Deaths: January 9
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- Actress
- Soundtrack
Melinda Dillon came to prominence with the role of Jillian Guiler, a mother whose child is abducted by aliens in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Dillon's performance in the film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. A few years later, Dillon received another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as a devout Catholic woman in Absence of Malice (1981). The performance won the actress a KCFCC Award.- Actor
- Soundtrack
5th Ward Weebie was born on 19 February 1978 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Streets of Blood (2009), The Rimshop (2008) and 504 Boyz feat. Slay Sean, 5th Ward Weebie, Lil' Romeo, Little D & Papa Reu: Tight Whips (2002). He died on 9 January 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.- Adolfo Kaminsky was born on 1 October 1925 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was married to Leila Bendjebour and Jeanine Korngold. He died on 9 January 2023 in Paris, France.
- The evil screen villain Angus Scrimm, most famous as "The Tall Man" in Don Coscarelli's Phantasm (1979) and its sequels, grew up in Kansas City, but in his teens moved to California and studied drama at USC under William C. de Mille (brother of Cecil B. DeMille). His film debut came as another "Tall Man" he played Abraham Lincoln in an educational film made by Encyclopaedia Brittanica, which led him to a steady career in theater, television and film. His big-screen debut was in Jim, the World's Greatest (1975), directed by then 18-year-old Coscarelli. During this time he was using his birth name, Lawrence Rory Guy. He adopted the stage name Angus Scrimm three years later for his performance in Coscarelli's horror/sci-fi opus "Phantasm", which would mark Scrimm's permanent impression upon modern cinema. His role as the infamous Tall Man has earned him the praise of critics worldwide, as well as a large following of fans. His success in the "Phantasm" films has been parlayed into numerous other malevolent roles including the evil Dr. Sin Do in The Lost Empire (1984), Vlad the Vampire King in Subspecies (1991) and the nefarious Dr. Lyme opposite Nicolas Cage and Charlie Sheen in Deadfall (1993). Scrimm did intriguing double duty as the diabolical Seer and the angelic Systems Operator in Mindwarp (1991), co-starring Bruce Campbell. He did a shock cameo in the Italian film Fatal Frames (1996), opposite Stefania Stella and Donald Pleasence, and managed a gleeful parody of himself as the hulking henchman in Transylvania Twist (1989). Scrimm has not limited his career efforts to simply acting, however. As a journalist he has written and edited for "TV Guide", "Cinema Magazine", the now-defunct "Los Angeles Herald-Examiner" and other publications. He has also written liner notes for thousands of LPs and CDs, for just about every genre from classical music to jazz, from Frank Sinatra and The Beatles to Artur Rubinstein and Itzhak Perlman. He won a Grammy award for best album liner notes.
- Antón Cancelas was an actor, known for Redondela (1987), El pequeño mago (2013) and Holy Night! (2011). He died on 8 January 2021 in Vigo, Galicia, Spain.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
His parents were circus acrobats and he became part of their act. When they changed to vaudeville and wound up in California, he got a job in the movies. The founder of Universal Pictures, Carl Laemmle changed his name to Lake. In silent films he played somewhat dimwitted youngsters, The long-running part of Dagwood in the "Blondie" series pretty much continued the the pattern into adult life. He and Penny Singleton also appeared in a half-hour "Blondie" radio series which ran from 1939 to 1950, airing on CBS, ABC and finally on NBC. The program's stylized opening line, delivered by Bill Goodwin became famous: "Uh-uh-uh. Don't touch that dial. It's time for ...[Lake:] Blond-dee".- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Casting Department
Barbara Allyne Bennet was born on 7 September 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. She was an actress, known for Mac and Me (1988), Robert Kennedy and His Times (1985) and Flying High (1978). She died on 9 January 2016 in Duarte, California, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Bill McCutcheon was born on 23 May 1924 in Russell, Kentucky, USA. He was an actor, known for Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964), Steel Magnolias (1989) and Hot Stuff (1979). He was married to Lora Anne Routsong. He died on 9 January 2002 in Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Bob Saget was an American actor, stand-up comedian, and television host from Philadelphia. His best known role was playing pater familias Danny Tanner on the hit sitcom "Full House" (1987-1995). He played the character again in the sequel series "Fuller House" (2016-2020). Saget served as the original host of the long-running clip show "America's Funniest Home Videos" from 1989 to 1997. Saget voiced the narrator in the hit sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-2014), depicted as an older version of main character Ted Mosby.
In 1956, Saget was born to a Jewish family in Philadelphia. His parents were supermarket executive Benjamin Saget and hospital administrator Rosalyn "Dolly" Saget. The Saget family eventually moved to Norfolk, Virginia. Bob received his early religious education at Temple Israel, a synagogue of Norfolk which adhered to Conservative Judaism. He was reportedly a rebellious student.
Saget spend part of his high school years in Los Angeles, where he befriended veteran comedian Larry Fine (1902-1975). He attended a Philadelphia high school during his senior year. He was originally interested in a medical career but his English teacher Elaine Zimmerman convinced Saget to aspire to an acting or filmmaking career instead.
Saget received his college education at the "Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts", a college associated with the Temple University of Philadelphia. One of his student films won a merit award at the Student Academy Awards. He graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts in 1978. He had already started performing in comedy clubs during his college years.
In 1978, Saget intended to take graduate courses at the University of Southern California. He dropped out due to health-related problems. He almost died due to a gangrenous appendix, costing him a loss of confidence. He decided afterwards to lose some weight, in the belief that it would improve his health.
Following his graduation, Saget spend about a decade working mostly as a comedian. He appeared in minor acting roles in both films and television. In 1987, Saget was performing comedy bits for the short-lived non-fiction show "The Morning Program". The show offered a mix of "news, entertainment and comedy", but was canceled due to low ratings.
Saget's big break came when he was chosen to portray widowed father Danny Tanner in the sitcom "Full House" (1987-1995). The series depicted Danny's efforts to raise three young daughters, with the assistance of his best friends. The show suffered from poor viewership in its first season, but attracted a family audience due to its portrayal of the struggles associated with parenting. By its third season, it was ranked among Nielsen's Top 30 shows. Saget became a household name, and the series lasted for 8 seasons and 192 episodes. The series was eventually canceled due to its increasing production costs. Its rating had remained high until its final episode.
In 1989, Saget was chosen as the host of the clip show "America's Funniest Home Videos". The show featured humorous homemade videos which were submitted by its viewers, often highlighting physical comedy, pranks, or unusual behavior by children and pets. While the show was popular with viewers, Saget himself was increasingly frustrated with its repetitive format. When his contract for the show expired in 1997, Saget was not interested in negotiating for a renewal.
In 1996, Saget directed the dramatic television film "For Hope". The film depicted the struggles of a woman who is slowly dying due to being afflicted with scleroderma, an autoimmune disease with no known cure. Saget was reportedly inspired by the life and death of his sister Gay Saget, who had died due to scleroderma. The film received high ratings in its debut.
In 1998, Saget directed the comedy film "Dirty Work". It depicted two half-brothers who offer to perform revenge schemes for paying clients, but have a personal grudge against a man who reneged on a deal with them. The film under-performed at the box office, but gained a cult following due to its reputation as a "gag-fest".
From 2001 to 2002, Saget had the starring role of Matt Stewart in the sitcom "Raising Dad". The premise of the series was that widowed father Matt Stewart was trying to raise two daughter, while pursuing a teaching career at his eldest's daughter's high school. Despite the series having a similar concept to "Full House", it failed to find an audience. It lasted for a single season.
In 2005, Saget was cast as the narrator in the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-2014). The premise of the series was that middle-aged Ted Mosby narrates his life story (and the life stories of his best friends) to his son and daughter. The series repeatedly implied that Ted was an unreliable narrator, who either embellished or censored aspects of his various stories. The series was quite popular, lasting for 9 seasons and 208 episodes.
In 2007, Saget directed the direct-to-video parody film "Farce of the Penguins". The film was a full-length parody of the documentary film "March of the Penguins" (2005), featuring penguins conversing about their love lives. It featured the voices of several then-popular actors, including several of Saget's former co-stars from "Full House".
In 2009, Saget was cast in the main role of Steve Patterson in the sitcom "Surviving Suburbia". The premise of the series was that the members of a suburban family have problems in interacting both with each other, and with their new neighbors. The series only lasted a single season, and struggled with low ratings.
In 2014, Saget published his memoirs under the title "Dirty Daddy". In 2016, a sequel series to "Full House" was introduced under the title "Fuller House". It featured the lives of two of Danny Tanner's daughters, and Danny's grandchildren. Saget played the recurring role of Danny for 15 episodes. The sequel series lasted for 5 seasons. This was Saget's last major role in a sitcom. He continued, however, to regularly host television events.
In January 2022, Saget was in Florida for a stand-up tour. On January 9, Saget was discovered dead in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, located south of Orlando, Florida. He was 65-years-old. His autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt head trauma from an accidental blow to the back of his head, likely from a fall. He had died in his sleep. He was buried at the Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery, next to the graves of his parents and his sister. Mourners honored Saget by offering donations to the charity "Scleroderma Research Foundation" (SRF), since Saget had long served in its board of directors. Saget is gone, but his popularity endures due to his acting and directing roles in several popular films and television shows.- Soundtrack
Bobby Comstock was born on 29 December 1941 in Ithaca, New York, USA. He died on 9 January 2020 in the USA.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Brandon Murphy was born on 28 September 1978 in the USA. He was a writer and director, known for Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021), The Expendables 4 (2023) and Snow Valley (2024). He died on 10 January 2022 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Carmine Capobianco was born September 19, 1958 in Waterbury, Ct. He attended St. Mary's School (Alma Mater of Dylan McDermott), Sacred Heart High School and then graduated Western Connecticut State University with a degree in Photography, Film and Television. His film career began upon meeting Gorman Bechard and they raised money to shoot their first low-budget feature, Disconnected (1984). Shortly after making a video feature, Carmine and Gorman co-wrote the script and filmed Psychos in Love (1987). Charles Band, now of Full Moon Entertainment, purchased the rights and signed their film production company, Generic Films, to a four picture deal. They made two more before Charlie's company went under and Generic Films disbanded: Galactic Gigolo (1987) and Cemetery High (1988). Carmine went off on his own and dabbled for the next few years with small parts working on or in One Life to Live, an MTV video, a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie, commercials (ESPN), award-winning host of his own cable show and some small independent films such as Everything Moves Alone (2001) and The White Car. Carmine runs two video stores in Connecticut, has a few websites and is President of a non-profit organization called The Classic Movie Cinema. Carmine is married and has three beatiful daughters, Emily, Annie and Molly who share his enthusiasm for movies.- Producer
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Born in Columbus, Ohio as Carolyn Louise Kramer to Warren A. and Ann (nee Caldwell) Kramer, when she was 18 months old her mother died unexpectedly. She was raised by her grandparents, Frank and Louise (nee Orton) Caldwell of Columbus.
She attended the Ohio State University Laboratory School in Columbus and was graduated from MacDuffie School in Springfield, Massachusetts. As a freshman at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, she met Rod Serling, a returning World War II veteran attending the college. They wed two years later, on July 31, 1948, and graduated in 1950 before moving to Cincinnati, where Rod worked for a local radio station.- Additional Crew
- Actress
- Art Department
Caroly Wilcox was born on 16 May 1931 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for The Muppet Movie (1979), Sesame Street (1969) and The Muppet Show (1976). She died on 9 January 2021.- Cliff Carpenter was born on 2 March 1915 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Synecdoche, New York (2008), Blazing Barriers (1937) and Coronet Blue (1967). He was married to Pauline. He died on 9 January 2014 in Pawling, New York, USA.
- Production Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
Denis Johnson Jr. was born in 1937 in Battersea, London, England, UK. He was a production manager and assistant director, known for Oliver! (1968), Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983) and Jane and the Lost City (1987). He was married to Angela Cockill. He died on 9 January 2022 in Exeter, Devon, England, UK.- Additional Crew
- Actor
Don Reynolds was born on 29 May 1937 in Odell, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). He died on 9 January 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA.- Don Stewart was born to George and Marian Stewart on November 14, 1935. He spent his youth in Nebraska with his older brother, George, and his younger brother and sister, Jack and Marilyn. He then moved to New York and began studying opera. He worked on and off Broadway, and even understudied for Robert Goulet in Camelot at a young age. He was in the Air Force as one of the youngest commanders, and then in the Navy and Naval Reserves. He flew fighter jets off of aircraft carriers, etc. He started working on television, and also began singing in night clubs. He has a wonderful and powerful voice. He spent many years as "Michael Bauer" on "The Guiding Light,' before branching out to do more movies, stage, commercials, voice-overs, etc. During all this he married Susan Tremble in 1970-something, and they had two daughters, Heather-Michelle and Genevra. They lived in Oakland, NJ while Don was filming the Guiding Light, then moved to Santa Barbara, CA in 1985. Don enjoyed playing tennis with friends, flying his airplane, working on his tractor at his house, and riding horses with his daughters. Don and Sue divorced in 1993 or so. He remained an eligible bachelor for basically the rest of his life, partly because his children didn't believe anyone was good enough for him. In 2002, Don was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. He was doing OK with that, undergoing medical treatment but still basically healthy, until June 2005. At that point he was diagnosed with lung cancer, despite having lived a very clean and healthy life as a non-smoker. He died from the disease only a few months later.
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Dusan Klein was born on 27 June 1939 in Michalovce, Czechoslovakia. He was a director and writer, known for Jak svet prichází o básníky (1982), Konec básníku v Cechách (1993) and Prípad mrtvého muze (1975). He was married to Silvera Rasková. He died on 9 January 2022 in Prague, Czech Republic.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Blond, boyishly handsome Dwayne Hickman, the younger brother of Darryl Hickman, followed in his sibling's tiny footsteps as a moppet film actor himself. Born Dwayne Bernard Hickman in Los Angeles on May 18, 1934, the brothers had a younger sister as well, Deidre (born 1940). He had minor roles in such films as Captain Eddie (1945) (Darryl had a major role in this), The Secret Heart (1946), The Boy with Green Hair (1948), Mighty Joe Young (1949), The Happy Years (1950) (again with Darryl in a major role), and topped his youthful film career as "Nip Worden" in the canine movie series "Rusty", which began with The Son of Rusty (1947) and ended with Rusty's Birthday (1949).
Graduating from Cathedral High School in 1952 (Darryl graduated from the same school in 1948), Dwayne enrolled at Loyola Marymount University. He returned to Hollywood following college studies and, unlike his brother, focused strongly on television work, making appearances on such series as Public Defender (1954), The Loretta Young Show (1953), The Lone Ranger (1949), and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952). He also appeared in the Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward comedy film Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! (1958) playing the secondary teen couple with Tuesday Weld. He grabbed major comedy attention, especially from young female baby-boomers, as Chuck, the girl-crazy nephew, in The Bob Cummings Show (1955). (Cummings became his mentor.)
Hickman then played the titular lovesick title high school teen in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959), the role for which he is best known, and in which he was reunited with Tuesday Weld as the prime object of his attention, although Weld did not remain with the series for the entirety of its run. Laying low for a few years, Hickman returned to the screen, making a strong impression in the western film Cat Ballou (1965), and then began hanging out with the young beach crowd in several AIP movies including Ski Party (1965), How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965), and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965), and a few slapstick comedies such as Sergeant Dead Head (1965) and Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! (1967). He guested on a mix of comedic and dramatic TV shows including Combat! (1962), Mod Squad (1968), Ellery Queen (1975), The Flying Nun (1967), and Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974).
In the 1970s, Hickman began working behind the scenes as a publicist, a Las Vegas entertainment director and, most successfully, as a programming executive for CBS. He would return only occasionally to acting. He revisited his Dobie Gillis character, albeit a fully grown-up version, in such made-for-television movies as Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis? (1977) and Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis (1988). In addition to guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote (1984) and Hi Honey, I'm Home (1991), he appeared in glorified cameos in High School U.S.A. (1983), had a recurring role on Clueless (1996), and was glimpsed in Cops n Roberts (1995), A Night at the Roxbury (1998), and Angels with Angles (2005). He began episodic directing chores in the 1980's, working on such episodes as "Charles in Charge", "Designing Women", "Head of the Class", "Harry and the Hendersons", and "Sister, Sister". In 1994, he published his biography, aptly titled 'Forever Dobie'.
