R.I.P. Andy Hallett (1975-2009)

Andy Hallett, best known for playing Lorne (or, if you're an uber-nerd, Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan) on the TV show Angel, died on Sunday at the age of 33. He had been battling heart disease for a number of years.

Emily and I just started watching Angel a few months ago. We both love the show, and I absolutely love the character of Lorne. Andy Hallett was very good in the role of a lounge-singing demon who can tell people's futures, but only when they sing.

We still have a season and a half of Angel left to watch. Now I'll be sad the whole time I watch it :(

R.I.P. John Hope Franklin (1915-2009)

The eminent African-American historian John Hope Franklin died this morning at the age of 94.

Throughout his long life, Dr. Franklin had a profound impact on the study of African-American history. His most noted contribution was his 1947 book From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans, considered a landmark in the field. He recently published his autobiography, Mirror to America: The Autobiography of John Hope Franklin, which (if any of you want to buy me something) is high on my reading list.

In 2001 the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies opened on the campus of Duke University. He was named by Professor Molefi Kete Asante in his book, 100 Greatest African Americans: A Biographical Encyclopedia, in 2002.

Dr. Franklin received his Ph.D. in history from Harvard in 1941. He most recently taught at Duke University, where he was Professor Emeritus of history. Dr. Franklin also taught at the Duke Law School. He passed away at the Duke University Medical Center.

Sad Days

It's not a good day when one of your favorite actors dies. It's an even worse one when two die on back to back days.

Yesterday:
R.I.P. Patrick McGoohan (1928-2009)

Known to sci-fi fans as Number Six in TV's The Prisoner, many modern viewers remember him for his role as Edward I in Braveheart. Still others (actually, probably just me) remember him as the bad guy in Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend. He will truly be missed.

Today:
R.I.P. Ricardo Montalban (1920-2009)

Best known as...you know what? I don't give a crap about Fantasy Island. He was Khan. As in Wrath of.... He created one of the great bad guys in movie history with his performance. All Trekkies worldwide should look up to the heavens and, in his honor, shout

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

R.I.P. Studs Terkel (1912-2008)

The great oral historian Studs Terkel died yesterday. Unlike other historians, Studs wasn't interested in what the major players had to say. He was interested in ordinary Americans caught up in great movements of history. His books include Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression and The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two (which won him the Pulitzer Prize). His last book was P.S. Further Thoughts From a Lifetime of Listening.

Among his many great quotes was, on being born in May 1912, he said "As the Titanic went down, I came up."