Director Miles Goodall of Suburban Films, Cape Town, has signed with bicoastal/international @radical.media for worldwide representation. Goodall, a partner in Suburban Films, will continue to accept work through that company….Director Michael Norman has come aboard Venice, Calif.-based Mechaniks…. Director Dinh Long Thai has joined Rhythm + Hues Commercials, Los Angeles, for exclusive U.S. spot representation….Director Stuart Acher has joined Dark Light Pictures, Hollywood…. Bicoastal Cosmo Street Editorial has added Alex Brook as executive producer for its Santa Monica office. He had been serving as senior producer for Deutsch LA….Nonfiction Spots, Santa Monica has added three documentary filmmakers to its spot roster: Ondi Timoner, director of DIG!, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival; Robby Kenner, whose most recent documentary is The Road to Memphis; and the mono-monikered Helli, producer of Pororoca, Surfing the Amazon, which was honored with the Best Story Award at X-Dance 2004….Shadow Pictures, New York, has signed director Ivo Wejgaard for spot representation in the U.S….Bicoastal Face the Music and Drazen Bosnjak have amicably ended their affiliation….Erica Thompson has joined Ohio Edit, New York, as a producer. She comes over from Ogilvy & Mather, New York, where she was a partner/producer….Stan Prinsen has joined Martin| Williams, Minneapolis, as VP/director of broadcast production. He was most recently a senior producer at Fallon, Minneapolis….Zero 2 Sixty, New York, and Comotion Films, Atlanta, who entered into a joint marketing and production partnership last September, have signed director Glen Owen for spots….The mono-monikered Gelman, a noted designer, has joined Charlex, New York, as design director….
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More