So, it's happened again. Father Time keeps marching on, and takes some celebrities along with him. As I have done for a few years now, I'd like to take a bit of time to pay homage to those people we all knew, whether it be in entertainment, sports, music or just because they were always around. Here's the list of some of the most recognizable names that left us in 2023.
MELINDA DILLON
DIED: January 9, 2023 (aged 83) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Unknown
Dillon began her acting career on the stage in the Chicago area, as well as hanging around with the Second City troupe honing her improvisational comedy skills, while she was just around 20 years old. Soon enough she would be cast in some small roles on TV and in film. It didn't take long for people to recognize her talents; in 1976 she'd garnered wide acclaim for her portrayal of Woody Guthrie's wife in Bound For Glory, a role that earned her a Golden Globe Nomination as New Star Of The Year. From there she would appear in many high profile films including Slap Shot, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Absence Of Malice, A Christmas Story, The Prince Of Tides and Magnolia just to name a few. She received two Academy Award Nominations for her roles in Close Encounters and Absence Of Malice.
JEFF BECK
FULL NAME: Geoffrey Arnold Beck
BORN: June 24, 1944 in Surrey, EnglandDIED: January 10, 2023 (aged 78) in East Sussex, England
CAUSE: Bacterial Meningitis
The first shocking death of 2023 (for me anyway) was hearing of the passing of one of the greatest Rock guitarists to ever play, Jeff Beck. He learned how to play as a teenager, borrowing guitars from people he knew, before building his own guitar to practise on. While he tried to gain a name for himself playing in bands, his sister introduced him to a dude named Jimmy Page, a session musician he became friends with. When a band known as The Yardbirds asked Page to join them, he said he couldn't, but he knew a guy. That guy was Beck, and he never looked back. Page joined the band soon after, and Beck was kicked out in short order for always being late to gigs, or not showing up at all. That led to Beck creating some of the best Rock and Blues music of the late 1960's and '70's, playing with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood on his first two albums. He was a winner of 8 Grammy Awards and when it came to ranking the best guitarists to ever play, Jeff Beck was usually near the top of the list.
LISA MARIE PRESLEY
DIED: January 12, 2023 (aged 54) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Small Bowel Obstruction
For the most part, Lisa Marie was famous for being the daughter of Elvis and Priscilla. She did make a few albums (three in fact, two of them reaching the Top 10 on Billboard), and she did a few "weird" things when she was younger (married a Scientologist, got divorced, then married none other than Michael Jackson 20 days later), but she was really famous for being famous. Oh, then she married Nicolas Cage, so, there you go. Being the daughter of the most famous Rock singer of all-time, then marrying the most famous Pop singer of all-time couldn't have led to an easy life. The announcement of her sudden death shook a lot of fans from both camps and was certainly a shock to the rest of us.
JULIAN SANDS
BORN: January 4, 1958 in Otley, England
DIED: January 13, 2023 (aged 65) in San Gabriel Mountains, California
CAUSE: Undetermined
Sands was very famous for some of the smaller roles he had as an actor, beginning back in 1984 when he starred opposite Rob Lowe in Oxford Blues and in the acclaimed drama The Killing Fields. He'd show up in tons of other popular films over the next 30 plus years including A Room With A View, Arachnophobia, Naked Lunch, Leaving Las Vegas, and many TV appearances including a great 11-episode run in Season 5 of "24". He was the Indie Producer's dream, taking on many difficult roles along the way. He also had a love of hiking, which ultimately led to his death. How? We don't know. All we know is he went on a hike in the San Gabriel Mountains on January 13 and nobody heard from him since. His remains were found over six months later, on June 24, by hikers. A sad end to a talented man.
GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA
BORN: July 4, 1927 in Subiaco, Italy
DIED: January 16, 2023 (aged 95) in Rome, Italy
CAUSE: Natural Causes
During the 1940's and 1950's there were few European actresses that could measure up to the fame held by Gina Lollobrigida all over the world. She was an International sex symbol of the times, beloved by millions of men and women alike. She starred in many Italian and English films early in her career, but most would get a first look at her in America when she showed up opposite Humphrey Bogart in 1953's Beat The Devil. In the 1980's she received a Golden Globe nomination for her role on TV's "Falcon Crest", a role originally meant for Sophia Loren. When she wasn't acting or modelling, Lollobrigida made a name for herself as a photojournalist, photographing major celebrities such as Paul Newman and Audrey Hepburn, and obtaining an exclusive interview in 1974 with Fidel Castro! Quite a career for a woman once referred to as "the most beautiful woman in the world".
DAVID CROSBY
BORN: August 14, 1941 in Los Angeles, California
DIED: January 18, 2023 (aged 81) in Santa Ynez, California
CAUSE: Complications from COVID-19 (unconfirmed)
There are musicians that write songs, record those songs and then go about their business. Then there are musicians that have a huge impact on the populace with the music they create, and David Crosby was easily in this latter group of musicians. Folk-Rock and Psychedelic-Rock was brought to the forefront of American culture in no small part due to David Crosby, with The Byrds and a group of friends whose last names became world famous; Stills, Nash and Young. In the late 1960's, their songs and sound became the soundtrack of the youth movement, the "make-love-not-war" crowd, the counter-culture. The group that began as a trio and added Neil Young a few years later were constantly played on the radio and created a bunch of Top 10 Albums while they were together. Crosby, by his own admission, wasn't very easy to get along with, and he became just as famous for speaking his mind through the years. His family released a statement that he had passed after a "long illness", but others said he was working right up to the day he died. In an interview a week after his death, Stephen Stills' ex-wife said he had died after contracting COVID-19. In any case, he will be remembered as one of the most influential musicians this world has known.
CINDY WILLIAMS
BORN: August 22, 1947 in Van Nuys, California
DIED: January 25, 2023 (aged 75) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Unknown Illness
She majored in Theatre at Los Angeles Community College in the 1960's. National commercials and bit parts in TV Shows came quickly. She then scored a couple of big roles in George Lucas' American Graffiti and Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation. A guest appearance on "Happy Days" introduced the world to the character of Shirley Feeney. Then, a year later, just about everybody in the world knew who she was when she co-starred with Penny Marshall in the highly successful sitcom "Laverne And Shirley". Of course there were more TV Shows and movies for Cindy Williams, but we will always remember and love her for her portrayal of that little girl from Milwaukee.
BOBBY HULL
BORN: January 3, 1939 in Point Anne, Ontario
DIED: January 30, 2023 (aged 84) in Wheaton, Illinois
CAUSE: Unknown
It didn't take long for Bobby Hull to make a giant impact in the world of professional hockey. He was second in voting for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the Rookie Of The Year. By his third year in the NHL he led the league in goals and points. He was regarded as one of the fastest skaters in the league, earning him the moniker "The Golden Jet" (because of his blonde locks). He also had one of the hardest slap shots in the league, frightening anyone who dared get in front of the lethal blast. Hull would become one of the most prolific goal scorers the game has ever known, ending his NHL career with 610 goals, including five 50-goal seasons. He left the NHL for the startup league WHA when he was offered more than $2-million to help make the league legitimate. In his seven years in the WHA, he scored another 303 goals, giving him an incredible 913 professional goals for his 26-year playing career. He chose to wear the number 9 because of his childhood hero Gordie Howe. When I played hockey as a kid, I chose to wear number 9 because of Bobby Hull!
