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Weird“In Memoriam”: Celebrity Deaths To Be Honored At 2015 Oscars (GALLERY)
By Mark Graham
@unclegrambo
Published
Feb. 22, 2015, 1:43 p.m. ET
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Photo: Getty
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WHO: Richard Kiel
HOW OLD: 74
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Happy Gilmore
ODDS: 1000:1
RATIONALE: When we say Kiel was a giant of the cinema, we mean that quite literally. Kiel stood 7'2", and his imposing physical stature helped him become one of the most terrifying Bond villains in history (so evil they had him back twice!). Sadly, though, his imposing size also meant that he was never taken seriously as an actor, which means that he doesn't have what it takes in the eyes of Hollywood to anchor the death reel.
HOW OLD: 74
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Happy Gilmore
ODDS: 1000:1
RATIONALE: When we say Kiel was a giant of the cinema, we mean that quite literally. Kiel stood 7'2", and his imposing physical stature helped him become one of the most terrifying Bond villains in history (so evil they had him back twice!). Sadly, though, his imposing size also meant that he was never taken seriously as an actor, which means that he doesn't have what it takes in the eyes of Hollywood to anchor the death reel.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Ruby Dee
HOW OLD: 91
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: A Raisin In The Sun, Do The Right Thing
ODDS: 100:1
RATIONALE: During her illustrious and groundbreaking career, Dee won an Emmy, a Grammy, a National Medal of the Arts and a SAG Award. Her talent can never be questioned. However, she never won an Oscar, which means she has no shot at anchoring the In Memoriam montage.
HOW OLD: 91
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: A Raisin In The Sun, Do The Right Thing
ODDS: 100:1
RATIONALE: During her illustrious and groundbreaking career, Dee won an Emmy, a Grammy, a National Medal of the Arts and a SAG Award. Her talent can never be questioned. However, she never won an Oscar, which means she has no shot at anchoring the In Memoriam montage.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Joan Rivers
HOW OLD: 81
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Spaceballs, The Muppets Take Manhattan
ODDS: 75:1
RATIONALE: The comedic chops that Joan Rivers possessed can and will never be questioned. Nor can her influence. Her work in the cinema, though—as evidenced by her most notable film roles above—was C-list at best. Her finest performance on film was as herself in the documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work, which means that she'll undoubtedly appear in the montage but not in the anchor spot.
HOW OLD: 81
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Spaceballs, The Muppets Take Manhattan
ODDS: 75:1
RATIONALE: The comedic chops that Joan Rivers possessed can and will never be questioned. Nor can her influence. Her work in the cinema, though—as evidenced by her most notable film roles above—was C-list at best. Her finest performance on film was as herself in the documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work, which means that she'll undoubtedly appear in the montage but not in the anchor spot.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Elaine Stritch
HOW OLD: 89
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: A Farewell To Arms, September, Small Time Crooks, Monster In Law
ODDS: 50:1
RATIONALE: Stritch earned even more awards than Ruby Dee, coming just an Oscar away from EGOT status. If this were either the Emmys, Grammys or Tonys, she might have a shot at anchoring. It's the Oscars, though, which means she'll just be another sepia tinted face in the crowd.
HOW OLD: 89
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: A Farewell To Arms, September, Small Time Crooks, Monster In Law
ODDS: 50:1
RATIONALE: Stritch earned even more awards than Ruby Dee, coming just an Oscar away from EGOT status. If this were either the Emmys, Grammys or Tonys, she might have a shot at anchoring. It's the Oscars, though, which means she'll just be another sepia tinted face in the crowd.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: James Garner
HOW OLD: 86
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Murphy's Romance (Oscar nominated), The Notebook, The Great Escape
ODDS: 25:1
RATIONALE: Man, was this dude the epitome of handsome or what? Garner's good looks scored him a number of plum roles over the years, but the first thing that people will remember about him is that he starred in The Rockford Files (which, weirdly, was never turned into a feature film property). He won Emmys, he won Golden Globes, but since he never won any Oscars, he's going to be somewhere near the front of this tribute.
HOW OLD: 86
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Murphy's Romance (Oscar nominated), The Notebook, The Great Escape
ODDS: 25:1
RATIONALE: Man, was this dude the epitome of handsome or what? Garner's good looks scored him a number of plum roles over the years, but the first thing that people will remember about him is that he starred in The Rockford Files (which, weirdly, was never turned into a feature film property). He won Emmys, he won Golden Globes, but since he never won any Oscars, he's going to be somewhere near the front of this tribute.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Maya Angelou
HOW OLD: 86
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Poetic Justice, Madea's Family Reunion
ODDS: 10:1
RATIONALE: Maya Angelou is an institution (not to mention one that Oprah made a lot of money from). In addition to being a poet, she was an actress, a screenwriter, and a director, and definitely would have been one of the most respected people in the room tonight. She could pull an upset here, but it's not likely.
