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"I miss her hugs": British acting legend shares heartbreaking loss

Actor Warwick Davis has shared the heartbreaking news of his wife's death. The actor, known for his roles in Harry Potter and Star Wars, took to social media to share the news of his wife Samantha's death, who passed away at the age of 53. “Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs”, Warwick, 54, said. He added, “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes. “Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.” Warwick said Samantha was his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”. The couple’s children, Harrison and Annabelle, added, “Mum is our best friend and we’re honoured to have received a love like hers “Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives”. Warwick and Samantha met on the set of the movie Willow in 1988 and got married three years later. Samantha had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes disproportionate dwarfism. Warwick has previously opened up about his wife’s health after she was rushed to hospital with sepsis in 2018, and had to undergo several different surgeries to stabilise her condition. Warwick, co-founder of charity Little People UK, has often spoken out about the health battles related to his condition, as well his wife’s. He was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), an extremely rare genetic form of dwarfism, which has been inherited by both their daughter Annabelle and son Harrison. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

One of Australia’s last surviving ‘Rats of Tobruk’ passes away aged 102

Dennis Davis, a World War II veteran and one of Australia’s last surviving ‘Rats of Tobruk’ has passed away aged 102. Mr Davis was one of 14,000 diggers who held out against German and Italian forces in the 241-day siege on Libya’s Tobruk port in 1941. The Aussie soldiers, along with another 5,000 allied soldiers, were dubbed the ‘Rats of Tobruk’ for their efforts over the eight-month campaign. After falling ill in the days before Anzac Day this year, Mr Davis secured a leave pass from the hospital so that he could still attend an Anzac ceremony at Sydney’s Town Hall, where he laid a wreath in honour of his fellow veterans. “It was harder to get out of the hospital than it was to get out of the army,” he joked to his family, according to the Australian Remembrance Foundation. During Channel 7’s ‘Lest We Forget’ concert tribute to the ANZACs earlier this year, Mr Davis was the subject of a Veteran’s Tribute, before he laid the wreath at the Town Hall Anzac Day service. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oaq3RS9Rffk?start=904&end=1174" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> On Monday, August 15, Mr Davis attended a ceremony at the cenotaph in Sydney’s Martin Place with fellow veterans to mark the 77th Victory in the Pacific Day. The foundation announced Mr Davis’ passing on Thursday, August 18, as reported by the AAP. <a href="https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/stories-service/veterans-stories/dennis-daviss-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">His story</a> is also included in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs stories of service program, which shares the experiences of veterans to support education in Australia’s military history. After migrating from London to Australia, Mr Davis enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1940, serving in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo during WWII. Following his involvement in the Seige of Tobruk and battles at El Alamein, Mr Davis was sent to serve in a newly formed ski unit. On his return to Australia, he married his fiancé Margaret before departing again to serve in New Guinea and Borneo. Mr Davis was finally discharged in November 1945 and returned to his job at the tax office. He was married to Margaret for 61 years before she passed away in 2004, and they are both survived by two children, seven grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren. Image: Veterans’ Foundation (Facebook)

Caring

“There is no other”: Betty Davis, the ‘Queen of Funk’, dies at 77

Funk and soul legend Betty Davis has died at 77 years old.Danielle Maggio, a friend of the music star and model, confirmed the news on Wednesday, as reported by Metro UK.Maggio also took to Twitter to share the sad news, writing: “Devastated by the passing of my dear friend, pioneering songwriter, singer and producer, #BettyDavis.”She confirmed that the “Queen of Funk” died peacefully, with “no pain or fear”.“Knowing her was the greatest honour of my life,” Maggio wrote. “I love you, Betty. Your music and spirit will live on forever.”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Devastated by the passing of my dear friend, pioneering songwriter, singer and producer, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BettyDavis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BettyDavis</a>. There was no pain or fear as she left this physical world. Knowing her was the greatest honor of my life. I love you, Betty. Your music and spirit will live on forever. <a href="https://t.co/8pZAK6nS0S">pic.twitter.com/8pZAK6nS0S</a>— Danielle Maggio (@saucequeen_pgh) <a href="https://twitter.com/saucequeen_pgh/status/1491500133074280453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote>Amie Downs, the communications director for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - where Davis lived - told <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/betty-davis-dead-obit-1297372/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolling Stone</a> the star died of natural causes.In a statement on Wednesday, Davis’ longtime friend Connie Portis remembered the trailblazing singer as a “beloved member of her community”.“It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Betty Davis, a multi-talented music influencer and pioneer rock star, singer, songwriter, and fashion icon,” Portis said.“Most of all, Betty was a friend, aunt, niece, and beloved member of her community of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and of the worldwide community of friends and fans.”Davis, born Betty Mabry in North Carolina, moved to New York, where her music career began.She became known for her sexualised lyrics, rising to fame to produce hits like Get Ready for Betty, If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up and It’s My Life.Davis also wrote Uptown (to Harlem), which appeared on The Chamber Brother’s 1967 album The Time Has Come.She released her self-titled first album in 1973, followed by They Say I’m Different in 1974 and Nasty Gal in 1975.Davis was also known for being the second wife to jazz legend Miles Davis, who was 19 years older than her. The pair were wed in 1968 after being together for two years, but filed for divorce after just one year.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It's been talked about over and over but let's just emphasize again how Betty Davis had a GIGANTIC impact on music, as well as being unapologetically herself as both an independent woman as well as an artist. A true pioneer and trailblazer <a href="https://t.co/01g53Sd93g">pic.twitter.com/01g53Sd93g</a>— COSMO BAKER (@CosmoBaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/CosmoBaker/status/1491462261134798850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote>Though their marriage was brief, Davis still influenced her former husband’s music, appearing on the cover of his album Filles de Kilimanjaro and inspiring the track Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry).Despite releasing her album in the same year, Davis left the music industry in 1975, moving to Pittsburgh to get away from the spotlight.Her disappearance from the public eye didn’t stop her from gaining a cult following or continuing to inspire a new generation of artists. The renewed interest in her work resulted in the re-release of her albums in 2007, as well as the debut of her unreleased fourth album, which was recorded in 1976 and released under a new name in 2009.Speaking to the New York Times in 2018 about her decision to retire, Davis said: “When I was told that it was over, I just accepted that. And nobody else was knocking at my door.”During the same year, Davis released her first song in 40 years, titled <a href="https://daniellemaggio.bandcamp.com/album/a-little-bit-hot-tonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Little Bit Hot Tonight</a>, which was performed by Maggio on Davis’ behalf.Portis said a tribute would be made to “her beautiful, bold and brash persona” at a later date.“Today we cherish her memory as the sweet, thoughtful, and reflective person she was… There is no other.”Image: Getty Images

News

The real reason Kyrgios was left off the Davis Cup team

Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis has <a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/he-was-asked-doubles-partner-kokkinakis-drops-kyrgios-bomb/news-story/474df82cd7d17fd1f4c5da5c9a8996c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dispelled rumours</a> that Nick Kyrgios was snubbed by Lleyton Hewitt after Kyrgios was the big omission from Hewitt’s lineup for the upcoming Davis Cup.Following his triumph in last month’s Australian Open men’s double, Kokkinakis revealed his partner had made himself unavailable for the international competition.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWMgrGJVcX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWMgrGJVcX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Thanasi Kokkinakis (@the_kokk1)</a></div></blockquote>Kyrgios has also pulled out of the Delray Beach ATP Tour event in Florida, which kicks off next week, and his participation at ATP events at Acapulco, Mexico and Indian Wells, California are yet to be announced.However, the 26-year-old appeared to be a glaring omission from the squad picked by Hewitt for Australia’s Davis Cup qualifying match against Hungary.Instead, Kokkinakis was picked for the first time since 2015, along with Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, John Peers and Luke Saville.Following reports that Kyrgios’ absence from the squad was a “snub” from Hewitt, Kokkinakis has said it was Kyrgios who turned down Hewitt’s offer.“He definitely was asked to play,” Kokkinakis told Sky News.“He has a few things on so he wasn’t able to play but he definitely didn’t get snubbed or anything - I saw those headlines and he didn’t get snubbed at all. Hopefully we can team up again in the future.”Though Hewitt and Kyrgios have had a turbulent relationship in the past, it seems their rift has been mended, with Kokkinakis saying they now have a “good relationship”.“I think Nick has shown he always loves playing for Australia. I’m not sure exactly what he has on, but he obviously has something pretty important,” he said.“He’s obviously in our strongest team. He was definitely asked, and I think he and Lleyton have a good relationship, but he just wasn’t available for this time.”At the time that the squad was announced, Hewitt had nothing but praise for Kokkinakis, who will have the chance to compete in both the singles and doubles after claiming his maiden ATP Tour singles title at the Adelaide International prior to his Australian Open win.“Thanasi had a fantastic Australian summer,” Hewitt said.“He really cemented himself as a top 100 player again, winning his first title at home in Adelaide and beating quality players. And then to go on to win the Australian Open doubles, this is going to give him a lot of confidence heading into this tie.”Australia will qualify for the Davis Cup Finals, held at the end of the year, if the team defeats Hungary during their match in Sydney on March 4 and 5.Image: @k1ngkyrg1os (Instagram)

News

There’s no place like home!

After several months on the market, Judy Garland's former Hollywood Hills home – which Sammy Davis Jnr owned at one time – has sold for $4.675million, about $1.5 million shy of the original price tag. The 5,000 square feet Art Deco home overlooks LA’s Sunset Strip and was built in 1941 by John Elgin Woolf, an architect known for designing homes for celebs including Cary Grant and Bob Hope. Garland lived in the home from 1944 to 1948, along with then-husband Vincente Minnelli and their daughter, Liza Minnelli, who was born in 1946, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/home/see-inside-judy-garlands-former-hollywood-hills-home-now-listed-for-6-million/" target="_blank">People</a>. The five bedroom, seven-and-a-half bathroom home sold for $1.5million below the property owner's original asking price, the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2020-08-21/judy-garlands-former-hollywood-hills-haunt-sells-for-4-675-million" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a> reported. The three-story home features multiple decks and patios, which offer up grand views of Los Angeles and the canyon, as well as an indoor-outdoor living room and a master suite with a private balcony. Also among the home's features are a screening room with a hidden bookshelf door that leads to a secret bedroom. The listing also included a pool/guesthouse, which features a custom fireplace, marble bar, billiards room and sleeping loft. The property sits on a third of an acre of land, which includes landscaped gardens full of bamboo, tropical plants and fruit trees and a swimming pool. Despite having been tweaked in the years since Garland owned the home, many of Woolf's original design elements – such as his detailed railings – and floor plans remain. The room that once belonged to baby Liza Minnelli still exists next to the downstairs living room space, as does the “Judy Garland Suite” – the original master bedroom – which is behind a floor-to-ceiling bookcase. An additional hidden room in the home lies behind a walk-in closet and dressing area. After Garland moved out of the home, it was bought by comedian and actor Wally Cox, who then sold it to Davis Jr. in 1955, expanded the property and tacked on the pool house. Real estate company Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties said in its listing that the guesthouse was meant to be a place where music could be recorded or late-night parties could be held so that they wouldn't disturb Davis Jr's children who slept in the main house. While Davis Jr. owned the home, rock act The Band lived and recorded music there. According to online real estate records, the house was on the market for 181 days before being sold on August 5 after originally being listed for $5.2million. It appears the home was initially listed on the market in February for $6.129million. IMAGES: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.mls.com/" target="_blank">MLS</a> Real Estate Listings / Wikimedia

Real Estate

Good news for Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries fans

The Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries cast are set to reunite for a <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/2017/01/miss-fishers-murder-mysteries-becomes-movie-trilogy/" target="_blank">feature film.</a> Phryne Fisher, played by Essie Davis, will star in Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears. The movie will see the cast head to Morocco and Melbourne in October this year for filming, although the film is set in London and Palestine. The film will follow Miss Fisher as she rescues a Bedouin woman from prison in British Mandated Palestine. Miss Fisher then promises to help the young woman, Shirin Abbas, find out the truth about the ‘Crypt of Tears’ – an ancient crypt buried beneath the Negev Desert. Original co-stars such as Nathan Page, Miriam Margolyes and Ashleigh Cummings will join forces once again for the murder mystery. The ABC TV series, based on Kerry Greenwood’s novels, ran for three seasons and saw Essie Davis nominated for the 2014 and 2016 Gold Logie Award. The TV-series’ set-up director, Tony Tilse, will direct the film, and creators Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger will co-executive produce. The film received over $730,000 on an online crowd-funding website for the production of the film. Screen Australia also invested just over $8 million for the feature, and Roadshow Films will distribute it in Australia and New Zealand. Sally Caplan, Head of Production at Screen Australia, said: "The Miss Fisher TV series has had extraordinary success with international sales in over 170 territories and is testament that strong female characters resonate with audiences. Every Cloud have smartly leveraged this fan base into crowd-funding for the film, and assembled the same creative team to expertly deliver a big screen chapter of the adventures of Miss Fisher with excellent commercial prospects." The release date has not yet been revealed.

The $9 nail polish Queen Elizabeth wears

Queen Elizabeth has proven that she has a specific taste that she likes to keep to. She owns more than 200 versions of the same purse, finishes each night with a glass of bubbly and won’t travel without her favourite dessert. This behaviour extends to her nail care as the Queen will only wear one shade of nail polish from the Essie collection. <img width="498" height="325" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37047/essie_498x325.jpg" alt="Essie"/> The Queen uses the “Ballet Slippers” nail polish which is a favourite shade of beauty bloggers and celebrities. The tone won’t clash with any of the Queen’s bright outfits and it is subtle enough to remain unnoticeable beneath white gloves. According to Essie, the Queen was a fan of this pink polish before 1989 when her hairdresser sent the company a letter requesting a bottle of “the only colour Her Majesty would wear." At least this nail polish preference isn’t as expensive as her purse taste. This nail polish can be purchased on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/essie-nail-polish-ballet-slippers/dp/B0030IMVZ6?tag=geo02a9-20&SubscriptionId=AKIAIIO45QSTAA4R2Q6Q&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0030IMVZ6&th=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> for $9 (USD).

Beauty & Style

Bette Davis style gallery

In the lyrics to “Desolation Row”Bob Dylan writes: “Cinderella, she seems so easy ‘It takes one to know one,’ she smiles and puts her hands in her back pockets Bette Davis style.” But what exactly is Bette Davis’ style? They say Bette Davis’ big, beautiful eyes were also the window to a very strong soul. With sensual, doe eyes and a feminine silhouette, she was a style inspiration on and off the screen. The Hollywood starlet dressed for herself, often donning vintage pieces, androgynous clothing and sharp lines to match her sharp wit. Here is a collection of some of our favourite Bette Davis looks. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/02/best-elizabeth-taylor-looks/">Our favourite Elizabeth Taylor looks</a> <a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/03/jean-harlow-style-tips/">Jean Harlow’s timeless style tips</a> <a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2015/12/judi-dench-stylish-moments/">Judi Dench’s most stylish moments</a>

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"I miss her hugs": British acting legend shares heartbreaking loss

One of Australia’s last surviving ‘Rats of Tobruk’ passes away aged 102

“There is no other”: Betty Davis, the ‘Queen of Funk’, dies at 77

The real reason Kyrgios was left off the Davis Cup team

There’s no place like home!

Good news for Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries fans

The $9 nail polish Queen Elizabeth wears

Bette Davis style gallery