I was talking to a co-worker Saturday about the passing of Aaron Spelling when a customer (long-time and friendly) interjected "But it's only Aaron Spelling". I know what she was saying. It's not like a president, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, a relative, etc. He was just a man that I didn't know. I explained to her that it wasn't the fact that Aaron Spelling had died that bothered me. It was that a part of my young adulthood had passed. Aaron was responsible for my step into that phase of being a young woman. Before, my crushes had been boys such as Donny Osmond, Bobby Sherman and David Cassidy (the latter two not actually boys but boyish in character). Then came S.W.A.T. Mark Shera and Robert Urich, A.K.A. Dom DeLuca and Jim Street. Oh, I had a crush on Daniel Boone, but that was in re-runs later. No, Dom and Jim were my first "man" crushes, and it represented a transition in my life. I was no longer a little girl but a young lady coming to terms with changes and the feelings they engendered. Of course this coincided with the beginning of my Harlequin stage too, but Mark and Robert became my heroes, the ones that I had read about in those books. And it was Aaron Spelling who brought them to me. Did I cry upon learning of his death? No. But I mourn his passing, if not the man, then the symbol.
But I did cry when Andy Gibb died in 1980. So young and tragic. It was the first time that someone I had had a crush on died. His passing represented, in a way, the death of the idea of immortality. The one we as teenagers carry with us like a shield. We're young, we're vibrant, we can never die. I was 19 and long past my Andy Gibb phase and yet I wept for that loss.
And I cried in 2002 upon learning of the death of Robert Urich. As I said, he was one of my first "loves", and it seemed as if he had been there my entire adult life. It didn't matter that I no longer lusted after him because I had moved on to someone named Clooney by then, it was that he was always there. Dependable Robert Urich, good for a smile and an "ah yes, I remember" sigh.
Which brings us back to Aaron Spelling. The men he brought in to my life: Fess Parker, Robert Urich, Mark Shera, Adrian Zmed, John James, Michael Ontkean, Paul Michael Glaser, Dirk Benedict (remember Chopper One), Michael Cole, Dack Rambo, and Ted McGinley. You can almost say that Mr. Spelling was my heart-throb pimp. What would my young dreams and fantasies have been without him.
What celebrity death impacted you? And why?
And a Happy Belated Birthday to Shirley. I'm such a mess. I'm sorry I forgot that Saturday was your day. I hope you had a great birthday.
29 comments:
I came into the later years of Aaron Spellings life. It seems I missed a a great deal by not being born earlier. I do remember Robert Urich, and I to felt sad at his passing. Thanks for reminding me of a part of my childhood.
Shrely, Hope you had a fun and relaxing birthday!
I meant Shirely.
I must be honest and admit I had no idea who this was. I never watched any of those shows, so I was clueless. DH knew him right away for Charlie's Angels, but I never saw it. Duh, sometimes I think I must have led a very sheltered life!!!
Fess Parker (great coon skin hat), Robert Urich ( hubba hubba! he was fine!), Mark Shera ( my friends crush - I had Rob she had Marc - we lurrved comparing who was better in each episode of Swat then poor mark when onto the MD show Barnabas somebody,), Adrian Zmed ( didn't he go onto Policy Academy stuff? LOL), John James ( who was he?), Michael Ontkean, Paul Michael Glaser ( Hey, David Soul!), Dirk Benedict(Loved him - I remember he owned a cabin that he walked around shirtless and didn't like uninvited guests - maybe it was those cigars he liked?) Michael Cole (?) in what, Mod Squad?, Dack Rambo ( I can't believe you remembered him!!! OMGOSH, it's been years! Didn't he have a twin brother who died?), and Ted McGinley ( such a over developed muscle bound blondie *giggle*
for many of these, he brought them fame and fortune. Mr. Spelling gave them a chance to shine or shit. Fortunately, for most of them , they Shined and we had lots of men to base our fantasies on.
I haven't grow up on Aaron's projects except maybe "Beverly Hills 90210". However, when I read in the newspaper that Aaron Spelling died, I had several sad minutes, as an extremely talente person passed away. As for the celebrity death that impacted me, it's of a singer my friend admired very much.
Ummm...John Belushi. It didn't really affect me when it happened but later as I came to appreciate his movies, I realized what a waste it was. More recently there was an actor named Kevin Smith who played Ares on "Xena" and "Hercules." He was killed while filming a movie, leaving behind a wife and two little kids. I really enjoyed watching him and had the feeling he was going to burst on the Hollywood scene. It really bothered me.
