Sergio Calderón obit

Sergio Calderón, the “Head on a Stick” in ‘Men in Black,’ Dies at 77

 

He was not on the list.

Sergio Calderón, the amiable Mexican character actor who made his mark in such notable films as The In-Laws, Men in Black and Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End, has died. He was 77.

Calderón died Wednesday in a Los Angeles hospital of natural causes, a family spokesman announced.

Calderón portrayed a Mexican revolutionary at the turn of the 20th century in Duck, You Sucker! (1971), written and directed by Sergio Leone, and was a murderous Mexican chief of police opposite Albert Finney in John Huston’s Under the Volcano (1984).

He guest-starred as the colorful bandit Malavida Valdése on the premiere episode of NBC’s The A-Team in 1983, then returned as the river pirate El Cajón (The Coffin) at the start of the show’s third season a year later.

Calderón played Alfonso, one of the Hondurans, in the Arthur Hiller comedy The In-Laws (1979) — it was the role that got him his SAG card — and fans of the original Men in Black (1997) know him as the “head on a stick” held by an extraterrestrial “illegal alien” attempting to sneak across the U.S.-Mexico border in the Barry Sonnenfeld film.

Later, Calderón was the Spanish pirate lord Capt. Vallenueva in Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End (2007).

Born on July 21, 1945, Calderón moved from his home in a tropical village to Mexico City when he was 10 and studied at the Instituto Andrés Soler of the Asociación Nacional de Actores. He then made his onscreen debut in The Bridge in the Jungle (1970), starring Huston.

Among the three dozen or so films on his résumé were The Revengers (1972), The Children of Sánchez (1978), Le Chèvre (1981), Old Gringo (1989), The Missing (2003), The Ruins (2008) and Little Fockers (2010). He also showed up on the final season of the FX series Better Things last year.

Survivors include his wife, Karen Dakin; children Patrick Calderón-Dakin and Johanna Calderón-Dakin, vice president of the PR firm The Mesulam Group; son-in-law Raaj; and grandchildren Krishnaavi, Emiliano and Victoria.

 

Actor

Cristin Milioti and William Jackson Harper in The Resort (2022)

The Resort

Detective Silverio Narro

TV Series

2022

1 episode

 

Gillian Jacobs in The Seven Faces of Jane (2022)

The Seven Faces of Jane

Carter

2022

 

Pamela Adlon in Better Things (2016)

Better Things

Sergio the Barber (as Sergio Calderon)

TV Series

2022

1 episode

 

Santo (2015)

Santo

Balloon Seller

Short

2015

 

Funny or Die Presents... (2009)

Funny or Die Presents...

Janitor (segment "Do You Want to See a Dead Body?") (as Sergio Calderon)

TV Series

2011

1 episode

 

Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Ben Stiller, Jessica Alba, and Owen Wilson in Little Fockers (2010)

Little Fockers

Gustavo (as Sergio Calderon)

2010

 

The Ruins (2008)

The Ruins

Lead Mayan (as Sergio Calderon)

2008

 

Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Captain Vallenueva

2007

 

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Captain Eduardo Villaneuva (voice)

Video Game

2007

 

Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchett, and Jenna Boyd in The Missing (2003)

The Missing

Emiliano

2003

 

Burt Reynolds, Bruce Dern, Amy Jo Johnson, and Seth Peterson in Hard Ground (2003)

Hard Ground

General Jesus Navarro (as Sergio Calderon)

TV Movie

2003

 

Warden of Red Rock (2001)

Warden of Red Rock

Toro

TV Movie

2001

 

El aroma del Copal (1997)

El aroma del Copal

Efren

1997

 

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in Men in Black (1997)

Men in Black

Jose

1997

 

Land's End (1995)

Land's End

Fisherman

TV Series

1996

1 episode

 

Have You Seen My Son (1996)

Have You Seen My Son

Temo

TV Movie

1996

 

Jennifer Lopez, Robert Loggia, and Lindsay Wagner in Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7 (1993)

Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7

José

TV Movie

1993

 

Roberto Sosa in Highway Patrolman (1991)

Highway Patrolman

Pasajero Simon

1991

 

Danny Glover and Martin Short in Pure Luck (1991)

Pure Luck

Night Club Bartender

1991

 

The Man in the Golden Mask (1991)

The Man in the Golden Mask

Manager

1991

 

Border Shootout (1990)

Border Shootout

Rustler

1990

 

Gregory Peck, Jane Fonda, and Jimmy Smits in Old Gringo (1989)

Old Gringo

Zacarias (as Sergio Calderon)

1989

 

Blood Red (1989)

Blood Red

Perez (as Sergio Calderon)

1989

 

Phil Collins in Buster (1988)

Buster

Fruit Seller (as Sergio Calderon)

1988

 

Oceans of Fire (1986)

Oceans of Fire

Oil Worker

TV Movie

1986

 

George Peppard, Mr. T, Dirk Benedict, and Dwight Schultz in The A-Team (1983)

The A-Team

El CajonThe CoffinMalavida Valdez

TV Series

1983–1984

3 episodes

 

Under the Volcano (1984)

Under the Volcano

Chief of Municipality (as Sergio Calderon)

1984

 

Erendira (1983)

Erendira

Truck driver

1983

 

Valentín Lazaña (1982)

Valentín Lazaña

1982

 

Gérard Depardieu and Pierre Richard in La Chèvre (1981)

La Chèvre

Prisoner

1981

 

Las siete cucas (1981)

Las siete cucas

1981

 

High Risk (1981)

High Risk

Hueso (as Sergio Calderon)

1981

 

Para usted jefa (1980)

Para usted jefa

El nazi

1980

 

The In-Laws (1979)

The In-Laws

Alfonso (as Sergio Calderon)

1979

 

Ali MacGraw and Dean Paul Martin in Players (1979)

Players

Truck Driver (as Sergio Calderon)

1979

 

Anacrusa (1979)

Anacrusa

Policía

1979

 

El complot mongol (1978)

El complot mongol

El sapo

1978

 

The Children of Sanchez (1978)

The Children of Sanchez

Alberto

1978

 

La casta divina (1977)

La casta divina

Padre Chano

1977

 

Las poquianchis (De los pormenores y otros sucedidos del dominio público que acontecieron a las hermanas de triste memoria a quienes la maledicencia así las bautizó) (1976)

Las poquianchis (De los pormenores y otros sucedidos del dominio público que acontecieron a las hermanas de triste memoria a quienes la maledicencia así las bautizó)

Ibargüengoitia

1976

 

La India (1976)

La India

Sosegado

1976

 

El apando (1976)

El apando

Oficial

1976

 

Canoa: A Shameful Memory (1976)

Canoa: A Shameful Memory

Presidente municipal

1976

 

Las fuerzas vivas (1975)

Las fuerzas vivas

Gendarme

1975

 

A Home of Our Own (1975)

A Home of Our Own

First Man

TV Movie

1975

 

Los caciques (1975)

Los caciques

Chencho

1975

 

Mecánica nacional (1972)

Mecánica nacional

El Manchas

1972

 

William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Roger Hanin, Reinhard Kolldehoff, and Woody Strode in The Revengers (1972)

The Revengers

(uncredited)

1972

 

James Coburn and Rod Steiger in Duck, You Sucker! (1971)

Duck, You Sucker!

Revolutionary (uncredited)

1971

 

The Bridge in the Jungle (1970)

The Bridge in the Jungle

Pedro (as Sergio Calderon)

1970

Dickie “Be Bop” Harrell obit

Dickie Harrell death: Drummer of ‘The Blue Caps’ dies aged 82

 

He was not on the list.

Dickie Harrell of Portsmouth passed away last week at the age of 82. Let’s see how did the drummer die and his cause of death in detail.

 

How did Dickie Harrell die?

Dickie “Be-Bop” Harrell, the original drummer for Gene Vincent’s Blue Caps passed away suddenly.

His early rock ‘n’ roll songs with fellow Tidewater residents Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps influenced everyone from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin.

