Alan Rickman (1946-2016), aged 69. Fulsome tributes indeed for Alan Rickman, one of Britain's leading actors equally at home on stage, television and film. He first came to my attention as Obadiah Slope in that great BBC adaptaton of Trollope's BARCHESTER CHRONICLES in 1982 - one to see-see. His first film was as the villain in the first DIE HARD and he was also the delirious panto villain in ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES, as well as more serious fare in TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY and CLOSE MY EYES, MESMER, LOVE ACTUALLY and he directed THE WINTER GUEST. I like his steadfast Colonel Brandon in Ang Lee's SENSE & SENSIBILITY in 1995. He made his stage reputation of course with LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, and he was in all the HARRY POTTER films as Severus Snape. I passed him once in Oxford Street, London. RIP indeed.
Glenn Frey (1948-2016), aged 67. Another '70s rock legend gone - not another cancer death, but caused by complications after intestinal surgery and pneumonia. It was fascinating seeing the opinionated Frey in that recent Eagles documentary on the history of the band, he of course was a founding member and co-wrote a lot of their hits, with Don Henley. He was one of the main singers in the band, as well as producer and later did some acting, during the band's hiatus. He sang lead vocals on hits like "Take It Easy", "Tequila Sunrise", "Already Gone", "New Kid In Town" and had a successful solo career too. We liked The Eagles a lot back then, and still get a kick from them now.
Robert Banks Stewart (1931-2016), aged 84. British (Scottish actually) writer who created some ground-breaking crime series for the BBC in the late 70s and early 80s, set in attractive locations: mainly SHOWSTRING which I loved, with Trevor Eve as the crumpled private eye/radio presenter, set around Bristol, in 1979 and 80, but when Eve did not wish to do a third series, Stewart came up with BERGERAC set in Jersey, another huge hit from 1980-1990). Stewart certainly knew how to write for prime-time television, and also wrote early scripts for shows like CALLAN and THE AVENGERS, and also produced LOVEJOY and THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY and MY UNCLE SILAS.
Glenn Frey (1948-2016), aged 67. Another '70s rock legend gone - not another cancer death, but caused by complications after intestinal surgery and pneumonia. It was fascinating seeing the opinionated Frey in that recent Eagles documentary on the history of the band, he of course was a founding member and co-wrote a lot of their hits, with Don Henley. He was one of the main singers in the band, as well as producer and later did some acting, during the band's hiatus. He sang lead vocals on hits like "Take It Easy", "Tequila Sunrise", "Already Gone", "New Kid In Town" and had a successful solo career too. We liked The Eagles a lot back then, and still get a kick from them now.
Robert Banks Stewart (1931-2016), aged 84. British (Scottish actually) writer who created some ground-breaking crime series for the BBC in the late 70s and early 80s, set in attractive locations: mainly SHOWSTRING which I loved, with Trevor Eve as the crumpled private eye/radio presenter, set around Bristol, in 1979 and 80, but when Eve did not wish to do a third series, Stewart came up with BERGERAC set in Jersey, another huge hit from 1980-1990). Stewart certainly knew how to write for prime-time television, and also wrote early scripts for shows like CALLAN and THE AVENGERS, and also produced LOVEJOY and THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY and MY UNCLE SILAS. 
Silvana Pampanini (1925-2016), aged 90. She was one of the new post-war Italian beauty queens who was soon in the movies, paving the way for that other Silvana - Mangano, plus Lollobrigida and Loren, though oddly not following them into international cinema. She was certainly a star name in Italy - I have not seen much of her output, but like WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC in 1952, with a young Loren in support. It is a delirious tale of girls being sold into slavery after competing in a gruelling dance marthon - I reviewed it a while back, Italian-2 label.
Michael- A belated shout-out for Alan Rickman - and a mention of his marvelous work in Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (a title that has been bizaarly overlooked in all his obits). That voice! And he got to sing in it - Sondheim's haunting "Pretty Woman," a lovely duet with Johnny Depp.
ReplyDelete