R.I.P. 2008: A Rough Year For Hollywood

RIP Hollywood Talent 2008 For me, the only part of the Oscars worth watching every year is their tribute video, highlighting those in the movie industry that passed away in the previous year. It always puts a lump in my throat and often surprises me due to the passing of people I hadn’t heard about. And with the actors who were popular decades ago, it gives me a sense of melancholy nostalgia.

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has put together their version of a tribute video which you can watch below, and it gave me the same feelings I just mentioned (I wasn’t aware they do one every year). It’s a beautiful video and very classy. They did miss a couple of people which I mention below.

I would suggest you watch the video before moving on to the list of names below it. It includes actors, directors, composers, screenwriters, animators, etc. A wide cross-section of the many facets of Hollywood film production, and those who make movies possible.

They’re all sad of course, but there are a few of particular note to me. Notable in their passing are such greats as Richard Widmark, Charlton Heston, Roy Scheider, Sydney Pollack and Paul Newman. Also striking a chord for me are Edie Adams, Stan Winston, Van Johnson, Robert J. Anderson (he played young George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life), Harvey Korman, Michael Chrichton and Suzanne Pleshette.

Here’s the complete list of those who passed away in 2008 and are shown in the video:

Abby Mann
Anita Page
Anthony Minghella
Arthur C. Clarke
Ben Chapman (he played the title role in The Creature from the Black Lagoon)
Bernie Mac
Brad Renfro
Breno Mello
Charles H. Joffe
Charlton Heston
Cyd Charisse
Delmar Watson
Dick Martin
Dino Risi
Dody Goodman
Don LaFontaine (voiceover king)
Edie Adams
Estelle Reiner
Eva Dahlbeck
Evelyn Keyes
Forrest J. Ackerman
Fred Crane
George Carlin
Guillaume Depardieu
Harvey Korman
Hazel Court
Heath Ledger
Irving Brecher
Isaac Hayes
Jean Delannoy
Jerry Reed
John Michael Hayes
John Phillip Law
Joseph Pevney
Joy Page (the young and recently wedded woman in Casablanca)
Jules Dassin
Julie Ege
June Travis
Ken Ogata
Kon Ichikawa
Leonard Rosenman
Lois Nettleton
Malvin Wald
Marpessa Dawn
Mel Ferrer
Michael Chrichton
Michael Kidd
Michael Pate
Nina Foch
Ollie Johnston
Paul Benedict
Paul Newman
Paul Scofield
Perry Lopez
Richard Widmark
Robert Arthur
Robert Do Qui
Robert J. Anderson
Roy Scheider
Stan Winston
Suzanne Pleshette
Sydney Pollack
Vampira
Van Johnson

These folks also died this year but were not in the video above:

Bettie Page
Eartha Kitt
Estelle Getty
Jim McKay
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry
Roberta Collins
Tim Russert

And I suppose this would be a good place to send out condolences to John Travolta and his family over the death of his son, Jett… money and fame it seems, cannot protect one from tragedy.

Hat Tip: /Film

Metallicat79

I think the one I'll miss the most is Bernie Mac and Michael Crichton. RIP

H.L. Fan

I will miss Heath Ledger the most. He was an excellent actor who tragically died due to overdose. he will be missed by all because he made movies 100 times more fun and interesting. I will miss you Heath. May you rest in peace forever.

Lilah

Rest in peace Brad Renfro. You'll be missed.

Ash Ali

What really gets me about Heath Ledger is not so much what he did accomplish, but what he was going to accomplish. And the wealth of potential his future held. He may have gone on to be one of the best actors to ever grace the silver screen or not. But that's what irks me, that we'll never know and be forever beholden to speculation on the "what could have been..."

dudelove

2009 is shaping up to be just as bad.

We've lost Pat Hingle of Commissioner Gordon (1989 - 1997) fame and Sam Bottoms known to most as Lance the Surfer from Apocalypse Now.

dudelove

How rude of me to forget to mention all the wonderful people we sadly lost in 2008.

May they all rest in peace, they will be dearly missed.

Darren seeley

Also not in the video -and not mentioned in this post- was character actor Robert Prosky. He passed away December 8, 2008.

While he was most known as being on the TV show Hill Street Blues, he also appeared in several films including:

Death To Smoochy (uncredited)
Dead Man Walking
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
The Natural
Christine
Thief

Before film & Tv he also was an accompished stage actor.

Heath McKnight

What a rough year, man. Stan Winston, Michael Crichton, Bernie Mac, Heath Ledger, so many others.

I had a chance to work with Jeff MacKay on his last film. He was in Jag, Ba Ba Black Sheep, Magnum PI, and more. He died in August or September, and it was a blow to all of us working on his final film.

RIP!

heath

MBL Entertainment, LLC

Leave it to my all time favorite channel TCM to put together such a cool video in memory of such cool people.

Daniel F

For me some of the hardest to see gone are Heath Ledger, Bernie Mac and the great George Carlin. Heath and Bernie were great shocks both seemed to young especially Heath. Heath had so much potential and was already so great. Carlin was no known to live the healthiest life he was sort of a rebel in that way and was also no the youngest of the bunch, but still a great legend with so much talent.

Ken J

I can't believe Stan the Man Winston died. Nobody will do practical gag effects in movies better than him...

I also can't believe Arthur C. Clarke died and I didn't even hear about it on the television.

I kept thinking through the year "man, who else is going to die this year??" It was weird, it's like people were dying left and right...

And then of course, Charlton Heston...

SK47

TCM should get all the credit for making such a classy and artistic tribute!
Oh man, the District Captain from Robocop died as well!

What a shame we have to lose so many greats in 08!

Tim

I'd like to add Majel Barret Roddenberry.

Vic Holtreman

@Tim

Oh my gosh! How did I forget her? Thanks for the reminder, I've added her to the post.

Vic

Rebecca Hatlelid

Ted Manson (10/23/26-6/1/08) was in films such as Fried Green Tomatoes, Sweet Home Alabama, and most recently The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Ken J

You know, one thing I noticed is how beautiful these old-school actresses were. Now-a-days, I'd hate to refer them this way, but it seems they are getting "trashier" looking. Do you know what I mean? I don't really see too many women who have that regal beauty anymore. It seems like their focus is on how good they look in a bikini more than anything else. Not to mention the acting, a lot of these old actresses actually knew how to act, so many of these new "hot" stars don't, it's so annoying.

Fredric M. London

I can't believe you're gone Paul
Your easy charm and acting talent
The generosity you provided,
Newman's Own and all
You can't be gone, you just can't
Your spirit just cannot be dead
You've done enough for multiple lifetimes
The looks you possessed
The life lived with zest
Was there another who could be the best?
A street thug turned boxer
Outlaw with no urge to kill
Grifter doing what you will
Sharing the scene with Elizabeth Taylor
When both of you were in your primes
Pool hustler, race driver
Never afraid to be
Of humanity's underbelly
In every role you were a thriver
From stage manager in Our Town
To Hud, with morals upside down
Farewell the great Paul Newman
A star perhaps, but always human

Jessica Pickens

I agree with you, the only part worth watching is the tribute to those who have passed along with the clips of old films that have won Oscars in the past, though those seem to be shown less and less through the years. Unfortunately the tribute also upsets me when the stars don't clap for people that they don't know (like when Ann Miller died) or when they leave people out (such as Dorothy Mcguire).

Another that was forgotten in the Turner Classic Movie tribute was Beverly Garland. She is best known as the wife of Steve Douglas in the later years of the 1960's sitcom "My Three Sons." She was also a B actress in the 1950's and most noteably was in the 1957 Frank Sinatra film "The Joker is Wild."

Ezbreezy

Very sad indeed. So many gone, and so few that can truly replace them.

LarryN

What annoys me is when the Oscars reel leaves out really obvious ones. As when DeForest Kelley died in 1999--he was omitted--and not just for Dr. McCoy of Star Trek, but he'd played the main bad guys in Westerns for 20 years before that. They did leave out Jimmy "Scotty" Doohan too, but then slipped him in the next year.

Dan

I cried like a baby when Heath Ledger and Paul Newman died, my love goes out to their family and friends.

LavenderGreen

Beverly Garland's name is missing, too.

Here is a site, that seems to be up to date with those who've gone before us.

http://wcbstv.com/slideshows/celebrity.deaths.2...

Eartha's last name has 2 T's at the end.
Thank you for adding her.

LavenderGreen

I found this about TCM, while looking up the actor/photographer Delmar Watson.
Unfortunately, he died also in 2008 & isn't on the tribute.

Ken J

Well, they tried their best, it's hard for them to get EVERYONE. I'm sure their intentions were pure, I don't think they are saying that one person is more important than the other, it's just the ones they knew about.

Timothy M. Nolan

They forgot Richard Wright of Pink Floyd also. They'll might mention him at the Grammys I bet. oh well. But I do agree with most of you on actresses of today. Their main focus now is just their trashy image or how good they look in a bikini or trashy looking clothing & not their acting skills.

LavenderGreen

I agree, Ken
In fact, the page I am getting names from, there are still too many to recall when I come back here. Which, as always is just sad.
I watch the award shows for the tributes, too & it's always heartbreaking when you see someone you didn't expect.

R

LavenderGreen

There was a different kind of grand beauty, even of those 'considered' not so pretty. I see some of those movies now on TCM & can't believe people didn't see these women as beautiful.

What we have now, can hardly compare.
In fact, what is even natural now?
And as for carrying themselves with grace...
10 fingers & 10 toes should cover the amount of women in that category.
Don't hold me to that, as the digits & philanges may outnumber the actresses..