The godfather of '80s television

This afternoon, the role of the Stuck in the 80s blogger will be played by Jane:

Cocktails and dreams everyone! Spunky Stuck in the '80s cub reporter Jane here, filling in for Mr. Spears, who is up to the top of his handsome head in packing material and moving boxes, furiously searching for the one with the towels in it, so he can finally take a shower. Dude, it's got to be there somewhere -- good luck!

Today we're celebrating the birthday of one of the seminal figures in television: the late Mr. Aaron Spelling, born April 22, 1923. (Alas, Spelling passed away in 2006. No word on whether the sea-plane sprinkled his ashes over a waving Mr. Roarke and Tattoo.)

Known now more as the father of media gadfly Tori and the godfather of "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place," Spelling was first and foremost a man of the '80s. You couldn't turn on the tube in those days without encountering one of his programs on the screen. I should know -- I watched most of them.

From the one-two punch of "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island" on Saturday evenings, which I would tune in to before getting ready to go out to some late-night college party; to the original must-see TV of "Dynasty" on Wednesday nights; to the charming Nick-and-Nora throwback sleuths Jonathan and Jennifer Hart.

I did draw the line at watching some Spelling shows. He was also responsible for "Life with Lucy" -- the awful sitcom that served as Lucille Ball's last staring role. Nobody's perfect.

So grab a glass of champagne from Isaac, our friendly "Love Boat" bartender, and let's toast to ...

AARON SPELLING'S TOP 5 CONTRIBUTIONS TO 80s TV:

5. THE CATCH PHRASES: He provided us with "Da plane! Da plane!" ..  "Smiles, everyone, smiles" and "Love, exciting and new..."  True confession: I have Jack Jones crooning the "Love Boat" theme on my iPod. Shut. Up.

4. THE ULTIMATE 80s BABE: He signed not one, but two paychecks for Heather Locklear (T.J. Hooker and Dynasty), thus garnering the eternal gratitude of men young and old everywhere.

3. THE FASHION: He was single handedly responsible for the popularity of shoulder pads, huge jewelry pieces and shellacked, sky-high coiffures, thanks to the fashion-consciousness of "Dynasty" and its spin-off, "The Colbys." Admit it, you yourself sported one or all of these looks or dated someone who did.  This was the fashion of the day, and we were all slaves to it.

2. KIRK, YOU'RE STILL ALIVE, MY OLD FRIEND: He gave William "T.J. Hooker" Shatner and his hairpiece something to do during the '80s other than attending Star Trek conventions.

1. THE GUEST STARS: He kept half of Hollywood employed via the enormous amount of guest star opportunities on his shows. When those opening credits rolled for "The Love Boat" or "Hotel" or "Fantasy Island," you never knew whose name would pop up: Andy Warhol, Shirley Jones, John Ritter, Roddy McDowell, Carolyn Jones (who was married to Spelling in the '60s), Sonny Bono, Ethel Merman, Charo. The Screen Actors Guild must have loved this guy. As did the Retired Actors Home.

Here's to you, Mr. Spelling. Thanks for the memories.

'Girl, I feel it when you look at me'

Jeff Healey, the blues-rock guitar virtuoso whose lifelong blindness led him to create a unique way of playing the music he loved, died Sunday in Toronto, where he also was born. He was 41.

Healey died of cancer, a disease he had lived with his entire life. At age 1, he lost both eyes to retinoblastoma, a rare cancer. He was only three when he started playing guitar, strumming it as he sat in a chair with the instrument laid across his lap.

Healey's career took off in the '80s, when he acted and performed in the Patrick Swayze flick "Road House." An Arista Records executive was impressed, and the company signed Healey. In 1988, his first single "Angel Eyes" would become a big crossover hit. (Click video link above to listen)

His official website made the announcement of Jeff's death on Sunday, reporting that last year he underwent surgery to remove cancerous tissues from his legs and lungs. Aggressive treatment failed to halt the spread.

His newest album -- "Mess of Blues" -- is set for release on March 20.

Happy birthday, John Belushi

The odd ending to the equally odd 1981 flick "Neighbors":

Top 5 memorable lines from Neighbors:

5. "I was real friendly with a boy named Earl once - well, twice really."

4. "We haven't any children, unless Ramona just pumped one out and didn't tell me about it."

3. "Hey Earl, want some of your daughter's panties? They come in four flavors; banana, peach, mint and, of course, cherry!"

2. "You touched my brick?"

1. "This is crazy... but there's something so right about it."

The comic genius of 'Airplane'

Looks like I picked the wrong day to honor Lloyd Bridges. Actually, it's the perfect day. Today, Bridges would have been 295 years old. (Actually, just 95, but doesn't it seem like he's been around that long?)

Bridges is old school -- capital O and S. But his contributions to the 80s are worth a tip 'o the cap. "Love Boat" episodes. "Paper Dolls." Horny old "Vincent Kozinski" in "Cousins." (Dude, I loved him back in '78 playing Commander Cain in Battlestar Galactica!) And though they fell in the 90s, he kills me in "Joe Versus The Volcano" and "Hot Shots."

But any discussion of Bridges is incomplete without considering his role as "Steven McCroskey" in the "Airplane" movies. I have no idea whether he understood the comic genius of his role at the time, but Bridges was legendary in the original flick.

Alas, Bridges passed away in 1998. But somewhere up there, he's going to enjoy today's top 5 list.

TOP 5 MEMORABLE LLOYD BRIDGES LINES:

5. "Well, does it take more guts to twice traverse a staircase in a burning building, or to make a one-time leap into a volcano? Damned if I know, Kemosabe." (Joe Versus The Volcano)

4. "My eyes are ceramic. Caught a bazooka round at Little Big Horn. Or was it Okinawa? The one without the Indians." (Hot Shots)

3. "I'd rather have a case of the clap than a case of this wine." (Cousins)

2. "And I can sum it all up in just one word: courage, dedication, daring, pride, pluck, spirit, grit, mettle, and G-U-T-S, guts! Why, Ted Striker's got more guts in his little finger than most of us have in our large intestine, including the colon!" (Airplane II)

1. "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue." (Airplane)

'Where'd you get that jacket?'

Ah, Stu Nahan. We loved you, even though I wonder how many fans out there know it was your voice they heard in our favorite movies.

Nahan died this week at 81 in his home in Los Angeles. The former minor-league hockey played turned sports broadcaster is best known to us for playing a TV commentator in every Rocky movie ("What ... is ... keeping ... Rocky ... up?!?") but also for similar roles in "Private Benjamin," "CHiPs," "Baywatch" and many more projects.

But alas, to me, he'll always be remembered for Jeff Spicoli's dream sequence in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

Dan Fogelberg: 1951-2007

Dan Fogelberg passed away Sunday, Dec. 16, of prostate cancer at his home in Maine. He was 56.

One of his many hits, "Same Old Lang Syne," which was dubbed the second-most sad song of the 80s on a previous Stuck in the 80s list, was actually inspired by a real-life encounter Fogelberg had in Peoria, Illinois. He bumped into an old girlfriend in a convenience store, and the song takes it from there, describing the meeting detail by detail.

His death was announced on his official website:

"Dan left us this morning at 6:00am. He fought a brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side. His strength, dignity, and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him."

Cause of death: Cocaine overdose

The test results are back: Quiet Riot singer Kevin Dubrow died of an accidental cocaine overdose, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Toxicology results were received Monday, according to a coroner in Las Vegas, where the 52-year-old singer died on Nov. 25 at his home.

Friends say Dubrow had been leading a clean and sober life for the last few years, so the results are somewhat surprising. According to one report, Dubrow had been dead for six days before his body was found.

Lori Lee Samson, who was either Dubrow's ex-girlfriend or his fiancee -- depending on who you listen to, was reportedly the last person to see him alive. Samson told KTNV that Dubrow texted her with his last words.

"At 2:40 am Monday he texted me 'I love you so much,' " Samson told the ABC affiliate.

Singer's ex-girlfriend speaks out

The former girlfriend of the late Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot has issued a statement about the death of DuBrow. Lori Lee Samson, a former actress and TV personality now mainly working in the beauty field, apparently was with DuBrow as recently as his birthday (Oct. 29).

"Our relationship was a beautiful and very special one, who no one can ever replace or belittle," Samson said in a statement released this evening. "Our feelings were genuine, filled with love, respect and admiration for one another. Our last weeks together were filled with laughter, happiness and intimate moments."

Samson's statement then gets a little interesting:

"Celebrating his birthday in New Orleans, enjoying a wonderful meal at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, which I will never forget the mean snapping turtle soup. Then we continued our celebration in Vegas at the Palms where there was the incident with the lobster. He had everyone laughing, with his great sense of humor."

Turtle soup? The lobster incident? OK. Samson concludes:

"It hurts to think he will not be at my door picking me up to sweep me away to yet another adventure. It saddens my heart to know he will never be there for me when I feel sad to make me laugh. It brings me to tears that we can not share our lives together anymore, but our love will never die.  His memory will live on with me close to my heart."

According to her press release, Samson "leaves an everlasting impression, [with] her positive kindhearted nature that conveys her true sincerity to each person she meets."

What happened, Kevin?

Details are finally beginning to leak out on the circumstances of the death of Kevin DuBrow, the Quiet Riot lead singer who was found dead at his Vegas home earlier this week.

The band's former bassist, Kelly Garni, said he was alerted by DuBrow's security company on Sunday about a possible problem at the home, MTV.com is reporting. Also, DuBrow's voice-mailbox was full. "That was the first sign of trouble to me," Garni said.

Garni reportedly contact Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali, but Banali told him he hadn't heard from DuBrow in about 10 days. In addition, a girlfriend of DuBrow's told Garni that the singer missed a planned Thanksgiving dinner date with her. (One of two Thanksgiving dates DuBrow had that night, according to reports.)

When a paramedic was finally able to break into the house, DuBrow was found dead in his bed, MTV.com reports. There were no signs of foul play, but toxicology reports are pending.

Meanwhile, his peers in the metal world -- including Nikki Sixx, Billy Morris and Glenn Hughes are stepping forward to pay their respects. (Click here to read many of their statements on MTV.com)

"Quiet Riot put metal on the radio in the early 80's in spite of the vanilla New Wave surge of Duran Duran clones at the time," Rikki Rocket, Poison's drummer, wrote on his MySpace blog. "However he died or why, let's just remember the colossal contributions that he made."

Quiet Riot singer found dead

Out of sympathy, fans ought to bang their heads instead of bowing them: Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas home on Sunday, according to the band's drummer.

Frankie Banali announced DuBrow's death on his official website. "I can't even find words to say. Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend ..." Banali wrote.

DuBrow celebrated his 52nd birthday last month in New Orleans and appeared to be in good health, according to a report on MTV.com. No cause of death has been determined.

One of the founding members of the 80s' heavy metal glam rock scene, Quiet Riot was actually formed back in the early 70s by Randy Rhoads and Kelly Garni, with DuBrow handling vocals. Their breakthrough album -- Metal Health -- was released in March 1983. It became the first heavy metal album to debut at No. 1 on the music charts and featured the hit songs "Cum On Feel The Noise" and "Metal Health."

DuBrow stood out among his heavy-metal peers for his gravely, loud voice and the suspenders he often wore on stage. In videos and promotional photos, DuBrow often donned a straightjacket and metal mask over his face. 

According to the Associated Press, a neighbor summoned paramedics Sunday to DuBrow's home, where he was pronounced dead at 5:20 p.m. Police told the AP that there was no forced entry at the house. Toxicology tests have been performed, and authorities await the results.

"Out of respect for both Kevin and his family, I won't comment further," Banali told CNN. "There's going to be a lot of speculation out there, and I won't add to that. I love him too much."

Quiet Riot's last studio album was "Rehab" in 2006. Click here to see Quiet Riot's video for "Cum On Feel The Noise."

[Getty Images photo]

Is your Bryan Adams hanging out?

I have a theory about Bryan Adams: His music is on the radio just regularly enough that you don't really notice it unless someone points it out. (And when they do, it can be embarrassing -- sorta like having your zipper down.)

So my friends and I once came up with the code "Your Bryan Adams is hanging out" -- we'd say that anytime we left his music play unknowingly on the radio. (Of course, that was their way of saying change the channel. But I sorta dig Adams, so I let it "hang out.")

I first caught Adams at the Rock n' Roll Superbowl in Orlando's Citrus Bowl back on March 20, 1982 (you'll see in a minute why I remember the date). In those days, the antiquated stadium hosted annual rock festivals. That day, Adams was the opening act. The only song anyone recognized was "Lonely Nights." He played his half hour set then made way for a bunch of better-known bands, including Foreigner, still fresh off their success from 1981's "4" album.

Ozzy Osbourne was supposed to be the real attraction that day, but his guitarist Randy Rhoads died the day before the show when a small plane he was flying in crashed. Ozzy canceled his appearance and Pat Travers ("Boom, boom! Out go the lights!) stepped in to take his place.

Adams turns 48 years old today. These days, Adams has been playing Europe and Asia. I hope he gets back to Florida sometime soon. But this time, let's hope everyone in the lineup just sticks to driving.

TOP 5 BRYAN ADAMS SONGS OF THE 80s:

5. Heaven: "Love is all that I need, and I found it there in your heart."

4. Somebody: "The winners are losers. You see it every night."

3. One Night Love Affair: "I never thought that I'd be touchin' you."

2. Lonely Nights: "With every breath you're takin', you're thinkin' of ways to say good night."

1. Summer of '69: "Those were the best days of my life."

No Giorgio! Worst musician-turned actor flicks

With the passing of opera legend Luciano Pavarotti, what's the appropriate number of days to refrain before mentioning his 1982 flick "Yes Giorgio"?

... Time's up. (I'll go easy - I promise.) The film, which also co-starred Eddie Albert and Kathryn Harrold, featured Pavarotti as "Giorgio Fini," a pampered opera singer who loses his voice (a real stretch for Luciano, I know) and then falls in love with his throat doctor.

To confess that you've seen the movie from start to finish is akin to admitting that you once videotaped "Webster" so you could watch "Punky Brewster" live.

Like most musician-to-actor movies, it has a great soundtrack. But if you think it's the worst of that particular genre, you're sorely mistaken.

Top 10 Worst Musician-Turned-Actor Movies of the 80s:

10. Absolute Beginners (1986): David Bowie. "We don't sell things. We sell dreams."

9. Desperately Seeking Susan (1985):  Madonna. "Yeah, well, fortunately for everyone, I'm here and I'm thinking."

8. The Jazz Singer (1980): Neil Diamond. "We can hear the 'boom boom' in here, darling. It really sounds wonderful."

7. Purple Rain (1984): Prince. "That ain't Lake Minnetonka."

6. Who's That Girl? (1987): Madonna. "C'mon ... haven't you ever done anything you were proud of?"

5. Labyrinth (1986): David Bowie. "It's only forever, not long at all."

4. Dune (1984): Sting. "Why are you going to prolong the inevitable? I will kill you!"

3. Hard To Hold (1984): Rick Springfield. "Will you stop harassing me? I know who you are, you're a rock person of some sort."

 2. Rhinestone (1984): Dolly Parton. "All right, we'll go to your place and you can show me your organ. But I'm warning you, it'd best be having music coming out of it."

1. Can't Stop the Music (1980): The Village People. "The 70s are dead and gone. The 80s are going to be something wonderfully new and different, and so am I."

"Mr. Manchester" passes away

English record label owner, manager and music maven Tony Wilson died Friday, Aug. 10 in Manchester. Wilson, 57, had been battling kidney cancer.

Wilson was best known to fans of the 80s as the mogul  behind Factory Records, which signed bands such as New Order and Joy Division. As a TV journalist in the late 70s, he gave the Sex Pistols their first appearance on television in 1976. Later, he founded the infamous Hacienda Nightclub in Manchester, which became the British center for the 80s music revolution. (Madonna made her U.K. debut at the club.)

"New Order wouldn't have came to be what they are without Tony and the Factory Record label because he was very passionate about music and he believed the band should have total freedom," Stephen Morris (Joy Division, New Order) told the BBC.

'Call on God, but row away from the rocks'

Author Hunter S. Thompson would have been 70 years old today. Though I'm sure friends will toast the event in his beloved Woody Creek, Colorado, they'll do so without their ring leader. Thompson took his own life Feb. 20, 2005.

And though he's not exclusively an 80s figure, his influence over the decade was formidable. His best piece of literary work during the time was "The Curse of Lono," featuring the brilliant illustrations of his friend Ralph Steadman. The movie loosely based on his early life -- "Where the Buffalo Roam" with Bill Murray playing Thompson -- also was released in 1980.

He's my favorite author and one of the reasons I pursued in career in journalism, something I'm sure he'd take no pride in knowing. He always claimed to love the craft of writing but despised the profession of journalism.  "Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism," Thompson once said.

Here are some more of my favorite HST quotes:

"Call on God, but row away from the rocks."

"I feel the same way about disco as I do about herpes."

"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."

"Politics is the art of controlling your environment."

"If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up."

"You better take care of me Lord, if you don't you're gonna have me on your hands."

 

'Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?'

Is there anyone out there who truly couldn't appreciate the 1986 flick Sid & Nancy? It's a Gary Oldman masterpiece (aren't they all?). And if you didn't idolize Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols before seeing it, you surely did afterward. (Though perhaps for all the wrong reasons.)

Everything I Need To Know In Life, I Learned from Sid & Nancy:

• "Never trust a junkie."
• "Barbie doesn't have bruises."
• "Sidney's more than a mere bass player. He's a fabulous disaster. He's a symbol, a metaphor, he embodies the dementia of a nihilistic generation."
• "You're in the studio, these places cost like fifty grand a minute."
• "Sex is boring ... American hippie love s--t."

This week's Stuck in the 80s podcast showcases "Sid & Nancy." Click here to listen or click here to subscribe to the series for free on iTunes.

What can you expect to learn from this week's show?

• Find out what happens if you stick to a strict diet of fish and melon.
• Learn about the real Sid Vicious (the late Simon John Ritchie) and Nancy Spungen.
• Appreciate one of the top 10 movie soundtracks from the 80s.

It's all there, plus a new edition of "Name That 80s Tune" and "Reader Mailbag."

An infamous figure passes

The Rev. Jerry Falwell died Tuesday at age 73. And I know we spend much of our time on this blog talking about the music and movies of the decade, but I'd be derelict in my duties if I didn't touch on Falwell's "contributions" to the '80s.

• He co-founded the Moral Majority in 1979, creating a conservative movement in politics that helped elect Ronald Reagan to the U.S. presidency.
• He supported the apartheid system of rule in South Africa and urged Christians to invest in the country when the rest of the world boycotted the white-minority government.
• And most famously, he crossed swords with Hustler publisher Larry Flynt over Hustler's parody ad in 1983 about Falwell's "first time" -- a fake Q&A describing Falwell having sex with his mother in an outhouse.

Falwell sued Flynt for libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress. While he was found innocent of libel, a jury did find Flynt guilty of the "emotional distress" charge. Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court would rule in 1988 that a public figure could not recover damages for emotional distress based on a satire or parody.

In 1997, the two public figures met face to face again on the Larry King Show (on the eve of the film premiere of "The People vs. Larry Flynt"). Click the link to read the full transcript, but my favorite exchange -- the one that I think epitomizes their difference is this exchange. Click the link below to continue.

