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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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15 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

I have to say, when someone dies at 104, I'm less inclined to mourn their death than celebrate their life. Especially someone as accomplished as Ms. Cleary. R.I.P.

For me it's the loss of certainty.   Every year on her birthday it was a great reassurance that Beverly Clearly was still with us.  the Sun will come up tomorrow and we still have Beverly Cleary, okay everything will work out.   Now, we've lost that small part of us.   

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On 3/26/2021 at 2:09 PM, WinnieWinkle said:

Beverly Cleary  

 Beloved Children’s book author Beverly Cleary died on March 25, 2021, in Carmel, California, where she’d lived since the 1960s. She was 104 years old.
 

Even though she spent the majority of her life in California, like many other locals I've always thought of her as a Portlander/Pacific North Westerner.

From her obituary: "Donations may be made in Beverly Cleary’s name to the Library Foundation of Portland, Oregon, or the Information School at the University of Washington."

This is a link to the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden.

https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/beverly_cleary_sculpture_garden/#.YGC7z51KjD4

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8 hours ago, Leeds said:

Even though she spent the majority of her life in California, like many other locals I've always thought of her as a Portlander/Pacific North Westerner.

From her obituary: "Donations may be made in Beverly Cleary’s name to the Library Foundation of Portland, Oregon, or the Information School at the University of Washington."

This is a link to the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden.

https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/beverly_cleary_sculpture_garden/#.YGC7z51KjD4

How did I not know there was a Beverly Cleary sculpture garden! I want to go see it now!

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On 3/18/2021 at 9:07 PM, Blergh said:

In this age of folks getting 15 minutes of fame for infamous actions, I think we could do well to reflect on the life of one Dick Hoyt who left this world on Wednesday, March 17,2021 at age 80.

Aw, so sad to read this.  During my 15 years in the Boston area, I watched parts of the marathon on many occasions.  Seeing Dick and Ricky go by was always a highlight.  

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On 3/25/2021 at 4:21 PM, Angeltoes said:

Richard Gilliland at only 71.  I always had a thing for him on Designing Women.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/richard-gilliland-designing-women-actor-and-husband-of-jean-smart-dies-at-71

 

Damn, I just saw this.  Gilliland and Joe Mantegna co-starred in the Chicago production of Godspell in 1972.  I still have the Playbill.  I also recall him fondly from thirtysomething and many other TV shows.  71 feels too young... Condolences to Jean Smart.  

 

Godspell photo.jpg

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On 3/28/2021 at 11:35 AM, Leeds said:

Even though she spent the majority of her life in California, like many other locals I've always thought of her as a Portlander/Pacific North Westerner.

From her obituary: "Donations may be made in Beverly Cleary’s name to the Library Foundation of Portland, Oregon, or the Information School at the University of Washington."

This is a link to the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden.

https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/beverly_cleary_sculpture_garden/#.YGC7z51KjD4

I had no idea there was a Beverly Cleary Garden that's so cool. I loved her books. RIP Beverly Cleary thanks for the great books and amazing characters.

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(edited)

Emmy-winning production designer Evelyn Sakash found dead at 66 after going missing last year.

Sakash's credits included Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Orange Is the New Black, and the 1993 film Made in America. She won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design in 2003, for her work on the PBS show Between the Lions, and received another nomination in the same category the next year.

Another article, one that is harder to read, pretty sad overall:

Emmy-winning set designer-turned-hoarder, missing 8 months, found dead inside Queens home under pile of debris.

 

Edited by Hiyo
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It's preemptively disheartening that loved ones' attempts to remind us hoarder was but one facet of who Sakash was, point out the trauma that kicked an existing psychological condition into high gear, and redirect posthumous conversation to a broader picture of her life will almost surely be unsuccessful, given the headline-grabbing details of how the home's condition allowed her body to remain undetected for so long. 

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It has been reported that the prominent Canadian You Tube personality  Lee Macmillan who documented her travels  with her then-boyfriend Max Bidstrup (of Australia ) and his eager yet fiesty dog Occi ended her own life after battling depression  on March 26,2021 near Santa Barbara, California by getting run over by a train. She was 28. 

 

Their videos  pre Pandemic when they drove their van almost all the way from Canada to Argentina had been somewhat entertaining and their insights into the  individual local cultures were intriguing to me. Yes, they broke up and they each addressed that having happened (and how sad each was having to adjust to the breakup) but neither of them said a peep  against the other in their platforms .Miss Macmillan and her family even went so far as to take care of the stranded Occi in their own home and yard in Canada for many months when, by all rights, they could have told Mr. Bidstrup 'too bad' and put the dog in a kennel until Australia would have allowed the dog back in the country after the lockdown happened.  Mr Bidstrup, as well as her more recent companion Jordan Chiu and her family have all made touching   tributes to her memory.  

