PIONEER DIRECTOR, JOHN SCHLESINGER, DEAD AT 77
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Schlesinger @ Premiere of TV movie COLD COMFORT FARM, 1995
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British director, JOHN SCHLESINGER authored only 19 films. However, he had his finger on his artistic pulse from his early childhood. His father played the cello and his mother played the violin. Schlesinger played the piano and did magic tricks, which probably sparked his interest in the illusion of filmmaking. He began his career as an actor at Oxford University. Henceforth his love of entertainment grew as he traveled around the world with the Experimental Theater Club. He won a Best Director Oscar for the X-rated film MIDNIGHT COWBOY in 1969, which also won Best Picture that year. The success of the only X-rated film to ever win an Oscar gave him the courage to deal with other controversial issues during his career. He made SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY in 1971. The movie dealt thoughtfully and romantically with the subject of gay love. He was openly gay and proud to make a movie that broke the horrific stereotype of gays as crazy and comical.
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John Schlesinger @ Palm Springs Walk of Fame ceremony, January 2003.
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His other films included DAY OF THE LOCUST (1975), MARATHON MAN (1976), YANKS (1979), FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN (1985), THE BELIEVERS (1987), MADAME SOUSATZKA (1988), PACIFIC HEIGHTS (1990),THE INNOCENT (1993), AN EYE FOR AN EYE (1996) and THE NEXT BEST THING (2000).
He died on July 25, 2003 in Palm Springs, where he lived for much of his semi-retirement years. The Palm Springs Film Festival honored him in January 2003 with a star in their Walk of Fame. It was JOHN’S last public appearance. His survivors, including his longtime partner, photographer MICHALE CHILDERS, request that donations be made to Project Angel Food in Los Angeles, the Motion Picture Fund in Woodland Hills or the Desert AIDS Project in Palm Springs in lieu of flowers.
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CELIA CRUZ
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CELIA CRUZ @ LATIN GRAMMY "PERSON OF THE YEAR" September 2001
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Cuban songstress CELIA CRUZ died at the age of 77. CRUZ told the NY TIMES in an interview some years ago “When people hear me sing I want them to be happy, happy, happy.” It certainly was an energy she spread. We interviewed CELIA a handful of times over the last 10 years, and each time she had a charm and effusive spirit unusual for a woman of her accomplishment. She recorded more than 70 albums, with an impressive list of musicians, including one yet to be released, due out later this summer with GLORIA ESTEFAN.
At the Latin Grammy’s Person of the Year Award
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CELIA @ LATIN GRAMMY AWARDS party for EMILIO ESTEFAN in September 2000.
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ceremony in September 2001 Cruz commented on the longevity of salsa, she said, “Nunca se va a acabar porque es la major en el mundo (It’s never going to end because it’s the best in the world).”
CRUZ was born in Havana, but left her country in 1960 while touring Mexico with the band LA SONORA MANTANCERA. She went on to perform with a range of performers like TITO PUENTE, LUCIANO PAVAROTTI, and even DAVID BYRNE of TALKING HEADS. She had a broad base of fans, and was scheduled to perform at Long Beach, California’s gay pride celebration in May, but was admitted to the hospital just before the event.
CRUZ lived in New Jersey after leaving her homeland, and was buried in New York before a throng of fans who will always savor the flavor of her “azucar”.
BUDDY EBSEN
BUDDY EBSEN was truly a jack-of-all-trades. Fans may know him as JED CLAMPET, or even BARNABY JONES, but BUDDY EBSEN did so much more in his 70+ years in show business. He started as a dancer in the 30’s, including a spot as in “ZIEGFIELD FOLLIES OF 1934”, starring FANNIE BRICE, and made contemporarily famous by BARBRA STREISAND in FUNNY GIRL. He was originally picked to play the Scarecrow in the 1939 classic THE WIZARD OF OZ, but the arrival of RAY BOLGER bumped him over to the Tin Man. BUDDY tried to play the part, but nearly died from inhaling the aluminum dust from the costume, and eventually dropped out of the picture, only to be replaced by JACK HALEY.
BUDDY did appear in more than 30 feature films, including THE BROADWAY MELODY in 1936, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, THE INTERNS and THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES in 1993.
EBSEN went on to star in a very popular television series in the 60’s DAVEY CROCKETT, before landing his first signature role, JED CLAMPETT. THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES ran from 1962 to 1971 and is still popular in syndication worldwide. He was lucky enough to play a second signature television character at the age of 65, BARNABY JONES, which debuted in 1973 and ran for 8 years. EBSEN was given another shot at series television in 1984 with a role on MATT HOUSTON, starring LEE HORSLEY. That gig ran just a year.
