RIP (2009)

[Heineken Skywalker]

Actor Ricardo Montalban Dies at 88

Ricardo Montalban, the dashing Mexican actor who gained fame for two iconic television roles -- that of the vengeful Khan in Star Trek and the mysterious Mr. Rourke in Fantasy Island -- died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles; he was 88. No cause of death was given, though it was known that Montalban had suffered from complications after undergoing 9 1/2 hours of spinal surgery in 1993 to alleviate an injury he suffered in 1951 while filming the western Across the Wide Missouri. The surgery, however, did not resolve his medical problems, and he found himself primarily confined to a wheelchair. A career in Mexican films led to Hollywood and an MGM contract in 1946, and he was cast in a number of Esther Williams films (his American feature debut was in 1946's Fiesta opposite the swimming star) as well as westerns and dramas opposite such stars as Lana Turner and Jane Powell.

After leaving MGM in the mid-fifties, Montalban appeared on numerous television shows, though it was his singular turn as the villainous Khan Noonien Singh, one of a group of genetically engineered "supermen" in the "Space Seed" episode of Star Trek for which he became most remembered, and he reprised that role in the 1982 box office hit Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. By the time that film was released, Montalban had also become famous to a new generation of television viewers as the enigmatic Mr. Rourke, the host of the ABC Saturday night staple Fantasy Island (1978-1984), where he would preside over cautionary tales of those who wished to have their most desired fantasies fulfilled. (Around the same time, Montalban did a number of commercials for the Chrysler Cordoba, where his exhortations of the cars "rich Corinthian leather" would become an affectionate pop culture reference.)

After his role as Khan, Montalban continued to appear in television (most notably on the Dynasty spin-off The Colbys) and in film (as the villain of the comedy The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!) until his surgery curtailed his acting career. Montalban continued to work, however, appearing in all three of the Spy Kids films and doing voice work for the television shows Kim Possible and Family Guy. Montalban's wife, Georgiana Young (the younger sister of actress Loretta Young) died in 2007; the two had been married since 1944 and had four children.

Though it was not mentioned in that bio, I would like to add that I was also a fan of his work in two of the Planet of the Apes sequels as Armando the circus owner.

Also, passed away...

Patrick McGoohan Dead At 80

Legendary actor Patrick McGoohan has died at aged 80.

The American-born star appeared in a host of films and TV shows during a career spanning more than 50 years.

He shot to fame in 1960s British TV show Danger Man but is likely to be best remembered for his role as the title character in cult sci-fi series The Prisoner.

He also had several notable film roles including parts in classic comedy-drama Silver Streak and as Longshanks, King Edward I in Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning epic Braveheart.

McGoohan, who scooped two Emmy Awards during his career, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles after a short illness.

He leaves a wife, Joan Drummond McGoohan, three daughters, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson.


R.I.P. to both.

[slayrrr666]

RIP to both. Always loved Montalban in Naked Gun personally myself. Never really seen much of McGoohan's work, but still RIP.

[ZapRowsdower]

One of the greatest villains of all time. KHAAAAN!

R.I.P.

[raina]

Jan 15, 2009 13:19:14 GMT -5 ZapRowsdower said:

One of the greatest villains of all time. KHAAAAN!

R.I.P.

I am not even much of a Star Trek fan, but I loved The Wrath of Khan and him in the role.

R.I.P to them both.

[Heineken Skywalker]

Ron Silver Dies at 62

Variety reports that actor Ron Silver died Sunday at the age of 62 following a two-year battle with esophageal cancer.

Silver is an Emmy nominee for his recurring role on “The West Wing” and has a long history of balancing acting with left-leaning social and political causes.

He also won a Tony Award as a take-no-prisoners Hollywood producer in David Mamet’s original production of “Speed-the-Plow” in 1988.

Silver’s big-screen credits include Ali, Reversal of Fortune, Enemies: A Love Story, Silkwood, Semi-Tough, Timecop, The Arrival and most recently The Ten and Find Me Guilty. He also narrated 2004’s Fahrenhype 9/11, which deconstructed Michael Moore’s anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.

Besides “The West Wing,” Silver was a regular or had recurring roles on such TV shows as “Veronica’s Closet”, “Chicago Hope” and “Wiseguy”. He directed and costarred in the 1993 made-for-TV movie Lifepod.

Silver is survived by a son, Adam, and daughter, Alexandra, whom he had with ex-wife Lynne Miller.

Natasha Richardson Dies at 45

Acclaimed actress Natasha Richardson, the wife of actor Liam Neeson and daughter of acting legend Vanessa Redgrave, died Wednesday of a critical head injury resulting from a skiing accident; she was 45.

Richardson had been taking a beginner's skiing lesson at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec when she fell in what appeared to be a minor mishap; the actress was reported to be laughing and joking as she walked back to her room with assistance from her ski instructor. She began to complain of headaches within an hour of the accident, and was taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to Montreal's Sacre Coeur Hospital. Her husband, Liam Neeson, was in Toronto filming the movie Chloe when he heard of the incident, and rushed to her side. After being pronounced brain dead in Montreal, Richardson was later transferred by plane to New York where she was met by family and friends, who held a vigil at her bedside at Lenox Hill hospital. She was later taken off life support, and passed away early Wednesday evening.

Richardson, born into the legendary Redgrave acting family, was the eldest daughter of late Oscar-winning director Tony Richardson (Tom Jones) and Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave, and the granddaughter of famed actors Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson. Her aunt was Lynn Redgrave, her uncle Corin Redgrave, and her sister, Joely Richardson, was also an actress, most well-known for her role on the television series Nip/Tuck. Trained primarily for the stage, Natasha made small appearances in television films before making an auspicious screen debut as Mary Shelley in Ken Russell's Gothic, the fascinatingly lurid tale of how Shelley came to write the classic novel Frankenstein during a nightmarish weekend at Lord Byron's country estate with her husband, her cousin, and Byron himself. Roles in independent films such as Patty Hearst (where she played the title character), The Handmaid's Tale, and The Comfort of Strangers followed in the late '80s and early '90s.

In 1993, she starred opposite Neeson in the Broadway revival of Anna Christie, where both received Tony nominations; though neither took home an award, they fell in love and married in 1994, the same year they also appeared together in the film Nell opposite Jodie Foster. In 1998, Richardson appeared onscreen as the mother of identical twins (played by Lindsay Lohan) in the remake The Parent Trap, and won a Tony award on Broadway as Sally Bowles in the revival of Cabaret. Her work in film afterward varied from smaller films like Asylum and Evening (in which she appeared with her mother) to bigger-budget Hollywood comedies like Maid in Manhattan and Wild Child, and her theater career continued to be impressive, with turns in the original Broadway production of Closer, Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea, and Tennesee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, where she played the iconic Blanche DuBois. Most recently, she had appeared with mother Vanessa in a one-night benefit concert of Sondheim's A Little Night Music, which had prompted rumors of a potential Broadway run. She also appeared as a guest judge in the most recent season of reality show Top Chef.

Richardson had two sons with Neeson, her second husband; she was married to producer Robert Fox from 1990-1993.

R.I.P. to both.

[slayrrr666]

Indeed, RIP to both.

[slayrrr666]

The Golden Girls star Bea Arthur has died at the age of 86.

The actress, who played Dorothy Zbornak in the hit show from 1985 until 1992, lost her battle with cancer at her Los Angeles home on Saturday.

Arthur began her career on the stage, winning critical acclaim for her performance in a 1964 production of Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway, and landing a Tony Award for her turn in 1966 musical Mame.

She moved on to television with a role in 1970s show Maude before landing a part in hit sitcom The Golden Girls. She won Emmy Awards for both series.

Arthur was married twice and is survived by two adult sons, Matthew and Daniel, and two granddaughters.

Never saw the show, but still RIP.

[Heineken Skywalker]

R.I.P. funny lady.

[Heineken Skywalker]

Comedian Dom DeLuise Dies

Dom DeLuise, the comedian who became a household name in the '70s and '80s for his small but memorable roles in Blazing Saddles, Cannonball Run and Spaceballs, died late Monday night in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 75.

DeLuise got his big break in 1964 as a regular performer on TV's The Entertainers. He soon became a regular guest star on The Dean Martin Summer Show. The exposure led to Deluise's landing his own eponymous comedy program on CBS that lasted for a season.

In the '70s, DeLuise moved to the big screen, becoming a regular fixture in various Mel Brooks films. After meeting Burt Reynolds on the set of Brooks's Silent Movie, the two actors became friends and worked together in several films, including two Cannonball Run movies, Smokey and the Bandit II, The End and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

DeLuise, who often made jokes about his rotund figure, was an avid chef who wrote four cookbooks. He also wrote seven children's books. He married actress Carol Arthur in 1965. His three sons - Peter, Michael and David - are all actors.

Goodbye, Funnyman.

[slayrrr666]

Actor David Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, has been found dead in the Thai capital, Bangkok.

A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old actor. He says Carradine died either late Wednesday or early Thursday, but he could not provide further details out of consideration for his family.

The Web site of the newspaper The Nation cited unidentified police sources as saying Carradine was found Thursday hanged in his luxury hotel room and is believed to have committed suicide.

Carradine was a leading member of a venerable Hollywood acting family that included his father, character actor John Carradine, and brother Keith.

Definite RIP in my regards, I was a big fan of the show when I first started getting into action films, and especially kung-fu movies, and he certainly wasn't someone I grew irritated with when seeing him pop up in recent films.

[Heineken Skywalker]

Yeah, just heard about this. What a bummer!
I was a big fan of the series "Kung Fu" when I was a kid.
I actually thought he would have a big film resurgence after his great performance in KILL BILL, but it didn't really happen.

Sincerest condolences to his family.

[slayrrr666]

Ed McMahon, Carson's Sidekick, Dead At 86.

Ed McMahon, best known as Johnny Carson's sidekick on NBC's Tonight show ("And now h-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!"), died early today (Tuesday) in Los Angeles at age 86. The cause of death was not disclosed, but his publicist, Howard Bragman, said that McMahon had a "multitude of health problems the last few months." The Associated Press, quoting a source close to McMahon, said that he had been battling bone cancer and had been hospitalized for several weeks.

[Heineken Skywalker]

A mainstay of pop culture during the Eighties and Nineties.
Between The Tonight Show, hosting Star Search, those "Bloopers" specials with Dick Clark, and being the spokesperson for Publisher's Clearing House, it seemed like he was on tv all the time.

R.I.P. (Johnny's been saving your spot on the couch next to him.)

[Heineken Skywalker]

Wow, two icons in one day.

Farrah Fawcett Dies At 62

Charlie's Angels actress Farrah Fawcett has died. She was 62. The five-time Golden Globe-nominated star passed away on Thursday morning at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

Her longtime partner Ryan O'Neal and best friend Alana Stewart were by her bedside when she passed away.

Her son Redmond, who is serving a jail sentence for drug charges, was not present.

Born Ferrah Leni Fawcett in Corpus Christi, Texas, the star started out as a model and actress in TV commercials, before getting her big break playing ass-kicking Jill Munroe in the hit TV series Charlie's Angels.

She quit the show after just one year, and attempted to reinvent herself as a serious actress in movies like 1986's big-screen adaptation of Broadway play Extremities and 1984's TV film The Burning Bed. That role, as a battered wife, earned her the first of three Emmy Award nods in her career. She was also praised for her work in Small Sacrifices in 1989, garnering her both an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination.

Fawcett later went on to make guest appearances in popular U.S. programmes like Ally McBeal, Spin City and The Guardian.

She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995.

The actress was also a popular fashion icon and became a pin-up in the 1970s and '80s, with her tousled hairstyle sparking an international trend.

But her career wasn't without controversy - she was heavily criticized in 1995 when she agreed to pose nude for men's magazine Playboy, aged 48, despite previously refusing to appear naked in any film or publication. The raunchy spread went on to become the best-selling issue of the 1990s, selling over 4 million copies worldwide, and Fawcett graced its pages again in 1997.

Her love life was rarely out of the limelight either. She wed The Six Million Dollar Man star Lee Majors in 1973, but the couple separated six years later, finalizing their divorce in 1982. That same year, she embarked on a romance with actor Ryan O'Neal. They went on to have a son, Redmond, in 1985, but split in 1997.

Fawcett also dated producer James Orr, but the relationship turned sour in 1998 when he physically abused her after she turned down his marriage proposal. The star has since reunited with O'Neal and enjoyed an on/off relationship.

Fawcett suffered a health setback in October 2006 when she revealed she had been diagnosed with anal cancer. She underwent treatment, including chemotherapy, and the disease appeared to be in remission by her 60th birthday in February 2007.

A statement released at the time read, "This is an extraordinarily happy day for me and my family. I hope that my news might offer some level of inspiration to others who unfortunately must continue to fight the disease."

However, the illness returned just three months later in May, when a malignant polyp was found in the area where she had been treated for anal cancer. She decided to travel to Germany to undergo revolutionary new treatment that has yet to be made available in the U.S.

Fawcett, who turned her battle with cancer into the documentary series A Wing and a Prayer, suffered another health setback in April this year when it emerged the cancer had spread to her liver.

The extent of her illness was discovered during a stay in a Los Angeles hospital in early April as she underwent treatment for complications resulting from an undisclosed medical procedure. The surgery had left her with abdominal bleeding and a hematoma (internal sac of blood), but her doctor Lawrence Pinto insisted the operation was not directly linked to her cancer.

O'Neal recently revealed he had proposed to Fawcett as she fought for her life and that she had accepted, but the couple never made it down the aisle.

It emerged on Wednesday that Fawcett was nearing the end of her cancer battle and had a Catholic priest read her her last rites as family and friends prepared for the worst.

She is survived by O'Neal and their son Redmond, now 24.

And even more stunning....

Michael Jackson Dead At 50

The King of Pop Michael Jackson has died after suffering a fatal heart attack at the age of 50. The Thriller legend was taken to hospital earlier today after frantic aides found him unconscious at his mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles.

According to TMZ.com, medics administered CPR en-route to L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai hospital to try and keep him alive, but he was totally unresponsive.

After just a few hours in a coma, Jackson died as his family members, including his mother and brothers, rushed to be at his bedside.

The seventh child of the Jackson clan, the singer shot to fame as part of The Jackson 5 at the age of 11, alongside his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon.

Due to his stunning vocals and dancing ability, Jackson became the stand-out star of the family group, and launched his solo career in 1972 with the release of Got to Be There.

Interest in the star grew to phenomenal proportions as he released his iconic Thriller LP ten years later. The disc went on to become the biggest selling record of all time - shifting a staggering 109 million copies to date.

He quickly became the forthright pop musician of the 1980s, and garnered a cult-like following due to the popularity of his music videos and iconic dance moves, including the Moonwalk.

Picking up 13 Grammy awards throughout his career, as well as 13 number one singles in the U.S., Jackson achieved a number of entries in the Guinness World Records - including the accolade Most Successful Entertainer of All Time. He released ten best-selling albums.

But the superstar's career hasn't been without controversy, starting with the drastic change in his appearance, most notably the colour of his skin, which some assumed the star had bleached white. Jackson refuted the rumours, insisting he suffered from pigmentation condition vitiligo.

Often thought of as child-like himself, especially after purchasing sprawling California estate Neverland and decking it out with funfair rides and his own private zoo, the world was stunned as 13-year-old child Jordan Chandler and his father Evan Chandler accused the singer of child sexual abuse. Jackson, who was strip searched at his ranch, vehemently denied the claims, settling out of court with the child's family for $22 million (GBP14.7 million).

However, similar accusations reapperaed years later, and in 2003 it was alleged he sexually abused Gavin Arvizo. His trial began in 2005, with hundreds of fans supporting him daily outside the Santa Maria, California courthouse. After five months he was acquitted on all counts.

In 1993, at the height of the first child abuse scandal, Jackson married Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie. Presley explained that their relationship sprung out of an understanding of the intense pressures of fame, for which her father had also suffered. The world's media speculated furiously over the intricate details of their relationship, insisting the union was a ploy to shift focus on the sex abuse allegations. The pair later divorced less than two years later.

As Jackson embarked on his first world tour since the controversies, the HIStory tour, it was announced he had married dermatologist nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe, who fathered the first of the star's children Michael Joseph Jackson. Jr, who he later dubbed Prince, in 1997. A daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, was later born. The couple subsequently divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving the star full custody rights of their children.

The hitmaker kept a low-profile following his HIStory tour, and returned to the public spotlight in 2001 to mark his 30th anniversary in the music industry. He appeared onstage with his brothers for the first time since 1984, and was joined by a string of superstars including Whitney Houston, Usher and Britney Spears who paid homage to the star's stellar career.

After the release of his relatively poor-selling Invincible album in 2001, Jackson welcomed a third child the following year. Prince Michael Jackson II, known as Blanket, was delivered by an unknown surrogate mother. The singer attracted controversy again after he dangled the tot from the balcony of a Berlin hotel.

Another spell in the showbiz wilderness followed, until it was announced in February this year that the star would be making a stage comeback for a 50-date residency at London's 02 Arena.

Jackson was reported to have pulled in $75 million (£50 million) from the dates, to aid his dire financial situation, following the foreclosure of his Neverland Estate to service a loan Jackson owed on the property. Experts feared the star wouldn't be well enough to perform at the shows after reports leaked he was suffering from skin cancer. Only last month, the superstar cancelled the first week of the tour, insisting he needed more time to prepare for the extravaganza.

Michael Jackson, dead at 50 years old, is survived by his three children, his mother and father; Joseph and Katherine, and his five brothers and two sisters, Janet and Latoya.

R.I.P. to both.

[slayrrr666]

RIP to both, though I can't with any truthfulness say I was a fan of either one.