RIP continued ...

Martha Hyer (1924-2014), aged 89, Martha from Forth Worth, Texas, was a fixture in '50s Hollywood, her usual persona was the chic, country club princess who does not get the guy at the end, which she perfected in SABRINA, HOUSEBOAT, MISTER CORY and others. She was also a tough dame out west (I have her NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY with Clint Walker from 1966 to see this week). She also scored in Minnelli's SOME CAME RUNNING as Sinatra's love interest, for which she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress. Martha married producer Hal B Wallis in 1966 until his death in '86. She was also effective in THE CHASE, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING, THE CARPETBAGGERS and many others - like Vera Miles, Ruth Roman, Dorothy Malone or Viriginia Mayo she was a top rank second-tier star. 

Mona Freeman (1926-2014), aged 87. Mona was an attractive ingenue in lots of films, including THE HEIRESS, FLESH AND FURY, BATTLE CRY and lots of television. 

Barbara Murray. Stylish English actress Barbara Murray, died on May 20, aged 84. A Rank Organisation girl in the 1950s, she was a student of their famous Charm School, and had several good roles before moving into television. She was Dirk Bogarde's love interest in the 1957 CAMPBELL'S KINGDOM, and she was also in DOCTOR IN DISTRESS, and other films she appeared in were PASSPORT TO PIMLICO, BOYS IN BROWN, Bette Davis's ANOTHER MAN'S POISON, MEET MR LUCIFER, DOCTOR AT LARGE, and THE PUNCH AND JUDY MAN in 1962. 

On television she scored in THE PLANE MAKERS and its follow-up THE POWER GAME from 1965-69, as the wife of tycoon Patrick Wymark, as well as various series like UP POMPEII (as Ammonia), THE PALLISERS, and Peter Davison's DR WHO. She retired to Spain after some theatre work. 

Rik Mayall (1958-2014) aged 56. Prolific actor, writer, comedian, alternative comedy and  "post-punk" star of THE YOUNG ONES, THE NEW STATESMAN, BOTTOM, BLACKADDER and films like DROP DEAD FRED and GUEST HOUSE PARADISO. A brilliantly funny comedian with a unique stage presence he died far too young. He and Ade Edmondson began at The Comedy Store, and was soon part of the COMIC STRIP gang with their hilarious send-ups of Enid Blyton and the like.  

Kevin Elyot. (1951 - June 2014) aged 62. British playwright and screenwriter. His most notable works include the play MY NIGHT WITH REG and the tele-film CLAPHAM JUNCTION, a highly controversial work which at least re-united several of the cast of MAURICE: James Wilby, Rupert Graves and Pheobe Nicholls. 
I saw MY NIGHT WITH REG on the stage, its a fascinating tragi-comedy about the affects of the Aids crisis on a group of friends. It was filmed by the BBC. Elyot also did that BBC adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's CHRISTOPHER AND HIS KIND, with DR WHO Matt Smith as the Isherwood figure here (review at gay interest label). There is apparantly a new production of MY NIGHT WITH REG opening in London this summer, which Elyot was working on.