NBC warned the producers that if they wanted a sixth season, drastic changes would have to be made or the series would be canceled. She might as well not have been there at all. Cozi TV started airing the show as of January 3, 2022. In "Julie Smokes", after slapping Julie, Carl says he had never laid a hand on his kids before. This is ironic since McClanahan was being groomed by the producers to be a regular character on the show - a love interest for the Chief (Dolph Sweet). Treat Williams and Beverly D'Angelo are also in the movie, and so is fellow NBC sitcom alumnus Charlotte Rae, from The Facts Of Life (1979). In the episode he slaps Julie, Carl reveals his regret he never slapped Margaret (his now late wife and daughters' late mother) when he couldn't get her to stop smoking, in what would have been a misguided (to say the least) attempt to wake her up to the fact that she was killing herself with her chronic smoking. The show has been renewed for a fifth season, but it was undecided what would be done about Sweets character, Bozek said. Very good show that was one of many throughout TV sitcom history that revolved around a housekeeper/butler. I just hope some network brings this series back one day so that I'll be able to see every episode. They either recast them, lose cast members or cancel their show. The show's producers were very concerned about Nell Carter's escalating drug use, binge eating, rapidly fluctuating weight, and self-destructive lifestyle. Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carls father), Adelaide Addy Wilson (Nells best friend, played by Telma Hopkins), Rue McClanahan is listed in the opening credits along with the other regulars even though, She was 54. NBC had many quality sitcoms on the air in the 80s, such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts Of Life, Silver Spoons, etc. Nell wonders why her mother would have a date, and when her mother shows up, she meets her date, Ernie, a man from her past. Alphas. It was explained in the fifth season premiere that the Chief had died and the show continued with Nell taking over as the head of the household. Visual Entertainment (under license from FremantleMedia) released the first two seasons of Gimme a Break! The second spin-off attempt from Gimme a Break occurred at the end of season three in 1984 during the episode "The Center". At some point during the mid-1990s, Carter had begun a relationship with a woman named Ann Kaser, but this was not known to the public until after her death. Lawrence was added to show to take over the cute kid role with Lara Jill Miller getting older and maturing into a young women. Before she landed her own sitcom, Nell Carter made an appearance in Hair (1979). I love the actress Laurie Hendler,but think this show is soo boring! "Baby of the Family" had a resentful and jealous Samantha dressing up Joey in black face for a performance at Nell's black church, to get even with Nell for ignoring her. The show centered on the lives of the Kanisky Family in Glenlawn, CA, headed by Carl (Dolph Sweet), the widowed Chief of Police in town. [13] and two Golden Globe nominations as Best Actress in a Television Series-Comedy or Musical. Towards the bottom of the page of reviews, there is one by somebody who named several stars who, at one point or another, made guest appearances on this series. 's original producers Coleman Mitchell and Geoffrey Neigher, which involved personality conflicts and creative differences. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. 1,041. Sweet on July 18th, 1920 in New York, New York. There was a Matthew Kanisky in the unaired pilot, and a Matthew Donovan, Joey's brother, who was brought in during the last season. after the phone rings. It was a sitcom that ran for a total of 6 seasons and consisted of 137 episodes. Bring this hit sitcom back on the air, immediately. Dolph Sweet also played a police chief in the original Out of Towners movie (1970). Gimme a Break was canceled in the spring of 1987. This instance accidentally retcons the pilot episode's instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before. [12], Nell Carter received two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Plot The show was about a woman named Nell Harper (Nell Carter), who agrees to be a housekeeper for the Kanisky household as a special favor to her late friend, Margaret Huffman Kanisky (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman) who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet). Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Kaser was named as, Nell Carter, 54, the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer best remembered for her role as the motherly, no-nonsense housekeeper on NBCs hit 1980s series Gimme a Break!,. 'Gimme A Break'!And Get This Travesty off the Tube. Interestingly, being outrageous was the reason many critics hated the show. However, if you ask me, it was still a good show. To open the next season, the crew wrote out the character of Carl Kanisky and built the season premiere ("Joey's Train") around the family's coming to terms with the loss and their indecision over facing the one place that evoked the most memories of Carl his empty bedroom. One of the producers saw him perform on The Johnny Carson Show and immediately wanted to add him as a cast member. Dolph Sweet, the lovingly sarcastic police chief on television's "Gimme A Break" and an actor who began his career in a World War II prison camp, died May 8th, 1985 (shortly after filming the final episode of the 1984-1985 season) of cancer at Tarzana Hospital in Tarzana, California.He was 64. It came to a natural end with Tom moving away to be in Crossroads, but as we all know, that too has died on its arse so I. One of the only TV shows in the history of television to feature a Polish family as its centerpiece. The first two seasons use a different theme than the later seasons. Nell even predicted it, teasing her co-star that she would soon be dating Andy Gibb even before he came to the set; she was right. Tracey Gold was originally tapped to play Samantha, but at the last moment was replaced by Lara Jill Miller. 73years (October 28, 1948) usually managed to land in the Top 40 during its first four seasons. Although not noted on several Gimme A Break! GIMME A BREAK (Entity Number: 1260888) was incorporated on 10/12/2001 in Ohio. As they were redoing it, the boy was replaced by Tracey Gold, who was going to play a tomboy named Samantha. She estimated that at the height of her addiction, she was spending $1000 to $2000 or more a day on drugs. By the fifth season, ratings started declining and NBC demanded the producers retool the show. Alter Ego. ", http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Gimme-Break-The-Complete-Series/13768. Nell Carter didn't get along with the original producers, Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen. , and the experimentation became regular use. outdated and vaguely stereotypical. NBC already had a college oriented show in development starring Lisa Bonet, The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World for the 1987-1988 season. Damn! Carters publicist Roger Lane said Carter collapsed and died of natural causes in her Beverly Hills home. Also, I don't think I've seen every episode. Nell Carter was nominated twice for an Emmy for her work on this show. Nell Carter portraying Nell Harper was awesome. The Chief's brother, to a degree. Whitney was very young on Gimme A Break, and only had a minute or two on screen. GIMME-A-SIGN INC. Cancelled. Rue McClanahan is listed in the opening credits along with the other regulars even though shes only a guest star. Nell also served as a parent to the Chief's three daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler), and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). He talks about how tough he and his family had it growing up, and also touches upon his deceased wife. The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California. We heart books. It was sad when the actor who played the chief died. United Paramount Network (UPN) Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. 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After The Cosby Show (1984) became a big hit, NBC didn't want to a show about a black housekeeper raising a white family on the same network as the Cosby Show with a black family where the father is a doctor and the mom is a lawyer. Addy got a job in New York City, so Nell, Grandpa and Joey came to New York to join her. Sadly Dolph Sweet passed away during the 3rd season but the show was able to continue thanks to a stellar cast including the 3 daughters Katie, Samantha, and Julie (Kari Michaelsen, Lara Jill Miller and Lauri Hendler) also Silver screen legend John Hoyt as Grandpa Stanley, Howard Morton as the lovable but bumbling Officer Simpson as well as Thelma Hopkins as Addie and Joey Lawrence round out the cast. stomach surgery Carter found that she saw eye to eye more often with Parker and Cooper on all levels, and due to the stability the latter team would stay with the program for the rest of its run. For other uses, see. The performances were top-grade, too. The episode soon only focuses on Max and Danny at the deli and then Max Green's slummy bachelor apartment and the interaction between him and Danny. Before Lawrence arrived on set Nell would take Lara to eat at restaurants, but when Lawrence arrive on set Nell shifted her focus to the much younger and cuter Joey. "Gimme a Break! Carter performed the shows catchy theme song, and her performance in the series earned her two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. He threatens to spank Samantha, though it doesn't happen. I don't remember the original theme song and after looking up old episodes on YouTube I hate it. This show is in syndication on Antenna Tv and the episodes are on YouTube . All of these things would be deemed as child abuse today and would never be in the show. With spotify premium, you get ad free music, forever! Given some supportive scripts, Miss Carter and Mr. Sweet could insure a good run for this series.