depressive personality” and once attempted suicide.

“It was very difficult to understand how Kathy Anderson could be loved and protected and Lauren Chapin lived a whole different kind of life,” she said during a 1989 appearance on Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee. “I didn’t understand how God could let me suffer.”

Five months after Father Knows Best ended, Chapin appeared on an installment of General Electric Theater alongside Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows, but that would mark her final acting appearance for 16 years.

She dropped out of Pasadena High School as a junior, and on the Regis and Kathie Lee program, she said got married at 16 and divorced at 18; another marriage was annulled after she discovered her husband was still married. Another man she was involved with turned her into a call girl and on to heroin, which she said she did for seven years until she was 25. Along the way, she lost eight children to miscarriages.

She said she also had to sue her mother to claim a portion of the money she had earned from Father Knows Best.

After achieving sobriety in the 1970, Chapin worked as a minister and as a talent manager; on her website, it was noted that actress Jennifer Love Hewitt “got her start in show biz” through Chapin.

She also published a memoir, 1989’s Father Does Know Best, and appeared on a 2016 YouTube series, School Bus Diaries.

In addition to her son and brother Michael, survivors include her daughter, Summer.

“If I could be on television again, I would pray for a series like Father Knows Best,” she told People magazine in 1981, “one that has no violence, no sex and shows nothing but purity and love.”

CHAPIN, Lauren (Lauren Ann Chapin)

Born: 5/23/1945, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 2/24/2026, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

 

Lauren Chapin’s western – actress:

Tension at Table Rock -1956 (little girl)

RIP Robert Carradine

 

Actor Robert Carradine Dies At Age 71

DEADLINE

By Mike Fleming Jr.

February 23, 2026

 

Robert Carradine has died at age 71. He took his own life. The actor is best known for his roles in The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire.

A beloved member of the storied clan of actors, Carradine was the bedrock of his family, according to surviving older brother Keith Carradine. But he struggled for two decades with bipolar disorder and ultimately it got the best of him.

The family issued this statement to Deadline: “It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away. In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”

Keith Carradine said the family wanted all to know about what he called his brother’s valiant struggle with bipolar disorder.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he said. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.” 

Robert Carradine is survived by his children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces, nephews and anyone who had the honor of having him in their life. His family asks for privacy at this time.

Born March 24, 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine and a brother of actors David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Disney Imagineer Christopher Carradine. He made his big-screen debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys, a role his brother David convinced him to audition for by telling him he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose.” He went on to forge his own path as an actor, appearing in Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning film Coming Home, along with Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. It was a performance that led to speculation that he just might be the best actor in the family. He followed that performance with Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets in 1973.

In 1980, Robert had two films in the Cannes Film Festival, Samuel Fuller’s semi-autobiographical The Big Red One, with Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin, and Walter Hill’s The Long Riders, with his brothers David and Keith. Walter Hill cast real brothers to play real-life outlaw brothers — Robert, Keith and David as the Younger brothers, James and Stacy Keach as Frank and Jesse James, Randy and Dennis Quaid as the Miller brothers, and Christopher and Nicholas Guest as the Ford brothers.

During shooting, Robert’s brother, David, fell in love with and then bought his movie horse, Z-Tan, who later came to live on Robert’s property in the Hollywood Hills. If you drove Mulholland Drive in the 1980s, you might have seen Robert’s daughter, actress Ever Carradine, riding him between their home and Runyon Canyon.

Perhaps his biggest film success came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he starred as head nerd Lewis Skolnick, along with Anthony Edwards. It was a role that embedded him in the consciousness of a generation and went on to become one of the most beloved franchises of the decade. In the years that followed, he found a new generation of fans as the father in the Lizzie McGuire series.

Despite no formal training, or ever learning to read music, Carradine maintained a deep love for playing guitar, especially with brothers Keith and David. They appeared together countless times at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, CO, where Robert and Keith had homes. He also accompanied his friend and childhood hero, Peter Yarrow, and folk legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. In the late 1980s, he and Mare Winningham had a band called The Waybacks, a nod to Mare’s childhood memories of riding not in the front or the back, but the way back of the family station wagon. It was a story they often told on stage together.

His other great love was race car driving, a passion that began with racing go-karts at 11 and blossomed into a lifelong love of all things motorized. In the late ’80s and ’90s, he raced at the Grand Prix level, and was a driver on team Lotus with Paul Newman. Carradine always said that race car driving was his true love because winning a race meant that no one was better than him.

When he wasn’t driving cars, playing music or acting in films, Robert was raising his children. In 1974, Carradine had a daughter, actress Ever Carradine, with Susan Snyder. He raised Ever as a single dad until 1990, when he met Edith Mani, with whom he welcomed two more children, Marika and Ian.

Carradine was loved by everyone who knew him. His niece, actress Martha Plimpton, says he was everyone’s favorite uncle. It was a role he cherished, and he never missed an opportunity to be with his nieces, their spouses and their children. He also loved being a grandfather to Ever’s children, Chaplin and Sam, and Marika’s son, Jack. He was a regular at Little League and horse shows and always jumped at the opportunity to babysit his grandkids. Robert is remembered by his family for being all heart, friends with anyone he met from every corner of his life, incapable of holding grudges, kind, funny, and loved nothing more than driving his loved ones to or from the airport.

CARRADINE, Robert (Robert Reed Carradine)

Born: 3/24/1954, · Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 2/23/2026. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Robert Carradine’s westerns – actor:

Bonanza (TV) – 1971 (Phinney McLean)

The Cowboys – 1972 (Slim Honeycutt)

Kung Fu (TV) – 1972, 1974 (Sonny Jim)

The Cowboys (TV) – 1974 (Slim)

The Hatfields & McCoys (TV) 1975 (Bob Hatfield)

The Long Riders – 1980 (Bob Younger)

Ballad of a Gunfighter – 1999 (The Kid)

Montee Walsh (TV) – 2003 (Sunfish Perkins)

Django Unchained – 2012 (tracker)

Justice – 2017 (Stratton Collins)

Bill Tilghman and the Outlaws – 2019 (Frank James)

Tales of the Wild West (TV) – 2019 (Frank James)

The Marshal – 2024 (Frank James)

The Night They Came Home – 2024 (Bart)

Was Once a Hero – 2024 (Doc Jennings)

Cowboy Killer – (Detective Flannery)

RIP Angela Luce

 Farewell to Angela Luce

The Neapolitan singer and actress Angela Luce has passed away at the age of 87

 

Infinity

2/20/2026

Angela Luce, Neapolitan singer and actress, has passed away at the age of 87. Over the course of her long career, she has managed to juggle her two great talents: singing and acting.

In 1975, she ranked third at the Sanremo Festival with the song Ipocrisia while in 1995 she won a David di Donatello for her role in the film L'amore molesto by Mario Martone. He has worked with the big names of Italian cinema such as Totò, Mario Mattoli, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Pupi Avati.

For many it was the voice of Bammenella, the 1917 classic written by Raffaele Viviani and relaunched by the singer.

Angela Luce remembers Peppino Gagliardi

In an interview with Verissimo in May 2025, Angela Luce was moved by remembering her former partner Peppino Gagliardi, singer and multi-instrumentalist who passed away in 2023.

"We were engaged for two years. I fell madly in love with him, I really loved him and I think he did too", the singer had recalled: "He liked him, he liked women. He did me a wrong that I could not forgive: he betrayed me. Although I loved him, I did not forgive him."

"He then realized that he had made a mistake and what he had lost, but it was too late for me. I didn't want to see him anymore. He got married later and had two beautiful children, I was pleased," the singer had added.

LUCE, Angela (Angela Luce Savino)

Born: 12/3/1938, Spaccanapoli, Naples, Kingdom of Italy

Died: 2/20/2026, Naples, Campania, Italy

 

Angela Luce’s westerns – actress:

For a Few Dollars Less - 1966 (Katherine)

Drop Them Or I’ll Shoot – 1968 (Valencia)

RIP Eric Dane

 

Eric Dane

Dead at 53 After ALS Battle

 

TMZ

February 19, 2026

 

Eric Dane has died at the age of 53, following a battle with ALS, TMZ has learned.

The family says in a statement to TMZ ... "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”

The "Grey's Anatomy" star announced he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS, back in April 2025.

He explained it had been an exhausting road just to get accurate answers. He bounced from one specialist to another, test after test ... until a neurologist finally dropped the bomb: ALS.

Over the months, he chronicled his battle with the progressive neurodegenerative disease ... revealing how he was down to just one functioning arm and was running out of body strength.

Commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain ... it gets worse over time and causes loss of muscle control, according to the Mayo Clinic. There is no known cure for ALS.

Eric persevered with work ... even filming the third season of the HBO series, "Euphoria."

Last time we saw Eric was on his 50th birthday in 2022, where we talked about birthday cake.

He was 53.

RIP.

DANE, Eric (Eric William Dane)

Born: 11/9/1972, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Died: 2/19/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Eric Dane’s westerns – actor:

Redeeming Love – 2022 (Duke)

Americana – 2023 (Dillon Macintosh)

RIP Anna Ranalli

 

Farewell to Miss Europe, Anna Ranalli: from sheiks to the spider, style icon. She was 84 years old

Corriere Adriatico

By Laura Ripani

February 15, 2026

 

SAN BENEDETTO To welcome her on Viale Buozzi, fresh from the title of Miss Europe, the escort of the traffic police was even mobilized. Anna Ranalli, the symbolic woman of the Sixties in a city that was exploding on the wave of the Economic Miracle, died yesterday at the age of 84.

The election

Her name will forever remain linked to the election that saw her triumph in 1960 in Beirut. She had been chosen by Ezio Radaelli on the advice of Mimmo del Moro out of over 200 contestants to represent Italy at the Miss Europe contest. It was the evening of June 11, 1960 when she was elected. On her way back, she paraded along the streets in an open car: next to her was the deputy mayor, Luigi Sciarra: confetti was thrown at her. She was the daughter of a taxi driver and had 3 sisters. Fabulous rumors immediately spread in the city, that she had even been courted by some sheikhs and her return was worthy of a Hollywood star.

She was a sort of testimonial ante litteram, with several tourists admitting that they had chosen San Benedetto because of this wonderful woman.

Ranalli - who in 1958 had interrupted her studies to enroll at the Experimental Center of Cinematography - was hired by the best Italian directors and made 7 films. The best known was "The Magnificent Three" with Walter Chiari, Ugo Tognazzi and Raimondo Vianello. After achieving popularity, she studied singing with the masters Francesco Ferrari and Bruno Zambrini, recorded some records and participated in the television program "Tempo di musica".

At the cinema she played some roles in comedies and mythological films such as Rocco and the sisters also directed by Giorgio Simonelli (1961), Le ambiziose, directed by Antonio Amendola, Maciste contro lo sceicco by Domenico Paolella (1962) and I 4 tassi, directed by Giorgio Bianchi (1963) then Perseo l'invincibile, directed by Alberto De Martino. As a singer she participated with Amore mio-mao in the "Six Days of Song" in 1961.

Private life

She left the cinema to devote herself to her family after marrying Gianfranco Battelli, a rally driver who had abandoned racing for her. He followed him to manage two hotels in Chianciano Terme. In recent years she had retired to private life between San Benedetto and Martinsicuro, unforgotten.

RANALLI, Anna (Anna Maria Ranalli)

Born: 1/21/1942, San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche, Italy

Died: 2/14/2026, San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche, Italy

 

Anna Ranalli’s western – actress:

The Magnificent Three – 1961 (Dolores)

RIP Tom Noonan

 

Tom Noonan Dies: ‘Robocop 2’, ‘Manhunter’, ‘Monster Squad’ Actor Was 74

DEADLINE

By Greg Evans

February 18, 2026

 

Tom Noonan, an actor who launched his career on the New York stage in the original 1978 Off Broadway production of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child before pivoting to indelible film performances as menacing villains in Manhunter, Robocop 2, Last Action Hero and The Monster Squad, died Saturday, February 14. He was 74.

His death was confirmed on social media by Karen Sillas, his co-star in the 1992 play What Happened Was… and its 1994 Sundance award-winning film adaptation, and Fred Dekker, director of 1987’s The Monster Squad. Additional details on his passing, including a cause of death, were not immediately available, but Silas noted in her post that Noonan passed away peacefully.

“Tom’s indelible performance as Frankenstein in The Monster Squad is a highlight of my modest filmography,” Dekker wrote on Facebook, adding, “Having been knocked out by his performance as Francis Dollarhyde in Michael Mann’s Manhunter, I desperately wanted Tom to read the script and consider the part, but I knew that nabbing him was probably a long shot. Nonetheless, he agreed to meet me at his Hollywood apartment to discuss the role.

“I knew the first thing a serious actor would want to know was that my vision for Frankenstein was serious and not ‘campy.’..In the end, he found the make-up ardous and annoying (he was fond of tearing it off after we wrapped, and one night didn’t even bother to take it off; just drove home in his Frankenstein appliance). But all in all, he was the proverbial gentleman and scholar, and the world has lost a great talent. R.I.P. Tom. Thanks for the great work.”

A noted playwright (in addition to What Happened Was…, he wrote 1993’s Wifey and 1999’s Wang Dang, among others), Noonan was born April 12, 1951 in Greenwich, Connecticut, the younger brother of John Ford Noonan Jr., who himself would go on to a successful playwriting career (A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, The Year Boston Won the Pennant) and TV success (the elder Noonan was Emmy-nominated for his screenwriting work on St. Elsewhere).

The younger Noonan would become even more recognizable than his brother, with scene-stealing performances as a serial killer in Manhunter (1986), as Frankenstein’s Monster in The Monster Squad (1987), crime boss Cain in RoboCop 2 (1990), the assassin The Ripper in Last Action Hero starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, (1993), hacker Kelso in Heat (1995), Sammy Barnathan in Synecdoche, New York (2008), Mr. Ulman in The House of the Devil (2009), and the peace-seeking Reverend Nathaniel in Hell on Wheels (2011–2014). In the SyFy series 12 Monkeys, he played the villain variously known as The Tall Man and The Pallid Man (2015–2018) and he provided voices for the Charlie Kaufman-Duke Johnson animated film Anomalisa (2015).

Noonan’s earliest film roles were small parts in a trio of 1980 films helmed by heavyweight directors: Paul Mazursky’s Willie & Phil, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate and John Cassavetes’ Gloria.

Noonan also was a prolific TV presence, with appearances on The X-Files (he played an incarcerated serial killer in the notable “Paper Hearts” 1996 episode), Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Tales from the Darkside and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the latter seeing his reteaming with Manhunter star William Petersen).

Other TV credits include Damages, Louie, The Leftovers, Monsters, The Equalizer and Early Edition, among many others.

Noonan was married to actor Karen Young from 1992 until their divorce in 1999. Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.

NOONAN, Tom

Born: 4/12/1951, Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.A.

Died: 2/14/2026, Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.A.

 

Tom Noonan’s westerns – actor:

Heaven’s Gate – 1980 (Jake)

Seraphim Falls – 2006 (Minister Abraham)

Hell on Wheels (TV) – 2011-2012, 2014 (Reverend Nathaniel Cole)

RIP Michel Charrel

This actor of the 1960s has left us at the age of 89, he rubbed shoulders with Lino Ventura and other personalities of the time

Purepeople

By Bertrand Bielle

February 16, 2026

 

French cinema is in mourning after the death of an emblematic actor at the age of 89. This familiar face to the audience had distinguished himself by his many supporting roles alongside big stars. A look back at the rich career of a generous and versatile actor.

French cinema is in mourning. "It is with infinite sadness that the Stéphane Lefebvre Artistic Agency announces the death of actor Michel Charrel, which occurred in Paris on February 14, 2026, at the age of 89. An exceptional talent and a man of great generosity, his departure leaves a huge void for all those who had the chance to know him. All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones," we have just learned this Monday, February 16, 2026.

Michel Charrel began his career in the early 1960s, and quickly established himself as an actor known for his supporting roles. He made brief appearances in notable productions of the time: we think of his participation in the Fantomas saga, carried by Louis de Funès and Jean Marais.

Michel Charrel has also distinguished himself on the small screen, and was notably in the cast of The Tiger Brigades, a cult series of the 70s, of which he will mark several episodes with his presence. "Like many actors of his generation, he made the television series a natural extension of his career in the cinema, accepting all registers with the same professionalism," underline our colleagues at Télé-Loisirs.

Michel Charrel, the big names in cinema with whom he played

His last film appearance was in 2020, when he played a hotel receptionist in Philippe Garrel's The Salt of Tears. In 2018, he appeared in the series Hippocrates, where he played Joseph Pires. Michel Garrel rubbed shoulders with legends of the 7th art in France, such as Jean Gabin in Le Pacha in 1968, or Lino Ventura and Bourvil three years earlier in Les grandes gueules. Or Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour, in 1967.

We can also highlight his collaborations with great directors, such as Claude Lelouch with The Good and the Bad (1975), to name but one. Michel Charrel was born on September 13, 1936 in Tarare (Rhône), near Lyon. An actor unknown to the general public, he has nevertheless had a great career, he who, as indicated by Télé-Loisirs, was known for "his ability to blend into all universes, from thrillers to comedies, including adventure films".

Over time, his name has come up regularly in the program schedules, in a TV movie, an episode of a series or a rerun of a classic where his familiar face reappears. It is therefore a striking figure of French cinema, who has just left us. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

CHARREL, Michel (Michel Pierre Victor Charrel)

Born: 9/13/1936, Tarare, Rhône, France

Died: 2/14/2026, Paris, Île-de-France, France

 

Michel Charrel’s westerns – actor:

Convoi de femmes – 1974 (captain)

 The Girls of the Golden Saloon – 1975 (Ringo)

RIP Delova Lence

 

Prominent Yugoslav actress dies: Lence Delova dies at the age of 77, sad news announced

Blic

February 15, 2026

 

At the age of 77, the prominent theater, film and television actress Lence Delova has passed away. The sad news was confirmed by the Drama Theater, her home stage where she left an indelible artistic mark over the decades of her work.

On the occasion of the departure of its long-time member, the Drama Theatre issued a statement: "It is with deep sadness and disbelief that we received the news that our dear colleague and actress, Lence Delova, has passed away."

- Her beauty, warmth and smile will forever be in our hearts and memories. The theater has lost an artist, and we have lost a friend and a wonderful person. Rest in peace. My condolences to his family and loved ones, he added.

Lence Delova was born on June 15, 1948, in Skopje, where she began her stage career as a youth actress in 1964. Since 1970, she has been a permanent member of the Drama Theatre ensemble, where she worked until her retirement in 2013.

On the theatre stage, she has created a rich opus of over 60 plays, interpreting roles in classical and contemporary works, including "Macbeth", "The Cherry Orchard" and "Whose Are You". In addition to theatre, she has also left a strong mark on film and television, with roles in more than 30 films, including "Wild Meat", "Ilinden", "Thessaloniki Patrigias" and "Before the Rain".

Throughout her career, she has performed numerous roles in drama and television. She won the 1978 October 13 Award for her performance in Hamlet as Ophelia. 1996: Award for Best Acting Achievement, awarded during the International Film Festival "Vojdan Chernodrinski" in Prilep, for the role of Trajanka in the film "Ni qar

LENCE, Delova

Born: 6/15/1948, Skoplje, Macedonia, Yugoslavia

Died: 2/15/2026, Skopje, Macedonia

 

Delova Lence’s western – actress:

Dust – 2001 (woman)

RIP Juan Carlos Desanzo

 

Juan Carlos Desanzo, emblematic director of Eva Perón and El Polaquito, died at the age of 88

The work of the renowned filmmaker leaves an artistic and ethical mark on generations that today value his commitment. His last appearance in Congress against the labor reform

infobae

By Iván Basso

February 16, 2026

Juan Carlos Desanzo, a key figure in Argentine cinema, has died at the age of 88, according to Argentine Film Directors (DAC). As a director, screenwriter and director of photography, his work spanned several generations and genres fundamental to national culture.

The news is an irreparable loss for the industry, recognized as one of the greatest authors of national cinema and for his permanent contribution to the identity of the sector.

Desanzo began his career in the 60s as a cinematographer in emblematic films. Among his most outstanding works are Un guapo del 900, La hora de los Hornos, The Players vs. Ángeles Caídos, Crónica de una señora, Los gauchos judíos, Juan Moreira, La Tregua, No toquen a la nena, El muerto, Los pasajeros del jardín and El infierno tan temido.

His work on these titles was praised for his variety of styles and a recognized technical ability within the medium. DAC described him as a constant companion and firm defender of the cinematographic work.

Since 1983, Desanzo has established himself as a director and screenwriter, adding essential titles for national cinema. Among them are El desquite, En retirada, La búsqueda, Al filo de la ley, Eva Perón, Hasta la victoria siempre, La venganza, El amor y el espanto, El Polaquito and Verano amargo.

Less thaa week before his death, Desanzo participated in a press conference at the National Congress next to the National Audiovisual Space. The director expressed significant support for the claim against the labor reform promoted by the Executive Branch. The renowned director, an emblematic figure of Argentine cinema, thus joined a diverse group of artists and legislators concerned about the fate of local cultural production. "When I made my film Eva Perón I was fervently supported by the Peronist deputy Patricia Bullrich," he said, with pure irony in his presentation.

The National Audiovisual Space brought together personalities from different areas of cinema, television and culture. Desanzo's participation strengthened the legitimacy of the claim, since his career as a filmmaker made him a respected voice inside and outside the audiovisual field.

For Juan Carlos Desanzo, cinema was much more than a vocation, it was his daily refuge. The photographer, also recognized for his extensive career and for having collaborated with central figures of Argentine cinema, defined his link with films and cameras from his earliest years.

"At the age of five I had to start working, my reality was very lacking," Desanzo said during a conversation with Coco Blaustein on Radio Nacional in 2020. The director recalled that his first tasks included distributing ice in a cart with ball bearings, an image that illustrates the precariousness of his environment.

The opportunity to discover cinema came by chance. "Once I had to talk to a man who asked me if he could deliver his brochures of his cinema to all the homes where he delivered the ice. So in exchange he let me enter the cinema as many times as he wanted for free. Every day of my life I went to the movies," he confessed, synthesizing in that experience the root of his love for the seventh art.

Throughout his career, he established himself as one of the most sought-after cinematographers in the country. He worked with Fernando "Pino" Solanas in projects with strong political and social content, such as La Hora de los Hornos (1968). About that experience, Desanzo defined the film as "a clandestine film" and recognized it as "an act of liberation." A statement that sums up the climate of the time and the risks taken by the filmmakers.

The farewell to the filmmaker will be in a private ceremony. Juan Carlos Desanzo's impact, commitment and strength will live on in the industry he helped build.

DESANZO, Juan Carlos

Born: 1/15/1938, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Died: 2/16/2026, Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

Juan Carlos Desanzo’s westerns – cinematographer:

Juan Moreira – 1973

Cacique Bandeira - 1975

RIP Robert Duvall

 

Actor Robert Duvall has died — he brought a compassionate center to edgy hard roles

NPR

By Glen Weldon

February 16, 2026

 

Over his long career, Robert Duvall brought a wide range of characters to life, from tough Marines to wistful, tender-hearted cowboys.

Duvall died on Sunday. His wife Luciana posted on Facebook on Monday, "Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort."

He was 95 years old.

In his first major movie role, in 1962, Robert Duvall appeared in only a handful of scenes. He didn't have a single word of dialogue. Yet the actor managed to make an indelible, star-making impression. The film was To Kill a Mockingbird. The role was Boo Radley.

Boo is the small town's recluse; he spends the movie as little more than a mysterious shape, cloaked in shadows. But in the film's final moments, he steps out nervously, into the light.

Duvall's features soften, he smiles slightly — and the menacing presence of Boo Radley transforms before our eyes into a figure radiating kindness and concern. The pure, elegantly nuanced physicality of that moment launched his career.

Robert Duvall came from a military family. He told NPR's All Things Considered in 2010 that he didn't so much discover acting as have it thrust upon him by his parents.

"I was at a small college in the Midwest," he said. "It was the end of the Korean war. I did go in the army eventually but [only] to get through college, to find something that would give me a sense of worth, where I got my first 'A'. It was my parents I had to thank for that."

As a young actor, he ended up in New York City, where he palled around with Gene Hackman, James Caan and his roommate Dustin Hoffman. It was over many coffees and conversations with them at Cromwell's Drug Store on 50th and 6th Avenue that he struck upon his personal philosophy of acting. His approach was direct and unpretentious, as he explained to the TV series Oprah's Masterclass in 2015: "Basically just talk and listen, and keep it simple. And however it goes, it goes."

After Mockingbird, his parts grew bigger: Films like Bullitt, True Grit, and M*A*S*H, in which he originated the role of the uptight Major Frank Burns.

But it was his role in 1972's The Godfather, as Tom Hagen, the Corleone family lawyer, that changed everything. Amid the film's operatic swirl of emotion, Tom Hagen was an island of calmness and restraint, so it might seem odd that Duvall often said it was one of his favorite roles of his career.

But his strength as an actor was always how unforced he seemed, how true. Others around him emoted, showily and outwardly — he always directed his energy inward, to find a character's heart. This was true even when he played roles with a harder edge.

In two films that came out in 1979 — The Great Santini and Apocalypse Now, both of which earned him Oscar nominations — Duvall played military men. In Santini, he was a bluff, belligerent Marine who bullied his sensitive son in an attempt to harden him into a man.

In Francis Ford Coppola's epically trippy Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, Duvall was all charismatic swagger as Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore, who calls down an airstrike and delivers one of the most quotable lines in film history: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. ... It smells like ... victory."

As he told Terry Gross on Fresh Air in 1996, the words followed him for the rest of his life.

"Yeah, that was a wonderful line," he said. "People come up to me and quote it to me like it's this in thing between me and them. Like they're the only ones who ever thought of it, but it happens with everyone in the same way."

He finally won the Oscar for 1983's Tender Mercies. He played a recovering alcoholic country singer trying to start his life over. Duvall did his own singing in that film.

He directed 1997's The Apostle, which he also wrote, produced and starred in, as an evangelical preacher on the outs with God. It earned him his fifth Oscar nomination for acting.

Over the course of an acting career that spanned decades, Duvall appeared in over 90 films. He took traditional, old Hollywood archetypes of masculinity — soldiers, cops and cowboys — and imbued them with notes of melancholy, a vulnerability that made them come alive onscreen.

DUVALL, Robert (Robert Selden Duvall)

Born: 1/5/1931, San Diego, California, U.S.A.

Died: 2/15/2026, Middleburg, Virginia, U.S.A.

 

Robert Duvall’s westerns - producer, director, writer, actor:

Stoney Burke (TV) - 1963 (Jody Pierce)

The Virginian (TV) 1963 (Johnny Keel)

Shane (TV) - 1966 (Tom Gary)

Cimarron Strip (TV) - 1967 (Joe Wyman)

The Wild Wild West (TV) – 1967 (Dr. Horace Humphries)

True Grit – 1969 (Ned Pepper)

Lawman – 1971 (Vernon Adams)

The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid – 1972 (Jesse James)

Joe Kidd – 1972 (Frank Harlan)

Lonesome Dove (TV) – 1989 (Augustus 'Gus' McCrae)

Convicts – 1991 (Soll Gautier)

Geronimo: An American Legend – 1993 (Al Sieber)

Open Range – 2003 (Boss Spearman)

Broken Trail (TV) – 2006 (Prentice Ritter) [producer]

A Night in Old Mexico – 2013 (Red) [producer]

Wild Horses – 2015 (Scott Briggs) [producer, director, writer]

In Dubious Battle – 2016 (Bolton)

 

RIP Dolores Munoz Ledo

 

Dolores Muñoz Ledo Ortega, icon of Mexican dubbing, dies at 107

The ANDA confirms the death of Dolores Muñoz Ledo Ortega, dubbing icon, at 107 years of age

Municipios Puebla

February 13, 2026

 

The artistic community of Mexico mourns the departure of Dolores Muñoz Ledo Ortega, known in the world of dubbing as "Marcela Septien", who died at the age of 107. The news was confirmed by the National Association of Actors (ANDA), which expressed its condolences to the actress's family and friends. So far, the cause of his death is unknown.

Dolores Muñoz Ledo Ortega will be remembered for her extensive career in dubbing films and radio soap operas, both in Mexico and in New York. Her career dates back to the 1940s, when she was hired by Metro Goldwyn Mayer to participate in the first dubbing of Spanish-language films.

Her most notable roles include the Spanish-language voice of Swedish actress Signe Hasso in productions such as Dangerous Partners, The Seventh Cross and Assignment in Brittan. In addition, she voiced characters such as Adrian Pennino in Rocky IV (1985), Mary in Gold in the Mud (1946), and Sandy Davyss in We Were the Sacrificed (1945), as well as numerous roles in films of the 1940s, including The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) and Marie Antoinette (1938).

Her talent also stood out in the field of radio soap operas, where he obtained great recognition in the 1960s for her participation in Kalimán: El juego de la muerte, one of the most emblematic productions of the medium.

On social networks, followers and colleagues of the media expressed their sorrow for the loss of a figure who marked the history of entertainment in Mexico, both in dubbing and radio, leaving a legacy that will be remembered for generations.

Dolores was married to Luis Rodríguez del Río, a radio producer for XEW, and was the mother of two sons: Luis Fernando and Sergio Alberto Rodríguez Muñoz Ledo. His zodiac sign was Aries, a reflection of the energy and determination that characterized his career.

LEDO, Dolores Muñoz (Maria Dolores Muñoz Ledo Ortega)

Born: 4/14/1918, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 2/13/2026, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Dolores Muñoz Ledo’s western – voice dubber:

The Harvey Girls – 1946 [Spanish voice of Deborah Andrews]

RIP Sergio Lucchetti

 

Il mondo dei doppiatori

January 27, 2026

 

Farewell to Sergio Lucchetti, one of the great voices of Italian dubbing.

He voiced characters in films such as "Pirates of the Caribbean," "The Bourne Ultimatum," Steve Coogan in "Tropic Thunder," and many others.

Among his latest highly watched series, he voiced "Evil," in which he lent his voice to Michael Emerson (Leland Townsend).

LUCCHETTI, Sergio

Born: 6/9/1958, Genoa, Liguria, Italy

Died: 1/27/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

SergioLucchetti’s westerns – voice dubber:

Comanche Moon (TV)- 2008 [Italian voice of Karl Urban]

Westworld (TV) – 2020 [Italian voice of Tommy Flanagan]

Yellowstone (TV) 2020-2022 [Italian voice of Will Patton]

 

RIP Pino Colizzi

 

The voice actor Pino Colizzi has died. He is the voice of De Niro in "The Godfather 2" and Disney Robin Hood

He was 88 years old. He had also been an actor for Zeffirelli

La Republica

February 15, 2026

 

Pino Colizzi, actor, voice actor and director of Italian dubbing, has died at the age of 88.

Born in Rome in 1937, Colizzi began working in cinema with a small part that Luchino Visconti entrusted to him in Uno sguardo dal Ponte, with Paolo Stoppa and Rina Morelli. In the same year he made his television debut as the protagonist of the Tom Jones drama. His family had the art of the stage in their blood (the Colizzi and Ferzetti were cousins) and so the young Pino graduated from the Silvio D'Amico Academy of Dramatic Art where Orazio Costa teaches. In the theater he had good teachers such as Elena Cotta and above all Franco Zeffirelli (Romeo and Juliet) and Giuseppe Patroni Griffi. But his talent fully emerges at the beginning of the 70s when Bolognini calls him for Metello and Sandro Bolchi entrusts him on TV with the complex role of Vronsky in Anna Karenina alongside Lea Massari (1974).

As a voice actor he has given voice to actors such as Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, James Caan, Richard Dreyfuss, Omar Sharif, Franco Nero, Robert Powell in the role of Jesus of Nazareth by Zeffirelli (in which Colizzi is also an actor in the role of the good thief), Christopher Reeve in the first three film episodes of Superman, Robert De Niro in The Godfather - Part II, Patrick McGoohan in the second edition of the dubbing of The Prisoner, the famous English science fiction series of the seventies, and above all Martin Sheen in Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece Apocalypse Now. In 1973 he voiced Robin Hood in the famous Disney cartoon while in 1999 Zeffirelli chose him for Tea with Mussolini, with Maggie Smith, Cher and Judi Dench and in 2001 Colizzi participated in the television series Il bello delle donne in the role of Count Gabriele De Contris. As a dubbing director, in addition to all of Zeffirelli's films since The Champion (1979), his works include Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, the 007 films starring Pierce Brosnan and the Matrix trilogy.

