Quoted from SuziH

...
The news below I think is more tragic and newsworthy than the death of a rich aussie bloke...

He was the sort of rich aussie bloke that gave away money to people like that little girl.  He preferred to be anonymous.  The channel nine news special was a real eye opener for me.  I always thought Packer a loud mouthed ,uncouth rich guy.  It seems I was wrong in many ways.

Robert Holmes a Court was a rich rich man, like Kerry Packer but not as high profile as Packer. There was not much of a to-do when he died. Mr.Packer was beloved of his family and many who knew him and so must of been a good man. Around 14-15 years ago when he had the massive heart attack that 'killed' him the paramedics who came to his aid had a portable heart starter on board and revived him. After he recovered he put one of those machines in EVERY ambulance in NSW. That was a wonderful thing. His right hand man, friend and pilot a few years later, gave him one of his kidneys. He must have thought much of his Boss and friend.
When I wrote my previous post about Mr.Packer's death I was hot, bothered and grumpy. I apologise. Yesterday we received news that my son's Great-Aunt in England died 2 hours into Christmas Day and I have not been in a very affable mood today.

Quoted from Paula

He was the sort of rich aussie bloke that gave away money to people like that little girl.  He preferred to be anonymous.  The channel nine news special was a real eye opener for me.  I always thought Packer a loud mouthed ,uncouth rich guy.  It seems I was wrong in many ways.

I don't think you were wrong Paula...like most of us I don't think he was all good or all bad...he clearly had his good points and I have heard many stories of his generosity and philanthropy over the years.  However I also know that he could be a very mean bully (like his father was to him) and he did use the power that his money and family connections gave him for some unpleasant things as well.

What I don't understand is why he is being hailed as some kind of hero now that he is dead.  

What exactly has he done that is heroic?  So he gave some money away...I doubt he missed a cent of it...and even though he did it privately on many occasions it can't have been too private...the people who matter certainly found out about it

What else?  World Series Cricket...hardly something which has added to society in any meaningful way.  And he did it to make a s***load of money.

To me the heroes are the doctors, scientists, foster parents, teachers and other ordinary folk who toil away for years without any thought for recognition or power but who simply do things that need doing.

Quoted from BSquared

To me the heroes are the doctors, scientists, foster parents, teachers and other ordinary folk who toil away for years without any thought for recognition or power but who simply do things that need doing.

I like the proper definition for a hero: A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war.

I get so ticked off when they call other ppl outside that definition a hero, like sporting ppl and singers. They come under the 'celebrity' catagory in my opinion. Packer was not a hero, just some rich guy who was nice enough to donate a lot of money without great fanfare.

Quoted from Simpson

Packer was not a hero, just some rich guy who was nice enough to donate a lot of money without great fanfare.

The word being looked for is "Philanthropist", but I still would not put Kerry Packer in that category, he was quite happy to destroy anyone whom stood in his way, he was not a "charitable at heart" person.

I suspect his charity was the old "rich bloke trying to get through the eye of a needle" routine.

Quoted from BB

I suspect his charity was the old "rich bloke trying to get through the eye of a needle" routine.

Again well said BB.  There's not much effort involved in giving away a chunk of money that you won't miss.  Someone like him could have used his political and business influence for "good works" if he had chosen to...which would have much more effective and useful than a bunch of money.  

I admire people like Bill Gates or Bono more than someone like Packer...yes they're giving away money they won't miss but they're also using their time and their influence wiht political and business leaders to try to achieve lasting improvements to poverty and other issues...time and influence are much more valuable and require much more effort than writing a cheque

I used to love him in The Andy Griffiths Show and the film The Shakiest Gun in the West.  

Source: Actor Don Knotts dies at 81
Sunday, February 26, 2006 Posted: 0004 GMT (0804 HKT)

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/02/25/knotts.obit.ap/

What a gem this man was. I love him. Another report...
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13962623.htm

This man was one of my favourite actors. Loved the 'Nightstalker' series where he played 'Kolchak'. Used to scare the heebiegeebies out of me. Deaths of these wonderful actors seems to happen with several of them dying around the same time. Remember Walter Matthau & Jack Lemmon? The problem is that all these wonderful old actors are reaching the age of Eighty years of age and that seems to be the 'magic' number for some of them.

