Bob Finkel obit

TV director-producer Robert Finkel dies at 94

 He was not on the list.

Emmy Award-winning TV director and producer Robert Finkel has died. He was 94.

Publicist Dale Olson said Friday that Finkel died April 30 of age-related complications at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif.

In his long career, Finkel produced TV series with Andy Williams, Jerry Lewis, Phyllis Diller and other stars. Finkel won a Peabody Award for a show with Julie Andrews and directed sitcoms including "Barney Miller" and "The Bob Newhart Show."

Finkel also produced specials with Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and John Denver, among others.

A Pittsburgh, Pa., native, Finkel is survived by family members including his daughter, Terry.

Finkel's began his professional career in show business as the director of an episode of ABC's Mysteries of Chinatown in 1950. From there Finkel continued his career becoming well known for producing, directing and even writing credits on such programs as The Colgate Comedy Hour, Gruen Guild Theater, City Detective and The People’s Choice Awards. Finkel stepped into the producer’s role in 1959 on NBC's The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, a series he continued to produce and direct for the next several years. His career as a producer would crest over the next decade and a half, as he produced The Andy Williams Show during the mid-1960s.

During his latter career, Finkel worked as a writer and producer for several specials for celebrities such as Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, Wayne Newton and John Denver. During this same time period of the 1970s and 1980s, Finkel directed episodes of Barney Miller, The Bob Newhart Show and Circus of the Stars.

Finkel's last credit was as the director of the 1996 made-for-television movie Have You Seen My Son.

Director

Circus of the Stars #10

5.2

TV Special

Director

1985

 

The Winning Hand (1985)

The Winning Hand

7.3

TV Movie

Director

1985

 

Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in McMillan & Wife (1971)

McMillan & Wife

7.2

TV Series

Director

1975–1977

3 episodes

 

Ron Carey, Max Gail, Ron Glass, James Gregory, Steve Landesberg, Hal Linden, and Jack Soo in Barney Miller (1975)

Barney Miller

8.3

TV Series

Director

1975

1 episode

 

The Bob Newhart Show (1972)

The Bob Newhart Show

8.1

TV Series

Director

1975

1 episode

 

The Chevy Show (1960)

The Chevy Show

7.2

TV Series

Director

1961

1 episode

 

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

8.1

TV Series

Director

1959–1961

24 episodes

 

Some of Manie's Friends (1959)

Some of Manie's Friends

8.0

TV Movie

Director

1959

 

Eddie Fisher in The Eddie Fisher Show (1957)

The Eddie Fisher Show

7.0

TV Series

Director

1958–1959

4 episodes

 

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956)

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show

7.7

TV Series

Director

1958

1 episode

 

Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948)

Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall

7.5

TV Series

Director

1956–1958

3 episodes

 

Sneak Preview

6.6

TV Series

Director

1956

1 episode

 

The Dinah Shore Show (1951)

The Dinah Shore Show

6.8

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1956

1 episode

 

The People's Choice (1955)

The People's Choice

8.0

TV Series

Director

1956

7 episodes

 

The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950)

The Colgate Comedy Hour

7.7

TV Series

Director

1955

4 episodes

 

The Great Gildersleeve (1954)

The Great Gildersleeve

6.8

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1955

1 episode

 

And Here's the Show

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1955

2 episodes

 

City Detective (1953)

City Detective

7.7

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1954–1955

3 episodes

 

Jack Carson in The Jack Carson Show (1954)

The Jack Carson Show

TV Series

Director

1955

2 episodes

 

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1953)

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

7.9

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1954

1 episode

 

The Orchid Award

TV Series

Director

1953–1954

3 episodes

 

Joseph Schildkraut Presents

TV Series

Director

1953

1 episode

 

Natalie Wood, Paul Hartman, Robert Hyatt, and Fay Wray in The Pride of the Family (1953)

The Pride of the Family

7.8

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1953

1 episode

 

Chevron Theatre (1952)

Chevron Theatre

6.1

TV Series

Director

1952–1953

17 episodes

 

Personal Appearance Theater

TV Series

Director

1952

2 episodes

 

Mysteries of Chinatown

TV Series

Director (as Robert S. Finkel)

1950

49 episodes

 

Producer

Have You Seen My Son (1996)

Have You Seen My Son

5.4

TV Movie

producer

1996

 

Circus of the Stars #13

6.6

TV Special

producer

1988

 

Circus of the Stars #12

6.0

TV Special

producer

1987

 

Circus of the Stars #11

6.1

TV Special

producer

1986

 

The Wildest West Show of the Stars

8.5

TV Special

producer

1986

 

Circus of the Stars #10

5.2

TV Special

producer

1985

 

Circus of the Stars #9

4.9

TV Special

producer

1984

 

John Denver with His Special Guest George Burns: Two of a Kind

6.8

TV Special

producer

1981

 

Circus of the Stars #5

6.1

TV Special

producer

1980

 

The Jimmy McNichol Special

TV Special

producer

1980

 

John Denver in John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)

John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together

7.8

TV Special

producer

1979

 

The People's Command Performance

TV Special

producer

1978

 

The John Davidson Christmas Show

4.6

TV Special

producer

1977

 

Janelle Commissiong in Miss Universe Pageant (1977)

Miss Universe Pageant

7.0

TV Special

producer

1977

 

The Chevy Chase Show

5.7

TV Special

producer

1977

 

Miss Universe Pageant (1976)

Miss Universe Pageant

7.2

TV Special

executive producer

1976

 

Christmas with the Bing Crosbys

6.4

TV Special

executive producer

1974

 

Lily

TV Movie

producer

1974

 

Doctor Dan

7.8

TV Movie

producer

1974

 

Sally Struthers and Perry Como in The Perry Como Winter Show (1973)

The Perry Como Winter Show

TV Special

producer

1973

 

The Perry Como Winter Show (1972)

The Perry Como Winter Show

TV Special

executive producer

1972

 

Sid Caesar in Zenith Presents: A Salute to Television's 25th Anniversary (1972)

Zenith Presents: A Salute to Television's 25th Anniversary

TV Special

executive producer

1972

 

The 24th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

6.6

TV Special

producer

1972

 

The 44th Annual Academy Awards (1972)

The 44th Annual Academy Awards

6.5

TV Special

executive producer: NBC (as Robert Finkel)

1972

 

Bing Crosby and His Friends

TV Special

producer

1972

 

Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas (1971)

Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas

7.6

TV Movie

executive producer

1971

 

Perry Como's Winter Show

TV Special

producer

1971

 

The Mickie Finn Special

TV Special

producer

1971

 

The 23rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1971)

The 23rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

7.4

TV Special

executive producer

1971

 

The Pearl Bailey Show (1971)

The Pearl Bailey Show

6.2

TV Series

producer

1971

1 episode

 

Bing Crosby - Cooling It

TV Special

executive producer

1970

 

The Jerry Lewis Show (1967)

The Jerry Lewis Show

6.3

TV Series

producer

executive producer

1967–1969

17 episodes

 

Elvis Presley in Elvis: The Comeback Special (1968)

Elvis: The Comeback Special

8.9

TV Special

executive producer

1968

 

The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show

8.2

TV Series

executive producer

1968

3 episodes

 

Richard Harris and Eva Marie Saint in The 24th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1967)

The 24th Annual Golden Globe Awards

TV Special

producer

1967

 

The Andy Williams Show (1962)

The Andy Williams Show

7.4

TV Series

producer

1962–1966

15 episodes

 

Mickie Finn's

8.2

TV Series

executive producer

1966

2 episodes

 

The 23rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1966)

The 23rd Annual Golden Globe Awards

TV Special

producer

1966

 

Ice Capades of 1966

TV Special

executive producer

1965

 

The Julie Andrews Show (1965)

The Julie Andrews Show

8.7

TV Special

executive producer

1965

 

The 22nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1965)

The 22nd Annual Golden Globe Awards

TV Special

producer

1965

 

Robert Cummings in The Bob Cummings Show (1961)

The Bob Cummings Show

7.2

TV Series

producer

1961

2 episodes

 

The Chevy Show (1960)

The Chevy Show

7.2

TV Series

producer

1961

1 episode

 

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

8.1

TV Series

producer

1959–1961

19 episodes

 

The 12th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

TV Special

producer

1960

 

Some of Manie's Friends (1959)

Some of Manie's Friends

8.0

TV Movie

producer

1959

 

Eddie Fisher in The Eddie Fisher Show (1957)

The Eddie Fisher Show

7.0

TV Series

producer

1958–1959

2 episodes

 

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956)

