Andy Griffith Dies at 86

Actor Andy Griffith died in his North Carolina home on Tuesday at the age of 86. He was buried just hours after his death. A funeral spokesman said this had been planned for some time. It was the wish of the family.

Mr. Griffith delighted TV fans for years with The Andy Griffith Show which ran from 1960 – 1968. It lives on in reruns. Actor George Lindsey who played Goober Pyle in “Mayberry” died in May. Griffith said they remained in touch after the show ended and last chatted just a few days prior to Lindsey’s death.

Andy Griffith is a native of North Carolina. He is survived by his loving wife and two children. Source

My Three Sons Actor Dies at 68

Actor Don Grady died of cancer in his California home last week at the age of 68. He played Robbie on My Three Sons throughout the life of the weekly show from 1960 until 1972.

Mr. Grady began his acting career as a Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club. The California native was also a successful musician. He composed music for TV, films and theater including Phil Donahue’s talk show theme song.

Don Grady is survived by his wife and two children. Check the source link for the LA Times obituary. Source

Writer Nora Ephron Dies at 71

Writer and director Nora Ephron died in Manhattan yesterday, ending a long battle with leukemia at the age of 71. She will be remembered for romantic comedies that include Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail.

For Ms. Ephron Heartburn was a catharsis for her failed marriage to Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame. The book is a witty comment on her life in Washington, DC, as well as a narrative of her husband’s infidelity. It was later made into a movie.

Nora Ephron is a native New Yorker. She is survived by two sons from Carl Bernstein and by her second husband Nicholas Pileggi, who she married in 1987. Pileggi is the author of Wiseguy which was adapted for the move Goodfellas. Check the source link for the NY Times obituary. Source

Rodney King Dead at 47

Rodney King was found dead at the bottom of his California swimming pool on Sunday. He was 47 years old. Police report no suspicious activity. They believe the death resulted from drowning.

Mr. King’s brutal assault by white Los Angeles police officers captured national attention when it was caught on tape and sold to a TV station. L.A. exploded into six days of riots in 1992 after the officers were tried and found innocent of the beating.

The perpetrators were later indicted on federal charges. Two were convicted and served several years in prison. Mr. King was awarded $3.8 million in restitution. Sadly, he continued to battle alcoholism, and had appeared on Celebrity Rehab and Sober House.

Rodney King’s body was discovered by his fiance, who was actually a juror in his civil case. He is survived by two daughters. Source

E.J. Korvette Founder Dies at 91

E.J. Korvette founder Eugene Ferkauf died in his Manhattan home last week at the age of 91. The Manhattan native founded Korvette in 1948 and expanded the chain to 45 outlets throughout the New York metropolitan area.

Mr. Ferkauf was featured on a Time magazine cover in 1962. His no-frills retail discount chain is recognized as a model. It was emulated by large chains such as Wal-Mart, Kmart and Caldor.

In case you ever wondered about the meaning of the store’s name, the “E” is for Eugene. “J” is for a friend named Joe Zwillenberg. “Korvette” is for the World War II corvette ship. Source

Author Ray Bradbury Dies at 91

Sci-Fi novelist Ray Bradbury died in Los Angeles last Tuesday at the age of 91. His works include Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles. He also contributed to The Twilight Zone and The Ray Bradbury Theater. The Illinois native is survived by four daughters. Source

Platters Founder Herb Reed Dies at 83

Singer Herb Reed died in a Massachusetts hospice on Monday at the age of 83. He was the last surviving original member of the Platters whose hit records include Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Only You and The Great Pretender.

Mr. Reed never stopped performing. His last appearance was five months ago at a restaurant. The Missouri native is survived by one son and three grandsons. Source

Actor Richard Dawson Dies

The ladies favorite game show host Richard Dawson died of cancer last Saturday at the age of 79. He was dubbed “The Kissing Bandit” when he hosted Family Feud from 1976 – 1985. The English actor also had a role in Hogan’s Heroes and was a regular celebrity guest on Match Game. Source

Actress Kathryn Joosten Dies

Actress Kathryn Joosten died in her Los Angeles home last Saturday at the age of 72, ending an eleven-year battle with lung cancer. Ms. Joosten played Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives. Her prior roles include The West Wing, Ally McBeal and Scrubs. Source

Children’s Book Illustrator Leo Dillon Dies

Children’s book illustrator Leo Dillon died in Brooklyn last month at the age of 79. Dillon and his wife Diane were longtime artistic collaborators for children’s books. They received two Caldecott Medals for Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears and Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions.

Mr. Dillon was a Brooklyn native. He and his wife changed the complexion of children’s books during the seventies when they began to add skin color to the characters in the stories they illustrated.

Mr. and Mrs. Dillon said their life as an illustrator team began in the sixties when they began to color the children’s skin in the picture books they bought for their son. Click the source link and follow their link to a photo gallery of this couple’s work. Source

Next Page »