Eddie Applegate, who played...

...Richard Harrison, Patty Lane's boyfriend on the 1960s sitcom The Patty Duke Show, died at age 81.

Mr. Applegate was the third cast member from the show to die this year. Ms. Duke died in March, and William Schallert, who played her father, died in May.

When Mr. Schallert died I noted it was less than two months after Ms. Duke. I asked, "Who's next, Ross? Richard?"

I also noticed at the time that Mr. Applegate was eleven years older than Ms. Duke. I asked:

Eddie Applegate, who played Patty's boyfriend Richard Harrison, is 80 years old. Can you believe that? He was playing a teenager when he was 30 years old. Couldn't they find anyone younger for that role?

Now -- I'm almost afraid to ask -- who's next, Ross?