Fatima Cortez Todd, widow of film and TV star Tony Todd, says she’s disappointed but not surprised that her late husband was left out of Sunday night’s Emmy Awards “In Memoriam” segment.
Tony had a long list of TV credits but he was not respected as much by the industry he gave his artistic life.
she told Entertainment Weekly on Monday
Todd was best known as the iconic villain in the Candyman movies, but his career included many memorable TV roles over nearly forty years, in shows like Star Trek, The Flash, The Young and the Restless, and 24.
He was classically trained and always given great support by his fans. Ultimately, he gave his all because he loved his work. Many times he was told that he should have had a role he didn’t get. He still maintained his generosity of spirit. The award shows look over many who should be honored. That’s on them.
Fatima added, and then Entertainment Weekly said the Television Academy did not immediately respond
This year’s “In Memoriam” segment included stars such as Maggie Smith, Michelle Trachtenberg, and George Wendt, but others like Todd, Hulk Hogan, and Jerry Adler were not mentioned, even though they are listed on the Television Academy’s longer online “In Memoriam” list.
Tony was also left out of the “In Memoriam” tribute at the Oscars in March, along with Michelle Trachtenberg, Shannen Doherty, Marianne Faithfull, Bernard Hill, Olivia Hussey, and Martin Mull. As with Todd and Holiday for the Emmys, all these names do appear on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ online “In Memoriam” page.
Tony Todd died at 69 on Nov. 6 at his home. His death was widely mourned by colleagues and peers in the industry where he worked for 39 years.
Tony Todd was the natural heir of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff…. Like them, he was a classical theatre actor who never treated genre roles with anything less than total commitment. The fans loved him dearly for it, and his work will endure.
Bernard Rose, who directed Todd in his unforgettable role in the 1992 horror classic Candyman, told EW at the time of his death that
Todd’s second screen role pointed to his future success, playing the quiet Sgt. Warren in Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning Vietnam War film Platoon. While his Candyman fame led to many horror roles like Minotaur and the Final Destination series, he gained a new audience in recent years with his TV performances.
He voiced Zoom, the villain also known as the Reverse Flash on the CW’s live-action Flash series, bringing him a younger group of fans. He also played the wrongly accused Augustus “Gus” Rogan in a powerful 2013 storyline on The Young and the Restless and appeared as several different characters in Star Trek series such as Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and The Next Generation.
Fatima said fans of her husband can attend a memorial on Nov. 8 at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills.
His funeral was private and I respect the fans enough to have closure on his passing.
she wrote
Source: EW