Emmy-winning actor James Garner always did things a little differently. In an era where Western shootouts were all the rage, Garner brought a touch of light comedy to “Maverick” and redefined what a TV Western could be. When a successful lawsuit ended his involvement in “Maverick,” Garner turned to films and defied yet another tradition. It was thought for years that TV actors simply did not cross over into films — “Why pay to see an actor in a movie while you can stay home and see him for free?” said the smart money in Hollywood. Yet Garner did just that, going on to co-star in hit after hit — from romantic comedies (“The Thrill of It All”) and action classics (“The Great Escape”) to wide-screen spectacles (“Grand Prix”) and, yes, more Westerns (“Support Your Local Sheriff!”).
When Garner did return to television, he enjoyed perhaps his biggest hit ever — “The Rockford Files” — as Jim Rockford,...
When Garner did return to television, he enjoyed perhaps his biggest hit ever — “The Rockford Files” — as Jim Rockford,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
David E. Diano, a veteran camera operator with credits including Tombstone, The Fast and the Furious, Wedding Crashers and Spider-Man 3, has died. He was 71.
Diano died Jan. 22 at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena of coronary issues after a battle with prostate cancer, his wife, still photographer Gemma Lamana, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Diano served as president of the Society of Camera Operators from 2003-04 before deciding not to run for a second term.
“To write that David was a one-of-a-kind friend to those of us who worked with him would be an understatement,” Soc historical chair Michael Frediani said in a statement. “His kindness, artistry and boyish smile endeared him to countess friends and fellow industry colleagues — and that is what set him apart from many,”
Diano shot 17 movies for cinematographer William Fraker, a six-time Oscar nominee, from 1983-2002. Those films included War Games (1983), Murphy’s Romance (1985), Baby Boom (1987), Memoirs of an Invisible Man...
Diano died Jan. 22 at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena of coronary issues after a battle with prostate cancer, his wife, still photographer Gemma Lamana, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Diano served as president of the Society of Camera Operators from 2003-04 before deciding not to run for a second term.
“To write that David was a one-of-a-kind friend to those of us who worked with him would be an understatement,” Soc historical chair Michael Frediani said in a statement. “His kindness, artistry and boyish smile endeared him to countess friends and fellow industry colleagues — and that is what set him apart from many,”
Diano shot 17 movies for cinematographer William Fraker, a six-time Oscar nominee, from 1983-2002. Those films included War Games (1983), Murphy’s Romance (1985), Baby Boom (1987), Memoirs of an Invisible Man...
- 4/3/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dianne Crittenden, the casting director whose impressive résumé included the first Star Wars film, The In-Laws and the Terrence Malick features Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, has died. She was 82.
Crittenden died Wednesday at her home in Pacific Palisades after a battle with several cancers, fellow casting director Ilene Starger told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Dianne was my mentor, we’ve known each other for 44 years,” Starger said. “She was also my dear friend, more like an older sister, really. So generous, kind, brilliant, funny. A people magnet. Her knowledge of and insight into actors was extraordinary.”
A former head of casting at Warner Bros., Crittenden collaborated with Martin Ritt on Murphy’s Romance (1985) and Stanley & Iris (1990); with Roger Donaldson on Thirteen Days (2000) and The World’s Fastest Indian (2005); and with Peter Weir on Witness (1985), The Mosquito Coast (1986) and Green Card (1990).
Crittenden was born in Queens on Aug.
Crittenden died Wednesday at her home in Pacific Palisades after a battle with several cancers, fellow casting director Ilene Starger told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Dianne was my mentor, we’ve known each other for 44 years,” Starger said. “She was also my dear friend, more like an older sister, really. So generous, kind, brilliant, funny. A people magnet. Her knowledge of and insight into actors was extraordinary.”
A former head of casting at Warner Bros., Crittenden collaborated with Martin Ritt on Murphy’s Romance (1985) and Stanley & Iris (1990); with Roger Donaldson on Thirteen Days (2000) and The World’s Fastest Indian (2005); and with Peter Weir on Witness (1985), The Mosquito Coast (1986) and Green Card (1990).
Crittenden was born in Queens on Aug.
- 3/21/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has been celebrating the 75th anniversary of The Actors Studio with special screenings and in-person conversations on Sunday nights in August and September. Of course, the studio is the thespian mecca and home to so many in the profession looking to hone their craft and work out their approach to their art. The guru teacher most associated with it was the great Lee Strasberg, and it even had its own long-running TV series Inside The Actors Studio in which so many stars came back to share secrets of success that had to much to do with the teaching of Method acting, or at least that was how it was labeled.
Not every actor is a fan of the “Method,” and just this week there was a trade headline straight out of a Toronto Film Festival panel where Succession star Brian Cox minced no words,...
Not every actor is a fan of the “Method,” and just this week there was a trade headline straight out of a Toronto Film Festival panel where Succession star Brian Cox minced no words,...
- 9/17/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
May on the Criterion Channel will be good to the auteurs. In fact they’re giving Richard Linklater better treatment than the distributor of his last film, with a 13-title retrospective mixing usual suspects—the Before trilogy, Boyhood, Slacker—with some truly off the beaten track. There’s a few shorts I haven’t seen but most intriguing is Heads I Win/Tails You Lose, the only available description of which calls it a four-hour (!) piece “edited together by Richard Linklater in 1991 from film countdowns and tail leaders from films submitted to the Austin Film Society in Austin, Texas from 1987 to 1990. It is Linklater’s tribute to the film countdown, used by many projectionists over the years to cue one reel of film after another when switching to another reel on another projector during projection.” Pair that with 2008’s Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach and your completionism will be on-track.
- 4/21/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Sally Field is so happy to be reunited with Dashiell Hammett.
The two-time Oscar-winning actor had been missing her cuddly Cavapoo — who’s nicknamed Dash — all morning while she was away rehearsing for “80 for Brady,” a road-trip movie she stars in with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno about four best friends who travel to the 2017 Super Bowl to see New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in action.
When Field arrives at our Variety studio, she is joined by her furry companion (brought to her by her assistant), who winds up sharing some screen time with the actor for our cover shoot and video interview. The two had bonded during the pandemic.
“When I got him, I think it really saved my life because my focus was on this little dog,” Field recalls.
Field says that Covid presented a unique set of challenges, but the actor is no stranger to struggle.
The two-time Oscar-winning actor had been missing her cuddly Cavapoo — who’s nicknamed Dash — all morning while she was away rehearsing for “80 for Brady,” a road-trip movie she stars in with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno about four best friends who travel to the 2017 Super Bowl to see New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in action.
When Field arrives at our Variety studio, she is joined by her furry companion (brought to her by her assistant), who winds up sharing some screen time with the actor for our cover shoot and video interview. The two had bonded during the pandemic.
“When I got him, I think it really saved my life because my focus was on this little dog,” Field recalls.
Field says that Covid presented a unique set of challenges, but the actor is no stranger to struggle.
