More 2008

Majel Roddenberry, wife of 'Trek' creator, diesThe Associated PressArticle Launched: 12/18/2008 01:21:50 PM PST

LOS ANGELES—Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, has died. She was 76. Family spokesman Sean Rossall says Majel Roddenberry died of leukemia Thursday morning at her home in Los Angeles. Her son, Eugene, was at her side. Roddenberry played Nurse Christine Chapel in the original 1960s TV series and had smaller roles in many of its successors. She also voices the computer in the upcoming "Star Trek" movie. After her husband's death in 1991, she continued to promote the "Star Trek" legacy at conventions. She also was the executive producer for two unrelated TV science fiction series, "Andromeda" and "Earth: Final Conflict."

Former major league pitcher Dock Ellis diesFriday, December 19, 2008 10:42 PM12/19/2008 19:35 PM -- Former major league pitcher Dock Ellis died Friday of a liver ailment in California, his former agent, Tom Reich, confirmed. Ellis was 63.

Dock Ellis, the former major league pitcher best remembered for his flamboyance and social activism as a member of the great Pittsburgh Pirates teams of the 1970s, died Friday of a liver ailment in California, his former agent, Tom Reich, confirmed. Ellis was 63.

Ellis spent 12 years in the majors with Pittsburgh, the New York Yankees, Oakland, Texas and the New York Mets. He retired in 1979 with a record of 138-119, but was best known for several colorful incidents on and off the field.

In his autobiography, "Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball," Ellis revealed that he threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in June 1970 while under the influence of LSD.

In May 1974 -- in an effort to inspire a lifeless Pittsburgh team -- Ellis drilled Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Dan Driessen in the top of the first inning. After walking Tony Perez, Ellis threw a pitch near Johnny Bench's head and was lifted from the game by manager Danny Murtaugh.

Ellis also gave up Reggie Jackson's memorable home run off the Tiger Stadium light tower in the 1971 All-Star Game in Detroit.

Off the field, Ellis spoke freely about racial issues, once telling reporters that he wouldn't start against Oakland's Vida Blue in the All-Star Game because Major League Baseball would never start "two soul brothers" against each other.

"Dock Ellis was my first client in baseball, and he gave me as much joy as anybody outside of my family," Reich said. "He was so unique. He was viewed by some people as an outlaw, but he was far from that. He was so ahead of his time. He was so intuitive and smart and talented and independent. And he wasn't about to roll over for the incredible prejudices that existed at the time."

He was a very special person and he had an absolute army of fans and friends. He was at the cutting edge of so many issues, and he never backed down. I was proud to be his friend and stand with him."

Ellis suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and was placed on a list to receive a liver transplant in May. The Los Angeles Times wrote that Ellis had no health insurance, but received help paying his medical bills from friends in baseball.

Bill Scaringe, an agent who represented Ellis after he retired, said Ellis worked for years in the California department of corrections helping inmates transition from prison back to the community.

"It's very disheartening," Scaringe said. "Dock was such a likeable person -- very gregarious, very outgoing. I would set up personal appearances for him, and after like 30 seconds, people were like relatives or neighbors. Dock was very easy to talk to. He was just a pleasure to be around."

Park Kwang-jung dies at 46-Korean actor starred in 'Wife's Lover'

By PAT SAPERSTEIN, Variety

Korean actor and theater director Park Kwang-jung, who starred in "Driving with My Wife's Lover," died of lung cancer Dec. 15 in Seoul. He was 46.

Park debuted in theatrical world as a director in 1992, and was one of the most well-known theater directors in Korea. He also performed in various films and TV dramas, usually as a supporting actor portraying.

As a film actor, he started his career in helmer Lee Jang-ho's "Myong-Ja Akiko Sonia"(1992) and starred in more than 20 films including helmer Song Neung-han's "No.3"(1997).

In 2006, he took a leading role for the first time in his film career with "Driving with My Wife's Lover." He received the Best Actor award from the 1st International Emerging Talent Film Festival in Monaco for his performance as a man obsessed with his wife's affair.

Pic was screened in Sundance and Rotterdam in 2007, and its remake rights were recently sold for the U.S.

