Tuesday, December 31, 2024

QUOTE FOR THE DAY (AND THE YEAR)

 


A POEM FOR THE NEW YEAR

THE YEAR by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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About the poet:


Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850 – 1919) was an American author and poet. Her works include the collection Poems of Passion and the poem "Solitude", which contains the lines "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone."

About those lines:

Her poem "The Way of the World" was first published in 1883. The inspiration for the poem came as she was travelling to attend the Governor's inaugural ball in Madison, Wisconsin. On her way to the celebration, there was a young woman dressed in black sitting across the aisle from her. The woman was crying. Ella Wheeler sat next to her and sought to comfort her for the rest of the journey. When they arrived, the poet was so depressed that she could barely attend the scheduled festivities. As she looked at her own radiant face in the mirror, she suddenly recalled the sorrowful widow. It was at that moment that she wrote the opening lines:
Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth
But has trouble enough of its own

She sent the poem to the Sun nespaper and received $5 for her effort.

Her autobiography, The Worlds and I, was published in 1918, a year before her death.

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About the poem:

“Throughout the poem, she places opposing elements of life together, such as laughing and weeping and hoping and dying. It is with these good and bad parts of life in mind that she presents a fuller, more realistic picture of the “new year.”

“…she shares the reality of each new year. Time continues to move forward—years come and they go. Every new year is marked by great expectations, but the reality is that each year is filled with both joyous and sorrowful moments.”

-----------ooOoo-----------

The poem:

The Year
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

What can be said in New Year rhymes,
That’s not been said a thousand times?

The new years come, the old years go,
We know we dream, we dream we know.

We rise up laughing with the light,
We lie down weeping with the night.

We hug the world until it stings,
We curse it then and sigh for wings.

We live, we love, we woo, we wed,
We wreathe our prides, we sheet our dead.

We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear,
And that’s the burden of a year.



Monday, December 30, 2024

THOSE WE LOST IN 2024, PART 3


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OCTOBER 2024
_______

ETHEL KENNEDY


Date of death:  October 10, 2024

Age at death:  96

Cause of death:  Complications from a stroke.

About:

Ethel Kennedy was an American human rights advocate, the wife of U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy, a sister-in-law of U.S. president John F. Kennedy, and a daughter of businessman George Skakel. Ethel Kennedy was 3 months pregnant when her husband Robert Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968, she being present at the scene.

By the way:

In 1989 Robert Kennedy’s assassin Sirhan Sirhan told British journalist David Frost: "My only connection with Robert Kennedy was his sole support of Israel and his deliberate attempt to send those 50 fighter jets to Israel to obviously do harm to the Palestinians." Some scholars believe that the assassination was the first major incident of political violence in the United States stemming from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict Sirhan carried out the attack on the first anniversary of the 1967 Arab–Israeli War), though it occurred at a time when the American public was overwhelmingly focused on the Vietnam War. He remains in jail, parole having been repeatedly refused and also blocked by the Governor.
_______

LIAM PAYNE


Date of death:  October 16, 2024

Age at death:  31
 
Cause of death:  Fall from a balcony.
 
About:

Liam Payne rose to fame in One Direction, the boy band formed on X Factor in 2010. The group went on to become one of the most successful pop bands of all time, achieving huge chart success and touring stadiums around the world with hits including What Makes You Beautiful, Story Of My Life, and Best Song Ever. Payne had wanted to be a singer from a young age, and forged a career as a solo star after the group's break-up. He signed a deal with Capitol Records, had hits including Strip That Down and Get Low, and worked with a range of high-profile artists.

By the way:

"Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious," said Harry Styles in his tribute. "He was warm, supportive and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend."
_______

MITZI GAYNOR


Date of death: October 17, 2024

Age at death: 93

Cause of death: Natural causes

About:

Mitzi Gaynor, was an American actress, singer and dancer whose notable films included We're Not Married! (1952), There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), The Birds and the Bees (1956), and South Pacific (1958) – for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical at the 1959 awards.

By the way:

Gaynor was one of the last surviving actors of the "Golden Age" of the Hollywood Musical.
_______

ELIZABETH FRANCIS


Date of death: October 22, 2024

Age at death: 115

Cause of death: Not disclosed.

About:

Elizabeth Francis (July 25, 1909 – October 22, 2024) was an American supercentenarian, a person who lives to be older than 110. She was the oldest-living person in the United States and the third oldest person in the world.

By the way:

Francis and her sister, Bertha Johnson (see photo above, Francis on the left) made history as the sibling pair with the oldest combined age in the world – Johnson reached 106 before her death in 2011. Francis’ daughter is aged 96 years old and is reported to be taking the loss well.
_______

NOVEMBER 2024
_______

QUINCY JONES


Date of death: November 3, 2024

Age at death: 91

Cause of death: Pancreatic cancer

About:

Quincy Jones was a legendary music producer and composer who worked with stars from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, with the historic Thriller album among his best-known credits of a career spanning more than 75 years. Jones collected 28 Grammy award wins out of 80 nominations, and was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine. He also composed the soundtrack to the hit 1969 British film The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine, and oversaw the all-star recording of the 1985 charity record We Are The World.

By the way:

In 1974, Jones developed a life-threatening brain aneurysm, leading to a decision to reduce his workload to spend time with his friends and family. Since his family and friends believed Jones' life was coming to an end, they started to plan a memorial service for him. He attended his own service with his neurologist by his side, in case the excitement overwhelmed him. Some of the entertainers at his service were Richard Pryor, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughan, and Sidney Poitier. Jones had two brain surgeries, and after the second was warned to never play the trumpet again, because "if he blew a trumpet in the ways that a trumpet player must, the clip [a metal plate in his head that was implanted after his brain aneurysm] would come free and he would die". He ignored that advice, went on tour in Japan, and one night after playing trumpet had a pain in his head. Doctors said the plate in his brain had nearly come loose, as they had warned, and Jones never played the trumpet again.
_______

EARL HOLLIMAN


Date of death: November 25, 2024

Age at death: 96

Cause of death: Not disclosed.

About:

Earl Holliman was an American actor, animal rights activist, and singer known for his many character roles in films, mostly Westerns and dramas, in the 1950s and 1960s. He won a Golden Globe Award for the film The Rainmaker (1956) and portrayed Sergeant Bill Crowley on the television police drama Police Woman throughout its 1974 to 1978 run. Holliman's other notable film roles include Broken Lance (1954), The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), The Big Combo (1955), I Died a Thousand Times (1955), Forbidden Planet (1956), Giant (1956), Hot Spell (1958), Anzio (1968), The Desperate Mission (1969), The Biscuit Eater (1972), Sharky's Machine (1981), and Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (1987). He also had several notable television appearances in The Twilight Zone; Hotel de Paree; The Thorn Birds; Gunsmoke; Murder, She Wrote; and Caroline in the City. From 1958 to 1963, Holliman also performed as a singer, and had a record deal with such notable recording studios as Capitol Records, Prep, and HiFi.

By the way:

Aside from acting, Holliman was also an activist and was an honorary chairman for Toys for Tots. He was also the president of Actors and Others for Animals for 25 years.
_______

TOM HUGHES



Date of death: November 28, 2024

Age at death: 101

Cause of death: Not disclosed.

About:

Tom Hughes was an Australian barrister and politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as Attorney-General in the Gorton government from 1969 to 1971, and was a member of the House of Representatives from 1963 to 1972, representing the New South Wales seats of Parkes and Berowra. He was a president of the New South Wales Bar Association and was one of Sydney's most prominent barristers for a number of decades. Hughes was the last surviving Liberal minister of the Gorton and McMahon governments.

By the way:

Hughes came into conflict with university students on a number of occasions. He was "jostled" by protestors after a speech at the University of Sydney in July 1970 and subsequently abandoned his car, inadvertently causing over 300 police to be called out when the event's organisers could not locate him. At a speech to the Australian National University's Liberal Club in September 1970, he was interrupted by anti-war demonstrators and "grabbed a Vietcong flag from a student and tore it from its supporting pole". The previous month his home in Bellevue Hill had been invaded by anti-war demonstrators, resulting in eight students and two press photographers being arrested. He reportedly "came out carrying a cricket bat and scuffled with some of the demonstrators" before performing a citizen's arrest on one student. Hughes was charged with unlawful assault in relation to his use of the bat, but was found not guilty by reason of provocation.
_______

DECEMBER 2024
_______

MICHAEL COLE


Date of death: December 10, 2024

Age at death: 84

Cause of death: Not disclosed.

About:

Michael Cole was an American actor best known for his role as Pete Cochran on the television crime drama The Mod Squad (1968–1973).

