Tuesday, January 8, 2013

David R. Ellis

Stuntman and director -- via the L.A. Times. His big hit? "Snakes on a Plane"!




Sammy Johns

Singer/songwriter -- via the Charlotte Observer. His big hit? "Chevy Van," 1975.

Richard Ben Cramer

Journalist -- via the New York Times.

Ada Louise Huxtable

Architecture critic -- via the New York Times.

Huell Howser

TV host -- via the L.A. Times.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Carl Hughes

Driving force behind Kennywood amusement park -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Beate Sirota Gordon

Feminist heroine who drafted women's rights into the Japanese constitution -- via the New York Times.

Carl Woese

Biophysicist and evolutionary microbiologist -- via the New York Times. He discovered the "third domain" of organisms, archaea.

John Sheardown

Diplomat who saved several would-be American hostages in Iran -- via the New York Times. Sounds like a heck of a guy, and this incident from his NYT obit is impossible not to reprint -- 

"At 18, he joined the Canadian Air Force and flew a bomber in World War II, once crash-landing near an English village after limping back from an attack on Germany. He broke both legs, but was able to crawl to a pub door at 3 a.m. and rouse the owner. He asked for a glass of Scotch, which the owner gave him. The owner then asked for payment while Mr. Sheardown waited for an ambulance — a story Mr. Sheardown relished."

Christopher Martin-Jenkins aka CMJ aka 'The Major'

Cricket journalist -- via the Guardian.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

J. Michael Travis

Film producer -- via the Hollywood Reporter. Responsible for work such as "Give 'em Hell, Harry!" and "Richard Pryor: Live in Concert."



Irving Saraf

Oscar-winning producer, editor, and director -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

Bruce Stark

Sports cartoonist -- via the New York Daily News.


Jimmy Farrell

Umpire room attendant, Chicago Cubs -- via the Chicago Tribune.

Efren Bernal

The man who painted San Francisco's cable cars -- via CBS San Francisco.

Mike Auldridge

Dobro master -- via the New York Times. One of the founders of the Seldom Scene, his wonderful playing was an inspiration!







Lloyd Charners aka Lloyd Chalmers aka Lloyd Terell aka Lloyd Terrell

Ska and reggae singer, keyboardist, and record producer -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

Claude-Anne Lopez

Author and expert on Benjamin Franklin -- via the Philadelphia Inquirer.


Rebecca Tarbotton

Environmental activist -- via the New York Times.

Dean Hocking



Bassist -- via antimusic.com.

Rita Levi-Montalcini

Nobel Prize-winning neurologist -- via the New York Times.

Richard Rodney Bennett

Composer -- via the New York Times. Equallt adept in film scores, classical music, and jazz!






Peter Avis

Journalist, broadcaster, and editor -- via the Guardian.

Sean Malley

A special person -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Sylvia Hyman

Ceramic artist -- via the Tennessean.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Marva Whitney aka Soul Sister No. 1

Soul singer -- via the New York Times. Associated with James Brown for years, her ferocious intensity was a match for his.





Jerry Araos

Artist -- via gmannews.com.


Ryan Freel

Former MLB player -- via the New York Times.

Spencer Cox

AIDS activist -- via the New York Times.

Elwood Jensen

Molecular biologist -- via the Telegraph. His researches have helped fight breast cancer.

Patti Page aka Clara Ann Fowler aka The Singin' Rage, Miss Patti Page

Superstar vocalist -- via the New York Times. The queen white pop songstress of the 1950's, she recorded 15 million-selling songs, back when that meant something. Her sweet, sentimental, syrupy style was perfect for the traumatized and bland postwar era.