In Memoriam: Entertainment Industry Celebrity Deaths

[Spartan Girl]

I hope this isn't wrong to say, but I'm glad Valerie is out of her pain. She'd been in bad shape for a long time and considering they gave her six months to live 10 years ago, she beat the odds. RIP.

Dont jinx it, Ed. I know you're up there but we aren't ready to lose you yet!

[MargoChanning]

Most young girls wanted to be MTM, but I always saw myself as Rhoda.  

[Sew Sumi]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

I hope this isn't wrong to say, but I'm glad Valerie is out of her pain. She'd been in bad shape for a long time and considering they gave her six months to live 10 years ago, she beat the odds. RIP.

Dont jinx it, Ed. I know you're up there but we aren't ready to lose you yet!

Do you (or anyone) know what type of cancer she had? 

[andromeda331]

RIP Valerie Harper. You were so talented. Thanks for everything especially for Rhoda. You'll be missed.  

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Do you (or anyone) know what type of cancer she had? 

A rare (5% of cancer patients) metastasis - leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, which is when cancer spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain and/or spinal cord (the meninges); I believe hers was in the brain.  She had lung cancer ten years ago, and this hit four years later (in the rare cases it happens, it's usually lung cancer, brain cancer, or melanoma).  It's not only virtually always terminal, death usually happens quickly -- months, not years. 

Edited August 31, 2019 by Bastet

[AgentRXS]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Do you (or anyone) know what type of cancer she had? 

Brain cancer.

4 hours ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

I knew that Valerie's death would be coming eventually. 😞

Not to be snarky, but that can be said for all of us.

[legaleagle53]

17 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Sad! Though at least she is no longer in pain. 

Especially since she outlived her original prognosis by what, at least six years?

So who's now left of the original MTM cast?  I think we're down to just Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, and Gavin McLeod, aren't we?

Edited August 31, 2019 by legaleagle53

[Pallas]

Two recurring players still occur: John Amos (Gordy the weatherman) and Lisa Gerritsen (Bess Lindstrom). 

[Blergh]

Since it was barely a week after her 80th birthday, I can't help but think Miss Harper managed to will herself to see that milestone- especially since she had already lived far longer than any of the doctors had expected.What's hard for me to believe is that both she and Mary Tyler Moore lived to 80 yet, thanks to the show, they will always seem forever vital in their early 30s- and that  the marvellous Nancy Walker (who played Rhoda's mother Ida) would only live to 69.  

BTW, someone posted a pic from that horror TV movie  Don't Go to Sleep , it should be noted that the actress who played Miss Harper's grandmother was none other than Ruth Gordon who had memorably played the hilarious one-shot elderly grifter on Rhoda who was Carlton the Doorman's mother ( ' You know who his father was.' 'No.' 'Me  neither!) Yes, it's likely the two had had their fun working together and perhaps had wanted to do so again but I seriously doubt that movie wound up being anywhere near as fun as that earlier episode! 

RIP, Miss Harper!

Edited September 1, 2019 by Blergh
bolding

[Vixenstud]

7 hours ago, MargoChanning said:

Most young girls wanted to be MTM, but I always saw myself as Rhoda.  

Precisely what my sister said...just texted her the bad news.

Like a previous post said, I would come here when it was a new post, wondering if it was about Valerie...now I know.

Never could get into the MTM Show (UO, didn't find it funny), but loved to watch Rhoda with its great theme music and cast (loved me some Ron Silver, who played Brenda's bf Gary Levy and of course Nancy Walker's unforgettable Ida Morgenstern....both RIP).

She may have lost her well fought fight to cancer, but she at least gave it a good kick in the balls before she did!

Godspeed, sweet lady.

PS Speaking of this movie, you can't forget the husband, the late, great Dennis Weaver, who was Sam McCloud of the McCloud tv series....he also did an unforgettable movie with Sally Struthers about domestic abuse in the 70s called Intimate Strangers.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Vixenstud

[Was-MArsenault]

5 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

Brain cancer.

Not to be snarky, but that can be said for all of us.

You're not being snarky at all.

[Was-MArsenault]

For those of you who get Antenna TV, there will be a marathon of Valerie tomorrow from 1-10 PM.

[MissAlmond]

3 hours ago, Vixenstud said:

Never could get into the MTM Show (UO, didn't find it funny), but loved to watch Rhoda with its great theme music and cast (loved me some Ron Silver, who played Brenda's bf Gary Levy and of course Nancy Walker's unforgettable Ida Morgenstern....both RIP).

I loved both shows.  I  remember when The Mary Tyler Moore Show introduced Rhoda's family when Rhoda went home for her younger sister's wedding.   When Rhoda aired Rhoda's sister was not only unmarried but had a different name.  It was one of those TV retcon's that used to have me wondering "Wait. What happened to X?" back in the day.

[MissAlmond]

Gordon Bressack, writer for Pinky and The Brain has died, age 68.  

https://deadline.com/2019/08/gordon-bressack-dies-writer-for-pinky-and-the-brain-animaniacs-was-68-1202708647/

[SmithW6079]

1 hour ago, MissAlmond said:

Gordon Bressack, writer for Pinky and The Brain has died, age 68.  

https://deadline.com/2019/08/gordon-bressack-dies-writer-for-pinky-and-the-brain-animaniacs-was-68-1202708647/

In his memory, we must try to take over the world. 

