The RIP Thread

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Kirk Douglas, Hollywood legend, dies at 103


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Actor Kirk Douglas, a fixture of cinema for six decades, has died aged 103.

The stage and screen actor was well-known for a range of roles, including the 1960 classic Spartacus, in which he played the titular character.

Born in New York in 1916, he rose to prominence during Hollywood's "golden age", earning his first Oscar nomination for the 1949 boxing story Champion.

He was also the father of Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas.

Michael said in a statement: "It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today."

"To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies... but to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad," it read in part.
"Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad - I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son."

Kirk Douglas was prolific as a film actor, with more than 90 credits to his name - ranging over six decades from the 1940s to the 2000s.

He is perhaps best-known as Spartacus, a Stanley Kubrick film which won four Oscars and was so popular that its iconic "I am Spartacus" scene entered the pop culture lexicon.

Douglas was himself nominated for an Oscar three times - for Champion (1949), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and Lust for Life (1956). He eventually won the honorary award in 1996 in recognition of his 50 years in the industry.

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[amtronic]

Robert Conrad, 'The Wild Wild West' actor, dead at 84



Robert Conrad, best known for his roles in The Wild Wild West and Black Sheep Squadron, has died. He was 84. Conrad passed away Saturday morning in Malibu, California, from heart failure. "He lived a wonderfully long life and while the family is saddened by his passing, he will live forever in their hearts." A small private service is pending for March 1, which would have been Conrad’s 85th birthday.

The Chicago-native moved to Los Angeles in 1958 to pursue a career in show business. He quickly signed to Warner Brothers Pictures. Conrad's first credit came that same year in an uncredited role in Juvenile Jungle before landing a role in Thundering Jets as Lt. Robert 'Tiger Bob' Kiley.

Conrad went on to star in numerous television shows, films and recorded several albums before being cast as series regular Tom Lopaka on the hit ABC-TV series Hawaiian Eye. In the '60s he landed one of his biggest roles, starring at James T. West in the popular CBS television series The Wild Wild West. He later went on to star in two of his own television series The D.A. and Assignment: Vienna in the '70s. He was nominated for a Golden Globe award in 1978 for Best Actor in a TV Drama for Baa Baa Black Sheep.

Conrad was also a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Broadcasting and an inductee of the Stuntman's Hall of Fame. He was a longtime supporter of amateur boxing, the Wounded Warriors Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the United States Marine Corps, and the Jimmie Heuga Endowment, which provides support to those affected with multiple sclerosis.

Conrad is survived by his eight children and eighteen grandchildren from two different marriages.




~!

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Max von Sydow, Star of 'The Seventh Seal' and 'The Exorcist,' Dies at 90
5:40 AM PDT 3/9/2020 by Duane Byrge


Mark Mainz/Getty Images for AFI

The acclaimed Swedish actor, who played the Three-Eyed Raven on HBO's 'Game of Thrones,' earned two Oscar nominations and starred in 11 films directed by countryman Ingmar Bergman.

Max von Sydow, the legend of Swedish cinema who dueled with Death in a game of chess in Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal and portrayed the resolute Father Merrin in William Friedkin's The Exorcist, has died. He was 90.

Von Sydow, who starred in 11 films directed by Bergman, typically playing a tormented protagonist, died Sunday at his home in Provence, France.

"It's with a broken heart and with infinite sadness that we have the extreme pain of announcing the departure of Max Von Sydow on March 8, 2020," his wife, French documentary filmmaker and producer Catherine von Sydow, said Monday.

The imposing von Sydow received a best actor Oscar nomination — rare for a performance in a non-English-language film — for playing a Swedish father who emigrates to Denmark to build a better life for himself and his son in Pelle the Conqueror (1987). The somber drama, directed by Bille August, won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the foreign-language Oscar.

Two decades later, von Sydow worked closely with another young actor and was nominated again, this time for his silent, supporting turn in the Stephen Daldry 9/11 drama Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011).

He was the only male Swedish actor to be nominated for an Academy Award.

One of the most admired actors of his era, von Sydow made his first foray into U.S. movies in a big way, portraying Jesus in the George Stevens epic The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). His once said that working on that film was like "being in a prison."

"It was the hardest part I've ever had to play in my life," he said, and that wasn't because it was his first English-language role. "I couldn't smoke or drink in public. The most difficult part of playing Christ was that I had to keep up the image around the clock. As soon as the picture finished, I returned home to Sweden and tried to find my old self. It took six months to get back to normal."

Von Sydow reportedly passed on the opportunity to play the title role of the SPECTRE villain in Dr. No (1962), but he did play the bad guy Blofeld in another James Bond movie, Never Say Never Again (1983).

He also was menacing as the slick assassin in Sydney Pollack's Three Days of the Condor (1975) and as a "pre-crime" boss in Steven Spielberg's Minority Report (2002).

