Tag Archives: Obituary

Star Trek: Reunited

Specifically, CBS and Viacom are merging back into one entity. Previously, CBS owned the TV rights to Star Trek while Viacom owned the movie rights (they split up in 2006). It’s partly what led to the JJ Abrams 2009 reboot movies, rather than a continuation of the TNG/DS9/VOY story arc. This will also mean that all of Paramount’s movies will be (theoretically) available on CBS All Access in the future.

In sadder Star Trek news, Barbara March, the actress behind the cunning and ruthless Lursa, has passed away at 65 from cancer. May she live on in Sto’Vo’Kor.

Arson at Anime Studio Kyoto Animation kills 34, hospitalizes another 34.

This past week, a 41-year-old man doused the primary office building of the anime studio Kyoto Animation with gasoline, along with people as they left the building, and set it on fire. The blaze (reportedly due to the positioning of ignition sites) raced through the building, killing 34 people (20 women, 13 men, one unknown), and badly injured another 34. The building itself has been badly damaged, with computer servers and art on the site being a total loss. The arsonist was taken into custody at the scene and confessed to the crime to law enforcement.

Kyoto Animation’s work has included several anime series that have been reviewed on the site, including Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu and Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Other genre series they have produced include Violet Evergarden (which is currently available on Netflix), and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (available on Netflix). They also received tremendous critical acclaim for the films A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird.

The staff of Bureau42 offers our condolences to the victims and families of the victims of this attack.

The names of the victims have not been officially released at this time. We ask that you refrain from speculating on the identity of the victims, and refrain from stating the name of the arsonist.

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.

RIP Richard Hatch, BSG’s Original Apollo

Richard Hatch, the man who originated the role of Apollo on the 1978 version of Battlestar Galactica, has passed away at age 71. He joined the cast of the 2003 reboot as terrorist/political leader Tom Zarek.

He was no stranger to genre film (particularly the B-grade variety) and had appeared in the legally questionable Prelude to Axnar (and was set to appear in the full version, had that gone through).

In addition to acting, Hatch wrote a number of novels set in BSG universe. In 1999 he attempted his own reboot of the show that made him famous, producing a trailer for Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming.

He is survived by his son, Paul.

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May the Force Be With You, Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds

Carrie Fisher (courtesy of IMDB)Because 2016 just hadn’t crushed us enough…

Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy and the recent sequel, The Force Awakens, has passed away. She suffered a heart attack on December 23, while on a flight from London to Los Angeles. She was 60 years old.

In addition to acting, Fisher was a prolific Hollywood writer, known for her sharp wit and quick tongue. She was touring the nation, promoting her new book, The Princess Diarist, which was made up of her journal entries during the filming of Star Wars.

She was open about her struggles with her weight during Star Wars and her later addictions with drugs and alcohol. Her book (and screenplay) Postcards from the Edge, are a semi-autobiographical look into her life.

Fisher’s take on Leia created a whole new archetype of a tough woman in Science Fiction. Not quite the damsel in distress, she was a strong leader that gave a generation of geek women someone to look up to (and geek men to admire).

She is now one with the Force, but we will never forget her.

Debbie Reynolds[Update] Sadly, a day after Fisher’s death, her mother, Hollywood legend, Debbie Reynolds has also passed away. She suffered a stroke while at her son Todd Fisher’s home while planning Carrie’s funeral. She was 84 years old.

Reynolds was a fixture of Hollywood musicals in the 50’s and 60’s and starred alongside Gene Kelley in the classic Singin’ in the Rain. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Molly Brown in the film version of the musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Fisher family.

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Firefly’s Shepard, Ron Glass, Heads Out Into The Black

Because 2016 hasn’t sucked enough, we lose the man the represented the soul of the Serenity. No details yet, but Ron Glass, famous for a variety of TV roles, including seven years on Barney Miller, has passed away at the age of 71.

As Shepard Book, a wandering preacher, Glass brought dignity to an undignified crew. He would reprise the role in the film sequel, where he uttered one of the most poignant lines of the series, “I don’t care what you believe. Just believe it.”

Joss Whedon took to Twitter with this:

RIP, Mr. Glass.

RIP Wes Craven, Master of Horror

Wes_CravenOne of the most influential people in horror is now gone. Director and writer Wes Craven died on August 30, 2015 from brain cancer.

The genesis of many a sleepless night, Craven was the man behind the original Nightmare on Elm Street and the Scream series.

Rest in Peace, Wes.

No really, I mean that.

RIP James Horner, Composer

James HornerJames Horner, one of the most prolific film composers died in a plane crash yesterday at the age of 61. His credits are too numerous to list here, but he has been a major fixture in genre films for decades. He scored two Star Trek films (II and III), was a frequent collaborator with James Cameron (Aliens, Titanic, Avatar), and scored many of the Don Bluth animated films (An American Tale, The Land Before Time, etc).

Horner was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won twice (both for Titanic, Best Score and Best Song). How influential is he? He was the 35th person added to the IMDB database back in the 90’s and his score for Titanic is the best selling orchestral film soundtrack of all time.

Some of James Horner’s work sampled below.

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