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Another year has passed. So to have many talented people in the industry. Take the time to look back and remember those who have moved on. Rejoice in their lives and contributions. We are the fortunate ones in that we can still enjoy their work that lives on. Prayers of comfort for those family members and friends who are dealing with the loss of those listed below in a more personal way.

JERRY SUMMERS Died Jan. 1, 2006

If you are an action fan, chances are you have seen Jerry Summers’ work. Mr. Summers has added his expertise as a stuntman, stunt driver and actor to over 400 films and TV shows. He has done so much work that it would take IMDB a year to get his page corrected. The versatile Jerry Summers died at age 74. What a full and frenzied life the man had! I could go on and on about how many of my favorite films her worked on. Hey, that sounds like an idea! Jerry Summers added the punch and zip and zest to a whole heaping helping of my favorite films. Just what movies am I talking about? Well… there’s "Dillinger," "What’s Up Doc?," "Hickey & Boggs," "Coogan’s Bluff," "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry," "Spartacus," "The French Connection," "Diamonds Are Forever," "The Poseidon Adventure," "Charley Varrick," "The Seven-Ups," "Magnum Force," "Blazing Saddles," "Marathon Man," "The Gumball Rally," the original version of "The In-Laws," "Midnight Run," "Throw Mamma From the Train" and "Alien Nation." Not a bad list of credits. The thing is, Mr. Summers’ list of credits goes way beyond what I’ve pointed out. He appeared in every major Western TV series ever produced. Mr. Summers worked on the first episode of "Bonanza." Mr. Summers was there 21-years-later to work on the last episode of "Bonanza." Mr. Summers, thanks for grabbing life by the balls and living it. Thanks for sharing your ride with the rest of us!

OSA MASSEN Died Jan. 2, 2006

Danish actress Osa Massen died at age 91. Ms. Massen had a busy film career in the late 1930s and 40s. She worked more in TV during the 1950s and early 60s. Ms. Massen retired in the 1960s. After two films in her native Denmark, Ms. Massen was brought to Hollywood. Ms. Massen’s feature film credits include George Cukor’s "A Woman’s Face," "You’ll Never Get Rich" with Fred Astaire, the Oscar-nominated "Jack London," the lame "Cry of the Werewolf," "Tokyo Rose" and the early sci-fi film "Rocketship X-M." She also appeared in the pro-America WWII propaganda film "The Master Race." Ironically the film was directed by Howard (Salt of the Earth) Biberman who would be Blacklisted during the McCarthy era!

BARRY COWSILL Death Announced Jan. 3, 2006

Barry Cowsill’s death was announced on January 3^rd. Mr. Cowsill’s remains had been discovered on Dec. 28, 2005 on a wharf in New Orleans. Mr. Cowsill was reported missing after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Big Easy. He was last heard from in September when he made a phone call to his sister. Mr. Cowsill was a member of the band The Cowsills. The family band rose to prominence during the 1960s. The band consisted of five brothers their sister and mother. Bill, Bob, Barry, John, Susan, Paul and their mother Barbara scored a string of hits including "Hair," "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" and "Indian Lake." The band was also the inspiration for the TV series "The Partridge Family." They performed on a number of TV shows including "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson," "Get It Together" and "The Ice Palace." Their hit song "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" was featured on the soundtrack of the movie "Dumb and Dumber."

LOU RAWLS Died Jan. 5, 2006

Multi-Grammy winning singer/actor Lou Rawls died of brain and lung cancer at age 72. Mr. Rawls was blessed with a rich baritone voice and a four-octave singing range. He scored hits in various genres including soul, gospel, disco and jazz. His biggest hit was the 1976 song "You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine." In addition to Mr. Rawls’ long singing career, he also enjoyed an acting career. Mr. Rawls appeared in nearly 100 films, TV shows documentaries and variety programs. A number of Mr. Rawls’ appearances were as a voice actor. In his later years, Mr. Rawls leant his vocal talents to a number of cartoons. He provided the singing voice for "Garfield" in several of the TV specials featuring the cat with an attitude. Mr. Rawls other voice work included such animated shows as "The Proud Family," "The Rugrats Movie," "Hey Arnold!," "The New Adventures of Captain Planet," "Happily Ever After," "This is America, Charlie Brown" and "Snowden on Ice." Lou Rawls appeared in a few of feature films including "Leaving Las Vegas" and "The Blues Brothers 2000." He appeared in far more TV shows than films. His many TV credits include "77 Sunset Strip," "The Fall Guy," "Fantasy Island," "Baywatch," "Roc" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Lou Rawls served his country in the US Army as a member of the Screaming Eagle Paratroopers. That was the same outfit that Jimi Hendrix served in a few years later.

LEONARD J. SOUTH Died Jan. 6, 2006

Cinematographer Leonard J. South died of pneumonia at age 92. Mr. South was also suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Leonard South was one of Alfred Hitchcock’s regular collaborators. He began working for Hitchcock as a camera operator in the days when cinematographer Robert Burks oversaw the photography of Hitchcock’s films. Mr. South was hired as the cinematographer on Hitchcock’s final film "Family Plot." Mr. South was the camera operator on the best films made by Alfred Hitchcock. He personally shot two of Hitch’s most famous scenes: the crop-duster attack in "North By Northwest" and the final attack on Tippi Hedron by "The Birds." Mr. Souths Hitchcock credits include "Strangers on a Train," "Dial M for Murder," "Rear Window," "To Catch a Thief," "The Trouble With Harry," "The Man Who Knew Too Much," "Vertigo," "North by Northwest," "Psycho," "The Birds," "Marnie," "Torn Curtain," "Frenzy" and "Family Plot." Mr. South appears as himself in some of the Making Of documentaries found on the new 15 DVD "Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection."

Mr. South worked as a camera operator for other directors also. He worked on such films as "Hondo," "Houseboat" and "The Cincinnati Kid." In 1968, Mr. South moved up and began his career as a cinematographer. He shot "Hang ‘Em High," Clint Eastwood’s first post-Sergio Leone Western. Rod Serling called on Mr. South to lens nearly 20 "Night Gallery" episodes. Most of Mr. South’s work from 1970 on was in TV. He shot a number of Made for TV movies as well as such TV series like "Designing Women" and "The Rockford Files." Mr. Smith did work on the occasional feature film such as Disney’s "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" and "The North Avenue Irregulars." Mr. South served his country in the US Army Air Force during WWII.

SHELLEY WINTERS Died Jan. 14, 2006

One of the last true Movie Stars is gone. Multi-Oscar-winning actress Shelley Winters died of heart failure at age 85. Shelley Winters was nominated for three Best Supporting Actress Oscars and a one Best Actress Oscar (A Place in the Sun) during her lengthy career. She won two Best Supporting Actress Oscars for her performances in "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "A Patch of Blue." Ms. Winters’ third Supporting Actress nomination was for the disaster flick "The Poseidon Adventure." In addition to her Oscars, Ms. Winters’ work has been honored by the BAFTA (2 nominations), Emmy (3 nominations with 1 win), Golden Globe (6 nominations with 1 win), Laurel (3 wins) and David di Donatelo (1 win) Awards.

Shelley Winters was what was once known as great broad. Sure, she had great talent as an actress. She also had a lust for life…and she didn’t mind talking about it either! Her gift of gab made Shelley Winters on of the most popular guest on Johnny Carson’s "Tonight Show." Ms. Winters was also the author of two best-selling tell-all autobiographies "Shelley, Also Known as Shirley" and "Shelley II: The Middle of My Century."

Shelley Winters appeared in over 200 films and TV shows during her lifetime. She started out in bit parts during the 1940s. She appeared in such films as "Red River," "Winchester ’73," "A Double Life," "The Great Gatsby" and "Larceny." Things changed for Ms. Winters in 1951. She co-starred with Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor in George Steven’s classic "A Place in the Sun." Ms. Winters received a Best Actress Oscar nomination as the woman Montgomery Clift murders so he can be with Elizabeth Taylor.

Her Oscar nomination opened up a number of doors for Ms. Winters. The well-deserved nomination proved that Shelley Winters was more than just a sexpot. Most of her previous film roles had played up her curves. In "A Place in the Sun" Shelley Winters shed her makeup and sexy image and became a frump. This one film showed that she could also play character roles. The roles kept coming. In the 1950s, Shelley Winters turned in memorable roles in several great movies. Two of my personal favorites are from this era. She played the doomed mother in the Charles Laughton directed gothic horror film "Night of the Hunter." I can’t tell you how many nightmares I had as a child trying to shake the image of Shelley Winters tied to the front seat of her car, with her throat slit, setting at the bottom of the river. Much was made of the opening scene of David Lynch’s "Blue Velvet," in that it exposed the hidden under-belly of suburbia. Shelley Winter’s death scene in "Night of the Hunter" accomplished the same thing when David Lynch was still in grade school. Ms. Winters also co-starred in Robert Wise’s gritty crime thriller "Odds Against Tomorrow." The taut little film is so much more than just a bank robbery film. I highly recommend it. While Shelley Winters started off the 1950s with an Oscar nomination, she ended the decade with an Oscar win as Best Supporting Actress in "The Diary of Anne Frank."

Her artistic success continued in the 1960s. Shelley Winters was able to portray people we didn’t really like in such a way that we never transferred our dislike to the actress herself. She brought out the subtleties of such characters. Director Stanley Kubrick used this talent to great effect in his dark 1962 comedy "Lolita." Ms. Winters was able to use both her great talent as an actress and her natural sexiness to play the sex-starved mother of Sue Lyons’ title character. That same year, Ms. Winters played another sex-starved wife in George Cukor’s cheesy "The Chapman Report." She won her second Oscar in the 1965 film "A Patch of Blue." Other notable films from the 1960s include "Harper," "Alfie," "Wild in the Streets" and "The Young Savages."

My favorite period for Ms. Winters’ films was the 1970s. This should be no surprise to folks who know what a B-Movie and horror film fan I am. A few years back, I had the pleasure of interviewing director Curtis Harrington. Shelley Winters starred in two of his best films: "Who Slew Auntie Roo?" and "What’s the Matter With Helen?" In fact, you can get both movies on one of the MGM Midnight Double Feature DVDs! A great investment of $14.00! Ms. Winters started the decade with Roger Corman’s gangster biopic "Bloody Mama." Ms. Winters chewed up the scenery as Ma Barker. A Young Robert DeNiro played her drug addict son. The movie is great white-trash fun. In 1972, Ms. Winters earned her fourth and final Oscar nomination as Jack Albertson’s wife in "The Poseidon Adventure." The rest of the decade was a lot like Ms. Winters entire career. She worked in A-list films ("Blume in Love" "King of the Gypsies"), B-movie exploitation ("Cleopatra Jones" "The Visitor"), Art and Indie films (Roman Polanski’s "The Tenant" "Next Stop, Greenwich Village") and Family films (Pete’s Dragon). Shelley Winters could do it all. She also wasn’t afraid to work. She brought a sense of professionalism to many projects that some would deem as beneath her. To me, that is the definition of class. Being from Memphis, I have to say that I really enjoyed Ms. Winters as Gladys Presley in John Carpenter’s excellent Made for TV biopic "Elvis."

