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Thread: RIP Fred Willard

  1. #1

    RIP Fred Willard

    Fred Willard died today, he was 86. Just a very, very funny man who stole nearly every scene he was ever in...

    "And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision."

    Occasional musical musings on https://darkelffile.blogspot.com/

  2. #2
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    He was a classic. RIP

  3. #3
    Extremely funny guy, for sure.

    Great at improve.

    He will be missed.
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

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    One of the all time greats. I had no clue he was 86.

  5. #5
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    Rest in peace.
    We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
    It won't be visible through the air
    And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973

  6. #6
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    "though my hair's getting a little shaggy too... Don't let me get too close to you or people will think I'm part of the band. I'm just joking of course."

    RIP.

  7. #7
    Ya know, I've only just today realized how old Fred Willard was: 86! That means he would have been 49-50 when they were making This Is Spinal Tap. In that movie, he plays an Air Force Lieutenant. Now, my query is: did they deliberately cast him in that role, to underscore how incompetent Lt. Bob Hookstratten, that after 15-25 years in the Air Force, he still had, at best, one promotion?! I always reckoned his career hadn't gone well after the Spinal Tap debacle, as he's identified as "Lt Robert Hookstratten (retired)" in the Return Of Spinal Tap TV special from the early 90's. But it now seems like maybe his military was more than a little chequered even before he crossed paths with David, Derek, Nigel, Viv and Mick.

  8. #8
    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    RIP. Funny man.

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    Member proggy_jazzer's Avatar
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    In movie after movie filled with amazingly funny characters played by a variety of comic geniuses, his roles are often the ones I tend to remember. Bon voyage to a very talented guy.
    David
    Happy with what I have to be happy with.

  10. #10
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Those Christopher Guest movies usually moved into greatness once Willard appeared, especially Best in Show. RIP.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

  11. #11
    RIP. Fernwood Tonight was CLASSIC!
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

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    An amazing individual who made me laugh just by watching him talk drivel. His delivery, that lack of self awareness, his stutter step approach to moving on quickly to the next line of thought; always made me in awe of him. "Forever 2 Night" and America 2-Night" were underrated and under appreciated classics, with the pairing of Willard and Martin Mull a spark of genius courtesy of Norman Lear.

    This quote from him pretty much sums up his appeal, as I view it:

    "I think everyone has a door in their brain that says, 'Do not exit here.' If you go past it, you'll find all the dumb thoughts in there, all the stupid things that shouldn't be said. I've probably gone there more than anyone should in a given lifetime..."

  13. #13
    Member Lopez's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    RIP. Fernwood Tonight was CLASSIC!
    That was my first introduction to Fred Willard. Once, as Jerry Hubbard, Barth Gimble's side kick, he said something mighty dumb, and Barth (Martin Mull) turns to his guest and says, "Sledding accident when he was five."
    Lou

    Looking forward to my day in court.

  14. #14
    Man of repute progmatist's Avatar
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    He was a regular fixture on the Tonight Show, when Jay Leno was at the helm. A sad loss indeed.
    "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama

  15. #15
    Member mnprogger's Avatar
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    RIP

    I always will think of him for his performance in Moving Violations.

  16. #16
    Member Boceephus's Avatar
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    The genius straight man. Always a crack up. RIP


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    Very sad. I loved that guy.

  18. #18
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    BTW There really *is* a band called Four Jacks and a Jill and I can see why Lt. Bob Hookstratten would have thought so highly of them:


  19. #19
    I was just watching a trailer for a new comedy series on Netflix starting next week called Space Force. Steve Carell stars as a guy tasked with creating a 'space force', which seems to have been inspired by Trumps comments on the same.

    It is also Fred Willards last filmed role.

    And it seems that Willard also starred in a TV movie of the same name back in 1978, which from the looks of it was extremely silly (there is a short snippet on you tube) and has no connection with the new series.

    And more bizarre still, Jimmy Kimmell got Willard to reprise his role from the 1978 movie in a spoof sketch...

    I only clicked on it because I thought it was going to be something more interesting...

  20. #20
    Man of repute progmatist's Avatar
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    Tonight at 10pm EDT/PDT, and 9pm CDT/MDT, NBC will re-air the 1978 SNL episode hosted by Fred.
    "Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama

  21. #21
    [QUOTE=ronmac;977466]RIP. Fernwood Tonight was CLASSIC![/QUOTE

    Big agreement. Fernwood ruled. Wish it was on DVD. RIP

  22. #22
    Member proggy_jazzer's Avatar
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    Just watched Mascots for the first time, and again Willard killed it. I'm not sure, but I think it's his sense of timing that's so remarkable; he would deliver the most throw-away lines of dialogue in a way that hits you so hard that you are still laughing into the next scene.
    David
    Happy with what I have to be happy with.

  23. #23
    Member dropforge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by progmatist View Post
    Tonight at 10pm EDT/PDT, and 9pm CDT/MDT, NBC will re-air the 1978 SNL episode hosted by Fred.
    I watched it last night. Don't ask why, but I thought that tape store bit was hilarious. Good episode, but they were all good episodes in those days!

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