- 3/23/2022
- by Claudia Eller and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Harriet Frank Jr., who collaborated with her husband, Irving Ravetch, on the Oscar-nominated screenplays for “Norma Rae” and “Hud,” died on Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 96.
Her nephew Michael Frank announced her death to the New York Times.
Frank and Ravetch worked on 17 features together after meeting while writers at MGM. She and Ravetch were married from 1946 until his death in 2010 at age 89.
Frank and Ravetch worked on eight movies directed by Martin Ritt, starting with “The Long, Hot Summer” in 1958, followed by “The Sound and the Fury” in 1959 and “Hud” in 1963. “Hud,” based on Larry McMurtry’s “Horseman, Pass By,” was nominated for seven Academy Awards. In addition to the Oscar nomination, the “Hud” screenplay received the best written American drama award from the Writers Guild of America and an award from the New York Film Critics Circle.
Frank, Ravetch and Ritt collaborated on 1974’s “Conrack,...
Her nephew Michael Frank announced her death to the New York Times.
Frank and Ravetch worked on 17 features together after meeting while writers at MGM. She and Ravetch were married from 1946 until his death in 2010 at age 89.
Frank and Ravetch worked on eight movies directed by Martin Ritt, starting with “The Long, Hot Summer” in 1958, followed by “The Sound and the Fury” in 1959 and “Hud” in 1963. “Hud,” based on Larry McMurtry’s “Horseman, Pass By,” was nominated for seven Academy Awards. In addition to the Oscar nomination, the “Hud” screenplay received the best written American drama award from the Writers Guild of America and an award from the New York Film Critics Circle.
Frank, Ravetch and Ritt collaborated on 1974’s “Conrack,...
- 1/29/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Harriet Frank Jr., whose many screenplays co-written with husband Irving Ravetch included the acclaimed Hud and Norma Rae, died Tuesday at her home in the Hollywood Hills. She was 96.
Her death was announced by nephew Michael Frank to The New York Times. The Writers Guild of America West later tweeted its condolences.
Frank and Ravetch (he died in 2010) were known for socially conscious films, exemplified by 1979’s pro-union drama Norma Rae starring Sally Field (in an Oscar winning performance), and for adaptations of literary works.
Twice Oscar-nominated for their screenplays, Frank and Ravetch had a long-running collaboration with director Martin Ritt, beginning with The Long, Hot Summer in 1958 and continuing with The Sound and The Fury (1959); Hud, Hombre (1967), Conrack (1974), Norma Rae, Murphy’s Romance (1985) and Stanley & Iris (1990). In all,...
Her death was announced by nephew Michael Frank to The New York Times. The Writers Guild of America West later tweeted its condolences.
Frank and Ravetch (he died in 2010) were known for socially conscious films, exemplified by 1979’s pro-union drama Norma Rae starring Sally Field (in an Oscar winning performance), and for adaptations of literary works.
Twice Oscar-nominated for their screenplays, Frank and Ravetch had a long-running collaboration with director Martin Ritt, beginning with The Long, Hot Summer in 1958 and continuing with The Sound and The Fury (1959); Hud, Hombre (1967), Conrack (1974), Norma Rae, Murphy’s Romance (1985) and Stanley & Iris (1990). In all,...
- 1/29/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Guardian Tim Robey has a lovely tribute to TV & film star James Garner (Rip) who I'll always remember best for Murphy's Romance and Victor/Victoria in the 1980s
Pajiba I'm more of a cat person but this gallery of big celebrities with tiny dogs is adorable
Criterion Collection on the painstaking restoration of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Thompson on Hollywood has an in depth look at the VOD decisions involving Snowpiercer from the mouth of Harvey Weinstein (so yes it's very one-sided... but interesting nonetheless)
The Dissolve 'when images match ideas' on Snowpiercer and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Pajiba has the talk with Marvel about the Edgar Wright Divorce
Towleroad Andrew Rannells starts soon as Hedwig. (I'm excited. The role is big enough for multiple interpretations)
Theater Mania Michelle Williams wants to keep singing at the Kit Kat Club longer than expected. She's staying with Cabaret all...
Pajiba I'm more of a cat person but this gallery of big celebrities with tiny dogs is adorable
Criterion Collection on the painstaking restoration of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Thompson on Hollywood has an in depth look at the VOD decisions involving Snowpiercer from the mouth of Harvey Weinstein (so yes it's very one-sided... but interesting nonetheless)
The Dissolve 'when images match ideas' on Snowpiercer and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Pajiba has the talk with Marvel about the Edgar Wright Divorce
Towleroad Andrew Rannells starts soon as Hedwig. (I'm excited. The role is big enough for multiple interpretations)
Theater Mania Michelle Williams wants to keep singing at the Kit Kat Club longer than expected. She's staying with Cabaret all...
- 7/21/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
From Westerns to war films, James Garner had a relaxed charisma all his own. As a Pow, as a gunfighter, as a private eye, Garner wore his charm like an old sweater - it never went out of style, and it always fit. In the wake of Garner's death Saturday at the age of 86, let's look back at seven of his most memorable roles, all of which showcase what critic Todd VanDerWerff calls Garner's rare ability to "make his essential James Garner-ness work in just about any situation." Maverick, 1957-1962 Though he'd had parts on the big screen for years,...
- 7/21/2014
- by Nate Jones
- PEOPLE.com
"There are few people on this planet I have adored as much as Jimmy Garner," Sally Field said of her costar in the 1985 movie Murphy's Romance. "He was a diamond." Tom Selleck paid tribute to Garner, who died Saturday night at age 86, by saying, "Jim was a mentor to me and a friend, and I will miss him." In his own words, Garner - who first rose to prominence on the '50s TV Western Maverick and whose star continued to burn bright on the '70s series The Rockford Files - sat down with People in 2005 to reminisce on...
- 7/21/2014
- by Jeff Nelson and Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
Pete Hammond offers a special appreciation of actor James Garner, who died on Saturday at age 86. He was a two-time Emmy Award winner for his leading role in "The Rockford Files" (1977) and for producing the telefilm "Promise" (1987) among his 15 career nominations. He was first known for his starring role in the western "Maverick." The Television Academy inducted him into the TV Hall of Fame in 1990. He starrred in over 50 films and earned an Oscar nomination as Best Actor for "Murphy's Romance" (1985). The Screen Actors Guild presented their life achievement award to Garner in 2005. Hammond says, "I can hardly think of any other actor who so successfully could bounce from major TV stardom to major movie stardom and back again without missing a beat. A lot of stars were afraid of television, but not Garner, who showed you could do series TV and commercials and not have it harm your status as a movie star.
- 7/21/2014
- Gold Derby
Hollywood came out in force to mourn the loss of movie and TV great James Garner on Sunday, sharing their personal recollections and thoughts on the passing of the Oscar-nominated (and Emmy-winning) star at the age of 86. Check out a sampling below, then share your own fond memories of Garner and his work in the comments. Sally Field: "My heart just broke. There are few people on this planet I have adored as much as Jimmy Garner. I cherish every moment I spent with him and relive them over and over in my head. He was a diamond." James Woods: Lois Garner just told me, "I'll never be the same. My Jim is gone." Her tears speak for all of us. #JamesGarner Rip pic.twitter.com/vUFLkfZMsX — James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) July 20, 2014 Carole King: I worked with #JamesGarner on the set of "Murphy's Romance". He was one of the nicest people.
