17 May 1955 – 2017 Bill Paxton, 61, (Stroke after Heart Surgery), US actor Terminator (1984) Weird Science * Aliens * Tombstone * Apollo 13 * Twister * Titanic * Mighty Joe Young * A Simple Plan * Vertical Limit * Frailty (+director) Big Love * Nightcrawler * Hatfields, McCoys * Training Day (2017)

17 May 1911 – 1998 Maureen O'Sullivan, 87, Irish-US actress. John Farrow ​(m. 1936; died 1963) Tarzan (1932-42) * The Thin Man * David Copperfield * Anna Karenina * The Devil Doll * A Day at the Races * Pride and Prejudice * The Big Clock (1948) Hannah and Her Sisters/Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

16 May 1977 – Melanie Lynskey, 49, NZ-US actress. Heavenly Creatures (1995) * Coyote Ugly * Two and a Half Men * Up in the Air * Away We Go * Hello I Must Be Going * Putzel * Togetherness * I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore * The Intervention * Yellowjackets * Don't Look Up * Candy (2023)

16 May 1955 – Debra Winger, 71, US actress. Oscar nominations: An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) Terms of Endearment (1983) Shadowlands (1993) Urban Cowboy (1980) * Legal Eagles * Black Widow * Betrayed * Sheltering Sky * Dawn Anna * A Dangerous Woman * Rachel Getting Married * The Ranch (2016-20)

16 May 1953 – Pierce Brosnan, 73, Irish-US actor. The Long Good Friday (1980) Remington Steele (1982–87) * The Fourth Protocol * James Bond (1995-2002) Mars Attacks! * Dante's Peak * Thomas Crown Affair * The Tailor of Panama * The Matador * November Man * Mamma Mia! * Black Adam * Mob Land (2025)

16 May 1921 – 2012 Harry Carey Jr., 91, US actor. Pursued (1947) * Red River * Moonrise * 3 Godfathers * She Wore a Yellow Ribbon * Wagon Master * Rio Grande * Mister Roberts * The Searchers * The Devil's Brigade * One More Train to Rob * Gremlins * Back to the Future III * Tombstone (1993)

16 May 1920 – 1967 Martine Carol, (Marie-Louise Mourer), 46, (Heart Attack), French actress. Miroir (1947) * Dear Caroline * Adorable Creatures * Beauties of the Night * Lucrèce Borgia * Madame du Barry * Lola Montès * Nathalie * Battle of Austerlitz * Counterfeiters of Paris * Hell Is Empty (1967)

16 May 1909 – 1960 Margaret Sullavan, 50, US actress, singer. Henry Fonda ​(m. 1931-33) The Moon's Our Home (1936 with Henry Fonda) * Three Comrades (OscarNom) * The Shopworn Angel * Shop Around the Corner * Mortal Storm * Back Street * So Ends Our Night * Cry 'Havoc' * No Sad Songs for Me (1950)

16 May 1905 – 1982 Henry Fonda, 77, US actor #WW2 Bronze Star Oscars (Honorary Award 1981) On Golden Pond (1982) Oscar nominations: The Grapes of Wrath (1940) 12 Angry Men (1957 Producer) Jesse James * Ox-Bow Incident * My Darling Clementine * Fort Apache * Fail Safe * Once Upon a Time in the West

16 May 1929 – In Hollywood, the first Oscars ceremony takes place hosted by Douglas Fairbanks Senior, honoring the best films between Aug 1927-Aug 1928. Best Picture: Wings Best Director: Frank Borzage, 7th Heaven * Best Actor: Emil Jannings, The Lost Command * Best Actress: Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven

#AI says #FreelyTV is "becoming necessary as UK TV industry is shifting from traditional aerial/satellite signals to internet streaming "to future-proof broadcasting." There will be a shutdown of terrestrial transmitters and WiFi will replace traditional aerials. You'll probably need a new TV. WHY?

15 May 1952 – Chazz Palminteri, 74, US actor, playwright. A Bronx Tale (1993 + playwright) * Bullets Over Broadway (Oscar nominated) * The Usual Suspects * Mulholland Falls * A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints * Once Upon a Time in Queens * Modern Family * The Godfather of Harlem (2019–21)

15 May 1948 – Brian Eno, 78, English singer-songwriter, composer, musician, producer, activist. 29 Studio Albums, 27 Singles. Roxy Music (1972-73) Co-founded with Saxophonist Andy McKay: Roxy Music/For Your Pleasure (1972/3) * David Bowie Berlin Trilogy: Low * Heroes * Lodger (1977-79)

15 May 1926 – 2001 Anthony Shaffer, 75, English author, playwright, screenwriter: #Hitchcock Frenzy * Sleuth (+ Tony Award) Wicker Man * Death on the Nile * Evil Under Sun * Sommersby 1926 – 2016 Peter Shaffer, 90, English playwright. Oscar nominations/Tony Awards Equus (1978) Amadeus (1985 Oscar)

15 May 1918 – 2009 Joseph Wiseman, 91, Canadian-US actor. Detective Story (Broadway + 1951 film) Viva Zapata! * The Unforgiven (1960) Dr No (as Dr No) The Night They Raided Minsky's * The Betsy * The Valachi Papers * Seize the Day * Crime Story * Law & Order * Judgment at Nuremberg (Broadway 2001)

15 May 1909 – 1984 James Mason, 75, English actor Three Oscar nominations: A Star Is Born (1954) * Georgy Girl * The Verdict (1982) Hotel Reserve (1944) Seventh Veil * Odd Man Out * Caught * The Reckless Moment * North by Northwest * Spring and Port Wine * Boys from Brazil * Heaven Can Wait (1978)

15 May 1905 – 1994 Joseph Cotten, 88, US actor. The Philadelphia Story (Broadway 1939) * The Magnificent Ambersons * The Farmer's Daughter * Portrait of Jennie * Under Capricorn * Niagara * Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) * Heaven's Gate (1980) Citizen Kane * Shadow of a Doubt * The Third Man

15 May 1898 – 1992 Arletty, (b. Léonie Bathiat), 94, French actress, singer. Hôtel du Nord (1938) Le jour se lève * Children of Paradise * Imprisoned in 1945 Nazi collaborator for her affair with Luftwaffe officer during occupation. "My heart is French, my ass is international." Longest Day (1962)

15 May 2023 – UN commemorate #NakbaDay for the first time. The 1948 Arab word for "catastrophe" resulted in 13,000-15,000 Palestinian murdered by Israel forces and the ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 refugees after over 70 massacres and the destruction of c.530 villages www.un.org/unispal/even...

Violent Saturday (1955) Bank Heist #FilmNoir Director Richard Fleischer. Starring Victor Mature, Richard Egan, Stephen Mcnally, Lee Marvin, J. Carrol Naish, Sylvia Sidney and Ernest Borgnine. Critics of the time called it gratuitously violent. But at that time they'd never heard of Sam Peckinpah.

14 May 1969 – Cate Blanchett, 57, Australian-US actress. Two Oscars: Best Supporting Actress The Aviator (2005) Best Actress Blue Jasmine (2014) Six Oscar nominations: Elizabeth (1999) Notes on a Scandal (2007) * I'm Not There (2008) * Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2008) * Carol (2016) * Tár (2023)

14 May 1952 – David Byrne, 74, Scottish born US guitarist, musician, singer-songwriter The Last Emperor (1987 Oscar, Grammy) This Is a Life (2022 OscarNom, Everything Everywhere All at Once) Talking Heads Burning Down the House (1983) Big Love * This Must Be the Place * American Utopia (2021 Tony)

14 May 1945 – Francesca Annis, 81, English actress Cleopatra (1963) Murder Most Foul * A Pin to See the Peepshow * Lillie * Krull * Dune * Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime * Reckless * Wives and Daughters * Deceit * Cranford * The Debt Collector * The Libertine * Home Fires * The Forsytes (2025)

14 May 1933 – Siân Phillips, 93, Welsh actress. Peter O'Toole ​(m. 1959-79) Becket (1964) Goodbye Mr Chips * Murphy's War * Shoulder to Shoulder * I, Claudius * Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy * Clash of the Titans * Churchill: Wilderness Years * Dune * Age of Innocence * Rise & Fall of a Dynasty (2024)

14 May 1903 – 1997 Billie Dove, (b. Bertha Bohny), 94, US actress, pilot, poet, painter. One of most popular 1920s actresses (Billie Holiday took her name) Technicolor The Black Pirate (1926) American Beauty * Painted Angel * Howard Hughes' Age for Love * Cock of the Air (1932) Diamond Head (1962)

13 May 1977 – Samantha Morton, 49, English actress. Band of Gold (1995) * Under the Skin * Sweet and Lowdown (OscarNom) * Morvern Callar * In America (OscarNom) * Control * Longford * The Messenger * The Unloved * Cosmopolis * Decoding Annie Parker * The Harvest * The Serpent Queen (2024)

13 May 1950 – Stevie Wonder, (b. Stevland Morris), 76, US singer-songwriter, musician, producer (1961-) 25 Grammy Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award 1996. Where I'm Coming From (1971) * Music of My Mind * Talking Book * Innervisions * Fulfillingness' First Finale * Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

13 May 1941 – Senta Berger, 85, Austrian actress. Michael Verhoeven ​(m. 1966 died 2024) Secret Ways (1961) * The Victors * Major Dundee * The Quiller Memorandum * De Sade * The Scarlet Letter * MitGift * Kir Royal * Schlaflos * Frau Böhm sagt Nein * Welcome to Germany * Remember Me (2023)

13 May 1907 – 1989 Daphne du Maurier, 81, Cornish English novelist, playwright. Jamaica Inn (1936) * Rebecca (+ play) The Years Between (play) * Frenchman's Creek * Hungry Hill * My Cousin Rachel * The Scapegoat * The Birds + Don't Look Now (short stories) Rule Britannia * Enchanted Cornwall (1989)

13 May 1985 – Aerial bombing of 'MOVE' (Christian Movement for Life) #Philadelphia kills 6 adults and 5 children. Police allowed their resulting fire to burn out of control destroying 61 evacuated neighbor houses over two city blocks leaving 250 people homeless. News Report youtu.be/p9eCA0bIezA?...

12 May 1962 – Emilio Estevez, 64, US actor, film, TV director, writer. The Outsiders (1983) * The Breakfast Club * St Elmo's Fire * Stakeout * Young Guns I/II * Mighty Ducks * The War at Home (director) * Bobby (+ director) * The Way (director) * The Public * Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (2021–22)

12 May 1950 – Gabriel Byrne, 76, Irish actor. Gothic (1987) * Excalibur * Defence of the Realm * Miller's Crossing * The Usual Suspects * Weapons of Mass Distraction * A Moon for the Misbegotten * Stigmata * Wah-Wah * Jindabyne * In Treatment * Death of a Ladies' Man * War of the Worlds (2019-22)

12 May 1937 - Susan Hampshire, 89, English actress. During One Night (1960) * The Three Lives of Thomasina * Night Must Fall * Wonderful Life * Monte Carlo or Bust! * The Forsyte Saga * Vanity Fair * Living Free * The Pallisers * The Grand * An Ideal Husband * The Forsytes (2025)

12 May 1924 – 1968 Tony Hancock, 44, (Overdose), English comedian, actor, screenwriter. Hancock's Half Hour (Radio and TV 1954- 61) - Films: Orders Are Orders (1954) * The Rebel (1961 BAFTA) The Punch and Judy Man (1963) * Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) * The Wrong Box (1966)

12 May 1907 – 2003 Katharine Hepburn 4 Oscars: Morning Glory (1932) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner * The Lion in Winter * On Golden Pond (1981) 8 Noms: Alice Adams * Philadelphia Story * Woman of Year * African Queen * Summertime * The Rainmaker * Suddenly, Last Summer * Long Days Journey into Night

12 May 1907 – 1993 Leslie Charteris, (b. Bowyer-Yin), 85, English author. Audrey Long ​(m. 1952⁠–⁠1993) The Saint novels (1929-70) Screenplays: Midnight Club (1933) Saint's Double Trouble * Saint's Vacation/Palm Springs * Lady on a Train * River Gang * Two Smart People * Tarzan and Huntress (1947)

12 May 1903 – 1991 Wilfrid Hyde-White, 87, English actor. Scarab Murder Case (1936 Philo Vance) * Elephant Boy * Night Boat to Dublin * The Passionate Friends * The Third Man * Carry On Nurse * North West Frontier * Two-Way Stretch * My Fair Lady * Ten Little Indians * Columbo * Fanny Hill (1983)

#CharlesMcGraw (10 May 1914-1980) #FilmNoir The Killers (1946) * The Gangster * T-Men * Blood on the Moon * Border Incident * The Story of Molly X * The Threat * Side Street * Armored Car Robbery * Roadblock * Narrow Margin * Loophole * Slaughter on Tenth Avenue * The Man in the Net (1959)

#BOTD Irving Berlin (1888-1989) 'Always', his simple romantic song, dedicated to his wife. "Two factory workers visit Coney Island on Independence Day holiday, meet, fall in love, lose each other, go home disheartened, not realising they're neighbours..." Lonesome (1928) youtu.be/2ShKjWgk7xI?...

11 May 1963 – 2009 Natasha Richardson, 45, (Ski-ing head Injury), English actress. Vanessa Redgrave (mother) Liam Neeson ​(m. 1994-) Gothic (1986) * Patty Hearst * The Handmaids Tale * Nell * The Parent Trap * Cabaret (Tony Award) Maid in Manhattan * The White Countess * Evening * Wild Child (2008)

11 May 1892 - 1972 Margaret Rutherford, 80, English actress. Rebecca (1940 play) Blithe Spirit * Passport to Pimlico * Happiest Days of Your Life * Importance of Being Earnest * Innocents in Paris * Trouble in Store * Miss Marple (1961-64) Mouse on Moon * The VIPs (Oscar) Chimes at Midnight (1965)

10 May 1946 – Donovan Leitch, 80, Scottish guitarist, singer-songwriter, composer. Songwriter 🎶 Jennifer Juniper * Wear Your Love Like Heaven * Catch the Wind * Colours * Sunshine Superman * Mellow Yellow * Hurdy Gurdy Man * (First) There is a Mountain * Season of the Witch * Laléna 🎶

10 May 1899 – 1987 Fred Astaire, 88, US dancer, actor, singer. Flying Down to Rio (1933) Top Hat (1935) Swing Time * Shall We Dance * Holiday Inn * Easter Parade * Honorary Oscar (1950) The Band Wagon * Funny Face * Silk Stockings * On the Beach * Finian's Rainbow * Towering Inferno (1974 OscarNom)

9 May 1946 – Candice Bergen, 80, US actress. The Group (1966) * The Sand Pebbles * Soldier Blue * Carnal Knowledge * Starting Over (OscarNom) * Gandhi * Murphy Brown (1988–98, 2018) * Miss Congeniality * Sweet Home Alabama * Boston Legal (2005–08) * Bride Wars * Book Club (2018/23) Shrinking (2026)

9 May 1940 – James L. Brooks, 86, US filmmaker. The Simpsons. Three Oscars: Terms of Endearment (1984 Producer, Director, Writer) Five Oscar nominations: Broadcast News (1988 Producer, Screenplay) * Jerry Maguire (1997 Producer) * As Good as it Gets (1998 Producer, Original Screenplay)

9 May 1936 – 2023 Glenda Jackson, 87, UK actress, Labour MP (1992-2015) Women in Love (1970 Oscar) * Sunday Bloody Sunday (OscarNom) Elizabeth R * A Touch of Class (Oscar) Hedda (OscarNom) Marat/Sade (1966) * Stevie (1978) King Lear (2016) Three Tall Women (Tony Award) Elizabeth is Missing (2019)

9 May 1936 – 2019 Albert Finney, 82, English actor. Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (1961) * Tom Jones (OscarNom) * Scrooge * Murder on Orient Express (OscarNom) Annie * The Dresser/Under The Volcano (OscarNom) * Miller's Crossing * Erin Brockovich (OscarNom) * The Gathering Storm * Big Fish (2004)

9 May 1934 – Alan Bennett, 92, English actor, comedian, screenwriter, playwright. Beyond the Fringe (1963 Tony Award) * A Private Function * Prick Up Your Ears * Talking Heads * The Madness of King George (OscarNom) * A Question of Attribution * Lady in the Van * The History Boys (Tony Award)

9 May 1930 – 2001 Joan Sims, 71, English actress. Trouble in Store (1951) * The Naked Truth * Carry On Films (1957-78) * Mr Topaze * The Big Job * Till Death Us Do Part (1967–75) * On the Up (1990–92) * Martin Chuzzlewit * As Time Goes By (1994–98) * Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000)

9 May 1912 – 1963 Pedro Armendáriz (Hastings), 51, Mexican-US actor Mexico: Las Abandonadas (1945) * Enamorada * The Pearl * El Rebozo de Soledad (1952) Hollywood: The Fugitive (1947) * Fort Apache * 3 Godfathers * Tulsa * We Were Strangers * Manuela * The Big Boodle * From Russia with Love (1963)