January 7

2013 – David R. Ellis, director of such films as “Final Destination 2”, “Snakes on a Plane”, “Asylum”, “The Final Destination”, “Shark Night 3D”. He came from a background as a stuntman on over 75 films.  He passed away at the age of 60.

2009 – Bob Wilkins passed away at the age of 76. He was the creator/host/writer/producer of the long running California version of “Creature Feature” and an afternoon kiddie show entitled “Captain Cosmic.” He also made appearances in the films “Nightmare in Blood” and “The Milpitas Monster.”

2009 – One of the kings of low budget films, Ray Dennis Steckler, passed away at the age of 70. He was writer, producer, director of some wildly imaginative films including “The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies,” “Rat Pfink a Boo-Boo” and “The Lemon Grove Kids Meet the Monsters.” He often starred in his own films under the stage name “Cash Flagg.”

2002 – Comedian Avery Schreiber, who appeared in the films “Galaxina,” “Saturday the 14th Strikes Back” and “Dracula: Dead and Loving It,” passed away at the age of 66.

1988 – Treveor Howard who appeared in “Superman,” “Time After Time” and “The Night Visitor,” passed away at the age of 74.