In 2024, we've experienced the loss of several luminaries in the world of entertainment. These beloved figures—actors, comedians, musicians, singers, and coaches—have touched our lives with their talent, passion, and dedication. They've left an indelible mark on our hearts and shaped the world of entertainment in ways that will continue to inspire and influence generations to come.
Among the incredible actors who bid farewell this year, we mourn the loss of a true chameleon who effortlessly.
Richard Widmark (December 26, 1914 – March 24, 2008) was an American actor of films, stage, radio and television. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Widmark has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6800 Hollywood Boulevard. In 2002, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Widmark was born in Sunrise Township, Minnesota, grew up in Princeton, Illinois, and also lived in Henry, Illinois for a short time. He attended Lake Forest College, where he studied acting and also taught acting after he graduated.
Widmark was a guest on What's My Line? in 1954. The following year, he made a rare foray into comedy on I Love Lucy, portraying himself when a star-struck Lucy trespasses onto his property to steal a souvenir. Widmark finds Lucy sprawled out on his living room floor underneath a bear skin rug.
Returning to television in the early 1970s, Widmark received an Emmy nomination for his performance as the U.S. President in the TV movie Vanished (1971), a Fletcher Knebel political thriller. In 1972-73, he reprised his detective role from Madigan (1968) with six 90-minute episodes on the NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie. The mini-series Benjamin Franklin (1974) was a unique experiment of four 90-minute dramas, each with a different actor performing the title role: Widmark, Beau Bridges, Lloyd Bridges, Eddie Albert, Melvyn Douglas and Willie Aames (Franklin at age 12). The series won a Peabody Award and five Emmys. During the 1980s, Widmark returned to TV with a half-dozen TV movies.
From 1942 until her death in 1997, Widmark was married to playwright Jean Hazlewood. The marriage produced a daughter, Anne Heath Widmark, an artist and author who was married to baseball legend Sandy Koufax from 1969 to 1982. In 1999, Widmark married socialite Susan Blanchard, who had been Henry Fonda's third wife.
Green City is the site of Widmark Airport in extreme northeastern Missouri. Towns the size of Green City (pop. 688 in 2000) usually do not have airports, but Richard Widmark owned a cattle ranch in the area during the 1950s and 1960s. Widmark contributed funds to the construction of an airport which led to it being named in his honor.
Widmark died after a long illness on March 24, 2008 at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut. more
Hazel Court, born on February 10, 1926, in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, was a talented English actress best known for her roles in horror films during the 1950s and early 1960s. Her father, G.W. Court, was a renowned cricketer who played for Durham CCC. From an early age, Hazel showed a keen interest in acting and, at the age of fourteen, began studying drama at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Alexander Theatre, both located in Birmingham.
At the age of sixteen, Hazel's acting career took off when she met director Anthony Asquith in London. This encounter led to her landing a brief role in the 1944 film Champagne Charlie. Over the years, Hazel continued to hone her craft and gained recognition for her performances, ultimately winning a British Critics Award for her portrayal of a crippled girl in Carnival (1946).
Her early career also saw her appear in films like Holiday Camp (1947) and Bond Street (1948). However, her first foray into the realm of fantasy and horror films came with her role in Ghost Ship (1952). Hazel continued to build a name for herself in the genre, taking on memorable roles in campy films such as Devil Girl from Mars and Doctor Blood's Coffin.
In the 1957-1958 television season, Hazel co-starred in a CBS sitcom filmed in Britain called Dick and the Duchess, playing the role of Jane Starrett, a refined British woman married to an insurance claims investigator (Patrick O'Neal). Throughout her career, she traveled frequently between North America and Britain, even making appearances in four episodes of the critically acclaimed series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Hazel Court's career was marked by her ability to take on diverse roles in different genres, although she always maintained a special connection to horror films. In 1957, she starred in the first color Hammer Horror film, The Curse of Frankenstein, a role that came to define her career.
With her impressive body of work, Hazel Court solidified her place as a talented actress and a beloved figure in the world of horror films.
Hazel Court's desire to explore comedy led her to take on roles in comedic projects, such as the TV comedy series Dick and the Duchess, which aired from 1957 to 1958. Despite this shift in genre, she continued to make a significant impact on the horror film industry. Her role in the 1957 film The Curse of Frankenstein earned her the status of a "cult siren," partly due to her memorable display of cleavage.
As her career progressed, Hazel traveled frequently between Hollywood and her native England. During this period, she made notable appearances in four episodes of Alfred Hitchcock's acclaimed TV series. She continued to build her filmography with roles in movies like A Woman of Mystery (1958) and The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), further cementing her position as a versatile and talented actress.
By the early 1960s, Hazel had permanently relocated to the United States. Her association with horror films continued as she was featured in several Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, including The Premature Burial (1962), The Raven (1963), and The Masque of the Red Death (1964), the latter two of which starred fellow horror icon Vincent Price.
Hazel Court's personal life included a marriage to Irish actor Dermot Walsh from 1949 to 1963. The couple had a daughter named Sally Walsh, who shared the screen with her mother in The Curse of Frankenstein. Hazel's dedication to her craft, as well as her ability to adapt to different genres, resulted in a career that left an indelible mark on the world of cinema, particularly in the realm of horror films.
Following her marriage to American actor Don Taylor in 1964, Hazel Court chose to retire from film acting to focus on her family life. The couple first met while filming an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and together they had two children, Jonathan and Courtney. Hazel's dedication to her family led her to create a nurturing and loving environment for her children and husband until his passing in 1998.
Although Hazel stepped away from the film industry, she occasionally returned to the screen. In 1981, she made a brief, uncredited appearance in the third Omen film, The Final Conflict. She also appeared in various TV series, such as Mission: Impossible, Dr. Kildare, Twelve O'Clock High, Burke's Law, Sam Benedict, and The Twilight Zone.
Beyond her acting career, Hazel Court was a talented artist with a passion for painting and sculpting. She furthered her skills by studying sculpting in Italy, demonstrating her commitment to artistic growth and exploration. In December 2007, Hazel published her autobiography, Hazel Court - Horror Queen, in the UK. The book was later released in the US in 2008 by Tomahawk Press.
Hazel Court's life was a fascinating blend of dedication to her family, artistic expression, and memorable contributions to the world of film. Her legacy as a versatile actress and a beloved figure in the horror genre continues to inspire fans and aspiring performers alike.
Court died of a heart attack at her home near Lake Tahoe, California on April 15, 2008, aged 82. She was survived by her three children, and two stepdaughters, Anne Taylor Fleming and Avery Taylor.
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Nicolette Goulet (June 9, 1956 - April 17, 2008) was an Canadian-American soap opera actress.
Goulet got her start in acting on the television series Ryan's Hope with the role of Mary Ryan Fenelli in 1979. She was the fourth actress to portray the character. She also appeared on three other soaps: "Search for Tomorrow" as Kathy Parker Phillips Taper #2 from 1980 until 1982; on "As the World Turns" as Casey Reynolds in 1984, and on "The Guiding Light" as Meredith Reade Bauer from 1987 to 1989.
Goulet was the daughter of the late singer-actor Robert Goulet and his first wife Louise Longmore. Nicolette Goulet was married to Tim Fowlar and had two children, Jordan and Solange.
On April 17, 2008, less than six months after her father's death, Goulet died as a result of breast cancer.
Richard Edward Arnold (known as Eddy Arnold) (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer. He was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee, he made his first radio appearance in 1936. During his childhood, he lost both his father and the family farm. When he turned 18, he left home to try to make his mark in the music world.
Arnold's formative musical years included early struggles to gain recognition until he landed a job as the lead male vocalist for the Pee Wee King band. By 1943, Arnold had become a solo star on the Grand Ole Opry. He was then signed by RCA Victor. In December 1944, he cut his first record. Although all of his early records sold well, his initial big hit did not come until 1946 with "That's How Much I Love You." In common with many other country and western singers of the time, he had a folksy nickname: "The Tennessee Plowboy."
Managed by Colonel Tom Parker (who later went on to control the career of Elvis Presley), Arnold began to dominate country music. In 1947-48, he had 13 of the top 20 songs. He successfully made the transition from radio to television, appearing frequently in the new medium, hosting The Eddy Arnold Show and starring in Eddy Arnold Time.
In 1955, he upset many in the country music establishment by going to New York to record with the Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra. The pop-oriented arrangements of "Cattle Call" and "The Richest Man (in the World)", however, helped to expand his appeal beyond its country base.
