Help get Andreas into the Oscars' memorial reel

Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial reel

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the Oscar awards on March 5. At every Oscar awards ceremony, they show a short film of people in the industry who have passed on since the last Oscars. This reel isn't just for big-name stars: they often highlight the careers of lesser-known character actors, as well as technical people (like makeup professionals, cameramen, etc.).

And they often include people who have very recently passed, which means they have the ability to add footage to the memorial reel very close to the broadcast date.

I wrote to the Academy last week asking if Andreas was going to be included in the memorial reel, and haven't had a reply. Someone on the moderated newsgroup had the wonderful idea that we should make sure that the Academy knows about Andreas's death, and that he's someone worthy of being honored therein.

You can write to the Academy through this form on their website:

http://www.oscars.org/contact/general.html

My suggestion is that you do not emphasize his role as G'Kar, as that is connected to a television show, and the Academy is all about film. Instead, remind them that Andreas was well known for playing "bad guys" or "heavies," like the one-armed man from "The Fugitive," but also in "Executive Decision," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "The Sicilian," etc. etc. You can find a list of his film credits here:

http://imdb.com/name/nm0441537/

Remember, stress the film roles. Particularly the big ones, the classic and/or blockbuster films, which I've listed above.

You might say something like "I've just heard about the death of Andreas Katsulas, who was a great character actor, often in the role of the bad guy, and who brought wonderful subtlety to all of his roles. I have fond memories of him playing the one-armed man in "The Fugitive," but also of seeing him show up in numerous other great films like "Executive Decision" and "The Sicilian." I hope you're going to include him in the memorial film you show at the Oscars - he's a real loss to the film community."

I think it would be a really nice tribute to Andreas to see his face up there on the screen at the Academy, being broadcast to millions of homes, and to know that the biggest stars in Hollywood today - and those watching them - are remembering him.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial reel

Thanks, Amy. I think I read about this in the moderated group. What a great idea (and what a nice thing you're doing in memory of him).

Is this a case where paper letters would be taken more seriously? Or not? I could have one in the mail by tomorrow, if I had an address.

Or would it just be better to do the online form?

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial reel

I think that the time factor precludes our writing paper letters. They have to note that there's a strong public interest in him, and have time to find footage of him and edit it into the reel. I'd say stick with the form in this case. I think that if enough of us write, they'll notice us even though it's not on paper.

You might include in your note that he died only last week - that'll clue them in as to why the barrage by e-mail rather than postal mail over several months.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial reel

That's a very good idea.

Thanks again.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Don't they do a memorial reel at the Emmys too? If so, we could try to get him into that too, but this time we could emphasize the G'Kar role.

I'm pretty sure the Emmys do this because I remember being upset that Richard Biggs was not included after his passing.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Consider it done. The only thing that may effect it is if they consider February, 2006 to be eligible for NEXT YEAR'S oscar show. I don't know how the "Oscar year" works. I did leave a message on the form just in case, though. Andreas deserves a spot. I just wish a bunch of us B5 fans were there so we could cheer our heads off in his memory and make monkey-fools of ourselves.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Thanks, all. I'm going to check with the Academy next week about the date thing, but I do know that the Oscar memorial reel does not go by the calendar year; I'm just not sure what the cutoff date is. When I find out for sure, I'll report back. In any case, I'm sure that the encouragement can only help whether it's for this year's reel or next year's. Andreas definitely deserves a mention, whenever it's appropriate.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Following up on this matter:

Thanks very much to all who posted comments to the Academy on Andreas's behalf. I telephoned them today to see how we were doing, and found out that, alas, there was a February 1st deadline for submissions for the memorial reel. Any Academy member who passed after February 1, 2006, is eligible to be in _next_ year's memorial reel.

However, this effort was definitely not in vain; the Academy really does start planning for these things as soon as the current Oscars are finished, and so now they are well and truly informed about the fact that Andreas Katsulas has a large and loyal fanbase who is interested to see him represented in the memorial reel next year. Also, I was able to provide them with information they needed about how to contact his agent, which will allow them to verify the dates and details of his death, and obtain stills to be used in the reel.

Thanks again, so very much, and I hope our efforts have guaranteed that we'll be seeing Andreas's face up on the Academy screen in 2007.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Well, this gives more time then. Another whole year.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

I was so hoping he would be in this years and my wife was dissappointed as well. However, we also noted this year Don Knotts was missing so I believe both were missed this year so lets keep working towards next year as our goal!

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Caesar, did you see my post dated 3/1? All Academy members who passed after February 1, 2005, are eligible for next year's memorial reel. It's likely we'll see Don Knotts, Dennis Weaver, Darren McGavin, and hopefully Andreas then.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

I didn't think he'd be in this year's montage due to the timing. Sort of like when a movie is up for nomination and it seems like it came out years ago.

I would, of course, recommend they use a clip from his fight with Harrison Ford on the train, and maybe a scene of him terrorizing Tom Berringer and wife in the kitchen from "Someone to Watch over Me".

Of course, a smiling shot would be nice to balance it out, if possible.

QUESTION: I'm assuming we'd never see G'Kar in the montage, since he is a TV character? Am I correct?

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

That's correct: you won't see a tv character an actor played in their Oscars' memorial reel segment.

And, if Andreas does make it into next year's reel, I'm sure that the fight scene with Harrison Ford in the subway from "The Fugitive" is exactly what they'll feature in his segment, although frankly, I'm a little tired of that being the sum total of what people remember about him. Something from "Someone to Watch Over Me" wouldn't be bad, although the scenes with Lorraine Bracco in the kitchen are way too dark to make an impact, I think. A better choice would be the scene where he's terrorizing Mimi Rogers' character in the ladies room of the Guggenheim Museum.

Amy

(p.s. - B5 Obsessed, I think the Twin Peaks quote you have in your sig is a little off. I'm fairly certain it was "dark" rather than "darkness"; it's definitely "chance" rather than "chants"!)

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

Thanks AnlaShokGrey for the info about Andreas and for your efforts to get him into the reel. I'd like to see that your hard work pays off!

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

That's correct: you won't see a tv character an actor played in their Oscars' memorial reel segment.

And, if Andreas does make it into next year's reel, I'm sure that the fight scene with Harrison Ford in the subway from "The Fugitive" is exactly what they'll feature in his segment, although frankly, I'm a little tired of that being the sum total of what people remember about him. Something from "Someone to Watch Over Me" wouldn't be bad, although the scenes with Lorraine Bracco in the kitchen are way too dark to make an impact, I think. A better choice would be the scene where he's terrorizing Mimi Rogers' character in the ladies room of the Guggenheim Museum.

Amy

(p.s. - B5 Obsessed, I think the Twin Peaks quote you have in your sig is a little off. I'm fairly certain it was "dark" rather than "darkness"; it's definitely "chance" rather than "chants"!)

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I must confess, it's been decades since I've seen that film, but I remember him from the kitchen the most. I thought, "That is the ugliest, evilest bastard I've ever seen."

As for the quote, hey, I got it off the Internet. But "chants" does seem to fit. I've got broadband now, so maybe I'll check it out.

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

I was a HUGE Twin Peaks fan back in the day - I have an address in the town of Twin Peaks (courtesy of the fan club), and my most prized mug is my Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department mug (no one's allowed to use it but me). I'm pretty sure my memory is sound on this! But let me know what you find. Interesting to note the change in meaning with "chants" versus "chance" - it's wrong, but it's still interesting.

"Someone to Watch Over Me" is the first time I consciously noticed Andreas, and I remember thinking that he was the most frightening non-supernatural villain I'd ever seen on film...and that unless he was like that in person he was a hell of an actor (which, it turns out, he was). He scared the crap out of me as Joey Venza!

Re: Help get Andreas into the Oscars\' memorial ree

But let me know what you find. Interesting to note the change in meaning with "chants" versus "chance" - it's wrong, but it's still interesting.

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Ack! There are hundreds of web hits for both versions out there. GIGO, as we say.