Who Will Be Third?

I've written about this before, but celebrities always bite the dust in threes. It's a well known fact. And we've got two down with one to go (and unfortunately probably before the end of the year.

#1 was Vincent Schiavelli. That's his lovely mug over there on the right. You may not recognize the name, but you probably recognize the name. He was in such famous movies as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Better Off Dead and Buckeroo Banzai. Yes, those are listed in order of cinematic importance. You may not have known that Vanity Fair had named him one of America's best character actors and that he had written three cookbooks. He was living in Italy and was only 57 when he died of cancer. Stay away from those smokes kids. They're nicknamed cancer sticks for a reason.

#2 is Michael Vale. Again you won't know the name, but you probably recognize the face. Yup it's the "It's time to make the doughnuts" Guy. Born in Brooklyn, Vale went to drama school with such notables as classmates Tony Curtis, Ben Gazzara and Rod Steiger. To bad for them they got to make a bunch of movies while Mikey starred in over 1300 commercials. A flack from the doughnut maker said Mikey "became a beloved American icon that permeated our culture and touched millions with his sense of humor and humble nature." This character in all those commercials was known as Fred the Baker. I did not know that, said Mr. Carson.

I do know that when I used to drink and dial in school one of my late night classics was waking up someone who didn't go out with us with "It's Time to Make the Doughnuts." That still makes me laugh to this day.

So be on Deathwatch 2005 for the rest of the year, kids. They always go in threes.