In Memoriam: Entertainment Industry Celebrity Deaths

[Inquisitionist]

15 minutes ago, Bookish Jen said:

Peter Scolari, from "Bosom Buddies" and "Girls" has died. He was only 66.

I never watched Bosom Buddies, but I enjoyed Peter's performance on Newhart. 😢

[Yogisbooboo64]

1 minute ago, Inquisitionist said:

I never watched Bosom Buddies, but I enjoyed Peter's performance on Newhart. 😢

I'm the opposite....always loved how he and Tom Hanks' friendship endured after the show ended.

Feeling for Peter's family and Tom, he must be devastated.

[merylinkid]

RIP Peter Scolari.   I always liked his character on Bosom Buddies better than Tom Hanks'.   This is just sad.   Although he didn't have the stardom that Hanks had, he seemed to have steady work.   

Oh and because it needs to be said FUCK CANCER.

[Popples]

"Bosom Buddies" was just before my time, so I mostly remember him from the TV version of "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" and the main character's dad in Camp Nowhere.

RIP

Screw you, cancer!

[cpcathy]

Damn it, Bosom Buddies was such a funny show, especially after they ditched the dressing up as women thing. Scolari and Hanks were hysterical together. 

[Fool to cry]

I remember he also guest starred on an episode of FAMILY TIES(Hanks had also guest starred as "Uncle Ned") where he played a co-worker of Elyse the mom, who was secretly in love with her. It was the first time I had seen an episode of a show from the guest star's POV. It is still one of the best portraits of unrequited love I have seen. It could have been creepy but he plays it like a regular guy in a bad situation. Like he knew it was hopeless, Elyse never thought of him that way and she was happily married with children so it was never going to happen but to see him in agony next to someone knowing nothing was ever going to happen you couldn't help feel sympathy.

Edited October 22, 2021 by Fool to cry

[magicdog]

As someone who grew up watching Bosom Buddies, I'm truly saddened at the news!  It's nice knowing Hanks and Scolari were buddies for all these years!

Scolari even made an appearance in a skit lampooning Hanks and Sully Sullenberger ("Miracle on the Hudson") by playing his old role as "Hildy" from BB.

[Lugal]

14 hours ago, meowmommy said:

Aside from the fact that there apparently were live rounds in the weapon, WTF was he doing pointing it at the crew???

According to the article, Rust is a western, so they were probably using revolvers, and I seem to recall (I think it was The Crow) that for closeup shots of a revolver they use live rounds.  It could be a Crow situation and the gun was mishandled and the ammunition was not properly changed out.

[Annber03]

Stunned to hear about Scolari. I just saw him in the most recent season of "Evil". He was great on that show. And I remember watching "Bosom Buddies" when I was little, too.

So sad to hear this. 

[Bastet]

I had Reba re-runs on as background noise one night this week, and the episode in which Peter Scolari guest starred was on; as soon as I heard his voice, which I like, I wondered what he was up to lately (the last time I'd seen him was in the Murphy Brown revival).  It's sad to read of his death.

Like so many, I first saw him on Bosom Buddies, which was a silly show but watchable due to the terrific chemistry between Scolari and Tom Hanks.  I love that they remained friends.  I liked him on Newhart, too, and have read he remained close with Bob Newhart and Julia Duffy from that show.

[Browncoat]

Oh, no!  Not Peter Scolari!  I loved him in everything I saw him in.  He was so good in Bosom Buddies and Newhart.  I mostly get why Tom Hanks became the more well-known star, but I always thought Peter could have been a big star, too.  RIP, Peter.

[ABay]

Fuck cancer. I loved Bosom Buddies and Newhart and was enjoying Peter Scolari in Evil. This just sucks.

After Bosom Buddies, I remember being surprised that it was Hanks and not Scolari who went on to have the bigger profile career. Considering I didn't even know the man, his death has really upset me.

Edited October 22, 2021 by ABay

[Snow Apple]

I'm also shocked and saddened by Peter Scolari. I've been watching reruns of Bosom Buddies on MeTV Plus on Saturdays and still love it after all these years. I always think of him as the nice cute one and he seemed the same way in real life.

[GreekGeek]

Yikes, Peter Scolari was just three days older than me!

I never watched Bosom Buddies, but I enjoyed him as Michael, the yuppie producer and lover of Julia Duffy's Stephanie on Newhart.

[Vermicious Knid]

What is a prop gun? Lots of articles explaining why they are used, the one I linked is from the BBC.
 

Quote

 

Blanks are used in the film industry to imitate live ammunition.

The reason they are so convincing is that blanks are essentially modified real bullets.

While the term "bullet" is commonly used to describe what is loaded into weapons, more properly it is a cartridge that is loaded: a self-contained ammunition package made up of a casing holding an explosive powder that when fired, blasts out a projectile, or bullet.

Blanks differ because although they use explosive they don't use a projectile....

Together they add authenticity to productions - fire a blank using a prop gun and you'll get a loud bang, a recoil and what's known as a muzzle flash, the visible light created by the combustion of the powder.

 

As noted in the article, they're supposed to be used in conjunction with barriers and other safety measures.

[giovannif7]

😥😥😥😭 RIP Peter.

I'm envisioning a lovely reunion with Henry and Amy from Bosom Buddies (Wendie Jo Sperber - 1958-2005)

Edited October 23, 2021 by giovannif7

[magicdog]

10 hours ago, Browncoat said:

 I mostly get why Tom Hanks became the more well-known star, but I always thought Peter could have been a big star,

I thought this too!  They had great chemistry together - and should have done more projects as a team.  They could have done plenty of movies together as well as co-leads.  You never know with Hollywood politics how things will shake out, but Scolari didn't seem to hurt for work over the years.

[ratgirlagogo]

Honestly I think the main reason Tom Hanks became a bigger star than Peter Scolari is because he was taller, i.e., physically bigger.  Much as I enjoy Tom Hanks now, at the time I much preferred Scolari to  Hanks.  Anyway even if he didn't become the big movie star that Hanks did, he was one of those rare actors that remained an in-demand working actor for his whole life.  RIP.

[Blergh]

Halyna Hutchins (whose life ended after that prop gun got fired on October 21, 2021) was born in the Ukraine in 1979, married a US born Matthew Hutchins in 2005 and had a child by him. So not only has her husband and child lost their wife and mother in such a horrific tragedy but it's likely that she had friends and relatives in the US and in the Ukraine who are mourning her,too. 

 

[ratgirlagogo]

37 minutes ago, Blergh said:

but it's likely that she had friends and relatives in the US and in the Ukraine who are mourning her,too. 

 

But of course.

[SVNBob]

23 hours ago, magicdog said:

They had great chemistry together - and should have done more projects as a team.

Well, Tom did cast Peter in That Thing You Do!, as the host of the Hollywood Television Showcase.  It was basically a cameo for Peter, but still.

And I also seem to recall seeing at some point a BTS clip of the audience all singing the Bosom Buddies theme song for Peter and Tom.  That was probably an extra on the DVD.

[bobalina]

Jay Black of Jay and the Americans has died at 82.

[SunnyBeBe]

I never watched Bosom Buddies, but Peter was great in other things too. Loved him in Girls, the series where he played Lena Dunham’s father.  Here he is of course praising the lead in the show. He always gave others credit.  Peter was always a class act.  
 

 

[Crashcourse]

4 hours ago, bobalina said:

Jay Black of Jay and the Americans has died at 82.

He had a beautiful, soaring voice and l loved "Cara Mia."

RIP, Mr. Black

[bobalina]

59 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

He had a beautiful, soaring voice and l loved "Cara Mia."

RIP, Mr. Black

What was great was that he never lost that huge voice.

[legaleagle53]

James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on "Friends,"  has passed away from Stage 4 prostate cancer at the age of 59.

https://twitter.com/extratv/status/1452387967578738691

Cancer can to go Hell.

[kittykat]

Boooo.  I knew he had cancer and that's why he couldn't attend the reunion in person but this sucks.  Pour one out for Gunther Centralperk!

[SunnyBeBe]

1 hour ago, legaleagle53 said:

James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on "Friends,"  has passed away from Stage 4 prostate cancer at the age of 59.

https://twitter.com/extratv/status/1452387967578738691

Cancer can to go Hell.

That’s so bizarre. I’ve always heard that prostrate cancer is extremely slow growing…,,I don’t understand.  Such a young man.  

