Fluther: What late comedian(s) or actor(s) do you especially miss?

What late comedian(s) or actor(s) do you especially miss?

Asked by Pachy (18610

) April 7th, 2013
52 responses
“Great Question” (5

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Watching this marvelous 1997 George Carlin interview, I was reminded once again how much I miss this pioneering comedian’s intelligent sense of humor, his mastery of articulation, and his ability to reveal deep, sometimes very scary truths about the world in which we live while making us laugh at the same time. Whom do you miss?

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Topics: comics, Jon Stewart, comedian, george carlin

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Answers

Douglas Adams . Not only was he a satirical genius and brilliant author he did a lot of environmental activism. The world lost Adams far too soon.

El_Cadejo (34610

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Sam Kinison. Get your life squared away and cleaned up and get the fitting payback. Some idiot takes you out.

Adirondackwannabe (36713

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The Marx Brothers
Jimmy Stewart
Katharine Hepburn

janbb (63376

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Three (or rather 5) of my favorites too, @janbb.

Pachy (18610

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@uberbatman, I’m not familiar with Adams. Thanks, I’ll check him out.

Pachy (18610

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Jack Lemon

Earthgirl (11219

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Ah yes, @Earthgirl. Jack Lemon. Dramatic actor and comedian, wonderful as both. I miss him, too. Check out a movie he did with Julie Andrews years ago called That’s Life. A wonderful drama-comedy. I also loved him in “China Syndrome.”

Pachy (18610

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Heath Ledger and River Phoenix were both great actors who died too young.

tups (6737

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Richard Pryor. I listened to some old Pryor records a couple months ago, he was funny as shit right up to the end.

zenvelo (39591

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Kim Jong Il.

ragingloli (52393

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@Pachyderm_In_The_Room My favorites of his are The Out of Towners and The Apartment. But I also loved Grumpy Old Men and Some Like it Hot

Earthgirl (11219

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Samy Davis Jr. in my opinion was the most underrated singer, actor and comedian. Such a multitalented performer, the likes of which the world has never seem. He was also a genuine nice guy even though he was so good and living though times high racial tensions. Perhaps that is the reason that people have overlooked his genius. I think that his singing talent was his strongest point. He could even imitate other great singers exactly. His imitation of Frank Sinatra was even better that Sinatra. His comedic shtick was also superb. If you look up the word shtick in the dictionary a picture of Samy Davis Jr. should appear. Ha! I love that guy!

gondwanalon (23373

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When I had read your question before I read the details, George Carlin’s name popped into my head. His commentary on life was unique.

marinelife (62485

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And let us not forget Ryan Dunn. He died like he liked his steaks. Well Dunn.

ragingloli (52393

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Harvey Korman. He was magnificent on the Carol Burnett show as well as being perfect in his roles in High Anxiety and Blazing Saddles.

Laurel and Hardy.

Kardamom (33617

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@ragingloli—great minds…

Pachy (18610

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@gondwanalon, I totally agree. He was truly an entertainer’s entertainer, multi-talented beyond belief. Thank you for adding him to the list. I miss him, too.

Pachy (18610

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@Thanks, everybody. Great choices. I could name so many much older actors and comedians, but I fear some wouldn’t even recognize the names.

Pachy (18610

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Richard Pryor by far. Would have also loved to have seen what Chris Farley would’ve been able to accomplish.

JoeyOhSoClever (972

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I’ll second Heath Ledger and River Phoenix and add Patrick Swayze and Farrah Fawcett.

livelaughlove21 (15724

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Oh, and Brittany Murphy.

livelaughlove21 (15724

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@Pachyderm_In_The_Room Douglas Adams wrote the HItchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books. Great books, check em out. The radio shows were also really good if you don’t feel like reading all those books.

Babel Fish

El_Cadejo (34610

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Danny Kaye
Bob Hope

YARNLADY (46759

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Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart. He counts because he was in a short documentary in the 90s.
Dennis Hopper.

wildpotato (15229

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Jack Benny and Mel Blanc

George Burns

Edit to add the incomparable Lucille Ball.

Hawaii_Jake (37834

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Richard Pryor
George Carlin
And many more, but those two especially.

AmWiser (14947

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Hunter S. Thompson killed himself before the first election of Barack Obama. I would love to hear his insight into this presidency, and his opposition.

filmfann (52616

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Here’s an old couple for you. Bob and Ray on the radio. Very clever.

Sunny2 (18852

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Heath Ledger
Jimmy Stewart

augustlan (47745

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@Sunny2, oh yes, Bob & Ray. They were great. Would you believe I was once on their radio show? It’s a cute story, if you’re interested.

Pachy (18610

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Jonathan Winters
Dom De Luise.
Marty Feldman
Madeline Khan

ucme (50052

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+1 for Douglas Adams.

Throwing in Mitch Hedberg, too.

Seek (34813

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Most recently the death of Richard Briers saddened me.

OpryLeigh (25310

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@Leanne1986 Yeah, but he did have a good life though ;-}

ucme (50052

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I see what you did there!

OpryLeigh (25310

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Ha, predicted that spot on, wish i’d had better luck on the national on Saturday, my horse came 2nd.

ucme (50052

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@ucme
So were you top or bottom in that relationship with your horse?

ragingloli (52393

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You write that one all by yourself then, or did your anal-yst help you out?

ucme (50052

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It is clear you wrote that one all by yourself.

ragingloli (52393

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I love it when Germany and Britain go to war.

janbb (63376

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Aww, poor @ragingloli she must be grieving over the death of her twin sister,Thatcher was a world class cunt…but still.
@janbb War…this shit’s a walk in the park, keep it coming.

ucme (50052

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Yeah – there’s no grief in this household this morning for Maggie.

janbb (63376

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I’ve been pondering this question for several days, when it occurred to me the person I miss most has been right in front of my face the past week:

Dean Martin!

Just purchased an “album” from Amazon…watched a few YouTube videos….dusted off my Rat Pack dvd…

…yeah, Dino will always be missed.

SABOTEUR (14420

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@janbb yeah I keep forgetting your British roots, as it were, she was despised though.

ucme (50052

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Bea Arthur
Chris Farley
Richard Pryor
John Ritter
Lucille Ball
John Candy
John Belushi
Dudley Moore

There are just too many.

Plucky (10319

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Watching one of Jimmy Stewart’s best performances this morning, “Anatomy of a Murder,” I was reminded of the day he died in 1997. I was pulling into a supermarket parking lot when I heard the news on my radio. I sat there and just cried. All my life he had been, and still is, one of my favorite actors. What a career he had!

Pachy (18610

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I’d forgotten how much I loved Johnny Cash early in his career till I rediscovered him a few years before his death. I was very sad when he passed away. If you’re a fan, check out this NPR piece on his career and new 63 (63!)-disk box set.

Pachy (18610

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@Pachyderm_In_The_Room Some of his last recordings are among my very favorites. RIP to the Man in Black.

augustlan (47745

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Agree, @augustlan. Like The Man Comes Around?

Pachy (18610

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Yes! And Hurt.