End Credits #102: Cinema's 2021 Lost Treasures Richard Donner, Ned Beatty, Clarence Williams III, Jerome Hellman, Charles Grodin, Norman Lloyd, Monte Hellman, Richard Rush, Gloria Henry

These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2021 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:

Director and producer Richard Donner died at age 91. He directed quite a few notable TV episodes including those in Have Gun - Will Travel (1961 - 1962), The Rifleman (1962), The Twilight Zone (1963 - 1964) and The Wild Wild West (1966), before moving on to motion pictures. He is best known for directing such popular features as The Omen (1976), Superman (1978), Inside Moves (1980), Ladyhawke (1985), The Goonies (1985), Lethal Weapon (1987), Maverick (1994), Conspiracy Theory (1997) and Timeline (2003). Donner also served as executive producer on Any Given Sunday (1999), X-Men (2000) and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) amongst others. Richard Donner (April 24, 1930 - July 5, 2021) R.I.P.

The prolific and thoroughly dedicated actor Ned Beatty died at age 83. His vivid characterisations enhanced some important films such as his debut role in Deliverance (1972, as Bobby, see picture, directed by John Boorman). Other memorable appearances occurred in White Lightning (1973, alongside Deliverance co-star Burt Reynolds whom he befriended), Nashville (1975, directed by Robert Altman), All the President’s Men (1976), Network (1976, an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, directed by Sidney Lumet), Silver Streak (1976), Superman (1978, for director Richard Donner also lost to us this year), Wise Blood (1979, directed by John Huston), Promises in the Dark (1979, directed by Jerome Hellman, see below), Steven Spielberg’s 1941 (1979), Superman II (1980, reprising his role as Otis), Back to School (1986), The Big Easy (1986), The Fourth Protocol (1987), Rudy (1993), Radioland Murders (1994), Just Cause (1995), He Got Game (1998, for director Spike Lee), The Walker (2007, written and directed by Paul Schrader), Shooter (2007), Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), In the Electric Mist (2009, directed by Bertrand Tavernier also lost to us this year), The Killer Inside Me (2010), Rampart (2011) and his last film appearance in Baggage Claim (2013). Beatty received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in Friendly Fire (1979, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special) and Last Train Home (1989, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special). He was also noted for his exceptional work on stage. Ned Beatty (July 6, 1937 - June 13, 2021) R.I.P.

Actor Clarence Williams III died at age 81. Few actors were as good at playing bad, and with such distinction, as he. After working in the theatre, Williams landed the fortuitous role as Linc Hayes, one of three reformed juvenile delinquents turned crime fighters, in the immensely popular TV series The Mod Squad (1968 - 1973). After the series ended, he returned to the stage, most notably on Broadway playing opposite Maggie Smith in “Night and Day”. In the ‘80s, after some TV appearances, he focused on film roles including those seen in Purple Rain (1984, as star Prince’s abusive father), 52 Pick-Up (1986, as the truly terrifying Bobby Shy, see picture, one of an idiosyncratic trio of blackmailers directed by John Frankenheimer), Tough Guys Don’t Dance (1987, as Bolo) and I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988, a parody of blaxploitation pictures, the latter type Williams tried to avoid). In the ‘90s, Williams continued to offer strong supportive turns in My Heroes Have Always Cowboys (1991), Deep Cover (1992), Deadfall (1993), Sugar Hill (1993), Tales from the Hood (1995), The Brave (1997, directed by and starring Johnny Depp), Hoodlum (1997), Half Baked (1998), The Legend of 1900 (1998, as ‘Jelly Roll’ Morton) and The General’s Daughter (1999, as Colonel Fowler). In the 2000s, Williams continued to offer potent characterisations in Reindeer Games (2000, another deeply disturbed creep for director John Frankenheimer), American Gangster (2007, uncredited as real life mobster Bumpy Johnson for director Ridley Scott) and The Way of War (2009). His last film performances were in The Butler (2009, as Maynard) and American Nightmares (2018). Clarence Williams III (August 21, 1939 - June 4, 2021) R.I.P.

Famed Producer Jerome Hellman died at age 92. He produced such notable films as The World of Henry Orient (1964), A Fine Madness (1966), Midnight Cowboy (1969, a Best Picture Academy Award winner), The Day of the Locust (1975), Coming Home (1978, an Academy Award Best Picture nominee), Promises in the Dark (1979, which he also directed) and The Mosquito Coast (1986). Jerome Hellman (September 4, 1928 - May 26, 2021) R.I.P.

Actor Charles Grodin died at age 86. He studied acting with Uta Hagen and then attended Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio before making his stage debut in 1962. His first small but important film part occurred in 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby as Dr. Hill. Roles that followed included those seen in Catch-22 (1970), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), 11 Harrowhouse (1974), King Kong (1976), Heaven Can Wait (1978), The Lonely Guy (1984), The Woman in Red (1984), Midnight Run (1988, more than holding his own with co-star Robert De Niro, see picture), Beethoven (1992), Dave (1993), Heart and Souls (1993) and The Comedian (2016, with Robert De Niro again). His last motion picture appearance occurred in 2017’s An Imperfect Murder. Grodin was also seen in the TV series Louie (2014 - 2015) and the miniseries Madoff (2016, with Richard Dreyfuss in the title role). Charles Grodin (April 21, 1935 - May 18, 2021) R.I.P.

Actor/Producer Norman Lloyd died at age 106. As an actor, he enjoyed one of the longest running careers in motion pictures working with some of the most respected filmmakers and providing memorable characterisations in Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942, as villain Frank Fry, see picture), Jean Renoir’s The Southerner (1945), for Hitchcock again in Spellbound (1945), in Lewis Milestone’s A Walk in the Sun (1945), Anthony Mann’s Reign of Terror aka The Black Book (1949), Jacques Tourneur’s The Flame and the Arrow (1950), Joseph Losey’s M (1950, as Sutro), Charles Chaplin’s Limelight (1952, as Bodalink), for Robert Wise in Audrey Rose (1977), Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society (1989) and Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence (1993). His last film appearance, when Lloyd would have been about 100 years old, was in Trainwreck (2015, directed by Judd Apatow and written by star Amy Schumer). TV viewers may best remember Lloyd for his recurring role as Dr. Daniel Auschlander in the TV series St. Elsewhere (1982 - 1988). Lloyd additionally served as a producer on the TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957 - 1962), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962 - 1965), Journey to the Unknown (1968 - 1969), The Name of the Game (1969 - 1970), Tales of the Unexpected (1982 - 1985) as well as numerous TV movies. Norman Lloyd (November 8, 1914 - May 11, 2021) R.I.P.

Director/Producer Monte Hellman died at age 91. He was known for zeroing in on exceptionally intriguing and intense conflicts in low-budget films such as 2 shot back-to-back in the Philippines with Jack Nicholson: Flight to Fury and Back Door to Hell (both released in 1964). He followed that with a pair of existential westerns also with Nicholson and photographed basically at the same time, on this occasion in Utah: The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind (both released in 1966, the latter heralded on this site). These last two became cult favourites and critical successes both, a status earned by Hellman’s follow-up road film Two-Lane Blacktop (1971). Hellman worked with Blacktop’s actor Warren Oates in his next two films, Cockfighter (1974) and the rarely shown China 9, Liberty 37 (1978). He also served as executive producer on Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut Reservoir Dogs (1992). Monte Hellman (July 12, 1929 - April 20, 2021) R.I.P.

Director and writer Richard Rush died at age 91. His provocative and free spirited films as a director include Hells Angels on Wheels (1967), A Man Called Dagger (1968), Psych-Out (1968), Getting Straight (1970, with Elliott Gould), Freebie and the Bean (1974, a personal favourite and CC “Guilty Treasure”), The Stunt Man (1980, co-writer and Academy Award recipient for both Best Director and Screenplay Adaptation, with Peter O’Toole receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role), Air America (1990, as writer only) and Color of Night (1994, with Bruce Willis). Richard Rush (April 15, 1929 - April 8, 2021) R.I.P.

Actress Gloria Henry died at age 98. After moving to Los Angeles from her birthplace in New Orleans, Louisiana she started working in small theatre groups before signing with an agent. She made her film debut in Heart Royal aka Sport of Kings (1947). Subsequent film roles included those in Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1947), Adventures in Silverado (1948, see picture), Triple Threat (1948), Racing Luck (1948), Law of the Barbary Coast (1949), Johnny Allegro (1949), Riders in the Sky (1949), The Tougher They Come (1950), Rancho Notorious (1952) and Doin' Time on Planet Earth (1988). She was best known as actor Jay North’s mom Alice Mitchell on the TV sitcom Dennis the Menace aka in the U.K. as Just Dennis (1959 - 1963). Gloria Henry (April 2, 1923 - April 3, 2021) R.I.P.