[giovannif7]

I've been recording GetTV's Hot In Cleveland reruns on my DVR, and on Friday (August 30th, the day Valerie Harper passed), one of the eps shown was "Love Is All Around," Season 4 Episode 23 - the Mary Tyler Moore Show reunion. Cloris, Mary, Valerie, Betty and Georgia sharing the sitcom stage one more time in 2013 - such a lovely, touching coincidental tribute. #RIPValerieHarper

[Homily]

So odd in a way that the two surviving ladies from the cast of MTM  were the oldest women on the show.  I don't know why that strikes me as something to note but it does.  

[praeceptrix]

Lovely tribute from Arnold Schwarzenegger to his friend Franco Columbu:

https://nypost.com/2019/08/31/arnold-schwarzenegger-mourns-death-of-longtime-pal-franco-columbu/amp/

Edited August 31, 2019 by praeceptrix
bleeping autocorrect!

[Calvada]

16 hours ago, MargoChanning said:

Most young girls wanted to be MTM, but I always saw myself as Rhoda.  

I knew I was a Rhoda, but I wanted to have Mary's apartment.  

[Was-MArsenault]

5 hours ago, MissAlmond said:

Gordon Bressack, writer for Pinky and The Brain has died, age 68.  

https://deadline.com/2019/08/gordon-bressack-dies-writer-for-pinky-and-the-brain-animaniacs-was-68-1202708647/

That’s sad. :(

[VCRTracking]

[Blergh]

6 hours ago, Calvada said:

I knew I was a Rhoda, but I wanted to have Mary's apartment.  

Well, as per the first episode, so did Rhoda! In any case, they agreed that Mary was the woman other women viewers wanted to be, Rhoda was the woman other women viewers believed they were closest to [personality wise] while Phyllis was the woman  women viewers feared to become! As long as we're talking about the characters, it needs to be said with Miss Harper's passing that, despite Rhoda and Phyllis barely tolerating each other for Mary's sake, Miss Harper said her best friend on the set was Cloris Leachman herself who vouched that Miss Harper would ALWAYS be the first one to stand up for Miss Leachman's behalf any time anyone tried to dis her! 

[dalek]

Terrance Dicks has died.

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-09-02/doctor-who-writer-terrance-dicks-dies/

In addition to writing and script editing for Dr Who, he wrote a lot of the Dr Who Target novelizations, which, aside from the early Tom Baker episodes I was watching on WWOR TV Ch. 9, were pretty much my, and a number of American fans, introduction to Dr Who.

[dalek]

I didn't see any entry for this.  Also, while the death was at the beginning of August, I only just found out about it.

Barry Hughart, author of one of my favorite fantasy novels, Bridge of Birds, has died.

https://locusmag.com/2019/08/barry-hughart-1924-2019/

[magicdog]

Quote

Following that allegation, Major League Baseball said it would assign its investigative unit to look into it.

Sounds like the fox was hired to investigate the hen house murder.

[MissAlmond]

Fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh has died, age 74.

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/peter-lindbergh-dead/index.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49579150

Edited September 4, 2019 by MissAlmond

[Popples]

Two-time Grammy award-winning songwriter LaShawn Daniels dead at 41.

He wrote hits like Brandy and Monica's "The Boy is Mine", Destiny's Child's "Say My Name", Toni Braxton's "He Wasn't Man Enough", Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right, But It's Okay", and (ugh) Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love".

[dalek]

Science fiction author Katherine MacLean has died, age 94.

http://file770.com/katherine-maclean-1925-2019/#comments

[Was-MArsenault]

5 hours ago, Popples said:

Two-time Grammy award-winning songwriter LaShawn Daniels dead at 41.

He wrote hits like Brandy and Monica's "The Boy is Mine", Destiny's Child's "Say My Name", Toni Braxton's "He Wasn't Man Enough", Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right, But It's Okay", and (ugh) Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love".

He died following a fatal car accident in South Carolina.

7 hours ago, MissAlmond said:

Fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh has died, age 74.

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/peter-lindbergh-dead/index.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49579150

Oh that's sad. 😞

[praeceptrix]

Soprano Rosemary Kuhlmann, who originated the role of the mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors (I had no idea that it was a made-for-television Opera!) has died.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/04/arts/music/rosemary-kuhlmann-dead.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&fbclid=IwAR1bZJWO-63iUYqppwL_SW1rtr7wYZ8ma4O6NHVUlPtCpC6h-ewW2lIjfEY

[Jaded]

Spanish Pop Star Joana Sainz García Dead at 30 After Firework Explodes During Concert

[UYI]

Texas country music artist (meaning, the Texas country music scene, which is an entirely different beast from the mainstream country music scene in Nashville) Kylie Rae Harris was killed in a car crash at the age of 30 (which is also my age--VERY sobering, for sure). She leaves behind her husband and six year old daughter.

