Monday, February 11, 2013

Leslie Frankenheimer

Set decorator -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

Jake McNiece

Warrior -- via theworld.org. D-Day paratrooper who famously Mohawked himself and his men, specialists who dubbed themselves "The Filthy Thirteen."






Ted Talbert

Documentary filmmaker -- via the Detroit Free Press.

Hans Massaquoi

Journalist and author -- via the Telegraph.

Larry Selman

Activist -- via the Boston Globe. A disabled man who lived independently, he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for others and for causes not related to himself. Immortalized in the 2002 documentary film "The Collector of Bedford Street."

Joseph Eger

French horn player, conductor, event producer, and activist -- via the New York Times.

Taiho aka Koki Naya

Sumo master -- via the New York Times.

William 'Paco' Strickland

Flamenco guitarist -- via starcitynews.com.

Dolores Prida

Writer, columnist, playwright -- via the New York Times.

Avtar S. Gill

The "Hat Man" of Cincinnati -- via news.cincinnati.com.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

John R. Powers

Novelist and playwright -- via Playbill.


Count Billy Varga

Wrestler and actor -- via the Hollywood Reporter.


Fernando Guillen

Actor -- via the Huffington Post.


Robert F. Chew

Actor and teacher -- via the Baltimore Sun.

Sophiya Haque

Actress -- via allthatmatters.asia.

John Kerr

Actor and lawyer -- via the New York Times. He won a Tony for "Tea and Sympathy," then reprised the role on film. After a few films and a bunch of TV, he left performing and had a good life as a lawyer. Best remembered for his "Tea" role, as Joe Cable in "South Pacific," and as the juvie lead in Corman's "Pit and the Pendulum."








Friday, February 8, 2013

Donald Byrd aka Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II

Jazz master -- via the Huffington Post. One of the key trumpeters of the hard-bop and post-bop era. He played with Lionel Hampton while still in high school; his first big gig was the intimidating task of replacing Clifford Brown in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He could do jazz, funk, and soul; he taught for decades as well, churning out generations of talented students. A real force, and a beautiful tone!








Oscar death reel controversy

Who will remember you, when, and how? In this case, an obituary roll is being hotly disputed -- via the New York Times.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Paul Tanner

Trombonist and inventor of the electrotheremin -- via the L.A. Times. Glenn Miller Orchestra member; the man who played the electrotheremin on Beach Boys' recordings.




Jessica Lum

Journalist -- via the Daily Bruin.

Claude Black

Pianist -- via the Toledo Blade.

Balthazar Korab

Architectural photographer -- via the New York Times.

Jake Hartford aka Jim Edwards

Radio host -- via the Chicago Tribune.


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Lavonne 'Pepper' Paire-Davis

Baseball great -- via the Sporting News.

Ralph G. Martin aka Ralph Martin Goldberg

Biographer -- via the New York Times.

Trevor Gordon

Musician; half of the pop duo The Marbles -- via noise11.com.





Jimmy O'Neill

Host of TV's 'Shindig!' -- via the L.A. Times.

Liz Lands

Vocalist -- via soul-source.co.uk.



Richard III aka Richard Plantagenet

Monarch -- via the BBC. This belated obituary is due to the fact that, although he died on August 22, 1485, his bones were only recently discovered, and confirmed to be his yesterday. Painted by popular culture, and the winning faction, as an unrepentant villain, he acheived immortality as the inspiration for one of Shakespeare's best-written and most compelling bad guys. If this helps anyone enjoy the Bard, it's well worth the ruckus.

"Death makes no conquest of this conqueror;
For now he lives in fame, though not in life."



Reg Presley aka Reginald Maurice Ball

Lead singer for the Troggs -- via the BBC.





Bart Van den Bossche

Actor, singer, and TV host -- via standaard.be.

Luigi Kuveiller

Cinematographer -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com.

Sweet Lou Wilson

Musician -- via eurweb.com.

Barbara Werle

Actress and singer -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com.