Bill Bixby
I always envied his relationship with his son on The Courtship of Eddie's Father (my dad was a sonofabitch), and he was just a reliable, easy-on-the-eyes presence in my youth.
Something of a tragic personal life — his 6-year-old son died suddenly and his grief-stricken wife, Brenda Benet (no relation to Jon), filed for divorce and later killed herself. (She had a longtime relationship making the lez-lez with future Fox News pundit Tammy Bruce.)
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, he became a spokesman for the importance of getting your prostate checked. He died at 59.
Anyone else remember this handsome man?
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 20 | January 29, 2023 4:46 AM
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He was my first celebrity crush.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | January 29, 2023 3:30 AM
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I wasn't born when it first came out, but I watched the whole series with my mom in , I think, the late 90s/early 2000s. I really liked the first 2 seasons. OP, I also loved their relationship!
by Anonymous | reply 2 | January 29, 2023 3:32 AM
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So his wife was a secret lesbian?
I wonder if that was a "lavender marriage" to protect their careers.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | January 29, 2023 3:38 AM
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[quote]making the lez-lez
It always surprises me how many 12-year-olds post here.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | January 29, 2023 3:40 AM
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Ooh, this is a juicy bit:
[quote]Brenda Benet, a hated seductress in the DAYS OF OUR LIVES soap opera, but a "warm and caring" person in real life, has killed herself, after the deal of her son and the end of her marriage, authorities say. [bold]The 36-year-old- actress[/bold], who reportedly tried to commit suicide shortly after her 6-year-old son, Christopher, died in March 1981 of a throat infection, was found Wednesday in her West Lost Angeles home after police broke down a bathroom door.
[quote]Police Sgt. Glen Varner said she had shot herself in the head with a .38-caliber revolver. An autopsy was pending. Varner said [bold]Miss Benet's personal secretary, Tammy Bruce[/bold], summoned police when she found the Mandeville Canyon home empty and the guest bathroom locked.
[quote]Miss Bruce, [bold]19[/bold]
Brenda was a lesbian chicken queen!
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 6 | January 29, 2023 3:42 AM
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I liked him back in My Favorite Martian
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 7 | January 29, 2023 3:43 AM
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R7, I wish he had received a Emmy nomination for his performance in “My Favorite Martian.” He was so cute and charming in that role.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | January 29, 2023 3:46 AM
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I loved Mr. Eddie’s father.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | January 29, 2023 3:47 AM
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Yes, OP, but did you like him when he was angry?
by Anonymous | reply 10 | January 29, 2023 3:47 AM
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I used to watch him as Eddie’s father.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | January 29, 2023 3:48 AM
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They started dating when Tammy Bruce was 17.
The day of the suicide, they were supposed to go to lunch together. Tammy went to the house Benet's house, but Benet locked herself in the bathroom and was obviously distressed. Tammy stepped out to get help, and that's when she heard the gun shot.
The main cause of Benet's depression was the death of her 6-year-old son, but another source of stress was her role of a villain in Days of Our Lives. Apparently many fans were angry at her character for breaking up super couple Doug and Julie.
Bill Bixby married a second time in 1989, but he divorced within a year of his 1991 cancer diagnosis.
He married his 3rd wife in 1993, and he died 6 weeks later.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | January 29, 2023 3:49 AM
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[quote]his 6-year-old son died suddenly ...
6 year olds don't just "die suddenly." That Hollywood LIBRUL for sure got his kid COVID-VAXXED which killed him.
There's statistically no other explanation!! Ultimately I blame Bill Gates for this child's death.... in 1981.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 13 | January 29, 2023 3:49 AM
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There was an A&E Biography or a Behind The Scenes or something about Bixby in the 1990s, not long after he died, and the show was so coy and vague about his cancer that when they talked about a "removal" during "surgery," it sounded like they were saying he had his dick removed. I remember talking about it on one of the Usenet groups and others thought the same thing. Fortunately, someone knew it had been prostate cancer and suddenly it all made sense, but it was pretty alarming for a while.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | January 29, 2023 3:50 AM
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Wow. His son died so young.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 15 | January 29, 2023 4:01 AM
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Brenda took their son on a ski trip which Bill had objected to. That's where Christopher caught a throat infection that killed him.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | January 29, 2023 4:07 AM
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[quote]They started dating when Tammy Bruce was 17.
Imagine the scandal today if a DOOL star in her thirties was making the lez-lez with a teenage minor! Shades of Bryan Singer!
Here's the only photo I could find of them together.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 17 | January 29, 2023 4:10 AM
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Brenda and Tammy Bruce did have a relationship but I don't think it was quite as long as is being stated her.
Brenda's character on DAYS was indeed loathed by fans and also by her closest coworkers. Her life literally fell to pieces in a short time with her marriage and the death of her child, and then she was pretty much living a hell at work.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | January 29, 2023 4:10 AM
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A very big childhood crush. Charming in Martian and the father of all fathers in Courtship. So hot. That little kid though was so annoying. Miyoshi should have walloped him at least once in every episode.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | January 29, 2023 4:46 AM
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