Archive for the ‘Obituary’ Category
Coming off the high of recording another MSPDnDDCMP3 marathon session yesterday, I was saddened to hear about John Hughes passing. Cliff Chiang offers up his tribute to the movie director who probably did more to shape the lives of kids in the 80s than anyone else.
“Dear Batman: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in Bat-detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you’re crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is an archer, and a speedster, and a swimmer, a princess, and an acrobat. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Teen Titans.”
And for a truly unique and tear filled tribute to Mr. Hughes, you simply must read this post by someone who was Hughes’ pen pal for many years.
Sad news for Philip Jose Farmer fans; the author passed away today at the age of 91. Farmer is best known for his Riverworld, and World of Tiers series, but I was most familiar with his Doc Savage and Tarzan tales. Framer wrote the Escape from Loki (1991) Doc Savage tale that told one of the early adventures of the Man of Bronze, which I quite liked, but I was more interested in his two unauthorized biographies of the pulp heroes.
Tarzan Alive (1972) and Doc Savage: His Life and Apocalyptic Life (1973) imagined the characters as real people who had been fictionalized by the books’ original authors. I’ve been trying to track down both books for years, but have yet to get my hands on either of the works. With this news, it might be even more difficult to find a first edition in good condition.
The Peoria-based writer had written more than 75 books and was awarded the top honors in his field. That includes the Grand Master Award for Science Fiction in 2001, an award also given to noted authors such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein. Farmer had a world-wide following, with fans travelling to Peoria once or twice a year.
He was once quoted as saying that, particular in his early career, he had more fans in France, Italy, Germany and Japan than in the United States. Even after he retired from writing, his fans continued to produce “Farmerphile,” a magazine devoted to his life and works.
It’s strange that this news comes to us today, as Dr. Peter Coogan and I had just mentioned Famer’s Doc Caliban and Lord Grandrith books on the most recent Major Spoilers Podcast when we were discussing fan fiction.
Man when it rains it pours. First it was the news of Patrick McGoohan’s passing, then Steve Jobs stepping down from Apple because of his medical condition, and now Fox News is reporting on the death of Ricardo Montalban. Many of us know him from Fantasy Island, but a many more pop culture fans know of him in his series to movie spanning role as Kahn, probably one of Kirk’s most formidable foes.
Montalban’s death was announced at a meeting of the city council by president Eric Garcetti, who represents the district where the actor lived. Garcetti did not give a cause of death.
Buuuuuummmmmmmmeeeeeeeerrr!
Patrick McGoohan, best known for his portrayal as Number Six in the television series The Prisoner, has passed away at the age of 80. No word on the cause of death, except reports of a short illness.
he was best known as the title character Number Six in “The Prisoner,” a surreal 1960s British series in which a former spy is held captive in a small village and constantly tries to escape.
The news comes as the new Prisoner series is set to debut this year.
Actor Pat Hingle, who played Commissioner Jim Gordon in Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin has passed at the age of 84.
Hingle died Saturday night of myelodysplasia, a type of blood cancer, at his home in Carolina Beach, N.C., according to Lynn Heritage, a cousin who was acting as a spokesperson for the family.
Sad news today, as a friend of the Eartha Kitt family reports that the singer and actress has passed at 81 years of age. Most readers of Major Spoilers will remember Kitt as the second Catwoman from the 1967-1968 Batman television show.
Kitt, a self-proclaimed “sex kitten” famous for her catlike purr, was one of America’s most versatile performers, winning two Emmys and getting a third nomination. She also was nominated for two Tony Awards and a Grammy.
She will be missed.
Notorious pin-up babe from the 1950s Bettie Page passed away yesterday at the age of 85. She’d been in a coma for about a week after suffering a heart attack. Page got a resurgence in popularity following Dave Stevens The Rocketeer comic that had Page’s likeness appear inside. The two were friends for years, and it is interesting/strange the two died so close together.
Another great shot of Page from Stevens book after the jump.
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