Hey Joe

R.I.P.

 

Joan Hunter Dunn

1915 - 2008

 

The muse of late poet, John Betjeman's "famous" wartime poem, A Subaltern's Love Song, died last week at the age of 92.

Betjeman spied the young Ms. Dunn while she was working in a cafeteria and was instantly smitten. He wrote his poem fantasizing about their possible life together. Upon completion of the poem he sought her out to ask her permission to have it published, where then she told him to fuck off. I just made that up. Of course Dunn gave her blessing.

I'm not sure when the poem first appeared. My "research" indicates that it may have appeared first in Horizon Magazine; however there is also speculation (on my part) that it was first published in Betjeman's collection, New Bats in Old Belfries, because the article says that as well. Doesn't much matter really.

Lest you think me incredibly cultured and well-rounded to be familiar with this obscure poem, well your right. Why don't the rest of you meat heads turn off American Idol and expand your minds?

Losers.

R.I.P.

1943 – 2008

Stanley Kamel

 

American character actor, Stanley Kamel, was found dead in his Hollywood home on Tuesday, April 8, the victim of a heart attack.

I never watched the TV show, Monk but I guess he played Monk's psychiatrist, Dr. Charles Kroger.

But even if you never watched Monk, you know the face. He's been in a s*itload of things since his first appearance on Mission Impossible back in 1969.

R.I.P. Hope he was cremated.

Charlton Heston

1923 - 2008

Dead at the age of 84.

4-7-08 - I posted this late Saturday night. I was tired  and not up to a long post so I just stuck to the facts; age and current state of being.

But I felt I should add just a little more info for old Charlton's obit.

Everyone remembers him from the Planet of the Apes movies, Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments; all those blockbusters. But I think my personal CH favorite is the 1973 "dystopian" gross out, Soylent Green.

Heston plays  21st Century New York detective, Robert Thorn, investigating the murder of a high level executive of the Soylent Corporation, a company that produces food rations that serve as food for most of the world's population. Touted as being produced from "high-energy plankton," Soylent Green is the latest and greatest "food" substance. During the course of his investigation, Thorn discovers the horrifying truth about Soylent Green crackers, and just how far man has fallen.

What's creepy about this movie is that though it was filmed in 1973, many of the issues it addresses are very relevant today. The movie takes place in the year 2022. Pollution has basically poisoned the earth and airborne pollution has "produced a year-round heatwave from the greenhouse effect."

The one thing I don't like about this movie are the clothes that Heston's character wears. I don't know if they're supposed to be futuristic or what but they really suck. Everything is beige or off-white except for his blue pimp-type cap. With his Members Only looking jacket and ascot he looks like a cross between Huggy Bear and Freddie Jones.

R.I.P.

Sean LeVert (center)

1968 – 2008

Things are not looking good for Marc Gordon (far right). Brother best be lookin' both ways when he crosses the street.

R.I.P.

Richard Widmark

1914 – 2008

Dead

Famous for this scene.

R.I.P.

Bill Hayward

1941 - 2008

Bill Hayward, the 66 year old associate producer of the classic film, Easy Rider committed suicide on March 9 by shooting himself in the heart with a hand gun.

R.I.P.

Ivan Dixon

1931 – 2008

Apparently there is a rash of killer hemorrhoids out there; first Anthony Minghella, and now Ivan Dixon, aka the black guy from Hogan's Heroes.

Thank you reader Pambasilea for bringing this celebrity death oversight to my attention, and Godspeed Ivan.

R.I.P.

Paul Scofield

1922 – 2008

Stage and screen actor, Paul Scofield, has died at the age of 86 after battling leukemia.

Scofield won an Academy Award for his role as Sir Thomas More, Tudor statesman and author of "Utopia", in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons. More was executed for treason in 1535 after opposing the divorce of King Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon.

R.I.P.

Anthony Minghella

1954 – 2008

 

Oscar winning British director, Anthony Minghella, died today from a hemorrhoid, the result of surgery to remove cancerous growths from his neck and tonsils. He was 54.

Minghella won a best director Oscar in 1997 for The English Patient. He also directed the Oscar nominated films, Cold Mountain and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

I didn't know one could die from a hemorrhoid.

Jesus. That's scary. I'd better start eating more fiber.

What's that? It's hemorrhage?

Never mind. But he's still dead, I'm sorry to say. And more fiber couldn't hurt.

R.I.P.

Jeff Healey

1966 – 2008

Blind bluesman, Jeff Healey, succumbed yesterday to cancer at the age of 41, which sucks ass.

Remembered by most for his cover version of The Beatles' "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" and his role as Cody, leader of the Double Deuce house band in the wonderfully crappy 1989 movie, Road House, Healey lost his eye site from retinoblastoma (a rare form of eye cancer) at the age of one. He continued to battle cancer throughout his life.

Healey began playing guitar at the age of three and developed his strange style for playing the instrument flat on his lap. He performed with many musical greats, including George Harrison, B.B. King and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.