Celebrity Death Thread

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Celebrity Death Thread

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A sad start to the new forum.

Comedian Garry Shandling Dies at 66

Garry Shandling, the envelope-pushing comedian best known for playing a fictional talk show host on "The Larry Sanders Show," died Thursday in a Los Angeles-area hospital, NBC News has learned. He was 66.

Shandling was felled by a heart attack and was pronounced dead at St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica after being transported there from his home around 10:40 a.m. by the Los Angeles Fire Department, sources said.

Word of his passing stunned his friends. He was not known to be ill and recently retweeted Kathy Griffin's photo of herself with him and actor Bob Odenkirk.



"Sunday, my longtime friend Garry Shandling was here, making every1 laugh. I loved him. I'll miss our talks the most," Griffin tweeted after the sad news broke.

Word of his passing drew condolences from other famous funnymen like Fred Willard, who said he was heartbroken.

Born in Chicago and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Shandling was majoring in electrical engineering and working towards a marketing degree at the University of Arizona when he was beckoned by the bright lights of Hollywood.

Shandling got his first break selling scripts to sitcoms like "Sanford and Son" and "Welcome Back, Kotter." That led to stints guest-hosting "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Armed with a toothy grin and a self-deprecating wit, Shandling quickly became a contender to replace Carson. But that was not to be. And in 1986, Shandling created "It's Garry Shandling's Show" for Showtime which ran until 1990 and garnered four Emmy nominations.

It was a groundbreaking and influential show in that Shandling played a version of himself and would sometimes directly address the audience.

He found more success with "The Larry Sanders" show on HBO, which ran from 1992 to 1998 and earned 18 Emmy nominations — and finally won one for the series finale. It too is considered a highly influential comedy which helped spawn other series like "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Shandling was so devoted to the show that he turned down an offer to host "The Late Late Show." He also turned down a $5 million offer from NBC to take over "Late Night" when David Letterman split for CBS.

Shandling hosted both the Grammys and Emmys Awards and snagged small-but-funny part in movies like "Mixed Nuts" and "Zoolander."

His last movie role was in 2014 playing a corrupt senator in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

Then, in January, Shandling appeared with his pal Jerry Seinfeld in an episode of the online comedy series, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee."

It was entitled "It's Great That Garry Shandling Is Still Alive."

Shandling never married but lived with former Playboy model Linda Doucett from 1987 until 1994. His true love was comedy.

"Without comedy as a defense mechanism, I wouldn't be able to survive," he once said.

Source: NBC

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That sucks. Garry Shandling was great.

Someone found a tweet from a few years ago where he said at his funeral he wanted it to open with a boxing referee coming up to his casket and giving him a 10 count. That's a hilarious idea I now want to do.

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Ronnie Corbett, best known for The Two Ronnies, dies aged 85

Entertainer Ronnie Corbett, best known for BBC comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies, has died aged 85.

His publicist said: "Ronnie Corbett CBE, one of the nation's best-loved entertainers, passed away this morning, surrounded by his loving family.

"They have asked that their privacy is respected at this very sad time."

Corbett was one of the UK's best-loved comedians and along with Ronnie Barker, their double act was one of the most successful of the 1970s and '80s.

The entertainer had been suffering from ill-health for some time and had been in hospital in 2014 with gall bladder problem.

Following Barker's death in 2005, Corbett continued to be regular fixture on UK TV and is perhaps best-known for his armchair "shaggy dog" sketches.

His most memorable solo projects include the sitcom Sorry! and the game show Small Talk. He most recently starred in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom When the Dog Dies.

Corbett is survived by his wife, Anne Hart, with whom he celebrated his golden wedding anniversary last year, and the couple's two daughters, actresses Emma and Sophie Corbett.

Scottish-born Corbett started his career on David Frost's satirical comedy the Frost Report in 1960.

It was here he first met Barker and formed the duo whose TV sketch show became a British TV classic, regularly cited by the public as one of their enduring favourites and by other comics as a big influence on their careers.

The Two Ronnies ran from 1971 to 1987 and saw the comedians take part in musical performances and sketches.
Speaking to The Telegraph about how well they got on in 2013 he said of Barker: "We were a real couple with matching tastes and styles.

"Of course we were quite different but somehow we fitted so well together. I think it's a more pleasant and palatable thing to see people being funny together because you're touching areas of truth. Dinner parties or falling out with people - it's the naturalness of it."

Source: BBC

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Country Icon Merle Haggard, Champion of the Underdog, Dies

Country giant Merle Haggard, who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs and an abiding sense of national pride in such hits as "Okie From Muskogee" and "Sing Me Back Home," died Wednesday at 79, on his birthday.

Haggard's manager, Frank Mull, said the country icon died in Palo Cedro, California, of pneumonia that he had been battling for months. His publicist, Tresa Redburn, said no official cause of death has been determined.

He had kept up an ambitious touring schedule, but the pneumonia in both lungs had forced him to cancel several shows this year. Mull said his family was by his side when he died at home and they were planning a funeral for Saturday at his home.

A masterful guitarist, fiddler and songwriter as well as singer, the Country Music Hall of Famer with the firm, direct baritone recorded for more than 40 years, releasing dozens of albums and No. 1 hits.

"He was my brother, my friend. I will miss him," said Willie Nelson, his longtime friend, in a statement. Tanya Tucker recalled fondly the time they ate bologna sandwiches by the river: "I just can't imagine a world without Merle. It's so hard to accept, but I'll continue honoring him on stage just as I do during every show."

The White House called Haggard a "legend" and said President Barack Obama was sending his thoughts and prayers to Haggard's family. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Haggard told stories that people from all walks of American life could relate to.

"His passing is a loss for country music, but obviously is a loss for all the people who got to know him personally, too," Earnest said.

Haggard — along with fellow California country star Buck Owens — was a founder of the twangy Bakersfield Sound, a direct contrast to the smooth, string-laden country records popular in Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1960s.

His music was rough yet sensitive, reflecting on childhood, marriage and daily struggles, telling stories of shame and redemption, or just putting his foot down in "The Fightin' Side of Me" and "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink."

His most beloved songs included the prison ballad "Sing Me Back Home," the tributes to his mother "Mama Tried" and "Hungry Eyes," the romantic lament "Today I Started Loving You Again" and such blue collar chronicles as "If We Make It Through December" and "Workin' Man Blues."

"We've lost one of the greatest writers and singers of all time. His heart was as tender as his love ballads," said Dolly Parton. "I loved him like a brother."

Few faces in country were as recognizable as Haggard's, with its wary, sideways glance and chiseled, haunted features that seemed to bear every scar from his past.

General audiences knew him best for "Okie From Muskogee," a patriotic anthem released in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War that quickly became a cultural touchstone for its anti-hippie lyrics proclaiming "we don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street; we like living right and being free."

"Okie from Muskogee" made him a hero among conservatives, but he softened on the counterculture and released the lighthearted "Big Time Annie's Square," a tribute to a hippie girl and her "crazy world." More recently, he was a backer of prominent Democrats. In 2007 he unveiled a song to promote Hillary Clinton and two years later he penned "Hopes Are High" to commemorate Obama's inauguration. In "America First," he even opposed the Iraq War, singing "Let's get out of Iraq, and get back on track."

In 1970, Haggard was named entertainer of the year by the Country Music Association, and "Okie From Muskogee" won best album and single. The No. 1 hits "Mama Tried" and "Workin' Man Blues" also broke onto the charts around that time, sealing his reputation as one of country's defining voices. He picked up another CMA album of the year in 1972 for "Let Me Tell You About a Song."

Still, Haggard referred to the improvisations of his band, the Strangers, as "country jazz," and in 1980, became the first country artist to appear on the cover of the jazz magazine "Downbeat."

"Merle Haggard was an original. Not just a singer, not just a songwriter, not just another famous performer. He was your common everyday working man," said Hank Williams Jr.

He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, the same year he won a Grammy for best male country vocal performance in "That's the Way Love Goes."

Haggard also began headlining at Farm Aid, the benefit founded by his longtime friend Willie Nelson, and started touring with Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.

Along with his albums of original songs, he recorded tributes to such early influences as country pioneer Jimmy Rodgers and Western swing king Bob Wills, and paired up with Nelson and George Jones among others. He also resisted the slick arrangements favored by some pop-country stars.

