Where Are They Now - Friday, August 25, 2017
Hello fans,
Remember the kid who got attacked by his toy clown in the flick 'Poltergeist'? That scene is one of the reasons I have developed a major fear of clowns. (That, and the entire movie "It"). Well, that "kid" is Oliver Robins, and he is all grown up now. So, what is he doing now? Read on to find out...
Take care,
Steve
Questions? Comments?
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View Past Issues: Where Are They Now Archives
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--DEAD OR ALIVE?--
See if you know if the following celebrities have had a visit from the "Grim Reaper":
Curtis Armstrong: He played Booger in the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies and one of Joel's friends in the movie "Risky Business", he appeared in the TV series "Moonlighting"
LeVar Burton: He played the young Kunta Kinte in the TV mini-series "Roots" and Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge on the TV series "Star Trek: The Next Generation", he hosted the PBS educational series "Reading Rainbow" for many years
Jack Webb: Played Sgt. Joe Friday on the TV series (and originally radio series) "Dragnet"
(Answer at the bottom)
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Oliver Robins
Learn More About Oliver Robins on Celebrity Nooz
BIRTH DATE: July 22, 1971
CLAIM TO FAME: He is best known for his role as Robbie Freeling in the 1982 movie Poltergeist and in its 1986 sequel Poltergeist II: The Other Side.
INFO: Oliver's first role came at age ten, when he starred in Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist. He went on to appear in various film and television roles, before moving behind the camera.
When he was 15, he wrote, directed and produced The Crystal, which won first prize at the French "Les Mesnil-le-Roi" Film Festival.
He graduated from the University of Southern California Film School's Production Program, and later wrote directed and produced close to fifty industrial, short and feature films.
The feature teen comedies he wrote, "Dumped" and "Wild Roomies," both were released to DVD internationally in all world markets.
TRIVIA: Is the only surviving Poltergeist child actor following the deaths of Dominique Dunne and Heather O'Rourke.
Co-wrote the feature film Eating L.A., which premiered on television in 1999.
Robins' most recent project was the award winning Hallmark Channel Original Movie, "You've Got A Friend," which he wrote. The movie premiered to the highest ratings in the history of the network.
WHERE IS HE NOW: Oliver Robins is currently in post-production on the film Celebrity Crush; which he stars, and serves as producer, writer and director.
CREDITS:
2008 Man Overboard...Customer
1986 Poltergeist II: The Other Side...Robbie Freeling
1986 The Twilight Zone (TV series)...Toby Michaels (segment "Monsters!")
Monsters!/A Small Talent for War/A Matter of Minutes (1986)
1982 Airplane II: The Sequel...Jimmy Wilson
1982 Don't Go to Sleep (TV movie)...Kevin
1982 Poltergeist...Robbie Freeling
1982 Million Dollar Infield (TV movie)...Aaron
To see Then & Now pictures of Oliver Robins, visit: Celebrity Nooz
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--Answers to DEAD OR ALIVE--
Curtis Armstrong - ALIVE
Born: 11/27/1953
LeVar Burton - ALIVE
Born: 02/16/1957
Jack Webb - DEAD (Heart attack)
Born: 04/02/1920 Died: 12/23/1982
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WHO PASSED ON THIS WEEK...
8/23
Joe Klein, 75, American baseball executive (Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers), complications from heart surgery.
Fiona Richardson, 50, Australian politician, Victorian MP for Northcote (since 2006), cancer.
Mirgayas Shirinsky (ru), 62, Russian diplomat, Ambassador to Sudan (since 2013) and Rwanda (2006-2013).
8/22
John Abercrombie, 72, American jazz guitarist, heart failure.
Alain Berbérian, 63, French film director and writer.
Thomas W. Blackwell, 58, American politician.
Jane Brewer, 93, Canadian politician, alderman and mayor of Cambridge, Ontario (1988-2000).
Tony deBrum, 72, Marshallese politician, Foreign Minister (1979-1987, 2008-2009, 2014-2016).
Willy Gonser (pt), 80, Brazilian football commentator, pneumonia.
Rishang Keishing, 96, Indian politician, Chief Minister of Manipur (1980-1981, 1994-1997), multiple organ failure.
Matthew Kia Yen-wen, 92, Taiwanese Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Taipei (1978-1989), Bishop of Chiayi (1970-1974) and Hualien (1974-1978).
Dallas McCarver, 26, American bodybuilder, choking.
Tom Pritchard, 100, New Zealand cricketer (Wellington, Warwickshire, Kent).
Mohiddin Sofi, 70, Indian politician (PDP), Jammu and Kashmir minister (Forestry).
Jim Whelan, 68, American politician, Mayor of Atlantic City (1990-2002), member of the New Jersey General Assembly (2006-2008) and Senate (since 2008), heart attack.
8/21
Arturo Corcuera, 81, Peruvian poet.
Dianne de Las Casas, 47, Filipino-born American author, house fire.
Réjean Ducharme, 76, Canadian novelist and playwright.
Greg Evers, 62, American politician, member of the Florida House of Representatives (2001-2010) and Senate (2010-2016), traffic collision.
Roberto Gottardi, 90, Italian architect.
Bill Green, 66, English football player and manager.
Thomas Meehan, 88, American playwright (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray), Tony winner (1977), cancer.
Don Nichols, 92, American motorsport team owner.
Rikard Olsvik, 87, Norwegian politician, MP (1981-1993).
Helmut Piirimäe, 86, Estonian historian.
P. V. R. K. Prasad, 77, Indian civil servant.
Felo Ramírez, 94, Cuban-American sports broadcaster (Miami Marlins).
Abdur Razzak, 75, Bangladeshi actor, five-time Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor winner.
Bajram Rexhepi, 63, Kosovar politician, Prime Minister (2002-2004), stroke.
Boris Spremo, 81, Yugoslavian-born Canadian photojournalist (Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail), complications from multiple myeloma.
Perch Zeytuntsyan, 79, Egyptian-born Armenian playwright.
8/20
Karin Bang, 88, Norwegian writer.
Velichko Cholakov, 35, Bulgarian weightlifter, European champion (2004), Olympic bronze medalist (2004).
Rados Cubric, 83, Serbian Yugoslav Olympic cyclist (1972).
Margot Hielscher, 97, German singer and film actress.
Wilhelm Killmayer, 89, German composer, conductor and lecturer.
Fredell Lack, 95, American violinist.
Jerzy Lesniak, 60, Polish journalist and historian, heart attack.
Jerry Lewis, 91, American comedian (Martin and Lewis), actor (The Nutty Professor) and humanitarian (The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon), cardiomyopathy.
Sir Colin Meads, 81, New Zealand rugby union player, coach and manager (King Country, national team, Cavaliers), pancreatic cancer.
Nati Mistral, 88, Spanish actress and singer (Currito of the Cross, Cabaret, Mis tres amores).
Shane Sieg, 34, American racing driver (NASCAR).
Gary West, 57, Australian Olympic cyclist and Olympic cycling coach, motor neurone disease.
Gordon Williams, 83, Scottish writer (The Siege of Trencher's Farm).
8/19
Brian Aldiss, 92, British science fiction writer (Helliconia trilogy) and editor.
Mario Roberto Cassari, 73, Italian Roman Catholic prelate and diplomat of the Holy See, Apostolic Nuncio to Malta (2015-2016), South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (2012-2015).
Pyotr Deynekin, 79, Russian military officer, commander of the Russian Air Force (1992-1998), Hero of the Russian Federation (1997).
Salif Diallo, 60, Burkinabé politician, President of the National Assembly (since 2015).
Gérard Férey, 76, French chemist.
Janusz Glowacki, 78, Polish-American playwright, screenwriter and essayist.
Karl Otto Götz, 103, German artist, filmmaker, and writer.
Dick Gregory, 84, American comedian and civil rights activist, heart failure.
Gary O'Callaghan, 83, Australian radio broadcaster (2UE, 2SM).
Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat, 72, Cuban-born American politician and judge, member of the Florida House of Representatives (1994-1998) and the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida (2011-2017).
Ed Sharockman, 77, American football player (Minnesota Vikings), heart failure.
Concha Valdes Miranda, 89, Cuban composer.
Bea Wain, 100, American singer, heart failure.