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In Memoriam: Entertainment Industry Celebrity Deaths


Message added by Mr. Sparkle,

Reminder:

This thread is for deaths of celebrities in the entertainment business only. No notices about politicians, please. 

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On 5/29/2020 at 3:05 PM, Bastet said:

The opening words of the Deadline obituary for Anthony James tickled me:  Anthony James, an instantly recognizable character actor who often played the creepy guy ...

Yes. His Naked Gun role was an inside joke on portraying all those creepy characters.

On 5/29/2020 at 3:05 PM, Bastet said:

Looking up his credits, I realized he hadn't worked on screen in quite a long time.  So I was pleased to read in the obits that it was by choice; he retired from acting to focus on his painting.

James published a book about art and poetry titled Language of the Heart.  Knowing that, his Naked Gun role most likely was not one, but two, inside jokes.  The killer being obvious, but that killer becoming emotional overhearing Priscilla Presley singing The Way We Were was probably a nod to the real life James.  

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On 5/27/2020 at 2:32 AM, Joe Hellandback said:

Alas! Great character actor, in absolutely everything, remember him as Heather Locklear's dad on TJ Hooker. 

I completely forgot about that! My dad and I used to watch reruns on MeTV before they took it off.  

On 5/27/2020 at 7:15 AM, MissAlmond said:

I only recognize the OG V.  All others are imposters (LOL).  But Richard Herd did a great job as usual.  I had forgotten Herd played the family patriarch in Get Out until Jordan Peele shared condolences in the link below.  Loved the Viagra exchange between the two for developing that character.  Such a wonderful character actor. R.I.P. Mr. Herd.  

https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/26/jordan-peele-pays-tribute-wonderful-richard-herd-death-shares-iconic-get-scene-12762106/

I tried with all the other imposters and consider the TV series that spun off the OG V as one too. I keep hoping each one would be real good. I still think it could be a great TV series. The miniseries was the best. 

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The artist Christo is dead at 84. In the midst of a world in crisis, this is still devastating for me. The Gates (NYC) and the Pont Neuf (Paris) and the surrounded islands off Miami were my favorites.   I think I was the only one who checked some of his dvds out in my local library, which was a shame. (Most of them were by the Maysles' brothers and entertaining for documentaries.)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/arts/christo-dead.html 

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Herb Stempel, the 1950's quiz show scandal whistleblower, died April 7, 2020, age 93.  Stempel's six week winning streak on Twenty-One came to an end when producers decided to replace him with Columbia University instructor, Charles Van Doren.  The 1994 film, Quiz Show is based on this incident.  

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/herb-stempel-dead-whistleblower-1950s-quiz-show-scandals-was-93-1099370

https://deadline.com/2020/05/herb-stempel-dies-quiz-show-whistleblower-in-the-1950s-was-93-1202947766/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-nyt-obituary-herb-stempel-quiz-show-whistleblower-20200531-lgywja4tbvfmjlka6szqugeogq-story.html

https://www.vulture.com/2020/06/herb-stempel-quiz-show-whistleblower-dead-at-93.html

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11 hours ago, tessaray said:

I've seen her in so many supporting roles that I would always immediately recognize her, but never one that lasted long enough for me to associate her with that specific character. Ida could have become that role if The Middleman had not been cancelled after one season.

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(edited)

Oscar nominated screenwriter Bruce Jay Friedman has died, age 90.  Friedman was nominated for the 1984 film Splash and also wrote the Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor 1980 comedy Stir Crazy.  

https://deadline.com/2020/06/bruce-jay-friedman-dies-oscar-nominated-writer-was-90-obituary-1202950788/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bruce-jay-friedman-dead-splash-screenwriter-dies-at-90-1297136

Edited by MissAlmond
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3 hours ago, paulvdb said:

 Ida could have become that role if The Middleman had not been cancelled after one season.

The Middleman sits next to Firefly on my shelf and in my fangirl heart. 

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10 hours ago, paulvdb said:

I've seen [Mary Pat Gleason] in so many supporting roles that I would always immediately recognize her, but never one that lasted long enough for me to associate her with that specific character.

For me, it's Mary on Mom, but probably just because that was the most recent.

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16 hours ago, paulvdb said:

I've seen her in so many supporting roles that I would always immediately recognize her, but never one that lasted long enough for me to associate her with that specific character.

I always remember her as the nurse on Friends "It says to call this number if your not completely satisfied with this candy bar. Well I'm not completely satisfied!" 

What a dumb line. She made it funny!

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On 6/3/2020 at 5:19 PM, Bastet said:

Ha - that's exactly what I said. 

 

She also played , among other roles, the not-well-educated (among other things, she didn’t understand it was still possible for a man & woman who aren’t sexually-attracted to have sex & actually conceive a baby), Southern-born maternal grandmother of Wendy, the infant daughter of Billy Crystal’s Soap character, Jodie Dallas.

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On 6/3/2020 at 10:47 AM, Josette said:

Actress Peggy Pope has passed away at the age of 91.  

I remember her for her several appearances on Barney Miller.  She appeared as 6 different characters in 6 different episodes! 

"Hi!  I'm Lana Lane!!" 

Poor love starved Lana, who was robbed by her potential suitor when she prepared a romantic dinner!

I didn't know she was in her 90s!  

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Steve Priest, lead singer for Sweet died on Thursday.

One of my favorite songs is ‘Love is Like Oxygen’, but they had many others, like ‘Fox on the Run’, ‘Little Willy’.  Only one original band member remains.

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Aw, that's a shame. My dad worked at a rock station once called the Fox, and when they first came on air, "Fox on the Run" was the first song played :D. I also remember being at some event once as a teenager, and all of us were singing along to "Little Willy". 

May he rest in peace. 

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(edited)
10 hours ago, roamyn said:

Steve Priest, lead singer for Sweet died on Thursday.

One of my favorite songs is ‘Love is Like Oxygen’, but they had many others, like ‘Fox on the Run’, ‘Little Willy’.  Only one original band member remains.

I almost bought a ticket to Suicide Squad, a movie I had no interest in, simply because the trailer using Ballroom Blitz piqued my curiosity. 

R.I.P Mr. Priest.

Edited by MissAlmond
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(edited)
16 minutes ago, VCRTracking said:

His early 70s Batman stories brought the character back to his darker roots and he also revamped the Green Arrow.

 

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😭😭

Edited by GHScorpiosRule
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Aw damn. I mostly liked his work (mostly, that Green Arrow/Lantern panel always pissed me off and was trying too hard), but he contributed A LOT and was as good an editor as he was a writer.

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I wasn't familiar with Ricky Valance, who seemed fated to be confused with Richie Valens. "Tell Laura I Love Her" was also credited to Ray Peterson. I don't remember hearing it when it was new, but it did get a lot of airplay in later years. A very haunting song.

It would be interesting to explore the early/mid-60s mini-fad of teen-death songs, like "Teen Angel" and "Last Kiss," although it's the girl who dies in the latter two. Jimmy Cross spoofed them with his "I Want My Baby Back."

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53 minutes ago, GreekGeek said:

It would be interesting to explore the early/mid-60s mini-fad of teen-death songs, like "Teen Angel" and "Last Kiss," although it's the girl who dies in the latter two. Jimmy Cross spoofed them with his "I Want My Baby Back."

And now I’ve got that stupid Chili’s commercial in my head

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3 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

I wasn't familiar with Ricky Valance, who seemed fated to be confused with Richie Valens. "Tell Laura I Love Her" was also credited to Ray Peterson. I don't remember hearing it when it was new, but it did get a lot of airplay in later years. A very haunting song.

It would be interesting to explore the early/mid-60s mini-fad of teen-death songs, like "Teen Angel" and "Last Kiss," although it's the girl who dies in the latter two. Jimmy Cross spoofed them with his "I Want My Baby Back."

My mom also used to like playing another parody song of that sort called "Leader of the Laundromat" :D. 

But yeah, it is amazing how big that trend was for a while there. I just keep imagining high school kids from that era slow dancing to songs like "Teen Angel" and "Last Kiss" and wondering if they paid any attention to the lyrics :p. 

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