Stage and screen actor Joseph Ruskin died of natural causes at UCLA Santa Monica on December 28. He was 89.
Ruskin was a long serving actors’ union member and officer. In 1979 he became the first Western Regional Vice President of Actors Equity Association, was on the board of the Screen Actors Guild from 1976-1999 with eight of those years serving as 1st National Vice President and served a decade on AFTRA’s National Board. He was honored for distinguished service by AEA with the Lucy Jordan Award in 2003 and the Patrick Quinn Award in 2013, and by SAG with the Ralph Morgan Award in 2011.
Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Ruskin attended high school in Cleveland and enlisted in the Navy in 1942. He returned to study drama at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie-Mellon University) and began his professional career at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and the Rochester Arena Stage. His list of 124 television credits include multiple appearance on such shows as “Twilight Zone,” “Star Trek,” “Mission Impossible” and “Alias.” His 25 film appearances include “The Magnificent Seven,” “Prizzi’s Honor,” “Indecent Proposal” and “Smokin’ Aces.” Over the years Joe always returned to theatre, performing at the Mark Taper Forum, UCLA’s Freud Playhouse, Theater 40 and his final appearance this year as a member of the Antaeus Theatre Company.
Ruskin is survived by his wife Barbara Greene Ruskin; daughter Alicia Ruskin and son-in-law Larry Bucklan; step-daughters Rachel Greene and her husband Jim, Martha Greene and her son Jake, and Liza Page, her husband Joe Page and their children Zoe and Eli; and brother and sister-in-law David and Helene Schlafman and their children Daniel and Lani.
Plans for a memorial service are forthcoming, and in lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to The Actor’s Fund, the SAG Foundation or the Motion Picture & Television Fund.
Jean Smart, Ariana Grande, Michael Keaton among hosts for “SNL” season 50
Fresh off her Emmys win, Jean Smart will kick off the landmark 50th season of "Saturday Night Live."
NBC on Thursday announced the lineup of hosts for the season, which premieres Sept. 28. Joining Smart on the first show will be Jelly Roll as the musical act. He was also at the Emmys, singing during the ceremony's in memoriam segment.
It will be Smart's first time hosting "SNL."
Comedian Nate Bargatze will host on Oct. 5, with Coldplay as the musical guest.
Ariana Grande will host Oct. 12, with musical guest Stevie Nicks.
"Beetlejuice" star Michael Keaton will host on Oct. 19, the last show before Halloween, and Billie Eilish will be that night's musical guest.
The host on Nov. 2 will be "SNL" alum John Mulaney, with breakout sensation Chappell Roan as the music guest.
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