I read yesterday that LaWanda Page, the woman who played Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son, passed away this past weekend. Another board member, Jenny, posted something that intrigued me.

Have you ever felt any emotions when either an actor or a character have passed away. For example, Edith Bunker died (although Jean Stapleton is still alive). Likewise, Carroll O'Connor passed away a few months back. It was a sad time when he died, because he'd had lots of problems in his last few years (his health, the death of his son, etc).

So, anyone want to share some feelings about the passing of a character or actor??

Whenever a celebrity I like dies, it kind of tears me up. It's especially bad if I grew up watching the actor. The first celebrity that died that I especially liked was Ray Walston. I was on my Bill Bixby kick at that time, and was a diehard fan of 'My Favorite Martian'. It's kind of odd that Ray outlasted all of the actors on that show. Even stranger, I think the 4 main characters all died from some sort of cancer. Odd.... But when I read Ray had died, it felt like I had swallowed a rock.

Carroll O' Connor affected me in a different way. When I found out he had died, I cried my eyes out for who knows how long. I loved Carroll on All in the Family. I watched the show all the time, so it really seemed like Archie was my grandfather. His death tore me up the most I would say.

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau's deaths kind of shocked me. It was kind of eerie how they died around the same day except a year apart. I had grew up watching their movies. They had such great chemistry together that every movie just came to life as Jack and Walter's characters snapped back and forth to each other.

It is sad when someone, who you have watched for along time, passes away. LaWanda played some great characters. I had a big crush on Doug McClure, and when he died I was down in the dumps for awhile. I still feel sad when I see him in something on TV.

If a favorite actor of mine passes away, I usually like to watch some of his/her work to remember them. For instance Kim Hunter just died and I watched my Planet of the Apes tape.

So far the only time I cried at the passing of a celebrity was in 1989 when Lucille Ball died. I had grown up like so many others watching her crazy antics on her various television series and films and loved her dearly. It came as quite a shock because Lucy was actually improving when she died and no one was expecting it to occur. I remember that night some of the networks preempted regular program to run special tribute programs to the queen of comedy. It was some time before I could watch her on television again and not feel saddened.

I never really cried, but I've been on crying's verge many times. Take, for instance, Arlene Francis' death earlier this year (or late last year or early last year, I keep forgetting). I saw it on the early morning news, and I was simply shocked. I didn't feel that good at the beginning of the day, but by the time I got home, I was accepting the fact, and I was completely ready for a What's My Line? marathon on GSN(I don't think they even had one!). I remember back to 1998. That was a double header for me. I was watching the 9 o'clock (central) news on my FOX affiliate. And out of the blue I suddenly hear "Three's Company Star Norman Fell Died At Age 75." I was crushed. I mean CRUSHED. I went to sleep that night and I was like AMAZED. I only started watching TC the year before that, but I grew such a close bond with the characters, and I admired the actors and actresses so much. I'm surprised Audra Lindley's death passed by, and I didn't hear about it until last year. In 1998, also, Flip Wilson died. I saw his death on the news too. They had a picture of him as Geraldine "The Devil Made Me Do It!" Jones on one side and him as his reg. self on the other with his birth and death years at the bottom, while they said "The Magnificant Television Star Flip Wilson Died." I remember the words like I read them out of a book. Another shocker. When I learned of Elizabeth Montgomery's death.......whooo that is probably the only one that I actually did cry! It was right when I was a crazed Bewitched maniac, and I had like the HUGEST HUGEST HUGEST HUGEST HUGEST crush on Samantha Stephens. I watched Liz's Biography, and I was completely heart-broken when they started to go down the line of Liz's cancer. And then, I just broke down when they said she died, and when they showed the headlines from various newspapers. *wipes away tear* I remember Carroll's death too. My mother said "Oh yeah. One of your TV stars died." I said to myself "Damn....damn Mary (Tyler Moore), why did you have to go so young?" but out loud I said "Who?" and when she said that, ATIF just came on NAN and the theme song was playing and she said "There he go right there!" And I went to my room to watch the full episode of AITF, instead of watching what I planned to watch that night. Another sad one was when I learned HOW Victor Kilian died. I kinda knew that he was dead already, I mean, the man was in his 80s and 90s in the late 70s. But when I learned that he was murdered by burglers in 1979, I just stopped what I was doing, and I stared at the words on the computer screen. I didn't talk to anyone for the rest of that night.

