Daily Dirt: Death of James Earl Jones headlines this year’s ‘impactful’ losses

Daily Dirt for Friday, Nov. 29, 2024

Quincy Jones, Bob Newhart and Toby Keith also are among the memorable personalities we lost … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,126 of The Daily Dirt.

1. We’ve lost quite a few impactful names this year. Here are my top 10 from a long list of those stars and standouts who earned their place in entertainment history before leaving this world behind:

• 1. James Earl Jones: He had one of the most recognizable voices in cinematic history. The legendary actor, who famously voiced Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy and Mufasa in Disney’s 1994 movie “The Lion King,” died this year at age 93. Before becoming an actor, Earl Jones served in the Korean War. In 2011, he became one of the few actors to achieve the legendary EGOT status — the distinction given to people who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, the four most prestigious awards in American entertainment. I will forever remember his portrayal of reclusive author Terrence Mann in “Field of Dreams.” That performance alone would have earned him legendary status.
• 2. Quincy Jones: Some of the iconic producer’s biggest successes included three of Michael Jackson’s albums, “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” and “Bad,” plus film scores for titles including “In Cold Blood,” “The Italian Job,” and “Roots”. Some of his other prolific collaborations ranged from the all-star concert song “We Are the World” to Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party.”
• 3. O.J. Simpson: Has there ever been a fall from grace to match the life and times of the one-time All-American and All-NFL running back? “The Juice” was 76 when he died.
• 4. Bob Newhart: The legendary funnyman was 94 when he died, leaving behind a standing as one of America’s true comic treasures. He became known for his deadpan, stammering delivery. 
• 5. Toby Keith: Cancer claimed him at 62, but he had already established himself as one of country music’s legendary artists. Some of his biggest hits included “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “As Good as I Once Was.” In 2003, he released the single “Beer for My Horses” with fellow country legend Willie Nelson. Keith was famously patriotic, and upon learning of his death, all U.S. and Oklahoma flags on Oklahoma state property were flown at half-staff.
• 6. Donald Sutherland: An incredible actor who reached fans of all ages. His breakout film was the dark comedy “M*A*S*H” in 1970. He went on to star in many successful movies, including “The Dirty Dozen,” “Ordinary People,” “Pride and Prejudice” and the “Hunger Games” franchise. Sutherland was 88.
• 7. Tony Bennett: We thought he would sing forever, but death claimed him earlier this year at age 96. Incredibly, he won 20 Grammy Awards during his career.
• 8. Richard Simmons: Goofy and often hysterical, the famed fitness instructor with the high-energy personality was adored by millions. He was 76.
• 9. David Soul: Although Soul, who was 80 at the time of his death, will always be remembered for his role in the ABC series “Starsky and Hutch” with Paul Michael Glaser, he also evolved as a singer and movie star. Soul was married six times.
• 10. Phil Donahue: He was once the king of talk show TV, hosting “The Phil Donahue Show” for 29 years. He was 88.

2. Did you know (Part 201) …

• “Blue Bloods” will soon be ending its 14-year run on CBS. What a classy, well-scripted program this has been since day one. I’m sad to see it go.
• “Lioness” is a tremendous show on Paramount Plus. The special ops thriller stars Zoe Saldana, but Nicole Kidman (in her role as Kaitlyn Meade) deserves strong Emmy consideration.
• “Land Man,” also on Paramount Plus, is another must-watch. Billy Bob Thornton may never have been better than the weekly performance he is giving us as Tommy Norris.
• In 1988, you were likely being bombarded by “Pour Some Sugar On Me” by Def Leppard, “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” by Billy Ocean, “Sweet Child Of Mine” by Guns ‘N Roses, “Nothin’ But A Good Time” by Poison and “So Emotional” by Whitney Houston from your favorite FM radio station.
• A study published in the “International Journal of Sports Medicine” cited individuals born in October and November as being “faster and more physically fit” than others. I was born in December and always wondered what had kept me from being a star power forward in the NBA.

3. No new additions this week to the medal stand as the Great Plate Debate of 2024 moves closer to conclusion. Four more weeks, and we will have our third champion since this process began in early 2022.

The current medal holders:

• Gold medal: DR LOV.
• Silver medal: GOD 911. 
• Bronze medal: XLMAMA.

The best plates we spotted or that were sent to us over the past week:

• BIZKIT
• OH MAN 99
• DENNY
• GOLF N 20
• QCY 500
• NUM 10
• CLEMS N 8
• MRS V 72
• L NEISEN (this one, and the following were spotted parked near each other in the same lot earlier this week)
• NEISEN

Steve Thought O’ The Day
At some point this weekend, I’m going to have to watch “Field of Dreams” again, simply to hear the voice of James Earl Jones one last time.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Had Steve been born in November, maybe he would have been the original Round Mound of Rebound.