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Kerwin Mathews, who starred in the 1958 fantasy classic The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, has died, the Los Angeles Times reported; he was 81. Mathews, who was best known for his fantasy and horror films, died in his sleep at his San Francisco home on July 11 or 12, Tom Nicoll, his partner of 46 years, told the newspaper.

Andre Norton Dies 3/17/05

Science fiction and fantasy author Andre Norton, who wrote the popular Witch World series, died March 17. Norton was 93.

Her death was announced by friend Jean Rabe, who said Norton died of congestive heart failure at her home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Norton to be cremated along with a copy of her first and last novels. There will be no funeral service.

Born Alice Mary Norton on Feb. 17, 1912 in Cleveland, She used the pen name Andre because she expected to be writing mostly for young boys and thought a male name would help sales. She made Andre her legal name in 1934, Andre Norton wrote more than 130 books in many genres during her career of nearly 70 years.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America recently created the Andre Norton Award for young adult novels, and the first award will be presented in 2006.

Norton's famous Witch World series included more than 30 novels. The series details life on an imaginary planet reachable only through hidden gateways.

Norton was the first woman to be recognized as a Grand Master by the SFWA. Her last complete novel, Three Hands for Scorpio, is scheduled to be released in April.

Jack L. Chalker Dies 2/1/05

The award-winning author of more than 60 SF novels and anthologies, died at Bon Secours hospital in Baltimore, Feb. 11. Chalker had been hospitalized since Dec. 25 for congestive heart failure and suffered from lung and kidney distress while in the hospital. He was 61.

Chalker is best known for his Well of Souls and Dancing Gods series of novels. He also founded a small publishing company, The Mirage Press, and is the co-author of the widely read reference book The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Critical and Bibliographic History.

Born in Baltimore in 1944, Chalker earned a bachelor's degree at Towson University and a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins University. He made regular appearances at many annual SF conventions around the world and was a three-term treasurer of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Chalker's writing earned him the Dedalus Award, the Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books, the Skylark Award and the Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award. He was nominated for the Hugo Award four times.

Chalker is survived by his wife, Eva C. Whitley, and his two sons, David Whitley Chalker and Steven Lloyd Chalker, both of Baltimore.

The Associated Press reports that Jane Wyatt, the television actress best known to SF fans for playing Spock's mother in the original Star Trek series, has died. She was 96.

Wyatt died Oct. 20 in her sleep of natural causes at her home in Bel Air, Calif., her publicist, Meg McDonald, told the AP.

Wyatt played Amanda Grayson, the human mother of the starship Enterprise's half-Vulcan science officer, in the original series episode "Journey to Babel" and reprised the role in the 1986 movie Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

To the broader audience, Wyatt was best known as Robert Young's TV wife, Margaret Anderson, on the 1950s series Father Knows Best.

Wyatt had a successful film career in the 1930s and '40s, notably as Ronald Colman's lover in 1937's fantasy film Lost Horizon.

Wyatt is survived by sons Christopher, of Piedmont, Calif., and Michael, of Los Angeles; three grandchildren, Nicholas, Andrew and Laura; and five great-grandchildren.