On this day in 1887, innovative Franco-Uruguayan poet, often referred to as a Symbolist poet, Jules Laforgue died in Paris of tuberulosis at the age of 27. Born on 16 August 1860 in Montevideo, Uruguay, to French parents. In 1885, he wrote L’Imitation de Notre-Dame la Lune, in my opinion, his masterpiece. Laforgue was a model for Pierre-Auguste Renoir, including for Renoir’s 1881 painting Luncheon of the Boating Party. In 1886, he married Leah Lee, an Englishwoman. That year, his poetry was published in La Vogue alongside the work of Arthur Rimbaud. His poem “L’Hiver Qui Vient” (“The Coming Winter”) was one of these poems, which he believed set the tone for his work to come. His most creative and original work, at least as he saw it, was not published during his lifetime.
The Final Footprint – His final resting place is the Cimètiere de Bagneux, Hauts-de-Seine Ile-de-France Region, France. Another notable final footprint at Bagneux in Henri Rousseau.
On this day in 2006, photographer, war correspondant and Pulitzer Prize recipient, honorary Marine, Joe Rosenthal died of natural causes in his sleep at a center for assisted living in Novato, a suburb of San Francisco at the age of 94. Born Joseph John Rosenthal on 9 October 1911 in Washington, D.C. His parents were Russian immigrants. Best known for his iconic World War II photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Of the six men depicted in the picture, three (Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block, and Michael Strank) were killed during the battle; the three survivors (John Bradley, Rene Gagnon, and Ira Hayes) became celebrities upon their identification in the photo. The picture was later used by Felix de Weldon to sculpt the Marine Corps War Memorial, located adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington, D.C. Clint Eastwood’s film Flags of Our Fathers(2006) depicts the life stories of the flag raisers and the events that led to the photograph.
The Final Footprint – Rosenthal was cremated and his cremains were scattered in the San Francisco Bay area.
On this day in 2012, actress and stand-up comedian Phyllis Diller died in her Brentwood, Los Angeles, California home, of natural causes at age 95. Born Phyllis Ada Diller on July 17, 1917 in Lima, Ohio. Perhaps best known for her eccentric stage persona, her self-deprecating humor, her wild hair and clothes, and her exaggerated, cackling laugh.
Diller was a groundbreaking stand-up comic—one of the first female comics to become a household name in the U.S. She paved the way for Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others, who credit her influence. Diller had a large gay following and is considered a gay icon. She was also one of the first celebrities to openly champion plastic surgery, for which she was recognized by the industry.
Diller worked in more than 40 films, beginning with 1961’s Splendor in the Grass. She appeared in many television series, often in cameos, but also including her own short-lived sitcom and variety show. Some of her credits are Night Gallery, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, Cybill, and Boston Legal, plus eleven seasons of The Bold and the Beautiful. Her voice-acting roles included the monster’s wife in Mad Monster Party, the Queen in A Bug’s Life, Granny Neutron in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and Thelma Griffin in Family Guy.
Diller was married and divorced twice; Sherwood Anderson Diller and Warde Donovan. Robert P. Hastings was her partner, from 1985 until his death on May 23, 1996. In a 2000 interview, she called him the love of her life, saying he admired her for being an independent person.
The Final Footprint
She was cremated, and her ashes were scattered at sea.
#RIP #OTD in 2013 novelist (Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Swag, Hombre, Mr. Majestyk, Rum Punch), short story writer, screenwriter, the Dickens of Detroit, Elmore Leonard died from stroke complications at his home in Bloomfield, Michigan, age 87. Greenwood Cemetery, Birmingham MI
On this day in 2017 comedian, actor, singer, director, producer, screenwriter, humanitarian, The King of Comedy, Jerry Lewis died at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 91. Born Joseph Levitch on March 16, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey. He was known widely for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio.
In 1946, Lewis met and teamed with singer Dean Martin and for the next 10 years, they were the top rated nightclub, television, movie and radio act until their break up in 1956. Lewis went on to star in, write, produce and direct motion pictures, appeared on television, headlined in nightclubs and concerts, starred in musicals and sang in albums and recordings.
Outside of his career, Lewis supported fundraising for muscular dystrophy research, serving for 60 years as national chairman of and spokesman for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and as host of The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon every Labor Day weekend for 44 years. He was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the organization in 1977.
One of the most successful performers in show business, with worldwide box office receipts of his films in excess of $800 million, Lewis received global acclaim for his unique ability and style with both comedy and drama.
Lewis with Martin in 1950
Lewis was married twice:
- Patti Palmer (née Esther Grace Calonico), a former singer with Ted Fio Rito; married October 3, 1944, divorced September 1980
- Sandra “SanDee” Pitnick; a former dancer who had a part in Lewis’ film Hardly Working; married February 13, 1983 in Key Biscayne, Florida
The Final Footprint
Lewis was cremated
#RIP #OTD in 2021 The Storyteller, singer-songwriter (Harper Valley PTA, I Love, Watermelon Wine, I Like Beer, Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet), Shoeshine Man, Your Man Loves You Honey) Tom T. Hall died at his home in Franklin, Tennessee, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound aged 85.
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