The HTF Film and Necrology Report for 2007 Part III (1 Viewer)

[Dave Hahn]

Home Theater Forum
2007 International Film and Television Necrology
Part III

Other notable celebrities from film and television



Charles Hyatt, 75, Jamaican comedian, actor and broadcaster; film roles include: Whitby Bevil Sr. in Cool Runnings (1993) and Doctor in Almost Heaven (2005). January 1

Sergio Jiménez, 69, Mexican actor and director; El Gato in Los Caifanes (1967). His last work was directing the telenovela La fea más bella (2006). January 2

Steve Krantz, 83, American writer, film and TV producer; comedy writer for Milton Berle and Steve Allen. Produced Fritz the Cat, original TV version of Spider-Man. January 4

Helen Hill, 36, American independent film-maker, Mouseholes (1999) and Madame Winger Makes a Film (2001). In addition to her body of work in film, Hill took on other roles from time to time, curating The Ladies' Film Bee program at the 2000 Splice This! Super 8 Film Festival (Toronto) and compiling/editing a reference book of hand-crafted film techniques; Recipes for Disaster: a Handcrafted Film Cookbooklet. January 4

Ben Gannon, 54, Australian theatre, film and television producer, Gallipoli (1981), The Heartbreak Kid (1993). January 4

Soad Nasr, 57, Egyptian actress. January 6

Charmion King, 81, Canadian television actress, Aunt Josephine in Anne of Green Gables (1985), Rose Kennedy in Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot (2001). January 6

Antonella Kerr, (Tony Lothian) Marchioness of Lothian, 84, British journalist and broadcaster. January 6

Bong Soo Han, 75, Korean Hapkido martial arts master and film fight choreographer, created and staged the martial arts fight sequences in Billy Jack (1971). Co-starred in The Trial of Billy Jack (1974). January 8

Cho Tat Wah, 91, a movie actor of Hong Kong, most famous for the roles he played in a number of wuxia films shot in the 1950s and 1960s. His well-known roles include Loong Kim-fei, Leung Fuen and Detective Inspector Wah. January 10

Solveig Dommartin, 45, French actress, trapeze artist in Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire. January 11

Harvey Cohen, 55, Emmy Award-winning composer and orchestrator; television credits include: Batman (1992), Aladdin (1994) and Casper (1996), film orchestrations include: All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999), King Kong (2005) and Mission Impossible III (2005). January 13

Darlene Conley, 72, American actress, Sally Spectra in The Bold and the Beautiful. January 14

Vassilis Fotopoulos, 72, Greek Academy Award-winning art director, Zorba the Greek. January 14

Barbara Kelly, 82, Canadian-born British actress, a best remembered for her television roles in the United Kingdom opposite her husband Bernard Braden in the 1950s and 1960s and for many appearances as a panelist on the British version of What's My Line. January 14

Percy Saltzman, 91, meteorologist and television personality best remembered for being the first weatherman in Canadian television history (1952). As a pioneer in weather forecasting, he was the first Canadian to present the weather in satellite and radar images,and to give road reports and forest fires. He also hosted numerous public affairs programs on CBC and, in 1969, along with Lloyd Robertson, he hosted ten days of coverage of the first moon landing for CBC Television. January 15

Alfredo Ripstein, 90, Mexican film producer, El Crimen del Padre Amaro (2001). He is credited with helping shape Mexico's film industry in the period surrounding World War II. Ripstein also helped start the careers of contemporary Mexican actors such as Gael Garcia Bernal and Salma Hayek. January 20

Yuni Hye-ryun, 26, South Korean actress and singer; appeared in South Korean television movies in the 1990’s.

Peer Raben, 66, German composer, mainly of film music associated with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Querelle (1982), 2046 (2004), Reinheit des Herzens, Die (1980). January 21

Liz Renay (Pearl Elizabeth Dobbins), 80, American actress and author, Muffy St. Jacques in John Water’s Desperate Living (1977). January 22

Victoria Hopper, 97, British stage and film actress, title role in Lorna Doone (1934), Elsie Radfern in Laburnum Grove (1936). January 22

Doug Blasdell, 44, American Bravo television network trainer on Work Out. January 22

John Majhor, 53, Canadian radio and TV broadcaster, His television work included one of the first Canadian music video programs, Toronto Rocks. He was host of the Prime (Canada) show Bon Voyage, Citytv's Lunch Television and CFMT's Video Singles. January 23

Krystyna Feldman, 91, Polish actress, best known for a male role of an elderly disabled painter Nikifor in Mój Nikifor, for which she won the award for best actress in 2004 at the Polish Film Festival. January 24

Emanuele Luzzati, 85, Italian Oscar-nominated production designer and animator, La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) (1965) and Pulcinella (1973). January 26

Herbert Reinecker, 92, German novelist, dramatist and screenwriter, Junge Adler (Young Eagles) (1944). January 27

Kamleshwar, 75, Indian writer and television executive, Additional Director of Doordarshan, India's national television channel. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2005. January 27

Marcheline Bertrand, 56, American actress and mother of Angelina Jolie and James Haven. January 27

Tige Andrews, 86, American actor, Captain Adam Greer on The Mod Squad. January 27

O. P. Nayyar, 81, Indian music director for Hindi films; his song, " ....yeh desh hai veer jawonon ka....." from Naya Daur (1957) is an all-time hit in India among people of all ages. January 28

Beatrice Hsu, (Hsu Wei Lun), 28, Taiwanese actress, GTV dramas; True Love 18, Meteor Garden, and Love Storm. January 28

Nikos Kourkoulos, 72, Greek actor, Stathis Kougias in Adistaktoi (1965), Giannos Zaharis in O Astrapogiannos (1970). January 30

Griffith Jones, 96, British actor, Jeff Martin in Kill Her Gently (1957). January 30

Lee Bergere, 82, American actor, Joseph Anders in the 1980s television series Dynasty, Abraham Lincoln in the 1969 episode, The Savage Curtain of the television series Star Trek (TOS). January 31

Gisèle Pascal, (Gisèle Marie Madeleine Tallone), 85, French actress: Louise de la Vallière in Si Versailles m'était conté (1954), Louise in Les Compères (1983), Gertrude in La Femme publique (1984). February 2

Vijay Arora, 62, Indian actor in Hindi films and television serials, most famous for his roles in Yaadon Ki Baaraat and as Indrajit in the television serial Ramayan. He was also a cinematographer for over 20 films. Won the gold medal when he graduated from Film and Television Institute of India in 1971. February 2

Michel Roux, 77, French stage actor best known for his voice-over work for many American and Italian actors, such as Jack Lemmon, Peter Sellers, Alec Guinness and Tony Curtis. February 2

Glenn Sarty, 77, a Canadian television producer who was involved in such shows as Take Thirty, the fifth estate and Adrienne At Large. February 6

Benedict Kiely, 87, Irish writer, journalist and broadcaster; he played himself in: Humours of Donnybrook (1979), Jungle of Pembroke Road (1974) and Wordweaver - The Legend of Benedict Kiely (2005). He was the Script Writer for Irish Angle - Hands: Fermanagh County (1981) and narrated Irish Angle - Hands: Curraghs (1985). February 9

Yunus Parvez, 75, Indian Bollywood character actor who played supporting roles in over 200 films from the late 1960s to the 2000s. February 11

Geraldine Warrick-Crisman, 76, African-American TV executive; began her broadcasting career in the standards department of NBC's affiliate in Chicago. She became one of the first African-American executives at NBC Television in New York City, holding various positions over two decades. She was the first black president of American Women in Radio and Television. February 12

Carol Trevino, 31, American producer, writer and director; films include: Times Like These (2005), Don't Tell (2005), The Marthas (2007), The Bleeder (2007) and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008). February 13

John O'Banion, 59, American singer and actor; hosted his own local television show by age 20. O’Banion was a frequent performer on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. Acting Roles: Morgue Attendant in Borderline (1980), Leo Kelleher in Courage (1986) (TV), Jesse in The Judas Project (1990). February 14

Ryan Larkin, 63, Canadian animator, Oscar nominee and subject of the Oscar-winning animated short Ryan. He made two acclaimed short animated films, Syrinx (1965) and Cityscape (1966) before going on to create the Oscar-nominated Walking (1969) and Street Musique (1972). February 14

Robert Adler, 93, Austrian-born American inventor, he worked with television technology. The invention Adler is best known for is the wireless remote control for televisions. His idea was to use sound to communicate with a television set instead of light. The first remote control he developed used aluminum rods, struck by hammers toggled by the buttons on the device, to produce high-frequency tones that would be interpreted to control functions by the television set. In the 1960s, Adler modified the remote control to use ultrasonic signals, a technology which went on to be used in television sets manufactured in the next 25 years. Adler and his colleague Eugene Polley were jointly awarded an Emmy Award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their work on the television remote control. February 15

Daniel McDonald, 46, American Television and Broadway actor; played parts in many TV shows such as CSI: Miami and Sex in the City, He was a life member of the Actors Studio. Daniel McDonald was nominated for Broadway's 1997 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for Steel Pier. February 15

Walker Edmiston, 81, American voice actor; Edmiston did many television commercials and cartoon character voices, such as Ernie the Keebler Elf for the cookie products of the Kellogg Company, and voices for characters on H.R. Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos from the studios of Sid and Marty Krofft, as well as a recurring role as Enik the Altrusian on that studio's Land of the Lost. February 15

Ralph Penza, 74, American senior correspondent and substitute anchor for WNBC. Prior to joining WNBC, Penza worked as an anchor and reporter at WDVM in Washington, D. C., an anchor at WCAU in Philadelphia, a producer, reporter and anchor at WCBS, and a producer at WABC. Among his many honors are six Emmy Awards and two New York Press Club Gold Typewriter awards. February 16

John Patrick Griffin, 91, American actor, father of comedian Kathy Griffin. February 17

Janet Blair, 85, American actress, Eileen Sherwood in My Sister Eileen (1942), Jane Howard in The Fabulous Dorseys (1947), starred opposite Red Skelton in The Fuller Brush Man (1946). February 19

Derek Waring, 79, British actor, Detective Inspector Goss in Z-Cars from 1969 to 1973, Roland Moody in Moody and Pegg, widower of Dame Dorothy Tutin. February 20

Keith Kyle, 81, British journalist, historian and broadcaster. February 21

Fons Rademakers, 86, Dutch Academy Award-winning film director, The Assault (1986). February 22

P. Bhaskaran, 83, Indian director and lyricist in the Malayalam language; His films Adyakiranangal (1964), Irruttinde Athmavu (1969) and Thurakkatha Vathil (1971) went on to win National Film Awards. February 25

Bobby Rosengarden, 82, American jazz drummer and bandleader on The Dick Cavett Show. February 27

Otto Brandenburg, 72, a Danish musician, singer, actor and film score composer. He is best known for his role as Tage Vilse in Skyggen af Emma (1988), Hansen in the Danish mini-series Riget (1994) and Riget II (1997) and as the voice of Hummerdrengen in the Danish animated short, Bennys badekar (1971). March 1

Colette Brosset, 85, a French actress, writer and choreographer. Her roles included herself in Ah! Les belles bacchantes (1954), Yvette / Lady Brisburn in Allez France! (1964), Paulette Perrignon in La Belle Américaine (1961) and Germaine in La Grande vadrouille (1966). Her writing credits include Allez France! (1964) and Le Petit baigneur (1968). March 1

Saul Swimmer, 70, an American documentary film director and producer best known for the movie The Concert for Bangladesh (1972), the George Harrison-led Madison Square Garden show that was one of the first all-star benefits in rock music. He was also a co-producer of The Beatles 1970 documentary Let It Be. March 3

Viky Vanita, 59, Greek actress. She was known for her participation in several Greek movies and television series: Eisai to tairi mou, Sto para pente, Retiré. She appeared in the 1968 movie Thiella sto spiti ton anemon and up to 1984 she co-starred in productions such as O trelopenintaris (along with Lambros Konstantaras), Paraggelia (by Pavlos Tassios) and Rebetiko by Costas Ferris. Her last appearance in a film was in the movie Edo einai Valkania (1984). She played both comedic and dramatic roles. March 8

Lanna Saunders, 65, an American actress, best known for her role as Marie Horton on the television soap opera Days of our Lives, on which she appeared from 1979 to 1985. March 10

Angela Webber, 52, Australian author, TV writer, producer and comedian. A comedic radio actor in the early 80’s as a member of the comedy group The 'J-Team' on ABC's youth radio network Triple J, Webber's most successful and best-known work came later in her life in the form of the children's TV series Mortified. This series was a comedy drama playing on the embarrassment that children often feel towards their parents, and in 2006 won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Children’s Television Drama. March 10

Vilma Ebsen, 96, an American musical theatre and film actress best known for dancing in Broadway shows and MGM musicals in the 1930s with her more famous brother, Buddy Ebsen. She starred in one film, playing Sally Burke in Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935) before returning to Broadway and retiring from show business. March 12

Nicole Stéphane, 83, a French actress, producer and director. As an actress, she is mostly known for her role in two films by Jean-Pierre Melville, playing The Niece in Le Silence de la mer (1949) and Elisabeth in Les Enfants terribles (1950), for which she was nominated for a BAFTA as Best Foreign Actress. Among her production credits was Swann in Love, a 1984 adaptation of Marcel Proust's novel Remembrance of Things Past that starred Jeremy Irons and Ornella Muti. March 13

Bill Panzer, 64, American television and film producer; best known for producing the film Highlander (1986), and all subsequent sequels for film, animation and television. Also produced The Death Collector (1976), Stunts (1977) and The Osterman Weekend (1983). March 17

John P. Ryan, 70, American character actor; best known for his role as Warden Ranken in the 1985 film Runaway Train. Other roles include: male nurse Spicer in Five Easy Pieces (1970), Frank Davis in It's Alive (1974) and its sequel, It Lives Again (1978), Colonel Hardcore in Shamus (1973), Dr. Schneider in Futureworld (1976), and Joe Flynn in The Cotten Club (1984). Appeared on numerous television shows, including: M*A*S*H*, The Rockford Files and Hawaii Five-O. March 20

Lily Wheelwright, 24, American actress; starred as Rosie in Orphans (2007). March 22

Attila Kaszas, 47, Hungarian stage and film actor; film roles include: The Prince (voice) in Werckmeister harmóniák (2000), Városi papa in Hukkle (2002) and Robi in Hét Pesten és Budán, Egy (2003). Member of the Vígszínház theater (Budapest, Hungary) (1984-1999). Member of the Nemzeti Színház theater (Budapest, Hungary) Since 2003. March 23

Jerry Girard, 74, American sports anchor for WPIX television in New York City. He first joined WPIX in 1967 as a news writer, and in 1974 became sports anchor. He had a dry sense of humor and a style that treated his viewers like they were intelligent sports fans. He often gave horse racing results at the end of his segments. He also distinguished himself among sportscasters by eschewing the usual practice of showing highlights of sports games, instead opting to show key plays that would lend themselves to his particular takes on the games in question. March 25

Lynn Merrick, 85, American actress; a B-Western heroine, she made the bulk of her films during 1940’s, starring in 22 feature films for Republic Pictures. Sixteen of those films were Don Barry westerns. Her first role in a Barry film was as Ruth Norton in Two Gun Sheriff (1941), and her last was Dixie Martin in Fugitive from Senora (1943). She later worked for Columbia Pictures, where she starred in films alongside Richard Dix, Chester Morris, and Warner Baxter. March 25

Joe Sentieri, 82, Italian singer and actor; Howlers of the Dock (1960), The Most Beautiful Wife (1970). Better known as a singer, his best known song is "Uno dei tanti" - I (Who Have Nothing) (1961). March 27

Calvin Lockhart, 72, Bahamian actor; first caught moviegoers' attention in Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) and Halls of Anger (1970). He was best known for the role of Biggie Smalls in Let's Do It Again (1975). His last film was Rain (2007), coming after a 15 year hiatus from film. March 29

Dave Martin, 72, British television writer for Doctor Who and Z-Cars. He contributed numerous scripts for the Doctor Who television series between 1971 and 1979 including: The Claws of Axos (1971), The Mutants (1972), The Three Doctors (1973), The Sontaran Experiment (1975), The Hand of Fear (1976), The Invisible Enemy (1977), Underworld (1978), The Armageddon Factor (1979). For all of these, Martin collaborated with Bob Baker. Together they were nicknamed "The Bristol Boys" by the Doctor Who production teams with whom they worked. Baker and Martin's most notable contributions to the Doctor Who mythos were probably the robot computer K-9(created for The Invisible Enemy) and the renegade Time Lord Omega (created for The Three Doctors, Doctor Who's tenth anniversary story). They also worked together on the 1975 children's science fantasy television serial Sky and Into the Labyrinth. March 30

Char Fontane, (Kerry Charae Fontane), 55, an American actress. she was the daughter of singer Tony Fontane and actress Kerry Fontane, was also sometimes known as Kaci Fontane. Her first role was portraying her father as a young boy in the 1963 production The Tony Fontane Story (1963). Char Fontane made guest appearances on several popular TV shows during the 1970s, including Love, American Style, Barnaby Jones, and The Love Boat. One of her most memorable performances was her sensitive portrayal of a young, naive prostitute in the 1978 ABC TV big budget mini-series Pearl. She had a small role in the 1989 action film The Punisher. April 1

Salem Ludwig, 91, an American character actor and acting instructor. His film roles include: Leo in Fast Food, Fast Women (2001), Walter in I'm Not Rappaport (1996), Nat in Family Business (1989), the Judge in Heartburn (1986) and Moishe Moscowitz in Never Love a Stranger (1958). April 1

Sally Merchant, 88, a Saskatchewan (Canada) television personality and political figure. She joined CFQC-TV (later CTV) in Saskatoon in 1955 and went on to host a television interview show known as Sally Time. April 1

Ladislav Rychman, 84, a Czech film director who filmed the first Czechoslovak musical comedy Starci na chmelu (1964). April 1

Thomas Hal Phillips, 84, an American actor, screenwriter and novelist; roles include Hal Phillip Walker in Nashville (1975), Hal Phillip Walker in O.C. and Stiggs (1985) and Boxcar guard in Matewan (1987). Writer and Executive Producer for The Brain Machine (1977). April 3

Burt Topper, 78, an American film director and screenwriter best known for cult films aimed at teenagers. Played Lt. Hallen in War Is Hell (1963). Writer and Director of: Hell Squad (1958), The Hard Ride (1971) and Tank Commandos (1959). Produced: Wild in the Streets (1968), Thunder Alley (1967), The Hard Ride (1971), Devil's Angels (1967), Fireball 500 (1966) and C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979). April 3

Ariel Hanrath-Clark, 22, actor and son of director Bob Clark, had small roles in three of his father’s films; Marble Kid in It Runs in the Family (1994), Freddy in I'll Remember April (1999) and Alien in Baby Geniuses (1999). April 4

John Flynn, 75, American director whose films include: The Outfit (1973), Rolling Thunder (1977) and Marilyn: The Untold Story (1980) (TV). April 4

Edward Mallory, 76, an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bill Horton on NBC's soap opera Days of our Lives, which he played from 1966 to 1980. April 4

John Winter, 39, American meteorologist for WFLA-TV. During most of his career in Tampa Bay, he was the morning meteorologist for WFLA-TV, occasionally substituting on the evening editions. Winter held the Seal of Approval from the American Meteorological Society. In addition to his meteorological career, he was also a member of a local charitable organization and Mardi Gras krewe, The Rough Riders, who help underprivileged and sick children by distributing teddy bears at homeless shelters and in hospitals. April 5

AJ Carothers, 75, a noted American playwright and television writer, best known for his work with Disney. His screenwriting credits include: The Secret of My Succe$s (1987), Hero at Large (1980), Never a Dull Moment (1968), The Happiest Millionaire (1967), Emil and the Detectives (1964) and Miracle of the White Stallions (1963) also known as The Flight of the White Stallions (UK). April 9

Harry Rasky, 78, a Canadian documentary film producer. He participated in CBC Television's first four years writing and producing CBC Newsmagazine (1952-1955). He also produced a documentary for the 1961 debut evening of CTV Television Network. He earned more than 200 awards, including a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary/Actuality for the film Homage to Chagall: The Colours of Love (1977). April 9

Kevin Crease, 70, a South Australian television presenter and newsreader. He was most noted for presenting South Australian edition of the Nine Network's National Nine News with Rob Kelvin between 1987 and 2007. April 10

James Lyons, 46, an American actor and film editor who frequently collbarated with Todd Haynes. He is probably best known for Editing The Virgin Suicides (1999). April 12

Julian Ludwig, 82, American television and film producer; worked extensively on the CBS series Biography as executive producer for 35 episodes, 1962-1963 and as assistant producer for 17 episodes, 1961-1962. He also served as associate producer for the NBC series Hollywood and the Stars for 25 episodes, 1963-1964.

In film, Ludwig was an associate producer on David L. Wolper’s The Devil’s Brigade (1968) and The Bridge at Remagen (1969), and for Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992). April 13

Don Selwyn, 71, a Maori actor and film director from New Zealand. He was a founding member of the New Zealand Maori Theatre Trust and made the 2001 film Merchant of Venice, the first Maori language feature film with English subtitles. In 1984 he began a film and television training course for Maori and Pacific Islanders. In 1992 he co-founded He Taonga Films. The Arts Foundation of New Zealand had selected him for an Icon Award, and it was awarded privately shortly before he died. April 13

June Callwood, 82, Canadian journalist and activist; hosted the series In Touch on CBC Television from 1975 to 1978. She also hosted two series, National Treasure and Caregiving with June Callwood, for Vision TV. In 1978, she was made a member of the Order of Canada. She was promoted to Officer in 1985, and promoted again to Companion in 2000. In 1988, she was awarded the Order of Ontario. April 14

Jim Thurman, 72, an Emmy-winning American writer, actor, photographer, director, cartoonist, and producer. He is best known for the writings of TV gags for the likes of Bob Hope, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby, and Dean Martin. He may be remembered best as the voice of Sesame Street's Teeny Little Super Guy, Thurman won an Emmy as a writer for The Electric Company in 1971. April 14

Camilla Stull, 12, voice actress, recorded the voice of the character, Baby Girl, on the episode, Boys Do Cry, on Family Guy. April 16

Nair Bello, 75, a Brazilian actress and comedian who appeared in numerous Brazilian Telenovelas. April 17

Dick Vosburgh, 77, American-born British comedy writer and lyricist; Often partnering with other writers including Garry Chambers and Barry Cryer he wrote television shows for Ronnie Corbett, David Frost, Bob Hope, Roy Hudd and Bobby Davro and material for the radio revival of the Marx Brothers show Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel. According to legend, he did much of his writing while continuously riding the Circle Line of the London Underground to avoid interruptions. In the late 1960's, he appeared in How To Irritate People and various early episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus. April 18

Worth McDougald, 82, American journalism educator, Director of the Peabody Awards -- 1963–1991. April 19

Jan Kociniak, 69, Polish actor; most of his professional career acted in The Atheneum Theatre in Warsaw. He was also a well-known for his performances in feature and TV films, as well as dubbing roles (such as Winnie the Pooh in the Polish language version). April 20

Erica Cassetti, 35, digital modeler and animator; her work at Walt Disney Feature Animation included: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), Tarzan (1999), and Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). She moved to Dreamworks’ and worked on the film Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003). April 21

Karl Holzamer, 100, German founder and director-general of TV channel ZDF. Wim Thoelke, a prominent former television host, said of the time of Holzamer at the ZDF: "Karl Holzamer was a man of vitalizing optimism, as well as highly intelligent and critical in a positive kind of manner. Without him, it would impossible for the ZDF to be successful." April 22

Conchita Montenegro, 94, a Spanish model, dancer, stage and screen actress; She came to Hollywood in June 1930 with a contract at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. She was sixteen years old and could not speak a word of English. Montenegro learned enough English in three months to play the leading feminine part in Never The Twain Shall Meet (1931) at the age of seventeen. Her next screen project was Strangers May Kiss (1931), playing a Spanish dancer. Her movie career endured until 1940. That year she performed the leading feminine part in Eternal Melodies (Melodie eterne). April 22

Anne Pitoniak, 85, American character actress; roles included Aunt Lily in Housekeeping (1987), Grandma in Unfaithful (2002) and as Dr. Livingston's Mother in Agnes of God (1985). Better known for her work in theater, she was nominated twice for Broadway's Tony Award: as Best Actress (Play) in 1983, for 'night, Mother, and as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) in 1994, for a revival of William Inge's Picnic. April 22

Yanis Chimaras, 51, Venezuelan actress best known for her work in Venezuelan soap operas. April 24

Lawson J. Deming, 94, a radio and TV character actor, best known as Sir Graves Ghastly, host of the Saturday afternoon horror movie show of the same name on WJBK, TV2 in Detroit. He broke into television via Cleveland NBC affiliate KYW-TV as the host of One O'Clock Playhouse in 1949, the show ran until 1956. In the early 1960's, Lawson became a regular on the Cleveland children's show Woodrow the Woodsman. April 24

Kirill Lavrov, 81, a well-known Russian film and theatre actor and director. In 1964 Lavrov shot to fame with his leading role as Sintsov in Zhivie I Mertvye. He received international acclaim for the leading role as Ivan Karamazov in an Oscar-nominated film The Brothers Karamazov (1969). Among Lavrov’s other achievements were his roles in such films as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in Tchaikovsky (1969) and Andrei Bashkirtsev in Taming of the Fire (Ukroshcheniye ognya) (1972).

Kirill Lavrov was awarded the State Prizes of the USSR (1974) for his work in the film Taming of the Fire. He was also awarded the State Prize of Russia for his works on stage and in film. He was designated People's Actor of the USSR in 1972. From 1992 to 2006 Lavrov was President of the International Confederation of Theatrical Unions. April 27

Luigi Filippo D'Amico, 82, an Italian director and writer. Among his movies were Bravissimo (1955) and Amore e ginnastica (1973). April 28

Tommy Newsom, 78, American musician; a saxophone player in the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, an orchestra he later became assistant director. Newsom was frequently the band's substitute director, whenever Doc Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for announcer Ed McMahon. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement" as a sarcastic take on his low-keyed, often dull persona, Newsom was often a foil for Carson's humor. April 28

Heather Robertson, 38, American actress, writer and producer, daughter of actors Cliff Robertson and Dina Merrill. Film credits include: Unstylish Girl in Josie and the Pussycats (2001) and Emily in The Final Experiment (2005). She wrote and produced the indie film, Casting Adrift in 2004. April 28

Arve Opsahl, 85, a Norwegian movie and stage actor, singer and stand-up comedian. Best known for playing Egon Olsen in the Norwegian film series Olsenbanden. He is also well known for his role as the old man Henry in the Norwegian sitcom Mot i Brøstet, airing from 1993-1997. April 29

Brad McGann, 43, New Zealand film director; He directed the drama It Never Rains in 1996 as well as co-directing the documentary Come As You Are (1996) for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and the award-winning short film Possum (1997). In 2004 and 2005 McGann won international acclaim for his first full-length feature film, In My Father's Den (2004). The film won the Fipresci Prize at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival and the Mercedes Benz Youth Jury Prize at the 52nd San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain in the same year, and the Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2005. It became one of the top 10 grossing New Zealand films. May 2

Gusti Wolf, 95, Austrian actress; She made her film debut in 1937, played mainly supporting roles in a number of UFA movies, and after the war continued her film career, playing alongside actors such as Hans Moser, Susi Nicoletti, Johannes Heesters, Marika Rökk, and Oskar Sima. Her television credits include series such as Der alte Richter (1969-70), the Austrian cult classic, Kottan ermittelt (1981-83), the comedy series, Wenn das die Nachbarn wüßten (1990-92), and guest roles in Derrick, Tatort, and Kommissar Rex. May 5

Curtis Harrington, 80, an American film and television director; he began his career as a film critic. He directed several avant-garde short films in the 1940s, including Fragment of Seeking (1946) and Picnic (1948). Harrington worked with Kenneth Anger, serving as a cinematographer on Anger's Puce Moment (1949) and acting in Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954).

Harrington had cameo roles in films such as Orson Welles's un-released film, The Other Side of the Wind (1972) and Bill Condon's Gods and Monsters (1998). He also directed Who Slew Auntie Roo? (1971), What's the Matter With Helen? (1972), and The Killer Bees (1974). In the 1970s and 1980s, Harrington directed episodes of Dynasty, Wonder Woman, The Twilight Zone, and Charlie's Angels for television. May 6

Maurice Marsac, 92, French born character actor; best remembered as the French waiter who served 'Lucy Ricardo' snails in Paris, in a classic episode of I Love Lucy and for playing the “snooty” French waiter in Steve Martin’s film, The Jerk (1979). He appeared in dozens of popular television shows including: I Love Lucy, The Beverly Hillbillies, Combat!, Hogan's Heroes, It Takes a Thief, My Three Sons, Bewitched, Mission: Impossible, The New Avengers and The Rockford Files. His films include: To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Red One (1980) and Dragnet (1987). May 6

Jimmy Khounchanh, 21, Asian-American actor; films include Gridiron Gang (2006) and Freedom Writers (2007). May 7

Nicholas Worth, 69, American character actor, lunatic killer in Don't Answer the Phone! (1980) May 7

Norman Frank, 82, American producer and political strategist. He was a producer and director of Star of the Family (1950). He was a producer for the documentary series Wide Wide World (1955) and a producer and director The Jonathan Winters Show (1956). May 11

Chen Xiaoxu, 41, a Chinese actress, famous for her role as Lin Daiyu in the 1987 CCTV TV series Dream of the Red Chamber, an adaptation of the Chinese Qing Dynasty literary classic of the same name written by Cao Xueqin. May 13

Yolanda King, 51, American actress, daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Her roles include Rosa Parks in the TV miniseries King (1978), Coffee Shop Manager in Hopscotch (1980), Woman #2 in Fluke (1995), Reena Evers in Ghosts of Mississippi (1996) and Odessa in Odessa (2000). May 15

Tatyana Lavrova, 69, Russian actress best known as Lyolya, the female lead in 9 dney odnogo goda (1962). For her role as Tatyana Yuryevna in Kino pro kino (2002) she won a Nika Award for Best Supporting Actress, and a Golden Aries from the Russian Guild of Film Critics, also for Best Supporting Actress. May 16

Carl Wright, 75, an American tap dancer, actor, and comedian whose late life acting credits included Reverend Williams in Soul Food (1997), Ben Rawley in Big Momma's House (2000) and Checkers Fred in Barbershop (2002). May 19

Bobby Ash, 82, British-born host of the Canadian Television show, The Uncle Bobby Show. May 20

Bruno Mattei, 75, an Italian film director and editor, known to have used many pseudonyms, gained a minor cult following for his exploitation films. The first film directed by Mattei was Armida il dramma di una sposa (1970) under the pseudonym Jordon B. Matthews. Two of his better known exploitation films are KZ9 - Lager di Sterminio (Womens Camp 119) (1977) and Casa privata per le SS (SS Girls) (1977). May 21

Art Stevens, 92, an animator for The Walt Disney Company. He started work at Disney in 1939. His first film where he was credited as an animator was Peter Pan in 1953. Stevens co-directed the 1977 film The Rescuers and co-produced and directed The Fox and the Hound in 1981. May 22

Kei Kumai, 76, a Japanese movie director best-known of his film Sandakan hachibanshokan bohkyo (Brothel No. 8 ) (1974), which received widespread acclaim for tackling the issue of a woman forced into prostitution in Borneo before the outbreak of World War II. Kumai's follow-up film was 1976's Kita no misaki (Cape of North), starring French actress Claude Jade as a Swiss nun who falls in love with a Japanese engineer on a trip from Marseilles to Yokohama.

Other works include Tempyo no iraka (Ocean to Cross) (1980), Sen no Rikyu (Death of a Tea Master) (1989) which won a Silver Lion at the 1989 Venice Film Festival, and the 2002 film Umi wa miteita (The Sea Is Watching), based on Akira Kurosawa's last script. May 23

Laurie Bartram, 49, actress best known as Brenda in the original Friday the 13th (1980), other roles include Jill on Emergency! (TV) (1973), Debbie in The House of Seven Corpses (1974) and Karen Campbell in the soap opera Another World (1978-1979). May 25

G. Srinivasan, 48, an Indian film producer who founded the independent production company Madras Talkies, with his brother, the director and screenwriter Mani Ratnam. He produced acclaimed films such as Iruvar (1997), Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), Aayitha Ezhuthu (2004), Yuva (2004) and Guru, released in 2007. May 27

Gretchen Wyler (Gretchen Patricia Wienecke), 75, American Broadway and television actress and animal rights activist. She appeared on many television programs, including: The Phil Silvers Show, Naked City, Somerset, Charlie's Angels, Dallas, St. Elsewhere, Remington Steele, Falcon Crest, Santa Barbara, MacGyver, Who's the Boss, Designing Women, Friends, and Judging Amy; her last TV appearance was on Chicken Soup for the Soul. She appeared in Rick McKay's 2004 award-winning feature documentary, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There, which ran on PBS. May 27

Tony Bastable, 62, an English television presenter who was best known for being one of original presenters of the Thames Television children's program, Magpie. During his career, Bastable produced and presented many one-off programs, including historical documentaries and current affairs programs, and presented and commented on many outside and sporting events. For nine years Bastable presented the consumer protection series Money-Go-Round, and also presented shows such as Drive-in and Mind Over Matter, a program he devised with Kit Pedler that investigated the paranormal. May 29

Norman Kaye, 80, an Australian actor and musician. He was best known for his roles in the films of director Paul Cox. He was commonly cast in minor character roles including: Gabi's Father in Illuminations (1976) and as a Passenger in Kostas (1979). Kaye shared the lead with Wendy Hughes as Peter Thompson in Cox's film Lonely Hearts (1982) and the lead, Charles Bremer, in Man of Flowers (1983), for which he won an AFI Award.

He appeared in minor roles in many subsequent Cox films including Gerald in Innocence (2000). Other roles included Swagman in Mad Dog Morgan (1976), Hobday in Turtle Beach (1992), Bishop Dancer in Oscar and Lucinda (1997) and Satine's Doctor in Moulin Rouge! (2001). He also wrote a number of film scores.

Kaye is the subject of Cox's biographical film The Remarkable Mr Kaye (2005), a tribute to their long standing friendship and working relationship. Of the 21 films that Cox has made, Norman Kaye appeared in 16 of them. May 29

Patrick Stockstill, 57, Historian of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He began work at the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library in 1982. Stockstill developed the first database of Academy Award nominees and winners. In 1989, he began overseeing the administration of several Academy Awards categories, including documentaries, short films, music and foreign language, in addition to his responsibilities as the Academy's historian. For many years he served as the backstage "keeper of the Oscars," doling out statuettes through the evening and keeping the official record of which winner received which serial-numbered award. May 24

Lee Nagrin, 78, a visual artist, performer, singer, choreographer, director and playwright. She produced, directed / or performed in some ten Off-Broadway productions between 1950 and 1963, and was first to produce the work of Ionesco in the U.S. In 1958, Nagrin appeared alongside Steve McQeen in the cult film The Blob, and was offered a four-year studio contract by Paramount. Nagrin declined the offer in order to pursue a creative life in New York City. June 7

Jeanne Glynn, 75, American actress and Emmy-nominated scriptwriter; Glynn appeared in the 1957 TV version of Oedipus, The King which starred Christopher Plummer. The show was part of the Omnibus TV series. She turned to writing and earned five Daytime Emmy Award nominations for her work on General Hospital, The Guiding Light, As The World Turns, One Life To Live and Port Charles. She won a WGA from the Writers Guild of America for her work on Search For Tomorrow in 1951. June 8

Frankie Abernathy, 25, American cast member of The Real World: San Diego. June 9

Ann Colone, 77, hosted The Ann Colone Show, a noontime homemaker show on WANE-TV in Fort Wayne, IN. She interviewed numerous and various celebrities of the time such as Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, and The Rolling Stones. June 12

Ed Friendly, 85, a multiple-Emmy-nominated television producer who was responsible for creating several successful television programs, including Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Little House on the Prairie, and Backstairs at the White House. June 17

Robert Wright, 88, American television scriptwriter; wrote for many popular shows including: Maverick, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie and Fantasy Island. June 17

Bernard Manning, 76, British comedian and actor; Manning made his television debut in the 1970s on Granada TV's stand-up comedy show The Comedians. He went on to appear on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club. Manning courted controversy because his act often contained material involving ethnic stereotypes and minority groups. The dawn of political correctness led to television companies reducing their bookings of Manning. Writer and broadcaster Barry Cryer said: "The thing about Bernard was that he looked funny, he sounded funny and he had excellent timing. It was just what he actually said that could be worrying." June 18

Tommy Eytle, 80, Guyanese-born British actor; he had many roles on television, radio, film and stage, but he was most famous for playing the role of Jules Tavernier in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1990-1997. June 19

Klausjürgen Wussow, 78, a German theatre and television actor. He was best known and won a Euregio Film Award in 2004 for his role as Professor Brinkmann in the TV series Die Schwarzwaldklinik (The Black Forest Clinic). June 19

Jeeva, 43, a popular film cinematographer and director in Kollywood, the Chennai based Tamil movie industry. The four completed films he directed, namely 12B (2001), Run (Hindi version - 2004), Ullam Ketkumae (2005) and Unnale Unnale (2007), were all blockbusters. June 25

William Hutt, 87, a Canadian stage and film actor; A renowned Canadian Shakespearean actor, he has appeared in film and television in such roles as Le Moyne in the 2003 film The Statement, Sir John A. Macdonald in the Canadian television production of The National Dream (1974), and as James Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night (which he also performed on stage). In his many years on the stage at Stratford, Hutt played all the great Shakespearean heroes—Hamlet, Lear, Falstaff, Prospero, Macbeth, and Titus Andronicus. June 27

Joerg Kalt, 40, was an Austrian film director and cinematographer best known for his film Crash Test Dummies (2005). He made his first film Eternity Starts Here in 1993 while studying at a film school in Prague and moved to Vienna the following year. His best known film apart from Crash Test Dummies was Richtung Zukunft durch die Nacht (Direction Future Through the Night) (2002). July 1

James Street, 13, was a young voice actor who voiced Huckleberry Pie in the 2003 Strawberry Shortcake cartoons. He also voiced Pepito in the Madeline cartoons. July 4

Henrique Viana, 71, was a Portuguese actor who worked in theatre, cinema and television. July 4

David Hilberman, 95, an animator and layout artist; he was singled out by Walt Disney as a Communist before the House Un-American Activities Committee. As a result he was blacklisted in Hollywood and didn’t return to the business until 1981. In a 1979 interview, he admitted that he had been a Communist for about three years prior to the USA's entry into World War II. Work includes: Bambi (1942), Ugly Duckling (1939) and Smurfs (TV ) (1981). He was the supervising director on Galaxy High School for 12 episodes (TV) (1986-1987). July 5

Kerwin Mathews, 81, was a film actor best known for playing Sinbad in The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad the 1958 Ray Harryhausen stop-motion animation feature. He also notably played Lemuel Gulliver in Harryhausen's 1960 The 3 Worlds of Gulliver. He retired from acting in 1978. Although he felt typecast, he "looked fondly" on his Hollywood career, with his favorite role Johann Strauss II in the Disney two-part telefilm The Waltz King. July 5

George Melly, (Alan George Heywood Melly), 80, was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for The Observer and lectured on art history, with an emphasis on surrealism. He was an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society and a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association. July 5

Itzik Kol, 75, was an Israeli television and movie producer. He entered the film industry in 1960 and several years later Margot Klausner made him the head of the Herzliya Film Studios to create a "Hollywood in the Middle East.” His film, The Policeman (1970), was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film; as was I Love You Rosa (1972). His other films include Peeping Toms (1972), Chasim (1972), The Ambassador (1984), and his final film, Banana Peel (1990). July 8

Jack B. Sowards, 78, was a screenwriter best known to genre fans for the story and screenplay of the second Star Trek feature film, 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Sowards had numerous writing credits which extended from episodes of The Bold Ones: The Lawyers in 1969 to an installment of B. L. Stryker in 1990. He was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for the September 26, 1971 episode of The Bold Ones: The Lawyers, The Invasion of Kevin Ireland. He also received a nomination for The Saturn Award for his work on The Wrath of Khan. July 8

Jerry Ito, 79, was a Japanese-American film and television actor, specializing in Japanese films throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Born as Gerald Tamekichi Itô, he was bilingual and spoke both Japanese and English fluently. Films included: Umi no yarodomo (1957), Kyofu (The Monster) (1962) and Uchu kara no messeji (Message from Space) (1978). July 9

Penny Thomson, 56, was a producer for Britain's Channel Four and former EIFF director. Her career in film progressed through one of the earliest films made for Channel Four, The Work They Say Is Mine, to a cameo appearance in Gregory's Girl (1981). In later years, she worked on script development and consultancy. She was a tireless worker for BAFTA Scotland, serving on its committee for many years. She supported the Edinburgh Film Focus from its inception and played a key role in advisory panels. July 9

Peter Tuddenham, 88, was a British actor who provided the voices of Zen, Orac and Slave, computers on the science fiction TV show Blake's 7. He also provided voices for the Doctor Who stories The Ark in Space, The Masque of Mandragora and Time and the Rani. Later he returned to tape the audio drama spin-offs Occam's Razor and Death's Head. Tuddenham also starred in the TV sitcom Backs to the Land and later made numerous other occasional or one-off appearances in shows such as Only Fools and Horses, One Foot in the Grave, The Onedin Line, Bergerac, Tales of the Unexpected and The Bill. July 9

Richard Franklin, 58, was an Australian-born film director. His Australian directing credits include The True Story of Eskimo Nell (1975), Fantasm (1976), Patrick (1978) and Roadgames (1981). Roadgames, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, was the most expensive Australian movie ever made at the time of its release in 1981. After moving to Hollywood he directed Psycho II (1983), Cloak & Dagger (1984), and Link (1986). He later returned to Australia where he filmed Hotel Sorrento (1995) and Brilliant Lies (1996). Franklin's most recent film, Visitors, was shot in 2003. He lectured at Swinburne School of Film and Television in Australia until his death. July 11

Nana Gualdi, 75, was a German singer and actress. Gualdi had a hit with the German version of the song, Everybody Loves a Lover, which was popularized in the United States by Doris Day. She appeared in several films including Schlagerrevue 1962. During the 1980s, Ms. Gualdi enjoyed success as a stage actress in Hamburg and Stuttgart, Germany. July 11

