(Sorry for the double-whammy of sad news, it’s just one of those days)
The observatory had been shut down since August from a cable snap that had punched a huge hole in the dish. But yesterday, the structure collapsed catastrophically.
Amigos es con profundo pesar comunicarles que acaba de colapsar la plataforma del Observatorio de Arecibo. pic.twitter.com/stJScy2Old
— Deborah Martorell (@DeborahTiempo) December 1, 2020
The Science Fiction author passed away on November 29 at age 88 of complications from COVID-19. He authored over 120 works of sci-fi, won six Hugo Awards, and has been the president of both the National Space Society as well as the Science Fiction Writers of America.
Grant Imahara, robot engineer and builder extraordinaire on Mythbusters has passed away at the way-too-young age of 49.
Grant’s resume reads like a geek’s dream. Worked on the Star Wars prequels (operating R2-D2 no less), competed in BattleBots, built countless robots and gadgets for Mythbusters, and even played Sulu on Star Trek Continues.
Aron Eisenberg, best known for playing Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has passed away at the age of 50 from unknown causes. He brought us a fantastic character and, I would argue, one of the best character arcs of any character in any Star Trek. Eisenberg brought a mischievous charm to the character, taking him from juvenile thief to Starfleet Lieutenant. He was also an ardent fan of Star Trek as a whole and ran a podcast, The 7th Rule along side friend and costar Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko). Continue reading →
The Dutch actor’s list of genre credits is long, but Hauer is probably best remembered as Roy Batty from Blade Runner.
One great masters of genre fiction has passed away today. It’s difficult to put into words just how influential and powerful a voice she was in the genre.
Leaving behind a massive filmography, June Foray has died just weeks short of her 100th birthday. Foray is best known for her work as Granny and Witch Hazel on “Looney Tunes” and as Rocky and Natasha on “Rocky & Bullwinkle.” Her spanned decades and genres and included:
A tireless advocate for animation, she helped establish the Annie Awards as well as getting the Academy Awards to add the Full-Length Animated Feature award in 2007. Her autobiography, “Did You Grow Up with Me?” was published 2009.
Because 2016 just hadn’t crushed us enough…
Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy and the recent sequel, The Force Awakens, has passed away. She suffered a heart attack on December 23, while on a flight from London to Los Angeles. She was 60 years old.
In addition to acting, Fisher was a prolific Hollywood writer, known for her sharp wit and quick tongue. She was touring the nation, promoting her new book, The Princess Diarist, which was made up of her journal entries during the filming of Star Wars.
She was open about her struggles with her weight during Star Wars and her later addictions with drugs and alcohol. Her book (and screenplay) Postcards from the Edge, are a semi-autobiographical look into her life.
Fisher’s take on Leia created a whole new archetype of a tough woman in Science Fiction. Not quite the damsel in distress, she was a strong leader that gave a generation of geek women someone to look up to (and geek men to admire).
She is now one with the Force, but we will never forget her.
[Update] Sadly, a day after Fisher’s death, her mother, Hollywood legend, Debbie Reynolds has also passed away. She suffered a stroke while at her son Todd Fisher’s home while planning Carrie’s funeral. She was 84 years old.
Reynolds was a fixture of Hollywood musicals in the 50’s and 60’s and starred alongside Gene Kelley in the classic Singin’ in the Rain. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Molly Brown in the film version of the musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Fisher family.
Because 2016 hasn’t sucked enough, we lose the man the represented the soul of the Serenity. No details yet, but Ron Glass, famous for a variety of TV roles, including seven years on Barney Miller, has passed away at the age of 71.
As Shepard Book, a wandering preacher, Glass brought dignity to an undignified crew. He would reprise the role in the film sequel, where he uttered one of the most poignant lines of the series, “I don’t care what you believe. Just believe it.”
Joss Whedon took to Twitter with this:
He got there with grace, humor & enormous heart. He was, among so many other things, my Shepherd. Raise, appropriately, a glass. Rest, Ron. pic.twitter.com/yzPly7TmgE
— Joss Whedon (@joss) November 26, 2016
RIP, Mr. Glass.
2016 has claimed another well-loved actor. A tragic accident has taken the life of Anton Yelchin, best known as the new Chekov in the post-2009 Star Trek films. He plays the role a third time in next month’s Star Trek: Beyond.
It’s sad to see a promising actor cut down so young. If you haven’t seen him in his other non-Star Trek works, I highly recommend Charlie Bartlett and Odd Thomas.
Yelchin was killed when his car rolled into him. The vehicle in question may have been the subject of Jeep’s recall.
A Quick PSA: Please, please, please set your parking brake whenever you leave your car. Just get into the habit. Do not rely on your transmission or flat ground to keep your vehicle from rolling away on you. Continue reading →