Last Days

On May 20, 1989, Gilda Radner -- known best for her brilliant comedic performances on Saturday Night Live -- passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 42 ... something she worried about long before the disease was ever diagnosed. Despite her early death, Radner's vibrant legacy has remained very much alive as new fans continue to discover her timeless characters.Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Jason Beckerman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On December 13, 2016, Alan Thicke - the actor nicknamed "America's Dad" for his portrayal of Dr. Jason Seaver for seven seasons on “Growing Pains” - died after his aorta ruptured while playing hockey. Though Thicke's ultimately passing devastated those close to him, his legacy endures as a beloved television actor, songwriter, friend, and father.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On December 12, 2023, Ray Liotta -- best known for his iconic performances in Field of Dreams and Goodfellas -- passed away in his sleep while filming a movie in the Dominican Republic. His fiery intensity and hint of menace created a lasting imprint on film history, but it was Liotta's sweet and gentle nature offscreen that stood out most to his family, friends, and those closest to him.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On August 11, 2022, Anne Heche, the actress whose stunning announcement of a romance with Ellen DeGeneres became one of the defining pop-culture moments of the 1990s, died following a fiery car wreck. Speculation raged in the wake of Heche’s death that drugs and alcohol must have been to blame, but the true culprit was something far more sinister and vastly more heartbreaking.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On January 27, 1993, André René Roussimoff -- the 7'4", 520-pound Frenchman who dominated professional wrestling during the 70s and 80s -- passed away in his sleep after an evening with friends. Although best known for his immense size and epic battles in the ring with Hulk Hogan and other bright stars of his era, it was Andre's brilliant performance as the warm-hearted giant in The Princess Bride that etched his name in Hollywood history.Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Jason Beckerman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On January 14, 2016, Alan Rickman died after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Despite a reputation as one of the kindest men in Hollywood, Rickman made his name portraying some of the great bad guys in cinema history - from Hans Gruber, to the Sheriff of Nottingham, to Severus Snape - and in the process forever changed what it means to be a movie villain.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On April 10, 2024, OJ Simpson — one of the most decorated football players and controversial figures of the last half of the 20th century — passed away after a brief battle with prostate cancer. His football and acting legacies were forever eclipsed by his criminal trial and eventual acquittal for the vicious double murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown-Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Simpson remained a polarizing figure until his last days, and his impact on American culture over the course of his life will not soon be forgotten.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 2, 2012, Junior Seau -- an NFL legend who redefined the linebacker position during his career -- took his own life, shocking his friends, family, and many fans. Known for his fierce playing style and leadership on the field, Seau's impact on football forever changed and modernized the sport, but it was his untimely death that sparked a crucial conversation about the prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the league, shedding light on the long-term consequences of head injuries and prompting calls for greater player safety measures.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thirty years ago this week, on April 5, 1994, Kurt Cobain - the Nirvana frontman whose raw, angst-ridden lyrics made him the voice for Gen X - killed himself in his Seattle home. Cobain’s death, brought on by years of drug use, physical pain, and depression, though tragic, cannot overshadow a singularly remarkable career that transformed American music.Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Jason Beckerman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On March 29, 2024, Lou Gossett Jr. – who rose to fame with his Emmy-award-winning portrayal of Fiddler in the miniseries Roots and an Academy Award-winning turn as drill sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentlemen – died after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneer of African-American actors, and as one of the kindest and most beloved men in Hollywood history.Hosts: Jason Beckerman and Charles Latibeaudiere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices