Jackie Cooper

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RIP Pernell Roberts

The Cartwright's are now together in the great Ponderosa in the sky.
RIP Pernell Roberts http://s.nyt.com/u/tIn

RIP Art Clokey (1921-2010)

via Television Obscurities by RGJ on 1/9/10

Art Clokey, creator of the beloved animated clay characters Gumby and Pokey (plus Davey and Goliath), has passed away at the age of 88. 

R.I.P, Connie Hines

Via Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Connie Hines best remembered as the exasperated wife of Wilbur Post (Alan Young) from Mr Ed.

RIP Arnold Stang

Via Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

A great character actor and voice over artist, and the voice of Top Cat

RIP Edward Woodward

I loved his TV show The Equalizer and remember him as the ghost of Christmas Past the George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol. (My favorite version)


I may just add The Equalizer to my list of DVD's to get from the library.

RIP: The Amazing Carl Ballantine.

RIP: The Amazing Carl Ballantine.  Every time I saw him I laughed until I cried.  One of the greatest comedy magic acts of all time.

Obit

Wikipedia

They're Creepy and They're Kooky

Vic Mizzy (1922-2009)

via Television Obscurities by RGJ on 10/20/09

He was responsible for the most famous two finger snaps of all time. Songwriter Vic Mizzy, who wrote the theme songs to The Addams Family and Green Acres, passed away on Saturday at the age of 93 according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Los Angeles Times notes that he also wrote the themes to The Pruitts of Southampton, Klondike and scored episodes of Shirley Temple's Storybook and The Richard Boone Show. Because production company Filmways wouldn't pay for a singer, Mizzy sang the theme to The Addams Family himself and overdubbed it three times. Additional obituaries can be found at BBC News and The Film Music Society. Thanks to TV Shows on DVD for bringing this to my attention.

RIP Lou Jacobi

Lou…we hardly knew ye…
via Thrilling Days of Yesteryear by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. on 10/26/09

A nice tribute to the great charactor actor.

A New York Comedy Legend - RIP Soupy Sales

Soupy Sales (born Milton Supman, January 8, 1926 – October 22, 2009)

Another sad anniversary

It was 30 years ago today that the great Groucho Marx died. I was 18
and was on vacation in California. I always remember that Elvis and
Groucho both left us that week.

I hate the Yankees but.....

You gotta love Phil Rizzuto....

What Better Tribute to Frankie Laine

The Voice of the American Western

It was with great, great sorrow that I read of the passing of the legendary singer Frankie Laine. I grew up listening to his album "Hell Bent For Leather". I have it on my I-pod and it may be that I've listened to it more times than I've listened to any other album in my collection. It was a part of my childhood. One of the albums I just about wore out.

Why was I so in love with theses songs and this voice? I've thought about it often. I think it was because it was one of the very rare times that a persons voice was perfectly suited to a particular style of music. You have to understand, Laine was able to sing many styles, and sing them well. His popularity rivaled that of his contemporaries. He charted and unbelievable amount of hit songs. His wikipedia article sums it up very well;

His 1946 recording of "That's My Desire" remains a landmark record signalling the end of both the dominance of the big bands and the crooning styles favored by contemporaries Dick Haymes and Frank Sinatra. Often called the first of the blue-eyed soul singers, Laine's style cleared the way for many artists who arose in the late 40s and early 50s, including Kay Starr, Tony Bennett, Johnnie Ray and Elvis Presley (who was initially described by critics as "a cross between Johnnie Ray and Frankie Laine").

What was it about his voice that made it the perfect voice to croon a western saga. There was nothing country-western about his voice, as is evidenced by comparing his recording of, "Do Not Forsake Me" the High Noon theme with the original Tex Ritter recording. I think it was a combination of a slight rough sound combined with his unique phrasing and power that made his voice and "western ballad" a match made in heaven. Do yourself a favor and find a copy of "Hell Bent For Leather", put on the headphones and sit back and enjoy. Then go and explore so many of the other recordings that earned him the nicknames America's Number One Song Stylist, and Old Leather Lungs. Frankie may be gone, but his unique voice will live forever.

Listen to the Frank Truth podcast mention of this post

Listen to the KSAV tribute to Frankie Laine

Watch some great Frankie Laine video

Oh him! I've seen him a thousand times

I'm a little behind in reading my last few issues of Classic Images. It's a monthly newspaper with great articles on obscure actors/actresses from classic films and television. Not to sound too morbid, but they have the greatest obituary section. No one in the entertainment industry passes on without an obit in CI.

The ones I marvel at are when a great Hollywood character actor meets their end. They usually run a small photo, because if all you had was their name in the headline you would surely pass it by. It's when you see the face and immediately you realize that you have seen this person 100's of times. I feel compelled to read a bit about their life and legacy as a tribute to all the joy they have brought me over the years. It's my way of paying tribute to them, for doing what they do so well and yet going unnoticed.

In October of last year Milton Selzer passed on. He appeared in more films and TV episodes than I could possibly list here, and why should I since they're already listed at IMDB. Go and take a look and scroll down. He appeared on so many TV shows, one of them must have been on your favorite show list. That means you probably saw him, but like everyone else, if you read a headline for Milton Selzer you would probably pass right over it. There is only one thing that will make you stop and say, "Oh him! I've seen him a thousand times".

I was away last week so I'm a bit late in posting this. I've always loved the Mamas and Papas so the passing of Denny Doherty was quite a shock. Here's

Ten Reasons Why Denny Doherty Was Cool

Oh CRAP!

Thanks for all the laughter!

A classic TV Mom, Jane Wyatt.

A few farewells

I usually post when someone I have enjoyed over the years, passes on. I missed Glen Ford last week. Blackboard Jungle has always been a favorite film of mine. Also enjoyed him in "Ransom", "The Fastest Gun Alive", "The Courtship of Eddie's Father", and of course as Pa Kent in "Superman".

Also need to say farewell to Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. I couldn't help but watch him whenever I happened to be flipping channels.