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Tag: celebrity deaths

  • George Hamilton IV Dead at Age 77

    Country music star George Hamilton IV has died. He was 77 years old.

    According to the Grand Ole Opry Hamilton died on late Wednesday afternoon at St. Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Hamilton had suffered a heart attack last Saturday and was hospitalized. He had been in critical condition since that time. The Opry stated that Hamilton died “with his family by his side.”

    Hamilton was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for over 54 years. He was one of the first American country music stars to perform extensively overseas, earning him the nickname “The International Ambassador of Country Music.”

    Though Hamilton is best-known for his country crooning, the beginning of his career was very different. During the late 50s Hamilton attended American University in Washington D.C. and began performing pop songs on variety TV show The Jimmy Dean Show. His popularity as a singer grew and he went on to tour with stars such as Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers.

    In 1960 Hamilton made a significant career shift, joining the Grand Ole Opry and performing country music. He saw early success in the genre with hit songs such as “Before This Day Ends” and “If You Don’t Know I Ain’t Gonna Tell You.”

    In 1963 Hamilton scored a hit with his album Abilene, which reached number 18 on the U.S. country music charts. The album contains his most famous song to date, “Abilene.” The song reached number 1 on the U.S. country music charts and number 15 on the U.S. pop charts. Hamilton performed the song in the 1963 movie musical Hootenanny Hoot.

    With his country music success waning in the late 60s Hamilton took his act overseas. The Grand Ole Opry’s records mark Hamilton as a performer at London’t first International Festival of Country of Music in 1969. Hamilton also performed at other early country music festivals in European countries such as Sweden and Germany.

  • Cindy Adams Reveals Joan Rivers’ Final Days

    Last week the world lost yet another legendary comedian. Joan Rivers died on September 4 following complications from vocal chord surgery.

    As expected, celebrities and comedians took to social media, giving their condolences and sharing their fondest memories of Rivers. The flood of grief was heartfelt, though impersonal and probably a bit more maudlin than Rivers would have wanted.

    However, with Rivers best-known in her later years for her gossipy, snarky critiques of celebrity fashion, who better to eulogize her than a New York Post gossip columnist?

    Longtime New York Post writer Cindy Adams this weekend revealed intimate details surrounding Rivers’ death. In a column for Page Six Adams stated that she had known Rivers for decades, saw the comedian at her best, and knew “who she liked, who she didn’t.”

    Unfortunately, that wasn’t the Rivers that Adams saw last week. The writer described the comedian as she was while lying helpless in a medically-induced coma:

    Last week I saw a Joan Rivers one shouldn’t see. Pale and still as marble. Uncommunicative. No makeup. No cameras. No one-liners. No movement. Wires hooked to machines. The blonde head in bandages.

    Adams revealed that Rivers’ daughter Melissa Rivers did not leave her mother’s side during the ordeal. Melissa reportedly slept at the hospital while helping to coordinate plans with family and business partners. Adams made it clear that those close enough to visit Joan in the hospital knew she was dying, though that fact wasn’t spoken aloud:

    Around her our thoughts were loud; our words, soft. We gently talked tentative plans – like longtime assistant Jocelyn caring for Joan’s dogs – because doctors knew. Tests proved. What was feared wasn’t voiced. But we understood. She could feel no pain. She’d never suffer through some longterm debilitating sickness. Our Joan wasn’t there anymore.

    Adams also described Rivers’ funeral service on Saturday. Close celebrity friends including Donald Trump, Barbara Walters, Hugh Jackman, and others attended. The ceremony began with New York City’s Gay Men’s Chorus singing show tunes and ended with a prayer.

  • Joan Rivers’ Death Mourned on Social Media

    Less than one month after the death of Robin Williams, another comedy legend has passed on. Joan Rivers died on Thursday afternoon following several days spent in a medically induced coma. The comedian was 81 years old.

    Rivers reportedly suffered complications on August 28 while undergoing surgery on her vocal cords. She was then put into a coma following a heart attack. Doctors had reportedly attempted to wake Rivers from her coma this week, though her condition remained serious. Rivers’ daughter Melissa Rivers revealed that her mother was moved out of intensive care on Wednesday and was “being kept comfortable” in a private room.

    Rivers’ death was announced by Melissa in a heartfelt Facebook post. According to Melissa, Joan passed away while surrounded by her family and close friends.

    Post by Melissa Rivers.

    Rivers began her career as a stand-up comedian in New York during the 1960s and soon gained a reputation for her twisted sense of humor. She first appeared on The Tonight Show in 1965 and became a regular guest on the show. She has appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies, and won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 1990 for her work on The Joan Rivers Show.

    In her later years she became well-known for her appearances on E! network’s coverage of award show red carpet events, during which she often sharply criticized celebrities’ fashion choices.

    Similar to Robin Williams’ death, fans of Joan Rivers (many of them celebrities themselves) have poured out their hearts on social media:

  • Kevin Sharp Dies: Country Music Star Was 43

    Country singer Kevin Sharp has died at the age of 43. The singer was best known for his debut album Measure of a Man.

