Saturday, December 31, 2016

Happy New Year....2016....Remembrances

I am just so amazed how fast 2016  has gone by. I have had not so great things happen, which you have heard me whine about, but I have had fun times also which I am happy to say I shared with family, friends and my hubby.

The New Year will bring highs and lows as per norm in our own lives and on a global scale. There will be shocks but also the mundane and we can get through all this from watching funny YouTube animal videos. There will also be people we know well from the media who will pass away and I hope it will not be as many as this past year. I am honouring 10 people that I like and could have gone further but I chose the ten below with a film clip that you watch...or not ( although I hope you do) to represent their work. I chose more the move/tv people than some of the great musicians or sports people because I know this area best. I no diddly squat about sports and surprise myself that I know how baseball works.  We have lost some that I won't talk about but mention like Garry Shandling, Michele Morgan, Ken Howard, Gary Marshall, William Schallert, Bernard Fox, Gloria DeHaven and so on.

In memory of some greats, I pay my humble respect...

1. DAVID BOWIE


He is known first as an amazing singer, entertainer but he was so much more..a true advent-Garde artist who kept pushing the boundaries. His final work is true art and I loved watching his videos where one was done in his hospital room. He was also quite good in films and we all remember him whether he was the man in Labyrinth or the androgynous figure from his Ziggy Stardust days. We will never see his style again. I didn't place it here but I would go and check out Lazarus (the video).

2.  ALAN RICKMAN


I fell in lust, hubba-hubba, love with this man when I first saw him in the film, Truly, Madly, Deeply. We all know his as Professor Snape from the Harry Potter series but he already did so much in film and theatre that this was just another huge notch on his resume. He first gained recognition in North America when he played the nut terrorist in Die Hard and then the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham in the dreck flick Robin Hood(starring Kevin Costner). He could play so many characters from these nasties to the romantic( Sense and Sensibility) to comedy (Galaxy Quest). He is someone We will all miss, from his great acting to that wonderful voice.

3. GEORGE KENNEDY


This man often played mean brutes early on in his career but he gain prominence and an Oscar playing a convict in Cool Hand Luke. He would play cops as well  and  other characters who held some position to make changes. He starred in all the Airport films( there were 4 and not to be confused with Airplane) and as the sidekick to Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun series. He made many films, some are great (The Dirty Dozen) and some are horrible ( Bolero) but he was always professional and a genuine nice man.

4. PATTY DUKE


Here is a Young gal who won awards for her amazing performance as the child Helen Keller  and gained prominence playing twins on the Patty Duke Show ( with William Schallert as her dad) only  to disappear from the public for quite some time. She came back with a book called, "Call Me Anna"'  talking about her abusive Guardians and her battle with bi-polar disorder. She was one of the first stars to talk candidly about this disease making it known that it is not something vile but something  we should all understand. She is right since we all know someone who has this disorder or we ourselves, suffer from this. I am blessed that I don't but I know people who have and I consider them very brave.

5. GENE WILDER


This man, with his crazy hair, made us laugh and we found him endearing especially when he fell in love and married Gilda Radner. He was our manic genius who not only could act but wrote/co-wrote some of the best films that make me laugh out loud every time I watch them. We find him fun if not a bit sinister in Willy Wonka (not creepy like Johnny Depp) and his work with Mel Brooks is legendary . He also had a great partner in Richard Pryor and they made 4 fun films together. He is another great star that passed surprisingly and made us feel very sad when we heard the news.

6. ROBERT VAUGHN


Now here is a man that we all recognize  but had no idea that he had such a long career in film and in TV. He was part of the 7 in The Magnificent 7 and won an Oscar nod for The Young Philadelphians but we also know him as Napoleon Solo in the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. He was even in Coronation Street and loved acting. Whether he played someone sympathetic or a bit slimy, he was memorable.

7. FLORENCE HENDERSON


I watch Dancing With The Stars and she was at the finale since she was in the audience for just about every show and was even one of the stars one year. It was a shock, for me, to hear that, the next day, she suffered a heart attack and died. We all thought Mrs. Brady would always live on and we loved her with that show, The Brady Bunch, plus we would often gasp and giggle when we would see her on Politically Incorrect or in a Weird Al video. She was also an accomplished soprano who played Maria Von Trapp  in the Sound of Music as well as other heroines from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical. I know most people think of Carol Brady as I do but I was blown away by her singing in The Song of Norway...not a great movie by any means but loved her voice and the scenery.

8. ZSA ZSA GABOR


Oh Darling, how could I not place her here. I almost didn't since she was more a star for the cameras than a film star but you have to love the Gabor sisters in all the fur, jewels and Hungarian best. She was in some great movies like Gigi  but she also played in films like The Queen From Outer Space. She is more known for her 9 marriages, her love of the camera and slapping a cop. She had an over the top marriage with the great George Sanders (who also married her sister Magda) and she considered him her true love although who knows with her. Before the Kardashians, there were the Gabor sisters and they can't be beat.

9. CARRIE FISHER


Talk about a shock! She is Princess Leia and she should not have died! She was coming home from London to spend time with her family at Christmas when she suffered the severe heart attack dying on the 27th. Now, if all we know her for is for Princess Leia, that would be enough, but this lady had brains! She was born into celebrity since her parents were Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. She had to grow up in the limelight and had to deal with all that comes with it. Unfortunately, she got into drugs but she did clean herself up and found out she was bi-polar. Instead of keeping this secret, she became an advocate, like  Patty Duke, about the disease and was very frank about her life. Although she had an up and down relationship with her mom at times, later, they were each other's rock, I believe, and she was with her mom often in the last few years making sure her mom was ok in the last year. I used the clip above to showcase her wit and intelligence. If you don't watch any of the others, watch this one.

10. DEBBIE REYNOLDS


One day after her daughter (Carrie Fisher) passed away, Debbie suffered a massive stroke while making funeral arrangements for her beloved daughter. The last thing her son heard her say was "I wish I could be with Carrie". How sad for her son to find his mom 15 minutes later, unresponsive, just after losing his sister. It is a bittersweet ending to 2 great people from the same family. Debbie became most prominent from playing the female lead in Singing in the Rain but her star kept rising from there and she played in a variety of roles from the film Tammy and the Bachelor to the Unsinkable Molly Brown which, I had heard her say, years ago, that this was her favourite role. She was also known to have loved Hollywood and its history and bought up many costumes and props when MGM sold many of their memorabilia. Unfortunately, she had to sell off all she collected years later when she filed for bankruptcy. This lady knew her ups and downs but she was a consummate performer who was loved.

Sad notes but I wish to say, we will see more go this coming year but let's hope we all have a happy and healthy New Year!

57 comments:

  1. Sad indeed. Wishing you and your family a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much and Happy New Year to you also

      Delete
  2. We lost a lot of people this year, didn't we? Sadly as we continue to age, that will be the case. I find it merciful Debbie Reynolds died a day after her daughter. Hard for the family/friends she left behind, but no parent should ever have to bury their child, though that sadly happens so often. Let's hope 2017 is a kinder year!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, no parent should lose a child before the parent. There will be more people this year and people we care about but it lol depends on how we wish to take in the year. Let's hope we can be healthy and happy for the year ahead.

      Delete
  3. Leonard Cohen was my saddest loss, though not the most shocking by any means as he managed to live to 82. Many of the others are gone before their time. All the best to you and Michael for 2017 from me and John.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the best to you as well and I look forward to all your walks. I love that song of Leonard Cohan and am glad that he is a Canadian

      Delete
  4. Sure lots of actors with great works passed this year. But with the likes of Willy Wonka and Die Hard left behind, they will always be around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so right and thankfully we can always see them on the screen

      Delete
  5. I would have gotten into a shoving match with you over Alan Rickman - as if...lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we would have been trying to trip each other even to hear him talk to us. :)

      Delete
  6. I miss Gene Wilder's voice.

