Godspeed Tony Dow

Tony Dow, who played Wally on Leave It to Beaver and directed many television shows, died on July 27 2022 at the age of 77. The cause was liver cancer.

Tony Dow was born on April 13 1945 in Hollywood, California. His family had an artistic bent, so that he was exposed to art at an early age. When he was young he won several titles at swimming and diving competitions, and he even trained for the Olympics.

It was in 1957 that he was cast as Wally Cleaver on the classic sitcom Leave It to Beaver. He played the role of Beaver's older brother for the entirety of the show's run from 1957 to 1963. In the Sixties he starred on the daytime serial Never Too Young. He guest starred on the show General Hospital, The Eleventh Hour, The Greatest Show on Earth, My Three Sons, Mr. Novak, NBC Children's Theatre, Lassie, and Adam-12.  From 1965 to 1968 he served in the National Guard.

In the Seventies Tony Dow guest starred on the shows Love, American Style; The Mod Squad; Emergency!; and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. He appeared in the TV movies A Great American Tragedy and Death Scream,. He appeared in the movie The Kentucky Fried Movie.

In the Eighties Tony Dow reprised his role as Wally in the TV reunion movie Still the Beaver. Afterwards he starred as Wally in the sitcom of the same name. He guest starred on the shows Square Pegs; Quincy M.E., Knight Rider, Mike Hammer; Murder, She Wrote; The Love Boat; Jesse Hawkes; Charles in Charge; and Freddy's Nightmares. He appeared in the TV movies The Ordeal of Bill Carney and High School U.S.A. It was with Still the Beaver that Tony Dow began directing television and he directed several episodes of the show. In the Eighties he also directed episodes of The New Lassie, Coach, Swamp Thing, and Get a Life.  He appeared in the movie Back to the Beach (1987).

In the Nineties Tony Dow appeared in the TV movie The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space. He guest starred on the shows Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction and Diagnosis Murder. He directed several episodes of Coach, Swamp Thing, and Babylon 5. He also directed episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids; Crusade; Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family; and Manhattan, AZ. He also directed the TV documentary Child Stars: Their Story and produced the TV movies The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space and It Came From Outer Space II. In the Naughts he appeared in the movie Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003). In the Teens he guest starred on the TV series Suspense.

Tony Dow was also a talented sculptor. He was one of only two American sculptors whose sculptures were featured at the Carrousel du Louvre. His work was also displayed at the  Salon 2008 de la National des Beaux Arts in Paris.  His works have been displayed at he  Karen Lynne Gallery, Topanga Canyon Gallery, the Morgan Gallery, and the Bilotta Gallery.

While I am not nearly as big a fan of Leave It to Beaver as many of my generation, I always appreciated that it was the first sitcom to focus on the kids in the family rather than the parents. What is more, Tony Dow was perfect as Wally, the big brother many with they had. Of course, he played many more roles than just Wally. On Diagnosis Murder he played  a role as far from Wally as one could get, a television network executive. On Adam-12 he played a young corporal in the military whose car had been stolen. On Love, American Style he played a husband whose wife was leaving him. Over the years Tony Dow not only played Wally, but medical doctors, school principals, and motorcyclists as well.

Of course, Tony Dow also directed several hours of television. He was a very good television director and seemed to have a gift for both science fiction and comedy. His episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, "Field of Fire," is one of the best of the series.

In real life, Tony Dow was a lot like Wally, simply a nice guy. While I never got to meet Mr. Dow, I have many friends who did and they all the said same thing. He really was the big brother everyone wanted. Tony Dow was a talented actor, a talented director, a talented sculptor, and, most importantly of all, simply a good person.

The Legendary Paul Sorvino

Paul Sorvino, who appeared in such movies as Goodfellas (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), and Nixon (1995), and starred on the second and third seasons of Law & Order, died yesterday, July 25 2022, at the age of 83. He had issues with his health for the past several years.

Paul Sorvino was born on April 13 1939 in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. He was drawn to singing from when he was young, and even aspired to become an opera singer. He sang at resorts in the Catskills as a teenager. Paul Sorvino graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn.

Paul Sorvino worked as a copywriter at an advertising agency, and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. It was ultimately his asthma that lead him to pursue acting rather than a career in opera as he wanted. He later founded the Sorvino Children's Asthma Foundation. He wrote the 1985 book How to Become a Former Asthmatic. Paul Sorvino studied acting under Sanford Meisner and William Esper.

Paul Sorvino made his debut on Broadway in Bajour in 1964. In the Sixties he appeared in the Broadway productions Mating Dance and Skyscraper. He made his film debut in Carl Reiner's movie Where's Poppa? in 1970. In the Seventies Mr. Sorvino appeared in Broadway in That Championship Season and An American Millionaire. He directed the Broadway production Wheelbarrow Chasers. On television he starred on the TV shows We'll Get By and Bert D'Angelo/Superstar (a spinoff of The Streets of San Francisco). He guest starred on the shows Great Performances, The Streets of San Francisco, and Insight. He appeared in the mini-series Seventh Avenue. Paul Sorvino appeared in the films The Panic in Needle Park (1971), Cry Uncle (1971), Made for Each Other (1971), Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972), A Touch of Class (1973), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), The Gambler (1974), Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue (1974), I Will...I Will..For Now (1976), Oh God! (1977), Bloodbrothers (1978), Slow Dancing in the Big City (1978), The Brink's Job (1978), Lost and Found (1979), and Cruising (1980).

In the Eighties Paul Sorvino appeared in the films Reds (1981), Melanie (1982), I, the Jury (1982), That Championship Season (1982), Off the Wall (1983), Very Close Quarters (1984), The Stuff (1985), A Fine Mess (1986), Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter (1986), Dick Tracy (1990), Goodfellas (1990), and DMZ (1990). On television he starred on the TV show The Oldest Rookie and the mini-series Chiefs. He guest starred on the shows Today's F.B.I.; Moonlighting; and Murder, She Wrote. He appeared in the TV movies My Mother's Secret Life, With Intent to Kill, Surviving, Chiller, and Almost Partners.

In the Nineties Paul Sorvino starred on the TV shows Law & Order and That's Life. He guest starred on the TV shows Star Trek: The Next Generation and Work with Me. He was a guest voice on the animated series Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man. He appeared in the TV movies Don't Touch My Daughter, The Last Mile, A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives, Parallel Lives, Without Consent, Escape Clause, The Art of the Cigar, Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way, Houdini, That Championship Season, Cheaters, and The Thin Blue Lie. He appeared in the movies The Rocketeer (1991), Age Isn't Everything (1991), The Firm (1993), Backstreet Justice (1994), Cover Me (1995), Nixon (1995), Love is All There Is (1996), Romeo + Juliet (1996), American Pefekt (1997), Money Talks (1997), Men with Guns (1997), Most Wanted (1997), Bulworth (1998), Knock Off (1998), Dead Broke (1998), Harlem Aria (1999), Scriptfellas (1999), and The Amati Girls (2000).

In the Naughts Paul Sorvino continued to appear on the TV show That's Life. He had regular and recurring roles in the TV series Still Standing and Mogli a pezzi. He appeared in the mini-series L'onore e il rispetto. He guest starred on the shows Jack & Bobby. He appeared in the TV movies Mafia Doctor, Doc West, and Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe. He appeared in the movies Perfume (2001), See Spot Run (2001), Plan B (2001), Longshot (2001), Ciao America (2002), The Cooler (2003), Mambo Italiano (2003), Mr. 3000 (2004), Goodnight, Joseph Parker (2004), Mr. Fix It (2005), Greetings from the Shore (2007), Last Hour (2008), Carnera: The Walking Mountain (2008), Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), The Wild Stallion (2009), and Switchback (2010).  He was a voice in the animated movie Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002).

In the Teens Paul Sorvino had roles on the TV shows Bad Blood and Godfather of Harlem. He appeared in the mini-series Airship Dracula. He guest starred on the shows Elementary, The Goldbergs, Grandfathered,  and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. He provided the voice of Augustin Mouchot  in the documentary mini-series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. He appeared in the TV movies Imaginary Friend, Jersey Shore Shark Attack, and Paulie. He appeared in the movies Kill the Irishman (2011), God Don't Make the Laws (2011), The Trouble with Cali (2012), The Devil's Carnival (2012), For the Love of Money (2012), Divorce Invitation (2012), How Sweet It Is (2013), Last I Heard (2013), Immigrant (2013), A Winter Rose (2014), A Place for Heroes (2014), The Hybrids Family (2015), Careful What You Wish For (2015), No Deposit (2015), Sicilian Vampire (2015), Cold Deck (2015), Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival (2016), Kidnapped in Romania (2016), Falling (2016), The Bandit Hound (2016), Chasing Gold (2016), Detours (2016), The Bronx Bull (2016), The Brooklyn Banker (2016), The Red Maple Leaf (2016), Rules Don't Apply (2016), Lost Cat Corona (2017), Abe & Phil's Last Poker Game (2017), Undercover Grandpa (2017), Price for Freedom (2017), Executor (2017), Papa (2018), Acts of Desperation (2018), Beneath the Leaves (2019), Welcome to Acapulco (2019), Bad Impulse (2019), and Most Guys are Losers (2020). His last appearance on film was in The Birthday Cake (2021).

Paul Sorvino was a gifted tenor who not only sang on Broadway, but performed  for the New York Opera at Lincoln Center in 2006. He was also a talented sculptor. Among his works was a sculpture of playwright Jason Miller. He was also a painter.

Paul Sorvino played many gangsters and police officers in his career. Indeed, among his best known roles are gangsters Paul Cicero in Goodfelllas and Eddie Valentine in The Rocketeer. He is also known for playing Detective Phil Cerretta on the TV show Law & Order. While Paul Sorvino was very good at playing gangsters and police officers, he was such a talented actor he could play other sorts of roles with ease. He played the historical figures Henry Kissinger in Nixon and Louis C. Fraina in Reds. He was the protagonist in the TV movie A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives, playing one of the defence attorneys filling Perry Mason's shoes following the death of Raymond Burr. Over the years Paul Sorvino played everything from CEOs to a clergyman to a fashion designer to a CIA Deputy Director.

Beyond being an enormously talented actor and an incredible tenor, Paul Sorvino was also a genuinely good man. I have friends who have had the opportunity to meet him in person. Every single one of them commented on how kind and how sweet he was. I have never heard of a fan who had a bad experience meeting Paul Sorvino. His wife Dee Dee is on Twitter and has taken part in both TCMParty and Svengoolie live tweets. She would sometimes relay something Paul had said, and his niceness would shine through. Paul Sorvino was a remarkable actor, a remarkable tenor, and a remarkable man. The world seems a little dimmer without him.

The Late Great Bob Rafelson

Bob Rafelson, the co-creator of the TV series The Monkees with Bert Schneider and director of such films as Head (1968), Five Easy Pieces (1970), The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), and Mountains of the Moon (1990), died on July 23 2022 at the age of 89. The cause was lung cancer.

Bob Rafelson was born on February 21 1933 in New York City. His father, Sidney Rafelson, was a hat ribbon manufacturer. Among his cousins was screenwriter and playwright Samson Raphaelson, who wrote such Ernst Lubitsch films as The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and Heaven Can Wait (1943). He attended Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, New York. He took an interest in movies while very young, watching as many as four films a day. He left home when he was only a teenager. For a time he was a rodeo rider, as well as a jazz musician in Acapulco. It was the latter job that would serve as some of the inspiration for the TV show The Monkees. He studied philosophy at Dartmouth College before being drafted into the United States Army. In the Army he served as a disc jockey in Japan. There he also translated Japanese films into English and served as an advisor to  Shochiku Film Company. In Japan he developed an interest in Japanese cinema, particularly the movies of  Yasujirō Ozu.

Once his service in the Army was over, Bob Rafelson returned to the United States. He broke into television as a script editor on the Play of the Week episode "Burning Bright" in 1959. In the same year he served as a script editor on the TV movie The World of Sholom Aleichem. He also wrote several episodes of Play of the Week. From 1960 to 1961 he served as a story editor on David Susskind's television series as a story editor on The Witness. He also wrote one episode of the show. In the Sixties he moved to Hollywood where he went to work for Universal. He served as an associate producer on the TV shows The Greatest Show on Earth and Channing before leaving Universal over a disagreement with  Lew Wasserman. He also wrote one episode of The Greatest Show on Earth.

It was in 1965, while Bob Rafelson was working at Screen Gems, that he and Bert Schneider formed Raybert Productions. Messrs. Rafelson and Schneider created the TV show The Monkees, based in part on Mr. Rafelson's experiences in Mexico as a jazz musician and The Beatles' movies A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965). While The Monkees only received moderate ratings, the TV show and the band both became phenomena in the mid to late Sixties, with success on the record charts and a good deal of merchandise.In addition to producing The Monkees, he also directed and wrote episodes. Bob Rafelson made his feature film directorial debut with The Monkees' movie Head (1968). Bob Rafelson served as a producer on the film Easy Rider (1969). He produced and directed the movie Five Easy Pieces (1970).  It was after Easy Rider came out that Raybert Productions became BBS Productions with the addition of Stephen Blauner as a partner.

In the Seventies Bob Rafelson served as a producer on the movies The Last Picture Show (1971), The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), La maman et la putain (1973), and Stay Hungry (1976). He directed the film The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) and Stay Hungry (1976). In the Eighties he produced and directed the film The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981). He directed the films Black Widow (1987) and Mountains of the Moon (1990).

In the Nineties Bob Rafelson directed the movies Man Trouble (1992) and Blood and Wine (1996). He directed the segment "Wet" for the movie Tales of Erotica (1996). He also directed an episode of the TV show Picture Windows and the TV movie Poodle Springs. In the Naughts he directed the film No Good Deed (2002). He directed the TV documentary Afterthoughts.

I cannot estimate the impact that Bob Rafelson has had on my life. As the co-creator of The Monkees, I can truly say my life would be very different if Bob Rafelson had never existed. As much as I owe to Bob Rafelson for the creation of The Monkees, I know that it was far from his only achievement. Quite simply, Bob Rafelson directed some of my favourite movies, including Head, Five Easy Pieces, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) and Mountains of the Moon. As a director he was versatile. His films ranged from the virtually plotless, freewheeling Head to the drama The King of Marvin Gardens to the neo-noir Black Widow to the Sir Richard Francis Burton historical epic Mountains of the Moon. What is more, Bob Rafelson never conformed to what the major studios thought a film should be. He made movies his own way, even when it meant clashing with the Hollywood establishment. As both the co-creator of The Monkees and a movie director who leaves behind a considerable legacy.

The Late Great Alan Grant

Comic book writer Alan Grant, who worked on such features as Judge Dredd and Batman, died on July 20 2022 at the age of 73. He had been ill for some time.

Alan Grant was born on February 9 1949 in Bristol, England. He was only one year old when his family moved to Newtongrange, Midlothian, Scotland. He attended Newtongrange Primary School and Dalkeith High School. He worked at a bank for a short time before answering an ad for trainee journalists in the local newspaper.

Alan Grant became an editor at DC Thompson, the company that publishes The Beano, The Dandy, Commando, and other comic magazines. He later returned to college and worked a number of odd jobs before encountering fellow comics writer and DC Thompson veteran John Wagner. John Wagner was working for IPC on the launch of a new science fiction comics magazine 2000 AD. John Wagner asked Alan Grant to help him with a Tarzan comic.

John Wagner later asked Alan Grant to contribute work to IPC's short-lived science fiction comics magazine Starlord (not to be confused with the Marvel Comics character). This eventually led to Alan Grant obtaining an editorial position on 2000 AD. Alan Grant would later work with John Wagner on such features for 2000 AD  as Ace Trucking Co., Robo-Hunter, Strontium Dog, and Judge Dredd. In addition to 2000 AD, Alan Grant also wrote IPC's revival of Eagle. There he worked on such features as Doomlord, Joe Soap, The House of Daemon, and so on.

It was in the late Eighties that Alan Grant did his first work for DC Comics in the United States. With John Wagner he wrote the limited series Outcasts, published from October 1987 to September 1988. The two of them then began writing for the character Batman beginning with Detective Comics no. 583 (February 1988). They introduced such characters as The Ventriloquist and The Ratcatcher. It was after about twelve issues that the partnership between Alan Grant and John Wagner dissolved, after which Alan Grant wrote the character of Batman on his own. It was in 1989 that he introduced the character of Anarky in Detective Comics no. 608 (November 1989). In the Nineties Alan Grant continued to work on various Batman titles, as well as on such titles at DC Comics as Lobo, L.E.G.I.O.N., The Demon, and Catwoman, among others. It was in the pages of Batman: Shadow of the Bat that he introduced the villain Victor Szsasz and the character of Jeremiah Arkham.

While writing for DC Comics, Alan Grant continued to write for other companies. With John Wagner he wrote the four issue adventures series The Last American. Reportedly it was The Last American, along with the "Chopper" storyline in Judge Dredd, that led to the dissolution of the partnership between John Wagner and Alan Grant. The two divided the strips upon which they worked between them. John Wagner kept Judge Dredd and Alan grant kept Judge Anderson and Strontium Dog. They would later work together on some special projects, such as Judgement on Gotham, a Batman/Judge Dredd crossover. One of these projects was The Bogie Man, which was published independently after DC Comics refused it. He also worked on the British comic Toxic! and served as a consultant on Judge Dredd Magazine. For Toxic! he wrote such features as Makabre, Garbage Man,

Among Alan Grant's work beyond 2000 AD  and DC Comics were "Doctor Who: Invaders From Gantac" in Doctor Who Magazine issues no. 148 to 150; The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad for the British Marvel magazine Strip; The Bogie Man; Psychonauts (for Epic Comics); Jeremiah Harm(for Boom! Studios); LEGO Rock Raiders: High Adventure, Deep Underground; The Dead (Kingdom of Flies) for Berserker Comics; and Church of Hell for Berserker Comics.

Alan Grant and his wife Sue organized the annual Moniaive Comics Festival. In 2020 he helped his fellow residents of Moniaive, Dumfries and Galloway, produce a comic, Moniaive Fights Back, about life during the COVID-19 pandemic. All proceeds went to a financial recovery fund for the village, called Revitalise Moniaive.

Alan Grant was one of my favourite comic books writers of all time. He had a gift for staying loyal to well-established characters, such as Batman, while at the same time writing about them in ways that were starkly novel. His characters, whether they were ones he had created (such as Anarky or long-running characters like Batman or the Legion of Superheroes, were always four-dimensional with personalities all their own. Mr. Grant had a particular talent for often cynical satire, which was often on  display in his work on Judge Dredd.  He was well known for nurturing young talent and has even been credited with discovering Alan Moore. Alan Grant has had a lasting influence on both British and American comic books that will be continued to be felt for years to come. He was certainly a great talent.

"(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" by Elvis Costello

In some ways this July has felt more like January to me. Okay, the temperatures are hardly like January. It has been overly hot even for Missouri in July. Even so, having eulogized individuals on this blog for the past 18 years, it seems to me that January is the month when more people (at least celebrities) die than any other. This year might be the exception. I swear more people have died this July than usual. Most of my posts this month have been eulogies and I still have at leat two more to write. Today, I have decided to take a break and post something different.

It was 45 years ago today that Elvis Costello's debut album, My Aim is True, was released in the United Kingdom. The album would prove to be successful, going to no. 14 on the UK albums chart. It was also critically acclaimed and has since been come considered a classic. The Third single from My Aim is True is "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes." The song didn't chart in the United Kingdom or the United States, but it remains one of my favourite Elvis Costello songs. I love its Byrds-inspired sound and its subject matter is unusual

Gregory Itzin Passes On

Gregory Itzin, who had regular or recurring roles on such TV shows as Murder One, 24, The Mentalist, and Covert Affairs, died on July 8 2022 at the age of 74. The cause was complications during an emergency surgery.

Gregory Itzin was born on April 20 1948 in Washington, DC. When he was in sixth grade his family moved to Burlington, Washington. He studied acting at he American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.

Gregory Itzlin made his television debut in an uncredited role as a White House Tour Guide in the miniseries Backstairs at the White House in 1979. That same year he guest starred on the TV shows Mork & Mindy and Charlie's Angels. He made his film debut in 1980 in Airplane!

In the Eighties Gregory Itzlin was a regular on the short-lived sitcom The Nutt House. He guest starred on the shows Fame, Lou Grant, American Playhouse, Voyagers!, Street Hawk, Falcon Crest, Santa Barbara, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Dallas, Tales from the Darkside, Hunter, Hill Street Blues, Hotel, The A-Team, Easy Street, MacGyver, St. Elsewhere, Outlaws, Max Headroom, Frank's Place, 21 Jump Street, A Year in the Life, Something is Out There, Knot's Landing, Jesse Hawkes, Murphy Brown, Anything But Love, Head of the Class, Coach, and Over My Dead Body. In the Eighties he appeared in the movies The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), Hard to Hold (1984), Teen Wolf (1985), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), and Dad (1989).

In the Nineties Gregory Itzin had recurring and regular roles on the shows Eerie, Indiana; Something Wilder; Murder One; and Strip Mall. He guest starred on the shows Gabriel's Fire; Jake and the Fireman; Dark Justice; DEA; Night Court; FBI: The Untold Stories; Homefront; Davis Rules; Bodies of Evidence; Empty Nest; Civil Wars; Beverly Hills, 90120; Matlock; Major Dad; Shaky Ground; Quantum Leap; L.A. Law; Dave's World; Picket Fences; The Client; Strange Luck; Murder, She Wrote; ER; Chicago Hope; Arli$$; Diagnosis Murder; The Pretender; Millennium; JAG; Players; Suddenly Susan; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; The Closer; C-16: FBI; Any Day Now; Brother's Keeper; Caroline in the City; V.I.P.; Party of Five; Wasteland; Early Edition; It's Like You Know...; Family Law; Beggars and Choosers; Profiler; Bull; Star Trek: Voyager; and The Michael Richards Show.He appeared in the movies Young Goodman Brow(1993), Born to Be Wild (1995), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Fly Boy (1999), Making Contact (1999), What's Cooking? (1999), and Boy's Life 3 (2000).

In the Naughts Gregory Itzin starred as President Charles Logan on 24. He guest starred on the shows Wolf Lake, Philly, The West Wing, For the People, Firefly, NYPD Blue, NCIS, Without a Trace, The Lyon's Den, The Practice, Friends, Medical Investigation, The O.C., Crossing Jordan, Judging Amy, Star Trek: Enterprise, Boston Legal, Robot Chicken, Medium, and Hannah Montana. He appeared in the movies Evolution (2001), Original Sin (2001), Life or Something Like It (2002), Igby Goes Down (2002), Adaptation. (2002), I Know Who Killed Me (2007), Float (2008), Law Abiding Citizen (2009), The Job (2009), and Autopilot (2010).

In the Teens Gregory Itzin continued to appear on 24. He also had recurring or regular roles on the shows Big Love, The Mentalist, Covert Affairs, and Mob City. He guest starred on the TV shows Desperate Housewives, Once Upon a Time, Hawaii Five-0, Code Black, The Resident, and NCIS. He appeared in the mini-series Stay Filthy, Cali, and America 2.0. He appeared in the movies L.A., I Hate You (2011), The Change-Up (2011), The Ides of March (2011), Lincoln (2012), Small Time (2014), Sensitivity Training (2016), Ice: The Movie (2018), and Dark, Deadly & Dreadful (2018).

Gregory Itzin was a versatile actor who played everything from regular roles on TV show to guest roles that lasted only a few minutes. He played a variety of authority figures. In addition to President Logan on 24 and Senator Dwyer on Big Love, he was Mayor Winston Chisel on Eerie, Indiana; Magistrate Higgins in the Firefly episode "Jaynestown;" and District Attorney Garfield on Murder One. Whether the authority figures were corrupt (as President Logan on 24 was) or honest, he played all of them well. Of course, Gregory Itzin played a wide variety of other sorts of roles. In the Quantum Leap episode, "Memphis Melody: July 3, 1954," he played Sam Phillips, the founder and owner of Sun Records. In the Night Court episode "Where There's a Will, There's a Tony: Part 2," he was a mugger. He was a burn doctor in the ER episode "The Healers." Over the years Gregory Itzin played many roles. What is more he played them well.

Godspeeed Manny Charlton, Formerly of Nazareth

Manny Charlton, the former lead guitarist of Nazareth, died on July 5 2022 at the age of 80.

Manny Charlton was born on July 25 1941 in La Línea, Andalusia, Spain. He was only two when his family migrated to Dunfermline, Scotland. When he was young he played in such bands as The Mark 5 and The Red Hawks. In 1968 Manny Charlton joined the Dunfermline band The Shadettes. After the departure of various members reduced the band to a quartet, The Shadettes renamed themselves "Nazareth." The name was taken from the first line of "The Weight" by The Band, "I pulled into Nazareth, feelin’ ’bout half past dead."

Nazareth moved from Scotland to London in 1970. They signed to Pegasus Records and their eponymous debut album was released in 1971. Nazareth's first two albums failed to chart, but their third album, Razamanaz, peaked at no. 11 on the UK album chart and no. 157 on the Billboard album chart. Nazareth would have success with singles in the United Kingdom early in their career. Their single "Bad Bad Boy," from the album  album Razamanaz, went to no. 10 o the UK singles chart. Their cover of Joni Mitchell's "This Flight Tonight" peaked at no. 11

It was with their sixth album, Hair of the Dog, that Nazareth would have their biggest hit in the United States. The album went to no. 17 on the Billboard album chart. A single from the album, a cover of The Everly Brothers' "Love Hurts," went to no. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single performed even better elsewhere, going to no. 1 in Canada, South Africa, and the Netherlands.

Nazareth would never repeat the success of Hair of the Dog in the United States, but the band continued to be popular, releasing several more albums and continuing to tour. Manny Charlton remained with the band, both as its lead guitarist and as a producer on their albums starting with their fifth album Rampant.  He also served as a producer for several other artists, including fellow Nazareth member Dan McCafferty's solo work, Steelheart, Marseille, Vic Vergeat, and Guns 'n' Roses' debut album, Appetite for Destruction, among others.

Manny Charlton left Nazareth in 1990. In 1991 he moved to Texas where he formed The Manny Charlton Band. The band released two albums Stonkin and Klone This and disbanded in 2003. A new incarnation of The Manny Charlton Band released the album Hellacious in 2012. Manny Charlton released his first solo album, Drool, in 1999. He would release eight more solo albums. He also recorded albums  with From Behind (Game Over in 2006) and  The Fluffy Jackets (Fighting Demons in 2014 and Something for Nothing in 2019).

There can be no doubt that Manny Charlton was responsible for much of the success of Nazareth, both as a producer and as their lead guitarist. His lead guitar had the sound of the blues and certainly set Nazareth apart from other hard rock bands. Manny Charlton could make a guitar create any emotion he wanted. Indeed, despair is evident in Manny Charlton's guitar solo on "Love Hurts." Few guitarists had the skill that Manny Charlton displayed throughout his career.