Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Joan Roberts

Actress -- via theatermania.com. She originated the part of Laurey in the original production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"

Ron Palillo

Actor -- via Yahoo News. Best remembered for his role as Arnold Horshack in the TV sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter."

Satwant Singh Kaleka

Sikh priest and president of the Skih Temple of Wisconsin -- via foxnews.com. He died trying to save the lives of his congregants from the attack of a racist killer.

Helen Gurley Brown

Writer and editor -- via the New York Times.

Nan Merriman

Mezzo-soprano -- via triblive.com. A stellar career -- she sang for the Leigh/Olivier "romeo and Juliet," and extensively with Toscanini -- "Rigoletto," "Otello," "Falstaff," "Orfeo ed Eurydice." Also noted for her Dorabella in "Cosi Fan Tutte."










Magnus Isacsson

Documentary filmmaker -- via the CBC.

Gilbert Prouteau

Writer, poet, and film director -- via ouest-france.fr.


Monday, August 13, 2012

Johnny Pesky aka John Michael Paveskovich aka The Needle

Red Sox great -- via Ron Bostwick and NESN.






Joe Kubert

One of the comic book artist masters -- via nj.com. Best known for his work on "Hawkman" and "Sgt. Rock." We lived for Sgt. Rock every month down at the drugstore. THANKS, JOE!


Al Freeman Jr.

Actor and director on stage, in film and on television -- via Playbill. A solid and versatile pro, he worked extensively in theater at the beginning of his career, culminating in his role as Jamie in "Long Day's Journey into Night" in 1981. He was a long-time player on the soap opera "One Life to Live"; and he did many films, most notably in the role of Elijah Muhammad in Spike Lee's "Malcom X."

He had to overcome two sets of stereotypes. He was old enough to have played some subservient "Negro" types early in his career; then, in the wake of growing opportunities for black actors, he was often typecast in the mold of the articulate, examplary "noble Negro" of the 1960s, in the wake of Sidney Poitier's dominant screen persona.

He was vastly more talented than that, and proved it often. Would have loved to see him do more work. Thanks, Al!

Carlo Rambaldi

Oscar-winning special effects master -- via the New York Times. Also made memorable movie monsters and extraterrestrials in "Alien," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Dune," "Conan the Barbarian," and many more. He also did a lot of Bava films, including "Planet of the Vampires" and gialli (Italian slasher/horror films) such as "Twitch of the Death Nerve" and "Deep Red."

David Wages



Editor for film and television -- via westernboothill.com.

Severino Araujo

Bandleader -- via oglobo.globo.com.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Mel Stuart

Film and TV producer and director -- via the BBC. Although primarily a documentary filmmaker, and an Emmy-winning one at that, he will be best remembered for his direction of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."








David Rakoff

Humorist and actor -- via the New York Times.

Irvin Faust

Writer -- via the New York Times.

Russ Mayberry

TV director -- via the Chicago Tribune.


Tony Sly

Musician -- via the San Jose Mercury News.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Don Erickson

Former MLB pitcher -- via the Springfield State Journal-Register.

Jimmy Jones

R & B singer -- via the New York Daily News. His two million-selling hits: "Handy Man" and "Good Timin'." His falsetto style was a strong influence on future pop high-noters such as Del Shannon, Frankie Valli, and Robin Gibb.



Jason Noble

Musician -- via Billboard. Was in Rodan, Rachel's, and Shipping News.