Interesting, overlooked, and significant obituaries from around the world, as they happen, emphasizing the positive achievements of those who have died. Member, Society of Professional Obituary Writers.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Cristian Paturca
Democracy activist -- via the Canadian Press. He wrote the protest song "Imnul Gonlailor," which became a rallying anthem for anti-Communist protestors.
Milton Rogovin
Photographer and social activist -- via the New York Times. He captured the lives of those at the "bottom" of society, with respect and grace.
R. Sargent Shriver
Founding head of the Peace Corps, creator of many national anti-poverty programs, ambassador -- via the New York Times. "In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less at yourself and more at each other. Learn more about the face of your neighbor and less about your own.”
Georgia Carroll Kyser
Model, singer and actress -- via the Chapel Hill News Observer. She was pictured in so many ads from 1936 to 1946 that she has been informally referred to as "the first supermodel."
Michael Langham
Actor, director and influential theatrical manager -- via Playbill. He held sway at such institutions as Stratford, the Guthrie the La Jolla, and Julliard.
Chris Jenkyns
Writer/producer/art director -- via forum.bcdb.com. He worked primarily in animation, especially for Jay Ward ("Rocky & Bullwinkle," "George of the Jungle"), but for live-action shows such as "The Carol Burnett Show" as well.
Don Kirshner
Music publisher, producer and manager -- via Billboard. "The Man with the Golden Ear" started as the manager for Connie Francis; he moved on to co-own Aldon Music, which was a large part of the Brill Building Era of songwriting -- Goffin/King, Mann/Weil, Lieber/Stoller, Neil Sedaka, Phil Spector, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach . . . the list goes on and on. He even discovered Kansas -- the band, not the state.
He provided the music for the Saturday morning TV hit "The Monkees"; when the stars insisted on actually playing the music they sang on the show, Kirshner quit and created "The Archies," an animated music/cartoon show based on the classic comic strip. Later still, he created "In Concert"/"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert," an influential live-music series.
Some of the hits he published: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "The Locomotion," "I'm a Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville" . . .
He provided the music for the Saturday morning TV hit "The Monkees"; when the stars insisted on actually playing the music they sang on the show, Kirshner quit and created "The Archies," an animated music/cartoon show based on the classic comic strip. Later still, he created "In Concert"/"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert," an influential live-music series.
Some of the hits he published: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "The Locomotion," "I'm a Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville" . . .
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Flo Gibson
Recorder of audio books -- via the New York Times. She got her start as a radio actress, then moved into reading books for listeners, chalking up over 1,000 titles in the course of her career.
Barry Hobart aka Dr. Creep
TV horror-movie show host -- via WHIOTV. He was the infamous "Dr. Creep" in Dayton, Ohio's "Shock Theater," from 1972 to 1983.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Susannah York
Beautiful and talented actress -- via the Telegraph. Best in roles in films such as "Tom Jones, "The Killing of Sister George," "they Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and "The Silent Partner."
Friday, January 14, 2011
Tommy Crain
Guitarist -- via the Tennessean. He was best known for his long-time work with the Charlie Daniels Band.
Paul Picerni
Actor in film and television -- via monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com. He will be best remembered as Lee Hobson, the right-hand man of G-man Eliot Ness, played by Robert Stack, in the early TV series "The Untouchables."
From the New York Times: "Cyberspace When You're Dead"
Rob Walker discusses the pros and cons of the digital traces we leave behind online after we die -- via the New York Times. Can we, Pharaohnically, build eternity-challenging digital pyramids that will serve as electronic monuments?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Peter Hobbs
Actor -- via Theater Mania. This seemingly perpetually distinguished-looking performer started on the stage, but is best known most his incredible number of appearances on TV and in films, usually playing authority figures such as doctors, judges and men of the cloth. His sober appearance did not mean he couldn't be funny -- on the contrary, he was a superb and sly underplayer.
Ellen Stewart
Theatrical genius and visionary -- via the New York Times. She started La MaMa Experimental Theater Club in New York City in 1961. She somehow created and maintained a cooperative, forward-looking, tolerant, innovative performing space that was a major influence on the creative arts in the United States. She directed, produced, and did everything one does to keep an impossible dream alive. She did it! I met her in 1978 at a performance of "The Trojan Women" -- a show that ripped the top of my head off and redefined theatre for me. She changed my life and that of many others -- thank you, thank you, dear master! Here's a lovely portrait of her in the New York Times --
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Susana Chavez
Poet and human rights activist -- via the BBC and the Tribuna Meoqui. She worked hard to draw attention to and protest the hundreds of murders of young, poor women in and around Ciduad Juarez in Mexico. She herself was murdered. UPDATE on Jan. 13, 2011 on Chavez murder --
David Nelson
Actor, producer and director -- via the New York Times. He "grew up famous" as the oldest of two sons of bandleader Ozzie Nelson and singer Harriet Hilliard, who starred for decades as "Ozzie and Harriet" on radio and then TV. David and his younger brother Ricky were cast in the show and lived an odd kind of double life as family members on- and off-stage. Ricky went on to a moderately successful musical career; David maintained a lower profile. Ricky died in a plane crash in 1985; David lived a longer, and hopefully more tranquil life.
Christopher Trumbo
Screenwriter, historian, playwright and historian -- via ABC News. He was instrumental in illuminating the life of his father, blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo.
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