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.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
David Gardner-Medwin
Neurologist who vastly improved the treatment of muscular dystrophy -- via the Telegraph.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Louis Zamperini
Athlete, war hero, and spiritual modeler of forgiveness -- via the New York Times. An Olympian, he survived 47 days at sea after a plane crash, then a long term of imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Japanese. After a period of despair and addiction, a religious epiphany led him to forgive his captors and remake his life.
Frederick I. Ordway III
Space scientist, prolific writer, and art collector -- via the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. He dreamed of space flight as a child; he read avidly science fiction and joined the American Rocket Society in 1939, at the age of 12. His dreams came true -- he worked to develop rocket travel and space flight, and helped man go to the moon!
Stephen Gaskin
Man with a vision who figured out how to implement it; "Hippy Priest, Spiritual Revolutionary, Cannabis Advocate, shade tree mechanic, cultural engineer, tractor driver and community starter" -- via the New York Times.
Francis Matthews
Actor; best known for roles as TV detective Paul Temple and voice of Captain Scarlet in the "supermarionation" series "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons."
Don Matheson
Actor best remembered for his role in "Land of the Giants" -- via Stefan Arngrim on Facebook. I was a sucker for all things Irwin Allen in 1960s television; loved this cheesy series in which Mathews played good guy Dan Erickson.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/2568
http://www.hulu.com/watch/2568
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Bob Hastings
Actor in radio, film, and television -- via the New York Daily News. Best remembered as Carpenter in the TV comedy series "McHale's Navy," the long-lived Hastings began his career in 1936 in radio shows such as "Coast to Coast on a Bus" and, after WWII, the lead character in "The Adventures of Archie Andrews." He did extensive work in early TV -- "Captain Video," "Atom Squad," "Sgt. Bilko," and dozens of others. After "McHale's Navy," his extensive work continued on shows auch as "All in the Family," "General Hospital," and eventually he did an inrcedible amount of voice work, returning to his sound-studio roots. A thoroughly dependable performer!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Paul Mazursky aka Irwin Mazursky
Director, screenwriter, producer, actor, comedy writer, and comedian -- via the L.A. Times. Nominated for an Oscar five times, he is one of the key directors of the Silver Age of American cinema. Although he is not remembered as well as the heavy hitters, he is my personal favorite. I loved this man.
He was in Kubrick's first film, "Fear and Desire."
He played a punk in "The Blackboard Jungle."
He sold comedy sketches in the early days of TV, did standup, was in a duo with Herb Hartig called Igor & h that appeared on Steve Allen's show.
He wrote for "The Danny Kaye Show." He co-wrote the pilot of "The Monkees." He wrote "I Love You, Alice B. Toklas,"
which gave him a shot to direct. He made "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," and his career was made.
The films he made were my no means perfect, but somehow they touched me more deeply than many others. I loved "Alex in Wonderland,"
"Blume in Love,"
"Harry & Tonto,"
"Next Stop, Greenwich Village,"
"Tempest,"
"Moon over Parador,"
"Enemies: A Love Story."
Hell, I even loved "The Pickle." (I didn't like "An Unmarried Woman" or "Moscow on the Hudson" or "Down and Out in Beverly Hills." In fact, they made me mad. Which means I really do love him.)
Read his memoir "Show Me the Magic" -- it's hilarious and wise.
I came out of nearly every film of his grinning and punching at the sky in delight. Somehow he just was able to get inside all of his characters. Like the great French directors he admired so much, he knew that everyone has his reasons, and could not fail to give a rounded portrait of even the most unlikable characters -- or the shadow side of even his nicest heroes. Above all, he was FUNNY. I am very very lucky to have grown up with him, and I hope to God I can write as well as him someday. Thank you, Paul.
He was in Kubrick's first film, "Fear and Desire."
He played a punk in "The Blackboard Jungle."
He sold comedy sketches in the early days of TV, did standup, was in a duo with Herb Hartig called Igor & h that appeared on Steve Allen's show.
He wrote for "The Danny Kaye Show." He co-wrote the pilot of "The Monkees." He wrote "I Love You, Alice B. Toklas,"
which gave him a shot to direct. He made "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," and his career was made.
The films he made were my no means perfect, but somehow they touched me more deeply than many others. I loved "Alex in Wonderland,"
"Blume in Love,"
"Harry & Tonto,"
"Next Stop, Greenwich Village,"
"Tempest,"
"Moon over Parador,"
"Enemies: A Love Story."
Hell, I even loved "The Pickle." (I didn't like "An Unmarried Woman" or "Moscow on the Hudson" or "Down and Out in Beverly Hills." In fact, they made me mad. Which means I really do love him.)
Read his memoir "Show Me the Magic" -- it's hilarious and wise.
I came out of nearly every film of his grinning and punching at the sky in delight. Somehow he just was able to get inside all of his characters. Like the great French directors he admired so much, he knew that everyone has his reasons, and could not fail to give a rounded portrait of even the most unlikable characters -- or the shadow side of even his nicest heroes. Above all, he was FUNNY. I am very very lucky to have grown up with him, and I hope to God I can write as well as him someday. Thank you, Paul.
Christian Fuhrer
Pastor and activist -- via the Telegraph. His weekly "prayers for peace" were the catalyst that brought down the Berlin Wall!
Allen Grossman
Poet, scholar, critic, and teacher -- via the New York Times. "Poetry is a principle of power invoked against all our vanishing."
Frank M. Robinson
Writer; best known for works that made their way into films such as "The Power" and "The Towering Inferno" -- via the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Also a speechwriter for Harvey Milk, and a columnist for Playboy.
Monday, June 30, 2014
OBIT READER: Our weekly roundup of stories on death, dying, mourning, and more
VA employee Paula DeWenter |
TOP STORIES
A CNN investigation reveals that the Phoenix Veterans Administration hospital changed or deleted death records
As Jennifer Schuessler reports in the New York Times, our friends at Morbid Anatomy just opened a museum in Brooklyn
Joy Neighbors just opened an interesting new blog, A Grave Interest, that details many other funeral and death-care museums
DEATH
Via Rabbi Elliott N. Dorff in the Jewish Journal, the importance of preparing advance end-of-death directives and living wills. (Why are many advance directives changed or ignored? " . . . because afrter the patient dies, the patient will not sue the doctor, but any one of the family members might.")
How about a prebituary? Terry Wright of the Hunterdon County Democrat says it might clue our friends and family in about the hidden corners of your life
MOURNING
How about a prebituary? Terry Wright of the Hunterdon County Democrat says it might clue our friends and family in about the hidden corners of your life
MOURNING
An interview with Kate Sweeney, author of the new book on the history of U.S. mourning, "American Afterlife," from Greta Johnsen of WCQS
Jeffrey Hatcher's new play, "Three Viewings," is set in a funeral home. The review from Carol Montana of the Middletown Times-Register
MISC
From KAWC, an interview with mortician Arick Dombrowski
In England, Quaker Social Action fights excessive funeral costs for the impoverished, per Nayler.
Kate Petersen in The Millions writes about her dad, who mails her a lot of newspaper clippings -- of obituaries
Undertaker stole charity donations to balance books, writes Stephanie Linning of the Daily Mail
Nelson Mandela's personal assistant outlines the farcical doings at his funeral -- per Aislinn Laing in the Telegraph
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)