End Credits #105: Cinema's 2022 Lost Treasures James Caan, Peter Brook, Joe Turkel, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Philip Baker Hall, Ray Liotta, Vangelis, Robert Morse, Gilbert Gottfried

These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2022 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:

A huge loss to cinema lovers is actor James Caan, dead at age 82. His unique characterisations of immense persuasion, limitless vitality and total authenticity upped the engagement quotient in a wide variety of memorable motion pictures such as Lady in a Cage (1964), El Dorado (1966, alongside John Wayne), The Rain People (1969, his first film for director Francis Ford Coppola), The Godfather (1972, unforgettable as the hot-tempered Sonny Corleone, pictured), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Gambler (1974), Freebie and the Bean (1974), The Godfather Part II (1974, in a brief but highly effective flashback at the end), The Killer Elite (1975, for director Sam Peckinpah), Silent Movie (1976, a bit part as himself in Mel Brooks’ comedy), A Bridge Too Far (1977, part of an all star cast), Comes a Horseman (1978), Hide in Plain Sight (1980, also directed), Thief (1981, for director Michael Mann), Misery (1990), Bottle Rocket (1996), The Way of the Gun (1990), and Dogville (2003). James Caan (March 26, 1940 - July 6, 2022) R.I.P.

London born stage and film director Peter Brook has died at age 97. He mastered the art of theatre, opera, film and writing. Some of his distinguished Shakespeare productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company included "Love's Labour's Lost" (1946), "Measure for Measure" (1950), "Titus Andronicus" (1955), "King Lear" (1962) and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1970, for which he won a Tony Award for Best Director). Brook also won a Tony Award for “Marat/Sade” in 1966. Motion pictures that benefitted from his supreme skill as a director include Seven Days… Seven Nights aka Moderato cantabile (1960), Lord of the Flies (1963, co-adapted by Brook with the book’s author William Golding), Marat/Sade (1967), King Lear (1970, co-adapted by Brook with Paul Scofield as Lear), Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979, co-adapted by Brook), as well as the TV mini-series The Mahabharata (1989 - 1990). Peter Brook (March 21, 1925 - July 2, 2022) R.I.P.

Distinguished character actor Joe Turkel has died at age 94. He made indelible impressions in three immortal Stanley Kubrick films: The Killing (1956), Paths of Glory (1957), and The Shining (1980, pictured). Other films he enhanced considerably include Southside 1-1000 (1950), The Glass Wall (1953), The Sand Pebbles (1966), The Hindenburg (1975), and Blade Runner (1982). Joe Turkel (July 15, 1927 - June 27, 2022) R.I.P.

French superstar Jean-Louis Trintignant has died at age 91. He was an actor who could convey the most complex thought processes without saying a word. Some of his noteworthy films include …And God Created Woman (1956), Les liaisons dangereuses (1959), The Battle of Austerlitz (1960), The Seven Deadly Sins (1961), Il Sorpasso (1962), The Sleeping Car Murder (1965), A Man and a Woman (1966), Is Paris Burning? (1966), Les Biches (1968), The Great Silence (1968), Z (1969), My Night at Maud’s (1969), The Conformist (1970, pictured), Without Apparent Motive (1971), The Outside Man (1972), Les violons du bal (1974), Flic Story (1975), Confidentially Yours (1983), Under Fire (1983), A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later (1986), Three Colors: Red (1994), Amour (2012), Happy End (2017), and The Best Years of a Life (2019). Jean-Louis Trintignant (December 11, 1930 - June 17, 2022) R.I.P.

His dedication to conveying the utmost sincerity was always evident from the acting of Philip Baker Hall who died at age 90. After quite a few small roles in various movies and TV series, he received a lion’s share of attention playing Richard Nixon in director Robert Altman’s one-man show Secret Honor (1984). After more small but distinguished roles, movie goers took notice once again of his dominant personalities in the Paul Thomas Anderson features Hard Eight (1996, pictured), Boogie Nights (1997), and Magnolia (1999). Other films that benefitted from his presence include The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Rules of Engagement (2000), The Contender (2000), The Sum of All Fears (2002), Dogville (2003), Zodiac (2007), and Argo (2012). Philip Baker Hall (September 10, 1931 - June 12, 2022) R.I.P.

Actor Ray Liotta, who specialised in portraying charismatic individuals while suggesting darker feelings were brewing under the surface, has died far too soon at age 67. His breakout role occurred in Something Wild (1986). He will be most remembered for his stark portrayal of real life gangster Henry Hill in Goodfellas (1990, pictured). Other highly distinctive Liotta etched characters can be seen in Dominick and Eugene (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), Unlawful Entry (1992), Cop Land (1997), The Rat Pack (1998, a TV movie where Liotta captured Frank Sinatra’s charm and intense volatility), Hannibal (2001), Blow (2001), Narc (2002), Killing Them Softly (2012), The Iceman (2012), The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), Marriage Story (2019), and The Many Saints of Newark (2021). Ray Liotta (December 18, 1954 - May 26, 2022) R.I.P.

A pioneer in the creation of other worldly but relaxed and highly appealing ambient surrounds with the use of electronic instruments, Greek composer Vangelis, has died at age 79. His gorgeous aural tapestries are most appreciated in the films Chariots of Fire (1981) and Blade Runner (1982). Vangelis’ musical artistry also enhanced Missing (1982), The Bounty (1984), 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) and Alexander (2004) amongst others. Vangelis (March 29, 1943 - May 17, 2022) R.I.P.

Award winning stage, film and TV actor Robert Morse has died at age 90. He was perhaps best known for his portrayal of J. Pierpont Finch in both his Tony Award winning stage and film version of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967, pictured) and his role as Bertram Cooper on the TV series Mad Men (2007 - 2015). His characterisation of Truman Capote in his one-man show Tru won him a second Tony Award, a role he recreated for television in 1992’s American Playhouse. Other important films he helped immortalise include The Loved One (1965), and A Guide for the Married Man (1967). An additional TV role where Morse made a strong impression was playing Dominick Dunne in Season 1 of 2016’s American Crime Story’s "The People vs OJ Simpson." Robert Morse (May 18, 1931 – April 20, 2022) R.I.P.

Comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried has died at age 67. His best known film role was in the Disney animated hit Aladdin (1992, as "Iago," the parrot). He also appeared in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987, pictured), Look Who’s Talking Too (1990) and Problem Child (1990) as well as numerous TV series. Anyone who has watched Gilbert on one of TV’s Comedy Central “roasts,” seen his stand-up routine or an appearance as himself on TV or in a documentary such as The Aristocrats (2005), is bound to remember his outrageously distinctive “no limit” brand of acerbic humour. He also had a love for classic cinema which he shared on his highly enjoyable and informative “Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast.” This is a tragic loss of an amazingly vibrant and talented performer at such an early age. Gilbert Gottfried (February 28, 1955 - April 12, 2022) R.I.P.