Recent Passing of Stars

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Look at SC Senator Lindsey Graham. DC is in many ways still a small southern town and everyone knows he is gay except apparently his voters back home.

Really? This is the first I'm hearing about this. I mean just because a guy isn't married and doesn't have a girl on his arm doesn't mean he's gay. I have friends who got married when they turned 20 and then I have friends that are mid-40 and even pushing 50 and still haven't found "the right one". Doesn't make them gay.

[Pahonu]

Look at SC Senator Lindsey Graham. DC is in many ways still a small southern town and everyone knows he is gay except apparently his voters back home.

Really? This is the first I'm hearing about this. I mean just because a guy isn't married and doesn't have a girl on his arm doesn't mean he's gay. I have friends who got married when they turned 20 and then I have friends that are mid-40 and even pushing 50 and still haven't found "the right one". Doesn't make them gay.

I don’t think anyone can confirm Lindsey Graham’s sexual orientation currently, but that’s not the point. It’s his private life and it doesn’t matter relative to his job. I’m saying that as a very vociferous opponent of his policies, but his personal life is private and not the business of his supporters or opponents, even if this is the first you have heard of it.

There are about a dozen current members of Congress that are open about their sexual orientation, including at least one GOP member. Quite a few congressional aides over the years have confirmed that they knew very clearly congressional member’s sexual orientation by their frequent appearances at gay bars, but kept it private out of respect for them personally. I also respect that position. Many members over the years, Republican and Democrat alike, have decided to keep it private, and that is their right. Sadly, many continue to speculate, either insisting or denying that they know. It doesn’t matter.

Sadly, I recall many years ago when the the long-time conservative GOP congressman from Orange County, CA, Bob Dornan, outed a fellow party member on the floor by commenting on him being in and out of the closet. He lost reelection not long after, if I recall correctly.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Look at SC Senator Lindsey Graham. DC is in many ways still a small southern town and everyone knows he is gay except apparently his voters back home.

Really? This is the first I'm hearing about this. I mean just because a guy isn't married and doesn't have a girl on his arm doesn't mean he's gay. I have friends who got married when they turned 20 and then I have friends that are mid-40 and even pushing 50 and still haven't found "the right one". Doesn't make them gay.

I don’t think anyone can confirm Lindsey Graham’s sexual orientation currently, but that’s not the point. It’s his private life and it doesn’t matter relative to his job. I’m saying that as a very vociferous opponent of his policies, but his personal life is private and not the business of his supporters or opponents, even if this is the first you have heard of it.

There are about a dozen current members of Congress that are open about their sexual orientation, including at least one GOP member. Quite a few congressional aides over the years have confirmed that they knew very clearly congressional member’s sexual orientation by their frequent appearances at gay bars, but kept it private out of respect for them personally. I also respect that position. Many members over the years, Republican and Democrat alike, have decided to keep it private, and that is their right. Sadly, many continue to speculate, either insisting or denying that they know. It doesn’t matter.

Sadly, I recall many years ago when the the long-time conservative GOP congressman from Orange County, CA, Bob Dornan, outed a fellow party member on the floor by commenting on him being in and out of the closet. He lost reelection not long after, if I recall correctly.

My cousin ran for Congress on the GOP ticket and lost, plus I have other relations in Rockville and Fort Meade and at the State Department who all live in the DC metro area
and knew of Graham's private life, I knew about it as well from other sources such as obvious veiled comments on talk shows, etc.
In comments regarding his sudden odd about face on issues, they asserted it was because Graham is gay, not as condemnation but because literally overnight Lindsey
went from having complete disgust and contempt for a former president to becoming chief lick spittle and forelock tugger when his new master called.

The Week magazine in the Editors Letter column, a few months ago, artfully shouted in the subtext that Graham's behavior was the result of caving in because of his fear of being exposed.
Because as stated above his orientation doesn't matter, and the media as a whole respects that. But in Graham's case because he so obviously buckled to pressure, and sold out his own
principles out of fear to a man he utterly despised, he lost the respect of and disgusted many in politics and the media and in the public like me.
Though he laudably still sticks up for Ukraine. However if you noticed, the vermin in Moscow, when announcing an arrest warrant for him a few days ago, referred to him repeatedly
as "Lady L". Newsreaders repeated that without comment, though they should have deleted it as why facilitate Putin's attempt at demeaning an opponent.
On the other hand, with all due respect to you guys not being aware of it, everybody around DC or in other areas who has more than a casual interest in politics, or is aware of how a smart
editor/writer can send a message sideways/in the subtext, knows about Graham. And caught the "Lady L" comment.
And how he traded his dignity to become a puppet on call. The price was too high senator, you should have just said who you are and that you can't be blackmailed and most people
would have respected that.
I don't want to keep harping on this poor schnook, as the more I write the more I feel sorry for him, but do a search and you will find umpteen stories from the DC gay scene about the senator,
many jokes from famous comics (how kind of them) publicly outing him, such as Chelsea Handler, Graham's challenger Dave Feliciano in the 2014 GOP primary calling him out, extreme right winger
William Gheen as well, etc etc etc.
In sum, in regards to my comment about Graham's homosexuality, that horse left the barn a long, long time ago.

Bob Dornan played a pilot (small roles) on many episodes of the excellent but not well known TV series Twelve O'Clock High - 78 episodes - and flew the planes in some scenes.
My friend's father who flew B-17's really liked this show, well worth your time, on Saturday night on the H & I network and on You Tube.
Nobody ever accused Dornan of being nice.

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Murder, My Sweet (1944)
Phillip Marlowe -
"She was a charming middle-aged lady with a face like a bucket of mud. I gave her a drink. She was a gal who’d take a drink, if she had to knock you down to get the bottle."

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

In comments regarding his sudden odd about face on issues, they asserted it was because Graham is gay, not as condemnation but because literally overnight Lindsey
went from having complete disgust and contempt for a former president to becoming chief lick spittle and forelock tugger when his new master called.

If you're referring to Trump then it means absolutely nothing. Because everyone on the GOP side who despised him (Cruz, Rubio, Christie, McConnell, etc.) immediately got behind him once he became president and became staunch supporters of his. How about Glenn Beck? He was railing against Trump the whole time, basically saying he was no better than Clinton. That he was basically a liberal Democrat in sheep's clothing who just wants to get elected and doesn't have a conservative bone in his body. That he's a liar, a cheat, etc. Then Trump becomes president and Beck becomes his ardent supporter. Maybe Glenn Beck is secretly gay too?

As for stories about seeing Graham in gay bars or whatever... unless I see some pictures then it's just stories. And like you said, all we have is veiled comments which don't mean a thing. Folks would like nothing more than to label yet another conservative GOP member as a closeted gay man.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

In comments regarding his sudden odd about face on issues, they asserted it was because Graham is gay, not as condemnation but because literally overnight Lindsey
went from having complete disgust and contempt for a former president to becoming chief lick spittle and forelock tugger when his new master called.

If you're referring to Trump then it means absolutely nothing. Because everyone on the GOP side who despised him (Cruz, Rubio, Christie, McConnell, etc.) immediately got behind him once he became president and became staunch supporters of his. How about Glenn Beck? He was railing against Trump the whole time, basically saying he was no better than Clinton. That he was basically a liberal Democrat in sheep's clothing who just wants to get elected and doesn't have a conservative bone in his body. That he's a liar, a cheat, etc. Then Trump becomes president and Beck becomes his ardent supporter. Maybe Glenn Beck is secretly gay too?
As for stories about seeing Graham in gay bars or whatever... unless I see some pictures then it's just stories. And like you said, all we have is veiled comments which don't mean a thing. Folks would like nothing more than to label yet another conservative GOP member as a closeted gay man.

Character to me is everything, and that some fail the test doesn't mean I am wrong.
Beck is an obvious buffoon, ever looking for the next buck. Cruz, Rubio, Christie aren't exactly known for integrity, either.
Graham is or was a thoughtful and informed man, he didn't just jump on the bandwagon of whatever Murdoch was pushing on a given day.
Senators of whatever stripe could work with him and produce legislation, such as then Senator Clinton. As you know the art of politics is reaching across and cutting deals to
get things done. Graham did that.
For my part - perhaps the onus is on me for not being clearer - the problem is not with his private life, but rather he let that be used as a cudgel by a draft dodging con man who
utterly degraded our country in the eyes of the world, and who if ever returned to power will stab Ukraine in the back on day one, which I and my blood kin take very personally.
History always has the last word, which seems to be lost on all the media and partisans of whatever stripe who live in the moment or at best the last 4 years - just ask people to name the last
8 presidents, forgeddaboutit.
And how History views Graham will forever be colored by his kneeling to a snake oil salesman whose utter lack of knowledge/integrity caused his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to jump up at
a cabinet meeting and roar at him that he was a "f-----g moron", then to leave the room in utter disgust, no doubt to the silent laughter/applause of those left behind to carry on.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

In comments regarding his sudden odd about face on issues, they asserted it was because Graham is gay, not as condemnation but because literally overnight Lindsey
went from having complete disgust and contempt for a former president to becoming chief lick spittle and forelock tugger when his new master called.

If you're referring to Trump then it means absolutely nothing. Because everyone on the GOP side who despised him (Cruz, Rubio, Christie, McConnell, etc.) immediately got behind him once he became president and became staunch supporters of his. How about Glenn Beck? He was railing against Trump the whole time, basically saying he was no better than Clinton. That he was basically a liberal Democrat in sheep's clothing who just wants to get elected and doesn't have a conservative bone in his body. That he's a liar, a cheat, etc. Then Trump becomes president and Beck becomes his ardent supporter. Maybe Glenn Beck is secretly gay too?
As for stories about seeing Graham in gay bars or whatever... unless I see some pictures then it's just stories. And like you said, all we have is veiled comments which don't mean a thing. Folks would like nothing more than to label yet another conservative GOP member as a closeted gay man.

Character to me is everything, and that some fail the test doesn't mean I am wrong.
Beck is an obvious buffoon, ever looking for the next buck. Cruz, Rubio, Christie aren't exactly known for integrity, either.
Graham is or was a thoughtful and informed man, he didn't just jump on the bandwagon of whatever Murdoch was pushing on a given day.
Senators of whatever stripe could work with him and produce legislation, such as then Senator Clinton. As you know the art of politics is reaching across and cutting deals to
get things done. Graham did that.
For my part - perhaps the onus is on me for not being clearer - the problem is not with his private life, but rather he let that be used as a cudgel by a draft dodging con man who
utterly degraded our country in the eyes of the world, and who if ever returned to power will stab Ukraine in the back on day one, which I and my blood kin take very personally.
History always has the last word, which seems to be lost on all the media and partisans of whatever stripe who live in the moment or at best the last 4 years - just ask people to name the last
8 presidents, forgeddaboutit.
And how History views Graham will forever be colored by his kneeling to a snake oil salesman whose utter lack of knowledge/integrity caused his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to jump up at
a cabinet meeting and roar at him that he was a "f-----g moron", then to leave the room in utter disgust, no doubt to the silent laughter/applause of those left behind to carry on.

That's all fine and dandy and we're in agreement that character matters but none of this still proves that Graham was being blackmailed for being gay. Again, that's just hearsay.

[litefoot]

Shelley Smith from episodes 'All Thieves on Deck' and 'A Girl Named Sue' has died. She was 70.

https://deadline.com/2023/08/shelley-sm ... 235461033/

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Herbert "Cowboy" Coward best known for playing Toothless Man in the 1972 classic Deliverance, has died in a car crash aged 85.

Coward died alongside his friend Bertha Brooks, his beloved pet Chihuahua and squirrel after his silver Nissan was hit by a truck driven by a 16-year-old on Wednesday afternoon.

The actor was attempting to turn onto U.S. Route 23 Highway in Haywood County, North Carolina after a medical appointment but failed to yield the right of way.

Coward memorably suggested the infamous line "squeal like a pig" to Deliverance star Burt Reynolds, who had befriended him years earlier when both had worked at

a Old West amusement park in Maggie Valley.

According to neighbors the well liked Coward was a devoted animal lover who never the less had to give away his beloved pet pig Dave after local wags

bombarded the Heywood County Animal Services Office with unfounded allegations of abuse and plastered "Free Dave" posters around Coward's Canton home.

Funeral arrangements are private but a memorial service will be announced later on.

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Butch explaining to Australian police sergeant Tom Croydon(John Wood):

And suddenly I hear a shot and I turn around and that bloody hillbilly is standing there with a gun pointing at me and he says,
'lie down on the ground!'
Well I mean I've seen Deliverance, haven't I, so I ran.

Blue Heelers - "Rainy Night Blues"

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

He didn't die recently but rather on August 29, 1987. However legendary Oscar winner Lee Marvin's 100th birthday was just a few days ago on Feb. 19(born in 1924).

So happy 100th Lee Marvin, up there in that Big Saloon in The Sky.

Thank you for The Big Red One, The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,Point Blank,The Wild Ones, Bad Day at Black Rock, the overlooked classic Attack(1956),
Seven Men From Now, Donovan's Reef, The Professionals, the oft misunderstood and controversial Prime Cut, Emperor of the North, etc etc.
Its hard to believe but he didn't get top billing in a movie until 1964's The Killers with future president Ronald Reagan, which wasn't shown while he was in
office as Reagan's character is shot down at the end.

Marvin was also terrific on TV, such as a early 1950's Dragnet as a serial killer, Route 66, Combat!, as well as starring as a tough homicide cop on M Squad(little seen today for it's violence).
M-Squad's soundtrack record LP, with much input from Count Basie, is outstanding, as well as the title tune itself, which deserves to be up there with the Route 66 theme and Peter Gunn's.

When some criticized him for his seemingly excessive violent portrayals of hard characters, wounded combat vet and Marine Marvin regarded them as foolish dilettantes on the
subject who understood nothing of it's true nature -

"It is what it is. Anything less is farce."

