goodbye boss...

Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán Merino (November 25, 1920 - January 14, 2009) was a Mexican television, theatre, and film actor. He had a career spanning decades and multiple notable roles. During the late 1970s, he was the spokesperson in automobile advertisements for the Chrysler Cordoba (in which he famously extols the "Corinthian leather" used for its interior). From 1977 to 1984 he starred as Mr. Roarke in the television series Fantasy Island. He also played the villainous Khan Noonien Singh in both the 1967 "Space Seed" episode of the first season of the original Star Trek series, and the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He won an Emmy Award in 1978, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Up until his 80s, he continued to perform, often providing voices for animated films and commercials. [Wikipedia]

CNN says, "Montalban, 88, was in deteriorating health over the past several days but 'died peacefully' at 6:30 a.m. at his home, son-in-law Gilbert Smith said. He understood 'it was his time,' Smith said. The cause of death was not given."

He could sing and dance too. RIP Ricardo. Various videos below...

Continue reading "Ricardo Montalban, RIP"

"Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the woman dubbed "the First Lady of Star Trek," has passed at the age of 76. According to her representative, the cause of death was leukemia.

According to her website, "Majel Barrett Roddenberry passed away this morning, December 18, 2008, at 12:27 AM in her Bel Air home. She died peacefully, in her sleep, and was surrounded by family and loved ones."

"My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that Star Trek fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away," said her son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr.

The widow of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the influential science fiction series (Gene passed away in 1991), Majel Roddenberry was an actress herself..." [National Post]