Sad ending to a great carreer
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Terry-Thomas
Caz1964 — 18 years ago(May 22, 2007 02:27 PM)
I thought it was really sad how he ended up penniless on his own and died after suffering long term with Parkinsons disease.
This great comedian diserved so much better. -
metalman091 — 10 years ago(August 08, 2015 12:11 AM)
I saw a sad interview with Terry-Thomas with a closeup of his shaking hand. A sad ending to a great comedian and by many accounts a nice man.
Here is a brief look at that interview for the BBC in 1982.
And one in 1976 where the illness is starting to become noticeable. Terry-Thomas talks about his career with Mark Caldwell. Electric heaters had to be arrange to keep him warm. -
ExplorerDS6789 — 10 years ago(September 21, 2015 10:27 PM)
I saw a clip from a news story in 1989, filmed one month before his death, and it was one of the most depressing things I've ever seen. Not only was it heartbreaking to see Mr. Thomas just sitting there, barely able to move, but to hear how he and his wife were practically broke (and here I thought England had a decent universal healthcare system).
Just seeing that footage of him, I wonder: would Terry-Thomas want his fans to see him like that? I really don't think he would, so I don't think that news story should've ever been televised. It's gut-wrenching, seeing a man who was once a ray of sunshine in the entertainment industry on both stage and screen and is now frail and dying.
When people are in a state such as that, they should NOT be shown on television. Just like with Terry Schiavo about ten years ago when they were deciding whether or not to remove her feeding tube, they kept showing her in a vegetative state on television! I doubt she would've wanted that, and I doubt Mr. Thomas would've wanted his fans and admirers to see him like that as well. -
metalman091 — 10 years ago(September 22, 2015 03:04 AM)
I agree with what you are saying. I think though that Terry-Thomas made it public because he wanted to dispel stories of alcoholism. I still agree with what you say, but I also think seeing him like that helped raise awareness of the disease.
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ExplorerDS6789 — 10 years ago(September 22, 2015 01:30 PM)
I think though that Terry-Thomas made it public because he wanted to dispel stories of alcoholism.
So, people at the time were spreading rumors that he was becoming plastered round the clock, so he had to show them, "I am NOT inebriated. I've got bloody Parkinson's!"
but I also think seeing him like that helpeb68d raise awareness of the disease.
That would certainly do the trick, and Michael J. Fox is continuing the fight as well.