By the way:

The Australian television awards are known as the Logies, after TV inventor John Logie Baird. Cole took to the stage to accept the Logie for Mod Squad. Slurring and fumbling his words, the broadcast being live with no time delay to delete content, he then said “Oh, shit!”. He was the first person to say 'shit' during a live telecast. More than 2,000 people then complained when his speech was edited out of the replay in another broadcast later that same week.


Watch the clip:

Skip ahead to 2.14 if you wish.
_______

OLIVIA HUSSEY


Date of death: December 27, 2024

Age at death: 73

Cause of death:

Hussey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, and underwent a double mastectomy. After being in remission for nearly a decade, the breast cancer returned in 2017, with Hussey undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment to remove a small tumour growing between her heart and lungs. Hussey died on 27 December 2024, at the age of 73, following a recurrence of her breast cancer.

About:

Olivia Hussey was a British actress. The daughter of Argentine tango singer Osvaldo Ribó, Hussey was born in Buenos Aires but spent most of her early life in her mother's native England. She aspired to become an actress at a young age and studied drama for five years at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London. Hussey began acting professionally as an adolescent. She appeared in a 1966 London production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, opposite Vanessa Redgrave; this led to her being scouted for the role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Hussey received widespread acclaim and international recognition for her performance. In 1974, she appeared as the lead character Jess Bradford in the cult slasher film Black Christmas. This and her roles in the horror productions Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990) and Stephen King's It (1990) earned her the label of scream queen.

By the way:

Her parents considered naming her Victoria after the city in eastern Argentina where her father, Osvaldo Ribó, was born in. Once her parents saw a poster of Olivia de Havilland starring in The Heiress (1949) at a local movie theatre in Buenos Aires that played that movie, they decided to name her after the movie star.





Sunday, December 29, 2024

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

 


THOSE WE LOST IN 2024, PART 2

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JULY 2024

 

 

 

JON LANDAU

 


Date of death:

July 5, 2024

Age at death:

63

Cause of death:

Cancer

About:

Jon Landau was an American film producer who won an Academy Award for Best Picture for producing James Cameron's epic romantic disaster film Titanic (1997). He was also nominated for producing Cameron's epic science fiction films Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). As of 2024, these are three of the four highest-grossing films of all time.

By the way:

Avatar: Fire and Ash, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, which were produced by him prior to his death, will be released posthumously.

  

 

SHELLEY DUVALL

 


Date of death:

July 11, 2024

Age at death:

75

Cause of death:

Complications from diabetes

About:

Shelley Duvall was an American actress and producer. Known for her collaborations with Robert Altman and for playing eccentric characters, she won a Cannes Film Festival Award and was nominated for a British Academy Film Award and two Emmy Awards.

By the way:

She has the longest neck I have ever seen on an actress, this is her as Olive Oyl in the film Popeye (1980):


 

 

RICHARD SIMMONS

 


Date of death:

July 13, 2024

Age at death:

76

Cause of death:

Complications from a previous day's fall, with heart disease a contributing factor;

About:

Milton Teagle "Richard" Simmons was an American fitness instructor and television personality. He was a promoter of weight-loss programs, most prominently through his television show, The Richard Simmons Show and later the Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos. Simmons began his weight-loss career by opening his gym Slimmons in Beverly Hills, California, catering to the overweight in a supportive atmosphere, and he became widely known through exposure on television and through the popularity of his consumer products. He was often parodied and was a frequent guest on late-night television and radio talk shows, such as the Late Show with David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show.

By the way:

On his birthday, July 12, Simmons stated in an interview  that he is grateful to be alive for another day. He died the next day.

 

 

SHANNEN DOHERTY

 


Date of death:

July 13, 2024

Age at death:

53

Cause of death:

Breast cancer

About:

Shannen Doherty was an American actress known for her roles including Beverly Hills, 90210, Little House on the Prairie and Charmed. She also starred in many movies, including Heathers.

By the way:

The terms of her divorce agreement were finalised the day before her death, and a Los Angeles judge declared the couple officially divorced two days after she died.

 

 

BOB NEWHART

 

 

Date of death:

July 18, 2024

Age at death:

94

Cause of death:

Newhart died from complications of several short illnesses.

About:

George Robert Newhart was an American comedian and actor. Newhart was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in television. He received numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2002.

By the way:

A favourite quote:

"I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'."

