The Death List, 2005 Edition

BY JOSEPH PLANTA

Friday, 30 December 2005

VANCOUVER - And since it's the end of the 2005 calendar year, it's time for the annual death list in this space. A recounting of the names who've passed on in the year, notable names in politics, show business, or any other sort of realm of public recognition. It's not a task that one jumps to fulfilling, as death can be depressing. And it's not despite initial appearance, merely a namedropping exercise. In a small way, one looks back at the year that was. There are names, naturally, omitted from the list, some not due to a lack of importance, rather because they've been overlooked due to time and space or something like that.

The death of Pope John Paul II had the world standing vigil. Though expected, when death came it brought much remembrance and mourning from Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Rosa Parks, the civil rights pioneer died. While Simon Wiesenthal, the dedicated and well-honoured Nazi hunter died. Former British prime ministers James Callaghan and Sir Edward Heath died.

The world of television lost late night legend Johnny Carson, who despite being absent from the medium, and for that matter all public appearances since he left The Tonight Show in 1992, garnered much attention with his death. Carson's first musical director on NBC was Skitch Henderson, who also died. Henderson was also part of the Steve Allen Tonight Show. Another instrumental person during the Allen tenure was Herbert Sargent, who also went on to Saturday Night Live. Jose Melis was Jack Paar's conductor on his version of The Tonight Show, also died in 2005.

Television news lost Peter Jennings whose life ended when he lost his battle with lung cancer. The West Wing's John Spencer recently died. Deaths from the heyday of television soap operas in the 1980s include Lloyd Bochner, who played Cecil Colby on Dynasty, and the great Barbara Bel Geddes who played Dallas matriarch Miss Ellie Ewing. Watching Dallas reruns on DVD remind us what a fine actress she was.

The Crip got the drip when Stanley 'Tookie' Williams was put to death for murders he was convicted for. Names associated with the New York mafia scene died: Joseph Bonanno and Vincent Gigante.

Pat Morita died. He's most associated with his appearances in the Karate Kid pictures. Academy Award winning director and producer Robert Wise died. He won Oscars for directing West Side Story (which he shared with Jerome Robbins), and The Sound of Music. The producer Ismail Merchant died; his credits include A Room with A View, Howard's End and The Remains of the Day. Another Oscar winner, Teresa Wright died, she from The Pride of the Yankees, who won her Academy Award for Mrs. Miniver.

Anne Bancroft, Mrs. Mel Brooks died. The incandescent actress was one of the most talented and versatile performers around, as well as beloved. Mrs. Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee died. She was recently played by Kate Beckinsdale in the Darin biography starring Kevin Spacey. Mrs. Fred MacMurry, June Haver died.

John Raitt, the father of Bonnie Raitt died. He had many Broadway credits, including The Pyjama Game. Sir John Mills, the father of Haley Mills, and himself a legendary performer died. Barney Martin, who was the second actor to play Jerry Seinfeld's dad on Seinfeld, died. Actor Lawrence Harvey's daughter, the bounty hunter Domino Harvey died of a drug overdose. She's been immortalised in a recent film by actress Keira Knightley.

Brock Peters, who played Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird died from pancreatic cancer. Frances Langford, who introduced the song, "I'm in the Mood for Love," and who was one half of The Bickersons with Don Ameche, died.

The wonderful comedian Nipsey Russell died. He made many appearances on the Dean Martin celebrity roast programs. Incidentally, Greg Garrison, who produced those programs also died.

Actor Don Adams died. He won an Emmy for Get Smart; Bob Denver died, but he never won an Emmy either for his work on Gilligan's Island or on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Also dying in 2005 was comedian, Mitch Hedberg; as did ventriloquist Paul Winchell.

Playwright August Wilson died of cancer; his Pulitzer Prize winning works include Fences and The Piano Lesson. Ernest Lehman, who adapted Sabrina, The Sweet Smell of Success, Hello, Dolly!, The King and I, North By Northwest, The Sound of Music, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? for the movies, died at age 89. Though he never won an Oscar, he received an honorary Oscar in 2001.

Jazz musician Shirley Horn died; her version of "Here's to Life" is priceless. Sid Luft, who was married to Judy Garland, and who helped resurrect her career died. Other musicians who died in 2005 include: Hildegard, Long John Baldrey, Myron Floren, and Luther Vandross.

New York Daily News television critic Kay Gardella died; while Time magazine's estimable Hugh Sidey died. Henry Luce III, an heir of the Time fortune also died. Patrick Lichfield, the Earl of Lichfield died; he was a relative of the Queen and an avid photographer, taking shots of many famous folks. David Westheimer, author of Von Ryan's Express, also died. Also dead in 2005 was Greenpeace founder and journalist Bob Hunter died.

Corrine Levesque, the widow of Rene Levesque died of cancer; as did William Rehnquist, the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Betsy Cronkite, the wife of Walter Cronkite died. Shirley Chisholm, the first black female congresswoman who mounted a serious bid for the presidency in 1972 died. Her life was the subject of a recent well-received documentary.

Royce Firth, a former British high commissioner died. Beloved Alberta lieutenant governor Lois Hole died, and was mourned by a grateful province. Former House of Commons speaker James Jerome died, while Ernest 'Smokey' Smith received a hero's funeral, the last surviving Canadian recipient of the Victoria's Cross. The Filipino Jamie Cardinal Sin died, as did Prince Rainer of Monaco, the European prince whose marriage to the American actress Grace Kelly was nearly a fairy tale itself. The Saudi King Fahd died as well.

Hunter S. Thompson committed suicide, while American television was gripped with the harrowing saga of Terri Schiavo and the court battles that took place between her husband and her family.

Rose Mary Woods, Richard Nixon's dedicated secretary, died. She claimed responsibility for the infamous gap in Nixon's tapes.

Canadian businessman scion Edward Bronfman died, as did journalists Bill Cameron, and Earl Cameron.

Robert Bonner, a former attorney general who served under W.A.C. Bennett, who went on to a thriving career in private industry, including MacMillan Bloedel, died. And long-serving MP Chuck Cadman died of cancer. He had lost his Conservative Party nomination in 2004, and ran the election as an independent winning big. He helped save the Liberals in the spring when he left his sickbed to cast a deciding vote in a non-confidence motion.

From the sporting world, dead in 2005 were George Best, Eddie Guerrero, and Max Schmelling.

And finally, I note the passing this year of Margaret Tse, a friend and a colleague. I've already noted her passing in this space, and I include it here as a tribute to her indomitable spirit and the great affection that many had for her.

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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE.