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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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It is with a heavy heart to announce the passing of voice actor and character actor John Stephenson at the age of 91.  As a VA, he was the original voice of Dr. Quest on "Johnny Quest", Mr. Slate on The Flintstones, and the announcer for the case disposal at the end of every episode of "Dragnet" (1967-70).  On cam he made many appearances on Hogan's Heroes as a German/Nazi officer and numerous other parts over the past 60 years.  His last VA that I'm aware of was as Ganthet in the Duck Dodgers episode, "The Green Loontern."

 

He passed away yesterday of complications of Alzheimer's.   Ironically, two years ago, his death was announced online before having been revealed to be a hoax.  No such luck this time.

 

Other than Janet Waldo and June Foray, I can't think of any other of the original HB VAs (from the 50s-60s) currently working or still with us.

 

You will be very much missed Mr. Stephenson.

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When you are 86 I can think of no better exit that to die quickly with your spouse.  Bravo John, well done!!

 

My parents are 86 and 82, the same ages as John and Alicia Nash.  It's not time for their exit by the hand of a reckless cab driver, any more than it was time, IMO, for the Nashes.  'Course, it might have helped if they'd been wearing seat belts. 

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(edited)

There are worse ways to go, that's for certain.

Did they just not use the seatbelts or weren't there any?

I saw an article saying they weren't wearing them, which is why both were ejected from the cab & killed (the driver, on the other hand, apparently had the benefit of a seat belt & was either uninjured or had relatively minor injuries). But with public transportation, like cabs, involved they may not have had another option--there may not have been any seat belts *to* wear, depending on the laws regarding seat belts for passengers in New Jersey Public Transportation vehicles (which I'm not familiar with).

Edited by BW Manilowe
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I saw an article saying they weren't wearing them, which is why both were ejected from the cab & killed (the driver, on the other hand, apparently had the benefit of a seat belt & was either uninjured or had relatively minor injuries). But with public transportation, like cabs, involved they may not have had another option--there may not have been any seat belts *to* wear, depending on the laws regarding seat belts for passengers in New Jersey Public Transportation vehicles (which I'm not familiar with).

 

That's what I was wondering - was it an option to wear them?  I can remember the last (and one and only) time I didn't wear a seatbelt and it was because there wasn't one in the back seat.  And as luck would have it, a drunk driver ran a red light smack into the car.  After that, no seatbelt = I don't get in the car.  Soooo I can understand why someone would let it slide the one time, especially if they were already worn out from traveling.

I'm pretty sure John Nash wouldn't have wanted to *do* that. 

 

No one knows what John Nash wanted.  My point is, we all die.  Most of us want to exit with our partner, so we don't have to suffer their loss.  And most want death be a quick transition.  I do. Of course dying in our sleep is always preferable but since that does not often happen I would take a sudden accident over fighting cancer for years or any other means of lingering in discomfort.  

(edited)

My point is that I don't think anyone, including John Nash, would want to get smashed up in a car accident.  I doubt that he gave a thumbs up when they pulled them out of the taxi.  And personally, no, I don't want to die with my partner (he wouldn't want me to die with him either) he'd want me to continue living the best life I could until I died.  I would want the same for him if I go first.    

Edited by Ohwell
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My point is that I don't think anyone, including John Nash, would want to get smashed up in a car accident. I doubt that he gave a thumbs up when they pulled them out of the taxi. And personally, no, I don't want to die with my partner (he wouldn't want me to die with him either) he'd want me to continue living the best life I could until I died. I would want the same for him if I go first.

If you're stating in the bolded that the Nashes were removed from the taxi by rescue personnel before they died, that's not accurate. They were ejected from the cab, apparently by the force of the accident & the fact they weren't wearing seat belts (whether that's because they were there but they just didn't want to bother with them--they had just arrived back in New Jersey from a trip to Norway--or because there weren't any in the back seat of the cab to use), & the ejection/lack of wearing seat belts is what caused their deaths.

If you're stating in the bolded that the Nashes were removed from the taxi by rescue personnel before they died, that's not accurate. They were ejected from the cab, apparently by the force of the accident & the fact they weren't wearing seat belts (whether that's because they were there but they just didn't want to bother with them--they had just arrived back in New Jersey from a trip to Norway--or because there weren't any in the back seat of the cab to use), & the ejection/lack of wearing seat belts is what caused their deaths.

 

On New Year's Eve in 1984, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen was driving his girlfriend around Sheffield when they tried to pass another car, and its still unclear if they were going too fast or the other driver was, but he lost control of his vehicle and hit a brick wall. He was thrown from the car because his seat belt wasn't fastened properly, and his left arm was severed at the shoulder. He survived the wreck, and doctors re-attached the limb, but infection had set in and it had to be amputated anyway. Its entirely possible that the Nashes taxi wasn't equipped with belts, as I'm not sure its a requirement

What automobile is manufactured without rear seat belts?

 

On occasion, they don't work properly -- they're tangled up and won't reach, or they won't pull out of the socket, etc. From now on, if that happens to me, I'm telling the cabbie to pull over and stop the meter until I can strap in securely or I'll wait for another cab.  ::shudder::

 

Damn, I hadn't heard about Louis Johnson. Somewhere in my treasure trove of vinyl I have the 45 of "Strawberry Letter 23."

 

  Me too. When I heard it in the "Ecotone" episode of Six Feet Under, it was a very pleasant surprise.

 

And "Get the Funk Outta My Face" and "Stomp."

 

Also "I'll Be Good To You."

 

And "Light Up the Night."

(edited)

Mrs. Voorhees is what makes Friday the 13th (just the original, not its zillion sequels) more than just a slasher film, and Betsy Palmer really put a lot of thought into such a small role in a cheesy film (she worked out a whole backstory in her head) and I know from the special features on the DVD that she attended all sorts of horror film conventions... often wearing a cable knit sweater like her character.  Appearance fees, yes, but she graciously answered questions and engaged with fans.

 

I also remember her from Mister Roberts and a couple of other '50s films.

Edited by Bastet
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Apologies if it's also in the obit linked by Bastet, but I wanted to share the only reason she said she took the Friday the 13th role.

Her manager called about doing the movie--it was her 1st since the 1960's. She read the script & said it was a piece of junk that would never go anywhere. But... she needed to buy a new car, because the Mercedes she'd been driving had broken down/died on the street. She wanted to buy a Volkswagen Scirocco for her new car, which cost $9,999. Her manager told her if she did the movie, she'd have 10 days work & be paid $1,000 per day; so she'd make $10,000 for doing the movie. That just barely cost the cost of the car (presumably before the taxes & all the other fees involved in buying a new car). If she hadn't needed a new car, & the pay wasn't right (for what she needed it for), she wouldn't have even been in the movie.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/betsy-palmer-dead-friday-13th-799070?utm_source=twitter

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I remember her from the Lethal Weapon franchise quite well. She was so young. Not that it is our business, as it isn't, but it's odd that no reason for her death was disclosed, especially since she did indeed die at a relatively young age.

 

In any case, it looks like she was in a lot of films and TV. Good for her family for releasing this on their terms.

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Christopher Lee and Ron Moody on the same day. So sad, but such colorful lives and fascinating actors. Lee was such an icon, and he won't soon be forgotten. It's a shame Moody's career never blossomed the way it should have after Oliver! (he also made the mistake of turning down the opportunity to play the Third Doctor), but, wow, what a performance. His portrayal of Fagin is so zesty and memorable, he, let's face it, makes everyone else seem kind of pedestrian and blah by comparison.

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Christopher Lee and Ron Moody on the same day. So sad, but such colorful lives and fascinating actors. Lee was such an icon, and he won't soon be forgotten. It's a shame Moody's career never blossomed the way it should have after Oliver! (he also made the mistake of turning down the opportunity to play the Third Doctor), but, wow, what a performance. His portrayal of Fagin is so zesty and memorable, he, let's face it, makes everyone else seem kind of pedestrian and blah by comparison.

 

Damn. Didn't even know that he'd passed. RIP Mr. Lee. Condolences to his family and friends.

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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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