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 December 28, 1934, in Ilford, Essex, as Margaret Natalie Smith, 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 performed 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 in a pivotal scene. 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, she returned for the film adaptation of the play 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 to international fame: 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 Academy Award, 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," as well as its sequel "Evil Under the Sun," both of which starred Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. By the 1980s, she had a string of unforgettable film roles. She won BAFTAs for "A Private Function" and "A Room with a View," as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for the latter. She also appeared in "Bed Among The Lentils," an episode of Alan Bennett's "Talking Heads" series for the BBC.

In 1990, Smith was awarded the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire award by the Queen and was known as Dame Maggie Smith. Afterwards, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" as the elderly Wendy Darling and played 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 both a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination. In 2001, she achieved worldwide fame at the height of her career when she played her best-known role to date 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 Fellowes's hit British period drama "Downton Abbey." The show ran for six seasons and won Smith three of her four Emmys, as well as a Golden Globe. It spawned two films, the second of which, released in 2022, marked 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, first to actor Robert Stephens before they divorced in 1974 and again to playwright Beverley Cross, from 1975 until Cross's passing 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 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, lending authenticity to 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 memorised his lines as I thought about becoming a voice actor. For me, it was sad to lose him.

Jones was born 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 teenage years that Jones developed 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, after which he embarked on a career as a Shakespearean actor.

His first screen role was as Slim Pickens' young, trim flight crew member in Stanley Kubrick's black comedy "Dr. Strangelove." In 1968, he played boxing champion Jack Johnson in a stage production of "The Great White Hope," which netted 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 1974, he starred in the romantic comedy-drama "Claudine." However, his career changed forever when he became internationally famous as the ominous voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars." Initially, Jones wasn't the first choice to voice the intimidating Sith Lord. George Lucas considered Orson Welles for the role, as he needed someone with the right sinister voice. However, he decided that Welles was too recognisable and would be a distraction. This role secured him a place in pop culture and made his voice 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 Darth Vader's physical form and wore the costume, claims he never knew James Earl Jones dubbed over his voice. However, Jones did not want to receive credit for it in the first two films, leaving it until the third. 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 a familiar face on television, playing the older Alex Haley 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 occasionally lent his voice to 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 Award from the Academy for his work. 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 use his voice for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries on 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 July 18, 2024, legendary comedian and actor Bob Newhart died. 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," which he 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 nine Emmy nominations. But it wasn't until 2013 that he won a single acting Emmy for the role of Professor Proton in "The Big Bang Theory" in the Outstanding Guest Actor category. 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 to 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 Duvall (1949-2024)

Shelley Duvall, the actress best known for her role with Jack Nicholson in "The Shining," has passed away. 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 cast her as the teen temptress and Astrodome tour guide Suzanne Davis in "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 starred in "Annie Hall," "Time Bandits," and "Roxanne." In the 1990s, her acting roles dwindled, except for Jane Campion's "The Portrait of a Lady," which picked up the slack. 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 spending two decades away from acting, she returned to star in the horror film "The Forest Hills," which turned out to be her final role.

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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 five decades, from "M*A*S*H" to "The Hunger Games," has died. He was 88 years old. His son, the actor Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed his death on Thursday.

Born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, on July 17, 1935, Sutherland began working as a disc jockey at his local 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. In 1956, Sutherland began studying acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He then began appearing in West End plays and 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," in which he played the psychopathic impersonator, Vernon Pinkley.

In 1970, both "Kelly's Heroes" and "M*A*S*H" premiered. The latter was a huge hit and spawned a successful TV series that thrust Sutherland into the spotlight. Sutherland's A-list status peaked in the 1970s as he starred in films by the decade's best directors, although they didn't always do their best work with him. In Alan Pakula's "Klute," he gave one of his best performances as a detective. During the shooting of "Klute," he met his co-star, actress Jane Fonda, with whom he had a three-year relationship. 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 the satirical historical drama "The 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: "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 of "Three's Company," Sutherland's next film would be one of his greatest. In "Ordinary People," a generational drama that marked Robert Redford's directorial debut and 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 played a pyromaniac imprisoned for arson in Ron Howard's firefighter drama "Backdraft." In the 1990s, Sutherland appeared 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 his role as 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 Petersen's pandemic film "Outbreak" alongside Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Morgan Freeman.

He also earned 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 "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 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 Suzanne Collins's YA novels were international hits. They broke box office records and catapulted their lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence, to stardom. For the rest of his life, Sutherland continued to appear in films, including "Ad Astra" and "Moonfall," as well as on television.

Sutherland was married three times and became a father five times. Three of them, including Kiefer, would follow in their father's footsteps as actors. Although he never received an Oscar nomination, he won an Honorary Oscar in 2017.

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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 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 has 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 make several documentaries.

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In Memory of Richard M. Sherman (1928-2024)

 

Richard M. Sherman (1928-2024)

Richard M. Sherman, half of the famous Oscar-winning songwriting duo the Sherman Brothers and co-writer of such iconic Disney songs like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" for "Mary Poppins" and the title theme from It's a Small World, has passed away at the age of 95.

Born in New York City on June 12, 1928, Richard and his brother would go on to follow in the footsteps of their Tin Pan Alley songwriter father, Al Sherman. After years of moving around the country, the Sherman family settled in Beverly Hills in 1937. Richard was a student at Beverly Hills High School before his studies in music at Bard College. He joined the United States Army, and from 1953 to 1955, he conducted the Army Band and Glee Club. Their success with early tunes like "Gold Can Buy You Anything But Love" and "Tall Paul" caught the eye of Walt Disney. Walt would recruit the Sherman Brothers as staff songwriters for his studio, and their first assignment was to write a song for the TV movie "The Horsemasters." Shortly after, they would collaborate on such movies as "The Absent-Minded Professor," "The Parent Trap," "Summer Magic," "The Sword in the Stone," "Mary Poppins," "That Darn Cat!," "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree," "The Jungle Book," "The Happiest Millionaire," "The Aristocats," and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." They eventually wrote over 200 songs for 27 films and 24 television productions.

The Sherman Brothers wrote some of the most recognisable and popular songs of all time for the Disney theme park rides, including "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow," "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room," and "It's a Small World." They also wrote songs for EPCOT and Tokyo Disneyland. In addition to Disney, the Sherman Brothers worked on other movies, including "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Snoopy Come Home," "Charlotte's Web," "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," "Huckleberry Finn," and "The Skipper and the Rose."

In 1990, both Richard and his brother were named Disney legends. They were honoured with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the National Medal of the Arts in 2008. When Robert died in 2012, Richard continued to work. He penned new lyrics for the 2016 live-action remake of "The Jungle Book," wrote three new songs for "Christopher Robin," and composed a new song for the animated short film "Mushka" by Disney legend Andreas Deja in 2023.

In 2023, Richard returned to Walt Disney's office to record a new version of "Feed the Birds" from "Mary Poppins" for "Once Upon a Studio," a short film celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company. Richard and Robert often played the same song for Walt on Friday afternoons.

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