For my money, the last film she appeared in that was worthy of her talent was Blake Edward’s "S.O.B." That was 1981. Shelley Winters continued to work steady after that. She was great as Rosanne’s grandmother on the TV series "Rosanne." Her ex-husbands include Italian director Vittorio Gassman and actor Tony Franciosa.

WILSON PICKETT Died Jan. 18, 2006

Soul and Rock singer Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack at age 64. Mr. Pickett had a string of hits that included "Mustang Sally," "In the Midnight Hour," "Funky Broadway" and the best version of "The Land of 1000 Dances" ever recorded. Pickett’s version of "The Land of 1000 Dances" appears on the soundtracks of such films as "Forest Gump" and "The Full Monty." Mr. Pickett appeared in the films "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Blues Brothers 2000," "Save the Children," "Soul to Soul" and "Immaculate Funk."

ANTHONY FRANCIOSA Died Jan. 19, 2006

Oscar-nominated actor Anthony Franciosa died of a stroke at age 77. Mr. Franciosa died five days after his Oscar-winning ex-wife Shelley Winters. Tony Franciosa burst onto the entertainment scene with a Tony-nominated performance as Polo Pope, the brother of a heroin addict in Michael Gazzo’s powerful play "A Hatful of Rain." In 1957, Mr. Franciosa recreated the role in the film version. He received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance, but lost to Sir Alec Guiness for "The Bridge on the River Kwai."

As a kid, I always enjoyed watching Tony Franciosa. I thought he was cool. My first memory of his work was as the mastermind behind the hijacking of a luxury liner in "Assault on a Queen." Granted, I haven’t seen the film since 1968, and couldn’t tell you how it stands up. What I can say is that I thought it was a cool movie when I was a kid. I remember rooting for Franciosa’s character to get away with the crime and how upset I was that he didn’t make it. In fact, when I heard that Tony Franciosa had died, that memory was the first thing that flashed across my memory. A minor film in a career that included some great films. Maybe the reason that Mr. Franciosa stood out in "Assault on a Queen" was that he had a dangerous screen persona. He was intense. That intensity eventually hamstrung his career. In later years, Mr. Franciosa was able to reflect on earlier mistakes and put things in perspective. I guess that’s what you call wisdom.

Mr. Franciosa starred in one of Italian horror master Dario Argento’s best films. "Tenebre" is a twisted, kinky tale of a serial murderer who is killing anyone involved with an American writer played by Franciosa. The film contains some of Argento’s best set pieces. It also includes what I think is his greatest plot twist. The following year Mr. Franciosa followed "Tenebre" with the truly disturbing and little seen "Julie Darling."

Tony Franciosa’s film career got off to an impressive start. He made his debut in the Robert Wise comedy "This Could Be the Night" opposite Jean Simmons. He delivered a great performance as a sleaze-bag agent in the classic "A Face in the Crowd." Of course, his sleaze-bag performance was overshadowed by the star Andy Griffith’s performance as the ultimate sleazebag Lonesome Rhodes. Mr. Franciosa’s third film was the film version of "A Hatful of Rain." That performance resulted in Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and a win for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. Mr. Franciosa would later receive two more Golden Globe nominations as Best Actor in a Movie Drama, winning in 1959 for his work in "Career."

Mr. Franciosa continued to receive star-grooming roles. He co-starred in George Cukor’s "Wild is the Wind." He held his own opposite Paul Newman, Orson Welles, Joanne Woodward, Lee Remick and Angela Lansbury in Martin Ritt’s "The Long, Hot Summer." Mr. Franciosa’s character was easy to hate, but also easy to pity. In the mid 1960s, Tony Franciosa branched out and began to work on TV. His 1966 TV pilot "Fame is the Name of the Game" was picked up two years later as the TV series "The Name of the Game." He co-starred with Robert Stack and Gene Barry. In 1971, Mr. Franciosa was fired from the series. They say he butted heads with folks. He said as much himself later on in his life. Plato said the unexamined life isn’t worth living. I guess to really examine all that life has to offer, you have to butt heads now and then. I think that trait made for more interesting performances. If I had ever had the chance to speak with Tony Franciosa, I would have wanted to thank him for trying to bring something extra to each part he played. Intense man, intense.

ROBERT KNUDSON Died Jan. 21, 2006

Multi-Oscar-winning sound re-recordist Robert Knudson died died at age 80. Mr. Knudson began working in film in 1952. He had played professional baseball for seven years prior to moving into the movie business. Mr. Knudson worked for Todd A-O and then a number of hit TV shows such as "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Petticoat Junction." His first feature film as a supervisor was one of my personal favorites: "Electra Glide in Blue." His second film lead to his first Oscar nomination and first of three Oscar wins. Mr. Knudsen shared the Best Sound Oscar for "Cabaret" with David Hildyard. The following year, Mr. Knudson was nominated for and won his second Oscar for "The Exorcist." All in all, Robert Knudson was nominated for ten Oscars during his career. His third and final Oscar win was for "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial." He was nominated for seven BAFTAs, winning twice for "Cabaret" and "Empire of the Sun." In 2000, Mr. Knudson was honored by his peers at the Cinema Audio Society with a Career Achievement Award. Among Mr. Knudson’s many credits are such films as including "Save the Tiger," the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Shampoo," the secong remake of "A Star Is Born ," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Coming Home," "Thief," "Scarface," "Ghost," "Manhunter" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."

CHRISTOPHER PENN Died Jan. 24, 2006

I never enjoy writing these obituaries. Yes, I like to pay tribute to those in the industry who have passed away, but I don’t enjoy this. I don’t enjoy this because it means that someone has died. It means that their loved ones are grieving. I especially dislike writing these tributes when the person died before they reached the fullness of life. I really hate writing the words actor Chris Penn died of a drug overdose at age 43. My first memory of Chris Penn was in the movie "Footloose." He and my old 7^th-grade-classmate John Laughlin played Kevin Bacon’s new country friends in the hit film. I thought to myself that Chris Penn had a future as a sidekick. Little did I know at the time that he had a future as an excellent character actor and villain. His first few films were ‘good guy’ roles. It was a nice surprise when Clint Eastwood cast him as the heavy in the supernatural retake on "Shane" called "Pale Rider."

Chris and his older brother Sean Penn played real life brothers in the true crime film "At Close Range." Christopher Walken played their evil father. Chris Penn’s death scene in "At Close Range" is as good a piece of work as his older brother has ever done. The combination of fear, acceptance and the feeling of being totally betrayed that Chris Penn brought to that scene moves me every time I see it. I think that scene will be damn near impossible to watch for the foreseeable future. Like most folks, I guess my favorite Chris Penn performance was as Nice Guy Eddie in Tarantino’s break-out debut "Reservoir Dogs." Penn was perfect as the spoiled wiseguy son of Lawrence Tierney’s Joe Cabot. He held his own in a film full of meaty performances. Other film credits include "Rumble Fish," "All the Right Moves," "True Romance," "To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," "Mulholland Falls," "Rush Hour" and "Starsky and Hutch."

Chris Penn’s talent was recognized by a number of organizations. He was nominated for a Best Actor Genie in 1996 for "The Boys Club." The Genie Award is Canada’s equivalent of the US Oscar. The next year, Mr. Penn’s talent was recognized with a Best Male Lead nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards for his work in Abel Ferrara’s gangster period piece "The Funeral." In "The Funeral," Chris Penn was reunited with actor Christopher Walken. This time they played brothers instead of father and son. Mr. Penn won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Venice Film Festival for that same film. Director Robert Altman added Chris Penn to his great ensemble cast for the film "Short Cuts." The entire cast won awards for Best Ensemble Cast at the Venice Film Festival and the Golden Globes.

Chris Penn came from a show business family. His father was the prolific TV director Leo Penn. Leo Penn died of cancer in 1998. Chris Penn’s mother is the actress Eileen Ryan. Chris Penn’s two brothers are actor Sean Penn and composer Michael Penn. 43-years-old is so young. Younger than me. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

FAYARD NICHOLAS Died Jan. 24, 2006

Dancer/choreographer Fayard Nicholas died at age 91. There are few things on earth as exciting as a Nicholas Brothers dance routine. Fayard and his younger brother Harold Nicholas were two of the most amazing dancers to ever wow an audience. I first saw them in the excellent compilation film "That’s Entertainment!" Words really can’t describe The Nicholas Brothers style of dancing. The athletic brothers would leap into the air and land hard on the ground in full splits that would make any man on earth cringe. If you have never had the pleasure of watching a Nicholas Brothers routine there are many movies which immortalize their talents. The Nicholas Brothers can be seen in such films as "The Pirate," "Tin Pan Alley," "Down Argentina Way," "Sun Valley Serenade," "Orchestra Wives" and "Stormy Weather." Fayard Nicholas shared his memories of working on "Orchestra Wives" as part of the commentary track for the recently released FOX Studio Classics Collection DVD of the film. Fayard Nicholas won a Tony Award for Best Choreography for the play "Black and Blue."

PAUL VALENTINE Died Jan. 26, 2006

Actor Paul Valentine died at age 87. Though he had a short film and TV career, Mr. Valentine did appear in one certifiable classic. He played Kirk Douglas’ henchman Joe Stefanos in the Film Noir classic "Out of the Past." He also appeared in the minor Film Noir movie "House of Strangers" as one of Edward G. Robinson’s sons. Other credits include the TV series "Naked City" as well as the films "Yes, Gorgio" and "Pennies From Heaven."

CORETTA SCOTT KING Died Jan. 31, 2006

Coretta Scott King, widow of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. died of complications from a stroke and heart attack at age 78. Mrs. King carried on the work left her when her husband was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. She stood strong and worked hard for equality in the United States. Many people of all races looked to her as an inspiration and example. Yes, it is sad to have such a person leave us, but what a joyous reunion as husband and wife are reunited for eternity in the presence of the God they served so faithfully!

Coretta Scott King appeared in a number of documentaries. Her film and TV credits include Spike Lee’s "Four Little Girls," "I Am Somebody," "Eyes on the Prize," "Eyes on the Prize II," "In Remembrance of Martin," "The N-Word," "The Ten Thousand Day War" and many others.

Actors Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King in the 1978 TV mini series "King." Oprah Winfrey voiced the character of Coretta Scott King in the Emmy-nominated animated film "Our Friend Martin." Carmen Ejogo delivered a great performance in HBO’s powerful, award-winning telefilm "Boycott." Probably the most outrageous portrayal of Mrs. King was by the drag queen Sylvester in the bizarre comedy "Tricia’s Wedding." The plot has something to do with Eartha Kitt putting LSD into the punch bowl at President Nixon’s daughter’s wedding.

MOIRA SHEARER Died Jan. 31, 2006

Famed ballet dancer Moira Shearer died two weeks after her 80^th birthday. Ms. Shearer was the star of the Rank Films classic "The Red Shoes." Ms. Shearer played the doomed dancer who could not stop dancing once she put on the title footwear. The classic film received five Oscar nominations and won two. Ms. Shearer’s second film was "The Tales of Hoffman." When I was 9-years-old, my mother dragged my younger sister and I to see the movie. Don’t inflict such a film on young children. My personal favorite of her films is the Michael Powell horror classic "Peeping Tom." She also appeared in the 1997 documentary about Powell’s misunderstood and much-maligned masterpiece called "A Very British Psycho." The documentary is an extra on the Criterion Collection’s DVD version of "Peeping Tom."

AL LEWIS Died Feb. 3, 2006

Grandpa Munster died at age 82. Character actor Al Lewis co-starred with Fred Gwynne in back-to-back hit TV shows. The pair starred in "Car 54 Where Are You?," which ran from 1961 through 63. The nest year, the pair were reunited in the horror/comedy series "The Munsters." "The Munsters ran from 1964 through 1966. Al Lewis went on to do bit parts in numerous movies and TV shows, but he was forever known as Grandpa Munster for his hilarious role as the cranky vampire. Among his other memorable performances were as the judge in "Used Cars," as Gig Young’s sidekick in "They Shoot Horses Don’t They?," "Married to the Mob," "They Might Be Giants," "The Night Strangler" and "Night Gallery." Mr. Lewis claimed to have been born in 1910. His birth certificate and his son both say that Mr. Lewis was actually born in 1923. Al Lewis ran for governor of New York on the Green Party ticket in 1998 and received 52,000 votes!

WALERIAN BOROWCZYK Died Feb. 3, 2006

Controversial Polish director Walerian Borowczyk died of heart failure at age 82. Walerian Borowczyk began his career as a respected animator. He produced animated short films for nearly 20 years before turning to live action features. Mr. Borowczyk directed five films in the late 60s and early 70s that challenged the sensibilities of moviegoers worldwide. Borowczyk explored the new freedom and pushed the borders of cinematic sexuality. His films "Goto, Island of Love," "Blanche," "Immoral Tales," "The Story of a Sin" and especially "The Beast" brought, if for just a short time, Walerian Borowczyk to the forefront of world directors. As the 70s wore on, Mr. Borowczyk’s work lost its spark and he turned out sub-par erotica. "Immoral Tales" involved four individual stories. The third tale starred Pablo Picasso’s daughter as a character based on Elisabeth of Bathory, a noble woman who believe she would remain young forever if she bathed in the blood of virgins. Ingrid Pitt starred in the Hammer version of the story: "Countess Dracula." Mr. Borowczyk’s most controversial film was "The Beast." Based in part on "Beauty and the Beast," the film was originally supposed to be part of "Immoral Tales." Borowczyk expanded the story to a feature length film. It was banned in some countries for the visuals of a beast having sex with the female characters in the movie. Sometimes it was rape and at other times, it was consensual. No matter, Borowczyk crossed a boundary that many viewers and censors thought went too far. His film "The Story of a Sin" was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes in 1975. "Blanche" won the Gran Prix at the 1972 Berlin International Film Festival. Mr. Borowczyk was nominated for a BAFTA for his short animated film "Dom."

FRANKLIN COVER Died Feb. 5, 2006

Character actor Franklin Cover died of pneumonia at age 77. Mr. Cover may have been best known for his role as Tom Wilis on the hit TV series "The Jeffersons." Mr. Cover and the late actress Roxy Roker played Tom and Helen Willis, one of the first interracial couples on TV. The liberal viewpoint of the Willises became the springboard for character George Jefferson’s comical but skewed rants. Tom Willis became George Jefferson’s Meathead so to speak. Franklin Cover appeared in numerous films and TV shows during his career. He played Tina Louise’s husband in the original film version of "The Stepford Wives." Mr. Cover had a nice supporting role in Oliver Stone’s "Wall Street." Mr. Cover played both a US President and a US Vice President on TV. He played LBJ’s VP Hubert Humphrey in the biopic "A Woman Called Golda." Mr. Cover played president Herbert Hoover in "The Day the Bubble Burst," which dealt with the stock market crash of 1929. Other credits include "Naked City," "ER," "The Honeymooners," "All in the Family," "The Love Boat" and "Will & Grace."

WILLIAM ALLEN CASTLEMAN Death Announced Feb. 5, 2006

Exploitation filmmaker Willaim Castleman died at age 83. Mr. Castleman produced, directed and scored a number of well-known exploitation films. Looking back on myself when I was a 12-year-old, I must admit that my imagination was sparked by the lurid newspaper ads for the type of films made by William Castleman. He directed three films. "The Erotic Adventures of Zorro" is a perfect example of the exploitation genre. A sexy title and poster that promises to deliver much more than it actually does. The movie was co-directed by Robert Freeman and produced by the illustrious schlockmaster David F. Friedman. Mr. Castleman worked closely with Mr. Friedman. Mr. Friedman produced Mr. Castleman’s other two films as a director: "Bummer" and "Johnny Firecloud." "Johnny Firecloud" was a "Billy Jack" take off with the native American hero raging war on redneck town boss played by Ralph Meeker. Mr. Castleman also produced several films. He produced the sex comedy "Trader Hornee," "Starlet" as well as the three films he directed. Mr. Castleman stepped out of the exploitation field and into hardcore as the producer of "Seven Into Snowy." "Seven Into Snowy" was a send-up of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," the difference being, in this film the seven aren’t dwarves. William A. Castleman was also a composer. He scored such great exploitation films as "The Swinging Cheerleaders" and "The Big Bird Cage."

AKIRA IFUKUBE Died Feb. 8, 2006

Prolific composer Akira Ifukube died of multiple organ failure at age 91. Mr. Ifukube composed the scores to nearly 300 films. He was best known for his work for Toho Studios and particularly on over two dozen "Godzilla" movies. Mr. Ifukube also created the fire breathing monsters famous roar. The truth is, Mr. Ifukube scored nearly all of Toho’s classic monster movies: "Rodan," "Mothra," "Varan," "Ghidrah" and the rest were scored by Ifukube. He also composed the score for eleven films in the "Zatoichi" series. Mr. Ifukube scored Akira Kurosawa’s early film "The Quiet Duel." He also scored three films which were written by Kurosawa but directed by Senkichi Taniguchi. Mr. Ifukube was twice nominated for Best Music Score by the Awards of the Japanese Academy.

PEDRO GONZALEZ-GONZALEZ Died Feb. 8, 2006

Actor Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez died of cancer at age 80. Mr. Gonzalez was discovered on the Groucho Marx TV show "You Bet Your Life." After his humorous banter with Groucho, Mr. Gonzalez found himself in demand as an actor. One of his first film roles was in John Wayne’s "The High and the Mighty." I recently saw "The High and the Mighty" for the first time, as the movie has been tied up in litigation for years. Mr. Gonzalez’s performance in the film was one of the standouts. It was nice to see a minority in an American film from the 1950s being portrayed without a negative stereotype. Mr. Gonzalez’s films with John Wayne include "Rio Bravo," McClintock!," "Chisum" and "Hellfighters." IMDB reported that Mr. Gonzalez died in Willcox Arizona. I spoke with Ainslee Wittig, Associate Editor of The Arizona Range News. Ms. Wittig stated that Mr. Gonzalez actually died in Culver City, California. Mr. Gonzalez’s connection to Willcox, Arizona comes from his longtime working relationship with Willcox’s favorite son Rex Allen. Mr. Conzalez’s worked as Rex Allen’s sidekick for many, many years. Ms. Wittig told me that Mr. Gonzalez had attended 53 of the 54 Rex Allen Days celebrations held in Willcox. More than Rex Allen himself attended! Mr. Gonzalez’s film and TV credits also include "I Died a Thousand Times," "Wanted: Dead or Alive," "Gunsmoke," "Big Country" with Gregory Peck, "Perry Mason," "Branded," "The Monkees," "The Love Bug" and "The Wonderful World of Disney." Mr. Gonzalez’s grandson Clifton Collins Jr. delivered a chilling performance as the real-life killer Perry Smith in the Oscar nominated "Capote." Mr. Gonzalez’s brother Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez was also a prolific character actor who passed away in December of 2000.

PETER BENCHLEY Died Feb. 11, 2006

Author Peter Benchley died of the lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at age 65. Mr. Benchley wrote the popular novel "Jaws." Steven Speilberg turned his book into on of the highest grossing films of all time. Peter Benchley co-wrote the screenplay for "Jaws" with Carl Gotlieb. They were nominated for BAFTA, Golden Globe and WGA Awards for their screenplay. Mr. Benchley is pictured in the center of the photo. He is flanked by actor Roy Schieder and his "Jaws" co-writer Carl Gotlieb. Peter Benchley made a cameo appearance in the film as a TV reporter covering the opening day of the tourist season on Amity Island. The success of "Jaws" sounded the death knell of smaller personal studio films and began the era of the Mega-Blockbuster. Mr. Benchley wrote several other novels, which were made into either feature films or TV movies. His novel "The Deep" came the closest to matching the success he enjoyed with "Jaws." The film version of "The Deep" was directed by Peter Yates. The film’s cast included "Jaws" star Robert Shaw as well as Nick Nolte, Jacqueline Bisset and Lou Gossett Jr. The otherwise excellent director Michael Ritchie had a tough time turning Mr. benchley’s novel "The Island" into a film worth watching. Michael Caine and David Warner starred in Benchley’s modern tale of pirates in the Caribbean. The TV mini-series "The Beast" and "Creature" were also based on Peter Benchley novels. Peter Benchley also wrote directly for the screen on occasion. He wrote the script for the TV biopic "The Great Houdini," which starred Paul Michael Glaser as the famed escape artist.

PAUL CARR Died Feb. 17, 2006

Prolific character actor Paul Carr died of lung cancer at age 72. Mr. Carr appeared in over 150 films and TV shows during his lengthy career. Trekkies remember Mr. Carr for his role as Lt. Kelso in the pilot episode of the original "Star Trek." Mr. Carr appeared in just about every TV series during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. His many credits include "77 Sunset Strip," "The Rockford Files," "Felony Squad," "The F.B.I.," "The Mod Squad," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "Gunsmoke," "The Time Tunnel," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "The Invaders," "Twelve O’Clock High," "Combat!," "Land of the Giants," "The Green Hornet," "Police Story," "Perry Mason," "Mission Impossible," "Get Smart," "Adam-12" and "Hawaii 5-0." Paul Carr made his feature film debut in Alfred Hitchcock’s "The Wrong Man." Among his film credits are "Raise the Titanic," "Ben," "Truck Stop Women," "Executive Action," "The Bat People" and "Captain Newman M.D." Mr. Carr also appeared in the great Made for TV movie "The Deadly Tower," which starred Kurt Russell as the Texas sniper Charles Whitman.

RICHARD BRIGHT Died Feb. 18, 2006

Character actor Richard Bright was killed in New York City when a tour bus ran over him. The 68-year-old actor was walking in the crosswalk at 86^th and Columbus when the rear wheels of a tour bus ran over him. Mr. Bright was dead on arrival at Roosevelt Hospital.

Richard Bright was best known to movie audiences as Al Neri, Michael Corleone’s bodyguard and top assassin. Mr. Bright played the role in all three of "The Godfather" films. He was the guy who killed Michael’s brother Fredo. He was the guy who killed rival mobster Emilio Barzini. He was the guy who helped Michael through his medical emergencies in "Part III" as well as killing the evil Vatican official who helped kill Pope John Paul I. As memorable as his work as Al Neri was, Richard Bright contributed so much more to many great films.

Richard Bright made his feature film debut in Robert Wise’s late entry into the Film Noir genre "Odds Against Tomorrow." Richard Bright has a small role as a New York hepcat criminal. If you get a chance, discover this great movie from 1959. You will be surprised by the freshness and power of the film. Mr. Bright’s contribution is just one of many wonderful things about this tale of crime and prejudice.

Mr. Bright’s film career didn’t take off until the early 1970s. He first gained audience and critical attention playing Al Pacino’s brother in the 1971 drug abuse cautionary tale "Panic in Needle Park." This was the first time I remember seeing Mr. Bright’s work. The owner of the local theater which was showing "Panic in Needle Park" felt the movie was too important to enforce the MPAA’s R-Rating. He took an ad out in the paper letting the public know that he was going to let kids into his theater to see the movie. Richard Bright played a burglar who paid for his heroin habit by crime. The following year, Mr. Bright reteamed with Al Pacino in the role he is best remembered for.

In 1972, Richard Bright also worked for Sam Peckinpah for the first time in "The Getaway." He had a memorable cameo as the train station con man who steals the bank robbery money from Ali McGraw. Steve McQueen kicks his ass and retrieves the cash. Bloody Sam called on Mr. Bright again for his 1973 Western "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid." His death scene is one of the best set pieces that Peckinpah ever created. James Coburn corners Richard Bright, Bob Dylan and Donnie Fritts in a bar. Coburn as Pat Garrett intends to send Billy the Kid a strong message. He has Bob Dylan knock out Donny Fritts and then go stand in the corner. The purpose of the scene is to show Pat Garrett murder Richard Bright’s character Holly. Pat wants Billy the Kid to leave the country. This murder is supposed to send the message. Richard Bright is excellent in this suspenseful scene. His character is forced to get drunk. He knows that his is going to be killed. The question is when will it happen. Peckinpah would call on Richard Bright again in1974 for a cameo in "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia."

Other memorable performances include his work in Sergio Leone’s "Once Upon a Time in America," Milos Forman’s "Hair," "Marathon Man," the over-looked "Rancho Deluxe" and "Looking for Mr. Goodbar." Speaking of his work in "Hair," how great is the scene in which he and Beverly DeAngelo blow smoke rings together! One of the all-time great red-neck seduction scenes. Later in life, Mr. Bright worked almost exclusively on TV. His was a frequent guest star on "Law & Order."

Among Mr. Bright's other nearly 80 film and TV credits are "The Sopranos," "The Ref," "Night Falls on Manhattan," "OZ," "The Ambulance," "Red Heat," "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "The Verne Miller Story," "Hill Street Blues," "The Idolmaker" and the TV mini-series version of "From Here to Eternity."

Truth be told, like many actors before him, Richard Bright will always be associated with one specific role. Richard Bright's strong, loyal and murderous performance as Michael Corleone’s bodyguard Al Neri was one of the strengths of all three "Godfather" films. There was a menace just below the surface. Whether he was killing a rival or shutting the door on Michael’s wife at the end of the first film, Richard Bright made the viewer believe he was a cold-blooded killer. He didn’t need to be flashy. He let his actions speak for him.

DON KNOTTS Died Feb. 24, 2006

During my early teen years, I discovered the comedic greats Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and The Marx Brothers. A neighborhood art-house movie theater held weekly film festivals featuring the works of these great comedians. Now that I have many more years of experience and maturity under my belt, I have realized that I had already been exposed to many classic comedians through TV long before I discovered Chaplin and Keaton and Groucho. One stood head and shoulders above most of his contemporaries. Don Knotts was a genius performer of comedy. He may not have written his material as did Chaplin, but Don Knotts was able to reach down and choose just the right phrase, or shudder or twitch and deliver a gag that made you laugh long and loud. Don Knotts’greatest gift was that he could show us how it felt to be the odd man out. Don Knotts made us laugh, but he also touched our heart. Pathos. Didn’t matter if Don Knotts was playing Barney Fife, Henry Limpet, Mr. Morrison, Luther Heggs, Dr. Jessie Heywood, Roy Fleming or an one of a dozen other characters, he made the audience care about his creations. Sure his characters could be silly. So what. You laughed with him. You cared for him. You were happy to have Don Knotts’ merry menagerie enter your house each week.

Actor Don Knotts died of lung cancer at age 81. Don Knotts was best known for his portrayal of Deputy Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show." Don Knots was a regular on the TV series for the first five-years of its eight year run. Although Mr. Knotts left the show in 1965, he returned to do guest spots during the final three years of the show. Don Knotts won five Emmy Awards for his work on "The Andy Griffith Show." His second most famous TV role was as the landlord on "Three’s Company." I never thought much of his work on the popular T&A TV series.

Don Knotts and Andy Griffith first worked together on stage in the play "No Time for Sergeants." The pair reprised their roles in the film version. The scene in which Andy Griffith as the country bumpkin Pvt. Will Stockdale frustrates Don Knotts as Cpl. John Brown by figuring out his own solutions to the US Army’s dexterity tests is still hilarious. That one scene shows Knotts brilliance at playing characters on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Don Knotts and Andy Griffith would continue to work together after Knotts left the TV series in 1965. In addition to making guest appearances during the final three years of "The Andy Griffith Show," Don Knotts reprised his role as Barney Fife in the long awaited TV reunion film "Return to Mayberry." He made an uncredited guest appearance on the pilot episode of the short-lived 1971 TV series "The New Andy Griffith Show." Don Knotts would later show up on Andy Griffith’s more successful TV series "Matlock."

Don Knotts role as Mr. Morrison on "The Steve Allen Show" was better known as Mr. Nervous. That role brought him his first widespread notice. However, it was Don Knotts popularity on "The Andy Griffith Show" that led to film roles. Several films were tailored as Don Knotts vehicles. "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" was the first "Don Knotts Movie." Shot during the height of his popularity on "The Andy Griffith Show," "Mr. Limpet" was a combination of live action and animation. It was kind of a take-off on the "Walter Mitty" story. Mr. Limpet wishes he was a fish and the wish is granted. After leaving "The Andy Griffith Show," Don Knotts tried to build a film career. He quickly put out several films that made money, but did not lead to film stardom. "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" was the best of the bunch. This was followed by "The Reluctant Astronaut," "The Shakiest Gun in the West," "The Love God?" and "How to Frame a Figg." Following these films, Don Knotts would go back to guest spots on TV shows and co-starring roles in several Disney films.

Don Knotts and fellow comic genius Tim Conway paired up for a number of films and TV shows for Disney as well as other studios. Their credits include "The Apple Dumpling Gang," "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again," "The Private Eyes," "Gus," "The Prize Fighter" and "Cannonball Run II." Mr. Knotts other numerous film credits include last year’s "Chicken Little," "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo," "Hot Lead and Cold Feet," "Pleasantville," "Move Over Darling," "It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Mad World," "The Last Time I Saw Archie" and "Wake My Up When Its Over."

Don Knotts served his country in the US Army in the Pacific Theater of operations during WWII. Thanks for the laughter and for your service to your country.

DENNIS WEAVER Died Feb. 24, 2006

Emmy-winning actor Dennis Weaver died of cancer at age 81. Depending on your age, you might remember Dennis Weaver best as the gimp-legged Chester from "Gunsmoke" or as the fish-out-of-water Western Marshall in New York "McCloud." Dennis Weaver was nominated for Emmy Awards two times for each character! He won once in 1959 for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Series. Both of his "Gunsmoke" nominations came in the 1950s while his "McCloud" nominations came in the 1970s. In 1984 Mr. Weaver was awarded the Golden Boot Award for his work in the Western genre. He received a Humanitarian Award in 1987 at the Women in Film Crystal Awards. His TV movie "The Virginian" was honored with a Bronze Wrangler Award at the 2001 Western Heritage Awards.

My first memory of Dennis Weaver was as the terrorized motorist in Steven Speilberg’s highway horror film "Duel." You will never drive an old car on the highway again after seeing this great movie. I remember losing a bet with my mother later on. I swore that Burt Reynolds played the part, but she said I was wrong. Lost a dollar. Also learned to start checking facts before opening my mouth. I should have listened to my Mom as her favorite TV show at the time was "McCloud." The show began as part of the revolving stories presented each Sunday on "The NBC Mystery Movie." "McCloud" took turns with "Columbo" and "MacMillian and Wife." Other series such as "The Snoop Sisters" joined in later. "McCloud" was inspired by the Clint Eastwood film "Coogan’s Bluff." The series ran for seven seasons. He reprised his role in the Made for TV movie "The Return of Sam McCloud." Mr. Weaver also produced the 1989 film which reunited him with series co-star J.D. Canon.

Dennis Weaver was a regular on the long-running series "Gunsmoke" for nine years. He played Chester Goode for the series first nine seasons (1955-64). When Dennis Weaver left the show, Ken Curtis came aboard as Festus to take his place. His other TV series include "Kentucky Jones" (1964-65), "Gentle Ben" (1967-69), "Stone" (1980) and "Emerald Point N.A.S." (1983-84).

Though primarily a TV actor, Dennis Weaver also worked on stage and the big screen. He appeared on Broadway in "Come Back, Little Sheba" with Shelly Winters in 1950. Shelly Winters was credited with giving Dennis Weaver his big break in the 1950 play. Dennis Weaver would reteam with Ms. Winters 21 years later in one of my personal favorites: "What’s the Matter With Helen?" Curtis Harrington directed the classic gothic horror film. Debbie Reynolds co-starred.

