Tag Archives: Celebrity/musician deaths

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: “Macho Man” Randy Savage 1952 – 2011

Leave a comment

When I was a kid, I started watching professional wrestling because of none other than, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, a wrestler who is most well known for his famous catchphrase, “Oooooh yeeeaaahhh”.
That’s when I became addicted to old school WWF. I still watch wrestling today because of him. Randy Savage is, in my opinion, the true legend of wrestling. There is none other like him. He was also one of the best performers in professional wrestling who had the best microphone skills than any other wrestler in history. He put on some pretty amazing promos over the years.

Randy Savage worked for WWE from 1985 – 1994, having some of the most memorable feuds against Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Ultimate Warrior… being a few of his most well known opponents. Throughout the years of WWF, he had managers Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan and Classie Fredie Blassie by his side. Later in the years, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage teamed up together for a tag team called, The Mega Powers. Randy Savage retired from WWF in 1991 after beating “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan to become “King of the Ring”.

Later that year, Savage made a WWF comeback to feud with Jake the Snake Roberts. Around then, that’s when the relationship storyline with Miss Elizabeth began. This is where Ric Flair comes in to feud with Randy Savage, Ric tries to steal Miss Elizabeth from Randy Savage. This is Randy Savage’s most famous storyline. The Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage feud was a classic.

After the feud was over, Randy teamed up with the Ultimate Warrior to form a tag team called, the Ultimate Maniacs where they continued to feud with Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect. In 1993, Randy Savage became a color commentator instead of a wrestler, then he retired from WWF for good in 1994, to join Ted Turner’s wrestling company, WCW.

In WCW, Randy Savage would continue to feud with Flair until Savage joined Hulk Hogan’s, nWo group in 1997. Randy Savage retired from WCW in 1999. In 2004, Randy Savage made a return to wrestling for Jeff Jarrett’s “TNA”. Randy only stayed there for a year. He mostly feuded with Jeff Jarrett.

After, Savage’s brief TNA run, Savage retired from wrestling for good. He started to star in a string of “Slim Jim” commercials, which he is also most famous for. Last year at the San Diego Comic Con, Randy Savage appeared via satellite to promote the upcoming Mattel WWE action figures. That was the last we heard from Randy Savage in the wrestling business.

This is a very sad loss for the wrestling industry. The wrestling world lost a great one. I am pretty devastated. He has a been a favorite of mine for years. I was hoping for a Randy Savage WWE comeback but it’s never going to happen now. He was one of the greats. An inspiration. A hero to us all. He will be missed. RIP, the “Macho Man”, Ooooooohhhh yeah. Snap into it!

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

R.I.P.: Jackie Cooper 1922 – 2011

Leave a comment

Jackie Cooper was born with acting. Yes, that’s right, he was born with it. Jackie started acting in Hollywood film at the age of 3, when he appeared as an extra in films with his grandmother. Later he started starring in a bunch of films with legendary actor, Lloyd Hamilton. Jackie never won an Academy award but he was the very first young star to be nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Actor in a Leeding Role” for the film, “Skippy”. As he got older, he started several collaborations with legendary actor, Wallace Beery, with “Treasure Island” being their most well known film.

As an adult, Jackie served in the U.S. Army for World War II. After the war, he started to star in a bunch of TV shows such as, “The People’s Choice” and CBS’s “Hennessey”.

In the late 1970’s, Jackie Cooper became a more well known and mainstream actor when he got casted as Perry White for Richard Donner’s, “Superman: The Movie”, he played the Daily Planet head honcho. Jackie starred as Perry White in all 4 Superman films. Jackie announced retirement from film, but he still kept directing some episodes for the TV show, “Superboy”. Jackie Cooper died in Beverly Hills, California. He was 88 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Maryanne Joan Elliot-Said aka Poly Styrene 1957 – 2011

Leave a comment

Another music legend is gone. Some may not know who this woman is, but for you die hard punk rock fans would know who she is. She is the front woman for the pioneering punk rock band, X-Ray Spex. At age 15, she ran away from home and became a barefoot hippie. She lived the hippie lifestyle for most of her life. After seeing the Sex Pistols for her birthday in 1975, she formed a punk rock band of her own named, X-Ray Spex.

The band X-Ray Spex didn’t last very long as they only did two studio albums and a couple of live albums. After the band broke up, she recorded her own solo album, “Translucence” in 1980. She just recently released a new solo album this year titled, “Generation Indigo”. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away. She was 53 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Phoebe Snow 1952 – 2011

Leave a comment

Phoebe Snow, a legendary folk singer, most famous for her anthem song, “Poetry Man” died today, due to complications from a stroke she suffered last year. When she was a teenager, she bought a Martin 00018 acoustic steel string guitar and played almost every club in Greenwich Village in, New York City. The name Phoebe Snow is a staged name that was originally taken from a fictional character created by Earnest Almo Calkins as a way to help promote the Lackawanna Railroad.

In 1972, she was signed to a record deal when an A&R rep saw her perform at the Bitter End club in NYC. The A&R guy was so blown away by her performance that he signed her on the spot. Toward the 90’s and the 2000’s years, she appeared on Howard Stern’s radio show many times, and performed at his wedding. She also performed for Bill Clinton’s, Camp David in 1999. Phoebe Snow was 58 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Tim Hetherington 1970 -2011

Leave a comment

Tim Hetherington, a British-American photographer and journalist was killed by a mortal shell or an RPG round while covering work in the city of Misrata, Libya. Tim is best known for his work on the documentary he made with Sebastian Junger titled, “Restrepo”. The film is about Junger and Tim documenting the war in Afghanistan.

“Restrepo” is available for streaming in Netflix for those interested in checking it out. I plan to check it out this weekend. Honestly, I never knew who Tim Hetherington was until I started seeing his name all over the news, but after learning more about him, much respects. He’s quite a talented and brave man. He’s willing to be around dangerous places for his work, which not many photographers can do. RIP, Tim Hetherington.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Sidney Lumet 1924 – 2011

Leave a comment

The legendary Oscar winning film director, Sidney Lumet, has passed away this weekend. To those who aren’t familiar with his work, he is most well known for working with Al Pacino a few times with films such as “Dog Day Afternoon”, and “Serpico”. He was also the director of, “The Wiz”, the Wizard of Oz remake that starred Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. Some of his other famous films include, “12 Angry Men” which he had Henry Fonda star the leading role and directed the film, “Deathtrap” starring a young Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine. He has teamed up with many big name actors over the years such as: Melanie Griffith, Richard Gere, Jane Fonda, Vin Diesel, Glenn Close and many more.

Sidney Lumet died in his home in Manhattan, New York City. He was 86 years old.

Kev

 

 

 

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Elizabeth Taylor 1932 – 2011

Leave a comment

Very sad and heartbreaking news today. One of the most famous actresses in the world, Elizabeth Taylor passed away. She is known to having various health problems over the years, mostly having problems with her heart. She is a two time Academy Award winner. She won for “Butterfield” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf”. Her most famous role that she is well known for is, “Cleopatra”, the biopic film of the Egyptian queen which she starred alongside, Richard Burton. Another one of her famous roles is in the film, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”.

We lost a true legend in the movie industry today. I actually watched “Cleopatra”, on TV just not too long ago and next thing you know, Elizabeth is gone. Elizabeth Taylor was 79 years old.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Nate Dogg 1969 – 2011

Leave a comment

The world of music lost another great one. I wasn’t much into rap, hip hop or R&B, but I respected, Nate Dogg. That guy has talent, can’t deny that. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like this type of music, Nate Dogg was talented, I’ll say it again. I didn’t know much about Nate Dogg’s career, though. I only knew him through his hit song with Warren G, “Regulate”. That song brings back memories to my high school years. When I was in high school in the 90’s, that song was being played all over the place. Pretty much everywhere you went, you heard that song. I’m not into this kind of music much, I’m more of a rock & metal kind of guy, but I did LOVE this one song, “Regulate”. “Regulate” is a very powerful tune.

Nate Dogg died yesterday in Long Beach California, his cause of death is not known at this time, but he was well known to having a few strokes in the past. Nate Dogg’s music have inspired other rap music artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and more. RIP Nate.

Kev

Celebrity/musician deaths

RIP: Mike Starr 1966 – 2011

Leave a comment

Alice In Chains, the legendary Seattle grunge band, have lost another one. First they lost their important front man, Layne Staley, and now they lose their long time bassist, Mike Starr. Mike was one of the founding members of Alice in Chains, he played in the band from when they first started all the way ’til, 1993. Mike Starr left Alice In Chains due to his drug addiction and wanted to get clean by joining the cast to Dr. Drew’s reality show, “Celebrity Rehab” on, Vh-1. Mike Starr was found dead yesterday, in Salt Like City, his cause of death haven’t been announced yet, but everyone is speculating that it could be a drug overdose.

Alice In Chains is one of my favorite bands of all times. I feel bad for Jerry and the guys in AIC, that they have to go through another death when they just lost, Layne. Sad news. RIP Mike Starr. Sad loss in the music industry.

Kev