Moviefone Editorial

Tag: celebrity death

  • Lance Reddick Dies at the Age of 60

    Lance Reddick as Irvin Irving on Prime Video's 'Bosch.'
    Lance Reddick as Irvin Irving on Prime Video’s ‘Bosch.’ Photo: Aaron Epstein. Copyright: Amazon Studios

    Lance Reddick, an actor who brought poise, gravitas and depth to even the smallest role, has died.

    Best known for movies including the ‘John Wick’ series and TV shows including ‘The Wire’, ‘Fringe,’ and ‘Bosch,’ Reddick was 60.

    20057434
    Lance Reddick as Irvin Irving on Prime Video's 'Bosch.'
    Lance Reddick as Irvin Irving on Prime Video’s ‘Bosch.’ Photo: Hopper Stone. Copyright: Amazon Studios

    Who was Lance Reddick?

    Born in 1962 in Baltimore, Reddick’s initial passion was for music; he attended the Peabody Preparatory Institute and completed a summer program on music theory and composition at the Walden School as a teenager. Yet acting calling to him: after earning his Bachelor of Music degree from Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, he relocated to Boston, Massachusetts in the 1980s to start attending the Yale School of Drama in 1991.

    Reddick began his screen career in the mid-1990s, guesting on such series as ‘The Nanny’ and ‘New York Undercover’. Later in the decade, he appeared on the big screen in films including ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘The Siege’ before recurring on HBO’s Emmy-winning 2000 miniseries ‘The Corner’, which was based on David Simon’s book. The same year, he scored a role on fellow gritty HBO drama ‘Oz’.

    But all that was prologue to the first of his most notable TV roles –– Simon cast him in ‘The Wire’ as Cedric Daniels, an iconic character who appeared throughout the show’s run. He also won fans for his work as Phillip Broyles in sci-fi drama ‘Fringe’.

    More recently, he’s been back on the TV cop drama beat with ‘Bosch’. But his career has been incredibly varied, Reddick showing up on shows such as ‘The Blacklist’, ‘Castle’, ‘Intelligence’, ‘Castlevania’, ‘Corporate’, ‘The Legend of Vox Machina,’ and Netflix‘s ‘Resident Evil.’

    Lance Reddick as Albert in 'Resident Evil.'
    (L to R) Lance Reddick as Albert in ‘Resident Evil.’ Photo: Netflix © 2021.

    Related Article: Lance Reddick to Return as Charon for ‘John Wick’ Spin-Off ‘Ballerina’

    Which movies has Lance Reddick been in?

    Movie-wise, he’s enjoyed a long and successful career that takes in a wide variety of films including ‘White House Down’, ‘Little Woods’, ‘Angel has Fallen’ and ‘One Night in Miami…’ But perhaps he’s become best known as Charon, the stoic, badass concierge of the Continental hotel in the ‘John Wick’ movies.

    Reddick has a few films left in which audiences can enjoy his work: he’s in the remake of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’, due out this year, ‘Saint Sebastian’, ‘The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial’ (which is still in production), and ‘Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’, which stars Ana de Armas. He’s also playing Zeus in the new Disney+ adaptation of ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’, which should be out next year.

    Most recently out promoting ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’, which is in theaters next week, the actor was found dead of natural causes at his home in Studio City. Reddick is survived by his wife, Stephanie Reddick, and children, Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick.

    Lance Reddick as Charon and Ian McShane as Winston Scott in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.'
    (L to R) Lance Reddick as Charon and Ian McShane as Winston Scott in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’

    Other Lance Reddick Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Lance Reddick Movies On Amazon

  • Actor and Comedian Richard Belzer Dies at Age 78

    Richard Belzer as John Munch on NBC's 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.'
    Richard Belzer as John Munch on NBC’s ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.’

    Many actors dislike the idea of becoming known for one role that ends up dominating their career, but Richard Belzer happily leaned into the idea of portraying cynical, deadpan Detective John Munch, who originated on TV cop drama ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’. It’s the part for which he will forever be remembered now that Belzer has died at the age of 78.