- 7/20/2014
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Artist Pete Emslie's tribute to Garner. (Courtesy of The Cartoon Cave),
By Lee Pfeiffer
Hollywood lost another member of its rapidly diminishing roster of stars who can truly be called legends. James Garner has passed away from natural causes following years of battling severe health issues that kept him out of the public eye. He was 86 years old. Like many actors of his generation, he drifted into the profession as an unlikely candidate for stardom. Garner served in the Korean War and was awarded two Purple Hearts, a fact he was characteristically humble about discussing. He landed some parts in "A" list feature films in the late 1950s before starring as Bret Maverick in the smash hit TV series "Maverick". His popularity exploded in the 1960s when he became part of a select number of TV stars to successfully transfer their popularity to the big screen. Garner made a major...
By Lee Pfeiffer
Hollywood lost another member of its rapidly diminishing roster of stars who can truly be called legends. James Garner has passed away from natural causes following years of battling severe health issues that kept him out of the public eye. He was 86 years old. Like many actors of his generation, he drifted into the profession as an unlikely candidate for stardom. Garner served in the Korean War and was awarded two Purple Hearts, a fact he was characteristically humble about discussing. He landed some parts in "A" list feature films in the late 1950s before starring as Bret Maverick in the smash hit TV series "Maverick". His popularity exploded in the 1960s when he became part of a select number of TV stars to successfully transfer their popularity to the big screen. Garner made a major...
- 7/20/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Television legend James Garner has died at the age of 86. He reportedly passed away late last night.
Garner began his career with a non-speaking role in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial on Broadway after helping actor Lloyd Nolan learn his lines. He then landed a regular role in the touring production.
From there, he moved on to small roles in movies and television. While he found success starring in more than 50 films over the course of his career -- including The Thrill of It All, The Americanization of Emily, Victor/Victoria, Murphy's Romance, Support Your Local Sheriff!, and The Notebook -- Garner really made his mark on the small screen.
He starred in a comedic Western, Maverick, in 1957 on ABC. Garner's Bret Maverick character sought out high-stakes poker games and rarely stayed in one place for very long. Unlike...
Garner began his career with a non-speaking role in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial on Broadway after helping actor Lloyd Nolan learn his lines. He then landed a regular role in the touring production.
From there, he moved on to small roles in movies and television. While he found success starring in more than 50 films over the course of his career -- including The Thrill of It All, The Americanization of Emily, Victor/Victoria, Murphy's Romance, Support Your Local Sheriff!, and The Notebook -- Garner really made his mark on the small screen.
He starred in a comedic Western, Maverick, in 1957 on ABC. Garner's Bret Maverick character sought out high-stakes poker games and rarely stayed in one place for very long. Unlike...
- 7/20/2014
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Actor James Garner has died at the age of 86, reportedly of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Garner was probably best known for his television shows "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files", though his presence on film won't go overlooked especially in such films as The Great Escape, Grand Prix, Sayonara, The Americanization of Emily, Victor/Victoria, The Notebook and Space Cowboys. My personal experience with Garner's work is limited to only a couple of the films mentioned above, but perhaps mostly when he appeared as the father to Mel Gibson in the feature film version of Maverick, co-starring Jodie Foster. Garner was something of an everyman performer, nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in 1986 for Murphy's Romance, three-time Golden Globe winner, though never for his most popular roles, two-time Emmy winner and most recently, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild...
- 7/20/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
James Garner, a legendary actor of both the small and silver screens for nearly six decades, passed away Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 86. Lapd confirmed reports that the actor was found dead at his home, and while Garner suffered from various ailments in recent years – including a minor stroke in 2008 – it appears he died from natural causes, the Los Angeles Times reports.
A towering, charismatic presence with a slight Oklahoma accent from his childhood, Garner's long filmography is filled with dozens of unforgettable roles, from long TV stints as...
A towering, charismatic presence with a slight Oklahoma accent from his childhood, Garner's long filmography is filled with dozens of unforgettable roles, from long TV stints as...
- 7/20/2014
- Rollingstone.com
James Garner, an actor best known for his portrayals of charming, wry anti-heroes in "The Rockford Files" and "Maverick", has died. He was 86.
He was born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928 in Norman, Oklahoma, the third and youngest son of Mildred and Weldon Bumgarner. His young life was very unsettled; at the age of four, his mother passed away, and James and his brothers Charles and Jack were sent away to live with relatives. When their father remarried in 1930 the boys were able to return home, but their stepmother mistreated them and the marriage ended after her cruelty to the boys, James in particular, grew untenable. Weldon, leaving the boys behind, moved to Los Angeles to look for steady work. After a brief stint in the Merchant Marines at the age of 16 (which ended due to his extreme seasickness), James followed his father to California, where he enrolled in Hollywood High School briefly. While there, he was recommended for a Jantzen swimsuit modeling job which turned out to be his first taste of Hollywood.
Grown tired of modeling and repelled by the phoniness of the Hollywood movie system, he returned to Norman and re-enrolled in high school there for a short time, before dropping out for good and enrolling in the National Guard. After a serious knee injury, he was discharged from the National Guard, only to be drafted by the Army in 1949 and sent to fight in Korea, where he was twice wounded and awarded two Purple Hearts.
After his discharge from the Army, he was persuaded by producer Paul Gregory, an old friend from his Hollywood High School days, to accept a role in his Broadway play "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial". In taking the role and studying following Henry Fonda's performance every night, James learned what he deemed his most effective tool in acting: listening.
His Broadway experience led him back to Los Angeles, where he won roles in commercials and TV, eventually signing a contract with Warner Brothers, who changed his screen name to Garner without his permission for his appearance in the 1956 film The Girl He Left Behind. In that same year he met Lois Clark at a political rally, and the two married 14 days later. Garner adopted Lois’s daughter Kimberly, and the couple also had a daughter together, Greta. It was after Greta’s birth that he legally changed his surname to Garner, as he was concerned that his children would have too many last names.
In 1957, he won a lead in the new television series “Maverick”, the role in which he originated and refined the ‘charming and hesitantly heroic con-man’ persona that would resonate with audiences through the remainder of his career. His turn as Bret Maverick, first imagined as the focal point of a by-the-numbers Western soon morphed into a new sort of anti-hero, one with a sense of humor who would rather charm than shoot or fight his way out of a bad situation. This portrayal of Bret earned him a Golden Globe in 1958, and an Emmy nomination in 1957. Network concerns led James to leave the show in 1960 and head back to feature films, where he relied on his life’s experiences to flesh out roles in a varied collection of films: the dramatic The Children’s Hour; war movies The Great Escape, 36 Hours and The Americanization of Emily; romantic comedies The Thrill Of It All and Move Over Darling and even racing drama Grand Prix. It was during Grand Prix that Garner discovered one of his life’s passions – auto racing – that would inspire him to support a racing team himself.
