Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Eric Sykes

Comic actor and writer -- via the Guardian. A strong presence in radio, TV and film, Sykes was one of the most highly regarded comic writers of his generation, creating much of the best of "The Goon Show" with Spike Milligan, and writing copiously for Frankie Howerd.










Michael J. Caroccia

Perhaps Pittsburgh's greatest bowler -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

John Harrison

Bassist -- via spinner.com.

George Leech

Stuntman and actor -- via the Independent. He was an integral part of the classic Bond films, doing much work there and coordinating "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," one of the best in terms of stunt work. 

Jaroslava Adamova

Actress -- via Czech Radio.

Alicia Steimberg

Writer -- via Fox News.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

From Lauren Collins: "The World's Most Interesting Obituary"

A fun piece from the New Yorker -- via the New Yorker.

Rune Gustafsson

Jazz guitarist -- via Radio Sweden.

Alan Saunders

Broadcaster -- via The Age.

Stefan Stuligrosz

Choirmaster -- via puericantores.org.

Victor Manuel Baez Chino

Journalist -- via the Guardian.

Al Brancato

Played shortstop and third base for the Philadelphia A's -- via philly.com.

Andy Griffith

Actor and comedian -- via the New York Times. He will be immortalized via television as Sheriff Andy Taylor in "The Andy Griffith Show," and remembered for his resurgence as a mystery solver in "Matlock." He made his name in 1953 doing an old comic bit called, "What It Was, Was Football."



Then he was became a huge star after playing Will Stockdale in the TV, Broadway and film versions of "No Time for Sergeants" in 1955.



Then Griffith turned around and played one of film's great villains -- Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes in Eliz Kazan's "A Face in the Crowd" in 1957.



From the day after my birth -- October 3, 1960, through April of 1968, "The Andy Griffith Show"'s homespun humor and ridiculous characters were an integral part of our lives.



For almost 20 years after that, he did a lot of different work, primarily outright villainous or comic roles in films and on TV. He was great in "Hearts of the West" and "Rustler's Rhapsody."



He tried to launch numerous new TV series -- I have a sneaking fondness in my heart for 1979's "Salvage 1," a silly adventure-comedy.



Then Matlock from 1986 to 1995.



All in all, a great career, full of a strong spectrum of roles that were informed not only by Griffith's folksiness and ease. He was able to touch on complex and disturbing aspects of himself to play roles opposite to his Andy Taylor persona. Not a lot of actors can get away with that. Thanks, Andy. Say hey to Goober for me.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Don Grady aka Don Louis Agrati

Composer who started as a Mouseketeer and part of a prominent TV family -- via the New York Times. From the year I was born, "My Three Sons," now largely forgotten, was the dominant family show for 12 years. It was so successful that it jumped networks, from ABC to CBS, in 1965. At that time, it went from black-and-white to color as well. For 11 of those years, Don Grady played Robbie Douglas, brooding, charismatic, musical middle/oldest son of eligible, avuncular, bemused widower/architect Steve Douglas (the pipe-sucking Fred MacMurray).

Most illuminating for me were the frequent switches in continuity and personnel, precipitated behind the camera, and how they were explained in the Douglas universe. It was extremely and equally disillusioning and enlightening, being able to see on both sides of the curtain, so to speak.

We had  Bill Frawley as  Grandpa Bub, then William Demarest as Uncle Charley after Frawley got too sick to work. We lost the oldest son Mike after five years, due to a dispute with actor Tim Considine. So Don Grady was promoted to oldest from middle son, and Chip (Stanley Livingston) went from youngest to middle, and adoptee Ernie (Barry Livingston) took on the dorky youngest role.

And it turns out that MacMurray would shoot all his scenes out of sequence in a bunch at the beginning of each season, and then take off. They shot around him. Nice -- and far more real-life than the homiletic hijinks that usually held sway at the Douglas mansion.

Robbie was the struggling conscience of the show -- Chip and Ernie were far more likely to get involved in some humorous shenanigans. Women came and went, oddly peripheral, with Uncle Charley acting as cranky aproned former Merchant Marine mother-substitute. Only when Steve married Beverly Garland's character in 1969 did the wheel begin to come full circle. Robbie and his wife have . . . triplets. Three boys. His three sons.

Grady did an awesome job with a somewhat colorless role. He was consistent, dependable, traits he brought to his later work as a composer. Still, for those my age he will always be that perfect, charming older brother we wanted to imitate.







Doris Singleton aka Dorthea Singleton aka Doris Singleton Issacs

Actress -- via the Chicago Tribune. She did it all, really. She started as a dancer, then sang in front of a big band. She worked in radio, and gained great stature in early TV, working with Lucille Ball all three of her shows,   "My Three Sons," and many other landmark shows.