Bonnie Tyler obit

'Heartbroken' Catherine Zeta-Jones leads tributes to singer Bonnie Tyler

 She was not on the list.

Oscar-winning actress and Wednesday star Catherine Zeta-Jones has led the tributes to singer Bonnie Tyler, known for hits including Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, who has died at the age of 75.

The popular Welsh powerhouse singer died "unexpectedly" on Wednesday night at a Portugal hospital, "as a result of the illness that she was being treated for", her family said in a "heartbroken" statement released on the star's official website.

Zeta-Jones paid her respects on Instagram, saying her heart was "broken" with the news that "our dearest Bonnie Tyler has passed away".

Tyler is survived by her husband of more than 50 years, Robert Sullivan, who is Zeta-Jones's cousin.

The Chicago movie star, who shared a photograph of herself with the singer, continued: "A one of kind artist, who so easily could have been a comedian because she was one of the funniest people I ever met.

"Thank you Bonnie for the joy you brought so many. Sleep tight beautiful lady."

Back in 2000, Zeta-Jones asked Tyler to sing Total Eclipse of the Heart at her wedding to fellow film star Michael Douglas in New York.

Writing on the late singer's Instagram page, Zeta-Jones also commented: "Our Queen Bonnie….. you were such a part of my life."

Tyler's fellow pop star Sir Cliff Richard said he was mourning "another wonderful friend gone too soon".

"Bonnie's infectious zest for life entertained so many around the world," he wrote on social media, describing her as "a good friend to all, including me".

Rock star Bryan Adams wrote on X that Tyler "had such a great voice", adding he would "always be grateful of her beautiful version" of his track, Straight From The Heart.

In May, Tyler, from Skewen in south Wales, was placed into an induced coma after having emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal.

Last month, her spokesperson said she was out of the coma but remained "very unwell and in intensive care".

The official family statement, released on Thursday morning, continued: "We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy."

A Downing Street spokesman said UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was "saddened" to hear about the death of "one of Britain's greatest recording artists".

Describing Tyler as an "iconic figure", he stressed "she leaves behind a catalogue of music... which continues to touch lives, flood dance floors and fill karaoke booths."

'Amazing voice' and 'Welsh icon'

Rhun ap Iorwerth, the First Minister of Wales called the singer a "true icon", while Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens called Tyler "the sound of my teenage years".

Screenwriter and television producer Russell T Davies, who was born in Wales, offered: "What a fabulous Welsh woman!"

Tyler had been due to perform at the Sunshine Festival in Worcester this summer, along with a number of European dates.

She had also been booked to sing at Cardiff's Utilita Arena on 17 December.

Pete Waterman, the Stock Aitken Waterman music producer famous for a string of hits during the 80s with stars including Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, likened Tyler's distinctive vocals to Tina Turner's.

"She had an amazing voice and was equal to Tina Turner in my opinion," he told the BBC.

"If you think of Tom Jones, he was the closest Britain had to a soul star, and Bonnie was that too and she was as good as Tina Turner. You could imagine Tina singing Heartache."

He added that in her early career she was managed by Gordon Mills, "who already had Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck".

"Like Brian Epstein had done with the Beatles, he had created sort of a Welsh sound and taken on Welsh artists from the clubs, he was a massive impresario."

Welsh broadcaster Carol Vorderman highlighted Tyler's spirit, saying: "As a Welsh woman Bonnie and her music represented so much to us, it was about fighting and power and living life without apology.

"May you rest in Musical Glory Bonnie."

Family friend Owen Money told the BBC the singer "was one of those ladies who just loved life", and he was "in disbelief" at the news of her death.

The musician and radio presenter said his friendship with Tyler went back decades.

"I've known her since before she was famous, in the late 60s when she was starting out in Swansea.

"She's like family really. I was up her house last summer and the first thing she did was open a bottle of champagne.

"Not only were we friends but we were fans of each other. She was still huge in Europe, Germany, Holland, she was just so good. She's a Welsh icon."

Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins, grew up in a council house in Neath.

She was discovered by talent scout Roger Bell in a club in Swansea, and released her first single Lost in France in 1977.

It's a Heartache, her country-pop ballad released the same year, reached number four on the UK singles chart and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Her biggest hit, the rockier Total Eclipse of the Heart, arrived six years later in 1983 - this time topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

In doing so she became the first Welsh person to score a number one hit in the US.

The dramatic track, penned by Meat Loaf's lyricist Jim Steinman, was originally titled Vampires in Love, as it had been written for a musical version of Nosferatu.

"I never get tired of singing it," she recently told BBC News. "I love it because everyone can't wait to sing it."

Eurovision entry

She received a Grammy nomination for the hit, and two further nominations for the album Faster Than the Speed of Night and the single Here She Comes.

Steinman also wrote her other major 1980s pop-rock anthem, the lustful and bombastic Holding Out for a Hero, which was recorded for the Footloose film soundtrack and later appeared in Shrek 2.

Tyler represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013, finishing 19th out of 26 acts, and was made an MBE for her services to music in 2023.

Last year, she released a club version of Total Eclipse of the Heart, produced by David Guetta and Hypaton, called Together.

The raspy-voiced singer performed her aptly-titled track on board a cruise ship in the Caribbean as the solar event swept the US in 2017.

And this year - 43 years after its release - the original song passed the billion streams mark on Spotify.

"I'm really happy, when you think about it, there's only 8.3 billion people in the world," she said.

But the star noted in January that despite barely seeing a penny from her biggest song, she had never lost her enthusiasm for it.

"I never get tired of singing it, I love it because everyone can't wait to sing it," she said

Phil Regan obit

Former All-Star pitcher, longtime coach Regan dies at 89

 

He was not on the list.

Phil Regan, a former All-Star pitcher who later managed the Orioles and spent decades as a pitching coach for teams including the Cubs and Mets, has died at age 89.

Regan died Wednesday, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, citing Regan's attorney, Matt Blit.

The righty made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 1960 and spent six seasons in Detroit before stints with the Dodgers, Cubs and White Sox. His best season came in 1966, when he went 14-1 with a 1.62 ERA and had an NL-best 21 saves during an All-Star campaign with the Dodgers that led to him being named both the Sporting News NL Reliever of the Year and the publication's NL Comeback Player of the Year.

Two years later, in a season split between the Dodgers and Cubs, he led the Majors with 27 saves and earned his second NL Reliever of the Year honor. Regan retired after the 1972 season with a 96-81 record, a 3.84 ERA and 92 saves.

After his retirement as a player, Regan made the transition into coaching, starting with Grand Valley State College, where he coached from 1974-82. He later held MLB coaching jobs with Seattle (1984-86), Cleveland (1994, '99) and the Cubs (1997-98). Regan was named manager of the Orioles ahead of the 1995 season and led the team to a 71-73 record and a third-place finish in the AL East.

He also spent time as a pitching coach in the Minors with the Mets and eventually was named the team's Minor League pitching coordinator. In 2019, at age 82, Regan was named the Mets' interim pitching coach.

Regan's coaching career also included a stint as pitching coach with Team USA during the 2000 Summer Olympics.

He was a baseball pitcher, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox; he also managed the Baltimore Orioles

During the 1966 season, when Regan was Walter Alston's favorite pitcher from the Dodger bullpen, teammate Sandy Koufax nicknamed Regan "the Vulture", due to his knack of earning wins in late-inning relief situations.

Regan earned varsity letters in basketball, football, and baseball at Wayland High School in Wayland, Michigan. After one year at Western Michigan University, he signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1956. He compiled a 61–42 record and 3.76 earned run average as a starting pitcher in the Tigers' farm system before earning a call up to the majors midway through the 1960 season.

Regan made his major league debut on July 19 against the Washington Senators. Entering the game already behind 3–0, he allowed just two hits in five innings of work, including a home run to Harmon Killebrew.

He made his first career start in the second game of a doubleheader with the Baltimore Orioles on July 23. He left the game with two outs in the ninth inning with the score tied at three, and the bases loaded. Relief pitcher Clem Labine walked Jim Gentile to drive in the winning run, and hand Regan his first career loss. Splitting his time between starts and relief appearances, he was 0–4 with a 4.50 ERA his rookie season. His first career win also came against Baltimore during his second season in the big leagues, when he went 10–7 with a 5.25 ERA.

Over six seasons, Regan went 42–44 with a 4.50 ERA for the Detroit Tigers. He was 0–4 with a 4.99 ERA in 1965 when he was demoted to triple A Syracuse. He earned a call up that September, and made two appearances, but it was while he was with Syracuse that Regan learned of interest in him from the Dodgers organization.

Regan called Tigers General Manager Jim Campbell asking to be traded, and on December 15, 1965, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Dick Tracewski.

With Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Claude Osteen, and Don Sutton in the starting rotation, Regan was used strictly as a reliever in 1966. He responded by going 14–1 with a 1.62 ERA, 88 strikeouts in 116 innings pitched and a National League leading 21 saves to help the Dodgers capture the National League pennant by a game and a half over the San Francisco Giants. It was on August 1 of that year, by Regan's own account, that he first acquired the "Vulture" moniker from Koufax, the latter having just exited his second consecutive game, tied 1-1, only to see Regan "swoop in" for the last-minute win.

The Sporting News named him the NL Reliever of the Year and NL Comeback Player of the Year in 1966. He also earned the only All-Star nod in his career, but did not appear in the game. He appeared in two games of the 1966 World Series, allowing just one base runner via a walk, and retiring the other five he faced.

Regan won his first two decisions in 1967 to give him 15 consecutive wins before finally losing to the Houston Astros on May 15. He won both games of a doubleheader with the New York Mets on April 21, 1968. Two days later, he was traded with Jim Hickman to the Chicago Cubs for Jim Ellis and Ted Savage.

Regan provided similar heroics for his new team. In his first two appearances as a Cub, he saved both games of an April 28 doubleheader with the Houston Astros. Despite missing the first 14 games of the Cubs' schedule, Regan led all of Major League Baseball with 25 saves in 1968 on his way to capturing a second Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award.

He was involved in a bizarre incident on August 18, 1968, against the Cincinnati Reds. Regan apparently had good stuff that day, too good for home plate umpire Chris Pelekoudas. Despite no illegal substances being found on the ball, Pelekoudas called 14 illegal pitches on Regan based simply on the movement of the ball. Regan met with NL President Warren Giles on August 20, and was absolved of any wrongdoing. The incident earned Regan a reputation that followed him the rest of his career.

Immediately upon retirement, Regan went into coaching. He accepted his first coaching job at Grand Valley State University in his home state of Michigan simply because it was close to home. He was head coach from 1973 to 1982, winning the Great Lakes Conference title and the NAIA District 23 Championship twice each.

Regan's work at Grand Valley earned him a call from Seattle Mariners general manager Dan O'Brien Sr. After spending the 1983 season as the Mariners' minor league pitching instructor and advance scout, Regan was promoted to major league pitching coach in 1984. His tenure in Seattle was interrupted by a two-game suspension in 1985 when he bumped umpire Derryl Cousins during a bench clearing brawl between the Mariners and California Angels on August 12.

Regan resigned from his position with the Mariners following the 1986 season. In 1987, he began a six-year stint with the Dodgers as their major league special assignment and advance scout. Regan was up for the Florida Marlins managerial job, late in 1992, but withdrew his name from consideration. A year later, he joined the Cleveland Indians as pitching coach during the strike-shortened 1994 season.

In 1995, Regan received his only major league managerial position, managing the Baltimore Orioles to a 71–73 record. Due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike carrying into the 1995 season, the league played a shortened 144-game schedule that commenced on April 25. The Orioles missed the playoffs, ultimately finishing third in the American League East. After just one season at the helm, Regan was fired, and replaced by Davey Johnson.

The remainder of his professional coaching career:

1987–1989 – Managed Leones del Escogido to the Dominican Championship. Won the Caribbean World Series, in 1988.

1989–2009 – Managed teams in the Venezuelan Winter League, including Leones del Caracas, Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara, Bravos de Margarita, and Tiburones de La Guaira.

1996 – Managed Los Angeles Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Dukes (finished with a record of 67–76).

1997 – Served as Chicago Cubs pitching coach (1997–1998).

1999 – Served as Cleveland Indians pitching coach.

2000 – Served as Team USA pitching coach at Summer Olympics in Sydney.

2002 – Served as West Michigan Whitecaps manager (2002–2003).

2009–2015 – St. Lucie Mets pitching coach.

2016–2019 – New York Mets minor league assistant pitching coordinator.

2019 – Promoted to New York Mets interim pitching coach on June 20 after Dave Eiland was fired. Retired following the season.

2019–2020 – Came out of retirement to become the Toros del Este pitching coach (won the Dominican Championship).

Minor league teams he played for include the Jamestown Falcons, Durham Bulls, Birmingham Barons, Charleston Senators, Denver Bears, and the Syracuse Chiefs.

On February 21, 2023, Regan sued the Mets organization for age discrimination and wrongful termination for his departure as pitching coach following the 2019 season. The suit also alleged a harassment and a hostile work environment.

Rodney Franklin obit

R&B and Jazz great Rodney Franklin dies at 67

 

He was not on the list.

(July 9, 2026) We received the sad news this morning of the passing of R&B and Jazz great Rodney Franklin. Franklin’s family issued the following statement through his niece, Jamaica Hughes, on the GoFundMe page that had been set up to assist with his medical bills:

“Rodney Thomas Franklin passed away peacefully today, July 8, 2026. While we will miss him immensely, we rejoice in knowing that he is no longer in pain and is at peace. He was a beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. We are currently processing today’s events and will up day you all with next steps soon. We humbly thank you for your support. Please keep the family in your prayers.”

For a period in the 1980s, Rodney Franklin was among the most popular jazz pianists around, and with good reason. As the talent behind more than a dozen albums, he helped to usher in the period where R&B and jazz were blending into a tasty stew that became popular under the moniker “contemporary jazz.”

Born in Berkeley, California in 1958, Franklin was a child prodigy on the piano, and was already playing in bands around town by his mid-teens. He recorded with the band In One Piece at the shocking age of 14.

By the time Franklin graduated high school, he was gigging around California with such notables as Freddie Hubbard and Marlena Shaw. He was signed by Columbia Records and released his debut album, In the Center, in 1978. But it was his 1980 follow up album, You’ll Never Know, that shot him onto the charts, hitting the top 10 Jazz and spawning the international crossover hit, “In the Groove.”

Over the period 1980-88, Franklin became a fixture on the jazz charts, releasing an album nearly every year and building a strong audience for his soulful version of contemporary jazz. His 1985 ballad, “Song for You” became a surprise Quiet Storm radio favorite, and the beautiful number continues to garner play decades later.

While Franklin’s recording career was over by the turn of the century, he continued to be a draw in the Bay Area, where he regularly performs in clubs. Rodney Franklin was a big part of the palette of musical styles that blended together to make the 70s and 80s so interesting, and we will miss him.

William D. Zabel obit

Lawyer who helped legalize interracial marriage dies at 93

William D. Zabel, who helped win Loving v. Virginia and later recovered $7.2 billion for Madoff victims, died at 93. 

He was not on the list.

William D. Zabel helped write an amicus brief for the American Civil Liberties Union in Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court case decided on June 12, 1967, that unanimously struck down Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage as a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. He considered that work his proudest accomplishment. His career included high-profile divorce cases and Wall Street litigation.

The case ended state bans across the country and became the civil-rights precedent Zabel later identified as one of the two most important achievements of his legal life, alongside co-founding Schulte Roth & Zabel in 1969.

By 1965, Zabel had published an Atlantic article, “Interracial Marriage and the Law,” arguing against the constitutionality of anti-miscegenation statutes. In his Harvard Law School reflections, Zabel wrote that his thinking was sharpened after a case involving a wealthy New York businessman who disinherited his daughter for marrying an African American man. After law school, Zabel traveled to Mississippi to support civil-rights workers, and as an undergraduate at Princeton he and his roommate petitioned the FBI to look more deeply into the acquittal of the men who killed Emmett Till.

Zabel later negotiated the $7.2 billion settlement from the estate of Jeffry Picower in the Madoff recovery effort. Harvard Law School called it the largest civil judgment against an individual in American jurisprudence at the time. The money helped restore losses to victims of Madoff’s fraud, and the Madoff Victim Fund made final payments to customers in 2025.

Human Rights First renamed its annual award after William D. Zabel, and Princeton established the William D. Zabel ’58 Professorship of Human Rights in his honor.

Joanna Pettet obit

Beloved Actress Joanna Pettet Has Died at 83

Actress Joanna Pettet, known for her film and television work in the 1960s and ’70s, has died at the age of 83. 

She was not on the list.

Actress Joanna Pettet, a versatile talent who graced both the Broadway stage and classic Hollywood screens for decades, has passed away at the age of 83.

The news was shared by her close friend, Pam DuBois, who noted that Pettet passed away on a deeply significant date—the 31st anniversary of the death of her beloved son, Damien, who predeceased her.

“We all loved Jo—but there was one person who loved her more,” DuBois wrote. “And yesterday on the 31st anniversary of his death, Damien Zach took his mother to heaven and there she will stay with him forever.”

Key Takeaways

Actress Joanna Pettet has died at the age of 83.

Her passing was announced by close friend Pam DuBois.

Pettet died on the 31st anniversary of her son Damien’s passing.

She enjoyed a successful career on Broadway, in film, and on television.

Pettet was remembered for roles in Casino Royale, Charlie’s Angels, and Murder, She Wrote.

A Career That Spanned Broadway, Film, and Television

Born in London and raised in Canada, Pettet moved to the United States as a teenager to study drama in New York City. Her talent was evident early on, leading to her Broadway debut when she was just 19 years old.

That early stage success quickly translated to a prolific career on the screen.

Film fans will remember her best for her high-profile big-screen credits, including her role as Mata Bond in the 1967 James Bond satire Casino Royale, as well as starring roles in The Best House in London and Double Exposure.

