Category: people

“John McTiernan, the director and producer of Predator, Die Hard, The Hunt For Red October and Last Action Hero, is now federal penitentiary prisoner 43029-11,” serving time for perjury. It’s a relatively comfortable minimum-security facility, but McTiernan’s wife says he’s “disintegrating in front of my eyes”.

Mara Wilson (Mrs. Doubtfire, Matilda, A Simple Wish, Melrose Place) explains it all, in a sensible and very clever run-down.

“Her official résumé on file with the academy does not contain the inaccurate information. President Berlowitz takes full responsibility for the error, and the academy is working to correct the information with relevant funding agencies.”

“Ada Louise did not want a memorial service,” Robert N. Shapiro, her lawyer and co-executor, told more than 200 listeners as he opened the gathering in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at the Met. “So we’re not having one.” Instead, he said, the event was simply a “memorial tribute,” composed of a “coalition of the disobedient” — friends, subjects, colleagues and readers — who couldn’t imagine not saying farewell.

“During his long career he was a member of several American orchestras and a recitalist in North America and Europe.”

“The most impressive is, of course, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, of which Bernardi was the founding conductor, auditioning every player, creating a sound and tone for the ensemble, and making it overnight one of the finest orchestras in the country.”

Justin Peters gives a quick rundown of the (mixed) evidence.

“[His] films were known for their boldness, taking on complicated and sensitive subjects like divorce, widowhood, homosexuality and gender identity. An unabashed cross-dresser, he cut a striking figure in Indian culture, frequently draped in lavish clothes, dangling earrings and eyeliner.”

(Should we be running this without a warning from the FDA?)

“He brought a unique combination of imagination and discipline that enabled him to not only build an orchestra, but also a renowned international summer opera festival.”