Actor and director -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com.
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.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Christopher Small
Musicologist -- via the New York Times. Fascinatingly, he redefined music as a verb, not a noun; as a ritual, not a product (he lays its commodification at the feet of capitalism). A bold thinker!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wade Mainer
The "grandfather of bluegrass" -- via the Washington Post. A vital link between the pre- and post-commercial country music scene.“'What we was playin’ in the ’30s was true country music — no electric instruments, no copyrights,' he once said. 'Something’d happen and someone’d write a song about it — nobody owned it, nobody’d know who wrote it. The music just told a story.'"
Richard Hamilton
The father of Pop Art -- via the New York Times. His 1956 collage, “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing?” is considered the first work in the movement.
He also famously designed the Beatles' "White Album" cover and its poster collage lyric sheet insert and photo portraits --
He also famously designed the Beatles' "White Album" cover and its poster collage lyric sheet insert and photo portraits --
Monday, September 12, 2011
Donald L. Taffner
TV exec - via the L.A. Times. On the one hand, he brought Benny Hill to America adn created "Three's Company"; on the other hand, he imported "Rumpole of the Bailey."
Keith Tantlinger
Mechanical engineer and inventor -- via the New York Times. He perfected the design of the international cargo container.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Cliff Robertson
Oscar-winning actor -- via the New York Times. His astonishing talent was never rewarded as fully as it should have been. He was blackballed for identifying studio bigwig David Begelman as a crook in 1977. Nonetheless, his work memorializes him. He had significant roles in "Picnic" and "The Naked and the Dead"; he played Joe Clay in the original TV broadcast of "Days of Wine and Roses." He was magnificent in "Underworld U.S.A.," "P.T. 109," "The Best Man," "Charly," "Three Days of the Condor," "The Pilot," and, finally, as Uncle Ben in the Raimi "Spiderman" trilogy. (On the corny side, he was "Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers" in an early live-TV sci-fi show, and guest villain "Shame" in the 60's "Batman" TV show.) A talented guy with integrity -- a rare combo.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Michael Hart
Creator of the ebook and founder of Project Gutenberg -- via arstechnica.com. He dreamed of making literature available, freely, electronically, to people around the world. Then he made the dream come true.
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