[6]. "Parents' Week". Not a brilliant show by any means, but certainly a show that highlights the great talents of Nell Carter, in basically her only venture in TV. These attributes contributed to the producers decision to drop most of the cast for sixth season except for Nell Carter, Thelma Hopkins, Joey Lawrence and John Hoyt. I think that the cast in Gimme a Break was excellent. Joey Lawrence would reminisce in interviews about Nell Carter taking him to concerts and to shows and performances with her. It was basic fare for a sitcom, featuring the cute kids, family values, and little lessons learned at the end of each episode. No infringement of previously copyrighted material is intended on this site. One of the episodes is called "Knock Three Times". And didn't tell Carl because they both feared the exact angry reaction he ended up having. Nell Carter and Rosie O'Donnell never got along in the final season of the show. Reportedly, Nell's maternal instincts towards the girls and Joey on the show were quite real. The plan was for Nell to become a housemother at Samantha's college dorm, reminiscent of the early seasons of the hit NBC sitcom the The Facts of Life. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence) was added in season 3. Mr. Kaminsky was a widower with 3 daughters, in the initial seasons and Nell was the surrogate mom/housekeeper. Nell Carter "Gimme a Break!" became Sweet's last work because of his unfortunate cancer diagnosis, which took away his life in 1985. For the primary 4 seasons, Dolph Sweet performed police Chief Carl Kanisky, elevating his three daughters after his spouse's demise. Why Did People In Old Hollywood Talk Funny. Carter's character works in the home of a widowed chief of police who needs help taking care of his three daughters. At first, everyone hates the idea, but then they all decide to have a dance there consisting of both punk rock and old time music from the early 1900s. BREAK TIME SERVICE Cancelled. She went into rehab several times during production and was blowing her money on cocaine every week . Gimme a Break! In fact it, along with Fame, Hill Street Blues, Cheers and Taxi became the original Thursday night anchors of "Must See TV" programming on NBC. Nell wonders why her mother would have a date, and when her mother shows up, she meets her date, Ernie, a man from her past. Netflix has announced that Daybreak will not be renewed for a second season. so it is a very stressful job on top of raising his daughters without their mother, But the chemistry Nell and Dolph had was terrific. Watch Gimme a Break! Considering it was a. Too many changes were made and and the series was a completely different show from when it started. Joey Lawrence didn't audition for his role on the show. She played one of the wicked stepsisters. The "Flashback" episode shows her alive when the girls were relatively young, but still old enough to remember her. Nell Carter won an Emmy and a Tony Award. Minelli flew her to a special rehab center the Halzalden Clinic in Minnesota where she kicked her habit a second time and lost over 90 pounds. Carter distanced herself from the show following its run. The original version was used for the first two seasons and was replaced with an up-tempo rearrangement with new lyrics for season three onward. Lara Jill Miller said she routinely saw cocaine on the set. Another episode has Julie not knowing the cause of her mother's death (it was lung cancer, which is how Carl convinces Julie to quit smoking). http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/GimmeABreak. The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief ( Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. The name Matthew would pop up again in the show, as Matthew Lawrence joined the cast in season 6 as Joey's little brother, Matthew Donovan. cast members, and just focuses on the two boys and Mr. Pappalard. Nell Carter was interred in Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California. When I tried to tape it when I finally got my cable back and I was shocked to learn that it had been taken off the air. Gimme A Break was in the sitcom line-up, on NBC in the 80s. Nell Carter would admit later in interviews that she had a serious cocaine problem when she starred on this show, which spiralled out of control. I saw episodes from Seasons One and Two and it seemed like the middle and younger daughters got all the speaking parts, and the youngest one all the zingers. By season three, when he was added as a regular, his hearing is normal and he is no longer senile. Over its run, the series used two different theme songs. Nell agreed, so as a favor to Margaret she moved into the Kanisky home and took over motherly duties. Five episodes into the sixth and final season, the show changed locales from Glenlawn to New York City, when Nell. At the start of the 198687 season, Katie moved to San Francisco; Julie, Jonathan, and baby Nell moved to San Jos; and Samantha attended college in New Jersey. Age, September 13, 1948 One episode has Katie hospitalized when her I.U.D. In the episode, Nell decides to have lunch there just to try a new hip place in town, and finds her purse has been stolen. They even doubled down and added ANOTHER cute kid in the form of Matthew Lawrence, who played Joey's brother Matthew. One of Nell and Addy's New York neighbors was a young lady named Maggie O'Brien, played by Rosie O'Donnell. Everyone was ideally cast, the costume design was great. It was released as the third and final single from the album on March 3, 2008, by Jive Records.The song was written by Nate "Danja" Hills, Jim Beanz, Keri Hilson and Marcella Araica, while production was handled by Danja and vocal production was handled by Beanz. Nell's father was originally the one who disapproved of Nell's dreams, but after he died. If your show doesn't pull in enough viewers to justify its budget . It was warm, funny, and presented many contemporary topics that modern families struggle with, such as teen sex, drugs, alcoholism, dating, etc. Nell Carter, 54, the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress and singer best remembered for her role as the motherly, no-nonsense housekeeper on NBCs hit 1980s series Gimme a Break!, died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, the Associated Press reports. Another issue was the Lawrence brothers Joey and Matthew, Nell's two young foster kids she was raising had no place in this proposed retooling. I was very young when it originally aired. A real romance developed between Kari Michaelson and Andy Gibb when he guest starred. The network fired the three daughters, Jonathan Silverman, and Howard Morton, the location was changed from Glenlawn, California to more upscale Manhattan, New York, Nell became an assistant at a publishing house, and Joey Lawrence's younger brother Matthew Lawrence was added to the cast. Both Nell and Joey play characters named after the actors. Dolph Sweet and Nell didn't get along at first but ended up becoming friends. The sitcom took place in the fictional Los Angeles, California, suburb of Glenlawn. We heart living like a star. It's that easy! I like the theme song from the third season. This was explained in the Flashback episode in Season 3. Gimme a Break! She questioned the child stars' morals, and the media for playing into the victim mentality. Joey's supposed backstory of living with an uncle was originally treated as a lie. Parker sat down with Lawrence and had numerous talks with him because he loved the kid and thought was a real pro. If you tap now and watch the short video you'll get 30 minutes of ad free music! The American syndication rights are held by NBC Universal Television Distribution, the successor company to original syndication MCA Television. to his question about how she'd think her mother would react if she knew her daughter had been arrested. She had suffered from diabetes and had recovered from a near-deadly bout with a brain aneurysm in the 1990s. Gimme a Break was almost canceled after it's first season due too poor ratings. The show was about a woman named Nell Harper (Nell Carter), who agrees to be a housekeeper for the Kanisky household as a special favor to her late friend, Margaret Huffman Kanisky (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman) who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet). Also, the network had nothing to replace the show with as they were struggling with their programming and ratings during this time period. Nell and the Kaniskys had a black goldfish named Gertrude, who keeps getting killed throughout the series (accidentally by Nell, with a rogue vacuum cleaner, or with a sprinkle of Comet) only to reappear again. The original theme song's opening line "Gimme a break, I sure deserve it" is a reference to a popular 1970's McDonald's commercial jingle and slogan "You deserve a break today.". Platinum. All rights reserved. There were two Matthews on the show. "Gimme A Break" was one of those shows that always had something going for itself and for one this was out of a pick of standard 80's family shows that hit a home run and so much more with the prime essential element of actress Nell Carter,who was also a accomplish Broadway singer/dancer who won a Tony award for her work in "Ain't Misbehavin" in 1978. In this episode, she was a busy body on a hospital pay phone. Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet were very close and she was at his side when he died in 1985. Kari Michaelsen and Lauri Hendler returned for the Season Six episode Sam Goes to College at the beginning of Season Six despite leaving the show the previous season. Joey accidentally shoots Nell in the leg while playing with Carl's gun, not realizing that it was loaded. #80s Began in 1981, ran 6 seasons & 137 episodes. By this point the girls were all grown up and Dolph Sweet had passed away so there was no father figure in the house. Nell Carter got more creative control of the show when the new producers Rod Parker and Hal Cooper came onto to the show during it's third season. DMCA. Gimme a Break was almost canceled after it's first season due too poor ratings. on DVD in Canada between 2006-07. 1981 Cast THEN AND NOW 2022 INCREDIBLE Changed, Thanks For The MemoriesGimme a Break! The episode aired three days after he died. after Carl dies, much in the same way Florida Evans shouts the same thing after her husband James died on Good Times, ten years earlier. The sitcom aired on . Series Info. A Fan Inquiry to Us on Facebook Leads to Some VERY Interesting New Information! During the first season, Nell Carter and Dolph didn't get along in the beginning coming from different backgrounds in real life and in showbiz. Date of birth. This was a reasonably funny comedy starring Nell Carter. Telma Hopkins felt the show lost its ground quickly when they made all the changes in the sixth season. Kari Michaelson and Nell Carter both had eating disorders during production. FremantleMedia owns the international rights, as they own Thames Television, which acquired Alan Landsburg Productions and Reeves Entertainment Group product in 1990. She was not a "maid" in a conventional sense; she was just doing the family a favor. When the two are arguing, Katie makes a snide remark about why she thinks her father wanted her to take the test, prompting him to warn her to stop, and when she presses on, he takes off his belt and chases after her. Nell's mother was originally portrayed by Hilda Haynes. The network deemed Gimme a Break! Kaser was named as the heir to Carters property and guardian of Carters children. Before she starred on Gimme a Break, Telma Hopkins' claim to fame was starring in the hit group from the 70s Tony Orlando and Dawn, of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" fame. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that I'll always remember this show in my memory forever, even though I don't think I've seen every episode. What Are They Thinking of at NBC? Altered Carbon. She appeared in a Season 1 episode as one of Katie's friends. The boss, Mr. Pappalardo, fires Tyler, and Nell realizes she didn't lose her purse after all, making Mr. Papallardo re-hire him. This re-write was due in part of the backlash the show receiving at the time for the depiction of Nell's character as the "black maid" to a white family. The husband (played by Dolph Sweet) is the chief of police of Glenlawn CA. why was gimme a break cancelled Posted on 2022527by Verified Purchase. Place of burial During the third season, Pat Sajak guest-starred as himself when Nell and Addy were contestants on Wheel of Fortune. New Release. I loved grandpa too. He was born Adolphus J. Nell Carter as an overweight housekeeper, a devout guardian to 3 teenage white girls and a force not to be reckoned with whenever she dealt with the Chief of Police - Carl Kanisky, pretty well sums up what this 1980s sitcom is about. Moreover, they featured near-identical scorelines: wild card Kimberly Birrell upset No.31 seed Kaia Kanepi 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 and No.26 seed Elise Mertens scored her first win over Garbie Muguruza 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1. During the summer 1984 hiatus, Dolph Sweet underwent stomach surgery, which was revealed shortly after to be the first extensive treatment for cancer. / When they brought the character back in season 2 she was replaced with actress Bonnie Urseth. A new theme, with music by Jay Graydon and lyrics by Richard Page, was introduced in the third season and used for the remainder of the show's run. The show was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions (renamed as Reeves Entertainment Group in 1985). on Issac Hayes' hit song "Theme From Shaft.". How long ago Margaret died. The seniors and the youths work together to have their dance. Final episode date. In the episode "Nell's Friend" Addy talks about the progress of Black Women in modern American society. Excluding the Brady Bunch, which focused more on the trials and tribulations in a sugary way of a 'step' family; This show was perhaps one of the most underrated and perhaps the best that featured a 'servant' as the lead. is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series was taped at Metromedia Square in Hollywood before a studio audience. Though the sitcom was hardly groundbreaking for its time,the series earned Nell Carter two Emmy nominations for her work and in turn gave her an opportunity to sing and dance in some of the episodes occasionally. O' Donnell has stated numerous times over the years during the final season of the show Nell Carter was in a bad place with personal issues and extremely miserable and unpleasant to be around. is an American sitcom that ran on NBC for six seasons (198187), starring Nell Carter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha (the last of the kids played by a young Lara Jill Miller). Nell becomes sort of a mother figure for the girls, and everyone tries to learn from each other. Officer Simpson, who remained a friend of the family after the death of his superior, stuck around for another season. Inter-Uterine Device, an implanted birth control device that, at the time, had a reputation for piercing the uterus and causing dangerous bleeding and possible infection. Hopkins appeared on many Motown hits and worked with legendary acts like the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. Carter died in 2003, at age 54. She and Max Green (Don Rickles) catch an orphaned girl named Danny stealing money and food. Julie and Jonathan, who were now living in the Chief's old room, found out they were expecting a baby; their daughter, whom they named after Nell, was born before season's end. As with many star vehicles in Hollywood, the main character was named after the star. Taking the job in honor of the man's late wife, who was also Nell's friend, the housekeeper becomes a surrogate mother to the girls and a confidant . The new theme has similarities to the first but with a more positive attitude. During the season the focus of the show shifted towards Nell, Addy, and Joey with the girls becoming background characters with little to no story-lines. McClanahan would not become a regular cast member on Gimme a Break; but she would return to NBC in 1985 for the sitcom Golden Girls. One of the senior citizens at the center was Papa Jack Jenkins played by Whittman Mayo in the episode. On May 8, 1985, actor Dolph Sweet (who portrayed the character of Carl "The Chief" Kanisky) passed away from cancer at the age of 64 and his final appearance on the show aired three days later on the day of his funeral. Parker said Carter spoiled him for a good two years and then suddenly turned on him. Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carls father), Adelaide Addy Wilson (Nells best friend, played by Telma Hopkins), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nells mother, Maybelle. On May 12, 1987, "Gimme a Break" was cancelled after 6 seasons and 137 episodes. Writing for the Washington Post, Tom Shales wrote an especially scathing review of the pilot episode. Although there was mutual animosity and hostility between Nell Carter and Rosie O'Donnell on the set, they reconciled when Nell appeared on Rosie's talk show several years later. While it can be assumed he started a new life after marrying, some lines act as if the Chief were an only child. We heart Beverly Hills. The Amazing Race. She says "I'm so glad we're all past that image of the black woman as an Aunt Jemima." Nell's family. I wish I could sue NBC for the grievous consternation, intestinal distress and aggravated low moaning I have suffered as a result of Gimme a Break, Shales wrote, going on to criticize the shows sex jokes and what he found to be the racial stereotypes embodied by Carters character. Some very Interesting New Information from Glenlawn to New York neighbors was a body! A Friend of the only TV shows in the fictional Los Angeles,.... Series starred Nell Carter was nominated twice for an Emmy for her work on this site Flashback episode season... Carter distanced herself from the show were quite real ( UPN ) Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community Matthew... Short video you & # x27 ; s first season due too poor ratings collapsed and died of causes... Says he had never laid a hand on his kids before and she was at his side when he.. Kaminsky was a widower with 3 daughters, in the episode `` 's..., suburb of Glenlawn the kid and thought was a reasonably funny Comedy starring Nell Carter n't... The husband ( played by Whittman Mayo in the form of Matthew Lawrence, was... You tap now and watch the short video you & # x27 ; s first season due too poor.! But it was sad when the girls and Joey on the set they were redoing it, the Cosby spin-off... Sweet could insure a good two years and THEN suddenly turned on him what... Play Samantha, but after he died theme song, and her performance in the.... Disapproved of Nell 's maternal instincts towards the girls were relatively young, but after he died Lawrence! 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