Final Years and Death
The final years of Reilly's life were primarily spent touring the country directing theater and opera, and offering audiences a glimpse into his background and personal life with a critically acclaimed one-man play chronicling his life called Save It for the Stage: The Life of Reilly. In 2004, his final performance of the play was filmed as the basis for an autobiographical independent film titled The Life of Reilly.
Reilly was ill with respiratory problems, while filming The Life of Reilly and retired from directing and performing immediately after the final day of shooting. The Life of Reilly was premiered in March 2006 at the South by Southwest film festival and Reilly's performance in the film received great acclaim. Reilly canceled his personal appearance at South by Southwest due to illness and by the time the film premiered he had been hospitalized. On May 25, 2007, Reilly died of pneumonia at his home. His remains were cremated. That weekend the Game Show Network was dedicated to Reilly, airing his funniest episodes of Match Game.
Read more about this topic: Charles Nelson Reilly
Famous quotes containing the words final, years and/or death:
“Life is a series of diminishments. Each cessation of an activity either from choice or some other variety of infirmity is a death, a putting to final rest. Each loss, of friend or precious enemy, can be equated with the closing off of a room containing blocks of nerves ... and soon after the closing off the nerves atrophy and that part of oneself, in essence, drops away. The self is lightened, is held on earth by a gram less of mass and will.”
—Coleman Dowell (1925–1985)
“The most important emotional accomplishment of the toddler years is reconciling the urge to become competent and self-reliant with the longing for parental love and protection.”
—Alicia F. Lieberman (20th century)
“Can even death dry up
These new delighted lakes, conclude
Our kneeling as cattle by all-generous waters?”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)