by Krypton Radio Executive Producer Susan L. Fox

In 2012, the Reaper Man took a mighty share of wonder workers out of the world we know and into the next. Let’s see whom we’ve lost from the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic Book and other imagination genres.

Writers

Ray Bradbury, how much do I really need to say about this Grand Master?

Josepha Sherman, science fiction and folklore mistress. Media tie-in books for Star Trek and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Harry Harrison, the Stainless Steel Rat books, Make Room, Make Room (later adapted as the movie Soylent Green) and the Bill, the Galactic Hero books.

Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are.

Gore Vidal, plays (Visit to a Small Planet) and commentaries.

Boris Strugatsky, Russian science fiction writer, usually with his older brother Arkady, who died in 1991. Noon Universe series.

Roland C. Wagner, French sci fi author, series Les Futurs Mystères de Paris.

Carlos Fuentes, Mexican “magical realism” author, Aura (1962), Cristobál Nonato [Christopher Unborn] (1987)

Sam Youd, aka John Christopher, The Death of Grass (in the US as No Blade of Grass) and the YA Tripods trilogy.

Ardath Mayhar, The Cat with the Sapphire Eyes, Golden Dreams: A Fuzzy Odyssey.

K. D. Wentworth, author and teacher, The Crucible of Empire.

Artists

Ralph McQuarrie, movie conceptual artist, best known for Star Wars.

Leo Dillon, book illustrator, Dangerous Visions collections and many children’s books with his wife Diane.

Jean Henri Gaston Giraud, AKA Moebius, French artist, concept art and design for multiple SF films, including Alien, Tron, The Abyss, and The Fifth Element.

Joseph Kubert, American comic book artist and teacher. Sergeant Rock, Hawkman.

David Grove, books and movie posters, most famously the film adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983).

Keiji Nakazawa (? ? ??), Japanese manga artist and writer. Hiroshima survivor. Hadashi no Gen (Barefoot Gen).

Actors

Andy Griffith, Mayberry and Matlock, sci fi work in SALVAGE ONE.

Ernest Borgnine, Did voices for Spongebob Squarepants, All Dogs Go To Heaven; genre roles in Gattaca, Escape From New York, Future Cop, The Devil’s Rain, Willard,

William Windom, Star Trek, Twilight Zone, a lot of fine radio drama in later years.

Michael Clarke Duncan, The Green Mile, Armageddon, voicework for Kung Fu Panda.

Warren Stevens, Forbidden Planet, Twilight Zone, Star Trek.

Larry Hagman, I Dream of Jeanie. Oh and Dallas.

Jonathan Frid, Dark Shadows.

Joan Taylor, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, 20 Million Miles to Earth, also a screenwriter and syndication executive.

Dick Tufeld, voice actor heard on Irwin Allen shows. Famous line: “Danger, Will Robinson!”

Dick Beals, voice actor, Gumby, Davey & Goliath.

Richard Dawson, known for other work but of interest to sci fi people as the game show host in THE RUNNING MAN

Sherman Hemsley. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman [The Toyman], Dinosaurs [B.P. Richfield], The Incredible Hulk [TV]

Phyllis Thaxter, Ma Kent in the 1978 version of the movie Superman. Also, Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Twilight Zone.

Herbert Lom, Best-known as Dreyfus in the Pink Panther flicks. Count Dracula (1970) [Dr. Van Helsing], The Phantom of the Opera (1962), The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Michael O’Hare, Captain Sinclair in Babylon 5.

Alex Karras, Mongo in Blazing Saddles. [That was a fantasy, wasn’t it?]

Charles Durning, The Muppet Movie

Jack Klugman, four episodes of Twilight Zone

Mary Tamm, Doctor Who companion Romana [the first] alongside Tom Baker [4 – Scarf Doctor.]

Caroline John, Doctor Who companion Liz Shaw, alongside John Pertwee [3 – Tux Doctor.]

Philip Madoc, Doctor Who, mostly villains in The Brain of Morbius, The Krotons, The War Games, the movie Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

Behind The Camera

Bob Anderson, swordmaster supreme, choreographed sword fights and trained actors for The Princess Bride, The Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars movies as well as the Highlander series.

Robert B. Sherman, songwriter with his brother Richard, Disney hits such as It’s a Small World After All and the score for Mary Poppins.

Gerry Anderson, Creator of many kids’ TV shows, usually with puppets: Thunderbirds, Supercar and some without: UFO, Space: 1999.

Joel Goldsmith, composer, One of six children of the legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith. Stargate, Call of Duty 3.

Richard D. Zanuck, (movie mogul) — Dead. Heart attack. Died July 13, 2012. Born December 13, 1934. Producer of Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cocoon, Deep Impact, Planet of the Apes [2001].

Carlo Rambaldi, special effects designer for ET, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Alien, Dune

Jerry Nelson Muppeteer who performed The Count and Kermit’s Nephew Robin The Frog.

Diana Birkenfield, the longtime producer of Muppets and Fraggle Rock.

Rusty Mills, director on Warner Bros. Animation series including Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain.

Science

Neil Armstrong. First man to walk on the moon

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.

Jesco von Puttkamer, German-American aerospace engineer and senior NASA manager. Technical Advisor for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Sir Patrick Moore, host of the BBC’s The Sky at Night.

Researched from Dead People Server, Wikipedia, Io9

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