Originally posted by briandamage
If a favorite actor of mine passes away, I usually like to watch some of his/her work to remember them. For instance Kim Hunter just died and I watched my Planet of the Apes tape.

Oh yeah, that's me too. But I usually look forward to the marathons or specials. Like when Walter Mathau died, they showed the "Odd Couple" movie from 1968, and I watched it for the first time, and I loved it. I'm just extremely angry that PAX showd no interest in a Eight is Enough marathon when Lani O'Grady was found dead.

Originally posted by Jenny
Whenever a celebrity I like dies, it kind of tears me up.

That's me. I swear I'll end up like those people who cried and are still crying over Elvis when Richard....passes....didn't want to type that. :crying:

Well, when Adam Petty died, I cried on and off for two days. I wasn't even really a big fan but he was about my age.

Then when Dale Earnhardt (whom I wasn't a fan of at all) died, I cried again. God, I remember cheering when he hit the wall and then later, when they didn't know his condition, saying to myself, "Man, I hope he doesn't die." And he did and I felt SO guilty.

As you can see I'm still pining over the death of Freddie Prinze (See my avatar). It's been 25 years since he died. I was a BIG fan of his in the 70's and then he died. :(

Another person who I feel sad for dying is Richard Dawson's replacement in The Family Feud. Ray Cohn. :(

Yes those are very sad, but Jack Dodson died in 1994, I lvoe him as Mickey Malph on Happy Days and he is hysterical its sad he died :(

Originally posted by JennyLee22
Another person who I feel sad for dying is Richard Dawson's replacement in The Family Feud. Ray Cohn. :(

OMG, I remember when that happened...well, vaguely anyway. I heard it on a TV report and I was so shocked. Back then I wasn't the obsessive Feud watcher I am now, but I did catch it occassionally and I couldn't believe the host of Feud had killed himself.

FYI- His name is Combs. :)

I cried when I heard Phil Hartman was murdered. He was such a great actor and a funny guy. I still miss him.

I also cried for several days when Peanuts creator Charles Schulz died.

The only actor that died that really made me sad, even cry, was Josh Ryan Evans from Passions. He was only 20 years old and was such a great actor. He not only died in real life but also on the show Passions the same day, August 5, 2002. His death really hit me. I felt really sad for Juliet Mills his co star, the one who mostly worked with him a lot on the show. His character was her whole part of the show. When Juliet was on Today it was sad to hear her talk about Josh, she loved him like her own child. I really can not stand it that he died. Passions seems so weird and different without him. His last appearance on Passions showed him in heaven with an angel giving him his wings. That is the only scene from Passions I cried at. :(


http://www.stefaniepassion.com/lpao/Timmy/Timmy7.jpg

Im not really affected by a stars death if I wasnt a fan by them (doesnt mean I dont feel bad though), but I really like All In The Family and to THIS day am STILL shocked Carroll is dead. Ive never cried over a stars death, but his was sad. Whenever I watch I Love Lucy, Bewitched, Brady Bunch (Robert Reed), and All In The Family, its still like theyre still alive, but then when the show is over, youre like *Woah, theyre really dead.* Anyone else think that too? Like, theyre not REALLY gone?

Originally posted by dawsongirl
That's me. I swear I'll end up like those people who cried and are still crying over Elvis when Richard....passes....didn't want to type that. :crying:


I know what you're saying about Richard. I kind of dread Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, Adam West, Burt Ward, Frank Gorshin and all the others that I like- I'm dreading their deaths.

Geez...I just realized something. The youngest actor I like is Burt Ward and he's 56 or 57. All my other favorites are in their 60s, 70s, or 80s.

When Anissa Jones died, I wondered who would get custody of Mrs. Beasley! That's just nuts!:happyface

Crying for a character who dies? Yeah, I probably have. It goes hand-in-hand with the drama of the scene, and I am prone to tears (sad or happy) when I view a well written and performed project.

I don't usually cry at a celebrity's passing, but I do sometimes feel sad for a while.

I was stunned by Princess Diana's death, and especially stunned at the death of John Lennon.

