Charles de Lauzirika's In Memoriam Video

Many people, particularly classic film buffs, were both disappointed and angered by the In Memoriam segment that aired during the telecast of the Oscars ceremony last Sunday. Omitted were several big names, including Julie Adams, Mary Carlisle, Carol Channing, Stanley Donen, Aretha Franklin, Dick Miller, and many others. Despite a petition that eventually surpassed 10,000 signatures, as well as many phone calls and letters, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences still did not include my beloved Vanessa Marquez. Despite all the well known actors, actresses, directors, writers, and cinematographers omitted from the In Memoriam segment, the Academy somehow still had time to include publicists and agents that even the majority of people in the auditorium that night had probably never heard of.

Among those who missed many in the In Memoriam segment last Sunday was filmmaker Charles de Lauzirika, who created his own In Memoriam video during lunch. Featured in Mr. Lauzirika's video are many that the Academy missed, including Carol Channing, Kaye Ballard, Sondra Locke, Julie Adams, Donald Moffat, Dick Miller, Stanley Donen, and many others. While I don't think Mr. Lauzirika realised that my dearest Vanessa was possibly the world's biggest Star Wars fan, I like that she appears right before Gary Kurtz, who produced both Star Wars (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980). I know that would make her very happy.

Mr. Lauzirika posted the video to Twitter on February 25 and has also shared it elsewhere. For those of you who would like for it to be uploaded to YouTube, he replied to me in a tweet that he is considering that, but he would like to add even more names before he does so! Anyhow, many, including myself, are very grateful for this In Memoriam video, which everyone regards as superior to the one that the Academy created.

Without further ado, here is Charles de Lauzirika's In Memoriam video.

I, and others, missed some talented people in last night’s #Oscar In Memoriam, so I whipped this up over lunch today. Apologies if I, too, missed anyone. pic.twitter.com/nKNpVY3Jee

— Charles de Lauzirika (@Lauzirika) February 25, 2019