Rapper and actor -- via Rolling Stone.
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, November 8, 2011
Hal Kanter
One of the great old-time comedy writers and directors -- via the L.A. Times. He started writing for radio -- he was so old, he wrote gags for Olsen and Johnson! He broke into TV writing for Ed Wynn. He created the sitcom "Julia," and was the head writer for the Oscars for 30 years. He father created Classics Illustrated! My favorite joke of his involves his teasing of Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of "Gilligan's Island": "Sherwood Schwartz. He sounds like Robin Hood's rabbi."
Joe Frazier
Former heavyweight boxing champion; one of the greatest fighters ever -- via the New York Times. Here's a great meditation on his character from Dave Anderson in the Times. "I'll forgive, but I'll never forget."
Monday, November 7, 2011
From Listverse: "Top 10 Bizarre Premature Obituaries"
"You'll be stone-dead in a minute" -- from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." |
Christiane Legrand
Vocalist -- via forum.bcdb.com. Original soprano for the Swingle Singers, and member of Les Double Six.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Ruby Burman Cohn
Theater scholar and the one who "discovered" Samuel Beckett -- via the New York Times.
Lloyd "Tommy" Doss
Musician -- the last of the legendary Sons of the Pioneers -- via Oregon Public Broadcasting. He replaced original baritone Bob Nolan, and sand with the group from 1949 to 1972. Their sound is an intergral part of my consciousness; you can hear them in John Ford's "Rio Grande," "The Searchers" and "Wagonmaster." A beautiful and essential part of the mythos and culture of the American West. My memory of the first film excerpt led me to name my first child Kathleen!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Bob Forsch
Former pitcher for the Cardinals and the Astros -- via St. Louis Today. The third-winningest pitcher in Cards history, after Gibson and Haines; the only Cardinal pitcher with two no-hitters.
Sid Melton
Character actor -- via the L.A. Times. One of the greats, he accumulated nearly 140 credits on film and television between 1941 and 1999. A hilarious comic presence as Alf Monroe in "Green Acres," and Charley Helper on "Make Room for Daddy." He also played Captain Midnight's sidekick, Ichabod Mudd, and appeared in projects as diverse as "Knock on Any Door," "The Steel Helmet" and "Bigger Than Life." A career of almost Storchlike proportions. The highest compliment you pay a comic performer is that you smile when they come on stage or hit the screen, because you know you're going to laugh. Such was the case with Sid Melton.
Here's a link to the "Green Acres" episode, "Alf and Ralph Break Up": http://www.hulu.com/watch/170090/green-acres-alf-and-ralph-break-up
Here's a link to the "Green Acres" episode, "Alf and Ralph Break Up": http://www.hulu.com/watch/170090/green-acres-alf-and-ralph-break-up
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Leonard Stone
Character actor -- via TMZ. Best remembered as Mr. Beauregarde in "Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," he acted extensively in television, on film and on stage. "You're turning violet, Violet!"
Richard Gordon
Film producer -- via the L.A. Times. Made some wonderfully cheesy horror and sc-fi B classics such as "Corridors of Blood," "Fiend Without a Face," "First Man into Space," and "The Haunted Strangler."
Matty Alou aka Mateo Rojas Alou
Great MLB batter -- via Dominican Today. With his brothers Felipe and Jesus, one of the great three-sibling combinations in major league history, alongside the DiMaggios and the Molinas. Below is some home-movie footage from 1960, showing Alou and some of his fellow Giants -- yes, the colors really looked like that back then.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Dagoberto "Dag" "Burt" Concepcion Cueto
Former MLB pitcher -- via the Charlotte, NC Observer, Bill Schenley and groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries.
Dave Cole
Former MLB pitcher -- via the Williamsport Herald-Mail. One of the wildest pitchers in MLB history -- once recorded three outs without throwing a stirke, somehow.
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