Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Dolores Fuller

Actress and songwriter -- via the L.A. Times. A one-time girlfriend of abysmally bad cult movie director Ed wood, she appeared in his "Glen or Glenda?" and "Jail Bait." Later, she co-wrote "Rock-a-Hula-Baby" and many other songs for Elvis films. She laso founded a record company, Dee Dee and launched the career of Johnny Rivers and Tanya Tucker.


She wrote other hits, such as "Someone to Tell It To"

Rolo Puente aka Rolando Pardo Dominguez

Actor and comedian -- via m24digital.com.

Gustavo Kouri Flores

Physician, teacher and researcher -- via the juventudrebelde.co.cu. He fought the spread of tropical diseases, especially dengue fever.

Sada Thompson

Tony- and Emmy-winning actress -- via the New York Times.

Arthur Laurents aka Arthur Levine

Playwright, screenwriter and director -- via the New York Times. For the stage, he wrote the book for "West Side Story," "Gypsy" and "Anyone Can Whistle." For the screen, he wrote "Rope," "The Way We Were" and "The Turning Point."

James "Deacon" Anderson

Singer, songwriter and steel guitarist -- via the Port Arthur News. He co-wrote the famous "Ragg-Mopp."

Jack Gottlieb

Composer and assistant to Leonard Bernstein -- via the Guardian.

Steve Alvey

Actor -- via the Guardian.

Bobby "Bull" Thompson

Outfielder for the Rangers in 1978 -- via the Charlotte Observer, Jack Morris, Bill Schenley and groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries, in that order.

Alex

Actor -- via the Times of India.

Ernest "Shololo" Mothle

Bassist -- via tonymcgregor-tonysplace.blogspot.com.

Jagdish Khebudkar aka Nana

Lyricist and poet -- via the Hindustan Times.

Stoney Burns

"King of the hippies" -- via Pegasus News.

Elbert "Al" Moulton

Why there are no billboards in Vermont -- via boston.com.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Thanasis Veggos

Comic actor and director -- via Athens News.

Osama's obit: the backstage story from the Times

Via Steve Miller at obituaryforum.blogspot.com, and Lauren Kirchner at the Columbia Journalism Review. Kirchner interviewed NYT obit writer Kate Zernike about the mechanics of producing an updated obituary on a controversial and despised figure at the last minute on a Sunday night.

'Last post' is blogger's farewell

Derek K. Miller, blogger, pens his own obituary. It's very moving and well-done.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Thomas Sidney Downing

General-store owner and a nice guy -- via the Anniston Star. Kudos to writer Laura Camper for the wonderfully well-written piece!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Claude Stanley Choules

Last combat veteran of World War II -- via MSNBC. His experience made him a pacifist.

Marian Mercer

Actress in a splendid variety of roles -- via the New York Times. A wry comedian, she specialized in sassy, energetic and arch roles. She won a Tony for her work in the original production of "Promises, Promises." She did improv, Shakespeare, Williams, TV commercials, all with impeccable, crisp professionalism.

Jackie Cooper aka John Cooper Jr.

Actor, director and producer in film and television -- via TMZ. Best known as a child actor in part of the Our Gang series, and in a string of films with Wallace Beery ("The Champ," "Treasure Island"). On growing up, he worked on TV and eventually began producing and packaging shows. Later, he directed many TV episodes. He had one last memorable series of outings as editor Perry White in the original Superman feature film series.