The ALL DEAD Club

Markie Post 'Night Court' Actress Dead at 70

Post, who also starred in "The Fall Guy" and "Hearts Afire," has an Alex Trebek connection ... she was an associate producer on his show, "Double Dare." She also appeared as the card dealer on "Card Sharks."

Markie pressed on with her career, even during her cancer battle. She did a Lifetime XMAS movie, "Four Christmases and a Wedding" in between chemo treatments.

Her family said, “But for us, our pride is in who she was in addition to acting; a person who made elaborate cakes for friends, sewed curtains for first apartments and showed us how to be kind, loving and forgiving in an often harsh world."

Markie is survived by her husband, Michael Ross, and daughters Kate Armstrong, an actress, and Daisy Schoenborn.

Alex Cord Dies: ‘Airwolf’ Regular & Prolific Character Actor Was 88

Cord had been working in films and TV for more than 20 years before he landed his signature role as the mysterious, eyepatch-sporting Archangel on Airwolf. The CBS drama debuted in 1984 — the year all three broadcast networks bowed helicopter dramas following the theatrical success of Blue Thunder. Airwolf starred Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke, a brooding loner who was tasked with recovering the titular attack copter from its creator, who had stolen the craft with plans to sell Airwolf to Libya.

Cord was his contact at the Firm, an ultrasecret government group that recruited Hawke. Nattily dressed in crisp white suit, cane and that eyepatch, Archangel teamed with an old war buddy, Dominic Santini (Borgnine) on missions for the Firm. The midseason-replacement series never really clicked in its Saturday night slot, failing to make the year-end Top 30 primetime shows in the three-network universe. CBS canceled the show in July 1986, and it went on to air for a season on USA Network with a new cast.

While that would be Cord’s signature role, he had scores of others — ranging from guest slots on such classic series as Route 66, Night Gallery, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Police Story and The Six Million Dollar Man to a lead in the short-lived 1978 NBC primetime soap W.E.B. He played Jack Kiley, the no-nonsense programming chief at Transatlantic Broadcasting System, a fictional TV network whose behind-the-scenes drama fueled the series. It lasted for about a half-dozen episodes.

He also was a regular on Cassie & Company, Angie Dickinson’s follow-up series to Police Story. Cord played her ex-husband and DA Mike Holland on the NBC detective drama, which aired 13 episodes in 1982.

He also appeared in films, starring alongside Ann-Margret, Mike Connors, Bing Crosby and others in 1966’s Stagecoach. Other film roles included Synanon, The Last Grenade The Brotherhood, Stiletto and The Dead Are Alive!

Born on May 3, 1933, on Long Island, Cord battled polio as a child and became a prolific horseman. He parlayed those skills into acting gigs in the popular Western genre of the late 1950s and early ’60s.

Cord continued to work onscreen throughout the 1980s and ’90s, guesting on such hit dramas as Murder, She Wrote, Simon & Simon, Jake and the Fatman and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Una Stubbs, '60s star and 'Sherlock' actress, dead at 84

Una Stubbs, the English actress who played Mrs. Hudson in "Sherlock" to cap a half-century career in TV, theater and film, died today following an illness, her agent confirmed to Deadline. She was 84.

"Mum passed away quietly today with her family around her, in Edinburgh. We ask for privacy and understanding at this most difficult and sad of times," a statement from the family read.

Stubbs was a stalwart of British TV and stage for six decades, breaking through in the 1960s with the film "Summer Holiday," which starred Cliff Richard before she landed the role of Rita Rawlings in the long-running sitcom "Till Death Do Us Part"; she also starred in the 1968 film of the same name. Stubbs also appeared with Richard and the Shadows in 1964’s "Swingers’ Paradise."

Stubbs would go on to appear in "Worzel Gummidge," "The Worst Witch," "Call The Midwife" and many more series before portraying Mrs. Hudson in "Sherlock" opposite Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

Her agent said in a statement: "We are desperately sad to have lost not only a wonderful actress, whose screen and stage career, spanning over 50 years, was so extraordinarily varied, from ‘Till Death Us Do Part’ to ‘Sherlock,’ as well as memorable performances in the West End, at the Old Vic, Donmar Warehouse, Sheffield Crucible and National Theatre, but also a wickedly funny, elegant, stylish, graceful, gracious and kind and constant friend. She was also a highly respected and exhibited artist. We will miss her enormously and remember her always."

