Died Today

Died Today (July 18th): Jane Austen (1775–1817)

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janeausten.jpgJane Austen (1775–1817)

Born: December 16, 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, England, UK

Died: July 18, 1817 (age 41) in Winchester, Hampshire, England, UK

QUOTES:

If any one faculty of our nature may be called more wonderful than the rest, I do think it is memory. The memory is sometimes so retentive, so serviceable, so obedient–at others, so bewildered and so weak–and at others again, so tyrannic, so beyond control! We are to be sure a miracle every way–but our powers of recollecting and of forgetting, do seem peculiarly past finding out.

[her last words, when asked by her sister Cassandra if there was anything she wanted] Nothing, but death.

[when asked why her heroines always flawed] Pictures of perfection make me sick and wicked.

One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Died Today (July 17th): Walter Cronkite (1916–2009)

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waltercronkite.jpgWalter Cronkite (1916–2009)

Born: November 4, 1916 in St. Joseph, Missouri, USA

Died: July 17, 2009 (age 92) in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Always closed his newscasts by saying “And that’s the way it is”

Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981. This is the highest honor a U.S. civilian can receive. Was the lead anchor on the CBS Evening News from 16 April 1962 until 6 March 1981.

Died Today (July 17th): Billie Holiday (1915–1959)

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billieholiday.jpgBillie Holiday (1915–1959)

Born: April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Died: July 17, 1959 (age 44) in New York City, New York, USA

She died with 70 cents in the bank and $750 strapped to her leg — a reminder of her lifelong fear of poverty.

In 1959, narcotic addiction was a crime, not an illness. She was arrested on her deathbed.

Billie had no cabaret card and this kept her from working in New York City clubs for the last 12 years of her life.

Died Today July 16th: John Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999)

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johnkennedyjr.jpgJohn Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999)

Born: November 25, 1960 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Died: July 16, 1999 (age 38) in near Aquinnah, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA

Married to:
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy (21 September 1996 – 16 July 1999) (his death)

The bodies of John Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette were recovered from plane wreckage off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. John and Carolyn were dropping Lauren off at Martha’s Vineyard, on their way to Rory Kennedy’s wedding. The plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. [July 1999]

His father’s funeral fell on John’s third birthday, November 25, 1963. The historical photograph of John saluting his father’s casket was taken that day. When John appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986) in 1996, he told Oprah Winfrey that as an adult, he had no recollection of the funeral.

Died Today July 16th: James Gammon

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jamesgammonHappy Birthday actor James Gammon

Born: April 20, 1940 in Newman, Illinois, USA

Died: July 16, 2010 (age 70) in Costa Mesa, California, USA

 

 

 

 

MAJOR LEAGUE 2
1994
dir. David S. Ward
Stars:
Charlie Sheen
Tom Berenger

THE IRON GIANTThe Iron Giant
1999
dir. Brad Bird
Cast
Jennifer Aniston
Harry Connick Jr.

 

AppaloosaAppaloosa
dir. Harris
Starring
Harris
Viggo Mortensen
Renee Zellweger
THE HI-LO COUNTRYThe Hi-Lo Country
1998
dir. Stephen Frears
Starring
Billy Crudup
Harrelson		 MOVIE POSTERALTERED
2006
dir. Eduardo Sanchez
Stars:
Adam Kaufman
Catherine Mangan

 

Died Today (July 9th): Isabel Sanford (1917–2004)

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isabelsanford.jpgIsabel Sanford (1917–2004)

Born: August 29, 1917 in New York City, New York, USA

Died: July 9, 2004 (age 86) in Los Angeles, California, USA

Isabel Sanford was a Broadway actress for over thirty years before moving to Hollywood. She made numerous guest appearances on TV, including a stint as a supporting cast member on The Carol Burnett Show (1967). Until her passing, Isabel continued to act frequently, most recently in a series of commercials for Old Navy stores with The Jeffersons (1975) co-star, Sherman Hemsley. She made several commercials for Nick-at-Nite as well when the cable channel premiered The Jeffersons (1975).

QUOTES:

On receiving her Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she said: Here with stars in my eyes – something that I dreamed about when I was 9 years old. There are others that deserve it, but let everybody get their own.

If there’s anything in life you consider worthwhile achieving — go for it. I was told many times to forget show business, I had nothing going for me. But I pursued it, anyway. Voila!

In 1996, she said: I watched the first episode of that, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the background. I didn’t like the way they dressed. I didn’t like the way Archie Bunker talked about black people. But I decided to watch the next episode anyway to see if I could determine why they would allow this trash to be on the air, and I found myself falling down laughing.

Died Today (July 9th): Rod Steiger (1925–2002)

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rodsteigerRod Steiger (1925–2002)

Born: April 14, 1925 in Westhampton, New York, USA

Died: July 9, 2002 (age 77) in Los Angeles, California, USA

Married to: Joan Benedict Steiger (10 October 2000 – 9 July 2002) (his death)
Paula Ellis (3 February 1986 – 1997) (divorced) (1 child)
Sherry Nelson (21 April 1973 – 22 January 1980) (divorced)
Claire Bloom (20 September 1959 – 10 June 1969) (divorced) (1 child)
Sally Gracie (1952 – 1959) (divorced)

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
1965
dir. David Lean
Stars
Omar Sharif
Julie Christie

ON THE WATERFRONTOn the Waterfront
1954
dir. Elia Kazan
starring
Brando
Eva Marie Saint

 

Died Today (July 8th): Roberts Blossom (1924–2011)

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robertsblossomRoberts Blossom (1924–2011)

Born: March 25, 1924 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Died: July 8, 2011 (age 87) in Santa Monica, California, USA

Married to:
Beverly Carol Schmidt (1966 – 1970) (divorced) (2 children)
Marylin Sally Orshan (? – 18 February 1982) (her death)

He and his first wife, dancer/choreographer Beverly Schmidt, both participated in the Filmstage theater movement of the 1950s and ’60s, which involved the simultaneous presentation of live actors with film and/or slides.

HOME ALONE
1990
dir. Chris Columbus
Stars:
Macaulay Culkin
Joe Pesci

Close Encounters of the Third KindClose Encounters of the Third Kind
1977
dir. Spielberg
Escape from Alcatraz
1979
dir. Don Siegel
starring
Eastwood
MOVIE POSTERALWAYS
1989
dir. Steven Spielberg
Stars:
Holly Hunter
Richard Dreyfuss		 MOVIE POSTERTHE QUICK AND THE DEAD
1995
dir. Sam Raimi
Stars:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Gene Hackman

 

Died Today (July 8th): June Allyson (1917–2006)

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juneallysonJune Allyson (1917–2006)

Born: October 7, 1917 in The Bronx, New York, USA

Died: July 8, 2006 (age 88) in Ojai, California, USA

Married to: David Ashrow (30 October 1976 – 8 July 2006) (her death)
Alfred Glenn Maxwell (1 April 1966 – 17 March 1970) (divorced)
Alfred Glenn Maxwell (13 October 1963 – 20 April 1965) (divorced)
Dick Powell (19 August 1945 – 2 January 1963) (his death) (2 children)

From 1963 to 1975, she had a long term, ill-fated romance with writer/director Dirk Wayne Summers, often announcing to the press that the couple would be married soon. She and Summers were the lead item in Walter Winchell’s then influential column more than a few times. They often traveled together through Europe. Although Summers apparently loved her and their life together, he refused her many proposals of marriage, much to her chagrin. Members of the nascent jet-set, they were frequently seen in Cap d’Antibes, Madrid, Rome and London, where they called Hugh M. Hefner’s borrowed Mayfair penthouse home.

Executive Suite
1954
dir. Robert Wise
Starring
William Holden
Barbara Stanwyck
Allyson
MOVIE POSTERTHE STRATTON STORY
1949
dir. Sam Wood
Stars:
James Stewart
June Allyson

 

Died Today (July 8th): Dick Sargent (1930–1994)

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dicksargent.jpgDick Sargent (1930–1994)

Born: April 19, 1930 in Carmel, California, USA

Died: July 8, 1994 (age 64) in Los Angeles, California, USA

QUOTES:

[About his difficult relationship he had with his father] I wanted him to love me, and I’m quite sure that he didn’t.

[Of Connie Francis] We looked passionately at each other, but that was the only time I ever saw her.

If X or Y is gay, and you say so and they’re in the closet, then that can…it can possibly hurt them. That sort of reticence I understand, as an actor, or an ex-actor. But if the personality is deceased, and some co-star will still not say, then you can chalk that down to homophobia.

[When he finally came out of the closet] It was such a relief. I lived in fear of being found out. Now it’s given me a whole new mission in life.
[on Agnes Moorehead] She was very set in her ways and I had to really make her my friend. About the third or fourth show I was in she said to people in front of me, “They should never meddle with success.” Meaning Dick York should never have been replaced, which I thought was a very cruel and unthinking thing to say in front of me. But that was her. She came to rehearsals with a Bible in one hand and her script in the other. She was certainly the most professional woman in the world…and she was so good. Thank God we became friends eventually.