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PAT AST Died Oct. 2, 2001

Actress Pat Ast died at age 59. Ms. Ast was discovered by Andy Warhol and cast in his film "Heat" opposite Joe Dellesandro and Sylvia Miles. Ms. Ast appeared in a number of films in the 70s and 80s including "Reform School Girls," "Foul Play" and "The Incredible Shrinking Woman."

WILLIAM HERBERT COLEMAN Died Oct. 3, 2001

Filmmaker William Herbert Coleman died at age 93. Mr. Coleman is best known for his long collaboration with master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Herbert Coleman was an associate producer and/or second unit director on a number of Alfred Hitchcock’s films including "The Man Who Knew Too Much," "Topaz," "North By Northwest," "Rear Window," "Vertigo," "The Wrong Man" and the TV series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Mr. Coleman directed several films himself including "Posse From Hell," "Battle at Bloody Beach" and "California’s Gold Beginning."

JOSEPH STONE Died Oct. 5, 2001

Oscar nominated screenwriter Joseph Stone died at age 87. Mr. Stone shared the Best Screenplay Oscar nomination for his work on the Cary Grant/Tony Curtis comedy "Operation Petticoat." The WWII comedy about a pink submarine was remade as a TV movie and also became a short-lived TV series.

EMILIE SCHINDLER Died Oct. 5, 2001

Emilie Schindler, the widow of Oskar Schindler died at age 93. Mrs. Schindler appeared as herself in the closing scene of Steven Spielberg’s "Schindler’s List." Mrs. Schindler also appeared in the 1982 Made for TV film "Schindler: The Documentary." Mrs. Schindler was declared to be a Righteous Gentile by the State of Israel.

JIM FRANCIS Died Oct. 5, 2001

British special effects whiz Jim Francis died at age 47. Mr. Francis contributed effects to the TV series "Dr. Who" and "Blake’s 7." Mr. Francis’s other credits include "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" and "The 10^th Kingdom."

HERBERT ROSS Died Oct 9, 2001

Herbert Ross, Oscar nominated director of "The Turning Point" died. Mr. Ross' other films included: "Boys on the Side" (1995), "My Blue Heaven" (1990), "Steel Magnolias" (1989), "Footloose" (1984), "Max Dugan Returns" (1983), "Pennies from Heaven"(1981), "California Suite"(1978) , "The Goodbye Girl"(1977), "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution"(1976), "The Sunshine Boys" (1975), "Funny Lady" (1975), "The Last of Sheila"(1973), "Play It Again, Sam" (1972), "The Owl and the Pussycat"(1970) and "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969)

JACQUELINE BABBIN Died Oct. 6, 2001

Emmy-winning producer Jacqueline Babbin died of cancer at age 80. Ms. Babbin won the Outstanding Special or Drama Emmy for the 1976 TV movie "Sybil" starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward. Ms. Babbin’s other credits include among others the TV series "Loving," "Beacon Hill" and "All My Children."

DAGMAR Died Oct. 9, 2001

TV’s first "dumb blonde," Dagmar died at age 80. Dagmar hosted the 1950s TV series "Dagmar’s Canteen." She was also a regular on "The Milton Berle Show" and "Broadway Open House."

OTIS YOUNG Died Oct. 11, 2001

"The Last Detail" was one of the first R-Rated movies I snuck into with my high-school buddy and real (paid) film critic Bruce Ingram. Bruce and I laughed our asses off as Jack Nicholson swore like a sailor throughout Hal Ashby’s adaptation of Daryl Ponicsan’s book. Of course, in "The Last Detail" Jack Nicholson was playing a sailor. So was Otis Young. They played a pair of old-time salts escorting a young, naïve sailor played by Randy Quaid to the brig on a trumped up charge. The two decide to show Quaid a good time before dropping him off for a lengthy prison sentence. Otis Young died of a stroke at age 69. Otis Young was the first Black actor to co-star in a Western TV series. Young played Jemal David in the 1968 TV series "The Outcasts," which co-starred Don Murray. Mr. Young left Hollywood to teach and later, preach. Mr. Young became an ordained minister in 1983.

RUTH GOETZ Died Oct. 12, 2001

Playwright Ruth Goetz died at age 93. Ms. Goetz was nominated for Best Drama by the Writer’s Guild of America for her play "The Heiress." Ms. Goetz adapted Theodore Dreiser’s "Sister Carrie" to the screen for the film "Carrie" with Laurence Olivier and Jennifer Jones.