    Who was Richard Belzer?

    Richard Jay Belzer was born on Aug. 4, 1944, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His early life was colored by his abusive mother and a lot of tragedy in his life––his mother died of breast cancer and his father first attempted suicide (Belzer found and saved him) and then killed himself a year later. Belzer’s brother also died years later by suicide after the death of his own wife.

    Belzer showed an early penchant for comedy, getting in trouble as a class clown, and was expelled from Massachusetts’ Dean Junior College for organizing on-campus protests. A series of odd jobs followed, including census taker, dock worker and jewelry salesman. After that, he pursued a career as a journalist and worked for The Bridgeport Post newspaper.

    Yet the tragedy in his family pushed him back towards exploring his comedic side, and he ended up part of anarchic, satirical comedy troupe Channel one, which spoofed TV conventions. The theatrical show, ‘The Groove Tube’ would go on to spawn a movie, which also featured the debut of Chevy Chase.

    Success there led Belzer to become a regular on the stand-up circuit and he also landed a job as the warm-up comedian for the first season of ‘Saturday Night Live’.

    Richard Belzer as John Munch on NBC's 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.'
    Richard Belzer as John Munch on NBC’s ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.’

    What happened between Richard Belzer and Hulk Hogan?

    One more infamous gig was hosting short-lived Lifetime talk show ‘Hot Properties’ where an encounter with guest Hulk Hogan in 1985 left Belzer unconscious and bleeding on the floor after Hogan put him in a front chin lock and dropped him.

    Belzer sued Hogan, Mr. T (who was also in the show), Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation for $5 million and received a reported $400,0000 in a 1990 settlement, which he said he used for a down payment on a house in France.

    On the big screen, he had small roles in the likes of ‘Fame’, ‘Scarface’, ‘Fletch Lives’, ‘Night Shift’, ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’, ‘Get on the Bus’ and ‘Man on the Moon’.

    7001

    Who was the character of John Munch on TV shows?

    Yet it was TV where Belzer really found his calling. Cast as John Munch in ‘Homicide’, he played the character for its entire run of seven seasons and then enquired about bringing him over to ‘Law & Order’. Producer Dick Wolf instead slotted the character into that show’s spin-off, ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’.

    Munch became a beloved TV character, and showed in 10 different series across five networks, including ‘The X-Files’, ‘The Beat’, ‘The Wire’, spoofing him gently on ‘Arrested Development’, ‘30 Rock’ and ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’.

    “I never asked anyone to be on their show. So it’s doubly flattering to me to see me depicted in a script and that I’m so recognizable and lovable as the sarcastic detective and smart-ass,” Belzer told The Comic’s Comic in 2008. “Much to my delight, because he is a great character for me to play, it’s fun for me. So I’m not upset about being typecast at all.”

    Belzer, who died at his home in Bozouls in southwest France, also kept things dryly funny to the end, according to friend Bill Scheft. “He had lots of health issues, and his last words were, ‘F**k you, motherf**ker.’”

    Yaphet Kotto as Lieutenant Al Giardello, Melissa Leo as Detective/Sergeant Kay Howard, Clark Johnson as Detective Meldrick Lewis, Reed Diamond as Detective Mike Kellerman, Andre Braugher as Detective Frank Pembleton, Kyle Secor as Detective Tim Bayliss, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch, Michelle Forbes as Dr. Julianna Cox, and Max Perlich as J.H. Brodie in NBC's 'Homicide: Life on the Street.'
    (L to R) Yaphet Kotto as Lieutenant Al Giardello, Melissa Leo as Detective/Sergeant Kay Howard, Clark Johnson as Detective Meldrick Lewis, Reed Diamond as Detective Mike Kellerman, Andre Braugher as Detective Frank Pembleton, Kyle Secor as Detective Tim Bayliss, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch, Michelle Forbes as Dr. Julianna Cox, and Max Perlich as J.H. Brodie in NBC’s ‘Homicide: Life on the Street.’

