RIP continued

Eli Wallach  (1915-2014). Its a cause for celebration if someone reaches the grand age of 98 ! What a long and varied career he had. For me he will always be the mean and resentful Guido in THE MISFITS (above, left) - and he certainly outlived that cast! It was also fun seeing him pop up in items as diverse as HOW TO STEAL A MILLION or GENGHIS KHAN, and much later in THE GHOST, and of course those baddies in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN or HOW THE WEST WAS WON. He was also good with Jeanne Moreau in their episode of THE VICTORS in 1963. I really will have to re-see BABY DOLL now. Eli turned up in the most surprising places, after films with Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Moreau, it was odd but fun seeing him as the comic villain in Disney's THE MOONSPINNERS in 1964  with Hayley Mills and Pola Negri, not to mention Irene Papas and Joan Greenwood - Eli worked with them all! - right up to Kate Winslet in THE HOLIDAY. Not to mention his career in the theatre, and with his wife Anne Jackson, who survives him. 

Ruby Dee (1922-014), aged 91, was an acress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist and activist. She is best known for films like A PLACE IN THE SUN in 1961, DO THE RIGHT THING in 1989 and AMERICAN GANGSTER in 2007 for which she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress. She was married to Ossie Davis until his death in 2005 She began her illustrious theatre career working with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte. Her other films include Mankiewicz's NO WAY OUT in 1950 (review at Mank label), THE BALCONY in 1963 and THE INCIDENT. On television she did everything from PEYTON PLACE and POLICE WOMAN to THE GOLDEN GIRLS. 

Gerry Goffin (1939-2014), aged 75. He wrote (writing intially with his wife Carole King) the songs we grew up with: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Take Good Care Of My Baby", "Go Away Little Girl", he penned over 50 Top 40 US hits, and 21 UK hits. I particularly like his lyrics for "Up On The Roof",  and "It Might As Well Rain Until September", "One Fine Day", "Halfway to Paradise" (a UK hit for Billy Fury), Dusty's "Some Of Your Loving" and Rod Stewart's "Its Not The Spotlight".

Francis Matthews (1927-1986) aged 86, British actor, successful in the Hammer Horror films like THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS, and RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK. He played PAUL TEMPLE for the BBC and was the voice of CAPTAIN SCARLETT.

Alan Bestic, (1921-2014), aged 92. Irish Journalist and author, his 1969 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IRISH is still a very droll read. 

Me in front of a OZ graphic in 1967

Felix Dennis (1947-2014), aged 67. Felix was one of the 1960s movers and shakers, a founder of the notorious OZ magazine, which led to a court trial on charges of "conspiracy to corrupt pubic morals" due to a sexually expicit Rupert Bear cartoon - the counterculture magazine was influential in other areas too with its psychedilic graphics and design - one had to buy it every month. The court case was defended by John Mortimer and Dennis and his colleagues Richard Neville and Jim Anderson, were acquitted, but convicted of minor charges. He was also a publisher, poet and philantropist, who became very wealthy with his publishing company with ground-breaking computer titles.