He was married to his colleague Manuela Andrei, with whom he had two children: Carlo and Chiara.

COLIZZI, Pino (Giuseppe Colizzi)

Born: 11/12/1937, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Died: 2/15/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

Pino Colizzi’s westerns – voice actor, dubber, sound department:

Blood at Sundown – 1965 [Italian voice of Hugo Blanco]

The Sheriff Won’t Shoot – 1965 [Italian voice of  Sancho Gracia]

Djurado – 1966 [Italian voice of Goyo Lebrero]

Death Rides Along – 1967 [Italian narrator]

Kill the Wicked – 1967 [Italian voice of Rod Dana]

A Minute to Pray a Second to Die – 1967 [Italian voice of Alex Cord]

Poker With Pistols – 1967 [Italian voice of George Eastman]

Rick and John, Conquerors of the West – 1967 [Italian voice of Piero Leri]

Ace High – 1968 [additional Italian voices]

Garter Colt – 1968 [Italian voice of Yorgo Voyagis]

I Want Him Dead – 1968 [Italian voice of Rick Boyd]

The Nephews of Zorro – 1968 [Italian voice of Dean Reed]

Blood and Guns – 1969 [Italian voice of José Torres]

Boot Hill – 1969 [Italian voice of Leslie Bailey]

The Forgotten Pistolero – 1969 [Italian voice of Leonard Mann]

The Price of Power – 1969 [Italian voice of Ralph Neville]

The Beast – 1970 [Italian voice of Steven Tedd]

Gunman in Town – 1970 [Italian voice of Salvatore Borghese]

The Twilight Avenger – 1970 [Italian voice of Pietro Torrisi]

A Fistful of Death – 1971 [Italian voice of Benito Pacifico]

Guns for Dollars – 1971 [Italian voice of Paolo Gozlino]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller – 1971 [Italian voice of Warren Beatty]

They Call Him Cemetery – 1971 [Italian voice of Gianni Garko]

The Deserter – 1972 [Italian voice of Wade Brown]

Stay Away from Trinity... When He Comes to Eldorado – 1972 [Italian voice of Stelvio Rosi]

Thunder Over El Paso – 1972 [Italian voice of Chris Avram]

Two Sons of Trinity – 1972 [Italian voice of Franco Ressel]

One Little Indian – 1973 [Italian voice of James Garner]

Tequila – 1973 [Italian voice of Anthony Steffen]

Those Dirty Dogs – 1973 [Italian voice of Simón Andreu]

Westworld – 1973 [Italian voice of James Brolin]

Days of Heaven -1978 [Italian voice of Richard Gere]

Buddy Goes West – 1981 [Italian voice of Joe Bugner]

North Star – 1996 [Italian voice of James Caan]

 

RIP Lory Patrick

 

Lory Patrick, ‘Tales of Wells Fargo’ Actress and Widow of Disney Star Dean Jones, Dies at 92

She and the Disney actor known for ‘That Darn Cat!’ and ‘The Love Bug’ were married for 42 years until his 2015 death.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

February 11, 2026

 

Lory Patrick, who portrayed a neighbor of Dale Robertson’s character on NBC’s Tales of Wells Fargo and appeared on such other shows as Wagon Train, Dr. Kildare and Bonanza, has died. She was 92.

Patrick died Jan. 26 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a publicist announced.

Patrick was married to Dean Jones, the star of such classic Disney family films as That Darn Cat!, The Love Bug and The Shaggy D.A., for 42 years until his September 2015 death from Parkinson’s disease at age 84.

Her first husband was late science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison; they were married and divorced in 1966, and she was the third of his five wives.

Soon after signing a contract with Universal in 1961, Patrick appeared on an episode of The Loretta Young Show, then was hired to play schoolteacher Tina Swenson on Tales of Wells Fargo. Her character lives with her sister (Mary Jane Saunders) and their widowed mother, Ovie (Virginia Christine), on a San Francisco ranch next to one owned by Robertson’s Jim Hardie.

Patrick appeared on 15 episodes during the Western’s sixth and final season, when the show had been expanded to an hour.

Loretta Basham was born on April 8, 1933, in Beckley, West Virginia. After graduating from nearby Oak Hill High School, she worked as a model in Detroit and New York, where she landed a gig on the NBC game show Split Personality, before coming to Los Angeles.

Patrick also showed up on other shows including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, It’s a Man’s World, General Electric Theater and Laramie and in such films as Surf Party (1964) and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967).

She appeared on an episode of Bonanza in 1967 and did some writing for that NBC show. After retiring from acting in the late ’60s, she continued writing for TV and films, was a columnist for a writers’ magazine and as Lory Basham Jones wrote the 1993 book Hearing God.

After she married Jones in June 1973 (she was his second wife), they established a counseling ministry, served as elders for The Church on the Way in Van Nuys and founded the Christian Rescue Committee (now called Christian Rescue Fund), an organization that “provides a way of escape” to Jews, Christians and others persecuted for their faith.

In 1984, she directed the one-man play St. John in Exile that starring her husband. Jones then reprised the role of the disciple for a 1986 film. After his death, she moved from Tarzana to Gettysburg to spend time with family and to continue her writing and passion for art.

Survivors include her three children, Caroline (and her husband, Steve), Deanna (Tom) and Michael (Dion); eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; her brothers, Richard, Tom and Paul; and her sister, Carol. She was preceded in death by two other brothers, Charles and David.

A memorial service is set for 11 a.m. on April 25 at Mossy Living World Church in Scarbro, West Virginia. Donations in her name can be made to that church, Pentecost Walk or the Christian Rescue Fund.

PATRICK, Lory (Loretta Basham)

Born: 4/8/1934, Beckley, West Virginia, U.S.A.

Died: 1/26/2026, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

 

Lory Patrick’s westerns – actress:

Gunfight at Black Horse Canyon (TV) – 1961 (Tina)

Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1961-1962 (Tina Swanson)

Wagon Train (TV) - 1962 (Laura, Nancy Davis, Rachel Levy)

Wide Country (TV) – 1962 (Georgina)

Laramie (TV) – 1963 (Laurie McGovern)

Death Valley Days (TV) – 1964 (Winifred Sweet)

Bonanza (TV) – 1967 (Rita)

RIP Vangie Labalan

 

Actress Vangie Labalan passes away at 83

Manila Bulletin

By Robert Requintina

February 12, 2026

 

Actress and acting coach Vangie Labalan (Maria Cristina Labalan in real life) has passed away. She was 83.

This was confirmed by her daughter Van-van Aligam in a Facebook post on Feb. 12.

Van-van said her mother passed on surrounded by family. No other details were provided.

"Ma, how is this because the stone is not yours? I'm glad you passed peacefully. surrounded by family. Acta at the end, you're going to be a bit too late. We love you, Mom. Rest easy,' wrote Van-van on social media.

Vangie has appeared on television and movie projects, including the critically acclaimed "Himala" with Nora Aunor. She last appeared in the Kapamilya series "Batang Quiapo."

Van-van also paid tribute to her mom in a separate post.

"If there's a lot of sadness in my life, there's only one Sabbath. You made me talk. Period. I am proud to act because it bleeds in my blood. Has a right!

"Thank you, Ma. Because of you, we are not able to control actors and showbiz life "Because of you I earned my voice. The workshops were worth it.

"You are the promoter of Australia to all of us. That's why we're here.

"Thank you for being our automatic pulian sa Manila.

"Thank you for helping us get where we are. In support. For the encouragement that someone brings hikay.

"If it's dawn, it's the end.

"We miss you already. We love you."

Friends in showbiz and netizens offered their condolences to Vangie's family. Among them were the Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairman Jose Javier Reyes, Roderick Paulate, I.C. Mendoza, Darius Razon, and Marissa Delgado.

"Thank you for all the years we worked together and provided Filipino cinema with the brilliance of your talent, hard work, and professionalism. You shall never be forgotten, as you will forever be missed. Have a safe journey home to the waiting arms of Our Father, dearest Vangie Labalan," wrote Reyes.

Labalan, Vangie (Maria Cristina Labalan)

Born: 1/20/1943, Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines

Died: 2/12/2026, Australia

 

Vangie Labalan’s western – actress:

Long Ranger and Tonton: Shooting Stars of the West – 1989 (Lovely Nest)

RIP Bud Cort

 

Bud Cort, ‘Harold and Maude’ Star, Dies at 77

Variety

By Pat Saperstein

February 11, 2026

 

Bud Cort, who personified the role of Harold in the 1971 Hal Ashby classic “Harold and Maude,” died Wednesday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77.

His longtime friend Dorian Hannaway reported his death.

Cort also starred in Robert Altman’s “Brewster McCloud” and had roles in numerous other films and TV shows.

In “Harold and Maude,” which became a beloved and enduring cult classic despite a rocky start at the box office, Cort played a 20-year-old man obsessed by thoughts of suicide whose life changes when he meets Maude, a 79-year-old Holocaust survivor played by Ruth Gordon.

Born Walter Edward Cox in Rye, N.Y., he changed his name to avoid confusion with character actor Wally Cox. He went to school in New Rochelle, N.Y. and enjoyed going to Broadway shows.

Cort moved to Los Angeles to work in film and was cast by Altman in a small part in “MASH.” Altman then selected his to star in the quirky “Brewster McCloud” about a young man who yearns to fly, with Sally Kellerman as a guardian angel.

“I was only fourteen when I met Bud at the backstage door at my sister’s play,” Roslyn Kind recalled in a statement. “He was majoring in art at the time in high school. We became close friends who shared our interest in entertainment. When I got married, Bud and our songwriter friend, Bruce Roberts, wrote a special song that was performed at the ceremony. His unique spirit will always be with me.”

“We were in the line for lunch when I spotted him,” she later recalled. “Although I didn’t know who he was, I said ‘Oh, boy. We’re going to be best friends.’”

His chemistry with Gordon while auditioning for the part of Harold convinced Ashby and writer Colin Higgins to cast him in “Harold and Maude,” which has endured as a repertory screening favorite for more than 50 years. He was nominated for a BAFTA award as most promising newcomer and for a Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy.

“A young man obsessed with death falls in love with an old woman obsessed with life. She dies and teaches the kid how to live,” Cameron Crowe described it for AFI in 2011. “And it’s done with music [by Cat Stevens] that scratches at your soul. . . . that movie holds up — to this minute.”

His other roles included films “She Dances Alone,” “Electric Dreams” and “The Life Aquatic,” as well as “Heat,” “Dogma,” “Coyote Ugly” and “Pollock.”

He also voiced the character Toyman in “Superman: The Animated Series,” “Static Shock” and “Justic League Unlimited.” He co-wrote, starred in and directed the 1991 film “Ted and Venus.”

In 1979, Cort narrowly survived a devastating car accident, which necessitated numerous surgeries and affected his career.

He is survived by his brother Joseph Cox and his sister-in-law Vickie and their daughters, Meave, Brytnn, and Jesse of Rye, N.Y.; his sister Kerry Cox of Larchmont, N.Y.; his sister and brother-in-law, Tracy Cox Berkman and Edward Berkman, and their sons, Daniel and Peter. He is also survived by his sister, Shelly Cox Dufour and brother-in-law Robert Dufour, and nieces Madeline and Lucie.

A memorial will be held at a future date in Los Angeles.

CORT, Bud (Walter Edward Cox)

Born: 3/29/1948, Rye, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 2/11/2026, Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.A.

 

Bud Cort’s westerns – actor:

The Travelling Executioner – 1970 (Jimmy)

South of Heaven, West of Hell – 2000 (Agent Otts)

RIP James Van Der Beek

 

‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star James Van Der Beek Dead at 48 After Cancer Battle

The actor also starred in Kesha's 2011 music video for "Blow."

Billboard

By Anna Chan

2/11/2026

 

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the statement, posted to Instgram, read. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

The actor revealed in an exclusive interview with People in November 2024, that he had stage 3 colorectal cancer; he was 46 at the time. Van Der Beek told the magazine that his family had no history of cancer, and that he was careful to take good care of his health. “I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles,” he told People. “But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy — or as far as I knew it at the time.”

He said that he first noticed changes with his bowel movements in 2023, but assumed it was diet related, but decided to be safe and get a colonoscopy. That’s when he learned he had colorectal cancer. Despite the diagnosis, Van Der Beek said he was “cautiously optimistic at the time,” telling People, “I have a lot to live for.”

Throughout his treatment, the actor shared his story, repeating in interviews that he hoped his tale would encourage others to talk to their doctors and get tested.

In addition to Dawson’s Creek, the actor also starred in films such as Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, and also had memorable guest roles on shows including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, One Tree Hill and Ugly Betty.

Van Der Beek also had a memorable starring role in Kesha’s 2011 video for “Blow.” In the visual, the actor and musician eye each other across a dance floor, then bust out laser guns and start shooting (taking out a few unicorns in the process), before Kesha reigns victorious.

James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their kids Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwen and Jeremiah.

VAN DER BEEK, James (James David Van Der Beek Jr.)

Born: 3/8/1977, Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S.A.