-       Bob Newhart

 

 

SANDY POSEY

 

 

Date of death:

July 20, 2024

Age at death:

80

Cause of death:

Complications from dementia

About:

Sandra Posey was an American popular singer who enjoyed success in the 1960s with singles such as her 1966 recording of Martha Sharp's compositions "Born a Woman" and "Single Girl". She was often described as a country singer, although, like Skeeter Davis (to whom she has been frequently compared),her output varied. Later in her career, the term "countrypolitan", associated with the "Nashville sound", was sometimes applied. Posey had four hit singles in the United States, three of which peaked at number 12 on the Hot 100.

By the way:

‘Born a Woman’ preceded Helen Reddy’s ‘I Am Woman’, which heralded Women’s Lib.  Lyrics of ‘Born a Woman’:

Verse 1

It makes no difference if you're rich or poor

Or if you're smart or dumb

A woman's place in this old world

Is under some man's thumb

[Verse 2]

And if you're born a woman

You're born to be hurt

You're born to be stepped on

Lied to, cheated on and treated like dirt

Ah, if you're born a woman

You're born to be hurt

[Verse 3]

A woman's lot is to give and give

And go on givin'

A woman's got to love and lose

And go on livin'

[Verse 4]

Well, I was born a woman

I didn't have no say

And when my man finally comes home

He makes me glad it happened that way

Because to be his woman

No price is too great to pay 

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXMap-Vyo2w

 

 

JOHN MAYALL

 

 

Date of death:

July 22, 2024

Age at death:

90

Cause of death:

Unknown

About:

John Mayall OBE was an English blues and rock musician, songwriter and producer who was a singer, guitarist, harmonica player and keyboardist.   John Mayall band was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. At various times, his band the Bluesbreakers included Clapton and Jack Bruce, later of Cream; Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac; Mick Taylor, who played for five years with the Rolling Stones; Harvey Mandel and Larry Taylor of Canned Heat; and Jon Mark and John Almond, who went on to form the Mark-Almond Band. Although Mayall never approached the same heights of fame as some of his band members, he was still performing in his late 80s.

By the way:

Mayall was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the musical influence category in 2024 and was known as the "Father of British blues".

 

 

AUGUST 2024

 

 

 

PHIL DONAHUE

 

 

Date of death:

August 18, 2024

Age at death:

88

Cause of death:

His family’s statement said only that death followed a long illness.

About:

Phil Donahue was an American media personality, writer, film producer, and the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, later known simply as Donahue, was the first popular talk show to feature a format that included audience participation. The show had a 29-year run on national television that began in Dayton, Ohio, in 1967 and ended in New York City in 1996. Donahue's shows often focused on issues which Americans were interested in discussing in the United States when there was a limited platform for listening to multiple sides, such as abortion, consumer protection, civil rights, and war issues. Donahue was one of the most influential talk show hosts and was often referred to as the "king of daytime talk".

By the way:

Donahue was nominated for 20 Daytime Emmy Awards during his broadcasting career, winning eight for Outstanding Talk Show Host. In 2024, Donahue was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden.

 

 

MIKE LYNCH

 

 

Date of death:

August 19, 2024

Age at death:

59

Cause of death:

In August 2024, Lynch celebrated his acquittal in the San Francisco trial with a cruise on the family superyacht, Bayesian. He was joined by his wife and daughter and nine invited guests, including two lawyers from his defense team. In the early hours of 19 August, the yacht sank off the coast of Sicily, outside the port of Porticello, during a powerful storm, with 22 people on board. Lynch, his teenage daughter Hannah, four guests, and one member of the crew died.

About:

Michael Lynch was a British technology entrepreneur who co-founded Autonomy Corporation, Invoke Capital and Darktrace. He had various other roles, including in an advisory capacity. He was described in the press as the British equivalent of the American businessman Bill Gates. The sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 led to accusations of fraud and resulted in civil litigation in the UK in 2019. The case was decided largely in favour of Hewlett-Packard. In 2023, Lynch was extradited to the United States to face criminal charges. He went on trial in San Francisco in March 2024 and in June was found not guilty on all counts.

