Sunday, August 30, 2015

Wes Craven

Film director, writer, producer, and actor; a master of horror; creator of the "Nightmare  on Elm Street" and "Scream" franchises -- via the Hollywood Reporter. A genius of the horror genre, Craven created some of the most shocking and unforgettable films in recent American history, starting with the graphically violent, transgressive, and nihilistic "Last House on the Left" in 1971(meant in part as an homage to Bergman's "The Virgin Spring"). Besides, his lucrative franchises, he explored more taboos with lesser-regarded films such as "The Hills Have Eyes," "The Serpent and the Rainbow," and "The People Under the Stairs."
















Kyle Jean-Baptiste

Actor -- via Broadway World.

Pascal Chaumiel

Director -- via Le Huffington Post.

Alastair Michie

Painter and sculptor -- via the Independent.

Paulo Machava

Murdered journalist -- via AP.

Luo Lan

Radio host and essayist -- via Focus Taiwan. AKA Chin Pei-fen.


Peter Kern

Julian Pastor

Nikolaus Lehnhoff

Opera director -- via Expatica.

T.C. Williams

Emmy-winning makeup artist -- via the Hollywood Reporter.


Pamela Brandt

Oliver Sacks

Neurologist and author -- via the New York Times. Sacks was a profoundly gifted writer, who could convey information and truth concerning subjects that normally defy description. Issues of mental function, perception, cognition, inheirited traits, twins, music and the brain, memory -- all these topics were illuminated with a clear and engaging style. He humanizes these medical topics by telling us abut them through stories about the people changed or challenged by them.

I find it odd that the obit should mention some objections to his writing as exploiting his patients. I think he bent over backwards to respect them and convey their experience to us -- one of the most difficult and important tasks a writer can do. Just goes to show you can't please everyone -- nor should you try.




Friday, August 28, 2015

Louis Paul

Al Bruno

Guitarist -- via legacy.com. AKA Al Bruneau. Recorded the memorable "Midnight Creep" with Conway Twitty, back when Twitty was a rocker.

Zuzana Brabcova

Writer -- via Ceska Televize.

Richard L. Cohen

Rema Messinger

Actress -- via ynet.co.il.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Amelia Boynton Robinson

Civil rights activist -- via the Washington Post. Part  of the infamous Bloody Sunday march of March 7, 1965, Robinson was severely beaten and the picture below illustrated the plight of the struggle for freedom.

Yosi Pimienta

Guitarist -- via Israel National News.AKA The Hasidic Hendrix.






Helen Kemp

Jerzy Kamas

Actor -- via filmweb.pl.


Charles Tomlinson

Poet, translator, teacher and illustrator -- via the University of Bristol.


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Stephen Rodefer

Poet -- via Poetry  Foundation.

Jorg Schneider

Actor -- via Zurcher Oberlander.

Albert Verria

Actor -- via Dead Famous.

Harold Ray "Doc" Daugherty

Former MLB player -- via legacy.com. Made one appearance in the majors, as a pinch hitter, on April 22, 1951 for the Tigers. He was struck out by Billy Pierce of the White Sox.


Cynthia Macdonald

Poet -- via the New York Times.


Merl Reagle

Cruciverbalist (creator of crossword puzzles) -- via the Washington Post.

Anna Kashfi

Actress -- via the Daily Mail.




Daniel Rabinovich

Musician and comic performer with Les Luthiers -- via Fox News Latino. AKA Daniel Abraham Rabinovich Aratuz.





Mariem Hassan

Singer and lyricist -- via World Music Central.



Dan Riemold

Monday, August 24, 2015

Augusta Chiwy

Nurse and Word War II heroine -- via RTBF. Termed "The Forgotten Angel of Bastogne," this Belgian nurse stepped up to treat Allied solider and civilian casualties during the Battle of the Bulge, going so far to dress in uniform to collect the wounded under enemy fire. She was thought to have been killed during that battle, but it turns out that she was found in retirement in 2011 and related her story. She had been blown through a wall when a bomb hit, but lived. After the war she simply went on with her life, got married, had kids, never talking about what she did.

Via AP, Dec. 12, 2011 -- "'What I did was very normal,' Chiwy said during the ceremony. 'I would have done it for anyone. We are all children of God.'"

Michael Turk

Clifford Hatts

Production designer -- via the Telegraph.


Lars Amble

Actor and director -- via Dead Famous.




Ryohei Yanagihara

Illustrator -- via the Japan News.

Ibtihal Salem

Karolyn Ali

Audun Fredriksen

Resistance fighter -- via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.


Freeda Cummings

A poetic soul -- via Arkansas Online.


William Kehoe

Cab driver -- via the Chicago Tribune.

Farkhunda

Student; beaten to death -- via the Guardian. She was accused of heresy because she argued with a mullah who was selling supposed lucky charms to women.