Friday The 13th Actor And Crew Memorial Part 1
A few months back we had a mini blog on the website that allowed certain forum members to post anything and everything they wanted pertaining to Friday The 13th. The mini blog and old Forum had to go away, but we saved Diana Voorhees' awesome memorial tribute to those alumni that have passed away. This is Part 1, with Part 2 coming soon.
Information And Images Compiled By Diana Voorhees
As we become longtime fans of the franchise, the cast and crew of the movies become like family to us, whether we have the opportunity to meet any of them or not. So whenever a Friday the 13th contributor passes from this earth, it can seem like a great loss. Though they may be gone, all they have brought to their roles will be as immortal as the series itself.
The following is a memorial of some of those that have left beyond their time, and those that may have died naturally, but who we still are inclined to remember.
(I have done research on their ages and causes of deaths. I tried to be as accurate as possible.)
Danny Steinmann, Friday the 13th Part 5 director
Age: 70
COD: Unknown at this time
Jim Isaac, Jason X Director
Age: 51
COD: A rare type of blood cancer
Susan Jennifer Sullivan, Melissa from Part 7.
She perfected her character’s traits of being one of the top villains of the series.
Age: 46
COD: Cancer (That’s what I heard somewhere on this site.)
Ron Palillo, Tommy’s friend, Allen Hawes from Part 6
Age: 63
COD: Heart attack
Laurie Bartram, Brenda from Friday the 13th 1980
Age: 49
COD: Pancreatic cancer
Walt Gorney, Crazy Ralph from Parts 1 and 2
Age: 91
COD: Natural Causes
Tom Mcbride, Mark from Part 2
Age: 42
COD: Complications from AIDS
Mark Venturini, Victor Faden from Part 5
Age: 35
COD: Leukemia
Steve Susskind, Harold from Part 3
Age: 62
COD: Automobile accident
And a couple of lesser known passings that still deserve honorable mentions.
Martin Becker, Did special effects for Parts 3-8
Age: 49
COD: Pancreatic cancer
Robert Howland, Production Designer for Part 5
Age: 40
Died only a few years after his work on A New Beginning.
May their souls and those not listed here all rest in peace in the eternal waters of Crystal Lake.
Rex Everhart: Enos, the truck driver (Part 1)
Age: 79
COD: Lung Cancer
Sally Anne Golden: Sandy, the waitress (Part 1)
Age: 71
The oldest cast member of the film series.
Her character was probably one of the few town residents who didn’t think Steve Christy was insane for trying to open the camp. I get this from the friendship they seem to share.
Dorothy Kobs, Trudy (Part 1)
One of the people in the store where the mention of Camp Crystal Lake by Annie sets a tense mood in the atmosphere.
Willie Adams: Barry, the first victim of the entire series (Part 1)
Also was a production assistant on the film.
Perla Walter, Mrs. Sanchez (Part 3)
Age: 74
It was as if Mrs. Sanchez carried a sense of doom about where the kids were going. If only Vera had listened to her mother.
David Wiley, Abel (Part 3)
Another prophet of doom following in the footsteps of Crazy Ralph
Age:77
COD: Cancer
Abigail Shelton, Crying woman in hospital (Part 4)
Age:74
Supposed relative of one of the Part 3 victims, though I don’t know how she heard about the deaths that fast.
Antony Ponzini, Vincent (Part 4)
Age:69
Ric Mancini, Mayor Cobb (Part 5)
Age: 73
Brought up the belief that Jason was cremated. Clearly, his thoughts were false.
Vernon Washington, George (Part 5)
Age: 60
Died only a few years after his role in Part 5. (1988)
Mika Ward, Campfire Teen at the end of Jason X
John Sherrod, Stunt Coordinator (Parts 3 & 4)
Age:47
COD: Automobile Accident
Stan Winston, Famous Makeup Effects Artist
He cast Betsy Palmer’s head for the severed head sequence before Alice’s death. (Part 2)
He sculpted a design for Jason’s face, and his makeup was used for the back of the head when Jason was masked. Near the end of the movie, they went with Douglas J. White’s design. (Part 3)
Age: 62
COD: Cancer
George Hively, Editor (Part 3)
Age: 72
Mitchell Bogdanowicz, 3-D Camera Technician (Part 3)
Age: 89
Simon Hawke, Wrote the novelizations for Parts 1-3 and Part 6.