Remembering Joanna Pettet

Beyond cinema, Pettet became an incredibly familiar face to television audiences throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

She guest-starred on an impressive roster of hit series. That includes dramas, comedies, and mysteries.

Her extensive television credits included appearances on Route 66, The Doctors, Dr. Kildare, Mannix, Night Gallery, Thriller, Police Woman, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Hotel, and Murder, She Wrote.

Pettet was previously married to actor Alex Cord for several years.

Even the leaders of her church paid tribute to her. “Joe Joe” Jo Anna Pettet Nov. 16, 1942 – July 7, 2026. What an honor to have shared in the journey of faith with so many who have been inspired by the Lord’s goodness. Thank you for being part of our ministry’s story and for walking in the light of His love. Pastor Mark Gaston and Evangelist Bernice Gaston Last Days Ministries Christian Center”

“Farewell,” they said, “Hollywood Lost An Angel. Heaven Gained Another Angel.”

Soap Opera News’ thoughts and prayers go out to all of Joanna’s friends, family, and longtime fans during this difficult time.

Pettet was born in London, England on 16 November 1942, the daughter of Harold Nigel Egerton Salmon and Cecily J. Tremaine, who were married in Chelsea, London in 1940. Her father, a British Royal Air Force pilot, was killed in the Second World War in 1943. After the war, her mother remarried and settled in Montréal, where Joanna was adopted by her stepfather and assumed his surname of "Pettet".

When Pettet was 16, she moved to New York City.

 

Filmography

Film

Year     Title     Role

1966    The Group       Kay Strong Peterson

1967    The Night of the Generals       Ulrike von Seidlitz-Gabler

Casino Royale Mata Bond / James Bond

Robbery          Kate Clifton

1968    Blue     Joanne Morton

1969    The Best House in London     Josephine Pacefoot

1974    Welcome to Arrow Beach       Grace Henry

1978    The Evil          Dr. Caroline Arnold

1982    Double Exposure        Mindy Jordache

Black Commando       Desdemona

1987    Sweet Country Monica

1990    Terror in Paradise        Dr. Fletcher

Television

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1964    Route 66          Millie Wilkins "Child of a Night"

1965    The Doctors    Judy Lloyd      "1.481"

The Nurses      Carol Lloyd     "A Dangerous Silence"

The Trials of O'Brien  Liz Martin       "Picture Me a Murder"

1966    The Fugitive    Tina Andresen "Shadow of a Swan"

A Man Called Shenandoah     Julia Riley       "The Riley Brand"

Dr. Kildare      Yvonne Barlow           Guest role (season 5)

1967    Three for Danger        Serena TV film

1970    Night Gallery  Elaine Latimer "The House"

1971    Claire Foster    "Keep in Touch - We'll Think of Something"

Mannix            Cindy Warren  "A Button for General D."

1972    The Delphi Bureau     April Thompson          "Pilot"

Miss Stewart, Sir         Kate Stewart    TV film

The Weekend Nun      Sister Mary Damian/Marjorie Walker            ABC Movie of the Week

Banacek          Christine Verdon         "Project Phoenix"

Footsteps         Sarah Allison   TV film

Night Gallery  Rhona Warwick / The Girl with the Hungry Eyes      "The Caterpillar", "The Girl with the Hungry Eyes"

1973    McCloud         Melissa Thompson      "The Solid Gold Swingers"

Pioneer Woman           Maggie Sergeant         TV film

1974    Medical Center           Molly   "Girl from Bedlam"

A Cry in the Wilderness          Delda Hadley  TV film

Police Story     Adria   "Glamour Boy"

1974–1975      Thriller            Sylvia Dee / Jody Baxter        "A Killer in Every Corner", "A Midsummer Nightmare"

Harry O           Glenna Nielson / Breda Beach           "Forty Reasons to Kill: Parts 1 & 2", "Group Terror"

1975    Caribe  Andrea "Vanished"

The Desperate Miles   Ruth Merrick   TV film

Police Woman Glenna Burns / Beth Lord       "Silence"

1976    The Dark Side of Innocence   Jesse Breton    TV film

Captains and the Kings           Katherine Hennessey  TV miniseries

1977    Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected        Julie Thomas   "You're Not Alone"

Sex and the Married Woman  Leslie Fitch     TV film

1979    Heaven Only Knows  Lynn Harpster TV film

1979–1982      The Love Boat            Carol Hanson / Angelina Blenderman / Lenore Pitchford      3 episodes

1980    Charlie's Angels          Barbara Brown           "Nips and Tucks"

Cry of the Innocent     Cynthia Donegin / Candia Leighton   TV film

The Return of Frank Cannon  Alana Richardson        TV film

1980–1983      Fantasy Island Nona Lauren / Celeste Vallon / Vanessa Walgren       3 episodes

1981    Aloha Paradise            Fiona   2 episodes

Tales of the Unexpected         Betsy   "A Glowing Future"

1982    The Littlest Hobo        Cynthia Masters          "Forget Me Not"

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers        Meg Palmer     "Christmas Song"

1983    Knots Landing Det. Janet Baines        Recurring role

1984    The Yellow Rose         Lane Roberts   "Running Free"

Knight Rider   Joanna St. John           "Mouth of the Snake"

The Fall Guy   Herself "Always Say Always"

Finder of Lost Loves  Claire Hardy   "Undying Love"

1984–1985      Hotel   Lauren Chapman / Sally Banks          "Reflections", "Lost and Found"

1987    Murder, She Wrote      Virginia McCormack  "The Way to Dusty Death"

1989    ABC Afterschool Special        Carolyn Adams           "Just Tipsy, Honey"

Awards and nominations

Awards

Year     Award  Category          Production       Result

1965    Theatre World Award  Outstanding New York city stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway Poor Richard   Won

1974    Western Heritage Awards        Television Feature Film          Pioneer Woman           Won

TJ Lanning obit

Former U.S. Ski Team Member TJ Lanning Dies at 41

 

He was not on the list.

