Wednesday, February 18, 2015

ICFD9 IS ALMOST HERE! AND A LAST LOOK BACK AT 2014!

MATCH THE STARS TO THEIR OBIT!  MOST SHOULD BE EASY!















Give up on this one?  See #4.










The long-awaited return of "IT CAME FROM DALLAS!" is just around the corner, in fact our ninth edition, "THE SHOW WITH 9 LIVES!" is Thursday Feb. 19th at The Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson at 7:30pm (get there early!)  Get your industry juices flowing by taking one last look at some of the greats from TV and film we lost in 2014 (we'll pay tribute to those from our metroplex and state at the show).  I think you have to go back to 1977, the year we lost Elvis, Groucho, Chaplin, Bing Crosby and Joan Crawford to find a comparable year in which so many greats passed, and this is just a selection.  For more on Thursday's show, go to 
www.itcamefromdallas.com

Be there or be square!



1. JUANITA MOORE (1/1, age 99)
Moore was the third African American actress to be nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, for 1959's cult fave IMITATION OF LIFE (contrary to popular belief, Susan Kohner, not Natalie Wood, played her daughter. Both were white). She was a very familiar face in movies and TV for decades, started as a dancer and in early black cast films. Moore hosted screenings of IMITATION nearly to the end of her life, including at Dallas and the Turner Classic Film Festival.

2. MAXIMILLIAN SCHELL (2/1, age 83)
Austrian-born actor beat out Paul Newman and Spencer Tracy for the Best Actor Oscar for JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG ('61), in a role he first played on television 2 years before (a first). Also nominated for MAN IN THE GLASS BOOTH and JULIA; you might remember him as the villain in Disney's THE BLACK HOLE. One of the most successful foreign actors.

3. PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (2/2, age 46)
The extraordinary actor/director made his major feature debut in LEAP OF FAITH ('92, filmed in Dallas and Panhandle locations), the next year in Austin for MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK (aka JOHNNY ZOMBIE). Best Actor Oscar for the title role of CAPOTE ('05); also nominated for DOUBT, CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR, and THE MASTER. Other films include THE BIG LEBOWSKI, TWISTER, NOBODY'S FOOL, MONEYBALL, MAGNOLIA, ALMOST FAMOUS and THE HUNGER GAMES series (there's one left). Never married, he had 3 children from a longtime companion. Heroin overdose.

4. SHIRLEY TEMPLE (2/10, age 85)
The most famous child star ever made her film debut at age 3 in 1932 (Honorary Juvenile Oscar at 6) and left Hollywood in 1949 (even though she was by then quite a knockout, as you can see). She was the #1 box office star from 1935-38 and the first to be a superstar of merchandising. A TV host into the '60s, then became US Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslavakia. At 17 married her first husband, WWII hero/actor John Agar, lasted 5 years. They costarred in FORT APACHE. Later Agar appeared in the Dallas “B” classics ZONTAR THING FROM VENUS, CURSE OF THE SWAMP CREATURE, NIGHT FRIGHT and HELL RAIDERS.

5. SID CAESAR (2/12, age 91)
Comedy genius actor/writer/musician who was huge on '50s TV (1982's MY FAVORITE YEAR is based on his “Your Show of Shows”). Movies: IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD, SILENT MOVIE, GREASE. Hosted SNL in '83.

6. HAROLD RAMIS (2/24, age 69)
Comedy director, writer and actor. “Spengler” in (and writer of) GHOSTBUSTERS. Director/writer of GROUNDHOG DAY, ANALYZE THIS, STRIPES, and CADDYSHACK. Writer of ANIMAL HOUSE, many others..

7. MICKEY ROONEY (4/6, age 93)
Rooney's career started in the silents at age 4 and lasted until NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB (2014), which also featured the last major-release appearance of Robin Williams. That's a span of 89 years, a record matched only by Carla Laemmle (see below), and Rooney's was nonstop. Famous first for the MICKEY MCGUIRE comedy shorts (that spanned the silent and sound eras), then the musical teamings with Judy Garland (BABES IN ARMS, etc), then as awkward teen Andy Hardy in the ANDY HARDY series, then...you name it, in every genre and onstage. Along the way, a special Juvenile Oscar in 1939, four nominations for acting (the last being THE BLACK STALLION, '79) and an Honorary Oscar in '83. Rooney was here for the 2008 AFI-Dallas Film Festival. Films include IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, NATIONAL VELVET, THE HUMAN COMEDY. The WWII vet had 4 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The first of his 8 wives was Ava Gardner.

8. BOB HOSKINS (4/29, age 71)
British actor Oscar-nominated for MONA LISA ('86), and had a huge US hit with WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBITT ('88). Thanks to his resemblance to Al Capone, Hoskins played many gangsters, and was going to play Capone himself in THE UNTOUCHABLES until Robert De Niro became available (Hoskins took a generous payoff and joked about more roles he could get paid off not to take). Last seen in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN ('12).

9. GORDON WILLIS (5/18, age 82)
Master cinematographer Willis was nicknamed “The Prince of Darkness” for his groundbreaking low lighting for THE GODFATHER I-III and Woody Allen's films. In fact, that nearly got him fired from THE GODFATHER when Paramount execs thought he didn't know what he was doing. Despite revolutionizing the field in the '70s and '80s, Willis only got two Oscar nominations, for ZELIG ('83) and THE GODFATHER III ('90). Other films included THE PARALLAX VIEW, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, ANNIE HALL, MANHATTAN and lastly, THE DEVIL'S OWN ('97). Son Gordon Willis Jr. worked in Dallas for several years.

10. HERB JEFFRIES (5/25, age 100)
Part Irish, part Ethiopean, Jeffries was an actor, singer, and calypso singer famous as “The Bronze Buckaroo” in a series of all-black westerns in the '30s and '40s. His comic sidekick in those films was Spencer Williams, later to become the first man in Dallas to make narrative feature films and a future (posthumous) DPA Pioneer Filmmaker.

11. MARTHA HYER (5/31, age 89)
The Fort Worth native was a Hollywood star of the '50s, getting an Oscar nomination for SOME CAME RUNNING (1958). Also in SABRINA ('54 version) and such cult films as FIRST MEN IN THE MOON and THE CHASE ('66), plus many TV shows.

12. RUBY DEE (6/11, age 91)
One of the greatest stars of African-American theatre, TV, and film, Dee was married to actor Ossie Davis for 57 years and costarred with him 9 times, from 1950's NO WAY OUT to 1994's miniseries THE STAND.  Also appeared 4 times with Sidney Poitier.  She got a long-overdue Oscar nomination in 2007 for AMERICAN GANGSTER as Denzel Washington's mother.  She was the second oldest acting nominee ever, at 83.

13. CARLA LAEMMLE (6/12, age 104)
She said the first line of dialog in Universal's original 1931 DRACULA -- making it the first line of dialog spoken in an American horror film, period.  Getting cast was a cinch considering she was the niece of Universal founder Carl Laemmle.  She also appeared in another Universal horror classic - the silent 1925 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.  Carla left movies after 1939, but came back to do some cameos in just the last 5 years -- starting at age 99.  That 89-year span matches Mickey Rooney's as the longest in movie history.

14.  ELI WALLACH (6/24, age 98)
Despite his Polish-Jewish background, New York-born Wallach played the two most famous Mexican bandits in movie history: Calvera in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960), and, the role for which he was known around the world, Tuco in 1967's THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY ("Hey blondie!  Tu madre es un gran puta!").  Wallach went way down south to graduate in 1936 from the University of Texas at Austin, because he couldn't afford New York City colleges (UTA cost $40 then). His classmates included Ann Sheridan, John Connally and Walter Cronkite, a lifelong friend. Eli made his debut in 1956's BABY DOLL (as an Italian), a movie that caused such a scandal that it was condemned by the Catholic Church.  He costarred with everyone from Gable to Monroe to Pacino, and played many gangsters in his later years (Don Altobello in GODFATHER III).  And, one of the 3 "Mr. Freeze's" on "Batman".  At the age of 96 finally got a LONG overdue Honorary Oscar.  His wife of 66 years was actress Anne Jackson.

15.  PAUL MAZURSKY (6/30, age 84)
Started as an actor in the '50s (BLACKBOARD JUNGLE), co-created "The Monkees" TV hit in 1966.  As director/writer/producer, he became a favorite of critics and five-time Oscar nominee for BOB&CAROL&TED&ALICE, HARRY & TONTO, DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS, NEXT STOP GREENWICH VILLAGE, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN and (perhaps his most underrated) MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON, and many others.

16.  JAMES GARNER (7/19, 86)
The much-loved TV and movie star (and Korean vet) from Norman, Oklahoma made his film debut in TOWARD THE UNKNOWN ('56), then superstardom as TV's "Maverick" ('57-'62).  An even bigger hit was "The Rockford Files" ('74-'80); Garner continued to play both characters in numerous revivals, cameos,  and reboots. Best Actor Oscar nominee for MURPHY'S ROMANCE.  Last major film was the cult weeper THE NOTEBOOK ('04), but THE GREAT ESCAPE ('63) remains many people's favorite Garner flick.

17. DICK SMITH (7/30, age 92)
All you who make horror flicks - thanks to makeup genius Smith we know what demonic possession looks like  - Linda Blair in THE EXORCIST.  Smith did all kinds of makeup but he pioneered a lot of the violence/gore/horror effects that have dominated movies ever since.  You saw them in THE GODFATHER, TAXI DRIVER, THE SENTINEL, STARMAN. 
Oscar winner for AMADEUS,  Honorary Oscar in 2012.

