Category: Obits

Two-Time Academy Award Winner Olivia de Havilland Dies at Age 104

Olivia de Havilland in the 1946 film “To Each His Own,” for which she won her first Oscar©.

(Reuters) – “Gone With the Wind” star Olivia de Havilland, considered the last surviving actress of the Golden Age of Hollywood, died on Sunday at the age of 104, the Hollywood Reporter said.

She died of natural causes at her home in Paris, where she had lived for more than 60 years, it said, citing her publicist.

De Havilland’s acting career included two Academy Awards, a victory over Hollywood’s studio system and a long-running feud with sister Joan Fontaine that was worthy of a screenplay.

She first drew attention by playing opposite swashbuckling Errol Flynn in a series of films starting in the 1930s and made an enduring impression as the demure Southern belle Melanie in “Gone With the Wind” in 1939.

Later she would have to fight to get more challenging roles – a battle that ended up in court but paid off with Oscars for “To Each His Own” in 1946 and “The Heiress” in 1949.

De Havilland, a naturalized American who was born to English parents in Japan, had lived in Paris since 1953. She made few public appearances after retiring but returned to Hollywood in 2003 to take part in the 75th Academy Awards show.

De Havilland’s family moved to California when she and Joan were children. She began her movie career after director Max Reinhardt saw her in a California production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and cast her in his 1935 film version of the play. Warner Bros. was impressed and, as was the custom at the time, signed the teenager to a seven-year contract.

Warners loaned her out to make “Gone With the Wind” in 1939 and de Havilland’s gentle but willful personality helped make the role of Melanie one of the movie’s most intriguing parts. The role earned her the first of her five Oscar nominations.

“I felt very drawn to Melanie,” de Havilland later said. “She was a complex personality compared to the heroines I’d been playing over and over.”

“Gone With the Wind,” which also starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, won eight Academy Awards, including best picture.

The prestige of the Oscar nomination and the popularity of “Gone With the Wind” did not get de Havilland the types of roles she wanted. She often refused the parts Warner Bros. offered, which resulted in the studio suspending her several times.

In 1943 de Havilland declared that her seven-year deal with Warners had expired but the studio said she still owed them the six months that she spent on suspension.

De Havilland won in court, weakening the major studios’ dominance over actors by limiting actors’ contracts to seven years, regardless of suspension time. But challenging a powerful studio had been a risky career move and she did not make a movie for three years.

De Havilland made a triumphant return to the screen in 1946 with the Oscar-winning role of an unwed mother in “To Each His Own.” Three years later her portrayal of a spinster brought another Academy Award for “The Heiress.”

  • Best Actress Olivia de Havilland with presenter Ray Milland at the 1946 Academy Awards©.

The Oscars provided fodder and a venue for de Havilland’s rivalry with Fontaine, who was one year younger. Their relationship had been testy since childhood and the acrimony reached a new level in 1942 when the sisters were both Oscar-nominated – de Havilland for “Hold Back the Dawn” and Fontaine for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Suspicion.” Fontaine was the winner.

Four years later when de Havilland won for “To Each His Own,” Fontaine extended a congratulatory hand at the ceremony but de Havilland did not acknowledge her – a moment captured by photographers. De Havilland reportedly was upset about a catty remark by Fontaine about her husband, writer Marcus Goodrich.

The sisters stopped speaking altogether in 1975 after their mother died. Fontaine said de Havilland had not invited her to the memorial service but de Havilland claimed Fontaine had said she was too busy to attend.

When Fontaine died at age 96 in December 2013, de Havilland issued a statement saying she was “shocked and saddened.”

In an interview marking her 100th birthday in 2016, de Havilland told the Associated Press she called Fontaine “Dragon Lady.”

“I cannot think of a single instance wherein I initiated hostile behavior,” de Havilland said. “But I can think of many occasions where my reaction to deliberately inconsiderate behavior was defensive.”

De Havilland made 50 movies in her career and nine were with Flynn, including “Captain Blood,” “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “They Died With Their Boots On.” She told LA Weekly she had a crush on Flynn but never acted on it.

Other memorable roles included playing both a sweet and evil twin in “The Dark Mirror” in 1946 and a mental patient in “The Snake Pit,” which earned her an Oscar nomination, in 1948. Later she starred in two well-received suspense films, “Lady in a Cage” and “Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte” with Bette Davis (both 1964).

De Havilland did not like the way she was portrayed in the 2017 film television miniseries “Feud: Bette and Joan” about Davis and Joan Crawford. She sued the producers, claiming she was made to look like a gossip and hypocrite, and the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which let stand a ruling that dismissed De Havilland’s suit.

De Havilland had a son, Benjamin, with Goodrich and a daughter, Giselle, with her second husband, journalist Pierre Galante.

Pictured: Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn as they appear in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, 1938.

WAMG Tribute: José Mojica Marins, ‘Coffin Joe’, Has Died

” Oh, and one last favor. If you pass by heaven, give my regards to the angels. But if you end up in hell, give my address to the devil. ” – Coffin Joe in THIS NIGHT I WILL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE

Brazilian horror star and international cult icon José Mojica Marins has died at age 83. RIP Coffin Joe.

Unholy undertaker, evil philosopher, denizen of dreams and hallucinations, Coffin Joe, with his trademark top hat, black cape, and long talon-like fingernails is a horror icon in his native Brazil. Revered as a national boogeyman, Coffin Joe has been immortalized in films, TV shows, radio programs, and comic books. He was the creation of writer-director-star Jose Mojica Marins, whose perversely original and strangely personal filmmaking style has been compared to an unholy blend of Mario Bava, Luis Bunuel, and Russ Meyer.

