The Amazing Kreskin, whose clever, occasionally self-deprecating and always good-humored mentalist routines made him a talk show favorite of such hosts as Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, David Letterman and Howard Stern, died Tuesday, December 10, in New Jersey. He was 89.
Born George Joseph Kresge Jr. on January 12, 1935, in Montclair, N.J., Kreskin had barely entered his teens when he began entertaining audiences with his seemingly magic routines. In the decades that followed, Kreskin performed his act for presidents, royalty and on hundreds and hundreds of television appearances.
According to an official bio, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson dozens of times, as he did on two of the period’s other popular talk programs The Mike Douglas Show and The Merv Griffin Show. He conducted a seance in 1997 on The Howard Stern Show that last over two hours. His popularity continued well into the late night era of David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon.
*David Bonderman, whose global investment firm TPG has been a major player in media and entertainment, died today at 82.
José de la Torre, star of Netflix’s Spanish series Toy Boy, has died. He was 37.
Martin Benson, the co-founder and longtime artistic director of the Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory regional theater in Costa Mesa, California, died November 30 of a probable heart attack at his home in Huntington Beach, California. He was 87.
Carol Goldwasser, whose expertise in casting helped to shape TV series like Hannah Montana and Dog with a Blog, died unexpectedly December 5 at her home after minor surgery. She was 67.
*David Murphey, who appeared on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days and 90 Day Diaries, died at his home in Las Vegas on December 11. A social media post from his family said that Murphey had been “experiencing health issues over the last several years.” He was 66.
Francis J. Conway of West Los Angeles, a longtime production manager who worked on shows like Baywatch and Criminal Minds, died December 17 of natural causes at UCLA Medical Center. He was 70.
Aziza Barnes, a TV writer known for Her work on Snowfall and Teenage Bounty Hunters, has died. She was 32.
Alfa Anderson, who lent her lead vocals to the seminal, Grammy Hall of Fame-inducted Chic track “Le Freak,” has died at the age of 78.
Art Evans, the actor known for his roles in Die Hard 2 and A Soldier’s Story, has died. He was 82.
Born March 27, 1942 in Los Angeles, Evans came up at Frank Silvera’s Theater of Being before landing his first credited onscreen role in a 1976 episode of Chico and the Man. He’s since gone on to amass more than 120 film and television credits.
Evans appeared in such films as Death Wish (1974), Leadbelly (1976), Fun with Dick and Jane (1977), The In-Laws (1979), The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979), Christine (1983), Fright Night (1985), Ruthless People (1986), Native Son (1986), School Daze (1988), Tales from the Hood (1995) and The Story of Us (1999).
On TV, Evans played mailroom clerk Morgan in the 1982-’88 ABC series adaptation of 9 to 5 (1980). His other television credits include episodes of M*A*S*H, The Fall Guy, Hill Street Blues, 227, In the Heat of the Night, Doogie Howser M.D., A Different World, Mad About You, Family Matters, Walker Texas Ranger, The X-Files, Monk, Everybody Hates Chris, The Sarah Silverman Program, Last Man Standing and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
*Woody Fraser, a prolific producer, creator and director behind such successful variety and news shows like The Mike Douglas Show and Good Morning America, died December 21. He was 90.
Burt, the giant crocodile featured in the 1986 classic film Crocodile Dundee starring Paul Hogan, has died. He was 90.
Pioneering Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal died Monday in Mumbai following a chronic kidney disease. He was 90.
ESPN is mourning the death of Zach Jones, a research manager for SportsCenter, who died December 22, two years after being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He was 41
Richard Perry, a music producer behind hits like Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” has died. He was 82.
*Influential DJ Alfredo, who played a huge part in Ibiza becoming a world-renowned hub of dance music culture, has died at 71.
Hudson Meek, the young actor who appeared in Baby Driver and CBS’s MacGyver reboot, has died. He was 16.
Mark Spain, a popular news anchor at ABC affiliate WSET-TV (ABC13) in Lynchburg, VA, died Dec. 18, just three weeks after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 64.
