Sunday, December 30, 2001
The Death List, 2001 - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Last year in this space, I did my annual year-ender column, reviewing, in about a thousand or so words, the year that was. This year will be no different, but rather than encapsulate some of the births, deaths, news and events of the year in one column, I thought I’d break it up. Today, I’ll call it the Death List. A review of those that have passed on this past year, and tributes to some of those whose like shan’t pass these parts ever again.
September 11th took from us many remarkable people. Some were in the wrong place at the wrong time, or they were severely enamoured with things we’re struggling, still, to understand. I’d also be a total ignoramus if I neglected those that died in the struggle of war or devastating calamity. I’d be disingenuous if I didn’t, but since this Death List is really about famous or infamous people, remarkable artists or remarkable people, I’ll leave it at that. (I mean how many of us were ever entertained or touched by the life’s work of one Mike Spann?) But September 11th saw the death of the television producer behind such hits as Cheers, Wings, and Frasier, David Angell. As well, on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon was controversial conservative commentator and former US district attorney, Barbara Olson. Often she infuriated people, but you couldn’t help but admire her for being so good at what she did and for being so bold in the opinions she held. Olson was a heavily utilised debater on Larry King on such matters as the Condit saga and the improprieties of the Clinton’s. Even in death she still probably pissed off Clinton loyalists with the posthumous publication of a scathing tome on Bill and Hillary Clinton’s misdeeds.
Ray Walston -- of Damn Yankees in the 1950s, My Favourite Martian in the 1960s, and the David E. Kelley drama Picket Fences in the 1990s -- was a great performer. I found his Emmy-winning curmudgeon Henry Bone on Picket Fences most endearing and charming.
Ernie Coombs, I grew up with. Who didn’t? Canadian children from coast to coast to coast revelled at Mr. Dressup’s drawings and the costumes he kept in his venerable tickle trunk. He was never the same when Casey and Finnigan disappeared, but he was still Mr. Dressup; and he’ll be sorely missed.
Another Canadian icon we lost this year was Al Waxman. Last seen in that Judy Garland biopic for ABC (he played Louis B. Mayer), Waxman was the CBC’s King of Kensington and boss to Cagney and Lacey. Canadian and internationally acclaimed author Mordecai Richler died and Canada’s cultural life seemed dimmer without its most brightest of lights. His works were provocative and challenging and we’re all better we lived in his time.
In the world of music, we lost the fine violin maestro and the saviour of Carnegie Hall when the edifice was threatened by the wrecker’s ball in the 1980s -- Isaac Stern. Also taking a final bow in 2001 was Jay Livingston, a composer; up and coming star Aaliyah; the smoothest barber turned crooner Perry Como; Beatle and pop legend George Harrison; and jazz ambassador Norman Granz. When some joints wouldn’t have black performers sing, Granz formed a record label that launched many recording stars’ careers including Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald. Guitarist John Lee Hooker died, as did “Little Green Apples” composer O.C. Smith. The Band of Renown’s Les Brown died, after a lengthy career backing up the legendary comic Bob Hope.
Julius Epstein was a writer on the legendary film Casablanca and he died in 2001. The author of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey, died, as did another author, one Robert Ludlum. Television producers Ed Weinberg and Lorenzo Music died. Mr. Music, went on to voice Carleton the doorman on Rhoda, as well as Garfield in the animated series. Director Alan Rafkin, directed many episodes of sitcoms -- from Mary Tyler Moore to The Cosby Show to Murphy Brown. Television personality from the 1950s -- she was the Private Secretary -- Ann Southern died, as did Mr. Belvedere himself, Christopher Hewett. Arlene Francis, a former panellist on the game show What’s My Line? died, as did Imogene Coca, the comic gem on Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, also of the 1950s.
The British politician Lord Hailsham died, too did pass, Michael Williams, the acclaimed British actor who was also husband to Dame Judi Dench. Williams, co-starred with his wife on the Britcom A Fine Romance. Sir Nigel Hawthorne, known on this continent from appearances on Britcoms too, died this past week. He embodied the stereotype of the bureaucracy being less than honest on the series’ Yes, Minister and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister. Hawthorne won a Tony for playing C.S. Lewis on the stage in Shadowlands, and an Oscar nod for his take on George III in The Madness of King George.
Animation pioneer William Hanna died, as did matinee idol from decades previous, Troy Donahue. Dale Evans, wife of cowboy Roy Rogers died, as did Jack Haley Jr. a former husband to Liza Minnelli.
Scribblers that died in 2001 include: former New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael, US political cartoonist Herbert Block, Province sports columnist Jim Coleman, Mafia historian Peter Maas, and Vancouver’s controversial Doug Collins. The Holocaust denying Collins, made headlines and controversy even in death. Katherine Graham, was a door mat wife, until her husband blew his brains out, thus bequeathing her the Washington Post and a media empire that included Newsweek. Her biography, Personal History, was a best selling tome that also won the Pulitzer Prize in 1998.
Two-time Oscar winner, Jason Robards Jr. actually died late in 2000, but I include him here; as do I note the death of Oscar-wining actress of Network, Beatrice Straight. Film director of such landmark films like Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner and The Defiant Ones, Stanley Kramer died; as did Oscar-winning actor Anthony Quinn. Quinn, was of Irish-Mexican descent and made a career playing a Greek.
Fred De Cordova used to direct the old Jack Benny Show and was a rock producing the Johnny Carson Tonight Show. He poked fun of himself too in the backstage sitcom Larry Sanders, and though not an actor was delightfully funny. Dr. Christiaan Barnard, the doc who performed the first heart transplant died in 2001. While pink was the colour of the life of Mary Kay Ash, who made a killing with her line of Mary Kay cosmetics.
Canadian radio and television personality Ed Whalen, attached to Calgary’s Stampede Wrestling, died recently, prompting tributes from many Albertans including their Premier Ralph Klein. Morton Downey Jr. a television shocker died too, after a career of shocking and smoking. Pauline McGibbon, the first female Lieutenant Governor in the Commonwealth died this month. She served as Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor in the 1970s. Locally, we lost popular radio personality Rick Honey. It was a real shock to lose the old CKNW road show host.
Of course Chandra Levy must have died in 2001, but no one really knows including a certain Congressman in California one Gary Condit.
Two of the most noteworthy deaths in show business this year were the deaths of Jack Lemmon and Carroll O’Connor.
Carroll O’Connor was Archie Bunker on the landmark sitcom All In The Family, going on to direct, star and produce In The Heat of The Night, the television adaptation of the Rod Steiger film. O’Connor was a hell of an actor, and a guy who you knew -- no matter how gruff the characters he played -- was a dear and had a good heart off screen.
Jack Lemmon, as Roger Ebert wrote, wasn’t perfect, but pretty close to it. An actor forever associated with Billy Wilder, died in the summer. It was shocking and sad. Jack Lemmon was a double Oscar-winner and a certified legend.
There were, of course, more notables who took their last bow in 2001. Death isn’t always a wonderful thing, but remembering those who have died makes the healing so much more comforting.
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .