Some Folks We Lost in 2011, Pt.2 (July-Dec)

SEE #4 AND #18 ^

CLIFF ROBERTSON AS JFK

WRITTEN BY JIMMY SANGSTER

STARRING CYNTHIA MEYERS & CHARLES NAPIER

DIRECTED BY KEN RUSSELL

We lost so many great talents in our industry in 2011, I broke the list up into two parts, and it was tough to keep it to 20 just for the second half.  This is just some of the actors, musicians, directors, writers, producers, from the famous to the cult figures, that passed from July to December 2011.  We'll see you at IT CAME FROM DALLAS: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVENTH, on February 23rd at Studio Movie Grill-Dallas, where we'll also do more on the local greats we lost.  Be there or be square!

1. SHERWOOD SCHWARTZ (7/12, age 94)

Prolific TV writer/producer to whom baby boomers and standup comics owe endless thanks for having created Gilligans Island in 1964, and The Brady Bunch (and its endless offshoots) in 1969.  (why did they bring a year's worth of clothing for a three hour tour?  One of life's little mysteries...)

2. AMY WINEHOUSE (7/23, age 27)

Of the many music greats who died in 2011, Winehouse may have been the most tragic.  Lots of performers have gone through rehab, but not many had a hit single about it.  The Brit jazz/rocker was a five-time Grammy winner, was nicknamed "Wino", and died of alcohol poisoning.  Her music was heard on many US and UK movie/TV soundtrack.  Also dead at 27:  Janis Jopin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Kobain.  

3. G.D. SPRADLIN (7/24, age 90 )

Character actor since the '60s whose name may not ring bells but his face sure will -- the corrupt Senator in GODFATHER PART II, the general who sends Martin Sheen on his mission in APOCALYPSE NOW, the Tom Landry-ish coach in NORTH DALLAS 40, and many more.

4. POLLY PLATT (7/27, age 72)

When she came to North Texas as Production Designer on THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (arguably the greatest Texas film) in 1971, Platt was married to the director, Peter Bogdanovich.  He dumped her for his star discovery, Cybill Shepard, yet they collaborated on later films, including PAPER MOON and WHAT'S UP DOC?  She was Oscar-nominated for her work on TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (Houston), and became a renowned producer herself on its sequel THE EVENING STAR, SAY ANYTHING, BROADCAST NEWS, and BOTTLE ROCKET (Dallas), and wrote screenplays, too.  First female member of the Art Directors Guild.  Platt had ALS.  

5. JIMMY SANGSTER (8/19, age 83)

If you make horror flicks, you owe a debt to this British screenwriter.  His screenplays for CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN ('57) and HORROR OF DRACULA ('58) started the horror factory at Hammer Studios.  Those and the movies that followed revolutionized the genre with sex, gore and vibrant color (the last surviving star of this new wave is Christopher Lee, still kickin' it at 89 in HUGO).  Sangster later moved to Hollywood and wrote lots of TV movies and episodes -- the same guy who wrote the above flicks also wrote episodes of B.J. and the Bear and the cult TV classic Kolchak: The Night Stalker.

6. CLIFF ROBERTSON (9/10, age 88)

How odd that this veteran actor, who made his film debut in 1955's PICNIC, is now remembered by many for his last role, as Uncle Ben in SPIDER-MAN ('02),  who sez the iconic line "With great power comes great responsibility". Won the Best Actor Oscar for 1968's CHARLY, a role he first played on TV in 1961.  In '63  he was first in a never-ending line of actors to play John F. Kennedy, in PT 109 (the first time a sitting president was the main subject of a movie).  Among his many credits were classic episodes of Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits.  Victim of a swindle by Columbia Pictures head David Begelman in the '70s, which sadly hurt him more than it did Begelman.

7. JERRY HAYNES (9/26, age 84)

In addition to playing one of America's greatest childrens' show hosts, Mr. Peppermint, from 1961 to 1996 on WFAA-8 (a US television record, and he beat Capt. Kangeroo in ratings), Haynes also hosted the Dallas edition of American Bandstand and was present at JFK's assassination -- he was the first person interviewed on WFAA TV on 11/23/63.  On the big screen he was the inventor of ROBOCOP's nemesis ED 209, deputy sheriff in PLACES IN THE HEART, and judge in BOYS DON'T CRY, among many others. Thanks, Jerry.  His son Gibby was lead singer for The Butthole Surfers.

8.  CHARLES NAPIER (10/5, age 75)

Maybe the only actor to go from Russ Meyer's stock company to a mainstream movie career, Napier became very familiar as blowhard generals and cops in RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PT. 2, the AUSTIN POWERS flicks, lots more.  For director Jonathan Demme he was the unfortunate guard in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and the judge in PHILADELPHIA.  Also in THE BLUES BROS.  Before starring in Meyers' X-rated CHERRY HARRY & RAQUEL and BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, Napier was in the infamous 1969 "space hippies" episode of Star Trek, "The Way to Eden", wherein he sang the unforgettable ditty "Gonna crack my knuckles and jump for joy, got a clean bill of health from Dr. McCoy!"  Napier did a lot of animation voices, including a regular character on The Critic.