Ken Hutchison, star of Straw Dogs and The Sweeney, dead at 72

The actor will also be remembered for roles in the hit UK police series The Sweeney.

He featured in the second full-length film spin-off of the series, Sweeney 2.

He will be fondly remembered by younger viewers for his portrayal of Mac Murphy, manager of fictional football club Dunmore United in the ITV children’s drama Murphy’s Mob.

Born and raised in Leslie – and returning to live in the town at various times in his life – Ken got his break in acting by chance as a 16-year-old.

“Ken was a cleaner at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal and next door was the Playhouse,” Ken’s brother Jerry remembers.

“He went in to ask for a job and the director and actor John Neville made him assistant stage manager and he never looked back.

“After a few years he gravitated towards the West End where he met Peter O’Toole and a friendship was formed.”

Soon after, Ken secured a role as Norman Scutt in the controversial 1971 Sam Peckinpah film Straw Dogs.

A year later he appeared alongside Hollywood star Robert Mitchum in Wrath of God, striking up a friendship that lasted until Mitchum’s death in 1997.

TV roles, notably in The Sweeney and later Minder, both starring Dennis Waterman, followed.

As a friend of Waterman and his partner, Rula Lenska, Ken lent the couple his house in Leslie to allow them to escape the media glare and pursuit by tabloid reporters.

Described as a keen footballer, Ken also regularly appeared in goal for Waterman’s celebrity football team which played charity matches across the country.

Comedian Sean Lock dies aged 58

Tributes have been paid to the comedian Sean Lock, who has died of cancer at the age of 58.

Bill Bailey told the Guardian that Lock was as “brilliantly funny” off the stage as on, and that their daft conversations would leave him “helpless with laughter”. Bailey described him as a kind and generous man who was rigorous in his approach to writing comedy. In a writers’ room, said Bailey, Lock “spurred you on to find a better joke, a new line, the sweet spot of a perfect gag”. When the results worked, Lock would let out a “great gale of laughter”, Bailey recalled.

Celebrated for his carefully crafted surreal content and imaginative observational wit, Lock was nominated for the Perrier comedy award at the Edinburgh fringe in 2000 for his show No Flatley, I am the Lord of the Dance. He achieved television success with a long run as a team captain on Jimmy Carr’s Channel 4 comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats and the spin-off, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and also wrote and starred in the popular BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High. The often deadpan absurdist, whose timing was described by one writer as “second only to the Greenwich Meridian”, toured extensively around the UK. His stage shows included Lockipedia, also released on DVD, in which he improvised on a number of topics suggested by his audiences: in what he described as a game of “audience battleships” he would call out a seat number and ask its occupant to give him a subject to riff on.

His agent, Off the Kerb Productions, said Lock died at home surrounded by his family: “Sean was one of Britain’s finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy. Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children. Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him.”

Lee Mack, a comedian and close friend, also paid tribute to Lock: “I think the appeal of him as a viewer was that it felt like you were with your mate down the pub and he was making you laugh. I was one of the lucky few that was that mate down the pub and he was making me laugh. A lot. More than almost anyone I’ve ever known.” Lock, said Mack, could “talk about putting a budgie up his bum and yet levitate it into a hilarious artform”. Diane Morgan tweeted that Lock was one of “the funniest people I’ve ever met” and described 15 Storeys High as “absolute genius”.

Born in Woking, Surrey, Lock left school in the early 1980s and began working on building sites. He later developed skin cancer, which he blamed on overexposure to the sun. After a period of travelling – which remained one of his great passions – he focused on a career in comedy.

One of his first professional TV appearances was in 1993, starring alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their TV show Newman and Baddiel in Pieces.

He script-edited the 1998 BBC Two series Is It Bill Bailey? and had his own show on BBC Radio 4, 15 Minutes of Misery, which he later expanded into 15 Storeys High. The show was set in a south London tower block and centred on a pessimistic lifeguard called Vince (played by Lock) and his flatmate Errol, played by Benedict Wong.

In 2005, Lock became a regular team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats, a role he held for 18 series. Between 2006 and 2007 he hosted the Channel 4 series TV Heaven, Telly Hell, in which he invited celebrities to share their own selection of TV’s triumphs and tragedies.

Lock also appeared on panel shows including Have I Got News for You, QI and They Think It’s All Over. In 2000 he won the gong for best standup at the British Comedy awards.

Harry Hill said of Lock: “If you tell jokes for a living it’s hard to enjoy a comedian in the same way that a punter would, because you know all the tricks, you can see where a gag is going and often arrive at the punchline long before the comic telling it. Not so with Sean, that’s why we comics loved him. Often I had absolutely no idea where he was heading with a routine.”

Sonny Chiba, Martial Arts Superstar Dead at 82

Sonny Chiba was the anti-Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was all about finesse with his martial arts; he moved like the proverbial butterfly who stung like a bee. When Sonny Chiba first made it big in America as Takuma Tsurugi in The Street Fighter films, he was a wasp—angry, spoiling for a fight, and reveling in the blood he drew and bones he broke.

But Sonny Chiba was so much more than just his Street Fighter character. Over the course of a career that spanned over 60 years, he played superheroes, scientists, assassins, samurai, emperors, detectives, soldiers, and more. He starred in several comic adaptations, including 1977's Golgo 13 and the 1998 blockbuster Storm Riders, based on Wing-Shing’s manhwa of the same name. He appeared in several films in the West, too, including
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Sushi Girl, Iron Eagle III, and the role he’s likely best known for in the U.S.: Hattori Hanzo, the legendary swordmaker who arms Uma Thurman’s Beatrix in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1.

Born Sadaho Maeda in 1938 in Fukuoka, Japan, Sonny Chiba was a star even when he wasn’t on TV or film screens. He holds six black belts in six martial arts, including kendo, judo, and ninjutsu(!). In 1970, he started his own martial arts school for actors and stuntpeople named the Japan Action Club. He was the martial arts choreographer for dozens of film and TV projects, only some of which he starred in. Chiba was also a director, producer, and theater actor, including in a stage play of Biohazard video game series, better known in the U.S. as Resident Evil.

Tragically, Chiba was another victim of Covid-19, which Oricon reports that he had been battling for some time. Although he was being treated in a Chiba prefecture hospital, he also developed pneumonia, and ultimately succumbed to it earlier today. He is survived by his three children, and the cinematic legacy he left behind will never be forgotten.

Joseph L. Galloway, best known for his book recounting a pivotal battle in the Vietnam War that was made into a Hollywood movie, has died. He was 79.

A native of Refugio, Texas, Galloway spent 22 years as a war correspondent and bureau chief for United Press International, including serving four tours in Vietnam. He then worked for U.S. News & World Report magazine and Knight Ridder newspapers in a series of overseas roles, including reporting from the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Galloway died Wednesday morning, his wife Grace Galloway told AP, after being hospitalized near their home in Concord, North Carolina. He is also survived by two sons and a step daughter.

“He was the kindest, most gentle and loving man,” Grace Galloway said. “He loved the boys and girls of the U.S. military. He loved his country.”

With co-author retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, Galloway wrote “We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young,” which recounted his and Moore’s experience during a bloody 1965 battle with the North Vietnamese in the Ia Drang Valley. The book became a national bestseller and was made into the 2002 movie “We Were Soldiers,” starring Mel Gibson as Moore and Barry Pepper as Galloway.

Galloway was decorated with a Bronze Star Medal with V in 1998 for rescuing wounded soldiers under fire during the la Drang battle. He is the only civilian awarded a medal of valor by the U.S. Army for actions in combat during the Vietnam War.

After reporting from the front lines during Operation Desert Storm, Galloway co-authored “Triumph With Victory: The Unreported History of the Persian Gulf War.” As he approached age 50, that was Galloway’s last combat assignment, but not the end of his career covering the U.S. military.

Don Everly of early rock ‘n’ roll Everly Brothers dies at 84

Don Everly, one-half of the pioneering Everly Brothers whose harmonizing country rock hits impacted a generation of rock 'n' roll music, has died. He was 84.

Everly died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, according to his attorney and family spokesperson Linda Edell Howard. His brother, Phil Everly, died in January 2014 at age 74.

"Don lived by what he felt in his heart," a statement from the family said. "Don expressed his appreciation for the ability to live his dreams ... living in love with his soul mate and wife Adela, and sharing the music that made him an Everly Brother. Don always expressed how grateful he was for his fans."

In the late 1950s and 1960s, the duo of Don and Phil drew upon their rural roots with their strummed guitars and high, yearning harmonies, while their poignant songs — many by the team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant — embodied teenage restlessness and energy. Their 19 top 40 hits included "Bye Bye Love," "Let It Be Me," "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie," and performers from the Beatles to Simon & Garfunkel cited them as key influences.

"The Everly Brothers are integral to the fabric of American music," said Jerry Lee Lewis in a statement. "With my friend Don's passing, I am reflective … reflective on a life full of wonderful friends, spectacular music and fond memories. There's a lot I can say about Don, what he and Phil meant to me both as people and as musicians, but I am going to reflect today."

Songs like "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up Little Susie" appealed to the postwar generation of baby boomers, and their deceptively simple harmonies hid greater meaning among the lighter pop fare of the era.

The two broke up amid quarreling in 1973 after 16 years of hits, then reunited in 1983, "sealing it with a hug," Phil Everly said.

Tom T. Hall was a Country Music Hall of Fame singer-songwriter dead at 85

Tom T. Hall was a country music singer-songwriter nicknamed “The Storyteller” for his songs which brought his characters to life with humor. He was given the nickname by country music legend Tex Ritter, John Ritter’s father. Hall found success as a songwriter in Nashville writing a number one country song “Hello Vietnam” for Johnnie Wright in 1965. Shortly after, he signed to Mercury Records and released his own solo music. He wrote the international pop crossover hit “Harper Valley PTA” which was recorded by Jeannie C. Riley in 1968. The anthem about a single mom inspired a movie and TV-series starring Barbara Eden. Hall was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and was named in Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest songwriters.

Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones Drummer, Dies at 80

Charlie Watts, the unassuming son of a truck driver who gained global fame as the drummer for the Rolling Stones, has died. He was 80.
''It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family," his spokesperson said Tuesday in an emailed statement to CNN.
"Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation. We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.''

The band had announced earlier this month that Watts would miss the band's upcoming North American leg of its "No Filter" tour after undergoing a medical procedure for an unknown condition.

In 1962, Jones formed the Rolling Stones with singer Jagger, pianist Ian Stewart and guitarists Keith Richards and Dick Taylor. Watts turned down the group's first offer for him to join, finally conceding and playing his first gig with them in January 1963.
In 1964, the Stones reached No. 1 on the British pop charts with their cover of Bobby Womack's "It's All Over Now."
The Jagger-Richards songwriting team created its first bona fide classic, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," in 1965. The band enjoyed a string of hit singles well into 1966, including "Paint It Black," "19th Nervous Breakdown," "Get off My Cloud," "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby," and "Lady Jane."
The group maintained enormous popularity for decades with classic albums like "Aftermath" (1966), "Sticky Fingers" (1971), "Some Girls" (1978) and "Tattoo You" (1981), and with massive stadium tours that took them all over the world.
He and his wife lived in rural southwest England
In the 1980s Watts finally found time to pursue his passion for jazz and formed a 32-piece band called the Charlie Watts Orchestra. Their first gig was in the legendary London jazz club Ronnie Scott's, where Watts was a frequent, if undercover, visitor. 
In the early 1990s, Watts released several albums with another group, the Charlie Watts Quintet, including a tribute to Charlie Parker. 
He married Shirley Ann Shepherd in 1964, and the couple had one daughter, Seraphina. They remained married until Watts' death.
Watts, a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2004 but fully recovered.
He spent most of his time on his estate in Devon in southwest England. His wife bred horses and owned a well-known stud farm.
In more recent years, Watts formed an old school blues band called the ABC&D of Boogie Woogie, preferring to play in intimate clubs. He nevertheless continued to play with the Stones, most recently on the European leg of the band's "No Filter" tour in 2018.
Watts is survived by three of his longtime Stones bandmates: Jagger, Richards and Wood.
Musicians Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John and more shared their memories of Watts on social media and expressed condolences to his family and bandmates.
"Charlie was a rock and a fantastic drummer. Steady as a rock." McCartney said in a video.

"A very sad day. Charlie Watts was the ultimate drummer," John wrote in a tweet. "The most stylish of men, and such brilliant company. My deepest condolences to Shirley, Seraphina and Charlotte. And of course, The Rolling Stones."
Drummer Steve Jordan, a former member of the house bands for "Saturday Night Live" and "Late Night with David Letterman," is scheduled to take Watts' place for the Stones' upcoming tour, which is scheduled to start on September 26 in St. Louis.

Former Pacer and civil rights pioneer Jerry Harkness dies at 81

Jerry Harkness, one of the ABA’s original Indiana Pacers and a civil rights pioneer who played in college basketball’s 1963 Game of Change, has died. He was 81.

Harkness embodied the story of America itself. He came from nothing. What he did meant everything.

He credited Jackie Robinson for changing the course of his life. He witnessed hate and tragedy, and late in life he reveled in love and ecstasy for his Loyola Ramblers.

Harkness’ life was one of firsts.

He played for Loyola-Chicago, the first team to win the NCAA tournament with as many as four Black starters. He was Quaker Oats’ first Black salesman and Indianapolis’ first Black sportscaster.

Harkness was one of four Black starters recruited to Loyola by George Ireland. The coach was not trying to save society. He was trying to save his job.

Ireland broke the unwritten rule of having no more than three Black players on the floor at one time. Loyola’s lineup featured four Black starters – Harkness and Ron Miller, both of New York, and Vic Rouse and Les Hunter, both of Nashville, Tennessee – along with white guard John Egan of Chicago. Loyola rose as high as No. 2 in the national polls in the 1962-63 season.

Harkness is better known for his Loyola days – the team was honored at the White House by President Barack Obama and inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, both in 2013 – and community service. When he first arrived in Indianapolis, he said, he did not know where he could live.

He said Indianapolis, like the rest of the country, changed. He would know. He played in the Game of Change.

“It’s been beautiful. Sports does that. Sports does that,” Harkness said.

Fritz McIntyre, Simply Red’s first keyboardist, has died at 52

McIntyre was born in Birmingham, UK, into a Christian family of musicians. Before joining Simply Red he had been a gospel pianist, and had then collaborated with singer and leader Mick Hucknall on the writing of some of the group’s most famous songs, including “Picture Book”, on the debut album of the same name, and “Something Got Me Started”, from the fourth Simply Red album, Stars, one of their biggest worldwide hits.

McIntyre, who in several Simply Red songs also participated in the choirs (he is the voice in some parts of “Wonderland”, in the album Stars), he left the group after the release of the album Life, in 1995, and then released a solo one. Later he moved to Canada devoting himself to religious music, and to Florida, where he became music director of a Christian church. Simply Red said they were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the news of McIntyre’s death.

Actor Ed Asner, TV’s blustery Lou Grant, dies at 91

Ed Asner, the burly and prolific character actor who became a star in middle age as the gruff but lovable newsman Lou Grant, first in the hit comedy “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and later in the drama “Lou Grant,” died Sunday. He was 91.

Asner’s representative confirmed the actor’s death in an email to The Associated Press. Asner’s official Twitter account included a note from his children: “We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.”

Built like the football lineman he once was, the balding Asner was a journeyman actor in films and TV when he was hired in 1970 to play Lou Grant on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” For seven seasons he was the rumpled boss to Moore’s ebullient Mary Richards (He called her “Mary,” she called him “Mr. Grant”) at the fictional Minneapolis TV newsroom where both worked. Later, he would play the role for five years on “Lou Grant.”

Asner’s character had caught on from the first episode of “Mary Tyler Moore,” when he told Mary in their initial meeting, “You’ve got spunk. ... I hate spunk!” The inspired cast included Ted Knight as Ted Baxter, the dimwitted news anchor; Gavin MacLeod as Murray Slaughter, the sarcastic news writer; and Betty White as the manipulative, sex-obsessed home show hostess Sue Ann Nivens. Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman, playing Mary’s neighbors, both saw their characters spun off into their own shows.

Asner is the third “Mary Tyler Moore” alum to die in recent months. Leachman died in January and MacLeod died in May.

The 99-year-old White is the lone surviving main cast member from “Mary Tyler Moore.”

“Mary Tyler Moore” was still a hit when the star decided to pursue other interests, and so it was brought to an end in the seventh season with a hilarious finale in which all of the principals were fired except for the bumbling Baxter.

Asner went immediately into “Lou Grant,” his character moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to become city editor of the Tribune, a crusading newspaper under the firm hand of Publisher Margaret Pynchon, memorably played by Nancy Marchand.

