‘Soul Train’ Creator Don Cornelius Dead of Gun Shot Wound at Age of 75 of an Apparent Suicide

Don Cornelius, the creator of the TV dance show ‘Soul Train’ has died at the age of 75 of an apparent gun shot wound. How tragically sad. It appears that Cornelius was found dead in his apartment around  4 am of an apparent suicide, self inflicted gun shot wound. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Cornelius died of a gunshot wound at a house on Mulholland Drive, said Los Angeles police Officer Tenesha Dodine. Police responded to the call about 4 a.m. (7 a.m. ET), Dodine said.

Cornelius was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, according to Lt. Larry Dietz of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

Los Angeles police investigators reported to the coroner that Cornelius died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter said. The coroner’s office will perform an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.

He was the black Dick Clark of the 1970′s. However, it was not just black America that watched ‘Soul Train’. I can remember Soul Train on the TV on Saturday and the amazing crazy dance moves performed that I could only dream of doing. As stated at the WAPO, long before BET or MTV,  before cable television or the Internet, “Soul Train” taught a generation how to dance and let black America see itself having fun. At the center stood Cornelius in all his preternatural cool.   Some singing greats provide comments of the dearly departed Don Cornelius.

Gladys Knight, who performed on the pilot of the show more than four decades ago, said Cornelius “opened up so many avenues for African-American artists.”

In an interview with CNN Wednesday, Knight said he appeared in ill health when she saw him recently.

“Last time I saw him, he was pretty sick,” Knight said. “He had lost a lot of weight, but he still had that thing about him.”

Singer Aretha Franklin called his death “so sad, stunning and downright shocking.”

Singer Smokey Robinson said it was “a musical tragedy.”

Music producer Quincy Jones expressed shock and deep sadness in a written statement to CNN.

Tremendous obit at the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Robert Hegyes, Actor who Played Juan Epstein on ‘Welcome Back Kotter’ Dies at Age 60

Robert Hegyes, the actor who played Juan Epstein on one of my favorite comedies of all times, ‘Welcome Back Kotter” has died. Hegyes, who played Puerto Rican wheeler-dealer Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein and one of the “SweatHogs” on the 1970s classic “Welcome Back Kotter,” back in the day when comedies could be un-PC and were actually funny, dies at the age of 60 of an apparent heart attack.

Obit from USA Today:

THe was born in Perth Amboy and grew up in Metuchen, the eldest child of a Hungarian father and Italian mother.

He attended Rowan University, formerly Glassboro State College, in southern New Jersey, before heading to New York City after graduation. He returned to Rowan on several occasions to teach master classes in acting, a university spokesman said Thursday.

“He was a good friend to the university,” spokesman Joe Cardona said.

Hegyes continued to act after Kotter and was a regular on Cagney & Lacey. He also guest-starred in shows including Diagnosis Murder and The Drew Carey Show.

Robert Hegyes website.

In honor of the debates, we have included the Youtube VIDEO of the Sweathogs debate. Welcome Back Kotter, and its cast  John Travolta, Ron Palillo, Gabe Kaplan, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs and Robert Hegyes were brilliant in a time when comedy was comedy and there was no such thing as “reality TV” on TV.

Goodbye Robert Hegyes, Rest in Peace … signed, Epstein’s Mother’s doctor.

Former Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno Dies at Age 85 … Rest in Peace

Joe Paterno has died at the age of 85 …

We knew last night when it was reported that he was in grave condition, near death and had asked for friends, family and loved ones to come to the hospital to say his final goodbyes, that it was only a matter of time. Sadly, JOE PA has passed away at the age of 85 from complications of lung cancer.The winingest coach in Division I college football,  capturing 409 victories and two national championships at Penn State, has died.

Joe Paterno:  December 21, 1926 – January 22, 2012, Rest in Peace

His family released a statement Sunday morning to announce his death: “His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled.”

“He died as he lived,” the statement said. “He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community.”

It is obvious that Joe Paterno lost the will to live following the Penn State/Sandusky sex scandal. Joe Paterno loved two things, his family and Penn State. Sadly, many will only see the sex scandal that occurred as Paterno’s legacy; however, nothing could be farther from the truth. In the end Joe Paterno did not die of cancer, he died of a broken heart. He admitted he could have and should have done more when it came to the sex scandal that cost him his job and tainted his legacy. Paterno admitted, “I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was.” However, it would be short sighted and ignorant not to see the good that Joe Pa did for Penn State University and the many individuals whose lives he touched.

No matter what the PSU trustees try to do, Joe Paterno was and forever will be the face of Penn State. His contributions to the University were tremendous. How many sports coaches does any one know who give back to their colleges, rather than just use them as a stepping stone for their careers? The millions he gave back to PSU to make academics at Penn State a better place needs to be remembered.  Joe Pa made an incredible impact on the lives of so many; however, like all of us, Joe was human and not without flaws. He left the game the winningest coaches ever, he leaves us as a flawed man who tried to do his best. Let us remember him for the good he has done and forgive his trespasses.

Paterno became the winningest head coach in Division I football history on Oct. 29, when the Nittany Lions defeated Illinois for his 409th victory. It would be the last of the 548 games he served as Penn State’s head coach, covering almost 46 full seasons.

Statement from Penn State  Trustees and President Erickson on passing of Paterno:

We grieve for the loss of Joe Paterno, a great man who made us a greater university. His dedication to ensuring his players were successful both on the field and in life is legendary and his commitment to education is unmatched in college football. His life, work and generosity will be remembered always.

The University plans to honor him for his many contributions and to remember his remarkable life and legacy. We are all deeply saddened.

We will never again see a coach like Joe Paterno in college football. That is a shame. How many people actually stay in one place and forgo offers from other institutions or the NFL? Seriously, Joe Paterno was an institution. For many of us that grew up in the Northeast and had friends and family in Pennsylvania, Penn State football was our regional team. So many lives this man touched, yet it is the scandal that he is presently remembered for. Sadly, the sex scandal has tainted his reputation, but that is not all that JoePa was. We are all not without sin and I hope the individuals who were sexually abused at the hands of Jerry Sandusky get justice. More now than ever. What Sandusky did was pure evil and his actions continue to cause consequences.  Let us remember the many good things that Joe Paterno did and the many he helped, influenced and lives he impacted. As for his sins, all I can say is the following:

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen.

Conservative Author and Commentator Tony Blankley Dies at Age 63, Rest in Peace

Tony Blankley, Rest in Peace …

It is a sad day in the world of Conservative politics.  Conservative author, commentator, pundit and former editor of the Washington Times. Tony Blankly has died late Saturday night at age 63.  According to accounts, Blankly had been battling stomach cancer. Honestly, I had no idea he was even sick. Blankly always seemed to be one of the busiest, engaging, thoughtful and insightful pundits as he brought his talents to so many venues.

I always enjoyed Tony Blankley on “The McLaughlin Group,” as Tony would consonantly hand uber-lib Elenore Cliff her lunch and teach her a lesson in civics and the US Constitution. However, see below the Video PSA with Blankley and Swift be on the same side for the animals.

Mr. Blankley was an executive vice president of the Edelman public-relations firm in Washington, a visiting senior fellow in national-security communications at the Heritage Foundation, a syndicated newspaper columnist and an on-air political commentator for CNN, NBC and NPR.

He was also a regular weekly guest on “The McLaughlin Group.”

Mr. Blankley was editorial page editor of The Times from 2002 to 2007, and from 1990 to 1997 he served as press secretary and general adviser to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and present GOP Presidential primary candidate commented on the passing of Tony Blankley:

“Tony was a very special person,” Gingrich said. “Everybody in our alumni who have heard about it have felt something in their hearts because he was more than a great professional. He was a great human being, he was a caring and loving person, he was a tremendous amount of fun, remarkably erudite and educated, and we will all miss him deeply.”

