Literary critic and college professor Harold Bloom has died at age 89. Mr. Bloom edited two books of essays relating to Ray Bradbury, RAY BRADBURY (BLOOM'S MODERN CRITICAL VIEWS) and RAY BRADBURY'S FAHRENHEIT 451 (BLOOM'S MODERN CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS):
Gahan Wilson, whose macabre drawings and cartoons delighted readers of such magazines as NEW YORKER and PLAYBOY for many years, has passed away at age 89. A link to details of his death is included below.
On a personal note, I had a chance to meet Mr. Wilson at the 1998 World Fantasy Convention in Monterey, California. He was a truly nice gentleman. He autographed his short story, "Traps", in my copy of the anthology DARK FORCES and added, after his signature, a wonderfully creepy drawing of a rat. (What else? Read the story!)
Mike Resnick, a very fine science fiction writer who won five Hugo Awards and one Nebula Award for his work, passed away on January 9, 2020 at age 77. Details of his career and passing can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
Christopher Tolkien, son and literary executor for his father, LORD OF THE RINGS author J.R.R. Tolkien, died on January 15, 2020 at age 95. For more details about his life and passing, you can click on the link below:
Legendary actor Kirk Douglas, star of such great films as PATHS OF GLORY, CHAMPION, SPARTACUS, LUST FOR LIFE, LONELY ARE THE BRAVE, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and ACE IN THE HOLE, has died at age 103. Douglas was also the recipient of the 2012 Ray Bradbury Creativity Award. For details about his passing, click on the link below:
Robert Conrad, star of such TV series as BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP, HAWAIIAN EYE and THE WILD WILD WEST (the last a personal favorite) has died at age 84. For information on his career and passing, you can click on the link below:
Editor, publisher and fan Earl Kemp died on February 6, 2020 at the age of 90. Mr. Kemp was the founder of the Chicago-based Advent Publishers, which published books by such writing luminaries as Robert Bloch, L. Sprague De Camp, and Edward E. "Doc" Smith. Details of his life and passing can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
Stuart Gordon, director of the excellent film version of Ray Bradbury's THE WONDERFUL ICE CREAM SUIT, has died at the much-too-young age of 72. Details of his passing can be accessed by clicking on the link below. I can still remember attending a screening of the film here in Chicago, in around 1998 or so, at a local theater. Both Ray and Mr. Gordon were in attendance. They spoke after the screening, and were justifiably proud of the film. It was a wonderful evening.
The fine British film actress Honor Blackman has died at age 94. While some will recall her performance as the goddess Hera in Ray Harryhausen's great 1963 film JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS, I will always best remember her as Pussy Galore, the "Bond girl" in the 1964 film GOLDFINGER opposite Sean Connery.
The brilliant stage and screen actor Brian Dennehy has died of natural causes at age 81. While many will remember him for his screen roles in such films as FIRST BLOOD and SILVERADO (he played not-so-nice sheriffs in both movies), I personally will always remember him for two of his performances at Chicago's Goodman Theater in plays by Eugene O'Neill: LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT and DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS.
Alas! I saw Brian Dennehy quite a few times in the VHS home video era. He was always good; an underrated movie and TV actor. I could never see him on stage.
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Two-time Academy Award winning actress Olivia De Havilland died today of natural causes, less than one month after celebrating her 104th birthday. Miss De Havilland was the last remaining star of GONE WITH THE WIND, and starred in such other great films as CAPTAIN BLOOD, THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, TO EACH HIS OWN and THE HEIRESS, winning her Oscars for the last two films. She will be sorely missed.
