The Rest In Peace and Remembrance Thread

[jag]

'Make Me Laugh' comic Vic Dunlop dies at 62


"Make Me Laugh" comic Vic Dunlop has died in California of diabetes complications at 62.

His wife, Linda Dunlop, tells the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/pOj1PT ) that the comedian died Saturday at Glendale Adventist Medical Center near Los Angeles.

The irreverent comic joked about his weight, Catholic school upbringing and Army life. He gained national attention on television's "Make Me Laugh."

Dunlop was a regular on Richard Pryor's 1977 comedy-variety show and he appeared on the 1980s comedy "Harper Valley P.T.A." He starred in the 1993 comedy "Breakfast of Aliens" and had roles in the movies "Skatetown U.S.A.," ''The Devil and Max Devlin," ''Meatballs Part II," ''Night Patrol" and "Martians Go Home."

[jag]

Russell Armstrong, Estranged Spouse Of 'Real Housewives' Star Taylor Armstrong, Found Dead

Russell Armstrong, the estranged spouse of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong, was found dead on Monday night at the age of 47, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office confirmed to Access Hollywood.

The Los Angeles City Fire Department pronounced Russell dead at 8:16 PM on Monday, the spokesperson told Access.

Russell, an investment banker, was found at his home on Mulholland Drive in West Los Angeles, the Coroner's Office rep added.

The department is treating his death as a suicide, but an official determination will be confirmed on Wednesday after further examination.

Russell had been featured alongside Taylor on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and their relationship woes were documented on the show.

Taylor filed for divorce from Russell last month. The couple tied the knot in 2005 and has one daughter, Kennedy, 5.

According to People, Taylor claimed Russell called her names, grabbed her and pushed her.

"I felt like I was dying inside," she told the mag in an article, published in July 2011. "Now, there's some sense of peace.".

A rep for Taylor was not immediately available for comment on Russell's death when contacted by Access Hollywood on Tuesday morning.

[unchoopfan]

Jerry Leiber, lyricist in legendary songwriting duo Leiber and Stoller, dead at 78
Leiber and Stoller's penned Elvis' first No. 1 hit 'Hound Dog.' hits for the Coasters, the Drifters, Ben E. King and many other artists

Claudia Luther/LA Times

Jerry Leiber, who with his songwriting partner Mike Stoller, created a songbook that infused the rock 'n' roll scene of the 1950s and early '60s with energy and mischievous humor, has died. He was 78.

Leiber, the words half of the duo, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of cardiopulmonary failure, said Randy Poe, president of the songwriters' music publishing company.

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, Leiber and his lifelong writing partner, Stoller, wrote hits that included Elvis Presley's rat-a-tat-tat rendition of "Hound Dog" in 1956 and Peggy Lee's 1969 recording of the jaded "Is That All There Is?"

But they may be best remembered for the ebullient, impudent hits written for black groups like the Clovers ("Love Potion No. 9"), the Drifters ("Ruby Baby"); the Cheers ("Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots"), the Robins ("Smokey Joe's Cafe," "Riot in Cell Block No. 9") and, especially, a Robins' spinoff group that Leiber and Stoller helped create, the Coasters ("Searchin'," "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy," "Charlie Brown," "Down in Mexico," "Little Egypt").

Leiber and Stoller, who owned the publishing rights, composed more than 40 Top-40 hits, including several R&B standards ("Stand by Me," "Poison Ivy") and some of Elvis Presley's best-known tunes, among them "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock." Their songs were collected for the Broadway revue "Smokey Joe's Cafe," which continues to travel the country.

[just saying]

Motown songwriter Nick Ashford dies at age 70

NEW YORK (AP) -- Nick Ashford, one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for the likes of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye and funk hits for Chaka Khan and others, died Monday at age 70, his former publicist said.

Ashford, who along with wife Valerie Simpson wrote some of Motown's biggest hits, died in a New York City hospital, said publicist Liz Rosenberg, who was Ashford's longtime friend. He had been suffering from throat cancer and had undergone radiation treatment, she told The Associated Press.

Though they had some of their greatest success at Motown with classics like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand" by Ross and "You're All I Need To Get By" by Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Ashford & Simpson also created anthems for others, like "I'm Every Woman" by Khan (and later remade by Whitney Houston). Ashford & Simpson also had success writing for themselves: Perhaps the best-known song they sang was the 1980s hit "Solid As A Rock."

"His music is unmatched in terms of great songwriting," Verdine White of Earth, Wind and Fire said after learning of his friend's death.

"They had magic and that's what creates those wonderful hits, that magic," White added. "Without those songs, those artists wouldn't have been able to go to the next level."

Others in the music industry also mourned the loss. On Twitter, Alicia Keys wrote, "I'm so sad that he's gone. ... So many of the greatests are going to a greater place ... what a legacy of infectious music ... man!"

Ashford and Simpson's relationship stretched more than four decades. They met in 1964 in a New York City church. Ashford, a South Carolina native, had come to the city to pursue a dance career. Simpson was a music student, and after connecting with her, they decided to start to write songs together.

"They were always comfortable with each other and they made all of us comfortable, because they were comfortable," White said.

Their first major success occurred when they came up with "Let's Go Get Stoned" for Ray Charles. The bluesy, gospel-tinged song became a huge hit for Charles, and soon, they came to the attention of Motown Records and began penning hits for their artists.

They started out writing soulful, romantic works for the duo of Gaye and Terrell that would become instant classics, like "Your Precious Love," and "Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing." In fact, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was originally their hit, until Ross later rerecorded it with a new arrangement that had sweeping pop grandeur and made it her signature song.

Ross may have been their greatest muse: With her, they had some of their biggest songs and helped give her career-defining hits that would distinguish her solo career apart from The Supremes. Among the songs Ross made hits were "Reach Out and Touch," "The Boss," "My House," and "Missing You," a tribute to the late Gaye and others. They also composed some of the music for "The Wiz," the movie musical that starred Ross and Michael Jackson.

In an industry where marriages and partnerships are fleeting, Ashford and Simpson stood the test of time.

"The thing is they were married and working together, that was what was special about them. Everybody admired that," White said.

The duo, married for 38 years, helped sell millions of records for several artists. They also had success as their own entity, but despite "Solid As a Rock," their songs were dwarfed by those they penned for others. They continued to craft hits even into the new millennium: They are credited as co-writers on Amy Winehouse's "Tears Dry On Their Own."

In recent years, the pair continued to perform. They also were owners of the New York City restaurant Sugar Bar, where many top names and emerging talents would put on showcases.

In 2002, Ashford & Simpson were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Ashford is survived by his wife and two daughters. Rosenberg said there is no information yet on funeral arrangements.

[just saying]

Monty Python producer John Howard Davies dies
John Howard Davies, a child actor and comedy producer best known for his lead role in David Lean's 1948 film "Oliver Twist", has died aged 72, his former employer the BBC said on Tuesday.
Davies died on Monday following a battle with cancer at his home in Oxfordshire, England, with his family at his side.

Davies found fame as a young actor, appearing in Oliver Twist before taking on another title role in "Tom Brown's Schooldays".

He left acting and held a number of jobs before joining the BBC as a production assistant in 1966.

His production credits included seminal British television comedy series "Fawlty Towers", "Steptoe and Son" and the early episodes of "Monty Python's Flying Circus".

Davies became head of comedy at the broadcaster in 1978, and helped to launch a string of beloved series including "Yes Minister", "Not the Nine O'Clock News" and "Only Fools and Horses".

Jon Plowman, a comedy producer and former head of comedy at the BBC, called Davies a "gentle, funny and delightful man.

"(He) was a very rare combination -- he was a comedy genius and a very nice man, who was much loved by his staff and will be much missed by all of us who try to make audiences laugh

[unchoopfan]

Frank Potenza, Jimmy Kimmel's uncle and comic foil, dead at 77

Frank Potenza, 77, a former New York City police officer who turned to comedy as "Uncle Frank" on his nephew Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, died Tuesday.

In a statement, ABC's"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show confirmed the death but released no other details.

The silver-haired Potenza had spent 20 years as a police officer and 10 more as a private security guard in Las Vegas when Kimmel asked him to join his fledgling show as a security guard and cast member in 2003.

During his nine years on the program, Potenza would stand to the side of the stage in his guard uniform while Kimmel used him as a comic foil. The comedian liked to stump his uncle, who was once Frank Sinatra's personal security guard at Caesars Palace, by asking him to name more than two Sinatra songs, according to the show.

Potenza did comedy bits with Guillermo Rodriguez, a real-life parking lot security guard for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Potenza was also paired with his ex-wife, Chippy, and sent on comic "adventures" that included working on a dairy farm and learning self-defense.

Born in 1933 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Potenza served in the military during the Korean War and had three daughters. He was working as a security guard at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City when Kimmel asked him to move west.

"People can tell that Uncle Frank is the genuine article," Kimmel told the New York Times in 2007. "That's why they like him."

[unchoopfan]

Frank Dileo, "King of Pop's" manager/Epic Records exec, dead at 63
By Claire Noland, Los Angeles Times
August 25, 2011

Frank Dileo, a music industry promoter who spent five years as Michael Jackson's manager after the release of his "Thriller" album then briefly rejoined him before the pop star's death in 2009, has died. He was 63.

Dileo died Wednesday at a hospital in Boardman, Ohio, of complications from heart surgery that he underwent six months ago, publicist Karen Sundell said.

Often described as a colorful, cigar-smoking character, Dileo was vice president of promotion for Epic Records when he became Jackson's manager in 1984.

"Thriller" was released in late 1982, and Dileo is credited with helping drive sales of the album past 29 million. He pushed for the concurrent release of the singles "Billie Jean" and "Beat It," both of which reached No. 1 on the pop charts. As Jackson's manager, Dileo oversaw two concert tours, executive-produced the singer's 1988 "Moonwalker" film and produced his soft-drink commercials.

Jackson fired Dileo in 1989 after an apparent falling-out, then rehired him in 2009 when Jackson was preparing for his "This Is It" tour. Dileo was at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center when doctors declared the pop star dead at age 50 on June 25, 2009.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1947, Dileo got his start in the music business as a salesman for CBS Records in the late 1960s. He switched to working in promotion at Epic, a CBS subsidiary, then went to RCA and Arista before returning to Epic in 1979.

During the 1990s he ran a management and consulting firm and had bit acting parts in movies, including "Goodfellas" and the "Wayne's World" films.

Dileo is survived by his wife, Linda; a daughter, Belinda; a son, Dominic, and a grandson, Frank.

----------------------------------------

Mike Flanagan, former Cy Young winner, dead at 59

BALTIMORE (AP) - Former Cy Young winner Mike Flanagan, who won 167 games over 18 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, has died. Authorities found a body outside of Flanagan's home on Wednesday afternoon, and it was later determined to be the former left-handed pitcher. Flanagan was 59.

The Orioles confirmed Flanagan's death Wednesday night. Flanagan won the Cy Young Award with the Orioles in 1979 when he went 23-9 with a 3.08 ERA and five shutouts. He also played for Baltimore's 1983 world championship team, going 12-4 despite missing nearly three months with ligament damage in his left knee.

He finished 167-143 with a 3.90 ERA, including 141-116 with Baltimore. After his playing career, he worked in the Orioles front office and did color commentary for the team's TV network.

[jag]

TV and movie composer Jack J. Hayes dead at 92


Jack J. Hayes, who composed music for beloved TV shows "Happy Days" and "Gunsmoke," has died at the age of 92. He died of natural causes Wednesday in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, according to Variety.

Bing: More on Jack J. Hayes


Hayes also created music for "Laverne & Shirley" and served as orchestrator on a number of blockbuster movies, including "Up," "The Incredibles," "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible III," "Taxi Driver" and "The Three Musketeers."

He also collaborated with Leo Shuken on music for classic films like "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "In Cold Blood" and "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid."

Hayes was nominated for two Oscars: one in 1964 for adapting the musical "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and one in 1985 for contributing to Quincy Jones' score for "The Color Purple."

Hayes was born in San Francisco and is survived by his two children.

[unchoopfan]

George Green, songwriter/collaborator with John Mellencamp, dead at 59

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) -- Songwriter George Green, who wrote lyrics for some of John Mellencamp's biggest hits and songs for Barbra Streisand and others, has died at age 59.

Kathryn Green tells The Herald-Times that her husband died Sunday in Albuquerque, N.M., from a rapid-forming lung cancer.

Green was a boyhood friend of Mellencamp growing up in Seymour and lived in Bloomington for many years before moving to New Mexico in 2001.

The songs Green co-wrote with Mellencamp included the 1980s hits "Hurts So Good," "Crumblin' Down" and "Rain on the Scarecrow." He also wrote the title track for Streisand's 1997 album "Higher Ground" and songs recorded by Vanessa Williams, Hall & Oates and Ricky Skaggs.

Mellencamp tells The Herald-Times that Green was a dreamer who helped him write some really good songs.

[jag]

Actress Eve Brent dies at age 82

Character actress Eve Brent, most famous for playing Jane in the 1958 film "Tarzan and the Trappers," died at age 82. Brent's career spanned more than 60 years (see her filmography). Her most recent film roles include "The Green Mile" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." She reportedly died of natural causes at a hospital in Sun Valley, Calif.

[genlock]

The man who was responsible for bringing the automotive icon Hot Wheels into the toy world has passed away. Elliot Handler was 95.

Handler and his wife Ruth were perhaps best known for the creation of the Barbie doll, the toy that launched their Mattel line to stardom. In 1968, the scale cars hit the toy shelves and became hard to find items. Hobby shops and retail stores simply could not keep them in stock. Their lifelike qualities made them as much a collector's item as a toy.

Most of us have had a Hot Wheels car or 50 in our lifetime. My first was the Cougar and it was blue and it spent hundreds of hours hurtling down a piece of rain gutter that served as an impromptu race track. This was, of course, before the orange plastic track arrived. The Hot Wheels frenzy outlived fad and established itself securely in the pop culture world. They remain a presence in toy aisles around the world,

[jag]

Uh, with all due respect, genlock, wasn't this posted back in June when the man died?

[genlock]

Sorry, Must have missed it then.

[just saying]

NEW YORK — Cliff Robertson, the handsome movie actor who played John F. Kennedy in "PT-109," won an Oscar for "Charly" and was famously victimized in a 1977 Hollywood forgery scandal, died Saturday. He was 88.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/1 ... 57075.html

[David Paleg]

'Spartacus' star Whitfield dies of lymphoma at 39
Sep 11, 10:30 PM (ET)
By ANDREW DALTON

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Andy Whitfield, who played the title role in the hit cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," has died at age 39, according to representatives and family.

Whitfield died Sunday in Sydney, Australia, 18 months after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, manager Sam Maydew told the Associated Press.

"On a beautiful sunny Sydney spring morning, surrounded by his family, in the arms of his loving wife, our beautiful young warrior Andy Whitfield lost his 18 month battle with lymphoma cancer," Whitfield's wife Vashti said in a statement. "He passed peacefully surrounded by love. Thank you to all his fans whose love and support have help carry him to this point. He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was."

Andy Whitfield - who was born in Wales and moved to Australia in 1999 - was a virtual unknown when he was cast as the legendary Thracian slave in "Spartacus," a role made famous by Kirk Douglas in the 1960 Stanley Kubrick film.

Full story at AP/Iwon News.

[unchoopfan]

Don Wayne, country music songwriter, dead at 78
Penned Nashville hits "Country Bumpkin" and "Saginaw, Michigan"

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Don Wayne, who wrote or co-wrote country music hits including "Country Bumpkin" and "Saginaw, Michigan," has died in Nashville. He was 78.

