Rich Little did a decent 'Nixon' imitation.

But yes, it was David Frye who absolutely mastered the man. I remember watching it, even physically he had the facial expression, shoulder hunch, and double-armed VICTORY stance.

Ironically, he made his Nixon SO infamous that that is all I really remember him for.

Rich Little did just about everyone well, including a fabulous Johnny Carson who no other impressionist could evey do quite so expertly.

Film composer John Barry has died at 77. I'll find a confirmation link later, but just know the legend has passed away.

He's mostly associated for his numerous soundtracks he composed for the James Bond pictures and many other movies.

The day the music died.

His early James Bond work was the best (IMO) of his career. Thanks for that, John. R.I.P.

A very underestimated and underappreciated composer. R.I.P.

Maria Schneider, Brando's post GF co-star ...

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/marlon-brandos-tango-mate-maria-schneider-dies-at-58/55572?nc

very sad, and if i remember right 'last tango in paris' will be out on blu ray in a couple of weeks.

Gary Moore wasn't that old. I actually preferred Thin Lizzy with just Eric Bell on guitar but Moore was quite talented at what he did. It could be that substance abuse issues caught up with him
Gary Moore found dead

Rock legend Gary Moore was found dead Sunday in a hotel room in Spain, where he had been vacationing. The Thin Lizzy guitarist was 58.

The rocker was found laying unconscious in the lavish Kempinski hotel on Spain's Costa del Sol by his girlfriend and later pronounced dead, according to several reports.

Considered one of the greatest blues-based rock guitarists of the '70s, an era that also boasted the likes of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, Moore joined Thin Lizzy in the mid-1970s and later enjoyed a successful solo career.

Within just this past week we lost two very notable names from show biz: Actress Betty Garrett (On the Town, All in the Family) and legendary jazz pianist George Shearing. Both were 91. Surprised nobody mentioned this.

Signor V.

I remember Betty Garrett from Laverne and Shirley.

LOS ANGELES — Len Lesser, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing role as Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld," died Wednesday. He was 88.

Lesser's family said in a statement that he died in Burbank, Calif., from cancer-related pneumonia.

"Heaven got a great comedian and actor today," his daughter, Michele, said in the statement. "The outpouring of sympathy we've already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated. Thank you to all the people who helped make my father's last journey special and surrounded with love."

Lesser's lengthy list of television credits included parts on "Get Smart," "That Girl," "The Munsters," "The Monkees," "The Rockford Files," "thirtysomething," "ER," and "Everybody Loves Raymond," which featured Lesser in a recurring role as the arm-shaking Garvin. His film credits included "Outlaw Josey Wales," "Kelly's Heroes," "Birdman of Alcatraz" and "Death Hunt." He most recently appeared on the TV drama "Castle."

Me too.

But the FIRST time I saw Betty was as a semi-regular on 'All In The Family'.

They were not on the show for very long - less than a season - but Garret & Vincent Gardenia made their mark as the Bunker's neighbors Frank & Irene Lorenzo.

I do enjoy the much younger Betty Garret as the street smart taxi driver pursuing Frank Sinatra in 'On The Town'.

"You're Awful."

Not you, Apple. Well, sometimes you are .

I did not know him but I know people who did. That's mighty young to leave. You just never know.

Dwayne McDuffie, Comic-Book Writer, Dies at 49
By MARGALIT FOX
Dwayne McDuffie, a comic-book writer known for diversifying the pantheon of superheroes, creating popular black characters in print and on television, died in Burbank, Calif., on Monday, the day after his 49th birthday.

Mr. McDuffie, a resident of Sherman Oaks, Calif., died of complications from heart surgery, said Matt Wayne, a longtime friend.

Mr. McDuffie was best known as a founder of Milestone Media, described by The Plain Dealer of Cleveland in 2000 as “the industry’s most successful minority-owned-and-operated comic company.”

An independent company whose work is distributed by DC Comics, Milestone produces comics with ethnically diverse casts. Among its major characters (all of whom Mr. McDuffie helped create, in collaboration with illustrators and other writers) are Static, Icon and Hardware, all of whom are African-American; Xombi, who is Asian-American; and the Blood Syndicate, a crime-fighting group of men and women that includes blacks, Asians and Latinos.

Dwayne Glenn McDuffie was born in Detroit on Feb. 20, 1962. Growing up, he later said, he encountered few comic-book characters who looked like him; he encountered fewer still who were simultaneously black, heroic and even remotely authentic.
Dwayne McDuffie Obit

Duke Snider, the centerfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers from the late '40s to the early '60s (when the team had moved out to L.A.) died today at age 84.

Snider was my favorite ballplayer of all-time (by virtue of him playing for my favorite hometown team). He hit with power and he had a quiet elegance about him.

He was a third of the three greatest centerfielders in NYC at the same time (the two others were Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays). Snider's stats for the years that the three played together in NYC were every bit as good as those for Mickey and Willie.

Some years ago Don Cardi surprised me with a gift of an autographed photo of Snider. It's been hanging on my wall since, and now has an even greater significance to me.

R.I.P. Duke. You'll always be a hero to me.

Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last American surviving soldier of World War One, died yesterday. He was 110 years old. (He was born February 1, 1901 and lied about his age when he enlisted).

I'm surprised Geoff didn't have him on his list.

well there goes a 'forgotten generation'

It's been reported that Jane Russell died. (not officially confirmed yet).

Really! Wow! To be honest, I didn't know she was still alive. She must be quite old.


TIS

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/28/entertainment/main20037493.shtml

(CBS/AP) Jane Russell passed away at her home in California Monday, surrounded by her children, reports KCOY-TV. The legendary Hollywood sex symbol of the 40s and 50s - described by some as the sassy brunette counterpart to Marilyn Monroe's ditsy blonde bombshell - was 89 years old.

Russell leaves behind three children, six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Thanks Lilo, the article refreshed my memory. I remember her mostly from "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds" with Marylin Monroe and also Pale Face with Bob Hope. I think she was in several Hope movies.

Btw, I know she was a "pinup" girl of her time. I would imagine that back then, pin-up/cover girls were likely more shall I say, natural than today?? She was known for her bustline if I am not mistaken and I remember later (maybe in her 40's) she did some bra commercials (Playtex maybe). Anyone else remember?

TIS

Russell wasn't all that busty but she is remembered for that area because of Howard Hughes. Hughes, one of the richest men in the world, and a man of great engineering ability, designed a bra especially for Russell (she was then appearing in a movie that Hughes was producing).

Many years later (in the '70s?) Russell did commercials for a bra.

I didn't know that!! I guess back then they "padded/lifted" to appear bustier instead of surgery. The women during that time too were not expected to be skinny rails. In fact they were heavy in many cases, at least compared to the pinups/models in more recent times.

TIS

I remember the bra commercial fairly well. Of course, she wasn't shown actually modeling the undergarment, but I do remember her talking about "full-figured" girls like herself, and presumably, the women out there in TVLand that the product was intended for. Probably Playtex, but I can't remember exactly.

I'll bet that commercial can probably be found on YouTube, or somewhere on the Internet, especially now that Jane Russell has passed. If not now, then I'm sure someone will post it before too long.

Signor V.

If this is not all that busty to you then te salut, Don SC.

TIS I think for a lot of different reasons rather unrealistic and unhealthy images started to become too predominant sometime between the late sixties and early nineties. Of course a lot of those images are aimed at women. The images aimed at men still tend to be a bit more realistic..in some ways, not all.

Ha ha ha!! That first picture looks pretty risque' for that time period.

Yea Lilo, it was the sixties when skinny models became the thing. Remember Twiggy? Tall, skinny and flat chested as well.


TIS

I was about 8 or 9 when her bra commercials aired, and think it was a Playtex 18 hour bra. I remember wondering what the hell happens after 18 hours.

You deflate!


TIS

Ka-BOOM!!

Well, it was just a thought...

Signor V.

I remember the commercial, too...it was on a mannequin and it was Playtex and somebody (Russel, I suppose) used a wandstick to gently outline the 'Cross Your Heart' bra. (Lifts and separates...

Betty Grable also did Playtex commercials. I think she even did them for girdles (before they were reinvented as 'Spanx').

As for the Howard Hughes design...story goes that he wanted something for her to wear in 'The Outlaw' that would prevent her from bouncing all over the place.

Not true at all. Hughes designed the bra to show off Russell's cleavage better.

As Casey Stengel used to say, "You could look it up".