Where were you when you heard about the death of ______

[Ome]

So many big named celebrities have died, plenty in the last 19 years of Soap Chat.

Do you remember when you first heard of the death of John Lennon, Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury, Larry Hagman, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, David Bowie and basically any famous person?

 

[That Bowie Girl]

I was on here January 11th and I was just logging off when I saw your thread Ome....David Bowie Dead....I had to log back onto read it....it was a shock to my system.

When Paul Walker died I was at home out in the backyard when my husband came home and said he had heard one of the actors from The fast and furious had died...I ran in the house to see which one...anyone of them would have been horrible....but I was a huge fan of Paul's.

I will post more as I think of them....

 

[Long Lashes]

I used to have a weekend job and when I first heard about the death of Princess Diana I was on my way to work at 6.30am with the car radio on. After about 20 minutes into my journey I couldn't understand why their was continuous sad music being played without any presenters talking.
I switched stations and then heard the news from a solemn voiced newsreader. When I eventually arrived at work a couple of my colleagues were in tears and we had the TV on throughout the day to watch the continuous news coverage.

I'll eventually write more too.

 

[hatayas]

Here in Israel, the most common "Where were you when you heard about the death of..." question (among people over the age of thirty) is about the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin back in 1995.

I was about 14 when it happened and we went to sleep early that night, on November 4th, and probably nobody listened to the news in the morning either (obviously there was no WhatsApp back then).

So it wasn't until I was on my way to school and met my friends that I heard about what happened. Regardless of my own personal opinion on the man (which changed a lot over the course of years), that was a very sad day.

 

[Swami]

A few examples:

1 May 1994 - was at university in Southampton watching the San Marino Grand Prix when Ayrton Senna crashed fatally.
31 August 1997 - clearly remember visiting my granny with my dad when news broke about Princess Diana.

Also remember clearly having breakfast watching the news come through about Larry Hagman's death.

Most recently the death of legendary former yokozuna Chiyonofuji on 31 July.

Swami

 

[Barbara Fan]

Do you remember when you first heard of the death of John Lennon, RADIO 1 noel edmonds breakfast show news
Princess Diana, was a sunday morning and was in Italy on hols so missed most of the news regarding it
Freddie Mercury, radio - 7.30 am news
Larry Hagman, sunday morning - early 6 am news bulletin
Michael Jackson,BBC ceefax
Whitney Houston, cant remember
David Bowie - think it was radio 2 news in am

ingrid Bergman - radio 1 news
BBG - tessies post on Ultimate Dallas and i guessed something had happened as i got a text / email from her grandaughter saying call me, urgent
Elvis - in my aunts kitchen in Middx, heard it on the radio
terry wogan - an announcememt on radio 2 sunday morning in jan, i was shocked by it

 

[Ome]

On the morning of Princess Diana I was in bed with Wifey and we were both trying our best to get the other one to go down and make a cup of tea. After various tactics I ended getting up and swearing that I would make her come down for the tea.

As I waited for the kettle I put on Ceefax and it mentioned something about Diana and a crash. It didn't really make sense so I put on the news and there it was Diana had been in a crash. They were saying she was in hospital and then a bit later that she had died. I shouted up to Wifey to tell her, but she thought it was a sick joke in my attempt at getting her up. I eventually convinced her and we ended up sat on the sofa all day just watching the news come through.


John Lennon I was in school and one girl was crying about Lennon's death. My first thought was "He sings that song "Starting Over" and wondered why she was so upset. It was a little later when someone told me he was one of the Beatles..

David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse & Robin Williams was all online and here at Soap Chat

Freddie Mercury was at work, a young girl was crying and it took a few minutes to register, I originally thought she had lost a relative.

Cory Monteith I was in Scotland at T in the Park when Teen Ome called me crying saying he was dead, she was a big fan of GLEE at the time.

 

[Emelee]

For the ones I am old enough to remember, I was probably at home. I don't really hear much news when I'm out. Mostly I hear about it via the news on TV, the newspaper, a news app or social media/forums.

 

[Alexis]

