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.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Bob Trendler
Bandleader -- via the Chicago Tribune. He led the WGN Orchestra and Bozo's Big Top Band.
Fran Landesman
Lyricist, songwriter, poet and performer -- via the Telegraph. She wrote the lyrics for "Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most."
Monday, July 25, 2011
G.D. Spradlin aka Gervase Duan Spradlin
Top-notch character actor -- via the L.A. Times. His best performances? The corrupt Senator in "Godfather II," and the officer who sends Martin Sheen on his mission in "Apocalypse Now."
Michael Cakoyannis aka Mihalis Kakogiannis
Director/writer in film and theater -- via ekathimerini.com. He is best known for directing "Zorba the Greek"; lest he be remembered as a one-hit wonder, he directed other fine film adaptations of plays such as "Iphigenia," "The Trojan Women" and "The Cherry Orchard."
Hyman Bookbinder
Activist, lobbyist and writer for Jewish and social action causes -- via the Washington Post.
Brian Vallee
Journalist, author and activist against domestic violence -- via the Nova Scotia Chronicle Herald.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Herb Tanney
Herb Tanney (left) and Blake Edwards on the set of "Blind Date." |
Dale Pontius
Political science professor and social activist -- via the Chicago Sun-Times. He heckled Joseph McCarthy.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Terry Monaghan
World's leading authority on jazz dance, specifically swing -- via the Guardian. His Jiving Lindy Hoppers have preserved this exuberant dance form!
TP Sundararajan
Police officer and lawyer -- via the Telegraph. His petition for oversight of the temple treasure of Sri Padmanabhaswamy in Trivandrum, Kevala, India led to the opening of long-sealed vaults, revealing $7 billion of gold, gems and other riches to date.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Gil Bernal
Master of the soulful sax -- via the L.A. Times. Bernal played with Lionel Hampton, Spike Jones, Ry Cooder, Quincy Jones, Little Jimmy Scott, and Ray Charles. He played all the sax breaks on the Coasters' key hits, defining soul and R & B instrumentals for decades to come. His biggest pop hit was with Duane Eddy on "Rebel Rouser."
Ed Flesh
Art director -- via the New York Times. He designed much of the garish game-show settings of the recent past, including the iconic "Wheel of Fortune."
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Lucien Freud
Artist -- via the New York Times. One of the greatest, and most disturbing, painters of the second half of the 20th century.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Joseph Hittelman
Doctor -- via jewishjournal.com. He advocated for affordable and accesible health care for the poor, so he was persecuted and blacklisted during the McCarthy era.
Tony Stevens
Dancer and choreographer -- via Playbill. Also, he and Michon Peacock began the taped workshop sessions for dancers that later inspired Michael Bennett to create "A Chorus Line."
Dick Dillon aka The Sky Rover
Radio traffic reporter -- via the Denver Post. He was our "eye in the sky" for decades; he also covered news such as the Big Thompson Flood, the '82 Xmas Blizzard and the crash of Flight 1713 in 1987.
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