BUCK RAM - January 1
Brilliant somgwriter/music manager who wrote songs including the WWII era hit "I'll Be Home for Christmas," and the Platters' "The Great Pretender," "Twilight Time" and "Only You," a group he also formed and ran.
Happy New Year - you're dead!
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KEYE LUKE - January 12
Played "Number one son" to Warner Oland in the Charlie Chan movie series.
He was also the self defense master to David Caradine in Kung Fu TV series.
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JOHN RUSSELL - January 19
Starred in The Lawman in the '50s, appeared in a number of Westerns,
including Rio Lobo and Pale Rider.
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JOHN MCINTIRE - January 30
Co-star of the TV series Wagon Train.
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HARRY ACKERMAN - February 3
Produced '60s TV comedies like Hazel, Bewitched, and The Flying Nun.
For almost 30 years, married to TV favorite Elinor Donahue.
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NANCY KULP - February 3
(Same day as Harry Ackerman.)
Best-known as Miss Hathaway on The Beverly Hillbillies TV series.
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DANNY THOMAS - February 6
Beloved star of Make Room For Daddy.
Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
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CHARLES DALY - February 24
An early host of What's My Line?
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GEORGE GOBEL - February 24
(Same day as Charles Daly.)
Oddball comedian.
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HOWARD ASHMAN - March 14
With Howard Menken, wrote the songs for Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.
No relation to Chuck Ashman of Metro News Metro News.
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ALDO RAY - March 27
Actor in many 1950s adventure flicks.
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NATALIE SCHAFER - April 10
Lovey on Gilligan's Island.
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DAVID LEAN - April 16
British director who shot some of the most beautifully photographed
(Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago) epic movies ever made.
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CARMINE COPPOLA - April 26
Composer who scored many movies directed by his son Francis Ford Coppolla.
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EMILY MCLAUGHLIN - April 26
(Same day as Carmine Coppola.)
Nurse Jessie on General Hospital.
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KEN CURTIS - April 28
Played Festus on Gunsmoke.
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JERZY KOSINSKI - May 3
Nutty novelist.
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WILFRID HYDE-WHITE - May 6
Col. Pickering in My Fair Lady.
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JEAN ARTHUR - June 19
Actress in many films of the 1930s and '40s,
including You Can't Take It With You.
And as can be seen by the tight pants in her westerns,
she was also decades ahead of her time in having buns of steel.
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MICHAEL LANDON - July 1
Did the sci-fi cheese classic I Was a Teenage Werewolf, then starred in the
TV shows Bonanza, Little House On The Prairie, and Highway To Heaven.)
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LEE REMICK - July 2
(Must have heard about Michael Landon the day before.)
Actress in Anatomy Of A Murder, and The Omen.
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JAMES FRANCISCUS - July 8
TV series star of Mr. Novak, and Longstreet.
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BERT CONVY - July 15
Host of TV game shows, including Win, Lose Or Draw.
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HARRY REASONER - August 6
One of the hosts of the long-running 60 Minutes new show.
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BRAD DAVIS - August 8
Star of Midnight Express.
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COLLEEN DEWHURST - August 22
Many TV shows (Murphy Brown), movies (Annie Hall),
and plays (Long Day's Journey Into Night).
(Twice married to George C. Scott,
and was Campbell's Scott's mother.)
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FRANK CAPRA - September 3
Directed many of the greatest movies of the 1930s and 1940s.
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THOMAS TRYON - September 4
Starred in The Cardinal, then retired from acting to write books like The Other.
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DOTTIE WEST - September 4
(Same day as Tryon.)
Generic country singer. Word has it that she may have
been eaten alive by one of her own horrible hick outfits.
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THEODORE "DR. SEUSS" GEISEL - September 24
Kreator of kids' klassics that were kinda kooky.
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MILES DAVIS - September 28
Trumpet player and composer who defined modern jazz itself.
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REDD FOXX - October 8
Star of Sanford And Son.
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TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD - October 17
Classic corn pone comedian. Well, bless his little pea-pickin' heart.
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GENE RODDENBERRY - October 24
Visionary producer and writer of Star Trek.
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IRWIN ALLEN - November 2
Did TV sci-fi and theatrical disaster flicks, like the Poseidon Adventure.
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FRED MACMURRAY - November 5
Star of films including Double Indemnity, and TV shows
including My Three Sons. (Married to June Haver.)
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GENE TIERNEY - November 6
Beautiful actress who starred in many 1940s movies,
including Laura, Dragonwyck, The Ghost And Mrs. Muir,
and her Oscar-nominated work in Leave Her To Heaven.
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TONY RICHARDSON - November 14
Directed Tom Jones and many other movies.
(Ex-husband of Vanessa Redgrave, father of Natasha and Joely Richardson.)
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KLAUS KINSKI - November 23
Always interesting actor. (And the father of actress Natasha Kinski.)
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FREDDIE MERCURY - November 24
Outlandish leader of the popular rock group Queen.
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RALPH BELLAMY - November 29
Actor in tons of films, including His Girl Friday,
Sunrise At Campobello, and Trading Places.
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= WELL, THAT'S ALL FOR THIS YEAR, FOLKS! BUT STAY TUNED - YOU KNOW THE GRIM REAPER AIN'T DONE WITH THOSE CELEBS YET! MEANWHILE, ON THE UPPER RIGHT YOU CAN ALWAYS CHECK OUT THE LIST OF LATE LAMENTED LAYABOUTS FROM OTHER YEARS! ENJOY! =