Death Anniversary Thread

[Drewsky1211 4,543]

Robert M. Pirsig died on this day 6 years ago, aged 88.

- Pirsig claimed that he had an IQ of 170, and he graduated from high school at the age of 14.

- Pirsig would earn a master's degree in journalism, and taught at several universities.

- In 1974, Pirsig published Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, a philosophical novel documenting an exaggerated motorcycle road trip he took with his son. This has since sold over five million copies.

- This was followed by 1991's Lila, a critique of objectivity within the realm of anthropology.

- Pirsig only appeared on the DeathList in 2016 at number 33- definitely one of the more niche committee picks.

[diego 1,939]

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was a French painter who died 220 years ago

[time 8,495]

Its 78 years since the death of Anton de Kom, a Surinamese resistance fighter and anti-colonialist, who campaigned for independence of Suriname from the Netherlands.

Born in 1898 in Paramaribo, he left for work in the Netherlands in 1921, where he was also active in several left-wing organisations, including independence groups. He relocated to Suriname arriving in January 1933; he was kept under careful observation by the colonialists, and was arrested in February while en-route to the governors house. Protests for his release lead to the deaths of two supporters. In May 1933 he was summarily  exiled to the Netherlands where he was frequently unemployed, and wrote a book "Wij slaven van Suriname (We Slaves of Suriname)", about the history of Suriname and slavery. Following the German invasion his works were banned.

 

A member of the resistance, he was arrested in August 1944, and imprisoned various concentration camps, being sent to work at the Heinkel factory in Germany. He died of tuberculosis, aged 47, in 1945, and was buried in a mass grave. His remains were transferred in 1960 and re-interred in the Dutch National Cemetery of Honours in Loenen, and was posthumously awarded the Dutch Resistance Medal.

 

[prussianblue 921]

34 minutes ago, diego said:

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was a French painter who died 120 years ago

 

As the outfit suggests, it was actually 220 years ago.

[diego 1,939]

27 minutes ago, prussianblue said:

 

As the outfit suggests, it was actually 220 years ago.

You are correct, typo, already edited, thanks for letting me know

[Hell 1,330]

American businesswoman Estée Lauder died on this day 19 years ago, aged 95.

 

 

American socialite and wife of the former King Edward VIII Wallis Simpson died on this day 37 years ago, aged 89.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,543]

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes died on this day 21 years ago, aged 30.

- Lopes formed a musical trio with her siblings at the age of 10, which performed gospel songs.

- Lopes moved to Atlanta in 1990 with just $750 and a keyboard. She soon answered a record producers' call looking for members to form a band with one of his clients. The group was called "2nd Nature"- but was soon renamed "TLC" after the first initials of the singers' nicknames.

- During her time with the band, Lopes was in an unhealthy relationship with NFL player Andre Rison- the breaking point was when Lopes burned his tennis shoes in their fiberglass bathtub, which damaged the structure of his house and led to her getting arrested for arson, leading to five years of probation. The two (surprisingly) eventually reconciled.

- Lopes would often have rap solos in TLC's songs, most notably in "Waterfalls", "No Scrubs", and "Creep".

- Lopes began going solo in 1998 (albeit still being a part of TLC), creating her own talent agency, and mentored the band Blaque.

- Lopes was the host of the musical competition show The Cut- which was cancelled after one season.

- Lopes died during a spiritual retreat to Honduras (in which she was filming an autobiographical documentary) when she drove off the road to avoid an oncoming vehicle.

- Her rap verse from "Waterfalls" was engraved on both her casket and gravestone:

 

[Hell 1,330]

American actress, dancer and singer during the Golden Age of Hollywood Ginger Rogers died on this day 28 years ago, aged 83.

 

 

American actor and television host Art Fleming died on this day 28 years ago, aged 70.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,543]

Lucille Ball died on this day 34 years ago, aged 77.

- One of Ball's earliest jobs was as a cigarette girl for Chesterfield cigarettes.

- Ball would use the stage name "Diane Belmont" early in her acting career.

- Among Ball's earliest roles were in shorts for the Three Stooges and the Marx brothers.

- In 1940, Ball met Desi Arnaz on set of her film Too Many Girls. The two married later that year.

- I Love Lucy was based on a radio show Ball starred in called My Favorite Husband.

