January 11: Notable Deaths, with Quotes

On January 11 in years past, the world lost Johnny Grant, Will McDonough, Peter Cook, Bill Terry, and Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle. Learn more about them through their words.

Johnny Grant, radio personality, producer, unofficial mayor of Hollywood (1923–2008)

“You know Hollywood. It’s hype.” —Johnny Grant
Wyma, Mike. “Johnny Grant, 84; Hollywood’s biggest promoter.” Los Angeles Times, September 16, 2014, https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-grant10jan10-story.html.

“Oscar will be king, and the Kodak Theatre will be his palace.” —Johnny Grant
“Johnny Grant — Mayor of Hollywood.” Hollywood.TV, YouTube, July 8, 2007, https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=-rPcfNGmWiY.

“In Hollywood, you have to know that everything is done on relationships. You have to have relationships with people, a mutual trust.” —Johnny Grant
“Johnny Grant — Mayor of Hollywood.” Hollywood.TV, YouTube, July 8, 2007, https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=-rPcfNGmWiY.

Will McDonough, sports journalist (1935–2003)

“I proved once and for all you don’t have to be pretty to be on television.” —Will McDonough
“Will McDonough.” American Sportscasters Online, January 9, 2003, http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/mcdonoughmemorial.html.

“When you have heart disease, you know another blow is coming. The important thing is to be in the best shape you can to give yourself the best shot at surviving it.” —Will McDonough
“Will McDonough.” American Sportscasters Online, January 9, 2003, http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/mcdonoughmemorial.html.

Peter Cook, comedian and actor (1937–1995)

“I’ll go on getting more amateurish as I go along … I find myself unable to learn anything.” —Peter Cook
Braden, Bernard. “Now and Then: Peter Cook (1967).” BFI Screenonline, December 1, 1967, http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1375254/index.html.

“I can’t say I’m not ambitious, but I’m not very ambitious.” —Peter Cook
Parkinson, Michael. “1982 interview of Peter Cook by Michael Parkinson.” YouTube, October 2, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkKcklruLY4.

“Whenever I meet interesting people, nothing happens of any interest.” —Peter Cook
Parkinson, Michael. “1982 interview of Peter Cook by Michael Parkinson.” YouTube, October 2, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkKcklruLY4.

Bill Terry, baseball player and manager (1898–1989)

“Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Chicago will be the teams we’ll have to beat. I don’t think the Braves will do as well as they did last year. I was just wondering, is Brooklyn still in the league?” —Bill Terry
Livacari, Gary. “Giants’ Manager Bill Terry Learns A Lesson — the Hard Way!” Baseball History Comes Alive!, January 25, 2017, https://www.baseballhistorycomesalive.com/giants-manager-bill-terry-learns-a-lesson-the-hard-way/.

“I recall back a few years ago when they announced that I was selected to the Hall of Fame, I got quite a thrill. I knew that I had been held out on a couple of occasions by some of my good friends in the press, and I was a little surprised because of a remark that was made by one of the newspapermen, which said they were scraping the bottom of the barrel when they picked Bill Terry.” —Bill Terry
Evans, Cliff. “Bill Terry (1960) Interview by Cliff Evans.” YouTube, August 18, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXV4S9h3FfQ.

“Years ago, when Hornsby and I were in the league together, we used to try to knock the pitcher off the mound. If I was playing today, I’d try to do the same thing, because hitting through the middle of the field, you can get more base hits than you can by trying to pull the ball into right field, with me being a left-hand hitter. And the same thing with a right-hand hitter, if he hits to left field.” —Bill Terry
Evans, Cliff. “Bill Terry (1960) Interview by Cliff Evans.” YouTube, August 18, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXV4S9h3FfQ.

Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle, scientist and author (1657–1757)

“People very readily call useless, what they do not understand.” —Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle
Halley, Edmond. “Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol 1.” Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/49791/49791-h/49791-h.htm.

“It is strange that so many things are before our Eyes, and that we do not see them. Your Handycraft Shops are full of ingenious Works; but yet we hardly mind them: And very useful and well contriv’d Instruments and Experiments want Spectators, who wou’d be wonderfully pleas’d, wou’d they take the pains to admire them.” —Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle
Halley, Edmond. “Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol 1.” Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/49791/49791-h/49791-h.htm.

“Some Truths being consider’d by themselves shall be barren, till they are consider’d with reference to one another.” —Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle
Halley, Edmond. “Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol 1.” Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/49791/49791-h/49791-h.htm.