In 1970, he joined forces once again with “Maverick” creator Roy Huggins and writer Stephen J. Cannell to bring a new detective show to television, “The Rockford Files”. Much like they had in “Maverick”, they used the show to reinvent the detective genre. Gone were the hard-nosed gumshoe tactics and gunplay used in noir-inspired private investigator series, replaced by Jim Rockford’s easygoing personality and wit as the main tools used to solve robberies, insurance scams and the like. The show would run for six seasons before Garner’s stunt injuries and financial disputes ended the run, but not without Garner earning a Best Actor Emmy in 1977. In between film roles, Garner would revisit the character several times during the next few decades in made-for-TV movies, as the original show’s growing popularity in re-runs fueled demand for more Jim Rockford tales from a new generation of fans.
Garner’s film career continued alongside his major TV successes for the next 3 decades. Cinematic roles in Victor/Victoria, Murphy's Romance (which earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination), Tank, Twilight, Maverick, Space Cowboys, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Notebook were interspersed with appearances in TV movies and series such as “Bret Maverick”, “Man of the People” “Chicago Hope” “First Monday” and “8 Rules for Dating Your Teenage Daughter.” Though he had experienced physical injuries in sports, war and during stunt work and had recovered from quintuple heart bypass in 1998, it wasn’t until suffering a stroke in 2008 that his work slowed.
He is survived by his wife Lois and his daughters Greta and Kimberly. He was preceded in death by his brother Charles in 1985.
He was born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928 in Norman, Oklahoma, the third and youngest son of Mildred and Weldon Bumgarner. His young life was very unsettled; at the age of four, his mother passed away, and James and his brothers Charles and Jack were sent away to live with relatives. When their father remarried in 1930 the boys were able to return home, but their stepmother mistreated them and the marriage ended after her cruelty to the boys, James in particular, grew untenable. Weldon, leaving the boys behind, moved to Los Angeles to look for steady work. After a brief stint in the Merchant Marines at the age of 16 (which ended due to his extreme seasickness), James followed his father to California, where he enrolled in Hollywood High School briefly. While there, he was recommended for a Jantzen swimsuit modeling job which turned out to be his first taste of Hollywood.
Grown tired of modeling and repelled by the phoniness of the Hollywood movie system, he returned to Norman and re-enrolled in high school there for a short time, before dropping out for good and enrolling in the National Guard. After a serious knee injury, he was discharged from the National Guard, only to be drafted by the Army in 1949 and sent to fight in Korea, where he was twice wounded and awarded two Purple Hearts.
After his discharge from the Army, he was persuaded by producer Paul Gregory, an old friend from his Hollywood High School days, to accept a role in his Broadway play "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial". In taking the role and studying following Henry Fonda's performance every night, James learned what he deemed his most effective tool in acting: listening.
His Broadway experience led him back to Los Angeles, where he won roles in commercials and TV, eventually signing a contract with Warner Brothers, who changed his screen name to Garner without his permission for his appearance in the 1956 film The Girl He Left Behind. In that same year he met Lois Clark at a political rally, and the two married 14 days later. Garner adopted Lois’s daughter Kimberly, and the couple also had a daughter together, Greta. It was after Greta’s birth that he legally changed his surname to Garner, as he was concerned that his children would have too many last names.
In 1957, he won a lead in the new television series “Maverick”, the role in which he originated and refined the ‘charming and hesitantly heroic con-man’ persona that would resonate with audiences through the remainder of his career. His turn as Bret Maverick, first imagined as the focal point of a by-the-numbers Western soon morphed into a new sort of anti-hero, one with a sense of humor who would rather charm than shoot or fight his way out of a bad situation. This portrayal of Bret earned him a Golden Globe in 1958, and an Emmy nomination in 1957. Network concerns led James to leave the show in 1960 and head back to feature films, where he relied on his life’s experiences to flesh out roles in a varied collection of films: the dramatic The Children’s Hour; war movies The Great Escape, 36 Hours and The Americanization of Emily; romantic comedies The Thrill Of It All and Move Over Darling and even racing drama Grand Prix. It was during Grand Prix that Garner discovered one of his life’s passions – auto racing – that would inspire him to support a racing team himself.
In 1970, he joined forces once again with “Maverick” creator Roy Huggins and writer Stephen J. Cannell to bring a new detective show to television, “The Rockford Files”. Much like they had in “Maverick”, they used the show to reinvent the detective genre. Gone were the hard-nosed gumshoe tactics and gunplay used in noir-inspired private investigator series, replaced by Jim Rockford’s easygoing personality and wit as the main tools used to solve robberies, insurance scams and the like. The show would run for six seasons before Garner’s stunt injuries and financial disputes ended the run, but not without Garner earning a Best Actor Emmy in 1977. In between film roles, Garner would revisit the character several times during the next few decades in made-for-TV movies, as the original show’s growing popularity in re-runs fueled demand for more Jim Rockford tales from a new generation of fans.
Garner’s film career continued alongside his major TV successes for the next 3 decades. Cinematic roles in Victor/Victoria, Murphy's Romance (which earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination), Tank, Twilight, Maverick, Space Cowboys, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Notebook were interspersed with appearances in TV movies and series such as “Bret Maverick”, “Man of the People” “Chicago Hope” “First Monday” and “8 Rules for Dating Your Teenage Daughter.” Though he had experienced physical injuries in sports, war and during stunt work and had recovered from quintuple heart bypass in 1998, it wasn’t until suffering a stroke in 2008 that his work slowed.
He is survived by his wife Lois and his daughters Greta and Kimberly. He was preceded in death by his brother Charles in 1985.
- 7/20/2014
- by Heather Campbell
- IMDb News
Legendary actor James Garner has died at the age of 86. TMZ reports that an ambulance was sent to the actor's Los Angeles home on Sunday but he was dead when they arrived. The distinctively voiced actor reportedly died of natural causes.
With more than five decades of projects under his belt, Garner was one of those rare actors who had an equally successful career in both television and movies.
On TV he was in not one but two iconic roles as the title characters in 1950s western-comedy "Maverick" and 1970s detective drama "The Rockford Files". He subsequently appeared in the 1994 "Maverick" film as the father of Mel Gibson's younger Maverick lead.
He also starred in over fifty films including many iconic titles like "The Great Escape," "Grand Prix," "Victor/Victoria," "The Americanization of Emily," "Marlowe," "Hour of the Gun," "Up Periscope," "The Art of Love," "The Fan," "Barbarians at the Gate,...
With more than five decades of projects under his belt, Garner was one of those rare actors who had an equally successful career in both television and movies.
On TV he was in not one but two iconic roles as the title characters in 1950s western-comedy "Maverick" and 1970s detective drama "The Rockford Files". He subsequently appeared in the 1994 "Maverick" film as the father of Mel Gibson's younger Maverick lead.