Rod Lauren, 67, was an actor and singer. As an actor, he worked mostly in television, appearing in single episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. amongst others during the 1960s. Lauren's most notable film is The Crawling Hand (1963) which achieved latter-day notoriety when it was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000. As a singer, Lauren is a one-hit wonder who hit #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the song If I Had a Girl in 1960 and performed twice on The Ed Sullivan Show that year. July 11

Bart Burns, 89, a character actor who worked on the stage and in film and television; Burns appeared on over 70 television shows. His roles included: Agent Dent on State Trooper (1957-1959), Captain Pat Chambers on Mike Hammer (1958-1959) and Enlisted Man Ryan on McHale's Navy (1963-1964). July 17

Mikhail Kononov, 67, Well known Russian actor; films included: Guest from the Future (1985), Siberiade (1979) and A Railway Station for Two (1982). July 16

Laura Devon, 76, was a film and television actress, she was a member of the ensemble cast of The Richard Boone Show for 11 episodes (1963-1964) and had small parts on Route 66, The Twilight Zone and Bonanza. She starred opposite James Caan in the Howard Hawks’ film Red Line 7000 (1965) and also starred opposite Craig Stevens in Blake Edwards’ film Gunn (1967). July 19

Ivor Emmanuel, 79, was a Welsh musical theatre and television actor. Emmanuel had a successful career as a popular concert and recording artist and television personality. During the late 1950s, he made his breakthrough into television. He took part in a Welsh language singing program called Dewch i Mewn and from 1958 to 1964 was lead singer on the TWW show, Gwlad y Gan (Land of Song), together with the Pontcanna Children's Choir. In May 1960, Emmanuel performed in the first televised edition of the Royal Variety Performance. Other performers at that performance included The Crazy Gang, Benny Hill, Americans Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole and Liberace.

In 1964 Emmanuel appeared as Private Owen in the epic film Zulu, Emmanuel's character rallies the soldiers on the barricade at Rorke's Drift by leading the men in the stirring Welsh battle hymn Men of Harlech. July 19

Pete Wilson, 62, a broadcaster who for more than 20 years prior to his death, worked in the San Francisco Bay Area. July 20

Joan O'Hara, 76, was an Irish stage, film and television actress. She was best-known for appearing in the popular Irish television soap Fair City, broadcast on RTÉ television. She joined the soap in 1994, and portrayed Eunice Phelan until her death. July 23

George Tabori, 93, was a Hungarian writer and theatre director. He cowrote the script for the Alfred Hitchcock film, I Confess (1953). July 23

Mark Gregg, 25, film actor, Barron in The Pacific and Eddy (2007). July 24

Lucky Grills, 79, was an Australian actor and comedian. Grills was best known for portraying the unconventional detective Bluey Hills in the television series Bluey in 1976. He was reintroduced to a younger generation in a recurring segment of the early-90s comedy series The Late Show called Bargearse, a humorous re-dub of Bluey. July 28

Phil Drabble, 93, was an English countryman, author and television presenter. He was best known as presenter of the long-running TV series One Man and His Dog, in which he commentated on sheepdog trials for 17 years from 1976 to 1993. At its peak the BBC program attracted more than 8 million viewers and even the Queen was a fan, asking Drabble for advice after her liberty budgies were attacked by hawks at Windsor. He was awarded the OBE in 1993. July 29

Marvin Zindler, 85, was an iconic and influential news reporter for television station KTRK-TV in Houston, Texas. His hard-hitting investigative journalism, through which he mostly represented the city's elderly and working class, made him one of the city's most influential and well-known media personalities. July 29

Eric Wishnie, 44, Emmy-winning television producer for NBC News. July 30

Stanley Myron Handelman, 77, was a stand-up comedian who, during a ten-year period between 1965 and 1975, appeared on numerous television variety shows. The Brooklyn-born Handelman was a late 1960s fixture on programs such as The Merv Griffin Show, Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers, The Barbara McNair Show, The Flip Wilson Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

His stooped, resigned appearance and self-deprecating humor ("I just got up from a sick bed. I don't know what's wrong with it—it just lies there") made him a highly-recognizable celebrity on the talk show circuit and resulted in about ten appearances on Johnny Carson. After the demise of the TV variety shows, he accepted a handful of acting roles and subsequently taught in Los Angeles the art of stand-up comedy. August 5

Florian Pittis, 63, was a Romanian stage and television actor, folk music singer, and radio producer. August 5

Hal Fishman, 75, was the longest-running news anchor in the history of American television, having served on-air for Los Angeles television stations continuously between 1960 and 2007. Fishman worked at Los Angeles independent stations KTTV and KHJ (now KCAL) during the early 1970s and anchored KTLA's 10pm newscast (currently known as KTLA Prime News) from January 8, 1975. Fishman won numerous awards, including the Associated Press Television-Radio Association's first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. He received a "star" on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame," and KTLA named it's news studio after Fishman. August 7

Henry Leff, 88, a radio, television, film actor and acting teacher. He was best known for his role as Woody Allen's father in Take the Money & Run (1969). He played both Karl Marx and Josef Stalin in KQED's groundbreaking series on the history of communism, The Red Myth. He also appeared in the television programs Love on A Rooftop, Lineup, Follow the Sun, Criminal Man, and The Three Musketeers, In 1948, he developed the Broadcasting Department at San Francisco City College, overseeing its expansion from radio to television. He was also a pioneer in the distribution of video lessons directly into the classroom He helped start the careers of hundreds of students, including former Miss America Leigh Ann Meriwether, and actress Barbara Eden. August 12

Eduardo Noriega, 90, was a Mexican film actor who has appeared in over 100 films, mainly Mexican. His best known English-language role was as Don Francisco in Zorro, The Gay Blade. He also appeared in several television productions, such as La Esposa Virgen and La Madastra. August 14

Max Hodge, 91, was a television writer who worked on shows including The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., CHiPS and Mission: Impossible, and is perhaps best known for creating Mr. Freeze for Batman. His writing career spanned the 1960s through the early 1980s, with Hodge writing for Dr. Kildare, The Wild Wild West, Marcus Welby, M.D., Ironside, The Waltons, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan in addition to the aforementioned ChiPS, Mission: Impossible, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. and Batman. Hodge is credited for creating Mr. Freeze for the Batman television show, having taken the existing Batman comic character Mr. Zero which was created by Bob Kane and modifying elements to him. Hodge took the character and introduced the trademark ice suit which he needed to survived, added the name Victor Fries, allowing for the new name Mr. Freeze. August 17

Sandra Feijoo, 32, television and film makeup artist; Feijoo got her start as an assistant makeup artist on the film The Art of War (2000); other films include: Extreme Ops (2002), The Aviator (2004), Slow Burn (2005) and the television drama, A Life Interrupted (2007). August 18

Jacek Chmielnik, 54, was a Polish theater and film actor. August 22

Steven Kozlowski, 30, film and television actor; roles included Carmine in Good Will Hunting (1997) and Brendan McDermott in The Good Man's Sin (1999). Appeared in several television shows: The Practice, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NYPD Blue and Line of Fire. August 23

Robert Symonds, 80, was an actor and stage director. He was the associate director of the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center from 1965 through 1972. His motion picture credits include Dr. Taney in The Exorcist (1973), The Ice Pirates (1984), Crimewave (1985), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), Still Frame (1988), Mandroid (1993), Primary Colors (1998) and Catch Me If You Can (2002). On television, he had a recurring role on Dynasty and guest-starred on many series, including The Rockford Files, M*A*S*H, Benson, Cheers, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, ER and Alias. August 23

Elizabeth Inglis, 94, English actress; made her debut in Borrowed Clothes (1934) and had small roles in some of director Alfred Hitchcock's early movies. Inglis co-starred with Bette Davis in The Letter (1940). She was the mother of Sigourney Weaver and had a cameo appearance in Aliens (1986) where she played Ripley’s (Weaver’s) deceased daughter. August 25

Emma Penella, 77, Spanish actress; films incuded El Verdugo (1963) and Aqui no hay quien viva (TV) (2003-2006). August 27

David Garcia, 63, was a broadcast journalist for ABC News. Garcia had the distinction of becoming one of the first Hispanic news correspondents for a major American television network in the early 1970s. While working for ABC News, Garcia covered the White House during the Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter administrations. He later served as chief of ABC's Latin America bureau. He later moved to Los Angeles, California where his career included stints at KNXT (now KCBS-TV), KNBC and KTTV. August 28

Nancy Littlefield, 77, was a director and producer of television and documentary programs, who was the director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting from 1978 until 1983. Her assignment was to expedite the process, with her office cutting the red tape that had deterred many producers. She was successful and, in 1979 alone, she estimated that film, television and commercials had brought $500,000,000 USD to NYC's coffers. Among the feature films shot entirely or partly in New York City during Ms. Littlefield’s tenure were: The World According to Garp (1978), Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), All That Jazz (1979), Fame (1980), Prince of the City (1981), Fort Apache, the Bronx (1981) and Annie (1982). August 30

José Luis de Villalonga, 87, was a Grandee of Spain and part of the nobility, holding the title of the Marquis de Castellbell. He worked as a journalist for the national press agency EFE and for the magazines Paris-Match, Marie Claire and Vogue. A highlight in his acting career was when he starred as José da Silva Pereira, the dashing Brazilian multimillionaire whom Holly Golightly planned to marry in Blake Edwards' 1961 classic movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) starring Audrey Hepburn. August 30

Robert Fidgeon, 65, was a television writer and critic for the Melbourne based newspaper, the Herald Sun. He wrote a regular column in the section, The Guide. September 2

Steve Ryan, 60, was a character actor. He was best known for his recurring role on the Fox sitcom, Arrested Development, as J. Walter Weatherman. Some of his other roles included Detective Nate Grossman on Crime Story and his role as Bobick on Daddio, which starred Michael Chiklis. September 3

Michael Evans, 87, was a English actor best known for starring in the original 1951 Broadway production of Gigi with Audrey Hepburn. Evans made the move to Hollywood when he took a role in Bye Bye Birdie. While in Hollywood, he took on many guest starring roles in shows such as: The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Perry Mason and his best known television role as Colonel Douglas Austin on The Young and the Restless. September 4

Gigi Sabani, 54, was an Italian TV impersonator, host and singer. Sabani made his television debut in the late 1970s as an impersonator: his most famous imitations included those of Adriano Celentano and Mike Bongiorno. From 1983 to 1986 he hosted the Italian version of the show The Price Is Right (OK, il Prezzo è Giusto!) with Italian singer Iva Zanicchi. September 4

Nikos Nikolaidis, 68, was a Greek director and a writer. He was also a scenarist and a producer of movies which he directed. From his cinematic works, he directed Ta Kourelia Tragoudane Akoma (1979), Glykia Symmoria (1983) and Proini Peripolos (1987). September 5

