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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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AntiBeeSpray

AntiBeeSpray

(edited)

And Arlene Martel (Spock's one-time fiancée T'Pring on Star Trek) also died today.

What have we done to piss off the Universe that it's suddenly taking our veteran actors and institutions one right after another?

Yea its been like dominoes lately.

 

Also one of the actors from Game of Thrones passed too :(.

 

JJ Murphy, who played the oldest member of the Knights Watch passed away during filming at the age of 86

Edited by AntiBeeSpray
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Kromm

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And Arlene Martel (Spock's one-time fiancée T'Pring on Star Trek) also died today.

What have we done to piss off the Universe that it's suddenly taking our veteran actors and institutions one right after another?

I know the celebrity death trio thing is a really morbid game, but probably neither Arlene Martel nor JJ Murphy "qualify".  Not that their lives are worth any less because of it, but typically it's about a level of public recognition, and while a decent number of people might know their faces, their names are probably totally unknown even to most of those people.

 

Again, the whole theory of big name celebs dying in trios is total bullshit (because it's not even like they die on the same day usually), but mark my words there are likely creepy betting pools out there somewhere for who will go next and when.

(and yes, I'm aware that I myself talked about speculating, but I was being sarcastic!)

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legaleagle53

legaleagle53

I know the celebrity death trio thing is a really morbid game, but probably neither Arlene Martel nor JJ Murphy "qualify".  Not that their lives are worth any less because of it, but typically it's about a level of public recognition, and while a decent number of people might know their faces, their names are probably totally unknown even to most of those people.

 

Again, the whole theory of big name celebs dying in trios is total bullshit (because it's not even like they die on the same day usually), but mark my words there are likely creepy betting pools out there somewhere for who will go next and when.

(and yes, I'm aware that I myself talked about speculating, but I was being sarcastic!)

 

You misunderstand, Kromm.  I wasn't suggesting that those two passings were related to the so-called "rule of three"  or inviting anyone to begin speculating about who's next.  I was simply commenting on the fact that we've had a rash of unexpected celebrity passings lately, that's all.

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DittyDotDot

DittyDotDot

Garner is huge, but it's actually been almost 4 weeks since he died.

 

What's the timetable rule here? I asked someone yesterday morning who would be the third (I was counting Gardner as the first). Now I feel like this is my fault. What a classy lady, she will be missed.

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Spartan Girl

Spartan Girl

Lauren Bacall is sad, but at least she had a long full life and is with Bogey now.

 

Robin Williams...still can't get over it.  When I saw the news, my knees gave out and I kept yelling OMG over and over.  I would have understood if it was a drug relapse but suicide?!  It's just so terrible that he felt so low and desperate.  I've always had a soft spot for him and will always love him for being the Genie in Aladdin. 

 

But I hope that he met up with John Belushi in the afterlife and the two of them are both clean, sober, happy, and having one kick-ass party.

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AntiBeeSpray

AntiBeeSpray

Lauren Bacall is sad, but at least she had a long full life and is with Bogey now.

 

Robin Williams...still can't get over it.  When I saw the news, my knees gave out and I kept yelling OMG over and over.  I would have understood if it was a drug relapse but suicide?!  It's just so terrible that he felt so low and desperate.  I've always had a soft spot for him and will always love him for being the Genie in Aladdin. 

 

But I hope that he met up with John Belushi in the afterlife and the two of them are both clean, sober, happy, and having one kick-ass party.

Yea.

 

I kind of feel the same way. It's like walking through fog. Yes it is. 

 

Hopefully. That would be great.

I just saw To Have and Have Not  again a couple of weeks ago.  It was made seventy years ago and it's still great to watch.  Bacall was one of the great sex symbols of all time. 

 

Robin Williams' death has turned into a twitter/instagram/news circus.  I don't need to hear the coroner's report on the news. 

Same here. It's already tragic enough. Let the man rest in peace.

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Inquisitionist

Inquisitionist

I don't want to hear things like a coroner's report.

 

I don't mind that this is out there -- people are free to ignore it.  But the trolls who sent Robin's daughter photo-shopped "depictions" of her father's death are beyond despicable.

