Thursday, September 27, 2012

Andy Williams (1927-2012) & Herbert Lom (1917-2012)

Two more passings to report.

Herbert Lom will be remembered mostly for his role as Chief Inspector Dreyfus in the "Pink Panther" movies, opposite Peter Sellers. Dreyfus, you'll recall, was driven mad by Inspector Clouseau (Sellers) and his bumbling methods. Lom, however, has one other notable role on his resume, that of "The Phantom of the Opera", in Hammer Films' 1962 adaptation of the Gaston LeRoux novel. A film that hasn't seen the light of day on television all that much in recent years. Lom passed away at 95.

Growing up in the 60's and early 70's meant watching The Andy Williams Show on most Saturday nights. Williams was credited with introducing viewers to the Osmond Brothers, and also engaged in some pretty silly skits with the Cookie Bear (Janos Prohaska). Like a great number of his contemporaries, Williams started a dinner theatre in Branson, Missouri in later years, and it was there that he passed away on Wednesday at 84 after a year long battle with bladder cancer.

I know I've posted this before, but it bears repeating, as it's one of Williams' most famous hits, and I believe also his last Top 40 record, the theme from "Love Story".



Rest in peace, gentlemen.

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