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, January 25, 2015
Ralph Morse
Photographer -- via the New York Times. LIFE magazine's youngest WWII photographer, he also couvered the U.S. space programs for years. He also forged ahead with many technical innovations, particularly artful use of multiple exposures. His work is so familiar that it forms a standard photographic style.
Joe Franklin
TV and radio host -- via the New York Times. AKA Joseph Fortgang. One of New York's great characters, the gravelly-voiced, indefatigable interviewer began as as joke writer for the likes of Eddie Cantor and Kate Smith. His intimate knowledge of early 20th-Century culture made him a maven known as "The Wizard of Was" and "The King of Nostalgia."
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Ernie Banks
Hall of Fame baseball player; a legendary man who loved to play -- via the Chicago Tribune. AKA Mr. Cub, Mr. Sunshine, Number 14, Mr. "Let's Play 2." Insanely gifted in offensive and defensive skills, Banks started playing in the Negro Leagues, for the fabled Kansas City Monarchs, in 1950. He became the Cubs' first black player, and stayed with the team for his entire Major League career, from 1953 through 1971. His upbeat disposition and sheer love of the game did cause him to genuinely call out "Let's play 2" at times. However, he was an intelligent guy. (The fact that he loved the game so much that he played for the Cubs is no small sacrifice.) His personal life was just as complex as any other person's -- but he had a very special gift of putting himself in the moment in a joyful way, and encouraging that in others. His work ethic, attitude, and skills meshed perfectly. He made me feel like I could do that too!
Friday, January 23, 2015
George Goodwin
Pulitzer-winning journalist, writer, and civic booster -- via the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Pauline Yates
Actress -- via the Mirror. Best known for her role as Elizabeth in "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin."
Molly Malone Cook
Mary is at left with her long-time mate, poet Mary Oliver. |
John Bayley
Writer, literary critic, and professor -- via the New York Times. Best known for his writing concerning his life with and without his wife, novelist Iris Murdoch. NOW: I am told by the Wall Street Journal's master obituarist Stephen Miller that the Telegraph's obit is much better. Unfortunately, I am too cheap to buy the 6-pounds-a-month subscription (less my 10 free articles a month), a shame because they do have an excellent stable of writers. Let me know what you think!
Frank Mazzola
Film editor and actor -- via Variety. He started as a child actor in Dieterle's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" in 1939; his biggest role was Crunch in "Rebel without a Cause"; he helped stage several scenes in the film as well. He moved on to editing for film and television.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Bob Symes
Railroading enthusiast, model railroader, and TV host -- via grahammuz.com. AKA Robert Alexander Baron Schutzmann von Schutzmansdorff.
Walt Peregoy
Artist and illustrator; Disney Legend -- via Cartoon Brew. He revolutionized background art in animation -- a modernist, he eschewed realistic working and created compelling, more abstract work. Starting at the bottom at Disney (twice), he moved from traffic boy to inbetweener to breakdown artist to cleanup artist to background painter. He worked on "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmatians," "The Jungle Book," "The Sword in the Stone." and "Mary Poppins." Moving on to television, he created the schematics that underlay "The Lone Ranger" animated TV series, and many more.
Famously grumpy and honest, his assessment of Walt Disney goes as follows: "Walt Disney was a shit. We made Walt. Walt didn't make Walt. Walt was an asshole."
Famously grumpy and honest, his assessment of Walt Disney goes as follows: "Walt Disney was a shit. We made Walt. Walt didn't make Walt. Walt was an asshole."
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Theodore "Bo" Dollis
Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias; Mardi Gras masker, marcher, singer, reveler, and maker of merry -- via WWL. Head of this funk ceremonial marching society of New Orleans for 51 years. The Magnolias were the first to record the unique "Indian" music created during parades through town during special events, especially during Mardi Gras. Their "Handa Wanda" recording in 1970 was a local hit, and sparked more recordings of the tradition by the Wild Tchoupitoulas and others. An exuberant master of a beautiful microculture.
As to the phenomenon of Mardi Gras Indians, parsing the racial dynamics of African Americans presenting as Native Americans is mind-boggling. The key is that these regular, working-class guys work for nine months building costumes far more exuberant than any found at the most outre drag queen festival. These 100-pound contraptions they dance in through the hot, humid streets of New Orleans, for only a few days each year. Ornate costumes, alter egos, complex "tribal" rules and roles and interactions. It's a life-affirming, booty-shaking strut and stomp, art and music and dance slammed together done for no other reason than it's fun. We should all be so lucky.
As to the phenomenon of Mardi Gras Indians, parsing the racial dynamics of African Americans presenting as Native Americans is mind-boggling. The key is that these regular, working-class guys work for nine months building costumes far more exuberant than any found at the most outre drag queen festival. These 100-pound contraptions they dance in through the hot, humid streets of New Orleans, for only a few days each year. Ornate costumes, alter egos, complex "tribal" rules and roles and interactions. It's a life-affirming, booty-shaking strut and stomp, art and music and dance slammed together done for no other reason than it's fun. We should all be so lucky.
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