Friday, July 25, 2014

In Memoriam: January Through June, 2014


It's almost impossible for any of us to really pay attention to all those that have passed from the public eye.  Whether they are famous or not, every year we seem to lose those that have contributed to society in ways that we may never realize.  They are actors, musicians, entertainers, politicians, activists, scientists, and writers.  They enrich our lives through their works, and without them, our lives would be just a little bit more empty.  I would like to take this time to thank many of them for their contributions.  I obviously can't include everyone on this list, so I will let those I can include, stand in for those I can't.  Whether they are on this particular list or not, we owe all of them a big thank you.

January 2014


Phil Everly, 1939-2014. American Musician, The Everly Brothers; "Wake Up Little Susie" & "All I Have to Do Is Dream".


Larry D. Mann, 1922-2014.  Canadian Actor; The Sting & Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.


Harvey Bernhard, 1924-2014.  American Movie Producer; The Omen & The Lost Boys.


Russell Johnson, 1924-2014. American Actor; Gilligan's Island.


Dave Madden, 1931-2014.  American Actor; The Partridge Family & Alice


Hal Sutherland, 1929-2014.  American Animator; Sleeping Beauty & He-Man and the Masters of the Universe


Ben Starr, 1921-2014. American TV Producer; The Facts of Life & Silver Spoons.


James Jacks, 1947-2014. American Movie Producer; Heart and Souls & The Gift.


Arthur Rankin, Jr., 1924-2014.  American Animator; The Hobbit, Mad Monster Party?, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and a bazillion other TV Christmas specials. 


February 2014  


Maximilian Schell, 1930-2014.  Swiss Actor; Judgement at Nuremberg & The Black Hole.


Philip Seymour Hoffman, 1967-2014.  American Actor; Capote & Doubt


Richard Bull, 1924-2014. American Actor; Little House on the Prairie.


Joan Mondale, 1930-2014.  Former Second Lady of the United States of America.


Shirley Temple Black, 1928-2014.  American Actress and Diplomat; Curly Top & Bright Eyes.


Sid Caesar, 1922-2014.  American Actor and Comedian; Your Show of Shows & Grease.


Ralph Waite, 1928-2014.  American Actor; The Waltons & Roots.


John Henson, 1965-2014.  American Puppeteer; The Muppet Show movies.


Mary Grace Canfield, 1924-2014.  American Actress; Bewitched & Pollyanna


Harold Ramis, 1944-2014.  American Actor, Director, Screenwriter; Ghostbusters & Caddyshack.


Jim Lange, 1932-2014.  American Game Show Host; The Dating Game & Name That Tune.


March 2014  


Glenn Edward McDuffie, 1927-2014. American World War II Veteran.


Joel Brinkley, 1952-2014. American Syndicated Columnist and Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist.


Berkin Elvan, 1999-2014. Turkish Student.


Ken Forsse, 1936-2014.  American Inventor & TV Producer behind Teddy Ruxpin.


Vincent Lamberti, 1928-2014. American Chemist & Inventor of Dove Soap.


James Rebhorn, 1948-2014. American Actor; Independence Day & Lorenzo's Oil.

April 2014 


Mary Anderson, 1918-2014. American Actress; Gone With the Wind & Lifeboat.


Mickey Rooney, 1920-2014. American Actor; National Velvet & Babes in Arms.


Frans van der Lugt, 1938-2014. Dutch Jesuit Priest Working in Syria.


Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1927-2014. Colombian Novelist; One Hundred Years of Solitude & Love in the Time of Cholera


Rodney "Skip" Bryce, aka DJ E-Z Rock, 1968-2014. American Musician; "It Takes Two" & "Joy and Pain"


Bob Hoskins, 1942-2014.  British Actor; Who Framed Roger Rabbit? & Nixon.  

May 2014


John Ernest Dolibois, 1918-2014. American Ambassador to Luxembourg & Nuremberg Interrogator.


Jim Oberstar, 1934-2014.  U.S. Congressman from Minnesota's 8th District.


Tony Genaro, 1942-2014. American Actor; Tremors & Hearts & Souls.


Roger L. Easton, 1921-2014. Former Head of the Space Applications Branch of the Naval Research Laboratory. Creator of the Project Vanguard Satellite System, and Inventor of GPS.


Ed Gagliardi, 1952-2014. American Guitarist, Foreigner; "Cold as Ice" & "Hot Blooded". 


Matthew Cowles, 1944-2014.  American Actor; All My Children.


Michael Gottleib, 1945-2014. American Film Director; Mannequin & Mannequin Two: On the Move.


Stormé DeLarverie, 1920-2014.  American Drag King, GLBT Activist & one of the Stonewall Rioters. 


Lee Chamberlin, 1938-2014.  American Actress; The Electric Company & All My Children.


Maya Angelou, 1928-2014. American Author ( I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings), Poet ("On the Pulse of Morning"), Dancer, Stage Actress (Porgy & Bess, The Blacks),  Film Actor (Roots), Singer ("Run Joe"), and Activist.

June 2014 


Ann B. Davis, 1926-2014. American Actress; The Brady Bunch.


Ruby Dee, 1922-2014. American Actress & Activist; A Raisin in the Sun & Jungle Fever.


Carla Laemmle, 1909-2014.  American Actress; The Phantom of the Opera & Dracula.


Casey Kasem, 1932-2014. American DJ, Radio Host, and Voice Actor; American Top Forty, Scooby Doo: Where Are You?, Super Friends, & Transformers.


Eli Wallach, 1915-2014. American Actor; The Good, The Bad and the Ugly & The Magnificent Seven.


Meshach Taylor, 1947-2014. American Actor; Designing Women & Mannequin.

10 comments:

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Ryan, I'm astonished. I didn't know so many entertainers including actors and musicians had passed on. Singly, they are mere statistics and are soon forgotten. But it makes such a difference when you line them up like that. I have some good celluloid memories of Maximilian Schell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Shirley Temple, Harold Ramis, James Rebhorn, Mickey Rooney, Bob Hoskins, and Eli Wallach. Every one of them was a fine actor. I particularly liked Ramis, Hoskins, and Wallach.

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

So many...and they will all be so missed. Thanks for sharing and memorializing them with us.

Yvette said...

I'm astonished too. I'd heard the sad news about Eli Wallach - a wonderful actor - so glad he had such a long life and gave us so many fabulous roles.

I've always been a big fan of Bob Hoskins (he was exactly my age and that always makes me pause) and James Rebhorn too. I was heartbroken over Sid Caesar, a hero of mine growing up. I think he invented laughter.

Thanks for this post, Rosemary. It's good to take a moment and pay attention.

Yvette said...

Oops, of course you're NOT Rosemary, Ryan. Sorry. Edit the comment as you will, m'dear. I'm an idiot. :)

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

Thanks for the re-cap Ryan,as you said it is so easy to not hear about some of them... crazy to see so many that I grew up watching.

Becca said...

I grew up listening to Casey Kasem.

TracyK said...

An interesting list, Ryan. So many there that I had not heard of but made contributions.

Angela's Anxious Life said...

I love movies... pop culture.. all that jazz. Though I am saddened to say that I don't know a lot of these people. It makes me feel like I am just not as in the loop as I thought I was.

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

We've had some devastating losses so far this year. I still can't believe Harold Ramis died. Ghostbusters just won't be the same without him. :(

Lisa said...

Always so sad to see how many wonderful people we've lost; and now Robin Williams!