Talk:Michael Dunn (actor)/Archives/2013

Death--Suicide?
I have read over the years several sources that gave the cause of Dunn's death as suicide, even though one or two used phrasing that implied---but no more than that---there was some question as to the accuracy of that finding. Unfortunately, I no longer have access to those publications and therefore can't back up the claim with specific citations and by Wiki--regs can't post it, since every source cited here says otherwise. Does anybody have some documented info about the reports of suicide? Ted Watson 18:34, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

Complete rewrite
I just did a complete, thoroughly researched rewrite with copious citations. Please note that Dunn clearly did not commit suicide.Meticuliz (talk) 21:57, 24 January 2008 (UTC)
 * User:Ted Watson must be confusing Michael Dunn with the tragic David Rappaport. Meticulitz you are doing an outstanding job on a biography that could easily be swept aside and filled with myth and inaccuracy. I applaud you and can't wait until you submit it for a rating, looks like an easy B. I am finding that most people want to work on the big name articles and everyone else gets short shrift. EraserGirl (talk) 23:20, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

2 things in the 'career' section
1. there's no comma in 1960s

2. it would be better to say that in each episode in which they appeared together, the villainous couple tenderly sang...etc., thus avoiding the implication that a) one may find in each episode of the show one of their tender ballads, and b) that she was alongside him in each episode in which he appeared (you recall that he appears in several episodes in which she does not).

this is a good article. he deserves something this substantial & detailed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.160.162.242 (talk) 05:11, 4 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Thanks for your compliment and suggestions. I can't find a talk page for you so will answer here.  I've made your second suggested change--good catch.  Regarding punctuation of the year, last I checked The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage (which was a long time ago), it advocated using an apostrophe to render the plural of a year written in four digits, but only an initial apostrophe with no comparable ending apostrophe if the year is abbreviated to two digits, e.g:  "in the 1960's" versus "in the '60s."  If you have different information, please post.Meticuliz (talk) 05:40, 6 February 2008 (UTC)

yeah, this apostrophe (i wrote 'comma' before) thing is one of the modern classics; you see it almost everywhere. i can't speak for the past, but its use is now universally regarded as being in error. just google "apostrophe 1960s", for example, & you'll get dozens of style guides (u of cincinnati stylebook, for example) coming down on it.


 * Well, I decided it was time to subscribe to Chicago Manual of Style Online, and it backs you up:

"Capital letters used as words, abbreviations that contain no interior periods, and numerals used as nouns form the plural by adding s. But see 15.45 (for some exceptions) and 15.58 (for the International System).

"the three Rs/ the 1990s/ IRAs/ vol., vols./ URLs/ ed., eds."

(I added the boldface.)

Move over, 1960s English teachers! Meticuliz (talk) 17:11, 8 February 2008 (UTC)

No Emmy nominations!
I have been unable to confirm the widespread reports that Dunn received Emmy nominations for his guest appearances on The Wild, Wild West and Bonanza. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences does not have him listed at all. The Paley Center for Media (formerly The Museum of Television and Radio) also finds no confirmation among its primary-source reference books. I've amended this biography to reflect that information. Meticuliz (talk) 21:45, 8 February 2008 (UTC)

The term "vertically challenged" is preposterous
Regarding certain persistent edits to this document: Little People of America is a large organization representing about 5,000 persons with dwarfism, and "dwarfism" is the operative word--not "vertically challengedism." People with lower-body paralysis or amputation are also "vertically challenged," if you think about it. Some people make up fake "politically correct" terms for laughs, and other people make the mistake of taking them seriously. See: http://www.lpaonline.org

At the very least, we should respect the preference of the individual with the disorder--er, with the "different order." Dunn bluntly referred to himself as a "dwarf." Let's not offend his memory by being patronizing. Meticuliz (talk) 21:50, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Personal communications
I removed two citations to "personal communications". Wikipedia must rely on sources which have been previously published. That means in some fixed format like a book for example.Wjhonson (talk) 07:25, 20 August 2009 (UTC)