Dennis Weaver played supporting roles in a number of notable films during the 1950s. He was the manager of the motel where Janet Leigh was held captive in Orson Welles’ Film Noir classic "Touch of Evil." He played a Navel Officer in the great anti-war film "The Bridges of Toko-Ri." He also appeared in the original film "Dragnet," "The Man From the Alamo" and "Seven Angry Men." Beginning in the 1960s, Mr. Weaver worked more and more on TV and in fewer films. His other film credits include the Jerry Lewis comedy "Way…Way Out," "A Man Called Sledge" and "Duel at Diablo."

Dennis Weaver appeared in a number of memorable Made for TV movies. The most famous was "Duel." In "Intimate Strangers," Dennis Weaver created a chilling portrait of a wife beater. I remember fondly his starring role as the Professor Fuller in "Ishi: The Last of His Tribe." Mr. Weaver played the man who set John Wilkes Booth’s leg in the Emmy-winning "The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd." That film was directed by Paul Wendkos. The actor/drector team made several other memorable films together including "Cocaine: One Man’s Seduction," "The Ordeal of Patty Hearst" and "Terror on the Beach."

Dennis Weaver made guest appearances on many, many great TV series. His TV credits include "The Twilight Zone," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Dr. Kildare," "Combat!," "Judd For the Defense," "Name of the Game," "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries," "Magnum PI," "The Simpsons" and "Touched By an Angel."

Who says Hollywood marriages can’t last. Dennis Weaver was married to Gerry Stowell back in 1945! He was the father of actor Robby Weaver and actor/producer/director Rick Weaver. Dennis Weaver was a committed environmentalist who donated time and money to various causes.

DARREN MCGAVIN Died Feb. 25, 2006

Emmy-nominated actor Darren McGavin died at age 83. The prolific stage and screen actor appeared in over 200 films and TV shows in a career that began in the 1940s. Mr. McGavin also enjoyed a successful stage career including numerous Broadway productions. He originated the role of "The Rainmaker" on Broadway. Burt Lancaster played the role in the film version. Most of us will remember Darren McGavin as the rumpled, ruffled newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak for "The Night Stalker" TV movie and TV series. His second wife, Kathie Browne co-starred with him as a police detective in the TV series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." Ms. Browne died in April of 2003. Younger audiences will remember Mr. McGavin as the grumpy father in the modern holiday classic "A Christmas Story."

I always enjoy the surprise of discovering something new. I remember the first time I saw Otto Preminger’s tale of drug addiction "The Man With the Golden Arm." Frank Sinatra was hooked on heroin. He got his stuff from the hulking neighborhood Mafia pusher. The pusher was menacing and seductive at the same time. You knew after seeing him in action for just a few seconds that Sinatra’s character would lose his fight to stay clean and be feeding his veins with poison before the second reel was over. The menacing pusher was played by Darren McGavin. I saw the 1955 film for the first time in the mid-1970s. My impression of Darren McGavin was that he was adept at playing comedy and light drama. Characters with a worldly and cynical persona. His work in "The Man With the Golden Arm" was a revelation. Darren McGavin had depth. He was a formidable heavy. There are hints of this darker side in Robert Redford’s wonderful "The Natural." 1955 was an important year in Mr. McGavin’s filmography. In addition to "The Man With the Golden Arm," he co-starred in David Lean’s "Summertime" and Otto Preminger’s "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell."

I’m a horror movie fan. Grew up watching monster movies. Can’t help but love them. Like many other horror buffs, I love producer Dan Curtis’ 1972 Made for TV movie "The Night Stalker." The smart script was written by Richard Matheson. Curtis hired British director John Moxey to direct the modern tale of a vampire terrorizing Las Vegas. Darren McGavin played Carl Kolchak, the third rate newspaper reporter who uncovers the story. Barry Atwater was excellent as the feral vampire. Audiences loved the movie, so the powers that be decided to test the waters again. The 1973 TV movie "The Night Strangler" followed Kolchak to Seattle. Here he uncovers a very old scientist who uses the blood of young women to make an elixar of youth. This time producer Dan Curtis directed himself. Richard Matheson once again adapted Jeff Rice’s source material to the screen. Once again, the audiences loved it. The success of the two films spawned the short-lived TV series: "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." Mr. McGavin made a cameo appearance via an archived video insert from the original series in the pilot episode of ABC’s 2005 bone-headed remake of "The Night Stalker."

Even though Darren McGavin had the range to play darker characters, we loved him for what he did best, and most often. He was finally recognized by his peers with an Emmy nomination for "Murphy Brown." He played Candice Bergan’s father in several episodes. Mr. McGavin was a prolific TV actor. In the late 1950s he had the distinction of starring in two different TV series at the same time! He starred in both "Mike Hammer" and "Riverboat."

Another personal favorite of mine was the 1970 Made for TV movie "Tribes." Mr. McGavin played the tough Marine boot-camp drill sergeant who is faced with a hippie draftee who won’t play by the rules. Jan-Michael Vincent co-starred as the thorn in McGavin’s side. The movie may be gaining new relevance these days. Steven Speilberg directed three Made for TV movies before turning to feature films. "Duel" came first. Next was the 1972 film "Something Evil" starring Darren McGavin and Sandy Dennis as the owners of a possessed farmhouse. That same year Darren McGavin starred in the TM movie pilot for the hit series "The Rookies." Also from 1972 was the TV film "Say Goodbye Maggie Cole." Susan Hayward co-starred with Darren McGavin in what would be her final film. Darren McGavin directed the 1973 feature film "Happy Mother’s Day, Love George." The all-star murder mystery was the final film of singer actor Bobby Darin.

I really could go on and on. Did I mention that Darren McGavin co-starred in the pilot for "The Six Million Dollar Man"? How about the fact that he co-starred with Jerry Lewis in "The Delicate Delinquent," Mr. Lewis's first film after breaking up with Dean Martin? Thanks for the many years spent entertaining us.

JACK WILD Died Mar. 1, 2006

Oscar and BAFTA nominated actor/ singer and teen idol Jack Wild died of mouth cancer at age 53. Mr. Wild lost a hard fought five-year battle against the disease. Mr. Wild was up front about the fact that his smoking caused his illness. Makes me glad I’ve gone two months without a smoke! Prayers of comfort for his family and friends. Here’s hoping that Mr. Wild’s story inspires someone else to put out their cigarettes. Jack Wild was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance as the Artful Dodger in Carol Reed’s 1968 musical "Oliver!" Though the film’s win as Best Picture over such contemporaries as "2001," "A Lion in Winter," "Rosemary’s Baby" and "Planet of the Apes" is considered to be one of Oscar’s biggest blunders, there is no denying that Jack Wild deserved his Oscar nod as the teen pick-pocket. His song "Consider Yourself" was a show-stopper and proved the young man’s talent. Jack Wild became a teen idol and released three albums in quick succession. He also landed the lead in Sid and Marty Croft’s TV series "H.R Pufnstuf." This cemented his status as the object of pre-teen girls desire the world over. He went on to star in the feature film version of the TV series in 1970. He was reunited with his "Oliver!" co-star Mark Lester in the 1971 teen-love story "Melody." As is often the case with child and teen actors, success doesn’t always follow into adulthood. Jack Wild’s star burned bright in the early 70s and quickly faded. He appeared in only a handful of films during the 1980s and beyond. He appeared in a small role in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." His final screen appearance was in the 2005 film "Moussaka & Chips." The crime comedy reunited Wild onscreen with actor Ron Moody. Ron Moody played Fagin to Wild’s Artful Dodger in "Oliver!"

DANA REEVE Died Mar. 6, 2006

Dana Reeve, actress, activist and the widow of "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve died of lung cancer at age 44. Ms. Reeve, who was not a smoker, discovered the cancer last August. Though she is now reunited with her husband, she leaves behind a 13-year-old son and two stepchildren. Prayers of comfort and support for those children. Dana and Christopher Reeve were married in 1992. After her husband’s horseback riding accident, Mrs. Reeve became an advocate for the rights of the disabled. Mrs. Reeve appeared in the Made for TV movie "The Brooke Ellison Story." The film was directed by her husband and aired two weeks after his death in October of 2004. She also worked with her husband in the feature film "Above Suspicion." Mrs. Reeve’s TV credits include "Law & Order," "Feds" and "Oz." I never knew Mrs. Reeve or her husband. The news of her death has struck an emotional chord with me. Christopher Reeve died while my daughter Christy was still in a coma fighting for her life. The reality of his death put my daughter’s own ordeal in very grim focus. While Christy was going through rehab at the Shepherd center, her physician, Dr. Leslie spoke highly of the Reeves. I felt a bond with them, for their work, because it now touched my family. Dana Reeve carried on the work after her husband died. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center will continue to carry on their great work.

GORDON PARKS Died Mar. 7, 2006

What a shame it is that the passing of Gordon Parks should be used to celebrate more than just his talent, contributions and success as a photojournalist, film director, writer, playwright and composer. What a shame that we must also point out that Gordon Parks achieved everything he did in spite of the fact that he was a Black man. Thanks to the pioneering work of Gordon Parks and many others like him, Mr. Parks great-grandchildren will live in a country where their contributions will be accepted and appreciated based on their merit alone. Why? Because Gordon Parks did make a difference in helping America face the ugly fact of racism. Why? Because Gordon Parks did step out and pursue his God given talents without believing those who said a Black man in America can not rise up and succeed. Gordon Parks was a man who stood up with many, many other men and women of his generation to live and pursue the American Dream. He believed in the preamble of the Constitution when it said all men were created equal. Truth be told, Mr. Parks wasn’t really equal…Gordon Parks was ahead of most of us. Gordon Parks was special. Mr. Parks died today after 93 years of a wonderful life.

Gordon Parks was one of America’s premiere photojournalists in the post WWII era. He worked for Life Magazine from 1948 through 1968. A tumultuous era in US history. His images stand among the best from a magazine known for its wonderful photography. During his time with Life, Gordon Parks directed two short documentaries. His first short film "Flavio" came about from a Life Magazine assignment in Brazil. Mr. Parks chronicled the story of a poor Brazilian boy who was very ill. His photo essay resulted in worldwide monetary donations, which saved the child and his family. Gordon Park’s photography of poverty were not only taken in third world countries. He aimed his camera at the ugly underbelly of poverty and racism in the US. His pictures did much in the effort to eradicate both.

In 1969, Gordon Parks turned to feature film directing. He became the first Black American to directed a studio feature. Gordon Park’s "The Learning Tree" was based on his own autobiographical novel. He wrote the script, composed the score and directed the film. Though the film itself has many shortcomings, it was important for the fact that Gordon Parks directed it. Because he did, people like John Singleton, Spike Lee and others would be able to also pursue their dream of directing films, of finding an outlet for their artistic visions. "The Learning Tree" was one of the first films placed in the National Film Registry.

