Reel Reporting: Stars who passed away in 2023: Part 6

Tom Jones

Tom Jones, the writer and lyricist behind The Fantasticks, died on Aug. 11 at age 95. Born Feb. 17, 1928, in Littlefield, Tex., Jones studied drama at the University of Texas where he met his longtime collaborator, Harvey Schmidt. They would go on to write all their major musicals together — including 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, and Celebration — but the musical that started it all, The Fantasticks, remains their biggest success story. While initial reviews were mixed, its staying power was undeniable. The original Off Broadway production ran for a total of 42 years, boasting more than 17,000 performances and making it the world's longest-running musical. It was awarded the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1991, and Jones was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1998. Cast members of the Off Broadway and touring production included names like Liza Minnelli, Kristin Chenoweth, Elliott Gould, F. Murray Abraham, and Glenn Close. In addition to celebrating a legendary run, The Fantasticks became a staple of regional and community theater. A film adaptation, penned by Schmidt and Jones, was released in 2000, and the show was revived Off Broadway in 2006.

Johnny Hardwick

Johnny Hardwick, the comedian and voice actor best known for his performance as Dale Gribble on King of the Hill, has died. Born in Austin, Hardwick got his start in comedy in the 1990s and went on to become the first-ever stand-up comedian to appear on The Jon Stewart Show. After a comedy gig in Los Angeles, Greg Daniels and Mike Judge approached him, thinking he would be a good fit for a show they were creating that would become King of the Hill. Hardwick was a writer, story editor, and producer on the Emmy-winning series, but he was more commonly associated with voicing Hank's chain-smoking, bug-exterminating best pal, Dale. He starred in more than 250 episodes of the animated series, which ran from 1997 until 2010, and was set to reprise the character in its upcoming Hulu reboot.

Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson, the legendary Canadian musician best known as the former frontman of The Band, died August 9 after battling a long illness. He was 80. Robertson worked as a songwriter, producer, performer, actor, and film composer for over six decades. Alongside Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Levon Helm, he was a member of The Band (formerly known as The Hawks), a group that gained notoriety after backing the likes of Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. Although they lasted just eight years after the release of their debut album, The Band is credited with popularizing Americana music with songs like "The Weight," "Up on Cripple Creek," and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." Their farewell concert was captured in The Last Waltz, a concert documentary directed by Martin Scorsese. Robertson and Scorsese would go on to forge a decades-long partnership. Robertson worked with the acclaimed filmmaker as a composer, music supervisor, and music producer on films such as Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Irishman. Prior to his death, Robertson completed work on Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon.

Robert Swan

Robert Swan, the veteran character actor known for roles in Hoosiers, The Untouchables, and Natural Born Killers, died on Aug. 9 after a long battle with cancer. He was 78. Born in Chicago on Oct. 10, 1944, Swan landed his first feature film role in Somewhere in Time, the 1980 sci-fi romance starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. He later became known for playing roles in a number of sports films. Swan starred alongside Gene Hackman in Hoosiers, John Goodman in The Babe, and then reunited with Hoosiers director David Anspaugh for Rudy. His other notable credits include Brian De Palma's The Untouchables and Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. On TV, he shared the screen with Jane Fonda in the 1984 ABC telefilm The Dollmaker and later appeared on All My Children. Swan also made a name for himself on stage in the local Chicago theater scene, and founded the Harbor Country Opera, a Michigan-based opera house.

Sixto Rodriguez

Singer/songwriter Rodriguez performs on stage in support of Brian Wilson and Al Jardine at Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay on June 19, 2015 in San Diego, California. — Rodriguez in 2015. DANIEL KNIGHTON/GETTY IMAGES

Sixto Rodriguez, the Detroit musician whose overlooked talent was highlighted in the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died on Aug. 9, according to his official website. He was 81. Rodriguez's songs about working-class struggles didn't catch on with American audiences in the '70s, but they became hugely popular among South Africans fighting against apartheid. The journey of a handful of international fans hoping to track down their hero was the subject of the documentary, which led to a revitalization of Rodriguez's reputation in his home country and allowed him to tour successfully as recently as 2018.

DJ Casper

DJ Casper, the Chicago musician who created the world famous dance anthem "Cha Cha Slide," died on Aug. 7 after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 58. Casper began his career as a DJ and earned his stage name from his frequently all-white onstage attire. Initially a wedding and events DJ, he created the song "Cha Cha Slide" for his nephew, a personal trainer who taught an aerobics class. When it began gaining traction at local gyms and clubs, Casper released a new version in 2000 which soon topped charts internationally. Over the years, the infectious dance tune has become a staple at school dances, weddings, sports events, bar mitzvahs, and plenty of other celebrations worldwide.

William Friedkin

William Friedkin, the Academy Award-winning director of The French Connection and The Exorcist, died Aug. 7 at the age of 87. A filmmaker associated with the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, Friedkin's other notable works include 1977's Sorcerer, 1985's To Live and Die in L.A., and 2006's Bug. Friedkin began his career in the mailroom of the Chicago TV station WGN before foraying into TV and documentaries, including the 1962 documentary The People vs. Paul Crump and 1965 series The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. He broke into feature film directing in the late '60s with Good Times, The Night They Raided Minsky's, and The Boys in the Band. Other credits include Rampage, The Guardian, Killer Joe, and The Devil and Father Amorth, as well as music videos for Wang Chung ("To Live and Die in L.A."), Barbra Streisand ("Somewhere"), and Laura Branigan ("Self Control").

Herbert J. Siegel

Herbert Siegel, founder of Chris-Craft Industries now owned by News Corp., arrives for a morning session during the Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S., on Wednesday, July 10, 2013. — DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY

Herbert J. Siegel, a billionaire entertainment industry mogul, died at 95 on Aug. 5, per the New York Times. A Philadelphia native, Siegel is best known for having had a hand in a number of significant entertainment industry deals. He sold 10 TV stations to media magnate Rupert Murdoch and played a significant role in the merger of Warner Communications and Time Inc. In the '90s, he tried to launch a fifth national TV network through the 10 stations over which he had control. He launched the United Paramount Network (UPN) in 1995; it later became a joint venture with Viacom. His company sold its stake to Viacom in 2000. He is survived by his second wife, Jeanne Sorenson.

John Gosling

John Gosling, the former keyboardist for the Kinks, died at 75, the English rock band announced on their official account. Gosling made his debut on the Kinks' 1970 single "Lola," which dominated the U.K. and U.S. music charts when it was released. He would go on to play keyboard and provide backing vocals on the Kinks' eighth album and their next seven before eventually departing the group in 1978. The musician was also a founding member of the Kast Off Kinks, a group composed of former members of the original band, alongside John Dalton, Mick Avory, and Dave Clarke, which formed in 1994. He remained a member until his retirement in 2008.

Mark Margolis

Mark Margolis, the actor best known for his captivating performance as Hector "Tio" Salamanca on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died Aug. 3 at 83 following a short illness. Margolis, who began his career on Broadway, carved out a career on screen with memorable turns as a character actor in Scarface, Oz, Ace Venture: Pet Detective, and American Horror Story: Asylum. He was also a regular in the movies of Darren Aronofsky, appearing in six of his works, including a starring role as Sol Robeson in the director's debut feature film, Pi. In 2012, Margolis was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of the fearsome drug runner Hector in Breaking Bad, a role which he later reprised on Better Call Saul.

Clifton Oliver

Broadway actor Clifton Oliver died Aug. 2 at the age of 47 of an undisclosed illness. Oliver made his mark on stage, portraying Simba in The Lion King in the show's national tour, in its Las Vegas production, and on Broadway in 2011. He also appeared as an ensemble member in Wicked and portrayed Benny opposite Jordin Sparks in the musical In the Heights. His other theatrical credits include roles in Dreamgirls, Motown the Musical, and Miracle Brothers.

Angus Cloud

Angus Cloud, a breakout star on the HBO teen drama Euphoria, died July 31 at 25. His family said in a statement that Cloud had "intensely struggled" with the recent loss of his father and added, "Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence." His death was later ruled an accidental overdose caused by acute intoxication due to combined effects of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and benzodiazepines. An Oakland native, Cloud was best known for his role as Euphoria's Fezco, a drug dealer with a heart of gold; he appeared on the Sam Levinson-created series from its launch in 2019. At the end of season 2, Cloud's character was wounded and arrested, but no new episodes will arrive until 2025.

Carol Duvall

Carol Duvall, HGTV's "Queen of Crafts," died at 97 on July 31, according to the New York Times. Duvall got her start on local television in her home state before taking her crafts-focused shows nationally, with programs on ABC and HGTV. Her broadcasting career started in 1951 when she hosted a children's show in Grand Rapids, Mich. She moved on to WWJ-TV in Detroit, where she eventually hosted her first arts-and-crafts program, Here's Carol Duvall. She built a name on crafting approachable projects using with materials commonly found around the house. Her stint in Detroit landed her a job at ABC on The Home Show from 1988 to 1994. From the end of The Home Show until 2005, Duvall hosted versions of The Carol Duvall Show on HGTV (1994–2005) and on DIY Network (2005–2009), building an audience of devoted crafters across the country.

