Thursday, 14 November 2013

Latest batch of RIPs.

Sir John Tavener (1944-2013). British composer, known for his extensive output of religious works, including "The Protecting Veil" and "Song for Athene". His works were used for soundtracks to: THE GREAT BEAUTY, THE TREE OF LIFE, CHILDREN OF MEN. I had to go and get his autograph once when he was signing a new CD for a friend in Brighton who could not attend and he was very pleasant.

Lou Reed (1942-2013). The American musician, singer and songwriter. After serving as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Velvet Underground, his solo career spanned several decades - we all loved "Walk on the Wild Side" and of course "Perfect Day".

Nigel Davenport (1928-2013), 85, another of those reliable British actors, at home playing rakish toffs and solid supporting roles for over 40 years, also lots of stage credits. Among his many movies: PEEPING TOM, WHERE THE SPIES ARE, The Duke of Norfolk in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA, GREYSTOKE, Lord Bothwell in MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS. Father of Jack Davenport.

Graham Stark (122-2013, 91, English comic actor, a longtime friend of Peter Sellers and who appeared in several of Sellers' films. During WWII, he entertained the troops around the world with fellow airmen and future stars Sellers, Tony Hancock, Dick Emery, Stanley Baxter. He is very funny as the deadpan waiter in VICTOR/VICTORIA in that hilarious restaurant scene where Victoria is trying to put the cockroach in the salad. Movie credits include the 1967 CASINO ROYALE, ALFIE, THE WRONG BOX, ONLY TWO CAN PLAY. THE MILLIONAIRESS and those PINK PANTHERs

Giuliano Gemma (1938-2013),  one of those young Euopean actors (like Mario Girotti, later Terence Hill) who began in Visconti's THE LEOPARD in 1963 before making his name in European cinema with spaghetti westerns and the like. He was one of the Roman officers with Messala in BEN HUR in '59 and his final role was the hotel manager in Woody Allen's TO ROME WITH LOVE. Other roles include peplums like THE COSSACKS, MESSALINA and that rather enjoyable tv series POMPEII.

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