    Happy New Year:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He was great! What a shame he suffered from Alzheimer's

      Delete
  7. Birgit, WOW, you mentioned some celebs that I didn't even know that passed this year. It's truly sad to see great entertainers leave but then that's part of the circle of life. Here's hoping 2017 is full of God's blessings in your life, dear friend. I shall look forward to growing our friendship more in the coming new year. God bless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are some years where many passed away and 2016 was one such year. It will be fun to read your blog and listen to the music you pick.

      Delete
    2. Birgit, Yes I agree there are years where it seems more celebs pass than others and it's really hard to keep up with everyone that crosses over. But, like I said you shed light on a handful that I had no clue who died like Gene Wilder and Florence Henderson to name a few. Oh well, I appreciate it when folks such as you keep me better informed. Have a good day, my friend! ;)

      Delete
  8. Patty Duke died? She was so cute... I think I'll miss Debbie the most. She was still such a good actress. Thank goodness Shirley McClain and Betty White are hanging in there. I wish you and your family a happy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, PATTY Duke passed away which was such a shame as she was young...to me anyway. Debbie was quite the character and a lover for old Hollywood

      Delete
  9. It's amazing how this list doesn't even scratch the surface, really. Let's hope 2017 is gentler to our iconic celebrities.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You got that right as I just touched on some of the film/tv stars not even going to the famous musicians except for David Bowie.

      Delete
  10. Such a troubling number of favorite artists passed this year. Prince AND David Bowie AND George Michaels? Yikes!! My heart, my heart! There goes the 80s, sister.

    I've not been stressed about my Mom lately (dementia) and fallen behind on ANYTHING fun, ha ha. Just wanted to make sure I told you Happy New Year and God bless!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There have been many passing and the last was William Christopher who played Father Mucahy died on December 31st. I feel badly for you regarding your mom. If you are the main caregiver, then it is most difficult as you have to deal with so much never mind your son who is still recuperating. Let's hope this year will be better.

      Delete
  11. I imagine Carrie greeting her mom in the afterwards with a big hug and saying something like, "Mom, you just had to die the next day. You couldn't wait at least a week so I could have the limelight a little longer. :-)

    A wonderful tribute to these wonderful men and women, Birgit. Big new calendar year hugs to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love what you wrote and can see her say that to her mom. May we both have a wonderful year for 2017

      Delete
  12. I forgot the astronomical amount of talent we lost in only one year. My goodness. I love the dance clip with Debbie Reyonds. This entire post is a very nice recap and tribute. Thank you, Birgit. May 2017 be safe, healthy, and full of love and laughter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought that dance was great and I love what Carrie Fisher said...brilliant in my eyes. May we all have a great 2017

      Delete
  13. 2016 has been quite a year, hasn't it? It has been a year of upheaval for me, also one of growth. Let's see what happens in 2017. Good things I hope. Too old for any more crap! LOL I wish you good health and good time in the new year. Thank you for your friendship... and patience!
    hugs, Asha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The last year has been one of change in so many ways. I love your blog and your cards. Happy New Year

      Delete
  14. Hi, Birgit!

    It's a staggering list and only the tip of the iceberg. Every year we lose a bunch of all time greats and in 2016 the reaper was working O.T. My favorites in your post are Bowie, George Kennedy, Patty Duke and Robert Vaughn.

    Please take good care of yourself in the coming year, BB. Once again, happy new year, and thanks for your continued interest in SDMM. I appreciate your ongoing friendship and support!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There were many who passed this last year so let's hope it will not be as big a number for this year. I always look forward to your posts and your friendship

      Delete
  15. We lost some spectacular talents last year and when you list them all together it bring you up short.

    They did leave us with some wonderful moments to remember, so thanks for sharing some of those here today.

    Have a healthy, slow and beautiful 2017.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only showed a few and didn't touch on the musicians. There will be passing this year as well but all we can do is pay respects and enjoy the day. May your year be one of health and happy times.

