Category: RIP

RIP: Gary Wright

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Gary Wright, the singer/songwriter best known for his hits Dreamweaver and Love is Alive, died yesterday at the age of 80.  Mr. Wright had dealt with Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia for several years.

Gary Wright was a child actor.  He was just seven when appeared on the tv show  Captain Video and His Video Rangers.  As a child he appeared in radio and television commercials.  He appeared in the Broadway production of the musical Fanny with Florence Henderson.  The two also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show to promote the play.

Gary Wright also had a love of music and began playing with local rock bands while in high school.  He continued to play in bands while working on a medical degree in college.  Mr. Wright decided to quite college and focus on music.  He joined a band called Spooky Tooth which put out three albums.

In 1970, Gary Wright decided to quit the band and focus on a solo career.  When he was invited to play piano on former Beatle, George Harrison’s first album, Mr. Wright accepted.  Gary Wright would go on to play on all of George Harrison’s albums in the 1970s.  Mr. Wright also played on Ringo Starr’s hits  “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Back Off Boogaloo”.  As Gary Wright worked on his solo career he was often requested to play with other recording stars such as Harry Nilsson, BB King and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Gary Wright hit it big in 1978 with the one-two punch of Dream Weaver and Love is Alive.  Dream Weaver sold over 1 million copies, peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold.  Love is Alive from the same album also hit #2 helping to drive the album to double platinum status.

In the early 1980s, Gary Wright also began making music for feature films. Some of the films featuring Gary Wright’s music include: Endangered Species; Staying Alive; Cobra; Wayne’s World; The People vs Larry Flynt; Coyote Ugly; Daddy Day Care; Toy Story 3; Safehouse and The Great Gatsby.

Gary Wright would continue to write, play, record and tour for the rest of his career.

I was surprised that Dream Weaver wasn’t a number one hit.  It played all the time and everyone loved it.  Dream Weaver was the song that made Gary Wright a world wide celebrity even though professional musicians knew who he was and often requested his services.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gary Wright’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Bob Barker

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Bob Barker, the revered game show host and animal rights activist died today at the age of 99.

Bob Barker attended Drury College on a basketball scholarship.  Mr. Barker joined the Naval Reserve during World War II.  He finished his degree in economics after the war.  While in college Bob Barker began working on radio.  After graduation, he continued to pursue this line of work.

In 1956, Bob Barker became the host of television’s Truth or Consequences.  He hosted the program through 1975.  In 1972, Bob Barker was picked to host the revival of The Price Is Right.  He served in this capacity until June 2007.

Some of Bob Barker’s other appearances include: This Is Your Life; Dream Girl of ’67 (5 episodes); Miss Universe 1967 – 1980; I’ve Got a Secret;  The New Truth or Consequences (198 episodes); Tattletales (21 episodes); Match Game (40 episodes); Dinah! (14 episodes); Match Game PM (8 episodes); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (2 episodes); The Price is Right Special (6 episodes); The Price is Right Salutes (6 episodes); The Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular (16 episodes); The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (6 episodes); The Bold and the Beautiful (2 episodes); The Price is Right (6,719 episodes); Inside Edition (3 episodes); Entertainment Tonight (9 episodes); Bonanza; Happy Gilmore; How I Met Your Mother; Family Guy (3 3 episodes); WWE Raw and SpongeBob Squarepants.

Bob Barker won 19 Daytime Emmy Awards…

  • 14 times for Outstanding Game Show Host, as host of The Price Is Right
  • 04 times for Outstanding Game Show, as executive producer of The Price Is Right
  • Lifetime Achievement Award (1999)

Bob Barker is also a member of the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the Television Hall of Fame (class of 2004) and the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame (class of 2008).

Bob Barker was the perfect host.  He not only was comfortable on camera but was able to put contestants at ease.  You always got the feeling that what you saw, was the real Bob Barker.

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

RIP: Terry Funk

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Terry Funk died today.  Mr. Funk was 79 years old.

Terry and his older brother, Dory Jr., were the sons of Dorothy and Dory Funk.  Their father, Dory Funk Sr. was a high school state and college champion amateur wrestler.  After a stint in the Navy, Dory Sr. became a professional wrestler and later a wrestling promoter.  So both Funk boys grew up in a professional wrestling family and both would become professional wrestlers.

Terry Funk began his professional wrestling career in 1965, competing in his father’s Western States Sports Promotion.  His older brother, Dory was already an established wrestler.  They made a formidable team.  Terry would go on to wrestle and win championships for all the major promoters as well as on the independent circuit.  Later in his career when many wrestlers contemplate retirement, Terry Funk excelled as a hardcore champion, participating in extremely violent matches.

Terry Funk won multiple championships in promotions across the country.  Mr. Funk is in the following Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame:

  • Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1995)
  • Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (2004)
  • Hardcore Hall of Fame (2005)
  • NWA Hall of Fame (2009)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (2009)
  • St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame (2010)
  • George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2010)
  • International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2021)

Terry Funk also branched out into acting.  His first role was a major one in Sylvester Stallone’s Paradise Alley.  Mr. Funk would go on to act in television and feature films.

Some of Terry Funk’s television appearances include: Wildside (6 episodes); Timestalkers, Swamp Thing; Quantum Leap; Tequila and Bonetti (11 episodes); The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Thunder in Paradise.

Some of Terry Funk’s feature film appearances include: Paradise Alley; Over the Top; Road House; Rambo III (stunts) and Rocky V (stunts).

I was familiar with Terry Funk’s wrestling as a kid growing up in Indiana.  Then when we moved to Florida, Terry Funk was a popular bad guy for years.  My favorite Terry Funk role, by far, is when he played Frankie the Thumper in Paradise Alley.  Mr. Funk and Sylvester Stallone got along well as evidenced by Terry Funk’s appearances in Over the Top, stunt work for Rambo III and Rocky V.

The fact that Terry Funk was able to wrestle for decades is evidence that he was a legitimate tough guy.  It’s impressive that everywhere Mr. Funk wrestled, he excelled.  Look at the number of Wrestling Hall of Fames feature him.  He was one of a kind.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Terry Funk’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Robbie Robertson

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Robbie Robertson, born Jaime Royal Robertson, died yesterday from prostate cancer.  Mr. Robertson was 80.

Robbie Robertson began playing in singing groups that he formed right out of high school.  His most famous group, The Band, served as opening act for Bob Dylan before going on to become one of the most influential groups of the era.  The Band made the cover of Time magazine in 1970 due to their impact.  Eric Clapton loved their music so much that he offered to join their group.  His offer was politely refused.  While in The Band, some of the songs Robbie Robertson wrote included  “The Weight”, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, and “Up on Cripple Creek”. 

Robbie Robertson would go on to have a solo career.  He also branched out into film as an actor, soundtrack composer and producer.  Mr. Robertson shared many collaborations with Martin Scorsese including The Last Waltz (1978), Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), Casino (1995), The Departed (2006), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), The Irishman (2019), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).

Robbie Robertson is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame along with other members of his group, The Band.

In 1980, Robbie Robertson co-wrote and co-starred in Carny with Jodie Foster, Gary Busey, Meg Foster, Kenneth McMillan, Elisha Cook Jr., Tim Thomerson, Bill McKinney, Bert Remsen and Craig Wasson.  I saw Carny back in 1980 and really enjoyed it.  I felt it was very underrated.  Had he wanted to, Robbie Robertson could have had a career as an actor.

Robbie Robertson, along with his son Sebastian, and friends Jim Guerinot and Jared Levine co-authored Legends, Icons and Rebels: Music That Changed the World.  Mr. Robertson wrote Hiawatha and the Peacemaker with illustrations by David Shannon.  Mr. Robertson also wrote his autobiography Testimony.

Our thoughts and prayers go our to Robbie Robertson’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Arthur Schmidt

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Arthur Schmidt, the two-time Academy Award winner for Best Film Editing, died on August 5, 2023.  Mr. Schmidt was 86.

Arthur Schmidt followed in his father, Arthur P. Schmidt’s footsteps and became a film editor.  His father edited films such as Sunset Boulevard; Ace in the Hole and Some Like It Hot.

