Notable Passings

...I'll leave it to others to remember the comedic performances of the late Leslie Nielsen, who passed away Sunday at the age of 84.

For me, Nielsen was the handsome young lead in FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956) and Disney's TV classic THE SWAMP FOX, which is available on DVD in the Disney Treasures series.

Here's a fabulous photo of Nielsen at the Disneyland submarine ride around the time he was starring as a Revolutionary War hero in THE SWAMP FOX...hence his pose with the "Ethan Allen." The picture ran today on the Disney Parks Blog.

...Irvin Kershner, the director of what is perhaps universally recognized as the finest STAR WARS film, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), has passed away.

Kershner, a graduate of the USC Cinema School, was 87.

His other work included the James Bond film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983), but it's safe to say that EMPIRE was the greatest achievement of Kershner's career. It's a film of great artistry which was also incredibly popular, and it will be enjoyed and loved by generations to come.