Obituaries for 2020

[mountaineer]

ESPN aired a documentary on him. What a brave young man.

[verga]

Travis Roy, Who Inspired Others After Life-Altering Hockey Injury At BU, Dies At 45
October 29, 2020 at 6:59 pm

BOSTON (CBS) – Travis Roy, who was paralyzed during his first shift with the Boston University hockey team and went on to raise money for those living with spinal cord injuries, died Thursday.

Roy was paralyzed from the neck down Just 11 seconds into his freshman debut with the team at Walter Brown Arena on Oct. 20, 1995.

While the accident changed his life forever, Roy decided to focus his efforts on helping others with spinal cord injuries as an activist and spokesman. ...


Full story at WBZ, Boston

Very inspiring

[Gefn]

It’s just breaking now, but Sir Sean Connery has died.

 

RIP James Bond.

[Smokin Joe]

It’s just breaking now, but Sir Sean Connery has died.

 

RIP James Bond.

RIP, indeed, and not just James Bond, but the dozens of other roles he played as well...(One ping only...)

[Gefn]

Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90

Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90, his family has said.

The Scottish actor was best known for his portrayal of James Bond, being the first to bring the role to the big screen and appearing in seven of the spy thrillers.

Sir Sean died overnight in his sleep, while in the Bahamas. It is understood he had been unwell for some time.

His acting career spanned decades and his many awards included an Oscar, two Bafta awards and three Golden Globes.

Sir Sean's other films included The Hunt for Red October, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Rock.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54761824

[Gefn]

RIP, indeed, and not just James Bond, but the dozens of other roles he played as well...(One ping only...)

Oh of course. He was a great actor and had an incredible career.

He will live forever on film, like all movie stars do. That’s a pretty good legacy. Imho.

[bigheadfred]

Sir Sean died overnight in his sleep, while in the Bahamas.

Good actor.  RIP

[skeeter]

It’s just breaking now, but Sir Sean Connery has died.

 

RIP James Bond.

He was an acting icon if ever there was one.

[mountaineer]

RIP to the actor and former @RoyalNavy Sailor, Sir Sean Connery, who has died aged 90. He served in the RN
before becoming one of its most famous fictional commanders, James Bond.


Source: https://twitter.com/OnthisdayRN/status/1322518968800870404/photo/2

[Applewood]

Sean Connery will always be THE James Bond to me.  Nothing against all the other actors in that role.  It's just that for me Connery defined James Bond and no one else would ever live up to him as Bond.

Best non-Bond movie performance IMO was in The Untouchables and oddly,  I really didn't like that movie. Maybe it was because I loved the old TV series and this interpretation was nothing like it.  But even in this turkey of a movie, Connery shined.  It's a mark of a really good actor -- being able to give a stellar performance in an otherwise lousy movie.

Rest in peace, Sir Sean.

[berdie]

I would have paid to listen to him read the phone book. Great voice.

And a fine actor.

[goatprairie]

Connery was one of the few tough guy actors who was almost as tough in real life as the people he depicted on the screen.
As a young man Connery got a reputation among the gangs of Edinburgh as being  a "hard man" after dispatching a few supposedly tough gang members with his fists.
As a young actor he punched out mobster tough guy Johnny Stompanato who was annoying Lana Turner in Connery's presence. He had to leave America after doing that.
The greatest Bond ever.

[Applewood]

Connery was one of the few tough guy actors who was almost as tough in real life as the people he depicted on the screen.
As a young man Connery got a reputation among the gangs of Edinburgh as being  a "hard man" after dispatching a few supposedly tough gang members with his fists.
As a young actor he punched out mobster tough guy Johnny Stompanato who was annoying Lana Turner in Connery's presence. He had to leave America after doing that.
The greatest Bond ever.

About Stompanato and Turner:  The story goes that Stompanato thought Turner and Connery were having an affair; so he came to the set where the two actors were working and pointed a gun at Connery.  Connery disarmed him and knocked him out.  Stompanato was then barred from the set, but afterwards, Connery received death threats from individuals linked to Stompanato's boss, Mickey Cohen.  So that I guess is when Connery had to leave the US and lie low for a while.

[catfish1957]

I would have paid to listen to him read the phone book. Great voice.

And a fine actor.

Surprised so many took the chance afterwards to play Bond.  Losing proposition, he was the Gold Standard.

