Disastrous Demises & Fond Farewells

Throughout the year, we occasionally take note of the passing of certain celebrities who held a special place in our heart - one notable one from this year was Mr. Christopher Plummer who passed away in February. Sometimes a beloved celeb will pass away who had already received a lengthy tribute on this site, such as Miss Sally Ann Howes who passed away just this past December. One of THE biggest losses this year was that of Miss Betty White, who seemed as if she would live on forever and who worked (and worked!) endlessly, both on screen and in her personal life for the benefit and welfare of animals. When she passed away in December, just weeks shy of her 100th birthday, TV as we know it was changed forever. She WAS television, from its inception. We also like to mention those who took part in the 1970-1980 cycle of disaster movies, the genre that gave us life for so long and led us into our love of movies and performers in the first place. I have a(n imaginary) club, the Disaster Movie Club, or DMC, that particular stars belong to because they happened to appear in one of those films. This year we lost four members that I am aware of.  So today we're going to pay our respects to a few of the faces we said goodbye to in 2021. 

The utterly astonishing Betty White did something that is unlikely to be matched by anyone else. She appeared on television in nine different decades! From 1948 to 2021, her face was the face of television, be it on talk/information shows, sitcoms, games shows, TV-movies, guest appearances or award programs (of which there were always many, thanks to her estimable talent, but even more once she began to receive lifetime achievement acknowledgements!) There were countless stage appearances and many movies as well along the way. And her efforts on behalf of the animal kingdom were tireless. We need more Betty Whites in our lives, though I fear we'll never see another one quite like her. It's not just that I loved watching her perform. I loved HER...

Our first member of the Disaster Movie Club is one Gregory Sierra. Hailing from Spanish Harlem, NY, Sierra could easily have fallen into a life of crime. His parents deserted him as a child and he was raised in rough surroundings by an aunt. Fortunately, he inadvertently fell into acting and wound up in stage productions, many of which were Shakespearean. In 1969, he moved to L.A. and immediately landed roles on TV, most often as ethnic types, though he always had an eye at mainstream roles as well. He had a memorably stoic countenance in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), was recurring on Sanford & Son, spent time on Barney Miller and proceeded to countless supporting roles on TV and in movies. He's a member of the DMC for his role as Carlos, the trusty bartender in The Towering Inferno (1974), but gets a bonus point for popping up in the strenuously bad Irwin Allen TV-film The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1980) with James MacArthur, Barbara Rush and Desi Arnaz Jr, among others. Sierra passed away in January, just shy of his 84th birthday due to stomach and liver cancer. 

While it's true that Carlos was a meager role in comparison to the others, he was a constant presence in the film, whether guarding some expensive booze or serving up delights to the kids who'd been rescued from the blaze. And he warranted a close-up at the climax of the film, along with the rest of the surviving cast up to that point.

Our next DMC member is a highly-acclaimed and accom- plished performer whose work in a disaster flick would rank among the very least of her credits. Miss Cicely Tyson began appearing in bit movie parts in the late 1950s and proceeded to regular work on TV by the early 1960s, including East Side/West Side and The Guiding Light. A career milestone came with 1972's Sounder, for which she was Oscar-nominated, punctuated by her turn in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), for which she was granted two Emmys. (She was made up to play ages 23 to 110!) Many fine roles followed in Roots, The Marva Collins Story and Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. As she aged, it's not like she was sitting around. She was nominated for Emmys five times for her work on How to Get Away with Murder while only appearing on the program ten times! That's one fine batting average. She died at at 96, having worked the previous year and having just published her own autobiography. Her disaster role came in the egregious The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979) in which she played the mother of a boy in need of a heart transplant who is accompanying the donor heart (!) back to its destination.

The brief closeup shown here serves as proof that Miss Tyson appeared in The Concorde. Otherwise, you're hard-pressed to find her as she either uses every opportunity to obscure herself behind any available person or object or else the cameraman picks every possible angle with which to disguise the fact that she is in the scene...! It's screamingly funny to try to count how many times she is covered up by something or turned away from the camera. During her big moment, when the heart is about to fall out of the closet, you can barely see her! And I am STILL, more than 40 years later, trying to figure out why she would be flying along with the heart instead of at the side of her ill young boy, urging him to hold on... but the entire movie is brimming over with idiocy on every level. It's one reason I love it! LOL

Next comes Miss Arlene Golonka. Golonka, a Chicago native, moved to New York City at age 19 and pursued a career, having taken acting and singing lessons as a child. By her early 20s she was on Broadway in several shows (in 1963 she was playing Candy Starr opposite Kirk Douglas in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest!) She did some NYC-based television before moving to Los Angeles and pursuing film work. Often cast as bubbleheads or floozies, she nonetheless was placed alongside Henry Fonda in Welcome to Hard Times (1967) and Clint Eastwood in Hang 'Em High (1968.) She also appeared frequently on Mayberry, R.F.D. from 1968 to 1971. Many TV guest roles followed and would continue up to 2005. She also did the occasional movie such as The In-Laws (1979) and My Tutor (1983) along with her DMC entry, Airport '77 (1977.) She played the mother of a little girl whose class's artwork was chosen to be presented at a grand museum opening and who both were being flown there in a luxury jet. Unfortunately, a hijacking occurs and the plane winds up under the ocean, like a reverse aquarium! She was 85 when she died in May of Alzheimer's disease.

