Friday, 13 December 2013

More RIPs

Another clutch of recent R.I.P.s, apart from Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) for whom words are superfluous here.

Eleanor Parker (1922-2013), at 91. Eleanor began in the 1940s and was a 1950s leading lady, great opposite Robert Taylor (twice), Stewart Granger (SCARAMOUCHE), Sinatra (twice) - she and Charlton Heston strike sparks in THE NAKED JUNGLE, 1954. The attractive redhead had her most unforgettable role as the evil Baroness everyone loves to hate in THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Rossana Podesta (1934-2013), 79. Attractive Italian actress, perfect as HELEN OF TROY for Robert Wise in 1955, also in SODOM AND GOMORRAH and other peplums.

Rossella Falk (1926-2013), aged 86. Italian actress, imperishably as Mrs Forthergill, archcriminal Gabriel's executioner in the 1966 cult classic MODESTY BLAISE. I saw her on Dirk Bogarde's arm at the London premiere. She was also in Fellini's 8 1/2 among other titles.

Jean Kent (1921-2013), another veteran, aged 92. Jean outlived all her 1940s co-stars in those British Gainsborough melodramas like CARAVAN or MADONNA OF THE SEVEN MOONS, also in GOOD TIME GIRL, 2,000 WOMEN and lots more. Maybe her best role was the unfaithful wife in the 1951 THE BROWNING VERSION. I saw her 1948 SLEEPING CAR TO TRIESTE only last week.

Colin Wilson (1931-2013), prolific British writer who caused a sensation with his first book THE OUTSIDER in 1956, it was a stunning read on existentialism and alienation for the teenage me. He also later wrote widely on true crime, mysticism and the paranormal.
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2 comments:

  1. PEPLUM TV16 December 2013 at 06:24

    I didn't know Rossella Falk had died. She's in THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE which is one of those 'it's so bad it's good' films.

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  2. Michael O'Sullivan16 December 2013 at 11:47

    I didn't know either until I saw her in the TCM Remembered video on YouTube, she died last May. I remember her in LYLAH CLARE but she is deliciously wicked in MODESTY BLAISE.

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