R.I.P. Rick Levinson

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Rob Farr
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R.I.P. Rick Levinson

Postby Rob Farr » Tue Aug 05, 2014 11:56 pm

Just learned of the passing on June 30 of Rick Levinson, a friend of silent comedy, fan of Harold Lloyd and Coleen Moore and a damn fine writer. In tribute to Rick, here's an essay he wrote about 20 years ago and graciously allowed me to post on my old Mugshots page: http://www.slapsticon.org/mugshots/Levinson.htm
Rob Farr
"If it's not comedy, I fall asleep" - Harpo Marx

Jim Reid
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Re: R.I.P. Rick Levinson

Postby Jim Reid » Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:39 am

I spent a lot of time with Rick at the last couple of Cinecons. He was a great guy who really loved movies.
In preparing for this year's festival several of us had tried contacting Rick to make sure he would be coming.
When we got no reply to our messages, last night I googled his name and found the obit. It's an understatement to
say I'm still in shock. It's not going to be the same this year. If there's a hereafter, I hope right now he's getting to meet
all those funny people he wrote about in the article Rob linked to.

Image

Jim Roots
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Re: R.I.P. Rick Levinson

Postby Jim Roots » Wed Aug 06, 2014 8:09 am

Total shock. And, personally, total heartbreak, because now I'll never find out what it was I did that made him cut me dead.

Rick was incredibly generous. He had never met me, even though we discovered he lived all his life quite close to where I had lived in Toronto. But we emailed regularly and he constantly sent me a stream of silent films and books, absolutely unsolicited and free of charge, simply because he knew I would enjoy them.

And then all of a sudden, he cut me off completely. I have no idea why -- none whatsoever. His wonderful sense of humour, his unpretentiousness, his terrific writing, were all deeply missed, and every so often I would try sending him an email or even a postal letter, but he refused to have anything more to do with me.

I was really looking forward to sending him a copy of my book when it comes out in the fall: surely he couldn't ignore a 450-page celebration of silent comedy written as only I can write it.

Can someone please post the link to his obituary? Thanks.

Enjoy eternity trading gags with Harold, RIck.

Jim
When you're surrounded by vultures, playing dead is not a good strategy.

Ed Watz
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Re: R.I.P. Rick Levinson

Postby Ed Watz » Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:15 pm

A very sad day for all of Rick's friends.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Bruce Calvert
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Re: R.I.P. Rick Levinson

Postby Bruce Calvert » Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:56 pm

Here is Rick's obituary...
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nationalpost/obituary.aspx?pid=171592748

Here are some online articles that he wrote for various websites:
Ranking the Silent Comedians

The Harold Lloyd Silent Features

Lovable and Sweet: Three Colleen Moore comedies

Bebe Daniels: The Good Little Bad Girl

He contributed the chapter "Comic Play" to The Film Comedy Reader by Gregg Rickman.

Jim Roots
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Re: R.I.P. Rick Levinson

Postby Jim Roots » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:32 pm

Any idea of the cause of death? The obituary doesn't hint.

Jim
When you're surrounded by vultures, playing dead is not a good strategy.


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