In Passing… Dom DeLuise (1933-2009)

 

Actor, producer, director, comedian, and author Dom Deluise passed away yesterday, May 4, 2009. DeLuise was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1933. He first appeared as Tinker the Toymaker in “Tinker’s Workshop” (1954) and had a small part as Sgt. Collins in the nuclear thriller “Fail-Safe” (1964). He would later be in such TV series as “The Munsters,” “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “The Dean Martin Summer Show,” and would even host his own by the end of the decade. His TV and film career quickly ballooned and he would become friends with Mel Brooks who would put him in “Blazing Saddles,” “History of the World, Part One,” “Silent Movie,” “Spaceballs,” and “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.” Burt Reynolds and him became best friends and were together in “Cannonball Run 1 & 2,” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” He did voice work for other notable films such as “An American Tale,” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven.” In 1965 he married Carol Arthur and had three kids: Peter, Michael and David. The DeLuise Family has acted together in such TV series as “SeaQuest DSV,” “Happy,” and “3^rd Rock From the Sun.” Dom DeLuise also released two Italian cookbooks, “Eat This!” and “Eat This Too!” as well as some children’s books. His star on the Walk of Fame is at 1777 Vine Street. Dom DeLuise was 75 years of age at the time of his passing.

Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

For more information, check out his IMDB page at:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001123/

In Passing… Michael Crichton (1942-2008)

 

 

 

 

Author and filmmaker Michael Crichton has passed on. Known for mixing sci-fi and medicine in his novels and films such as “Timeline,” “The Andromeda Strain,” and “Jurassic Park,” Crichton began his career not in literature but in medicine. In 1964 he was an undergrad at Harvard College and earned his graduate degree from Harvard Med School in 1969. While in med school he began writing under the pen names of John Lang and Jeffrey Hudson. This would eventually payoff with the first book released under his name, “The Andromeda Strain.”

 

With the success of “The Andromeda Strain” (the book as well as the movie) Crichton ventured into Hollywood. His first film movie was, “Westworld.” In the future at an amusement park called Delos there are androids that are like humans in every way possible, except they’re not supposed to harm human beings. Until now. Directed and written by Crichton, “Westworld” became a sci-fi staple with a sequel and proposed TV show. From there Crichton directed “Coma” (based on the Robin Cook novel), “The Great Train Robbery” with Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland, “Looker” with Albert Finney, and “Runaway” with Tom Selleck and Kirstie Alley. I recommend all these movies.

 

But Hollywood had burnt Crichton out, and he was much happier writing. In between films he released the novels, “Eaters of the Dead,” “Congo,” “Sphere,” and “Jurassic Park.” In the early Nineties Steven Spielberg got permission to direct “Jurassic Park,” and Crichton was back in the Hollywood game again, this time he keeping the rights for movies based on his novels. However, he did co-write the screenplay to “Twister” as well as created the hit NBC show, “ER.”

 

Crichton passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in L.A. from complications with cancer. He was 66.

 

Thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends.