monarch

On June 1, 2001, King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya of Nepal were hosting a formal dinner party for Nepal’s royal family. 29 year-old Prince Dipendra arrived drunk at the party and his father, the King, ordered him to be removed from the festivities. He was taken to his room in the Narayanhity Royal Palace by his brother Prince Nirajan and cousin Prince Paras.

An hour later, Prince Dipendra returned to the party with a 9mm sub-machine gun and an M16 assault rifle. He shot his father first, then began to systematically pick off his relatives — aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters — darting in and out of the room as he fired round after round. His mother, Queen Aishwarya, ran from the room to get help.

When the Queen returned, she and his brother, Prince Nirajan, confronted Prince Dipendra in the palace garden. Dipendra shot and killed them both. He strolled across a small bridge over a stream in the garden and shot himself.

According to the rules of succession, Dipendra was declared King of Nepal. He spent his entire reign — three days — in a coma. Gyanendra Shah, Dipendra’s uncle, was named King on June 4 when Dipendra died.

Incidentally, Gyanendra’s reign ended in 2008, when the monarchy was abolished and the interim Federal Republic of Nepal formed in its place. Gyanendra became a private citizen and was stripped of his royal status.

samurai (part 1)

John Belushi — a more fearsome samurai there never was.

josh pincus is crying blog

will the circle be unbroken?

(While I'm gearing up to do an illustration for the new challenge word, I thought I'd post one of my favorite stories and illustrations from the past few weeks. —  JPiC)

2010 came to a close a few , but it began almost 35 years ago, when I was in high school. After getting tossed out of the majority of my academic classes, I gravitated towards the art department. There, among those paint-splattered desks and rolls of brown kraft paper, I felt comfortable and had as much a sense of purpose as a 16 year-old could. It was in one of those art classrooms I met Eric Dorfman. My relationship with Eric could best be described as a cordial, but distrustful, rivalry. We weren’t so much friends as we “got along”— always aware of the underlying atmosphere of competition between us. Eric was a grade behind me, but freshmen through seniors were lumped together in art classes to make up for the lack of full enrollment. Of course, the first thing anyone noticed about Eric Dorfman was his huge shocking red “Jew-fro”. He was short of stature with broad shoulders and a perpetual look of “don’t f*** with me” on his freckled face. He had a fast and determined gait and maneuvered through the hallways with his head down, like a bull on a mission. We passionately discussed movies and music with teenage fervor, sometimes even sharing a few favorites, but more often we disagreed. We did, however, have a similar drawing style, although I remember his being more advanced and refined and not nearly as crude and sketchy as mine. (I like to think I got better.)

Eric and I were also rivals for Lisa Holtsberg. I dated a lot of girls in high school and, although she was sweet and I liked her, my main reason for dating Lisa was that Eric Dorfman pursued her, too. Over an undetermined period of time (read:  I can’t remember), Lisa seemed attracted to each of us equally, unless she was just secretly enjoying being a witness to our animosity and the battle for her affection. Soon, I graduated from high school and I moved on, leaving Eric and Lisa (and many others) behind. Or so I thought.

barbara pepper

Barbara Pepper - Hollywood glamor girl of the 30s and 40s.

Read her story on the josh pincus is crying blog.

tyler lambert

A story of family... JPiC style.
HERE on my blog.

william darby

Read about William Darby, England's first black owner of a circus and his connection to The Beatles... HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog

trent lehman

Remember Trent Lehman? I do.
Read his story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

elizabeth hartman

Actress Elizabeth Hartman remembered HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

friendship

Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole... B.F.F.

Read their story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

(WARNING! Not for the squeamish.)

monkey

Read about Dave Garroway and J. Fred Muggs, the first hosts of the Today show HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

paul lynde

It’s hard to believe that an entire generation missed out on the humor of Paul Lynde.
Read his story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

ruby starr

Remember Ruby Starr?
I do.
Read her story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

caricature

Despite the on-stage jabs at each other, George Burns and Jack Benny were the best of friends. George Burns hosted several episodes of Jack Benny's radio show in 1943 when Jack was sick with pneumonia.

Jack and George had a running gag in their friendship. George had no problem getting Jack to laugh, but George was always stone-faced in Jack's attempts to do the same. One evening, at a party they were both attending, Jack pulled out a match to light a cigarette. George announced to all, "Jack Benny will now perform the famous match trick!" A bewildered Jack had no idea what Burns was talking about, so he proceeded to strike the match to flame. George observed, "Oh, a new ending!" and Jack collapsed in laughter.

In 1974, Jack Benny was cast in the film version of the Neil Simon play, The Sunshine Boys. Just prior to filming, Jack was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was too ill to continue his plans for the movie. He suggested his best friend George Burns take over for him, eventhough George had not appeared in a film since 1939. George went on to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1975.

Jack Benny passed away in December 1974. George was heartbroken. He tried to deliver one of the eulogies at Jack's funeral, saying, "Jack was someone special to all of you but he was so special to me…I cannot imagine my life without Jack Benny and I will miss him so very much." But, George broke down in tears and had to be helped to his seat. Afterwards, George immersed himself in his work, appearing in ten films before his own death in 1996.

He never got over the death of his best friend.

gail russell

Gail Russell got an "introducing" credit in the 1944 supernatural thriller "The Uninvited" with Ray Milland, although she had made two earlier films. "The Univited", one of the first Hollywood movies to present a ghost story in a serious manner (as opposed to comedies), made Gail an overnight star. She starred in a host of films opposite some of Hollywood's biggest stars like Alan Ladd and John Wayne. Gail was rumored to be carrying on a secret affair with Wayne that allegedly led to his divorce. Wayne maintained that his relationship with Gail was nothing more than platonic.

Gail suffered from terrible stage fright and began drinking on the set of "The Univited" to ease her nerves before appearing in front of the camera. As her career progressed, so did her alcohol consumption. She married actor Guy Madison, but that union ended in divorce due to her alcoholism. She was unable to get acting roles for five years, until her friend John Wayne cast her in the western "Seven Men from Now" with Randolph Scott in 1956.

In 1955, Gail left the scene of the crime after rear-ending another vehicle while intoxicated. In 1957, while driving under the influence of alcohol, Gail drove her convertible into the front of Jan's Coffee Shop on Beverly Boulevard in Hollywood. When her hearing was scheduled, she failed to appear. Officers were sent to her home and found her drunk and unconscious. The hearing was held in the hospital where she was bedridden with severe effects from alcoholism. She joined Alcoholics Anonymous but it did no good.

In August 1961, she was found dead in her Brentwood, California apartment, a victim of liver damage and malnutrition. She was 35.

judith barsi

Read the sad story of child actress Judith Barsi HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

roy kinnear

Roy Kinnear began his career in repertory theatre before making his film debut in the early 1960s. He worked mostly in his native Great Britain appearing in popular sitcoms and variety shows. He was most successful in films directed by his good friend Richard Lester, including Help! with The Beatles, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum, How I Won the War and the Three Musketeers series of the late 1970s and 1980s. He is most recognized as Veruca Salt's exasperated father in 1971's Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

In addition to film roles, Roy lent his voice to several cartoons including Watership Down, The Princess and The Goblin and the British favorite Super Ted.

In September 1988, while filming The Return of the Musketeers in Spain, Roy fell from a horse and sustained a broken pelvis. He was taken to hospital in Madrid, and died from a heart attack the following day. He was 54 years old.

The film's director, Roy's longtime friend Richard Lester, was so distraught over the incident that he never directed another film.

martha mansfield

Martha Mansfield was an active and popular actress in silent movies.

On November 30, 1923, while working on location in San Antonio, on the film The Warrens of Virginia a Civil War costume epic. Martha was playing the role of Agatha Warren and had just finished her scenes and retired to a car when a crew member accidentally tossed a lit match. The flame ignited Martha's hoopskirt costume. Her leading man, Wilfred Lytell, threw his heavy overcoat on Martha's face to protect her from the quickly spreading fire. She was rushed to a hospital in San Antonio, where she died in less than twenty-four hours. Martha was 24 years old.

Although she made over twenty-five films in her short career, few of them survive.

dock ellis

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis had, if anything, a colorful career with a lifetime win-loss record of 138-119 and a career earned-run average at a respectable 3.46.

