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Every year, during the in memoriam section at the Oscars, Hollywood celebrates the talent that has died over the last year and every year there are some glaring omissions.
This year, the biggest name missing was Stanley Donen, who co-directed Singin’ in the Rain with Gene Kelly and helmed two of the most acclaimed musicals of the 1950s, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Funny Face. Donen died on Saturday at the age of 94. He won an honorary Academy Award in 1998.
Also missing was producer Arnold Kopelson, who died in October aged 83. Kopelson won the 1986 best picture Oscar for Oliver Stone’s Platoon (the film had 4 wins from eight nominations). Kopelson was nominated again in 1993 for Andrew Davis’ The Fugitive, and in all his movies received 17 Oscar nominations. His other credits include Seven, Falling Down, Outbreak and The Devil’s Advocate.
Gary Kurtz, the producer of best picture nominees American Graffiti and Star Wars as well as blockbusters like The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Crystal and Return to Oz was another notable omission. Kurtz died of cancer in September at the age of 78.
Carol Channing, nominated for best supporting actress for her performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie was also overlooked.
Other notable missing names include TV and voice actor David Ogden Stiers, Gremlins star Dick Miller and Rambo producer Andy Vajna. Arnold Schwarzenegger later tweeted about not seeing Vajna’s among the names in the ceremony. “I’m, of course, upset about Andy’s omission. He was a groundbreaking producer who showed that independent filmmakers could make blockbusters like Rambo, Tombstone, Total Recall, Terminator 2, & the list goes on. His movies created many thousands of jobs in Hollywood over decades.”
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