Celebrity Thread: News, gossip, and anything else that strikes a fancy

I was just listening to one of his CDs a couple of days ago, and I didn't know that he'd passed back on Tuesday....


Jazz musician Chuck Mangione, who had one of the biggest pop-jazz instrumental crossover hits of all time with “Feels So Good” in the 1970s, died Tuesday at age 84.

The death was reported by multiple news outlets out of his native Rochester, NY. The city’s WROC-TV reported that the Bartolomeo & Perreto Funeral Home said the musician died in his sleep at home on Tuesday.

The flugelhorn and trumpet player won two Grammys, out of 14 nominations, in a career that spanned 30 albums. Beyond his musical success, the musician was also familiar to millions for his recurring role playing himself on the animated series “King of the Hill.”...

Chuck Mangione, Jazz Musician Whose ‘Feels So Good’ Stormed the Pop Top 10 in the Late ’70s, Dies at 84



RIP Chuck, and thanks for the music.
 
Dick Van Dyke, now 99, speaks with warmth about the bond he shares with Julie Andrews, who is 89. Their friendship spans 61 years, beginning in 1964 on the set of “Mary Poppins.” Van Dyke arrived as the exuberant Bert. Andrews, making her film debut, stepped into Mary Poppins with poise and sharp focus. The set gave them more than a classic musical. It gave them a partnership built on trust and easy laughter.
Van Dyke has recalled how Andrews encouraged him through physically demanding choreography and long rehearsal days. Her notes were precise, never harsh, and she paired them with a smile or a quick aside to settle nerves. He thrived under that kindness. The penguin sequence became a private touchstone for them, a memory they could reference years later whenever one needed a spark of joy.
Once “Mary Poppins” soared, their schedules pulled in different directions. Andrews raced into “The Sound of Music” in 1965 and a run of acclaimed performances. Van Dyke toggled between film roles, stage work, and the rhythms of television that had already made him a household name through “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” Amid premieres and press, they made time to exchange letters and calls. Each note sounded like a quick return to the London soundstage where their friendship began.
A backstage reunion in the late 1970s showed how little the core had changed. Van Dyke visited after an Andrews performance and found conversation flowing as if the orchestra were still tuning. They traded stories about choreographers and the mischief of corps dancers who tried to make them laugh mid take. Memory turned into fuel for new work, and good humor lifted the pressure that followed big successes.
Their bond adjusted to the realities of health and geography. Andrews has long kept a home in Switzerland, while Van Dyke’s base remained in California. They bridged the distance with video messages on birthdays, quick calls after premieres, and short notes when one spotted a magazine profile of the other. The ritual mattered. It kept their working shorthand alive in a quieter form.
Tributes became another thread. When Van Dyke received a major honor, Andrews recorded words that praised his energy and generosity on set. He later said hearing her voice brought him back to the moment they first tried lines together in London. When Andrews marked a milestone of her own, Van Dyke returned the kindness with a personal message that folded in gratitude, a bit of teasing about rehearsal habits, and a memory of them cracking up during a camera reset.
The late 1990s tested Andrews with significant vocal surgery. Van Dyke responded with reassurance that her gift went far beyond singing. He reminded her of the clarity she brought to scenes, the way she lifted colleagues, and the steadiness that anchored long shoots. That encouragement reflected what he valued most from 1964 onward. It was the same steady presence she had given him during rehearsals for tap-heavy numbers.
In recent years, celebrations have been smaller but no less heartfelt. Friends have mentioned calls where Van Dyke lights up the moment Andrews appears on screen. She asks about his dancing and balance work. He asks about her writing and the rhythms of her days. When awards broadcasts include archival clips from “Mary Poppins,” they often exchange a quick message noting the scene, the costuming detail, or the way a camera move still feels fresh.
The friendship also remains a study in complementary temperaments. Van Dyke brings buoyant optimism that reads instantly on his face. Andrews brings calm attention to detail that gives partners confidence. Together, they created a working environment that felt playful and safe, then protected that feeling across six decades with small acts of care. A note. A call. A two minute video that says I see you.
For admirers who met them through “Mary Poppins,” the most striking fact is the endurance. Sixty one years after that first rehearsal, the pair still value the same things they noticed on day one. He admired her discipline and kindness. She admired his spark and generous spirit. Time altered careers and routines, yet the friendship kept its simple architecture of encouragement and shared delight in the work.
Sixty one years on, ninety nine year old Van Dyke and eighty nine year old Andrews trade messages and smiles, a reminder that shared work can anchor friendship for life


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RIP Mr. Stamp, and may the Lord help your family and friends during this time of loss. The planet Houston has lost a talented actor...


British actor Terence Stamp, who played the arch-villain General Zod in the 'Superman' and 'Superman II' movies, died today aged 87.

The Oscar-nominated actor starred in films ranging from Pier Paolo Pasolini's 'Theorem' in 1968 and 'A Season in Hell' in 1971 to 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' in 1994 in which he played a transgender woman.

His family said in a statement this afternoon: 'He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come. We ask for privacy at this sad time.'

Stamp, who made his name as an actor in 1960s London, died this morning but his cause of death was not immediately known...

Terence Stamp dead: Superman and Far From The Madding Crowd star passes away at the age of 87
 
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