HOW OLD: 86
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Poetic Justice, Madea's Family Reunion
ODDS: 10:1
RATIONALE: Maya Angelou is an institution (not to mention one that Oprah made a lot of money from). In addition to being a poet, she was an actress, a screenwriter, and a director, and definitely would have been one of the most respected people in the room tonight. She could pull an upset here, but it's not likely.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Mickey Rooney
HOW OLD: 93
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: National Velvet, The Black Stallion, Babe: Pig In The City
ODDS: 5:1
RATIONALE: Motherfucker has 338 (!!!) credits listed on his IMDB page. Along with Shirley Temple, who passed last year, he pretty much dominated the box office in the '30s and '40s, taking home a Juvenile Academy Award back in 1939. (He also took home an honorary Oscar in 1983.) Sadly, though, he died nearly penniless, and that's too much of a downer ending for even Hollywood to spin into In Memoriam gold.
HOW OLD: 93
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: National Velvet, The Black Stallion, Babe: Pig In The City
ODDS: 5:1
RATIONALE: Motherfucker has 338 (!!!) credits listed on his IMDB page. Along with Shirley Temple, who passed last year, he pretty much dominated the box office in the '30s and '40s, taking home a Juvenile Academy Award back in 1939. (He also took home an honorary Oscar in 1983.) Sadly, though, he died nearly penniless, and that's too much of a downer ending for even Hollywood to spin into In Memoriam gold.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Lauren Bacall
HOW OLD: 89
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: The Big Sleep, Key Largo, The Mirror Has Two Faces
ODDS: 3:1
RATIONALE: Along with her husband Humphrey Bogart, she was to the 1940s what Brangelina is to today: Hollywood royalty, personified. Her sultriness is unquestioned, but her career was strangely never looked fondly upon by the Academy. She nearly won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1997 for her work in Babs Streisand's The Mirror Has Two Faces, but got outfoxed at the last minute by Juliette Binoche (who won for The English Patient). She took home an honorary Oscar in 2010 for her career work, but she's not going to make the anchor spot tonight.
HOW OLD: 89
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: The Big Sleep, Key Largo, The Mirror Has Two Faces
ODDS: 3:1
RATIONALE: Along with her husband Humphrey Bogart, she was to the 1940s what Brangelina is to today: Hollywood royalty, personified. Her sultriness is unquestioned, but her career was strangely never looked fondly upon by the Academy. She nearly won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1997 for her work in Babs Streisand's The Mirror Has Two Faces, but got outfoxed at the last minute by Juliette Binoche (who won for The English Patient). She took home an honorary Oscar in 2010 for her career work, but she's not going to make the anchor spot tonight.
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Mike Nichols
WHEN: 83
PROMINENT FILMS: The Graduate (won the Oscar for Best Director), Silkwood, The Birdcage
ODDS: 2:1
RATIONALE: If you were putting together a shortlist for Best Directors of All-Time, you'd have to have Mike Nichols on the list. I mean, The Graduate? #MICDROP. Yes, that was in 1967, but he did anything but sit on his laurels after that unabashed masterpiece. He stayed relevant throughout the '70s (Carnal Knowledge), the '80s (Working Girl), and the '90s (The Birdcage), directing films that were both critical and commercial hits. Any other year, he might be a shoo-in for the anchor spot of the In Memoriam montage. But this year, though, that prize is going to...
WHEN: 83
PROMINENT FILMS: The Graduate (won the Oscar for Best Director), Silkwood, The Birdcage
ODDS: 2:1
RATIONALE: If you were putting together a shortlist for Best Directors of All-Time, you'd have to have Mike Nichols on the list. I mean, The Graduate? #MICDROP. Yes, that was in 1967, but he did anything but sit on his laurels after that unabashed masterpiece. He stayed relevant throughout the '70s (Carnal Knowledge), the '80s (Working Girl), and the '90s (The Birdcage), directing films that were both critical and commercial hits. Any other year, he might be a shoo-in for the anchor spot of the In Memoriam montage. But this year, though, that prize is going to...
Photo: Everett Collection
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WHO: Robin Williams
HOW OLD: 63
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Aladdin, Good Morning Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire
ODDS: 1:3
RATIONALE: We're still reeling over the untimely loss of Robin Williams last summer, tbh. He was one of the most successful comedians in the history of Hollywood, one whose manic persona and irrepressible charm translated across every possible medium (film, TV, stand-up, stage, albums, animation). He also made the incredibly difficult transition from being a funny man to being a respected dramatic actor, a challenge that has taken down the careers of many comedians both before and after him. He won an Oscar in 1997 for his work in Good Will Hunting, he was one of the biggest box office stars of the last 40 years, but the feather in his In Memoriam cap is that he died in tragic fashion while he was still relevant. If the In Memoriam segment ends tonight with anyone other than Robin Williams in the anchor spot, we'll eat our hat.
HOW OLD: 63
PROMINENT FILM ROLES: Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Aladdin, Good Morning Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire
ODDS: 1:3
RATIONALE: We're still reeling over the untimely loss of Robin Williams last summer, tbh. He was one of the most successful comedians in the history of Hollywood, one whose manic persona and irrepressible charm translated across every possible medium (film, TV, stand-up, stage, albums, animation). He also made the incredibly difficult transition from being a funny man to being a respected dramatic actor, a challenge that has taken down the careers of many comedians both before and after him. He won an Oscar in 1997 for his work in Good Will Hunting, he was one of the biggest box office stars of the last 40 years, but the feather in his In Memoriam cap is that he died in tragic fashion while he was still relevant. If the In Memoriam segment ends tonight with anyone other than Robin Williams in the anchor spot, we'll eat our hat.
Photo: Everett Collection
