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Necrology of 2009

 

It was not a very good year for show business. We lost many more of our favorite entertainers and personalities during 2009.

They’re gone, but not forgotten.

FRANK ALETTER, 83, veteran character actor who starred in the 1960s situation comedies Bringing Up Buddy and It's About Time. He appeared in guest roles on a variety of television shows, including Ben CaseyPerry MasonThe Fugitive, and M*A*S*H. May 13.

 

JOAN ALEXANDER, 94. leading radio actress who played Lois Lane on The Adventures of Superman, Della Street on Perry Mason, and Ellen Deering on Philo Vance. She was also heard on the radio shows This is Nora Drake, Light of the World, This is Your FBI, and Dimension X. On television, she was a regular panelist on The Name’s the Same. May 21.

 

BOB ARBOGAST, 81, actor and comedian who got his start at WMAQ/Chicago as the star of the Arbogast show, before relocating to California to become a radio and cartoon voice. March 21.

 

FRANK COGHLAN JR., 93, who portrayed James Cagney as a boy in the 1931 film The Public Enemy and Billy Batson in the celebrated 1941 serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel. September 7.

 

CHRIS CONNOR, 81, singer who performed in nightclubs and on recording with the orchestras of Claude Thornhill, Jerry Wald, and Stan Kenton, before embarking on a five-decade career as a jazz singer. August 29. 
 

WALTER CRONKITE, 92, renowned journalist, once called “The most trusted man in America,” who spent 19 years as anchor on CBS Evening News, where he routinely signed off with the phrase “And that’s the way it is.” July 17.

 

BLOSSOM DEARIE, 82, celebrated jazz singer and songwriter whose sweet soprano voice, harmonically innovative piano stylings and sophisticated performances made her a popular attraction in jazz and cabaret for nearly half a century. February 7.

 

VIVIAN DELLA CHIESA, 94, celebrated lyric soprano who performed onstage with the Chicago Opera Company and on radio as part of The American Melody Hour and The American Album of Familiar Music, The Railroad Hour and The Voice of Firestone. January 6.

 

DOM DeLUISE, 75, actor and chef who appeared on the television series The Entertainers and The Dean Martin Show and in such films as Blazing SaddlesThe End, andCannonball Run. May 4.

 

FARRAH FAWCETT, 62, actress and model who created the role of Kris Monroe for the 1970s TV series Charlie’s Angels. She also appeared in television movies about the lives of Barbara Hutton and Margaret Bourke-White. June 25.

 

SUSANNA FOSTER, 84, singer and actress who appeared as Christine Dubois in the 1943 movie version of The Phantom of the Opera. Other films include Star-Spangled Rhythm and The Climax. January 17.

 

DANNY GANS, 52, comedian whose skills at impersonations made him a staple of Las Vegas nightclubs. He appeared as Dean Martin in the 1992 television miniseries Sinatra!May 1.

 

LARRY GELBART, 81, award-winning writer for radio, television, stage and screen, who got his start as a teenager writing material for Danny Thomas. During his six-decade career, he wrote on radio for Bob Hope, Jack Carson, and Duffy’s Tavern. On television, he wrote for Sid Caesar’s Caesar’s Hour and The Danny Kaye Show and helped to create the TV version of M*A*S*H. He also co-wrote the book for the Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum. September 11.

 

HENRY GIBSON, 73, actor and comedian who rose to fame as the flower-carrying poet on TV’s Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. More recently, he appeared as Judge Clark Brown on the series Boston Legal. Film credits include Nashville, The Blues Brothers, and Magnolia. September 14.

 

ELLIE GREENWICH, 68, songwriter and musician who was responsible for a string of hit records in the early 1960s. Her songwriting credits include “Be My Baby,” “Chapel of Love,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” and “Then He Kissed Me.” August 26.

 

JOHN HART, 91, who played The Lone Ranger on television in 1952 and ’53 and had the title role in the 1947 serial Jack Armstrong: The All-American Boy. September 23.

 

PAUL HARVEY, 90, Radio Hall of Fame broadcaster called “The Most Listened-To Man on the Air” during a radio career that spanned more than 60 years. His series The Rest of The Story was heard for more than 30 years and heard in Chicago on station WGN. February 28.

 

BURLEIGH HINES, 77, Chicago-based reporter who worked at WBBM radio and television for more than 20 years, most notably as a human interest reporter. November 8.

 

CONNIE HINES, 79, who spent five years playing Alan Young’s wife on the television series Mr. Ed and appeared on a number of other television series, including The UntouchablesPerry Mason, and Sea Hunt. December 19.

 

PAT HINGLE, 84, veteran character actor perhaps best known for playing police Commissioner Gordon in the Batman films. He also appeared in the movies Norma Rae and The Grifters and on countless television series, including M*A*S*HGunsmokeThe Phil Silvers Show, and In the Heat of the Night. January 3.

 

JOHN HUGHES, 59, writer and director whose films included Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Planes Trains and Automobiles. August 6.

 

MICHAEL JACKSON, 50, the self-proclaimed “King of Pop” who achieved success on stage and on records with his brothers and on his own. His 1983 album Thriller became the biggest-selling album of all time upon its release. Other hits (with and without his brothers) include “A-B-C,” “I’ll Be There,” “Ben,” and “Off The Wall.” June 25.

 

LOU JACOBI, 95, veteran character actor who appeared in countless movies and television shows, including Arthur, My Favorite Year, and Woody Allen’s Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. Also recorded the albums You Don’t Have To Be Jewish and When You’re in Love, the Whole World is Jewish. October 23.

 

JENNIFER JONES, 90, actress who won an Academy Award for her performance as the saintly nun in The Song of Bernadette. Other films included Portrait of JennyMadame BovaryDuel in the SunThe Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, and Tender is the Night. December 17.

 

JOHNNY “RED” KERR, 76, who served as the first head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1966-68 and spent more than 30 years as the team’s play-by-play announcer on radio and television. February 26.

 

MARIE KNIGHT, 89, gospel legend who toured and recorded with Sister Rosetta Tharpe and countless other performers during a 60-year career. Her records included “Precious Memories,” “Didn’t It Rain,” and “Up Above My Head.” August 30.

 

DAVID KOGAN, 92, writer, director and producer during the Golden Age of  Radio, whose credits included The Mysterious Traveler, The Sealed Book, Murder By Experts, and The Shadow. August 6. 

 

MORT LACHMAN, 90, who spent 28 years writing for Bob Hope on radio and television. Other writing credits include The Red Skelton Show, All in the Family, and Sanford and Son. March 18.

 

IRVING R. LEVINE, 86, television journalist who pioneered network television coverage of economic issues during his more than 40-year career as a correspondent for NBC News. March 27.

 

ALAN LIVINGSTON, 91, long-time president of Capitol Records who created the character of Bozo the Clown and wrote and produced a number of children’s records for the label, including Mel Blanc’s hit “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat.” March 13.

 

KARL MALDEN, 97, Chicago-born actor who won an Oscar for his performance as Mitch in the 1952 film version of A Streetcar Named Desire.  Other films include Patton, I Confess, On the Waterfront, The Cincinnati Kid, and How The West Was Won. On television, he spent five seasons as Detective Mike Stone on The Streets of San Francisco. July 1.

 

AL MARTINO, 82, singer who played Johnny Fontaine in the 1972 film The Godfather. Hit records included “Volare,” “Here in My Heart,” and “Spanish Eyes.” October 14.

 

DALE McCARREN, 74, who spent more than 30 years as a newscaster at Chicago radio station WBBM, co-anchoring Morning People with Dan Price and offering annual reports for the station from the Mackinac Boat Race. March 16.

 

PATRICK McGOOHAN, 80, Emmy Award-winning actor who starred as a British spy in the 1960s TV series Secret Agent and gained cult status later in the decade as the star of the enigmatic series The Prisoner. January 13.

 

ED McMAHON, 86, television and radio announcer who spent 30 years as the announcer and sidekick on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson; his opening line “Heeeere’s Johnny!” became a nightly fixture.  He was also the host of the television show Star Search. June 23.

 

BOB MITCHELL, 96, silent film and radio organist who spent four years as the organist for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the 1930s he founded the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir, who appeared on stage and movies over a two-decade period. July 4.

 

VIC MIZZY, 93, composer who wrote music for movies and television but is perhaps best-remembered for writing the themes for Green Acres and The Addams Family. October 19.

 

RICARDO MONTALBAN, 88, film and television actor who starred as the suave Mr. Rourke on the long-running television series Fantasy Island and the villainous Kahn in theStarTrek television and film series. January 14.

 

BRITTANY MURPHY, 32, actress who appeared in such films as Clueless8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. On television, she spent 12 years as the voice of Luanne Platter on the animated series King of the Hill. December 20.

 

ANNE ROBERTS NELSON, 86, pioneering television executive who spent 64 years at CBS. June 20.

 

LES PAUL, 94, legendary guitarist and electronic pioneer who was instrumental in the development of the electric guitar and the establishment of “multi-track” recording. Recorded and performed with Fred Waring, Bing Crosby, Chet Atkins, The Andrews Sisters, and his wife Mary Ford, with whom he recorded “How High The Moon,” “Vaya Con Dios,” and “The World Is Waiting For the Sunrise.” August 13.

 

NORM PELLEGRINI, 79, Chicago radio personality who spent 43 years as music director of station WFMT, where he hosted the station’s live Lyric Opera broadcasts and spent four decades co-hosting the station’s Midnight Special program. July 2.

 

JANE RANDOLPH, 93, movie actress perhaps best known as Alice Moore, the young woman trapped in a swimming pool in the 1943 film Cat People. Other films included Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein and Railroaded! May 4.

 

NATASHA RICHARDSON, 45, stage actress who appeared in the films Maid in Manhattan and The Parent Trap. On television, she starred in a 1993 film about the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. March 18.

 

KEN ROBERTS, 99, longtime radio announcer whose credits included The Shadow, Easy Aces, It Pays To Be Ignorant, and Quick as a Flash, which he also hosted. On television, he was heard as the announcer on Love of Life and The Secret Storm. June 19.

 

SOUPY SALES, 83, slapstick comedian who attained cult-like popularity as star of the 1960s Soupy Sales Show, with a pie-throwing routine that became his signature. October 22.

 

RON SILVER, 62, Tony Award-winning actor who spent five years playing political consultant Bruno Gianelli on the television series The West Wing. March 15.

 

JOE SLATTERY, 87, veteran Chicago radio and television announcer who spent three decades as the voice of Jewel groceries. He was also the narrator of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. October 2.

 

ARNOLD STANG, 91, actor who appeared on radio as Seymour Fingerhood on the radio version of The Goldbergs and in support of comedians Henry Morgan and Milton Berle. On screen, he appeared in The Man With the Golden Arm and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In the 1960s, he provided the voice of the title character in the Hanna-Barbera series Top Cat. December 20.

 

GALE STORM, 87, actress and singer who appeared on radio and television as the title character of My Little Margie and spent four seasons as the star of The Gale Storm Show. June 27.

 

MOLLIE SUDGEN, 86, British actress who starred as the officious Mrs. Slocombe on the BBC comedy series Are You Being Served? July 1.

 

PATRICK SWAYZE, 57, actor and dancer who achieved fame as Johnny Castle in the 1988 film Dirty Dancing. Other movies included Ghost, The Outsiders, and Roadhouse, where he uttered the famous line “It’s my way…or the highway.” September 14.

 

KOKO TAYLOR, 80, the Grammy Award-winning singer whose powerful voice and regal bearing earned her the nickname “Queen of the Blues” and a Chicago institution for more than 40 years. Her 1965 recording of Willie Dixon’s “Wang Dang Doodle” sold over a million copies. June 3.

 

FRED TRAVELENA, 66, celebrated comic and impressionist who was a mainstay of television and nightclubs. June 28.

 

MARY TRAVERS, 72, one-third of the popular folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, who enjoyed a series of hit records in the 1960s, including “Puff The Magic Dragon,” “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “If I Had a Hammer.” September 16.

 

JAMES WHITMORE, 87, stage and movie actor who appeared in countless films during his 60-year career, including BattlegroundThem!Kiss Me Kate, and The Shawshank Redemption. He toured for many years in Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!, a one-man show about President Harry S Truman. February 6.

 

JOSEPH WISEMAN, 91, stage and screen actor perhaps best known for playing the villainous title role in Dr. No, the first James Bond movie. On television, he appeared on The Twilight ZoneL.A. Law, Law and Order and countless other series. October 19.

 

EDWARD WOODWARD, 79, English-born actor who appeared in the films The Wicker Man and Breaker Morant and starred as Robert McCall from 1985-1989 on the TV seriesThe Equalizer. November 17.

 

Necrology of 2008

EDIE ADAMS, 81, singer-actress who won a Tony award in 1957 for her role as Daisy Mae in Lil Abner and co-starred with her husband on his innovative and ground-breaking TV series, The Ernie Kovaks Show. She was for almost 20 years the TV spokeswoman for Muriel Cigars: "Why don’t you pick one up and smoke it sometime." October 15.

ROBERT ANDERSON, 75, child actor known as "Bobbie Anderson" who played young George Bailey in the classic 1946 Frank Capra film It’s A Wonderful Life. He also appeared as a youngster in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Bishop’s Wife and the TV series Spin and Marty. June 6.

