This page will contain videos about Charles Rocket, as they become available.Charles RocketTo meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup.See rationale on the talk page, or replace this tag with a more specific message. Editing help is available. (Tagged January 2006) Charles Rocket, born Charles Claverie (August 24, 1949 – October 7, 2005), was an American film and television actor born in Bangor, Maine, USA. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design in the late 1960s and was part of the Rhode Island underground scene in the 1970s. He made several short films and fronted his band, the Fabulous Motels. He later anchored the local news at Channel 12 WPRI. He made his network debut on the popular program Saturday Night Live. Rocket was cast for the 1980–81 season, which followed the departure of the remaining members of the show's popular original cast and original executive producer Lorne Michaels. Singled out by new executive producer Jean Doumanian as the star of her new ensemble, Rocket was promoted as "kind of a cross between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase." Rocket was given the role of anchor for the show's Weekend Update news parody, and was featured in many sketches. However, the new cast (save for Joe Piscopo and later Eddie Murphy) was not at all popular with audiences. Rocket was somewhat of a standout, though, due to his infamous "Rocket Reports" segments, despite the fact that he was not very successful as the "Update" anchor. (Viewers have noted, however, that his style on Weekend Update was evidently later adopted by Dennis Miller.) Unfortunately, Rocket would eventually doom both his and Doumanian's tenures on the show with one word. The February 21, 1981 episode hosted by Dallas star Charlene Tilton featured an ongoing joke in which different cast members would vow revenge on him for some reason, in a parody of the famed "Who Shot J.R.?" episode of Dallas. Rocket was then shot in the chest by a sniper in the final sketch. At the end of the show, there was some time to kill, so members of the cast appeared onstage with Tilton, who improvised and asked Rocket how he felt about being shot. A wheelchair-bound Charles audibly mumbled that he'd like to know "who the fuck did it", followed by the cast and audience reacting with shock and embarrassed laughter. The incident seemed to encapsulate all that was wrong with Saturday Night Live at the time, and both Rocket and Doumanian were soon fired (along with most of the writers and fellow cast members). Piscopo and Murphy were the only cast members to survive the ax, and new producer Dick Ebersol replaced most other cast members later. Rocket recovered from this early career setback and acted in many films, including Earth Girls Are Easy, It's Pat, Dances with Wolves, and Dumb and Dumber, often portraying the antagonist. On the small screen, he managed to secure a series of guest spots on several 1980s sitcoms and also played rival network president Ned Grossberg on the 1980s cyberpunk series Max Headroom. As the 1990s wore on, beneficial roles were few and far between, as Rocket struck out in such box office duds as Titan A.E. and Fathers' Day and in the short-lived 2000 John Goodman series Normal, Ohio on the Fox network. Nevertheless, he found limited success in guest spots on many popular television programs in the late 1990s and early-to-mid 2000s, including The King of Queens, Touched By An Angel, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the last of which marked his final appearance on network television. He also lent his voice to popular video game titles "Star Wars: Starfighter," "Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter" (as the character "Nym" in both games), "Descent 3," and "Age of Mythology." His last role was in the 2003 movie Shade, starring Sylvester Stallone and Melanie Griffith. Sadly, Rocket never had the chance to experience A-list status as a celebrity. On October 7, 2005, his body was discovered by police in his yard in Canterbury, Connecticut; his throat had been cut. The Connecticut state medical examiner later ruled his death a suicide. He was 56, and is survived by his wife Beth and son Zane. Some fans were disappointed over the 'tribute' on the October 22, 2005, episode of SNL (hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones). Declining to show even a short clip, the program simply displayed a brief title card on the way to a commercial; the card was not even shown on certain NBC affiliates. However after his death, radio personality and friend Brandon Vogt, gave Rocket a fitting tribute on WXCM-FM 97X Owensboro, KY. Vogt said, "Charles Rocket was a man who will be remembered for his great sense of humor and always someone of style and personality, he will be missed." Filmography
A Eulogy For Charlie Rocket
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Vogt said, "Charles Rocket was a man who will be remembered for his great sense of humor and always someone of style and personality, he will be missed.". White is currently engaged to businessman Michael Kaye. However after his death, radio personality and friend Brandon Vogt, gave Rocket a fitting tribute on WXCM-FM 97X Owensboro, KY. Because of her glamour, celebrity status and high visibility, Vanna White has been a tabloid favorite for many years. Declining to show even a short clip, the program simply displayed a brief title card on the way to a commercial; the card was not even shown on certain NBC affiliates. White divorced her husband of 11 years, George Santo Pietro, in November 2002, and maintained custody of their two young children, Nicholas and Giovanna. Some fans were disappointed over the 'tribute' on the October 22, 2005, episode of SNL (hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones). After more than two decades, White is still a key part of the success of Wheel of Fortune. He was 56, and is survived by his wife Beth and son Zane. White's role changed from "letter turner" to "letter toucher" when the manually-operated board was replaced with an electronic board in 1997. The Connecticut state medical examiner later ruled his death a suicide. In 1992 the Guinness Book of World Records recognized White as "television's most frequent clapper". On October 7, 2005, his body was discovered by police in his yard in Canterbury, Connecticut; his throat had been cut. with Children and Full House, as well as in movies such as The Naked Gun 33⅓. Sadly, Rocket never had the chance to experience A-list status as a celebrity. She has also made cameo appearances on television shows such as Married.. His last role was in the 2003 movie Shade, starring Sylvester Stallone and Melanie Griffith. The film was universally panned, and TV Guide said White's acting was "wheely" bad. He also lent his voice to popular video game titles "Star Wars: Starfighter," "Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter" (as the character "Nym" in both games), "Descent 3," and "Age of Mythology.". In 1989, she was in the NBC TV-movie, The Goddess of Love, in which she played Venus. Nevertheless, he found limited success in guest spots on many popular television programs in the late 1990s and early-to-mid 2000s, including The King of Queens, Touched By An Angel, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the last of which marked his final appearance on network television. White was the subject of "Weird Al" Yankovic's 1988 song, "Stuck in a Closet With Vanna White". As the 1990s wore on, beneficial roles were few and far between, as Rocket struck out in such box office duds as Titan A.E. and Fathers' Day and in the short-lived 2000 John Goodman series Normal, Ohio on the Fox network. The spread comprised photos of White wearing see-through lingerie that were taken before Wheel. On the small screen, he managed to secure a series of guest spots on several 1980s sitcoms and also played rival network president Ned Grossberg on the 1980s cyberpunk series Max Headroom. Also in 1987, she was featured in a Playboy pictorial. Rocket recovered from this early career setback and acted in many films, including Earth Girls Are Easy, It's Pat, Dances with Wolves, and Dumb and Dumber, often portraying the antagonist. Her 1987 autobiography, Vanna Speaks!, was a best-seller. Piscopo and Murphy were the only cast members to survive the ax, and new producer Dick Ebersol replaced most other cast members later. Within a year, Wheel was the highest-rated syndicated program, in large part because of "Vannamania". The incident seemed to encapsulate all that was wrong with Saturday Night Live at the time, and both Rocket and Doumanian were soon fired (along with most of the writers and fellow cast members). White's popularity soared after the nighttime version of Wheel debuted in September 1983. A wheelchair-bound Charles audibly mumbled that he'd like to know "who the fuck did it", followed by the cast and audience reacting with shock and embarrassed laughter. She remained with the daytime version of Wheel until its cancellation in 1991. At the end of the show, there was some time to kill, so members of the cast appeared onstage with Tilton, who improvised and asked Rocket how he felt about being shot. Merv Griffin chose her over two other finalists, and her first episode as Pat Sajak's regular assistant aired December 13, 1982. Rocket was then shot in the chest by a sniper in the final sketch. Two years later she auditioned for the letter-turning job on Wheel of Fortune that Susan Stafford vacated. The February 21, 1981 episode hosted by Dallas star Charlene Tilton featured an ongoing joke in which different cast members would vow revenge on him for some reason, in a parody of the famed "Who Shot J.R.?" episode of Dallas. White's first national television appearance came in a 1980 episode of The Price is Right, where she was one of the first four contestants to "come on down" but did not make it on stage (this clip would go on to be rebroadcast as part of The Price is Right's 25th anniversary special in 1997). Unfortunately, Rocket would eventually doom both his and Doumanian's tenures on the show with one word. She later took the name of her stepfather, Herbert White, a former real estate agent in North Myrtle Beach. (Viewers have noted, however, that his style on Weekend Update was evidently later adopted by Dennis Miller.). Vanna White was born Vanna Marie Rosich, in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to a family of Croatian background. Rocket was somewhat of a standout, though, due to his infamous "Rocket Reports" segments, despite the fact that he was not very successful as the "Update" anchor. Vanna White (born February 18, 1957) is an American television personality who is best known as the hostess and puzzle board operator on the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune. However, the new cast (save for Joe Piscopo and later Eddie Murphy) was not at all popular with audiences. Singled out by new executive producer Jean Doumanian as the star of her new ensemble, Rocket was promoted as "kind of a cross between Bill Murray and Chevy Chase." Rocket was given the role of anchor for the show's Weekend Update news parody, and was featured in many sketches. Rocket was cast for the 1980–81 season, which followed the departure of the remaining members of the show's popular original cast and original executive producer Lorne Michaels. He made his network debut on the popular program Saturday Night Live. He later anchored the local news at Channel 12 WPRI. He made several short films and fronted his band, the Fabulous Motels. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design in the late 1960s and was part of the Rhode Island underground scene in the 1970s. Charles Rocket, born Charles Claverie (August 24, 1949 – October 7, 2005), was an American film and television actor born in Bangor, Maine, USA. Saturday Night Live (1980-1981). The Outlaws (1984) TV. Fraternity Vacation (1985). California Girls (1985) TV. Miracles (1986). Down Twisted (1987). Max Headroom (1987) TV. Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Murphy's Law (1988) TV. How I Got Into College (1989). Honeymoon Academy (1990). Dances with Wolves (1990). Delirious (1991). Tequila and Bonetti (1992) TV. Wild Palms (1993) TV. Hocus Pocus (1993). Short Cuts (1993). Brain Smasher — A Love Story (1993). Flying Blind (1992) TV. Charlie's Ghost Story (1994). Wagons East (1994). It's Pat (1994). Dumb & Dumber (1994). Steal Big Steal Little (1995). The Home Court (1995) TV. Tom and Huck (1995). The Killing Grounds (1997). Murder at 1600 (1997). Fathers' Day (1997). Dry Martini (1998). Kôtetsu tenshi Kurumi (1999) TV. Carlo's Wake (1999). Tex, the Passive-Aggressive Gunslinger (2000). (2000). Titan A.E. Normal, Ohio (2000) TV. New Suit (2002). Bleach (2002). Shade (2003). |