RIP Vincent Korda

Nicholas Korda, Sound Editor on 'E.T.,' 'Fatal Attraction' and 'Basic Instinct,' Dies at 73

 
The Hollywood Reporter
By Mike Barnes
October 17, 2018
 
The Emmy winner also worked on two 'Star Trek' movies and alongside Clint Eastwood on four films.

Nicholas Korda, an Emmy-winning sound editor who worked on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct and Dick Tracy for the big screen, has died. He was 73.

Korda died Oct. 8 at his Los Angeles home after a nine-year battle with brain cancer, his daughter, Sarah, announced.

Korda entered the industry as an assistant editor and went on to build a 40-year career as an ADR (automated dialogue replacement) editor on dozens of movies.

His father was Hungarian-born director Zoltan Korda (The Four Feathers, Humphrey Bogart's Sahara and Cry, the Beloved Country), and his mother was British actress Joan Gardner (The Scarlet Pimpernel).

Korda was a member of the team that received the Oscar for best sound for Steven Spielberg's E.T. in 1983, and he received his Emmy two years later for his work on the Donald P. Bellisario action drama Airwolf.

Korda collaborated with Clint Eastwood on the best picture Oscar winner Million Dollar Baby (2004) as well as on Flags of Our Fathers (2006), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) — for which he won a Golden Reel Award from the Motion Picture Sound Editors — and Invictus (2009), his last film.

His résumé also included The Black Hole (1979), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), The Breakfast Club (1985), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), The Addams Family (1991), Hoffa (1992), Star Trek: Generations (1994), Twister (1996), As Good as It Gets (1997), Three Kings (1999) and Get Smart (2008).

After his parents came to the U.S. from England in 1940, Nicholas Vincent Korda was born in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 1945. He attended grade school in Switzerland before returning to attend Harvard School, a military academy in L.A.

Korda began college at UC Berkeley in the late 1960s, where he studied U.S. history. He proudly completed his degree at Cal State Northridge in 2006 and also took up the bassoon in his 60s.

His daughter said that he was unpretentious and humble and often told stories about his fears of being called in to be fired — only to find out he was being rewarded with praise.

In addition to Sarah and her spouse Maria, survivors include his son Andrew (Pille); his brother, David — a former producer and production manager in Hollywood who now works as a completion guarantor — and his granddaughter, Cleo.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Nov. 11 in Woodland Hills. For details, please email nicholas...@gmail.com. Donations in his memory can be made to the Motion Picture & Television Fund or to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
 
 
KORDA, Vincent (Nicholas Vincent Korda)
Born: 1/15/1945, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Died: 10/8/2018, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
 
Vincent Korda’s westerns
The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday – 1976
Hot Lead and Cold Feet – 1978
Zorro: The Gay Blade - 1981  

RIP Mike Relon Makiling

Veteran director Mike Relon Maikiling dies at 86

Inquirer

By Krissy Aguilar

October 11, 2018

Veteran Mike Relon Maikiling has passed away due to colon cancer. He was 86.

Hi fifth son Joachim Pineda Maikiling confirmed this on Facebook.

“Wacky! I am gonna miss you Old Man… Rest well Okay! I’ll see you on the other side,” he wrote.

It was in July 2018 when the director was last confined in the hospital and his family learned about his colon cancer.

Makiling was know for his blockbuster Filipino movies from 70s up to the 80s like “Iskul Bukol” (1980), “Age Doesn’t Matter” (1981), “Goodah” (1984), “Mama Said, Papa Said, I Love You (1985) and “Fly Me To The Moon” (1988), among others.

He had 58 credits as a screenwriter and 89 credits as a film director.

RELON MAKILING, Mike

Born: 6/30/1932, Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines

Died:  10/11/2018, Philippines

Mike Relon Makiling’s western – director:   

Panlaban: dos por dos

RIP Carol Hall

Carol Hall, Composer-Lyricist of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Dies at 82

Playbill
By Andrew Gans
Otober 12, 2018

Carol Hall, the Drama Desk Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, passed away October 11 at the age of 82.

