Category Archives: Obituaries

Wideo Wednesday – Remembering Peter Seeger

Posted on January 29, 2014 | Leave a comment

Pete’s famous banjo – it reads “This Machine Surrounds Hate and Forces It to Surrender.”

Sad to see that the compassionate folk singer Pete Seeger passed away on Monday.  He was always one of my favorite performers and a truly great American.  Pete lived strong every day of his 94 years, performing to the end, and never missing an opportunity to speak out for justice for the common man.  He gave hope to what we’ve been, and what we can become.  I hope his legacy of  compassion will endure and grow in future generations, and remind people that it is never wrong to question authority.  Pete often asked his audience to sing along, and sometimes we all need to sing, it makes our world a better place. Feel free to sing along with some of these, his most revered works.  Farewell Pete, and Thank You.   ❤

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?                                                                   

We Shall Overcome

Here’s a great recording of my favorite, If I Had a Hammer                            

Goodnight Irene (with The Weavers)

The iconic – Turn Turn Turn (famously covered by The Byrds)                   

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Farewell Professor! Russell Johnson dies at 89.

Posted on January 16, 2014 | 1 comment
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Actor Russel Johnson in his most famous role: Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan’s Island.

Another familiar face from my childhood passed away today — actor Russell Johnson, best known as “The Professor” on Gilligan’s Island passed away today at the age of 89.

We watched “Gilligan” all the time when I was growing up, and yeah it was pretty silly, but often it had some sly underlying humor.  I always had a little crush on The Professor too;(so handsome!) Russell was a peach and I wanted him and Ginger to run off together.   My favorite scenes on the show were whenever  dream sequences were played out, taking the castaways out of their island dilemma.(He’s so funny as the old man here)

Here he discusses Gilligan:

But Russell Johnson did more than Gilligan; in the 50’s he co-starred in the classic sci-fi film, This Island Earth, and  was a wonderful character actor who guest starred on many TV shows throughout his career, as well as Marshall Gib Scott on the western Black Saddle.  He was always friendly and grateful for his fans, and never forgot them. He was also a loving family man and AIDS activist. He will be missed. 😦

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Peter O’Toole Passed Away :-(

Posted on December 16, 2013 | 1 comment

Peter_O'Toole_--_LOA_trailerSad to report, I just heard on NPR that the wonderful actor Peter O’Toole passed away on this past Saturday. 😦      I loved everything he acted in, my favorites being The Lion In Winter and My Favorite Year.  That grand voice is silenced, the glorious blue eyes closed, but their flame remains in our memories. Peter O'Toole8Rest in Peace, Peter. May you and you great pal Richard Burton entertain your Heavenly hosts forever. ❤

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/peter-otoole-dead-https:

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Wideo Wednesday 4/10/13 Remembering Annette Funicello

Posted on April 10, 2013 | Leave a comment

Sad to see that Annette Funicello passed away Monday from complications from MS.  Now I admit, her highly nasal voice was sometimes annoying, but you couldn’t help but love her!  She and Hayley Mills are my two favorite Disney stars.  Rest in peace Annette, and I hope you’re surfing free in heaven!

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Davy Jones – Gone Too Soon.

Posted on February 29, 2012 | 1 comment

I heard today the very sad news that singer, actor,jockey, and former Monkee Davy Jones passed away from a heart attack in his home today, he was only 66.  Long before Davy was a Monkee, he was a child actor on British soap operas and played The Artful Dodger in Oliver! on Broadway.  Ironically, the night that The Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show, Davy was backstage with the cast of  Oliver! waiting to perform; little did he or the screaming hordes in the theater know that he’d become as idolized as Paul McCartney in just two years.

I had the great pleasure of seeing Davy perform with Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz  when they  did a Monkee reunion in 1996. It was a great show and you could see that Davy LOVED performing.   My sister and I had 7th row seats and at one point, Davy  walked up and down the side aisles, touching hands with fans. I found myself calling “Come here Davy!”  (just like a tween again).  Alas we were too far in the aisle, but man, what a fun show!  I recall it once said of Davy that “..if a fridge door opened, he’d do five minutes!” and I could just see him performing for the milk and mayonnaise.  He had one of the most unique, warm, yet seductive voices I’ve ever heard. Behold several of my favorites:

And here’s the funny scene from The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) where Davy sings  Girl at the school dance –looking a bit confused at the grunge influence,but so fun! The teachers are turned on and the students eventually realize that this guy was cool! (not the best quality, but the only copy I could find)

A commenter on YouTube wrote today: “A part of my childhood passed away today.”   I think many American women in my generation (1960’s) would sadly agree. Farewell Davy. Thanks for the joy.

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Posted in Chick Stuff, Obituaries, Off-Topic, Pop Culture-Past and Present, TeeVeeeee!

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Farwell, Amy Winehouse, May You Find Your Peace.

Posted on July 25, 2011 | 1 comment

I’ve always been a bit late to the party when it comes to buying newer music.  I became aware of Amy Winehouse when she became a sensation with “Rehab” in 2006, and although I considered  getting her CD, I just didn’t get around to it.  And now, after hearing of her tragic passing, and  listening to several of her songs on YouTube, I know I’ll be buying some of her music. I always feel bummed  when artists get a posthumous bump in their earnings, not because they don’t deserve it, but because they’re not around to enjoy the fruits of their labor. And I’m sure there will be some that exploit her death for more money, and that’s just wrong.

For now, I listen to more of Amy’s songs, and I enjoy  her smokey, gritty  delivery and the retro styling of Back to Black and Rehab.  I love the funky way she wore her super beehive ‘do and Cleopatra makeup, but Amy sang lyrics that you’d never hear from The Ronettes.   Although I haven’t heard all of Amy’s catalog, one of my favorites so far is  “F— Me Pumps”, that really rips apart the sad bar-fly lifestyle that so many young women throw themselves into.  But the one thing that I’ve  taken away from her works so far is that you could always hear her soul in her music, and how the often happy girl-group sound of her songs cleverly hid the  anguish and  heartbreak of her lyrics.  A good artist sings lyrics, a great artist feels them. I can’t truly review her music since I am still unfamiliar with much of it, but I extend my deepest sympathies to her family, friends, and admirers around the world.  I am sorry that her personal demons took her life, a life that could have produced so much more, but I truly hope that she’ll find her peace in eternity.

Farewell Amy, we hardly knew you. Here’s a few videos I like, especially the last one,  no pretense, it’s just Amy:

Here’s a loving tribute by Amy’s friend, comedian Russel Brand:

http://www.russellbrand.tv/2011/07/for-amy/

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