Year: 2020

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Ennio Morricone, Composer, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’, Dies 91

Ennio Morricone, (10 November 1928 – 6 July 2020) was an Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, and trumpet player who wrote music in a wide range of styles. Morricone composed over 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as over 100 classical works. His score to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) is considered one of the most influential soundtracks in history and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. His filmography includes over 70 award-winning films, all Sergio Leone’s films since A Fistful of Dollars, all Giuseppe Tornatore’s films since Cinema Paradiso, The Battle of Algiers, Dario Argento’s Animal Trilogy, 1900, Exorcist II, Days of Heaven, several major films in French cinema, in particular the comedy trilogy La Cage aux Folles I, II, III and Le Professionnel, as well as The Thing, Once Upon A Time In America, The Mission, The Untouchables, Mission to Mars, Bugsy, Disclosure, In the Line of Fire, Bulworth, Ripley’s Game and The Hateful Eight.

Ennio Morricone cause of death

In 6 July 2020, Morricone died at the Università Campus Bio-Medico in Rome as a result of injuries sustained during a fall.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly • Main Theme • Ennio Morricone

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Carl Reiner, Comedy legend, dies 98

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Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. During the early years of television comedy from 1950 to 1957, he acted on and contributed sketch material for Your Show of Shows and Caesar’s Hour, starring Sid Caesar. In the 1960s, Reiner was best known as the creator, producer, writer, and actor on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Reiner formed a comedy duo with Mel Brooks in “2000 Year Old Man” and acted in films such as It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966), and the Ocean’s film series (2001–2007). He co-wrote and directed some of Steve Martin’s first and most successful films, including The Jerk (1979), and also directed comedies such as Where’s Poppa? (1970), Oh, God! (1977), and All of Me (1984).

Reiner appeared in dozens of television specials from 1967 to 2000 and was a guest star on television series from the 1950s until his death. He also voiced characters in film and animated films, and was a reader for books on tape. He wrote more than two dozen books, mostly in his later years.

Reiner was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Emmy Awards, one Grammy Award, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999. He was the father of actor and director Rob Reiner, author Annie Reiner, and artist Lucas Reiner, and the grandfather of Tracy Reiner.

Carl Reiner cause of death

On June 29, 2020, Reiner died at the age of 98 in his home in the company of his family. Reiner fell while leaving his TV room at around 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time and lost consciousness. Reiner died of natural causes.

Johnny Carson 1991 10 10 Carl Reiner

Carl Reiner Collection on Letterman, 1983

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Ian Holm, actor, ‘Lord of the Rings’, dies 88

Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert CBE (September,12 1931 – June 19, 2020), known as Ian Holm, was an English actor. He received the 1967 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his performance as Lenny in The Homecoming and the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the title role of King Lear. He won the 1981 BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as athletics trainer Sam Mussabini in Chariots of Fire, for which he was also nominated for an Academy Award.

His other well-known film roles include Ash in Alien, Father Vito Cornelius in The Fifth Element, Chef Skinner in Ratatouille, and Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series.

Holm died in hospital in London on 19 June 2020 at the age of 88

Alien (1979) – Ash android on killer rampage

Ian Holm – Bilbo Baggins

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Vera Lynn, WWII singer “We’ll Meet Again”, dies 103

Dame Vera Margaret Lynn CH DBE OStJ (20 March 1917 – 18 June 2020) was a British singer, songwriter and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were largely popular during the Second World War. She was widely known as “the Forces’ Sweetheart” and gave outdoor concerts for the troops in Egypt, India and Burma during the war as part of Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA). The songs most associated with her are “We’ll Meet Again”, “(There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover”, “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” and “There’ll Always Be an England”.

She remained popular after the war, appearing on radio and television in the United Kingdom and the United States, and recording such hits as “Auf Wiederseh’n, Sweetheart” and her UK number one single “My Son, My Son”. Her last single, “I Love This Land”, was released to mark the end of the Falklands War. In 2009, at the age of 92, she became the oldest living artist to top the UK Albums Chart with the compilation album We’ll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn. In 2014, she released the collection Vera Lynn: National Treasure and in 2017, she released Vera Lynn 100, a compilation album of hits to commemorate her centenary—it was a No. 3 hit, making her the first centenarian performer to have a Top 10 album in the charts.