Ski Racing Media has confirmed with people close to Lanning that TJ Lanning, a former U.S. Ski Team alpine racer remembered for his fearless approach to speed skiing, his resilience through repeated injuries and his later work as a coach, has died. He was 41.

Thomas “TJ” Lanning was born Aug. 27, 1984, in Helena, Montana, and became one of the most promising American speed skiers of his generation. He specialized in downhill, super-G and combined, bringing an aggressive, all-in style that made him one of the more compelling U.S. racers of his era.

Lanning learned to ski at a young age and emerged quickly as a standout junior racer. He competed at the 2001 and 2002 FIS Junior World Ski Championships and later represented the United States at the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden.

At the World Cup level, Lanning scored points nine times for the United States and recorded three top-10 finishes. His best results were a ninth-place finish in downhill at Lake Louise, Canada, on Nov. 29, 2008, and a 10th-place finish in Val Gardena, Italy, on Dec. 20, 2008. He also finished 10th in the super combined at Beaver Creek in 2007.

Lanning’s career was defined not only by talent but also by toughness. He raced with a willingness to push the limit, and that approach made him exciting to watch. It also came with a heavy physical cost. His career included repeated injuries, including crashes that interrupted several seasons and kept him from realizing the full potential many saw in him.

In 2008, Lanning became the U.S. downhill champion. During the 2008-09 World Cup season, he qualified for the World Cup Finals in downhill, a true achievement in one of the sport’s most demanding disciplines. He finished that season 25th in the downhill standings and 33rd in super-G.

His final World Cup race came Nov. 28, 2009, in the downhill at Lake Louise. Lanning crashed in the high-speed section near the timing flats and suffered a dislocated left knee and a fractured C5 vertebra in his neck. The injury ended his World Cup racing career.

After retiring from competition, Lanning remained deeply connected to ski racing. He moved into coaching and worked with the U.S. Ski Team, bringing his experience, honesty and understanding of speed skiing to the next generation of athletes.

Many of Lanning’s friends from his time with the U.S. Ski Team and others throughout the sport have shared with Ski Racing Media the profound sadness they feel over his death and the deep affection they had for him.

Those who knew him remember not only the racer who attacked the hill with courage, but also the coach, teammate and friend who cared deeply about the people around him.

Lanning’s life in ski racing was marked by promise, pain, persistence and impact. He brought the sport moments of genuine excitement and, later, gave back through coaching. His death at such a young age is a profound loss for the American ski racing community.

Our thoughts are with the family he leaves behind and with the many people across the ski racing community who will miss his smile, his energy and all he brought to the sport.

Louise Lasser obit

Louise Lasser, Star of ‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,’ Dies at 87

She was Woody Allen's second wife and his leading lady in 'Take the Money and Run,' 'Bananas' and 'Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex.' 

She was not on the list.

Louise Lasser, the demure, soft-spoken comedienne best known as Woody Allen‘s first leading lady and as the title character on the television satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, has died. She was 87.

Lasser died Monday of natural causes at her home in Manhattan on the Upper East Side, her best friend, Susan Charlotte, told The Hollywood Reporter.

With her reserved demeanor, calming voice and toothy smile, Lasser, who was married to Allen from 1966-70, proved to be a perfect balance to his neurotic, nebbish film persona.

She was with him at the start of his movie career for the 1966 quirky cult classic What’s Up Tiger Lily?, when Allen took an obscure Japanese spy thriller, tossed the soundtrack and recorded all new dialogue that nonsensically told of the quest for the world’s best egg-salad recipe. Lasser provided the voice for the heroine Suki Yaki.

Lasser next played her husband’s love interest in Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas (1971). Their final film together was Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) — Allen’s comic take on the best-selling 1960s how-to guide.

But what cemented Lasser’s stardom was her lead role on the groundbreaking 1976-77 series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Produced and developed by Norman Lear and created by Jerry Adelman, Daniel Gregory Browne, Ann Marcus and Gail Parent, the show was a low-key yet cutting parody of soap operas that skewered American consumerism. The joke started with its title, to mock the notion that everything in daytime dramas is repeated twice.

Released in syndication, the comedy ran five nights a week — unheard of at that time. In general, the industry didn’t know what to make of the program. When Lasser was nominated for an Emmy in 1976, her category was “Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement.”

What everyone did know was that it was funny. With a droll, understated approach, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman pushed the envelope, tackling such topics as adultery, homosexuality, venereal disease, exhibitionism, serial killing, religious cults and UFOs. In the midst of it all was Lasser as Mary. With girlish pigtails, a white Peter Pan collared blouse and a blue smock dress, she embodied a mockingly innocent version of an American housewife.

Consumed with such mundane matters as Swanson TV dinners and waxy yellow buildup on the floor of her home in Fernwood, Ohio, Mary conveyed the naivete of the 1970s suburban woman, victimized by the ideals of a commercialized culture. Lasser instilled the character with a noble dignity and a quiet sense of desperation that slowly continued to build during the series’ 325 episodes, highlighted by Mary’s meltdown at the end of season one on The David Susskind Show.

“I always thought it was a really good show because it touched so many aspects of everything,” Lasser said in a 2013 interview for Interview magazine. “It’s sort of up and down and in and out, and before you know it, there you are. And then it itched such rich subjects, do you know what I mean? People always say it’s way ahead of its time. I never thought it was ahead of its time. I always thought it was of its time.”

Decades later, she took on a recurring role as a suicidal artist on HBO’s Girls.

Louise Jane Lasser was born on April 11, 1939, in New York. Her father, S. Jay Lasser, was a renowned tax expert who wrote the book Everybody’s Income Tax Guide. Though Lasser studied political science at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, she couldn’t resist the lure of the stage, joining the school’s musical productions alongside the likes of Margo Howard and Stuart Damon.

After three years of college, Lasser took what she described as a “psychological leave” and returned to New York. At 21, she began studying acting with Sanford Meisner and performing in Greenwich Village coffeehouses and bars. Around that time, she was introduced to Allen.