Jeff Maisey, a former music critic for the Virginian-Pilot shared his heartfelt tribute to him, saying, “We’ve lost a real humble treasure that most people never, unless you were in the local Norfolk music scene, or if you were just a music fan, you probably wouldn’t know Dickie Harrell was from Portsmouth, lived in Portsmouth his whole life”.

“[Music legends like Dylan and Plant] remembered him well. When they’d come to Virginia Beach or Portsmouth and perform live they’d give him a shout-out. They would always welcome him in style backstage. He was revered by the greatest musicians in rock ‘n’ roll, but he was very humble and would downplay that sort of thing,” Maisey said.

Dickie was born on August 27, 1940, in Portsmouth, Virginia. When he started working with Gene, he was only 15 years old. Before that, he played for four to five years having fun performing in the school band and hanging out with some local country bands.

He later became a drummer of Gene Vincent’s Blue Caps. In 1956, Dickie Harrell joined the Blue Caps as Gene Vincent’s sidekick. He contributed to Capitol Records’ early 1960s catalog with a number of instrumental tracks. It was founded in 1982 with Blue Caps, who had reformed for an album.

His restrained brush playing and background screaming on Vincent’s first and most renowned smash, “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” provided that record, one of the defining records of early rock ‘n’ roll, much of its tension and atmosphere.

Harrell, who is from Norfolk, Virginia, like Vincent, started playing with Vincent when he was just 15 years old. Vincent, who was serving in the Navy at the time, was recovering in a Navy hospital after suffering a serious leg injury in a motorbike accident.

Harrell remained with the Blue Caps for a little over a year before leaving because he was tired of traveling. After a disagreement with the Blue Caps about money towards the end of the 1950s, Vincent, who was already disabled from a prior injury, suffered another injury in an accident that killed Eddie Cochran.

While his popularity in America waned, Vincent remained a beloved live performer in England, where he was a hero to many, including the Beatles, whose early black leather outfit was inspired by Vincent.

Vincent passed away in 1971, a drunkard who was largely forgotten. In 1998, he received a posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Before retiring two years ago, Dickie Harrell spent 37 years working for the government in the hazardous materials field. He currently offers Blue Caps-related goods for sale.

Four of the remaining Blue Caps—Harrell, Johnny Meeks on guitar, Tommy Facenda and Paul Peek on vocals—have sometimes reformed over the years to perform Vincent’s tunes at rockabilly gatherings and other events.

Dickie Harrell cause of death:

Dickie, the talented drummer died at the age of 82. Friends, followers, and family members of Harell have paid their heartfelt condolences on social media over his passing.

In a tribute on Wednesday, Jeff published an interview from 2022 with Harrell in which Johnny Cash says more than just, “How’d you all get on this tour? You all aren’t country” to the Blue Caps, but “that boy needs help” in reference to Harrell.

He was certainly one of the most humble guys I’ve ever met, yet he was passionate about music and eager to discuss it.,

Jeff said. Despite having a who’s who of friends and admirers, including Bob Dylan, Jeff Beck, and Robert Plant, all of whom were influenced by the Blue Caps’ 1950s rockabilly sound.

In addition to drumming, while standing up, Harrell contributed a wild and distinctive approach to his performances. On “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” the group’s biggest success from 1956, peaked at No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard pop music chart. It’s he who makes the recognizable (and unplanned) howl at the 37-second mark of the song.

The fact that he was so young at the time is arguably the most amazing aspect. At the age of 15, he gave up school and joined the band, but he would only go on tour with them for about a year. But the influence was irreplaceable.

Tributes to Dickie Harrell:

Lois Hall posted,

Prayers for Donna and Family . RIP Dickie. You are going to be missed by a great Mutitude! He is with Gene now and the rest the bluecaps ..Will miss your friendship here on FB.

Tonya N Williams posted,

Dickie Harrell has passed this morning. Socked and saddened. He was a sweet, genuine and talented person. God bless you Dickie you will be missed.

Tommy Brill posted,

Just found out the great Dickie Harrell has passed away. The rockiest drummer ever and a sweet guy. The last of Gene Vincent’s Blue Caps. I’m gonna miss our online interactions and I wish I could have made some racket with him at some point. . Sympathies to his wife and family.

Katherine B tweeted,

Dickie “Be Bop” Harrell, the drummer with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps passed away this morning. He was honored at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and remained a humble and happy man that I was privileged to know. RIP Dickie

Petteri Salmi posted,

R.I.P Dickie Harrell (1940-2023)

Original Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps drummer, BIG, REMARKABLE LEGEND!!!

Dickie’s drumming can be heard on the first 58 Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps released songs (Capitol Records 1956-1957)!

Harvey Pitt obit

Former SEC chief Harvey Pitt dies at 78

 

He was not on the list.

Harvey Pitt, a former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, died on Tuesday, according to a statement from the director of the SEC Historical Society shared with Reuters.

Pitt, who was appointed to lead the SEC by President George W. Bush in 2001, oversaw the closure of financial markets in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. He had previously been a staff attorney and general counsel, among other roles, at the agency and received the SEC's award for distinguished service in 1977, a year before leaving the agency.

"It was one of his greatest dreams to come back later in his career to chair the agency," the five current members of the SEC Commission said in a statement.

He resigned and left the agency again in 2003, under fire over his appointment of a former FBI chief embroiled in an accounting scandal to run the then-newly created Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The accounting watchdog was created after the failures of WorldCom and Enron to restore investor confidence.

At the time, fellow SEC Commissioner Roel Campos said: "There has certainly never been anyone who loved this agency more than Chairman Pitt."

In a 2005 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Pitt attributed his exit to the politicization of the agency after the Enron scandal and highlighted the work the commission had done to adopt new regulations under the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Pitt was a graduate of St. John's University School of Law and the City University of New York, according to the SEC's website. He taught at various points at Georgetown University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Most recently, Pitt founded and led consulting and law firm Kalorama Partners in Washington. He passed away on Tuesday, according to the statement from Jane Cobb, executive director of the SEC Historical Society.

He was 78.

"Over the years, Harvey has been extremely generous with his time and sage advice," said Michael Piwowar, a former SEC commissioner.

John Beasley obit

John Beasley, Actor on ‘Everwood’ and ‘The Soul Man,’ Dies at 79

A late bloomer, he stood out in films like 'The Apostle,' 'Rudy' and 'The Sum of All Fears' and was set to make his Broadway debut this year in 'The Notebook.'

 

He was not on the list.

John Beasley, the admired character actor who played the school bus driver Irv Harper on The WB drama Everwood and Barton Bellentine, the father of Cedric the Entertainer’s character, on the TV Land comedy The Soul Man, died Tuesday. He was 79.

Beasley died in a hospital in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, his son Tyrone Beasley told The Hollywood Reporter. He had been undergoing tests on his liver before taking an unexpected turn for the worst.

Beasley sparkled as an assistant coach in Rudy (1993) and as the retired minister Charles Blackwell in the Robert Duvall-starring and directed The Apostle (1997) and appeared in such other films as V.I. Warshawski (1991), The Mighty Ducks (1992), Untamed Heart (1993), Losing Isaiah (1993), Little Big League (1994), Crazy in Alabama (1997), The General’s Daughter (1999), The Sum of All Fears (2002), the 2004 remake of Walking Tall and Firestarter (2022).

More recently, he appeared onstage in Chicago in the Broadway-bound musical adaptation of The Notebook, based on the 1996 Nicholas Sparks novel that spawned the 2004 film that starred James Garner, Gena Rowlands, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

Beasley was playing the Garner role and was set to go to New York in August to workshop the musical as producers settled on a theater, his son said.

“To be a working artist is the highest calling, and I appreciate wherever it takes me,” he said in an interview last year. “If I never got to Broadway, I would still feel I’ve had a pretty successful career.”

He established the John Beasley Theater and Workshop in Omaha and ran it for 13 years. “We changed the lives of a lot of people just through the theater,” he said in 2020.

