Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Franz Schurmann

Historian, journalist and founder of the Pacific News Service -- via the San Jose Mercury News

Suzanne Grossman

Actress, writer and translator -- via the L.A. Times . . .


"Suzanne Grossmann

Actress, writer and translator

Suzanne Grossmann, 72, an actress, writer and translator, died Thursday at her home in Los Angeles, said family friend Patricia MacKay. Grossmann had chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, a progressive disease that affects breathing.

Grossmann's works were performed at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, the Old Globe in San Diego and several other theaters in the United States, Canada and England.

Working with actor-director Paxton Whitehead, Grossman translated and adapted "La Main Passe" by French playwright Georges Feydeau, which opened as "The Chemmy Circle" at the Shaw Festival in Canada in 1968 and at the Mark Taper in 1969. They also translated and adapted another Feydeau play, "Le Dindon," into "There's One In Every Marriage," which reached Broadway in 1972.

Her stage adaptations included "Number Our Days" for the Mark Taper in 1982.

As an actress, Grossmann made her Broadway debut in 1966 in "The Lion in Winter." Other credits included "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "The Show Off" in 1968 and "Private Lives" in 1969. She also had a role in the 1967 television production of "The Diary of Anne Frank."

Grossmann also wrote more than 100 episodes of the television soap opera "Ryan's Hope" and several works for Canadian television.

Born Dec. 21, 1937, in Basel, Switzerland, she was reared in Brazil, the United States and Canada. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts at McGill University in Montreal and was in the National Theatre School of Canada's first graduating class in 1963."

Jackson Gillis

Prolific writer for radio and television -- via Variety

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Ahna Capri aka Anna Marie Nanasi

Actress -- via the Hollywood Reporter. She worked extensively in television in the '60s and '70s, and appeared in such campy classics as "Enter the Dragon," "Pirhana" and "The Brotherhood of Satan" -- as well as the vastly underregarded "Payday" --

Satoshi Kon

Anime director and manga artist -- via Anime News Network

Gibson Sibanda

Labor activist and opponent of Mugabe -- via New Zimbabwe

Bill Phillips

Country singer -- via the Tennessean

Monday, August 23, 2010

George David Weiss

Songwriter -- via the New York Times. He wrote some classics, such as "Rumors Are Flying," "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You," "Wheel of Fortune," "What a Wonderful World" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Nancy Dolman

Actress and comedian -- via Entertainment Weekly

Satch Davidson

Former NL umpire witnessed history -- Aaron's HR breaking Ruth's HR record, and Fisk's game-winning shot in the 1975 World Series.

Fogwill aka Rodolfo Enrique Fogwill

Argentine writer -- via the Buenos Aires Herald

Edward Kean

The man who wrote "The Howdy Doody Show," and in the process invented the phrase "Kowabunga!" -- via Yahoo News

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Reggie McDaniel

A lively, and stylish, local radio personality and entertainment critic -- via the Denver Post

Jack Horkheimer

Planetarium director and TV host -- via the Miami Herald. His ubiquitous "Star Gazer" show, a short segment seen regularly on PBS stations. We remember him as the "Star Hustler" (they changed the title down the road)! With his gravelly voice, garrulous manner and bad toupee, he was easy to poke fun at. However, he did love astronomy, and inspired many people to "keep looking at the stars." Thanks, Jack!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Michael Been

Singer/songwriter of The Call -via Variety

Bill Millin

The man who played the bagpipes on Sword Beach June 6, 1944 -- via the New York Times

Subair

Malayalam actor -- via Sify

Kenny Edwards

Singer/songwriter; original member of the Stone Poneys, and long-time collaborator with Linda Ronstadt and Karla Bonoff -- via kennyedwards.com.

Richard "Scar" Lopez

Co-founder of Cannibal & the Headhunters found fame with "Land of 1,000 Dances" -- via the L.A. Times

Frank Kermode

Literary critic -- via the New York Times