Obituaries for 2021

[Gefn]

Larry King is breaking on every news channel and wire.

I saw Gregory Sierra passed last night. Rest In Peace, Chano. I wish you were on more seasons of “Barney Miller” than two.

RIP also Larry King. I hope they’ll let you wear your trademark  suspenders in Heaven.

[Smokin Joe]

Very sad news this morning.

My son Jonathan's captain when he was in Iraq died yesterday.

He was a police Sgt with the Kenosha Police Dept...he was a tactical officer very involved in the Kenosha demonstrations a few months ago...

Trevor...was snowmobiling with is brother in Wis when he took a sharp turn and went straight into a tree..

He was a wonderful person..I used to send him care packages when he was in Iraq...please pray for his family..he leaves a wife and 2 very young children...

My son is having a very hard time with this as they were close friends.

Prayers up for his friends and family, and especially your son.

[Lando Lincoln]

Very sad news this morning.

My son Jonathan's captain when he was in Iraq died yesterday.

He was a police Sgt with the Kenosha Police Dept...he was a tactical officer very involved in the Kenosha demonstrations a few months ago...

Trevor...was snowmobiling with is brother in Wis when he took a sharp turn and went straight into a tree..

He was a wonderful person..I used to send him care packages when he was in Iraq...please pray for his family..he leaves a wife and 2 very young children...

My son is having a very hard time with this as they were close friends.

Oh, that is terrible news.  Prayers for all. 

[mystery-ak]

Oh, that is terrible news.  Prayers for all.

Today is his funeral. They are live streaming it on youtube because of the crowd.

[Lando Lincoln]

Today is his funeral. They are live streaming it on youtube because of the crowd.

So tragic.  Dang. 

[Gefn]

Bruce Kirby, Character Actor in ‘Columbo’ and ‘L.A. Law,’ Dies at 95

Bruce Kirby, a character actor best known for his roles in “Columbo” and “Stand by Me,” died in Los Angeles on Sunday. He was 95.

Kirby’s son, John Kirby, announced the news on Facebook on Monday.

“Thank you Dad for everything you taught me about acting and how to have such a strong work ethic while sharing your love for the arts and the craft of it all,” John wrote. “I will miss you & love you always. I’m glad you’re up there with Bruno and so many of our loved ones.”

Kirby, born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, began his career at the Actor’s Studio in New York and studied under the famed acting coach Lee Strasberg. He debuted on stage in the 1950s and then launched a steady career in television primarily playing smaller roles as unimposing law enforcement figures.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/obituaries-people-news/bruce-kirby-dead-columbo-bruno-kirby-father-1234892476/?share=twitter

[Gefn]

Bruce Kirby, Character Actor in ‘Columbo’ and ‘L.A. Law,’ Dies at 95




https://variety.com/2021/tv/obituaries-people-news/bruce-kirby-dead-columbo-bruno-kirby-father-1234892476/?share=twitter

One of those actors, along with his son who was in a lot of films and television but you can’t recall the name, but recognize the face. I do recall him from “Columbo”. RIP.

[Ghost Bear]

This is more of a local story than a national one, but may be of interest as a sign of how a way of life is passing away.

James M. White, founder of Austin dance hall Broken Spoke, dies at 81

AUSTIN, Texas - A legend in the Austin music scene has died.

James M. White, the owner of the Broken Spoke, has passed away at the age of 81. White had recently undergone surgery for a leaky heart valve, according to the dance hall's Facebook page.

"He had a dream actually dreamed of the Broken Spoke. He wanted a place where people can go dance, have a good time, and listen to kind of music he loved which was a Honky Tonk," said Texas Musician Dale Watson.

Excerpted, much more at the link: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/james-m-white-founder-of-austin-dance-hall-broken-spoke-dies-at-81

[GrouchoTex]

This is more of a local story than a national one, but may be of interest as a sign of how a way of life is passing away.

James M. White, founder of Austin dance hall Broken Spoke, dies at 81

AUSTIN, Texas - A legend in the Austin music scene has died.

James M. White, the owner of the Broken Spoke, has passed away at the age of 81. White had recently undergone surgery for a leaky heart valve, according to the dance hall's Facebook page.

"He had a dream actually dreamed of the Broken Spoke. He wanted a place where people can go dance, have a good time, and listen to kind of music he loved which was a Honky Tonk," said Texas Musician Dale Watson.

Excerpted, much more at the link: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/james-m-white-founder-of-austin-dance-hall-broken-spoke-dies-at-81

He would get up on stage and sing with the bands that played there.
Also there was that part of the Broken Spoke where a bus crashed into it, where they had the bus crash corner.

[Ghost Bear]

He would get up on stage and sing with the bands that played there.
Also there was that part of the Broken Spoke where a bus crashed into it, where they had the bus crash corner.

That was the Geezinslaw bus! Sammy Allred, co-founder of country comedy act The Geezinslaw Brothers, had to explain that one on the morning radio show he co-hosted with Bob Cole on KVET-FM at the time. Apparently the driver (who may have been Sammy himself...) had the bus in reverse when he thought it was in drive (or vice-versa, it happened in 2005 and I'm relying on my imperfect memory), and when he hit the gas pedal the bus went through the wall before he could stop it.  Part of the lore of "old Austin" that is fading away more every year.

[Gefn]

Cloris Leachman Dead at 94

Cloris Leachman -- the incredibly talented and hilarious actress and comedian, who starred in some of the biggest movies and TV shows ever -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Leachman passed away of natural causes Tuesday night at her home in Encinitas, California, with her daughter, Dinah, by her side ... this according to her son.

He tells us ... "She had the best life beginning to end that you could wish for someone." He adds that she was at peace, and "she left everyone with a lot of love."

https://www.tmz.com/2021/01/27/cloris-leachman-dead-dies-94/

Breaking

[Gefn]

Cloris Leachman Dead at 94


https://www.tmz.com/2021/01/27/cloris-leachman-dead-dies-94/

Breaking

RIP Phyllis, and the mom in one of the best episodes of the original “Twilight Zone”, “It’s a Good Life”
(The episode with the cornfield and the Jack in the box )

[jmyrlefuller]

Blücher!

[mountaineer]

Blücher!

She was so good.

[Fishrrman]

"Cloris Leachman Dead at 94"

R.I.P.
I liked her best as "the coach's wife" in The Last Picture Show...

[mountaineer]

Mel Brooks  @MelBrooks
·
15h
Such sad news—Cloris was insanely talented. She could make you laugh or cry at the drop of a hat. Always such a pleasure to have on set. Every time I hear a horse whinny I will forever think of Cloris’ unforgettable Frau Blücher. She is irreplaceable, and will be greatly missed.

[GrouchoTex]

That was the Geezinslaw bus! Sammy Allred, co-founder of country comedy act The Geezinslaw Brothers, had to explain that one on the morning radio show he co-hosted with Bob Cole on KVET-FM at the time. Apparently the driver (who may have been Sammy himself...) had the bus in reverse when he thought it was in drive (or vice-versa, it happened in 2005 and I'm relying on my imperfect memory), and when he hit the gas pedal the bus went through the wall before he could stop it.  Part of the lore of "old Austin" that is fading away more every year.

I remember the Geezinslaw Brothers doing Lone Star Beer commercials.

[mountaineer]

Cicely Tyson, iconic award-winning actress, has died at 96
By Peter Martinez
January 29, 2021 / 6:47 AM / CBS News

Cicely Tyson, the award-winning actress who trailblazed a career across several decades and appeared in countless TV shows, films and Broadway plays, died Thursday at age 96, according to her manager. Tyson's role as a sharecropper's wife in the film "Sounder" landed her an Oscar nomination in 1973. ...

Tyson, who first entered the spotlight as a model, was well-known across the entertainment industry, earning two Emmy Awards — best lead actress in a drama and best actress in a special — for her role as a former slave in the 1974 TV drama "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman." In a defining moment of the film, Pittman walks up and drinks from the whites-only water fountain. ...

More from CBS

[GtHawk]

Mel Brooks  @MelBrooks
·
15h
Such sad news—Cloris was insanely talented. She could make you laugh or cry at the drop of a hat. Always such a pleasure to have on set. Every time I hear a horse whinny I will forever think of Cloris’ unforgettable Frau Blücher. She is irreplaceable, and will be greatly missed.

Maybe be more careful with your composition, first thing I saw was Mel Brooks and thought oh no not Mel too!

[mountaineer]

John Chaney, Longtime Temple Coach and Hall of Famer, dies at 89
January 29, 2021
Updated 2:31 PM EST

Former Temple coach and Hall of Famer John Chaney has died, The Athletic's Dana O'Neil confirmed. He was 89 years old.

Chaney coached Temple for 24 years, guiding the Owls to 23 winning seasons, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances and five Elite Eights. He won 516 games as Owls coach from 1982-2006, taking the job after 10 seasons at Division II Cheyney State.

He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.

Chaney's Temple teams won eight Atlantic-10 regular-season titles and six conference tournaments. He won the Henry Iba Award, given to college basketball's coach of the year, in 1987 and 1988. ...

The Athletic

[verga]

 

[Gefn]

Dustin Diamond, Saved by the Bell’s ‘Screech,’ Dead at 44

Dustin Diamond, who portrayed lovable nerd Samuel “Screech” Powers across four incarnations of Saved by the Bell from 1988 to 2000, died Monday after a three-week battle with carcinoma. He was 44. Diamond’s agent, Roger Paul, confirmed the actor’s death to Rolling Stone.

“He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago,” Paul said in a statement. “In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution. Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.

“Dustin Diamond was a character in and of himself: an unpredictable spitfire who always left us shocked, but never left us bored,” Paul added. “We please ask that you give room for privacy to our team and Mr. Diamond’s family during this tragic time, as we grieve and remember the memories spent together. This loss is as much stinging as it is sudden.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/dustin-diamond-screech-dead-1121958/

[mountaineer]

Hal Holbrook, actor known for amazingly accurate portrayal of Mark Twain, dies at 95
Dennis McLellan
Updated Tue, February 2, 2021, 3:30 AM

Hal Holbrook, the actor best known for his amazingly accurate portrayal of Mark Twain in the renowned one-man show he performed on stages for more than five decades, has died. He was 95.

Holbrook's former wife Carol Rossen confirmed his death. The New York Times said he died Jan. 23 at his home in Beverly Hills.

Holbrook's Tony Award-winning Twain re-creation on Broadway in 1966 was part of an acting career that spanned stage, movies and television. He first encountered Twain when he portrayed the legendary author and humorist in a two-person sketch that was part of a multi-character revue Holbrook and his first wife took on a high school assembly tour of the Southwest in the late 1940s. ...

On television, he won Emmy Awards for his 1970-`71 dramatic series, “The Senator,” the 1973 TV movie “Pueblo” (for which he won Emmys for actor of the year — special, and best lead actor in a drama) and the 1974 miniseries “Sandburg's Lincoln.”

He also earned an Emmy nomination for his role in “That Certain Summer,” a landmark 1972 TV movie about a divorced homosexual father; he had a recurring role as Julia Sugarbaker's love interest on the sitcom “Designing Women,” which starred his third wife, Dixie Carter, as Sugarbaker; and he played Burt Reynolds' cantankerous father-in-law on “Evening Shade.”

Among his film credits are “The Group,” “Magnum Force,” “Julia,” “Wall Street,” “The Firm” and “The Majestic.” ... L. A. Times via Yahoo News

[skeeter]

A very good actor. And someone I would've thought died thirty years ago - he was always pretty frail looking.

[verga]

Hal Holbrook, actor known for amazingly accurate portrayal of Mark Twain, dies at 95

RIP, great actor. I won't comment on his choice in wives.