Ronald Magill, 87, was an English actor who is best remembered for playing Amos Brearly in the British soap opera Emmerdale Farm from 1972 to 1991, and appeared again in this role in 1994 and 1995. September 6

Loretta King Hadler, 90, Loretta King Hadler was an actress with a very brief acreer, best known for her relationship with famed B-movie director Ed Wood. She starred in Wood's Bride of the Monster (1955). September 10

Augie Hiebert, 90, was an Alaskan television pioneer. Hiebert is credited with building Alaska's first television station, KTVA in Anchorage in 1953. He is often called the "father of Alaskan television. In 1953 Hiebert and his company built Alaska's first television station, KTVA, in Anchorage. The station initially offered local news, as well as some television programs and feature films. KTVA only broadcast for a few hours a day in its early years. Much of its network programming had to be physically flown in as tapes from the mainland United States, since there were no satellite broadcasting or nearby antenna broadcasts available in Alaska in those days. In 1955, just two years after launching KTVA, Hiebert founded KTVF, Alaska's second television station, in Fairbanks. September 13

Maia Simon, 67, was a French film and television actress who worked primarily in French television. Film roles include La Goulve (1972), Pardon Mon Affaire, Too! (1977) and Bolero (1981). September 19

Karl Hardman, 80, was a horror film producer and actor. He produced George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968) and also co-starred as Harry Cooper, the detestable patriarch of a family battling zombies. He also appeared in Santa Claws (1996) as Bruce Brunswick. September 22

Hiroshi Osaka, 44, was a Japanese animator, character designer and illustrator. Ōsaka, joined the animation subcontracting studio Anime R in 1983 on a part time basis under the apprenticeship of the noted animator Moriyasu Taniguchi, working on numerous Sunrise productions. At his time at the studio, Ōsaka worked with numerous noted animators, including Kazuaki Mōri, Masahiro Kase, Tōru Yoshida, Hiroyuki Okiura and Kazuya Kinose, many of whom who went on to found Production I.G., and also supervised Takahiro Kimura. He left Anime R in 1991 to work as a freelance animator, going on to work on several Sunrise shows as well as other productions. Ōsaka, along with fellow animator Toshihiro Kawamoto and producer Masahiko Minami, co-founded the studio Bones in 1998. September 24

Velma Wayne Dawson, 94, was a puppet maker and puppeteer. She was best known for creating the Howdy Doody marionettes for the Hood Doody Show. Dawson created the first Hoody Doody marionettes for the famous children's show in 1948. She continued to build the marionettes until the show went off the air in 1960. Dawson was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Pacific Southwest Chapter for her 50 year long career in television. Additionally, she has been honored with a spot on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. September 26

Randy Van Horne, 83, was a singer and musician. Van Horne's musical group, The Randy Van Horne Singers, performed the theme songs for many classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons including The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and The Huckleberry Hound Show. September 26

Marjatta Raita, 63, was a Finnish actress, who was best-known for her role as Elisabeth Turhapuro in the Uuno Turhapuro movies directed by Spede Pasanen. September 27

Peter Kuiper, 78, was a Dutch born German actor of film, theatre and television. His film work included: Mordnacht in Manhattan (1965), Der Schnüffler (1983) and Otto - Der Film (1985). September 28

Ronnie Hazlehurst, 79, British jazz musician and composer; wrote the theme song for Are You Being Served?. October 1

Gary Franklin, 79, was a well-known German American broadcast film critic based in Los Angeles. Franklin's career as a film critic was most associated with KABC-TV where he was employed from 1986 to 1991. While at KABC-TV, he used a 1-to-10 ratings scale (10 being the best) calling it "The Franklin Scale" for his movie reviews. October 2

George Grizzard, 79, was a film and stage actor. Grizzard appeared in more than forty films and dozens of television programs. He appeared in Advise and Consent in 1962, as well as guest starring several times on the NBC television drama Law & Order as defense attorney Arthur Gold. Grizzard portrayed John Adams in the Emmy Award-winning WNET-produced PBS mini-series The Adams Chronicles. October 2

Rodney Diak, 83, was a British film, television, and theater actor. Diak appeared in Dunkirk (1958), Mr. Topaze (1961) and The Flesh and Blood Show (1972). He also starred in several BBC television series including Z-Cars, Barlow at Large, The Troubleshooters and People Like Us, and he had a cameo role in Carry On Admiral. October 6

Tom Murphy, 39, was an Irish theater and film actor. Murphy made his feature film breakthrough with 2004's Adam and Paul, co-staring (and written by) Mark O'Halloran, in which he played a Dublin drug addict and junkie. Variety Magazine, which reviewed the movie, wrote that Murphy's performance "steals the show." Murphy also appeared in a number of other Irish films including, Michael Collins (1996), The General (1998), Intermission (2003), and Man About Dog (2004). October 6

Sisi Chen, 68, was a Chinese film and theater actress. she was best known for her portrayal of Qiu Xiang in San Xiao (Three Charming Smiles), a 1964 comedy. October 7

Jirina Steimarova, 91, was a Czech film and television actress. Steimarová made her screen debut in the controversial 1933 Hedy Lamarr film Ecstasy. She appeared in nearly 40 films and TV shows during her career.

Carol Bruce, (Shirley Levy), 87, was a band singer, Broadway star, and film and television actress. Bruce is probably best-remembered for her recurring role as the domineering and meddlesome Mama Carlson (mother of the station manager played by Gordon Jump) on CBS' WKRP in Cincinnati.

Francis García, 49, was a Mexican transvestite who was a famous actor and designer. In her theater or T.V. shows, Francis imitated famous Latin female singers such as Colombian Shakira, Spaniard Rocío Durcal and Mexicans Gloria Trevi, Alejandra Guzman, and Lupita D'Alessio. Francis had roles in Noches de Cabaret (1978), Las Borrachas (1989) and El Garañón 2 (1990) among others. October 10

Rauni Mollberg, 78, was a Finnish film director who directed movies and TV movies. Mollberg did not begin directing films for the cinema until he was well into his forties. His first film was The Earth is a Sinful Song (Maa on syntinen laulu ) (1973); which went on to become one of the biggest box-office successes in the Finnish cinema's history. Other films include: Pretty Good for a Human (Aika hyvä ihmiseksi) (1977), Milka - elokuva tabuista (1980) and The Unknown Soldier (Tuntematon sotilas) (1985).

Mollbert was twice nominated for a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and won five Jussi Awards, the main national film award in Finland. October 11

Paulo Autran, 85, was a Brazilian film and theater actor. His accomplishments during his life earned him the nickname, Lord of the Stage. Throughout his long career, Autran appeared in more than 90 stage productions, six telenovelas and nine films. He had one of his most acclaimed film roles in Glauber Rocha's Earth Entranced (Terra em Transe), in 1967. Autran's final film was The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias), released in 2006. October 12

Marion Michael, 66, was a German film actress and singer. She was best known for her role in the 1956 film, Liane, Jungle Goddess. Michael returned to film and television acting later in her life, but only rarely. However, despite her lack of screen time after the 1960s she remained a well known German film icon. Her last onscreen appearance was in a 1996 German television musical about her life, entitled Liane. October 13

Raymond Pellegrin, 82, was a French actor. He made his screen debut in the 1945 French feature Naïs. Pellegrin was also famous in France for dubbing Jean Marais for the voice of Fantômas in the film trilogy Fantômas (1964). October 14

Frances Rich, 97, was an actress and sculptor. She was the adopted daughter of silent screen actress Irene Rich. She appeared in six films in the early 1930's: Unholy Love (1932), The Thirteenth Guest (1932), Officer Thirteen (1932), The Diamond Trail (1933), Zoo in Budapest (1933), and Pilgrimage (1933). October 14

Sigrid Valdis, (Patricia Annette Olson), 72, was an actress most famous for playing Hilda, Colonel Klink's secretary on the television sitcom Hogan's Heroes. She also appeared as one of the live-in girlfriends (also referred to as "Pleasure Units") of the title character in Our Man Flint (1966). On October 16, 1970, Sigrid married Bob Crane, the actor who starred as Colonel Robert Hogan in Hogan's Heroes. They were married on the set of the show.

Bobby Mauch, 86, was a child actor, who along with his twin brother, Bobby, appeared in several films in the 1930’s. They debuted in 1936's The Prince and the Pauper, starring Errol Flynn, and went on to star in a number of the Penrod series comedy shorts. October 15

Steve J. Spears, 56, was an Australian playwright and actor. His most famous work was The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin (1976), closely identifed with the career of the actor Gordon Chater. October 16

Alan Coren, 69, was an English humourist, writer and satirist who was well known as a regular panellist on the BBC radio quiz The News Quiz and from 1996 to 2005 he was also one of two team captains on television's Call My Bluff. Coren was also a journalist, and for nine years was the editor of Punch magazine. During his life he wrote nearly 20 books, many of which were collections of his newspaper columns. October 18

Helend Peep, 97, was an Estonian actor, well-known for his performance of Kerjuse laul in the musical Ainult unistus. Peep started his professional career in 1938 and created a long career in the Estonian language Vanemuine theatre of Tartu. He also had roles in several Estonian films; Ühe küla mehed (1961), Jääminek (1962), Tuulevaikus (1971), Väike reekviem suupillile (1972) and Metsluiged (1987). October 20

Don Fellows, 84, was an American born British television actor. He has had roles in Space: 1999, Z Cars, The Omen, Raffles, Lillie, The Sandbaggers, The Eye of the Needle, The Citadel, The Bill, Inspector Morse, The Naked Civil Servant and Velvet Goldmine. In film he played Col. Musgrove in Raiders of the Lost Ark and the General in Superman II.
October 21

Peter Moffatt, 84, was a British television director. His work includes Crane (1963), All Creatures Great and Small (1978) and The Gentle Touch (1980). He also directed the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who serials, State of Decay (1980), The Visitation (1982), Mawdryn Undead (1983), The Five Doctors (1983) The Twin Dilemma (1984) and The Two Doctors (1985). October 21

Jim Cummins, 62, was an Emmy Award-winning television reporter for the NBC News network. Cummins began his professional career at KGLO-TV in Mason City, Iowa in 1969. From there, his career took him to WOTV (Grand Rapids, Michigan), WTMJ (Milwaukee) and WMAQ (Chicago). He joined NBC News in 1978 working out of their Chicago bureau. Cummins won an Emmy Award for his coverage of the Midwest floods in 1993. October 26

Satyen Kappu, 76, was an Indian character actor in Bollywood films. His career spanned from the early 1960s to the early 2000s with over 270 films to his credit. He mostly played supporting roles of a father, relative, uncle, police officer, doctor and villainous roles. October 27

