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.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Leonard Starr
Cartoonist -- via News from ME. Best known for creating "Mary Perkins, On Stage" and successfully reviving "Little Orphan Annie."
Sergio Sollima
Director and screenwriter; classic creator of pulp fiction -- via La Stampa. One of the three Sergios (with Leone and Corbucci) who made the spaghetti Western great. He started off writing sword-and-sandal epics ("Goliath Against the Giants," "The Fury of Hercules," "Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators"), moved up to spy films, then the Westerns "The Big Gundown," "Face to Face," and "Run, Man, Run." He finished up in TV, helming the successful costume adventure series "Sandokan," but made two early gritty urban thrillers as well -- "Violent City" (aka "The Family") and "Blood in the Streets" (aka "Revolver").
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Joe Bennett
Musician and singer; leader of the Sparkletones -- via goupstate.com. Their big hit in 1957: "Black Slacks."
Chris Thompson
Comedy writer, producer, and director -- via Variety. He created "Bosom Buddies," the sitcom break of Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari -- a hack concept but great execution!
Monday, June 29, 2015
Jack Carter
Comedian and actor; one of the last of the old-school yuckmeisters -- via Variety. AKA Jack Chakrin.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Hal Gould
Photographer and photography curator; long-time owner of Camera Obscura Gallery -- via Westword. Legitimized photography as an art form in the region.
Friday, June 26, 2015
John M. Stephens
Cinematographer and cameraman -- via legacy.com. Started off doing a lot of second-unit and specialty shooting, starting with John Sturges's would-be epic Western comedy, "The Hallelujah Trail" in 1965. He worked with the greats on films such as "Seconds," "Temple of Doom," "Midnight Run," and "Titanic." Served as DP on the great 'B' trilogy, "Billy Jack," "Boxcar Bertha," and "Blacula," as well as Friedkin's underrated "Sorcerer."
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Patrick Macnee
Actor -- via the BBC. Macnee played John Steed, the perfect gentleman and secret agent in the British TV series "The Avengers." This show was my absolute favorite as a child, and Steed was pleasant, well-spoken, intelligent, witty, and tough -- and Macnee was a great foil for the succession of great female partners he would play against in the original series and its remake. For better or worse, he was typed as such for the rest of his career. He had some fun with his image in films such as "Spinal Tap" and "The Howling," and he is one of the few actors to have played both Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. A lot of fun as a performer, his bonhomie always cheered me up. We still have to fact-check the assertion that he was tossed from Eton for selling porn and running a bookie joint.
Anthony Sydes
Child actor -- via the Hollywood Reporter. Best remembered as Peter, the child who Santa (Edmund Gwenn) promises a fire engine in "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947).
Larry Johnson
Tenor with the Artistics -- via Vintage Vinyl News. They sang background for Major Lance ("Monkey Time") among others. Their big hit: "I'm Gonna Miss You" in 1966.
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