THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES 1 [1971]

 "IN LATE VICTORIAN LONDON LIVED MANY DETECTIVES WHO WERE THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES."

 The Thames TV Colour Production of "THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES", based upon a short story collection of the same name, ran for two series:  the first in 1971 and the second in 1973.  There's nothing better than 1970's British television (c'mon, you know it's true) and this series is a particularly good example of funky freshness!  As the title suggests, the series features adaptations from the multitude of detective fiction produced in the late Victorian and Edwardian in the wake of the success of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's consulting detective.   "RIVALS" is also a prime example of the look and feel of 70's British television I love so well.  Add to all this the plethora of superb (and well-loved-by-me) British character actors (a healthy amount of DOCTOR WHO alums among them) and a hint of two of horror elements in a couple episodes, and you have a winner with me!  Even the "worst" episode here is fully entertaining and worth a watch.  Each episode below I'll try to rate out of the 5 star system.  

S01EP01 - A MESSAGE FROM THE DEEP SEA  ★★★★

Our first master detective is Dr. Thorndyke from the writings of R. Austin Freeman.  Thorndyke teaches criminology at University.  When a former student Dr. Hart (now assistant to the police surgeon) is assigned his first murder case, he decides to ask his old mentor and his assistant Dr. Jervis to tag along.  In a nearby rooming house, they find the body of woman lying in her bed stabbed in the throat and clutching a clump of bright red hair.  After taking note of all the clues in the room, the trio is joined by the supercilious police surgeon Dr. Davidson and rather dim  Detective Sergeant Bates who, after learning the deceased had an argument with an Irish woman in the house with bright red hair, they quickly declare it an open-and-shut case and ignore all evidence to the contrary . . . which Thorndyke fruitlessly attempts to point out.  

Dr. Thorndyke is wonderfully played by John Neville (star of Terry Gilliam's noble misfire THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN).  The detective's Watson-like perpetually annoyed and exasperated Dr. Jervis is nicely played by James Cossins (probably best remembered around these parts for his role in the FAWLTY TOWERS episode "The Hotel Inspectors":  "This wine is corked.  The wine . . . has reacted . . . with the cork and gone off!").  Paul Darrow plays neophyte assistant police surgeon Dr. Hart; the actor being primarily known for his role on BLAKE'S 7 as well as twice appearing in DOCTOR WHO in the stories "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and "Timelash".  Pompous police surgeon Dr. Davidson is played by Bernard Archard who is also best known on this blog for his role as Marcus Scarman in DOCTOR WHO:  THE PYRAMIDS OF MARS.  Terence Rigby as Sgt. Bates appeared in GET CARTER in the same year as this episode.  Also in the cast is Nicholas Smith; ole Jug Ears himself Mr. Rumboldt from ARE YOU BEING SERVED?.  This is a nicely effective, strong episode to start the series.

S01EP02 - THE MISSING WITNESS SENSATION  ★★★½ 

Tonight's detective is Max Carrados from the works of Ernest Bramah.  In the realm of detective fiction, Carrados is rather unique in the fact that he's blind.  A man named Dennis Rank is on trial for attacking a woman during a robbery.  However, a witness named Mr. Thaxted claims to have been with the accused in Richmond Park at the time of the crime.  But Max Carrados knows it's all a lie because he himself met Dennis Rank at that same time in Richmond Park.  Unfortunately, when Carrados puts himself forward as a contradictory witness, the "Irish Republican Brotherhood" (of which Rank is a member), kidnaps Carrados and holds him prisoner so that he cannot testify.  Predicting this event, Carrados previous makes a sworn affidavit which is admitted in court after his disappearance.  An angry Irish Republican Brotherhood threatens to kill Carrados if Rank is found guilty.  

Robert Stephens plays Max Carrados with a slightly camp edge and a supreme confidence in his abilities as a detective.  However, his performance isn't one-note as 2/3rds of the way through the episode, Stephens plays it more apprehensively and self-chastising as Carrados begins to think maybe he's bitten off more than he can chew this time.  Sir Robert Stephens is known 'round here for his starring role in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES as well as THE ASPHYX.  Interestingly, of Stephens' 4 marriages, his last two wives were Maggie Smith and Patricia Quinn (Magenta of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW)!  Another old favourite in the cast is Christopher Cazenove; forever known around here for playing Lord Charlie Hazelmere in THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET.

S01EP03 - THE AFFAIR OF THE AVALANCHE BICYCLE & TYRE CO. LTD.  ★★★½ 

In his first of two episodes, we have detective Horace Dorrington from the works of Arthur Morrison.  Dorrington as a detective is fascinating in that he's completely amoral and unscrupulous; he will lie and cheat everyone in order to turn a profit from his detective work!  He's just so lovable as played by the great Peter Vaughan that you can't help but root for him.  I'd describe Dorrington as a "cuddly snake".  Dorrington wants to invest in the Avalanche bicycle company since the impending rage for these new-fangled bicycles might make him a tidy sum.  But Dorrington senses something fishy and becomes friendly with Mr. Stedman of the rival Indestructible Bicycle Company to gain information.  A bicycle race which will determine which bikes are the best ends in a big crash as some unknown ruffian throws a folding chair on the track; the race is at night so no one sees it until it's too late and a massive pile-up occurs injuring superstar cyclist Gillet.  Who threw the chair and why?  And what's everybody up to?

Peter Vaughan is superb as the lovable lout Dorrington and, while you don't really care about the plot of this episode, you're glued to Vaughan's performance with delight.  Vaughan, beloved for his recurring role as Genial Harry Grout in the classic Britcom PORRIDGE also played Anthony Hopkins' father in REMAINS OF THE DAY as well as Giles Corey in THE CRUCIBLE plus well-remembered roles in TIME BANDITS, BRAZIL, the classic BBC Ghost Story for Christmas "A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS" and the music video for Kate Bush's EXPERIMENT IV.  Stedman is played by John Carlisle who I remember mostly from his role as iffy psychiatrist Roy Martindale in the BBC series THE OMEGA FACTOR.  Particularly wonderful in this and the upcoming second Dorrington episode are the long-suffering assistants Mr. Farrish and Ms. Parrott played by Kenneth Colley and Petronella Barker respectively.  Colley is most known to me as fantastically having played Jesus Christ in MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN and from his turn in Michael Palin & Terry Jones' series RIPPING YARNS in the episode "The Testing of Eric Olthwaite" and ultimately as Admiral Piett in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI.  

S01EP04 - THE DUCHESS OF WILTSHIRE'S DIAMONDS  ★★★★ 

The detective for this episode is Simon Carne; however, like Dorrington, Carne is bent as a dog's back leg.  He basically hires himself out as a detective to solve crimes that he himself has committed; therefore he never recovers the stolen merchandise but instead provides the victim with a plausible-sounding explanation as to how the dingus was stolen.  In fact, Simon Carne himself is really a disguise of a hunchbacked aristocrat in false wig and facial hair.  Carne is met by his friend Lord Amberley on Carne's return to England.  On their way to Carne's newly-purchased flat, Amberley regails Carne with tales of the latest rage in London:  a dazzlingly mysterious detective named Klimo who has all of London abuzz.  To Carne's horror, his new flat is right next door to this glory-hound detective!  Carne takes his leave of Amberley, enters his new flat where his manservant Belton awaits and proceeds to removes his false mustache, beard and wig . . . as well as his fake hump!  He then puts on an outlandishly elaborate costume with a baldcap and adapts an Irish accent.  Simon Carne is, in fact, Klimo.  He sits in a desk which revolves over to the house next door and accepts clients as Klimo.  Carne is the "gentleman thief" who steals the loot and Klimo is the detective who solves (but not really) the crime without recovering the missing booty!  

This is an immensely enjoyable episode in which Roy Dotrice manages to pull off the nearly impossible; putting on a different voice in his Klimo disguise which ACTUALLY sounds nothing like Roy Dotrice's voice.  You can nearly always tell but in this case, you'd never know it was Dotrice's voice; it's so different not just in the Irish accent but the tone and timbre.  Another superb cast finds Lord Amberley played by John Standing who appeared in the Hammer Horror THE PSYCHOPATH, the Amicus portmaneau TORTURE GARDEN, ROGUE MALE as most prominently as Jason Mountolive:  the geezer who brings everyone together in THE LEGACY (1978).  Butler Benton is played by John Nettleton whose DOCTOR WHO creds come from his appearance in GHOST LIGHT; however, I most associate him with his recurring role as Sir Arnold Robinson in the classic Britcoms YES, MINISTER and YES, PRIME MINISTER.  

S01EP05 - THE HORSE OF THE INVISIBLE ★★★

The most "horror-themed" episode of the series features Carnacki the Ghost Detective from the works of William Hope Hodgson.  This is also the only instance where I have read the stories previously to watching RIVALS. The ancient curse of the Hisgins family states that if the first born child is female, she will be haunted and eventually killed at the hands (hoofs?!?)  of a ghostly invisible horse.  Captain Hisgins, patriarch of the family, has a first-born daughter Mary who is engaged to be married to Charles Beaumont.  The ghostly invisible horse has dutifully appeared and Beaumont has broken his arm defending Mary against it.  Captain Hisgins engages Carnacki the Ghost Finder to help.  

Frankly, an invisible horse isn't the scariest or most threatening thing I can think of and I wish they had chosen another story to adapt.  As this is the only close-to-horror episode in the series, it's unfortunate that the whole thing seems rather silly.  The acting and proceedings are rather overheated and melodramatically played but thankfully Donald Pleasence is there to underplay and basically carry the episode on his shoulders making this worth watching in the long run.  The character of Mary played by Michele Dotrice (from Hammer Horror THE WITCHES, AND SOON THE DARKNESS and BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) is willfully stubborn in a kind of stupid way; at one point (after clearly encountering the invisible horse who broke her fiancee's arm) she still insists (against Carnacki's strong objections) to take her fiancee for a long walk out in the woods AT NIGHT!!!!!  I mean, really!  She kinda deserves whatever she gets at this point!  And the "baddie" is pretty obvious the second the character appears on screen.  However, the episode is still well worth watching for some moments of gothic atmosphere as well as the ever-dependable excellence of Donald Pleasence.

