The voice behind “Here’s Johnny,” an “angel” with a trademark hairdo, and a child who grew up to become the “King of Pop.”
We lost all three this week with the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.
They were known names, faces and voices to particular generations, but over the span of years, they influenced not just the entertainment world but the conversations in our own living rooms.
Jackson, despite his fall from mega-stardom and some of the more freakish allegations about his personal life, dazzled us with “Thriller,” “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” during the early 1980s. We cheered when he moonwalked across the stage, and we imitated him by wearing single, sequined gloves. Jackson, during his peak, was a magical performer. He died at age 50.
Fawcett was blond and beautiful in “Charlie’s Angels,” which debuted in 1976. Her hairstyle was imitated by an entire generation of women, and her poster — well, it was an iconic image. But, she was more than just a pretty face, as she proved later in life. She won praise for her portrayal of a battered wife in “The Burning Bed,” and fought a courageous battle with cancer. She died at age 62.
McMahon shone even though he walked in the spotlight shadow as a foil to “Tonight” show host Johnny Carson. He entertained us from 1962 until 1992 as Carson’s sidekick. He was a TV personality and performed in numerous commercials, but was best known for his resounding “H-e-e-e-e-e-ere’s Johnny!” McMahon died at age 86.
We’ll miss all of these entertainers, but perhaps what we’ll miss most is the time in our lives they represented.
Opinion
In our view: Pop-culture icons will be remembered
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