# Celebrity Deaths.



## JoAnn L. (Jan 23, 2008)

I was just listening to a radio program and they asked the question, "what celebrity death affected you and sadden you the most, and why. Some of the callers said; John Ritter, John Denver, John F. Kennedy Jr. Phil Hartman. With me it was Bob Hope, he was a legend, a wonderful man.


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## *amy* (Jan 23, 2008)

JoAnn L. said:


> I was just listening to a radio program and they asked the question, "what celebrity death affected you and sadden you the most, and why. Some of the callers said; John Ritter, John Denver, John F. Kennedy Jr. Phil Hartman. With me it was Bob Hope, he was a legend, a wonderful man.


 
Having worked in the entertainment industry for many years, this is a difficult topic for me. I have always been quiet when the topic comes up for many reasons. First, guess I can't understand all the media hype, speculation & adoring fans that internalize grief of someone unknown personally to them. There are several people I worked with & knew personally that are now gone. Those are the passings that affect me the most. There are great talents that are gone that will be missed throughout the world i.e. Pavoratti (sp) etc., but the "reality" for me, are those lost that I knew & worked with. What one sees on the 'screen' is not what or who the person really is.

There are deaths that I can't bring myself to mention, nor would it mean anything to anyone but myself. A death that brought shockwaves through our industry was Vic Morrow. Re the Kennedy's, one cannot help being torn up over all that family has gone through... not because they are celebrities. Too difficult to see & try to make sense of the generations of losses there; or any time a parent survives their child.


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## JoAnn L. (Jan 23, 2008)

*amy* said:


> Having worked in the entertainment industry for many years, this is a difficult topic for me. I have always been quiet when the topic comes up for many reasons. First, guess I can't understand all the media hype, speculation & adoring fans that internalize grief of someone unknown personally to them. There are several people I worked with & knew personally that are now gone. Those are the passings that affect me the most. There are great talents that are gone that will be missed throughout the world i.e. Pavoratti (sp) etc., but the "reality" for me, are those lost that I knew & worked with. What one sees on the 'screen' is not what or who the person really is.
> 
> There are deaths that I can't bring myself to mention, nor would it mean anything to anyone but myself. A death that brought shockwaves through our industry was Vic Morrow. Re the Kennedy's, one cannot help being torn up over all that family has gone through... not because they are celebrities. Too difficult to see & try to make sense of the generations of losses there; or any time a parent survives their child.


 
Amy, it was just an innocent question about their favorite celerity. How they felt about them. Of course we don't know the real person, but we enjoyed their work.


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## texasgirl (Jan 23, 2008)

Ouch, Amy.
We, as fans, mourn the person we see because, not only are we losing an actor/actress that we have come to admire, not for the person they pretend to be, but, for the things they do away from the films, like the charitable things many of them do. Bob Hope for one, good actor, good comedian, but, will always be remembered instead for going over in Vietnam to bring any joy he possibly could to those troops when everyone else here shunned them. He loved doing it too. There are so many that give of themselves like this. There are so many that are gone for senseless reasons, drugs, drinking, etc, but, there are those that fight everyday they can against the many diseases we have now and keep going, doing what they love and you can't help but admire anyone, celebrity or not, for fighting everyday to breathe. The ones that are taken from this world for no apparent reason or because they looked at someone wrong. We grieve for them, their families and friends, not just for the person. And of course, the passing of a family member is always going to the ulitmate loss over a celebrity.


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## Jeekinz (Jan 23, 2008)

I'll start:

John Candy.  I used to love watching him as I was growing up.  He made me laugh.


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## suziquzie (Jan 23, 2008)

Michael Landon, John Ritter, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, I'm sure many more I can't think of right now. 
Bob Hope was an absolute inspiration to many in Vietnam. My FIL saw him there once and never forgot it. Talked about it til the day he died. I hope they got to shake hands up there!


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## Fisher's Mom (Jan 23, 2008)

I think there is nothing prurient in being saddened over the death of people that have been a part of our lives via music or writings or movies or politics, etc. As humans, we are able to empathize, something that distinguishes us from other mammals. The death of a fellow human being touches many of us, whether or not we have ever met them, because we can identify.

Look at Jon Benet Ramsey. The nation mourned her death even though most had never even heard of her before her murder. This ability to care for other humans, those we know and those we don't, is the driving force in so much change for the good.

