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1-21 of 21
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Deadpan comedian Charles Sidney Grodin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of Russian/Polish ancestry and raised in a Jewish orthodox home. He attended the University of Miami but dropped out, opting instead for the life of a struggling actor. The movie A Place in the Sun (1951) was said to have steered him towards his chosen profession. In his own words: "It was two things. One is I think I developed an overwhelming crush on Elizabeth Taylor. And two, Montgomery Clift made acting look like 'Gee, well that looks pretty easy - just a guy talking.'".
After a spell with Uta Hagen (1956-59), he attended Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio before making his stage debut on Broadway in 1962. Though he appeared on screen from as early as 1954, Grodin did not make a great deal of headway in this medium until he attracted critical notice playing the small but crucial role of obstetrician Dr. C.C. Hill in Rosemary's Baby (1968). More substantial roles soon followed. His first major starring turn was in The Heartbreak Kid (1972), a black comedy written by Neil Simon and directed by Elaine May. Grodin managed to inject charm and humanity in what was essentially an egotistical central character. Film reviewer Roger Ebert praised his performance, describing the actor as a "kind of Dustin Hoffman-as-overachiever", an opinion which was echoed by Vincent Canby of the New York Times. Ironically, Grodin had earlier turned down the pivotal role in The Graduate (1967) which propelled Hoffman to stardom (he also -- probably unwisely -- spurned the role of oceanographer Matt Hooper in Jaws (1975) which instead went to Richard Dreyfuss).
Grodin's ultimate breakthrough came on the Broadway stage in "Same Time Next Year" (1975) (opposite Ellen Burstyn), a hugely successful romantic comedy about two people, each married to someone else, who conduct an extramarital affair for a single day over the course of 24 years in the same room of a northern Californian inn. Though the two leads left the show after seven months, Grodin was now much sought-after in Hollywood as a droll comic actor and cast in a string of hit comedies: Heaven Can Wait (1978), Seems Like Old Times (1980), The Lonely Guy (1984) and Midnight Run (1988). He also appeared to sterling effect in the underrated farce The Couch Trip (1988), in which he co-starred with Walter Matthau and Dan Aykroyd as the brittle psychiatrist and radio host Dr. George Maitlin. Arguably his most popular box office success was opposite the titular Saint Bernard canine in the family-oriented comedy Beethoven (1992). Despite less than enthusiastic critical reviews, the film was a hit with audiences, grossed $147.2 million worldwide and spawned a sequel.
In the mid-1990s, Grodin reinvented himself as a television host (The Charles Grodin Show (1995)) and political commentator. He made frequent guest appearances on talk shows with Carson or Letterman, typically adopting the persona of a belligerent tongue-in-cheek character to facilitate "comically uncomfortable situations on the set". Grodin was also a prolific author, both of fiction and non-fiction. An autobiography was entitled "It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here: My Journey Through Show Business" (1989). Charles Grodin died at age 86 of bone marrow cancer on May 18, 2021 at his home in Wilton, Connecticut.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Douglas Mossman was born on 7 April 1933 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was an actor, known for Hawaiian Eye (1959), Magnum, P.I. (1980) and Inferno in Paradise (1974). He died on 18 May 2021 in Ewa Hawaii, USA.- Actor
- Producer
Vladimir Fyodorov was born on 19 February 1939. He was an actor and producer, known for Ruslan and Ludmila (1972), To the Stars by Hard Ways (1981) and Kin-dza-dza! (1986). He was married to Vera. He died on 18 May 2021 in Moscow, Russia.- Music Artist
- Composer
- Writer
Franco Battiato was born on 23 March 1945 in Jonia, Sicily, Italy. He was a music artist and composer, known for Lost Love (2003), Children of Men (2006) and Musikanten (2005). He died on 18 May 2021 in Milo, Sicily, Italy.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Erol Keskin was born on 3 November 1931 in Istanbul, Turkey. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Bozuk düzen (1966), Güzel Bir Gün Için (1965) and Away from Home (2001). He was married to Suna Keskin. He died on 18 May 2021 in Istanbul, Turkey.- Genzô Wakayama was born on 27 September 1932 in Otomari, South Sakhalin, Japanese Empire [now Korsakov, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Gamera vs. Barugon (1966), Gamera vs. Viras (1968) and Message from Space (1978). He died on 18 May 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Phatima Rude was born in 1966 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Kallisto D'Amore: Twerk the Most (2014) and Ladies and Gentlemen: Phatima Rude (2014). He died on 18 May 2021 in Portland, Oregon, USA.
- Fatboi Gwalla Gwalla was an actor, known for Money I'z: Nigga What (2012), Money I'z: Give Em What They Want (2012) and Fatboi Gwalla Gwalla feat. Payper: Drug Money (2017). He died on 18 May 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
- Milan Novák was born on 12 August 1927 in Trakovice, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was a composer, known for Styridsatstyri (1958), Stastie príde v nedelu (1959) and Kapitán Dabac (1959). He died on 18 May 2021.
- Abdul Khaliq Al-Ghanim was born in 1958 in Saudi Arabia. He was a director, known for Tash ma Tash (1992). He was married to Lorraine Issa. He died on 18 May 2021 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
- Art Department
- Actor
- Art Director
Having spent much of his 20's in the music business as a songwriter, rocker, and later producer, Scott began acting in community and summer theatre while still in high school. As a dual major, Scott then graduated with an A.A. degree in media (television/radio production), and due to having what was considered to be one of the best radio voices in his class, he became a local radio personality in San Bernardino, with fellow radio jock, and west coast classic rock fixture, Cynthia Fox, of KMET, KLOS and 103 The Sound fame.
Scott would transfer to San Diego State University, where he majored in film, before returning to his native L.A., where he would work as a songwriter for music publishers, Edwin H. Morris and Chappell Music, having his songs covered by Righteous Brother, Bobby Hatfield and Crystal Gayle, before the age of 24. Scott, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, would produce parodies with KLOS morning jocks, Mark and Brian, and perform live or in session with such musical notables as Spencer Davis, guitarist Doug Aldrich, Don Dokken, Europe vocalist, Joey Tempest, and a plethora of session mates, who themselves would later perform live with Tina Turner, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Joe Cocker, Earth Wind and Fire and other top talent.
Never enjoying touring life, and suddenly enjoying the trappings of parenthood, a childhood friend would introduce Scott to the creative life behind the camera. Having built most of his own electric bass and guitar speaker cabinets in his late teens, Scott would soon be making a living as an IATSE property maker, construction coordinator, and special effects welder/pyro tech on some of the largest budget feature films of the 90's through mid-2000's, even art directing 90+ episodes of the Power Rangers.
Acting roles began presenting themselves from the early 90's, but it wasn't until an incomplete spinal cord injury while working on HBO's, Deadwood in 2005, and subsequent surgeries, would make returning to his behind the camera life next to impossible, and why Scott's focus returned to his creative love of acting. Possessing a look few others have at his age (trademark long hair and longer beard), combined with Scott's fearless range from early theatre training, have made over-the-top character roles his favorite.- Terry O'Dea was born on 3 May 1945 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. He was married to Betty O'Dea. He died on 18 May 2021 in Australia.
- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Aleksandr Gubarev was born on 24 July 1949. He was an actor and cinematographer, known for Muzhskaya zhenskaya igra (2011), Babochki i ptitsy (2019) and Nelyubimaya nevestka (2024). He died on 18 May 2021.- Lázara Cruz Pérez died on 18 May 2021 in Havana, Cuba.
- Juan Ortiz Jiménez was born on 24 June 1926 in Guayama, Puerto Rico. He was an actor, known for Thieves and Liars (2006), El secreto (1958) and Color de piel (1988). He died on 18 May 2021 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Nadal Walcot was born on 30 April 1945 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. He was an actor, known for Jean Gentil (2010) and Anormales en Santo Domingo (2011). He died on 18 May 2021 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic.
- Additional Crew
Yoshi Wada was born on 11 November 1943 in Kyoto, Japan. He is known for Flux Concert (1979), Flux Concert - Neuberger Museum, New York (1983) and Video Portraits: 30-Second Spots in New York (1980). He was married to Marilyn Bogerd and Barbara Stewart. He died on 18 May 2021 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.- Jan Klemens was born on 9 March 1932 in Myslowice, Slaskie, Poland. He was an actor, known for Rodzina Milcarków (1962), Grzeszny zywot Franciszka Buly (1980) and Dezerter (1958). He died on 18 May 2021.
- Rennie Stennett was born on 5 April 1949 in Colon, Panama. He was married to Gail. He died on 18 May 2021 in Coconut Creek, Florida, USA.
- Gilles Lupien was born on 20 April 1954 in Brownsburg, Quebec, Canada. He died on 18 May 2021 in Quebec, Canada.
- Production Manager
Zeyneb Farhat was a production manager, known for Music on Two (1992). She was married to Taoufik Jebali. She died on 18 May 2021 in Tunisia.