On Sunday, September 15, some of the most notable names in television dressed to impress and made their way down the red carpet at the 76th Annual Emmy Awards. The show was hosted by hilarious father/son acting duo Eugene and Dan Levy.
The night was full of memorable moments, including Shogun winning a record 18 Emmys in its first season, legendary actress Candice Bergen calling out Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance, and history-making wins for minorities.
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As with other awards shows, every year, the Emmys honors those in the industry that we have lost over the past year. This year, country artist Jelly Roll took to the stage and sang his moving song “I Am Not Okay” as pictures of those who have passed appeared on a screen behind him.
The In Memoriam segments never manage to show everyone who has died, but fans were shocked at some of the people who were left off, including murdered ABC star Johnny Wactor.
Johnny Wactor — who starred as Brando Corbin in ABC’s long-running soap opera, General Hospital — was killed in the early morning hours of May 25. Mr. Wactor was killed by thieves who were attempting to steal his car’s catalytic converter outside his work at a bar in Downtown Los Angeles.
According to police reports, Wactor and the coworker he was with originally thought his car was being towed. However, when they realized what was happening, they did not attempt to confront the thieves. Instead, Wactor’s coworker Anita Joy said that the actor remained calm and kept his hands by his sides, palms open, telling the men that the two were not a threat.
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Sadly, one of the thieves took out a gun and shot Wactor in the chest before the men fled. Ms. Joy quickly called 9-1-1 while a security guard they knew tried to keep the Siberia actor alive until emergency responders arrived. Sadly, there was nothing the paramedics could do, and Mr. Wactor died at the scene. He was just 37 years old.
Four men have been arrested in connection with Wactor’s murder. One of the men — 18-year-old Leonel Gutierrez — recently pled guilty to attempted robbery and grand theft. He was not charged with murder, as authorities say he was not the man who pulled the trigger. Wactor’s mother, Scarlett Wactor, has slammed the plea deal as too lenient, as she does not feel Gutierrez feels remorse for what he did.
Notable Names Ignored During Ceremony
Sadly, Johnny Wactor was not the only notable name left out of the In Memoriam segment. For some reason, The Shining (1980) star Shelley Duvall, actress Chita Rivera, director Eleanor Coppola, and fellow General Hospital star Tyler Christopher were all left out of the tribute.
Fans were disappointed to see the snubs, especially since the camera spent a long amount of time focusing on Jelly Roll as he sang. The moment was not about him, and the focus on him meant some people who had passed were left out.
Viewers were also upset that Matthew Perry and Treat Williams were not put in the segment, however, they were honored earlier this year. The 2023 Emmys had to be pushed back due to the WGA and SAG/AFRA strikes that happened last summer. The 2023 Emmy Awards did not take place until January 2023, and both Perry and Williams were honored.
Do you think awards shows need to work harder to include everyone who passed in their In Memoriam segments? Let us know in the comments.
