B. February 7, 1955 Santa Monica, California
D. January 19, 2017 (aged 61) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Throat Cancer
Ferrer was the son of Award Winning actor Jose Ferrer and singer Rosemary Clooney, making him George Clooney's cousin. He was in over 100 TV shows and movies throughout his career, probably best known for his roles in the original RoboCop, NCIS: Los Angeles, and as Agent Rosenfield in the original and latest incarnation of Twin Peaks. He passed away before Twin Peaks was released in 2017.
B. January 22, 1940 Chesterfield, England
D. January 25, 2017 (aged 77) Norfolk, England
Cause: Pancreatic Cancer
A fabulous actor on stage and on screen, John Hurt appeared in more than 120 movies in his time, starting way back in the early 1960's. His first major exposure in the movies came in 1966's A Man For All Seasons. His phenomenal acting talents were on full display in the films Midnight Express and The Elephant Man, being nominated for Academy Awards for both roles. Younger folks would come to know him from a few of the Harry Potter films.
B. December 29, 1936 Brooklyn, New York
D. January 25, 2017 (aged 80) Greenwich, Connecticut
Cause: Cardiopulmonary Arrest due to Pneumonia
What can be said about one of the most important female TV stars to ever grace the small screen? Moore paved the way for single, career-driven women portrayed on TV in the 1970's with her Mary Tyler Moore Show. She didn't appear in a whole lot of movies, but she was great in 1980's Ordinary People, a role for which she earned an Academy Award nomination. She earned seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her role as Mary Richards, and won 3 of them, a fourth for being the Actress Of The Year in 1974. Moore used her great fame to chair the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, as well as being a life-long animal rights activist.
B. March 12, 1940 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
D. February 12, 2017 (aged 76) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Respiratory Failure
From 1967 until just a week before he passed, Al Jarreau was a huge name in the music world. Jazz, R & B, Soul, he had one of the most distinctive voices and styles in the biz. I first remember his silky smooth voice when I heard the theme for TV's Moonlighting with Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd. Then I started to listen to more and more. "We're In This Love Together", "Mornin'", "Boogie Down"...all so good! Jarreau was nominated for 21 Grammy Awards in his time, winning 7 of them.
B. May 17, 1955 Fort Worth, Texas
D. February 25, 2017 (aged 61) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Stroke
Here was a sudden shocker for us all. Bill Paxton was set to star in a brand new TV show, Training Day, that was getting a lot of press before it's release, and then, he's gone. He worked pretty much up until the day he died. I remember Paxton best for two movies; 1985's Weird Science as jerky brother Chet Donnelly and 1996's Twister as storm chaser Bill Harding. But he was very familiar in many other movies including Stripes, The Terminator, Aliens, Tombstone, Apollo 13, Titanic, A Simple Plan and a couple of Spy Kids movies. He was nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards for his role in TV's Big Love.
B. October 18, 1926 St. Louis, Missouri
D. March 18, 2017 (aged 90) Wentzville, Missouri
Cause: Cardiac Arrest
If he wasn't the pioneer of Rock 'N Roll, he was certainly right there when it happened. Chuck Berry took old blues songs, sped them up, played them through an electric guitar like no one before him. From early hits like "Maybellene", "Rock And Roll Music" and "Johnny B. Goode", Berry got an entire nation clapping and jumping and dancing. His unique guitar playing style has been copied by thousands of wannabe rock and rollers through the years. He was a tireless performer, playing gigs right up until his death. In fact, at the age of 90, Berry recorded his last studio album, his first since 1979, for a 2017 release. It is titled, simply, "Chuck". Hail, hail, the king of rock!
B. June 3, 1929 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
D. March 21, 2017 (aged 87) Palisades, New York
Cause: Natural Causes
Three days after Chuck Berry, there goes Chuck Barris...weird. Barris was a true innovator in the TV Game Show business of the late '60's and early '70's. Most remember him only as the host of the extremely unique The Gong Show which ran from 1976 to 1978. But he was the brains behind many other hit shows such as The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, The Parent Game and Your Hit Parade from 1974. If that didn't make Barris interesting enough, he also claimed to be an assassin for the CIA! If you've never read the book, or seen the movie, of Barris' autobiography Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, you really should!
