Frank Windsor obit

Frank Windsor, star of Z-Cars and Softly, Softly, dies aged 92

This article is more than 4 years old

Actor who appeared regularly in Casualty and Peak Practice died peacefully at home in London earlier this week

 He was not on the list.

Frank Windsor has died at the age of 92, his agent has confirmed.

The actor best known for playing Detective Sergeant John Watt in the BBC series Z-Cars died peacefully at home on Wednesday (30 September).

Windsor was also known for his roles in Casualty, Peak Practice and EastEnders.

A statement from the late star’s agent said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our much-loved client Frank Windsor at the age of 92.

The actor, born Frank Higgins on 12 July 1928, enjoyed an acting career which spanned over five decades.

From 1962 to 1965, he starred in Z-Cars, in a role he would later reprise for the spin-offs, Softly, Softly and Softly Softly: Taskforce.

As well as his many TV roles, Windsor also worked as a stage actor, once appearing alongside Prunella Scales in a production of What the Butler Saw.

The statement continued: “Frank is survived by his daughter Amanda and his wife Mary, who was by his side until the end.

“As per Frank’s wishes and in keeping with Covid restrictions, there will be no funeral or memorial service, just a private cremation with his ashes being laid to rest with his beloved son David. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

 

Actor

Casualty (1986)

Casualty

6.1

TV Series

Kenneth Samuels

Leslie Smith

1991–2004

12 episodes

 

Martin Shaw in Judge John Deed (2001)

Judge John Deed

7.6

TV Series

Sir James Valentine

2002–2003

3 episodes

 

Between Two Women (2003)

Between Two Women

6.3

Walker

2003

 

Peak Practice (1993)

Peak Practice

6.4

TV Series

Peter Osborne, Alex Redman's Father

Ken Alton

1994–2001

4 episodes

 

Iain Glen and Andrew Lee Potts in Anchor Me (2000)

Anchor Me

7.4

TV Movie

William Carter

2000

 

João Costa Menezes in Sunburn (1999)

Sunburn

7.6

TV Series

Norman

2000

1 episode

 

Annette Badland, Neil Dudgeon, and Nick Hendrix in Midsomer Murders (1997)

Midsomer Murders

7.9

TV Series

George Meakham

1999

1 episode

 

Luís Moura in Touch and Go (1998)

Touch and Go

7.4

TV Movie

Frank

1998

 

The Detectives (1993)

The Detectives

7.4

TV Series

Chief Superintendent

Superintendent 2

1993–1996

9 episodes

 

Stella Gonet and Kevin Whately in Trip Trap (1996)

Trip Trap

6.9

TV Movie

Simon Armstrong

1996

 

The Famous Five (1995)

The Famous Five

7.2

TV Series

Mr. Luffy

1995

1 episode

 

Paul Merton's Life of Comedy

TV Series

Policeman

1995

1 episode

 

September Song (1993)

September Song

8.9

TV Series

Cyril Wendage

1995

5 episodes

 

Bomber (1995)

Bomber

7.8

Video

Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris

1995

 

Capital Lives

TV Series

Eddie

1994

1 episode

 

Rwendo

Short

Mr. Widdows

1993

 

EastEnders (1985)

EastEnders

4.7

TV Series

Major Grace

1992

1 episode

 

Boon (1986)

Boon

6.4

TV Series

Ralph Cotterell

1991

1 episode

 

4 Play (1989)

4 Play

6.5

TV Series

Gerald

1991

1 episode

 

Ian McShane in Lovejoy (1986)

Lovejoy

7.8

TV Series

Ralph Peagram

1991

1 episode

 

Peter Davison, Carol Drinkwater, Robert Hardy, and Christopher Timothy in All Creatures Great & Small (1978)

All Creatures Great & Small

8.4

TV Series

Wireless Announcer

David Rayner

1989–1990

2 episodes

 

Chancer (1990)

Chancer

7.3

TV Series

Peter Fitchford

1990

5 episodes

 

Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who

8.4

TV Series

Inspector Mackenzie

Ranulf

1983–1989

4 episodes

 

The Fifteen Streets (1989)

The Fifteen Streets

6.9

TV Movie

James Llewellyn

1989

 

Frank Windsor in Flying Lady (1987)

Flying Lady

5.7

TV Series

Harry Bradley

1987–1989

13 episodes

 

Stephen Persaud in The Real Eddy English (1989)

The Real Eddy English

7.4

TV Mini Series

Big Eddy

1989

4 episodes

 

Business Matters

TV Series

Brian

1988

1 episode

 

Alphonsia Emmanuel, Ian Hogg, and Joe McGann in Rockliffe's Babies (1987)

Rockliffe's Babies

7.3

TV Series

Commander Wills

1988

1 episode

 

Out of Order (1987)

Out of Order

3.5

Traffic Warden

1987

 

Ralph Bates in Dear John.... (1986)

Dear John....

7.6

TV Series

David

1987

1 episode

 

Theatre Night (1985)

Theatre Night

7.0

TV Series

Ted Shaw

1987

1 episode

 

Jeremy Child, James Faulkner, David Robb, and Tom Wilkinson in First Among Equals (1986)

First Among Equals

8.4

TV Mini Series

Archie Millburn

1986

2 episodes

 

The Theban Plays by Sophocles (1986)

The Theban Plays by Sophocles

7.3

TV Series

Chorus

1986

1 episode

 

Revolution (1985)

Revolution

5.3

General Washington

1985

 

Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House (1985)

Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House

7.6

TV Series

Gridley

1985

4 episodes

 

James Mason, Edward Fox, Cheryl Campbell, and Rebecca Saire in The Shooting Party (1985)

The Shooting Party

6.8

Glass

1985

 

Let's Parlez Franglais

TV Series

1984

1 episode

 

David Warner in Charlie (1984)

Charlie

6.9

TV Mini Series

Harry Ainsworth

1984

4 episodes

 

Doll's Eye (1983)

Doll's Eye

3.9

Businessman in Restaurant

1983

 

Into the Labyrinth (1981)

Into the Labyrinth

7.2

TV Series

Lord Mayor

1982

1 episode

 

Coming Out of the Ice (1982)

Coming Out of the Ice

6.5

TV Movie

Sam Herman

1982

 

Play for Today (1970)

Play for Today

7.8

TV Series

Frank Haxell

Ex-W.O. Higham

Tom Fisher

1974–1981

3 episodes

 

Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective (1981)

Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective

7.0

TV Movie

Fred Fennell

1981

 

Janet Brown in Janet and Company (1980)

Janet and Company

TV Series

1980

1 episode

 

The Plank (1979)

The Plank

7.4

TV Movie

Car driver

1979

 

BBC2 Playhouse (1973)

BBC2 Playhouse

6.6

TV Series

Doctor

1979

1 episode

 

The London Connection (1979)

The London Connection

5.7

McGuffin

1979

 

Don Henderson, Diane Keen, Peter Sallis, and Don Warrington in Crown Court (1972)

Crown Court

7.3

TV Series

James Selsey

1979

3 episodes

 

Kidnapped (1978)

Kidnapped

7.5

TV Mini Series

Colin Roy 'Red Fox' Campbell

1978

5 episodes

 

James Ellis, John Slater, and Gary Watson in Z Cars (1962)

Z Cars

7.0

TV Series

Det. Chief Supt. John Watt

Det. Sgt. John Watt

Det. Sgt. Watt ...

1962–1978

129 episodes

 

Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)

Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?

6.4

Blodgett

1978

 

The Quality Connection (1977)

The Quality Connection

Short

Senior Police Officer

Narrator

1977

 

Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie in The Goodies (1970)

The Goodies

7.7

TV Series

Scoutfinder General

1977

1 episode

 

Francis Matthews and Frank Windsor in Middlemen (1977)

Middlemen

8.0

TV Series

George Livingstone

1977

6 episodes

 

Frank Windsor in Headmaster (1977)

Headmaster

8.4

TV Series

Tom Fisher

1977

6 episodes

 

Norman Bowler, Walter Gotell, Stratford Johns, and Frank Windsor in Softly Softly: Task Force (1969)

Softly Softly: Task Force

7.2

TV Series

Det. Chief Supt. John Watt

Det. Chief Supt. Watt

Det. Supt. Watt ...

1969–1976

123 episodes

 

Stratford Johns and Frank Windsor in Second Verdict (1976)

Second Verdict

7.1

TV Series

Det. Chief Supt. John Watt

Det. Chief Superintendent John Watt

1976

6 episodes

 

Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974)

Barry McKenzie Holds His Own

5.5

Police Sergeant

1974

 

Assassin (1973)

Assassin

6.1

Stacy

1973

 

Stratford Johns and Frank Windsor in Jack the Ripper (1973)

Jack the Ripper

8.5

TV Mini Series

Det. Chief Supt. John Watt

1973

6 episodes

 

Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965)

Thirty-Minute Theatre

7.4

TV Series

Victor

1971

1 episode

 

Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)

Sunday Bloody Sunday

7.0

Bill Hodson

1971

 

Dropout (1970)

Dropout

6.2

1970

 

James Mason, Susan George, Rodney Bewes, Diana Coupland, Hannah Gordon, and Len Jones in Spring and Port Wine (1970)

Spring and Port Wine

7.0

Ned Duckworth

1970

 

Robin Stewart in Softly Softly (1966)

Softly Softly

7.0

TV Series

Det. Chief Insp. John Watt

Det. Insp. John Watt

1966–1969

84 episodes

 

Kenneth Cope in My Partner the Ghost (1969)

My Partner the Ghost

7.7

TV Series

John Sorrensen

1969

1 episode

 

The Avengers (1961)

The Avengers

8.3

TV Series

Tobin

1968

1 episode

 

ITV Playhouse (1967)

