The Late Great Gene Hackman

Legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead on February 26 2025. Readings on his pacemaker indicate he likely died on February 17 2025. He was 95 years old. As of yet a cause of death has not been determined. Among the films in which he appeared were Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The French Connection (19710, and  The Poseidon Adventure (1972),. He played Lex Luthor in the "Superman" movies starring Christopher Reeves.

Gene Hackman was born on January 30 1930 in San Bernardino, California. His family moved frequently before eventually settling in Danville, Illinois. His father abandoned the family and Gene Hackman was raised by his maternal grandmother. Gene Hackman enlisted in the United States Marines when he was only 16, lying about his age to do so. He served as a field radio operator and also as a disc jockey. Following his discharge, Gene Hackman studied journalism and television production briefly at the University of Illinois. Afterwards he studied at the School of Radio Technique in New York. He worked at various radio stations in the Midwest. He was 30 years old when he decided to become an actor.

Gene Hackman moved to Southern California, where studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. There he met Dustin Hoffman. In 1956 the two of them went to New York City to pursue work there. Mr. Hackman supported himself through various jobs, including driving a moving van and working at a Howard Johnson's restaurant.

In 1961 Gene Hackman made his television debut in an episode of The U.S. Steel Hour in 1959. He made his film debut in an uncredited part as a policeman in Mad Dog Coll in 1961. He made his Broadway debut in a production of Children From their Games in 1963. Gene Hackman's big break came when he played Buck Barrow, the brother of Clyde Barrow, in  Bonnie and Clyde (19670. In the Sixties he also appeared in the movies Lilith (1964), Hawaii (1966), Banning (1967), A Covenant with Death (1967), The Split (1968),. Riot (1969), The Gypsy Moths (1969), Donwhill Racer (1969), Marooned (1969), and I Never Sang for My Father (1970). He guest starred on the TV shows Brenner, Tallahassee 7000, The Defenders, Look Up and Live, Naked City, Route 66, The Dupont Show of the Week, East Side West Side, The Trials of O'Brien, Directions, Hawk, The F.B.I., The Invaders, Iron Horse, CBS Playhouse, I Spy, and  Insight. He appeared on Broadway in A Rainy Day in Newark, Any Wednesday, Poor Richard, and The Natural Look.

In the Seventies Gene Hackman won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role for The French Connection (1972). He first played Superman's archenemy Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and would reprise the role in Superman II (1980) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. He also appeared in the movies Doctor's Wives (1971), The Hunting Party (1971), Prime Cut (1972), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Cisco Pike (1972), Scarecrow (1973), The Conversation (1974), Young Frankenstein (1975), Zandy's Bride     (1975), The French Connection II (1975), Lucky Lady(1975),  Night Moves (1975), Bite the Bullet /(1975), The Domino Principle (1977),  A Bridge Too Far (1977), and  March or Die (1977).

In the Eighties appeared in the movies All Night Long (1981), Reds (1981), Under Fire (1983), Uncommon Valor (1983), Eureka (1983), Misunderstood (1984), Twice in a Lifetime (1985), Target (1985), Power (1986), Hoosiers (1986), No Way Out (1987), Bat*21 (1988), Split Decisions (1988), Another Woman( 1988), Full Moon in Blue Water (1988), Mississippi Burning (1988), The Package (1989), Loose Cannons (1990), Postcards from the Edge (1990), and Narrow Margin (1990).

In the Nineties Gene Hackman appeared on Broadway in Death and the Maiden. He appeared in the films Class Action  (1991), Company Business (1991), Unforgiven (1992), The Firm (1993), Geronimo; An American Legend (1993), Wyatt Earp (1994), The Quick and Dead (1995)., Crimson Tide (1995), Get Short (1995), The Birdcage (1996), Extreme Measures (1996), The Chamber (1996)., Absolute Power (1997), Twilight (1998), Enemy of the State (1998), Under Suspicion (2000), and The Replacements (2000). He was the voice of Mandible in the animated movie Antz (1998). In the Naughts he appeared in the movies The Mexican (2001), Heartbreakers  (2001),  Heist  (2001),  Behind Enemy Lines  (2001),  The Royal Tenenbaums (2001),  Runaway Jury (2003), and  Welcome to Mooseport (2004). He retired from acting in the Naughts.

Gene Hackman was also an author. He co-wrote the Wake of the Perdido Star, Justice for None, and Escape from Andersonville: A Novel of the Civil War. with undersea archaeologist Daniel Lenihan. He wrote two additional novels on his own, Payback at Morning Peak: A Novel of the American West. and Pursuit.

I do not think it is an understatement to say that Gene Hackman was one of the greatest actors of all time. From his appearance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde his talent was obvious. He earned his Oscar win as the tough as nails Popeye Doyle in The French Connection. He was impressive as college professor Gene Garrison, whose relationship with his father (Melvyn Douglas) is strained, in I Never Sang for My Father. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Supporting Actor for the role. Gene Hackman played so many roles throughout his career and played the remarkably well. In The Poseidon Adventure he played the willful and gruff, but unconventional Reverend Frank Scott, arguably the hero of the film. In The Conversation he played  the intensely private surveillance expert Harry Caul, who finds himself conflicted when he hears what could be a murder threat in his recordings. 

While Gene Hackman excelled in dramatic roles, he was excellent in comedy as well. He isn't on screen for very long as the blind man in Young Frankenstein, but he is one of the funniest parts of what is already a very funny film. In The Birdcage he played the right-wing, homophobic, Republican Senator Kevin Keeley. In The Royal Tenenbaums he played the patriarch of the Tenenbaum family, an alcoholic former lawyer whose relationships with his children are complicated, to say the least. In Get Shorty he was B-movie directory Harry Zimm, who owes a huge, outstanding gambling debt. Gene Hackman had a knack for comedy and could be very funny.

In the end Gene Hackman gave a number of impressive performances throughout his career and he also played a wide variety of roles. Indeed, to adequately address every great performance of Gene Hackman would take a book. The characters he played were often one of a kind. As an actor, Gene Hackman was certainly one of a kind himself.

Glory (1989)

For most of Hollywood's history, the Black experience during the American Civil War was ignored. When Glory premiered in 1989, it was then a unique film. Indeed, it remains a unique film. Glory is a somewhat fictionalized account of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which one of the earliest Black regiments to serve in the American Civil War.

Glory (1989) originated with Lincoln Kirstein. Lincoln Kirstein was a true Renaissance man. He was a writer, co-founder of the New York City Ballet, philanthropist, and impresario. Among his books was Lay This Laurel: An Album on the Saint-Gaudens Memorial on Boston Common, which centred on the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and Robert Gould Shaw. Lincoln Kirstein thought the story of the 5rth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment would make for a compelling film, and so he sought a screenwriter to write a script based on the military unit.

He first turned to Lloyd Fonvielle, who had written the films The Lords of Discipline (1983) and The Bride (1985), but, in Mr. Fonvielle's own words, he was too in awe of Lincoln Kirstein to collaborate with him. He then directed Lincoln Kirstein to his friend Kevin Jarre. Kevin Jarre had written the story for Rambo: First Blood Part III (1985) and had been an American Civil War buff since his childhood. Kevin Jarre read Lincoln Kirstein's book Lay This Laurel, as well as the book One Gallant Rush by Peter Burchard, as well as the lettres of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. and Brave Black Regiment - History of the fifty-forth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry by the Captain Luis F. Emilio, who was one of the officers of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment also provided inspiration for the film.

As a script centred around a Black infantry regiment during the Civil War, the script for Glory (1989) was not particularly easy to sell. Eventually director Bruce Berersford committed to making the film, and he brought in producer Freddie Fields, who worked out a deal with Columbia Pictures,. Unfortunately, when David Puttnam  left Columbia Pictures as its CEO and chairman, pre-production on the film stalled. Bruce Bereford left the project afterwards. Freddie Fields then took Glory (1989) to Tri-Star Pictures. Tri-Star Pictures brought Edward Zwick onboard as the film's director.

According to an article from Entertainment Weekly, Edward Zwick fought to avoid making Glory (1989) "a white saviour narrative." He said, "I ended up cutting a lot of what the studio had tried to insist that we put in the script or even shoot, because it was just fine, but it wasn't essential." Ultimately much of what the studio had insisted upon adding to the film would be cut. Morgan Freeman, who played Sergeant Major John Rawlins in the film, said of it, "This is a picture about the 54th Regiment, not Colonel Shaw, but at the same time the two are inseparable." To insure the movie's historical accuracy, Edward Zwick turned to historian and author Shelby Foote.

