April 7, 1933 – December 31, 2015
Sometimes, you just have to walk away. That’s exactly what Wayne Rogers did in 1975 when he left the massively successful sitcom, M*A*S*H after playing “Trapper” John McIntyre for the show’s first 72 episodes. Similar to fellow M*A*S*H alumnus (and fellow season 3 departer,) McLean Stevenson, Rogers – despite enjoying his time on the show immensely – grew tired of constantly playing second fiddle to Alan Alda’s “Hawkeye” Pierce. Continue reading
April 13, 1923 – September 25, 2005
“Missed it by THAT much.”
Don Adams (Donald Yarmy) gave life to one of the most memorable and imitated television characters of all time. In 1965, Adams was under contract with NBC, who decided he should play the role of Maxwell Smart on their new show, the Mel Brooks-created spy spoof, Get Smart. Adams took bits and catchphrases from his early stand-up days and wrapped them in a distinct speaking style to bring Agent 86 to the small screen for 5 seasons. Continue reading
May 17, 1955 – February 25, 2017
In the year and a half or so since his abrupt and untimely death at the age of 61, it’s still hard to imagine a world without Bill Paxton. The actor turned up so often for so long that one can be forgiven for still expecting to see him show up in some new movie or TV show today. Working often with director James Cameron, Paxton graced the screen in dozens of the most popular movies in the world for the better part of 3 decades. Small but memorable roles in the 1980s (Alien, Weird Science) led to blockbuster roles in the ’90s (Titanic, Tombstone, Twister) and lucrative TV roles in the 2000s (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Big Love – the latter of which earned him a number of Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.) He was literally everywhere. He even started a new wave band in 1982 because why not? Continue reading
August 7, 1927 – January 21, 1959
The same day that renowned director Cecil B. DeMille died, a fight broke out in a Mission Hills, California home. The fight was over $50 and left a 31 year-old former child star dead of a gunshot wound. The newspapers the next day were all about DeMille, but if one looked hard enough, they would see that Carl Switzer – “Alfalfa” from the Our Gang (Little Rascals) shorts of the 1940s – had been killed.
Alfalfa was arguably the most famous character of the film series which saw dozens of children come and go over its 22 year run.Along with other members like “Spanky,” “Darla” and “Buckwheat,” Switzer’s cowlick’d, off-key prankster helped define what many consider the “classic” line up.
April 27, 1922 – December 24, 2012
Whether you remember him as Dr. Quincy (Quincy, M.E.), Oscar (The Odd Couple) or as Juror #5 (12 Angry Men), Jack Klugman is one of those actors that’s instantly recognizable. From stage to screen, The Twilight Zone to Gypsy, he was seemingly everywhere for more than 50 years. He is probably most widely regarded for bringing the role of Oscar Madison from the stage – where he replaced Walter Matthau – to the small screen – opposite Tony Randall – in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple.
September 9, 1924 – August 24, 2001
“Mine is a sissy name. It’s too bo-peepish, ingenueish, for the type of role I’ve been playing.”
When Bettejane Greer legally changed her first name to just “Jane,” she was not wrong in her observation. RKO Picture’s ‘woman with the Mona Lisa smile’ was well-known for her femme fatale roles – most notably, opposite Robert Mitchum in the film noir classic Out of the Past – and enigmatic, hard shell characters. A Bettejane, she was most certainly not. Greer was a model, a singer and an actress whose career spanned more than half a century. Continue reading
February 14, 1934 – November 24, 2016
It can be hard to go your entire career being associated with one character or one performance. For Florence Henderson, being the spokesperson for Wesson cooking oil for 2 decades was a defining persona and the kind of role every struggling actor covets. A gifted stage actress and singer, Henderson made a splash early on with performances on Broadway and televised productions of musicals. She appeared in game shows and on talk shows and was instantly recognizable in any household thanks to her long tenure with Wesson.
September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014
Mickey Rooney was one of the most enduring figures of the classic age of Hollywood. He got his start as a child in vaudeville and quickly found success in film. By the age of 25, he was one of MGM’s biggest and most successful stars. He starred in 14 Andy Hardy movies and began working with another young star on the rise by the name of Judy Garland. Together, Mickey and Judy made 10 films together and both careers were catapulted. After serving in the Special Services during World War II, Mickey’s career waned…if you can call 60 more years of being loved by millions “waning.” As an adult, he remained short of stature, so he never made the transition to leading man roles. But, that didn’t stop the Mick. Continue reading
October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016
April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016
Carrie Fisher was born into Hollywood royalty. Her father was crooner Eddie Fisher and her mother was actress and iconic girl-next-door, Debbie Reynolds. Onstage from the very beginning, she enjoyed a very successful career. She will forever be linked to her most indelible character, Princess Leia from the blockbuster Star Wars film franchise. But, she was more than a strong, rebellious princess. Fisher was a fearless comedic actor and writer. She wrote critically-acclaimed screenplays and novels and was for a time, the go-to “script doctor” in the industry. She overcame personal demons stemming from drug abuse and bi-polar disorder and always, always, kept her wit. Continue reading
February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004
When an actor has the fortune of landing a successful and iconic role, it’s never entirely fair when the public places said actor into the pigeonhole of that role for the rest of his/her career. Despite any other accomplishments, the actor is constantly equated to that one role and is often forced to accept the public’s unwillingness to move on in order to continue to make a livelihood. Tony Randall is one of the prime examples of spending an entire career in the shadow of an iconic role. And that role, of course, was….the voice of the brain gremlin in Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
Kidding, of course. Continue reading
Celebrity Graveland 