Tag Archives: obituary

Variety reports: Loretta Swit, who played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on seminal TV comedy “MASH,” died Friday at her home in New York City. She was 87. Her rep Harlan Boll said the New York police reported her time of death at 12:01 p.m. on May 30, of suspected natural causes. For her work on “MASH” Swit was Emmy …

New York City’s ABC affiliate reports: Charlie Rangel, a former congressman from Harlem who was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the lone surviving member of the “Gang of Four,” has died. He was 94. Rangel was elected to the House of Representatives in 1971 after defeating Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. He served in Congress for …

ABC News reports: Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter, a lifelong public servant, judicial moderate and advocate for humanities and civics education, has died. He was 85 years old. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said of Souter: “Justice David Souter served our Court with great distinction for nearly twenty years. He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a …

The Associated Press reports: Ruth Buzzi, who rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made over 200 television appearances during a 45-year career, has died at age 88. Buzzi died Thursday at her home in Texas, her agent Mike Eisenstadt said. She had been diagnosed with …

The Times of Israel reports: Rabbi Meir Mazuz, a prominent ultra-Orthodox Sephardic religious leader known for his inflammatory homophobic comments, died in Bnei Brak on Saturday. He was 80 years old. Mazuz reportedly spent the past few days in a hospital, where his condition worsened until his death. After stating that he believed COVID-19 would not reach Israel because the …

Via press release from the Vatican: At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the …

Variety reports: Val Kilmer, who played Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever,” channeled Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone‘s “The Doors” and starred as a tubercular Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles. His daughter Mercedes told The New York Times the cause was pneumonia. He was 65. He had been battling throat cancer for several years. The baby-faced blonde …

The New York Times reports: Richard Chamberlain, who rose to fame as the heartthrob star of the television series “Dr. Kildare” in the early 1960s, proved his mettle by becoming a serious stage actor and went on to a new wave of acclaim as the omnipresent leading man of 1980s mini-series, died on Saturday night in Waimanalo, Hawaii, on the …

ABC News reports: Former U.S. Rep. Mia Love of Utah, a daughter of Haitian immigrants who became the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, died Sunday. She was 49. She had undergone recent treatment for brain cancer and received immunotherapy as part of a clinical trial at Duke University’s brain tumor center. Her daughter said earlier this month that …

ESPN reports: “Big” George Foreman, one of the most influential and recognizable boxers of all time, died Friday, his family announced on his social media account. He was 76. Foreman, who captured an Olympic gold medal in 1968, was a two-time heavyweight champion and Hall of Fame boxer. He’s perhaps best known for the historic Rumble in the Jungle bout …

Tucson’s NBC affiliate reports: The Office of the 7th District of Arizona has announced the passing of Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva. He died from complications related to his cancer treatments. Grijalva served Southern Arizonans in Washington, D.C., for over two decades. “From permanently protecting the Grand Canyon for future generations to strengthening the Affordable Care Act, his proudest moments in …

Toledo’s CBS affiliate reports: She was a self-proclaimed prophetess, a six-time Toledo mayoral candidate and an unforgettable figure in local politics. Opal Covey made headlines for her bold claims, her fiery speeches and even a unique campaign van. Now, the woman who claimed to be chosen by God has died at 84. She owned and operated Opal’s Country Store & …

Rolling Stone reports: David Johansen, frontman for the New York Dolls and the last surviving original member of that pioneering punk band, has died at the age of 75. The death of the singer who also moonlighted as “Buster Poindexter” and, as an actor, appeared in films like Scrooged and Let It Ride, was confirmed Saturday by a spokesperson for …

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports: Legendary actor, two-time Oscar winner and author Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found dead Wednesday afternoon in their home in the Santa Fe Summit community northeast of the city. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed just after midnight Thursday the couple had died, along with their dog. Mendoza …

Variety reports: Legendary pop/R&B vocalist Roberta Flack, who was launched to stardom in the early ’70s by the Grammy-winning hits “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” has died, according to a statement from her rep. No cause of death was cited; she was 88. “We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta …

The Guardian reports: Marianne Faithfull, whose six-decade career marked her out as one of the UK’s most versatile and characterful singer-songwriters, has died aged 78. A spokesperson said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull. “Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. …

Deadline Hollywood reports: One of Hollywood’s worst weeks in just got worse. David Lynch, the four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead, Wild at Heart, The Elephant Man and others who also created the Showtime drama Twin Peaks, has died. He was 78. Lynch had been diagnosed with emphysema. Sources told Deadline that he was forced to relocate …

Variety reports: Anita Bryant, a former beauty queen and pop singer of the 1960s whose career led her to become a spokesperson for Florida oranges in the early ’70s and an evangelical crusader against gay rights later in that decade, died Dec. 16 at age 84, her family announced Thursday. The family’s obituary for Anita Bryant Day, as she was …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Linda Lavin, the beloved veteran stage and TV actress known for her Emmy-nominated role in the 1976 sitcom Alice and for her Tony-winning performance in the 1986 play Broadway Bound, died today, Dec. 29. She was 87. The news comes as a shock as Lavin has been working as recently as this month, promoting her new Netflix …

NBC News reports: The Amazing Kreskin, the famous mentalist and frequent guest on “The Tonight Show,” died on Tuesday at age 89. Kreskin, whose real name was George Kresge, was born in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1935. He rose to fame in the ’70s through numerous TV appearances on shows including “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Mervin Griffin Show” and …