'Warlock' actor Julian Sands identified as missing hiker in San Gabriel mountains
Jan 19, 2023
Washington [US], January 19 : British actor Julian Sands, best known for his roles in films like the 1985 drama 'A Room With a View' and the 1989 horror film 'Warlock,' went missing last Friday.
On January 13, Sands was hiking in the Baldy Bowl hiking area, which is located about 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
According to Variety, a US-based news outlet, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department stated that soon after the 65-year-old Sands was reported missing, ground workers arrived and started scouring the area.
However, after about 24 hours of searching, parties had to be withdrawn owing to avalanche risks and path conditions, it said.
Sands is known to be an enthusiastic mountaineer. "I love climbing mountains, I've spent a lot of time in the Alps over the years, a lot of time in the Andes, Alaska and the American ranges," Sands told ThriveGlobal in 2020 as quoted in a report by Variety.
British film producer Cassian Elwes shared that he had known Sands was missing for several days. "I'm devastated. A very close family friend who was an adventurer in everything he did. I've said many prayers," Elwes wrote in a post on Twitter.
Authorities have kept up with their sporadic helicopter and drone searches. However, it has been more than four days since a search party was sent out. Authorities are advising potential hikers to avoid the area, though the Sheriff's Department hopes to start a ground operation once the weather improves.
In Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains, close to Mount Baldy, is the hiking destination known as Baldy Bowl. Over the past week, the area's nighttime temperatures have been in the mid-20s.
Prior to playing the lead part of George Emerson in James Ivory's "A Room With a View," in which he co-starred with Helena Bonham Carter, Sands appeared in a number of movies and TV shows.
Other noteworthy credits include "Naked Lunch," "Leaving Las Vegas," "Arachnophobia," and the "Warlock" movies. In renowned arthouse films like "Benediction" and "The Painted Bird" from recent years, Sands played supporting parts.