I don't know anyone personally in Darfur but I am devastated by what is happening to my fellow human beings there. I write my government representatives encouraging them to continue aid. I support charities that give assistance there.

I don't know anyone personally here at DC but I am saddened by their tragedies and obstacles and delight with them in their good fortune.

I think our discussions when a well-known person has died are simply a reflection of our humanity. But I respect those who feel this isn't something they are interested in participating in, too. JMO


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 23, 2008)




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## kitchenelf (Jan 23, 2008)

Bob Hope came to Guam one time - his first words were "Hello all you Guamaniacs"


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 23, 2008)

Mother Theresa.


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## Fisher's Mom (Jan 23, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> Mother Theresa.


That was such a sad day. She died less than a week after Princess Di so there wasn't quite the attention paid to this incredible woman as would have been otherwise. But I remember thinking at the time it probably suited her better to have died as she lived - quietly and without fanfare. But to this day, she's someone I think of when I'm faced with something difficult. If she could live everyday in the midst of poverty and disease and death and still manage to take care of her dying patients, I have little to complain about.


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## Bilby (Jan 24, 2008)

David Niven for me but not because I was a huge Niven fan.  I wasn't. His death was the first celebrity death that I was conscious of.

Lord Louis Mountbatten had a huge ripple effect which I felt at 7 or thereabouts but his death wasn't noticed by me, only the flow-on.

The celebrity that really impacted on me more was a guy that most of you would never have heard of - Chris Mainwaring.  He was a star footballer for Perth but when he died last year, he was a sports newsreader/reporter and died suddenly just before his 42 birthday.  It was a huge shock to the community, in part cos he never seemed to be a celebrity.  He was just Mainy.  His funeral was covered by tv and radio live.  It is still talked about in great disbelief.  His death was the first in a recent spate of Perth celebs, the latest being Heath Ledger.  Ever since Mainy, there has been at least one death a month of Perth's "names" and each one rocks us.  We are a capital city with a couple of million people but we have a small town attitude to most things and our celebs are normal people to us.  Their deaths then feel like part of your extended family and has nothing to do with fame.  Just a loss in our community.


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## YT2095 (Jan 24, 2008)

Ed Headrick.






the father of the Frisbee.


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## Bilby (Jan 24, 2008)

YT2095 said:


> Ed Headrick.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Ah, someone to blame after all these years!!!!


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## jpmcgrew (Jan 24, 2008)

Princess Di affected me deeply as it did the whole world. I really cried for her.


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## Foodfiend (Jan 24, 2008)

Johnny Carson.  Bob Hope.  Bing Crosby.


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## pdswife (Jan 24, 2008)

John Denver. 
No... I didn't know him but 
his music meant and still means so much to Paul
and I. We were lucky enough to go to one of his concerts together and
it's a memory ( both good and bad) that will never be forgotten.


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## YT2095 (Jan 24, 2008)

here`s another Good chap :






Walt Disney.


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## Fisher's Mom (Jan 24, 2008)

Like Maverick, I was really affected by Mother Teresa's death. Throughout the years, the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Carl Sagan, James Clavel, Kurt Vonnegut,  Luciano Pavarotti, Ryan White, Gilda Ratner and others really impacted me. Some of them shaped my early years through their writings and it pained me to think I would never "hear" from them again. Carl Sagan made science real and wondrous for me. Gilda made me laugh through tough times. Jimi Hendrix gave me music I listen to still. Luciano gave me a true appreciation for opera. Ryan White died when I was first raising my children and made me realize that every second with them is a gift and to never take for granted their good health.


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## GB (Jan 24, 2008)

Jerry Garcia. His death was not unexpected the way he treated his body, but the world lost an amazing musician the day he died.


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## sattie (Jan 24, 2008)

Princess Di... Chris Farley, and believe it or not, Anna Nicole... not that I was ever a fan of her, but just sadden me how her problems had overcome her and the tiny little life she left behind.  All deaths impact me, Heath was a big shock.


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## QSis (Jan 24, 2008)

pdswife said:


> John Denver.
> No... I didn't know him but
> his music meant and still means so much to Paul
> and I. We were lucky enough to go to one of his concerts together and
> it's a memory ( both good and bad) that will never be forgotten.


 
John Denver is the first one to come to my mind, too.

Whereas I say, "AWWWWWWWWWW nooooo" on hearing of so many celebrity deaths, I STILL miss John Denver!

