February 8, 1922 — February 3, 1996
If your one and only claim to fame is playing the straight foil to Jackie Gleason’s frenetic and iconic Ralph Kramden, then you’re still doing alright. Audrey Meadows was a stage and TV actress who just happened to win the role of Alice Kramden despite being “too pretty.” Meadows played Alice a couple of times prior to The Honeymooners becoming a hit TV show and she never looked back. Continue reading
January 8, 1926 – October 22, 2009
Milton Supman was a radio and television personality, actor and comedian who was known to the world by the nickname given to him as a boy: Soupy. After hosting a number of local radio and TV shows, Sales started Lunch With Soupy on a Detroit local channel. The show, which was a mélange of slapstick, puns, sight gags and pie throwing became a hit and in 1959, began to air nationally on ABC. Continue reading
May 19, 1939 – January 28, 1986
Commander of the Space Shuttle Challenger on its ill-fated final mission, Francis Richard “Dick” Scobee was an Air Force pilot and astronaut. A combat pilot during the Vietnam war, Scobee became a test pilot and was eventually selected to be a part of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. He piloted Challenger on a successful mission – his only other – two years prior to the disaster. On January 28th, 1986, after a number of weather-related delays and under high pressure to get the shuttle into space to inaugurate the Teacher In Space program, Challenger finally lifted off. Continue reading
August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an influential musician, producer and song-writer known for his funky blues style. Though he wrote many songs for others, including the smash hit “Soul Man,” he was probably most known for his solo albums Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses and certainly for his work on the motion picture soundtrack for 1971’s Shaft, for which he won 2 Grammys and an Academy Award. Hayes enjoyed a somewhat odd career resurrection in the 1990’s when he voiced the character, Chef, on the long-running animated comedy South Park. Continue reading
April 1, 1932 – September 22, 2003
Look. Let’s just get it out of the way right up front. Let’s choose to remember Gordon Jump for the lovable characters he created like WKRP in Cincinnati’s Arthur “Big Guy” Carlson or Chief Tinkler on Soap or even the ever-lonely Maytag Repairman from all of those commercials. Or, if we want to dig a little, we can appreciate his early radio career and numerous guest star appearances on dozens of television shows. Or we can even talk about his work in educational films for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Let’s just focus on the good stuff and avoid any conversation whatsoever about THAT episode of Diff’rent Strokes.
November 4, 1918 – November 9, 2003
Art Carney was an immensely talented actor, mimic, comedian and singer. Over his 50+ year career, Carney delighted audience in every medium. He began his career in radio, moved to television, stage, records and film. He won an Academy Award in 1974 for his performance in Harry and Tonto. Of course, his entire amazing career can probably be owed to the time he first met and worked with Jackie Gleason. Carney’s fame shot through the roof due to his portrayal of Ed Norton opposite Gleason on the wildly successful TV show, The Honeymooners. Continue reading
January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996
July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964
One of the great comedy teams of all-time, Burns and Allen were vaudeville, radio, film and television legends. They met in New Jersey and embarked on a career – and life – together that would entertain audiences for decades. George was the classic straight man to Gracie’s madcap comic. They eventually made the jump from stage to film and television and moved their popular radio program, The Burns and Allen Show, to television, where it ran for 8 years. In 1964, after a long battle with heart disease, Gracie said “Goodnight” and died. Leaving George to continue his career without his partner and wife. Continue reading
December 27, 1975 – February 1, 1988
For all the glitz and glamour that is represented in a large cross-section of the population in tiny Westwood Memorial Park, there is also a fair amount of tragedy present. Many of the permanent residents there died way too young. There’s no better example of that than Heather O’Rourke. The adorable, blonde child star was made famous by her portrayal of Carol Anne in the Poltergeist film trilogy. She also went on to guest star on a number of mid-’80’s television shows. Heather became sick in 1987 and was misdiagnosed with Crohn’s disease.In early 1988, at the age of 12, she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where she later died while in surgery for a congenital bowel obstruction – the true cause of her illness.
June 20, 1925 – May 28, 1971
Lieutenant Audie Leon Murphy was perhaps the most famous and one of the most decorated infantry soldiers from World War II. During his tours in the Mediterranean and Europe, Murphy received a number of honors including, but certainly not limited to, a Medal of Honor, THREE Purple Hearts, Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, a Legion of Merit…you get the picture. Audie Murphy was not messing around. He was a true hero.
February 12, 1915 – September 11, 1987
Lorne Greene was born Lyon Himan Green in Ottawa, Ontario. He began acting in college and found himself on the radio as a newsreader. His solemn and gruff voice led him to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation where he read news broadcasts of Canada’s involvement in World War II. He quickly transitioned his talent to the stage and, eventually, the television screen. His biggest role was that of patriarch Ben Cartwright on the long-running series Bonanza. Continue reading
Celebrity Graveland 