B. May 8, 1926 Queens, New York
D. April 6, 2017 (aged 90) Beverly Hills, California
Cause: Renal Failure, Hypertension, Diabetes
Although his routine was to insult, well, everybody, he was known as one of the nicest guys in showbiz, popular with the biggest stars of the time including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and the like. He appeared in a couple dozen movies between stand-up gigs including a bunch of "Beach" movies in the mid-'60's, Kelly's Heroes with Clint Eastwood, a great turn in Martin Scorsese's Casino, and, for the kiddies, the Toy Story series.
B. February 20, 1946 New York, New York
D. April 11, 2017 (aged 71) Groton, Massachusetts
Cause: Natural Causes
John Geils led a band that became very famous after a string of hits in the early 1980's, but his band had been around for long before that. In fact, he started out in the music biz back in 1967, playing Blues and Blues/Rock. The J. Geils Band released their first album back in 1970, but their greatest success came after the release of "Centerfold" on September 13, 1981, which would be his only Number One single. "Freeze Frame" would follow just four months later and J. Geils' name would forever be remembered.
B. October 18, 1960 Burbank, California
D. April 22, 2017 (aged 56) New Salisbury, Indiana
Cause: Throat Cancer
When I was growing up in the late 1970's and early 1980's, Erin Moran was one of the most familiar girls I knew. I would watch Happy Days religiously, and I really loved her character of Joanie Cunningham. Unfortunately for Moran, she would be type-cast as Joanie for the rest of her professional career, which really didn't amount to much. She made guest appearances on The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote, The Waltons and Diagnosis Murder, but by the 1990's she had already started to fade away into oblivion. A sad ending for one of the most popular child stars of the 1970's.
B. February 22, 1944 Baldwin, New York
D. April 26, 2017 (aged 73) Manhattan, New York
Cause: Esophageal Cancer and Heart Disease
Demme began his directing career making Roger Corman films in the 1970's including Caged Heat in 1974 and Crazy Mama in 1975. His first "big" film was 1980's Melvin And Howard which garnered wide critical acclaim. A decade later he would direct one of the most successful crime/thriller's in cinema's history, The Silence Of The Lambs, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. From there he directed the almost as popular Philadelphia with Tom Hanks. One of my favourite films he helmed was a concert documentary on the band Talking Heads called Stop Making Sense.
B. June 1, 1948 Snyder, Texas
D. May 14, 2017 (aged 68) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Cardiac Arrest
Yes, his real first name was Powers. He appeared in only a couple of dozen movies, starting with a small role in 1977's The Goodbye Girl, but he wound up on just about every action TV show, including most recently, MARVEL: Agents OF SHIELD, 24, and Deadwood. A very familiar face that always brought a rugged uneasiness to his roles.
B. July 20, 1964 Seattle, Washington
D. May 18, 2017 (aged 52) Detroit, Michigan
Cause: Suicide
This one hurt, big time! I had become a fan of Chris Cornell and his band Soundgarden back in 1991 when they released "Badmotorfinger" to the world. His voice was unlike any I had heard before; a primal scream, an aching moan, clear and raspy all at once. I fell in love with the sound immediately and stuck with them, and Cornell, for the next 25 years. When I heard he committed suicide, I felt a chill run up my spine. I couldn't believe it! Bowie was gone, Prince was gone, now one of my favourite singers ever...gone, by his own hand. I still well up thinking about it...
B. October 14, 1927 London, England
D. May 23, 2017 (aged 89) Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Cause: Liver and Lung Cancer
I can understand why most people think of Sean Connery as the best James Bond. But, for me, it was Roger Moore. He was cool and suave, but gave the character a fabulous comic side that I really enjoyed. Moore was a well known name before landing one of the most cherished roles in cinema. He starred in the very successful TV show The Saint as Simon Templar from 1962 to 1969. But in 1973, a new Bond was needed, and Moore answered the call starring in Live And Let Die. He would play James Bond another five times, making him a household name in just about any country around the world!
B. December 8, 1947 Nashville, Tennessee
D. May 27, 2017 (aged 69) Richmond Hill, Georgia
Cause: Liver Cancer
Some would say Gregg Allman is to Southern Rock as Muddy Waters is to The Blues; he helped to created an entire genre of music. Gregg and his brother Duane, who died tragically in 1971, got a band together, called themselves The Allman Brothers Band, and pumped out great tunes for all of us to enjoy for decades. Gregg became the de facto leader of the group, writing some of their most popular songs; "Whipping Post", "Midnight Rider", "Melissa". He'd be the main voice of the band for nearly 50 years.
B. March 13, 1955 New London, Connecticut
D. June 8, 2017 (aged 62) Santa Monica, California
Cause: Pulmonary Embolism
The name may not be familiar, but there is no doubt you seen the face before. Headly was probably best remembered for her role in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, holding her own with Steve Martin and Michael Caine. She was nominated for an Emmy for the TV series "Lonesome Dove" and also had good turns in Mr. Holland's Opus opposite Richard Dreyfuss and stints on TV's "E.R." and "Monk".
B. September 19, 1928 Walla Walla, Washington
D. June 9, 2017 (aged 88) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Leukemia
He was the first Batman I ever knew. He was a hero to me. I really knew nothing about Batman until I started watching the "Batman" series on TV, and Adam West was the funniest and coolest superhero I had even known! He was in movies before Batman, and he'd appear in movies and TV afterwards, but he was always remembered as the caped crusader. And he seemed to revel in it, appearing at comic shows and other events constantly. West had a resurgence of sorts in the last decade, starring as "himself" on TV's "Family Guy", playing a mayor who was a little nuts. He certainly could laugh at himself.
B. May 8, 1954 Norfolk, Virginia
D. June 16, 2017 (aged 63) Moorpark, California
Cause: Diabetes
Another name that may not be familiar to most, but if you are as big a fan of National Lampoon's Animal House as I am, then you no doubt know of Kent "Flounder" Dorfman. But Furst would go on to make appearances in many movies and TV shows in the last 40 years; The Day After, Up The Creek, The Dream Team in the movies, "St. Elsewhere" and "Babylon 5" on TV.
B. November 8, 1960 Stockholm, Sweden
D. June 27, 2017 (aged 56) Stockholm, Sweden
Cause: Lung Cancer
Nyqvist first gained international recognition as the character John Banck in the Swedish mini-series "Beck" from 1997. Twelve years later he would star in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series, the Swedish versions, and later make appearances in Mission: Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol and John Wick. A very good character actor gone far too soon.
B. June 20, 1928 Brooklyn, New York
D. July 15, 2017 (aged 89) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Vascular Disease
He appeared in more than 150 movies and TV shows in his time as an actor, from the mid-1950's to the time he passed. For me, he will always be remembered for four roles; Rollin Hand on TV's "Mission: Impossible" in the 1960's, Leonard in Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest from 1959, Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's brilliant Ed Wood, and, for me, his absolute best role as Judah Rosenthal in Woody Allen's Crimes And Misdemeanors. His only Oscar win came for Ed Wood, but if you've never seen Crimes And Misdemeanors, you're missing one of the finest acting performances of our time!
B. February 4, 1940 The Bronx, New York
D. July 16, 2017 (aged 77) Toronto, Ontario
Cause: Lung Cancer
The man created an entire genre of entertainment. Well, maybe not created, but made it mainstream and fabulous. When George A. Romero released his Night Of The Living Dead back in 1968, the world took notice and the Zombie Picture became a true art form. He went on to write and direct many other zombie films; Dawn Of The Dead, Day Of The Dead, Land Of The Dead. But my favourite Romero film was the 1978 feature Martin, about a boy who may or may not be a vampire. A true genius lost, but his legacy will live forever! And then die....and then get back up and eat your brain!
B. March 7, 1946 Washington, D.C.
D. July 21, 2017 (aged 71) Palo Alto, California
Cause: Heart Attack
Earlier in the year it was John Hurt, now John Heard, two names that mixed me up frequently growing up watching movies. But Heard was definitely more prolific, appearing in over 170 movies and TV shows during his acting career. He is probably best remembered for being the dad in the first two Home Alone films, but I remember him for two other performances; as the jerk boss Paul in Big and as the bartender in Martin Scorsese's After Hours. He was nominated for an Emmy award in 1999 for a guest appearance on "The Sopranos".
B. November 5, 1943 Fort Sheridan, Illinois
D. July 27, 2017 (aged 73) Midway, Kentucky
Cause: ALS
Shepard was a prolific playwright and author before we ever saw his face on the silver screen. In total, he wrote 44 plays starting in 1964 all the way up to 2014, 50 years worth! He authored two novels as well. In 1978 he was cast in Terrence Malick's Days Of Heaven. In 1983 he played Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff, a role that garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Most recently he was known for a great performance on the Netflix original series "Bloodline".
B. January 23, 1928 Paris, France
D. July 31, 2017 (aged 89) Paris, France
Cause: Natural Causes
She was as big on the international stage and screen as anybody of her time. Moreau was an accomplished stage actress in France for years before making her way into films. She broke out in two Louis Malle films in 1958; Elevator To The Gallows and The Lovers. But she will probably be most remembered for her role as Catherine in Francois Truffaut's Jules And Jim from 1962. She was a winner of six international awards for acting and was recognized for her body of work by no less than 15 festivals and award shows throughout the world.
B. April 22, 1936 Billstown, Arkansas
D. August 8, 2017 (aged 81) Nashville, Tennessee
Cause: Alzheimer's Disease
I've never been a Country music fan, but even I loved "Rhinestone Cowboy"!! Glen Campbell was a Country legend starting in the late 1960's, but he had become a known guitar player before that. He played on records by Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. When he started playing his own songs, the awards started to pour in; 21 Grammy nominations including 10 wins and 10 Academy Of Country Music Awards. He was just about as big as it got in the Country music scene!
B. October 12, 1932 St. Louis, Missouri
D. August 19, 2017 (aged 84) Washington, D.C.
Cause: Heart Failure
I remember seeing Dick Gregory on talk shows as a kid, and I always thought he was funny, but I had no idea of this man's history. In the late '50's and early '60's he would do stand-up comedy in predominantly white clubs, using his sardonic wit to bring black problems to the "whitey". He became very active in the Civil Rights Movement of the mid 1960's, and continued to speak and write about the problems of racism for the rest of his life. He actually ran for President Of The United States as a write-in candidate in 1968! He authored or co-authored more than a dozen books as well.
B. March 16, 1926 Newark , New Jersey
D. August 20, 2017 (aged 91) Las Vegas, Nevada
Cause: Cardiovascular Disease
Love him or hate him, Jerry Lewis was one of the biggest stars in the world and an innovator of modern movie making. As a 20 year old he formed a partnership with Dean Martin that would last for a decade, but would come together and break apart several more times over the next 20 or so years. After going "solo", Lewis began making his own films, starting with The Bellboy in 1960. During this time as a writer/director/star of movies, he invented what was known as "video assist", a method for recording what the film camera was capturing so that Lewis, the director, could play back what was filmed. It was groundbreaking for it's time. After becoming the biggest box office draw in the world with films like The Nutty Professor, The Patsy and The Family Jewels, he started to gain fame as an ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He somewhat quietly hosted telethons for MDA between 1952 and 1959, but from every Labor Day Weekend from 1966 to 2010, Lewis brought his telethon to millions of households in North America and around the world on TV. As the host for more than 45 years, Lewis helped the MDA raise more than $2.6-billion in donations!! If you've never seen Lewis' performance in Martin Scorsese's The King Of Comedy, you're missing out on something great! A true entertainment legend.
B. July 12, 1948 Kermit, Texas
D. August 24, 2017 (aged 69) Santa Barbara, California
Cause: Throat Cancer
You've seen the face, and if you were as big a fan of the show "Cheers" as I was, you definitely knew him as Boston Bruins' goalie Eddie LeBec. He also played Jerry Gold on "Murphy Brown" for a decade. Thomas appeared in only a few major films, but you can find him in Mr. Holland's Opus and The Santa Clause 2 and 3. His last role was on the popular Showtime series "Ray Donovan".
B. January 25, 1943 Austin, Texas
D. August 26, 2017 (aged 74) Sherman Oaks, California
Cause: Natural Causes
If you were a fan of horror films of the 1970's and '80's, you know the name. How can you not? He brought us the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre!! A movie made for peanuts that looked like a student film, but took the world by storm in 1974. He had more success in 1982 when he directed the first Poltergeist film, although many claim Steven Spielberg directed most of that film. Still, the horror genre in film would never be the same after his groundbreaking film about a chainsaw-wielding maniac in Texas.
B. February 20, 1950 Queens, New York
D. September 3, 2017 (aged 67) Manhattan, New York
Cause: Esophageal Cancer
With his college buddy Donald Fagen, Becker helped create one of the most interesting rock bands of the last 40 years in Steely Dan. They blended rock, jazz, pop, R & B, incorporated thoughtful lyrics and became a huge success in their first go-round from 1972 to 1981. Becker and Fagen reunited in the early 1990's and began recording more hit albums. Becker would play guitar and bass mostly for the band, one of which really only consisted of the two men. Many musicians would come and go through the years, but Becker and Fagen were always the core. He wrote or co-wrote some of Steely Dan's most popular tunes, including Do It Again, Hey Nineteen, Peg and Deacon Blues.
B. July 14, 1926 West Irvine, Kentucky
D. September 15, 2017 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Natural Causes
Stanton was an actor for nearly 300 years...or so it seemed. His very recognizable face was in EVERYTHING! Another "Twin Peaks" 2017 actor to leave us this year, Stanton appeared in more than 200 TV shows and movies in his illustrious career which started in the mid-1950's after a stint as a lieutenant in the Navy during WWII. He even took part in the Battle Of Okinawa! I remember him most for his roles in Cool Hand Luke, Alien, Escape From New York, Christine, Pretty In Pink and the dozens of old TV shows he made appearances in. A face that will be missed.
B. June 8, 1939 Wyco, West Virginia
D. September 19, 2017 (aged 78) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Stroke
Bernie Casey was an Pro Bowl football player in the NFL from 1961 to 1968. He was drafted in the first round and played most of his great career with the San Francisco 49er's. He quickly moved into the world of acting, garnering roles in such films as Brian's Song, Boxcar Bertha and Cleopatra Jones. But for me, he will be remembered for turns in Revenge Of The Nerds, Spies Like Us and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.
B. April 9, 1926 Chicago, Illinois
D. September 27, 2017 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Cardiac Arrest, Respiratory Failure
Many thought of him as a misogynistic exploiter of women, and there seems to be evidence to support that. But he also helped garner in the sexual revolution and open up avenues of women's sexuality that were firmly closed beforehand. When Hefner introduced his Playboy magazine in December of 1953, a time when repressed sexuality was the norm in America. From Marilyn Monroe's layout to more provocative centrefolds to come, Hefner's name was always front and centre when it came to boundaries of pornography and freedom to publish whatever he wanted. But along with the obvious draw of his magazine for men was the incredible writers that were published in Playboy; Saul Bellow, John Updike, Joyce Carol Oates, Vladimir Nabokov, Michael Crichton, John le Carre, John Irving and Kurt Vonnegut to name just a few. For over 60 years, Hef was a cultural icon, for good or bad, and has carved out a unique place in our history.
B. August 25, 1921 Winnipeg, Manitoba
D. September 30, 2017 (aged 96) Beverly Hills, California
Cause: Heart Failure
A Canadian boy that became a household name on the back of his very popular game show, "Let's Make A Deal". He helped create, produce and hosted the show from the time it premiered in 1963 until it ended in 1976, a daytime game show that had two stints during primetime as well. He hosted other game shows after "Let's Make A Deal", but none to the success of his "baby". In 2009, "Let's Make A Deal" came back to the airwaves, hosted by comedian/actor Wayne Brady, and continues to this day. Hall made occasional appearances on the new show, bringing one last glimpse to many longtime fans of the original "deal-maker".
B. October 20, 1950 Gainesville, Florida
D. October 2, 2017 (aged 66) Santa Monica, California
Cause: Cardiac Arrest
One more huge shocker before 2017 ended, the main Heartbreaker, Tom Petty gone. Petty and his backing band would form in 1976 and play together in one form or another for the next 40 years. He achieved critical and commercial success with his multi-million selling albums Damn The Torpedoes from 1979, Hard Promises from 1981 and Into The Great Wide Open from 1991. His greatest success came without the Heartbreakers when he released his first solo album, Full Moon Fever, in 1989. Petty never had a Number 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but recorded 10 Number 1's on the U.S. Rock charts. He was nominated for 18 Grammy Awards, winning 3, one of them while collaborating with Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison as the Traveling Wilburys. I'll always remember him for his great tunes of the late '70's and early '80's; "Breakdown", "American Girl", "I Need To Know", "Don't Do Me Like That", "Refugee", "The Waiting" and so many more.
B. February 6, 1964 Amherstview, Ontario
D. October 17, 2017 (aged 53) Toronto, Ontario
Cause: Brain Cancer
This one didn't shock us, we all knew it was coming, but it hurt just as much. Downie announced he had inoperable brain cancer about a year earlier, and proceeded to go on a cross country tour! He and his band, The Tragically Hip, formed around Kingston, Ontario back in 1983 and became synonymous with great Canadian rock. Downie became the voice of a generation...my generation...and I can't remember a time that I didn't rock out to Hip songs. I had every one of their albums, always amazed at the lyrical content that emanated from Downie's head. He helped a nation prepare for his demise, but we will all still miss him just the same.
B. February 26, 1928 New Orleans, Louisiana
D. October 24, 2017 (aged 89) Harvey, Louisiana
Cause: Natural Causes
His real name was Antoine Domino, but everyone knew him as "Fats", a nickname he gained as a teenager playing in New Orleans bars. He reminded folks of renowned pianist Fats Waller...and he had a large appetite. He was front and centre when Blues and R & B crossed over to Rock and Pop, recording 37 Top 40 singles in his time, none more notable than 1956's "Blueberry Hill". He would be out on tour for more than 300 days a year in the '50's, earning ridiculous amounts of money for the time. In 1986, Domino was one of the first artists enshrined at the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame.
B. November 30, 1927 St. Louis, Missouri
D. October 24, 2017 (aged 89) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Prostate Cancer
I knew Robert Guillaume from one thing, the hugely popular sitcom that ran from 1979 to 1986, "Benson". I didn't even realize he originated the role a few years prior on the show "Soap" until long after "Benson" was off the air waves! But his face, and voice, became more familiar as the years went on. He gave a great performance opposite Morgan Freeman in 1989's Lean On Me, voiced the character Rafiki in 1994's The Lion King, and even made a brief appearance in Tim Button's Big Fish in 2003. But there is no doubt he will always be remembered as the caring, sharp-tongued butler Benson DuBois, a role that garnered him two Emmy awards.
B. May 14, 1977 Denver, Colorado
D. November 7, 2017 (aged 40) Gulf Of Mexico
Cause: Plane Crash
No death in 2017 surprised me more than that of Roy Halladay's. I still find it hard to believe. Halladay was probably the best pitcher to play on my home team, the Toronto Blue Jays. I watched him grow from a skinny 20-year old who couldn't control his fastball to a man who became a legend of the game, and soon to be Hall Of Famer. While with the Jays from 1998 to 2009, Halladay had a record of 148 and 76, an incredible winning percentage of 66.1. Along with 4 years in Philadelphia, he was an 8-time All Star and twice won the Cy Young Award, becoming one of only a few to win the award in two leagues. He is also one of only two men to throw a no-hitter in the playoffs...ONE OF TWO!!!! He also threw a perfect game. He was a great pitcher, and, by all accounts, a great person and teammate. Truly a shocker that is very hard to get over...
B. December 20, 1932 Denison, Texas
D. November 9, 2017 (aged 84) Houston, Texas
Cause: Cardiovascular Disease
Surely we all remember Hillerman in the role of Higgins on the very popular TV show "Magnum P.I." from the '80's. He received 4 Emmy nominations and 5 Golden Globe nominations for that role, winning one each. But he was a familiar face in many other movies and TV shows throughout the years including The Last Picture Show, Chinatown, Blazing Saddles, "One Day At A Time", "The Love Boat" and "Murder, She Wrote".
