Obituaries
Entries from November 2010
Irvin Kershner, who directed The Empire Strikes Back, has died at age 87. Many Star Wars fans consider this to be the high point of the series and bemoan the fact that Kershner never directed another film in the franchise. Kershner, who also dabbled in acting, made relatively few films for a man with a resume extending back to the 1950s. Among his movies: Up the Sandbox, The Eyes of Laura Mars, Robocop 2, Return of a Man Called Horse, A Fine Madness, The Luck of Ginger Coffee and The Flim-Flam Man. In 1983 he also directed the troubled James Bond remake of Thunderball titled Never Say Never Again which brought Sean Connery back to the role of 007 for one last time after a 12 year absence. For more and to view trailers for NSNA and Empire, as well as a link to a recent Vanity Fair interview with Kershner, click here
By Lee Pfeiffer
Actor Leslie Nielsen, who improbably morphed from B-level dramatic leading man to a comedy acting legend, has died from complications with pneumonia at age 84. A native Canadian, Nielson was the nephew of silent screen star Jean Hersholt, for whom the honorary Oscar award was named. In an interview with the Boston Globe, Nielsen said, "I did learn very early that when I would mention my uncle, people would look at me as if I were the biggest liar in the world. Then I would take them home and show them 8-by-10 glossies, and things changed quite drastically. So I began to think that maybe this acting business was not a bad idea, much as I was very shy about it and certainly without courage regarding it. My uncle died not too long after I was in a position to know him. I regret that I had not a chance to know him better." He dabbled with being a disc jockey before moving to New York to attend The Actor's Studio. He made his TV debut in a 1948 drama opposite Charlton Heston, who was also a star on the rise.
With his distinguished good looks and baritone voice, Nielsen found work regularly on TV and in feature films. He starred in the Disney mini series Swamp Fox. His most prestigious role as a leading man early in his career was as the star of the MGM sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet. He seemed destined to be a supporting player in B-level movies, though he did land parts in quality productions such as The Poseidon Adventure and Nuts. Nielsen had the good fortune to be cast as a key player in the 1980 disaster film spoof Airplane! The film was a blockbuster, and like fellow dramatic actors who were in the cast such as Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges, Nielsen soon found himself a popular favorite in comedies. His 1982 TV series Police Squad was far ahead of its time. Although canceled after only six episodes, it is regarded as a cult classic today. More importantly, it inspired the series of Naked Gun films that made Nielsen a bonafide leading man with box-office clout. In the ensuing years, Nielsen never equaled the success of those films, but worked consistently, generally in outrageous comedies. He wrote a fictional, comedic "autobiography", The Naked Truth. He was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame. For more click here
By Lee Pfeiffer
Actress Ingrid Pitt, whose dramatic life eclipsed any adventure she played on screen, has died at age 73. Ingrid was in frail health in recent years, but was so devoted to her fans that she collapsed and died on a London street while attempting to attend a dinner being held in her honor. Ingrid's life may seem like Hollywood fiction, but it was all too real. Born in Nazi occupied Poland, Ingrid and her parents were interred in a concentration camp. She was only five years old but managed to survive the war, despite the Nazi practice of generally exterminating young children. After the war, Ingrid rebelled against a new repression: the Communist government which took power in Eastern Europe. On the very night she was to make her stage debut, she seized a daring opportunity to flee the country to England. She almost drowned in the process, but managed to make London her new home. Over the decades, she successfully developed her acting career, appearing in such films as Where Eagles Dare, The Wicker Man and several Hammer horror film cult classics.
Always pleasant and chatty, Ingrid was a popular fixture on the autograph show circuit and developed a loyal fan base across the world. She also wrote an autobiography and helped author Bobb Cott with his just-released book, Ingrid Pitt: Queen of Horror- The Complete Career. On a personal note, Cinema Retro staffers mourn Ingrid's passing. Although we were not close friends, she was a major supporter of the magazine and had recently begun submitting articles for what would have become a regular column for our web site. As recently as two weeks ago, I received an E mail from her about future articles she wanted to contribute. Dave Worrall and I would often have chance meetings with her on the social circuit in London and her wonderful sense of humor and wit never failed to endear her to us all the more. We join movie fans worldwide in mourning her passing. For more click here
Dino De Laurentiis, whose remarkable career spanned from the glory days of post-war Italian cinema through relatively recent Hollywood blockbusters, has died at age 91. De Laurentiis' work was perhaps the most diverse of all producers, ranging from the early Fellini classics such as La Strada to film adaptations of the Hannibal Lecter thrillers. A bold visonary, De Laurentiis had many high profile hits and flops and he came close to losing his fortune through ill-advised business ventures that had nothing to do with the film industry. However, his losing streak never lasted long and he retained his status as one of the industry's most revered names. Among his films: Death Wish, King Kong (1976), Red Dragon, Nights of Cabiria, Manhunter, Ulysses, Barbarella, Mandingo, Blue Velvet and The Shootist. Click here for NY Times obituary
Actress Jill Clayburgh has died at age 66 after losing a 21 year battle with leukemia. Clayburgh was credited with being one of the important actresses to usher in a new era of quality roles for women in the 1970s. She received two Oscar nominations: for the 1978 film An Unmarried Woman and the 1979 comedy Starting Over. Clayburgh was married to Tony winning playwright David Rabe. Her connections to the theater extended back to her childhood - her mother was secretary to legendary Broadway showman David Merrick. Clayburgh's elite upbringing (her father was vice-president of two major corporations) did not spare her from a troubled youth. Her rebelious ways led her to psychiatric care at the tender age of 9. Once immersed in the acting profession, however, she thrived on screen, stage and TV. Among her major feature films: Semi-Tough, Silver Streak, Gable and Lombard and Bertolucci's Luna. She also appeared in many major TV series over the decades. Her final film Love and Other Drugs has not yet been released. For more click here
|
|