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Showbiz John Denver: Singer and songwriter 1943-1997 "If he had sung the telephone book, you would have felt a sense of joy with it, because he would have sung it joyfully." Although some dismissed John Denver and his music as simplistic and unsophisticated, to many others his music spoke of hope and joy. When the experimental aircraft Denver was piloting crashed into California's Monterey Bay, it ended a life marked by a mix of success and personal misfortunes. Denver's legal troubles made headlines in recent years; he was twice arrested on drunken-driving charges. In addition to the many music and television awards he won, Denver also received recognition from several environmental groups for his advocacy of his beloved Rocky Mountains.  Notorious B.I.G.: Rap artist 1972-1997 "You're nobody till somebody kills you." Life imitates art imitates life. Gangsta rap artist Notorious B.I.G. was killed in a Los Angeles drive-by shooting three weeks before the release of his second album, "Life After Death ... 'Til Death Do Us Part." B.I.G., born Christopher Wallace, was a rapper whose music was often based on themes of intrigue, gangland camaraderie and killers lying in wait. After his slaying, some gangsta rappers called for introspection, saying his murder was a wake-up call. 1911-1997 If you don't know who Murray Burnett is, maybe you're not a true "Casablanca" fan after all. Here's looking at the man who started it all -- more than 50 years ago-- when he co-wrote a play called "Everybody Comes To Rick's." Warner Brothers paid a record $20,000 for the unproduced play and the rest, as they say, is history. "Casablanca" the movie had other screenwriters, but the most memorable lines -- "Play it, Sam" and "We'll always have Paris" -- were Burnett's creation.  Michael Hutchence: INXS lead singer 1960-1997 "Really ... I've run out of clever ways to describe how amazing I am." Michael Hutchence's public brawls and one-time open drug use caused London tabloids to dub him the "wild man of rock." But that image had recently changed. Hutchence indicated that he wanted to settle down with girlfriend Paula Yates and their 16-month-old daughter. Indeed, to many of his friends and fans, Hutchence was an improbable candidate for suicide. In recent years, Hutchence and INXS found themselves sidelined while younger bands seized the spotlight. But Hutchence had reportedly been looking forward to the group's upcoming 20th anniversary tour of Australia -- bringing more of what London rock journalist Matt Snow called "a cheerful sexiness to rock 'n' roll."  Burgess Meredith: Actor 1907-1997 "I truly feel without his (Burgess Meredith's) participation in the film ("Rocky"), it would never have had its emotional core." In a career spanning seven decades, Burgess Meredith, the raspy-voiced character actor, played many roles. But he is probably best known for his portrayal of the gruff boxing manager in "Rocky." In his later years, Meredith was often cast as an elderly curmudgeon -- picture Jack Lemmon's father in the 1993 comedy "Grumpy Old Men." In Hollywood, Meredith was famous for his tempestuous personality. In his 1994 autobiography, "So Far, So Good," he wrote that his violent mood swings were diagnosed as an illness called cyclothymia.  Robert Mitchum: Actor 1917-1997 "After the war, suddenly there was this thing for ugly heroes ... so I started going around in profile." A rugged leading man and sometime bad boy who defined cool before Hollywood knew what it was, Robert Mitchum already had lived a colorful life before he appeared in his first film. Jobs as an engine wiper on a freighter, a nightclub bouncer, a ditch-digger and a professional boxer kept him busy before he stumbled upon Hollywood. Mitchum, who acted in more than 100 films, remained a star despite a limited education, being jailed for marijuana possession and a contempt for directors and studio bosses. His effortless nonchalance and cynical wit once caused Katherine Hepburn to snap, "You know you can't act, and if you hadn't been good-looking, you would never have gotten a picture." 1916-1997 "No matter what any writer will tell you ... we write because of the money. If there was no money, we'd do something else." His chronicles of the sexual and financial peccadilloes of the rich and the restless made him fabulously wealthy and allowed him to lead a life that rivaled some of the characters in his book -- one full of luxurious yachts in the South of France and lavish jet-set parties around the world. Abandoned by his parents as a child, Robbins didn't finish school. He worked as a grocery boy, bookmaker's runner and shipping clerk before, on a bet, writing "Never Love a Stranger." It became an instant best-seller in 1948, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Red Skelton: Comedian 1913-1997 "I just want to be known as a clown. ... It means you can do everything -- sing, dance and, above all, make people laugh." The sentimental clown was known for his beat-up porkpie hat, wild hair and goofy grin. Red Skelton delighted TV audiences for 20 years, playing such personalities as Clem Kadiddlehopper, Freddie the Freeloader and the Mean Widdle Kid. Skelton's career spanned from the heyday of vaudeville to the golden age of television, where he helped set the standard for comedy for nearly 20 years.  Jimmy Stewart: Actor 1908-1997 "I've sort of gotten into the habit of looking for the vulnerable guy, the guy who makes mistakes, the guy who can't figure things out all the time but keeps at it." With his gangly manner and understated country-boy way of speaking, Stewart began his career as an unlikely success story. He went on to appear in 75 films over a career that spanned 56 years. His 1946 role in "It's a Wonderful Life" is one of the most beloved in American history. A war hero, Stewart was applauded for being daring, one of the more vulnerable male movie idols of the time. He was one of very few men who repeatedly and unhesitatingly broke down or cried onscreen. He is best known for his work in several Frank Capra films, in which he projected a remarkable mix of boyish enthusiasm, tireless idealism and indomitable courage on the brink of despair. |
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