“When we met, I was seeing a friend of his. It was one of those things, ‘Well, if you think you’re complicated, you should meet so-and-so.’ And it was Woody,” Lasser recalled in a 2013 interview on The Toast website. “We immediately, immediately, just were meant to be in the same playpen. We just connected. He was with somebody … oh, he was married [to Harlene Rosen], that’s right. And I was with his friend. And we went out like once or twice. And I don’t know who I am or where I am, I don’t know. So, I met him, and it was so clear the whole night the four of us were there, and neither of us are talking to anyone else.”

Lasser gained attention in 1962 when she was tapped to replace Barbra Streisand on Broadway in the musical comedy I Can Get It for You Wholesale (she was her understudy). The same year, she appeared on the TV show The Laughmakers, written by Allen. She popped up in a 1964 episode of The Doctors and made an uncredited appearance in 1965 in the Allen-scripted film What’s New Pussycat? When Allen’s career ignited in 1966, so did Lasser’s.

In 1976, she told Lois Armstrong of People magazine that she and Allen were still phone pals and that she considered him “the major relationship” and “a major, major influence” during her life. She also said the name on her driver’s license read Louise Jane Allen. Lasser never married again.

Before being cast as Hartman, Lasser keep busy through the 1970s with memorable TV stints on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Love Story, McCloud and Medical Center. She also was seen in 1973 in the feature Slither and in the telefilms Coffee, Tea or Me? and Isn’t It Shocking?

In spring 1976, Lasser was arrested after an incident in a Beverly Hills store that led to the discovery of cocaine in her purse. The actress told People it was a minuscule amount given to her by a fan months earlier. “I’m not a coke user, and I hadn’t used that stuff,” she said. “But you can’t plead innocent if you’ve got it on you.”

Shortly after the arrest, she hosted the final episode of the first season of Saturday Night Live. Her behavior was so erratic, reportedly fueled by a substance-abuse problem, she became the first performer banned by producer Lorne Michaels from ever hosting again.

But instead of letting her anxiety take her down, Lasser funneled it into her TV persona. The plotline for Mary Hartman to suffer a mental breakdown was her idea. And the process proved cathartic.

As Armstrong wrote in People. “As for Louise? ‘I felt wonderful,’ Lasser admitted. ‘I’d had a nervous breakdown in playtime, with no consequences.’ She laughs edgily, then adds, ‘For a while there, I wasn’t sure.’ One of Lasser’s friends elaborates, ‘She totally broke down after that scene, because she had to finish it for herself.’ ”

After Mary Hartman ended its run in 1977, Lasser kept busy with recurring roles on Taxi and It’s a Living. She wrote and starred in the 1978 telefilm Just Me and You. She popped up in an uncredited cameo in Allen’s 1980 film Stardust Memories.

Other feature appearances included Simon (1980), In God We Tru$t (1980), Crimewave (1985), Blood Rage (1987), Surrender (1989), Rude Awakening (1989), Sing (1989), Frankenhooker (1990), Modern Love (1990), The Night We Never Met (1993), Happiness (1998) and Mystery Men (1999).

More recently, she was seen in Requiem for a Dream (2000), Queenie in Love (2001), Wolves of Wall Street (2002), National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers (2003) and Driving Me Crazy (2012).

Lasser is survived by partner Michael Citriniti.

 

Actress

Daniel Zolghadri in Funny Pages (2022)

Funny Pages

6.2

Linda (Pharmacy Lady)

2022

 

Bliss (2021)

Bliss

Short

2021

 

A Simple Herstory (2021)

A Simple Herstory

7.1

Podcast Series

Man

2021

1 episode

 

Did You Know My Husband?

TV Movie

2018

 

Zosia Mamet, Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, and Allison Williams in Girls (2012)

Girls

7.4

TV Series

Beadie

2014–2015

3 episodes

 

Driving Me Crazy: Proof of Concept (2012)

Driving Me Crazy: Proof of Concept

6.1

Shelly Petterson

2012

 

Horses Eat Each Other

Short

Irma

2010

 

Number Nine

8.1

Short

Nurse Jane

2009

 

Ted Danson, Marg Helgenberger, Jorja Fox, and William Petersen in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

7.7

TV Series

Convention Attendee (uncredited)

2009

1 episode

 

Michael Citriniti, Louise Lasser, Ahmet Burak Biricik, Ron Dulin, Bandar Albuliwi, Sam Kalidi, David Cavallo, Nima Fakhrara, John Henry Soto, John Dornellas, and Lori Allen Ortiz in Broadway Bound (2008)

Broadway Bound

7.6

Short

Dorthy Palmer

2008

 

Will Friedle, Chris Owen, and Nikki Ziering in Gold Diggers (2003)

Gold Diggers

3.0

Doris Mundt

2003

 

Jeff Branson in Wolves of Wall Street (2002)

Wolves of Wall Street

3.0

Landlady

2002

 

Queenie in Love (2001)

Queenie in Love

6.6

Martha

2001

 

Club Land (2001)

Club Land

5.7

TV Movie

Frieda Barber

2001

 

Fast Food Fast Women (2000)

Fast Food Fast Women

6.4

Emily

2000

 

Jennifer Connelly in Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Requiem for a Dream

8.3

Ada

2000

 

Hank Azaria, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy, Paul Reubens, Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, and Wes Studi in Mystery Men (1999)

Mystery Men

6.1

Violet

1999

 

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Camryn Manheim, Jane Adams, and Dylan Baker in Happiness (1998)

Happiness

7.7

Mona Jordan

1998

 

Sudden Manhattan (1996)

Sudden Manhattan

6.2

Dominga

1996

 

Jeremy Piven and Frank John Hughes in Layin' Low (1996)

Layin' Low

5.0

Mrs. Muckler

1996

 

Matthew Broderick and Annabella Sciorra in The Night We Never Met (1993)

The Night We Never Met

6.0

Mrs. Winkler

1993

 

Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure, Richard Mulligan, and Park Overall in Empty Nest (1988)

Empty Nest

6.6

TV Series

Louise Polsky

1992

1 episode

 

Patty Mullen in Frankenhooker (1990)

Frankenhooker

6.2

Jeffrey's Mother

1990

 

Modern Love (1990)

Modern Love

5.2

Greg's Mom

1990

 

Rude Awakening (1989)

Rude Awakening

4.8

Ronnie Summers

1989

 

Peter Dobson in Sing (1989)

Sing

6.8

Rosie

1989

 

Surrender (1987)

Surrender

5.4

Joyce

1987

 

Blood Rage (1987)

Blood Rage

5.8

Maddy

1987

 

The Perils of P.K.