For the past three years, Ms. Hall had been wrestling with a rare form of dementia, logopenic Primary Progressive Aphasia, and died of complications from the disease. She resided in New York City and passed away at home, surrounded by her children and husband.

Ms. Hall was a trailblazer on Broadway, one of the first women to write both music and lyrics for a Broadway musical, the 1978 hit The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The Tommy Tune-Peter Masterson-directed production was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning two prizes. Hall received Drama Desk Awards for both her score and lyrics.

The production ran for almost five years on Broadway, received a Grammy nomination for its cast album, and was subsequently turned into a motion picture in 1982 starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. Parton’s recording of Hall’s song “Hard Candy Christmas” earned an ASCAP Award. A revival and national tour of the show played across the country starring film icon Ann-Margret. On the cast album of that production, Hall recorded a bonus track, performing a new song, "A Friend to Me," written for Ann-Margret.

Carol Hall was born in Abilene, Texas, April 3, 1936, the daughter of Elbert E. Hall and Josephine Grisham. A serious student of classical piano, Ms. Hall attended Sweetbriar College, in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she began writing songs and musicals. She then transferred to and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She was later invited to join the newly formed BMI Workshop, under the tutelage of Broadway musical director Lehman Engel, where her musical theatre career was launched.

Ms. Hall's other Broadway outing was a short-lived sequel to The Best Little Whorehouse, entitled The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, which opened in May 1994. Her other stage work included Good Sports (Goodspeed Musicals), Paper Moon (Paper Mill Playhouse), Are We There Yet? (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and the Off-Broadway musical To Whom It May Concern. She also wrote individual songs for A... My Name Is Alice and A… My Name Is Still Alice, and the musical, Hats!, based on the Red Hats Society.

Her non-musical writing included The Days Are As Grass, an evening of one-act plays, which received a premiere at the Woodstock Fringe Festival.

Ms. Hall was also a major contributor to Marlo Thomas’ Peabody and Emmy Award-winning TV special and gold album Free to Be… You and Me; her contributions included the songs “It’s All Right to Cry,” “Parents Are People,” and “Glad to Have a Friend Like You.” She also acted as contributing editor and songwriter to its sequel, Free To Be… a Family.

Her songs have been performed by Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Cyndi Lauper, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Lisa Loeb, Mabel Mercer, Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, Chita Rivera, Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Olivia Newton-John, Amanda McBroom, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Phyllis Newman, David Campbell, Maureen McGovern, Margaret Whiting, Miriam Makeba, RuPaul, Frederica von Stade, Big Bird, and Kermit the Frog, among others. A CD of her most recent songs, Hallways: The Songs of Carol Hall, was released in 2007.

Ms. Hall was a teacher at The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, The Sundance Theatre Institute, and the Cabaret Conference at Yale University, as well as a guest panelist in the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop. She served on the Board of Directors of the Dramatists Guild Foundation, Young Playwrights, Inc., and The American Place Theater. She was a lifetime member of the Dramatists Guild Council, was a Tony voter, and a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women who, in 2017, bestowed upon her a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ms. Hall is survived by her husband, media producer Leonard Majzlin; her two children with first husband Richard Blinkoff, Susannah and Daniel; her grandson Wally Corngold; and her sister Jane Hall.
 
 
HALL, Carol
Born: 4/3/1936, Abilene, Texas, U.S.A.
Died: 10/11/2018, New York City, New York, U.S.A.
 
Carol Hall’s western – lyricist:
Death of a Gunfirhter - 1969 ('Sweet Apple Wine')

RIP Jerry Thorpe

The Desert Sun

October 11, 2018

Palm Springs - Jerry "Richard Jerome" Thorpe, 92, a 28-year resident of Palm Springs, California passed away on September 25, 2018 in Santa Barbara, California.

He was born on August 29, 1926 to Richard and Belva Thorpe in Los Angeles, California. Jerry married his wife Diane on December 17, 1985 in Los Angeles, California, and they have a son Trevor Thorpe of Santa Barbara, California. Jerry is also survived by his daughters and son Tiana, Trish, and Tracy, and grandchildren Angelo and Tyler Thorpe.

Jerry was an Emmy Award-winning Television Director and Producer, with a career spanning more than four decades. He shares a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars with his father Richard, a Director of MGM Motion Pictures. He was Executive Producer and directed many episodes of "Kung Fu" with David Carradine (1972-1975). In 1973, he was awarded the "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama" Emmy for the episode "An Eye for an Eye."

A partial list of credits includes: Director of eight episodes of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" (1958), Executive Producer of "The Untouchables" (1960-1961), Producer/Director of MGM theatrical feature "Day of the Evil Gun" with Glenn Ford (1968), Executive Producer/Director of "Harry O" with David Janssen (1973-1976), Co-Executive Producer/Director of "Our House" (1986-1988), and Executive Producer of 22 episodes of "Falcon Crest" with Jane Wyman (1989-1990).

A graveside service will be held Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 10:30 am at Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, California.

THORPE, Jerry (Richrd Jerome Thorpe)

Born: 8/29/1926, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 9/25/2018, Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.

Jerry Thorpe’s westerns – producer, director, assistant director:

Westward the Women – 1951 [assistant director]

The Wild North – 1952 [assistant director]

Ride, Vaquero! – 1953 [assistant director]

The Texan (TV) 1958 [director]

Guestward Ho! (TV) – 1968 [producer, director]

Day of the Evil Gun – 1968 [producer, director]

Lock, Stock and Barrel (TV) – 1971 [director]

Kung Fu (TV) – 1973-1975 [producer, director]

RIP Adam Burke

Adam Burke, Veteran Pixar Animator, Dies

Cartoon  Brew

By Amid Amidi

10/08/2018

Animator Adam Burke died last night from lung cancer. The news was reported on Twitter by director Brad Bird.

Burke grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Plymouth South High School (class of 1989). He then attended CalArts, and left school when he found a job working for Don Bluth.

Burke was a 26-year veteran of the animation industry, and worked on hand-drawn animation animated features for Don Bluth (Thumbelina, A Troll in Central Park), Richard Rich (The Swan Princess), Warner Bros. (Space Jam, The Iron Giant), and Dreamworks (The Road to El Dorado, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron).

In 2003, he moved north to Emeryville to work at Pixar on The Incredibles, and had worked there ever since. His animation credits at the studio included Cars, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Monsters University, and most recently, Incredibles 2.

“He was diagnosed with lung cancer 10 months ago and still found a way to brighten other people’s lives through his tough and short battle,” Burke’s brother Aaron told Cartoon Brew.

Burke is survived by his parents, brother Aaron and sister Heather, a wife and two sons.

Other artists who knew Burke are expressing their condolences on Twitter:

BURKE, Adam

Born: 19??, Massachusetts

Died: 10/7/2018, Emeryville, California

Adam Burke’s western – animator:

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron - 2002

RIP William Reynolds

Los Angeles Daily News

October 10, 2018

William "Bill" Owen Reynolds 4-25-1930 to 10-05-2018 Bill passed away peacefully at his home in North Hollywood, surrounded by his family. The son of Ray and Maxine Reynolds, Bill was born in El Paso, Texas in 1930 and moved to Burbank California with his family in 1940. He attended Burbank High School, graduating in 1948. Bill was a Boy Scout and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He excelled in sports and was an avid baseball player. He served in the Korean War and when he returned, married his first love, Joyce Lungren. They had a baby girl, Gale Lynn. Bill became a makeup artist for MGM and Burbank Studios. He worked with many actors, including his beloved sister Debbie Reynolds, Elvis Presley, Ava Gardner, and Carole Baker, among others. He also worked for popular television shows like "The Waltons" and "Knots Landing". Bill later married his second wife, Jeanne Arntsen, and had two children, Robert and Leslie. Bill had many friends and was loved by all who knew him. His grandchildren will tell you proudly that he is the "best grandpa ever." He lived near Burbank most of his life and was especially close to his sister Debbie, who passed away one day apart from her daughter, and Bill's niece, Carrie Fisher, in December, 2016. Bill was a truly awesome person, son, brother, father, uncle, grandpa, and great grandpa! He will be remembered for his easy demeaner, quick wit, love, and generosity to his family and friends. Bill is survived by his children, Gale (Skip) Koly, Rob (Dona) Reynolds, and Leslie (Richard) Reynolds-Nuckolls; grandchildren: Matthew (Helen) Reynolds, Heather (Shain) Gallagher, and Michael Reynolds; great grandchildren: Zoe Vietti, Estie Vietti, Ashton Reynolds, and Carter Reynolds; nephew: Todd and Catherine Fisher; great nieces and nephews: Billy Lourd, Vanessa (Steve) Gregornik Rivers, Brandon (Tiffany) Rivers, and James Rivers. Last but not least, his ever-faithfulstep-dog Dwight Reynolds, as well as many loving friends and wonderful neighbors. Special thanks to Donald Light for keeping our family well fed, Wade Collins for getting Dwight out and about, and Josephine Bouchard and Clara Borgonia for their excellent care, respect, and love towards "Uncle Bill" and his family. "Love ya" to all - "Ditto" "Miss Me, But Let Me Go" Please sign the guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/ladailynews.

REYNOLDS, William (William Owen Reynolds)

Born: 4/25/1930, El Paso, Texas, U.S.A.

Died: 10/5/2018, N. Hollywood, California, U.S.A.

William Reynolds’ western – make-up artist:

Charro! - 1969

RIP Pegyy McCay

Beloved Days of Our Lives Soap Vet Peggy McCay Dead At 90

Soap Hub

By Hope Campbell

October 9, 2018

Actress Peggy McCay, who played Caroline Brady on Days of Our Lives from 1983 until 2016 passed away on Sunday.

According to Soap Opera News, McCay passed away in her sleep of natural causes the morning of October 7. She had been ill for some time and not appeared on DAYS for nearly two years.

McCay was just weeks short of her 91st birthday at the time of her passing, having been born on November 3, 1927 in New York City.

McCay graduated from New York’s Barnard College and went on to study acting with Lee Strasburg. She landed her first big role in 1951 on the soap opera Love of Life, playing Vanessa Dale, a role she remained in for the next four years.

She went on to appear in a variety of primetime televisions shows and in films, as well as soaps General Hospital and The Young Marrieds.

But, the role she is most known for is Brady matriarch Caroline on Days of Our Lives. She originated the role in 1983, left the part briefly, but then played her continuously for the next three decades.

McCay was nominated a combination of nine times for both primetime and daytime Emmys, and won the award in 1991 for The Trials of Rosie O’Neil. The actress was also an avid animal activist.

Soap Hub sends its condolences to McCay’s friends, family, and loved ones.

McCAY, Peggy (Margaret Ann McCay)

Born: 11/3/1927, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 10/7/2018

Peggy McCay’s westerns – actress:

The Adventures of Jim Bowie (TV) – 1957 (Malvina Creel/Nekeeta)

The Californians (TV) – 1957 (Bess Cooper)

Gunsmoke (TV) – 1958, 1970, 1971 (Flora, Beth Cooper, Pene Lynott)

The Alaskans (TV) – 1959 (Madeleine Rondolet)

Maverick (TV) – 1959, 1960 (Meliss ‘Missy’ Maybrook, Polly Goodin, Melissa Bouchet)

Lawman (TV) – 1961 (Cassie Nickerson)

Wide Country (TV) – 1962 (Milicent Price)

Laramie (TV) – 1963 (Martha Halloran)

Redigo (TV) – 1963 (Anne)

The Virginian (TV) – 1963 (Helen Hammond Judson)

Bonanza (TV) – 1971 (Pat Griswold)

How the West Was Won (TV) – 1978 (Maggie Taylor)