RIP Ronnie Schell

 

Ronnie Schell, ‘Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.’ and ‘That Girl’ Actor, Dies at 94

Variety

By Matt Minton

June 12, 2026

 

Ronnie Schell, the versatile actor known for his comedic work in “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” and “That Girl,” died Friday in Los Angeles of natural causes, his publicist confirmed to Variety. He was 94.

Known for his work in film, TV and on stage as a comedian, the San Francisco native amassed over 140 credits over the course of his decades-spanning career.

He is perhaps best remembered for his run of ’60s shows, from starring in 92 episodes of “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” as Duke Slater to three episodes of “That Girl” alongside Marlo Thomas. During that time period, he made appearances on “The Patty Duke Show” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” He co-starred with Goldie Hawn on “Good Morning World.”

Schell’s career as a performer started after auditioning for San Francisco’s Purple Onion nightclub while he was still a senior at San Francisco State University. He also enlisted in the Air Force.

Beyond his on-screen work, which included roles in “Fatal Instinct,” “The Devil and Max Devlin” and “The Revenge of the Red Baron,” Schell was known as a voice performer for “Cat from Outer Space,” “Jetsons,” “Rover Dangerfield,” “Battle of the Planets” and “Goober and the Ghost Chasers.” Additionally, he was credited as a dialogue coach on 1984’s “All of Me,” directed by Carl Reiner.

His most recent appearances included the TV shows “See Ya” and “Kaplan’s Korner.” He also starred in the musical comedy “Don’t Leave it All to Your Children!”

Schell is survived by his wife Janet, sons Gregory and Christian and a granddaughter, Chiara.

SCHELL, Ronnie (Ronald Ralph Schell)

Born: 12/23/1932, Richmond, California, U.S.A.

Died: 6/12/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Ronnie Schell’s western – actor:

 The Cowboy Killer – 2026 (Trucker Harry)

 

RIP Pauls Butkēvičs

 

Latvian actor Pauls Butkēvičs passes away

Latvian Public Service Media

6/12/2026

 

Latvian actor Pauls Butkēvičs, who played approximately 150 roles during his film career, has died at the age of 85, announced Marta Bite, the chairwoman of the board of the Latvian Cinematographers' Union, citing information from the actor's relatives.

Butkēvičs was born in 1940. After graduating from Riga Secondary School No. 11 in 1959, he studied at the Riga Polytechnic Institute (now Riga Technical University) and worked at the "VEF" electrical factory. At the same time, he was actively involved in artistic life at the Dailes Theatre, where he mastered the basics of acting together with several later famous stage artists. He also studied at the Law, History and Philosophy Faculties of the University of Latvia.

Butkēvičs began his career in film in 1963 with a role in the film "Nedziedātā dziesma". A few years later, he got his first leading role in Ada Neretniece's film "Hipokrāta zvērests", and starred in director Rolands Kalniņš' films "Akmens un šķēmbas" and "Elpojiet dziļi".

He went on to star in numerous films and TV series and worked in Russia, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and India.

In 2016, Butkēvičs was awarded the Fourth Class of the Cross of Recognition for his long-standing and significant contribution to Latvian culture and cinema.

Our condolences to his friends and family.

BUTKEVICS, Pauls (Paul Paulovitch Butkevich)

Born: 8/8/1940, Riga, Latvia, U.S.S.R.

Died: 6/12/2026, Latvia

 

Pauls Butkēvičs – western – actor:

Alaska Kid (TV) – 1993 (Clark)

RIP Margaret Kerry

 

Margaret Kerry, the Inspiration for Disney’s Tinker Bell, Has Passed Away at 97

The Dis

By Chloé Ferreira

June 12, 2026

 

The Disney community is mourning the loss of Margaret Kerry, the actress and dancer whose performances helped bring Disney’s iconic Tinker Bell to life in the 1953 animated classic Peter Pan. Kerry passed away yesterday, on June 11, 2026, at the age of 97 following a battle with lung cancer.

For Disney fans, Kerry will forever be associated with Tinker Bell. While she did not provide the character’s voice, her live-action reference performances were used by Disney animators as they crafted the beloved pixie audiences have adored for generations. Her expressive movements, charm, and personality became an important part of creating one of Disney’s most recognizable characters.

Beyond her connection to Disney, Kerry enjoyed a lengthy career spanning film, television, radio, and voice acting. Throughout the decades, she appeared in productions such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Lone Ranger, and numerous animated projects. She also remained a familiar face at Disney and fan events, where she often shared stories from Hollywood’s Golden Age and her experiences working with Walt Disney Studios.

In 2016, Kerry published her autobiography, Tinker Bell Talks: Tales of a Pixie Dusted Life, offering fans a closer look at her career through personal stories, photographs, and memories from throughout her life.

Margaret Kerry leaves behind a lasting legacy that extends far beyond a single role. Through her work, she helped create a character that continues to inspire generations of Disney fans around the world. Every flutter of pixie dust and every appearance by Tinker Bell serves as a reminder of the talent and heart she brought to Disney history.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to Margaret Kerry’s family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched throughout her extraordinary career.

KERRY, Margaret (Margaret McCarty)

Born: 5/11/1929, Springfield, Illinois, U.S.A.

Died: 6/11/2026, · Wilmington North Carolina, U.S.A.

 

Margaret Jerry’s western – actress:

The Lone Ranger (TV) - 1950 (Jane Carter)

RIP Armando Norte

 

Chicano animator and science fiction visionary Armando Norte dies at 72

CALO News

By Robb Hernández

6/10/2026

 

Legendary Chicano artist Armando Norte passed away on June 4, 2026, after a long illness at the age of 72. Born and raised in East Los Angeles on June 12, 1953, Norte attended Montebello High School and pursued art training at East L.A. College and California State University Los Angeles (CSULA). Later, he secured a job at Filmation Associates where he worked as an illustrator for several animated children’s shows of the 1980s, including “He-Man: Masters of the Universe,” “She-Ra: Princess of Power” and “The Real Ghostbusters,”among others.

Norte’s artistic voice was gregarious, extraordinary and startling like the aftereffects of a flash in his words.  More than his accomplishments in commercial media, Norte was part of a formative generation of Mexican American artists from Southern California who trailblazed an experimental vocabulary amid the tumult of post-1960s civil rights activism.

By instigating L.A. publics through intermedia artworks that provoked and disturbed, Norte found camaraderie among different art organizations germane to the expressive fabric of East L.A. In the early 1980s, he was a recognizable figure in Self Help Graphics’ earliest forays in Day of the Dead activities. His eye-catching looks and trendy ensembles innovated the cultural tradition with New Wave sensibilities and modernizing attitudes in costuming and make-up. His creative designs remolded cultural archetypes in ways that drew attention from the Los Angeles Times and attracted photographers Laura Aguilar, Harry Gamboa, Jr. and Ricardo Valverde, who respectively documented Norte and his family in acclaimed artworks like “At Home with the Nortes” (1990), “Blessed Bag Bombers” (1982), and “Armando y Consuelo: Two Alienz Muertos” (1983/1991).

More than dress, Norte was equally adept at printmaking and explored the medium in the historic Self Help Graphics’ Experimental Screenprint Ateliér in 1983 where his piece, ‘Savagery and Technology,” conjoined Mesoamerican ritual with a hardwired East L.A. His capacity to suffuse past, present, and future in his post-apocalyptic visualizations focused much of his work throughout the decade, which culminated in a retrospective show entitled “Barrio 2100,” organized by Consuelo Flores and featured historic and new work by Norte and sons, Alain and Gian, at Avenue 50 Studio on Fig in 2025. Norte’s screen prints have been collected by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas Austin, and the University of California Santa Barbara Special Research Collections. 

Over the years, Norte’s penchant for Chicano futurist aesthetics found partnerships with a host of other artistic innovators, among them Diane Gamboa, Nic Greene, Gronk, Willie Herrón and Marisela Norte, along with the space age rock band, Zolar X. His artistic practice in the early 80s can be seen in the speculatively fantastic and spectacularly odd theatrics in performance art actions of various art organizations and collectives.

One of his signature contributions innovated paper dress silhouettes for Day of the Dead celebrations choosing to supplant tradition with armored garments, plated extraterrestrials and machinic homeboys with kitschy charm akin to Elsa Schiaparelli couture. His expertise in science fiction idioms forged interdisciplinary outlets and exploratory platforms in ways that redefined the terms of Chicano art, preferring to focus on the rubble of artistic address and distress.

Though Norte would eventually step away from performance-based collaborations, his countercultural language of punk angst, urban pessimism and B-movie sensibilities endured in sketchbooks and paintings.

Later in life, Norte aligned himself with a rogues’ gallery where his unapologetic defense of monsters and counterfactual questions about life (and death) in East L.A. allowed for a fantastical place giving the divine, demeaned and alienated their due. More than his historic contributions to Chicano art and performance aesthetics, Norte might also be known for his personal touches quietly embellishing the borders and corners of paper goods with immaculate ghouls or adorning himself in handmade steampunk trimmings further solidifying his place among a pantheon of the city’s science fiction originals, along with his peers Forrest Ackerman, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler and Ray Harryhausen.

He is survived by his sister Marisela Norte; son Alain Flores Norte, daughter-in-law Aimée Suen, and their child Iyari Huitzili Suen Norte; son Gian Flores Norte, daughter-in-law Omega Norte and their sons Benjamin Ezekiel Norte and Titus Alexius Pedro Norte. He is preceded in death by his father Armando Norte, Sr. and his mother Eloisa Melendez Norte. The family asks that donations be made in his name to Self Help Graphics.

NORTE, Armando

Born: 6/12/1953, East Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 6/4/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Armando Borte’s westerns – animator:

Brave Starr (TV) -1987-1988

Brave Starr: The Legend - 1988

RIP Dennis Rush

 

Dennis Rush, Child Actor in ‘Man of a Thousand Faces’ and ‘The Andy Griffith Show,’ Dies at 74

He played Lon Chaney Jr. in the James Cagney classic and Howie, one of Opie’s friends, on the beloved CBS sitcom.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

May 10, 2026

 

Dennis Rush, who played Lon Chaney Jr. as a youngster opposite James Cagney in Man of a Thousand Faces and one of Opie’s pals alongside Ron Howard on The Andy Griffith Show, has died. He was 74.

Rush, who was diagnosed with leukemia last month, lived in the San Diego area and died Saturday on the way to the hospital, actor-musician Keith Thibodeaux told The Hollywood Reporter. (Thibodeaux played Johnny Paul Jason, another of Opie’s friends, on The Andy Griffith Show, though he’s best known as Little Ricky from I Love Lucy.)

Rush also showed up from 1960-62 on seven episodes of Wagon Train — John Ford directed him in one — and from 1962-63 on three installments of Laramie. Both were Westerns from Revue Studios and NBC.

The freckle-faced Rush made his onscreen acting debut as Creighton Chaney, age 4, in Universal-International’s Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), starring Cagney as silent film star Lon Chaney (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera).

As Creighton grows up, Rush is succeeded by Rickie Sorensen, Robert Lyden and finally Roger Smith, who at the end will embark on his own career as an actor (and a starring turn in The Wolf Man!) using the stage name Lon Chaney Jr.

The youngster appeared as Howie Pruitt on CBS’ The Andy Griffith Show over three seasons from 1963-65. “I got to be in eight episodes over about a 2 1/2-year period,” he said in 2022. “It was just the best of the best.”

On the 1964 episode “Barney’s Physical,” Rush ad-libbed a line during rehearsal about Don Knotts’ character “hanging himself in the closet” — he had blanked on what was in the script — and it made it onto the show.

Dennis Eugene Rush was born in Philadelphia on June 10, 1951. When he was 1, his father, Jack, brought the family to Los Angeles and got a job as a film archivist at Universal.

“If you were good, you got to go to the studio and have lunch with dad, it was kind of a big deal,” he recalled last year at the Mayberry-I Love Lucy Festival in Granville, Tennessee.

While they were sitting at the lunch counter, “a man taps my dad on the shoulder and says, ‘I’m looking for a little boy to play my son, I’m making a movie called Man of a Thousand Faces’ … That gentleman was James Cagney.’”

When his father explained that Dennis wasn’t an actor and had to go to school, Cagney replied, “Trust me.” Rush’s screen test involved riding a tricycle around a Christmas tree, and he would spend six months on the movie.

Dorothy Malone portrayed his mom and Jim Backus his uncle, and Rush managed to get emotional in a scene in which Creighton is told by his dad that he’s going to be placed in an orphanage.

Cagney said, “‘You know, this has all been make-believe,” Rush remembered in a 1989 interview with the Los Angeles Times. “But you know how much fun Christmas can be and being with your folks and all that? Well, this little boy is never going to see his mom or his dad again. No more Christmases. No more good food.’

“He kept that up for a walk around the soundstage and had me in tears. We went right in and did the scene in five minutes. Whenever I had to cry from then on, I remembered that.”

He said he and Cagney exchanged Christmas cards every year before the Oscar winner died in March 1986.

Rush also worked on the films No Name on the Bullet (1959) and Follow Me, Boys! (1966) and on episodes of The Millionaire, Checkmate, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, The Lucy Show, Gunsmoke, My Favorite Martian, My Living Doll and The Magical World of Disney.

“Every month or so you would do a number of things and then six months would go by and you wouldn’t do anything,” he said. “Then you’d get a call and go on an interview and you might be with 20 kids or you might be with 200 kids [vying for the same job].”

After he outgrew his child roles, Rush joined the U.S. Marines, and when he finished his stint, he learned that his parents had spent all the money he earned as an actor (he said he made as much as $500 a week).

He graduated from Notre Dame High School and then San Diego State in 1977, had a career in the hotel and restaurant business and was a frequent and popular guest at the Mayberry Lucy fest (he was there last month) and at the Mayberry Days celebration held each year in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Says a post on the Mayberry Days website: “Dennis was an absolute joy to be around and one of the sweetest men you could ever meet. It was always a pleasure to welcome him to Mayberry Days, where he shared smiles, stories, hugs and kindness with fans from all over the world.”

Survivors include his siblings, Sally, Monica, Patrick and Megan. Another brother, Jack, died in February.

RUSH, Dennis (Dennis Eugene Rush)

Born: 6/10/1951, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A

Died: 5/10/2026, San Diego, California, U.S.A.

