We lost some friends along the way...

Apparently, I don't pay attention to the world around me anywhere near enough. We all know about actors and writers and their deaths, or at least the modern ones, but I didn't hear about half of the older actors' deaths, the ones I grew up on.

It kinda renders you a bit...funny. Dad and I were just sitting here, watching Bringing Up Baby (one of my favorite Katherine Hepburn movies, by far), and they lead into TCM Remembers, this video honoring all of the actors, directors, screenwriters--anyone involved in the movies, really--who have died this year.

The list...blew me away.

How did I miss some of these? They were people I grew up on, who gave me the morals I need and the humor I thrive on. So much of my personality, of my absolute being, was created by these folks and their quality of entertainment. I've mentioned before that I'm old-fashioned, and these guys are why.

So before the blood and guts...

Before the sex and tasteless humor...

Before the nudity and swearing and other tricks that movie makers have resorted to nowadays...

Before all that, these folks made it bigger than anyone else could ever hope to. I mean it, guys. If we ever see this quality in Hollywood again, we'll know they're finally doing something right.

Abby Mann
Anita Page
Anthony Minghella
Arthur C. Clarke
Ben Chapman
Bernie Mac
Brad Renfro
Breno Mello
Charles H. Joffe
Charlton Heston
Cid Charisse
Delmar Watson
Dick Martin
Dino Risi
Dody Goodman
Don LaFontaine
Edie Adams
Estelle Reiner
Eva Dahlbeck
Evelyn Keyes
Forrest J. Ackerman
Fred Crane
George Carlin
Guillaume Depardieu
Harvey Korman
Hazel Court
Heath Ledger
Irving Brecher
Isaac Hayes
Jean Delannoy
Jerry Reed
John Michael Hayes
John Phillip Law
Joseph Pevney
Joy Page
Jules Dassin
Julie Ege
June Travis
Ken Ogata
Kon Ichikawa
Leonard Rosenman
Lois Nettleton
Malvin Wald
Marpessa Dawn
Mel Ferrer
Michael Crichton
Michael Kidd
Michael Pate
Nina Foch
Ollie Johnston
Paul Benedict
Paul Newman
Paul Scofield
Perry Lopez
Richard Widmark
Robert J. Anderson
Robert Arthur
Robert DoQui
Roberta Collins
Roy Scheider
Stan Winston
Suzanne Pleshette
Sydney Pollack
Vampira