Obit: Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims (June 2001)

Subject: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Fiolar
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 09:53 AM

The deaths have been announced of Jack Lemmon - age 76 and Joan Sims - age 71. Both in their own fashion were stalwarts of the screen. Jack for his great performances in such movies as "Some Like it Hot"; "The Apartment" and of course his appearances with the late great Walter Matthau who no doubt has welcomed him to that great stage in the sky. Joan for her impeccable performances in 24 of the "Carry On" films and she will be also in the august company of Kenneth Williams, Sidney James, Charles Hawtrey and the other members of the "Carry On" team. Sleep well, dear friends.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 10:25 AM

Carroll O'Connor's right there with them! It's been a bad week for famous people, indeed.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: JenEllen
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 10:31 AM

Just keep repeating it to yourself...."I'm a girl...I'm a girl...I'm a girl...." (One of my all-time faves, he will be sorely missed.)

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Áine
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 10:36 AM

This is such sad news. But, I can't help thinking of those two wonderful 'Grumpy Old Men' keeping the crowds in stitches way up there.

Dia leo.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: GUEST,Rana
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 10:36 AM

Jack Lemmon was mentioned over here, but thanks for letting us know about Joan Sims - a name that brings back a lot of nostalgia for back "home"

Rana

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:02 PM

They'll be missed. Jack Lemmon in "Save the Tiger", was scary good. Joan fortunately worked right up until the end on TV.

Rick

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: kendall
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:09 PM

The Odd Couple was one of the best films I ever saw. Buddy Buddy was very good, and the Grumpy old men films were a lot of fun. As a single, it would be hard to beat Lemmon in Mr. Roberts.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:17 PM

"We're out of corn flakes, FU" It still makes me laugh. Jack Lemmon, according to Walter Matthau, was the one who stood by him and saw to it that he worked (and worked well) after his battle with cancer began. A good, decent, and very talented man.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:36 PM

The Days of Wine and Roses is my favorite Jack Lemmon performance. He put his heart, soul, and body through the wringer in that movie. I think we often think of Lemmon as a comedy actor, but his range was truly extensive, and I view him as one of the Top Ten American actors of the last 50 years.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: John J
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:41 PM

I've just heard the news of the wireless: very sad losses indeed. :-(

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 01:55 PM

Please tell me Joan Sims isn't from Waiting for God...

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: GUEST,Kim C no cookie
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 02:03 PM

I will never forget that scene in the Odd Couple where Oscar throws the linguine onto the wall.

I bet you're just going to leave it there till it gets all hard and brown and ....UGH! I'm going to go clean it up!

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Micca
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 02:58 PM

Mrzzy, It was Stephanie Cole in "Waiting for God"
"Sherry, Mrs Wembley??" " Just the One, " and the end of "Some like it hot"....Zowie!!!
both sadly missed..

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 03:12 PM

Saying Jack Lemmon was an "actor" is like saying Secretariat was a "race horse." Neither term can adequately describe the essence of the soul inside.

From Daphne to Pulver to Felix.........But also from Save the Tiger to Days of Wine and Roses to Glengarry..........How much range and breadth can one actor have? Bad movies were brightened by his character portrayals (like JFK), and if he did a lousy character, then I missed the movie. Maybe there are a half dozen actors at best that I've seen in my lifetime were his equal on camera, but no one was ever better. Helluva' piano player too.............

Karen and I will both shed a few tears over this one.........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 03:42 PM

And let's not forget his annual quest to make the cut at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the former Crosby.

I agree with 'Spaw. I never saw a bad performance. It has been a rough week indeed.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: alison
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 10:14 PM

Awwwww.... I loved Jack Lemmon, especially "Some like it hot" and "Mister Roberts" ......... he will be missed....

I think Joan Sims did appear in "waiting for God" or one of those similar British sitcoms....... or was it "as time goes by" I think she played Lionel's father's girlfriend..... can't remember.. either way she was great in the "Carry-on" movies...... night drawers on........

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Deni
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 01:51 AM

I was choked at the lunchtime news coverage in the UK. They did a huge item on Jack Lemmon and about 60 seconds on Joan Sims. Some would say he's the bigger star, but we loved her just as much. Sorry to see more great artists go.

D

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 02:09 AM

Deni, ya' know you're right..........For many of us in the states, our first intro to "British comedy" were the "Carry On" movies which played on our early days of late night TV. So I am sorry I didn't pay some homage to a fine actor and a fine lady of film.

Sorry Joan and Rest in Peace.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 02:09 AM

NO Sylvia Sims was the one in 'Ice Cold in Alex'.... she was the Hollywood star as opposed to Joan Sims who stayed in Britain.

Joans' appearances in the Carry On films started with Carry On Nurse (remember the daffodil?), Constable & Regardless, where she played an intelligent woman with an amazing figure... it was only later when she started to get a tad more.... matronly (like my own sweet self...) that she got the dumber roles. She was Marie - Henry VIII's 'other' wife in 'Don't lose your head', Mrs Bung in 'Screaming', and various other wives and mothers in law in almost all of the rest of them.

As Mrs Wembley, she coined a catchphrase that was immediately taken up (just the one) and played a character hauntingly like her own battle with the booze. She remained a consumate actress throughout, and was a total professional. And she didn't even get a mention on the news this morning.....

LTS

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Fiolar
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 05:42 AM

Joan played the character "Madge" in the sitcom "As Time Goes By" where she had the role of Geoffrey Palmer's father's girl-friend. Sadly she didn't appear in the last series. How many people know that Jack had some 13 operations before the age of 13 and that during his liftime he wrote some 400 songs.

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: GUEST,rambam99
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 04:31 PM

i've lost my favorite actor

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 30 Jun 01 - 01:39 PM

I only caught a couple of the "Carry On.." movies but I enjoyed them thoroughly. Joan Sims will be missed on both sides of the ocean. Noboby played the average man better than Jack Lemmon. he was truely a giant in the field and he will be sorely missed "It is I Ensign Pulver! I threw your palm tree overboard! what's this about no movies tonight!?!" Sleep well Joan and Jack! Kindest reguards Neil

Subject: RE: Farewell Jack Lemmon and Joan Sims
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Jun 01 - 05:25 PM

OK so who is the third one going to be? These things always happen in threes....

If it's the Queen mother I get a day off work......

LTS