EDDY ARNOLD, 89, country music legend known as the "Tennessee Plowboy" during a 60-year career that began on radio’s Grand Ole Opry in the 1940s. May 8.

PAGE CAVANAUGH, 86, jazz pianist whose popular trio in the 1940s and ‘50s performed on the Frank Sinatra radio show Songs by Sinatra and was featured in such films as Romance on the High Seas, A Song is Born and Lullaby of Broadway. December 19.

CYD CHARISSE, 86, long-legged dancer who appeared in many MGM musicals with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire in such movie classics as Singin’ in the Rain, Brigadoon, The Band Wagon, and Silk Stockings. June 18.

IVAN DIXON, 76, actor who directed scores of TV shows and who appeared as Sgt. James Kinchlow on Hogan’s Heroes and in dozens of other TV series and on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun and Nothing But a Man. In films, he was seen in Something of Value and A Patch of Blue. March 16.

JOE FEENEY, 76, popular Irish tenor on the Lawrence Walk TV shows for 25 years, 1957-82. His singing career began on radio station WOW, Omaha. April 16.

MEL FERRER, 90, actor in such films as Lili, War and Peace, The Sun Also Rises, The Brave Bulls. He was married for 14 years to Audrey Hepburn and he produced her film Wait Until Dark in 1967. June 2.

BILL FINEGAN, 91, musician who arranged hits for Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey and later was co-founder with Eddie Sauter of the Sauter-Finegan orchestra. June 4.

NINA FOCH, 84, actress for over 40 years, often playing "the other woman" on the screen in Executive Suite, The 10 Commandments, Spartacus, Rich and Famous. On stage in Tonight at 8:30, Twelfth Night and King Lear. On TV in Murder She Wrote, Outer Limits, LA Law. December 5.

BEVERLY GARLAND, 82, actress whose 50-year career included 40 mostly B-movies and dozens of TV shows. She was Fred MacMurray’s TV wife on My Three Sons and appeared on Remington Steele, Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Seventh Heaven. December 5.

ESTELLE GETTY, 84, Emmy-winning actress for her role as Sophie Petrillo, wise-cracking mother of Dorothy Zbornak on the TV series Golden Girls. July 22.

DODY GOODMAN, 93, off-beat comedienne and character actress who came to fame as a regular guest on the Tonight Show with Jack Paar, Toast of the Town with Ed Sullivan and as a regular on the quirky TV series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. June 22.

DAVID GROH, 68, character actor best known as Rhoda Morgenstern’s husband Joe in the 1970s TV series Rhoda. February 12.

EARLE HAGEN, 88, composer who wrote "Harlem Nocturne" as well as memorable themes for many TV shows, including Andy Griffith, I Spy, The Mod Squad, Dick Van Dyke, That Girl. May 26.

CONNIE HAINES, 87, big band vocalist with Tommy Dorsey, Harry James and on her own as a recording artist and singer on radio with Abbott and Costello, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, others. January 20.

LARRY HAINES, 90, veteran radio actor on over 15,000 programs in the 1940s and ‘50s, including Inner Sanctum, Gang Busters, Big Town, Mr. District Attorney. In 1950 he began a 35-year run on the TV soap opera Search for Tomorrow. July 17.

LARRY HARMON, 83, one of many portrayers of Bozo the Clown. During a 50-year career he was the one who licensed the character to TV stations across the country, including a 40-year Chicago version on WGN-TV, when Bozo was played by Bob Bell and Joey D’Auria. July 3.

LYNNE "ANGEL" HARVEY, 92, producer and wife of broadcaster Paul Harvey. She was a long-time board member of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications and generous supporter of the Radio Hall of Fame; she was the first radio producer to be inducted into that organization. May 3.

NEAL HEFTI, 85, big band trumpeter, arranger and composer, working with Harry James, Count Basie, Charlie Spivak and Woody Herman. He wrote the theme music for the Odd Couple film and the Batman TV series. October 11.

CHARLTON HESTON, 84, legendary motion picture actor starring in such films as The Ten Commandments, The Greatest Show on Earth, El Cid and Ben Hur, for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor. April 5.

VAN JOHNSON, 92, popular Hollywood heart-throb and star of the 1940s and ‘50s, mostly at MGM in such films as Thrill of a Romance, Brigadoon, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, A Guy Named Joe, State of the Union, The Caine Mutiny and The Human Comedy. December 12.