    According to Sharp’s official website the singer died on Saturday April 19 at 10 pm PST. Sharp died from complications related to stomach surgeries and digestive issues he had dealt with in the past. The singer had survived a rare form of bone cancer during his teen years.

    Sharp’s death is being mourned via social media, with even a few country music stars commenting on his passing and wishing his family well:

    A memorial service commemorating Sharp’s life is being planned and details will be made available through his website. The service will take place in Nashville, Tennessee.

    Sharp’s family is requesting that any donations made in the singer’s memory be given to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. According to Sharp’s autobiography Tragedy’s Gift: Sharp was introduced to music producer David Foster through the Make-A-Wish Foundation during his teen years. Foster eventually become a key figure in the rise of Sharp’s music career and Sharp went on to become a spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation

    In 1997 Sharp’s country cover of R&B classic “Nobody Knows” became a hit, landing at the number one spot on Billboard’s country music charts. Other singles from Sharp’s Measure of a Man became country music hits in 1997, including “If You Love Somebody, and “She’s Sure Taking it Well.”

    Following his breakthrough album Sharp continued to tour and perform music throughout the U.S. He also toured the country as a motivational speaker.

    Image via KevinSharp.com

  • ‘Two Fat Ladies’ TV Star Clarissa Dickson Wright Dies at 66

    The last TV personality of Britain’s Two Fat Ladies has passed away.

    At the age of 66 years old, Clarissa Dickson Wright died Saturday at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary.

    Her cause of death was said to be unknown.

    Born on June 14, 1947 as Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmeralda Dickson Wright, the TV star grew up in London.

    According to CBS News, Dickson Wright dealt with alcoholism later in life during her career as an attorney. After recovering from alcoholism and leaving the legal profession, she became a caterer and ran a cookery bookstore.

    BBC scouted her for the TV show series while she was working at the bookstore.

    At the time, Dickson Wright said she had no professional experience in cooking, but she became a dynamic duo along with co-host Jennifer Paterson.

    Here is a 1998 interview of the pair:

    The international program became an immediate hit, showing the pair touring Britain in sidecars and on motorcycles. Dickson Wright and Paterson were mainly known for traveling to various locations to cook exotic meals and share culinary advice.

    “She [Dickson Wright] was a force of nature and a true character, someone who knew how to tell a great story and had a fabulous sense of humor,” said show producer, Patricia Llewellyn.

    The show came to an end, however, in 1999 when Paterson died from cancer at the age of 71.

    The TV cook celebrity later released an autobiography in 2007 titled Spilling The Beans. She also appeared in other TV series.

    Her agent, Heather Holden-Brown, told BBC News Monday, “Her fun and laughter, extraordinary learning and intelligence, will be missed always by so many of us. Loved dearly by her friends and many fans all over the world, Clarissa was utterly non-PC and fought for what she believed in, always, with no thought to her own personal cost.”

    The clip below shows the pair cooking together:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Maria Von Trapp: The Last of “The Sound of Music” Children Dies at 99

    Maria von Trapp, the last remaining member of the original seven von Trapp children, died Tuesday night at 99 years old. Maria and her family’s story inspired one of the most famous musicals of all time: The Sound of Music. Her half-brother Johannes confirmed her death on Saturday.

    Maria outlived most of her siblings, which surprised many who knew the von Trapps. Growing up, she suffered from a severe disease and had a weak heart. Her mother, Agathe von Trapp, died from the scarlet fever in 1922. Maria also developed this disease, which resulted in her needing a home tutor. Maria Augusta-Kutschera von Trapp was hired to tutor Maria and her siblings. She eventually married their father, Georg von Trapp.

    Maria von Trapp was the third oldest child of Agathe and Georg, and the second eldest daughter. Her six siblings are Rupert, Agathe, Werner, Hedwig, Johanna, and Martina, and her three half-siblings are Johannes, Eleonore, and Rosemarie. When the family fled the Nazi-occupied Austria, they moved to the United States in 1938.

    Maria Augusta-Kutschera von Trapp introduced the world to the von Trapp family with her book entitled The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. This book inspired two German films along with The Sound of Music. The musical was revived and broadcasted on NBC in 2013; Carrie Underwood starred. Her performance received mixed reviews, and the von Trapp grandchildren controversially expressed dissatisfaction with her taking on the role made famous by Julie Andrews.

    Maria lived her final days in Stowe, Vermont. She never married and spent her life serving as a lay missionary in Papua, New Guinea.

    Her half-brother, and the youngest von Trapp, Johannes, said this upon his sister’s death:

    “Thank you for your thoughts. Maria had a wonderful life and while we will miss her, the memories of her will live on.”

    Many used Twitter to mourn her death and appreciate her legacy.

     

    Image via The Sound of Music, Facebook

  • Hunger Games Cast and Crew React to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Death

    The untimely death of Hunger Games actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has drawn condolensces, reflections, and expressions from millions around the world. Now, the film franchise’s cast and production crew are weighing in as well.

    In a collaborative statement issued by Hunger Games co-producer Jennifer Lawrence, director Francis Lawrence, author Suzanne Collins and others, on behalf of the film’s cast and production crew, they collectively expressed their sentiments and devastation in regards to the tragic loss.

    “Words cannot convey the devastating loss we are all feeling right now,” the statement reads. “Philip was a wonderful person and an exceptional talent, and our hearts are breaking. Our deepest thoughts and condolences go out to his family.”

    The brief statement followed an official press release issued by the Hunger Games film studio, where the Academy award-winning actor was held to high regards and lauded for his career achievements.

    “Philip Seymour Hoffman was a singular talent and one of the most gifted actors of our generation. We’re very fortunate that he graced our Hunger Games family,” a Lionsgate spokesperson said in the statement. “Losing him in his prime is a tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Philip’s family.”

    Fans also took to Twitter to offer condolences and expressions in light of Hoffman’s death.

    Hoffman’s family also issued a brief statement requesting privacy at this time. “Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of our generation’s finest and most brilliant actors. He was also a gifted comedic talent. It was a great privilege and pleasure to work with him and we are all absolutely devastated by this sudden loss. Our thoughts go out to his family at this very difficult time.”

    (image)

    On the morning of Sunday, Feb. 2, Hoffman was found dead in his New York City apartment. While a definitive cause of death has yet to be determined, MTV News reports that the Oscar award-winning actor may have died of a drug overdose. Hoffman is survived by his three children whom he had with his longtime girlfriend costume designer Mimi O’Donnell. He was 46 years old.

    Image via Facebook | Hunger Games (1) (2)

  • Pierce Brosnan Loses Daughter To Ovarian Cancer

    Pierce Brosnan made the sad announcement this week that his 41-year old daughter, Charlotte, passed away from ovarian cancer.

    The “James Bond” actor gave the news to People and said his daughter put up a brave fight in the face of such a horrible disease. Tragically, she leaves behind two young children: 14-year old Isabella and 8-year old Lucas.

    “On June 28 at 2 p.m. my darling daughter Charlotte Emily passed on to eternal life, having succumbed to ovarian cancer,” Brosnan told People. “She was surrounded by her husband Alex, children Isabella and Lucas, and brothers Christopher and Sean. Charlotte fought her cancer with grace and humanity, courage and dignity. Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our beautiful dear girl. We pray for her and that the cure for this wretched disease will be close at hand soon. We thank everyone for their heartfelt condolences.”

    In another tragic turn, Charlotte’s mother, Cassandra, and her maternal grandmother both died of ovarian cancer. The disease is particularly scary because the symptoms vary and are often mild or can be confused for symptoms of a different, non-life threatening issue. Generally, signs can include vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, lower back pain, and sudden weight loss. Doctors urge women over the age of 18 to get a pap smear done once a year as a preventative measure.

  • Chris Kelly Dies: Kris Kross Rapper Was 34

    Rapper Chris Kelly, who formed one half of the popular ’90s hip-hop group Kriss Kross, was found dead in his home on Wednesday night. He was 34 years old.

    Kriss Kross shot to stardom in 1991 with their debut album, “Totally Krossed Out” after being discovered by producer Jermaine Dupri while performing in an Atlanta mall. Their style, which consisted of baggy sweatshirts and jeans, was instantly transformed from the norm into a fad when they began wearing the clothes backwards.

    Though the group never really found the same success with later albums, they remained close friends and recently performed together at the So- So Def 20th Anniversary Concert, where they opened the show.

    The cause of Kelly’s death is reportedly drug related, according to authorities.

    “It appears it may have been a possible drug overdose,” said Cpl. Kay Lester, a spokeswoman for the Fulton County police; investigators are basing that judgement on evidence found at the scene.

    Kelly’s friends, family, and fans are mourning the loss of a young man who helped shape the music world for young people. His mother, Donna Kelly Pratte, released a statement regarding his death:

    “It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Chris Kelly has passed away on May 1. To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris – the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him. His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him.”

    Image: Jonathan Phillips, Atlanta-Journal Constitution

  • George Jones Dies: Country Legend Was 81

    George Jones Dies: Country Legend Was 81

    George Jones, whose music has been so important to country artists for decades, has died after an illness. He was 81.

    Jones had been briefly hospitalized during his most recent tour–which was to be his last–for an undisclosed illness. His cause of death has yet to be released.

    Jones was introduced to a love of music as a child and began playing guitar at the tender age of nine years old. His early life would take him to many different places–he was married, divorced, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps before he was 20–but he always came back to music. He would go on to have over 150 hit songs during the course of his career and has been called the greatest living country singer of the past 20 years.

    Known as much for his love life as he was for the music that lived in him, Jones was married four times and often chronicled his relationships in the songs he wrote. He also battled alcoholism for years and gained a reputation for being unreliable when it came to showing up for gigs. But his wild ways only endeared his fans to him, and his music would be revered, imitated, and loved without bounds by millions of fans.

    Sadly, the 2013 tour was to be his last, as Jones announced he wanted to retire and spend time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and four children.