BETTY LUSTER - MST3000's Mr. B Natural

Dancer Better Luster died in Florida on May 25, 2011. She was 89.  She was born on April 27, 1922. She began performing with a dance troupe in the late 1930s, and was featured in a small role on Broadway in a 1940 production of Irving Berlin’s "Louisiana Purchase". She was a hostess for the 1950 television gameshow "Sing It Again", and was a regular performer on the variety series "Seven at Eleven". She returned to Broadway in "The Wayward Saint" in 1955. She became best known for her title role in 1957’s "Mr. B Natural" as a hep pixie who encourages high school students to pursue music in an educational short sponsored by a musical instrument manufacturer. The short achieved fame when it was included in a 1991 episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000". Luster retired from show business in the late 1950s.

ANDREW LASZLO - Star Trek V Cinematographer

 

Cinematographer Andrew Laszlo died in Montana on October 7, 2011. He was 85.  Laszlo was born in Papa, Hungary, on January 12, 1926. He began working as a camera apprentice at a Budapest film studio prior to World War II. He and his family were sent to a Nazi concentration camp during the war, and he was the only survivor. He came to the United States in 1947 and worked as a freelance photographer. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a combat photographer during the Korean War. Laszlo produced industrial films before becoming a camera operator and cinematographer for television in the late 1950s, working on such series as "The Phil Silvers Show", "Naked City", and "Coronet Blue". He made his feature film debut as cinematographer for 1964’s "One Potato, Two Potato", and filmed the 1966 documentary "The Beatles at Shea Stadium". He also photographed the films "You’re a Big Boy Now" (1966), "The Night They Raided Minsky’s" (1968), "Popi" (1969), "The Out of Towners" (1970), "Lovers and Other Strangers" (1970), "The Owl and the Pussycat" (1970), "Jennifer on My Mind" (1971), "To Find a Man" (1972), "Class of ‘44" (1973), "Cool Red" (1976), "Thieves" (1977), "Somebody Killed Her Husband" (1978), "The Warriors" (1979), "The Funhouse" (1981), "Southern Comfort" (1981), "I, the Jury" (1982), "First Blood" (1982), "Streets of Fire" (1984), "Thief of Hearts" (1984), "That’s Dancing!" (1985), "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" (1985), "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" (1986), "Innerspace" (1987), "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" (1989), "Ghost Dad" (1990), and "Newsies" (1992). He also filmed the television productions "Teacher, Teacher" (1969), "Back Water Gold" (1970), "The Man Without a Country" (1973) which earned him an Emmy Award nomination, "Miracle on 34th Street" (1973), "Hunters of the Reef" (1978), "The Dain Curse" (1978), "Top of the Hill" (1980), the 1980 mini-series "Shogun" earning another Emmy nomination, "Thin Ice:" (1981), and "Love Is Forever" (1983).

DAVID HESS - Last House on the Left Arch-Villain

Actor and songwriter David Hess died on October 8, 2011. He as 69.  Hess was born in New York City on September 19, 1942. He began his career as a singer songwriter in the 1950s under the name David Hill. He for worked Shalimar Music where he penned such songs as "Start Movin’" for Sal Mineo, "Rockin’ Shoes" for the Ames Brothers, and several tunes for Elvis Presley. He wrote and recorded "Speedy Gonzales" under the name David Dante in 1962. He joined Mercury records later in the decade, where he wrote the rock opera "The Naked Carmen". He made his film debut in Wes Craven’s 1972 horror classic "The Last House on the Left", starring as the vile killer Krug Stillo. He also composed the soundtrack for the film. He worked frequently in Europe in the 1970s, and continued to be seen in such films as "Montana Trap" (1976), "The Swiss Conspiracy" (1976), "The Naked Prey" (1977), "Avalanche Express" (1979), "House on the Edge of the Park" (1980),

 "Swamp Thing" (1982) as Ferret, "White Star" (1983), "Armed and Dangerous" (1986), "Let’s Get Harry" (1986), "Camping del Terrore" (1987), "SindromeVeneziana" (1989), "Omicidio a Luci Blu" (1991), "Buck ai Confini del Cielo" (1991), "Jonathan Degli Orsi" (1995), "Nutcracker" (2001), "Zombie Nation" (2004), "Zodiac Killer" (2005), "The Absence of Light" (2006), "Used" (2007), "Go Together" (2007), and "Smash Cut" (2009). Hess was also seen in the tele-film "21 Hours at Munich" (1976), "Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls" (1981), "Sadat" (1983), "Ocean" (1989), and "A Fatal Assignment" (1991). His other television credits include episodes of "Baretta", "Knight Rider", "Manimal", "The Fall Guy", "The A-Team", "Noi Siamo Angeli", and "Royal Pains". He also continued his music career, releasing two albums in the 2000’s.



APRIL DERLETH - Arkham House Heir



with brother Walden



The Arkham House Logo

April Derleth, the president and co-owner of Arkham House publishers, died at the family home in Saul City, Wisconsin, on March 21, 2011. She was 56.  She was born on August 9, 1954, the daughter of horror author and Arkham House co-founder August Derleth. Arkham House was founded by Derleth and Donald Wandrei in 1939, and developed a cult following by publishing many of the early works of H.P. Lovecraft and other horror authors. Derleth ran the company until his death in 1971. April graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1977, and took over as president and CEO of Arkham in 1994. She and her brother, Walden, were co-owners of the publishing house, which also served to keep her father’s works in print.

GEORGE BAKER - Leading British Actor in Return of the Fly, I, Claudius and The Ruth Rendell Mysteries

British actor George Baker, who starred as Chief Inspector Wexford in the television series "The Ruth Rendell Mysteries" for over a decade, died of complications from pneumonia and a stroke on October 7, 2011. He was 80.  Baker was born in Varna, Bulgaria, where his father was an English businessman and diplomat, on April 1, 1931. He began his career on stage performing in repertory theater while in his teens. He toured with the Old Vic in the 1950s. He also began a long film career, with roles in "The Intruder" (1953), "The Ship the Died of Shame" (1955), "The Dam Busters" (1955), "The Woman For Joe" (1955), "The Extra Day" (1956), "The Feminine Touch" (1956), "Hell in Korea" (1956), "These Dangerous Years" (1957), "No Time For Tears" (1957), "The Moonraker" (1957), "Tread Softly Stranger" (1958), "Sword of Lancelot" (1963) as Sir Gawaine, "The Finest hours" (1964), the 1965 sci-fi thriller "Curse of the Fly" as Martin Delambre, "Mister Ten Per Cent" (1967), "You Only Live Twice" (1967), "Justine" (1969), "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969), the 1969 James Bond film "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service", "The Executioner" (1970), "A Warm December" (1973), "Three For All" (1975), "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977), "Intimate Games" (1978), "The Thirty Nine Steps" (1978), "ffolkes" (1979), "Hopscotch" (1980), "Out of Order" (1987), "For Queen and Country" (1988), and "Back to the Secret Garden" (2001). He frequently appeared on television throughout his career with roles in productions of "The Willful Widow" (1956), "Doomsday For Dyson" (1958), "The Truth About Melandrinos" (1958), "Nick of the River" (1959) as Detective Inspector Nick Nixon, "Rupert of Hentzau" (1964), "Curtain of Fear" (1964), "The Master" (1966), "The Queen and Jackson" (1966), "Candida" (1971), "I, Claudius" (1976) as Tiberius, "Vintage Murder" (1977), "Colour Scheme" (1977), "Ngaio Marsh’s Opening Night" (1977), "Bird Fancier" (1983), "The Secret Adversary" (1983), "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1984), "We’ll Support You Evermore" (1985), "A Woman of Substance" (1985), "If Tomorrow Comes" (1986), "At Bertram’s Hotel" (1987), "The Canterville Ghost" (1987), "Journey’s End" (1988), "Johnny and the Dead" (1995), and "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (1995).

 


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with wife Louie Ramsey

His other television credits include the series "The Dickie Henderson Show", "ITV Play of the Week", "Maigret", "Zero One", "It Happen Like This", "The Full Man", "Thursday Theatre", "Gideon C.I.D.", "Drama ‘65", "Undermind", "Londoners", "The Wednesday Play, "The Baron", "Half Hour Story", "The Prisoner" as the new Number Two in the 1967 premier episode, "Thirty-Minute Theatre", "Armchair Theatre", "ITV Playhouse", "Harry Worth", "The Sex Game", "Kate", "Paul Temple", "Doomwatch", "Up Pompeii!", "The Goodies", "Fraud Squad", "The Persuaders!", "The Main Chance", "The Man Outside", "New Scotland Yard", "The Fenn Street Gang", "Some Mothers Do ‘Ave "Em", "The Protectors", "Bowler" as Stanley Bowler in 1973, "Zodiac", "Dial M for Murder", "Survivors", "Spy Trap", "Hudson & Halls", "Z Cars", "Get Some In !", "Softly, Softly: Task Force", "Three Piece Suite", "Empire Road", "Square Mile of Murder", "Lady Killers", "Doctor Who" as Login in the 1980 "Full Circle" serial, "Jackanory Playhouse", "Crown Court", "Goodbye Darling", "The Gentle Touch", "Q.E.D.", "The Chinese Detective", "Triangle" as David West from 1982 to 1983, "Spyship", "Hart to Hart", "Marjorie and Men", "Dead Head", "Robin of Sherwood" in the recurring role of Sir Richard of Leaford, "Screen Two", "The Charmer", "Bergerac", and "Minder". Baker starred as Detective Chief Inspector Reg Wexford on "Ruth Rendell Mysteries" from 1987 through 2000, and was Godfrey Eagan on "No Job for A lady" from 1990 to 1991. His later television credits include episodes of "Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)", "Coronation Street", "Midsomer Murders", "MI-5" (aka. "Spooks" ), "Heartbeat", and "New Tricks". His third wife, actress Louie Ramsey, played his wife Dora on the "Ruth Rendell Mysteries". She died earlier in 2011.

The Dead Zone - DIANE CILENTO - Australian Leading Lady and Star of "The Wicker Man"

DIANE CILENTO - Australian Leading Lady and Star of "The Wicker Man"

Australian actress Diane Cilento, who was a leading star in British films and television in the 1960s, died on October 6, 2011. She was 78.  Cilento was born in Brisbane, Australia, on October 5, 1933, the daughter of two leading medical practitioners. She lived with her father in New York while in her teens, where she began working on stage productions. She earned a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in the early 1950s. She was nominated for a Tony Award in 1956 for her role as Helen of Troy in a production of Jean Giraudoux’s "Tiger at the Gates". She also appeared in the films "All Hallowe’en" (1952), "Dead on Course" (1952), "Moulin Rouge" (1952), "Meet Mr. Lucifer" (1953), "Passing Strange" (1954), "Passage Home" (1955), "The Woman for Joe" (1955), "The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp" (1956), "A Novel Affair" (1957), "Paradise Lagoon" (aka "The Admirable Crichton") (1957), "The Truth About Women" (1957), "Jet Storm" (1959), "Stop Me Before I Kill!" (1960), "The Naked Edge" (1961), and "I Thank a Fool" (1962). She was also seen on television in productions of "A Tomb with a View" (1951), "The Taming of the Shrew" (1956) for "Hallmark Hall of Fame", "Anna Christie" (1957), "The Concert" (1959), "Rain" (1960), "Vanity Fair" (1961), and "Jeannette" (1961), and episodes of "Espionage", "ITV Play of the Week", "Blackmail", "Court Martial", and "Thirty-Minute Theatre". She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Molly Seagrim in Tony Richardson’s 1963 film version of Henry Fielding’s ribald novel "Tom Jones". Cilento married James Bond star Sean Connery in 1962, and her acting career was often overshadowed by their frequently tempetuous relationship. She continued to appear in such films as "The Third Secret" (1964), "Rattle of a Simple Man" (1964), "Once Upon a Tractor" (1965), "The Agony and the Ecstasy" (1965) as Contessina de Medicini opposite Charlton Heston’s Michelangelo, "Hombre" (1967) with Paul Newman, and "Negatives" (1967). She was also body double for Mie Hama in underwater scenes in 1967’s "You Only Live Twice", starring Connery as James Bond. She was featured on British television in the 1968 "Late Night Horror" production of "The Kiss of Blood", and was Lady Sarah Bellasize in "Rogues’ Gallery" in 1969. She starred in the 1972 sci-fi film "Z.P.G." and was Hann Reitsch in "Hitler: The Last Ten Days" in 1973. She also starred in the tele-film "Spell of Evil" (1973), and episodes of "The Persuaders!" and "Affairs of the Heart". She and Connery divorced in 1973. 

 She subsequently starred as the pagan school teacher, Miss Rose, in the cult classic "The Wicker Man" (1973) starring Christopher Lee and Edward Woodward. Cilento starred as Diana Clark in the 1978 series "Tycoon", and in the television productions "Big Toys" (1980) and "For the Term of His Natural Life" (1983). She was also seen in the films "Duet for Four" (1982) and "The Boy Who Had Everything" (1985), co-starring with her son, Jason Connery. She starred as Authoritax in the 1994 series "Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left". Cilento met playwright Anthony Shaffer while working on "The Wicker Man" in the early 1970s, and they married in 1985. They remained together until Shaffer’s death in 2001. She penned her autobiography, "My Nine Live", in 2006.



The Dead Zone - GASPAR 'CAPULINA' HENAINE - Mexican Comedian

GASPAR 'CAPULINA' HENAINE - Mexican Comedian

Mexican comedian Gaspar Henaine, who was best known as the chubby comic star Capulina, died in Mexico City on September 30, 2011. He was 85.  Henaine was born in Chignahuapan, Puebla, Mexico, on January 6, 1926. He began his career as part of the musical trio "Los Excentricos del Ritmo" in the early 1940s, and led his own group, Los Trincas, later in the decade. He mixed music with comedy on stage and radio, and made his film debut in the early 1950s. He was best known for his character Capulina, and frequently teamed with Marco Antonio Campos, as Viruta, as a comedy duo known as the Mexican version of Laurel and Hardy. Viruta was the slender brains of the team, and Capulina was his chubby sidekick and foil. They starred in numerous popular comedies for over a decade including "La Sombra del Otro" (1957), "So los Chupo la Bruja" (1958), "Voyage to the Moon" (1958), "Los Legionarios" (1958), "Muertos de Miedo" (1958), "Desert Tigers" (1960), "En Peligro de Muerte" (1962), "Los Invisibles" (1963), "Los Astronautas" (1964), "Los Reyes del Volante" (1965),  "Detectives O Ladrones..? (Dos Agentes Inocentes)" (1967), and "El Camino de los Espantos" (1967). Capulina and Viruta also starred in the popular television series "Comicos y Canciones" in the 1950s and 1960s, before embarking on solo careers later in the 1960s.

Capulina remained a popular film star, appearing in "Operacion Carambola" (1968), "El Zangano" (1968), "Santo Contra Capulina" (1969) co-starring with the famed masked Mexican wrestler, "Capulina Speedy Gonzalez" (1970),  "Capulina Contra los Vampiros" (1971), "El Rey de Acapulco" (1972), "Capula Contra las Momias (El Terror de Guanajuato)" (1973), "Capulina Contra los Monstruos" (1974), "El Sonambulo" (1974), "El Investigador Capulina" (1975), "El Karateca Azteca" (1976),  "El Rey de Monterrey" (1981), "El Sargento Capulina" (1983), and "Mi Compadre Capulina" (1989).  He returned to television in the late 1980s with the comic program "Las Aventuras de Capulina", and hosted the touring production "Capulina's Circus" from the early 1990s.