- Ball would continually remain on television after the end of I Love Lucy in 1957, co-creating the follow-up series The Lucy Show in 1962, and starring in Here's Lucy (1968-1974) and Life With Lucy (1986).

- Ball's final public appearance was at the 61st Academy Awards, in which she was given a standing ovation:

- Ball suffered a heart attack in 1988, and died from an abdominal aortic aneurysm ten months later.

[time 8,495]

Its 39 years since the death of John Livesey Eccles, better known as composer Barry Gray.

 

He's chiefly known for his collaborations with Gerry Anderson, writing scores for his "Supermarionation" puppet series, as well as the 'live action' film  Doppelgänger and series' UFO & Space 1999. Outside of the Century 21 studio, he also composed for the 1960s Doctor Who films (starring Peter Cushing), and later in life tried his hand (unsuccessfully) at sitcom themes.

 

He died suddenly in hospital, aged 75.

 

 

[Hell 1,330]

American country musician, singer, and songwriter George Jones died on this day 10 years ago, aged 81.

 

 

American stage actor who assassinated United States President Abraham Lincoln John Wilkes Booth died on this day 158 years ago, aged 26.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,543]

Zebulon Pike died on this day 210 years ago, aged 34.

- Pike was a soldier who in 1805 was sent on an expedition to find the source of the Mississippi River (shortly after the Louisiana Purchase). Among other tasks he was assigned were to expel Canadian fur traders within US borders.

- Pike came across a Sioux settlement upon reaching the point where the Mississippi and Minnesota (then St. Peters) Rivers met. He made them sign a treaty- which he was not authorized to do- that would allow the US to build military bases on their land.

- Pike and his group reached the trading post in February of 1806, but did not expel the traders- he simply informed them that they were in American territory and that they were to abide by American laws.

- Pike returned to St. Louis, Missouri, in April, and was immediately tasked with finding the sources of the Arkansas and Red Rivers- this ended up being a reconnaissance mission assessing whether to take New Mexico from Spain (which ultimately did not happen- until 1846). He left in July.

- In November of 1806, Pike and his men explored an uncharted mountain in what is now Colorado. While they did not reach the summit, the mountain was named after him (Pikes Peak).

- Pike and his men stationed in what is now southern Colorado, then Mexican territory. Spanish authorities captured them in February 1807, releasing them in Louisiana in July.

- Pike was killed while serving in the War of 1812 during the Battle of York (now Toronto), when he was struck by debris after British troops destroyed their fort's ammunition building.

[diego 1,939]

Isidore of Kiev died 560 years ago, he was a Byzantine cardinal, metropolitan of Kiev, as well as a humanist and theologian, a follower of the Ruthenian rite. He was one of the main Eastern advocates of the meeting of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church at the Council of Florence.

[diego 1,939]

It's been 30 years since all members of the Zambian national football team lost their lives in a plane crash in Libreville, Gabon, en route to Dakar, Senegal, to play a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Senegal

[Hell 1,330]

Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary who served as the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957 Kwame Nkrumah died on this day 51 years ago, aged 62.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,543]

Benito Mussolini died on this day 78 years ago, aged 61.

(this goofy expression is cropped from one of his speeches)

 

- Early on, Mussolini was a socialist (like his father); he eventually turned to nationalism, which laid the groundwork for his fascist ideology.

- Mussolini (like many dictators) was known for his charisma that convinced people to follow his ideas. In 1922, 30,000 of them (called "Blackshirts") descended upon Rome after Mussolini threatened king Victor Emmanuel to give him control of the government- the king catered to his demands.

- Mussolini was an atheist who converted to Catholicism due to needing the Vatican as an ally.

- Mussolini brought Italy into World War II in June of 1940, allying with Nazi Germany against Britain and France. Mussolini would order the invasion of British Egypt (through Italian Libya), and he would also invade many of the Balkan countries.

- Within Italy, supporters of the king and Mussolini would end up fighting each other, which led to a civil war in 1943.

- Once Allied troops entered Italy from the north, Mussolini and his wife attempted to escape to neutral Switzerland, where they would then fly to Francoist Spain. They would soon be captured by partisans. They would be shot dead by the partisans the following day, and their bodies would be taken to Milan, where they would be hung by their ankles (in order to get the fascists to stop fighting the civil war).

- In 2019, actor Jim Carrey painted a picture of Mussolini's corpse, leading to his granddaughter Alessandra (currently a member of the European Parliament) to have this reaction:

- Mussolini's great-grandson (Alessandra's son) Romano currently plays for Lazio FC, and has been given the nickname "Mussolini Jr."

[John "요한" Sulu 407]

On this day 2 years ago, American astronaut Michael Collins, who was the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 moon mission, passed away at the age of 90.

[MariNisia 4,047]

On 22/04/2023 at 15:51, diego said:

It's already the second time you talk to me using words in Spanish, the language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese, a very common mistake that Americans make.

 

My husband is Portuguese and my stepfather is Spanish.

Funny conversations between them. 

[diego 1,939]

1 hour ago, MariNisia said:

 

O meu marido é português e o meu padrasto é espanhol.

Conversas engraçadas entre eles. 

I imagine, hahaha

[Summer in Transylvania 2,003]

16 hours ago, Drewsky1211 said:

Benito Mussolini died on this day 78 years ago, aged 61.

Another interesting fact is that he was obsessed with Hitler, and as a result was forced to make multiple official announcements denying this. It didn't stop him being caught on camera, eager to make a good first impression on the dictator during his first visit to Italy, offering to buy Hitler ice cream when they had some spare time. An embarrassed Mussolini quickly "corrected" himself when Hitler expressed no interest in the matter, claiming that he was complimenting his "eyes green". 

[Hell 1,330]

English football player and manager Alf Ramsey died on this day 24 years ago, aged 79.

 

 

Spanish comedian and actor El Risitas died on this day 2 years ago, aged 65.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,543]

Bob Hoskins died on this day 9 years ago, aged 71.

- Hoskins' breakout role was as Harold Shand in 1980's The Long Good Friday, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. He would be further nominated for The Honorary Consul (as Colonel Perez), and won one as George in 1986's Mona Lisa.

- In 1988, Hoskins starred in Who Framed Roger Rabbit as Eddie Valiant (above), in which he was nominated for a Saturn Award.

- Hoskins stated that his worst role was as Mario in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie: "It was a fuckin' nightmare. The whole experience was a nightmare. It had a husband-and-wife team directing, whose arrogance had been mistaken for talent. After so many weeks their own agent told them to get off the set! Fuckin' nightmare. Fuckin' idiots."

- While he wasn't nominated for any Razzies for the first Mario movie, he was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor in 2006 for his role as Odin in Son of the Mask:

 

 

- Besides these roles, he was also known for Mr. Smee in Hook, Boris the goose in Balto, J. Edgar Hoover in Nixon, and Mr. Fezziwig in the 2009 motion-capture A Christmas Carol.

- Hoskins' final role was as Muir in Snow White and the Huntsman in 2012- that year, he announced his retirement, as he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease the previous year. Hoskins died from a bout of pneumonia (not sure if it was related to the disease).

[MariNisia 4,047]

13 hours ago, Hell said:

Spanish comedian and actor El Risitas died on this day 2 years ago, aged 65.

 

 

He was not an actor or comedian.

It's a total insult to the dedicated professionals.

His life was very sad.

He was nearly illiterate and he couldn't even write his name.

He was a poor indigent, whose infectious laughter brought him global fame, and whose body was not claimed by family members or friends after his death.

[En Passant 3,581]

12 minutes ago, MariNisia said:

It's a total insult to the dedicated professionals

 

I don't see why, not least because -

 

12 minutes ago, MariNisia said:

His life was very sad.

 

And

 

13 minutes ago, MariNisia said:

He was a poor indigent, whose infectious laughter brought him global fame

 

Had he ever claimed to have missed out on an Oscar or Perrier Award that might just be an insult to someone with a very thin skin but since he didn't I don't see how it is.

He's just some bloke whose uncontrolled laughter became a 15 minute internet meme.

[time 8,495]

8 hours ago, Drewsky1211 said:

Bob Hoskins died on this day 9 years ago, aged 71.

- Hoskins' breakout role was as Harold Shand in 1980's The Long Good Friday, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. /snip

While this was the part that established him as a film actor, his actual breakout role was as Arthur Parker in the BBC's adaptation of Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven.