This is a fabulous thread! Keep 'em coming!
This is a fabulous thread! Keep 'em coming!
the Babe at Yankee Stadium June 13/48. Died Aug 16/48:
Jimi Hendrix...
On Thursday September 17, 1970 (the day before he died) one of Jimi's girlfriends, Monika Danneman, took a series of photos of him in the garden behind her apartment in London. These rare images mark the last photos ever made of Jimi Hendrix.
http://www.wtv-zone.com/ruexperience...astPhotos.html
Taken a few days before his death on June 13/08 - Tim Russert ( with son and wife at the Vatican):
Here is the last photo of President and accomplice in stealing half of Mexico Zachary Taylor. This was taken July 4, 1850. Later in the day he laid the cornerstone for the Washington Monument (which wouldn't be finished for another 38 years). What is amazing is he walked to the site from the White House by himself unnacosted. It was over 100 degrees that day and when Taylor returned to the White House he ate some cherries and iced milk. He collapsed an hour later and took to the bed he would never leave. He died in agony on the 9th.
In the late 1980's some historian whose name I can't recall, was convinced that Taylor was poisoned. When Taylor, who drove over 100 slaves on his Louisiana plantation, was elected, the southern politicians thought they had it made. But Taylor turned out to be a nationalist and not a sectionalist who did not cowtow to the Southern politicians. On July 2, a group of southern senators barged into the White House and invaded the Oval Office. They read Taylor the riot act and one senator threatened to kill Taylor right to his face. 130 years later this historian thought Taylor had been poisoned because how could a man who lived in the field during the Mexican so called War kick the bucket on some cherries. This historian convined Taylor's great-great granddaughter to exhume and they did. They found Taylor had died of natural causes and that his coronary arteries were nearly sealed shut.
They have released no pictures of the autopsy, and I would sure like to see them. If they had just looked at this photograph, they could see that this man was on his way out.
"Everybody is born, and everybody dies. Being born wasn't so bad , was it?"
Peter the Hermit
Albert and Victoria off to join the choir invisible.
"Everybody is born, and everybody dies. Being born wasn't so bad , was it?"
Peter the Hermit
I know! She was supposed to waddle up and say the famous line, "It was beauty that killed the beast."
It KILLS me that she was unable to do it..
Jack Black had an interesting approach to rehearsing the line - he didn't. The first time he said it on camera, was the first time he'd said it ever. No rehearsals nothing.
Yeah.. and it shows..
Nice method there, Jack. But you're no DeNiro yet..
(Seriously though, loved the remake. Own it, and saw it on the big screen three times.)
This was taken Jan. 22, 1984... less than four months before his death. It's a hauntingly beautiful photo... first time I saw it it brought tears to my eyes. At this point he knows he's dying and hasn't even told his parents yet. You can see in his eyes. It's a man who's been doing a lot of thinking and soul-searching. And is pensive about what's next...
This was for a taping of a new ABC show called "The Top." (Kind of like "American Bandstand" or something.) He introduced Cyndi Lauper in her first national TV performance. That is such sad symbolism to me... someone on their way out, introducing someone on their way in...
Excerpt from authorized Kaufman bio Lost In The Funhouse by Bill Zehme:
Andy said he would do it and he did, on Jan 22; a limo collected him with Lynne (his girlfriend) and Linda (his friend) and took them to the taping. "All of a sudden, we were out in the world again and it was so bizarre," said Linda. "We were all very nervous. The doctor told me his arm could break if anybody even bumped it or grabbed him to say hi. So I stood there the whole time, next to his arm."
Because by this point, the cancer had metastasized and was eating away at his arm.
And here's more backstage info on the episode itself:
http://www.dareland.com/emulsionalproblems/kaufman.htm
A few comments from photographer Michael Dare:
Backstage before the show, Kaufman was as friendly as could be. There was not a hint of star ego as I hung out with him in the dressing room, taking his picture as they put on his make-up. As head writer of the show, I had absolutely nothing to do with the words that were to come out of his mouth, so I asked him what routines or characters he would be doing. "None," he said. "Just myself.".....
