Tuesday, April 21, 2015

William Price Fox

Writer -- via The State.

Frederic Morton

Writer -- via the L.A. Times. AKA Fritz Mandelbaum.

Robert V. Hine

Historian, novelist, and memoirist -- via the L.A. Times. His book "Second Sight" tells his story of regaining his eyesight after 15 years.


Charlene Weir

Writer -- via legacy.com.



Kathryn Blair Swarthout

Writer -- via legacy.com. Columnist, with husband, wrote juvenile novels.


Betty Willis

Graphic designer; created the iconic "Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" sign -- via the New York Daily News. Erected in 1959, it is a prime example of Googie-era degisn, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. (She also created the less well-known Blue Angel Motel statue.)





Richard Anthony

Singer -- via The Univers News. AKA Ricardo Anthony Btesh. Best known for his French covers of American hits, he was a Gallic pop star of the likes of Johnny Halliday.






Sidney Abbott

Feminist, activist, and writer -- via Southold Local.

Agnes Warren

Pianist -- via Michigan Live. Born in 1907.

Dianne Wilkins

Actress and singer -- via coladaily.com.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Mario Pirani

Journalist and writer -- via La Stampa. AKA Mario Pirani Coen.

Viktor Korshunov

Actor -- via newstwenty4seven.com.

Richie D'Horsie

Comedian -- via Coconuts Manila. AKA Ricardo Reyes.

Ramsey Moore

Comedian, actor, and writer -- via the Palm Beach Daily News.

Eric Allen Doney

Deathcetera: the week in death, mourning and such

UNICEF's singing Grim Reaper.
DEATH

UNICEF campaign enlists singing Grim Reaper – via John Young at Design Taxi

Man makes mission of fighting fear of death – via Jonathan Fisher at Business Insider


Lincoln’s tomb is in terrible shape – via Kerry Lester at AP

The causes of musicians’ deaths, by genre – via Ana Swanson at the Washington Post




MOURNING

Social media helps gather minyans for the Jewish dead – via Jodi Rudoren at the New York Times

Visiting a house of mourning – via Elana Mizrahi at The Jewish Woman


FUNERALS


Baby Boom set to hit funeral industry – via Steve Doughty in the Daily Mail

Oh, dear – bad Yelp reviews of funeral homes – via Anna Merlan at Jezebel

Widow hires strippers for husband’s funeral – via Kara O’Neill at The Mirror

Funeral home branches out into venue for concerts, bingo – via Linda Murphy in the Herald News

3 ways to plan for your funeral expenses – via Maryalene LaPonsie in the U.S. News & World Report



Robert Rietti

Actor and voice actor; "the man of a thousand voices" -- via the Hollywood Reporter. AKA Lucio Rieti, Robert Rietty. One of the great dubbing artists, he voiced Le Chiffre in "Thunderball," many screen appearances for Jack Hawkins, and more than 90 characters in "Waterloo."





Mike Mincieli

Singer, founder and original first tenor of the Capris -- via Peter Lemongello, Jr.'s Swingin' Soiree. AKA Mike Minceli. The group's big hit -- "There's a Moon Out Tonight."

James "Little Jimmy" Mastrangelo

Actor and entertainer -- via the New York Daily News. Best known for his yearly Uncle Sam appearance at Coney Island, Mastrangelo was one of the Oompa Loompas in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."


Sol Abrams

Huckster; promoter of the iconic Palisades Amusement Park -- via northjersey.com. An amazing promoter. Hey, he got an elephant to water-ski down the Hudson. So there!

George Cooper

Actor and artist -- via legacy.com. Best known for his role as Mitchell in the 1947 noir "Crossfire."




Sunday, April 19, 2015

Johnny Kemp

Singer -- via Fox News.

Jonathan Crombie

Actor -- via the New York Times. Best remembered for his role as Gilbert Blythe in the "Anne of Green Gables" television series.

Barbara Strauch

Journalist and editor -- via the New York Times.

Margo Reed

photo via jazz in the hills
Singer -- via the Arizona Republic.

Bidyut Chakraborty

photo courtesy ibn live
Filmmaker -- via the Indian Express.

Jule Huffman

Kent Lindsey

Gary Ignacio

Lead singer for Alamid -- via inquirer.net.

Heiko Schrepel

photo courtesy sfweekly.com
Bassist -- via sfweeekly.com.

Ben Powers

Actor -- via Deadline.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Margaret Rule

Archaeologist -- via the Telegraph. Best known for raising the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's flagship.




Keith Cornelius

Radio host and bassist -- via the Lincoln Journal-Star. AKA Keith Allan.

Wally Kahn

Gliding enthusiast and expert -- via the Telegraph.

Sargy Mann

Artist -- via the Guardian.

Ronald Hambleton

Writer and music critic -- via the Toronto Star.

Tsuen-hsuin Tsien

Scholar and librarian -- via legacy.com. AKA T.H. Tsien. 

Klaus Bednarz

Writer and journalist -- via tagesschau.de.

Haani Shivraj Anjana

Actress -- via the Tamil Star.

Francois Maspero

Desmond Digby

Stage designer, illustrator, and painter -- via the Sydney Morning Herald.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Herb Trimpe

Comics illustrator and writer -- via the Hollywood Reporter. One of the greats, he was the first to draw Wolverine, was the defining artist of the Incredible Hulk, and co-created the Phantom Eagle. (A personal favorite -- I grabbed the first issue off the stands in September 1968. I was not disappointed.)




Charles H. "Chuck" Sagle

Trumpeter, bandleader, and arranger -- via legacy.com. Oh my gosh! He created some of the classics of Space Age pop -- see this link from Space Age Pop. In his own name and as Carl Stevens, he gave the world the likes of "Ping Pong Percussion," "Splendor in the Brass," "Music for Baton Twirlers" and, most ominously, "African Sounds." Every soundtrack from every ice-cold grocery store or the inside of your Ford Galaxie 500 is here. Part of the Great Assimilating Wave of Caucasian-ness that crested in the mid-'60s. These monuments to squareness are breathtaking. I feel as though I just found Tut's tomb!










Homaro Cantu

Chef, food scientist, and food artist -- via the New York Times.

Sam Distefano