The RIP Thread

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Shifty Shellshock, Frontman of Crazy Town, Dead at 49

The musician, born Seth Binzer, co-founded the rap rock band in the Nineties that scored the Number One single "Butterfly" in 2001
By LARISHA PAUL June 25, 2024



Christopher Polk/WireImage

Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock has died at the age of 49. The musician, born Seth Binzer, was discovered at his home on Monday, according to ABC7, which cites the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. No additional details regarding the circumstances of his death have been revealed.

Binzer co-founded Crazy Town with Bret Mazur in 1999 after making music together under different monikers for a few years. The rap-rock group received success relatively quickly, releasing their debut album, The Gift of the Game, in November 1999 and scoring their first Number One single in March 2001 with “Butterfly,” which features a sample of the band’s one-time tour mates, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“The Peppers are a huge inspiration to us,” Binzer told Rolling Stone in 2001, detailing the support Anthony Kiedis offered when he turned to substance abuse during a particularly rough breakup. “Anthony found me and took me to lunch — where I tried to borrow money from him so I could get high. I didn’t finish my rampage for a couple of days, but he showed me that I had people who were worried and cared about me. Anthony’s this angel who appeared in my life.”

Crazy Town briefly disbanded in 2003 following their second album, Darkhorse, and Binzer released his debut solo album, Happy Love Sick, in 2004. The record featured “Starry Eyed Surprise,” his collaboration with British producer and musician Paul Oakenfold. He also acted for a brief period in the Nineties after being street-cast in a Levi’s commercial.

Shellshock had been open about his struggles with addiction and appeared on two seasons of VH1’s Celebrity Rehab and two seasons of its follow-up show Sober House, during which he discussed his journey with sobriety.

Binzer is survived by three children: Halo, Gage, and Phoenix.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Martin Mull, comic and actor known for 'Clue,' 'Roseanne' and more, dead at 80
His TV roles also included "Fernwood 2 Night" and "Arrested Development."

By Christopher Watson via GMA
June 28, 2024, 7:57 PM


Harmony Gerber/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Martin Mull, the comic, actor and musician best known for roles in "Roseanne," "Clue," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and many others, has died at age 80, according to his daughter.

"I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness," Maggie Mull wrote on her Instagram. "He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and—the sign of a truly exceptional person—by many, many dogs. I loved him tremendously."

His rep, Jennifer Craig, confirmed to ABC News Mull's death, "Yes this is sadly true."

In a career that spanned six decades, Mull was a familiar face in a wide variety of roles but specialized in playing egotistical or otherwise insufferable characters unaware of their own shortcomings. His pretentious talk show host Barth Gimble in the short-lived but cult favorite 1977 talk show satire "Fernwood 2 Night," with Fred Willard playing his sidekick, introduced Mull and his comedic sensibility to America.

Mull worked steadily from that point forward, appearing in nearly 40 films and more than 50 TV series. He had a seven-season recurring role on "Roseanne" as Roseanne's business partner, Leon Carp, and played the overbearing Principal Kraft for three seasons of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." Mull also made notable appearances on shows including "Arrested Development," "Two and a Half Men," "Community" and many others, and was Emmy nominated for his role as political aide Bob Bradley on HBO's "Veep."

In film, Mull's memorable roles included "Mr. Mom," as the supercilious boss of Terri Garr's character, and is credited with coming up with the movie's oft-quoted "220, 221, whatever it takes" line. He also played Colonel Mustard in the fan-favorite 1985 comedy "Clue," and Justin Gregory in the Robin Williams 1993 movie smash "Mrs. Doubtfire."

Mull was also a singer, songwriter and musician, and was known for performing humorous songs during his stand-up sets. He also released eleven albums of mostly humorous music, all but one of them in the 1970s. He was popular enough to open for mainstream music acts of the day, including Randy Newman, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and others.

Off-screen, Mull was a lifelong painter, having earned a master's degree in painting in the late 1960s, prior to embarking on his performance career. His work was exhibited and sold in galleries around the country throughout his life.

Mull was married twice and had one child, a daughter.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Benji Gregory, Child Star of ‘Alf,’ Dies at 46
Diego Ramos Bechara
Wed, July 10, 2024 at 8:41 PM PDT



Benji Gregory, former child actor and star of the 1980s sitcom “Alf,” has died. He was 46.

His sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger, told the New York Times that Gregory and his service dog were both found dead in his car on June 13 at a bank’s parking lot in Peoria, Ariz. Hertzberg-Pfaffinger also announced the news in a Facebook post on Wednesday, saying that the family believes Gregory had fallen asleep and “died from vehicular heatstroke.” She told the NYT that the official cause of death is still pending.

Gregory played Brian Tanner, the youngest child in the Tanner family, in “Alf,” which follows an alien living with a suburban family. Though his most recognized and celebrated work, Gregory also made several guest appearances in various TV shows during the 1980s and early 1990s, including “The A-Team,” “T.J. Hooker,” “Fantasy Island” and “The Twilight Zone.”

But his television stints weren’t just limited to physical work. He also lent his voice to various characters in animated series, notably “Fantastic Max,” in which he voiced the character Ben. Gregory also appeared as himself in the PSAs television series “The More You Know,” the children’s game show series “I’m Telling!” and an episode of “Fun House.”

After his early career in acting, Gregory stepped away from Hollywood and pursued other interests, including a stint in the U.S. Navy. He enlisted in 2003 and graduated to become an aerographer’s mate, specializing in meteorology and oceanography. He used his expertise to provide forecasts and warnings for aviation and nautical safety.

Gregory was assigned to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during his naval career. In 2005, he received an honorable medical discharge from the Navy and married Sarah Gregory shortly after completing his military service in 2006.

Back in 2000, Gregory was interviewed by People, where he reflected on his work in “Alf,” saying, “The only times it felt like work was when the lights were on, and it was real hot.” He added that he remembered “climbing under the stage and messing around with the staff.”

Though he noted it was a “relief” when “Alf” was canceled, as he no longer wanted to act, he also affirmed he “didn’t regret any of it.”

Gregory was born Benjamin Gregory Hertzberg in Encino, Calif., on May 26, 1978. His father, uncle and sister Hertzberg-Pfaffinger were all actors, and his grandmother was his agent. He studied film at the Academy of Art College.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Shelley Duvall, ‘The Shining’ and ‘Nashville’ Star, Dies at 75
By Pat Saperstein July 11, 2024 8:11am PT


20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection

Shelley Duvall, the big-eyed, waifish performer who won the Cannes actress award for Robert Altman‘s “3 Women” and endured Stanley Kubrick’s intense directing techniques to star in “The Shining,” died of diabetes complications on Thursday in Blanco, Texas, Variety confirmed with her partner Dan Gilroy. She was 75.

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley,” said Gilroy in a statement.

Duvall was known for working with director Altman, who cast her in “Brewster McCloud” as her first screen role. She went on to appear in his films “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” and “Thieves Like Us” before starring as part of the ensemble cast of “Nashville” in 1975. After gaining attention in “Nashville,” Altman cast her in “Buffalo Bill and the Indians,” then gave her unusual screen presence a chance to shine in “3 Women,” for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress as well as a BAFTA nomination.

Also in 1977, Duvall played a Rolling Stone journalist in Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall,” and met Paul Simon on the set. They dated for two years.

Duvall starred as Olive Oyl in Altman’s “Popeye” in 1980, a role that she seemed born to play, with her giant eyes. Her unnerving performance as a health spa worker in “3 Women” led Kubrick to cast her as Wendy Torrance, the wife of Jack Nicholson’s character in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” based on the Stephen King novel.

“The Shining” required more than a year of shooting, and throughout, the legendarily demanding director pushed Duvall to her limit. Some of her scenes in “The Shining” required more than 100 takes, with the baseball sequence landing in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most takes of a scene with dialogue.

Years later, she talked about the difficult shoot with the Hollywood Reporter. “After a while, your body rebels. It says: ‘Stop doing this to me. I don’t want to cry every day.’ And sometimes just that thought alone would make me cry. To wake up on a Monday morning, so early, and realize that you had to cry all day because it was scheduled — I would just start crying. I’d be like, ‘Oh no, I can’t, I can’t.’ And yet I did it. I don’t know how I did it. Jack said that to me, too. He said, ‘I don’t know how you do it.’“

Among her other roles were Terry Gilliam’s “Time Bandits” and the comedy “Roxanne” with Steve Martin.