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/influencer-lee-macmillan-dead-suicide-152900332.html

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Carla Zampatti: Australian fashion designer dies age 78 after serious fall at opera.

The 78-year-old had been hospitalised after a fall on some stairs at the opening night of the opera La Traviata at Mrs Macquarie’s Point a week ago.

Her designs have been worn by some of Australia’s most influential women, including Princess Mary of Denmark, former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, actor Nicole Kidman and New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian.

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(edited)
16 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Carla Zampatti: Australian fashion designer dies age 78 after serious fall at opera.

The 78-year-old had been hospitalised after a fall on some stairs at the opening night of the opera La Traviata at Mrs Macquarie’s Point a week ago.

Her designs have been worn by some of Australia’s most influential women, including Princess Mary of Denmark, former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, actor Nicole Kidman and New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian.

That's a rather confusing headline (and story).Mrs. Macquarie's Point is a  bayside peninsula in Sydney, Australia's  Royal Botanic Gardens where the Colony's governor's wife , one Elizabeth Macquarie, had a special seat carved out from the hillside rock exposed rock formation by some of the penal colony's prisoners in the 1810's that's been called Mrs. Macquarie's Chair   on the side of a steep hill overlooking the spot where she could view any and all ships coming and going toward the newly established colonial port as well as  a full view of the settlement! Anyway, leading up to that surprisingly cozy chair is a set of stairs that were also carved at the time. I guess they decided to have an open air performance  due to the Pandemic on that spot   within walking distance of the landmark Sydney Opera House  . Alas, this would be where poor Miss Zampatti had her fateful tumble.

https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/What-s-On/NYE-at-Mrs-Macquaries-Point

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Macquarie's_Chair

Edited by Blergh
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(edited)
8 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Just over two months before that show started in October, 1959, the real-life model for her character Alice Louise Mahar Ketcham had died at age 41- of what was reported at the time  to have been a brain hemmorhage after she and Mr. Hank Ketcham had separated!Just  three weeks after that tragedy, Mr. Ketcham married his secretary . Not surprisingly, their son Dennis would be on strained terms with his father for most of his adult life. 

I wonder how much of this Miss Henry knew at the time? Obviously, playing a comically overwhelmed but lightweight (and happily married) sitcom wife and mother in a series based upon a comic strip, she couldn't have brought any angst to the table re her character. 

In any case, Miss Henry did a good job playing someone who was the closest thing to an anchor and voice of reason on that show. RIP,Miss Henry.

Now just Jay North (Dennis) and Jeannie Russell (Margaret) remain from the cast! 

8 hours ago, Hiyo said:

 

Edited by Blergh
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7 hours ago, Blergh said:

Just over two months before that show started in October, 1959, the real-life model for her character Alice Louise Mahar Ketcham had died at age 41- of what was reported at the time  to have been a brain hemmorhage after she and Mr. Hank Ketcham had separated!Just  three weeks after that tragedy, Mr. Ketcham married his secretary . Not surprisingly, their son Dennis would be on strained terms with his father for most of his adult life. 

I wonder how much of this Miss Henry knew at the time? Obviously, playing a comically overwhelmed but lightweight (and happily married) sitcom wife and mother in a series based upon a comic strip, she couldn't have brought any angst to the table re her character. 

In any case, Miss Henry did a good job playing someone who was the closest thing to an anchor and voice of reason on that show. RIP,Miss Henry.

Now just Jay North (Dennis) and Jeannie Russell (Margaret) remain from the cast! 

 

Wow, I had no idea the real-life Alice died so young. I knew that Dennis and Hank Ketcham were estranged, but I always assumed it was because Dennis hated being depicted as a bratty kid forever. 

And there's another bit of my childhood gone. Dennis the Menace was part of my viewing lineup of family sitcoms during vacation mornings in the 60's and early 70's. It wasn't as memorable as Leave It to Beaver, but it was cute. Gloria Henry did well with a fairly bland role.

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Paul Ritter: Friday Night Dinner star dies of brain tumour at 54.

Quote

The actor Paul Ritter has died of a brain tumour at the age of 54, his agent has told the Guardian. Ritter who starred as the family patriarch Martin in Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner alongside Tamsin Greig, Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal died on Monday.

In a statement, his agent said that the actor, who also appeared in numerous films including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Quantum of Solace, died at home with his family by his side.

