RIP – LEONARD STONE

EXPIRED: 11/02/11 – Leonard Stone, 87, wrote a children’s story about a kangaroo, Keepy, who never grew. He forgot about the story and went on to become an actor. He had parts on TV (The Outer Limits, Lost in Space, M*A*S*H, L.A. Law, General Hospital, Barney Miller), Tony nominated stage roles in South Pacific, Redhead, and Look Homeward, Angel. He even appeared on the game show Wheel of Fortune, winning $4,250 in cash and a trip to Bermuda.

But Stone was best known for his portrayal of Sam Beauregarde, the father of Golden Ticket winner Violet Beauregarde, in the 1971 original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in which he exclaimed to his candy-loving daughter who changes color, “Violet! You’re turning violet, Violet!”

Interestingly, long after retirement, just this year in fact, Keepy, his story about the kangaroo who never grew. was published on Kindle and Nook.

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RIP – KIP KING

EXPIRED: 07/15/10 – Kip King, 72, was an original member of the Groundling comedy troupe and the father of questionable talent, Chris Kattan, who somehow made it on Saturday Night Live.

In fact, it was Chris who ended up employing his father in some of his SNL spin-off movies late in King’s life.

King, born Jerome Kattan, in Chicago, Illinois, of Iraqi/Israeli parents was probably best known for providing the voice of Taylor Smurf in the 1980s television cartoon series The Smurfs. He was long associated with Hanna-Barbera, providing voices for many D-List cartoon characters including of Scooby and Scrappy-Doo, Tom & Jerry Kids, and Droopy, Master Detective.