CLIFF ROBERTSON - Oscar-Winning Star of "Charley"

Academy Award winning actor Cliff Robertson died in a Long Island, New York, hospital on September 10, 2011. He was 88.  Robertson was born in Los Angeles on September 9, 1923, the heir to a ranching fortune. He was raised by his materal grandmother after his mother died when he was young. He served in the Merchant Marine during World War II, and attended Antioch College in Ohio after his discharge. He subsequently moved to New York City with aspirations to be a playwright, but soon found himself appearing on stage instead. He became a familiar face on early television, and was the star of the juvenile science fiction series "Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers" from 1953 to 1954. He was also seen in episodes of "Hallmark Hall of Fame", "Kraft Theatre", "Wagon Train", "The Untouchables", "Playhouse 90", "Riverboat", "The Dick Powell Theatre", and "The United States Steel Hour". He made his film debut in 1955’s "Picnic" opposite Kim Novak. He was also featured in the films "Autumn Leaves" (1956), "The Girl Most Likely" (1958) opposite Jane Powell, the World War II drama "The Naked and the Dead" (1958), "Gidget" (1959) as the Big Kahuna with Sandra Dee, "Battle of the Coral Sea" (1959), "Underworld U.S.A." (1961), "The Interns" (1962), and "Sunday In New York" (1963). He starred in the 1957 Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’ "Orpheus Descending". He was chosen to play John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film version of the future president’s World War II heroics in "PT 109". He also starred in the films "The Best Man" (1964) as Sen. Joe Cantwell, "Masquerade" (1965), "Up From the Beach" (1965), "The Honey Pot" (1967), and "The Devil’s Brigade" (1968). He also continue to perform frequently on television with roles in the series "Outlaws", "Bus Stop", "Ben Casey", "Alcoa Premiere", "Twilight Zone" (in the episodes "The Dummy" and "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim"), "The Eleventh Hour", the pilot episode of "The Outer Limits" ("The Galaxy Being"), "The Greatest Show on Earth", "Suspense", "Breaking Point", "Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In", "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre", and "Bracken’s World". He starred as western-themed Bat-villain Shame in several episodes of the "Batman" series in the mid 1960s. His role in a 1961 episode of "The United States Steel Hour" entitled "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon" earned him an Emmy nomination as a mentally disabled man who undergoes a surgical prodedure to increase his intellect. Robertson bought the rights to the story, based on Daniel Keyes’ "Flowers for Algernon", and starred in the 1968 film adaptation, "Charley", by Stirling Silliphant. He earned the Academy Award for his performance. He starred in Robert Aldrich’s "Too Late the Hero" in 1970, and produced, directed, wrote, and starred in the modern western rodeo film "J.W. Coop" in 1971. He was outlaw Cole Younger in 1972’s "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, and stunt pilot Ace Eli in "Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies" (1973). He also appeared in the films "Man on a Swing" (1974), "Out of Season" (1975), "Three Days of the Condor" (1975), "Shoot" (1976), "Midway" (1976) as Commander Carl Jessop, "Obsession" (1976), Brian De Palma’s thriller "Obsession" (1976), "The Little Prince" (1979) as the voice of the Pilot, "The Pilot" (1980) which he also directed, and the 1980 horror film "Dominique". He also starred in television productions of "The Man Without a Country" (1973) as Philip Nolan, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (1974), "Return to Earth" (1976) as Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, "Washington: Behind Closed Doors" (1977), "Overboard" (1978), and "Two of a Kind" (1982). Robertson precipitated a major scandal in Hollywood in 1977 after learning that a $10,000 check had been sent payable to him from Columbia Pictures for work he had not done, and had been deposited in another account with his forged signature. The subsequent exposure that Columbia head David Begelman had perpetrated the fraud against Robertson and several other individuals involved in the film industry, resulted in Begelman's conviction on charges of grand theft and forgery. Begelman received a minor fine and probabtion, but Robertson became victim of an unofficial blacklist by the studios because of his role in exposing the scandal.                  He starred on television as Dr. Michael Ransom on the prime-time soap opera "Falcon Crest" from 1983 to 1984, and returned to the films as Alex Terson in 1983’s science fiction film "Brainstorm", which starred Natalie Wood in her final role. Robertson’s other film credits include "Class" (1983), "Star 80" (1983) as Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in the tale of ill-fated Playmate Dorothy Stratten, starring Mariel Hemingway, "Shaker Run" (1986), "Malone" (1987), "Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken" (1991), "Wind" (1992), "Renaissance Man" (1994), John Carpenter’s "Escape from L.A." (1996) as the President, "Assignment Berlin" (1998), "Mach 2" (2001), "Falcon Down" (2001), "The 13th Child, Legend of the Jersey Devil" (2002) which he also wrote, and 2004’s adaptation of Stephen King’s "Riding the Bullet". His later television credits include the tele-films "The Key Rebecca" (1985), "Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story" (1986), "Ford: The Man and the Machine" (1987) as Henry Ford, "Dead Reckoning" (1990), and "Judith Krantz’s Dazzle" (1995). He was featured in an episode of 1999’s reboot of "The Outer Limits", and was Hal Malloy in the short-lived 2003 series "The Lyon’s Den". He became best known to a new generation as Ben Parker, the ill-fated uncle of soon-to-be super-hero Peter Parker (played by Toby Maguire) in Sam Raimi’s 2002 film adaptation of the comic book icon "Spider-Man". Despite perishing in the first film, he returned in the sequels "Spider-Man 2" (2004) and "Spider-Man 3" (2007) in flashback sequences. Robertson was married to actress Cynthia Stone from 1957 to 1960, and to actress and heiress Dina Merrill from 1966 to 1986.

ANDY WHITFIELD - Star of "Spartacus: Blood and Sand"

Welsh-born Australian actor Andy Whitfield, who starred in the Starz cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand", died of non-Hodgkin Lymphomia in Sydney, Australia, on September 11, 2011. Whitfield was born in Amlwch, Wales, in 1974, and settled in Australia in 1999. He worked as a fashion model, and also appeared on television in episodes of "All Saints", "The Strip", "Packed To The Rafters", and "McLeod’s Daughters". He starred in the 2007 film "Gabriel" and appeared in 2010’s "The Clinic". He starred in the cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" for it’s first season in 2010. He was preparing to continue in the role of the gladiator hero when he was diagnosed cancer, and was replaced by Liam McIntyre.

JAG MUNDHRA - Indian Film Director

Indian film director Jag Mundhra, who helmed a handful of horror films and erotic thrillers in the United States in the late 1980s and 1990s, died in Mumbai, India, on September 2, 2011. He was 62.  He was born in Nagpur, India, on October 29, 1948. He studied engineering in college in India before coming to the United States to continue his studies. He switched to marketing, and earned a doctorate with a thesis on the marketing practices of Hollywood and Bollywood. He taught at California State University in the late 1970s before embarking on a career as a filmmaker. His initial films include the dramas "Suraag" (1982) and "Kamla" (1984). He began directing a string of exploitation thrillers later in the decade that included "Halloween Night" (aka "Hack-O-Lantern") (1988), "Open House" (1988), "Eyewitness to Murder" (1989), "The Jigsaw Murder" (1989), "Night Eyes" (1990), "Last Call" (1991), "Legal Tender" (1991),

 "The Other Woman" (1992), "Wild Cactus" (1993), "L.A. Goddess" (1993), "Tropical Heat" (1993), "Sexual Malice" (1994), "Improper Conduct" (1994), "Irresistible Impulse" (1996), "Shades of Gray" (1997), "Tainted Love" (1998), "Tales of the Kama Sutra" (2000), "Monsoon" (aka "Tales of the Kama Sutra 2: Monsoon" (2001), "Private Moments" (2005), "Provoked: A True Story" (2006), "Backwaters" (aka "Betrayed by Passion") (2006), "Natasha: Revenge Is Sweet" (2007), "Shoot on Sight" (2007), "Apartment: Rent At Your Own Risk" (2010), "Chase" (2010), and "Naughty @ 40" (2011).

