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.