Tony Blankley Wiki

He was also a child actor, appearing as Rod Steiger’s child in The Harder They Fall (1955).[14] He graduated from UCLA[15] and graduated Loyola Law School in Los Angeles (with a J.D.).[16] He was admitted to the State Bar of California Bar in 1972, but has been ineligible to practice law in the State of California since 2002 for a failure to pay his bar member dues.[17] Blankley continued to write for the Washington Times; he also lectured at many universities and institutes. On 19 November 2009, Blankley presented his lecture – A Year out from the 2010 Congressional Elections – National Politics, Policy and their Communication at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College.[18]

In Memoriam …Celebrities We Lost in 2011: Liz Taylor, James Arness, Peter Faulk, Steve Jobs and our own 2NJSons_Mom

In Memoriam of celebrities we lost in 2011, and one of our own celebs … We say goodbye, but you will never be forgotten.  So many of these celebs put a smile on our face and made us enjoy life, especially 2NJSons_Mom.

1. 2NJSons_Mom-  In Loving Memory of 2NJSons_Mom … Sadly in 2011, Scared Monkeys lost one of our own.Loss is always difficult and saying goodbye is especially hard when it is one of your own. She was loved by so many, read the many prayers & tributes.Until we meet again, God Bless.Sadly, we learned over the weekend that 2NJSons_Mom, a long time beloved Scared Monkey and moderator had passed away. The shock of the news was only outdone by the tears. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of 2NJSons_Mom as we all at Scared Monkeys deal with her loss. As news spread of her passing, Scared Monkeys members expressed their sorrow, tears, condolences and prayers for 2NJSons_Mom and her family. Scared Monkeys would like to thank the family of 2NJSons_Mom for sharing her with us. She was a special person who touched many lives.  You touched so many of us with your character and just being you. The pain of letting you go is only comforted by knowing that Heaven just became a better place and that you are no longer in pain and in eternal peace with The Father.It is with our deepest sympathies that we say goodbye to 2NJSons_Mom, a special person who helped make Scared Monkeys a special place and the world a better place.  Please know dear God that the memory and spirit of 2NJ’s Son Mom will forever be in our hearts and a part of Scared Monkeys. Until we meet again dear 2NJ’s Son Mom, I only say good bye for now, until we meet again my friend … thank you for making a difference and this world a better place.

   With all of our profound sadness and love,

   Your family at Scared Monkeys … God Bless You and Rest in Peace my Friend.

2. Liz Taylor - Mega actress Elizabeth Taylor has passed away at the age of 79.  She literally was the last of a dying breed of Hollywood actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood whose life on and off the silver screen was larger than life. The two time Oscar winning actress had a list of movies that is just too long to mention. One of my dearly departed  mom’s favorite actresses of all time.
3. James Arness – Marshall Matt Dillon  of  Gun Smoke fame has passed away at the age of 88 from natural causes. From 1955 to 1975 Arness graced TV screens as the larger than life Marshall Dillon keeping the streets of Dodge City safe from outlaws, Indians and desperadoes.
4. Jane Russel – was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood’s leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s.
   Jani Lane – lead singer for Warrant (VIDEO – Heaven) who died August 11 at age 47.
5. Sherwood Schwartz -  the creator and producer of “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Brady Bunch died July 12 at age 94.
6. Peter Faulk – the actor who made detective Columbo a household name died at the age of 83.
7. Steve Jobs – the co-founder of Apple has died at the age of 56. Sadly, we knew this day was coming as Jobs battled pancreatic cancer, but we just did not want to believe it.
8. Gary Moore – guitarist for Irish rock band Thin Lizzy (VIDEO – Boys are back in Town)  died February 6 at age 58.
9. Anne Francis - Better known as ’Alta’ Morbius, she made space costumes sexy in the 1956 sci-fi classic “Forbidden Planet.”  Sadly, she died January 2 at age 80
10. Singer Amy Winehouse – the trouble and talented singer died far too soon. What a crying shame.
11. Andy Rooney – Sadly, Andy Rooney, the TV “curmudgeon” has passed away in a New York City hospital of complications following minor surgery at the age of 92.
12. Essayist Christopher Hitchens passed away at age 66.
13. Jack LeLanne – the Godfather of fitness and health, has passed away at the age of 96. The man who brough fitness and health to households long before it became a cottage inductry has passed.
    Clarence Clemmons – the big man on the sax of the E Street band has passed away at the age of 69 due to complications from a stroke.
14. Jeff Conaway – The troubled TV actor of Taxi and who also starred in the movie Grease passes asway
15. Betty Ford -  the former first lady and the wife of President Gerald Ford, has passed away at the age of  93.
16. Geraldine Ferraro -  the first woman Vice Presidental candidate to run on a major party ticket has died at the age of 75. According to reports, Ferraro passed away from complications from multiple myeloma that she has fought for many years.
17. Cliff Robertson – Oscar winning actor dies at age 88.
18. David Border – Journalist and political pundit dies at age 81.
19. Harry Morgan – better known for his role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on ‘M*A*S*H’ and Officer Bill Gannon of ‘Dragnet” fame has passed away at the age of 96.
20. Mark Hains – CNBC anchor Mark Haines passed away Tuesday at the age of 65. Haines was the founding anchor of CNBC’s morning show “Squawk Box,” was co-anchor of the network’s “Squawk on the Street.”
21. Rapper Heavy D
22. Michael Gough – the butler from the Tim Burton Batman movies
23. Nick Ashford – The male half of the dynamic singing duo Ashford and Simpson (VIDEO) dies at age 69.
24. Tom Wilson – Ziggy Artist dies at age 80.
25. Knut - the lovable polar bear that captured the hearts of the world
    More of those who passed can be seen HERE.

