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- David Stern is an American businessman and lawyer who served as the fourth commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) He started with the league in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league's Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984, succeeding Larry O'Brien. He is credited with increasing the popularity of the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s.
Stern has served on the Rutgers University Board of Overseers and is a Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Columbia University. He was also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
On October 25, 2012, Stern announced that he would step down as NBA commissioner on February 1, 2014, 30 years to the day after beginning his tenure as commissioner. His deputy, Adam Silver, was his successor. At the time of his departure, he was the NBA's longest-serving commissioner. Stern received the Olympic Order in 2012. On February 14, 2014, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Stern would be a member of its 2014 induction class. In 2016, he became a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame. - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Barry ZeVan was born on 5 August 1937 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Television: The First Fifty Years (1999), Hiding Victoria (2006) and In an Instant (2015). He was married to Ellen Hanson-Zevan. He died on 1 January 2020 in Golden Valley, Minnesota, USA.- Nick Gordon was born on 5 May 1990 in Roswell, Georgia, USA. He died on 1 January 2020 in Altamonte Springs, Florida, USA.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Veronika Fitz was born on 28 March 1936 in Dießen am Ammersee, Germany. She was an actress, known for Die Hausmeisterin (1987), Königlich Bayerisches Amtsgericht (1969) and Im Tal des Schweigens (2004). She was married to Willy Anders. She died on 2 January 2020 in Bad Aibling, Bavaria, Germany.- Actress
- Script and Continuity Department
Lyudmila Kasyanova was born on 10 December 1936 in Yessentuki, Stavropol Krai, Russia, USSR. She was an actress, known for Don Kikhot (1957), Solange Leben in mir ist (1965) and Trotz alledem! (1972). She died on 2 January 2020 in Prague, Czech Republic.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
The youngest of five children, Robert Clinton Blanche was born to Mary Edith Blanche (Heavner) and Richard Keith Blanche on March 30, 1962 in Pomona, California, but spent most of his life in Oregon. He joined SAG (Screen Actors Guild) in 1995 and served as Portland SAG Branch President for many years pre-merger and Portland SAG-AFTRA Local President from 2017-19. In addition to his work locally, he served as Vice Chair of the National SAG Indie Committee from 2007-08. Since 1996, he served as member or alternate of the TV/Theatrical, Low Budget and Agency committees.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Mordecai Arnon was born on 23 April 1941 in Nahalat Yehuda, Palestine. He was an actor, known for Warhead (1977), Florentine (1997) and Two Kuni Lemel (1966). He died on 3 January 2020 in Israel.- Actor
- Soundtrack
British light leading man, on stage from 1951 and in films from 1953. Having initially aspired to be a dancer, Beeny joined the Ballet Rambert company in London at the age of eight but later switched to acting and eventually graduated from RADA in 1959. By then he had already achieved a measure of popularity on TV as a 12-year old juvenile in the original British soap opera The Grove Family (1954). He ultimately became best known as the smart-alecky footman and chauffeur Edward in Upstairs, Downstairs (1971). During a seven year hiatus from acting between 1963 and 1970, Beeny worked in the building industry. He resumed his career on the small screen in Softly Softly: Task Force (1969) and The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971). He then replaced Reg Varney as the foreman Tony in the relaunch of The Rag Trade (1975), played a birdbrained undertaker in the funeral sitcom In Loving Memory (1969) and was latterly seen as an inept debt collector in Last of the Summer Wine (1973). His appearances on the big screen have been infrequent. His second wife was the singer Diana Kirkwood.- Jan Tesarz was born on 4 August 1935 in Czechowice-Dziedzice, Slaskie, Poland. He was an actor, known for Hart's War (2002), Bokser (1967) and A Short Film About Killing (1988). He died on 3 January 2020 in Torun, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland.
- Derek Acorah was born on 27 January 1950 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Big Fat Gypsy Gangster (2011), Doctor Who (2005) and Crispy's Curse (2017). He was married to Gwen Acorah, Barbara Keeton and Joan Hughes. He died on 3 January 2020 in Bootle, Lancashire, England, UK.
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerome Guardino was born on 27 August 1923 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Columbo (1971), Dream No Evil (1970) and Car 54, Where Are You? (1961). He was married to Marguerite R. and Fran Malis. He died on 4 January 2020.- Galia Ishai was born on 17 May 1950 in Tel Aviv, Israel. She was an actress, known for Ha-Chevre Ha-Tovim (1999), Antenna (2016) and Am Yisrael Hai (1981). She died on 4 January 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
- He was born in the USA while his Australian parents were in Boston at the time. He has two sisters and a brother and his father is a doctor for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. He was raised on a farm near (Benalla, North East Victoria) He left school early and moved to Queensland, shearing sheep and breaking horses, before heading overseas. He applied to National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) graduating in 1996. His theatre work includes the plays The Caucasian Chalk Circle and the Bell Shakespeare Company production of The Tempest.
He has a son, Ariel, (1989), from a relationship with actress Rachael Maza. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Erika Broyer was born on 17 November 1942 in Athens, Greece. She was an actress, known for Miss Director (1964), Exodos kindynou (1980) and Three Girls from America (1964). She was married to Kostas Voutsas. She died on 5 January 2020 in Athens, Greece.- Actor
- Producer
Andrew Burkle was born on 27 October 1993 in the USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Airplane Mode (2019) and Breakfast with Einstein (1998). He died on 6 January 2020 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.- Actress
- Writer
Elena Cruz was born on 27 November 1926 in Argentina. She was an actress and writer, known for La canción de Buenos Aires (1980), Un tranvía llamado Deseo (1956) and Contigo y aquí (1974). She was married to Fernando Siro. She died on 7 January 2020 in Argentina.- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Silvio Horta was born on 14 August 1974 in Miami, Florida, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Ugly Betty (2006), Urban Legend (1998) and The Chronicle (2001). He died on 7 January 2020 in Miami, Florida, USA.- Elizabeth Wurtzel was born on 31 July 1967 in New York City, New York, USA. She was a writer, known for Prozac Nation (2001), When the Brass Band Plays (2020) and Intimate Portrait (1990). She was married to James Freed Jr.. She died on 7 January 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
Neil Peart was one of the most universally respected rock drummers, and was best known for his nearly superhuman, pyrotechnic drum playing, and for providing intellectual lyrics for his band's songs. Neil served as both drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush since 1974, joining bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. (Rush's lineup remained unchanged since Neil's arrival in 1974.) Rush is the most successful Canadian music group in history, and is the third most prolific seller of consecutive (American) Gold and Platinum Records and videos, behind only The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Beginning on August 10, 1997, immediately following Rush's "Test For Echo" tour, Neil endured concurrent, seemingly unendurable tragedies when his daughter (and only child) died in a car accident, and then his wife died from cancer 10 months later. This put Rush on indefinite hiatus for the first time, and prompted Neil to write "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road", his second book. In September 2000, Neil married Los Angeles photographer Carrie Nuttall. They had a daughter, Oliva, in 2009.
Neil rejoined Rush in the studio for 2002's "Vapor Trails," their 17th studio album, which was met with high praise and considered a stellar "comeback" both for Peart and the band. A highly successful 2002 tour brought about the band's long-awaited return to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tour ended with Rush's first-ever shows in Brazil, where they played to 125,000 fans in three nights. The final performance of the 2002 tour was captured on DVD as Rush in Rio (2003), which was certified double-platinum within weeks of its release.
After the Vapor Trails album and tour, Neil's writing became more personal. His subsequent live performances, including his trademark percussion solos which showcased his superlative adroitness as a drummer, were regarded as his best to date. His final tour with Rush was 2015's R40 tour, which marked forty years since Neil joined the band. At the end of the tour, Neil announced he was retiring due to arthritis and tendinitis.
Not long after his retirement, Neil was diagnosed with brain cancer. He fought it privately for three and a half years, keeping it secret until he passed from it on January 7, 2020.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Harry Hains was born on 4 December 1992 in Melbourne, Australia. He was an actor and producer, known for Lulu (2018), Groupies (2018) and American Horror Story (2011). He died on 7 January 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Edd Byrnes was born Edward Byrne Breitenberger on July 30, 1932 in New York City, the son of Mary (Byrne) and Augustus "Gus" Breitenberger. Edd shared an impoverished and unhappy childhood with brother Vincent and sister Jo-Ann. Their mother worked hard at various jobs to keep the family together because her alcoholic husband was often absent from the scene.
When Edd was fifteen, his father was found dead in a basement. Edd then dropped his surname (Breitenberger) in favor of "Byrnes", based on the name of his maternal grandfather, Edward Byrne, a New York City fireman. He found escape from family problems at the movies and at the gym, where he developed an athletic body. At age 17 he was approached by a man who offered to take free "physique" photos of him. According to his 1996 autobiography, "Kookie No More", this led to a few years of "hustling" older, well-to-do men, despite the fact that Edd was heterosexual. One of these men acted as Edd's mentor, introducing him to fashion and culture and encouraging his hopes for an acting career.
After doing some summer-stock work and a few bit parts on TV, Edd drove to California in 1955, arriving in Los Angeles on the day James Dean died in a car crash. He managed to get a few minor parts in films and then won a role in a new TV series, 77 Sunset Strip (1958), which premiered in September 1958. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith starred as private eyes but Edd, playing a hip-talking parking-lot attendant named "Kookie", won the most attention. Viewers quoted his dialog, ("Baby, you're the ginchiest!"), and young males imitated the way he wielded his ever-present comb. His fan mail soon reached an astonishing 15,000 letters a week and his single with Connie Stevens, "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb", became a top-5 hit. Edd chafed, however, at the restrictions in his Warner Brothers contract, which forced him to turn down roles in Ocean's Eleven (1960), North to Alaska (1960) and Rio Bravo (1959).
He walked off the "77 Sunset Strip" set and in the ensuing months began to drink heavily and visit a psychiatrist, who administered drugs to him. His contract dispute was eventually settled, though not much to his advantage, and when he returned to "77 Sunset Strip" his role was upgraded from "sidekick" to "partner" and he wore a suit and tie. Audience reaction was not good, ratings dropped, and the show was canceled. The hip-talking, hair-combing image clung to him, however, and Edd felt he lost the lead in PT 109 (1963) because President John F. Kennedy didn't want to be played by "Kookie". A few more movies and TV appearances followed, but his career had passed its peak before he turned 30.
In 1962, he married long-time girlfriend Asa Maynor. Their son, Logan, was born on September 13, 1965. Edd and Asa's marriage ended in divorce in 1971, partially due to his substance abuse. In 1982, he succeeded in going "clean and sober" but never remarried. Byrnes died on January 8, 2020, aged 87, in Santa Monica, California.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Prolific, multi-talented comedy writer, story editor, actor and director. His father was an Air Force general (Paul Steinberg Zuckerman) turned stockbroker and his mother was silent screen star Ruth Taylor, formerly a member of Mack Sennett's bathing beauties. Buck Henry's first fling with comedy was as a contributor to the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern magazine (known as 'Jacko') while he was still at college. His fellow writers there included such luminaries as Dr. Seuss, novelist Budd Schulberg and the playwright Frank D. Gilroy. Henry attended Harvard Military Academy for a short time before developing an interest in acting which led to a few small roles on Broadway. His budding career was interrupted by military service during the Korean War. In 1961, Henry joined a small improvisational off-Broadway theatre troupe called The Premise for a year before moving to Hollywood. He was to find his greatest popularity in the 60s as one of the principal hosts of Saturday Night Live (1975), writer for The Garry Moore Show (1958) and co-creator/writer (with Mel Brooks) of Get Smart (1965), for which he won an Emmy in 1967. Prior to that, he had already achieved a certain amount of notoriety as co-perpetrator (with Alan Abel) of a hoax which had Henry masquerading as G. Clifford Prout, Jr., president of the bogus Society for Indecency to Naked Animals, making public appearances on network television and other media, demanding that all zoos and wildlife parks be closed until all animals were "properly dressed". At one time he tried to put huge boxer shorts on a baby elephant at San Francisco Zoo. The hoax was eventually exposed after Henry was spotted as an actor by a fellow CBS employee during a Walter Cronkite interview.
One of a new wave of satirists (others including Woody Allen and Alan Arkin) Henry brought an edgier, smarter, more anarchic and at times abrasive style to his writing. Some of his quotable one-liners (in particular for Get Smart) are - and will continue to be - idiomatic. While he was original, clever and invariably funny, not all of Henry's endeavours panned out. Two of his TV parodies proved to be conspicuous failures: Captain Nice (1967) (a send-up of Batman) and Quark (1977) (a Star Trek parody about interstellar garbage collectors). On the plus side, Henry was Oscar-nominated twice: the first time for his screenplay of The Graduate (1967), the second for co-directing (with star Warren Beatty ) the re-make of Heaven Can Wait (1978). Following The Graduate, a New York Times reviewer described him as a cross between Jack Lemmon and Wally Cox , "a terrifying practical joker and a compulsive reader of 200 periodicals a month". He was much in demand as a guest on talk shows (including Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Dick Cavett) and appeared as a self-deprecating actor in most of the films he wrote: as a hotel desk clerk in The Graduate, the cynical Colonel Korn in Catch-22 (1970), a lunatic in Candy (1968), a priest and a TV anchorman in First Family (1980), and so on. In Milos Forman's Taking Off (1971) he also had a rare co-starring role as a father looking for his runaway daughter. Buck Henry passed away at the age of 89 in Los Angeles on January 8 2020.- Giorgio Listuzzi was born on 20 January 1934 in Trieste, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Roof (1956) and Doctor Without Scruples (1959). He died on 8 January 2020 in Palmanova, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.
- Make-Up Department
Project Runway All Stars (2012-2017) lead makeup artist Project Runway Junior (2015-2017) lead makeup artist Best Show Ever with Neil Patrick Harris (2015) hairdresser Project Runway Threads (2014) key hair and makeup artist Under The Gunn (2014) lead makeup artist
Scott Patric is the lead, on camera makeup artist for Project Runway All Stars and Project Runway Junior, previously, Project Runway and Project Runway's Under The Gunn, and Threads.
He counts as career highlights working with Nina Garcia, Zendaya, Iris Apfel, Hannah Jeter, Raquel Welch, Alyssa Milano, Kylie Minogue, Katie Holmes, Jenny McCarthy, Heidi Klum, Iman, Michael Kors, Kim Cattrall, Jon Stewart, Yoko Ono, Jon Bon Jovi, Erykah Badu, The Rock, Taylor Swift, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heidi Klum, Angelina Jolie, Naomi Campbell, Salma Hayek, Gisele Bundchen, Madonna, Kate Moss, Kerry Washington, and Jamie King.
