The Obituary Thread

[Buscemi]

Former Cubs third baseman and announcer Ron Santo has died at the age of 70 from bladder cancer. He played for 15 seasons, batting .277 with 2,254 hits, 342 home runs and 1,331 RBI's while winning the Gold Glove five times (all despite suffering from diabetes his entire adult life). He also announced for 21 seasons with the Cubs. His health had worsened over the last decade (having had both his legs amputated below the knee and by going almost blind as result of the cancer) but to live to age 70 despite various ailments was quite an accomplishment. He will be missed dearly, by both fans and rivals of the Cubs.

Here's Mike and Mike on Ron Santo:

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/n ... id=5878406

[Shrykespeare]

That sucks. I was a big cubs fan before the Dbacks came into existence. Back in the Harry Caray/Sosa/Sandberg/Grace era.

In other news: Happy 50th Bday, Julianne Moore and Daryl Hannah. (We don't have a birthday thread, so I'll just dump it here.)

[Buscemi]

Attorney, author and ex-wife of former Senator John Edwards Elizabeth Edwards died yesterday at the age of 61 after a long battle with breast cancer. Over her career, she worked as an attorney for 18 years in North Carolina and Tennessee, wrote two books on her life and battle with cancer and advised Presidential candidates such as her ex-husband and Barack Obama. She was also an activist for gay rights and health care reform. She is survived by her three children.

[Buscemi]

Blake Edwards passed away this morning at the age of 88 from complications of pneumonia. Over his long career, Edwards made many acclaimed films such as The Pink Panther films, Breakfast At Tiffany's, The Great Race, Operation Petticoat, The Party, Days of Wine and Roses, 10 and Victor/Victoria. He was also known for his collaborations with composer Henry Mancini and actors Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Peter Sellers and Julie Andrews (his wife). In 2003, he received an Honorary Oscar for his work. He is survived by Andrews and his four children.

[Shrykespeare]

Music icon Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) has passed away from MS at 69.

Don't know much about him, just that he had some very strange musical stylings like Frank Zappa (only less harmonic).

[numbersix]

Well, he did feature in my Top 100 Songs (Ice Cream for Crow at #45) and NSpan's (I'm Glad at #34)

[Shrykespeare]

Actor Steve Landesberg has passed away of cancer at the age of 65.

Best know for playing intellectual straight man Det. Arthur Deitrich on Barney Miller, he also made appearances on numerous other TV shows and movies, most recently Forgetting Sarah Marsahll (as Jason Segel's pediatrician).

[Shrykespeare]

Bud Greenspan, director of award-winning documentaries about the Olympic games, died Christmas Day of Parkinson's Disease. He was 84.

[Chienfantome]

The great Pete Postlethwaite, who was making quite a comeback year in 2010 with Clash of the Titans, Inception and The Town, has passed away !

[Buscemi]

That's quite shocking. I didn't even know he had cancer.

[Shrykespeare]

Wow, that's tragic. He was a great actor. Whether he was doing something serious like The Usual Suspects or something lighthearted like his role in Dragonheart, he always brought a certain verve to whatever role he played. He will be missed.

[W]

I had no idea he was nominated for an Oscar.

[Shrykespeare]

This just in... British actress Anne Francis has passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 80.

Among other things, she appeared in the classic Sci-Fi film Forbidden Planet.

[Shrykespeare]

Musician and songwriter Gerry Rafferty has passed away at the age of 63.

His best known song is probably "Stuck in the Middle With You". Yeah, that one.

[Buscemi]

He also did Baker Street. You know, that song in the scene where Matt Damon gets arrested in Good Will Hunting.