The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show

7.7

TV Series

producer

1958

1 episode

 

Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948)

Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall

7.5

TV Series

producer

1957–1958

5 episodes

 

The Dinah Shore Show (1951)

The Dinah Shore Show

6.8

TV Series

producer (as Robert S. Finkel)

1956

1 episode

 

The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950)

The Colgate Comedy Hour

7.7

TV Series

producer

1955

1 episode

 

And Here's the Show

TV Series

producer (as Robert S. Finkel)

1955

2 episodes

 

Jack Carson in The Jack Carson Show (1954)

The Jack Carson Show

TV Series

producer

1955

2 episodes

 

Billy Neighbors obit

Billy Neighbors, patriarch of Huntsville's first family of football, dies at 72

 

He was not on the list.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Billy Neighbors, one of the University of Alabama's all-time football greats and the patriarch of Huntsville's first family of football, died Monday afternoon at the age of 72.

Neighbors, a colorful figure who worked nearly four decades as a stockbroker in Huntsville after his retirement from professional football, had suffered a massive heart attack last Wednesday.

He was the anchor on both the offensive and defensive lines for Alabama's 1961 national championship team, the first title won by coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, and was later named to Alabama's All-Century team.

Neighbors, a unanimous All-American his senior year at Alabama, was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004. He was also inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and was in the inaugural class of the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.

He is survived by Susan, his wife of almost 50 years; daughter Claire; sons Wes and Keith; and eight grandchildren, Wesley, Connor, Anna Lakin, Jackson, Willa, Billy, Hayden and Lawson.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

The Neighbors have had three generations play football for the University of Alabama.

Billy Neighbors began his career there in 1958 on Bryant's first team. Wes played there from 1983 through 1986. Keith joined the Tide in 1988 and was on the 1992 national championship team.

Grandson Wesley also won a national title as part of the 2009 Alabama team and was a student assistant for last year's squad after injuries derailed his team. His younger brother Connor plays for LSU.

Billy Neighbors' brother Sidney Jr. preceded him on the Alabama team

"Billy was one of my closest friends," said Mal Moore, Alabama's director of athletics and one of Neighbors' former teammates.

"He was certainly a great Alabama man and a great player for Alabama at a time in history when we needed a great player and great leader. He will always be remembered."

Neighbors is the third death within eight days to impact Huntsville's ties to University of Alabama football.

Clem Gryska, a former Huntsville High coach and long-time aide to Bryant, died a week ago Monday. He was on the Alabama staff when Neighbors played there.

On Sunday, former Tide lineman Hardy Walker died of a heart attack while mowing the lawn at his in-laws' home in Pelham. The ex-Grissom High standout was 49.

Born in Taylorsville, just outside Tuscaloosa, Neighbors would later recall as a youngster how he frequently rode his bicycle past the house of Alabama great Harry Gilmer. He would also sell soft drinks at Denny Stadium.

On the occasion of his enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame, Neighbors talked with former Times sports editor John Pruett about the 1961 team, calling it "one of the best football teams there ever was."

The 1961 Alabama team shut out six opponents and allowed only three touchdowns en route to an 11-0 season.

Many consider it the best defensive team in college football history, though last fall in an interview with The Times, even Neighbors argued that the 2011 Alabama team had what "may be the best defense to ever play college football."

After completing his career at Alabama, Neighbors was drafted in the sixth round of the American Football League draft by the Boston Patriots and the fourth round by the Washington Redskins of the NFL, when the two leagues were bitter rivals.

He opted to sign with Boston for $27,000 and spent four years with the Patriots and four more with the Miami Dolphins. Twice he was named All-Pro.

He began making his off-season home in Huntsville since it is the hometown of his wife, the former Susan Kinzer, to whom he was introduced at Alabama by teammate Benny Nelson, who remained a lifelong friend.

"Billy Neighbors was a self-made person," said former teammate Bill "Brother" Oliver. "He lost his father extremely early. He had brothers that were good football players, but Billy was different. He was just self-made. He could see something, and he had enough insight of what needed to be done to be great.

"He was bound and determined to be something special. He became very special in the eyes of everybody."

Don Kausler of the Tuscaloosa bureau contributed to this report.

George Murdock obit

Character actor George Murdock dies

Appeared on 'Barney Miller,' 'Battlestar,' 'Star Trek'

 

He was not on the list.

