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Anyone remember how Bill McNeal died?

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Anyone remember how Bill McNeal died?

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Old 12-11-01, 03:46 PM
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Anyone remember how Bill McNeal died?

I'm just curious because I was watching a rerun last night and they never show the one right after Bill dies. So how do they take care of his death on the show?

BTW, if you didn't already know, I'm talking about Newsradio.
Old 12-11-01, 03:54 PM
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I believe they address it as a sudden heart attack (partially owing to his penchant for those cigars by the snack machine). There is a episode where they have a funeral too - if I remember correctly.

I loved that show....
Old 12-11-01, 04:12 PM
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the loss of Phil Hartman is one of the saddest days in the entertainment industry
Old 12-11-01, 05:01 PM
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Originally posted by mikehunt
the loss of Phil Hartman is one of the saddest days in the entertainment industry
You are not wrong, he was such a pleasure to watch on both SNL, and NewsRadio. Those damn drugs, well the ones his wife was taking in any case
Old 12-11-01, 06:45 PM
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Originally posted by BadlyDrawnBoy


You are not wrong, he was such a pleasure to watch on both SNL, and NewsRadio. Those damn drugs, well the ones his wife was taking in any case
You know the big problem I have is that in all the documentries and interviews people keep talking about poor Brynn(Phil's wife) and how she was just confused and had a hard time. So many interviews with people throwing pity on her talking like she was the victim. This is such BS.

If it had been a man who had killed his wife and then himself, you would never hear a kind word about him or any pity on him at all. Why was she such a victim? Because she never became famous? Poor Brynn.

Last edited by sherm42; 12-11-01 at 06:57 PM.
Old 12-11-01, 11:49 PM
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Originally posted by BadlyDrawnBoy


You are not wrong, he was such a pleasure to watch on both SNL, and NewsRadio. Those damn drugs, well the ones his wife was taking in any case
Yeah, I don't think it was a coincidence that Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz were two of the funniest semi-regulars on the Simpsons.
Old 12-11-01, 11:56 PM
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Originally posted by sherm42


You know the big problem I have is that in all the documentries and interviews people keep talking about poor Brynn(Phil's wife) and how she was just confused and had a hard time. So many interviews with people throwing pity on her talking like she was the victim. This is such BS.

If it had been a man who had killed his wife and then himself, you would never hear a kind word about him or any pity on him at all. Why was she such a victim? Because she never became famous? Poor Brynn.
Word. She lost it and killed him. He would never have gotten the same "pity" if their roles were reversed.

On the topic: The episode where they announced his death was perhaps the saddest thing I have ever seen on TV. I think I cried while watching it.

Last edited by uberjoe; 12-12-01 at 01:19 AM.
Old 12-12-01, 10:38 AM
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Phil was absolutely brilliant. I've never seen a performance of his where he isn't top-notch. So much talent. What a waste.

It's been years and I'm still sad about it.

I think rfduncan is right about the reason given. I remember the episode starts with the WNYX crew returning to the studio after Bill's funeral.
Old 12-12-01, 11:10 AM
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I did see the rerun a few months back of that episode. It's a good one...

I was interning at a television station when he was killed. The photographer I was with got paged by the newsroom. I remember right where I was when I heard...a sad day...
Old 12-12-01, 02:15 PM
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Pure genius. I loved him (and the Bill McNeill character), and the funeral episode was heartbreaking. I still miss him, especially when I see a part he would have been great in.

Newsradio was (and remains) just a half-step behind the Simpsons in my esteem, but it really did seem like the tragic void created by Phil's passing and the dubious casting of Jon Lovitz irretrievably hurt the magic they created. I was bummed when I heard it was cancelled (oddly, the same day Andy Dick crashed his car all hopped up on smack), but figured it was probably for the best.

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