THE LAST WORD:

One was a local legend, the other an icon of the silver screen and nightclub acts of the ‘50s and ‘60s.

And over the span of just a couple of days, Art Gronsky and Joey Bishop have left Newport Beach mourning.

Gronsky, who died Friday at the age of 87, helped shape this coastal town. His family owned and renovated the Balboa Pavilion, just as it was being targeted for demolition in the late 1940s.

A boater and businessman, Gronsky worked hard to preserve Newport’s history. A member of the Newport Beach Historical Society, Gronsky pushed to establish the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

Bishop, a comedian best known as a member of the Rat Pack, died at his Lido Isle home on Thursday. He was 89.

The Rat Pack comprised five swashbuckling personalities in Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and longtime survivor Bishop.

Bishop, like John Wayne and other celebrities, decided to make his home in Newport.

A frequent visitor in the ‘60s to the Balboa Bay Club, he quickly became a favorite among locals.

So we join the community in saying goodbye to a pioneer son and funnyman.

Bon voyage.