Bochner Dead; My Mom, And My Unborn Son Fine

From the Associated Press, by way of Variety Online (of course, as always italics mine)...


Lloyd Bochner
Actor

Actor Lloyd Bochner, best known for his roles as Cecil Colby on "Dynasty" and in the classic "To Serve Man" episode of "The Twilight Zone," died Oct. 29 of cancer in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 81.

A memorial service will be held Nov. 10 at the Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles.

Bochner's career in television and film spanned more than five decades. He was a character actor who "almost always played a suave, handsome, wealthy villain," said his son, Paul Bochner.

Bochner began his career on the radio in his native Ontario, Canada when he was 11. He went on to perform on stage and screen, earning two Liberty Awards, Canada's top acting honor.

He started working in New York in 1951and moved to Los Angeles in 1960 to co-star in the television series, "Hong Kong."

In 1963, Bochner starred as a government cryptographer in "The Twilight Zone""The Twilight Zone" episode "To Serve Man," which TV Guide ranks No. 11 in its "100 Greatest TV Episodes of All Time."

He also appeared in such films as "The Detective" and "Tony Rome," both with Frank Sinatra, and "The Night Walker" with Barbara Stanwyck. Other films included "The Man in the Glass Booth," "Point Blank""Point Blank" and "Naked Gun 33 1/3."

His television work included appearances in "Columbo," "Mission: Impossible," "McCloud," "Wild, Wild West," "Battlestar Galactica""Battlestar Galactica" and "Designing Women."

In 1998 he co-founded the Committee to End Violence to address the impact of violence in TV and movies on popular culture. Bochner was also active in the Association of Canadian Radio and Television Artists.

In addition to his son Paul, he is survived by his wife, Ruth; son Hart, an actor, and a daughter, Johanna Courtleigh.

Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Date in print: Thurs., Nov. 3, 2005

This is another actor I met at the "Stars Of The Twilight Zone" convention a few years ago. He very graciously turned me down for an interview after my pitch started tailspinning during the "and,uhm, we'll have to find a place to tape it, I guess. Unless we could do it at your house, maybe?" part.

Because I'm a cool customer, let me tell you, pally.

Anyway, I've been a fan of his since seeing the Twilight Zone episode he was in, and also his weaselly pre-the word "yuppie" yuppie gangster character in "Point Blank", a film I've mentioned previously as being on fi-yah.

Mr. Bochner seemed like a very nice, very classy guy.

My Mom is still trying to get a FEMA trailer...

...but otherwise she is alright. If you have any influence with this organization, please get them to move their keisters a little faster than the EIGHT MONTHS WAITING PERIOD that my mother has been told is the norm for a trailer right now. It'd probably give her some peace and let her have more time to concentrate on her Orlando Bloom crush she has been developing.

It will be a boy in the future...

... I meant to mention this a few weeks ago, but we got Future Child ultra-sounded and by golly, I will have a super healthy superspy-boy for a progeny in February! Very exciting and now if I could just stop buying books and dvd's he won't possibly be able to watch before he's 3 and start purchasing clothes and changing tables instead, I think my wife will be more appreciative of my enthusiasm.

Current Faves...

1) Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here"- if you must listen to one seventies art-rock concept album, might I suggest one that Tower Records isn't slamming down your throats all of the time? This one has my favorite sound effect on a rock record("But what are 'records'?" you ask. "Much larger, more delicate cd's", I reply. "And what is a 'cd'?" you query. "Can it, Socrates." I cleverly counter) ever. It is the effect of the music going into a car radio, the radio station switching around, finding another station which has the next track on the album playing, then the music coming out of the radio. Trippy.

2) Other music in my car-
a)The Dean Martin Live 100th anniversary of Las Vegas edition CD. You can never have
enough live Dean.
b)Sweet Charity (Original Broadway Cast) CD. The one with Gwen Verdon, for purists
(freaks) like myself.

3)Good Night And Good Luck- The movie that capitalizes on the promise David Straitharn (sp.?) showed in "Sneakers". Also, George Clooney.

4)The Good Thief- Nick Nolte should always play heroin-addicted master thieves. And he does.

5)The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp- Great Micheal Powell/Emeric Pressburg film. Watch everything these guys have done, but specifically this one made me cry. Because I'm a big girl.

6)Things I'm looking out for in the future-
a)Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire- The book of this made me cry. See above.
b)Walk The Line- Joaquin Phoenix holds the guitar just like Johnny Cash. Reese Witherspoon
looks and sounds a whole lot better than June Carter Cash. I can't wait to see this.
c)Syriana- Alexander Fiddig capitalizes on the promise he showed in "Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine". Also, George Clooney.
d)King Kong- Possibly the most important film of the year.


It's hard to blog when...

... you have spyware, pop-ups ads, and spend most of your time clearing out blog comment-spam, but I'll try to be a little better about it in the future.

Hope all five of you are well.