Actor John Saxon, who specialized in playing celluloid tough guys, has died from pneumonia at age 83. Saxon grew up on the (then) mean streets of his native Brooklyn and became a model at age 17. He segued into feature films and television, winning acclaim for his performances. Saxon had the ability to use his charisma and good looks to portray both heroes and villains on screen, and did both convincingly. Major stardom never materialized for him but he had a long career as a popular supporting actor. Among his more notable films: "The Reluctant Debutante", "War Hunt", "The Electric Horseman", "The Unforgiven", "Joe Kidd", the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" and two sequels, "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Black Christmas", "Wrong is Right", "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation" and "Battle Beyond the Stars". One of his most popular films was "Enter the Dragon", the final movie of Bruce Lee. Saxon also starred in numerous action film in Italian cinema. For his performance opposite Marlon Brando in the 1966 Western "The Appaloosa", he received a Golden Globe nomination. That year, he won a Golden Globe as "Most Promising Newcomer" even though he had been making films for almost a decade. He also had recurring roles in two popular TV series, "Dynasty" and "Falcon Crest". For more, click here.
Actress and two-time Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland has died in Paris from natural causes at age 104. Ms. de Havilland was one of the last remaining symbols of Hollywood's Golden Age and the last living star of the 1939 classic "Gone With the Wind". Ms. De Havilland was a role model for women's rights in show business, having courageously stood up to studio bosses, beginning with Warner Brothers in the 1940s and extending to her recent legal action against the FX cable network for what she felt was an inaccurate and unfavorable portrayal of her in their TV movie "Feud: Bette and Joan", which depicted the antagonistic relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. She won her first Best Actress Oscar for the 1946 film "To Each His Own". She also won for the 1949 production of "The Heiress". She was also nominated the prior year for "The Snake Pit". De Havilland and her sister, fellow Oscar winner Joan Fontaine, had engaged in a lifelong feud that became the stuff of Hollywood legend. They were rarely on speaking terms, although De Havilland did say they had mended their relationship shortly before Fontaine's death in 2013 at age 96. De Havilland starred with some of the most legendary leading men in Hollywood history, including Errol Flynn and Clark Gable.
Perhaps her most beloved character was that of Melanie, the tender, forgiving wife of Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), the man who Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) openly craves despite being married to Rhett Butler (Clark Gable). The self-centered Scarlett resents and envies Melanie, even when the latter passes away because she enjoys the respect of family and friends in a way Scarlett never will. Some De Havilland's other memorable films include "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte", "My Cousin Rachel", "They Died with Their Boots On" and "Lady in a Cage". De Havilland resided for many years in Paris, rarely granting interviews and almost never courting the press. Her dignified private life only added to her stature as a Hollywood legend. For more, click here.