Dennis Hopper, Actor, activist. 1936-2010

The celebrity reaper is not taking any time off!


Dennis Hopper, the American actor who died on May 29 aged 74, appeared in more than 100 films and directed Easy Rider (1969), a low-budget hymn to the libertarian ethics of the counterculture that was one of the defining films of its era.

But Hopper was more than just an actor/director. He was also a producer, screenwriter, photographer, painter and art collector who knew or worked with almost every significant American artist of the second half of the 20th century.

Yet despite his achievements and a list of friends that ranged from James Dean through Miles Davis and William Burroughs to Claes Oldenburg, Hopper was as famous for addictions and his “lost” years as for his enormous, if uneven, productivity.

Dennis Lee Hopper was born in Dodge City, Kansas, on May 17 1936. For much of his childhood he lived with his grandparents on their farm with “no neighbors … just a train that came through once a day”. When he went to the cinema he suddenly realized “where the train came from and went to”.

The family moved to Kansas City and then San Diego, where he attended high school and became obsessed by cinema, despite his mother’s implacable opposition to a career in films. Whilst he sought to “do something that would last”, she was convinced he would “end up a bum”.

He won a scholarship to San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, where he enjoyed playing “the mad and the bad” of Shakespeare — Hamlet, Macbeth, Iago. After appearing in the television series Medic he signed to Warner Brothers, whose boss was impressed by his having told a rival studio boss, the celebrated Harry Cohn, to “Go f--- yourself” when Cohn announced he could not stand Shakespeare.

Hopper was exceptionally self-assured, convinced he was the best young actor around until he saw James Dean, with whom he worked on the classic, moody Rebel Without A Cause (1955). He became obsessed by Dean, by his techniques, by Method acting and by Dean’s instruction to “just smoke the cigarette, don’t act like you’re smoking a cigarette”.

They appeared again together in Giant (1956). Immediately after filming, Dean was killed. Hopper, distraught at the loss of his mentor and hero, attempted to appropriate Dean’s image and method and concluded that rebelliousness was the leitmotif of artistic integrity. It proved a disastrous conclusion .

More on this article here!

Pop quiz, hot shot! Can you remember in what movies Dennis Hopper was in?

Gary Coleman, actor "Diff'rent Strokes" 1968-2010 & Art Linkletter, Radio and TV personality 1912-2010

Two celebrities gone. One at 42, after a career that was very rocky. The other at 97, a magnificent career behind him. Both were beloved.

Gary Coleman:

PROVO, Utah – Gary Coleman once said he wanted people to think of him as something more than the chubby-cheeked child star from television show "Diff'rent Strokes," that he wanted to escape the legacy of character Arnold Jackson, whose "Whatchu talkin' 'bout?" became a catch phrase of the 1970s and '80s.

He spent his later years still keeping a hand in show business, but also moving away from it, marrying and settling in Utah, far away from Hollywood's sometimes all-too-bright lights. Still, he was dogged by ongoing health problems and struggled with legal woes.

After suffering a brain hemorrhage, Coleman was taken off life support Friday and died, his family and friends at his side, said Utah Valley Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Frank. He was 42.

"He has left a lasting legacy," tweeted singer Janet Jackson, who appeared on several episodes of "Diff'rent Strokes. "I know he is finally at peace."

Coleman chafed at his permanent association with "Diff'rent Strokes" but also tried to capitalize on it through reality shows and other TV appearances.

His former manager, Vic Perillo, called the diminutive star "everybody's kid" and expressed regret for all the trouble that marked the end of Coleman's life.

"It's unfortunate that this young man should go down in history as someone that will be seen as bitter," said Perillo, who helped launch Coleman's career from Chicago in about 1977 and worked with him for 15 years. "If everybody knew what a joy he was and the joy he brought me ... that's kind of lost in all of this."

Coleman suffered the brain hemorrhage Wednesday at his Santaquin home, 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Frank said he was hospitalized because of an accident at the home, but she had no details.

In a statement read by brother-in-law Shawn Price, Coleman's family said information would be released shortly about his death. It said he was conscious and lucid until midday Thursday, when his condition worsened and he slipped into unconsciousness. Coleman was then placed on life support.