    Richard Belzer Movies:

    Buy Richard Belzer Movies On Amazon

  • James Caan Dies at the Age of 82

    James Caan in director Michael Mann's 'Thief' (1981).
    James Caan in director Michael Mann’s ‘Thief’ (1981).

    James Caan, who built a career playing tough guys but proved he could be so much more besides, has died at the age of 82.

    Born in 1939 in New York’s Bronx borough the son of a meat dealer and a dancer. Caan was initially more focused on sports than performance, becoming an athlete and class president at his high school.

    He went to Michigan State University intending to secure a route to an NFL career, but discovered he was too small to make the team and opted to switch to Hofstra University, studying theater before he dropped out

    Undeterred, Caan studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre with legendary acting coach Sanford Meisner in New York and began his career on the stage. After several roles on Broadway, he moved to Los Angeles to take try his hand at TV.

    He worked on the likes of ‘Naked City’, ‘Route 66’ ‘Wagon Train’ and ‘Get Smart’, before making his biggest impact on the small screen in 1971 TV movie ‘Brian’s Song,’ playing a real-life football player stricken with cancer. The role scored him an Emmy nomination and in his later years, during quieter periods of movie work, he looked for starring work on TV, including ‘Las Vegas’ for four years.

    Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers and James Caan as Brian Piccolo in 'Brian's Song' (1971).
    (L to R) Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers and James Caan as Brian Piccolo in ‘Brian’s Song’ (1971).

    Caan made his movie debut with a tiny, uncredited role in 1963’s ‘Irma la Douce’. His proper first role was in 1964s ‘Lady in a Cage.’ But it was his collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola helped for 1969’s ‘The Rain People’ that had a true impact leading to him being cast – briefly – as Michael Corleone and then Sonny Corleone in ‘The Godfather’. It stands as perhaps his finest performance, for which he was nominated as Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars.

    Yet in his long career, Caan put showed real range in a variety of performances – while he often played assured, strong men, he was never afraid of sensitivity and subtlety.

    Other roles included work in ‘Thief’, ‘Funny Lady’, ‘Chapter Two’, ‘Kiss Me Goodbye’, ‘Alien Nation’, ‘Misery’, ‘For the Boys’, ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’, ‘Bottle Rocket,’ ‘The Way of the Gun’, ‘Elf’, ‘The Yards’ and, most recently, ‘Queen Bees’.

    Off-screen, his life was a troubled one, marked by family loss, run-ins with the law, struggles with drugs, anger management and depression.

    Caan, whose family marked his passing on Twitter (below), is survived by his children Tara, Scott (a fellow actor), Alexander, James Arthur and Jacob Nicholas.

    “What is inevitable, no matter what heights you achieve, is that there is a slide down. The degree varies of course, but if your whole life is acting, you’re nuts,” he told The Daily News in 1998. “Because then when your career slides, your life goes with it. So acting is not my life, it’s my job. It’s very, very important to me. But my life, my family, my wife, my children, my friends, my health, their health. After that, of course, I’d also like to be the best actor in the world.”

    Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes and James Caan as Paul Sheldon in director Rob Reiner's 'Misery' (1990).
    (L to R) Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes and James Caan as Paul Sheldon in director Rob Reiner’s ‘Misery’ (1990).

  • Actor Fred Ward Dies

    Fred Ward, Kevin Bacon, and Finn Carter
    (L to R) Fred Ward, Kevin Bacon, and Finn Carter in 1990’s ‘Tremors,’ directed by Ron Underwood.

    Fred Ward, a charismatic actor, and cult favorite among fans of movies such as ‘Tremors’, died on May 8th. He was 79.

    Freddie Joe Ward was born in San Diego in 1942. Following a three-year stint in the Air Force, he developed an interest an acting and studied at the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York. His studies complete, Ward headed to Europe, where he helped dub Italian films into English.