Glory (1989) ws filmed on location in both Massachusetts and Georgia. Among the locations in Massachusetts were Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Appleton Farm in Ipswich, and the African American National Historic Site on Beacon Street in Boston. The locations in Georgia inlcuded Savannah, Jekyll Island, and McDonough. The opening of the film, portraying Battle of Antietam was filmed at the Battle of Gettysburg site.

Glory (1989) entered limited release on December 14 1989. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film four and a half stars and wrote of the film "Glory is a strong and valuable film no matter whose eyes it is seen through." In The New York Times Vincent Canby wrote, "Gloary is celebratory, but it celebrates in a manner that insists on acknowledging the sorrow. This is a good, moving, complicated film." Richard Schickel in Time wrote of the movie, "It's the movie's often awesome imagery and a bravely soaring choral score by James Horner that transfigure the reality, granting it the status of necessary myth." Glory was nominated for five Academy Awards. It won the Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Denzel Washington, Best Cinematography for Freddie Francis, and Best Sound for      Donald O. Mitchell, Gregg Rudloff, Elliot Tyson, and Russell Williams II.

Like many historical films, Glory (1989) does depart from history at times. Except for Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the members of the 54th film are all fictional creations. The movie gives the viewer the impression that the 54th was largely comprised of escaped slaves. In fact, the majority of the regiment was made up of freemen who already lived in the North, many of them educated and literate. Indeed, Lewis Douglass, son of Frederick Douglass, served as a Sergeant Major in the 54th. The 54th also did not have any problems with being properly equipped.  While Black soldiers were only paid $10 as compared to the $13 paid to white, Colonel Shaw never tore up his voucher in protest. He did protest to father and the Governor of Massachusetts. There are yet other inaccuracies in the film beyond these.

While Glory (1989) does have many historical inaccuracies, there is still some truth to the film. Even in the North, African Americans were subject to racism and discrimination in the 1860s. Black solders serving during the Civil War did indeed have many hurdles to overcome. The white Union troops did not always make them feel welcome. Many of the scenes in the film, if they did not happen to the 54th themselves, happened to other Black units.

It is largely because of this truth that Glory (1989) is an inspiring film. It demonstrates the difficulties faced by one of the earliest Black units in the United States Army, and show show the 54th overcame them. Aside from being an inspiring story, Glory (1989) has probably led many to seek out the actual story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. It was critically acclaimed upon its release and is today a classic.

Michelle Trachtenberg Passes On

Michelle Trachtenberg died yesterday,February 26 2025, at the age of 39. The cause of death is undetermined. She was best known for playing the title character in the movie Harriet the Spy (1996), Dawn Summers on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Georgina Sparks on the TV series Gossip Girl.

Michelle Trachtenberg was born on October 11 1985 in New York City. She began acting when she was only three years old, appearing in commercials for everything from Whisk detergent ti Burger King and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. She made her television debut in 1991 in an uncredited part on the TV show Law & Order. She made her film debut in 1995 in an uncredited part in Melissa.

In the Nineties Michelle Trachtenberg had a recurring roles on the soap opera All My Children and the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She had  a regular role on the short-lived sitcom Meego. She was a panellist on the children's panel show Figure It Out. It was in 2000 that she began playing the regular role of Dawn Summer, the younger sister of Buffy Summers, on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She guest starred on the shows Clarissa Explains It All,. Dave's World, Space Cases, Blue's Clues, Reading Rainbow, and Guys Like Us. She appeared in the movies Harriet the Spy (1996), Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998), Inspector Gadget (1999), and Can't be Heaven (1999).

In the Naughts she continued to appear on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She was the host of the Discovery Kids show Truth or Scare. She began playing the recurring role of Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl in 2008. She provided various voices for the animated series Robot Chicken.  She was one of the leads on the short-lived medical drama Mercy. She guest starred on the shows Six Feet Under, House, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and The Superhero Squad Show. She appeared in the movies EuroTrip (2004), Mysterious Skin (2004), Ice Princess (2005), Beautiful Ohio (2006), Black Christmas (2006), Against the Current (2009), 17 Again (2009), and Cop Out (2010). She was a voice in animated short "DC Showcase: Jonah Hex."

