Death Anniversary Thread

[Drewsky1211 4,723]

Charles Curtis died on this day 87 years ago, aged 76.

- Curtis was the first (and so far only) Native American US Vice President- he was 3/8 Native, and a member of the Kaw Nation. Here's a video that goes into more detail:

- Curtis was a polyglot whose mother taught him French and the Kansa language.

- Before getting into politics, Curtis was a horse racing jockey.

- Curtis was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1892, and served there until being elected to the US Senate during a seat vacancy. He was not reelected when Kansas' state legislature became a Democrat-majority, but was re-elected in 1914 after the passage of the 17th Amendment, and served until becoming Herbert Hoover's VP. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 1924 to 1929.

- Curtis inaugurated the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.

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On this day 3 years ago in 2020, american actor Robert Conrad died aged 84 .

He had a steady acting career in both television and film .

His acting credits include  television series  Highway Patrol,The Wild wild west and Hawaiian Eye .

His busy film career was largely as a steadily employed Hollywood B Lister. His films include Breaking up is hard to do (1979), Five Desperate Women, The Fifth missile  and Jingle all the way (1996)  a Christmas movie  starring Arnold Schwarzenger. 

 

 

[msc 18,421]

@Gooseberry Crumble you forgot his role as nasty killer Janus in fan favourite Columbo An Exercise in Fatality!

 

 

 

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54 minutes ago, msc said:

@Gooseberry Crumble you forgot his role as nasty killer Janus in fan favourite Columbo An Exercise in Fatality!

 

 

 

Thanks! Great photo  I appreciate!

[msc 18,421]

13 minutes ago, Gooseberry Crumble said:

Thanks! Great photo  I appreciate!

 

Know your audience! 

 

(But seriously, he was very good in it - inspired Peter Falk to deliver his A game opposite.)

[Hell 1,334]

American model, actress, and television personality Anna Nicole Smith died on this day 16 years ago, aged 39.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,723]

Osamu Tezuka died on this day 34 years ago, aged 60.

- Tezuka is nicknamed "The Japanese Walt Disney" due to his massive contributions to anime and manga- he created Astro Boy (1952) and Kimba the White Lion (1950)- the latter is suspected to have been a major influence on Disney's very own The Lion King.

- Speaking of Disney, Tezuka became enamored with Disney films when his father showed them to him- he famously saw Bambi 80 times in theaters.

- Tezuka considered his manga Phoenix to be his magnum opus- he worked on it from 1954 but never completed the story, with the last issue being released in February of 1988, a year before his death.

- When he sold the American distribution rights to his shows to NBC, Tezuka was forced to follow strict censorship rules. Astro Boy was forced to hide that it was made in Japan (signs were changed from Japanese to English), and was not allowed to have a serialized story (something that many American cartoons in the 2010s now have). NBC also nearly made them put clothes on the animal characters of Kimba the White Lion (even though they were not anthropomorphic).

- Tezuka was a distant descendant of the famous ninja Hattori Hanzo on his mother's side.

- Tezuka died of stomach cancer, and his last words were "I'm begging you, let me work", directed to a nurse that tried to take away his drawing equipment.

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On 08/02/2023 at 17:37, msc said:

 

Know your audience! 

 

(But seriously, he was very good in it - inspired Peter Falk to deliver his A game opposite.)

When you say know your audience  do you mean that you consider me to be a superficial  randy oversexed classy tart?!

[Hell 1,334]

Philosopher of religion and theologian born in England who taught in the United States for the larger part of his career John Hick died on this day 11 years ago, aged 90.

 

[msc 18,421]

5 minutes ago, Gooseberry Crumble said:

When you say know your audience  do you mean that you consider me to be a superficial  randy oversexed classy tart?!

 

 

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On this day 24 years ago in 1999, British actor Bryan Mosley,  best known for playing Grocery  shopkeeper Alf Roberts between 1971 and New Year's day 1999  died aged 67.

Well Bryan did not become a regular cast member until 1971 he did first play Alf Roberts in 1961 and appeared intermittently as  Alf  up until 1963- as a minor character.  He also reappeared briefly in 1967.

 

But his career was much more varied than many who only knew him as Alf in Coronation Street may realise. 

Prior to 1971  Bryan starred in Get Carter with Michael Caine, Billy Liar and comedy  Carry on Cowboy.

He died just over 5 weeks after his  onscreen  Coronation Street character  Alf died on New year's day.

Bryan had previously suffered two heart attacks , the first in 1991, the second in 1997. His continuing health problems as a result caused concerned soap bosses to ask him to leave the show for his own good..

[Drewsky1211 4,723]

Shirley Temple died on this day 9 years ago, aged 85.

- Temple was arguably the most successful child star of the 1930s. She retired from film in 1950, when she was 22 years old- but would eventually return to acting on television during the 1960s.

- During the height of her popularity, detractors claimed that she was actually a 30-year old with dwarfism, that she either wore a wig or was not naturally blonde, and that she had all of her adult teeth, which were filed to look like baby teeth.

- Temple ran as an independent candidate in the 1967 special election to fill California's 11th congressional seat. She received 3.5% of the vote.

- Temple became a diplomat when Henry Kissinger overheard her talking about her knowledge of South West Africa (modern-day Namibia) when the two were at a party.

- As Chief of Protocol of the United States (the first female one, too), she was responsible for the arrangement of Jimmy Carter's inaugural ball.

- Temple was a member of the board of directors for several prominent companies, including Bank of America, UNESCO, and Disney.

- Temple was not a fan of the non-alcoholic cocktail named after her, finding its taste too sweet.

- Temple was a chronic smoker, but did not do it in public as she did not want to set a bad example for her fans. She died from COPD.

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On this day 4 years ago in 2019, american actor  Jan Michael Vincent, best known for playing the lead role of helicopter pilot  Stringfellow Hawke , in hit tv action drama Airwolf, died aged 74 .

He also starred in numerous films including Damnation Alley with George Peppard,  Hooper (1978) a film an ageing stuntman played by Burt Reynolds,  Deadly Embrace and erotic thriller Sins of desire.

Jan had A lister movie star leading man looks but not the A Lister acting talent to reach those heights.Nevertheless he had a decent  respectable career  but at one point it seemed like he was destined for so much more.

 

 

 

[Hell 1,334]

American actor and comedian Jim Varney died on this day 23 years ago, aged 50.

 

 

American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater Arthur Miller died on this day 18 years ago, aged 89.

 

 

Jamaican-born British Marxist sociologist, cultural theorist, and political activist Stuart Hall died on this day 9 years ago, aged 82.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,723]

Elizabeth of York died on this day 520 years ago, aged 37.

- In 1469, Elizabeth was betrothed to George Neville (when she was three years old)- George was then four years old. This arranged marriage was called off when George's uncle Richard rebelled against King Edward IV- Elizabeth's father.

- King Henry VII chose to marry Elizabeth due to the need to weaken claims to the throne by other members of the House of York.

- Elizabeth was known to donate so much money to charity that she went into debt several times.

- Elizabeth was interested in architecture, and helped redesign Greenwich Palace in 1498.

- Elizabeth was a gambler- she would do this alongside her husband.

- Elizabeth had pet greyhounds.

- Elizabeth died on her 37th birthday due to complications from childbirth.

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On this 11 years ago in 2012 the one and only legendary American singer Whitney Houston died aged 48 as a result of drowning  in her bath while under the influence of cocaine and other drugs. Her death was ruled to be accidental. 

[Hell 1,334]

British fashion designer and couturier Alexander McQueen died on this day 13 years ago, aged 40.

 

 

 

American poet, novelist, and short story writer Sylvia Plath died on this day 60 years ago, aged 30.

 

[time 8,581]

It's 86 years since the death of (Arthur) John Priest.

Nicknamed "The Unsinkable Stoker", he survived the sinking of The Titanic (1912), the Alcantara (in combat, 1916), Britannic (sunk by a mine, 1916) and the Donegal (sunk by a torpedo, 1917) all after surviving two collisions in 1908 (Asturias) & 1911 (Olympic).

 

After the Donegal sinking, he retired from the marine, saying no-one wished to sail with him any longer.

 

He died, aged 49, from pneumonia.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,723]

Lady Jane Grey- or "Queen Jane I"- died on this day 469 years ago, aged 17.

- Jane was the great-niece of King Henry VIII, being the granddaughter of his sister Mary.

