RIP Dick Wilson aka Mr. Whipple
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Wilson’s family, friends and fans.
Category: RIP
RIP: The Fabulous Moolah
Mary Lillian Ellison aka The Fabulous Moolah was born in 1923 — the youngest and only girl of 13 children. Her mother died of cancer when she was just 8. Mary attended weekly pro wrestling cards with her dad and perhaps that’s where he love of the sport began.
Moolah was the Women’s World Champion from from 1956 to 1984. Then from 1985 – 1987. In 1999, at age 76, she won the title for a final time.
To be honest, I really didn’t like most of the angles that the WWE used with Moolah when she came back in the late 90’s. Still I admired the fact that at her age she was still able to get out there and take bumps and that her name still got a rise from the fans.
So despite the fact that I wasn’t a fan of women wrestlers, I felt it right to pay my respects to a performer held in such high regard in the “sport” that I loved as a kid. Rest in peace, Moolah. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends and fans.
Never Forget
9-11-01.
You know where you were. You know what you saw. You know what you felt.
Six years later.
You still remember like it was yesterday. You won’t forget… ever.
And you shouldn’t.
RIP: Mike Wieringo
I became a regular visitor to Mike’s blog and would often leave comments about his weekday posts. When Mike posted a sketch of Rocky Balboa along with his thoughts on the movie, I wrote to say that if he ever considered selling the sketch, I would be interested. Mike wrote me back to say that several of the fans who post on his site had already suggested that I might like to have it for my collection. Mike said that as he was drawing it, he thought the same and it was mine for the taking… gratis. Mike went on to say that he would be honored to have his work appear in my gallery. Can you imagine? That’s the kind of guy Mike was. I suggested that if he wouldn’t take money, since he liked the movie, I would be happy to purchase the dvd for him. He said that wasn’t necessary, but did finally agree and acted like I was doing him the favor.
I knew that my blog today would be about Mike Wieringo. Mike positively touched so many lives that I knew that my voice would just be one of the many remembering him, but I knew that I had to mark his passing. I figured that I would probably post the Rocky sketch that he gave me. The when I checked my mail, I found a letter from my old friend Jim Ivey. Jim has always teased me about being a Sylvester Stallone fan. One of Jim’s comments is that Sly has sad eyes… and Jim drew them on the envelope of his letter. Talk about appropriate.
Today Mike Wieringo’s family, friends and fans are in mourning. Yes, there are tears in our eyes. We’ve lost not only a great artist, but a wonderful human being. My life was better for knowing Mike Wieringo. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.
RIP: Merv Griffin
Growing up, I enjoyed watching The Merv Griffin Show. Merv always seemed like a down-to-earth guy who was having fun hanging out with the celebrities joining him for the day. He was a true success story. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.
RIP: Tom Snyder
Younger ZONErs may not know of Tom Snyder, but I fondly remember staying up late to catch his show during the summer when I was in junior high and high school. At the time, Snyder seemed like no other talk show host on television. His sets were minimal, but his guests and topics more than made up for the lack of showbiz glitz. He was cool, but not hip. Most of all, Snyder seemed like a real guy, not a tv show host. I enjoyed the hours I spent watching his programs and the memories that remain.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.
Bob Clark – RIP
Bob Clark is best known for co-writing and directing the classic “A Christmas Story”. Mr. Clark was also the brains behind the very successful “Porky’s” [which he co-wrote and directed] which in turn led to several sequels. Mr. Clark directed many other films [horror, comedy, children’s], including “Rhinestone” [with Sly Stallone and Dolly Parton].
I’ll never forget the first time I watched “Porky’s” with my brother-in-law. We laughed until we cried and talked about the movie for days. Christmas isn’t Christmas without watching “A Christmas Story” with the family. Bob Clark not only left us with some fun films, he provided the source of some great family memories as well.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and fans.
Marshall Rogers – RIP
What is known is that Rogers burst onto the comics scene in mid 70’s and became an immediate fan favorite. Best known for his work with writer, Steve Englehart and inker, Terry Austin, the trio redefined Batman and his cast of supporting characters in Detective Comics #471-#476. Rogers then went on to do more groundbreaking work on Mr. Miracle and later Dr. Strange. In addition Rogers worked on the Silver Surfer, Detectives, Inc. [graphic novel and comic series], The Coyote, and his own creations Captain Quick and the Foozle, and later Scorpio Rose as well as other series.
Rogers left comics in the early ‘90s but later returned and even followed up on his classic Batman stories by reteaming with Englehart and Austin on Batman: Dark Detective.
I was a huge Marshall Rogers fan. I loved his work on Batman, Mr. Miracle, and even Dr. Strange [not one of my favorite characters, but Rogers made him work!]. Detectives, Inc. with Don McGregor is a fondly remembered graphic novel. As is Rogers great “Strange” portfolio. I followed Rogers work on everything he did until he left comics. Like everyone, I strongly recommend his Batman stories. They are easily found and definitely work looking up. Another title worth searching out is the Demon with a Glass Hand graphic novel adaptation that he penciled and inked from an original story and script by Harlan Ellison. It’s great stuff… which is to be expected since Marshall Rogers worked on it.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Marshall Rogers fans, friends and family.
And You Shouldn’t
9-11-01.
You know where you were. You know what you saw. You know what you felt.
Five years later.
You still remember like it was yesterday. You won’t forget… ever.
And you shouldn’t.
RIP: Steve "Croc Hunter" Irwin
Irwin became an international celebrity in 1992 when his “Croc Hunter” television show was picked up by the Discovery Channel. Irwin’s genuine love of nature and animals was infectious and I don’t know anyone who didn’t know and enjoy his work.
Steve Irwin leaves behind a wife and two children as well as a world of fans. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them all.
RIP Mickey Spillane
Mickey Spillane died yesterday. He was 88 years old and had cancer, so the news shouldn’t come as quite a shock. It’s just that Mickey Spillane was one of those guys that seemed like he could live forever.
Although Mr. Spillane started his career as a comic book writer, it was his Mike Hammer novels that made him a superstar. The first, “I, the Jury” was a hit with readers everywhere, critics be damned. Spillane followed up with 12 other Mike Hammer books… 9 other novels… and a bunch of short stories. Most folks don’t realize that Mr. Spillane also wrote two young adult novels [one which won a prize from the Junior Literary Guild].
As much as I enjoyed Spillane‘s books, I liked his attitude even more. He considered himself a writer, not an author. Spillane was more concerned with royalty checks than reviews… and his fans dearly loved him.
I miss him already.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mickey Spillane‘s family, friends and fans.
Dan Curtis – Rest in Peace
Curtis’s wife of 54 years died earlier this month. He is survived by his two daughters and a world of fans. Our thoughts and prayers are with them today.
Dennis Weaver and a Different Kind of Three
What’s that saying about deaths of famous people happening in “threes? Today, I’d like to discuss a different kind of three.
It was announced today that Dennis Weaver passed away on Friday. Weaver, was by any definition a celebrity. He has over 100 credits listed on his filmography. Weaver was an actor, director, composer and more.
My fondest memories of Dennis Weaver always involve my grandfather. We’d watch Gunsmoke [Weaver played Chester the deputy who always seemed to be yelling “Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon!”] and later McLoud [the country cop who ended up in New York City]. My grandfather and I really enjoyed Dennis Weaver in any role. So wouldn’t you know it, we watched the world premiere of “Duel” [directed by Steven Spielberg]. I can remember, during commercials, my grandpa and I talking about how exciting the movie was.
Of course Weaver was known for many other roles. He starred in the Gentle Ben tv series, had a role in Orson Welles‘ classic “Touch of Evil,” memorable guest appearances on all kinds of classic shows and headlined dozens of other movies. Still it is those three roles that I cherish most. It’s obvious why.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Dennis Weaver‘s family, friends, and fans.
Don Knotts & Darren McGavin: RIP
Don Knotts, best known as the bumbling but loveable Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith show, died on Friday from pulmonary and respiratory complications. Knotts appeared in more than 25 films and seven tv series but it was his role as Barney Fife that brought him the most awards [five Emmys] and fan recognition. Looking at Mr. Knotts’ filmnography, it’s obvious that he would have had a successful career even without the role of Barney Fife [over 50 years in the business, movies, tv, etc.], but the world would have been a bit sadder place.
Darren McGavin, 83, passed away on Saturday from natural causes. Although Mr. McGavin had a long, successful career in movies and on television; there were two roles that standout for me. The first was as newspaper reporter, Carl Kolchak who discovered a real vampire in modern day LA in the made for tv movie “Kolchak: The Night Stalker.” [Although I was never a fan of the series that the movie spawned…] The second role was that of Ralphie‘s dad in the classic “A Christmas Story.”
My thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends and fans of both Mr. McGavin and Mr. Knotts.
RIP Al Lewis aka Grandpa Munster
I can remember watching Lewis on “Car 54, Where Are You?” and later “The Munsters” when I was very young. Lewis seemed old then… but as the years passed he didn’t seem to age. Another benefit of growing older was that with each passing year Lewis seemed to get more and more popular. He was always a LIVELY guest where ever he appeared.
Lewis is survived by his wife, three children, four grandchilden and generations of fans. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone of them.