In Memoriam: Patrick McGoohan

Patrick McGoohan as "The Prisoner"

Where am I?”
“In the Village.”
“What do you want?”
“Information.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“That would be telling…. We want information. Information! INFORMATION!”
“You won’t get it.”
“By hook or by crook, we will.”
“Who are you?”
“The new Number Two.”
“Who is Number One?”
“You are Number Six.”
“I am not a number — I am a free man!”

Patrick McGoohan passed away January 13th. He was best known for his role as Number Six in the psycological/sci-fi spy drama "The Prisoner".  The entire series consisted of only 17 episodes but is a cult classic. Before he passed away McGoohan had paved the way for a new updated Prisoner series. AMC and ITC shot the series and it is due to later this year. 

Aside from the Prisoner, the American born Irish McGoohan did many many T.V. shows in front and behind the camera. He starred in four Columbo movies and was a good friend with Peter Falk.  McGoohan also did movies like Silver Streak and Braveheart. He is known to have turned down the role of James Bond in Dr. No.  MaGoohan's career spanned four decades.

McGoohan is survived by his wife, three daughters and five grandchildren.

In Memoriam: Ricardo Montalban

Ricardo Montalban passed away January 14th. He was 88 years old. Montalban's career spanned 6 decades of movies, theater, and television. Best known as Mr. Roarke on ABC's "Fantasy Island",

Every week on “Fantasy Island,” a fairy tale of wish fulfillment and exotic luxury that was shown on ABC from 1978 to 1984, a planeload of visitors with unachieved dreams flew in to a remote resort somewhere in the Pacific and were greeted by their dream facilitators, the sleek and suavely welcoming Mr. Roarke, played by Mr. Montalbán, and his assistant, an irrepressibly spirited dwarf named Tattoo, played by Hervé Villechaize.

I will always remember his big screen performance as Khan in Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan.

Aside from his acting career, Montalban was also active helping to find meaningful roles for Latino actors.

Although Montalban expressed appreciation for his success, he complained that Hollywood lacked respect for Mexican American actors. He said that while under contract at MGM, he portrayed Cubans, Brazilians and Argentines, but almost never Mexicans.

"Mexican is not a nice-sounding word and Hollywood is at fault for this because we have been portrayed in this ungodly manner," he said. He challenged Hollywood to stop stereotyping Latin actors by casting them only as prostitutes, maids, gang-bangers and bandidos.

Through Nosotros -- "we" in Spanish -- Montalban attempted to highlight and recognize Latino participation in the arts and entertainment. In 1970, the foundation created the Golden Eagle Awards, which annually honors Latino stars, shows and movies.

Sources close to Montalban say he was a spiritual man. He is survived by two daughters, two sons, and six grandchildren.

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In Memoriam : Eartha Kitt

The world lost a very distinctive voice and an most unique personality Dec 25th. Veteran actress, singer, dancer Eartha Kitt died at 81.

Through the 1950s and '60s, she performed on stage and television, in films and nightclubs.

Her best-known TV performance was as Catwoman on the '60s series Batman. Her distinctive purr was later featured in the animated film The Emperor's New Groove and the Disney Channel series The Emperor's New School, for which she won Emmy Awards in 2007 and 2008.

The biggest controversy of her career occurred in 1968, when she spoke out against the Vietnam War at a White House luncheon hosted by first lady Lady Bird Johnson.

She was investigated by the FBI and the CIA and subsequently worked almost exclusively overseas. She later returned and, in 1978, was the toast of Broadway performing in Timbuktu.

Just before she died I had downloaded several of her songs including "I Want to Be Evil" I also have a copy of her version of "Santa Baby" which was certified gold last month. Earth Kitt had one child, a daughter Kitt Shapiro from her marriage to John Barry Ryan. Kitt said this of her mother:

"I had the most amazing mother. She was not afraid of dying. She was in pain, but funny right to the end. One of the last things she said when I was talking loudly to her - like you do to a sick person - was: 'I'm dying. I'm not losing my hearing!'
"And she said, 'There won't be a burial. I'll be cremated. I don't want to take up space.'
"My mother had no regrets. She said: 'I have lived an amazing life. I did everything I ever dreamed of.' I was truly, truly blessed to have landed in her lap."

Eartha Kitt had to rise above an early life of abuse and her story is inspiring. I hope that at some point she was able to come to the saving Grace and Knowledge of Jesus. Please pray for her daughter and two grandchildren.



Eartha Kitt: A triple-threat talent for the ages - USATODAY.com

In Memoriam: Majel Barrett Roddenberry

Majel Roddenberry passed away today. While every trekker knows of her work in ST:TOS, ST:TNG, ST:DS9, ST:V, she was also involved in getting other Roddenberry projects to television. And she was genuinely a nice lady. I had the privilege of meeting and talking to her in person a few years back when she was the guest of honor at the Gen Con Game Fair. She walked right up to us while we were siting in the atrium of the Hyatt and asked us about the game we were playing. We talked for several minutes before she moved on. Very friendly. 

The story says she passed away from leukemia.  Please pray for her family.

Star Trek Universe Loses Majel Barrett Roddenberry

In Memoriam : Michael Crighton

Micheal Crighton, author of Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain has died at the age of 66. He past away Tuesday after losing his battle with cancer.

"Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand," his family said in a statement.

I remember reading "The Andromedan Strain" and not being able to put it down. His imagination and writing inspired me and does to this day.



Michael Crichton dies of cancer

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In Memoriam: George Carlin

George Carlin is dead. More at Bleepworthy Comedy King George Carlin Dead at 71
Most older people will probably remember him for his routine about the seven words you cant say on television. Sadly though today you could probably hear all seven in an hour of Spike TV programing.

George was far more liberal than I can really stand but you have to give him props for his contribution to comedy.

Much more than a "footnote in legal history," as Carlin often referred to himself for his role in the seven "filthy" words case, the comic was the first-ever host of Saturday Night Live, a four-time Grammy winner and a touchstone for generations of writers and performers.

Carlin was due to receive the 11th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in November. The honor was announced just last week, around the time of his final performances, at the Orleans in Las Vegas. According to his website, he had dozens of shows booked through the end of the year.
[Snip]
In the 1990s and 2000s, Carlin returned to Hollywood as a revered elder statesman—a revered elder statesman with an always-young mind. He appeared in the Bill & Ted movies, earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for the children's show Shining Time Station and starred in a short-lived sitcom, The George Carlin Show. He found a kindred spirit in Kevin Smith, and vice versa, and appeared in three of the filmmaker's dialogue-driven comedies: Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jersey Girl.

Carlin is survived by his second wife.

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In Memoriam: Bo Diddley

'Musical legend Bo Diddley died last week at 79.
Somehow during my youth I missed Bo Diddley. I had heard of him and as I got into music later on I knew of his contributions to Rock, R&B,  Jazz and Rap in terms of influences. But I never sat down and listened to Bo.

His survivors include his children, Evelyn Kelly, Ellas A. McDaniel, Tammi D. McDaniel and Terri Lynn McDaniel; a brother, the Rev. Kenneth Haynes; and 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Please pray for his family.

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