To Zelda and JD, R.I.P.

Kate Langenburg/A&E Groove

Two deaths to report today. I guess I’m feeling morbid, but hey, I still want to pay tribute.

Today Zelda Rubenstein passed away from complications of a past heart attack. Do you not know who Zelda Rubenstein is? I didn’t either until I saw her picture. She’s the short lady who performs the exorcisms in the Poltergeist movies.

While her major roles were definitely in Poltergeist, she was also in some other famous flicks, too. She starred in Chevy Chase’s Under the Rainbow, did voice work on the Flintstone Comedy Show, and even had a small role in the teen 80s movie Sixteen Candles.

In an article from Movie Talk, Steven Spielberg’s words were used to describe her: “Good things can come in small packages, and that’s certainly true of Zelda.” She was only 76 years old.

The second death to report today is that of inspiring writer JD Salinger. Perhaps his most famous novel was Catcher in the Rye, a tale about hard times during high school. He was also known for his book of short stories, entitled Nine Stories.

Throughout his career, he was a very hard person to get in touch with, especially for people working in the media. He scoffed at journalists and photographers. To this day, there is evidence of a very small number of interviews with the author. Salinger felt that publishing his works ruined the special nature of it. He rather liked to keep it for himself.

You can read a full article on the life and works of JD Salinger at NPR.com. He was 91 years old.