Thursday, March 11, 2010

Merlin Olsen


Hall of Fame football tackle, actor, commentator -- and FTD flower guy! Via the New York Times



Dorothy Janis

Dorothy Janis with Ramon Navarro in the 1929 film "The Pagan."

Juanita Goggins


Groundbreaking legislator dies in unhappy circumstances -- via MSNCBC

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Corey Haim


The adjectives in obits for this actor will be "troubled," "teen heartthrob"  -- via the L.A. Times and KTLA

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Doris Haddock


"Granny D" was a remarkable political activist -- via Yahoo News

Karl Malkames


This amazing man first made his name as a cameraman and cinematographer (he shot the car chases for "Thunder Road"); then, he saved hundreds of films as a pioneer of restoration and preservation -- including "Tillie's Punctured Romance," "Tumbleweeds," "The Iron Horse" and "The Big Trail." -- from NitrateVille

Willie Davis


Former Dodgers center fielder -- via Daily Pitch

Sir Kenneth Dover -- a life measured three ways

Sir Kenneth Dover (left) awarding a honorary Doctor of Music degree to a Mr. Robert Zimmerman of Hibbing, Minnesota.
A renowned scholar of ancient Greece -- depending on which obituary you read, he was either a beloved academic, a bold analyst of the birth of homosexual culture . . . or a guy who wished an employee would just drop dead.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Andree Peel

World War II Resistance heroine -- via the Times of London.

Martin Benson

 
Benson in a signature role, Solo in "Goldfinger."
Wonderful character actor -- via the Times of London.

Dorothy Calvert


Pirate radio pioneer -- via the Times of London

Edgar Wayburn


Conservationist doubled the size of America's parks and wildernesses -- via the L.A. Times

Richard Wyler/Richard Stapley

 
Film actor -- via Yahoo News

Elsie Phelps

She gave birth to five children in a tent -- she riveted bombers together in WWII -- she hunted, cleaned and canned meat for her family -- and believed in the healing power of whiskey. Quite an extraordinary life -- thanks to Mike Long for pointing this out! Via the Durango Herald

Pierre Vinet


Masterful on-set still photographer -- via Ain't It Cool News

Dodie Masterman

Renowned book illustrator -- via the Guardian

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Putting the fun back in funeral

 
 A Pittsfield, Massachusetts funeral home wants to add chili cookoffs, murder-mystery shows and a visit from the Easter Bunny to its offerings -- via the Berkshire Eagle.

Mark Linkous


Composer and performer best known for his work with Sparklehorse -- via Rolling Stone magazine

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Patricia Travers


A prodigy who vanished -- perspectives from the New York Times and NewJersey.com

Sammy Drake


Infielder was one of first pair of African American siblings in Major League Baseball -- via the L.A. Times

Claude Dorsey

Jazz pianist was fixture of Milwaukee scene -- via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. And here's a nice profile from 2003 via Maximum Ink.

Alert: Charles B. Pierce

 
The man who made this drive-in classic and "The Legend of Boggy Creek" has died.

More details coming! This Arkansas filmmaker made a movie for $160,000. It earned $25 million. An outsider artist par exellence. Via the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle. 

Philip Langridge

Brilliant English tenor was best known for his performances in the works of Benjamin Britten -- via WhatsonStage.com. A nice tribute in the Guardian; another from the New York Times and still another from the Times of London. Here he is singing the Hymn from Britten's Serenade....