Wayne died Monday (Sept. 12) at his home surrounded by his family, according to his obituary in The Tennessean.

"Country Bumpkin," recorded by Cal Smith in 1974, was voted single of the year by the Country Music Association. "Saginaw, Michigan" was a No. 1 hit in 1964 for Lefty Frizzell.

Wayne also wrote songs recorded by Bill Anderson, Eddy Arnold, Ernest Tubb, Jean Shepard and others.

Wayne, whose real name was Donald William Choate, was a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Survivors include his wife and two sons. Services will be Thursday in Nashville.

[just saying]

Frances Bay, the sweet, gentle housewife who became a successful actress in middle age, appearing in more than 50 motion pictures and 100 television shows including roles as the "marble rye lady" on "Seinfeld" and the grandmother in Adam Sandler's "Happy Gilmore," has died. She was 92.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/16/31 ... z1YA9xA700

[jag]

Longtime Opry star Wilma Lee Cooper is dead

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Wilma Lee Cooper, who teamed with husband Stoney Cooper as a top country duo for some three decades and earned the title "The First Lady of Bluegrass," is dead. She was 90.

She died Tuesday of natural causes at her home in Sweetwater, Tenn., the Grand Ole Opry announced Friday.

She and her husband began recording in the late 1940s, then performed regularly on the Opry from 1957 until his death in 1977. She continued as a solo singer on the show until 2001.

With her husband, she had such hits as "Cheated Too," "There's a Big Wheel" and "Come Walk With Me." The two were members of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Wilma Lee was known for her big voice and boundless enthusiasm.

In 1974, the Smithsonian Institution honored her as "The First Lady of Bluegrass."

She had a stroke at age 80 in 2001, leaving her voice and speech affected. After that, she lived in Sweetwater with a caretaker.

In February 2005, she walked onto the stage during an Opry show at the Ryman Auditorium and received a standing ovation. She also joined in a group sing-along in September 2010 when the Grand Ole Opry House reopened after being closed four months because of flooding.

Cooper was born in Valley Head, W.Va., and sang with her parents and siblings as the bluegrass and gospel group the Leary Family.

The Coopers' daughter, Carol Lee, performed on the Opry beginning in 1975.

The Opry said she asked that there be no memorial service.

"She will be remembered for her music and her faith," the Opry statement said.

[jag]

Former Sen. Charles H. Percy died Saturday in Washington.

He was 91.

Percy's daughter, Sharon Rockefeller, announced in March 2009 that he had Alzheimer's disease. His death was announced by the office of his son-in-law, West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller.

Elected to the first of his three Senate terms in 1966, Percy, a former Foreign Relations Committee chairman whose moderate Republican views put him at odds with conservatives including former President Richard Nixon, was mentioned as a possible presidential candidate. He was helped by handsome looks, a rich baritone voice and the relaxed self-confidence of the successful business executive he once was.

But the silver-haired senator, a supporter of the GOP's Nelson Rockefeller wing, came to power when moderate Republicans were becoming unfashionable on Capitol Hill. He ended up backing former President Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination in 1976 rather than go for it himself.

After that his chances seemed to fade. He won one more term in 1978 but was narrowly defeated for re-election in 1984 by Democrat Rep. Paul Simon.

Jay Rockefeller praised his father-in-law's even-handed political stances in a statement sent Saturday.

"His insistence on a balanced perspective in his public life, (calling himself "fervently moderate"), helped us understand it is both possible and preferable to live in a world without partisanship," he said.

[genlock]

(CBS News)

Bob Hope's widow Dolores has died at the age of 102.

Hope Enterprises publicist Harlan Boll confirmed Hope's death Monday afternoon to CBS News. Reuters is reporting Hope died of natural causes in the Los Angeles area.

Her husband, legendary entertainer Bob Hope died in July 2003 at the age of 100.