Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Clifford Adams

Bryan Woolley

Journalist and writer -- via the Dallas Morning News.

Carlo Scibelli

Tenor -- via contactmusic.com.

Lee Sandlin

Writer -- via the Chicago Tribune.

Gilberto Perez

Film scholar, historian, and critic -- via Sarah Lawrence College. Here's a warm personal remembrance from Jonathan Rosenbaum -- 

Elisabetta Catalano

Photographer -- via La Stampa.

Willie "Popsy" Dixon

Jashodhara Bagchi

Chic Littlewood

Entertainer, TV host, and actor -- via tvnz.co.nz.

Chashi Nazrul Islam

Filmmaker -- via the Daily Star.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Julio Scherer Garcia

Editor and journalist -- via the New York Times.

Walter Kuhr

Carl N. Degler

Historian, writer, and teacher -- via the New York Times. He wrote a commonly used history textbook, "Out of Our Past," that actually contemplates different viewpoints. 

Annis "Big Red" Jensen

Roller derby athlete -- via sfgate.com.

Joan Lazer Reed

Deathcetera: the week in death and mourning news

DEATH

Opening up the conversation: Sarah Kliff on discussing death and dying in Vox


On being a death doula – from Laura Saba via Confessions of a Funeral Director


What social media gets wrong about death and mourning – from Scaachi Koul at the Globe and Mail


MOURNING


Touching ceremony for Little Jimmy Dickens in Nashville – by Nancy Krum at People Magazine

In Judaism, special foods comfort mourners – from Tal Trachtman Alroy at the Jewish Daily Forward

FUNERALS



Interview with mortician Gina Krotee – by Amanda Chatel at Bustle

Why become a mortician? – from Erik Lacitis at the Seattle Times


OBITS

A meditation on writing and reading obituaries – from Chris Reagle at Wicked Local Plymouth

Guy writes songs based on obits – via Rachel Martin at West Virginia Public Radio


Brian Clemens

Writer, producer, and director; creator of "The Avengers" and "The Professionals" -- via the BBC. This prolific creator did much to shape my young imagination. In "The Avengers" and other projects, Clemens brought together adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and humor in a cheeky mix that was pure fun to watch. In a lowest-common-denominator medium, Clemens assumed the audience was intelligent and would probably like something challenging, and preposterous and silly, to watch. Besides the two hit TV series listed above, Clemens wrote for shows such as "Danger Man," "Remington Steele," "Father Dowling," and "Perry Mason." AND he wrote a trio of B-movie gems: "Doctor Jeykll and Sister Hyde," "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad," and "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter," the last of which he directed as well. Oh, vale, dear pulp master!









Sunday, January 11, 2015

Tadeusz Konwicki

Writer and filmmaker -- via the New York Times.

Beau Kazer

Actor -- via the New York Daily News. Best remembered as Brock Reynolds in the TV soap opera "The Young and the Restless."

Bob Magruder

Actor and voice actor -- via Anime News Network.

Ted O'Connell

Guitarist -- via the Marin News.

Trevor Smith

Actor -- via the Liverpool Echo.


Taylor Negron

Actor, comedian, writer, playwright, and painter -- via Yahoo News. He was in everything, one of the most dependable character actors in Hollywood. On film and TV, he had an incesant steams of appearances in small roles that the made memorable. And, he had a wry and wonderful attitude about it. Read this lovely, funny piece by him in xojane -- "Reflections on a Life Playing Everyman." "By letting go of what you thought was going to happen in your life, you can enjoy what is actually happening. That is what I do."







Robert Stone

Novelist -- via the New York Times. He managed to marry humor, political satire, and adventure in many of his works. Among his best books are "Dog Soldiers," "A Flag for Sunrise," and "Damascus Gate."

Francesco Rosi

Director -- via Deadline. Another incredibly talented filmmaker generally unknown in America. His best work: "Salvatore Giuliano," "The Mattei Affair," his adapatation of "Carmen" in 1984, and "Christ Stopped at Eboli."



Curtis Lee

Singer and songwriter -- via the Yuma Sun. Best known for his big hit, "Pretty Little Angel Eyes."

Anita Ekberg

Sex symbol and film actress -- via the New York Times. Best known for her iconic role in Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" (pictured above).

Friday, January 9, 2015

Lance Percival

Comedic actor and singer -- via Digital Spy.



Milton Hebald

Sculptor -- via the L.A. Times. His work is seen by thousands -- for instance, formerly at JFK and still outside the Delacorte in Central Park.



Robbie Bean

Teacher and activist -- via the Denver Post.

Bill Hart

Stuntman and actor -- via legacy.com.

Ramon "Ray" Gipson

Lead singer of the G-Clefs -- via the Salem News. Their big hit: "I Understand." I love "Ka-Ding-Dong."



Andrae Crouch

Gerry Fisher

Cinematographer -- via the Telegraph. I am surprised he is not better-known -- he DP'ed many excellent films, including "The Go-Between," "Man in the Wilderness," "Juggernaut," "Mr. Klein," "Wise Blood," Losey's "Don Giovanni," "Wolfen," and "Highlander." He started as a camera operator in 1947, working on films such as "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "The Sundowners," and "Cleopatra."

Terry Becker

Actor, producer, and director -- via legacy.com. AKA Solomon Becker. In front of the camera, his biggest impression was made as Chief Sharkey in the preposterous but beloved '60s TV series "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea."

King Sporty

Songwriter, DJ, musician, and music producer -- via soulandjazzandfunk.com. AKA Noel G. Williams. He wrote "Buffalo Soldier."



Noel Cobb

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Rod Taylor

Actor -- via Variety. An important member of Australian dramatic radio, Taylor moved on to film and TV and stage in America, and is best known for his roles in "The Time Machine," "The Birds," and "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (he was the voice of Pongo). His last screen role was a cameo as Churchill in Tarentino's "Inglorious Basterds."





Takao Saito

Cinematographer -- via Yahoo News. One of the "Kurosawa-gumi," the ensemble of actors, artists, and technicians that helped make Kurosawa's films come to life. Beginning as a camera operator on "One Wonderful Sunday" in 1947, he continued in this capacity through "Ikiru," "Seven Samurai," "I Live in Fear," "Throne of Blood," "The Lower Depths," "The Hidden Fortress," "The Bad Sleep Well," and "Yojimbo." He served as DP for "Sanjuro," "High and Low," and "Red Beard." He helped Kurosawa make the transition to color in "Dodes'ka-den," pushing through to even more amazing work in "Kagemusha," "Ran," "Dreams," and "Rhapsody in August." One of the greats.





Michele Serros

Writer -- via the L.A. Times.

Bridget Turner

Actress -- via the Telegraph.

Khan Bonfils

Actor -- via the Huffington Post.

Julia Neary

Actress and teacher -- via the Chicago Sun-Times.

Roger Kitter

Actor -- via Chortle.

Pino Daniele

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist -- via the Huffington Post.

Ganesh Patro

Playwright and screenwriter -- via greatandhra.com.

Chitresh Das

Dancer -- via Mercury News.

http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_27273521/pandit-chitresh-das-renowned-indian-dance-master-dies

Lance Diamond

Singer and musician -- via Buffalo Business Journal.