    His first TV role was in miniseries ‘The Age of the Medici’ in 1973, where he played Niccolò de’ Conti. A variety of guest roles on shows followed, including two different episodes of the 1970s ‘The Incredible Hulk’, ‘Invasion Earth’ and ‘ER’.

    Ward also made a name for himself in a variety of TV Movies such as ‘Cast a Deadly Spell’ and ‘…First Do No Harm’.

    Movie-wise, he made his debut playing a truck driver in 1974’s ‘Ginger in the Morning’, which in turn led to a small part in ‘Tilt’ and then something more substantial – Ward and Jack Thibeau played convict brothers who are partnered with Clint Eastwood’s Frank Morris in engineering the clever, daring purported escape from the Rock in ‘Escape from Alcatraz’.

    23326

    In 1982, he scored his first lead role, in cult classic ‘Timerider’, in which he played Lyle Swann, an off-road motorcycle racer who’s accidentally sent back via a science experiment to an Old West replete with villains and gunslingers. The movie failed to shoot down any box office records but did have a later life on cable and video.

    One of his best, though most controversial roles because of how it portrayed the actions of the man in question, was as astronaut Gus Grissom in ‘The Right Stuff’, Philip Kaufman’s portrayal of the early years of the space program.

    Yet despite appearing in Oscar-winners and huge films including ‘Silkwood’, ‘The Player’, ‘Short Cuts’ and ‘Henry & June’ it seems likely that 1990’s ‘Tremors’ will be the movie for which Ward is most remembered for – and most fondly.

    Ward and Kevin Bacon shined on screen as a pair of handy men who end up saving a hardscrabble Nevada desert community when the town is beset by giant underground snakes. Like some of Ward’s other work, it didn’t make a lot of money upon its initial release, but it cemented its cult classic status on home video and TV airings.

    He returned for one of the movie series, and there was a stab at a TV reboot in 2018, but that didn’t make it past the pilot stage.

    While Ward never became a giant movie star, he was a respected character actor, able to bring a wide performance range to his work. He’s survived by his wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward, and his son Django Ward.

    2824

  • Comedian and Actor Gilbert Gottfried Dies aged 67

    Comedian Gilbert Gottfried
    Comedian Gilbert Gottfried in the 2017 documentary ‘Gilbert.’

    Gilbert Gottfried, the comedian who used his trademark shrill and laugh-getting talent to score roles in a variety of movies and TV series, has died. He was 67.

    Born in Brooklyn 1955, Gottfried kicked off his career aged 15 performing amateur stand-up comedy in New York, quickly acquiring a reputation as “the comedian’s comedian” for his quick-fire repartee and willingness to push the boundaries.

    That got him noticed by ‘Saturday Night Live’, and he joined the cast for Season 6 in 1980. Yet what is usually seen as a major ambition for performers became something of a low point for Gottfried, who was rarely cast in sketches, lasting 12 episodes.

    And surprisingly, given that he became famous for his comically screechy voice and squinting faces, Gottfried employed neither on ‘SNL’. Despite his lack of access, he did at least manage to secure one recurring character, that of talk show host Leo Waxman in fake show ‘What’s It All About?’ He also impersonated Roman Polanski and politician David Alan Stockman.

    Gottfried’s talent for mimicry saw him become a regular guest on Howard Stern’s radio show, where he would regularly impersonate Andrew “Dice” Clay, Bela Lugosi, and others.

    1003107

    In movie terms, he enjoyed a successful career both in front of the camera and as a voice artist, making his debut in 1984 with ‘The House of God’. But his best-known roles included ‘Beverly Hills Cop II’, playing accountant Sidney Bernstein, opposite his friend Eddie Murphy, the ‘Problem Child’ movies, which saw him as adoption agent Igor Peabody.

    He was an in-demand voice talent, lending his roles to an incredibly eclectic set of TV series including ‘Superboy’, ‘The Ren and Stimpy Show’, ‘Duckman’, ‘Superman: The Animated Series’, ‘Cyberchase’, and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’. Gottfried was the voice of the Aflac duck in commercials until 2011.

    Gilbert Gottfried as Iago
    Gilbert Gottfried voicing Iago in 1992’s ‘Aladdin.’ Courtesy of Walt Disney Animation.

    His most famous voice role was as Iago the wise-cracking parrot in Disney’s animated ‘Aladdin’ – a character he played through various sequels and TV spin-offs. Asked how he prepared to play the bird, he replied, “I did the whole De Niro thing. I moved to South America! I lived in the trees!”

    Never afraid to use vulgarity or mention sensitive topics in his comedy, Gottfried’s jokes did sometimes get him in trouble, including bits about 9/11 and the 2011 earthquake in Japan, the latter of which saw him dismissed from work with Aflac.

    “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor,” his family wrote on Twitter.

    Between 2014 and his death, Gottfried hosted a podcast, ‘Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast’, which featured interviews with veteran actors, comedians, musicians, and comedy writers and allowed him to display his considerable knowledge of classic movies.

    7400

  • Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins Dead at 50

    Taylor Hawkins in 'Studio 666.'
    Taylor Hawkins stars as himself in director BJ McDonnell’s ‘Studio 666,’ an Open Road Films release. Photo credit: Courtesy of Open Road Films.

    Taylor Hawkins, musician, drummer, and occasional actor has died unexpectedly. The rocker, who performed with the Foo Fighters, was 50.

    “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” the band statement on twitter reads. “His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever.”

    Foo Fighters had been due to play at Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia as part of their current South American tour, though that gig has now been cancelled in the wake of Hawkins’ death.

    Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawkins’s family moved to Laguna Beach, California when he was four. He started his music career in the 1990s, drumming for prog rock band Sylvia and the rock singer Sass Jordan. He left the Jordan gig to join Alanis Morissette from 1995-1997 during the tour supporting her hit album ‘Jagged Little Pill.’

    When inter-studio conflict led to the departure of original Foo Fighters drummer William Goldsmith during recording sessions for the group’s breakthrough album, ‘The Colour and the Shape’, lead singer Dave Grohl (who, of course rose to fame as Nirvana’s drummer) took over stick duties on the record but was soon looking for someone to fill the seat full time. His choice was clear.

    “During his stint as Alanis Morissette’s drummer, long before he became a Foo Fighter, we would bump into each other backstage at festivals all over the world, and our chemistry was so obvious that even Alanis herself once asked him, ‘What are you going to do when Dave asks you to be his drummer?’” Grohl wrote in his 2021 autobiography, ‘The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music.’ “Part Beavis and Butthead, part ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ we were a hyperactive blur of Parliament Lights and air drumming wherever we went.”

    jKaJ9OQm

    When Grohl asked Hawkins in 1997 who should fill the vacant Foo slot, Hawkins recommended himself, kicking off more than two decades of creative, propulsive collaboration and friendship. In addition to establishing himself as one of the best drummers working in rock, Hawkins was a regular songwriter for the group and would often sing vocals alongside Grohl.

    Outside of Foo Fighters, he collaborated with other musicians, working on side projects. In 2006, he embarked on a solo career with Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, reuniting with his former Morissette touring bandmate and Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney. Hawkins would go on to release three albums under the Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders banner, tapping artists including Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, Elliot Easton of The Cars, Perry Farrell, as well as Grohl for collaborations.

    He also enjoyed playing in cover bands and would regularly sit in with one during downtime between Foo Fighters recordings and tours. That led to him fronting cover band Chevy Metal with friends Wiley Hodgden and Mick Murphy.

    Movie and TV-wise, Hawkins’ footprint was less noticeable, though he appeared with bandmates in several shows, including ‘The West Wing’ and ‘The Morning Show’. The group became known for their funny, self-referential, and stylish music videos, with Hawkins one of the prime performers.

    On the big screen, his talents were more frequently found on soundtracks with his bandmates, while he did play Iggy Pop in indie crime movie ‘CBGB’ and, more recently, played a version of himself alongside Grohl and the band in their horror comedy ‘Studio 666’.

    Hawkins is survived by his wife and three children.

    Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters at the World Premiere of 'Studio 666.'
    (L to R) Chris Shiflett, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters at the World Premiere of ‘Studio 666.’
    l1HluPbdRSUolxxBvlMdR2

  • William Hurt Dead at 71

    William Hurt Civil War
    William Hurt in ‘Captain America: Civil War.’

    It was announced on Sunday that Oscar winning actor William Hurt has passed away at the age of 71, a week before his 72nd birthday, due to prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

    Born in Washington, D.C. in 1950, Hurt attended Tufts University before joining Juilliard School’s drama division, where his classmates were Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve.

    Hurt began his career in the early 80’s with roles in hit movies like ‘Body Heat,’ ‘The Big Chill,’ and ‘Gorky Park.’ In the mid-80s he was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars three years in a row for his work ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman,’ for which he won, as well as ‘Broadcast News’ and ‘Children of a Lesser God.’ He also received a Tony Award nomination in 1985 for his stage work in the play ‘Hurlyburly.’

    The actor would go on to appear in such movies as ‘The Accidental Tourist,’ ‘I Love You to Death,’ ‘Lost in Space,’ ‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence,’ ‘The Village,’ ‘Syriana,’ ‘The Good Shepherd,’ Into the Wild,’ ‘Vantage Point,’ and ‘Robin Hood.’ He also received critical acclaim for his performance in the big screen adaption of the graphic novel ‘A History of Violence.’

    William Hurt Broadcast News
    William Hurt in ‘Broadcast News.’

    But Hurt was probably best known to an entire generation as General Thaddeus Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. He first played the Bruce Banner’s nemesis in ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ and followed it up with brief appearances in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ and ‘Black Widow.’

    William Hurt’s final on screen role was as Père La Chaise in the fantasy movie, ‘The King’s Daughter.’ The actor has worked with some of the greatest directors in cinema history including Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen, James L. Brooks, Lawrence Kasdan, Wim Wenders, Anthony Minghella, Nora Ephron, Franco Zeffirelli, David Cronenberg, M. Night Shyamalan, and Ridley Scott.

    “It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday,” the actor’s son, Will, said in a statement. “He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time.”

    William Hurt was married to actress Mary Beth Hurt from 1971 to 1982, before marrying Heidi Henderson from 1989 to 1991. He is survived by Will, and three other children.

    1045564 265 18531 34376 tT8ZzfW3h27psN6LzQLDl4

  • ‘M*A*S*H’ Actor Sally Kellerman Dies

    MASH Photo
    (L to R) Donald Sutherland, Sally Kellerman, and Elliot Gould in ‘M*A*S*H.’

    Some sad news for anyone who has fond memories of Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan or Dr. Diane Turner. The actor behind both of those roles, Sally Kellerman, died Thursday at the age of 84.

    Sally Clare Kellerman was born in 1937 in Long Beach, California, the daughter of a piano teacher and an oil executive, moving to Los Angeles as a child and attending Hollywood High School.

    Long before she entertained thoughts of acting, her initial focus was on jazz singing, and she scored a recording contract with Verve records at the age of 18. While she then switched to pursue acting, she released an album in 1972. Her love of singing continued even as her screen career flourished, and she sang in a few of her roles.

    Kellerman was able to move easily between the worlds of TV and movies, and her early small screen work included a lead role in 1962’s ‘Cheyenne’ and guest appearances on ‘The Twilight Zone,’ ‘The Outer Limits,’ ‘The Alfred Hitchcock Hour’ and ‘Bonanza.’ She made an impact on ‘Star Trek’ fans thanks to her role as Dr. Elizabeth Dehner in the first-season episode ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before’, playing a scientist who develops extraordinary powers and puts the crew at risk.

    On TV she’s proved adept at both comedy and drama, having worked on the likes of ‘Maron,’ ‘Decker,’ ‘The Young and the Restless,’ ‘Columbo,’ ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ and many more.

