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.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Diane Cilento
Actress on stage, in film and television -- via the Telegraph. Oscar-nominated for her work in "Tom Jones"; Tony-nominated for her work in "Tiger at the Gates."
David I. Mitchell
Tony-winning set designer -- via the New York Times. He creared the sets for "Annie," "Barnum," "The Gin Game," "La Cage aux Folles."
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Uan Rasey
Trumpeter -- via Spinner. Coming out of east Montana, he made it to Hollywood and into the MGM orchestra, where he would play for films from the late '40s through the '70s. A magnificent tone and a big-hearted, outspoken guy. Particularly known for his hauntingly beautiful contributions to the score from "Chinatown."
Peter Przygodda
Great film editor -- via Mubi. Worked on almost 100 films over a 40-year span, including those of Wim Wenders (including the magnificent "Wings of Desire"), Hans-Jurgen Syberberg and Volker Schlondorff.
Kenneth H. Dahlberg
World War II fighter ace, entrepreneur and inadvertent Watergate figure -- via the Washington Post. He had quite a life. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; he was shot down three times and survived a P.O.W. camp; he startedMiracle Ear and Buffalo Wild Wings; and the Watergate scandal broke when his check to the Committee to Re-elect the President was found in the account of a Watergate burglar.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Charles Napier
Actor -- via the Bakersfield Californian. A familiar face, and a good actor confined largely to character roles -- specializing in villainy or comedy. He worked in 194 film and TV roles between 1968 and 2011. He is best known for his appearances in such classic films as "Supervixens," "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls," "The Blues Brothers," "Melvin and Howard," "Rambo First Blood Part II," "Miami Blues," "Silence of the Lambs," "Philadelphia" and the first two "Austin Powers" films. In television, he appeared in everything from "Mannix" to "Curb Your Enthusiam." His kitschiest role may have been as the space hippy Adam in the original "Star Trek" episode, "The Way to Eden."
Fred L. Shuttlesworth
Minister and civil rights activist -- via the New York Times. A strong and courageous fighter for what is right.
Eric "Hi Fi" Kish
Rockabilly musician and motorcycle craftsman -- via the Huffington Post. Frontman for Hi Fi and the Roadburners.
Bert Jansch
Amazing and influential folk guitarist and singer; member of groundbreaking group Pentangle -- via the Guardian. A beloved genius.
Denis Cannan
Playwright and screenwriter -- via the Times of London. Most memorably, he adapted John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" with Christopher Fry for the Peter Brook film version in 1953.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Betty Luster Prentis
Dancer and singer -- via Satellite News. She is best remembered for her starring role in the 1956 short promotional film "Mr. B Natural," which later became a camp classic thanks to the TV/movie comedy show "Mystery Science Theater 3000." She passed away on May 25, 2011, but her death was not generally reported until recently.
Denise Gence
Actress -- via voy.com.
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/arts-du-spectacle/video/CAC92055513/denise-gence-oh-les-beaux-jours-de-samuel-beckett.fr.html
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/arts-du-spectacle/video/CAC92055513/denise-gence-oh-les-beaux-jours-de-samuel-beckett.fr.html
Clarence Johnson
Singer and record producer; an early member of the Chi-Lites -- via the Chicago Sun-Times.
Roger G. Kennedy
Director of the National Park Service, leader of the Smithsonian, scholar and author -- via the New York Times.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Emanuel Litvinoff
Poet and memoirist -- via the Telegraph. He notably stood up to the horrible anti-Semitism of T.S. Eliot.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Brooke Ostrander
Keyboardist -- via samessenger.com. He started the band Rainbow with Chaim Witz and Stanley Eisen; later they became Wicked Lester. Finally Ostrander quit, becoming a studio musician and music educator. His bandmates? They changed their names to Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, and the band changed its name to Kiss.
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