Scott's editorial credits include Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Allure, Elle, Glamour, and Esquire. He has worked with the world's top fashion photographers, including Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon, Richard Burbridge, Sheila Metzner, Terry Richardson, and Mary Ellen Mark. His work is also featured in major ad campaigns for L'Oreal, MAC Cosmetics, Macys, Bloomingdales, Kohl's, Neiman Marcus, and MTV.
As liaison and brand ambassador for Butter London, L'Oreal, Mary Kay, Laura Mercier, Laura Geller, and, Benefit Cosmetics, he is trusted for consistently delivering the unique messaging of the world's top beauty products. He is a master at creating looks for his diverse list of clients.
His work has walked Chanel, Balenciaga, Armani, Donna Karan, Lagerfeld, Helmut Lang, Norma Kamali, Celine, Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, Betsy Johnson, and Diane Von Furstenberg.- Harry Fletcher was born on 27 January 1947 in Burnage, Manchester, England, UK. He died on 8 January 2020 in the UK.
- 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.- 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.- In 1964 he joined the Life magazine staff working out of the Beverly Hills bureau. Here he covered top movie stars, including Natalie Wood and Ingrid Bergman, as well as the Alaska earthquake, the richest man in Japan, and the Vietnam War, with many cover stories. From the Paris bureaus in 1968 to 1971, he covered everything from Paris fashion to Jackie Kennedy's wedding to Aristotle Onassis, travel in Turkey, and wildlife in Ethiopia. After Life ceased weekly publication in 1972, Ray photographed many patent models for a book The Art of Invention; and his photographs appeared in numerous major publications, including Smithsonian Magazine, Archeology, and Fortune. Ray has also photographed 46 covers for Newsweek. His first pictures appeared in Life magazine in 1958, and he became a staff photographer in 1964. During this time he covered a group of disgruntled Detroit families who drove to Alaska to homestead, known as the 59ers, the national visit of Nikita Kruschev, Elvis Presley leaving for Germany, Marilyn Monroe singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy, and countless celebrities of the times.
- Brice Armstrong was a small-time Texas actor who grew up in the city of Dallas. He didn't get his big breakthrough until he became a voice actor for Funimation when they first started on their own English version for Dragon Ball Z & Dragon Ball. For one decade Brice has provided voice work for several Funimation anime and most of the Dragon Ball video games. He became best known to anime fans as the English voice of Captain Ginyu & Tim Marcoh. Which were the most popular characters he had voiced throughout his career. Sometime in 2009, Brice retired from acting.
- Neda Arneric was born on 15 July 1953 in Knjazevac, Serbia, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Stand Up Straight, Delfina (1977), Aloa: Festivity of the Whores (1988) and Shaft in Africa (1973). She was married to Milorad Mesterovic, Dejan Karaklajic and Rade Markovic. She died on 10 January 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
- Konstantin Bromberg was born on 17 October 1939 in Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kharkiv, Ukraine]. He was a director, known for The Adventures of the Electronic (1979), Magicians (1982) and U menya est lev (1975). He died on 10 January 2020 in Detroit, USA.
- John Crosbie was born on 30 January 1931 in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He was an actor, known for The Book That Wrote Itself (1999), No Hell (2014) and The Cabin (2015). He was married to Jane Ellen Furneaux . He died on 10 January 2020 in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
The son of a regimental sergeant major, Albert Patrick Jordan grew up in London where he debuted on stage in a 1946 Old Vic production of "Richard II" at the New Theatre. The ensemble cast comprised actors Harry Andrews, Rosalind Atkinson and Alec Guinness. The same group of players went on to perform in other Shakespearean plays, including "Coriolanus" and "The Taming of the Shrew". Jordan began on screen in a TV adaptation of The Browning Version (1949), reprising his stage role from earlier that year. Most of his celluloid assignments in the 50s and 60s consisted of small or uncredited parts. His distinctively stern features and no-nonsense authoritarian bearing led to being invariably typecast as police officers or soldiers. A trademark scar on his right cheek added extra credence to his characters, more than a few of whom did not survive to the final reel. He appeared several times in No Hiding Place (1959), Dixon of Dock Green (1955) and Crossroads (1964) and had featured roles in the war films The Heroes of Telemark (1965), Play Dirty (1969) and Too Late the Hero (1970). Through his friend Alec Guiness, he managed to secure a role in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) as an Imperial Officer, aide to Grand Moff Tarkin (played by Peter Cushing ). He unwisely opted to take a one-off fee for his part, rather than a tiny share of the royalties -- much to his later regret.
Jordan retired in 1995 and died at the age of 96 in January 2020. His wife was Margery Gill (1925-2008), an acclaimed illustrator of children's books.- Anjelia Pelay was an actress, dancer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist until her death in 2020.
Pelay had performed since the age of 3. By age 10, she had appeared in numerous plays and musicals. Some of her notable television credits were as "Brooke Hogan" on WWE Raw (1993), as socialite Diana Pappas on Court TV's Parco P.I. (2005), as the recurring character "Tawny" on MTV's sketch comedy show The Barnes Brothers (2007). She appeared in two episodes of A&E's Gene Simmons: Family Jewels (2006). A finalist on The CW's The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll (2007), she was also seen on E!'s The Soup, VH1's Best Week Ever, and was even referenced on Saturday Night Live. She later appeared that same year in Spider-Man 3 (2007) (credited as the "Beautiful Woman").
She regularly hosted political conventions, countdowns, and web commercials for Barely Political, Quabiz.com, and various other websites/events. Pelay released her debut music album, Believe, on Indigo Planet Records. On Friday, November 11, 2011, she headlined the legendary Stone Pony, with backup singers, dancers, and even short films and choreography. - Actor
- Additional Crew
- Casting Director
Stan Kirsch was an American actor and acting coach from New York City. He appeared in television commercials as a child. His most notable acting role was that of young immortal Richie Ryan in the fantasy television series "Highlander: The Series" (1992-1998). His character was introduced as a student and surrogate son for the protagonist Duncan MacLeod (played by Adrian Paul). Richie remained as one of the series' main characters until his death in the finale of the 5th season. Kirsch also depicted an alternate-reality version of Richie in the two-part finale of the 6th season.
In 1972, he appeared in television commercials for Campbell's soup. He would continue to appear in commercials during his early career. He decided to pursue an acting career. His earliest credited role in television was a guest star role in the short-lived western series "Riders in the Sky" (1991). In 1992, Kirsch made a few appearances in the soap opera "General Hospital" (1992-).
Kirsch had his first recurring role as Richie Ryan "Highlander: The Series" . Richie was initially depicted as an orphaned thief, who became a surrogate son for the centuries-old immortal Duncan MacLeod. He was a wisecracking teenager, who felt bewildered when surrounded by immortals with lifelong obsessions and hidden agendas. By the 2nd season, Richie realized that he was also immortal. He started becoming a more cynical character, with lethal conflicts of his own. He also displayed a ruthless streak. The screenwriters eventually decided to write him out. In his final regular episode, the demon Ahriman manipulates Duncan into killing Richie. The event shatters Duncan's self-confidence. Richie's episode turned out to be one the most controversial episodes in the series, as Richie was a fan-favorite character.
In 1995, Kirsch had a memorable guest-star role in the sitcom "Friends" (1994-2004). He played Ethan, the new boyfriend of regular character Monica Geller (played by Courteney Cox). Monica has been told that Ethan is a college student, and she is initially thrilled to date a younger man. Until Ethan confesses that he is a high school student and still underage. Monica breaks up with him in disgust.
Kirsch played two different roles in the legal drama television series "JAG" (1995-2005). He first appeared as a young ensign in 1996, and then as a lieutenant in 2001. He appeared frequently as a guest in other series of this period, such as "Love Boat: The Next Wave" and "Family Law".
Kirsch had a rare role in a theatrical film, when playing deputy sheriff Stuart Dempsey in the horror film "Shallow Ground" (2004). In the film, local police officers arrest an adolescent boy who is covered in blood. The boy becomes the main suspects in several unsolved disappearances in the area. The boy somehow has access to the memories of the dead, and Stuart and several other characters are revealed to have skeletons in their closet. The film debuted at the "Dead by Dawn Edinburgh Horror Film Festival".
Kirsch's acting roles became fewer in the late 2000s, but he had a change in his career path. In 2008, he founded the acting studio "Stan Kirsch Studios.". He primarily worked as an acting coach for the rest of his life. He reportedly had many students, and he was regarded as very good at his job.
Kirsch committed suicide by hanging on January 11, 2020, at the age of 51. The causes for his suicide were unknown. He was survived by his wife and business partner Kristyn Green. The official "Highlander" Facebook page posted an obituary for him, and the press reported grieving reactions by Kirsch's former students. Despite a rather brief career, Kirsch is fondly remembered for his acting roles.- Norma Michaels was born on 13 March 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Easy A (2010), Wedding Crashers (2005) and You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008). She died on 11 January 2020 in Palm Springs, California, USA.
- William Bogert was born on 25 January 1936 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for WarGames (1983), Dog Day Afternoon (1975) and A Perfect Murder (1998). He was married to Eren Ozker. He died on 12 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Hermosillo was one of the most successful Mexican directors. Born in Aguascalientes, a small city in central Mexico, Hermosillo's films dissected the hypocrisy of Mexican middle class and "torn the curtain" behind which many perversities are hidden. He became an important figure in Mexican contemporary cinema, and was known for treating themes of sexual diversity from a personal approach. One of the few openly gay Mexican directors, Hermosillo found great success with Doña Herlinda y su hijo (1985), a comedy about a mother of a gay doctor who manipulates her son, his male lover and his fiancée to fulfill her desire of becoming a grandmother. Homosexual themes in Hermosillo's films can be found in Matinee, El Cumpleaños del Perro, and Las apariencias engañan (1978). Hermosillo was also an explorer of film language. La Tarea is one of the most complex exercises in film style in recent years (the film consists of one long shot, from the POV of a camcorder). Hermosillo's films presented a fresh look at Mexican society. A strong advocate of digital cinema, he made ten feature films in this format.- Actor
- Production Manager
- Soundtrack
Sherwood Price was born on 4 April 1928 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and production manager, known for Ben Casey (1961), Ice Station Zebra (1968) and The Roaring 20's (1960). He was married to Mary LaRoche and Kathie Browne. He died on 13 January 2020.- Jack Kehoe was born on 21 November 1934 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Serpico (1973), The Sting (1973) and Midnight Run (1988). He died on 14 January 2020 in Hollywood Hills, California, USA.
- Benjamín 'Chamín' Correa was born on 5 February 1929 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He died on 14 January 2020 in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Rocky Johnson was born on 24 August 1944 in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was an actor, known for WWF Championship Wrestling (1972), Spectrum Wrestling (1977) and Wrestling at the Chase (1959). He was married to Ata Johnson, Una Sparks and Sheila. He died on 15 January 2020 in Lutz, Florida, USA.
- Stunts
- Actor
Brian Nickels was born on 17 August 1965 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Wonder Woman (2017), Skyfall (2012) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). He was married to Simone Nickels. He died on 15 January 2020 in West London, England, UK.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Magda is an Egyptian actress. She started her career at the age of 15 using a pseudonym, so that her parents wouldn't know. Her breakthrough came in 1949 in the film "Al Naseh" (The Mentor), after which she went on to become one of the most popular female actresses in Egyptian cinema history. Her most notable films include "Anf Wa Thalath Oyoun" (A Nose and Three Ears), "Jamila" and "Ayna Omry" (Where's my Life?). She got married once to the actor Ihab Nafia'a, and has one daughter (Ghada).- Christopher Tolkien is the third son of the author J. R. R. Tolkien, and the editor of much of his father's posthumously published work. He drew the original maps for his father's The Lord of the Rings, which he signed C. J. R. T.
After his father's death, Christopher Tolkien, whom his father had once called his "chief critic and collaborator", embarked on organizing his father's unpublished writings, some of them written on odd scraps of paper a half-century earlier. He worked on the manuscripts and was able to produce an edition of The Silmarillion for publication in 1977.
The Silmarillion was followed by Unfinished Tales in 1980 and The History of Middle-earth in twelve volumes between 1983 and 1996.
In 2007 he published The Children of Húrin, another history that J.R.R. Tolkien didn't complete during his lifetime. - Actor
- Producer
London-born character actor Derek Fowlds came to the fore on television as 'Mr. Derek', straight man to the children's puppet Basil Brush (succeeding Rodney Bewes in that capacity), then as private secretary and political advisor Bernard Woolley, diligently keeping the reins on obtuse British Cabinet Minister Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) in Yes Minister (1980), and, finally, as retired police sergeant -- turned pub proprietor -- Oscar Blaketon during the entire 18-year run of Heartbeat (1992). Having done his national service in the RAF, Fowlds based the Blaketon character on a drill instructor, commenting "I just cut my hair shorter, slicked it back and shouted a lot and Oscar was born."
In his youth, Fowlds aspired to becoming a footballer. He first tried acting in school plays as a bit of a lark. "Just for kicks" he later decided to pursue the profession more seriously, trained at RADA and debuted on stage in a 1961 production of "The Miracle Worker" at London's Wyndham Theatre. Thereafter, he popped up in the occasional motion picture but was considerably more prolific on the small screen where he regularly alternated between comedy and drama. Early on, he played the lead in his own short-lived detective series, Take a Pair of Private Eyes (1966). His autobiography "A Part Worth Playing" was released in 2015.- Therese Tanguay Dion was born on 20 March 1927 in Canada. She was a composer, known for Céline Dion: Ce n'était qu'un rêve (1981), 75e, elles se souviennent (2015) and Céline Dion: The Colour of My Love Concert (1993). She was married to Adhémar Dion. She died on 17 January 2020 in Québec, Canada.
- Christoph Quest was born on 8 October 1940 in Berlin, Germany. He was an actor, known for Es wäre gut, daß ein Mensch würde umbracht für das Volk (1991), Boat Trip (2002) and Die Geschwister Oppermann (1983). He was married to Frauke and Doris . He died on 18 January 2020 in Berlin, Germany.
- Robert Sampson was born on 10 May 1933 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Re-Animator (1985), The Dark Side of the Moon (1990) and Robot Jox (1989). He was married to Maryanne Gackle. He died on 18 January 2020 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Alicia Gómez Montano was born in 1955 in Madrid, Spain. She was a director and writer, known for Informe semanal (1973), En portada (1984) and Numbered Days (1994). She died on 18 January 2020 in Madrid, Spain.- Additional Crew
- Cinematographer
- Music Department
David Olney was born on 23 March 1948 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He was a cinematographer, known for Capone's Boys (2002), First Tuesday in November (1989) and Niagara's Gold (1994). He was married to Regina. He died on 18 January 2020 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, USA.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jimmy Heath was born on 25 October 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Marshall (2017), NDR Jazz Workshops (1958) and The Cosby Show (1984). He was married to Mona Brown. He died on 19 January 2020 in Loganville, Georgia, USA.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Terry Jones was born in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, the son of Dilys Louisa (Newnes), a homemaker, and Alick George Parry Jones, a bank clerk. His older brother is production designer Nigel Jones. His grandparents were involved in the entertainment business, having managed the local Amateur Operatic Society and staged Gilbert and Sullivan concerts. Jones studied at St. Edmund Hall College, Oxford University, read English but graduated with a degree in History. He was variously captain of boxing, captain of the Rugby Team and School Captain. At about this time, he befriended Michael Palin. Both performed comedy together as part of the Oxford Revue. In 1965, he again partnered Palin in The Late Show (1966) and worked in the dual capacity of writer/actor on Do Not Adjust Your Set (1967) with Palin, Eric Idle and David Jason. Another noteworthy television credit was Complete and Utter History of Britain (1969) (again with Palin) in which fun was poked at famous historical personae, Jones essaying Oliver Cromwell, Sir Walter Raleigh and Henry VIII (among others).
Needless to say that Jones found his greatest success as a founding member of the anarchic and irreverent Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969), along with Palin, Idle, Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Terry Gilliam. Jones not only provided much of the written comic input, but also portrayed many of the classic characters: the implausibly obese Mr. Creosote in The Meaning of Life (1983) (who explodes after one more little wafer), the inept Detective Superintendent Harry "Snapper" Organs in the Piranha Brothers sketch (a take on the Kray Twins), the tobacconist in the Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook sketch and numerous assorted shrill-voiced, slovenly 'rat-bag women' (Mrs. Equator comes to mind).
The Pythons were unconventional, controversial, certainly groundbreaking and invariably inspired, at their best in their unrelenting satirical attacks on established British institutions, ruling hierarchies and the class structure. Jones later said "The thing is we never thought Python was a success when it was actually happening, it was only with the benefit of hindsight". In addition to writing and acting, Jones also co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) (with Terry Gilliam) and took solo directing credit for Life of Brian (1979) and The Meaning of Life. Post-Python, he rejoined Palin as co-writer for some of the very best episodes of Ripping Yarns (1976), including Whinfrey's Last Case, Tompkinson's Schooldays, Murder at Moorstone Manor, The Curse of the Claw and The Testing of Eric Oldthwaite. Jones later scripted Labyrinth (1986) from a story by Jim Henson and Dennis Lee and wrote, as well as directed, Erik the Viking (1989) and Absolutely Anything (2015), a science fiction comedy with Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale.
On a more serious note, Jones sidelined as a newspaper columnist and was an outspoken social and political commentator (a staunch critic of the Iraq War). His lifelong fascination with medieval and ancient history (and Geoffrey Chaucer in particular) led to presenting a series of television documentaries (Medieval Lives (2004) and Barbarians (2006))) as well as publishing several well researched, if sometimes controversial, books including Chaucer's Knight: The Portrait of a Medieval Mercenary and Who Murdered Chaucer?: A Medieval Mystery.
Jones died at the age of 77 on 21 January 2020 from complications of dementia, at his home in Highgate, North London.- Raúl Amundaray was born on 18 May 1937 in Caracas, Venezuela. He was an actor, known for Cristal (1985), El engaño (1968) and Por amarte tanto (1993). He died on 21 January 2020 in Houston, Texas, USA(undisclosed).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jô Shishido or Joe Shishido a.k.a. Joe The Ace (esu no Jô) owing to his role in 1961's Fast-Draw Guy entered acting following an audition for the Nikkatsu Studio and being one of the few to be picked and offered a contract via its New Face contest. Having signed with Nikkatsu in 1954 he began acting in drama films before drifting into yakuza sub-genre of action and crime films and ultimately finding fame through Nikkatsu director's Seijun Suzuki in Branded To Kill. This recognition was slow in developing, however, as upon its initial release reaction was mute and box office success was limited, which eventually lead to Suzuki's firing from the studio. Shishido worked further in television and for other studios and has over 160 films to his name. Wanting a more distinct look Shishido underwent cheek augmentation surgery resulting in a look described as being akin to a chipmunk. Shishido died at his Setagaya, Tokyo home at age 86 in January 2020.- Actor
- Soundtrack
John Karlen was born on 28 May 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Cagney & Lacey (1981), Dark Shadows (1966) and House of Dark Shadows (1970). He was married to Betty Karlen. He died on 22 January 2020 in Burbank, California, USA.- Edwin Bordo was born on 3 March 1931 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Broadway Danny Rose (1984), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) and Masquerade (1988). He died on 23 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Robert Harper was born on 19 May 1951 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Creepshow (1982), Once Upon a Time in America (1984) and The War of the Roses (1989). He was married to Sascha Noorthoorn van der Kruyff and Lisa Pelikan. He died on 23 January 2020 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Jim Lehrer was born on 19 May 1934 in Wichita, Kansas, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Zoolander 2 (2016), PBS NewsHour (1975) and Viva Max (1969). He was married to Kate Tom Staples. He died on 23 January 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.- Franz Mazura was born on 12 April 1924 in Salzburg, Austria. He was an actor, known for The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977), Lulu (1979) and Der Ring des Nibelungen (1980). He was married to Elisabeth Friedmann. He died on 23 January 2020 in Mannheim, Germany.
- Tyler Gwozdz was born on 18 June 1990 in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. He died on 23 January 2020 in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA.
- Robert Archibald was born on 29 March 1980 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK. He died on 23 January 2020 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Margo Lion was born on 13 October 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was a producer, known for Hairspray (2007), Dinner with Friends (2001) and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune (1988). She was married to Ted Nemeth. She died on 24 January 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Stephen O'Leary died on 24 January 2020.
- Nina Griscom was born on 8 May 1954 in New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for At First Sight (1999) and Iron Chef America: The Series (2004). She was married to Leonel Alfredo Piraino, Dr. Daniel Clufton Baker III, Lloyd Preston Griscom Jr. and Joseph Nicholas Pantano. She died on 25 January 2020 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Stand-in and bit player Alan Harris was born on May 28, 1938 in Enfield, Middlesex, London, England. Harris worked as a male model before going on to embark on a career in both films and television as an extra and stand-in. Alan not only appeared in several Star Wars movies in uncredited minor roles, but also was the stand-in for Anthony Daniels on both Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) as well as had the Boba Fett costume made around him and was Harrison Ford's body double frozen in carbonite for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Harris died at age 81 on January 25, 2020 in England.- Tiziana Soudani was a producer, known for The Interval (2012), Happy as Lazzaro (2018) and Looking for Else (2007). She was married to Mohammed Soudani. She died on 25 January 2020 in Switzerland.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Monique van Vooren was born on 25 March 1927 in Brussels, Belgium. She was an actress, known for Wall Street (1987), Ça va barder (1955) and Flesh for Frankenstein (1973). She was married to Curt H Pfenniger. She died on 25 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.- Lucy Jarvis was born on 24 June 1917 in New York City, New York, USA. She was a producer and actress, known for The Peking Ballet: First Spectacular from China (1972), The Kremlin (1963) and Christopher Discovers America (1969). She was married to Serge Jarvis. She died on 26 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Bryant also led the NBA in scoring twice, and ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring. He was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Born in Philadelphia and partly raised in Italy, Bryant was recognized as the top American high-school basketball player while at Lower Merion. The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick; he was then traded to the Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned a reputation as a high-flyer by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, and was named an All-Star by his second season. Despite a feud with teammate Shaquille O'Neal, the pair led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.
In 2003, Bryant was charged with sexual assault;with the alleged victim being a 19 year old hotel employee. Criminal charges were later dropped after the accuser failed to testify, and a lawsuit was settled out of court, with Bryant issuing a public apology and admitting to a sexual encounter while maintaining the interaction was consensual. The accusation briefly tarnished Bryant's reputation, resulting in the loss of several of his endorsement contracts.
After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals, O'Neal was traded and Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers. He led the NBA in scoring in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points; the second most points scored in a single NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. Bryant led the team to consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, both times being named NBA Finals MVP. He continued to be among the top players in the league through the 2012-13 season, when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon at age 34. His next two seasons were cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder, respectively. Citing physical decline, Bryant retired after the 2015-16 season. In 2017, the Lakers retired both his #8 and #24 jerseys, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple jerseys retired by the same franchise.
The all-time leading scorer in Lakers history, Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star designations are the second most all time, and he has the most consecutive appearances as a starter. Bryant's four NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards are tied with Bob Pettit for the most in NBA history. He gave himself the nickname "Black Mamba" in the mid-2000s, and the epithet became widely adopted by the general public. He won gold medals on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the film Dear Basketball (2017).
Bryant died, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in 2020. A number of tributes and memorials were subsequently issued, including renaming the All-Star MVP Award in his honor.
He was. 5× NBA champion (2000-2002, 2009, 2010); 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010); NBA Most Valuable Player (2008); 18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-2016); 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011); 11× All-NBA First Team (2002-2004, 2006-2013); 2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001); 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005); 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006-2011); 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012)- Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant was an American middle school basketball player that attended Harbor Day School in Newport Beach, California. Born in Los Angeles, California to Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant, Gianna was raised with her older sister Natalia and two younger sisters, Bianka and Capri. Her mother was a model and her father won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Gianna and her father died on January 26 2020, in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Bob Shane was born on 1 February 1934 in Hilo, Hawaii, USA. He was an actor, known for M Squad (1957), Playhouse 90 (1956) and Convoy (1965). He was married to Barbara (Bobbie) Lynn Childress and Louise Glancy Brandon. He died on 26 January 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Busy American supporting actor of Italian parentage who was a familiar face on the small screen during the golden years of television. Balduzzi chose his career path while serving in the U.S. Navy. After studying at the Goodman Theatre School of Drama in Chicago he moved to New York and began to act in off-Broadway plays. To make ends meet, he also held a job at Toots Shor's iconic restaurant in Manhattan, a famous meeting place for Hollywood celebrities. A fortuitous encounter with the casting director of The Jackie Gleason Show (1952) led to several gigs on the show from 1957, Balduzzi playing a variety of minor characters, from waiters to elevator operators. It took another seven years and a move to Los Angeles for the actor to secure regular work. From 1964, he was served best by being cast in sitcoms -- helping to enliven, among others, I Dream of Jeannie (1965), Gidget (1965), Bewitched (1964), That Girl (1966) and Barney Miller (1975) --, often as police officers, salesmen or in friendly servile parts. Infrequent offerings in motion pictures included a private soldier in the war picture Kelly's Heroes (1970) (filmed in Yugoslavia), a party guest in Pete 'n' Tillie (1974) and a prisoner in Michael Keaton's zany Johnny Dangerously (1984). Until his retirement from the screen in 1990, Balduzzi supplemented his income by working a variety of other jobs, including as hotel clerks and bellhops (roles he often essayed on TV), short order cooks, as a dance instructor and acting teacher.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Appeared on the Andy Griffith show after Don Knotts departed. He played a bumbling deputy in the tradition of Barney Fife. After his partnership with George Carlin ended, he teamed with Avery Schreiber after meeting at Chicago's Second City comedy club. Jack appeared on Saturday Night Live In 1977 and turned to writing In in the 1980's.- Czeslaw Jaroszynski was born on 29 July 1931 in Bolewice, Wielkopolskie, Poland. He was an actor, known for Linia (1975), Czerwone i biale (1975) and Quiet Is the Night (1978). He died on 27 January 2020 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Reed Mullin was born on 12 February 1966 in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for Clerks (1994), Final Rinse (1999) and Rocket Man and the Aerial Fortress (2013). He died on 27 January 2020.- Marj Dusay was born on 20 February 1936 in Hays, Kansas, USA. She was an actress, known for All My Children (1970), Guiding Light (1952) and Star Trek (1966). She was married to Thomas Allen Perine Jr. and John Murray Dusay. She died on 28 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
- American actress and performer Dyanne Thorne began her career in show business as a band vocalist and New York stage actress. Before breaking onto the silver screen, she was popular as a comedic sketch artist/talking foil. Comedy albums, with Allen & Rossi, Vaughn Meader and Loman & Barkley earned her appearances on many T.V variety shows such as "The Tonight Show", "Red Skelton", "Steve Allen", "Merv Griffin", and with Tim Conway at Caesar's Palace Hotel in Las Vegas.
Filmed in New York City, Dyanne Thorne's first major film role was in Norman C. Chaitin's Encounter (1965), which was also an early screen credit for Robert De Niro. Moving to Hollywood to appear on T.V.'s Star Trek (1966), and star as yet another villainess in Crown International's thriller Point of Terror (1971), opened the door to several more movie roles.
In 1975, Dyanne married composer, conductor, musician and actor Howard Maurer. She and husband Howard starred in five films together throughout the years. The duo also co-produced and starred in several Las Vegas Strip showroom productions over a span of three decades and their careers took them around the world. Both Dyanne and Howard returned to the screen in 2013 after a 25 year absence to star together in indie horror films House of Forbidden Secrets (2013) and House of the Witchdoctor (2013).
As an actress, Dyanne Thorne was best known for her characterisation of the heinous international dominatrix, soldier of fortune, Ilsa. After her debut as Ilsa in Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975), she reprised the role in sequels Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks (1976), Ilsa the Tigress of Siberia (1977) and unofficial entry Ilsa, the Wicked Warden (1977) by director Jesús Franco. Her performance as Ilsa turned the series into a cult favourite amongst horror and exploitation fans, with Ilsa the Tigress of Siberia (1977) earning a special screening at Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival 2018. Following her film career, Dyanne, alongside husband Howard, served as a church ordained, non-denominational minister In Las Vegas. The husband and wife team created "A Scenic Outdoor Wedding" as an alternative to commercial chapel weddings, with couples travelling from across the globe to be married by "Ilsa". - Writer
- Producer
Harriet Frank Jr. was born on 2 March 1923 in Portland, Oregon, USA. She was a writer and producer, known for Hud (1963), The Cowboys (1972) and Norma Rae (1979). She was married to Irving Ravetch. She died on 28 January 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Art Director
Giorgos Kotanidis was born on 23 May 1945 in Thessaloniki, Greece. He was an actor and writer, known for Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001), Pretty Smart (1987) and The Girl from Mani (1986). He died on 28 January 2020 in Athens, Greece.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Hung-Chung Lin was born on 28 July 1934 in Changhua, Taiwan. He was a cinematographer, known for Jian qiao ying lie zhuan (1977), Ku Lian (1982) and Jia ru wo shi zhen de (1981). He died on 28 January 2020 in Taipei, Taiwan.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nicholas Parsons was without doubt one of the UK's most popular and beloved television and radio personalities, and very few can claim to have had such a long entertainment career. The son of a doctor, he was raised in Lincolnshire until the age of eight, when the family moved to London. He was educated at St. Paul's School, London. He trained as an engineer but really wanted to become an actor and decided to pursue his dream. He performed in weekly repertory in Bromley for two years, playing a wide range of parts. His particular talent for comedy and impersonations made him a natural in cabaret and he became the resident comedian at the Windmill Theatre. Much work in radio followed.
