Celebrity RIP Thread

[Burning Sounds]

Los Angeles radio history lost another great recently (see the post re DJ Jim Ladd above). FYI, KCRW radio is one of National Public Radio’s (USA) powerhouse stations.

Wikipedia: “Ruth Seymour (February 17, 1935 – December 22, 2023) was an American broadcasting executive known… as a pioneer in public radio and ‘a commanding presence in the public radio arena.’

Seymour's first venture into radio came at KPFK in Los Angeles from 1961 to 1964… As that station's drama and literary critic, she produced award-winning series. From 1971 to 1976, she worked as program director there, and she did freelance work for the Pacifica Foundation while traveling in Europe. She was fired in 1976, after the FBI raided the station in search of a tape KPFK had aired from Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army, which the station manager refused to turn over. Seymour broadcast the raid live, as it occurred.

Seymour joined the staff of KCRW at Santa Monica College in 1977 as a consultant and was named manager a few months later… Seymour brought NPR’s Morning Edition to KCRW, and produced others such as Le Show (hosted by Harry Shearer), Left, Right & Center, Morning Becomes Eclectic, The Politics of Culture, To the Point, and Which Way L.A.? (hosted by Warren Olney). In 1996, KCRW became the 2nd station to air This American Life.

She retired from there in February 2010... During her tenure, the station grew from being based in a playground at a middle school and having an old transmitter to covering much of southern California with its broadcasts. It also developed streaming services and podcasts.”

RIP to two giants in the history of Los Angeles radio, Ruth Seymour and Jim Ladd.

View attachment 337146

Thanks, these posts have real meaning to me and bring back many memories - I moved to LA in 1974 and KMET and KLOS were the two rock stations I listed to throughout that time. I remember Jim Ladd well. Coming from the UK where radio was still dominated by the BBC which still operated on an "Aunty knows best" model (ie none of this low brow rock music stuff), commercial radio was a breath of fresh air for me.

Later I gravitated to KCRW where Roger Steffens and Hank Holmes' Reggae Beat International was my favourite programme. Roger got the best interviews (not to mention his vast Bob Marley archive) and Hank had the best collection of reggae singles and dub plates. Morning Becomes Eclectic was just a class act.

Inspired by Roger and Hank I went on to host my own reggae programme on KUOR in Redlands. Ironically, KUOR no longer exists as a station in its own right but is now an NPR feeder station.

 

[MoreWatts]

You're welcome @Burning Sounds. My life in Southern California accumulated countless radio hours of these two. Their passing deserved a mention.

 

[DanielT]

Bill Granger, renowned Australian cook, dies aged 54

Globally successful restaurateur and food writer known as the ‘godfather of avocado toast’ dies peacefully in London

www.theguardian.com

Now I'm going to go grocery shopping and what I'm going to eat today is pretty obvious:

Bill Granger’s avocado toast recipe

The legendary brunch dish was a smash hit from the moment Bill Granger debuted it at his first Darlinghurst restaurant, bills. And here’s how to make it at home.

www.smh.com.au

 

[DonR]

Tom Smothers, one half of famed comedy duo, dies at 86

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/27/entertainment/tom-smothers-death/index.html

 

[danadam]

Niklaus Wirth (creator of Pascal programming language)

iTWire - Computer science pioneer Niklaus Wirth passes away

Niklaus Emil Wirth, the creator of Pascal, winner of a Turing award, and fellow of the Computer History Museum, passed away on 1 January 2024 at the age of 89. Wirth was born on 15 February 1934, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1959, a Master of Science in 1960, and a PhD in Electrical...

itwire.com

 

[ryanosaur]

Surprised nobody has brought up Les McCann passing...

https://www.npr.org/2024/01/02/1222544492/les-mccann-pianist-obit

 

[DonR]

Mary Poppins actress Glynis Johns dies aged 100

The British actress is widely known for playing Winifred Banks in the 1964 Disney musical.

www.bbc.com

 

[Timcognito]

Surprised nobody has brought up Les McCann passing...

https://www.npr.org/2024/01/02/1222544492/les-mccann-pianist-obit

So sad "Swiss Movement" LP high on my favs playlist for many many years

 

[Power Pop 23]

Mary Poppins actress Glynis Johns dies aged 100

The British actress is widely known for playing Winifred Banks in the 1964 Disney musical.

www.bbc.com

I can recommend Glynis Johns in the film 'The Promoter' aka 'The Card'. She and Alec Guinness play social climbers and she holds her own. The film also features a 20YO Petula Clark (now 91YO)

The Promoter (1952) ⭐ 7.0 | Comedy

1h 25m | Approved

www.imdb.com

 

[DavidEdwinAston]

David Soul. Just listening to a short, strange, and rather moving song, The Wall

 

[CapMan]

Franz Beckenbauer, World Cup-winning captain and manager, dies aged 78

Franz Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of all time, has died

www.theguardian.com

 

[CapMan]

And another sporting great

JPR Williams, Wales and Lions rugby union great, dies aged 74

Welsh rugby has lost another iconic 1970s legend following the death of JPR Williams at the age of 74

www.theguardian.com

 

[DonH56]

Jim Winey, of Magnepan fame, passed away yesterday.

 

[DavidEdwinAston]

Annie Nightingale.

 

[BlackTalon]

Franz Beckenbauer, World Cup-winning captain and manager, dies aged 78

Franz Beckenbauer, widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of all time, has died

www.theguardian.com

After a World Cup sometime in the late 70s/ early 80s my grandfather took me to a Europe all-stars vs World all-stars game at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. The Kaiser fanned directly in front of a wide open goal (only a yard or so out from the goal line; the pass came from the right side, went though his legs and continued towards the left sideline). If was a very lighthearted moment. I guess he did not know what to do when so far up field.

 

[JSmith]

RIP Joyce Randolph;

Joyce Randolph | Actress

Known for: The Honeymooners, Everything's Jake, The Doctors and the Nurses

www.imdb.com

Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie on The Honeymooners, dies aged 99

Actor was the last surviving main character of the beloved comedy from television’s golden age of the 1950s

www.theguardian.com

JSmith

 

[CapMan]

Last surviving member of the original SAS regiment - does that count as celebrity - not sure! Hell of a story if you read the obituary!

Mike Sadler obituary

Last original member of the SAS who used the stars to navigate across the north African desert during the second world war

www.theguardian.com

 

[gene_stl]

Peter Schickele, aka PDQ Bach. RIP

Peter Schickele, Composer and Gleeful Sire of P.D.Q. Bach, Dies at 88

He wrote more than 100 symphonic, choral, solo instrumental and chamber works. But he was better known, and celebrated, as a musical parodist. Who can forget the “Concerto for Horn and Hardart”?

www.nytimes.com

 

[Sokel]

Peter Schickele, aka PDQ Bach. RIP

Peter Schickele, Composer and Gleeful Sire of P.D.Q. Bach, Dies at 88

He wrote more than 100 symphonic, choral, solo instrumental and chamber works. But he was better known, and celebrated, as a musical parodist. Who can forget the “Concerto for Horn and Hardart”?

www.nytimes.com

That's really sad,humor at this is a rare quality,specially when you have mastered a subject.

 

[rdenney]

Peter Schickele, aka PDQ Bach. RIP

Peter Schickele, Composer and Gleeful Sire of P.D.Q. Bach, Dies at 88

He wrote more than 100 symphonic, choral, solo instrumental and chamber works. But he was better known, and celebrated, as a musical parodist. Who can forget the “Concerto for Horn and Hardart”?

www.nytimes.com

Oh, man.

Rick " " Denney