R.I.P.2012
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- Stunts
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Bob Anderson was born on 15 September 1922 in Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Mask of Zorro (1998). He was married to Pearl Anderson. He died on 1 January 2012 in West Sussex, England, UK.- Yaffa Yarkoni was born on 25 December 1925 in Tel Aviv, British Mandate of Palestine [now Tel Aviv, Israel]. She was an actress, known for The Song of the Siren (1994), The John Gary Show (1966) and Wonderama (1955). She was married to Shaike Yarkoni. She died on 1 January 2012 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Joaquin Martinez considers himself the luckiest man alive. A painfully shy medical student at Mexico City's University, he was forced by a teacher to join the school's drama group to get rid of his "inadequacy". There he not only discovered a new world but was rewarded with a scholarship to legendary Seki Sano's Drama Studio. Seki trained him and encouraged him to become a professional actor. After finishing his medical studies he broke into movies and PECIME distinguished him as best newcomer for his performance in Pedro Páramo (1967), the Mexican entry at the Cannes Film Festival. Then legendary Hollywood agent Paul Kohner called. Torn between a medical practice and an acting career, Joaquin decided to try Hollywood for two years before making up his mind. He is still there, and has appeared in such classic films as Jeremiah Johnson (1972), Joe Kidd (1972), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), Revenge (1990), The Cowboy Way (1994), The Odd Couple II (1998), Die Another Day (2002) and Ulzana's Raid (1972) - where he plays the title role. He has shared the screen with the likes of Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Anthony Quinn, Jack Lemmon, Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Burt Lancaster, Walter Matthau, Jeremy Irons, Kiefer Sutherland, Woody Harrelson and Pierce Brosnan, among others, while behind the camera directors of the stature of Edward Dmytryk, John Sturges, Robert Aldrich, Karel Reisz, Sydney Pollack and Tony Scott have brought him into their productions. Bille August flew him to Europe to play Antonio Banderas' father in The House of the Spirits (1993) and Lee Tamahori brought him back to London to participate in the last James Bond opus, Die Another Day (2002). Joaquin plays The Postman in Castingx (2005), thus becoming the first Mexican actor featured in a Dutch film. Currently, he divides his time among Hollywood, Mexico and Europe in the development of 'Solitario - The Lonely One' - through his own company, Victoria Films International.
- Josef Skvorecký was born on 27 September 1924 in Nachod, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]. He was a writer and actor, known for Sest cerných dívek aneb Proc zmizel Zajíc? (1969), The End of a Priest (1969) and Zlocin v dívcí skole (1966). He was married to Zdena Skvorecka. He died on 3 January 2012 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Jenny Tomasin shot to fame in the UK in the early 1970s when she joined the cast of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) playing the scullery maid Ruby. She stayed with the series right until the end, appearing in forty one episodes. When the series ended in 1975, plans were drawn up for a spin-off series following the further adventures of Ruby with Hudson and Mrs Bridges. Sadly the series was never made following the sad death of Angela Baddeley who played Mrs Bridges.
After that, Tomasin joined Emmerdale Farm (1972) for a stint as Naomi Tolly from 1981-82 and made guest appearances in such shows as That's My Boy (1981) and Doctor Who (1963).
Tomasin worked mainly in the theatre after that. Shows including a tour of Lettice and Lovage and a West End run in 2004 in The Marquise by Noël Coward playing yet another maid, this time called Alice.
In later years Tomasin's TV appearances had been confined to talking about her time in Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) but in 2005 all this changed when she returned to Emmerdale Farm (1972) - this time as a new character Noreen Bell, a cantankerous villager who seems certain to cause strife for those who get in her way. - Music Department
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Fei Fei Feng was born on 20 August 1953 in Daxi, Taiwan. She was an actress, known for Qiu lian (1979), Love in Chilly Spring (1979) and Taibei liu shi liu (1977). She died on 3 January 2012 in Hong Kong.- Actor
- Editorial Department
- Additional Crew
Harry Fowler was born on 10 December 1926 in Lambeth, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Pickwick Papers (1952), Hue and Cry (1947) and Went the Day Well? (1942). He was married to Catherine Palmer and Joan Dowling. He died on 4 January 2012 in London, England, UK.- Actress
- Manager
- Soundtrack
Born in Pumpherston, West Lothian, Scotland, Kerry McGregor had an extraordinary life of triumph over tragedy with so many people describing her attitude as an inspiration to us all. Kerry's first set back was the loss of her father George, who died in a road traffic accident when she was just 5 years old. Kerry was raised by adoring and single mum Margaret. She was a budding gymnast, identified to compete at national level but when aged 13, Kerry suffered a broken back, when she fell from a tree, resulting in incomplete paralysis from the waist down.
Kerry attended West Calder High School and at that time, the authorities told her, she would need to attend a special school. Through sheer determination, proving the experts wrong, Kerry defied the odds and crammed all the physiotherapy of 2 years into just 6 weeks. Kerry developed her upper body strength and by using leg braces and crutches alone, Kerry showed she could make her way around the school and was permitted to remain in mainstream schooling. The following year, Kerry won the UK Child Achievement Award and described it as her "proudest moment".
Kerry continued on crutches for as long as she could and developed her passion for the Arts. Furthering her education and dream of becoming a recording artist, she attended Jewel and Esk Valley College, in Edinburgh and learned her trade.
From 1993, Kerry formed various bands and recorded albums which reached the UK National Charts. She was talent-spotted by Kenny MacDonald (manager of The Proclaimers) and in 1997, recorded an entry to the Eurovision Song Contest that was runner up in the UK competition.
Kerry had also found fame as an actress, in both theatre and on screen, appearing in BBC1's Grange Hill and Channel 4's The Book Group. Kerry's desire to lead a normal life while getting results continued, exposing the stereotypes associated with disability. However, it was as a contestant in the sensational and internationally acclaimed The X Factor TV show where Kerry was to capture the hearts of millions. Mentored by Sharon Osbourne, Kerry reached the final 10, featuring weekly on the live shows in the memorable year Leona Lewis went on to win. After the show, Kerry continued to perform sell out shows and managed to juggle being a singer-songwriter and mum to Joshua and loving partner to Dean Robertson.
Kerry used her popularity and celebrity status at every opportunity to drive media attention for those affected by disability, giving hope and inspiration to millions. She worked with several charities representing women, children and the disabled including; Spinal Injuries Association, Voluntary Sector Gateway, Leonard Cheshire Disability, CLIC Sargent and many others. Kerry's achievements and attitude made her the perfect role model and obvious candidate for many events associated with various disabilities.
However, in September 2010, after a long period of feeling unwell, Kerry was diagnosed with bladder cancer. She underwent extensive treatment but continued to support and raise awareness for a number of charities and also develop her own projects. She was appointed Ambassador to the UK's first charity dedicated to fighting bladder cancer, Action for Bladder Cancer (ABC). Despite losing her trademark long blonde hair and the treatment almost leaving her deaf, Kerry also continued writing and recording.
Kerry had appointed new management and momentum was building on many future opportunities. Kerry had been supported to perform at the opening ceremony for 2012 London Paralympics Games. She was also set to record a charity duet with superstar Susan Boyle, who had paid tribute to Kerry in her book as her inspiration to go on the hit TV show Britain's Got Talent but Kerry's health quickly deteriorated and on 4th January 2012, Kerry passed away at her home (aged 37).
Tributes of Kerry's passing were tweeted by Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Susan Boyle, with millions of social media followers each, and millions of traditional media coverage, including front page news headlines. Kerry's losing battle with cancer and sad loss had touched the hearts of millions yet again. With unprecedented exposure, messages continued to rain in from celebrities and fans from across the world.