I really liked Robert Urich too.
Sigh...
First celebrity deaths to impact me? Usually the ones that seemed very senseless. Drug overdoses, accidents, etc.
Peter Duel (who few people will remember) who had a wide, engaging grin, was one of the original stars of "Alias Smith and Jones" (which few people will remember). Died, whether deliberately or not, during a gun-cleaning accident. Senseless.
Jeffrey Hunter, 50s heart-throb and star of "King of Kings" (had the most BEAUTIFUL eyes!), died after a fall down a flight of stairs in his home. Senseless.
Freddie Prinze, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix...all young, talented. All very sad.
I think they made me wonder about how truly self-destructive we can be--even when we SEEM to have everything.
I didn't even know that Aaron Spelling had died.
RAine!!!
Oh MY Gosh!!
Peter Duel!! Peter Duel! Alias Smith and Jones!!!
Me and a good friend of mine Loved him! He had the greatest dimples. His brother's not hard on the eyes either.
Even tried contacting him via Ouija Board! My friend still believes that he didn't kill himself but was
"done in" . Can't convince her differently.
We even collaborated on writing a story - She got Kid Curry and I got Hannibal Heyes. There was a song that Pete sung on the series. We taped from the TV, then taped us singing with him. We sounded so darned good.
*sigh* Puppy Love,those were the days.
Raine, thanks for the trigger to walk down memory lane.
I didn't know that's what happened to Jeffrey Hunter!?!, What a loss. I still think he would have made a good Cpt. Kirk.
Rene, I agree with you about the guy that played Ares. I liked him too. I felt bad for the kids ... sometimes, an actor who has at least a good body of work behind him who dies leaving little kids, I've always felt glad that at least the kids can "see" their parent. See him walk , talk and get a glimpse of his emotions. Poor substitute , absolutely - but how many times do you read/hear about kids not being able to picture their lost parent over time? Actors leave a legacy beyond what you expect -when you view it from that perspective.
What about that guy, John Eric Hexum(?) ... something. He had three names. He accidently did himself in because he didn't realize that a gun that shot blanks STILL had a type of projectile inside. That was such a waste too.
I bet he thought it was like those old pop-guns with the little caps that exploded when the "hammer" hit them and made them "explode" ....
See? Ignorance is NOT bliss, it can kill you.
Brandy - and you missed so much.
Joely - you did lead a sheltered life.
City Chickie - P.I. show, not M.D. - Barnaby Jones. He played Jedediah Jones. John James - Jeff Colby on Dynasty. And yes, Michael Cole was on Mod Squad.
Olga - Beverly Hills 90210. Never watched it since I was in my 30s when it came out. Do you remember what singer?
Rene - John Belushi's death was tragic. I didn't watch those other shows so I don't know who Kevin Smith was, but a loss like that is terrible.
Raine - I loved Alias Smith and Jones. Add River Phoenix to that list.
Hey Diane. (waving)
City Chickie - I was a Ben Murphy fan. Jon Erik Hexum - from that time-travel show with Meeno Peluce (I think that's how it's spelled - what the heck, Punky Brewster's brother) then his death while in the series Cover-Up. He wasn't the first or the last to make that mistake.
I loved Mark Shera!!! And Dack Rambo!!! Wonder whatever happened to them? Must Google them and see...
Celebrity deaths that affected me? Jon-Erik Hexum. That one really bothered me a lot.
Beverly Hills 90210!
Brandon Lee, though to be honest, I usually don't think too much about celebrity deaths. The senseless ones make me angry, but Brandon seemed to fullfill some sort of painful, ugly legacy left behind by his father. I remember the ex and I were batting (ie arguing) about baby names when Brandon died and one of his picks was Bruce.
Tori - I have Mark Shera's autograph. *gg* Dack Rambo died of AIDS in 1994.
Amie - yes, Brandon's death was sad too. I don't usually think about celebrity deaths either, it was just the conversation I had with the customer yesterday.
Stacy - yes, they had a lot of chemestry.
Michele--you rock!
Anybody who loved Peter Duel is okay with me, lol!
Great smile. And yes, he had a brother...Geoffrey, I think? A smaller version.
And I remember him seeing that song--it's stayed in my mind all these years... "'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free..."
And yes--Hunter would've made a magnificent captain of the Enterprise.
He was Capt. Christopher Pike in the pilot, but quit because he wanted to concentrate on his movie career. Did you know that he was married to Emily McLaughlin at the time of his death (Nurse Jesse Brewer on General Hospital) and that they'd only been married for 4 months. Now that's sad.
I liked Peter Duel, it's just that I had had this crush on Ben Murphy since the movie Yours, Mine and Ours even if he did end up being a jerk in that film.
Oh,, I forgot about Jon Erik Hexum! I balled my eyes out when he died. I loved Cover-Up and I think his death was around my 13th or 14th birthday.
I was upset when George Peppard died in 1994. Not that I had a crush on him, but he was on the A-Team and that was the time/show/cast that really got me into writing. His death meant that I couldn't submit my script (at 11) and then guest sstar on the show!
Also, when Gregory Peck died. I loved Atticus Finch!
I remember when Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, died from drugs and John Lennon was shot to death to death. Such a waste of talent. :(
Thanks, Raine!!!!!
Dack is dead? Major bummer!
You've got an autograph, Bailey????
ooooh, Tremendous envy!
Bailey, did you like Mr. Murphy when he played the Invisible Man???? Remember that one?
Robert Urich was lovely and such a brave man. My earliest "crush" was Michael Landon but I don't think Bonanza was a Spelling production. I used to dream about Little Joe. Very sad he died of cancer too.
Oh my God!
I did not even know that
Robert Urich had passed away.
He was one of my preferred TV stars. Where have I been?
I guess I mourned the passing of Bob Hope. He had been around all my life and seemed to symbolize so much of what America stood for. Of course, it didn't come as much of a shock at his age. Yet still, no matter how long someone has been living, it seemed as if he would never die. He never will completely because of all that he did.
However, I also mourned the death of one of my high school classmates from alcoholism. He seemed to have achieved all that I had wanted to in life. Then, to hear this sad story was quite a blow. It brought home that, yes, my generation would be dying off bit by bit. Perhaps there have been others but the friend who sent me the news and who still lives close to where we grew up didn't really have a long list. She felt the same way I do. I am now also the eldest in my immediate family and it is a strange feeling. I still have a living aunt and uncle but the closest lives more that 1500 miles away. Anyway, I guess I have to be prepared for more deaths among my former classmates. I just hope the circumstances won't be as tragic as this one.
(((HUGS))) Ruby55!!!
I think when Princess Di was killed was one of the saddest events for me concerning celebrity deaths. With my husband it was Elvis Presley. He and Elvis had the same birthday (not same age, LOL.)
Let me think, Princess Di's was a shock. I can remember staying up to watch what I could of the funeral (still have it on vhs somewhere) Kevin Smith as Aries which someone mentioned above, it was I think just a few months after Xena ended, that was really sad.
The ones that have hit me the most though are some of the WWE wrestlers who have passed in the last few years. I've been a wrestling fan for almost 20 years and grew up watching these guys. Owen Hart's passing hit hard, since I saw him in person only a few weeks before and last year when Eddie Guerrero died, it was so sudden and unexpected and the tributes to him were so emotional.
Oh, there are so many. I know I'm always shocked when they give tribute to all those that died during the year. I felt bad about Jim Hensen from dying of the flu - he was so creative.
We have a painting on black velvet(dating myself here) of Jeffrey Hunter from King of Kings and I had no idea he died that way either.
Sorry, not to have been around much. My daughter and boyfriend who are ok except mild whiplash were hit and car totaled by a 16 yr. old girl who had her license for a week, no seat belt (air bag saved her life), talking on a cell phone, 4 min. away from curfew who ran a red light.
Yes, the death of the Princess of Wales affected me quite strongly too. I thought it was a conspiracy - first off, she hadn't died really but they'd whisked her away to some remote island because she was becoming an embarrassment to the government and to the royal family; then that she had been murdered. Her death was so convenient for so many people. I watched the entire funeral. She was quite close to my age - only a couple of years older - and only 37 (was it?) when she died.
Andy Gibb also affected me. I'd grown up with him too.
Hey, thanks. I had a great birthday.
I too felt sad to hear of the death of Aaron Spelling. The end of an era. And I guess we were all a little bit in love with Robert Urich for a while.
Aaron brought me some of my favorite tv shows ever ... Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed just to name two.
Two celebrity deaths that stand out for me are John Lennon and Pete Duel. Both were young, gifted and political activists. Lennon would be appalled at our current administation and ongoing senseless war and Duel would be crushed by the ruination of our planet and the effects of global warming. Come to think of it, Lennon probably wouldn't be too happy about the environment and considering Duel campaigned for Eugene McCarthy in 1968 I doubt he'd be in favor of the war. Rest in peace, guys.
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