Celebrity Deaths

[augusta]

Today Tim Russert, the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" (the big, heavy guy with brown hair who's always smiling) died suddenly at work of an apparent heart attack. He was 58 years old.

I liked him a lot. There's so many tv hosts out there, even in the news business now, but he stood out because it seemed whenever he was on tv he was laughing, smiling - just in a good mood. I was real surprised - and saddened - to hear this news.

Dick Martin, of 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in' died a week or two ago. He was 86 years old. I meant to post this earlier.

Paul Newman has terminal cancer, probably of the lung. Photos taken of him at the Indy 500 look as if he is emaciated. He won't comment, but 'sources close to him' say it's true, and it's out in the news. It's very sad. It's a waker-upper. Life is not a dress rehearsal.

[1bigsteve]

They seem to die in threes. I wonder who will go after him?

-1bigsteve (o:

[Nadzieja]

I thought someone told me last week that Harvey Korman died. I didn't see a news report, but I don't see the news everyday.

[doug65oh]

aye, he did... a week or two back that was.

[Constantine]

I met Harvey Korman once. It was a real pleasure. I'm sorry it won't be repeated.

[Richard]

Other people who died this year

Mel Ferrer
Bo Diddley
Dick Martin (of Laugh In)
Sydney Pollack
Albert Hoffman (inventor of LSD)
Irvine Robbins (of Baskin and Robbins)
Harvey Korman
Gary Gygax (inventor of Dungeons and Dragons)
Roy Scheider
Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi (of Beatles fame)
Vampira (of Ed Woods fame)
Heath Ledger

and in a few months. Susan Atkins of the Manson Family will die of a terminal illness.
Harvey Korman

[Fargo]

Do any of you remember that skit from the Carol Burnett show where carol Burnett goes to see Harvey Korman, who is a therapist ?

Carol tells Harvey how she has been insecure for most of her life and has suffered huge emotional problems, because of a Big Bully who used to torment her in Elementary School.

After some discusion Carol learns that he, Harvey, the person who she is now going to for help with her problems, is the same big bully who bothered her in school, and caused her emotional problems in the first place.

I watched the Carol Burnett show almost religiously and of all the skits I seen on that show, that is my favorite one.

[1bigsteve]

Other people who died this year

Mel Ferrer
Bo Diddley
Dick Martin (of Laugh In)
Sydney Pollack
Albert Hoffman (inventor of LSD)
Irvine Robbins (of Baskin and Robbins)
Harvey Korman
Gary Gygax (inventor of Dungeons and Dragons)
Roy Scheider
Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi (of Beatles fame)
Vampira (of Ed Woods fame)
Heath Ledger

and in a few months. Susan Atkins of the Manson Family will die of a terminal illness.
Harvey Korman

Susan Atkins had a leg amputated and is trying to get released to die in her own bed. She has less than six months to live. In spite of what she has done I do feel a bit of sympathy for her.

Fargo, I never watched much of The Carol Burnett Show but I have seen some funny out takes. I loved that scene of her coming down the stairs with the curtain rod running through the drapes she is wearing. I saw an out take of her coming on stage, turning her back to the audience and opening her trench coat to Tim Conway who is in the back ground facing the audience. She closes the coat turns to the audience and opens it. She is wearing a fake chest plate with naked breasts. That has got to be the funniest bit she ever did. The audience came unglued!

-1bigsteve (o:

[Constantine]

Cyd Charisse died today. She was 87.

[1bigsteve]

I saw that a few minutes ago. She was some dancer! Only 5' 6" but those long legs of hers made her look 6' tall. I guess all the great dancers are gone now?

-1bigsteve (o:

[Constantine]

Cyd Charisse died today. She was 87.

There is apparently some controversy concerning the year of her birth. It looks like she was actually 86.

[1bigsteve]

Thats a common problem with entertainers. You are seldom sure how old they are. Their age can be listed higher or lower than their real age.

Early in their careers most entertainers drop a year or two and that "younger" age sticks - until their death certificate comes out!

Joan Hackett was an exception. She loved to claim she was older that she really was. Who on earth would ever want to do that?

Cyd was good!

-1bigsteve (o:

[Constantine]

Al Lewis, better known as Officer Leo Schnauser from Car 54, Where Are You? and Grandpa Munster, claimed to be 13 years older than he was.

[1bigsteve]

Al Lewis may have done it to maintain his "Grandpa" image. Some actresses who looked older than they really were and were type cast early in life as "older" women claimed to be years older so people wouldn't look at them as younger women who just looked older. No thirty year old woman wants to look like she is fifty. I guess it protects their egos to go head and claim to be older. Most of them just don't brag about it. Oddly enough Joan Hackett didn't look older than she was but she liked to have people think of her as being older. I've known men on the street who brag about being older but an actress claiming to be older than she was may find herself out of work. Hollywood loves youth, then and now.

Joan Hackett had "Go Away, I'm Sleeping" put on her tombstone so maybe she was just a bit "off?" I love that sarcastic wit of hers.

-1bigsteve (o:

[Susan]

Another sad day, George Carlin just passed away, he was 71.

[twinsrwe]

Ohhh, he died of heart failure, I always liked him. He will be missed!

MSN TV News
http://tv.msn.com/tv/celebritynews/geor ... /?GT1=7703

Chicago Tribune.com
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati ... 0767.story


Thanks for letting us know, Susan.

[Constantine]

Also Dody Goodman (probably best known as Louise Lasser's mother on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and for her appearances on the Tonight show with Jack Paar).

[Kat]

I didn't check those links. I did see the coverage today on the news tho.
So far, has anyone covered his alcoholism and drug usage?
It seems that might have worn him out sooner. He had admitted to lying that he had been straight and sober for __ years- turns out he had relapsed even recently while still promoting abstinence on late-night talk shows, while he garnered audience applause for his rehabilitation. When I found that out I started watching him more closely and feared for his health. This was not a surprise. It's a crying shame.

[Tina-Kate]

Golden Girl Estelle Getty passed away:

http://tv.yahoo.com/show/30728/news/urn ... obit_getty

[DJ]

Hadn't heard. She added so much to a great show. "Picture it: Sicily, nineteen-whenever."
I do know she had begun to lose her memory while The GGs was still in production, and that she has not been able to recognize friends and loved ones for several years, at least. Hope she's at peace.

[augusta]

I remember the sketch of Carol Burnett with Harvey Korman as her 'old bully' psychiatrist. Never saw the outtake, but remember the take-off on "Gone with the Wind". It was hilarious. My favorites were Mama's Family. Remember them playing "Sorry?" And in another playing "Monopoly"? I didn't like it that much when it was made into a tv show. Ken Barry was no match for Harvey Korman. He just looked like he was acting stupid. Harvey Korman really was believable.

I was gonna post about Estelle Getty, but Tina-Kate has. She was so good in 'The Golden Girls'. One of her obits says she was 84 and had "advanced dimentia". She died at 5:30 AM this morning.

Speaking of the great dancers (I was sorry to hear of Cyd Charisse passing - everyone passing, really), Carmine Miranda, remember her? Latin? I remember her from old pictures or stills dancing with fruit on her head. I bought this book called "Hollywood Babylon II" a long time ago, and it had a photo of her while she was dancing. It showed that she danced with nothing underneath her skirt! The book said she died after performing a dance routine of a heart attack.

Well, Shirley Temple was a kid dancer. She's still living. I can't think of any adults. Ah, Shirley McLaine. She was a great dancer. She's still around.

Thanks for posting the celebrities that died during the year, and for follow-up posts for others. That is too bad about George Carlin, Kat. I didn't know he ever said he quit. I hadn't heard about Dody Goodman. She must have been old.

Al Lewis did die this year. Maybe it's implied in the post.

Joan Hackett! One of my all-time favorites! She was beautiful and a great actress. She was on the simple side. Yes, her tombstone saying that is neat. Maybe she didn't get enough sleep when she was living - always acting and getting up early (?). I think ovarian cancer took her at about 44 years of age. That's sad.

Oh, there's a very good reason why a person - especially a woman - will say she's older. I read it in a fictional mystery series I read - but it does make sense. If you say you're older, then people think you look great for your "age"!

I saw Cybill Shepard (sp?) in something the other night. I don't think she's had a thing done to her face or her body. Yes, she's getting older. Yes, she has a wrinkle or two more than we're used to seeing on all the face-lifted celebrities. But I respect her very much for it. And I think she's aging not just beautifully, but gracefully. And that's something we can't say for almost all other aging celebs.

[DJ]

Leslie Caron is still living, and acting-- occasionally.
Also, Mitzi Gaynor-- and Debbie Reynolds.
It's great to recall some who are still with us!!!

It was a shame, Augusta, that Joan Hackett and Jimmy Coco didn't win the Supporting Oscars for which they were nominated, for "Only When I Laugh," the film version of Neil Simon's play, "The Gingerbread Lady."
I know Marsha Mason married the writer, but she was darned good in that movie, too, and nominated for Best Actress. She hasn't won one. Richard Dreyfuss did for "The Goodbye Girl," in which she co-starred.
Kristy McNichol played her daughter. I saw a "Biography" program on her-- the last big thing she did was playing one of the two daughters on "Empty Nest," which followed "The Golden Girls" on Saturday nights. Anyway, Kristy just sort of disappeared from the acting world, by choice. Apparently, she invested heavily in California real estate, and came out way ahead.

[augusta]

Yes! Debbie Reynolds! Leslie Caron! Mitzi Gaynor!

Mickey Rooney's still living. Liz Taylor. Eddie Fisher (tho they don't go back as far as some of our 'greats'). Bob Barker! Kay Ballard. Zsa Zsa Gabor. Margaret O'Brien's still living, but was a child actress. Jackie Cooper, another child actor. Sid Caesar. Jerry Lewis.

I wondered what happened to Kristy McNichol. A long time ago, a friend in CA told me she was gay - way before it was out. I had no idea. (I guessed Jody Foster on my own, tho.) She was a good actress. If she wanted to live in seclusion, I guess she did it!

Please give to the Edwin Porter gravestone fund.

[Constantine]

Also singer Jo Stafford (90) and actress Evelyn Keyes (91) (Scarlett O'Hara's younger sister, Tom Ewell's wife in The Seven Year Itch). Dodie Goodman was 93.

See http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/ or http://www.dpsinfo.com/dps/2005.html

The first of these only lists living people over 50 (and dead people of any age).

For people over 90 who are still alive, see http://www.genarians.com/

[Tina-Kate]

...Richard Dreyfuss did for "The Goodbye Girl," in which she co-starred.
Kristy McNichol played her daughter...

Sorry, gotta correct this one, as it's one of my fav movies.

Quinn Cummings played the precocious daughter, Lucy...



The Goodbye Girl was made in 1977...so Kristy McNichol would have been around 15 by then.

[DJ]

I was referring back to "Only When I Laugh," wherein Kristy played Marsha Mason's daughter. Apologies for the confusion.
No Degrees of Separation, though, here: Quinn wound up on "Family," playing "Orphan Annie," co-starring Kristy.

[1bigsteve]

Celebrities seem to be dropping like flies this year. From here on more and more will be dying as the originals get up there in years.

-1bigsteve (o:

[DJ]

I see where Gloria DeHaven turned 83 today.
She was cute and perky in some '40s musicals.
Also, I recall an episode of "All in the Family" wherein Archie reminisces fondly about her. He didn't say so, but you get the feeling his daughter was named for her. The writers on that series may have had a thing for DeHaven. Or, creator Norman Lear. Just a tad of trivia.
Also, part II: Betty Garrett played Irene Lorenzo on "All in the Family," and she, too, was in musicals of the late '40s, such as "On the Town." I think she's still alive. She and her husband, actor Larry Parks, had career nosedives during the McCarthy era.

[DJ]

Apparently, BG is still alive. Her professional credits include a 2006
"Grey's Anatomy." I forgot she was on "Laverne and Shirley," too.

[Tina-Kate]

You know you are having senior moments when...

I was about to ask if anyone remembered the title of the movie (50s?) where Betty Garrett & her sister move to NYC to change their lives...

I remembered as I typed it, "My Sister Irene".

[augusta]

I didn't know Evelyn Keyes was still living until I saw that she died recently. I used to love her in "Mrs. Mike". Cried every time I saw it. I thought she was the most beautiful lady. I didn't know she played the wife in "The 7 Year Itch"! I've never seen it all the way through. I've only just caught parts here and there. I did see her in "The Prowler". That's a good movie, but I think I saw signs of her over-acting in that.

I think Barbara Billingsley is still living.

[DJ]

Augusta,
According to Internet sources, Barbara Billingsley will turn 93 this December. Apparently, she stopped worrying so much about The Beaver.
You know, Olivia de Havilland is still alive. I think Ann Rutherford is, too. I'll check. If so, they're the last remaining major characters from GWTW.
India Wilkes was played by a Charlestonian, Alicia Rhett, who returned to live there. I'm going to check on her, too.

[DJ]

Again, according to Internet sources:
Olivia de Havilland just turned 93.
Ann Rutherford will be 88 in November.
Alicia Rhett turned 93 in February.

Ann Rutherford, if you recall, played Andy Hardy's (Mickey Rooney's) "steady," Polly Benedict. To me, she was as pretty, if not moreso, than the many temptresses who turned Andy's head.
I read in several of the books about the making of GWTW that producer David O. Selznick originally wanted Judy Garland to play Ann's part, Careen O'Hara. However, the production schedules for "GWTW" and "Oz" overlapped, deeming that impossible.

[nbcatlover]

Tina-Kate, I just had to correct you. MY SISTER EILEEN (based on the book by Ruth McKenney) is one of my all-time favorite movies. Loved the conga line around the block with the Brazilian sailors.

[twinsrwe]

Sandy Allen, who was the world's tallest woman died, today, at the age of 53. The cause of death is still unknown. She suffered from a recurring blood infection, along with diabetes, breathing troubles and kidney failure. Sandy lived in the same nursing home as 115-year-old Edna Parker, whom the Guinness World Records has recognized as the world's oldest person since August 2007.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/ ... tpop_story

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... S/80813001

Edna Parker, the worlds oldest person, talks with Sandy Allen, the world's tallest woman. (Click on pic to enlarge.)

[Kat]

I saw a TV show on History Channel or a similar channel Sunday night or Monday night I think. It was about these tall people and a convention for tall people. They interviewed this lady and also a man in an Eastern nation who I think is the tallest human. He has a tumor that caused his giantness, but he refuses to have it seen by a doctor.

I didn't know this lady died- I mean I just saw the show- then she died? That's weird. She seemed well and happy in the TV show, tho I don't know when her segment was filmed. She had a very deep voice- it was surprising.

[twinsrwe]

Dang, I would have liked seeing that show! Bet it was interesting. Sandy Allen did have a very deep voice for a woman and a great sense of humor. Here are a couple of YouTube videos which show both:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L0jxiQcyWk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zKY-S9S0Cs

According the Guinness World Records book, Leonid Stadnyk, who is 8 foot-5.5 inches, now holds the world's tallest living man's record. This record was previously held by Bao Xishun, a native of Inner Mongolia in China who stands at 7 foot-8.9 in.

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/rec ... iving.aspx

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/med ... Launch.pdf

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

[twinsrwe]

This YouTube video was just added yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4EohMN8t-w

[Fargo]

According to the Internet;

Van Johnson will be 92 on the 25th of this Month.

Karl Malden is 96.

Remember on The Streets of San Francisco, towards the end of the show, just when they figured out who the bad guy was and or where he was, Malden would say to Micheal Douglass "Come on Buddy Boy" or "Lets go Buddy Boy" If Malden didn't do that in every episode then it was in almost every episode.

[Debbie]

Legendary producer Jerry Wexler dies at 91. Jerry Wexler not only coined the phrase rhythm and blues, the legendary music producer was one of the key architects of the genre. He revolutionized popular music with seminal, superstar-making recordings of acts such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and others.
It is a sad day for the music world with his passing. He touched so many lives with his music.

[augusta]

Bernie Mac died recently. Sigh! I really liked him.

I saw a show on the tallest woman (who died recently) about a year ago, maybe on The Learning Channel. I was sad to hear of her death.

Oh, yeah! Van Johnson! And Karl Malden!

There are two minor roled survivors of Gone with the Wind. One is Cammie King, "Bonnie Blue". The other is - is his name Fred Crane, who played one of the Tarleton Twins opposite "Superman" George Reeves? Crane was in such a small part, but he makes appearances and gets press coverage. (Chances are Beau Wilkes is still alive, but he had more of a role in the book than in the movie. What'd he get to say in the movie, "Is it morning yet?" I think.)

Butterfly McQueen ("Prissy") died 15 or so years ago. I think she was in her 90's . Her house caught on fire, and she ran out in the street - on fire - and burned to death. Neighbors saw her and could not do a thing. What a horrible way to die.

