They Always Come In Threes; Artist Gray Morrow, British Director Roy Boulting, and Screenwriter Anthony Shaffer

Father Geek here with sad, most un-cool news to pass on to you... 3 "POP" culture demi-gods have left this earthy realm... and they all passed on the same day, November 6th, 2001.

First, a giant of illustration, a true comic-artist god, and a wonderful man, Gray Morrow. I count myself lucky indeed to have been a fan of Gray's art for many years, and to have many many examples of it in my personal collection. Also I can count him as an artist that I have met with numberous times since our 1st encounter back in 1970 at several Comic Cons around the country and ending with a meeting last year. He will be greatly missed by the worldwide community of which he was a most central figure...

Here's the communication Ol' Father Geek received this morning...

GRAY MORROW PASSES

Baltimore, MD - Insight Studios Group is deeply saddened to confirm that Gray Morrow (born Dwight Graydon Morrow, 1934)passed away at his home in central Pennsylvania during the day on Tuesday, November 6th. Although he had suffered with health problems the last few years, his death was unexpected.

"Gray was a both a participant in and a witness to comics history," said Insight Studios Group's Mark Wheatley, who edited GRAY MORROW VISIONARY, published last summer. "He was a master illustrator who had the respect and friendship of his peers. His wealth of talent, which enabled him to build an astonishingly deep catalog of work in different areas of illustration, serves as a fitting legacy for his diverse career. He was also a great friend to me, the rest of Insight Studios Group, and to many other professionals and fans."

Morrow most recently appeared at the Baltimore Comic-Con, Sunday, October 28, 2001 where he was greeted by many of his fans. He spent the day sketching and autographing his many published comic books, magazines and books. A number of his original paintings were displayed at the convention including an unpublished painting of Vampirella he had created for his own amusement.

Comicon.com's SPLASH reported the following:

"Morrow was part of the generation that broke into comics in the 1950s, and he mastered a distinctive 'fantastic realist' style that was tailor made to science fiction and horror. Morrow worked for almost every comic publisher in the United States during his long career, and was probably best known for his lush wash work on the Warren horror books, Creepy and Eerie. He was also a regular cover artist at Warren. In the late 1970s, Morrow turned in what many say is his greatest work, on 'The Illustrated Roger Zelazny'. He was a regular contributor to science fiction magazines such as If and Galaxy."

Gray Morrow's cover paintings for paperback books, as well as his many posters for motion pictures established him as a popular illustrator outside of the comic book field. He also had a career in animation, with the fondly remembered Spider-man series to his credit.

"Working with Gray on VISIONARY was a dream come true for me," Wheatley said. "On behalf of everyone at Insight Studios, our heart-felt thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and our fellows fans. And I like to think that Gray is somewhere, out there, gathering research for his next amazing painting, because I know wherever he is, he's got a pencil or a paint brush in his hand and his faithful horse near by, ready to ride."

For more information contact:

Mark Wheatley; 7844 Saint Thomas Drive; Baltimore MD 21236; 410 661 6897; insight@insightstudiosgroup.com

Father Geek back with more sad news... this was also in my mail box to greet me as I awoke this morning...

On the 6th of november, two UK film-legends passed on.

Though neither was related, both were twins; First Roy Boulting, who with his brother John, dominated post WW2 British cinema, alternating between direction, production duties. Amongst many other film achievements, they facilitated Sir Richard Attenborough’s most memorable on-screen performance as ‘Pinky’ in ‘Brighton Rock (1947), I believe it was known as ‘Young Scarface’ in the glorious USA.

And Secondly, screenwriter/playwright Anthony Shaffer, of ‘The Wicker Man’, ‘Sleuth’ and Hitchcock’s ‘Frenzy’ fame.

Much missed

Jeff Myers

WOW! Father Geek back... Just last night one of our writers/spies in LA asked me a to send him a short list of great, gritty British Crime genre Directors... I fired off a list of my 12 faves... and on the top of that list was ROY BOULTING.

If Roy had made no other film than the phantastic TWISTED NERVE, a truely chilling, creepy, un-settling genre classic he would have belonged on that list, but he gave us so much more starting with TRUCK CRIME and INQUEST back in the late 1930's and continuing thru such wonderful genre pieces as RUN FOR THE SUN, GUINEA PIG, SUSPECT, HIGH TREASON and recently the fine TV drama THE MOVING FINGER. We still have his films, its true, but he is gone.

And just what can Father Geek say about writer Anthony Shaffer? The three pictures mentioned above are outstanding, terrifing, thrilling chillers of the top level of the screenwriter's pantheon, But he also gave us such gems as DEATH ON THE NILE, EVIL UNDER THE SUN, APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH, and the marvelous MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Every one of his films is in the Geek Headquarter's Video or DVD collections. Very very few writers hold that distinction. The thought that he will write no more is truely un-nerving, He will be missed... greatly!

NOVEMBER 6th, 2001 a sad day indeed!