In 1971 Gordon Parks directed his second film. "Shaft" was a success, grossing 12 times its production budget. Richard Roundtree starred as the tough, sexy private detective. An urban hero who appealed to all races. More importantly though, John Shaft was a hero for Black Americans. He was a tough guy who wouldn’t hesitate to hit back when pushed by a corrupt police officer. The film gave voice to a collective frustration in the soul of Black America. The film was one of the first films in the Blaxploitation genre. I’ve always thought the term Blaxploitation was misleading. I only use it because you know exactly what films I’m talking about. I’ve always thought the term misleading because most of the films were entertaining. Some did have exploitation elements, but many did not. The novelty was the fact that Black characters were being portrayed as real human beings and not the screen caricature of the Stepin Fetchit days. "Shaft" spawned several excellent sequels and a TV series. Mr. Parks directed the first sequel "Shaft’s Big Score." He only directed a few films after "Shaft." Mr. Parks directed the lame cop comedy "The Super Cops." Saw it, didn’t care for it. Hey, Black directors can strike out too! At least now they have the chance thanks to folks like Gordon Parks! Mr. Parks was the subject of the TV documentary "Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks."

Gordon Parks’ film legacy also lived through his blood. His son Gordon Parks Jr. directed the films as "Superfly," "Thomasina and Bushrod," "Three the Hard Way" and "Aaron Loves Angela." The younger Mr. Parks was tragically killed in a 1979 plane crash in Kenya while scouting locations for a film.

PETER TOMARKEN Died Mar. 13, 2006

Actor and former TV game show host Peter Tomarken and his wife were killed in a small plane crash off the coast of Santa Monica. Mr. Tomarken was 63 years old. Mr. Tomarkin was piloting the airplane. He was involved in Angel Flight West as a volunteer pilot. Angel Flight West is a non-profit organization that would ferry needy people by air for medical treatment. I guess Mr. Tomarken earned his real angel wings today. He was born on the 1^st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Peter Tomarken hosted several TV game shows including "Wipe Out," "Bargain Hunters" and "Hit Man." He was best known for hosting the popular TV game show "Press Your Luck." Anyone alive during the 1980s has to remember the show. You had to press your luck and avoid the Whammy. Mr. Tomarken was also an actor. His film and TV credits include Warren Beatty’s "Heaven Can Wait" and the hit TV series "Ally McBeal." Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

MAUREEN STAPLETON Died Mar. 13, 2006

Oscar-winning actress Maureen Stapleton died of natural causes at age 80. Maureen Stapleton won multiple awards for her craft including the Oscar, BAFTA, Emmy, Golden Globe, Tony the Los Angeles, New York and National Film Critics Awards! Ms. Stapleton was nominated four times as Best Supporting Actress. She won in 1981 for portraying communist writer and anarchist Emma Goldman in Warren Beatty’s "Reds." Her other three Oscar nominations were for Woody Allen’s "Interiors," "Airport" and her big screen debut "Lonelyhearts."

Ms. Stapleton’s performance in "Reds" was also resulted in her BAFTA, Los Angeles and National Film Critic Awards. She won the Golden Globe for her supporting performance as the wife of the suicidal bomber in "Airport." She was nominated for five Golden Globes. Those nominations mirrored her Oscar nominations but also included her work in Neil Simon’s "Plaza Suite." The New York and Los Angeles Critics both awarded her the Best Supporting Actress Award for her colorful performance as the other woman in "Interiors." "Interiors" is my personal favorite of her performances. She brings sympathy top a character who all of the other characters hate. She is a loud, boisterous broad. A great juxtaposition to her opposite in the film played by Geraldine Page.

Maureen Stapleton enjoyed success on the small screen also. She was nominated for seven Emmy Awards. She won in 1968 for the TV movie of Truman Capote’s "Among the Paths to Eden." Her other Emmy nominations were for "All the King’s Men," "The Queen of the Stardust Ballroom," "The Gathering," "Road to Avonlea," "Miss Rose White" and "B.L. Stryker."

Maureen Stapleton began her acting career on the stage. She appeared in numerous Broadway productions. She won two Tony Awards for her work in Tennessee William’s "The Rose Tattoo" and Neil Simon’s "The Gingerbread Lady." She was nominated four other times for the plays "The Little Foxes," "Plaza Suite," "Toys in the Attic" and "The Cold Wind and the Warm."

Ms. Stapleton appeared in nearly 90 films and TV shows. Her film career featured many memorable movies. She costarred with Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward in Sidney Lumet’s "The Fugitive Kind." Though she was only six months older than him, she played Dick Van Dyke’s mother in "Bye, Bye Birdie." Ms. Stapleton did voice work in "Summer of 42" and "Voyage to Next." Her other film credits include "The Runner Stumbles," "The Fan," "Johnny Dangerously," "Cocoon," "Cocoon: The Return," "Heartburn" and Barbra Streisand’s "Nuts." TRIVIA NOTE: Despite some physical resemblance, she was not related to actress Jean Stapleton.

ARMAND JONES Died Mar. 17, 2006

As a public defender, I deal with murder on a daily basis. The thing about murder is that you never become jaded when dealing with it or hearing about it. The loss of life for such petty reasons not only extinguishes the person killed, it also destroys two families and pushes our society a little bit closer to oblivion. Having nearly lost my own child to an accident I know the fear a parent has when facing their worst nightmare. Unlike the parents of Armand Jones, I still don't fully understand that nightmare completely. Armand Jones parents do know how bad life can feel because their 18-year-old son was murdered after being robbed at an Anaheim, California Denny's. Armand Jones had recently finished filming scenes for his first, and now, only feature film "Freedom Writers." The 2007 Hilary Swank film is based on the true story of Erin Gruwell, a teacher who pushes her at-risk students to rise above their situation and succeed. Prayers of comfort for his family and friends.

OLEG CASSINI Died Mar. 17, 2006

Famed fashion designer Oleg Cassini died at age 92. Mr. Cassini was the personal designer for first lady Jackie Kennedy during the days of Camelot. Mr. Cassini was once married to actress Gene Tierney (pictured at right). He designed her costumes in a number of films including "Whirlpool," "The Razor’s Edge," "Night and the City," "Close to My Heart," "The Mating Season" and "On the Riviera." Mr. Cassini designed the costumes and also appeared in Otto Preminger’s gritty Film Noir classic "Where the Sidewalk Ends." He left Hollywood after his divorce from Gene Tierney in 1952. After JFK’s assasination, Mr. Cassini returned to work on a few films including the animated Rankin-Bass biopic "The Daydreamer" and the Matt Helm spy flick "The Ambushers." Mr. Cassini’s brother was Igor Cassini, a famous gossip columnist during the 1940s and 50s.

RICHARD FLEISCHER Died Mar. 24, 2006

Oscar-winning producer/director Richard Fleischer died in his sleep at age 89. Mr. Fleischer was best known for directing an impressive list of hit feature films. He won an Oscar in 1947 for producing the documentary feature "Design for Death" AKA "Our Job in Japan." If you ask me, Richard Fleischer deserved an Oscar as Best Director for a number of his great films.

Dick Fleischer directed the first film I ever saw in a theater: Disney’s 1955 classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." The classic still enthralls audiences. My friend, noted film historian and radio documentarian Bruce Crawford paid tribute to Mr. Fleischer’s film in his December, 2004 Omaha Film Event. Mr. Fleischer was unable to attend the Omaha Event due to poor health. Mr. Crawford remembered Richard Fleischer as "a gracious man and most thoughtful and a fine director of many great films."

Dick Fleischer was, in many ways, like the workhorse director Robert Aldrich. Both men turned out consistently entertaining, profitable and critically acclaimed films. However, their names are not the first to pop into your mind when you think of great directors. Of course, their output does testify to the fact of their greatness.

Mr. Fleischer’s film output from the 1950s includes the forgotten classic crime drama "Violent Saturday." The movie dealt with the effects of a bank robbery on a small town. It is a precursor of the tough cop movies of Don Siegel and others during the 60s and 70s. A transitional film from Film Noir to the urban realism of the 70s. Lee Marvin, Victor Mature and Earnest Borgnine are just a few of the many great actors who make this film worth seeing. Mr. Fleischer ended the 1950s with the psychological crime drama "Compulsion." The movie was based on the Leopold-Loeb thrill killing of the 1920s. Orson Welles starred as the attorney based on Clarence Darrow who pleads for the young killer’s lives. This is one of Mr. Fleischer’s most respected works. He was nominated for a BAFTA and DGA Award for his direction. This was Mr. Fleischer’s second DGA nomination. The year before, his work on the Kirk Douglas action/adventure film "The Vikings" was also recognized by his peers with a DGA nod.

Mr. Fleischer directed two of the biggest hits of the 1960s. He also directed two of the biggest bombs of the 60s! On the plus side, Mr. Fleischer directed the 1966 Oscar-winning sci-fi classic "Fantastic Voyage." Two years later, he directed the chilling true-life crime drama "The Boston Strangler." Mr. Fleischer directed actor Tony Curtis in one of his last great film performances. On the negative side, Mr. Fleischer helmed the notorious bomb "Dr. Dolittle." The film was the subject of John Gregory Dunne’s classic look at studio politics and practices: "The Studio." Despite being an overblown and bloated film, the movie was nominated for nine Oscars! To find out how this happened, you must read Mr. Dunne’s book. Mr. Fleischer’s other bomb from the 1960s was the misguided biopic "Che!" Omar Sharif played Che opposite Jack Palance as Castro!

1970 saw the release of the WWII film "Tora! Tora! Tora!" Mr. Fleischer directed the US sequences on the definitive film about Pearl Harbor. The following year, Mr. Fleischer returned to the true-crime genre. "10 Rillington Place" starred Richard Attenborough as British killer John Reginald Christie. This is an excellent and very true to the facts film. The Christie/Evans killings lead to the abolishment of the death penalty in England. John Hurt starred as the mentally retarded Timothy Evans. Mr. Evans was executed for murdering his wife. When it was discovered several years later, that Evans’ landlord, serial killer John Christie was in fact the real killer the public backlash put an end to the death penalty. Mr. Fleischer’s direction is taut. This was no surprise as Mr. Fleischer was an old hand at directing crime films. What was surprising was the British feel the film had. This considering Mr. Fleischer was a Yank.

Mr. Fleischer directed three very different films in 1971. His follow-up to "10 Rillington Place" was the "The Last Run." This is a difficult movie to find. It is however, well worth the effort to track down. The movie starred George C. Scott and his then wife Colleen Dewhurst, future wife Trish Van Devere along with Tony Musante. "The Last Run" is a crime film with a much deeper edge than one might expect. I’ve always thought it would make a great double feature with Walter Hill’s Zen crime film "The Driver." Dick Fleischer’s third film from 1971 was the hit psycho horror film "See No Evil." Mia Farrow starred as a blind woman stalked by a cowboy-boot wearing psycho killer. Fleischer chose not to show the killer, other than his boots. The choice enhanced the suspense level of the film. Not unlike what Steven Spielberg achieved in his film "Duel," which aired two months after the release of "See No Evil."

