2020: Obits and Memorials

MC Beaton (and her various aliases) has left us:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/06/mc-beaton-obituary?utm_term=Autofe...

Damn.

Love her stinging wit. So much acid, but nothing base.

Ah, there goes Buck Henry:

https://deadline.com/2020/01/buck-henry-dead-saturday-night-live-the-graduate-ge...

Responsible for a lot of laughs in his lifetime.

SF writer Mike Resnick has died. No obit yet, here's his Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Resnick

>4 CliffBurns:, obit here from Tor.com
https://www.tor.com/2020/01/09/hugo-award-winning-author-and-editor-michael-resn...

Wikipedia says he held the record among authors for most Hugo nominations (37).

Czech film maker Ivan Passer, director of "Cutter's Way":

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jan/10/cutters-way-czech-new-wave-director...

Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist for Canadian super group Rush:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/

>5 Cecrow: Does it mention the time he caused a re-organisation of the SFWA after he and Malzberg published sexist rants in the organisation's newsletter?

Christopher Tolkien:

https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/16/lord-rings-creator-jrr-tolkiens-son-christopher-d...

Personally, I thought he damaged his father's literary legacy by releasing "posthumous" works that were substandard and slapdash.

But I'm a well-known stick in the mud.

>9 CliffBurns: What astonishes me is that JRR's work consumed two lifetimes: one to write it, one to decipher and bring orderliness to it. With more to go, perhaps.

A whole scholarship built up around elves, over-ripe prose, bad songs and more padding than a rubber room.

Go figure.

>11 CliffBurns: I think it illustrates the power of visual design in marketing, because that first edition of The Hobbit had a fairly arresting cover design. And to be fair, Christopher Tolkien's map had a certain quirkiness that later imitators - well, only imitated. (At least he didn't have any rivers that flowed uphill, unlike others...)

But for that whole corpus to be built on such an unpromising start: I re-read The Hobbit last year for the first time in fifty-five (plus) years, and had issues with it: https://www.librarything.com/work/3206242/reviews/48917190 (Not quite "The Hobbit: a Marxist perspective", but I do pick at the world-building quite a bit.) Had Christopher T. not approached his self-imposed task with as much filial duty, we might not have ended up with such a bloated genre led by a bloated set of cornerstone texts.

Derek Fowlds, who played civil servant Bernard Woolley in the BBC's Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51147182

>12 RobertDay: Well-considered review, Robert. Thanks for posting the link.

Terry Jones, 77.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/terry-jones-dead-monty-python-founder-bri...

>15 justifiedsinner:, that's not funny. Hard to believe it's been thirty years since Graham Chapman died.

>16 Cecrow: Apparently he had been suffering from dementia for several years. Also not funny.

Yes, since at least 2015. So sad, but He has made people laugh for so many years; may his memory be a blessing

Michael Palin visibly moved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIjoTkaAps

Legendary news man Jim Lehrer:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/obit-lehrer-jim-pbs-1.5437951

Ive watched the McNeil/Lehrer most of my adult life. Do we have any of the great journalists left? He will be missed.

Oh my, Kobe Bryant.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-helicopter-crash-southern-california/story?id=685...

!!!!!! oh my goodness, so damn young, always loved watching him play. My condolences to his family, friends, team; may his memory be a blessing

Mary Higgins Clark

Andy Gill, from Gang of Four:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51344348

Gene Reynolds, TV producer famous for MASH

Kirk Douglas:

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/actor-kirk-douglas-star-films-golden-age-di...

Great TV actor Robert Conrad. Wild, Wild West and Black Sheep Squadron

Farewell to Charles Portis, author of TRUE GRIT (among other things):

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/feb/17/arkansas-author-charles-portis-w...

Guitarist David Roback:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/26/david-roback-mazzy-star-hallucinat...

Clive Cussler, off to hack heaven:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51644229

>31 CliffBurns:, would not surprise me if his name continues to appear on covers, ala Tom Clancy.

I believe his son will continue his literary "legacy".

Be still my beating heart.

>31 CliffBurns: I really like his books. I listen to the audio books when I am driving.

A great original - Freeman Dyson:

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/28/810433230/physicist-and-iconoclastic-thinker-free...

Actor Max von Sydow
https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/obit-von-sydow-1.5490749

Loved him in 'Three Days of the Condor".