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AntiBeeSpray

AntiBeeSpray

I don't mind that this is out there -- people are free to ignore it.  But the trolls who sent Robin's daughter photo-shopped "depictions" of her father's death are beyond despicable.

*ugh* That's even WORSE and downright sick :(.

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Ohwell

Ohwell

It's too bad that in this Twitter/Facebook/Instagram world that Robin Williams' daughter didn't realize there would be some sick people out there.  She does now, and it was wise of her to stay off social media for awhile.  

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WendyCR72

WendyCR72

It's easy to be a brave asshole when you're anonymous behind a computer monitor. But to do what some scumbags did (and that's what these "people" are) to Robin Williams' grieving daughter is just beyond despicable and disgusting.

 

I can only hope karma pays these oh, so brave souls back in spades - and then have people mock their pain and misery.

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Kromm

Kromm

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Eek. I finally got to see Guardians of the Galaxy today and one of the previews is Night at the Museum 3.  Almost the first thing you see in it is Robin, as Teddy Roosevelt, keeling over and falling to the ground lifelessly.  I'm assuming because Teddy is actually an animated statue in it that he is simply deactivated... nevertheless its was creepy to see.

 

Despite that morbid and eerie moment in it, I STILL wondered if there's been some edits to the trailer (I think these are digitally distributed to the theaters, so it's certainly possible), because Robin doesn't get even a single spoken line in the trailer.

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ABay

ABay

Thanks, @Bastet! I've changed my post.

 

Jeez. Earlier I thought October was September and now I think August is September. I don't know why I want it to be September. I don't even really like it very much.

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AntiBeeSpray

AntiBeeSpray

I just read that Robin Williams was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. That really had to be a blow to someone already suffering from depression.

Just read about that too :(. So sad.

TCM will be running a 24 hour marathon of Lauren Bacall movies beginning 9/15 at 8 pm. All 4 of the films she and Bogart did together are on the schedule.

 

Disney channels will be showing Aladdin over the weekend in honor of Robin Williams.

Nice, I'll have to catch both.

 

Been keeping an eye on the tv channel guide to see what films they're airing of his. They're showing Good Will Hunting, but it's pretty late at night.

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Kromm

Kromm

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I just read that Robin Williams was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. That really had to be a blow to someone already suffering from depression.

If that's true, it explains almost everything.  People can last decades with Parkinson's, but once you've confronted seeing how they have to live, it ain't pretty.  They ain't all as functional as Michael J. Fox (and as time goes by, even he's going to inevitably stop being such a presentable case).  Some people get pretty bad, pretty quickly, and it's daunting and mega goddam scary.

 

[full reveal, I know several people with Parkison's, and I know full well that suicide is definitely on the agenda for people facing it--I know a son who saw his mother go through 20 fairly ugly years with it, and then started getting his own symptoms and wasn't at all sure he wanted any of those years]

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Kromm

Kromm

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A lot of people are going to throw Michael J. Fox into this, as if Fox's level of functionality is universal (and not even fully aware of true level of what Fox goes through behind the scenes).  It can and often is MUCH worse. and to say the disease is humiliating, on top of scary, is the understatement of the century.  It's like watching a person become a fraction of their previous self over and over again, as they pass through each stage, and that's just from the outside. That's before you even get into how people start treating someone who's ability to communicate intelligently is often severely hampered (this is one aspect where Fox, so far, has been really lucky).

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Kromm

Kromm

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I don't think he was symptomatic yet. The article from his wife is posted in the Tribute thread here: http://forums.previously.tv/topic/12832-a-tribute-to-the-late-great-robin-williams/page-2#entry290801

It doesn't matter if he was symptomatic or not, IMO.  I don't for a moment think he was reacting to what it HAD done to him, but from knowledge/fear of what it would do.

 

I don't know at this point if he had close friends or relatives who went through it or not, but he did so much charity work I'm sure he's seen advanced Parkinson's patients before.  It's not as bad if you haven't seen the contrast between what somebody was like before and what they turn into, but it still might have been enough to create some massive despair.  Not being able to control your body.  Possibly not being able to communicate.  Years of seeing people around you change their behavior towards you as externally at least you become more and more of a shell of what you used to be.  Some really invasive potential medical treatments, like brain surgery, where the treatment is debatably almost as bad as the disease (and the success rate not that great).  Yes, there are best cases where medication can control the spread of symptoms, but I'm thinking Robin Williams wasn't in a place emotionally to react rationally to those possibilities.