18. ROBIN WILLIAMS (8/11, age 63)
It was producer/actor John Houseman who told Williams at Julliard to forget being a serious actor and get into standup comedy.  That dramatic training certainly helped his Oscar-nominated performances in GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, DEAD POETS SOCIETY,  THE FISHER KING, and GOOD WILL HUNTING (Best Supporting Actor winner).  He really did make his debut in a grindhouse comedy called CAN I DO IT UNTIL I NEED GLASSES? ('77);  lucky for us all, "Mork & Mindy" came along ('78 - '82).  After several bigscreen flops in recent years he tried another series with "The Crazy Ones" ('13-'14) but it was canceled. Both he and Mickey Rooney made their final major feature appearance in NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB last Christmas.  His intended last lead role, A MERRY FRIGGIN' CHRISTMAS, was judged so bad it mercifully went straight to video. You haven't seen all of his great performances until you see his most underrated one, in MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON.   A true comic genius who battled depression while making us laugh.   Thanks, Robin.

19.  LAUREN BACALL (8/12, age 89)
Betty Joan Perske was born in New York City to a Polish-Jewish family and as a teenager started a successful modeling career.  A Harper's Magazine cover got her cast in Warner Bros.' TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT.  She was 19, Humphrey Bogart was 44, and they hit it off, despite the fact he was still married to his third wife at the time.  "Bogie and Bacall" married a year later and made a total of 6 films together (THE BIG SLEEP, KEY LARGO, DARK PASSAGE, etc.)   After his death in 1957, she did theatre work and was married to Jason Robards (who resembled Bogie then) from '61 to '69.   After winning Tonys for "Applause" and "Woman of the Year", she returned onscreen in the '70s.  Her only Oscar nomination was for 1996's THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES as Barbra Streisand's mother, which she surprisingly lost to Juliette Binoche for THE ENGLISH PATIENT.  She did get an Honorary Oscar (alongside Roger Corman!) in 2010. She was a guest at the 2007 AFI-Dallas Film Festival and returned 3 years later at the Nasher. Bacall redefined sex in American Cinema in her time; if you think old movies are strictly puritan, go now and rent TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT and THE BIG SLEEP.  "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve?  You just pucker up and blow."

20.  LORD RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH (8/24, age 90)
A well-regarded British character actor (THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE SAND PEBBLES), Attenborough switched to directing in 1969.  His GANDHI ('82) beat out E.T. for Best Picture and Director Oscars; yet Spielberg revived his acting career by casting him as the head honcho of JURASSIC PARK ('93).   You probably never even heard of Attenborough's last attempt at an epic biopic, GREY OWL (2000), starring Pierce Brosnan - because it was considered so dull it couldn't find a single American distributor and went straight to video here - the biggest-budget film at the time to do so (that was a big deal in the home vid biz).  Other films he directed included A CHORUS LINE, CHAPLIN and SHADOWLANDS. 

21. JOAN RIVERS (9/4, age 81)
Another comic legend we lost in 2014, Joan Molinsky started as a comedy writer for TV, broke into standup, was made first permanent guest host on "The Tonight Show", and eventually into all media.  She even got a Tony nomination for a Broadway play.  She usually played herself in her film and TV appearances, but she'll be remembered as the voice of Dot Matrix in Mel Brooks' SPACEBALLS ('87).  And, like most great comics, she tried at least one straight drama role, in THE SWIMMER ('68).  She died from complications during a routine endoscopy.

22. RICHARD KIEL (9/10, age 74)
The world discovered 7'2" Kiel as giant hitman Jaws in THE SPY WHO LOVE ME ('77) and MOONRAKER ('79), but he'd been around since 1961, in such drive-in faves as THE PHANTOM PLANET, THE MAGIC SWORD, THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS and the one-star classic EEGAH!  I loved him as Voltaire, the towering sidekick to Michael Dunn's Dr. Loveless on "The Wild Wild West".  In addition to appearing on just about every '60s series (memorable "Twilight Zone" episode "To Serve Man", though oddly never on "Star Trek") he faced off with Clint Eastwood in PALE RIDER and did a lot of voice work when his health issues kept him off the big screen.  Kiel was here for the Alamo Drafthouse screening of MOONRAKER in 2012.

23. MIKE NICHOLS (11/19, 83)
The Oscar-winning director of THE GRADUATE started his career as a comedian, one of the founders of Second City.  His rep as a stage director got him hired to direct WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? ('66), first of four director nominations.  The others were for WORKING GIRL and the essential Dallas production SILKWOOD ('83).  Nichols' other works include CATCH-22, CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, WOLF, CLOSER, THE BIRDCAGE, CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (his final feature) and the miniseries "Angels in America".

24. LUISE RAINER (12/30, age 104)
Rainer began making movies in her native Germany in the early '30s, then accepted a 7-year contract with MGM and moved to Hollywood, just in time to escape Hitler's escalating persecution of Jews.  She became the first actor/actress to win back-to-back Oscars, for THE GREAT ZIEGFELD ('36) and THE GOOD EARTH ('37), a trick most recently earned by Tom Hanks in the '90s.  She was married to leftist playwright Clifford Odets for 3 years, during which she was finally kicked out of MGM for her rebelliousness.  Made her last Hollywood film in '43,  then did theatre, finally turning up on American TV for one episode of "Combat" in the '60s and a "Love Boat" (!) in the '70s.  For years she wore the title of oldest-living Oscar winner, making recent appearances on the telecast and at the Turner Classic Film Festival.

--by Gordon K. Smith