The Dead Thread

[Strawbs]

Geoffrey Perkins has been killed in a road accident in London.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7589102.stm

Very sad about this one. I was a fan of much of what he worked on.

 

[Cop]

Wendy Richard MBE

(20 July 1943 - 26 Feb 2009)

​

Former EastEnders actress Wendy Richard has died aged 65, her agent has confirmed. The star, who played Pauline Fowler in the BBC One soap opera, had been suffering from cancer.

Her agent Kevin Francis said: "She was incredibly brave and retained her sense of humour right to the end."

Last October, Richard revealed she had an aggressive, terminal form of cancer. Soon after that she married her long-term partner John Burns.

In January, she was told the disease had spread to her right kidney and bones.

Francis said the star passed away in the Harley Street Clinic in London with her husband by her side.

The actress also appeared in sitcoms Are You Being Served?, Dad's Army and Grace & Favour.

 

[LovelyLaura]

I was so sad to hear about Wendy's death, and shocked too as I haven't really heard anything about her since her wedding last year, so I didn't know how she was doing.

I think she fought a very dignified battle but it's so sad that she wasn't able to beat the big C a third time though

Laura xx

 

[Cop]

I found this posted on Facebook

Mike Pilsch

1977-2009

​

by Brian Myers

Brian aka Bob from the E-Z Cheez Bros here with some sad news. My best friend/creative partner Mike aka Gym has passed away after a long battle with Cancer.

Our time making cartoons for Troma was one of the happiest times of our lives and we missed creating adventures for Tromaboy, Kabukiman and Penis Monster and even had come up with some new cartoon ideas while he was going through treatment. Sadly though we'll never get a chance to work on those ideas together.

Mike battled against the Cancer for almost two years before the chemo had caused so much damage to his lungs that they just gave out and he passed away Feb 12th. Troma was the only place that ever gave us a chance to pursue our dream and do it on our terms and create uncompromised visions with creative control and freedom and most of all respect.

I want to thank you all for the support you gave us and thank Lloyd and Michael for giving two shmucks from Spokane a chance to do nothing but create cartoons for a living and even for a brief time live our dream.

Thank You,

Brian Myers

I found some of their work on here... **Not suitable for younger viewers** - (but it will be)

http://www.troma.com/cartoons/balls/05/

 

[Cop]

Bill Killed... kinda

David Carradine

1936-2009

​

Kill Bill and Kung Fu star David Carradine has been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room on Thursday.

Thai police told the BBC the 72-year-old was found naked by a hotel maid in a wardrobe with a cord around his neck and other parts of his body. The US star was in Thailand filming his latest film, Stretch, according to his personal manager Chuck Binder.

Mr Binder said the news was "shocking", adding: "He was full of life, always wanting to work... a great person."

A US embassy official confirmed the actor's death, but added that the cause of death had not yet been established. However, Thai newspaper The Nation reported that police believe the actor took his own life, and preliminary investigations found that he hanged himself.

Carradine was part of an acting dynasty which included his father, John Carradine, and brothers Bruce, Keith and Robert.

The star was best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu, which spawned sequels in the '80s and '90s. The character became one of the most iconic roles in US TV and earned Carradine both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

While his film career saw him working with directors including Martin Scorsese and Ingmar Bergman, the cult actor was considered something of a B-movie legend.

In 2003, after years in the straight-to-video market, Carradine found a new audience thanks to his role in the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill.

He was most recently seen on the big screen as a Chinese mobster in Crank: High Voltage, opposite British actor Jason Statham.

Carradine was an accomplished composer, musician, musical performer and songwriter. According to his official website, he was also a sculptor and a painter.

He is survived by his wife, Annie Bierman, and three children including actresses Calista and Kansas.

 

[timpaley]

Sad to hear the news about Stephen Gately who sadley passed away this morning at the age of 33. Stephen did a lot to promote sexuality in the mainstream, and seemed to make it more acceptable. Thoughts are with his family and the others in the band. 33 years old, frightening

 

[Cop]

When I heard the news, I instantly thought of Lovely Laura as we all know she thought very highly of Stephen Gately.

I can't say I am huge fan of one individual (especially in celebrity world), but I would imagine it's like losing a family member or a close friend for Laura.

I commented on one of Laura's Facebook status' last night regarding Danii Minogoue's comment about one of the X-Factor contestant's sexuality. I don't know what she was trying to achieve, if it was a snide comment, or if she was wanting a wow-factor sensation exclusive for the show but I think it was completely irrelevant and uncalled for. (I think Cowell thought the same)

But relating that to Stephen's death, it shows what boundries he broke down in regards to homosexuality in the "manufactured" pop world when he came out in 1999.