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Wilowy

Wilowy

The reason I said I didn't think he was symptomatic, Kromm, was because Bunky1412 said they thought people may have been uncomfortable watching him, and I took that to mean that he thought Robin was showing symptoms already. Not that he was feeling the effects already. Sorry if I was unclear.

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BizBuzz

BizBuzz

The news the death of RW hurt.  The news that confirmed he took his own life broke my heart.  This news of being diagnosed with PD hit me in my gut.  I cried.  I had a cousin with PD take his own life so as not to be a burden to his family.

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Wilowy

Wilowy

I love Michael J. Fox, I think he's a wonderful man and a true celebrity in the best sense of the word, and I can't remember when I didn't know who he was. I think my discomfort when I see him stems from anger. I get really pissed off that this disease is doing this to someone I like and respect so much and have known for a major part of my life. I just want to take him and hug him and shove the disease away. So anger... and impotence. Not being able to do anything to help. Anger and impotence.

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Kromm

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The news the death of RW hurt.  The news that confirmed he took his own life broke my heart.  This news of being diagnosed with PD hit me in my gut.  I cried.  I had a cousin with PD take his own life so as not to be a burden to his family.

I suppose it must be said that people like Robin Williams and Michael J. Fox have the resources to work around that burden more than most people, but it doesn't really change the aspect that there's an emotional burden as well it probably does little to nothing to help.

I love Michael J. Fox, I think he's a wonderful man and a true celebrity in the best sense of the word, and I can't remember when I didn't know who he was. I think my discomfort when I see him stems from anger. I get really pissed off that this disease is doing this to someone I like and respect so much and have known for a major part of my life. I just want to take him and hug him and shove the disease away. So anger... and impotence. Not being able to do anything to help. Anger and impotence.

Yeah, but in perspective, Fox's ability to control the disease has been much better than with a lot of people.  It doesn't invalidate your feelings, but put it in perspective--if the feelings are that strong with someone who's controlling the disease somewhat, imagine how much worse it must be with someone can't.  Then apply that inwards, to what you might do if diagnosed, like Robin was.  Then add in depression.  

 

Pretty scary, eh?

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Wilowy

Wilowy

Yes, I had a conversation with my son about this last week. It's not death I fear, not one whit. That's just like another part of life. What terrifies me is the losing of faculties, of reverting to infancy or worse. I can't see myself taking my own life, 'cause I want to see how it plays out! But I can definitely see the appeal for some faced with certain circumstances like unstoppable debilitating illness. 

 

That said, it doesn't marginalize or lessen the tragic impact of anyone who does commit suicide. It's all horrible.

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Jiggle Billy

Jiggle Billy

I brought this over from the Tribute to Robin Williams thread:

 

Robin Williams: Fans Want Actor Memorialized in 'Zelda' Video Game

 

 

Robin Williams could be memorialized in a video game that was so near and dear to him ... he named his daughter after it.

 

Legions of Williams fans have started an online petition to have a character in the "Legend of Zelda" game named after him.

 

Williams was famous for his love of video games, especially "Zelda." Not only did he name his daughter Zelda after the character ... the two even appeared in commercials for the game.

 

Now a petition has sprung up on change.org to have the next incarnation of the game feature a character named Robin. "He won't get to play it, but he'll live on forever in a universe he always loved" ... so the petition reads.

 

77,000 fans have signed on ... so far.

 

Robin Williams Zelda Ad #1

 

How cool would that be?! Long live Robin Williams!

 

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Kromm

Kromm

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I brought this over from the Tribute to Robin Williams thread:

 

Robin Williams: Fans Want Actor Memorialized in 'Zelda' Video Game

 

 

How cool would that be?! Long live Robin Williams!

That Zelda is the same daughter who wrote that post-death tweet to him.

 

If you look at her twitter account, her title there reads: Zelda Williams: Videogame Legend/weapons specialist/actress

She's actually on a Videogame team for charity too: http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?team_id=59766&fr_id=20860&pg=team

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Kromm

Kromm

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(edited)

I don't really like this Parkinson's comparison between MJF and RW. 

 

I watched all of the Michael J Fox episodes as they were broadcast.  I can't remember exactly what happened  later.  I think the network stopped airing new ones, maybe aired ones that I have already seen, and later blew off the rest, which I haven't seen.  I'll eventually go to Hulu and figure out which ones I've seen and watch the rest. 

 

On the other hand, I watched one episode of the new Robin Williams sitcom, and could barely get through it after three attempts.   I thought it was painful to watch, as opposed to the MJF show, which I thought was a pleasure to watch.  Both shows had other good cast members .  The Crazy Ones had people that I would watch in anything, and I'm not including SMG in that, but I just couldn't stand Robin Williams.  Maybe he got tired of his own act, and just couldn't stand himself.   I don't know if  the Parkinson's diagnosis was a contributing factor in his suicide.  I think his family are just trying to give a bigger picture about what was going on in his life.

Can you be more specific about your problem with talking about Parkinson's and mentioned both men's names?  It's not meant to be a comparison--because Williams was not symptomatic,  It's speculation about how the news of it may have affected his already fragile mental state.  If Fox's name is invoked, it's just in the sense that we shouldn't judge Robin's actions based on some kind of "hey, it doesn't look so bad if you look at Michael J. Fox" type of mindset--which by the way I'm not accusing anyone here of having, but think it's likely among the general population who hear about this. Fox himself would probably tell you he's got (so far) a comparatively under-control case (that can certainly change), and hopefully would admit that a lot of that is luck that he's responding well to certain kinds of treatment that don't work as well for everyone.  Again, that's no comparison--you can't compare the potential of something to the actuality of something.  

 

In terms of their sitcoms, I actually liked Robin's a lot... AFTER the first episode (which stank), and didn't like Fox's AFTER it's first episode (which was at least okay, but it just didn't do much interesting after that).  But any comparison of their sitcoms seems a bit out of left field to me--I don't think either has much to do with either Robin's death or Parkinson's (because he'd apparently only gotten the diagnosis recently, and I think that show was mostly filmed around a year ago, at this point).

Edited by Kromm
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Kromm

Kromm

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(edited)

Not including that wasn't some scheme - I was just trying to limit the quote size and directly address what I thought was most relevant to what I was primarily addressing--what was most relevant in my opinion to the topic of Robin Williams' death (frankly I shouldn't even have given into the impulse to reply back to give a counterpoint about the two show's quality).  I don't have any issue with you having the reverse opinion on who's show was "better"... but I have to confess I don't see the connection to his Parkinson's diagnosis or his suicide (which is where we started before the discussion went sideways a bit).  With Fox, yes, it seems very relevant to talk about how his Parkinson's didn't affect your viewing.  But Williams didn't have Parkinson's (or at least any symptoms) in his sitcom--so if you disliked it then it had more to do with Williams than the disease, and doesn't connect back to anything having to do with his suicide at all (at least as far as I can tell--I may be missing your point).

Edited by Kromm
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anstar

anstar

I don't think he was symptomatic yet

He had to have been symptomatic, or he couldn't have been diagnosed.  The only definitive proof of Parkinson's is found at autopsy.  It's a diagnosis based on symptoms.  It's misdiagnosed (or just plain missed) a lot.  Not everyone with PD has tremors like MJF, either.  The tremors are the most common symptom but not universal.  My father has Parkinson's Disease Dementia. He seems to have all the symptoms except tremors.  I'd rather he had tremors.  His paranoia and hallucinations, the aphasia and confusion, those are heartbreaking.  My grandmother had Parkinson's as well, and like Robin Williams, she committed suicide.  When I read that he had died I was shocked.  When I learned it was suicide, I was stunned.  When his wife said he had Parkinson's, I understood how he could feel like that was his best option.

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Kromm

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(edited)

He had to have been symptomatic, or he couldn't have been diagnosed. 

I should have stated that better--I meant visibly symptomatic, and I also was replying in large part to going into an analysis of their sitcoms and (it seemed at least, although I'm still not certain.... because I personally don't see the connection) relating it to the disease.  Whatever stage Williams was at, it wasn't anything that showed up on film, at least as far as I could tell, so I don't see how it affected the quality or lack of quality in the shows.  

 

I will admit that I kind of forgot the stuff about the early stages anyway--the three people I've known with Parkinson's were all well into it before I ever discussed it with them--the primary person I knew had it from the time I first met her, lived 20+ years with it and died, her son only told people he'd gotten it after he'd known secretly about the diagnosis for about a year, and the third person again had had it for years before I met him.  As for the tremors, the son I mention doesn't really have them either (and instead has a nightmarish grab bag of other symptoms even worse).

Edited by Kromm
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anstar

anstar

(edited)
I should have stated that better

I was actually quoting the poster you were responding to there, kromm.  I never watched either of their sitcoms so I can't begin to weigh in on that topic.

 

I was only hoping to point out for those who might not know, because for a large number of people it seems, Michael J. Fox is the only person they think of when they hear Parkinson's, that there are many subtle symptoms easily missed, or rationalized.  I know I watched my father's gait change slowly over the course of several years and it never dawned on me that there was anything wrong.  I just thought he was getting old.  Turns out shuffling his feet and not swinging his arms weren't just benign effects of aging after all (to name just a couple)

Edited by anstar
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roamyn

roamyn

Also, Mr. Williams had major heart surgery several years ago, and it's a known fact that any heart surgery causes depression.

I don't know why that is, but I had a heart ultrasound years ago, and it was creepy. After watching my heart for a few minutes I had ro turn away, it bothered me so much.

Another Parkinson's symptom can be constant noise in your head. That was one of the things that bothered my grandmother the most.

So combine the Parkinson's diagnosis, possible symptoms, depression and heart surgery, and you have a cocktail for self-destruction.

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Hava

Hava

David Letterman just did a moving tribute to Robin Williams on his show. I was hoping Letterman would say something about Williams' passing because some of my fondest and salient memories of Robin Williams are him on the Late Show. The clips they showed had me chocking up and then once Letterman ended with saying sorry that he did not know Robin was in pain, that hurt. I think Letterman was holding back tears at the moment.

 

This is my first post regarding Robin's passing, but his death has affected me more than any celebrity. Rest in peace.

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BizBuzz

BizBuzz

David Letterman just did a moving tribute to Robin Williams on his show. I was hoping Letterman would say something about Williams' passing because some of my fondest and salient memories of Robin Williams are him on the Late Show. The clips they showed had me chocking up and then once Letterman ended with saying sorry that he did not know Robin was in pain, that hurt. I think Letterman was holding back tears at the moment.

 

This is my first post regarding Robin's passing, but his death has affected me more than any celebrity. Rest in peace.

 

Thank you for mentioning the tribute to Robin by David Letterman.  That was all kinds of wonderful.  At one point Letterman spoke of Robin as radiating electricity.  Those words couldn't have been more appropriate.

 

Dan Pardo :(

 

Another piece of my Pop Culture, gone, just like that.

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Kromm

Kromm

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RIP Don Pardo.

 

Well someone has to announce all the famous arrivals in heaven.  

 

In a heaven where  ....

Actually "In A World" guy, Don LaFontaine, got to heaven about six years ago.

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MarkHB

MarkHB

I actually remember Don Pardo announcing the original daytime Jeopardy! when I was a kid... and the fact that they showed him sitting on a stool as part of the final broadcast.  It's weird now to think that Alex Trebek's version has run so much longer than Art Fleming's... and that Weird Al's "I Lost on Jeopardy!" landed in between.

 

Now I'm picturing Johnny Olsen in heaven: "Don Pardo, come on up!  Crap, I'm out of a job."

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Kromm

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Revisiting Robin Williams one last time...

 

Mara Wilson went quiet about him after one small tweet, but finally wrote a longer piece about him on her blog day before yesterday:  http://marawilsonwritesstuff.com/remembering-robin/

 

Lisa Jakub, who was in Mrs. Doubtfire with Robin and Mara, as the older sister, wrote this 8 or 9 days ago, and it may not have been linked here yet:  http://lisajakub.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/farewell-to-robin-williams-a-thank-you-note/

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