Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-16 of 16
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Dwayne McDuffie was an African American comic book and animation writer best known as one of the founders of Milestone Media, an imprint of DC Comics dedicated to promoting better stories and characterizations for minorities and for his contributions to Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, the final installment of what DC Comics fans refer to as "the DCAU". McDuffie, who notoriously despised stereotypes and vehemently fought against them in his work, won three Eisner Award nominations for his work in comics.
Born Dwayne Glenn McDuffie in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Edna McDuffie Gardner, as a child he initially dreamed of becoming an astronaut and studied physics, but he was rejected from that occupation due to his 6-foot-5 stature. A voracious reader, McDuffie then dedicated his energy to writing. Following a stint as copy editor for Investment Dealer's Digest (a business magazine) a friend's connection helped him win an interview at Marvel Comics as an assistant editor to Bob Budiansky, where he cut his literary teeth on helping develop the company's first superhero trading cards and writing "Damage Control", a miniseries dealing with the insurance company that has to deal with the collateral damage of the super-hero Vs. super-villain brawls that plague the company's fictional interpretation of New York City. When he became an editor for Marvel he submitted the spoof proposal Ninja Thrashers in response to the company's treatment of its black characters.
Following freelance writing in 1990 for various Marvel, DC Comics and even Archie Comics titles, McDuffie wrote Monster In My Pocket for Harvey Comics editor Sid Jacobson, whom he cited as a mentor.
Following his early 1991 divorce from his first wife, Patricia D. Younger, McDuffie and three partners founded Milestone Media, in order to express a multicultural sensibility he felt comic books were lacking. With McDuffie as editor-in-chief, Milestone's characters included the African-American Static, Icon, Hardware, the Asian-American Xombi, and the multi-ethnic superhero group the Blood Syndicate, which include black, Asian and Latino men and women. Milestone debuted its titles in 1993 through a distribution deal with DC Comics.
Following the discontinuation of Milestone Media's publishing, Static would be adapted into the animated series Static Shock, for which McDuffie wrote 11 episodes, also serving as story editor. McDuffie then joined the writing staff of Justice League, essentially replacing long time DCAU writer Paul Dini, later promoted to story editor and producer when the series became Justice League Unlimited, writing, producing or at least story-editing 69 of the series 91 episodes. Other animation writing credits included What's New, Scooby-Doo?, Ben 10: Alien Force, Ben: Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, and Teen Titans.
In addition to his TV animation writing credits, McDuffie also wrote for a number of direct-to-DVD animated films for Warner Brothers featuring DC Comics heroes. Among these were Justice League: Crisis On 2 Earths (2010), based on an abandoned story idea he'd originally pitched as a bridge between the end of Justice League and the beginning of Justice League Unlimited, All-Star Superman (2011) and Justice League: Doom (2012).
During his return to comics, McDuffie wrote the Marvel miniseries Beyond! and the Fantastic Four, and Firestorm and Justice League America for DC Comics, the latter he was unfortunately fired from following his very frank and unflattering answers to fans about the creative process. McDuffie then wrote Milestone Forever, chronicling the final adventures of the Milestone characters he'd helped create before they were added to the regular DC universe.
Friends, family and fans were devastated when McDuffie died on February 21, 2011, only one day after his 49th birthday, due to complications from emergency heart surgery at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center. His younger brother, Darryl, had died only a few months earlier, while their older brother Brian had died as an infant. Truly a titanic, larger than life visionary who fought relentlessly for better quality storytelling for all, McDuffie was a talent lost too soon. He is survived by his second wife, animation-TV writer Charlotte Fullerton, and his mother. When Justice League: Doom, loosely based on Mark Waid's Tower of Babel miniseries, was released a little more than year later it was dedicated to his memory.- Stunts
- Actor
Actor and stuntman Rudy Robbins was born on November 17, 1933 in Evergreen, Louisiana. His father was a horse and cattle trader. At age two Robbins moved with his family to Port Arthur, Texas, where he grew up with his father working a variety of jobs ranging from being a cook on ocean going ships to cafe owner to used car salesman. (His mother worked at the small cafe he owned.) Following graduation from East Texas Baptist College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Sociology, Rudy enlisted in the U.S. Army and competed in track team javelin throwing contests (he set a new record for the javelin throw in 4th Army track meets). While in the Army Robbins met a man whose father produced Western movies. After being discharged from the Army, Rudy decided to pursue a career as a stuntman in Westerns and moved to Bandera, Texas, where he worked as head wrangler on a dude ranch prior to landing his first job as a stuntman on the John Wayne epic The Alamo (1960). Robbins went on to perform stunts and play small roles in a handful of films.
