Friday, June 5, 2009

David Carradine Opened My Eyes

Some People Who Died in 2009 and Will be Missed:

January 02 - Jet Travolta

January 04 - Martin Patterson 'Pat' Hingle

January 06 - Cheryl Holdridge

January 8 - Claude Jeeter

January 8 - Don Galloway

January 13 - Patrick McGoohan

January 14 - Ricardo Montalban

January 27 - John Updike

February 6 - James Whitmore

February 11 - Estelle Bennett

February 28 - Paul Harvey (Aurandt)

March 7 - Jimmy Boyd

March 13 -Betsy Blair, Alan W. Livingston, Andrew Martin

March 14- Alain Bashung, Altovise Davis

March 15 -Ron Silver

March 18 -Natasha Richardson

March 22- Jade Goody

March 25- Dan Seals

March 27 -Irving R Levine

March 29- Andy Hallett

April 9- Nick Adenhart

April 25 -Beatrice (Bea) Arthur

May 1- Danny Gans

May 2 - Jack Kemp

May 4 - Dom DeLuise

May 18- Wayne Allwine

June 3- David Carradine

June 5, 2009

When someone dies, we don’t really take too much notice unless it is one of three things: 1) It is a family member or friend, 2) It is a BIG name person (i.e. singer, actor or any other celebrity), or 3.) Someone close to someone that is close to us (i.e. your best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend’s mother; in which case you hear about it because your best friend tells you.)

Just a couple days ago, David Carradine was found dead in Bangkok. I do not know who he is by name or picture. But when I searched him on IMDB, I found out he was Bill on the popular movies Kill Bill. I have never seen these movies except for previews. I have heard about them though and know the titles. But, nevertheless, I still never saw a movie with David in it. And like I always do, (I am known as the “news girl” in my family) I immediately told my boyfriend about the death of this actor, thinking he may have known who he is. He blew off this news because he doesn’t know David Carradine’s work either.

However, today, I am looking at my usual news sites, PEOPLE.com and CNN; both of which have him plastered on the front pages because his death is “suspicious.” And still, I read the latest news about him, just because that is the way I am. I have to know everything- it is the journalist in me. I read an interesting quote from his niece, actress Martha Plimpton on People.com, “He was the nexus of our family in so many ways, and drew us together over the years and kept us connected. I adored him as a child, and as an adult I admired and respected him. We will all miss him terribly."

When I read this, it came to my realization that this was a man who had a family. Everyone who dies comes from somewhere and has someone who cares for them. We little people think of him just as another actor, but this man had friends and family who will miss him. He was an uncle to this woman not just some actor. He was her uncle who she looked up to.

So the next time someone dies and it catches your attention for any reason, take a minute to honor that person’s memory- if you knew them… or not.

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