The Dead Thread

Jonathan Winters Dead at 87
The passing of another of the great ones!

That makes me very sad.

Pat Summerall Football Player and Broadcaster at age 82

Frank Bank "Lumpy" of "Leave it to Beaver" at 71

RIP victims of the Boston attack.

Martin Richard, 8, Dorchester, Massachusetts...RIP
Sean Collier, 26, police officer...RIP
Krystle Campbell, 29, Arlington, Massachusetts...RIP
Lingzi Lu, graduate student...RIP

Chrissy Amphlett, Divinyls singer at the very young age of 53.
http://news.msn.com/obits/chrissy-amphlett-divinyls-lead-singer-dies?ocid=ansnews11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH8hcfhG1Jo

Man, they're dropping like flies! RIP Richie Havens!
http://social.entertainment.msn.com/music/blogs/blog--the-voice-of-freedom-goes-silent

I met him once...he was a nice guy...what a smooth soulful sound he had!!! RIP

And we have number 3! M.A.S.H.'s Sidney Freedman has gone to that big, green tent in the sky!
http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=804007&ocid=ansent11

The Possum is gone!
http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=804635

Wonder if ol' George will be a 'no show' at his own funeral.

John Williamson,
A pioneer of the 1960s sexual revolution as co-founder of Topanga Canyon's Sandstone Retreat, where nudity and free love once took place with abandon.
Passed away at the age of 80.

New York Daily News: John Williamson

U.K. Daily Mail: John Williamson

Guitarist Bob Brozman
March 8, 1954 - April 23, 2013

Worked in many styles of music including Hawaiian and was a member of R. Crumbs Cheap Suit Serenaders

New York Times: Bob Brozman

Official Bob Brozman web page

YouTube: Ledward Kaapana, Bob Brozman, and Jeff Peterson

YouTube: Cheap Suit Serenaders-Hula Girl

[ Edited by: King Bushwich the 33rd 2013-05-04 01:13 ]

Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, May 2nd.

If you get a spider bite (or any unexplained infection), get treated quickly!

http://music.yahoo.com/news/spider-called-pivotal-slayer-guitarist-death-200139380.html

Ray Harryhausen, age 92 passed away. Special effects genius.

Dean Jeffries legendary car customizer. Age 80. He created Black Beauty from the Green Hornet, Monkeemobile and many others.

http://deanjeffries.com/

Dr. Joyce Brothers

This iconic relationship psychologist and TV personality died today at the age of 85. RIP love doctor.

Billie Sol Estes
January 10, 1925 – May 14, 2013
Texas huckster who became one of the most notorious men in America in 1962 when he was accused of looting a federal crop subsidy program.

Dallas News: Billie Sol Estes

He was mentioned in an Allan Sherman song.

YouTube: Allan Sherman

RIP Ray Manzarek,
74, Keyboardist and a Founder of the Doors
Producer of the band X's first LP "Los Angeles"

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/arts/music/ray-manzarek-74-rock-keyboardist-and-a-founder-of-the-doors-is-dead.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2013-05-21 02:22 ]

:(

Marshall Lytle September 1, 1933 - May 25, 2013

Edith Bunker aka Jean Stapleton

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/01/showbiz/jean-stapleton-obit/index.html

China White guitarist Frank Ruffino

Facebook: Frank Ruffino Support Page

Musicians must be a-dime-a-dozen. So many posts on the Dead Thread are musicians.

Bathing beauty Esther Williams, age 91.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/movies/esther-williams-who-swam-to-movie-fame-dies-at-91.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Nobody ever wore a bathing suit like Esther...she use to Vaseline her face up so her make up looked fabulous even after a synchronized swim event. RIP Mermaid.

Ramones pal & logo designer Arturo Vega. Dud.

Arturo Vega, who spent 22 years as artistic director and confidant to the Ramones, creating the punk legends’ iconic logo and many of their album covers, as well as running the RamonesWorld.com website, died today, according to Punk magazine co-founder and “Please Kill Me” author Legs McNeil, a close friend of Vega.

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/06/08/arturo-vega-dead-ramones-logo-designer/

Bob Thompson, age 88. Composer of 1950's 'Space Age Pop' and bachelor pad music.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-et-ms-bob-thompson-space-age-composer-20130609,0,5025504.story

Harry Lewis dies at 93; launched the Hamburger Hamlet chain - From the L.A. Times

I was a Hamburger Hamlet fan and frequent visitor to the Costa Mesa and Hollywood Blvd locations as well as the Sunset Blvd location near Beverly Hills which was a favorite of Dean Martin. All are gone but I'll check out the new tiny one on Larchmont.

Bob Meistrell One of the co-founders of Body Glove Wetsuits
July 30 1928 - June 16, 2013

BodyGlove: Bob Meistrell Obituary

At 84, Bob Meistrell died Sunday aboard his 72-foot yacht Disappearance off Catalina Island, where he was planning to help run a paddleboard race. The cause was a heart attack, family members said.

Bob and his twin brother Bill, who passed away in 2006, started the Body Glove wetsuit company.

James Gandolfini dead at 51 :(

Was just going to post that Boris, really sad....

Slim Whitman Dead at 90
Gotta admit, this is one of those, "What, he was still alive?" moments, for me,... kinda like Abe Vigoda, who is still alive (just checked!), at 92.

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2013-06-19 17:53 ]

Blues musician Bobby "Blue" Bland
January 27, 1930 - June 23, 2013

Bobby Blue Bland webpage

Bobby Bland was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

=======================================================
Science Fiction author and screenwriter Richard Matheson

February 20, 1926 - June 23, 2013

io9: Richard Matheson

Matheson wrote I am Legend, What Dreams May Come, A Stir of Echoes, and The Shrinking Man, all of which became Hollywood movies. He later adapted his 1971 short story "Duel" as a screenplay which was promptly directed by a young Steven Spielberg, for the TV movie of the same name.