 

Dennis Rish’s westerns – actor:

No Name on the Bullett – 1959 (Billy Chaffee)

The Deputy (TV) - 1959 (Timmy Jackson)

Wagon Train (TV) – 1960-1962 (Davy Adams, David Ivers)

Frontier Circus (TV) - 1962 (boy)

Gunsmoke (TV) – 1962 (kid)

Laramie (TV) – 1962-1963 (boy, Teddy)

RIP Anthony Guidera

 

Anthony Guidera, Actor Who Had a Memorable Kiss in ‘Species,’ Dies at 65

A onetime model based in Paris, he also appeared in ‘The Rock,’ ‘Armageddon,’ ‘The Postman’ and ‘The Annihilation of Fish.’

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

June 9, 2026

 

Anthony Guidera, an actor and model who played pilots for Michael Bay in The Rock and Armageddon and shared a memorable kiss with Natasha Henstridge in Species, has died. He was 65.

Guidera died Saturday in a Los Angeles-area hospital, his wife, Valarie, told TMZ. He was taken off life support after he had suffered a heart issue at their home on May 11, she said.

The hunky Guidera also appeared in Scott Winant’s ’Til There Was You (1997) and Kevin Costner’s The Postman (1997) and portrayed a gun seller in Charles Burnett’s The Annihilation of Fish (1999).

And on television, he showed up on everything from Renegade, Baywatch, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Red Shoe Diaries and Hope & Gloria to Nash Bridges, Acapulco H.E.A.T., Angel, ER and, on a 2005 episode for his last credit, L.A. Dicks.

In the sci-fi horror film Species (1995), directed by Roger Donaldson, Guidera’s character doesn’t know Henstridge’s Sil is an alien/human hybrid organism when he forces her to kiss him — to disastrous results.

The moment was recognized as the year’s best kiss at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards.

“This kiss between alien man-eater Natasha Henstridge and Anthony Guidera in Species is scary-good — emphasis on the scary,” Michelle Darrisaw wrote in a post for Oprah Daily. “It’s not every day that puckering up results in an exploding head.”

Born in San Francisco on Oct. 18, 1960, Guidera moved to Paris and traveled around the world for about a decade while making commercials and modeling under the name James Guidera.

He performed in plays in Paris, studied with Robert Lewis at The Actors Studio in New York and landed his first onscreen role as a bodyguard in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part III (1990), working on that film for five months.

GUIDERA, Anthony

Born: 10/18/1960, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Died: 6/6/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Anthony Guidera’s westerns – actor:

Precious Find – 1996 (jumper)

RIP William Hasley

 

William Hasley, Screenwriter Who Co-Wrote Book With Caitlyn Jenner, Dies on Hollywood Hiking Trail

Variety

By Pat Saperstein

June 9, 2026

 

William Hasley, a writer who worked on TV series including “The Smurfs” and co-wrote an inspirational book with Caitlyn Jenner, has been identified as the hiker who was found dead on Hollywood’s popular Runyon Canyon trail on Saturday evening. He was 78.

Hasley was previously married to “The Bold and the Beautiful” actress Robin Riker. His death comes just two weeks after a man in his 40s died of cardiac arrest on the same trail.

The Los Angeles Fire Department told the Daily Mail, “LAFD Air Operations lowered rescuers to the patient, and medical treatment was administered.” Officials then pronounced Hasley dead at the scene.

Born in Pittsburgh, Hasley graduated Marshall U., where he played football and ran cross-country, according to his official bio. He started out in animation, writing for Hanna-Barbera and Filmation shows “The Smurfs” and “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.”

Always a sports fan, he worked with NBC-TV on the special “Star Salute to the U.S. Olympic Team,” where he met Caitlyn Jenner. Jenner commissioned Halsey to write the motivational book “Finding the Champion Within” for Simon & Schuster. He went on to ghostwrite other motivational books including “Passion, Profit & Power” and “The Slight Edge.” He also wrote “Chasing the Wind, The Autobiography of Steve Fossett,” and was a producer on two TV specials about the mysterious aviator.

He worked on developing the pilot “Borderline Heroes,” which was sold to ABC and wrote the half hour comedy pilot “Steeltown” for Castle Rock Entertainment and developed the pilot “Brooklyn District.”

Hasley went on to work with Oliver Stone and Gerald Green as a writer on “Defiance” and wrote episodes of “The Young Riders” and “Swift Justice.”

He also taught writing at UCLA and participated in numerous charitable events. 

HASLEY, William

Born: 7/?/1947, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Died: 6/7/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

William Hasley’s westerns – writer:

The Young Riders (TV) - 1990

RIP Julio Jung

 

Renowned actor Julio Jung dies at 84

biobio Chile

By Gerson Guzmán D.

June 6, 2026

 

At the age of 84, the actor, comedian and councilman, Julio Jung, remembered for his remarkable works of cinema, TV series and comedy, such as the classic Mediomundo, passed away.

His family confirmed the unfortunate news that mourns the Chilean cultural world.

Jung had a very extensive career, and in 2025 he received the National Humor Award.

In that instance he was recognized as one of the characters who managed to circumvent censorship in oppressive times.

"During the most complex years of the dictatorship, he was part of a generation that bordered on censorship and challenged power with irony and lucidity," they pointed out in 2025.

They also highlighted his career as an actor of multiple registers and a prolific career in film, theater and television, through which he made humor not only an expressive tool but also a field of artistic and political exploration.

Julio Jung is also remembered for his unforgettable duo with the also deceased Andrés Rillón, with whom he made an intelligent, historical comedy with high critical content.

In the middle of last year, Julio Jung Duvauchelle, his son, revealed that the actor suffered from senile dementia almost four years ago and that for that reason he was hospitalized in a care center for the elderly.

However, he remained active despite the difficulties, and continued to create until his last days.

JUNG, Julio (Julio Humberto Gonzalo Benito Jung del Favero)

Born: 3/21/1942, Santiago, Chile

Died: 6/6/2026, Santiago, Chile

 

Julio Jung’s western – actor:

Cherif – 2002 (Doctor Jung)

RIP Patrick Godfrey

 

Patrick Godfrey

'Ever After' Star Dead at 93

TMZ

Staff

June 6, 2026

 

Actor Patrick Godfrey -- best known for portraying Leonardo da Vinci in the 1998 film "Ever After: A Cinderella Story" starring Drew Barrymore -- has died.

Patrick passed "peacefully at home surrounded by his family" on Thursday, his talent agency announced in a statement. They added ... "Paddy was an exceptionally talented actor and a remarkable individual, and we will miss him greatly."

A cause of death was not revealed.

Patrick enjoyed a prolific career spanning nearly 70 years, which included roles in period dramas, novel adaptations, musicals, and more. Some of his notable projects aside from 'Ever After' include 1986's "A Room with a View," 1993's "The Remains of the Day," 2002's "The Count of Monte Cristo," and 2012's "Les Misérables."

He also scored TV roles in popular shows including "Doctor Who" and "Inspector Morse."

Patrick was 93.

RIP

GODFREY, Patrick (Patrick Lindesay Archibald Godfrey)

Born: 2/13/1933, Finsbury Park, London, England, UK

Died: 6/4/2026,

 

Patrick Godfrey’s western – voice actor:

Red Dead Redemption – 2010 {voice of The Local Population]

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

RIP Max Kleven

 

Max Kleven, Stuntman, Second-Unit Director on ‘Rollerball,’ ‘Batman Returns’ and ‘The River Wild,’ Dies at 92

A ski jumper from Norway, he also worked on ‘Naked City,’ ‘Silent Movie,’ the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy and ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.’

