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Bob Anderson, who played Darth Vader, dies 89

Bob Anderson (September 15, 1922 – January 1, 2012) was an English actor and fencer. Anderson also owns a claim to fame for being a swordfighting trainer for several films, as well as a stunt double for Darth Vader in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. He is one of seven people to have played that character. He was born in Hampshire.

Anderson did not receive much recognition for his role in the Star Wars films for years after their initial release, in part because David Prowse was so lauded for his portrayal that director George Lucas did not want to detract from the boost it gave the actor's career. In a 1983 interview, however, Mark Hamill paid homage to Anderson's contribution, saying: "Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader's fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George I didn't think it was fair any more. Bob worked so bloody hard that he deserves some recognition. It's ridiculous to preserve the myth that it's all done by one man."

As a competitive fencer, he represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games in 1952 and the World Championships in 1950 and 1953 in the sabre event. He finished tied for fifth in the team sabre event at Helsinki in 1952.

After his retirement from fencing competition, Anderson emigrated to Canada, where he went on to become technical director of the Canadian Fencing Association. Anderson died on New Year's Day 2012 in a West Sussex hospital. He was 89.

Bil Keane, creator of 'Family Circus' comic strip, dies 89

William Aloysius Keane (October 5, 1922 – November 8, 2011), better known as Bil Keane, was an American cartoonist notable for his work on the long-running newspaper comic The Family Circus, which began its run in 1960 and continues in syndication.

Keane was the president of the National Cartoonists Society from 1981 to 1983 and was the emcee of the Society's annual awards banquet for 16 years.

Bil Keane cause of death
Bil Keane died from congestive heart failure at his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona (near Phoenix)
Bil Keane was 89 years old at the time of his death.

Family Circus Official Website

Margaret Field, Actress and Mother of Sally Field, Dies 89

Margaret Field (born Margaret Morlan, May 10, 1922 – November 6, 2011) was an American film actress.

She appeared in television Westerns including Wagon Train, The Virginian and The Range Rider. She also appeared in the science fiction films Captive Women and The Man from Planet X.

Margaret Field cause of death
Margaret Field died of cancer (6 years battle).
Margaret Field was 89 years old at the time of her death.

She died on her daughter Sally's 65th birthday.

Jane Russell, Hollywood star, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, dies 89

Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (born June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s.

Russell was voted one of the 40 Most Iconic Movie Goddesses of all time in 2009 by Glamour (UK edition).

Death of Jane Russell
Jane Russell died of respiratory problems.
Jane Russell was 89 years old at the time of her death.

Jane Russell

Marilyn Monroe and Russell putting signatures, hand and foot prints in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater, 1953

Peggy Rea, Actress (Dukes of Hazzard, I Love Lucy,etc.. ), Dies 89

Peggy Rea (March 31, 1921 - February 5, 2011) was an American character actress known for her many roles in television, often playing matronly characters. Her recurring roles included:

  • Cousin Bertha on All in the Family
  • Martha Burkhorn on All in the Family
  • Rose Burton on The Waltons
  • Lulu Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard
  • Ivy Baker on Step by Step
  • Jean Kelly on Grace Under Fire

Rea appeared in such television programs as I Love Lucy, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Sergeant Bilko, Ironside, Burke's Law, Marcus Welby, M.D., Hunter, The Odd Couple, Gidget, MacGyver, and The Golden Girls. She also appeared in feature films, including Cold Turkey and In Country.

Death of Peggy Rea
Peggy Rea died of congestive heart failure at her home in Toluca Lake, Calif.,
Peggy Rea was 89 years old at the time of her death

Dukes of Hazzard - Lulu

Step By Step - Theme Song

Billy Taylor Grammy & Emmy-Winning Jazz Musician Dies 89

Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville. Since 1994, Taylor was the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

With over twenty three honorary doctoral degrees, Taylor is also the recipient of two Peabody Awards, NEA Jazz Masters Award (1998) an Emmy Award (1983) for "Outstanding Informational, Cultural or Historical Programming", a Grammy Award (2004) and a host of prestigious and highly coveted prizes, such as the National Medal of Arts (1992), the Tiffany Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Down Beat Magazine. He was also honored in 2001 with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Jazz Living Legend Award, and election to the Hall of Fame for the International Association for Jazz Education.

Death of Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor of died of heart failure.
Billy Taylor was 89 years old at the time of his death.

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Billy Taylor

Fred Foy, 'Lone Ranger' announcer, dies 89

Frederick William Foy (March 27, 1921 – December 22, 2010) was an American radio and television announcer, who used Fred Foy as his professional name. He is best known for his narration of The Lone Ranger. Radio historian Jim Harmon described Foy as "the announcer, perhaps the greatest announcer-narrator in the history of radio drama."

