Monday, April 14, 2008
In Memoriam
As many of you know, a great actor passed away last week. An actor whose contributions to pop culture will never be forgotten, and whose performances were head and shoulders above the level of his co-stars. Without this actor, the epic story that he is most famous for would never have been as successful or memorable as it became. It will be his legacy; a work that should be watched annually, and with the people closest to you.
Of course, I am referring to Stanley Kamel and his magnificent portrayal of Tony Marchette on "Beverly Hills, 90210" in it's sixth season. Tony Marchette was the reluctant father-in-law to Dylan McKay, who had previously killed Dylan's father and intended to kill Dylan as well, only to kill his own daughter - Dylan's new bride - by mistake.
Many people consider "One Wedding and a Funeral," the final episode in Tony Marchette's story arc, to be one of the best "90210" episodes of all time. I do not disagree. The episode lets us experience the highest highs with Dylan's wedding to his true love (thankfully not Brenda nor Kelly), only to subject us to the lowest lows, with the senseless murder and loss of that love. I believe that Stanley Kamel's ruthless portrayal of Tony Marchette brings the necessary gravitas to the story and allows the show to truly earn the wide range of emotions that Tony's actions evoke out of the viewer.
From now on, when I watch the clip below I will cry like I usually do...but I will also be shedding a tear for the loss of such a great character actor.