"Thousands of e-mails have poured into the hospital. This is so comforting to the family to know how beloved he still is," Price said.

"Diff'rent Strokes" debuted on NBC in 1978 and drew most of its laughs from Coleman, then a tiny 10-year-old with sparkling eyes and perfect comic timing.

He played the younger of two African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy white man. Race and class relations became topics on the show as much as the typical trials of growing up.

"Diff'rent Strokes" lasted six seasons on NBC and two on ABC; it lives on thanks to DVDs and YouTube. But its equally enduring legacy became the troubles in adulthood of its former child stars.

In 1989, Todd Bridges, who played Coleman's older brother, Willis, was acquitted of attempted murder in the shooting of a drug dealer. The then 24-year-old Bridges testified he became depressed and turned to drugs after "Diff'rent Strokes" was canceled.

Dana Plato, who played the boys' white, teenage sister, pleaded guilty in 1991 to a robbery charge. She died in 1999 of an overdose of painkiller and muscle relaxer. The medical examiner's office ruled the death a suicide.

"It's sad that I'm the last kid alive from the show," Bridges said.

Coleman was born Feb. 8, 1968, in Zion, Illinois, near Chicago.

Art Linkletter

was a Canadian born radio and television personality and the former host of two long-running United States television shows: House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years. Linkletter was famous for interviewing children on House Party and Kids Say the Darndest Things, which led to a successful series of books quoting children. A native of Canada, he became a naturalized United States citizen in 1942.

In his junior year as he earned a degree in teaching, he took a job as a radio announcer at KGB in San Diego. Radio paid better than teaching, and Linkletter directed radio programs for fairs and expositions in the mid-1930s. In the 1940s, Linkletter worked in Hollywood with John Guedel on their pioneering radio show, People Are Funny, which employed audience participation, contests, and gags and served as a prototype of future game shows on radio and television. People Are Funny became a television show in 1954 and ran until 1961.

Other early television shows Linkletter worked on included Life With Linkletter (1950-1952) and Hollywood Talent Scouts (1965-1966). He also acted in two movies, People Are Funny (1946) and Champagne for Caesar (1950).

In 1963, Linkletter became the endorser and spokesman for Milton Bradley's Game of Life. His picture appeared on the box with the statement "I Heartily Endorse This Game", and also on the $100,000 bills featured in the game.

Linkletter was a successful businessman and made considerable wealth from a variety of investments. This financial success led to considerable philanthropy.

By the way...I'm what Willis was talking about!

¡Hoy comienza el Festival de Animación Karibukai!

¡La fecha ha llegado!

El Festival de animación Karibukai, comienza hoy a las 7 pm con el encuentro de animadores locales e internacionales.
Después de la conferencia, tendremos la presentación de la película "Halo: Legends"

La entrada es $6.00

Mas información en Karibukai.paquines.com

¡Alla nos vemos!

Primera muerte reportada por la huelga en la Universidad de Puerto Rico.

Ya era de esperarse. Nada de esto me sorprende.

Las autoridades investigan la muerte de una de las estudiantes que se desmayó el pasado lunes cuando participaba en la hacinada asamblea de estudiantes del Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez en el estacionamiento del edificio Darlington, una facilidad de la Universidad de Puerto Rico a las afueras del campus.

Natalia Sánchez López se desmayó en medio de la asamblea celebrada en un clima de calor y hacinamiento. El estacionamiento del edificio Darlington fue la sede seleccionada por el Consejo de Estudiantes del RUM con autorización de la Administración.

La fiscal Faviola Acarón, en unión a los agentes de la Unidad de Homicidios Manuel Caraballo y Rafael Mercado, se presentaron a la clínica Perea a media tarde de ayer, cuando se notificó el deceso de la estudiante de 21 años y vecina de Bayamón.

La fiscal Acarón ordenó el traslado del cadáver de la talentosa estudiante de veterinaria al Instituto de Ciencias Forenses en Río Piedras para fines de autopsia.

Sánchez López fue una de 11 estudiantes que fueron atendidos por Servicios Médicos del RUM, víctimas de cansancio, sofocación y deshidratación. La asamblea estudiantil se efectuó en medio de extremas medidas de seguridad, que impidieron la tenencia de botellas de agua ni alimentos, como tampoco sombrillas para combatir los efectos del calor.

Sin embargo, una vez atendida se le dijo que debía acudir a una institución médica para mayores análisis y ésta prefirió irse a su hospedaje, a donde fue enviada en ambulancia con una enfermera. Las instrucciones fueron que si continuaba sintiéndose mal debía acudir a una sala de emergencia.

Antes del inicio de la asamblea, empleados no docentes, estudiantes y profesores observadores del proceso denunciaron que las condiciones para celebrar la misma no eran las mejores, por lo pequeño que resultó el estacionamiento al aire libre para los miles de participantes.

Brittany Murphy's husband found dead.

First Brittany died, now, five moths later, her husband has also departed this world.

LOS ANGELES – The husband of Brittany Murphy was found dead at his Los Angeles home late Sunday, five months after the Hollywood actress died, police said.

The preliminary cause of the death of British screenwriter Simon Monjack is natural causes, police spokesman Sgt. Louie Lozano told The Associated Press.

"We concluded there no signs of foul play or any criminal activity involved," said Sgt. Alex Ortiz, another police spokesman.

Firefighters responding to an emergency call from a woman at 9:40 p.m. found the 39-year-old Monjack dead at the Hollywood Hills residence, police spokesman Sgt. Louie Lozano said. Ortiz said he didn't know who called. Monjack and Murphy had shared their home with Murphy's mother, Sharon.

Ortiz said that the Los Angeles Coroner's Office was taking over the investigation because criminal activity had been ruled out, and would provide more details later on the death and circumstances surrounding it.

At his wife's funeral in December, a visibly emotional Monjack talked about their relationship and called her his best friend and soul mate. The two married in 2007.

He had said that they had been planning a family and contemplating a move to New York.

Murphy, best known for her major roles in "Clueless," "Girl Interrupted," and "8 Mile" in 2002, died Dec. 20, at age 32 after collapsing in her home. The Los Angeles County coroner's office concluded Murphy's death was accidental, but likely preventable.

The coroner's report said that the medications found in her system were consistent with treatment of a cold or respiratory infection. Monjack and Murphy's mother had reported the actress was ill with flulike symptoms in the days before her death.

An autopsy found no evidence that Murphy abused drugs. Investigators had found numerous prescription medications in her home.

Sir John Shepherd-Barron, OBE, Inventor of the ATM machine. 1925-2010

A man who changed the world, has passed away.

Via The Hindu Times

London: India-born Scot John Shepherd-Barron, inventor of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM), has died after a short illness, aged 84.

He is survived by his wife, three sons and six grandchildren.

The businessman, who worked for a printing firm at the time, came up with the concept of a self-service cash dispenser in 1965 while lying in the bath after getting to his bank too late to withdraw money.

“It struck me that there must be a way I could get my own money, anywhere in the world or the United Kingdom. I hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser, but replacing chocolate with cash,” he had said in a 2007 interview.

The first ATM was installed at a London bank in 1967.

Reg Varney, a star from the popular television show On the Buses, became the first person to withdraw cash.

The first ATM was operated by inserting a special cheque that was matched against a Personal Identification Number.

In his memory, go and take some money from an ATM.

Images - AP, UPI

Ninjas save mugging victim in Australia!

At last! The ninjas do something right for a change!

Via BBC

Three muggers in Australia got the fright of their lives when their attack was interrupted by five black-clad ninja warriors.

The thieves were assaulting a German medical exchange student in Sydney, but the alleyway where they struck was next to a school for ninja warriors.

One of the pupils raised the alarm after noticing the attack.

Police say they have arrested two men and charged them with robbery, and are still looking for a third suspect.

"We just ran outside and started running at them, yelling and everything," said ninja master Kaylan Soto who instructed his students to take action.

"These guys have turned around and seen five ninjas in black ninja uniforms running towards them. They just bolted."

The victim suffered minor injuries, and the men stole his mobile phone and iPod, according to police.

Mr Soto said the man could have escaped the assault with some training in ninjitsu - a Japanese martial art. As for the attackers, "They just picked the wrong spot," he added.

The ways of the Ninja are deadly indeed!

Image- Getty Images