Hazzan (cantor) -- via vosizneias.com. Quite literally a savior of Jewish music! A survivor of the Holocaust, who saved his own life by singing for the dreaded Nazi camp commander Amon Goth, who deigned to spare his life. Later, Werdyger was saved again as one of those on "Schindler's list." After the war, he recorded no fewer than 60 albums of sacred melodies, preserving them for all time.
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.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Richard Brick
Filmmaker, producer, teacher; Film Commissioner for New York -- via the New York Times.
Regine Deforges
Writer, publisher, editor, director, and playwright -- via Le Monde.
Film Regine Deforges from BIGGGGIDEA.COM on Vimeo.
Film Regine Deforges from BIGGGGIDEA.COM on Vimeo.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
From the Guardian: Peaches Geldorf and death in the digital age
A sad-but-true analysis of how we examine "celebrity" deaths by Tanya Gold -- via Tanya Gold in the Guardian. As usual, I hope that Obit Patrol stands as a corrective to the vulturous attitude of contemporary media towards death, in that I ignore the tragic, intrusive, and exploitative aspects around someone's end of life . . . and focus on what that person did to make the world a better, or at least more happy, place.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Bob Larbey
TV writer -- via the BBC. He co-wrote "The Good Life," and created other Britcoms such as "A Fine Romance" and "As Time Goes By."
Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith
Guitarist, banjoist, mandolinist, violinist, and composer; wrote (of course) the immortal "Guitar Boogie," and "Dueling Banjos" as well -- via the Washington Post. Great story: he went to go see "Deliverance," which made "Dueling Banjos" world-famous . . . only problem -- he wasn't credited with or paid for his work. Two years of litigation later, he bought himself a 42-foot yacht, thanks to Warner Brothers.
George Shuffler
Bluegrass guitarist; inventor of cross-picking -- via Acoustic Guitar. What a wonderful musician! His music was so pretty, it made me cry. And to watch his fingers work was just such a treat. AND a good soul. Bless him!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Mickey Rooney aka Joe Yule Jr.
Actor -- via TMZ. He was born in 1920 in the Bronx. He made his stage debut a year later; he made his first film in 1926. He made his last film in 2012 -- 86 years in the film business. First the star of a series of silent "Mickey McGuire" silent comedy shorts, he became the go-to juvenile lead at MGM, starring as Andy Hardy in a series of films between 1937 and 1946; paired with Judy Garland in a classic string of hey-kids-let's-put-on-a-show musicals such as "Babes in Arms" (some of these films are marred forever by blackface sequences, which keep them out of circulation). His popularity culminated with his performance as Mi, the cynical young trainer in "National Velvet," but plummeted after World War II. He took work in an increasing sad number of vehicles, but still turned in solid performances in films such as "The Bold and the Brave," "the Bridges at Toko-Ri," the evil Sammy in Playhouse 90's "The Comedian" by Rod Serling, "Baby Face Nelson," "Requiem for a Heavyweight," "The Black Stallion," and the TV movie "Bill." He could do comedy, drama, and song and dance with the best of them -- wowing Broadway towards the end of his career as the star of "Sugar Babies." The ultimate trouper.
John Pinette
Stand-up comedian -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Opened for him. Civilians will know him only as the guy who got carjacked on the final episode of "Seinfeld" -- but a good guy, a funny guy, and a hell of a poker player.
Paul Salamunovich
One of the great American choirmasters -- via the L.A. Times. Read this story -- his thoughts are an exact match with my thoughts on choral singing. Great quote from the obit --
"Singing is an extension of speech, and superb singers are superb actors," he said. "You have to act the meaning of the text. It's about emotional involvement and good technique…"
"Singing is an extension of speech, and superb singers are superb actors," he said. "You have to act the meaning of the text. It's about emotional involvement and good technique…"
For Salamunovich, vocal music was literally a religious experience.
"I learned in parochial school that praying is not talking to God; it's lifting the mind and heart to God," he told the Ventura County Star in 2004. "Music feeds the heart, and the words feed the mind. When the choir is done singing at the end of a concert, I say privately to myself, 'Amen.'"
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Peter Matthiessen
Writer and naturalist -- via the New York Times. One of my favorite writers, a master of both fiction and non-fiction -- "Th Snow Leopard," "At Play in the Fields of the Lord," the Watson trilogy, "Blue Meridian," and "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse." Zen priest, CIA agent, industrial fisherman, explorer . . . he lived a lot of life.
Friday, April 4, 2014
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