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.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Bob Symes
Railroading enthusiast, model railroader, and TV host -- via grahammuz.com. AKA Robert Alexander Baron Schutzmann von Schutzmansdorff.
Walt Peregoy
Artist and illustrator; Disney Legend -- via Cartoon Brew. He revolutionized background art in animation -- a modernist, he eschewed realistic working and created compelling, more abstract work. Starting at the bottom at Disney (twice), he moved from traffic boy to inbetweener to breakdown artist to cleanup artist to background painter. He worked on "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmatians," "The Jungle Book," "The Sword in the Stone." and "Mary Poppins." Moving on to television, he created the schematics that underlay "The Lone Ranger" animated TV series, and many more.
Famously grumpy and honest, his assessment of Walt Disney goes as follows: "Walt Disney was a shit. We made Walt. Walt didn't make Walt. Walt was an asshole."
Famously grumpy and honest, his assessment of Walt Disney goes as follows: "Walt Disney was a shit. We made Walt. Walt didn't make Walt. Walt was an asshole."
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Theodore "Bo" Dollis
Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias; Mardi Gras masker, marcher, singer, reveler, and maker of merry -- via WWL. Head of this funk ceremonial marching society of New Orleans for 51 years. The Magnolias were the first to record the unique "Indian" music created during parades through town during special events, especially during Mardi Gras. Their "Handa Wanda" recording in 1970 was a local hit, and sparked more recordings of the tradition by the Wild Tchoupitoulas and others. An exuberant master of a beautiful microculture.
As to the phenomenon of Mardi Gras Indians, parsing the racial dynamics of African Americans presenting as Native Americans is mind-boggling. The key is that these regular, working-class guys work for nine months building costumes far more exuberant than any found at the most outre drag queen festival. These 100-pound contraptions they dance in through the hot, humid streets of New Orleans, for only a few days each year. Ornate costumes, alter egos, complex "tribal" rules and roles and interactions. It's a life-affirming, booty-shaking strut and stomp, art and music and dance slammed together done for no other reason than it's fun. We should all be so lucky.
As to the phenomenon of Mardi Gras Indians, parsing the racial dynamics of African Americans presenting as Native Americans is mind-boggling. The key is that these regular, working-class guys work for nine months building costumes far more exuberant than any found at the most outre drag queen festival. These 100-pound contraptions they dance in through the hot, humid streets of New Orleans, for only a few days each year. Ornate costumes, alter egos, complex "tribal" rules and roles and interactions. It's a life-affirming, booty-shaking strut and stomp, art and music and dance slammed together done for no other reason than it's fun. We should all be so lucky.
Ward Swingle
Vocalist, jazz musician, arranger, and choral director; founder of the Swingle Singers -- via Slipped Disc. His scat-like adaptations of classical compositions for a cappella choir were quite popular in the 1960s. A unique beauty, pointillistic and precise.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Don Harron
Comedian, actor, director, journalist, writer, playwright, and composer -- via the CBC. Best known as his comic alter ego, Charlie Farquharson.
Rimma Markova
Actress -- via echo.msk.ru. Best known for her role as Koldunya Darya, the witch, in the Russian "Night Watch"/"Day Watch" films.
Deathcetera: Your week in mortality news
DEATH
The town that
talks about death
– via Chana Joffe-Walt at NPR
MOURNING
Millenials in
mourning
– via Eric Ringham, Emily Kaiser at MPR
FUNERALS
Minister denies
funeral to lesbian woman – via Ryan Haarer from KUSA-TV
Chronicle of a
home funeral
– from Ann Zaniewski at USA Today
Disabled man
achieves dream of becoming a mortician – from Jay Levin at the Record
Retired funeral
director has tons of fun stories – via Steve Pokin at the Springfield
News-Leader
Who’s stealing
hearse stretchers?
– via the Claims Journal
Ronnie Ronalde
Vocalist, yodeler, and siffleur (expert whistler) -- via Island FM, Guernsey. AKA Ronald Charles Waldron.
Tony Verna
Emmy-winning TV producer and director; the man who invented instant replay -- via the New York Daily News.
A$AP Yams
Music organizer, mentor, hiphop artist and producer -- via the Rolling Stone. AKA STeven Rodriguez, Yamorbghini.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Ervin Drake
Songwriter and lyricist -- via the Washington Post. AKA Ervin Druckman. He wrote the classics "It Was a Very Good Year" and "I Believe," and the lyrics for such hits as "Perdido," "Tico Tico," and "Good Morning Heartache."
Friday, January 16, 2015
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