Von Sydow's estimable body of work also includes Hawaii (1966), the spy thrillers The Quiller Memorandum (1966) and The Kremlin Letter (1970), March or Die (1977), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Dune (1984), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Awakenings (1990), Until the End of the World (1991), Needful Things (1993), Snow Falling on Cedars (1999), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007), Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island (2010) and Robin Hood (2010).

Although generally associated with his venerable performances in "serious" films, von Sydow periodically ventured into sillier fare, where he enjoyed playing against audience expectations. That included turns as Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon (1980) and as a sinister beer maker in the lowbrow Bob and Doug McKenzie comedy Strange Brew (1983).

More recently, von Sydow played explorer Lor San Tekka in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and the Three-Eyed Raven on HBO's Game of Thrones — for which he received an Emmy nomination — and filmed Thomas Vinterberg's Kursk (2018).

He was born Carl Adolf von Sydow on April 10, 1929, in Lund, Sweden. His father was a professor of comparative folklore at the local university, and his mother was a teacher. He began acting in school plays.

After two years in the Swedish military, von Sydow enrolled at Stockholm's Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school; during his three years there, he helped form a theater group, which also included actress Ingrid Thulin. By the time he graduated in 1951, he had already performed in two films directed by Alf Sjoberg, Only a Mother (1949) and Miss Julie (1951).

Von Sydow's acting prowess won notice, and he was given a Royal Foundation of Sweden's Cultural Award in 1954, a grant to young actors of promise. The following year, the gaunt, 6-foot-4 actor joined the municipal theater in Malmo, where he met and first collaborated with Bergman.

Von Sydow won acclaim for playing the 14th century knight Antonius Block and engaging in an existential game of chess with the black-shrouded Death (Bengt Ekerot) in the bleak The Seventh Seal, then teamed with Bergman for another film released in 1957, Wild Strawberries.

As a member of Bergman's repertory company, the blue-eyed von Sydow also played a charismatic conjurer in The Magician (1958), a raped girl's revenge-seeking father in The Virgin Spring (1960), a clueless husband who loses his wife to schizophrenia in Through a Glass Darkly (1961) and an artist tormented by the fear he's lost his talent in The Hour of the Wolf (1968).

His other collaborations with Bergman included Winter Light (1963), Shame (1968) and The Passion of Anna (1969).

Working with the filmmaker, especially at the start of his career, was his "most important experience, no doubt," von Sydow told Backstage magazine in 2012.

"It was very special, I was very privileged, and I'm very grateful for all the wonderful opportunities he gave me," he said. "It was also a period of learning, experimenting and developing. He gave young people wonderful opportunities, and he was a great inspiration for everybody. Sometimes he was difficult, of course, and there were some people who had great difficulties working with him, but most of us were very spoiled by him."

In The Best Intentions (1992), von Sydow played Bergman's grandfather in the film that August directed and Bergman scripted.

Von Sydow often portrayed characters that were much older than he was. In The Exorcist (1973), he played the 80-year-old Father Merrin ("The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!") when he was 43.

"Somebody gave me the [William Peter Blatty] book to read and said, 'They want you to play a priest,'" he said in a 2013 interview with the Los Angeles Times. "I read the book and I thought, of course, it was for the young priest. So I said, 'That's a good part.' And they said, 'No, no no. They want you for the exorcist!' I still don't really know why."

Von Sydow underwent three hours in the makeup room each day to look the part. He then got an opportunity to play a younger Father Merrin four years later in John Boorman’s Exorcist II: The Heretic.

Another notable role for him was Karl Oskar, a Scandinavian farmer who comes to Minnesota, in the Jan Troell epics The Emigrants (1971) and The New Land (1972). Both also starred Liv Ullmann.

Von Sydow ventured into directing in 1988 with Katinka, a turn-of-the-century drama about a dreamy woman trapped in a loveless marriage. He employed legendary Bergman cinematographer Sven Nykvist, who had long captured von Sydow's most stirring performances, to shoot the film.

Von Sydow was married to actress Christina Olin from 1951-79 and then to Catherine Brelet, who served as his assistant on several films, since 1997. He also is survived by his four sons.

Mike Barnes contributed to this report.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Legendary country singer Kenny Rogers dies at 81
By Christina Maxouris and Alta Spells, CNN
Updated 1:28 PM EDT, Sat March 21, 2020




(CNN)Kenny Rogers, whose legendary music career spanned six decades, has died at the age of 81, his publicist Keith Hagan told CNN.

The artist's family announced his passing on Rogers' verified Twitter account, saying he died Friday night from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by family.

"Kenny Rogers left an indelible mark on the history of American music. His songs have endeared music lovers and touched the lives of millions around the world," a statement posted by Hagan says.

