Category: RIP

Michael K. Williams died today.  He was 54.  No cause of death was given. 

Michael K. Williams is probably best known for his breakout role as Omar on the HBO series The Wire or perhaps it is as Leonard Pine on Hap & Leonard.  Then again you may know him best as Chalky White from Boardwalk Empire.  Of course others may have just discovered Mr. Williams with his role as Montrose Freeman on HBO’s Lovecraft Country (for which he received a 2021 Emmy nomination; his 5th).

Michael K. Williams has over 100 acting credits on his resume.  He appeared in The Sopranos, Boston Legal, Law & Order, with recurring Alias, :Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Community, and When They See Us to name just a few tv series.  Some of Mr. Williams work in feature films included Bullet, Bringing Out the Dead, Gone Baby Gone, Twelve Years a Slave, Triple 9, Ghostbusters, Arkansas, and Motherless Brooklyn.

My favorite Michael K. Williams role was a Leonard Pine on Hap & Leonard, but he was excellent every time he appeared onscreen.  In addition to acting ability Michael K. Williams had charisma.  It’s sad that he left us at such a young age.  We can only imagine the roles he’d yet to entertain us with.

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

Patricia (Pat) Hitchcock, an actress, producer and writer, died on August 9th at the age of 93.  Pat Hitchcock was the only child of director Alfred Hitchcock.

Her very first role was an uncredited part in her father’s 1936 film Sabotage.  As a teenager Pat Hitchcock performed on stage in summer stock productions.  When she graduated high school Pat Hitchcock attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed on stage.

Before deciding to marry and raise a family, Pat Hitchcock appeared in three films.  The two most famous were Stage Fright and Strangers on a Train, both directed by her father.  In 1956, Mrs. Hitchcock had an uncredited role in The 10 Commandments.  In 1960, she appeared in one of her father’s most famous films, Psycho.  Pat Hitchcock also appeared in ten episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Pat Hitchcock also worked on Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.

Alfred Hitchcock was the first director I knew by name.  As a child I loved watching his movies and looking for his cameos.  When I was older I learned that his daughter appeared in some of his films and his television series and I enjoyed looking for her appearances.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends and fans.

William Smith died on Monday, July 5th at the age of 88.  No cause of death was reported.

William Smith had an amazing life, and a career that spanned 78 years!  His first role was an uncredited part in The Ghost of Frankenstein in 1942.  William Smith was eight years old at the time.  Mr. Smith continued to get small parts in films until he went into the US Air Force.

William Smith served as a pilot where he flew secret missions over Russia.  His work earned him CIA and NSA clearance.  While in the service, William Smith’s love of fitness and sports continued.  He won arm wrestling and weight lifting championships.  He compiled a 31-1 record as an amateur boxer.  Around this same time, William Smith attracted the attention of MGM and was offered a contract. 

In 1961, William Smith landed a starring role on the tv series, The Asphalt Jungle.  When the series ended William Smith never hurt for roles.  He would go on to work in both television and film throughout the rest of his career, amassing an astounding 274 acting credits. 

William Smith starred in the following television series: Zero One; Laredo; Rich Man, Poor Man (Books I and II); Hawaii 5-0 (the last season) and Wildside. 

When he wasn’t appearing on his own series, William Smith kept busy guest starring on others.  This is just a taste of some apearances: Combat; Perry Mason; Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Batman; I Dream of Jeannie; The Guns of Will Sonnett; Lassie; Here Come the Brides;  Daniel Boone; Dan August; The Mod Squad; Columbo; Mission Impossible; The Six Million Dollar Man; The Rockford Files and Gunsmoke.

William Smith was no stranger to feature films.  He might be best known for Every Which Way But Loose with Clint Eastwood.  Some of my favorite William Smith film appearances include: CC & Company; The Ultimate Warrior; Scorchy; Conan the Barbarian; Rumble Fish and Red Dawn.

When I was a kid I loved when William Smith showed up in a tv show or movie.  I knew that the hero was in for a rough time or else he was lucky to meet the character Smith was playing.  As I moved into my teen years I continued to enjoy William Smith’s appearances, but also started to wonder why he wasn’t get the big push as an action star.  Perhaps he just stayed too busy and liked the variety of parts he was offered.  If he enjoyed them half as much as we did, he was a very happy man.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to William Smith’s family, friends and fans.   

Richard Donner died today at the age of 91.  This one hurts worse than most.

Richard Donner wanted a career as an actor.  It was director Martin Ritt who encouraged Donner to consider directing instead.  Ritt gave Donner a job as his assistant.  Later Donner graduated to a staff position at Desilu Productions where he directed commercials. 

In 1960, Mr. Donner began directing television episodes with the occasional feature film.  For the next 15 years Richard Donner directed well over 100 episodes of the best television had to offer.   Shows that I regularly watched that Mr. Donner directed episodes of include: The Rifleman; Combat; The Twilight Zone; The Man from UNCLE; Gilligan’s Island; Get Smart; The FBI; The Fugitive; It’s About Time; Jericho; The Wild, Wild West; The Banana Splits Adventure Hour / Danger Island; the Bearcats; Ironside and Cannon.

Richard Donner directed his first feature film in 1961.  Titled  X-15, it starred Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore.  In 1976, Mr. Donner directed one of the biggest box office hits of the year with The Omen.  His next film was also a hit with fans and the box office: Superman.  The success of Superman allowed Richard Donner to add producer to his resume.  He would go on to produce 37 projects as he continued to direct feature films.  Following Superman, some of my favorite Richard Donner directed features include: Inside Moves; Ladyhawke; Lethal Weapon 1 -4; Maverick and Assassins.

Had Richard Donner only directed the Twilight Zone episode: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, he would have warranted a post about his passing.  Same could be said for Superman, the Lethal Weapon films and a personal favorite of mine, Assassins staring Sly Stallone.  I didn’t realize until I was a young adult how many television shows I loved as a child were directed by Richard Donner.  Any time you see Richard Donner in the credits, now you are in for a good time. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to Richard Donner’s family, friends and fans.         

Ned Beatty, 83, passed away in sleep this morning from natural causes.  Mr. Beatty who was equally adept in both comedic and dramatic roles, alternated between feature films and television roles making whatever production he was in better.

Ned Beatty began his career in John Boorman’s highly regarded adaptation of James Dickey’s novel Deliverance starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight and Ronny Cox.  Mr. Beatty then went on to have a career in feature films and television that lasted over 40 years and packed his resume with 166 acting credits.  He was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his role in Network. 

Ned Beatty was one of this character actors who was good in any role he took on and that kept him in demand.  Mr. Beatty’s feature film highlights include six films with Burt Reynolds, Superman and Superman II with Christopher Reeve, as well as Nashville, Network, 1941 and Back to School.  His television credits include: Gunsmoke. The Execution of Private Slovik, MASH, Hawaii 5-0, The Rockford Files and so many more.

Ned Beatty was always a welcome addition whenever he appeared on screen.  The enormity of his resume would make any actor proud.  What a career!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ned Beatty’s family, friends and fans.

Clarence Williams III, the actor best known for his role as Linc Hayes on The Mod Squad, died on Friday, June 4th from colon cancer.

Mr. Williams began his acting career in 1959 with an uncredited role in Pork Chop Hill. The following year he appeared on Broadway in The Long Dream. Clarence Williams III then alternated between stage and television roles until he was cast in his signature role, as Linc Hayes on The Mod Squad.  When the series ended after five seasons, Mr. Williams alternated between movie and television roles.  

Some of his best known television appearances were in The Return of Mod Squad, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice and Twin Peaks.  Clarence Williams III’s feature films include Purple Rain, I’m Gonna Git You, Sucka,  The Genreral’s Daughter and Reindeer Games.

I wasn’t a big fan of The Mod Squad, but when I did watch I always thought Clarence Williams III was the best part of the show.  It was always nice to see him show up in other television and movie roles.  

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Clarence Williams III’s family, friends and fans.

Norman Lloyd, actor, director and producer with a career that spanned over 70 years, died yesterday in his sleep at the age of 106.  

Mr, Lloyd began his career as a spy in Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur.  He acted in Charlie Chaplin’s classic Limelight.  Throughout his career Norman Lloyd alternated between acting in feature films and television, directing and producing.

In addition to Saboteur and Limelight, some of my other favorite Norman Lloyd roles could be found on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, St. Elsewhere, and Wiseguy.  In addition Mr. Lloyd could be found acting in Night Gallery, Audrey Rose, Kojak, Dead Poets Society, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Modern Family just to give you an idea of the range he played.  What a career.  What a life!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Norman Lloyd’s family, friends and fans.