The RIP Famous Person Thread

[KWAN]

Val Kilmer. Gone.
Val Kilmer, Film Star Who Played Batman and Jim Morrison, Dies at 65 - The New York Times

[misskit]

That’s really sad. What a ham he was.

[Happy As Larry]

Michael Hurley, hero of the US folk underground, dies aged 83

Singer-songwriter made more than 30 albums away from the mainstream, inspiring numerous artists in American alternative music.

Michael Hurley, the American singer-songwriter whose unique path through the US folk scene made him an inspiration to generations of alternative musicians, has died aged 83.

A statement from the family announced his “recent sudden passing”, though no cause of death has been given. It added: “The ‘godfather of freak folk’ was for a prolific half-century the purveyor of an eccentric genius and compassionate wit … There is no other. Friends, family and the music community deeply mourn his loss.”

Born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1941, Hurley was the son of an operetta director and travelled the country with him as a child. This itinerant nature continued into young adulthood, when he started out as a musician – hitchhiking one day he was picked up by folklorist Fred Ramsey, who ended up producing his debut album First Songs which was released on the storied US label Folkways in 1964. The label, now Smithsonian Folkways, has paid tribute, writing: “His wit and wild imagination, steadfast through the decades, are a beacon for singers and songwriters seeking to express the joys and fantastical idiosyncrasies of the world.”

Hurley spent time in New York’s flourishing folk-revival scene, home to the likes of Bob Dylan, but by his own admission didn’t have the drive to climb the music career ladder. “I didn’t enjoy the process of applying for gigs, that determination to penetrate things, all this trouble you had to go through,” he told the Guardian in 2021. “I preferred playing parties. Little gatherings. Drinking with friends, hopping across the river.”

He shuttled between jobs and locales – “moccasin maker, carpenter, apple picker, tipi maker” was part of a long list of work he related in 2021 – but continued to put out music, eventually releasing more than 30 albums of material featuring his own cover illustrations (often populated by cartoon wolves). The shaggy, spirited energy of these genial records, backed by small ensembles and spanning straightforward folk as well as bluegrass and folk-rock, inspired numerous artists across US alternative music, from folk-leaning singer-songwriters such as Lucinda Williams and Bonnie “Prince” Billy to alt-rockers such as Yo La Tengo.

His most recent album is 2021’s The Time of the Foxgloves, which was a return to original songwriting after 12 years away. He had performed concerts in recent days, in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Mike Quinn, founder of No Quarter Records, said that Hurley had “just finished a new album. It was mastered the week before he died, and he was very proud of it (as he should be… it’s outstanding). Hopeful it will see the light of day soon.”

Michael Hurley, hero of the US folk underground, dies aged 83 | Folk music | The Guardian

[S Landreth]

Jay North, Former ‘Dennis The Menace’ Child Star, Dies At 73

Jay North, who rose to fame in the 1959 to 1963 sitcom Dennis the Menace, died Sunday after years of battling cancer. He was 73.

North’s passing was announced by Laurie Jacobson, whose husband is Lassie star Jon Provost. “Jeanne Russell just called us with terribly sad, but not unexpected news. Our dear friend Jay North has been fighting cancer for a number of years and this morning at noon EST, Jay passed peacefully at home,” wrote Jacobson on Facebook. “As many of his fans know, he had a difficult journey in Hollywood and after...but he did not let it define his life. He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply. He called us frequently and ended every conversation with ‘I love you with all my heart.’ And we loved him with all of ours. A life-long friend of Jon’s, a brother to Jeanne and a dear friend to me, we will miss him terribly. He is out of pain now. His suffering is over. At last he is at peace.”

Born August 3, 1951, Jay North debuted on television in an appearance on the gameshow Queen for a Day. Following guest appearances in Wanted: Dead or Alive, 77 Sunset Strip, Rescue 8, The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse and Sugarfoot, among other TV series, Jay North debuted as rambunctious Dennis Mitchell in Dennis the Menace in 1959. Based on the comic strip of the same name, the family-themed CBS comedy preceded variety hour The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evening and ran for four seasons.