Lynn devoted much time and energy to charity work connected with ex-servicemen, disabled children and breast cancer. She was held in great affection by Second World War veterans and in 2000 was named the Briton who best exemplified the spirit of the 20th century.

Lynn died on 18 June 2020 at her home in East Sussex at the age of 103.

Vera Lynn – We’ll Meet Again (1943)

The White Cliffs of Dover – Vera Lynn (1942)

Vera Lynn

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Jean Kennedy, last surviving sibling of JFK, dies 92

Jean Ann Kennedy Smith (February 20, 1928 – June 17, 2020) was an American diplomat, activist, humanitarian, and author who served as United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1993 to 1998. She was a member of the Kennedy family, the eighth of nine children and youngest daughter born to Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald, and was their last surviving and longest-lived child. Her siblings included President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

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Moon Martin, songwriter, ‘Bad Case of Loving You’, dies 74

John David “Moon” Martin (October 31, 1945 – May 11, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was given the nickname “Moon” because many of his songs had the word moon in the lyrics.

Born in Altus, Oklahoma in 1945, Martin gained recognition in the 1970s as a pop artist and composer. Originally a rockabilly artist, he wrote the songs “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)”, made famous by the English singer Robert Palmer, and “Cadillac Walk”, made famous by the American singer Willy DeVille.

Martin scored two minor hits of his own with “Rolene” (#30 Billboard Hot 100 and RPM Magazine Top 100) and “No Chance” (#50), both in 1979. His 1982 song, “X-Ray Vision” was an MTV hit music video.

He died in May 2020 at the age of 74.

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Bonnie Pointer of the Pointer Sisters dies 69

grammy winner

Patricia Eva “Bonnie” Pointer (July 11, 1950 – June 8, 2020) was an American singer, best known for having been a member of the vocal group, The Pointer Sisters. Pointer scored several moderate solo hits after leaving the Pointers in 1977, including a disco cover of The Elgins’ “Heaven Must Have Sent You” which became a U.S. top 20 pop hit on September 1, 1979.

The Grammy winner died of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, publicist Roger Neal saPointer died from cardiac arrest on June 8, 2020 in Los Angeles, California, aged 69.

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Jerry Sloan, Utah Jazz head coach, dies 78

Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent as head coach of the Utah Jazz (1988–2011). NBA commissioner David Stern referred to Sloan as “one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history”. Sloan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

In April 2016, Sloan was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He died on May 22, 2020, at age 78, from complications of the diseases.

Jerry Sloan (retirement) Tributes from Around the League

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Fred Willard, comedian, actor, dies 86

Frederick Charles Willard (September 18, 1933 – May 15, 2020) was an American actor, comedian and writer. He was best known for his roles in the Rob Reiner mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap; the Christopher Guest mockumentaries Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Mascots; and the Anchorman films.

Willard died on May 15, 2020, at 86, of cardiac arrest at his home, according to his daughter Hope Mulbarger and his representative.

Waiting for Guffman- Willard on Right (male)

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Jerry Stiller, comedian, ‘Seinfeld’, dies 92

Gerald Isaac Stiller (June 8, 1927 – May 11, 2020) was an American comedian, actor, and author. He spent many years as part of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, to whom he was married for over 60 years until her death in 2015. Stiller saw a late-career resurgence starting in 1993, playing George Costanza’s father Frank in the sitcom Seinfeld, a part which earned him an Emmy nomination. The year Seinfeld went off the air, Stiller began his role as the eccentric Arthur Spooner on the CBS comedy series The King of Queens, another role which garnered him widespread acclaim.

Stiller was the father of actor Ben Stiller, and he and his son appeared together in films such as Zoolander, Heavyweights, Hot Pursuit, The Heartbreak Kid, and Zoolander 2. He also performed voice-over work for television and films including The Lion King 1½ and Planes: Fire and Rescue and Teacher’s Pet. In his later career, Stiller became known for playing grumpy and eccentric characters who were nevertheless beloved.

Jerry Stiller cause of death.

Stiller died from natural causes at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on May 11, 2020 at the age of 92. His death was announced by his son, Ben Stiller.

Seinfeld – Frank Costanza