BURT BACHARACH
FULL NAME: Burt Freeman Bacharach
BORN: May 12, 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri
DIED: February 8, 2023 (aged 94) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Natural Causes
Pop Music in the United States and Canada would probably be a lot different without the influence from Burt Bacharach. He began his remarkable 70+ years in music in the 1950's, composing literally hundreds of pop songs. It was the 1960's that he really made a name for himself writing tons of hits including "Baby It's You" by The Shirelles, "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" by Gene Pitney, "Wishin' And Hopin'" by Dionne Warwick, "(They Long To Be) Close To You" eventually made huge by The Carpenters, "Walk On By" by Dionne Warwick, and a ton of others. His collaborations with lyricist Hal David garnered many Grammy and Academy Award Nominations, winning more than a dozen in his career. "The Look Of Love", "I Say A Little Prayer", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Falling' On My Head", "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)", "That's What Friends Are For"...his contribution to the soundtrack of our lives is undeniable!
RAQUEL WELCH
BORN: September 5, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois
DIED: February 15, 2023 (aged 82) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Cardiac Arrest
She was simply one of the sexiest women to ever live, but she was so much more than just that. She was hilariously funny, a great actress, smart as a whip, a perfect guest on any talk show...and so damn sexy! She started out life as Jo Raquel Tejada, married her high school sweetheart James Welch at 19 and kept his name for the rest of her life. She worked as a model and cocktail waitress early on, waiting for a break in the movies. She got that break in 1966 with the release of Fantastic Voyage, which led her to a small but memorable role in One Million Years B.C., also from 1966. Even though she only had a few lines in that movie, we all remember her in that deerskin bikini. She became a mega star soon after. Bedazzled, Bandolero!, Myra Breckinridge, The Three Musketeers, Mother, Jugs And Speed and tons of TV appearances would come her way, all the while making men drool with every appearance. Her quick wit, stories of Hollywood in the '60's and '70's, and being so entertaining on so many talk shows endeared her to everyone that watched. She was one of my very first crushes (I remember seeing her on "The Muppet Show" when I was about six years old) and will be greatly missed.
TIM McCARVER
BORN: October 16, 1941 in Memphis, Tennessee
DIED: February 16, 2023 (aged 81) in Memphis, Tennessee
CAUSE: Heart Failure
Tim McCarver began his career in professional baseball back in 1959 when he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. He actually made his first appearance as a catcher for the big league club before his 18th birthday. He had a solid 21-year career in Major League Baseball, playing on a couple of All-Star teams and winning 2 World Series with the Cardinals in 1964 and 1967. It was after his playing days that people really started to appreciate McCarver's talents. He began in 1980, not long after his retirement from baseball, calling games with Richie Ashburn in Philadelphia. Soon he'd work as a backup commentator on NBC's "Game Of The Week", ABC's "Monday Night Baseball" and CBS' broadcasts with Joe Buck. He'd end up working with Buck again on Fox' MLB telecasts for another 18 years. All in all, McCarver called games from 1980 to 2020, including a record 24 World Series', always with humour and a sharp understanding of the intricacies of America's National Pastime.
STELLA STEVENS
BORN: October 1, 1938 in Yazoo City, Mississippi
DIED: February 17, 2023 (aged 84) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Complications from Alzheimer's Disease
She began modelling and acting in her late-teens. Soon, in 1957, she was signed to a contract with 20th Century Fox with the thoughts of having her star in a bio-pic about Jean Harlow. Her first role came in 1959 opposite Bing Crosby in the musical Say One For Me which helped her win the Golden Globe Award for "New Star Of The Year". She would go on to act in literally hundreds of TV Shows and movies for the next 50 years. It is said that Stevens was one of the most photographed women of the 1960's, a sex symbol for the masses, appearing in Playboy Magazine a number of times and included in their list of Sexiest Stars Of The 20th Century at number 27. I remember her most from her role in 1972's The Poseidon Adventure and her few appearances on TV's "The Love Boat", as well as always being a great guest on celebrity talk shows like "The Tonight Show".
RICHARD BELZER
DIED: February 19, 2023 (aged 78) in Beaulieu-Our-Mer, France
CAUSE: Unspecified Respiratory Conditions
I remember Richard Belzer mostly for his stand up comedy. He would make the late night talk show rounds often in the 1980's; Johnny Carson and David Letterman mostly. Then, all of a sudden, he became a great dramatic actor. Belzer became much more famous when he started appearing on the crime show "Homicide: Life On The Street" in 1993. He would play Detective John Munch for over 120 episodes spanning 7 years. He would even cross-over a few times onto the bigger show "Law And Order". That led to a very healthy run on "Law And Order: Special Victims Unit" where he was a regular cast member for 18 years, over 320 episodes! Pretty good for a guy that started his career in the scummy comedy clubs of America.
TOM SIZEMORE
BORN: November 29, 1961 in Detroit, Michigan
DIED: March 3, 2023 (aged 61) in Burbank, California
CAUSE: Brain Aneurysm
He was weird, he was funny, he was highly recognizable and, truthfully, I thought he was already dead. Yet, I was still shocked to hear the news that this veteran actor, who appeared in so many movies, had passed away. My best memories of Tom Sizemore were for his roles in Natural Born Killers and Saving Private Ryan, but he was everywhere for a while, TV and movies. In fact, he was in over 230 movies and TV shows in his career that only started in the late 1980's. Always intense and often quirky, you'd definitely remember his performances in the two I mentioned along with Point Break, Passenger 57, True Romance, Heat, Black Hawk Down, and so many more. A great talent whose mug will be missed.
ROBERT BLAKE
BORN: September 18, 1933 in Nutley, New Jersey
DIED: March 9, 2023 (aged 89) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Heart Disease
Speaking of weird actors, Robert Blake was just about the weirdest, and he led a very troubled existence as well. He began acting at a very young age, appearing in about 40 shorts with Our Gang, aka The Little Rascals. He did that from 1939 until he was around 11 years old in 1944. From there he would appear in many TV shows and movies, most famously in 1967's In Cold Blood and as Detective Tony Beretta in TV's "Beretta" which ran from 1975 to 1978 and earned Blake an Emmy Award in 1975. The last time he appeared on film was back in 1997 in David Lynch's Lost Highway where he played a very creepy mystery man. Blake apparently came from an abusive family which may have contributed to his reputation as a difficult man to work with. It may have also contributed to some of his "extracurricular activities" including the 2001 murder of his wife Bonny Lee Bakely. Blake was eventually acquitted of any wrong doing (murder or solicitation of murder) but had to file for bankruptcy when a civil judge said he owed Bakley's three children $30-million in damages.
