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Priscilla Pointer, the co-founder of the San Francisco Actor’s Workshop and a theater, TV and film actress who often played memorable mothers — especially to her daughter Amy Irving — died Monday in her sleep at age 100, according to family.

Pointer’s most prominent work over her eight-decade career includes roles in Carrie, Blue Velvet, The Onion Field, The Falcon and the Snowman, Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Dallas.

In 1947, she met and married director Jules Irving. The duo, along with Herbert Blau, were among the founders of the San Francisco Actor’s Workshop, which played a seminal part in the modern theater movement in America. A local independent professional theater troupe, the Actor’s Workshop became the first theater group outside of New York City to sign an “Off Broadway” Equity agreement. It was also the first professional theater on the West Coast to premiere modern American classics such as Arthur Miller...

Priscilla Pointer, the character actress who portrayed Amy Irving’s mother in the Brian De Palma horror classic Carrie, then appeared with her daughter in six other movies, has died. She was 100.

Pointer died Monday at an assisted living facility in Ridgefield, Connecticut, her son, writer-director David Irving, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Pointer also portrayed Diane Keaton’s mom in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Sean Penn’s in The Falcon and the Snowman (1985) and Kyle MacLachlan’s in Blue Velvet (1986), and on television, she was Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, the mother of Victoria Principal’s character, on CBS’ Dallas in the early 1980s.

Pointer also appeared with Irving in Honeysuckle Rose (1980), The Competition (1980), Blake Edwards’ Micki + Maude (1984), Rumpelstiltskin (1987) — which was directed by her son — A Show of Force (1990) and Carried Away (1996).

In the 1960s and ’70s, Pointer worked on Broadway with the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center company under the direction of her first husband,...

Before Matthew Modine played Dr. Martin Brenner in Stranger Things, he starred as Louden Swain in the iconic movie Vision Quest. The film, based on Terry Davis' novel, follows Louden as he tries to both further his high school wrestling career and find personal enlightenment. It has become a cult classic, and is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025.

Modine joined Cbr to talk about what aspect of the movie he didn't think worked back in 1985 -- and how he looks back on the film differently now. He also spoke about why he believes Vision Quest is still so popular today. Plus, find out why he gives Stranger Things credit for keeping Louden Swain's story alive.

Cbr: In looking back at Vision Quest today, does the movie look any different to you now than it did back then? Is there any aspect of the film you appreciate more?

Matthew Modine: What...

Joseph Wambaugh, the writer who mined his years as a Los Angeles Police Department patrolman for a series of bestselling crime books including The Onion Field, The New Centurions, The Blue Knight and The Glitter Dome, and whose literary works were adapted for feature films and television series, died today of esophageal cancer at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 88.

His death was reported to The New York Times by a Wambaugh family friend.

In 1971, eleven years after joining the LAPD, Wambaugh saw his first novel, The New Centurions, published by Little, Brown and Co. The story of rookie LAPD cops in the early 1960s became his first bestseller and, the following year, the first movie based on his work. The film adaptation starred George C. Scott and Stacy Keach.

The New Centurions novel was followed by a string of police novels, including 1972’s The Blue Knight (later...

Joseph Wambaugh, whose experience as an LAPD officer enabled him to bring a warts-and-all realism to his novels about policing and the movies and TV shows like “Police Story,” died Friday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 88.

The cause was esophageal cancer, a family friend told the New York Times.

Wambaugh’s work in novels such as “The New Centurions,” “The Blue Knight” “The Choirboys” and best seller “The Onion Field” rendered the flat, idealized portrait of the Los Angeles Police Dept. presented in “Dragnet” and “Adam-12” permanently outdated, and yet cops felt they understood him and got the way they talked, and they remained among his biggest fans over the course of his career as a novelist.

A highlight of Wambaugh’s relationship with Hollywood was the Harold Becker-directed feature “The Onion Field” (1979), with Wambaugh penning the screenplay based on his own true-crime novel. The book had faithfully...

Joseph Wambaugh, who turned his experiences from 14 years with the Los Angeles Police Department into such gritty books as The Onion Field, The New Centurions, The Blue Knight and The Glitter Dome — all adapted for the screen — died Friday. He was 88.

Wambaugh, who also co-created the acclaimed 1970s anthology series Police Story for NBC, died at his home in Rancho Mirage of esophageal cancer, longtime family friend Janene Gant told The New York Times.

Wambaugh, who joined the LAPD as a patrolman in 1960, made a splash with his debut novel, The New Centurions, a sweeping tale that followed three young LAPD officers during a five-year period that led to the 1965 Watts riots. Published by Little, Brown and Co. in 1971, it was a hit, remaining on The New York Times Best Seller List for 32 weeks.

In his review for the Times, Thomas Fleming wrote: “Do you like cops? Read The New Centurions.

Netflix's A Man on the Inside surrounds Cheers star Ted Danson with a talented cast of veteran actors. Set in a retirement community, the show follows Charles, a widower and retired professor who decides to answer an ad for a private detective. Excited to try something new, Charles goes undercover in a retirement home in San Francisco to help search for a family heirloom that has been stolen from one of the residents, meeting new friends and gaining a new perspective along the way.

A Man on the Inside stars many film and television veterans that fans will recognize from their previous projects, speaking highly of the comedic and dramatic chops the cast brings to the production. Alongside a well-known and talented cast, A Man on the Inside comes from creator Mike Schur. Schur is known as a producer and writer of The Office, a co-creator of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine,...

Actor Charles Cyphers, well known to horror fans for his role in the Halloween franchise, has passed away. He was 85 years old.

Per Variety, Cyphers passed away on Sunday following a brief illness in Tucson, Arizona. Addressing the actor's death, his manager Chris Roe said in a statement, "Charles was a lovable and sensitive man. He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance while he told you. He was a close friend and client of many years who will be dearly missed.

Cyphers may be best known for appearing in several John Carpenter movies. That famously includes his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in the original Halloween film released in 1978. Cyphers had previously appeared in Carpenter's 1976 film Assault on Precinct 13. After Halloween, Cyphers would reunite with Carpenter for 1980's The Fog and 1981's Escape From New York.

He was an early and frequent collaborator with me on my early movies,...

Charles Cyphers, who played Sheriff Leigh Brackett opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in three Halloween movies, performances that spanned a remarkable 43 years, has died. He was 85.

Cyphers died Sunday in Tucson, Arizona, after a brief illness, his manager, Chris Roe, announced.

“Charles was an incredibly lovable and sensitive man,” Roe said in a statement. “He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance while he told you them. He was a close friend and client for over 20 years.”

In addition to Halloween (1978), Cyphers appeared in five other projects from writer-director John Carpenter: Assault on Precinct 13 (1976); the 1978 and 1979 telefilms Somebody’s Watching Me! and Elvis; The Fog (1980) and Escape From New York (1981).

“He was an early and frequent collaborator with me on my early movies,” Carpenter wrote on Twitter. “A kind man, he was a friend. I shall miss him.”

Charles Cyphers has passed away. He was an...

Charles Cyphers, best known for his role as Leigh Brackett in the Halloween films, died Sunday, August 4 from a brief illness in Tucson, Az, his manager Chris Roe confirmed to Deadline. He was 85.

“Charles was a lovable and sensitive man,” Roe said in a statement. “He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance while he told you. He was a close friend and client of many years who will be dearly missed.”

“His family asks for privacy at this time,” Roe added. “Details on a celebration of life ceremony will happen at a date and location to be determined.”

Cyphers worked extensively with Halloween‘s John Carpenter, first in the 1976 action film Assault on Precinct 13, in which he played Starker, one of the ill-fated police officers gunned down by gang members. He next appeared in Carpenter’s 1980 horror film The Fog, playing Dan O’Bannon, and...

Charles Cyphers, known for his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in the “Halloween” franchise, died from a brief illness in Tucson, Ariz., on Sunday, his manager Chris Roe announced. He was 85.

“Charles was a lovable and sensitive man,” Roe said in a statement shared with Variety. “He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance while he told you. He was a close friend and client on many years who will be dearly missed.”

Cyphers first played Sheriff Brackett in John Carpenter’s 1978 horror film “Halloween,” starring Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie in her film debut. He reprised his role in the 1981 sequel “Halloween II” and 2021’s “Halloween Kills.”

Cyphers initially worked with Carpenter on the 1976 action film “Assault on Precinct 13,” in which he played Starker, a police officer. After the original “Halloween,” he appeared in the filmmaker’s 1980 horror pic “The Fog” and 1981 film “Escape From New York.

It's constantly worth remembering that the actors from our favorite TV shows and long-running entertainment franchises aren't often fans before they become involved. "Star Trek" is a good example. While many of the actors involved in "Star Trek" may well be aware of the breadth and cultural presence of the franchise, few of them were Trekkies going in. This, I feel, is wholly appropriate. A non-Trekkie actor will more effectively look at their character as a whole person and not necessarily as a cog in a decades-old machine. Patrick Stewart, for instance, famously had to ask his kids what "Star Trek" was all about before he auditioned to play Jean-Luc Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." 

John de Lancie, who plays the trickster god Q on "Next Generation," and who reprised his role in "Star Trek: Picard," was also not paying any attention to the world of "Star Trek...

Walter Coblenz, the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated producer behind All the President’s Men and nearly two dozen other titles, died on March 16, aged 93. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Born in Germany in 1928, Coblenz claimed his first and only Oscar nom in 1977 for the aforementioned Alan J. Pakula film, which was up for Best Picture and seven other awards, winning four including Best Supporting Actor, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Art Direction-Set Decoration and Sound. Coblenz’s nomination came three years after he landed an Emmy nom for his work on NBC’s limited series The Blue Knight.

Over the course of his career, he also produced such titles as Her Majesty, Money Talks, The Babe, 18 Again!, For Keeps?, Sister, Sister, SpaceCamp, Strange Invaders, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, The Onion Field and The Candidate, along with a number of TV movies.

Coblenz...

Walter Coblenz, the Oscar-nominated producer behind “All the President’s Men” and the Emmy-nominated limited series “The Blue Knight,” has died. He was 93.

Coblenz, who served as the senior vice president of Tristar Pictures and Carolco Pictures, oversaw productions on such titles as “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “The Natural,” “Places in the Heart” and more. His other notable credits include “The Candidate,” “The Onion Field,” “Money Talks,” “The Legend of the Lone Ranger” and “Her Majesty.”

He garnered an Emmy nomination for producing the drama miniseries “The Blue Knight,” about a veteran Los Angeles cop.

Coblenz died March 16, his son said in a statement.

Beginning his career in Hollywood as a stage manager for “The Jerry Lewis Show” and “The Hollywood Palace,” Coblenz later served as an assistant director on the series “Daktari” and Robert Redford and Gene Hackman-starring sports drama “Downhill Racer.” He later reunited with Redford on “All the President’s Men,...

Walter Coblenz, who was Oscar-nominated for producing “All the President’s Men” and also produced “The Candidate” and “The Onion Field,” died March 16. He was 93.

Coblenz also produced the Emmy-nominated Joseph Wambaugh TV mini-series adaptation “The Blue Knight.”

After serving as assistant director and production manager on Robert Redford’s “Downhill Racer,” he went on to work with Redford on “The Candidate” and “All the Presidents Men,” which racked up eight Oscar nominations and four wins.

Coblenz served as Sr. V.P. of production at both Tri-Star Pictures and Carolco Pictures, where he oversaw production on films including “The Natural.” “Places in the Heart,” “Terminator 2,” “The Doors” and “Rambling Rose.”

His other producing credits include “Money Talks,” “Her Majesty,” “The Babe” and “18 Again.”

Born in Germany, Koblenz came to the U.S. as a child and graduated from the University of Houston. He began his career as a camera...

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By Chris Wade

Of all the actors to emerge in the 1970s, there are few, if any, as captivating, unpredictable and exciting as James Woods. He began the decade, and his on screen career for that matter, for legendary director Elia Kazan in The Visitors (1972), and in the next few years established himself as one of American film's most promising young performers. He turned up as villains in such classic TV shows as Kojak and Streets of San Francisco, but he also appeared in some major 70s movies too, such as 1973's The Way We Were, Arthur Penn's Night Movies (1975) and The Gambler (1975). But it was his performance in The Onion Field (1979) which really signalled his arrival, as the sociopathic cop killer Greg Powell. The film, based on Joseph Wambaugh's best-selling non-fiction book, was a critical smash and earned Woods his first wave of acclaim.

The July lineup at The Criterion Channel has been revealed, most notably featuring the new Wong Kar Wai restorations from the recent box set release, including As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, 2046, and his shorts Hua yang de nian hua and The Hand.

Also among the lineup is a series on neo-noir with Body Double, Manhunter, Thief, The Last Seduction, Cutter’s Way, Brick, Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and more. The channel will also feature a spotlight on art-house animation with work by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more.

With Jodie Mack’s delightful The Grand Bizarre, the landmark doc Hoop Dreams, Orson Welles’ take on Othello, the recent Oscar entries Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time and You Will Die at Twenty, and much more,...

Richard Herd, an instantly recognizable character actor who recurred as Mr. Wilhelm on Seinfeld and appeared in All the President’s Men, The China Syndrome and several Star Trek projects, among many other credits, died Tuesday in Los Angeles of cancer complications. He was 87.

Herd’s death was announced by his wife, actress Patricia Crowder Herd.

Herd is probably best known to TV audiences for his role as Mr. Wilhelm on Seinfeld, George Costanza’s New York Yankees boss who in one memorable episode is recruited by a religious cult (1996’s “The Checks”) and in another (1995’s “The Hot Tub”) is convinced George is cracking under the stress of the Big Leagues. Herd appeared in 11 Seinfeld episodes during it last four seasons, including the finale.

Herd appeared as the leader of the Watergate burglars in 1976’s All the President’s Men and as the duplicitous nuclear power plant boss in 1979’s The China Syndrome.

Richard Herd, a character actor best known for his role as Mr. Wilhelm on “Seinfeld,” has died at the age of 87.

A representative told TheWrap that Herd died of cancer-related causes at his home in Los Angeles with his family present.

Herd recurred throughout several seasons of the sitcom as Mr. Wilhelm, supervisor to Jason Alexander’s George Costanza during his time as an employee of the New York Yankees. He appeared alongside the show’s caricature of former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who was voiced by Larry David.

Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2020 (Photos)

Herd also starred in the original “V” miniseries in 1983 as John, the leader of the alien Visitors who come to occupy Earth. He later reprised the role in the 1984 sequel “V: The Final Battle.” His other TV credits include recurring roles on “seaQuest Dsv” and “Star Trek: Voyager,” as well as a series regular...

Veteran character actor Richard Herd, best known for portraying Mr. Wilhelm on “Seinfeld,” died on Tuesday at his Los Angeles home of complications from cancer. He was 87.

The Boston native broke into show business as a stage actor in New York. He made his film debut in 1970’s “Hercules in New York.” Herd was hired as Richard Long’s replacement for the part of Watergate burglar James McCord in Alan J. Pakula’s “All the President’s Men.”

Herd’s big-screen credits included “The China Syndrome” (1979) “F.I.S.T.” (1979), “The Onion Field” (1979), “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987) and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” (1997). He portrayed Supreme Commander John in the 1983 NBC miniseries “V” and its sequel; the Klingon L’Kor on “Star Trek: The Next Generation”; Admiral William Noyce on “seaQuest 2032”; and Admiral Owen Paris on “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Renegades.”

Herd made 11 appearances on “Seinfeld” as Mr.

This four part, eight hour miniseries turns the fate of a family of German Jews into a sprawling drama that covers all the bases of the holocaust horror. It was strong stuff and a big Emmy winner, boosting the careers of James Woods and Michael Moriarty. His warped charisma as a psychotic Nazi is so good that he’s consistently more interesting than the courageous victims. As for Meryl Streep, she became an instant star — everybody remembered her from this. Although it’s been called ‘The Holocaust for Dummies,’ it’s a quality show. Looking from today’s perspective, after forty years of Political Correctness adjustments, I’m not sure any two viewers will react in quite the same way.

Holocaust

Blu-ray

CBS Television Studio / Paramount

1978 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 7 hours, 36 min. / Street Date September 24, 2019 / 43.19

Starring: James Woods, Meryl Streep, Michael Moriarty, Joseph Bottoms, Rosemary Harris, Fritz Weaver, Tovah Feldshuh, Deborah Norton,...

Joseph Wambaugh’s breakthrough novel went through a blender to fit George C. Scott into the narrative, but it’s still a great cop show with terrific work from Stacy Keach and Scott Wilson, not to mention Jane Alexander and Rosalind Cash. The pro-cop agenda has a definite tone of personal experience, and the grim finish is anything but feel-good puffery.

The New Centurions

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date March 20, 2018 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95

Starring: George C. Scott, Stacy Keach, Jane Alexander, Scott Wilson, Rosalind Cash, Erik Estrada, Clifton James, James Sikking, Isabel Sanford, Carol Speed, William Atherton, Ed Lauter, Dolph Sweet, Stefan Gierasch, Roger E. Mosley, Pepe Serna, Kitten Natividad.

Cinematography: Ralph Woolsey

Film Editor: Robert C. Jones

Production Design: Boris Leven

Original Music: Quincy Jones

Written by Stirling Silliphant, Robert Towne (uncredited) from the book by Joseph Wambaugh

Produced by Robert Chartoff,...

Richard Venture, the prolific character actor who lent gravitas to the best picture Oscar nominees All the President's Men, Missing and Scent of a Woman and dozens of other films and TV shows, has died. He was 94.

Venture died Dec. 19 in Chester, Connecticut, his daughter Rebecca told The Hollywood Reporter.

Venture was especially memorable as Peter Sellers' valet in Hal Ashby's Being There (1979) and as a cop who commits suicide in Steve McQueen's final film, The Hunter (1980).

His body of work also includes roles in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972), The Greatest (1977), Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), The Onion Field (1979), Touch and Go (1986), Heartbreak Ridge (1986), The Sicilian (1987), Courage Under...

The 1987 film River’s Edge was never bound for awards stages or mainstream acceptance; rather, it was an ugly, off-kilter investigation into numb, detached teenagers, the kind of flick you discovered on VHS and showed to every kid in your junior class. The story of high school kids who decide to do nothing when they discover a friend killed his girlfriend, the film depicted burnt-out, pre-grunge youth that contrasted wildly with the bubblegum teens seen in Hollywood during that era. Roger Ebert called it “the best analytical film about a crime since The Onion Field and In Cold Blood.”

It’s not quite as powerful as its legacy may suggest—it’s sloppily written, heavy-handed, and tonally inconsistent—but it remains striking for its bleakness and a smattering of bizarre, unhinged performances from Crispin Glover, Daniel Roebuck, and Dennis Hopper.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the film ...

This week on Off The Shelf, Ryan is joined by Brian Saur to take a look at the new DVD and Blu-ray releases for the week of June 16th, 2015, and chat about some follow-up and home video news.

Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.

Episode Links & Notes Follow-up Unopened movies Christopher Lee News Thunderbean: Willie Whopper Blu-ray Pre-order Criterion September Line-up Scream Factory to release Army Of Darkness, Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood Arrow Video: Zardoz, The Mutilator, Requiescant, The Firemen’s Ball, Closely Watched Trains, Hard To Be A God, Society Masters Of Cinema / Eureka: The Skull Warner Bros. Hammer Horror Blu-ray Box Set Warner Bros Special Effects Boxset (Them!, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young) Sony to release The Last Dragon on Blu-ray Scorpion: Burn Witch Burn Kino Cartoon Classics Announced Kl Studio Classics F/X 2 and The Challenge Universal to put out...

1979 is our "Year of the Month" and this post was way way too much fun to research. Before the main course of the Supporting Actress Smackdown (pushed to June 7th), let's marinate a little in the year that was. 

original print ad for Kramer vs. Kramer (available on eBay)

Jackie Earle Haley, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Christopher, and Daniel Stern broke out via "Breaking Away"

Best Movies According To...

Oscar: Kramer vs Kramer*, All That Jazz, Apocalypse Now, Breaking Away, and Norma Rae were the best pictures nominees but they also loved La Cage Aux Folles, The China Syndrome, Manhattan, Being There and The Black Stallion

Golden Globe: (drama) Kramer vs Kramer*, Apocalypse Now, The China Syndrome, Manhattan and Norma Rae (comedy)  Breaking Away*, Being There, Hair, The Rose, and 10

Cannes: Apocalypse Now And All That Jazz (Glenn discussed this odd consecutive Oscar-adjacent business)

Box Office: 1) Kramer vs. Kramer 2) The Amityville Horror...

The cops of Southland sign off this Wednesday (TNT, 10/9c) with an intense season — or is it series? — finale.

If this is the bubble show’s last year on the beat, the police drama is going out big with “42 minutes of crisis,” previews Michael Cudlitz.

Below, TVLine talks to the actor about his Officer Cooper’s recent trauma, how it’ll impact him going forward and why the season ender will satisfy and aggravate viewers.

Related | 2013 TV Shows — Renewed or Cancelled?

Tvline | Last week’s episode was so harrowing. How physically and emotionally daunting was it to film?

It was very physically draining.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Gene Siskel and I fought like cats and dogs, and we made some good television.

During those early years for "Sneak Previews" our favorite occupation was dreaming up "special editions" which were sort of like the "think pieces" we wrote for our papers.

I hadn't seen those shows for years, but it turns out they were safely slumbering in the vaults of Wttw/Chicago, our public television station. Starting Friday, we're going to be airing the best of those old shows on "Ebert Presents At The Movies."

Our favorite special edition was titled "Going to the Movies with a Critic." The idea was to follow the process of reviewing a single movie from beginning to end. The show opens with Gene and me receiving a call from John Iltis, then (and now) a Chicago movie publicist. It was...

Ted Danson has an impressive body of dramatic work on his resume, from "The Onion Field" and "Body Heat" in his early days to "Damages" in recent years. Still, he'll always be identified first for his comedy work, and the "CSI" team is counting on him to help add a lighter touch to the show as it enters its 12th season with him as the new lead. At the start of the "CSI" press tour panel, showrunner Carol Mendelsohn introduced a brief clip featuring Danson's character, Db Russell, cheering up a traumatized little boy with a silly magic act, and she...

Shout! Factory will release the first season of the revered 1970s television show Police Story on September 6 in a six-disc DVD set. It marks the TV series’s home entertainment debut.

The Police Story: Season One DVD will carry the list price of $39.97.

Don Meredith (l.) and Tony Lo Bianco are two of many stars of Police Story.

Created by ex-cop-turned-bestselling-author Joseph Wambaugh (The Onion Field), Police Story was broadcast for five seasons on NBC from 1973 to 1978. An anthology series detailing the lives of Lapd officers via a collection of realistic and drama-filled crime stories, Police Story had no regular cast, with each show featuring different stars each week. There was, however, a rotating acting ensemble of performers who popped up regularly, including James Farentino (Jesus Of Nazareth), Tony Lo Bianco (Kill the Irishman), Don Meredith (TV’s NFL Monday Night Football), Vic Morrow (Combat!), and Laraine Stephens (TV...

Character actor Michael Pataki has lost his battle with cancer, aged 72.

Pataki, an accomplished voiceover actor, film and television star, died on 15 April. The type of cancer was not specified.

His film credits include Rocky IV, the villains in Grave of the Vampire and Airport '77, The Onion Field, The Dirt Gang, The Baby and The Bat People.

Pataki also made a guest appearance on the original Star Trek TV series, and enjoyed other small screen roles on shows including The Twilight Zone, My Favorite Martian, The Flying Nun, Bonanza, The Green Hornet and The Amazing Spider-Man series.

He also provided the voice of the Sewer King in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series and cartoon character, George Liquor for the Ren and Stimpy production house.

Director Harold Becker.

Digging up The Onion Field with Harold Becker

by Jon Zelazny

On January 27th, 2010, Gregory Ulus Powell went before a parole board at The Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, California. Powell has been serving a suspended death sentence for the 1963 kidnapping of Lapd officers Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger, and the murder of Campbell.

The crime was the subject of L.A. cop-turned-author Joseph Wambaugh’s 1974 non-fiction bestseller, The Onion Field. Five years later the movie appeared, directed by Bronx native Harold Becker, who went on to popular hits like Taps (1981), Sea of Love (1989) and Malice (1993).

With Greg Powell back in the news, I met with Becker at his office in Beverly Hills.

Harold Becker: The Onion Field was my big break. I had made one feature film in England, The Ragman’s Daughter (1972). It was well received over there, but didn’t really cut through here.

On October 24th, The Terror Film Festival Claw Awards took place at the Ethical Society Building on the famous Rittenhouse Square of Philadelphia.

The 4th season brought in the most astounding talent from all over the USA, as well as, the world. The assemblage of fans, filmmakers, screenwriters, and industry professionals, waited in anticipation, and all bets were on, as the illustrious Claw and the beautiful Princess Horror stood onstage, envelopes in hand, to present the coveted awards.

And the winners are...

Evil Angel - A steamy and heart-pounding story based on the ancient myth of Lilith, the first wife of Adam, who has roamed the Earth for centuries as a sexy and seductive villainous, and proudly holds the title of the world’s first serial killer. Written and directed by the iconoclastic Richard Dutcher of Utah, the film garnered several awards, such as, Best Feature Film, Best Original Music...