S01EP06 - THE CASE OF THE MIRROR OF PORTUGAL  ★★★★ 

Here we have the second appearance of our friend Dorrington as played by Peter Vaughan and this one I like even better than the first one!  A destitute French ex-Pat named Jacques Bouvier seeks Dorrington's help in recovering a diamond called "The Mirror of Portugal"; an old family legacy passed down from the French Revolution when it was "liberated" from the French crown jewels by Bouvier's ancestor.  The diamond is currently in possession of Bouvier's cousin Leon who refuses to share it.  Dorrington, indignant at the suggestion that he should steal the diamond, throw's Jacques out of his office. . . then promptly goes about scheming to steal the diamond for himself.  

Peter Vaughan is, if possible, even better in this episode and Colley & Barker are even better here as Farrish & Parrott as well!  This episode is just so damned enjoyable as we follow the amoral antics of Dorrington . . . and there's a terrific twist at the end too!  In the cast, Michael Forrest as Jacques Bouvier had an extensive TV career appearing in LOC&H favourites like THE AVENGERS, DANGER MAN, UFO, CALLAN and DOOMWATCH.  Oscar Quitak as cousin Leon also had a busy career in films such as REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, BRAZIL and BLOODBATH AT THE HOUSE OF DEATH as well as appearances in TV shows like YES, PRIME MINISTER, OPEN ALL HOURS, ACE OF WANDS, DOOMWATCH,  and LOVEJOY.  Most prominently featured is Paul Eddington as Hamer whose roles include the Hammer Horror THE DEVIL RIDES OUT as well as his well-loved starring roles in THE GOOD LIFE and YES, MINISTER/YES, PRIME MINISTER.  Also in a walk-on is a ridiculously young Jeremy Irons!

S01EP07 - MADAME SARA  ★★ 

Dixon Druce is our featured detective this episode from the works of L.T. Meade and Robert Eustace.  Jack Selby has just married his beautiful Spanish wife Beatrice.  But there's a problem.  There is an inheritance of two million pounds up for grabs but it will only be given to the last survivor of Beatrice, her sister Edith or their step brother Silva.  Last one alive gets the grisbi!  The sisters' older step brother is estranged from the family and lives in distant Brazil.  Silva has a bad reputation and the sisters may be in serious danger.  Somehow mixed up in all this is a mysterious woman known as Madame Sara who in in the "beautifying" business and claims to be able to prevent aging as well as being a deft hand at surgery, dentistry and a host of other medical practices.  Edith seems terribly afraid of Madame Sara . . . but in awe of her at the same time.  Unfortunately, when one of the sisters dies of poisoning, everyone's worst fears are realised.  

For a story crammed with such interesting elements, it's a shame this episode is rather limp.  I'm not sure what it is; whether its the melodramatic, overheated acting which seems particularly artificial, the rather bland lead portrayal of Dixon Druce or the ridiculously over-emphatic music soundtrack.  This is definitely my least favourite episode so far but, having said that, its STILL well worth watching; which goes to the general high quality of the entire series. 

John Fraser is not bad in the lead role of detective Dixon Druce; he's just rather unmemorable.  Fraser was good in his roles in EL CID, REPULSION, TUNES OF GLORY and THE DAM BUSTERS as well as getting cred from his appearances in favourite TV series DANGER MAN and DOCTOR WHO:  LOGOPOLIS.  Fraser simply doesn't have the forceful personality to lift the material which is rather overwrought and hand-wringy.  Marianne Benet (SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL) is very good as the mysterious Madame Sara who was the Moriarty to Dixon Druce's Holmes in a series of six stories for the detective.  But the biggest joy of the episode (and one that makes it worthwhile to watch) is the appearance of two major DOCTOR WHO actors in prominent roles:  Caroline John (Liz Shaw in Jon Pertwee's first series) as Edith and Roger Delgado (The Master also during Jon Pertwee's tenure) as Silva.

S01EP08 - THE CASE OF THE DIXON TORPEDO  ★★★½ 

Jonathan Pryde is this episode's detective.  Although it should've been Martin Hewitt from the works of Arthur Morrison.  This is one of three detective Martin Hewitt stories adapted for this series of RIVALS; which rises to five Arthur Morrison stories this series when you include the two Dorrington episodes!  That's a lot of Morrison!  And I guess they invented the detective character of Jonathan Pryde (Hewitt's partner/assistant) two cut down the amount of Martin Hewitt episodes from three to two.  It IS rather baffling to me that they chose to broadcast the Jonathan Pryde episode before ANY Martin Hewitt episodes aired.  I would've thought airing a Hewitt episode followed by this Pryde episode would've made more sense.  The client in this episode is actually looking to hire Hewitt (who we've never seen so far in RIVALS) and is told by Pryde that Hewitt's out of town on a case so he'd have to settle for Pryde.  Odd.  Anywho, the British Admiralty hires Pryde to watch inventor F. Graham Dixon who is working on plans for a new-fangled miracle torpedo so that it doesn't fall into the hands of naughty foreign powers (this is pre-World War I).  Of course, while Dixon is testing a model of the torpedo in a secluded lake, Pryde notices a sneaky Pete spying on him from the trees.  Of course, before you it, the plans are stolen.

Jonathan Pryde is played solidly by Ronald Hines with a more modern-seeming world-weariness which, by the end of the episode, reach the level of disillusionment of a Callan!  Hines can be seen in the 1958 film DUNKIRK, SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, and the 1988 Michael Caine JACK THE RIPPER as well as in the POIROT episode "The Kidnapped Prime Minister".  Jacqueline Pearce (Hammer's THE REPTILE and PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES as well as, of course, BLAKE'S 7) has one scene as Pryde's wife.  Derek Francis as the crusty old F. Graham Dixon has many Hammer horror creds in films like THE TOMB OF LIGEIA, CAPTAIN CLEGG aka NIGHT CREATURES, RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK and TO THE DEVIL -- A DAUGHTER as well as the Norman Wisdom vehicle PRESS FOR TIME and my beloved CARRY ON DOCTOR.  Francis' also has a DOCTOR WHO cred for his appearance in THE ROMANS as Emperor Nero during the William Hartnell era.  This episode reminded me quite a bit of the Sherlock Holmes story "The Bruce Partington Plans" but apparently Morrison's story was written before Conan Doyle's.  A good, solid episode enlivened by fine performances as well as the feel of disillusionment towards the end.

S01EP09 - THE WOMAN IN THE BIG HAT ★★★½  

This episode's detective is Lady Molly from the works of the Baroness Orczy.  A man has been monopolising a booth in a London tea shop for quite a long time nursing his hot chocolate.  When a waitress goes to him, he falls forward on the table . . .dead!  When the man first sat down he was in the company of a woman wearing an extremely large hat who left him to "go shopping" and never returned.  Surely, this woman in the big hat poisoned him.  Lady Molly is brought into the case by her assistant Mary Grandard who was in the tea shop at the time of the murder.  

Elvi Hale is marvelous as Lady Molly:  a detective who has some position at Scotland Yard but it's not made clear exactly in what capacity.  She is however, expertly capable in her detective work and suffers the pompous condescension of her male colleagues with strained patience.  One of these pompous fellas is her colleague Inspector Saunders played by Peter Bowles best known 'round these parts for his starring role in the classic Britcom TO THE MANOR BORN.  Unfortunately, Bowles' performance here is wildly over-the-top as if he's appearing in a pantomime!  I've seen Bowles in a great deal of other things where his acting is subtle and appropriate so I'm not sure what happened here.  The actor also appeared in scads of favourite TV series including DANGER MAN, THE PRISONER, THE AVENGERS, SPACE: 1999, RISING DAMP and I, CLAUDIUS.  Mary Grandard is played by Ann Beach known mostly to me as Lottie in CITY OF THE DEAD as well as appearing in SEBASTIAN and TV series STEPTOE AND SON, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, RISING DAMP and of course FRESH FIELDS.  Francis White as the murdered man's widow appeared in the DOCTOR WHO story THE MYTH MAKERS as well as in I, CLAUDIUS as Augustus Caesar's daughter Julia.  Veteran actress Catherine Lacey plays the murdered man's elderly aunt; she appeared in everything from Alfred Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES to Michael Reeves' THE SORCERERS.  But among this terrific cast, the laurels have to go to the marvelous Una Stubbs (Mrs. Hudson to Benedict Cumberbatch's SHERLOCK) as the ex-maid and full-time strumpet Katie whose performance is laugh-out-loud hilarious!      

  

S01EP10 - THE AFFAIR OF THE TORTOISE  ★★★½ 

Here we finally have the first appearance of Martin Hewitt from the works of Arthur Morrison after being unceremoniously replaced in "The Dixon Torpedo".  Miss Chapman is living in a rather seedy, rundown boarding house when detective Martin Hewitt informs her that she has just inherited a sizable inheritance.  While there, Hewitt hears a chaotic racket coming from outside Miss Chapman's room; it arises from the frequently drunk and abusive Haitian lodger named Rameau who is caterwallling, sliding down the banister and tormenting handyman Goujon with endless practical jokes.  When one joke results in the death of Goujon's treasured pet tortoise, Goujon threatens to kill Rameau.  One night on the floor of his room, Rameau discovers a voodoo doll which puts the freak out into him.  In time, Millie the maid discovers Rameau's body lying on the floor of his room with his head drenched in blood and a bloody axe nearby.  A note pinned to the body declares in French that this is the vengeance of the tortoise!

Peter Barkworth's first outing as detective Martin Hewitt shows him in fine form.  The actor is splendid in everything I've seen from WHERE EAGLES DARE and PATTON to TV appearances in THE AVENGERS, the "Silver Blaze" episode of Granada's SHERLOCK HOLMES, the PUBLIC EYE episode "Nobody Kills Santa Claus" and in DOCTOR WHO:  THE ICE WARRIORS as Leader Clent.  Miss Chapman is played by Cyd Hayman who, besides appearing in the aforementioned film ROGUE MALE also featured in TV series like THE TWO RONNIES, SPACE: 1999, THE PERSUADERS, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED . . . and another appearance in THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES coming up.  Stephan Kalipha, who appears as the anarchic Rameau, appeared in the films BLACK JOY, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE as well as an episode of CALLAN entitled "Amos Green Must Live".  Timothy Bateson as the meek Goujon appeared all over the place from Laurence Olivier's RICHARD III, horror-comedy fave WHAT A CARVE-UP!, TORTURE GARDEN, THE ITALIAN JOB, EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN, LABYRINTH, DANGER ROUTE and HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.  Bateson was also a well-known face in TV appearing in THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET,  THE GOOD LIFE, Q.E.D., ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE and DOCTOR WHO as Binro in "The Ribos Operation".  Old seadog Captain Cutler is played by Powell and Pressburger favourite Esmond Knight who appeared in CONTRABAND, A CANTERBURY TALE, Olivier's HENRY V, BLACK NARCISSUS, UNCLE SILAS, Olivier's HAMLET, GONE TO EARTH, THE RED SHOES, Jean Renoir's THE RIVER, Olivier's RICHARD III, THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL, SINK THE BISMARK! and PEEPING TOM among many others.  