Died: 2/11/2026, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

 

James Van Der Beek’s westerns – actor:

Texas Rangers – 2001 (Lincoln Rogers Dunnison)

Walker (TV) – 2024 (new neighbor)

RIP Christa Lang

 

Christa Lang, Actress, Producer and Widow of Samuel Fuller, Dies at 82

She appeared in French New Wave movies for Roger Vadim, Claude Chabrol and Jean-Luc Godard before marrying the iconic American filmmaker in 1967.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

February 3, 2026

 

Christa Lang, the German-born actress and producer who appeared in French New Wave features and served as a muse to her husband of three decades, the daring American filmmaker Samuel Fuller, has died. She was 82.

Lang died Friday at her home in Los Angeles after what was described as a brief period of declining health, her daughter, Samantha Fuller, announced.

Lang had moved to Paris and become friends with writers, actors and filmmakers including Roger Vadim, Claude Chabrol, Agnès Varda and Jean-Luc Godard while appearing in Vadim’s Circle of Love (1964), Chabrol’s Code Name: Tiger (1964) and Godard’s Alphaville (1965), starring Anna Karina.

Also in Paris at the time was Fuller, who had acted in Godard’s Pierrot le Fou (1965), a precursor to he and Lang having their first date the following year in Montmartre.

After Fuller returned to the U.S., he paid for Lang’s first-class, one-way ticket to the States, and they married in 1967, when she worked opposite Elvis Presley, her teenage idol, in an uncredited role in Charro!

For Fuller, she went on to portray a rebellious German countess in the World War II epic The Big Red One (1980) and a nurse in White Dog (1980), and she was his partner in the production company Chrisam Films.

Christa Langewiesche was born in December 1943 in Winterberg, Germany and raised in postwar Essen, where she had her first poem published in a local newspaper when she was 15.

At 17, she moved to France and worked as an au pair for the Toulouse-Lautrec family, then began modeling and saving money for acting classes. (In Paris, she sat as an art model for renowned sculptor Paul Belmondo, father of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo.)

Lang acted in stage productions including La Jalousie by Sacha Guitry, then earned her first onscreen role in L’Assasin connait la musique (1963), written and directed by Pierre Chenal.

After appearing in Chabrol’s The Champagne Murders (1967) and getting married, she joined Fuller in developing projects while pursuing her academic ambitions. She enrolled in a French Literature program at UCLA and graduated with a master’s degree a few years later.

In 1972, Lang showed up in Peter Bogdanovich’s What’s Up Doc? — she and Fuller would become great friends with the director and his then-wife, Polly Platt — and played a witty con artist on an episode of the German crime series Tatort that was written and directed by her husband.

Lang gave birth to her daughter in 1975, and nine months later they appeared as mother and child alongside Anthony Hopkins in the 1976 NBC telefilm The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case.

In 1981, the family moved to Paris to pursue European film offers for Fuller to write and direct, and they would remain there until 1995. Before returning to the U.S., however, she and Fuller traveled to Brazil to meet with Karaja Indians in the Amazon jungle for the 1994 Mika Kaurismäki-directed documentary Tigrero.

After Fuller’s death in October 1997 at age 85, Lang set out to have his autobiography, A Third Face, edited and published, and it hit bookstores in 2002. She also produced a 2013 documentary about him, A Fuller Life, that was directed by their daughter.

Her last onscreen appearance was filmed last year for an upcoming documentary about Fuller’s final feature, Street of No Return (1989).

Survivors also include her granddaughter, Samira.

LANG, Christa (Christa Langewiesche)

Born: 12/23/1943, Winterberg, Gau Westphalia-South, Germany

Died: 1/30/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Christa Lang’s western – actress:

Charro! – 1969 (Christa)

RIP Gerardo Taracena

 

Gerardo Taracena, ‘Apocalypto’ actor and renowned Mexican performer, dies at 55

The Economic Times

By Maitreyee Thakkar

February 1, 2026

 

Gerardo Taracena, a celebrated Mexican actor and dancer known for Apocalypto and other projects, died on 31 January 2026 at the age of 55. The fact was confirmed by the Asociación Nacional de Actores (ANDA) in an official statement expressing deep sorrow over his passing. It has not elaborated on medical details or circumstances.

Born on 27 March 1970 in Mexico City, Gerardo Taracena developed an early passion for the performing arts, studying Dramatic Arts at the Centro Universitario de Teatro of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He began his artistic journey in theatre and dance, performing in numerous productions that showcased his expressive range and physicality.

Taracena’s talent quickly found expression beyond the stage, and by the late 1990s and early 2000s he was appearing in notable film and television roles. While his early work included a variety of national productions, he soon became known to international audiences as well.

Breakthrough in Hollywood

One of Taracena’s most internationally celebrated roles came in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto (2006), where he portrayed Middle Eye, a fierce and memorable warrior in the epic historical drama. The film brought him global recognition and remains one of his most iconic screen performances.

In addition to Apocalypto, his Hollywood credits included roles in acclaimed films such as Man on Fire (2004) and The Mexican (2001), broadening his reach with North American audiences.

Success in Mexican cinema

Taracena’s filmography was vast and diverse, including a mix of dramatic and comedic work in Mexican cinema. He appeared in popular films such as El violín (The Violin), El Chamán in El Señor de los Cielos, Batman in La Reina del Sur, showcasing his range from intense character roles to lighter, heartfelt performances.

In the era of streaming, Taracena became widely recognized for his role in the hit Netflix series Narcos: México, where he portrayed Pablo Acosta Villarreal, a historical figure linked to the rise of modern drug trafficking along the US-Mexico border.

Beyond Narcos: México, he also appeared in other acclaimed television series, contributing to the growing international visibility of Mexican actors in global content platforms.

Taracena’s career spanned more than three decades and included over 30 theatre productions, numerous films and prominent television roles. He was widely respected not only for his screen presence but also for his commitment to the craft, blending physical performance, emotional depth and cultural authenticity.

Following news of his passing, ANDA publicly shared its condolences:

“La Asociación Nacional de Actores lamenta profundamente la partida de nuestro compañero Gerardo Taracena. Nos unimos a la pena que embarga a sus familiares, amigos y a la comunidad artística. QEPD.”

 

Colleagues, directors and fans have taken to social media to celebrate Taracena’s contributions and memories of his performances, particularly highlighting the strength and nuance he brought to every role.

 

As of the latest reports, the official cause of Gerardo Taracena’s death has not been disclosed by authorities or his family.

 

TARACENA, Gerardo

Born: 3/27/1970, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 1/31/2026, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Gerardo Taracena’s westerns – actor:

Private Pérez – 2011 (Carmelo Benavides)

Texas Rising – 2015 (Manuel Flores)