During the 1980s, Duvall produced a series of children’s anthology shows based on classic stories. “Faerie Tale Theatre,” “Tall Tales & Legends,” “Nightmare Classics” and “Bedtime Stories” boasted notable directors including Tim Burton, Francis Ford Coppola and Ivan Passer and guest stars like Robin Williams, Jamie Lee Curtis, Elliot Gould, Laura Dern, Molly Ringwald and Ed Asner.

Born in Ft. Worth, Texas, she met Altman at a party while he was shooting “Brewster McCloud” in Texas.

After returning to Texas, Duvall appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s “The Underneath” in 1995 and the next year starred in Jane Campion’s “The Portrait of a Lady.” She retired from acting in 2002.

Though she lived a reclusive life, her appearance on “Dr. Phil” in 2016 garnered negative publicity for sensationalizing her struggles with mental health. In 2021, she was interviewed by the Hollywood Reporter writer Seth Abramovitch, who traveled to Texas and found her happy to reminisce over her career and fondly regarded in her community in the Texas Hill Country, despite her eccentricities.

In 2023, she returned to acting after many years, appearing in the indie horror movie “The Forest Hills,” which was not widely available.

She is survived by her partner, musician Dan Gilroy, and her brothers, Scott, Stewart and Shane.

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Photo: Eric Ryan Anderson

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Richard Simmons, Fitness Guru, Dies at 76
Simmons died one day after celebrating his 76th birthday, his longtime publicist, Tom Estey, confirmed to PEOPLE

By Gabrielle Olya and Brenton Blanchet* Published on July 13, 2024 05:12PM EDT


PHOTO: TOMMASO BODDI/WIREIMAGE

Richard Simmons has died at age 76, his longtime publicist, Tom Estey, confirmed to PEOPLE.

The professional fitness coach died at his Los Angeles home after his birthday. TMZ was first to report the news on Saturday, July 13, citing law enforcement. The outlet said no foul play was suspected, and that authorities responded to a call from a housekeeper at around 10 a.m. PT on Saturday.

"The world has truly lost an angel," Estey told PEOPLE of Simmons.

The fitness guru — who had not been seen in public since 2014 — posted on social media as recently as Saturday morning local time. He also let fans know the day before — on his 76th birthday — that he "never got so many messages about my birthday in my life."

"I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday," he wrote on Friday, July 13, in one of his final two posts.
Simmons most recently spoke to PEOPLE about his plans to celebrate his 76th birthday, in a story published on Friday. At the time, he said he planned to blow out a few candles for the occasion.

"But the candle will probably be on a zucchini. You know, I'm a vegetarian," he said, before admitting that he would try "maybe one Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie."

Simmons added that he felt "good" to be turning 76. "I am grateful that I'm here, that I am alive for another day," he said. "I'll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people."*

The popular instructor had humble beginnings. He was born Milton Teagle Simmons to vaudeville performer parents on July 12, 1948. He was raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where he held odd jobs — including selling pralines at the age of 8 — to help his parents out with money.

Simmons was an overweight child and often teased by his classmates for his size. By the time he graduated high school, the 5'7" star had reached 270 lbs. But it wasn't until he received an anonymous note on his car windshield telling him, "Fat people die young; please don't die," that Simmons decided he needed to lose weight for good. He ended up going on an unhealthy diet binge, losing 112 lbs. in just two-and-a-half months, and landed in the hospital when his kidneys malfunctioned.

When Simmons moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s, he decided to learn all he could about nutrition to keep his weight off in a healthy way. In 1975, he opened a health food store/exercise studio, Ruffage and Anatomy Asylum. The studio became a hit with celebrities, and Simmons' star also began to rise.

Over the next four decades, Simmons lived a life in the spotlight as a pop culture fitness icon, releasing five bestselling books, producing more than 50 workout videos, hosting weight loss cruises, teaching classes at his Slimmons studio in Beverly Hills, and appearing on talk shows and speaking tours.
Then in early 2014, Simmons made the decision to retreat from the public eye. He made his last public appearance in January of that year, and taught his final class at his famed Slimmons studio — which he officially closed in November 2016 — that February.

Simmons initially said he was taking time off to recover after a knee injury, but was never seen in public again.

In March 2016, Simmons called the Today show to say that he was in good health and not being held at his home against his will, despite reports.

"I do what I want to do as I've always done," he said at the time. "I've taught, like, thousands and thousands of classes and, you know, right now I just want to sort of just take care of me. I just really don't want to do anything. I just don't want to be traveling anymore. It certainly has taken its toll on me."

He added: "You haven't seen the last of me. I'll come back and I'll come back strong."

In June 2016, Simmons was hospitalized for dehydration, but said in a statement after the incident that "now I am feeling great." He was also hospitalized on April 17, 2017 after experiencing "severe indigestion," his manager Michael Catalano confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.

Public interest in Simmons was drummed up in February 2017 when he became the subject of the Missing Richard Simmons podcast. Simmons' longtime rep Tom Estey told PEOPLE he and Simmons did not participate in the podcast because "if there was a reason for us to comment or to cooperate, then we would certainly have done it, but we just didn't feel the need."

"He made a choice to take a break from public life, which he has the right to do," Estey continued. "People need to respect that and not surmise that there's something wrong, when there's nothing wrong."

Even though he had retreated from the public eye, Simmons continued to lead a relaxed life at home with his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles, according to his older brother Lenny, who was one of the few people to remain in contact with the star.

"He's doing exactly what he wants to do," Lenny Simmons told PEOPLE. "It's not like he's sitting around doing absolutely nothing and staring into empty space, because that's not him. I know he reads, I know he watches TV, I know he rests. I presume he exercises because he looks good. He loves his birds and his garden. He has a lot of hummingbirds that he feeds — he has hundreds of them. He helps cook — he's always been a good cook."

Speculation that Simmons might re-emerge began to rise after his manager's company, Prominent Brand + Talent, announced on April 6, 2017, that it had secured the exclusive worldwide rights to represent Simmons for merchandising, licensing and endorsements. "All I can say, at least for now, is it is possible," Catalano told The New York Times about whether Simmons would be directly involved in future deals. "But it is yet to be determined, I would say."

In March 2024, Simmons opened up about his health and revealed in an emotional post on Facebook that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer after noticing a "bump under my right eye." At the time, he shared with supporters that he was told he had basal cell carcinoma, and that after seeing a doctor, his cancerous cells were successfully removed. The message came days after he shared another message on Facebook about dying, which sparked health concerns. He later apologized for the “confusion."

“Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying,” Simmons wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion."

Simmons will be remembered by his fans and friends for his flamboyant personality and dedication to helping others.

"This man is a world treasure," Estey previously told PEOPLE. "He has helped millions of people lose millions of pounds, he has saved millions of lives. For 40 years, he took care of everyone else but himself."

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Shannen Doherty, 'Beverly Hills, 90210' star, dies at 53 after cancer battle
Story by Erin Jensen and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY


Lisa O'Conner/AFP via Getty Imagrs

Shannen Doherty, the actress known for her roles on "Charmed" and "Beverly Hills, 90210," has died after a battle with cancer. She was 53.

Doherty's death was confirmed on Sunday by her publicist, Leslie Sloane, in a statement shared with USA TODAY after People reported the star's death. On Saturday, the actress "lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease," Sloane's statement read.

"The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie," the statement said. "The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace."

Doherty has been open about her health in recent years after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. In November, she shared in a People magazine cover story that the cancer had spread to her bones.

The actress starred as Prue Halliwell, one of the sisters with magical powers on TV's “Charmed,” and had roles on TV's “Little House on the Prairie,” as well as in the movie comedies “Mallrats” and “Heathers.”

She got her big break on Fox's teen soap “Beverly Hills, 90210,” portraying high schooler Brenda Walsh, who with her twin brother Brandon (Jason Priestley) adjusts to life among the wealthy when their family moves from Minnesota to California.

After Doherty's diagnosis in 2015, she told USA TODAY the following year that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. For a brief period, it appeared Doherty was in the clear. After a single mastectomy in 2016, she completed radiation and chemotherapy treatment in February 2017 and announced she was in remission two months later.

Then in February 2020, Doherty revealed that her breast cancer had metastasized to Stage 4. In June 2023, she announced on Instagram that a CT scan from months prior showed that the cancer had spread to her brain, for which she was receiving radiation. "My fear is obvious," she wrote in her post. "I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life. ... The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like."

When she shared in 2023 that the cancer had spread to her bones, she sought to dispel the idea that she was helpless.

"People don't know a lot about cancer. I think they sort of assume it means you can’t walk, you can’t eat, you can’t work. They put you out to pasture at a very early age — 'You're done, you’re retired,' — and we're not," she told People. "We're vibrant, and we have such a different outlook on life. We're just so grateful for every second, every hour, every day we get to be here. We are people who want to work and embrace life and keep moving forward."

Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee on April 12, 1971, the second child of Rosa and John Thomas Doherty. Her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was 7. Doherty nabbed her first acting gig just a few years later, appearing in two episodes of the 1981 to 1983 Western drama “Father Murphy,” created by Michael Landon of "Little House on the Prairie" fame. Doherty fondly remembered the job by sharing a photo of herself in costume on Instagram in 2021.

“We worked in Tucson, Arizona, in 100-degree-plus weather wearing buckskins and I loved every minute,” she captioned the image of her younger self beaming. “It remains one of my fondest memories.”

Landon later cast Doherty in the ninth season of frontier drama “Little House” as Jenny Wilder, a role she revived for three TV movies. Doherty found success on the big screen as well, booking parts in “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1985), a lighthearted teen dance movie, and “Heathers” (1988), a caustic comedy co-starring Christian Slater and Winona Ryder.

This story is developing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shannen Doherty, 'Beverly Hills, 90210' star, dies at 53 after cancer battle

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

James B. Sikking, Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser, M.D. Actor, Dies at 90

The actor's other credits include 'General Hospital,' 'Little House on the Prairie' and 'Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'
By Victoria Edel and Breanne L. Heldman
Published on July 14, 2024 11:24PM EDT


Photo: Beck Starr/FilmMagic

James B. Sikking has died at the age of 90, PEOPLE confirms.

According to his publicist, Cynthia Synder, the Hill Street Blues actor died "peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family." The cause of death was dementia.

Known for his expressive face, Sikking's career spanned six decades. He was best recognized for playing Lt. Howard Hunter, the leader of the precinct’s Emergency Action Team, on Hill Street Blues from 1981 to 1987. The Emmy nominee also had a lead role as Dr. David Howser, the father to boy genius Doogie (played by Neil Patrick Harris) on Doogie Howser, M.D.

Both shows were created by Steve Bochco, who died in 2018.

James Barrie Sikking was born in Los Angeles in 1934. He attended El Segundo High School and earned a Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts from UCLA, where he first fell in love with acting.

During college, he spent time in the Army — and his drill instructor during basic training ultimately inspired his approach to his Hill Street Blues character.

“The drill instructor looked like he had steel for hair, and his uniform had so much starch in it, you knew it would sit in the corner when he took it off in the barracks,” he told The Seattle Times in 2014. “So when I started to play Howard, I picked out the way he should be dressed. It had to be a very military look. He had to have those jump boots."

He added, “When people asked me where I got the idea for his look, I told them it was the same look I had in the Army.”

Sikking performed in stage productions at Michigan’s Barn Theatre School before jumping to movies with 1955’s Five Guns West and 1956’s The Revolt of Mamie Stover. He made dozens of TV appearances, on shows including Perry Mason, The Fugitive, Gomer Pyle. U.S.M.C., Hogan’s Heroes, Mission: Impossible, Columbo, Little House on the Prairie and Hawaii Five-O. From 1973 to 1976, he appeared on General Hospital as Dr. James Hobart.

In 1981, he joined the cast of Hill Street Blues, an ensemble show, about a police station in a fictional city. ''The great thing about Hill Street Blues was that no one character was more important than any other,'' Sikking told The New York Times in 1988.

The series had poor ratings in his first season, but received a whopping 21 Emmy nominations (and would win eight of those awards). NBC renewed it, making it, at the time, the lowest-rated drama that was ever renewed for another season.

The series was not only a critical darling, but the show became highly influential for the decades of police dramas that would follow.

“It was a lot of hard work, but everybody loved it and that shows,” Sikking told Parade in 2014. “When you have the people who are involved in the creation, manufacture — whatever you want to call it — who are really into it and enjoy doing it, you’re going to get a good product.”

PEOPLE described Sikking’s character in 1987 as “a thug's worst enemy and a dog's best friend.” He received one Emmy nomination for the role.

“I’d done acres of crap,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2006. “This was special.” There were no filler episodes; every hour was just as meaningful as the ones that came before. “We did 148 hours, and there’s no bagel dough in it,” he explained.

Sikking also appeared in the 1984 film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. He was cast when producer Harve Bennett asked him to step into the role of Captain Styles.