S01EP11 - THE ASSYRIAN REJUVENATOR  ★★★½ 

This time our detective is Romney Pringle from the works of Clifford Ashdown.  A confidence trickster who this week is going by the name of Henry Jacobs is peddling a quack remedy called the Assyrian Rejuvenator to the well-to-do that claims it will restore youth, vim and vigor.  When the remedy proves to be so much balloon juice, Police Sergeant Hawkins calls on Pringle to catch the blighter.  In the words of Hawkins:  "set a thief to catch a thief".  It seems that Pringle is a detective in the same mold as Dorrington and Klimo in that he's out for all he can get.  Disguising himself as doddering old Major Parkins, Pringle visits Henry Jacobs at the Assyrian Rejuvenator Co. and scares him into taking a runner.  Then, Pringle (still disguised as Major Parkins) takes over the company as well as secretary Doris who quickly falls for the Major.   Pringle/Parkins is a whiz at fleecing customers with his snake oil and piles up a tidy sum.  Until . . .Henry Jacobs shows up again  . . with a gun.

Donald Sinden as Romney Pringle shows the same gleeful delight in his devious plans as he did when playing Robert in the classic TV Britcom TWO'S COMPANY while outsmarting Elaine Stritch.  Derek Smith as smarmy Henry Jacobs has been seen all over the telly in MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION episode "The Flying Dragon", THE PROTECTORS episode "The Big Hit", ARE YOU BEING SERVED? episode "Dear Sexy Knickers", two episodes of Brian Clemens' THRILLER series "Screamer" and "The Carnation Killer", THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET episode "The Outsiders", LOVEJOY episode "Day of Reckoning" and DOCTOR WHO episode "Human Nature".  The wonderful Alethea Charlton is a standout as Doris Pratt; the actress appeared twice in DOCTOR WHO in the first storyline "An Unearthly Child" as Hur the cavewoman and as Edith in "The Time Meddler".  She also did two episodes of PUBLIC EYE ("Honesty is the Best Policy - But Who Can Afford the Premiums?" and "The Beater and the Game") but she will forever be known to me for her role as creepy Mrs. Oxhey in the superb episode of Brian Clemen's THRILLER series entitled "Someone at the Top of the Stairs".  

S01EP12 - THE RIPENING RUBIES  ★★★½ 

Our detective this time around is Bernard Sutton from the works of Max Pemberton.   A rash of jewel robberies has terrorised London society women.  A habitual criminal named Jaffee enters the shop of jeweler Bernard Sutton wanting to sell a ruby necklace which he says he bought from a Dutch sea captain with a wooden leg.  Unfortunately for Jaffee, the ruby necklace is on the list of stolen items and was in fact made by Sutton himself for Lady Faber as an anniversary present from her husband.  The police allow the necklace to be returned to Lady Faber by Sutton who is then invited to act as "security" at the ball she is throwing that evening in case the jewel thief strikes again.  And the thief does.

Robert Lang is quite good as Bernard Sutton but his voice sometimes reminds me of how Jackie Gleason sounded when playing his aristocratic character.  I kept expecting him to say "Mmmmmm-and awaaaaaaay we goooooooo!"  Lang made TV appearances in THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED and THE NEW AVENGERS and appeared in the films THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and that catch-all movie ROGUE MALE!  Lally Bowers as Lady Faber is a delight and Richard Hurndall as Lord Faber is the starchy aristocrat to a tee.  Bowers appeared in the TV series GOING STRAIGHT (sequel to PORRIDGE), A FINE ROMANCE and Hi-De-Hi as well as in the film DRACULA A.D. 1972.  Hurndall is perhaps best known to the folks around here for playing the First Doctor in the DOCTOR WHO 20th anniversary special THE FIVE DOCTORS.  Ron Pember played hapless crook Jaffee; the actor almost unbelievably also appeared in the film ROGUE MALE (!) as well as CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR aka THE CRIMSON CULT, DEATH LINE and MURDER BY DECREE as well as on TV in THE TWO RONNIES and RED DWARF.  Pember's DOCTOR WHO cred comes from his appearance in the 1985 radio drama "Slipback".  Also in the cast is bewitching Moira Redmond who appeared in Hammer Horror film NIGHTMARE as well as TV series I. CLAUDIUS, DANGER MAN, THE EDGAR WALLACE MYSTERIES and THE SWEENEY.

S01EP13 - THE CASE OF LAKER, ABSCONDED  ★★★½ 

The final episode in the first series of RIVALS features the return of Martin Hewitt along with his partner Jonathan Pryde from the works of Arthur Morrison.  A "walk-clerk" working for the bank of Liddle, Neal & Liddle makes his rounds collecting money from various area banks which he then brings back to his own bank; only Laker has disappeared with fifteen thousand pounds.  Absconded!  Martin Hewitt's detective firm has been retained by the City Guarantee Society to find Laker and the money.  Emily Shaw, Laker's fiance, is convinced he is innocent and asks Hewitt for help proving it.  Unfortunately for Ms. Shaw, the first bank teller Laker visited that day is a personal friend who says positively that it was Laker he saw that morning.  Now, even Ms. Shaw is doubting whether her fiance is indeed a criminal.  Hewitt and Miss Shaw follow Laker's trail from bank to bank until ending up at a travel agent's where Laker booked passage to France.  Laker left his unusual-handled (and very memorable) umbrella leaning on the desk of the lost articles dept. and insisted on giving his full correct name to the travel agent even though he was specifically told it was not required to do so.  Is your boyfriend a dope, Hewitt asks Ms. Shaw.  No, she assures him, Laker is very intelligent.  Then why leave such an obvious trail?

Peter Barkworth's portrayal of Hewitt is even better and more nuanced than his previous appearance.  Ronald Hines as Pryde only has a small amount of screen time here but is great nonetheless.  Jane Lapotaire as Emily Shaw is terrific as the confused and devastated but loyal fiance.  Lapotaire has had a long and successful career on stage, screen and television with appearances in LADY JANE and THE ASPHYX as well as appearing in TV's CALLAN.  However, she will always be in my heart for her unhinged performance in THE DARK ANGEL alongside Peter O'Toole.  Also in the cast is venerable Charles Lloyd-Pack whose many appearances include QUATERMASS 2, NIGHT OF THE DEMON, HORROR OF DRACULA, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, CORRIDORS OF BLOOD, TERROR OF THE TONGS, THE REPTILE, BEDAZZLED, FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL and THE MIRROR CRACK'D.  I suppose this could be onsiders RIVALS' Christmas episode; there is a lot of light (studio) snow falling and the end of the episode finds Hewitt wishing Ms. Shaw a "Merry Christmas" before a final shot of his office Christmas tree.

So now we bring down the curtain on the first series of THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.  An altogether terrific programme.  I'll be along in a little while to tackle the second and final series.

DOCTOR WHO: THE BAD PENNY [2018]

"STAY BACK!  I . . . . HAVE . . . . LUGGAGE!"

"THE BAD PENNY" is the 2nd story in the 4 disc Big Finish box set "THE FOURTH DOCTOR ADVENTURES SERIES 7:  VOLUME 2".  The story is written by Dan Starkey (who viewers of the modern DOCTOR WHO series will recognise as the Sontaran Strax from the Tennant, Smith & Capaldi series) and directed by Nicholas Briggs (voice of the modern Daleks and head honcho of Big Finish Productions).  From the CD blurb:  "In the 1970s, hotelier Ron Tulip is having a difficult time. Many of his customers seem to be absconding without payment. The few who remain complain of strange noises and terrible sleep. And to top it all he’s just been summoned to the VIP suite... which is something of a problem as he didn’t even realise the hotel had one. When turbulence in time takes the TARDIS off course, the Doctor and Leela find themselves visiting the same establishment and in the middle of a temporal paradox and a terrible plan. Because that’s the thing about the Cross-Keys hotel. You can check in... but you can never leave."    . . . . this rather light-hearted adventure is something like a cross between DOCTOR WHO and FAWLTY TOWERS.  

Once in a while, Tom Baker can sound a little tired (but for a man his age this is totally acceptable); however in "THE BAD PENNY" he sounds like a man half his age and performs his lines with a vigor that makes me think he has a REAL Tardis and has travelled from the 1970's to record this Big Finish adventure!  In fact, the chemistry between Baker and Louise Jameson as Leela is absolutely brilliant with them playing off one another like dear, long-time friends (which, of course, they are).  It doesn't hurt that the script is full of one-liners including the one up there at the top of this post which Leela speaks as she tries to wield the overly-heavy suitcase of a time-tossed woman who is on her way to 'Michelle's hen party'.  Leela comes back with a typical Leela line:  "I do not know Michelle . . . or her hen!"  In another scene, when the Doctor is mistaken for a jazz musician due to his garb, Tom Baker gleefully says, "Ohhh, thank you!  Well, I have been known to tinkle the ivories now and then.  Da da da da da DAH!  BOOM!  But mostly I play the fool!"

All this witty dialogue aside, "THE BAD PENNY" is not a comedy but has a straight-ahead timey-wimey story that includes a nasty monster and genuine consequences while still managing to include some smiles.  The characters who are thrown together from many different time periods are eccentric in that most British way.  But most of all the joy of a fun and entertaining script gives us one of the best Tom Baker/Louise Jameson double acts we've heard yet!

DOCTOR WHO: STATIC [2017]

"WE ARE ALSO ARMED.  AND THE DEAD OUTNUMBER THE LIVING!"

