The End - the Classic Film Obituary thread 2021

Australian actor and comedian Reg Gorman has left us at the age of 89, on August 5th.


Perhaps best known for his roles in TV-series The Sullivans 1976 - 1983 and Neighbours 1985 - 1999, and for being one of the last active vaudeville performers in Australia.
His film credits included Ned Kelly 1970, Between Wars 1974, Alvin Rides Again 1974, The Big Steal 1990, A Cry in the Dark 1988, The Craic 1999, Dalkeith 2002, You and Your Stupid Mate 2005, The Cup 2011 and more.

He is remembered by TV Tonight AU

R.I.P. Reg Gorman

American actress Jane Withers has left us at the age of 95, on August 7th.


She began her entertainment career at the age of three and, during the Golden Age of Radio, hosted her own children's radio program in her home city of Atlanta, Georgia. In 1932, she and her mother moved to Hollywood, where she appeared as an extra in many films until landing her breakthrough role as the spoiled, obnoxious Joy Smythe opposite Shirley Temple's angelic orphan Shirley Blake in the 1934 film Bright Eyes. She made 38 films before retiring at age 21 in 1947. She returned to film and television as a character actor in the 1950's, like Giant 1956. From 1963 to 1974, she gained new popularity with her portrayal of the character "Josephine the Plumber" in a series of television commercials for Comet cleanser. In the 1990's and early 2000's, she did voice work for Disney animated films. She was interviewed in numerous documentary retrospectives of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She was also known for her philanthropy and her extensive doll collection.

She is remembered by Variety

R.I.P. Jane Withers

He is remembered by Hollywood Reporter

R.I.P. Alex Cord

American singer, guitarist, and songwriter Nanci Griffith has left us at the age of 68, on August 13th.


In 1994 she won a Grammy Award for the album "Other Voices, Other Rooms"

Her music has appeared on soundtracks.

She is remembered by Variety

R.I.P. Nanci Griffith

English actress Dilys Watling has left us at the age of 78, on August 10th.


Perhaps best known for appearing on British television (Coronation Street, The Benny Hill Show and The Two Ronnies).
She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her Broadway debut in the short-lived Georgy in 1970. It proved to be her sole Broadway credit.
She also made occasional film appearances, including roles in the comedy Two Left Feet 1963, the crime film Calculated Risk also 1963 and the horror film Theatre of Death 1967.

R.I.P. Dilys Watling

(No obituary could be found)

New Zealand-born actor Francis Mossman has left us at the age of 33, on August 16th. (suspected suicide)


He appeared in the New Zealand kids' series Amazing Extraordinary Friends 2008, and the New Zealand soap Shortland Street 2006. He also appeared in three episodes of Starz series, Spartacus: Vengeance 2012.
He starred as Stevie Hughes in The Horizon 2013-2017. He reprised his role as Stevie in the television movie The Horizon 2016, directed by Stephan Elliott. he also featured in the Australian feature film Ruben Guthrie 2015.

He is remembered by News Com AU

R.I.P. Francis Mossman

Japanese actor and martial artist Sonny Shiba (千葉 真一) has left us at the age of 82, on August 19th. (COVID-19 complications)


He was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.
His breakthrough international hit was The Street Fighter 1974 which was brought to Western audiences (dubbed in English) by New Line Cinema. The film and its sequels established him as the reigning Japanese martial arts actor in international cinema for the next two decades. It was New Line Cinema founder Robert Shaye who gave Chiba the English name "Sonny", which he would adopt as his own (mostly for non-Japanese projects) from that point on.

He acted in over 200 movies and television productions between 1959 and 2018.

He is remembered by Variety

R.I.P. Sonny Chiba