lily putts

In the past week, we lost two TV legends -- actress Barbara Billingsley and actor Tom Bosley. Billingsley, 94, starred as the mom on "Leave it to Beaver" (1957 - 1963) and Bosley, 83, starred as the dad on "Happy Days" (1974 - 1984). Both shows were set in the same time -- the mid-1950s to mid-1960s. A time when almost all the mothers were homemakers, and the fathers always had the right answers. Ah -- a simpler time.

I found it interesting that photos released this week for both stars were quite similar! Check it out. And RIP to them both.


Photo captions/credits:

Right: TV's Cleaver family decorates their first Christmas tree, December 1957. From left, Hugh Beaumont, Jerry Mathers, Billingsley and Tony Dow (compliments of CBS; photo appeared on the Los Angeles Times Website).

Bottom: TV's Cunningham family decorates their first Christmas tree, December 1974. From left, Ron Howard, Bosley, Erin Moran, Randolph Roberts and Marion Ross (compliments of ABC, via Photofest; photo appeared on The New York Times Website)


Note: Although no date (or caption) was given for the "Happy Days" photo -- a keen eye will see that this image has to be 1974. How so? Well look who's in there -- the infamous older brother Chuck! The basketball-playing college student went to practice one day and never came back (during season 2).

The series debuted in January 1974 -- so, this photo has to be from December 1974 -- or season 2 -- which included the show's first Christmas episode. Randolph Roberts was actually the second actor to play the part. Gavan O'Herlihy originated the role in the first season.

As reported earlier via Twitter, actress Brittany Murphy died today at 32 after suffering cardiac arrest. A police investigation is underway -- and an autopsy will be performed.

Probably best known for her work as the made-over Tai in Amy Heckerling's Clueless, Murphy was recently replaced on the set of her latest starring vehicle, The Caller, for being a disruption and hindering production. Murphy's rep stated "creative differences" as the reason for the split.

News of her exit from The Caller was made light of on the December 5 episode of Saturday Night Live that EntertainmentBlogger attended! After Seth Meyers reported Murphy's "detriment to production," cast member Abby Elliott (see below) came out to the Weekend Update set as Murphy, parodying her as a ditzy airhead who believed she was actually hosting that evening's episode before leaving with her infamous line reading from Don't Say a Word, "I'll never tell."

Murphy's other credits include Girl Interrupted, Drop Dead Gorgeous, 8 Mile, Just Married, Spun, Uptown Girls, Little Black Book, The Dead Girl, Summer Catch, Riding in Cars with Boys, and Sin City.