In 2019, Ritter displayed his range with a terrifying performance as Anatoly Dyatlov in the multi-award winning Chernobyl. Toby Whithouse, who wrote spy thriller The Game in which Ritter starred in 2014, said: “This is terrible devastating news. Paul was a stunning actor, a lovely lovely guy. How utterly dreadful.”

Ritter was also a talented stage actor, and was nominated for an Olivier award in 2006 for his performance in Coram Boy and for a Tony award for his 2009 starring role in the Norman Conquests.

 

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On 3/30/2021 at 10:29 PM, Vermicious Knid said:

G. Gordon Liddy dead at 90.  He will always be linked to the Watergate scandal, and after serving time appeared on a lot of TV shows.

I have to say, this is another one whom I thought died years ago!

On 4/6/2021 at 5:22 AM, Hiyo said:

Too sad.  "Friday Night Dinner" is brilliant humour and Ritter was great.  It was (?) on Channel 4, so I'm not sure if it's available in North America.

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1 hour ago, BetterButter said:

I've seen him in a number of things, but mostly remember him as Mason from a disgraceful set of Designing Women episodes.  He went on to gain more weight - which wouldn't have made it okay - but at the time he was your basic low-level obese body type America is full of.  Yet the entire storyline was that Charlene was appalled at being set up with Mason because of his weight, and then embarrassed by the looks and comments after she fell for him and started dating him.  He was talked about like a specimen not found in nature, and the subject of jokes, in the midst of discussing what a caring, successful guy he was.  A truly disgusting look from a generally great show.

And that warped "embrace" of Mason was the only time I saw Olkwicz play a remotely likable character; he was otherwise a sad sack or outright villain.  But I always saw Mason, and wondered it must have felt like reading those scripts and feeling like he had to sign on.

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3 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Below THR obituary of Midwin Charles is another: James Hampton, 'F Troop,' 'Longest Yard' and 'Teen Wolf' Actor, Dies at 84. I actually remember him as Hannibal Dobbs. Never realized he had quite the career in TV and movies and was good buddies with Burt Reynolds.

I believe that  this leaves Larry Storch (Agarn) as F-Troop's last living cast member (at age 98!). Not easy for Mr. Hampton to have played a slightly klutzy straight man to Mr. Storch's zany kook but  they did a fairly good job in the few scenes they shared together. Ironically, Mr. Hampton had been born in 1936 in  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma- a community that would NOT exist until roughly two decades after the iconic show's timeline. RIP, Mr. Hampton.

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He had been in a vegetative state the last few days, his family took him off life support an hour ago but yeah it’s official.  Damn!

2021 is gonna make me lose my mind.  *shows self door*

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Damn, just one year short of 100.

Regardless of how he was portrayed on The Crown (and The Queen), I can’t imagine how sad this was for the family, especially Elizabeth. I can’t imagine she’s going to last longer losing someone who had been such a big part of her life for so long. He and Harry were real close too, supposedly.

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15 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

Prince Philip served with distinction in the Royal Navy in World War II.   He gave up his naval career when his wife became Queen.   For the next 70+ years, he served her interests.   He had more royal patronages than anyone else in the Family.   He created the Duke of Edinburgh awards which today is one of the world's largest youth improvement organizations.   He had a lifetime of service.   RIP Prince Philip.

His virtues and accomplishments indeed deserve equal time with his flaws. Well said.
 

I’ve always admired his loyalty to HM and his many positive contributions to his country speak for themselves. 
 

I’m very sad for Queen Elizabeth. He had a nice long life and died peacefully, but it has to be awful for her to lose him no matter the circumstances.

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1 minute ago, katie9918 said:

I’m very sad for Queen Elizabeth. He had a nice long life and died peacefully, but it has to be awful for her to lose him no matter the circumstances

I agree. 73 years together is mind-blowing.

I really hope she herself doesn't go soon, as elderly couples tend to do, because I want to see her make it to her Platinum Jubilee (which would be the first for a female and for a British monarch).

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1 minute ago, Dr.OO7 said:

I agree. 73 years together is mind-blowing.

I really hope she herself doesn't go soon, as elderly couples tend to do, because I want to see her make it to her Platinum Jubilee (which would be the first for a female and for a British monarch).

That's true. RIP Prince Philip.  

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I can’t imagine waking up to the same person for 73 years. Although I am sure they were both prepared for this day, I’m sure it doesn’t hurt any less.  99 is a great run and a blessing. Thoughts to the family as they grieve their loss. 

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