How about the change that comes over him in one memorable scene in "Virgin Spring" when he realizes his house guests are the men who attacked his daughter? From affable host to murderous berserker.

Extraordinary.

I thought we'd all agreed to retire the phrase 'murderous beserker' in tribute to Klaus Kinski after his obit was posted--?

Touche.

A true avant-garde, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, of Throbbing Gristle fame:

https://pitchfork.com/news/genesis-breyer-p-orridge-dead-at-70/

Aurlus Mabélé, the king of Soukous

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFhitcNkFvM&list=RDEMZQ2V5ZUVOsJdtDo7YdsmQA&...

Not surprising but still sad: Kenny Rogers

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/country-music-legend-kenny-rogers-dies...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/arts/music/eric-weissberg-dies.html?action=cl...

Eric Weissberg of dueling banjos fame

Playwright Terrence McNally

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/theater/terrence-mcnally-dead-coronavirus.htm...

Schlock horror director Stuart Gordon:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3610206/r-p-master-horror-stuart-gordon-passe...

Harlem Globetrotters ball handling legend Curly Neal. I saw him when I was a kid.

saw them many times as a kid. Always amazing. I know have "Sweet Georgia Brown" whistling in my head, not a bad thing

Stanley Kubrick's favorite composer, Krzysztof Penderecki:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/29/a-guide-to-krzysztof-penderecki-mu...

I didn't know he was still alive. Alive until recently that is obviously he isn't still alive. A shame that whilst Glass, Reich, Pärt are relatively well-known he isn't--the former are more accessible, I guess?--despite em er Stanley Kurbrick's endorsement. Highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu371CDZ0ws. Very powerful.

Sounds alas as if you might be supplying another link too soon. Radio programmes tonight playing a lot of John Prine with the comments normally heard after a death; apparently Prine is very ill indeed w. corvid19.

>50 bluepiano: As of half an hour ago Rolling Stone says John Prine is stable and on a ventilator. Cross your fingers, sounds like he may be improving.

Hang in there, Big John!

"The Missing Years" is a favorite album of ours. Here's "Picture Show" from that album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rxfJfJKiGs&list=PL-ABBXKgi-9ar4ayM-zRlGpHne...

Tomie DePaola, author of Strega Nona
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tomie-depaola-author-beloved-strega-nona-di...

Musician and songwriter Bill Withers. He did 'Ain't No Sunsine' and 'Lean on Me'.

oh man, losing lots of musicians and song writers lately. Great singer, Aint No Sunshine is one of my fav songs. RIP may his memory be a blessing

Adam Schlesinger: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/01/adam-schlesinger-fountains-of-wayn.... Tbh I'd not heard of him but quite a big deal was made of him on arts programme last night so perhaps this will mean something more to someone else here.

>56 bluepiano: Fountains of Wayne's best known song, "Stacy's Mom". It got a lot of airplay but I don't remember it as being a major hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKVf6ey64DI

Honor Blackman:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/06/honor-blackman-james-bond-pussy-gal...

Sad to say the Angel from Montgomery never came. RIP John Prine.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/john-prine-obit-253684/

oh no! We have lost a giant. (is it just me or have we been losing several musicians and song writers this last month?) Ive been listening to his music for 4 d ecades, and I will continue to do so the rest of my life RIP, may his memory be for a blessing.

thats an excellent obit from RS btw.

Cartoon tribute to John Prine:

https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/blitts-kvetchbook/he-walks-among-us

(From Gord)

Nobuhiko Obayashi, director of the movie House.

Oh man, I loved House.

Just found out that actor, author and audiobook narrator Ron McLarty passed away on Feb 8. Really enjoy his narration and have read a couple of his novels including The Memory of Running. Still have his Art in America on my TBR. Sad to hear.

Oh I loved Memory of Running! Havent read his others, but apparently he had dementia since 2014 :(

Longtime Actor Brian Dennehy; https://www.newser.com/story/289660/actor-brian-dennehy-dead-at-81.html

Wildlife photographer Peter Beard; https://www.newser.com/story/289830/famed-wildlife-photographer-found-dead-in-wo...

>66 jldarden: ... oh, I missed that notice re Ron McLarty. I really liked The Memory of Running.

Deirdre Bair, biographer of Samuel Beckett:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/books/deirdre-bair-dead.html

Eavan Boland. Per Olov Enquist.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/one-of-the-pre-eminent-voices.... https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/apr/27/per-olov-enquist-celebrated-swedis...

This just in:

Beat poet Michael McClure has died.

Announcement from City Lights Bookstore.

Not COVID related.

Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk; https://www.newser.com/story/290551/kraftwerk-co-founder-dies.html

Brian Howe from Bad Company. https://www.tmz.com/2020/05/07/brian-anthony-howe-bad-comapny-dead-dies/

Little Richard https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/little-richard-dead-48505/

Oh, that's a big one. I'm sorry he's gone.

val kilmer sings one of Richard's songs in Top Secret - Tutti Frutti

Jerry Stiller.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/arts/television/jerry-stiller-remembrance.htm...

In this interview he talks about being cast on Seinfeld:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKiWx0aNy3w

Michel Piccoli:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/may/18/michel-piccoli-a-fierce-strong-perf...

Bob Kulick, guitarist with Lou Reed and KISS: https://www.nme.com/news/music/lou-reed-meatloaf-guitarist-bob-kulick-has-died-2...

"He was a blisteringly magnificent solar flare of a human being. "

Tony Kushner on Larry Kramer:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/opinion/larry-kramer.html?action=click&mo...

Carlos Ruiz Zafon:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jun/19/carlos-ruiz-zafon-author-of-the-sh...

Actor Ian Holm; https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1139080-lord-of-the-rings-alien-star-sir-...

>84 jldarden: Dang, one of my favorites.

Paolo Giorgio Ferri, Hunter of Looted Antiques

Fascinating life. Surprised there were no assassination attempts, he was going against some very powerful people. Tho sad that he said the amount he has found is probably 3% of what is still out there.

Italian officials continue to pursue scores of items they recognize from the looters’ dossiers whenever auction houses and dealers put them on the market.

“Paolo Ferri opened a road, and we hope it will not be abandoned,” Mr. Isman said.

Charles Webb, author of THE GRADUATE. A very unusual man, it turns out:

https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2020-06-26/charles-webb-the-graduate-di...

wow, no kidding. He seemed like he was very happy with his life, which I guess you'd have to be to live as he did.

Carl Reiner: a good, long life:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/carl-reiner-dead-comedy-legend-720797?utm...

Ohhhhhhhhh! No surprise, but oh man what a talent. a good long life is right. Condolences to family and friends; may his memory be for a blessing (wondering where my copy of 2,000 year old man is)

ENNIO MORRICONE, who wrote the sound track to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and over 400 other films.

I was watching The Good, Bad & Ugly last night on Netflix oddly enough. Great copy of the flick on Netflix big rectangular screen, great resolution and good sound. I started watching the same movie on an over the air channel with commercials etc. when I remembered it was on Netflix.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/movies/ennio-morricone-dead.html

I always loved his main theme for "The Thing".

Very simple but effective.

Speaking of music, though not snobbish, Charlie Daniels. Stroke.

Oh!!!! there's a piece from my high school/college days gone!!!! I got into country big time and was spending lots of nights dancing country swing to his songs. A life well lived certainly. May his memory be a blessing

Unfortunately, Daniels started revealing his reactionary views more and more as he got older and, I think, did some lasting damage to his musical legacy.

Yeah I didn't realize that.....too bad. Another one Ray Stevens went off the deep end as well; really loved his stuff years ago, looked for anything new, and came up with all these awful websites. Ah well I still have memories of good times of listening to both of them

Farewell,Olivia. What a life:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53546021

Tv host Regis Philbin: https://people.com/tv/regis-philbin-dead/

Actor John Saxon: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-saxon-dead-enter-dragon-nightmare-el...

>100 mstrust:; Always liked him

I liked him too. Very intense and a good actor, plus a friend to Bruce Lee, which is good company to keep.

Actor Wilford Brimley of movies and diabetes commercials.

>103 jldarden: It says he was 85. I thought he was 85 in Cocoon!

Eric Bentley foremost British theatre critic dies 103.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/theater/eric-bentley-dead.html

Pete Hamill, New York street journalist, 85

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/nyregion/pete-hamill-dead.html

Chadwick Boseman https://arizonarepublic-az.newsmemory.com/?token=370363c1316ee1e01ea361d08a5f850...;

Aw, goddamnit, David Graeber has died:

https://heavy.com/news/2020/09/david-graeber

I've been wanting to read his book on debt and have enjoyed watching numerous interviews with him.

Diana Rigg--lovely, lovely gal:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54106509

>109 CliffBurns: Loved watching her as Mrs. Peel.

One of my first crushes.

From some of the stories circulating, she was a wise and fierce woman.

>109 CliffBurns: Wow I well remember her in Avengers as a kid, having no idea how that role inspired so many girls to be just like her! And of course, Olenna in Game of Thrones....incredible actor and human being

>109 CliffBurns: Serious stage actress as well from Stoppard to Shakespeare and the Greeks.

Ronald Harwood, Oscar-winning screenwriter:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/movies/ronald-harwood-dead.html?smid=tw-share

Toots Hibbert, reggae pioneer

Charles R. Saunders, author of Imaro.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/charles-r-saunders-obituary-black-jou...

Apparently this happened in May and the news only caught up now.

Terry Goodkind, a noteworthy author in the fantasy genre through the 1990s:
https://www.tor.com/2020/09/17/terry-goodkind-sword-of-truth-wizards-first-rule-...

Ruth Ginsburg

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/18/us/ruth-bader-ginsburg-dead.html

I suspected she wasn't going to last to the election, so not surprised but but so sad and worried. I just scared whats going to happen next.

>118 cindydavid4: I’ve been bawling my eyes out.

>118 cindydavid4: >119 varielle: There goes the ACA and probably the election.

From friends on FB

According to Jewish tradition, a person who dies on Rosh Hashanah, which began tonight, is a tzaddik, a person of great righteousness. Baruch Dayan HaEmet. Blessed is the True Judge.

Eshet chayil, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. You epitomized the Woman of Valor. Thank you for showing us all how to champion what we’re for rather than fight what we’re against. The chasm of grief & fear is deep, but we won’t let it win

Don't lose heart. We mourn tonight but fight tomorrow. We honor her legacy by fighting and winning.

Molly Conway wrote a response to the above that might be of interest

There are a few posts going around reminding folks that since RBG is Jewish, the proper thing to say about her passing is "May her memory be for blessing," which is true, but I wanted to add a bit of perspective on what that means.

Jewish tradition does not focus on the afterlife. There are a few thoughts on what happens when we go, some of which look a bit like reincarnation, and some of which looks like time to reevaluate our actions and relationships on earth, but for the most part, the whole "Do good things, get good reward from God; do bad things, get bad punishment from God" is just not part of our worldview. (Spoiler alert: this is why I love The Good Place so much- the final season feels very in line with Jewish thoughts on the afterlife.)
When Jews speak of righteousness, it is never with the idea of an eternal reward. We work to be good humans to others and ourselves because justice and peace are their own rewards. We don't know what happens next, but we know what happens here, and that is enough. The pursuit of justice is one of the highest callings of Judaism, and it should not be misinterpreted as vengeance or punishment. The ideas of justice and sustainability are inextricably linked in Judaism. A system that is unjust cannot sustain, and a system that is unsustainable cannot be just.

It is said that a person who passes on Rosh Hashona is a Tzedek/Tzaddeket, a good and righteous person. When we speak of tzedakah, the word is often translated as "charity" but it is more accurate to say righteousness. Tzedakah can take many forms (including monetary donation) but it's important to note that tzedakah is not a benevolent contribution given to be kind or nice to those who need it, it is to be viewed as a balancing of the scales, an active working towards justice. To use a simple example, one should donate to the local food bank not to gain favor with God, or to be nice to those with less than ourselves, but because it is unjust for anyone to be without food, especially while others have plenty. Correcting injustice, balancing the scales, evaluating the distribution of power and creating equity is tzedakah, the work of righteousness.
Similar to Maslow's (imperfect) hierarchy of needs, Maimonides wrote in the Middle Ages of eight levels of Tzedakah, the highest of which results in self sufficiency, or rather, an act that creates a sustainable form of justice. "Teaching a man to fish" is an extremely reductionist view of this idea, but it's a start- the real meat of it is the idea that charity is good, but eliminating the need for charity is better. (i.e. Tax the billionaires so we can have universal healthcare instead of praising the rich for building hospitals with their names on them.)
The second highest form is where both the giver and the receiver are unknown to each other. This allows both for the dignity of the recipient, and for the giver to be free from personal motivation and reward. In other words, we should help create a more just world for the benefit of people we don't know, without the expectation of praise, gratitude, or reward, in this life or the next.

When we say that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a tzaddeket (the feminine form of tzaddik) we don't just mean she was a nice person. What we're saying is that she was a thoughtful person who worked tirelessly to create a more just world. One that would perpetuate equality and access, one that wasn't reliant on charity, one that was better for people she did not know, without the expectation of praise or fame. THAT is what it means to be a Tzaddeket, and I can't think of anyone who better embodies the pursuit of justice.

When we say "may her memory be for blessing" the blessing we speak of is not "may we remember her fondly" or "may her memory be a blessing to us" the blessing implied is this: May you be like Ruth. Jewish thought teaches us that when a person dies, it is up to those who bear her memory to keep her goodness alive. We do this by remembering her, we do this by speaking her name, we do this by carrying on her legacy. We do this by continuing to pursue justice, righteousness, sustainability. So when you hear us say "May her memory be for blessing" don't hear "It's nice to remember her"-- hear "It's up to us to carry on her legacy." When you hear us say, "She was a Tzaddeket" don't hear "She was a nice person"-- hear "She was a worker of justice."

May her memory be for blessing.
May her memory be for revolution.
May we become a credit to her name.

>122 cindydavid4:
Thank you so much for sharing Ms Conway's remarks.

Cinematographer Michael Chapman:

https://moviecitynews.com/2020/09/scorsese-on-chapmans-passing/

Football great Gale Sayers:

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/nfl/nfl-bears-gale-sayers-obit-1.5735298

Sir Harold Evans, crusading newspaper editor.

https://apnews.com/article/media-newspapers-harold-evans-tina-brown-london-3b445...

Eddie Van Halen, guitar god:

https://www.complex.com/music/2020/10/eddie-van-halen-dead-65?utm_campaign=compl...

That's a big loss. One of the major, major guitar gods. And there doesn't seem to be a younger generation of amazing guitarists coming up.

Oh, bet they with have a lot to offer, no doubt

singer of I can see clearly now. Didn't realize he started performing on my birth year! Didn't realize he had a longer career

Magician James Randi. I was a fan.
CBC Radio: The Amazing Randi

#130 Brilliant man. Exposed frauds, always a practical, skeptical voice when one was needed.

He will be missed.

>131 CliffBurns:, there was a good Netflix biopic of him I once saw, haven't looked recently to see if it's still there.

Sean Connery. The original and perhaps greatest James Bond.

>133 justifiedsinner: Loved him; my fav was The Man Who Would Be King.. Lived a long and full life. May his memory be for a blessing

>134 cindydavid4: One of my favourite films, too. Whoever thought of pairing him with Michael Caine earnt their money that day. In a way, a pity they never worked more together; though too much of a good thing might've made the combination go stale.

He was terrific in "The Hill" too, an unrelenting movie that is as dark as they come.

I loved Robin and Marion and his Spaniard in the Highlander.

"The Chicago Way" scene from The Untouchables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPZ6eaL3S2E

Journalist Robert Fisk:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54774539

I just bought the "complete Bond series" not sure why but I loved Connery!

Guido.

Sean Connery as Indy's father - still hilarious.

Alex Trebek, host of quiz show "Jeopardy", of cancer.

Dave Prowse, who supplied Darth Vader's physical presence:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55117704

>144 CliffBurns:, hard to believe that among the leads of the original movie, it's just Ford, Hamill and Daniels left now.

nvm

>145 Cecrow: James Earl Jones?

Ben Bova

https://www.tor.com/2020/11/30/legendary-science-fiction-author-ben-bova-has-pas...

Alison Lurie

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/04/alison-lurie-obituary

Oh man, John Le Carre:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/books/john-le-carre-dead.html

Chuck Yeager, first man to break the sound barrier (in 1947)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/chuch-yeager-pilot-dies-1.5832252

Another sad one, Barry Lopez:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/barry-lopez-author-who-tied-peop...