LA Times obit here.

I just read this on Tim Lucas' blog. It's too early for me to have anything eloquent enough to say, but I just feel awful about it. I am seldom struck by celebrities passing away, but Law was so eternally young and energetic that it just feels wrong somehow. The last film I saw him in was CQ - a film I adore - and it was such a kick seeing him back in action. What a tremendous screen presence. Might be time for a BARBARELLA/DIABOLIK double feature this weekend.

D.

Very sad indeed. Law made an unscheduled appearance at the Cinematheque screening of DANGER DIABOLIK less than two months ago in Hollywood. He came with his grandson and they watched the film and then answered audience questions for 20 minutes or so after the screening. Law apologized that he wasn't feeling so good that night and his voice was somewhat raspy, but he and his grandson were still in good spirits and felt genuinely happy to be there. It was very cool that he came out for the event, considering he wasn't feeling that good and he wasn't even scheduled for it.

RIP.

That is too bad. I can't remember the first film I saw Law in, but it was either BARBARELLA or THE CASSANDRA CROSSING. Anyway, he always stuck with me. When you dig up a cheap Italian movie and see his name in it, you know you are in for a good time. And, of course, the classic NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR! RIP

This is sad. I always liked Law. I don't have much patience with audio commentary, but I enjoyed his on DANGER: DIABOLIK. He struck just the right tone. I think I'm going to pull it out and listen again.

I first saw Law in THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING (1966). He's quite good in it, playing a Russian sailor stranded at a New England island beach house and slowly communicating with and warming up to the Americans who've captured him. It's a very funny movie, but it's got an emotional core to it, thanks to Law. I always thought he did the Russian accent very well.

From 1967-1974, I saw the following films of his in theaters: THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, SKIDOO, BARBARELLA, DEATH RIDES A HORSE, and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD. Not a bad run at all. I also remember seeing the trailer, multiple times, for THE LOVE MACHINE, a roman a clef about onetime CBS programming chief James Aubrey (who left CBS around that time to go run MGM into the ground), an odd project for which Law was probably miscast. (I still have never seen it.) Unfortunately, I had to wait years for a revival theater to show DANGER: DIABOLIK to finally see it.

Years ago (1998, I believe) I saw Law at a Chiller Theater convention and was struck by how young and trim he looked. And he was standing next to a full, gray-bearded David Hedison. Both of them were having a good laugh about something.

THE LOVE MACHINE is quite fun if you like camp in the vein of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. I like DOLLS, but I'd definitely pick LOVE MACHINE if I could only watch one of the two. I don't think Law was miscast, either - he plays the Robin Stone character with a stiff exterior, but he still gets the ladies and he sleeps his way to the top. Maybe the film flopped because he wasn't that well known amongst general audiences, but his performance is fine.

Unfortunately, the video is hard to come by and Sony owns the film. I doubt they had the forethought to do a commentary in advance as they probably have no plans to ever release the film on DVD to begin with. At least we have the DIABOLIK disc and that's a true godsend.

I was stunned to see this posted here. In the past year I got to see Law appear at Cinematheque screenings for SKIDOO, HURRY SUNDOWN and, of course, DIABOLIK. He always seemed to be in good spirits and eager to talk about the film he was there for. On a more personal level he actually played somebody named "Peter Avellino" in a movie. This wasn't a coincidence and I've always taken a little pleasure that the person known as Diabolik also played someone with my own name.

I'll avoid comment on THE LOVE MACHINE (also screened at the Cinematheque, but he wasn't there) right now but found HURRY SUNDOWN to be surprisingly good, especially considering its miserable reputation.

He just gave the impression of being a terrific guy and this is very sad news.

International crime will never be the same.

I remember the steady promotional push he got in his sixties heyday, enough publicity that I already knew who he was when I saw THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING...as a young kid.

Interesting to compare his interaction with Lee Van Cleef in DEATH RIDES A HORSE and his tension-charged relationship with Rod Steiger in THE SERGEANT (1968), a daring film for its day, which featured one of Law's best performances.

It may cease to exist.

RIP, John Philip

"An Angel is love."

All I can write is that Law had a face for science fiction and pop art thrills. I watch DIABOLIK for the sake of Law. It is perfect casting.