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

May 4, 2026

 

Max Kleven, the Norwegian-born stunt performer, stunt coordinator and second-unit director with credits including Our Man Flint, Rollerball, The Deep and the Back to the Future trilogy, has died. He was 92.

Kleven died Wednesday of heart failure at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, his family announced.

Early in his career, Kleven doubled for Paul Burke on ABC’s Naked City and for Glenn Corbett on CBS’ Route 66, and he served as the president of the Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures in the 1970s.

Kleven did double duty performing stunts and directing scenes on several films, starting with Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) and the sequel Come Back Charleston Blue (1972) and followed by Rollerball (1975), Silent Movie (1976), Batman Returns (1992) and The River Wild (1994).

And as an actor on television action series, he showed up on everything from Rescue 8, Get Smart, The Big Valley, Combat! and The Invaders to Batman, Star Trek, Mannix, Kojak and Magnum, P.I.

Born on Aug. 16, 1933, in Trondheim, Norway, Kleven spent his early years on a farm with his mother, Jenny, and a cousin, Joni. He joined the Norwegian Merchant Marine as teenager and came to the U.S. in 1951; he said the moment he saw California’s sunshine and palm trees, he knew he never wanted to leave.

Kleven had been an accomplished ski jumper in his home country, and when he was spotted sliding down and flying off ramps in Sugarbush, Vermont, he was recruited to be a stunt performer. According to IMDb, the first movie he worked on was the Oscar best picture winner Around the World in 80 Days (1956).

Kleven did stunts for other films including Our Man Flint (1966), Murderers’ Row (1966), Who’s Minding the Mint? (1967), Charley Varrick (1973), Back to the Future (1985), Ruthless People (1986), Species (1995) and Wild Wild West (1999).

His résumé as a stunt coordinator included Book of Numbers (1973), Dillinger (1973), The Deep (1977), The Changeling (1980), Footloose (1984) and Sleeping With the Enemy (1991), and he was a second-unit director on Raid on Entebbe (1976), Runaway Train (1985), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Part III (1990), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Spider-Man (2002).

He even got to direct a handful of films.

Kleven’s family said that one of his career highlights came when Steven Spielberg told him, “I hire you to fix my movies.” (Kleven worked for the producer on the Back to the Future films, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1980’s Used Cars and 2000’s What Lies Beneath, among other features),

Survivors include his wife, Luz; his daughters, Valli and Céline; his son, Erik; and his grandson, Hunter.

KLEVEN, Max (Max J. Klevin)

Born: 8/16/1933, Trondheim, Norway

Died: 6/3/2026, Newhall, California, U.S.A.

 

Max Kleven’s westerns – assistant director, actor, stuntman:

The Big Valley (TV) 1965 (Dave Williams)

The Virginian (TV) 1968 (Halevey)

The Hard Man – 1957 (townsman)

Billy the Kid Versus Dracula – 1966 (Sandy Newman)

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys – 1969 [stunts]

Zandy’s Bride – 1974 [stunts]

The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox – 1976 [assistant director]

Almost Heroes – 1998 [stunts]

Wild Wild West – 1999 [stunts]

Back to the Future III – [assistant director]

RIP Anthony Head

 

Buffy and Ted Lasso star Anthony Head dies at 72

BBC

By Annabel Rackham Ian Youngs

June 5, 2026

 

British actor Anthony Head, best known for his roles in TV shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ted Lasso, Merlin and Little Britain, has died at the age of 72.

Head found international fame as Rupert Giles in hit supernatural teen show Buffy in the late 1990s.

He went on to have a recurring role in sketch show Little Britain as the prime minister, he played king Uther Pendragon in the BBC's Merlin, and appeared as former football club owner Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso.

"He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family," his daughters Emily and Daisy said.

His daughters' statement said, "it is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father".

They added: "It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many."

They also said they knew "how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues and fans of the show he was in", adding that he "loved his job very much" and "always considered himself incredibly lucky".

His family acknowledged that "his legacy will live on" and said they considered themselves "lucky" to have watched him doing what he loved throughout his career.

Head's other credits included playing Geoffrey Howe in The Iron Lady and appearing in Doctor Who, Persuasion, The Inbetweeners and Manchild.

Head first found fame in the UK in the 1980s as the face of Nescafe coffee adverts on TV.

He was part of the Gold Blend couple alongside Sharon Maughan, with their coffee-themed romance ads becoming popular between 1987 and 1993.

Head starred in numerous popular British shows during his career, also including Motherland, Silent Witness and Doctor Who.

Head's last acting credits included Bridgerton in 2022, in which he starred in one episode in series two.

He also joined the cast of BBC Radio 4's long-running drama The Archers in 2018, playing Robin Fairbrother.

He enjoyed a long stage career, performing in several iterations of The Rocky Horror Show and musicals such as Godspell and Chess.

Head lost his long-term partner Sarah Fisher, who was an animal welfare campaigner, in December 2025 at the age of 61.

His daughters Emily, 37 and Daisy, 35, both work as actors - with Emily best known for playing Carli D'Amato in The Inbetweeners.

Daisy has appeared in TV shows including Harlots and Shadow and Bone.

His brother Murray is also an actor, who appeared in the Oscar-nominated 1971 film Sunday Bloody Sunday and the musical Chess.

HEAD, Anthony (Anthony Stewart Head)

Born: 2/20/1954, Camden, London, England, U.K.

Died: 6/5/2026, Bath, Somerset, England, U.K.

 

Anthony Head’s western – actor:

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself – 2003 (William Benton)

RIP James Handy

 

Veteran Actor James Handy Stabbed To Death In Tarzana

The son of his girlfriend called 911, the LAPD says, and confessed to the killing

Los Angeles Magazine

Michele McPhee

June 5, 2026

 

“I am the son of man. I just killed the man of sin,” a 44-year-old man allegedly said in a 911 call from a West Valley address at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Los Angeles Police Department officers raced to an address on the 19200 block of Erwin Street in Tarzana where they found 81-year-old veteran actor James Handy collapsed on the front lawn with a stab wound to his chest, according to a statement. Handy, a character actor in films like “Logan,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Arachnophobia,” was soon pronounced dead and the son of his girlfriend was taken into custody.

The suspect, Michael Gledhill, who lived at the home with his mother, flagged down police officers and told them he was the person they were looking for, the LAPD said. Gledhill is being held on $2 million bail.

Handy had close to 150 acting credits on IMDb. He also made appearances in TV shows including “The West Wing,” “9-1-1,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “CSI: NY,” “The Young and the Restless,” “Castle,” “Criminal Minds,” “Cold Case,” “Without a Trace,” “ER,” “The X-Files” and “Mulaney.”

HANDY, James (James Michael Handy)

Born: 3/19/1945, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 6/3/2026, Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.A.

 

James Handy’s westerns – actor:

The Young Riders (TV) – 1992 (Isiah Burke)

Walker, Texas Ranger (TV) – 1995 (Elliot Cheever)

Vegas (TV) – 2012 (Mr. Dobbs)

RIP Axel Schreiber

 

Actor Axel Schreiber dies at the age of 49

He became famous with the ARD series "Türkisch für Anfänger". Now Axel Schreiber has died at the age of just 49. He suffered from cancer.

blue news

6/4/2026

 

The actor Axel Schreiber is dead. The artist known from the successful ARD series "Türkisch für Anfänger" died at the age of 49, as his acting agency Hübchen confirmed, citing a close friend of Schreiber. According to the statement, the actor died on June 3 "after a long and serious illness with cancer". The "Bild" newspaper and "Focus" had previously reported.

"It's very, very sad," said Sanna Hübchen, co-owner of the agency. Director Laura Fischer and the agency published an emotional post on Instagram: "You were not only a wonderful actor for us, but also a companion, best friend, our family, buddy, colleague, dream interpreter, traveler and seeker".

It continued: "Here in our world you have definitely built a monument to yourself; in your films, series, with your paintings and with us - your fellow travelers. You made us laugh, feel and cry again and again - Axel you enriched our lives!"

Emotional reactions

Schreiber’s last wish was “deep peace”, his agents and his girlfriend wrote. There were numerous expressions of sympathy under her post. Numerous colleagues also spoke out. Actress Lea van Acken wrote: “We will miss you so much Axel, you beautiful soul.”

Actress Annika Ernst said: “I hope that his lightness and wisdom helped him through the last difficult times.” Actor Christian Kahrmann was shocked: “No! That can’t be... What a fine guy. Have a safe journey, my friend...” Actress Judith Hoersch also said goodbye with moving words: “I have to cry and wish his loved ones, including you dear Laura and his family, love and support in this difficult time. And a safe journey and deep peace to you Axel.

Also in front of the camera for Tatort

Schreiber, who was born in Lübben, Brandenburg, is best known for his role in the series "Türkisch für Anfänger" (2006-2008) alongside Josefine Preuss and Elyas M'Barek. There he played Axel Mende, who was at times together with the protagonist Lena (Preuss). In 2006, "Türkisch für Anfänger" was awarded the German Television Prize.

Over the course of his career, Schreiber has also appeared in other productions for film and television, such as "Soko Leipzig" and "Tatort". In 2024, he was in front of the camera for the German film "Für immer Freibad" by Laura Fischer, which was broadcast on ZDF in August last year. In 2025, Schreiber was still in front of the camera for "In aller Freundschaft".

SCHREIBER, Axel

Born: 1/30/1980, Lübben, Brandenburg, Germany

Died: 6/3/2026, Berlin, Berlin, Germany

 

Axel Schreiber’s western – actor:

The Young Chief Winnetou – 2022 (Deputy Sheriff Wilson)

RIP Giacomo Piperno

 

Giacomo Piperno, actor and voice actor with an eclectic career, has died

Notizie Nazionali

6/2/2026

 

The actor and voice actor Giacomo Piperno, eclectic and multifaceted interpreter between cinema and television, thanks to his versatility, professionalism and passion for the scenic art, died at the age of 90 at the Umberto I Polyclinic in Rome. The announcement of the disappearance, as reported by Adnkronos, was made by his children.

Born in Rome on January 20, 1936, into a Jewish family, Piperno escaped deportation by fleeing to Switzerland with his family in the days of the roundup in the ghetto of Rome in October 1943. He made his debut in 1960 with a television role in "Lieutenant Sheridan: A Gardenia for Helena Carrel" (1960), but it was with the film "Commandos" (1968) that his career gained momentum. Since then, his versatility has led him to play dramatic, historical and comic roles on the big and small screen, ranging from "Sacco e Vanzetti" (1971) by Giuliano Montaldo, to "Rugantino" (1973) by Pasquale Festa Campanile, up to the episode "In banca" of "Tu mi turbi" (1982) directed by Roberto Benigni. For Benigni he has also always starred in "The Little Devil" (1988). Among other films he starred in "Il camorrista" (1986) by Giuseppe Tornatore, "Splendor" (1988) by Ettore Scola, "Open Doors" (1990) by Gianni Amelio, "Il portaborse" (1991) by Daniele Luchetti (1991), "Pasolini, un delitto italiano" (1995) by Marco Tullio Giordana. On television he participated in numerous series and miniseries, including "Napoleon on St. Helena" (1973) and "Catherine and her daughters" (2005-2007), where he played the husband of Iva Zanicchi's character. His talent also extended to dubbing between the sixties and eighties he lent his voice to performers such as Gene Hackman and Philippe Leroy, helping to make the characters on the Italian big screen memorable.

He made his debut in 1960 with a television role in "Lieutenant Sheridan: A Gardenia for Helena Carrel" (1960), but it was with the film "Commandos" (1968) that his career gained momentum. Since then, his versatility has led him to play dramatic, historical and comic roles on the big and small screen, ranging from "Sacco e Vanzetti" (1971) by Giuliano Montaldo, to "Rugantino" (1973) by Pasquale Festa Campanile, up to the episode "In banca" of "Tu mi turbi" (1982) directed by Roberto Benigni. For Benigni he has also always starred in "The Little Devil" (1988). Among other films he starred in "Il camorrista" (1986) by Giuseppe Tornatore, "Splendor" (1988) by Ettore Scola, "Open Doors" (1990) by Gianni Amelio, "Il portaborse" (1991) by Daniele Luchetti (1991), "Pasolini, un delitto italiano" (1995) by Marco Tullio Giordana. On television he participated in numerous series and miniseries, including "Napoleon on St. Helena" (1973) and "Catherine and her daughters" (2005-2007), where he played the husband of Iva Zanicchi's character. His talent also extended to dubbing between the sixties and eighties he lent his voice to performers such as Gene Hackman and Philippe Leroy, helping to make the characters on the Italian big screen memorable.

PIPERNO, Giacomo

Born: 1/20/1936, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Died: 5/31/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

Giacomo Piperno’s westerns – voice actor:

A Coffin for the Sheriff – 1965 [Italian voice of Miguel De La Riva]

Pecos Cleans Up – 1967 [Italian voice of Carl Gaddi]

A Hole in the Forehead – 1968 [Italian voice of Gianni Brezza]

One by One - 1968 [Italian voice of Peter Lee Lawrence]

Heads or Tail – 1969 [Italian voice of Franco Daddi]

Adiós, Sabata – 1970 [Italian voice of Dean Reed]

Kill Django... Kill First – 1971 [Italian voice of Giacomo Rossi Stuart]

Shoot Joe, and Shoot Again – 1971 [Italian voice of Richard Harrison]

Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead – 1971 [Italian voice of Klaus Kinski]

RIP Knut Husebø

 

Knut Husebø is dead

Actor Knut Husebø has died, 80 years old. He became a national celebrity for the role of Hamsun's Benoni in the TV series.

Seher

By Karoline Henriette Bjånesøy

6/1/2026

 

Actor and visual artist Knut Husebø has died, 80 years old.

This is stated by theatre director Trond Lie (76) on his Facebook profile.

For several decades, Husebø was a prominent figure in Norwegian cultural life.

He became a national celebrity in the 1970s for his role as Benoni in the TV series Benonig and Rosa, directed by Per Bronken. Here he played opposite Unni Evjen in a heartbreaking Hamsun drama from the Nordland coast.

He first made a name for himself as an actor on the theatre stage, before later also making his mark as a visual artist.

He was associated with several of the country's leading theatre institutions and participated in a number of stage and television productions.

Throughout his career, he became known for his interpretations of both classic and modern roles.

In later years, Husebø devoted more and more time to the visual arts.

His work was shown at several exhibitions in Norway and abroad.

