2006

DAN Q. KENNIS-co-produced the TV bio of Major League Baseball Player Roy Campanella called IT'S GREAT TO BE ALIVE (based on Campanella's autobiography; Paul Winfield played Campanella). He also helped form the film company "Independent International" with Sam Sherman & Al Adamson and produced Adamson's infamous SATAN'S SADISTS.

AUDREY CAMPBELL-died June 8th-was "Madame Olga" in the "Olga" trilogy in 1964. She was also in other films including Joe Sarno's SIN IN THE SUBURBS and THE SEXPERTS. She was 76.

ARTHUR FRANZ-died June 17th-Familiar character actor of TV and movies of the '50's. He co-starred with Ronald Reagan & Nancy Davis in HELLCATS OF THE NAVY" but was more identified with his horror & Sci-Fi appearances including ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN, FLIGHT TO MARS, INVADERS FROM MARS, THE FLAME BARRIER and MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS. His most interesting role is the lead in THE SNIPER(1952). He was 86.

Syd Barrett-1946-2006

Christian Drake died on July 9th. He acted in numerous movies and TV shows from the late ‘40’s till 1958 when he became a real estate agent. He was “Bob The Hunter” in the TV series SHEENA OF THE JUNGLE and starred in FOREVER MY LOVE, the first Japanese movie with an American in the lead role. He was 83.

June Ormond-Legendary filmmaker who along with her husband Ron and son Tim made exploitation classics like FORTY ACRE FEUD, GIRL FROM TOBACCO ROAD, THE MONSTER AND THE STRIPPER, THE BURNING HELL and 39 STRIPES. After a near fatal airplane crash she and her husband began producing Christian films. She died on July 16 at 94.

Edward Tobolowsky-died on July 20th at age 86. He was mainly a lawyer who once won a Supreme Court decision involving film classification in Texas but in the 1960’s was an Executive Producer for Azalea Films over-seeing Larry Buchanan “classics” like MARS NEEDS WOMEN and ZONTAR-THE THING FROM VENUS.

Sam White-was a director of commercials and early TV programs who went on to direct the film WHITE COMMANCHE (with William Shatner and Rosanna Yanni). He was the brother of Jules White who worked on many Three Stooges shorts. When he died on August 5th he was only several months shy of his 100th birthday!

Ken Richmond-was a 6’5” wrestler who for a couple of decades was the gong ringer at the beginning of every J. Arthur Rank Film Production. He also had a role in Jules Dassin’s NIGHT AND THE CITY (which coincidently was about pro-wrestling). He was 80.

Sam X. Abarbanel-was a publicist and writer who produced the low budget “classic” PREHISTORIC WOMEN in 1950. He died on Aug. 9, age 92.

Nicolas Webster-was an award winning documentary film maker and also took time to direct the ultra-crazy seasonal favorite SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (sometimes called Pia Zadora’s film debut) in 1964. He also made the Sci-Fi space film MISSIONS MARS (starring Darren McGavin & Nick Adams) and the speculation film MANBEAST: MYTH OR MONSTER. He died on Aug. 12 at 94.

JUMPIN’ GENE SIMMONS-Aug. 29th-(69)-was a Rockabilly musician who began his 50-year music career backing up Elvis. Later he was the lead singer in The Bill Black Combo. He had a hit with “Haunted House” in 1964.

JOSEPH STEFANO-Aug. 25th-(84)-Screenwriter and author best known for writing the script for Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO. He also wrote the sequel PSYCHO 4:THE BEGINNING. His other credits include many episodes of THE OUTER LIMITS and the films THE BLACK ORCHID, THE UNKNOWN, THE KINDRED, SNOWBEAST and others. He directed one film THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE in 1964.

S. JOHN LAUNER-Sept. 8th-(87)-was a familiar character actor in films and TV. Films include: THE CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN, THE WEREWOLF, I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF and JAIL HOUSE ROCK. He was seen on many many TV shows including 5 episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE and a reoccurring role as a judge on PERRY MASON.

