Animated Views Celebrity Obituary Thread

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » December 20th, 2009, 10:47 pm

Lots of speculation about Murphy on the Geraldo show on FoxNews.

Apparently, her professional and personal life were falling apart these past few years. Set reports were that she was becoming very difficult to deal with and diva-ish.

There was also a mention in the same report that she was let go from the Disney Tinker Bell project because she was unpredictable and didn't show up on time for recordings/meetings.

(That's the reason why Disney also didn't use Eddie Murphy in Mulan II. Eddie had a tendency to show up whenever he wanted during the voice recordings of Mulan and cost Disney thousands of dollars in missed recording time.)

TMZ is also reporting her mother has made comments that Brittany Murphy was diabetic. Could have contributed to her death. No one will know for sure until after the autopsy. The LAPD is thinking right now that it has nothing to do with drugs but right now cause of death should be ruled "unknown."

Post by **Ben** » December 21st, 2009, 6:33 am

It's "natural causes" according to the LA coroner this morning. Such a shame. I didn't really know her career that well but what I did see her in she was very good in. I think she would have made a less "childish" Tink, so it was a shame when she was let go from that, though it does sound like it might have been of her own making. Still, 32 is just too young for anyone.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » December 21st, 2009, 8:49 am

"Natural causes?" What a crock! It's NOT natural for someone 32-years-old to die like that! 70 or older, yes, but not a 32-year-old person!

The LA Coroner's Office and LAPD have had a reputation for being political and protecting celebrities for years. That's a primary reason for why many people hate celebrity and the lawmaking/enforcing authorities in this world -- it exposes the lie that everybody's treated equally. Of course we're not!

(That's NOT the way things are supposed to be, but this is getting too far off-topic so I'll end that line of commentary right here...)

It's beyond ridiculous for the Coroner's Office to say it was a natural death. She was either sick (if we can believe rumors about diabetes or anorexia) or did something to herself.

She didn't die of natural causes/old age here. Uh-uh.

The true cause should be known after an autopsy... That's if the Coroner's Office doesn't try to pull a fast one. I don't think they will in this case but they can't say this was a natural death.

Post by **EricJ** » December 21st, 2009, 11:50 am

GeorgeC wrote:"Natural causes?" What a crock! It's NOT natural for someone 32-years-old to die like that! 70 or older, yes, but not a 32-year-old person!
She didn't die of natural causes/old age here. Uh-uh.

Uh, we already noticed one of our earlier posts mentioning "diabetes", or has our free-associating shock-headline brain already moved off of that one by now?

Post by **Ben** » December 21st, 2009, 2:08 pm

Not the place, Eric.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » December 21st, 2009, 4:01 pm

Eric -- you know what you can do to yourself.

I've tried to be nice and ignore you but you keep baiting once in a while and it's spread to more than just me.

Why you feel it necessary to spread whatever misery it is in your life, I don't know.

I see the time of year doesn't matter to you. You've always got to behave like the Grinch. I haven't seen you ONCE man up and apologize to anybody when you have been so very, very wrong with your behavior.

It's not appreciated, though, and it will get you banned eventually.

You're closer to that conclusion than you think right now.

Ben,

No criticism intended of you but I really don't like the way the authorities operate in these celebrity death cases.

Nobody with half a brain believes a 32-year-old healthy person just drops dead one day. The Coroner should have said "unknown" if they wanted to be honest.

The story doesn't add up as it is.

People are going to speculate whether her friends and family like it or not. Most of the comments I've seen related to her are generally friendly on fansites. That's good as far as her PR is concerned. She was genuinely liked by the public.

The Coroner's Office behaving and pretending like this isn't an unusual death -- not a smart move on their part.

Post by **Josh** » December 21st, 2009, 9:28 pm

I'm sure the cause of Murphy's death will be known eventually. Until then, I think the best thing to do is honor her memory, without speculation of foul play.

Today, I've read articles which mention Murphy struggled with self-esteem issues, never feeling as accomplished or beautiful as some of her co-stars. I'm sad she didn't realize how many fans she had. I was - and still am - one of them.

Post by **eddievalient** » December 22nd, 2009, 5:07 pm

Indeed. Luanne was one of King of the Hill's best, funniest characters and her performance in Sin City was excellent too. Whatever the cause, I think we can all agree that she's gone way too soon.

Post by **estefan** » December 22nd, 2009, 5:31 pm

So, I just read that the last film she watched before she passed away was The Princess and the Frog.

Post by **James** » January 10th, 2010, 4:42 pm

Waiting on a source before posting to the front page but here's a preview for the forum! The new animation building on the Walt Disney Studios lot will be renamed the Roy E. Disney Animation Building.

Post by **Ben** » January 10th, 2010, 5:51 pm

Nice.

Post by **Darkblade** » January 14th, 2010, 1:39 pm

Sad news even though its not that old, but at least Roy is reunited with his uncle walt.

Post by **Foxtale** » January 16th, 2010, 2:24 am

How did I not know this for an entire month. I must have had my head buried in the sand or something.

I'm really sad now. He will be missed and remembered for sure.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » January 23rd, 2010, 9:36 am

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001739/

British-born actress Jean Simmons passed away at age 80 after a long bout with lung cancer this past Friday.

One of the most acclaimed actresses in her prime, Simmons was best known for her filmwork in the 1950s in features like The Robe and Guys and Dolls.

In more recent years, she did guest spots on television series like Star Trek: The Next Generation ("The Drumhead") as well as a major role in the mini-series, "The Thornbirds."

One of Simmons' last roles was as the voice for Grandma Sophie in the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki's animated adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle. That film was just one of many instances in recent years of Simmons adding her vocals to cinema and television. She also played a role in the Final Fantasy feature film as well as narrating Biblical passages from A & E's, Ancient Mysteries of the Bible.

Simmons is survived by two children from previous marriages...

***************

Guys, she was GOOD. Very good!

I haven't seen a lot of her work but from what I have seen she was one heck of an actress.

I did watch the English dub for Howl's and can attest that she did fine work in that film. Great vocal work on that as well as the work she did for A & E.

I haven't seen The Robe but have watched the Otto Preminger film, Angel Face, where she plays opposite Robert Mitchum. It's a very good analysis of what we'd call a sociopath today.

What a talent... She will be missed.

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » January 27th, 2010, 10:29 pm

Just got announced this past day that Zelda Rubinstein, one of the stars of Poltergeist, passed away at age 76.

If you're not aware of the name, you'll know her when I describe her best-known role. She was the little person (dwarf) who played the psychic medium in Poltergeist. After that, she basically played variations of that character/other occultists in addition to reprising the Poltergeist role in that film's sequels.

Recent medical developments have for the most part "cured" her form of dwarfism and there don't have to be more children born with her condition as long as their parents have access to appropriate healthcare measures.

She truly was one of a kind and probably one of the best known little people character actors after the late David Rappaport and Billy Barty...

Animated Views Celebrity Obituary Thread

RIP, Jean Simmons 1929-2010

RIP, Zelda Rubinstein