EVELYN KEYES, 91, actress who played Scarlett O’Hara’s younger sister SueEllen in Gone With The Wind and who co-starred as Al Jolson’s wife in The Jolson Story. July 4.

EARTHA KITT, 81, international singing sensation, dancer and actress who appeared on Broadway in New Faces of 1952 and whose recording career included such hits as "C’est Ce Bon, " "Uska Dara" and "Santa baby." On TV she appeared as the Cat Woman on the Batman series. December 25.

HARVEY KORMAN, 81, Emmy-winning "second banana" comedian on The Carol Burnett Show on TV. He also appeared in comedy roles on The Danny Kaye Show and starred in his own TV series, The Harvey Korman Show and had the role of Hedley Lamarr in the feature film Blazing Saddles. May 29.

BOB LEMOND, JR., 94, veteran radio announcer on such vintage programs as Crime Classics, Joan Davis Show, Life With Luigi, My Friend Irma, Harold Peary Show. January 6.

JIM McKAY, 86, veteran TV sportscaster who covered every sport for more than 40 years. He hosted ABC’s Wide World of Sports as well as the Olympics where, in 1972 in Munich, he switched from sports on the spot to lead the coverage of the Palestinian terrorists who kidnapped 11 Israeli athletes. June 7.

DICK MARTIN, 86, zany half of the Rowan and Martin Laugh-In TV series, hugely popular in the 1960s, later becoming a director of many TV shows. May 24.

ALLAN MELVIN, 84, veteran character actor on TV who played Sam the butcher on The Brady Bunch; Barney Hefner on All in the Family; Corporal Henshaw on The Phil Silvers Sgt. Bilko Show; and was the voice of Magilla Groilla on the animated series. January 17.

CLIFF MERCER, 81, veteran WGN Chicago radio announcer for many years. He was the last remote announcer for Wayne King and the orchestra from the Aragon Ballroom in 1964. He also hosted the WGN "sweet music" band program, Music For Squares. November 27.

PAUL NEWMAN, 83, motion picture super star for more than 50 years in classic films such as Somebody Up There Likes Me; Long, Hot Summer; Cat On a Hot Tin Roof; The Hustler; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; The Sting; Slap Shot; Absence of Malice. September 26.

WALLY PHILLIPS, 82, legendary Chicago radio broadcaster whose morning show on WGN from 1965-85 was the most popular program on the air, attracting nearly half of all Chicago area listeners. He was inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. March 27.

SUZANNE PLESHETTE, 70, film and television actress best known as Bob Newhart’s TV wife in the series The Bob Newhart Show. January 19.

SYDNEY POLLACK, 73, motion picture producer-director of such films as Tootsie; They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?; The Way We Were; Slender Thread. He won the Oscar for Out of Africa. He was also an actor in many films, including Tootsie. May 26.

GEORGE PUTNAM. 94, veteran radio broadcaster on all networks during the golden age and beyond. September 12.

NORMAN ROSS, JR., 86, long-time Chicago radio and TV personality who followed in his father’s footsteps in 1953 as host of The 400 Hour on WMAQ radio. He also presented Tunes from Talman and Extension 720 on WGN and offered news and commentary for many years on WFMT. On TV he hosted Off The Cuff on WLS-Channel 7. October 3.

TIM RUSSERT, 58, moderator of Meet the Press on NBC-TV for almost 17 years, he was chief of NBC’s Washington New Bureau. June 13.

ROY SCHEIDER, 75, Oscar-winning actor for his role as Bob Fosse on the film All That Jazz. He had major roles in The French Connection and is perhaps best remembered for his role as the police chief in 1975 film Jaws, in which he said the now-famous line, "You’re gonna need a bigger boat." February 10.

PAUL SCOFIELD, 86, British stage and screen actor who won an Academy Award for A Man for All Seasons and had unforgettable roles in A Delicate Balance, Henry V, Quiz Show and The Crucible. March 19.

WONDERFUL SMITH, 97, actor and comedian who appeared as a regular on the Red Skelton radio show in the 1940s. He was one of the few African-American actors to work in a continuing radio series. August 28.

JO STAFFORD, 90, versatile and durable pop singer in the 1940s and ‘50s who scored with such hits as "You Belong to Me","Make Love to Me", "Autumn Leaves", Shrimp Boats" and "Jambalaya." July 16.

GIL STRATTON, 86, actor who appeared on many radio shows including Fibber McGee and Molly, Halls of Ivy, My Favorite Husband, Great Gildersleeve. On Broadway he appeared in Best Foot Forward and on the screen in Stalag 17. Later he became a sportscaster on KNXT, Los Angeles. October 12.

STUDS TERKEL, 96, author, actor and Chicago icon who appeared on Ma Perkins on radio, on Stud’s Place on television and hosted a long-running award-winning interview program on WFMT. November 5.

RICHARD WIDMARK, 93, veteran motion picture star with an extensive background in radio. He played Front Page Farrell in 1941-42 and appeared on such dramas as Gang Busters, Inner Sanctum, Joyce Jordan MD. His movie debut in 1947 was in the film Kiss of Death, the first of 90 films in a 50-year career which included roles in Broken Lance, Two Rode Together, Pick-up on South Street, The Alamo,The Bedford Incident and Judgement at Nuremberg. March 24.

Necrology of 2007

BARNEY BECK, 85, long-time radio sound effects man on The Shadow, Tom Mix, True Detective Mysteries, Bob and Ray, I Love A Mystery, Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders, Comic Weekly Man and hundreds of other shows. January 30.

BRUCE BENNETT, 100, former 1928 Olympic athlete (real name: Herman Brix) who appeared in many films over a period of 40 years, including New Adventures of Tarzan, The More the Merrier, Sahara, Mildred Pierce, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Strategic Air Command. February 24.

EARL BENNETT, 87, musician-comedian who performed as Sir Frederick Gas with Spike Jones and his City Slickers from 1947-54. He was featured on many of Jones’ radio shows and recordings including "Riders in the Sky," "Tennessee Waltz" and "I Went to Your Wedding." October 4.

JOEY BISHOP, 89, comedian and actor who performed with Frank Sinatra’s "Rat Pack" and starred in his own TV sitcom (1961-65) and late-night talk show (1967-69). October 17.

JANET BLAIR, 85, actress in film, stage and TV since the 1940s, appearing on screen in My Sister Eileen, The Fuller Brush Man and The Fabulous Dorseys; toured with South Pacific; and on many TV programs including Caesar’s Hour, Ford Theatre and U.S. Steel Hour. February 19.

TERESA BREWER, 76, popular vocalist in the 1950s with such hits as "Music! Music! Music!, "’Til I Waltz Again with You," "Tweedle Dee" and "Jilted." October 17.

ROSCOE LEE BROWNE, 81, veteran actor in film (Topaz, The Cowboys), on TV (All in the Family, Cosby Show) and stage (Julius Caesar). He was narrator for the 1955 film Babe. April 11.

CAROL BRUCE, 87, actress-singer in films and Broadway, best known for her television role as Mama Carlson, the tough-talking owner of radio station WKRP in Cincinnati (1979-82). October 9.

RONNIE BURNS, 72, son of George Burns and Gracie Allen who appeared occasionally with his parents on their TV series and in a few other programs in the 1950s. November 14.

RON CAREY, 71, comic actor who played Officer Carl Levitt on the TV series Barney Miller and appeared in Mel Brooks’ films High Anxiety and Silent Movie. January 16.

KITTY CARLISLE, 96, actress and singer whose long career spanned Broadway, opera, television and films, including the Marx Brothers’ classic A Night at the Opera and the TV game show To Tell the Truth. April 17.

DORSEY CONNORS, 90+, Chicago radio and TV personality and Sun-Times columnist who offered useful household advice for several decades beginning in the early 1950s. September 5.

LARAINE DAY, 87, early 1940s movie actress who portrayed nurse Mary Lamont in a string of Dr. Kildare films and co-starred with Cary Grant in Mr. Lucky; with Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent and Gary Cooper in The Story of Dr. Wassell. November 10.

YVONNE DE CARLO, 84, Hollywood glamor queen in such films as Ten Commandments, Slave Girl, Casbah but who was best known for her TV role as Lily Munster in the 1964-66 series The Munsters. January 8.

JOHN DRURY, 80, veteran TV news anchorman and reporter whose 50-year career included four decades in Chicago at WBBM-TV, WLS-TV and WGN-TV. November 25.

EDDIE FIRESTONE, JR., 86, radio actor in youthful roles in such programs as That Brewster Boy, One Man’s Family, Those Websters and Let George Do It. March 1.

JIM FRANK, 66, veteran Chicago radio newsman who worked at WCFL, WIND, WMAQ and WBBM. He was the voice behind WMAQ’s all-news phrase, "You give us 22 minutes and we’ll give you the world." April 27.

JOHNNY FRIGO, 90, legendary Chicago musician whose career included performing violin and bass on the National Barn Dance; with the big bands of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey; radio and TV commercials; in jazz clubs. He wrote the song, "Hey, Hey, Holy Mackerel" in honor of the 1969 Chicago Cubs. July 4.

ALICE GHOSTLY, 81, Tony- and Emmy-Award winning actress who made her stage debut in Leonard Sillman’s New Faces of 1952 and went on to star in many other Broadway shows. On TV she appeared as the good witch Esmeralda on Bewitched and as Bernice Clifton on Designing Woman. September 21.

ROBERT GOULET, 73, singer with the rich baritone voice who soared to stardom in 1960 when he appeared as Lancelot in the original Broadway production of Camelot opposite Julie Andrews and Richard Burton. October 30.

DABBS GREER, 90, versatile character actor in some 100 film and about 500 TV episodes in a 50-year career. He was Rev. Robert Alden in Little House on the Prairie; storekeeper Mr. Jones in Gunsmoke and was the minister who married Mike and Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch. April 28.

MERV GRIFFIN, 82, big band singer with Freddy Martin and his orchestra who hosted his own talk-variety show on television for 20 years and who created and produced TV game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. August 12.

GEORGE GRIZZARD, 79, actor on stage, screen and TV during his 50-year career. He originated the role of Nick in the 1962 play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and won a Tony award for his work in A Delicate Balance. October 1.

CY HARRICE, 91, long-time radio announcer who began at WLS, Chicago on the National Barn Dance and became a familiar voice on such national radio programs as The Big Story, Cavalcade of America, Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Grand Central Station. February 14.

DON HERBERT, 89, known as Mr. Wizard on NBC-TV in the 1950s and then on cable TV’s Nickelodeon in the 1980s. June 12.

DON HO, 76, legendary crooner, a "must-see" performer in Hawaii for four decades. He was known for his rendition of "Tiny Bubbles" during his mostly "sold-out" variety shows in Waikiki. April 14.

EDDIE HUBBARD, 89, popular Chicago radio disc jockey for 40 years, working at WAIT, WJJD, WIND and WGN, where he was the "morning man" from 1957-65. He is well-remembered for his special shows with The Browsers, a group of record collectors and music experts. March 26.

BETTY HUTTON, 86, high-energy singer and actress of the 1940s and ‘50s, who starred in many Hollywood films, including Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, Incendiary Blond, Perils of Pauline, Annie Get Your Gun and The Greatest Show on Earth. March 11.

BILL IDELSON, 88, actor/writer for a half-century who appeared in radio as Rush on Paul Rhymer's Vic and Sade and on TV as Herman Glimcher on the Dick Van Dyke Show.  He wrote comedy scripts for many TV series, including the Andy Griffith Show, Odd Couple, Get Smart, M*A*S*H and Happy Days.  December 31.

DEBORAH KERR, 86, acclaimed British actress who became one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies in the 1950s and ‘60s, starring in such films as From Here to Eternity, The King and I, Tea and Sympathy, An Affair to Remember, Edward My Son and The Hucksters. October 16.

EVELYN KNIGHT, 89, popular singer in the 1950s and ‘60s known as "the lass with the delicate air" whose hit recordings included "A Little Bird Told Me," "Dance with the Dolly (with the hole in her stocking)," and "My Heart Cries for You." September 28.

FRANKIE LAINE, 93, pop singer who sold more than 100 million records in a career that began in the 1930s but took off in 1947 with his hit recording of "That’s My Desire" and continued through the ‘50s and ‘60s with such top 10 hits as "Mule Train," "Jezebel," "I Believe" and "That Lucky Old Sun." February 6.

CHARLES LANE, 102, durable character actor with a familiar face seen in hundreds of movies over a 60-year career, including 10 Frank Capra films, one of which was It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) where he appeared as a rent collector who shocks his boss, the evil Mr. Potter, by telling him that George Bailey is a good businessman. July 9.

NELLIE LUTCHER, 94, legendary jazz singer and pianist who had a string of hit recordings during the 1940s and ‘50s. June 8.

BARBARA McNAIR, 72, singer-actress who appeared on Broadway in No Strings and Pajama Game; in films Change of Habit and They Call Me Mr. Tibbs; and starred in The Barbara McNair Show on TV from 1969-71. February 4.

MARCEL MARCEAU, 84, world renown "master of mime" whose five-decade career made him an international success on stages in Europe, Asia and the United States. September 22.

LOIS MAXWELL, 80, Canadian-born actress best known for her role as Miss Moneypenny in 14 James Bond films between 1962 and 1985. September 29.

