Tag Archives: Sad News

Gene Hackman dies at 95

OK, Universe. You can stop now.

Gene Hackman was found dead along with his wife and dog in their home in Sante Fe. Authorities do not suspect foul play.

Hackman was well-known for a variety of roles over a number of decades including his turn as Lex Luthor opposite Christopher Reeves. He had retired to New Mexico after his last film in 2004.

For me, my favorite Hackman role will always be the Blind Monk in Young Frankenstein.

Star Trek, Mission Impossible III Writer, Roberto Orci Dies at 51

Robert Orci, the writer behind the Kelvinverse Star Trek films and a whole lot more has passed away from kidney disease at 51.

I know not all the fans liked him, but credit where credit’s due, he helped bring Star Trek back to theaters and garnered the franchise a whole new generation of fans. I’ve heard for numerous new Trekkies that the 2009 movie was their entry point.

Looking through his filmography, I’ve enjoyed a number of the things he’s written through the years.

The Arecibo Observatory has collapsed

(Sorry for the double-whammy of sad news, it’s just one of those days)

The observatory had been shut down since August from a cable snap that had punched a huge hole in the dish. But yesterday, the structure collapsed catastrophically.

RIP Ben Bova

The Science Fiction author passed away on November 29 at age 88 of complications from COVID-19. He authored over 120 works of sci-fi, won six Hugo Awards, and has been the president of both the National Space Society as well as the Science Fiction Writers of America.

RIP, Aron Eisenberg

Aron Eisenberg, best known for playing Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has passed away at the age of 50 from unknown causes. He brought us a fantastic character and, I would argue, one of the best character arcs of any character in any Star Trek. Eisenberg brought a mischievous charm to the character, taking him from juvenile thief to Starfleet Lieutenant. He was also an ardent fan of Star Trek as a whole and ran a podcast, The 7th Rule along side friend and costar Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko). Continue reading →