In Memoriam

Happy Birthday: Ruth Warrick (1916) At Rest: Bob Crane (1978) Lana Turner (1995) William Hickey (1997) Rosemary Clooney (2002) Katharine Hepburn (2003)

Born: August 2, 1924 It has been 10 years since a marvelous actor was taken from us.  During the earliest days of television he appeared on such shows as "The United States Steel Hour", "The Dick Powell Theatre", "The Fugitive", "The Defenders", "Ben Casey", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", "I Spy", "That Girl", "The Wild Wild West" and "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre."  In 1968 he was handed the role that make him a household name...the groundbreaking series "All in the Family", created by producer Norman Lear began on January 12, 1971 and would help to define television for the next decade.  As Archie Bunker, he brought words to television that had never been there before.  Along side veteran character actress Jean Stapleton as his ditzy wife Edith, he helped television move in a new direction.  Because of the acceptance their performances received, television chang

Happy Birthday! Jeanette MacDonald - 1903 Keye Luke - 1904 Kay Kyser - 1905 Bud Collyer - 1908 Nedra Volz - 1908 E.G. Marshall - 1914 At Rest: Ethel Barrymore - 1959 Nancy Marchand - 2000

On June 16, 1959 the world learned that television's first Man of Steel was dead... Over the course of the past 52 years many people have gone back and forth with the truth - did he end his own life or was he murdered?  Whatever the truth is, one thing is fact, he was dead and the spirit of many children across America took an incredible blow. Born January 5, 1914, in appeared in several Hollywood films including Gone With The Wind, From Here to Eternity, So Proudly We Hail, and The Blue Gardenia before stepping into the red and blue costume that would make him a legend.  Every chance they got, his "Superman" co-stars Jack Larson (Jimmy Olsen), Phyllis Coates (Lois Lane #1), Noel Neill (Lois Lane #2) and Robert Shayne (Inspector Henderson) always talked about what a good friend he was and how seriously he took role as Superman/Clark Kent.  Shayne passed away in 1992 but Larson, Coates and Neill continue to this day to remind us of how special the man was.  Jack Larson

Born: June 8, 1921 A wonderful actress would've celebrated a milestone today.  With her genuine good looks and and deep sultry voice she captured the movie screen in the 1940's.  Some of her film credits include The Adventures of Mark Twain, The Horn Blows at Midnight, The Woman in White, Whiplash and The Sleeping Tiger.  As television entered the picture she appeared on some its earliest productions including "The Star of the Story", "Stage 7", "Robert Montgomery Presents", "Lux Video Theatre" and "The United States Steel Hour."  Her other television credits include "The Defenders", "Marcus Welby, M.D.", The Love Boat", "Hothouse" and "Cheers."  In 1984 she appeared on the red hot night time soap opera "Dallas" as the sister of oil baron Clayton Farlow (Howard Keel).  Her character, Lady Jessica, was a serial killer who caused havoc at Southfork for seven episodes at on

Happy Birthday to "In Memoriam" - the work on this blog began on this day in 2008.  With 442 posts there have been tributes posted to almost 1,000 people if not more.  It has been my absolute delight and pleasure to work on this blog, I put my very best into every post.  I do hope you'll continue to come back. In Memoriam will continue to always remember them all!

Born: May 26, 1923 A true television legend, he played Matt Dillion on "Gunsmoke" for 20 seasons which came to more than 600 episodes.  Before his television career he appeared in several films in the 1940's and 50's one of them being 1951's The Thing from Another World in which he played "The Thing."  He made his first television appearance in 1950 on "The Lone Ranger."  After "Gunsmoke" ended in 1975 he went on to work on such projects as "How the West Was Won" and "McClain's Law."  Between 1987 and 1994 he appeared in five "Gunsmoke" reunion movies. He left us on June 3, 2011 - leaving behind an incredible legacy.  In Memoriam Remembers: James Arness    

Happy Birthday! Clara Blandick - 1880 Rosalind Russell - 1907 Dennis Weaver - 1924 At Rest: Jack Gilford - 1990

Born on February 21, 1934 she passed away one year ago but thanks to her marvelous talent her spirit will always be with us.  The contributions she made to film and television as well as the Broadway stage will never be forgotten.  Whether she was Vivian on "Maude", Aunt Fran on "Mama's Family", Blanche Devereaux on "The Golden Girls" or Peggy Ingram on "Sordid Lives: The Series"  - Rue was always there.  You may have seen her in the feature film Out to Sea in 1997 or in one of her many television  guest appearances which include "Fantasy Island", "The Love Boat", "Burke's Law" (both versions), "Murphy Brown", "Newhart", "Lou Grant" and "Law & Order."  Her final acting role was on the television series "Meet the Browns" in 2009.       One year after her passing: In Memoriam Remembers: Rue McClanahan

Happy Birthday! Walter Tetley - 1915 At Rest: Jim Hutton - 1979 Imogene Coca - 2001 Mel Ferrer - 2008