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1-16 of 16
- One chillingly infamous screen role for Scott Wilson in 1967 set the tone for an actor who went on to prove himself an invaluable character player for five decades. Born on March 29, 1942, the Atlanta native was awarded a basketball scholarship following high school at Georgia's Southern Tech University to study architecture. Instead, Wilson hitchhiked to Los Angeles on a whim and hooked up one day with an actor he met in a bar who took him to one of his auditions. Allowed to audition himself by chance, Wilson lost the part but was absolutely hooked. Working an assortment of menial jobs, he studied for nearly five years while gaining experience in such local theater productions as "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Scott's fledgling career took off big time after being discovered by director Norman Jewison who cast him as a murder suspect in In the Heat of the Night (1967) starring Sidney Poitier and Best Actor Oscar winner Rod Steiger. If that weren't a sufficient beginning, Wilson immediately followed this with the co-lead role of murderer Richard Hickok in the stark and disturbing In Cold Blood (1967), a superlative adaptation of the Truman Capote best-selling docu-novel. It didn't hurt that Scott himself had a startling resemblance to the real-life killer. Partnering up with Robert Blake as two ex-cons who are eventually executed for the senseless, brutal slaughter of an entire Kansas farm family, the critically acclaimed film put both men squarely on the movie map.
Although a serious contender, out-and-out stardom did not come about for the quietly handsome, slightly forlorn-looking actor. Major roles in major pictures, however, did. Among Scott's early film work were Castle Keep (1969) and The Gypsy Moths (1969), both starring Burt Lancaster; The Grissom Gang (1971); Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973) (again with Steiger); The New Centurions (1972); The Great Gatsby (1974), in which he earned raves as the garage owner who shoots Robert Redford's title character to death in Gatsby's backyard swimming pool; The Ninth Configuration (1980), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination; The Right Stuff (1983); the Venice Film Festival winner A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984); Malone (1987); and Johnny Handsome (1989). TV also showed off Scott's dark, controlled intensity and wide range in later years, appearing in guest spots on such popular dramas as "The X-Files" and "The Twilight Zone," and in a recurring role as Marg Helgenberger's unscrupulous mobster father in "CSI." In mini-movies Scott played everything from Elvis's father in Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story (1993) to a Wyoming governor in The Jack Bull (1999).
Hardly one of Hollywood's flashiest good ol' boys, the taciturn, unassuming actor preferred to remain discrete and let his performances do the talking. His output was minimal compared with other character stars, but he remained in the quality ranks nevertheless, mixing his standard penchant for darker movies with such family-oriented films as Shiloh (1996) and its sequels.
Supporting the newer "young guns" these days, he appeared with Vince Vaughn in Clay Pigeons (1998) and Ryan Phillippe in The Way of the Gun (2000), and ended up one of serial killer Charlize Theron's victims in Monster (2003). Other strong showings on the big screen have included a lead part as a rockabilly star in Don't Let Go (2002) and his down-home patriarch in the superb ensemble art film Junebug (2005), a breakout hit with Academy voters.
Into the millennium, Scott maintained a strong film output with gritty roles in Come Early Morning (2006), Saving Shiloh (2006), Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006), The Heartbreak Kid (2007), Saving Grace B. Jones (2009), Radio Free Albemuth (2010), Dorfman in Love (2011) and Hostiles (2017). He ended his career strongly on TV with regular/recurring roles on Damien (2016), as adoptive father Abel Johnson in the mystery series The OA (2016), and gained a notable following sporting a full gray beard and ponytail as grizzled farm owner Hershel Greene on the popular horror series The Walking Dead (2010).
Wilson lived in Los Angeles with his attorney/wife of four decades, Heavenly, who also was an accomplished artist and writer. Diagnosed with leukemia, Scott died on October 6, 2018, aged 76. - Actor
- Producer
- Director
Quentin Kenihan is Australia's most unique celebrity. For many years he featured on national current affairs programs as he struggled to overcome his disability. Quentin has captured the nation's heart with his wit, humour and never-say-die attitude. Now as an adult he is best known for his hit TV series Quentin Crashes. He is a young Australian film-maker who suffers from a rare bone disorder (Osteogenesis imperfecta - bone brittle disease) and has spent most of his 31 years in a wheelchair from which he observes life through the lens of TV cameras.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Channing Chase was born on 25 June 1939 in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA. She was an actress, known for Cold Case (2003), ER (1994) and Evan Almighty (2007). She was married to Dan Saxon. She died on 6 October 2018 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Her childhood was shaped by the Spanish Civil War and the modest means of her working-class family. Her musical talent developed early and she was already singing classical cantatas at the age of seven. From 1942 she trained in singing at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Barcelona. She was able to study thanks to a scholarship. In 1954 she finished with the best award. The following year, Montserrat Caballé made his debut in Reus, southern Catalonia, in the leading female role in the comic opera "La serva padrona" by the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. She then received a three-year engagement at the theater in Basel from 1956. From 1959 to 1962 she worked at the theater in Bremen. During this time in German-speaking countries, she learned to speak the local language fluently. 1965 was the beginning of her great international career. On April 20th of this year, she briefly replaced her pregnant colleague Marilyn Horne in the opera "Lukrezia Borga" by Gaetano Donizetti, which took place as a concert performance at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Montserrat Caballé was enthusiastically celebrated by the audience, highly praised by the press and mentioned alongside renowned personalities such as Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. With this event she became a star and the doors of the most important international houses opened to her. Immediately afterwards, the Metropolitan Opera contacted her with a permanent contract. There she started in the role of Marguérite in the master opera "Faust" by the French composer Charles Gounod. This was followed by a record contract with the music label RCA Records in New York City. In 1962 she met her future husband, the tenor Bernabé Marti. This year she appeared with him in the opera production of Giacomo Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" at the Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona. Two years later, the two married in the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat in the mountains of the same name near Barcelona. From 1971, the soprano performed regularly at the State Opera in Hamburg. Her favorite composers include Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi and Puccini. In addition, Caballé often worked as a concert singer.
In 1986, she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. She became known to a wider, more operatic audience through her legendary performance on the rock crossover title "Barcelona" on the occasion of the 1992 Olympic Games there, which she sang together with Freddie Mercury and which comes from the 1987 album of the same name. This and other engagements show the versatility of the artist Caballé. The solo title was written by Mercury. Her album "Friends For Life" was released in 1997 with the participation of Bruce Dickinson, Johnny Hallyday, Johnny Logan, Gino Vannelli and Helmut Lotti. A year later, Caballé was awarded the Bambi. The singer celebrated her comeback as an opera diva in 2002 at the Gran Teatro des Liceo in Barcelona after ten years away from the stage. In 2007 she was awarded the Echo Klassik Music Prize for her life's work. In the same year on April 1st she returned to the stage of the Vienna State Opera after 18 years. She played and sang the role of Duchesse de Crakentorp in Gaetano Donizetti's opera "La Fille du Régiment", an international production between the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera New York.
The diva's other awards include the Order of Doña Isabel La Católica as the highest title of the Spanish government, R.SH Gold for pop music from Radio Schleswig-Holstein, the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Cross of Honor for Arts and Science. Montserrat Caballé also volunteers as a United Nations ambassador. With her excellent bel canto interpretations, she is one of the greatest singers in the field and its innovators. In addition to her exceptional artistic qualities, her more than 90 opera roles and her around 4,000 performances made her popular as one of the greatest opera singers. In addition to the opera stage and musical theater, she delighted audiences with her heartwarming appearances in talk shows, galas and film documentaries.- Additional Crew
Bonnie Taylor was born on 14 June 1921 in the USA. She is known for Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills (2007). She was married to Jack Taylor. She died on 6 October 2018 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Production Designer
Piero Guccione was born on 5 May 1935 in Scicli, Sicily, Italy. He was a production designer, known for Norma (1990), Auguri Don Gesualdo (2010) and Se hai una montagna di neve, tienila all'ombra (2010). He died on 6 October 2018 in Modica, Sicily, Italy.- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Kamil Renklidere was born on 1 August 1954 in Karaman, Turkey. He was a director and assistant director, known for Sevmek Günah mi (1985), Raslanti (1987) and Yalnizlar (1990). He died on 6 October 2018 in Aydin, Turkey.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Don Askarian was born in 1949, in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh. In 1967 he went to Moscow and studied history and art. He worked as an assistant-director and film critic for a year after his study. In 1978 he emigrated from USSR to West Berlin.
For the last 20 years he has lived and worked in Germany. He was a prize-winner at several international film festivals. He is perhaps the only director whose 'purely Armenian' films have been professionally distributed and proved financially successful in Germany, Japan, Holland and England.
His first film was "The Bear" (direction, scripts, costumes and scenery), based on Chekhov's story (1983-1984). From 1985-1988 he made "Komitas", which won several prizes at international film festivals.
Retrospectives and special screenings of his films took place at the Philadelphia Filmfest of World, Cinema '93' Int'l Filmfest Figueira da Foz '93(Portugal)' Int'l Filmfest Sao Paulo '93' Tokyo Int'l Filmfest 1994 (in Kyoto).
As a producer, Don Askarian has been involved in the film industry since 1982 when he founded Margarita Woskanian Film Production. In 1995 he founded the production and distribution companies - Don Film in Armenia and in 1998 Askarian Film in Germany. TV channels, distribution companies and film funds in Germany, France, England, Belgium, Greece, Switzerland, Japan, and The Netherlands etc. are habitual co-producers and buyers of the films by Don Film and Askarian Film.
In 1996 his book "Dangerous Light" was published in Armenia. The book (192 pages) contains the screenplays "In Noraduz", "Komitas", "Avetik" and essays "Chekhov and Cinema", "Dangerous Light", "An Open Letter" by Don Askarian, interviews and reviews from the world press as well as filmography and biographical sketch, with about 60 colour and b/w photography's from the films and the book begins with an introduction by famous German film critic Peter W. Jansen.
The documentary film "Parajanov" was produced 1998, in co-production with ARTE. It was shown at IFFR 1999. At this moment he's working on feature films, "San Lazzaro", and "In Noraduz"...- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Don Sandburg was born on 24 October 1930 in Rocky River, Ohio, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for Big Top (1965), Bozo (1960) and Bozo's Circus (1961). He died on 6 October 2018 in Springfield, Oregon, USA.- Sherry Sanford was born on 15 January 1945 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA. She was an actress, known for The Rainmaker (1997) and Serendipity Lane (1995). She died on 6 October 2018 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Fridrich Urban was born on 2 August 1932 in Jelka, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was an actor, known for The Boxer and Death (1963), Karline manzelstva (1980) and La chasse royale (1969). He died on 6 October 2018.- Eef Brouwers was born in 1939 in Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands. He was an actor, known for De holle bolle boom (1975) and Nederland valt aan (2012). He was married to Puck. He died on 6 October 2018 in Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands.
- Soundtrack
Ira Gasman died on 6 October 2018 in Norfolk Virginia, USA.- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Alberto Caldana was born on 13 May 1927 in Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for I ragazzi che si amano (1963), Ceneri della memoria (1960) and Attenzione: guerra! (1961). He died on 6 October 2018.- Robert Pitofsky was born on 27 December 1929 in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. He was married to Sally Levy. He died on 6 October 2018 in Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA.
- Writer
- Producer
Ken Rotcop was born J Kenneth Rotcop in Brooklyn, New York but was raised in Passaic, New Jersey. Graduate of Boston University where he was editor of the Boston University News and was the recipient of Sigment Delta Kai, (national journalism fraternity) Scarlett Key (honorary fraternity of Boston University) Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges.
Rotcop did his graduate work at University of Southern California in Industrial Psychology. Upon graduation, he worked for numerous advertising agencies in New York City eventually owning his own theatrical advertising agency called "Concepts Incorporated".
Ken soon got married and went to honeymoon in Acapulco. During this trip, Wes Kenney, director of a game show called "First Impressions", (and also the Best Man at Ken's wedding) called Ken to be their writer for a month while their staff writer was on a sabbatical. After the month was over, producer Monty Hall asked Rotcop to stay on. Rotcop sold "Concept Incorporated" to his partner and moved with his new wife to Hollywood where he has worked ever since as a writer and studio executive.
Over the years Rotcop has served as Creative Head of four studios: Embassy Pictures, Hanna-Barbera, Cannon TV, and Trans World Productions.
Among Ken's many achievements is writing and producing the award-winning television movie "For Us, The Living: The Story Of Medgar Evers" starring Howard Rollins and Laurence Fishburne. Among the honors Rotcop received for that production were the Writers Guild Award, the Neil Simon Award, and the Image Award. The film was also honored by the American Film Institute, the NAACP, Women In Film, the city of Atlanta, the state of Mississippi, as well as Filmex and the Democratic National Convention.
Rotcop also was the recipient of the Unity Award for writing the CBS documentary series "Images and Attitudes" about black American history.
Rotcop is the author of the critically acclaimed best seller "The Perfect Pitch: How To Sell Yourself and Your Movie Idea to Hollywood". He was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show as well as STARZ' Entertainment Tonight. His book was selected as the Book Of The Month by Cyber Film School.com and featured on Amazon.com.
His book "As I Remember It: My Fifty Year Career As An Award Winning Writer, Producer and Studio Executive" can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and BearManor Media.
Due out March 2018 is Ken's book "Remembering Marvin Kaplan" who was the most beloved character actor in Hollywood.
The feature-length documentary "Talk Fast", winner of the LA Independent Film Fest and the Philadelphia Film Fest, is the story of Rotcop and his highly successful writers workshop. Over the past few years more than 80 projects have been optioned. Of these, l6 have been made into feature films.
He is a frequent guest lecturer and has taught script writing at USC, UCLA, University of Iowa, St. Louis University, University of Texas, and the University of the Philippines, among others.
In addition to writing for a wide range of dramatic, game, and talk shows, Rotcop produced the feature film "Bikini Shop", as well as the syndicated TV series "Couples" for Fox and "The Magic Shop" for RKO. He has also written scripts for the children's programs "Richie Rich" and "Superfriends".
In July 2005, the STARZ channel did a two-partner on Rotcop on their Entertainment Tonight show. They called him a Pitching Guru while Andrea Leigh Wolf, in her book "Sell Your Screenplay", calls Rotcop an Industry Legend.
Rotcop's complete biography appears in Who's Who in Entertainment.
Ken is presently writing "The Life and Times of Monty Hall" for BearManor Media.