No matter, EBSEN had numerous other distractions, including sailing-he won a race from Los Angeles to Honolulu in 1968 in a 35-foot catamaran; painting-he had numerous showings of his work in and around Los Angeles; and writing-he wrote plays, novels and lyrics. Singer, dancer, writer, painter, sailor, and father-he had 6 children. BUDDY EBSEN did it all, and did it well right up to his death at the age of 95.
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BUDDY EBSEN with wife, RUTH @ CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE opening February 2001.
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BUDDY HACKETT
Another buddy passed away recently. BUDDY HACKETT, the voice of THE LITTLE MERMAID’S Scuttle, died on June 30, 2003. He was 79 years old. HACKETT was asked by SHEMP HOWARD to replace the ailing CURLY of the THREE STOOGES in the 50’s, but after seeing them rehearse, respectfully declined. He appeared in the STANLEY KRAMER classic, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD as BENJY BENJAMIN. His unique, raspy voice was a natural for voiceovers, beginning in 1979 where he played a groundhog in the television movie JACK FROST. He may be best remembered as the voice of SCUTTLE in MERMAID and MERMAID II, or perhaps as PAULIE, the parrot, from the 1998 movie of the same name.
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| BUDDY HACKETT @ THE LITTLE MERMAID II premiere, September 2000. |
BOB HOPE
On July 27, at the age of 100, BOB HOPE passed away at his home in Toluca Lake. HOPE was among the wealthiest and most honored entertainers in the world. He received the Medal of Freedom, the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian , by then President LYNDON JOHNSON. In 1997 he became the only man who was made an Honorary Veteran by the United States congress.
He was an avid golfer, boasting a 4 handicap at his best. He appeared in more than 60 films, starring in 50 of those. He hosted the ACADEMY AWARDS 18 times. His lack of an OSCAR was perhaps his best gag at those events. The ACADEMY did manage to bestow upon him 5 “Honorary” and “Special” commemorations.
HOPE had a storied career in Hollywood, getting his start in dancing-he was a dance instructor for a while, and worked, like BUDDY EBSEN with the ZIGFIELD FOLLIES. He paired with BING CROSBY on radio, and then went on to star in 7 “ROAD” pictures with BING in the 40’s. BOB is best known for his work entertaining the troops abroad, and much of his career in the 60’s and 70’s was spent making appearances at the rate of 100+ per year all over the globe.
BOB HOPE had not 1, but 4 stars on the WALK OF FAME for film, radio, television and live performances. Hollywood’s honorary mayor JOHNNY GRANT had the pleasure of introducing him to the troops at his last live performance in 1989 in Bahrain for the Persian Gulf War. He touched so many people all over the world, and understood the importance of laughter. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, DOLORES HOPE, and 4 adopted children.
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BOB and DOLORES HOPE @ booksigning in 1996.
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BARRY WHITE - singer, songwriter and author
SEPTEMBER 12, 1944 – JULY 4, 2003
BARRY WHITE’S life was better than fiction. His career peaked in the 1970’s and enjoyed ongoing popularity. He fathered 8 children and most likely had a responsibility for a million more. On the Fourth of July, as I surfed the internet, I was stunned to discover that White’s life came to an end from kidney failure due to diabetes that morning. He had been on a transplant list for over a year.
At a barbecue, later on that day, my friends and I listened to his greatest hits CD. I sadly broke the news to them and we danced and sang to celebrate all that his music meant to us. My recently engaged friend revealed that White’s 1974 jam, "Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby" would be her wedding song.
Then, I thought about the time I got to speak with White in October 1999. He wrote a book called LOVE UNLIMITED: INSIGHTS ON LIFE AND LOVE. I learned that he walked 35 miles from his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood to Hollywood in 1960 to begin his music career. He told me about his humble beginnings during our meeting, "It was a hard road. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have any money, no clothes. I didn’t have nothing but the belief in myself." But, in 1999, White had fans lining up at Eso Won Books in South Los Angeles to get his signature and read his true story.
Despite his success, he had strong warnings for people with a desire to get in the business. He said, "It’s a cold business. It’s a very, very cold business." He went on to say that he survived because, "[of my] dedication to what I do. I love music and I made a lot of records because that what I love to do."
Barry White thank-you for loving what you do for more than 4 decades and thanks for getting us "in the mood."
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