Cultural personalities who have left comments under Lie's Facebook posts describe him as a friendly and interested man.

The time of the funeral is not yet known.

HUSEBO, Knut

Born: 5/10/1946, Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway

Died: 6/1/2026, Norway

 

Knut Husebø’s western – actor:

Morgan Kane: Death is a Lonesome Hunter – 2001 (outlaw)

RIP Charles Cioffi

 

Charles Cioffi Dies: ‘Klute’, ‘Shaft’, ‘All The Right Moves’ Actor Was 90

DEADLINE

By Greg Evans

May 27, 2026

 

Charles Cioffi, a prolific character actor in TV, film and the Broadway stage perhaps best known for memorable turns as Tom Cruise’s blue-collar dad in All the Right Moves and a sadistic killer stalking Jane Fonda in Klute, died May 22 of natural causes at his home in Marina del Rey, California. He was 90.

His death was announced by family and first reported by TMZ.

Born on October 31, 1935, in New York City, Cioffi launched his show business career on the stage of the the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis in the early 1960s. He’d make his Broadway debut later that decade in a 1968 production of King Lear starring Lee J. Cobb. In all, he’d perform in seven Broadway shows, including the original 1969 production of 1776; a 1975 production of Hamlet with Sam Waterston in the title role and Jane Alexander as Gertrude; and, in his final Broadway credit, the 1992 two-hander Chinese Coffee with Al Pacino.

He began a busy, decades-long career in television with a role on the 1969 CBS soap Where the Heart Is and, in 1971, found an early signature role as Lt. Vic Androzzi in the feature Shaft.

That same year, in what was his film debut, he appeared in the hit thriller Klute, starring Fonda as New York City prostitute Bree Daniels and Donald Sutherland as the amateur sleuth John Klute investigating the disappearance of a businessman who also might have been one of Bree’s clients. Cioffi played an executive at the company where the missing man worked, hiring Klute to trail Fonda’s character and solve what appears to be a murder. In the film’s climactic scene, Cioffi’s character, revealed as the killer, attempts to murder Bree before dying by suicide in a dramatic plunge from a skyscraper. (In one haunting scene, Cioffi sits in his penthouse New York office, with the World Trade Center towers being constructed just outside his window).

Numerous TV roles followed, including episodes of Bonanza, The Bold Ones, The FBI, a recurring role on Get Christie Love!, Cannon, Medical Center, Kojak, Wonder Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Little House on the Prairie, Hawaii Five-0, Lou Grant, Taxi, St. Elsewhere, The Equalizer, Thirtysomething, The X-Files, Law & Order, The Practice and the daytime soaps Ryan’s Hope, Days of Our Lives, All My Children and Another World, among others.

Other film credits include 1979’s Time After Time, 1982’s Missing and 1992’s Newsies.

Cioffi is survived by wife Anne, two sons and other extended family, according to TMZ.

CIOFFI, Charles (Charles Michael Cioffi)

Born: 10/31/1935, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 5/22/2026, Marina Del Rey, California, U.S.A.

 

Charles Cioffi’s westerns – actor:

Bonanza (TV) – 1959 (Shanklin)

Little House on the Prairie (TV) – 1974 (Bret Harper)

RIP Matthias Wendlandt

 

"Hello Dad. Why don't you shoot Karl May!" – Matthias Wendlandt has died unexpectedly

Karl May & Co.

By Michael Kunz

May 31, 2026

 

Matthias Wendlandt is dead. The Berlin producer died unexpectedly on Friday during a stay in Los Angeles, shortly before his 74th birthday on June 2.

Since the death of his father Horst in 2002, Matthias Wendlandt has been managing the business of Rialto Film, together with his son Felix. He himself became legendary in the early 60s in a newsreel when he went to his father with a cowboy hat on his head and formulated the legendary request: "Hello Daddy. Why don't you shoot Karl May!"

Later, he didn't want to remember the truth of the moment for sure, but with a smile he thought it was quite possible. He worked as an actor and cinematographer before moving into the producer's chair. Matthias Wendlandt is in the credits of films such as "Troublemakers", the last joint western of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, "Palmetto" and the Winnetou three-parter from RTL.

When it came to Karl May, he was always welcome as an interview guest, supported the group of Berliner Filnfreunde (KMFF) in many projects and in this way also KARL MAY & Co. on several occasions.

On May 2, he had attended the latest event of the Film Friends, who were shocked by the bad news. He had flown to California the next day. His return flight was planned for this weekend in view of his birthday and that of his sister on June 1. Now he has not returned to Germany. Matthias Wendlandt is survived by his wife Rosi, the aforementioned son Felix and daughter Laura.

WENDLANDT, Matthias

Born: 6/2/1952, Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Died: 5/29/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Matthias’ Wendlandt’s westerns – producer, himself

Troublemakers – 1994 [producer]

In the Footsteps of Winnetou (TV) – 2004 [himself]

Lex Barker Documentary – 2010 [himself]

Bud's Best - Die Welt des Bud Spencer – 2012 [himself]

85! Das Bud Spencer Spezial (TV) – 2014 [himself]

Winnetou: the Myth Lives (TV) – 2016 [producer]

The Terence Hill Story – 2019 [himself]

Lex Barker – Western Hero and Playboy – 2023 [himself]

RIP Lau Shun

 Hail the Judge actor Lau Shun dies at 87

asia one

By Drima Chakraborty

May 29, 2026

Veteran Hong Kong actor and Cantonese opera director Lau Shun has died aged 87.

News of his death was shared by fellow opera and film actor Law Kar-ying, who wrote on Weibo today (May 30): "My senior Lau Shun passed away at 6pm yesterday.

"He was born in the Year of the Rabbit and was 87."

Kar-ying also paid tribute to Lau Shun, saying that the latter made great contributions to the Cantonese opera scene, and helped many others improve their acting over the years.

Born in Beijing in 1939, Lau Shun graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in 1958 before embarking on an illustrious opera career. He moved to Hong Kong in the 1980s.

His notable movie appearances include Swordsman (1990), for which he earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 10th Hong Kong Film Awards, Dragon Inn (1992), and Hail the Judge (1994), where he played a eunuch opposite Stephen Chow.

One of his latest movies was 2013's The Grandmaster.

Though he was rarely cast in a leading role, Lau Shun's versatility earned him the moniker "Thousand-Faced Buddha" as well as "Golden Supporting Actor".

According to the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Lau Shun devoted the later part of his career to adapting and directing Chinese operas and was appointed their Programme Coordinator and Artistic Advisor in 2000.

The Academy also awarded him an honorary fellowship in 2019.

SHUN Lau

Born: 4/10/1939, Beijing, Republic of China

Died: 5/29/2026, Hong Kong, China

 

Shun Lau’s western – actor:

Paradise Hotel – 1995 (blind musician)

RIP Howard Storm

 

Howard Storm Dies: Veteran TV Director Of ‘Mork & Mindy,’ ‘Valerie’ And More Was 95

DEADLINE

By Tom Tapp

May 26, 2026

 

Howard Storm, a veteran television director who shot many episodes of Mork & Mindy, Rhoda, Valerie and many other shows, passed away on May 26. He was 94.

Storm’s career included an extraordinary 59-episode run on Mork & Mindy as well as episodes of ALF, Full House, Head of the Class, Major Dad, Perfect Strangers, Kenan & Kel, Everybody Loves Raymond, Angie and Doc.

Storm got his start as a a stand-up comedian. He performed in Las Vegas, opened for Andy Williams and appeared on The Merv Griffin Show more than a dozen times.

His TV acting career began in the early sixties with appearances on shows such as The Untouchables and later Love, American Style and That Girl.

At about the same time, he began crafted scripts for The Partridge Family, Happy Days and The Bob Newhart Show. He also forged an early creative bond with Woody Allen, serving as Allen’s assistant and collaborator on Bananas and Take the Money and Run.

In 1975, Storm transitioned into directing. He became closely associated with TV legends James L. Brooks and Garry Marshall, helming episodes of their classic shows, including Laverne & Shirley and Taxi.

He directed his only theatrical feature film in 1985: Once Bitten. It starred Lauren Hutton and a then-unknown Jim Carrey.

In the early aughts, Storm served as National Awards Chairman for the DGA.

Storm is survived by his sons Anthony and Casey Storm, his daughter-in-law Julia and his grandsons Leo and Sidney. He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia.

STORM, Howard (Howard Sobel)

Born: 12/11/1931, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 5/26/2026, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A.

 

Howard Storm’s westerns – actor, director:

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys – 1969 (Harry)

Best of the West – 1981-1982 [director]

Tall Tales & Legends (TV) – 1985-1988 [director]

RIP Sergio Smacchi

 

Highly respected stuntman and actor Sergio Smacchi died in Rome on February 22, 2026. Born in Rome on April 5, 1940, Smacchi appeared in well over 100 films as both an actor and stuntman and in many cases both in the same film. His first film was in 1964’s “Anthar l'invincibile” as an actor and performing stunts. He was part of the stunt group Il team di Musumeci Greco. Sergio would continue his career up until his final film in 2005 “Romanzo Criminale” where again he was both an actor and performed stunts.

Smacchi worked on 21 films with Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer as well as the 33 Spaghetti westerns listed below.

SMACCHI, Sergio

Born: 4/5/1940, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Died: 2/22/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Sergio Smacchi's westerns - stuntman, actor:

Zorro the Rebel – 1966 (wedding guest)

Ballad of a Gunman – 1967 (saloon brawler)

Don’t Sing, Shoot! (TV) – 1967 [stunts]

Stranger Say Your Prayers – 1967 (man outside Jefferson Bank)

The Longest Hunt – 1968 (saloon patron) [stunts]

The Forgotten Pistolero – 1969 [stunts]

The Unholy Four – 1969 (gambler)

Fistful of Lead – 1970 (Mantas’ henchman) [stunts]

A Man Called Apocalypse Joe – 1970 (Berg henchman)

They Call Me Trinity – 1970 (Mescal henchman)

The Twilight Avengers – 1970 (saloon patron)

The Ballad of Ben and Charlie – 1971 [stunts]

Blazing Guns – 1971 (soldier) [stunts]

Guns for Dollars – 1971 (Krantz henchman) [stunts]

His Name was King – 1971 (smuggler) [stunts]

The Price of Death – 1971 (miner)

Trinity is STIL My Name – 1981 (Parker henchman)

Two Sons of Trinity – 1971 (Django)

Alleluia and Sartana, Sons of God – 1972 (brawler)

Jesse and Lester, Two Brothers in a Place Called Trinity – 1972 (saloon brawler)

On the Third Day Arrived the Crow – 1972 (Sloane brother)

The Return of Hallelujanh – 1972 (Drake henchman)

Stay Away from Trinity When He Comes to Eldorado – 1972

Trinity & Sartana Those Sons of Bitches – 1972 (‘El Tigre’/Tiger henchman)

Where the Bullets Fly – 1972 (General Cagoso/Colonel Hotshot henchman)

Karate, Fists and Beans – 1973 (Chinese eatery dinner) [stunts]

The Man Called Invincible – 1973 (monk) [stunts]

Challenge to White Fang - 1974 (Beauty Smith henchman)

The Crazy Bunch – 1974 (‘Pimple Nose’ Stryker)

White Fang and the Gold Diggers – 1974 (Garrick)

White Fang to the Rescue – 1974 (Benjamin ‘Ben’ Dover)

Buddy Goes West – 1981 (Colorado Slim henchman) [stunts]

Thunder Warrior – 1983

RIP Peter Helm

 

Peter Helm, Actor in ‘Inside Daisy Clover’ and ‘The Andromeda Strain,’ Dies at 84

He appeared on Broadway with Jane Fonda and Joey Heatherton and was busy on TV in the 1960s, with turns in ‘Wagon Train,’ ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ ‘The Fugitive’ and more.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

May 23, 2026

 

P eter Helm, the actor from Toronto who appeared on such 1960 shows as Naked City, Wagon Train and Ironside and in films including The Longest Day, Inside Daisy Clover and The Andromeda Strain, has died. He was 84.

Helm died Thursday in his sleep at his home in West Hills, his friend David Timmerman told The Hollywood Reporter.

Survivors include his sister, actress Anne Helm (Follow That Dream, The Magic Sword, The Iron Maiden), and a daughter, actress Tiffany Helm (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning).

The colorful Helm appeared alongside Jane Fonda, Dean Jones and Joey Heatherton on Broadway in 1960 in the Josh Logan-directed There Was a Little Girl, a drama about rape, then acted onstage with Myrna Loy in a 1962 production of James Kirkwood’s There Must Be a Pony that aimed for Broadway but missed.

He and Heatherton would enjoy a great friendship while traveling the world together over the years, and she told THR that he was “a great actor and a great person, top of the world.” The pair also worked with George Carlin at the start of his career, and the comedian once called Helm one of the funniest men he had ever met.

On the big screen, Helm portrayed an ill-fated G.I. in the Darryl F. Zanuck-produced The Longest Day (1962) and the social climber Milton Hopwood opposite Natalie Wood in Robert Mulligan’s Inside Daisy Clover (1965), then sent the sci-fi plot in motion as one of the two Air Force officers who spot a U.S. satellite going down in Robert Wise’s The Andromeda Strain (1971).

Peter John Helm Jr. was born on Dec. 22, 1941. After the death of his banker father, John, his mother, Isabel, brought his older sister to New York in 1952 to support her ballet ambitions, and he and his half-brother, David, came along.

Helm made his onscreen debut on a 1959 episode of the NBC sitcom Too Young to Go Steady, then showed up as fresh-faced types on such series as Dr. Kildare, The Donna Reed Show, Tales of Wells Fargo, Naked City, Rawhide, The Fugitive, Combat!, Mr. Novak, The Farmer’s Daughter, Perry Mason and Bonanza through the mid-1960s.

His final onscreen credit came on a 1971 episode of The Smith Family.

In 1991, Helm founded Vancouver-based GeoMediapro, working as a director and producer, and he taught at the Vancouver Film School and was a Teamster for more than 20 years. Away from show business, he was an enthusiastic aviation photographer and the founder of a Ferrari club in L.A. who liked to drive fast.

His first wife was actress Brooke Bundy (two Nightmare on Elm Street films); they were married from 1962 until their 1966 divorce. His survivors include another daughter, Brandee, and seven grandchildren. His son, Dustin, died of complications from a motorcycle accident in 2014.

HELM, Peter (Peter John Helm Jr.)

Born: 12/22/1941, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Died: 5/21/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Peter Helm’s westerns – actor:

The Last Sunset – 1961 (saloon patron)

Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) - 1962 (Jason Moore)

Wagon Train (TV) – 1962, 1963 (Ethan Clay, Leland Barber, Tom O'Neal)

Rawhide (TV) - 1963 (Grover)

Stoney Burke (TV) - 1963 (Todd Purvis)

Bonanza (TV) – 1965 (Gwylem)

The Legend of Jesse James (TV) - 1966 (Zeb Hicks)

RIP George Eastman

 George Eastman (Luigi Montefiori), an actor of spaghetti western but not only

Among his films were Pupi Avati and Fellini, he was 83 years old

 

ilNordEst.

May 20, 2026

Italian actor and screenwriter George Eastman (stage name of Luigi Montefiori) died yesterday, May 19 at Gemelli Medical Center in via Bagliasco in Rome, home of the hospice of the Catholic University at the age of 83. Luigi Montefiori has starred in numerous spaghetti westerns and genre films, as well as having played one of the legendary poker players in the Christmas Gift film by Pupi Avati. His name in films such as "Boot Hill" and "Hate Your Neighbor." He worked with Mario Bava and Joe D'Amato, then was a TV series writer such as "The Marshal Rocca" and "Honor and Respect". Ligurian origins, two meters high, former rugby player, Montefiori has had a career that has gone through numerous genres: western, horror, thriller, science fiction and popular television. He had chosen an American name sensing that he would take more hold on the audience. Born in Genoa on August 16, 1942, he moved to Rome and attended the Experimental Center of Cinematography under the guidance of Nanni Loy, except to abandon him almost immediately for the sets of Cinecittà. So he contributed to hits like Bill il taciturno (1967), Odia il prossimo tuo (1968), Preparati la bara! (1968), Il mio corpo per un poker (1968), La collina degli stivali (1969), Quel maledetto giorno della resa dei conti (1971), Amico, stammi lontano almeno un palmo (1972), Tutti per uno, botte per tutti (1973). He also worked in Mario Bava's “Angry Dogs” (1974), with Joe D'Amato, for whom he worked as a screenwriter and protagonist. He was also the character of the Minotaur in “Satyricon” by Federico Fellini (1969), the poker player in the diptych “Christmas Gift” (1986) and The “Christmas Rematch” (2004) by Pupi Avati, who also directed him in “Bordella” (1976), until an appearance in “King David” by Bruce Beresford (1985), but also in a moonlight night, by Lina Wertmuller (1989) In those years his activity focused on the production side of screenplays for famous series such as ‘The Team’ and ‘The Marshal Rocca’. Since the years as screenwriter of ‘La team’, ‘Il marshal Rocca’, ‘Il cuore nel pozzo’, has collaborated on the screenplay of the “White One”, but not only up to popular melodramas such as “Honor and Respect” and “Sin and Shame”. He leaves his three children Evelina, Arianna and Tommaso, his wife Manuela and his two grandchildren, Giulio, the son of the eldest Evelina, and Allegra, daughter of Arianna and singer Briga. (ANSA).

EASTMAN, George (Luigi Montefiore)

Born: 8/16/1942, Genoa, Liguria, Italy

Died: 5/20/2026, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

George Eastman’s westerns – actor, writer:

Django Shoots First – 1966 (Jeff Kluster/Custer) [as George Eastman]

My Name is Pecos – 1966 (Kline/Clain henchman) [as Gigi Montefiore]

Django Kills Silently – 1967 (Bill/Django) [as George Eastman]

Django, the Last Killer – 1967 (Ramón /Chico) [as George Eastman]

Poker With Pistols – 1967 (Lucas) [as George Eastman]

Viva Django! – 1967 (Lucas) [as George Eastman]

Belle Starr – 1968 (Larry Blake/Blackie) [as George Eastman]

Hate Your Neighbor – 1968 (Gary Stevens)

Boot Hill – 1969 (Baby Doll) [as George Eastman]

The Unholy Four – 1969 (Hondo) [as Luca Montefiori) [writer]

The Ballad of Ben and Charlie – 1971 (Charlie Logan) [as George Eastman] [writer]

Bastard, Go and Kill – 1971 (Chaco) [as George Eastman]

Vendetta at Dawn – 1971 (Doctor George Benton/Sabata) – 1971 [as George Eastman]

The Call of the Wild – 1972 (Black Burton) [as George Eastman]

The Three Musketeers of the West – 1973 (Mac Athos/Mercathos) [as George Eastman]

Keoma – 1975 [writer]

Red Coat – 1975 [writer]

The New Land - !9?? [writer for TV series that was never made]

The Tiger from the River Kwai – 1975 (Sheriff Sam) [as George Eastman]

2020 Texas Gladiators - 1982 [director, writer as Alex Carver]

RIP Péter Scherer

 The Jászai Mari Award-winning artist was 64 years old.

Euro News

By Rita Konya

5/19/2026

 

Péter Scherer was born on 16 November 1961 in Ajka. In 1987, he graduated as a civil engineer from the Budapest University of Technology. In 1995 he received an acting diploma from the Hungarian Chamber of Actors. From 1984 to 1995 he was a member of the Arvisura Theatre Society.

Between 1995 and 1997 he worked as a freelance actor, and from 1997 to 2001 he was a member of the Bárka Theatre. Between 2002 and 2008 he was a member of the Krétakör company. He has been a freelancer since 2008, and a member of the Nézőművészeti Kft. since 2009. He often appeared in TV series and also worked a lot as a voice actor.

His main roles include Pilate (The Master and Margarita); Dávid Hornyák (Babelna); Claudius (Hamlet); Friar Francis (Much Ado About Nothing); Macduff (Macbeth); Béla Ormándi (A Midsummer Night's Dream); Lajos Matyik (Titanic Water Revue); N lad (Fun); Dokter (Tótferi); Prezli (Blue, Blue, Blue); Cardinal (Princess of Amalfi); Stage Manager (Six Actors Looking for an Author); Zoltán Csordás (The Bird of Danger); Red (My Homeland); Samrayev (Shirai); Oronte (Misanthrope); Heimdall/ Volker (The Nibelungen Housing Estate); Theseus (Fédra Fitness); The Ice (National Theatre); Papa Ubu (King Ubu and the Hungarians - Budapest Puppet Theatre).

He played in several films, including Kontroll, Argo, Magyar vándor, Valami Amerika, and Amerika Meg (The Lord Gave Me a Lantern in Pest).

His work has been recognized with numerous awards: in 1995 he received the Theatre Critics' Award, in 1999 the Film Critics' Award, in 2007 the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, and in 2009 he received the Mari Jászai Award. In 2020, he was awarded the Karinthy Ring, and in 2024, he was awarded the For Budapest Award. In 2025, he was awarded the Antal Páger Actor Award of the Makó Municipality.

Its company, the Nézőművészeti Kft., will hold a vigil on Tuesday evening from 9 p.m., the commemoration will be hosted by the B32 Gallery and Cultural Space. The organizers are waiting for everyone who would like to say goodbye with a candle, a quiet thought or personal presence, they wrote.

SCHERER, Péter

Born: 11/16/1961, Ajka, Hungary

Died: 5/19/2026, Budapest, Hungary

 

Peter Scherer’s western – actor:

Four Souls of Coyote (TV) – 2023 [Hungarian voice of Kacsa]