Dick Miller obit

Dick Miller, Gremlins and Terminator actor, dies aged 90

He was not on the list.

Dick Miller, the veteran character actor best known for his role as Murray Futterman in the 1984 film Gremlins, has died at the age of 90.

Miller made hundreds of screen appearances during a career that spanned six decades.

His first role was in Roger Corman's 1955 western Apache Woman.

The US actor went on to appear in films like The Terminator, Piranha and the original 1960 version of The Little Shop of Horrors.

Miller was born in The Bronx on 25 December 1928. He served in the US Navy before attending the City College of New York and Columbia University.

An aspiring writer turned actor, he collaborated with director and producer Corman on more than 20 films.

Though he was usually a supporting actor, he had a rare starring role as the artist and murderer Walter Paisley in Corman's 1959 horror, A Bucket of Blood.

The Walter Paisley name would follow Miller throughout his career.

In 1976, Gremlins director Joe Dante made his directorial debut with Hollywood Boulevard.

Dante decided to name Miller's character Walter Paisley as a nod to Corman, the film's producer.

Miller became a regular in Dante's films, playing characters named Walter Paisley in almost all the films they made together. They include 1981 werewolf horror The Howling.

Dante broke with the tradition in 1984, giving Miller one of his most memorable roles - the drunk Murray Futterman - in horror comedy Gremlins.

Futterman was a World War II veteran who is paranoid about anything made abroad.

Although the character appeared to be killed when gremlins drove a snow plough through his house, Miller returned to the role for 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

Dante paid tribute to Miller in a series of tweets on Thursday, describing him as "one of my best friends and most treasured collaborators."

Though Miller never became a major Hollywood star, he was highly respected within the film industry.

Many actors and directors that worked with him have paid tribute on social media, including Gremlins star Zach Galligan and horror director John Carpenter.

The list of directors Miller would eventually work with included James Cameron, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.

He appeared in Cameron's The Terminator in 1984, playing a gun shop owner who shows Arnold Schwarzenegger's cyborg his range of weapons.

As well as having more than 175 films to his name, Miller made more than 2,000 television appearances. He notably played the role of Lou Mackie in 1980s TV series Fame.

A documentary of his life, called That Guy Dick Miller, was made in 2014, in which he received praise from such co-stars as Gremlins' Corey Feldman.

Miller's final film role was in horror film Hanukkah, which has yet to be released. In it, he once again plays a character named Walter Paisley.

Miller died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, with his wife Lainie, daughter Barbara and granddaughter Autumn by his side.

In a statement Miller's family said: "His sense of humor and the unique way he looked at the world won him many lifelong friends and worldwide fans."

Andy Hebenton obit

Obituary: Former NHL iron man Andy Hebenton remembered as hard worker, gentleman

He was not on the list.

Andy Hebenton, one of the finest and most graceful players in Victoria hockey history, died late Tuesday in Portland at the age of 89.

The Winnipeg native starred for five seasons with Lester Patrick’s professional Victoria Cougars in the old Pacific Coast League/Western Hockey League from 1950-51 to 1954-55, winning the league title in his first season in Victoria.

After nine seasons in the National Hockey League, Hebenton returned to the Island in 1965-66 and 1966-67 for two seasons with the Toronto farm-team Victoria Maple Leafs in the old professional WHL, winning the Lester Patrick Cup for the league championship in 1966.

After scoring 46 goals in his final season with the Cougars in 1954-55, Hebenton embarked on his eventful NHL career with eight seasons in New York with the Rangers and one in Boston with the Bruins. He never missed a game as Hebenton set the then NHL Ironman record of 630 consecutive games played, which now ranks 11th on the all-time list.

His clean and sportsman-like style was recognized in 1956-57 when Hebenton was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy as the most gentlemanly player in the NHL.

“My dad was one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen on the ice,” said son Clay Hebenton.

“If he could have still played into his 80s, he would have.”

