DEATHS ; Notable Passings; The Thread to Pay Last Respects

[jamespowers]

Very, very sad. I always thought very much of him and the fact that he kept up his Dukes of Hazzard role over the years. Another part of my childhood, gone.

Agreed. His body of work still exists though---small condolence I know....

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I never knew it but James Best was also related to the Everly Brothers. He was their cousin.

 

[jamespowers]

I never knew it but James Best was also related to the Everly Brothers. He was their cousin.

Two singers, one actor.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Director Richard L. Bare has died at the age of 101. He worked mostly in shorts, B-pictures, and television, but he has two gigantic achievements that should cement his reputation for all time. First, he was the primary director of the "Joe McDoakes" one-reelers at Warner Brothers, featuring George O'Hanlon as an ordinary schlemiel trying to master various tasks -- a series of films that got more surreal and hilarious the longer it went on -- and second, he was the primary director of the most surreal and hilarious television series ever made, "Green Acres." If heaven has a Hooterville, his name is still hanging in thin air over Lisa and Oliver Douglas's bed.

 

[Bamaboots]

http://youtu.be/7lp7FtJXp7k
Percy Sledge died today at 73. His biggest hit, "When a Man Loves a Woman" recorded in 1966 at Norala Sound Studios in Sheffield, Al.

 

[Benzadmiral]

And he was in dozens of westerns through the years----even a Twilight Zone episode. Yet he was never too proud or snooty to put on the hat and uniform to play Roscoe P. Coltrane for kids, fans and TV.
Flash the dog was actually his dog in real life as well.
First Uncle Jesse then Boss Hogg.I’ll miss you Mr. Best.You gave us many of the best years of your life in film and on the small screen.Many laughs and some tears.RIPYou will be missed.

Just looked him up to confirm a faint memory: He played the lead in one of the creepiest B-movies of all time, "The Killer Shrews." (At least it was creepy when I saw it on late-night TV at age 11 -- dunno what I'd think of it now.)

 

[jamespowers]

Just looked him up to confirm a faint memory: He played the lead in one of the creepiest B-movies of all time, "The Killer Shrews." (At least it was creepy when I saw it on late-night TV at age 11 -- dunno what I'd think of it now.)

He was best known for his western starring roles. One can argue that The Dukes of Hazzard is kind of a western with cars instead of horses but the lead characters do not sing.

 

[Gregg Axley]

He was best known for his western starring roles. One can argue that The Dukes of Hazzard is kind of a western with cars instead of horses but the lead characters do not sing.

Wait, there are others on the show besides Daisy? Well this is news to me!

We met James Best at a Andy Griffith/Mayberry function in 2003.
He was really a nice guy, talked and joked with each fan for a few minutes, and was so thankful they stopped by for a photo or signature.
When a fan would bring up something other than AG or DOH, he was really impressed. I want to say we brought up 2 Twilight Zone episodes he was in, and got a short story about working with Rod Serling.
A great actor who almost seemed like he was just being himself on screen in every role....

 

[carouselvic]

The model for Norman Rockwell's 'Rosie the Riveter' dies at 92

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/living/rosie-the-riveter-dies/index.html

 

[carouselvic]

Jayne Meadows

http://news.yahoo.com/jayne-meadows...vbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDVklQNTY1XzEEc2VjA3Nj

 

[Doctor Strange]

The genius cinematographer of the Lord of the Rings films:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/movies/andrew-lesnie-cinematographer-dies-at-59.html

 

[MisterCairo]

Vocal great Ben E. King died, only 76 years of age:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/ben-e-king-singer-of-stand-by-me-dead-at-76-1.3057097

 

[jamespowers]

Vocal great Ben E. King died, only 76 years of age:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/ben-e-king-singer-of-stand-by-me-dead-at-76-1.3057097

He influenced many decades of people. When my eight year old son heard that he died, he knew who he was and was singing Stand By Me. That song was a hit twice. Once originally and the second time after the movie of the same name came out.

 

[GHT]

Vocal great Ben E. King died, only 76 years of age:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/ben-e-king-singer-of-stand-by-me-dead-at-76-1.3057097

I heard of his sad passing too, and only three weeks after the great Percy Sledge.

 

[Zombie_61]

For fans of the original Star Trek series among us, Grace Lee Whitney (Yeoman Rand) has passed away at the age of 85.

 

[The Good]

For fans of the original Star Trek series among us, Grace Lee Whitney (Yeoman Rand) has passed away at the age of 85.

That was sad news to learn. I knew that up until recently, she was still living, and I had even been thinking about Grace Lee Whitney's role as Janice Rand on Star Trek. That character had the potential to establish herself as a member of the regular crew, like Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura, etc, if Gene Roddenberry had not cancelled her role after Season 1. I would have liked seeing her and Kirk develop their relationships over the course of the series, and I suspect that is a reason why Roddenberry did not want to continue the character, as he wanted to make Kirk become romantically involved with other characters over the episodes. I don't think the character Janice was even featured in any of the two new Star Trek movies, either. Well, I liked Whitney's character, as it was a memorable performance. She always was one of the more memorable secondary (or tertiary) characters for me, that seemed to mysteriously disappear by the time Season 2 came around.

I wish Whitney's family and friends well.

 

[MisterCairo]

Errol Brown of the group Hot Chocolate ("You Sexy Thing") died of liver cancer, aged only 71:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/errol-b...nd-you-sexy-thing-singer-dead-at-71-1.3063474

 

[carouselvic]

Fiddler Johnny Gimble died today at age 89.

 

[dh66]

B.B. King passed away last night, age 89. His contribution to Blues and rock-n-roll music cannot be underestimated.

 

[Bamaboots]

Rest easy Mr. King, I'm a fan.