Death Anniversary Thread

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 12 years ago, American jazz pianist and composer Billy Taylor passed away at the age of 89.

 

Photo Credit: Tom Marcello per Creative Commons license

[Gooseberry Crumble 5,328]

 

On this day  18 years ago in 2004  Jerry Orbach , american actor of stage and screen died aged 69..

Most recognisable to many for his regular role Detective Lennie Briscoe  in long running tv series Law and order.

He has also starred in many films such as Dirty Dancing (1987), Crimes and misdemeanours (1989) Straight Talk (1992) with Dolly Parton,  Universal Soldier (1992) Guys and Dolls (1955) with Marlon Brando  and independent comedy  Fore Play (1975)

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 6 years ago, French writer Michel Déon, who wrote the novel "Un taxi mauve" (aka "A Purple Taxi") passed away at the age of 97.

 

Photo Credit: S. Veyrié per Creative Commons license

[Hell 1,334]

American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys Dennis Wilson died on this day 39 years ago, aged 39.

 

[Bibliogryphon 9,509]

2 hours ago, Gooseberry Crumble said:

 

On this day  18 years ago in 2004  Jerry Orbach , american actor of stage and screen died aged 69..

Most recognisable to many for his regular role Detective Lennie Briscoe  in long running tv series Law and order.

He has also starred in many films such as Dirty Dancing (1987), Crimes and misdemeanours (1989) Straight Talk (1992) with Dolly Parton,  Universal Soldier (1992) Guys and Dolls (1955) with Marlon Brando  and independent comedy  Fore Play (1975)

Not to mention the voice of Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

3 minutes ago, Bibliogryphon said:

Not to mention the voice of Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Now, Angela Lansbury is reunited with him and David Ogden Stiers in the spirit world.

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 1 year ago, Harry Reid, who was a US Representative of Nevada from 1983 to 1987 and a Senator of the same state from 1987 to 2017 passed away at the age of 82.

[Gooseberry Crumble 5,328]

2 hours ago, Bibliogryphon said:

Not to mention the voice of Lumiere in Disney's Beauty and the Beast

You are right! I should have mentioned it!!

[Drewsky1211 4,691]

Thomas Becket died on this day 852 years ago, aged 51.

Becket began to study canon law in the early 1150s, and was named the Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1154 by Theobald of Bec, the Archbishop (a possible relative considering the name). In 1155, he was appointed as Lord Chancellor by Henry II due to his effectiveness in his job, and Henry sent his son (Henry the Young King) to live with him for a period of time.

 

After Theobald's death in 1162, Thomas was elected as his successor. The relationship between Becket and King Henry worsened as Becket no longer defended royal interests and continued to have close ties to the pope; these went against the church values at the time of the reign of Henry I, and Henry II made them sign a document to adhere to the values of that time, called the Constitutions of Clarendon. In 1164, Becket violated the document by attempting to visit France without royal permission- after his trial, he evaded paying his fine, and fled to France, holding a meeting with Pope Alexander III.

 

Henry refused to let Becket return to England, and then exiled his family, clerks, and servants. In 1166, Becket excommunicated several of Henry II's advisers. The pope soon acted as an arbitrator, and in 1170, Henry made a compromise that allowed Becket to return to England.

 

In November 1170, Becket excommunicated three bishops to the ire of Henry- he reportedly stated "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest", which was interpreted as a royal decree. The next month, four knights (Richard le Briton, Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh de Morville, and William de Tracy) confronted him at Canterbury Cathedral and killed him (for this reason, Becket is often depicted with a sword through his head (as you can see in the picture above)).

 

Becket was immediately considered a martyr, and was made a saint less than three years after his death.

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 2 years ago, Italian-born French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, who was best known for a fondess for geometric designs such as introducing the bubble dress in 1954 and the collarless suit worn by the Beatles in 1963, passed away at the age of 98.

 

He would have been 100 in July of this year.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 62 years ago, American physician Frederick F. Russell, who developed the first successful typhoid fever vaccine, passed away at the age of 90.

[The Ashes Urn 1,353]

American actress and singer Vivienne Segal died on this day 30 years ago, aged 95.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 36 years ago, Harold Macmillan, who was the prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963, passed away at the age of 92.

[Lafaucheuse 4,013]

 

Am I the only one whom Mr. Sulu contacted by mp

[Summer in Transylvania 2,134]

1 minute ago, Lafaucheuse said:

 

Am I the only one whom Mr. Sulu contacted by mp

No, but I got a different message.

[Lafaucheuse 4,013]

7 minutes ago, Summer in Transylvania said:

No, but I got a different message.

this guy is so weird

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 6 years ago, LaVell Edwards, who was the American football head coach for Brigham Young University, passed away at the age of 86.

[wannamaker 1,395]

29 minutes ago, Lafaucheuse said:

 

Am I the only one whom Mr. Sulu contacted by mp

 

He sends me a new message every day.

[Hell 1,334]

English comedian, writer and actor Bob Monkhouse died on this day 19 years ago, aged 75.

 

[Gooseberry Crumble 5,328]

 

 

On this day 15 years ago in 2007 Scottish footballer  Phil O'Donnell died aged just  35 after collapsing on the football pitch. 

During his career  he played for Celtic amongst other teams. 

[Drewsky1211 4,691]

Grigori Rasputin died on this day 106 years ago, aged 47.

There lived a certain man in Russia long ago- it is believed that he was an unruly child known to steal horses and drink alcohol. In 1897, Rasputin left his home village to go on a pilgrimage, and in 1900, built a makeshift chapel at his father's house. He was known for his charisma, and gained close ties to the local clergy despite rumors of non-celibacy, and then with the aristocracy.

 

In 1905, he had his first meeting with Tsar Nicholas II- he was likely introduced as a faith healer who could heal Prince Alexei of his hemophilia. When the young prince suffered internal bleeding in 1907, his mother (Tsarina Alexandra) summoned Rasputin to pray for him, and Alexei recovered the next day. Alexei would then suffer from a hematoma in 1912, with Rasputin sending a letter telling the doctors not to bother him; Alexei recovered within two days.

 

In 1914, a woman attempted to stab Rasputin to death, but he survived following surgery.

 

Felix Yusopov, the husband of a Russian princess, believed that Rasputin had too much influence on the royal family, and gathered other men of higher standing (Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich and politician Vladimir Purishkevich) to help him assassinate Rasputin. After Rasputin had been invited to Felix's mansion, they laced his cakes and tea with cyanide. Rasputin seemed unaffected, asked for some wine, and drank another poisoned glass- still not dead. Yusupov then went upstairs, got his gun, and shot Rasputin- while inspecting to see if he was dead, Rasputin then leaped up, attacked him, and then ran upstairs and outside. Purishkevich delivered the shot that killed Rasputin, in the mansion's courtyard.

Oh, those Russians...

 

In 1928, Yusupov published his memoirs about the event, and Rasputin's daughter Maria sued him and Pavlovich for $800,000; the case was dismissed, as she sued in France and they had no jurisdiction.

 

[chel 376]

4 hours ago, Drewsky1211 said:

... they laced his cakes and tea, which had been laced with cyanide.

They had purchased cyanide almost a year before the crime, not in a flask with a friction-fitted cork, but in a сasket. The chemistry teacher at school once gave us a task: to write down the equations for the decomposition of cyanide to potash by water vapour from the air.

[John "요한" Sulu 417]

On this day 2 years ago, American actress Dawn Wells, who was best known for playing Mary Ann Summers in the TV sitcom "Gilligan's Island", passed away from causes related to COVID-19 at the age of 82.

 

She also won the 1960 Miss Nevada pageant.

[msc 18,397]

15 hours ago, Gooseberry Crumble said:

 

 

On this day 15 years ago in 2007 Scottish footballer  Phil O'Donnell died aged just  35 after collapsing on the football pitch. 

During his career  he played for Celtic amongst other teams. 

 

True story, @Gooseberry Crumble - me and the future mrs msc were out for drinks that night with, among several other pals, a friend of Phil's, and he hadn't heard. Not a great night tbh!

[The Ashes Urn 1,353]

American actress Mary Brian died on this day 20 years ago, aged 96.