Paul Reubens

Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian beloved for his role as Pee-wee Herman, died July 30 at age 70. Reubens began his career in the 1970s as a member of the Los Angeles live comedy troupe the Groundlings. He rose to prominence for his role as the childlike Pee-wee Herman, first introduced in his 1981 stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show. The success led to an HBO special, three feature films (1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure, 1988's Big Top Pee-wee, and 2016's Pee-wee's Big Holiday), and TV series Pee-wee's Playhouse, which ran on CBS between 1986 and 1990. He starred in a number of other projects throughout his career, including films Batman Returns, The Blues Brothers, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, Blow, Mystery Men, and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. Reubens also made appearances in shows 30 Rock, Pushing Daisies, Murphy Brown, and What We Do in the Shadows.

Marc Gilpin

Marc Gilpin, the former child actor who played Sean Brody in Jaws 2, died July 29 at age 56. He was the brother of Frasier star Peri Gilpin, and passed after a long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. Gilpin landed his breakout role in 1978's Where's Willy?, playing the title character in the family film. That same year, he starred as Sean Brody in the sequel to the Steven Spielberg blockbuster hit Jaws. He beat out hundreds of other boys for his role in the Jeannot Szwarc–directed film, which also featured small roles for his sisters, April and Peri. Gilpin later appeared in films including The Legend of the Long Ranger, Earthbound, and Surviving, which co-starred Ellen Burstyn, River Phoenix, and Molly Ringwald. His part in the latter led to Gilpin signing with a manager, who also took notice of his sister Peri. After appearing in episodes of the series Silver Spoons and the films Right to Kill?, China Beach, and She's Out of Control, Gilpin left acting to pursue a career as a software engineer.

Sinéad O'Connor

Sinead O'CONNOR — Sinéad O'Connor. MICHEL LINSSEN/REDFERNS

Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor, best known for her hit cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U," died July 26 at 56. O'Connor released 10 albums over the course of her career, including her 1987 debut, The Lion and the Cobra, and her biggest hit, 1990's I Do Not Know What I Haven't Got. But she was perhaps even more famous for her outspokenness and frequent brushes with controversy, including her 1991 boycott of the Grammys. She spoke openly about her personal struggles with mental health and abuse. O'Connor also routinely criticized the Catholic Church and its handling of sexual abuse accusations. In 1992, she tore up a photo of the Pope during her guest performance on Saturday Night Live, a move that dogged her career and her relationship with the media for the rest of her days. In the last few years of her life, she released a memoir titled Rememberings and participated in the documentary Nothing Compares, about her career and life.

Bo Goldman

Bo Goldman, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Melvin and Howard, died July 25 at 90. Based on the 1962 Ken Kesey novel, Cuckoo's Nest was Goldman's first produced screenplay, and remains one of only three films to win Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Goldman's other screenwriting credits included Scent of a Woman, Meet Joe Black, and Rules Don't Apply.

Inga Swenson

Inga Swenson, who received three Primetime Emmy nominations for her role as Gretchen Kraus on Benson, as well as two Tony nods for her work on Broadway, died on July 23 at 90. Born in Omaha on Dec. 29, 1932, Swenson first broke into television with a 1957 episode of Goodyear Playhouse. Several small stints on shows such as Folio, The United States Steel Hour, Playhouse 90, and more followed. After playing Lady Jane in the 1961 TV movie Victoria Regina, she landed roles in two critically acclaimed films — Advise & Consent and The Miracle Worker — in 1962. She then played Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mom of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova), on Soap, before nabbing the role of beloved German head housekeeper Gretchen Krause on that series' spin-off, Benson. Appearing in 159 episodes, she was an Emmy nominee in 1980, 1982, and 1985 for her work on the sitcom. In addition to her film and TV work, Swenson also received Tony nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in 110 in the Shade and Baker Street. She ultimately retired from acting in 1998.

Pamela Blair

Pamela Blair, the Broadway actress best known for originating the role of Val in Broadway's smash hit A Chorus Line, died on July 23 at 73. Born in Vermont on Dec. 5, 1949, Blair made her Broadway debut in 1968's Promises, Promises. Greater success followed when she landed the role of Curley's wife in the 1974 Of Mice and Men revival starring James Earl Jones. After an invitation from choreographer Michael Bennet, she joined workshops for A Chorus Line, which went on to become a critical and commercial hit worthy of nine Tony Awards and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Blair's character, Valerie Clark, was largely based on her own life — sans the desire for plastic surgery, which was taken from another dancer. Following A Chorus Line, Blair continued her career both onstage and onscreen, including a successful stint in daytime television. For her guest role in All My Children, Blair earned a Daytime Emmy nomination.