I still feel even worse about Robert Urich (Spencer for Hire). I so wanted to MARRY him!

Lee


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## redkitty (Jan 24, 2008)

*Bon Scott* - I was 12 when he died and a die hard AC/DC fan.  I cried, which at the time confused me at how I could be so upset over someone I didn't personally know.
*
John Belushi - Chris Farley - Phil Hartman* - *John Candy* -  All four brought something into many of our lives with their unrelentless humor.  I miss all of them...
*
Jerry Garcia* - A musical genius.  I felt very fortunate to see one of their last concerts performed together right before his death in Mountain View, CA
*
River Phoenix* - A talented young man who had his whole life ahead of him, died far before his time...similar to *James Dean*.

And our dear *Heath Ledger*, affected me far more than I was prepared for.  I still can't stop thinking about how shocking death can be, regardless of personally knowing the diseased.

I also remember how much my mother and grandmother cried for MONTHS over *Elvis* dying.  I remember when they heard it on the news and my grandmother broke down crying and had to be helped out to the car and drove home.  Her living room became a shrine to him.

And look at *Princess Diana*'s death, the entire world mourned her.  I cried in my bathroom because I was embarrassed for my then husband and his friend to see I was so upset over it.

Death is something that everyone is equal in.  Regardless of knowing famous people personally, we connect to them by there movies/music etc which makes us feel like we know them.


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## suziquzie (Jan 24, 2008)

You know, I have another. I was only 6 when he died, but I remember when John Lennon was killed.....
We lived in NYC at the time and even when I was that little I knew he was a big deal and couldn't believe it. I've always liked his stuff.


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## VeraBlue (Jan 24, 2008)

My Anne Bancroft, forever...

followed closely by John Belushi.


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## ChefJune (Jan 24, 2008)

Ed Bradley.


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 25, 2008)

Carl Sagan's words still echo in my head, he is responsible for getting me into astronomy and space.


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## Katie H (Jan 25, 2008)

John Hartford.  Such a talented and wonderful guy.  He was such a  multi-faceted man.  He was a fabulous musician, song writer and would be remembered for writing _Gentle on My Mind_, which Glen Campbell made so famous.

John was also a virtuoso of the 5-string banjo, among other stringed instruments, as well as his famous "plywood."  You have to have some of his recordings or have attended some of his performances to  get the plywood reference.

He was also a paddlewheel boat pilot and loved the river.  This touched my heart because  I,  too, have a love and respect for the river.

I so miss his passing and his talent and his gentle personna.  I miss him and am so happy I had the opportunity to meet and speak with him.  Also met his dog, "Bus."


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## middie (Jan 27, 2008)

Princess Di. And of course Mr. Rodgers. Laugh if you want I don't care.
When he died I felt like I lost a life-long friend.


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## Barbara L (Jan 28, 2008)

middie said:


> Princess Di. And of course Mr. Rodgers. Laugh if you want I don't care.
> When he died I felt like I lost a life-long friend.


No laughing here middie.  He became part of our family when my daughter was a little girl.  What I loved about Fred Rogers is that that his niceness wasn't just an act for TV.  He was really like that.

For me, the deaths of so many of the people already listed affected me.  Another was Princess Grace.  Grace wasn't just her name, it defined her.  

Ronald Reagan's death was another that affected me.  

Two other deaths affected me very much.  They weren't celebrities (in the show-biz sense), and most of you have probably never heard of one of them. The first is Ruth Bell Graham (Billy Graham's wife).  Part of the reason hers affected me is her life, but another reason it affected me was the profound effect it had on her husband.  She was such a vital part of his life.  The second person, as I said, wasn't really a celebrity, but he affected the lives of many celebrities.  His name was Harald Bredesen.  I had the priviledge of knowing him personally (though not as well as I would have liked), as he went to my church when I lived in California.  He was an amazing and funny man.  Mention his name to many celebrities and political leaders worldwide, and they will tell you what an effect he had on their lives.

Barbara


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## Bilby (Jan 28, 2008)

QSis said:


> I still feel even worse about Robert Urich (Spencer for Hire). I so wanted to MARRY him!
> 
> Lee


I really liked him too!  Didn't know he had died though.  Not everything gets reported here and when it does, you sometimes have had to scour the bits of the paper most ignore to have seen the article.


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