Actor -- via TMZ. He was born in 1920 in the Bronx. He made his stage debut a year later; he made his first film in 1926. He made his last film in 2012 -- 86 years in the film business. First the star of a series of silent "Mickey McGuire" silent comedy shorts, he became the go-to juvenile lead at MGM, starring as Andy Hardy in a series of films between 1937 and 1946; paired with Judy Garland in a classic string of hey-kids-let's-put-on-a-show musicals such as "Babes in Arms" (some of these films are marred forever by blackface sequences, which keep them out of circulation). His popularity culminated with his performance as Mi, the cynical young trainer in "National Velvet," but plummeted after World War II. He took work in an increasing sad number of vehicles, but still turned in solid performances in films such as "The Bold and the Brave," "the Bridges at Toko-Ri," the evil Sammy in Playhouse 90's "The Comedian" by Rod Serling, "Baby Face Nelson," "Requiem for a Heavyweight," "The Black Stallion," and the TV movie "Bill." He could do comedy, drama, and song and dance with the best of them -- wowing Broadway towards the end of his career as the star of "Sugar Babies." The ultimate trouper.
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.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
John Pinette
Stand-up comedian -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Opened for him. Civilians will know him only as the guy who got carjacked on the final episode of "Seinfeld" -- but a good guy, a funny guy, and a hell of a poker player.
Paul Salamunovich
One of the great American choirmasters -- via the L.A. Times. Read this story -- his thoughts are an exact match with my thoughts on choral singing. Great quote from the obit --
"Singing is an extension of speech, and superb singers are superb actors," he said. "You have to act the meaning of the text. It's about emotional involvement and good technique…"
"Singing is an extension of speech, and superb singers are superb actors," he said. "You have to act the meaning of the text. It's about emotional involvement and good technique…"
For Salamunovich, vocal music was literally a religious experience.
"I learned in parochial school that praying is not talking to God; it's lifting the mind and heart to God," he told the Ventura County Star in 2004. "Music feeds the heart, and the words feed the mind. When the choir is done singing at the end of a concert, I say privately to myself, 'Amen.'"
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Peter Matthiessen
Writer and naturalist -- via the New York Times. One of my favorite writers, a master of both fiction and non-fiction -- "Th Snow Leopard," "At Play in the Fields of the Lord," the Watson trilogy, "Blue Meridian," and "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse." Zen priest, CIA agent, industrial fisherman, explorer . . . he lived a lot of life.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Birgitta Valberg
Actress -- via news.cision.com. Best known for her role as Mareta, the daughter in Bergman's "The Virgin Spring."
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Joe Frazier
From left, Mike Kobluk, Chad Mitchell, and Joe Frazier. |
Monday, March 31, 2014
Eddie Lawrence aka The Old Philosopher aka Lawrence Eisler
Wikipedia says "monologist, actor, singer, lyricist, playwright, director and television personality" . . . He perfected a gimmick that would serve him for decades -- the comic persona of The Old Philosopher. His nutty soliloquy was a hit in 1956, and it still cracks me up. "NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER GIVE UP!" -- via the New York Times.
Marc Platt aka Marcel LePlat
Dancer and actor -- via the Hollywood Reporter. He was trained by and danced for Massine at the Ballet Ruse de Monte Carlo. He had significant roles in film and on stage -- he was one of the brothers in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," and was the original Dream Curley in the Agnes DeMille ballet portion of "Oklahoma!" in 1943.
Marc Platt - Dream Curly, 2005 from Todd Sivard on Vimeo.
Here he is with Katharina Sergava in the original production of "Oklahoma!" |
Marc Platt - Dream Curly, 2005 from Todd Sivard on Vimeo.
Lorenzo Semple, Jr.
Screenwriter and playwright -- via the L.A. Times. After writing much for TV, his career took off when he created the original "Batman" series in 1966. He was equally adept at writing thrillers and dramas ("The Parallax View," "The Super Cops," "Papillon," "Never Say Never Again," "The Drowning Pool," "Three Days of the Condor") and "comic-book" films such as the De Laurentiis "King Kong," the 1980 "Flash Gordon," and "Sheena."
Kate O'Mara
Actress -- via the Guardian. Best remembered in America for soap opera work, she was a Hammer heroine ("The Vampire Lovers," "The Horror of Frankenstein") and a memorable role in the Doctor Who series as The Rani, a renegade time lord.
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