FREDERICK ZIV Died Oct. 13, 2001

TV pioneer Frederick Ziv died at age 96. Mr. Ziv produced a number of the biggest TV series of the 1950s before selling his company to UA in 1960. Mr. Ziv's credits include "Seahunt" with Lloyd Bridges, "Whirlybirds" with Kenneth Tobey, "Highway Patrol" with Broderick Crawford, "Boston Blackie" and "The Cisco Kid."

RAOUL KRAUSHAAR Died Oct. 13, 2001

Composer Raoul Kraushaar died of natural causes at age 93. Mr. Krasushaar composed music for over 100 films and TV series. He was also the musical supervisor for over 70 films. Mr. Kraushaar’s credits include the TV series "Bonanza" and "Lassie," the films "The 30-Foot Bride of Candy Rock," "Billy the Kid vs. Dracula," "Island of Lost Women" and "Ride a Violent Mile."

AXEL DUBERG Died Oct. 14, 2001

Swedish actor Axel Duberg died at age 74. Mr. Duberg appeared in nine films by famed director Ingmar Bergman. He played the Thin Herdsman in Bergman’s "The Virgin Spring," which was the inspiration for Wes Craven’s infamous "Last House on the Left." Among Duberg’s other films for Ingmar Bergman are "Fanny and Alexander," "The Magician" and "Shame." Mr. Duberg appeared in over 50 films during his lengthy career.

RALPH LEVY Died Oct. 15, 2001

Two-time Emmy winning TV director Ralph Levy died at age 81, 50 years to the day after his most famous show first aired. Mr. Levy filmed the pilot episode of the greatest comedy series of all time (my opinion): "I Love Lucy." Mr. Levy won Emmy awards for his direction of "The Jack Benny Special" and "The Bob Newhart Show." Mr. Levy also directed the pilot episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Green Acres."

JANET SHAW Died Oct. 15, 2001

Warner Brother’s contract actress Janet Shaw died of Alzheimer’s Disease at age 82. Ms. Shaw appeared in over 60 films during the 1930s through 1950. She appeared in one of my favorite Film Noir movies: "They Won’t Believe Me" with Susan Hayward and Robert Young. Other credits include "Jezebel" with Bette Davis, "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn, "The Sisters" with both Flynn and Davis, "The Mummy’s Tomb," Alfred Hitchcock’s classic "Shadow of a Doubt" and the cult classic "Prehistoric Women."

ROBERT RUTLEDGE Died Oct. 15, 2001

Oscar winning sound editor Robert Rutledge died of a heart attack at age 52. Mr. Rutledge won an Oscar for his work on "Back to the Future." Mr. Rutledge won British Academy Awards for his work on the movies "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" and "Star Wars." Mr. Rutledge’s other credits include "The Empire Strikes Back," "Thief," "Wolfen," "Manhunter" and "The Witches of Eastwick."

JAY LIVINGSTON Died Oct 18, 2001

Three time Oscar winner, Jay Livingston died today. The renowned composer won the Best Song Oscar in 1949, 51 (Mona Lisa)and 57 (Que, Sera, Sera). He was also nominated 4 other times. Mr. Livingston also wrote the theme for the TV shows Bonanza and Mr. Ed.

PAUL B. RADIN Died Oct. 18, 2001

Producer Paul Radin made films about good lions and very bad lions. Radin produced one of the most famous films of the 1960s: "Born Free." A sequel, "Living Free" followed six years later, and a TV series "Born Free" two years after that. The lions in "The Ghost and the Darkness" were not quite as tame as Elsa and her cubs. Radin’s last film dealt with the true story of a railway crew in Africa being attacked by two rogue lions. Mr. Radin also produced one of the most interesting sci-fi films of the 70s. "Phase IV" dealt with a colony of super intelligent ants bent on world domination. "Phase IV" has hidden delights to reward the patient viewer. Producer Paul Radin died of congestive heart failure at age 88.

RAY LOVEJOY Died Oct. 19, 2001

Oscar nominated film editor Ray Lovejoy died of a heart attack at age 62. Mr. Lovejoy was nominated for an Oscar for his work on James Cameron’s "Aliens." Mr. Lovejoy’s other film credits include "Lost in Space," "Year of the Comet," "Batman," "Krull," "The Shining" and a little film called "2001: A Space Odyssey."

PHILIPPIE AGOSTINI Died Oct. 20, 2001

Writer/director/cinematographer Philippe Agostini died at age 91. Mr. was the cinematographer on nearly 50 films before turning to directing in the late 1950s. He directed a dozen films through the 1970s. Mr. Agostini won a Special Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival for his cinematography on the film "Pattes Blanches."

