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.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Marketa Kimbrell
Actress, teacher and co-founder of the New York Street Theater Caravan -- via the New York Times.
Jerry Ragovoy aka Jordan Ragovoy aka Norman Meade
Songwriter, producer and arranger -- via the New York Times. He wrote some great soul tunes -- "Time Is on My Side," "Piece of My Heart" and "Cry Baby," to name a few.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Cornell MacNeil
Baritone -- via Minnesota Public Radio. One of the great baritones of the 20th century. Period. He will always be the definitive Scarpia for me, and an inspired Rigoletto, Iago and other classic roles.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Googie Withers aka Georgette Lizette Withers
Actress on stage ,and in film and TV -- via the Guardian. A beautiful and wickedly intelligent performer, she can be seen in such classic films as "Dead of Night," "Night and the City," "Shine" and "The Lady Vanishes."
Friday, July 15, 2011
George M. Ross aka George Martin Rosenkoff
Philanthropist -- via the New York Times. His persistence and funding gave birth to the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Theodore Roszak
Historian, writer and teacher -- via the San Francisco Chronicle. He originated the concpet of a "counter culture."
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Sherwood Schwartz
Writer for radio and television comedy, TV producer, and creator of "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch" -- via the Los Angeles Daily News. For better or worse, his 60's sitcoms hugely influenced everyone, especially me. Schwartz started off writing for Bob Hope's radio show, then for Ozzie and Harriet and "The Alan Young Show." He moved to TV, writing for "I Married Joan" and Red Skelton. He created the hit series "Gilligan's Island," "The Brady Bunch" and a little-known, really bad show I really liked about time-traveling astronauts and cavemen called "It's About Time," with Imogene Coca, Joe E. Ross and Mike Mazurki. Schwatrz even helped write his show's theme songs! Schwartz always intended his shows to impart moral lessons . . . I learned that they never could get off the island.
Rob Grill
Lead singer for the Grass Roots -- via CBS News. With the loss of Grill and drummer Rick Coonce, who died on Feb. 25, this leaves only guitarists Creed Bratton (best known now as a cast member of "The Office") and Warren Entner from the original group.
Pete Duranko aka Diesel
Football player -- via the Johnstown, PA Tribune-Democrat. An early standout for the Denver Broncos, he was quite frightening.
Sam Denoff
TV comedy writer -- via the New York Times. With Bill Persky, he wrote most of the great episodes of "The Dick van Dyke Show," and convinced me that writing comedy would be the best career path ever!
Billy Blanco
Composer and performer -- via AP. Known as "the diamond of Bossa Nova," he wrote more than 300 songs.
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