So, first it was the movie trailer guy. Then Burt Reynolds buddy. Now, Jose 'Bill' Melendez has died. He was the animator most responsible for bringing Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang to television, including 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' At 91, though, he probably lived a long time knowing the joy he's brought many. RIP.
Yeah, this "always in 3's" thing kind of pisses me off. It belittles these people's lives, and makes a mockery of the concept of death.
Jerry Reed was well known outside of the Smokey and The Bandit movies. Some of his songs are the best old country songs out there.
I find it insulting to both Don LaFontaine and Bill Melendez's body of work to have them labeled as "B-List Celebrities". Don was one of the workingest voice actors in the industry, and THE busiest one in his particular niche of movie trailers. For years, movie studios have made Don's voice a required, crucial element in their marketing campaigns. And Bill Melendez was one of the most respected individuals in the animation industry. He had a staggering volume of work to his credit, and served as animator for just about every major animation studio: Disney, Warner Bros, UPA, etc. And he was the only animator Peanuts' creator Charles Schultz entrusted to work with his beloved characters. Furthermore, Bill was also the voice of Snoopy, Woodstock, and Spike. His vocal sound effects for those characters gave them an element of humor and personality they never had in the comic strip. Just because you didn't see these guys walking the red carpet and on the front pages of the tabloids and celeb rags, it doesn't make them "B-List". If a mod could please rename this thread, it would certainly be more appropriate for fans to pay their respects.