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In Memoriam: Entertainment Industry Celebrity Deaths

Kromm

By Kromm
in Everything Else TV

Mr. Sparkle
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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Bastet
Bastet

Piss up a rope, Val Kilmer.  If your physical illness got so bad that your life utterly sucked and no end to that suffering was in sight, so that suicide was or seemed to be the best of the available

wilsie
wilsie
BetterButter
BetterButter

Olivia Newton-John Has Died At 73

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GaT

GaT

15 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

So you'd rather they kept his corpse locked up indefinitely?

Sorry, I'm a little confused. People die in prison all the time, they don't keep the corpses in prison, they either release them to a family member for burial, or the state takes care of it. Vacating his conviction doesn't have anything to do with what happens to his body if he dies.

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roamyn

roamyn

(edited)
16 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

Tell that to the murder victim's family.

And I'm now seeing reports that with his convictions vacated, the Patriots now owe all of his back pay and bonuses to the estate.  And the victim's family may sue the Patriots to keep that from happening.

No I was bemoaning the fact that the conviction was vacated...PERIOD.

 I don't understand why - if his family has to - the appeals process couldn't continue.  It's not like he was executed by the State.  Or why it has to continue at all.  Leave it stand.  I'm sorry if it would affect his young daughter, but that's on Hernandez.  And it isn't fair to the Odin Lloyd's family.

We all have our rights to our opinions.  It's my fricking birthday & I already had a bad day at work.

Edited by roamyn
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AntiBeeSpray

AntiBeeSpray

On 4/6/2017 at 4:52 PM, merylinkid said:

I thought the Don Rickles news would hit hard.   Then I come here.   We lost the TSO founder and Underdog's creator?   I LOVED Underdog.   

RIP, one and all.   Just heartbreaking.

Word. RIP to all of them :(.

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willco

willco

Just saw this on the news. I live in Indiana and she's been on some of the Indy stations a few times over the years. It was pretty obvious, at least to me, that she had substance abuse problems, just from her mannerisms. And the part of Indiana that she lived in has a serious lot of problems with this. I have a cousin whose wife OD'ed  last year, I didn't pry but it was thought to be heroin, and she was just what's you'd call a normal stay-at-home Mom. It's really a terrible thing these days. Happy Days was my favorite show when I was about 9 or 10 ( so sue me, it was a different time !), so this is pretty sad.

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Bastet

Bastet

20 minutes ago, legaleagle53 said:

Have Ron Howard and Marion Ross said anything yet?  They must be devastated.

Ron Howard's tweet was included in the TVLine article you linked; it was probably added later, as this is a developing story.  He said:  Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I'll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens.

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legaleagle53

legaleagle53

(edited)
2 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Ron Howard's tweet was included in the TVLine article you linked; it was probably added later, as this is a developing story.  He said:  Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I'll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens.

Yes, I saw that after I had already posted, but I was too lazy to edit my post.  Henry Winkler also posted a very touching tweet:  

Edited by legaleagle53
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millennium

millennium

Only in America could this woman go from being a beloved child star to a penniless, sometimes-homeless drug addict known for causing disturbances in trailer parks.

In an interview, she once described the Happy Days cast as her "family."   I wonder if any of the more successful members of that family ever tried to help her career in the post-Happy Days years.  It looks like she crashed and burned shortly after the end of Happy Days, with only 6 or 7 one-shot roles between 1984 and 2010.

Probably I'm being unfair but the "tweets" by Ron Howard and Henry Winkler sound obligatory and saccharine.  They've known for awhile that she was in trouble.   A couple-few years ago, after Erin Moran was involved in a fracas of some kind, Winkler remarked to an interviewer that her situation was heart-breaking.  Couldn't Ron Howard, one of  the most respected names in Hollywood, have helped her get her career back on track? 

Maybe they tried to help, I don't know.   Maybe they didn't.  Maybe they did but she refused their help.   Maybe she was beyond help.

It just seems so cold that she's dead and the only send-off she gets is a handful of empty cliches on Twitter from her big-name former co-stars.  

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Blergh

Blergh

I know Miss Moran had had a hard life for quite some time and I can't say I'm entirely surprised but somehow I had held out hope she somehow would pull herself out of this downward spiral before too late. I wonder if Mackenzie Phillips ever tried to reach out to her because it seems to me that they had more in common than being 70's sitcom performers. I hope she's somehow found her peace. RIP, Miss Moran.