McGavin had rugged good looks and considerble charm, I always thought.  Yes Suzi, they all do seem to be around that 80 age.  

Gunsmoke star dies
February 28, 2006 - 7:20AM
Page 1 of 2

Dennis Weaver, the slow-witted deputy Chester Goode in the TV classic western Gunsmoke and the New Mexico deputy solving New York crime in McCloud has died. The actor was 81.

Weaver died of complications from cancer on Friday at his home in Ridgway, in southwestern Colorado, his publicist Julian Myers said.

Weaver was a struggling actor in Hollywood in 1955, earning $81 a week delivering flowers when he was offered $406 a week for a role in a new CBS television series, Gunsmoke.

By the end of his nine years with Gunsmoke, he was earning $12,180 a week.

When Weaver first auditioned for the series, he found the character of Chester "inane."

He wrote in his 2001 autobiography, All the World's a Stage, that he said to himself: "With all my Actors Studio training, I'll correct this character by using my own experiences and drawing from myself."

The result was a well-rounded character that appealed to audiences, especially with his drawling, "Mis-ter Dil-lon."

At the end of seven hit seasons, Weaver sought other horizons. He announced his departure, but the failures of pilots for his own series caused him to return to Gunsmoke on a limited basis for two more years. The role brought him an Emmy award in the 1958-59 season.

In 1966, Weaver starred with a 270-kilogram black bear in Gentle Ben, about a family that adopts a bear as a pet.

The series was well-received, but after two seasons, CBS decided it needed more adult entertainment and cancelled it.

Next came the character Sam McCloud, which Weaver called "the most satisfying role of my career."

The McCloud series, 1970-1977, juxtaposed a no-nonsense lawman from Taos, New Mexico, onto the crime-ridden streets of New York City.

His wild-west tactics, such as riding his horse through Manhattan traffic, drove local policemen crazy, but he always solved the case.

For more go to...
http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/gunsmoke-star-dies/2006/02/28/1141020046902.html

I loved this man. Coincidentally my Daddy, deceased 2 years in March, would of been Eighty Two this September. Maybe that is why I have an affinity with these lovely old male actors.

  I loved McCloud!  Dennis Weaver was 82??  Damn I must be getting old!  My dad is now 82...hope its not a sign of things to come  

Jack Wild 1952 - 2006
From: Press Association
From correspondents in London
March 02, 2006


Jack Wild, the actor who played the Artful Dodger in the 1968 film Oliver, has died after a battle with cancer, his agent says.
The former child star, who was just 16 when he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the classic film, was 53.

Wild's agent Alex Jay said: "My client Jack Wild died peacefully after a long battle with oral cancer."

Wild was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000, and after surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he was unable to speak. Wild was born on September 30, 1952, in Royton, near Oldham, Lancashire.

He was discovered by talent agent June Collins, mother of rock star Phil Collins, while playing football.

After attending stage school, his breakthrough came when he landed the role of Oliver in the London stage production of the show.

He then joined hundreds of other members of the cast at the audition for the film.

His performance as the infamous pickpocket in Oliver, starring Oliver Reed, resulted in an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

Wild will be best remembered by a generation of television lovers as Jimmy, the young boy lost in a magical land run by a dragon mayor in the US children's series HR Pufnstuf which ran from 1969-70.

Source:

http://entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,18332230-10229,00.html

I loved HR Pufnstuf. So damned funny. Witchiepoo cracked me up.
For some great stuff on HR Pufnstuf go to...
http://krofft.dementedstuff.com/pufnstuf.htm

Another great site I have just chanced upon is
http://www.stuckinthe70s.com/1971mags.htm
I remember all the pin ups and centrefolds on this site. Does that mean I am old?
Bobby Sherman.... mmmmmm. David Cassidy..... yummo.