Former New York Ranger Andy Hebenton attended the ceremony honoring Andy Bathgate and Harry Howell prior to the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers on February 22, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

Hebenton scored 189 goals with 391 points in his 630 NHL regular-season games and 425 goals and 957 points in 1,056 minor-pro games. Of those, 141 goals and 264 points came in 332 games with the Victoria Cougars and 55 goals and 136 points in 144 games with the Victoria Maple Leafs. He also played a combined total of 49 playoff games for the Victoria teams with 22 goals and 44 points.

Hebenton was part of the celebrations when past Victoria hockey and lacrosse greats gathered at the old Memorial Arena in 2002 before it was demolished to make way for Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Hebenton was one of the last to leave the building that night, taking one final look around the concourse, and up at its distinctive barrel roof, and nodding as if to say goodbye to an old friend — which is what he was doing.

Hebenton was ranked No. 78 on the Times Colonist’s list in 1999 of the 100 greatest Island athletes of the 20th century. He is ranked No. 53 in the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats.

The Andy Hebenton Trophy is awarded annually to the regular-season champion in the Junior B Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.

Although Hebenton concluded his career with seven seasons in the WHL with the Portland Buckaroos, the B.C. capital and its hockey fans always held a special place in his affections.

“He loved Victoria,” said Clay, who was born here in 1953.

The Island certainly affected Hebenton’s life trajectory off the ice. Hebenton met Gail Beveridge of Victoria after he walked out of a Cougars practice in Memorial Arena and saw her waiting at a bus stop in the rain on Blanshard. He walked up and asked her out, which led to a loving marriage that lasted more than 60 years, until Gail Hebenton’s death four years ago.

A large and celebratory crowd greeted Hebenton and the Victoria Maple Leafs in front of Memorial Arena in 1966 upon the team’s arrival back from Portland after the Game 7 WHL-championship victory over the Buckaroos. The top line of that championship Victoria team was Hebenton, Bob Barlow and the late Milan Marcetta.

“It was the best line in the league,” said Barlow, who lives in Victoria, after a lengthy minor-pro career and 77 NHL games.

“Andy was a great linemate and an even greater all-round person. He was a wonderful family man. I’ve never heard a bad word said about Andy Hebenton.”

Clay Hebenton agreed: “My dad was an old-school gentleman.”

A celebration of life is planned for Feb. 23 in Portland.

James Ingram obit

James Ingram, Grammy-Winning & Chart-Topping R&B Singer, Dies at 66

He was not on the list.

R&B singer James Ingram, who collected two Grammy Awards and a pair of No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits over his decades-long career, has died at age 66. The news was shared via Twitter by Ingram's friend and creative partner Debbie Allen on Tuesday (Jan. 29).

There are no details yet about when or how Ingram died.

"I have lost my dearest friend and creative partner James Ingram to the Celestial Choir," Allen tweeted. "He will always be cherished, loved and remembered for his genius, his love of family and his humanity. I am blessed to have been so close. We will forever speak his name."

Debbie Allen

✔

@msdebbieallen

I have lost my dearest friend and creative partner James Ingram to the Celestial Choir. He will always be cherished, loved and remembered for his genius, his love of family and his humanity. I am blessed to have been so close. We will forever speak his name.❤️

The singer collected two Grammys during his career: His song "One Hundred Ways" won best male R&B performance in 1981 and his duet with Michael McDonald on "Yah Mo B There" won best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals in 1984. He was also nominated for back-to-back best original song Oscars in 1993 and 1994, for co-writing "The Day I Fall in Love" from Beethoven's 2nd and "Look What Love Has Done" from Junior.

Ingram charted nine hits on the Hot 100, including a pair of No. 1s: "Baby Come to Me," with Patti Austin, in 1983, and "I Don't Have the Heart" in 1990. Other top 20-charting Hot 100 hits included "Just Once" (No. 17 in 1981, Quincy Jones featuring Ingram), "Yah Mo Be There" (No. 19 in 1984, with Michael McDonald) and "Somewhere Out There" (No. 2 in 1987, with Linda Ronstadt for the animated movie American Tail). He also logged 19 hits on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart and 18 entries on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

He also tallied hits as a songwriter, co-penning Michael Jackson's top 10 Hot 100 hit "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," from the Thriller album, as well as songs recorded by Pointer Sisters, George Benson, Ray Charles, Shalamar and others.