The Celebrity Obituary Thread

[Christopher]

America’s sheriff Andy Griffith dead at 86

Actor Andy Griffith, who won the hearts of 1960s TV viewers with his role as gentle Sheriff Andy Taylor in “The Andy Griffith Show,” then returned as a 1980s country lawyer in “Matlock,” died Tuesday at 86. The news was confirmed to North Carolina television station WITN by Bill Friday, former president of the University of North Carolina and a Griffith friend.

It's sad to get up to this news.   http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/03/12543460-americas-sheriff-andy-griffith-dead-at-86?lite

[Lin Sunderland]

R.I.P. Andy.

He will be sadly missed.  I loved Matlock and The Andy Griffith Show.

[KC]

I guess Sheriff Andy was sort of the polar opposite of Dirty Harry!

R.I.P., Andy Griffith.

[Christopher]

I guess Sheriff Andy was sort of the polar opposite of Dirty Harry!

Yeah, the whole not carrying a gun thing sorta does that.

I've listened to some of Griffith's stand-up routines where he'd tell stories or would summarize stories like Shakespeare plays--there's a lot of good stuff on youtube.

[Lin Sunderland]

Eric Sykes died this morning.  He was one on the funniest men in British comedy.   Perhaps the picture below will remind some people of the silent TV film The Plank.   I saw it in Lidcombe Hospital, Sydney, after quite serious surgery and it hurt I was laughing so much.

R.I.P.  Eric.  You'll be up there with the other wonderful comedians who have gone before.



A short sequence from The Plank.  There were no words just music and whistling.   The YouTube is not the best but you can get a flavour of the film.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-Tc8JfZ08mE

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2012-07-04/comedy-star-sykes-dies-after-short-illness/

[KC]

Thanks for the links, Lin. I edited your post to insert a shorter link to the YouTube.

R.I.P., Eric Sykes.

[AKA23]

I watched "Matlock" all the time growing up. It was a really great show. Rest in Peace, Andy Griffith! Thanks for the memories!

[Christopher]

Yeah, I can remember watching Matlock during part of its original run. I'd like to catch an episode here again.

[Lin Sunderland]

Thanks for the links, Lin. I edited your post to insert a shorter link to the YouTube.

R.I.P., Eric Sykes.

Thanks KC I should have done that. 

[LCat]

RIP, Andy Griffith.

[The Schofield Kid]

Ernest Borgnine, Oscar winner, has died at 95

Ernest Borgnine, who created an array of memorable characters over the years and won the best actor Oscar for his role in 1955's "Marty," has died. Borgnine was 95.

His longtime spokesman, Harry Flynn, said that Borgnine died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with his family by his side.

As the cruel, vicious Sgt. Fatso Judson in 1953's "From Here to Eternity," the sweet, lonely butcher in 1955's "Marty" and the carefree con artist in the 1962-66 ABC comedy series "McHale's Navy," Borgnine was among the most recognizable faces on both the big and small screens.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-ernest-borgnine-oscar-winner-has-died-at-95-20120708,0,1736052.story

[Christopher]

That's sad about Borgnine too. He was in a lot of movies and TV though, that's for certain.

[Gant]

Sad... but he had a great run.. loved hin in From Here To Eternity..
R.I.P Ernie...

[LCat]

No, no! Not Ernest Borgnine!

RIP, EB!

[Lin Sunderland]

RIP Ernest.

He was in so many films and on TV and we still see re-runs of McHale's Navy now and then.  He played some very memorable parts.  I thought Marty and From Here To Eternity two of his best movies.

[Gant]

and not forgetting his voice work in Spongebob Squarepants 

[Lin Sunderland]

and not forgetting his voice work in Spongebob Squarepants  

Oh Yes I did forget that.  You like Spongebob don't you.

He really did work until the end.

[The Schofield Kid]

One of the radio announcers here always talks to an announcer from the USA each weekday and he tells little stories that you normally wouldn't hear about on the news. This American announcer said that even when Ernest Borgnine was in his 80's he would drive this bus around the country and just stop at little towns and talk to the people. I don't know how true that is but it seems like the thing a nice guy like Mr. Borgnine would do.

RIP Ernest Borgnine.

[mike siegel]

One of my favorite persons ever. His vitality will live on beyond his 95 year long stay on this planet. I was priviledged to enjoy his presence and creative input and I will never forget him. His opions regarding life, the human condition (and our beloved film making of course) deeply impressed me as did his many powerful and memorable performances, incl. THE WILD BUNCH, my favorite film. He left this world on my birthday, I'd have to celebrate 50 more to reach his age. Right now I wish we had more people like him, on-screen as well as off-screen. 

R.I.P. Ernie !

[Jed Cooper]

I loved watching McHales' Navy with my brother when we were kids.  God bless him, he lived such a long life.  I read (of course) that Ernest Borgnine met Elvis Presley once, probably around 1956.  Presley told him how much he liked Marty.  Too bad there wasn't a photo taken of that meeting...

R.I.P. Mr. Borgnine.