Yes, I think Ann Rutherford was really beautiful. I'm glad to hear she's still living. And Barbara Billingsley! Wow - 93?! Hugh Beaumont ("Ward Cleaver") died in 1980 or '81. He had been incapacitated from a stroke, and she was good friends with him. She'd visit him when he was ill. By the way, I caught him in a teensy role in "Member of the Wedding" recently - he was the preacher who married Janis and Jarvice (in the Julie Harris film).

Hey, Kirk Douglas is still living! I love that movie with him, Kim Novak and Ernie Kovacs where he's an architect and has an affair with Kim Novak. Good stuff!

[DJ]

Oh, Ann Blyth is still living-- she's 80. Saw her b'day in the paper w/in the past week. So good in "Mildred Pierce." And that "Twilight Zone" episode wherein she literally sucks the life out of people.
Augusta, did you know that Cammie King's voice was completely dubbed over in GWTW! "Watch me, Daddy! Watch me!"
BTW: Happy Birthday!!!

[1bigsteve]

I expect Annette Funicello to die any time along with Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor and Muhammad Ali. They all look terrible.

-1bigsteve (o:

[DJ]

Yeah, when the National Enquirer runs a headline on your "brave, last days," it's time to call the undertaker, yourownself.

[beanbolt]

I expect Annette Funicello to die any time along with Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor and Muhammad Ali. They all look terrible.

-1bigsteve (o:

Have you seen Ed McMahon lately? I honestly thought he had died a few years ago. The other day I saw a recent picture of him online and I'm still not convinced he's alive.

[doug65oh]

aye, but consider this: What would you look and/or feel like after breaking your neck? (That's what happened to McMahon, last year I think it was.)

[beanbolt]

That's true. He is also in some deep financial trouble right now. The strain of that can't be helping his recovery.

[DJ]

Augusta,
Saw an obit for Fred Crane-- the surviving Tarleton Twin from GWTW-- today (8/26). He was 90.
"I just can't make up my mind which of you two is more handsome. I was up all last night, tryin' to figure it out." -- Scarlett to The Twins, on the
Twelve Oaks stairway

[augusta]

I've been on a little vacation this past week. I did see the obituary on Fred Crane in the little newspaper we got on our trip. That's too bad.

DJ, no I didn't know Cammie King's voice was dubbed! I wonder why? Maybe that piece of dialogue had to be added in later, since she was jumping her pony at the time.

Did anyone find out about Alicia Rhett yet? She was perfect as India Wilkes. I don't think she did anything else after "GWTW". She would have made a good character actress, ala Margaret Hamilton.

I had thought Ed McMahon was dead, too! Yes, he does look very bad. I wonder if his financial troubles came as the result of marrying a young blonde and divorcing. Seems like he married another one, too and divorced.

I don't know how Annette Funicello has hung on for so long. She looked bad years ago. Such a beautiful woman, and then this illness coming on her.

The Enquirer used to have "Bob Hope's Last Days" as a headline for a real long time, and he kept not dying. And they'd publish the worst photo they could find of him, with real red eyes showing.

I wish they would lay off of Paul Newman. Okay, the word is out. I think they should leave it at that until he passes away.

Yes! Ann Blyth in that Twilight Zone episode (I think it was called "Quuen of the Nile"). It's one of my top favorites. She used to advertise Hostess cakes in commercials in like the 1960's. A perfect Vida in 'Mildred Pierce'.

Olivia deHavilland was in 'Southern _____" magazine a year or two ago. I think it was a current photo of her, giving a speech. Still looked great!

[twinsrwe]

Hazel Warp, who was Vivien Leigh's stunt double in "Gone With the Wind," died Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008, at Livingston Memorial Hospital. She was 93. A cause of death was not released.

Hazel Warp, was a stand-in for Vivien Leigh in all the horseback-riding scenes in the 1939 movie. She also took the fall for Vivien Leigh, tumbling down the stairs of Tara in the famous scene near the end of the film when Scarlett O'Hara reaches out to slap Rhett Butler, loses her balance and falls.

Warp also appeared in "Wuthering Heights," "Ben-Hur" and "National Velvet," among other films.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080829/ap_en_mo/obit_warp

http://www.legacy.com/Can/Obituaries.as ... =116644720

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspap ... 0702.story

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0808/548664.html