Actors who seemed to vanish into thin air

I watch a good movie and I really enjoy watching an actor in it and I go to imdb.com to see what other movies that the actor has been in.  For the most part, their is a long list of films that he/she has been in.   However, there are times when I'll go to look them up and then discover that the film I saw them in is either the only film they've ever done, or one of the only films they've ever done.  Not only that, but when I go to research them on the internet, there is little to no information to be found on them.    It is as if they never existed outside of those one or two films.   Where they are and what happened to them remains a total mystery.  It is as if they vanished into thin air.


For years I wondered what ever happened to Robert McNaughton (pictured below)  who played Michael in "E.T."  Here was a guy who was in one of the most popular and recognized films ever made and the only other real credit he had to his resume was a relatively unknown film by the name of "I am the Cheese".   It wasn't until the re-release of  "E.T." in 2002 that his whereabouts were revealed.   McNaughton made so much money from E.T. that he was set for life and he decided to give up acting.   He lives in Arizona, where he raises his family and delivers mail more as a means for something to do than anything else. 

I suppose that's a possible explanation for other actors as well, but not everyone was in one of the top grossing films of all time.   Not everyone made enough money from that one or two films they were in to where they could be set for life like McNaughton was.   So then what happened to them?

Take Rand Kingsley (pictured above) for example.   Kingsley played the part of Hugo Snyder in the 1992 hit, "3 Ninjas".    Not only did he play the sinister bad guy convincingly, but compared to a lot of other late 80's and early 90's live action films for kids, his acting was head and shoulders over others playing similar parts.    It'd be one thing had he sucked like Eric Freeman in "Silent Night, Deadly Night" but his acting in "3 Ninjas" was actually very good.   Save an extremely small part in "The Gardener" a film no one has even heard of that he was in six years later,  "3 Ninjas" is the only film to his credit.      So what happened to him?  After some research on youtube.com and imdb.com  non-accredited resources have rumored that he married a woman from Japan, who was involved in Japanese films and he has been working in Japanese films himself ever since.   This is pure speculation and rumor.   Whether it is true or not remains a mystery.

Another actor I have wondered about for years and years is David Agresta (pictured below)

Agresta played the part of Sonny Grasso in the 1988 film, "Best of the Best" and while it was not a 5 star performance, it was still good enough to where he most likely should've found work again.  Unlike Kingsley however, there are no rumors as to what became of him.   His whereabouts remain a completely and utter mystery. 

You'd think that with today's technology and the resources we have to research that you could google about anyone, especially someone famous and find out at least some information on them and what happened to them.   However, in the case of Kingsley, Agresta and some other actors I'm sure I'll think of later,  you can't find jack squat.   It's like they literally vanished into thin air and what became of them may forever remain a mystery.

 

Women I would have liked to have known

Anne Frank -  She is probably the most recognizable name in the entire world.   A young girl that died long before her time, who has left an imprint on more people that I would say has anyone since.   Here was a girl, not even an adult yet, who truly believed in the beauty of all people, even though she was placed in an environment to believe anything but.    I say this in all seriousness that she's the type of woman that I would have liked to have fallen in love with and a sense of who she is through values and morals is something I look for in women.   When I started dating Melissa and seeing just how good and genuine of a person she was,  in a way she sort of reminded me of the demeanor of Anne Frank.   Granted she would've been 56 when I was born had she lived, but I'm talking had we been contemporaries.    What's sad here to me is that only through her death do I even know anything about her to begin with.   I mean if she were alive,  her diary never would have gotten out like it did and neither I nor the world would know who Anne Frank was.    I think the lesson to be learned here is that we should value what we can learn from another person, regardless of their status.   Most recognizable name in the world or not, she clearly had a beautiful vision that so many others are too blind to see.

Dian Fossey - If you can't tell already, I highly admire people who are full of deep passion and immense love.  Fossey's love for animals, in particular gorillas, was second to none.  She valued their lives as much or even more than most of us do human lives.   For those of you that are not familiar with her, her passion for gorillas mirrors that of Steve Irwin's for crocodiles.  She was truly a beautiful woman who had the courage to take on the black market trade of killing and selling gorilla parts.  She gave her life to protect and stand up for the animals that she loved.   Who wouldn't want an opportunity to meet a remarkable woman like that?

The Fabulous Moolah - Lilian Erickson was a pioneer in the wrestling business.  She wasn't the first woman to step into the squared circle, but she was the best.   If any inspiring female who dreams of being in the ring doesn't know who the Fabulous Moolah is, she ought to be slapped upside the head and told she can't come back until she finds out.   If it wasn't for the Fabulous Moolah,  then women in the business of professional wrestling never would have gotten their fair shake.   It's a shame that in today's society women are still often seen as nothing more than sex symbols and eye candy, but because of Moolah  women like Natalia Neidhart and Beth Phoenix get to prove that they can perform and wrestle just as well as the men.  As tough as they come inside the ring and a true lady outside of it,  Moolah is a woman I would have liked to have known.

Gilda Radner -  I was introduced to Gilda Radner about 14 years after her death.   I was over at my friend Derek Snakenberg's house when he mother Nancy was watching old reruns of SNL, "the best of Gilda Radner".    I couldn't believe how funny this woman was.  While Nicole Sullivan, Roseanne Barr and Sarah Silverman are all funny in their own right,  I don't know if any of them hold a candle to Radner.   I've always enjoyed being around funny people.  I think I would've enjoyed meeting her.

Rosa Parks - Courage is an admirable trait and I can't think of too many people who displayed it more than she did.  It's sad to me that as long as people have been around, that she even had to do what she did in the first place.   We have advanced so much technologically that we are light years ahead of where we were 60 years ago.  Hell, we are light years ahead of where we were 20 years ago.  Why is it that morally and ethically we are no further than we were hundreds of years ago?   In some ways, sure we are but racism and discrimination exist just as prevalent today as they did yesterday.  The only difference is they're more subtle and indirect than what they were.   I would have liked to have met Parks and spoken with her on these matters.  I would have liked to have had the opportunity to pick her brain and learn from such a remarkable woman.

Sally Ride - I really wish Ride was still around today.  I think that while the Gay and Lesbian community has a lot of strong representation it could use a face like Sally Field leading it.  It's sad that we live in a world where homosexuals have to consistently prove themselves in so many ways.   They have to prove themselves equal to us heterosexuals in every way that a person can prove themselves.   They have to show that they too are good people, that they too are intelligent, that they too contribute to society.    I'm almost ashamed to say that I exist in a world that is still very discriminative towards homosexuals.   Ride from what I know of her was a very intelligent woman, who had a rare gift of being gifted on both sides of her brain (she was a Physics and English major in college).   Not only did she excel at math and science, but she was also good at speaking and articulating herself.  Her achievements as an astronaut speak for themselves.   It saddens me a great deal the number of people who degrade her accomplishments because they don't agree with her lifestyle.  I would have liked to have met her. 

Men I would've liked to have known

Jack Kevorkian - I really feel like I learned a lot from listening to this man speak.   I learned that in this life that there are a lot of things that the powers at be try and convince us that are right, when they're not and in turn there are a lot of things that the powers at be try and convince us that are wrong, when they're not.   Kevorkian questioned a system and in turn challenged it and I really admired him for that.   We wouldn't have seen eye to eye on everything, but I think he would have admired my passion as much as I did his.   I was always hoping I'd get the chance to meet him and shake his hand.   It's a shame that I won't get to.

John Candy - One of my favorite actors of all time.   I remember crying the day I found out that he had passed.  That was 20 years ago.   I was at my Grandma Harding's house when it came across the television screen that he was no longer with us.   From what I saw of John he was a genuine and sincere soul, who everyone who had the opportunity to get to know him loved.   I would've liked to have known John Candy.

John Ritter -  I can remember how much of a shock I was in when I heard that John Ritter had died and how it seemed to take the whole country by storm.   When I was little, before I learned what Ritter's real name was I always referred to him as "The Dad" actor.   I'd say when trying to describe him to friends or family, "Yeah, you know that Dad guy, the guy that acts like a Dad" and essentially that's how I've always thought of John Ritter.   Maybe it was just the characters that he often played, but whether it was in a movie, television show or interview he just always seemed to go out of his way to make you feel better about yourself.   He seemed very much the kind of person that made you feel important and glad to be here.   He had an aura to him that just seemed to fill the whole room.   I would've liked to have known John Ritter.

Captain Lou Albano -  I admire passion.  I'm a man of passion and I admire people who are empathetic and passionate.    The professional wrestling is a world of few gems among an assortment creeps, jerks, liars, users and cheaters.   Albano was one of the gems.  He loved the business and he loved anyone who loved the business.   He wasn't one of these back stabbing snakes that would screw anyone and everyone to get to the top like so many others are in professional wrestling.  He was one that would actually go out of his way to help guys to make it.   If you had a dream and he thought he could help you to achieve it, he would.  The world lost a true treasure the day Albano died.  I would've liked to have known him.

Reverend Wade Watts -  It may seem strange to hear an agnostic say how much he admired a devout Christian, but I will say this, if all Christians were like Wade Watts, you'd never hear me complain about any of them again.   He was passionate, sincere and genuine.  A man who truly cared about other people and a man who truly did all he could to make this world a better place.    He didn't just preach love, he lived it.    The world certainly didn't need Wade Watts taken away from it.  If anything the world could use more Reverend Wade Watts's.  I'm sorry I never had the chance to get to know the man. 

Steve Irwin -  "You were too good for this world"  Steve Irwin was a rare gift to this world that we were very lucky to have ever known.    What makes me loathe people so much sometimes is their inability to be pure, raw and honest and that's what made me admire Irwin so much.   The man didn't have a mean bone in his body.  He was full of nothing but good.  Most people don't love one another as much as he loved an alligator.   Most wives don't love their husbands as much as he loved a poisonous snake that would have easily have bitten and killed him.   This world can often be a very cruel and ugly place in many ways.  Thank you Steve Irwin for being some of the beauty that remained within it.   I'm sad I never got to know you.

Tiny Tim - When I first saw Tiny Tim on Television, I thought he was just a weird creepy guy.   Yet years later when I was running across famous Iowans and learned that he lived for a substantial time in Des Moines, I learned all about this extremely fascinating individual.  A gentle soul who was kind to everyone that he ever met.  I've heard stories from those who have met him, and how they said he was never too busy for an autograph or to shake hands and answer a few questions.    What I admire most about Tim is that he was never judgmental of people and saw that he had as many faults as anyone else did.   He was never too good for someone and that in a world full of egocentric, arrogant pompous individuals is something to admire.   He was one of the most honest individuals who ever made it in show business.

There are many more individuals that are now gone from us that I'll never get to know.   I can't think of them right now, but these individuals are a few of the ones I could think of for right now.   

How Disney Animated Films contributed to my poor self image

I've battled image issues most of my life up until recently.    Honestly, I think the only reason why I don't really battle them now is because of two reasons.  First and foremost I've dated and scored with a far number of attractive women over the last 5 years.  Some people are of the mind that confidence creates success, and in many ways it probably does.   My experience has been that success creates confidence.    Secondly, while I am still pretty harsh on myself as far as my body goes, wanting to consistently become more built and lose more weight,  I've gotten to a point that I really don't give two shouts and a holler whether my face is an attractive one or not.   However, at one time I was very self conscious of it and Disney animated films are partially to blame.

I have a long face and a big chin, and how did Disney illustrate nearly ever villain that they have ever put on screen?   A long face and a big chin.    It was difficult not to find myself unattractive as these popular films often depicted what was ugly, as the exact facial features that I had.  

Am I exaggerating?  Maybe, but have a look for yourself

Amos Slade from "Fox and the Hound"  - Long face and huge chin

Aunt Sarah from "Lady and the Tramp"  Exceptionally long face

Captain Hook from "Peter Pan"  How much more obnoxiously could you possibly make your point?  Disney got it across loud and clear here that long faces and big chins were NOT attractive.

Cruella De Vil from "101 Dalmations"  Once again, long face and big pointy chin.

Doctor Facilier from "The Princess and the Frog"   Long face, big chin!

Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast"   I'll actually give a little bit of gratitude to Disney on this one.  While they still had to go out of their way to draw a big massive chin on the Villain in my favorite of the Disney animated films, they at least had it to where Belle was the only one to find him unattractive.  Even at that it was his personality that repulsed her, not his looks.  The fact that the three identical triplets found Gaston to be a knockout is actually, I kid you not,  what gave me the confidence that maybe I could land a good looking girl myself.   I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous, but it's true.   I thought if those babes (albeit they were cartoons, but they were still babes) could fall for Gaston, a man with a long face and a huge chin, that maybe I could get a babe or two in my lifetime to fall for me.   I did, :)  Thank you Gaston!

Hades from "Hercules"   Obnoxiously long face and big chin.   Disney could you be any more subtle with the fact that you think people with big chins are ugly!?!!?

Jafar from "Aladdin" While his chin isn't that big,  his face is extraordinarily long

Stepmother from "Cinderella" Now here Disney just came right out and said it.   They were not discreet in the least bit here,  they just blurted it right out.  The Stepmother was "ugly" and looky here,  she has a long face and a big chin,  imagine that.

Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty"   Now I actually find Maleficent to be an attractive woman.   One of those types that  I'd never get along with personally, but would secretly hope would have a sudden urge to argue with me while in a skin tight bikini, rather than in what she was wearing.   I think Disney animators even wanted her to come across as at least somewhat attractive.  Nevertheless they didn't hesitate to make her face long and give her a definitive chin.

McLeach from "The Rescuers Down Under"  Just another one added to the list,  look at the size of that chin.

Sykes from "Oliver and Company"   His chin is bigger than Fagin's entire head!!!

Whether you agree with me or not,  I think I have provided more than enough examples.   Disney has drawn a substantial amount of their evil antagonist with long faces and large chins.   Disney has went out of their way to embed within young minds, and the minds of us that still enjoy these films today (People like me!!) that long faces and large chins are ugly and unattractive.     It may seem absurd and weird to think of a nearly 29 year old man having these thoughts but you have to remember I wasn't 29 when these films came out or when I first watched them.   I can remember watching "Peter Pan" with a group of other kids when I was little and hearing them all say that Captain Hook was ugly.   Well shucks,  I sorta looked like Captain Hook.  I didn't have a mustache or a 5 O'clock shadow but I sure had a long face and I sure had a big noticeable chin.   All the little girls watching him on the T.V. were saying how ugly he was.   Well, didn't that mean I was ugly too?  


It was my late Grandma Reta Fox (along with Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast") that helped me to finally feel that maybe I too could get with an attractive woman.   On an hour and a half ride from North English, Iowa to Bettendorf, Iowa my mom and I were talking about something at school that had happened.  A girl in my class had told me that I was the ugliest person she had ever known.   Now a days,  I'd just tell the wench where to stick it, but as a 14 year old seventh grader I was devastated. 


"You know", she said to both my mom and me, "I never found Bill (her husband, my late Grandpa) to be attractive"


My mother and I both looked at her as if she were either insane or pulling our legs.


"Oh come on", my mother shot a quick response, "Of course you found him to be attractive"


"No", Grandma Fox held her ground, "No, not really"


I just smiled and shook my head thinking that while she probably did find him to be physically attractive, she was just saying this to try and make me feel better.   But then she said something that made me realize that she wasn't pulling my leg, and that she was being serious.


"Stephen", she said to me, "I didn't like Bill because of the way he looked,  I liked him because of the way he treated me"


It took a while before that finally sunk in and I began to take chances with attractive women, but I'd say had that day never happened and had I never had the thoughts I did while watching, "Beauty and the Beast" then the dozen or so times I've either scored with or dated attractive women probably never would have happened.    Oh no,  I probably would've just concluded that I with my long face and my big chin was too unattractive to ever appeal to any beauty.    I mean after all, isn't that what Disney animated films have lead us to believe?