DEATHS ; Notable Passings; The Thread to Pay Last Respects

[Touchofevil]

Certainly not a nationally notable passing, but I recently lost a friend of mine. George was an interesting guy, who cared about local history. He was also a Vietnam veteran. George loved to tell stories about how in his day, living around here was like "American Graffiti." In my teens, he always gave me tips for little tricks when it came to working on vintage cars.

Sadly, in our heat wave, he was one of the people we lost. I'm really gonna miss him.

No, definitely notable for any who was fortunate to be a part of his life. I feel for you. All passings are of importance whether famous or not. My mother passed a year ago yesterday after a five plus year battle with cancer. She was as important as any celebrity and as brave a person you could find. I am truly sorry for your loss.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Thank you very much. I am sorry to hear about your mother's passing. A friend of mine (and a fellow Lounger) lost his father a year ago. I know it's tough. They're not gone, they're just on the other side.

No, definitely notable for any who was fortunate to be a part of his life. I feel for you. All passings are of importance whether famous or not. My mother passed a year ago yesterday after a five plus year battle with cancer. She was as important as any celebrity and as brave a person you could find. I am truly sorry for your loss.

 

[LizzieMaine]

One of the last surviving big-name entertainers of the Era, crooner Tony Martin, has died at 98.

Martin was a major figure on radio from the late thirties thru the mid-forties, was a feature player in films, and had considerable success as a recording artist. He was also the first husband of fellow Fox film star Alice Faye.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

What makes Tony Martin's death even worse for me was that I kept forgetting he was still alive RIP Tony.

 

[dhermann1]

Of course Alice later married Phil Harris. Tony was married to Cyd Charisse for many decades. This is one of my favorite Tony Martin songs:

[video=youtube;dhexQEhPlxY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhexQEhPlxY[/video]

 

[Miss Golightly]

Irish author Maeve Binchy has died aged 72:

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle...-binchy-dies-after-illness-at-72-3186317.html

 

[dhermann1]

Author, historian, sartorial icon Gore Vidal has died at age 86.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/obit/story/2012-08-01/gore-vidal-dies/56631952/1

 

[dhermann1]

Great quote from Gore Vidal: "There is not one human problem that could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise."

 

[HadleyH]

..... it's all coming to an end....

all these people posted above.... all gone.... almost nobody is left now .... it's too sad

RIP Celeste Holm ... RIP Chad Everett... RIP Tony Martin ... RIP Gore Vidal.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Composer Marvin Hamlisch who wrote the musical A Chorus Line and the scores for such films as The Sting and The Way We Were, died today in his L.A. home. He was 68. He was one of only a dozen people to win an Emmy, an Oscar, a Grammy and a Tony award. And one of only two, along with Richard Rodgers to have won all four awards AND a Pulitzer Prize.

[video=youtube;tyZeGOsR9IA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyZeGOsR9IA[/video]

Though most of the songs from the The Sting were of course composed by Scott Joplin, the following were by Hamlisch.

[video=youtube;BwFhv1KjU9M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwFhv1KjU9M[/video]

[video=youtube;nSqDloLyVx8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSqDloLyVx8[/video]

 

[hatophile]

Mr. Hamlisch had some great tunes!

 

[Feraud]

Mel Stuart, director of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory dies.
I never saw this beloved film as a child. It was only as an adult and few years ago that I watched it. Gene Wilder was wonderful in it.

 

[Formeruser012523]

What a loss.

Burton's version of Wonka is not nearly as influential as the original.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is something to see as well.

May he RIP.

 

[skyvue]

Humorist David Rakoff, a wonderful writer and a lovely fellow, died yesterday at the age of 47. He will be greatly missed.

Here's a link to an interview I did with David some years back.

 

[AmateisGal]

Helen Gurley Brown, editor of the magazine, Cosmopolitan, has died at the age of 90.

 

[LizzieMaine]

She didn't found it -- it had been around for over sixty years by the time she took it over. She did, however, make it what it is today.

 

[AmateisGal]

Fixed it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

One of the most beloved figures in all of New England, Boston Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky, has died at 92. Pesky served the team as player, manager, coach, broadcaster, executive, and goodwill ambassador for over sixty years, and is the only non-Hall Of Fame player to have his uniform number retired by the team.

Rest in peace, Number Six.

 

[HadleyH]

Helen Gurley Brown, editor of the magazine, Cosmopolitan, has died at the age of 90.

Lord... and the list continues...

RIP Helen and thank you

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Actor Ron Pallilo who played the goofball Arnold Horshack on TV's Welcome Back Kotter died today. He was 63.