He also starred in over fifty films including many iconic titles like "The Great Escape," "Grand Prix," "Victor/Victoria," "The Americanization of Emily," "Marlowe," "Hour of the Gun," "Up Periscope," "The Art of Love," "The Fan," "Barbarians at the Gate,...
- 7/20/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
James Garner, for more than 50 years one of Hollywood's most likable leading men on the big screen and on TV, died at his Los Angeles home Saturday night, reports TMZ. He was 86. The star, best known for the Maverick and The Rockford Files TV series, had suffered what had been described as a minor stroke in 2008. Besides his popular work on the small screen, Garner also appeared opposite Julie Andrews in two critically acclaimed movies, 1964's The Americanization of Emily and 1982's Victor/Victoria. In addition, he costarred opposite Doris Day in The Thrill of It All and Move Over,...
- 7/20/2014
- by Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
James Garner, for more than 50 years one of Hollywood's most likable leading men on the big screen and on TV, died at his Los Angeles home Saturday night, reports TMZ. He was 86. The star, best known for the Maverick and The Rockford Files TV series, had suffered what had been described as a minor stroke in 2008. Besides his popular work on the small screen, Garner also appeared opposite Julie Andrews in two critically acclaimed movies, 1964's The Americanization of Emily and 1982's Victor/Victoria. He also costarred opposite Doris Day in The Thrill of It All and Move Over, Darling...
- 7/20/2014
- by Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
There have arguably been bigger stars in television history than the late James Garner, but none who ever made it look quite so easy. Garner, who reportedly died in his home on Saturday at the age of 86, first hit it big in 1957 with "Maverick," a comical Western in which he played Bret Maverick, a Wild West cardsharp who was as quick on the draw as he was with a quip. At a time when TV was dominated by Westerns — and very solemn ones, at that — Garner was happy to play the same material lighter, to occasionally be the clown or the guy who gets punched in the face, and yet always made it clear that Maverick could easily kill you if he wanted to — it just wasn't his preferred way of doing things. Garner left Maverick after only a few seasons (and had spent much of that time alternating episodes...
- 7/20/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
James Garner, a legendary television and movie star, has passed away at the age of 86. According to TMZ, Garner was pronounced dead at his home at 8 Pm Saturday night in Los Angeles. The Oklahoma native and U.S. Army veteran got his start in a small role on Broadway, "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial" before breaking into television. He was best known for his playing Brett Maverick in "Maverick" and Jim Rockford on "The Rockford Files." Garner also had a number of great screen roles in films such as "The Americanization of Emily," "The Great Escape," "Murphy's Romance," "Victor Victoria," "Maverick," "Twilight" (1998), "Space Cowboys" and "The Notebook." Garner earned many accolades for his work over the years including two Emmy Awards (15 nominations), an Academy Award nomination for "Romance," a Screen Actors' Guild lifetime achievement award and three Golden Globe Awards (12 nominations). He also earned the TCA Awards lifetime award in...
- 7/20/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
A new report from Chicago Sun-Times claimed Cissy Houston was so outraged by the National Enquirer's front-page casket photo of daughter Whitney Houston, she's seeking an in-depth investigation to find out who snapped the picture. An "Extra" source says the story is not true.
The story, which is unconfirmed, said a source claimed Cissy has requested all the people who could have possibly taken the photo -- including the Whigham Funeral Home staff -- take a lie detector test.
The story, which is unconfirmed, said a source claimed Cissy has requested all the people who could have possibly taken the photo -- including the Whigham Funeral Home staff -- take a lie detector test.
- 2/24/2012
- Extra
Aretha Franklin was a no-show at Whitney Houston's funeral on Saturday because she was suffering from leg spasms, or was it because she angered the late singer's mother with remarks she made during a Friday appearance on "Today"? Was it a little disrespect?
Franklin, 69, unexpectedly canceled her scheduled performance at Houston's funeral service. Dionne Warwick was apparently unaware that Aretha wasn't there, and called for her to come to the pulpit, saying, "Oh, 'Re's not here?...
Franklin, 69, unexpectedly canceled her scheduled performance at Houston's funeral service. Dionne Warwick was apparently unaware that Aretha wasn't there, and called for her to come to the pulpit, saying, "Oh, 'Re's not here?...
- 2/21/2012
- Extra
The most recent incident of a tragic celebrity death was the sudden passing of Whitney Houston at the Beverly Hilton on Feb. 11. She is believed to have died from a lethal combination of prescription drugs and alcohol.
Here is The Extra List of some of Hollywood's biggest players who died from drug-related complications.
The Extra List: Hollywood Drug DeathsWhitney Houston
Whitney Houston, who struggled with substance abuse for the last few decades, died on February...
Here is The Extra List of some of Hollywood's biggest players who died from drug-related complications.
The Extra List: Hollywood Drug DeathsWhitney Houston
Whitney Houston, who struggled with substance abuse for the last few decades, died on February...
- 2/16/2012
- Extra
James Garner is pretty much the embodiment of the phrase "beloved actor." The star of "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files" has earned his good-guy image over a career that spans more than half a century.
He's also not afraid to speak his mind, apparently. Garner's memoir "The Garner Files" (written with Jon Winokur) hit shelves Tuesday (Nov. 1), and it's full of amusing anecdotes, occasionally less-than-kind assessments of some of his fellow actors and candid evaluation of his own work as an actor.
"Something funny happens when you get older," the 83-year-old Garner writes at the beginning of his story. "You don't hold back so much."
A few of our favorite stories from "The Garner Files":
- Garner's first acting job didn't really involve much acting. After serving in the Korean War, Garner returned to the U.S. -- where an old acquaintance who was by then a producer cast...
He's also not afraid to speak his mind, apparently. Garner's memoir "The Garner Files" (written with Jon Winokur) hit shelves Tuesday (Nov. 1), and it's full of amusing anecdotes, occasionally less-than-kind assessments of some of his fellow actors and candid evaluation of his own work as an actor.
"Something funny happens when you get older," the 83-year-old Garner writes at the beginning of his story. "You don't hold back so much."
A few of our favorite stories from "The Garner Files":
- Garner's first acting job didn't really involve much acting. After serving in the Korean War, Garner returned to the U.S. -- where an old acquaintance who was by then a producer cast...
- 11/2/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
James Garner is mourning the death of his actor brother Jack.
The Academy Award nominee's elder brother Jack Garner died on Tuesday in Palm Springs, California. He was 85.
Jack appeared in more than 60 episodes of The Rockford Files with James, and the siblings also co-starred on the big screen in Maverick and My Fellow Americans.
Jack racked up TV credits with small roles in shows including The Green Hornet, The Doris Day Show, Gunsmoke and The Bionic Woman, and even enjoyed a career as a minor league baseball player.
He also forged a career in music as the onetime lead singer of the house band at Los Angeles' Cocoanut Grove venue, according to Daily Variety.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, as well as a daughter and Murphy's Romance star James, who he affectionately nicknamed Babe.
The Academy Award nominee's elder brother Jack Garner died on Tuesday in Palm Springs, California. He was 85.
Jack appeared in more than 60 episodes of The Rockford Files with James, and the siblings also co-starred on the big screen in Maverick and My Fellow Americans.
Jack racked up TV credits with small roles in shows including The Green Hornet, The Doris Day Show, Gunsmoke and The Bionic Woman, and even enjoyed a career as a minor league baseball player.
He also forged a career in music as the onetime lead singer of the house band at Los Angeles' Cocoanut Grove venue, according to Daily Variety.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, as well as a daughter and Murphy's Romance star James, who he affectionately nicknamed Babe.
- 9/15/2011
- WENN
[1] Film producer and studio executive Laura Ziskin died [2] Sunday, succumbing to a seven-year battle with breast cancer. As one of Hollywood's most notable producers, Ziskin was a driving force behind films as varied and notable as Pretty Woman, Hero, As Good as It Gets, and the Spider-Man films. In addition, she was a vocal advocate for cancer research, co-founding Stand Up to Cancer in 2008. Ziskin was 61. Ziskin's long career began upon her graduation from USC's School of Cinematic Arts in 1973, when she took a job working for producer Jon Peters. She moved on to become a producer in the '80s. One of her first notable credits was Murphy's Romance in 1984, for she and partner Sally Field created the production company Fogwood Films. The film won James Garner an Academy Award for Best Actor. In 1990, she produced one of the biggest films of her career -- Pretty Woman, still considered...
- 6/13/2011
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
Producer and health campaigner Laura Ziskin has died after losing her seven-year battle with breast cancer. She was 61.
The moviemaker passed away at her Los Angeles home on Sunday.
Ziskin made her name as a producer in the 1980s, making her debut working on 1985's Murphy's Romance, and she went on to help make Julia Roberts a star by taking charge of 1990's Pretty Woman.
She took on producer duties for two Academy Awards ceremonies (2002 and 2007) and also served as president of Fox 2000 Pictures, a feature film division of 20th Century Fox.
Ziskin co-produced all three Spider-Man movies and was working on next year's installment, The Amazing Spider-Man, before her death.
Ziskin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and underwent several treatments, including a mastectomy and chemotherapy, in a bid to overcome the disease.
She went on to co-found Stand Up To Cancer (Sutc), a charity to raise funds for research into the disease. The venture has been supported by two telethons since its inception in 2008, with stars including Michael Douglas, Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry taking part in the projects.
Ziskin's cancer returned in 2009, having spread to her liver and bones, and she eventually lost her fight for life on Sunday.
Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, has led tributes to Ziskin, and urged fans to donate to Stand Up To Cancer in her memory.
In a series of posts on her Twitter.com page, she writes, "Just heard that the remarkable, talented, amazing Laura Ziskin has passed away! SU2C (Stand Up To Cancer) we will continue to fight for you!!! Bless you Laura!
"Sorry for my language but f**k this disease! Today in honour of Laura and millions of others who have lost the battle. Donate... Be of service."
Ziskin's Stand Up to Cancer co-founder Katie Couric says, "Laura was one of the most courageous people I've ever known. Her fearlessness in the face of this relentless killer inspires everyone on the SU2C team to redouble our efforts to make cancer history."
Ziskin is survived by her screenwriter husband Alvin Sargent and a daughter from her first marriage.
The moviemaker passed away at her Los Angeles home on Sunday.
Ziskin made her name as a producer in the 1980s, making her debut working on 1985's Murphy's Romance, and she went on to help make Julia Roberts a star by taking charge of 1990's Pretty Woman.
She took on producer duties for two Academy Awards ceremonies (2002 and 2007) and also served as president of Fox 2000 Pictures, a feature film division of 20th Century Fox.
Ziskin co-produced all three Spider-Man movies and was working on next year's installment, The Amazing Spider-Man, before her death.
Ziskin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and underwent several treatments, including a mastectomy and chemotherapy, in a bid to overcome the disease.
She went on to co-found Stand Up To Cancer (Sutc), a charity to raise funds for research into the disease. The venture has been supported by two telethons since its inception in 2008, with stars including Michael Douglas, Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry taking part in the projects.
Ziskin's cancer returned in 2009, having spread to her liver and bones, and she eventually lost her fight for life on Sunday.
Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, has led tributes to Ziskin, and urged fans to donate to Stand Up To Cancer in her memory.
In a series of posts on her Twitter.com page, she writes, "Just heard that the remarkable, talented, amazing Laura Ziskin has passed away! SU2C (Stand Up To Cancer) we will continue to fight for you!!! Bless you Laura!
"Sorry for my language but f**k this disease! Today in honour of Laura and millions of others who have lost the battle. Donate... Be of service."
Ziskin's Stand Up to Cancer co-founder Katie Couric says, "Laura was one of the most courageous people I've ever known. Her fearlessness in the face of this relentless killer inspires everyone on the SU2C team to redouble our efforts to make cancer history."
Ziskin is survived by her screenwriter husband Alvin Sargent and a daughter from her first marriage.
- 6/13/2011
- WENN
Oscar-nominated Us screenwriter known for his work on Norma Rae, Hud and Hombre
The husband-and-wife screenwriting team of Irving Ravetch, who has died aged 89, and Harriet Frank Jr specialised in adapting the work of writers as varied as William Faulkner, Larry McMurtry and Elmore Leonard. The pair enjoyed a particularly successful collaboration with the director Martin Ritt, with whom they made eight films notable for their acute concern with social justice. The screenplays for two of these, Hud (1963) and Norma Rae (1979), were nominated for Academy awards. The latter, for which Sally Field won an Oscar for best actress, had a pro-union theme that illustrated Ravetch's belief in film's ability to "seed ideas and wake up dormant minds".
He was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Jewish immigrant parents. His father, from Russia, was a pharmacist who became a rabbi. His mother, from what is now Israel, taught Hebrew. When Ravetch...
The husband-and-wife screenwriting team of Irving Ravetch, who has died aged 89, and Harriet Frank Jr specialised in adapting the work of writers as varied as William Faulkner, Larry McMurtry and Elmore Leonard. The pair enjoyed a particularly successful collaboration with the director Martin Ritt, with whom they made eight films notable for their acute concern with social justice. The screenplays for two of these, Hud (1963) and Norma Rae (1979), were nominated for Academy awards. The latter, for which Sally Field won an Oscar for best actress, had a pro-union theme that illustrated Ravetch's belief in film's ability to "seed ideas and wake up dormant minds".
He was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Jewish immigrant parents. His father, from Russia, was a pharmacist who became a rabbi. His mother, from what is now Israel, taught Hebrew. When Ravetch...
- 10/4/2010
- by Michael Carlson
- The Guardian - Film News
Irving Ravetch, who with Harriet Frank Jr. formed one of the great husband-and-wife screenwriting teams in Hollywood history, died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a lingering illness. He was 89.
Ravetch and Frank shared Academy Award nominations for their adapted screenplays for "Hud" (1963) and "Norma Rae" (1979), which contributed to Oscar wins for actresses Patricia Neal and Sally Field, respectively.