In the Teens Michelle Trachtenberg continued to appear on Gossip Girl. She guest starred on Love Bites, Weeds, Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, Sleepy Hollow, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. She was a guest voice on the animated series SuperMansion. She appeared in the movies Take Me Home Tonight (2011), Sexy Evil Genius (2013), and The Scribbler (2014). In the 2020s she guest starred on the 2022 revival of Gossip Girl. She provided a voice for the documentary Spyral (2024).

I think it is safe to say that Michelle Trachtenberg  will always be best remembered for Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gossip Girl. For myself, it has always been Dawn Summers that comes to my mind when I think of her, a role in which she excelled.. Of course, she played many other roles beyond Harriet, Dawn, and Georgina. In the House episode "Safe," she played a teenager who has had a heart transplant and is immuno-compromised as a result. In the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Weeping Willow" she played a teen vlogger who is kidnapped during one of her videos. In the Criminal Minds episode "Zugzwang" she played a character far removed from most she had played, the murderous Diane Turner. Michelle Trachtenberg had a talent for playing a wide variety of roles, and she played everything from ingenues to Abigail Adams in an episode of Sleepy Hollow. She was an enormous talent who died much, much too young.

Godspeed Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack, best known for her hits "The First Tine Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song," died on February 24 2025 at the age of 88. She in November she revealed that she had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Roberta Flack had been born on February 10 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She grew up in Arlington, Virginia. She came from a musical family, and she learned to play piano while she was still young. She was only 13 years old when she played the complete Handel's "Messiah" for her church choir. She attended Stevens Elementary School in Washington, DC and Hoffman-Boston High School in Arlington. She was only 15 when she won a full musical scholarship to Howard University.

When her father died when she was 19, Roberta Flack left graduate school at Howard University to take a job as a teacher in Farmville, North Carolina. She taught music as a side hustle, and sang at various nightclubs. It was at Mr. Henry's in Washington, DC that she was discovered by y jazz great Les McCann in 1968. She was signed to Atlantic Records.

Her first single "Compared to What" was released in 1969. The same year her debut album, First Take, was released. Her debut album proved to be a hit, going to the top of the Billboard chart. Her early albums did very well, Chapter Two going  to no. 33 on the charts and Quiet Fire peaking at no. 18. Her first hit single was a cover of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend," which went to no. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It was after her cover of Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was used in the movie Play Misty for Me (1971) that the song proved to be her first major hit. It went all the way to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was not new when it became a hit single. It had appeared on Roberta Flack's first album, First Take, in 1969. It would be followed by "Where is the Love," a song with Donny Hathaway that went to no. 5 on the chart. This was followed by her second no. 1 hit, "Killing Me Softly with His Song." Originally recorded by Lori Lieberman, Roberta Flack's version proved to be a major hit. Later in the decade Roberta Flack would have another hit with Donny Hathaway, "The Closer I Get to You."

Following the Seventies Roberta Flack's hit songs would be more sporadic. "Making Love"peaked at no. 13 in 1982. In 1983 "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" went to no. 16. In 1991 "Set the Night to Music" made it to no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her last single was a previously unreleased 1971 cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," released in 2021. She continued to release albums into the 21st Century, the last being Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles.

Roberta Flack received several accolades throughout her career. Because of the awards for "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" she became the first artist to win the Grammy for Record of the Year in consecutive years .

It can be said that Roberta Flack's songs defied classification. They were not easily pigeonholed into any one category. They blended elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, and pop into something that was wholly unique. All of this was made possible by one of the warmest, most soulful voices in popular music at the time. With that voice she delivered her songs as if she was singing to the individual listener. Of course, here it must be pointed out that Miss Flack was not merely a singer of romantic songs, as she also dealt with Black empowerment and humanity in general. In the end Roberta Flack was one of the most powerful, most moving singers of the later half of the 20th Century.

The 75th Anniversary of Your Show of Shows

Clockwise from the left, Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and Imogene Coca

It was 75 years ago today, on February 25 1950, that Your Show of Shows debuted on NBC. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Your Show of Shows.  It was one of the earliest comedy variety shows and would have a lasting influence on future sketch comedy shows. It introduced the world to performers who would become legends: Sid Casesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris. To this day it is ranked among the greatest shows ever made.

Given the place Your Show of Shows occupies in television history, it should come as no surprise that it was created by two legends. Sylvester "Pat" Weaver was truly pioneering NBC executive. He not only created Your Show of Shows, but also Today and The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, among other programs. Producer Max Liebman could be considered the co-creator of Your Show of Shows. For many years Max Liebman had been the theatre director at Tamiment, a resort in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. He also produced several shows on Broadway.