Moreover, Rudy also worked as a production manager on some of the largest exposition type shows in the country as well as played Buffalo Bill in a Buffalo Bill Wild West show with a cast of 125 that toured the world and served as a goodwill ambassador for the US. Department of Commerce in which he toured Europe to promote the sales of western trade goods. Robbins eventually moved back to his native Texas when the production of Westerns declined. Rudy produced and performed in both his own Rudy Robbins Western Variety Show and the All American Cowboy Get-Together. In addition, Robbins formed the four piece western harmony group The Spirit of Texas, who were so well received that the Texas Legislature passed a special resolution naming them the Official Cowboy Band for Texas. (They were also nominated as Best Western Group of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists.) Rudy died at age 77 from cancer on February 21, 2011 in Bandera, Texas.- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Francisco Llinás was born in 1945 in Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. He was an actor and writer, known for Abrir las puertas del mar (1970), Con uñas y dientes (1979) and Lulú de noche (1986). He died on 21 February 2011 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.- Haila Stoddard was born on 14 November 1913 in Great Falls, Montana, USA. She was an actress, known for The Prudential Family Playhouse (1950), Suspense (1949) and Coronet Blue (1967). She was married to Whitfield Connor, Harald Bromley , Jack Kirkland and William L. Gude. She died on 21 February 2011 in Weston, Connecticut, USA.
- Aranmulla Ponnamma was born on 22 March 1914 in Aranmula, Kerala, India. She was an actress, known for Lelam (1997), Pathamudayam (1985) and Theekkadal (1980). She died on 21 February 2011 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
- Bruno Schwebel was born on 16 September 1928 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor, known for La secta del sargón (1990), Hora marcada (1988) and Kung fu mortal: Operación zodiaco (1983). He died on 21 February 2011 in Mountain View, California, USA.
- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Andrés Racz was born in 1948. He was a producer and director, known for Tendida mirando las estrellas (2004), Dulce patria (1984) and No me amenaces (1990). He died on 21 February 2011.- Edwin D. Kilbourne was born on 10 July 1920 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He was married to Joy Schmid. He died on 21 February 2011 in Branford, Connecticut, USA.
- Mrs. Earl E.T. Smith was born on 24 November 1904 in New York City, New York, USA. She was married to Noble Clarkson Earl Jr., William Warburton Jr., Henry Davis III and Earl E.T. Smith. She died on 21 February 2011 in Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
Bernard Nathanson was born on 31 July 1926 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Eclipse of Reason (1987), Bloodmoney (2010) and The Silent Scream (1984). He was married to Christine Reisner. He died on 21 February 2011 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Helen Carroll was born on 23 May 1915 in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. She was an actress, known for Love Thy Neighbor (1940) and Swift Home Service Club (1947). She was married to Carl Kress. She died on 21 February 2011 in Rye, New Hampshire, USA.
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Andrei Pashkevich was born on 22 March 1945 in Moscow, USSR. He was a cinematographer, known for Chto mozhno Kuzenkovu? (1980), Eshchyo lyublyu, eshchyo nadeyus (1985) and Starye dolgi (1979). He died on 21 February 2011.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Odón Alonso was born on 28 February 1925 in La Bañeza, Province León, Spain. He was a composer, known for Residencia para espías (1968), Coyote (1955) and Cuerda de presos (1956). He died on 21 February 2011 in Madrid, Spain.- Lola Blanco was born in Córdoba, Andalucía, Spain. She was an actress, known for Hospital Central (2000) and Memoria y muerte de una cortometrajista (2003). She died on 21 February 2011 in Spain.
- György Kopányi was born on 29 July 1921 in Pécs, Hungary. He was a writer, known for Az özvegy és a százados (1967), Musical TV Theater (1970) and Családi kör (1974). He died on 21 February 2011.
- Harro Heuser was born on 26 December 1927 in Nastätten, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He died on 21 February 2011.