OBITUARY

Bettie Page dies at 85; pinup queen played a key role in the sexual revolution of the 1960s and later became a cult figure

Pin-up Betty Mae Page is seen in the 1954 film Varietease. Page, the bombshell pin-up queen who both titillated and outraged Americans during her legendary career as a model and actress.

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By Louis Sahagun

December 12, 2008

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Bettie Page, the brunet pinup queen with a shoulder-length pageboy hairdo and kitschy bangs whose saucy photos helped usher in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, has died. She was 85.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Robert Prosky dies at 77; stage, TV and film actor appeared in ‘Hill Street Blues’

Robert Prosky portrayed many characters, including a desperate real estate salesman in “Glengarry Glen Ross” on stage and the avuncular Sgt. Stan Jablonski in TV’s “Hill Street Blues.”

By Adam Bernstein

December 10, 2008

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Reporting from Washington — Robert Prosky, a character actor with hundreds of film, TV and stage credits, and whose roles included an avuncular sergeant on the NBC police drama “Hill Street Blues” and a desperate real estate salesman in David Mamet’s play “Glengarry Glen Ross,” has died. He was 77.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Beverly Garland, versatile actress in film and TV, dies at 82

In a career spanning more than 50 years, she moved from B-movie cult stardom to scores of roles in television, notably on ‘My Three Sons.’ She also operated a namesake hotel in North Hollywood.

By Dennis McLellan

Los Angeles Times

December 6, 2008

Beverly Garland, whose long and varied acting career ranged from B-movie cult stardom in the 1950s portraying gutsy characters in movies such as Not of This Earth and It Conquered the World to playing Fred MacMurray’s wife on the sitcom My Three Sons, has died. She was 82.    (Click on’Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Nina Foch, actress and influential coach and teacher, dies at 84

The Hollywood veteran, who first attracted attention in noir films of the 1940s, went on to become a respected teacher of directors at USC and the American Film Institute.

By Elaine Woo

Los Angeles Times

December 6, 2008

Nina Foch, a veteran actress from Hollywood’s film noir era of the 1940s who became a widely respected acting coach and teacher of directors, died Friday at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. She was 84.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Sunny von Bulow dies after 28 years in coma

Claus (von) Bülow and Sunny and children at Hotel d’Angleterre, Copenhagen (CREDIT)

Associated Press

December 6, 2008

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NEW YORK — Martha “Sunny” von Bulow, the heiress who spent the last 28 years of her life in oblivion after what prosecutors alleged were two murder attempts by her husband, died today at age 76.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Forrest J Ackerman, writer-editor who coined ‘sci-fi,’ dies at 92

Forrest J. Ackerman (CREDIT)

The Los Angeles native influenced young fans with his Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and spent a lifetime amassing a vast collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia.

By Dennis McLellan

Los Angeles Times

December 6, 2008

Forrest J Ackerman, who influenced a generation of young horror movie fans with Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and spent a lifetime amassing what has been called the world’s largest personal collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia, has died. He was 92.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Paul Benedict dies at 70; actor from ‘The Jeffersons’ and ‘Sesame Street’

Los Angeles Times Staff And Wire Reports

December 5, 2008

Paul Benedict, the actor who played the eccentric English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom The Jeffersons, was found dead Monday at his home on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. He was 70.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

William Gibson dies at 94; Tony Award-winning playwright was best known for ‘The Miracle Worker’

William Gibson sits in on a reading of his play “Golda,” an autobiography of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. The playwright was known for the demanding roles he wrote for women.

By Adam Bernstein

November 28, 2008

Reporting from Washington — William Gibson, 94, a Tony Award-winning playwright best known for The Miracle Worker, the inspirational story of Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, died Tuesday at his home in Stockbridge, Mass. The family did not disclose the cause of death.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Irving Brecher dies at 94; Comedy writer got an Oscar nod for ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’

Brecher also created ‘The Life of Riley’ and wrote for Milton Berle and the Marx Brothers.

By Dennis McLellan

November 19, 2008

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Irving Brecher, a comedy writer whose career in radio, television and the movies included writing two Marx Brothers comedies, co-writing the Judy Garland musical Meet Me in St. Louis and creating the radio and TV series The Life of Riley, has died. He was 94.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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OBITUARY

Joe Hyams dies at 85; former Hollywood columnist, best-selling author

By Dennis McLellan

Los Angeles Times

November 11, 2008

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Joe Hyams, a former Hollywood columnist and best-selling author of books ranging from biographies of Humphrey Bogart and James Dean to a popular tome on Eastern philosophy, has died. He was 85.   (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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