End Credits #107: Cinema's 2023 Lost Treasures Owen Roizman, Carole Cook, Gina Lolabrigida, Burt Bacharach, Gerald Fried, Tom Sizemore, Barry Newman, Treat Williams, Glenda Jackson
These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2023 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:
Ace cinematographer Owen Roizman has died at age 86.
His extraordinary sense of realism was first noticed in 1971’s The French Connection for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Subsequently, he went on to enhance the authenticity of The Exorcist (1973, also A. A. nominated for Best Cinematography), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), Network (1976, also A. A. nominated for Best Cinematography), Straight Time (1978), The Electric Horseman (1979), True Confessions (1981), Tootsie (1982, also A. A. nominated for Best Cinematography), and Wyatt Earp (1994, also A. A. nominated for Best Cinematography) among others. In 2018, he was the recipient of an Honorary Academy Award. Owen Roizman (September 22, 1936 - January 6, 2023) R.I.P.
High-spirited character actress Carole Cook has died at age 98. Some of the films she enlivened include: Palm Springs Weekend (1963), The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964, pictured), The Gauntlet (1977), American Gigolo (1980), Summer Lovers (1982), Sixteen Candles (1984), Grandview, U.S.A. (1984), Fast Money (1996), Lost & Found (1999) and Still Waiting in the Wings (2018). Carole Cook (January 14, 1924 – January 11, 2023) R.I.P.
The gorgeous and talented movie star Gina Lollobrigida has died at age 95. Some of the films she brightened include: Campane a martello (1949), The Unfaithfuls (1953), Beat the Devil (1953), Crossed Swords (1954), Trapeze (1956, pictured), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956), The Law (1959), Solomon and Sheba (1959), Never So Few (1959), Come September (1961), Woman of Straw (1964), Strange Bedfellows (1965) and Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968). Gina Lollobrigida (July 4 1927 – January 16 2023) R.I.P.
The legendary multi award winning singer and song writer Burt Bacharach has died at age 94. Motion pictures he composed the music (and songs) for include: What's New Pussycat? (1965, along with its title tune, lyrics by Hal David, sung by Tom Jones), Casino Royale (1967, including its title tune performed by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and “The Look of Love”, lyrics by Hal David, sung by Dusty Springfield), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, including “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head”, lyrics by Hal David, sung by B.J. Thomas), Lost Horizon (1973), Arthur (1981, including “Arthur’s Theme” co-written with Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen, sung by Christopher Cross), and Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988, along with “Love Is My Decision” co-written with Carole Bayer Sager and Chris De Burgh, sung by Chris De Burgh). In addition, his songs can be heard in hundreds of films e.g. “Alfie” (lyrics by Hal David, in the 1966 film of the same name) and “The April Fools” (lyrics by Hal David, in the 1969 film of the same name). Burt Bacharach (May 12, 1928 - February 8, 2023) R.I.P.
Ultra creative composer Gerald Fried has died at age 95. He composed the music for the first five films of his high school buddy Stanley Kubrick, namely the short film Day of the Fight (1951), Fear and Desire (1952), Killer’s Kiss (1955), one of my personal favourites The Killing (1956, a bold, audacious score that right from the horse's gate, climbs into the saddle and never gives way) and one of the great American films of all time Paths of Glory (1957). Other films that he raised the bar of creative energy on include Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), I Bury the Living (1958), Terror in a Texas Town (1958), One Potato, Two Potato (1964), Deathwatch (1965), One of Our Spies is Missing (1966), The Killing of Sister George (1968), Too Late the Hero (1970), and The Grissom Gang (1971). He also composed the music for many TV series and TV movies including the original Star Trek episodes: Shore Leave, Amok Time, Catspaw, Friday's Child and The Paradise Syndrome. Gerald Fried (February 13, 1928 - February 17, 2023) R.I.P.
Typical of the tough-guy characters he portrayed, Detroit born actor Tom Sizemore has died at age 61. His passion and dedication for the acting profession most notably added an acute sense of realism to the films he appeared in, which included: Wyatt Earp (1994, as Bat Masterson), Natural Born Killers (1994), Strange Days (1995), Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), Heat (1995), The Relic (1997), Witness to the Mob (1998 TV movie, as John Gotti), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Black Hawk Down (2001), Before I Sleep (2013), I Am Not for Sale: The Fight to End Human Trafficking (2019), Quad (2020), Nowheresville (2020), Mission from Outer Space (2023), A Day Like a Week (2023), The Donor (2024), and American Trash (2024). Tom Sizemore (November 29, 1961 - March 3, 2023) R.I.P.
Charismatic actor Barry Newman has died at age 92. He lent a special gravitas to the films The Lawyer (1970), Vanishing Point (1971), Fear Is the Key (1972), Daylight (1996), The Limey (1999), Bowfinger (1999), 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002), and Finding Hannah (2023). He also made himself known to TV viewers through popular series such as: Petrocelli (1974-1976, a spinoff from The Lawyer, pictured), Fatal Vision (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1988-1995), and The O.C. (2005). Barry Newman (November 7, 1930 - May 11, 2023) R.I.P.
The alluring actor Treat Williams has died at age 71 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. He was known for his remarkable characters in such recognisable films as Hair (1979), 1941 (1979), Prince of the City (1981, for director Sidney Lumet), The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981), Once Upon a Time in America (1984, for director Sergio Leone), Flashpoint (1984, a highly undervalued film), Smooth Talk (1985), Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), Mulholland Falls (1996), The Phantom (1996), Deep Rising (1998), The Deep End of the Ocean (1999), 127 Hours (2010), Reaching for the Moon (2013), The Congressman (2016), and The Dougherty Gang (2023). Treat Williams (December 1, 1951 - June 12, 2023) R.I.P.
Acclaimed British stage and screen actress Glenda Jackson has died at age 87. At 18 she was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Jackson received favourable recognition from her role in a stage production of “Seperate Tables” and subsequently garnered a few modest film parts. The public took notice of her in the controversial film Marat/Sade (1967) which led to her first starring role in Negatives (1968). Her breakthrough part occurred in director Ken Russell’s excellent adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence novel Women in Love (1969), for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, an honour Jackson richly deserved. Subsequent films aided by her determined performances include The Music Lovers (1971, also for director Russell), Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971), Mary, Queen of Scots (1971), A Touch of Class (1973, another Best Actress in a Leading Role Academy Award), The Maids (1975), The Romantic Englishwoman (1975), Hedda (1975), Hopscotch (1980), The Return of the Soldier (1982), King of the Wind (1989), and The Great Escaper (2023). She also appeared in numerous stage productions including “Three Tall Women” for which she won a Tony Award in 2018 and was a British Member of Parliament from 2010 - 2015. Glenda Jackson (May 9, 1936 - June 15, 2023) R.I.P.