Arthur Schmidt’s filmography includes films such as: The Last Remake of Beau Geste; Jaws 2; The Jericho Mile (TV movie); Coal Miner’s Daughter; The Idolmaker; Back to the Future; Ruthless People; Who Framed Roger Rabbit; Back to the Future II; Back to the Future III; The Rocketeer; The Last of the Mohicans; Adams Family Values; Forrest Gump; Tales from the Crypt (TV); The Birdcage; Contact; What Lies Beneath and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Arthur Schmidt’s two Oscars for Best Film Editing were for his work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump.

What an amazing resume Arthur Schmidt cultivated.  If I had to pick just one favorite from his credits it would be Last of the Mohicans.  The truth is I loved so many of his films.  Two of his lessor known films that are really good are The Idolmaker and The Jericho Mile.  I also think that Contact and What Lies Beneath are both underrated.  It’s hard to go wrong with anything that Arthur Schmidt edited.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Arthur Schmidt’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: William Friedkin

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William Friedkin died today from complications of heart failure and pneumonia.  Mr. Friedkin was 87.

After his high school graduation, William Friedkin got a job in the mail room at WGN-TV.  Within two years, he began working on live shows and documentaries.  William Friedkin would go on to have a career primarily as a director of television productions and feature films.  He occasional took on the role of producer and/or writer of some of his projects.  In 1972, William Friedkin won an Academy Award for Best Director for his work on The French Connection.  He was nominated again for an Academy Award for Best Director in 1974 for The Exorcist.  

Some of William Friedkin’s television projects include: The People vs Paul Crump; The Bold Men; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Pro Football: Mayhem on a Sunday Afternoon; The Thin Blue Line; The Twilight Zone; C.A.T. Squad; Tales from the Crypt; 12 Angry Men and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2 episodes).

Some of William Friedkin’s feature films include: The Night They Raided Minsky’s; The Boys in the Band; The French Connection; The Exorcist; Sorcerer; The Brink’s Job; Cruising; The Deal of the Century; To Live and Die in LA; Jade; Rules of Engagement; The Hunted; Killer Joe and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

My favorite William Friedkin movie is The Exorcist.  If that was the only film he ever directed, William Friedkin would still be famous for it.  

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

RIP: Mark Margolis

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Mark Margolis, the actor best known for his portrayal of Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died yesterday after a short illness.  Mr. Margolis was 83.

After high school Mark Margolis moved to New York where he was a student at the Actors Studio.  He worked in both television and feature films throughout his career.  In 2012, Mr. Margolis was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award as the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama series for his portrayal of Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad.

Some of Mark Margolis’ television appearances include: Kojak;  Muggable Mary, Street Cop; Rage of Angels; Crime Story; The Equalizer (16 episodes); Quantum Leap; Columbo Cries Wolf; Star Trek: The Next Generation; Jake and the Fatman; Tales from the Darkside; Santa Barbara (13 episodes); Guiding Light; Prince Street (6 episodes); Law & Order (3 episodes); Oz (10 episodes); Ed (2 episodes); Sex and the City; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Crossing Jordan; Waterfront (4 episodes); Kings (2 episodes); Blue Bloods; Breaking Bad (8 episodes); The Good Wife; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Person of Interest (3 episodes); Fairly Legal (2 episodes); American Horror Story (3 episodes); Elementary; Gotham (2 episodes); The Affair (3 episodes); The Blacklist; Snowpiercer; Prodigal Son; Better Call Saul (22 episodes) and Your Honor (5 episodes).

Some of Mark Margolis’ feature film appearances include: The Opening of Misty Beethoven; Short Eyes; Short Eyes; Going in Style; Dressed to Kill; Arthur; Eddie Macon’s Run; Scarface; The Cotton Club; The Secret of My Success; Glory; Ace Ventura: Pet Detective; Absolute Power; The Thomas Crown Affair; End of Days; Requiem for a Dream; Hannibal; Daredevil; Gone, Baby, Gone; The Wrestler; Stand Up Guys and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. 

My favorite role of Mark Margolis’ is probably most everyone’s, when he played Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I also loved him in Scarface and Oz.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mark Margolis’ family, friends and fans.

RIP: Paul Reubens

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Paul Reubens, the actor best known for his character Pee-Wee Herman, died yesterday from cancer.  Mr. Reubens was 70.

Paul Reubens began his career as a stage actor and comedian.  He developed his Pee-Wee Herman character for a stage show.  The Pee-Wee Herman Show proved so popular that HBO picked it up for a special.  The special was an instant hit.  Reubens was approached to bring the character to the big screen.  Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure was directed by Tim Burton.  The movie was so successful it spawned a Saturday morning program geared to kids (Pee-Wee’s Playhouse) and a movie sequel (Big Top Pee-Wee).  When the series ended, Paul Reubens stepped away from the character and took time off from acting.

When Paul Reubens returned to performing he alternated between television, movies and voice work.  Later in his career he would return to his Pee-Wee Herman character for a few videos and guest appearances.

Some of Paul Reuben’s television appearances include: Working Stiffs (2 episodes); The Flintstone Comedy Show (2 episodes); The Pee-Wee Herman Show (movie); Dream On; Mork & Mindy; Madame’s Place; All Star Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Saturday Spectacular; 227; Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie; Sesame Street (3 episodes); Christmas at Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (45 episodes); Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Murphy Brown (6 episodes); Everybody Loves Raymond; Alley McBeal; Rugrats (2 episodes); Reno 911; 30 Rock; Dirt (3 episodes); WWE Raw (2 episodes); The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway; Batman: The Brave and Bold (4 episodes); Tron: Uprising (17 episodes); The Blacklist (5 episodes); Gotham (3 episodes); What We Do In The Shadows; DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (5 episodes) and The Connors.

Some of Paul Reuben’s movie appearances include: The Brotherhood; The Blues Brothers; Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie; Meatball’s Part II; Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure;  Big Top Pee-Wee; Moonwalker; Batman Returns; The Nightmare Before Christmas; Matilda; Doctor Dolittle; Mystery Men; Blow; Pee-Wee Gets an iPad and Pee-Wee Goes to Sturgis.   

I’m old enough to remember when Pee-Wee Herman went viral.  Pee-Wee was everywhere.  I was also impressed with Paul Reuben’s commitment to the character.  He wouldn’t do interviews or appear anywhere except as Pee-Wee.  It was always fun seeing Mr. Reuben’s non-Pee-Wee appearances later in his career.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Paul Reuben’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Tony Bennett

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Tony Bennett, who was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, died today at the age of 96.  Mr. Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s since 2016.

Tony Bennett was an accomplished artist and singer.  At one point Mr. Bennett thought he might become a commercial artist.  For a while Tony Bennett attended New York’s School of Industrial Art where he studied painting and music.  At 16, he dropped out to help support his family.  Mr. Bennett had been singing at local restaurants since the age of 13, so he set his sights on a career in music.

In 1944, Mr. Bennett was drafted into the US Army.  After the war, he was working as a singing waiter, when Pearl Bailey made him her opening act.  Bob Hope heard Mr. Bennett at one of Pearl Bailey’s shows and offered to take him on the road as Hope’s opening act.  This is when Tony Bennett simplified his name.

Tony Bennett’s first #1 hit was Because of You.  It stayed at the top spot for ten weeks.  Mr. Bennett would go on to have a long a distinguished career.  Just last year Tony Bennett was nominated for 3 Grammy Awards (Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video)!  Over the course of his career Tony Bennett has been honored with…

  • 20 Grammy Awards (including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • induction in the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame
  • Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
  • Induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
  • Kennedy Center Honoree
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Award
  • National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award
  • Induction into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame
  • American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award presented by John Lewis
  • Induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame
  • Guinness World Records for…
    – “oldest person to reach No.1 on the US Album Chart with a newly recorded album”, at the age of 88 years 69 days, for Cheek to Cheek
    – “the longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist” for re-recording “Fascinating Rhythm” 68 years and 342 days after the original recording.
    – being the oldest person to release an album of new material at the age of 95 years and 60 days.
    – being the second-oldest person to win a Grammy Award, when he shared the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy with Lady Gaga for Love for Sale, aged 95 years, 8 months, and 1 day.

What a long and distinguished career Tony Bennett had.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tony Bennett’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Alan Arkin

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Alan Arkin, the multi-award-winning actor, director and writer died yesterday of natural causes.  Mr. Arkin was 89.

