R.I.P. CELEBRITY DEATHS 2020(NON WRESTLERS)

[jimsteel]

Mary Pat Gleason, A Cinderella Story Actress, Dies at 70

Mary Pat Gleason, a prolific character actress and writer whose work included A Cinderella Story and Mom, has reportedly passed away at the age of 70. The news was confirmed by Gleason's manager, who told Variety that "she was a fighter until the end". Born on February 23, 1950, in Lake City, Minnesota, her acting career first began while attending high school in St. Paul, where she starred in a well-received Theater St. Paul production of Once Upon a Mattress. Her onscreen career first began in 1982, with an appearance in an episode of the NBC soap opera Texas. She then went on to play Jane Hogan on the long-running soap opera Guiding Light from 1983 to 1985. She served as a writer on two of the series' episodes and ultimately won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for that work in 1986.

Her career in the '80s also included episodes of Full House, Murphy Brown, Quantum Leap, and an appearance in Troop Beverly Hills. In the decades since, she made appearances on Saved by the Bell, Murder, She Wrote, Friends, Step by Step, Suddenly Susan, Will & Grace, Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, Family Matters, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Middleman, Up All Night, 1600 Penn, Motive, Baby Daddy, Grey's Anatomy, Partners, Mama's Family, and 2 Broke Girls. She also had a recurring role as Mary on the CBS sitcom Mom.

On the film side, she made appearances in films like Basic Instinct, The Crucible, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Traffic, Bruce Almighty, 13 Going on 30, Bottle Shock, A Cinderella Story, The Island, Killing Kennedy and Nina. She gained a whole new generation of fans in the 2004 film A Cinderella Story, where she played Eleanor, a waitress at the film's diner. She also portrayed Professor Foxtrot in CollegeHumor's WTF 101 web series.

Gleason also was an advocate for mental illness causes, and spoke candidly about her struggles with bipolar disorder.

"You can’t heal what hides in shame in the dark. It must be drawn into the light," Gleason wrote in a 2017 post on The S Word. "I believe your wound is your gift. I believe bipolar disease is my gift. But I have to see it that way. Otherwise your wound is just a wound. If we remove the shame around mental illness, if we can speak of it in public without fear of being punished, perhaps we have a chance of finding a cure."
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Her final credits included the Netflix original film Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, the 2019 horror film Chain of Death, and the upcoming inspirational drama Pencil Town.

[jimsteel]

Former Misfits drummer Joey Image dead at 63

Image played on the band’s singles “Horror Business” and “Night of the Living Dead,” before leaving the cohort at the end of their 1979 England tour with The Damned.

Following his departure, he rocked with groups Human Buffet, The Undead, The Strap-Ons, as well as The Bell Ringers.

He opened up about his decision to leave The Misfits in a 2017 interview with the Miami New Times where he spoke about his cancer treatment, telling the outlet: "Jerry [Only] and Glenn [Danzig], they really didn’t care about anybody else but themselves. I couldn’t take it. I got a round-trip ticket and I went back to New York.”

[jimsteel]

Dream Street’s Chris Trousdale dies of coronavirus at 34

Pop star Chris Trousdale, a former member of the boy band Dream Street, has reportedly died of complications from coronavirus.

He was 34.

Trousdale died in a Burbank, Calif., hospital on Tuesday, TMZ reported, citing a member of the singer’s family.

Born in 1985, Trousdale got his start as a stage actor, first touring as an 8-year-old on a production of “Les Miserables” that also featured actress Ashley Tisdale.

Trousdale then joined the Broadway version of the show in New York City, appearing in that production with actress Lea Michele.

He was recruited by a pair of music producers to be in Dream Street, a pop group consisting of five preteens and teenagers, which launched in 1999.

The boy band members — which also included Jesse McCartney, Matt Ballinger, Frankie Galasso and Greg Raposo — performed together until 2002, with their biggest hit, “It Happens Every Time,” releasing in 2001.

Other songs released by Dream Street include "Gotta Get the Girl," "I Say Yeah" and "Sugar Rush."

Trousdale enjoyed a successful solo career following his tenure with Dream Street, notably releasing a version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" with the girl group Play.

He also made several acting appearances, including on series such as “Days of Our Lives” and Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up.”

[jimsteel]

Steve Priest, founder member and bassist of glam legends Sweet, has died at 72

Sweet founder member and bass player Steve Priest has died at the age of 72. The news was confirmed by fellow Sweet member Andy Scott.

In a statement on the band's Facebook page, Scott wrote, "Then there was one! I am in pieces right now. Steve Priest has passed away. His wife Maureen and I have kept in contact and though his health was failing I never envisaged this moment. Never. My thoughts are with his family.

"He was the best bass player I ever played with. The noise we made as a band was so powerful. From that moment in the summer of 1970 when set off on our Musical Odyssey the world opened up and the rollercoaster ride started! He eventually followed his heart and moved to the USA. First New York then LA.

[jimsteel]

This one is a little late



John Winston, Star Trek’s transporter chief Lt. Kyle, passed away in September 2019 at 91


Winston was known to Star Trek fans as Lt. Kyle in The Original Series, when he primarily served as transporter chief. Kyle was promoted to Commander for his appearance in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, where he served under Captain Terrell aboard the U.S.S. Reliant.

Outside of Star Trek, John Winston had a number of television appearances. His credits include The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Time Tunnel, Charlie’s Angels and Max Headroom.

[jimsteel]

Kurt Thomas, world champion gymnast, dead from stroke at 64

Kurt Thomas, who helped lead the 1978 U.S. gymnastics team to its first U.S. World Championships gold medal, has died at the age of 64.

Thomas died Friday, two weeks after suffering a severe stroke, reported International Gymnast Media on Saturday.

The three-time American Cup gold medalist, best known for his pommel horse move the Thomas flair and Thomas salto maneuver for floor exercise, also starred in the 1985 martial arts thriller “Gymkata.”

[Shane Sullivan]

Gymkata is in my top fifty favorite movies. RIP buddy

[jimsteel]

KISS – ORIGINAL ROAD MANAGER J.R. SMALLING PASSES AT 69

Back in 2018, it was reported that KISS's original road manager, J.R. Smalling, had been diagnosed with metastatic bone cancer. The outlook for that disease is dire with the average patient surviving anywhere from just six months to four years.

According to a post from Lydia Criss, the ex-wife of original KISS drummer Peter Criss, Smalling passed away on June 1st, 2020.

"I am in total shock & my heart is broken once again. I am so sad to let you know that I lost another good friend. Today I learned of the passing of JR Smalling. He was one of the original KISS road managers. He passed away June 1st, but we were just notified. JR Rest In Peace. You will be missed by all!!"

Smalling guided the fledgling KISS from 1974 through their breakthrough with ALIVE! and Destroyer, and is perhaps most remembered for being the man who literally invented perhaps the most famous concert introduction in rock: KISS's famous "You wanted the best..." intro. It is Smalling's voice, in fact, who begins the band's 1975 double-disc Alive!

[jimsteel]

AND THEY KEEP COMING



FORMER PATRIOTS WR RECHE CALDWELL “AMBUSHED” BY ROBBERS, SHOT & KILLED IN TAMPA AT 41

Reche Caldwell, a former NFL wide receiver who once played alongside Tom Brady, was tragically shot and killed in Tampa on Saturday, his mother confirmed to TMZ Sports.

“Caldwell’s mother tells us … Reche — real name Donald Caldwell — was getting ready to take his girlfriend out on a date when he went back inside his home to grab a jacket.

Reche’s GF says the former player was “ambushed” by a “couple of people” who jumped out of bushes trying to rob him.

We’re told Reche was shot in the leg and chest — and someone called 911.”

His injuries were so bad, however, he passed away in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

Caldwell was a 2nd round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft and spent six years in the league playing for the Chargers, Patriots and Redskins.

[jimsteel]

Bonnie Pointer of the Pointer Sisters Dies at 69

Bonnie was one of the founding members of the group and left in the mid-1970s to pursue a solo career.

“Bonnie was my best friend and we talked every day,” Anita said in a statement. “We never had a fight in our life. I already miss her and I will see her again one day.”

The family’s youngest sister, June, died in 2006. A few months ago, Bonnie and Anita released a tribute song for June, “Feels Like June.” A spokesperson said it was Bonnie’s final recording.

The sisters began singing in the West Oakland Church of God in Oakland, California, their father’s church, more than 50 years ago. Bonnie, June and Anita former the Pointer Sisters in 1969. A fourth sister, Ruth, joined the group in 1972, before they released their debut album in 1973 and had their first hit with “Yes We Can Can.”