FameCrawler : West Wing

Actor and Activist Ron Silver Dies of Cancer

sweatpantsmom — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:50:00 GMT

Actor and activist Ron Silver died on Sunday after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer. He was 62. “Ron Silver died peacefully in his sleep with his family around him early Sunday morning” in New York City, said Robin Bronk, executive director of the Creative Coalition, a political advocacy organization that the actor helped found.

Silver was an Emmy nominee for his recurring role as a strategist for liberal President Jed Bartlet on “The West Wing,” and was long known as a left-leaning political activist. But after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, Democrat Silver came out in support for President George W. Bush over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and began referring himself to himself as a “9/11 Republican.” He spoke at the 2004 Republican National Convention and then reregistered as an independent.

Although he ruffled some feathers in liberal Hollywood, Silver was still respected and loved as an actor. He won a Tony Award for his portrayal of a producer in David Mamet's "Speed The Plow" and was a regular or had recurring roles on such TV shows as “Veronica’s Closet,” “Chicago Hope” and “Wiseguy.” Silver's big-screen credits included films “Ali,” “Reversal of Fortune,” “Enemies: A Love Story,” and “Silkwood.”

But in all the tributes I've read to Silver, the one thing they never fail to mention is that the actor was first and foremost a dedicated father; he and ex-wife Lynn Miller had a son, Adam, and daughter, Alexandra. "He was a great friend, a great family man. He loved his kids," read one, and another said, "His kids came first, but America was a close second." Silver himself was quoted as saying, "If I don't see my kids for six days, I start to get withdrawal pains."

Our condolences go out to Silver's family, friends and colleagues. He will be missed.

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"Armageddon" California Fires: Rob Lowe & Family Escape

Sassy Smith — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:04:00 GMT

Actor Rob Lowe and his family - wife Sheryl, sons Matthew and John - fled their home in Montecito, California as a brush fire engulfed the mountain behind their house, with flames shooting 200 feet in the air. The fire started Thursday night and by Friday morning had scorched 1,500 acres, destroying many homes in the foothills of Montecito.

Reports detail more than 5,400 homes were evacuated and more than 800 acres were burned in just six hours. Multi-million dollar homes are nothing but smoldering ruins.

Rob and his family stopped to check on neighbours as they evacuated, and found them trapped behind their automatic car gate. Despite smoke and flames, Lowe managed to help them open the big gates.

He said, "Embers were falling. The wind was 70 miles an hour, easily, and it was just like Armageddon."

Lowe's home was not damaged but he said, as authorities have, that the winds could change direction at any time.

"It's dead calm now, but if that wind kicks up it's going to be trouble, there's going to be no way to stop it."

Other celebrities have homes in the area, including, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, John Cleese, Michael Douglas, Christopher Lloyd and Steve Martin.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in coastal Santa Barbara county. Although no deaths have been reported from the fire, a 98-year-old man died shortly after being evacuated to a nearby hotel according to authorities.

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Jane Kaczmarek Says Children Keep Her Young

Karl Erikson — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Former "Malcolm in the Middle" mom Jane Kaczmarek is 52 now and starring in the brand new "Raising The Bar" on TNT. Jane has a tribe of her own, of course, with husband Bradley Whitford. There's Frances, 11, George, 8, and Mary Louisa, 5. And she says her kids definitely keep her young, if for no other reason than the fact she is often "hanging out with all these women in their 30s."

"I think the great thing about being older is you are so much more aware that your days are numbered," Jane says. "I am so grateful for everything in my life at this point. It doesn't get any better than this, and you realize this is all going to end one day."

That very notion is what made Jane fire her nanny and take a lot of time off after "Malcolm in the Middle" wrapped for the last time. She loved her nanny, but "didn't want somebody else, no matter how good they are," to fill the mommy role. "They are my kids. I want to be taking care of them."

Brad and Jane are celebrity parents, but they keep their kids very grounded. There's only one TV in the house "that's usually never on." Both parents drive Hondas. And for birthdays, the couple requests donations for Smile Train or the Children's Defense fund, two amazing kids' charities.

I think that's where I draw the line. Not at charity, of course, but hell...birthdays are birthdays, man. Kids deserve presents on birthdays, something other than underwear and socks.

Still, it's pretty admirable, the parenting job Jane and Bradley are doing. Gotta love the family values thing. It seems pretty rare in Hollywood.

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