- Jane received excellent education from a young age, learning Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and reading the works of Plato.

- Jane was the chief mourner at Catherine Parr's funeral in 1548.

- King Edward VI named Jane his successor to the throne likely due to wanting to keep the monarchy Protestant- his sister Mary I was a devout Catholic.

- Jane was considered to be the Queen of England due to taking residence at the Tower of London, where monarchs lived between their accession and coronation. 

- Jane is often called the "Nine Days' Queen", but would have reigned for thirteen days if she were to be considered queen upon the moment of Edward VI's death.

- Jane was deposed in a coup by supporters of Princess Mary. Parliament delegitimized her reign in September of 1553, calling her a usurper (despite her cousin lawfully declaring her his heir under the Third Succession Act of 1543).

- Despite being found guilty of high treason and executed, the English ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire wrote to Emperor Charles V that Jane would be spared.

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6 hours ago, Drewsky1211 said:

Lady Jane Grey- or "Queen Jane I"

 

She would only be "Queen Jane I" if and when there is another Queen Jane. Same as we don't speak of Queen Anne I or Queen Victoria I. 

It is a shame that we haven't got Queen Anne II though. 

[time 8,581]

It's 38 years since the death of Nicholas Colosanto, actor & director, best known as 'Coach' Ernie Pantusso in Cheers.

 

He was diagnosed with heart disease in his 50s, exacerbated by 20 years of alcoholism, following which he gave up drinking, joining Alcoholics Anonymous. It became difficult to secure work owing to his declining health (his last film role being Tommy Como in 1980's Raging Bull), and he was contemplating retirement before being offered the role of Coach in Cheers. He appeared in 70 episodes over three seasons, his last being recorded in late 1984. He was admitted to hospital shortly after Christmas 1984 with water in his lungs; shortly after his discharge he died at home from a heart attack, aged 61.

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On this day 18 years ago in 2005, american actor  Brian Kelly,  best known for his lead role as widowed father Porter Ricks  in tv series Flipper, died aged 73. 

Other film credits of his include Bladerunner, Thunder Island (1963) and The Longest hunt.

 

 

 

 

On this day 47 years ago in 1976 american actor Sal Mineo died aged 37 after he was murdered in a street robbery. 

He starred in some real iconic timeless classic Hollywood films including  James Dean movies Rebel without a cause and Giant , The Greatest story ever told, Escape from the planet of the apes with Roddy McDowall and Exodus (1960) with Paul Newman and Eva Marie  Saint. 

[Hell 1,334]

American cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip Peanuts, featuring what are probably his two best-known characters, Charlie Brown and Snoopy Charles M. Schulz died on this day 23 years ago, aged 77.

 

 

American painter and representive of Regionalism, best known for his paintings depiciting the rural American Midwest Grant Wood died on this day 81 years ago, aged 50.

 

 

American political activist who founded the LaRouche movement and its main organization the National Caucas of Labor Committees Lyndon LaRouche died on this day 4 years ago, aged 96.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,723]

Waylon Jennings died on this day 21 years ago, aged 64.

- Jennings was born as "Wayland Jennings"- his mother changed the spelling after a preacher congratulated his parents for naming him after Wayland Baptist University, and his family did not belong to that denomination. Jennings believed the new spelling to be too "corny and hillbilly", but was content with his name.

- Buddy Holly helped Jennings get his start, and Jennings traded his seat on flight with The Big Bopper. After Holly jokingly hoped that Jennings' bus would freeze up, Jenning said "I hope your ol' plane crashes!"- that was the Day the Music Died. Jennings was haunted by his words for the rest of his life and he turned to substance abuse because of the guilt he felt.

- Jennings was known for singing the theme to and being the narrator of The Dukes of Hazzard, but only physically appeared in one episode (as a guest star) in the show's final season.

- Jennings dropped out of high school, but got his GED in 1997 to set a good example for his son Shooter (actual name Waylon Jr.).

- Jennings died from Type 2 diabetes- his health took a severe turn in 2000, with him being unable to attend his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2001, and having his left foot amputated two months later.

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On this day 5 years ago in 2018 French born Danish royal Henrik Prince Consort of Denmark,  husband of the Danish monarch  Queen Margrethe,  died aged 83.