COMPILED BY JOE KRAUS Aleter, Frank, 83, cancer, May 13. Film, TV and stage character actor in the popular films Mister Roberts and Tora! Tora! Tora! and TV shows Bringing Up Buddy and The Cara Williams Show. Annakin, Ken, 94, heart attack, Apr.22. Film director for The Longest Day (1962), Battle of the Bulge (1965) and Swiss Family Robinson (1960) among others. Arthur, Beatrice, 86, cancer, Apr. 25. Actress whose career spanned seven decades but was best known for her TV role in Maude. Her film credits included Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) and Marne (1974). Bahr, Gunther, 87, natural causes, Apr. 29. German Luftwaffe ace fighter pilot who earned his country’s coveted Iron Cross in World War II. Ballard, J. G., 78, prostate cancer, Apr. 19. Novelist and short story writer who was a prominent part of the science fiction New Wave movement. He may be best remembered, however, for his autobiographical book, set in World War II and later made into a movie, Empire of the Sun. It starred a young Christian Bale playing Ballard. Begg, Heather, 76, leukemia, May 12. Operatic soprano who sang with Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. Barnes, Ernie, 70, after a short illness, Apr. 27. Football player with the New York Titans, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos, all in the 1960s. Blake, Ed, 83, after a long illness, Apr. 15. 1950s baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Athletics. Booth, Pat, 66, cancer, May 11. Writer of racy and glitzy romance novels partly inspired by her own glamorous lifestyle. Cardiff, Jack, 94, natural causes, Apr. 22. Seventime Oscar nominated cinematographer whose career spanned from silent films well into the 21st century. His credits included The African Queen (1951) and War and Peace (1956). Carroll, Mickey, 89, natural causes, May 7. Actor who was one of the last surviving munchkins in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. Chambers, Marilyn, 56, heart disease, Apr. 12. Pornographic film actress best known for her hard core 1972 film Behind the Green Door. Check, Lude, 91, natural causes, May 11. 1940s ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and Ottawa Senators. Compagnoni, Achille, 94, natural causes, May 13. Italian mountaineer who became the first person to ascend K2. Cooper, Marilyn, 74, after a long illness, Apr.22. Actress mostly known for her work on the Broadway stage in such productions as Grease, The Odd Couple and West Side Story. Cornell, Robert John, 89, natural causes, May 10. Roman Catholic priest who served as a Democratic U. S. Congressman from Wisconsin from 1975-1979. Costello, Patty, 61, pancreatic cancer, Apr. 16. One of the best female bowlers of the 1970s and ’80s who earned 25 professional titles and a spot in the Bowling Hall of Fame. Daly, Chuck, 78, pancreatic cancer, May 9. Basketball coach who led the Dream Team to a Gold Medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics and Detroit Pistons to two NBA championships. Dangcil, Linda, 66, throat cancer, May 7. Actress best known for her role in the TV series The Flying Nun (1967-1970) Deitz, Tom, 57, heart failure, Apr. 27. Science fiction author. DeLuise, Dom, 75, kidney failure, May 4. Actor 62 SEPTEMBER 2009
AM0909_Passings.indd 62 Untitled-1 1
and comedian in The Cannonball Run and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, among others. Dennis, Peter, 75, natural causes, Apr. 18. Actor on TV’s The Avengers and Star Trek: Voyager and films such as Sideways (2004) and Shrek (2001). Diggers, Deborah, 59, suicide by jumping from the bleachers of a football stadium, Apr.10. Author of four books of poetry and two memoirs. DiMaggio, Dom, 92, pneumonia, May 8. 1940s baseball player for the Boston Red Sox and younger brother of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. Douglas, Kent, 73, cancer, Apr. 12. 1960s ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. Evans, Ean, 48, cancer, May 6. Bassist for the southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fidrych, Mark, 54, suffocation while working under his truck, Apr. 13. Fan favorite 1970s baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers called “The Bird” for his resemblance to the “Big Bird” character on the Sesame Street TV program. Fischer, Harold, 83, complications from surgery, Apr. 30. U. S. Air Force Korean War fighter ace and noted POW who was tortured by the North Koreans and remained in prison long after hostilities ended. French, Marilyn, 79, heart failure, May 2. Author of 15 books. Gans, Danny, 52, drug toxicity, May 1. Singer and comedian who found success as a vocal impressionist on the Las Vegas Strip. Gansz, Frank, 70, complications following knee replacement surgery, Apr. 27. Head football coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1980s. Gash, Norman, 97, natural causes, May 1. British historian and author of nearly a dozen books. Gondrezick,Glen, 53, complications following a heart transplant, Apr. 27. Basketball player in the 1970s and ’80s for the New York Nicks and Denver Nuggets. Gosdin, Vern, 74, stroke, Apr.28. Country music singer nicknamed “The Voice” by his peers. He had 19 top ten solo hits from the 1970s through the early 1990s. Grubb, Kevin, 31, suicide by gunshot, May 6. Race car driver who was under suspension from NASCAR competition due to two violations of substance abuse. Handley, Gene, 94, natural causes, Apr. 12. Baseball player for the Philadelphia Athletics in the mid 1940s. Holst, Timothy, 61, after a short illness, Apr. 16. Former Mormon missionary who became the ringmaster with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Holzer, Hans, 89, after a long illness, Apr. 26. Author of more than 100 books on supernatural and occult subjects. Houston, James D., 75, cancer, Apr. 16. Author of nine novels. He also co-wrote his wife’s autobiographical memoir, Farewell to Manzanar, which became a best seller. Hunter, Jack D., 87, cancer, Apr. 13. Author of 17 books but best known for his novel The Blue Max which was later made into a film by the same name. Kelso, Bill, 69, undisclosed causes, May 11. 1960s baseball player for the Angels and Cincinnati Reds. Kemp, Jack, 73, cancer, May 2. Vice Presidential candidate, U. S. Congressman, U. S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former football player for the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers. Khan, Feroz, 69, cancer, Apr. 27. Indian actor known as the Clint Eastwood of the East who appeared in more than 50 Bollywood films. King, David S., 91, natural causes, May 5. Democratic U. S. Congressman from Utah (1959-1963)
and U. S. Ambassador to Madagascar and Mauritius from 1967-1969. Kirkup, James, 91, stroke, May 10. British poet and travel writer who wrote 30 books including novels and autobiographies. Kladis, Danny, 92, natural causes, Apr. 26. Racecar driver who started racing in 1935 and raced through the 1940s and ’50s, breaking only during World War II. Landon, Mark, 60, undisclosed causes, May 11. Actor and adopted son of the late actor Michael Landon who appeared in the 1997 film Goodbye America as well as made-for-TV movies. Lees, Alex, 97, natural causes, Apr. 22. During World War II and as a POW he helped plan what became known as The Great Escape portrayed in the popular movie. Lohrke, Jack, 85, stroke, Apr. 29. 1940s and ’50s baseball player for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies. Michell, John, 76, cancer, Apr. 24. Writer of some 40-odd titles over five decades. Much of his work centers on earth mysteries described as alternative archaeology and unacceptable to orthodox scholarship. Orton, Bill, 60, ATV accident, Apr. 18, Democratic U. S. Congressman from Utah 1991-1997. Ozark, Danny, 85, natural causes, May 7. Baseball manager for the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants in the 1970s. Page, Greg, 50, brain injury, Apr. 27. World Boxing Association heavyweight champion in the mid 1980s. Phair, Venetia, 90, natural causes, Apr. 30. 11-year-old English girl who in 1930 suggested the name Pluto be the name for the space object discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh. Pluto was the Roman God of the Underworld who was able to make himself invisible. Tombaugh liked the idea and adopted it for this on-againoff-again planet. Randolph, Jane, 93, natural causes, May 4. Actress in Cat People (1942) and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), among others. Rau, Samantha Rama, 86, cardiac arrest, Apr. 21. Author of several books and novels, but is best known as a travel writer. Rose, Buddy, 56, natural causes, Apr. 28. Professional wrestler for the past 30 years known as “Playboy” Buddy Rose. Scott, Clive, 64, stroke, May 10. Keyboardist and songwriter for the 1970s pop/rock group Jigsaw. Snyder, Bruce, 69, melanoma, Apr. 13. Head football coach at Utah State, Arizona State and the University of California in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. Taylor, Eunice, 75, natural causes, May 8. As a teenager she played for the professional all-girls baseball league, popularized by the film A League of Their Own. Her character was played by Rosie O’Donnell in the film. Varennikov, Valentin, 85, natural causes, May 6. Russian general best known for the Soviet coup attempt of 1991 and for being one of the planners and leaders of the Soviet War in Afghanistan. Wills, Viola, 69, cancer, May 6. Pop singer best known for her 1979 hit Gonna Get Along Without You Now. Wright, Timothy, 61, from injuries in a car crash nine months earlier that also killed his wife and grandson as well as the driver of the oncoming car, Apr. 24. Grammy-nominated Gospel singer who turned out more than two dozen albums since 1984. Zarchy, Zeke, 93, natural causes, Apr. 12. Jazz trumpeter of the big band and swing eras who played with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey orchestras and recorded with Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
AUTOGRAPH
8/10/2009 12:13:15 AM 8/12/2009 2:07:44 PM