Death of Fred Foy Fred Foy died on December 22, 2010 of natural causes. Fred Foy was 89 years old at the time of his death

James Mitchell from 'All My Children' dies 89

James Mitchell (February 29, 1920 – January 22, 2010) was an American actor and dancer. Although he is best-known to television audiences as Palmer Cortlandt on the soap opera All My Children (1979 – 2009), theatre and dance historians remember him as one of Agnes de Mille's leading dancers. Mitchell's skill at combining dance and acting was considered something of a novelty; in 1959, the critic Olga Maynard singled him out as "an important example of the new dancer-actor-singer in American ballet", pointing to his interpretive abilities and "masculine" technique Personal life Mitchell's longtime partner was the Oscar award-winning costume designer Albert Wolsky Death of James Mitchell James Mitchell died on January 22, 2010, in Los Angeles, a matter of weeks before what would have been his 90th birthday. His death came after suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated by pneumonia.

Gumby Creator Art Clokey dies in sleep 89

Arthur C. Clokey (October 12, 1921 - January 8, 2010) was a pioneer in the popularization of stop motion clay animation.

He is best known for his animated television character Gumby. Since 1955, Gumby has been a familiar presence on television, appearing in several series—and even in a 1995 feature film, Gumby: The Movie. Clokey's second most famous production is the duo of Davey and Goliath, funded by the Lutheran Church.

Death of Art Clokey
Arthur died peacefully in his sleep the morning of January 8, 2010; at his home in Los Osos, CA. Art Clokey was 89 years old at the time of his death

Gumby - Scrooge Loose

Eddy Arnold - Country Music Legend dies 89

Eddy Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer who was second to George Jones in the number of individual hits on the country charts but, according to a formula derived by Joel Whitburn, is the all-time leader in an overall ranking for hits and their time on the charts. From 1945 through 1983 he had 145 charted songs, including 28 number-one hits.

Death of Eddy Arnold
Eddy performed his final concert on May 16, 1999 (the day after his 81st birthday) at the Hotel Orleans in Las Vegas. He married the former Sally Gayhart in November of 1942. She preceded him in death in March of 2008 following hip replacement surgery. The couple were the parents of a son and a daughter, "Dickie" and Jo Ann. Arnold died on May 8, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee. Both Eddy and Sally were survived at the times of their deaths by their children, "Dickie" and Jo Ann, as well as two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren

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Eddy Arnold biography

Early years
Born Richard Edward Arnold in Henderson, Tennessee, he made his first radio appearance in 1936. During his childhood, he lost both his father and the family farm. When he turned 18 he left home to try to make his mark in the music world.

Arnold's formative musical years included early struggles to gain recognition until he landed a job as the lead male vocalist for the Pee Wee King band. By 1943, Arnold had become a solo star on the Grand Ole Opry. He was then signed by RCA Victor. In December of 1944, he cut his first record. Although all of his early records sold well, his initial big hit did not come until 1946 with "That's How Much I Love You." In common with many other country and western singers of the time, he had a folksy nickname: "The Tennessee Plowboy."

Managed by Col. Tom Parker (who later went on to control the career of Elvis Presley), Arnold began to dominate country music. In 1947-48 he had 13 of the top 20 songs. He successfully made the transition from radio to television, appearing frequently in the new medium. In 1955, he upset many in the country music establishment by going to New York to record with the Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra. The pop-oriented arrangements of "Cattle Call" and "The Richest Man (In the World)", however, helped to expand his appeal beyond its country base.

With the advent of rock and roll, Arnold's record sales dipped in the late 1950s. Along with RCA Victor label-mate Jim Reeves, he continued to try to court a wider audience by using pop-sounding, string-laced arrangements, a style that would come to be known as the Nashville sound.

Second career
After Jerry Purcell became his manager in 1964, Arnold embarked on a "second career" that surpassed the success of the first one. In the process, he succeeded in his ambition of carrying his music to a more diverse audience. Already recorded by several other artists, "Make The World Go Away" was just another song until recorded by Arnold. Under the direction of producer Chet Atkins, and showcased by Bill Walker's arrangement and the talents of the Anita Kerr Singers and pianist Floyd Cramer, Arnold's rendition of "Make the World Go Away" became an international hit.

Bill Russell's precise, intricate arrangements provided the lush background for 16 straight Arnold hits through the late 1960s. Arnold started performing with symphony orchestras in virtually every major city. New Yorkers jammed prestigious Carnegie Hall for two concerts. Arnold appeared before the Hollywood crowd at the Coconut Grove and had long, sold-out engagements in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe.

After having recorded for RCA Victor since the 1940s, Arnold left the label to record four albums for MGM Records in the 1970s, posting one hit ("If The Whole World Stopped Lovin' "). He then successfully returned to RCA Victor with both the album Eddy, and the hit single "Cowboy", which evoked stylistic memories of his classic "Cattle Call." After a few more RCA releases, he retired from active singing; however, he did release a new RCA album, After All These Years in 2005 at the age of 87.

Reasons for success
There are several reasons for Arnold's great success. From the beginning he stood out from his contemporaries in the world of country singers. He never wore gaudy, glittering outfits. He sang from his diaphragm, not through his nose. He avoided the standard honky-tonk themes, preferring instead to sing songs that explored the intricacies of love.

Arnold also benefitted from his association with excellent musicians. The distinctive steel guitar of the late Roy Wiggins highlighted early recordings. Charles Grean, once employed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, played bass and wrote early arrangements, adding violins for the first time in 1956. Chet Atkins played on many of Arnold's records, even after he started serving as producer. Bassist, Bob Moore, the most recorded musician in history, first performed on the road with Eddy Arnold on the 1954 RCA Caravan and later performed on 75% of Arnold's hit recordings. Arnold also benefited from the management of Col. Parker, who guided his first career, and Jerry Purcell, who masterminded the second.

The most important factor for his success, however, was his voice. Steve Sholes, who produced all of his early hits, called Arnold a natural singer, comparing him to the likes of Bing Crosby and Enrico Caruso. Arnold worked hard perfecting his natural ability. A review of his musical career shows his progression from fledgling singer to polished performer.

Arnold's longevity is exceptional. For more than 50 years, he has transcended changing musical tastes. His recent concerts attract three generations of fans. To some he also serves as a role model; in a field often awash with alcohol and drugs, he has remained temperate.

Arnold has been honored with induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966, been voted the first Country Music Association's Entertainer Of The Year the following year, and received the Academy of Country Music's Pioneer Award in 1985. Over his career, Arnold has sold over 85 million records and had 147 songs on the charts, including 28 Number 1 hits on Billboard's "Country Singles" chart. Among his recordings are songs for mothers and children, hymns, show tunes, and novelty numbers. Probably, however, Arnold is best known for his way with a love song.

In 2003, Arnold ranked #22 in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music.

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Joey Bishop

Joey Bishop DVD
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Joey Bishop memoryJoey Bishop (February 3, 1918 – October 17, 2007) was an American entertainer, perhaps best remembered as being a member of the "Rat Pack" with Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. He was the last survivor of that group of entertainers.

In 1941, Bishop married Sylvia Ruzga, who died in 1999. They had one son, Larry Bishop.

Bishop appeared on television as early as 1948 and was a frequent guest on television talk shows, game shows, and comedy shows. He is listed as #96 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of all time.

Bishop was the last living member of The Rat Pack and was also the longest-lived member.

Cause of Death
Publicist and longtime friend, Warren Cowan, announced Bishop died of multiple causes at his home in Newport Beach, CA on October 17, 2007.  Joey Bishop was 89 years old at the time of his death.

Sidney Sheldon - Writer

Hollywood Walk of Fame 

Sidney Sheldon BookSidney Sheldon Book
Buy from Amazon.com: Sidney Sheldon Books

Sidney SheldonSidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer who won awards in three careers—a Broadway playwright, a Hollywood TV and movie screenwriter, and a best-selling novelist. His TV works spanned a 20-year period during which he created I Dream of Jeannie (1965-70), Hart to Hart (1979-84), and The Patty Duke Show (1963-66), but it was not until after he turned 50 and began writing best-selling novels such as Master of the Game (1982), The Other Side of Midnight (1973) and Rage of Angels (1980) that he became most famous.

Death of Sidney Sheldon:
Sheldon died from complications arising from pneumonia at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California
Sidney Sheldon was 89 years old at the age of his death.

He was cremated and buried in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

He struggled with bipolar disorder for years; he contemplated suicide at 17 (talked out of it by his father who discovered him), as detailed in his autobiography published in 2005, The Other Side of Me.

Red Auerbach - Legendary basketball coach, Boston Celtics

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was a highly successful and influential basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics right up until his death. As a coach, he won 938 games (a record at his retirement)[1] and 9 National Basketball Association (NBA) championships, a coaching record shared with Phil Jackson. As general manager and team president of the Celtics, he won an additional 7 NBA titles, for a grand total of 16 in a span of 29 years, making him one of the most successful team officials ever in the history of North American professional sports

Death of Red Auerbach
On October 28, 2006, Auerbach died of a heart attack. NBA commissioner David Stern said "the void by his death will never be filled" and ex-players Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek and Larry Bird as well as contemporaries like Jerry West, Pat Riley and Wayne Embry universally hailed Auerbach as one of the greatest personalities in NBA history. Auerbach was survived by his two daughters, Nancy and Randy. Auerbach was buried in Falls Church, Virginia at the King David Memorial Gardens / National Memorial Park on October 31, 2006.

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