Erin Moran passed away today at the age of 56 according to ABC News.
The actress is best known for playing Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days and its spinoff Joanie Loves Chachi. Even though she spent most of her childhood acting, she did not do that much of it after her iconic role ended. Moran’s biggest role after those shows was Celebrity Fit Camp: Boot Camp. Although she wasn’t acting, she was still appearing at conventions and even attended the RetroRama this past November looking as happy as ever.
Some of her costars paid their respects to her on Twitter. Henry Winker aka The Fonz said, “OH Erin… now you will finally have the peace you wanted so badly here on earth …Rest In It serenely now.. too soon.” Ron Howard remember his TV sis with, “Such sad sad news. RIP Erin. I’ll always choose to remember you on our show making scenes better, getting laughs and lighting up tv screens.” Don Most aka Ralph Malph honored her with, “So incredibly sad to hear about Erin. A wonderful, sweet, caring, talented woman.I can’t really comprehend this right now.Very painful loss.” Anson Williams told KABC’s George Pennacchio, “Erin was a person who made everyone around her feel better,” adding, “She truly cared about others first, a true angel. I will miss her so much…she is in God’s hands.” Long time friend and Celebrity Fit Club: Boot Camp teammate Willie Aames posted, “RIP to my old colleague and childhood friend ERIN MORAN. So Saddened to hear you have passed.”
When I was seeking out clips to post of her from Happy Days, the one that popped up is the one that is one of the reasons why I started smoking. Joanie was a nerd before she smoked and then she was cool when she did. That message stuck with me and few years later I started smoking (yes I started at young age), not realizing until years later, when I quit, that that episode and Grease played a big part in me smoking. The point of that story is that is how much Erin Moran meant to me when I was growing up and how sad her death is making me right now.
Let’s not remember her with sadness, let’s remember her with joy by watching videos of her as he role that made her a household name.
Don Rickles passed away today at the age of 90 from Kidney Failure according to The New York Times.
Rickles was legendary comedian who would make fun of everyone and didn’t care. You knew he was joking, so you didn’t get insulted by what he said. Instead you would laugh until it hurt and your pants were wet. He just had that way about him. Even Frank Sinatra grew to love him and there was time when the singer wanted to kill Mr Warmth.
Rickles has been doing late night television for over 50 years and was still appearing on them up until late last year. Forty years ago, he took part in the funniest late night moment and it lasted 2 episodes of The Tonight Show. His really good friend Bob Newhart was hosting and he was the guest. He grabbed Johnny Carson’s cigarette wooden box and it broke in two. He knew he was in trouble, but he didn’t know how much until the next day. That is when Carson returned to desk to find his heirloom broken. The host wasn’t happy about it and since Rickles was taping across the hall, he went and confronted him. It was a live moment that can never be duplicated because it was so funny and real. And there are not many hosts that have that type of relationship with their guests like that. It was a magical moment.
That is why Rickles will always be special to me, but to the younger generation he will be remembered as the voice of Mr Potato Head in the Toy Story movies.
No matter what you know him for, go get lost on the internet watching him roast people. It is the best way to keep his brilliant sense of humor alive. He is a one of kind and I am glad we got to know him.
Rickles is survived by his wife, Barbara of 52 years and their daughter Mindy.
Chuck Barris passed away yesterday at the age of 87 from natural causes according to Variety.
Long before there was Star Search, The Voice, American Idol and all those other talent shows, there was The Gong Show. It was created and hosted by Chuck Farris and he brought his own wacky flair to the show. Before he starred in his own game show, he had created The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game. Shows that either still air in syndication to this day or have been or will be rebooted. This summer The Gong Show returns to ABC with Will Arnett as the host.
Besides changing game shows forever, his “autobiographical” book Confessions of a Dangerous Mind became a big screen lauded film with Sam Rockwell starring as him in 2002. In the story, he claimed to be a CIA Assassin, something he later denied. A secret he took to his grave with him.
Today, you can honor him by rewatching that movie or re/discovering The Gong Show, The Dating Game or The Newlywed Game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxixIbONuCQ
Chuck Berry passed away today at the age of 90 in St. Charles County, Missouri according to ABC News.
Before there was Elvis Presley, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones there was Chuck Berry. He is one of the forefathers of Rock’n’Roll and his legacy will live on with his huge library of hits like Maybellene, Sweet Little Sixteen, Johnny B Goode and Roll Over Beethoven.
Even though he hadn’t released an album since in almost 40 years, he was still touring and playing his tunes up until 2014. In fact, the Nonagenarian was working on an album to celebrate his 9 decades on this Earth. As of now no other details have been released about it, but hopefully it will still get released.
Today, let us remember the Father of Rock’n’Roll by dancing to his music, I am sure he would like that way.
Before there was Judge Judy, Judge Alex and Judge Hatchett, there was Judge Joseph Wapner who hosted People’s Court from 1981-1993. Today, he passed away at the age of 97 according to TMZ. Before he was a televsion Judge he served on the LA Superior Court for 18 years before retiring from the bench in 1979.
The television Judge is survived by his wife Mickey of 70 years and two sons.
