Category: TV

Melinda Dillon’s family has announced that Ms. Dillon died on January 9, 2023 at the age of 83.  No cause of death was given.  Melinda Dillion was a two-time Academy Award Best Supporting Actress Award nominee (for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Absence of Malice).

It’s hard to determine what role Melinda Dillon was best known for because she played in many fan favorite films.  Prior to acting on television and in movies, Melinda Dillon was a stage actress.  She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her first major role on Broadway.  The play was Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe.  Ms. Dillon’s television career began in 1963, in an episode of The Defenders.  She went on to act on both television and in feature films for the rest of her career.

Some of Melinda Dillon’s television appearances include: The Defenders; Bonanza; The Jeffersons; The Twilight Zone; The Shadow Box; Fallen Angel; Right of Way and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Some of Melinda Dillon’s feature film appearances include: Bound for Glory; Slap Shot; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; F.I.S.T.; The Muppet Movie; Absence of Malice; A Christmas Story; Harry and the Hendersons and The Prince of Tides.

It’s hard to pick a favorite Melinda Dillon role.  If push came to shove my favorites include her work in F.I.S.T. and A Christmas Story.  I was excited when I learned Ms. Dillon would play Sly Stallone’s love interest in F.I.S.T.. (she was coming off a Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nomination).  Her role in A Christmas Story provides a great counterpoint to Ralphie’s dad (and in doing so make him more loveable). She was excellent in both.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Melinda Dillon’s family, friends and fans.

Cindy Williams, best known as Shirley Feeney who first appeared on Happy Days, and then in the popular television series Laverne & Shirley, died on January 25, 2023.  Today her family announced Ms. Williams passing after a short illness.  She was 75.

Cindy Williams wrote and acted in high school.  She attended Los Angles Community College as a theater major.  After graduation Ms. Williams began getting roles in commercials.  In 1970, Cindy Williams won roles in both a feature film and two television series. She would continue to get work in both television and feature films for the rest of her career.

Some of Cindy Williams’ television appearances include: My World and Welcome to It; Nanny and the Professor; Room 222 (3 episodes); Love American Style (2 episodes); Hawaii 5-0; Cannon; Police Story; Laugh-In (2 episodes); Happy Days (5 episodes); Laverne & Shirley (158 episodes); CHiPs (2 episodes); Laverne & Shirley in the Army (13 episodes); Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour; The Magical World of Disney (2 episodes); Just Like Family (5 episodes); Perry Mason: The Case of the Poison Pen; Normal Life (13 episodes); Getting By (31 episodes); Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; Touched by an Angel; Strip Mall (6 episodes); For Your Love (4 episodes); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Girlfriends (2 episodes) and Drive (3 episodes).

Some of Cindy Williams’ feature film appearances include: Drive, He Said; Beware! The Blob; American Graffiti; The Conversation; The First Nudie Musical and More American Graffiti.

Although Cindy Williams played Shirley Feeney on Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley (and other places), her career encompassed so much more.  She appeared in so many popular television series before and after getting that role.  Jack Nicholson directed her in Drive, He Said.  She had a featured role in the classic American Graffiti.  The same could be said for Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation. While I wasn’t a Laverne & Shirley fan, Cindy Williams always seemed the anchor of it when I watched.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cindy Williams’ family, friends and fans.

Lance Kerwin, one of the most popular children actors of the 1970s, died on January 24, 2023.  He was 62.

Lance Kerwin began his career in 1974 with guest appearances on seven popular television series and two made for tv movies!  Mr. Kerwin stayed busy with roles in feature films throughout his career.  He retired from acting in 1995.  Lance Kerwin is best known for the television series James at 16 and the tv movie Salem’s Lot.

Some of Lance Kerwin’s television appearances include: Emergency!; Shazam; Little House on the Prairie; Police Story; Cannon; Gunsmoke; ABC Afterschool Specials (5 episodes); The Loneliest Runner (tv movie); Wonder Woman; The Bionic Woman; James at 16 (21 episodes); The Boy Who Drank Too Much (tv movie); Hotel; Trapper John; Simon & Simon and Murder She Wrote. 

Some of Lance Kerwin’s feature film appearances include: Enemy Mine and Outbreak.

My favorite Lance Kerwin role was in the made-for-tv adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot.  If Mr. Kerwin was only known for that film, his passing would still be noted due to the impact that movie has on horror movie fans.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lance Kerwin’s family, friends and fans.