Sunday, March 29, 2015

Gene Saks

Tony-winning director of stage and film; actor -- via the New York Times. AKA Jean Michael Saks. He was one of the great shapers of American wit. He will be best remembered as the primary director of late-career Neil Simon comedies, both on stage and in film -- "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues," "Broadway Bound," "Lost in Yonkers"; "Barefoot in the Park," "The Odd Couple."  He also created hits such as "Mame," "Last of the Red Hot Lovers," "I Love My Wife," "Same Time, Next Year," "Enter Laughing," and "Barrymore." He was money in the bank, absolutely dependable. If he got his hands on it, you would have a good time. A pro and a role model.

For you trivia fans out there, he most memorably played Leo Herman, aka Chuckles the Chipmunk, on both Broadway and in the 1965 film version of "A Thousand Clowns."






Saturday, March 28, 2015

Sally Forrest

Actress and dancer -- via the New York Times. AKA Katherine Sally Feeny.










Otto Frello

Artist -- via Varde Kommune.

Jeff Hennessy

Martyn Goff

Lil' Chris

Singer, songwriter, and actor -- via the New York Daily News. AKA Christopher James Hardman.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Maria Radner

Contralto -- via the Independent.

Oleg Bryjak

Bass-baritone -- via the Independent.

Marilyn Durham

Writer -- via legacy.com.

Scott Clendenin

Bassist -- via The Prp.

Herberto Helder

Poet -- via Tablet. AKA Herberto Helder Luis Bernardes de Oliviera.

Billy Joe Shine

Lead singer for the Nightcaps -- via the Dallas Morning News. The group's most meoriable song, "Thunderbird," was pirated by ZZ Top in 1975; however, litigation was unsuccessful as Shine never copyrighted the song in the first place.



Dana Wilson

Child actor -- via the Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Best known for her work in "The Shiralee" (1957).

Carl Mahakian

Emmy-winning sound editor -- via legacy.com.

Richard Butson

George Fischbeck

Meteorologist -- via the L.A. Times.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Norman Scribner

Jason Parish

Musician -- via the Daily Mail.

Steven Smith

Tea entrepreneur -- via the New York Times.

Claudio Marzo

Actor -- via Agencia Brasil.

Bill Brewer

John Renbourn

Acoustic guitarist and co-founder of Pentangle -- via the Belfast Telegraph. Like his longtime collaborator Bert Jansch, Renbourne revived and built upon traditional musics of all kinds, pointing the way forward for the evolution of acoustic music and other genres, including prog rock, bluegrass, and the singer-songwriter movement.





Nick Peters

Hall of Fame baseball writer -- via sfgate.com. covered the Giants for 47 years. AKA The Greek.

Ellen Conford

Childrens' writer -- via the Washington Post.

Alan Seymour

Playwright and screenwriter -- via the Guardian.

Ann Dougherty

Luis Geronimo Abreu

Actor -- via El Universal.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Deathcetera: The week in death and mourning

DEATH

Want to become compost? Urban Death Project needs you – via Mark Prigg in the Daily Mail


Cincinnati Ballet does Mozart ‘Requiem’ – via David Lyman at the Cincinnati Enquirer

Death apps – from Kelly McEvers at NPR


MOURNING

Anger from some regarding roadside memorials – via Chris Holmstrom at KOIN

Lessons in 19th-Century mourning – via Kate Seckinger i the Daily Mail

Review of Scott Simo’s new memoir of his late mother – by Carlos Lozada at the Washington Post



FUNERALS

Program provides burial, services for homeless vets – via Capi Lynn at the Statesman Journal

Richard III reburied – via Sylvia Hui of AP


Hans Erni

Artist -- via the Guardian.




Rhoda Winkler

Gilbert Markle

Liliane Covington

Harley Parnell "Jim" Hisner

Former MLB player -- via the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. Pitched one game for the Red Sox -- he gave up two runs to rookie Mickey Mantle, as well as DiMaggio's last regular-season hit.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Gregory Walcott

Actor -- via the Hollywood Reporter. Although mocked for his work in the classic Z-movie "Plan 9 from Outer Space," he worked in film and television for decades.

Don Robertson

Songwriter and pianist -- via legacy.com. He co-wrote such gems as "The Happy Whistler," "I Don't Hurt Any More," and "Ringo."











Alberta Watson

Actress -- via Us magazine.

Robert Clatworthy

Sculptor -- via the Telegraph.

Bernice Steadman

Stuart Croft

Artist and filmmaker -- via Art Review.