Valerie Harper passed away today 8 days after her 80th birtday from a long battle with a rare type of brain cancer accoding to The Washington Post.
The actress is best known for playing Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda. She was a wise cracking, fearless, independent woman, you could not help but to love. Since I am a girl from The Bronx, I grew up wanting to be her. In some ways, I am lot like Rhoda.
Before she became one of the biggest television stars of the ’70s, she starred on Broadway. After Rhoda, she still did plays, starred in a few more televsion shows along with many telemovies and movies.
She never stopped acting even when she started having health issues. In 2009, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She beat it. However, in 2013, she was revealed she was suffering from leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and was told she had 6 months to live. Thanks to experimental treatments, 6 months turned into 6 years.
Today, let’s remember her with a huge smile, one as big as hers. I know I will be doing that.
Cameron Boyce passed away yesterday at the age of 20. The actor “passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated.”
Even though he was just 20 years old, he had been acting nonstop for over his half of life. Boyce is best known for playing Luke on Jessie and Carlos De Vil in the Descendants franchise. The third and final movie is slated to air August 2nd on Disney Channel.
Boyce was also the title voice of the popular kids’ cartoon Jake and the Never Land Pirates. Not only was he a Disney star, but he also played Adam Sandler’s on in Grown Ups and its sequel.
Along with Descendants 3, he has two other projects coming out. The television series Paradise City and the movie Runt.
Today, let’s honor this great talent that was taken away from us way too young and watch many of his enjoyable acting roles. I will be rewatching him in Descendants. He had such a bright future because he had such an amazing past.
My heart goes out to his family and friends. Remember to tell your loved ones that you love them because this is a reminder life is way too short.
The World is a lot less funny because Tim Conway passed away yesterday at the age of 85 from complications of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus according to People.
Conway was always the funniest person in the room, ask anyone who worked with him. When I asked Betty White who was the only person who could make her break and she told me it was Tim Conway. No one would crack up more than his scene partner on The Carol Brunet Show, Harvey Korman. You almost felt bad for Korman but then you would think he got to experience Conway’s humor better than anyone.
Conway is most known for The Carol Burnett Show, but he was always acting. He appeared o several talk shows, The Shaggy DA, McHale’s Navy, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Married…with Children, Spongebob Squarepants, Hot In Cleveland and so many more.
No matter what he did, he made us laugh until we peed our pants. Today, honor him by laughing. Let out laughter lift him up to heaven where he can torture his good friend Harvey Korman again.
Georgia Engel passed away on Friday at the age of 70. According to ABC News, her friend said the cause of death is unknown because she was a Christian Scientist.
Engel is best known for playing the lovable, naive Georgette, who was smarter than everyone thought, on The Mary Tyler Moore. From that show on, she continued to act, sing and dance on television and on the stage. In fact, her last role was One Day at a Time just last year.
Between those two shows, her big welcoming smile was seen on Mork & Mindy, Coach, Passions, The Office, Two and a Half Men and Hot In Cleveland to name a few.
Along with those roles, she had a memorable one as Brad Garrett’s sweet and innocent mother-in-law with a little bit of a naughty side to her. To me that perfectly sums up the actress, she looks so sweet and innocent, but you can tell there is just some so naughty about her.
She just had a way about her that drew you to her. Her comedic timing came naturally. I have been watching her in repeats of The Mary Tyler Moore Show on Sundance Channel, and the newbie held her own against all of those comedic legends. In fact, sometimes she was even better than all of them. There was just so much light in that little package.
Today honor the Tinkerbell of the Hell’s Angels, as Don Rickles described her as, in one of her many great roles. Remember her with a smile as big as hers because I am sure that is how she would want to be remembered.
Luke Perry passed away today at the age of 52 just days after suffering a massive stroke. His publicist told Good Morning America, “He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends
“The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time.”
In 1992, women fell in love with Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210 and men wanted to be him. His was like a reincarnation of James Dean, effortlessly cool. From that moment on, he never stopped acting.
He did several disaster movies like Scorcher, Supernova and Final Storm along with some Westerns. His biggest movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, will forever be adored by teens.
He could never get away from being that person that teenagers would admire. His last role is on The CW’s Riverdale. This time the eternal teenager played the dad of one. Something he knew oh too well because he has two kids of his own.
Today, let’s honor the man that we either wanted to be or be with by watching one of his many roles. He will forever be that suave guy that stood out in a crowd.
You can watch a few of his movies and 90210 on TubiTV for free.