ITV Playhouse

7.0

TV Series

Trevelyan 'Bloody Delilah' Sinclair

Stephen Briggs

1968

2 episodes

 

The Gamblers

7.1

TV Series

Harry Reid

1967

1 episode

 

Half Hour Story (1967)

Half Hour Story

7.5

TV Series

Mr. Harkness

1967

1 episode

 

The Jokers (1967)

The Jokers

6.6

Policeman in Court (uncredited)

1967

 

This Sporting Life (1963)

This Sporting Life

7.5

Dentist

1963

 

The Train Set

TV Movie

Fred

1961

 

A for Andromeda (1961)

A for Andromeda

7.2

TV Series

Dennis Bridger

1961

3 episodes

 

Traitor in a Steel Helmet

TV Movie

Sergeant Pike

1961

 

On the Boundary

TV Movie

Tom Wrentham

1961

 

ITV Play of the Week (1955)

ITV Play of the Week

6.8

TV Series

Jack

1961

1 episode

 

An Age of Kings (1960)

An Age of Kings

8.4

TV Mini Series

Sir Robert Brackenbury

Brackenbury

Earl of Warwick ...

1960

14 episodes

 

The Dark Pits of War

TV Movie

The Cabinet Minister

1960

 

ITV Television Playhouse (1955)

ITV Television Playhouse

7.9

TV Series

Mr. Raven

1959

1 episode

 

Judi Dench in Hilda Lessways (1959)

Hilda Lessways

7.1

TV Series

Stifford

1959

2 episodes

 

A Man for All Seasons

TV Movie

Duke of Norfolk

1957

 

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre

7.0

TV Series

The Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria

1955

1 episode

 

Soundtrack

ITV Playhouse (1967)

ITV Playhouse

7.0

TV Series

performer: "Abide with Me", "Try A Little Tenderness" (uncredited)

1968

1 episode

John Russell obit

Legendary equestrian rider Russell passes away at 100

 He was not on the list.

John Russell served in World War II, earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for wounds he received at Cassino. After the war, Russell, who retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel and was always called “The Colonel,” continued to compete in horse competitions, especially in Europe, including the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. He won the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin, the Prix de Nations in Milano, and the Hamburg Trophy before settling in San Antonio in 1956, where he became Officer in Charge of the US Modern Pentathlon Team. He coached at six Olympics and 22 World Championships with the modern pentathletes, at the Russell Equestrian Center in San Antonio. Russell was inducted into the International Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 2001 and in 2010, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the FEI.

In 1948 Russell was posted to Fort Riley in Kansas to serve as a riding instructor[1] and became a member of the United States national equestrian team. While rewriting the army's Manual of Horsemanship, he found time to compete in that year's Olympic trials, where he placed second, thereby becoming a member of the last American Olympic equestrian delegation to be chosen from the United States Army. At the 1948 Summer Olympics he finished 21st in a field of 44 competitors in the individual jumping event and also helped represent his country in the team tournament, riding his horse Air Mail in both competitions. Although his military squad disbanded as a competitive force following the games, Russell continued to win international championships over the next several years in the lead up to the 1952 Summer Olympics, which was the first United States Olympic equestrian delegation to accept civilians.

Encouraged by John Wofford, the first president of the United States Equestrian Team and a participant in the 1932 Summer Olympics, Russell participated in the trials to make the 1952 Olympic squad and finished first riding a horse by the name of Democrat. It was with Democrat that Russell, alongside William Steinkraus and Arthur McCashin, captured the bronze medal in the team jumping tournament. He also finished 24th in a field of 51 competitors in the individual jumping event. From 1953 through 1955 he was stationed in Germany, from where he continued to compete internationally, most notably at the 1955 Show Jumping World Championships. He trained to compete at the 1956 Summer Olympics, but military duties and a broken hoof bone in his horse prevented him from attending. He retired from active competition soon thereafter.

In 1956 Russell returned to the United States where he was assigned to run the United States Modern Pentathlon Training Center at Fort Sam Houston. Over the next several decades, he coached six United States Olympic modern pentathlon delegations, twenty-two World Championship teams, and helped organize the 1959 and 1977 World Modern Pentathlon Championships. In retirement he has operated the Russell Equestrian Center and worked as a judge at national horse shows. In 2000 he was awarded the Pegasus Medal of Honor from the American Horse Shows Association (now part of the United States Equestrian Federation), which was followed up in 2001 by his induction into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame. He received the Gold Medal of Honor from the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne and, in February 2012, he was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame.

Biographical information

Roles   Competed in Olympic Games

Sex      Male

Full name        John William•Russell

Used name      John•Russell

Nick/petnames             The Colonel

Born    2 February 1920 in Dauphin, Pennsylvania (USA)

Died    30 September 2020 (aged 100 years 7 months 28 days) in San Antonio, Texas (USA)

Affiliations      US Army, (USA)

NOC   United States

Helen Reddy obit

Trailblazing Australian singer Helen Reddy dead at 78

 

She was not on the list.

Australian singer Helen Reddy, who became a global superstar on the back of her hit I Am Woman, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 78.

The Melbourne-born Reddy, whose trailblazing life was dramatised in the recent bio-pic I Am Woman, was regarded as the queen of 1970s pop with her hits including Delta Dawn, Angie Baby, Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress) and Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady.

After arriving in New York as a 24-year-old single mother of a three-year-old with just over $US200 to her name, she overcame years of struggle in the US to become the world's top-selling female singer in 1973 and 1974.

She won a Grammy for I Am Woman, had her own weekly prime-time television variety show and branched into an acting career on screen and stage that included a Golden Globe nomination for Airport 1975.

The stirring anthem that became her best-known hit turned her into a feminist icon.

Accepting her Grammy - the first Australian woman after opera singer Joan Sutherland to win one - she famously thanked "God, because She makes everything possible".

Reddy was born into a show business family in 1941 and began performing as a child. In 1966, she won a singing competition on the television show Bandstand to travel to New York and audition for a recording contract. When that opportunity vanished on arriving, she stayed in the US.

After marrying Jeff Wald, who was her manager, Reddy's recording career initially took off with the B-side to her second single - a cover of I Don't Know How To Love Him from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Its moderate chart success earned her a contract with Capitol Records.

She went on to have three number one hits and another dozen songs in the US top 40.

It was 1972's I Am Woman - she wrote the empowering lyrics ("I am woman, hear me roar/ In numbers too big to ignore") with Australian singer-songwriter and friend Ray Burton providing the music - that became her enduring legacy.

At a time when a woman could not get a credit card or a mortgage in her own name, Reddy emerged to become one of the world's highest paid entertainers.

Diagnosed with dementia in 2015, she had been living in a nursing home for retired Hollywood talents in Los Angeles.

Unjoo Moon's biopic, which stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Reddy, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival late last year and only launched on the streaming service Stan (owned by this masthead's publisher, Nine) this month.

Moon, who lives in Los Angeles with her cinematographer husband Dion Beebe, met Reddy at a G'Day USA dinner seven years ago and they spoke for two hours. Having grown up seeing the galvanising effect of I Am Woman on her mother, she became determined to make a film about her life.

"When I started listening to her story, even though it was about the '70s and really captured that moment, it felt so utterly relevant to me as a woman," Moon said.

Cobham-Hervey has described Reddy as strong, passionate and curious, with a mission to change the world.

"She's had this extraordinarily huge and brilliant life," she said recently. "It's hard not to be inspired by someone who takes on the world like that." 

Of Reddy's eight subsequent single releases on Capitol, five reached the Easy Listening Top 50 – including "Candle on the Water", from the 1977 Disney film Pete's Dragon (which starred Reddy). Only three ranked on the Billboard Hot 100: "The Happy Girls" (No. 57) – the follow-up to "You're My World" and, besides "I Am Woman", Reddy's only chart item which she co-wrote – and the disco tracks "Ready or Not" (No. 73) and "Make Love to Me" (No. 60), the latter a cover of an Australian hit by Kelly Marie – which gave Reddy a lone R&B chart ranking at No. 59. Reddy had also ranked at No. 98 on the country chart with "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler", the B-side to "The Happy Girls".

Rocco Prestia obit

Legendary Tower of Power bassist Rocco Prestia dies aged 69

The fingerstyle funk master was one of the most influential bassists of the past 50 years 

He was not on the list.

Tower of Power bassist and fingerstyle funk master Rocco Prestia has died at the age of 69.

Prestia had been battling various illnesses since 2001 – in 2014, he underwent a “lifesaving” kidney transplant.

Tower of Power bandleader Emilio Castillo confirmed the news on the band’s official Facebook page, writing: “Our dear "Rocco" passed away last night, peacefully with his family by his side at a hospice in Las Vegas.

“As a bass player he was totally unique and as a person he was one of a kind. He fought a long fight over the last 20 years and now he's with the Lord and heaven is his home.

“To say that Francis Rocco Prestia was a huge part of the Tower of Power sound is a gross understatement. When people listened to Tower of Power it was always Rocco that they walked away talking about and he had a major impact on the music world.”

Rocco Prestia was born in Sonora, California on March 7, 1951. He first picked up the electric guitar at age 10, after his mother bought him a Sears Silvertone guitar and amp for Christmas.

At 14, he auditioned to join the band of a classmate, Emilio Castillo. Castillo’s father hired local jazz guitarist Terry Saunders to teach the band members their instruments, and Saunders switched Prestia to a white P-Bass copy.

“All I knew about the bass was that it was bigger than me!,” Prestia told Bass Player. At the same time, he credited players like James Jamerson, Larry Graham, Paul Jackson, Duck Dunn, Chuck Rainey, Jerry Jemmott, David Hood and Willie Weeks as influences on his burgeoning style.

In time, Castillo’s band added more horns and transitioned from covering Stax/Volt and Motown at dances to writing and performing originals at clubs as Tower of Power.

After catching a Tower of Power performance at the Fillmore in San Francisco, legendary music promoter Billy Graham signed the band to his management company. Tower of Power released their debut album, East Bay Grease, in 1970 on Graham’s San Francisco Records.

Prestia credited TOP drummer Dave Garibaldi with helping to shape his style, saying, “When Dave came onboard, three months before we cut [East Bay Grease], he had all kinds of ideas he wanted to try, and we clicked right away. Looking back at it now, we complemented each other because he was a busy player, and I had a simpler, more laid-back approach.

“We met in the middle, and it was magical. I think I was moving toward busier lines naturally, but he opened me up rhythmically. I started adding notes and accents, and playing with a sense of moving the music along.

“In addition, I realized that playing more percussively, with staccato notes, seemed to lock better with Dave’s drums, so dead notes and ghosted notes became a big part of my style."

Tower of Power would move to Warner Bros. Records for their sophomore album, 1972’s Bump City, and scored a hit with the single You're Still a Young Man.

Throughout the decade, they would establish themselves as one of America’s premier funk, soul and R&B units, with a series of successful albums, including 1973’s Tower of Power and 1974’s Back to Oakland, as well as hit singles like So Very Hard to Go, Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream) and What is Hip?

“Hip was Dave’s concept of having one note droning throughout the song, inspired by the Ben E. King tune Way Down Low,” Prestia said. “Everyone was skeptical: ‘Really?’ Little did we know. I also thought the bass was too hot in the mix – wrong again!”

The band’s horn section also worked with artists ranging from Otis Redding, Larry Graham and Bonnie Raitt to Aerosmith, Santana and the Grateful Dead.

Prestia was let go from Tower of Power in 1977, and spent several years playing blues gigs in the Bay Area and jamming with greats like Albert King and Albert Collins.

He rejoined the band in the mid ‘80s and stayed with them for the next several decades, touring and recording a series of albums. Beginning in the ‘90s he also released his own solo albums and instructional videos.

As for how Prestia described his influential technique, he told Bass Player: “I generally play by jumping to different positions with my left hand, instead of spreading my fingers to play across a wide span. My hand lies flat over the fingerboard, in a three-fret space, and I mainly use my index and middle fingers to fret the notes, and my 3rd finger and pinkie to dampen the strings – although I occasionally fret with those fingers, as well.

“With my right hand, I use alternating index and middle fingers to pluck the strings, about midway between the neck and the bridge, anchoring my thumb on the pickup or the E string. I combine dead notes and ghosted notes, but not in a planned way; they come out naturally.

“Dead notes involve fretting the note and then muting it with my third finger and pinkie, as well as how I attack and stop the note in my plucking hand. For ghosted notes, I place my finger over the note but I don’t press down on the fret, so that finger is muting the string.”

In 2018 Prestia was let go by Tower of Power again, with the band pointing to his ongoing health issues as the reason.

“It’s sad and disappointing,” Prestia said. “I feel like I’m being put out to pasture. But they made their decision, and it is what it is. It’s time for me to move on.”

Looking back over his career, he added, “I’m proud of the body of work with TOP; I think there’s a lot of great music. Audiences seem to enjoy it and how it makes them feel, which is all the more reaffirming.

“I’ve been blessed to have spent my career in a band that plays original music, giving me the opportunity to create my own parts. Out of that came a style that has apparently influenced other bass players.”

Throughout his career, Prestia was humbled by his legacy as a bass innovator.

“I’m still taken aback by my notoriety in an era when you can go into a corner bar and find a great bassist," Prestia said.

"I don’t read, I don’t count, my ear is limited to hearing things in 3rds and 5ths and not much more, and I’m not a soloist – not that I aspire to be.

“I just play the way I play, by instinct. But people seem to like it. That’s remarkable to me.”

Tom Blake obit

TOM BLAKE Has Died

 

He was not on the list.

Thomas Clinton Blake (July 19, 1927 – September 29, 2020) was an American professional football tackle who played for the New York Bulldogs. He played college football at the University of Tennessee and the University of Cincinnati, having previously attended Middletown High School in Ohio.

Blake, a 1945 Middletown High School graduate, returned to his hometown roots after a short professional football career, founded Blake Steel in 1965, served three terms on Middletown City Commission and chaired the commission from 1976-1981 and volunteered on numerous boards.

 

Thomas Clinton Blake made Middletown better.

 

Thousands of words have been used to describe Blake — some from his business competitors and those who lost to him at Gin probably not suited for a family newspaper — but “the perfect role model” best illustrates what Blake has meant to his family and community.

After high school, Blake, an offensive tackle, attended the University of Tennessee and graduated in 1949 from the University of Cincinnati, which inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.

 

He played for the New York Bulldogs professional football team, and he was one of the oldest living professional football players.

 

No one outside his family probably knows Blake better than Dennis Vitori, who after a 30-year business association still meets Blake once a week for lunch. They have been friends for 50 years.