'Hi, I'm Kurt Vonnegut...'

Among the most memorable movie scenes in the 80s: Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as himself in Back to School.

Rodney Dangerfield's character hires Vonnegut to write an English essay -- about himself. He gets a lousy grade and stops payment on the check to the famous author. Keith Gordon, who played Dangerfield's son in the movie, would later direct a film adaptation of Vonnegut's Mother Night.

Vonnegut died Wednesday at age 84. He had suffered brain injuries after a fall at his NYC home a few weeks ago, according to the AP.

Back in 1985, my senior year in high school, I carried around a tattered paperback copy of Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions" around school. Not because it was assigned reading (it wasn't), and not because I enjoyed the "you're reading about Wheaties?" comments (I didn't). But because it rocked. And it taught me that reading and writing could actually be fun.

Thanks, Kurt.

Porky's director dies in crash

Another 80s icon leaves us too soon. Bob Clark, who directed A Christmas Story and Porky's, died in a car crash with his son on Wednesday.

Clark and his son Ariel Hanrath-Clark were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades when their vehicle was hit head-on by an SUV that steered into the wrong lane, according to police. The driver of that vehicle has been arrested for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol and gross vehicular manslaughter, according to the Associated Press.

His name may not be familiar to casual film fans, but hard-core 80s addicts know his work.

Top 5 flicks in the 80s directed by Bob Clark:
5. Porky's 2 - The Next Day (1983): "I'm so hot! I want all of you guys. But especially you!"
4. From The Hip (1987): "Is this your idea of a pep talk?"
3. Turk 182 (1985): "There are two theories. The first is that this is an organized conspiracy. The other more bizarre theory is that this is the work of one man - Superman, apparently!"
2. Porky's (1982): "Peewee, tie a knot in it."
1. A Christmas Story (1983): "Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian."

So long, Larry "Bud" Melman

Calvert DeForest, a fixture on David Letterman's late-night TV shows as the character Larry "Bud" Melman" died Monday in Long Island at age 85.

"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself - a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said in a statement.

DeForest appeared on the show between 1982 and 2002, often stuffed uncomfortably into a black suit and thick glasses. Among his odd chores for the show: singing "I Got You Babe" with Sonny Bono, covering the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway and handing out hot towels to new arrivals at New York's bus terminal.

'We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll'

Brad Delp, the lead singer for Boston, was found dead at his New Hampshire home on Friday. He was 55. There was no sign of foul play, the Associated Press reports, but the cause of death is under investigation.

Last night, the band's official website was taken down and replaced with a simple message: "We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll."

Top 5 Boston songs:
5. I Need Your Love: "I'm at the point of no return. I've finally crossed the line."
4. We're Ready: "I feel like I'm finally seeing the light."
3. Amanda: "Tomorrow may be too late."
2. Don't Look Back: "I see beyond the road I'm driving."
1. More Than A Feeling: "I closed my eyes and she slipped away."

Crossing the bridge to Brigadoon

John Lee Spears: Feb. 17, 1940 -- March 8, 2007

My dad's top 5 favorite movies:
5. A Bridge Too Far (1977): "This is a story you will tell your grandchildren; and mightily bored they'll be."
4. Animal House (1978): "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
3. Patton (1970): "There's only one proper way for a professional soldier to die: the last bullet of the last battle of the last war."
2. On The Beach (1959): "There isn't time. No time to love... nothing to remember... nothing worth remembering."
1. Brigadoon (1954): "It's the hardest thing in the world to give everything. Though it's usually the only way to get everything."

Bruno Kirby, 57, dies

Bruno Kirby, one of the most underexposed but certainly not under-appreciated actors of his generation, died Monday in Los Angeles from complications related to leukemia. He was 57.

Some of his best movie roles came in the 80s and early 90s:

Where the Buffalo Roam (1980): Kirby plays Hunter Thompson's editor, based not so loosely on Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone.

