Category: Obit

Miss Jean Simmons, R.I.P.

British Actress Jean Simmons passed away on Friday evening at her home in Santa Monica, CA from lung cancer. She was 80 (Jan. 31, 1929- Jan. 22, 2010).  While her  definitive acting  roles  are in  HAMLET (Ophelia), ELMER GANTRY (Sister Sharon Falconer), and GUYS AND DOLLS (Sister Sarah Brown),  my personal favorites were her parts in  Hollywood’s Swords and Sandals epics of old.

As Varinia in SPARTACUS:

and Diana in THE ROBE:

Forever the working actress, Miss Simmons  provided the voices in such  animated films as FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN (Council Member), Hayao Miyazakis’ HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (Grandma Sophie), and  2005’s THRU THE MOEBIUS STRIP (Shepway). She  saw two  Academy Award  nominations  in Lead and Supporting,  awarded 2  Golden Globes, and won an Emmy for her portrayal  of stoic matriarch Fiona ‘Fee’ Cleary, in  THE THORN BIRDS.  In 2003, Miss Simmons received the OBE (Order of the British Empire) for her services to drama.  She is survived by her two daughters, Tracy Granger and Kate Brooks.

SHADOWS IN THE SUN would be Miss Simmons last work….it was released in Great Britain in June 2009.

RIP Brittany Murphy Dies at 32

The movie-watching world was stunned this morning to wake to reports that actress Brittany Murphy had died of cardiac arrest.   TMZ first reported, and it was later confirmed, that the 32-year-old actress had gone into full cardiac arrest this morning at her home and was pronounced dead on arrival.

Though her passing is untimely, Murphy pushed her acting career in the last 15 year, appearing in dozens of films since her breakout turn in CLUELESS.   She also had memorable turns in DON”T SAY A WORD, 8 MILE, JUST MARRIED, and SIN CITY.

In May of 2007, Murphy married screenwriter Simon Monjack.   She had mentioned in recent weeks that the two were hoping to have a child in the coming year.

Though she was most noted as an actress, Brittany Murphy had interests in becoming a singer.   In 2006, she sang on a Paul Oakenfold track, “Faster Kill Pussycat,” a track that reached number 7 in the UK singles charts.   We leave you with the video for this song in her honor.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

Ron Silver, Actor, Dead at 62

Obit Silver

Probably best known as defense attorney Professor Alan Dershowitz in 1990’s ‘Reversal of Fortune’, actor Ron Silver died today in New York City of  esophageal cancer. According to the NY Post, Silver died earlier this morning surrounded by friends and family and had been battling the illness for two years. A one-time lifelong Democrat, Silver became a Republican after the horrific  attacks of Sept. 11th. Some of his other film roles include ‘Blue Steel’, ‘Timecop’, ‘Ali’, and a recurring role in tv’s ‘The West Wing’. Ron Silver R.I.P.