I read a comment from Louis Walsh, he said something along the lines of "It wasn't cool to have a gay man in a boy band back then"

Now, ten years on, it's totally irrelevant and I reckon Gately has had a massive part to play in that.

 

[Strawbs]

Not just Laura. I'm a big boyzone fan too and am also very sad to hear this news. As much as both Laura and I have certain issues with each other I know how she will be feeling. Probably worse if I know her well enough. All I'd say to her is remember the happy times. There are so many of them. He'd want us to think of those.

I've already posted my thoughts on this properly elsewhere so I'll just to a copy and paste if no-one minds.

It's a bizarre feeling as while I'm still shocked I'm not surprised by his death. It was always in the back of my mind that not only would he be the first to go but that he would go young.

I'm a long time Boyzone fan - got all the CDs, the albums, had the posters on the walls - and I actually met Stephen a couple of times. He was lovely, warm and friendly. When I saw him in Joseph it was on my birthday and I was in the front row. A couple of times he looked me in the eye and gave a little smile. He was like that. He appreciated all his fans. Those closest to him will be absolutely devastated. He truly is a very sad loss to many people.

Again it's bizarre as Stephen's death somehow fits with the Boyzone "story". Most people probably wouldn't read it like this or even realise the pattern but Boyzone were always more than the average boyband. Might not appear that way on the surface but they had a certain edge to them that other boybands don't seem to have and the early death of one of them - as churlish as it sounds - follows the pattern of their story. If you look at other boybands from the last 20 years and you compare their stories/careers next to Boyzone's you realise just how untypical they are to others of their genre.

I always saw them as punk rather than pop. That seems odd but I was going by their ethic rather than their music. Though their music was of higher quality than a lot of people give them credit for. Stephen himself actually wrote a beautiful song for their 3rd album about dealing with someone's death called You Flew Away, sadly very apt right now. There was something imperfect about them but ultimately special, which is why I've remained a fan so long. You never quite knew what would come next.

But today (or maybe technically yesterday) will be the saddest turn of the story. I've still got loads of photos of Stephen and I've just been flicking through them. I've not been crying about it - perhaps it'll grab me later when I'm not expecting it. Instead it's been happy memories and I'm just glad I got to meet him.

RIP Stephen. You were loved.

 

[LovelyLaura]

I am totally and utterly heartbroken, I've never felt this sad in my whole entire life ever.

Stephen was such a huge part of my life for 13 years and, although we weren't friends, I did know him and he knew me; I was lucky enough to have met him a lot over the years and got to know him quite well. He was one of the nicest men you could ever wish to meet and he always had so much time for you, he'd always greet me with a smile and a hug and a "how are you".

The last time I ever spoke to him was just before Christmas in 2007, he was on really good form and looking forward to the festive period, although still had so much preparation to do. I was telling him how I still had loads to do as well and was starting to panic about it lol. I then had my picture taken with him, and he was so gracious and kind, even when my mum was having probs with the camera and started taking a video instead! Stephen was laughing about how he was gonna look silly in the vid lol. Then he gave me a gorgeous smile and waved as he walked out the door - I didn't know at that time that this would be the last time I would see him on a personal "one-to-one" basis.

The last time I actually saw him though was at a Boyzone concert at Newmarket racecourse in August. It was one of the best concerts I ever saw them do and Stephen, again, was on great form. He even spotted me in the audience and gave me a couple of waves and mouthed "hi Laura" to me. It made my day that he hadn't forgotten me, even though I hadn't seen him to talk to for a year and a half.

He was in such a great place in his life and was so happy in both his personal and professional life, things were going so well for him and he had so much left that he wanted to achieve - he was in the middle of writing a children's book which was going to be published, and it also looks like he was going to be starring in Jersey Boys in the West End too.

It's just such a senseless and tragic loss and I really do feel like I've lost a close friend. He was a wonderful person and a beautiful person inside and out and he will be greatly missed. I feel so lucky that I had him in my life

Laura xx

P.S - this has to be the worst year for celebrity deaths ever, so many of them leaving us too soon

 

[Booth]

P.S - this has to be the worst year for celebrity deaths ever, so many of them leaving us too soon

Ain't that the truth, some people gone who I thought would be around forever. That's why everyone should try to do something with their lives if they can, I know it's not always possible for some people and that's why those that can are lucky and should try even harder.

At least the people on this thread pushed themselves and achieved something before they left us.

 

[Strawbs]

Stephen died of natural causes

Negative speculation over. He can now rest in peace.

 

[Booth]

Dan O'Bannon passes away then Brittany Murphy and now Eric Rohmer dies...

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43594