Born on June 26, 1943, Beasley worked as a railroad man with the Union Pacific Railroad and did not begin acting until he was 45. In one of his first onscreen roles, he played Mr. Willie on the 1990 Oprah Winfrey-starring ABC series Brewster Place.

Beasley portrayed Irv, husband of Debra Mooney’s Edna Harper, on the Greg Berlanti-created Everwood from 2002-06 and Barton, another retired minister, on The Soul Man from 2012-16.

His TV résumé also included guest turns on Missing Persons, Early Edition, CSI, Judging Amy, Boston Legal, Treme and The Mandalorian.

On Facebook, his son Michael wrote: “I lost my best friend today. They say you shouldn’t ever meet your heroes because they don’t turn out to be who you thought they were. That is so wrong. My hero was my father. Thank you for everything.”

Survivors also include his wife of 58 years, Judy; daughter-in-law Katie; and grandchildren Evan, Miles, Olivia, Mika, Darius and Malik Beasley, an NBA veteran who played last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Beasley was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 26, 1943. He did not begin his acting career until his mid-40s. Prior to that he was a railroad man with the Union Pacific Railroad. He established the John Beasley Theater and Workshop in South Omaha.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1991      V.I. Warshawski Ernie     

1992      The Mighty Ducks             Mr. Hall                

1993      Rudy      Coach Warren   

1993      Untamed Heart Cook     

1994      Little Big League                Roberts               

1997      The Apostle        Brother C. Charles Blackwell       

1999      The General's Daughter Col. Slesinger    

1999      Crazy in Alabama              Nehemiah Jackson          

2000      The Operator     Rev. James          

2000      Lost Souls            Mike Smythe     

2000      The Gift                Albert Hawkins

2001      The Journeyman               Cleofas

2002      The Sum of All Fears        Gen. Lasseter    

2002      TOC: The Goal    Lou         Video

2004      Walking Tall        Chris Vaughn Sr.               

2009      For Love of Amy                Mr. Tate               

2014      The Purge: Anarchy         Papa Rico Sanchez           

2015      I'll See You in My Dreams              Mike     

2015      Sinister 2              Father Rodriguez             

2016      Second Words   Hank      Short

2016      It Snows All the Time      Mr. Stewart        

2017      Haunted Maze   Detective Edwards          

2019      The Turkey Bowl               Judge Tibbins    

2020      Cowboys              Ben the Friendly Ranger               

20??      Tattoo   Seymour              Short

2020      Stoker Hills          Dr. Jonathan Brooks       

2020      Spell      Earl       

2022      Firestarter           Irv Manders       

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1990      Brewster Place   Mr. Willie             Episodes: "Open for Business", "Spring Fever", "Whatever Happened to Patience Jones", "Bernice Sands Comes Home"

1991      Lucky Day            Bo           TV film

1993      Laurel Avenue    Mr. Coleman       TV miniseries

1997      To Sir, with Love II             Ogden   Episode: "Pilot"

1998      Early Edition       Capt. Leon Haines            Episodes: "A Minor Miracle", "The Quality of Mercy"

1999      Millennium         James Edward Hollis        Episodes: "Darwin's Eye", "Via Dolorosa", "Goodbye to All That"

1999      A.T.F.      Sec. Robert Edward         TV film

2000      Freedom Song   Jonah Summer TV film

2000      The Moving of Sophia Myles        Nathaniel Myles                TV film

2000      Disappearing Acts            Mr. Banks            TV film

2000, 2003         Judging Amy       Judge Henry Bromell       Episodes: "Dog Days", "Shock and Awe", "Kilt Trip"

2000–2001         CSI: Crime Scene Investigation    Charles Moore   Episodes: "Crate 'n' Burial", "Evaluation Day"

2002–2006         Everwood            Irv Harper            Main role

2006      The Lost Room   Gus        Episode: "The Comb and the Box"

2007      NCIS       Daryl Hardy         Episode: "Suspicion"

2007      Boston Legal       Det. Walter McKay           Episode: "The Chicken and the Leg"

2009      Chasing a Dream               Peter Boscow     TV film

2010      CSI: Miami           Henry Dawson   Episode: "Backfire"

2011      Harry's Law         Judge Ronald Winston    Episode: "Pilot"

2011      Detroit 1-8-7      Joe King                Episode: "Beaten/Cover Letter"

2011      Treme   Don Encalade     Episodes: "Carnival Time", "Can I Change My Mind?", What Is New Orleans?", "Do Watcha Wanna"

2012–2016         The Soul Man     Barton Ballentine             Main role (season 1), recurring (seasons 2–5)

2017      The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks        Cliff        TV film

2017      Shots Fired          Mr. Dabney         Recurring role

2018      The Resident      Mortimer Rosenthal        Episode: "Comrades in Arms"

2019      Limetown            The Reverend     Episodes: "Rake", "Napoleon"

2019      The Mandalorian              Bartender            Episode: "Chapter One"

2021      Your Honor         Elijah Davies       Episode: "Part Ten"

Milt Larsen obit

Milt Larsen, Magic Castle Co-Founder and TV Game Show Writer, Dies at 92

 He was not on the list.

Milt Larsen, the magician and TV writer who co-founded Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle night spot, died May 28 in Los Angeles. He was 92.

Larsen had deep roots in the world of magic and in Los Angeles. His father, William Larsen Sr., was a prominent local defense attorney and a performing magician. His mother, Geraldine, made early appearances on TV as “The Magic Lady.” Milt Larsen worked as a writer for TV game shows including “Truth or Consequences” during 18 years of Bob Barker’s tenure as host in the 1950s, ’60s and early ’70s.

Larsen teamed with his older brother, William Larsen Jr., and William’s wife, Irene, in the early 1960s to transform a Gothic renaissance mansion on Franklin Avenue in the heart of Hollywood into a clubhouse designed to cater to working magicians. The trio created the Academy of Magical Arts, but the venue became known as the Magic Castle. The club opened its doors in 1963 and has become a world-renowed destination, despite its ups and downs over the past 60 years. The Larsen family leased the property from owned Thomas Glover until last year, when the site was acquired by videogame magnate Randy Pitchford, founder of Gearbox Entertainment.

Milt Larsen, co-founder of Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle club

“The Magic Castle is like bedrock — the center point of magic,” Pitchford said in a statement at the time. The people who think of the Castle as their home and the place itself seem to have magical properties that have created and inspired some of the world’s greatest entertainers. I’m proud to be trusted to both, give back to the place that made me to become the custodian of the Magic Castle, and to work with its members and the Larsen family to ensure our most incredible club house grows and thrives for decades to come.”

Magic Castle co-founder William Larsen Jr. died in 1993 at age 64. Irene Larsen died in 2016 at age 79.

Milt Larsen and his brother were saluted with the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006.

Larsen got his start as a writer in radio, working on audience participation shows for ABC Radio. In addition to “Truth or Consequences,” Larsen worked with Ralph Edwards Prods. on its signature unscripted series “This Is Your Life.” That gave Larsen exposure to legendary performers such as Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel, Ed Wynn, Mack Sennett, George Burns and Jack Benny. Those relationships spurred his passion as a showbiz historian and collector of memorabilia from the days of vaudeville as well as 78 RPM records produced in the 1920s through the early 1950s.

Larsen stayed active as a performer himself, producing the stage show “It’s Magic” for more than 50 years in the Los Angeles area. Larsen owned and operated the Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, where he produced stage shows for 10 years. He also once owned downtown L.A.’s Variety Arts Theater.

Milt Larsen’s survivors include his wife, Arlene Larsen; nephew Dante Larsen, niece Erika Larsen, and great-nieces Jessica Hopkins and Liberty Larsen.

In 1956 Larsen produced his first all-star magic revue "It's Magic!", with a new edition playing West Coast performing arts centers annually. Still enjoying a continuous run, the revue is co-produced by Terry Hill. Various editions of the show play West Coast performing arts centers from Bellingham, Washington, to San Diego. In addition to the 2016 Spring season of the touring show a stellar celebration of the show's 60th years will be held in October at the theatre it all started, the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles. 

Along with Carol Marie, Milt has penned many books including: Milt Larsen's Magical Mystery Tour of Hollywood's Most Amazing Landmark: The Magic Castle; Hollywood Illusion: The Magic Castle; Hockmann, the Great Exposes Himself! and Other Phony Magicians and Vaudevillians; My Magical Journey – The First 30,000 Days; The 60th Anniversary: It's Magic!.

Larsen served as a creative consultant for the motion picture Bedknobs And Broomsticks (Disney Studios – 1971).

He has appeared as an actor on television's Hart To Hart (1981, "Murder Up Their Sleeve"), and had an uncredited cameo appearance as a spectator in Bedknobs And Broomsticks. He appeared as the back and hands of actor Raul Julia as Gomez Addams, performing his tablecloth yank at the end of Gomez and Morticia's Tango dance in Addams Family Values (Paramount Pictures – 1993). His table-cloth pulling gag has been seen in many TV shows and films.

Larsen hosts a weekend radio show on CRN Digital Talk Radio called Hear Them Again for the First Time, featuring rare antique personality recordings from his vast collection of 78 rpm recordings. (2006–present). www.crntalk.com 7–8 pm (pacific) Saturdays and 4–5 pm Sundays. Another CRN weekend show is "Hit Parade Cavalcade" featuring Larsen and Sherman saluting the songwriters of "TinPan Alley."

He is a well known theater historian and owns many important collections including extensive archives of Ed Wynn, Eddie Cantor, Earl Carroll and others. His collections include books, films, recordings, scripts, orchestrations and sheet music from the early days of the variety theater. He was the founder and President of the Society for the Preservation of Variety Arts, (1975–1990, Los Angeles).

He also wrote the Malibu U television series (1967) and audience participation shows starring Vin Scully and Jim Nabors.

Milt Larsen and collaborator Bobby Lauher wrote the book for the stage musical Victory Canteen starring Patty Andrews of the Andrews Sisters fame. Songs were written by prolific songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. (Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bag. It's a Small World After All) (Two Academy Awards – eight nominations)

Richard M. Sherman and Milt Larsen have been friends and collaborators for more than 60 years. They wrote the score for a proposed speakeasy nightclub revue in 1957 (Whoopee Kid); it was later produced as a staged radio show (Charlie Sent Me) with a new book by Sherman, Larsen and Roger Rittner and starred veteran actor Buddy Ebsen. Broadcast on NPR and released on LP by Glendale Record Company.

Richard Sherman and Larsen created a satirical record album which has since made the transition to CD: Smash Flops, featuring tongue-in-cheek songs like "Bon Voyage, Titanic", "General Custer", and features "Congratulations Tom Dewey", which was used for the theme song in the stage production Give 'Em Hell, Harry!, a one-man stage play about United States President Harry S. Truman starring James Whitmore, later made into an Emmy Award nominated TV Movie (1975). They also wrote the comedy classic LP, now a CD, Banned Barbershop Ballads (which includes tunes like "Watch World War Three on Pay TV"). Released new CD "Sherman & Larsen's Classic CompendeumSmash Flops. (Remaster classic songs plus "The Palin for President Polka" and "The Fracking Song.) Magic Castle Records – Hollywood)

Richard Sherman and Larsen wrote words and music for the comedy musical Pazzazz! (book by Larsen and Sherman). The musical had its world premiere as the first major musical at the multi-million dollar restoration of the Granada Center for the Performing Arts in Santa Barbara, California in June 2008. It was produced by Larsen and his wife Arlene. A capsulized version of the musical was presented at Walt Disney's El Capitan Theater in Hollywood (February 2010). The latest full production was presented at the historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara (March 2011).

Barry Reardon obit

Barry Reardon Dies: Former Warner Bros Theatrical Distribution Exec Behind Hits Like ‘Batman’ & ‘The Fugitive’ Was 92

 

He was not on the list.

D. Barry Reardon, former longtime Warner Bros. President of Sales and Distribution, has died at 92. The exec known as “The Dean of Distribution” among industry peers and filmmakers passed May 27 in Vero Beach, FL.

Reardon was head of theatrical distribution at Warner Bros from 1978-99 and was known for breaking the mold on the motion picture business, i.e. getting a jumpstart on summer before Memorial Day — Twister opened in mid-May 1996 in advance of Paramount’s Tom Cruise juggernaut, Mission: Impossible — and dating blockbusters during the early days of August, previously considered a dead zone. Among films in the latter category were Clint Eastwood’s eventual Best Picture Oscar winner, Unforgiven, in 1992, and the Harrison Ford hit The Fugitive in 1993. The latter pic’s late producer Arnold Kopelson told the L.A. Times that the dating maneuver was “pure genius.”

Also before his departure from Warner Bros. in March 1999, Reardon had developed an internal marketing data system with fellow executives that was ahead of its time, tracking rivals’ trailers from the previous 10 years, their grosses and actors’ track records with box office and critics. This allowed executives to steer a film with a particular actor away from a critic who has had problems with that actor. The data system also broke down production and marketing costs, as well as audience demos for all major motion picture studios.

During Reardon’s run as Warner Bros. Distribution boss, the studio ranked among the top three in North American box-office market share for 16 out of his 20 years, placing first eight times and second five times. The Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher Batman movies were released during Reardon’s reign, grossing $1.25 billion worldwide through four movies, in addition to the four Lethal Weapon movies, which racked up close to $1 billion worldwide. Reardon also was a big champion for Chariots of Fire and Driving Miss Daisy, which became Oscar Best Picture winners for 1981 and 1989, respectively, and were tentpoles in their day.

Reardon not only mentored current-day distribution bosses including Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution Jeff Goldstein but also was the gold standard to some of the greats.

In a 1999 Los Angeles Times profile on Reardon, the late Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone, a longtime friend of the exec, said: “Barry was one competitor who insisted on getting his way. … The clincher was he did it in such a gentlemanly way it could really be irritating.”

Tom Sherak, chairman of 20th Century Fox’s Domestic Film Group, told the L.A. Times: “Barry singlehandedly changed the way distribution is looked at as an art form in the business today.”

Exclaimed Goldstein in an internal email to staff: “He was THE O.G. ‘Dean of Distribution’ whose many accomplishments are legendary. His mentorship has inspired generations of entertainment leaders. The impact of his legacy is long lived.  Warner Bros is a better company because of his leadership. Our lives were enriched by his friendship.”

Reardon was born on March 8, 1931, to David and Anne Cotter Reardon in Hartford, CT. He graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He worked for U.S. Army Intelligence in Europe from 1953-36 and earned an MBA in economics from Trinity College after returning to the States.

After his first job at United Technologies, Reardon worked for Litton Industries in its Eureka-Carlisle Division in Scranton, PA, until 1967. At that time, it was the largest printer of trading stamps and seals in the world and the second-largest printer of catalogs in the United States. He was the purchasing agent for the paper they needed, which is how he met his wife Marsha, who worked for the paper supplier.

In 1967, Reardon began his career in the entertainment business. He joined Paramount Pictures in NYC as the associate to the VP Finance. Then he moved to marketing and distribution as VP and Assistant to the President. In 1975, he joined General Cinema Corporation in Boston, in charge of marketing and film procurement. At that time General Cinema was the largest movie circuit in the US. He was recruited by Warner Bros in 1978, and the family moved to Los Angeles. This turned out to be his “dream job.”

ShoWest, the exhibition confab forerunner of CinemaCon, honored Reardon with the title “Dean of Distribution.”

Reardon retired in Vero Beach, spending summers in Wilmington, Vermont. I first heard about Reardon in high school during the late 1980s, growing up in Southern Vermont: My mother came home one day to tell me that a big Hollywood exec from Warner Bros. was opening a cinema in the nearby ski haven of Dover, a hub he owned for several years.

Reardon is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marsha, and his daughter Lisa.