"I'll tell you what the public likes more than anything," he told the Boston Globe in 1999. "It's the most rare commodity in the world — honesty."

The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grateful Dead, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams and Reba McEntire all covered his songs, while many others paid tribute to him in theirs. In the Dixie Chicks' "Long Time Gone, which criticizes Nashville trends, the trio crooned: "We listen to the radio to hear what's cookin' / But the music ain't got no soul / Now they sound tired but they don't sound Haggard."

His childhood was out of a John Steinbeck novel; his family migrated from Oklahoma to California and lived as outsiders in their adopted state. Born in 1937 near Bakersfield, Haggard was raised in a converted railway boxcar, the only dwelling his parents could afford. When Haggard was 9, his beloved father suddenly fell ill and died, leaving Haggard with lasting grief. He turned to petty crime and spent several years in and out of institutions.

He served three years in San Quentin as inmate 845200 for burglarizing a cafe during a drunken spree. It was during that stint he saw Johnny Cash play, and he returned to Bakersfield at age 22 in 1960 ready to write music. Singer-bandleader Wynn Stewart was an early patron, hiring Haggard to play bass in his group. Haggard's first hit was a cover of Stewart's "Sing a Sad Song" and by 1966 he had been voted most promising vocalist by the Academy of Country and Western Music. He became a superstar in 1967, first with a cover of Liz Anderson's "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive," then with such originals as "Sing Me Back Home" and "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde," featuring Glen Campbell on banjo.

Fame brought him unexpected respectability. His criminal record was erased by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan, who pardoned him in 1972, and he was invited by President Richard Nixon to sing at the White House. Officials in Kern County, where he spent his boyhood years, have since honored his legacy by renaming a portion of road Merle Haggard Drive.

Haggard was active as ever in his 70s, and received strong reviews for his 2010 album "I Am What I Am." He lived his last years outside Redding with his fifth wife, Theresa Lane. Haggard previously was married to singer Leona Williams, and to country crooner Bonnie Owens, the former wife of Buck Owens, with whom he toured for nearly a decade. He is survived by six children, Marty, Dana, Kelli, Noel, Jenessa and Ben, and his sister Lillian Haggard Rea.

When doctors found a spot on his lung in 2008, Haggard announced he didn't plan to seek treatment. But after friends and family members convinced him otherwise, he had a tumor removed and vowed to keep performing.

"When I quit doing them (tours), the next big event is the funeral," he told the AP in a 1990 interview. "They keep me young."

Source: ABC

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Voice of 'Star Wars' Adm. Ackbar, Erik Bauersfeld, dies at 93

Erik Bauersfeld, the actor who voiced Adm. Ackbar in the "Star Wars" franchise, died on Sunday at age 93, according to the agency that represented him.
Adm. Ackbar was featured in "Return of the Jedi" in 1983 and again in 2015 in "The Force Awakens." His character, the supreme commander of the Rebel Alliance, led major combat operations against the Galactic Empire. He was best known for the one-liner, "It's a trap."

Bauersfeld died of natural causes at his home in Berkeley, California, according to Coolwaters Productions, which represented him.
"Erik will be deeply missed by his family here at Coolwaters and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends," said Derek Maki, spokesman for Coolwaters Production
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Injected Guitarist Jade Lemons Dies

Sad news to report, as Jade Lemons, guitarist for the band Injected, has passed away. The news of Lemons’ death came from producer Butch Walker, who oversaw the band’s breakout 2002 album Burn It Black. The guitarist can be seen at the far left in the band photo above.

According to Walker’s online posting, Lemons died from an apparent drug overdose. In speaking about the loss of the guitarist, Walker lamented, “Nothing makes me more sad to see such talented and radiant people waste their f–king precious lives on drugs. Within the first two minutes of meeting Jade years ago, I wanted to be his best friend. He had that kind of allure and confidence — a beautiful creature with an open and unfiltered heart.”

