A master Impressionist is gone
June 29, 2009 10:17 AM Subscribe
As if there haven't been enough celebrity deaths, now the sad news that the great impressionist - comedian Fred Travalena has passed away at his Encino, CA home at age 66. Examples of some of his work are here from a Merv Griffin Show, and a later one from a live performance.
Fred "no-one else was available to fill-out the guest list" Travalena, huh?
Well...what the hell...
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posted by Thorzdad at 10:43 AM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
Well...what the hell...
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posted by Thorzdad at 10:43 AM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
Other than him turning up on various talk shows, the main thing I remember him for is his fun take on Madman Mancuso in the Buddy Holly Story.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 10:52 AM on June 29, 2009
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 10:52 AM on June 29, 2009
I'm sure a minor celebrity dies every day. How about death.metafilter.com
just to make sure we cover all bases (and keep this off the front page)
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posted by twistedonion at 11:03 AM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
just to make sure we cover all bases (and keep this off the front page)
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posted by twistedonion at 11:03 AM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm amazed that Billy Mays autopsy made CNN breaking news headlines. Alas poor Fred got a missed 1 sentence in the Life section.
posted by dasheekeejones at 11:11 AM on June 29, 2009
posted by dasheekeejones at 11:11 AM on June 29, 2009
Michael Martin, Subway Graffiti Artist Iz the Wiz, Is Dead at 50
Gale Storm, 87, Is Dead; Earned Television Fame for Her Wholesome Roles
Antonio Bianco, Who Teased Luster and Light From Diamonds, Dies at 57
George K. Fraenkel, Pioneering Chemist, Dies at 87
just trying to get a few of these out of the way before they get posted on the front page.
posted by snofoam at 11:15 AM on June 29, 2009 [2 favorites]
Gale Storm, 87, Is Dead; Earned Television Fame for Her Wholesome Roles
Antonio Bianco, Who Teased Luster and Light From Diamonds, Dies at 57
George K. Fraenkel, Pioneering Chemist, Dies at 87
just trying to get a few of these out of the way before they get posted on the front page.
posted by snofoam at 11:15 AM on June 29, 2009 [2 favorites]
Best Billy Mays impression I've ever seen.
posted by rocket88 at 11:17 AM on June 29, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by rocket88 at 11:17 AM on June 29, 2009 [4 favorites]
that obit on Bianco is one of the most fascinating, enlightening, and butt-puckering things I've ever read. It would have made a good full length novel if John McPhee had thought of it. Thank-you.
posted by docpops at 11:21 AM on June 29, 2009
posted by docpops at 11:21 AM on June 29, 2009
I have never heard of this guy. Is he the poor man's Rich Little?
posted by chillmost at 11:25 AM on June 29, 2009
posted by chillmost at 11:25 AM on June 29, 2009
I had a little bit of a crush on Fred Travalena in the 70's-80's, when I was a kid.
posted by Lucinda at 11:25 AM on June 29, 2009
posted by Lucinda at 11:25 AM on June 29, 2009
Oh, man, I was just thinkin about Fred Travalina the other day - I thought he was a stitch when I was a kid.
Johnny's filling up the big couch in the sky quite nicely these days...
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posted by tristeza at 11:38 AM on June 29, 2009
Johnny's filling up the big couch in the sky quite nicely these days...
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posted by tristeza at 11:38 AM on June 29, 2009
Once upon a time, Gale Storm would have gotten all the front pages for an untimely death. She was very big when the TV screens were very small.
posted by briank at 11:46 AM on June 29, 2009
posted by briank at 11:46 AM on June 29, 2009
"We're scrapin' the celebrity death barrel I see."
No, we still have Alan Thicke (FOR THE TIME BEING).
posted by datter at 12:12 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
No, we still have Alan Thicke (FOR THE TIME BEING).
posted by datter at 12:12 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
Wow, apparently people die just about every day.
posted by HumanComplex at 12:27 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by HumanComplex at 12:27 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's about time to paint the background black and rename this place to "ObitFilter."
That, or it's time for a moratorium on obit posts.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:39 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
That, or it's time for a moratorium on obit posts.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:39 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
I liked Travalena when I was a kid/teen. My favorite reference to him was when Richard Lewis (I think) did a bit about how boxing referees determine if a fighter can continue when the match is in Las Vegas:
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Three."