Rogers was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013, for what organization officials called a "distinctive, husky voice."

He had 24 No. 1 hits and through his career more than 50 million albums sold in the US alone.

He was a six-time Country Music Awards winner and three-time Grammy Award winner, Hagan said.

"Country Music has lost the great Kenny Rogers, who has forever left a mark on Country Music's history," the Country Music Association said in a statement. "His family and friends are in our thoughts during this difficult time."

Some of his hits included "Lady," "Lucille," "We've Got Tonight" and "Through the Years."

His 1978 song "The Gambler" inspired multiple TV movies, with Rogers as the main character.

In 1985, he participated in the original recording of "We Are the World" along with more than three dozen artists. A year later, according to his website, he co-chaired "Hands Across America," a campaign which sought to raise awareness about the homeless and hungry in the US.

In 2015, Rogers announced his retirement.

"I've been so lucky to have enjoyed such a long career and to have such amazing support from my fans and all who have helped me along the way, but there comes a time when I need to focus on spending time with my family," he had said, according to his official website.

"My life is about my wife and my 11-year-old twin boys right now. There are a lot of things I want to do together with them to create some special memories. I don't have a bucket list of my own ... I have a bucket list of things I want to do with them."

Rogers' family plans a small, private service out of concern for the coronavirus pandemic, "but look forward to celebrating the life of Kenny Rogers publicly with his friends and fans at a later date," his publicist's statement said.

Tributes to the country singer poured in from fans on social media.

Dolly Parton remembered her partner on the hit duet, "Islands in the Stream."

"You never know how much you love somebody until they're gone," she wrote on Twitter. "I've had so many wonderful years and wonderful times with my friend Kenny, but above all the music and the success I loved him as a wonderful man and a true friend."

In a video posted along with the message, a visibly emotional Parton held a picture of herself with Rogers saying, "I know you are as sad as I am. But God bless you Kenny, fly high in to the arms of God."

paid tribute Saturday on Twitter, writing: "Kenny Rogers and I have known each other and have been friends since the 60's. We will all miss that great voice."

Comedian Patton Oswalt -- who starred with Rogers in an episode of the TV show "Reno 911!" -- praised him and his music.

Oswalt tweeted: "The cast loved him, he told great stories, and was a joy to be around. And 'The Gambler' is a truly great song."

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[The Godfather]

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
And I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know,
Hey, I oughtta leave young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away

[Frothy Afterbirth]

There's been so many other celebs, artists, and people of note that have died within the past few months Corona related or not that it gets numbing. I can only handle so much posting.




Brian Dennehy, veteran actor of stage and screen, dead at 81

By Brian Lowry and Sandra Gonzalez, CNN
Updated 4:57 AM ET, Fri April 17, 2020



(Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/Getty Images)

(CNN)Brian Dennehy, a versatile character actor whose career spanned five decades, has died at the age of 81, his talent agency confirmed.
Dennehy, a two-time Tony Award winner who co-starred in a wide range of films, often in tough-guy roles, died of natural causes in Connecticut on Wednesday night, ICM Partners announced in a statement.
In a tweet, his daughter described him as "larger than life" and "generous to a fault."

Dennehy co-starred in a long list of popular movies, including "First Blood" (as the local sheriff who clashes with Sylvester Stallone's Rambo), the western "Silverado," and the science-fiction classic "Cocoon." He played Chris Farley's dad in the comedy "Tommy Boy," and portrayed basketball coach Bobby Knight in a made-for-TV movie.

A former college football player at Columbia University, Dennehy appeared in a number of TV shows before making his movie debut in the Burt Reynolds movie "Semi-Tough" as a football player. He quickly went on to roles in the movies "10," "F.I.S.T." He also had a regular part in the series "Dynasty."

"Just devastated to learn that the magnificent Brian Dennehy has died," actress Mia Farrow wrote on Twitter. "They is no one I enjoyed working with more. And there are few friends as valued in my life. I took this photo backstage when we were in 'Love Letters.' He loved my pup Bowie."

Just devastated to learn that the magnificent Brian Dennehy has died. They is no one i enjoyed working with more. And there are few friends as valued in my life. I took this photo backstage when we were in Love Letters. He loved my pup Bowie. pic.twitter.com/s55Cc37lFy
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) April 16, 2020

Dennehy won a Tony for his role in "Death of a Salesman," later playing the part in a TV production of the play. He received another for "Long Day's Journey Into Night."

Dennehy had continued to work recently in such series as "Hap and Leonard" and NBC's "The Blacklist."

Fellow actors mourned Dennehy on Thursday.

Michael McKean called Dennehy a "brilliant and versatile" and "a powerhouse actor."

Marlee Matlin said "his passing is a terrible loss."

Dennehy had a slightly more humble reflection on his body of work in an interview with the Daily Actor in 2018.

"I'm now 80 and I'm just another actor and that's fine with me. I've had a hell of a ride," he said. "I have a nice house. I haven't got a palace, a mansion, but a pretty nice, comfortable home. I've raised a bunch of kids and sent them all to school, and they're all doing well. All the people that are close to me are reasonably healthy and happy. Listen, that's as much as anybody can hope for in life."

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'Life of Pi' star Irrfan Khan dies at 53
Ben Arnold
Contributor
Yahoo Movies UK April 29, 2020


Irrfan Khan poses for a portrait to promote the film Puzzle at the Sundance Film Festival (Credit: Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP)

Irrfan Khan, star of Oscar-winning movies including Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi, has died at the age of 53.

He had been admitted to hospital in Mumbai with a kidney infection yesterday, but his condition is said to have deteriorated.

A statement from his representatives read: “It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him.

“After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own.

“We all pray and hope that he is at peace.”

Khan had been treated for cancer in 2019 in London, after being diagnosed with an neuroendocrine tumour.

His death comes just days after his mother, Saeeda Begum, died at the age of 95. He attended her funeral on Saturday via a video link.

Khan, often known in India simply by his first name Irrfan, first began acting in television, after moving to Mumbai from New Delhi, where he studied at the National School of Drama.

He made his big screen debut in the Oscar-nominated film Salaam Bombay in 1988, and starred in a slew of Bollywood hits, including Haasil in 2003, Maqbool in 2004 and biopic sports drama Paan Singh Tomar in 2012, for which he won India's National Film Award.

Khan received international acclaim after appearing in Asif Kapadia's The Warrior, before landing roles in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire and Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited.

He played the grown-up Piscine 'Pi' Patel in Ang Lee's Oscar-winning Life of Pi, and also appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man and Jurassic World.

He is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and their two sons, Babil and Ayan.

Many have taken to social media to pay tribute to the actor.

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[The Godfather]

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Whop bop b-luma b-lop bam bom
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
A whop bop b-luma b-lop bam bom

I got a girl named Sue
She knows just what to do
I got a girl named Sue
She knows just what to do
She rocks to the east
She rocks to the west
But she's the girl that I love best

Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
Tutti frutti, oh Rudy
A whop bop-b-luma b-lop bam bom

I got a girl named Daisy
She almost drives me crazy
I got a girl named Daisy
She almost drives me crazy
She knows how to love me, yes indeed
Boy, you don't know what you do to me

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy Dies of Coronavirus at 75
Pat Saperstein
Variety May 8, 2020


Sipa/Shutterstock

Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn, whose collaboration with Siegfried Fischbacher created the well-known animal training and magic duo Siegfried & Roy, died of complications from COVID-19 Friday in Las Vegas. He was 75.

Horn had revealed on April 28 that he had tested positive for coronavirus.

“Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Siegfried said in a statement, “From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.

“Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days. I give my heartfelt appreciation to the team of doctors, nurses and staff at Mountain View Hospital who worked heroically against this insidious virus that ultimately took Roy’s life.”

Born in Nordenham, Germany, Horn had a lifelong love of animals and adopted a cheetah, Chico, at an early age.

He met magician Siegfried while working as a steward on a cruise ship. Horn asked Siegfried if he could make a cheetah disappear, not knowing that Horn had smuggled his pet cheetah on board. Siegfried said, “In magic, anything is possible,” though they were then reportedly fired from the ship.

Siegfried and Roy started performing with tigers in Europe, and were discovered while performing in Paris, They started performing in Las Vegas in 1967 in revues such as “Hallelujah Hollywood” and “Lido de Paris.”

Their lavish act at the Mirage started out in 1989 and ran for 14 years, selling out nightly in what was at the time the largest theater in Las Vegas. The Mirage hotel continues to host the Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy animal attraction.

The act incorporated more than 55 white tigers, white lions, leopards, jaguars and an elephant that appeared and disappeared.

Horn was forced to stop performing in 2003 when his white tiger Mantecore bit his neck and dragged him off the stage. His spine was severed and he sustained severe injuries; he later said he thought the tiger was trying to save him after he suffered a stroke onstage.

He had to relearn how to talk and walk, and was eventually able to continue to travel and appear at events. The duo retired in 2010.

A 2004 animated TV show, “Father of the Pride,” was based on their act, but was cancelled after one season.

“Roy’s whole life was about defying the odds,” added Siegfried. “He grew up with very little and became famous throughout the world for his showmanship, flair and his life-long commitment to animal conservation. He had a strength and will unlike anyone I have ever known.”

He is survived by a brother, Werner.

Donations may be made to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health or the Nevada COVID-19 Response, Relief and Recovery Task Force.

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[qcmalebox]

Wanted to share this picture.