Category: In Passing

Myron Waldman, an animator and illustrator who worked at Fleischer Studios on BETTY BOOP, POPEYE, SUPERMAN and CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST shorts, died Feb. 4, 2006, at New Island Hospital in Bethpage, New York, reports THE NEW YORK TIMES. He was 97 and lived in Wantagh, New York. This family said the cause of death was congestive heart failure.

Gregg Hoffman, Twisted Pictures partner and producer, died of natural causes on Dec. 4, 2005, in Los Angeles. He was 42 years old.

Hoffman, Twisted Pictures president of production, most recently produced SAW, SAW II, CATACOMBS and SILENCE. He was working on CRAWLSPACE and SAW III.

Stan Berenstain, who along with his wife created the popular BERENSTAIN BEARS children's books, died on Nov. 26, 2005, reports CNN. He was 82 and lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Actor Pat Morita, best known for his iconic role as martial-arts master/handy man Mr. Miyagi in THE KARATE KID franchise, has died, reported the AP. He was 73.

There were conflicting reports regarding the cause of death. His daughter Aly Morita stated he died Nov. 24, 2005, of heart failure at a Las Vegas hospital; while longtime manager Arnold Soloway said he died of kidney failure at a hospital where he was awaiting a transplant.

Bob Denver, the pop culture icon who will forever be remembered as the title character on GILLIGANS ISLAND, died on Sept. 2, 2005, from complications due to surgery for throat cancer. He was 70 years old. For animation fans, Denver again took on the role of Gilligan for the Filmation produced cartoon, GILLIGANS PLANET. The series lasted one season on CBS in 1982, with the original cast of characters marooned on a distant planet instead of an isolated island.

Byron C. Preiss, an author and a publisher who specialized in illustrated books by celebrities, graphic novels and science fiction, died in a car accident on July 9, 2005, in East Hampton, New York, reports THE NEW YORK TIMES. He was 52 and lived in Manhattan.

Preiss, the president of Byron Preiss Visual Publications and Ibooks, was one of the first publishers to release CD-ROM's and electronic books.

Actor John Fiedler, whose distinctive high-pitched voice brought life to Winnie-the-Poohs Piglet, died on June 25, 2005. He was 80.

Fiedler began voicing Piglet in the Oscar-winning short WINNIE THE POOH AND THE BLUSTERY DAY in 1968 and continued up until his death. His other animation roles included Porcupine in THE FOX AND THE HOUND, Sexton Mouse in ROBIN HOOD, Deacon Owl in THE RESCUERS and a small role in THE EMPERORS NEW GROOVE.