I was in primary school when Freddy Mercury died, I remember as my teacher was a big fan was very upset.
I was at home reading stuff online when Michael Jackson died and I had to phone my friend to see if she was ok as she was massive fan.
I was on holiday in Donegal when Princess Diana died, it was the day we were leaving a really sunny day. I remember feeling it was a huge thing. I remember watching her funeral all day too.
I was at a party after a night out when I heard Whitney Houston had died, I was taking to the friend I was with at the time the other day and she told me she still has the film The Bodyguard on her Sky Planner. She recorded it just before Whitney died and hasn't been able to delete it or watch it.
I was getting ready to go to a party at a friends house when I heard Amy Winehouse had died. I ended up shit faced that night and I wasn't even that big of a fan. It just seemed shocking.
I was also at a party when I heard that Elizabeth Taylor had died, it sounds like I'm more of party animal than I actually am.
Maybe not as big a star or celebrity as all of the above mentioned but one that did upset me was the death of Kate O'Mara. I had just returned home from work and I was really shattered and it came on the evening news. At first I heard "Former DYNASTY actress has died" and thought it was Joan Collins. I was honestly very upset by Kate's death as I had just read her autobiography and had loved her in everything I saw her in. I had hoped to see her on stage in something.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I was in graduate school when Princess Diana died. A new, off-campus roller-skating rink was set to open that night, and I planned to go to the skating rink opening night festivities. I remember it like it was yesterday, actually. I had not put on my skates in over a year, so I tried them on at the apartment. While I still had them on, the anchorman on CNN (an overly-tanned man named Linden Soles) announced the accident, but at first people were reporting it only as an injury accident. I sat there waiting for updates (still in my skates) for hours before I decided to stay home and not go out. I stayed up all night watching the increasingly bad news trickle in, and wandered around in a daze for the next week.

 

[Jessie]

I came home from a Fair, and we put the TV on, and they were saying Princess Diana passed away. We were in shock, and stayed up all night listening to the news.

I was watching the news when I heard Larry Hagman passed away. I loved him in "Dallas", and "I Dream of Jeannie". I was so sad but I thought about all his fans here, and knew everyone would be devastated.

I was watching TV when I heard about Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Prince, Heath Ledger and Paul Walker. We don't know these people personally but being a fan of their music, and films it makes you sad.

I heard on the news about Robin Williams, I was shocked but was devastated to hear he committed suicide.

I was also sad when I heard Farrah Fawcett died. I heard it on the radio. It was sad she fought hard to beat cancer but it took her life.

I heard about Elizabeth Taylor on the news, and felt bad she passed away. I thought about @Karin Schill and I knew she would be really upset, and I felt bad for her, and all her fans.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

With Princess Diana, I had been ill in the night, having avoided all mention of it being a half-sister's birthday, who I fortunately have only seen once since and hope to never see again. I went downstairs to make some tea. Sometime after 1am, I popped on the television and watched coverage of the crash. I went back to bed and was woken up hours later by another sister (who didn't mention that half-sister's birthday either) phoning to tell me that she had died.

With Larry Hagman, I was getting ready to visit my father's old wartime RAF base, where they were having displays of Gerry Anderson puppets, sets, models and vehicles, including stuff worn by Ted Shackelford in Space Precinct. Shane Rimmer, David Graham and Matt Zimmerman were there, doing a bit of a Thunderbirds script. David Healy worked on several Anderson shows and had been a friend of Larry Hagman. David Healy played two different characters on Dallas. I remember sitting down for a while, to the extent that I caught a later train.

Most of the time, I don't tend to remember things like that. It would just be watching the news or reading the newspaper or spotted online. I remember Jon Pertwee's because I had been reading an interview with him, then I went downstairs and three minutes later, his death was on the news.

Maybe not as big a star or celebrity as all of the above mentioned but one that did upset me was the death of Kate O'Mara. I had just returned home from work and I was really shattered and it came on the evening news. At first I heard "Former DYNASTY actress has died" and thought it was Joan Collins. I was honestly very upset by Kate's death as I had just read her autobiography and had loved her in everything I saw her in. I had hoped to see her on stage in something.

Which one? She did two autobiographies and I've got her fictional books. I stumbled across her death online. I've got her on my shelf in things like Court Martial, Danger Man, The Saint (three episodes as four characters), The Persuaders!, Return of the Saint, The Brothers, The Champions, Department S (for which she was cast as a lead, only to have it given to Rosemary Nicols), Jason King, The Protectors and Doctor Who. Among others. And Triangle, but that is a secret that you are not permitted to divulge. And some of her films.

 

[Alexis]

Which one? She did two autobiographies and I've got her fictional books. I stumbled across her death online. I've got her on my shelf in things like Court Martial, Danger Man, The Saint (three episodes as four characters), The Persuaders!, Return of the Saint, The Brothers, The Champions, Department S (for which she was cast as a lead, only to have it given to Rosemary Nicols), Jason King, The Protectors and Doctor Who. Among others. And Triangle, but that is a secret that you are not permitted to divulge. And some of her films.

I read her book Vamp Until Ready, which I think is her second autobiography. Of course I mostly know her from DYNASTY and she did so much with such a paper thin character on that that she's become a fan favourite. Though I also love her in AB FAB and remember vaguely her time on Doctor Who. I wouldn't say I'm a Who fan but it was part of my childhood. If she pops up on something like The Champions or The Saint I watch if I can. Next on my list is Howards Way.

 

[Maryann]

Michael Jackson - I was on the bus coming from work and heard when I was listening to music on my mp3.

Prince - Listening to the news while getting ready to go to work.

Whitney Houston - At home watching TV.

 

[Karin Schill]

Princess Diana
I was at home looking through my Dallas tapes for the answer to a trivia question that a fan friend in Poland had sent me. We used to write letters about Dallas to each other. Anyway it was morning and my grandma called. Mom talked to her and I heard her exclaim something like. "Oh no! How did she die?"

I intially thought it was someone I knew who had died. I went cold. But mom went on talking so I guessed it was a distant relative I didn't know well. But just to make sure I went and asked her "Mom who died?"
When she replied "Diana" my world stopped. I said something like "Poor William and Harry. Poor Diana." Then I began to cry instantly from the shock.

I was 17 years old and Princess Diana had been my idol since I was like 12. I was so upset and I blamed the Papparazzi for her death and I sought for weeks for answers to how it could have happened and read all the international newspapers at my High School. After a while I realized that she probably would have survived if she had just buckled her seat belt. Since her body guard who had his seat belt on did. It was heartbreaking but taught me to always buckle up when I go somewhere. Anyway I spent weeks in mourning. Her funeral had me in tears and I wrote my own tribute song to her. I was very into music at the time so it came naturally for me.

Howard Keel
I was at home. I found out from this posting board. It was around the time of the Return to Southfork broadcast in november 2004 and saddened me and everyone else on the board.

Barbara Bel Geddes
I was at home. I checked my e-mail and there was Ultimate Dallas newsletter. It was august 2005 and it saddened me. Her death also made me question how much longer I would be able to have my own grandparents in my life as they were of the same generation.

Michael Jackson
I was in Finland visiting a friend over that weekend in June 2009. It was early morning and I got a text from my best friend Taylor in the USA. She wrote "OMG MJ is dead" or something to that effect and I texted back asking if his kids were ok thinking there might have been an accident. I was shocked. So I couldn't fall back asleep. I spent the next day at my friend's house checking out MJ clips on youtube and reading newspapers online. Later when I was back home again I watched the funeral on TV and his daughter's words broke my heart. I just cried.

Elizabeth Taylor
I was at work trying to help a guy edit his music video when I got a text message from a friend saying she was sorry that a famous person I idolized had died. I suspected immediately it was Elizabeth as she had been at the hospital for some time. My co-worker confirmed it to me as he had heard it on the radio. I then left work early that afternoon and went home as I was feeling unable to concentrate. Elizabeth was my idol and I was so sad from the news of her death. I cried when I passed on the news to my sister. Then I spent most of the year working on a tribute tv show about Elizabeth. I travelled to Switzerland to film and look at her jewelry collection, I did some fan related sightseeing and saw the house she was born at in London. This sort of helped me remember her and understand her better.

Whitney Houston
Another text message from Taylor. I was at home and it was late at night or early morning as I was in bed. I was sad but not as shocked as when MJ had died. So I went back to sleep. I loved her music so I watched the funeral on TV and when they played back "I Will Always Love You" and carried out her casket I just started crying.

Larry Hagman
I heard it the next morning from a Swedish Radio Reporter who called me for a comment because they knew I was a big Dallas fan!
I had done an interview with them earlier that year to promote Dallas TNT. Anyway I was heartbroken that Larry was gone and refused to comment. I then switched my cell phone off and went for a walk in the woods with my sister and our dog. I was in a state of shock and tried to come to grips with that I'd never see him again. I think I grieved for about a month until my grandpa died and that very personal grief overshadowed everything else.

 

[Sarah]

So many big named celebrities have died, plenty in the last 19 years of Soap Chat.

Do you remember when you first heard of the death of John Lennon, Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury, Larry Hagman, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, David Bowie and basically any famous person?

Larry - I was at home and my mum called me. I had just woken up. She is an early riser. It affected me deeply I was so so sad and cried for days.

Princess Diana - I was at a wedding breakfast and the waitress told me.

Michael Jackson - I was in Tescos and heard a girl tell her mum over a payphone.

Freddie Mercury - on the bus on the way home from work experience.

Whitney Houston - in the living room. Again, adored Whitney. Was so sad.

Robin Williams - in the living room.

Rik Mayall - in the caravan.

 

[Don Howard]

Jim Davis - Read about it in the paper the next day.
Rock Hudson - Heard about it on the radio.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

Do you remember when you first heard of the death of John Lennon, Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury, Larry Hagman, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, David Bowie and basically any famous person?

With David Bowie, I was watching BBC Breakfast.

I read her book Vamp Until Ready, which I think is her second autobiography. Of course I mostly know her from DYNASTY and she did so much with such a paper thin character on that that she's become a fan favourite. Though I also love her in AB FAB and remember vaguely her time on Doctor Who. I wouldn't say I'm a Who fan but it was part of my childhood. If she pops up on something like The Champions or The Saint I watch if I can. Next on my list is Howards Way.

Kate O'Mara played Julia Main in the first series of The Main Chance