Jose Mojica Marins took Brazil by storm with the 1963 release of AT MIDNIGHT I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL where he played Coffin Joe, a sadistic undertaker who despises religion and emotion and is concerned only with finding his idea of the “perfect” woman to continue his superior bloodline. It was the first entry in what would soon become known as the delirious, nightmarish Coffin Joe franchise. That film, as well as the subsequent Marins shockers such as THIS NIGHT I WILL POSSESS YOUR CORPSE (1967), THE STRANGE HOSTEL OF NAKED PLEASURES (1976), HALLUCINATIONS OF A DERANGED MIND (1978) and AWAKENING OF THE BEAST (1983) were not exported to the United States when they were new. These are some of the most bizarre and extreme films in horror history and it would take several decades for American cult movie fans, after suffering through 5th generation bootleg VHS tapes, to finally see good copies of the Coffin Joe series. Jose Mojica Marins has a loyal, global following but was still not very well known outside his native Brazil. RIP to a horror original .

WAMG Tribute: Movie Superstar Kirk Douglas Has Died

The word rang out yesterday, vibrating through the canyons of Los Angeles, much like the echo of thousands of voices sixty years ago that proclaimed “I am Spartacus!”. Perhaps the last of the leading men of Hollywood’s pre-1950 Golden Age is now with his long-departed peers. Here’s how the town’s Hollywood Reporter broke the news:

” Kirk Douglas, the son of a ragman who channeled a deep, personal anger through a chiseled jaw and steely blue eyes to forge one of the most indelible and indefatigable careers in Hollywood history, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 103.

“It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” son Michael Douglas wrote on his Instagram account. “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the Golden Age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.”

Yes, for nearly eight decades Douglas epitomized movie star matinee idol glamour. As Norma Desmond famously quipped in SUNSET BOULEVARD, “We had faces then!”. Kirk’s one of a kind looks: those piercing blue eyes, gritting teeth and jutting dimpled chin paired with his low growl of a voice, passionate persona, and athletic build made him irresistible to film fans and a gift to cartoonists and celeb impressionists.


But Kirk Douglas was the first, and maybe the best, artistic creation of the talented Issur Danielovitch. As the title of his 1988 states, he was “The Ragman’s Son”, who tried to help his immigrant family live “hand to mouth” in the slums of Amsterdam, New York. His acting career really took flight after his stint in WWII, when he was on stage at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. One of his classmates, Lauren Bacall, recommended him to famed producer Hal B. Wallis. This led to his film debut, the fourth lead in the 1946 noir classic from Lewis Milestone THE STRANGE LOVES OF MARTHA IVERS.

He caught the eye of several studios and began to grow a fan base by his versatility. After a couple more crime classics, Kirk proved adept at romantic comedy with MY DEAR SECRETARY. His leading man breakthrough might have been 1949’s CHAMPION, where his physicality matched the intensity of his line delivery.

His role as Midge was perhaps the first of his “anti-heroes” as Kirk often portrayed flawed, even “unlikable” protagonists. This was certainly the case in Billy Wilder’s now considered classic (then a rare box office flop) ACE IN THE HOLE (AKA THE BIG CARNIVAL) in which Kirk played the ambitious immoral “stop at nothing” hard-bitten newspaper “hack” Chuck Tatem.

The following year, Kirk teamed up with another celebrated director (he seemed to seek out gifted filmmakers), Vincent Minnelli, in a dark look at “tinsel town” (yes, Kirk was the shadiest producer) in THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL.

While Kirk looked fantastic in modern suits and fashions, he enjoyed donning period duds, especially for his many Westerns. Starting with ALONG THE GREAT DIVIDE, he continued to saddle up for films like MAN WITHOUT A STAR, LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL, THE WAR WAGON (with John Wayne), THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER, and the film he often called his personal favorite, the 1962 farewell to the “cowboy life”, LONELY ARE THE BRAVE.

Speaking of costume, Kirk was prolific in fantasy flicks. In fact, he was the action lead of Walt Disney’s first “produced in the states”, live-action adventure flick, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. This was right after he traveled to Italy to “jump-start” the “sword and sandal’ epics with ULYSSES. Later there was THE VIKINGS, THE LIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, and SCALAWAG (which he also directed).

And then there are the many real people Kirk played in several acclaimed “biopics”. General Patton in IS PARIS BURNING? and Col. David ‘Mickey’ Marcus in CAST A GIANT SHADOW. The most critically acclaimed may be his re-teaming with Minnelli to play the emotionally tortured painter Vincent Van Gough in LUST FOR LIFE.

His other great filmmaker collaboration may be the two iconic films Kirk made with Stanley Kubrick. They followed the anti-war drama PATHS OF GLORY with the epic (perhaps kirk’s biggest box office smash) SPARTACUS.

Speaking of pairing, while many male stars became associated with frequent female stars (from Garbo & Gilbert, through Ryan & Hanks), Kirk, who co-starred with many great actresses (Bacall and Doris Day in YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN, TOP SECRET AFFAIR with Susan Hayword, THE ARRANGEMENT with Faye Dunaway and Deborah Kerr), was most notably paired with a male star, Burt Lancaster. Their six-film (and a TV flick) collaborations began with the crime thriller I WALK ALONE in 1948 and ended with the 1986 comedy TOUGH GUYS. In between, they squared off in the political drama SEVEN DAYS IN MAY and “saddled up” for the greatest “real-life’ showdown in the old West GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL (Kirk was Doc while Burt was Wyatt).