3.4

1986

 

Crimewave (1985)

Crimewave

5.5

Helene Trend

1985

 

Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes Yorkin, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)

St. Elsewhere

8.0

TV Series

Aunt Charise

1984

2 episodes

 

Bedrooms (1984)

Bedrooms

5.6

TV Movie

BettyLoretta

1984

 

Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

Sister Margaret

1983

1 episode

 

Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Jeff Conaway, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman, and Judd Hirsch in Taxi (1978)

Taxi

7.7

TV Series

Phyllis Bornstein ConsuelosPhyllis Reiger

1980–1982

3 episodes

 

Gail Edwards, Ann Jillian, Paul Kreppel, Bert Remsen, Wendy Schaal, Susan Sullivan, and Barrie Youngfellow in It's a Living (1980)

It's a Living

7.0

TV Series

Maggie McBurney

1981–1982

14 episodes

 

For Ladies Only (1981)

For Ladies Only

5.9

TV Movie

Beth Doyle

1981

 

In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion) (1980)

In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion)

5.5

Mary

1980

 

Woody Allen and Charlotte Rampling in Stardust Memories (1980)

Stardust Memories

7.2

Sandy's Secretary (uncredited)

1980

 

Alan Arkin in Simon (1980)

Simon

6.3

Doris (voice, uncredited)

1980

 

Just Me and You (1978)

Just Me and You

6.7

TV Movie

Jane Alofsin

1978

 

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976)

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

7.9

TV Series

Mary Hartman

1976–1977

325 episodes

 

Medical Center (1969)

Medical Center

7.1

TV Series

Esther Kornblum

1975

1 episode

 

Moe and Joe

TV Movie

Mo Lambert

1974

 

Dennis Weaver in McCloud (1970)

McCloud

7.0

TV Series

Sgt. Maggie Philbin

1974

1 episode

 

Love Story (1973)

Love Story

6.1

TV Series

Elaine Kaplan

1973

1 episode

 

Isn't It Shocking? (1973)

Isn't It Shocking?

6.5

TV Movie

Blanche

1973

 

Michael Anderson Jr. and Karen Valentine in Coffee, Tea or Me? (1973)

Coffee, Tea or Me?

5.6

TV Movie

Susan Edmonds

1973

 

George Segal and Shirley Knight in The Lie (1973)

The Lie

6.2

TV Movie

Karen

1973

 

James Caan and Sally Kellerman in Slither (1973)

Slither

6.2

Mary Fenaka

1973

 

Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, and Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

8.3

TV Series

Anne Adams

1973

1 episode

 

Class of '55

6.3

TV Movie

Christine

1972

 

The Bob Newhart Show (1972)

The Bob Newhart Show

8.1

TV Series

Mrs. Radford

1972

1 episode

 

Woody Allen, Burt Reynolds, and Gene Wilder in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask

6.7

Gina

1972

 

Woody Allen in Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story (1972)

Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story

6.4

TV Movie

Ex-Girlfriend

1972

 

Such Good Friends (1971)

Such Good Friends

6.0

Marcy

1971

 

Stuart Margolin and Julie Newmar in Love, American Style (1969)

Love, American Style

6.8

TV Series

(segment "Love and the Plumber")

1971

1 episode

 

Bananas (1971)

Bananas

6.9

Nancy

1971

 

Woody Allen in Take the Money and Run (1969)

Take the Money and Run

7.2

Kay Lewis

1969

 

Woody Allen and China Lee in What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)

What's Up, Tiger Lily?

5.8

Suki Yaki (voice)

1966

 

What's New Pussycat (1965)

What's New Pussycat

6.0

Masseuse (uncredited)

1965

 

James Pritchett in The Doctors (1963)

The Doctors

7.0

TV Series

Jackie Ricardo

1965

1 episode

 

The Laughmakers

4.0

TV Movie

Susan

1962

 

Writer

Just Me and You (1978)

Just Me and You

6.7

TV Movie

Writer

1978

 

Woody Allen and China Lee in What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)

What's Up, Tiger Lily?

5.8

with writings by

1966

 

Soundtrack

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976)

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

7.9

TV Series

performer: "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)"

1976

1 episode

 

Self

The Carson Podcast (2014)

The Carson Podcast

5.0

Podcast Series

Self - Guest

2017

1 episode

 

Archive of American Television (1997)

Archive of American Television

6.6

TV Series

Self

2017

1 episode

 

American Masters (1985)

American Masters

8.2

TV Series

Self

2011–2016

2 episodes

 

Jeez, Louise! An Interview with Actress Louise Lasser

6.6

Video

Self

2015

 

The Annual National Board of Review Awards

TV Special

Self

1999

 

David Letterman in Late Night with David Letterman (1982)

Late Night with David Letterman

7.5

TV Series

Self

1983

1 episode

 

The Toni Tennille Show (1980)

The Toni Tennille Show

6.4

TV Series

Self

1981

1 episode

 

Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie in Today (1952)

Today

4.6

TV Series

Self - Guest

1980

1 episode

 

Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan in Good Morning America (1975)

Good Morning America

4.4

TV Series

Self - Guest

1979

1 episode

 

Saturday Night Live (1975)

Saturday Night Live

8.0

TV Series

Self - HostSelf - Inger

1976

1 episode

 

Mike Douglas in The Mike Douglas Show (1961)

The Mike Douglas Show

7.0

TV Series

Self - Actress

1971–1976

3 episodes

 

Dinah Shore in Dinah! (1974)

Dinah!

