2013 Entertainment Industry Obituaries

[TheFonz]

I could make a pun about "the last Noel" but it would be in poor taste.

You just did. And poor taste has never stopped you before.

 

[Thomps2525]

Jazz singer Gloria Lynne, whose biggest hit was I Wish You Love in 1964, died of a heart attack October 8 at age 83.

http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-gloria-lynne-20131022,0,3944800.story#axzz2iamQgQNV

 

[Thomps2525]

Jon Locke, who appeared as an outlaw in several tv westerns and played Officer Harvey on five episodes of Highway Patrol, died October 19 from complications of a stroke at age 86.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0516759/

 

[Thomps2525]

For six years Hal Needham was Richard Boone's stunt double on the western tv series Have Gun Will Travel. Needham did stunts in hundreds of movies and tv shows (and broke a lot of bones). He wrote and directed Smokey & The Bandit and directed Hopper, Stroker Ace and The Cannonball Run. Needham died October 25 at 82.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/10/25/hal-needham-appreciation/3196857/

 

[Thomps2525]

Marcia Wallace appeared in several episodes of Full House, 7th Heaven and The Young & The Restless, co-starred on The Bob Newhart Show for six seasons, appeared in the Brady Bunch episode that featured Davy Jones, and voiced Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons. She also was a panelist on many tv game shows. Wallace died October 25 at age 70.

http://www.nbcnews.com/entertainment/marcia-wallace-star-simpsons-bob-newhart-has-died-70-8C11473058

 

[Thomps2525]

Two weeks ago a "Lou Reed is dead" story was put on Facebook and quickly spread. It turned out to be false. This time, however, the "Lou Reed is dead" story is true. TMZ, AOL, Rolling Stone and The Hollywood Reporter are all reporting that the former Velvet Underground singer/guitarist who had a solo hit with Walk On The Wild Side died October 27 at age 71.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rock-icon-lou-reed-dies-648076

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...d-leader-and-rock-pioneer-dead-at-71-20131027

 

[Thomps2525]

Al Johnson was a member of the Unifics, a quartet that charted four top-40 r&b hits, 1968-69. The biggest, Court Of Love, reached #3 and made it to #25 on the Hot 100. Johnson also had a hit duet with Jean Carn, I'm Back For Love. He died October 26 at age 65.

http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2013/10/passings-al-johnson-of-unifics-1948-2013.html

 

[Thomps2525]

Louisiana r&b singer/guitarist Bobby Johnson had only one chart hit, Watch Your Step in 1961. John Lennon once admitted that the Beatles had stolen Johnson's riffs in that song and used them in Day Tripper, I Feel Fine and other hits. Johnson died November 1 at age 76.

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/bobby-parker-blues-rock-pioneer-dies-at-76/

 

[Thomps2525]

Pianist/organist/composer John Tavener first gained recognition for his 1968 cantata The Whale, which was released on the Beatles' Apple Records. His Song For Athene was played at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. Tavener died November 12 at age 69.

http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-john-tavener-20131113,0,5063514.story#axzz2kZtuDWHM

 

[Thomps2525]

Stage/film/tv actor Paul Ruscio died November 12 at age 89. He appeared in more than 200 tv shows and had a role in The Godfather, Part III. He also taught drama and wrote a textbook for aspiring actors.

http://www.thewrap.com/seinfeld-actor-al-ruscio-dead-89

 

[Thomps2525]

Stage/film/tv actress Mary Carver died October 18 at age 89. She was best known for playing the mother of the two detectives on Simon & Simon.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/simon-simon-star-mary-carver-dies-651130

 

[Thomps2525]

Paul Mantee appeared in several movies, including Memorial Day, Robinson Crusoe On Mars and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? His many tv roles included five years as Detective Al Corassa on Cagney & Lacey. Mantee died November 7 at age 82.

http://www.thewrap.com/cagney-lacey-actor-paul-mantee-dead-82/

 

[Thomps2525]

Diane Disney Miller, philanthropist and daughter of Walt Disney, died November 19 of complications from a fall in September. She was 79.

http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/l...-at-79-20131119,0,2587820.story#axzz2l9322kz9

 

[Thomps2525]

Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood were dancers (as well as husband and wife) who appeared in Lil' Abner on Broadway before becoming choreographers. They did the choreography for Mary Poppins, The Sound Of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the 1964-70 tv series The Hollywood Palace, as well as for 200 other tv variety programs. Marc Breaux died November 19 at age 89.

http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-marc-breaux-20131122,0,196559.story#axzz2lQmcoCRK

 

[Thomps2525]

Country singer/guitarist Wayne Mills died November 23 after being shot by the owner of a Nashville bar. Mills was smoking in a non-smoking area and an altercation erupted. The owner claims he shot Mills in self-defense. Uh-huh.

http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/wayne-mills-of-the-wayne-mills-band-shot-critically

 

[Thomps2525]

Improv comic Jay Leggett appeared in several movies and tv shows, spent a year as a cast member of In Living Color, and co-wrote the movies Without A Paddle and Employee Of The Month. He died of natural causes November 23. Yeah, natural causes---at age 50. What exactly are natural causes?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/comic-actor-jay-leggett-dies-660011

 

[TheFonz]

Country singer/guitarist Wayne Mills died November 23 after being shot by the owner of a Nashville bar. Mills was smoking in a non-smoking area and an altercation erupted. The owner claims he shot Mills in self-defense. Uh-huh.

http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/wayne-mills-of-the-wayne-mills-band-shot-critically

If I were the judge, that defense just might work.

 

[TheFonz]

Improv comic Jay Leggett appeared in several movies and tv shows, spent a year as a cast member of In Living Color, and co-wrote the movies Without A Paddle and Employee Of The Month. He died of natural causes November 23. Yeah, natural causes---at age 50. What exactly are natural causes?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/comic-actor-jay-leggett-dies-660011

Jay Leggett was an avid hunter and produced a documentary about deer hunting. He died while deer hunting in Wisconsin. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wiscon...kely-heart-related-b99150403z1-233356711.html

 

[Thomps2525]

Jazz drummer Chico Hamilton played with Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Nat "King" Cole and several other performers before forming his own band in 1955. Hamilton, who released 65 albums, died November 25 at age 92.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...s-at-92-20131126,0,333720.story#axzz2lnfFBhOH