2004 continued

JOHN SEELY-Apr. 23-(77)-was composer of numerous TV series including "The Donna Reed Show" and "Dennis The Menace". He composed the music for "Gumby" and "Davey & Goliath" (both created by Art Clokey) and the religious oriented "Insight". He also worked on many Warner Bros. cartoons and did the music for Robert Clarke's low budget wonder THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON.

ANTHONY AINLEY-May 3-(72)-British actor well known to Dr. Who fans as the second actor to play The Time Lord's ultimate arch nemesis "The Master" (the first actor Roger Delgado was killed in a car crash). He was also in the films INSPECTOR COUSTEAU, NAKED EVIL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, OH! WHAT A LOVELY WAR, BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW, THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT and others. His father and brother were also actors.

ALAN KING-May 9-(77)-Funny but sometimes abrasive stand up comic who appeared on many variety shows including 93 times on "The Ed Sullivan Show". He acted in films (THE ANDERSON TAPES, JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, I, THE JURY and many others), produced some (WOLFEN, IVAN THE TERRIBLE) and wrote several books.

NEAL FREDERICKS-(35)-was the cinematographer on THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. He worked on many low budget films including LAUGHING DEAD and OUT OF SYNCH. He was killed in a plane crash while filming a movie near Key West, Florida on Aug. 16th.

EUGENE ROCHE-(75)-character actor who was in films & TV shows and movies and was familiar to TV audiences for his appearance as a dishwasher in an Ajax commercial in the 1970’s. He was a semi-regular on ALL IN THE FAMILY. Movies include: SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5, FOUL PLAY and OH GOD! YOU DEVIL. He died July 28th.

SAM EDWARDS-(89)-was a prolific TV actor who also found time to appear in nearly 40 films including:12 O’CLOCK HIGH, HELLO DOLLY, ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN and THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. He died July 28th.

Laura Betti-(70)-Italian actress of over 70 films. He was in Fellini’s LA DOLCE VITA, Bava’s HATCHET FOR A HONEYMOON & TWIST OF THE DEATH NERVE, A MAN CALLED SLEDGE (directed by actor Vic Morrow), Pasolini’s THE CANTERBURY TALES and SALO, Bertolucci’s 1900 and others. She died July 31st. of a heart attack.

WILLIAM A. MITCHELL-was a food scientist and inventor for Generals Foods for over 35 years who invented “Pop Rocks”. He also held 70 patents. He died July 26 at the age of 92.

FRANK MAXWELL-(88)-was an actor in many TV shows (ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, THE OUTER LIMITS, THE MUNSTERS, many others) and was a regular on the soap opera GENERAL HOSPITAL from 1978-1990. Some of his movies include LONELYHEARTS, THE INTRUDER (with Johnny Cash as a psycho), Corman’s THE HAUNTED PALACE and THE WILD ANGELS, DAUGHTER OF THE MIND, MR. MAJESTYK and others. He also had regular roles on the TV shows THE FELONY SQUAD, THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS and RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE. Originally from The Bronx, he died on Aug. 4.

DAVID RAKSIN-(90)-film composer who’s most famous composition was the theme from LAURA (1944). His other films: NIGHT KEY, SUEZ, MR. MOTO’S LAST WARNING, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, THE GORILLA, THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, DR. RENAULT’S SECRET, THE UNDYING MONSTER, THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, the 1948 serial SUPERMAN, FORCE OF EVIL, SUDDENLY, THE BIG COMBO, EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS, THE ZOMBIES OF MORA TAU and many more. He wrote music for several TV shows including WAGON TRAIN. Originally from Philadelphia, Raksin died of heart failure on Aug. 9.

STANLEY SHPETNER-(79)- was the producer of the short lived GREEN HORNET TV show in 1966. He also served as producer on THE SIXTH SENSE TV series and several TV movies. He produced and wrote the films THE BONNIE PARKER STORY and THE LEGEND OF TOM DOOLEY. He died on June 22 of Parkinson’ s disease.

TOM ROWE-(82)-scripted the US/Japan Sci-Fi co-production THE GREEN SLIME. He died June 15th.

CHRIS ALCAIDE-(81)-character actor who was in tons of TV show episodes and some movies including Fritz Lang's THE BIG HEAT, Roger Corman's GUNSLINGER and CARNIVAL ROCK and DAY OF THE BAD MAN. He died of cancer June 30th.

NORIAKI YUASA-(70)-known as "The Father of Gamera", he directed Japan's biggest rival to Godzilla in 7 of it's first 8 movies (he was in charge of the SFX on the one he didn't direct). He made several other movies including UCHU KAIJU GAMERA in 1980 but worked mainly in TV after Daiei (Toho Studio's main rival) went belly up. He died in Japan on June 14th of a stroke.

ACQUANETTA-(83)-exotic B-movie actress who made 10 movies from 1942 to 1953. Best known to horror fans as the ape girl in CAPTIVE WILD WOMAN and JUNGLE WOMAN. She also appeared in DEAD MAN'S EYES (with Lon Chaney), TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN (with Johnny Weissmuller) and THE LOST CONTINENT. She retired in the early '50's and made only one film appearance after that in 1980's THE LEGEND OF GRIZZLY SMITH. She was born in Wyoming to Native American parents but was raised by adoptive parents. She died of Alzhiemer's Disease on Aug. 16th.

ELMER BERNSTEIN-(82)-Film composer of over 250 scores starting in 1951. He wrote the music for two notorious low budget films in the '50's: CAT WOMAN OF THE MOON and ROBOT MONSTER, mostly because he was blacklisted for a short time. He also wrote the theme to TV's GUNSMOKE. Some of his most famous scores include THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, TRUE GRIT, ANIMAL HOUSE and many more. He won an Oscar for THROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and was nominated 14 times. He died on Aug. 18th after a lengthy illness.

GEORGE KIRGO-(78)-wrote for many TV shows including MARY TYLER MOORE, LOVE AMERICAN STYLE and GET CHRISTIE LOVE!. He co-wrote one of Howard Hawks last films RED LINE 7000 and Elvis' SPINOUT.