Guess who died in 2024

[G-Fafif]

Phil Donahue, 88.

https://www.today.com/popculture/news/p ... rcna167132

[Edgy MD]

Was there a precedent for the walk-around-the-studio-and-interview-the-subject-from-the-audience show before Phil?

[MFS62]

Was there a precedent for the walk-around-the-studio-and-interview-the-subject-from-the-audience show before Phil?

Steve Allen, when he was host of the Tonight Show did it. But I'm not sure who did it first.
Later

[metirish]

Phil Donahue was great, probably an underrated interviewer? Phil Hartman as Donahue was great, too.

[Edgy MD]

Good Housekeeping and Gallup used to publish an annual list of "Most Admired Men" and "Most Admired Women," based on a survey of their readership. The list would get publicized well beyond the magazine itself and was treated as something of a cultural bellwether. I think the poll continued to about 2020, perhaps with Gallup having other partners.

From the mid-seventies to mid-eighties — roughly corresponding to the literate portion of my childhood — the top four men were always the same: the president, the pope, Phil Donahue, and Alan Alda.

The order of those four would occasionally change, but it seemed the cluster never unclustered. Reverend Billy Graham tended to be the fifth guy.

[kcmets]

I don't know if I dreamed it or whatever but for some reason I thought
that Ritchie Blackmore died yesterday. If there is not-dead-at-present-
time thread this belongs in feel free to split me...

[whippoorwill]

Geez I hope not.

[Frayed Knot]

Phil Donahue and his wife (now widow) Marlo Thomas were closer in age than I suspected. She's 86
Must have been that premature gray hair.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

This one is awful. Columbus Blue Jackets NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, hit by a car while bicycling. Both were killed.

[metirish]

Absolutely horrific, apparently they were both going to be groomsmen at their sisters wedding today in Philly ( People mag)

[MFS62]

James Darren- teen idol actor -88 - Starred in Gidget movie.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jam ... 53386.html
Later

[G-Fafif]

Sergio Mendes, 83.

[MFS62]

Sergio Mendes, 83.

There's an NFL game tonight from Brazil.
I hope there will be a tribute.

Later

[MFS62]

Will Jennings - 80 - Oscar and Grammy winning song writer (Up Where We Belong, Tears in Heaven, My Heart Will Go On)

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... 235994415/

Later

[Batty31]

James Earl Jones , 93
RIP 😞

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Cu ... d=44811603

[MFS62]

James Earl Jones , 93
RIP 😞

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Cu ... d=44811603

A magnificent voice has gone silent.
That write-up didn't mention his role as CIA director in Hunt for Red October.
RIP

Later

[Edgy MD]

I worked a job that booked JE Jones as a speaker for one of our conferences. A very sweet, very pretty, but very shy co-worker confided to a few of us know that he was a distant relation. She had been orphaned as a young girl and raised in a different part of the country from most of her family, so she had certainly never met him and had barely met any of the family members through which they were connected. We said we'd let the conference organizer know, and she forbid us from doing any such thing, dismissing the connection as probably just some family lore.

I thought that was that, but word got out, and when Mr. Jones and his handlers showed up for our evening reception, the president of the association went up to formerly welcome him, but he was interrupted midsentence by the great voice bellowing, "ONE MOMENT! FIRST THINGS FIRST!!! I UNDERSTAND I HAVE SOME KIN HEAH!!"

The president was a little stunned by hearing the actor's legendary projection up close and stammered, "Well ... yes, one of our most valued employees is Vivian Dandridge-****, from ... ."

He was interrupted again, as Darth Vader boomed, "FROM THE ALABAMA DANDRIDGES?!?! WE MISSISSIPPI FOLK! ANY CLASS WE GOT IN OUR FAMILY AT ALL, WE GOT FROM THE ALABAMA DANDRIDGES!!"

She was pushed forward and crushed into his embrace. She was very dignified, so she didn't tear up, even though some others in the room did, but don't let anybody tell you that black chicks don't blush. He continued to spend half the evening with her. I'd be surprised if they didn't correspond later. I later found out he was traumatized too by being separated from his parents as a child when he was sent to live up north with his grandparents, and while it was widely known that he had been a stammerer, he was actually mostly mute through most of his school years.

[Fman99]

Brilliant in so many iconic roles. Shout out to JEJ as the professor in the largely forgettable 80's comedy "Soul Man." Only because no one else is giving him daps for that

[MFS62]

A wonderful story.
Thanks for sharing.
Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ed Kranepool and James Earl Jones. If these things happen in threes I'm not at all clear on who should be worried.

[Frayed Knot]

Ed Kranepool and James Earl Jones. If these things happen in threes I'm not at all clear on who should be worried.

Ed 'Too Tall' Jones?

[MFS62]

Tito Jackson - 70 Singer with Jackson 5.

Later