With the advent of rock and roll, Arnold's record sales dipped in the late 1950s. Along with RCA Victor label-mate Jim Reeves, he continued to try to court a wider audience by using pop-sounding, string-laced arrangements, a style that would come to be known as the Nashville sound.
There are several reasons for Arnold's great success. From the beginning he stood out from his contemporaries in the world of country singers. He never wore gaudy, glittering outfits. He sang from his diaphragm, not through his nose. He avoided the standard honky-tonk themes, preferring instead to sing songs that explored the intricacies of love.
Arnold also benefitted from his association with excellent musicians. The distinctive steel guitar of Roy Wiggins highlighted early recordings. Charles Grean, once employed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, played bass and wrote early arrangements, adding violins for the first time in 1956. Chet Atkins played on many of Arnold's records, even after he started serving as producer.
Bassist Bob Moore, the most recorded musician in history, first performed on the road with Arnold on the 1954 RCA Caravan and later performed on 75% of Arnold's hit recordings. Arnold also benefited from the management of Col. Parker, who guided his first career, and Purcell, who masterminded the second.
The most important factor for Arnold's success, however, was his voice. Steve Sholes, who produced all of Arnold's early hits, called him a natural singer, comparing him to the likes of Bing Crosby and Enrico Caruso. Arnold worked hard perfecting his natural ability. A review of his musical career shows his progression from fledgling singer to polished performer.
Arnold's longevity was exceptional. For more than 50 years, he transcended changing musical tastes. His later concerts attracted three generations of fans. To some he also served as a role model; in a field often awash with alcohol and drugs, he remained temperate. Arnold was honored with induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966[1], was voted the first Country Music Association's Entertainer Of The Year the following year, and received the Academy of Country Music's Pioneer Award in 1985. Arnold has sold more than 85 million records and had 147 songs on the charts, including 28 No. 1 hits on Billboard's "Country Singles" chart. Among his recordings are songs for mothers and children, hymns, show tunes, and novelty numbers. Arnold is best known for his way with a love song.
In 2003, Arnold ranked #22 in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music.
With 146 songs on the country charts -- including 28 number one hits -- Arnold ranks among the most popular country singers in U.S. history. Only George Jones had more individual hits on the country charts but, according to a formula derived by Joel Whitburn, Arnold is the all-time leader in an overall rankings for hits and their time on the charts.
Eddy Arnold married the former Sally Gayhart in November 1942. She preceded him in death on March 11, 2008, following his hip replacement surgery.
Arnold died at 5AM on May 8, 2008, in Nashville, Tennessee. Both Eddy and Sally were survived by their children, "Dickie" and Jo Ann, as well as two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren
John Phillip Law (September 7, 1937 – May 13, 2008) was an American film actor, with more than a hundred movie roles to his credit.Law was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Phyllis Sallee, and the brother of actor Thomas Augustus Law.
He was best known for his roles as the blind angel Pygar in the 1968 science fiction cult classic Barbarella, and as news anchor Robin Stone in the 1971 The Love Machine. (The latter reteamed him with Alexandra Hay, his costar from the 1968 "acid comedy" Skidoo.) He also gained attention in the title role of the 1968 thriller Danger: Diabolik and as a Russian sailor stranded in a New England village in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.
Tall (six-foot-five) and handsome, with steel blue eyes, Law became a sex symbol in the 1960s. He was a VIP guest at Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion and in Hollywood society. While he never achieved superstar status, he became a popular action hero, particularly in the Italian movie market, with movies ranging from science fiction and fantasy to comedy, westerns, drama, and war movies.
In addition to Barbarella, a few of Law's other movies have become cult classics, including The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Von Richthofen and Brown, Death Rides a Horse and Attack Force Z.
Law co-starred in Roger Corman’s 1970 Von Richthofen and Brown. He played Richthofen opposite Don Stroud's Roy Brown. Corman used Lynn Garrison’s Irish aviation facility, complete with replica World War One aircraft. Garrison taught Law the basics of flying so that he could manage to take off and land the aircraft, making some of the footage more realistic.
Two of Law's films, Danger: Diabolik and Space Mutiny, were also featured in the movie-mocking TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000.
In 2001 he appeared in Roman Coppola's directorial debut CQ, a homage to the Italian spy/sci-fi B-movies in which Law often starred during the 1960s.
In his personal life, he was once married to actress Shawn Ryan, and they have a daughter, Dawn. At the beginning of his career in the ’60s, Law lived in a 1924 Los Feliz mansion with his brother, Tom, who had been the road manager for Peter, Paul and Mary. The brothers rented rooms to up-and-coming singers and artists, including Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol and Tiny Tim, turning the home into a vibrant salon of emerging pop-culture icons. Life at the Castle, as it was known, was documented in “Flashing on the Sixties,” a 1987 collection of photos and text by Tom’s former wife, Lisa Law.
Besides his brother, Law is survived by daughter, Dawn, and a grandson.
His mother's family, the O'Donohues, were prominent Roman Catholics. Mel Ferrer's aunt Marie Louise O'Donohue (Mrs. Joseph J. O'Donohue, Jr.) was named a papal countess,[7] and his mother's sister, Teresa Riley O'Donohue, a leading figure in American Catholic charities and welfare organizations, was granted permission by Pope Pius XI to install a private chapel in her New York City apartment.[8]
Ferrer began acting in summer stock as a teenager and in 1937 won the Theatre Intime award for best new play by a Princeton undergraduate; the play was called Awhile to Work and co-starred another college student, Frances Pilchard, who would become Ferrer's first wife that same year.[10] At age twenty-one he was appearing on the Broadway stage as a chorus dancer, making his debut there as an actor two years later. After a bout with polio, Ferrer worked as a disc jockey in Texas and Arkansas and moved to Mexico to work on a novel.
Eventually he returned to Broadway and then became involved in motion pictures, directing more than ten feature films and acting in more than eighty. As a producer, he had notable success with the well-regarded film Wait Until Dark (1967), starring Audrey Hepburn.[11] In 1945 Ferrer made a modest directing debut with The Girl of the Limberlost, a low-budget black-and-white film for Columbia. He returned to Broadway to star in Strange Fruit, based on the novel by Lillian Smith. He made his screen acting debut in Lost Boundaries (1949), and as an actor is best remembered for his roles as the injured puppeteer in the musical Lili (1953, starring Leslie Caron), as the villainous Marquis de Maynes in Scaramouche (1952) and as Prince Andrei in War and Peace (1956, co-starring with his then-wife, Audrey Hepburn).
Ferrer never achieved major stardom and later turned towards television, doing some directing for the series The Farmer's Daughter (1963–1966) starring Inger Stevens, but is best remembered for his role opposite Jane Wyman as Angela Channing's attorney and briefly, her husband, Phillip Erikson, in Falcon Crest from 1981 to 1984, as well as directing a few of the series episodes. He was written off the show in 1984 as having been one of the family members killed in the plane crash targeting Richard Channing David Selby's character. He also played Dr. Brogli in a 1979 episode of Return of the Saint.
For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Mel Ferrer has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6268 Hollywood Blvd. A resident of Carpinteria, California, Ferrer died at a convalescent home in Santa Barbara on June 2, 2008.[11] He died as a result of heart failure. He was 90 years old.
Charles "Van" Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during World War II.
Johnson was the embodiment of the "boy next door," playing "the red-haired, freckle-faced soldier, sailor or B-25 bomber pilot who used to live down the street" in MGM movies during the war years.[1]
Johnson married former stage actress Eve Abbott (1914—2004) on January 25, 1947, the day after her divorce from actor Keenan Wynn was finalized.[2] The newlyweds had a daughter, Schuyler, one year later, but the marriage ended bitterly. "She wiped me out in the ugliest divorce in Hollywood history," Johnson said.[2]
Books written in recent years have claimed that Johnson was bisexual. At the time of Eve Johnson's death, she was quoted as saying that her marriage had been engineered by MGM: "They needed their `big star' to be married to quell rumours about his sexual preferences, and unfortunately, I was `It' - the only woman he would marry".[3] The Johnsons separated in 1961, [4] and divorced in 1968.[3] Johnson underwent treatment for skin cancer in 1963.
He died on December 12, 2008 of natural causes at the Tappan Zee Manor, an assisted living center in Nyack, New York.[4]
