Good-Byes of 2008

It's that time again. With 2008 about to give way to the New Year, I want to pay tribute to the people who passed this year. Not everyone is accounted for, but here are the individuals who meant something to me.

Aunt Bess (89): One of the funniest women I ever had the privilege of knowing. Though never in great health as long as I remember, she never let more than a minute go by without making us laugh, sometimes intentionally, other times not. Not even diabetes could stop her from a rich piece of chocolate. Aunt Bess was matter of fact about the grimmest of subjects, such as death, disease, and relationships (picture an even straighter-faced Steve Carell). But she was sharp as a bat and always showed a keen interest in what my brothers and I were doing with our lives. We didn't see her as often as I'm sure she would've liked (living 100 miles away), but knowing our visits brought her joy makes me smile, as does knowing where a pronounced portion of my sense of humor must've came from.

George Carlin (71): The list of genuinely funny comedians in my lifetime is pretty short. Now subtract those who were legitimate trail blazers, equal parts eloquent and merciless, and we only have one. I had the good fortune to see Carlin perform in Las Vegas in 2002, a phenomenal piece of work that ranks with a recent Jerry Seinfeld show as the funniest live comedy act I've seen. What set Carlin apart was his honesty, mastery of language (truly unique, he often sounded like a walking encyclopedia), and the fact that he never seemed to do a bit just to fill time. One could always find harsh truths hidden in the subtext of his carefully chosen words. Several of his acts ("Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television, "Baseball and Football," "The Ten Commandments," "Airplane Safety," "Saving the Planet") have achieved legendary status. But it was his quick-witted attacks on religion, politics, and general stupidity perpetrated by all of us that made him a brilliant spokesman for his time.

Heath Ledger (28): Not since the death of River Phoenix had Hollywood lost such a promising young actor, whose legend is likely to grow as a result of his tragic passing. His performances elicited a stronger emotional response than all but a handful of actors from his generation. Even in lesser films such as "10 Things I Hate About You" and "The Patriot," his natural charisma elevated the material. His sad, muted work in "Brokeback Mountain" was as powerful as anything I've seen in the last decade of cinema. He deserved an Oscar for that role (2005), but will likely earn one posthumously for his stunning portrayal of the Joker in this summer's "The Dark Knight." Ledger balanced horror, humor, insanity, and brilliance in a role made famous to many by Jack Nicholson. Ledger's ultimate trick was in making sure his interpretation was the one we will all remember.

Paul Newman (83): Quite possibly the most likeable actor of all-time, Newman was also among the most versatile performers of his era. And at the risk of sounding very gay, he wasn't too ugly a fella either. Upon hearing news of his passing, my Mom sounded genuinely affected as she said "this one feels more personal somehow." Newman was a philanthropist of the highest order, raising an astounding 250 million for charity through his Newman's Own food company. He was rumored to have no ego, seemingly impossible given an astounding ten Academy Award nominations and a plethora of landmark films he will be remembered for. My favorite Newman performance was his rebellious turn as the title character in "Cool Hand Luke," followed closely by Fast Eddie Felson, a role he originated in "The Hustler" and returned to in "The Color of Money." Other essential performances included his work in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Hud," "The Sting," "The Verdict," and "Road to Perdition." I would argue no current actor so successfully blurs the line between actor and movie star as Mr. Butch Cassidy did.

Roy Scheider (75): His passing early in 2008 didn't receive the same publicity as some of his more celebrated contemporaries, but Scheider possessed an everyman quality that several of his era's bigger names lacked. During the 1970s, considered by many to be the greatest decade in American cinema, Scheider made a lasting impression. His credits included the thrillers "Marathon Man" and "The French Connection," as well as the semi-autobiographical drama "All That Jazz." While the latter two earned him Oscar nominations, he was best known for his role as Police Chief Martin Brody, the reluctant hero of Steven Spielberg's "Jaws." The film most often credited with creating the Hollywood blockbuster, "Jaws" set itself apart on the strength of its human characters, usually absent in the thousands of clones since. Brody hated the water; Scheider made us believe it could happen to anyone.

Some Others We Lost . . .

Sammy Baugh (94): The last surviving member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's inaugural class, the Washington Redskins quarterback is widely regarded as one of the finest to ever play the game.

John Costelloe (47): Costelloe was best known for his role as Johnny Cakes, the gay fireman and short-order cook who formed a relationship with closeted mob capo Vito in the final season of the HBO hit "The Sopranos."

Michael Crighton (66): The hugely successful author wrote several thrillers, including "The Great Train Robbery," "Jurassic Park," "The Lost World," "The Andromeda Strain," "Disclosure," and "Congo." He also created the Emmy Award-winning drama, "E.R.", one of the most popular television shows of the last twenty years.

Kevin Duckworth (44): Duckworth was a two-time All-Star center who helped the Portland Trail Blazers reach the NBA finals in both 1990 and 1992. The 1992 team, featuring a starting five of Duckworth, Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Buck Williams, and Jerome Kersey came as close to defeating Michael Jordan's Bulls as anyone.

Bobby Fischer (64): One of the finest chess players who ever lived, Fischer's disappearance from competitive chess provided the basis for the 1993 film "Searching for Bobby Fischer." He remains the only American to win the World Chess Championship.

Stanley Kamel (65): Though most widely known for his role on the USA series "Monk," I will remember him as mobster Tony Marchette, whose feud with Luke Perry's Dylan McKay provided the dramatic center of season 6 of "Beverly Hills 90210."

Estelle Getty (84): An Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner for her role as Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls, Getty was actually younger than co-stars Bea Arthur and Betty White despite playing the foul-mouthed mother of the former. She later starred in the dreadful Sylvester Stallone comedy "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot."

Isaac Hayes (65): Among the most well-known musicians of the past half-century, Hayes also possessed one of the coolest voices the world has ever known. Among his many credits, the three-time Grammy winner performed the universally known "Theme from Shaft" and voiced Chef on Comedy Central's "South Park."

Charlton Heston (84): An outspoken political activist and noted gun nut, Heston was also Hollywood's go-to-guy for heroic epics throughout the 1950s-60s. His impressive resume included "The Ten Commandments," "El Cid," "Ben-Hur," "Touch of Evil," and
"Planet of the Apes." He also provided one of my favorite cameos
in "Wayne's World 2," making Mike Myers cry with his story of a girl he once knew on Gordon Street.

Bernie Mac (50): As much as anyone this year, Mac's death came as a complete shock. The engaging comedian lent his winning presence to films like "The Original Kings of Comedy," "Friday," "Above the Rim," "Life," "Bad Santa," and the "Ocean's 11" franchise. He was also nominated for two Emmy awards for his lead role on the self-titled "The Bernie Mac Show."

Sydney Pollack (73): One of the most respected talents in the film community, Pollack made impressions as an actor in films such as "The Player," "Eyes Wide Shut," and "Michael Clayton," though his real gift was directing. The Oscar winner's credits included "The Way We Were," "Three Days of the Condor," "Absence of Malice,"
"Out of Africa," and "The Firm." However, his crowning
achievement remains "Tootsie," one of the smartest and funniest comedies ever made.

Robert Prosky (77): One of cinema's quintessential "that guys," Prosky wasn't flashy but his work always lent credibility to the projects he chose. I'll remember him most for a pair of 1993 roles; as Father Cavanaugh who helps Rudy Ruettiger get into Notre Dame in "Rudy" and as Mr. Lundy, Robin Williams' boss in "Mrs. Doubtfire."

Brad Renfro (25): Renfro tragically OD'd from heroin use early in the year, ending an often troubled career that started with great promise in 1994. He followed his tremendous debut in the hit film "The Client" with strong performances in the underrated drama "Sleepers," "Apt Pupil," and "Ghost World."

Stan Winston (62): Anyone without a deep appreciation of film probably doesn't recognize his name, but the four-time Oscar winner's visual effects & make-up artistry proved essential to a number of hugely popular films. Winston's credits included "Aliens," "Predator," "Edward Scissorhands," "Terminator 2," "AI: Artificial Intelligence," and "Jurassic Park."



Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't briefly mention several of 2008's biggest retirements, starting off with one of the most polarizing athletes of my lifetime;

Antoine Walker: Though not officially retired, I doubt any team's going to go out of its way to sign 'Twoine, a one-time offensive talent who couldn't jump over a piece of paper. Seriously, what 6' 9" black man can't dunk a basketball with one hand? An athletic enigma if ever there was one, Walker was as likely to make Celtics fans smack their collective foreheads as cheer for the mercurial talent, an occasionally brilliant passer and turnover machine. In the years when Boston became the laughingstock of the NBA, Walker was noteworthy for his supreme entertainment value, which included his infamous wiggle, equally probable to appear following triple-double efforts and his many errant, tiptoed 3-point launches from 27 feet out. This past summer in Vegas, Walker was responsible for another highlight. Celebrating a good friend's bachelor party at Nine's Steakhouse, Walker briefly joined our parade of Boston fans for some laughs, high-fives, and best wishes for the intoxicated groom-to-be, who showed Antoine how the shimmy is really done.

Others who hung 'em up (presumably) for the last time . . .

MLB: Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza

MOA (Morons of America): George W. Bush & Dick Cheney

NBA: Pat Riley, Chris Webber, Bobby Knight (NCAA)

NFL: Troy Brown & Willie McGinest, Steve McNair, Warren Saap, Michael Strahan


Farewell 2008. Now join me as we say L'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim!