Thursday, November 11, 2010

Carlos Edmundo de Ory

Poet -- via enmemoria.com

Miriam Wosk

Artist and illustrator -- via the L.A. Times

Donald S. Kellerman

Journalist, researcher and pollster -- via the Washington Post

Tony West

First bass player for Merseybeat group The Searchers -- via the Liverpool Echo

Brenda Cowling

Ever-present actress in scads of British films and television shows -- via the Guardian

Angus Hone

Larger-than-life economist -- via the Independent

Fred Atkins

One of the last of the film poster artists who painted by hand -- via britmovie.co.uk

James Mwandha

Minister of the Ugandan Parliament and disability rights activist -- via disabledfeminists.com.

Mohd Shamrin Abd Samad

Lead singer for Fotograf -- via bernama.com

Dino De Laurentiis

Legendary, award-winning film producer -- via AFP. He made some the best and worst and strangest films in history. The good: "Bitter Rice," "La Strada," "Nights of Cabiria," "Serpico," "The Bounty," "Blue Velvet," "Army of Darkness." The bad: "Dune" (at least the release cut), "Mandingo," "Lipstick," "Orca," the 1976 "King Kong," "Death Wish," "Year of the Dragon." The just plain weird: "Barbarella," "Danger: Diabolik," the 1980 "Flash Gordon," "Goliath and the Vampires," numerous Italian sex farces, and the Conan movies. What a career!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Dave Niehaus

Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster -- via the Seattle Times. What a beautiful pro!

Randy Miller

Drummer for The Myriad - via redding.com.

Philip Carlo

True crime writer -- via the New York Times.

Ben Levene

Artist -- via the Guardian.

George Estock

Pitcher for the 1951 Boston Braves -- via Bill Schenley and http://groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries.

Joni Sheram

Playwright and performer -- via John Moore of the Denver Post.

Paul Hammond

Dancer and choreographer -- via the Herald Sun. Look closely and you wil see him performing in the classic film "The Red Shoes"!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

James "Sid" Simmons

Jazz pianist -- via the Jazz Times.

Alan Milward

Economic historian -- via the Telegraph.

Jack Levine

Painter who was not afraid of the human figure, or making a political point, or stepping on toes -- via the New York Times.

Noel Taylor aka Harold Alexander Taylor Jr.

Award-winning costume designer for stage, film and television -- via the L.A. Times. Interesting sidebar -- a privileged youth, he summered in Austria in the 1930s. He saw the rise of Hitler, and out of conscience he raised $200,000 to help the Jews escape. Finally, he was caught organizing against the Nazis and thrown out of the country. An honorable man.

Howard Van Hyning

Master percussionist -- via the New York Times.

Kalim Sharafi

Street singer and freedom fighter -- via the Daily Star.

Jay Van Noy

Respected BYU coach who played six games with the Cardinals in 1951 -- via the Salt Lake City Tribune.

Princess Irmingard of Bavaria

Her family knew Hitler was nuts and dangerous, and fought his rise to power. Of course, he put them all in concentration camps. Somehow, she survived! Via the Telegraph

Don Liberto

Actor/singer/dancer worked on stage, in radio and on television -- via http://groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries. His first Broadway credit? 1937.

Smaro Stefanidou

Actress -- via the Greek Reporter.

Oscar Brockett

Really awesome theatre historian -- via Playbill.

Richmond Harding

Film and television director and producer -- via the Telegraph. He learned the trade on pivotal British films such as "Tight Little Island," "The Blue Lamp" and "Passport to Pimlico." He moved on to classic TV series like "The Avengers" and "Z Cars." He's supposedly the one who put Cathy Gale in the catsuit. Oh, you devil!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Nicci DeSoto

Singer for Falling to Pieces -- via gunshyassassin. com.

Charles Reynolds

"The magician's magician" -- via the New York Times. He produced, directed, invented and conceived some of stage magic's most impressive tricks and illusions,including sawing some one in half with a length of rope and two ways to make an elephant disappear.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Gaston Vandermeerssche

WWII resistance leader -- via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Sonia Pottinger

Record producer -- via the Jamaica Obsever

Alton "Barry" Chevannes

Sociologist, anthropologist and peace activist -- via go-jamaica.com.

Reg King

Soul singer -- via the Guardian.

Ezard Haussmann

Actor and director -- via focus.de.

Rudy Regalado

Timbalero -- via World Music Express. Here he is rocking out with Tito Puente:

Chuck Ramirez

Artist -- via the San Antonio Express

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Sylvia E. Davis

Actress -- via voy.com.

Martin Baum

Agent and producer -- via The Wrap.

Emilio Franco

Actor -- via the Daily Mail.

Geoffrey Crawley

Photographic scientist -- via the New York Times. He was also a skilled pianist, linguist, editor, chemist and inventor. His claim to fame was debunking the "Cottingley fairies mystery" of 1917-1920, in which faked photographs purported to show fairy creatures. Crawley almost hated to tell the world his findings; he understood the human need to believe in the mythic.

Shirley Verrett

Amazing mezzo and soprano of the opera and concert hall -- via the New York Times. Another glorious singer who could actually ACT! Her Lady Macbeth is justly renowned, as was her Norma, Aida, Tosca and Dido. One of my touchstone recordings, and one I play when I am trying to convince others how exciting and beautiful opera is, is her 1975 live concert recording of "La Favorita" with Alfredo Kraus, Pablo Elvira, Barabara Hendricks and James Morris, under the baton of Eve Queler. I urge all to learn more about her work: below is her exquisite rendition of Mozart's "Exultate Julbilate."

Friday, November 5, 2010

Jill Clayburgh

Actress on stage, film and television -- via the New York Times. Intelligent, funny, beautiful, vivacious, compelling -- I loved her! "Silver Streak," "An Unmarried Woman," "Starting Over," "Running with Scissors" -- on Broadway in "Pippin," "Jumpers," "The Rothschilds." A consummate performer; what a wonderful voice.

Ronny Scaife

Award-winning country songwriter -- via the boot.com.

Charles "Charley" McDowell, Jr.

Reporter and columnist -- via the Washington Post. He was seen frequently as a commentator on "Washington Week in Review" on PBS; his rich and expressive voice was heard on the Ken Burns' documentaries "The Civil War" and "Baseball."

Michelle Nicastro

Actress and singer -- via Broadway World.

Hotep Idris Galeta

Jazz pianist and educator -- via www.channel24.co.za. In addition to his massive talents, he had the most beautiful name I have ever heard!

Eddie Hazell

Jazz guitarist -- via www.meaningfulfunerals.net.

Mervyn Haisman

Writer for film and TV, most notably "Doctor Who" -- via tardis.wikia.com.

Barbel Mohr

Self-help and children's writer -- via spirii.de.

Jim Clench

Bassist, singer and songwriter for April Wine and Bachman Turner Overdrive -- via the CBC.

Jeremiah Valdez

Drummer for stoner-metal band Orthodox Fuzz -- via voy.com.

James Freud

Vocalist and bassist for the Australian band Models -- via Gibson.com. He wrote extensively about his struggle for sobriety.