Drummers Who Sing

So, being a big fan of rock music, I've come to notice there are not a lot of bands that feature singing drummers.  There may be a couple of reasons for this; 1) lead singers like the limelight and are usually front and centre while the drums are usually stuck near the rear of the stage, and 2) it's got to be really hard to concentrate on drumming and singing at the same time...doesn't it?!?  I mean, I've never tried, and I'm by no means musically inclined so maybe I just don't know what I'm talking about, but drummers have so many parts moving at once, how could they possibly remember lyrics, too??  Anyway, there are, and were, some rock drummers who were able to play great beats and sing some pretty good songs all at the same time, and I've decided to make a list.  The list is in no order of greatness, rather just jotted down as I thought of them.

LEVON HELM

When I think of singing drummers, Levon Helm is always top of mind.  He was the driving back beat of The Band from their first formation in 1967, after playing in Ronnie Hawkins' band in Toronto with Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko.  Helm stayed with The Band until their final performance on November 25, 1976, a performance made famous by Martin Scorsese's film The Last Waltz.  The Band reunited in 1983 without Robertson to do some touring, resulting in a few more albums and another break-up in 1999.  Although The Band used many members as lead vocals on their albums, it was always easy to tell which songs were sung by Levon Helm, his country twang always making the listener feel at ease.  His more famous songs as lead singer include "The Weight" (with Danko), "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "Up On Cripple Creek" and "Mystery Train".  Helm passed away on April 19, 2012 from throat cancer at the age of 71.

PHIL COLLINS

When I was around 12 years old, listening to AM radio in my room, this band called Genesis was all over the airwaves.  The songs "Mama", "That's All" and "Illegal Alien" seemed to be on constant rotation, and I liked them all.  I thought to myself "I really like this new band called Genesis!".  It wasn't too long after wards that I learned Genesis had been around for a few years prior to those songs.  I also learned that Phil Collins, the lead singer, was also the drummer of the band.  My mind was blown!  I believe this was my first introduction to a singing drummer, first that I remember anyway.  Now, as an adult, I can honestly say Phil Collins is not the best drummer, nor is he the best singer, but he definitely could play some hit songs when he wanted to!  When he joined Genesis in 1970, he largely played drums and percussion supplying backing vocals until 1975.  That's when lead singer Peter Gabriel left the band.  After auditioning hundreds of wannabe rock stars, Genesis decided to let Collins take lead vocals on their 1976 album A Trick Of The Tail.  Collins' list of accomplishments after that album are immense, either recording with Genesis or as a solo artist.  Tragically, in 2009, Phil Collins let it be known to the world that he could no longer play the drums because of problems with his neck (dislocated vertebrae) and his hands (nerve problems).  His most recent tour in 2018 had him singing his hits from a chair on stage while a band played behind him.

ROGER TAYLOR

When one thinks of songs being sung in the band called Queen, usually the name Freddie Mercury pops up.  And why wouldn't it?!?!  Mercury was perhaps one of the best rock voices we will ever know.  But what many don't realize is that the drummer of the band, Roger Taylor, provided most of those fantastic harmonies.  He also lent his voice as the lead singer to a few Queen songs over the years, my favourite being "I'm In Love With My Car" from the album A Night At The Opera.  In addition to his work with Queen (which started in 1970 and still goes on today) Taylor has released 5 solo albums where he plays a whole myriad of instruments and sings lead vocals.  He also had a side band while still recording with Queen called The Cross that released 3 albums of their own from 1987 to 1993.

GIL MOORE

He's the drummer and vocalist in my second favourite power trio from Toronto, Triumph.  (Please don't ask who my favourite power trio from Toronto is).  The thing about Gil Moore is that he was and is a terrific drummer.  To add to that talent, he can sing!!  Most of Triumph's more radio-friendly, successful songs have guitarist Rik Emmett as the lead singer, but Moore can be heard on quite a few of their songs, including the one that may have broken the band into the mainstream, Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" in 1977.  He also sang lead on other hard rockers like "Rock And Roll Machine", "Young Enough To Cry", "Allied Forces" and "I Can Survive".  Moore has been a member of Triumph since 1975, until their break-up in 1993, and reunion in 2008.  In 1978, Moore founded Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada's largest recording studio.  Acts such as Drake, Guns N Roses and Aerosmith have recorded there over the years.

DON HENLEY

Similar to Phil Collins with Genesis, when I first heard of Don Henley I had no idea that he used to be the drummer for the Eagles.  I knew he was in the band, and sang some songs for them, but drummer???  No way.  Along with writing almost all of the Eagles' songs, along with Glenn Frey, he also lent his voice to a bunch of their biggest hits; "Witchy Woman", One Of These Nights", "Life In The Fast Lane", "Desperado" and some song called "Hotel California".  It has been said that Henley may not have been the best or most technical drummer the rock world has ever known, but, again, all those moving parts, keeping the beat AND singing some of the most beloved songs in rock history is pretty damned impressive to me.  When Henley went solo he recruited a whole group of session artists, but he would still play drums on a few tracks like "All She Wants To Do Is Dance", "The End Of The Innocence" and "The Last Worthless Evening" to name a few.  He still plays with the Eagles on tour but hasn't released a solo album since 2015.

PETER CRISS

The original Catman, Peter Criss came to the rock band KISS after he placed an ad in a rock magazine...drummer looking for a band.  Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons called him up, liked him, and the rest is history.  Criss played drums on the first 6 KISS studio albums until he was in a serious car crash in 1978.  Although he played on one track on KISS' seventh album, Dynasty, he left the band in May of 1980, replaced by Eric Carr.  Criss reunited with the band in 1996, but left again soon after their tour.  During his first years with the band, many rock pundits didn't give him too much credit as a drummer, but he lent his gravelly voice to some popular songs while behind the kit; "Black Diamond", "Hard Luck Woman" and "Mainline".  His most famous vocal performance, coincidentally, is one that doesn't have a drum track, "Beth".  Peter Criss hasn't been doing too much in the music industry for the last couple of years, so it's about time to rejoin KISS, I guess.

PETER HOORELBEKE

You may not know the name, but I bet you know the voice.  Hoorelbeke, sometimes known as Peter Rivera, was the main singer and bad-ass drummer of the funkiest white band around, Rare Earth.  Hoorelbeke joined Rare Earth at their formation in 1960 and stayed around until 1974.  During that time the band became the biggest white band signed by Motown Records.  Between 1968 and 1972 the band recorded some major hits for the label, all with Hoorelbeke as the main vocalist while killing on the drums.  Some hits include "Get Ready", "Born To Wander", "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and "I Just Want To Celebrate".  He still performs to this day, releasing a new album in 2014 under the name Peter Rivera.  

MICKY DOLENZ

I gotta tell ya, I had no idea Micky Dolenz sang so many songs for The Monkees.  I just assumed it was Davy Jones laying down all those vocals.  To tell you the truth, I was never a huge fan of the band, but I do remember hearing that Dolenz wasn't a drummer when the band was formed for their TV show in the '60's.  He had to learn as he went along, at first miming at playing, then learning to actually play.  When The Monkees started to tour after the success of their show, Dolenz had become a fairly good drummer.  The songs he would sing behind the kit included "Last Train To Clarksville", "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone", "I'm A Believer", "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and the Monkees' theme song.  Now I want to know what the hell Davy Jones sang?!?  Dolenz has released many solo albums, releasing his latest in 2017, and still plays with whatever formation of The Monkees comes around.

Here are a few more singer/drummer people worth mentioning:

Karen Carpenter - She was a fabulous drummer, and an amazing singer, but she never really did both at the same time (with the exception of The Carpenters' first album).

Eric Carr - The man who took over for Peter Criss in KISS, he pretty much sang the songs Criss did.

Ringo Starr - Played for a band known as The Beatles for a time.  So-so drummer, terrible singer!

Sheila E. - Kinda looked like a novelty when introduced by Prince back in the '80's.  Turned out she could really play and was a pretty good singer, too.

Dave Grohl - He didn't sing while behind the kit for Nirvana, then he sang like crazy for the Foo Fighters, but didn't play drums all that much.

Buddy Miles - Played with Jimi Hendrix and his Band Of Gypsys, then sang and played in a whole myriad of bands afterwards.

Albert Bouchard - Played with Blue Oyster Cult, sang a few songs, including "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll".

There are many other drummer/singers....who are your faves??????

(There Are No) Bit Parts

So I was watching Raiders Of The Lost Ark for the four hundredth time the other day and started thinking about some of the actors in that iconic film who weren't named Harrison Ford or Karen Allen.  The film has a cast of literally hundreds, from the Nazis that follow Belloq around to all those Arabs who help dig up the ark for them.  Some of these actors are not folks that would be recognizable to anyone other than their own families, but a few had long careers in the biz.  I thought I'd take a look at some of these actors and give them the proper recognition that they deserve...not only for Raiders, but for other classic films that made me happy as a growing boy.  See if you can remember all these roles and the folks that played them...

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

Fred Sorenson

Jock (the pilot)

Sorenson's only film role was in Raiders.  He is not an actor, but an actual pilot.  In fact, he was hired by the production team of the movie to fly them around while they were scouting locations.  At some point during these travels, Frank Marshall or Steven Spielberg asked if he'd be interested in the small role of Jock, the pilot that helps introduce Indiana Jones' fear of snakes.  He said "sure", and he was in the film.  Sorenson went on to have a very long career as a commercial airline pilot, retiring in 2014 at the age of 65, the mandatory age of retirement set by the FAA.

Patrick Durkin

Australian Climber (bar scene)

He never even said a word, but everyone who loves Raiders knows Durkin very well.  If you thought this was just a one-off for an actor you may have never seen before, you'd be sorely wrong.  He was a British actor who appeared in more than 20 feature films and 75 television series in his long career.  He was a stage actor and part of a popular comedy team with Tommy Cooper in the UK.  And if you've ever heard of the "Carry On" series of TV shows and films, then you undoubtedly have seen Durkin's mug before.  He even showed up on a couple of episodes of "Coronation Street"!!  Durkin passed away on September 1, 2009 at the age of 73.

PAT ROACH

Giant Sherpa/1st Mechanic

One of my favourite scenes in Raiders was the big bald dude that comes out and fights Indy at the plane.  I just assumed this role was played by some random stuntman.  Well, I was wrong.  Pat Roach did do stunt work, but he was the "big guy" in many films along the way.  He was a professional wrestler at one time, fighting under the name of "Bomber" Roach.  His first two film roles were in Stanley Kubrick movies; A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon.  That's him in the Milk Bar.

He actually appears in the first three Indy films, small parts of course, but you can find him if you look!  He also made appearances in the original Clash Of The Titans, Never Say Never Again, Conan The Destroyer, Red Sonja and Willow.  He passed away from throat cancer on July 17, 2004 at the age of 67.

TERRY RICHARDS

Arab Swordsman

Here is a case of a stuntman getting a prime role.  In one of the most talked about scenes from when the movie was released, Indy finds himself face to face with an expert swordsman who looks as if he could end the film right there.  But Indy, not wanting to waste any more time trying to find Marion, decides to just take out his pistol and shoot the Arab.  Hilarious!  Little did I know that the swordsman was not Arab (some white British guy), but also a professional stuntman who worked on dozens of films throughout his career.  He worked on seven James Bond films, starting with From Russia With Love in 1963 to The World Is Not Enough in 1999!  He also worked on The Dirty Dozen, The Empire Strikes Back, Superman II and The Princess Bride.  Richards passed away on June 14, 2014 at the age of 81.

STAR WARS

PHIL BROWN

Uncle Owen

Now here's an interesting story: Phil Brown was a film and stage actor in New York in the 1940's and '50's.  His association with a particular acting group came under scrutiny in the early '50's when the House Un-American Activities Committee started it's witch hunt for those they felt were communists.  Brown became blacklisted, although maintained he had no communist associations, and eventually moved his family overseas to England.  There, he acted in dozens of movies and TV shows.  When George Lucas was casting for his new space opera in England, he wanted a actor with a strong American accent to play Luke's uncle.  Brown, originally from Massachusetts, won the role right away.  His small role in Star Wars made him more famous than ever, and he attended many conventions from then on.  Brown passed away from pneumonia on February 9, 2006 at the age of 89.

SHELAGH FRASER

Aunt Beru

Shelagh Fraser enjoyed a 60-year career on stage, in films and on television, mostly in her home country of England.  Nothing would vault her to stardom like the role of Luke Skywalker's aunt in Star Wars, but she did appear in over 70 movies and TV shows in her time, starting with her first film, Welcome, Mr. Washington, way back in 1944.  She was also a popular member of the BBC Repertory Company where she appeared in more than 500 radio plays!  If you lived in Britain during the 1970's, there is no doubt you watched her on TV in her role as Jean Ashton on "A Family At War".  Fraser passed away on August 29, 2000 at the age of 79.

DREWE HENLEY

Red Leader

Henley was a British actor who appeared in about three dozen films and television shows during his career, which began in the early 1960's.  He was an accomplished theatre actor as well.  He appeared, without credit, in 1966's A Man For All Seasons, as well as Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy in 1972.  His role as Red Leader in Star Wars would prove to be his last filmed as he soon after retired from acting due to manic depression.  Tragically, Henley died from choking on food on February 14, 2016.  He was 75 years old.

TAXI DRIVER

DIAHNNE ABBOTT

Concession Girl

She sold treats to Travis Bickle at the porn theatre, and then she stole his heart.  Actually, I'm not kidding...soon after filming Taxi Driver, Abbott and DeNiro were married, and stayed married for over a dozen years!  She appeared in a couple of other Scorsese/DeNiro films (New York, New York and The King Of Comedy), but has only appeared in a handful of productions since.  Her cousin, Gregory Abbott, had a hit single in 1986 called "Shake You Down"...oh wella-well.

LEONARD HARRIS

Charles Palantine

Leonard Harris is not an actor, although he did a fine job as the U.S. Senator in Taxi Driver.  He was cast in the role because Martin Scorsese was an acquaintance.  Really, he was a journalist who began his career writing obituaries and book reviews in Hartford, Connecticut in the mid-1950's.  From 1966 to 1974 he was the on-camera culture critic for CBS in New York City.  He was also the writer of three novels.  Harris had one other film role, in 1980's Hero At Large, where he played the Mayor. He passed away from pneumonia on August 28, 2011 at age 81.

NORMAN MATLOCK

Charlie T.

He only appeared in about a dozen films, but some were pretty good ones!  Before playing a cabbie in Taxi Driver, Matlock appeared in the cultish Across 110th Street from 1972.  Later on he played the Police Commissioner in a couple of old favourites; The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.  He also showed up in a couple of Spike Lee movies; Crooklyn and Clockers.  Matlock passed away on September 30, 2015 after living 90 years.

STEVEN PRINCE

Andy (Gun Salesman)

Prince appeared in only five movies, but his introduction to the film world is very interesting.  He was hired for the role of Andy because Martin Scorsese was told he was a fast-talking, hard-living dude who actually used to run guns.  During the filming of the scene, Prince would discuss stories about his life, which included being a heroin addict and a road manager for Neil Diamond (!).  Scorsese really liked the guy and decided to make a documentary about him in 1978 titled American Boy: A Profile Of Steven Prince.  In that, Prince tells a story about having to revive a friend of his who was overdosing on heroin.  He had to inject an adrenaline shot into the heart of a woman while reading how to do it from a medical dictionary.  As a young lad, Quentin Tarantino saw this documentary and added that scene into his own movie, Pulp Fiction!

DIE HARD

ALEXANDER GODUNOV

Karl

The main henchman in Die Hard had a pretty cool back-story.  He began studying dance at the age of nine in his native Russia (back then the USSR).  He became good...really good, especially at ballet.  He ended up being a star in the Bolshoi Ballet after joining in 1971.  He ended up defecting to the United States in 1979, an act that would lead to a divorce from his dancing wife who wanted to return to Russia.  He joined the American Ballet Theatre under the guidance of director Mikhail Baryshnikov until they had a falling out in 1982.  He ended up going to Hollywood to be an actor.  Ain't that nuts?!?  He only appeared in about half a dozen films, his other most notable opposite Harrison Ford in Witness.  Godunov tragically died at a young age on May 13, 1995 after contracting hepatitis.  He was only 45 years old.

DE'VOREAUX WHITE

Argyle

I always thought one of the coolest roles in Die Hard was that of Argyle, the fast talking, eager to please limo driver who waits patiently for John McClane.  White only appeared in a handful of movies during his acting career, but I was shocked to learn that he appeared in one of my favourite films.  Here he is as a 14-year old in The Blues Brothers:

Yup!  He was the kid that tried to steal the guitar off the wall from Ray Charles' music shop!!  Crazy, man!  His acting career went back even further than that, as he made appearances on TV shows "The Jeffersons" and "What's Happening!" in the late '70's.  He ended up having a starring role in TV's "Head Of The Class" with Howard Hesseman.

CLARENCE GILYARD JR.

Theo

He was the main brains of the safe break, the one who knew how to stop the elevators from working and enter unknown security protocols.  Gilyard only appeared in about a dozen other films, most notably Top Gun as Sundown, but would show up from time to time on popular TV shows such as "Diff'rent Strokes", "CHiPs", "Simon & Simon", "The Facts Of Life" and "Matlock".  He scored a pretty substantial role as James Trivette on "Walker, Texas Ranger" opposite Chuck Norris from 1993 to 2001.  Later on he turned to teaching theatre at the University Of Nevada in Las Vegas.

ANIMAL HOUSE

MARY LOUISE WELLER

Mandy Pepperidge

She was the sexy, preppy girlfriend of Greg Marmalard.  She may have had a thing for Eric Stratton, but we were never too sure.  What we were sure of, though, is that she was the head of the local sorority, and the reason John Belushi fell of a very tall ladder!  Weller only appeared in about two dozen movies and TV shows, retiring early, her last credit being an appearance on "Quincy M.E." in 1983 when she was in her late-30's.  In her younger years, Weller was an experience horse rider, training with the U.S. Equestrian Team and participating in many competitions.

MARTHA SMITH

Babs Jansen

The other preppy who may have wanted to be a bad-girl, Barbara Sue "Babs" Jansen was a close friend to Mandy's.  The actress, Martha Smith, had only appeared in a handful of things before being cast as Babs.  But, in the mid-'80's, she would get an occurring role in the popular TV show "Scarecrow And Mrs. King" starring Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner.  From there she appeared in the occasional movie or TV show.  She may be remember best from the credits of Animal House in which it's said she became a tour guide at Universal Studios.  For years after, if you asked for Babs when visiting the Studio, you would receive a discounted price.

JAMES DAUGHTON

Greg Marmalard

"Greg Marmalard, damned glad to meet you".  James Daughton brought the perfect amount of scum and style to the role of Greg Marmalard.  Pretty to look at, but what a freaking jerk!  Before Animal House, Daughton appeared in a few TV shows, but seemed to gain some recognition in a few episodes of "Happy Days" in 1977.  After Animal House, he jumped around from TV show to occasional movie role.  I remember him most from Spies Like Us with Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase in 1985.  His last credited role came in 2002 in the movie Sorority Boys.  

There's just a few of the people we've seen but may not know.  I'll probably do a sequel to this post sometime...it was fun to investigate their lives and careers.

Hope you enjoyed!

Remembering 2017

So, it seems every year now, more and more celebrities are leaving us.  In 2016, it seemed a major star was leaving us every week.  Folks like David Bowie, Glen Frey, Alan Rickman, Muhammed Ali, Gordie Howe....Prince for Christ's sake!  Well, the Grim Reaper seemed to have unfinished business, and 2017 has been even crazier for the people we lost.  I say "we" because we're fans; fans of the work, the art, the music.  I suppose the older I get, the older my favourite artists get as well.  It's a time thing.  So I shouldn't be surprised when they start dropping like flies, but I always am.  Here's a list, a rather long one, of those that we had to say goodbye to in 2017:

Miguel Ferrer
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.

John Hurt
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.

Mary Tyler Moore
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.

Al Jarreau
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.

Bill Paxton
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.

Chuck Berry
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!

Chuck Barris
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!

Don Rickles
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.

J. Geils
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.

Erin Moran
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.

Jonathan Demme
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.  

Powers Boothe
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.

Chris Cornell
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...

Roger Moore
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!

Gregg Allman
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.

Glenn Headly
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".

Adam West
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.

Stephen Furst
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.

Michael Nyqvist
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.

Martin Landau
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!

George A. Romero
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!

John Heard
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".

Sam Shepard
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".

Jeanne Moreau
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.

Glen Campbell
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!

Dick Gregory
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.

Jerry Lewis
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.

Jay Thomas
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".

Tobe Hooper
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.

Walter Becker
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.

Harry Dean Stanton
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.

Bernie Casey
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.

Hugh Hefner
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.

Monty Hall
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".

Tom Petty
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.

Gord Downie
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.

Fats Domino
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.

Robert Guillaume
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.

Roy Halladay
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...

John Hillerman
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".

Malcolm Young
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.

Mel Tillis
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.

Charles Manson
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.

David Cassidy
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.

 Jim Nabors
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!

Johnny Bower
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.

Rose Marie
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!!!