March 20 saw the passing of Chuck Norris, action hero, martial artist, and early twentieth-century meme. He was 86.
Nicholas Brendon, best-known as Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer died at 54, from a heart attack. Brendon had a history of heart problems, and his post-Buffy life was marked by struggles with substance abuse.
Ace Frehley (Paul Daniel Frehley), the original lead guitarist, occasional songwriter, and space-man for the band Kiss, is dead at the age of 74.Frehley played with the band from its inception in 1973 until 1982, and then again during their 1990s revival. After he left the second time, they recruited a new “Ace” with the same make-up, because his extraterrestrial image had become integral to the band.
While he didn’t have a lot of genre credits, his impact on cinema is not to be understated. In addition to numerous roles in iconic movies (All the Presidents Men, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Natural, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), he created the long-running Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
OK, Universe. You can stop now.
Gene Hackman was found dead along with his wife and dog in their home in Sante Fe. Authorities do not suspect foul play.
Hackman was well-known for a variety of roles over a number of decades including his turn as Lex Luthor opposite Christopher Reeves. He had retired to New Mexico after his last film in 2004.
For me, my favorite Hackman role will always be the Blind Monk in Young Frankenstein.
Robert Orci, the writer behind the Kelvinverse Star Trek films and a whole lot more has passed away from kidney disease at 51.
I know not all the fans liked him, but credit where credit’s due, he helped bring Star Trek back to theaters and garnered the franchise a whole new generation of fans. I’ve heard for numerous new Trekkies that the 2009 movie was their entry point.
Looking through his filmography, I’ve enjoyed a number of the things he’s written through the years.
Well, this just sucks. The man who voiced one of the greatest villains of all time has left us. James Earl Jones has left us at the age of 93.
To say the man had quite a career is a massive understatement. Picking out a favorite role is insanely difficult.
What was your favorite role?
Acting icon Donald Sutherland has passed away at 88. Sutherland was in over a hundred films, ranging from M*A*S*H to Invasion of the Body Snatchers to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His performance as President Snow was the highlight (lowlight?) of the Hunger Games films.
He won a Primetime Emmy Award for 1995’s Citizen X.
Author, Hugo-winner, professor, and pioneer writer on the subject of AI and the technological singularity, Vernor Vinge, is dead at 79 from Parkinson’s disease.
The Reuben Award-winning cartoonist, best known for his work with Mad magazine, has died at the age of 102. Jaffee will be remembered for the Mad Fold-ins, ridiculous magic tricks, and Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions– which makes me wonder what he said when someone asked him to what he owed his long life.
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Aline Kominsky Crumb, a major figure in the Underground Comix movement, died November 29, 2022, at the age of 74.
She is survived by her husband, Robert Crumb and their daughter Sophie, also comix artists of note.