[harrybarracuda]

I must admit I did a bit of a double take.

Only Fools and Horses and Miami Vice actor Mario Ernesto Sánchez has died aged 78

Just a moment...

[harrybarracuda]

Iconic 'First Blood' and 'Weekend at Bernie's' Director Dies Aged 94



Ted Kotcheff, the notable Canadian director who directed classics such as First Blood and Weekend at Bernie's, has died at age 94 on April 10. Kotcheff's family confirmed his passing to The Globe and Mail newspaper. Described as a talented, multi-faceted journeyman by the Toronto International Film Festival, Kotcheff used his eye for hits to direct and produce works on television and theater in both Canada and Hollywood. He created a bridge in the gap between productions in both, using his projects as a way to show there's more power in collaboration.

First Blood (1982) gave Sylvester Stallone his first post-Rocky hit, which turned into sequels. Kotcheff didn't bother with the sequels because he thought they seemed to be celebrating the Vietnam War. "They offered me the first sequel, and after I read the script, I said, 'In the first film he doesn't kill anybody. In this film, he kills 75 people. It seemed to be celebrating the Vietnam War, which I thought was one of the stupidest wars in history."

He and Hill Street Blues co-creator Michael Kozoll adapted the first from a 1972 novel by David Morrell. THR said Warner Bros. passed on the script, but Orion Pictures saw its potential. They hired Stallone to portray John Rambo, as suggested by Kotcheff.

His other best-known classic, Weekend at Bernie's, is a black comedy starring Andrew McCarthy as Larry Wilson and Jonathan Silverman as Richard Parker. This 1989 film follows two young corporate insurance employees who discover their dead boss, Bernie, at his home in the Hamptons. Their goal is to convince people that Bernie is alive in an attempt not to be falsely accused of his death. In the process, they discover that their boss ordered their killing to cover up his embezzlement.

Wake in Fright (1971) gave Kotcheff a spot on the list of the best films to come out of Australia. It's based on Kenneth Cook's 1961 novel of the same name and follows a young schoolteacher who finds himself stranded in a brutal town in outback (remote) Australia. Filmed on location in Broken Hill and Sydney, Wake in Fright was an international co-production between the United States, Britain, and Australia.

Kotcheff's other iconic credentials include films like The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974), Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), Joshua Then and Now (1985), and more. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, a comedy drama, is considered to be one of the finest Canadian films ever made. It stars Richard Dreyfuss as a young hustler embarking on a journey of get-rich-quick schemes to gain respect. The film won the Golden Bear (the highest prize awarded for best film) at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.

Later in his career, he executive produced 13 seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. This served as a full-circle moment for the Toronto native, who started his 60-year directing journey in television. Some of Kotcheff's television directing credits include Hour of Mystery (1957), BBC Sunday-Night Play (1962), The Desperate Hours (1967), A Family of Cops (1995), and more.

https://movieweb.com/ted-kotcheff-ra...or-dead-at-94/

[Happy As Larry]

Jean Marsh, co-creator of 1970s TV hit Upstairs, Downstairs, dies aged 90

ITV drama set in aristocratic house in Edwardian London explored class and social change, and won many awards

Jean Marsh, the actor and writer best known for co-creating and starring in the 1970s TV show Upstairs, Downstairs, has died aged 90.

The film-maker Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who was a close friend of Marsh, said she died of complications with dementia in her London home on Sunday.
“Jean died peacefully in bed looked after by one of her very loving carers,” he said. “You could say we were very close for 60 years. She was as wise and funny as anyone I ever met, as well as being very pretty and kind, and talented as both an actress and writer.

“An instinctively empathetic person who was loved by everyone who met her. We spoke on the phone almost every day for the past 40 years.”

Upstairs, Downstairs, covering class relations in Edwardian England, ran for five series from 1971 to 1975 in the UK and was also screened in the US. It won seven Emmy awards and a Peabody award, and Marsh won the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series in 1975 for her portrayal of Rose, the head parlour maid of the elegant Bellamy family that the show centred on.