Thrice wed, Hickman has two children -- one by his first wife, actress/model/beauty pageant winner Carol Christensen (1963-1972) who appeared a few times on "Dobie Gillis", and the other by his present wife, actress/voiceover artist Joan Roberts, to whom he has been married since 1983.- Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale was born on 7 November 1917 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. She died on 9 January 2002 in Bal Harbour, Florida, USA.
- Director
- Writer
Frantisek Filip was born on 26 October 1930 in Písek, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a director and writer, known for Hrdina má strach (1966), Rozpaky kuchare Svatopluka (1985) and Utrpení mladého Bohácka (1969). He died on 9 January 2021 in Bratislava, Slovakia.- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Harvey was born as Harvey Skolnik. He grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. Harvey started his career in New York City as comedian Sandy Baron's manager. Harvey furthered his career by working with his close longtime friends: Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, Albert Brooks, James L. Brooks and Jerry Belson,
Harvey helped create Love American Style with Bill Idelson. Harvey also loved meeting celebrities so when he was head writer and director of TV's The Odd Couple, his invigoration of the show by introducing big name talent served dual purposes. Harvey was responsible for integrating the following people into the show: Howard Cosell, Bobby Riggs, Billie Jean King, Paul Williams, Betty White, Allen Ludden and many others.
Harvey first met Burt Reynolds on Cannonball Run. There is a very famous episode of The Dating Game whereby the bachelorette, due to her attraction to his charm and razor sharp humor, chooses Harvey over Burt Reynolds. When the bachelorette meets and sees that she didn't choose Burt, she is devastated. When the host announces her date as Harvey Skolnik from Plainfield, NJ she Is crestfallen. Harvey was a fairly attractive man, but the meet became enormously funny. From that day on when attending industry events or parties, he would always ask if Reynolds was going to be there, so that Reynolds couldn't vengefully express his embarrassment for losing to Harvey.
Harvey bought and lived in Harrison Ford's old house. Before he became a movie star, Harrison was a carpenter and built a lovely country style home in LA.
Harvey made classic cameos in The Odd Couple as the penguin in the bathtub in the nude off Broadway show episode whereby Felix secretly attends his girlfriend's only to embarrass her by covering her up when she appears naked. He also made classic cameo appearances in the Laverne and Shirley whereby he played a shyster producer who steals Laverne's heirloom earrings.
Since he was so close with Penny Marshall, Albert Brooks, Garry Marshall, Jerry Belson and others he always made brief mostly comedic appearances in their TV Shows and Movies. A few of them included: Young Doctors in Love, Beaches, Modern Romance, Awakenings, and Others.
Harvey was always the life of every party and set. He was a unique talent and irrepressible spirit. This world is now a far less interesting place without him. He will be sorely missed.- Hugh Sanders was born on 13 March 1911 in East Saint Louis, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for That's My Boy (1951), The Outer Limits (1963) and Storm Warning (1950). He was married to Janet Bernice Putnam and Dorothy F Allsup. He died on 9 January 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ivan Passer was one of the key authors of the "new wave" of Czech cinema, a group of young people who forged an energetic and transgressive film movement in the 1960s, breaking away from the precepts of hard socialist realism. Passer was not only the author of the scenarios of his own films, but he also worked on the scripts of the first four motion pictures made by his countryman, friend and colleague Milos Forman: "Konkurs" (1963), "Black Petr" ( 1964), "Loves of a Blonde" (1965) and "The Firemen's Ball" (1967).
Passer was born in Prague, the son of Marianna (Mandelíková) and Alois Passer. He was the grandson of a silent movie screenwriter. Ivan's parents were persecuted by the Nazis for their Jewish heritage. Ivan was a rebel boy, sent to a boarding school where he became friends with Milos. Together they went to study cinema at the FAMU film school in Prague, but young Ivan was eventually expelled from the academy. By then he had acquired skills in movie-making, some experience and had key friends, such as cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek. With Forman and other friends, they made their first movies.
In 1965 Passer made a remarkable first feature, the beautiful "Intimate Lighting", a film of impressionist inspiration that immediately established his name as a promising new director. But the social pressures and political unrest in Czechoslovakia, which culminated in 1968 with the Soviet invasion, led him into exile the following year. However, in the United States he did not achieve the notoriety of Forman, who received the best proposals, while he rejected offers that did not convince him: for example, he refused to make "Yentl" for a number of reasons, including his conviction that Barbra Streisand was too old and famous for the role, in opposition to other key performers as Mandy Patinkin and Amy Irving. Likewise, he refused to make films with elements of violence, which he always opposed. During World War II he had been directly exposed to violence, and he believed that it was dangerous to represent it in films: violence, he said, affects "some people who are not able to realize the difference between reality and fantasy."
However, he made some worthy movies, such as his American debut "Born to Win" (1971), a complex portrait of a heroin-addict hairdresser; his satire on civil surveillance, "Law and Disorder" (1974); the comedy about money-laundering bankers "Silver Bears" (1977), and the cult film "Cutter's Way" (1981), in which a war veteran investigates a crime, despite he only has one eye, one arm and one leg. For television he directed the biopic "Stalin" in 1992.
Passer taught film at the University of Southern California, and lectured students in foreign film academies. He died in Reno, Nevada, on January 9, 2020.- Music Department
- Composer
- Actor
James Mtume was born on 3 January 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Rush Hour 3 (2007), Hamilton (2020) and 8 Mile (2002). He was married to Kamili. He died on 9 January 2022 in South Orange, New Jersey, USA.- Janis Vaisla was born in 1969 in Latvia. He died on 9 January 2016 in Berlin, Germany.
