Mary Frann

Posted in Holy Cross Cemetery (CA) with tags , , on October 24, 2013 by Cade
frann1

February 27, 1943 – September 23, 1998

Best remembered as Bob Newhart’s other TV wife, Mary Frann (born Mary Frances Luecke) was a former pageant girl from St. Louis who studied acting in college and forged a nice career for herself –  mainly in television. From 1974-1979, Frann appeared on the popular soap opera Days of our Lives. From there, she made appearances on many TV shows including Fantasy Island and WKRP in Cincinnati. But, it was in 1982 that she was cast in her most famous role; that of Joanna Loudon, the wife of innkeeper/author Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) on Newhart.

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Bob Crane

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on October 24, 2013 by Cade

crane1July 13, 1928 – June 29, 1978

Robert Crane was a disc jockey from Connecticut who forayed his love of music and radio to Los Angeles…and, eventually, to an acting career. He dabbled with guest spots on popular shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Donna Reed Show before he was catapulted to fame as the titular colonel on CBS’s Hogan’s Heroes. As Robert Hogan, Crane earned a couple of Emmy nominations and enjoyed the show’s very successful six-year run. Sometimes, happiness is short-lived.

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Fred MacMurray

Posted in Holy Cross Cemetery (CA) with tags , , on October 24, 2013 by Cade

macmurray1August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991

Frederick Martin MacMurray’s nearly 50-year career was about as successful and varied as any you will find.  Throughout the 1930’s and ’40’s, MacMurray brought his talents from the stage to some of the most popular films of the era. He worked with everyone from Humphrey Bogart to Katharine Hepburn. His films with iconic director, Billy Wilder, (including the ultimate film noir Double Indemnity and the quintessential comedy The Apartment) became Hollywood classics. MacMurray later worked on a number of Disney live-action films like The Shaggy Dog and The Absent-Minded Professor while also landing what is possibly his most recognizable role (to folks under the age of 50 anyway): Steven Douglas, the father on the long-running TV sitcom My Three Sons.

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Selma Diamond

Posted in Hillside Memorial Park with tags on October 22, 2013 by Cade

diamond1August 6, 1920 – May 13, 1985

Selma Diamond was a actress/comedy writer in both radio and television who spent more than three decades in the business. Her writing brought her to the staff of Imogene Coca and Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows as well as a number of other radio and TV programs. Diamond’s stint on Show was said to have been the inspiration for Rose Marie’s character, Sally, on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Later in her career, she made more and more appearances onscreen – both TV and film – culminating in her final role as bailiff Selma Hacker on NBC’s Night Court. Continue reading →

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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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