Notable Showbiz Deaths of 2018

A talented character actor known for his military roles, Ronald Lee Ermey was in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps, after he served 14 months in Vietnam and later did two tours in Okinawa, Japan. After injuries forced him to retire from the Corps, he moved to the Phillipines, enrolling in the University of Manila, where he studied Criminology and Drama. He appeared in several Filipino films before being cast as a helicopter pilot in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979). Due to his Vietnam experiences, Coppola also utilized him as a technical adviser. He got a featured role in Sidney J. Furie's The Boys in Company C (1978), playing a drill instructor. Ermey worked with Furie again in Purple Hearts (1984).

However, his most famous (or infamous) role came as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987), for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He did win the best supporting actor award from The Boston Society of Film Critics. Since then, he has appeared in numerous character roles in such films as Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Se7en (1995) and Dead Man Walking (1995). However, Ermey prefers comedy to drama, and has a comedic role in Saving Silverman (2001).

Vittorio Taviani studied law at the University of Pisa, becoming interested in the cinema after seeing Roberto Rossellini's Paisan (1946). After writing and directing short films and plays with his brother Paolo, he made his first feature in 1962. The brothers have continued to work together ever since, with each directing alternate scenes with the other watching but never interfering.

Choi Eun-hie was born on 20 November 1926 in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea. She was an actress and director, known for The Girl Raised as a Future Daughter-in-law (1965), Uijeok Iljimae (1961) and Bam-ui tae-yang (1948). She was married to Shin Sang-ok. She died on 16 April 2018 in Seoul, South Korea.

Harry Anderson was born on 14 October 1952 in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Night Court (1984), It (1990) and Tales from the Crypt (1989). He was married to Elizabeth Morgan and Leslie Pollack. He died on 16 April 2018 in Asheville, North Carolina, USA.

Pamela Gidley was born on July 11, 1965, in Methuen, Massachusetts, and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire. Pamela was the only girl among four older brothers. After high school, she moved to New York and was discovered by a modeling agent while walking down a Manhattan street and soon afterward she won the Wilhemina Modeling Agency's "Most Beautiful Girl In The World" contest on March 12, 1985 in Sydney, Australia.

As her modeling career took off, she studied acting at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts under Stella Adler and eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.

Dona Ivone Lara was born on 13 April 1921 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was an actress and composer, known for A Força do Xangô (1977), Woman on Top (2000) and Caso Verdade (1983). She was married to Oscar Costa. She died on 16 April 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Carl Kasell was born on 2 April 1934 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA. He was an actor, known for Alice Jacobs Is Dead (2009), The Simpsons (1989) and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! (1998). He was married to Mary Ann Foster and Clara de Zorzi. He died on 17 April 2018 in Potomac, Maryland, USA.

Randy Scruggs was born on 3 August 1953 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for All Good Things (2010), Fire Down Below (1997) and Broken Bridges (2006). He was married to Sandy. He died on 17 April 2018 in the USA.

Gerard Baldwin was born on 7 January 1929 in New York City, New York, USA. Gerard was a director and producer, known for The Smurfs (1981), My Smurfy Valentine (1983) and The Smurfic Games (1983). Gerard was married to Frances Novier and Pat. Gerard died on 18 April 2018 in Houston, Texas, USA.

Lubbock colorist Omar Godinez began his career as a film colorist in 1983 in Dallas, TX. He built a solid reputation color grading national and regional commercials.

In 2005, Omar fulfilled his dream of owning his own shop. He opened Colour Cafe in Austin, TX.

He focused on documentaries, features and shorts. He was the first professional independent colorist in Texas to offer non-linear file-based color grading. Recognized as a hotbed for HD indie-filmmaking, Austin was the perfect market to start his business.

Based in Lubbock since 2015, Colour Cafe provides a state of the art color grading suite.

Omar is well known for his collaboration with filmmakers in Texas and the Southwest as a colorist. His passion for his craft has contributed to the success of countless projects over the years.

Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). There, he held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship (WWWF Heavyweight Championship during his second reign) for more than 11 years (4,040 days) across two reigns, the first of which is the longest single reign in the promotion's history at 2,803 days. He is overall a two-time world champion in professional wrestling.

Dubbed "The Italian Strongman" and "The Strongest Man in the World" early in his career, Sammartino later earned the title "The Living Legend". Known for his powerful bear-hug finishing move, he is widely regarded as the greatest professional wrestler of all time. Sammartino became a vocal critic of the drug use and raunchier story-lines that became prevalent in the professional wrestling industry after his retirement but he reconciled with WWE in 2013 and headlined their Hall of Fame ceremony that year. Terry Funk commented that Sammartino "was bigger than wrestling itself".

Dale Winton was born on 22 May 1955 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Trainspotting (1996), French and Saunders (1987) and The Other Half (1997). He died on 18 April 2018 in Whetstone, London, England, UK.

Pepe Mediavilla was born on 1 May 1940 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He was an actor, known for Don Quixote (1992), El crimen no es rentable (1965) and Mazinger Z (1972). He died on 19 April 2018 in Spain.

Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ and producer who worked on live concerts. In 2011, his single ''Levels'' was on the 100 billboard chart. He was also known for ''Hey Brother''. He sometimes appeared on Radio 1's Pete Tong show. He was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and died in Muscat, Oman.

Studied at Alleyn's school in London obtaining 'A' levels in English, French, and German.. Chose acting as a profession as he found it more enjoyable and easier than studying. Won a scholarship to R.A,D.A although his parents disapproved. Spent 2 years doing National Service in the army becoming a 2nd lieutenant in the Royal Artillery by the time he was demobbed. He then joined the Liverpool Repertory appearing in 'The Diary of Anne Frank', 'Look Back in Anger' got a 3 year contract with H.M.Tennant touring England in various plays then joined the Old Vic taking the lead in 'Romeo and Juliet' directed by Franco Zeffirelli which was a big success. He then went to Hollywood where he was offered a number of 7 year contracts which he thought would have been too restrictive and not lead anywhere. He then went on Broadway signing again with Zeffirelli for 'Lady of the Camellias' which only ran for 10 days. He returned to England to star in 'The Ides of March' with John Gielgud which was seen by Laurence Olivier who asked him to join the National Theatre Company for 4 years. After that he moved to television making the pilot and 45 episodes of 'The Main Chance which shot him to fame.

Nelson Pereira dos Santos was born on 22 October 1928 in São Paulo, Brazil. He was a director and writer, known for Memórias do Cárcere (1984), O Amuleto de Ogum (1974) and Barren Lives (1963). He was married to Ivelise Ferreira. He died on 21 April 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Desmond Saunders was known for his work on Prescription For Murder (1958), Floods of Fear (1958), So Evil So Young (1961), Thunderbirds (1964-1965), Stingray (1965), Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1966), Joe 90 (1968), The Secret Service (1969), Voyage of The Damned (1972), Invaders From The Deep (1981) and Terrahawks (1983-1985).

With a decades-long career as an actor and stuntman, Verne Troyer was best known for playing "Mini-Me," Dr. Evil's smaller and more concentrated pure evil protégé, in the hit comedies Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), and for his role in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001). Troyer, born in Sturgis, Michigan, had always dreamed of getting into showbiz. Shortly after his high school graduation in 1987, he moved with some friends to Arlington, Texas, where, in 1993, he got his first break as a stunt double for a 9-month-old baby on the film Baby's Day Out (1994). In his early years of film and television work, he often portrayed animals or small children.

Demeter Bitenc was born on 21 July 1922 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia. He was an actor and production manager, known for Slom (1979), The War Boy (1985) and Holiday in St. Tropez (1964). He died on 22 April 2018 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Norman Rosemont was born on 12 December 1924 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and executive, known for The Secret Garden (1987), CBS Summer Playhouse (1987) and All Quiet on the Western Front (1979). He died on 22 April 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.

Bob Dorough was born on 12 December 1923 in Cherry Hill, Arkansas, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Schoolhouse Rock! (1973), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and The Iron Giant (1999). He was married to Sally Shanley, Ruth Corine Meinert and Jacqueline Wright. He died on 23 April 2018 in Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania, USA.

Arthur B. Rubinstein was born on 31 March 1938 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was a composer, known for Stakeout (1987), WarGames (1983) and Nick of Time (1995). He was married to Barbara Ferris. He died on 23 April 2018 in the USA.

Shukhrat Abbasov is a Soviet and Uzbek film director, screenwriter, film actor, teacher. People's Artist of the USSR. In 1949 he graduated from the Tashkent Medical College, in 1954 - the directing department of the Tashkent State Institute of Theater Arts named after Aleksandr Ostrovskiy, in 1958 - Higher directing courses at Mosfilm. In 1954-1956 - chief director of the Tashkent Regional Music and Drama Theater. From 1958 to 1991 - director of the Uzbekfilm film studio, in 1982-1986 - its director. In 1996-2001 - first deputy chairman of the board of the Union of Cinematographers of Uzbekistan.

London-born Michael Anderson began his career in films as an office boy at Elstree studios. By 1938, he had progressed up the ladder to become assistant director for distinguished film makers Noël Coward, David Lean and Anthony Asquith. Shortly after, during wartime with the Royal Signals Corps (Army Kinematograph Service), Anderson made the acquaintance of Peter Ustinov. Upon demobilisation, the 24-year old up-and-coming director secured the release from the military of his 'favourite corporal' and mentor to work as first assistant on Secret Flight (1946) and Vice Versa (1948). For Ustinov's third venture, Private Angelo (1949), Anderson both co-directed and co-wrote the screenplay, but the picture that first put him on the map was to be the patriotic wartime drama The Dam Busters (1955), based on true events. Britain's most successful film of 1955, in turn, led to Anderson being hired by Mike Todd to direct the all-star blockbuster Around the World in 80 Days (1956). A hugely popular box-office hit and winner of five Academy Awards, it elevated Anderson into the realm of more ambitious international productions.

His strong visual style -- in no small way complemented by a fruitful and long-standing collaboration with the cinematographer Erwin Hillier -- became ideally suited for suspenseful thrillers and action subjects like Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958), the sub-Hitchcockian psychological whodunnit The Naked Edge (1961) or the underrated maritime drama The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959) (based on a novel by Hammond Innes and originally intended for Alfred Hitchcock who went on to do North by Northwest (1959) instead). Another little gem is the intricately plotted spy thriller The Quiller Memorandum (1966), tautly directed and noteworthy for supremely well captured Berlin exteriors (a familiarity which stemmed from Anderson having spent some of his early childhood in Berlin and Hillier having worked at Ufa in the 20s before collaborating on Fritz Lang's classic thriller M (1931)). According to Hillier, Anderson also had a reputation for being "superb at handling actors". This is reflected in his films which have often featured big name stars like Gary Cooper, Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier or Alec Guinness.

Moving into science fiction, Anderson made style triumph over content with his (for the time) expensively made dystopian thriller Logan's Run (1976). Though not a big success with critics, the picture won at the box office and helped MGM out of its financial doldrums. Also in this genre, but with less distinction, Anderson directed Millennium (1989) and a miniseries, The Martian Chronicles (1980). A foray into the world of comic strip heroes, Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975), proved to be one of his rare failures. His more recent work of note has included the Gemini Award-winning TV movie Young Catherine (1991), based on the early life of Russia's Catherine the Great. Vanessa Redgrave, who played Empress Elizabeth, was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy in the Supporting Actress category.

In 1957, Anderson received the Silver Medallion for outstanding work from the Screen Director's Guild of America and was in 2012 also honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of Canada. A Canadian resident since the 1970s, Anderson passed away at his home on the Canadian Sunshine Coast in British Columbia on April 25 2018 at the age of 98.

Edith MacArthur was born on 8 March 1926 in Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland, UK. She was an actress, known for Rob Roy (1977), Sunset Song (1971) and The Omega Factor (1979). She died on 25 April 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.