OT: Some Sad News

[Atrocities]

Paul Winfield, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning actor who gave two very memorable performances in Star Trek, died Sunday, March 7, of a heart attack. He was 62.

Link To Story

I did not know this until today.

For those who have watched Star Trek and B5 you know who Mr. Winfield was. He played in Star Trek II, and in an episode of Star Trek Next Generation as well as Doctor Franklins Father in B5.

[Slynky]

Actually, I knew the name right away...but not for what you posted. I don't know why...perhaps because of my involvement with the Vietnam war...but when I see his name, I think of a movie he made called, "Green Eyes".

And to change the thought of the thread a bit...I will make the comment that I make so often when people speak of the loss of an actor:

"The biggest loss in life is that of a child killed by the stray bullet of a drive-by shooting. This kind of story is usually reserved for a innocuous page in the city paper. To have lived a life that one was able to want (an actor, for example) and lived more years than a child killed at age 7 (for example) doing it is to have had a chance to "live". To mourn the loss of an actor is to mourn my loss. Yet, no one gives much of a thought to the loss of a child who could have been anyone."

Sorry, Atrocities...I didn't mean to "hijack" your thread but I am in the mood. In fact, I will post another thought that is bothering me. But to close...of all the people in this forum, I'd find you among the top of whom I'd like to sip suds with.

[Atrocities]

/me Steps onto the Soap Box

The loss of any child or loved one is a far more devastating than the death of an actor. But most children and loved ones are not as well known as the actor therefore when they die, the actors, more people will feel the impact.

There was no news story on the new about the death of my sister, her passinger, or even the a mention of the accident at all.

But when a teenage girl in Portland is killed because her boy friend feel asleep at the wheel, well that is an epic tradgedy and worthy of news reporting.

I have no love of the media and as far as I am concerned if they don't report one death as equally as they do another than what right do they have to tell me who I should feel sorry for or morn? If God did not want us to suffor he would have made it so death was as acceptable as drinking water.



It all boils down to who you know or what you know dictates how you feel about hearing of someones passing. It doesn't really matter who it is, if you know them or know of them, then the loss is felt more deeply than if you did not.

The loss of a child hurts us all, if it didn't, then we would not fight so hard to protect them. They are perhaps one of the most important things we protect and would die to save.

/me Steps off the Soap Box.

[gregebowman]

I hope I never have to grieve my son. It should be the other way around. Sorry to hear about your sister, Atrocities. I lost my father to a heart attack about 4 years ago.

But back to the original subject. IIRC, I heard about Paul Winfield's death when it happened, but forgot about it until now. Yes, he did give 2 memorable performance for Star Trek. I really like the TNG episode in which he played the leader of a race who spoke only in phrases, and Picard had to learn how to speak their language to survive. One of my Favorites. And I'm still mourning the passing of Deforest Kelley. I liked his brief cameo in the TNG pilot when he was speaking to Data.