Hollywood Memoir

Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011), better known as Heavy D, was a Jamaican American actor, rapper, record producer, singer and former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, a hip hop group which included G-Whiz (Glen Parrish), “Trouble” T. Roy (Troy Dixon), and Eddie F (born Edward Ferrell). The group maintained a sizable audience in the United States through most of the 1990s.

Heavy D Cause of Death
Heavy D collapsed outside his Beverly Hills home and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
An autopsy report, released on December 27, 2011, found that the cause of death was a pulmonary embolism. The coroner’s office found that Myers died of a blood clot in his lung. He also suffered from deep leg vein thrombosis and heart disease. The blood clot was “most likely formed during an extended airplane ride,” said Craig Harvey, chief of the Los Angeles County department of coroner. The rapper had recently returned from a trip to London where he performed at a tribute to Michael Jackson.
Heavy D was 44 years old at the time of his death.

* NOTE: Heavy D’s death may have been easily prevented if he was aware of pulmonary embolism.  When sitting for long hours, you should move your legs or walk around to prevent blood clot.  Our bodies form blood clot if we don’t move our legs.  This is a natural occurance and it kills people.

Heavy D & The Boyz- Mister Big Stuff

Joseph William “Joe” Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011), also known as Smokin’ Joe, was a former Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a brief comeback in 1981.

Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating the likes of Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali on points in the highly-anticipated “Fight of the Century” in 1971. Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman. He fought on, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali, and beating Quarry and Ellis again.

He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Joe Frazier cause of death
Joe Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer in late September 2011 and admitted to hospice care and died November 7, 2011.  Joe Frazier was 67 years old at the time of his death.

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.

Andrew Aitken “Andy” Rooney (January 14, 1919 – November 4, 2011) was an American radio and television writer. He was most notable for his weekly broadcast “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney”, a part of the CBS News program 60 Minutes from 1978 to 2011. His final regular appearance on 60 Minutes aired October 2, 2011.

Rooney’s “end-of-show” segment on 60 Minutes, “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney” (originally “Three Minutes or So With Andy Rooney”), began in 1978

In 1990, Rooney was suspended without pay for three months by then-CBS News President David Burke, due to the negative publicity around his saying that “too much alcohol, too much food, drugs, homosexual unions, cigarettes [are] all known to lead to premature death.”

Andy Rooney Cause of Death
Aney Rooney was hospitalized on October 25, 2011 for developing postoperative complications, and died 10 days later (November 4, 2011).  He died about a month after his last appearance on 60 Minutes.
Aney Rooney was 92 years old at the time of his death.

Flattus Maximus is the name of a former character and guitarist in the heavy metal band Gwar.  The role of Flattus Maximus has been played by a number of guitarists. Cory Smoot, who took over the role in 2002, died November 3, 2011 and the character was officially retired.

Cory Smoot cause of death
On November 3, 2011, hours after a performance at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Smoot was found dead by his fellow band members in the band’s tour bus as they prepared to cross the border into Manitoba, Canada from North Dakota. At the time of the announcement, no formal statement concerning the circumstances of his demise nor of the future of the band had been made. On November 4, Dave Brockie officially announced that the character of Flattus Maximus would be retired out of respect to Smoot.

The band will perform on November 4, 2011. A day after Cody’s death.

GWAR “Let Us Slay” (OFFICIAL VIDEO), Cody Smoot on lead guitar

Tom Keith (? – October 30, 2011) was a radio personality who worked for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was the engineer for Garrison Keillor when he began his early morning radio show from the St. John’s University Collegeville studio. Keillor wanted dialogue during the program and Keith was about the only other person around at that early hour. Keith was one of the primary sound effects performers for the Prairie Home Companion radio show and was often an actor in sketches written by Keillor.

Tom Keith cause of death
Tom Keith died after collapsing at his Minnesota home.
Tom Keith was 64 year old at the time of his death.

Tom Keith on far left

Beryl Davis (March 16, 1924 – October 28, 2011) was a British big band singer; born into a show business family, her father was Harry Davis, and her sister is Lisa Davis Waltz, a teen actress in the 1950s and 1960s.

Born in Plymouth, England, she began to sing for her father’s band, and became popular singing for British and Allied troops during World War II. Glenn Miller discovered her in London, and she sang for the Army Air Force Orchestra.

She moved to Los Angeles post-war with her father’s big band, and with Frank Sinatra for one year on “Your Hit Parade.”

She was part of “The Four Girls” singing group, with Jane Russell, Rhonda Fleming, and Connie Haines. They recorded sixteen singles, and albums that became best sellers.

Beryl Davis Cause of Death
Beryl Davis died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Beryl Davis was 87 years old at the time of her death.

“Bluebirds in the Moonlight” (Beryl Davis, 1939)

Connie Haines – Beryl Davis – Rhonda Fleming – Jane Russell

Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi(June 7, 1942 – October 20, 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the autocratic ruler of Libya, from 1969 when he seized power in a military coup, until 2011 when his government was overthrown by a NATO-backed rebel force in a civil war. His 41-year rule prior to the uprising made him the fourth longest-ruling non-royal leader since 1900, as well as the longest-ruling Arab leader. He has variously styled himself as ‘the Brother Leader’, ‘Guide of the Revolution’, and the ‘King of Kings’.

Muammar Gaddafi Cause of Death
UN confirmed Gaddafi’s death, caused by wounds suffered during his capture.
Muammar Gaddafi was 69 years old at the time of his death

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Daniel Clive “Dan” Wheldon (June 22, 1978 – October 16, 2011) was an English auto racing driver. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and 2011. Wheldon died during a racing accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, at the age of 33.

Dan Wheldon cause of death
DeathAt the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, Wheldon was involved in a 15-car accident during lap 11 of the race. The massive pile-up resulted in a red flag. Wheldon had to be extricated from his car and was airlifted to a local hospital with what were described as “serious injuries.” He subsequently succumbed to his injuries. He was 33 years old.

Dan Wheldon’s Last Tweet Before Race

Roger Williams (born Louis Weertz, October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011) was an American popular music pianist. As of 2004, he had released 116 albums.

In 1955 Williams recorded “Autumn Leaves”, the only piano instrumental to reach #1 on Billboard’s popular music chart.   In 1966 he had another Top Ten hit with the song “Born Free” from the motion picture soundtrack. His other hits include “Near You”, “Till”, “The Impossible Dream”, “Yellow Bird”, “Maria”, and “The Theme from Somewhere in Time”. Billboard magazine ranks him as the top selling piano recording artist in history with 18 gold and platinum albums to his credit. Williams was known as the “Pianist to the Presidents” having played for nine administrations beginning with Harry S. Truman. His last White House performance was in November 2008 for a luncheon hosted by former First Lady Laura Bush.

Roger Williams cause of death
He died on October 8, 2011, one week after his 87th birthday of pancreatic cancer.

Autumn Leaves Roger Williams 1955

Roger Williams Excerpts From Vegas 2010 part 2