Saturday, June 2, 2012

GOD, JED, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO KNOW YOU: Kathryn Joosten didn't start acting until she was 42, and didn't get her big break until she was 60, when she was cast as Delores Landingham in The West Wing.  After getting killed off, in setting in motion much of the plot of Two Cathedrals, she continued to work, recurring on Joan of Arcadia, as an incarnation of God respectfully known to fans as "Mrs. Landing-God," on Scrubs as a patient who gives John Dorian his first brush with death as a doctor, and, finally on Desperate Housewives, as the all-seeing Mrs. McCluskey, for which she won two Emmys.  She did all this while suffering from lung cancer. She finally succumbed to that cancer yesterday, and I hope her passing was as peaceful as her last character's was.

ETA:  As Adam pointed out, Mrs. Landingham actually dies (off-screen) in the final moments of 18th & Potomac, the episode before Two Cathedrals.

13 comments:

  1. littleredyarn4:10 PM

    <span>"Oh, Mr. McGarry, have they done an X-ray?"</span>
    <span>"Yup." </span>
    <span>"Is anything broken?" </span>
    <span>"A four-thousand-dollar "Lynex Titanium" touring bike that I swore I'd never lend anyone."</span>

    <span>RIP, Mrs. Landingham. </span>
    <span>Share this quote</span>

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  2. Joseph J. Finn4:24 PM

    Jesus, I haven't seen DH is something like 6 years, have no idea what was going on in the rest of that clip and I was still crying at the end.

    RIP, Ms. Joosten.  I'll also remember with great fondness your episode of My Name Is Earl, a show who knew who to have fun with guest stars and you ran with it like crazy.

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  3. "They were so young, Charlie.  They were your age.  It's hard when that happens so far away because with the noises and the shooting, they had to be so scared. It's hard not to think that, right then, they needed their mother.  Anyway, I miss my boys."

    RIP.

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  4. <span>"You're not going to spoil my good time for me," President to Mrs. Landingham.
    "Oh, sir, I think we both know from experience that's not true."
    "Yeah."
    "You need to be in the car ten minutes ago, Mr. President."
    "Do you see me walking out the door?"
    "No, I see you standing and arguing with a senior citizen</span>

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  5. Emily8:44 PM

    <p><span><span>"Mrs. Landingham, does the president have free time this morning?"</span></span>
    </p><p><span><span>"The president has nothing but free time, Toby. Right now he's in the residence eating Cheerios and enjoying Regis and Kathie Lee. Should I get him for you?"</span></span>
    </p><p><span><span>"Sarcasm's a disturbing thing coming from a woman of your age, Mrs. Landingham."</span></span>
    </p><p><span><span>"What age would that be, Toby?"</span></span>
    </p><p><span><span>"Late twenties?"</span></span>
    </p><p><span><span>"Atta boy."</span></span>
    </p><p><span><span>"Can I have a cookie?"</span></span>
    </p><p><span>"No."</span></p>

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  6. Joseph J. Finn9:36 PM

    Bartlet:<span> Mrs. Landingham. Did you guys know she lost two sons in Vietnam? What would make her want to serve her country is beyond me, but in 14 years, she’s not missed a day’s work, not one.</span>

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  7. Saray1:48 AM

    Say hi to John, Kathryn.

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  8. I was going to post this quote - love that scene. I think Sam comes in right after she tells Toby no and she gives Sam a cookie. Heh. 

    RIP, Mrs. Landingham. 

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  9. Christy in Philly11:56 AM

    This made me cry. It's hard for me to watch my WW dvds because of how saddened i still am by John Spencer's death.

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  10. Emily3:55 PM

    I was trying to remember how many times she actually gave someone a cookie. It seems like people always wanted the cookies, but it was special to get one.

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  11. Emily W7:49 PM

    I recently loaned my complete series to a friend of mine who decided she finally wanted to watch. She's about 25% of the way through season 7, and last night at dinner she says "I completely forgot that John Spencer actually dies" and is now kind of dreading seeing what happens. (As we were leaving dinner, another friend of mine texts me "Mrs. Landingham died", and we both got a little weepy.)

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  12. Genevieve12:25 PM

    We watched WarGames last night, and I was so taken aback to see a younger John Spencer in the opening scenes, as the man who won't turn the key in the missile silo. 

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  13. Oh, this makes me so sad.  She was so wonderful as Mrs. Landingham.  The moment that always gets me is in ITSOTG, when she sees the news bulletin about shots fired at the president on the tv and she immediately moves into action, before the news even really registers with anyone else.  And any scene she had with Charlie - I loved them together.

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