I'll confess that, even as someone who loves country music--in and out of the mainstream--I was not familiar with her until today. There aren't very prominent women in the Texas country music scene (and in course in Nashville it's hard these days to get a woman heard on the radio at all), but the Tweets from similar artists reacting to her death make it clear how loved she was.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/8529184/kylie-rae-harris-dies-country-singer-dead-car-accident

Edited September 5, 2019 by UYI

[Was-MArsenault]

https://www.al.com/life/2019/09/swampers-guitarist-jimmy-johnson-has-died.html

[Angeltoes]

Carol Lynley dies at 77.  I just rewatched the Poseiden Adventure a few weeks ago.

https://variety.com/2019/film/news/carol-lynley-dead-dies-the-poseidon-adventure-1203325524/

[Annber03]

My mom and dad went to see The Poseidon Adventure on their first date. 

[Bastet]

I've seen '70s disaster flicks like The Poseidon Adventure several times (I have an odd occasional fondness for them that does not translate to modern action-adventure films that are nevertheless so much better in many ways), but to me Lynley was Annabelle from the 1978 version of The Cat and the Canary, which I watched repeatedly as a child and watched again last month for the first time in many years.

[2727]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

My mom and dad went to see The Poseidon Adventure on their first date. 

It's so sweet that you know that!  💗

[Annber03]

15 minutes ago, 2727 said:

It's so sweet that you know that!  💗

Haha, yeah, they told me about that once. They talked about how cheesy the movie was :p. 

[Was-MArsenault]

Lynley died of a heart attack on September 3, 2019 at her home in Pacific Palisades, California.

[MissAlmond]

11 hours ago, Angeltoes said:

Carol Lynley dies at 77.  I just rewatched the Poseiden Adventure a few weeks ago.

Sad news.  I also remember her from Bunny Lake is Missing.  A local station used to air it at least once a month in pre cable days.  R.I.P. Ms. Lynley.  

[Blergh]

  As long as we're going over her memorable performances, one should   check out her  complex portrayal in Light of the Forest  as an abused teen   servant who got a good comeuppance thanks to the cartharsis of the long-lost protagonist!  Although it should be said that the movie itself delved into unexpectedly deep  issues of   prejudice, ethnic relations, familial dysfunction, and even Stockholm syndrome- especially for a 1950's Disney movie! Oh, and on a shallow note she and the protagonist James MacArthur made for an intensely attractive romantic movie couple (though I have no idea whether they dated off camera). In any case, in retrospect, it's a bit surprising that Miss Lynley's debut movie didn't lead to a more stellar dramatic movie career along the lines of Bette Davis! RIP, Miss Lynley!

[Was-MArsenault]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/chris-march-fashion-designer-project-214522087.html

He died in New York City due to health complications.

[Was-MArsenault]

Here is a dress worn by Chaka Khan that he designed:

And his website:

http://www.chrismarchdesign.com/

[meowmommy]

28 minutes ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/chris-march-fashion-designer-project-214522087.html

He died in New York City due to health complications.

Very very sad, but not very surprising.  He'd had very serious health issues for a while now.  He was one of my favorite PR sewtestants.

[Was-MArsenault]

Just now, meowmommy said:

Very very sad, but not very surprising.  He'd had very serious health issues for a while now.  He was one of my favorite PR sewtestants.

I didn't know that was happening for a long time.

[biakbiak]

Oh no (though as noted he had issues for awhile)! Chris was good friends with a friend of mine so I met him several times and he was delightful!

Edited September 6, 2019 by biakbiak

[Was-MArsenault]

22 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Oh no (though as noted he had issues for awhile)! Chris was good friends with a friend of mine so I met him several times and he was delightful!

He sounded like a nice guy.

[roamyn]

1 hour ago, MikaelaArsenault said:

He sounded like a nice guy.

TLo must be crushed.  

Hell, I’M crushed.  His laughter, his whimsy, his style were so much fun.

RIP you big ol Teddy Bear.  At least your suffering is over.

[BW Manilowe]

From WGN-TV Chicago: Former St. Louis Cardinals Player Chris Duncan Dies at 38

It was Cancer-related. He was originally diagnosed with the illness (a brain tumor) in 2012, 2 years after his retirement from baseball; he took time off from his subsequent job, in radio, for treatment. In January of this year, the Cancer returned & he permanently left his radio job to continue fighting the illness.

[Gramto6]

On 9/5/2019 at 4:15 PM, UYI said:

Texas country music artist (meaning, the Texas country music scene, which is an entirely different beast from the mainstream country music scene in Nashville) Kylie Rae Harris was killed in a car crash at the age of 30 (which is also my age--VERY sobering, for sure). She leaves behind her husband and six year old daughter.

I'll confess that, even as someone who loves country music--in and out of the mainstream--I was not familiar with her until today. There aren't very prominent women in the Texas country music scene (and in course in Nashville it's hard these days to get a woman heard on the radio at all), but the Tweets from similar artists reacting to her death make it clear how loved she was.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/8529184/kylie-rae-harris-dies-country-singer-dead-car-accident

Listening to her song Twenty Years From Now (link in article) just broke my heart. Beautiful voice. I swear someone was cutting onions here!

RIP