Kerry's funeral took place on Tuesday 10th January, near to her home in West Lothian. Police closed off roads as hundreds of friends and fans attended to pay their respects to a truly inspirational but humble lady, who was loved by so many.- Elizabeth Eis was born on 19 February 1943 in Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for Dark Shadows (1966), Dear Dead Delilah (1972) and Mrs. Columbo (1979). She died on 6 January 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Sunay Sun was born on 10 July 1943 in Istanbul, Turkey. She was an actress, known for Kibar haydut (1966), Bir Dag Masali (1967) and Tapilacak kadin (1967). She died on 6 January 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Haim Hova was born on 27 December 1947 in Israel. He was an actor, known for Tironoot (1998), Life According to Agfa (1992) and God's Neighbors (2012). He died on 6 January 2012 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Betty Buehler was born on 14 June 1921 in Oberachern, Germany. She was an actress, known for The Mob (1951), Rocky King, Detective (1950) and The Plainclothesman (1949). She was married to Lewis Howard. She died on 8 January 2012 in New York, USA.
- Françoise Christophe was born on 3 February 1923 in Paris, Ile-de-France, France. She was an actress, known for The Three Musketeers: Part I - The Queen's Diamonds (1961), Les Thibault (1972) and The Possessors (1958). She died on 8 January 2012 in Paris, France.
- Svetlana Kharitonova was born on 30 January 1932 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She was an actress, known for The Cranes Are Flying (1957), Belye nochi (1960) and Lilac Ball (1988). She was married to Rodion Aleksandrov, Leonid Kharitonov and Sergey Balatyev. She died on 8 January 2012 in Moscow, Russia.
- Edward Robert "Uncle Ed" Muscare, a.k.a. Edward Joseph "E.J." Vianney, 79, formerly a resident of Kansas City, Missouri., and Kansas., passed away in Lake Butler, Florida., of lung cancer on 8 January 2012. Of Italian descent, he was born Eduardo Muscare on 27 September 1932, in Corona, Queens County, New York, USA to Salvatore and Angelina Muscare. He was the youngest of seven children. His brothers and sisters were Josephine, Michalina, Carmela, Joseph, Gasper, and Aida. He grew up in New York and later Hialeah, Florida., where he graduated from high school in 1951, and was voted "Best Personality." In 1959 he married Ruth Carr in Nevada. They later separated. She passed away in 1961. Edward entered into the Army in 1952 and later began his broadcasting career for the Armed Forces Network. Upon leaving the Army he was a radio announcer in Nevada, New Mexico and Kansas City. In Kansas City he transitioned to TV as a horror movie host; first as Mr. Mummy for KCIT, and then The Creeper at KBMA. He then hosted a children's show called "41 Treehouse Lane" at KBMA where he became famous as "Uncle Ed." He also hosted telethons and did other promotional work. Later at KSHB (formerly KBMA) Uncle Ed hosted his own variety show called "All Night Live" from 1981-1985. He then moved to San Diego where he hosted a variety show called "Night Time Live" for KUSI. As "Edmus Scarey" he also was a horror movie host for "Friday Night At The Frights" at KNXV in Phoenix. In his retirement, Edward became famous as "edarem" on YouTube where he brought much joy to people with his simple, from the heart videos. Upon his death he had 22,000 subscribers and his videos had been featured on the Craig Ferguson show as well as other venues. In his younger days he also was a manicurist, an Arthur Murray dance instructor, plus he worked in a family dress factory and was a carpenter assistant. Edward was an accomplished photographer and also enjoyed playing guitar, piano, singing, painting and drawing. He also was kind to nature and loved planting trees. He was active in church and enjoyed helping with worship service at the local nursing home.
- Lila Kaye was born on 7 November 1929 in Middlesex, England, UK. She was an actress, known for An American Werewolf in London (1981), The Invisible Man (1984) and See No Evil (1971). She died on 10 January 2012 in England, UK.
- Mary Farmaki was born in 1949 in Greece. She was an actress, known for Ethelontis ston erota (1971), Oi dikaioi (1974) and Dictator Aliki (1972). She died on 11 January 2012 in Greece.
- Marie Mansart was born on 5 March 1925 in Dijon, France. She was an actress, known for Au théâtre ce soir (1966), Two English Girls (1971) and Les brigades du Tigre (1974). She died on 12 January 2012 in Ivry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne, France.
- Natalie Draper was born on 30 April 1919 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Forever Amber (1947) and Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 8 (1937). She was married to Henry MacCartney Moffat, Ivan Goff, Merrill Pye and Tom Brown. She died on 13 January 2012 in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Morgan Jones was born on 15 June 1928 in Wooster, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Forbidden Planet (1956), The Blue Angels (1960) and The Gallant Men (1962). He was married to Carole Tetzlaff and Joan Granville. He died on 13 January 2012 in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Donald F. Muhich was born on 30 November 1931 in Eveleth, Minnesota, USA. He was an actor, known for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) and Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986). He died on 13 January 2012 in Long Beach, California, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Composer
Paolo Rossi was born on 22 June 1953 in Monfalcone, Gorizia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. He is an actor and writer, known for Camerieri (1995), Mille bolle blu (1993) and Silenzio si nasce (1996).- Manuel Fraga was born on 23 November 1922 in Vilalba, Lugo, Galicia, Spain. He was married to Carmen Estevez. He died on 15 January 2012 in Madrid, Spain.
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Production Manager
- Producer
George Van Noy was an assistant director and production manager, known for The Exorcist III (1990), Dangerous Ideas (2009) and Murphy's Law (1986). He died on 15 January 2012 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Frank Payne was born on 30 June 1962. He was an actor and director, known for Garfield: The Movie (2004), Big News TV (2010) and Jack and the Beanstalk (2009). He died on 16 January 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Efron Etkin was born on 29 December 1952 in Hatzor, Israel. He was an actor, known for Another Shadow (1976), Kirot Etz Dakim (1984) and Ha-Chaim Ze Lo Ha-Kol (2001). He died on 16 January 2012 in Hatzor, Israel.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Piet Römer was born on 2 April 1928 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. He was an actor and producer, known for Baantjer (1995), 't Schaep Met De 5 Pooten (1969) and Citroentje met suiker (1972). He was married to Penina Siebers. He died on 17 January 2012 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.- Conrad Karlson was born on 28 November 1937 in Lynn, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Cecil B. Demented (2000), Descent of Man (2002) and Homicide: Life on the Street (1993). He died on 18 January 2012 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Evgeniy Zharikov was born on 26 February 1941 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was an actor, known for Ivan's Childhood (1962), It Can't Be! (1975) and I'm Staying (2007). He was married to Natalya Gvozdikova. He died on 18 January 2012 in Moscow, Russia.
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jadwiga Kedzierzawska was born on 11 November 1929 in Brzeziny, Lódzkie, Poland. Jadwiga was a director and writer, known for Chcialbym sie zgubic... (1979), Dzieci z naszej szkoly (1968) and Siano (1980). Jadwiga died on 18 January 2012 in Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland.- Aleksei Krymov was born on 4 July 1948. He was an actor, known for Russian Ark (2002), Lichnoy bezopasnosti ne garantiruyu (1981) and The Dark Night (2001). He died on 19 January 2012.
- Casting Director
- Casting Department
- Actress
Beverly McDermott was born on 21 December 1926 in Somerville, Massachusetts, USA. She was a casting director and actress, known for Cocoon (1985), Airport '77 (1977) and Cocoon: The Return (1988). She was married to Jack McDermott. She died on 19 January 2012 in Hollywood, Florida, USA.- Sarah Burke was born on 3 September 1982 in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. She was married to Rory Bushfield. She died on 19 January 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
- Music Department
- Actress
- Composer
Etta James is an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.
Etta James's powerful, deep, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was ranked number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.- Producer
- Additional Crew
Billy is a native New Yorker. He enlisted in the Navy on his 17th birthday and served aboard the USS New Jersey Battleship in the South Pacific during WWII.
In 1961, Billy produced the Broadway play "Mandingo" starring Franchot Tone, Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward. The play was not a success. Broke, Billy went to work for the press agent he'd hired to handle Mandingo, the legendary Bill Doll. A year later, he became a producer again when he created the "The Celebrity Column with Earl Wilson" radio show during the New York newspaper strike. For the rest of the sixties, he became one of the best known PR men in New York. He handled the publicity for La Dolce Vita, The Pawnbroker, Juliet of the Spirits, and several more unforgettable movies. He became partners with the noted art collector and philanthropist Herbert R. Steinmann in 1973. The first movie the duo bought at the Cannes Film Festival, Lina Wertmuller's "Love and Anarchy" became a hit. Steinmann-Baxter released their next film, the groundbreaking "Outrageous!", and it too was a hit.
In 1980, Billy convinced Lord Lew Grade to finance a televised documentary on the annual Cannes Film Festival. Billy's friends, Kathleen Carroll, Roger Ebert, Alexander Walker, Andrew Sarris and Molly Haskell all participated in "Diary Of The Cannes Film Festival."
Billy got his nickname "Billy Silver Dollar Baxter" from Roger Ebert for his habit of handing out silver dollar tips to impress French waiters at the American Bar of the Hotel Majestic in Cannes.- Costume Designer
- Director
- Production Designer
Eiko Ishioka was born on 12 July 1938 in Tokyo, Japan. She was a costume designer and director, known for Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), The Cell (2000) and The Fall (2006). She was married to Nico Soultanakis. She died on 21 January 2012 in Tokyo, Japan.- Dennis M. DuPriest was born on 7 July 1952 in West Point, New York, USA to Gilbert DuPriest and Therese DuPriest. He traveled the world as a military dependent and graduated from John Jay High School in 1970. He is known as the "Keeper of the Flame" by the first three graduating classes of John Jay High School-Class of 1969, 1970 and 1971. He was a radio disc jockey in Del Rio, Kerrville and San Antonio during the 70's and 80's. He was also known as First Mate Mortimer - Captain Gus' side kick on "The Captain Gus Show"and his show "Gobs of Fun" on KENS-TV which he enjoyed entertaining young children. In the late 1980's Dennis worked at St. Gerard Regional High School as their endowment officer. In the 1990's and until his recent retirement he was employed at Somerset ISD. DuPriest passed away on Saturday, 21 January, 2012 at the age of 59. Dennis was preceded in death by his father, Gilbert DuPriest and is survived by his mother, Therese DuPriest, sister, Linda Padron and her husband Pete, brothers, Thomas and his wife Susan, Robert and his wife Maricela. Dennis was also a loving uncle to April and Katie Padron, Clint and Jennifer DuPriest, and Heather, Robert, Travis and Grace DuPriest and great niece Gianna Bennett.
- Irena Jarocka was born on 18 August 1946 in Srebrna Góra, Wielkopolskie, Poland. She was an actress, known for Motylem jestem, czyli romans czterdziestolatka (1976), Raging Rose (2015) and Twarze i maski (2001). She was married to Michal Sobolewski and Marian Zacharewicz. She died on 21 January 2012 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
The first words heard in the Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea tv series belonged to Dick Tufeld: "This is the Seaview, the most extraordinary submarine in all the seven seas". The first words heard in the Irwin Allen's Lost In Space tv series belonged to Dick Tufeld: "This is the beginning, this is the day, you are watching the unfolding of one of history's great adventures..." Tufeld was also heard at the start of several episodes of Irwin Allen's The Time Tunnel: "Two American scientists are lost..."
Tufeld's totally unique energy charged deep voice put viewers in the right frame of mind for what was to come. Irwin Allen tv was about showmanship and Tufeld was a true showman. Tufeld and Irwin Allen had crossed paths long before "The Big Four" Irwin Allen tv shows of the 1960s. However, when Irwin asked Tufeld to do a "Robot voice" for Lost In Space, Irwin found it hard to explain the type of voice he wanted for the robot and Tufeld almost missed out on getting the job because he could not understand what Irwin wanted. However, it all worked out in the end.
By the 1990s, the Lost In Space fan base was big enough to keep Dick Tufeld very busy. He went around the world talking about Lost In Space, in 1996 he even went as far as Australia to talk to fans, and in 1998 he was able to do his "Robot voice" once again in the Lost In Space motion picture...oddly enough he sounded much the same as he did in the 1960s.- Joe Paterno was born on 21 December 1926 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was married to Suzanne Pohland. He died on 22 January 2012 in State College, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Steve Adams was born on 4 September 1960 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He was an actor and producer, known for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Hollywoodland (2006) and The Bone Collector (1999). He died on 23 January 2012 in British Columbia, Canada.- Producer
- Actor
Bingham Ray was born on 1 October 1954 in Bronxville, New York, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for Stand Up Guys (2012), Shocker (1989) and A Fighting Season (2015). He was married to Nancy T. King. He died on 23 January 2012 in Provo, Utah, USA.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Theo Angelopoulos began to study law in Athens but broke up his studies to go to the Sorbonne in Paris in order to study literature. When he had finished his studies, he wanted to attend the School of Cinema at Paris but decided instead to go back to Greece. There he worked as a journalist and critic for the newspaper "Demokratiki Allaghi" until it was banned by the military after a coup d'état. Now unemployed, he decided to make his first movie, Anaparastasi (1970). Internationally successful was his trilogy about the history of Greece from 1930 to 1970 consisting of Days of '36 (1972), The Travelling Players (1975), and Oi kynigoi (1977). After the end of the dictatorship in Greece, Angelopoulos went to Italy, where he worked with RAI (and more money). His movies then became less political.- Actor
- Soundtrack
James Farentino was an American actor, with many appearances in film and television. He is better known for playing fisherman and apostle Simon Peter in the miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977), and revenge-seeking psychiatrist Dr. Nick Toscanni in the soap opera "Dynasty". He played the role of Toscanni from 1981 to 1982.
Farentino was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He studied drama and acting in a Catholic school. He was frequently cast in guest-star roles in television through the 1950s and 1960s. His first recurring role was that of lawyer Neil Darrell in the legal drama "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers" (1968-1972). He appeared in 19 of the series' 29 episodes.
Farentino found critical acclaim in his role as Simon Peter in "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, but the award was instead won by rival actor Howard Da Silva (1909-1986).
Farentino next found a notable recurring role in the soap opera "Dynasty" as psychiatrist Dr. Nick Toscanni. Originally introduced as an old friend of protagonist Blake Carrington (played John Forsythe), Carrington was eventually revealed as a secret enemy of Carrington who held a grudge against him. Toscanni's vengeful plots were among the main subplots of the series' second season, but he was then written out.
In the 1990s, Farentino continued working an an actor, but he gained more notoriety for his personal life. In 1991 he was arrested for cocaine possession, and in 1993 he was charged with stalking his former girlfriend Tina Sinatra. Later he had a troubled marriage with his fourth wife Stella Farentino.
In the 2000s, Farentino entered retirement from acting, due to health problems. In 2010, Farentino was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor battery, because he tried to physically remove a man from his house. Farentino was briefly held by the Los Angeles Police Department. He was released after posting a 20,000 dollars bond.
In January 2012, Farentino died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His death was caused from complications due to a right hip fracture. He was 73-years-old at the time of death, dying a full month before his 74th birthday.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Vadim Glowna was born on 26 September 1941 in Eutin, Germany. He was an actor and director, known for Cross of Iron (1977), Desperado City (1981) and Dies rigorose Leben (1983). He was married to Vera Tschechowa. He died on 24 January 2012 in Berlin, Germany.- Thérèse Arbic was an actress, known for Le téléthéâtre de Radio-Canada (1954), 14, rue de Galais (1954) and Le grand duc (1959). She died on 24 January 2012 in Waterloo, Québec, Canada.
