Sunday, June 6, 2010

Helen Krich Chinoy


Great theater writer and historian -- via the New York Times

Himan Brown


Radio producer during the medium's glory days; he later created the revival series, CBS Radio Mystery Theatre -- via the New York Times. P.S. -- although the obit writer states that "while radio dramas are now celebrated as wistful nostalgia by people in their 70s and 80s," I can state that my affection for and belief in the power of radio has grown since my boyhood days (I am 49), and that I have created and produced several radio projects, and would love to keep the tradition alive! Thanks, Mr. Brown -- you have been a life-long inspiration!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Opalanga Pugh


Master storyteller succumbs to cancer at age 57 -- via the Denver Post

Arne Backstrom


Freeskier dies on Peruvian mountain at age 29 -- via the Statesman

Brian Duffy


British photographer documented the Swinging '60s -- via the Telegraph and the Times of London

Friday, June 4, 2010

John Wooden


Greatest college basketball coach of all time -- via the New York Times. A more comprehensive tribute is here, via the L.A. Times.

Eddie Barth


Prolific TV actor -- via the Hollywood Reporter

Richard Dunn


Actor -- via the Long Island Press

Johnny Gibson


Tuscon icon was barber, health enthusiast -- and here he relates his hair-raising memories of battle in World War II -- via KOLD-TV and ww2paratroopers.com.

Stephanie Leathers


One of the greatest Cubs fans, and editor of "The Bleacher Banter" -- via the Chicago Sun-Times

Frances R. Gioe


Professional mermaid -- via the Orlando Sentinel

Morrie Martin


Former MLB pitcher -- via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Joseph Strick


Film iconoclast did the impossible -- adapted James Joyce for the screen. He also won an Oscar for his documentary efforts. Via the L.A. Times

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Rogelio 'Limonar' Martinez


Cuban baseball legend -- via El Nuevo Herald

Giuseppe Taddei


Wonderful operatic baritone, who worked with Callas, Pavarotti, Nilsson, Toscanini and many more -- via Wikipedia

Josefa Cotillo Martinez aka 'La Polaca'


Dancer and actress -- via La Verdad. A summation of her career in English at the excellent requiem site Boot Hill (westernboothill.blogspot.com).

Sherwin Sloan


Opera fan championed Wagner's "Ring" cycle -- via the L.A. Times

Peter Price


Master carpenter created for stage, rock and corporate projects -- via The Stage

Esther Mabry


Blueswoman and owner of Esther's Orbit Room -- via the Oakland Tribune

Pat D'Arcy


English teacher and author -- via the Guardian

Polly Renton


40-year-old documentary filmmaker dies in road accident -- via the Telegraph

Marie Caillet


Gardener championed Louisiana irises -- via the Dallas Morning News

Lorrie Otto


Environmentalist and educator was known as the "mother of natural landscaping" -- via the Seattle Times

Danny Street


Ubiquitous British session singer -- via the Telegraph

Roger Manderscheid


Luxemborgian author -- via Nomadics. Pretty unknown due to his writing in Letzebuergesch, but a translated poem on the referenced page is pretty good!

Dorothy DeBorba


Former "Our Gang" member -- via Wikipedia

Thomas 'Butch' White


Doo-wop singer had hit with 'Teardrops' -- via Philadelphia Daily News

Larry Dale aka Ennis Lowery


Blues guitarist and vocalist -- via the Washington Post

Humor: P.J. O'Rourke proposes 'pre-obituaries'


The well-known satirist posits a jab at the not-quite-dead -- via the Weekly Standard

Tom C. Alusheff aka Morey Cohen

 Police officer, candymaker, comedian, wrestler and more -- via cleveland.com

Floribert Chebeya


Human rights activist -- via AFP

Rue McClanahan


Actress best known for her work on TV's "Maude," "Golden Girls" -- via People magazine

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Joan Rhodes aka Josie Terena


Strongwoman -- via the Telegraph

Yvonne Howell Stevens

 Silent-film actress was 107; was one of Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties -- via

Hsiao Li Lindsay


Peeress was part of China's 20th-century tumult; wrote engaging memoir "Bold Plum" -- via the Guardian

Ruben Juarez

 Argentine accordionist and singer -- via the Latin American Herald Tribune

Randolph Stow


Australian writer -- via the Australian

Benjamin Lees

 Composer -- via the Desert Sun

Jeanne Robinson


Choreographer, dancer and writer -- via the Chronicle Herald

William Fraker


Primarily known as a marvelous and indefatigable cinematographer, he also directed a great Western, "Monte Walsh" -- via the L.A. Times

Leslie Scalapino


A prodigious writer who was a poet, playwright, publisher and more -- via epf

Jackson Kaujeua

Namibian composer and singer -- via the Southern Times

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Anthony Harley, aka Little Benny


Trumpeter, vocalist was pioneer of go-go music -- via the Washington Post

Jeriome Robertson


Former MLB pitcher -- via mlb.com

Karle Seydel


Urban activist championed Denver's "LoDo" -- via the Denver Post

Andrei Voznesensky


Soviet poet -- via the New York Times

Monday, May 31, 2010