Bernard Cribbins, 93

(29 December 1928 – 28 July 2022)
English actor (Doctor Who) and singer

("TheHole in the Ground").
Cause of death: natural causes.

During a career that spanned seven decades, Kribbins was the narrator of the 1970s children's program The Wombles. He also played Dr. Hu's companion Tom Campbell in the film "Dalek Invasion of Earth 2150" in 1966, and 41 years later he returned to the series of the same name. Kribbins played Vilfredo Mott, Catherine Tate's grandfather, in "Doctor Who" from 2007 to 2010. As an actor, comedian, and singer, he tried everything from Shakespeare to pantomime, Jackanory to Top of the Pops.

"Doctor Who" is a British science fiction television series that has been broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series follows the adventures of the Doctor, a mysterious humanoid alien who travels through time and space in the spaceship TARDIS.

Doctor Hu and his companions travel through time and space, fighting various foes. The series is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest-running science fiction television series and is one of the most successful science fiction series of all time. At the same time, it is an important part of British culture and has cult status not only in the UK but also around the world.

Bernard Kribbins wrote an autobiography '' Bernard Who? '' about his time in show business when he was almost 90 years old. After 75 years of doing everything, the advice was straightforward: "Do your best and be thankful for every job."

Tony Dow, 77

(April 13, 1945 – July 27, 2022) 
American actor (Leave It to Beaver) and television director.
Cause of death: liver cancer.

The iconic and enduring image of the American teen of the 1950s and 1960s was assisted by Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver in the comedy Leave It to Beaver. Tony Dow passed away from liver cancer.

Dow was born and reared in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles; his mother was a stuntwoman who served as Clara Bow's double. However, Dow's parents did not pressure him to pursue a career in show business. He had only performed on stage a tiny bit and featured in two pilots.

He got his career-defining role as Wally after going to an open casting call. Between 1957 and 1963, Dow would portray the role for six seasons and more than 200 programs in primetime on CBS and ABC - subsequently on a syndicated follow-up series for more than 100 episodes during the 1980s.

Dow's passing leaves Mathers and Larry Mondello's pal Rusty Stevens as the only remaining members of the main cast of the program. In 1982, Beaumont died. The actress who portrayed June Cleaver, the mother of Wally and Beaver, passed away in 2010. Haskell's actor, Ken Osmond, passed away in 2020.

Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Dow would make guest appearances on various TV shows such as My Three Sons, Dr. Kildare, Adam-12, Emergency, Square Pegs, and Knight Rider. In the late 1960s, he took a hiatus from acting to serve three years in the US national guard. Dow played Wally again in The New Leave it to Beaver from 1983 until 1989, during a cultural frenzy for nostalgic television.

His career as a television director in the 1990s included episodes of The New Lassie, Babylon 5, Harry and the Hendersons, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He started writing and directing those episodes. In the 1980s, Dow disclosed that he had severe depression and produced self-help movies on embracing and managing the condition at a period when such statements were uncommon.

Paul Sorvino, 83

(April 13, 1939 – July 25, 2022)
American actor (Goodfellas, The Rocketeer, Law & Order).
Cause of death: natural causes.

Paul Sorvino, a famous actor who excelled at portraying criminals and law enforcement officials such as NYPD sergeant Phil Cerreta on "Law & Order" and Paulie Cicero in "Goodfellas," has passed away. He was 83.

At the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, he passed away on Monday morning from natural causes, according to his spokesperson Roger Neal.

Sorvino had struggled with health concerns in recent years. In his more than 50 years in the entertainment industry, Sorvino was a staple in movies and television, portraying a mob boss in "The Rocketeer," Henry Kissinger in Oliver Stone's "Nixon," and an Italian American communist in Warren Beatty's "Reds."

He would frequently claim that although he was perhaps most known for his roles as gangsters, his true loves were opera, poetry, and painting. Sorvino was musically inclined from an early age and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York where he fell in love with the theater.

He was born in Brooklyn in 1939 to a mother who taught piano and a father who worked as a foreman at a garment factory. In 1964, he made his Broadway debut in "Bajour," and in 1970, he made his film debut in Carl Reiner's "Where's Poppa?" No matter the medium, Sorvino's 6-foot-4 size had a significant presence.

He starred in "The Panic in Needle Park" with Al Pacino, "The Gambler" with James Caan, "Oh, God!" with Rob Reiner, and "Oh, God!" with the ensemble in William Friedkin's bank heist comedy "The Brink's Job" in the 1970s. Sorvino had the opportunity to play a romantic protagonist and put his dancing expertise to use alongside professional dancer Anne Ditchburn in John G. Avildsen's "Rocky" follow-up, "Slow Dancing in the Big City."

Paul Sorvino was particularly active in the 1990s, appearing in 31 episodes of Dick Wolf's "Law & Order," as well as Lips in Warren Beatty's "Dick Tracy" and Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," which was based on the real-life gangster Paul Vario. Following that, he played Fulgencio Capulet, Juliet's father, in "The Rocketeer," "The Firm," and "Nixon," which earned him a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award.

David Warner, 80

(29 July 1941 – 24 July 2022)

English actor (The Omen, Tron, Titanic),

Emmy winner (1981).

Cause of death: cancer.

Warner died on Sunday at Denville Hall, a retirement home for artists in London, after a cancer-related illness, according to his family. Warner was frequently cast as a villain in films such as the 1971 psychological thriller "Straw Dogs," the 1976 horror classic "The Omen," the 1979 time-travel adventure "Time After Time" — in which he played Jack the Ripper — and the 1997 blockbuster "Titanic," in which he played the malicious valet Spicer Lovejoy. Warner, who studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, rose to prominence as a young member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing parts such as King Henry VI and King Richard II.

His performance with the company in the title role of "Hamlet" in 1965, directed by Peter Hall, was regarded as one of the best of his generation. Warner appeared in Hall's 1968 film adaptation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," alongside Helen Mirren and Diana Rigg. Despite his fame as a theater actor, Warner preferred film and television work for many years due to stage shyness. In 1966, he was nominated for a British Academy Film Award for his performance as the titular character in Karel Reisz's Swinging London tragicomedy "Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment." In 1981, he received an Emmy for his performance as Roman statesman Pomponius Falco in the TV miniseries "Masada."

He had a prolific career in film and TV in both Britain and the United States, and became beloved by sci-fi fans for roles in Terry Gilliam’s “Time Bandits,” computer movie “Tron,” Tim Burton’s remake of “Planet of the Apes,”, ''Titanic'' and the “Star Trek” franchise, where he made several appearances in different roles.

Warner returned to theater in 2001 after almost three decades to play Andrew Undershaft in a Broadway revival of George Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara.” In 2005 he starred in Shakespeare’s “King Lear” at the Chichester Festival Theatre, and in 2007 returned to the RSC to play Shakespeare’s comic buffoon Falstaff. One of his final film roles was as retired naval officer Admiral Boom in “Mary Poppins Returns,” released in 2018.

Bob Rafelson, 89

(February 21, 1933 – July 23, 2022) 
American film director (Five Easy Pieces, The Postman Always Rings Twice) and television producer (The Monkees).
Cause of death: natural causes.

Rafelson was most known for directing the Oscar-nominated picture "Five Easy Pieces" and co-producing the hit television series "Monkees," which starred the band of the same name. Rafelson has fought with the Hollywood elite despite creating creative projects during his decades-long career. Rafelson originally became interested in the cinema while serving in the United States Army. He worked for a Japanese radio station, translating Japanese films into English.

Rafelson returned to the United States and began his career in television by story editing for producer David Susskind before going on to create projects for the small screen in his own right. Rafelson had moved from New York City to Los Angeles by the late 1960s when he collaborated with Bert Schneider to co-executive produce "The Monkees." Rafelson also directed and wrote a few episodes of the musical sitcom, which ran on NBC for a few seasons. Rafelson returned with the Monkees in 1968 for his feature directorial debut, "Head," a psychedelic fever dream starring Peter Tork, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Michael Nesmith.

Rafelson and actor Jack Nicholson co-wrote "Head," which would go on to star in numerous of the filmmaker's ventures, including "Five Easy Pieces," which was nominated for best picture at the 1971 Academy Awards.

Nicholson was also nominated for an Oscar for his starring role in the film as classical pianist-turned-drifter Bobby Dupea. Rafelson had a severe professional setback in the early 1980s when he was sacked from the film "Brubaker," starring Robert Redford, after punching a studio executive in the jaw.

Rafelson had a passion for hiking and relocated to Aspen with his family to hike the Rocky Mountains regularly.

Dwight Smith, 58

(November 8, 1963 – July 22, 2022)
American baseball player (Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves),

World Series champion (1995).
Cause of death: heart and lung failure.

Dwight Smith born John Dwight Smith Sr., a 1995 World Series champion with Atlanta and runner-up for NL rookie of the year, sadly died on Friday, the Braves reported. He was 58. The veteran outfielder and expert pinch-hitter passed away from congestive heart and lung failure, according to the Braves. He resided in Peachtree City, a suburban community about 30 miles south of Atlanta.

Smith spent eight years playing in the major leagues, first with the Chicago Cubs, then spending time with the Angels, Baltimore Orioles, and Braves before finishing his career with them. Dwight Jr., his son, has also played in the major leagues, most recently with Baltimore in 2020.

The senior Smith played 103 games with the Braves in 1995, largely as a pinch-hitter, hitting.252 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. The World Series was won by Atlanta in six games against Cleveland. with Smith making three pinch-hit appearances. He walked and went 1 for 2. The Braves described Smith as "an indispensable member" of their first Atlanta championship squad in a statement. Smith finished his career with the Braves after one more season. In 101 games, he only hit.203 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

Smith did not play in the postseason as Atlanta advanced to the World Series, where they were defeated by the New York Yankees. Smith signed as a free agent with the Angels in 1994 after five seasons with the Cubs. During the strike-shortened season, he was dealt to Baltimore and then to the Braves the following year. Smith is survived by his wife, Cheryl, and their two kids, Taylor and Shannyn.

Taurean Blacque, 82

(May 10, 1940 – July 21, 2022)
American actor (Hill Street Blues).
Cause of death: unknown.

The Negro Ensemble Company in New York is where the actor from New Jersey started his performing career. He was able to land guest appearances on television shows including "Sanford and Son," "What's Happening," "Good Times," "Taxi," and "The Bob Newhart Show" because of his training at the institution. Black's biggest break came when he joined the cast of the highly regarded television series "Hill Street Blues," where he played the sly detective Neal Washington for the entirety of the show's run from 1981 and 1987.

In 1981, he was nominated for an Emmy for best supporting actor in a drama series. Blacque starred with Vivica Fox on the NBC soap opera “Generations,” which touched on the integration of two families – one Black and another white.

He became active with the Atlanta Black Theater Company and the Black Theater Festival in North Carolina. Blacque had two biological sons and adopted 11 children and was the spokesman for the county of Los Angeles Adoption Service. In 1989, Blacque was asked by President George H.W. Bush to become the national spokesperson for adoption.

He was survived by 12 children, 18 grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. The exact cause of death was not disclosed by his family. In the NBC serial opera "Generations," which dealt with the integration of two families—one Black and one White—Blacque costarred with Vivica Fox. He got involved with the Atlanta Black Theater Company and the North Carolina Black Theater Festival.

In addition to being the spokesperson for the county of Los Angeles Adoption Service, Blacque has two biological sons and 11 children who were adopted. His family chose not to give details about the precise cause of death.

Rebecca Balding, 73

(September 21, 1948 – July 18, 2022) 
American actress (Soap, Charmed, Makin' It).
Cause of death: ovarian cancer.

Rebecca Balding, a veteran stage and screen actress best known for her work on the TV show Soap and the original Charmed, passed away on July 18 in Park City, Utah. Following a fight with ovarian cancer, Balding passed suddenly, according to her husband, actor-director James L. Conway.

Balding studied acting at the University of Kansas. Before relocating to Hollywood, she started her career on the stage in Chicago. She then appeared as a guest performer in scores of television shows, but she is probably best recognized for her part in Soap.

The first two seasons of ABC's contentious parody of daytime dramas from 1977–1979 featured a significant character arc for Balding. She portrayed deceitful lawyer Carol David, who meets and rapidly seduces gay Jodie (Bily Crystal, in his breakthrough performance). She becomes pregnant after their one-night stand.

Later, she convinces Jodie to move in with her before disclosing that she is pregnant with his kid. He then asks her to marry him to fulfill his fatherly duty, and she says yes. However, she does not appear at their wedding. Later, Carol gave birth to a daughter and engaged in a custody battle, which Jodie finally won. Later, Carol stole the infant, but Jodie was able to get her back, and Balding's role vanished.

She additionally played Alyssa Milano's supervisor in the 1998–2006 television series Charmed.  In the late 1970s sitcom Makin' It, Balding portrayed Corky Crandall. In Lou Grant, she portrayed the first female reporter Carla Mardigian opposite Ed Asner. She made an appearance in the drama's first three episodes before another female reporter was written in to take her place.

She co-starred alongside Asner in the iconic Christmas TV movie The Gathering and its follow-up that same year, playing his daughter Julie. In the TV movie Deadly Game from the same year, Balding played Amy Franklin with Andy Griffith and James Cromwell

Mickey Rooney Jr., 77

(July 3, 1945 – July 16, 2022) 
American actor and singer.
Cause of death: unknown.

Mickey Rooney Jr., the son of actor Mickey Rooney and his second wife, singer Betty Jane Rase died Saturday at his home in Glendale, AZ.

The eldest of Rooney's children, he and his brother Tim joined the Mickey Mouse Club in 1955 and made appearances in both a special and the show's debut season.

Rooney Jr. and his brother were fired before the completion of the first season, as Peterson mentioned. Rooney Jr. later had appearances on the variety spectacular Shindig and the TV panel show I've Got a Secret! In 1967's Hot Rods to Hell, he played his first movie role. Additionally, he appeared in the 1980 picture Honeysuckle Rose as well as the television movie Beyond the Bermuda Triangle in 1975.

He was a multi-instrumentalist who could play the drums, guitar, and keyboard. He and his brother Tim started a band in the 1960s, and subsequently, he acted with Honeysuckle Rose alongside country music great Willie Nelson in bands. Chrissie Brown, Rooney Jr.'s longtime partner, is still alive. No specific cause of death was revealed.

Ivana Trump, 73

(February 20, 1949 – July 14, 2022) 
The first wife of former US President Donald Trump
Cause of death: cardiac arrest.

Ivana Trump, a businesswoman, a fashion designer, and Donald Trump's first wife, has passed away. Donald Trump shared the news of her passing on the social media platform Truth Social. She was 74 years old. "A wonderful, beautiful, and incredible woman who led a great and inspiring life," he said of his ex-wife. From 1977 to 1992, Ivana Trump was the former US president's wife. Together, they had three kids: Eric, Ivanka, and Donald Jr. "Her three children were her three points of pride. We were all very proud of her, and she was especially proud of them. Ivana, please go in peace! "In Trump's announcement, it is stated.

Other family members gave ABC confirmation of the information. "Our mother was an incredible woman," they said. "She was a force at work, a world-class athlete, a beauty, a loving mother, and a friend." "She embraced this nation after leaving communism. She instilled in her kids the values of compassion, toughness, and determination. Her mother, children, and ten grandchildren will miss her dearly "The declaration read.
She reportedly experienced a cardiac arrest at her New York residence, but no additional information about her passing has been made public.

Ivana Trump was raised in former Czechoslovakia and was given the name Ivana Marie Zelnková. In the 1970s, she relocated, and in 1977, she wed Donald Trump. She was a senior executive who spent years working for Trump's business empire. She worked on the interior design of the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Trump Tower while serving as executive director of Trump's Castle in Atlantic City. She has written several books and launched her own clothing company. "No matter how busy I was, I always ate breakfast with my kids. Every night after dinner, I sat with them and assisted them with their homework before leaving in a Versace dress for a charity event "She wrote a memoir titled Raising Trump about her life.

L. Q. Jones, 94

(August 19, 1927 – July 9, 2022)
American actor (The Wild Bunch, Hang 'Em High) and film director (A Boy and His Dog).
Cause of death: natural causes.

In 25 episodes of NBC's The Virginian for eight years, Jones played ranch hand, Andy Belden. He also appeared as one of the villains in the 1968 film Hang 'Em High, where he helped Clint Eastwood hang himself, and in the 1983–84 season of the NBC primetime drama The Yellow Rose, which starred Sam Elliott, Cybill Shepherd, and Chuck Connors.

The Texas native also played Robert De Niro's adversary, Clark County Commissioner Pat Webb, in Martin Scorsese's Casino (1995), and his final role was as country singer Chuck Akers in Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion (2006).

Jones had a more than 50-year career, but his role as the bounty hunter T.C. in The Wild Bunch is probably his most well-known performance (1969). He and Strother Martin as Coffer, "bring their twisted characters to life with a juvenile exuberance — they take great glee from making murdering into a game as they jostle to claim who has a greater corpse count after each gory encounter," according to a review of the film.

That is how their performances are characterized on a Warner Bros. website that promotes the movie. On the brief-lived NBC Western Klondike in 1960, Jones and Peckinpah collaborated for the first time. 

In the 1962 film Ride the High Country, he played one of the four cruel brothers who battle Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. In the film Major Dundee, he played a rebel soldier and Warren Oates' brother (1965).

Jones also portrayed bad guys who die too soon in Peckinpah's 1970 films Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid and The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1973). On the opposite side of the camera, Jones directed, co-wrote, and produced A Boy and His Dog (1975), a legendary black comedy starring Don Johnson and Jason Robards and based on a Harlan Ellison story set in the post-apocalyptic year 2024.

Tony Sirico, 79

( July 29, 1942 – July 8, 2022)
American actor (The Sopranos, Goodfellas).
Cause of death: unknown.

Tony Sirico, the actor best known for portraying gangster Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri on "The Sopranos," passed away at the age of 79 at an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to his longtime manager Bob McGowan.

Sirico was born to an Italian-American family on July 29, 1942, in New York City, New York. In the Brooklyn borough's East Flatbush and Bensonhurst communities, Sirico spent his formative years. Before starting his acting career, Sirico was convicted of several offenses and detained 28 times, including for disorderly behavior, assault, and robbery.

He was detained at a restaurant on February 27, 1970, and a.32 caliber handgun was discovered on him. He was charged with extortion, coercion, and criminal firearm possession in 1971. He was found guilty and given a four-year jail term, of which he served 20 months at Sing Sing.

The 1974 movie "Crazy Joe," which was directed by Carlo Lizzani and produced by Dino De Laurentiis, featured Sirico as an extra. Richard Castellano helped Sirico land the part. The first acting mentor for Sirico was Michael Gazzo.

Sirico played gangsters in many movies, including Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," Jon Carnoy's "Mob Queen," Woody Allen's "Mighty Aphrodite," James Toback's "Love and Money," the 1978 American crime drama "Fingers," Charles Martin's "The One Man Jury," the action-crime neo-noir "Defiance," Fred Williamson's "The Last Fight," and others, Sirico played in Innocent Blood, a 1992 American black comedy horror film; Bullets over Broadway, a 1994 American black comedy crime film; The Pick-up Artist, a 1987 American romantic comedy-drama; Gotti, a 1996 American crime drama television film; The Search for One-eye Jimmy, a 1994 comedy film; Cop Land, a 1997 American neo-noir crime drama film; Hello Again, a 1999 romantic comedy crime film; and Woody Allen's Wonder Wheel (2017). Paulie Gualtieri in David Chase's Emmy-winning drama.

The Sopranos was Sirico's most well-known role. Frank Vincent and he first went in for the Uncle Junior audition, but Dominic Chianese won the part. Sirico accepted David Chase's offer to play Paulie Gualtieri instead on the condition that his character "would not become a rat."

Gregory Itzin, 74

(April 20, 1948 – July 8, 2022) 
American actor (Lincoln, 24, Star Track,The Mentalist) 
Cause of death: complications from surgery.

Actor Gregory Itzin, who appeared in "24," "Law Abiding Citizen," and "The Mentalist," has passed away at the age of 74. Gregory Itzin's longtime manager and friend Lisa Gallant confirmed that the actor passed away due to complications from emergency surgery.

Itzin had a "major heart attack" in 2015 while performing Shakespeare, but she later recovered and flourished in theater, film, and television.

Itzin joined the cast of the popular action show 24 in the fourth season and was nominated for two Emmys for his performance as Vice President Charles Logan. Logan became one of the main characters in season 5 when he was elected president, competing with Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer. Logan is regarded as one of the show's greatest villains.

Itzin is well-known for his appearances in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise, in which he has played five different roles over the years. In Friends, he additionally portrayed Mike Hannigan's father, played by Paul Rudd. Gregory Itzin was a member of the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, where he performed in award-winning productions of Waiting for Godot, The Homecoming, and The Birthday Party.

He also performed on stage in a variety of theaters across the nation (each earning him an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for performance). These included an appearance in The Kentucky Cycle, which won the Pulitzer Prize and garnered him a Tony Award nomination.

Larry Storch, 99

(January 8, 1923 – July 8, 2022)
American actor (F Troop, The Great Race)
Cause of death: natural causes.

Larry Storch, the colorful comedian best known for his outrageous portrayal of Cpl. Again in the 1960s parody of Western frontier TV series, died on Friday. Storch had a lengthy career in theater, film, and television.  According to Storch's manager, Matt Beckoff, the musician passed away peacefully early on Friday at his residence in New York City.

Even though "F Troop" only ran on ABC for two seasons, from 1965 to 1967, it developed a cult following in repeats. Nearly every incident involving the exceedingly inept troops of Fort Courage and the local Native Americans who just appeared to be at war with them could be recalled by its ardent followers.

Storch had several appearances in movies and TV series both before and after "F Troop," which gave him long-lasting stardom. He also had a lengthy career in theater and worked as a humorist at resorts in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. Storch, who had previously been on the Broadway stage in the 1950s, returned to the New York stage after finding success in television and movies.

Philip Bosco and Vincent Gardenia co-starred in the Off-Broadway production of Breaking Legs, which got raving reviews and was often expanded before touring. Porgy and Bess, his favorite Broadway show, as well as Arsenic and Old Lace with Jean Stapleton and Annie Get Your Gun starring Reba McEntire all featured Storch.

Shinzo Abe, 67

(September 21, 1954 – July 8, 2022)
Japanese politician, Former Prime Minister, died after being shot in Nara, Japan. 
Cause of death: shooting.

Shinzo Abe, one of the most influential figures in modern Japan, the creator of the renowned "Abenomics" economic theory and the three-arrow policy, was shot and killed while supporting a candidate in Nara, close to Osaka.

Abe, 67, a well-known figure in Japanese politics and possibly one of that country's most effective prime ministers after the war, held the position from 2006 to 2007 for a brief period before taking it back from 2012 to 2020. Since its founding in 1955, his center-right Liberal Democratic Party has dominated Japanese politics. Abe had served as prime minister for the longest period of time in modern Japan by the time he resigned due to illness in August 2020.