- Mabel Manzotti was born on 28 July 1938 in La Violetta, Pergamino, Argentina. She was an actress, known for Vidas robadas (2008), Vamos a soñar por el amor (1971) and Blum (1970). She died on 25 January 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Nancy Nevinson was born on 26 July 1918 in Chittagong, Bengal Presidency, British India. She was an actress, known for Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), Ring of Treason (1964) and Smuggler's Bay (1964). She was married to William Hoyes-Cock. She died on 25 January 2012 in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, UK.- Kosta Tsonev was a Bulgarian actor of Greek heritage starring in theatre, TV and cinema. He was born on 10 June 1929 in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. He studied at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. He has been married three times: twice to Anahid Tacheva and then to his present wife Elena. He has a son, famed newsreader Dimitar Tsonev, and a daughter. His second oldest brother was the late Vasil Tsonev, a dry witted satirist who wrote many books, which have been published in several languages. His oldest brother was the late Iwan Tsonev (Iwan Zoneff) who moved to Australia in 1950 where he became one of the biggest property developers in South Australia during the mid 60 showing the diverse talents of the 3 brothers in each of their chosen fields. The father of the three brothers was a simple house painter. In 2001, Tsonev turned to politics and was elected to the National Assembly of Bulgaria as a representative of the former National Movement Simeon II. He was reelected in 2005. He is known for The Commander of the Detachment (1959), Freedom or Death (1969), The Indispensable Sinner (1971), The Weddings of King Ioan Assen (1975), The Swimming Pool (1977), The Conversion to Christianity & Discourse of Letters (1982), Crazy Day (2004) and My Father the House-Painter (1974). He died on January 25, 2012 in Sofia.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Ian Abercrombie began his theatrical career as a lad during the Blitz in World War II. After his footwork years during which he earned Bronze, Silver and Gold medals in dance for the stage, he performed in London, Holland, Ireland, and Scotland. He made his American stage debut in 1955 in a production of "Stalag 17" with Jason Robards and Jules Munshin. Many plays in summer stock, regional and off-Broadway followed in a variety of theatrical offerings, from revues to Shakespeare. During a particularly low period, he worked as a magician's assistant for $10 per performance.
In 1957, he was drafted into the Army and stationed in Germany. He was in Special Services, where he directed the Continental premiere of "Separate Tables" and toured with Olivia de Havilland in her show. Back in the USA, Ian went to California for a backers' audition. That fizzled but he began his long and successful film and television career. For four decades, his theatrical work highlights have included; "As You Like It", "Hamlet", "Misalliance", "The Good Doctor", "The Way Of The World", "Mary Stuart", "Crucifer Of Blood", "Journey's End", "The Wrong Box", "The Cocktail Party", "Bert & Maisy", "Other Places", "Bent", "Natural Causes", "The Vortex", "Rough Crossing", and "Lettice and Lovage".
He received acclaim for the one-man show "Jean Cocteau - A Mirror Image". Another highlight was playing Alfie Doolittle in "My Fair Lady". He received awards for his work in "Sweet Prince" with Keir Dullea, "Teeth N'smiles", "A Doll's House" (with Linda Purl), and "The Arcata Promise" (opposite Anthony Hopkins).- Actress
- Sound Department
Dimitra Arliss' acting career began at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, she first caught audience's eyes appearing in Arthur Kopit's Broadway play "Indians", she played a Native American character who spoke with an Italian accent. While she continued acting on stage, she began to appear in several television and film productions, such as The Sting (1973), Xanadu (1980), Firefox (1982) and It's My Party (1996). To horror film aficionados, Dimitra is best remembered as Dahnya in Bless the Child (2000); it would be her last film before dying from complications of a stroke, she died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She was 79.- Actor
- Director
- Executive
Robert Hegyes was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to an Hungarian-American father, Stephen, and an Italian-American mother, Marie Dominica (Cocozza). He is the eldest of their children. The others are: Mark Hegyes, MD - Billings, Montana, Ms. Stephanie Hegyes - Princeton, New Jersey, and Ms. Elizabeth Cocozza - Los Angeles, California.
Robert began studying acting in earnest at Metuchen High School under the direction of Dr. Barton Shepard, Ph.D, in the mid-1960s. He was accepted into the Theater Program at Rown University of New Jersey (formerly Glassboro State College) and, in the early 1970s, graduated with a BA in Theater & Secondary Education. Hegyes then ventured into New York City to practice his trade, immediately taking up with the "Greenwich Village Children's Repertory Companies", "Theater in a Trunk", and "The NYC Children's Puppet Ensemble". In short order Robert hooked up with his third Greenwhich Village troupe, "Jack LaRumpa's Flying Drum & Kazoo Band", performing improvisational anti-war comedy in Washington Square and the Provincetown Playhouse.
Within a year of graduating from Rowan, Hegyes was cast to co-star in the Manhattan Theater Club Emsmble's highly-acclaimed drama, "Naomi Court", which starred another young actor, Brad Davis (of Midnight Express (1978)). After completing that successful engagement Robert was tapped to co-star for Tony Award-winning actor/director Len Cariou, A Little Night Music (1977) & Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982), in the Broadway drama, "Don't Call Back", starring Arlene Francis at the Helen Hayes Theater. It was during the run of that Broadway drama that he was cast by producer James Komack to star in the award-winning comedy series, Welcome Back, Kotter (1975) and, at the age of twenty-five, became one of the show's directors.
Robert has guest-starred in over thirty episodic series, including Saturday Night Live (1975) with host Quentin Tarantino, Diagnosis Murder (1993) with Dick Van Dyke and The Drew Carey Show (1995). He has starred in the award-nominated "Passat" commercial, "The Chase", for director Kinka Usher and in the feature films, Honeymoon Hotel (2004) opposite Jane Kaczmarek, Underground Aces (1981) with Melanie Griffith, Bob Roberts (1992) for director Tim Robbins, Purpose (2002) starring Mia Farrow, and Bar Hopping (2000) alongside Kevin Nealon.
Hegyes made his Los Angeles stage debut to rave notices as Chico Marx in Arthur Marx's play, "An Evening with Groucho", and was shortly thereafter cast as a series regular starring in the award-winning drama, Cagney & Lacey (1981). Robert has been awarded a lifetime artist-in-residence status at his alma mater and has taught there and continues to guest lecture regularly. He is also a California Certified Secondary Education Teacher and teaches for the Los Angeles Unified School District at Venice High School.
As a long-time resident of Venice, California, Robert and partner Craig Titley, (Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)) developed the original Internet series, "The Venice Walk".- Actor
- Writer
Todd Lynn was an actor and writer, known for My Wife and Kids (2000), BET's Comicview (1992) and Comedy Central Presents (1998). He died on 27 January 2012 in Mississippi, USA.- Script and Continuity Department
Andréanne Lafond was born in 1919 in Lyon, France. She is known for La petite Aurore l'enfant martyre (1952), Le rossignol et les cloches (1952) and Séraphin (1950). She died on 29 January 2012 in Montréal, Québec, Canada.- Frederick Treves was born on March 29, 1925 in Cliftonville, Margate, Kent, England as Frederick William Treves. He was an actor, known for The Big Pull (1962) (1962), The Elephant Man (1980) (1980), St. Ives (1960) (1960) and the TV adaptation of Len Deighton's Game, Set, and Match (1988) (1988). He was married to Margaret Jean Stott. He died on January 30, 2012 in Mitcham, Surrey, England.
- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Juan Carlos Gené was born on 6 November 1929 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was a writer and actor, known for Knocks at My Door (1993), Mañana es primavera (1982) and Alta comedia (1965). He died on 31 January 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Leslie Barbara Carter was born on June 6, 1986, in Tampa, Florida, into the family of Robert Gene Carter (aka Robert Carter) and his wife Jane Elizabeth Carter (née Spaulding) and become the third of their five children. Her parents were divorced in 2003 after more than 20 years of marriage. Leslie had older brother Nick Carter (b. 1980), older sister Bobbie Jean Carter (b. 1982), and twin younger brother and sister Aaron Carter and Angel Carter (b. 1987). With her four siblings she participated in the family rally show House of Carters (2006). Also had three half-siblings: sister Virginia Marie (b. 1972, from her father's first marriage) and brother Kaden (b. 2005) and sister Taelyn (from her father's third and current marriage to Ginger Carter).
In September 2008, Leslie married her longtime boyfriend Mike Ashton, and in April 2011 they gave birth to their only child, a daughter named Alyssa Jane Ashton. She died at age 25 on January 31, 2012, from an accidental prescription drug overdose in the home her father, stepmother and half-brother and sister in Westfield, New York. She was survived by her father, mother, stepmother, seven siblings, husband of almost four years and 10-month-old daughter.- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Don Cornelius was born on 27 September 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Soul Train (1971) and Jackie's Back! (1999). He was married to Viktoria Chapman and Delores Harrison. He died on 1 February 2012 in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Additional Crew
- Actor
Angelo Dundee was born on 30 August 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Cinderella Man (2005), Ali (2001) and Training for a Fight (2012). He was married to Helen Bolton. He died on 1 February 2012 in Clearwater, Florida, USA.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Tony Giorgio was born in Herkimer, NY on September 27, 1923. He grew up in Schenectady, NY during The Great Depression and began his career in show business as a professional "amateur", performing magic in talent shows for pay. At the age of twelve, he ran away from home to join a circus and performed magic in the side show. His first appearance in films was as a card dealer in "Big Hand for the Little Lady." He subsequently appeared in over 100 movies and TV shows; won an Emmy for "Ziggy's Gift" and appeared on stage as Big Julie in "Guys and Dolls" starring Milton Berle. His most iconic film appearances were as Bruno Tattaglia in "The Godfather", Frank Palancio in "Magnum Force", and Don Scagnelli in "American Me".- Wislawa Szymborska was born on 2 July 1923 in Prowent, Poznanskie [now part of Kórnik, Wielkopolskie], Poland. She was a writer, known for Teatr Polskiego Radia (2004), Tortures (2017) and Vietnam (2021). She was married to Adam Wlodek. She died on 1 February 2012 in Kraków, Malopolskie, Poland.
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Edgar Bessen was born on 11 November 1933 in Hamburg, Germany. He was an actor and writer, known for Tratsch im Treppenhaus (1966), Blankenese (1994) and Tratsch im Treppenhaus (1962). He was married to Heidi Koehn. He died on 2 February 2012 in Hamburg, Germany.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Ben Gazzara's screen career began with two critically acclaimed roles as heavies in the late 1950s. He turned to television in the 1960s but made a big screen comeback with roles in three John Cassavetes films in the 1970s. The 1980s and 1990s saw Gazzara work more frequently than ever before in character parts. If he never became the leading man his early films and stage work promised, he had a career notable for its longevity. He was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara on August 28, 1930, in New York City. The son of a Sicilian immigrant laborer, he grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. After seeing Laurette Taylor in "The Glass Menagerie," Gazzara decided he wanted to become an actor. He studied engineering (unhappily) but quit after receiving an acting scholarship (he worked under well-known coach Erwin Piscator).
Gazzara then joined the Actors Studio, where a group of students improvised a play from Calder Willingham's novel End as a Man. The tale of a brutal southern military academy reached Broadway slightly changed in 1953 but with Gazzara still in the principal role. It was a star making part (he won a Theatre World award) and he then played leads in the original productions of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1955) and "A Hatful of Rain" (1955) (he was nominated for a Tony). Bigger names Paul Newman and Don Murray played those last two roles on the big screen but Gazzara made his movie debut in The Strange One (1957) the film version of "End as a Man." The film was a critical but not commercial success. His next role was as the defendant in Anatomy of a Murder (1959) which was a big hit.
Gazzara followed this with an Italian venture co-starring Anna Magnani, The Passionate Thief (1960), two Hollywood films The Young Doctors (1961) and Convicts 4 (1962) and then another Italian film Conquered City (1962). None of these did much for his career, and he turned to television. He appeared in the successful series Arrest and Trial (1963) and Run for Your Life (1965). In between, he made A Rage to Live (1965), a film version of John O'Hara's novel. He returned to films in The Bridge at Remagen (1969) and with a cameo appearance in If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969). His buddy in the cameo was John Cassavetes, who directed and co-starred with him in Husbands (1970), a critical success. Gazzara made two more well-received films with his good friend Cassavetes: The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) and Opening Night (1977).
Gazzara's other films in the 1970s were undistinguished apart from the sprawling Voyage of the Damned (1976) and a rare leading role in director Peter Bogdanovich's Saint Jack (1979). Bloodline (1979) and They All Laughed (1981) (also directed by Bogdanovich) were only notable because of Gazzara's off-screen relationship with co-star Audrey Hepburn (ironically, Gazzara had declined to make his screen debut in War and Peace (1956) starring Hepburn). Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981) was another lead for Gazzara, but it received a mixed critical reception. Other big-screen roles in the 1980s were scarce apart from Road House (1989), a Patrick Swayze vehicle that Gazzara believed out of all his films had been the most repeated on television. He worked much on the small screen, including the groundbreaking television movie An Early Frost (1985), playing the father of an AIDS victim.
The 1990s saw Gazzara working like never before, appearing in 38 films. Most were for free-to-air television or cable but he also worked on the big screen in The Spanish Prisoner (1997), The Big Lebowski (1998), Happiness (1998) and Summer of Sam (1999). His television work included a guest appearance as an executive assistant attorney in a 2001 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)- a nice touch since
Gazzara has often returned to the stage throughout his career-in "The Night Circus" (1958) (where he met second wife Janice Rule), "Strange Interlude" (1963), "Traveller Without Luggage" (1964), Hughie/Duet (1975) (nominated for a Tony), "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (1976) (again Tony nominated), and "Shimada" (1992). He has also worked as a director on episodes his series Run for Your Life (1965) and The Name of the Game (1968) and the television movies A Friend in Deed (1974) and Troubled Waters (1975) featuring his friend Peter Falk. The unreleased Beyond the Ocean (1990) (which he also wrote) was his final film as a director.
In 2003 Gazzara appeared in the independent Dogville (2003) adding Lars von Trier to the list of interesting and acclaimed directors with whom he has worked. There can't be many actors who can boast that they have acted in films by Otto Preminger (Anatomy of a Murder (1959)), John Cassavetes, Joel Coen (The Big Lebowski (1998)), Spike Lee (Summer of Sam (1999)), and Lars von Trier, among others. Ben Gazzara died at age 81 of pancreatic cancer on February 3, 2012.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Raj Kanwar was born in 1961 in India. He was a director and writer, known for Daag: The Fire (1999), Itihaas (1997) and Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006). He was married to Anita Kanwar. He died on 3 February 2012 in Singapore.- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Zalman King was born on 23 May 1942 in Trenton, New Jersey, USA. He was a producer and director, known for 9½ Weeks (1986), Galaxy of Terror (1981) and In God's Hands (1998). He was married to Patricia Louisianna Knop. He died on 3 February 2012 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Madeleine Pageau was born in 1934. She was an actress, known for Rabid (1977), Truffe (2008) and Friday the 13th: The Series (1987). She was married to Osborne Pageau. She died on 4 February 2012 in Montreal, Canada.
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Andrew Wight was an Australian underwater explorer and film maker. Andrew began his career in agricultural science and worked in scientific research. He was a respected scuba and cave diving instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and farmer. Australian Adventurer of the Year medal winner (Australian Geographic), Andrew initiated and led the record breaking Pannikin Plain Cave Diving Expedition into Australia's remote south-west in 1988. Andrew produced the award winning documentary of this expedition called Nullarbor Dreaming (1989). Andrew led expeditions to dive and explore some of the most remote and bizarre regions of the world including, Australia, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Florida, Cuba, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caladonia, Fiji, New Zealand, Gaudaloupe Is, Bahamas, Dominiocan Republic, Belize, Dry Tortugas, Navassa Is, Costa Rica, Coccos Island, Galapagos Islands, Lord Howe Is, Titanic, Bismarck, Hydrothermal vents in The Atlantic and pacific. Andrew produced 40 documentary films. His company, Great Wight Productions, gained an international reputation for making award winning adventure television programs. His programs are screened in over 60 countries around the world. He also produced films directed by James Cameron. Andrew was the line producer for the 3D IMAX film Ghosts of the Abyss (2003), released by Walden Media and Disney. He was the producer for Expedition: Bismarck (2002), which was made for the Discovery channel. He produced another 3D IMAX film about hydrothermal vents called Aliens of the Deep (2005), released by Disney in January 2005.
Wight died in a helicopter crash in February 2012 at Jaspers Brush in New South Wales, Australia.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Producer
Michael deGruy was born on 29 December 1951 in Mobile, Alabama, USA. He was a cinematographer and producer, known for The Blue Planet (2001), National Geographic Explorer (1985) and Predators (2000). He was married to Mimi Armstrong DeGruy. He died on 4 February 2012 in Jaspers Brush, New South Wales, Australia.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Sam Coppola was born on 31 July 1935 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for Saturday Night Fever (1977), Fatal Attraction (1987) and Jacob's Ladder (1990). He was married to Helen Elizabeth Shinnick. He died on 5 February 2012 in Leonia, New Jersey, USA.- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
S. William Hinzman was born on 24 October 1936 in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and cinematographer, known for FleshEater (1988), Night of the Living Dead (1968) and The Crazies (1973). He was married to Bonnie Hinzman. He died on 5 February 2012 in South Beaver Township, Pennsylvania, USA.- Breck was born Joseph Peter Breck, the son of a jazz musician also named Joseph (nicknamed "Jobie"). Over time, his father worked with such legendary greats as Fats Waller, Bix Beiderbecke, Paul Whiteman and Billie Holiday. Nicknamed "Buddy" while young, Peter's parents were on the road for much of his early life and he was sent to live with his grandparents in Haverhill, Massachusetts, a move that provided more stability.
His parents eventually divorced and young Peter returned to Rochester to live with his mother and her new husband, Al Weber, who was a sports editor of the Rochester Times-Union. Following his schooling at John Marshall High School in Rochester, Peter served in the United States Navy. He then turned his attention back to education and studied English and drama at the University of Houston in Houston. While performing in college plays, he started to apprentice at Houston's Alley Theatre, where he appeared in such productions as "Stalag 17", among others. He had a talent for singing and performed in several clubs in and around the Houston area.
Breck extended his stage resume at Washington D.C.'s Arena Theatre. While performing there in a 1957 production of George Bernard Shaw's "The Man of Destiny", he was "discovered" by Robert Mitchum, who cast him in an unbilled role in the film Thunder Road (1958), which Mitchum himself produced, co-wrote and starred in. Mitchum invited the young tenderfoot to Los Angeles and helped set him up out there. While Breck struggled trying to establish himself in films (he played a juvenile delinquent in the movie The Beatniks (1958)), it seemed that rugged TV roles came easier to him. He found his first series lead as "Clay Culhane" in the western Black Saddle (1959), the story of a gunfighter (Breck) who switches guns for law books and tries to tame the West through reason. Co-starring Russell Johnson (later the "Professor" on Gilligan's Island (1964)), who plays a suspicious U.S. Marshal, the series was canceled after two seasons.
A Warner Brothers studio contract, however, did come out of this-and a new visibility. Tall, dark and handsome at 6'2", Breck guest-starred on all the top Warner Bros. TV shows of the day: Sugarfoot (1957), Surfside 6 (1960), Bronco (1958), Hawaiian Eye (1959), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Cheyenne (1955) and played a recurring "Doc Holliday" in the popular series Maverick (1957). He returned to the movies as well, but this time in stronger leads or co-leads. Handed a choice co-starring assignment in Portrait of a Mobster (1961) opposite star Vic Morrow, who played the infamous "Dutch Schultz", Peter also managed to show a rare, gentler side in the outdoor family drama Lad: A Dog (1962).
He left Warners after only a few years but managed to score the leads in two low-budget cult thrillers in its wake: Shock Corridor (1963)_ and The Crawling Hand (1963), along with a very dismal lead in the musical outing Hootenanny Hoot (1963), in which he was given no songs to perform despite his singing capabilities. Again, TV came to the rescue when he won the brotherly co-lead on The Big Valley (1965). Despite a uniformly strong ensemble cast that included oldest brother Richard Long, younger brother Lee Majors and sister Linda Evans, Stanwyck was the only performer on the show who was nominated for an Emmy during its four-season run; she was nominated twice and won once.
Following this TV peak, Breck abruptly left Hollywood and focused on the theater both in the U.S. and Canada throughout the 1970s, appearing in such showcase vehicles as "The Gazebo", "A Thousand Clowns", "The Rainmaker" and "Mister Roberts". Married to former dancer Diana Bourne since 1960, the couple settled in Vancouver, Canada, with their son Christopher, where Breck checked out the film scene. He also set up a full-time acting academy school, The Breck Academy, which ran for ten years. Tragically, it was during this time that their son, Christopher, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and died (two years later).
Breck decided to lay back following this traumatic period, but still manages to perform in films and TV from time to time. As he grew older, he joined the cast of some very offbeat "B" films: Terminal City Ricochet (1990) and and Highway 61 (1991). His more recent "B" movies included Decoy (1995), Enemy Action (1999) and Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004). He also wrote a western column and showed up occasionally at nostalgia conventions until he was diagnosed with dementia. He made his last film with a small role in the Martin Short vehicle Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004). Breck died on February 6, 2012, in Vancouver, Canada. - Actor
- Art Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Baykal Kent was born on 1 January 1943 in Istanbul, Turkey. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Kaçis (1985), Aglayan bir ömür (1968) and Kader Utansin (1976). He died on 6 February 2012 in Bursa, Turkey.- Vladimir Gusev was born on 23 February 1933 in Kokhma, Ivanovo Industrial Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Ivano Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears (1980), Private Ivan (1955) and Sledy na snegu (1955). He died on 7 February 2012 in Moscow, Russia.
- Philip Bruns was born on 2 May 1931 in Pipestone, Minnesota, USA. He was an actor, known for Flashdance (1983), Return of the Living Dead II (1988) and The Stunt Man (1980). He was married to Laurie Franks and Jill Owens. He died on 8 February 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Laurie Main was born on 29 November 1922 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was an actor, known for The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Time After Time (1979) and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). He died on 8 February 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Márcia Maria was born on 5 February 1944 in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. She was an actress, known for Secrets of Sand (1973), As Pupilas do Senhor Reitor (1970) and Os Apóstolos de Judas (1976). She was married to Adriano Stuart. She died on 8 February 2012 in São Paulo, Brazil.
- Gloria Lloyd Roberts was born on 22 May 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for Temptation (1946), American Masters (1985) and Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 4 (1942). She was married to William Guasti and John Roberts. She died on 10 February 2012 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Actor
- Location Management
- Production Manager
An actor since the age of 7 as well as a musician, singer, songwriter, David Anthony Pizzuto was also a location scout/photographer, location manager, producer, writer, and, in addition to being a divemaster and deep breath hold diver, was also a retired therapist. When asked by a reporter why he had so many areas of accomplishment, he replied, "My motto is simple, do the best you can and when the going gets tough, the tough diversify". He divided his time between South Florida, Canada, and Los Angeles and wherever the water is deep and clear.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Producer
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a musical family on 9 August 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of gospel star Cissy Houston (née Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr., and cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick.
She began singing in the choir at her church, The New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, as a young child and by the age of 15 was singing backing vocals professionally with her mother on Chaka Khan's 1978 hit, 'I'm Every Woman'. She went on to provide backing vocals for Lou Rawls, Jermaine Jackson and her own mother and worked briefly as a model, appearing on the cover of 'Seventeen' magazine in 1981.
She began working as a featured vocalist for the New York-based funk band Material and it was the quality of her vocal work with them that attracted the attention of the major record labels, including Arista with whom she signed in 1983 and where she stayed for the rest of her career.
Her debut album, 'Whitney Houston', was released in 1985 and became the biggest-selling album by a debut artist. Several hit singles, including 'Saving All My Love For You', 'How Will I Know', 'You Give Good Love', and 'The Greatest Love of All', were released from the album, setting her up for a Beatles-beating seven consecutive US number ones. The album itself sold 3 million copies in its first year in the US and went on to sell 25 million worldwide, winning her the first of her six Grammies.
The 1987 follow-up album, 'Whitney', which included the hits 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', built on her success but it was the 1992 film The Bodyguard (1992) that sealed her place as one of the best-selling artists of all time. While the movie itself and her performance in it were not highly praised, the soundtrack album and her cover of the Dolly Parton song 'I Will Always Love You' topped the singles and albums charts for months and sold 44 million copies around the world.
That same year she married ex-New Edition singer Bobby Brown with whom she had her only child, their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in March 1993. It was about this time that her much documented drug use began and by 1996 she was a daily user.
Her 1998 album, 'My Love Is Your Love' was well reviewed but the drug abuse began to affect her reputation and press reports at the time said that she was becoming difficult to work with, if she turned up at all. She was dropped from a performance at The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) because she was "out of it" at rehearsals. Her weight fluctuated wildly - she was so thin at a 'Michael Jackson' tribute in 2001 that rumors circulated the next day that she had died - and her voice began to fail her. She was twice admitted to rehab and declared herself drug-free in 2010 but returned to rehab in May 2011.
Her 2009 comeback album 'I Look To You' was positively received and sold well, but promotional performances were still marred by her weakened voice. Her final acting performance was in Sparkle (2012) (a remake of the 1976 movie, Sparkle (1976)), released after her death.
She was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room on 11 February 2012.- Frank Knapp Jr. was born on 13 January 1942 in the USA. He was an actor, known for Sweet Dreams (1985), Madison (2001) and Furnace (2007). He died on 11 February 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Lovely, lithe and light-haired Zina Bethune, noted ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher, also had a promising acting career during the late 1950s and 1960s.
The native New Yorker was born on February 17, 1945, the daughter of William Charles Bethune (who died in 1950 when Zina was 5) and established actress Ivy Bethune (née Vigner) of General Hospital (1963) fame. Zina's mother was a Russian Jewish immigrant, born in Sevastopol.
Formally trained in dance from age 6, she was a student at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet, and performed with the New York City Ballet as a teen despite the fact she was diagnosed at various times with scoliosis, lymphedema and hip dysplasia.
As an adolescent, she appeared in several daytime TV dramas, including a breakthrough part (1956-1958) as the first "Robin Lang" on the serial Guiding Light (1952). Over time, she joined the cast of other soaps, including a lengthy running part on Love of Life (1951) from 1965-1971 and, many years later, a recurring part on Santa Barbara (1984). Zina co-starred with Shirl Conway on the TV drama The Doctors and the Nurses (1962) [best known as "The Nurses," the series was later entitled "The Doctors and the Nurses"], and won touching reviews for her naive student nurse role. She also played the sensitive role of "Amy" in one of several TV adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's beloved Little Women (1958). As a young adult, she continued to demonstrate a formidable dramatic flair on such popular shows as Route 66 (1960), Naked City (1958), Gunsmoke (1955), Lancer (1968), The Invaders (1967), Emergency! (1972) and CHiPs (1977).
Making her first movie appearance as one of the Roosevelt children in Sunrise at Campobello (1960) starring Ralph Bellamy and Greer Garson, she did not make as indelible a mark in film as promised, but did earn semi-cult notice for her moving streetwise role opposite Harvey Keitel in Martin Scorsese's autobiographical feature-length debut Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967) [aka Who's That Knocking at My Door?], a notable predecessor to his acclaimed star-maker Mean Streets (1973).
Zina graced many musicals as a singer/dancer and made her Broadway debut at age 11 playing "Tessie" in "The Most Happy Fella". A number of touring productions came her way in the form of "Sweet Charity", "Oklahoma!", "Damn Yankees!", "Carnival", "Carousel" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown". Non-musical offerings came in the form of "The Member of the Wedding", "Barefoot in the Park" and "The Owl and the Pussycat". In 1992, Zina returned to Broadway as a replacement in "Grand Hotel" in which she portrayed Russian ballerina "Elizaveta Grushinskaya".
Ms. Bethune's ultimate passion and commitment, however, has remained in the art of dance...and on many levels. In her prime, she was a highly-regarded prima ballerina. Among her many credits were "Swan Lake", "Le Corsair", "Romeo and Juliet", "Black Swan", "Giselle", "Don Quixote" and "Sleeping Beauty", not to mention Balanchine's own "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux". A guest artist with The Royal Danish Ballet, Nevada Dance Theatre and San Francisco Ballet Theatre, she went on to form her own New York-based company in 1969 -- Zina Bethune and Company. Her career as a dance director and choreographer has encompassed over 50 plays, films, videos and ballets.
Bethune was sporadically seen on camera in later years, including small roles in the film The Boost (1988) as a dance choreographer, the TV movie Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder (1987) and the TV series "Santa Barbara" and "Party of Five." Throughout her life, she has remained steadfast in her contribution to children with physical and mental disabilities. Helping them embrace the art of dance as a means of self-expression and therapy, she was prompted by her own physical ailments diagnosed while growing up. In addition to the Theatredanse (aka Theature Bethune) dance performance company she founded in 1980, she also organized Dance Outreach (now known as Infinite Dreams) in 1982, which continues to enroll disabled young children in dance-related activities throughout Southern California.
On February 12, 2012, Bethune was killed in an apparent hit-and-run accident while visiting the Griffith Park area in Los Angeles. She was five days short of her 67th birthday. She was survived by her husband, technical/visual effects artist 'Sean Feeley and mother Ivy.- Born Dublin, Ireland on July 11 1929. Educated at Synge Street Catholic boys school. Started acting aged 8 in the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. Playing everything from Beckett to Shakespeare, he has appeared in theatre, TV and film constantly since 1959. Awards include: Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production (1991) for "The Playboy of the Western World"; nominated for SAG Award, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (1999) for Waking Ned Devine (1998); ESB Lifetime Achievement award for work in the Irish theatre. He lived in Dublin, Ireland, where he died on 12 February 2012 at the age of 82. Children: Son, David. Daughter, Miriam.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Russell Arms played Chester Finley opposite Doris Day in "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" (Warner Bros. 1953). Chester, a nerd in love with Marjorie Winfield, Day's character, was Marjorie's piano teacher, a rival to Bill Sherman, played by Gordon MacRae. Arms, in 1953, was not yet a featured player on NBC-TV's "Your Hit Parade." He became one of the program's four regular singers in 1954.- Frank Braña was born on 24 February 1934 in Pola de Allande, Asturias, Spain. He was an actor, known for Pieces (1982), Slugs (1988) and Where Time Began (1977). He died on 13 February 2012 in Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sophie Desmarets was born on 7 April 1922 in Paris, France. She was an actress, known for Le capitan (1946), 120, rue de la Gare (1946) and Si Paris nous était conté (1956). She was married to Jean de Baroncelli and René Froissant. She died on 13 February 2012 in Paris, France.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
On this day in 1952, actor Humayun Faridi was conceived. The jewel of an actor left his impact in every acting genre in Bangladesh, from theater to commercial Bangla films.
Over the course of a four-decade career, Faridi rose to an elite level. His distinctive acting technique is still referenced in jokes, tribute videos, and social media posts.
In a newspaper article, Faridi's close friend and fellow director Shaer Khan affectionately referred to the actor as "Pagla" and "Genius." Shaer penned: "Humayun Faridi is one of a rare breed of actors. Similar to how Hollywood is still looking for the next Gregory Peck, we will have to wait 100 years for the next Faridi." Humayun Faridi was referred to as the "Gregory Peck of Bangladesh" by Shaer. His eulogy wouldn't be an exaggeration, given Faridi is widely recognized as one of Bangladesh's all-time best actors.
In Bangla movies, Faridi has played a range of parts, some of which were adversarial. But despite playing a villain, he still stole the show. His portrayal of "Kan kata Ramjan" has become legendary in our nation's TV history. One of his best performances, albeit slightly less well known, was as the chauvinist and abusive manager Mr. Hawladar in the cult classic movie Palabi Kothay. The movie seems more timely in the MeToo era, and it was undoubtedly ahead of its time.- Producer
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- Script and Continuity Department
Wolfgang Längsfeld was born on 13 March 1937 in Germany. He was a producer and actor, known for The Noah's Ark Principle (1984), Fasnacht (1985) and The Record (1984). He died on 13 February 2012 in Irschenberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Viktor Zhukov was born on 15 December 1953. He was an actor, known for Velikie golodrantsy (1973), Tayozhnyy moryak (1983) and Eto bylo v razvedke (1969). He died on 13 February 2012.
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- Music Department
- Actress
Dory Previn was born on 22 October 1925 in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, USA. She was a writer and actress, known for Colossal (2016), Fight Club (1999) and Two for the Seesaw (1962). She was married to Joby Baker, André Previn and Leon Joseph Bronesky. She died on 14 February 2012 in Southfield, Massachusetts, USA.- Warren Stanhope was born on 22 August 1929 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was an actor, known for Department S (1969), Man of the World (1962) and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950). He died on 14 February 2012 in Oxnard, California, USA.
