Martin Aronstein, 65, Lighting Designer
Martin Aronstein, a lighting designer nominated for five Tony Awards, died in Van Nuys, Cal., on May 3 of heart failure. He was 65.
His Broadway resume boasted more than 150 productions, including "Forty Carats," "Promises, Promises," "George M!" "Tiny Alice," "Noises Off," and the 1979 revival of "Hello, Dolly!"
Among his Tony-nominated shows: "Medea" and "Wild Honey," both with Zoe Caldwell; and "Much Ado About Nothing" and "In the Boom Boom Room" at the New York Shakespeare Festival, where for 20 years he lit every one of the company's Shakespearean plays.
Aronstein also served such major U.S. venues as the MUNY in St. Louis and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Born in Pittsfield, Mass., Aronstein moved to New York with his family and attended Queens College. Since 1977, he resided in Sherman Oaks, Cal., and worked in such theatres as the Ahmanson, Mark Taper, and the Pasadena Playhouse. In 1983 and 1984, he received distinguished achievement awards for the Taper's "A Month in the Country" and "Passion Play."
James Luisi, 73,
Emmy-Winning Actor
James Luisi, an actor who won an Emmy in 1976 for playing George Washington in a TV special, "First Ladies' Diaries: Martha Washington," died June 7 of cancer. He was 73.
A New York native, Luisi was a professional basketball player before turning to acting. After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he appeared in such Broadway shows as "Sweet Charity" and "Zorba."
On TV, he was featured regularly on "Another World" and "Days of Our Lives," and had cameos on "Magnum P.I." and "Hart to Hart." He also enjoyed a long-running role on "The Rockford Files."
Tom Mallow, 71,
Touring Show Producer
Tom Mallow, a producer of Broadway touring shows best known for bringing important productions to regions outside the major urban areas, died June 6 in Deerfield Beach, Fla. of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 71.
Over the decades, Mallow produced more than 60 "bus and truck" shows, like "Hello, Dolly!" "Sweeney Todd," "A Chorus Line," "Cabaret," and "La Cage aux Folles."
In 1973, he produced "No Sex Please, We're British" on Broadway, and later joined forces with the Shuberts to present Broadway revivals and tours of "Your Arms Too Short to Box with God" and "The Wiz."
A Carlsbad, N.M. native, Mallow worked as a bandleader in Albuquerque and launched his career as a booking agent for the Chicago-based MCA, where he organized tours for Harry Belafonte and Liberace.
Luigi Gasparinetti, 60, Dancer-Philanthropist
Luigi Gasparinetti, a former dancer and member of the Career Transitions For Dancers (CTFD) board of directors, died May 16 in New York City of a heart attack. He was 60.
Gasparinetti was a child dancer at the Ballet Arts studio when George Balanchine cast him in the Met's "Samson and Delilah."
He also performed in 14 Broadway shows, including "Once Upon A Mattress," "Hello, Dolly!," "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever," and "Mame." He danced on 36 Ed Sullivan shows, and appeared on "The Gary Moore Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show."
In his retirement he was key in encouraging support of dance and the CTFD. Gasparinetti established a $150,000 scholarship program for graduate studies for CTDF in 2000.