Monday, May 27, 2013

On vacation . . .

Everything's fine! After 2 1/4 years of maintaining The Obit Patrol, I need a little break. The kids are home from school, vacation and time with friends and family beckon. With that in mind, the site will be dormant at least through July 4.

That being said, my compulsive nature may compel to post a few of the more personally significant passings during that time. Still, for a while at least I would prefer not to look at what has gone before, in others' lives, but to focus more on what is happening right now in mine. Now get out there and have fun!




Sunday, May 26, 2013

Marshall Lytle

Bassist for Bill Haley's Comets -- via vintagevinylnews.com. Pioneered the percussive "slap" style of acoustic bass playing; known for his signature stunting around onstage with the heavy instrument. Co-wrote "Crazy, Man, Crazy" as well.



Epy Guerrero

Baseball scout -- via the L.A. Times. Signed more major leaguers than any other in his profession.

Usha Rani Hooja

Sculptor -- via jaipur.co.

Georges Moutaki

Singer and songwriter -- via the New York Times.






John Goddard

Adventurer, explorer, and lecturer -- via the L.A. Times. At the age of 15, in 1939, he wrote down a list of 125 life goals . . . and by golly, he got most of them done!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Aubrey Woods

Actor; best known for his role as Bill the candy-shop owner in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," in which he sang "The Candy Man."



Angelo Mango

Actor -- via the Battle Creek Enquirer.

David Connell

Actor -- via the Chicago Tribune.

Billy Raymond aka Raymond Jamieson Hubner

Entertainer and singer -- via The Herald.

Artus de Penguern

Actor and director -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com.

Albert Lance aka Lance Ingram

Tenor -- via the Melbourne Herald Sun.



Harold Shapero

Composer and pianist -- via Brandeis Now.






Jerome Reehuis

Actor and poet -- via De Telegraff.

Bernard Waber

Children's author; best known for "The House on East 88th Street" and "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile" -- via the Christian Science Monitor.


George Gray

Chemist; expert of liquid crystals -- via the Guardian.

Alan O'Day

Songwriter, singer, musician, and producer -- via the Hollywood Reporter. Though best remembered as the writer and performer on the 1977 pop hit "Undercover Angel," he also crafted many other hits, such as "Rock 'n' Roll Heaven" for the Righteous Brothers, "Angie Baby" for Helen Reddy, "The Drum" for Bobby Sherman, and "Train of Thought" for Cher.

He had a catchy way with a tune, and crafted bright, sunny ballads and strange, dark narratives as well. "Undercover Angel" remains a guilty pleasure for me -- bouncy, yearning, and absolutely absurd at the same time. (This is a prominent member of the vaguely masturbatory "dream" love songs of the period, which include "I Like Dreaming," "Dream Weaver," and "Imaginary Lover.")

Thanks, Alan! The world needs people who help us have fun! Thanks to you, I can still work on my White Man's Overbite funk dancing. Where are my acrylic shirts?







Nasser Al Din Al Nashashibi

Journalist and writer -- via alowaisnet.org.

Ernst Klee

Journalist and historian -- via the Guardian.

Richard Beeston

Journalist and editor -- via the Guardian.

Susan L. Mogull

Activist -- via the Sacramento Bee.