Advanced search

Richard Hunt did not have a face known to many -- his voice was known more than anything else. He was a major stronghold behind Jim Henson's "Muppets". 'Scooter', 'Janice', 'Sweetums' and a few others, were some of the "Muppets" that Richard was a performer and puppeteer of. He helped pave the way for Jim Henson and his company from the 1970s through the early 90s, until his surprising death in 1992 of AIDS.

Budapest-born Endre Marton began in the film industry as an editor and assistant director with Vita and Sascha Films in Vienna. Following a brief sojourn in Hollywood with Ernst Lubitsch in 1923, he returned to Germany, having being signed as chief editor by the Tobis company. He made his directorial debut with an independently produced British mystery, Dreary House (1928). As a Jew, he was one of many talented film makers forced to flee Germany after the Nazis rose to power.

Marton had spent much of his youth in the Tyrolean Alps, nurturing an adventurous spirit and developing a fondness for spectacular mountain scenery and skiing. This was certainly a contributing factor to his being hired by MGM, initially to direct the ski sequences for Greta Garbo's Two-Faced Woman (1941). Later, his work was increasingly typified by outdoor adventure subjects, like The Wild North (1952), Green Fire (1954) and Storm Over Tibet (1952) (a remake of his earlier effort Der Dämon des Himalaya (1935), a Swiss production shot on location in Tibet). Taking risks was always inherent in Marton's preoccupation with achieving suspense and an authentic feel for location. For instance, during the filming for 'The Wild North' in Sun Valley, Idaho, he and actor Stewart Granger fell into an icy crevice and were trapped there for more than two hours. One of his more prestigious assignments came about by chance, when he was tasked with replacing Compton Bennett as director of King Solomon's Mines (1950), after the latter had been taken ill.

His chief claim to fame, however, lay in some excellent work as second-unit director, notably in charge of the chariot race for William Wyler's Ben-Hur (1959), as well as of the Normandy invasion sequences for the World War II epic The Longest Day (1962). After his contract with MGM expired in 1954, Marton founded his own production company in conjunction with fellow Hungarian émigrés Ivan Tors and Laslo Benedek. He later concentrated on TV adventure series, helming the pilots, respectively for Daktari (1966) and Cowboy in Africa (1967).

Jhean Burton was born on 18 May 1928 in Michigan, USA. She was an actress, known for A Bucket of Blood (1959), Peter Gunn (1958) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955). She was married to Ned Glass. She died on 7 January 1992 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Daniele Vargas was born on 20 April 1922 in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was an actor, known for Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959), Invincible Masked Rider (1963) and The Arena (1974). He died on 7 January 1992 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

David Lindup was born on 10 May 1928 in East Preston, Sussex, England, UK. He was a composer, known for Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982), The Full Monty (1997) and Lord of the Flies (1990). He was married to Nadia Cattouse. He died on 7 January 1992 in Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK.

Rózsi Csikós was born on 11 November 1917 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]. She was an actress, known for Sprung ins Glück (1937), Bakaruhában (1957) and Filléres gyors (1932). She was married to Szabolcs Fényes. She died on 7 January 1992 in Budapest, Hungary.

Hranislav Rasic was born on 7 August 1931 in Nis, Serbia, Yugoslavia. He was an actor, known for Koze (1982), Sunce tudjeg neba (1968) and Miris dunja (1982). He died on 7 January 1992 in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Gerhard Mensching, Ph.D. was born 1932 in Riga, Latvia as a member of the Baltic-German minority. His father Gustav Mensching (1901-1978) was a well-known German professor of religious studies who teached in Riga and Bonn (Germany). Gerhard Mensching received a doctors degree in German studies and taught Literature for over 20 years as a senior lecturer at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (University of Bochum). His seminars in creative writing became very famous.

At the same time he was an internationally recognized puppeteer and wrote numerous children's books, stage plays, radio plays and novels. In 1989 he was the first award-winner of the "Literaturpreis der Bonner LESE". He also performed as an actor and director on stage. The TV Series Lemmi und die Schmöker (1973) was the result of his tireless efforts to make children and young people familiar with literature. It made his voice popular to most of the German children who grew up in the 70s. In 1992 he died unexpectedly.

Antonis Vogiazos was born on 10 October 1930 in Thessaloniki, Greece. He was a director and writer, known for Yashamaq gözäldir, qardashim! (1966), To theatro tis Defteras (1970) and Variant 'Omega' (1975). He died on 7 January 1992.

Sammy Gervon was born on 21 September 1904. He was an actor, known for The Radio Detective (1926) and Perils of the Wild (1925). He died on 7 January 1992 in Los Angeles, California, USA.