Godspeed Sonny Chiba

Sonny Chiba, the actor and martial artist who starred in such films as The Street Fighter (1974), Goglo 13: Assignment Kowloon (1977), and Samurai Reincarnation (1981), died on August 19 2021 at the age of 82. The cause was complications from COVID-19.

Sonny Chiba was born January 22 1939 in Fukoka,  Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. His father was a pilot in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. In high school Sonny Chiba participated in artistic gymnastics, track and field, baseball, and volleyball. He was also an avid movie buff, and watched such Westerns as Shane (1953) and High Noon (1954).  In 1957 he began attending the Nippon Sport Science University. Until his career was derailed by a back injury, Sonny Chiba was a serious contender for the Japanese Olympics team. While still attending university, Mr. Chiba began studying martial arts with  Kyokushin Karate master Masutatsu "Mas" Oyama.

Sonny Chiba was discovered in a talent search conducted by Toei Company. Toei gave him the stage name Chiba Shin'ichi. He began his career in 1959 in the tokusatu TV series Nana-iro kamen. In 1960 he appeared in the TV series Arâ no shisha. In the Sixties he appeared on such Japanese TV shows as JNR Inspector No. 36 and Jûdô itchokusen. He made his film debut in 1961 in Keishichô monogatari: Fuzai shômei. In the Sixties he appeared in a variety of movies, from action films to science fiction. They included such films as Fūraibō tantei: akai tani no sangek (1961 Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley), Uchû Kaisokusen (1961 Invasion of the Neptune Men),  Kamikaze yarō: Mahiru no kettō (1966 Kamikaze Man: Duel at Noon), Ōgon Batto (1966), Soshiki bôryoku  (1967), and Yakuza deka (1970).

In the Seventies, The Street Fighter (1974) brought Sonny Chiba an international audience. In the United States, the film was rated X by the MPAA Ratings Board for its extreme violence. In the U.S. he was billed as "Sonny Chiba," which would be the name he would use for most non-Japanese projects from that time forward. The Street Fighter proved successful enough to be followed by two sequels, Return of the Street Fighter (1974) and The Street Fighter's Last Revenge (1974), as well as spin-off projects such as Sister Street Fighter (1974). In addition to the Street Fighter films, Sonny Chiba also appeared in such movies as Karate Kiba (1973), The Executioner (1974), The Bullet Train (1975), Champion of Death (1975), Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon (1977), Shogun's Samurai (1978), Message from Space (1978), and Shogun's Ninja (1980).  He starred on the TV series The Bodyguard, The Gorilla Seven, The Yagyu Conspiracy, and Shadow Warriors, and appeared on such shows as Robot Detective and Crossroads.

the Eighties Sonny Chiba starred in the cult film Samurai Reincarnation (1981), as well as such movies as Fall Guy (1982), Ninja Wars (1982), Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983), and Shogun's Shadow (1989). He starred on the television shows Shadow Warriors II, Shadow Warriors III,  Shadow Warriors IV, and Shadow Warriors: The End of an Era.

In the Nineties Sonny Chiba appeared in such films as Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992), The Triple Cross (1992), Immortal Combat (1994), The Storm Riders (1998), and Born to Be King (2000). On television he starred in the shows Tokugawa Buraichō and  Terakoya Yume Shinan. In the Naughts he played Hattori Hanzō in Kill Bill Volume I (2003) and Kill Bill Volume II (2004). He also appeared in such  movies as Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (2002), Battle Royale II: Requiem (2003), Explosive City (2004), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), and Master of Thunder (2006). He starred on the TV shows Fūrin Kazan. In the Teens he appeared in such movies as Sushi Girl (2012), Take a Chance (2015), and April Fools (2015). His final film is Bond of Justice: Kizuna, currently in post-production.

Sonny Chiba is one of the most famous martial arts stars of all time, and there can be no doubt why. The style of fighting portrayed in his movies was a sharp contrast to previous martial arts on film, much more brutal. What further established Sonny Chiba as a star was that he also happened to be a very good actor. While in the United States he may be best known for such crime films as The Street Fighter, he acted in genres ranging from science fiction to  jidaigeki. Indeed, he portrayed Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi multiple times, as well as such other historical figures as  Miyamoto Musashi and even his mentor Mas Oyama. Regardless of genre, he always gave a good performance.

While Sonny Chiba played bad guys often and even his heroes could be merciless, in reality he was as far removed from his screen persona as one could get.  His agent, Timothy Beal, said of Mr. Chiba, "He was a great friend and an awesome client. Such a humble, caring and friendly man. I will surely miss him." Sonny Chiba was a true legend who changed cinema forever. His influence is still being felt to this day.

Alex Cord Passes On

Alex Cord, who starred on the TV series Airwolf and appeared frequently on television, died on August 9 2021 at the age of 88.

Alex Cord was born Alexander Viespi Jr. on May 3 1933 in Floral Park, New York. He was twelve when he caught polio. The family moved to Wyoming where he took up horseback riding. He went to New York University in New York City. He studied acting at the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut. 

Alex Cord made his television debut in an episode of Laramie in 1961. In the Sixties he guest starred on such shows as Ben Casey, Frontier Circus, Cain's Hundred, Naked City, East Side/West Side, Route 66, Branded, and Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre. He appeared in the movies The Chapman Report  (1962), Synanon (1965)  Stagecoach (19660, The Brotherhood (1968), Stiletto (1969), and The Last Grenade (1970).

In the Seventies Alex Cord starred in the short-lived series W.E.B. and the unsold pilot Genesis II. He appeared on such TV shows as Night Gallery, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Insight, The F.B.I., Police Story, Police Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Love Boat. He appeared in such movies as Chosen Survivors (1974), Inn of the Damned (1977), and Grayeagle (1977). 

In the Eighties Mr. Cord starred on the short lived show Cassie & Co. and Airwolf. He guest starred on such shows as Fantasy Island; Hotel; Murder, She Wrote; The Law and Harry McGraw; Simon & Simon; War of the Worlds; and Jake and the Fatman. 

In the Nineties Alex Cord guest starred on the shows High Sierra Search and Rescue; Kung Fu: The Legend Continues; Walker, Texas Ranger; and High Tide. He appeared in such movies as Roots of Evil (1992), CIA Code Name: Alexa (1992), and The Naked Truth (19920. His last appearance on screen was in 2009 in the movie Fire from Below.

Alex Cord was a particularly talented actor who played a variety of roles. He was the Ringo Kid in the 1966 remake of Stagecoach, Dylan Hunt in Gene Roddenberry's failed pilot Genesis II, and Archangel on Airwolf. He could play heroes as easily as he could play villains, and was as comfortable in Westerns as he was science fiction or action movies.

A Rough Past Few Days

I feel as if I have to explain why I haven't made any posts in the past few days. The simple fact is that they have not been easy. Last Thursday, August 11 2021, my brother had a massive heart attack. They put in a stent and he spent a few days in hospital. He is doing fine, although he will have to have another stent put in next Tuesday. As if that wasn't enough, my cat Malcolm has been sick. We got him some hairball medication and he seems better today. I have been worried about him. I also had two friends die recently, both from cancer. One was 82, the other was in her thirties. Suffice it to say, it has not been a particularly easy time since last Thursday.

August has never been a good month for me. It was the month that my best friend from college, Ron, died. It is also the month during which my dearest Vanessa Marquez died. It is a month I usually dread. Regardless, I do hope to get back to making posts regularly later in the week.

Godspeed Pat Hitchcock

Pat Hitchcock, the daughter of director Alfred Hitchcock and editor Alma Reville Hitchcock and an actress in her own right, died August 9 2021 at the age of 93.

Patricia Hitchcock was born on July 7 1928 in London. In 1939 the family moved to Los Angeles so her father could work in Hollywood. She was still a child when she decided that she wanted to act. She made her Broadway debut in 1942 in Solitaire. In 1944 she played the title role in Violet on Broadway. She graduated from Marymount High School in 1947. In 1949 she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She also appeared in plays on the West End and made her television debut in the TV movie The Case of Thomas Pyke on the BBC. She made her film debut in her father's movie Stage Fright in 1950. She also appeared in the movie The Mudlark (1950).

In the Fifties Miss Hitchcock appeared in her father's film Strangers on a Train (1951) as Barbara Morton, the younger sister of Anne Morton (Ruth Roman). She appeared in a bit part in The Ten Commandments (1956) and a role in her father's classic Psycho (1960). In the Fifties she made several appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents as well as her father's other series Suspicion. She also guest starred on the show Suspense, My Little Margie, Front Row Center, Screen Directors Playhouse, Matinee Theatre, The Life of Riley, and Playhouse 90. She appeared on Broadway in The High Ground in 1951.

Pat Hitchcock retired from acting to raise her children, but she appeared in the TV movies  feature film Skateboard (1978)  and in the TV movies Ladies of the Corridor and Six Characters in Search of an Author.

Following her retirement from acting, Pat Hitchcock continued to contribute to Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. She served as an executive producer on the documentary The Man on Lincoln's Nose (2000), which centred on art director Robert F. Boyle. She co-wrote a biography on her mother, Alma Hitchcock: The Woman Behind the Man, with Laurent Bouzereau.

I have always thought Pat Hitchcock was underrated as an actress. She only appeared in Stage Fright briefly, but she was memorable as an enthusiastic acting student. In Strangers on a Train Miss Hitchcock stole every scene she was in as the slightly morbid, plain spoken Barbara Morton. Beyond her appearances in films, there was also her many appearances on television. She shined in her many appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, whether as a daughter seeking her missing mother in "Into Thin Air" or a rural schoolteacher in The Belfry. I always wished Pat Hitchcock had appeared in more movies and TV shows.

Of course, Pat Hitchcock also did a wonderful job of keeping her parents' legacies alive. She regularly appeared in documentaries about her parents and gave many interviews about them over the years. And while a good deal of attention was always paid to her father, Alfred Hitchcock, Pat Hitchcock made sure her mother Alma always got attention too. As both an actress  and a living tie to film history, she was wonderful.

Godspeed Markie Post

Markie Post, who played bail bondsman Terri Michaels on The Fall Guy, public defender Christine Sullivan on Night Court, and political reporter Georgie Anne Lahti Hartman on Hearts Afire, died on August 7 2021 at the age of 70 following a three year battle with cancer.

Markie Post was born November 4 1950 in Palo Alto, California. She attended Pomona College and later Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, from which she graduated. She began her career working behind the scenes on game shows. She wrote questions for Family Feud, selected prizes for The Price is Right, and worked as an associate producer on Double Dare. She first appeared in front of the camera as one of the card dealers on Card Sharks.

Markie Post made her debut in narrative television in 1979 in an episode of CHiPs. In the late Seventies she guest starred on the shows Barnaby Jones, The Incredible Hulk, The Lazarus Syndrome, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Hart to Hart, B.J. and the Bear, House Calls, and Eight is Enough. In 1980 she appeared in her first regular role on a show, the short-lived sitcom Semi-Tough.

It was in 1982 that she began played the role of bail bondsman Terri Michaels on The Fall Guy. She remained with the show until 1985, when she joined the cast of the classic comedy Night Court as public defender Christine Sullivan. She remained with Night Court for the rest of its run. During the Eighties she guest starred on the shows The Greatest American Hero, Simon & Simon, McLain's Law, Code Red, Matt Houston, The Love Boat, Cheers, Fantasy Island, Glitter, Scene of the Crime, The A-Team, and Hotel. She appeared in the mini-series The Gangster Chronicles. Miss Post also appeared in the movie Gangster Wars.

Markie Post continued to appear on Night Court into the early Nineties. In 1992 she began a three year run on Hearts Afire. She was also a regular on the show Odd Man Out. She guest starred on the show VR.5, Dave's World, and Twice in a Lifetime. She appeared in the movie There's Something About Mary (1998). In the Naughts she guest starred on the shows The District, Scrubs, Ghost Whisperer, and 30 Rock. She appeared in the movie Cook Off! (2007).

In the Teens she was a voice on the animated series Transformer Prime. She was a regular on the short-lived series Rack and Ruin. She had recurring roles on the shows Rack and Ruin, Chicago P.D., and The Kids Are Alright. She guest starred on the shows Man Up!, Back in the Game, Santa Clarita Diet, and Soundtrack. He appeared in the movies Muffin Top: A Love Story (2017) and Sweet Sweet Summertime (2017).

I have to confess that I always had a bit of a crush on Markie Post, and it went beyond the fact that she was beautiful. She simply shined in every role she played. I have no doubt that she will always be remembered best as Christine Sullivan on Night Court. In many ways the part seemed perfect for Miss Post. Christine was honest and warm hearted, and could even be naive at times. That having been said, Markie Post played many other roles. Georgie on Hearts Afire differed a good deal from Christine. She was sassy and could be bold at times. While Christine ended to be a bit of conformist, Georgie was a bit of a rebel. Some of her roles were even further removed from Christine. In the TV movie Tricks of the Trade she played a prostitute. Markie Post was good in nearly every role she ever played.

The Late Great Jane Withers

Jane Withers, the former child star who appeared in such movies as Bright Eyes (1934) and Boy Friend (1939) and later found fame as Josephine the Plumber in commercials for Comet cleanser, died on August 7 2021 at the age of 95.

Jane Withers was born on April 12 1926 in Atlanta, Georgia. She was only four years old when she was already singing and dancing and doing celebrity impersonations. She was cast on the Saturday morning children's radio program Aunt Sally's Kiddie Revue on WGST in Atlanta. Eventually she had her own radio show, Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop.

It was when Jane Withers was six years old that her family moved to Hollywood. She modelled for department stores and played bit parts in such movies as Handle with Care (1932) and Tailspin Tommy (1934). It was in 1934 that she was cast in a supporting role in Bright Eyes. She received her first lead role with Ginger in 1935.  Her career flourished in the 1930s, as she appeared in the movies The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935), This is the Life (1935), Paddy O'Day (1935), Gentle Julia (1936), Little Miss Nobody (1936), Pepper (1936), Can This Be Dixie? (1936), The Holy Terror (1937), Angel's Holiday (1937), Wild and Wooly (1937), 45 Fathers (1937), Checkers (1937), Rascals (1938), Keep Smiling (1938), Always in Trouble (1938), The Arizona Wildcat (1939), Boy Friend (1939), Chicken Wagon Family (1939), Pack Up Your Troubles (1939), High School (1940), Shooting High (1940), Girl From Avenue A (1940), and You Will Be Served. Jane Withers would become the only child star to finish a seven year contract. It was a mark of her success that Jane Withers was heavily merchandised. There were Jane Withers dresses, jewellery, paper doll books, handbags, and more.

In the Forties Jane Withers appeared in the movies Golden Hoofs (1941), Her First Beau (1941), A Very Young Lady (1941), Young America (1942), The Mad Martindales (1942), Small Town Debs (1942), Johnny Doughboy (1942), The North Star (1943), My Best Gal (1944), Faces in the Fog (1944), Affairs of Geraldine (1946), and Danger Street (1947).  She retired not long after completing Danger Street and before her marriage.

In 1954 Jane Withers got a divorce and she returned to acting in Giant (1956). She also appeared in the movie The Heart is a Rebel (1958). Miss Withers appeared on television in The United States Steel Hour, Peck's Bad Girl, and Bachelor Father.

It was in 1963 that Jane Withers first appeared as Josephine the Plumber in commercials for Comet cleanser. She would continue to appear on the role until 1975. She appeared on television in the shows  The Aquanauts, General Electric Theatre, Pete and Gladys, Bachelor Father, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Summer Playhouse, and The Munsters. She appeared in the movies The Right Approach (1961) and Captain Newman, M.D. (1963).

In the Seventies Jane Withers appeared on television in the TV movie All Together Now, ABC Weekend Specials, and The Love Boat. In he Eighties she appeared on television in the TV show Hart to Hart. In the Nineties she appeared on the TV shows Murder, She Wrote and Amazing Grace, and provided additional voices for Mickey Mouse Works. She provided a voice for the Disney animated movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). On television in the Naughts she provided voices for the TV show House of Mouse.

Jane Withers attended the TCM Classic Film Festival multiple times. She also granted several interviews over the years.

Jane Withers was a remarkable actress, both as a child and as an adult. As a child she generally played mischievous little girls or tomboys, in sharp contrast to fellow child star Shirley Temple's sugary sweet characters. Even as a teenager she often played the smart-alecky  kid who was prone to get into trouble. As an adult she was the consummate character actress. In Giant she played Vashti Hake Snythe, the Benedicts' flamboyant neighbour who enjoyed spending the fortune she had earned from oil. In the Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode "How to Get Rid of Your Wife," Miss Withers played a wife so verbally abusive that her husband plots to get rid of her. In The Munsters episode "Pike's Pique" she played Fanny Pike, the somewhat paranoid wife of city official Borden T. Pike. Of course, she spent years playing Josephine the Plumber. Josephine was a lot like Miss Withers in real life; helpful and friendly. Jane Witheers took the role very seriously, even taking a course in plumbing.

While Jane Withers often played a brat on screen, in real life she was one of the nicest people one could meet. Starting in childhood, she had an extensive doll collection. When fans started sending the child star dolls, her parents required her to give one doll away to a needy child for every two she received. The generosity her parents taught her remained with her for the rest of her life. At the height of her career as a child star she was known to visit hospitals and orphanages. During World War II she not only took part in war bond drives, but toured military camps in the United States. Miss Withers was involved in dozens of charities. Having attended the TCM Classic Film Festival, I know several people who met Jane Withers in person. All of them have the same thing to say about her. She was one of the kindest, sweetest people one could ever meet, and gifted with a wonderful sense of humour. The height of Jane Withers's stardom may have been in the Thirties, but for many she remained a star for the entirety of her life.

Former NBC Executive Herbert Schlosser Passes On

Herbert Schlosser, a long time NBC executive who helped bring Johnny Carson to the network to host The Tonight Show and was pivotal in the development of Saturday Night Live, died yesterday, August 6 2021, at the age of 95.

Herbert Schlosser was born in Atlantic City on April 21 1926. He served in the United States Navy and afterwards studied public and international affairs at Princeton University. Two years following his graduation from Princeton in 1949, he graduated from Yale Law School. He began his career as a lawyer with a Wall Street law firm. Bored by that job, he took a job at Phillips Nizer Benjamin Krim & Ballon. Phillips Nizer Benjamin Krim & Ballon had many clients in the entertainment industry, including Charlie Chaplin, Salvador Dali, Eddie Fisher, Alan Jay Lerner, and Mae West, among others. His experience at Phillips Nizer Benjamin Krim & Ballon resulted him being hired by general counsel of California National Productions, a production subsidiary of NBC Films (itself the syndication arm of the television network NBC). He later became California National Productions' chief operating officer.

It was in 1960 that Herbert Schlosser moved to the business affairs department of NBC. It was in that position that he headed the negotiations to bring Johnny Carson from ABC over to NBC to replace Jack Paar as the host of The Tonight Show. In 1966 Mr. Schlosser was named NBC's vice president of west coast programming. In this position he was responsible for bringing more black performers to the network, including Diahann Carroll in the sitcom Julia, Flip Wilson and his variety show The Flip Wilson Show, and Redd Foxx in the sitcom Sanford and Son. He also supported Rowan & Marin's Laugh-In, often protecting the show from NBC's Broadcast Standards department and others at the network who found some of its content offensive.

In 1972 he was promoted to executive vice president at the television network. It was a year later that he became its president. In 1974 he became president of the National Broadcasting Company, the parent company of the NBC television network. In 1977 he became its chief executive. It was in 1975, when Johnny Carson said that he wanted the weekend reruns of The Tonight Show pulled, that Mr. Schlosser wrote a memo that outlined the basic idea behind Saturday Night Live (it would be televised live from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, it would be aired live, and it had to appeal to the young). 

Failing to produce a prime-time hit for NBC, Herbert Schlosser was forced out in 1978. He was then named as executive vice president of RCA, the parent company of the National Broadcasting Company. There he worked on RCA's SelectaVision videodisc project. In 1981 he was selected to head all of RCA's entertainment properties, save for NBC. In 1985 he became a senior advisor at Wertheim & Company, and the chairman of the proposed Museum of the Moving Image. 

Herbert Schlosser proved very influential in the history of American television. He was pivotal in bringing Johnny Carson to NBC for The Tonight Show. He supported the television careers of Diahann Carroll, Flip Wilson, and Redd Foxx. He championed Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and was pivotal in bringing Saturday Night Live to the air. In the history of NBC, there were only a few others who had a greater impact.