Asner won three best supporting actor Emmys on “Mary Tyler Moore” and two best actor awards on “Lou Grant.” He also won Emmys for his roles in the miniseries “Rich Man, Poor Man” (1975-1976) and “Roots” (1976-1977).

He had more than 300 acting credits and remained active throughout his 70s and 80s in a variety of film and TV roles. In 2003, he played Santa Claus in Will Ferrell’s hit film “Elf.” He was John Goodman’s father in the short-lived 2004 CBS comedy “Center of the Universe” and the voice of the elderly hero in the hit 2009 Pixar release, “Up.” More recently, he was in such TV series as “Forgive Me” and “Dead to Me.”

Nonetheless, Asner told The Associated Press in 2009 that interesting roles were hard to come by.

“I never get enough work,” he said. “It’s the history of my career. There just isn’t anything to turn down, let me put it that way.”

“I’d say most people are probably in that same boat, old people, and it’s a shame,” he said.

As Screen Actors Guild president, the liberal Asner was caught up in a political controversy in 1982 when he spoke out against U.S. involvement with repressive governments in Latin America. “Lou Grant” was canceled during the furor that followed and he did not run for a third SAG term in 1985.

“There have been few actors of Ed Asner’s prominence who risked their status to fight for social causes the way Ed did,” said actor Gabrielle Carteris, who is SAG-AFTRA’s president. She noted that his advocacy “did not stop with performers. He fought for victims of poverty, violence, war, and legal and social injustice, both in the United States and around the globe.”

Asner discussed his politicization in a 2002 interview, noting he had begun his career during the McCarthy era and for years had been afraid to speak out for fear of being blacklisted.

Then he saw a nun’s film depicting the cruelties inflicted by El Salvador’s government on that country’s citizens.

“I stepped out to complain about our country’s constant arming and fortifying of the military in El Salvador, who were oppressing their people,” he said.

Former SAG President Charlton Heston and others accused him of making un-American statements and of misusing his position as head of their actors union.

“We even had bomb threats at the time. I had armed guards,” Asner recalled.

The actor blamed the controversy for ending the five-year run of “Lou Grant,” although CBS insisted declining ratings were the reason the show was canceled.

Although the show had its light moments, its scripts touched on a variety of darker social issues that most series wouldn’t touch at the time, including alcoholism and homelessness. Asner remained politically active for the rest of his life and in 2017 published the book “The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs.”

Asner, born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1929, almost became a newsman in real life. He studied journalism at the University of Chicago until a professor told him there was little money to be made in the profession.

He quickly switched to drama, debuting as the martyred Thomas Becket in a campus production of T.S. Eliot’s “Murder in the Cathedral.”

He eventually dropped out of school, going to work as a taxi driver and other jobs before being drafted in 1951. He served with the Army Signal Corps in France.

Returning to Chicago after military service, he appeared at the Playwrights Theatre Club and Second City, the famed satire troupe that launched the careers of dozens of top comedians.

Later, in New York, he joined the long-running “The Threepenny Opera” and appeared opposite Jack Lemmon in “Face of a Hero.”

Arriving in Hollywood in 1961 for an episode of television’s “Naked City,” Asner decided to stay and appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, including the film “El Dorado,” opposite John Wayne; and the Elvis Presley vehicles “Kid Galahad” and “Change of Habit.” He was a regular in the 1960s political drama series “Slattery’s People.”

He was married twice, to Nancy Lou Sykes and Cindy Gilmore, and had four children, Matthew, Liza, Kate and Charles.

STAR TREK actor Eddie Paskey dies at age 81

When you think of a redshirt in Star Trek: The Original Series, the term "series regular" doesn't usually come to mind. Aside from Scotty and Uhura, redshirts are usually known as fodder for whatever extraterrestrial threat the crew is facing this week.

Eddie Paskey was the exception to that rule. The familiar face on Star Trek, who recently passed away at the age of 81, had even more appearances on the show than George Takei (Sulu) or Walter Koenig (Scotty). He appeared in 60 episodes, often uncredited.

Paskey was working at the gas station used by the Desilu Studio when he was plucked to appear on Star Trek. Previously he had appeared as a party guest in The Dick Van Dyke Show and an audience member in a night club in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C, both uncredited.

