Kerry sent me an email listing the stars who had died in 2003. I'm copypasting his note with his permission. There were several that I hadn't heard about. I thought those of you who read the message board might think it's interesting. He thinks, perhaps, Alan Bates may have died last year, but wasn't sure. Also, if he has missed any that you know about, please feel free to let us know.... thanks...Ginger..see Kerry's note below:
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I tend to list the stars that we have lost in the last year around this time each new year, so here goes again.Hope I don't overlook anyone.

Kate Hepburn, Bob Hope, Greg Peck, Horst Buchholz, Charles Bronson, Robert Stack, Donald O'Connor, Art Carney, Jack Elam, Richard Crenna, Gregory Hines, David Hemmings, Rand Brooks, Penny Singleton, Wendy Hiller, Martha Scott, Jeanne Crain, Hume Cronyn, Janice Rule, Guy Rolfe, Buddy Ebsen, Buddy Hackett, Suzy Parker, John Ritter, Thora Hird, Elia Kazan, John Schlesinger, and Hope Lange.

Any surviving stars from the "Golden Age" are indeed very precious now.

Let's not forget John Ritter, Barry White, Johnny Cash/June Carter, Fred Rogers and (If I may throw in a journalist) David Brinkley.

We still have Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller, Kirk Douglas, Olivia DeHavilland and (if I am not mistaken) Joan Fontaine.

Too true Cathy, they were notable losses. I tended to zone in only on Cinema personalities, but looking at the broader field of Entertainment, we indeed sadly farewelled quite a number more.

On Cinema -do you recall a Czech 'actress', named Vera Ralston who won a silver medal in ice skating (shades of Sonja Henie )at the 1936 Olympics, then churned out numerous low budget features for Republic before marrying the studio head and retiring ? She also died last year. And co-incidentally so did Leni Riefenstal aged 100 who filmed those '36 Olympics. She was a highly talented film maker but due to Directing the Nazi propaganda film "Triumph of the Will" for Hitler and a question mark after the war re her affiliations with the Nazi regime, was in disfavor.

Thanks for the reminder of some of those veteran stars still with us. I read that Ann Miller is not in good health at all, so I hope 2004 sees her rally back. Luise Rainer, I think she is also both alive and fairly well.?

Cheers

Kerry

Ann Miller --Kerry, this reminded me that I recently watched Mulholland Drive (strange film) and Ann Miller had a relatively important role. I hadn't seen her in modern films although she may have appeared in some. I have seen her interviewed on Larry King usually discussing old film stars that have passed away. She has looked amazingly good for her age and pretty alert and chipper. It's sad to hear that her health is failing although at her age this is not surprising.

Yes Ann Miller in "Mulholland Drive" -I had forgotten.It was indeed strange and surreal, but I guess coming from David Lynch ??? I used to watch "Twin Peaks" when it first ran on TV and also tend to think that 'Mulholland' resembles in many ways his earlier film "Blue Velvet". (Roy Orbison's 'In Dreams' will never sound the same again. !!!). Lynch's take on life is possibly summed up by Kyle MacLachlan's character Jeffrey in "Blue Velvet" when he says " It's a strange world isn't it ?".

Kerry