LANCE REDDICK
DIED: March 17, 2023 (aged 60) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Heart Disease
I was so upset when I heard Lance Reddick passed away. He was a staple on many of my favourite TV shows of the past, and he was so young. Even though a lot of his roles were similar in nature (because he played it so well) it was always a benefit to have his name associated with a project. You no doubt saw him in some of the most critically acclaimed programs of all-time including "Oz", "Law And Order: SVU", "The Wire", "Fringe" and "Bosch". He was in a couple of dozen films as well, probably most notably the John Wick series opposite Keanu Reeves. I'm shocked he was never nominated for an Emmy, he was so good! And he'll be missed by this fan for sure.
MICHAEL LERNER
DIED: April 8, 2023 (aged 81) in Burbank, California
CAUSE: Complications from Brain Seizures
You may not know the name but I'm sure you recognize the face. Lerner was a superb character actor that appeared in more than 180 TV shows and films in his long career that began in the late 1960's. He was on all the big shows of the '70's and '80's including "That Girl", "Ironside", "The Street Of San Francisco", "The Bob Newhart Show", "Emergency!", "MASH", "The Rockford Files", "Starsky And Hutch", "Kojak" and so many more. He would have smaller roles in films early on, acting with Robert Redford in The Candidate and Jack Nicholson in The Postman Always Rings Twice. The roles I remember him most for are Eight Men Out playing Arnold Rothstein, and possibly one of my favourite performances in any film, playing Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink, where he earned his only Academy Award Nomination.
HARRY BELAFONTE
BORN: March 1, 1927 in New York, New York
DIED: April 25, 2023 (aged 96) in New York, New York
CAUSE: Congestive Heart Failure
Harry Belafonte was a huge star; TV, films, music, politics, just about everything. He began his remarkable career in the late 1940's, taking acting classes alongside Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis and Walter Matthau. Around the same time he was a club singer in New York City. He was in plays on Broadway, making records and appearing on television through the early 1950's when, in 1956, he released an album titled "Calypso". This album was the first LP to EVER sell more than one million copies. It spent over 30 weeks at Number 1 on the album charts and included a song that Belafonte will always be remembered for, "Banana Boat Song" more commonly referred to as "Day-O". All of a sudden, Belafonte was one of the most sought after entertainers in the world. He would still appear in movies and television for years to come, but he was considered an entertainer first and foremost. As a black man in the 1960's, Belafonte became very involved with the Civil Rights Movement, a famous face that became very close to Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. He continued his activism throughout his life, never turning down an opportunity to discuss what he believed in. The man led an incredible life and will be greatly missed in many corners of the world.
JERRY SPRINGER
DIED: April 27, 2023 (aged 79) in Evanston, Illinois
CAUSE: Pancreatic Cancer
My first introduction to Jerry Springer was probably like most of the worlds', as host of his very own television show. "The Jerry Springer Show" debuted in 1991 and, as I'm sure few may remember, began as a talk show tackling serious issues. Some of his first guests included Oliver North and Jesse Jackson. But, in 1994, in order to boost ratings, "The Jerry Springer Show" became what everyone knows it for; sensationalism. No more serious discussions on gun violence or homelessness. Now we had fist fights and some of America's dumbest people doing dumb things. But it worked! Jerry's show became a huge hit, even beating Oprah's show in some markets, and it stayed that way for nearly 20 years. What I didn't know, until I started watching his circus, was Springer's history as a politician. He spent 2 separate terms in the Cincinnati City Council and was even chosen as Mayor of Cincinnati for a year, 1977 to 1978. He ran for Governor of Ohio in 1981, seeking the Democratic nomination, but ended up a distant third. Quite a career change, but it worked out very well for him.
GORDON LIGHTFOOT
DIED: May 1, 2023 (aged 84) in Toronto, Ontario
CAUSE: Natural Causes
As a Canadian, it is in my blood to be a fan of Gordon Lightfoot's music. It just happens at birth. But really, how could anyone, anywhere, not be a fan of this Canadian legend?? He began his remarkable 65-year career in music in California writing commercial jingles. But his homeland was calling and he returned to Canada in 1960, singing on the CBC and popular coffee houses in the Toronto area. He started to gain a local following and soon became known as a fabulous songwriter. In the 1970's it seemed everyone wanted to sing Gordon Lightfoot's creations including major recording artists like Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul And Mary, Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins and dozens more. His first big hit in the United States came in 1970 with "If You Could Read My Mind" which was redone as a disco hit by Viola Wills in 1980, and an even bigger hit in 1998 when Stars On 54 recorded it for the movie 54. Other hits followed soon after; "Sundown", "Carefree Highway", "Rainy Day People", "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald". All in all Lightfoot recorded 21 studio albums, just about every one of them critically praised. He was unapologetic in his love for his home country, and made every one of us beam with pride whenever we saw him perform on television. He played live shows up to October of 2022, always giving the people a great show.
"SUPERSTAR" BILLY GRAHAM
BORN: June 7, 1943 in Phoenix, Arizona
DIED: May 17, 2023 (aged 79) in Phoenix, Arizona
CAUSE: Sepsis and Multiple Organ Failure
As his name suggests, Billy Graham was one of the first superstars of professional wrestling. He began as an amateur boxer, fighting in the 1959 Golden Gloves tournament. Soon after he began to get into bodybuilding, chiselling out his massive physique, winning contests and appearing in many muscle mags of the time. In the late 1960's he would work out many times with Arnold Schwarzenegger and was able to bench press over 600 pounds! In 1969 he began his wrestling training with Calgary's Stu Hart, father of Brett and Owen Hart, and a true legend in the sport. After his first professional bout in 1970, Graham's stock kept rising and rising. Throughout his more than 40 years in the business he helped to develop the interview style of promotion that we're all familiar with today. A ton of wrestlers over the years were influenced by Graham's style and physique including Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Triple H and Jesse Ventura. He entered the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2004.
JIM BROWN
DIED: May 18, 2023 (aged 87) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Natural Causes
One day after a legend of wrestling died, an even bigger legend of football passed away. Jim Brown was considered one of the greatest running backs to ever play the game. He began his great rise in the sport at Syracuse College where he was the only African-American player on the team in his Freshman year of 1953. He had to endure terrible racism as a result, but soon became a school favourite as he began setting records and excelling not only in football but also basketball, track and lacrosse. In 1957 he was selected 6th overall in the NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. In only his ninth game with Cleveland he set an NFL record by rushing for 237 yards, a feat that wasn't eclipsed for 14 years! The next season, he set the single season rushing record by going for 1,527 yards, shattering the old mark of 1,146. By the end of his remarkable 9-year playing career, he held the records for most rushing yards in a season (1,863 in 1963), in a career (12,312), rushing touchdowns (106), total touchdowns (126) and many others. He was a 3-time MVP, a 9-time All-Star, and an NFL Champion in 1964. After his phenomenal football career he began acting and starred with some of the biggest action stars of the time in The Dirty Dozen and a bunch of Blaxploitation films of the 1970's and '80's. Always an activist for civil rights in America, he was very outspoken about the rampant racism in America.
BORN: November 26, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee
DIED: May 24, 2023 (aged 83) in Zurich, Switzerland
CAUSE: Natural Causes
Another legend gone in the month of May, or should I say Anna Mae? Most of us know the story of Tina Turner thanks to the award-winning film from the early '90's What's Love Got To Do With It. She started performing as a teenager in St. Louis where she eventually met musician Ike Turner. Their relationship was a volatile one personally, but a very successful one professionally. For over 17 years until their split in 1976, Ike and Tina Turner had a bunch of hit songs and records, including the mega-hit take on CCR's "Proud Mary". Their shows were high energy events led by the unbelievable power of Tina up front. Turner began recording solo albums in 1974 but didn't achieve much success until 1984 when Private Dancer took over the world. The album was a Top 5 hit in many countries and contained three Top 10 singles in the US, including the Number One song "What's Love Got To Do With It". Tina Turner would forever after be looked at as a survivor; going through all the hard times in her early life and her time with Ike to take over the world in her 40's. If you were lucky enough to see her perform live, you knew you were in for a great time, every time!
PAT COOPER
REAL NAME: Pasquale Vito Caputo
BORN: July 31, 1929 in New York, New YorkDIED: June 6, 2023 (aged 93) in Las Vegas, Nevada
CAUSE: Unknown
Pat Cooper's name may not be too familiar to most, but I'm sure you've seen his face before. He was mostly known as a stand up comedian, starting way back in the 1950's. In the '60's, he would open up for many of the most famous acts in Las Vegas including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald just to name a few. He was known for his "angry" comedy, always going into fits of rage over the smallest things, which made him a great guest on many late night talk shows. Although his acting roles were limited, he was remembered fondly for his roles in the movies Analyze This and Analyze That as well as a small role on TV's "Seinfeld".
THE IRON SHEIK
BORN: March 15, 1942 in Damghan, Iran
DIED: June 7, 2023 (aged 81) in Fayetteville, Georgia
CAUSE: Cardiac Arrest
Another big name in the sport of wrestling passed away in 2023. The Iron Sheik began as a legitimate wrestling champion, competing for a spot on the 1968 Olympic team for Iran. When he immigrated to the United States soon after, he became a wrestling coach for the U.S. Olympic team. He was lured into professional wrestling in 1972, where he trained with future star Ric Flair. It's at this time he came up with the "Sheik schtick" that served him so well for the rest of his wrestling career. He was a fantastic "heel" during his near 40-year career in the business, especially during the mid-1980's when he teamed up with Nikolai Volkoff and starting putting everything "American" down. They became so popular during that era that they were made WWF Tag Team Champions. The Iron Sheik was voted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2005.
TREAT WILLIAMS
BORN: December 1, 1951 in Stamford, Connecticut
DIED: June 12, 2023 (aged 71) in Albany, New York
CAUSE: Severe Trauma from Motorcycle Crash
Williams began his professional acting career back in 1972 when he performed as a an understudy for the smash Broadway play Grease. Soon he'd have the lead role of Danny Zuko. He got into film work in 1975 and would go back and forth from film and stage acting for the rest of his career. He would be most remembered for his roles in Hair in 1979 (for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best New Star), Prince Of The City in 1981 (Golden Globe nominated for Best Actor), Once Upon A Time In America in 1984, and his dozens of television appearances namely "Everwood" for four seasons and more recently "Chicago Fire". The man that collided with Williams on that fateful day in June has pleaded not guilty to gross negligent operation of a motor vehicle resulting in death. The trial is yet to occur.
GLENDA JACKSON
DIED: June 15, 2023 (aged 87) in London, England
CAUSE: Natural Causes
A multi-award nominated and winning actress, Glenda Jackson enjoyed two very successful careers, the second being in politics. First, beginning in the early-1950's, she began acting on stage in England, gaining much attention for her dramatic roles. She started making television appearances soon after, and then on the big screen starting in the mid-1960's. Her incredible ability to fall completely into her roles earned her instant acclaim. During her acting career, which lasted over 40 years, she was nominated for 4 Academy Awards (winning 2), 5 Emmy Awards (winning 3) and 5 Tony Awards (winning 1). But if that wasn't enough, from 1992 to 2015, she was a Member Of Parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn in London. She made a return to acting after her political career, most notably playing King Lear in London and New York. Quite a career indeed.
SUE JOHANSON
REAL NAME: Susan Avis Bailey Powell
BORN: July 29, 1930 in Toronto OntarioDIED: June 28, 2023 (aged 92) in Thornhill, Ontario
CAUSE: Unknown
If you grew up in Canada in the 1980's, like me, then there is little doubt you know who Sue Johnson was. She was Canada's answer to Dr. Ruth Westheimer, providing frank discussions on everything "sex" for years. She started back in 1970 when she opened up a birth control clinic in a Toronto high school. From there she took University courses in Toronto and Michigan to become a professional sex educator. People in the Toronto area first started to hear her talk about sex on a local radio station in the early 1980's. It was a call-in show called "Sunday Night Sex Show" and became so popular that she was given her own cable TV show on Rogers Community TV in 1985. Within ten years, Sue's sex show became a nationwide success when it was picked up by the Women's Television Network in 1996. Her show continued educating audiences on all sex topics (nothing was too risqué) until 2005. She became so popular at one point that she made appearances on American Late Night talk shows hosted by David Letterman, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien! I can say for certain, I learned a lot from Mrs. Sue Johnson in my youth.
ALAN ARKIN
DIED: June 29, 2023 (aged 89) in San Marcos, California
CAUSE: Heart Problems
Alan Arkin was easily on my list of favourite actors to ever appear on screen. I knew if he was in a film, it couldn't be all that bad, and was often very good for just having him in it. He began taking acting classes as a small boy in Brooklyn. By the early 1950's, he was playing in a music group called The Tarriers. In the 1960's, he began working on the Second City stage to hone his improvisational skills. Soon after he appeared on television and on the stage. In 1963 he won a Tony Award for his role in Enter Laughing. Then the movies came calling, his first appearance coming in the critically acclaimed comedy The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. Now everyone knew how good, and funny, Alan Arkin was. His list of accolades is very impressive; 4 Oscar noms (winning one), 6 Emmy noms, 8 Golden Globe noms (winning one), 2 Tony noms (winning one) and 8 SAG noms (winning 2), not to mention the many critic award nominations and wins throughout his 70-year career. My personal film favourites include Wait Until Dark (1967), The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) and Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Sad to know we won't see him in anything new anymore.
TONY BENNETT
BORN: August 3, 1926 in New York, New York
DIED: July 21, 2023 (aged 96) in New York, New York
CAUSE: Alzheimer's Disease
It's difficult to imagine just how long Tony Bennett was famous for his crooning. He began singing for money when he was 10-years old, in 1936, and didn't stop until just a couple of years ago, a remarkable 85-year career! Along the way he sold 50 million records around the world and won tons of awards. Always a favourite on the late night talk show circuit, he told great stories and always looked like he was having a great time. His most famous song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", was recorded in 1962 and he happily sang it for the next 60 years. All told, he released more than 70 albums in his career, his last reaching Number One on the Billboard Jazz Chart...when he was 89 years old. Unbelievable! He had over 30 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and received 20 Grammy Awards, which included a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. (He won 10 Grammys AFTER his Lifetime Achievement Award!). When talking about the greatest singing successes of all-time, Tony Bennett's name is always included near the top of that list. His voice will live on forever.
RANDY MEISNER
DIED: July 26, 2023 (aged 77) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Complications from COPD
He began playing bass and singing in bands in his native Nebraska in the early 1960's, gaining some regional success with a couple of records. In 1966 Randy Meisner moved to California trying to hit the big time with a band called The Poor. He had moderate success with the band, even being tapped to open for Jimi Hendrix in 1967, but the band ultimately went nowhere. Soon he'd join the band Poco (a band that eventually scored a big hit with "Crazy Love") but only stayed a short while. After a few more disappointing bands, he moved back to Nebraska in 1970 to sell tractors. But he was encouraged to give it another go in Los Angeles, and was soon tapped to play in Linda Ronstadt's backing band, which already had a few musicians by the names of Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon. In September of 1971, the four backing band members formed a little band they called Eagles, and success came fast! He played bass, wrote songs, sang backing vocals and sometimes lead vocals ("Take It To The Limit" most notably) for one of the best selling bands of all-time for the next 6 years. After in-band arguments and exhaustion from touring set in, he quit the Eagles in September of 1977. He would have some success later on, including releasing solo albums and working with other bands, but he will always be fondly remembered as one of the original Eagles.
SINEAD O'CONNOR
BORN: December 8, 1966 in Dublin, Ireland
DIED: July 26, 2023 (aged 56) in London, England
CAUSE: Unknown
If you listened to the radio or watched any music shows in 1990, it would have been impossible for you NOT to have heard of Sinead O'Connor. I turned 18 years old in 1990 and I completely fell head over heels for this bald-headed, giant-eyed songstress. Her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, became a worldwide monster hit, mostly on the back of the enormously popular single "Nothing Compares 2 U". I must have listened to that album a million times, and may have watched that single tear fall on her cheek in the video another million. But with all the success she had with this album, one could see she was troubled. She was extremely outspoken about issues she believed in, doing what some would consider outrageous things on TV and in concert, most notably tearing up a picture of the Pope on "Saturday Night Live" in 1992. Whether you thought she was right or wrong in what she said, there was no doubting her incredible talent. As the years went on, we heard less and less of O'Connor unless it had to do with her mental health struggles. Still, she released a total of 10 albums from 1987 to 2014, was nominated for 6 Grammys, and won acclaim from millions around the world for her music. It is widely suspected that O'Connor either overdosed or committed suicide to leave this world, but we have yet to hear a final report on her passing.
PAUL REUBENS
DIED: July 30, 2023 (aged 70) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Acute Hypoxic Respiratory Failure/Lung Cancer
What an interesting career for Paul Reubens. He started out as a stand-up comic in the late 1970's and became somewhat known as a regular on the very popular TV show "The Gong Show" where he appeared 14 times. This led to a stint with the improv group The Groundlings in Los Angeles. It was there, in 1978, during an improv exercise, that Reubens created the character that we would all know him as, Pee-wee Herman. After auditioning for "Saturday Night Live" in 1980, and not being hired, he began to hone his new character and played a five-month stint at L.A.'s Roxy Theatre called The Pee-wee Herman Show. It was a sellout every night and a huge hit with adults and kids alike. We all know what success came from that; guest spots on Late Night television, a feature film, a long-running, award-winning TV show. And then 1991 came around. In July of that year, Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure at a Florida porn theatre. The publicity nearly ruined him and he pretty much disappeared for about a decade. But, after few film roles, especially a great performance in the movie Blow, Reubens began to re-introduce Pee-wee to the world. And it was met with praise and adoration. Few performers achieved the success of this once unknown comic, and he deserved every bit of it!
MARK MARGOLIS
DIED: August 3, 2023 (aged 83) in New York, New York
CAUSE: Unknown
I had to include Mark Margolis on my list, even if you may not know his name. He played a huge role on two of my very favourite TV shows; "OZ" and "Breaking Bad". I think most will remember him as Hector Salamanca the drug lord from "Breaking Bad" (and later in "Better Call Saul") where he played a nearly non-communicative paraplegic that used a bell to communicate. He was absolutely brilliant!! He was in literally dozens of other TV shows and movies throughout his more than 40-year career, over 150 titles in fact. Some other productions you may have seen him in include Scarface, The Cotton Club, Glory, Ace Ventura, Pi, Requiem For A Dream, Gone Baby Gone, The Wrestler and so many more. But I will always remember his Emmy nominated performance in "Breaking Bad".
WILLIAM FRIEDKIN
DIED: August 7, 2023 (aged 87) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Heart Failure and Pneumonia
To have a list of influential movie directors that doesn't include William Friedkin would be a very bad list. He was one of the most sought-after directors of the 1970's, experiencing great highs and, unfortunately, great lows throughout his more than 60-year career in the business. He began making a name for himself on television as a young lad in the 1950's, directing live TV programs and documentaries in his hometown of Chicago. Soon, he moved to Los Angeles and got a break directing an episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour". This led to his first feature film, 1967's Good Times with Sonny and Cher. He began to hone his craft and soon became the darling of Hollywood when he directed a little film called The French Connection. His gritty style of filmmaking earned the movie five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He followed that success up with what many folks call the scariest film of all time, The Exorcist, another Academy Award darling earning 10 nominations. Then, in 1980, Friedkin released the Al Pacino vehicle Cruising which nearly destroyed the career of both men. He made about a dozen more films after that, but never gained the critical and financial success of his two biggest films.
ROBBIE ROBERTSON
BORN: July 5, 1943 in Toronto, Ontario
DIED: August 9, 2023 (aged 80) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Prostate Cancer
Just over three months after losing one Canadian music icon in Gordon Lightfoot, death came calling for another. Robbie Robertson was part of one of the most influential bands of the late 1960's and early 1970's, simply known as "The Band". Before that success, Robertson played alongside another Canadian legend, Ronnie Hawkins, beginning in the late 1950's when Robertson was still a teenager. It's here that he met drummer/singer Levon Helm who was already playing in Hawkins' band. They became good friends and eventually formed a new band called Levon And The Hawks, using most of Ronnie Hawkins' backing band after they decided they wanted to go in a different direction. Soon Robertson and Helm played alongside Bob Dylan after Dylan crashed his motorcycle and was recuperating in a "Big Pink" house. Those sessions are famously known as the "Basement Tapes". Out of those sessions formed a group of multi-talented musicians that ended up as The Band, recording their first album in 1968 called "Music From The Big Pink". Get it? Anyway, The Band was huge for over a decade, and their last concert, famously filmed by Martin Scorsese, was one of the greatest farewell concerts ever! If you haven't seen The Last Waltz, stop reading this and do so! Robertson eventually had more success as a solo artist in the late 1980's and was regarded, until the day he died, as a true artist that made other musicians better.
TERRY FUNK
DIED: August 23, 2023 (aged 79) in Phoenix, Arizona
CAUSE: Dementia
The third big name in Professional Wrestling to pass away in 2023, Terry Funk probably did it the longest. He began back in 1965 in Texas working for his father's Western States Sports. He'd go back off and on until the end of the 1970's. During that time he also wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) where he won a championship, and as part of the Continental Wrestling Association. As early as 1972, Funk and his brother, Dory Funk Jr., became very well known wrestling in Japan, and continued to promote wrestling there for the next 20 years. But Funk's fame really grew when he joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1985. Even though he only stayed in the WWF for a year, his popularity from other wrestling leagues made him a fan favourite. He moved around for a while, coming back to the WWF in 1997, then making appearances as part of the WWE in the 2000's. All-in-all, Terry Funk wrestled professionally for over 50 years and always had a throng of fans following his every move. He also made a few film appearances, most notably in Road House with Patrick Swayze and Over The Top with Sylvester Stallone. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2009.
BOB BARKER
DIED: August 26, 2023 (aged 99) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Alzheimer's Disease
When I was young and thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, it wasn't a fireman or policeman or cowboy...it was Bob Barker. I truly wanted to be just like him! Like millions of others I would watch him host "The Price Is Right" for literally decades. In fact, I still watch the reruns to this very day on the Gameshow Network! He was classy, funny, always quick on his feet and a true professional when it came to entertaining his audience. Yes, there were allegations of wrong-doing behind the scenes, but I'm talking about what we all got to see on a daily basis from 1972 to 2007, an incredible 35-year run. Of course, Barker was popular before "The Price Is Right", beginning with his radio show in the early 1950's, and then hosting another popular game show that I was a little young for, "Truth Or Consequences", where he remained from 1956 until 1975. He was beloved by so many and had the hardware to prove it, winning 19 Daytime Emmy Awards through his career. There will never be another like him!
JIMMY BUFFETT
DIED: September 1, 2023 (aged 76) in Sag Harbour, New York
CAUSE: Merkel-cell Carcinoma
Isn't it amazing how far one can get on one great, catchy tune?? Of course there's more to Jimmy Buffett than just "Margaritaville", but, man, did he milk the success of that song. And more power to him! Buffett began his musical journey while in high school. He eventually dropped out of Auburn University because he couldn't keep up with his studies AND the amount of girls interested in him because of his music. In 1970 he moved to Nashville to further his country music career and signed a record deal with Barnaby Records. His first album, Down To Earth, sold a whopping 324 copies. In 1973 he signed a new contract with ABC/Dunhill Records and started to become more popular. It was in 1977 that Buffett would become known all over the world. That year he released Changes In Latitude, Changes In Attitudes which included the track "Margaritaville". That little "beach song" allowed Buffett to do whatever he wanted for the next 40+ years, taking the idea of the song and opening a successful chain of restaurants by the same name. He ended up releasing an incredible 32 studio albums and continued to tour almost up to the day he died, with his rabid fans, called "Parrotheads", following his every move.
BROOKS ROBINSON
DIED: September 26, 2023 (aged 86) in Owings Mills, Maryland
CAUSE: Heart Disease
There are always debates in sports about who was the best at what they did. In baseball, many of those discussions centre around the position that the player played. The best third baseman, often cited as the most difficult position to play, is always a heated debate. But you can bet the top of the list is more often than not claimed by Brooks Robinson. Although he wasn't the best hitter around (although he could certainly hold his own) he was easily the best defensive third baseman in baseball during his 23-year career. He spent every minute of those 23 years playing for the Baltimore Orioles, helping them to 4 World Series appearances, winning two of them. He won a remarkable 16 Gold Glove Awards for his play at third base, was an 18-time All-Star, and a first ballot Hall Of Famers in 1983. Brooks was nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner" and remains, to this day, a hero in the Baltimore area.
MICHAEL GAMBON
DIED: September 27, 2023 (aged 82) in Essex, England
CAUSE: Pneumonia
Many of the younger folks of today know Michael Gambon for his portrayal of Dumbledore in a few Harry Potter films (taking over the role after Richard Harris' death). But, believe it or not youngsters, he was hugely famous long before that. He began his 60-year acting career in Dublin, his first professional stage role coming as a bit player in Shakespeare's Othello. Just a year later, Laurence Olivier scooped up Gambon to act with his National Theatre Company, which would open many doors for the thespian. He went on to shine in a number of Shakespearean productions including another Othello, Macbeth, Coriolanus, Henry VIII, Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear and many others. His phenomenal stage performances led to film roles; A Dry White Season, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover, The Wings Of The Dove, The Insider, Gosford Park and more. He appeared in over 170 movies and TV shows in his career and dozens of stage plays. Easily one of the most celebrated actors in European history, he was knighted in 1998, becoming Sir Michael Gambon.
BURT YOUNG
BORN: April 30, 1940 in New York, New York
DIED: October 8, 2023 (aged 83) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Unknown
Undoubtedly, people will remember Burt Young for his portrayal of Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law Paulie in the hugely successful Rocky series of films. The role earned him his only Academy Award Nomination for the original Rocky back in 1976. But Young was a much sought-after actor before his breakthrough role and he ended up appearing in more than 150 movies and TV shows in his career. He was trained by the legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg of The Actors' Studio back in the 1960's, establishing his tough-guy Italian American persona that led him to so many film roles. Along with the Rocky movies you can see his mug in such classics as Across 100th Street, Cinderella Liberty, Chinatown, The Killer Elite, Convoy, Once Upon A Time In America and, of course, Back To School opposite Rodney Dangerfield.
PIPER LAURIE
BORN: January 22, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan
DIED: October 14, 2023 (aged 91) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Natural Causes
At only 17 years old, Piper Laurie signed a contract with Universal Studios which began a decades long career in the entertainment business. She'd end up in many films in the 1950's opposite the biggest stars of the day; Ronald Reagan, Donald O'Connor, Tony Curtis and more. After a few years working on stage, she returned to Hollywood to work opposite Paul Newman in The Hustler in 1961. Her performance earned her the first of three Academy Award nominations. TV roles and more stage plays followed, and then, in 1976, she came back to the movies in a big way, accepting the role of Margaret White in Carrie. Her performance in this film always freaked me out! All in all, Laurie appeared in over 100 movies and TV shows throughout her career, working into her 80's.
SUZANNE SOMERS
DIED: October 15, 2023 (aged 76) in Palm Springs, California
CAUSE: Breast Cancer
I had known that Suzanne Somers had dealt with cancer in the past, but I had no idea it had returned and I was shocked when I heard the news she had passed away. I had a lot of crushes on TV celebrities when I was a young lad, and Somers was definitely one of the big ones. I thought she was gorgeous and hilariously funny on "Three's Company". When I got a little older I began to realize that I had seen little snippets of her in other things; the blonde in the T-Bird in American Graffiti, the girl in the pool in Magnum Force, and appearing in a few episodes of "Starsky And Hutch". She was certainly type-cast as Chrissy Snow after "Three's Company" and found it difficult to get roles, but she was able to reinvent herself on a couple of other popular TV shows later on with "She's The Sheriff" in the 1980's and "Step By Step" in the 1990's. She also became very popular for being the spokeswoman for the Thighmaster, a piece of exercise equipment that one squeezed between their legs. Even though there was much controversy when she left "Three's Company", Somers did pretty well for herself and always seemed like an incredibly intelligent and funny guest on talk shows.
RICHARD ROUNDTREE
DIED: October 24, 2023 (aged 81) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Pancreatic Cancer
"Who's the man that won't back down, when there's danger all about?? SHAFT!". It is unquestionable that Richard Roundtree's biggest role was that of the no-nonsense private eye John Shaft from the 1971 movie Shaft. It was his very first movie role and he made an impact that lasts to this day. There were a couple of sequels and even a short-lived TV series around Shaft that followed. But Roundtree was able to take that performance and turn it into a more than 50-year career in the movies and on TV. Some other memorable roles later in his career include the D.A. in Se7en, his reprisal of John Shaft in the two remakes of the film in the 2000's, and his recurring roles in TV's "Desperate Housewives", "Heroes" and "Chicago Fire". But no matter where I may have seen him, I always yelled out "That's SHAFT!!!".
RICHARD MOLL
DIED: October 26, 2023 (aged 80) in Big Bear Lake, California
CAUSE: Unknown
There is no doubt Richard Moll will be always fondly remembered as the lovable, but dopey, Bull from the successful series "Night Court". He appeared in all of the 193 episodes of that show. But Moll was already a veteran actor when he took that role, appearing in dozens of movies and other TV shows beginning way back in the late 1970's. You could spot early glimpses of his 6'8" figure in hit shows like "Welcome Back, Kotter", "The Rockford Files", "Happy Days", "Laverne And Shirley", Mork And Mindy", "Remington Steele", "The A-Team" and so many more. Because of his large size, Moll was cast as a bad guy in a lot of horror-type films throughout his career. He appeared in The Dungeonmaster, Night Train To Terror, House and tons of other straight-to-video, small budget productions. All-in-all, he appeared in over 170 movies and TV shows.
MATTHEW PERRY
DIED: October 28, 2023 (aged 54) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Drowning/Acute Effects Of Ketamine
Now this one was a shocker! We always seemed to know Matthew Perry wouldn't be with us very long, by his own admission, because of his well-publicized drug and alcohol problems. But he seemed to be on the right track when something else took him away from us. Of course, we all knew him as the wise-cracking Chandler Bing of the mega-hit show "Friends" from 1994 to 2004. The incredible success of that show brought Perry huge opportunities in film, starring in big hits like Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards and it's sequel The Whole Ten Yards. He showed us he wasn't just a "funny guy" when he took on the role of Ron Clark in "The Ron Clark Story", a role for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award, and his dramatic/comic turn on the one-season hit "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip". After last seeing him on the "Friends: Reunion" show in 2021, where he looked tired and not so healthy, he released his autobiography Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir in November of 2022. People praised him for his frankness regarding his drug problems and depression throughout his life. It was incredibly sad to hear of his death so soon after the success of his book.
BOBBY KNIGHT
DIED: November 1, 2023 (aged 83) in Bloomington, Indiana
CAUSE: Unknown
I've never been big on College sports of any kind. I know that its a huge draw in the United States, but I just never took an interest in it. Yet, when Bobby Knight was on television, I made sure to watch! To say Knight had anger problems is like saying saying Taylor Swift sells a few concert tickets. He was always outrageous, always on edge, and always the number one competitor in any College basketball game he coached. He began his coaching career back in 1962 as an assistant at a local High School. He soon began coaching the Army team, from 1965 to 1971 as head coach, then moved to become head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers, a position he held for the next 30 years. In that span, Knight took the Hoosiers to 3 NCAA Tournament wins, 11 first place finishes, and a remarkable winning percentage of 73.5%. He left Indiana to coach for Texas Tech for another 7 years, retiring in 2008 with the most Division I wins of any coach ever, 902 of them. (He is now in 6th place overall). Through it all, he competed with a fire that was displayed many times on live TV, resulting in many ejections. But what he did worked, and he was part of the first inductees into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame in 2006.
HENRY KISSINGER
DIED: November 29, 2023 (aged 100) in Kent, Connecticut
CAUSE: Natural Causes
He was an American diplomat and politician, and as such, dealt with his share of controversies. When you're National Security Advisor and Secretary Of State to Richard Nixon, some folks ain't gonna like what you think. But love him or hate him, there is little doubt that Henry Kissinger helped shaped the United States Of America in the 1970's. He fled Nazi Germany with his family in 1938 as a 15 year old and settled in New York. He became a naturalized US citizen when he was 20 and went on to fight in WWII, even seeing some action at The Battle Of The Bulge. He began to get into politics in the early 1960's, trying to help Nelson Rockefeller to gain the Republican Nomination in 1960, 1964 and 1968. He was tapped as Nixon's National Security Advisor in 1969. He won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1974 for the Paris Peace Accords to help end the Vietnam War, although that didn't really go as planned. He would continue his influence in the political spectrum many years after he worked in the White House, some agreeing with his views, some disagreeing. There are dozens of books on how Kissinger helped shape the political landscape in America and the world that are far to detailed to sum up here.
SHANE MacGOWAN
BORN: December 25, 1957 in Kent, England
DIED: November 30, 2023 (aged 65) in Dublin, Ireland
CAUSE: Pneumonia
Now here's a guy who just didn't give a shit about anyone's opinion. Probably one of the ugliest mugs in modern music, MacGowan was the controversial frontman of The Pogues, the semi-successful Irish punk band that started in the early 1980's. It wasn't until 1988 or so, with the release of their album If I Should Fall From Grace With God, that The Pogues started to gain a wider audience around the world. That album contained the perennial Christmastime favourite "Fairytale Of New York" and people started to understand why MacGowan was known as a great lyricist. But people also started to see just what a messed up person MacGowan was, with his highly publicized drug and alcohol problems, and his unabashed candor when being interviewed. He was kicked out of The Pogues in 1991 when he just wouldn't show up for gigs, but reconciled in 2001 for a couple of reunion tours. All of that hard living finally caught up to MacGowan, dying in his home with his wife at his bedside, after years of ill health.
SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR
DIED: December 1, 2023 (aged 93) in Phoenix, Arizona
CAUSE: Complications from Advanced Dementia
She will always and forever be known as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States. She was nominated to that lofty position by Ronald Regan back in 1981 after he vowed to have a woman sit on the Court. O'Connor was a Republican, but not like the Republican/MAGA idiots of today; she was what you'd call a "moderate Conservative". Still, in her more than 25 years as a Supreme Court judge, she still had her share of controversy, most notably in 2000 when she became the swing vote that ultimately gave George W. Bush the Presidency over Al Gore. But when it came to issues like race and women's rights (ie. Roe vs. Wade), O'Connor could be counted on to use the Law and not just political allegiance to make her rulings. She was, and will continue to be, a great inspiration to women all over the world for being a trailblazer.
NORMAN LEAR
DIED: December 5, 2023 (aged 101) in Los Angeles, California
CAUSE: Cardiac Arrest
Without knowing it for a long time, Norman Lear helped to shape the person I am today. And I'm sure that would be true for millions of other people who grew up in the 1970's and 1980's. He wrote and produced some of the most popular and influential television shows of all time, one's that would change the way we watched and learned from that little glowing box in our living rooms. He started his career in the entertainment biz after his stint in WWII. He moved to Los Angeles and teamed up with a friend to write comedy sketches for Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin in the early 1950's. After moving around as a writer, director and producer for shows in the late '50's and early '60's, he tried to sell an idea that centred on a blue-collar American family to ABC in 1967. Two pilots were produced before ABC passed on the new show. When a third pilot was produced, CBS picked up the show, and "All In The Family" was born. Before Lear's idea for this show, the American family was mostly represented by the good-looking white couple with two kids and a dog, who's biggest worry was how to make a ham for 10 people when the oven broke down. With "All In The Family", Lear took real issues from our world (racism, sexual discrimination, rape) and put them on television. "All In The Family" would go on to win 22 Emmy Awards in the 9 years it was on the air from 1971 to 1979. Lear would go on to produce and write other huge hits like "Sandford And Son", "Maude", "Good Times", "The Jeffersons", "One Day At A Time", "Diff'rent Strokes" and dozens of others. He was nominated for 18 Emmy Awards in his time, winning 6 of them and winning just about every Lifetime Achievement Award in the television business. He helped to change how we all saw ourselves while making us laugh at the same time. A true legend!
RYAN O'NEAL
BORN: April 20, 1941 in Los Angeles, California
DIED: December 8, 2023 (aged 82) in Santa Monica, California
CAUSE: Congestive Heart Failure
At the tender age of 15, Ryan O'Neal was a Golden Gloves boxer. As an amateur, between 1956 and 1959, he had a 12-4 record, 7 wins by knockout. But he became enamoured with acting, and his career took off. After making appearances on some famous TV shows ("The Untouchables", "Leave It To Beaver") in the early 1960's, he won the role of Rodney Harrington on the soap opera "Peyton Place". He stayed there from 1964 to 1969, 500 episodes worth, before making it even bigger in the movies. Love Story was one of his first film roles, and was a monster success. O'Neal received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for his role as Oliver Barrett, and more success would follow; What's Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, Barry Lyndon, A Bridge Too Far. In the 1980's, O'Neal focussed mostly on comedic films that, unfortunately, weren't all that funny. He returned to television later in his career, most recently with a recurring role on "Bones", but hadn't really been seen or heard from for a few years.
ANDRE BRAUGHER
DIED: December 11, 2023 (aged 61)
CAUSE: Lung Cancer
What a terrible shock this was! Andre Braugher was easily my favourite actor on the comedy "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", but he was a huge presence in so many other shows before that. His first film appearance came in 1989's Glory, then a TV film playing Jackie Robinson in "The Court-Martial Of Jackie Robinson". From there he was hired to play Detective Frank Pembleton on the critically acclaimed "Homicide: Life On The Street". For the next 6 years, over 90 episodes of that program, Braugher continued to show the viewing public what a phenomenal actor he was. He was nominated for 2 Emmy Awards for that role, winning in 1998. Braugher would go on to collect 11 Emmy Award noms in his career, winning a second in 2006 for the miniseries "Thief". Everything I saw him in he was great, but I was so happy when he took the comedic role of Captain Raymond Holt on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine". He made me laugh in each and every episode he was in, and I'll remember and appreciate him most for that.
TOM SMOTHERS
DIED: December 26, 2023 (aged 86) in Santa Rosa, California
CAUSE: Lung Cancer
Tom and his younger brother Dick wanted to be famous Folk musicians when they were young lads. Quickly, though, Tom realized he wasn't a good enough musician to take that path, but he was funny. So the brothers began to incorporate comedy into their music act. After a few spot appearances on TV shows in the early 1960's, the two brothers starred in the CBS produced variety show, "The Smothers Brothers Show" in 1965 and 1966. But Tom wanted more creative control on what he and his brother did on TV, so in 1967 he took control of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour". For 3 years, Tom and Dick created some of the smartest and funniest satire on television, pushing the limits of the sensors with their takes on politics and world issues at the time. He became friends with John Lennon and actually played guitar on Lennon and Yoko Ono's "sit in" song "Give Peace A Chance". For the next few decades, the brothers Smothers would entertain us on multiple talk shows and variety specials, Tom usually playing the "dumb one" who knew more than all of us.
TOM WILKINSON
DIED: December 30, 2023 (aged 75) in London, England
CAUSE: Unknown
One of the most adored British actors of our time, Wilkinson was absolutely great in any role he took on, drama or comedy. He began as a stage actor but quickly found his way to TV and films. People undoubtedly knew him from some early on "English" movies like Wetherby, In The Name Of The Father and Sense And Sensibility. Then, in 1997, he took it all off and entertained the Hell out of us in the breakout hit The Full Monty. From there, Wilkinson began getting recognized by a much wider audience. This brought him more opportunity in film and television, and he began getting many honours for his work. Wilkinson was nominated for 2 Academy Awards (In The Bedroom and Michael Clayton), 4 Emmy Awards (winning for 2008 for "John Adams") and 6 BAFTA Awards (winning for his role in The Full Monty). It's so hard to think we won't see him in anything new anymore.
