For more information about the passing of writer (and Ray Bradbury friend) Harlan Ellison, the following link will take you to the obituary that appears in the on-line version of Locus Magazine:
This story is mainly for the benefit of dandelion, who has a superstition that people often die soon after she thinks of them!
I used to be something of a trivia buff on the subject of the James Bond movies. As I watched them over and over, I noticed an obscure (well, relatively obscure) Canadian actor called Shane Rimmer, who, for some reason, appears in several Bond movies in small roles (and quite a big role in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME). After I kept seeing the guy's face pop up unexpectedly, I looked up who he was and remembered him. But that was years ago.
Last night, just after midnight South African time, I watched an episode of THE PERSUADERS, and there he was again. By now I had forgotten his name and remembered it only when I glimpsed it in the brief end credits.
Today, at about 15:00, South African time, I thought about him again, remembering last night's show, and I looked him up on Wikipedia, just to see whether he was still alive and active.
The Wikipedia article stated that Shane Rimmer had died ... today, aged 89!
Considering the time difference, it must have virtually just happened. Google sources were tagged "1 hour ago".
How creepy is that?
(By the way, I now know that he's most famous for a voiceover in THE THUNDERBIRDS, but I've never watched that.)
Posts: 702 | Location: Cape Town, South Africa | Registered: 29 December 2001
By the way, in my original post I said Shane Rimmer was in several Bond movies "for some reason".
Well, it turns out he was living in the UK in the sixties and seventies, so he was easily available.
He had a substantial role in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, fighting side by side with James Bond, bit parts in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (uncredited, near the beginning) and DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, and a snippet of voiceover in LIVE AND LET DIE.
He was the ultimate "There's that guy again!" actor.
Posts: 702 | Location: Cape Town, South Africa | Registered: 29 December 2001
Science fiction Grand Master Gene Wolfe has died at age 87. Mr. Wolfe was one of the genre's finest writers. Below is a link to details about his life and passing:
Herman Wouk, author of such fine novels as THE CAINE MUTINY, THE WINDS OF WAR and WAR AND REMEMBRANCE, has died at age 103, just ten days before his 104th birthday. And according to his agent, he was working on a new novel at the time of his death.
Killed two more just today! Recently thinking of Mouseketeer Karen Pendleton as I read Children of Green Knowe again and she was my vision of Linnet. She just passed away. Then at dinner I was telling my sisters the life story of a friend who was unwell recently, she also just passed away rather suddenly after seeming to be on the mend. This is alarming; I have never done TWO at once! Actually three if you count Diahann Carroll, who I was also thinking about just before her recent death.
Posts: 7332 | Location: Dayton, Washington, USA | Registered: 03 December 2001