[legaleagle53]

4 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

That’s so bizarre. I’ve always heard that prostrate cancer is extremely slow growing…,,I don’t understand.  Such a young man.  

It normally is. He was first diagnosed in 2018, but the cancer spread from his prostate to his bones. He eventually became paralyzed from the waist down because of it.

[SusanM]

5 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I never watched Bosom Buddies, but Peter was great in other things too.

I never saw that show either, I know him as Michael on Newhart and he was wonderful in that.  It's hard to steal scenes from Bob Newhart but he managed it a few times!  RIP Mr. Scolari.

[legaleagle53]

And  another part of my youth is gone: Joanna Cameron, Star of "The Secrets of Isis," dies at Age 70

Rest in peace, Ms. Cameron. And you, too, Messrs. Scolari and Tyler!

[magicdog]

1 hour ago, legaleagle53 said:

And  another part of my youth is gone: Joanna Cameron, Star of "The Secrets of Isis," dies at Age 70

Not Isis!

I remember hearing she left acting behind to become a nurse.  RIP Ms. Cameron.  May you be carried by the Zephyr Winds to the afterlife.

 

Quote

That’s so bizarre. I’ve always heard that prostrate cancer is extremely slow growing…,,I don’t understand. 

I agree.  From what I've read, a man with prostate cancer is likely to die of something else before the cancer becomes a problem!  

Edited October 25, 2021 by magicdog

[Llywela]

8 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

That’s so bizarre. I’ve always heard that prostrate cancer is extremely slow growing…,,I don’t understand.  Such a young man.  

Depends how early you catch it. I've known a lot of men who died of prostate cancer that wasn't diagnosed until it had already spread to other parts of their body. Prostate cancer is a big killer for that reason.

[cynicat]

10 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

That’s so bizarre. I’ve always heard that prostrate cancer is extremely slow growing…,,I don’t understand.  Such a young man.  

It can also lay you out flat.  Ba dum bum.

[bobalina]

8 hours ago, Llywela said:

Depends how early you catch it. I've known a lot of men who died of prostate cancer that wasn't diagnosed until it had already spread to other parts of their body. Prostate cancer is a big killer for that reason.

Remember Frank Zappa? That is is how he died.

[Zella]

8 hours ago, Llywela said:

Depends how early you catch it. I've known a lot of men who died of prostate cancer that wasn't diagnosed until it had already spread to other parts of their body. Prostate cancer is a big killer for that reason.

Yes this is what recently happened with one of my grandparents' friends. They have another friend who was diagnosed early, and to the best of my knowledge, it's never spread, though he's had the cancer for years. I assume the other friend with the recent and more severe diagnosis has also had it for years, but it was only caught after it metastasized. 

[Irlandesa]

11 hours ago, magicdog said:

I agree.  From what I've read, a man with prostate cancer is likely to die of something else before the cancer becomes a problem!  

I am no expert but it might depend on the type of cancer.   Some prostate cancers are more aggressive than others.

I think you're thinking of the blood test to identify prostate cancer early which led to a lot of early intervention/treatments.  But what they've learned is that it can also be true that it can move very slowly and someone is more likely to die of something else first, especially for older patients. Therefore,  many of the early interventions might be unnecessary. 

[Rootbeer]

6 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I am no expert but it might depend on the type of cancer.   Some prostate cancers are more aggressive than others.

I think you're thinking of the blood test to identify prostate cancer early which led to a lot of early intervention/treatments.  But what they've learned is that it can also be true that it can move very slowly and someone is more likely to die of something else first, especially for older patients. Therefore,  many of the early interventions might be unnecessary. 

This is true of many cancers.  Also, cancers that develop in younger people in general are more virulent than the same cancer in the elderly.  Presumably, the reason the cancer was detected at a younger age is because it was more aggressive than the typical tumor.

Prostate (no 'r') cancer is one of multiple cancers that tend not to have many symptoms until it has spread, usually to the bone or brain.  That's the reason for the PSA test.  And, yes, as with breast cancer screening; a positive test may lead to invasive diagnostic procedures or even therapies that would not have been needed if only the doctor could look into a crystal ball and see that particular patient's future.  We're getting better at predicting the behavior of individual tumors based on genetics and various markers, but we're not there yet.

[roseha]

Just to mention Peter Scolari again, the New York One Channel ran a news segment on him and showed a photo of the surviving cast of Newhart, Peter with Bob, Julia and the actors who played Larry, Darryl and Darryl.  At that moment I thought that Peter would be touched to know how many people remember him with such affection.  May he rest in peace.

[SusanM]

20 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

Also, cancers that develop in younger people in general are more virulent than the same cancer in the elderly. 

Absolutely true.  My mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer which led to a mastectomy but no radiation or chemotherapy, it was explained to us that due to her age it is far less aggressive than it would potentially be in a younger woman.  So bad news, good news scenario.  But there is still something earthshattering about being told you have cancer regardless.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, SusannahM said:

Absolutely true.  My mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer which led to a mastectomy but no radiation or chemotherapy, it was explained to us that due to her age it is far less aggressive than it would potentially be in a younger woman.  So bad news, good news scenario.  But there is still something earthshattering about being told you have cancer regardless.

Yes. I had stage IV (colon --> liver cancer) at 63 and was in the 20% who survived--partly due to otherwise good health/lifestyle--but I still feel some survivor's guilt knowing that, with all of those things equal, a young person would have been in the 80% who did not.
It was explained to me that it's because younger humans' cells divide faster, and that's how cancer cells work, so it's like they get a jump start from the younger humans' cells.

That said, James Michael Tyler was 56 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which isn't really "young" in terms of cell division rate. The "aggressiveness" of a cancer and at what stage it is discovered and treated are big factors too.
Peter Scolari was nearly a decade older.

The one thing that is always true, as @SusannahM says above: "...there is still something earthshattering about being told you have cancer regardless."

[meowmommy]

19 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Yes. I had stage IV (colon --> liver cancer) at 63 and was in the 20% who survived--partly due to otherwise good health/lifestyle--but I still feel some survivor's guilt knowing that, with all of those things equal, a young person would have been in the 80% who did not.

My mother was 69 when she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.  She was given a two year prognosis and she died almost exactly two years after that.

You have nothing to feel guilty about.  Nothing.  When my baby was a sick, very young preemie, I craved hearing about preemies who got through it and did well.  We need to be reminded that cancer is not an automatic death sentence.  I seem to remember you suggesting on these forums at one point that you were not long for this world, and I, for one, am quite glad that the reports of your demise were greatly exaggerated!

[BetterButter]

Mort Sahl Dies: Groundbreaking Contrarian Comedian Was 94

[Just Here]

^The Ed Sullivan Show channel on YouTube has three of Mort Sahl's appearances on that show.  There's also a YouTube "topic" channel for Sahl with official uploads of his comedy albums.

Edited October 27, 2021 by Just Here
typo

[MissAlmond]

Actor Richard Evans has died, age 86.

https://deadline.com/2021/10/richard-dick-evans-dies-obit-actor-1234862945/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/richard-evans-dead-peyton-place-dirty-little-billy-1235037287/

[Chaos Theory]

Camille Saviola who played Kai Opaka on Star Trek DS9 has died.   It was only 4 episodes but It was still a pivotal roll on the show.  

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/people.com/tv/star-trek-actress-camille-saviola-dead-at-71/%3famp=true

Edited October 30, 2021 by Chaos Theory

[Bort]

4 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

Camille Saviola who played Kai Opaka on Star Trek DS9 has died.   It was only 4 episodes but It was still a pivotal roll on the show.  

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/people.com/tv/star-trek-actress-camille-saviola-dead-at-71/%3famp=true

More people might recognize her as the awful woman at the laundromat in an early episode of Friends.

[Bastet]

I know her from an episode of Remington Steele, but I'd also seen her on stage a couple of times.

[MissAlmond]

Pumping Iron documentary filmmaker George Butler has died, age 78.

https://deadline.com/2021/10/george-butler-dead-pumping-iron-filmmaker-was-78-obituary-1234865385/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/george-butler-dead-pumping-iron-co-director-1235039755/

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/george-butler-dead-pumping-iron-director-documentary-1235101141/

[MissAlmond]

Actress and Miss America 1942 Jo-Carroll Dennison has died, age 97.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jo-carroll-dennison-dead-miss-america-actress-1235039770/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/10/30/metro/jo-carroll-dennison-miss-america-during-world-war-ii-dies-97/

Edited October 31, 2021 by MissAlmond