Character actor George Murdock, best known as Lt. Scanlon on “Barney Miller,” Dr. Salik on “Battlestar Galactica” and “God” in “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier,” died April 30 in Los Angeles. He was 81.

Murdock racked up more than 200 credits in TV and film over the course of a career that spanned more than five decades.

In another connection to “Star Trek,” Murdock played Admiral J.P. Hanson in two episodes of “The Next Generation.”

The actor also appeared onstage, originating the role of Judge Julius Hoffman in the Odyssey Theater’s 1979 production of “The Chicago Conspiracy Trial” (and reprising the role 25 years later). As one of the original members of the Melrose Theater, Murdock performed in many plays with the troupe, most notably, “Lester Sims Retires Tomorrow,” which later moved to Off Broadway.

The actor began a steady stream of smallscreen roles in the early 1960s with credits in “Twilight Zone,” “The Untouchables, “77 Sunset Strip.” Later came roles in “Hawaii Five-O,” “Mod Squad,” “Ironside,” “Gunsmoke,” “McCloud,” “Lou Grant” and “The Rockford Files.” He played generals in miniseries “The Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance,” and he was a regular on the brief Yakov Smirnoff vehicle “What a Country” in 1986. Later credits included “L.A. Law,” “ER,” the “X Files” series and movie and “CSI.”

With his characteristic gravitas, Murdock was a natural to play judges, and he did so repeatedly not only onstage but also on television (“Law and Order,” “Judging Amy”) and in film (“Timescape,” “Final Analysis”).

Born in Salina, Kansas, Murdock is survived by his wife, Cathy, and a stepdaughter.

A remembrance of Murdock will be held Sunday, May 20, at 2 p.m. at the Odyssey Theater, 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd., L.A.

Filmography

 

    The Twilight Zone (Episode: "The Dummy") (1962, TV Series) as Willie

    The Untouchables (1962, TV Series) as Pete Topchinski / Gus Dmytryk

    Pressure Point (1962) as Rally Speaker (uncredited)

    77 Sunset Strip (1963, TV Series) as Frank Syden

    He Rides Tall (1964) as Burt

    Taggart (1964) as Army Scout (uncredited)

    Combat! (1965, TV Series) as Marcus

    I Spy (1965, TV Series) as Mariner

    Bonanza (1965-1970, TV Series) as Luis Getty / Marks / Floyd

    Ben Casey (1965) as Byron B. Davis

    The F.B.I. (1965-1974, TV Series) as Dirken / Vic Kirby / Al Evans

    Tarzan (1966-1967, TV Series) as Eric / Damian / Karl

    Gunn (1967) as Archie

    Batman (1967) as one of Catwoman's henchmen

    The Wild Wild West (1967, TV Series) as Luther Coyle

    Gunsmoke (1967-1974, TV Series) as Luke / Cole Matson / Bret Gruber / Jim Travers

    Ironside (1968-1974, TV Series) as Sheriff / Phil Wagner / Jim Peters / Lee R. Anderson / FBI Agent Torrence / Capt. Walter Finch / Victor Cramer

    Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) as Head Official

    Cimarron Strip (1968, TV Series) as Bladgey

    The Virginian (1969, TV Series) as Barton

    Night Gallery (1969, TV Series) as 1st Agent

    It Takes a Thief (1970, TV series) as Devon

    Hawaii Five-O (1971, TV Series) as Hank Merrill

    The Mod Squad (1971, TV Series) as Price

    The Todd Killings (1971) as Police Officer

    Adam-12 (1971, TV Series) as Mr. Williams

    Bearcats! (1971, TV Series) as Coot Leonard

    McCloud (1972-1974, TV Series) as Sergeant Rosovitch / Officer Duncan

    The Mack (1973) as Fatman

    The New Perry Mason (1973, TV Series) as Sgt. Dave Cook

    The Magician (1973, TV Series) as Timothy Dunagan

    Willie Dynamite (1974) as Celli

    Thomasine & Bushrod (1974) as U.S. Marshal Bogardie

    The Six Million Dollar Man (1974, TV Series) as Rossi

    Hangup (1974) as Captain Gorney

    Earthquake (1974) as Colonel

    The Streets of San Francisco (1974-1977, TV Series) as Harlan Betts / Dempsey / Merle