"Who's Fred Travalena?
"I dunno."
"You're out!"
posted by The Deej at 12:44 PM on June 29, 2009
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Three."
"Who's Fred Travalena?
"I dunno."
"You're out!"
posted by The Deej at 12:44 PM on June 29, 2009
Having only glanced quickly at the title of the post, I assumed that it was about Madoff.
posted by esome at 1:08 PM on June 29, 2009
posted by esome at 1:08 PM on June 29, 2009
Fred Travalena had to have some talent. He was able to get on Merv Griffin, without getting on Merv Griffin, knowwhatImean?
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posted by jonp72 at 1:09 PM on June 29, 2009
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posted by jonp72 at 1:09 PM on June 29, 2009
If only there was a paper that came out every day, delivered to your household, and contained a list of those who died.
posted by ALongDecember at 1:10 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ALongDecember at 1:10 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
I remember Fred doing a passable Paul McCartney.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 1:24 PM on June 29, 2009
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 1:24 PM on June 29, 2009
just trying to get a few of these out of the way before they get posted on the front page.
I also did a link to a Gale Storm obit in the Billy Mays thread. Damn, it sucks to be a celebrity who doesn't even merit an FPP. It's not as if Ms. Storm wasn't a TV pioneer or anything.
posted by blucevalo at 1:45 PM on June 29, 2009
I also did a link to a Gale Storm obit in the Billy Mays thread. Damn, it sucks to be a celebrity who doesn't even merit an FPP. It's not as if Ms. Storm wasn't a TV pioneer or anything.
posted by blucevalo at 1:45 PM on June 29, 2009
Here's my passable impression of a MetaFilter obituary dot:
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posted by New Frontier at 1:51 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
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posted by New Frontier at 1:51 PM on June 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
Well I've heard of him, which is more than I can say for some obits around here. It's kind of sad to carp about someone dying not being famous enough to notice, isn't it?
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posted by JHarris at 2:21 PM on June 29, 2009
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posted by JHarris at 2:21 PM on June 29, 2009
it's time for a moratorium on obit posts.
We seem to have a nice crematorium going. Will that do?
posted by rokusan at 2:36 PM on June 29, 2009
We seem to have a nice crematorium going. Will that do?
posted by rokusan at 2:36 PM on June 29, 2009
I wouldn't wake Fred Travelena with Bea Arthur's remains.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 2:42 PM on June 29, 2009
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 2:42 PM on June 29, 2009
It's kind of sad to carp about someone dying not being famous enough to notice, isn't it?
It's called theard carping.
But you can tell people have had enough. I think the post about the television huckster pushed them over the edge.
posted by pracowity at 3:02 PM on June 29, 2009
It's called theard carping.
But you can tell people have had enough. I think the post about the television huckster pushed them over the edge.
posted by pracowity at 3:02 PM on June 29, 2009
Bah, I haven't had enough. It has been a strange couple of days, with several notable and mildly notable people dying. The coincidence is noteworthy, and yes, this will play itself out and things will be back to normal, with deaths hardly warranting notice as usual. How about an FPP on the science of backlash and how it seems to occur so much more quickly in the information age?
posted by scrowdid at 3:44 PM on June 29, 2009
posted by scrowdid at 3:44 PM on June 29, 2009
It's kind of sad to carp about someone dying not being famous enough to notice, isn't it?
I just think shitloads of interesting individals die every day. Hell, write an obituary about pretty much anyone who died today on this planet and it'll make a good story, but is it best of the web?
Anyone dying is sad. Some one like Michael Jackson merits a front page post because their appeal is global. Lines do need drawn though, it's a bit easy to start jumping on every death we might think notable. To me that's distasteful. Apologies if this guy meant something to people here, but I'd never heard of him and to be honest, after reading his obits... well, he's no Michael Jackson.
posted by twistedonion at 3:52 PM on June 29, 2009
I just think shitloads of interesting individals die every day. Hell, write an obituary about pretty much anyone who died today on this planet and it'll make a good story, but is it best of the web?
Anyone dying is sad. Some one like Michael Jackson merits a front page post because their appeal is global. Lines do need drawn though, it's a bit easy to start jumping on every death we might think notable. To me that's distasteful. Apologies if this guy meant something to people here, but I'd never heard of him and to be honest, after reading his obits... well, he's no Michael Jackson.
posted by twistedonion at 3:52 PM on June 29, 2009
Bah, I haven't had enough. It has been a strange couple of days, with several notable and mildly notable people dying. The coincidence is noteworthy,
But is it though? I found this interesting (thinking it's been a strange couple of days because a few celebritys you happen to know die) and checked out Wikipedia. I compared the deaths of the same days this year to last. OK, so no-one as big as MJ died but it was interesting just how many people died that were of mildly notable importance, moreso last year than this imo. You really want mefi to have an obit a day?
posted by twistedonion at 4:04 PM on June 29, 2009
But is it though? I found this interesting (thinking it's been a strange couple of days because a few celebritys you happen to know die) and checked out Wikipedia. I compared the deaths of the same days this year to last. OK, so no-one as big as MJ died but it was interesting just how many people died that were of mildly notable importance, moreso last year than this imo. You really want mefi to have an obit a day?
posted by twistedonion at 4:04 PM on June 29, 2009
Awh...I kinda liked Fred in the 70's. Or it could just be that I had a really major contact high from all the hippies my parents collected. I mean, I was young enough that I don't think I knew who the people he was imitating *were*...but I thought the funny voices were...well...funny.
Plus, I seem to remember him doing a really great Bugs Bunny. My sympathies to his family.
Also: Gale Storm? I remember she had a show that broadcast back in the dawn of Nick and Night, and it was lovely. R.I.P., Ms. Storm.
posted by dejah420 at 5:38 PM on June 29, 2009
Plus, I seem to remember him doing a really great Bugs Bunny. My sympathies to his family.
Also: Gale Storm? I remember she had a show that broadcast back in the dawn of Nick and Night, and it was lovely. R.I.P., Ms. Storm.
posted by dejah420 at 5:38 PM on June 29, 2009
You really want mefi to have an obit a day?
Why not?
Seriously, there is not really a limit to the number of posts that MetaFilter can have. As long as it's someone notable and no one's trying to fill a quota of "one per day," then it seems fine. Metafilter is a lot of things to a lot of people, and it's become as much a community as anything else. So why not discuss stuff?
posted by explosion at 8:52 AM on June 30, 2009
Why not?
Seriously, there is not really a limit to the number of posts that MetaFilter can have. As long as it's someone notable and no one's trying to fill a quota of "one per day," then it seems fine. Metafilter is a lot of things to a lot of people, and it's become as much a community as anything else. So why not discuss stuff?
posted by explosion at 8:52 AM on June 30, 2009
OK, so no-one as big as MJ died but it was interesting just how many people died that were of mildly notable importance, moreso last year than this imo.
You're right, and that's always going to be the case. Right now, as you said, it's a weird perceived streak of celebrity deaths, notable or not, and the human brain's tendency to look for patterns and connections is amplifying the importance of someone like Fred Travelena and even Billy Mays (no disrespect to either, both of whom I admire on at least a couple levels). It'll die down and get back to normal, and no, we won't have an obit a day. But as explosion says, there's room for it on the page anyway, and any other time we might be championing a (more informative, perhaps) post on the semi-interesting life of semi-interesting and semi-notable life of Fred Travelena.
Hell, come to think of it, if Metafilter DID have one daily obit post about someone semi-notable and semi-interesting whose life we might enjoy reading about, that would be kind of cool.
posted by scrowdid at 2:18 PM on June 30, 2009
You're right, and that's always going to be the case. Right now, as you said, it's a weird perceived streak of celebrity deaths, notable or not, and the human brain's tendency to look for patterns and connections is amplifying the importance of someone like Fred Travelena and even Billy Mays (no disrespect to either, both of whom I admire on at least a couple levels). It'll die down and get back to normal, and no, we won't have an obit a day. But as explosion says, there's room for it on the page anyway, and any other time we might be championing a (more informative, perhaps) post on the semi-interesting life of semi-interesting and semi-notable life of Fred Travelena.
Hell, come to think of it, if Metafilter DID have one daily obit post about someone semi-notable and semi-interesting whose life we might enjoy reading about, that would be kind of cool.
posted by scrowdid at 2:18 PM on June 30, 2009
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posted by DU at 10:29 AM on June 29, 2009