Not Exactly Famous...

[Anubis the Jackal 76]

His sad passing was mentioned in the 'Dead Drummers' thread. A bit tenuous if you ask me, as he was better known as a frontman. I liked 'The Storm' mesself.

 

 

 

Tony Ogden, frontman of early Nineties Manc popsters World Of Twist has died. Strange chap apparently with many hang-ups (I went to college with someone who lived next door to his gran and so heard all sorts about him). Still v sad though - Sons Of The Stage is a classic.

[VSBfromH 74]

His sad passing was mentioned in the 'Dead Drummers' thread. A bit tenuous if you ask me, as he was better known as a frontman. I liked 'The Storm' mesself.

 

 

 

Tony Ogden, frontman of early Nineties Manc popsters World Of Twist has died. Strange chap apparently with many hang-ups (I went to college with someone who lived next door to his gran and so heard all sorts about him). Still v sad though - Sons Of The Stage is a classic.

 

Apologies, I just thought we hadn't had a dead drummer for a while!

[VSBfromH 74]

Monty Berman has died aged 94.

 

Major producer of B-Movies. Also produced a whole host of classic TV shows in the 60s / 70s: "Gideon's Way", "The Saint", "The Champions", "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)", "Department S", "Jason King".

 

IMDB entry (footnote: apparently he was an uncredited camera operator on "The Third Man")

 

Apparently he died way back in June. Full obit from "The Independent" here.

[Anubis the Jackal 76]

Rufus Harley the worlds foremost jazz bagpipe player has died. His work re-defined the phrase 'acquired taste.'

 

 

 

[Guest Shuffler]

This guy apparently "died catching a bus". No wonder people avoid public transport!

 

"Mr Armstrong was notoriously unpunctual. He will therefore arrive late for his 11.30 am funeral"

 

Nice touch!

[VSBfromH 74]

No link yet, and I suspect that there might be a response of "who?" if you don't live in the NW of England, but "Granada Reports" has just reported that their long time stalwart Bob Smithies has died.

 

He was also a crossword compiler for "The Guardian" under the pseudonym of Bunthorne.

 

Apologies to those who think he's a bit "regional", but he was a well-known face to many for aeons in these parts! I will post a link once I can find one.

 

At last, an obituary!

[Banshees Scream 107]

This guy apparently "died catching a bus". No wonder people avoid public transport!

 

"Mr Armstrong was notoriously unpunctual. He will therefore arrive late for his 11.30 am funeral"

 

Nice touch!

 

Didn't make the bus.. died in seconds flat.

[TLC 9]

This guy apparently "died catching a bus". No wonder people avoid public transport!

 

"Mr Armstrong was notoriously unpunctual. He will therefore arrive late for his 11.30 am funeral"

 

Nice touch!

Afterwards friends will gather at the Trades Club at Hebden Bridge. On stage will be Mr Armstrong's musical instruments – 65 drums, plus his much-loved guitar, fiddles, and more exotic instruments from Africa

Bit of a weird nickname for a guitar, no?

Instead of a hearse, a decorated camper van used for music festivals will transport the musician to his funeral

Camper van perhaps, but no camper than the final passenger. More camp than a Boy Scout convention, to coin an old saying.

[Phantom 2,469]

Cartoonist Bob Thaves who created the cartoon strip of Frank & Ernest has died

[Guest Dick Long]

The great haggis entrepreneur John Angus MacSween, who opened the first purpose-built haggis factory in the world and was the "inventor" of vegetarian haggis has died.

 

"The English couldn't get enough of our haggis. They took car-loads of the stuff home with them."

is that a wind up or for real?

[Guest Dick Long]

Rufus Harley the worlds foremost jazz bagpipe player has died. His work re-defined the phrase 'acquired taste.'

 

 

 

this looks like a wind up as well

[Octopus of Odstock 1,872]

Monty Berman has died aged 94.

 

Major producer of B-Movies. Also produced a whole host of classic TV shows in the 60s / 70s: "Gideon's Way", "The Saint", "The Champions", "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)", "Department S", "Jason King".

 

Apparently he died way back in June. Full obit from "The Independent" here.

 

I must admit, I thought he had died about 5 years ago - in fact, I swear I saw the obit. Obviously, my mind is playing tricks on me.

[Phantom 2,469]

Writer, Activist and Ecology Theorist, Murray Bookchin has died at the age of 85 from

complications of a malfunctioning aortic valve

 

I don't have any medical training, but isn't that pretty much a posh way of saying he had a heart attack of some sorts?

[Phantom 2,469]

swiss born movie director Daniel Schmid has died at the age of 64. I have heard of him, but as he hasn't really been discussed, i'll put him here

[Cowboy Ronnie 77]

swiss born movie director Daniel Schmid has died at the age of 64. I have heard of him, but as he hasn't really been discussed, i'll put him here

 

I never knew the Swiss even made films. A wiki search for Swiss actors turns up 15 people I've never heard of, Ursula Andress, famous for exactly one scene in her career, and Bruno Ganz, most famous for playing Hitler. I recognised exactly none of the nine people listed as "Swiss Film Directors", and Daniel Schmid didn't make the list (yes, it's wiki, so this is all relative).

[VSBfromH 74]

Monty Berman has died aged 94.

 

I must admit, I thought he had died about 5 years ago - in fact, I swear I saw the obit. Obviously, my mind is playing tricks on me.

 

That would have been Monty M. Berman the costume designer (real name Morris, appearently - why couldn't he have stuck to it and avoided the confusion?!). You will see that IMDB has them both having been born in 1912 in London, so there may be some mix up there. When I was researching details of the recently deceased MB, a particular thread also made reference to the confusion between the two.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,872]

That would have been Monty M. Berman the costume designer (real name Morris, appearently - why couldn't he have stuck to it and avoided the confusion?!). You will see that IMDB has them both having been born in 1912 in London, so there may be some mix up there. When I was researching details of the recently deceased MB, a particular thread also made reference to the confusion between the two.

 

Ah, thanks! I knew I wasn't going totally doo-lally.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,290]

Said Abdullo Nuri, the leader of Tajikistan's opposition Party of Islamic Revival, has died at the age of 60.

[Phantom 2,469]

Bob Miller former Detroit Lions footballer has died at the age of 76

[BrunoBrimley 83]

Said Abdullo Nuri, the leader of Tajikistan's opposition Party of Islamic Revival, has died at the age of 60.

Well this certainly comes as a surprise.

[Paul Bearer 5,697]

Said Abdullo Nuri, the leader of Tajikistan's opposition Party of Islamic Revival, has died at the age of 60.

Well this certainly comes as a surprise.

 

Sarcasm Mr B?

[Phantom 2,469]

Japanese tycoon Yasuo Takei has died at the age of 76

[maryportfuncity 10,021]

Let's get back to Rufus Harley for a second, the man was a legend. You may well have heard his work, certainly if you ever heard a copy of Laurie Anderson's 'Big Science' album. A career worthy of respect IMHO. Assuming you were curious, 'The Pied Piper of Jazz' is a decent album to start with. Probably all the Rufus Harley yer average punter could ever want.

 

So despite the above announcement being from Dick Long/Iain, trust me here, yer man Rufus was for real. If you think the Wiki page is a put on too check out his stuff on Amazon where you can also listen to short samples of his unique work.

[Phantom 2,469]

American talk show host, Mike Douglas has died at the age of 81

[BrunoBrimley 83]

American talk show host, Mike Douglas has died at the age of 81...and on his 81st birthday as well.

I recall fondly his daily television show. It would come on the air and entertain me for a while and then it would be over and the first of the news programs would appear. One of my early tape recording fiascos included a few words from him, a few minutes from the Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones version of Carousel and then some minutes of an episode of I Love Lucy...the Carlotta Romero episode.

 

And for the record I find it unfortunate that a great man such as Mike Douglas would be stuffed into this 'Not Exactly Famous" category. Were it not for him, Phil Donahue, Sally Jessey, Oprah and others never would have had a chance. Mike Douglas was a pioneer.