Late to the Game

shortformblog:

msnbc:

Nora Ephron, the celebrated screenwriter and director, died of leukemia Tuesday evening in New York, according to the New York Times.

Ephron, best known for penning the screenplay for “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) and then writing and directing “Sleepless in Seattle” (1989) and ”You’ve Got Mail” (1998), had not been reported as ill prior to a story from gossip columnist  Liz Smith — which repeatedly referred to the 71-year-old in the past tense while never pronouncing her dead.

Image: Jemal Countess / WireImage

Note that the Liz Smith story is currently down. (Anyone grab a copy?) The intro line: “I am sitting here with an open box of mail from and to Nora Ephron between the years of the early 60s and a month ago.”

EDIT: We found a cached version on Bing. Here’s the end part: 

I won’t say, “Rest in peace, Nora” – I will just ask “What the hell will we do without you?”

Maybe. I hope. Nora will answer.  Nora, we ARE  all basket cases.  There was no one like you.

She will be missed … and now I feel like re-watching When Harry Met Sally soon.

Director and screenwriter Nora Ephron • Discussing the birth of her most famous individual scene — when Meg Ryan loudly faked an orgasm in the 1989 film “When Harry Met Sally.” The scene came out of an argument between Ephron and the film’s director, Rob Reiner, though two of the key elements came from the film’s stars — the location, a deli (Ryan), and the “I’ll have what she’s having” kicker (Billy Crystal). Ephron died Tuesday at the age of 71. (via shortformblog)

(via shortformblog)