B. January 6, 1953 Glasgow, Scotland
D. November 18, 2017 (aged 64) Sydney, Australia
Cause: Dementia
Although his brother Angus got all the glory, Malcolm Young was a huge part of the driving force behind one of the most popular rock bands in the world, AC/DC. He would provide the driving rhythm guitar for the band for 40 years, and help write just about all of their biggest hits through those years. He had to quit the band early in 2014 as his health started to deteriorate. Another death we all knew was coming, but was hard to accept.
B. August 8, 1932 Tampa, Florida
D. November 19, 2017 (aged 85) Ocala, Florida
Cause: Respiratory Failure
My first introduction to Mel Tillis was as an actor in the movie The Cannonball Run from 1981 as a stuttering racer. When I was told he was a very famous singer too, I couldn't believe it. How can someone who stutters that much sing?!? Well, he could, and he did it for a long, successful career. He started out way back in 1958, mostly writing songs that other Country artists would sing. But soon enough Tillis became a very recognizable voice in Country music. He released nearly 100 singles, including 6 Number 1's, and recorded 38 studio albums in more than 50 years in the biz.
B. November 12, 1934 Cincinnati, Ohio
D. November 19, 2017 (aged 83) Bakersfield, California
Cause: Colon Cancer
It's hard to have Manson on this list. I do this to help remember and celebrate people who have passed, but there is nothing to celebrate about Charles Manson. Except maybe his death. Still, 20th Century pop culture wouldn't be the same without him. And I'll think I'll leave it there.
B. April 12, 1950 Manhattan, New York
D. November 21, 2017 (aged 67) Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Cause: Liver Failure
If you grew up in the '70's and didn't know who David Cassidy was, you may have been living in a cave! He was the biggest teen idol of the day. His fans got to see him every week on "The Partridge Family", which ran from 1970 to 1974 and continues to play in syndication, and hear him from the 15 albums he released in the decade, solo and with his TV family. He fell on hard times when the '80's rolled around, making some appearances here and there, but always was able to sell out concerts in casinos around the world.
B. June 12, 1930 Sylacauga, Alabama
D. November 30, 2017 (aged 87) Honolulu, Hawaii
Cause: Natural Causes
I knew Jim Nabors from old TV shows like "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Gomer Pyle, USMC". I had no idea at the time that he was known more for singing than acting. I'd see him every once in a while on the variety shows of the '70's and '80's like "The Carol Burnett Show" to "The Tonight Show", and he'd sing, but I never put it together. The fact is, from 1965 to 1984 he released 28 albums, 3 of them earning Gold status. He was part of the entertainment world for 60 years, as everybody's grandmother probably knows!
B. November 8, 1924 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
D. December 26, 2017 (aged 93) Mississauga, Ontario
Cause: Pneumonia
"The China Wall" was his nickname, and he was a true hockey legend, especially here in Toronto. Bower won 4 Stanley Cups in the 1960's with the Maple Leafs, was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 1976. From the time he came to Toronto in 1958 until the day he died, he was a huge ambassador of the game and one of the biggest stars in the city! Everybody knew, everybody loved him, and his smile at the age of 93 could light up an entire room. The hockey community will miss him, but fans in Toronto will miss him even more.
B. August 15, 1923 Manhattan, New York
D. December 28, 2017 (aged 94) Van Nuys, California
Cause: Natural Causes
Rose Marie seeped into my conscious because of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" where she played comedy writer Sally Rogers from 1961 to 1966. I obviously watched the reruns. Up to that point, she had already been in show business for nearly 40 years!!! She was a child star in the '30's, known as Baby Rose Marie, on the radio and film. All in all, she was in show business for nearly 90 years! She appeared on scores on TV shows and about 20 movies in her time.
Well, that's the list for this year. Seems to grow every year, but I hope this little blog will help you to remember these celebrities a little longer.
Happy 2018!!!
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