- Writer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Jerry Douglas was born on 15 November 1935 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. He was a writer and director. He was married to John Stellar. He died on 9 January 2021 in New York City, New York, USA.- Lovable, laid-back Jesse White made acting seem fun and easy. He was born Jesse Marc Weidenfeld in Buffalo, New York, and was raised in Akron, Ohio. He made his first amateur appearance on the local stage at age 15. Before breaking into professional theater in the 1940s, he held many different jobs, including selling beauty supplies and lingerie. Jesse got his start in vaudeville and burlesque, and eventually reached Broadway in 1943. The following year, he played the rascally, gruff-mannered asylum attendant in Harvey, starring Frank Fay. This role made him famous and he went on to appear with James Stewart in the movie version (Harvey (1950)). The 1950s was a decade of transition to the new medium of television. As a television regular, he did something that had never been done before - he appeared regularly in two series at the same time. In Private Secretary (1953) and The Danny Thomas Show (1953). This record stood for 13 years until Leo G. Carroll appeared simultaneously on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966)).
One of Jesse's earliest television appearances is a 1961 episode of the sci-fi series Once Upon a Time (1961) in which he played, prophetically enough, The Repairman. Jesse would make guest appearances on dozens of television series, and appear in 60 movies, almost always playing a lovable rascal. Some of his last movie appearances were in the sci-fi movies Pajama Party (1964) and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966). Then the 50-year-old Jesse seized a terrific career opportunity. From 1968-1989, he would be television's second and longest running Maytag Repairman in a long series of commercials. For this, he made several hundred thousand dollars a year, for just a few days filming. Even though he was semi-retired during this time, Jesse appeared in a dozen movies, his last film being Matinee (1993), which was an homage to some of the 1950s-1960s sci-fi films of which he had been a part. Jesse always seemed to be having as much fun acting as the fans did watching him.
Jesse White died of a heart attack on January 9, 1997, only six days after his 80th birthday. He was interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California. - Actor
- Writer
- Director
John Gilbert was born into a show-business family - his father was a comic with the Pringle Stock Company. By 1915 John was an extra with Thomas H. Ince's company and a lead player by 1917. In those days he was assistant director, actor or screenwriter. He also tried his hand at directing. By 1919 he was being noticed in films and getting better roles. In 1921 he signed a three-year contract with Fox Films. His popularity continued to soar and he was turning from villain to leading man. In 1924 he signed with MGM which put him into His Hour (1924). In 1925 he appeared in the very successful The Big Parade (1925) and was, by now, as popular as Rudolph Valentino. Lillian Gish, who had a new contract with MGM, picked Gilbert to co-star with her in La Bohème (1926). With the death of Valentino, his only competition, John was on top of the world. Then came Greta Garbo, who starred with him in Love (1927), Flesh and the Devil (1926) and A Woman of Affairs (1928). The screen chemistry between these two was incredible and led to a torrid off-screen affair. The studio publicity department worked overtime to publicize the romance between the two, but when it came time to marry, John was left at the altar. His performances after that were devoid of the sparkle that he once had and he began to drink heavily. Added to that, the whole industry was moving towards sound, and while his voice was not as bad as some had thought, it did not match the image that he portrayed on the screen. Even his characters had changed, in such films as Redemption (1930) and Way for a Sailor (1930). He was no longer the person that bad things happened to, but he now was the cause of bad things which happen. MGM did little to help John adjust to the new sound medium, as studio chief Louis B. Mayer and Gilbert had a fierce and nasty confrontation over Garbo. John was still under contract to MGM for a very large salary, but the money meant little to him. His contract ran out in 1933 after he appeared in Fast Workers (1933) as a riveter.
Garbo tried to restore some of his image when she insisted that he play opposite her in Queen Christina (1933), but by then it was too late. He appeared in only one more film and died of a heart attack in January 1936.- John Reilly was born on 11 November 1934 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for General Hospital (1963), Iron Man (1994) and Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982). He was married to Lily Beth (Liz) Janred and Donna Reilly . He died on 9 January 2021 in the USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
John Slater was born on 22 August 1916 in London, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Othello (1946), Man with a Million (1954) and Violent Playground (1958). He was married to Betty Levy (actress). He died on 9 January 1975 in London, England, UK.- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
John Thompson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a producer and assistant director, known for Brooklyn's Finest (2009), Criminal (2016) and Hunter Killer (2018). He was married to Tatiana Thompson. He died on 9 January 2018 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Johnny Grant was born on 9 May 1923 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Hollywood Homicide (2003), Gene Autry: America's Cowboy (2000) and Mask of the Dragon (1951). He died on 9 January 2008 in Hollywood, California, USA.- Jon Hager was born on 30 August 1941 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Hee Haw (1969), The Bionic Woman (1976) and Twin Detectives (1976). He was married to Catherine Akersloot Hager Hayward. He died on 9 January 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
- José María Díaz Bancalari was born on 5 September 1944 in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He died on 9 January 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Joseph Jarman was born on 14 September 1937 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Blood In, Blood Out (1993), American Playhouse (1980) and Sophie's Ways (1971). He was married to Thulani Davis. He died on 9 January 2019 in Englewood, New Jersey, USA.- Joseph Wayne Miller was born on 18 December 1981 in Park Ridge, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Heavyweights (1995) and Folks! (1992). He died on 9 January 2018 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Ken Sedd was born on 26 October 1939 in Heston, Middlesex, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Softly Softly (1966), Doomwatch (1970) and Adam Adamant Lives! (1966). He was married to Innis Rockall. He died on 9 January 2021.
