Multi-talented author and screenwriter William Goldman has died at the age of 87, of colon cancer and pneumonia. He had many successes, but he will be best remembered by Bureau-crats and other nerds as the author of The Princess Bride.
Category Archives: Obituary
Stan Lee, RIP
R.I.P. Steve Ditko, age 90
Steve Ditko has passed away at age 90. He will always be deservedly known for his contributions to the creation of Spider-Man and Dr. Strange above all else, but I also have a soft spot for Speedball, Squirrel Girl, the Question, and so many more.
Harlan Ellison, R.I.P.
Harlan Ellison, the outspoken, prolific author of stories, novels, screenplays, TV, and comics, died in his sleep this morning at the age of 84. Ellison wrote many a beloved and thought-provoking SF story including Trek‘s “The City on the Edge of Forever,” and won, in the words of Rick Green, “every coveted award– except Miss Congeniality.” Stephen King opined today that “If there’s an afterlife, Harlan is already kicking ass and taking down names.” John Scalzi has offered his own perspective on the irascible Mr. Ellison.
SF will miss him.
Stephen Hawking dead at 76
The world’s best-known theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking, died this morning at the age of 76. He will be remembered for his contributions to science, and his affable appearances as himself in various media.
“I’m not afraid of death,” he once said, “but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first.”
Rest in Peace.
Ursula K. Le Guin has passed away at age 88
One great masters of genre fiction has passed away today. It’s difficult to put into words just how influential and powerful a voice she was in the genre.
Haruo “Godzilla” Nakajima dies at 88
Haruo Nakajima, the stunt actor who stomped to fame as the original Godzilla, has died from pneumonia at 88. A kind of low-tech predecessor to Anthony Serkis, Nakajima played the Monster King in 12 movies, and also performed a number of other famous Japanese feature creatures.
The Queen of Voice Acting, June Foray, Has Passed Away
Leaving behind a massive filmography, June Foray has died just weeks short of her 100th birthday. Foray is best known for her work as Granny and Witch Hazel on “Looney Tunes” and as Rocky and Natasha on “Rocky & Bullwinkle.” Her spanned decades and genres and included:
- Various Characters (and the voice of Betty in the pilot) on The Flintstones
- Lucifer in Walt Disney’s Cinderella
- Magica De Spell on DuckTales
- Granny Gummi on Gummi Bears
- Grandmother Fa on Mulan
- Talky Tina on The Twilight Zone (The Living Doll)
- Jokey Smurf on The Smurfs
- Aunt May on Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends
A tireless advocate for animation, she helped establish the Annie Awards as well as getting the Academy Awards to add the Full-Length Animated Feature award in 2007. Her autobiography, “Did You Grow Up with Me?” was published 2009.
George A. Romero, dead at 77
George Romero died this week. His most noteworthy film, Night of the Living Dead, combined Afro-Caribbean zombies with Middle Eastern ghouls and his own concepts and invented the modern zombie.
May he Rest in Peace.
Joan Lee, R.I.P.
Joan Lee, wife of Marvel mastermind Stan Lee, has died at 93.