LARRY FINE - January 24

The first of the classic film comedy team known
as The Three Stooges who was not a Howard brother.
And yes, he could actually play that silly violin.
(Age: 72. C.O.D.: Stroke.)
________________________________________

P.G. WODEHOUSE - February 14

Creator of the Jeeves and Wooster comic novels,
wrote lyrics for "Bill" (Showboat), wrote book
for Anything Goes.
Happy Valentine's Day - you're dead!
(Age: 93.)
________________________________________

SUSAN HAYWARD - March 14

A star of many films from the 1940s to the 1960s,
she won an Oscar for I Want To Live.
(Age: 55. C.O.D.: Cancer.)
________________________________________  

ARISTOTLE ONASSIS - March 15

(Day after Susan Hayward.)
Billionaire shipping magnate who became famous
in the US for marrying JFK's ex-wife Jackie Kennedy.
Died before the infamous Jackie O nude photos
appeared in Hustler during the summer of the same year.
(Age: 68. C.O.D.: Pneumonia.)
________________________________________

FREDRIC MARCH - April 4

Veteran actor of many classic films,
notably The Best Years Of Our Lives,
and Inherit The Wind.
(Age: 77.)
________________________________________  

RICHARD CONTE - April 15

Acted in many solid films from the
1940s to the '70s, even very late
in his career playing Don Barzini
in a major modern classic - The Godfather.
Happy Income Tax Day - you're dead!
(Age: 65. C.O.D.: Heart attack.)
________________________________________  

MOE HOWARD - May 4

The most "intellectual" member of
The Three Stooges, and brother to Curly and Shemp.
Fellow Stooge member Larry Fine
also recently passed (January 24).
Soitenly not a good year to be a Stooge! Ouch!
(Age: 77. C.O.D.: Cancer.)
________________________________________    

MOMS MABLEY - May 23

The first great black female
stand-up comic, she hit it big
by appearing on The Merv Griffin Show.
(Age: 81. C.O.D.: Cancer.)
________________________________________        
OZZIE NELSON - June 3

Was the father in the long-running TV series
The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet, which
was on the air for 14 years starting in 1952.
The show featured him and his actual family as
the main stars, which had never been done before.
Therefore it was actually the very first scripted "reality" show.
BTW, for the info of all unoriginal stand-up comics, for
For decades Ozzie was a bandleader and did a few films.
(Harriet was also a singer in his band.)
Of course unlike the similarities he shared with Desi Arnaz
of I Love Lucy, Ozzie was a retired music man.
Anyway, that was obviously Ozzie's occupation! Duh!
(Age: 69. C.O.D.: Liver cancer.)
________________________________________ 

LARRY BLYDEN - June 6

Very personable actor and TV host,
mostly known for the game show The Liars Club.
He also once hosted two game shows at the same time
in the early 1970s - What's My Line, and To Tell the Truth.
(Age: 49. C.O.D.: Car crash.)
________________________________________

ROD SERLING - June 28

Consider if you will...
A brilliant writer during the golden age
of early televison, who also later created and
hosted The Twilight Zone, and Night Gallery.  
(Age: 50. C.O.D.: Heart attack during heart surgery.)
________________________________________  

VAUGHN BODE - July 18

Incredible cartoonist whose work appeared
in publications from alternative newspapers
like Uncle Jam to sci-fi magazines such as
Galaxy, and the parody-prone National Lampoon. 
(Age: 33. C.O.D.: Accidental strangulation.)
________________________________________

JIMMY HOFFA - July 30

From the union field to the onion field.
Former boss of the teamsters union,
busted for skimming money off the top.
Rumored to have been buried under the field of
the Meadowlands as it was being built at that time,
or placed in with some columns of fresh concrete nearby. 
(Age: 62. C.O.D.: Murdered.)
________________________________________

ARTHUR TREACHER - December 14

Goodbye, Mr. Fish And Chips.
Acted in lots of old British comedies,
for awhile was the sidekick on The Merv Griffin Show,
and later opened a chain of fast food fish and chips,
which shockingly employed a tired Brit stereotype.
(Age: 81.)
________________________________________    

BERNARD HERRMANN - December 24

Fantastic movie music composer who created many
scores for directors ranging from Hitchcock to Harryhausen.
His first one was for Citizen Kane,
and his last was for Taxi Driver.
Happy Christmas Eve - you're dead! 
(Age: 64. C.O.D.: Heart attack.)   
________________________________________

EUELL GIBBONS - December 29

This naturalist and writer did a series of
memorable TV commercials for Grape Nuts cereal
in the early 1970s, one of which started
"Did you know most parts of a pine tree are edible?"
Also wrote Stalking The Wild Asparagus.
We wonder if he also knew the Cookin' Cajun.
(Age: 64. C.O.D.: Natural-ist causes. Get it?)
________________________________________

= 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! =