Kenneth Colley, 87, ‘Star Wars' Actor With a Commanding Presence, Dies
His agent, Julian Owen, said in a statement that he died in a hospital from complications of pneumonia after contracting Covid-19.
Mr. Colley became a memorable screen presence for international audiences who could recognize his dour, stony face even if they didn't know his name. A versatile supporting actor, he was often tapped to play stern detectives, military men and, on multiple occasions, Adolf Hitler, and had been active for nearly two decades onstage and onscreen before his appearance in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980).
In a 2014 interview, he recalled that when he walked into an office to meet Irvin Kershner, the director of 'The Empire Strikes Back,' Mr. Kershner told him he was looking for 'someone that would frighten Adolf Hitler.' Mr. Colley, with his gaunt face and steely eyes, fit the bill.
Admiral Piett is appointed top commander of the Imperial fleet after his superior is killed by Darth Vader (whose physical presence is played by David Prowse) for his poor judgment. Mr. Colley often said that he saw Admiral Piett as a shrewd operator who followed orders for the sake of survival in Darth Vader's world. In his interpretation of the character, he reinforced the severity and tension felt in the camp as the Rebel alliance evades capture.
The film grossed more than $200 million in its original release, according to the site Box Office Mojo, with Admiral Piett emerging as an unexpected crowd pleaser.
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60 Pop Culture Photos That You Probably Have Never Seen
Titanic was originally supposed to open in the summer of 1997, but the movie went over schedule and was delayed until December of '97. This advance poster, which was created for its summer release date, marketed the film more in the style of an action summer blockbuster: James Cameron had a 2/3 scale of the Titanic built for the movie in Mexico. These images show just how huge the ship set was: Coincidentally, CBS aired a two-part made-for-TV movie titled Titanic a little bit over a year earlier, in November of '96. 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Fox News
42 minutes ago
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Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne spent final days with family in England home: report
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Black Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne has died
On July 22, 2025, reports surfaced claiming that Black Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne had died. The claim was true. According to multiple reputable news sources, the heavy metal legend died at age 76. A statement from his family to the BBC said: It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Multiple news outlets published full obituaries detailing Osbourne's life, including NBC News and CBS News. Soon after reports of Osbourne's death started circulating on social media, Snopes readers flooded our website to determine whether they were real or a hoax. False death announcements are a common form of internet junk news often designed to convince gullible readers to fall for clickbait or phishing scams. (Here's a deeper look into the misinformation trend, and here's a running list of celebrities that have been targets of it.) "Black Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne Dies Aged 76, His Family Announces." BBC News, 22 July 2025, Accessed 22 July 2025. Sacks, Ethan, and Corky Siemaszko. "Ozzy Osbourne, Pioneering Heavy Metal Singer and Black Sabbath Frontman, Dies at 76." NBC News, 22 July 2025, Accessed 22 July 2025. Sundby, Alex. "Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath Frontman and Heavy Metal Legend, Dies at 76." CBS News, CBS News, 22 July 2025, Accessed 22 July 2025. Solve the daily Crossword
