Monday, July 9, 2012

Ethel Rojo aka Ethel Rojo Castro Santiago

Actress and singer -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com.

Ben Davidson

Football player and actor -- via the New York Times.




Jeff Adcock

Groundskeeper for the Milwaukee Brewers -- via Yahoo Sports.


Jeff Keen

Avant-garde filmmaker, poet and artist -- via the Guardian.








Dai Vaughan

Film editor, and writer -- via the Independent.


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.