The ALL DEAD Club

Actress Busisiwe Lurayi, who starred in the Netflix series How to Ruin Christmas, died suddenly this weekend, according to a statement from her agency, the Johannesburg-based Eye Media Artists. No cause was given.

The first season of her Netflix show, How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding, debuted in 2020. Here’s the logline: “Prodigal daughter Tumi goes home for the holidays and manages to ruin her sister’s wedding plans. Now she must make things right before it’s too late.” Lurayi played Tumi.

Season 2, titled How to Ruin Christmas: The Funeral, was released last December.

The streamer announced last month that Season 3 of the show was in production.

Vernon Winfrey Dies: Father Of Oprah Winfrey Was 89

Vernon Winfrey, the father of media mogul Oprah Winfrey, died Friday in Nashville, Tenn. at 89. No details on the cause were revealed. Oprah Winfrey confirmed the death with an Instagram post.

“Yesterday with family surrounding his bedside I had the sacred honor of witnessing the man responsible for my life, take his last breath,”Oprah Winfrey wrote. “We could feel peace enter the room at his passing.”

Oprah surprised her father by throwing him a surprise barbeque in Nashville on the Fourth of July. The event, called “Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Day,” included a barber chair to honor his long career as a barber. He owned his own Nashville shop for almost 50 years.

Vernon Winfrey also served as a member of Nashville’s Metro City Council for 16 years, and was a trustee for the Tennessee State University.

Oprah Winfrey spent her early childhood in her father’s hometown of Kosciusko, Mississippi, then in Milwaukee with her mother, Vernita Lee, who died in 2018. She also lived with her father in Nashville between ages 7 and 9, and during her teens.

“If I hadn’t been sent to my father (when I was 14), I would have gone in another direction,” Oprah Winfrey told the Washington Post in 1986. “I could have made a good criminal. I would have used these same instincts differently.”

Ivana Trump, Ex-Wife of Donald Trump, Dead at 73

The former president announced her death in a post on his social media site Truth Social Thursday afternoon, calling her a "wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great inspirational life."

Trump shared three children — Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric — with the former president, whom she was married to from 1977 to 1992.

"Her pride and joy were her three children," the post announcing her death read. "She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest in Peace, Ivana!"

Trump reportedly passed away in her New York City home, though more details about her death have not yet been revealed.

The plot thickens.

Mickey Rooney Jr. Dies: Musician, Mouseketeer & Hollywood Scion Was 77

Mickey Rooney Jr., the eldest son of Hollywood actor Mickey Rooney who went on to a show business career of his own that included being an original – if short-lived — Mouseketeer, an actor and a member of Willie Nelson’s band, died Saturday at his home in Glendale, AZ. He was 77.

His death was announced by Paul Petersen, the former actor and founder of advocacy group A Minor Consideration. Petersen, who posted the news on Facebook, did not specify a cause but said Rooney died peacefully.

The first child of Mickey Rooney and his first wife, the singer Betty Jane Rase, Rooney Jr. and his brother Tim Rooney were hired by Walt Disney in 1955 as original Mouseketeers for The Mickey Mouse Club. Both Rooneys, as well as fellow Mouseketeer Petersen, were fired before the end of the first season.

“Mickey Junior was tall and talented,” Petersen wrote on Facebook. “He could sing, dance and act … and get in trouble. We three were fired for Conduct Unbecoming a Mouse!”

Rooney Jr. later appeared in several films, including the 1967 feature Hot Rods to Hell and the 1975 TV movie Beyond the Bermuda Triangle. A musician who played multiple instruments — guitar, keyboards, drums — Rooney Jr. formed a band with brother Tim in the 1960s and appeared on the TV music show Shindig! He later played in bands with Nelson and appeared alongside him in the 1980 feature Honeysuckle Rose.

Later in life, Rooney Jr., who had struggled with substance-abuse issues, became a born-again Christian and founded an evangelical ministry.