Alan Arkin performed as an actor/director on Broadway, an actor/director/writer for television and an actor/director of feature films.  In 1963, Mr. Arkin won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in Enter Laughing. In 1967, Alan Arkin won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.  He was nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Actor; and twice for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, winning in 2007 for his role in Little Miss Sunshine.

Some of Alan Arkin’s television appearances include: East Side/West Side; Sesame Street (5 episodes); Captain Kangaroo; Carol Burnett & Company; St. Elsewhere (3 episodes); Harry (7 episodes); Chicago Hope; 100 Centre Street (12 episodes) and Will & Grace;

Some of Alan Arkin’s feature films include: The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming; Wait Until Dark; Inspector Clouseau; The Heart is a Lonely Hunter; Catch-22; Last of the Red Hot Lovers; Freebie and the Bean; The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; Fire Sale; The In-Laws; Edward Scissorhands; The Rocketeer; Glengarry Glen Ross; So I Married an Axe Murderer; Grosse Pointe Blank; Little Miss Sunshine; Stand Up Guys and Grudge Match.

My first memory of Alan Arkin was his performance as Roat in Wait Until Dark.  He was sinister, scary and deserved an award for his performance.  Another favorite is Mr. Arkin’s co-starring role with Peter Falk in The In-Laws.  I also loved his performance as Louis ‘Lightning’ Conlon the aged fighter/trainer in Grudge Match.  I could list more films (Glengarry Glen Ross, The Rocketeer, etc.), but it’s easier to just say that any production that Alan Arkin appeared in was better for having him on board.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Alan Arkin’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Julian Sands

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Yesterday the remains found earlier this week were positively identified as Julian Sands.  Mr. Sands had been missing since January after hiking near Mount Baldy about 50 miles northeast of Los Angels.  Julian Sands was 65 years old.  No cause of death has been determined.

Mr. Sands worked in television, feature films as well as live theater.

Some of Julian Sand’s television appearances include: Play for Today; Chicago Hope; Jackie Chan Adventures (26 episodes); Stargate SG; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; 24 (11 episodes); Smallvile (2 episodes); Dexter and Gotham (2 episodes).

Some of Julian Sand’s feature films include: Oxford Blues; The Killing Fields; A Room with a View; Warlock; Arachnophobia; Boxing Helena; Warlock: The Armageddon; Leaving Los Vegas; The Million Dollar Motel; Ocean’s 13 and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 

My favorite Julian Sands role was as Vladimir Bierko during Season 5 of 24.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Julian Sand’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Nicolas Coster

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Nicolas Coster died yesterday at the age of 89.  Mr. Coster was an Emmy-winning (2017 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series, The Bay) actor who appeared on television and feature films throughout his career.

Some of Nicolas Coster’s television appearances include: The Secret Storm; The Green Hornet; The Blue Knight; Charlie’s Angels; Little House on the Prairie; Baretta; The Amazing Spider-Man; The Rockford Files; One Day at a Time; Wonder Woman; The Incredible Hulk; Mrs. Columbo; Buck Rogers; Dallas (3 episodes); The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (15 episodes); Hart to Hart; Police Squad!; Quincy; Simon & Simon (3 episodes); Magnum PI; Nine to Five (3 episodes); Hardcastle & McCormick; TJ Hooker; Knight Rider; One Life to Live (5 episodes); LA Law; The Facts of Life (5 episodes); All My Children; Thirtysomething; Murder She Wrote; Who’s the Boss; Hunter; Star Trek: The Next Generation; MacGyver; Jake and the Fatman; Beverly Hills 90210; Santa Barbara (599 episodes); Law & Order (2 episodes); As the World Turns (11 episodes); Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; 3rd Rock from the Sun; The Bay (63 episodes) and American Crime Story.

Some of Nicolas Coster’s feature films include: Titanic (1953); All the President’s Men; The Big Fix; Golden Girl; Just You and Me, Kid; The Concorde… Airport ’79;  The Electric Horseman; Stir Crazy; The Pursuit of DB Cooper and Reds.

What an amazing career Nicolas Coster had.  He was an actor that I recognized and enjoyed in so many different different productions over the years.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nicolas Coster’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Frederick Forrest

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Frederick Forrest died yesterday at the age of 86 after a long illness.  Mr. Forrest appeared acted in both television and feature films.  In 1972, Frederick Forrest was nominated for a Golden Globe Actor Award for New Star of the Year.  Mr. Forrest was also nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award and Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in The Rose.

Some of Frederick Forrest’s television appearances include: Dark Shadows; Ruby & Oswald; Mrs. Columbo; Quo Vadis? (6 episodes); The Deliberate Stranger (2 episodes); 21 Jump Street (5 episodes); Lonesome Dove (4 episodes); I Know My First Name is Steven (2 episodes); Die Kinder (6 episodes); The Young Riders (2 episodes) and Murphy Brown.

Some of Frederick Forrest’s feature films include: When Legends Die; The Conversation; The Missouri Breaks; It Lives Again; Apocalypse Now; The Rose; Hammett; Tucker: The Man and His Dream; The Two Jakes; Falling Down and All the King’s Men.

My favorite Frederick Forrest role was as Chef Hicks in Apocalypse Now.  He always appeared to me as an actor who wasn’t interested in being a star, but who cared for his craft.  What a wonderful career he had.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frederick Forrest’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: John Romita

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John Romita Sr. died on June 12, 2023.  Mr. Romita was 93.

John Romita began his career in 1949 providing art for Timely Comics.  From 1958 through 1965, Mr. Romita created art for DC Comics.  In 1965, John Romita moved to Marvel Comics where he worked on the Daredevil comic series.  When an artist was needed to replace Steve Ditko on Spider-Man, John Romita was chosen. In 1973, John Romita was named Marvel’s Art Director.  In this role, he influenced the look of all Marvel Comics.  He designed covers as well as the look of new characters such as the Punisher, Wolverine and Luke Cage.

John Romita was inducted into he Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame in 2020.

I was and remain a big fan of John Romita’s amazing art.  By all accounts Mr. Romita was just as nice a human being as he was an outstanding artist.  We’ve lost a legend.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to John Romita’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Treat Williams

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Treat Williams died yesterday, the result of a motorcycle accident.  Mr. Williams was 71.

Treat Williams was an actor who performed on stage, television and in feature films.  Mr. Williams appeared in several off-Broadway and Broadway productions including Grease; Stephen Sondheim’s Follies (which won him a Drama League Award); The Pirates of Penzance and David Mamet’s Oleanna.

Treat Williams began his feature film career in 1975’s Deadly Hero.  Four years later Mr. Williams’ earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Hair.  Then two years later, Treat Williams was nominated for his second Golden Globe award for his starring role in Prince of the City.  In 1984, he earned his third Golden Globe nomination for the television production of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Some of Treat Williams’ television appearances include: Dempsey; A Streetcar Named Desire; J. Edgar Hoover; Drug Wars: The Camarena Story; Eddie Dodd (6 episodes); Tales from the Crypt; Batman: The Animated Series (2 episodes); Good Advice (19 episodes); Journey to the Center of the Earth; UC Undercover; Everwood (89 episodes); Brothers & Sisters (4 episodes); Heartland (9 episodes); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; The Simpsons; Eve of Destruction (2 episodes); Hawaii 5-0 (2 episodes); CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; American Odyssey (10 episodes); Confirmation; Chicago Fire (16 episodes); The Christmas House; The Christmas House 2; We Own This City (2 episodes); Chesapeake Shores (53 episodes) and Blue Bloods (6 episodes).

Some of Treat Williams’ feature film appearances include: Deadly Hero; Marathon Man; The Eagle Has Landed; Hair; 1941; The Empire Strikes Back; Prince of the City; The Pursuit of DB Cooper; Once Upon a Time in America; Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead; Mulholland Falls; The Phantom; Deep Rising; The Substitute 2; The Deep End of the Ocean; The Substitute 3 and Deadfall.

My favorite Treat Williams performance is in Prince of the City.  I recently watched him again in Mulholland Falls.  It is always a, uh treat, to see Treat Williams’ name in the credits.  I thought it was pretty daring when he played Stanley Kowalski in a television movie of A Streetcar Named Desire.  Not only was he following Marlon Brando, but to do it on television seemed risky at the time.  What a great actor and what a great career!

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