The only time that I recall actually crying when a celebrity died was when Don Drysdale, former player for the L.A. Dodgers, died. I was at that time a huge Dodger fan and tuned in to almost all the games they played. Don was one of the play-by-play announcers for TV/radio. I welcomed him into my home on an almost daily basis. Then... he died suddenly. And was gone. Just like that. Yeah, I cried. It was like I lost a close friend.

I've never cried over a celebrity dying but I do remember being really sad when Dana Plato died. Same goes for Chris Farley.

Originally posted by Jenny
I know what you're saying about Richard. I kind of dread Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, Adam West, Burt Ward, Frank Gorshin and all the others that I like- I'm dreading their deaths.

Geez...I just realized something. The youngest actor I like is Burt Ward and he's 56 or 57. All my other favorites are in their 60s, 70s, or 80s.

Ditto (on both)...I've got 74, 70, 69, 60 something, dead, dead, and dead.

I have a friend who keeps telling me to write Richard a fan letter (something I'm entirely too scared to do), and the other day I thought how depressed I'd be if I waited too long. *smack* :(

I cry very easily, and while I don't really know any actor personally at all, I feel as if I do since I've seen them on TV. When I read that Josh Ryan Evans from "Passions" died, I really did cry. It just really tore me up...he was just a joy to watch.
When other favorite actors of mine die, I'm sure I'll be very upset. They mean alot to me, even though they don't even know I exist!

Originally posted by ABC1
When I read that Josh Ryan Evans from "Passions" died, I really did cry. It just really tore me up...he was just a joy to watch.

I'm so glad I wasn't the only fan of his to be tored up by his death. It was eerie he died the same day as his character on the show. I loved him in The Grinch. But he was never as funnier as on Passions with his princess, Tabitha.

I remember coming home from school and finding out that Phil Hartman had been murdered. It was shocking. That seemed like the last thing I expected to hear.

It's one thing when an actor dies. I feel sad, but I really don't sense the loss. However, when Phil Hartman died and NewsRadio continued without him, then it finally hit me that he was gone.

I wasn't alive when Freddie Prinze died, but watching the "Chico and the Man" reruns, I feel like I was. It was sad that the character also died, since he was always full of life.

:(

I can remember being in shock after learning that Princess Diana died back in August 1997.

As far as celebrities in the entertainment world, the most shocking death would have to be Steve Allen, who passed away October 31, 2000. He was instrumental in starting one of my favorite charities, that being the Parents Television Council. Singer John Denver's death in October 1997 ranks rather high, too--he was only 53.

Originally posted by James
As far as celebrities in the entertainment world, the most shocking death would have to be Steve Allen, who passed away October 31, 2000.

Come to think of it, he died the day before. I never heard the story until that Halloween, in the evening!

It always gets to me when an actor dies, because when I watch a show, I really, REALLY get into it and I start to feel like I really know the people and form this sort of bond with them. It is very difficult to accept that they are gone forever because I have watched them for so long. Every year at the Oscars they do a tribute to all those who have passed away in the past year showing clips of the actor and their names and dates (I don't know if they do it at the Emmys too). That always makes me cry because these people have had such an impact on our lives through pop culture, and all of a sudden they are just gone.
I was very young when Lucille Ball died, so by the time I became a big fan of I Love Lucy, I knew she had passed away. But I'll never forget when I was reading one of the many books I have about her, there was a pictue of the marquee outside a theater just after she had died that said "They needed a laugh in heaven. Goodbye Lucy." Boy, when I read that the tears just started flowing.
I remember crying a lot when Princess Diana died, I just couldn't believe it.
The one that really hit me the hardest was when I found out that Elizabeth Montgomery had passed away. I am a HUGE fan of Bewitched and I had grown to love her character so much. I was in such awe of Elizabeth Montgomery's talent and had started to watch her in any other roles I could find. I was devastated to find out that she had died, I just couldn't believe it, she was such a special person, every time I watch her biography I cry as it nears the end and they talk about her cancer.
I think when a big celebrity dies, whether its a TV star or a prominent humanitarian figure or anyone else who is well known to the public, it represents the end of an era, and in a way, the end of a certain innocence. Because the person has impacted our culture in such a way, things will never be quite the same again.

I felt terrible when Mary Frann (Joanna Loudon) died. She looked so young and vibrant in 'Newhart'. I understand that she gave of herself completely with different charitable organizatons.