9.  STEVE JOBS (10/5, age 56) 

The man who made it possible for most of you to read this and work every day was also a pioneer in computer-animated features.  He developed Pixar in the late '80s and was executive producer of TOY STORY (95).  After that came TOY STORY II, MONSTERS INC, FINDING NEMO, WALL-E, UP... not bad for a college dropout.  A Buddhist, Jobs was once investigated by the FBI when he was up for a White House position under Bush Sr. Their file on him was made public last week.

10. DIANE CILENTO (10/6, age 78)

Australian actress who was Mrs. Sean Connery from 1962-73, Oscar-nominated for TOM JONES ('63).  Also in HOMBRE with Paul Newman, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY with Charlton Heston, and the horror classic THE WICKER MAN (not the lousy 2006 Nic Cage remake).

11.  DALE BERRY (10/23, age 83)

Dallas character actor, musician, rodeo entertainer, and a frequent guest at Western conventions.  In the mid-'60s Berry directed some drive-in exploitation flicks with such titles as PASSION IN THE SUN, HIP HOT AND 21, and HOT-BLOODED WOMAN. Thanks to DVD they have acquired world-wide cult followings. He was a frequent guest at our "It Came From Dallas" show where we showcased his work, including his appearance in the 1962 Dallas episode of Route 66.

12.  RICHARD GORDON (11/1, age 85)

B-movie producer whose product was very popular with TV horror host shows in the '60s and '70s.  Most famous for 1959's FIEND WITHOUT A FACE, the one with the flying brains trying to break into the house (there's an in-joke to it in BEETLEJUICE).

13.  CYNTHIA MYERS (11/4, age 61)

Another Russ Meyer star to pass in 2011 (along with Napier and Tura Satana),  she was a model and 1968 Playmate whose foldout was hugely popular with Vietnam soldiers.  She starred with Napier in 1970's BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.

14.  KEN RUSSELL (11/27, age 84)

The bad boy of British film directors, Russell started on the BBC and was Oscar-nominated for WOMEN IN LOVE ('70).  His films were known for their outrageous-ness, which made him a natural to direct TOMMY ('75).  ALTERED STATES ('80) was the only hit of his few American films.  THE DEVILS was rated X in 1971, and much banned and censored.

15. PATRICE O'NEAL (11/27, age 41)

A rising stand-up comic from Boston, O'Neal appeared onstage, radio, television, and movies (THE 25TH HOUR, HEAD OF STATE, FURRY VENGEANCE).  His last appearance was on Comedy Central's Roast of Charlie Sheen last September.  O'Neal had a stroke and had long suffered from diabetes.

16.  BILL MCKINNEY (12/1, age 80 )

Great Tennessee character actor forever remembered for doing nasty things to Ned Beatty, and later having one of the all-time great death scenes, in DELIVERANCE ('72).   Also in THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, THE GREEN MILE, BACK TO THE FUTURE 3, many more.  "Come on boy...squeal like a pig!"

17.  HARRY MORGAN (12/7, age 96)

Thanks to perpetual reruns of MASH (it probably reruns on Heaven's CCTV network), he's one of the most seen actors ever.  The world knows him as Col. Potter ('74-'84), but Morgan (from Detroit) was a character actor since 1942 and starred in at least six other series -- the next most famous was the second Dragnet series ('66-'70), as straight man to even-straighter Jack Webb.  And a lot of western and military film roles. Catch him on TCM with Henry Fonda in THE OXBOW INCIDENT and John Wayne in THE SHOOTIST.  Until the late '50s he was billed as Henry Morgan, which he had to change because of a TV comic with that name.

18.  BERT SCHNEIDER (12/12, age 78)

Producer of some of the most influential films of the '60s and '70s, prime among them EASY RIDER ('69) and THE LAST PICTURE SHOW ('71, Archer City).  Also FIVE EASY PIECES, DAYS OF HEAVEN (by TREE OF LIFE director Terrence Malick), et.al.  Schneider won an Emmy for the TV series The Monkees and an Oscar for the 'Nam doc HEARTS AND MINDS ('74).  

 

 19.  NICOL WILLIAMSON (12/16, age 75)

Scottish character actor who was memorable as Sherlock Holmes in THE SEVEN PER CENT SOLUTION ('76) and Merlin in EXCALIBUR ('81).   Last film was SPAWN ('97).

20.  ROBERT EASTON (12/16, age 81)

"The Man of a Thousand Voices", Easton was master of accents and dialects who trained many Hollywood actors, especially in western, southern and country roles. Coached Forrest Whitaker to an Oscar for THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND.   He played many, many hicks and long-haired country boys, starting in 1951.  Also the Klingon judge in STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY ('91).  A 1949 grad of UT Austin.