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cynicat

cynicat

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(edited)
5 hours ago, millennium said:

Maybe they tried to help, I don't know.   Maybe they didn't.  Maybe they did but she refused their help.   Maybe she was beyond help.

It just seems so cold that she's dead and the only send-off she gets is a handful of empty cliches on Twitter from her big-name former co-stars.  

I think you answered your own question.  If you've ever dealt with an addict, there reaches a point where there is nothing you can do to help them until they help themselves.  To avoid being pulled into the hole with them, you need to walk away and hope they find their peace.  It's heartbreaking to watch someone you love spiral out of control and not be able to fix it for them.  Erin Moran was a lost soul, much like Dana Plato and many others.

Edited by cynicat
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UYI

UYI

27 minutes ago, cynicat said:

I think you answered your own question.  If you've ever dealt with an addict, there reaches a point where there is nothing you can do to help them until they help themselves.  To avoid being pulled into the hole with them, you need to walk away and hope they find their peace.  It's heartbreaking to watch someone you love spiral out of control and not be able to fix it for them.  Erin Moran was a lost soul, much like Dana Plato and many others.

I actually think Dana Plato, despite her early death at 34, in many ways never got to the point that Erin did. Dana still got work near the end of her life, and she had her son and other friends, and she always struck me as a nice person--but she also seemed embarrassed about how far her addiction had gone, and so covered it up by acting like she was already clean in public (helped by her naturally bubbly personality and the fact that she always retained her beauty). 

Of course, I've also always believed that she didn't commit suicide, and the original cause of death listed for her--accidental prescription drug overdose--was the correct call. (While also acknowledging that there's no doubt her son committed suicide 11 years later.) But I guess you never know.

I don't know, it just seemed like Erin's down spiral took her lower and alienated more people. It's tragic either way. (And I do wonder if her cause of death--which is yet to be determined--WILL, in fact, be listed as suicide. I wouldn't be surprised in her case.) 

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Inquisitionist

Inquisitionist

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8 hours ago, millennium said:

Only in America could this woman go from being a beloved child star to a penniless, sometimes-homeless drug addict known for causing disturbances in trailer parks.

In an interview, she once described the Happy Days cast as her "family."   I wonder if any of the more successful members of that family ever tried to help her career in the post-Happy Days years.  It looks like she crashed and burned shortly after the end of Happy Days, with only 6 or 7 one-shot roles between 1984 and 2010.

Probably I'm being unfair...

I think could happen in other countries and most likely has -- we just don't hear about those cases.  Also, TV families are not people's real families.  Moran had parents, siblings, and two husbands who no doubt tried to help her as she suffered through depression and experienced the not-uncommon inability to transition from being a cute child actor to a successful adult actor.  I think the NY Times obit sums it up well.  It's a shame that she's gone, and I choose not to doubt the sincerity of any remarks made by co-stars who worked with her over 30 years ago.

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roamyn

roamyn

5 minutes ago, Inquisitionist said:

I think could happen in other countries and most likely has -- we just don't hear about those cases.  Also, TV families are not people's real families.  Moran had parents, siblings, and two husbands who no doubt tried to help her as she suffered through depression and experienced the not-uncommon inability to transition from being a cute child actor to a successful adult actor.  I think the NY Times obit sums it up well.  It's a shame that she's gone, and I choose not to doubt the sincerity of any remarks made by co-stars who worked with her over 30 years ago.

Well said.

As others have mentioned, it's sad that she's gone so young, but - like Prince, MIchael, Whitney, Dana and too many others, addiction will grab you by the throat like a rabid dog and shake you like a rag doll.  We can't be responsible for others actions.  We can only respond to them.  They have to take responsibility for their actions - including offers of hel.

 I'm hopeful she has found some kind of peace now.

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ari333

ari333

(edited)

Edit to add. Sorry. I need to read the thread and catch up before I post. Apologies.

I heard about Erin on NPR in the car. They didn't mention a cause of death. (from reading here) Was it an overdose? or more of a chronic thing?  I don't want to sound judgmental. Just trying to understand. 56 is not really old. RIP. Erin.

Edited by ari333
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hoosier80

hoosier80

I had read last night that Henry Winkler had helped out Erin financially a few years back.  She'd also then leveled claims at him (her or someone through a tabloid) that he'd sexually harassed her (and Marion Ross) or worse.  She then recanted everything.  I am guessing that perhaps everyone distanced themselves from her.  I also watched an interview with Tom Bosley where they asked him about each member of the cast.  He'd said basically (although nicely) that her family was crap, she had no support even as a child, had a bad marriage, basically floundering after the shows went off the air.  She had declined appearing with the cast at a 5 year reunion, but then joined Tom and Marion to promote the show being on Nick at Nite.  She'd then found God by then, as he said never without her Bible.  She then slid back into drugs again (from what was inferred).  It sounded like maybe she'd burned her bridges, and as was stated above, the cast knew that you can't help an addict unless they want the help.  Very sad.

I will add that Erin came to my hometown for some marathon (fund raiser for what I can't remember).  She was maybe in her late teens?   She and a couple of other minor celebs were on hand to entertain.  She sang a few songs and she was not good at all.  The stuff on the show had to have been auto tuned or something because we were stunned at how bad she was.  She also acted very oddly, so not sure if she was using at the time.  She was so pretty and you could see there was talent there, but there was something off. I don't know if she thought the job was beneath her and was bored or put off by our small town.  Granted, this wasn't a big time job, but she took the job, so she needed to give it her all.  Louis Edmonds (he had been on Dark Shadows and All My Children) was there, and he couldn't have been lovelier.  He was game for everything, enthusiastic, doing song and dance routines (he wasn't a great singer, but it sold it).  We were like I hope she picks up something from him, because he was a true professional.  We were just all thinking oh, she's young, and has to adapt/learn.  So sad later to read about her troubles, and now her early passing - to think what might have been.

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MrSmith

MrSmith

12 minutes ago, ari333 said:

I heard about Erin in the car. They didn't mention a cause of death. Was it an overdose? or more of a chronic thing?  I don't want to sound judgmental. Just trying to understand. 56 is not really old. RIP. Erin.

They don't know the cause of death. They'll be doing an autopsy to try to figure it out.

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ari333

ari333

12 hours ago, willco said:

Just saw this on the news. I live in Indiana and she's been on some of the Indy stations a few times over the years. It was pretty obvious, at least to me, that she had substance abuse problems, just from her mannerisms. And the part of Indiana that she lived in has a serious lot of problems with this. I have a cousin whose wife OD'ed  last year, I didn't pry but it was thought to be heroin, and she was just what's you'd call a normal stay-at-home Mom. It's really a terrible thing these days. Happy Days was my favorite show when I was about 9 or 10 ( so sue me, it was a different time !), so this is pretty sad.

What were her mannerisms? (sincere question) And very sad news.  HD was my favorite show too

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GaT

GaT

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I'm not sure why people think the cast of Happy Days should have been doing things for her. I have no idea what's happening with people who I worked with 20 years ago, & I'm sure no one expects me to help them out if they're addicted to something. Just because these people all worked together on a TV show does not mean they're bonded for life, it's a job.

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Angeltoes

Angeltoes

(edited)

This breaks my heart.  She was only ten months younger than me, although I had thought she was even younger than that.  Happy Days was everybody's favorite show when we were in high school.  My favorite episodes with her were the one where she fell in love with Potsie and where she was a backup singer for Leather Tuscadaro (I need to put Devilgate Drive on my music list).  When she was a teeny-tiny little girl, she was in a Debbie Reynolds movie with one line.

I can remember many years ago seeing an interview with Erin where she said that she couldn't understand why her mother didn't love her.  I remember that very well because of the honestly bewildered and lost way that she said it, and also because I shared the same sentiment about my own mother.  

May peace be yours now, sweet girl.  I wish things would have turned out differently for you.

Edited by Angeltoes
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MissT

MissT

1 hour ago, GaT said:

I'm not sure why people think the cast of Happy Days should have been doing things for her. I have no idea what's happening with people who I worked with 20 years ago, & I'm sure no one expects me to help them out if they're addicted to something. Just because these people all worked together on a TV show does not mean they're bonded for life, it's a job.

I agree.  I'm sure they have tried to help her over years, but there is only so much you can do for a person with demons.  She's had a long time to get herself together and obviously people tried to help her.    I hope she's in a better place.   

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willco

willco

18 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

Have Ron Howard and Marion Ross said anything yet?  They must be devastated.

I must being having my own 'Mandela Effect' thing happening, because I could swear, seriously, that I saw news report maybe a year ago that Marion Ross had died ! I was about to comment to you, but I went to Imdb to get the exact date and holy crap, she's still alive. I so remember this because I remember thinking that now both the parents on Happy Days were gone. So weird. BTW, if you don't know what I mean by Mandela Effect, check it out, It's wild. I usually think most of what I read about it is just dumb, but then something like this happens and I start to wonder.

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UYI

UYI

(edited)
1 hour ago, willco said:

I must being having my own 'Mandela Effect' thing happening, because I could swear, seriously, that I saw news report maybe a year ago that Marion Ross had died ! I was about to comment to you, but I went to Imdb to get the exact date and holy crap, she's still alive. I so remember this because I remember thinking that now both the parents on Happy Days were gone. So weird. BTW, if you don't know what I mean by Mandela Effect, check it out, It's wild. I usually think most of what I read about it is just dumb, but then something like this happens and I start to wonder.

I admit to knowing a lot of celebrity trivia, and TV trivia in particular, by heart (I can still remember when quite a few of the Bewitched cast members died without looking up the dates at all, and I learned them years ago, when I was younger than I should probably admit--judge me if you must), so I miss when someone is still alive/get their date of death wrong, I feel REALLY stupid. But I finally realized why I was confused when I realized Marion Ross is still alive: It's because both Tom Bosley and Barbara Billingsley died in 2010, around the same time. I got my TV moms mixed up. -_-

Edited by UYI
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TigerLynx

TigerLynx

9 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

I also watched an interview with Tom Bosley where they asked him about each member of the cast.  He'd said basically (although nicely) that her family was crap, she had no support even as a child, had a bad marriage, basically floundering after the shows went off the air. 

That's interesting.  I saw an interview with Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and other cast members of the Andy Griffth show, and they all said one of Ron Howard's parents was with him at all times on set, and he was expected to behave.  His parents would not let him get away with anything.  It's to bad Erin did not have that kind of support.  When someone is famous, very few people will say no to them.  Child stars have all the benefits and pitfalls of being famous without having the maturity and experience to deal with it that some adults have.  If it's difficult for a mature responsible adult person to try and handle fame, it's probably even worse for a child, let alone a child who doesn't have a parent who provides support and structure for them, and is willing to say no and set boundaries.

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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

11 minutes ago, TigerLynx said:

That's interesting.  I saw an interview with Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and other cast members of the Andy Griffth show, and they all said one of Ron Howard's parents was with him at all times on set, and he was expected to behave.  His parents would not let him get away with anything.  

It was his father, Rance who was on set. And he also appeared in a couple of episodes. I remember an interview with Ron Howard about one time he didn't think it was fair he got punished for misbehaving and when he complained to Andy, Andy instead sided with Rance, and told a young Ronny, that he knew he was in the wrong. 

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HoboClayton

HoboClayton

13 minutes ago, Jaded said:

The fact that she had been living in a trailer was mentioned more then enough in that article. Geeze.

Hey, they mixed it up a little! Trailer, trailer home, trailer park, trailer park house. 

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MrSmith

MrSmith

I'm glad to see there were no illegal narcotics found at her residence. That indicates, to me, that she managed to overcome whatever struggles she previously had with drugs. I watched Happy Days (in re-runs) as a kid and I had forgotten how pretty I thought she was at the time.

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BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

6 minutes ago, MrSmith said:

I'm glad to see there were no illegal narcotics found at her residence. That indicates, to me, that she managed to overcome whatever struggles she previously had with drugs. I watched Happy Days (in re-runs) as a kid and I had forgotten how pretty I thought she was at the time.

There was a further post from People saying Erin was also on a feeding tube when she died.

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MrSmith

MrSmith

5 minutes ago, BW Manilowe said:

There was a further post from People saying Erin was also on a feeding tube when she died.

That's sad. That's one of the things in life that I actually am afraid of. Not so much the being dead part, but the actual process of declining into death. The other thing is being blind.

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Inquisitionist

Inquisitionist

1 hour ago, BW Manilowe said:

According to this article from People magazine, posted in the last hour or so, it appears Erin Moran died of Stage 4 Cancer. The type wasn't specified.

http://people.com/tv/happy-days-star-erin-moran-died-stage-4-cancer/?xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag

I don't know how reliable a source Page Six is, but it quotes Paul Peterson as saying Moran had undergone treatment for throat cancer and "it was not going well." 

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Wings

Wings

47 minutes ago, MrSmith said:

That's sad. That's one of the things in life that I actually am afraid of. Not so much the being dead part, but the actual process of declining into death. The other thing is being blind.

I have those exact same fears.  I have a living will that clearly states, no tubes/machines if my life will not be same as before I entered whatever state I am in.   That part is the easiest though not iron clad.  Too much is left to the discretion of medical community individuals, unfortunately.  

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