Sunday, July 8, 2012

Ernest Borgnine aka Ermes Effron Borgino

Actor -- via CBS News.

How many 60-year careers in anything you know about? Huh? Much less a performing career, especially one that stayed substantial and interesting to the very end.

Ernest Borgnine first appeared on my radar as the star of the "Bilko of the Navy" TV sitcom "McHale's Navy" (both Pacific and European theaters).





But as I began to work through the great films, I was surprised to find Borgnine in so many of them. Try this list: "From Here to Eternity,"

Borgnine as Fatso Judson, the sadistic prison chief, in "From Here to Eternity."
"Johnny Guitar,"





 "Vera Cruz," "Bad Day at Black Rock,"





 of course "Marty," for which he won an Oscar;





 the original "Flight of the Phoenix,"





 "The Dirty Dozen,"





 "Ice Station Zebra," "The Wild Bunch,"





 "Escape from New York." And some howlers, of course -- "Willard," "The Devil's Rain," "The Poseidon Adventure." A disciplined professional, he elevated even TV movies such as "Legend in Granite," a biography of Vince Lombardi, and the wily Katz in "All Quiet on the Western Front."

"All Quiet in the Western Front," 1979.
To younger viewers he was Dominic Santini in "Airwolf" or Doorman Manny in "The Single Guy" -- and to my kids, he is the voice of Mermaid Man in "SpongeBob SquarePants." 



203 credits worth of pure Borgnine pleasure. Thanks, Ernie.


Jonathan Speirs

Lighting designer, most notably for grand architectural projects -- via the Guardian.

Martin Jenkinson


Photographer -- via the Guardian.

Robert Jean-Marie de la Rochefoucauld

Resistance fighter -- via the Telegraph.


Marjorie Chibnall

Historian and translator -- viu the Telegraph.

Doris Sams

Pro baseball pitcher and outfielder -- via the New York Times.


Norman Sas

Inventor of Electric Football -- via northjersey.com.






Yomo Toro aka Victor Guillermo Toro Vega Ramos Rodríguez Acosta

Guitarist and cuatrista -- via the New York Times.





Jim Drake

Perfector of the sailboard; engineer who worked on the X-15 and Tomahawk missile as well -- via the New York Times.

Ivan Karp


Colorful and enthusiastic art dealer and gallery owner -- via the New York Times.


Takeo Chii

Actor and TV show host -- via aroundtokyo.net. One of the villains in the cult film classic "Lady Snowblood," he later hosted informative programs.

Julian Goodman

Former president of NBC, who stuck up for the First Amendment -- via the New York Times.

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.