One of my co-workers just told me that Jean Shepard, the humorist, has died. I did a quick search but found nothing. Does anyone know if this is true. Damn, I hope not, I love that guy.
That’s too bad. “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” was a true classic in American Literature. And let’s not forget “A Christmas Story,” based on parts of the book, in which Mr. Shepard narrarates. snif
“I want an official Red Rider, carbide action, 200-shot range-model air rifle!”
snif
Man, A Christmas Story is a really good movie. He was from Sanibel, by the way.
Damn. I’m so depressed now. I think I’ll have to have a Jean-fest tonight, and watch Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss, The Star Crossed Love of Josephine Koslovsky, and A Christmas Story. My brother has all the book, though, gotta swing by and pick them up…the man was a classic.
He was from Indiana, left his heart in NY, and died in Florida. God.
BTW, thanks for the link.
I was sad to hear it, too, but I only found out about it from a squib in Entertainment Weekly. Media-wise, the news of his demise has been one hand clapping. I mean, I know it’s not like he was Sinatra or somebody, but he’s hardly gotten any notice.
Something I knew before he died: He conducted the Playboy interview with the Beatles. I believe it was the February '65 issue. It’s interesting to read; the Beatles were mostly just playing with him, but there was one rather profound observation, and it was made by Paul, surprisingly.
Remember, I’m pulling for you; we’re all in this together.
—Red Green
The radio trade I work for ran an item on his passing. A Christmas Story is one of my favorite movies.
Hoyt Axton died this week as well, and we ran a note on that, too.
Catrandom (singing “Jeremiah was a bullfrog…”)
His obit appeared in the NYTimes pretty quickly, and it was carried on the AP wire. Some papers were pretty slow picking up on it, though.
Problem was, he didn’t have any surviving close family members, and I don’t think any funeral home was handling arrangements in any traditional sense, so it was probably difficult to track down a lot of specifics.
Lots of stuff is available on the Web, though. Try www.google.com