Kaufman's performance in The Top seems to be unique in his career. He wasn't playing a character. He wasn't putting anyone on. He wasn't trying to be funny. There was an absolute lack of irony. It actually wasn't a performance; he was simply being himself, doing a favor for a friend, dropping every facade he had ever used, dropping any attempt at being clever or cute or even entertaining. Other than the remarkable circumstances leading to his filling in for Chevy Chase, it wasn't even worth writing about. He smiled a lot and just came off as a totally nice guy, without pretense, someone you could share a beer with. Anyone tuning in to see any of his trademark idiosyncrasies would have been pretty disappointed.
At the time, I saw it as a complete waste of his phenomenal talents, but looking back now, I see it as a moment of incredible clarity. He probably knew he was dying. He didn't have anything else to prove to anybody. He could afford to just be himself, and that was good enough. "I'm sorry, but that's the way it goes," he said. "Good-bye from The Top." He put his hand over his heart, looked at the audience, wide-eyed and innocent, and said "We love you" before walking off the stage. He died four months later. It was his last public appearance.
Good news though... I finally, after MUCH searching, got a hold of this rare performance... I'm going to buy it very shortly. I know I'm going to cry too. As for Michael Dare's comments, I WON'T be disappointed, because although I immensely enjoy them, I DON'T ever watch Andy for his "idiosyncracies." I just love the guy veddy much.
Last edited by MmmRavioli; 04-03-2009 at 04:54 AM.
No one thought of Kennedy??
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Oh yeah, this one.
http://andykaufman.jvlnet.com/andylynn.jpg
This was after those phony "psychic surgery" treatments he had in the Phillipines. If it did any good for him at all, it was only psychological. By the time he returned home he was ten times worse than when he left.
I just posted that other photo because there's something about it I find particularily beautiful. (Can't describe what.)
Some people are skeptical about the illness because they say "Well he lost hair on his head, but he didn't lose his chest hair, so he must've been faking."
Well, number one - Andy had a LOT of chest hair. So maybe he did lose some, people just didn't notice. hahahahaha
Number two - everyone loses hair differently during chemo. Some people don't lose hair at all.
last public picture of Ronald Reagan on his 89th birthday - Feb 11/2000, died June 5/04:
Somebody had ask for a Mary Pickford Pic before she died. Sorry I couldn't find one but I did find a rare one of her with her husband Buddy Rogers at the funeral of Jeanette MacDonaldin 1965
A photo of William Holden from his last movie, S.O.B., released the year of his death, 1981
extremely overweight John Candy on the set of Wagons East - died while filming March 4/94:
John Candy...so sad. Loved that guy.
I'm with ya Outlier. I loved John Candy too. Another great Canuck
Challenger crew going to their deaths on Jan 28/86:
I'll never forget the day that happened. I watched it live on tv. One of the saddest moments. This picture is so tragic
Gandhi in death and one of Charles Darwin's last photographs (circ.1878).
Was reading FAD and came across this one of John Ritter.....I don`t know about anyone else, but he didn`t look good through that whole series....not that he just put weight on, but he looked bloated sick....
Anyone else think we should make this into a website?
Molly, if you ever get the chance visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam then do. It has the largest collection of his paintings in the world and is beautifully laid out. It's a lovely and moving experience to see his work 'in the flesh' so to speak.
Also, if you want a cheap but excellent book of his work, check out 'The Complete Paintings of Van Gogh' published by Taschen books. It's over 700 pages, with all his paintings printed in full colour on high quality paper. There's also drawings, photos and other biographical info. And the best thing is it very cheap. Under $15.
Photos of Richard Pryor at his last public appearance in July of 2005. According to Scott, that's Eddie Griffin with him.
And this one. His wife is on the far right.
Damn......I don't want to remember Richard Pryor like that.....