His father, Shintaro Abe, also held the position of chief cabinet secretary, which is regarded as the second-most powerful position in the nation, and his term as prime minister surpassed that of his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, who ruled Japan from 1957 to 1960. Abe aimed to make Japan, which was constrained by a pacifist constitution and the US nuclear shield, into a more assertive and globally active power. In addition, he made an effort to revive Japan's flagging economy, which between his two terms had lost its dominance as Asia's largest economy.

After a scandal marred his first brief tenure as prime minister, he returned to office in 2012 and was more successful in changing the country's course. He instituted "Abenomics," a program of economic reform, as a form of shock therapy for a sluggish economy. In order to send more than two decades of lost growth, Abe's "three arrows" strategy called for a combination of monetary easing, for which he was able to secure support from the Bank of Japan, increased government spending, and other economic changes.

Abe established Japan's long-standing security alliance with the US, but during his presidency, ties with Japan's closest neighbors deteriorated. With his visit to the contentious Yasukuni Shrine, which among other things honors World War II war criminals, Abe helped the nationalist right. Additionally, he enacted laws that permitted Japan's self-defense forces to engage in joint combat with allies abroad, upsetting South Korea and infuriating China.

The long-standing goals of the former prime minister included changing the Japanese constitution. In particular, he believed that Tokyo was prevented from playing a role appropriate for a regional power by Article 9, which abhors war and forbids the military. However, despite his impressive political abilities, Abe has not been able to amass enough support to call the referendum required to alter this fundamental law.

While they were both in office, Abe in particular developed a close friendship with President Donald Trump. He attended the president's 2019 state visit to Japan and was the first world leader to meet with Trump since the 2016 presidential contest.

James Caan, 82

(March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022)
James Caan, an American actor (The Godfather, The Rain People, Thief, A Bridge Too Far, Cinderella Liberty, Misery) has died at the age of 82.
Cause of death: unknown.

The son of a kosher butcher, Caan was born in the Bronx in New York City in 1940. Caan initially wanted to become a football player to avoid following in his father's footsteps in the meat industry, but after attending Hofstra University in New York State, where he met future colleague Francis Ford Coppola, he developed an interest in acting. Caan subsequently enrolled in the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, and his Broadway debut in 1961's production of William Goldman and James Goldman's play about the Second World War, Blood, Sweat, and Stanley Poole earned him his first notable acting recognition.

Following early roles with Shirley Knight and Robert Duvall in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Rain People' (1969), Robert Altman's science fiction film 'Countdown' (1967), and Howard Hawks' Western film 'El Dorado' (1966), James Caan rose to fame for his portrayal of Sonny Corleone in 'The Godfather (1972), which was based on Mario Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same name. For this role, Caan was nominated for both the Academy Award and the In the 1974 American epic crime thriller 'The Godfather Part II', he returned to the character of Sonny Corleone and made a brief cameo appearance at the very end.

Notorious for his hell-raising party lifestyle, Caan had significant roles in films such as 'Brian's Song', a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week, Daryl Ponicsan's drama film 'Cinderella Liberty' (1973), James Toback's crime drama film 'The Gambler' (1974),  Norman Jewison's science fiction sports film 'Rollerball' (1975), 'A Bridge Too Far' a 1977 epic war film depicting Operation Market Garden, and Alan J. Pakula's Western drama film 'Comes a Horseman' (1978). 

James Caan had sporadically worked in film since the 1980s, with his notable performances including roles in neo-noir heist action thriller film 'Thief' (1981), 'Gardens of Stone' directed by Francis Ford Coppola (1987), Rob Reiner's psychological thriller film 'Misery' (1990), action crime comedy film 'Dick Tracy' (1990) written by Anderson and Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson's crime comedy film 'Bottle Rocket' (1996), Chuck Russell's action film 'Eraser', crime film 'The Yards' (2000) directed by James Gray, Lars von Trier's avant-garde drama film 'Dogville' (2003), and Christmas comedy film 'Elf' (2003) directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum.

Richard Taruskin, 77

(April 2, 1945 – July 1, 2022)
American musicologist.
Cause of death: esophageal cancer.

Richard Taruskin, one of the most distinguished music historians of his time, died today in Oakland, California, of esophageal cancer. He was 77. He was a regular contributor to newspapers such as The New York Times, where he published music commentary.

He studied a wide range of subjects, but one of his main interests was Russian music from the 18th century to the present. Taruskin ruled musicology from professorships at Columbia and California, with visiting lectureships at Cambridge and other universities.

His greatest work was the six-volume Oxford History of Western Music, which he published with various other works, some of which were fiery and confrontational. He was most recognized for his essays in the New York Times arts sections, where at least one editor was a former pupil.

He wielded mesmeric power over the paper's coverage of Russian music. He was born in New York and played the viola da gamba in the Aulos Ensemble while launching venomous and often justified tirades against the ayatollahs of the Historically Informed Performance movement.

Bradford Freeman, 97

(September 4, 1924 - July 3, 2022)
American World War II veteran, last surviving member of Easy Company.
Cause of death: natural causes.

Bradford Freeman, the sole survivor of the legendary Army regiment portrayed in the oral history book and miniseries "Band of Brothers," has died at the age of 97.

According to Lowndes Funeral Home in Columbus, Mississippi, Freeman died Sunday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. According to the obituary, Freeman was born in Artesia, Mississippi, and a graveside burial ceremony would be performed Friday in Caledonia, Mississippi, where he lived.

When he enlisted to serve in World War II, Freeman was an 18-year-old Mississippi State student. He volunteered to be a paratrooper and was assigned to Company E, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division as a mortarman.

On D-Day, the paratrooper in Normandy participated in Operation Market-Garden and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge before taking part in the conquests of Berchtesgaden, Germany, and Austria. As a thank, you for his service to the country, Columbus Air Force Base awarded Freeman with a challenge coin in May 2021 on behalf of Gen. Mark Milley.

Hank Goldberg, 82

(July 4, 1940 – July 4, 2022)
American sports journalist and television personality (WQAM, ESPN).
Cause of death: kidney disease.

Hank Goldberg, 82, died Monday in Las Vegas after complications from a protracted battle with kidney illness. He was a veteran ESPN NFL reporter and handicapping expert known as Hammering Hank.

Goldberg is most known for his handicapping work with ESPN, but he accomplished much more. He worked as a batboy for the Yankees as a kid and became acquainted with Joe DiMaggio. According to ESPN, Goldberg was.500 or better in 15 of 17 NFL seasons while forecasting games for twenty years.

He was a contributor to ESPN's Daily Wager, where he appeared weekly throughout the NFL season and on occasion during the Triple Crown races. Goldberg came from New Jersey to South Florida in his mid-20s and eventually took over Miami (afternoon-drive show on all-sports network 560 WQAM in Miami).

Goldberg worked in public relations for the Miami Dolphins. He was employed by Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder. Goldberg joined the Dolphins' radio broadcasts as a color analyst in 1978. In Miami, he was a talk radio personality. After his tenure with the Dolphins ended in 1992, he finally joined ESPN.

Bryan Marchment, 53

(May 1, 1969 – July 6, 2022)
Canadian ice hockey defenceman (San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks).
Cause of death: unknown.

Bryan Marchment, a former NHL enforcer and San Jose Sharks scout, died suddenly in Montreal, according to his long-time agent and friend, Rick Curran.

Marchment was attending the 2022 NHL draft when he passed. The reason for death has not been disclosed. Marchment, who was born in Scarborough, played for nine different clubs between 1989 and 2006 and is the father of ex-Leaf and current Florida Panthers player Mason Marchment.

Marchment has 40 goals and 142 assists in 926 NHL games, and 2,307 penalty minutes. Marchment was suspended many times during his playing career for attempting to hurt other players intentionally. In his first 12 NHL seasons, Marchment was banned 13 times.

Following his playing career, Bryan Marchment served as an NHL scout for the Sharks and part-time coach in the Sharks organization.