Sports Athletes Who Died in 2011 … Harmon Killebrew, Macho Man Randy Savage, Bubba Smith, Al Davis and Joe Fraizer to Name a Few: REST IN PEACE

In Memoriam …

Sadly we lost some real icons in the world of sports this year. Among some who died were MLB Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, WWE Pro-wrestling great Randy “Macho Man” Savage, NFL football greats Bubba Smith, Chester McGlockton, Dave Duerison, Ollie Matson and John Macky, PGA golfing legend Seve Ballesteros, Oklahoma State women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna, NFL icon Al Davis and Boxing great Smokin Joe Frazier.

VIDEO

No death was probably more tragic than the terrible Indy car crash and the death of race car driver Dan Wheldon at the season-ending Las Vegas Indy 300. Weldon was just 33 years of age.

Sadly, boxing great and former heavy weight champion of the world, Smokin’ Joe Frazier passed away at age 67 after to battle with liver cancer.

The NFL lost its Commitment to Excellence … NFL Oakland Raider Owner Al Davis Dies at Age 82 … JUST WIN BABY!!!

More athletes who passed in 2011 can be seen here at Sports Illustrated. What is the most tragic thing after  reviewing the far many athletes who died in 2011 was sadly the amount who died due to suicide.

Fellow Monkey and Tarzan Co-star Cheetah dies at Palm Harbor Sanctuary at Age 80

Sad news from the Simian world … Cheetah of Tarzan fame has passed away at age 80.

When I first read this story this morning I had to do a double take. Cheetah, the simian Tarzan co-star died. I thought, surely Cheetah had died long ago, this must be another one. An 80 year old chimp is quite rare. Nope. Cheetah the chimpanzee, who acted in classic Tarzan movies in the early 1930s with Johnny Weissmuller, died of kidney failure  at the age of 80 Saturday at Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, Florida. The chimp was one of the original Cheeta’s who acted in a handful of Tarzan adventures from 1932 to 1934, among them the classics Tarzan and His Mate and Tarzan the Ape Man. Cheetah came to Suncoast around 1950 from Weissmuller’s estate in nearby Ocala and there he remained as one of its most famous residents.

Cheetah acted in the 1932-34 Tarzan movies, Cobb said. Movies filmed during that timeframe starred Johnny Weissmuller and include “Tarzan and His Mate” and “Tarzan the Ape Man,” according to the Internet Movie Database.

Sometime around 1960, Cheetah came to the sanctuary from Weissmuller’s estate in Ocala, Cobb said.

In the wild, the average chimp survives 25 to 35 years and at zoos chimps typically live 35 to 45 years, she said.

Cheetah, the most famous of the sanctuary’s 15 chimpanzees, liked to see people laugh.

UPDATE I: Hmm, I really hope that this story is true and not a hoax. Some are questioning whether was the chimp who died really Cheetah from Tarzan movies?

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il Dead at the Age of 69

Kim Jong Il, the North Korean dictator is dead at the age of 69. It is being reported that he died of an apparent heart attack, according to state run media. Although many North Korean’s were seen sobbing on video, maybe the next leader of North Korea will feed his people? Kim Jung Il has ruled North Korea for the past 17 year with an iron fist. The heir-apparent to Kim Jong Il is his son, Jong-un, who is only in his 20′s. One has to wonder whether Jong-un is prepared or will have the support.

Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s mercurial and enigmatic leader, has died. He was 69.

Kim’s death was announced Monday by state television from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.

Many more updates from the Yonhap News Agency (South Korea).  Also at CNN.

So one of the leaders of George W. Bush’s “Axis of Evil” won’t be down for breakfast or as Weasel Zippers states, hell has a new occupant. Isn’t it telling that MSM outlets refer to Kim Jung Il as … , when all of us know that the former North Korean dictator was a menace and a global annoyance.

What now for the future of North Korea and its relationship with the rest of the world? South Korea has been put on high alert.

Statement from the Obama White House:

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said late Sunday that the administration is “closely monitoring” reports of Mr. Kim’s death, that President Barack Obama had been notified and that U.S. officials are in close touch with South Korea and Japan.

“We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies,” Mr. Carney said.

Christopher Hitchens Passes Away at the Age of 62, 1949–2011 … Rest in Peace

Christopher Hitchens, contributing editor of Vanity Fair, has passed away from pneumonia and complications from esophageal cancer at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Hitchens passes away at the age of 62 after his long bout with cancer and leaves behind his wife and /….  Just far too young, Rest in Peace.

1949–2011 … Rest in Peace

Christopher Hitchens—the incomparable critic, masterful rhetorician, fiery wit, and fearless bon vivant—died today at the age of 62. Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the spring of 2010, just after the publication of his memoir, Hitch-22, and began chemotherapy soon after. His matchless prose has appeared in Vanity Fair since 1992, when he was named contributing editor.

Christopher Hitchens discusses radical Musims,
Islamic cartoons and free speech

Although I can say I did not agree with much of his politics and his religious views, I can remember the stark reversal Hitchens took with President Bill Clinton and his change of views following September 11, 2001. His views on radical Muslims were spot on. However, one does not have to agree 100% with ones thoughts and views to recognize a brilliant mind and an exceptional writer, with a biting whit second to none.

No Democrat angered him more than Clinton, whose presidency led to the bitter end of Hitchens’ friendship with White House aide Sidney Blumenthal and other Clinton backers. As Hitchens wrote in his memoir, he found Clinton “hateful in his behavior to women, pathological as a liar, and deeply suspect when it came to money in politics.”

He wrote the anti-Clinton book, “No One Left to Lie To,” at a time when most liberals were supporting the president as he faced impeachment over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Hitchens also loathed Hillary Rodham Clinton and switched his affiliation from independent to Democrat in 2008 just so he could vote against her in the presidential primary.

Read more

Harry Morgan, the Beloved Colonel Potter on ‘M*A*S*H,’ Dies at Age 96

Harry Morgan – Rest in Peace

Sad news out of the City of Angels … Harry Morgan, better known for his role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on ‘M*A*S*H’ and Officer Bill Gannon of ‘Dragnet” fame has passed away at the age of 96 at his home in Los Angeles. His career spanned the decades and he was in over 100 movies; however, is best known for his role as Col. Sherman T. Potter of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit in the Korean War on the TV series from 1975 to 1983. He  is survived by his wife, three sons, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Harry Potter discusses his years on M*A*S*H … “I have never been on a show where I actually liked every person on that show very dearly”.

Harry Morgan, the prolific character actor best known for playing the acerbic but kindly Colonel Potter in the long-running television series “M*A*S*H,” died on Wednesday morning at his home in Los Angeles. He was 96.

His son Charles confirmed his death, saying Mr. Morgan had been treated for pneumonia recently.

In more than 100 movies, Mr. Morgan played Western bad guys, characters with names like Rocky and Shorty, loyal sidekicks, judges, sheriffs, soldiers, thugs and police chiefs.

Even though I actually preferred M*A*S*H when Mclean Stevenson was in charge of the 4077, I much enjoyed Morgan’s role on Dragnet, officer Bill Gannon, the perfect compliment to Jack Webb.  Check out the VIDEO below of Harry Morgan discussing Dragnet, his role of officer Bill Gannon and Jack Webb.