DIANA VAN DER VLIS Died Oct. 22, 2001

Actress Diane Van Der Vlis died of a pulmonary embolism at age 66. Ms. Van Del Vlis appeared in "The Swimmer," "X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes" with Ray Milland, "The Incident" and the soap opera "Ryan’s Hope." Ms. Van Der Vlis made numerous guest appearances on TV series such as "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "The F.B.I.," "The Invaders" and "The Fugative."

NORMAN LESSING Died Oct. 22, 2001

Writer Norman Lessing died of Parkinson’s Disease and congestive heart failure at age 90. Mr. Lessing wrote for such TV series as "The Fugative," "Lost in Space," "Bonanza," "The Nurses," "Hawaii 5-0" and "Eight is Enough."

LINDEN TRAVERS Died Oct. 23, 2001

British actress Linden Travers died at age 88. Ms. Travers was best known for her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s last British film "The Lady Vanishes." Ms. Travers appeared in 25 films before retiring from the movies in 1948. Ms. Travers became a psychologist and hypnotist later in life. She is the older sister of actor Bill Travers, star of my childhood favorite monster movie "Gorgo."

OLGA LEHMANN Died Oct. 26, 2001

Emmy-nominated costume designer Olga Lehman died at age 89. Ms. Lehmann was nominated three times for her work on the TV films "The Man in the Iron Mask," "A Tale of Two Cities" and "The Four Feathers." An accomplished painter, Ms. Lehmann painted portraits for film and TV including three for the TV series "The Colbys."

JAROMIL JIRES Died Oct. 26, 2001

Award winning Czech writer/director Jaromil Jires died of injuries suffered in an automobile accident. Mr. Jires directed over 40 films during his career. He was nominated for awards at several international film festivals, winning the OCIC Award at the San Sebastion International Film Festival for his 1969 film "Zert."

EUGENE JACKSON Died 26, 2001

Pioneer Black actor Eugene Jackson has died at age 84. Mr. Jackson played the character ‘Pineapple,’ the older brother of Farina in the "Our Gang" shorts. Mr. Jackson had a recurring role on the 1960s TV show "Julia," which was the first TV series in American history to have a Black actress in the lead role. Mr. Jackson played Diahann Carroll’s uncle in "Julia." Mr. Jackson founded two dance studios, one in Compton and another in Pasadena. Mr. Jackson was an accomplished jazz musician.

JOHN ROBERTS Died Oct. 27, 2001

Co-producer of the original Woodstock Music Festival, John Roberts died of cancer at age 56. Mr. Roberts produced the video "Woodstock: The Lost Performances."

FREYDA ROTHSTEIN Died Oct. 27, 2001

Producer Freyda Rothstein died in her sleep at age 72. Ms. Rothstein produced over 20 Made for TV movies including "Crisis at Central High" with Joanne Woodward, which dealt with the integration of Little Rock’s Central High School in 1957. Other credits include "In Broad Daylight," "No One Could Protect Her" and "Two Voices."

GRIGORI CHUKHRAJ Died Oct. 28, 2001

Oscar nominated writer/director Grigori Chukhraj died of heart failure at age 80. Mr. Chukhraj was nominated for a Best Screenwriting Oscar for his poignant "Ballad of a Soldier." He also directed the film. If you have never seen this touching film, by all means find a way to do so.

LEONARD MELFI Died Oct. 28, 2001

Playwright Leonard Melfi died at age 66 of congestive heart failure. In a bizarre twist, Mr. Melfi’s body was lost at the hospital where he died. It was found several months later buried in a potter’s field. Mr. Melfi wrote numerous plays. He made contributions to the script of the X-Rated musical "Oh! Calcutta."

MAURA FAY Died Oct. 29, 2001

43-year-old casting director Maura Fay died of a massive stroke. Ms. Fay cast nearly 40 films and TV shows including "Darkness Falls," "Baywatch Down Under" and "The Outsider."

RICHARD MARTIN STERN Died Oct. 31, 2001

Novelist Richard Martin Stern died at age 86. Mr. Stern wrote one of the two novels on which producer Irwin Allen based his disaster epic "The Towering Inferno." Stern’s "The Tower" was used along with Frank Robinson and Thomas Scortia’s novel "The Glass Inferno" by screenwriter Stirling Silliphant as the basis for his script.

JENNY LAIRD Died Oct. 31, 2001

British actress Jenny Laird died at age 84. Ms. Laird’s credits include Michael Powell’s "Black Narcissus," the original "Village of the Damned" and the TV series "Inspector Morse" and "Dr, Who."