Max Liebman had earlier created the television variety show Admiral Broadway Revue, which aired simultaneously on NBC and DuMont, making it one of the few shows to air on two different television networks at once. Admiral Broadway Revue could be considered a forerunner of Your Show of Shows in more way than one. Not only was it directed by Max Leibman, but it starred Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Mr. Leibman had earlier worked with Miss Coca on The Straw Hat Revue at Tamiment and later Broadway. Sid Caesar had also worked with Max Liebman prior to Admiral Broadway Revue. He had worked with Mr. Leibman while still in the Coast Guard in the production Tars and Spars and then on Broadway Make Mine Manhattan. Some of the writers from Admiral Broadway Revue would later work on Your Show of Shows, including Mel Brooks, Lucille Kallen and, Mel Tolkin. Admiral Broadway Revue proved to be popular, but ultimately only lasted form January 28 1949 to June 3 1949. The show was so popular that it increased demand for Admiral television sets so much that Admiral could not keep up with the demand. Admiral then cancelled Admiral Broadway Revues so they could shift the money used for the show into manufacturing TV sets.

The ninety-minute long Your Show of Shows was the second half of a two and half hour programming block called Saturday Night Revue. The first half was hosted by comedian Jack Carter.  The Saturday Night Revue would only last until 1951, but Your Show of Shows proved popular enough to last until 1954. Although best remembered for its comedy sketches, Your Show of Shows not only featured sketches, but also musical numbers, stand-up comedians, and yet other acts. Your Show of Shows featured a wide array of guest performers, including Eddie Albert, Robert Cummings, Tom Ewell,  Nanette Fabray, Nina Foch, Paulette Goddard, Marilyn Maxweell, and yet others. Even Kukla, Fran, and Ollie guest starred on Your Show of Shows.

Of course, the writers who worked on Your Show of Shows are now legendary. Although he was also a member of the cast, Carl Reiner also numbered among the writers on the show. Among the other writers were the aforementioned Mel Brooks, Lucille Kallen, and Mel Tolkin. Among the other writers were Selma Diamond, Danny Simon, and  Neil Simon. Contrary to popular belief, Woody Allen did not work on Your Show of Shows, although he would write for Sid Caesar's specials following the end of Caesar's Hour.

The cast of Your Show of Shows would change very little throughout its run. Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca were with the show from the beginning. Originally they were supported by Tom Avera, who was replaced by Carl Reiner after the first season. Howard Morris joined the show just a little later. Choreographer James Starbuck (another veteran of Admiral Broadway Revue) also occasionally appeared on the show. In addition to Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris the show also included singer Bill Hayes, singer Judy Johnson, The Hamilton Trio, and opera singer Marguerite Piazza.

Of course, Your Show of Shows remains best remembered for its sketches. Among these were sketches featuring recurring characters, such as the Hickenloopers, a mismatched couple; storyteller Somerset Winterset; The Professor, who was seemingly an expert on every subject under the sun, The vocal trio The Haircuts;and yet others. Of course, among the best known sketches of Your Show of Shows were its parodies of movies, TV shows, and plays. Among its most famous parodies is "This is Your Story," a parody of the show This is Your Life. Among the films spoofed on the show was the foreign film and now the classic The Bicycle Thief (1948).

Your Show of Shows remained popular in its fourth season, even though it had declined slightly from its height in the ratings. NBC then decided to spin Sid Casear and Imogene Coca off into their own shows. Caesar's Hour debuted on September 27 1954 and, in addition to Sid Caesar, featured Howard Morris and Carl Reiner. It lasted three seasons. The Imogene Coca Show debutd on October 2 1954 and did not prove as successful as Caesar's Hour. It only lasted one season, despire including Mel Brooks and Bill Dana among its writers.

Your Show of Shows was broadcast live, and all that survives of Your Show of Shows are kinescopes. Sadly, this means that many of the series's sketches are either missing or only partially complete. It was in 1973 that a compilation of ten sketches form the show, Ten From Your Show of Shows, was released theatrically. In 1976 a series of half-hour compilations of sketches from Your Show of Shows were syndicated on American television. It was later run on Comedy Central. Compilations of sketches have been released on DVD.