Moira Lister, 84, was an Anglo-South African film, stage and television actress, and writer. She began her acting career on stage in South Africa and then went on to act in the London theatre as a teenager. Lister began working in films in 1944, and appeared in such movies as The Limping Man (1953), The Cruel Sea (1953) and The Deep Blue Sea (1955). She had a regular role in the first series of the BBC radio comedy Hancock's Half Hour. She starred in the BBC television series The Very Merry Widow from 1967 to 1968. Lister was performing until three years before her death, touring with her highly successful one-woman show about Noël Coward. October 27

Guido Nicheli, 73, was an Italian actor; he began his acting career in 1975 with Renato Pozzetto and Ugo Tognazzi. However, he did not become a well known Italian actor until the 1980s with the telefilm I ragazzi della Terza C (1987). October 28

Jan Borkus, 87, was a Dutch radio personality and actor, who specialized in Hörspiel, a form of storytelling broadcast closely related to radio drama. Television work includes Robo in Astronautjes (1978) and Fred de Kei in De Bereboot (1976). October 29

Anthony Clare, 64, was an Irish psychiatrist well-known in the UK and Ireland as a presenter of programs about psychiatry on BBC TV and Radio. October 29

Senkichi Taniguchi, 95, was a Japanese screen writer and film director. He made his feature film directing debut in 1947 in The Snow Trail, which was written by his friend, acclaimed Japanese filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa. Taniguchi was the screenwriter for the 1949 film, The Quiet Duel, which Kurosawa directed. Taniguchi continued to direct movies throughout the 1950s. His best known films include: Man Against Man (1960), The Gambling Samurai (1960), Man In The Storm (1957) and The Lost World of Sinbad (1963). His 1965 film International Secret Police: Key of Keys has been famously re-dubbed and re-released as What's Up, Tiger Lily? by Woody Allen. October 29

Yisrael Poliakov, 66, was an Israeli comedian, musician and actor. He became one of the three members of the Israeli comedy group, HaGashash HaHiver. Poliakov appeared in a number of famous Israeli films, often with members of HaGashash HaHiver. His film credits include Givat Halfon Eina Ona (Halfon Hill Doesn't Answer) in 1975, Shlager (The Hit) in 1979, and Krav al Hava'ad (The House Committee) in 1986. He appeared in a number of Israeli television roles, and produced and acted in his daughter's television show, It's All Honey. October 30

Sonny Bupp, 79, was a child film actor of the thirties and forties. He appeared in Citizen Kane as Charles Foster Kane III, son of the title character and was the last surviving cast member of that film. He was the highest paid child extra in 1937 and appeared in over 60 films during his career, including two Our Gang comedies, 1935's Our Gang Follies of 1936 and 1938's Men in Fright. Bupp also appeared in the 1937 Three Stooges' short Cash and Carry, as well as such films as Kid Millions (1934), Annie Oakley (1935) with Barbara Stanwyck, Ronald Reagan's first film, Love is in the Air (1937), Lost Horizon (1937) with Ronald Colman, Angels With Dirty Faces (1938), The Renegade Trail (1939), Tennessee Johnson (1942) and The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941). November 1

S. Ali Raza, 85, was an Indian film screenwriter and director associated with writing the script for hit films such as Aan (1952), Andaz (1949), Mother India (1957), Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Raja Jani (1972) and Dus Numbri (1976). In 1968 he won the Filmfare award as the best dialogue writer for Saraswatichandra (1968). In 1975 he directed a film titled Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye. November 1

Henry Cele, 58, was a South African actor famous for his chilling portrayal of Shaka Zulu in SABC's Shaka Zulu miniseries (1986). He also played a minor role in The Ghost and the Darkness (1996). After Shaka Zulu he held various minor roles in action films like Point of Impact (1993), and The Last Samurai (2003). He also had many major roles in South African movies and television series. November 2

Charmaine Dragun, 29, was the regular co-anchor of Ten News Perth, Western Australia, 5pm News bulletin alongside Tim Webster, which is broadcast from the TEN-10 Sydney studios at Pyrmont. Dragun had also filled in on Ten's nationally broadcast Morning News, Weekend News and presented Ten Late News on Fridays. Originally a reporter for Ten News in Perth, she replaced Celina Edmonds in the role. November 2

Jean Pierre Reguerraz, 68, was a well-known Argentine stage and film actor noted for his deep bass voice. He performed at the Teatro Payro in Marathon, Rayuela, and Ivanov. He appeared in 35 films, including the critically-acclaimed El Armario in 2001. Other films include Garage Olimpo (1999) and El Amor y la ciudad (2006). His last film appearance was in Luisa, filmed in mid-2007. November 2

Aleksandr Dedyushko, 45, was a Russian television actor, best known for war dramas and the Russian version of Dancing with the Stars. He was married to actress Svetlana Chernyshkova. The couple had one son. He worked with the Vladimir City Theatre from 1989 until 1995. Starting in the early 2000s, Dedyushko became a popular Russian television presenter, actor and singer. November 3

Marilyn Martinez, 52, was an Hispanic American stand up comedian and actress. She was a regular performer at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. She appeared in numerous television comedy specials including 1st Amendment Stand Up; Hot Tamales Live; Spicy, Hot and Hilarious; and The Latin Divas of Comedy. Her acting credits included My Wife and Kids (TV) (2001) and the film Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003). November 3

Cyprian Ekwensi, 86, was a Nigerian television executive and author. Ekwensi was employed as Head of Features at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and by the Ministry of Information during the First Republic; he eventually became Director of the latter. He later served as chair of the Bureau for External Publicity of Biafra, prior to its reabsorption by Nigeria. In 1968, he received the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature. In 2006, he became a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. November 4

George W. George, 87, was a theater, Broadway and film producer. His credits included the 1981 film My Dinner With Andre and several hit Broadway productions. George made his film producing debut with the 1957 documentary, The James Dean Story, which was directed and produced by Robert Altman. Other films to his credit included Rich Kids in 1979, which was written by his wife, Judith Ross George, and 1973's Night Watch, which starred Elizabeth Taylor. George also worked as a television and film screenwriter in the 1950s and early 1960s. His television credits included The Nevadan and Smoke Signal. November 7

Lidia Ivanova, 71, was a Russian print and television journalist, television announcer and writer. November 7

Trish Williamson, 52, was a British TV presenter, producer and filmmaker, best known for her stint as a "weathergirl" on the ITV breakfast television program Good Morning Britain on TV-AM throughout the 1980s. After leaving the program she later worked as a producer, presenter and reporter on BBC regional television. November 9

Kojiro Kusanagi, 78, was a Japanese actor, he made his film debut in 1956 in Darkness at Noon, which was based on the true story of an innocent man arrested, tried and executed for a crime he didn't commit. Kusanagi appeared in over 40 films, mostly in supporting roles, in films such as Alone on the Pacific (1963), The Sun (1979), The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979), and Bee Bop High School (1988). November 11

Ferdinando Baldi, 80, was an Italian film director, film producer and screenwriter. He directed nearly 40 films during his career. He began his career directing films in the Sword and Sandal genre. He wrote the screen play and co-directed David and Goliath (1960) which starred Orson Welles. Welles also appeared in Baldi's The Tartars (1963). During this same time period Baldi was an associate producer on Mario Bava's The Whip and the Body (1963). Baldi is also associated with the “Spaghetti Western” genre, in which he wrote or directed: Goodbye Texas (1966), Rita of the West (1967), Hate Thy Neighbor (1968), Django, Prepare a Coffin (1968), Gunman of Ave Maria (1969), and Blindman (1971). November 12

Lester Ziffren, 101, was an American reporter and Hollywood screenwriter. Ziffren became a reporter for United Press. He was among the first to report on the Spanish Civil War in 1936. He then went to Hollywood where he got a job writing movie screenplays, he wrote nine scripts during his stint in Hollywood including five films in the Charlie Chan series for 20th Century Fox. November 12

Michael Blodgett, 68, was an actor, novelist, and screenwriter. Of his many film and television appearances he was probably best remembered for his performance as playboy Lance Rocke in Russ Meyer's 1970 cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. November 14

Ronnie Burns, 72, worked briefly as a television actor, but is most remembered as the son of comedians George Burns and Gracie Allen. Burns starred in the 1960-1961 NBC comedy series Happy in which he and Yvonne Lime played Chris and Sally Day, the parents of a talking baby. Burns' most memorable appearance was uncredited, as Wallace on the Young at Heart episode of The Honeymooners, which featured Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) trying to roller skate, with disastrous results. November 14

Pierre Granier-Deferre, 80, was a French screen writer and film director. His better known work include his writing on Le Train, (The Train) (1973) and La Cage, (The Cage) (1975). Granier-Defreer won the Cesar Award for Best Writing--Adapted for his 1982 film L' Étoile du Nord, (The North Star). He was nominated for a Best Director and Best Writer Cesar for the film Une étrange affaire, (A Strange Affair) (1981), which also won the Otto Dibelius Film Award at the 1982 Berlin International Film Festival. November 16

Grethe Kausland, 60, was a Norwegian singer and performer. She made her stage debut only four years old at a local revue scene. Winning a radio-transmitted amateur competition eight years old led to her first record – Teddyen min/Cowboyhelten (1955), selling over 100 000 and becoming a big radio hit. Her film career started with Smuglere i smoking (1957). As a twelve years old girl she had already issued ten records and played in five movies. Film roles include: Selv om de er små (1957), Far til fire og onkel Sofus (1957), Far til fire og ulveungene (1958), Ugler i mosen (1959), To på topp (1965), Tut og kjør (1975), Vi spillopper (1979)and Over stork og stein (Stork Staring Mad, 1994). Kausland’s work in television includes appearances in: D'ække bare, bare Bernt (1996), Karl & Co. (1997-2000), Jul i Blåfjell (1999), Jul på månetoppen (2002), Brødrene Dal og mysteriet med Karl XIIs gamasjer (2005) (mini TV Series) and Hos Martin (2005 episode). November 16

Andrea Stretton, 55, was an Australian arts journalist and television presenter. She was known as a major advocate for the arts in Australia. Andrea Stretton began her major network broadcasting career in 1985 when she took a job with SBS Radio. She remained at SBS television and radio for more than a decade. She also worked as a series editor and presenter for the SBS television programs The Book Show and Masterpiece. Stretton went on to present on Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Sunday Afternoon, a network arts program, from 1998 until 2001. She was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters in 2002 by the government of France for her contributions to the arts. November 16

Gail Sheridan, 92, was an American film actress whose career spannd the 1930s. She was perhaps best-known for her role in the 1930s westerns Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936) and Hills of Old Wyoming (1937); she starred opposite actor William Boyd in both pictures. Her other credits include Strike Me Pink (1936), directed by Norman Taurog, and The Plainsman (1936), directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Sheridan was reportedly dubbed Hollywood's Kindest Actress. November 17

Randy Tallman, 67, was a character and voice actor who worked mainly in television and in anime. November 20

