James Whitmore has left us. IMHO, he was one of our finest actors. There was nothing he couldn't play, and his one man shows, particularly "Give 'Em Hell, Harry", were uniformly outstanding - he was the king of the one man historical personage portrayal, hands down.

The suburban KC town of Grandview, where I lived for over 30 years, is the location of the Truman family farm where Harry spent his teen and young adult years. By way of celebration of its favorite son, Grandview's Spring festival has long been known as "Harry's Hay Days", and Whitmore was brought in a couple of times to do his show many years ago. I never got to see it live, but I've seen the film version (for which Whitmore was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, the only person ever so nominated for a one-person film), and so have always had a huge admiration for Whitmore.

A little-known but amazingly well done film in which Whitmore starred along side Nancy Davis (the future Mrs. Ronald Reagan) is "The Next Voice You Hear", a tidy little moralistic piece which revolves around Jehovah speaking to the world over the radio over the course of six consecutive days. You never actually *hear* God's voice...you only see the reactions of those who have heard Him.

Another of his films that ranks amongst my favorites is "Them", the rampaging giant nuclear mutated ant film, and we cannot forget his outstanding portrayal of Shawshank's librarian in "The Shawshank Redemption".

James Whitmore was an actor of the sort they don't build anymore.

I read that earlier elspode. He was great. I loved his part in Shawshank Redemption.

Brooks was here.

Goodbye, Paul Harvey! I'll miss ya. Good day!

Oh Bri, I just saw that online.

"The rest of the story..."

When I was driving my parents' 1972 Impala to college, and back sometimes, it only had AM radio and I loved listening to Paul Harvey.

Good day, indeed.

RiP, Paul. Wonder if we'll get The Rest of The Story.

Natasha Richardson has died today following what was originally thought to be a minor skiing accident in Canada. She was only 45.

She was married to the equally handsome and talented Liam Neeson for nearly 15 years, and she leaves two sons motherless.

I first saw Natasha Richardson in the compelling film "The Handmaid's Tale", a cautionary tale of totalitarianism and religious misogyny, alongside Robert Duvall and Faye Dunaway. Ms Richardson's beauty and calm command of the screen struck me immediately, and I've been a fan ever since.

As I've often said before, it is a tragedy when anyone dies in a stupid accident, and Ms Richardson is only one mother, wife, daughter, sister who passed away today. Nevertheless, she brought some joy and interest into my world, and I will miss her. I am an equally big fan of Liam Neeson, who must be absolutely devastated tonight. Peace to him and his family.

well said and seconded. :(

Marilyn Chambers

The Bird
 

Mark Fidrych made $16,500 in 1976, while pitching 24 complete games. He is why modern players take the cash and get contracts renegotiated. Most of all The Bird was just fun to watch. In a just universe he'd get that arm back in the after-life.

I'm gonna go with Marilyn Chambers, too.


First porn I ever saw starred her.

Yeah Marilyn Chambers died on Sunday and I did not find out until today. I was bummed :( She got me through my teens LOL

This is seriously depressing to me. I can't tell you how many spank sessions of mine Marilyn Chambers starred in. :(

I NEVER watch baseball, but on Easter, I was over at my m-in-law's and they had it on. I think I heard his last 'That Ball's OUUUUTTTAAAA heeeere' live.

I really liked him for his work with NFL films, though.

...A customer ...a grown man that looked like a slightly thinner Andy Reid actually teared up on me a little today when we talked about it.

yeah....it was the 5-5 to 5-7 2 run homer i heard

I guess he was like Chicago's Harry Caray?