    The Invisible Man (1975, TV Series) as Captain Scopes

    Police Woman (1975, TV Series) as Hogan / Macon

    Barney Miller (1976-1982, TV Series) as Lt. Ben Scanlon

    Little House on the Prairie (1977, TV Series) as Jeremy Stokes

    Breaker! Breaker! (1977) as Judge Joshua Trimmings

    Thunder and Lightning (1977) as Jake Summers

    Lou Grant (1977, TV Series) as Sgt. Irwin Winowsky

    The Rockford Files (1978, TV Series) as Doc Holliday

    The Dukes of Hazzard (1979, TV Series) as Big Jim Downey

    The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979-1981, TV Series) as Mr. Sheldon / Mayor Hawkins

    Any Which Way You Can (1980) as Sgt. Cooley

    Trapper John, M.D. (1981, TV Series) as Jobo's Dad

    Shoot the Moon (1982) as French DeVoe

    Bosom Buddies (1982, TV Series) as Elliot Pardo

    T.J. Hooker (1982, TV Series) as Detective Jackson

    The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) as Quade

    Hill Street Blues (1982, TV Series) as Buck Remington

    Benson (1982, TV Series) as Officer Grimsby

    The Winds of War (1983) as Brig. Gen. 'Fitz' Fitzgerald

    I'm Going to Be Famous (1983)

    Knight Rider (1983-1984, TV Series) as Archibald / Judge Oliver Callan

    Night Court (1984, TV Series) as Detective Griffin / Sergeant Foster / Hank Mire / Womack

    Fame (1985, TV Series) as Mr. Pulaski

    Certain Fury (1985) as Lt. Speier

    Murder, She Wrote (1985, TV Series) as Officer Kaplan

    Small Wonder (1986, TV Series) as Mr. Gordon

    Retribution (1987) as Dr. John Talbot

    Dynasty (1988, TV Series) as Charlie Braddock

    Midnight Caller (1989, TV series) as Sam Chase

    War and Remembrance (1989, TV Mini-Series) as Gen. Leslie Groves

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) as The "God" entity

    L.A. Law (1989, TV Series) as Sam

    Star Trek: The Next Generation (1990, TV Series) as Admiral J. P. Hanson

    Timescape (1992) as Judge Caldwell

    Final Analysis (1992) as Judge Costello

    Batman: The Animated Series (1992, TV Series) as Boss Biggis (voice)

    Law & Order (1992-1999, TV Series) as Judge Eric Bertram

    Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993, TV Series) as Burton Newcomb

    Firepower (1993) as Captain Croy

    Seinfeld (1994, TV Series) as Testikov

    Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man II (1994) as Senator Riley

    Molly & Gina (1994) as Patrick Sweeny

    The Nanny (1995, TV Series) as Dakota Williams

    Tyson (1995, TV Movie) as Baranski

    The American President (1995) as Congressman

    Crosscut (1996) as Uncle Leo

    Chicago Hope (1996, TV Series) as Judge John Spencer

    ER (1996, TV Series) as Mr. Sidowski

    The Gregory Hines Show (1997, TV Series) as Samuel Lawrence

    Mike Hammer, Private Eye (1997, TV Series) as Cleve Baxter

    Scorpio One (1998) as CIA Director Wilfrid Parlow

    Early Edition (1998, TV Series) as Dutch Van Drie

    Anarchy TV (1998) as Chief Cochon

    Just Shoot Me! (1998, TV Series) as Sea Captain

    Phoenix (1998) as Sid

    The X-Files (1998-1999, TV Series) as Elder #2 / 2nd Elder

    The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998) as 2nd Elder

    The Adventures of Ragtime (1998) as Captain Murphy

    The Norm Show (1999, TV Series) as Probation Officer

    Family Tree (1999) as Big Wig

    Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming (1999, Short) as Dr. Salik

    Time Share (2000) as Cedric Templeton

    Judging Amy (2000-2002, TV Series) as Judge Norman Artel

    2000x (NPR/Hollywood Theater of the Ear radio series)

    Smallville (2001, TV Series) as Old Harry Bollston

    Orange County (2002) as Bob Beugler

    The Dead Zone (2002, TV Series) as Arthur Allen

    Legend of the Phantom Rider (2002) as The Judge

    Spider's Web (2002) as Robert Harding

    Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) as Acme VP, Unfairly Promoted

    Serial Killing 4 Dummys (2004) as Detective Ray Berro

    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005, TV Series) as Stuart Manslow

    One More Round (2005) as Mr. Mack

    Man in the Chair (2007) as Richard Butler

    Say It in Russian (2007) as Warden

    Eagleheart (2011, TV Series) as Fred

    Torchwood: Miracle Day (2011, TV Series) as Preacher

    Dispatch (2011) as Himself

 

Kenny Roberts obit

 Singer Kenny Roberts Has Died

He was not on the list.

George S. Kingsbury Jr., better known as Kenny Roberts, was an American country music singer. He is best known for his recordings of "I Never See Maggie Alone" and "Choc'late Ice Cream Cone", and was a member of The Down Homers with Bill Haley.

Roberts was born in Lenoir City, Tennessee, United States, and raised on a farm outside of Greenfield, Massachusetts. He started in music at the age of 11, when he organized a band consisting entirely of young harmonica players. Later, he learned to play guitar and then bass fiddle and violin. He was inspired by Yodeling Slim Clark (with whom he performed along with the Red River Rangers from Athol, Massachusetts), as well as by Jimmie Rodgers and other singing cowboys, and was known as a blue yodeler. Roberts at age 17 won a New Hampshire radio contest to be chosen as "Eastern States Yodeling Champion" in 1944.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in early 1945, then moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, after World War II ended. He performed on several shows on radio station KMOX in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the CBS Saturday morning show, Barnyard Frolics, then organized and led a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called the Down Homers, recording for Vogue Records.

Rock and roll pioneer Bill Haley joined the band in 1946 as a guitarist and yodeler, replacing Roberts who had joined the Navy. Before departing, Roberts taught Haley some of his yodels. When Roberts returned from service, he resumed his spot with the Down Homers relieving Haley. In the early 2000s, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered, and Haley is named and performs the solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel."

Roberts signed a recording contract with Coral Records in 1949, a division of Decca. His first release "I Never See Maggie Alone" was an immediate hit. It sold a million copies. He followed with other hits including "River of Tears," "I've Got the Blues," "Yodel Polka," "She Taught Me to Yodel," and "Hillbilly Style."

He soon began to jump while yodeling and became popular with youngsters thanks to the jumping, yodeling and his cowboy tunes. He starred in a children's TV show in 1953, performing in Cincinnati on WLW-TV. He performed on Arthur Godfrey's CBS network talent program.

Roberts played at the Hoosier Hop in Fort Wayne, as well as the WCOP Hayloft Jamboree. He later performed on the Midwestern Hayride during the 1950s from Cincinnati. He became a regional star through television shows in Dayton, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. He began a daily cartoon show on WNEM TV-5 in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1961, as The Kenny Roberts Show where he was known as "The Yodeling Cowboy", or (according to at least one former child guest) "The Jumping Cowboy". The popular black-and-white show featured Roberts singing and playing guitar as he hosted children in the studio, and presented cartoons. His best known locally performed songs were "Cheer Up, (Things Could Be Worse)" and the poignant Hank Williams tribute song "Sing Me A Hurtin' Song" (A/B of a 45 record on Bethlehem Records). The program stayed on the air for about five years. Roberts moved back to Dayton in the early 1970s, and later, moved back to Massachusetts. He played concerts in the region, and released an album for Palomino around 1980, followed by Longhorn's "Then and Now," which combined historical cuts with new recordings.

Though essentially retired, he continued to give concerts around the Northeast throughout the decade.

Roberts died in April 2012 in Athol, Massachusetts, aged 85.

Patricia Medina obit

Patricia Medina, Actress and Joseph Cotten's Widow, Dies at 92

She was not on the list.

A leading lady of the 1950s, the British-born actress starred in "Mr. Arkadin," "Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion" and "Francis the Talking Mule."

Patricia Medina, one of the most sought after actresses of the 1950s, has died at the age of 92.

The British-born actress died Saturday at Los Angeles' Barlow Respiratory Hospital of natural causes. 

Born in Liverpool, England, in 1919, Medina came to Hollywood after World War II, where she parlayed her British acting career into a contract with MGM Studios.

In her heyday, she starred in Orson Welles' Mr. Arkadin, William Witney's Stranger at My Door and Francis, the comedy that launched the Francis the Talking Mule franchise.

"She was a stunning woman," close friend Meredith Silverbach told The Los Angeles Times after news of Medina's death. "In her youth, they called her 'the most beautiful face in England.'"

In 1960, Medina famously married actor Joseph Cotten. She went on to act on stage alongside the Citizen Kane and Shadow of a Doubt star, and the two remained married until Cotten's 1994 death from pneumonia, a complication of his throat cancer.

Later in life, she appeared in television series such as Perry Mason and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

Medina, who lived in Westwood, wrote about her career and life with Cotten in the 1998 autobiography Laid Back in Hollywood.

Complete filmography

Siren of Bagdad (1953) with Hans Conried and Paul Henreid

    Dinner at the Ritz (1937) - (uncredited)

    Mr. Satan (1938) - A Girl

    Simply Terrific (1938) - Heather Carfax

    Double or Quits (1938) - Caroline

    This Man Is News (1938) - Waitress in teashop (uncredited)

    Crook's Tour (1941) - Hotel Receptionist (uncredited)

    The Day Will Dawn (1942) - Ingrid

    The First of the Few (1942) - Venetian Girl (uncredited)

    They Met in the Dark (1943) - Mary - Manicurist

    Hotel Reserve (1944) - Odette Roux

    Don't Take It to Heart (1944) - Mary

    Kiss the Bride Goodbye (1945) - Joan Dodd

    Waltz Time (1945) - Cenci Prohaska

    The Secret Heart (1946) - Kay Burns; first American role

    The Beginning or the End (1947) - Mrs. Wyatt (uncredited)

    Moss Rose (1947) - Audrey Ashton

    The Foxes of Harrow (1947) - Desiree

    The Three Musketeers (1948) - Kitty

    The Fighting O'Flynn (1949, opposite then husband, Richard Greene) - Fancy Free

    Children of Chance (1949) - Agostina

    Francis (1950) - Maureen Gelder

    Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950) - Isabelita Sotomayor

    Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) - Nicole Dupre

    The Jackpot (1950) - Hildegarde Jonet / Hilda Jones

    Valentino (1951) - Lila Reyes

    The Lady and the Bandit (1951) - Joyce Greene

    The Magic Carpet (1951) - Lida

    Aladdin and His Lamp (1952) - Princess Jasmine

    Lady in the Iron Mask (1952) - Princess Anne / Princess Louise

    Captain Pirate (1952) - Dona Isabella

    Desperate Search (1952) - Nora Stead

    Botany Bay (1952) - Sally Munroe

    Siren of Bagdad (1953) - Princess Zendi

    Sangaree (1953) - Martha Darby

    Plunder of the Sun (1953) - Anna Luz

    Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954) - Jeanette

    Drums of Tahiti (1954) - Wanda Spence

    The Black Knight (1954) - Linet

    Pirates of Tripoli (1955) - Princess Karjan

    Mr. Arkadin (1955) - Mily

    Duel on the Mississippi (1955) - Lili Scarlet

    The Red Cloak (1955) - Laura Lanfranchi

    Uranium Boom (1956) - Jean Williams

    Stranger at My Door (1956) - Peg Jarret

    The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1956) - Sarita

    Miami Exposé (1956) - Lila Hodges

    The Buckskin Lady (1957) - Angela Medley

    Battle of the V-1 (1958) - Zofia

    Count Your Blessings (1959) - Albertine

    Snow White and the Three Stooges (1961) - Queen / Witch / Gypsy Matilda

    The Killing of Sister George (1968) - Betty Thaxter

    Latitude Zero (1969) - Lucretia

    Keene (1969)

    Timber Tramps (1975) - Miami Lills

    El llanto de los pobres (1978) - (final film role)

Selected television roles

    Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (1956)

    The Californians in episode "Lola Montez" (NBC-TV, 1958) - Lola Montez

    Perry Mason in “The Case of the Lucky Loser” (1958) - Harriet Belfour

    Rawhide (CBS-TV, 1960)

    Bonanza (1960) - Isabella Maria Ynez Y Castra De La Cuesta / Rosita Morales in the episode The Spanish Grant

    Thriller (NBC-TV, 1961; 2 episodes) - Victorine Lafourcade / Nadja

    Have Gun - Will Travel (1957-1963) - Diana Coulter / Sabina - Greedy Wife

    The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) - Wife

    The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1965) - Lucia Belmont

    Branded (NBC-TV, 1966) - Dr. Karen L. Miller