"STATIC" is one of the best DOCTOR WHO audio adventures I've listened to and is surely at the top of the heap as far as Big Finish's audios go!  Written by Jonathan Morris (who gave us such corkers as BLOODTIDE, THE HAUNTING OF THOMAS BREWSTER and THE CRIMES OF THOMAS BREWSTER) and directed by Jamie Anderson (AND YOU WILL OBEY ME, VAMPIRE OF THE MIND and THE TWO MASTERS) provide one of the genuinely scary and creepy entries in Ole Sixie's (or any other Doctor's) career.  I listened to it on the recommendation of the indispensible Doc Oho whose glowing review (beware Doc Oho's reviews have spoilers) gave "STATIC" a 10 out of 10!  I was looking for a really great Big Finish Doctor Who I didn't already have and this one actually lived up to the high praise!

From the back of the compact discy comes this quite good blurb:   "Deep in the heart of nowhere, near a place called Abbey Marston, there’s a caravan site. The perfect place to get away from it all. Close by, there’s a stone circle they used for human sacrifice in olden times. A little further afield, there’s an old RAF research station, where they did hush-hush things in the war. There’s only one rule: the use of radios, cassette recorders and portable televisions is strictly forbidden. People come here to get away from it all, you see. No-one wants to hear the noise. No-one wants to hear the voices in the static… No-one wants to hear the ghosts." . . . and the creep factor rushes in 100%!  There are indeed ghostly voices in the static as well as warning not to answer a ringing phone . . . if you know what's good for you.  There are indeed also reanimated dead and strange, goop-covered bodies found inside trees.

Miranda Raison, Colin Baker & Lisa Greenwood

In this story, even though it IS a few years old, Colin Baker continues to reign as the greatest Doctor as far as audio adventures are concerned (with Paul McGann a close second).  The absolute renaissance Big Finish gave to Colin Baker's portrayal of the Doctor puts the TV adventures to shame.  Here is where Colin Baker shines and the stories in which he appears are usually superbly written as well.  Here Ole Sixie faces the ghoulish goings-on with his companions the World War II-era WREN Mrs. Constance Clark (Miranda Raison) and rambunctious teenager Flip (Lisa Greenwood) who, while both unfamiliar to me as this was my first time encountering them, quickly fit in like a pair of old gloves. 

David Graham & Nicholas Briggs

Special mention should also be made of the presence of veteran actor David Graham here as the quite scary and occasional axe-wielding Percy Till.  Graham goes back almost to the very beginning of DOCTOR WHO when in 1963 he voiced a certain pack of pepperpots in the serial "THE DALEKS" as well as "THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH", "THE CHASE" and "THE DALEKS' MASTER PLAN" as well as appearing as Charlie the barman in "THE GUNFIGHTERS" and as scientist Professor Kerensky in "CITY OF DEATH".  If a stranger to the great job Big Finish has done with DOCTOR WHO audio adventures over many years, this would be a pretty good place to start.  And if you're looking for a fantastically good Big Finish DOCTOR WHO you haven't heard yet, here's a terrific one! 

DANGER MAN [1960 - 1966]

I WAS A TEENAGER WHEN I FIRST SAW ONE OF THE GREATEST TV SERIES OF ALL TIME:  THE PRISONER.

Patrick McGoohan's passion project really did change the face of television and I've loved it and rewatched it ever since.  However,  I had never watched McGoohan's previous international hit spy series DANGER MAN (SECRET AGENT in the U.S.) until just now.  I must say that I'm having a hell of a time.  Right now, I seen the first 2 series and I'm beginning Series 3 having just watched the excellent episode "The Black Book" and the show is just soooooo good!  

Patrick McGoohan plays John Drake:  an undercover agent for the British M9 who is fearless to a fault, does not wield a gun and operates by an iron-clad code of personal ethics.  Every episode takes place in a different location and often country where Drake carries out his mission (sometimes with more than a little regret).  Very fascinating for a PRISONER fan is the fact that the very first episode of DANGER MAN takes place in Portmerion, Wales -- the setting of the Village used in THE PRISONER series.  There are also several other episodes of DANGER MAN that are of particular interest to PRISONER fans such as "Colony Three" (which features an artificial faux-English town behind the Iron Curtain in which Communist spies train to be "British") as well as "The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove" (in which Drake gets in a car accident and basically hallucinates the whole episode due to a head injury).  However, any links to THE PRISONER aside, the main reason to watch DANGER MAN is because it's a cracking good spy series with top notch acting, writing and directing.

The first series of DANGER MAN ran from 1960-1961 and consisted of 39 half hour episodes.  Then the show just . . . went away . . . until 1964 when the James Bond movie DR NO sparked the powers-that-be to revive their lapsed spy series.  From then on, DANGER MAN would be an hour episodes and this is where the programme really hits its stride.  The stories are less perfunctory and have more room to breathe.  But despite this fact, the episodes never lag.  In fact, the hour episodes bring into focus how sometimes rushed the half hour episodes could feel.

Now, the theory that THE PRISONER is actually John Drake who resigned from M9 and was transferred to the Village and it's understandable to think that.  However, Patrick McGoohan always denied they were the same man:  "They just look alike" was his quip.  However, now having watched a good chunk of DANGER MAN, I too am of the opinion that John Drake is not the Prisoner.  Coincidentally, I've just finished reading three books on THE PRISONER including one by filmmaker Alex Cox who offers up an interesting theory of his own on why John Drake is not the Prisoner.  Either way, it doesn't really matter.  THE PRISONER is one of the greatest TV shows ever made -- and DANGER MAN is one of the best spy TV shows ever made.  An embarrassment of riches!

THE VINYL DETECTIVE BY ANDREW CARTMEL

A NEW SERIES OF BOOKS I'VE BEEN ENJOYING ARE THESE MYSTERY NOVELS BY ANDREW CARTMEL.  

DOCTOR WHO fans will know Cartmel as the script editor of the final 3 series of the classic run of DOCTOR WHO starring Sylvester McCoy.  Truth be told, I didn't even realize this fact when I first heard about these books about a detective who specialises in finding rare vinyl records.  I can't quite remember if I read about the books somewhere or saw someone on youtubers talking about them.  Either way, I decided I wanted to read them before seeing the author's name and realizing this was the same man who came up with the legendary "Cartmel Masterplan"!  

Regardless of Andrew Cartmel's Whovian credentials, these novels are wonderful page-turners mixing mystery/crime novels with nutty music/vinyl enthusiasts like me.  The title character is an unnamed detective who finds rare vinyl for his clients.  It's interesting that the main character is unnamed; just as Dashiell Hammett's "Continental Op" had no name (although Cartmel swears this was not an homage since he didn't realise it until later).  Besides his monumental hi-fi system, the Vinyl Detective shares his home with two beloved cats:  Fanny and Turk (short for Turquoise to match her eyes) who are secondary but vital members of the cast.  During the course of the first novel in the series (WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX), a mysterious woman named Nevada enters his life and the suddenly-turned-deadly case which he undertakes.  Along for the ride (literally!) is a London cabbie named Agatha whom our main characters nickname "Clean Head" because of her shaved head and as a tribute to jazz great Eddie "Clean Head" Vinson.  Clean Head soon becomes a member of our hero's team of sleuths along with the detective's slacker/audiophile friend Tinkler.  

The first book, as stated, is "WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX" which refers to the stretch of vinyl between the final song on a record side and the paper label inside which is usually etched a recording number and anything else that might find it's way there (like signatures).  An increasing number of (sometimes shady) people all seem to be interested in finding a certain rare jazz album . . . .and then people start turning up dead!  I read a ton of murder mysteries as a teenager but haven't read any for a very long time now.  I read the first Vinyl Detective novel cover to cover in about 4 days (which is very unusual for me since I always have about two dozen books going at the same time and I pop back and forth reading them all at the same time.  However, this can quite truthfully be called a page turner since I practically devoured it.  Then I started reading the second Vinyl Detective book "THE RUN-OUT GROOVE" which focuses on a rare psychedelic 60's by an enigmatic singer named Valerian who mysteriously hanged herself after her son disappeared.  This novel again I tore through in a few days!  Now, I'm in the middle of the third book in the series:  "VICTORY DISC" which concerns the Vinyl Detective's search for rare records of a British swing band during World War II . . . and a notorious sex murder.  

All the Vinyl Detective books I've read so far do have occasional violence and sex but these are depicted in a non-graphic fashion and the books themselves have a nice, light touch in the writing department.  In short, the books are a lot of fun.  Sort of if Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler had a baby -- that would be Andrew Cartmel's Vinyl Detective books.  And like in all book series, the recurring characters are what keeping bringing the reader back; you just enjoy spending time with them.  These are no towering classics of the mystery novel genre but they are ridiculously enjoyable for someone like me who enjoys murder mysteries as well as having a deep love of vintage music.  There are 5 books in the Vinyl Detective series:  Book 4 is called "FLIP BACK" and the soon-to-be-released "LOW ACTION" will be book 5.  I intend to read them all.

IN NAME ONLY [1939]

Alec Walker (Cary Grant) is a rich guy stuck in a loveless marriage with his wife Maida (the wavishing Kay Francis) who previously dumped the love of her life to marry for money. Julie Eden (Carole Lombard) is a young widow with a daughter Ellen (Peggy Ann Garner). Alec and Julie "meet cute" while she does a spot of hopeless fishing in a fishless stream. They quickly fall in love (wouldn't YOU?!?!?!). At first, Maida seems ready to give Alec a divorce . . . but she's not going to give up her cash cow without a fight. Certainly a 1930's "soap opera/tearjerker", IN NAME ONLY is probably one of the best of it's kind. 

The film was directed by John Cromwell; who helmed everything from the Hedy Lamarr starmaker "ALGIERS" and Bette Davis powerhouse "OF HUMAN BONDAGE" to Katharine Hepburn-as-hillbilly misfire "SPITFIRE" and slightly disappointing Carole Lombard/James Stewart romance "MADE FOR EACH OTHER". While I have not seen very many of Cromwell's films, it seems to me he was a bit hit or miss and depended on really strong material and acting for a great movie. He certainly has that here.

The acting is uniformly top notch with Lombard, Grant and Francis giving powerful performances. Charles Coburn as Alec's father also gives a sensitive performance when called on to do so. Even little Peggy Ann Garner (who would win a Juvenile Academy Award for her work in "A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN" manages to be a child actor who is never cloying or saccharine but gives a great performance too. In fact, I struggled with myself over the rating of "IN NAME ONLY" because it's not really my go-to genre of film; however the superb acting alone bumped it from 3 1/2 to 4 stars! 

Also the screenplay is very sensitively written. Sure there are some typical romantic movie cliches but here they are handled delicately without the usual hand-wringing bombast some "tearjerkers" of this era can feature. I'm almost positive this is due to the fact that one of the script's co-writers wrote the original novel. Bessie Breuer wrote the original novel "MEMORY OF LOVE" on which "IN NAME ONLY" was based and she co-writes the screenplay with Richard Sherman (FOR ME AND MY GAL, THE STORY OF VERNON & IRENE CASTLE). This is Breuer's only film credit, unfortunately, as she appears to have been a wonderful writer. Sherman, I have a feeling< was brought on to help an author not experienced with screenwriting to adapt her novel. Interestingly, Sherman also co-wrote THE STORY OF VERNON & IRENE CASTLE with Irene Castle herself, so I suspect I'm right in this. 

I've never read the novel but, from the example of this film's script, Breuer seems to have been both a writer devoid of "purple prose melodramatics" as well as having a very clear eye. The characters stuck in this extremely unfortunate and uncomfortable situation are well-rounded and behave realistically. Breuer seems like she was a fascinating woman: award-winning author of many short stories, a one-time only playwright (her only play "SUNDOWN BEACH" was about PTSD among World War II pilots and was the first production by the Actor's Studio on Broadway), Sunday editor of the New York Tribune and national director of magazine publicity for the American Red Cross during World War I. So, as I said before, the film's expertly-written screenplay and superb acting are probably what makes this film work so well. It appears director Cromwell just stayed out of the way. My reason for believing this is that, during the same year of 1939, Cromwell directed Carole Lombard in another similar romantic film with James Stewart and the results were decidedly lacking. 

If this type of heartbreaking romantic film is your thing, than "IN NAME ONLY" will surely make your day. And if it's NOT your thing, this superbly written and acted film may change your mind . . . at least about the best ones.

RAD [1986]

If it were possible for a movie to wear an electric pink fluorescent headband, RAD would wear it! 

The time-honoured tale of a kid torn between taking his SATs or qualifying for the BMX event of the year: Helltrack! A soundtrack that sounds more 80's than ANY 80's film soundtrack ever recorded; even managing to sandwich Real Life's classic "Send Me An Angel" in between John Farnham's pulsating 80's rock songs!

Quite a few instances of questionable acting and a screenplay so cheesy that I was bound up for a week after watching RAD. A whole lot of totally rad BMX bike stunts. Plus -- the movie that made "ass-sliding" a thing! All of this should add up to a really bad movie -- and RAD IS a bad movie -- but somehow all this stuff actually adds up to a hell of a good time and a fun . . . well . . . really rad movie! I can't tell you how much this film took me back to the mid-1980's. I never owned (nor even rode) a BMX but the vibe of this movie was soooooooo mid-80's, it gave me a rush of nostalgia which I don't usually get. If I had been 10 years old when RAD came out, I probably would've thought it was the best movie ever made! Not the greatest BMX movie ever made (that honour goes to the immortal BMX BANDITS) but this surprise Vinegar Syndrome blu-ray/4K release with the combo lenticular/holographic slipcover for their Halfway-To-Black Friday sale made my day!!!

WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX? [2010]

"Expect the unexpectable! Mama Mia!"

I had a grin on my face from ear to ear throughout this entire movie. The movie is on! The movie is on! The movie is on! Uganda's first action movie was the most all-out fun I've had with a movie in a long time. Why does every movie not have an emcee [aka Video Joker] to accompany the viewer along the ride? Not a commentary track, but a live emcee as a companion throughout the film. VJ Emmie was such fun to have as a co-pilot during this film; how else would I know that everybody in Uganda knows kung fu?!?!? WIth all the charm of a Cary Grant and boundless enthusiasm and excitement, VJ Emmie was wonderful! He reminds me of the days of Jamaica's mobile sound systems when an emcee would toast over the records as people danced. WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX is very like a dance, in fact; especially with the live stunts and fight choreography done for real. And the gunshot and blood/special effects soooooooo NOT for real. Director Nabwana I.G.G. made his movie on his computer which he built himself from parts of OTHER computers! How impressive is that?!?! And I think the grand total for the film's budget was $200. And yet he made a movie which is solidly entertaining all the way through and which laughs along with its audience at the sheer fun of it all. I can only call this movie such a refreshing experience from the type of films I've seen before. This is made by filmmakers who absolutely love movies and have a love of making movies. WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX is truthfully the most unique movie I've seen for a long long time! I had an absolute blast!

THE BUTCHER'S BILL 2019

A LIST OF THOSE WE LOST THIS YEAR.

Daryl Dragon, 76, American musician and songwriter (Captain & Tennille).

Bob Einstein, 76, American actor (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Ocean's Thirteen) and performer (Super Dave Osborne).

Gene Okerlund, 76, American Hall of Fame professional wrestling interviewer (AWA, WWF, WCW).

Sylvia Chase, 80, American news anchor (KRON, ABC World News Tonight) and journalist (20/20).

Diana Decker, 93, American-born British actress (When You Come Home, The Barefoot Contessa) and singer ("Poppa Piccolino").

Louisa Moritz, 82, Cuban-born American actress (Love, American Style, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest).

Eric Haydock, 75, British Hall of Fame bassist (The Hollies).

W. Morgan Sheppard, 86, British actor (Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Max Headroom, Gettysburg).

Verna Bloom, 80, American actress (Animal House, High Plains Drifter, The Last Temptation of Christ).

Paul Koslo, 74, German-Canadian actor (The Stone Killer, The Omega Man, Vanishing Point, Rooster Cogburn).

Paolo Paoloni, 89, Italian actor (Cannibal Holocaust).

Don Reynolds, 81, American child actor (Song of Arizona, The Fighting Redhead, Beyond the Purple Hills).

Ron Smith, 94, British comic artist (Judge Dredd).

Andrew MacLachlan, 77, British actor (Monty Python's Life of Brian, A Fish Called Wanda).

Etsuko Ichihara, 82, Japanese actress (Your Name).

Sally Fraser, 86, American actress (War of the Colossal Beast, It Conquered the World, Earth vs. the Spider).

Del Henney, 83, English actor (When Eight Bells Toll, Straw Dogs, Brannigan).

Martha Ross, 79, British actress (EastEnders, Grange Hill) and radio presenter.

Bradley Bolke, 93, American voice actor (Underdog, The Year Without a Santa Claus).

Carol Channing, 97, American actress (Hello, Dolly!, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Thoroughly Modern Millie).

Windsor Davies, 88, Welsh actor (It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Carry On England, Never the Twain).

Sylvia Kay, 82, British actress (Rapture, Wake in Fright, Just Good Friends).

François Protat, 73–74, Canadian cinematographer (Weekend at Bernie's, Johnny Mnemonic, Joshua Then and Now).

Peter Zander, 96, German-born British actor (Mystery Submarine, Rotten to the Core, The Return of Mr. Moto).

Tony Mendez, 78, American intelligence officer (CIA), subject of Argo.

Muriel Pavlow, 97, English actress (Malta Story, Doctor in the House, Reach for the Sky).

Andrew G. Vajna, 74, Hungarian-American film producer (Nixon, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Evita).

Russell Baker, 93, American writer (Growing Up).

Dušan Makavejev, director  (WR: Mysteries of the Organism)

Kaye Ballard, 93, American actress (The Mothers-in-Law, The Doris Day Show) and singer ("Fly Me to the Moon").

Maxine Brown, 87, American country singer (The Browns).

James Frawley, 82, American television and film director (The Monkees, The Muppet Movie).

Steve Bell, 83, American television anchor (Good Morning America, World News This Morning).

Patrick Bricard, 78, French actor (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg).

Michel Legrand, 86, French composer (The Thomas Crown Affair, Young Girls of Rochefort, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg). 

James Ingram, 66, American R&B singer-songwriter ("Baby, Come to Me", "I Don't Have the Heart", "Yah Mo B There").

Diane Gaidry, 54, American actress (The Dogwalker, Loving Annabelle).

Dick Miller, 90, American actor (A Bucket of Blood, Gremlins, The Little Shop of Horrors).

Kinryū Arimoto, 78, Japanese voice actor (City Hunter, Gasaraki, One Piece).

Jeremy Hardy, 57, English comedian, radio host and panelist (The News Quiz, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation).

Lisa Seagram, 82, American actress (A House Is Not a Home, Caprice, The Beverly Hillbillies).

Clive Swift, 82, English actor (The National Health, Keeping Up Appearances, A Passage to India) and songwriter.

Julie Adams, 92, American actress (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bend of the River, Murder, She Wrote).

Kristoff St. John, 52, American actor (The Young and the Restless).

Nita Bieber, 92, American actress (Rhythm and Weep, Millie's Daughter, The Prince Who Was a Thief).

Peter Hughes, 96, English actor (The Great Muppet Caper, Hope and Glory, Evita).

David Beaird, 66, American screenwriter and director (My Chauffeur, Scorchers).

Robert Ashby, 79, British actor (Jinnah).

Albert Finney, 82, English actor (Tom Jones, The Gathering Storm, Murder on the Orient Express, Big Fish).

Carmen Argenziano, 75, American actor (Stargate SG-1, Booker, Angels & Demons).

Mario Bernardo, 99, Italian cinematographer (Love and Troubles, Love Meetings, The Hawks and the Sparrows).

Jan-Michael Vincent, 73, American actor (Airwolf, The Winds of War), heart attack.

Harvey Scales, 78, American soul singer and songwriter ("Disco Lady", "Love-Itis").

Betty Ballantine, 99, British-born American book publisher (Ballantine Books, Bantam Books).

Lyndon LaRouche, 96, American political activist, founder of the LaRouche movement.

Marisa Solinas, 79, Italian singer and actress (Boccaccio '70, La commare secca, Almost Blue).

Ray Price, 88, American speechwriter (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford).

Bruno Ganz, 77, Swiss actor (Downfall, Wings of Desire, Nosferatu the Vampyre).

Serge Merlin, 86, French actor (Amélie, The City of Lost Children).

Ken Nordine, 98, American voice-over and recording artist (Word Jazz, Colors).

Ethel Ennis, 86, American jazz singer.

Karl Lagerfeld, designer.

O'Neal Compton, 68, American actor (Deep Impact, Roadracers, Kill Me Later).

Giulio Brogi, 83, Italian actor (Days of Fire, Morel's Invention, The Yes Man).

Chelo Alonso, 85, Cuban actress (Goliath and the Barbarians, Morgan the Pirate, Run, Man, Run).

Fred Foster, 87, American Hall of Fame record producer ("Only the Lonely", "Oh, Pretty Woman") and songwriter ("Me and Bobby McGee").

Claude Goretta, 89, Swiss film director (The Invitation, La provinciale, The Death of Mario Ricci).

Vinny Vella, 72, American actor (Casino, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Sopranos) and comedian.

Gus Backus, 81, American singer (The Del-Vikings).

Sue Casey, 92, American actress (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Rear Window, American Beauty).

Stanley Donen, 94, American film director (Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers).

Beverley Owen, 81, American actress (The Munsters).

Peter Tork, 77, American musician and actor (The Monkees).

Clark James Gable aka Clark Gable III, 30, American actor and television host (Cheaters).

Brody Stevens, 48, American comedian and actor (The Hangover, Chelsea Lately, Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!).

Morgan Woodward, 93, American actor (Cool Hand Luke, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Dallas).

Gillian Freeman, 89, British author (The Undergrowth of Literature) and screenwriter (The Leather Boys, That Cold Day in the Park).

Katherine Helmond, 89, American actress (Soap, Who's the Boss?, Brazil).

Patricia Garwood, 78, British actress (The Lavender Hill Mob, Petticoat Pirates, No Place Like Home).

Mark Hollis, 64, English singer-songwriter (Talk Talk).

Kathleen O'Malley, 94, American actress (My Old Dutch, Wagon Master).

Lisa Sheridan, 44, American actress (Invasion, FreakyLinks, Strange Nature).

Mitzi Hoag, 86, American actress (We'll Get By).

Jeraldine Saunders, 95, American writer and astrologer, creator of The Love Boat.

Edward Nixon, 88, American business consultant and political campaigner (Richard Nixon 1968 presidential campaign).

Nathaniel Taylor, 80, American actor (Sanford and Son, What's Happening!!, Trouble Man).

André Previn, 89, German-born American composer (Gigi, Elmer Gantry) and conductor (My Fair Lady).

Aron Tager, 84, Canadian actor (Donkey Kong Country, X-Men, Serendipity).

King Kong Bundy, 63, American professional wrestler (WCCW, WWF) and actor (Married...with Children).

Keith Flint, 49, English singer (The Prodigy).

Luke Perry, 52, American actor (Beverly Hills, 90210, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Michael Thomas, 66, British actor (Life Without George, The Boat That Rocked, Head over Heels).

Susan Harrison, 80, American actress (Sweet Smell of Success).

William J. Creber, 87, American art director and production designer (The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, Planet of the Apes).

Jed Allan, 84, American actor (Days of Our Lives, Santa Barbara, Lassie).

Hal Blaine, 90, American Hall of Fame drummer (The Wrecking Crew).

Joe Knowland, 88, American actor (Escape from Alcatraz, Little Miss Marker).

Pat Laffan, 79, Irish actor (Father Ted, The Snapper).

Dick Dale, 81, American guitarist and surf music pioneer ("Let's Go Trippin'", "Misirlou").

Richard Erdman, 93, American actor (Community, Stalag 17, Tora! Tora! Tora!).

Tom Hatten, 92, American actor (The Secret of NIMH, Spies Like Us).

David White, 79, American singer-songwriter (Danny & the Juniors, The Spokesmen).

Andre Williams, 82, American R&B singer and songwriter ("Shake a Tail Feather").

John Carl Buechler, 66, American visual effects artist and film director (Troll, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, Hatchet).

Louise Erickson, 91, American radio and film actress.

Clinton Greyn, 85, Welsh actor (Compact, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Doctor Who: State of Decay).

Leonard Wolf, 96, Romanian-born American poet.

June Harding, 81, American actress (The Trouble with Angels, The Richard Boone Show, Matt Lincoln).

Scott Walker, 76, American-born British singer-songwriter (The Walker Brothers), composer and record producer.

Larry Cohen, 82, American film director (It's Alive, The Stuff).

Denise DuBarry, 63, American actress (Black Sheep Squadron, Being There, Monster in the Closet).

Nancy Gates, 93, American actress (Masterson of Kansas, World Without End, Magnificent Roughnecks).

Noah Keen, 98, American actor (Arrest and Trial, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Tom Sawyer).

Julia Lockwood, 77, British actress (My Teenage Daughter, Please Turn Over, No Kidding).

Joseph Pilato, 70, American actor (Day of the Dead, Pulp Fiction).

W. H. Pugmire, 67, American writer.

Ranking Roger, 56, British singer (The Beat, General Public).

Maury Laws, 95, American television and film composer (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy).

Shane Rimmer, 89, Canadian-born British actor (Thunderbirds, Dr. Strangelove, The Spy Who Loved Me).

Agnès Varda, 90, French film director (Cléo from 5 to 7, Le Bonheur, Vagabond).

Carmelita Pope, 94, American actress (A Streetcar Named Desire).

Roberta Haynes, 91, American actress (Return to Paradise, High Noon, Gun Fury).

Barry Malkin, 80, American film editor (The Godfather Part II, Big, Rumble Fish).

John Quarmby, 89, English actor (Fawlty Towers, K-9 and Company, A Christmas Carol).

Nadja Regin, 87, Serbian actress (From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Runaway).

Seymour Cassel, 84, American actor (Faces, The Royal Tenenbaums, Dick Tracy).

Mya-Lecia Naylor, 16, English actress (Millie Inbetween, Cloud Atlas).

Sandy Ratcliff, 70, English actress (EastEnders).

Charles Van Doren, 93, American academic, writer and television quiz contestant, part of the 1950s quiz show scandals.

Georgia Engel, 70, American actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Open Season, Everybody Loves Raymond).

John McEnery, 75, British actor (Romeo and Juliet, Nicholas and Alexandra, The Land That Time Forgot).

Bibi Andersson, 83, Swedish actress (The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Persona).

Les Reed, 83, English songwriter ("It's Not Unusual", "Delilah", "The Last Waltz").

Fay McKenzie, 101, American actress (Down Mexico Way, Heart of the Rio Grande, Breakfast at Tiffany's).

Kazuo Koike, 82, Japanese manga artist (Lone Wolf and Cub, Lady Snowblood), pneumonia.

Steve Golin, 64, American film producer (Spotlight, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Revenant).

Ken Kercheval, 83, American actor (Dallas, Network, The Seven-Ups).

Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigator.

Greg Theakston, 65, American comics artist (Mad).

Edward Kelsey, 88, English actor (The Archers, Danger Mouse, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit).

Terry Rawlings, 85, British film editor (Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire).

Jean-Pierre Marielle, 87, French actor (Cookies, Without Apparent Motive, The Da Vinci Code).

Larry "Flash" Jenkins, 63, American actor (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Fletch, The White Shadow).

Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, 76, American actor (Prince of Darkness, Darkman, Boyz n the Hood).

John Singleton, 51, American film director and television producer (Boyz n the Hood, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Snowfall).

John Llewellyn Moxey, 94, British film director (The City of the Dead, Foxhole in Cairo, Circus of Fear).

Peter Mayhew, 74, English-American actor (Star Wars).

Max Arthur, 80, British military historian and actor (Doctor Who).

Bruce Bickford, animator  “Baby Snakes”.

Alessandra Panaro, actor  “Rocco and His Brothers”.

Chris Reccardi, 54, American animator, storyboard artist, cartoon director (The Ren & Stimpy Show, Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls).

Irene Sutcliffe, 94, British actress (Coronation Street).

Barbara Perry, 97, American actress (The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Hathaways).

John Lukacs, 95, Hungarian-born American historian.

Jim Fowler, 89, American zoologist and television host (Wild Kingdom).

Kip Niven, actor  New Years’ Evil

Clement von Franckenstein, 74, American actor (Lionheart, The American President, Death Becomes Her).

Allene Roberts, 90, American actress (The Red House, Knock on Any Door).

Alvin Sargent, 92, American screenwriter (Julia, Ordinary People, Spider-Man 2).

Peggy Lipton, 72, American actress (The Mod Squad, Twin Peaks, The Postman).

Pua Magasiva, 38, Samoan-born New Zealand actor (Shortland Street, Power Rangers Ninja Storm, 30 Days of Night).

Machiko Kyō, 95, Japanese actress (Rashomon, Ugetsu, The Teahouse of the August Moon), heart failure.

José Terrón, 79, Spanish actor (For a Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Django).

Doris Day, 97, American actress (Pillow Talk, Calamity Jane), singer ("Que Sera, Sera").

Tim Conway, 85, American actor and comedian (McHale's Navy, The Carol Burnett Show, SpongeBob SquarePants).

John Ronane, actor  “Sebastian”.

Grumpy Cat, 7, American internet celebrity cat.

Bobby Diamond, 75, American actor (Fury, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis).

I. M. Pei, 102, Chinese-born American architect (Bank of China Tower, East Building of the National Gallery of Art, Louvre Pyramid).

Herman Wouk, 103, American author (The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, War and Remembrance).

Justin Ponsor, 42, American comic book artist (Avengers, Spider-Man, X-Men).

Sammy Shore, 92, American comedian and actor, co-founder of The Comedy Store.

Andrew Hall, 65, English actor (Butterflies, Casualty, Coronation Street).

Beverly Lunsford, 74, American actress (Leave It to Beaver, The Intruder, The Crawling Hand).

Edmund Morris, 78, Kenyan-born British-American writer and biographer (The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan).

Claus von Bülow, 92, Danish-British socialite.

Stephen Thorne, 84, British actor (Z-Cars, Crossroads, Doctor Who).

Carmine Caridi, 85, American actor (The Godfather Part II, Bugsy, Summer Rental).

Ron Sweed, TV horror host  “American Scary”.

Edward Seaga, 89, Jamaican politician, Prime Minister.

Peggy Stewart, 95, American actress (The Fighting Redhead, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, That's My Boy).

Leon Redbone, 69, Cypriot-American singer-songwriter.

Andrew Sinclair, 84, British novelist and film director (The Breaking of Bumbo, Under Milk Wood, Blue Blood).

Roky Erickson, 71, American singer-songwriter (The 13th Floor Elevators).

Jim McMullan, 82, American actor (Dallas, Downhill Racer, Shenandoah).

Alistair Browning, 65, New Zealand actor (The Lord of the Rings).

Paul Darrow, 78, English actor (Blake's 7, Doctor Who).

Dr. John, 77, American Hall of Fame singer-songwriter ("I Walk on Guilded Splinters", "Right Place, Wrong Time").

Nonnie Griffin, 85, Canadian actress (The Believers, Good Fences, If You Could See What I Hear).

Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, 83, Uruguayan-born Spanish film director (The House That Screamed, Who Can Kill a Child?).

William D. Wittliff, 79, American screenwriter (Lonesome Dove, Legends of the Fall, The Perfect Storm).

Carl Schell, actor  “Werewolf in a Girl’s Dormitory”.

Yuzuru Fujimoto, 83, Japanese voice actor (Gigantor, Brave Raideen, The Big O, Ōgon Bat).

Robert Sorrells, 88, American actor (Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Bound For Glory) and convicted murderer.

Valeria Valeri, 97, Italian actress (Seasons of Our Love, Catherine and I, Un medico in famiglia).

Sylvia Miles, 94, American actress (Midnight Cowboy, Farewell, My Lovely, She-Devil).

Sean McCann, 83, Canadian actor (Night Heat, Tommy Boy, Naked Lunch).

Maurice Bénichou, 76, French actor (Animal, Amélie, Time of the Wolf).

Franco Zeffirelli, 96, Italian film and stage director (Romeo and Juliet, Jesus of Nazareth, The Taming of the Shrew).

Gloria Vanderbilt, 95, American socialite, artist and fashion designer.

Milton Quon, 105, American animator (Fantasia, Dumbo) and actor (Speed).

Peter Allan Fields, 84, American television writer (Star Trek, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.).

Peng Xiaolian, 65, Chinese film director (Once Upon a Time in Shanghai, Shanghai Story, Shanghai Rumba).

Eddie Garcia, 90, Filipino actor (Beast of the Yellow Night).

Ang Probinsyano), director and television personality.

Susan Bernard, 71, American actress (Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!).

Judith Krantz, 91, American author (Scruples, Princess Daisy, Till We Meet Again).

Dave Bartholomew, 100, American Hall of Fame musician, bandleader and songwriter ("Ain't That a Shame", "I Hear You Knocking", "I'm Walkin'").

Stephanie Niznik, 52, American actress (Everwood, Star Trek: Insurrection, Life Is Wild).

Billy Drago, 73, American actor (The Untouchables, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Pale Rider).

Bryan Marshall, 81, British actor (The Spy Who Loved Me, Quatermass and the Pit, The Long Good Friday).

Douglas Fielding, 73, British actor (Z-Cars, EastEnders) and narrator (Nightfall in Middle-Earth).

Édith Scob, 81, French actress (Eyes Without a Face, Summer Hours, Holy Motors).

Tadao Takashima, 88, Japanese actor (Atragon, Frankenstein Conquers the World, Son of Godzilla).

Max Wright, 75, American actor (ALF, Reds, All That Jazz).

Stephan Chase, 74, British actor (Maleficent, Wives and Daughters, Macbeth).

Paul Benjamin, 81, American actor (Do the Right Thing, Midnight Cowboy, Born to Win).

Glyn Houston, 93, Welsh actor (Doctor Who, The Sea Wolves).

Ennio Guarnieri, 88, Italian cinematographer (L'assoluto naturale, The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, Brother Sun, Sister Moon).

Sid Ramin, 100, American composer (West Side Story, Too Many Thieves, Stiletto).

Lee Iacocca, 94, American automobile executive (Ford Motor Company, Chrysler) and writer (Where Have All the Leaders Gone?).

José Luis Merino, 92, Spanish film director (The Hanging Woman, Scream of the Demon Lover, Réquiem para el gringo).

Arte Johnson, 90, American comedian and actor (Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In).

Eduardo Fajardo, 94, Spanish actor (The Two Faces of Fear, Nightmare City, Exterminators of the Year 3000).

Pierre Lhomme, 89, French cinematographer (Cyrano de Bergerac, Lovers Like Us, Deadly Circuit).

Martin Charnin, 84, American lyricist (Annie, Two by Two, Hot Spot) and theatre director (Shadowlands).

João Gilberto, 88, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist, pioneer of bossa nova music style.

Eddie Jones, 84, American actor (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, A League of Their Own, The Terminal).

Artur Brauner, 100, Polish-born German film producer (The Plot to Assassinate Hitler, Angry Harvest, Europa Europa).

Freddie Jones, 91, British actor (Emmerdale, The Ghosts of Motley Hall, Dune).

Ross Perot, 89, American billionaire businessman, philanthropist and presidential candidate, founder of Electronic Data Systems and the Reform Party, leukemia.

Rip Torn, 88, American actor (Cross Creek, The Larry Sanders Show, Men in Black).

Valentina Cortese, 96, Italian actress (Malaya, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Day for Night).

Jerry Lawson, 75, American a cappella singer (The Persuasions).

Denise Nickerson, 62, American actress (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Dark Shadows, Smile).

Albert Shepherd, 82, British actor (The Anniversary, Charlie Bubbles, Before Winter Comes).

Cameron Boyce, actor  “Mirrors”.

Brendan Grace, 68, Irish comedian (Moondance, Father Ted) and singer.

Richard Carter, 65, Australian actor (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Great Gatsby, Rafferty's Rules).

Charles Levin, 70, American actor (Alice, Hill Street Blues, Capital News).

Karl Shiels, 47, Irish actor (Fair City, Into the Badlands, Henry IV, Part 1).

Johnny Clegg, 66, British-born South African singer and musician (Juluka, Savuka).

Barry Coe, 84, American actor (Follow the Sun, Peyton Place, Bonanza).

David Hedison, 92, American actor (The Fly, Live and Let Die, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea).

Robert Milli, 86, American actor (Guiding Light, Klute, Playing for Keeps).

Darlene Tompkins, 78, American actress (Blue Hawaii).

Rutger Hauer, 75, Dutch actor (Blade Runner, Nighthawks, The Hitcher).

Jeremy Kemp, 84, British actor (The Winds of War, Z-Cars, The Blue Max).

Ilaria Occhini, 85, Italian actress (Doctor and the Healer, Loose Cannons).

Art Neville, 81, American singer-songwriter and keyboardist (The Meters, The Neville Brothers).

Danny Keogh, 71, Ugandan-born South African actor (Invictus, Zulu, The Red Sea Diving Resort).

Gabe Khouth, 46, Canadian actor (It, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, Once Upon a Time).

Danika McGuigan, 33, Irish actress (Can't Cope, Won't Cope, Philomena, The Secret Scripture).

Jimmy Patton, 87, British comedian (Patton Brothers, ChuckleVision).

Scott Rubenstein, 71, American television writer and story editor (Star Trek: The Next 
Generation).

Russi Taylor, 75, American voice actress (Disney's House of Mouse, The Simpsons, DuckTales).

Edward Lewis, 99, American film producer (Spartacus, Grand Prix, Missing).

George Hilton, 85, Uruguayan actor (The Masked Man Against the Pirates, The Brute and the Beast, Man Called Invincible).

Ruth de Souza, 98, Brazilian actress (The Landowner's Daughter, Macumba Love, A Glass of Rage).

John Humble, 63, British hoaxer, claimed to be the Yorkshire Ripper.

Raffaele Pisu, 94, Italian comedian and actor (Susanna Whipped Cream, Weekend, Italian Style, The Consequences of Love).

D. A. Pennebaker, 94, American documentary filmmaker (Dont Look Back, Monterey Pop, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars).

Teresa Ha, 81, Hong Kong actress (Chinatown Kid, The Deadly Breaking Sword, Shaolin Mantis).

Toni Morrison, 88, American author (The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved).

Danny Doyle, 79, Irish folk singer (Whiskey on a Sunday, "The Rare Ould Times").

Patricia Louisianna Knop, 78, American screenwriter (Lady Oscar, 9½ Weeks, Siesta).

Ernie Colón, 88, American comic book artist (Arak, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich)

Freda Dowie, 91, English actress (Distant Voices, Still Lives, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Omen).

Piero Tosi, 92, Italian costume designer (Senso, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, The Night Porter).

Barbara March, 65, Canadian actress (Star Trek).

Terence Knapp, 87, English actor (Urge to Kill, The Valiant, Othello).

Kip Addotta, 75, American comedian.  ("Wet Dream").

Peter Fonda, 79, American actor and screenwriter (Easy Rider, Ulee's Gold, 3:10 to Yuma).

David Layzer, 93, American astrophysicist.

Richard Williams, 86, Canadian-British animator and director (The Thief and the Cobbler, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, A Christmas Carol).

Gillian Hanna, 75, Irish actress (Les Misérables, All the Queen's Men, Oliver Twist).

Jack Perkins, 85, American reporter and television host (NBC Nightly News, Biography).

Jan Ruff O'Herne, 96, Australian comfort women rights activist.

Cosimo Cinieri, actor  (“The New York Ripper”).

Larry Siegel, 93, American humorist (Mad Magazine, The Carol Burnett Show).

Morton Tubor, 102, American film and sound editor (Cannonball, The Big Red One, Knots Landing).

Sheila Steafel, 84, South African-born British actress (Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., Quatermass and the Pit, The Ghosts of Motley Hall).

Franco Garofalo, actor  (Hell of the Living Dead).

Terrance Dicks, 84, English screenwriter (Doctor Who, Crossroads, Space: 1999).

Brad Linaweaver, 66, American science fiction writer.

Gordon Bressack, 68, American television writer (Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs, Bionic Six).

Franco Columbu, 78, Italian bodybuilder and actor (Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator).

Valerie Harper, 80, American actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, Valerie).

Carol Lynley, 77, American actress (The Night Stalker, Bunny Lake Is Missing, The Poseidon Adventure)

Jimmy Johnson, 76, American musician (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) and record producer.

John Wesley, 72, American actor (Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, Hang 'Em High).

Robert Axelrod, 70, American actor (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Blob).

Valerie Van Ost, 75, English actress (Carry On, The Beauty Jungle, Mister Ten Per Cent).

Anne Rivers Siddons, 83, American novelist (Peachtree Road, The House Across the Street).

T. Boone Pickens, 91, American businessman and philanthropist.

Mardik Martin, 84, Iranian-born Iraqi-American screenwriter (Raging Bull, Mean Streets, New York, New York).

Brian Turk, 49, American actor (Carnivàle, Big Fat Liar, American Pie 2).

Eddie Money, 70, American singer ("Take Me Home Tonight") and songwriter ("Two Tickets to Paradise", "Baby Hold On").

Wu Yigong, 80, Chinese film director (My Memories of Old Beijing, Evening Rain, The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman).

Ric Ocasek, 75, American Hall of Fame musician (The Cars), singer-songwriter ("My Best Friend's Girl", "You Might Think").

Phyllis Newman, 86, American actress (Subways Are for Sleeping, Mannequin, To Find a Man) and singer.

Sander Vanocur, 91, American political journalist.

Cokie Roberts, 75, American journalist (ABC News, NPR), political commentator and author.

Shyam Ramsay, 67, Indian film director (Darwaza, Veerana) and screenwriter (Zee Horror Show).

Barron Hilton, 91, American businessman, Chairman of Hilton Hotels Corporation (1966–2007), co-founder of the AFL and owner of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Aron Eisenberg, 50, American actor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Horror Show, Prayer of the Rollerboys).

Sid Haig, 80, American actor (Foxy Brown, House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects).

Jack Donner, 90, American actor (As the World Turns, Four Christmases, All About Evil).

Linda Porter, 86, American actress (Superstore, Dude, Where's My Car?, Twin Peaks).

Jacques Chirac, 86, French politician, President and Co-Prince of Andorra (1995–2007), Prime Minister (1974–1976, 1986–1988) and Mayor of Paris (1977–1995).

Rob Garrison, 59, American actor (The Karate Kid, Iron Eagle, Prom Night).

Rudy Behlmer, 92, American film historian and writer.

Jessye Norman, 74, American opera singer.

Philip Gips, 88, American graphic designer and film poster artist (Alien, Rosemary's Baby, Downhill Racer).

Diahann Carroll, 84, American actress (Julia, Dynasty, Claudine).

Ginger Baker, 80, English Hall of Fame drummer (Cream, Blind Faith, Ginger Baker's Air Force).

Rip Taylor, 84, American actor (The $1.98 Beauty Show, Chatterbox, Down to Earth) and comedian.

Larry Junstrom, 70, American bassist (Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special).

Ryan Nicholson, 47, Canadian film director (Gutterballs).

Marie-José Nat, 79, French actress (A Woman in White, Violins at the Ball, La Vérité).

Juliette Kaplan, 80, British actress (Last of the Summer Wine, Coronation Street).

Robert Forster, 78, American actor (Jackie Brown, The Black Hole, Medium Cool).

Carlo Croccolo, 92, Italian actor (47 morto che parla, After the Fox, Three Men and a Leg) and comedian.

George Chambers, 88, American bassist and singer (The Chambers Brothers).

Patrick Ward, 69, Australian actor (The Unisexers, The Chain Reaction, My Two Wives).

Harold Bloom, 89, American literary critic and writer (The Anxiety of Influence, The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages).

Scotty Bowers, 96, American author (Full Service) and pimp.

Leah Bracknell, 55, British actress (Emmerdale, Casualty 1900s, The Royal Today).

Bill Macy, 97, American actor (Maude, The Jerk, Analyze This).

Jerry Fogel, 83, American actor (The Mothers-in-Law).

Pascale Roberts, 89, French actress (The Women Couldn't Care Less, The Sleeping Car Murders, Plus belle la vie).

Anne Phelan, 75, Australian actress (Bellbird, Prisoner: Cell Block H, Winners & Losers).

Kaoru Yachigusa, 88, Japanese actress (Samurai Trilogy, Hachiko Monogatari, Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple).

John Witherspoon, 77, American actor (Friday, The Wayans Bros., The Boondocks).

Florence Giorgetti, 75, French actress (La Grande Bouffe, The Lacemaker, Pepe Carvalho).

Rudy Boesch, 91, American Navy SEAL, reality show contestant (Survivor: Borneo, Survivor: All Stars).

Brian Tarantina, 60, American actor (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, City by the Sea, One Life to Live).

Virginia Leith, 94, American actress (The Brain That Wouldn't Die).

William Wintersole, 88, American actor (The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, Leadbelly).

Maria Perego, 95, Italian animator, creator of Topo Gigio.

Robert Freeman, 82, British photographer (With the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Rubber Soul) and graphic designer.

Luciano Marin, 87, Italian actor (A Man of Straw, Goliath and the Barbarians, The Commandant).

Niall Tóibín, 89, Irish comedian and actor (Ryan's Daughter, Far and Away, Veronica Guerin).

Jean Fergusson, 74, British actress (Last of the Summer Wine, Coronation Street).

Tom Lyle, 66, American comics artist (Starman, Comet, Peter Parker: Spider-Man).

Michael J. Pollard, 80, American actor (Bonnie and Clyde, Scrooged, House of 1000 Corpses).

Gahan Wilson, 89, American cartoonist (Everybody's Favorite Duck, A Night in the Lonesome October, Spooky Stories for a Dark and Stormy Night).

Joan Staley, 79, American model and actress (The Untouchables, 77 Sunset Strip, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken).

Clive James, 80, Australian author (Cultural Amnesia), broadcaster (Clive James's Postcard from..., Fame in the 20th Century) and critic (The Observer).

Howard Cruse, 75, American cartoonist and comic book writer (Stuck Rubber Baby).

William Ruckelshaus, 87, American attorney, member of the Indiana House of Representatives (1966–1968), Acting Director of FBI (1973) and Administrator of EPA (1970–1973, 1983–1985).

Sir Jonathan Miller, 85, English humourist (Beyond the Fringe), television presenter, and director (Whistle and I'll Come To You).

Vittorio Congia, 89, Italian actor (5 marines per 100 ragazze, Shivers in Summer, Obiettivo ragazze).

Makio Inoue, 80, Japanese voice actor (Astro Boy, Captain Harlock, Lupin the Third).

Irving Burgie, 95, American Hall of Fame songwriter ("Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", "Jamaica Farewell", "In Plenty and In Time of Need").

Shelley Morrison, 83, American actress (Will & Grace, The Flying Nun, General Hospital).

Robert K. Massie, 90, American Romanov historian (Nicholas and Alexandra).

D. C. Fontana, 80, American television writer (Star Trek, The Streets of San Francisco, The Waltons).

Azucena Hernández, 59, Spanish actress (El Retorno del Hombre Lobo).

Javier Aguirre, 84, Spanish film director (Count Dracula's Great Love).

Richard Easton, 86, Canadian actor (The Brothers, Henry V, Revolutionary Road).

Robert Walker Jr., 79, American actor (Ensign Pulver, The Ceremony, Star Trek).

Ron Leibman, 82, American actor (Angels in America, Norma Rae).

Caroll Spinney, 85, American puppeteer (Sesame Street, The Electric Company).

René Auberjonois, 79, American actor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, MASH, Benson).

Paul Volcker, 92, American economist, Chair of the Federal Reserve (1979–1987).

Marie Fredriksson, 61, Swedish singer-songwriter (Roxette).

Barrie Keeffe, 74, English screenwriter (The Long Good Friday).

Philip McKeon, 55, American actor (Alice).

Gershon Kingsley, 97, German-American composer and electronic musician ("Popcorn").

Jack Scott, 83, Canadian-American rock singer and songwriter ("My True Love", "Burning Bridges").

Danny Aiello, 86, American actor (Do the Right Thing, The Godfather Part II, Moonstruck).

Anna Karina, 79, Danish-born French actress (Vivre Sa Vie, Bande a Part, Pierrot Le Fou, Alphaville).

Chuy Bravo, 63, Mexican-born actor and TV personality (Chelsea Lately).


Nicky Henson, 74, English actor (EastEnders, Syriana, Fawlty Towers, Absurd Person Singular).

Tom Adams, 93, American-born Scottish illustrator.  “Agatha Christie paperbacks”.

Kenny Lynch, 81, English singer ("You Can Never Stop Me Loving You"), actor (Carry On Loving, The Playbirds) and entertainer.

Claudine Auger, 78, French actress (Thunderball, Le Masque de fer) and model (Miss France Monde, 1958).

Junior Johnson, 88, American Hall of Fame racing driver (NASCAR Cup Series) and team owner (Junior Johnson & Associates).


Tony Britton, 95, British actor (Operation Amsterdam, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Day of the Jackal).

Ram Dass, 88, American spiritual teacher, psychologist and author (Be Here Now).

David Foster, 90, American film producer (The Thing, Short Circuit, The Getaway).

Allee Willis, 72, American Hall of Fame songwriter ("I'll Be There for You", "September") and lyricist (The Color Purple), cardiac arrest

Galina Volchek, 86, Russian actress (Don Quixote, King Lear (1971), Autumn Marathon) and film director, People's Artist of the USSR (1989), pneumonia.

Lee Mendelson, 86, American television producer (A Charlie Brown Christmas, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show), lung cancer

Sue Lyon, 73, American actress (Lolita, The Night of the Iguana, 7 Women)

Sleepy LaBeef, 84, American rockabilly singer.

Jerry Herman, 88, American composer (Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage aux Folles) and lyricist, pulmonary disease.

Don Imus, 79, American radio personality (Imus in the Morning).

Jack Sheldon, 88, American trumpeter (The Merv Griffin Show), singer ("I'm Just a Bill") and voice actor (Schoolhouse Rock!).

Neil Innes, 75, English comedian (Monty Python), musician (The Rutles, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) and writer.

Martin West, 82, American actor (Assault on Precinct 13, Freckles, As the World Turns).