JIM MORAN, 88, well-remembered Chicago auto dealer known as the "Courtesy Man" in innovative TV commercials for Courtesy Motors as he sponsored vintage movies and variety shows in the 1950s and ‘60s before relocating to Florida. April 24.

BARRY NELSON, 89, busy actor in films of the 1940s and ‘50s and on stage in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Movie appearances include Shadow of the Thin Man, Johnny Eager, Winged Victory, Tenth Avenue Angel, Airport. On stage in Mary, Mary; Cactus Flower and The Act. April 7.

TOMMY NEWSOM, 78, musician and assistant musical director to Doc Severinson on TV’s Tonight Show who served as a deadpan foil to host Johnny Carson for 30 years. April 28.

TOM POSTON, 85, one of the original eccentric characters – the man who couldn’t remember his name – on the Steve Allen TV show. He was in many films and appeared in comic roles on TV’s Mork and Mindy (as Franklyn Delano Bickley), Newhart (as handyman George Utley) and Bob (as Bob Newhart’s former college roommate). April 30.

STERLING "RED" QUINLAN, 90, pioneer Chicago TV executive for WBKB, WLS-TV and WFLD-TV who boosted the careers of Lee Phillip, Bob Newhart and Frank Reynolds. He was a founding board member of the Museum of Broadcast Communications. March 11.

CHARLES NELSON REILLY, 76, actor, director and frequent performer on TV shows with 95 appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and scores of episodes of Match Game and Hollywood Squares. May 25.

CAROL RICHARDS, 84, singer in the 1940s and ‘50s who often worked with Bing Crosby on his radio shows and with Bob Hope and Bob Crosby on both radio and TV. She and Bing recorded "Silver Bells" in 1951. March 16.

IAN RICHARDSON, 72, British actor who starred on the PBS Masterpiece Theatre series "House of Cards" and other TV dramas in England and the U.S. He was seen on TV as the Rolls Royce passenger in commercials for Grey Poupon mustard. February 9.

PERCY RODRIGUES, 89, movie and television actor in scores of films including The Plainsman, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and the 1960s TV series Peyton Place. September 10.

PAUL ROGERS, 81, veteran Chicago-based announcer on WBBM, WNUS and WGN radio, where he was the long-time host of Great Music from Chicago, Music Unlimited and Nightside. March 3.

GORDON SCOTT, 80, handsome, muscular actor who played the title role in five Tarzan films from 1957-60. April 30.

BEVERLY SILLS, 78, star of the New York City Opera who became a popular personality in scores of TV appearances and whose early career included participation in radio commercials, singing the Rinso White jingle on Big Sister and other shows. July 2.

TOM SNYDER, 71, radio and TV host who pioneered the late-late network talk show format on television. July 29.

JIM STAGG, 72, popular Chicago radio disc jockey in the 1960s and ‘70s heard on WCFL and WMAQ. November 6.

HARLAN (HAL) STONE, 75, actor who appeared on the Broadway stage as a child in Life With Father and who co-starred for 10 years as Jughead on the radio series Archie Andrews. February 21.

HANK THOMPSON, 82, pioneer country-western singer and songwriter for six decades beginning in the late 1940s, charting 79 hits including "The Wild Side of Life," "Humpty Dumpty Heart’ and "Once in a Blue Moon." November 6.

RICHARD THORNE, 81, Chicago area actor, announcer, producer-director who created the Hall of Fantasy series on radio in 1952-53. February 12.

MIYOSHI UMECKI, 78, Oscar-winning actress for her role in the 1957 film Sayonara and who was for a time a regular on the Arthur Godfrey and His Friends TV show. She is remembered for her role as the housekeeper in the TV series The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. August 28.

PORTER WAGGONER, 80, Country music legend who starred on the Grand Ole Opry for 50 years, placing 81 songs on the country music chart, 19 of which were duets with singer Dolly Parton. October 28.

DICK WILSON, 91, actor best known as Mr. Whipple, the grocer who begged customers, "Please don’t squeeze the Charmin" in more than 500 TV commercials over 21 years beginning in 1964. November 19.

GRETCHEN WYLER, 75, singer, actress and dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and ‘60s in such hits as Guys and Dolls, Silk Stockings, Damn Yankees and Bye, Bye Birdie. May 27.

JANE WYMAN, 90, Academy Award-winning actress for Johnny Belinda in 1948, star of many films during a half-century career, including an eight year stint on TV’s Falcon Crest. September 10.

Yes, they’re gone, but not forgotten.


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