Lelia Goldoni

Lelia Goldoni, best known as the star of John Cassavettes' Shadows and as the friend of Ellen Burstyn's character in the Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, died July 22 at the age of 86. Other notable film roles include 1969's The Italian Job, 1975's The Day of the Locust, Philip Kaufman's 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Robert Mulligan's Bloodbrothers in 1978. On the television side, Goldoni had stints on Vega$, Cagney & Lacey, Knots Landing, L.A. Law, and The Pacific. In addition to her acting career, Goldoni also helmed the 1993 documentary Genius on the Wrong Coast as director and producer. She also taught acting techniques at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, UCLA, and Hampshire College, and also served as a lecturer at Stanford, CalArts, and the University of Massachusetts.

Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett, the velvet-voiced, impeccably elegant crooner who ruled America's mid-century musical landscape, died July 21 at 96 following a battle with Alzheimer's disease. Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, the vocalist used the GI Bill to study singing after serving as an infantryman in World War II and was signed to Columbia Records by 1949. A string of popular hits followed and by the mid-1950s, Bennett began to widen his musical reach, exploring jazz and swing with the likes of Count Basie and Art Blakey and developing his chops as a live performer with hits like "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." He released more than 60 studio albums — including two with close friend and collaborator Lady Gaga — and earned 20 Grammys (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), two Emmys, and at least one Guinness World Record entry for "the longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist" for the George Gershwin song "Fascinating Rhythm."

Jerome Coppersmith

Jerome Coopersmith in London, 2005 — Jerome Coopersmith. JUDY COOPERSMITH/WIKIPEDIA

Screenwriter, playwright, and screenwriting professor Jerome Coppersmith, best known for his work on the classic police drama Hawaii Five-O, died July 21 at age 97. Coppersmith began working in television in 1947, writing more than 100 scripts, including more than 30 for Hawaii Five-O. He received a Tony Award nomination in 1965 for Best Book of a Musical on the Harold Prince-directed Baker Street, a musical about Sherlock Holmes. He also previously served as an officer of the Writers Guild of America, East.

Linda Haynes

Linda Haynes. STANLEY BIELECKI MOVIE COLLECTION/GETTY

Linda Haynes, the actress best known for her performances in Rolling Thunder and Brubaker, died July 17 at age 75. Born in Miami, Haynes made her Hollywood debut as Doctor Anne Barton in the 1969 sci-fi flick Latitude Zero before landing roles in 1973's Coffy, 1974's The Nickel Ride, and the 1975 thriller The Drowning Pool. However, it was her portrayal of resilient barmaid Linda Forchet in the 1977 psychological thriller Rolling Thunder that captivated theatergoers like Quentin Tarantino, who called her "the performance of the film for me." A member of the Actor's Studio and Screen Actors Guild, Haynes earned her first leading part in the 1979 prison film Human Experiments and appeared in the Oscar-nominated 1980 film Brubaker before deciding to step away from the spotlight and work as a legal secretary.

Bill Cunningham

Bill Cunningham, the crooner and talent agency founder who served as the original voice of Mattel's Ken doll, died July 15 at 96. A San Francisco native, Cunningham began his career as a singer on NBC's Voices of Walter Schumann and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. He also sang in movies and commercials, and performed alongside the likes of Judy Garland and Dinah Shore. His debut album, I'm Always Chasing Rainbows, was financed by Fred Astaire. Cunningham opened Pacific Artists Agency (now known as CESD Talent Agency) in 1963, and retired in 1989.

Nick Benedict

Nick Benedict, the Daytime Emmy–nominated actor best known for his roles on All My Children and Days of Our Lives, died July 14 at 77. Born Nicholas Joseph Sciurba, the son of actor and director Richard Benedict, he got his start as a child actor in the 1955 film Wiretapper before making spotlight appearances on several popular shows throughout the 1960s, including Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O, and Ironside. Benedict starred as Phil Brent on All My Children from 1973 until 1978 and received a Daytime Emmy nomination for his performance in 1979. His other credits include his performance as Michael Scott on The Young and the Restless and as Curtis Reed on Days of Our Lives, which he played across 93 episodes from 1993 until 2001.

Jane Birkin

Jane Birkin, the actress, singer, and style legend, died July 16 at 76. The London-born star rose to fame in France after her role in the romantic comedy Slogan alongside French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Their professional and personal relationship made them one of France's most famous couples. They most memorably collaborated on a new version of Gainsbourg's song "Je T'aime… Moi Non Plus," which had lyrics so sexually explicit that it was declared offensive, denounced by the Vatican, and banned from radio stations worldwide. Across her acting career, which includes nearly 70 films, Birkin worked with revered directors like Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Bertrand Tavernier, Alain Resnais, and James Ivory. She was also the inspiration for the beloved Hermès Birkin handbag. The design originated from Birkin's chance encounter with former executive chairman of Hermès Jean-Louis Dumas, who overheard her complaints on a plane about needing a bag better suited for a young mother.

Reel Reporting

Friday, February 10, 2023

Stars who passed away in 2023: Part 6