Parsons acted in several British films during the 1950s and 1960s, including dramas such as The Third Key (1956) and Eyewitness (1956) and comedies such as Doctor in Love (1960) and Carry on Regardless (1961). On television he worked with Eric Barker and most notably on The Arthur Haynes Show (1956) as Haynes' straight man. In 1967 he became presenter of "Just a Minute", a comedy panel show on BBC Radio 4 which also featured regular appearances by Kenneth Williams over the next 20 years. Through the 1970s and into the 1980s, Parsons hosted the hugely popular ITV game show Sale of the Century (1971).
In 1989, having become so closely associated with comedy and light entertainment, Parsons surprised many when he returned to a dramatic role. He brought great depth and sensitivity to his portrayal of Reverend Wainwright, a tormented clergyman whose faith is tested to the limit by the horrors of the Second World War and the resurrection of a Viking curse in The Curse of Fenric: Part One (1989). It was one of the most unusual and complex characterizations ever created for the Doctor Who (1963) series, and Parsons later described this guest appearance as "one of the most treasured memories".
Parsons celebrated his 90th birthday in 2013 and he was joined at the party by stars including Esther Rantzen, Paul Merton and Gyles Brandreth. A performer of remarkable longevity, he was still taking his one-man show to the Edinburgh Fringe.- Harry Harrison was born on 20 September 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was married to Patricia Kelly. He died on 28 January 2020 in Westwood, New Jersey, USA.
- Actress
Jameela Malik was an Indian film actress in South Indian movies. She acted in Malayalam and Tamil films in between 1970s and 1990s and appeared in several Malayalam television soap operas in between 2016 and 2020. She received critical acclaim and appreciation, for all the movies she acted, from the critics and audience as well. She was the first woman from Kerala to graduate from India's prestigious Film and Television Institute of India. She worked as teacher in schools. She was married for a year and has a son. She had also acted in more than twenty television serials during the 1990s.- Svetlana Ageeva was born on 16 January 1941 in the USSR. She was an actress, known for Operation 'Y' & Other Shurik's Adventures (1965), Uvolnenie na bereg (1962) and Priezzhayte na Baykal (1966). She died on 29 January 2020 in Moscow, Russia.
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Jörn Donner grew up in a Swedish-speaking family belonging to the Finnish upper class. Already as a student he had radical leftist ideas displayed in magazines and newspapers. His first novel appeared in 1951 when Donner was only 18 years old. He graduated from the University of Helsinki in 1959. In 1961 Donner moved to Sweden when the daily newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" hired him as a film critic. He returned to his home country in 1967. During his stay in Sweden he also directed his first feature film, "A Sunday in September". He temporarily returned to Sweden in the 1970s to head the Swedish Film Institute. Again, Donner returned to his home country after a while.
Donner is best known for his work as an author. He has written several novels. He was awarded the Finlandia Prize in Literature in 1985 for "Father and Son". During the years he has also written many columns for large news papers in Finland.
After his directorial debut in 1963 Donner continued to work in film, mainly as a producer. He formed his own production company Jörn Donner Productions in 1960. He produced Ingmar Bergman's critically acclaimed "Fanny and Alexander" in 1982 and is thereby the first Finn ever to receive an Academy Award.
Ever since his early years as a student and struggling writer Donner has had an interest in politics. He has been a Member of Parliament in Finland and also an European MP. After successfully supporting Social Democrat Ahtisaari's presidential campaign in 1994 he was appointed Finnish consul to Los Angeles. Donner soon returned back to Finland. In 2003 Donner failed to return to politics when he did not get elected in the Finnish parliamentary election.
After a few years in the small town of Ekenäs, Finland Donner has returned to live in the nation's capital where he works as an independent writer, columinst and film producer.- Chanin Hale was a small-town girl from Dayton, Ohio, who moved to New York in 1955, right out of high school to pursue a career on the stage. In New York, she toured in the High Time revue, performed onstage in The Gazebo, Come Blow Your Horn, Bus Stop, and Little Mary Sunshine.
In 1963, while appearing in a production at UCLA, she was discovered by Jack Albertson who introduced her to Red Skelton. He appreciated her excellent pantomime skills and she became a regular on the show for the next seven years. Other television work includes appearances on Death Valley Days, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Hondo, The Donna Reed Show, The Danny Kaye Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, and several episodes of Dragnet. Her film appearances include Gunn, Will Penny, and The Night They Raided Minsky's. She also had a small role in Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley.
Chanin went on several USO tours, becoming a favorite of the soldiers when a photo of her posing as Eve in a homemade costume appeared in the New York Daily News.
In 1986 she married Richard Bradshaw, who shared her love of exotic travel and who had a sense of humor to match hers. They spent more than 35 wonderful years together, traveling extensively to exotic locales, entertaining friends, and enjoying each other's company. Eventually, Chanin declared that "if you've seen one rain forest you've seen them all" and they traveled to more civilized locations. The two of them started a great conversation that didn't end until she passed away. Her beloved Richard followed her two weeks later on what would have been their 34th wedding anniversary. She is survived by her stepdaughters, Linda, Barbara, and Victoria Bradshaw. - Producer
- Writer
- Executive
Fred Silverman was born in 1937, and quickly grew up into the television business. After starting out in the mail-room of ABC-TV in the late 1950s, he rose to director of program development at WGN-TV, Chicago in the early '60s. One day, he abandoned his car during a snowstorm and boarded a plane for New York, where he gained a position as head of Daytime Programming at CBS-TV. In 1970, he became the programming head of CBS, where he programmed such hits as The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), All in the Family (1971), M*A*S*H (1972), The Jeffersons (1975), Kojak (1973) and The Sonny and Cher Show (1976). In 1975, he left for ABC-TV, where he worked closely with Michael Eisner and Brandon Tartikoff. He developed such new hits as Laverne & Shirley (1976), The Love Boat (1977), Donny and Marie (1975) and Soap (1977). By the end of the 1977-8 season, ABC was number one, Daytime and Nigttime. In 1978, he joined NBC as President and CEO. His presence helped stem the audience erosion of the prior 5 years with new programs such as Diff'rent Strokes (1978), Real People (1979) and Hill Street Blues (1981). During his tenure, he made program commitments that led to St. Elsewhere (1982) and Cheers (1982), promoted Brandon Tartikoff to President of Entertainment and laid the groundwork for NBC's turnaround in the 80s. Management changes at parent RCA led to Silverman's departure in June, 1981 and his replacement by Grant Tinker. Silverman formed "The Fred Silverman Company" and became an independent producer. Among his successes were "Perry Mason Movies", Matlock (1986), In the Heat of the Night (1988), Jake and the Fatman (1987) and Diagnosis Murder (1993). Silverman remains in the independent production business and also does program consulting.- Actor
- Cinematographer
León Singer was born on 9 October 1932 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He was an actor and cinematographer, known for Lonesome Dove (1989), If... Dog... Rabbit (1999) and Amistad (1997). He died on 30 January 2020 in San Diego, California, USA.- Konstantin Titov was born on 22 March 1919 in Ivanovo-Voznesensk, Ivanovo-Voznesensk Governorate, RSFSR [now Ivanovo, Ivanovo Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Chyornyy kloun (1994), 34-y skoryy (1981) and Vsadnik nad gorodom (1967). He died on 30 January 2020 in Riga, Latvia.
