Director Sidney Lumet has passed away of lymphoma at his home in Manhattan; he was 86.  Lumet earned himself four Oscar nominations for Best Director, he directed classics like Dog Day Afternoon, Network, 12 Angry Men and Serpico.

Although his films never won him a Best Director award, he was given an honorary Academy Award in 2005.  One of the best films of 2007 was Lumet’s last, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead.

He leaves behind a legacy of movies and influence that generations of filmmakers and goers will admire forever.

Elizabeth Taylor died earlier this morning of heart failure, she was 79. Taylor had been hospitalized since February.  Elizabeth Taylor is one of the most legendary actresses in  history, notable roles include A Place in the Sun, Giant, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Cleopatra, and she won the Best Actress Award for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.  Taylor made her silver screen debut as a 10-year-old in There’s One Born Every Minute.

I have seen a few Elizabeth Taylor films, and there is one word I’m sure we will hear more than a few times in the coming days, and rightfully so, and that is glamour.  Taylor was no stranger to the Hollywood life off-screen with a varied taste in romance and jewelry.  She was the first actress to earn a seven-figure salary (Cleopatra, 1963).

Taylor was well-known for her charitable work as well, she was an advocate in the fight against AIDS, Taylor was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy in 1992.

Taylor’s publicist says she was “surrounded by her children — Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton” this morning.  The actress died “peacefully” from congestive heart failure, “a condition with which she had struggled with for many years.” The rep adds, “Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home.  Sadly, this was not to be.”

I’ve been through it all, baby, I’m mother courage.
Elizabeth Taylor (February 27 1932 – March 23 2011)

Michael Gough, the actor who played Alfred the butler in four Batman movies has died at the age of 94.  Gough’s resume is a long one and includes  Top Secret! and Out of Africa.  Like many people of my generation, I will always remember Gough as Alfred.  He is survived by his wife Henrietta Gough.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Pete Postlethwaite (1946-2011)

Pete Postlethwaite has died at the age of 64; he passed on Sunday after a lengthy battle with cancer.  Most people know his face from many great roles; he’s definitely one of those “that guy” actors.  He gained an Oscar nomination for his role as the father of Daniel Day-Lewis‘s character in the 1993 In the Name of the Father.  More recently he played the owner of a flower shop in Ben Affleck’s The Town.  Also last year in Inception, he was the dying father to Cillian Murphy’s character.

Steven Spielberg directed Postlewaite in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad had once called him “the best actor in the world.” Pete Postlethwaite is survived by his wife Jacqui and two children Will, 21, and daughter Lily, 14. [source]

Leslie Nielsen (1926-2010)

The great Leslie Nielsen [his wiki] died today of complications of pneumonia, he passed in hospital with his wife at his side. He was 84.

Nielsen is probably best remembered as Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun series and Dr. Rumack in Airplane. His career spans over 60 years in TV, film and stage.  He was a funny man, I didn’t realize I had so many of his movies until a few night ago cleaning out the DVD shelf. A Naked Gun-athon is certainly in order.  Not a lot of people I talk to remember Repossessed (clip below) but it’s a classic.

Ted Striker: Surely you can’t be serious.
Rumack: I am serious…and don’t call me Shirley.

You will be missed sir, thank you for the laughs. [source]

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

1936 – 2010

Dennis Hopper died at his home in Venice, CA today at the age of 74.  Dennis had been battling prostate cancer for quite some time.  One of Dennis’ friends said he was surrounded by his family when he died at 8:15 this morning.  I will remember Dennis for so many great performances like  his roles in Rebel Without a Cause, Easy Rider, Speed, Blue Velvet, Hoosiers, which might be the best sports movie ever made.  Feel free to share your thoughts below, and have a cold one for Dennis.

Click here to view the embedded video.

1952-2009

Celebrity Armageddon continues to take the wrong people. Patrick Swayze died today after a long battle with cancer. He was 57.  Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2008. His publicist says he died with his family at his side.  He was the star of such movies as Ghost, Dirty Dancing, and Road House. [TMZ]

I just watched the chippendale skit from when SNL was funny and it should be no insult to Swayze that I think it’s the best thing he ever did.  Thank you sir.  Jump for Swayze’s contribution to music from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.

Click here to view the embedded video.

1950-2009

John Hughes, the writer/director of Curly Sue (1991), Uncle Buck (1989), She’s Having a Baby (1988), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Weird Science (1985), The Breakfast Club (1985), Sixteen Candles (1984) has died of a heart attack at the age of 59. [TMZ]  Hughes died this morning in NYC after suffering a heart attack while on a morning walk. John was in NYC to visit with his family.

That 80′s feeling was always around thanks to his endless stream of classics, just the other day I watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for the twentieth time and added it to the MFMDB where it belongs.  We won’t forget about you Mr. Hughes.

John Hughes Remembered By Molly Ringwald, Fellow Brat Packers.

Click here to view the embedded video.