Holy Zoo
12-24-2001, 01:29 PM
I just read this one Nando News, and it struck me how many music and entertainment greats we lost this year. Chet Atkins, George Harrison, Joey Ramone, John Lee Hooker. :(
If you want to read the full article, go here (http://www.nandotimes.com/nation/story/201827p-1959337c.html).
JANUARY
Ray Walston, 86. He played the lovable extraterrestrial Uncle Martin on the 1960's TV sitcom "My Favorite Martian" and the devil in "Damn Yankees." Jan. 1.
Les Brown, 88. His Band of Renown scored a No. 1 hit with "Sentimental Journey" during America's big band era. Jan. 4.
FEBRUARY
Dale Evans, 88. Singer-actress who teamed with husband Roy Rogers in popular Wes terns and wrote their theme song, "Happy Trails to You." Feb. 7.
Stanley Kramer, 87. Producer and-or director of some of Hollywood's most celebrated "message" films including "High Noon" and "Judgment at Nuremberg." Feb. 19.
MARCH
Morton Downey Jr., 68. Abrasive, chain-smoking talk show host whose reign over 1980s "trash TV" opened the way for the likes of Jerry Springer. March 11.
Robert Ludlum, 73. Author whose spy adventure novels had unbelievable plot twists that kept millions of readers turning pages. March 12.
Ann Sothern, 92. Beauty who starred as the movies' wisecracking "Maisie" and as the busybody Susie McNamara in the 1950s TV series "Private Secretary." March 15
John Phillips, 65. Co-founder of the '60s pop group the Mamas and the Papas and writer of its biggest hits, including "California Dreamin'" and "Monday Monday." March 18.
William Hanna, 90. Animation pioneer who with partner Joseph Barbera created such beloved cartoon characters as Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry. March 22.
John Lewis, 80. Pianist who masterminded one of the most famous ensembles in jazz, the Modern Jazz Quartet. March 29.
APRIL
Beatrice Straight, 86. Actress who earned an Academy Award for her role as Willi
am Holden's estranged wife in the television spoof "Network." April 7.
Sir Harry Secombe, 79. Comedian whose gift for the ridiculous on radio's "Goon S how" made him one of Britain's best loved entertainers. April 11.
Joey Ramone, 49. Punk rock icon whose signature yelp melded with the Ramones' three-chord thrash to launch an explosion of bands like the Sex Pistols. April 15. Lymphoma.
MAY
Douglas Adams, 49. British author whose science fiction comedy "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" spawned a mini-industry. May 11. Apparent heart attack.
Perry Como, 88. With his mellow baritone, he entertained audiences on hits such as "Catch a Falling Star" and his popular TV show, "The Perry Como Show." May 12
Jason Miller, 62. Playwright who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for "That Champion
ship Season" and sometime actor who was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a priest in "The Exorcist." May 13.
JUNE
Hank Ketcham, 81. Comic strip artist whose lovable scamp, "Dennis the Menace," amused readers for five decades. June 1.
Imogene Coca, 92. Elfin actress and comedian who co-starred with Sid Caesar on television's classic "Your Show of Shows." June 2.
Anthony Quinn, 86. The Oscar winner remembered for his roles as the earthy hero of "Zorba the Greek" and the fierce Bedouin leader in "Lawrence of Arabia." June 3.
Joe Darion, 90. He won a Tony as the lyricist for "Man of La Mancha," the show that includes the inspiring "The Impossible Dream." June 16.
Carroll O'Connor, 76. Actor whose gruff charm as the cranky bigot Archie Bunker on "All in the Family" began a new era of frankness in TV comedy. June 21.
John Lee Hooker, 80. Bluesman whose rich, sonorous voice, coupled with a brooding rhythmic guitar, inspired countless musicians with songs like "Boom Boom" and "Boogie Chillen." June 21.
Jack Lemmon, 76. Actor who brought a jittery intensity to his roles as finicky F
elix Unger in "The Odd Couple," the boastful Ensign Pulver in "Mr. Roberts" and a cross-dressing musician in "Some Like It Hot." June 27.
Joe Henderson, 64. Four-time Grammy winning tenor saxophonist, considered one of jazz insiders' best-kept secrets. June 30.
Chet Atkins, 77. Guitarist and music executive who played on hundreds of hit records, influenced a generation of rockers and developed country music's lush Nashville Sound. June 30.
AUGUST
Ron Townson, 68. Centerpiece singer for the Grammy-winning pop group The 5th Dimension, who had a string of hits in the 1960s such as "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In" and "Up, Up and Away." Aug. 2.
Larry Adler, 87. The harmonica virtuoso who charmed kings, commoners and composers with an instrument once disparaged as a toy. Aug. 7.
Kathleen Freeman, 82. Veteran character actress whose face was known to audiences from television sitcoms, the film "Singin' in the Rain" and Broadway's "The Full Monty." Aug. 23.
Aaliyah, 22. Rhythm and blues singer known for hits such as "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number"; also a budding actress in films such as "Romeo Must Die." Aug. 25.
Plane crash.
SEPTEMBER
Troy Donahue, 65. Heartthrob actor of the 1950s and '60s who starred in teen rom
ances like "A Summer Place" and "Parrish." Sept. 2.
Dorothy McGuire, 85. Soft-voiced actress who lent dignity and inner strength to such films as "Gentlemen's Agreement" and "Friendly Persuasion." Sept. 13.
Fred De Cordova, 90. Producer of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" - and butt of Carson's jokes - for 22 years and director of such movies as Ronald Reagan's "Bedtime for Bonzo." Sept. 15.
Samuel Z. Arkoff, 83. His American International Pictures exploited the youth market with low-cost movies that bore such bizarre titles as "I Was a Teenage Werewolf." Sept. 16.
Isaac Stern, 81. The master violinist who saved Carnegie Hall from the wrecking
ball and helped advance the careers of generations of musicians who followed. Sept. 22.
George Gately, 72. Creator of the "Heathcliff" newspaper comic about the anticsof a rotund cat. Sept. 30.
OCTOBER
Jay Livingston, 86. Oscar-winning composer and lyricist who collaborated on such hits as "Silver Bells" and "Que Sera, Sera." Oct. 17.
NOVEMBER
Ken Kesey, 66. He won fame as a novelist with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," then took an LSD-fueled bus ride that became a symbol of the psychedelic 1960s. Nov. 10.
Norman Granz, 83. Music impresario who helped make jazz more accessible to the public while making the music business fairer to black performers. Nov. 22.
George Harrison, 58. The "quiet Beatle" who added rock 'n' roll flash and a touch of the mystic to the band's timeless magic. Nov. 29. Cancer.
DECEMBER
Rufus Thomas, 84. Rhythm and blues star whose novelty numbers like "Funky Chicken" gave a boost to the Stax label in the '60s. Dec. 15.
[ December 24, 2001: Message edited by: Holy Zoo ]
If you want to read the full article, go here (http://www.nandotimes.com/nation/story/201827p-1959337c.html).
JANUARY
Ray Walston, 86. He played the lovable extraterrestrial Uncle Martin on the 1960's TV sitcom "My Favorite Martian" and the devil in "Damn Yankees." Jan. 1.
Les Brown, 88. His Band of Renown scored a No. 1 hit with "Sentimental Journey" during America's big band era. Jan. 4.
FEBRUARY
Dale Evans, 88. Singer-actress who teamed with husband Roy Rogers in popular Wes terns and wrote their theme song, "Happy Trails to You." Feb. 7.
Stanley Kramer, 87. Producer and-or director of some of Hollywood's most celebrated "message" films including "High Noon" and "Judgment at Nuremberg." Feb. 19.
MARCH
Morton Downey Jr., 68. Abrasive, chain-smoking talk show host whose reign over 1980s "trash TV" opened the way for the likes of Jerry Springer. March 11.
Robert Ludlum, 73. Author whose spy adventure novels had unbelievable plot twists that kept millions of readers turning pages. March 12.
Ann Sothern, 92. Beauty who starred as the movies' wisecracking "Maisie" and as the busybody Susie McNamara in the 1950s TV series "Private Secretary." March 15
John Phillips, 65. Co-founder of the '60s pop group the Mamas and the Papas and writer of its biggest hits, including "California Dreamin'" and "Monday Monday." March 18.
William Hanna, 90. Animation pioneer who with partner Joseph Barbera created such beloved cartoon characters as Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry. March 22.
John Lewis, 80. Pianist who masterminded one of the most famous ensembles in jazz, the Modern Jazz Quartet. March 29.
APRIL
Beatrice Straight, 86. Actress who earned an Academy Award for her role as Willi
am Holden's estranged wife in the television spoof "Network." April 7.
Sir Harry Secombe, 79. Comedian whose gift for the ridiculous on radio's "Goon S how" made him one of Britain's best loved entertainers. April 11.
Joey Ramone, 49. Punk rock icon whose signature yelp melded with the Ramones' three-chord thrash to launch an explosion of bands like the Sex Pistols. April 15. Lymphoma.
MAY
Douglas Adams, 49. British author whose science fiction comedy "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" spawned a mini-industry. May 11. Apparent heart attack.
Perry Como, 88. With his mellow baritone, he entertained audiences on hits such as "Catch a Falling Star" and his popular TV show, "The Perry Como Show." May 12
Jason Miller, 62. Playwright who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for "That Champion
ship Season" and sometime actor who was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a priest in "The Exorcist." May 13.
JUNE
Hank Ketcham, 81. Comic strip artist whose lovable scamp, "Dennis the Menace," amused readers for five decades. June 1.
Imogene Coca, 92. Elfin actress and comedian who co-starred with Sid Caesar on television's classic "Your Show of Shows." June 2.
Anthony Quinn, 86. The Oscar winner remembered for his roles as the earthy hero of "Zorba the Greek" and the fierce Bedouin leader in "Lawrence of Arabia." June 3.
Joe Darion, 90. He won a Tony as the lyricist for "Man of La Mancha," the show that includes the inspiring "The Impossible Dream." June 16.
Carroll O'Connor, 76. Actor whose gruff charm as the cranky bigot Archie Bunker on "All in the Family" began a new era of frankness in TV comedy. June 21.
John Lee Hooker, 80. Bluesman whose rich, sonorous voice, coupled with a brooding rhythmic guitar, inspired countless musicians with songs like "Boom Boom" and "Boogie Chillen." June 21.
Jack Lemmon, 76. Actor who brought a jittery intensity to his roles as finicky F
elix Unger in "The Odd Couple," the boastful Ensign Pulver in "Mr. Roberts" and a cross-dressing musician in "Some Like It Hot." June 27.
Joe Henderson, 64. Four-time Grammy winning tenor saxophonist, considered one of jazz insiders' best-kept secrets. June 30.
Chet Atkins, 77. Guitarist and music executive who played on hundreds of hit records, influenced a generation of rockers and developed country music's lush Nashville Sound. June 30.
AUGUST
Ron Townson, 68. Centerpiece singer for the Grammy-winning pop group The 5th Dimension, who had a string of hits in the 1960s such as "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In" and "Up, Up and Away." Aug. 2.
Larry Adler, 87. The harmonica virtuoso who charmed kings, commoners and composers with an instrument once disparaged as a toy. Aug. 7.
Kathleen Freeman, 82. Veteran character actress whose face was known to audiences from television sitcoms, the film "Singin' in the Rain" and Broadway's "The Full Monty." Aug. 23.
Aaliyah, 22. Rhythm and blues singer known for hits such as "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number"; also a budding actress in films such as "Romeo Must Die." Aug. 25.
Plane crash.
SEPTEMBER
Troy Donahue, 65. Heartthrob actor of the 1950s and '60s who starred in teen rom
ances like "A Summer Place" and "Parrish." Sept. 2.
Dorothy McGuire, 85. Soft-voiced actress who lent dignity and inner strength to such films as "Gentlemen's Agreement" and "Friendly Persuasion." Sept. 13.
Fred De Cordova, 90. Producer of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" - and butt of Carson's jokes - for 22 years and director of such movies as Ronald Reagan's "Bedtime for Bonzo." Sept. 15.
Samuel Z. Arkoff, 83. His American International Pictures exploited the youth market with low-cost movies that bore such bizarre titles as "I Was a Teenage Werewolf." Sept. 16.
Isaac Stern, 81. The master violinist who saved Carnegie Hall from the wrecking
ball and helped advance the careers of generations of musicians who followed. Sept. 22.
George Gately, 72. Creator of the "Heathcliff" newspaper comic about the anticsof a rotund cat. Sept. 30.
OCTOBER
Jay Livingston, 86. Oscar-winning composer and lyricist who collaborated on such hits as "Silver Bells" and "Que Sera, Sera." Oct. 17.
NOVEMBER
Ken Kesey, 66. He won fame as a novelist with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," then took an LSD-fueled bus ride that became a symbol of the psychedelic 1960s. Nov. 10.
Norman Granz, 83. Music impresario who helped make jazz more accessible to the public while making the music business fairer to black performers. Nov. 22.
George Harrison, 58. The "quiet Beatle" who added rock 'n' roll flash and a touch of the mystic to the band's timeless magic. Nov. 29. Cancer.
DECEMBER
Rufus Thomas, 84. Rhythm and blues star whose novelty numbers like "Funky Chicken" gave a boost to the Stax label in the '60s. Dec. 15.
[ December 24, 2001: Message edited by: Holy Zoo ]