Deathwatch: Andy Williams

[Scott Brady]

A typical Enquirer "pre-obituary"--as if they expect him to die before
it hits the stands.

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/andy-williams-sad-last-days

THE family of cancer-stricken crooner Andy Williams gathered at his
bedside to bid their heartbreaking final goodbyes to the “Moon River”
singer.

“Andy’s bladder cancer had not only returned, but metastasized,” said
a source close to the 84-year-old showbiz legend. “He was in constant
pain and had lost all his hair due to chemotherapy and radiation
treatments. There was nothing more his doctors could do for him.”

Andy’s three children with ex-wife, actress and singer Claudine Longet
– daughter Noelle, 48, and sons Christian, 47, and Bobby, 42 – stood
vigil at his bedside in Branson, Mo., said the source.

“Christian flew in from his home in Costa Rica, while Noelle and Bobby
came in from Los Angeles,” said the source. “They were shattered, in
tears.”

The ENQUIRER was first to reveal last November that Williams – who
headlined a popular TV variety show in the ’60s – was stricken with
invasive bladder cancer.

In February we reported that the silver-voiced singer had wasted away
to a skeletal 125 pounds, and after undergoing treatment at the MD
Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, he and his wife Debbie had
returned to their Malibu rental home.

Sadly, he suffered terribly in his final months after a stent inserted
in his bladder became infected, sources say, and decided that he
wanted to breathe his last breath in Branson.

The friend said: “Andy told his children, ‘Don’t cry for me. I’m going
to a better place. I won’t be in any pain, and the next time you hear
one of my songs, remember me.’”

[Charlene]

On Thursday, July 5, 2012 1:14:53 PM UTC-5, Scott Brady wrote:
> A typical Enquirer "pre-obituary"--as if they expect him to die before
> it hits the stands.
>

Andy Rooney, Andy Griffith, and Andy Williams - triad?

wd48

Given the Enquirer's luck at brave tragic last days, though, he'll probably live another ten years.

[Scott Brady]

On Jul 5, 1:28 pm, Charlene <charlene.vick...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Andy Rooney, Andy Griffith, and Andy Williams - triad?

Rooney might be stretching it, but what if Andy Andy dies?

[Scott Brady]

On Jul 5, 1:28 pm, Charlene <charlene.vick...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Given the Enquirer's luck at brave tragic last days, though, he'll probably live another ten years.

Read it again. They're just covering their bases in case he hangs on.

[busgal]

Would I be the only one with the Andy double header?

[Loki]

In his autobiography, John Phillips talked about, but would not
identify, a musical variety TV star that he would sell heroin to. I
always thought it was either Andy Williams or Perry Como.

[busgal]

Not Tom Jones or the Smothers Brothers?

[tr...@iwvisp.com]

Of all the TV variety shows of that era you though Andy Williams or
Perry Como???

Dinah Shore, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Julie
Andrews, The Carpenters, Olivia Newton-John, John Denver, John
Davidson, Mac Davis, Bobby Goldsboro, Lynda Carter, Johnny Cash, Sonny
and Cher, Bob Monkhouse, Carol Burnett, Rod Hull and Emu, Flip Wilson,
Lawrence Welk, Glen Campbell, Donny & Marie Osmond, Barbara Mandrell,
Judy Garland, The Captain & Tennille, The Jacksons, The Keane
Brothers, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Mary Tyler Moore, Dean
Martin, Tony Orlando and Dawn, The Smothers Brothers, Danny Kaye, Des
O'Connor, Buck and Roy, Roy Hudd, Billy Dainty, Max Wall or The Muppet
Show.

I think I'd go with Judy Garland ...or Kermit!

Ray Arthur

[Loki]

No... He narrowed it down more than that. Though it has been 20+ years
since I read it, I do remember that he said that the guy was a male,
had been a musical variety host for years, and that when he originally
made contact, Papa John thought it was because he was about to be
asked to be a guest on a Christmas special.
>
>Ray Arthur

[tr...@iwvisp.com]

On Jul 5, 2:14 pm, Loki <cubby77...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 12:58:35 -0700 (PDT), "t...@iwvisp.com"

Well, I only met Perry once, in 1986, for about a hal;h hour but I'm
going to go waaaay out on an egotistical limb and state that I can
personally vouch for him. Just the thought of Perry Como using heroin
(for a TV appearance) is pretty funny.
"Hey John, sell me the H. I'm too up. I need to mellow down for the
Crosby Christmas show."

Secondly, one wonders how many things John Phillips said over his
career that were very interesting and/or entertaining but had no
relation to the truth or reality.

Ray

[Loki]

I am just reporting what was in the book. Speculate or disregard as
you see fit.

[tr...@iwvisp.com]

On Jul 5, 3:31 pm, Loki <cubby77...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 15:27:19 -0700 (PDT), "t...@iwvisp.com"

Ok, Ok, I'm not picking a fight. I just find the whole idea amusing.

Ray

[Brad Ferguson]

In article <46103dff-e0a7-4e9f...@googlegroups.com>,

busgal <busg...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Would I be the only one with the Andy double header?

No.

[R H Draney]

Loki filted:

I don't see Red Skelton or Jimmy Durante in that list either....

Or the King Family....r


--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.

[R H Draney]

Scott Brady filted:

>
>THE family of cancer-stricken crooner Andy Williams gathered at his

>bedside to bid their heartbreaking final goodbyes to the =93Moon River=94
>singer.

I'm sorry to hear this...I love Venezuela:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tzUI8jkr0E

(Posted that clip to YouTube five years ago to point out how much my boss looked
like Andy circa 1971)....r

[Tim J.]

I'm rooting for Andy Dick.

[BobF]

On 5 Jul 2012 19:48:23 -0700, R H Draney <dado...@spamcop.net>
shouted from the highest rooftop:

>I don't see Red Skelton or Jimmy Durante in that list either....
>
>Or the King Family....r

Did any of the "Rat Pack" do Christmas specials?

--

"It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens." - Woody Allen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[R H Draney]

BobF filted:

>
>
>On 5 Jul 2012 19:48:23 -0700, R H Draney <dado...@spamcop.net>
>shouted from the highest rooftop:
>
>>I don't see Red Skelton or Jimmy Durante in that list either....
>>
>>Or the King Family....r
>
>Did any of the "Rat Pack" do Christmas specials?

I don't know about television, but Frank, Dean and Sammy teamed up repeatedly to
put out "Christmas with the Rat Pack" albums...I can't find any evidence that
Peter Lawford participated, and Joey Bishop was always more overtly Jewish than
Sammy....r

[Evan Hulka]

From _Papa John_, pp. 436-437:

"I started to worry about the law when I got a call from a very well-
known network TV and Vegas entertainer whose livelihood has always
depended on a squeaky clean image for Middle America. "I've heard you
can really help me out?" he said and asked at the same time.

I had no idea what he was about to ask. "I can't get you a Christmas
special, man," I joked, unaware that he was looking to score.

"No no," he laughed. "I need the _other_ thing, you know?"

[...] I went into another room, thinking I was the only guy this big
star had ever come to. He seemed awkward. I tossed him a packet. He
opened it and laughed.

"No, man, I'm sorry. Two _ounces_." I almost dropped dead.

"You're shitting me," I said. I was a Middle American, too. I watched
TV. I couldn't believe this guy was a coke fiend. I did what I could
for him and he was forever grateful. But I begged him not to send
anyone else to see me. I wanted to keep this in the private sector."

Hulka

[BobF]

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 23:03:11 -0700 (PDT), Evan Hulka <ehu...@gmail.com>

shouted from the highest rooftop:

If this is the same episode recalled by Loki, then it's not clear
whether a Christmas special was even involved, let alone something the
celebrity buyer was involved with.

It's also referring to cocaine, not heroin. Big difference, and though
their use was not necessarily mutually exclusive, the use of both was
not a common occurrence and all but one of those I knew who were into
both became on-topic at a fairly young age.

I'm also curious about the "buy" being describe in ounces. I thought
cocaine was sold in gram increments - whether wholesale or retail.

[Bill Schenley]

> "You're shitting me," I said. I was a Middle American, too. I watched
> TV. I couldn't believe this guy was a coke fiend. I did what I could
> for him and he was forever grateful. But I begged him not to send
> anyone else to see me. I wanted to keep this in the private sector."

Didn't Tony Orlando lose his show because of cocaine addiction?

[Bill Schenley]

> I'm also curious about the "buy" being describe in ounces. I thought
> cocaine was sold in gram increments - whether wholesale or retail.

Like any drug, cocaine can be sold in any weight increment - a gram,
an eighth of an ounce, an ounce, a pound, a kilo - and for the very
wealthy - by the ton.

[BobF]

On Fri, 6 Jul 2012 00:11:53 -0700 (PDT), Bill Schenley
<b.sch...@gmail.com> shouted from the highest rooftop:

True. Can be. But I've never seen or heard of it being bought or sold
in any weight unit other than metric.

[Loki]

On Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:20:31 +1200, BobF <b...@surfwriter.net.not>
wrote:

It is. As I said, I read the book once in the 1980s and was going from
memory.

[Louise E. Anna Purse Chase]

News <m...@sb.net> wrote:

> If anyone should know all those details about coke, it's you.

Kill yourself.

[Bill Schenley]

>  If anyone should know all those details about coke, it's you.

Roy Lieberman snorting coke: http://tinyurl.com/4gccow8

[BobF]

On Sat, 7 Jul 2012 17:24:49 -0500, "News" <m...@sb.net> shouted from the
highest rooftop:

>x-no-archive: yes
>
>"Bill Schenley" <b.sch...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:6e4d4b1d-14d5-4100...@m8g2000yqo.googlegroups.com...

>> If anyone should know all those details about coke, it's you.
>
>Roy Lieberman snorting coke: http://tinyurl.com/4gccow8
>

> Bill Schenley did and still does the real thing and it goes IN-and-UP
>his nose, in contrast.
>
* * * * * * *

Some of the more common characteristics of Royburger's Syndrome include:

* Inability to think in abstract ways (eg: puns, jokes, sarcasm, etc)

[Scott Brady]

Veteran singer Andy Williams has reportedly left hospital in Los
Angeles to spend his final days at home as he battles cancer.

The 84 year old revealed last year (11) he had been diagnosed with
bladder cancer and was undergoing treatment in a bid to beat the
disease.

Doctors reportedly told Williams recently that there is nothing more
they can do for him in his health battle, and Britain's Sunday Express
newspaper reports the star has returned to his "spiritual home" of
Branson, Missouri to spend time with his wife Debbie and his three
children from a previous marriage.

A friend tells the publication, "They are all desperately sad to see
their father ­suffer but he has told them all not to cry for him and
remember him when he has gone through the music he has loved all his
life.

"Sadly, a stent inserted in his bladder became infected. He has been
in constant pain and lost all his hair due to chemotherapy and
radiation treatments. There was nothing more his doctors could do for
him."

http://www.contactmusic.com/news/andy-williams-leaves-hospital-as-cancer-battle-worsens_1366003

[DGH]

Anything new?

[busgal]

On Saturday, July 28, 2012 9:15:45 PM UTC-4, DGH wrote:
> Anything new?

I have him on google alerts and nothing coming up

[busgal]

http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/columnists/offbeat/offbeat-readers-want-andy-williams-back-on-stage-this-year/article_10bcba6c-f884-5720-b537-84da2a737567.html