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Academy honors McDowall
By Bill Higgins
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will
honor Roddy McDowall, whose long acting career expanded to encompass critically
acclaimed work as a photographer, by naming its photo archive after him.
The Academy's 7 million-strong collection of negatives and still photos will
be known as the Roddy McDowall Photograph Archive at the Margaret Herrick
Library.
``The board felt that a tribute to Roddy was appropriate because of his
long-time activity on behalf of the Academy,'' said AMPAS president Robert Rehme.
McDowall, who is terminally ill with cancer, has represented the actors
branch on the Academy's board of governors since 1992. His credits as a
photographer include the book ``Double Exposure,'' work for almost two dozen
magazines and a job as unit photographer on HBO's ``To Catch a Thief'' in 1983.
Reuters/Variety, Friday, October 27
ARCHERD: Friends Gather Around Stricken McDowall
By Army Archerd, Daily Variety Senior Columnist
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Michael Douglas talked to Roddy McDowall and
``reassured him'' that he (Michael) would continue the commitment that Roddy has
had over the years to the Motion Picture & TV Home and Hospital.
Roddy (suffering from terminal cancer) has been receiving countless calls of
encouragement plus visits from friends such as Lauren Bacall, who flew out from
N.Y. to see him, as did Dominick Dunne. Others who have been over to see him:
Elizabeth Taylor who had dinner at his house, Kate Burton, Joan and George
Axelrod, Tuesday Weld, Anne (Mrs. Kirk) Douglas and Edie (Mrs. Lew) Wasserman.
Douglas is continuing his U.N. work on international disarmament of nuclear
weapons -- and small arms as well. He met with Canada's prime minister Tuesday,
and tells me he'd ``like to have a talk with'' Charlton Heston, president of the
National Rifle Assn. NRA reps were on hand at the U.N. last week when Douglas
made his speech about small arms.
Wednesday, September 30
Actor Roddy McDowall Has Terminal Cancer
LOS ANGELES, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Actor Roddy McDowall, one of
Hollywood's most durable stars, has terminal cancer, Daily Variety gossip
columnist Army Archerd reported in the paper's Friday edition.
Archerd said he had called the veteran London-born actor to wish him a happy
70th birthday for Thursday ``only to be told he was unable to come to the phone;
he was resting and, I was further informed, he is terminally ill with cancer.''
McDowall's cancer was not specified, although it appeared to develop quickly,
Archerd said. Just last month, McDowall took part in celebrations marking the
30th anniversary of ``Planet of the Apes,'' in which he played the civilized
simian Cornelius.
While younger generations probably remember him best for his role in that
movie and three of its four sequels, McDowall had already achieved considerable
fame as a child actor in such films as ``How Green Was My Valley'' (1941), ``My
Friend Flicka'' (1943) and ``Lassie Come Home'' (1943).
To avoid typecasting, the boyish-looking McDowall moved to the East Coast in
his early 20s to concentrate on stage and television work. He won an Emmy for
the TV movie ``Not Without Honor'' and a Tony for the Jean Anouilh Broadway play
``The Fighting Cock.''
"Planet of the Apes,'' in which he co-starred with Charlton Heston and
Kim Hunter, was a critical and commercial success when it was released in early
1968.
McDowall did not appear in the 1970 sequel "Beneath the Planet of the
Apes,'' but did return for "Escape from the Planet of the Apes'' (1971),
"Conquest of the Planet of the Apes'' (1972), "Battle for the Planet
of the Apes (1973) and a television series.
Archerd described McDowall as one of Hollywood's strongest supporters. He is
a former board member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences,
which gives out the Oscars, and an active contributor to the Motion Picture and
TV Fund, which runs a retirement home for entertainment industry workers.
Reuters/Variety
ARCHERD: Roddy McDowall has terminal cancer
By Army Archerd, Daily Variety Senior Columnist
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - I phoned Roddy McDowall on Wednesday to wish
him a happy 70th birthday -- only to be told he was unable to come to the phone;
he was resting and, I was further informed, he is terminally ill with cancer.
The suddenness of this illness has shocked us. Roddy was as recently as last
month busily helping with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of
"Planet of the Apes'' for which he did a special video, having starred in
four of the five features.
McDowall is one of Hollywood's strongest supporters -- not only the industry,
its players and its product, but a constant and active contributor to the Motion
Picture and TV Fund with royalties from his beautiful books, ``Double
Exposure,'' his photos of friends, the great and near/great, along with stories
about them. He has also been a tireless worker and board member of the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
From the time he started in the biz here in John Ford's "How Green Was
My Valley'' (1941) through the "Lassie'' and "Flicka'' films, on to
Broadway and a Tony, back to Hollywood, the "Planet of the Apes'' and the
small screen series. He also won an Emmy for "Not Without Honor.'' He
segued between drama, comedy, family and horror films and musicals. He has been
a true friend and supporter of the biz and Roddy has also been a constant
confidant and close friend to Elizabeth Taylor, at her side during all of her
illnesses and marital travails. We all wish Roddy well.
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