Seriously? OMG! WTF?

Patrick Quinn, the newly appointed executive director of the Actors’ Equity Association, died suddenly of a heart attack in the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 24. He was 55. Maria Somma, a spokesperson at Equity, confirmed the news. Mr. Quinn died while at his country home. The Council of Actors’ Equity Association announced on Aug. 22 that he would be the union’s new executive director, effective Oct. 5. He was to have succeeded Alan Eisenberg, who is leaving after 25 years in the position. A native Philadelphian, Quinn began his Equity career in 1970. His credits include 10 Broadway shows. He was first elected to the Council, Equity’s national governing body, in 1977. Since that time he has served as third vice-president, first vice president and for 17 years chaired the Union’s negotiating teams for its flagship Production Contract. In 2000, the membership elected him to the first of three terms as president. Quinn is a founding member of Equity Fights AIDS and has served as the second vice president since 1993 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He is a trustee of The Actors’ Fund of America, Equity-League Pension, Health and 401(k) Trust Funds, the Actors’ Equity Staff Pension Plan, and serves as Secretary of the Actors’ Equity Foundation and a delegate to the Associated Actors and Artistes of America. Actors’ Equity Association is the national union representing 45,000 stage actors and stage managers. It is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with the International Federation of Actors (FIA), a worldwide organization of performing arts unions. In his new role, Quinn would have directed the collective bargaining process for more than 30 national and regional contracts, overseen the Union’s finances, supervised Equity’s staff located in five offices, and represented AEA within the industry as well as to the public. Tall and boyishly handsome, Mr. Quinn was a genial presence in Broadway shows like Beauty and the Beast, Lend Me a Tenor, The Sound of Music and A Class Act. His most recent appearance was in the Cape Playhouse production of Sylvia and earlier this season he appeared in Gunmetal Blues at the George Street Playhouse. Mr. Quinn is survived by his partner of 12 and a half years, Martin Cassella. He is also survived by his brothers James and his wife Sondra, of Naples, Florida; Gerard and his wife Gail of Cotesville, Pa; John and his wife Marguerite, of Doylestown, Pa; and a sister, Livanne Antonucci and her husband Joseph; and nine (9) nephews and nieces. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Actors’ Equity Foundation, BC/EFA, or the Actors’ Fund of America.

Playbill 

Access Hollywood has learned that Mariska Hargitay’s father, former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay, died on Thursday, September 14, at the age of 80. Last month, the Emmy winning "Law & Order: SVU" actress abruptly abandoned her scheduled appearances on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and Access Hollywood to stand by his side. Hargitay, 42, just had her first child with husband Peter Hermann this past summer. Mariska’s mother, the actress Jayne Mansfield, was the wife of Mickey. She passed away in 1967 in a car accident.
The Hargitay family has supplied the following statement:
Words cannot express how saddened we are by the loss of Mickey. At the same time, we are so grateful for who he was and is to all of us, and for the love he gave us in our lives. He will continue to be our source of inspiration and strength. A private service was held for the family.

Access Hollywood(Thanks Michael)

The Kennedy family is mourning the loss of PATRICIA KENNEDY LAWFORD, the sister of President JOHN F. KENNEDY and former wife of actor and "Rat Pack" member PETER LAWFORD, today. The family released a statement saying that Patricia died Sunday at home in New York from complications from pneumonia. She was 82. "My sister Pat is irreplaceable," Massachusetts Democratic Sen. EDWARD "Teddy" M. KENNEDY said in a statement. "Everyone who knew Pat adored her. She was admired for her great style, for her love and support of the arts, her wit and generosity — and for the singular sense of wonder and joy she brought into our lives." One of nine children born to ROSE and JOSEPH PATRICK KENNEDY SR., Patricia was enamored with Hollywood and married rising star Peter on April 24, 1954 at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Thomas More in New York City. The two settled in Santa Monica, CA, where they traveled in circles with friends FRANK SINATRA and MARILYN MONROE. Years later, they experienced marital differences and divorced in 1966. She is survived by four children and several grandchildren.

Entertainment Tonight

Teenage actor Pablo Santos, who starred in the television series "Greetings from Tucson," died after a small plane in which he was riding crashed in Mexico, a hospital official said Saturday. The Piper Malibu crashed Friday just over a mile short of the runway as it was making its approach to the airport in Toluca, some 35 miles west of Mexico City, according to the Mexico State Security Agency. Six other people were hospitalized. Santos, 19, was taken to the Social Security Hospital, where he died Friday, hospital spokeswoman Irma Garcia Guardarrama said. Santos starred as the son of a Mexican-American family portrayed in "Greetings from Tucson," which ran on the WB network from 2002 to 2003. He had appeared in numerous episodes on other television programs, including "Boston Public," "Law & Order" and "American Family," as well as films such as "Sea of Dreams" and "Party Animalz." Born in Monterrey, Santos moved with his family to Los Angeles when he was 12. Officials were investigating the cause of the accident.

Fox News (Story) and AP (Photo) 

So sad. He was great on Greetings from Tucson.

Veteran actor PAT CORLEY, perhaps best known as Phil the barkeep on TV’s "Murphy Brown," has died. He was 76. The actor’s son tells the Associated Press that Corley died of congestive heart failure on September 11 at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He had reportedly undergone surgery for the placement of coronary stents. Corley’s acting career spanned five decades and covered stage (on and off-Broadway), film and television. In addition to playing the surly barkeep and personal advisor to CANDICE BERGEN’s character in "Murphy Brown," the Dallas native had roles on such TV shows as "Hill Street Blues," "Cagney & Lacey," "Magnum P.I." and "Night Court." In film, he was featured in such projects as ‘Against All Odds,’ ‘Coming Home’ and ‘True Confessions.’ A memorial service for the actor is said to be scheduled for Saturday in Northridge.

Entertainment Tonight 

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