Have you ever watched a person on television and then find out they died something like five years ago? I wind up mourning for that person on the day I find out they're dead, even though they've been gone for a number of years. :(

It was sad when Bea Benaderet of Petticoat Junction passed away during the run of the series. She was a great comic actress and seeing her in the episode when she came back after her absence from being ill she showed it. More sad was the lack of respect the show displayed by not dealing with her passing and treating it as though Kate Bradley never existed. Never no mention of her.

When Dolph Sweet, Gimme A Break, passed away I was sad. It was sad seeing how ill he was and kept on going to the end. The show dealt with his passing in a honest manner. The season premire dealt with the family grieving over the loss and I teared up as well. It was a powerful episodes with powerful performances especially by Nell Carter and Lauri Hendler.

Eight Is Enough was another one that was sad and tragic when Diana Hyland passed. She was a beautiful actress. Her passing was dealt with honestly especially when Tom and Abby got married. Betty Buckley turned in a powerful performance as Abby when she tried to explain to her parents why the wedding was postponed.

See that; I didn't even know Dolph Sweet was dead. He was great in the movie, 'The Wanderers', playing Chubby Galasso.

Chubby Galasso: It's a shame to see kids beatin' each other's brains out, especially when there's no financial advantage.

:wave: when i heard that anissa jones died i was in shock when i found out truth on how she died it made me mad in 1999 a wwe wrestling star died in kanas city after falling 80 feet to his death it was owen hart when i heard about his death i cried because he was 1 of my favorite wrestler when elvis died in 1976 i was in shock because he was the king of rock a.d roll in 1980 when john lennon died i was stunned i was working in kmart in brampton canada.in 2002 may my grandmother died at 85 years old i was almost in tears because was there when i needed to talk to about anything ed

what really saddens me whenever a star dies, its the way they are treated in those supermaket mags ( National Enquier, Star, Globe, ect..) only days after their death. Whatever happened to a mourning period?

Robert Reed from the Brady Bunch is a perfect example. Its one thing for Barry Williams to take about Reed's private life in his revised Brady book or for Florence Henderson to go on the radio to talk about the same thing (both cases years after Reed's death ). But its something else when only days after the man died the National Enquier ( or one of those other magazines- really its hard to tell them apart ) has it plastered all over its front page "The Brady's gay dad dies from AIDS"!!! "Known to cruise bars and book stores for quickie..."

The families of deceased stars deserve respect as well.

I feel a little sad that they're gone. I also watch their shows or movies to remember them or find a web site about them.

I feel a little sad when a celebrity dies, I don't cry or anything because I can only base how I like them on the projects they do. When a character dies I am either happy or sad depending on if I liked the character.

Well, I am really not a sitcom lover anyway because most of them are senseless. However, "I Love Lucy" was the first and best of all. Hands down, no question. No series has ever come close to "I Love Lucy" in 50 years and none ever will. Sitcoms of today, like "Seinfeld", "Friends" and "Will & Grace" are hits because they have the right publicists behind them. It is all about promotion - period! We are TOLD what is good, when in actuality, it is pure crapola. I have cable so that I can watch The Learning Channel, The Discovery Channel, and of course, "I Love Lucy". It is the only things on TV worth watching anymore.

As a final note, I would like to say that it is a good thing that the cast of "Friends" makes so much money, because that group of no-talents won't find any work once the show ends.

Originally posted by edwardwoodbine
when elvis died in 1976 i was in shock because he was the king of rock a.d roll

just wanted to say elvis died in 1977.

when george harrison died i cried for like ever and i cry over john lennon and elvis sometimes.(even though i wasnt alive when they died)

When Madeline Kahn died, I locked myself in my room, turned off all of the lights...put on the Tv, and watched episodes of Cosby and Oh Madeline over and over again. I was heartbroken and threw up many many times.


When Dana Plato died, I broke down at a restarant that evening, and got VERY hyper and mad at the world. I said the f-word probably about 10 times, and was just wacko because of her death.


...and then there was Audra Lindley. When I heard Audra died, it was about 6:00 AM the morning after she died. I went into my room, turned off all of the lights, lit candles, and watched Three's Company episodes over and over again, when a photo of her lied on my bed next to the candles.




As you can see I get very emotional when someone dies.

When someone died who was famous I used to never watch anything they were in again for instance when Ray Combs died I stopped watching Family Challenge and when Shari Lewis died I stopped taping Charlie Horse's music pizza!