7.0

TV Series

Self - Guest

1976

1 episode

 

Showoffs (1975)

Showoffs

5.7

TV Series

Self

1975

1 episode

 

Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

8.5

TV Series

Self - Guest

1963–1971

8 episodes

 

Talent Scouts (1962)

Talent Scouts

7.8

TV Series

Self

1963

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

Norman Lear: A Life on Television

6.1

TV Special

Self (archive footage)

2023

 

Adrienne (2021)

Adrienne

7.4

Self (archive footage, uncredited)

2021

 

Norman Lear and Keaton Nigel Cooke in Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (2016)

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You

7.3

Self (archive footage)

2016

 

Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner in Entertainment Tonight (1981)

Entertainment Tonight

3.6

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2011

1 episode

 

Legends (2006)

Legends

6.4

TV Series

Mary (archive footage, uncredited)

2008

1 episode

 

Hollywood Couples (2000)

Hollywood Couples

6.7

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2006

1 episode

 

The Best of Taxi (1994)

The Best of Taxi

TV Special

Self (archive footage)

1994

 

Celebrity Commercials (1987)

Celebrity Commercials

Video

Self (archive footage)

1987

 

Dick Clark and Ed McMahon in TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (1984)

TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes

6.5

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

1984

1 episode

 

Television's Greatest Commercials

TV Special

Self (archive footage)

1982

George E. Johnson obit

George E. Johnson, founder of Johnson Products Company, has died at 99

He was a pioneer in Black hair care products, and from his South Side headquarters became a beacon of Black accomplishment.

 

He was not on the list.

George E. Johnson, who founded Johnson Products Company, and along with it a new universe of hair care products tailored to Black consumers, died Monday morning.

He died from natural causes at his Downtown Chicago condo, said his son John Edward Johnson. He was 99.

“I think his legacy as a businessman and philanthropist speaks for itself,” his son said.

Mr. Johnson founded the company in 1954 and turned it into a multimillion dollar business and a beacon of Black accomplishment. In 1971 it became the first Black-owned company to trade on the American Stock Exchange.

His company, headquartered at 8522 S. Lafayette Ave., manufactured product lines including Ultra Sheen, Classy Curl, Curly Perm and Black Tie men’s cologne.

He pioneered marketing techniques to reach Black audiences, which included sponsoring the television show “Soul Train.”

Mr. Johnson built a dream home not far from his office in the Chatham neighborhood. He later moved with his family to north suburban Glencoe.

He owned homes in Paris and Jamaica, as well as yachts and cattle ranches in Mississippi.

Mr. Johnson had humble beginnings.

In 1929, his mother, Priscilla Johnson Howard, moved from Mississippi to Chicago with three young sons when she was 18.

Mr. Johnson was 2 at the time and soon proved himself a worker, with gigs ranging from shining shoes and delivering papers to waiting tables and collecting milk bottles.

A high school dropout, Mr. Johnson was 17 when he went to work at Fuller Products, a Black-owned cosmetics firm where he was in sales before joining the company’s laboratory staff.

When Fuller Products turned down a pitch from Chicago barber Orville Nelson, who wanted to make a better hair straightener, Mr. Johnson saw opportunity and stepped in.

During his off hours, he worked with a colleague, chemist Herbert Martini, to develop a new product that wouldn’t burn scalps as it straightened hair.

Johnson attempted to take out a $250 business loan to get his operation off the ground but was rejected.

So he went to a different branch of the same bank and told the white loan officer a phony story: He needed the money to take his wife on a vacation to California.

“I knew this request wouldn’t rattle his belief that he was superior to me. Nor would it challenge his stereotypes of Black men as subservient or unintelligent,” Mr. Johnson said in his 2025 memoir “Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from ‘Soul Train’ to Wall Street.”

“Thirty minutes later, I walked out with a check in my hand,” he said in the memoir.

The money helped in developing his new product, Ultra Wave, which set the trajectory for his company’s future.

The products had a major impact on Black Americans, who had to assimilate into white society to obtain better employment opportunities.

By the 1970s, Black Americans were embracing natural hairdos. Mr. Johnson sold products like Afro Sheen to help them style the natural texture. He hired Black advertising firms in Chicago to develop print and TV campaigns.

Ads created by Vincent Cullers and Tom Burrell were revolutionary at the time. They showed positive images of Black people interacting with loved ones or working in myriad professional careers.

By 1974 Johnson Products was racking up annual sales of more than $31 million.

“Anyone given the same opportunities can get ahead,” Mr. Johnson told the Chicago Sun-Times in 1979. “You just need the same mental attitude and motivation. My motivation was that I was absolutely poor, working two jobs at 15 hours a day. I wanted a better future than that.”

His philanthropic efforts included donating millions to help minority students go to college.

Mr. Johnson resigned as chairman and CEO in 1988 as part of a divorce settlement with his former wife, Joan, who took a controlling stake in the company as part of the deal. The two later remarried. Joan died in 2019, John Edward Johnson said.

He found love again late in life and married Madeline Murphy Rabb.

Mr. Johnson, a longtime resident of Water Tower Place, a high-rise condo building in the Gold Coast, recalled in his memoir how his company, with its headquarters just off the Dan Ryan Expressway, was a source of Black empowerment.

The front plaza featured an 11-foot sculpture by Black artist Richard Hunt. Several miniature red brick pyramids that evoked the accomplishments of ancient Egypt stood nearby.

The company gave tours to the public and regularly received visitors ranging from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to Muhammad Ali.

“On any given day you could walk the halls and come across a Black woman in a white chemist’s smock, a Southeast Asian manager, or a young salesman sporting a suit and an afro,” he said in his memoir.

In 1993, Miami-based Ivax Corp., a pharmaceutical firm, bought Johnson Products.

The company and its products changed hands several times before a multiracial group of investors bought Johnson Afrosheen Products Company in 2009 from Procter & Gamble, reestablishing it as a Black-owned company.

“But like many Black businesses, they eventually ran out of money,” Johnson said in his memoir.

The South Side site that housed Johnson Products is now home to a charter school — Perspectives Leadership Academy.

In addition to his wife Madeline and son John, Mr. Johnson is survived by his sons Eric George Johnson and George “Petey” Ellis Johnson Jr.; his daughter, Joan Marie Johnson; and several grandchildren.