Walker said that while he had lost touch with Lemons over time, every couple of years they would cross paths in Los Angeles and Atlanta. He went on to speak about the dangers of dabbling in excess, before concluding, “Jade, you were a diamond. A true star. Sleep well, buddy.” Walker full posting can be seen below.

https://www.facebook.com/butchwalker/po ... 89114893:0

During his time in Injected, the band scored rock radio airplay with the singles “Faithless” and “Bullet” off their Burn It Black album. In addition, the album’s title track was part of The Scorpion King soundtrack, “I IV V” got a Spider-Man soundtrack inclusion and the aforementioned “Faithless” turned up in The Fast and the Furious. Lemons left Injected not long after the album cycle ended, only to test the waters but eventually deciding against a reunion several years later. But in May of 2009, the original Injected lineup reunited onstage for a charity event.

In addition to his time with Injected, Lemons also played with Kenna and spent a brief period playing bass and singing backup vocals for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Our condolences to Lemons’ immediate family and his extended musical family.





Source: Loudwire

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Liza Minnelli's Ex-Husband, Music Producer David Gest Dies at 62 in London Hotel

David Gest, famed music producer and ex-husband of Liza Minnelli died Tuesday, the Associated Press reports. He was 62.

Gest passed away at the Four Seasons hotel in London, his friend Imad Handi confirmed, according to the BBC.

"It is with great sadness that I can confirm that David Gest has died today," Handi said in the statement. "David was truly larger than life. He was not just a huge talent and a dear friend, but a showbiz icon."

Handi added: "I know he will be missed by millions of fans around the world, and particularly in Britain, who came to love his charm and blistering one-liners."

Scotland Yard released a statement confirming the death of a man at the Four Seasons hotel in London, though they cannot confirm the identity of the deceased at this time.

"Police were called at 10:17hrs on Tuesday 12 April to the Four Seasons hotel, in Westferry Circus, E14, to reports of an unexplained death of a man in his 60s," the statement reads.

"This is being treated as non-suspicious at this stage. London Ambulance Service were called to the scene. Life was pronounced extinct at the hotel."

The death comes just months before Gest was slated to tour the U.K. in a show called "David Gest Is Not Dead But Alive with Soul," the BBC reports.

According to the BBC, the title stems from Gest's time on Celebrity Big Brother U.K., namely a January episode in which housemate Angie Bowie told fellow guest Tiffany "New York" Pollard, "David's dead" – referring to her ex-husband, the late David Bowie – leading Pollard to believe Gest had died.

"I am so shocked to hear about David Gest's death," his former manager Vickie White tells PEOPLE. "I only knew him a year but in that time I fell for his jokes on a daily basis... this morning I thought this was another one. You had the last laugh bonkers, crazy, funny man. RIP."

Gest was Minnelli's fourth husband. The two married in 2002 (in a star-studded and unique New York wedding). Minnelli filed for divorce from Gest after 18 months of marriage – Gest sued Minnelli for $10 million, alleging that she beat him.

The pair's celeb-filled wedding saw legends like Natalie Cole, Donny Osmond, Martha Stewart and Michael Jackson.

Jackson, along with his brother Tito, served as Gest's best men at the lavish wedding. Jackson and Gest were longtime friends, the megamogul even offered the lone toast at the ceremony.

Source: People


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Doris Roberts, Star of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond,’ Dies at 90

Doris Roberts, a character actress who labored honorably both on stage and screen for years before finding the perfect vehicle for her talents, the hit sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” died on Sunday. She was 90.

Her “Everybody Loves Raymond” co-star Patricia Heaton confirmed the news on Twitter.

A cause of death has not yet been released. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Roberts died in Los Angeles. ABC and CBS also confirmed the news.

Roberts was nominated for 11 Emmys, including seven for playing Marie Barone on “Raymond,” winning four for her work on that series; she picked up her first Emmy in 1983 for a guest appearance on “St. Elsewhere,” making for a total of five wins overall.

On “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Roberts’ almost omnipresent Marie Barone (she appeared on every episode of the show, which ran from 1996-2005) made life difficult for her son, Ray Romano’s Ray, and especially for his wife Debra, played by Heaton.