[EasyAce]

RIP.

[libertybele]

"Time flies; I didn't realize that he was that old -- he was the original James Bond and IMHO the best!  RIP

Sean Connery, Scottish actor who played James Bond in 7 movies, dead at 90

[Fishrrman]

RIP Mr. Connery.

The film I enjoyed him in most (admittedly, I haven't seen them all, and I never was a big fan of the Bond films) was "The Hunt For Red October".

The Daily Mail had a good article with a lot of pics:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8900201/James-Bond-actor-Sir-Sean-Connery-dies-aged-90.html

Someone over at TOS put up a nice post with pics from his films, early-to-later:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3900240/posts

[Free Vulcan]

RIP, indeed, and not just James Bond, but the dozens of other roles he played as well...(One ping only...)

One of the greatest movies ever made IMO.

[jafo2010]

Sean Connery was a great actor.  I liked him in everything he did.

My favorite by him was The Russia House.  Great role for him.  He was great with Michele Pfeiffer.

I also thought he was great in The Hunt for Red October and Medicine Man.

I thought his best Bond movie was the last, Never Say Never Again

[Gefn]

Alex Trebeck has died

[EasyAce]

The answer is: It's times like this when social media needs dislike buttons. The correct question: What is the death of Alex Trebek? He hosted a genuinely classic game, and he fought an insidious killer with courage. Lord, escort him gently to the Elysian Fields.

[Gefn]

Alex Trebek, beloved 'Jeopardy!' host, dies after cancer battle at age 80

Longtime "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek, adored by generations of trivia mavens who instinctively shout out questions to answers, died on Sunday following his battle with cancer.

The official "Jeopardy!" Twitter account confirmed the news. He was 80.

Trebek stunned fans of the high-minded game show last year, announcing he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alex-trebek-beloved-jeopardy-host-dies-after-cancer-battle-age-n990066

[Gefn]

I’m so bummed but I guess I’ll take “ I know who just  got into heaven for 400”

 

[Idiot]

Alex Trebeck has died

OH NO!  I've watched him for years.  He's a great guy...he'll be missed.

[Applewood]

Trebek was a fighter.  I will always admire him for that. 

May he rest in peace and may his family, friends and fans find comfort.

[dfwgator]

I’m so bummed but I guess I’ll take “ I know who just  got into heaven for 400”

 

"Nice of you to join me, Trebek!"

[Fishrrman]

I'll take Rest in Peace and Godspeed for $2,000, Alex.

He looked to be doing well enough right up through the most recent episodes just this Friday (which I presume are recorded a few months' ahead of time).

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have become the only things I'll turn on the tv for for the last few years. No matter who is found to replace him (if they continue the show), it will just never seem the same.

A short time back, within the last couple of weeks, there was a Jeopardy! topic with clues hosted by Ken Jennings. After the category was finished, Alex faked a look back over his shoulder with a quip about his space being filled. Perhaps he knew his time was growing short.

"All the Daily Doubles are done".

[berdie]

He fought a good fight. I'll miss him greatly.

[Cyber Liberty]

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have become the only things I'll turn on the tv for for the last few years. No matter who is found to replace him (if they continue the show), it will just never seem the same.

They said the same thing about Art Fleming.   

[Fishrrman]

https://www.tmz.com/2020/11/08/alex-trebek-jeopardy-host-dead-dies-stage-4-pancreatic-cancer/

ALEX TREBEK
DEAD AT 80

Photo gallery (30 images):
https://www.tmz.com/photos/2011/08/11/3896-alex-trebek-the-man-behind-the-moustache/

The TV icon had been battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer since announcing the news back in March 2019. He immediately started chemo after the diagnosis but made no plans to retire and continued hosting his game show ... as impressively as ever.

Trebek powered through for a full year -- despite what he called "massive attacks of great depression that made me wonder if it was really worth fighting on" -- because he said he realized giving up on life would be a betrayal to his wife, God and other cancer patients.

He pointed out the odds of surviving a second year with pancreatic cancer were just 7 percent, but he hoped he'd be able to celebrate that milestone too. Sadly, he took a turn for the worse.

Alex continued to host "Jeopardy!" ... recently beginning his 37th season, and earlier this year, he shot the epic 'Greatest of All Time' tournament on prime-time television.

Ken Jennings, who won that 'G.O.A.T.' tournament reacted to Alex's passing, saying, "Alex wasn't just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deep decent man, and I'm grateful for every minute I got to spend with him."

Ken's competitor James Holzhauer added, "It was one of the great privileges of my life to spend time with this courageous man while he fought the battle of his life. You will never be replaced in our hearts, Alex."

"Jeopardy!" says Alex hosted episodes will air through December 25th. His last day taping in the studio was October 29.

The shows executive producer, Mike Richards, says, "Working beside him for the past year and a half as he heroically continued to host "Jeopardy!" was an incredible honor. His belief in the importance of the show and his willingness to push himself to perform at the highest level was the most inspiring demonstration of courage I have ever seen."

More at URL above...

[jmyrlefuller]

For those wondering... they have enough episodes to run through Christmas (his last episodes were taped last week). It's going to be awkward watching to see if he declines.

[catfish1957]

Alex Trebeck has died

Geez, what a week..

[jmyrlefuller]

They said the same thing about Art Fleming.   

And Fleming agreed: he liked Trebek as host, but he didn't like the modern game (he thought the questions were too easy—and seeing some of the early episodes from the 80s, I can see his point, but I think it's tougher now—and he hated the Hollywood glitz).

Fleming's Jeopardy! was a parlor game with a genial host in Fleming. Trebek's was a high-tech quiz with an intellectual newsman at the helm. Both were good in their own ways.

I'll also note that Trebek was one of the old-school newsmen before he got into game shows: he wasn't biased or agenda-driven.

[PeteS in CA]

OH NO!  I've watched him for years.  He's a great guy...he'll be missed.

The original Jeopardy! with Art Fleming ran nearly 11 years, and I do remember that version (Fleming also hosted a revival attempt in the late 70s that only lasted about 6 months). But with 36+ years, Trebek probably refined the show host role for the show, and possibly the style range for game shows generally. I don't know if he was smart enough to be a contestant, but he was smart and very genial in relating to the contestants.

The show traditionally had a new intro every year, and when I saw that the current season's opener was like a slide show that included pix from across the Trebek era's history I started wondering ... and when they had Ken Jennings doing some guesty stuff ... I wondered if it was foreshadowing.

[Cyber Liberty]

And Fleming agreed: he liked Trebek as host, but he didn't like the modern game (he thought the questions were too easy—and seeing some of the early episodes from the 80s, I can see his point, but I think it's tougher now—and he hated the Hollywood glitz).

Fleming's Jeopardy! was a parlor game with a genial host in Fleming. Trebek's was a high-tech quiz with an intellectual newsman at the helm. Both were good in their own ways.

I'll also note that Trebek was one of the old-school newsmen before he got into game shows: he wasn't biased or agenda-driven.

Yes, Trebek got away with it because he changed the parameters to blaze his own trail.  Truly a remarkable man.

[EasyAce]

ICYMI: This was Art Fleming's own Jeopardy! farewell. Ignore the jerk who posted it and called Alex Trebek, erroneously, a pompous ass . . .

Jeopardy! with Art Fleming, 3 January 1975

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

[berdie]

I've been watching this show since Art Fleming. But Alex has been more prominent.

I truly hope they give KenJen the gig. I think he would be good at it...and he's young enough for us Jeop addicts to get really attached him. Although I must admit, I already have a strong attachment to the guy.

[Smokin Joe]

Who was the best game show host, ever?

(What did I win?)

R.I.P. Mr Trebek, and thanks.

[goatprairie]

I'll take Rest in Peace and Godspeed for $2,000, Alex.

He looked to be doing well enough right up through the most recent episodes just this Friday (which I presume are recorded a few months' ahead of time).

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have become the only things I'll turn on the tv for for the last few years. No matter who is found to replace him (if they continue the show), it will just never seem the same.

A short time back, within the last couple of weeks, there was a Jeopardy! topic with clues hosted by Ken Jennings. After the category was finished, Alex faked a look back over his shoulder with a quip about his space being filled. Perhaps he knew his time was growing short.

"All the Daily Doubles are done".

If that a**wipe Jennings is the new host, the wife and I are done with Jeopardy.

[goatprairie]

And Fleming agreed: he liked Trebek as host, but he didn't like the modern game (he thought the questions were too easy—and seeing some of the early episodes from the 80s, I can see his point, but I think it's tougher now—and he hated the Hollywood glitz).

