DEATHS ; Notable Passings; The Thread to Pay Last Respects

[Berlin]

That's very sad. What a great actor he was! I love him for those quiet, restrained characters he played in British films like Brassed Off or In The Name Of The Father. He'll be sorely missed.

I'll second that!
A big loss.

 

[Mario]

I was always happy to see him in a film. Every now and then I would watch some Hollywood flick on the telly when he'd pop up somewhat unexpectedly just to deliver a few short, dry lines and be gone again for the rest of the film. I loved those appearances.

 

[CharlieB]

That's very sad. What a great actor he was! I love him for those quiet, restrained characters he played in British films like Brassed Off or In The Name Of The Father. He'll be sorely missed.

Brassed off is one of my favorites. So sad to lose such a talent far too early...

 

[Doctor Strange]

The lovely Anne Francis - and I was just watching her in Forbidden Planet on TCM yesterday!

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/01/03/arts/entertainment-us-annefrancis.html

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/forbidden-planet-star-anne-francis-67688
I cannot hardly believe she was 80 years old. So exquisite. RIP...

 

[lolly_loisides]

I was saddened to hear of Pete Postlethwaite's death. He was a fine actor. The first movie I saw him in was "Distant Voices, Still Lives". It's one of my favourite movies.
[video=youtube;CWK2kXwApf8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWK2kXwApf8[/video]

 

[DanielJones]

Very sad indeed. Always enjoyed the characters that he played. from a sadistic Sergeant in the Sharp series to the quiet roles like in James and the Giant Peach. You could either hate the person he played or really enjoyed that person, that is how good and subtle he was. His talents shall be missed. Rest peacefully Mr. Postlethwaite.

Cheers.

Dan

 

[Fly Boy]

I was very sad to hear of Pete Postlethwaite's passing. His portrayal of Obadiah Hakeswill in Sharpe and Giuseppe Conlon for In the Name of the Father were two favourites of mine. A very fine actor with a remarkable range.

 

[MrBern]

The lovely Anne Francis - and I was just watching her in Forbidden Planet on TCM yesterday!

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/01/03/arts/entertainment-us-annefrancis.html

First Leslie Nielson, now Anne Francis!

 

[dhermann1]

Aside from Forbidden Planet (and of course Honey West) I always remember her for the Twilight Zone episode in which she played the department store mannequin that comes to life.

 

[Doctor Strange]

"The After Hours"... that's a great one. I also really like her other Twilight Zone episode, "Jess-Belle" - a classic hillbilly gothic written by Earl Hamner, Jr., later to create The Waltons.

And re Honey West... I was 10/11 when it aired and - already smitten with Francis from Forbidden Planet - her blonde bombshell in a black turtleneck with a snub-nose 38 made an enormous impression my little pubescent mind!

 

[PADDY]

Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite dies aged 64

 

[CharlieB]

Aside from Forbidden Planet (and of course Honey West) I always remember her for the Twilight Zone episode in which she played the department store mannequin that comes to life.

The timing of Anne and Leslie is almost poetic. A little more of a past era has just slipped away...

 

[DanielJones]

Oscar-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite dies aged 64

I think Bill Nighy said it best, "He was a rare and remarkable man - he is irreplaceable."

Cheers.

Dan

 

[DanielJones]

The timing of Anne and Leslie is almost poetic. A little more of a past era has just slipped away...

Very sad indeed. May they have the rest that they deserve.

Cheers.

Dan

 

[skyvue]

Baker Street singer Gerry Rafferty dies in hospital
The Paisley-born singer and songwriter has passed away after battling liver failure.
04 January 2011 20:29 GMT

"Baker Street" singer Gerry Rafferty has died in hospital at the age of 63.

The songwriter was admitted to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in November 2010 with suspected liver failure.

Rafferty, who was born in Paisley in 1947, had received treatment for liver failure in the past.

He is best known for the 1978 song Baker Street, but also had a huge hit in 1972 with "Stuck in the Middle With You" with his band Stealers Wheel.

The song was discovered by a new generation of fans in 1992 when Quentin Tarantino used it on the soundtrack to hit film RESERVOIR DOGS.

Early in his career, Rafferty also worked with Billy Connolly in Clydeside folk band The Humblebums, and as a producer he had a hand in The Proclaimers' hit "Letter From America."

In February 2009, solicitors for the singer released a statement which said he was "extremely well" and composing new songs at his home in Italy.

The statement was released after reports that friends had not heard from him since he "disappeared" six months before while being treated at a London hospital for liver failure.

He is survived by daughter Martha, granddaughter Celia, and brother, Jim.

 

[dhermann1]

Jill Haworth

Jill Haworth, the original Sally Bowles in the Broadway version of Cabaret has died. Her acting debut was in the film Exodus, many many years ago. She also played a doomed ingenue in the John Wayne WW II naval epic, "In Harm's Way". I couldn't even find an obit, but I saw a post on Facebook.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Miriam Seegar

http://www.altfg.com/blog/movie/miriam-seegar-dies-last-surviving-silent-film-performers/

 

[CharlieB]

Baker Street singer Gerry Rafferty dies in hospital
The Paisley-born singer and songwriter has passed away after battling liver failure.
04 January 2011 20:29 GMT

He is best known for the 1978 song Baker Street, but also had a huge hit in 1972 with "Stuck in the Middle With You" with his band Stealers Wheel.

I remember reading that he was quite a womanizer and heavy drinker, so liver failure is no big surprise. I really like his oftenn forgotten other solo hit "Right Down the Line". Such a smooth voice, quite a loss.

 

[skyvue]

I remember reading that he was quite a womanizer and heavy drinker, so liver failure is no big surprise. I really like his oftenn forgotten other solo hit "Right Down the Line". Such a smooth voice, quite a loss.

Yes, "Right Down the Line" is a really good song; I'm very fond of "City to City," the album both that song and "Baker Street" appear on. It's a good record start to finish.

And it does seem to have been true that Rafferty struggled mightily with alcohol the past twenty years of his life. A shame, that.