Longtime producer and director Arthur Marks, who helmed many episodes of the "Perry Mason" TV series and produced several hit blaxploitation films, died at age 92.
Marks passed away Nov. 13 at his home in Woodland Hills, California, his son Paul said Saturday.
"My brother and I learned everything about the film industry from my father," said Paul Marks, who is a TV producer. "He was a pillar of the industry. He taught us the morals of the industry and how to treat people."
Arthur Marks' grandparents and parents worked in the film business, and he grew up in it.
Marks was the director and producer of 80 episodes of "Perry Mason." He also directed episodes of the TV shows "I Spy," "Mannix" and "The Dukes of Hazzard."
He made several films aimed at black audiences in the 1970s. They include "Detroit 9000," which was re-released in theaters in 1998 by Quentin Tarantino, and two films starring actress Pam Grier: "Friday Foster" and "Bucktown."
"I believe when you put in the mix; a good script, a terrific cast, an experienced and perceptive director and a professional production what is the result? A film that audiences will enjoy and play eight weeks in a downtown theater in Chicago, Detroit or Kansas City," Marks said. "My intention was never to sell my films as a "black" film, rather a film that will damn well entertain for 120 minutes…with excitement, passion and a heart moving story."
In addition to his son Paul, Marks is survived by another son, Beau; two daughters, Kathleen and Elizabeth; six grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.
California governor signs law to protect children from social media addiction
California will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent beginning in 2027 under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday.
California follows New York state, which passed a law earlier this year allowing parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at limiting children's access to social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the largest technology companies in the world. Similar proposals have failed to pass in recent years, but Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law in 2022 barring online platforms from using users' personal information in ways that could harm children. It is part of a growing push in states across the country to try to address the impacts of social media on the well-being of children.
"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," Newsom said in a statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."
The law bans platforms from sending notifications without permission from parents to minors between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from September through May, when children are typically in school. The legislation also makes platforms set children's accounts to private by default.
Opponents of the legislation say it could inadvertently prevent adults from accessing content if they cannot verify their... Read More