While many of the remaining movie “elders’ were retiring in the 1970s and 80s, Kirk was still the lead in several genre films. After the comedy HOME MOVIES with director Brian DePalma, Kirk starred in his CARRIE follow-up THE FURY and did another horror flick THE CHOSEN. Right off his smash SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, director Hal Needham cast Kirk as the lead in the Western satire THE VILLAIN (with young Arnold Schwarzenegger as its hero, the “Handsome Stranger”). He even dabbled in science fiction with the robot-rampage thriller SATURN 3 and the time-traveling THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, both in 1980. The 1990s found Kirk going for laughs in the 1930s set John Landis farce OSCAR with Sly Stallone, and opposite Michael J. Fox in the ensemble farce GREEDY. After the caper crime comedy DIAMONDS, Kirk finally got to work with his Oscar-winning son Michael, along with grandson Cameron and first wife Diana, in IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

The curtain finally came down on Kirk’s big-screen career with the 2004 drama ILLUSIONS, though he did have a role in the 2008 TV movie “The Empire State Building Murders”. Aside from acting and directing, Kirk was a prolific producer as the head of Byrna (his mother’s name) Productions. It’s in that capacity that Kirk helped end the Hollywood Blacklist by insisting that Dalton Trumbo, who had been accused of being a Communist, be listed in the screenwriting credits for SPARTACUS under his own name (this was depicted in the recent film bio TRUMBO with Kirk played by Dean O’Gorman). Plus Kirk starred in the first feature film to center on the Holocaust, THE JUGGLER (1953).

Kirk was awarded the 1981 Presidental Medal of Freedom, the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1994. He was nominated for CHAMPION, LUST FOR LIFE, and THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, but was finally given an honorary Oscar in 1996. Kirk earned the respect and admiration of his peers and appreciated his millions of fans. He was truly the last of the Hollywood “larger than life” screen personalities. We at WAMG join the world and his family in mourning his loss. But, oh the treasures and gifts he’s left behind. Best of all, he had a great sense of humor about himself. Here’s two great musical numbers from the 1958 and 59 Oscars with him “cutting a rug” with best pal Burt.

And let’s leave you with one more chuckle. It’s the 2004 Oscar-nominated Animated Short Subject featuring the vocal talents of Kirk’s best mimic, Frank Gorshin (it did win a BAFTA). To quote you from one of your classics, “Kirk, you were the CHAMP!!!”.

Rutger Hauer Dead at 75. Here’s Our 2016 WAMG Interview With the Actor.

R.I.P. Roy Batty. BLADE RUNNER, HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, SIN CITY, NIGHTHAWKS, and so many more. Beloved actor Rutger Hauer died July 19th at his home in the Netherlands after a brief illness. He was 75. In 2016, Mr. Hauer took the time to talk to We Are Movie Geeks about his career, and DRAWING HOME, the film he was promoting at the time. 

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Interview conducted by Tom Stockman November 8th, 2016.

Co-starring in DRAWING HOME is veteran actor Rutger Hauer, who has an international reputation for playing everything from romantic leads to action heroes to sinister villains. Hauer began his career in Dutch films, often collaborating with director Paul Verhoeven on films such as SPETTERS, THE SOLDIER OF ORANGE, and TURKISH DELIGHT. Hauer came to Hollywood in the early ’80s and has co-starred in many popular films including NIGHTHAWKS, BLADE RUNNER, THE HITCHER, LADYHAWKE, and HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN. In DRAWING HOME, Hauer plays wildlife artist Carl Rungius.

Tom Stockman: Have you seen the final cut of DRAWING HOME?

Rutger Hauer: Yes I have. I know it took them a while to finally get it edited, but I did see it and I was very impressed with it.

TS: What attracted you to the role of wildlife artist Carl Rungius? 

RH: The producer had called me and asked me if I wanted to work on this film. I Skyped the director Markus Rupprecht and read the script and I thought this character was very strong. I liked the script and I thought I could do something with it   He was a first-time director and he was wonderful to work with. Everybody was. It was an easy decision to make.

TS: Did you enjoy filming up there in the Canadian Rockies?

RH: Yes, it’s beautiful there. You can’t describe the Canadian Rockies in just a few words.

TS: Was it cold?

RH: Very cold. Crispy.

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TS: Had you filmed in that part of the world before?

RH: I’ve been there. I’ve mostly been up there to ski though. I participated once in a VIP skiing race right there in Banff, but I’ve never filmed a movie in that part of the world.

TS: Did you do a lot of research on this artist Carl Rungian before you played him?

RH: Not really. I just took the script and the director and I talked about what he needed from me and I followed his hand. And that was enough. I did look at some books of paintings done by him but we didn’t have a lot of prep time. I saw a picture of him and I mentioned to somebody that it would be great if I could wear a coat similar to what he was wearing in that photo. They had the coat on the set the next day.

TS: Do you enjoy playing real life characters?

RH: Absolutely. It doesn’t get better than playing someone with a real history.

TS: Let’s talk about the scene near the end of the film where your character looks at the camera and recites a poem. I interviewed producers Allan Neuwirth and Margarethe Baillou and they said that you had written that poem.

RH: Yes, it was after I finished filming my scenes. I had been looking for a poem by an American Indian. I found a good one and tried to connect with the writer of this poem, but could never get a response from him. I decided to write a poem myself that expressed some of the same things. After I filmed, I went to the set to say goodbye to everyone, and I mentioned to the producers that I had written this poem. They asked if they could film me reciting it, so that’s what they did. It made sense being in the film and it was nice that it ended up in the final version.

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TS: It does fit right in. Were you surprised that it ended up in the final film?

RH: Very surprised.

TS: Have you ever played a poet in a film?

RH: No, I’ve played artists before but never a poet. I do love poetry and now and then I like to write my own.

TS: Some of your dialogue in BLADE RUNNER is somewhat poetic. Did you write any of your own dialogue for that film?

RH: Just one line, but it’s the one line that so many remember.

TS: “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain”. That’s yours isn’t it?

RH: Yes. I’m so glad that so many people are able to recite that.

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Rutger Hauer in BLADE RUNNER


TS: Have you ever been to St. Louis before?

RH: No, I haven’t really been to the Midwest or southern part of the United States. I’ve never even been to Texas or New Orleans. There are so many places I would like to visit. St. Louis is still on my list.

TS: Have you seen Paul Verhoeven’s new film ELLE?

RH:  No, I have not seen that yet. I’m very curious and I’m dying to see it. I’ve heard good things about it.

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Rutger Hauer in Paul Verhoeven’s FLESH + BLOOD


TS: You collaborated with the director Paul Verhoeven on Dutch films several times early in your career but you haven’t worked with him since FLESH + BLOOD in 1986. Would you like to work with him again?

RH: Yes, we’re both trying to make that work. We both want to.

TS: What is the Dutch film industry like today?

RH: We have a fund that comes from the government that works for filmmakers trying to get their start. They are making some films there. I will say, even though I am Dutch, I don’t think they travel very well. Filmmakers struggle with the fact that if it’s not Dutch enough, they won’t get the money to make it. I’m fighting them on that, hoping that they will open up a bit. We need to go out into the world with our films.

TS: When you were growing up in the Netherlands, was it easy for you to see American films?

RH: Yes it was.

TS: Did you have some favorite American movie stars when you were young?

RH: Yes, I really admired Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas. I was a big fan of Marlon Brando. When I was very young, I was a big fan of Audie Murphy, who mostly did war movies. There were also a lot of French movies that played in the Netherlands at that time. It was nice. There was always a lot of movies for me to see growing up.

TS: You have directed a couple of short films. Have you ever had the desire to direct a feature yourself?

RH: Yes. We’re working on a script now that I hope to put in production and direct myself next year. It’s a good script. I think we’re really going to go somewhere with it.

TS: That sounds interesting. What genre will this film be?

RH: I’d call it a thriller. A psychological thriller.

TS: I’ve read that they are currently filming the sequel to BLADE RUNNER. Were you approached to be involved in that project?

RH: No I was not.

 TS: Is that something you would like to have done?

RH: No. You have to be kind though. You really just can’t say yes or no to anything that you haven’t read. I don’t know what they’re going to do with this new BLADE RUNNER. I’m certainly curious, but I’ll just have to wait and see. I don’t know what to think of it really.

TS: What’s next for Rutger Hauer?

RH: I Don’t know yet. I’ve got some projects in the works, but I’m not filming anything right now. Everything is still above ground.

TS: Very good. Well I really enjoyed your performance in DRAWING HOME, and I’ve enjoyed you in so many films over the decades. Good luck with all of your future projects.

RH: Thanks a lot. I’ve enjoyed talking to you

Stan Lee 1922-2018

He never directed a feature film. He never had a screenplay produced. Yes, he dabbled in front of the camera, but he usually played himself or would appear for a few seconds in a “cameo” role. Frequently he would be given an executive producer credit, which we would see many times over the last couple of decades. And yet, Stan Lee was a major force behind four of the twenty biggest domestic box office hit motion pictures of all time. This warranted the following report from today’s Hollywood Reporter, which began:

Stan Lee, the legendary writer, editor, and publisher of Marvel Comics whose fantabulous but flawed creations made him a real-life superhero to comic book lovers everywhere has died. He was 95.

Lee, who began in the business in 1939 and created or co-created Black Panther, Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Mighty Thor, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil and Ant-Man, among countless other characters, died early Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a family representative told The Hollywood Reporter.


So, why are we both mourning and celebrating the life and legacy of Stanley Martin Lieber (his birth name) on this site today? That’s because he’s added so much fun to the movie experience with his creations and cameos. His 95 plus years was an incredible adventure, almost as amazing as anything he imagined (and helped publish).

Born on December 22 in 1922, Stan was in the right place, and had the right relatives, at the beginning of the golden age of comic books. Thanks in part to his uncle and cousin, he landed an assistant position at Martin Goodman’s Timely (Marvel much later) Comics in 1939. Soon he fulfilled his ambition to be a writer, penning the one-page prose story, “Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge” in Captain America Comics #3 in 1941. Stan became an interim editor until he entered the Army in 1943, eventually earning the classification as “playwright” for his work on training films and instruction manuals. Postwar he returned to Timely as editor and oversaw the books’ transition to Westerns, funny animals, teen humor, combat, and, changing the company name to Atlas Comics, science fiction featuring all manner of giant monsters like “Gloom”.

Stan serves in WWII

Proving that “everything old is new again”, the superheroes returned in the late 50’s (though Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman never left) when rival National Periodicals scored a hit with the revamped Flash and the Justice League. Stan’s boss Goodman told him to come up with a “super team”. Lee had become frustrated with his job and thought about pursuing a new life as a “real” writer. Luckily his wife Joan suggested that he try writing a superhero book that he would find interesting. Thanks to her prodding, and the stunning art by co-creator Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four was a 1961 smash. As Atlas became Marvel, the new heroes arrived at a furious pace: Dr. Strange, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Mighty Avengers, Daredevil, and the company’s solo superstar and mascot, the Amazing Spider-Man. Stan also decided to give the artists full credits on the opening splash page, even bestowing alliterative “nicknames” like “dashing” Don Heck and “sturdy” Steve Ditko. He soon had his own editorial column, “Stan’s Soapbox” in all the books, adding to the informal, friendly vibe of Marvel Comics. College students picked up on this and the irreverent attitudes of the book where all the heroes had real-life problems or hang-ups (Spidey had trouble paying his rent, Iron Man had a bad ticker, etc.). Stan himself was in demand as a speaker at campuses all around the country, turning him into a promoting “pied piper” for the comics industry.