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- Actress
- Producer
In 2002 Mary Higgins Clark published her memoir "Kitchen Privileges". The book describes her upbringing, first marriage and how she became such a famous author. Meanwhile 36 movies have been made that are based on Mary Higgins Clark's thrillers. For a while Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter published their own magazine.- Delphine Forest was born on 28 August 1966 in Paris, France. She was an actress, known for The Betrothed (1989), Boris Godounov (1989) and Europa Europa (1990). She died on 31 January 2020 in Paris, France.
- Andree Melly was born on 15 September 1932 in Liverpool, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Horror of It All (1964), The Brides of Dracula (1960) and ITV Television Playhouse (1955). She was married to Oscar Quitak. She died on 31 January 2020 in St Eulalia, Ibiza, Spain.
- Music Department
Peter Serkin was born on 24 July 1947 in New York City, New York, USA. He is known for Nanook of the North (1922), Great Performances (1971) and Zur Nacht (1967). He was married to Wendy Spinner and Regina Touhey. He died on 1 February 2020 in Red Hook, New York, USA.- Sirry Steffen was born on 29 May 1938 in Iceland. She was an actress, known for The Crawling Hand (1963), Hitler (1962) and Inter Nos (1982). She was married to Stefán Bjarnason and Porkel Valdimarsson. She died on 1 February 2020 in Selfoss, Iceland.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Andy Gill was born on 1 January 1956 in Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK. He was an actor and composer, known for The Covenant (2006), The Manchurian Candidate (2004) and A Most Wanted Man (2014). He was married to Catherine Mayer. He died on 1 February 2020 in London, England, UK.- Johnny Lee Davenport was born on 24 July 1950 in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor, known for The Fugitive (1993), U.S. Marshals (1998) and Ted (2012). He died on 2 February 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- Composer
- Director
- Producer
Ivan Kral was born in 1948 in Prague, Czechoslovakia to a musician mother and journalist father.
The award-winning composer, filmmaker and musician knew his calling early. By the age of five, when he wrote his first song, he could sing, play guitar, piano and violin. At 16, he reached Czechoslovakia's Top 10 Hit Parade with Pierot, his own composition recorded with his band, Saze.
Ivan's family fled to New York just ahead of the Soviet Union closure of the Czech border in 1968. They settled in New York City, where his father, Dr. Karel Kral, was already a translator at the United Nations. While at the UN, Dr. Kral earned Czech government wrath over his criticism of the expected Soviet invasion.
Ivan, then 18 years old, adapted to his new country less readily than his older brother Pavel, 23. He stayed in the family's apartment on 81st Street, struggling to learn English - with the help of Daffy Duck cartoons - and hoping to return to Czechoslovakia and his rock 'n' roll celebrity.
Eventually, he attended Geneseo College in upstate New York, earning a degree in French literature. He paid for his education with a series of menial jobs, most notably working the midnight shift at Birds Eye Foods, where he donned a hazmat suit before jumping into 9-foot tall steel containers to remove leftover CoolWhip.
It was all a prelude to his life as a proto-punk, singer-songwriter and film chronicler of a musical era that still resounds today. Ivan wore eyeliner and satin onstage during the early 70s glitter glam rock phase. In 1974, he played guitar with Debbie Harry in Blondie. In 1975, he joined the seminal Patti Smith Group transforming them from poetry to rock and roll. The band recorded numerous tunes written by Kral with Smith, including debut album Horses, Radio Ethiopia, Easter and Wave.Rock journalist Dave Thompson quotes Patti: "Ivan fit in perfectly, because all of us were slightly offbeat, and felt somehow alienated from the mainstream of society, and of course, Ivan being a true alien fit in well with us. The greatest thing he had to struggle with, as we toured around the country and various parts of the world, was being stateless. Ivan was a part of what we were as a group."
Ivan and Mick Ronson, from Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, collaborated, though the band never materialized. He joined Iggy Pop at Rockfield Studios in Wales and remained his collaborator on two albums and four tours. Frequently, he filmed his musician friends in 8mm and 16mm. CBGBs and Max's Kansas City footage selections were edited with no wave filmmaker Amos Poe, resulting in The Blank Generation film -- hailed as the historical document of the punk revolution - featuring the Ramones, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Television, Patti Smith Group, Wayne County, Heartbreakers and more.
He shared the occasional New York stage with Bruce Springsteen, John Cale from The Velvet Underground, Noel Redding from Jimi Hendrix, Ronnie Spector and Chris Spedding. His collaboration with Babys singer, John Waite, resulted in many songs, including the hit, Every Step of the Way. His new band, Eastern Bloc, produced one album, but disbanded after Polygram folded.
In 1982, Ivan composed the music score for the Barry Levinson film, "Diner". He wrote scores for underground films like Subway Riders, Unmade Beds and The Foreigner.
He stopped touring and moved to Seattle until his return to Prague in 1992. During this time, his music was recorded by many, including David Bowie, U2, Simple Minds, and France's Telephone. Ivan now secured status as an independent writer and record producer.
From CBGB's to the mailroom of ABKCo's Beatles, where his duties included driving John Lennon and Yoko Ono's psychedelic Rolls Royce and watching underground films over dinner with Allen Klein. Ivan was in bands that shared billing with Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss, Journey and Tom Petty.
A living national treasure in today's Czech Republic, he has 10 solo albums on Universal and BMG. He's a prolific writer and producer of major Czech talent. Ivan has been a guest at Prague Castle, and former President Vaclav Havel has attended his concerts.
Ivan's awards include Czech Grammys for his 1994 solo album, Nostalgia. He was awarded Grammys for Rock Producer of the Year in 1995 and 1998. Nominations include the Oscar-equivalent Cesky Lev for his 2001 Cabriolet film score. He and Patti Smith's song, Dancing Barefoot, entered #323 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 1995, Mojo Magazine ranked Horses the 10th Greatest Album of All Time.
In 2007, he performed his own tribute song, Wasn't It Great, at the Bowery Ballroom memorial for the late CBGB founder, Hilly Kristal.
He continues to work globally from his Ann Arbor, Michigan home studio. In 2009, Ivan was songwriter/vocalist/musician for the soundtrack of the Japanese animated TV show, Yozakura Quartet 3.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Hou-Tao Hsiao was born on 29 December 1947 in Tainan, Taiwan. He was an actor, known for Dad's Suit (2018), Wu hu si hai (1992) and Farewell Summer (2010). He died on 2 February 2020 in New Taipei City, Taiwan.- Smoulderingly beautiful, soulful-eyed Hollywood glamour girl of the 1940s, nicknamed 'Peaches'. She grew up in Burbank, California, the daughter of a motion picture sound engineer, one of three siblings. Peaches graduated from high school and started out as model, participating in the local beauty pageant scene and advertising anything from bread to bathing suits. Like so many hopeful Hollywood aspirants, Peaches had ambitions of becoming a movie star from early childhood. Through her dad she was able to 'get in on the ground floor': as a messenger in the mailroom at Universal-International. There, she was purportedly 'discovered' and promptly signed under contract in 1946 to be groomed as a starlet. However, despite her stunning looks, genuine stardom was to elude Peaches. Most of her tenure in films was spent in (primarily decorative) 'no-name' roles or uncredited bit parts. In 1949, she married Jack Moorman, a former classmate and football player, settled in Granada Hills and raised two children. She divorced Moorman in the mid-70s. As 'Peaches Moorman', she moved to Oregon in 2006 where she devoted her remaining years to dance recitals, art and history.