      Delete
  16. Even though she was a perfect stranger, the passing of Carrie Fisher was especially depressing. At only two years older than I, I felt that a part of my youth has slipped away. :-(
    BTW, "Young Frankenstein' is my favorite movie.
    So there's that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carrie Fisher was a shock for sure. She was way too young and Gene Wilder was also a shock to me. I had no idea he had Alzheimer's

      Delete
  17. Way too many. I couldn't keep up with the tributes on my blog, missing some notable names.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You were much better with the tributes than I was since you did most of them.

      Delete
  18. You had some excellent remembrances on this post. Most of them I am quite familiar with, and enjoyed their work. Sadly we may not see the like of their talent scope in future actors. Wishing you a super 2017, and you rightfully said we all have highs & lows..that is just part of life. I guess it's how we deal with either of these, that defines whether we are happy with our lot in life. Take care, and hope the year has started out well. Hugs & TFS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does depend on us to try to make the best of things for sure. Sometimes it can be tough but we always must try. I wish you the very best for 2017

      Delete
  19. So many remarkable and unique talents were lost in 2016. Thanks for sharing these remembrances of them. Now, I may need to go look up Truly, Madly, Deeply. I hope you have a wonderful 2017!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your words and yes, check out that unique film

      Delete
  20. Thanks for sharing that Fisher clip. It was great. She's funny as hell (albeit a tad scary). :)

    One of the things I did this NYE was write down all the good things that happened last year. There were a lot of them, but they tended to get overshadowed. I'm still not over George Michael's passing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh gosh, he was another shocker! I didn't expect him to pass away either but I saw. Picture of him from September and he was very overweight and didn't look good. I follow a blog who marked down each month the positive things that happened to her instead of the negative. I plan to do that

      Delete
  21. This was a wonderful way to honor people we all admired.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  22. Happy new year. xo

    ReplyDelete
  23. It's always sad to list so many talented people we lost side by side, but at least with only a couple of exceptions those folk all had full, amazing lives and will be remembered fondly. (Unlike, unfortunately, a whole lot of other people who passed away this year)

    People keep talking about the horrible things that happened in 2016 in politics and with celebrity deaths, but the fields of science, medicine and technology have been amazingly positive. Huge breakthroughs and advances toward curing diseases such as HIV, ALS and Ebola. Removing creatures from endangered lists that have been protected for decades, like tigers and giant pandas. India planting 50 million trees in one day; finally discovering gravitational waves, which will have staggering effects on the field of physics; climate change is being taken seriously by (most of) the world; the list goes on and on. There was still a lot of good in the last year if you look past the loudest headlines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you pointed out all these positives because it's true. We do tend to look at the negatives but these positives especially the animals is something to be proud of.

      Delete
  24. That is wonderful -- the tribute in movie clips. Thank you. There were so many lost in 2016. You picked a good group!

    Happy New Year!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you...there were others but I wanted to list my favourites

      Delete
  25. We lost so many stars last year, didn't we? Leonard Cohen was another giant of the music industry who passed in 2016... so sad. Here's hoping 2017 is a bit cheerier!!

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We will lose more this year but it is all relative and I love what C.D said about all the positives

      Delete
  26. It was a terrible year for celebrity deaths, wasn't it? Although terribly sad, when elderly stars die you have so many fond memories of their work. But when stars die far too young, it's so sad as you know that probably had so much more to offer.

    That's Purrfect

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a shame when they are young but we still have the ability to see them or hear them

      Delete
  27. What a wonderful post and wonderful tribute to all of these amazing actors, actresses, and entertainers. Like Pat said, at least we have so much wonderful stuff to remember them by that they're never truly gone. They'll still be every bit as part of my 2017 as they were years previous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks...I wanted to give a tribute and glad you enjoyed it. 2017 will also bring losses but also triumphs and that is what we should think about. At least we can always watch them r listen to them.

      Delete
  28. Lovely tribute. Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  29. We lost a lot and some really good ones this yr. So sad to hear of some of them leaving us.

    ReplyDelete