Some might say that the loss of so many talented individuals over so the past several years has been an unbearable tragedy, and with some performers that have passed on this would certainly be true. But what feels more accurate is that the passing of Armelia McQueen and several others is more noticeable as one gets older largely because many of us are starting to get older and are taking greater notice of the passage of time. For many that are still young and don’t feel that press, it’s a little more difficult to take note when there are so many other things to pay attention to, especially when it comes to simply living life. But while those us that are reaching middle age and older have likely noted, the generation that many of us grew up with and enjoyed as children and adolescents have started to age and pass on. Armelia was 68 at the time of her passing and had gained a great deal of success starring on Broadway, in several movies, and as a guest star on several TV shows, but it does feel accurate to say that a person would have to have seen her act in order to truly recognize her. In the same breath, she did manage to find roles in several productions that were impressive and allowed her to rub shoulders with some of the most famous performers of the time.
There’s been no word of what caused her demise at this time, but the entertainment industry is lessened just a bit as people remember a bright and energetic individual that managed to light up the stage with her presence and helped out by doing her part for whatever production she was a part of. One of her biggest and most well-known roles occurred in Ghost when she played one of Whoopi Goldberg’s on screen sister, but Armelia was known to many others for her acting talents as well. There are so many famous names that do their best to be known in show business that it’s very easy to let several slip past one’s notice since trying to keep up with all of them is beyond difficult. Taking the time to recognize a few of them now and again though is a wise idea since it can bring about a surprise to people who might not have realized just how talented some people are. The fact that Armelia was a part of Broadway as well speaks well for her career and how she attempted to keep it going as much as possible. Much like many actors she reached a certain peak and didn’t appear to move past it, but the fact is that she reached a place in her life that might have been good enough or at least been somewhere greater than she’d experienced in the past.
Too many times it’s been seen that a career that has a great deal of promise either doesn’t go forward in the manner that it should, or that the person is not valued as much as they need to be. In other cases the individual is happy with what they’ve achieved and the career that they have accomplished. Not everyone is destined to be remembered as one of the greatest individuals in the history of cinema or even entertainment, but many upon many of them are bound to be remembered for at least one or two great instances that helped to define their lives and their careers. These are the individuals that have a couple of great moments in life, that shine with a radiance that’s consistent but not overpowering, and they’re the people that tend to be there as a support for those that are meant to be glorified by the masses. Without those supporting characters there, the stars would have to pull double duty in order to get people to stick around. The supporting cast members, who can step into the spotlight from time to time, are those that lighten the load for the main actors, taking on the burden of keeping people interested while not taking as much of the credit. People can think what they want of Armelia and her career, but the truth is that she was a talented woman the did what she loved to do and was no doubt enamored of her career since it had brought her a life that many only ever dream of. As an actress, she reached a level that a lot of people don’t always manage to experience.
Her passing is definitely sad since it’s one more star from Hollywood that feels like a premature loss that didn’t need to happen. But one thing that’s been obvious for a while now, everyone is bound to take that last bow one day, no matter how premature it feels. Rest in peace ma’am.
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