M.T. Vasudevan Nair, legendary Indian author, screenwriter and director, died Wednesday, Dec. 25 at a hospital in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, days after suffering cardiac arrest, the Times of India reports. He was 91.
Richard Parsons, who presided over Time Warner as CEO from 2002-2007 died Thursday he was 76.
Geoffrey Deuel, best known for portraying famed outlaw Billy the Kid in the 1970 John Wayne vehicle Chisum, died Dec. 22 at age 81
Dick Capri, the comedian and actor, has died. He was 93.
*Irv Wilson, a former programming executive at NBC and producer of several high profile TV movies that starred Jerry Lewis, Martin Sheen, Telly Savalas, Bruce Dern and Morgan Freeman, died Dec. 26 after a short illness. He was 93.
Oscar-nominated screenwriter, director and producer Charles Shyer, whose films include Private Benjamin, Baby Boom and the 1991 remake of Father of the Bride and its 1995 sequel, died Friday. No cause of death was given. He was 83.
Olivia Hussey Eisley, the actress who shot to fame as one of the star-crossed lovers in Franco Zeffirelli’s controversial Romeo and Juliet in 1968, died peacefully today at home surrounded by her loved ones, according to a post on her Instagram page. She was 73.
Jimmy Carter Dies: Longest-Living U.S. President Won Nobel Peace Prize For Advancing Human Rights
At 100, Carter — who was born on Oct. 1, 1924 — lived longer than any other U.S. president and had the longest post-presidency. In hospice care for almost two years, Carter nevertheless survived long enough to vote in the most recent presidential election, as his grandson, Jason, said that he was determined to cast his ballot for Kamala Harris. He also made a brief public appearance on his centennial, to watch a military flyover to honor the occasion.
The pinnacle of his presidency came on Sept. 17, 1978, when, following 12 days at Camp David, he announced a peace deal between Israel and Egypt, with a treaty signed the following year. Broadcasters interrupted their regular primetime programming — which that night included the Emmy Awards — to cover the deal.
Not the best President but a decent human being.
Originally posted by Nuke Nixon
[b]*Irv Wilson, a former programming executive at NBC and producer of several high profile TV movies that starred Jerry Lewis, Martin Sheen, Telly Savalas, Bruce Dern and Morgan Freeman, died Dec. 26 after a short illness. He was 93.Oscar-nominated screenwriter, director and producer Charles Shyer, whose films include Private Benjamin, Baby Boom and the 1991 remake of Father of the Bride and its 1995 sequel, died Friday. No cause of death was given. He was 83.
Olivia Hussey Eisley, the actress who shot to fame as one of the star-crossed lovers in Franco Zeffirelli’s controversial Romeo and Juliet in 1968, died peacefully today at home surrounded by her loved ones, according to a post on her Instagram page. She was 73. [/B]
She will be missed
The global boxing community has been shocked by the news that freshly crowned fighter Paul Bamba has died aged 35, only days after he became the cruiserweight world champion. No cause of death has been announced.
On Dec. 21, Bamba knocked out Rogelio Medina in New Jersey for his 14th consecutive stoppage win in the span of 12 months. In the process, Bamba broke Mike Tyson's record for most professional fights in a one-year span.
*Aaron Brown, an anchor who earned widespread praise for incisive reporting and calm demeanor during CNN’s coverage of 9/11, has died. He was 76.
Johnnie Walker, one of the BBC’s longest-serving radio DJs, has died. Walker died earlier today at 79 following a long battle with lung disease, two months after calling time on his radio career.
Chris Pula, the gregarious movie marketing executive who served stints at New Line, Warner Bros, Fox and Disney and created groundbreaking campaigns for movies from Se7en to The Mask, Dumb and Dumber and many others, has died at 69.
George Folsey Jr, the veteran film editor and producer who worked closely with John Landis on movies including Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Coming to America and the ill-fated Twilight Zone: The Movie as well as the iconic music video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” has died. He was 85.