John Wetton obit

John Wetton, frontman for Asia and key prog rock figure, dies aged 67

Asia's first album sold more than 10m copies and was number one in the US for nine weeks.

 

He was not on the list.

John Wetton, the lead singer of prog-rock supergroup Asia, died on 31 January. He was 67. He had been battling cancer and sepsis for a number of months.

Wetton enjoyed a stellar career in the 1970s and 1980s, performing with a number of high-profile bands, but was best known to the public for his work with Asia. Their eponymous debut album spent nine weeks at No 1 on the US album chart and sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

Friends and fans alike queued up on Twitter to pay tribute to Wetton, who was born in Derbyshire in 1949.

Producer Jakko Jakszyk said :"Truly and genuinely saddened by the news that John Wetton has passed. I was honoured to call him a pal. Love to you JW."

Mike Stobie said: I am so saddened and gutted to hear my good friend John Wetton passed away today. Such a sweet man with the most beautiful voice. R.I.P. xxx

His first big break came in 1972 with King Crimson, who created a distinct fusion of rock, jazz and classical music. In years to come bands ranging from Iron Maiden to Nirvana would cite King Crimson as a key influence.

Wetton left the group in the mid-70s and worked with a number of headline acts including Roxy Music, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash.

In 1981 he joined forces with members of Yes, The Buggles and Emerson, Lake & Palmer to create Asia. It was a collaboration that was to earn Wetton commercial success on a scale he had not previously encountered.

Wetton was the principal songwriter for the band and played bass, in addition to providing lead vocals. Their self-titled debut topped charts around the world and was the biggest selling LP in the US throughout 1982, ahead of released by Paul McCartney and AC/DC.

Singles Only Time Will Tell and Heat of the Moment received heavy rotations on then-nascent music television and both became chart hits.

After disappointing follow-ups Alpha and Arcadia, Wetton left the band and spent the 1990s pursuing a solo career and collaborating with a host of other artists.

In 2006 the original line-up of Asia reformed with a new album and major tour. The band continued to produce new music and tour throughout the US and further afield until 2014, when they called a hiatus in the wake of Wetton being diagnosed with cancer.

Asia had scheduled a US tour for March through April this year with Wetton, who was undergoing chemotherapy at the time, due to be replaced by Billy Sherwood of Yes. It is unclear whether the tour will still go ahead.

Simon Cuff obit

Actor Simon Cuff Has Died

 

He was not on the list.

Simon Cuff was born on July 1, 1944 in London, England, UK. He was an actor and executive, known for The Black Arrow (1972), Doctor in the House (1969) and A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery (1987). He died on January 30, 2017 in Dulwich, London, England, UK.

 

Actor

Home Away from Home (1994)

Home Away from Home

6.5

Short

Husband

1994

 

Edward Petherbridge in A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery (1987)

A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery

8.2

TV Series

Alexis

1987

4 episodes

 

Jan Francis in Rooms (1974)

Rooms

7.7

TV Series

Dave

1974–1976

2 episodes

 

The Black Arrow (1972)

The Black Arrow

6.9

TV Series

Richard Shelton - Black Arrow

Chief Outlaw

Richard Shelton

1972–1975

19 episodes

 

James Ellis and John Slater in Z Cars (1962)

Z Cars

7.0

TV Series

George Taylor

1974

1 episode

 

Stratford Johns and Frank Windsor in Jack the Ripper (1973)

Jack the Ripper

8.3

TV Mini Series

John Saul

1973

1 episode

 

Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Tom Owen, Wendy Padbury, and Adrian Wright in Freewheelers (1968)

Freewheelers

7.0

TV Series

Dr. John McCabe

1971

2 episodes

 

Doctor in the House (1969)

Doctor in the House

7.5

TV Series

Dave Briddock

1969–1970

19 episodes

 

All Star Comedy Carnival (1969)

All Star Comedy Carnival

TV Movie

Dave Briddock

1969

 

The Very Merry Widow and How (1968)

The Very Merry Widow and How

TV Series

Ringo

1969

1 episode

 

Visual Effects

D.B. Sweeney in Dinosaur (2000)

Dinosaur

6.4

visual effects technical consultant: Avid Illusion (uncredited)

2000

Geoff Nicholls obit

Geoff Nicholls, Black Sabbath Keyboardist, Dies at 68

He was not on the list.

Nicholls joined Black Sabbath following the firing of Ozzy Osbourne in 1979.

Geoff Nicholls, Black Sabbath’s longtime keyboardist, died Saturday following a battle with lung cancer. He was 68.

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi confirmed the news on Facebook.

"I'm so saddened to hear the loss of one of my dearest and closest friends Geoff Nicholls," Iommi wrote on Facebook on Saturday. "Geoff and I have always been very close and he has been a real true friend to me and supported me all the way for nearly 40 years. I will miss him dearly and he will live in my heart until we meet again. Rest in peace my dear friend."

Nicholls joined Black Sabbath following the firing of Ozzy Osbourne in 1979. The keyboardist first appeared on the legendary heavy metal band’s 1980 album, Heaven and Hell. Five years later he was named an official member of the group, but left in 1996 after Osbourne returned.

Nicholls appeared on nine Black Sabbath studio albums and was a regular touring member of the band. Prior to joining Sabbath, he played with metal band Quartz, whose self-titled debut was produced by Iommi.

Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler also shared his condolences on Facebook. "Very sad to hear of old friend and Sabbath keyboard player Geoff Nicholls passing. RIP Geoff," Butler wrote. 

Stanley Kallis obit

Stanley Kallis, TV Producer of ‘Hawaii Five-O,’ ‘Mission: Impossible,’ Dies at 88

 

He was not on the list.

Television producer and writer Stanley Kallis, who worked on shows including “Hawaii Five-O” and “Mission: Impossible,” died at his home in Laguna Beach, Calif. on Jan. 28.

He helped develop the concept for “Hawaii 5-0” for CBS with writer Leonard Freeman, then moved to producing “Mission: Impossible” with Peter Graves and Martin Landau before returning to “Hawaii 5-0” as executive producer.

His next show as producer was “Police Story,” created by Joseph Wambaugh, which won the Emmy for drama series in 1976. In the late 70s, Kallis produced  “Washington Behind Closed Doors,” a mini-series for ABC that won seven Emmy nominations.

During the 1980s, he produced projects including “The Manions of America,” “Amber Waves,” “Two of a Kind,” “Columbo” and “The Glitter Dome,” also based on a Wambaugh novel.

He then worked with ABC on the Oprah Winfrey series “Brewster Place” in the early 1990s. Before retiring, he produced the series “The Exile” in Paris.

Kallis moved to Hollywood when his father Mischa Kallis became art director for Paramount Studios. After graduating UCLA, he became an assistant film editor.

With backing from his father and brother, he wrote and produced three B-movies that led to a TV series, “The Law and Mr. Jones,” starring James Whitmore. His first TV writing credit came on “Wagon Train” in 1959. He wrote and produced for the “Dick Powell Anthology” as well as “The Danny Thomas Hour.”

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Lucetta, daughters Karen Cheesman, Laurie Kallis, Katherine Wenglikowski, Jennifer Kallis, and Nicole Kallis; three grandchildren; and a brother, Albert Kallis.

Donations may be made to the Los Angeles Philharmonic or the Nine O’clock Players of the Assistance League of So. California.

Writer

The Glitter Dome (1984)

The Glitter Dome

5.7

TV Movie

screenplay by

1984

 

Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Hour (1967)

The Danny Thomas Hour

7.1

TV Series

writer

1968

1 episode

 

John McIntire in Wagon Train (1957)

Wagon Train

7.5

TV Series

written by

1959

1 episode

 

Sally Fraser, Joel Lawrence, and Skip Ward in Roadracers (1959)

Roadracers

5.2

original story

screenplay

1959

 

Operation Dames (1959)

Operation Dames

4.0

original story

1959

 

Mason Alan Dinehart, Ed Kemmer, and Jackie Loughery in The Hot Angel (1958)

The Hot Angel

5.7

writer

1958

 

Producer

The Inside Pitch (2004)

The Inside Pitch

TV Special

executive producer

2004

 

Jeffrey Meek in The Exile (1991)

The Exile

7.8

TV Series

supervising producer

1991

7 episodes

 

Brewster Place (1990)

Brewster Place

7.7

TV Series

supervising producer

1990

1 episode

 

Murder, a Self Portrait (1989)

Murder, a Self Portrait

7.2

TV Movie

producer

1989

 

Peter Falk and Robert Foxworth in Columbo: Grand Deceptions (1989)

Columbo: Grand Deceptions

6.8

TV Movie

producer

1989

 

Peter Falk, Lindsay Crouse, Peter Jurasik, Ken Lerner, Stephen Macht, and Julia Montgomery in Columbo: Sex and the Married Detective (1989)

Columbo: Sex and the Married Detective

7.2

TV Movie

producer

1989

 

Columbo: Murder, Smoke and Shadows (1989)

Columbo: Murder, Smoke and Shadows

7.3

TV Movie

producer

1989

 

Peter Falk, Anthony Andrews, Anthony Zerbe, Dana Andersen, Karen Austin, and Alan Fudge in Columbo: Columbo Goes to the Guillotine (1989)

Columbo: Columbo Goes to the Guillotine

7.3

TV Movie

producer

1989

 

In the Heat of the Night (1988)

In the Heat of the Night

7.6

TV Series

producer (as Stan Kallis)

1988

3 episodes

 

Valerie Bertinelli, Barry Bostwick, and Alisan Porter in I'll Take Manhattan (1987)

I'll Take Manhattan

7.0

TV Mini Series

producer

1987

2 episodes

 

Vital Signs (1986)

Vital Signs

6.6

TV Movie

supervising producer (as Stan Kallis)

1986

 

Kane & Abel (1985)

Kane & Abel

7.8

TV Mini Series

producer (as Stan Kallis)

1985

2 episodes

 

Tony Lo Bianco and Lindsay Wagner in Jessie (1984)

Jessie

7.5

TV Series

supervising producer (as Stan Kallis)

1984

5 episodes

 

Stacy Keach in The New Mike Hammer (1984)

The New Mike Hammer

6.8

TV Series

supervising producer (as Stan Kallis)

1984

6 episodes

 

Two Marriages (1983)

Two Marriages

5.7

TV Series

producer

1983–1984

10 episodes

 

The Mississippi (1982)

The Mississippi

6.7

TV Series

producer

1983

1 episode

 

Lynda Carter in Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess (1983)

Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess

5.5

TV Movie

supervising producer

1983

 

Two of a Kind (1982)

Two of a Kind

6.8

TV Movie

producer

1982

 

Dream House (1981)

Dream House

6.2

TV Movie

producer

1981

 

The Manions of America (1981)

The Manions of America

7.1

TV Mini Series

producer

1981

1 episode

 

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb (1980)

Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb

6.2

TV Movie

producer

1980

 

Amber Waves (1980)

Amber Waves

7.3

TV Movie

producer

1980

 

Sex and the Single Parent (1979)

Sex and the Single Parent

6.2

TV Movie

producer

1979

 

Mary Louise Weller in Hunters of the Reef (1978)

Hunters of the Reef

5.9

TV Movie

executive producer

1978

 

Jason Robards, Robert Vaughn, Stefanie Powers, and Cliff Robertson in Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977)

Washington: Behind Closed Doors

8.0

TV Mini Series

executive producer

1977

6 episodes

 

In the Glitter Palace (1977)

In the Glitter Palace

6.0

TV Movie

executive producer

1977

 

Kiss Me, Kill Me (1976)

Kiss Me, Kill Me

5.5

TV Movie

executive producer

1976

 

Robert Forster, David Birney, and Richard E. Kalk in Police Story (1973)

Police Story

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

producer

1973–1976

63 episodes

 

Joe Forrester (1975)

Joe Forrester

7.2

TV Series

executive producer

1975

1 episode

 

Lloyd Bridges and Dane Clark in Cop on the Beat (1975)

Cop on the Beat

6.2

TV Movie

executive producer

1975

 

Faraday and Company (1973)

Faraday and Company

6.7

TV Series

producer

1973–1974

3 episodes

 

Beg, Borrow ... or Steal (1973)

Beg, Borrow ... or Steal

6.6

TV Movie

producer

1973

 

Jigsaw

6.7

TV Series

producer

1972–1973

5 episodes

 

James Wainwright in Jigsaw (1972)

Jigsaw

7.4

TV Movie

producer

1972

 

Adventures of Nick Carter (1972)

Adventures of Nick Carter

6.1

TV Movie

producer

1972

 

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1972)

The Hound of the Baskervilles

5.7

TV Movie

producer

1972

 

Kam Fong, Al Harrington, Jack Lord, and James MacArthur in Hawaii Five-O (1968)

Hawaii Five-O

7.4

TV Series

supervising producer

1970–1971

24 episodes

 

Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and Greg Morris in Mission: Impossible (1966)

Mission: Impossible

7.9

TV Series

producer

1968–1970

32 episodes

 

Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Hour (1967)

The Danny Thomas Hour

7.1

TV Series

producer

1967–1968

3 episodes

 

Who Goes There? (1965)

Who Goes There?

4.9

TV Movie

executive producer

1965

 

Diane Baker, Joan Crawford, and Paul Burke in Della (1965)

Della

5.5

producer (as Stanley M. Kallis)

1965

 

The Dick Powell Theatre (1961)

The Dick Powell Theatre

7.4

TV Series

producer

associate producer

1961–1963

18 episodes

 

Robert Harland and Stephen McNally in Target: The Corruptors (1961)

Target: The Corruptors

7.6

TV Series

producer

1962

2 episodes

 

The Law and Mr. Jones (1960)

The Law and Mr. Jones

7.7

TV Series

associate producer

1960–1961

32 episodes

 

The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959)

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

7.3

TV Series

associate producer

1961

1 episode

 

Sally Fraser, Joel Lawrence, and Skip Ward in Roadracers (1959)

Roadracers

5.2

producer

1959

 

Operation Dames (1959)

Operation Dames

4.0

producer

1959

 

Mason Alan Dinehart, Ed Kemmer, and Jackie Loughery in The Hot Angel (1958)

The Hot Angel

5.7

producer

1958

 

Editorial Department

Tony Curtis, Peggy Maley, Marisa Pavan, and Gilbert Roland in The Midnight Story (1957)

The Midnight Story

6.7

assistant editor

1957

 

Self

The 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1976)

The 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

5.6

TV Special

Self - Winner

1976

 

Archive Footage

The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards (2017)

The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards

5.2

TV Special

Self - In Memoriam (archive footage)

2017

Emmanuelle Riva obit

Emmanuelle Riva, Oscar-Nominated Star of 'Amour,' Dies at 89

She was not on the list.

Riva died Friday afternoon in a Paris clinic after a long illness, according to her agent.

Emmanuelle Riva, a French star of screen and stage who was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress in 2013, has died. She was 89.

Riva died Friday afternoon in a Paris clinic after a long illness, her agent, Anne Alvares Correa, told the Associated Press.

Riva was Oscar-nominated for her role in Amour,  Michael Haneke's brutal depiction of an aging couple.

With Riva starring alongside another French movie legend, Jean-Louis Trintignant, the film won the Academy Award for best foreign-language film. They played a loving, elderly Parisian couple, one of whom has a stroke.

Amour also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Riva also won best actress at the British Academy Film Awards for her performance. But Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscar for best actress that year, as a young widower in Silver Linings Playbook.

In her 60-year career, Riva made an early splash in filmmaker Alain Resnais' acclaimed Hiroshima Mon Amour in 1959.

She worked into last year, shooting in Iceland for Alma, which is still being filmed and edited and will be the last movie to feature Riva, said Correa.

The actress also will appear on the big screen in Paris Pieds Nus (Paris Barefoot), which is set to be released in France in March.

Paying tribute, French President Francois Hollande said in a statement that Riva "deeply marked French cinema" and "created intense emotion in all the roles she played."