Sunday, December 31, 2023

Flopcast 608: Memorial Show Part 1 - Barnes & Shirley

Time to look back on those we lost (from pop culture and beyond) in 2023. This week we're covering the first half of the year, and our list includes people from movies (Raquel Welch, Treat Williams, Alan Arkin), television (Adam Rich, Cindy Williams, Richard Belzer), music (Burt Bacharach, Harry Belafonte, Tina Turner), comics (Al Jaffee, Lee Moder, John Romita Sr.), wrestling (Leaping Lanny Poffo, Superstar Billy Graham, The Iron Sheik), and many more. Kornflake has the week off, but the Mayor of Chickentown is here providing expert commentary. And next week, we'll all be here to wrap up the whole stupid year. Bring very strong beverages.

Show Notes

In case you didn't Google Earl Boen while listening, here is that memorable face without a memorable name.

Another name you may not recognize, but whose work you have definitely heard, is songwriter Cynthia Weil. Her collaborations with husband Barry Mann include a ridiculous number of hits.

Julian Sands did indeed play Percy Bysshe Shelley to Gabriel Byrne's Lord Byron in the 1986 film Gothic, directed by Ken Russell.

Ken Russell also helmed the bizarre film adaptation of The Who's Tommy. Tina Turner made a big impression with everything she did throughout her career, including her role as the Acid Queen.

And the late Oliver Reed, seen above with Tina, links us to 1972's all-star production of The Three Musketeers, followed in 1974 by The Four Musketeers. Legendary beauty Raquel Welch appeared in both films as Constance, love interest to Michael York.

We lost both Robbie and Tim Bachman, who formed Bachman-Turner Overdrive along with brother Randy (formerly of The Guess Who) and the outnumbered Fred Turner.

L-R: Randy, Fred, Robbie, Tim

Chaim Topol, known professionally by his last name, imprinted on Felicity in both Fiddler on the Roof and Flash Gordon.

Another reliable mark on Felicity's memory is the combination of music and Muppets. Here is Harry Belafonte performing "Turn the World Around".