“Mickey Junior was the personification of ‘damaged goods,'” Petersen wrote. “He gave all he could. I was born on the same day as Mickey’s father and ‘The Mic’ gave me, unsolicited mind you, the most useful advice I ever got. It is one of my greatest sorrows that he didn’t do the same for his son. Mickey Rooney Junior. Rest in Peace at last. We will see to your wishes.”

William “Poogie” Hart Dies: Lead Singer Of Hit-Making ’70s Group The Delfonics Was 77

William Hart, the lead singer of the hit-making Philly Soul group the Delfonics, died Thursday at a Philadelphia hospital following complications from surgery. He was 77.

Hart, known to friends and fans as Poogie, was a founding member and chief songwriter of the group, and had one of the purest falsettos in the Philadelphia-based soul music of the late 1960s and ’70s. His aching, heartfelt tones were demonstrated on the group’s classic hits “La-La Means I Love You” (1968) and, perhaps most enduringly, the Grammy-winning “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time” (released in 1969, a hit in 1970).

Hart’s death was confirmed by his brother and co-founding bandmate Wilbert Hart, who wrote on Facebook, “R I P. My. Brother. William. Poogie. Delfonic. Hart”

See the group perform the “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time” below.

The Hart brothers co-founded the group (originally called The Orphonics) in Philadelphia in the mid-1960s, and were later joined by singers Major Harris and Randy Cain. A pioneering group in what would come to be known as Philly Soul, the Delfonics were among the artists worked with writer-producer Thom Bell to develop the the lush and string-heavy style of R&B that would dominate radio charts throughout the 1970s.

The group’s hits remain a staple of oldies stations even today, and in 1997 Quentin Tarantino featured both songs prominently in the film Jackie Brown. The group’s hits “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)” and “Funny Feeling” were used in the video game Grand Theft Auto V.

Although the group has remained together in various incarnations, Wilbert Hart is the last surviving original group member.

Nolan Neal Dies: ‘America’s Got Talent’ & ‘The Voice’ Singer Was 41

Nolan Neal, the Nashville musician who appeared as a contestant on both America’s Got Talent and The Voice, was found dead in his apartment Monday. He was 41.

A cause of death has not been disclosed, but Neal often spoke candidly about his struggles with substance abuse and addictions.

Neal will be best remembered by America’s Got Talent viewers for his 2020 performance during the season 15 quarterfinals of his original song “Send Me A Butterfly.” Another highlight came during his audition for the show, when he performed the original song “Lost,” which Neal said he wrote after getting clean and which earned a standing ovation from the show’s four judges.

In 2016, Neal appeared on NBC’s The Voice, where he performed the Incubus song “Drive.” He earned a spot on judge Adam Levine’s team before his eventual elimination from the competition.

His death was announced on his official fan page Nolan Neal Navy, which posted a message last night reading, “Sing in peace with the angels. The world is missing a bright light and Heaven just got a new music director. 10.05.80- 07.18.22.”

Neal’s cousin Dylan Seals told TMZ that the singer was found dead in his Nashville apartment yesterday.

Rebecca Balding Dies: ‘Soap’ & ‘Charmed’ Actress Was 73

Veteran stage and screen actress Rebecca Balding, best known for her roles on TV series Soap and the original Charmed, died July 18 in Park City, UT. Balding passed away following a battle with ovarian cancer, her husband, actor-director James L. Conway tells Deadline. She was 73.

Born in Little Rock, AR, Balding studied acting at the University of Kansas. She began her career on the stage in Chicago before moving to Hollywood where she went to on to guest star in dozens of television series, but is perhaps best known for her role in Soap.

Balding had a key arc over the first two seasons of ABC’s controversial spoof of daytime dramas in 1977-79. She played conniving attorney Carol David, who meets the gay Jodie (Bily Crystal, in his breakout role) and quickly seduces him. Their one-night stand leads to her pregnancy. She later persuades Jodie to move in together – before admitting that she is carrying his child. He then proposes in order to fulfill his paternal responsibility and she accepts – only to not show up for their wedding. Carol later gave birth to a daughter and would fight Jodie for custody, which he ultimately won. Carol subsequently kidnapped the child, but Jodie got her back, and Balding’s character went away.

She also starred as Alyssa Milano’s boss on the original Charmed, which aired from 1998-2006.

Balding played Corky Crandall in the late ’70s sitcom Makin’ It, as well as the original female reporter Carla Mardigian opposite Ed Asner in Lou Grant. She appeared in the first three episodes of the drama before the character was written out for a different female reporter. She appeared that same year with Asner, portraying his daughter Julie in the classic Christmas TV film, The Gathering, as well as the movie’s sequel. Also in 1977, Balding joined Andy Griffith and James Cromwell as Amy Franklin in the TV movie Deadly Game. Her other TV credits include Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, Home Improvement, MacGyver, Family Ties, Hotel, Matt Houston Cagney & Lacey, Starsky and Hutch and The Bionic Woman.

An early Scream Queen, Balding also starred in the horror films Silent Scream and The Boogens. Her most recent film appearance was in 2005’s Yesterday’s Dreams.

Balding is survived by her husband, writer-director James L. Conway, her daughters Sarah and Kathleen, and her grandchildren.

Wasn't this a new thread? Just last week?

Here you go. My contribution. Bobbie Faye Ferguson Dies: at 78, Designing Women.

Originally posted by rudester
Wasn't this a new thread? Just last week?

I been workin on this thread for 5 years now.

Shonka Dukureh Dies: Blues Singer Who Played Big Mama Thornton In ‘Elvis’ Film Was 44

Shonka Dukureh, who just made her film debut in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, was found dead Thursday in her Nashville apartment, police said. She was 44.

One of her two children discovered Dukureh’s body in her bedroom and went to a neighbor for help. The 911 call came in at 9:27 a.m. Nashville time, police said. The city’s medical examiner is working on finding a cause of death, but foul play is not suspected.

Dukureh played Big Mama Thornton in the Elvis film. Thornton was the first to record the classic “Hound Dog” song later covered by Presley. Kukureh also is featured singing the song on the Elvis soundtrack.

Originally from Charlotte, NC, Dukureh received a bachelor’s degree in theater from Fisk University, followed by a master’s in education from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Dukureh has performed and recorded with Nick Cave, Jamie Lidell and the Royal Pharaohs, Mike Farris, Pete Rock, Smoke Dza and Bahamas, according to her website.

Taurean Blacque Dies: Emmy-Nominated ‘Hill Street Blues’ Actor Was 82

A native of Newark, New Jersey, Blacque was born Herbert Middleton Jr. and began his show business career at New York’s famed and influential Negro Ensemble Company, and soon landed guest roles on such TV series as Sanford and Son, What’s Happening, Good Times, The Bob Newhart Show and Taxi, to name a few.

In 1981 he joined the cast of NBC’s new Hill Street Blues, earning an Emmy nomination the following year for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series. He remained with the popular police procedural series during its entire run, through 1987.

Although the series, created by Steven Bochco-Michael Kozoll, was not a big hit — ranking only 27th among primetime series in its first season and never breaking the Top 20 in a three-network universe — the show would go on to become a major success. Tts influence was undeniable as critics swooned and the series racked eight Emmys and 98 nominations during its run.

Blacque’s character, Detective Neal Washington, was a respected, streetwise, no-nonsense veteran cop known from his ever-present toothpick and cap. He was partnered with boozy Detective J.D. LaRue (Kiel Martin), who had a unique take on police work that sometimes straddled the lines of police policy – or crossed over them. LaRue’s antics, including his myriad investment schemes, often tested Washington’s patience, but he remained loyal to a fault to his faulty partner.

While never a big hit with viewers — making the season-end Top 30 only three times in its seven seasons – the series’ influence was undeniable, as critics swooned and Hill Street Blues racked eight up eight Emmys and 98 nominations during its run. Turning older cop dramas on their head, its hybrid procedural/serial format focused more on the characters and their interactions – and police department politics — than the crimes they investigated. It influenced such acclaimed ensuing series as Homicide: Life on the Street and NYPD Blue and continues to resonate today.

Blacque was one of the 10 Hill Street Blues regulars who remained on the series for all seven seasons.

After the series ended, Blacque, In addition to maintaining a presence on the stage- he was active in the Atlanta Black Theater Company and North Carolina’s Black Theater Festival – was an original cast member (opposite Viveca Fox) of the groundbreaking 1989-91 TV soap opera Generations, the first daytime serial to focus on an African American family as part of its main story line.

In 1996, he was cast as Detective Wheeler on The WB’s short-lived primetime soap Savannah.

In addition to raising his two biological sons, Blacque adopted 11 children. He was named spokesman for the County of Los Angeles Adoption Services, and in 1989 was asked by President George H.W. Bush to become national spokesperson for adoption. One of Blacque’s sons pre-deceased him.

He is survived by 12 children, 18 grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Information concerning funeral services was not immediately available.

Kevin Rooney Dies at 71: Emmy Winner, Standup Comedian, Sitcom Scribe

Emmy award-winning comedy writer Kevin Rooney passed away in his home on July 19th after a long battle with diabetes and end-stage renal failure. He was 71.

Rooney wrote Jay Leno’s first comedy special, Jay Leno and the American Dream. He also worked on Leno’s “What’s my beef?” tirades for Late Night with David Letterman in the ’80s.

“He was the greatest muse a comedian could ever have,” said Leno, who met Rooney at The Improv. “I got so much material just through conversations with Kevin. The first time I saw him, I thought, ‘Oh boy, this guy is really good.’ It’s a real voice. There’s no gimmicks. He didn’t have a catch phrase. There wasn’t a funny look. When times were rough, they throw out the catch phrase or funny look. Kevin didn’t have any of that.”

Leno continued, “I don’t know anybody who thought they were better than Kevin Rooney. When Kevin took the stage, we’d all step inside. Me, Seinfeld, Larry Miller. At the end of the night, we’d all say, ‘Rooney’s story was really funny.’

“We were all genuinely happy when he had success. He was a guy who earned it, a unique voice. Never derivative of anyone else. It was that classic New England sarcastic voice. But there was a humanity behind it. Even when he said the most sarcastic thing. He will be greatly missed.”

In 1977, Rooney accidentally went on stage for the first time to do stand-up comedy at El Brookman’s in Washington D.C. and had a pitcher of beer poured on his head. He considered being a teacher, then took another swing at standup comedy, moved to New York City, and then to Los Angeles, where he became a regular at the Improv

Rooney performed standup around the country, appearing frequently on The Tonight Show, Letterman and The A List. Rooney started writing sitcoms in the 90’s, beginning with The Golden Palace and then The Naked Truth and Boston Common.

In 1989, he played Ira in When Harry Met Sally for director Rob Reiner.

But it was writing the “rants” for HBO’s The Dennis Miller Show, for which he won two consecutive Emmys.

In the early 2000s, Rooney continued to create pilots and wrote for Politically Incorrect, before returning to sitcoms with My Wife and Kids, Brothers and ‘til Death. He had co-EP credits on My Wife and ‘til Death and a consulting producer credit on Brothers.

It was during this time that he became a mentor to many comics and writers, including Judd Apatow who opens his Master Class series talking about Kevin.

“Kevin Rooney was a viscously funny comedian, writer, and political satirist. But more importantly, he was an incredibly kind friend and generous mentor to so many in our community,” said Apatow.

Rooney met and married singer/actress/writer Carole Raphaelle Davis in the late nineties, and the couple happily split their time between Nice, France and the Hollywood Hills, where they advocated for animal rights, ate delicious vegan meals, and fought Kevin’s diabetes together.

Kevin and Carole, or “The Raging Rooneys” as they were better known, always kept at least four adopted dogs, and when one passed, they would rescue another homeless dog. In support of Carole’s work to abolish puppy mills, Kevin coined the phrase “Adopt Don’t Shop” for her protests in front of pet stores. The phrase, which has become a part of the lexicon, helped get anti-puppy mill legislation passed in over 200 cities.

Rooney kept writing daily, posting poignant comedic commentary on Facebook.

He’s survived by Carole, his sister Rebecca and his brother Matthew. His dogs Bugsy and Micheline will miss him as well, as will many in the comedy community.

Bob Rafelson Dies: Cocreator Of ‘The Monkees’ Was 89

Bob Rafelson, a giant in the American independent film movement as a writer, director, and producer, and later a cocreator of The Monkees television show, has died at 89 of natural causes at his Aspen, Colorado home.

His death was confirmed by his ex-wife, Gabrielle.

Rafelson collaborated with Jack Nicholson on seven features, includeing Five Easy Pieces (1970) and The King of Marvin Gardens (1972). He was an uncredited producer on Easy Rider.

He was also instrumental in creating The Monkees, a television music group that was seen as a Beatles offshoot.

David Warner Dies: Veteran British Actor Who Starred In ‘Titanic’ & ‘The Omen’ Was 80

David Warner, the veteran British actor, and star of Hollywood hits such as Titanic and The Omen, has died. He was 80.

Warner died on Sunday at Denville Hall, a care home for members of the entertainment industry from “a cancer-related illness,” the BBC first reported. The actor’s family confirmed the news “with an overwhelmingly heavy heart” in a statement to the outlet.

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

“Over the past 18 months he approached his diagnosis with a characteristic grace and dignity,” the statement read.

“He will be missed hugely by us, his family and friends, and remembered as a kind-hearted, generous, and compassionate man, partner, and father, whose legacy of extraordinary work has touched the lives of so many over the years. We are heartbroken.”

Born in Manchester, England, in July 1941, Warner studied at the prestigious British drama school the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and first won acclaim for his titular role opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the 1966 British film Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment for which he was nominated for a BAFTA.

In 1981, Warner, whose varied career spanned cinema, theater, and television, won a Supporting Actor Emmy for his performance as a Roman senator in the ABC miniseries Masada.

Warner’s big screen credits include the popular 1970s horror flick The Omen – he played a reporter who runs afoul of the devil and, in a memorable scene, is beheaded by a sheet of glass – and James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster Titanic, in which he played Spicer Lovejoy, Billy Zane’s mischievous enforcer.

Other film credits include Tron (1982), Time Bandits (1981), The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), and The Man with Two Brains (1983) as well as such TV series as Penny Dreadful, Ripper Street, Doctor Who and Twin Peaks. He portrayed Bob Cratchit in the George C Scott TV adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1984).

His most recent credits include Disney’s 2018 remake Mary Poppins Return. Warner also starred in several Star Trek productions.

Warner is survived by his partner Lisa Bowerman, son Luke, daughter-in-law Sarah, and his first wife Harriet.

RIP Leave it to Beaver star, Tony Dow at 77 years old.

Mary Alice Dies: ‘A Different World’ & ‘Matrix Revolutions’ Actor

Mary Alice, an Emmy-winning actor for I’ll Fly Away and a Tony winner for her performance in 1987’s Broadway production of August Wilson’s Fences, died yesterday in New York City.

Her age has been variously reported as 80, 84 and 86. Her death was confirmed to Deadline by the New York Police Department. No additional details were immediately available.

A prolific character actor on screen and stage, and a pioneer in the representation of Black actors on the Off Broadway and Broadway scenes, Alice is perhaps most widely known to TV audiences for her two-season run as a main character on NBC’s Cosby Show spin-off A Different World, in which she played dorm director Leticia “Lettie” Bostic. In 2003, she featured prominently in The Matrix Revolutions, portraying The Oracle, who imparts words of wisdom to Keanu Reeves’ Neo.

On Broadway, Alice made her debut as a standby in 1969’s No Place To Be Somebody, then taking a starring role in a 1971 production. Her greatest Broadway success came in 1987, when she played Rose in the acclaimed Fences. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the performance.

Born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, was working as a teacher in Chicago during the mid-1960s when she turned her attentions to acting, and by the early 1970s was gaining a profile in New York’s Off Broadway theater community through appearances at the notable experimental venue La MaMa.

Her first screen role arrived in 1974, when she made her film debut in The Education of Sonny Carson, and within a year she was beginning what would be a long and prolific run of TV guest appearances. In 1975, she gave memorable performances on Sanford & Son, Good Times and Police Woman.

In 1976, Smith had her first breakout film role in Sparkle, playing Effie Williams, the mother of three daughters who form a Supremes-like singing group. Though lambasted by critics, the musical drama launched the careers of Irene Cara, Lonette McKee, Dorian Harewood and Philip Michael Thomas. Sparkle, which arrived five years before the similarly themed Broadway musical Dreamgirls, was remade in 2012 as a vehicle for Jordin Sparks, with Whitney Houston taking the role of the mother.

Alice would subsequently appear on TV in All My Children, The Women of Brewster Place, L.A. Law, Cosby, Touched By An Angel, Providence, Soul Food, Oz, Line of Duty, The Jury and 2005’s Kojak. Her performance as recurring character Marguerite Peck on I’ll Fly Away earned her the 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (she’d been nominated in the same category the year before).

On the big screen, Alice had roles in, among many others, The Bonfire of the Vanities, Awakenings, Malcolm X, Down in the Delta and Sunshine State. Her performance as The Oracle in 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions was nominated for a Black Reel Award.

Alice was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2000. She retired from acting five years later.

Bernard Cribbins Dies: Veteran British Actor Was 93

Born in Oldham on December 29, 1928, Cribbins made several big-screen appearances, including in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1972 film Frenzy, for which he played the barman Felix Forsythe. Cribbins also went on to make regular appearances on Doctor Who as Wilfred Mott, the grandfather of the Doctor’s popular companion Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate.

He also made recurring appearances on the British soap drama Coronation Street. Off-screen, Cribbins had a successful musical career with two top-10 hits in 1962, with Hole In The Ground and Right Said Fred.

Other Cribbins credits include The Mouse on the Moon (1963), The Girl on the Boat (1962), Langley Bottom (1968), Carry on Columbus (1992), and Blackball (2003).

In 2011, he was was awarded an OBE for services to drama.

Yoko Shimada Dies: ‘Shōgun’ Actress Was 69

Japanese actress Yoko Shimada, known for her portrayal of Mariko in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun, a role which earned her a Golden Globe award and an Emmy nomination, has died. According to Japanese media, Shimada died Monday, July 25 from complications of colorectal cancer at a Tokyo hospital. She was 69.

Born in the city of Kumamoto on the Japanese island of Kyushu, Shimada’s first TV role was in the 1970 drama Osanazuma. She went on to appear in several TV productions including Kamen Rider, Karei-naru Ichizoku and Shiroi Kyoto. But it was her role as Mariko in the 1980 TV miniseries Shōgun, based on James Clavelle’s novel, that she is best remembered. Mariko represented the real-life person Hosokawa Gracia, a member of the aristocratic Akechi family. She was one of a small number of Japanese actors in the cast who had English-speaking roles, despite not being fluent in the language. Her performance earned her the 1981 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

She also appeared in several feature films, including 1974’s Castle of Sand, which was nominated for the Golden Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival.

Shimada also starred in 1981’s Little Champion (aka My Champion) in the lead role of marathon runner Michiko ‘Miki’ Suwa Gorma. Her other film credits include The Deep Red and To Live As An Actress.