Lola Almudevar, 29, was a British journalist and news reporter. She reported for BBC News. She was first hired by the BBC in 2002. She initially worked for BBC Midlands. Almudevar also worked on radio and television programs while working at BBC Midlands, including Midlands Today and Inside Out. She also created "docu-dramas" for the network before becoming an overseas reporter and correspondent for the BBC. November 25

John Drury, 80, was an anchorman from Chicago, IL. He appeared on both WGN-TV and WLS-TV. In 1955, Drury's broadcasting career began at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. He anchored and reported on the 10 p.m. news until leaving in 1962. He then joined WBBM-TV. He both anchored and reported news for them until 1967. During this time, he served as Fahey Flynn's first co-anchor. Following his stint at WBBM-TV, Drury joined WGN-TV, where he served as the 10 p.m. news anchor until 1970. He then switched over to WLS-TV for his first stint on the network. He anchored their news until 1979 before going back to WGN-TV to be their anchorman again. Drury stayed at WGN until 1984 during which he won numerous awards such as the Chicago Father of the Year and also a Chicago Emmy awards for Individual Excellence in 1983. In August 1984, he rejoined WLS and took over the anchorman job for their 10 p.m. newscasts. He won two more Chicago Emmy awards for Individual Excellence in 1987 and 1988. Drury retired in 2002 after 40 years in the business. He won one more Chicago Emmy in 2003 for his news report, 9/11/02 The New Homeland. November 25

Jeanne Bates, 89, was a radio, film and television actress. She signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1942 which began her career in films both in bit parts and larger roles. She had her film debut in 1943, in a Boston Blackie mystery, The Chance of a Lifetime (1943). She played Bela Lugosi's first victim in Return of the Vampire (1943), Diana Palmer in The Phantom (1943), and she had a minor role in Death of a Salesman (1952). Bates worked steadily in television beginning in the 1950s and is remembered for playing Nurse Wills on the weekly program Ben Casey (1961-66). Bates, who also taught acting, also appeared, as Mrs. X, in the cult-classic Eraserhead (1977). Her last roles were small parts in Die Hard 2 (1992) and Mulholland Drive (2001). November 28

Mali Finn, 69, sometimes credited as Mally Finn, was a casting director best known for her work in casting for The Terminator (1984), Titanic (1997), and The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). She helped launch Eddie Furlong's career. November 28

Ashley Titus, 36, better known as Mr Fat, was a South African rapper, musician and television presenter. Titus presented a magazine show simply named Hip Hop for the MK89 music channel. This focussed on the South African hip hop scene while also playing videos by international artists. November 28

James Barber, 84, was the British born Canadian cooking show host of the Urban Peasant. November 29

Jennifer Davidson, 38, was Vice President of the Cartoon Network She started as an operations and production assistant at the Cartoon Network in 1993 after the network was first launched. She was one of the original 15 people hired. She later served as director of on-air promotion operations and production during Cartoon Network's early years. Davidson helped create and launch Cartoon Network's popular Adult Swim block programming in September 2001. She was also executive producer of Boomerang, Cartoon Network's classic spinoff channel. She had received a number of industry and marketing awards; among her honors was a BDA Gold Award for total package design for her promotion of Boomerang in 2000. Most recently, Davidson was also chosen as a 2007-08 Betsy Magness Leadership Fellow. December 1

Anton Rodgers, 74, was an English actor best known for his appearances in television sitcoms, specifically his long-running roles in the television sitcoms Fresh Fields in the 1980s and May to December from 1989 to 1994. He appeared in films such as The Fourth Protocol (1987) and Scrooge (1970) (in which he performed the Academy Award-nominated Best Original Song Thank You Very Much while dancing on Scrooge's coffin). He also narrated the children's animated TV series Old Bear. December 1

Eleonora Rossi Drago, 82, was an Italian film actress. She had the leading role in Michelangelo Antonioni's Le amiche (1955). She worked with Pietro Germi in Un maledetto imbroglio (1959). In 1960, for her performance in Valerio Zurlini's Estate violenta she won the best actress prize of the Mar del Plata Film Festival and Silver Ribbon. December 2

Jillian Kesner-Graver, 58, was an American actress and historian who worked with her late husband, Gary Graver, to preserve the work and legacy of director Orson Welles. She was best known as an actress for playing Fonzie's girlfriend, Lorraine, on Happy Days. Kesner appeared in, and developed a large following among fans of B-level action films throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Her credits included The Student Body (1976), Starhops (1978), Raw Force (1982), and Jaded (1989). She also appeared on a number of television shows, including Three's Company, The Rockford Files and Mork & Mindy. December 5

Tony Tenser, 87, was an English-born film producer of Lithuanian-Jewish descent. He specialised in producing exploitation films and founded his own production company Tigon British Film Productions in 1966. Tenser is credited with originating the term sex kitten to describe Brigitte Bardot. His films include: Repulsion (1965), The Sorcerers (1967), The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971), and The Creeping Flesh (1973). December 5

Mike Donkin, 56, was a British reporter and journalist for BBC News. In 1975 he joined the BBC as a freelancer. Shortly after he joined The Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 he was praised for good work and quickly jumped up to television. He worked on both the 6 and 10 o'clock news as a World Affairs correspondent. During his time with the BBC Donkin made several short 5 to 6 minute films. He was most pleased with the film about a bed and breakfast farm. December 6

Ioan Fiscuteanu, 70, was a Romanian theater and film actor. The role of Dante Remus Lăzărescu in the 2005 film The Death of Mr. Lăzărescu brought Fiscuteanu critical acclaim, as well as the Golden Swan award for best actor at the Copenhagen International Film Festival. He also played supporting roles in notable Romanian films such as Nae Caranfil's Asphalt Tango (1993), Serban Marinescu's The Earth's Most Beloved Son (Cel mai iubit dintre pamânteni) (1993) and Lucian Pintilie's The Oak (Balanţa) (1992). December 8

Philippe Clay, 80, was a French mime artist, singer and actor. He interpretated La Complainte des Apaches for the TV series Les Brigades du Tigre. As an actor he played in many movies for cinema or television. One of his famous role is in the Jean Renoir film French Cancan (1955) where he played Casimir le Serpentin. December 13

John Berg, 58, was a television and film actor. He appeared in several television roles, including Law & Order, The Practice, Passions, The Bold and the Beautiful, House, Boston Legal, NCIS, Monk and others. He had only one film credit, however, playing a Romulan senator in Star Trek Nemesis (2002). December 15

St. Clair Bourne, 64, was a documentary filmmaker and producer. Something to Build On (1971), Nothing But Common Sense (1972), A Nation of Common Sense (1975), Making 'Do the Right Thing' (1989), John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk (1996), and the American Masters episode, Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999). December 15

Ace Vergel, 55, was a Filipino actor dubbed the The Original Bad Boy of Philippine Movies for his onscreen roles of a tough guy anti-hero. He made his first movie at the age of 7 where he played the friend of a giant bird in the 1959 film Anak ng Bulkan. In 1989, Vergel won best actor at Gawad Urian for his role in the film Anak ng Cabron (1988). December 15

Jack Linkletter, 70, was a game show and television host and entertainer. He was the son of Art Linkletter. He hosted seven television shows throughout his career, including Hootenanny, Here's Hollywood and America Alive. December 18

Frank Capra, Jr., 73, was an American movie studio executive and son of the film director Frank Capra. He was president of EUE Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was a producer of various TV movies and motion pictures mostly in the 1970s and 1980s. His films include: Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977), An Eye for an Eye (1981), Firestarter (1984) and Death Before Dishonor (1987). December 19

Gar Campbell, 64, an actor best known for his work in theater, he had a few small film roles, including the Director in Fright Night Part 2 (1988). Campbell was also a visiting assistant professor in the theater department of the University of California at Los Angeles. December 20

Jeanne Carmen, 77, was an American model, pin-up girl, and B movie actress. While in her 20s, she came to Hollywood and appeared in B movies such as Guns Don't Argue (1957) and The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959). She also appeared on The Dick Powell Show and Have Gun, Will Travel. December 20

Norton Nascimento, 45, was a Brazilian film and television actor best known for his role as Fausto on the Brazilian television series, Malhação (New Wave). December 21

Voitto Liukkonen, 67, was a Finnish sports commentator who worked for Finland's National Broadcasting Company, YLE. He was especially known for his minimalistic style of commentating. From 1973 to 2002 Liukkonen worked for the sports section of YLE TV2. He was one of the commentators for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. December 26

Nina Menshikova, 79, was a Russian actress. She was the mother of Andrey Rostotsky. She appeared in over 30 Russian films including: Ballada o soldate (1959), Devchata (1961) and Sto dney posle detstva (1974). December 26

Stu Nahan, 81, was an American sportscaster best known for his television broadcasting career in Los Angeles. Nahan was a sports anchor in the Los Angeles television market for roughly 30 years, with KABC (1968-77), KNBC (1977-86) and KTLA (1988-99). He is also remembered for his role as a boxing commentator in most of the Rocky films. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 25, 2007. December 26

Terry Armour, 46, was an entertainment columnist for the Chicago Tribune, co-host of Stan and Terry Show on WCKG, and a longtime regular correspondent for WGN-TV in Chicago. December 28

Tab Thacker, 45, was a former NCAA wrestler and actor. He began his film career after Clint Eastwood noticed him in Time Magazine and went on to appear in several films including City Heat (1984), Wildcats (1986), and is best known for his role as Officer Thomas 'House' Conklin in both Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988). December 28

Markku Peltola, 51, was a Finnish actor and musician. Peltola is best known for starring opposite Kati Outinen in Aki Kaurismäki's Academy Award nominated film from 2002 The Man Without a Past. Other films that Peltola has been in include Kauas pilvet karkaavat (1996), Young Gods (2003), Jade Warrior (2006), V2 – jäätynyt enkeli (2007) and the Finnish television series, Tie Eedeniin. During the 1980s, Peltola was the lead singer and guitarist of the Finnish band Motelli Skronkle. December 31

 

[Chris]

I hope this thread is not locked. I just wanted to add something.

I know I may be alone in viewing "Until the End of the World" as one of the greatest films I've ever seen. But, Solveig Dommartin's appearance within it is absolutely exceptional. Outside of being a french actress, and someone who appeared frequently in Wim Wender's films, she also was a listed writer on the film "Until the End of the World" as well as one of the key movers who helped arrange what may be the greatest soundtrack of any film I've ever heard in regards to original pop-recordings.

She was a seldom actress, but her performances in UTEOTW, Far Away, So Close, and Wings of Desire are still fantastic performances everytime I see them. I admit, I hadn't heard of her death until a few weeks ago, even though it happened in January.

Just wanted to note that and thank you for the thread and all your hard, detailed work.

 

[TonyD]

Dave.
one word came to my mind at the end of these pages.
melancholy.