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| YVETTE VICKERS |
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STARRING MICHAEL GOUGH
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| Soon to be remade by Quentin Tarantino... |
^Dolores Fuller and Ed Wood in GLEN OR GLENDA
We said goodbye to so many great talents in 2011 I decided to wait until
the end of the year to do my usual obituary, in two parts, and even
then it was hard to narrow the list down of the famous, the
not-so-famous, and the cult icons in our industry. I also decided to
start doing this as a real blog, which I shall continue to keep you all
reminded of this year's "It Came From Dallas: The Magnificent
Seventh!", which happens Thursday, February 23rd at the Dallas Studio
Movie Grill (that's 10 months before the Mayan Curse kicks in, so you
have no excuse.) We postponed it from last October to do some retooling
on the show. Be there or be square! Now on to the list, and Part 2 is
coming next week.
-Gordon K. Smith
FOLKS WE LOST IN 2011, PART ONE! (thru June)
1. PETER YATES (1/9, age 81)
British director who started on the old "Secret Agent" series in the
early '60s, went on to score a big hit with his first US film, 1968's
BULLITT, which redefined how car chases and action films in general are
shot, directed and edited. He was Oscar-nominated for BREAKING AWAY and
THE DRESSER.
2. JOHN BARRY (1/30, age 77)
If you went home from almost any 007 thriller up through VIEW TO A KILL
humming the score, Barry was the man to thank. (to this day I can't get
the music from YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE out of my head). He was probably
second only to John Williams for rich, orchestral scores; try to imagine
OUT OF AFRICA or DANCES WITH WOLVES without his Oscar-winning
soundtracks. He also won Academy Awards for BORN FREE and THE LION IN
WINTER.
3. TURA SATANA (2/4, age age 72)
Model, stripper and martial artist forever etched in cult movie stone as
the star of Russ Meyer's unforgettably titled FASTER PUSSYCAT, KILL
KILL! (1965). She also appeared in IRMA LA DOUCE and minor drive-in
classic ASTRO ZOMBIES, among others. Did a lot of convention shows.
4. BETTY GARRETT (2/12, age 91)
Broadway and film actress, singer and dancer, outstanding in ON THE TOWN
and TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME (both '49). Then her career was
derailed by the House Un-American Activities Committee, which was
gunning for her husband, Larry Parks, a former Communist. They were
blacklisted for years and worked in small live venues. Betty re-emerged
as a TV star in the '70s; you might remember her as a semi-regular on
"All In The Family" and as Edna on "Laverne and Shirley".
5. JANE RUSSELL (2/28, age 89)
If you saw Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, you know something of the sensation
Howard Hughes created when he cast Russell, a former dental assistant,
in his scandalous 1942 western THE OUTLAW (Cleavage! Hay-romping! And
that poster! OMG!) Hughes held up the release for 2 years to build up
the PR, and it was still banned in places. Russell survived by
becoming a hugely popular pin-up during the war and a talented singer,
dancer and actress in her own right, even when she was the object of
endless jokes and winking film titles (e.g. DOUBLE DYNAMITE). After the
'60s she mostly turned to live performing and Playtex commercials; in
her final years she was a popular right-wing activist. Her best work is
SON OF PALEFACE, HIS KIND OF WOMAN and GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. I did
the official video for her final public appearance (weeks before her
death) in Ft. Lauderdale.
6. MICHAEL GOUGH (3/17, age 94)
Many only knew him as Alfred The
Butler in the Tim Burton-produced BATMAN flicks, but this veteran Brit
actor was also a major horror star in his own right from the late '50s
into the '70s, perhaps most famously for HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM
("In Hypno-Vista!!!") A Tony Award winner, he was also in OUT OF
AFRICA, AGE OF INNOCENCE and Burton's SLEEPY HOLLOW and ALICE IN
WONDERLAND.
7. ELIZABETH TAYLOR (3/23, age 79)
The last great star from the "studio system" and one of the 20th
Century's most beautiful women was born in London to American parents
who moved back to the US in 1939 to escape the war. She made her debut
at age 10 in THERE'S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE ('42), and was quickly picked
up by MGM where hit stardom with NATIONAL VELVET ('47) and A PLACE IN
THE SUN ('51) and remained under contract for many years. She was
Oscar-nominated 4 years in a row, starting in '57 with RAINTREE COUNTY,
then CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER and BUTTERFIELD 8, for
which she won largely on a sympathy vote (she'd recently had a
life-saving emergency tracheotomy). With CLEOPATRA ('63) Liz became the
first actress to get $1 million for a role, and won another Oscar 3
years later for WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? Her costar was Richard
Burton, who was 2 of her 8 husbands (married twice). They made 11 films
together. Liz's lifelong health problems made her uninsurable later,
so she gave up acting to sell perfume and raise money to fight AIDS. Her
last big-screen role was as Wilma's mother in THE FLINTSTONES ('94).
Taylor's immortal contribution to Texas cinema was as Leslie Benedict in
GIANT ('56, Marfa). She was 23 when she made it, and ages 25 years in
the film.
8. KEVIN JARRE (4/3, age 56)
Screenwriter, he wrote only five major features, but that includes
TOMBSTONE ('93, which he also started directing but was replaced) and
GLORY ('89), for which he should have been Oscar nominated (he also
played the doubting Union soldier who yells "Give'em hell, 54th!" at the
climax). Others include THE MUMMY ('99) and THE DEVIL'S OWN. His
stepfather was Maurice Jarre, the composer of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Had a
heart attack.
"If this man should fall, who will lift up the flag and carry on?"
9. FARLEY GRANGER (3/27, age 85)
Granger was a star of the '40s and '50s, most famously in Hitchcock's
ROPE and STRANGERS ON A TRAIN and the influential noir THEY LIVE BY
NIGHT. By the '60s he was doing a lot of TV (including soaps) and
obscure B movies, plus returned to Broadway. In his memoirs he
described himself as a bisexual who dallied with many famous Hollywood
men and women.
10. SIDNEY LUMET (4/9, age 86)
Prolific director whose output was hit and miss, but the hits included
TWELVE ANGRY MEN, FAIL-SAFE, THE PAWNBROKER, SERPICO, MURDER ON THE
ORIENT EXPRESS, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK, and THE VERDICT -- not a bad
record. He mostly worked out of New York, but came to Texas in '74 to
make LOVIN' MOLLY in Bastrop. After five nominations Lumet got an
Honorary Oscar in 2005. Lena Horne was his mother-in-law for many years
(he cast her in THE WIZ).
"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
11. MICHAEL SARRAZIN (4/17, age 70)
Canadian actor had a good run in Hollywood in the '60s - '70s in THEY
SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?, SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION, FOR PETE'S SAKE,
and the cult TV movie "Frankenstein the True Story". He very nearly
played Joe Buck in MIDNIGHT COWBOY. Sarrazin went back to Canada for
the last part of his career. Had cancer.
12. TIM HETHERINGTON (4/20, age 40)
An award-winning British photojournalist/filmmaker, who was killed in
battle in Libya. He was Oscar-nominated last year for the Afghanistan
war documentary RESTREPO. Tim came to Dallas in summer 2010 to talk
about making that extraordinary film. I was one of many local writers
to interview him, and he was a most impressive and heroic man.
13. HUBERT SCHAFLY (4/20, age 91)
Electrical engineer who invented the teleprompter in 1950, for live TV.
Lucy & Desi and soap opera actors were the first to use it. The
computerized version came along in 1982. Where would we be without it?
And what would politicians do without it? (ask Rick Perry...)
14. YVETTE VICKERS (4/27, age 81 or 82)
Late '50s early Playboy Centerfold and B-movie starlet who starred in
ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN ('58, not as Her Highness but as the "other
woman") and ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES ('59). She also had a small
part in the Texas classic HUD ('63). Her mummified body was found in
her home by a neighbor, she'd been dead a year. Giant leeches were
questioned but released by LAPD.
15. OSAMA BIN LADEN (5/2, age 54)
Middle Eastern upstart who made annoying sporadic broadcasts. No truth
to the rumor that, shortly before dying from a sudden attack of lead
poisoning, he was seen reaching into his pocket and saying, "Okay guys,
what's it gonna take to make this go away?"
16. JACKIE COOPER (5/3, age 88)
A movie/TV star from early childhood, he teamed with Wallace Beery in
THE CHAMP (1933) and TREASURE ISLAND and was Perry White in the
Christopher Reeve SUPERMAN flicks among many others. He was also a
highly decorated lifetime Navy man and WWII vet. Series: "Hennesey".
17. DANA WYNTER (5/5, age 79)
Gorgeous German-born British actress who would have given Liz Taylor a
run for her money if she'd gotten better roles. Despite years as a
contract player for Fox, she'll be always remembered for her lead in a
B-movie, sci-fi-noir classic: 1956's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
(recently remade as INVASION with Nicole Kidman). Her final scene with
costar Kevin McCarthy (who died in 2010 at age 96) is one of the
greatest shock endings ever. Also in AIRPORT, THE CRIMSON PIRATE, SINK
THE BISMARK! and a lot of '60s and '70s TV.
18. DOLORES FULLER (5/9, age 88)
Longtime girlfriend of cinematic genius Ed Wood, she appeared in GLEN OR
GLENDA? ('52), JAIL BAIT ('54) and BRIDE OF THE MONSTER ('55). She
gave up on "acting" and became a prolific songwriter and music producer,
writing many tunes for Elvis Presley including "Rockahula Baby". Sarah
Jessica Parker played her in ED WOOD ('94).
19. JAMES ARNESS (6/3, age 88)
In 1955, the creators of the very long running (20 yrs) TV western
"Gunsmoke" consulted John Wayne for an actor to play Marshall Dillon.
He recommended his pal Arness, who'd acted with Duke several times
(HONDO, THE SEA CHASE, BIG JIM McCLAIN et. al). Wayne introduced
Arness on the premiere of "Gunsmoke", and the 6'6" Minnesotan went on to
do 635 episodes, a record for one role (Kelsey Grammar ties him for the
number of years). Afterward, Arness did a brief cop series ("McClain's
Law", '84), the rest was TV westerns, including several "Gunsmoke" TV
movies and 1987's Bracketville-filmed "ALAMO: THIRTEEN DAYS TO GLORY"
(as Jim Bowie, alongside Alec Baldwin as Travis). Sci-fi geeks revere
him as cinema's first rampaging alien veggie in the original THE THING
('51) and fighting giant ants in L.A. as the hero of THEM! ('54).
Arness' kid brother Peter Graves died last year.
20. PETER FALK (6/23, age 83)
The whole world knew him as absent-minded Inspector Columbo, a role he
played from 1968 (starting with the TVM "Prescription Murder") to 2003
(4 Emmys). But the New York actor was highly acclaimed long before
that, and early on won back-to-back Oscar noms, for MURDER INC. ('60)
and POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES ('61). He was also known for his many
collaborations with actor/director John Cassavetes, especially A WOMAN
UNDER THE INFLUENCE ('74). Film debut: WIND ACROSS THE EVERGLADES
('58); others included IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, THE GREAT RACE,
CASTLE KEEP, WINGS OF DESIRE and THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Falk had an
tumorous eye removed at age 3.
"Oh, excuse me... but there's just one more thing..."
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
