Actor William Hurt, Oscar winner for the 1985 film "Kiss of the Spider Woman", has died at age 71. Prostate cancer was apparently the cause of death. Hurt came to the fore as a popular leading man in the 1980s with roles in films such as "Altered States", "Broadcast News", "The Accidental Tourist", "Body Heat", "The Big Chill", "Children of a Lesser God" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman" in which he played an imprisoned transvestite. Hurt's trademark was his low-key charm. Some critics griped that he lacked charisma, but his choice of early film roles resulted in his being nominated for Best Actor Oscars in three consecutive years. Equally at home in stage and TV productions, in more recent years Hurt had appeared in a number of superhero blockbusters including "Avengers: Endgame", "The Incredible Hulk", "Captain America: Civil War", "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Black Widow". For more, click here.
Alan Ladd Jr., one of the few remaining Hollywood studio moguls who could be regarded as a legend, has died at age 84. Ladd's career was characterized by the countless blockbusters he brought to the screen during his long career. Most notably, he backed George Lucas for the original "Star Wars" when the board of 20th Century Fox wanted to walk away from the project. Other classics he oversaw were "Chariots of Fire", "Braveheart", "Blade Runner", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Young Frankenstein" during his tenure at various studios. When James Bond producer Cubby Broccoli had a falling out with the management of MGM/UA in the late 1980s, he refused to make another 007 film until the studio brass was replaced. When Ladd assumed the top position in the mid-1990s, Broccoli trusted him and together, they revived the series with "GoldenEye". For more about Ladd's remarkable career, click here.