Sample Conducts Olympiad's Beyond Eden at the Playhouse

Hall of Famer Bill Sample has been busy these days, taking up the role of music director for the Playhouse Theatre Company's last production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and now for it's latest run - Beyond Eden - which features Tom Jackson and John Mann.

The show is part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad and is a co-production with Theatre Calgary and runs from January 16 to Feb. 6th.

Hall of Famer Arngrim Passes at 81

Thor Arngrim, who served as personal manager to the likes of Liberace and Debbie Reynolds, died Dec. 16 in Vancouver of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 81.

Arngrim also handled the careers of such actors as Susan Anton, Peter Jurasik and Michael Ontkean and also those of his children -- Stefan Arngrim ("Land of the Giants") and Alison Arngrim ("Little House on the Prairie").

Arngrim also was an actor, performing in the original 1956 Broadway production of "Tamburlaine the Great" directed by Tyronne Guthrie and in the 1964 Tony-winning production of "Luther" that starred Albert Finney and was produced by David Merrick.

The native of Regina, Saskatchewan was married to Norma Macmillan (the voice of Casper and Gumby, among many others) until her death in 2001. He founded the famous Totem Theatre of Vancouver in 1951.

His two children survive him. Donations in his memory can be made to AIDS Project Los Angeles, where he volunteered for many years; to PAL Vancouver (Performing Arts Lodge); or to the Parkinson Society of British Columbia.