“I was not into that kind of outer-space business,” he admitted to StarTrek.com in 2014. “I had an arrogant point of view in those days. I wanted to do real theater. I wanted to do serious shows, not something about somebody’s imagination of what outer space was going to be like.” He called that prejudice “silly” and said that he was recognized more by fans for his Star Trek role than for “all the other work I’ve done.”

When Hill Street Blues ended in 1987, after seven seasons, he continued to work. Most notably, he joined Doogie Howser, M.D. in 1989, alongside Neil Patrick Harris as the titular prodigy. The series ran until 1993. Other roles for the actor included The Pelican Brief, Fever Pitch, Made of Honor and The Closer.

Sikking married wife Florine in 1962, and they shared two children.

He had mostly retired by the end of the 2000s. “I must say that, in the past few years in which I haven’t worked, the obscurity has been quite attractive,” he admitted to StarTrek.com. “The wonderful thing about obscurity is it gives you a chance to be who you are and not some character. It also keeps you from being so self-conscious. . . . I still do my charity events, but I’m happy to be with my family.”

Hill Street Blues was ultimately the part of his long acting career of which he was most proud. He told The Seattle Times, “I’ve been an actor for 50 years, and when I look back at the show, I think it was the best show I was ever on.”

Sikking is survived by his wife of 61 years, Florine, his son Andrew, daughter Dr. Emily Sikking (Mallory ‘Chip’ Milam), and four grandchildren.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Bob Newhart, Beloved Comedian, Actor and Newhart Star, Dies at 94

The comedian, best known for his deadpan humor, died at his Los Angeles home on July 18, following a series of short illnesses
By Vanessa Etienne and Joelle Goldstein
Published on July 18, 2024 03:53PM EDT



Bob Newhart, the award-winning comedian and actor, has died. He was 94.

Newhart's publicist Jerry Digney announced in a press release obtained by PEOPLE that the actor died at his Los Angeles home on Thursday, July 18, following a series of short illnesses.

With more than six decades in show business, the beloved entertainer was most remembered for his roles in the CBS series The Bob Newhart Show, which ran from 1972 to 1978, and Newhart, which ran from 1982 to 1990.

Born George Robert Newhart on Sept. 5, 1929 in Oak Park, Illinois, the comedian attended Loyola University and served in the Army before working as an accountant. But after deciding to take a shot at comedy in Chicago during the late '50s, Newhart became an overnight success.

In 1959, Newhart made history with the release of The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. The debut comedy album became the first comedy record to hit no. 1 on the Billboard album chart, leading to Newhart's two Grammy Awards for album of the year and best new artist.

"In 1959, I gave myself a year to make it in comedy; it was back to accounting if comedy didn’t work out," he once said, per his obituary shared by Digney.

The success of his comedy album led him to begin a 12-year career in stand up before landing six seasons of The Bob Newhart Show. The show later earned Newhart multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. In the following years, the star also headlined Newhart from 1982 to 1990 and George and Leo from 1997 1998 before stealing scenes in films including Legally Blonde 2 and Elf.

Newhart received seven Emmys nominations, beginning with a 1962 nod for writing The Bob Newhart Show during the early phase of his career, including acting nominations for Newhart. He won his first Emmy in 2013 for his recurring guest role on The Big Bang Theory, netting two more nods in 2014 and 2016. His guest actor work on ER and the TNT movie The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice also earned him the Emmys' recognition.

In November 2020, the actor opened up about his illustrious career and his long-lasting impact saying, "I have a theory that when it's all over ... and you go up — [if] I've been led to believe to heaven — and there's a God and he says, 'What did you do?' [And] I say, 'I made people laugh,' [He will say,] 'Yeah, get in that real short line over there.'"

"Comedy has given me a wonderful life. When I first started out in stand-up, I just remember the sound of laughter,” he once said, per his obituary. “It’s one of the great sounds of the world."

His death comes after his wife Ginnie, whom he wed in 1963, died in April 2023. At the time, Newhart's publicist confirmed to PEOPLE that she died "after a long illness."

Newhart is survived by their four children, sons Robert and Timothy, and daughters Jennifer and Courtney, as well as 10 grandchildren.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Cheng Pei-pei, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and ‘Come Drink With Me' Star, Dies at 78
Story by Patrick Frater • 3d


Provided by Variety

Cheng Pei-pei, the Chinese-born actor who starred in Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and King Hu's "Come Drink With Me," has died. She was 78.