GEORGE KUCHAR - Experimental Filmmaker

Experimental film director George Kuchar, who teamed with is twin brother, Mike, to create numerous 8mm movies from the 1950s through the 1980s and inspired such filmmakers as John Waters and David Lynch, died of prostate cancer in San Francisco, California, on September 6, 2011.  He was 69.  The brothers were born in Manhattan on August 31, 1942, and were raised in the Bronx.  Their mother purchased them an 8mm camera for their 12th birthday, and they immediately began making films.  Their low-budget/no-budget shorts became popular exhibits in the underground cinema of the early 1960s, with such titles as "The Naked And The Nude" (1957), "The Thief And The Stripper" (1959), "A Tub Named Desire" (1960), "I Was A Teenage Rumpot" (1960), "Pussy On A Hot Tin Roof" (1961), "Born Of The Wind" (1961), and "A Woman Distressed" (1962).  The brothers also directed individual works, with George creating the 1966 short "Hold Me While I'm Naked", and the "Weather Diaries" series, made on his annual visits to an Oklahoma trailer park during tornado season.  He joined the San Francisco Art Institute in 1971, where he taught filmmaking and added hundreds of films to his own filmography, often casting his students in such titles as "Destination Damnation" (1972), “Carnal Bipeds” (1973), “I Married a Heathen” (1974),  "Remember Tomorrow" (1979), "Ochokpug" (1980), "The Oneers" (1982), "Ms. Hyde (1983), "Club Vatican" (1984), "The Legend Of Thelma White" (1985), "Insanitorium" (1987), "Summer Of No Return" (1988), "Migration Of The Blubberoids" (1989), "Hefner's Heifers" (1989), "500 Millibars To Ecstasy" (1989), "Fill Thy Crack With Whiteness" (1989), "Munchkins Of Melody Manor" (1990), "Kiss Of The Veggie Vixen" (1990), "Edible Atrocities" (1990), "Curse Of The Kurva" (1990), "The Fall Of The House Of Yasmin" (1991), "Gastronomic Getaway" (1991), "Impaction of the Igneous" (1992), "Demonatrix Of Kebrina Castle" (1992), "Chat 'n' Chew" (1992), "ID Came From Inner Space" (1993), "Bayou Of The Blue Behemoth" 1993), "The Cage Of Nicholas" (1994), "Route 666" (1994), "Jungle Jezebel" (1994), "Dingleberry Jingles" (1994), "Felines Of Castle Frauline" (1994),  "Baldies Of Burgermeister Bungalow" (1994), "Grotto Of The Gorgons" (1995), "Paganville Flats" (1996), "The Crimes Of Armand Tessler" (1996), "Curmudgeon Of The Campus" (1997), "Avengelust" (1998), "Domain Of The Pixel Pixies" (1998), "Demon Of The Tropics" (1998), "Cretins Of The Crate" (1998), "Attack Of The Giant Garuda" (1998), "Hush, Hush, Sweet Harlot" (1998), "Culinary Linkage" (1999), "Chigger Country" (1999), "Planet Of The Vamps" (2000), "Cyclone Alley Ceramics" (2000), "Aquatica" (2000), "Nectar Of The Neophytes" (2001), "Honey Bunnies On Ice" (2001), "Chariots Of Fear" (2001), "The Guzzler Of Grizzly Manor" (2002), "The Gates Of Gomorrha" (2002), "The Celtic Crevasse" (2002), "The Passion Pot" (2003), "Kiss Of Frankenstein" (2003), "Isle Of Heavenly Fury" (2003), "Butter Balls" (2003), "Lumps Of Joy" (2004), "Kaponga Island" (2004), "A Fatal Desire" (2004), "The Fury Of Frau Frankenstein" (2005), and "Beastial Comforts" (2005). 

 He remained on the faculty at the San Francisco Art Institute until failing health forced his retirement earlier in 2011. The Kuchar brothers collaborated on the 1997 book, "Reflections from a Cinematic Cesspool", and a documentary film on their work, "It Came from Kuchar", was produced in 2009.

