The RIP Thread

[Tangram]

R.I.P. Dame Maggie Smith at age 89. The papers will report this as 'Harry Potter actor...' but she had a legendary career. First time I remember seeing her was in The Missionary with Michael Palin. Or Clash of the Titans, whichever came first!

Maggie Smith has a played so many memorable characters over her long career. RIP to one of the best.

[Lopez]

I've seen a few of Maggie Smith movies. One that came and went quickly, but was absolutely a lot of fun, was Keeping Mum. An elderly woman is released from prison for murdering her wayward hubby years and years ago. She gets hired by her daughter's (who has no idea who she is) husband (Rowan Atkinson), the pastor of a tiny, dying parish, as live-in help. Mum becomes the "fixer" of the family's problems.

[dropforge]

RIP John "Taggart" Ashton 1948-2024

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainm...6d8d9141&ei=35

[Dan Roth]

R.I.P. songwriter/singer/actor Kris Kristofferson at 88 years old.

https://variety.com/2024/film/obitua...or-1236159472/

[Vic2012]

RIP Kris Kristofferson.

I think Willie Nelson is the only Highway man left.

[Mister Triscuits]

RIP Kris Kristofferson.

I just noticed his name in the New Yorker I was reading this morning. Someone had written in to correct a reference to "Me and Bobbie McGee" as Janis Joplin's song.

[spellbound]

Rest in peace, Kris. Incredible songwriter and performer.

[Rarebird]

RIP Willem van Manen jazzmusician (trombone), composer, worked with Hans Dulfer, Willem Breuker, Theo Loevendie and Louis Andriessen's orchestra De Volharding.

[mcdonap]

I've been reading that Simon Fox, drummer for BeBop Deluxe among others, passed on September 9, 2024.
I haven't seen anything official, but the news has been popping up on different forums.
If it is true, then RIP to Simon.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

Pete Rose has died at 83 per the AP.

[spellbound]

Rest in peace, Pete Rose. In the '70s I went to a ball game with some friends at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were hosting the Cincinnati Reds. Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, Cesar Geronimo, Joe Morgan et al battled it out on a 100 degree afternoon with Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith, Dusty Baker, and Steve Yeager. I don't remember who was pitching for either team. Whenever Charlie Hustle came to the plate, you knew he was going to get on base. The Reds won that day 8-0. Despite the heat and the one-sided game, we didn't leave until it was over. So happy I got to see all those (now) legends play ball.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

Rest in peace, Pete Rose. In the '70s I went to a ball game with some friends at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were hosting the Cincinnati Reds. Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, Cesar Geronimo, Joe Morgan et al battled it out on a 100 degree afternoon with Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith, Dusty Baker, and Steve Yeager. I don't remember who was pitching for either team. Whenever Charlie Hustle came to the plate, you knew he was going to get on base. The Reds won that day 8-0. Despite the heat and the one-sided game, we didn't leave until it was over. So happy I got to see all those (now) legends play ball.

I hear ya. I lived near PA in the 70s and we went religiously to games and l wouldn't try to list the legendary players of the game l was privileged to see. I am not a sports guy now but being able to say l saw Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Rose, Johnny Bench, the A's, and the Phils with Greg Schmidt (a team of crazy MFs). In an alternate universe being able to say l saw Roberto Clemente at bat is up there with seeing Gentle Giant.
(Maybe John Weathers being an inexplicable A's fan means something?)

[Jimmy Giant]

Only time I was ever a baseball fan was watching the Big Red Machine of the 70s.
Really enjoyed that as a kid. Was really sad with all that went on with Pete afterward.

[Dan Roth]

R.I.P. Pete. Such a complicated legacy. But darn did I love watching him play, especially when he came to the Phillies and he got us over the top to help win our first World Series in 1980. So many great memories, especially catching that foul ball that Bob Boone almost dropped. Watching him become the National League's all time hit leader while in a Phillies uni, overtaking Stan Musial. I remember getting the special poster of Pete that commemorated that at a game that strike-shortened season and hanging it on my wall. And that classic phone call with President Reagan. No one played the game harder than Pete.

Gambling or not, should be in the HOF. In 2022, Pete came back along with the rest of that 1980 World Series team to be honored and I had goosebumps as he was announced and took the field to a THUNDEROUS applause. Such a great moment. Then, a young female reporter from the local paper interviewed him and that went south pretty fast. And during each inning of that game, they brought in a different Phillie from that 1980 team to hang out and chat with the broadcasters; Pete cursed, told very off-color stories, and was a total embarrassment. It was so bad that when they did the re-broadcast later that night, that inning was skipped. Again, such a complicated legacy with him, but what a fantastic ballplayer that gave us so many great memories.

[Digital_Man]

Wow, growing up with a dad from Philadelphia I was always a Phillies fan (even when I lived in NY where I'm originally from although I liked the Mets also). Pete was one of the best of his era regardless of whether or not he was allowed in the BBHOF. As someone once said to me he only got in his own way. RIP Pete.

[Garyhead]

My only "Pete" memory. I don't follow sports that much so please excuse the memory lapses. Was given tickets to Veterans stadium in the early 80's. I believe Pete had left the Phillies for the Reds? Anyway....Pete's first-at-bat. The crowd Booos in unison. Pete gets a hit and the crowd Cheers loudly. It was such a startling situation for a person not versed in Baseball crowd behavior. Pete never got booed again that afternoon.

[Vic2012]

RIP Frank Fritz (American Pickers).

[Dan Roth]

RIP Frank Fritz (American Pickers).

Aw man. So sorry to hear that. I'm a fan of that show - and those two guys were fun to watch together. I know he had some health issues, and then he supposedly was "kicked off" the show (depends on whose account ya read, I suppose, but Frank seemed pretty pissed). The dude loved his oil cans.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

RIP Frank Fritz (American Pickers).

Oh man, that is a shame. That was my go-to show for Sunday hangovers many years ago. I quit watching it eventually because his partner Mike was such a dick. Millionaire haggling with old people over 5 bucks.
RIP Frank.

[Vic2012]

RIP John Amos (84).

[dropforge]

RIP John Amos, aged 84. This is a big one for me. Yes, he's most famous for playing James Evans in Lear's smash sitcom Good Times, but he had many memorable roles to his credit in shows and films like Roots, Hunter, Lock Up, Die Hard 2, and Two and a Half Man, etc.

Amos as Seth in Don Coscarelli's The Beastmaster!

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

Damn! That sucks. John Amos was a fantastic actor. RIP.

[Digital_Man]

I never really watched Good Times much but I liked him in Coming to America. RIP John Amos.

[Garyhead]

Strange news today on John Amos.....He died in August. Estranged daughter found out 45 days later....yesterday. Seems she was accused of elder-abuse. His son was the caregiver for John.