He insisted if he struck a woman in a movie it should be horrific, he is hurting her as well as taking away her dignity and basic rights as a human, leaving nothing.
Shoot an actor who then shrugs it off as just a 'flesh wound', bullets leaving nice clean holes instead of shredding a body, that was far more an insult to good taste
than Marvin's actions as it was violence rendered more acceptable.

Thus the little old lady with blue hair wanting Marvin's sadistic Liberty Valance character to smile more, tell a joke and maybe whip Jimmy Stewart just once gently instead of a dozen lashes
is just as much out of step with reality as Magnum reboot producer Lenkov's penchant for massive firefights as Thomas, Rick, TC and Juliet Higgins engage 10 bad guys with automatic
weapons and no one gets hurts.

Marvin is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to boxer Joe Louis, in Section 7A, an area reserved for distinguished veterans, such as Pappy Boyington.
Located just below the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

[litefoot]

Sadly British actor Pamela Salem, who played Alyce in the London episode of Magnum, passed away last week aged 80. She was also in Doctor Who three times, The Great Train Robbery, Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again, and The West Wing. She had a strong career in British television.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Sadly British actor Pamela Salem, who played Alyce in the London episode of Magnum, passed away last week aged 80. She was also in Doctor Who three times, The Great Train Robbery, Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again, and The West Wing. She had a strong career in British television.

Hi Litefoot,
Thank you for letting us know about Pamela. Especially that she was in the overlooked gem "The Great Train Robbery", the last time I saw it I kept wondering where I had seen her before,
lo and behold it was on Magnum. Boy time flies, that she was 80 just reminds us it's 40 years on since Magnum's start, yet unlike some shows it has aged very well.

[litefoot]

Barbara Rush, who guest starred in Season 5 and 7, has passed aged 97.

https://deadline.com/2024/03/barbara-ru ... 235872780/

[Pahonu]

Sadly British actor Pamela Salem, who played Alyce in the London episode of Magnum, passed away last week aged 80. She was also in Doctor Who three times, The Great Train Robbery, Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again, and The West Wing. She had a strong career in British television.

Hi Litefoot,
Thank you for letting us know about Pamela. Especially that she was in the overlooked gem "The Great Train Robbery", the last time I saw it I kept wondering where I had seen her before,
lo and behold it was on Magnum. Boy time flies, that she was 80 just reminds us it's 40 years on since Magnum's start, yet unlike some shows it has aged very well.

I just rewatched The Great Train Robbery a month or two ago. I recorded it off of Turner Classic Movies. Damn, I love that channel. I scroll through the listings every week looking for movies I want to see and I often find gems that I wasn’t even aware of. My DVR is half filled with such movies that I slowly make my way through. My most recent viewing was the obscure but well done Daughters of the Dust. It’s set in the rarely filmed Gullah culture about a century ago.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Barbara Rush, who guest starred in Season 5 and 7, has passed aged 97.
https://deadline.com/2024/03/barbara-ru ... 235872780/

Litefoot,
I missed her passing, thanks for sharing. I always remembered her from "Robin and the Seven Hoods", an underrated Rat Pack movie, probably the best one.

Pahonu wrote -
"I just rewatched The Great Train Robbery a month or two ago. I recorded it off of Turner Classic Movies. Damn, I love that channel.
I scroll through the listings every week looking for movies I want to see and I often find gems that I wasn’t even aware of. My DVR is half filled with such movies that I slowly make my way through.
My most recent viewing was the obscure but well done Daughters of the Dust. It’s set in the rarely filmed Gullah culture about a century ago."

Pahonu,
It's amazing that anybody outside of the Carolinas knows of the Gullahs, much less made a film about them.
I agree with you about TCM, the best.
However at this past weekend's Easter din din my nephews had no idea who John Ford, James Cagney, Jimmy Stewart, Sophia Loren or Sidney Poiter were.
Had never heard of "The Best Years of Our Lives", which is not only a all time great movie but great Art.
If only Marvel Comics had done a remake with the leads in superhero uniforms then maybe it would be relevant today.

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"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
- MAXWELL SCOTT (Carleton Young) in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
- DEAN WORMER (John Vernon) in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

To me Barbara Rush will always be the duplicitous Elizabeth Knight (wife of the late Wilton Knight who founded F.L.A.G.) in the 2-hour season 2 Knight Rider premiere "Goliath". You know, the one with the gigantic 18-wheeler semi-truck called Goliath driven by Michael Knight's evil double Garthe Knight! Barbara Rush played Garthe's "mother dear". Hasselhoff got to do double-duty in that episode (as well as in "Goliath Returns") hamming it up as the evil twin from hell. Crazy looking eyes, nasty sneer, gnashing teeth, evil goatee, an earring in the ear, a walking cane that doubled as a gun - Garthe Knight had it all! And the Hoff played him to the hilt.

As a youngster I found him both mesmerizing and frightening but nowadays he's actually pretty hysterical.