JOHNNY SEKKA-Sept. 14-(74)-originally from Senegal Sekka was an international actor who appeared in many stage productions before his varied film & TV career that included roles in UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT, FEVER PITCH, ROOTS: THE NEXT GENERATION and BABYLON 5:THE GATHERING.

MICKEY HARGITAY-Sept. 17th-(80)-Born in Hungry bodybuilder Hargitay was Mr. Universe of 1955. In 1958 he married Jayne Mansfield and turned actor to co-star with her in WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUDSON, PROMISES PROMISES and THE LOVES OF HERCULES. Their marriage only lasted a few years but Hargitay appeared in a few other “post-Jayne” movies including the very whacked out BLOODY PIT OF HORROR before he quit acting. Their daughter Mariska appears on LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT where her father made his first (and last) acting appearance in 30 years.

GERAL BRACH-Sept. 9th-(79)-French screenwriter who wrote 9 movies directed by Roman Polanski including: THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS, REPULSION, CUL-DE-SAC, WHAT? and TESS. His other films include QUEST FOR FIRE, NAME OF THE ROSE, THE BEAR, THE LOVER and JEAN DE FLORETTE.

ROBERT EARL JONES-Sept.7th-(96)-Veteran Broadway actor who appeared in 20 films including portraying Joe Louis in SPIRIT OF YOUTH and WILD RIVER, THE STING and WITNESS. He was the father of James Earl Jones.

SVEN NYKVIST-Sept.-(89)-cinemaphotographer who shot nearly all of Ignmar Bergman’s films beginning in 1954. He won Oscars for two Bergman films (CRIES & WHISPERS and FANNY & ALEXANDER). His non-Swedish output included PRETTY BABY, HURRICANE, CHAPLIN, ANOTHER WOMAN and many more.

BOZ BURRELL-Sept. 21-()-was the original bass player in Bad Company and also replaced Greg Lake in King Crimson.

HERB RUDLEY-Sept. 9th-(89)-was a successful Broadway actor who became a familiar film and TV character actor was in the all star horror film THE BLACK SLEEP and played Eve Arden’s husband in the popular 1960’s sit-com THE MOTHERS IN LAW.

EDWARD ALBERT-Sept. 25th-(55)-the son of Eddie Albert (who died in 2005 at age 99) made his film debut at age 11 acting opposite Anthony Perkins in THE FOOL KILLER and later won a Golden Globe for his role CACTUS FLOWER. Though he never achieved anything equal to his father’s fame he made 126 film and TV appearances. He had lung cancer.

TETSURO TAMBA-Sept. 25th-(84)-Veteran Japanese actor was in many productions including "Suna no Utsuwa" (The Castle of Sand), "Ansatsu" (The Assassin) and "Tasogare Seibei" (The Twilight Samurai), The Bushido Blade, Message From Space and many others.

JAMIE LYONS-Sept. 25th-(57) was the singer with the ‘60’s rock band Rock Explosion who’s biggest hit was “Little Bit Of Soul”, which reached No. 2 in 1967. The Ramones covered it on their 1983 album “Subterranean Jungle”.

TAMARA DOBSON-Oct. 2nd-(59)-6’ 2” actress best known for her title role in CLEOPATRA JONES and it’s sequel THE CASINO OF GOLD. Other movies included FUZZ, COME BACK CHARLESTON BLUE, NORMAN IS THAT YOU? and CHAINED HEAT. She also co-starred in the Saturday morning kids Sci-Fi show JASON OF STAR COMMAND. She died of complications from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis.

STANLEY Z. “ZACK” CHERRY-Sept. 27th-(74)-directed episodes of many ‘60’s TV shows including THE ADDAMS FAMILY, THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, FLIPPER and GILLIGAN’S ISLAND. He also wrote the feature film BUNNY O’HARE.