The past year has seen the deaths of many notable TV stars, including Catherine O’Hara, Rob Reiner, Dolly Parton, Hayden Panettiere, Tim Curry, Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek, Robert Carradine, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. The Emmys paid tribute to these actors
and many others Monday night at the awards show in Los Angeles. Noah Kahan provided the segment’s soundtrack with a performance of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
Macaulay Culkin, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy paid tribute to O’Hara, who starred alongside the veteran actress in the iconic Home Alone films and comedy series Schitt’s Creek, respectively.
“You remember her as the forgetful mother, right?” Culkin said. “There are all kinds of words I could use to describe Catherine. She was encouraging. She was warm. She was funny, but the word that I think of is mom … She was, she was my mom. She was our mom … So she may have forgotten me twice. But we will always remember her.”
Murphy recounted the times people have approached her in the wake of O’Hara’s January death, quipping some of her most memorable lines and passing on their love. “These are only very few of the interactions I’ve been lucky enough to have that remind me how profoundly Catherine has impacted the world, and it’s because she brought us joy,” Murphy said.
Levy recalled the times O’Hara sent over late-night tweaks to the script and floated the “concept of a wigwall.” He added: “Always say yes to any opportunity to revel in the presence of greatness.”
The Emmys organizers also recognized Reiner, who died tragically in December, earlier in September at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. A tearful Jamie Lee Curtis paid special tribute to Reiner, whom she hailed as a “cherished legend” and “our beloved meathead.”
She remarked that the actor won a posthumous award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as restaurant consultant Albert Schnurr on the fourth season of The Bear at the L.A. ceremony. Presenter Wendi McLendon-Covey accepted the award on Reiner’s behalf; the audience gave his win a standing ovation. Reiner previously won an Emmy in 1974 and in 1978 for supporting actor in a comedy series for his role as Mike “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family. The 48-year gap between his two most recent wins set a new record, besting the previous record holder, Reiner’s dad, Carl Reiner, according to Variety.
“He was generous and kind and funny as hell and a friend to all,” Curtis added. “We all miss Rob and Michele, and all those we lost this year.”
The Television Academy maintains a running list of notable professionals in the TV industry, including actors and creators, who died throughout the year, on its In Memoriam page.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay hosted the Emmys live from the Peacock Theater. The Pitt was the most nominated series of the night, followed by Hacks, Widow’s Bay, and Beef.
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