- Writer
- Music Department
- Composer
Lan O'Kun was born on 13 January 1932 in Manhattan, New York, USA. He was a writer and composer, known for Lamb Chop's Play-Along (1992), Insight (1960) and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). He was married to Barbara Hurwitz. He died on 9 January 2020 in Malibu, California, USA.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Leonard P. Geer was born on 9 May 1914 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Blues Brothers (1980), The Adventures of Spin and Marty (1955) and Scarface (1983). He died on 9 January 1989 in Topanga Canyon, California, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Les Brown Jr. was born on 15 February 1940 in New York, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for High Speed Police Pursuits (1997), Wild Wild Winter (1966) and The Highwayman (1987). He died on 9 January 2023 in Branson, Missouri, USA.- Madge Ryan was born on 8 January 1919 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. She was an actress, known for A Clockwork Orange (1971), Frenzy (1972) and The Lady Vanishes (1979). She was married to Michael Rumble. She died on 9 January 1994 in London, England, UK.
- Mae LaBorde was born on 13 May 1909 in Fresno, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Pineapple Express (2008), The Heartbreak Kid (2007) and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005). She was married to Nicholas Laborde. She died on 9 January 2012 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Marguerite Churchill was born on 26 December 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She was an actress, known for The Big Trail (1930), Riders of the Purple Sage (1931) and The Walking Dead (1936). She was married to George O'Brien. She died on 9 January 2000 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Maria Estela Lorca was born in 1943 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was an actress, known for La gran aventura (1974), Las esclavas (1987) and Estrellita, esa pobre campesina (1968). She died on 9 January 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Maria Ewing was born on 27 March 1950 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She was an actress, known for The Marriage of Figaro (1976), Great Performances (1971) and Carmen (1989). She was married to Peter Hall. She died on 9 January 2022 in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
- Matthew Locricchio was born on 3 June 1947 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Law & Order (1990) and American Playhouse (1980). He was married to Richard Farley. He died on 9 January 2019 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA.
- Mike Resnick was born on 5 March 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer, known for Don't Take the Name of God in Vain (1999), Finding the Future: A Science Fiction Conversation (2004) and 50th Anniversary Brunch Noreascon Three Videotape (1989). He was married to Carol L. Cain. He died on 9 January 2020 in the USA.
- Actress
- Transportation Department
Myra Carter was born on 27 October 1929 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for 8MM (1999), The Nanny (1993) and The Witches of Salem: The Horror and the Hope (1972). She died on 9 January 2016 in Manhattan, New York, USA.- Nicholas Donnelly was born in 1938 in Kensington, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Lifeforce (1985), Dixon of Dock Green (1955) and Grange Hill (1978). He was married to Alrun Donnelly. He died on 9 January 2022 in England, UK.
- Nínawa Daher died on 9 January 2011 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
African-American movie actor and producer Noble Johnson was born on April 18, 1881, in Marshall, Missouri. His family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, when Noble was very young, and it was there that he met Lon Chaney at school. They became friends as children, and later got re-acquainted when both were making movies in Hollywood and became friends all over again (surprisingly, they never made any movies together).
Johnson was built like a bull, standing 6'2" at 215 pounds. His impressive physique and handsome features made him in demand as a character actor and bit player. In the silent era he essayed a wide variety of characters of different races in a plethora of films, primarily serials, westerns and adventure movies. While Johnson was cast as blacks in many films, he also played Native American and Latino parts and "exotic" characters such as Arabians or even a devil in hell in Dante's Inferno (1924) (the old black and white orthochromatic film stock of the early days was less discriminating about a person's color, as were B+W stocks in general, permitting some African-American actors a break, as their "color" was washed out or less obvious when photographed in B+W. As late as the early 1960s, there were very few African-American members of the Screen Actors Guild, since there was a lack of opportunity for them as black performers were confined mostly to race films until the 1960s). In all his roles, Johnson lived up to his Christian name: his was a noble and dignified presence that exhibited great power and substance.
Johnson also was an entrepreneur. In 1916 he founded his own studio to produce what would be called "race films", movies made for the African-American audience, which was ignored by the "mainstream" film industry. The Lincoln Motion Picture Co., which was in existence until 1921, was an all-black company, the first to produce movies portraying African-Americans as real people instead of as racist caricatures (Johnson was followed into the race film business by Oscar Micheaux and others). Johnson, who served as president of the company and was its primary asset as a star actor, helped support the studio by acting in other companies' productions such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916), and using the money he made in those films to invest in Lincoln.
Lincoln's first picture was The Realization of a Negro's Ambition (1916). For four years Johnson managed to keep Lincoln a going concern, primarily due to his extraordinary commitment to African-American filmmaking. However, he reluctantly resigned as president in 1920, as he no longer could continue his double business life, maintaining a demanding career in Hollywood films while trying to run a studio.
In the 1920s Johnson was a very busy character actor, appearing in such top-notch films as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) with Rudolph Valentino, Cecil B. DeMille's original The Ten Commandments (1923) andThe Thief of Bagdad (1924). He made the transition to sound, appearing in the 1930 version of Moby Dick (1930) as Queequeg to John Barrymore's Captain Ahab. He was also the tribal leader on Skull Island in the classic King Kong (1933) (and its sequel, Son of Kong (1933)) and appeared in Frank Capra's classic Lost Horizon (1937) as one of theporters. One of his last films was John Ford's classic She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), in which he played Native American Chief Red Shirt. He retired from the movie industry in 1950.