His career was highlighted by events including famously beaning Reggie Jackson in retaliation for a home run in the 1971 All Star Game. In 1972, Dock was sprayed with mace by a security guard at Cinncinati's Riverfront Stadium. The guard claimed that Dock had not properly identified himself and made threatening gestures with his fist. Dock said he was merely displaying his World Series ring to the guard. In May 1974, Dock decided to hit every player in the Cincinnati Reds' lineup. Dock hit Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Dan Driessen in order in the top of the first inning. The fourth batter, Tony Perez, avoided Dock's close pitches and drew a walk. The next batter was Reds' catcher Johnny Bench. After two pitches aimed at Bench's head, Dock was removed from the game by Pirates' manager Danny Murtaugh.

But it was on June 12, 1970 that Dock achieved a record that still stands today. He became the only pitcher in professional baseball history to pitch a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD. Dock and the Pirates flew in to his hometown of Los Angeles for a road trip. He asked his manager if he could go home since he was not scheduled to pitch for two days. Granted permission for a day off, Dock took some LSD at the airport and went to visit some friends. Upon his arrival at his friend's home, Dock began to experience a full-force acid trip and passed out. He woke up just long enough to take some more acid before he was awakened an hour later by his friend's girlfriend, when she asked "Don't you have to pitch today in San Diego?" Dock answered "No, I'm pitching tomorrow." She informed him that he had been "out of it" for an entire day and it was tomorrow. She showed Dock that day's newspaper as proof and Dock panicked. He rushed to the airport and arrived in San Diego two hours before game time. As Dock later related, he was as "high as a Georgia pine."

Dock took the mound and in the course of nine innings — where he claimed the ball was huge and then small; where he sometimes saw the catcher's glove and sometimes not; where he dodged balls he perceived as line drives, but actually came nowhere near him — he struck out six and walked eight. Aided by excellent fielding from second baseman Bill Mazeroski and center fielder Matty Alou, Dock pitched a no-hitter nonetheless. The Pirates beat San Diego 2-0.

Dock bounced around on four more teams in his later years, finally calling it a career back in Pittsburgh in 1979. After retirement, Dock, a long-time alcoholic, was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. He passed away in 2008, while on the list for a transplant.

teresa graves

The neighbors in Hyde Park knew her as "Tootie", the devoted daughter who came to take care of her ailing mother. She had the back porch enclosed and turned into a bedroom so she could stay with her mother full time. She was a devout Jevhovah's Witness and was active in raising awareness of the persecution of fellow Jehovah's Witness in Malawi. On October 10, 2002, Tootie was asleep in her bedroom when a space heater malfunctioned and burst into flames. Tootie's mother managed to escape, but emergency workers removed an unconscious Tootie from the home. She died from burns and smoke inhalation. Her neighbors never knew of Tootie's prior life of fame.

Tootie was Teresa Graves, the iconic star of the 1974 police action series Get Christie Love! Patterned after 70s blaxploitation films, Get Christie Love! was very popular, despite only lasting one season. Teresa had worked her way up in show business, first starting as a member of the easy listening group The Doodletown Pipers, then becoming a regular on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in its third season. But, it was Get Christie Love! that made Teresa a household name. She retired from acting in 1983.

When she died in that house fire in 2002, she was just "Tootie" to those closest to her.

michael johnson

On September 10, 1995, two men robbed a convenience store in Lorena, Texas. 27 year-old Jeff Wetterman was shot and killed during the robbery. The two men, David Vest and Michael Johnson, each named the other as the gunman. Vest pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and, in exchange for an eight-year sentence, testified against Johnson. Despite his unrelenting denials, Johnson was found guilty and sentenced to death by lethal injection.

As per prison policy, guards check every fifteen minutes on inmates facing imminent execution. On October 19, 2006, Johnson spoke briefly with guards at 2:30 AM. When the guards returned for their 2:45 AM check, they discovered Johnson unresponsive and lying in a pool of blood. He had fashioned a metal blade attached to a stick and slit his jugular vein. He had enough time, before he died, to write "I didn't do it" on his cell wall in his own blood.