RIP: DEATHS OF ’14
Robin Williams dead.. It is being ruled a suicide..But that doesn’t matter..What matters is what this man did to cheer up the world—all the while he battled the sadness and depression of inner demons..May God, if he exists, take Mr. Williams to an amazing place.. His time on this planet certainly amazed us, and made us smile when we were most down..Mr. Keating, oh captain.. rest in peace.
A scream queen gone.. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE star Marilyn Burns dead..
James Brady.. dead at 73..
Punk is not dead. But someone who was a major figure in punk is.. From the UKGUARDIAN:
Tommy Ramone, the last original member from influential band, has died aged 62. The band, founded in New York in 1974, had a major influence on punk rock. Tommy Ramone was the last surviving member of its original lineup. He had reportedly been undergoing treatment for cancer. • RIP Tommy Ramone: your band captured the sound in my head
Legend gone..Casey Kasem dead at 82
Ann B. Davis, or “Alice” from the Brady Bunch, dead at 88.. RIP
A true icon is gone.. Maya Angelou has met her final fate in his lifetime on earth.. Thanks to her, we will always know why the caged bird sings.. The poet was 86.. She posted one final tweet (amazing, think her life.. from the old days of racism to being able to freely speak to millions of people on Twitter) said this:
Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.
Regardless of our religious beliefs, it should be our collective hope that Ms. Angelou has met God.. and that he welcomed her gracefully into Maya
David Brenner just lost a battle with cancer.. he is dead tonight at the age of 78. He died on a Saturday.. I think of all the Saturday nights he entertained throughout the years of his career, to half empty rooms of half drunk people to the audiences of the TONIGHT SHOW with Johnny Carson.. His humor became an inspiration for others such as Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reiser.. He was a star of the 20th century and a trend setter for years to come.. And he never abandoned his craft. As FOX news points out in their story tonight on his passing,
Brenner worked steadily through 2013 doing standup. A four-day gig last December included a New Year’s Eve show at a King of Prussia, Pa., casino-resort in which he showcased young comedians.
Harold Ramis is dead.. pretty sad news. This is from the AP report on the death:
Ramis was surrounded by family in his Chicago home, where he’s lived since 1996, when he died early this morning from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, his wife Erica Mann Ramis told the Chicago Tribune.
Ramis was 69. And he was responsible for laughs, smiles, and amazing roles in movies. Godspeed Harold Ramis.. I hope you find peace and solace on the other side.. you gave us good memories.
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN .. dead at 46 .. While an exact cause of death has not been yet named, the star was found, reports say, with a needle in his arm. He reportedly suffered from an overdose as he succumbed to his troubled fate… A promising actor who accomplished so much but yet had so much more to offer.. A sad day.. Heartbreaking as well to think of what drugs can do to a tortured soul. Rest in peace, rest in peace..
Don Pardo is dead at 96.. You may not know him by his face, but you would definitely know him by his voice. He was the longtime voice of Saturday Night Live, only missing one season throughout the entirety of the programs lifespan. He is done a number of other voice over jobs, you may also recognize him from the program Jeopardy.. Television may not be the same without him, regardless of how bad or good Saturday Night Live was, his voice being the mainstay and permanent fixture of the program was comforting.. May he rest in peace..
A big loss to the comedy world.. Joan Rivers dead at 81
Floyd V. Creekmore, better known as Creeky the Clown, died last weekend after decades of making people laugh and helping sick children feel better. Creekmore, of Billings, was 98.… And he was the world’s oldest clown..
It’s been a bad week for washed up female wrestlers, with the death of Mae Young. And now a bad week for washed up castaways… Gilligan’s Island star Russell Johnston is dead.. He was 89. Unfortunately for his acting career, he was best known for his role as the Professor on the strange comedy from last century. While I was certainty not old enough to have grown up watching the program when they were new, I did live on reruns throughout my childhood.. The Professor got me through many sick days home from school back in the day. I hope he rests in some peace.. In somewhat related news, PARADE magazine ran a story about Dawn Wells, and how her shorts on Gillian’s Island made history. I can only picture Russell Johnson ogling at her on the set of the island.. Something tells me the wild days of filming were fun and lively. What happened on the island probably stayed on the island. 
Mae Young, a legend in wrestling, has gone to her final resting place at the age of 90.. A long life for a legend in her craft. Hope you’re happy Bubba Ray.