Tom Kennedy

Thomas Phillip Kennedy (April 17, 1948 - December 7, 2011)

Tom Kennedy, an editor, author and prominent producer of film trailers, died Wednesday, Dec. 7, in West Hills, Calif. He was 63.

After serving as an editor on PBS children’s show “The Big Blue Marble” for several years, the New York-based Kennedy moved in 1977 to Los Angeles, becoming senior editor, producer and project director at Kaleidoscope Films, one of the major players in the film trailer industry, where he oversaw the audiovisual creative advertising for film campaigns. He wrote and produced trailers, TV spots and product reels for the major studios, working on campaigns for movies including “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “The Terminator,” “The Year of Living Dangerously” and the first four “Star Trek” films.

Kennedy also directed a feature, 1982 sci-fier “Time Walker,” produced by Roger Corman’s New World Entertainment.

After 15 years at Kaleidoscope, Kennedy moved over in 1992 to Cimarron/Bacon/O’Brien, where, as exec producer and partner, he oversaw audiovisual ad campaigns for movies including “Basic Instinct,” “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2,” “Unforgiven,” “The Mask,” “Get Shorty,” “True Lies” and “Broken Arrow.”

In 1997, Kennedy became senior VP of creative advertising at MGM/UA, where he oversaw the revamp of the James Bond franchise. In 2000, Kennedy started Technical Knock Out Pictures.

In addition to his efforts as a producer of trailers, Kennedy did a great deal of voiceover work, recording promos for ABC and Showtime, as well as dozens of trailers and teasers.

Kennedy was a native of the Bronx and studied film at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

He is survived by three children, Jesse, a film producer; Shane, a musician; and Samantha, an actress; and his three grandchildren.

Obituaries in the Performing Arts - 2013

Many people who worked on cultural films died this year. This post serves as a tribute to their great accomplishments. These obituaries were published in several newspapers and serve as Fair Use.

June 12 - Bert Spielvogel (born December 3, 1911 - age 101)

Bert's name might not be familiar to many of you. He did not work on many high quality films, and most of his resume is dotted with low-quality educational films. Practically nothing is known of Bert on the internet. He is not very well known but accomplished so much. Bert died tragically after a bad fall in his home.

Robert "Bert" Spielvogel was born on December 3, 1911. He was the son of John Spielvogel and his wife Hannah. Bert had good grades in school, and aspired to be a photographer. He eventually began photographing for a local magazine. It did not pay much, but Bert loved doing it.

Bert's skills were later put to the test when he was selected to film a short called "Warning Red". Bert remembered little about the film when I talked to him a year back, but he did know that the pay was handsome. As Bert was in Idaho, he was able to film a short called "Last Clear Chance" which is probably well known to Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans. Bert thought the short was loopy, and the director's approach was odd. He wanted to have lots of cars crashing, but with the low budget that Union Pacific had given him he felt it was out of the question. It was up to Bert to try and mimic a man crashing his car. When I spoke with Bert in 2010, he and I rewatched the film. Bert was embarrassed that he had taken part in such a low-quality film. He told me that he remembered watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 edition, and being glad that a film he worked on was providing laughter to hundreds of people.

June 27 - Peter Taylor (born June 27, 1968 - age 47)

Peter Taylor was a man who I was not personally familiar with. My good friend Paul Feuerstein, who worked with Peter on a project, spoke to me when he heard of his passing.

"Peter Taylor has died age 47, on his birthday. From what I heard from his wife Laura Fix, Peter had been with a good friend at a restaurant, celebrating. On their drive home, an accident involving a drunk man caused their car to flip over. It is painful to hear; although I hardly knew Peter and only worked with him once on an Ian Fleming documentary, he was a studious and careful man.

Herbert Peter Silas Taylor IV 1968-2013"

Perhaps Peter's best known work would be "Werewolf" - the horror film that has gained notoriety for being so bad it's good. Condolences to Mr. Taylor's family.

September 4 - Estelle Tepper (born December 31, 1935)

Estelle Tepper (born Estelle-Hannah Shearer-Lee) only worked on six films and was only credited on one. Her job was to pick the cast for several B-movies. She was only credited on "The Incredible Melting Man" - a B-movie she worked on for her friend William Sachs, who needed Tepper's wisdom. Tepper and Sachs were cousins.

September 11 - Tom Friedman (born February 15, 1940)

Tom Friedman was a science fiction fan who decided to try his hand at writing his own stories. Independent film company MyroStuck, impressed with Friedman's stories, decided to greenlight one of his stories. Friedman later became a success, writing several major sci-fi flicks that all had major stars. His wife Charlotte survives him.