Celebrity Deaths: Davis, Henson and Jill Ireland

Sometimes there are weeks like this past one when we are overwhelmed with the loss of celebrity figures we feel so close to. The world cries for “Mr. Entertainment”--Sammy Davis Jr. It seems as if we have known him and been in his audience for as long as we have lived. Nothing stopped us from loving him and time will not lessen the love we have for him either.

Second to go was Jim Henson--the name that meant laughter to all of us. He lived a long time on Sesame Street but that was not his real address. His home was in our living rooms and at the local movie house where we saw him as Kermit the irrepressible puppet who was as real as Miss Piggy. Death will never take Jim Henson from us as long as his puppets live. Kids unborn are still going to learn of true love through the antics of Miss Piggy’s devotion to Kermit.

Then there was the tragedy of Jill Ireland. I think, personally, that hurt the most. I loved those Charles Bronson movies. I was not ready to go to a Bronson film until I saw a clip on TV that gave me my first look at Jill Ireland. I went and was hooked on both.

I think Jill will be best remembered for her courage in real life and her battle with cancer. She wrote two books on her battle with this deadly disease.

ALLAN BENJAMIN

Los Angeles