Gone With or Without fanfare

[knitwit45]

Sleep in heavenly peace, Shirley. You will always be Heidi to me...

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Me, too. Our elementary school gave a screening of Heidi on the last day of school before the Christmas break every year. I still watch it each year sometime around the holidays, it just wouldn't be Christmas without that sweet little girl.

[moira finnie]

I didn't see this posted yet, but thought that others would want to catch the "TCM Remembers Shirley Temple 1928-2014" spot:

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[Rita Hayworth]

Just Beautiful Moira!

[Lomm]

Reading just now that Sid Caesar has passed away, at 91. RIP

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26162316

[ChiO]

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Hail, Caesar! R.I.P.

[Nick]

Rest in peace to Shirley Temple and Sid Caesar.

[Rita Hayworth]

My thoughts on Sid Caesar:

He's one of many icons in the world of television and his ability to make people laugh - I laughed when his show "Your Show of Shows" was on syndication on one of my local channels that carry him. I find him genuine, lovable, and most of all a delight to be with. He will be missed by all of us and he was a great saxophonist too and his loved his music and composing ability as well. He was that multi-talented and loved him in the movie the MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD as Melville Chump. He was hilarious and fun to watch!

He was a regular feature guest stars on so many television show that he always loved to work his magic and that alone makes him a true entertainer as well and because of that he'll be missed by all and I find him enjoyable to watch. I just love this guy!

Thanks, Sid!

[CineMaven]

TCM Remembers' tribute to Shirley Temple was so wonderful. The editors have an eye and a heart. Their choice of clips is a great showing of Ms. Temple. That shot of her in the rain was like lightning. I beg the Academy to allow TCM work on its memorial tribute to those who passed away in 2013. TCM can do justice. Also in other sad news...

ALICE BABS passed away at 90, yesterday. She's like the Swedish Doris Day. She's as cute as a button and had a great voice. Worked with the great Duke Ellington. I fear all those folks born in the 20's are now leaving us. This is going to be a very bad next couple of years for us film fans.

http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=s ... ay_aged_90

Click on my foto collage to see Ms. Babs sing with Duke Ellington's accompaniement:



Check out this clip of her as a teenager. She's swingin' it and has a touch of Ella in her singing.

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[JackFavell]

Groan. Too many of the ones who make us laugh and make us happy.


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Maven, Alice Babs was wonderful! I love her voice... she's like Judy or Deanna Durbin, just a little slip of a thing, where did that great voice come from?

[Sue Sue Applegate]

I have been so sad about Shirley Temple's passing, and now Sid Caesar. But to take some of the sting out of his passing, I just read a great interview that former Guest Author Dwayne Epstein conducted with the great comedian:http://pointblankbook.com/tag/dwayne-epstein/

[Lzcutter]

Sid Caesar was a comic genius. I know that much of early television history is weighted towards Uncle Miltie and his show but, for me, Sid Caesar was the true groundbreaker. 90 minutes of comedy every Saturday night for four years.

And not just Sid but the creative talent he surrounded himself with-Imogene Coco, Carl Reiner, Bill Hayes are the ones that come most easily to mind. And the writer's room that included Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart (who would later helm the TV show *M*A*S*H* and a Broadway play or two), Neil Simon, his brother Danny (who gave us Barney Miller, and Carl Reiner (who always cites Sid and the time he worked with hi as an influence for Dick Van Dyke Show and Woody Allen (who worked on Sid's comedy specials).

Without Sid, Mel Brooks wouldn't have produced My Favorite Year because without working for Sid, there would have been no memories to draw upon. We would have been robbed of one of Peter O'Toole's grandest roles and Joseph Bologna's wonderful homage to Sid, not to mention Cameron Mitchell, Laine Kazan, Selma Diamond and the rest of the wonderful cast, not to mention one of the best films Mel produced.

So, whether you were around to see Your Show of Shows when it originally aired in the early 1950s or came to be a fan of Sid Caesar in the years that followed, comedy was brighter and funnier (and riskier in many ways) because of Sid and the talent he surrounded himself with.

And we are all the better for it.

RIP, Sid Caesar. The bar in heaven is deep with admirers tonight and drinks are on St. Peter, so enjoy the accolades!

[Western Guy]

What a sad week as we lose another TV legend, Ralph Waite from THE WALTONS:

http://www.etonline.com/news/143507_The ... index.html

[Rita Hayworth]

I just love Ralph Waite as Jackson Gibbs - Jethro's Father on NCIS in the past few years; and he is very well respected by his peers.

[Lzcutter]

Erik,

I agree with you about his character, Jackson Gibbs. His prickly relationship with his son helped the audience understand Harmon's character and background better than all the mentions of Jethro's past in previous seasons.

Ralph Waite was also wonderful as the Rev. Norman Balthus on HBO's very intriguing series, Carnivale from about ten years ago.

He and Michael Learned were just terrific as the couple anchoring the big family better known as The Waltons.

[mrsl]

Two of my favorite people passed this week:

Shirley Temple - savior of Columbia Studios

Ralph Waite: Ralph Waite is an actor who is best known for playing John Walton Sr. on the 1970s television series The Waltons. Ralph Waite was born on June 22, 1928, and will live for a very long time in the memories of family entertainment fans. And I also liked him as Gibbs' father.