Marsh also co-created The House of Eliott and appeared in films such as Cleopatra in 1963, Frenzy in 1972, The Eagle Has Landed in 1976, The Changeling in 1980, Return to Oz in 1985, Willow in 1988, Fatherland in 1994 and Monarch in 2000.
She became known for her appearances in the Doctor Who universe, including Joan of England in The Crusade, then as Sara Kingdom, a companion of the First Doctor. She later portrayed a villain opposite the Seventh Doctor.
Marsh was awarded an OBE in 2012 for services to drama.

The actor was born as Lyndsay Torren Marsh on 1 July 1934. She was six when the blitz began, and at seven she started ballet classes and took an interest in the performing arts. Rather than pursuing a traditional career, Marsh went to theatre school – which her parents considered a practical move, according to the New York Times.

In 1972, she told the Guardian: “If you were very working class in those days, you weren’t going to think of a career in science. You either did a tap dance or you worked in Woolworths.”

Marsh came up with the idea for Upstairs, Downstairs with her friend the actor Eileen Atkins when the pair were house-sitting at a wealthy friend’s house in the south of France. After explaining that she wished she lived in luxury more often, Marsh got the idea to create a show that explored class relationships within household dynamics.

Jean Marsh, co-creator of 1970s TV hit Upstairs, Downstairs, dies aged 90 | Upstairs Downstairs | The Guardian

[Happy As Larry]

Wink Martindale, host of game shows "Tic-Tac-Dough" and "High Rollers," dies at 91

Game show host Wink Martindale, known for "Tic-Tac-Dough," "High Rollers" and "Gambit," has died, according to his official Facebook page. He was 91.
"Wink was amazing, funny and talented," the post on his Facebook page reads. "Truly a LEGEND!"

The host, born Winston Martindale, had a 74-year career, according to Nashville Publicity Group, which also confirmed Martindale's death. A cause of death was not given.

"The entire Game Show Network family mourns the loss of Wink Martindale, the host of the original "Tic-Tac-Dough" and a true legend of television game shows," the Game Show Network posted on social media. "His charm and presence lit up the screen for generations of viewers and he will never be forgotten."

Martindale's professional career began when he was just 17, according to his Hollywood Walk of Fame biography. The Jackson, Tennessee, man worked as a disc jockey for several years and even had his rendition of the spoken-word song "Deck Of Cards" chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

His television career began at WHBQ-TV as the host of "Mars Patrol," a science-fiction program for kids, according to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which Martindale earned a star on in 2006.
While at WHBQ-TV, Martindale began hosting "Teenage Dance Party," where he was joined by Elvis Presley in one appearance. The two were long-time friends; Presley dated Martindale's wife, Sandy, before they married.

In 1964, Martindale landed a job hosting NBC's "What's This Song." Other hosting credits include "Words and Music," "Can You Stop This" and "Headline Chasers." He hosted more than a dozen game shows, according to his 2000 autobiography.
He hosted "Tic-Tac-Dough" on CBS from 1978 until 1985, according to IMDB. Martindale hosted 185 episodes of NBC's "High Rollers" between 1987 and 1988. His show "Gambit," based on blackjack, was produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions.
"I remember that they auditioned practically every possible host. It came down to Dick Clark and me, and this is one time I beat Dick Clark," Martindale told the Television Academy Foundation in 2018.

He also told the Television Academy Foundation that he liked getting to meet so many different people while working on game shows.
"I enjoy finding out what makes people tick," he told the Television Academy Foundation. "As you play a game, you see why one person is more successful than another. But I just love working with people, and I love talking."
In recent years, Martindale made appearances on such programs as "Most Outrageous Game Show Moments," "The Chase" and "The Bold and the Beautiful," according to his publicist. He also appeared in commercials for Orbitz and KFC.

Martindale is survived by his wife, his daughters and his sister.

Wink Martindale, host of game shows "Tic-Tac-Dough" and "High Rollers," dies at 91 - CBS News

[harrybarracuda]

The Chief Kiddie Fiddler has carked it.

But they'll blow some smoke and replace him.

[david44]

Yes living in a hot smokey place surrounded by fornicatering must be hell.

Fear not a remedy to hand from the brother of the immaculate ejaculate

[harrybarracuda]

Dallas and Carrie star Priscilla Pointer, 100.

Although according to the Daily Star, she is a "starlet". Which I'm sure is as much about them rewriting a story they nicked off the Mirror as it is their own ignorance.



Priscilla Pointer dead: Dallas and Carrie star dies aged 100 as family pay tribute - Daily Star

[misskit]

Famed Hispanic Country Music Star Dies at 73

Venerated country music star Johnny Rodriguez has died shortly after entering hospice, according to his family. He was 73. Rodriguez’s daughter announced his death in an Instagram post on Friday—the same day he died. “It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Johnny Rodriguez, who left us peacefully on May 9th, surrounded by family,” Aubry wrote. She added that her father was “not only a legendary musician whose artistry touched millions around the world” but “also a deeply loved husband, father, uncle, and brother whose warmth, humor, and compassion shaped the lives of all who knew him.” Born in Sabinal, Texas, Rodriguez was discovered by a music promoter after he was overheard singing in a jail cell. He is recognized as one of the earliest Hispanic country music stars, per Saving Country Music. “We are immensely grateful for the outpouring of love and support … during this time of grief,” Aubry added.

Famed Hispanic Country Music Star Dies at 73

[david44]

“not only a legendary musician whose artistry touched millions around the world” but “also a deeply loved husband, father, uncle, and brother whose warmth, humor, and compassion shaped the lives of all who knew him.”

Lovely who could ask for more. R.I.P.

Unlike my headstone a dull dimwit whose clarinet playing was enjoyed by family friends and neighbours, once he stopped and who almost grasped Basque Thai french and basic Engrish when the giant IKEA bookcase full of heavy sculptures flattened him.

[harrybarracuda]

Robert Benton, Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Kramer Vs Kramer, dies at 92




Robert Benton, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who helped reset the rules in Hollywood as the co-creator of Bonnie And Clyde, and later received mainstream validation as the writer-director of Kramer Vs Kramer, has died at the age of 92.
His son John said he died Sunday at his home in Manhattan of "natural causes".
During a 40-year screen career, the Texas native received six Oscar nominations and won three times: for writing and directing Kramer Vs Kramer and for writing Places In The Heart.

He was widely appreciated by actors as attentive and trusting, and directed Oscar-winning performances by Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep and Sally Field.
Although severe dyslexia left him unable to read more than a few pages at a time as a child, he wrote and directed film adaptations of novels by Philip Roth, EL Doctorow and Richard Russo, among others.


Bonnie and Clyde, directed by Arthur Penn and starring Beatty and Faye Dunaway, overcame initial critical resistance in 1967 to the film's shocking violence and became one of the touchstones of 1960s culture and the start of a more open and creative era in Hollywood.

Over the following decade, none of Benton’s films approached the impact of Bonnie And Clyde, although he continued to have critical and commercial success.


His writing credits included Superman and What’s Up, Doc? He directed and co-wrote such well-reviewed works as Bad Company, a revisionist western featuring Jeff Bridges, and The Late Show, a melancholy comedy for which his screenplay received an Oscar nomination.
His career soared in 1979 with his adaptation of the Avery Corman novel Kramer Vs Kramer, about a self-absorbed advertising executive who becomes a loving parent to his young son after his wife walks out, only to have her return and ask for custody.
Starring Hoffman and Streep, the movie was praised as a perceptive, emotional portrait of changing family roles and expectations and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Hoffman, disenchanted at the time with the film business, cited the movie and Benson’s direction for reviving his love for movie acting.
Five years later, Benton was back in the Oscars race with a more personal film, Places In The Heart, in which he drew on family stories and childhood memories for his 1930s-set drama starring Sally Field as a mother of two in Texas who fights to hold on to her land after her husband is killed.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Robert Benton dies aged 92