This is Spinal Tap (1984): A quick cameo but big laughs as the band's limo driver. (Podcast)

Good Morning Vietnam (1987): A breakthrough role playing 2nd Lt. Steven Hauk, the straight man to Robin Williams. "Sir, in my heart, I know I'm funny." (46th funniest movie?)

When Harry Met Sally (1989): Another great job as Jess, Billy Crystal's best friend and love interest of Carrie Fischer. "You made a woman meow?" (Movie trivia | podcast)

The Freshman (1990): Maybe his best supporting role, playing Victor Ray, opposite Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick, in the most underrated movie of the early 90s. "You know how big this is? Bacio di tutti baci... the kiss of all kisses."

City Slickers (1991): Maybe Billy Crystal brought out the best in Kirby, who reprises his best-friend role in this classic. "I like your a--. Can I wear it as a hat?"

"Bruno's spirit will continue to live on not only in his rich body of film and television work but also through the lives of individuals he has touched throughout his life," his wife, Lynn Sellers, said in a statement today.

[Publicity photo; click to enlarge]

Actor Franklin Cover dies

Franklin Cover, who played in a numerous 70s and 80s tv shows, has died at age 77, his publicist told the AP Thursday. Cover might have been best know as the white neighbor to George and Louise Jefferson on "The Jeffersons."

Other TV roles included "The Love Boat," "Who's the Boss?" and most recently "Will & Grace." Film roles included roles in "The Stepford Wives" and "Wall Street," in which he played the aging stockbroker Dan who finds himself out the door as Charlie Sheen's character is making his rise.

Cover died of pneumonia Sunday in New Jersey.

Chris Penn: a soul of his own

Asked Wednesday about the tragic death of Chris Penn, Winona Ryder just nailed it: "I really hope people go back and watch his movies, because he was such a fantastic actor, and he is going to be so missed," Ryder said, according to an AP report. "Not just Sean Penn's little brother, you know? He was Chris Penn."

Ryder was at the Sundance Film Festival, taking audience questions after the premiere of The Darwin Awards, Penn's latest movie, which stars Ryder and Joseph Fiennes. Ironically, the film is a twisted comedy about accidental death.

Chris Penn should have been there. Should have been taking questions. Cracking some jokes (like ... "Hey, Winona, rooting for the Steelers in the Super Bowl?"). Basking in the glow of the media spotlight. Lunching with studio execs and agents. Plotting his next success story. Sucess he has earned all his own.

Instead, investigators in California are still trying to determine the cause of Penn's death. His body was discovered Tuesday. An autopsy has been performed and toxicology tests have been ordered -- standard procedure, officials say.

His fans and media are left shaking their heads in bewilderment. In disbelief. In disappointment. Again, left wondering "what could have been if only..."

80s star Chris Penn found dead

Chris Penn, brother of Sean Penn and an actor with a distinguished career of his own, was found dead Tuesday at his Santa Monica condo. He was 40. There was no word yet on a possible cause of death, though early reports rule out foul play. Penn's body was found in bed by his housekeeper.

Penn, who started acting at age 12, had parts in a slew of 80s hits. But he's probably best known to fans of the era as the loveable hick Willard in Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon. In fact, one of the movie's best scenes, in which Bacon's character Ren shows Willard how to dance, is quite ironic: Penn didn't know how to dance at the time.

In All the Right Moves, Penn played a high school football star whose future grows foggy when his girlfriend gets pregnant. The movie starred Tom Cruise. Other 80s roles were in Pale Rider, At Close Range (with brother Sean), Rumble Fish, The Wild Life and Best of the Best. His career continued through the years with notable appearances in Reservoir Dogs, The Funeral, Mulholland Falls, Rush Hour and Starsky & Hutch.

Sean Penn's other brother is musician Michael Penn, who composed the music for the film Boogie Nights.

Chris Penn's latest film, the comedy The Darwin Awards starring Joseph Fiennes and Winona Ryder, was scheduled to debut today at the Sundance Film Festival.

Tom Cruise and Chris Penn, center, in 1983's All The Right Moves.