As a student at Northern Illinois University, Cynthia Ann Cichorski took DJ duties at the campus radio station. She parlayed her communications degree as a reporter for a local radio station using the more “radio-friendly name “Morgan.”

After graduation, Cindy worked as the on-air weather forecaster at a Rockford TV station. Eventually, she made her way to Los Angeles, where her good looks landed her a stint as the “Irish Spring Girl” in a series of commercials.

In 1980, Cindy made her film debut in the raucous comedy Caddyshack. Cindy played “Lacy Underall,” the promiscuous niece of Ted Knight’s “Judge Smails” character. Two years later, she co-starred in Disney’s Tron, the first computer-generated film and future cult classic. Cindy made dozens of guest appearances on episodic television, as well as a regular role in later seasons of the nighttime soap opera Falcon Crest. Although she did not appear in the 2010 sequel to Tron, she participated in some promotion  for the film with co-star Bruce Boxleitner.

Out of the spotlight for years, Cindy lived modestly with a roommate in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. On December 30, 2023, Cindy’s roommate returned home after a holiday trip. She smelled a “strong odor” coming from Cindy’s bedroom. She knocked on the door and received no answer. Worried, Cindy’s roommate called the local sheriff’s office. When law enforcement opened Cindy’s bedroom door, they found the actress dead. It was estimated that she had died several days earlier. Cindy was 69 years old.

On December 17, 2023, Cindy posted an unusual message the social media platform “X.” She refenced a call she received from a man claiming to be her agent. She also seemed to be concerned for her own safety and for her future living arrangements.

No additional information has been made public. Cindy’s death was determined to be from natural causes.

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Much like Lou Costello, Tom Smothers was a character. His stammering naiveté was a concisely conceived and performed character. That’s right — a character.

Tom was a star competitor in track and field at San Jose State College, as well as a competitive unicyclist. Tom, along with his younger brother Dick, set out to be a folk musician. He didn’t think he was good enough, so he decided to introduce comedy into the act — something he though he was particularly good at.

After an unsuccessful sitcom on CBS, Tom negotiated a variety show as a vehicle for Dick and himself. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour premiered on the CBS network in 1967 and Tom fought with network censors for the entire run of the show. He slyly introduced controversial topics —  like drugs, sex, the Vietnam War, politics — using his innocent, wide-eyed “Tommy” character, much to CBS’s chagrin.

Tom grew more and more politically active. He befriended John Lennon and even was featured on Lennon’s single “Give Peace a Chance” in 1969. Tom was an outspoken advocate for all things he considered to be worthy causes. He also was a harsh critic of his contemporaries not using their own fame for righteous causes. He once came to blows with now-disgraced comedian Bill Cosby after years of Tom’s needling over Cosby’s lackadaisical stance on political issues.

Tom maintained a keen head for business, managing his career to much financial success. He toured regularly with his brother and offered his comedic talents and recognition to promote a number of commercial products. He constantly strived to keep the Smothers Brothers live act fresh. In 2008, he became the tour’s opening act as “Yo-Yo Man,” almost silently demonstrating a heretofore unknown talent of yo-yo trickery. Tom even ventured into the winemaking business.

In early 2023, Tom announced that he was suffering for lung cancer. He succumbed to the disease in December of the same year. Tom Smothers was 86 years old.

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In 1941, after a few roles in live-action films, Kent Rogers kicked off his career as a voice actor with a role in Goofy Groceries, a “Merrie Melodies” animated short directed by Bob Clampett. Just two months later, Kent’s talents were given a chance to shine, as he voiced 14 different characters in the famous short Hollywood Steps Out. In the acclaimed animated short, Kent provided dead-on vocal characterizations of James Cagney, James Stewart, Edward G. Robinson, Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Peter Lorre and Groucho Marx. Kent continued to work on Warner Brothers cartoons, giving voice to numerous characters and becoming a favorite of director Tex Avery, as well as Bob Clampett.

In 1942, producer Leon Schlesinger adapted Dr. Seuss’s book Horton Hatches the Egg. This was the first time a Seuss book was brought to the screen. It was also the first time Warner Brothers licensed pre-existing source material that was still under current copyright. Kent was tapped to supply the voice of “Horton,” the title elephant.

Kent also provided the voice for such characters as “Henery Hawk,” “Beaky Buzzard” and “Junyer Bear,” as well as celebrity imitations, as needed. He also freelanced for Universal’s cartoon division, voicing “Woody Woodpecker” in five cartoon short subjects.

In 1943, Kent put his career on hold and enlisted in the US Navy. In July 1944, Kent was killed in a plane crash during a naval training exercise, just 22 days before his 21st birthday.

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Victoria María Aragüés Gadea studied classical ballet for fifteen years, eventually performing on stages in and around her native Barcelona. Victoria had a sort of novelty act with her sister, a contortionist.

After the death of dictator Francisco Franco, Spain began to relax its strict laws on the sexual explicity of entertainment. Victoria, ready to push the envelope and explore new avenues, took the advice of a magician friend and introduced “magic” into her act. Specific kind of magic…

Victoria began performing in Barcelona cabarets to the delight of audiences. She appeared nude on stage and her unique magic act included extracting various objects from her vagina. After slowly undressing to musical accompaniment, Victoria would lie back and begin removing small items from her vagina. First ping pong balls, eggs and handkerchiefs. As the act progressed, she worked her way up to razor blades and machetes and eventually, a lit light bulb. For her grand finale, Victoria would open a bottle of beer using her vagina. Audiences would offer overwhelming approval.

Victoria never considered her performances to be “pornographic.” She insisted her act was “delicate” and “classy.” She earned herself the nickname “Sticky Vicky.” When her reputation grew and spread, she sued another performer with a similar act for using the name “Sticky Vicky” and soon trademarked the moniker to avoid further confusion.

A hip operation sidelined Vicky in 2015 and her act went on hiatus. In 2016, Vicky was diagnosed with uterine cancer and she stepped out of the spotlight. Her daughter confirmed that Vicky had succumbed to cancer in November 2023 at the age of 80.

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