The Raptor, Your Bridge To The Greatest Generation

Originally Posted 07/02/09

The Raptor is here to report the four entertainment icons have passed on in the past week. They include: Farah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon and Karl Malden.

This erstwhile group are four Raptor Favs.

It should be noted that The Raptor was probably the only adolescent male in the world who didn't have Farah's Hottie Poster in the bedroom. I just checked the poster out on line though...quite a dish! The Raptor remembers with fondness the introduction of Charlie's Angels to the scene back in about 1977. The Raptor was at Penn State at the time and the assembled masses went nuts in the TV Lounge the night it came on. Awesome!...Lee Majors was a lucky man!

Michael Jackson had so much potential. At the height of his creative period, he crafted the iconic tune, "We Are The World" with other popular music performers such as Quincy Jones, Lionel Ritchey and Stevie Wonder. Paul McCartney may have also been involved as this project, know as "Live Aid" took center stage in the summer of 1985. The Raptor remembers a little about Live Aid as it occurred due to a trip to Penn State to participate in a reunion weekend with my old friend Rob. Rob came back to campus with his gal Margy. I on the other hand escorted my friend Beth. The weekend also coincided with the annual Summer Arts Festival. It was during a refreshment break at the Lion's Den that we watched The Cars perform "You Might Think" at the Philadelphia Vets Stadium over the MTV Network. That still gives me the shivers.

Jackson had crafted his popularity with artful stuff, like The Moonwalk, Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller. All Raptor Favs. But his for rays into pedophilia really gagged me. I would prefer to remember Michael from his days as the lead singer for the J5. Now that was entertainment..."Oh, Baby, give me one more chance!"

The Raptor was a big fan of Ed McMahon. From his salad days as Johnnie Carson's sidekick (how about the sports cheer...hiiiiioooooh!) to his pitchman forays into stuff like the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes and AARP - Ed was the greatest.

Then there is venerable Karl Malden. Malden was 97 years old when he passed. He was well known as a film and TV actor. One of Karl's best film roles was in "Patton". Malden played the bookish and stoic General Omar Bradley to foil the outrageous doings of General George S Patton, played to the T by George C. Scott. The Raptor also used to tune into The Streets of San Francisco to watch Malden head up the crime division as Detective Mike Stone. Malden had the biggest red nose in the world but he was a beloved figure.

All will be missed in some way, shape or form...God Speed.