Hits & Misses - page 40

Hugh Wilson –
Writer, director, gap-toothed gator.
August 21, 1943 – January 14, 2018.
Aged 74 years.

Most recognized for: Hugh was the brains behind the Emmy winning sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.” As both creator & writer, he penned the infamous Thanksgiving Day Turkey Drop episode.  Mr. Wilson wrote and directed for the big screen as well, bringing you comedy hits such as “Burglar” and “Police Academy.”  Making Loni Anderson and Steve Guttenburg household names… such is his legacy.

Edwin Hawkins –
Singer/songwriter, producer, god boy.
August 19, 1943 – January 15, 2018.
Aged 74 years.

Most recognized for: As a gospel singer and choir master, Edwin was hell-bent on spreading the Good News of the Lawd. Releasing 30 albums in as many years, his biggest hit “Oh Happy Day” somehow made it to #63 on RIAA’s Songs of the Century list. He also apperaed as the choir director in Steve Martin’s “Leap of Faith.” A million musical amens & hallelujas later, and it’s off to the pearlies for ‘ol Edwin.

Dolores O’Riordan –
Musician, singer-songwriter, Mick.
September 6, 1971 – January 15, 2018.
Aged 46 years.

Most recognized for: Dolores was the singer/frontwoman for Irish rockers The Cranberries, whose hit “Zombie” was in heavy rotation back when MTV actually showed music videos. Their success launched her solo career, eventually landing her a judge’s chair on Ireland’s version of “The Voice.” Although her health issues cancelled a 2017 Cranberries reunion tour, Ms. O’Riordon still had one last show scheduled… at the funeral parlor.

Keith Jackson –
Sportscaster, commentator, jarhead.
October 18, 1928 – January 12, 2018.
Aged 89 years.

Most recognized for: A legend in the sports broadcasting world, he’d called it all: NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, the Olympics, etc.  His distinctive voice and down-home delivery provided the play-by-play for over 50 years of college football, coining phrases along the way such as “The Grandaddy of them All” (The Rose Bowl) and “The Big House” (Michigan Stadium.)

Selected by: P Kitty

Doreen Tracey –
Actress, Mouseketeer, attention whore.
April 13, 1943 – January 10, 2018.
Aged 74 years.

Most recognized for: She was one of America’s little sweethearts in “The Mickey Mouse Club” & other family friendly Disney shows in the late 50’s. Then she grew up… and decided to show her mouse trap to the world in a 1976 issue of Gallery… and then again in 1979. Needless to say, Walt stopped calling. She later became a publicist for Frank Zappa… only to finish her career working for Warner Bros. Not seeing the correlation? Ask a Zappa fan.

“Fast Eddie” Clark –
Musician, producer, quitter.
October 5, 1950 – January 10, 2018.
Aged 67 years.

Most recognized for: Eddie was the last surviving member of the original Motörhead line up. Whilst recording the abysmal cover of “Stand By Your Man,” Mr. Clark grew tired of Lemmy’s infatuation with Wendy O. Williams and quit the band. He later formed Fastway with UFO bassist Pete Way… which gave him something to do when he wasn’t sitting by the phone waiting for Lemmy to call him back.

Ray Thomas –
Singer/songwriter, Brit, flautist.
December 29, 1941 – January 4, 2018.
Aged 76 years.

Most recognized for: Ray had it made in the flower power days as a dark & stormy singer/tootler for The Moody Blues. With every velvety rendition of “Nights in White Satin,” he soaked the drawers of stoner chicks at concert venues around the globe. As time went on, the Vietnam war came to a close, bellbottoms went out of style, acid became harder and harder to find, and ol’ Ray’s prostate bit him in the ass.

John Young –
Astronaut, test pilot, moonwalker.
September 24, 1930 – January 5, 2018.
Aged 87 years.

Most recognized for: Yep. Yet another dead astronaut. Somebody should have wisened up and submitted a list of nothing but aged NASA dudes. John had the longest career of any astronaut, with 42 years of service. He was also the only guy to have flown/commanded all 4 classes of NASA spacecraft and the first crazy fukker to pilot a space shuttle in 1981.

Jerry Van Dyke –
Actor, comedian, lil’ sib.
July 27, 1931 – January 5, 2018.
Aged 86 years.

Most recognized for: Similar to the 2 Howard boys (Ron & Clint,) you have the Van Dyke boys. One made it big, and the other just barely made it… getting his start by appearing on big brother’s hit show. Jerry managed to branch out on his own, eventually… winning an Emmy for his role as defensive coordinator Luther Van Dam on the hit TV show “Coach.”

Thomas S. Monson –
Religious leader, author, one of those creepy mormons.
August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018.
Aged 90 years.

Most recognized for: At the time of expiration, Tom was the 16th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints… so he was kinda/sorta the pope of the Mormons. He also served as an executive boardmember for the Boy Scouts of America. So like many other religious leaders, he was deeply passionate about touching the lives of young boys.

Rose Marie Manzetta –
Actress, vaudevillian, Hollywood square.
August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017.
Aged 94 years.

Most recognized for: Rose’s 9 decades in showbiz began in shorts for Vitaphone at the age of 5. Radio, theater, the night club circuit, TV, film… she’d seen & done it all. Her highest profile gigs were starring as comedy writer Sally Rogers on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and as herself in over 600 episodes of “Hollywood Squares.” Had her on your list for 2018, did’jya? Sorry, Charlie… but that’s all she wrote.

Heather Menzies Urich –
Actress, philanthropist, Mrs. Spencer for Hire.
December 3, 1949 – December 24, 2017.
Aged 68 years.

Most recognized for: Heather played 3rd oldest child Louisa von Trapp in “The Sound of Music.” Desperate to shake off the wholesome child-star image and show off her lovely rack, she posed for Playboy in 1973. Several TV shows and a couple of B-horror flicks later, she hung up her acting spurs… but somewhere in that stack of old magazines in your dirty uncle’s basement, her star shines on.