Star Trek Deaths in 2016

[Chuck]

Last year was a particularly heartbreaking one for the entertainment
industry and its fans. It seemed like every couple of weeks we were
losing a beloved show business personality, often well before their
time. The music industry was especially hard hit, with the unexpected
and untimely deaths of icons such as David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen
and George Michael prompting many to label 2016 as "The Year the Music
Died." There was also the shocking early deaths of a large number of
film and television greats -- Alan Rickman, Garry Shandling, Florence
Henderson, Alan Thicke and Carrie Fisher among them -- which added to
the impression that the Grim Reaper went a little funny in the head in
2016. Then, of course, there were the "old-timers" -- showbiz legends,
including Abe Vigoda, Alan Young, Garry Marshall, Gene Wilder, and
Debbie Reynolds, whose passings may not have been all that surprising
but were no less painful.

As would be expected, the STAR TREK franchise was not immune to this
seemingly unprecedented barrage of celebrity deaths. Probably the most
high-profile STAR TREK death this year -- and certainly the most
shocking and tragic -- was that of Anton Yelchin, the gifted 27-year-old
actor who played Ensign Chekov in the TREK reboot films that began in
2009. Yelchin died June 19 when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backwards
down his driveway and pinned him against his security gate and mailbox
pillar. It is believed that Yelchin's Jeep was among those subject to a
voluntary recall by the manufacturer due to a risk of rollaway. J.J.
Abrams, producer of the TREK reboot movies, has stated that Yelchin's
character will not be recast. A truly bizarre and heartbreaking tragedy
has left STAR TREK without a Chekov for the foreseeable future while
also depriving us of a burgeoning young talent.

Obviously, Yelchin was far from the only death that STAR TREK endured in
2016. Below is a (hopefully complete) rundown of all of the veterans of
the long-living and prosperous sci-fi franchise who passed away in 2016.
Also included are a few deaths from 2015 that didn't make it into last
year's write-up. As always, the individuals profiled here are listed
alphabetically by last name.




SIR KEN ADAM (95); died March 10
Legendary British production designer who in the late 1970s worked on
the proposed film STAR TREK: PLANET OF THE TITANS, which was to have
been the first feature-length motion picture based on the original STAR
TREK series. The project was eventually shelved, but a study model of
the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE that Adam designed for the film eventually popped
up in the NEXT GENERATION episode "Unification I." A two-time Oscar
winner, Adam is best known for designing seven of the James Bond films
-- starting with the first, DR. NO (1962), and concluding with MOONRAKER
(1979) -- and for his work on Stanley Kubrick's DR. STRANGELOVE, OR: HOW
I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964), which includes
perhaps his most iconic set--the triangular War Room, with its giant
circular table below a ring of lights. He would reteam with Kubrick a
decade later for BARRY LYNDON (1975), which won Adam his first Oscar. By
this time, Adam had been working in the industry for nearly 30 years,
having begun as a draughtsman in the late 1940s. Within a few years, he
had worked his way up to assistant/associate art director, a position he
held on Raoul Walsh's CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER (1951), Robert Wise's
HELEN OF TROY (1956), and William Wyler's Oscar-winning epic BEN-HUR
(1959), among other films. He received his first Oscar nomination as art
director on the 1956 Oscar winner for Best Picture, AROUND THE WORLD IN
EIGHTY DAYS, and made his debut as a production designer the following
year in the horror film NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1957). After designing the
sets for DR. NO, he returned to the Bond franchise for its third (and
arguably best) installment, GOLDFINGER (1964), and continued to define
the look of the series with his work on THUNDERBALL (1965), YOU ONLY
LIVE TWICE (1967), DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
(1977), the latter of which earned him another Oscar nomination. Beyond
Bond and his work for Kubrick, Adam designed many other 1960s and '70s
films that have been heralded as classics, including THE IPCRESS FILE
(1965), CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (1968), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's SLEUTH
(1972), and Herbert Ross' THE LAST OF SHEILA (1973) and THE SEVEN-PER-
CENT SOLUTION (1976). Following his work on such films as Norman
Jewison's AGNES OF GOD (1985), Bruce Beresford's CRIMES OF THE HEART
(1986) and Andrew Bergman's THE FRESHMAN (1990), Adam received back-to-
back Oscar nominations for Barry Sonnenfeld's ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES
(1993) and Nichols Hynter's THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE (1994), with the
latter scoring him his second and final win. In 2002, following his
retirement from films, Adam received the Art Directors Guild Lifetime
Achievement Award, and he was given a knighthood the following year--the
first ever for a production designer.

Footnote: Director Guy Hamilton, who worked with Adam on GOLDFINGER,
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and IPCRESS FILE sequel FUNERAL IN BERLIN (1966),
died just over one month after Adam, on April 20 aged 93.



DAVE ARMSTRONG (91); died May 13
Actor who appeared as Deneva resident Kartan in the STAR TREK original
series episode "Operation - Annihilate!" (IMDb also lists him as playing
an Eminiar guard in the episode A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON, though
confirmation of this has yet to be found.) He popped up on many other TV
shows, including WAGON TRAIN, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, THE FUGITIVE, BATMAN,
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., MANNIX, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, THE INVADERS,
COLUMBO, KUNG FU and KOJAK, and also had small, often uncredited roles
in films such as A STAR IS BORN (1954), BATTLE CRY (1955), THE BUCCANEER
(1958), SPARTACUS (1960), THE BEST MAN (1964), DARLING LILI (1970),
BLAZING SADDLES (1974), NEW YORK, NEW YORK (1977) and MY FAVORITE YEAR
(1982).



CHRIS BAYZ (50s); date of death unknown
Visual effects artist at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) who was part of
the company's digital effects team on J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK (2009) and
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (2013). He was initially employed at Digital
Domain, where he worked on such films as THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) and
WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998), before joining ILM in 1998 as a digital
artist. His first assignment at ILM was STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE
PHANTOM MENACE (1999), followed swiftly by SLEEPY HOLLOW and GALAXY
QUEST (both 1999). His subsequent credits at the company included PLANET
OF THE APES (2001), MINORITY REPORT (2002), HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER
OF SECRETS (2002), THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE
WARDROBE (2005), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (2006), TRANSFORMERS (2007),
IRON MAN (2008), INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
(2008), TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (2011) and THE LONE RANGER
(2013). It is unclear exactly when or how he died or how old he was; the
STAR WARS spin-off ROGUE ONE was dedicated to his memory.



HAGAN BEGGS (79); died September 16
Actor who played Lt. Hansen, a helmsman aboard the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE, in
three episodes of the original STAR TREK series: "Court Martial," "The
Menagerie, Part I" and "The Menagerie, Part II." Two decades later, he
would portray Dr. George Dunbar in the Canadian family adventure series
DANGER BAY from 1985 to 1990 and Liam Gleeson in the Western series
BORDERTOWN from 1989 to 1991. He was also seen on TV shows such as
GUNSMOKE, IT TAKES A THIEF, GREEN ACRES, THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, 21
JUMP STREET, HIGHLANDER, MILLENNIUM and SEVEN DAYS, and in films
including Lamont Johnson's THE GROUNDSTAR CONSPIRACY (1972), Don Sharp's
BEAR ISLAND (1979), Peter Medak's THE CHANGELING (1980), Bob Fosse's
STAR 80 (1983) and Disney's THE JOURNEY OF NATTY GUNN (1985).



RICO BUENO (68); died June 4
Actor and stuntman who appeared as Starfleet officers in the STAR TREK:
DEEP SPACE NINE episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" and in the film
STAR TREK: INSURRECTION, and was also seen as a Qomar spectator in the
STAR TREK: VOYAGER episode "Virtuoso." A former U.S. Army paratrooper
and a Vietnam veteran, Bueno had entered show business by the early
1990s and had already been seen in several films and television series
by the time he made his TREK debut in INSURRECTION. Among the films in
which he appeared include POETIC JUSTICE (1993), FREAKED (1993), BOOGIE
NIGHTS (1997) and ALIEN: RESURRECTION (1997), and he also popped up on
TV shows such as NIGHT COURT, IN LIVING COLOR and HANGIN' WITH MR.
COOPER. He went on to appear with Adam Sandler in the films LITTLE NICKY
(2000) and PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002) and to feature or co-star in episodes
of such shows as THE WEST WING, THE SHIELD and MARON.



CHUCK CLOW; died June 9, 2015
Stunt double for William Shatner in the STAR TREK original series
episodes "Court Martial" and "Friday's Child." He also performed stunts
on TV shows such as WAGON TRAIN and in films including THE NAKED GUN 2
1/2: THE SMELL OF FEAR (1991).



PAUL COMI (84); died August 26
Actor who appeared on over 90 different television shows between the
late 1950s and mid-1990s, including the original STAR TREK series as Lt.
Andrew Stiles in the first season's "Balance of Terror" -- the episode
that introduced the Romulans. He may be best known, however, for his
roles in two classic episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE: astronaut Warren
Marcussen in "People Are Alike All Over" and First Officer John Craig in
"The Odyssey of Flight 33." Some may also remember him for his recurring
roles as Deputy Johnny Evans on TWO FACES WEST, Chuck Lambert on
RIPCROD, Brad Carter on THE VIRGINIAN and Yo Yo on RAWHIDE. Some of the
other shows on which he appeared include 77 SUNSET STRIP, WAGON TRAIN,
PERRY MASON, GET SMART, THE WILD WILD WEST, IRONSIDE, BARNABY JONES,
DALLAS, THE FACTS OF LIFE, L.A. LAW, BAYWATCH and MURDER, SHE WROTE. He
can also be seen in twenty feature films, including classics such as
Edward Dmytryk's THE YOUNG LIONS (1958) and WARLOCK (1959), Lewis
Milestone's PORK CHOP HILL (1959), Delbert Mann's THE DARK AT THE TOP OF
THE STAIRS (1960) and THE OUTSIDER (1961), J. Lee Thompson's CAPE FEAR
(1962) and CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (1972) and John
Guillermin's THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974), as well as '80s fodder like
DEATH WISH II (1982), BEST DEFENSE (1984) and HOWARD THE DUCK (1986).



BOB K. CUMMINGS; died August 26
Actor and stuntman who played the Klingon gunner in STAR TREK III: THE
SEARCH FOR SPOCK (1984) who fires the "lucky shot" that destroys the
U.S.S. GRISSOM and gets him killed by his commander. He had acting roles
in a few other films -- including THE HIDDEN (1987) -- but was more
active as a stunt performer. His stunt work can be seen in such films as
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986), A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM
WARRIORS (1987), SPACEBALLS (1987), PUMPKINHEAD (1988), THEY LIVE
(1988), CHILD'S PLAY (1988), THE ABYSS (1989), GHOST (1990) and PREDATOR
2 (1990).



BRIAN DENENBREUN (57); died November 29
Graphic artist, videographer and actor who was a regular background
actor on STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE, appearing in over 50 episodes of
the show during its entire run. He also appeared as a background
performer in three episodes of THE NEXT GENERATION. An illustrator by
trade who specialized in architectural renderings and who ran his own
studio, Art Patrol, since 1989, Denenbreun made his screen debut as a
P.O.W. in the Vietnam War film THE HANOI HILTON (1987). He went on to
appear in two different roles in Tim Burton's BATMAN RETURNS (1992) and
years later could be spotted in such films as Oliver Stone's 9/11 drama
WORLD TRADE CENTER (2006), Lee Tamahori's sci-fi thriller NEXT (2007)
and Robert Ben Garant's sports comedy BALLS OF FURY (2007). He also
worked as a stand-in, most notably for actor John C. Reilly in the film
YEAR OF THE DOG (2007). More recently, he was a photo double for David
Hasselhoff in TED 2 (2015) and appeared in a 2015 episode of NCIS.



BAIRBRE DOWLING (62); died January 20
Actress who played Edith Mulchaey in the STAR TREK: VOYAGER episode
"Spirit Folk." She made her screen debut in John Boorman's cult sci-fi
film ZARDOZ (1974) and later appeared in John Huston's THE DEAD (1987)
and John Roberts' WAR OF THE BUTTONS (1994) alongside her then-husband,
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION and DEEP SPACE NINE alum Colm Meaney.
Besides VOYAGER, she also made appearances on shows such as ER, CROSSING
JORDAN and MURDER, SHE WROTE.



LARRY DRAKE (66); died March 17
Actor who played Administrator Chellick in the STAR TREK: VOYAGER
episode "Critical Care." He was best known for his role as
intellectually disabled office clerk Benny Stulwicz on NBC's L.A. LAW,
for which he won two Emmy Awards out of three nominations. He was also
known for playing mobster Robert Durant in Sam Raimi's cult superhero
action film DARKMAN (1990) and its direct-to-video sequel, DARKMAN II:
THE RETURN OF DURANT (1995); for starring in the title role of Manny
Coto's horror film DR. GIGGLES (1992); and for voicing the character of
Pops on the Cartoon Network series JOHNNY BRAVO. He made his screen
debut in Herschell Gordon Lewis' 1971 film THIS STUFF'LL KILL YA! and
went on to appear in such films as THE SENIORS (1978), BATTLE CREEK
BRAWL (1980), THE KARATE KID (1984) and FOR KEEPS? (1988) before landing
his breakthrough role on L.A. LAW in 1987. After the show ended, he
continued making movie appearances, notably in THE JOURNEY OF AUGUST
KING (1995), BEAN (1997), AMERICAN PIE 2 (2001), SPUN (2002) and
PATHOLOGY (2008). Some of the TV shows in which he made guest
appearances were HARDCASTLE AND MCCORMICK, TALES FROM THE CRYPT,
STARGATE SG-1, FIREFLY and BOSTON LEGAL.



RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS (83); died June 14
Actress who played Talur in the STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION episode
"Thine Own Self." She was best known for playing Corabeth Walton Godsey
on THE WALTONS from 1974 to 1981 and in the WALTONS reunion movies that
followed between 1982 and 1997. She was also a main cast member on the
short-lived series BOONE (1983-84), SARA (1985) and JUST IN TIME (1988)
and made guest appearances on such shows as DALLAS, DESIGNING WOMEN,
DYNASTY, FALCON CREST and MURDER, SHE WROTE. Her film credits included
ALL THE WAY HOME (1963), FIVE DAYS FROM HOME (1978), THE DEAD POOL
(1988), 8 SECONDS (1994) and the 1999 made-for-TV adaptation of INHERIT
THE WIND.

Footnote: Earl Hamner Jr., creator of THE WALTONS, died a few months
before Edwards, on March 24 aged 92.



ANTHONY FREDRICKSON (62); died February 15
Scenic and graphic artist who worked on episodes of STAR TREK: THE NEXT
GENERATION, DEEP SPACE NINE, VOYAGER and ENTERPRISE and the four NEXT
GENERATION-era films -- GENERATIONS (1994), FIRST CONTACT (1996),
INSURRECTION (1998) and NEMESIS (2002). He also occasionally helped
construct studio models and props for some of TREK episodes, earning the
nickname "King of Kludge" for his ability to build last-minute items
from whatever material was at hand at the time. He worked on the
exhibitions STAR TREK: THE EXPERIENCE and STAR TREK WORLD TOUR, as well,
and co-illustrated the reference book STAR FLEET MEDICAL REFERENCE
MANUAL with Doug Drexler. Outside of STAR TREK, he was manager of the
effects lab for Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY (1990), was the graphic
designer on the comedy I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL (2009), and worked
on such films as MAKING MR. RIGHT (1987), POLTERGEIST III (1988), FOR
THE BOYS (1991), CHAPLIN (1992) as well as TV shows including E-RING,
DIRT and CANE.



DINO GANZIANO (77); died Summer 2015
Hair stylist who worked on STAR TREK: VOYAGER during its first season,
which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Individual
Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series in 1995. He won an Emmy 11 years
earlier for his work on the TV movie THE MYSTIC WARRIOR and also
received Emmy nominations for the 1988 miniseries WAR AND REMEMBRANCE, a
1989 episode of MURDER, SHE WROTE and the 2001 HBO movie 61*. He was the
personal hair stylist for actor Jon Voight on many projects, including
ANACONDA (1997), THE RAINMAKER (1997), ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998),
VARSITY BLUES (1999) and PEARL HARBOR (2001), and worked with Denzel
Washington as a key hair stylist on COURAGE UNDER FIRE (1996) and
TRAINING DAY (2001). His other hair-styling film credits include THE
LOST BOYS (1987), MIDNIGHT RUN (1988), THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990),
POINT BREAK (1991) and LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1992).



JOHN ROBERT GARRETT; died July 8 (unconfirmed)
Actor and dancer who appeared as a Solari lieutenant in the STAR TREK:
THE NEXT GENERATION episode "Loud as a Whisper." He had previously
appeared as a dancer in GREASE (1978) and GREASE 2 (1982). IMDb lists
him as having died in Houston, Texas, on July 8, but I have not been
able to independently confirm this. If anyone reading this knows of a
source that confirms or refutes the claim that Mr. Garrett has passed,
please reply and let me know.



RON GLASS (71); died November 25
Actor who played Loken in the STAR TREK: VOYAGER episode "Nightingale."
He is best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Detective Ron Harris on
the comedy series BARNEY MILLER from 1975 to 1982. Younger viewers,
however, will likely know him better as Shepherd Book on the 2002-03
cult sci-fi series FIREFLY and its film spin-off, SERENITY (2005).
Others will remember him as Felix Unger in the short-lived African-
American version of THE ODD COUPLE titled THE NEW ODD COUPLE, which
aired during the 1982-83 TV season. He was also a main cast member on
the short-lived NBC comedy series RHYTHM & BLUES and MR. RHODES and the
short-lived Disney Channel fantasy comedy TEEN ANGEL. Others still will
remember him as Russell, Ross' divorce attorney, in two episodes of the
hit sitcom FRIENDS, or as the voice of Randy Carmichael in RUGRATS and
its spin-off, ALL GROWN UP! Other TV shows on which he made one-off or
recurring guest appearances include ALL IN THE FAMILY, MAUDE, HAWAII
FIVE-O, GOOD TIMES, SANFORD AND SON, HART TO HART, 227, FAMILY MATTERS,
DESIGNING WOMEN, THE PRACTICE, THE PROUD FAMILY, SHARK, MAJOR CRIMES,
CSI and MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. In addition to SERENITY, he can
be seen in films such as HOUSEGUEST (1995), IT'S MY PARTY (1996),
LAKEVIEW TERRACE (2008) and DEATH AT A FUNERAL (2010) and heard in the
animated features RECESS: SCHOOL'S OUT (2001) and STRANGE FRAME: LOVE &
SAX (2012).

Footnote: Glass' BARNEY MILLER co-star, Abe Vigoda, died Jan. 26 -- ten
months before Glass -- at the age of 94.



SEAMON GLASS (90); died July 12
Character actor who played the lithium miner Benton in the original STAR
TREK series episode "Mudd's Women." His other TV credits include some
half-dozen episodes of PERRY MASON -- each time playing a different
character -- and guest appearances on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, GUNSMOKE,
KOJAK, THE WALTONS, BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY and VEGA$. In film,
he notably had the lead role in the low-budget nuclear war drama THIS IS
NOT A TEST (1962) and was one of the Griner brothers in John Boorman's
DELIVERANCE (1972). He co-starred in several films for writer-director
Charles B. Pierce, including WINTERHAWK (1975), THE NORSEMAN (1978) and
HAWKEN'S BREED (1987), and was directed by Mark Rydell in HARRY AND
WALTER GO TO NEW YORK (1976) and THE ROSE (1979). He had small roles in
several other films, including Stanley Kubrick's SPARTACUS (1960), the
Elvis Presley picture KID GALAHAD (1962), David Miller's CAPTAIN NEWMAN,
M.D. (1963), Howard Zieff's SLITHER (1973), Woody Allen's SLEEPER
(1973), Mel Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES (1974), Jack Smight's DAMNATION
ALLEY (1977) and James Burrows' PARTNERS (1982). When he wasn't acting,
he was a teacher at various schools in California and a guidance
counselor at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. He had also been a
boxer and Merchant Marine and authored the 2010 book HALF-ASSED MARINES.



MARK GUTTERUD (55); died September 20
VistaVision camera operator on STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
(1991). A successful camera and visual effects assistant for over 30
years, Gutterud also worked on such films as HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS
(1989), DIE HARD 2 (1990), DARKMAN (1990), TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
(1991), HOOK (1991), DEATH BECOMES HER (1992), HONEY, I BLEW UP THE KID
(1992), ARMY OF DARKNESS (1992), JURASSIC PARK (1993), FORREST GUMP
(1994), THE MASK (1994), TWISTER (1996), THE ROCK (1996), THE LOST
WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (1997), MEN IN BLACK (1997), AS GOOD AS IT GETS
(1997), THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998), X-MEN (2000), UNBREAKABLE (2000),
SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004), THE KINGDOM (2007), THE BOOK OF ELI (2010), THE
HOST (2013) and FRANK (2014).



KENNETH HALL; died August 25
Prolific music editor of more than 950 film and television productions,
including five STAR TREK films: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979), THE FINAL
FRONTIER (1989), FIRST CONTACT (1996), INSURRECTION (1998) and NEMESIS
(2002). His career in music editing began in the late 1950s and by the
time the first STAR TREK movie came around, he had already compiled,
edited and synced the music for classic films such as THE GREAT RACE
(1965), PLANET OF THE APES (1968), THE UNDEFEATED (1969), PATTON (1970),
FAT CITY (1972), TROUBLE MAN (1972), HARRY AND TONTO (1974), BREAKHEART
PASS (1975), SILVER STREAK (1976) and THE OMEN (1976). He also worked on
classic TV shows including PEYTON PLACE, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and FANTASY
ISLAND, acclaimed TV movies such as WHO IS THE BLACK DAHLIA? (1975) and
THE GATHERING (1977), and the 11-time Emmy-winning 1976 miniseries
ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN. He would go on to edit the music for Oscar-winning
films such as E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982), WALL STREET (1987) and
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997). He worked on many other incredibly popular
films, including: the horror hits THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (1979), FRIDAY
THE 13TH (1980) and POLTERGEIST (1982); Richard Matheson's beloved
romantic fantasy SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980); action-oriented favorites
such as ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981), TOTAL RECALL (1990), AIR FORCE ONE
(1997), THE MUMMY (1999) and THE LAST CASTLE (2001); the war drama UNDER
FIRE (1983), which earned an Oscar nomination for Jerry Goldsmith's
music; the uplifting sports dramas HOOSIERS (1986), TRIUMP OF THE SPIRIT
(1989) and RUDY (1993); thrillers such as MIRACLE MILE (1988), BASIC
INSTINCT (1992) and THE SUM OF ALL FEARS (2002); Disney's animated hit
MULAN (1999); and several films directed by Joe Dante, including
GREMLINS (1984), INNERSPACE (1987), THE 'BURBS (1989), MATINEE (1993)
and LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION (2003). Since 2005, he had been part of
the faculty at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he taught courses
on sound and music and was Ken Wannberg Endowed Chair in Music Editing.



MARK HOEPPNER (58); died May 31
Union driver, transportation captain and actor who worked as a fuel
truck driver on STAR TREK BEYOND (2016). He was also a driver on such
films as 88 MINUTES (2007), ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM (2007), WATCHMEN
(2009), 2012 (2009), TRON: LEGACY (2010), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST
PROTOCOL (2011), THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012), DAWN OF THE PLANET OF
THE APES (2014), TOMORROWLAND (2015) and MONSTER TRUCKS (2016), as well
as TV's PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and BATES MOTEL. His credits as
transportation coordinator or transportation co-captain include the
films SAINT MONICA (2002), KILLER BEES! (2002) and LIAR, LIAR, VAMPIRE
(2015) and the short-lived USA Network drama series RUSH. He also worked
security on several productions, including the TV series DARK ANGEL and
the films THE 6TH DAY (2000), THE CORE (2003), PAYCHECK (2003), SCOOBY-
DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED (2004), ARE WE THERE YET (2005) and
UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION (2006). As an actor, he can be seen in films such
as SCARY MOVIE (2000) and I SPY (2002) and appeared on TV shows
including SO WEIRD and STARGATE: ATLANTIS.



JOHN HOSTETTER (69); died September 2
Character actor and voice-over performer who played a Bolian Starfleet
officer, Lt. Commander Hars Adislo, in STAR TREK: INSURRECTION (1998).
He was best known for his recurring role as John the stage manager on
the sitcom MURPHY BROWN. He also made appearances on such shows as
FAMILY TIES, KNIGHT RIDER, HILL STREET BLUES, THE GOLDEN GIRLS, L.A.
LAW, WHO'S THE BOSS?, MACGYVER, NYPD BLUE and ER. Films in which he
appeared besides STAR TREK: INSURRECTION include Arthur Hiller's THE IN-
LAWS (1979), George A. Romero's KNIGHTRIDERS (1981), John Landis' INTO
THE NIGHT (1985), Clint Eastwood's 'HEARTBREAK RIDGE (1986), Tony
Scott's BEVERLY HILLS COP II (1987), Roger Donaldson's NO WAY OUT
(1987), Wes Craven's THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS (1991), Randall
Miller's CLASS ACT (1992), and Glenn Gordon Caron's WILDER NAPALM (1993)
and LOVE AFFAIR (1994). His voice-over work included playing Bazooka in
the original G.I. JOE animated series and G.I. JOE: THE MOVIE and
characters in the English-language dubbed versions of Hayao Miyazaki's
animated films CASTLE IN THE SKY (1986), KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989)
and PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997).



DAVID HUDDLESTON (85); died August 2
Character actor who played the holographic train conductor in the
"Emergence" episode STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. He has appeared in
nearly 40 films and over 140 television episodes since making his screen
debut in an episode of SHOTGUN SLADE in 1960, but he is best known for
two roles in particular: the blowhard Mayor Olson Johnson in Mel
Brooks' classic Western spoof BLAZING SADDLES (1974); and the title role
in the Coen brothers' beloved cult comedy, THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998).
BLAZING SADDLES was hardly his only foray into Westerns in the 1970s; he
also had roles in Howard Hawks' RIO LOBO (1970), Andrew V. McLaglen's
Western comedy SOMETHING BIG (1971), Robert Benton's BAD COMPANY (1972),
John Sturges' McQ (1974), Ted Kotcheff's BILLY TWO HATS (1974) and Tom
Gries' BREAKHEART PASS (1975). His other roles during this decade
included: Chicago Bears chairman Ed McCaskey in the 1971 classic made-
for-TV movie BRIAN'S SONG (1971); the sheriff in the pilot movie for THE
WALTONS, also in 1971; Capt. McBride in the Terence Hill-Bud Spencer
crime comedy CRIME BUSTERS (1977); and Congressman Hollis Peaker in the
space conspiracy thriller CAPRICORN ONE (1977). He also recurred as
Police Lieutenant Ponce on the series PETROCELLI from 1974 to 1976 and
appeared on numerous TV shows throughout the decade, including GUNSMOKE,
BONANZA, BEWITCHED, IRONSIDE, THE ROCKFORD FILES, MARY TYLER MOORE, KUNG
FU, CHARLIE'S ANGELS, HAWAII FIVE-O and HOW THE WEST WAS WON. The 1980s
saw him reuniting with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer in the action-comedy
GO FOR IT (1983), taking on the title role in SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE
(1985), co-starring in Roman Polanski's thriller FRANTIC (1988) and
appearing on TV shows including BENSON, TRAPPER JOHN, M.D., THE FALL
GUY, MAGNUM, P.I. and OUR HOUSE. He also appeared in several acclaimed
'80s TV movies, including FAMILY REUNION (1981), FINNEGAN BEGIN AGAIN
(1985) and WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS (1986). In addition to his memorable
turn in THE BIG LEBOWSKI and his appearance on THE NEXT GENERATION,
Huddleston's screen work in the 1990s included his Emmy-nominated
recurring role as Grandpa Arnold on THE WONDER YEARS, appearances on
MURDER, SHE WROTE, WALKER, TEXAS RANGER and THE PRACTICE and roles in
such films as LIFE WITH MIKEY (1992) and JOE'S APARTMENT (1996). He went
on to have brief recurring roles as Senator Max Lobell on THE WEST
WING, Mayor Harry Porter on GILMORE GIRLS and E.J. Green on JERICHO and
to make one-off appearances on shows such as ANDY BARKER, P.I. and IT'S
ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA. One of Huddleston's final film roles
reunited him with BLAZING SADDLES writer-director Mel Brooks: the 2005
musical version of THE PRODUCERS, which Brooks produced and co-scripted,
featured Huddleston as a judge. Huddleston was also a Broadway veteran,
appearing in at least six productions of the Great White Way, including
acclaimed revivals of DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1984) and 1776 (1997-98).

Footnote: Huddleston's BLAZING SADDLES co-star Gene Wilder died Aug. 29
-- less than four weeks after Huddleston -- at the age of 83.
Huddleston's CRIME BUSTERS and GO FOR IT co-star Bud Spencer died June
27 aged 86.



GARY HUTZEL (60); died March 1
Visual effects artist and cinematographer who was a visual effects
coordinator on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION during its first five
seasons and a visual effects supervisor on DEEP SPACE NINE for its
entire run, with his work on both shows earning one Emmy Award each and
a combined nine total Emmy nominations. Following DEEP SPACE NINE's end
in 1999 and stints as a visual effects director of photography on films
such as RED PLANET (2000) and SPY KIDS (2001), he became the visual
effects supervisor of DEEP SPACE NINE vet Ronald D. Moore's acclaimed
reboot of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA for Syfy. Hutzel and his effects team
earned seven Emmy nominations for their work on GALACTICA, winning
twice. Hutzel also supervised the effects the GALACTICA spin-off
prequels CAPRICA and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD & CHROME, both of which
earned him Emmy nominations. His other credits as visual effects
supervisor include the Nicolas Cage film DRIVE ANGRY (2011) and, most
recently, the Syfy series DEFIANCE, which earned him yet another Emmy
nomination -- sadly, his last.



BARRY JENNER (75); died August 9
Actor who played Admiral William Ross throughout the sixth and seventh
seasons of STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. He was also known for his
recurring roles on two other shows: Dr. Jerry Kenderson on the primetime
soap DALLAS and as Lt. Lieu Murtaugh on the sitcom FAMILY MATTERS.
Additionally he was briefly a cast member on the daytime soap operas
SOMERSET and ANOTHER WORLD in the 1970s and had brief recurring roles on
KNOTS LANDING and FALCON CREST, He is also remembered for his frequent
appearances on THE $100,000 PYRAMID, where he became the only celebrity
to assist in the winning of the $100,000 on both the Dick Clark and John
Davidson incarnations of the game show. He appeared on over 30 other TV
shows, including BARNABY JONES, HART TO HART, REMINGTON STEELE, SIMON &
SIMON, ST. ELSEWHERE, FAMILY TIES, MATLOCK, SILK STALKINGS, JAG and
WALKER, TEXAS RANGER. He can be seen in a handful of films as well,
including Hal Ashby's BEING THERE (1979), Michael Crichton's LOOKER
(1981) and Harold Becker's THE BOOST (1988). He more recently appeared
in Nicole Holofcener's award-winning romantic dramedy ENOUGH SAID (2013)
and Jeff Prugh's horror-thriller THE CARETAKER (2016).



RICHARD LIBERTINI (82); died January 7
Prolific character actor who played Akorem Laan in the STAR TREK: DEEP
SPACE NINE episode "Accession." He was perhaps best known for his roles
in big-screen comedies, particularly those of the crazed General Garcia
in Arthur Hiller's THE IN-LAWS (1979), the mystic Prahka Lasa in Carl
Reiner's ALL OF ME (1984) and LOS ANGELES TIMES editor Frank Walker in
Michael Ritchie's FLETCH (1985) and FLETCH LIVES (1989). In the early
1960s, he was one-half of a stand-up comedy act alongside friend and
fellow DEEP SPACE NINE alum Paul Dooley and the two later appeared in
several films together, including Hiller's THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS (1970) and
Robert Altman's POPEYE (1980). He reunited with POPEYE co-star Robin
Williams in Penny Marshall's acclaimed 1990 drama AWAKENINGS and was
heard that same year as the voice of the thief Dijon in Disney's
DUCKTALES THE MOVIE: TREASURE OF THE LOST LAMP. His many other film
credits include CATCH-22 (1970), DAYS OF HEAVEN (1978), SHARKY'S MACHINE
(1981), THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES (1990), NELL (1994), LETHAL WEAPON 3
(1998) and DOLPHIN TALE (2011), while his notable television roles
included Joe Sutonni in the second city of MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN,
The Godfather in the first season of SOAP, and guest appearances on
shows such as MARY TYLER MOORE, THE BOB NEWHART SHOW, THE BIONIC WOMAN,
MORK & MINDY, MOONLIGHTING, L.A. LAW, MURPHY BROWN, NYPD BLUE, MONK,
SUPERNATURAL and AQUARIUS.

Footnote: Arthur Hiller, who directed Libertini in THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
and THE IN-LAWS, died August 17 aged 92. Libertini's AWAKENINGS co-star
Alice Drummond passed away on Nov. 30 at 88. His DUCKTALES co-star Alan
Young died May 19 at 96.



DON MARSHALL (80); died October 30
Actor who played Lt. Boma in the STAR TREK original series episode "The
Galileo Seven." He was perhaps best known for his role as first officer
Dan Erickson in Irwin Allen's sci-fi TV series LAND OF THE GIANTS. He
may also be remembered for his brief recurring role on the
groundbreaking sitcom JULIA as the title character's love interest, Ted
Neumann. He also appeared on such shows as RAWHIDE, BEN CASEY, MISSION:
IMPOSSIBLE, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, IRONSIDE, BETWITCHED, GOOD TIMES,
THE BIONIC WOMAN, BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE
PRAIRIE and THE INCREDIBLE HULK. In film, he co-starred in the sci-
fi/horror comedy THE THING WITH TWO HEADS (1972), had the lead role in
the cult actioner TERMINAL ISLAND (1973) and made an appearance as one
of Silky Slim's henchmen in Sidney Poitier's UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT
(1974). He also co-starred in made-for-TV movies such as THE RELUCTANT
HEROES (1971) and THE SUICIDE'S WIFE (1979). His final screen
performance was in another TV movie, HIGHWAY HEARTBREAKER, in 1992.



SCOTT NIMERFRO (54); died April 17
Writer and producer who co-devised the story for the STAR TREK: VOYAGER
episode "Jetrel" and served as associate producer on the STAR TREK
fandom documentary film TREKKIES (1997). He was best known for his work
on two TV shows developed by Bryan Fuller: PUSHING DAISIES, for which he
wrote two episodes and served as co-producer; and HANNIBAL, for which he
co-wrote seven episodes and was supervising producer and later co-
executive producer. He had previously written eleven episodes of TALES
FROM THE CRYPT and was associate producer of that series from 1993 to
1995. He also worked on the TALES FROM THE CRYPT movies DEMON KNIGHT
(1993) and BORDELLO OF BLOOD (1995), serving as co-producer on the
former and associate producer on the latter. He was also associate
producer on Bryan Singer's superhero blockbuster X-MEN (2000) and most
recently served as co-executive producer on -- and wrote three episodes
for -- the hit ABC fantasy drama ONCE UPON A TIME. Other TV shows on
which he left his mark include STARGATE: ATLANTIS, THE OUTER LIMITS,
PERVERSIONS OF SCIENCE, THE GATES and RINGER.



ANGELA PATON (86); died May 26
Character actress who played Aunt Adah in the STAR TREK: VOYAGER pilot
episode "Caretaker." Having consistently appeared in films and
television shows since the late 1980s, Paton was best known for playing
the innkeeper Mrs. Lancaster opposite Bill Murray in Harold Ramis'
GROUNDHOG DAY (1993). She also appeared in two 1994 comedies starring
Dana Carvey: CLEAN SLATE, in which she plays the mother of Carvey's
amnesiac private eye; and TRAPPED IN PARADISE, in which she plays the
wife of the manager of the bank that Carvey, Jon Lovitz and Nicolas Cage
attempt to rob. Some of her other memorable film roles include summer
camp director Shirley Holmes in Adrian Lyne's LOLITA (1997) and the
grandmother of Jason Biggs' character in the third AMERICAN PIE movie,
AMERICAN WEDDING, and she can also be seen in such films as FLATLINERS
(1990), BLUE SKY (1994), HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (1995), THE WEDDING
SINGER (1998), JOE DIRT (2001) and Wes Craven's RED EYE (2005). Her
notable TV roles, meanwhile, included Harriet Anderson in six episodes
of FALCON CREST and cooking show host Irma in two episodes of HOME
IMPROVEMENT. She also made guest appearances on such shows as HUNTER,
QUANTUM LEAP, L.A. LAW, WINGS, NYPD BLUE, ER, THE X-FILES, CURB YOUR
ENTHUSIASM and GREY'S ANATOMY.



LEE REHERMAN (49); died February 29
Actor, producer television personality who played the uniformed
mercenary who gets blown out of an airlock by Scotty (Simon Pegg) in
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (2013). A man of towering height and muscular
build, he was best known for appearing as "Hawk" on the U.S. TV series
AMERICAN GLADIATORS from 1993 to 1996 and the U.K. version of that show
from 1993 to 2000. From 1999 to 2004, he was the host and producer of
the American Veteran Awards, and served in the same capacities on OFF-
ROAD OVERHAUL for The Outdoor Channel from 2011 to 2012. A muscle car
enthusiast, he also hosted The Outdoor Channel's HOT ROD TV from 2007 to
2013 and was featured on TLC's automotive reality series OVERHAULIN'
from 2004 to 2008. Besides INTO DARKNESS, his acting career included co-
starring in Showtime's short-lived series LOOK in 2010, recurring as
Special Agent Ross Hardison on the syndicated sitcom THE FIRST FAMILY
from 2012 to 2015 and appearing on GILMORE GIRLS, THE X-FILES, ANGEL,
NCIS, THE SHIELD, PRISON BREAK, WORKAHOLICS and JANE THE VIRGIN and in
such films as LAST ACTION HERO (1993), CHAMPIONS (1998), BRATZ (2007),
NOT EASILY BROKEN (2009) and RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (2009).



WILLIAM SCHALLERT (93); died May 8
Prolific character actor whose more than 350 film and television
appearances included the roles of Nilz Baris in the classic STAR TREK
original series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" and Varani in the
STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE episode "Sanctuary." (He also appeared as
Baris via archival footage in the DEEP SPACE NINE episode "Trials and
Tribble-ations.") Making his screen debut in the late 1940s, Schallert
is perhaps best known for his television roles as English and science
teacher Leander Pomfritt on THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS and Patty
Lane's father Martin -- and occasionally his identical twin brother
Kenneth -- on THE PATTY DUKE SHOW. He is also fondly remembered for his
recurring appearances as Admiral Hargrade on GET SMART, Carson Drew on
THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES, Justinian Tebbs on THE ADVENTURES
OF JIM BOWIE and Dr. Olan Standley on ST. ELSEWHERE, and for his regular
roles as Russ Lawrence on THE NEW GIDGET and Wesley Hodges on THE
TORKELSONS. Some of his other notable TV roles include General Robert E.
Lee in the 1986 miniseries NORTH AND SOUTH, BOOK II, Harry Hopkins in
the 1988 miniseries WAR AND REMEMBRANCE, Mayor Norris on the hit HBO
drama TRUE BLOOD, and an Emmy-nominated guest spot on the long-running
children's anthology series THIS IS THE LIFE. He has also made
appearances on such programs as THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW,
BEWITCHED, BARNABY JONES, PERRY MASON, THE UNTOUCHABLES, MISSION:
IMPOSSIBLE, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, GUNSMOKE, DEATH VALLEY DAYS, HAVE GUN -
WILL TRAVEL, THE WILD WILD WEST, KUNG FU, MAUDE, MURPHY BROWN, MAGNUM,
P.I., ER, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER and 2 BROKE GIRLS. Perhaps his most
recognizable film role is that of Mayor Schubert in Norman Jewison's
Oscar-winning classic IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967), but he can be
seen in dozens of other big-screen classics, including SINGIN' IN THE
RAIN (1952), THEM! (1954), WRITTEN ON THE WIND (1956), THE INCREDIBLE
SHRINKING MAN (1957), SOME CAME RUNNING (1958), THE TARNISHED ANGELS
(1958), PILLOW TALK (1959), THE GALLANT HOURS (1960), LONELY ARE THE
BRAVE (1962), WILL PENNY (1967), COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT (1970),
CHARLEY VARRICK (1973) and THE JERK (1979). He later appeared in
multiple films directed by Joe Dante, including GREMLINS (1984),
INNERSPACE (1987) and MATINEE (1993) and more recently portrayed Justice
John Paul Stevens in the Emmy-winning HBO telefilm RECOUNT (2008).
Outside of acting, he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild
(SAG) from 1979 to 1981, during which time he founded the Committee for
Performers with Disabilities. He had also served as a Trustee of the
Motion Picture and Television Fund since 1977 and of the SAG Pension and
Health Plans since 1983. In 1993, he received the Ralph Morgan Award for
his services to SAG.

Footnote: Schallert's PATTY DUKE SHOW co-star and fellow former SAG
president Patty Duke died just over two months before Schallert, on
March 29 at the age of 69. Eddie Applegate, another alum of THE PATTY
DUKE SHOW, died Oct. 17 at 81.



DAVID SPIELBERG (77); died June 1
Prolific actor who played the small-talk-loving Commander Calvin
"Hutch" Hutchinson in the STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION episode
"Starship Mine." His many other television roles include Ted in ABC's
1973 sitcom adaptation of the 1969 film BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE, Dr.
David Bedford opposite Danny Thomas' Dr. Jules Bedford in NBC's 1976-77
comedy THE PRACTICE, Skip Morgan in the 1985 CBS miniseries SPACE, Herb
Ketcher in six episodes of CBS' crime drama WISEGUY and Dr. Neil
Bernstein in three episodes of NBC's medical drama ER. He has also
guest-starred on such shows as BANACEK, THE ROCKFORD FILES, MORK &
MINDY, CHiPs, FAMILY TIES, MAGNUM, P.I., HILL STREET BLUES, MURDER, SHE
WROTE, LAW & ORDER, THE PRETENDER, ALLY McBEAL and THE WEST WING. His
film credits include Paul Newman's THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS ON MAN-IN-
THE-MOON MARIGOLDS (1972), Robert Aldrich's HUSTLE (1975) and THE
CHOIRBOYS (1977), Albert Brooks' REAL LIFE (1979), John Carpenter's
CHRISTINE (1983), Adolfo Aristarain's THE STRANGER (1987), Woody Allen's
ALICE (1990), Carl Reiner's THAT OLD FEELING (1997) and Scott Thomas'
FLIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (2007).



SUSIE STILLWELL (64); died September 6
Model and actress who was a regular background performer and occasional
stuntwoman on STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. She was often seen on the show
as a Klingon -- as in "Who Mourns for Morn" and "Inter Arma Enim Silent
Leges" -- and as a Bajoran security deputy. She also appeared in several
episodes of STAR TREK: VOYAGER, including "Survival Instinct." Other
shows on which she appeared include NIGHT COURT, THE FRESH PRINCE OF
BEL-AIR, EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS and DEXTER. She can also be seen in such
films as THE MAMBO KINGS (1992) and Oliver Stone's WORLD TRADE CENTER
(2006).



BARBARA TARBUCK (74); died December 26
Actress who played Leka Trion in the STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
episode "The Host" and Chancellor Kalev in the STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE
episode "Shadows of P'Jem." She was a veteran of both daytime and
primetime soap operas, with her best-known role being that of Lady Jane
Jacks on GENERAL HOSPITAL from 1996 to 2010. She also had brief
recurring roles on the soaps DALLAS (three episodes as Agnes in 1979),
DYNASTY (appearing as Dr. Holton in one episode in 1982 and another in
1986), FALCON CREST (as Dr. Randall in seven episodes between 1986 and
1987), and SANTA BARBARA (nine episodes as Sister Allegra in 1990) and
on the primetime crime dramas CAGNEY & LACEY (as Thelma Samuels in two
episodes, one in 1985 and the other in '86), CSI: CRIME SCENE
INVESTIGATION (playing Paige Harmon in two episodes, including the
pilot) and NYPD BLUE (three episodes as Barbara Colohan). Other shows on
which she appeared include QUINCY M.E., M*A*S*H, ER, NEWHART, GOLDEN
GIRLS, L.A. LAW, QUANTUM LEAP, THE PRACTICE, NCIS, NIP/TUCK, GLEE, MAD
MEN and CSI: NY. She also had roles in made-for-TV movies such as THE
CRACKER FACTORY (1979), John Erman's Emmy-nominated DAVID (1988), Bill
Bixby's THE DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK (1990) and Lifetime's JUST ASK
MY CHILDREN (2001). As for her theatrical film credits, she played
Senator Mills in John Badham's hit sci-fi comedy SHORT CIRCUIT (1986),
Mrs. Arnold in John Hughes' family rom-com CURLY SUE (1991) and as
Connie Vaughn, the mother of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's character in
the 2004 remake of WALKING TALL. She also had roles in such films as
John Cassavetes' comedy BIG TROUBLE (1986), Wesley Strick's thriller THE
TIE THAT BINDS (1995) and the 2009 DONNIE DARKO sequel S. DARKO.



GRANT TINKER (90); died November 28
Legendary television executive and producer who, as head of West Coast
programming at NBC in the 1960s, purchased Gene Roddenberry's STAR TREK
pitch for the network. It was Tinker and his associates (Jerry Stanley
and Mort Werner) who commissioned the original STAR TREK pilot, "The
Cage," in 1964; when it did not meet with their satisfaction, they made
the unusual decision of ordering a second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone
Before," which led to the network greenlighting the series in 1966.
Other shows he developed at NBC in the '60s include I SPY, DR. KILDARE
and THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. In 1967 he moved on to Universal Television,
where he developed such shows as IT TAKES A THIEF and MARCUS WELBY, M.D.
In 1969, Tinker co-founded MTM Enterprises in 1969 with his then-wife
and the company's namesake, actress Mary Tyler Moore. As president of
MTM, Tinker produced groundbreaking, phenomenally successful TV comedies
such as THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, THE BOB NEWHART SHOW, WKRP IN
CINCINATTI and MARY TYLER MOORE spin-offs RHODA and LOU GRANT. He to
alter the television landscape as chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to
1986, transforming the network from an industry laughingstock to a
ratings powerhouse with some of the most sophisticated and successful
series ever produced, including CHEERS, THE COSBY SHOW, FAMILY TIES,
MIAMI VICE, and the MTM-produced HILL STREET BLUES and ST. ELSEWHERE.
Tinker was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1997, and in
2004, he was given a personal Peabody Award "for recognizing,
protecting, and fostering creativity of the highest order."

Footnote: Robert Vaughn, star of the Tinker-developed MAN FROM
U.N.C.L.E., died just a few weeks before Tinker on Nov. 11 at the age of
83. Jack Riley, one of the most frequent recurring actors on the Tinker-
produced BOB NEWHART SHOW, died Aug. 19 aged 80.



ROMA LEE TRACY (77); died March 15
Background actress who appeared as an alien dignitary in STAR TREK VI:
THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY (1991) and as a literary reception guest in the
NEXT GENERATION episode "Time's Arrow." She was married to Dennis Tracy,
Patrick Stewart's regular stand-in on TNG, from 1968 to 1995.



JOAN SWIFT (83); died June 26
Actress who played Aurelan Kirk, the sister-in-law of Captain James T.
Kirk, in the STAR TREK original series episode "Operation --
Annihilate!" She is perhaps best known for her appearances in several TV
productions starring Lucille Ball, including THE LUCY SHOW, HERE'S LUCY
and the 1975 special LUCY GETS LUCKY. She also appeared on such TV
series as DEATH VALLEY DAYS, 77 SUNSET STRIP, THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM,
THE MUNSTERS, I SPY, ADAM-12, BEWITCHED and IRONSIDE. Her most prominent
-- and sole credited -- film role was in William Conrad's noir-ish
thriller BRAINSTORM (1965), which starred Jeffrey Hunter, a.k.a. Captain
Christopher Pike in the first STAR TREK pilot "The Cage." Swift can also
be seen (very briefly) in such films as Henry Koster's FLOWER DRUM SONG
(1961), Mervyn LeRoy's A MAJORITY OF ONE (1961), Jerry Lewis' THE PATSY
(1964) and THE FAMILY JEWELS (1965), Arthur Hiller's PENELOPE (1966),
Robert Wise's THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN (1971) and George Roy Hill's
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE (1972).



RON THORNTON (59); died November 21
Visual effects producer on 19 episodes of STAR TREK: VOYAGER, seven
episodes of STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE and the 2001 director's edition of
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979). He also built the model used as
the Promellian battle cruiser CLEPONJI in the NEXT GENERATION episode
"Booby Trap," did some work on DEEP SPACE NINE and created additional 3D
matte elements in STAR TREK NEMESIS (2002). He earned an Emmy nomination
for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series for the VOYAGER
episode "Timeless" in 1999. Thornton was a co-founder of the pioneering
CGI effects company Foundation Imaging and was best known for his
groundbreaking work on the sci-fi TV series BABYLON 5, where he adopted
the CG techniques that he later brought to STAR TREK. Prior to
Foundation's creation in 1992, Thornton was a freelancer who worked with
various effects studios on films such as NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986),
CRITTERS (1986), SPACEBALLS (1987), ROBOT JOX (1989) and AFTER MIDNIGHT
(1989). He also created special effects for TV shows such as DOCTOR WHO
and BLAKE'S 7 and was special effects art director for Mark L. Lester's
sci-fi film CLASS OF 1999 (1990). His work as miniatures construction
supervisor and chief model maker on the cult 1987-88 TV series CAPTAIN
POWER AND THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE introduced him to computer-
generated imagery and led him to co-establish Foundation Imaging with
his friend Paul Beigle-Bryant. The company was soon enlisted by the
producers of a feature-length pilot for the proposed sci-fi series
BABYLON 5, which aired in January 1993. Thornton won an Emmy Award for
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects for his
work on the pilot and went on to design the visual effects for 65
episodes of the ensuing series. He later received Emmy nominations for
supervising the visual effects of the TV movie SUPERFIRE (2002) and a
2003 episode of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, the latter of which also won
him a Visual Effects Society (VES) Award. He was nominated for a second
VES Award in 2011 for his work on NBC's short-lived thriller series
UNDERCOVERS. Some of his other credits include co-creating and executive
producing the short-lived, proof-of-concept Saturday-morning 1996 TV
series HAPYERNAUTS and supervising the visual effects in Michael Caton-
Jones' big-screen thriller THE JACKAL (1997) and in the horror films
SORITY ROW (2009) and THE CRAZIES (2010). More recently, he did effects
work on the pilot for the ABC (now CMT) drama series NASHVILLE and was a
producer on the animated children's show TALKING TOM AND FRIENDS.



MARCY VOSBURGH (64); died June 3
TV writer and producer who worked as an actress in the 1970s and early
'80s, during which time she voiced the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE computer in
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982). She moved into writing shortly
thereafter, joining the hit sitcom THE JEFFERSONS as writer and program
consultant in 1983 and co-scripting six episodes of the show with
writing partner Sandy Sprung. She and Sprung went on to write episodes
of such shows as IT'S YOUR MOVE, CHARLES IN CHARGE and CAGNEY & LACY
before joining MARRIED... WITH CHILDREN in 1987 as writers and
producers. They remained on the show for three years and wrote 27 of the
64 episodes they produced. Vosburgh went on to become writer and
executive producer of the WB sitcom UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER in 1995, then
joined CBS' CAROLINE IN THE CITY as writer and consulting producer in
1998. Between 2000 and 2006, she worked on such shows as Disney
Channel's IN A HEARTBEAT, CTV and PAX's TWICE IN A LIFETIME and ABC
Family's SO LITTLE TIME. She retired from show business in 2009.



FRITZ WEAVER (90); died November 26
Versatile, prolific, Tony-winning and Emmy-nominated character actor who
portrayed the Cardassian Kovat in the STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE episode
"Tribunal." Making his professional stage debut with the Barter Theatre
in Abingdon, Virginia, in 1952, Weaver arrived on Broadway three years
later in the role of Maitland in Enid Bagnold's comedy THE CHALK GARDEN,
a performance which earned him a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor
in a Play and also won him a Theatre World Award. He would go on to
perform in twenty more Broadway productions over the next 43 years, most
famously as Sherlock Holmes in the 1965 musical BAKER STREET and as
Jerome Malley in Robert Marasco's 1970 drama CHILD'S PLAY, the latter of
which won him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and a Drama Desk
Award for Outstanding Performance. Ten years later, he would receive a
nomination for another Drama Desk Award for his performance in a revival
of Arthur Miller's THE PRICE. Other Broadway productions in which he
appeared include A SHOT IN THE DARK (1962), ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR
(1975) and LOVE LETTERS (1989). He had been performing on television for
almost as long as he had on Broadway, making his small-screen debut on
THE UNITED STATES STEEL HOUR in 1956. Some of the shows he would appear
on over the next five decades include THE TWILIGHT ZONE (both the 1960s
and '80s versions), DR. KILDARE, THE DEFENDERS, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.,
RAWHIDE, THE FUGITIVE, THE F.B.I., MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, GUNSMOKE, THE
INVADERS, THE BIG VALLEY, MANNIX, CANNON, BARNABY JONES, KUNG FU, THE
STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, WONDER WOMAN, HAWAII FIVE-O, MAGNUM, P.I.,
QUINCY M.E., FALCON CREST, THE LOVE BOAT, TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE,
MURDER, SHE WROTE, L.A. LAW, LAW & ORDER, THE X-FILES and FRASIER. He
earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of German Jewish doctor
Josef Weiss in NBC's seminal 1978 miniseries HOLOCAUST, which was the
first such program to extensively dramatize the title subject. Weaver is
also noted for playing the ill-fated father of the titular alleged
murderess in the TV movie THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN (1975), for his
role as Father Peregrine in the 1980 sci-fi miniseries THE MARTIAN
CHRONICLES, and for his roles in two telefilms starring James Woods:
1989's MY NAME IS BILL W. and 1992's CITIZEN COHN. His most notable film
role was probably his first: that of the jingoistic and increasingly
unstable Colonel Cascio in Sidney Lumet's classic thriller FAIL-SAFE
(1964), while his heftiest may be that of Dr. Alex Harris in the sci-fi
horror movie DEMON SEED (1977), starring opposite Julie Christie. He
would reunite with both Lumet and Christie for the drama POWER in 1986.
Weaver's other feature-film roles include: Ingrid Bergman's intellectual
husband in Guy Green's A WALK IN SPRING RAIN (1970); scheming foundation
CEO Harold DeMilo in Mike Nichols' THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN (1973);
Professor Biesenthal in John Schlesinger's MARATHON MAN (1976); FBI
agent Sam Corley in John Frankenheimer's BLACK SUNDAY (1977);
conservative industrialist Oscar Procari Sr. in Jeremy Kagan's THE BIG
FIX (1978); college professor Dexter Stanley in the segment of George A.
Romero's CREEPSHOW (1980) titled "The Crate." His more recent film
credits include John McTiernan's 1999 remake of THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR,
Stephen Frears' 2013 drama MUHAMMAD ALI'S GREATEST FIGHT and Tom
McCarthy's 2014 fantasy dramedy THE COBBLER. Weaver's final film, THE
CONGRESSMAN, was released seven months before his death.

