HARRY ANDERSON, 65 - April 16, 2018
Actor Harry Anderson, who starred as Judge Harry Stone in the popular sitcom "Night Court" and was humor columnist Dave Barry on "Dave's World", was found dead at his home in Asheville, North Carolina, on April 16, 2018. Anderson was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on October 14, 1952. He began studying magic in his youth and performed as a magician after moving to Los Angeles in his teens. He became friends with juggler Turk Pipkin while working as a street magician, and they worked frequently together throughout his career. They collaborated on the the 1989 book "Games You Can't Lose: A Guide for Suckers". He performed as a comic magician on episodes of "The Mike Douglas Show" and "Saturday Night Live" in the early 1980s. He appeared in the recurring role of conman Harry 'The Hat' Gittes in a handful of episodes of the hit sitcom "Cheers" from 1982 to 1993, and starred as off-beat New York City criminal court judge and amateur magician Harry Stone on the comedy series "Night Court" from 1984 to 1992. He made several more appearances on "Saturday Night Live", and served as host in 1985. He was also seen in episodes of "Tales from the Darkside", "Tanner '88", "Tales from the Crypt", "Parker Lewis Can't Loose", "Hearts Afire", "Night Stand", "The John Larroquette Show", "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman", "Noddy", "Explore Our World", "Son of the Beach", and "30 Rock". Anderson starred as Professor Henry Crawford in the Disney tele-films "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1988) and "The Absent-Minded Professor: Trading Place" (1989). He starred as Richie Tozier in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's "It", and appeared in television productions of "Twilight Theater" (1982), "Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs" (1988), "Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme" (1990), and "Harvey" (1996) as Elwood P. Dowd". He starred as humor columnist Dave Barry in the sitcom "Dave's World" from 1993 to 1997. He also appeared on the variety and game shows "The $10,000 Pyramid", "Super Password", "The Wil Shriner Show", "Late Show with David Letterman", "Blackout", "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour", "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", "The Chevy Chase Show", "Real Time with Bill Maher", and "Comedy Bang! Bang!". He starred in the secials "Hrry Anderson's Hello Sucker" (1986), "Harry Anderson's Sideshow" (1987), and "Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His Trade" (1996). He hosted a series of comedy specials, "Oops! The World's Funniest Outtakes", from 1996 to 1997. He was featured in several films during his career including "The Escape Artist" (1982), "She's Having a Baby" (1988), and "A Matter of Faith" (2014). Anderson moved to New Orleans in 2002, where he opened a small curiosity shop and a nightclub in the French Quarter. He and his wife settled in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2006. Anderson was married to Leslie Pollack from 1977 until their divorce in 1999, and is survived by their two children. He married Elizbeth Morgan in 2000, who also survives him.
SUSAN ANSPACH, 75 - April 2, 2018
Actress Susan Anspach, who starred in such film as "Five Easy Pieces" and "Play It Again, Sam" in the 1970s, died of a heart ailment in Los Angeles, California, on April 2, 2018. Anspach was born in New York City on November 23, 1942. She studied music and drama at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She also studied at he the Actors Studio in New York. She began performing in off-Broadway productions including a revival of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge" (1965) with Robert Duvall and Jon Voight. She was featured in the Broadway plays "And Things That Go Bump in the Night" (1965) and "Lovers" (1968), and starred in the counter-culture hit musical "Hair". She was best known for her roles as Catherine Van Oost, opposite Jack Nicholson, in the 1970 film "Five Easy Pieces", and as Nancy in Woody Allen's comedy, "Play It Again, Sam" (1972). Her other films include "The Landlord" (1970), "Blume in Love" (1973) opposite George Segal, "The Big Fix" (1978), "Running" (1979), "The Devil and Max Devlin" (1981), "Gas" (1981), "Montenegro" (1981), "Misunderstood" (1984), "Blood Red" (1989), "Back to Back" (1989), "Wild About Harry" (2009), and "Inversion" (2010). She appeared on television in episodes of "The Defenders", "The Patty Duke Show", "The Doctors and the Nurses", "Judd for the Defense", "Love Story", "McMillan & Wife", "Rosetti and Ryan", "Visions", "Deadly Nightmares", "Empty Nest", and "Murder, She Wrote". She also appeared in the tele-films "The Journey of the Fifth Horse" (1966), "For the Use of the Hall" (1975), "I Want to Keep My Baby!" (1976), "The Secret Life of John Chapman" (1976), "Mad Bull" (1977), "The Last Giraffe" (1979), "Portrait of an Escort" (1980), "The First Time" (1982), "Deadly Encounters" (1982), "Gone Are the Dayes" (1984), "Cagney & Lacey: The Return" (1994), and "Dancing at the Harvest Moon" (2002). She was Grace McKenzie in the short-lived series "The Yellow Rose" in 1983, and was Elinor Grant" in the 1985 mini-series "Space". She starred as Anne Maxwell, wife of Dabney Coleman's lead character, in the comedy series "The Slap Maxwell Story" from 1987 to 1988. Her survivors include her daughter, Catherine, from her relationship with "Hair" co-star Steve Curry, and son, Caleb, who she claimed was the son of Jack Nicholson. She was married to Mark Goddard from 1970 to 1978, who adopted both of her children. She was married to singer Sherwood Ball from 1982 until their divorce in 1986.
RUSSELL BATES, 76 - April 9, 2018
Screenwriter and actor Russell Bates died in Lawton, Oklahoma, on April 9, 2018. Bates was born in Lawton, a Native American from the Kiowa tribe, on June 6, 1941. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s, where his efforts to write for "Star Trek" gained the attention of D.C. Fontana. He was mentored by Gene L. Coontz, and wrote several scripts for "Star Trek: The Animated Series". He and co-writer David Wise earned an Emmy Award for scripting the 1974 episode "How Sharper Than a Serpent Tooth". He also wrote an episode of the 1975 series "Isis". Bates later appeared onscreen in the films "Freddie of the Jungle (1981) and "Porky's II: The Next Day" (1983).
ALEX BECKETT, 35 - April 12, 2018
Welsh actor Alex Beckett died suddenly in London, England, on April 12, 2018. He was born Peter Alexander Beckett in Carmarthenshire, Wales, on June 30, 1982. He trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London from 2000 to 2003. He made his television debut in a 2004 production of "The Hotel in Amsterdam". He was also seen in "The Scum Also Rises" (2007), "A Child's Christmases in Wales" (2009), "Space Ark" (2014), "The Scandalous Lady W" (2015), "Cuffs" (2015), and "Love, Nina" (2016). He was best known for his role as Barney Lumsden in the BBC comedy series "Twenty Twelve" from 2011 to 2012, and the spin-off series "W1A" from 2014 to 2017. His other television credits include episodes of "Emmerdale", "The Bill", "The Persuasionists", "Married Single Other", "A Touch of Cloth", "The Job Lot", "Cockroaches", "Top Coppers", "The Aliens", "I Live with Models" as Seth from 2015 to 2017, and "Stath Lets Flats" as Marcus in 2018. He was featured in several films including "Much Ado About Nothing" (2011), "Youth" (2015), the short "Ministry of Guilt" (2015), "Survivor" (2015), and the forth-coming "Mary Queen of Scots" (2018) starring Margot Robbie, Saoirse Ronan, and David Tennant. Beckett also appeared frequently on stage and was starring in a production of "The Way of the World" at the Donmar Warehouse in London at the time of his death.
ISABELLA BIAGINI, 74 - April 14, 2018
Italian actress and model Isabella Biagini died in Rome, Italy, on April 14, 2018. She was born Concetta Biagini in Rome on December 19, 1943. She began performing as a child on radio and in commercials. She had a small part in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1955 film "Le Amiche". She became a popular comedy actress, appearing in such films as "La Zia d'American va a Sciare" (1957), "Mamma's Boy" (1958), "Serenatella Sciue Sciue" (1958), "I Due Mafiosi" (1964), "Slalom" (1965), "Love Italian Style" (1966), Gli Altri, Gli Altri... e Noi" (1967), "Pensando a Te" (1969), "Gli Infermieri Della Mutua" (1969), "Quelli Belli... Siamo Noi" (1970), "La Ragazza del Prete" (1970), "Mazzabubu... Quante Corna Stanno Qiaggoiu?" (1971), "Il Clan Dei due Borsalini" (1971), "Nights of Boccaccio" (1972), "Il Sindacalista" (1972), "The Terror with Cross-Eyes" (1972), "What the Chambermaid Saw" (1973), "Supermen Against the Orient" (1973), "Erotomania" (1974), "Paolo il Freddo" (1974), "Loaded Guns" (1975), "Nick the Sting" (1976), "La Ragaza Dalla Pelle di Corallo" (1976), "Atti Impuri all'Italiana" (1976), "Stangata in Famiglia" (1976), "Il Ginecologo della Mutua" (1977), "Tutti a Squola" (1979), "Ciao Marziano" (1980), "La Cameriera Seduce i Villeggianti" (1980), "F.F.S.S., cioe: '...Che mi Hai Portato a Fare Sopra a Posillipo se non mi F.F.S.S., cioÅ : '...che mi hai portato a Fare Sopra a Posillipo se non mi Vuoi piu Bene?", "The Future Is Woman" (1984), "Grandi Magazzini" (1986), "Capriccio" (1987), "No Spring Chicken" (1996), and "Il Segreto del Giagguaro" (2000). Biagini also apeared frequently on television in the 1960s and 1970s. She was married and divorced twice, and her daughter from her first marriage, Monica, died of cancer in 1999.
CHOI EUN-HEE, 91 - April 16, 2018
South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee, who was kidnapped by North Korean agents to work in Kim Jong-il's film industry, died in Gangseo, South Korea, on April 16, 2018. Choi was born in Gwangju, Korea, on November 20, 1926. She began her career in films in the late 1940s, and was seen in "A New Oath" (1947), "A Hometown in Heart" (1949), "Dream" (1955). "The Youth" (1955), "Pagoda of No Shadows" (1957), "Loved Caused Pain" (1957), "Farewell, Sorrow" (1957), "Don" (1958), "Flower in Hell" (1958), "Confessions of a College Student" (1958), "The Love Marriage" (1958), "It's Not Her Sin" (1959), "Those Were the Days" (1959), "Chun-hie" (1959), "Return to a Sunny Place" (1959), "Dongshimcho" (1959), "Sister's Garden" (1959), "Lee Seung-man and the Independence Movement" (1959), "Romaenseu Ppappa" (1960), "Ryeo-in" (1960), "Sad Pastoral" (1960), "History of Love" (1960), "To the Last Day" (1960), "Madame White Snake" (1960), "The Man Who Returned" (1960), "Kaleidoscope" (1961), "A Korean Tragedy" (1961), "The Noble Thief, Iljimae" (1961), "Evergreen Tree" (1961), "My Mother and Her Guest" (1961), "Under Heaven in Seoul" (1961), "Tyrant Yeonsan" (1962), "The Happy Day of Maeng Jin-sa" (1962), "Bride from the Mountains" (1962), "A Twenty-Nine Year Old Mother" (1962), "The Great Story of Shim Jeong" (1962), "Grudge of Ilwondo" (1962), "The Memorial Gate for Virtuous Women" (1962), "No Compassion" (1962), "Romance Gray" (1963), "Bo-eun's Cloud Bridge" (1963), "Torchlight" (1963), "Rice" (1963), "The Governor of Pyeongyang" (1964), "Red Scarf" (1964), "Da Ji" (1964), "Night in Myeongdong" (1964), "Why Plant an Umbrella Tree?" (1964), "The Dumb Samyong" (1964), "Madam Gyeodong" (1964), "Eliza: Secret Agent" (1965), "Madam Wing" (1965), "A Woman Coming in Autumn" (1965), "Monkey Goes West" (1966), "Black Robber" (1966), "Four Sisters" (1967), "The Mountain" (1967), "A Tender Heart" (1967), "Taindeul" (1967), "Can't Die Like This" (1968), "Pastoral Song" (1968), "Forget-Me-Not" (1968), "Homeless" (1968), "A Woman's Life" (1968), "Woman" (1968), "Husband's House" (1969), "Women of the Chosun Dynasty" (1969), "Sister and Brother" (1969), "Private Kim" (1969), "Deer in the Snow" (1969), "The Days Ater Love" (1969), "The Evening Bell" (1970), "Shim Cheong" (1972), "Sun, Moon, Star, and Love" (1972), "A family with Many Daughters" (1973), "Han River" (1974), "Jin-a's Letter" (1974), "Inmate" (1975), "I Love Mama" (1975), and "Eomeoniwa Adeul" (1976). She was married to Shin Sang-ok, who was producer and director of many of her films. The couple divorced in the late 1970s. Choi was lured to Hong Kong with an offer to direct a film in January of 1978. She was instead taken to North Korea, where Kim Jong-il, the future dictator who ran the Motion Picture and Arts Division of the Propaganda and Agitation Department, kept her under lavish house arrest. Her former husband, Shin Sang-ok, began searching for her after her disappearance, and was himself kidnapped by the North Koreans six month later. They were not told of the each other's presence in North Korea until early 1983 when they were reunited by Kim. He informed the couple that he wanted them to help further the North Korean film industry. They had little choice to comply, and Shin helmed a handful of films, with Choi occasionally starring. They also soon remarried. They worked together on the films "An Emissary of No Return" (1984), "Love, Love, My Love" (1984), "Runaway" (1984), "Salt" (1985), "The Tale of Shim Cong" (1985), and 1985's giant monster film "Pulgasari". Choi and Shin attended a film festival screening of "Pulgasari" in Vienna in 1986, where they were able to elude their captors and escape to the U.S. embassy. North Korean officials later declared that they had not been kidnapped, but had been in North Korea of their own choice. The couple later wrote an account of their years in captivity as Paul Fischer wrote a book about her life with 2015's "A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker". A documentary about their story, "The Lovers and the Despot", was released in 2016.
SARA & AMANDA ELDRITCH, 33 - March 29, 2018
Twin sisters Sara and Amanda Eldritch, whose extreme obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) had led to a pioneering surgical procedure, where found dead of gunshot wounds in a car parked at a rest area at the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City, Colorado, on March 29, 2018. The sisters had killed themselves in what was believed to be a suicide pact. Sara and Amanda were born in Westminster, Colorado, on April 3, 1984. The twins were diagnosed with OCD at age 16, and spent the next 16 years trying to find a treatment that would help them cope with their extreme anxiety and behaviors. They were virtually inseparable, and had such obsessive habits of showering for up to 10 hours, and disinfecting their home with numerous bottles of rubbing alcohol. When most conventional treatments failed, they underwent a surgical procedure, deep brain stimulation, in 2015 to help cope with their disorder. It initially proved successful, decreasing their anxieties about everyday life. They were featured on the syndicated talk show, "The Doctors", to discuss the procedure. They became more open and outgoing thanks to the surgery, and became entertainers at a local haunted house and comic book shop. They were also featured in several short horror films including "I Believe" (2017) and "Shovel" (2018).
R. LEE ERMEY, 74 - April 15, 2018
Actor R. Lee Ermey, a former U.S. Marines drill sergeant who portrayed a similar role in numerous films, died of complications for pneumonia in Santa Monica, California, on April 15, 2018. He was born Ronald Lee Ermey in Emporia, Kansas, on March 24, 1944. He moved to Zillah, Washington, with his family in his early teens. Ermey soon ran afoul of the law and after his second arrest was offered the choice of jail or the military. He entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1961, and became a drill instructor several years later. He spent over a year in Vietnam in the late 1960s, and finished his service in Okinawa. He was medically discharged with the rank of staff sergeant in 1972 because of several injuries he had received while in the service. He subsequently moved to the Philippines, where he studied at the University of Manila. He served as a military advisor and appeared in small roles in the films "The Boys in Company C" (1978) and Francis Ford Coppola's classic "Apocalypse Now" (1979). He was also featured in the films "Up from the Depths" (1979) and "Purple Hearts" (1984), and was a technical advisor for "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982). He was originally hired as a technical advisor for Stanley Kubrick's Vietnam war film "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), but was soon cast in the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. Kubrick allowed Ermey to work on his own script and improvise before the cameras in a rare concession for the often exacting director. Ermey earned critical acclaim, and a Golden Globe nomination, for his role. He continued to appear in films, often as authority figures, with such credits as "Mississippi Burning" (1988) as Mayor Tilman, "The Siege of Firebase Gloria" (1989), "Fletch Lives" (1989), "Deathstone" (1990), "The Rift" (1990), "Kid" (1990), "The Terror Within II" (1991), "Toy Soldiers" (1991), "True Identity" (1991), "Hexed" (1993), "Sommersby" (1993), "Body Snatchers" (1993), "Chain of Command" (1994), "On Deadly Ground" (1994), "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" (1994), "Love Is a Gun" (1994), "Murder in the First" (1995), "Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back" (1995), "Se7en" (1995) as the police captain, "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), "Under the Hula Moon" (1995), "Dead Man Walking" (1995), "The Frighteners" (1996), "Prefontaine" (1997), "Dead Men Can't Dance" (1997), "Switchback" (1997), "Starship Troopers" (1997) in a voice role, "The Sender" (1998), "Gunshy" (1998), "Life" (1999), "Avalanche" (1999), "The Chaos Factor" (2000), "Skipped Parts" (2000), "Jericho" (2000), "Saving Silverman" (2001), "Megiddo: The Omega Code 2" (2001), "Scenes of the Crime" (2001), "Taking Sides" (2001), "On the Borderline" (2001), "Run Ronnie Run" (2002), "The Salton Sea" (2002), "Frank McKlusky, C.I." (2002), "Birdseye" (2002), the 2003 remake of "Willard" starring Crispin Glover, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003) and the 2006 prequel "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" as Sheriff Hoyt, "Y.M.I." (2004), "Man of the House" (2005), "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006), "Shark Bait" (2006), "Splstice" (2008), and "The Watch" (2012). He was the voice of the toy army sergeant in the animated films "Toy Story" (1995), "Toy Story 2" (1999), and "Toy Story 3" (2010). Ermey was also seen in episodes of "Mianni Vice", "China Beach", "Human Target", "Civil Wars", "Street Justice", "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr." in the recurring role of Brisco County Sr., "Tales from the Crypt", "Sweet Justice", "Space: Above and Beyond", "The X-Files", "High Incident", "Promised Land", "Maximum Bob", "Cracker: Mind Over Murder" as Lieutenant Fry from 1997 to 1999, "Action" as Titus Scroad from 1999 to 2000, "The District", "This Week in History", "Scrubs", "House", "Eleventh Hour", and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". He also appeared in the tele-films "The Take" (1990), "I'm Dangerous Tonight" (1990), "83 Hours 'Til Dawn" (1990), "French Silk" (1994), "Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story" (1994), "Soul of the Game" (1996), "Rough Riders" (1997) as Secretary of State John Hay, "Weapons of Mass Distraction" (1997), "You Know My Name" (1999), and "The Apartment Complex" (1999). He was also a voice performer in the animated series "The Angry Beavers", "All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series", "Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles" as Sky Marshall Sanchez from 1999 to 2000, "Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot" as General Thornton from 1999 to 2001, "Invader ZIM", "Rocket Power", "Fillmore!", "Kim Possible", "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy", "Father of the Pride", "My Life as a Teenage Robot", "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" as the voice of Wildcat, "Family Guy", "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness" as the voice of General Tsin, and "The Simpsons" as the voice of Colonel Leslie Hapablap. He was also a voice actor for video games including several based on "Toy Story", "Batman: The Brave and the Bold", "Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex", and "Call of Duty: Ghosts". He hosted the documentary series "Mail Call" from 2002 to 2007 and "Lock 'N Load with R. Lee Ermey" in 2009 for the History Channel, and "GunnyTime with R. Lee Ermey" from 2015 to 2017 for the Outdoor Chanel. He also was a commercial spokesman for such products as GEICO, Dick's Sporting Goods, Coors Light, Glock firearms, Tupperware, Hoover, Victory Motorcycles, SOG Specialty Knives & Tool, and others. He was married to Nila Ermey from 1975 until his death, and is also survived by their four children.
MILOS FORMAN, 86 - April 13, 2018
Czech-American film director Milos Forman, who earned Academy Awards for helming the hit films "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Amadeus", died in a Danbury, Connecticut, hospital on April 13, 2018. He was born Jan Tomas Forman in Caslav, Czechoslovakia, on February 18, 1932. His mother died in a concentration camps after the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in World War II. He was raised by foster parents and studied at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He appeared onscreen and worked as an assistant director on several films including "A Woman as Good as Her Word" (1953), "Silvery Wind" (1956), "Vintage Car" (1957), and "Tam z Lesem" (1962). He produced a film and theatrical presentation for the Brussels World Exhibition in 1958. He directed the documentaries "Magic Lantern II" (1960), "Audition" (1964), and "If Only They Ain't Had Them Bands" (1964), and helmed his first feature, "Black Peter", in 1964. He also directed the films "The Loves of a Blonde" (1965) and "The Firemen's Ball" (1967), both of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He was in Paris when the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia in August of 1968, and went into exile in Hollywood. He had little success with his first film, the 1971 comedy "Taking Off". Producers Michael Douglas and Saul Zaentz sought Forman out to helm the 1975 adaptation of Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". The film proved a major hit, earning an Academy Award as Best Picture as well as Oscar's for Forman and his stars, Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher. He had less success with his 1979 film version of the hit counterculture rock musical "Hair". Forman directed the film version of E.L. Doctorow's best-selling novel "Ragtime" in 1981. He received another Academy Award for directing the 1984 film "Amadeus", based on Peter Shaffer's story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. His film "Valmont", based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses", was released in 1989. He directed the biographical account of Larry Flynt, founder of the "Hustler" pornography empire, starring Woody Harrelson and Courtney Love, in 1996, and received another Oscar nomination. He directed Jim Carrey in a biographical film about off-beat comedian Andy Kaufman, "Man on the Moon", in 1999. His final film, a biography of painter Francisco Goya entitled "Goya's Ghosts", was released in 2006. He was featured as an actor in several films including "Heartburn" (1986), "New Year's Day" (1989), "Keeping the Faith" (2000), "It Is Hell with the Princess" (2009), and "Beloved" (2011). Forman co-authored his autobiography, "Turnaround", in 1994, and was the subject of Milos Smidmajer's documentary film "Milos Forman: Co te Nezabije..." in 2009. He was married to actress Jana Krejchova from 1958 until their divorce in 1962. He married actress Vera Kresadlova in 1964, and they had twin sons before separating when Forman left Czechoslovakia in 1968. He married Martina Zborilova in 1999, and is also survived by her and their twin sons.
EUGENE FRANCIS, 100 - April 10, 2018
Actor Eugene Francis, who was featured as Algy Wilkes in a handful of "East Side Kids" films in the early 1940s, died in Westwood, New Jersey, on April 10, 2018. Francis was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 28, 1917. He began performing on stage as a child with Eva LaGallienne's repertory company. He made his Broadway debut in a 1934 production of "L'Aiglon", and was seen in Broadway productions of "Hamlet" (1936), "Glorious Morning" (1938), and "The American Way" (1939). He replaced Jack Edwards in the Monogram Pictures series of the East End Kid's as token rich kid Algernon "Algy" Wilkes in 1940's "Boys of the City" with Bobby Jordan and Leo Gorcey. He remained with the group, who were originally known as the Dead End Kids and later became the Bowery Boys, in the films "That Gang of Mine" (1940), "Pride of the Bowery" (1940), and "Flying Wild" (1941). He left films to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. He returned to acting after his discharge, appearing in radio commercials for Goodyear Tires and Remington Shavers. He appeared on television in a 1950 production of "The Raven" for Pulitzer Prize Playhouse" and an episode of the detective series "Martin Kane". He continued to work in television during the 1950s as a writer, penning episodes of "Justice", "Appointment with Adventure", "Matinee Theatre", "The George Sanders Mystery Theater", and "The Loretta Young Show". He was active in the Screen Actors Guild throughout his career. Francis became a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation in 1985, serving as a board member for over thirty years. His survivors include his son, Stephen.
KAY HEBERLE, 67 - April 8, 2018
Actress Kay Heberle died in Burleson, Texas, on April 8, 2018. Heberle was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 21, 1950. She attended college at the University of California at Los Angeles, where she earned a master's degree in theatre arts. She was briefly featured as Joanne Curtis, who had a short-lived relationship with Jeanne Cooper's Kay Chancellor on the daytime soap-opera "The Young and the Restless". She also appeared in episodes of "Police Woman and "On Television", and in the tele-films "The Plant Family" (1978) and "With This Ring" (1978). She was featured as Ruthie in the 1986 film "Psycho III" with Anthony Perkins. Heberle is survived by a daughter.
JURAJ HERZ, 83 - April 9, 2018
Czech film director Juraj Herz, who was noted for the 1969 horror film "Cremator", died Prague, the Czech Republic, on April 9, 2018. Herz was born in Kezmarok, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), on September 4, 1934. He studied at the University of Prague, and began his career on stage. He worked in films at the Barrandov Studio from the late 1950s. He served as an assistant director on the films "Don't Take Shelter from the Rain" (1962), "Transport z Raje" (1963), "Obzalovany" (1964), and "The Shop on Main Street" (1965). He also appeared in small roles in these films and "Every Penny Counts" (1961), "Lemonade Joe" (1964), "If a Thousand Clarinets" (1965), "Slecny Prijdou Pozdeji" (1966), "The Pipes" (1966), and "Volejte Martina" (1966). He made his directorial debut with the 1967 crime drama "Sign of the Cancer", which he also scripted. He directed, and frequently wrote and appeared in subsequent films including 1968's "Kulhavy Dabel". He helmed the 1969 horror black comedy "Cremator", starring Rudolf Hrusinsky and set during World War II, about a mad cremator who believes that cremation could relieve earthly suffering and save the world. The film was initially banned by the Communist government, but became a cult classic overseas. Herz became noted for his dark comedy, and his other films include "Petrolejove Lampy" (1971), "Morgiana" (1975), "Holky z Porcelanu" (1975), "A Girl Fit to Be Killed" (1976), "Day for My Love" (1977), a horrific version of the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" (1978), "The Ninth Heart" (1979), "Krehke Vztahy" (1980), "Bulldogs and Cherries" (1981), the off-beat horror "Ferat Vampire" (1982) about a sports car possibly fueled by blood, "The Magpie in the Wisp" (1983), "Sweet Troubles" (1985), "The Night Overtakes Me" (1986), "Galose Stastia" (1986), the fairy tale fantasy "The Frog Prince" (1991), "Wolfgang A. Mozart" (1991), "Die Dumme Augustine" (1993), "Cisarovy Nove Saty" (1994), "Pasaz" (1997), "Politik a Herecka" (2001), "Darkness" (2009), "Haberemann" (2010), and "Slovensko 2.0" (2014). Herz also directed for television, helming productions of "Sladke Hry Minuleho Leta" (1970), "Nightmares" (1970), "Pekar Vilem a Slicna Nada (1972), "Rambling Engelbert" (1973), "A Touch of a Butterfly" (1973), "Gagman" (1987), "Liebe Ist starker als der Tod" (1988), "August '39 - Elf Tage Zwischen Frieden und Krieg" (1988), "Die Drahtseilbahn" (1991), "Maigret" (1995), "Sperling" (1998), "Cerni Baroni" (2004), "Tajne Sny" (2004), "Miluj Blizniho Sveho" (2005), and "A Girl and a Magician" (2009). Herz also recently wrote his autobiography, "Autopsy". He married actress Therese Pokorna in 1989, and is survived by their children, Michal and Annelie Herz.
CHRISTIAN KAY, 76 - March 20, 2018
Actress Christian Kay died in Los Angeles, California, on March 20, 2018. Kay was born in Los Angeles on December 21, 1941. She had a brief acting career in the early 1960s, appearing with Elvis Presley in the film "Blue Hawaii". She was also featured in the film "The Brass Bottle", and appeared in episodes of "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" and "My Three Sons".
KATHRYN KEYS, 101 - March 27, 2018
Actress Kathryn Keys died in Burbank, California, on March 27, 2018. She was born Sarah Margaret Keys on July 21, 1916. She performed on stage and screen from the mid-1930s, sometimes billed as Peggy Keys. She appeared in the films "The Singing Marine" (1937), "Raw Timber" (1937) opposite Tom Keene, the western "Riders of the Dawn" (1937) starring Jack Randall, "Confession" (1937), "Flight Angels"(1940), "Escort Girl" (1941), and "You Can't Escape Forever" (1942). She was also featured in the comedy shorts "I Spied for You" (1943), "Radio Runaround" (1943), "Shot in the Escape" (1943), and "Pick a Peck of Plumbers" (1944). She performed on radio in the series "Lux Radio Theater" and "Hopalong Cassidy". She retired from the screen after marrying dentist Carl Frame. She and Frame remained together until his death in 1990, and she is survived by their twin sons.
BRIAN LANCASTER, 43 - March 29, 2018
Brian Lancaster, who competed on the MTV reality series "Road Rules", was found dead of complications from heart problems at his home in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, on March 29, 2018. Lancaster was featured in the seventh season, "Road Rules: Latin America", in 1999, earning a Volkswagen New Beetle for completing various challenges throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, and the United States. Lancaster worked in a variety of jobs including bartender, special education teacher, telecommunications project manager, and advertising account manager.
CHUCK McCANN, 83 - April 8, 2018
Comedian and actor Chuck McCann died of congestive heart failure at a Los Angeles, California, hospital on April 8, 2018. McCann was born in New York City on September 2, 1934, the son of big band leader Val McCann. He began his career as a child doing voice-overs for CBS Radio. He worked with Sandy Becker, host of the children's show "Wonderama", on WABD-TV in New York in the mid-1950s, and took over the program when Becker went on vacation. He also made appearances on other children's shows including "Captain Kangaroo" as Sailor Clyde and "Rootie Kazootie", where he began a long association with puppeteer Paul Ashley. He co-starred with Ashley's puppets in the 1959 Saturday morning show "The Puppet Hotel" for WNTA-TV in Newark, New Jersey. He served as host of the Sunday morning series "Let's Have Fun", where he would dress as cartoon characters while reading the newspaper strips to his audience. He was also host of "The Chuck McCann Show" on WPIX-TV on weekdays from 1963. He introduced animated cartoons for "Chuck McCann's Laurel & Hardy TV Show" in 1966, with McCann impersonating Oliver Hardy to Paul Ashley's Stan Laurel. He had previously played Hardy on episodes of "The Garry Moore Show" and "The Steve Allen Plymouth Show". McCann was co-founder of "The Sons of the Desert" fan club, which honored the memories of Laurel and Hardy. He provided voices for Vaughn Meader's "The First Family" in 1962, spoofing the administration of President John F. Kennedy. He was seen in numerous television series including "The Charlie Weaver Show", "Turn-On", "I've Got a Secret", "The Tonight Show", "Bonanza", "The Jimmy Dean Show", "The Jimmy Dean Show", "The Dick Cavett Show", "The David Frost Show", "The New Temperatures Rising Show", "The Paul Lynde Show", "The Bob Newhart Show", "The Mike Douglas Show", "Van Dyke and Company", "Columbo", "Kojak", "Run, Joe, Run", "Little House on the Prairie", the juvenile science fiction series "Far Out Space Nuts" with Bob Denver in 1975, "Spencer's Pilots", "Police Woman", "Starsky and Hutch", "Switch", "The Rockford Files", "Fantasy Island", "A New Kind of Family", "The Baxters", "Concrete Cowboys", "Here's Boomer", "CHiPs", "Code Red", "The Greatest American Hero" as Captain Bellybuster, "One Day at a Time", "The Love Boat", "Like Stories, Vol. 3", "St. Elsewhere", "Diff'rent Strokes", "Matt Houston", "Cover Up", "Down to Earth", "Knight Rider", "Tales from the Darkside", "Cagney & Lacey", "The Facts of Life", "227", "Santa Barbara" in the recurring role of Kris Kringle from 1987 to 1988, "Knots Landing" as Richard Mitchell in 1989, "True Blue", "Mathnet", "On the Air", "Empty Nest", "Dream On", "Sliders", "Kirk", "Land's End", "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch", "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction", "Mad About You", and "Boston Legal" in the recurring role of Judge Byron Fudd from 2007 to 2008. He was also featured in television productions of "Christmas at F.A.O. Schwarz" (1968), "Arnold's Closet Revue" (1971), "Kibbee and Fitch" (1973), "The Girl Most Likely To..." (1973), "A Cry for Help" (1973), "How to Break Up a Happy Divorce" (1976), "Sex and the Married Woman" (1977), "If Things Were Different" (1980), "Mae West" (1982) as W.C. Fields, "Carpool" (1983), "A Very Retail Christmas" (1990) as Santa Claus, "Come Die with Me: A Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Mystery" (1994), "Invasion" (1997), and "Citizen Jane" (2009). McCann provided voices for numerous animated productions including "Cool McCool" (1968), "C B Bears" (1977), "The New Shmoo" (1979), "Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo" (1979), "Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo" (1979), "The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show" (1979), "Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels" (1980), "Sunshine Porcupine" (1980), "Drak Pack" (1980) as the voice of Mummy Man, "Thundarr the Barbarian" (1981), "Space Stars" (1981), "Richie Rich" (1982), "Pac-Man" (1982-1983) as the voice of Blinky and Pinky, "Christmas Comes to PacLand" (1982), "The Get Along Gang" (1984), "Snorks" (1985), "The Jetsons" (1985), "Galtar and the Golden Lance" (1985) as the voice of Orlock, "G.I. Joe" (1986) as the voice of Leatherneck, "Pound Puppies" (1986), "DuckTales" (1987-1990), "Adventures of the Gummi Bears" (1987-1990), "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" (1988), "Fantastic Max" (1988-1989), "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1988-1990), "Garfield and Friends" (1988-1991), "The Smurfs" (1989), "Ring Raiders" (1989) as the voice of Baron Von Clawdietz, "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" (1989-1990), "Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers" (1990), "TaleSpin" (1990-1991), "Toxic Crusaders" (1991) as the voice of Mayor Grody, "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" (1991) as the voice of Beefsteak, "Where's Waldo?" (1991), "Tom & Jerry Kids Show" (1992), "Bonkers" (1993), "Animaniacs" (1993), "All-New Dennis the Menace" (1993), P.J.'s Unfunnybunny Christmas" (1993), "Fantastic Four" (1994-1995) as the voice of Ben 'The Thing' Grimm, "Iron Man" (1994-1996) as the voice of the Blizzard, "The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat" (1995), "Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man" (1996), "The Tick" (1996), "The Incredible Hulk" (1996), "The Powerpuff Girls" (1996-2003), "Random! Cartoons" (2007-2009), "The Garfield Show" (2008-2013), "Adventure Time" (2013-2015), and "Friend or Foe" (2017). He was noted for his roles in several television commercials, providing the voice for the Cuckoo Bird for General Mills' Cocoa Puffs, who would tell the world "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs." He also appeared in Right Guard deodorant commercials as someone sharing a medicine cabinet with his surprised neighbor. He again impersonated Oliver Hardy to Jim MacGeorge's Laurel in television commercials for such products as Arby's and Tony's Pizza in the 1980s. McCann produced, directed, and provided the voice of Uncle Oley for the 1968 animated film "The World of Hans Christian Andersen". He portrayed mentally disabled mute Spiros Antonapoulos in the 1968 film version of Carson McCuller's "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter", and starred in the 1971 feature "The Projectionist". His other films include "Play It As It Lays" (1972), "Herbie Rides Again" (1974), "Linda Lovelace for President" (1975), "Silent Movie" (1976), "Survival" (1976), "Foul Play" (1978), "They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way" (1978), "C.H.O.M.P.S." (1979), "Up Yours" (1979), "Lunch Wagon" (1981), "The Comeback Trail" (1982), "The Rosebud Beach Hotel" (1984), "Hamburger: The Motion Picture" (1986), "Thrashin'" (1986), "Cameron's Closet" (1988), "That's Adequate" (1989), "Guns" (1990), "Ladybugs" (1992), "Storyville" (1992), "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993), "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" (1995), "They Call Him Sasquatch" (2003), "Night Club" (2011), and "Horrorween" (2011). McCann is survived by his wife of forty years, Betty Fanning, and three children from a previous marriage.
JACK NAUGHTON, 89 - April 4, 2018
Actor Jack Naughton died in New York City on April 4, 2018. Naughton performed on stage and was featured in a handful of television series including "The United States Steel Hour", "The Virginian", "The Most Deadly Game", "Bewitched", and "The Bill Cosby Show" in the early 1970s.
TIM O'CONNOR, 90 - April 5, 2018
Actor Tim O'Connor, who starred as Elliot Carson on the prime-time soap opera "Peyton Place", and was Dr. Elias Huer in the science fiction series "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century", died in Nevada City, California, on April 5, 2018. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 3, 1927. He studied acting at the Goodman Theatre, and began his career in local television. He moved to New York City in 1953, where he appeared in several episodes of the anthology series "DuPont Show of the Month". He also appeared on such series as "Look Up and Live", "Brenner", "Sunday Showcase" starring as Jabez Stone in a 1960 production of "The Devil and Daniel Webster", "Dianosis: Unknown", "Family Classics" production of "The Three Musketeers" as Aramis in 1960, "Tallahassee 7000", "Shirley Temple's Storybook", "Play of the Week", "Way Out", "Westinghouse Presents" 1961 production of "The Dispossessed", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "The Twilight Zone" in the 1963 episode "On Thursday We Leave for Home", "Armstrong Circle Theatre", "The Great Adventure", "Espionage", "The Doctors and the Nurses", "East Side/West Side", "The Defenders", "Camera Three", "The Outer Limits", "12 O'Clock High", and "The Fugitive". He starred as Elliot Carson, a man who returned to town to run the local newspaper after spending 18 years in prison after being wrongfully accused of murdering his wife, in the hit prime-time soap opera "Peyton Place". He joined the series in 1964 and married Dorothy Malone's Constance MacKenzie before leaving the series in 1968. He reprised the role in the tele-films "Murder in Peyton Place" (1977) and "Peyton Place: The Next Generation" (1985). He was also seen in episodes of "Profiles in Courage", "Judd for the Defense", "Bracken's World", "The Name of the Game", "Insight", "Lancer", "Daniel Boone", "The Young Lawyers", "Dan August", "San Francisco International Airport", "Mannix", "Longstreet", "Hawaii Five-O", "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers", "Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law", "Banyon" (1972), "Gunsmoke", "Search", "Chase", "The F.B.I.", "Banacek", "Doc Elliot", "The Manhunter", "Medical Center", "Nakia", "Get Christie Love!", "The Rockford Files", "All in the Family", "Ellery Queen", "The Six Million Dollar Man" (1975), "Phyllis", "Police Story", "Matt Helm", "Cannon", "Maude", "Columbo", "The Streets of San Francisco" in the recurring role of Lt. Roy Devitt in the early 1970s, "Tales of the Unexpected", "The Feather and Father Gang", "Lou Grant", "Police Woman", "Wonder Woman", "Kaz", "Barnaby Jones", and "3-2-1 Contact". He starred as Dr. Elias Huer, the head of the Defense Directorate who oversees the activities of Gil Gerard's Buck Rogers and Erin Gray's Colonel Wilma Deering, in the pilot film and first season of the science fiction series "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" from 1979 to 1980. He continued his career in episodes of "Trapper John, M.D.", "M*A*S*H", "Vega$", "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Dynasty" as Thomas Crayford in 1982, "Matt Houston", "Knight Rider", "The Mississippi", "The A-Team", "Hardcastle and McCormick", "T.J. Hooker", "Murder, She Wrote", "Dallas", "Father Dowling Mysteries", "Doogie Howser, M.D.", "General Hospital", "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Walker, Texas Ranger", and "The Burning Zone". His other television credits include the tele-films "House on Greenapple Road" (1970), "Incident in San Francisco" (1971), "The Failing of Raymond" (1971), "Visions..." (1972), "The Stranger" (1972), "Rx for the Defense" (1973), "Manhunter" (1974), "Winter Kill" (1974), "Death Is a Bad Trip" (1974), "They Only Come Out at Night" (1975), "State Fair" (1976), "Eccentricities of a Nightingale" (1976), "Tail Gunner Joe" (1977), "The Man with the Power" (1977), "Wheels" (1978), "The Golden Gate Murders" (1979), "Deadly Encounter" (1982), and "Grass Roots" (1992). He was featured in several films during his career including "Black Jack" (1972), "The Groundstar Conspiracy" (1972), "Across 110th Street" (1972), "Sssssss" (1973), "La Cruz de Iberia" (1990), "The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear" (1991), and the family drama "Dreams Awake" (2011) reuniting with Erin Gray. He settled in Nevada City in 1982, where he was co-founder of the local Children's Theater". He was also active as a director and actor for the town's Foothill Theater Company. O'Connor was married to actress Mary Foskett from 1957 until their divorce in 1974, and is survived by their son, Timothy. He married Sheila MacLurg, who also survived him.
SOON-TEK OH, 85 - April 4, 2018
Korean-American actor Soon-Tek Oh died of complications from Alzheimer's disease in Los Angeles, California, on April 4, 2018. Oh was born in Mokpo, Korea, on June 29, 1932, and came to the United States with his family while in 1959. He studied at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, before attending the University of Southern California. He earned a master's degree at the University of California at Los Angeles. He trained as an actor at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and performed frequently with the East-West Players theatrical company in Los Angeles. He made his film debut as a Japanese secret agent in Dean Martin's 1966 Matt Helm spy spoof "Murderer's Row". He also appeared in the films "The President's Analyst" (1967), "One More Train to Rob" (1971), the 1974 James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun", "Good Guys Wear Black" (1978) with Chuck Norris, "The Final Countdown" (1980), "Missing in Action 2: The Beginning" (1985), "Steele Justice" (1987), "Legend of the White Horse" (1987), "Death Wish 4: The Crackdown" (1987), "Soursweet" (1998), "Collision Course" (1989), "A Home of Our Own" (1993), "Red Sun Rising" (1994), "S.F.W." (1994), "Street Corner Justice" (1996), "Beverly Hills Ninja" (1997), "Yellow" (1998), "Roads and Bridges" (2001), "Forgotten Valor" (2001), "True Blue" (2001), "Last Mountain" (2005), and the Korean action film "Les Formidables" (2006). He provided the voice of Mulan's father, Fa Zhou, in the 1998 Disney animated film "Mulan", and the 2004 direct-to video sequel "Mulan 2". Oh appeared frequently on television, with roles in episodes of "I Spy", "Mister Roberts", "The Wackiest Ship in the Army", "The Invaders", "CBS Playhouse", "The Wild Wild West", "It Takes a Thief", "Death Valley Days", "Dan August", "Night Gallery", "Ironside", "Search", "Logan's Run", "Black Sheep Squadron", "How the West Was Won", "Hawaii Five-O", "Diff'rent Strokes", "Charlie's Angels" in the recurring role of Lt. Torres from 1981 to 1981, "Trapper John, M.D.", "The Children's Mystery Theatre", "Cassie & Co.", "Bring 'Em Back Alive", "M*A*S*H", "Tales of the Gold Monkey", "Quincy", "Romance Theatre", "The Greatest American Hero", "Hart to Hart", "Airwolf", "The Master", "The Fall Guy", "Matt Houston", "Hill Stteet Blues", "Cagney & Lacey", "Dynasty", "T.J. Hooker", "Magnum, P.I.", "The A-Team", "MacGyver", "Simon & Simon", "Tour of Duty", "Hunter", "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill", "Zorro", "Highlander", "Murder, She Wrote", "Time Brax", "Babylon 5", "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" in the recurring role of Bon Bon Hai from 1994 to 1995, "Baywatch Nights", "One West Waikiki", "Malcolm & Eddie", "Promised Land", "Two", "Starate SG-1", "Seven Days", "The District", and "Touched by an Angel". He was also a voice actor in the animated series "The Challenge of the GoBots", "Jonny Quest", "Sky Commanders", "The Legend of Prince Valiant", "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest", "Life with Louie", and "King of the Hill". He appeared on Broadway in several roles in the Stephen Sondheim musical "Pacific Overtures" in 1976, and was also seen in the subsequent television production. His other television credits include the tele-films "The Reluctant Heroes" (1971), "Earth II" (1971), "The Return of Charlie Chan" (1973) as Stephen Chan, "Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love" (1974), "Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders" (1974), "Enigma" (1977), "The Fantastic Seven" (1979), "East of Eden" (1981), "The Letter" (1982), "Marco Polo" (1983), "Girls of the White Orchid" (1983), "The Red Spider" (1988), "Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy" (1989), "Manhunt: Search for the Night Stalker" (1989), "Last Flight Out" (1990), "Deadly Game" (1991), "Cagney & Lacey: Together Again" (1995), and "The President's Man" (2000). Oh was founder of the Society of Heritage Performers in 1995, which evolved into the Lodestone Theatre Ensemble.
MICHAEL POLLEY, 84 - March 30, 2018
British-Canadian actor Michael Polley died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 30, 2018. Polley was born in England in 1933. He studied acting in England before emigrating to Canada, where he began his career on stage. He also married actress and casting director Diane MacMillan after appearing together in a play. They had two children together before daughter Sarah was born in 1979. She embarked on an acting career at an early age, despite her parent's initial objections. Michael frequently accompanied her as guardian during her performances, and had a small part in Terry Gilliam's 1988 film "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", featuring Sarah as Sally Salt. Michael also appeared in the films "On My Own" (1991), "The Life Before This" (1999), and "If I Were You" (2012). He was seen on television in episodes of "Counterstrike", "Shining Time Station", "Avonlea" in the recurring role of Dr. Blair from 1990 to 1991 in the family adventure film starring her daughter as Sara Stanley, and "Goosebumps". He also appeared in television productions of "Mark Twain and Me" (1991), "Johann's Gift to Christmas" (1991), "J.F.K.: Reckless Youth" (1993), "Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story" (1993), "Sugartime" (1995), and "The Shields Stories" (2004). He was featured as Frank in the series "Slings and Arrows" from 2003 to 2006. Michael's wife, Diane Polley, died of cancer in 1990, and daughter Sarah Polley became an acclaimed actress as a child and an adult. Years later she learned that she was not the biological daughter of Michael Polley, but rather conceived by her mother's affair with another. She directed a documentary film about her family's realization of her paternity in 2013's "Stories We Tell", which featured Michael's reaction to the news. Michael is also survived by two other children, actor Mark Polley and casting director Joanna Polley.
FLORENCE SCHAUFFLER, 97 - December 24, 2017
Character actress Florence Schauffler died in Clarkdale, Arizona, on December 24, 2017. She was born Florence Brown in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 22, 1920. She studied theater at the Erskine School in Boston, and began her career on stage. She worked in military intelligence for the Department of Defense during World War II. She moved to New York City after the war and worked in stage production with Jo Mielziner. She married Allen Stauffler in 1949, and settled in Oregon. They later moved to the Verde Valley in Arizona, where her husband became a veterinarian. They had a son and daughter before divorcing in 1978. She later moved to Los Angeles, where she became a popular character actor for over a decade. She was featured in the films "Bachelor Party" (1984) as Sister Mary Francis, "Hollywood Hot Tubs" (1984), "Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter" (1986), "No Man's Land" (1987), "Stranded" (1987), the horror film "Pumpkinhead" (1988) as the witch Haggis, "Problem Child" (1990), and "The Favor" (1994). She was also seen on television in episodes of "Simon & Simon", "Hardcastle and McCormick", "St. Elsewhere", "Hill Street Blues", "Newhart", "Who's the Boss?", "thirtysomething", "The Young and the Restless", "Evening Shade" in the recurring role of Pauline Newton, and "Danger Theatre". Her television credits also include the tele-films "Gidget's Summer Reunion" (1985), "Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster" (1985), "Winnie" (1988), and "Goddess of Love" (1988) with Vanna White. She retired from acting in the mid-1990s, and lived in Arizona with her daughter.
NAOMI STEVENS, 92 - January 13, 2018
Character actress Naomi Stevens died in Reseda, California, on January 13, 2018. Stevens was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on November 19, 1925. She was noted for her performances as ethnic characters, and was featured as Mildred Dreyfuss in the 1960 comedy film "The Apartment" with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Her other films include "The Black Orchid" (1958), "Convicts 4" (1962), "Honeymoon Hotel" (1964), "Joy in the Morning" (1965), "The Art of Love" (1965), "Frankie and Johnny" (1966) with Elvis Presley, "Valley of the Dolls" (1967), "The Shakiest Gun in the West" (1968), "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell" (1968), "The Hawaiians" (1970), "Fly Me" (1973), "Superdad" (1973), "Hard Times" (1975), "Hustle" (1975), and "Opening Night" (1977). She was a familiar face on television, appearing in episodes of "Medic", "Ford Star Jubilee", "Matinee Theatre", "Lux Video Theatre", "Cheyenne", "The Court of Last Resort", "Whirlybirds", "Playhouse 90", "The Californians", "Rescue 8", "Bronco", "General Electric Theater", "Wichita Town", "The Twilight Zone", "Bonanza", "Checkmate", "The Barbara Stanwyck Show", "The DuPont Show with June Allyson", "The Lawless Years", "The Detectives", "Make Room for Daddy", "Everglades", "87 Precinct", "Target: The Corruptors", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "Hawaiian Eye", "McHale's Navy", "Rawhide", "Empire", "Kraft Suspense Theatre", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Farmer's Daughter", "Perry Mason", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Wagon Train", "Summer Playhouse", "Peyton Place", "Wendy and Me", "The Jack Benny Program", "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre", "The Joey Bishop Show", "Dr. Kildare" in the recurring role of Mrs. Gast, "The Big Valley", "My Favorite Martian", "Mister Roberts", "Laredo", "The Fugitive", "The Donna Reed Show", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", "Hey, Landlord", "Hogan's Heroes", "It Takes a Thief", "Death Valley Days", "The Doris Day Show" as Juanita in the first season from 1968 to 1969, "That Girl", "Adam-12", "Then Came Bronson", "My Three Sons" in the recurring role of Mama Rossini, "The Flying Nun", "Room 222", "Sarge", "The Odd Couple", "Nanny and the Professor", "The Partridge Family", "The Streets of San Francisco", "Love, American Style", "The F.B.I.", "The ABC Afternoon Playbreak", "Cannon", "Ironside", "Kolchak": The Night Stalker", "Police Woman", "Barney Miller", the short-lived sit-com "The Montefuscos" as Rose Montefuscos, "The Practice", "Gemini Man", "Hunter", "Vega$" as Sgt. Bella Archer from 1978 to 1979, "Strike Force", "Taxi", "Hotel", "Trapper John, M.D.", "The Duck Factory", and "Webster". Her other television credits include productions of "A Bell for Adano" (1967), "To Die in Paris" (1968), "The Old Man Who Cried Wolf" (1970), "Heatwave!" (1974), "The Triangle Fire Scandal" (1979), "Fun and Games" (1980), and "To Heal a Nation" (1988). Stevens was married to Robert Burns, Jr., from 1948 until his death in 2012.
VITTORIO TAVIANI, 88 - April 15, 2018
Italian film director and screenwriter Vittorio Taviani, who frequently collaborated with his brother Paolo Taviani, died in Rome, Italy, on April 15, 2018. Taviani was born in San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy, on November 8, 1931. He and his brother began their careers as journalists before teaming with Joris Ivens for the 1960 documentary "L'Italia Non e un Paese Povero". They subsequently worked with Valentino Orsini on the films "Un Uomo da Bruciare" (1962) and "I Fuorilegge del Matrimonio" (1963), before helming the film "The Subversives" together in 1967. They continued to work together, frequently writing as well as directing, such films as "Under the Sign of Scorpio" (1969) starring Gian Maria Volonte. Taviani's other films include "San Michele Aveva un Gallo" (1972), "Allonsanfan" (1974), "Padre Padrone" (1977) winning the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, "Il Prato" (1979), "The Night of the Shooting Stars" (1982), "Kaos" (1984), "Good Morning Babylon" (1987), "Night Sun" (1990), "Fiorile" (1993), "Elective Affinities" (1996), "You Laugh" (1998), "Resurrection" (2001), "Luisa Sanelice" (2004), "The Lark Farm" (2007), the documentary "Caesar Must Die" (2012) which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and "Wondrous Boccaccio" (2015). Vittorio is survived by his brother and a son, composer Giuliano Taviani.
GEORGE TOULIATOS, 87 - December 8, 2017
Actor George Touliatos died in Bellingham, Washington, on December 8, 2017. Touliatos was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 9, 1929. He began his career on stage and was a founding member of the Front St. Theatre in Memphis in 1958. He was a leading figure in local theatre for over a decade. He began appearing in films and television in Hollywood and Canada in the early 1970s. He was featured in such films as "Only God Knows" (1974), "Drop Dead, Dearest" (1978), "Power Play" (1978), "Firepower" (1979), "Stone Cold Dead" (1979), "Agency" (1980), "Day of Resurrection" (1980), the slasher films "Prom Night" (1980) with Jamie Lee Curtis, "The Last Chase" (1981), "Heartaches" (1981), the animated "Heavy Metal" (1981) as a voice actor, "Firebird 2015 AD" (1981), "Utilities" (1983), "Dreams Beyond Memory" (1988), "Short Change" (1989), "Divided Loyalties" (1990), "Short of Wawa" (1991), "The Swordsman" (1992), "Crackerjack" (1994), "Red Scorpion 2" (1994), "Gladiator Cop" (1995), "The Final Cut" (1996), "Tracks of a Killer" (1996), "Hoods" (1998), "Double Jeopardy" (1998), "Here's to Life!" (2000), "Ignition" (2001), "Avenging Angelo" (2002), "Good Boy!" (2003), "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" (2005), "Shattered" (2007), "This Means War" (2012), and "Cosmopolis" (2002). The swarthy, mustachioed Touliatos was also a familiar face on television, with roles in episodes "Police Surgeon", "King of Kensington", "Seeing Things" "Airwolf", "Adderly", "Night Heat", "Diamonds", "The Twilight Zone" reboot in 1989, "C.B.C.'s Magic Hour", "Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop", "Ray Bradbury Theatre", "Street Legal", "E.N.G.", "Scene of the Crime", "The Commish", "Forever Knight", "Ready or Not", "The X-Files", "M.A.N.T.I.S.", "Sliders", "The Outer Limits", "Lonesome Dove: The Series", "Strange Luck", "Two", "The Sentinel", "Dead Man's Gun", "The Net", "Da Vinci's Inquest", "John Doe", "Stargate SG-1", and "Supernatural". His other television credits include episodes of "Yulya's Diary (1980), "Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper" (1981), "Clown White" (1981), "Falcon's Gold" (1982), "Will There Really Be a Morning?" (1983), "Vandenberg" (1983), "He's Fired, She's Hired" (1984), "The Hearst and Davies Affair" (1985), "Lena: My 100 Children" (1987), "The Ann Jillian Story" (1988) as Ann's father, "Liberace: Behind the Music" (1988) as Liberace's father, "Glitz" (1988), "The Thriller" (1990), "Mortal Sins" (1992), "Fatal Memories" (1992), "Weep No More, My Lady" (1992), "Other Women's Children" (1993), "A Stranger in the Mirror" (1993), "In Spite of Love" (1994), "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story" (1995), "We the Jury" (1996), "Mother Trucker: The Diana Kilmury Story" (1996), "Jitters" (1997), "Survival on the Mountain" (1997), and "36 Hours to Die" (1999). Touliatos largely retired several years before his death and settled in Bellingham, Washington.
CHARLES TYNER, 92 - November 8, 2017
Character actor Charles Tyner died on November 8, 2017. Tyner was born in Danville, Virginia, on June 8, 1925. He trained as an actor with Stella Adler after serving in the military. He began his career on stage, and made his Broadway debut in a production of "Orpheus Descending" in 1957. He was also seen in Broadway productions of "Under Milk Wood" (1957), "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1959), "The Moon Besieged" (1962), and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1963). He was featured in small roles in the films "That Kind of Woman" (1959), "Fail-Safe" (1964), ad "Lilith" (1964). He was reunited with Newman as Boss Higgins in the prison drama "Cool Hand Luke" in 1967. He was also seen in the films "The Stalking Moon" (1968), "Gaily, Gaily" (1969), "The Reivers" (1969), "The Cheyenne Social Club" (1970), "The Moonshine War" (1970), "The Traveling Executioner" (1970), "Monte Walsh" (1970), "Lawman" (1971), "Sometimes a Great Notion" (1971), "Harold and Maude" (1971) as crazed military man Uncle Victor, "The Cowboys" (1972) with John Wayne, "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972), "Fuzz" (1972), "Bad Company" (1972), "Emperor of the North" (1973), "The Stone Killer" (1973), "The Midnight Man" (1974), "The Longest Yard" (1974) with Burt Reynolds, Alfred Hitchcock's "Family Plot" (1976), "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976) with Clint Eastwood, Disney's "Pete's Dragon" (1977), the horror film "Evilspeak" (1981) as Colonel Kincaid, "Hamburger: The Motion Picture" (1986), "Best Seller" (1987), "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1987), "Pulse" (1988), "Enid Is Sleeping" (1990), "Pastime" (1990), and "Motorama" (1991). He appeared frequently on television from the early 1960s, appearing in a 1960 production of "The Sacco-Vanzetti Story". He was also seen in episodes of "The DuPont Show of the Month", "The United States Steel Hour", "The Defenders", "Naked City", "Hawk", "Dundee and the Culhane", "The Big Valley", "The High Chaparral", "Sarge", "Alias Smith and Jones", "Kung Fu", "The Waltons", "Mannix", "The Manhunter", "McCloud", "City of Angels", "Charlie's Angels", "Family", "How the West Was Won", "Barnaby Jones", "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Father Murphy" in the recurring role of villainous mine owner Howard Rodman from 1981 to 1982, "The Incredible Hulk", "Little House on the Prairie", "AfterMASH", "St. Elsewhere", "The Jeffersons", "Highway to Heaven", "Hill Street Blues", "Riptide", "Dallas", "Guns of Paradise", "The Wonder Years", "Matlock", "On the Air", "ER", and "Diagnosis Murder". He also appeared in the tele-films "The Sound of Anger" (1968), "Winter Kill" (1974), "The Greatest Gift" (1974), "Young Pioneers" (1976), the mini-series "Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976), "Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion" (1977), "The Awakening Land" (1978), "Lassie: A New Beginning" (1978), "The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel" (1979), "Young Guy Christian" (1979), "A Matter of Life and Death" (1981), "Deadly Messages" (1985), the mini-series "Space" (1985), "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (1988), and "Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is" (1994).
JULIE VAN ZANDT, 88 - January 11, 2018
Actress Julie Van Zandt died in Santa Monica, California, on January 11, 2018. Van Zandt was born in La Jolla, California, on June 27, 1929. She moved to Los Angeles with her films and embarked on an acting career in the mid-1950s. She was featured in several films including "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (1956), "The Couch" (1962), and "Brainstorm" (1965). She was seen frequently on television, with roles in episodes of "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp", "Science Fiction Theatre", "Dragnet", "Gunsmoke", "Richard Diamond, Private Detective", "The Web", "Zorro", "Broken Arrow", "The Ann Sothern Show", "Tales of Wells Fargo", "The Millionaire", "Lawman", "Bronco", "The Twilight Zone", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Gallant Men", "Wendy and Me", and "The Beverly Hillbillies". She largely retired from the screen after her marriage to Frederick May in 1966, and settled in Malibu. She became a successful landscape artist, and co-founded the Malibu Art Festival with her husband. She and her husband were also active in sport fishing, and prominent members of the Malibu community. Van Zandt was married to television director Richard L. Bare from 1951 until their divorce in 1957. They had two children, daughter Cathryn Alpert, who predeceased her, and son, Jon, who survives her. She was married to Robert Rains from 1958 until their divorce in 1959, and to Frederick May from 1966 until his death in 1993.
RON WHITE, 64 - April 4, 2018
Canadian actor Ron White died of cancer in Canada on April 4, 2018. White was born in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada, on June 9, 1953. He appeared frequently in films from the 1980s, with roles in "Tomorrow's a Killer" (1987), "Too Outrageous!" (1987), "Cowboys Don't Cry" (1988), "Where the Spirit Lives" (1989), "Justice Denied" (1989), "Love & Murder" (1990), "Stella" (1990), "Unforgiven" (1992), "Guilty as Sin" (1993), "Ordinary Magic" (1993), "Blood Brothers" (1993), "Intersection" (1994), "Strange and Rich" (1994), "Soul Survivor" (1995), "Screamers" (1995), "Lie to Me" (2005), "Cake" (2005), "Defendor" (2009), "Erased" (2012), and "Life" (2015). He was a prolific television actor, appearing in the tele-films "Pygmalion" (1983), "9B" (1986), "Nightstick" (1987), "Passion and Paradise" (1989) as Lucky Luciano, "Day One" (1989), "Matinee" (1989), "Last Train Home" (1989), "Diagnosis Murder: The House on Sycamore Street" (1992), "Deadly Matrimony" (1992), "Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story" (1993), "Manic" (1993), "Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad" (1994), "Harvest for the Heart" (1994), "Treacherous Beauties" (1994), "Johnny's Girl" (1995), "Harrison Bergeron" (1995), "Kissinger and Nixon" (1995) as H.R. Haldeman, "Conundrum" (1996), "Shadow Zone: The Undead Express" (1996), "The Arrow" (1997), "The Wall" (1998), "Joaan of Arc" (1999) as Jean de Dunois, "Cry Rape" (1999), "The Secret Path" (1999), "Locked in Silence" (1999), "Vendetta" (1999), "A House Divided" (2000), "The Ride" (2000), "Heart: The Marilyn Bell Story" (2001), "Danger Beneath the Sea" (2001), "Terrorized by Teens: The Jonathan Wamback Story" (2002), "Trudeau" (2002), "Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story" (2002), "Another Country" (2003), "Jasper, Texas" (2003), "Plague City: SARS in Toronto" (2005), "Answered by Fire" (2006), "Sybil" (2007), and "Deadliest Sea" (2009). His other television credits include episodes of "Hot Shots", "Night Heat", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "E.N.G.", "Street Legal", "The Campbells", "Top Cops", "Mom P.I.", "My Secret Identity", "Avonlea" in the recurring role of Mr. Tyler from 1990 to 1991, "Counterstrike" in the recurring role of Detective Larry Lawrin from 1990 to 1991, "The Ray Bradbury Theatre", "Lonesome Dove: The Series", the animated "Dog City" as the voice of Ace Hart in 1992, "Dark Eyes", "Forever Knight", "Traders", "Due South", "The Outer Limits", "Black Harbour" as Donny Caswell from 1998 to 1999, "Total Recall 2070", "The Associates", "Odyssey 5", "Tom Stone" as Conrad Peters from 2002 to 2003, "Playmakers", "This Is Wonderland", "Puppets Who Kill", "The Line" as Max in 2009, "Heartland", "Haven", and "Nikita". He was featured as Captain Ciaran Joseph Sullivan in the series Copper from 2012 to 2013, and was Vick Saul in "Republic of Doyle" in 2014.
Thanks to Carla Clark, Tom Weaver, Ray Nielsen, Boyd Magers, John Beifuss, Jimmy Covington, Laura Wagner, Joe Caviolo, Tom Betts, James Robert Parish