CHARLES S. DUBIN - Veteran Television Director

Television director Charles Dubin died in Brentwood, California, on September 5, 2011.  He was 92.  Dubin was born in New York City on February 1, 1919.  He trained with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in the early 1940s, and performed in comedy and musical acts in the Catskills.  He also served as a stage manager on the New York stage, before embarking on a career as a television director in 1950.  He helmed such early television series as "Crime With Father", "Pultzer Prize Playhouse", and "Tales of Tomorrow"(including the episodes "The Dark Angel", "The Crystal Egg", "The Search for the Flying Saucer", and "The Little Black Bag").  Dubin was blacklisted in 1952 after he decline to testify about his political beliefs before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. He returned to directing for television later in the decade, and helmed the 1957 film "Mister Rock and Roll", about disc jockey Alan Freed.  He was again the victim of a blacklist while directing the NBC gameshow "Twenty-One" in 1958, which became the center of the quizshow scandals. He again returned to television in the early 1960s, where he continued his long career directing episodes of "The Defenders", "Tarzan", "The New People", "Ghost Story/Circle of Fear", "Kung Fu", "Ellery Queen", "Man From Atlantis", "Tabitha", "Charlie’s Angles", "Hawaii 5-O", "Kojak", and "Supertrain".  His other television credits incled Rogers’ and Hammerstein’ musical version of "Cinderella" (1965) which earned him an Emmy nomination, "Murder Once Removed" (1971), "Death In Space" (1974), "The Tenth Level" (1976), "The Deadly Triangle" (1977), "Roots: The Next Generations" (1979), "Topper" (1979), "The Gathering Part II" (1979), and "Born to the Wind" (1982). He directed the 1976 film "Moving Violation". He was best known for helming over 40 episodes of the popular television series "M*A*S*H" from 1976 to 1983, garnering three Emmy Award nominations, He also directed episodes of "Herbie, The Love Bug", "Small & Frye", "Jennifer Slept Here", "Murder, She Wrote", "Starman", and "Sledge Hammer!".

FRANK WARNER - Oscar-Winning Sound Editor for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

Film sound designer and editor Frank Warner, who earned a special Academy Award for his work on 1977’s "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", died in Sedona, Arizona, on August 31, 2011.  He was 85.  Warner was born in Los Angeles in 1926.  He worked with the Armed Forces Radio in China as a U.S. Marine during World War II.  He began working for CBS Network Radio after the war, and became an editor for film and television in the early 1950s. He worked on the television series "Dragnet" throughout the decade, and was a sound editor for the series "Honey West" and "I Spy" in the 1960s. He was sound editor for numerous films during his career including "Hour of the Gun" (1967), "The Scalphunters" (1968), "Hell in the Pacific" (1968), "They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!" (1970), "Little Big Man" (1970), "Kotch" (1971), "Harold and Maude" (1971), "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (1973), "Mr. Majestyk" (1974), "The Trial of Billy Jack" (1974), "Taxi Driver" (1976), "Murder By Death" (1976), Steven Spielberg’s "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977), "Coming Home" (1978), "Goin’ South" (1979), "Being There" (1979), "Raging Bull" (1980), "True Confessions" (1981), "The King of Comedy" (1982), "Barbarosa" (1982), "Rocky III" (1982), "Iceman" (1984), "St. Elmo’s Fire" (1985), "Roxanne" (1987), "Hot to Trot" (1988), and "Everbody’s All-American" (1988).  Warner received the lifetime achievement award from the Motion Picture Sound Editors in 1988, and retired the following year.

COLIN HARVEY - British Sci-Fi Writer

British science fiction writer Colin Harvey died of a stroke on August 15, 2011. He was 50.  Harvey was born in Cornwall, England, on November 11, 1960. His first novel, "Vengeance", was published in 2001, and was followed by "Lightning Days" (2006), "The Silk Palace" (2007), "Blind Faith" (2008), "Winter Song" (2009), and "Damage Time" (2010). His short fiction was collected in the 2009 volume "Displacement".