- Charles Anthony was born on 15 July 1929 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an actor, known for The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977), La Traviata (1982) and The Metropolitan Opera HD Live (2006). He was married to Eleanor. He died on 15 February 2012 in Tampa, Florida, USA.
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Elyse Knox, the actress best known for starring in The Mummy's Tomb (1942) and for being Heisman Award-winner Tom Harmon's wife and actor Mark Harmon's mother, was born Elsie Lillian Kornbrath on December 14, 1917 in Hartford, Connecticut, to Austrian parents Hermine Sophie (Muck) and Frederick Kornbrath, from Vienna.
Knox's first love was not acting but art: she began painting in oils during high school, and painting remained a passion throughout her life. She had an exhibition of her work in 1981.
After graduating from New York City's Traphagen School of Fashion, she got a job in a New York design studio as an artist's assistant intent on becoming a fashion designer. When a model did not arrive as scheduled, she filled in and soon became a top fashion model herself, appearing in all the major magazines. She modeled some of her own creations in "Vogue Magazine" in 1937. That and an appearance as a fashion model in a newsreel landed her a Hollywood contract from 20th Century-Fox.
She made her debut in an uncredited bit part in Wake Up and Live (1937), starring gossip columnist Walter Winchell, in 1937. Knox would not appear again on-screen for another three years, until Free, Blonde and 21 (1940) in 1940. In all, she made 39 movies in the 1940s.
Knox bounced around between studios, including Paramount and Universal. While at Paramount, she met Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, to whom she became engaged. The engagement was broken off when he went off to WWII and she married another man, but that marriage proved short-lived. When Harmon returned from the war, she married him in 1944.
She was a contract player at Universal in the 1940s, where she made the "Mummy" movie with Lon Chaney Jr. who - having had to carry her in a kidnapping scene - thanked her for being petite. The real-life love of a genuine sports hero, she also played Anne Howe, girl friend of fictional boxer "Joe Palooka," in a series of B-movies at Monogram.
After having two children with Harmon, she retired in 1949. "I'm just a mother at heart," she said, "so I decided it was time to retire from the screen."
Her son Mark, born in 1951, played for UCLA as a quarterback and became a top TV star. One of her daughters, Kristin Harmon (1945-2018), was an actress who married singer/actor Ricky Nelson (1940-1985). The twin singer-songwriters Gunnar Nelson and Matthew Nelson are her grandchildren.
Elyse Knox died on February 16, 2012 in Los Angeles. She was 94 years old.- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Stunningly comely and slinky brunette Lina Romay rates highly as one of the boldest, most sensuous, and enticing actresses to have appeared with tremendous frequency in a large volume of European horror and exploitation features made from the early 1970s to the early 21st century.
Romay was born Rosa Maria Almirall on June 25, 1954, in Barcelona, Cataluna, Spain. Her cinematic pseudonym was taken from Lina Romay, a singer/actress in mambo king Xavier Cugat's band in the 1940s. Following graduation from high school, Romay studied the arts, married actor/photographer Raymond Hardy (they later divorced), and began acting in stage productions. Lina first met infamous and prolific maverick Spanish independent filmmaker Jesús Franco in the early 1970s. Romay and Franco eventually became a couple. Lina for a long time was Franco's common law wife until they officially wed on April 23, 2008.
Lina made her film debut as a gypsy girl in The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein (1973). She had small parts in a few other Franco films before playing more substantial lead and co-starring roles (she acted in over 100 Franco films). Despite her lack of formal training, Lina nonetheless naturally projected an extremely brazen, earthy, and uninhibited screen presence that was both alluring and captivating in equal measure. In fact, her open, unabashed, and downright aggressive sexuality even led to her willing and enthusiastic participation in explicit scenes in hardcore porno fare. Lina's most memorable roles include the voracious Countess Irina Karlstein in Female Vampire (1973), brutalized innocent Maria in the sensationally sleazy Barbed Wire Dolls (1976), vicious top con Juana in the similarly scuzzy Ilsa, the Wicked Warden (1977), especially inspired in a dual part in Die Marquise von Sade (1976) and bawdy prostitute Marika in the gloomy Jack the Ripper (1976).
Moreover, Romay posed for nude pictorials in such men's magazines as "Cinema X" and "Sex Stars System." In addition to acting, Lina also worked on a handful of films as a writer, director, producer, and assistant editor. In real life Lina was the total radical opposite of her wild and outrageous screen persona: she was a very quiet, soft-spoken, and self-effacing woman who usually dressed in frumpy clothes. Romay died from cancer at age 57 on February 15, 2012 in Malaga, Spain.- Director
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Evgeniy Tashkov was born on 18 December 1926 in Bykovo, Stalingradskaya guberniya, RSFSR, USSR. He was a director and actor, known for Prestuplenie: Obman (1976), Come Tomorrow (1962) and Deti Vanyushina (1974). He was married to Tatyana Tashkova and Ekaterina Savinova. He died on 15 February 2012 in Moscow, Russia.- Awashima Chikage was born as Nakagawa Keiko to store owner parents in Tokyo, Japan on 24.02.1924. Awashima began her entertainment career as part of the semi famous Takarazuka Revue of Kansai where she trained and performed beginning age fifteen. Her stage name was taken from a Japanese poem. She began her screen career in 1950 and went on to star in the comedy film adaptations of the Japanese novels called Ekimae ('station front'). Both as part of this series and separately she worked with director Shiro Toyoda more than a dozen times. Early accolade came her way when her performance for director Minoru Shibuya, Tenya Wanya (1950), won her the critics' award for the Best Actress of the year. At this point the audiences and critics thought of her as one of the nation's more famous beauties. By far her most impactful appearance, however, were the three films of Ozu Yasujiro she starred in. These came about as part of her contact with the Shochiku studio. She was furthermore in the masterpiece film The Human Condition I: No Greater Love. She remained consistently active until the late '60s, by which time she was working for Toho Studio, after which she would work irregularly in front of the camera and also on stage. She was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1988 and Order Of The Precious Crown, 4th Class, Wisteria in 1995. The Purple Ribbon is awarded for academic or artistic accomplishment while Order Of The Precious Crown is typically reserved for females in Japan. Awashima was an honourary Vice President of Japan's actors' guild until 2007 for her advocacy of actors and actresses' rights. She was 87 when she died on 16.02.2012 after contracting pancreatic cancer. Many actors and actresses attended her funeral. There was a report that she died leaving debts behind, but it was also claimed that the debts were piled on by others and not her personally. Chikage never married. She is buried at Gokokuji, a temple in Tokyo.
- Dick Anthony Williams was born on 9 August 1934 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Jerk (1979) and Dog Day Afternoon (1975). He was married to Gloria Edwards. He died on 16 February 2012 in Van Nuys, California, USA.
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- Writer
Ming Tien was an actor and assistant director, known for Tie shan shen jian (1971), Da dao luo wang (1982) and Cheng shi biao nu (1990). He died on 17 February 2012 in Taipei, Taiwan.- One of the UK's most prolific television actors for 50 years, Peter Halliday was the son of an auctioneer and estate agent. He was schooled in Shropshire. Halliday failed his exam as apprentice auctioneer, worked briefly for Rolls-Royce, then served in the British Army during the Second World War, based in Iraq, Palestine and Egypt, until 1947. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1949. He became a member of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, which later became the Royal Shakespeare Company. He achieved his greatest fame in the BBC's science-fiction television drama A for Andromeda (1961). He also gained further cult status for several appearances in Doctor Who (1963), which included providing monster voices for two serials and appearing under heavy makeup to play the alien Pletrac in Robert Holmes' witty parody of television and its viewers, Carnival of Monsters: Episode One (1973).
- Lydia Lamaison was born on 5 August 1914 in Mendoza, Argentina. She was an actress, known for Nano (1994), La caída (1959) and Jesús, el heredero (2004). She was married to Oscar Soldati. She died on 20 February 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Svetlana Balashova was born on 2 October 1943. She was an actress, known for Zhurnalist (1967), Greshnyy angel (1963) and Serdtse materi (1966). She died on 21 February 2012.