Notable Deaths in August 2021
J.W. Rinzler
Many of the truths that fans know about the history of Star Wars come from the work of one man: J.W. Rinzler. Rinzler penned multiple, essential, books on the making of the original Star Wars trilogy that are staggering in their honesty and comprehensiveness. He extended that talent to other titles too and basically became one of the world’s leading authorities on the history of popular cinema. Rinzler passed this year at the age of 58.
Marilyn Eastman
As part of the ensemble behind George A. Romero’s 1968 zombie classic Night of the Living Dead, Marilyn Eastman’s place in horror history is forever assured; though she’s best recognized as Helen Cooper, part of the doomed family hiding in the farmhouse basement, she also assisted with the film’s gruesome make-up effects.
Sonny Chiba
Beloved for his role as anti-hero force of nature Takuma Tsurugi in the Street Fighter movies, martial arts icon Sonny Chiba–born Sadaho Maeda and also known in the west for roles in Kill Bill Vol. 1 and The Fast and Furious franchise–had a career that spanned decades of screen and stage work, playing comics icons like Golgo 13 and Storm Rider’s Lord Conqueror. He died this year at 82.
