In Memory of Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)

Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)

Kris Kristofferson, the Hollywood actor and legendary country musician, has died. He was 88 years old. His family confirmed his passing.

While his music career began in the late 1960s, Kristofferson turned to acting. Starting in the early 1970s, with films such as "The Last Movie", "Cisco Pike", "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid", and "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". However, his significant role in his film career was as a washed-up country musician in the 1976 version of "A Star Is Born". He went on to appear in "Semi-Tough", "Convoy", the box office misfire "Heaven's Gate", the 2001 remake of "Planet of the Apes" and the last two "Blade" films. His final movie role was Edwin Fuller in Ethan Hawke's 2018 biopic "Blaze", which focuses on the life of country musician Blaze Foley.

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In Memory of Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

The Oscar-winning British actress Dame Maggie Smith, best known for her roles in the "Harry Potter" film series and "Downton Abbey" has died. She was 89 years old. Her sons, actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced her passing to the press.

Born on 28th December 1934 as Margaret Natalie Smith in Ilford, Essex, she was the daughter of a pathologist. The family moved to Oxford as war approached, and young Maggie attended the Oxford School for Girls. Smith began her theatrical career as a prompt girl and understudy at the Oxford Repertory. At one point, she suggested that no one in her company ever got sick, so Smith never went on stage during her time there. In 1955, her company relocated to a small theatre in London where she caught the attention of an American producer, Leonard Stillman, who cast her in a revue, New Faces, which opened on Broadway in June 1956. Between 1957 and 1958, Smith held the lead comedian role in the London revue "Share My Lettuce". She soon became a regular at London's Old Vic Theatre.

In 1956, Smith made her first film appearance in an uncredited part in "Child in the House". Two years later, she earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer for the 1958 melodrama "Nowhere to Go", in which she portrayed a girl who hides an escaped convict. In "The VIPs", Smith almost upstaged Richard Burton when sharing a pivotal scene with the Welsh actor. Subsequently, in 1963, she received an offer from actor Laurence Olivier to play Desdemona opposite his titular character in the stage version of Othello at the National Theatre. Two years later, the play became a film adaptation with the original cast, for which Smith received an Academy Award nomination. However, it was in 1969 that she played the role that catapulted her into international fame, that of the unconventional schoolteacher in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", for which she received an Oscar for Best Actress.

For two more years, the actress continued her association with the National Theatre, including a role as Mrs Sullen in the Restoration comedy "The Beaux' Stratagem" in Los Angeles. She received another Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance as Aunt Augusta in George Cukor's 1972 film "Travels with My Aunt". In 1978, she won a second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in Neil Simon's "California Suite". She appeared in the ensemble murder mystery parody "Murder by Death" and the Agatha Christie adaptation "Death on the Nile", along with the sequel "Evil Under the Sun", both starring Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. By the 1980s, she had a string of unforgettable film roles and more accolades, including BAFTAs for "A Private Function" and "A Room With A View", the latter of which earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. She also appeared in "Bed Among The Lentils", one of the episodes of Alan Bennett's "Talking Heads" series for the BBC.

In 1990, Smith became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen and was known as Dame Maggie Smith. Afterwards, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" as the elderly Wendy Darling to the dismissive Mother Superior opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the two "Sister Act" movies. She also appeared in "The Secret Garden", "Richard III", "The First Wives Club", "Washington Square" and "The Last September".

At the turn of the century, she played Betsey Trotwood in the BBC adaptation of "David Copperfield", for which she received a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination. In 2001, she achieved the peak of her worldwide fame when she played in what would become her most well-known role as Professor Minerva McGonagall, the shape-shifting Hogwarts teacher in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". Smith continued to bring her magic to the character in seven more films in the franchise. That same year, she starred in Robert Altman's English country house drama "Gosford Park", which earned her final Oscar nomination. During the shooting of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" in 2007, Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer but recovered after two years of treatment.

She again won acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic for her performance as the sharp-tongued Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Julian Fellows's hit British period drama "Downton Abbey". The show ran for six seasons and won Smith three of her four Emmys and a Golden Globe. It spawned two films, the second of which came out in 2022 and was Smith's last appearance as the beloved character. Over the past several years, she has continued to work, appearing in films like "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", "Quartet" and "The Lady in the Van". Her last film role in 2023 was opposite Kathy Bates and Laura Linney in "The Miracle Club".

Smith was twice married, once to actor Robert Stephens, before divorcing in 1974 and again to playwright Beverley Cross, from 1975 until he died in 1998.

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In Memory of James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

Fellow bloggers and Star Wars fans, I have unfortunate news that will devastate you. The legendary actor James Earl Jones, the man behind the iconic voice of Darth Vader, has died. He was 93. His commanding presence has captivated audiences on stage and screen for seven decades. The actor's distinctive, powerful, booming voice left a lasting impression and breathed life into his notable roles, such as Vader in the "Star Wars" movie franchise and Mufasa in "The Lion King". I admired him so much that I often imitated his characters and remembered his lines as I thought about becoming a voice actor. For me, it was sad to lose him.

Jones was born on 17th January 1931 in Arkabutla, Mississippi and raised by his mother and grandparents. He had a severe stutter as a child, and he said he spent most of his childhood unable to speak because of it. It was not until his teen years that Jones gained his famous voice with the help of a high school teacher after overcoming his stammer. It was at the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in 1955 after two years in the army, that Jones discovered his love for acting. In 1957, he made his Broadway debut before becoming a Shakespearean actor.

His first screen role was as Slim Pickens' young, trim flight crewman in Stanley Kubrick's black comedy "Dr. Strangelove". In 1968, he played boxing champion Jack Johnson in a stage performance of "The Great White Hope", which won him a Tony Award. Two years later, he would reprise the role in the screen adaptation, which later earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, in which he became the second black actor following Sidney Poitier to be honoured. He also starred in the 1974 romantic comedy-drama "Claudine". However, his career changed forever when he gained international fame as the ominous voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars". Initially, Jones wasn't the first choice to voice the intimidating Sith Lord, as George Lucas thought of Orson Welles, whom he realised was too recognisable and distracting for the character, as he needed someone with the right sinister voice. This role secured him a position in pop culture and allowed his voice to become one of the most iconic in the world. He continued voicing the character in subsequent Star Wars movies and the animated TV series "Star Wars Rebels".

Bodybuilder Dave Prowse, who portrayed the physical form of Darth Vader and donned the costume, claims he didn't know James Earl Jones dubbed over his voice. However, Jones did not want to receive credit until the third instalment. Jones also appeared in notable films like "Conan the Barbarian" (with Arnold Schwarzenegger), "Matewan", "Coming to America" (with Eddie Murphy), "Field of Dreams" (with Kevin Costner) and "The Sandlot", and has a recurring role as Admiral Greer in "The Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger". In 1994, Jones lent his voice as Mufasa in Disney's animated mega-hit "The Lion King". He would reprise the role 25 years later in the live-action remake, the only actor from the original voice cast to do so.

Jones was also known in television as the older Alex Hailey in the miniseries "Roots: The Next Generation" and won one of his two Emmys for the leading role in the US drama "Gabriel's Fire". He was also one of the earliest guest stars of "Sesame Street" and lent his voice occasionally in a few episodes of "The Simpsons". Jones even lent his comedic chops in a guest role as himself in the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory". His voice also became a trademark of the Cable News Network when he recorded the promo "This is CNN" for the network.

In 2011, he received an Honorary Oscar. His last live-action movie was "Coming 2 America", in which Jones reprised his role as King Jaffe Joffe. By 2022, Jones stepped down as Darth Vader and cut a deal with Lucasfilm that allowed the studio to replicate his voice for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries for Disney+. All subsequent roles of Darth Vader will use the Respeecher in this fashion.

Jones, wherever you are, you gave us a memorable voice, and we'll miss you for that. May the force be with you.

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In Memory of Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

On 18th July 2024, legendary comedian and actor Bob Newhart has passed away. He was 94 years old. His publicist confirmed through a statement in a news article that Bob died following a battle with a series of short illnesses. He's most famous for shows like "Newhart" and "The Bob Newhart Show", but over the past 50 years, he's appeared in countless projects.

Originally an accountant who took up comedy, Newhart became famous in the 1960s for his dry observational humour and quirky delivery. In 1961, he won two Grammys for Best New Artist and Album of the Year for his breakout album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart", recorded over several days in Houston before Newhart had any stand-up experience. He quickly moved on to television, becoming a household name with his own NBC variety series, "The Bob Newhart Show", in 1961, and went on to star in his sitcom, also called "The Bob Newhart Show", on CBS from 1972 to 1978. The actor had another popular sitcom, "Newhart", which lasted from 1982 to 1990.

Newhart has appeared in several movies, including "Catch-22", "In And Out", "Legally Blonde 2", "Elf" (in which he played Will Ferrell's diminutive adoptive father) and "Horrible Bosses". Throughout his career, he received a total of nine Emmy nominations. But it wasn't until 2013 that he won a single acting Emmy, in the Outstanding Guest Actor category, for his portrayal of Professor Proton in "The Big Bang Theory". Newhart didn't retire and continued to appear on TV in recent years in "Big Bang" and "Young Sheldon", as well as "Hot in Cleveland" and "The Librarians".

In addition to appearing in films and shows since the '60s, Newhart lends his voice in animated projects, most notably as the voice of Bernard in Disney's "The Rescuers" and its sequel "The Rescuers Down Under", and even a guest spot in an episode of "The Simpsons".

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In Memory of Shelley Duvall (1949-2024)

Shelley Davis (1949-2024)

Shelley Davis, the actress most famous for her role with Jack Nicholson in "The Shining", is dead. She was 75 years old.

Duvall attended junior college in her hometown of Houston before being discovered by some of director Robert Altman's crew at a party she was hosting. They brought her to Altman, who chose her to play teen temptress and Astrodome tour guide Suzanne Davis in 1970's "Brewster McCloud". Over the years, the childlike actress has worked with Altman, portraying characters in films like a mail-order bride in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller", a woman who has a fling with Keith Carradine's Mississippi bandit in "Thieves Likes Us", the hot-pants-loving L.A. groupie in "Nashville", Mrs. Francis Cleveland, the wife of President Grover Cleveland, in "Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson", and "3 Women". In 1980, Duvall portrayed the iconic comic strip character Olive Oyl, the strong-willed damsel in distress, in Altman's live-action adaptation of "Popeye" opposite Robin Williams. That same year, she co-starred with Jack Nicholson as Wendy Torrance, the tormented wife and mother in Stanley Kubrick's famous movie adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining". During the making of the film, Kubrick, a well-known perfectionist, was known for being difficult on the actress, with one harrowing scene reportedly shot in 127 takes.

She also appeared in "Annie Hall", "Time Bandits" and "Roxanne". In the 1990s, her acting roles dwindled, with Jane Campion's "The Portrait of a Lady" picking up the slack, and she fell from the public eye in 2002. While on a hiatus from acting, Duvall appeared in an interview on Dr Phil McGraw's talk show in 2016, where she disclosed that she struggled with mental illness. In 2022, after two decades away from acting, she returned to star in the horror film "The Forest Hills", which turned out to be her last.

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In Memory of Donald Sutherland (1935-2024)

Donald Sutherland (1935-2024)

The veteran film and television actor Donald Sutherland, whose career spanned half a decade, from "M*A*S*H" to "The Hunger Games", has died. He was 88 years old. His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed his death on Thursday.

Born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, on 17th July 1935, Sutherland first worked as a disc jockey at his radio station at age 14. Originally an engineering student at the University of Toronto, Sutherland moved to England, where he started acting in school plays. He graduated in 1956 and studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Sutherland began appearing in West End plays. He then took minor roles in British film and television. Sutherland moved to Los Angeles and continued to drift until a series of war movies changed his trajectory. His first film in America was "The Dirty Dozen", where he played a psychopathic officer impersonator Vernon Pinkley.

In 1970, both "Kelly's Heroes" and "M*A*S*H" came out, the latter being a huge hit and spawned a successful TV series as Sutherland thrust into the spotlight. Sutherland's A-list status peaked in the 1970s as he starred in films by the best directors of the decade - though they didn't always do their best work with him. One of his best performances was that of a detective in Alan Pakula's "Klute". It was then during the shooting of "Klute" that he met his co-star, actress Jane Fonda, with whom he had a relationship that lasted for three years. His next big film was Nicolas Roeg's psychological thriller "Don't Look Now", followed by the international spy comedy "S*P*Y*S" in 1974 and "Day of the Locust" in 1975. As his acting career took off, Sutherland acted in another big-budget war movie, "The Eagle Has Landed" with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall in 1976, and subsequently had a small part in John Landis' 1977 farce "The Kentucky Fried Movie", written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker, who later became directors of "Airplane!"

In 1978, Sutherland starred in three diverse movies, such as"The Great Train Robbery", a heist comedy with Sean Connery and Lesley-Anne Down, the horror-thriller remake "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" with Brooke Adams and Jeff Goldblum and the much-loved early-'60s fraternity comedy "National Lampoon's Animal House", also directed by Landis. In the latter, he had a supporting but crucial part as a stoned professor of English literature. Following his star turn in the 1980 comedy "Nothing Personal" with Suzanne Somers from "Three's Company", Sutherland's next film was to be one of his greatest. In "Ordinary People", a generational drama, which marks actor Robert Redford in his directorial debut that won four Oscars, including Best Picture, he played Calvin Jarrett, a man grieving for one son and coping with another's suicide attempt.

Throughout the 1980s, Sutherland continued to act in films. In 1991, he had a pivotal role in Ron Howard's firefighter drama "Backdraft", where he played an imprisoned pyromaniac who aids investigators by saying that the arsonist they are hunting must also be a firefighter. In the 1990s, Sutherland acted in such movies as "JFK", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Six Degrees of Separation". In 1995, he received an Emmy and a Golden Globe for playing Russian Colonel Mikhail Fetisov in HBO's serial-killer thriller telemovie "Citizen X", co-starring Stephen Rea and Max von Sydow. In the same year, he had a supporting role in Wolfgang Peterson's virus outbreak film "Outbreak" with Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo and Morgan Freeman.

He also scored an Emmy nomination for his lead role in Lifetime's 2006 miniseries "Human Trafficking", in which he co-starred with Mira Sorvino and Robert Carlyle. Sutherland kept appearing in films such as "A Time to Kill", "Shadow Conspiracy", "Fallen", "Instinct", "The Italian Job (2003)", "Cold Mountain", "Fierce People", "Pride and Prejudice (2005)" and "Horrible Bosses". However, his next role would be his best-known. In 2012, Sutherland took on the role of President Coriolanus Snow, the fascist dictator of Panem in "The Hunger Games", which he then reprised in the sequels "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay Parts 1" and "2" as the main antagonist. The films based on the YA novels by Suzanne Collins were international hits. They broke box office records and catapulted its lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence, to stardom. For the rest of his life, Sutherland continued to appear in films, such as "Ad Astra" and "Moonfall", while also making several appearances on the small screen.

Sutherland was married three times and had five children. Three of them, including Kiefer, would follow in their father's footsteps as actors. Though he was never nominated for an Oscar, however, in 2017, he received an Honorary Award.

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In Memory of Morgan Spurlock (1970-2024)

Morgan Spurlock (1970-2024)

Morgan Spurlock, the man behind the fast food documentary "Super Size Me", has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 53. Spurlock's career as a director has been varied and erratic. His documentary changed people's minds about fast food and how it affects them. It also prompted many fast food outlets to improve their healthier options.

A native of Parkesburg, West Virginia, the future filmmaker grew up in Beckley, where he attended Woodrow Wilson High School. He completed his studies at New York University in 1993.

In his first movie, "Super Size Me", Spurlock examines obesity and unhealthy food choices in America by experimenting on himself and chronicling the effects of an all-fast food diet. He ate only McDonald's for a month with dozens of Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets and drank gallons of cola. This unhealthy diet gained him 25 pounds of weight, and he claims that it had damaged his liver. McDonald's described Spurlock's eating habits as "unrealistic", but after the controversy surrounding the film, they scrapped their supersized portions. However, the film earned the Best Documentary Feature Oscar nomination and the first Writers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay.

His success with "Super Size Me" encouraged Spurlock to do several documentaries. Such films include "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?", "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold", a One Direction concert feature and "Super Size Me 2".

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