https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahtRgCeHEbQ
Patty Duke passed away today at the age of 69 due to sepsis from a ruptured intestine according to her agent Mitchell K. Stubbs.
Patty Duke had an horrendous childhood because of parents and her abusive talent managers, even though she had huge sucess on Broadway and on the big screen playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker at such a young age. In 1963, she landed the role of Patty Lane and her lookalike cousin Cathy in the sitcom The Patty Duke Show that still airs today in syndication on Me TV and other channels. In 1967, she starred as Neely O’Hara in the groundbreaking Valley of the Dolls. Throughout the years, she continued acting nonstop. She even starred in The Miracle Worker again, but this time as Keller’s teacher Anne Sullivan.
But her life was not easy, a very short lived marriage, alcohol abuse and eventually the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. That diagnosis saved her life and she brought awareness to it by talking about it on several talk shows. She wrote an autobiography called Call Me Anna, that is a must read, and starred in a movie of the week based on it. All of this brought bipolar disorder to the forefront and made people aware of it.
As the years went on she continued to talk about it and act constantly. Thirty years ago on March 15th, she married the love of her life Michael Pearce, moved to Idaho and had a son with him. She has two other sons that she raised with John Astin, Sean and Mackenzie Astin, both of whom are actors.
When I think of Patty Duke, I think of a woman who I revere first, and then the actress who I admire. She was so inspirational and someone Hollywood and the world will be talking about for decades to come because of the huge impact she left on it and left on us.
So today please honor this wonderful woman by watching one of her many great works to let her know that we will always love her. I know that is how I am going to spend the today.
Personally, I am sorry I have never met, but I am honored that was able to chat with her on the phone on more than one occasion. She was as warm as you would expect to her be.
James Noble passed away yesterday at the age of 94 according to The New York Times. He is best known for playing the lovable Connecticut Governor Gene Gatling on the long running sitcom Benson.
Even though he was born in Dallas, Tx, he died in the state that he governed on TV. Something that brought a smile to my face when I read the sad news. Every morning I wake up and watch Benson on Family Net and this show never gets old. In fact, it only gets better with time. A big part of this show’s sucess was not only the chemistry between the cast, but also the fact that you wanted Governor Gatling to be your Governor. He was fair and he cared, and Noble brought a warmth to him that made you love him even more.
So today let’s honor him by letting him hear our laughter as we watch him do what he does best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2scOPP5lXgU
Garry Shandling suddenly passed away yesterday and the late night television hosts remember him because he changed that format with his fake TV show The Larry Sanders Show. Conan O’Brien has been doing it the longest now and he remembered his friend on his TBS show last night. Instead of doing a monologue, he shared a story about how Shandling was there for him during a time of need. When Conan’s Tonight Show was cancelled, his wife convinced him to go to Hawaii to get away from it all. As soon as they got there, he got a call and it was from Shandling. The comedian told him there was no way to avoid to him and he spent the rest of the trip with his friend forever. It is a beautiful story that tells you more about than man than just his rich television history.
One that influenced Seth Meyers so much, he had to talk about it at the start of Late Night yesterday. The NBC late night show host said that Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, made him want to do a late night show, but Larry Sanders made him not want to do one. Of course he was joking, but you can see how influential he was.
These are just two of the touching tributes that were paid to the legendary man. There are many more on Twitter and you can see how much his presence touched the lives of Judd Apatow, Peter Tolan, Jimmy Kimmel, Bob Newhart and many many more.
In the upcoming weeks, HBO will once again air The Larry Sanders Show and when they do I highly recommend watching it. See why so many greats respect the man for more than just his comedy.
Garry Shandling passed away suddenly today at the age of 66 according to TMZ.
The comedian started out behind the scenes writing on shows like Sanford & Son and Welcome Back Kotter. In between that, he did many stints on late night television before getting the It’s Garry Shandling;s Show on Fox in 1986. Two years after that sitcom ended, he landed his career defining role in The Larry Sanders Show. When it was on the air, everyone wanted to be on it but it was David Duchovny who left the biggest impression as a guest.
Then in the new millennium, he jumped over to the big screen starring in What Planet Are You From?, Town & Country, Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Most recently he appeared on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee by Jerry Seinfeld in January.
Today, don’t remember him with tears, remember him with laughter. You can watch many of his classic standup routines on YouTube. I know it eased my pain over his shocking loss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d30Y0n1nDH4
Abe Vigoda passed away today at the age of 94 in his sleep according to what his daughter told the AP.
The actor became a star when he accepted a part in The Godfather. A few years later, he landed the role of a lifetime as Fish on Barney Miller, and he got his own spinoff from that lovable police sitcom that still airs in syndication today. He kept on acting and had bit, but memorable roles in Look Who’s Talking, Tales From the Darkside and Good Burger to name a few. Most of the younger generation will remember him best for starring in the hugely popular Snickers Super Bowl commercial with Betty White.
As well known as he was for his acting, in recent years he was also known for is he still alive or dead. Well sadly today, AbeVigoda.com changed their status to dead.
Even though he is no longer with us, let’s keep his spirit alive by watching one of his many roles and smiling as we remember him.