He was with Star Trek from (almost) the very beginning, making his first appearance in the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before". While his character, Lietuenant Leslie, appeared multiple times throughout the series' three-season run, he would also go on to appear as an alien, a security officer, a helmsman, and more. In fact, in "City on the Edge of Forever", considered by many to be the best episode of the series, he was the truck driver who gave Edith Keeler her fatal date with destiny.

The character had a special connection to William Shatner. Shatner specifically chose the name Leslie after his eldest daughter. Paskey would work as a body double for Shatner throughout the show, as well as a hand double for James Doohan, who had lost a finger in World War II.

His defiance of the "redshirt curse" was no accident. Since he was on set so much and knew the scripts well, Paskey would make sure he was somewhere else when the story called for some crew members to die. Lt. Leslie's onscreen death in "Obsession" he explained away by saying McCoy had revived him after the fact. And indeed, in the next episode Lt. Leslie is alive and well.

However, while filming the episode "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" in July of '68, Paskey suffered a bad back injury in a fight scene. To boot, the bright lights of the set gave him unbearable headaches. He retired from acting shortly after for the sake of his health.

He returned to the Star Trek universe in the fan-made series Star Trek New Voyages as Admiral Leslie, the father of his original character Lt. Leslie.

Michael Nader, 'Dynasty' and 'All My Children' actor, dies age 76

Michael Nader, the actor best known for playing Farnsworth "Dex" Dexter on the hit soap "Dynasty," has died age 76.
The Missouri-born star's manager, Richard Schwartz, confirmed to USA Today that he died in his California home on Monday after a short battle with cancer.
A statement from Nader's wife, Jodi Lister, to Michaelfairmantv.com, read: "With heavy heart, I'm sharing the news of the passing of my beloved, Michael. We had 18 wonderful years together with the many dogs we fostered and adopted."

Nader's acting career spanned several decades after he landed his first acting gig in William Asher's 1963 comedy "Beach Party."

In 1978, he secured his first soap job as Kevin Thompson on "As the World Turns."

He rose to prominence in 1983 when he joined the cast of "Dynasty" as the love interest of Alexis Carrington, played by Joan Collins.
Collins paid tribute to her onscreen husband Thursday, posting a photo of the pair on Instagram.

The "Dynasty" star said she was "very sad to hear" of Nader's death, adding: "I loved working with him and his character was a wonderful mixture of tough and tender."
Collins said her character was "crazy to keep on rejecting him."

Nader was also known for portraying Dimitri Marick, the on-again-off-again romantic partner of Susan Lucci's character Erica Kane in ABC daytime series "All My Children" from 1991 to 2001. He reprized his role in 2013.
Lister said her husband had been "so thrilled to reconnect with his friends from the cast of Dynasty during Emma Samms virtual event to help raise funds for Long-Covid research."

She ended the tribute by describing him as a "beautiful and fascinating man with many talents and skills," adding: "I will miss him forever."
Nader's acting credits include "The Flash," "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," "Beach Blanket Bingo," "The Great Escape II: The Untold Story" and "Lucky Chances."

Ron Bushy drummer for Iron Butterfly dead at the age of 79.

Bushy joined Iron Butterfly in 1966, replacing a previous drummer but joining the band before they had recorded an album. He became the only band member to play on all six of their albums. Their iconic song, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” owed both its name and its length to Bushy: His drum solo took up much of its 17-minute run time, and he misheard singer Doug Ingle’s slurred words when he sang the words “In the Garden of Eden.” The misunderstanding stuck, and the song went on to become one of the formative influences on hard rock and heavy metal. Bushy remained with Iron Butterfly through a series of breakups and reformations, and he continued to drum for them off and on for the rest of his life. He also played in the bands the Voxmen, Magic, and Gold.

Former WCW Wrestler Daffney Unger Dead at 46

Former professional wrestler Daffney Unger has died at age 46, several wrestling promotions and WWE on Fox have confirmed.

Unger's mother Jean Tookey Spruill (the wrestler's real name was Shannon Spruill) also confirmed her death, writing on Facebook, "It is with great sadness I have to let you know that my daughter Shannon Spruill … Scream Queen Daff, passed away suddenly last night. Absolutely heartbroken."

On Wednesday, Unger sparked concerns after she hosted an Instagram Live that showed her holding what appeared to be a small gun. In her video, which has since been reposted elsewhere, Unger discussed potentially having symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder caused by repeated concussions.

"The most important thing to remember is, that, CTE, and head injuries and concussions, they can only really now be—" Unger said in the video, before pausing and taking several nervous breaths. "They can now really only be diagnosed after you are dead."

"So, I don't want to do anything to hurt my brain. I want to be studied," she continued. "I want the future generations to know. Don't do stupid s--- like me."

SHIMMER Wrestling announced Unger's death on Thursday morning with a message from her friend, Lexie Fyfe. Social media accounts connected to WWE also posted tributes to the former wrestler, who got her start in 1999 on WCW and also had a notable stint in TNA.

The WWE, which purchased WCW in 2001, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Fyfe told the New York Daily News that Unger was found on Thursday morning, adding, "This last act, I don't want it to define her. She would always want people to reach out for help and to check in on those they're worried about. We're going to miss her."

"I'm so very sorry to learn of Daffney's passing," Foley wrote on Thursday morning. "A terrible loss for her family, friends and wrestling. She was far ahead [of] her time in our business. #RIPDaffney If you're hurting and thinking of doing harm to yourself, please know that help is available."

Unger was a "born performer," Fyfe told the Daily News, noting her friend was "made for wrestling."

"When she had to retire due to injuries, she missed it immensely," Fyfe said. "She'll be missed as a performer too, not just as a friend, but mostly as a friend."

Willard Scott, ‘Today’ show weatherman and resident merrymaker, dies at 87.

Joan Washington, wife of actor Richard E. Grant has died at age 71.

Richard E. Grant is mourning the death of his wife Joan Washington.

In a tweet Friday, the "Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker" actor said he is heartbroken after Washington, a dialect coach and the "love of (his) life," died Thursday. Grant also shared a short, sweet video of him and his wife dancing that ended in the two embracing.

"Our hearts are broken with the loss of your Life last night. 35 years married & 38 together. To be truly known and seen by you, is your immeasurable gift. Do not forget us, sweet Monkee-mine," Grant tweeted.

Fellow stars and fans shared their condolences with Grant and a few paid their own tributes.

Jessica Chastain shared a photo of with Washington to Twitter noting they worked on multiple projects together like "The Debt" and "Crimson Peak." Chastain said she was excited to go to work knowing Washington would be there.

"My heart is broken Joan Washington had such a profound impact on me, yes as an artist, but mostly as a woman. I’ve looked toward her. Her strive towards excellence made her the celebrated dialect coach she was," she tweeted.

Chastain added: "The way she celebrated her family has been very meaningful to see over the years. My heart goes to her beloved Richard and Oilly. You were always her North Star."

"The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies" actor Jason Watkins called Washington "incomparable" in a tweet.

"Joan taught me dialects and accents when I trained at @Rada and beyond. I have made my career using accents and dialects," Watkins wrote. "I owe her everything. Such a terrible loss to @RichardEGrant and us all. Rest in Peace."

Grant met his wife in 1983 when he worked with her on his British dialects, and his biography credits her for being "responsible for Richard’s fabulously well spoken English."

Washington is survived by a son, Tom, from a previous marriage and daughter Olivia, whom she shared with Grant.

Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding Dies at 39 of Cancer

The singer disclosed in August 2020 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and that the disease had advanced to other parts of her body. Earlier today (September 5), Harding’s mother Marie broke the news of Sarah’s death in a post on the singer’s official Instagram account, which you can read in full below. “It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away,” she wrote. “Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day. She slipped away peacefully this morning.” Harding was 39 years old.

Harding first came to prominence after auditioning for Popstars: The Rivals, the British reality television series that resulted in the formation of Girls Aloud. The girl group’s first single “Sound of the Underground” debuted at no. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 2002. It was the title track to their first album, which went platinum that same year. Girls Aloud were together for six years in total, and released five studio albums. Their last LP Out of Control came out in 2008.

After Girls Aloud came to its initial end, Harding focused on her acting and solo music career. The band would reunite in 2012 for a greatest hits compilation and a final tour before disbanding the following year. She put out her debut solo EP Threads in 2015 and became a Celebrity Big Brother winner in 2017. Earlier this year she released the solo single “Wear It Like a Crown.”

In the final lines of her Instagram post, Harding’s mother thanked everyone who offered support during her daughter’s illness. “It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved,” she wrote. “I know she won’t want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease—she was a bright shining star and I hope that’s how she can be remembered instead.”