Charles Nelson Reilly Dies

[filkertom]

At the age of 76. The guy did a hell of a lot of fun stuff, and worked in kids' TV for, what, forty years? Lidsville, Uncle Croc's Block, Spongebob. Here's his Wikipedia entry. Thanks to redaxe for the heads-up.

Comments

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

We'll miss you, Templeton.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Ummm... are you thinking from the animated Charlotte's Web? 'Cause that was Paul Lynde.

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

I was. Hadn't realized I'd had that wrong. Thank you.

[minerva-fan.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. I will be sad for one day, then I will LMAO in honor of him. Funny, funny guy. His Match Game reruns alone will immortalize him. RIP, Chuckles.

[joshuwain.livejournal.com]

I've been looking about, hoping to see the documentary of his career, "Life of Reilly", on DVD sometime soon. I hear it swept through my hometown pretty quickly on the art-house circuit. It's sad that Jose Chung and Hoo-Doo are gone, now. He really was a great part of my childhood.

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

First place I remember him from was the TV version of "The Ghost and Mrs Muir" as the scheming nephew.

And of course, for the longest time he was the perpetual game show fixture.

[lizard-sf.livejournal.com]

Y'know, all this time, I remembered Jonathan Harris as being the star of Uncle Croc's block! So much for my childhood recollections...

I remember thinking that show was hilarious. Of course, I was 9. I wonder if it's best to leave it in my childhood...

(Looks like J. Harris was on the show in another role. I probably merged memories over the years...)

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

That is sad news. I remember him from Match Game (I *loved* it when it was his turn to answer and was always disappointed when he did not have a comment to go along with it), and growing up knew him from both Lidsville and Uncle Crok's Block (now there is a show I would like to see again). I vaguely remember seeing him in The Ghost and Mrs Muir, and can't remember him in any other TV series besides that.

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

For a personal memory of Mr. Reilly, take a look at this post by msgeek, and my response to it.

[jss]

Since msgeek may post again later, I suspect the direct link to the posting in question may be useful.

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

Uh...thanks. This is the first time I tried linking to an LJ post, and it took me four times to get the syntax of the "lj post equals" thing right. Didn't know how to link to a single post.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Dang. And I never bothered to go to Jose Chung's book-signing.

[faxpaladin.livejournal.com]

"The Fig! Fig! Newton! (here comes the tricky part...)"

[faxpaladin.livejournal.com]

OK, apparently I was wrong: That wasn't Reilly, it was a guy named Jimmy Harder.

And it was "Big! Fig! Newton!"

[jss]

CNR did Bic commercials. (Saw some on YouTube.)

[mannoftalent.livejournal.com]

Also several memorable Broadway roles including Bud Frump in "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" and Cornelius Hackl in "Hello, Dolly!" opposite Carol Channing.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

He was nominated for Tonys for each, and won for "How to Succeed..."

[darrenzieger.livejournal.com]

My favorite C.N.R.-related story comes from the horse's mouth itself (by way of a friend who studied with him at Burt Reynold's Jupiter Playhouse in Jupiter, Florida).

Apparently Carol Channing was, to say the least, not well liked by the cast and crew of Hello Dolly (or by anyone else who ever worked with her). And in the course of her stint in the Broadway production of Dolly, she managed to offend, piss off, and otherwise alienate pretty much everyone involved in the show.

So, on the night of her final performance, the cast and crew conspired to prepare a little surprise for her. After her final bows, the back of the second act curtain - the one that only came down at the very end of the show - had a message for her, written in huge letters made of electrical tape: "Fuck You, Carol."

This tickled me in particular, because my father, who had played Barnaby in that production (though he was not present for Channing's final show) had been complaining about the old bat for as long as I could remember. She was so insecure that she would upstage him at every opportunity, including stepping on his feet when they danced together in one of the musical numbers.

By contrast, I never met anyone who had anything negative to say about Reilly. He'll be missed.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

That is sad new. It's was a bit surprising for me, since I thought he had already passed.

"The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" was a favorite of mine. "Match Game", too, and he was probably on the old "Hollywood Squares" way back when.

Thanks for the info.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Aw, man!

He was a LOT better actor than people give him credit for! And was awfully brave to be out of the closet in his day and age.

[danruk.livejournal.com]

I remember him best from "Lidsville" and "Match Game" as well, a definite 'child of the 70's' I think I'm definitely dating myself (but then, that's what makes our memories right?)

Had no idea he did voicework for "Spongebob" but that's awesome that he did!

I agree, it was more 'cutting edge' to be 'hollywood', 'gay', and 'out' back in 'those days'. Now everyone's doing it, so it doesn't quite seem so 'special' or a 'surprise' anymore. *chuckle* Somebody had to pave the way.

Where's Paul Lynde and Rip Taylor with the Confetti? They'd make a good 'threesome' *coughahem*