Roberts explained to the website Jewish Virtual Library that to create Marie she combined aspects of Romano’s Italian mother and series producer Phil Rosenthal’s German-Jewish mother. “They are different rhythms, different personas. I meld them together,” the actress said. “This woman could be a harridan. She really is more than meddlesome.” But in her performance she made Marie’s actions more palatable. “Everything I do, I do it because I want (the other characters) to make a better life, a better home. It all comes from love. That’s why I’m very pleased and excited that I have that much of a contribution for that character that makes everyone laugh, because if you laugh at me, you can laugh at your own parents.”

When “Remington Steele” producers were looking to make changes in the supporting cast in 1983 after the show’s first season, they envisioned a new character, Mildred Krebs, as an attractive 35-year-old woman who could be a rival for the affections of Pierce Brosnan’s Steele. Despite how the character was then delineated, Roberts, who’d recently won an Emmy for guesting on “St. Elsewhere,” asked to read for the part and won over executive producer Michael Gleason in her audition — and the character was changed to fit Roberts. She recurred in the second season and became a series regular thereafter, appearing in 72 episodes of the show from 1983-87.

She earned her first Emmy for the fourth episode in the initial season of “St. Elsewhere,” “Cora and Arnie,” in which she and James Coco, longtime friends, played a homeless couple who face devastation as she learns her feet must be amputated, which will render her unable to care for the mentally challenged Arnie.

Recent film work included romantic comedy “All Over the Guy” (2001); David Spade vehicle “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star” (2003); comedies “Grandma’s Boy,” “I-See-You.Com” and “Keeping Up With the Steins” (all 2006); the romantic comedy “Play the Game,” in which she had a substantial role opposite Andy Griffith; family adventure comedy “Aliens in the Attic” (2009); and Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Witness Protection” (2012), in which she played the mother of Eugene Levy’s character.

In a 2007 episode of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” Roberts played the ill, mistreated matriarch of an aristocratic New York family. In recent years the actress also guested on “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Middle” (reuniting with “Raymond’s” Patricia Heaton), “Hot in Cleveland,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Melissa & Joey.”

Doris May Green was born in St. Louis. After Doris’ father deserted the family, her mother raised Doris in the Bronx with the aid of her own parents. Doris’ stepfather, whose surname she took, was Chester H. Roberts. He and Doris’ mother Ann operated stenographic service the Z.L. Rosenfield Agency, which catered to playwrights and actors.

In her brief time at NYU, Roberts studied journalism, but she soon moved to the Neighborhood Playhouse to study acting (later she joined the Actors Studio).

Roberts made her Broadway debut in 1955 in a revival of William Saroyan’s comic play “The Time of Your Life.” For the hit original comedy “The Desk Set,” starring Shirley Booth, she played a supporting role and served as stage manager. After an absence from Broadway of a number of years, she appeared in “Marathon ’33,” starring Julie Harris, in 1963-64. She served as a standby for a couple of plays, then appeared in “The Natural Look” in 1967.

Roberts starred with James Coco and Linda Lavin in Neil Simon’s hit comedy “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” in 1969-71. She appeared in “Bad Habits,” a pairing of two Terrence McNally plays starring F. Murray Abraham, in 1974, and made her final appearance on Broadway in 1978 in “Cheaters.”

She had appeared on television even before she made it to Broadway, making her small-screen debut in 1951 on the CBS show “Starlight Theatre” and appearing on shows including “Ben Casey” and “Naked City” in the 1960s.

Roberts made her film debut in 1961’s “Something Wild.” Later in the decade she had small roles in “Barefoot in the Park” and “Divorce American Style” (both 1967) and somewhat larger roles in “No Way to Treat a Lady” and Kirk Douglas film “A Lovely Way to Die” (both 1968). The actress was fourth billed in the 1969 cult classic “The Honeymoon Killers.”

In the 1970s her career picked up considerably both in film and on TV.

During the decade she guested on shows including “Mary Tyler Moore,” “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” (as a faith healer), “All in the Family,” “Rhoda” and “Barney Miller.”

Roberts was originally intended to play Vivian, the character ultimately portrayed by Rue McClanahan, on “Maude,” but the producers decided that her persona was too similar to that of series star Bea Arthur.

In 1978 she had a story arc on ABC’s seminal comedy “Soap” as the mother of Father Timothy Flotsky (Sal Viscuso) who curses her son for leaving the priesthood, makes a scene at his wedding, then dies on the wedding night.

In 1979-80 she was a series regular on the single-season sitcom “Angie,” starring Donna Pescow as a Philadelphia waitress, with Roberts playing her mother. Roberts directed an episode of “Angie,” her only such effort.

On “Alice” she guested as the mother of the title character, played by Linda Lavin, with whom she’d worked on Broadway. In the ’80s she guested on “Cagney & Lacey,” “Full House” and “Perfect Strangers,” drawing an Emmy nomination for her performance on the last of these.

She picked up another Emmy nomination in 1991 for her work on a segment of PBS’ “American Playhouse” called “The Sunset Gang,” about life in a retirement community. The actress complained to the L.A. Times when the show debuted: “I won an Emmy for a dramatic role on ‘St. Elsewhere.’ I have yet to be given a dramatic role (to do since) in this town. Comedy is what they put me in. I came from New York theater. I am an actress — I do everything.”

During the ’70 she appeared in films including the Alan Arkin-directed “Little Murders,” Elaine May’s “A New Leaf” and “The Heartbreak Kid,” classic thriller “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (playing the mayor’s wife), “Hester Street,” Joan Rivers’ disastrous “Rabbit Test” and “The Rose” (in which she briefly appeared as star Bette Midler’s mother).

She had a small role as one of the grandmothers in the 1989 Chevy Chase comedy “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” During the ’90s she appeared in films including “Used People,” starring Shirley MacLaine and Marcello Mastroianni; Warren Leight’s romantic comedy “The Night We Never Met,” starring Matthew Broderick and Anabella Sciorra; “The Grass Harp,” with Sissy Spacek and Walter Matthau; and Billy Crystal comedy “My Giant.”

Also during the decade she recurred on HBO comedy “Dream On” as Angie Pedalbee.

She starred in McNally’s “Unusual Acts of Devotion” at the La Jolla Playhouse in June 2009.

In September 2002 she testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging about age discrimination in Hollywood and how the problem is particularly acute for women. “Many of my friends, talented actresses in the 40- to 60-year-old range, are forced to live on unemployment or welfare because of the scarcity of roles for women in that age bracket,” she declared in part.

She was the longtime chair of the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, using her Hollywood connections to fundraise.

Roberts was married twice, the first time to Michael Emilio Cannata from 1956 until their divorce in 1962 and the second time to novelist and playwright William Goyen, to whom she was married from 1963 until his death in 1983.

She is survived by her son Michael, from her first marriage, who was also her manager; and three grandchildren.

Source: Variety

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Victoria Wood dies aged 62 after cancer battle

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Comedian, singer and writer Victoria Wood has died after "a short but brave" battle with cancer aged 62.

Her publicist said the star "died peacefully at her north London home with family" on Wednesday.

Wood's long-time comedy partner Julie Walters said she was "too heart sore to comment - the loss of her is incalculable".

Wood found fame in the 1980s and was best known for her BBC sketch Acorn Antiques and comedy Dinnerladies.

She won five Baftas including two for her one-off ITV drama Housewife, 49


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Very sad news just breaking that that Prince has passed away. TMZ and multiple media outlets have now confirmed the news. Will update shortly as I'm on a tablet at the moment.

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Shit, that's terrible news. It deserves it's own thread.

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Chyna is dead too, apparently.

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Yeah, she is. That one was a bit less surprising.

Roofus posted a thread about it in the wrestling section.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=238

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Billy Paul, best known for the hit "Me & Mrs Jones" has passed away now too. He was an integral part of the TSOP sound in its heyday where the soul music sound shifted from Motown to the orchestral smooth Sound of Philly along with the Ojays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Lou Rawls, Teddy P and the Intruders among others. Billy also had hit soul albums "Goin East", " 360 degrees of Billy Paul" and "War of the Gods" among others.

R.I.P. Billy Paul :(
Soul's Billy Paul, singer of Me and Mrs Jones, dies
25 April 2016

This 1974 photograph shows Mr Paul performing on Top of the Pops
The American soul singer Billy Paul has died at the age of 81.
He was best known for his 1972 hit Me and Mrs Jones, which won a Grammy award and reached number one in the US.
A statement on his website said he died on Sunday of a "serious medical condition". The NME music magazine has reported that this was pancreatic cancer.
Mr Paul, who was born as Paul Williams in Philadelphia, helped shape the course of modern R&B music.
In his youth, he performed alongside music legends including Charlie Parker and Nina Simone.
His biggest hit Me and Mrs Jones, about an extra-marital affair, has been covered by artists including Michael Buble and Hall & Oates.
In 2003, Mr Paul won a $500,000 (then £250,534) lawsuit for royalties owed for it from 1994 to 2002 by Assorted Music.
The company said it was an accounting issue and not a case of trying to cheat anyone out of money.
Mr Paul is survived by his wife, Blanche Williams.
Initial reports, subsequently corrected, put his age at time of death as 80.

Source: BBC
Philly Soul Singer Billy Paul Dies at 81: Manager
Billy Paul died at his home Sunday after being hospitalized a week earlier following a cancer diagnosis, according to his manager.

By David Chang

Philadelphia soul singer Billy Paul died at the age of 81 Sunday morning, according to his manager.
Manager Beverly Gay told NBC10 that Paul, born Paul Williams, was recently diagnosed with cancer and was hospitalized last week at Temple University Hospital. He died Sunday at his home in Blackwood, New Jersey, according to Gay.

We regret to announce with a heavy heart that Billy has passed away today at home after a serious medical condition.

We would like to extend our most sincere condolences to his wife Blanche and family for their loss, as they and the world grieves the loss of another musical icon that helped pioneered today's R&B music. Billy will be truly missed.

Please share you thought, messages and stories of Billy as we remember this legendary artist, family member and friend.
Born December 1, 1934 in Philadelphia, Paul began his music career at the age of 11 when he appeared on local radio station WPEN. He also attended the West Philadelphia Music School and the Granoff School of Music where he received his vocal training.
Early in his career, Paul performed at several clubs and college campuses with many jazz and soul music legends, including Charlie "Bird" Parker, Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Roberta Flack. After serving in the Army, where he was stationed with Elvis Presley, Paul released his debut album "Feelin' Good at the Cadillac Club" in 1968 on legendary producer and Philly soul pioneer Kenny Gamble's Gamble Records label.
Paul gained his greatest success when he released his 1972 single “Me and Mrs. Jones,” which was written and produced by Gamble and Huff. The song was the number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles chart and received a Grammy Award. The song also received newfound attention decades later when singer Michael Buble released a cover version in 2007.
In all, Paul released 15 albums(not counting a 1973 reissue of "Feelin' Good at the Cadillac Club") between 1968 and 1988. While he never again matched the mainstream success of "Me and Mrs. Jones," he is recognized by many as a pioneer and important figure in soul music, known for his socially conscious lyrics. According to Paul's website, Questlove of the Roots once compared him to Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, calling him, "one of the criminally unmentioned proprietors of socially conscious post-revolution '60s civil rights music."
Paul was also inducted into the Philadelphia Walk of Fame in 2008.
Gay told NBC10 the family will soon release a statement detailing funeral arrangements.
Sunday night, Gamble and Huff released a statement on Paul's death:
"We are very saddened to learn of the sudden death of our good friend and Philadelphia International Records recording artist Billy Paul. From the time we saw Billy performing live, and then signing him to our PIR/TSOP label, we immediately realized that we had discovered and launched one the most unique voices in the music industry. Billy's voice combined both Jazz, R&B and Soul vocals, making him one the great artists to come out of Philly and to be celebrated worldwide. Our proudest moment with Billy was the recording of the salacious smash ‘Me and Mrs. Jones.’ In our view, it is one of the greatest love songs ever recorded. Billy was one of the first artists to help launch the PIR/TSOP brand, and he will forever have a special place in music history.”

“We send our very sincere and personal condolences to his wife Blanche and the rest of his family. Billy Paul will truly be missed."

Source: NBC Philadelphia



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60 Minutes reporter Morley Safer died at 84.

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Jack Black is not dead, the Tenacious D Twitter account was just hacked. People who still think it's 2001 were bummed there for a minute.


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Saw the tweet earlier and most of the replies said it was a hoax, which is a good thing.

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He's in Germany where he just played the Rock am Ring festival last night


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