Archive for October, 2013

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Jim Backus

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , , on October 21, 2013 by Cade

backus2February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989

As Thurston Howell III on the classic CBS sitcom Gilligan’s Island, Jim Backus played to a personal strength: his ability to portray lovable upper-class snobs. Gilligan’s “millionaire” was just the most famous of his well-to-do characters, but he made a good living portraying them on radio and in television for decades. Of course, he was notable for playing another famous character, as well. He was the voice of the near-sighted cartoon character, Mr. Magoo on television and film. Continue reading →

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Sorrell Booke

Posted in Hillside Memorial Park on October 17, 2013 by Cade

booke1January 4, 1930 – February 11, 1994

Sit back. I’m gonna blow your mind.

The guy who played hilariously corrupt county commissioner, Boss Hogg, on the 1970’s and ’80’s backwoods stereotypin’, dirt road car-jumpin’, moonshine runnin’ series The Dukes of Hazzard…was an Ivy Leaguer.  A DOUBLE Ivy Leaguer to be exact. Sorrell Booke graduated with degrees from both Columbia and Yale. And he was a spy in the Korean War. Boss Hogg was.

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Nell Carter

Posted in Hillside Memorial Park with tags on October 17, 2013 by Cade

carter1September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003

I wanna happy ending
I’m tired of pretending
Won’t let ’em get the best of me
Whoa, whoa, whoa Gimme a break

If anyone ever deserved a break, it was Nell Carter.  The diminutive singer and actress persevered through many trials as a kid in Alabama. She discovered singing in church as a young girl and made it all the way to Broadway, winning a Tony for her breakout role in Ain’t Misbehavin’. She had other successes on the stage but it was her Emmy-nominated turn as Nell Harper on NBC’s Gimme a Break! from 1981-1987 that made her a household name. Continue reading →

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McLean Stevenson

Posted in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills with tags , , on October 17, 2013 by Cade

stevenson1November 14, 1927 – February 15, 1996

Edgar McLean Stevenson trodded the boards for years in Summer Stock theatre and fledgling TV programs. He eventually established himself as a comedy writer and occasional performer before landing a guest spot on Marlo Thomas’ That Girl. This led to a starring role in The Doris Day Show, which led to the role for which he will always be remembered: Col. Henry Blake on the seminal sitcom M*A*S*H. For three seasons, Stevenson earned laughs as Col. Blake but began to resent the character’s role as a “lowly” ensemble member. He wanted to be the star, so he walked away. Continue reading →

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Morey Amsterdam

Posted in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills with tags , , , on October 17, 2013 by Cade

amsterdam1December 14, 1908 – October 27, 1996

Nicknamed “The Human Joke Machine,” Morey Amsterdam was considered by many to be a…human joke machine. His ability to make a spontaneous joke about anything in rapid-fire succession led to many appearances on early TV variety shows and series. But, his biggest success was playing the role of comedy writer Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show. The role suited Amsterdam perfectly and allowed him to spitfire his natural flowing comedy within the perfect context of writing for the show’s fictitious The Alan Brady Show. Continue reading →

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Tom Poston

Posted in Hillside Memorial Park with tags , on October 17, 2013 by Cade

poston1October 17, 1921 – April 30, 2007

Unless my research is somehow flawed, Tom Poston appeared in every television show that aired from 1950-2006.

Well, A LOT of them, anyway. Poston’s career began after he served in the Air Force during World War II (he flew planes over Normandy…and everywhere else in Europe) when he studied at the American Academy for Dramatic Arts in New York. His earliest appearances were those of the comedic “man on the street” characters on The Steve Allen Show. He also appeared on a number of panel game shows. But from there, he slowly worked his way into every living room in America. With appearances in everything from Mork & Mindy to Murphy Brown, Poston costarred or guest starred on upwards of 75 different TV shows, movies and mini-series. Continue reading →

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Mary Astor

Posted in Holy Cross Cemetery with tags , on October 15, 2013 by Cade

astor1May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987

Making the transition to the “talkies” was every Silent Era star’s nightmare.  For some, the change was easy and sound only helped make their career greater.

Meet Mary Astor; the young, auburn-haired girl of German descent whose family moved to New York so she could be discovered. A ploy that worked, as it turns out. Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke) landed small roles in silent films and  a contract with Paramount pictures. Though successful, her early life as an actor was not a happy one. In fact, Mary’s life was rife with scandal.  Her parents lived lavishly off the money she made and kept her locked away from the world in their Hollywood mansion. She endured tragic marriages and messy divorces. Lawsuits, affairs, secret diaries, you name it. If TMZ existed in the 1930’s, they would have loved her.

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George C. Scott

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on October 15, 2013 by Cade

scott1October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999

George Campbell Scott won a lot of awards over the course of his prolific career. He didn’t necessarily accept all of them, but he won them nonetheless.

A gifted actor on both stage and screen, Scott is best remembered for his iconic roles in both Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and, of course, Patton (with Westwood neighbor Karl Malden). For the latter, he was nominated – for the third time – for an Academy Award. He refused the nomination famously saying “The whole thing is a goddamn meat parade. I don’t want any part of it.” Naturally, he won anyway.  His stage accomplishments were just as decorated. He was nominated for the Tony Award three times for his performances in Uncle Vanya, Inherit the Wind and Death of a Salesman. Continue reading →

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Jimmy Durante

Posted in Holy Cross Cemetery with tags , , on October 15, 2013 by Cade

durante1February 10, 1893 – March 29, 1980

James Frances Durante and his nose were born in New York City to Italian immigrant parents. Young Jimmy dropped out of school to become a jazz and ragtime pianist. Something he was very good at. By the time he was 27, Durante had his very own New Orleans Jazz Band. But, his piano chops aside, Jimmy Durante was most famous for being a comedian. His self-deprecating humor – he called himself “The Great Schnozzola” because, well… – intentionally butchered language and staccatoed speech patterns earned him fame on the Vaudeville stages, the radio and, ultimately, film and television. Continue reading →

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Lou Rawls

Posted in Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills with tags , on October 14, 2013 by Cade

rawls1December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006

Two things you should know about Lou Rawls: 1) He was a multi-Grammy award winning soul and R&B singer whose career spawned more than 60 albums and 18 Billboard Top 100 singles. And 2) He holds the distinction of being one of the only people represented on this blog who died twice.

While on tour with a young Sam Cooke in 1958, Rawls, then just 23, was in a severe car accident and was pronounced dead at the scene. Not content with that outcome, Rawls decided to come back and scrap it out for another 48 years. Continue reading →

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