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DEATHS ; Notable Passings; The Thread to Pay Last Respects

Nobert

Practically Family
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832
Location
In the Maine Woods
The This is Your Story sketch is the most wildly funny thing I've ever seen on T.V. It's always sad to be reminded that the past is receding further into itself. But overall, Caesar lived a long life, was a pioneer of television, and after living at a fever pitch for years managed to pull himself out of a tailspin of burnout and turn his life around. That was a good life.
 

Nobert

Practically Family
Messages
832
Location
In the Maine Woods
There was one story where he held a writer out the window of a high floor of a hotel by his feet to express his disapproval of a joke. Sid had a little gangster in him.:p

That was Mel Brooks, who by his own admission was the annoying kid brother of the writing team. Caesar did have a reputation for temper, but the whole team was under enormous stress, putting out a 90-minute variety show every week. As one of the writers noted, everybody had blowups. Sid's were probably more memorable because he was a giant of a man and frighteningly strong. This is a guy who reputedly once punched out a horse. There's a spoof they did of A Streetcar Named Desire in which the Stella character locks the door on Sid, playing the Stanley Kawolski, he then proceeds to walk through the wall. Not just walk through it, but almost saunter, as if he were just coming into the kitchen to ask if dinner was ready. Apparently, it wasn't that much of a stretch, if anyone could walk through a wall casually, it would have been Sid Caesar.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,766
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
The most brilliant Caesar bit I remember is a scene where he portrayed a fly waking up in the morning. He just went thru the whole ritual of the fly stretching, preening its front legs, and then looking for crumbs on the kitchen counter, all the while muttering the fly's thoughts as it went thru its day. He could work small better than just about any comic of the post-silent era, and in fact if he'd been born thirty years earlier, he would have been a superior silent-picture comedian.
 

Gregg Axley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,125
Location
Tennessee
I just saw this RBH.
While I didn't watch him in The Waltons, I saw him in a few other shows and movies.
A great actor, that brought many memorable characters to life. :eusa_clap
 

Nobert

Practically Family
Messages
832
Location
In the Maine Woods
Toothless nostalgia it may have been, but there's something to be said for it. Watching reruns of The Waltons helped me weather the weeks after 9/11.
 
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12,018
Location
East of Los Angeles
There was one story where he held a writer out the window of a high floor of a hotel by his feet to express his disapproval of a joke. Sid had a little gangster in him.:p
That was Mel Brooks, who by his own admission was the annoying kid brother of the writing team...
The way Brooks tells it they were working in the writer's room, which was several floors up, when he (Brooks) commented that there was so much cigar smoke in the room that he was having trouble breathing. Caesar opened one of the windows, grabbed Brooks, dragged him to the window, and held him out the window (hanging over the street far below) asking, "How about now? You getting enough air now?"
 
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13,469
Location
Orange County, CA
S/Sgt Ehler's Medal of Honor citation, R.I.P.

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 9–10 June 1944, near Goville, France. S/Sgt. Ehlers, always acting as the spearhead of the attack, repeatedly led his men against heavily defended enemy strong points exposing himself to deadly hostile fire whenever the situation required heroic and courageous leadership. Without waiting for an order, S/Sgt. Ehlers, far ahead of his men, led his squad against a strongly defended enemy strong point, personally killing 4 of an enemy patrol who attacked him en route. Then crawling forward under withering machinegun fire, he pounced upon the guncrew and put it out of action. Turning his attention to 2 mortars protected by the crossfire of 2 machineguns, S/Sgt. Ehlers led his men through this hail of bullets to kill or put to flight the enemy of the mortar section, killing 3 men himself. After mopping up the mortar positions, he again advanced on a machinegun, his progress effectively covered by his squad. When he was almost on top of the gun he leaped to his feet and, although greatly outnumbered, he knocked out the position single-handed. The next day, having advanced deep into enemy territory, the platoon of which S/Sgt. Ehlers was a member, finding itself in an untenable position as the enemy brought increased mortar, machinegun, and small arms fire to bear on it, was ordered to withdraw. S/Sgt. Ehlers, after his squad had covered the withdrawal of the remainder of the platoon, stood up and by continuous fire at the semicircle of enemy placements, diverted the bulk of the heavy hostile fire on himself, thus permitting the members of his own squad to withdraw. At this point, though wounded himself, he carried his wounded automatic rifleman to safety and then returned fearlessly over the shell-swept field to retrieve the automatic rifle which he was unable to carry previously. After having his wound treated, he refused to be evacuated, and returned to lead his squad. The intrepid leadership, indomitable courage, and fearless aggressiveness displayed by S/Sgt. Ehlers in the face of overwhelming enemy forces serve as an inspiration to others"
 

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