Your Show of Shows was a truly revolutionary show. It is to sketch comedy shows what I Love Lucy is to sitcoms and Tonight Starring Steve Allen is to late night talk shows. It pioneered everything from recurring sketches to movie parodies and established many of the tropes of sketch comedy shows. TV series from The Carol Burnett Show to The Muppet Show to Saturday Night Live have all been influenced by Your Show of Shows. Its cast would go onto further successes. Carl Reiner would create The Dick Van Dyke Show. Howard Morris would become a successful television director and is remembered as Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show. Its writers, from Mel Brooks to Neil Simon, would go onto further success as well. Seventy-five years after it debuted, Your Show of Shows remains one of the most influential shows of all time.

Samsung Should Keep Samsung Messages

Last September on my phone some times when I opened Samsung Messages there would be a prompt at the top of the app urging me to "upgrade" to Google Messages. After this happened a couple of times I went to the Samsung Members Community. There I found many who were complaining about the prompt to "upgrade" to Google Messages and I complained myself. Fortunately, the prompt stopped not long after that. Unfortunately, the prompts started again last week. This time I have complained on both the Samsung Members community and sent feedback to Samsung. Quite simply, I have no desire to switch to Google Messages or ever use Google Messages.

As to the reason for the prompt, last year it seems Samsung made the decision to prioritize Google Messages over their own Samsung Messages. As early as last July,, Samsung Messages no longer came pre-installed on the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6. It was in September that Samsung users (including myself) started getting the prompts to "upgrade" to Google Messages. Last month Samsung Messages was removed from the Google Play Sore, but it remains available on the Samsung Store. What is more, Samsung even updated Samsung Messages last month. It was also last month that Samsung caused some alarm when they said they were sunsetting Samsung Messages. Fortunately, it turns out Samsung had misspoken, as they clarified that Samsung Messages would remain available in the Galaxy Store. At least for now, it seems that Samsung Messages will remain available, even if it does not come pre-installed on newer phones.

Regardless given the anger Samsung users have expressed over the idea of Samsung Messages being discontinued or being forced to use Google Messages, I think it would be unwise for Samsung to discontinue Samsung Messages. Both last September and in the past week there have been a number of posts to the Samsung Members Community complaining about the prompts to "upgrade"to Google Messages. It seems a large number of people not only love Samsung Messages, but they absolutely hate Google Messages and refuse to switch to it. And, quite frankly, I can understand the reason why.

There is a reason I have put the word "upgrade"in quotation marks when discussing prompts to switch from Samsung Messages to Google Messages.From my standpoint changing from Samsung Messages to Google Messages would more properly be termed a "downgrade" It would be switching from a superior app to an inferior one. In my opinion Google Messages has one of the ugliest, most unwieldy interfaces ever made. It is certainly less user friendly than the Samsung Messages' interface. 

Samsung Messages also has features that Google Messages lacks. One can change the background colour of conversations or even add a background image. Samsung Messages has  recycle bin, so one can restore deleted messages up to 30 days. One an even sort conversations into categories. One big advantage for those of us who use other Samsung apps is that Samsung Messages is fully integrated with Calendar, Notes, and so on.

As to Google Messages, the one advantage it has that Samsung Messages does not is that one can easily access Google Messages on Windows PCs. Accessing Samsung Messages on a Windows PC is a bit trickier and requites one install the Link to Windows or Phone Link apps. Another thing Google Messages has that is lacking in Samsung Messages is support for RCS (Rich Communications Services). As for myself, I don't see this as a disadvantage. I do not use RCS myself nor do I wan to. I am perfectly happy with SMS and MMS.

Beyond whatever advantages either app might have, I also have to point out that another reason to use Samsung Messages is that Google already has something of a choke hold when it comes to Android apps. When the last time many people used a maps app other than Google Maps? How many Android users use Meet instead of another video communication app on their phones? Rightly or wrongly, Google has faced antitrust suits. In making Samsung Messages, Samsung provides Google with a bit of competition that it might not have otherwise.

I have used Samsung Messages ever since I first got a smart phone. I have tried out Google Messages and I have never found it to my liking. I consider Google Messages to be a far inferior app to Samsung Messages to the point that if Samsung does discontinue Samsung Messages, I will simply download and install another SMS app. I certainly will not downgrade to Google Messages. What is more, there are apparently many people like me. Given that, Samsung should not only continue to make Samsung Messages, but they should start pre-installing it on their phones again, make it the default messaging app on their phones, and make it available on the Play Store again.