By the way:

Lynch had an estimated worth of £852 million in 2023.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 2024

 

 

 

SERGIO MENDES

 


Date of death:

September 5, 2024

Age at death:

83

Cause of death:

Complications from long COVID

About:

Sérgio Mendes was a Brazilian musician whose career took off with worldwide hits by his band Brasil '66. He released 35 albums and was known for playing bossa nova, often mixed with funk. He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2012 as a co-writer of "Real in Rio" from the animated film Rio.

By the way:

A three-time Grammy award winner and Oscar nominee, Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.

 

 

JAMES EARL JONES

 


Date of death:

September 9, 2024

Age at death:

93

Cause of death:

Not disclosed

About:

James Earl Jones was an acting great known for his distinctive voice - most famously as Star Wars villain Darth Vader and Mufasa in The Lion King. He also appeared in Conan The Barbarian, played the father of Eddie Murphy's character in Coming to America, starred in The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games, and was one of just a select group of entertainers who have won the quadruple EGOT prizes - Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. He died surrounded by family members, his agent said, with stars including Mark Hamill and Colman Domingo paying tribute. "RIP dad," posted Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, Vader's son, in the Star Wars films.

By the way:

He was one of a select group of entertainers who have won the quadruple EGOT prizes - Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.

 

 

JOHN ASHTON

 


Date of death:

September 26, 2024

Age at death:

76

Cause of death:

Cancer

About:

John Ashton was an American actor, known for his roles in the Beverly Hills Cop films, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Midnight Run.

By the way:

His motto, taken from his high school drama teacher, was "Think Big, Work Hard, Have a Dream, and Make a Difference".

 

 

DAME MAGGIE SMITH

 


Date of death:

September 27, 2024

Age at death:

89

Cause of death:

Not diclosed

About:

Born in Essex in 1934, Dame Maggie Smith became internationally recognised and one of the most versatile, accomplished and meticulous performers of her generation, winning two Oscars, several BAFTAs and numerous other awards during her career. At the National Theatre and Old Vic, she excelled in both tragedy and comedy, moving easily from Shakespeare to Noel Coward, to Restoration comedy to Ibsen. She was best known for playing Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey, and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, but her CV also included performances in Death On The Nile, Gosford Park, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, and The Lady In The Van, the adaptation of Alan Bennett's memoirs.

By the way:

King Charles III released a statement: "As the curtain comes down on a national treasure, we join all those around the world in remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her many great performances, and her warmth and wit that shone through both on and off the stage."

 

 

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

 


Date of death:

September 28, 2024

Age at death:

88

Cause of death:

Not disclosed.

He previously requested for the first three lines of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" on his tombstone:

Like a bird on the wire

Like a drunk in a midnight choir

I have tried in my way to be free

About:

Born in Texas, Kris Kristofferson was a country music legend who started his music career in the mid-1960s.

Despite being a singer himself, many of his songs were best known for their performances by others, including Ray Price's US number one hit For the Good Times and Janis Joplin's 1971 single Me And Bobby McGee. In the mid-1980s he joined forces with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings to create the country supergroup The Highwaymen, releasing three albums before all four returned to their solo careers. On the big screen, he won the 1976 Golden Globe Award for best actor after his performance in the romantic drama A Star Is Born opposite Barbra Streisand.

By the way:

Kristofferson, under pressure from his family, joined the U.S. Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant, attaining the rank of captain. He became a helicopter pilot after receiving flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He also completed Ranger School. During the early 1960s, he was stationed in West Germany as a member of the 8th Infantry Division. During this time, he resumed his music career and formed a band. In 1965, after his tour in West Germany ended, Kristofferson was given an assignment to teach English literature at West Point. Instead, he decided to leave the Army and pursue songwriting. His family disowned him because of his career decision; sources are unclear on whether they reconciled.

 

 

RON ELY

 


Date of death:

September 29, 2024

Age at death:

86

Cause of death:

Not disclosed.

About:

Ron Ely was an American actor and novelist, best known for portraying Tarzan in the 1966–1968 NBC series Tarzan and playing the lead role in the film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975). He hosted the Miss America pageant telecast in 1980 and 1981.

By the way:

On October 15, 2019, Ely's son Cameron, then 30 years old, stabbed Ron Ely’s wife (former Miss Florida and married 1984) Valerie Ely to death at the family's home in Hope Ranch, California, a coastal residential community in Santa Barbara. Police officers were called to the scene for a "family disturbance" and killed Cameron Ely, claiming he posed a threat to officers. An autopsy found Cameron was in the early stages of chronic traumatic encephalopathy before he died.