"Alex Trebek, John le Carre, Kenny Rogers, Diego Maradona, Sean Connery"
Every year that passes has its share of deaths of famous persons who made this world a better place through their exemplary achievements in their chosen fields of endeavor, be it public service, culture, and the arts, sports and entertainment, religion, or business. I beg the indulgence of this column’s readers today because I am going to write not about economic policies or taxes or gross domestic product but about several celebrities – decedents in 2020. They enriched and made more pleasurable my stay in this vale of tears that we call Earth.
The avid followers of the television program “Jeopardy” plunged into gloom when its longtime host Alex Trebek announced in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Knowing what a killer this type of cancer is, the faithful followers of “Jeopardy” – myself included – knew that Mr. Trebek had just received a death sentence and that his passing was just a matter of time. And so it was: Last month, the genial and highly competent host of the one-of-a-kind show went to The Great Beyond. I readily admit that much of what I knew about the present and the past of this planet I owe to watching “Jeopardy” for several decades. Many others are probably prepared to make the same admission.
Only a few days ago was the announcement made of the death of English novelist John le Carre. Some books are described as being of the kind that can’t be put down once one has started reading them. Le Carre’s spy novels “The Spy Who Came In From The Cold” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” certainly fit that characterization. Like his fellow spy novelist, John le Carre knew whereof he wrote. He wrote about Cold War spy operations with the competence and confidence of someone who had been, or had mingled with, someone actually involved in such operations. John Le Carre was a joy to read; that joy will be hard to replace.
The passing of Kenny Rogers was a source of sadness for lovers of contemporary music in general and of American country music in particular. His folksy, raspy voice and his handsome, middle-aged features propelled Kenny Rogers to success, especially among lovers of country music. Indeed, it was said that at one point, Kenny Rogers was one of only three singers who could command a price of $2,000 per ticket for a Las Vegas concert (the other two being Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand). His personal success went beyond the concert stage; his Kenny Rogers fast-food chain has become one of the leaders in the field. With his guitar, Kenny Rogers is probably still singing “Lady” and “A Love Song” in his inimitable style, Up There.
Then there is the passing of the Argentine football star Diego Maradona. Mr. Maradona has come to be referred to always as a legend and an icon; those things he certainly was. One does not have to be a football – the Americans continue to say soccer – fanatic in order to be won over by Diego Maradona. All one has to do is watch tapes of the Argentinian player’s finest matches, especially the 1986 World Cup final. What the feet of Diego Maradona – and his Brazilian contemporary Pele – did to the ball can be described only as pure artistry. When the government declares a three-day period of mourning for you – as Argentina’s government did – you must have brought great honor and pride to your country. Descance en paz, Diego Maradona.
This list of passed-in-2020 celebrities who brought measures of joy and enrichment to the world would not be complete without the name of undoubtedly the best-loved of the nearly-dozen actors who have played Agent 007 in the James Bond movie series. I refer to British actor Sean Connery, who created the role in the 1961 movie “Dr. No.” Sean Connery typified author Ian Fleming’s Her Britannic Majesty’s spy – handsome, well-mannered, suave, resourceful and, above all, tough. Many Agent 007s have come and gone including Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, but moviegoers who grew up with Sean Connery are bound to think that there has not been any Agent 007 to match him. Films like “From Russia With love” and “Goldfinger” are there to support this judgment. Well done, 007.