The following year, Mr. Fleischer reteamed with George C. Scott to bring Joseph Wambaugh’s best seller "The New Centurions" to the big screen. For the most part, the movie was a faithful adaptation of Mr. Wambaugh’s police drama. Budget constrains prevented recreating the Watts riots for the film’s climax. With the exception of "The Onion Field" and the William Holden version of "The Blue Knight," Mr. Fleischer’s film was the best adaptation of a Wambaugh novel.

My high school buddy Bruce Ingram and I were the first two people to buy tickets for the Sci-fi classic "Soylent Green" when it opened in Memphis at the Crosstown Theater. Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson starred in the futuristic mystery. And remember… Soylent Green is…! Sorry, no spoilers, even in the obits. Mr. Fleischer finished out the 70s with several notable and notorious films. "Mr. Majestyk" was a Charles Bronson thriller with an evil Al Lettieri in support. "Mandingo" stirred up much controversy. The all-star exploitation film dealt with slavery and interracial sex. Susan George and boxer Ken Norton steamed up the screen and also fired up the box office. Fleischer’s "The Incredible Sarah" was an Oscar nominated biopic of actress Sarah Bernhardt. His 1977 film "Crossed Swords" was designed to recapture the magic of Richard Lester’s "Three Musketeers." Mr. Fleischer’s film reunited much of the cast from Lester’s film, with mixed results. This film also marked his third and final teaming with actor George C. Scott.

Mr. Fleischer’s other film credits include the Neil Diamond version of "The Jazz Singer," "Conan the Destroyer," "The Spikes Gang," "The Don is Dead," "Red Sonja" and "Amityville 3-D." Mr. Fleischer was the son of pioneering animator Max Fleischer.

Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing Oscar winning film editor Elmo Williams. At 93, Mr. Williams is still sharp as a tack. He spoke about first working with Dick Fleischer and then becoming his friend. Here is a short excerpt from that interview:

EI: I noticed that you worked on a lot of Richard Fleischer’s films. Would a director ask for you or was it because you both worked at the same studio?

EW: Dick Fleischer was in New York and he was a stage director. When sound first came in, that’s when I started, directors in Hollywood had no experience with directing dialogue. They were ‘picture’ directors. The studios started saying "We’re making talkies now, so we’d better get some guys out here from New York who know how to direct actors to read their lines. So Fleischer was one of those directors who came out from New York, who was a stage director. He was related to Sid Rogel, who was the studio manager…the head of production at RKO. Since Dick knew nothing about the mechanics of making films, I was assigned to him to help teach him. I made all of his set-ups for him on his first three films.

EI: Almost a co-director on those.

EW: Yeah, well, sort of. Dick and I became good friends. After he started making his mainstream films, whenever possible, he would ask me to edit his films. He got me onto "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "The Vikings." I always carried a big load. I edited some of Dick’s most successful films. Without bragging, I made lots of contributions to his films.

BUCK OWENS Died Mar. 25, 2006

Country music legend Buck Owens died of undisclosed causes at age 76. Buck Owens had 20 #1 records during his lengthy career. Some of his best known songs are "Act Naturally," "I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail" and "Together Again." Like most Americans, I remember Buck Owens as the co-host, along with Roy Clark of the hit TV series "Hee Haw." Mr. Owens was the host of the show from 1969 through 1986. Even though I wasn’t a country music fan, I enjoyed the simple entertainment and pretty women on "Hee Haw." Every Saturday evening during the early 1970s, our family would sit in the den and watch "Hee Haw." I gained a deep respect for the musical abilities of both Buck Owens and Roy Clark. Both men also had a talent for comedy. The show would not have lasted as long as it did were that not true. Buck Owens recorded with his band The Buckaroos as well as doing solo work. "Hee Haw" wasn’t his first TV series. In 1966, Mr. Owens hosted "Buck Owens’ Ranch Show." Mr. Owens voice appeared on the soundtrack of the Oscar nominated documentary about the Apollo moon landings: "For All Mankind." Apparently one of the astronauts took Mr. Owens music into space. Mr. Owens produced the Dwight Yokum directed Western "South of Heaven, West of Hell." If I had even had the opportunity to meet Mr. Owens, I would have thanked him for bring me together with my dad and brothers and sisters every Saturday night. Bringing family’s together. Not a bad legacy.

DAN CURTIS Died Mar. 27, 2006

Emmy and DGA-winning director/producer Dan Curtis died of complications from a brain tumor at age 78. Dan Curtis was one of the first film people I was aware of. In 1967, I would rush home from school (3^rd grade) in hopes of catching the last 10 minutes of "Dark Shadows." If I was lucky, I got to see Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins, the only ‘real’ vampire on daytime TV. Dan Curtis created, produced and directed an occasional episode of the hit gothic-horror-soap opera "Dark Shadows." The TV series ran from 1966 through 1971. The TV series also spawned two feature films and a 1991 primetime revival series. The feature films (House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows) were released in 1970 and 71. "Dark Shadows" built a strong cult following which lives today. There are "Dark Shadows" conventions and the series has enjoyed renewed life on DVD.

While Dan Curtis may be best remembered for "Dark Shadows" he was by no means a one hit wonder. Nor were his talents limited to the horror genre. I admit that I am more than fond of his horror output, however, as a war movie fan, I also appreciate Mr. Curtis’ achievements with the TV mini series adaptations of Herman Wouk’s epic "The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance." Mr. Curtis was nominated for four Emmy Awards for producing and directing both mini series. He won the Emmy award for producing "War and Remembrance." "The Winds of War" featured an impressive recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mr. Curtis’ peers at the Director’s Guild awarded him the DGA for directing "War and Remembrance."

Dan Curtis produced some great Made for TV movies during the 1970s. This was during the era of excellent TV movies. He directed two of my favorite old-time gangster films. "Melvin Purvis G-Man" was a larger than life biopic with a robust Dale Robertson playing the F.B.I. chief gangster hunter. John Milius, who later wrote and directed the excellent "Dillinger" wrote the script for Mr. Curtis. The film told of the FBI’s hunt for Machine Gun Kelly. Curtis followed this with a sequel "The Kansas City Massacre." Once again Dale Robertson returned as Melvin Purvis. This time around he was after Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger. While it played fast and loose with the facts "The Kansas City Massacre" was exciting and entertaining.

Horror movies are my first cinematic love. Dan Curtis was beloved by millions of horror fans like myself. A quick review of his credits show why. In addition to "Dark Shadows" Dan Curtis produced the 1972 landmark TV movie "The Night Stalker." In addition to being one of the best vampire films of all time, the movie spawned a sequel, and two TV series. The following year Curtis produced and directed the sequel "The Night Strangler." He did not have anything to do with the production of spin-off TV series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." In 1968, Curtis produced the excellent Made for TV version of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Jack Palance starred in the title role. One of my most vivid childhood memories was watching Jack Palance as Mr. Hyde slitting the nose of one of his pursuers by using a knife concealed in his cane. It was a mixture of the blood (unusual at that time) and Jack Palance’s maniacal laugh that made the scene stick with me all these years. Curtis and Palance would reunite in 1973 with Palance in the title role of "Dracula." Dan Curtis liked the classics. He adapted Oscar Wilde’s "The Picture of Dorian Gray" to the small screen, as well as Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein." In 1974 he produced a TV version of Henry Miller "The Turn of the Screw."

Other times, Mr. Curtis used newer sources for his films. "The Norliss Tapes" starred Roy Thinnes as a modern journalist turned vampire hunter. "Scream of the Wolf" dealt with werewolves. "The Invasion of Carol Ender" dealt with ghosts. Speaking of ghosts, Dan Curtis wrote, produced and directed the all-star shocker "Burnt Offerings." The following year, Mr. Curtis collaborated once again with his "Night Stalker" writer Richard Matheson on the horror feature "Dead of Night."

There is one single image that will forever guarantee Dan Curtis a shivery welcomed place in the heart of horror movie fans worldwide. On Tuesday, March 4, 1975 I sat down in my living room to watch the "ABC Tuesday Night Movie." Every Tuesday and Wednesday night, ABC offered original films that started at 7:30 PM and ended at 9 PM. The timing was just right as my strict parents would have me in bed by 9. As long as the homework was done, I could watch TV until then. That particular evening, ABC ran a movie titled "Trilogy of Terror." Dan Curtis cast his "Burnt Offerings" star Karen Black to play four different roles in three different stories. The film was once again written by master of horror Richard Matheson. I really don’t remember anything about the first two stories. Like every other person on the face of the planet who saw the third story: "The Doll," I can never forget it. Karen Black finds herself being chased around her apartment by a knife wielding Zuni fetish doll. It is a horrific piece of work that that leaves you short of breath and drained. The thing is, for all the excitement and scares that came before, the final shot of Karen Black from "The Doll" is the stuff of nightmares. I slept with a light on that night. Didn’t matter that I was a teenager. I slept with a light on. The final segment of "Trilogy of Terror" is a masterpiece of terror. The final shot is an unforgettable image that has stayed with me for over 30 years. Mr. Curtis, thanks for scaring the ever loving bejezus out of me.

CANDICE RIALSON Died Mar. 31, 2006 (reported Aug. 14, 2006)

Candice Rialson, like Rainbeau Smith, was one of the premiere B-movie queens of the 1970s. Like Ms. Smith she appeared in both B-movies and A-list films. She also died out of the limelight. From a physical standpoint, Candice Rialson had more sex appeal than Rainbeau Smith, though she never achieved the status as sex-goddess cum fantasy figure that Ms. Smith did. Just look at her pictures and you will know what I mean. While the circumstances of Ms. Rialson’s passing were not as tragic or dramatic as Ms. Smith’s, her passing did go unnoticed for over four months. By all reports, when Ms. Rialson died of liver disease at age 54 while she was surrounded by a loving family. She was, it seems unaware that she had a still avid fanbase. Ms. Rialson’s passing was discovered by the folks at Code Red DVD who tried to track her down to take part in a commentary track for the 1974 sexploitiation film "Pets."

My first memory of Candice Rialson came from the Clint Eastwood film "The Eiger Sanction." She appears in an early scene opposite Clint. Mr. Eastwood plays the college art professor/professional assassin Dr. Jonathan Hemlock. Ms. Rialson played a very sexy student who stays after class to see if there is anything she can do to get a better grade. While the movie would have been so much more enjoyable if Clint had taken her up on her offer, he tells her to go home and "study that pretty little ass off!" While Ms. Rialson appeared in A-list movies like "The Eiger Sanction," "Logan’s Run," Mel Brook’s "Silent Movie" and William Richert’s "Winter Kills," she was best remembered for her exploitation and B-movies.

Mark L. Lester’s "Stunts" is one of the best B-movies of the 1970s. Ms. Rialson added a sexy charge to the action-packed murder mystery. She poured on the backwoods sex appeal in "Moonshine Country Express" opposite Maureen McCormick and the late Claudia Jennings. Candice Rialson’s most memorable roles were in several drive-in sexploitation films. She starred in such skin classics as "Candy Stripe Nurses," "Summer School Teachers" and Joe Dante’s "Hollywood Boulevard." Ms. Rialson appeared in "Mama’s Dirty Girls" with Film Noir actress Gloria Graham! Her most notorious film was the sex comedy "Chatterbox." Taking a cue from "Deep Throat," this R-rated film told the tale of a woman with a talking vagina!

GARY GRAY Died Apr. 4, 2006

I got to know Gary Gray at the Memphis Film Festival in 2001. Over the four-day festival Mr. Gray spent several hours talking with me, not just about his career in the movies, but about his family and his faith. Gary Gray impressed me as a decent man by his actions and his words. I saw and heard him defend people who were not present to speak for themselves. He even had nice things to say about Joan Crawford! I saw the joy in his eyes as he spoke about his children and grandchildren. I especially saw the joy in his eye when his wife came up and hugged him. I was strengthened in my own faith when Mr. Gray spoke so openly and freely about his own walk with Christ. There are many tales of former child actors who came to tragic ends when their careers didn’t continue into adulthood. This was not the case with Gary Gray. In fact, Mr. Gray retired voluntarily at a time when he was working steadily. Mr. Gray retired to get married and go into business. Both his marriage and his business thrived, as had his film career. Gary Gray appeared in 100 films and TV shows in his 20-year career. Mr. Gray died of cancer at age 69.

Gary Gray starred in many notable films. His best know work may be "Rachel and the Stranger." Mr. Gray played Loretta Young’s son. William Holden and Robert Mitchum were the rival leading men. He also starred in the Lassie film "The Painted Hills." Gary Gray appeared in films with former President Ronald Reagan and former first lady Nancy Reagan! He appeared with President Reagan and Virginia May in "The Girl From Jones Beach." The former first lady played Gary Gray’s mother in William Wellman’s thought-provoking "The Next Voice You Hear."

Gary Gray’s many film and TV credits include "Sun Valley Serenade," "Heaven Can Wait," "Gaslight," "Meet Me In St. Louis," "Whispering Smith," "The Great Lover," "Studio 57" and "I Love Lucy." Gary Gray came from a showbiz family. His father was an agent. CLICK HERE to read my in depth interview with Mr. Gray from the 2001 Memphis Film Festival.

GENE PITNEY Died Apr. 5, 2006

Rock and roll singer/songwriter Gene Pitney died of natural causes at age 65. Mr. Pitney had performed a concert in Cardiff, Wales the night before. He was found dead in his hotel room the next morning. The coroner stated that the autopsy revealed Mr. Pitney died of natural causes. Gene Pitney may be best known for the Oscar-nominated song "Town Without Pity." He sang the Dimitri Tiomkin/Ned Washington composition in the 1961 Kirk Douglas film. He also performed the song on TV at the "34^th Annual Academy Awards" telecast. Though he didn’t compose "Town Without Pity," Gene Pitney did write a number of classic of the early Rock and Roll era. Among his biggest songs are "Hello, Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)" and "She’s a Rebel." Gene Pitney appeared on such TV shows as "Tops of the Pops," "Shindig," "Hullabaloo" and "Beat Club."

VILGOT SJOMAN Died Apr. 10, 2006

Director Vilgot Sjoman died of a brain hemorrhage at age 81. In the days before Al Gore invented the Internet, erotica was hard to come by for a teenaged boy with a healthy curiosity about the mysteries of the female form. My older brother’s Playboy magazines gave me my introductory courses in female anatomy 101. Every October, Playboy magazine would feature the "Sex in the Cinema" issue. I believe this is where I first heard of the film "I Am Curious (Yellow)." I was a bit advanced for a preteen. Once I mastered what the female form looked like, I became curious as to deeper mysteries. The 1967 film "I Am Curious (Yellow)" promised to answer these questions. Of course, I’ve long since grown up, but I remember vividly how I felt when I heard of this infamous film. I remember how much I wanted to see it. I am also amazed to realize that I never have seen the movie. Swedish director Vilgot Sjoman broke international taboos by directing the explicit film. Two years later he filmed the sequel "I Am Curious (Blue)." In the days prior to "Deep Throat," "I Am Curious (Yellow)" was probably the best known adult film in the world. Vilgot Sjoman’s output was not limited to his infamous erotica. In 1963 Mr. Sjoman directed a wonderful TV documentary "Ingmar Bergman Gor en Film," about Ingmar Bergman. Mr. Sjoman chronicled the Swedish master’s making of the film "Winter’s Light." The five-part TV documentary series focused on different areas of the development of Mr. Bergman’s movie. Mr. Sjoman made several films which drew critical comparisons with Ingmar Bergman’s work. Most notable among these was the BAFTA winner "My Sister, My Love." Mr. Sjoman’s final film was the 1995 biopic "Alfred," which dealt with the life of Alfred Nobel.

ALIDA VALLI Died Apr. 22, 2006

What a life! Italian actress Alida Valli appeared in well over 100 films. She enjoyed success in Europe and also the US. She made contributions to many different types of films from A-list productions to horror classics. Many different types of film fans will remember Ms. Valli for a variety of different reasons. She also had beauty. She was at the center of one of Italy’s biggest scandals during the 1950s. Ms. Valli was adored by dictators and common men alike. Alida Valli died at age 84.

Being a horror movie fan first and foremost, it isn’t a shock that I remember Ms. Valli primarily for her horror movie contributions. He most famous horror film role was in the 1959 French classic "Eyes Without a Face." The haunting and extremely disturbing film was given the grand treatment as a Criterion Collection DVD release last year. Ms. Valli plays the murderous assistant of the film’s villain: a doctor who murders young women in order to give his own daughter a new face. The movie has been release with a number of titles and a variety of truncated forms. Now it can be seen as originally intended thanks to the Criterion collection. Once seen, this film is hard to forget. Italian horror master Mario Bava cast her in his lost masterpiece "Lisa and the Devil." This film was also released in a number of versions. New footage was shot to cash in on the success of "The Exorcist." Much of the original version was lost in the process. Mario Bava’s disciple Dario Argento gave Ms. Valli a starring role in his best film "Suspiria." He would also cast her in his 1980 film "Inferno." Her other horror film credits include "Tender Dracula," "The Antichrist" and "The Killer Nun."

Ms. Valli also starred in many international A-list films. She is probably best know as Orson Welles much abused girlfriend in Carol Reed’s Film Noir masterpiece "The Third Man." Bernardo Bertolucci cast Ms. Valli in three of his films including his epic "1900" and disturbing tale of incest "Luna." Ms. Valli co-starred in Pasolini’s version of "Oedipus Rex." Unfortunately her one film with master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock was his lessor effort "The Paradine Case." She had a memorable role in the otherwise bland all-star disaster film "The Cassandra Crossing."

Alida Valli had an exciting and eventful personal life. She was one of Italian strongman Benito Mussolini’s favorite actresses. Scandal touched her life during the 1950s. In 1953, the body of a young girl named Wilma Montesi was found washed up on a beach. The girl had drown. It wasn’t quite clear if Ms. Montesi had accidentally drown, committed suicide or was murdered. Ms. Valli ended up providing an alibi for the public’s chief suspect. This event harmed her career for a few years. Several news sources have erroneously reported that Ms. Valli’s husband Oscar De Mejo was the author of the children’s Christmas novelty song "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth." In fact, the song was written by New York music teacher Donald Gardner who died in 2004.

JAY PRESSON ALLEN Died May 1, 2006

Oscar-nominated writer Jay Presson Allen died of a stroke at age 84. Jay Presson Allen was one of the best writers in Hollywood when it came to adapting stories from other mediums. Ms. Allen was nominated twice for her adaptations to the screen of the movies "Cabaret" and the true crime drama "Prince of the City." She adapted Muriel Spark’s novel "The Prime of Miss Jean Brody" to the stage and later the screen. Alfred Hitchcock called on her to adapt the novel "Marnie" to the screen. Other credits include George Cukor’s "Travels With My Aunt," "40 Carats," "Funny Lady," the Streisand version of "A Star is Born" and "Deathtrap." She also wrote the one-man play "Tru" based on the life of Truman Capote.

VAL GUEST Died May 10, 2006

Prolific director/writer Val Guest died at age 94. Val Guest moved up the film ladder from movie journalist to actor to writer to director. His film career began in the early 1930s and he directed his final TV show in 1986. During his 50-year career, Val Guest created some of the best or at least best remembered sci-fi and horror films in history. Mr. Guest was not solely a genre director or writer. Val Guest had nearly 80 writing credits. He directed over 50 films. Val Guest directed the classic sci-fi films "The Quatermass Experiment" and its first sequel "Quatermass 2." For many people my age, these Hammer productions were the first adult sci-fi films they were exposed to. Brian Donlevy starred in the title role as Professor Bernard Quatermass. Val Guest had a long association with Hammer Films. Among the movies her directed for the famed British house of horror were "The Abominable Snowman," "The Camp on Blood Island" "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" and "When Dinosaur’s Ruled the Earth." "When Dinosaur’s Ruled the Earth" was a sequel to Ray Harryhausen’s "1,000,000 Years B.C." This time around the animation was done by Jim Danforth. Blonde beauty Victoria Vetri replaced Raquel Welsh as the eye-candy to keep the dads in the theaters while their children watched the dinosaurs. Val Guest was one of the many co-directors and co-writers of the original James Bond spoof "Casino Royale." Another noted film was the 1960 Cliff Richard movie "Expresso Bongo." "Expresso Bongo" starts out to be one of the best rock and roll films from that era. Unfortunately it fizzled before the running time ended. Still it is worth a look.

PAUL MARCO Died May 14, 2006

Actor Paul Marco died at age 80. Mr. Marco was best known for his role as Kelton the Cop in Ed Wood Jr.’s infamous "Plan Nine From Outer Space." He worked with Ed Wood in three films including "The Bride of the Monster" and "Night of the Ghouls." He reprised his role as Kelton the Cop in the horror movie spoof "The Naked Monster." Mr. Marco was portrayed by actor Max Casella in Tim Burton’s wonderful biopic "Ed Wood." It was just bad. Mr. Marco was a frequent guest at numerous fan conventions. Mr. Marco served his country in the US Navy during WWII.

JORGE P