Fleming's Jeopardy! was a parlor game with a genial host in Fleming. Trebek's was a high-tech quiz with an intellectual newsman at the helm. Both were good in their own ways.

I'll also note that Trebek was one of the old-school newsmen before he got into game shows: he wasn't biased or agenda-driven.

I know one thing...if I ever got on the show, I'd bone up on Shakespeare pretty heavy. But I'd get killed on modern pop culture. Don't watch modern tv shows, don't listen to modern music, and rarely watch any modern movies. 1985 is about as modern as I get. Anything newer than 30 years is lost on me.

[sneakypete]

Who was the best game show host, ever?

(What did I win?)

R.I.P. Mr Trebek, and thanks.

@Smokin Joe

No insult to Trebek intended,but the answer to that one is Groucho Marx. Nobody else even came close.

[Cyber Liberty]

@Smokin Joe

No insult to Trebek intended,but the answer to that one is Groucho Marx. Nobody else even came close.

You bet your life!

[jmyrlefuller]

I've been watching this show since Art Fleming. But Alex has been more prominent.

I truly hope they give KenJen the gig. I think he would be good at it...and he's young enough for us Jeop addicts to get really attached him. Although I must admit, I already have a strong attachment to the guy.

I think Jennings's politics (he's, somewhat surprisingly given that he's a Utah Mormon, a pretty hardcore liberal) might be a problem, but he does have the knowledge and the charisma to do the job well.

[Gefn]

You bet your life!

Umm. Where’s the duck? @Cyber Liberty
@sneakypete

I’m just teasing

Edit: changed to duck

[sneakypete]

I think Jennings's politics (he's, somewhat surprisingly given that he's a Utah Mormon, a pretty hardcore liberal) might be a problem, but he does have the knowledge and the charisma to do the job well.

@jmyrlefuller

Why is that surprising?

Ever heard of a guy named Mitch Romney?

[EasyAce]

Umm. Where’s the duck? @Cyber Liberty
@sneakypete

I’m just teasing

Edit: changed to duck

@Gefn

Welcome to You Bet Your Life. Say the secret word and divide $100, it's a common word, something you see every day . . .

[Fishrrman]

goat wrote:
"But I'd get killed on modern pop culture. Don't watch modern tv shows, don't listen to modern music, and rarely watch any modern movies. 1985 is about as modern as I get. Anything newer than 30 years is lost on me."

I would be the same.
Whenever there are categories like that, I'm totally lost.

[Fishrrman]

https://thefederalist.com/2020/11/08/with-alex-trebek-we-say-goodbye-to-an-era-in-television/

With Alex Trebek, We Say Goodbye To An Era In Television
By Christopher Jacobs

The audience takes its seats, members murmuring amongst themselves. Some comment on how the soundstage looks smaller in person than on the small screen, an optical illusion caused by wide-angle lenses. Others note the set’s cool temperatures, intended to offset the stage lights’ heat. As the production staff provide information and instructions about what they are about to see, the guests just take it all in.

Preliminaries concluded—audience briefed, crew in position—the theme music starts, the lights come up, and the cameras roll. The show’s voice for nearly two score years intones the introduction, rising with the audience’s applause to reach his crescendo:

“And now, here is the host of ‘Jeopardy!’—Alex Trebek!”

More at URL above...

Nice article by a former Jeopardy! contestant...

[Cyber Liberty]

https://thefederalist.com/2020/11/08/with-alex-trebek-we-say-goodbye-to-an-era-in-television/

The audience takes its seats, members murmuring amongst themselves. Some comment on how the soundstage looks smaller in person than on the small screen, an optical illusion caused by wide-angle lenses. Others note the set’s cool temperatures, intended to offset the stage lights’ heat. As the production staff provide information and instructions about what they are about to see, the guests just take it all in.

Preliminaries concluded—audience briefed, crew in position—the theme music starts, the lights come up, and the cameras roll. The show’s voice for nearly two score years intones the introduction, rising with the audience’s applause to reach his crescendo:

“And now, here is the host of ‘Jeopardy!’—Alex Trebek!”

More at URL above...

Nice article by a former Jeopardy! contestant...

The audience does this routine for five solid hours or more.  They'd tape 5 or more shows in one day.

[verga]

Alex Trebeck has died

Words escape me. RIP good sir.