He wrote the novelization of Part 6 first, then went back and did Parts 1, 2, and 3.
Michael Avallone, Wrote the first novelization of Part 3 in 1982
Age: 74
COD: Heart failure
Tony Bishop, Co-Producer (Parts 3 and 4) Production Manager and First Assistant Director (Part 4)
Barry Abrams, Cinematographer (Part 1)
He was already associated with Sean Cunningham from their work on Sean’s releases of Here Come the Tigers and Manny’s Orphans in 1978. Virginia Field, Harry Manfredini, Victor Miller, and Steve Miner also carried on to Friday the 13th from these films.
Terry Ballard: Technical Advisor, State Trooper #2 (Part 3) Executive Consultant (Part 4)
Known for bringing along a 1950’s Detroit Red Wings hockey mask to the set of Part 3. The director and makeup crew liked it and made a few alterations to be used in the movie. Terry even said that if he knew he would be responsible for the iconic mask, he would have tried to copyright it.
Bruce Hidemi Sakow, Story (Part 4)
Him and Joseph Zito created the outline of the movie together, then Barney Cohen came in later to help the director with the screenplay.
David Cohen, Screenplay and Story (Part 5)
Bryan England, Cinematographer (Part 8)
Spiros Angelikas and *Alex Ebel
Both helped in the creation of the Friday the 13th 1980 poster. Spiros Angelikas designed the poster, as well as one for Part 2 that was never used in marketing. Alex Ebel was the one who ended up painting the 1980 poster. (Learned this information from an article on this very site(:
Philip Scuderi, One of the owners of Georgetown Productions
Financier of the first 5 Friday the 13th films and certainly had input in the making of the movies.
Rest in peace among the heavens above Crystal Lake. You will all be remembered.
Information And Images Compiled By Diana Voorhees
As we become longtime fans of the franchise, the cast and crew of the movies become like family to us, whether we have the opportunity to meet any of them or not. So whenever a Friday the 13th contributor passes from this earth, it can seem like a great loss. Though they may be gone, all they have brought to their roles will be as immortal as the series itself.
The following is a memorial of some of those that have left beyond their time, and those that may have died naturally, but who we still are inclined to remember.
(I have done research on their ages and causes of deaths. I tried to be as accurate as possible.)
Danny Steinmann, Friday the 13th Part 5 director
Age: 70
COD: Unknown at this time
Jim Isaac, Jason X Director
Age: 51
COD: A rare type of blood cancer
Susan Jennifer Sullivan, Melissa from Part 7.
She perfected her character’s traits of being one of the top villains of the series.
Age: 46
COD: Cancer (That’s what I heard somewhere on this site.)
Ron Palillo, Tommy’s friend, Allen Hawes from Part 6
Age: 63
COD: Heart attack
Laurie Bartram, Brenda from Friday the 13th 1980
Age: 49
COD: Pancreatic cancer
Walt Gorney, Crazy Ralph from Parts 1 and 2
Age: 91
COD: Natural Causes
Tom Mcbride, Mark from Part 2
Age: 42
COD: Complications from AIDS
Mark Venturini, Victor Faden from Part 5
Age: 35
COD: Leukemia
Steve Susskind, Harold from Part 3
Age: 62
COD: Automobile accident
And a couple of lesser known passings that still deserve honorable mentions.
Martin Becker, Did special effects for Parts 3-8
Age: 49
COD: Pancreatic cancer
Robert Howland, Production Designer for Part 5
Age: 40
Died only a few years after his work on A New Beginning.
May their souls and those not listed here all rest in peace in the eternal waters of Crystal Lake.
Rex Everhart: Enos, the truck driver (Part 1)
Age: 79
COD: Lung Cancer
Sally Anne Golden: Sandy, the waitress (Part 1)
Age: 71
The oldest cast member of the film series.
Her character was probably one of the few town residents who didn’t think Steve Christy was insane for trying to open the camp. I get this from the friendship they seem to share.
Dorothy Kobs, Trudy (Part 1)
One of the people in the store where the mention of Camp Crystal Lake by Annie sets a tense mood in the atmosphere.
Willie Adams: Barry, the first victim of the entire series (Part 1)
Also was a production assistant on the film.
Perla Walter, Mrs. Sanchez (Part 3)
Age: 74
It was as if Mrs. Sanchez carried a sense of doom about where the kids were going. If only Vera had listened to her mother.
David Wiley, Abel (Part 3)
Another prophet of doom following in the footsteps of Crazy Ralph
Age:77
COD: Cancer
Abigail Shelton, Crying woman in hospital (Part 4)
Age:74
Supposed relative of one of the Part 3 victims, though I don’t know how she heard about the deaths that fast.
Antony Ponzini, Vincent (Part 4)
Age:69
Ric Mancini, Mayor Cobb (Part 5)
Age: 73
Brought up the belief that Jason was cremated. Clearly, his thoughts were false.
Vernon Washington, George (Part 5)
Age: 60
Died only a few years after his role in Part 5. (1988)
Mika Ward, Campfire Teen at the end of Jason X
John Sherrod, Stunt Coordinator (Parts 3 & 4)
Age:47
COD: Automobile Accident
Stan Winston, Famous Makeup Effects Artist
He cast Betsy Palmer’s head for the severed head sequence before Alice’s death. (Part 2)
He sculpted a design for Jason’s face, and his makeup was used for the back of the head when Jason was masked. Near the end of the movie, they went with Douglas J. White’s design. (Part 3)
Age: 62
COD: Cancer
George Hively, Editor (Part 3)
Age: 72
Mitchell Bogdanowicz, 3-D Camera Technician (Part 3)
Age: 89
Simon Hawke, Wrote the novelizations for Parts 1-3 and Part 6.
He wrote the novelization of Part 6 first, then went back and did Parts 1, 2, and 3.
Michael Avallone, Wrote the first novelization of Part 3 in 1982
Age: 74
COD: Heart failure
Tony Bishop, Co-Producer (Parts 3 and 4) Production Manager and First Assistant Director (Part 4)
Barry Abrams, Cinematographer (Part 1)
He was already associated with Sean Cunningham from their work on Sean’s releases of Here Come the Tigers and Manny’s Orphans in 1978. Virginia Field, Harry Manfredini, Victor Miller, and Steve Miner also carried on to Friday the 13th from these films.
Terry Ballard: Technical Advisor, State Trooper #2 (Part 3) Executive Consultant (Part 4)
Known for bringing along a 1950’s Detroit Red Wings hockey mask to the set of Part 3. The director and makeup crew liked it and made a few alterations to be used in the movie. Terry even said that if he knew he would be responsible for the iconic mask, he would have tried to copyright it.
Bruce Hidemi Sakow, Story (Part 4)
Him and Joseph Zito created the outline of the movie together, then Barney Cohen came in later to help the director with the screenplay.
David Cohen, Screenplay and Story (Part 5)
Bryan England, Cinematographer (Part 8)
Spiros Angelikas and *Alex Ebel
Both helped in the creation of the Friday the 13th 1980 poster. Spiros Angelikas designed the poster, as well as one for Part 2 that was never used in marketing. Alex Ebel was the one who ended up painting the 1980 poster. (Learned this information from an article on this very site(:
Philip Scuderi, One of the owners of Georgetown Productions
Financier of the first 5 Friday the 13th films and certainly had input in the making of the movies.
Rest in peace among the heavens above Crystal Lake. You will all be remembered.