Matheson also wrote numerous television episodes of The Twilight Zone for Rod Serling, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and "Steel".

The drummer from Devo, Alan Myers passed today. Died from cancer at age 58.
Glad I got to see them a couple times. :(

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/alan-myers-devo-drummer-on-whip-it-dies-20130626

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/06/26/devo-drummer-alan-myers-dies/2459495/

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2013-06-26 20:37 ]

Damn shame.
Cancer sucks!

'Enter the Dragon' actor Jim Kelly

http://news.yahoo.com/enter-dragon-actor-jim-kelly-dies-000924820.html

Doink the Clown - Wrestler with the WWF (now WWE) from 1992 to 1996.
Born Matthew "Matt" Wade Osborne
July 27, 1957 – June 28, 2013

Official Doink the Clown webpage

Yahoo News: Doink the Clown

Kinks: Death of a Clown

[->>King Bushwich 33rd on Hulu.com

So long Dennis Farina, thanks for bringing to life some of the best characters of the past 20 years - Jimmy Serrano, Ray 'Bones' Barboni and Cousin Avi too! You were great! Thanks for being awesome!

Born:
February 29, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois,
Died:
July 22, 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona

Tiki Bong posted this on Facebook

Bummer.

Ponciano Tabac Ponce

Obituary

April 10, 1933 - July 19, 2013
Ponciano Tabac Ponce "Poncie Ponce", at the age of 80, passed away peacefully at home in Los Angeles, California on July 19, 2013.

Ponciano was born in Maui, Hawaii and raised on the Big Island in Paauhau and Honokaa by his parents Maria and Alberto Hernandez with his 4 brothers and 2 sisters. Ponciano served as a corporal in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany during the Korean War. In 1958, he signed on with Warner Bros. to star as Kim the cab driver in "Hawaiian Eye", the first television show about Hawaii. It was then that Jack Warner renamed him "Poncie". The show led to numerous television appearances and movie parts, most notably "Speedway" with Elvis Presley. After "Hawaiian Eye's" 5 season run, Poncie traveled the world singing and performing in nightclubs from Australia to Canada to Argentina to Japan. In his retirement, he spent time with his family and friends and continued to delight with his energetic performances.
He is survived by his wife, Sherry Luke Ponce; his daughters Debra Doty (husband James), Paula Chaltas (husband George) and Margaret Zrehigian (husband Brian); his grandsons Dane, Devin, Jack and Charles; his sisters Feliza Jones and Juanita Balmores; and his brothers Alfred Hernandez (wife Iris), Joseph "Pepe" Hernandez and Delphine Hernandez (wife Brooke).
Poncie was a talented musician and funny guy with a great voice and a charming stage presence. Entertainment was his true passion and he was singing up to the last day of his life.

Services will be held at 2:00PM on Thursday, August 1, 2013 at St. Monica's Catholic Church in Santa Monica, California.

Published in the Los Angeles Times on July 26, 2013

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/LATimes/obituary.aspx?n=Ponciano-Tabac-Ponce&pid=166047614#fbLoggedOut

J.J. Cale, a quietly influential singer-songwriter who stayed in the background while better-known musicians had hits with his songs, including “After Midnight,” “Cocaine” and “Call Me the Breeze,” died July 26 at a hospital in La Jolla, Calif. He was 74.

Washington Post Article

Actor Michael Ansara
April 15, 1922 - July 31, 2013

Born in a small town in Syria, Mr. Ansara mostly played ethnic roles, Native American Indians being a particular specialty. But he was also cast as an Egyptian taskmaster in “The Ten Commandments,” ; as Judas Iscariot in “The Robe” (1953), and an Arabian prince who kidnaps an American movie star, played by Elvis Presley, in “Harum Scarum” (1965).

One of his most memorable roles was the Klingon leader Kang in “Star Trek.” He played the part on the original television series in 1968 and reprised the role for two of its TV descendants: “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Voyager.” He was one of a handful of actors to play the same part on three different “Star Trek” series. Most recently he provided the voice of Mr. Freeze in the animated TV series “Batman” and “Batman Beyond.”

Married to Barbara Eden 1958-1973.

New York Times: Michael Ansara

Star Trek: Remembering Michael Ansara

Even when I was a kid I thought Michael Ansara was great as King Kamehameha.

He was also in the classic "Outer Limits" episode "Soldier" written by Harlan Ellison
whom sued James Cameron for using the same ideas in the first "Terminator" movie.

Jazz Keyboardist George Duke
January 12, 1946 - August 5, 2013

Known for his work in the genres of jazz fusion, R&B, funk, he backed well-known jazz musicians such as Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon. Throughout the 1970s, Duke served as a member of Frank Zappa's band, the Mothers of Invention. He lead his own group, The George Duke Quartet and released more than 30 solo albums.

George Duke Online

Spin: George Duke

[ Edited by: KING BUSHWICH THE 33RD 2013-08-06 11:09 ]

Best known to me from "Trilogy of Terror," Karen Black.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/showbiz/karen-black-death/?hpt=en_c2

Haji, Star of Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Born Barbarella Catton in Quebec, Canada in 1946
passed away Aug 10, 2013, according to longtime friend Kitten Natividad.

L.A. Weekly: Haji

Elmore Leonard - October 11, 1925 – August 20, 2013.

How did we miss this one? Edyie Gorme passed on August 10.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=eydie+gorme&FORM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=70B30EC8D2F0BACE330D70B30EC8D2F0BACE330D