San Jose rock pioneer John Byrne of the Count Five band dies at 61

By Karen D'Souza Mercury News

John Byrne, the lead singer of the legendary '60s San Jose garage band Count Five, has died after a long battle with cirrhosis, his family confirmed Wednesday. He was 61. "He meant so much to all of us," his daughter Ellen said, "but it's not just us. He touched so many lives with his music. He has brought so much to so many people. His music touched so many, it gave them light in dark times and made them smile and now we want everyone to know that he's gone so that they can celebrate his life and his music."

Even in the age of YouTube, Count Five continues to resonate in pop culture. Beloved as a one-hit wonder for their fluke hit "Psychotic Reaction,'' Count Five was one of the first groundbreaking bands to come out of San Jose. The Pioneer High School alums' hit not only became emblematic of a period in time, it also climbed all the way to No. 5 on the pop charts in 1966. "That was one of the most pivotal songs in rock history," said Dan Orloff, co-founder of San Jose Rocks. "If San Jose had a sound, they created it." Rock historians have dubbed the band one of the first "proto-punk" pioneers. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland sports a Count Five plaque in their "One Hit Wonder" exhibit. The tune is also showcased on the video game "Battlefield Vietnam" and several movie soundtracks. The Count Five are also notable as one of the first bands to be inducted into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame. "The Count Five was the first band to put San Jose on the map back in 1966,'' said Orloff, who can still remember exactly where he was the first time he heard "Psychotic Reaction" as a 12-year-old boy.—

They took what was coming from the British and put a San Jose twist to it. It's such a haunting song. You know the song immediately in the first note. A lot of people call them a one hit wonder, but I call it a one-note wonder. As soon as that song comes on, you know who it is."

Still, Byrne's life story was almost as dramatic as his music. He came to San Jose from Dublin at 14, after his mother died, but he remained an Irishman at heart forever. "He was a stubborn old Irishman to the end," said his daughter Tina. "He was always a rebel. He was growing his hair long even after people stopped doing that. He always had the dark sunglasses. He was very cool."

Once in San Jose, Byrne fell in with some neighborhood kids who thought it would be cool to have a singer sporting an Irish accent. He always had a gift for music. His daughters say he had the uncanny ability to make any instrument sing, even without lessons. "Aerosmith called him a rock and roll legend," said Tina, who is planning on finishing her father's autobioghraphy,"The '60s from the Inside," which he was toiling away on until the end. "We want to get it out there so everyone can know the story of our rock-star dad. His music was his life — it was the one thing that no one could ever take away from him."

Like so many musicians, Byrne's music was his lifeblood long after it stopped paying the bills. He ended up working at Montgomery Ward as an accountant but when that company went under, he lost his job and his optimism. "I think that's what started his depression, his feeling that nothing he did made a difference,'' said Tina, beating back sobs. "He felt like he was too old that no one would want to hire someone his age. My father was very kind-hearted and a lot of people took advantage of him."

Byrne also fought a battle with his health for years. A drinking problem led to diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver. The condition left him partially blind and having to use a walker. Despite his ailing health, Byrne continued to make music until the end. Daughter Tina was helping him work on an album titled "Facing Reality,'' which fused rock and hip-hop. He never had a chance to finish, so Tina is hoping to get it out there. "For as long as I can remember, my dad would be sitting in front of his piano playing his music," recalled daughter Ellen. "As an artist, the music is how you express yourself, it's who you are. It's like giving up a little piece of your soul to the world." Byrne is survived by his wife, four children and eight grandchildren, plus a great grandchild still on the way. The Byrne family is planning to establish a memorial fund in their father's name. A date for a memorial service has yet to be set.

Cagefighter Levens And Wife Found Dead18 December 2008 8:12 AM, PST

Ultimate Fighting favourite Justin Levens and his wife have been found shot dead at their home in an apparent murder-suicide.

The bodies of martial arts Levens and his partner Sarah McLean-Levens were discovered on Thursday at a condo in Laguna Niguel, California. Cops say they died from gunshot wounds.Levens had previously taken part in the Ultimate Fighting Championships and World Extreme Cagefighting but had not fought in either competition since 2006.

A source tells TMZ.com police are investigating the case as a possible murder-suicide.

Sam Bottoms, a film and television actor who played the role of California surfer-turned-GI Lance Johnson in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 Vietnam War epic "Apocalypse Now," has died. He was 53.

Bottoms died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles of glioblastoma multiforme, a virulent brain cancer, said his wife, Laura Bickford.