By
Joy Neighbors
If
you thought the first six months of the year took a toll on our creative forces
– consider just the last month of December. Closing out 2016 with a final look
at those who passed …
July
 |
| Garry Marshall |
 |
| Garry Marshall |
He
was a man with the comedic Midas touch. Garry Marshall was a writer, director and
producer known for his 1970s-80s sit-coms Happy Days, Lavern and Shirley, Mork
and Mindy, and The Odd Couple. His directing credits include Pretty Woman, Exit
to Eden, The Princess Diaries and Georgia Rules. Marshall began his career as a
joke writer for The Tonight Show with Jack Paar in 1961.Marshall teamed up with
Jerry Belson and together they wrote episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Lucy Show and I Spy. Marshall set out on his own with Happy Days in 1974 which
spawned a number of sitcom spinoffs. Garry Marshall died July 19 in Burbank
California of pneumonia after suffering a stroke. He was 81 years old. Marshall
was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
 |
| Anton Yelchin |
 |
| As Pavel Chekov |
Anton
Yelchin was a Russian born actor known for playing Pavel Chekov in the
successful 2009 Star Trek and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013.
Yelchin took acting classes in L.A. when he was a child and made his television
debut as Robbie Edelstein on ER in 1994. During his short career, Yelchin had
acted in over 20 feature films and television shows. Anton Yelchin died on July
22 of blunt traumatic asphyxia when his vehicle rolled and pinned him against a
brick pillar outside his home. He was buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park
cemetery in Los Angles, California. He was 27.
August
 |
| Kenny Baker |
 |
| R2D2 & Kenny Baker |
Although
you might not recognize his face, you will recognize the character he played.
Kenneth Baker, an English actor of short stature, was best known as the robotic
character, R2D2 of the Star War movies; Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
(1977), Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars:
Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983). And again in 1999 with Star Wars:
Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Baker was active in movies
throughout his life. Kenneth Baker died on August 13 in Lancashire, England. He
was 81 years old.
 |
| As Fredrick Frankenstein |
 |
| Gene Wilder |
Another
comic genius was lost in August. Jerome Silberman, better known as Gene Wilder began his movie career in 1967 in Bonnie and Clyde. But Wilder soon became a
favorite of director Mel Brooks when he proved he could hold his own with
comedic timing. Wilder starred in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971),
Blazing Saddles (1974) and Young Frankenstein (1974), which he also co-wrote
with Brooks. Wilder went on to star in Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980)
and Another You (1991) with his pal Richard Pryor. He married Saturday Night
Live performer Gilda Radner in 1984 but lost her to cancer in 1989. Wilder
retired from show biz in the late 1990s and became a writer, publishing several
books. Gene Wilder died August 29 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He
was 83 years old.
September
 |
| Jose Fernandez |
Baseball
pitcher, Jose Fernandez died September 25 in a boat crash off Miami Beach. Fernandez,
who was a star pitcher for the Miami Marlins, was born in Cuba and had played
with the Marlin’s since 2013. Fernandez signed with the Miami team in 2011.
During that time, he was named as the Marlin’s Minor League Pitcher of the
Year. Fernandez’ last game was September 20 when he pitched eight shutout
innings. Jose Fernandez was 24 years old.
 |
| Arnold Palmer in the 1960s |
 |
| Arnold Palmer |
Another
sports figure also died on the 25th. Golf legend Arnold Palmer was
nicknamed “The King” because he was the first television superstar of sports back in
the 1950s. Palmer won 62 PGA Tour titles between 1955 – 1973. In 1974, Palmer
was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He also won the PGA Tour
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. In 2004, Palmer made his last appearance in
the Master Tournament having appeared there 50 consecutive times. He retired
from tournament golf in 2006. Arnold Palmer died September 25 in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania while awaiting heart surgery. He was 87 years old. Palmer was
cremated and his ashes scattered at Latrobe County Club in his hometown.
October
 |
| Tommy Ford |
 |
| As Tommy on Martin |
Thomas
Mikal Ford was best known for his role of Tommy on the TV show Martin (1992),
along with Harlem Nights (1989) and Uncle Buck (1990). During the 2000’s, Ford
had starred in over 15 films and had been working behind the scenes as a
producer/director. He had also done several theatre productions and was working
on a documentary. Ford died October 12of an aneurysm in his abdomen ruptured.
He was 52 years old.
 |
| Kevin Meany |
 |
| On The Tonight Show |
Veteran
stand-up comedian, Kevin Meany died on October 21. Meany was a regular on late
night talk shows and was famous for the line, “That’s not right.” Mean appeared
on Saturday Night Live and the movie Big with Tom Hanks. He also starred in the sit-com Uncle Buck for
one season. He wrote for several television shows and performed in the Broadway
musical Hairspray for seven years. Kevin Meany died on October 21 in New York.
He was 60 years old. He is buried in Mounty Calvary Cemetery in White Plains,
New York.
November
 |
| Janet Reno |
 |
| Taking the Oath |
The
first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney General died on November 7. Janet Reno
held
the position for eight years, appointed by President Clinton in the 1990s.
Under her guidance, initial prosecution in the bombings of the World Trade
Center in 1993 and the Oklahoma Federal Building in 1995 pieced together the
groundwork for convicting terrorists in the 21st century. Reno was also the first female state attorney for
Florida. Janet Reno died at her home in Miami-Dade County, Florida of
complications from Parkinson’s disease. She was cremated and her ashes given to
family. She was 78.
 |
| As a Young Reporter |
 |
| Gwen Ifill |
Gwen
Ifill was one of the most prominent and respected news reporters in the
country. She broke racial and gender barriers and was one of the most trusted
reporters in journalism. Ifill was the first African American woman to host a
major political talk show when she became moderator of Washington Week in
Review in 1999. In 2013, she and Judy Woodruff broke the glass ceiling in the news business by
becoming the first two women in the country to co-manage and co-anchor a
nightly national news program, PBS’s NewsHour. Ifill moderated the
2004 and 2008 vice-presidential debates, and had just finished with the
tumultuous 2016 Democratic primary debate. She was scheduled to receive the
John Chancellor Award at Columbia University on November 16. Gwen Ifill died of
endometrial cancer on November
14. She was 61 years old.
December
 |
| John Glenn |
 |
| John Glenn in the 1950s |
The
first American to orbit the earth died on December 8. John Glenn, one of the
most recognized faces of the American space program, was the last surviving
member of the Mercury Seven astronauts. Glenn began flying during WWII. In
1962, he boarded the Friendship 7 capsule and made history. In 1998, he again
made history as the oldest person to fly in space. Glenn left NASA in 1964, and
spent several decades holding political office, retiring in 1999. Glenn was
only the 9th person to lie in state in the Ohio Statehouse in
Columbus on December 30th. John Glenn died in Columbus, Ohio at the
age of 95.
 |
| George Michael |
 |
| George Michael with WHAM! |
One
of the most iconic pop singers of the 1980s died on Christmas Day. George
Michael, founding member of the group WHAM! was known for ‘80s hits Wake Me Up
Before you Go-Go and Careless Whisper. In 1987, Michael went on to a solo
career, earning numerous Grammy Awards and selling more than 100 million albums
around the world. Michael released albums until 2014, when his final album,
Symphonica was released. George Michal died of heart failure. He was 53 years
old.
 |
| Carrie Fisher |
 |
| As Princess Leia |
Although
she was best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies, Carrie
Fisher was also an author and screenwriter. The daughter of singer Eddie Fisher
and actor Debbie Reynolds, Fisher did not take her celebrity too seriously. In
fact, she was quite candid about her battle with bipolar disorder, depression
and substance abuse. Fisher went on to act in several movies including The
Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally. Then, last year, she reprised her role
as Princess Leia for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Carrie Fisher died December
27 of a massive heart attack. She was 60 years old.
 |
| Debbie Reynolds |
 |
| In the 1950s |
And
one day later, on December 29, Carrie Fisher’s mother, Debbie Reynolds died.
Reynolds was well known for her role in Singin’ in the Rain with Gene Kelly.
She married Fisher’s father, Eddie Fisher and had two children before divorcing
him after discovering his affair with Elizabeth Taylor. Reynolds was known for
her dancing and singing, which she continued through much of her life. Family
members say Reynolds couldn't handle losing her daughter the day before and
had simply let go. Debbie Reynolds died of a stroke. She was 84 years old.
