Well, I see someone has mentioned Perry Como, and there are 28 threads on Douglas Adams, so nothing new on them . . . But I did note these recent obits which might not have made your local papers:
• Jason Miller, 62, author of “That Championship Season” and actor (Father Damien in “The Exorcist”)
• Deborah Walley, 57, pert little actress in movies (“Gidget Goes Hawaiian,” “Spinout,” “Beach Blanket Bingo”) and TV (“The Mothers-in-Law”)
Oh, that is a shame about Deborah Walley. Don’t otherwise know who Jason Miller is.
In addition to being the {Buck Henry in CATCH-22 Voice} Padre {/Buck Henry in CATCH-22 Voice} in THE EXORCIST, he ran the Scranton, Pennsylvania, Community Theater for the past several years.
Thought that was kinda interesting, in a sad little pathetic way.
Anyone care for some split-pea soup?
Add Donald E. Campbell (95), who died Monday: he was the model for the doctor in Norman Rockwell’s “Before the Shot”, the Saturday Evening Post cover where a bare-butted little boy is closely examing the doctor’s medical degrees while the doctor is preparing the injection.
Add Jesus Aguirre Ortiz de Zarate, the Duke of Alba, famous for speaking out against the Fascist Franco regime, creating the Spanish National Orchestra and Choir, and marrying Maria del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart Silva y Falco, the Duchess of Alba.
He is survived by his son, Butch del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart Silva y Falco Aguirre Ortiz de Zarate.
Also, today, add writer Simon Raven. Never heard of him till today, but I am utterly smitten with his obit notice:
“LONDON—Simon Raven, a novelist as famous for his cad-like behavior as for his wit, has died. He was 73. Raven died Saturday at the Royal London Hospital, according to Sutton’s Hospital, a charitable home in London that had sheltered him since 1995. The cause of death was not announced.
Illustrating Raven’s behavior, London’s Daily Telegraph cited his reply to a telegram years ago from the divorced wife he married only after impregnating her. She implored: ‘Wife and baby starving send money soonest.’ He replied: ‘Sorry no money suggest eat baby.’”
Well, I for one am rather upset at the passing of Jason Miller. He was exceptional in “The Exorcist”, and great in “The Exorcist III” (which is a suprisingly good movie for those of you who were scared away forever by the horrible second installment in that series).
<hijack> Eve, I’m sorry for the hijack, but this was just printed today in one of our alternative papers in Montreal, regarding Veronica Lake’s death.
I thought that you might enjoy this information. Once again, sorry for the hijack.</end hijack>
Hmmm . . . Thanks, detop. Innn-teresting. I have a friend who may be doing a biography of Veronica Lake in the next couple of years, so I printed that out to send to him. He’s a very good investigator, so it will either end up in his book or in Snopes. Thanks!
. . . No interesting obits yet today. C’mon, people! Where’s your team spirit? You aren’t even half trying!
Charles Black Jr., noted constitutional lawyer, died earlier this week aged around 85. Probably not a household name, although he wrote some really neat stuff, but the one single thing that stands out is that he helped co-author the brief in *Brown v. Board of Education.*That makes him a giant in my eyes. R.I.P.