Footnote: Ken Howard, Weaver's co-star in Broadway's CHILD'S PLAY, died
March 23 at the age of 71.



RAY WEST (90); died February 17
Sound mixer whose credits include STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982)
and STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK (1984). Years earlier, he won an
Oscar and a BAFTA Film Award for his work on STAR WARS (1977), which was
only his second film credit after SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977). His
subsequent film credits include comedies and dramas such as James
Bridges' URBAN COWBOY (1980), Harold Ramis' CADDYSHACK (1980), Peter
Bogdanovich's MASK (1985), and Blake Edwards' SUNSET (1988), as well as
genre favorites such as John Carpenter's THE FOG (1980), Don
Coscarelli's THE BEASTMASTER (1982), Lewis Teague's CUJO (1983), Dan
O'Bannon's THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985), Frank LaLoggia's LADY
IN WHITE (1988) and Steve Barnett's MINDWARP (1992). He worked on many
television productions as well and received 13 Emmy nominations between
1979 and 1990, winning in the first year for the NBC movie THE WINDS OF
KITTY HAWK (1978) and in 1987 for the NBC special UNNATURAL CAUSES
(1986). He was also Emmy-nominated for his work on the TV movies THE
TRIANGLE FACTORY FIRE SCANDAL (1979), FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN (1981), THE
EXECUTIONER'S SONG (1982), LBJ: THE EARLY YEARS (1987), RIGHT TO DIE
(1987), BLUFFING IT (1987) and EARTH STAR DESTROYER (1988), for Part I
of the 1987 miniseries OUT ON A LIMB, and for an episode of MIAMI VICE
and two episodes of THE WONDER YEARS. His final screen credit was the
multiple-sequel-spawning action-thriller SNIPER, released in 1993.



MARK WILSON (58); died January 16
Actor who made uncredited appearances as a background performer in the
NEXT GENERATION episodes "Elementary, Dear Data" (as a Holodeck
character) and "Sins of the Father" (as a member of the Klingon
Council). He also appeared on TV shows such as RYAN'S HOPE, THE LOVE
BOAT, ALL MY CHILDREN, THE YOUNG RIDERS and BAYWATCH NIGHTS and in films
and TV movies such as HARDBODIES (1984), ARIZONA HEAT (1988) and TELLING
SECRETS (1993).



ANTON YELCHIN (27); died June 19
Russian-born actor best known for his portrayal of Ensign Pavel
Andreivich Chekov in 2009's STAR TREK and its sequels, STAR TREK INTO
DARKNESS (2013) and STAR TREK BEYOND (2016); the latter, released less
than a month after his death, was dedicated to his memory. He made his
screen debut at the age of ten in a 2000 episode of ER and then had
major roles in three feature films released the following year: the
title role in Nick Castle's DELIVERING MILO, the Russian president's son
in Lee Tamahori's ALONG CAME A SPIDER and the lead role of Bobby
Garfield opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins in the Stephen King adaptation
HEARTS IN ATLANTIS; Yelchin received critical praise and a Young Artists
Award for his performance in the latter film. He was nominated for
another Young Artists Award for his performance in Steven Spielberg's
2002 sci-fi miniseries TAKEN and yet another for playing the title role
in the Showtime movie JACK (2004). He continued his association with
Showtime with his role in the 2004-06 dramedy series HUFF, in which he
portrayed the son of the title character, played by Hank Azaria. Yelchin
also co-starred with the late Robin Williams and his daughter Zelda in
David Duchovny's 2004 film HOUSE OF D and worked alongside veterans
Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland and fellow up-and-comers Chris Evans
and Kristen Stewart in Griffin Dunne's 2005 thriller FIERCE PEOPLE.
Yelchin was then part of the ensemble cast of Nick Cassavetes' crime
drama ALPHA DOG (2006), after which he played the title role in Jon
Poll's comedy-drama CHARLIE BARTLETT (2007). He soon thereafter landed
the role of Ensign Chekov, the Russian navigator orginally portrayed by
Walter Koenig, in J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot of the STAR TREK film
franchise. Chekov, however, was not the only iconic sci-fi character
Yelchin portrayed in 2009; he also appeared in TERMINATOR: SALVATION as
Kyle Reese, the role originated by Michael Biehn in 1984's THE
TERMINATOR. Yelchin was seen in several films released in 2011, most
notably starring with Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence in Drake
Doremus' romantic drama LIKE CRAZY and playing Charlie Brewster opposite
Colin Farrell in Craig Gillespie's horror-comedy remake FRIGHT NIGHT. He
was also heard as the voice of Clumsy Smurf in the 2011's THE SMURFS and
2013's THE SMURFS 2 and as the voice of Shun Kazama in the English-
language dubbed version of Gorô Miyazaki's anime feature FROM UP ON
POPPY HILL (2012). Yelchin remained busy in front of the camera, playing
the title role in Stephen Sommers' 2013 film adaptation of Dean Koontz's
ODD THOMAS and appearing that same year in Jim Jarmusch's acclaimed
vampire drama ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE. He next co-starred in William H.
Macy's directorial debut, the musical drama RUDDERLESS (2014), for which
Yelchin won the Silver Hugo for Best Actor at the Chicago International
Film Festival. His other film credits that year included Joe Dante's
BURYING THE EX and Paul Schrader's DYING OF THE LIGHT, and in 2015 he
was seen in Michael Almereyda's EXPERMENTER Zachary Sluser's THE
DRIFTLESS AREA and Jeremy Saulnier's acclaimed, award-winning horror
thriller GREEN ROOM, in which he starred opposite fellow STAR TREK alum
Patrick Stewart. He most recently provided the voice of Jim Lake Jr. in
Guillermo del Toro's animated Netflix series TROLLHUNTERS, which debuted
in December 2016. Yelchin had completed recording most--but not all--of
his dialogue for this series when he tragically and shockingly passed
away in June. He had also completed several films that will be released
posthumously, including the family drama WE DON'T BELONG HERE and the
sci-fi drama REMEMORY. In a career spanning only 16 years, Yelchin
appeared in nearly 70 different film and television projects, earning
acclaim, accolades and adoration along the way.



-------------------------------



That's all I have, folks -- and really, isn't that enough? As always,
please let me know if you discover any mistakes or omissions.

Until next year -- live long and prosper. \\//,