Johnson died on January 9, 1978, in Yucaipa (San Bernardino), California, at age 96. He is buried in the Garden of Peace at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Northern Calloway was born on 22 January 1948 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Sesame Street (1969), Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie (1988) and Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978). He was married to Terry Calloway. He died on 9 January 1990 in Ossining, New York, USA.- Juan Kachmanian was born on 6 April 1930 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was an actor, known for WWF Championship Wrestling (1972). He died on 9 January 2020 in San Jose, California, USA.Pampero Firpo
- Paolo Paoloni was born on 24 July 1929 in Bodio, Ticino, Switzerland. He was an actor, known for Double Team (1997), Cannibal Holocaust (1980) and Fantozzi in Heaven (1993). He died on 9 January 2019 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
- Additional Crew
- Producer
- Writer
Patrick Henry was born on 5 November 1971 in Richmond. He was a producer and writer, known for Family Guy (1999), Kicked in the Nuts! (2003) and The Cleveland Show (2009). He died on 9 January 2017 in Richmond, Virginia, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lean-faced, intense-looking, German-born, Canada-raised Paul Koslo was at his busiest during the 1970s, usually playing shifty, untrustworthy and often downright nasty characters. He first broke into films at age 22 in the low-budget Little White Crimes (1966), and then appeared in a rush of movies taking advantage of his youthful looks, including cult favorites Vanishing Point (1971) and The Omega Man (1971), and the western Joe Kidd (1972), martial arts blaxploitation flick Cleopatra Jones (1973) and crime thriller The Stone Killer (1973). After working alongside such stars as John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Walter Matthau and Charles Bronson, Koslo's career drifted towards television, and in the 1980s he regularly guest-starred on such TV series as The Incredible Hulk (1978), The A-Team (1983), Matlock (1986), MacGyver (1985) and The Fall Guy (1981). Unfortunately, most of his film work in the 1990s and beyond was "straight-to-video" fare, such as Chained Heat 2 (1993) and Inferno (1999). Koslo is well remembered by many as smart-mouthed small-time hood Bobby Kopas, trying to shake down melon grower Charles Bronson in Mr. Majestyk (1974).- Stunts
- Actress
Acrobat and stuntwoman Paula Dell was born Paula Adele Unger on November 15, 1926 in Longmont, Colorado. Her sister Rosalie was an expert tumbler. Dell moved with her family to California in 1935. Following graduation from Santa Monica High School, Paula went on to attend both Stephens College and the University of Southern California, where she studied physical education. Moreover, Dell also established herself as the Queen of Venice's Muscle Beach as well as was a performer with the Dwayne Bros. Circus and an international acrobatic judge. In addition, Paula also performed stunts in a handful of films and TV shows; she's best known for doubling Carol Channing for the scene in which Channing gets shot out of a cannon onto a stage in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Dell also worked as a teacher in Los Angeles when she wasn't doing stunts. Paula was inducted into the U.S. Sports Acrobatics Hall of Fame in 2003. Dell died at age 90 at her home in Santa Monica, California on January 9, 2017. She was survived by her son Randy, sister Rosalie, and granddaughters Emily and Gracie.- Pete Dye was born on 29 December 1925 in Urbana, Ohio, USA. He was married to Alice Dye. He died on 9 January 2020 in La Romana, Dominican Republic.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
One of four stars of the London and New York revues Beyond the Fringe and Beyond the Fringe (with Jonathan Miller, Alan Bennett, and Dudley Moore). Later created scatological comedy routine "Derek & Clive" with Moore.- Director
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Having seen Robbery (1967) and Bullitt (1968), it comes as no surprise that Peter Yates started out as a professional racing car driver and team manager - albeit briefly - before turning his attention to film. The son of a military man, he was educated at Charterhouse School and trained at RADA, gaining his first experience as an actor with local repertory companies. In the early 1950's, he worked as a dubbing assistant, cutter, stage manager and theatre director (Royal Court), eventually graduating to assistant director on The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958). He cut his teeth, directing many episodes of The Saint (1962) and Secret Agent (1964) for television, before helming his first feature film, the musical Summer Holiday (1963).
"Summer Holiday" did nothing for his career. However, the exhilarating car chase through the streets of London - staged for his next film, "Robbery" - so impressed Steve McQueen that he requested Yates to direct him in "Bullitt". The rest is history: for many years, THAT car chase became the yard stick by which all others were measured. The success of this venture prompted Yates to remain in America, adapting himself to a variety of other genres, though continuing to be preoccupied with action subjects. His best films include the stylish and ingenious caper comedy The Hot Rock (1972); the underwater adventure The Deep (1977), based on the novel and screenplay by Peter Benchley; and the quirky coming-of-age comedy Breaking Away (1979). For the latter, Yates received simultaneous Oscar nominations as Best Director and Best Producer.
He was nominated again for a more cerebral 'actor's piece', The Dresser (1983), starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay , based on a play about an ageing stage actor and his long-standing assistant. Never a prolific director, Yates subsequently made only a few more films. Most memorable, perhaps, were the courtroom thriller Suspect (1987), the political drama The House on Carroll Street (1988) and the enjoyably old-fashioned comedy It All Came True (1998), starring Michael Caine and Maggie Smith as a couple of theatrical ghosts.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Pierre Fresnay was born on 4 April 1897 in Paris, France. He was an actor and writer, known for The Grand Illusion (1937), The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (1942) and Monsieur Vincent (1947). He was married to Berthe Bovy and Rachel Bérendt. He died on 9 January 1975 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France.- Roberto Cabañas was born on 11 April 1961 in Pilar, Paraguay. He died on 9 January 2017 in Asunción, Paraguay.
- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Director
Samuel Goldwyn Jr. was born on 7 September 1926 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a producer and director, known for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) and Mystic Pizza (1988). He was married to Patricia Strawn, Peggy Elliott and Jennifer Howard. He died on 9 January 2015 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Primarily known as a "B" movie bad guy of hundreds of films, husky actor Steve Brodie was born John Daugherty Stephens on November 25, 1919, in El Dorado, Kansas. Raised in Wichita, he dropped out of school and raced cars, boxed and worked on oil rigs to get by. He initially entertained a criminal law career but that interest quickly wore off after having to toil as a property boy.
A passion for acting then was instigated and Brodie found early work in summer stock. Changing his stage name to "Steve Brodie", a move to New York did not pay off but a subsequent move to Los Angeles did. He broke into films after being spotted by an MGM talent scout in a Hollywood theatre production entitled "Money Girls". Loaned out for his first film, Universal's Ladies Courageous (1944), Brodie appeared in a few tough-guy bit parts in such MGM films as Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), The Clock (1945) and Anchors Aweigh (1945) before he was dropped. It wasn't long before he was signed by RKO and it was with studio that his reputation as a heavy in westerns grew, with such roles as notorious outlaws Bob Dalton in Badman's Territory (1946) and Cole Younger in Return of the Bad Men (1948). In between those two pictures were strong roles in three film noir classics: Desperate (1947) (leading good guy), Crossfire (1947) and Out of the Past (1947) (both supporting baddies).
A hard-living, hard-drinking actor, Brodie married "B" actress Lois Andrews in 1946 but the couple divorced four years later, not long after appearing together in the western programmer Rustlers (1949). He married Barbara Savitt--the widow of bandleader Jan Savitt--in September of 1950 and the union produced son Kevin Brodie two years later (Kevin later became a producer/director). Steve's second marriage lasted until 1966.
Interest in Brodie eventually waned at the studio and his contract was not renewed. Freelancing elsewhere, he appeared as a lead in Rose of the Yukon (1949) and another classic film noir, Armored Car Robbery (1950), and also earned good parts in Home of the Brave (1949), The Steel Helmet (1951) and Lady in the Iron Mask (1952) (as the Musketeer Athos). Most of his post-RKO film work, however, would be in low-budgeters: I Cheated the Law (1949), The Great Plane Robbery (1950), Army Bound (1952), The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), Donovan's Brain (1953) and Under Fire (1957). He also appeared as the hero's nemesis in several Tim Holt / Richard Martin westerns, including The Arizona Ranger (1948), Guns of Hate (1948) and Brothers in the Saddle (1949). In the late 1950s he had leads in the "C"-level films Spy in the Sky! (1958), Arson for Hire (1959) and Here Come the Jets (1959).
A familiar presence on 1950s and 1960s TV, he worked on such crime series as Public Defender (1954), Hawaiian Eye (1959), Surfside 6 (1960), Perry Mason (1957), Burke's Law (1963) and such western series as The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955) (recurring part), The Lone Ranger (1949), Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951), Laramie (1959), Sugarfoot (1957), Maverick (1957), Rawhide (1959), Gunsmoke (1955) and comedies including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952), _"The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962)_ (qav). He also appeared in a touring production of "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial" starring Paul Douglas and Wendell Corey. The company ended abruptly when the liberal-minded Douglas, in a North Carolina interview, strongly criticized the conservative state and the resulting backlash forced the production's closure.
Brodie's later years were marred by drinking arrests. In the 1970s he made sporadic appearances, including a lead in the campy low-budget horror film The Giant Spider Invasion (1975) opposite Barbara Hale and a part in Delta Pi (1984) [aka "Mugsy's Girls"], which was written, produced and directed by son Kevin and was also his last film. He also provided voice work in commercials and showed up at nostalgia conventions, including The Knoxville Western Film Fair in 1991, less than a year before his death.
In 1973 Brodie married a third time, to Virginia Hefner, and they had a son Sean. Suffering from esophageal cancer and heart problems, Brodie died at age 72 on January 9, 1992, at a West Hills, California, hospital. - Production Designer
- Art Department
- Art Director
Terence Marsh was born on 14 November 1931 in London, England, UK. He was a production designer and art director, known for Doctor Zhivago (1965), The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Oliver! (1968). He was married to Sandra Marsh and Lorna Wrapson. He died on 9 January 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California, USA.- Teresa Ann Savoy was born on 18 July 1955 in London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Caligula (1979), Madam Kitty (1976) and Bambina (1974). She died on 9 January 2017 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy.
- Timothy Nga was born on 10 June 1973 in Singapore. He was an actor, known for Blackhat (2015), The High Cost of Living (2006) and Fighting Spiders (2009). He died on 9 January 2023 in Singapore.
- Tom Alexander was born on 25 June 1934 in Cambusnethan, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK. He was married to Betty. He died on 9 January 2020 in the UK.
- Verna Bloom was born on 7 August 1938 in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA. She was an actress, known for High Plains Drifter (1973), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and After Hours (1985). She was married to Jay Cocks and Richard Collier. She died on 9 January 2019 in Bar Harbor, Maine, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Producer
- Writer
Walter Boyne was born on 2 February 1929 in East St. Louis, Illinois, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Four Years of Thunder (1996), Enola Gay and the Atomic Bombing of Japan (1995) and Aircraft Stories (2007). He was married to Terezia Takacs and Jeanne Quigley. He died on 9 January 2020 in the USA.- Director
- Art Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yûji Yamaguchi was a director and assistant director, known for Outlaw Star (1998), Angel Links (1999) and Matchless Raijin-Oh (1991). He died on 9 January 2020 in Japan.- Zygmunt Bauman was born on 19 November 1925 in Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland. He was a writer, known for La novia de Poznan' (2014), The Swedish Theory of Love (2015) and The Trouble with Being Human These Days (2013). He was married to Aleksandra Jasinska-Kania and Janina Bauman. He died on 9 January 2017 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK.