This might seem small potatoes in the wake of the death of media mogul Kerry Packer, but I just spotted an article in the Sydney Morning Herald's website on the sudden death of actor Vincent Schiavelli on Boxing Day.

Now, you probably won't know who I'm talking about. Vincent was one of those guys who's Always Been Around, usually playing the creeps, kooks and weirdos. Let's see: The ghost on the subway in Ghost who misses cigarettes. John O'Connor, one of the evil Red Lektroids in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai. Dr. Kaufman, the comical, cultured torturer in Tomorrow Never Dies. What I didn't know was that he'd also directed stage plays in Italy (which wasn't too surprising) and written three cook books (which was).

Rest in peace, Vincent. You will most definitely be missed.