Golonka played a character named Mrs. Jane Stern, though I don't think anyone ever refers to that at any point in time. In the upper insert, you get a glimpse of the artwork... LOL I think the artiste grew up to design the infamous VHS cover of The Little Mermaid (1989.) Some things you just can't forget; thus I recall my mother watching Golonka's wildly screeching, over-the-top reaction to her daughter being smushed between furniture during the crash and uttering, "Stupid woman...!" in the movie theater! LOL

Lastly, we find Mr. Ned Beatty. A Louisville native who worked his way through regional theatre and onto the New York stage. Few people ever made as eye-popping a movie debut as he did, playing the hapless victim of terrifying mountain men in Deliverance (1972) and enduring a sexual assault from one of them. He proceeded on to roles in many of the decade's notable films including Nashville (1975), All the President's Men (1976) Network (1976, which earned him an Oscar nomination) and Superman (1978.) Having done the disaster spoof The Big Bus (1976), and the comedy Silver Streak (1978), which featured a disaster-ish finale, he eventually appeared in the genre entry Gray Lady Down (1978.) As the reliable assistant to David Carradine, he worked on trying to rescue a submarine which has been disabled and is resting on a precarious ledge deep below the ocean's surface. Dubbed "The Busiest Actor in Hollywood," Beatty worked vigorously in many TV and movie projects for decades afterwards, adept at both drama and comedy. He passed away in June of natural causes at age 83.

The genial Beatty is snubbed by the condescending Stacy Keach, but ultimately is permitted to assist Carradine inside his mini-sub as they strive to locate the immobile submarine. Interestingly, one of the men Beatty is trying to rescue is his old Deliverance costar Ronny Cox. And among the topside crewmen is one Christopher Reeve (seen above-right), with whom Beatty would soon costar in Superman.

There are some other stars we lost this year who, while not officially members of the Disaster Movie Club, are still associated with it somewhat. These include the following three folks.

 

Mike Henry. Henry was a 6'3" linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers (and then the Los Angeles Rams) before making a big impression as the latest Tarzan in three popular films. His horrendous working conditions and a raft of personal injuries (for someone who was quite used to taking a lot of knocks!) led him to decline the TV series, which went to Ron Ely. He proceeded to supporting parts in movies such as Number One (1969) and Rio Lobo (1970) along with successful hits like Soylent Green (1973) and The Longest Yard (1974.) His part as the co-pilot in Skyjacked (1972) is why he's noted here, though that really isn't exactly a "disaster movie." The all-star cast on an airliner in distress causes me to lump it in with the rest, though. Henry, who had played many strong, macho types of roles, turned everything around for Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and its two sequels. He portrayed the lunkheaded son of exasperated sheriff Jackie Gleason. A few years after the third film in that series, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and segued out of the business. It was complications from that which took his life last January at age 84. Even if it were not for Skyjacked, we thought he was a handsome and charismatic enough hunk that he'd warrant mention here. 

George Segal never made a true '70s "disaster movie" either, though I tend to think of Rollercoaster (1977) in those terms thanks to the Sensurround and the all-star cast featured on posters. Following some military service, Segal proceeded to the stage and ultimately onto early '60s TV before landing parts in movies like The Young Doctors (1961) and The Longest Day (1962.) Things kicked up considerably after Ship of Fools (1965), King Rat (1965) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) for which he was Oscar nominated. Leading roles followed with a mixture of success and failure (in which he reportedly priced himself out of some producers' leagues, but could not quite deliver the box office receipts desired.) Two of my favorites movies of his were No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) and Fun with Dick and Jane (1977.) After a rough patch (following his departure from 10, 1980, and being sued for it), Segal emerged as a skillful and sought after character actor. He was still working regularly on the series The Goldbergs when he opted for heart bypass surgery at age 87 and did not survive the procedure.

We always enjoyed our next performer in practically anything, thanks to her dynamic personality and intense acting energy. Miss Jessica Walter cut her performing teeth on the New York stages while simul- taneously working on the daytime serial Love of Life. After many prime time TV guest roles, she debuted on film in Lilith (1964), then rode the publicity wave caused by being one of eight featured actresses in The Group (1966.) She continued in films, notably as the spurned, unhinged lover of Clint Eastwood in Play Misty for Me (1971), for which she was Golden Globe nominated. However, it would be another decade before she appeared again in a feature film! Always busy, she did countless TV guest roles, TV-movies and brief tries at regular or recurring roles on shows. At long last in 2003 she found regular work on television with the cult favorite series Arrested Development. She also lent her voice to the animated show Archer. Walter died in her sleep at age 80 in March of last year. So what did she ever do that was "disaster movie" related?

She gets a half-point for costarring in the 1974 TV-movie Hurricane with Larry Hagman. They play a couple on a little boat, which is almost out of gas during the title storm.

Then there's the curious case of The Concorde... Airport '79! In the expanded TV version of the movie, George Kennedy has a flashback in which he recalls breakfast with his son (the same Brian Morrison who played the boy in Airport 1975 and in the expanded version of Airport '77) and his wife, now played by Walter! First played in Airport (1970) by Jodean Lawrence, then by Susan Clark in Airport 1975, Walter is now shown reading tea leaves in which she predicts a fatal crash. Turns out it's not the Concorde (that was a bomb in more ways than one!) It winds up being her own car crash, which leaves her with brain damage and death. Kennedy is shown visiting her with a bandage all over her head.

There were still a few other celebs we lost in 2021 who meant something to me. None of them had received a full-on tribute here, but they were nevertheless people whose work I admired. So we close with some info on them! 

Miss Jane Withers - I have to admit that I have seen few, if any, of the films Withers made as a child star, though she was immensely popular (and a rascally antidote to the sweeter and perkier Miss Shirley Temple, with whom Withers worked in Bright Eyes, 1934.) Despite playing tomboyish parts, often rambunctious or bratty, she was known to be extremely polite and very bright off-screen. She was also exceedingly caring, raising millions for charity (at a time when such a figure was astronomical.) She did come back to the business as a character actress (such as in Giant, 1956) and in a more than decade-long stint as Josephine the Plumber in Comet cleanser ads. My primary contact with her was later in life, when she appeared as a spirited guest on many talk shows. Her zest for life and positive outlook was so welcome. She endured a few tragedies along the way, such as losing a husband in a plane crash and losing a child to cancer, but at no time did she abandon her personal zing. When she died in August of last year, she was 95.

John Richardson - Only those who've been under a rock are unaware of Raquel Welch and her "fur bikini" in One Million Years B.C. (1966.) But when I saw the movie for the first time, while I certainly took notice of her, it was Richardson's skimpy getup that really caught my eye. His abbreviated loincloth and silent-movie era expressions made an impression. He'd already played the dreamy love interest of Ursula Andress in She (1965) and would later catch Barbra Streisand's attention in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970.) After his six-year marriage to Martine Beswick ended, he settled in Italy as a leading man, often in thrillers. Retired for quite some time, he was taken by the Covid-19 pandemic at age 86 last January.

Miss Jane Powell - There were few folks with as sunny and ingratiating a smile as Powell. Having begun dancing at age 2, she proceeded to winning talent contests, ultimately landing a contract with MGM at age 14! She portrayed many sprightly teens in colorful musicals, but had to wait until Royal Wedding (1951) to make a major impact (replacing first a pregnant June Allyson and then an ill Judy Garland.) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) was a smash and is considered one of the top musicals of all time. After her contract expired and light musicals fell out of fashion at the box office, she worked very often in theatre. Later, she continued to work as a TV guest star and in TV-movies (one of which was Mayday at 40,000 Feet!, about an airliner in distress.) Married five times, most happily to former child star Dickie Moore, who she met in 1981 as he was researching his book on child stars, she was another person whose sunny smile covered up personal tragedies. Her mother was an alcoholic and she had suffered sexual abuse by neighbors as a pre-teen. Powell passed away last September at age 92.

Stephen Sondheim - The theatre community has been mourning the loss of one of its genius contributors, who passed away of heart disease last November at 91. Sondheim took an interest in the theatre - and notably the piano - at age 9 and was mentored soon after by the father of one of his friends. That man was none other than the great Oscar Hammerstein II! Following school and some rocky years of trying to break through, he won the position of lyricist for a little something being developed called West Side Story! He proceeded to do the same on Gypsy and then became both lyricist and composer for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Many successes (and some failures) followed, but his talent was practically never in question. Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods are some of the memorable shows he helped create. A lonely child who'd suffered an acrimonious relationship with his psychologically abusive mother, many of his works involved less than picture-perfect situations. He did find some degree of happiness when he fell in love for the first time at age 60, though it wasn't to last beyond about eight years. In 2017, he wed a much-younger partner who survived him.   

BONUS PICS:

During my 25-year stage career (now retired), I played Rapunzel's Prince in Into the Woods, sang many of Sondheim's works in the revue You're Gonna Love Tomorrow and won the bucket list role of Miles Gloriosus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I though this funereal sequence might be appropriate to this particular post...!

Rollercoaster might not be a "disaster movie," but this hooty British lobby card sure aimed for that audience when it used this shot of a horrific crash which opens the film!

Richardson's sizzlean physique (with high-cut loincloth) was arresting, but those eyes were something to behold, too!

Henry was a very fit and handsome Tarzan indeed. If memory serves, he was the first one to sport a hairy chest.

One last photo of our beloved Miss White. You will be missed... Thank you for being a friend!