Actor James Caan, best known for his roles in films like The Godfather and Misery, has died He was 82.
Caan was known as a movie “tough guy” by many. Many of his younger fans were first introduced to him on the big screen opposite Will Ferrell in the 2003 Christmas film, Elf.
Though the Disney credits on his resume are few, Caan did play the role of Spuds Spaldoni in Dick Tracy (1990).
James Caan’s family made the announcement about his death via his Twitter account.
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.
The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. End of tweet.”
Over the past several years, James Caan had become active on Twitter, posting photos of himself and friends from classic films in which he’s played roles. At the end of every tweet, Caan always ended with “End of tweet.” Therefore, Thursday morning’s tweet on behalf of Caan’s family ended with the same.
In May 1990, Disney World debuted a stage show based on the Dick Tracy film. “Dick Tracy Starring in Diamond Double-Cross” opened at Theater of the Stars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then known as Disney’s MGM Studios). One month later, the same show debuted at Disneyland’s Videopolis. Disneyland’s version of the show closed on December 31, 1990, and the Disney World version closed in February 1991.
The Star Wars family sadly lost one of its icons this past weekend as X-Wing and Death Star designer, Colin Cantwell, passed away on Saturday, May 21, 2022, aged 90 at his Colorado home.
Behind every great creation is an equally great mind. That was the case for George Lucas’ Star Wars original trilogy which debuted with Star Wars (1977), now Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope in the late 1970s. While people like Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), bounty hunters like the character Boba Fett and Sith Lords like the disgraced Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen), were the brainchild of Lucas, other visionaries contributed to the sprawling Skywalker Saga.
Perhaps the most iconic “moon” in pop culture history, and almost as popular as the Millennium Falcon, the Death Star from A New Hope, is almost synonymous with the Star Wars franchise itself and is highly regarded as a classic cinematic location of modern times. The Death Star has been prevalent in the grander Star Wars story ever since the franchise’s birth in 1977 with the original Star Wars movie.
Unfortunately, the man behind the original prototype designs of this iconic pop culture space station has sadly passed away.
Cantwell worked on the Death Star, the TIE Fighter, the X-Wing, the Imperial Star Destroyers, landspeeders, sandcrawlers, and more — all unforgettable parts of the Star Wars story — with direction from Lucas himself. The designer also worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and WarGames (1983) during his long career.
Born in San Francisco, Cantwell graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in animation. He then was personally invited by Frank Lloyd Wright to attend his School of Architecture.
Before he made his way to Hollywood, Cantwell already had an amazing career. Cantwell worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA, creating educational programs for the public to better understand space flights.
Cantwell is survived by his partner of 24 years, Sierra Dall.
From its planet-killing capabilities to the location of Darth Vader (Dave Prowse/James Earl Jones) and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s (Alec Guinness) famous duel, and its resurrection in JJ Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019), the Death Star is well-known to even the most casual Star Wars fans. Featured in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, the First Order’s Starkiller Base was inspired by its predecessor, proving that the legacy of the not-moon continues to lace its way through Lucasfilm’s leading franchise, the Star Wars universe.
The initial designs of these landmark Star Wars vehicles surely paved the way for the technology and transport fans can see in projects like The Mandalorian and the upcoming Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, up to this day.
Mike Hagerty, a character actor who appeared in a number of Disney and ABC shows, has died at 67. His death was confirmed by Bridget Everett, who plays his daughter on the HBO series Somebody Somewhere. Everett shared her sadness on Twitter and called Hagerty “warm” and “funny”. No cause of death has been given for Mr. Hagerty at the time.
Hagerty was born in Chicago in 1954 and began his acting career when he was just 19 years old. Over the decades, he amassed an incredibly large resume, with over 100 movies and television shows to his name. Hagerty is probably most well-known to his fans for his roles as Mr. Treeger in the popular sitcom Friends, Frank Macnamara in The George Carlin Show, and as Fat Jack Bray in Mob City.
During his time in Hollywood, Hagerty also appeared in a number of Disney and ABC shows. He played the character of Sikes in the 1999 film Inspector Gadget — which also starred Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett, and Joely Fisher. He then played Captain Lenderfak in Life With Bonnie, Gus in the hit series Desperate Housewives, Wally Bird in Boston Legal, and Captain Stretchy in the Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie.
The last credit Mr. Hagerty had before he passed away was in HBO’s Somebody Somewhere. HBO released a statement upon learning of Hagerty’s death, saying the following:
“We are very saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Mike Hagerty. A member of the HBO family for many years, his most recent role as Bridget Everett’s father in Somebody Somewhere showed his special talent for bringing heart to a performance. Mike was a joy to work with and brought warmth and kindness to all who knew him. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Mike Hagerty is survived by a number of relatives, including, his wife Mary Kathryn; his sister, Mary Ann Hagerty; her wife, Kathleen O’Rourke; and Mary Ann and Kathleen’s daughter Meg.
Sad news coming out of Hollywood today. Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried has died at the age of 67 after battling a long illness. Known for his signature voice and over-the-top comedy, Gilbert Gottfried was a comedic legend. Through his more than 50 years in the entertainment industry, Gottfried had more than 180 acting credits to his name. He is probably most well-known to Disney fans for lending his voice talents to Iago — the diabolical sidekick of Jafar in Disney’s 1992 film, Aladdin.
Gottfried began working in the comedy world when he was just 15 years old. His talent landed him a short stint on the iconic sketch show, Saturday Night Live. It was on SNL where Gottfried would meet fellow comedian Eddie Murphy. Murphy would later help land Gottfried his big break in the movie business, casting him in Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop II.
From there, Gottfried’s career skyrocketed. He appeared in a number of classic films and television shows, including Night Court, Problem Child, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Mad About You. In 1992, he voiced one of Disney’s most well-known sidekicks, Iago. He returned to voice Iago in 1994 for Aladdin 2:The Return of Jafar and a third time in 1996 for Aladdin and the King of Thieves. Gottfried also voiced Iago for the Aladdin television series, as well as a number of video games based on the film franchise and Disney On Ice.
Gottfried is survived by his wife Dara, his 14-year-old daughter Lily, 12-year-old son Max, sister Karen, and his nephew, Graham.
We have some sad news to report on coming out of Hollywood. Iconic actor William Hurt has died at the age of 71. At this time, his death is being reported as “natural causes. The news was reported by the actor’s son, Will Hurt. Hurt shared:
“It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday. He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time.”
Throughout his extensive film career, the Oscar-winning actor was in a number of notable films, including Kiss of the Spider Woman, Broadcast News, and Lost In Space. He also appeared in a number of television shows, including Damages, Humans, and Pantheon, which was in the middle of filming when the actor passed. While Hurt appeared in a number of successful Hollywood films and shows, he also made his mark on both the Disney and Marvel universes.
Disney fans may recognize Hurt from his role in the 2002 film Tuck Everlasting — which also starred Alexis Bledel and Jonathan Jackson, Sissy Spacek, and Victor Garber. Hurt played the Tuck family patriarch Angus Tuck. The film was a wonderful, sad love story that was a hit amongst Disney’s younger female audience. If it’s been a while since you have seen the film, or have yet to see it (which you definitely should), here is a summary from Disney:
Young Winnie Foster, stifled by the formality of her proper life and domineering mother, escapes into the woods only to get lost. Soon she happens upon Jesse Tuck – a boy full of life and adventure who’s unlike anyone she’s ever met – and falls in love. The Tucks, a kind and generous family, have a powerful secret – a spring that holds the magic of everlasting life. And now Winnie must choose to live life as she knows it or drink from the spring.
While Disney fans may recognize Hurt, Marvel fans around the world will recognize him even more. Hurt had an extensive career within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has appeared in a number of films — The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Avengers Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow. In all of those films, he played Secretary Thaddeus Ross, a former Lieutenant-General of the US Army, who then becomes Secretary of State. Ross was responsible for attempting to recreate the Super Soldier Serum that created Captain America, and in turn, the serum that created Bruce Banner AKA The Incredible Hulk.
During his illustrious career, Hurt was nominated for multiple Academy and Golden Globe Awards. He also performed on Broadway and was nominated for A Tony Award. Hurt is survived by his four children.