    Her film career was full of different performances, and she appeared in a wide variety of movies including ‘The Boston Strangler,’ ‘Lost Horizon,’ ‘You Can’t Hurry Love,’ ‘The Player,’ ‘Ready to Wear,’ ‘’Foxes,’ ‘I Could Never Be Your Woman,’ and 2016’s ‘The Remake.’

    6330

    Yet the roles that have stuck in most people’s minds are the two we mention up front. First, that of no nonsense Army nurse Major Houlihan who must put up with rowdy doctors during the Korean War in Robert Altman’s ‘M*A*S*H.’ Though she constantly complains about the behavior of her colleagues, she also has a passionate side, carrying on a hot-blooded affair with equally uptight Major Frank Burns, played by Robert Duvall. Kellerman scored an Oscar nomination for the role.

    Kellerman described the experience of working with ‘M*A*S*H’ director Robert Altman as an enjoyable one. “It was a very freeing, positive experience” she told Dick Cavett in a 1970 TV interview. “For the first time in my life I took chances, I didn’t suck in my cheeks, or worry about anything.” She went on to become a regular in his movies.

    20000764

    And second, her laidback professor Dr. Turner, who becomes Rodney Dangerfield’s love interest in ‘Back to School,’ where she won over more than just the comedian’s enthusiastic businessman.

    Kellerman died of heart failure at her home in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. She’s survived by her son Jack and daughter Claire.

    Rodney Graduating
    Rodney Dangerfield in 1986’s ‘Back to School.’
    1002168

  • ‘Ghostbusters’ Director Ivan Reitman Dies at 75

    (L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife.' Photo Courtesy of Reuters.
    (L to R) Jason Reitman and Ivan Reitman at Premiere of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ Photo Courtesy of Reuters.

    Ivan Reitman, who forever seared his name into the pantheon of cinematic comedy by producing and directing 1984’s ‘Ghostbusters’ has died. He was 75.

    Born in 1946, in Komárno, Czechoslovakia, Reitman was the son of survivors – his mother made it out of concentration camp Auschwitz alive, and his father fought in the Czech resistance. The family escaped the country in 1950 as the Communist regime took hold, arriving in the States and then to Toronto, where Reitman was raised.

    Attending McMaster University in Hamilton, Reitman began the early days of a successful film career by producing and directing shorts, studying alongside a cadre of performers who would go on to be big names in movies and TV, and especially in Canadian comedy series SCTV, including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, and Rick Moranis. On his return to Toronto, Reitman was hired to produce a comedy show for a local TV station and hired Dan Aykroyd, who would go on to become a lifelong friend and creative colleague.

    On the movie front, Reitman started in horror, but always with a mix of comedy, his most notable initial effort being ‘Cannibal Girls’, which starred Levy and Martin. Also on the terror front, he became an influential supporter of other directors’ work, producing David Cronenberg’s ‘Shivers’ and ‘Rabid’.

    Yet comedy would end up the defining genre of Reitman’s career, including producing ‘Animal House’, which launched several careers. He also had a keen eye for anarchic, creative talent in actors, working with Bill Murray on films including ‘Meatballs’ and ‘Stripes’ and then on the movie for which he’ll best be remembered: ‘Ghostbusters’.

    'Ghostbusters.' Photo Credit: Columbia / The Kobal Collection.
    (L to R) Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in ‘Ghostbusters.’ Photo Credit: Columbia / The Kobal Collection.

    Originally written by Aykroyd as a sprawling, expensive special effects adventure, Reitman realized the potential of the concept and brought in Harold Ramis, who had co-written ‘Animal House’, ‘Stripes’; and ‘Meatballs’, among others to work on honing it with Aykroyd. They, along with Murray and Ernie Hudson starred in the film, which remains a high watermark in comedy movies.

    A sequel, 1989’s ‘Ghostbusters II’, couldn’t capture the same magic, but helped continue the franchise with which Reitman was associated until his death.

    Just that movie on his resume would be enough to qualify him for the directing/producing hall of fame, but Reitman also made (or helped make) the likes of ‘Dave,’ ‘Beethoven’, ‘Evolution’, ‘Twins,’ ‘Junior’, ‘Kindergarten Cop’, ‘Private Parts’, ‘Road Trip’ and ‘Draft Day’, among others.

    Reitman leaves behind a cinematic legacy not just his own, but that of his family – his wife, Geneviève Robert is an actress and director, son Jason is the Oscar-nominated writer and director of films including ‘Juno’, ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Thank You for Smoking,’ and who brought the ‘Ghostbusters’ story roaring back to our screens last year with ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’. Eldest daughter Catherine is a writer and actor who created Netflix comedy series ‘Workin’ Moms’, while youngest Caroline is an actress and musician.

    Jason took to twitter to pay tribute to his father:

  • Meat Loaf Dies at 74

    Meat Loaf in 'Fight Club' (1999)
    Meat Loaf in ‘Fight Club’ (1999)

    His name was Robert Paulson.

    That might not mean as much to those who haven’t compulsively watched David Fincher’s ‘Fight Club’ (1999), but it’s a testament to the lasting impact of a great supporting performance from one of the most memorable people to have straddled the worlds of music and movies. Meat Loaf, the singer behind such hits as ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ and ‘I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)’, who forged a successful career as a character actor, has died at the age of 74.

    Born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas, Texas in 1947, he claimed that his father nicknamed him “Meat” because of his chunky size at just a few days old. He had a troubled upbringing – his dad was a violent drunk and his mother died of cancer when Aday was 18.

    Following an accident in which a shot put landed on his head, Aday discovered a three-and-a-half-octave vocal range, and, after his mother’s death, he headed to Los Angeles to seek a career in showbusiness. He formed a group called Meat Loaf Soul and opened for acts including Taj Mahal and Janis Joplin, but ironically, it was performing on stage in the musical ‘Hair’ that moved his singing career along. Another theatre job, a production of Jim Steinman’s ‘More Than You Deserve’ also boosted his profile and launched a partnership that would last through much of his career.

    With Steinman’s ear for a catchy tune and Meat Loaf’s operatic style, the stage was set for numerous hits, even if it took a while for general audiences to appreciate his unique abilities and grandioso performances.

    Meat Loaf also started acting relatively early, and his cinematic resume is a collection of interesting jobs. He broke out playing ill-fated delivery boy Eddie in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975) opposite the likes of Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Richard O’Brien, the latter of whom created the original stage play and co-wrote the screenplay. ‘Rocky Horror’ was perfectly suited to Meat’s OTT persona, though he could also deliver work that was subtle and nuanced when the moment called for it.

    2710

    He became known for his work in cult movies such as ‘Motorama’ (1991), ‘Crazy In Alabama’ (1999), ‘Formula 51’ (2001) and ‘Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny’ (2006).

    Yet, alongside ‘Rocky Horror’, and a small role in ‘Wayne’s World’ (1992) he might be best remembered for ‘Fight Club’, in which he played Robert “Bitch Tits” Paulson, an overweight, loyal member of Project Mayhem. A former bodybuilder whose use of steroids led to testicular cancer, the character of Paulson is a definite highlight of the movie.

    Meat Loaf even began spending time with Fincher and ended up helping him select takes from the director’s famously voluminous footage. “The first time he did that, I said, ‘I can’t do that,’ and he goes, ‘Yeah, you can. You’ve been sitting next to me, so help me pick out the best one,’” Meat Loaf told The AV Club in 2016. “His average take was 44, so we’d sit there and watch 40 takes, and he’d go, ‘Which one did you like the best,’ and I’d say something like, ‘Well, it’s either 24 or 26,’ and he’d say, ‘I agree with you, 26.’”

    His movie career might not be as giant as his contributions to music, but a vast majority of films feature his songs. He’ll go down as one of the most iconic singers in history, and a firm favorite on the acting front.

    6690