The toxicology report from the LA Coroner’s Office is in for Brittany Murphy and she did not have illegal drugs in her system. According to TMZ, the report says, “Multiple medications were present in the blood, with elevated levels of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and chlorpheniramine. L-methamphetamine was also present.” The report goes on, “It should be noted that the pattern of use of these medications suggest treatment of symptoms of a cold or other respiratory infection. Acetaminophen and hydrocodone are components of Vicodin. Chlorpheniramine is the active ingredient in some over-the-counter medications. L-methamphetamine is a component of some inhalers.” The report goes on to say, “The possible adverse physiological effects of elevated levels of these medications cannot be discounted, especially in her weakened state. Therefore the manner of death is Accident.”
It is so scary that you think that over-the-counter drugs can’t kill you, but what we have learned from her death is that they can. So sad and scary.
When Brittany Murphy died, I was on the phone with my friend and she was convinced it was illegal drugs that killed her and I said it could have been the flu. Now we know it was the pneumonia and self-medicating with over-the-counter and prescription drugs that took away this talented actress way too soon. I really hope that now that we know what was the cause of her death, that her reputation has cleared up because there were a lot of people who thought like my friend.
Caroline McWilliams, who was known for her roles on Soap and its spinoff Benson passed away on February 11th from multiple myeloma at the age 64 according to the Los Angeles Times. While her name might not be familiar to you, the characters she created on Soap (Sally) and Benson (Marcy Hill) will be. In later years she switched from acting to directing.
She is divorced from Michael Keaton and they have a son together named Sean.
Since I could not find just clips of her work on Benson or Soap, take 22 minutes to remember her and watch that episode of her on Benson or one of the many other ones on Hulu!
The Knack’s lead singer Doug Fieger passed away today from cancer at the age of 57 according to The Detroit News. The Knack is best known for their song My Sharona about a Sharona Doug met when was just 16 years old. So take 5 minutes to remember Doug, by listening to My Sharona and singing the song at the top of your lungs like you have done on so many occasions before he was taken from us way too soon.
BTW I found out about his death from a what Weird Al Yankovic Tweeted about him, “RIP my dear friend Doug Fieger (lead singer of The Knack, and the first artist ever to approve one of my parodies)”
Days of our Lives matriarch and original cast member Frances Reid has passed away at the age of 95 yesterday according to The Examiner. She is best known for playing Alice Horton on the last surviving NBC soap from 1965 until her last appearance in 2007. Even though Christmas will never be the same in Salem because both Tom and Alice Horton, we can take comfort knowing that the two are reunited in heaven now.
So let’s honor Frances Reid today and watch Days of our Lives the show she made what it is today. She will be sorely missed by fans of the show and me.
Zelda Rubenstein passed away today at the age of 76 according to the LA Times. The Poltergeist star who told Carol Anne not to go into the light has now joined Heather O’Rourke in the light. Zelda might have been small in size, but she was huge in talent. Zelda was best known for Poltergeist, but I also loved her on Picket Fences and Sixteen Candles. So let’s all remember her tremendous talent and watch Poltergeist in her honor…with the lights on.