The couple teamed on 18 other films, many of which are regarded as some of the finest Hollywood films produced during the 1960s, '70s and '80s, including "The Sound and the Fury" (1959), "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1960), "Home From the Hill" (1960), "The Long Hot Summer" (1965), "Hombre" (1967), "The Rievers" (1969), "The Cowboys" (1972), "Conrack" (1974) and "Murphy's Romance" (1985).
In 1988, Ravetch and Frank were awarded the WGA's Laurel Award for Screen Writing Achievement. In addition to co-writing "Hud," "Hombre" and "The Rievers," Ravetch served as a producer on those films.
Ravetch and Frank shared Academy Award nominations for their adapted screenplays for "Hud" (1963) and "Norma Rae" (1979), which contributed to Oscar wins for actresses Patricia Neal and Sally Field, respectively.
The couple teamed on 18 other films, many of which are regarded as some of the finest Hollywood films produced during the 1960s, '70s and '80s, including "The Sound and the Fury" (1959), "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1960), "Home From the Hill" (1960), "The Long Hot Summer" (1965), "Hombre" (1967), "The Rievers" (1969), "The Cowboys" (1972), "Conrack" (1974) and "Murphy's Romance" (1985).
In 1988, Ravetch and Frank were awarded the WGA's Laurel Award for Screen Writing Achievement. In addition to co-writing "Hud," "Hombre" and "The Rievers," Ravetch served as a producer on those films.
- 9/20/2010
- by By Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cinematographer whose innovative work brought him five Oscar nominations
The American cinematographer William Fraker, who has died of cancer aged 86, worked on dozens of mainstream films – the good, the bad, but never the ugly. Fraker could not be praised or blamed for the direction, acting or script, but the look of a film was, on the whole, his responsibility. Although he saw himself as part of a team who tried to fulfil the director's vision, Fraker began to push the boundaries of cinematography in commercial cinema by using faster and wider lenses, restricting lighting sources and employing techniques such as flashing and deliberate overexposure.
According to Fraker: "The director is the captain of the ship, the cinematographer is the executive officer. You have to really learn who you're working with and what they think. It's like a marriage. As a cinematographer, you can immediately tell a terrific director if they...
The American cinematographer William Fraker, who has died of cancer aged 86, worked on dozens of mainstream films – the good, the bad, but never the ugly. Fraker could not be praised or blamed for the direction, acting or script, but the look of a film was, on the whole, his responsibility. Although he saw himself as part of a team who tried to fulfil the director's vision, Fraker began to push the boundaries of cinematography in commercial cinema by using faster and wider lenses, restricting lighting sources and employing techniques such as flashing and deliberate overexposure.
According to Fraker: "The director is the captain of the ship, the cinematographer is the executive officer. You have to really learn who you're working with and what they think. It's like a marriage. As a cinematographer, you can immediately tell a terrific director if they...
- 6/10/2010
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
While it's easy to get caught up in the passing of Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper, Hollywood lost another talent this week. THR reports that Oscar-nominated cinematographer William Fraker has lost his battle with cancer. He was 86 years old.
Fraker may not be a household name, but odds are you've seen something he helped shoot. He was nominated six times for an Academy Award for his work on the films Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Heaven Can Wait, 1941, WarGames and Murphy's Romance, as well as a visual effects mention for 1941. He also served as cinematographer on Bullitt (starring Steve McQueen) and Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby.
After serving in the Navy during World War II, Fraker returned home and enrolled in USC's film school. He would return to USC as a teacher in the last few years of his life, where students undoubtedly learned a great deal from someone who'd worked...
Fraker may not be a household name, but odds are you've seen something he helped shoot. He was nominated six times for an Academy Award for his work on the films Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Heaven Can Wait, 1941, WarGames and Murphy's Romance, as well as a visual effects mention for 1941. He also served as cinematographer on Bullitt (starring Steve McQueen) and Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby.
After serving in the Navy during World War II, Fraker returned home and enrolled in USC's film school. He would return to USC as a teacher in the last few years of his life, where students undoubtedly learned a great deal from someone who'd worked...
- 6/2/2010
- by Alison Nastasi
- Cinematical
By Lisa Horowitz
Legendary cinematographer William A. Fraker died Monday of cancer at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 86.
Fraker was nominated for six Oscars, five for cinematography -- including three in a row for "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977), "Heaven Can Wait" (1978) and "1941" (1979), as well as "WarGames" and "Murphy's Romance" -- and one for the visual effects on "1941&qu...
Legendary cinematographer William A. Fraker died Monday of cancer at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He was 86.
Fraker was nominated for six Oscars, five for cinematography -- including three in a row for "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977), "Heaven Can Wait" (1978) and "1941" (1979), as well as "WarGames" and "Murphy's Romance" -- and one for the visual effects on "1941&qu...
- 6/2/2010
- by Lisa Horowitz
- The Wrap
William A. Fraker, a six-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. He was 86.
Fraker earned cinematography noms for "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977), "Heaven Can Wait" (1978), "1941" (1980), "WarGames" (1983) and "Murphy's Romance" (1985) as well as a visual effects mention for "1941."
Fraker emerged as an influential cinematographer during the '60s, with credits including 1968 pics "Bullitt" and "Rosemary's Baby" and 1969's "Paint Your Wagon." He served as Asc president three times and received the Asc Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Born and raised in Hollywood, Fraker served in the Navy during World War II, then enrolled in film school at USC assisted by the G.I. Bill of Rights. He taught at the school in recent years.
"William A. Fraker, Asc, Bsc, embodied not only the consummate artistry that was necessary to become a legend in his craft but also the romance and glamour of making movies,...
Fraker earned cinematography noms for "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977), "Heaven Can Wait" (1978), "1941" (1980), "WarGames" (1983) and "Murphy's Romance" (1985) as well as a visual effects mention for "1941."
Fraker emerged as an influential cinematographer during the '60s, with credits including 1968 pics "Bullitt" and "Rosemary's Baby" and 1969's "Paint Your Wagon." He served as Asc president three times and received the Asc Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Born and raised in Hollywood, Fraker served in the Navy during World War II, then enrolled in film school at USC assisted by the G.I. Bill of Rights. He taught at the school in recent years.
"William A. Fraker, Asc, Bsc, embodied not only the consummate artistry that was necessary to become a legend in his craft but also the romance and glamour of making movies,...
- 6/1/2010
- by By Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Impish, irrepressible Canadian actor whose star reached its zenith with The Lost Boys
If the Artful Dodger had smartened himself up, dyed his hair, worn snazzy jackets with the sleeves rolled up, and sought an alternative career as a Jackie or My Guy cover star, he would have resembled Corey Haim at the peak of his career.
The Canadian actor, who has died unexpectedly aged 38, did not spend more than a few years in the limelight. Yet it was his chirpy, irrepressible personality, as much as the occasional high-profile film role between the mid-1980s and early 90s, that earned him the affectionate regard of mainstream audiences. Out of a meagre selection of movies, many of which went straight to video or DVD, it was the 1987 vampire romp The Lost Boys which earned him his teenybopper fanbase. The lopsided smile, impish eyes and jauntily spiked hair made him perfect pin-up fodder.
If the Artful Dodger had smartened himself up, dyed his hair, worn snazzy jackets with the sleeves rolled up, and sought an alternative career as a Jackie or My Guy cover star, he would have resembled Corey Haim at the peak of his career.
The Canadian actor, who has died unexpectedly aged 38, did not spend more than a few years in the limelight. Yet it was his chirpy, irrepressible personality, as much as the occasional high-profile film role between the mid-1980s and early 90s, that earned him the affectionate regard of mainstream audiences. Out of a meagre selection of movies, many of which went straight to video or DVD, it was the 1987 vampire romp The Lost Boys which earned him his teenybopper fanbase. The lopsided smile, impish eyes and jauntily spiked hair made him perfect pin-up fodder.
- 3/11/2010
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Corey Haim, arguably the 1980's equivalent of Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, passed away at 38, apparently of a drug overdose, a tragedy that appears to have been accidental, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Though Haim fell on hard times both personally and professionally, Haim and fellow actor Corey Feldman -- collectively referred to as the "Two Coreys" -- once ruled the film world and were teen heartthrobs of the highest order. Haim, who hailed from Canada, arrived on the scene with the drama Firstborn (1984), starring opposite Peter Weller and Teri Garr, gained additional traction with Silver Bullet (1985) and Murphy's Romance (1985), and completely won over audiences with his heartbreaking, utterly natural turn as the lovable loser title character in Lucas (1986), with Charlie Sheen. But it was the handsome young actor's collaborations with Feldman that transformed him into a major star: The Lost Boys (1987), License to Drive (1988), and Dream a Little Dream...
- 3/11/2010
- by ianspelling@corp.popstar.com (Ian Spelling)
- PopStar
You've probably already heard that former teen star Corey Haim was found dead today at 38, apparently of a drug overdose. Hollywood can unfortunately fill whole cemeteries with actors whose brief bouts of fame seem to have preceded (or caused?) drug-filled obscurity. Fame can't be easy to deal with, and though most of us can only guess, faded fame might be even harder still. [Not all former child / teen stars have difficulties with anonymity though. I remember seeing early 90s star Mayim Bailik (TV's Blossom but, more importantly, young Bette Midler in Beaches!) on an episode of "What Not to Wear" fairly recently. She seemed happy and content with just being a regular person.]
I never saw Corey's recent short lived TV show "The Two Coreys", in which he co-starred with his frequent screen partner and fellow teen icon Corey Feldman, mostly because the fame-whoring subgenre of reality TV makes me crazy uncomfortable. I don't feel "above it" per se -- I know many readers love reality tv so I'm not trying to get judgey -- but I just literally can't watch any show that's about the Z list.
I never saw Corey's recent short lived TV show "The Two Coreys", in which he co-starred with his frequent screen partner and fellow teen icon Corey Feldman, mostly because the fame-whoring subgenre of reality TV makes me crazy uncomfortable. I don't feel "above it" per se -- I know many readers love reality tv so I'm not trying to get judgey -- but I just literally can't watch any show that's about the Z list.
- 3/11/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Corey Haim, the star of The Lost Boys and Lucas, has died aged 38. We pay tribute to an actor who grew up in the limelight, but whose adult career was spent sadly in search of it
The road to adulthood for the child star is frequently a rocky one. For Corey Haim, who has died at the age of 38, it proved, in the end, too much to negotiate. Haim's guileless, fun-loving, all-American brand of youth and confidence won him many admirers. But it was a difficult schtick to carry into adulthood.
Born in Toronto in 1971, Haim enrolled in acting lessons to help cure his shyness. He proved a natural, with a great fresh grin and an easy way with a one-liner, which won him a small role, aged 12, on TV show The Edison Twins.
His debut feature film was Firstborn, an early vehicle for then-couple Robert Downey Jr and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The road to adulthood for the child star is frequently a rocky one. For Corey Haim, who has died at the age of 38, it proved, in the end, too much to negotiate. Haim's guileless, fun-loving, all-American brand of youth and confidence won him many admirers. But it was a difficult schtick to carry into adulthood.
Born in Toronto in 1971, Haim enrolled in acting lessons to help cure his shyness. He proved a natural, with a great fresh grin and an easy way with a one-liner, which won him a small role, aged 12, on TV show The Edison Twins.
His debut feature film was Firstborn, an early vehicle for then-couple Robert Downey Jr and Sarah Jessica Parker.
- 3/10/2010
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
News this morning brings word '80s movie star Corey Haim has passed away due to an apparent accidental overdose, according to the Lapd's North Hollywood Division. Ktla reports police said Haim was found unresponsive inside a unit at the Oakwood Apartment Complex, located between Burbank and the Hollywood Hills.
He was at home with his mother at the time. He was pronounced dead Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank.
Haim had flu-like symptoms before he died and was getting over-the-counter and prescription medications, Police Sgt. William Mann said.
My personal memory of Haim was as Corey Feldman's sidekick most notably as Sam in The Lost Boys in 1987. I didn't watch many of his films though, which included License to Drive, Murphy's Romance and Silver Bullet. Most recently he had a bit role in Crank: High Voltage and on television opposite Feldman in the Aand#038;E show "The Two Coreys.
He was at home with his mother at the time. He was pronounced dead Providence St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank.
Haim had flu-like symptoms before he died and was getting over-the-counter and prescription medications, Police Sgt. William Mann said.
My personal memory of Haim was as Corey Feldman's sidekick most notably as Sam in The Lost Boys in 1987. I didn't watch many of his films though, which included License to Drive, Murphy's Romance and Silver Bullet. Most recently he had a bit role in Crank: High Voltage and on television opposite Feldman in the Aand#038;E show "The Two Coreys.
- 3/10/2010
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
A Note: I will be returning to reviewing Streep movies soon but for now let's return to discussing Streep's competitive Oscar fields. I'll try to wrap up the 80s pictures very soon. I knew this month would be Streep heavy I had no idea how mired down in the 80s nostalgia we'd get. See also: Farrah & Michael Jackson.
1985
Six Oscar nominations is a lot for anyone but what is perhaps even more impressive / serendipitous about Meryl Streep's 1985 accomplishment is that Out of Africa, a big hit and Oscar champ, was her third Best Picture winner in seven years. That's quite rare. She would go on to lose Best Actress to Geraldine Page who was, at that time, the most nominated performer (8) never to have won the golden boy (Peter O'Toole now holds the record since he lost on his 8th nomination). Page died a scant 15 months later at 62 years of age.
1985
Six Oscar nominations is a lot for anyone but what is perhaps even more impressive / serendipitous about Meryl Streep's 1985 accomplishment is that Out of Africa, a big hit and Oscar champ, was her third Best Picture winner in seven years. That's quite rare. She would go on to lose Best Actress to Geraldine Page who was, at that time, the most nominated performer (8) never to have won the golden boy (Peter O'Toole now holds the record since he lost on his 8th nomination). Page died a scant 15 months later at 62 years of age.
- 6/26/2009
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
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