Stan and wife Joan in the early days of their marriage

But Stan yearned for his heroes to make the jump to other media. There were network Saturday morning cartoons and the syndicated limited animated (being very generous here) package of “The Marvel Superheroes”. He eventually moved from Marvel’s NYC HQ to LA in order to get the properties into live-action TV shows and feature films. CBS had a hit show with “The Incredible Hulk” starring Bill Bixby, but Spidey, Dr. Strange, and Captain America tanked. However, Stan became more of a household name as the narrator of the Saturday morning cartoon, “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends”.  Finally, Marvel was in the movies with 1986’s HOWARD THE DUCK, but that was a legendary flop. The next decade was littered with false starts and unreleased movies. In 1998, BLADE struck box office gold, followed two years later by the X-MEN, and topped in 2002 by SPIDER-MAN. For many of those films, Stan would pop up on screen for a quick wink at the camera, as with THE FANTASTIC FOUR, HULK, and DAREDEVIL.

In 2016, finally together on screen in X-MEN: APOCALYPSE

Then something happened that Stan probably never dreamed of. Marvel started producing big-budget films based on their own heroes and properties. Not only was Stan promoting the movies on TV and via interviews, but he would also have a cameo in each film. Originally Stan said he’d just show up in films based on characters he created, but over the last ten years his cameos have become part of the Marvel Studios format and design, something that fans look forward to as much as the opening “comic pages flip” of the company logo and the post and mid-credits bonus scenes (with a long list of other writers and artists Stan has collaborated with).  Perhaps some of the filmmakers considered him a “good luck charm”. Here’s a montage of his “walk-ons” so far:

So far? But he’s gone to the Comicon in the sky, you say. Well, last year or so, James Gunn shot his scenes for the next few films that would be inserted later. Though IMDB won’t confirm, I’ll bet we’ll see his mischievous grin in CAPTAIN MARVEL, the Infinity Wars finale, and maybe SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME over the next year. Plus there are the two X-Men flicks. Well, I can tell you that sharp-eyed viewers will spot a silent cameo in RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET in just 9 days. Oh, and “the man” did get some major honors. In 2008 he received the National Medal of the Arts from President George W Bush, followed in 2011 by his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wow, how lucky can one planet be? We were treated to nearly a century of Stan Lee. And his gifts will continue in inspire and entertain forever. That is some kind of legacy. What more can I add, except…

Excelsior! Nuff’ said!!

Burt Reynolds Dead at 82 – Here Are His 10 Best Films

 

Burt Reynolds, one of We Are Movie Geeks favorite actors, has died! Burt suffered cardiac arrest and was taken to Jupiter Medical Center in Florida, where he died at age 82. RIP Burt.

On February 11th, 1936, Reynolds was born in Waycross, Georgia, before his family moved to Jupiter Florida, where his father served as Chief of Police. Young Burt excelled at sports and played football at Florida State University. He became an All Star Southern Conference halfback (and was earmarked by the Baltimore Colts) before injuries sidelined his football career. He dropped out of college and headed to New York with dreams of becoming an actor. There he worked in restaurants and clubs while pulling the odd TV job or theater role. Burt was spotted in a New York City stage production of Mister Roberts and signed to a TV contract and eventually had recurring roles in such shows as Gunsmoke (1955), Riverboat (1959) and his own series, Hawk (1966).

Burt’s movie debut was in the 1961 ANGEL BABY. On the advice of his friend Clint Eastwood, Reynolds used his TV fame to land a leading role in the Italian Spaghetti Western NAVAJO JOE in 1966. The film was a hit and established Reynolds as a bankable leading man in movies, and earned him starring roles in American big-budget films. His breakout performance in DELIVERANCE in 1972 made him a bona-fide movie star (The same year, Reynolds gained notoriety when he posed near-naked in the April (Vol. 172, No. 4) issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine).

Burt Reynolds appeared in over 180 films and TV shows in his six decades as an actor, and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best:

Top ten list by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Travis Keune, and Tom Stockman

10. HUSTLE

Reynolds joined director Robert Aldrich a second time for this underrated slice of neo-noir.  Leisurely paced, character-driven, and dripping with irony, HUSTLE is one of Reynolds’ best films.  Once again cast as a cop, Reynolds this time plays an edgier, more jaded version of lawman – an L.A police detective involved in a romantic relationship with a high-class prostitute played with sensual warmth by Catherine Deneuve.  The mixing of American tough guy Reynolds with pensive French actress Deneuve almost sounds like a recipe for disaster, but their chemistry together smolders on the big screen.  All of their scenes have a rhythm and underlying emotional undercurrent that is at times palpable.  The somewhat simple plot follows the investigation of a dead girl found on the beach.  But it is the way in which the story unfolds, in layers of ever-more cynical revelation, that makes the film fascinating to watch. Aldrich keeps things off balance by utilizing a great eclectic soundtrack, offbeat love scenes, and hard-edged police action.  Supporting players are uniformly excellent, especially Ben Johnson and Eileen Brennan as the dead girl’s parents, Eddie Albert as the smarmy villain, and Ernest Borgnine as the cop’s boss.  The great Paul Winfield is solid as Reynolds’ partner, and look for Catherine Bach (aka Daisy Duke) in a small role–as a porn actress!  Reynolds’ performance is thoughtful and nuanced in portraying a man seeking something in life that he knows– from seeing the world through lenses of skepticism, doubt, and mistrust – will forever elude him.

9. SHAMUS

In SHAMUS (1973), based on the 87th Precinct novels by Ed McBain, Burt Reynolds played Shamus McCoy, a studly, ex-pool player-turned rugged private eye who is quick with his fists and has an eye for the ladies, especially a ridiculously sexy Dyan Cannon. Hired by a shady rich man to find out who killed a diamond thief, Shamus stumbles on something bigger: gun-running and the illicit sale of surplus US military equipment.Briskly directed by Buzz Kulik, with a colorful script by Barry Beckerman, occasional exciting outbursts of raw rough’n’tumble fisticuffs, gritty cinematography by Victor J. Kemper, a funky New York City atmosphere, and a few charmingly quirky touches (Shamus sleeps on a pool table with a mattress on it and has a deep-seated dread of large dogs), SHAMUS made for a hugely enjoyable and often thrilling private eye flick. Popping up in solid supporting parts are Larry Block as funny sports trivia freak informant Springy, Joe Santos as hard-nosed police Lieutenant Promuto, John P. Ryan as crazed fanatical army Colonel Hardcore, and John Glover in his film debut as a pathetic heroin addict. The downbeat ending was ahead of its time. SHAMUS is something of an overlooked Reynolds film, containing some startling stuntwork by the actor and is definitely one his best vintage 70’s action vehicles. The 1976 sequel, A MATTER OF WIFE AND DEATH, starred Rod Taylor as Shamus.

8. CANNONBALL RUN

Reynolds’ teaming with stunt expert/director Hal Needham reached its peak of car chase films with this comedy based on real life cross-country races held during the 1970s.  Although the story had been filmed years earlier as GUMBALL RALLY, this version featured an all-star cast that included Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Roger Moore, Dom DeLuise, Adrienne Barbeau, Terry Bradshaw, Jamie Farr, Peter Fonda, Jackie Chan, and even Bianca Jagger!  CANNONBALL is certainly the most absurdist car stunt movie ever, at times resembling the Three Stooges at their best, full of funny performances (Jack Elam steals every scene he’s in, and DeLuise is hilarious), witty one-liners, non-sequiturs, and numerous sight gags.  Then there’s the amazing stunts, which aren’t just limited to cars; airplanes, skydivers, and motorcycles also get into the act.  With major stars like Moore poking fun at the Bond persona (driving an Aston Martin, naturally) and Chan doing some kung fu (though he must’ve been miffed to be cast as Japanese), everyone seems like they’re having a great time, and the film was a huge box office success.  Prior to CANNONBALL, Fawcett was having a tough time in her career, after quitting CHARLIE’S ANGELS and filming three box office flops.  Reynolds thought she would be perfect as the female lead, and got her cast despite objections. Fawcett is perfect, delivering a performance that is naturally sweet and sexy, making it even funnier when she utters phrases like “gang bang”.  From the first frame when the film spoofs the 20th Century Fox logo, to the last (this was one of the first movies to show outtakes during the closing credits), CANNONBALL is carried along on Reynold’s sense of unbridled mirth, and it’s a contagious blast.  Almost the entire cast (sadly, minus Farrah) reunited a few years later for the inevitable CANNONBALL II, with even more guest star cameos (Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine) and it was also a hit, but was to be the last of Reynolds’ ‘car‘ movies.

7. THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN

For this remake of the Truffault directed 1977 French farce, Reynolds teamed up with comic mastermind Blake Edwards of the PINK PANTHER series and Mrs.Edwards, the lovely Julie Andrews. She plays Marianna, a therapist trying to help famous sculptor David Fowler (Reynolds) end his chronic womanizing. Reynolds had garnered quite a rep as a ladies man in the gossip columns and tabloids, so perhaps this film was his commentary on all the speculations. Quite an impressive group of women were assembled for him to romance in this 1983 comedy/drama. Besides Ms. Andrews, Reynolds shared the screen with Marilu Henner (his future TV wife on “Evening Shade”), Cynthia Sikes, Sela Ward, and Kim Basinger as a funny, daffy Texas belle. There’s plenty of the trademark Edwards slapstick here, but it’s also a chance to admire Mr. Reynolds’s charming screen persona.

6. SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Ever wonder what the second highest grossing film of 1977 was, after STAR WARS?Redneck bad boys were all the rage in ’77. Cars were still made in Michigan and CB radios were the hot technology with phrases like “10-4 good buddy” familiar expressions and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT captured that side of American culture as well as any film.The plot of SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT was merely an excuse for the many car chases and gags that comprised the thin story, which is about Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and his buddy Cledus (aka: “Snowman” – Jerry Reed) attempting to win a bet. They have to drive from Georgia to Arkansas, pick up four hundred cases of Coors beer, (an early example of product placement) and deliver it back in Georgia within twenty-eight hours. Along the way they pick up escaped bride Carrie (Sally Field) and get chased by the jilted groom’s father, a Texas sheriff; one Buford T. Justice, hilariously played by the great Jackie Gleason.It was the directorial debut for former stuntman Hal Needham and was the first of nine collaborations with his pal Burt Reynolds. Sally Field was Burt’s squeeze at the time and looked super-cute with her skin-tight jeans and no bra.  Jackie Gleason tossed off great one-linerslike the comedy legend that he was and former Tarzan Mike Henry was perfect as his doofus son. Jerry Reed contributed to the top-selling soundtrack and would co-star with Burt in six films. Like STAR WARS, there were two sequels, but they weren’t very good and Burt made but a cameo in the third film. Buford T. Justice was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Burt’s father, who was at one time the Chief of Police in Jupiter, Florida.

5. SHARKY’S MACHINE

For his third time directing himself, Reynolds tackled this gritty crime thriller from novelist William Diehl. Echoing his previous TV lead roles (“Hawk”, “Dan August”) he plays Tom Sharky, a cop that doesn’t go by the book. He’s assigned to observe from a nearby apartment (shades of REAR WINDOW) a high-priced call girl named Dominoe (played by the very alluring Rachel Ward in her big studio film debut). Things get complicated when Tom falls for her while watching her affair with a big politico. In a twist recalling the classic noir LAURA, the two, with the help of “the machine”-Brian Keith, Bernie Casey, and Richard Libertini, try to take down a vicious drug kingpin (Victorio Gassman) and his demonic kid brother hitman (Henry Silva). This flick is a great police thriller with some fabulous stunts including a record-breaking fall by Dar Robinson. And just try not to look away when Sharky is tortured by the bad guys! Reynolds proves to be quite the artist on both sides of the camera.

4. THE LONGEST YARD

Hollywood veteran director Robert Aldrich (DIRTY DOZEN, HUSTLE) gave Reynolds one of his biggest hits – and best roles – in this seriocomic tale of prison life and football.  On the surface, the character of Paul Crewe is fairly despicable – he is a smartass, a drunk, and a violent malcontent not above mistreating women. But Reynolds not only makes us like Crewe, he makes us actually root for him to find redemption. With Eddie Albert and Ed Lauter as the villains, and wonderful character performances from Richard Kiel, Michael Conrad, Bernadette Peters, and many others, YARD doesn’t gloss over its portrayal of prison society. The hard life often explodes in violence, racial tensions abound, and then there’s the warden’s secretary. Aldrich, himself a gridiron fan, smartly peppered the film with many real-life ex-NFL players, such as Joe Kapp (Vikings) and Ray Nitschke (Packers). This gives the film, along with Reynolds’ natural athleticism (he played for Florida State), a tone of realism lacking in many sports- based tales.The climactic football game takes up nearly half the movie’s running time, and it is certainly one of the most brutal and exciting events – in any sport – ever put on film.  Coming on the heels of DELIVERANCE, this movie solidified Reynolds’ box office appeal. With his winning mixture of bravado and self-deprecating humor (we get a lot of the trademark laugh), Reynolds helped make THE LONGEST YARD one of the greatest sports movies ever made.

3. WHITE LIGHTNING

Booze, broads, car chases, corruption and revenge — all the things that make life worthwhile! WHITE LIGHTNING (1973) was a tough country melodrama in which hard-driving Bogen County, Arkansas moonshiner Gator McCluskey (Burt Reynolds) is paroled from prison in order to get the goods on a thoroughly corrupted sheriff (Ned Beatty) who is not only taking graft but also murdered Gator’s kid brother. Crisply directed by Joseph Sargent who manages to instill the proceedings with both atmosphere and pace, the fragmented story of rough backwoods codes is punctuated by several high-powered car chases that keep the dust swirling on those backcountry roads (the stunts were coordinated by Hal Needham who would go on to direct Burt in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT and CANNONBALL RUN). While the 1976 sequel GATOR was more a comedy, WHITE LIGHTNING has real authenticity in its look at the American South of the early 1970s. Beatty is truly black hearted as the mild-mannered but hateful sheriff Conners, who kills Gator’s brother just because he looks like a hippy commie. He’s the opposite of the buffoonish cartoon lawman that Jackie Gleason would play opposite Burt in the later Smokey and the Bandit films. There is some tough suspense and some genuinely moving scenes in WHITE LIGHTNING, which was a huge hit in 1973, securing Reynolds’s place in the superstar strata throughout the 1970s. R.G. Armstrong, Bo Hopkins, Diane Lane, and Dabbs Greer all lend able support and watch for a young Laura Dern in a small role, her film debut.

2. DELIVERANCE

Reynolds had been toiling in TV and ‘B’ movies for decades before this 1972 classic finally catapulted him to big screen super-stardom. Aside from the “Dueling Banjos” scene (which became a top 40 radio hit), John Boorman’s backwoods horror tale may be best remembered for, let’s be delicate, the “squeal” sequence. Well, which character puts an end to this nightmare? It’s Reynolds as the alpha male of the foursome, Lewis Medlock. He’s the only one truly prepared for anything in this Georgia jungle. Before the Avengers’ Hawkeye, before Katness, Lewis is the deadliest screen bow and arrow marksman since Robin Hood. With his slicked-back hair and black leather vest (exposing his impressive biceps) coupled with his “good ole” boy” persona, Reynolds dominates every scene and stakes his claim as the next great action movie hero.

1. BOOGIE NIGHTS

Times, they are growing turbulent once again for the ole porn biz… with the San Fernando Valley threatening new regulations that could send the industry packing. But, how did it all begin? Leave it to Paul Thomas Anderson to give us a flashback into the wild and “wooly” ’70s when the business of sex was less corporate and more coital. Don’t let the title or the content shake your resolve, because BOOGIE NIGHTS is a great film, not exclusive to Burt Reynolds, but he most definitely added an element to the film that few could have accomplished. Burt, even today, sort of exudes ’70s masculine sexual bravado, as is on display in this film. Burt plays Jack Horner, a filmmaker of the flesh, who discovers a youngstar in Eddie Adams, aka Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg), who works alongside a young actress known as Rollergirl (Heather Graham) in what is, in many ways, a family business. Awkwardly dramatic, hilarious and a remarkably well made film that takes itself seriously, but not at it’s own expense… perhaps an original “most interesting man in the world,” Burt Reynolds makes his mark.

Burt Reynolds made so many great films and runner-ups for this list would have to include Woody Allen’s EVERYTHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK, THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING, STICK, and SEMI-TOUGH.

Much of this article was originally posted in November of 2012

TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Director Tobe Hooper Dead at 74

Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE may or may not be the scariest horror movie ever made (I think it is) but it’s certainly one of the most referenced, imitated, ripped off, and influential. Hooper claims the film was his reaction to Vietnam and Watergate and he shot it in grainy 16mm which gives the film its gritty in-your-face realism. For a first-timer, Hooper directed with a solid sense of composition and attention to detail and forced some amazing performances from his cast. Audiences and critics at the time responded to it’s high level of gore, but they were wrong.   It’s actually a masterpiece of restraint that Hooper made and much of its magic lies in the fact that the audience thinks they saw a no-holds-barred gorefest when they didn’t (the scene of the Hitchhiker (Ed Neal) slicing his own hand with a knife is the only actual bloodletting in the entire film).

What happened to Tobe Hooper? His follow-up, EATEN ALIVE, was a decent horror films but one no one would talk about if another director had made it. POLTERGEIST   was a hit but legend has it that it was mostly directed by Steven Spielberg and it certainly plays that way.   The less about SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION,  INVADERS FROM MARS and MORTUARY the better. Though FUNHOUSE, LIFEFORCE and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART 2 have their followings, it’s safe to say that Hooper never again captured the magic that was THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and many rightfully view him as a one-hit wonder. The iconic concluding shot of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE lingers on the wounded and frustrated Leatherface, spinning in the sunlight as his chainsaw roars and his terrified prey eludes him.   It’s one of the most famous final images in cinema and could be seen as a metaphor for Tobe Hooper’s career.


From Variety:

Tobe Hooper, the horror director best known for helming “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and “Poltergeist,” died Saturday in Sherman Oaks, Calif., according to the Los Angeles County Coroner. He was 74. The circumstances of his death were not known. The 1974 “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” became one of the most influential horror films of all time for its realistic approach and deranged vision. Shot for less than $300,000, it tells the story of a group of unfortunate friends who encounter a group of cannibals on their way to visit an old homestead. Though it was banned in several countries for violence, it was one of the most profitable independent films of the 1970s in the U.S. The character of Leatherface was loosely based on serial killer Ed Gein……(read the rest of the article HERE)

Actor and Playwright Sam Shepard Dead at 73

Sam Shepard, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Oscar-nominated actor, died Sunday at the age of 73. The winner of 13 Obie Awards, Shepard won his first six for plays he penned between 1966 and 1968. After his success on the off-Broadway stage, Shepard segued to screenwriting with credits on films like Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabriske Point before turning to acting. Besides his Oscar-nominated turn as Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff, Shepard also acted in Mud, Black Hawk Down, The Notebook, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, August: Osage County. Shepard suffered from ALS and was 73.

From The New York Times:

“Sam Shepard, whose hallucinatory plays redefined the landscape of the American West and its inhabitants, died on Thursday at his home in Kentucky of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, a spokesman for the Shepard family announced on Monday. He was 73. Possessed of a stoically handsome face and a rangy frame, Mr. Shepard became a familiar presence as an actor in films that included “Days of Heaven” (1978), “The Right Stuff” (1983) and “Baby Boom” (1987). He bore a passing resemblance to that laconic idol of Hollywood’s golden era, Gary Cooper, and in an earlier age, Mr. Shepard could have made a career as a leading man of Westerns……”

Read the rest HERE

Sir Roger Moore Dead: James Bond Actor Dies At 89

James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore has died aged 89, his family has confirmed. In a statement posted on the actor’s official social media accounts it was revealed that Moore had passed away in Switzerland after a “short but brave battle with cancer”.

Moore was the third actor to play British secret agent James Bond, in seven feature films released between 1973 and 1985.

Sir Roger Moore was born and raised in south London. He received a certificate from the Royal Society of Arts and worked briefly in cartoon animation. While working as a film extra he was offered a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He subsequently joined the Cambridge Arts Theatre, which led to roles in London’s West End.

After some success in film and television productions, he became more widely recognized with his role as Simon Templar in the British television series The Saint. In 1973 he first played special agent 007 in the film Live and Let Die. He went on to star in another six hugely successful Bond films: The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and A View to a Kill.

From UNICEF:

Sir Roger Moore, KBE, was one of UNICEF’s longest serving Goodwill Ambassadors.

Sir Roger, a popular British film, television and stage actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Simon Templar in The Saint and as secret agent James Bond, was introduced to UNICEF by the late Audrey Hepburn. “My curiosity got the better of me after Audrey Hepburn introduced me to UNICEF,” he said. “I wanted to find out more than just the facts and figures.” He was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador on 9 August 1991.

Sir Roger’s first mission for UNICEF was to Central America, where he visited projects for children in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Over the years, his work with UNICEF also took him to Brazil, Ghana, Jamaica, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Slovenia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Philippines and Mexico. He brought attention to the desperate conditions facing some of the world’s most vulnerable children and was a compelling voice on issues such as children’s rights, HIV/AIDS, landmine injuries, child labour and iodine deficiency.

In November 2012 Sir Roger was presented with the first-ever UNICEF UK Lifetime Achievement Award which then became the Roger Moore Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of his dedication to UNICEF, both as a generous fundraiser and a global advocate for children’s rights. On receiving the award, Sir Roger said “I am perhaps best known for my role as Bond, but my role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF is the one I am certainly most passionate about. It is beyond doubt that it’s the children and dedicated staff on the ground who deserve medals, but I am absolutely honored and would like to thank UNICEF for this truly humbling award.”

Sir Roger Moore was devoted to serving the world’s children for over 25 years and remained dedicated to UNICEF right up until his death.

A Message from Turner Classic Movies Regarding the Passing Of Robert Osborne

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Robert Osborne was an American film historian and former actor best known as the primary host for Turner Classic Movies. Prior to TCM, Osborne had been a host on The Movie Channel. Osborne died this morning of natural causes in his sleep at home in New York City.

Turner Classic Movies  sent We Are Movie Geeks this message this morning, which we are sharing with our readers:

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