Cheng, considered a pioneer of martial arts roles for female actors, died in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday. She had long suffered from a degenerative brain disease and has donated her brain to medical research.

Born in Shanghai, on Jan. 6, 1946, Cheng moved to Hong Kong in 1962. With her ballet and dance training, she was soon working with the iconic Shaw Brothers studio. While her feature debut was drama film "Lovers' Rock," she became a major star in martial arts, action and swordplay movies following her breakout role in 1966 crime action film "Come Drink With Me," directed by King Hu. The film set the tone for a sequel ("Golden Swallow" in 1968), an unrealized remake by Quentin Tarantino and a host of other female-driven action movies from East Asia. It was named as Hong Kong's contender for the Oscars, but not nominated.

Cheng relocated again, to San Francisco in the 1970s where she raised four children and attended business school at the University of California, Irvine. All four of her children have had roles in entertainment. Harry Yuan has been a host on National Geographic. Eugenia Yuan, was a U.S. Olympic gymnast and has acted in Hong Kong films "3 Extremes II" and "The Eye 2," Australian TV series "Secret City," and U.S. productions "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" and the revived "Hawaii Five-O" TV series.

Cheng's career enjoyed a significant revival after her co-starring role as the poisonous Jade Fox in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000. The film won four Oscars and with $128 million earned at the North American box office, became the first foreign-language film to gross more than $100 million in the market.

Her subsequent career then spanned both sides of the Pacific Ocean, with film the titles including Hong Kong actioner "Naked Weapon" (alongside a young Maggie Q) and Hyde Park Entertainment's Capcom game adaptation "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li."

"To all her friends, colleagues, and fans, thank you for all the support you showed her over the years. Our mom Cheng Pei Pei wanted to be remembered for who she was: the legendary Queen of Martial Arts best known for her roles such as Golden Swallow (‘Come Drink With Me'), Madam Wah (‘The Flirting Scholar'), and Jade Fox (‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'). She was a versatile, award-winning actress whose film and television career spanned six decades, not only in Asia but internationally as well in roles such as "Junn" (‘Lilting'), "Maria Wang" (‘Meditation Park'), and "The Matchmaker" (‘Mulan')," said a statement from her family.

"She loved being an actress and knew, even with her hard work, how fortunate she was to have the career she had. Our mom remained humble and approachable, patient and kind, and always generous with her time, eager to help others whenever she could. She will be dearly missed."

In 2019, Cheng was diagnosed with a neuro-degenerative, atypical parkinsonism syndrome – unofficially, Corticobasal degeneration (CBD). It is a rare disease with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, however, current treatments could not slow the progression. She chose not to make this news public until now, so that she could deal with her condition in private and spend her remaining time with her four children (Eugenia, Jennifer, Harry and Marsha) and her grandchildren, the family explained. In lieu of flowers, Cheng requested that donations be made to the Brain Support Network (BSN) where her brain was donated.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Wally Amos, creator of Famous Amos cookies, has died
August 14, 20248:39 PM ET
By Alana Wise


Lucy Pemoni/AP

Wally Amos, the entrepreneur behind the Famous Amos cookie enterprise, has died. He was 88 years old.

His cause of death was dementia, his children said in a statement.

“With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride,” said children Sarah, Michael, Gregory and Shawn Amos.

“Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves, and chasing our dreams.”

Amos dedicated his life to making the perfect cookie and told NPR back in 2008 that the secret ingredient in his world-famous baked goods was love.

“I think it's important to love what you do because that love is transferred to what you do, and it turns it into something absolutely fantastic,” he said at the time.

While most people today will associate the Famous Amos brand with the yellow-boxed cookies that line the grocery store snack aisle, Amos' vision started in 1975 as a brick-and-mortar cookie shop in Los Angeles.

Using his aunt’s homemade recipe, the cookies were a hit and business boomed. But after declining sales in the late 1980s, Amos ultimately sold the company.
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He later moved to Hawaii where he would continue baking his famous confections.

The family said Amos died at home peacefully with his wife, Carol, by his side. They suggested that in lieu of sending flowers, people could donate to the Alzheimer's Association in his memory.

“We also know he would love it if you had a chocolate chip cookie today.”

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