By Mark Kennedy, Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Actor Carol Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy "Steel Magnolias" and the TV series "Queen Sugar," has died from complications from COVID-19, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Sutton was 76.
"The world may recognize her from her performances in movies and on TV — whether it's 'Treme' or 'Claws,' or 'Runaway Jury' or 'Queen Sugar' — but we will always remember her commanding stage presence, her richly portrayed characters, and the warm heart she shared with her fellow cast and crew," Cantrell said in a statement. Sutton died Thursday at Touro Infirmary.
After making her acting debut in the late 1960s in Dashiki Project Theatre productions, Sutton appeared in productions such as "The Last Madam," "Native Tongues" and "A Raisin in the Sun."
She moved to television in 1974 with "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" with Cicely Tyson and had roles in "In the Heat of the Night" and the TV movie "Uncle Tom's Cabin" with Avery Brooks. Her recent TV credits included "Scream Queens," the 2016 remake of the series "Roots," "Treme," "True Detective" and "Lovecraft Country."
Her film work includes roles in such movies as "Monster's Ball," "Ray" and "The Help." She played a policewoman in "The Pelican Brief" with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington and a nurse opposite Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Shirley MacLaine in "Steel Magnolias." She was a judge in "The Big Easy" with Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin.
Ava DuVernay, creator of the OWN series "Queen Sugar," tweeted: "It was our honor to welcome this veteran actress of stage and screen to our show as Aunt Martha in Episode 409, 'Stare at the Same Fires.' May she rise and rest in peace and power."
Survivors include a son, Archie; a daughter, Aunya; a brother, Oris Buckner; a sister, Adrienne Jopes; and five grandchildren.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More