 

No. 64

Position           Offensive tackle

Personal information

Born    July 19, 1927

Bushton, Illinois, U.S.

Died    September 29, 2020 (aged 93)[1]

Middletown, Ohio, U.S.

Listed height   6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)

Listed weight  220 lb (100 kg)

Career information

High school     Middletown (Ohio)

College            Tennessee (1945)

Cincinnati (1947–1948)

NFL draft        1950: 30th round, 379th overall pick

Career history

Erie Vets (1949)

New York Bulldogs (1949)

 

Position:

Football

Inducted:

1998

Stalwart offensive lineman on the successful UC teams of the late 1940s.

After playing as a freshman at Tennessee during World War II, he joined the UC varsity in 1946 and became the starting left tackle on the team that posted a 9-2 record and defeated Virginia Tech in the Sun Bowl.

Switched to right tackle for his final two seasons and earned a reputation for his hard-nosed play.

Team captain as a senior.

Inducted into the Sigma Sigma honorary.

UC Athletic Hall of Fame 1998

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Saba obit

‘Savvy player’: Kuwait’s emir praised after death at 91

Known as a peacemaker, Kuwait’s 91-year-old ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah has died.

 He was not on the list.

Known as the “Wise Man of the Region”, Kuwait’s 91-year-old Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah died on Tuesday after decades as a leading figure in the oil-rich Gulf nation.

Born in 1929, Sheikh Sabah is widely regarded as the architect of modern Kuwait’s foreign policy having served as foreign minister for nearly 40 years between 1963 to 2003, when he became prime minister.

“With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn … the death of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, emir of the State of Kuwait,” said Sheikh Ali Jarrah al-Sabah, the minister in charge of royal affairs, in a television broadcast.

Sheikh Sabah was the 15th leader in a Kuwaiti family that has ruled for more than 250 years. A longtime widower, he lived for years in a palace known as Dar Salwa, which was named after his daughter Salwa, who died of cancer in 2002. Sheikh Sabah is survived by two sons.

In August 2019, Kuwait acknowledged Sheikh Sabah suffered an unspecified medical “setback” that required he be admitted to hospital.

In July 2020, he flew to the United States seeking medical attention after undergoing surgery. A US Air Force C-17 flying hospital transported Sheikh Sabah from Kuwait to Rochester, Minnesota, home of the flagship campus of the Mayo Clinic. The high regard for Sheikh Sabah could be seen in the outpouring of support for him across the Middle East as he suddenly fell ill.

‘Valued discretion and moderation’

Sheikh Sabah drew on his decades as the oil-rich nation’s top diplomat to push for closer ties with Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War and solutions to other regional crises.

His 2006 ascension in Kuwait, a staunch US ally since the American-led war that expelled occupying Iraqi troops, came after Parliament voted unanimously to overthrow his predecessor, the ailing Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, just nine days into his rule.

Yet, as Kuwait’s ruling emir, he struggled with internal political disputes, the fallout of the 2011 Arab Spring protests, and seesawing crude oil prices that chewed into a national budget providing cradle-to-grave subsidies.

“He represents the older generation of Gulf leaders who valued discretion and moderation and the importance of personal ties amongst fellow monarchs,” said Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, DC, who studies Kuwait. “No question he has suffered from the lack of deference and respect shown by the younger and more brash young princes holding power today.”

The emir had his appendix removed in 2002, two years after having a pacemaker fitted. In 2007, he underwent urinary tract surgery in the US.

Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, 83,  was named emir by the country’s cabinet to succeed his brother. The cabinet announcement was read out on state television. Under the Gulf Arab state’s constitution the crown prince automatically becomes emir and assumes power after taking oath in parliament.

“Kuwait’s leadership will prioritise stability both on the domestic front and in regional politics. The focus will be on the home front,” Diwan said. “There will be a lot to manage domestically as parliamentary elections are expected in the next two months.”

The new emir’s choice of crown prince and prime minister – who would be tasked with managing the government’s often difficult relationship with parliament – will be watched closely, especially at a time when Kuwait’s finances have been strained by low oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

Although most political power in Kuwait is in the hands of the emir, its parliament is one of the most influential elected bodies among Gulf monarchies.

Contestants for the role of crown prince include Sheikh Sabah’s son and former deputy prime minister Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, who is a heavyweight of Kuwaiti politics.

Sheikh Sabah had pushed for diplomacy to solve regional issues, such as the continuing boycott of Qatar by four Arab nations.

The emir hosted a summit in 2018 that saw $30bn pledged to help rebuild Iraq after the war against the ISIL (ISIS) armed group. Sheikh Sabah also played a role in raising aid funds for Syrians suffering as a result of that country’s civil war, hosting international donor conferences in 2013 and 2014, and pledging hundreds of millions of dollars of Kuwaiti wealth.

“The emir has been recognised as a unique diplomat over the past decades… The way he reconciled with Iraq and the way he came out from being perceived as a victim to hosting a donor conference and pledging millions for the reconstruction of Iraq, that is why he became known as the wise man of the region,” Sultan Barakat from the Doha Institute think-tank told Al Jazeera.

One of his greatest challenges as a diplomat came with the boycott of Qatar that began in 2017. Sheikh Sabah positioned himself as a mediator for the political dispute, which he warned in a White House appearance in 2017 could have led to an armed conflict.

“Thank God, now, what is important is that we have stopped any military action,” Sheikh Sabah said.

Those mediation efforts have yet to resolve the crisis, but he did manage to get Qatar’s prime minister to shake hands, on live television, with Saudi King Salman at a 2019 meeting in Mecca.

“We believe that wisdom will prevail,” Sheikh Sabah once said.

Sheikh Sabah’s death comes as the nation continues to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 103,981 people and caused 605 related deaths in the country of 4.1 million. Its health ministry said more than 95,500 people have recovered from COVID-19.

In 2014, the United Nations named Sabah a “humanitarian leader” in recognition of his support for the organisation’s humanitarian efforts around the world. On the home front, he is credited with introducing reforms that boosted women’s empowerment.

Sheikh Sabah’s life spanned two very different Kuwaits. He was born on June 16, 1929, just as the country’s pearl-diving industry would collapse. Within the decade, Kuwait would strike oil. Engineers would eventually confirm the tiny country had the world’s sixth-largest known oil reserves.

He became Kuwait’s foreign minister in 1963 after holding a number of other governmental posts. He would remain in that position for four decades, making him one of the world’s longest-serving foreign ministers.

His country’s greatest crisis came in 1990 when Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and occupied the nation for seven months. Fleeing with other Kuwaiti officials to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Sabah collapsed and lost consciousness at one particularly stormy meeting of Arab leaders.

On February 24, 1991, US troops and their allies stormed into Kuwait. It ended 100 hours later.

Domestically, Sheikh Sabah faced the challenge of falling oil prices in recent years. He dissolved Parliament several times as legislators kept questioning appointed government ministers, some of them members of his extended family.

As the 2011 Arab Spring swept the region, Sheikh Sabah ordered 1,000 dinar ($3,559) grants and free food coupons for every Kuwaiti. But allegations swirled at the time that some legislators had been bribed $350m by the government to sway their votes, along with rumours they were involved in embezzling state funds.

Amid strikes and confrontations with police, protesters briefly entered Parliament, waving flags and singing the country’s national anthem. Sheikh Sabah nevertheless maintained power while still allowing protests, a rarity among Gulf leaders.

“Sheikh Sabah proved a savvy player of the internal politics of the ruling family,” Diwan said.

Normalisation with Israel is extremely unpopular with the Kuwaiti public, and there is significant support for the Arab world’s historic position of insisting on a resolution of the Palestinian cause before giving diplomatic concessions to Israel.

“There is no indication a future leadership would want to change Kuwait’s posture,” said Diwan.

Mac Davis obit

‘In the Ghetto’ Songwriter Mac Davis Dead at 78

Read More: 'In the Ghetto' Songwriter Mac Davis Dead at 78 | https://tasteofcountry.com/mac-davis-dead-dies/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

Mac Davis, country music singer, songwriter for Elvis Presley and actor, dies at 78

 

He was not on the list.

Mac Davis — a singer, songwriter and actor who wrote "In The Ghetto" and other classic songs for Elvis Presley before becoming a multitalented star in his own right — died Tuesday at age 78.

The announcement was made by the Country Music Association, following word from Davis' manager that he had become "critically ill" after undergoing heart surgery in Nashville.

Born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, Davis wrote "In The Ghetto" and other classic songs for Elvis Presley before becoming a multitalented star in his own right. His string of songs with Presley began in 1968 with "A Little Less Conversation," followed by "Memories," "In The Ghetto" and "Don't Cry, Daddy."

In "Ghetto," Davis said he wanted to write about a "vicious circle," and "parts of urban areas where poor people were living and couldn't get out. They were stuck there, and everybody took off to the suburbs."

"I grew up with a little kid whose daddy worked with my daddy, and he was a Black kid," Davis said in a 2014 interview with The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.

"...I remember him being one of my best buddies. But he lived in a (bad) part of town, and I couldn't figure out why they had to live where they lived, and we got to live where we lived.

Following those and big cuts with other stars — including the Bobby Goldsboro hit "Watching Scotty Grow" — Davis found his own success as a recording artist with the 1972 chart-topper "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" and the easy listening No. 1 "Stop And Smell The Roses" in 1974.

The latter year was a pivotal one for Davis, as he was named the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year, and began hosting his own variety show on NBC. "The Mac Davis Show" ran for two seasons, and Davis continued to star in Christmas specials on a near-annual basis through 1983.

Davis made his film debut in 1979, starring alongside Nick Nolte in the comedy "North Dallas Forty." It was a modest hit, but his next two vehicles, "Cheaper To Keep Her" and "The Sting II," didn't fare well at the box office.

He has continued to take small roles in television and film, making appearances on "That '70s Show," "King of the Hill," "8 Simple Rules" and Dolly Parton's 2019 "Heartstrings" Netflix series.

In the 1980s, Davis the musician began finding more success in the country format, with hits including "It's Hard to Be Humble," "Hooked On Music" and "I Never Made Love (Till I Made It with You)," which became his final Top 10 hit in 1985. 

In a statement, country star Kenny Chesney called Davis "a small town boy who’d achieved the greatest kinds of fame, (and) remained a good guy, a family man."

"...And Mac, who was joyous, funny and created a family around him, never stopped writing great songs, creating music and inspiring everyone around him."

And as a songwriter, Davis continued to enter new arenas well into the 21st century. A 2002 remix of "A Little Less Conversation" by Junkie XL became a global smash, as well as Presley's 31st No. 1 hit.

Davis later became a unlikely collaborator with Swedish DJ and producer Avicii, co-writing the 2013 dance-pop hit "Addicted To You," and even lending his vocals to an unreleased track, "Black and Blue."

"He comes from an era that really doesn’t exist anymore, especially in lyrics," Avicii told Rolling Stone in 2013.

"It’s so amazing the place he took ('Addicted'). I just met him and he played it on guitar, a song he had from before, and then we switched it around a hundred percent. But we kept like the vibe of his lyrics. It sounds like a classic.

Millions of Americans saw Davis back on television last year for NBC's "Elvis All-Star Tribute," performing "Memories" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Presley's 1968 "comeback" special.

In statement, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern called Davis "an amazing entertainer, songwriter and artist."

"I remember watching Mac’s TV show as a kid as well as his three years co-hosting the CMA Awards with Barbara Mandrell, which proved his command of the TV medium as well as the music. Personally, though, I am saddened to recall a wonderful day spent with Mac and his wife Lise Gerard at our CMA Songwriters Series show at the Library of Congress just a few years ago. He held command of the room backstage with lively stories and a genuine love of the craft of storytelling. When he performed “In the Ghetto” that night, fellow songwriter Pam Tillis pointed out that sadly the song is as pertinent today as it was when Mac wrote it in the late 1960s. His timeless artistry will be sorely missed."

Davis is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Filmography


Year , Title , Role , Notes


1979, North Dallas Forty, Seth Maxwell,


1981, Cheaper to Keep Her, Bill Dekker,


1983, The Sting II, Jake Hooker,


1985, Brothers-in-Law, T.K. "Tom" Kenny, TV movie


1988, What Price Victory, Jake Ramson, TV movie


1991, Blackmail, Norm, TV movie


1996, For My Daughter's Honor, Norm Dustin, TV movie


1998, Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack, Clayton, TV movie


1998, Possums, Wilbur "Will" Clark,


1999, Angel's Dance, Norman,


2000, The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood, The Balladeer, TV movie


2001, Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man, Sheriff Underwood, TV movie


2001, Jackpot, Sammy Bones,


2003, Where the Red Fern Grows, Hod Bellington,


2004, SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D, Computer Instructor (voice), Short


2004, True Vinyl, Frank Thompson,


2005, The Wendell Baker Story, Agent Buck,


2008, Beer for My Horses, Reverend J.D. Parker,


2017, Where the Fast Lane Ends, Big Jack,




Television


Year , Title , Role , Notes


1970, The Johnny Cash Show, Himself (Guest Star), Season 2, Episode 4


1974–1976, The Mac Davis Show, Himself (Host – Performer), TV variety show (35 episodes)


1975, The Mac Davis Special, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1975, The Mac Davis Christmas Special, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1976, Mac Davis Christmas Special: When I Grow Up, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1977, Mac Davis: Sounds Like Home, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1977, Mac Davis: I Believe in Christmas, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1978, Mac Davis's Christmas Odyssey: Two Thousand and Ten, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1979, A Christmas Special with Love, Mac Davis, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1980, The Muppet Show, Himself (Guest Star), Episode: "Mac Davis"


1980, Mac Davis 10th Anniversary Special: I Still Believe in Music, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1980, Mac Davis – I'll Be Home for Christmas, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1981, The Mac Davis Christmas Special, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1983, The Mac Davis Special: The Music of Christmas, Himself (Host – Performer), TV special


1986, Webster, Uncle Jake Tyler, Episode: "Almost Home"


1986, Tall Tales & Legends, Davy Crockett, Episode: "Davy Crockett"


1987, Dolly, Himself (Guest Star), Episode: "A Down Home Country Christmas"


1993, The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies, Himself (Host), TV special


1995, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Larry Smiley, Episode: "Just Say Noah"


1995–1996, The Client, Waldo Gaines, 3 episodes


1996, Daytona Beach, Reese Elliot, TV pilot episode


1999, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Sheriff Riley, Episode: "It's Never Too Late"


1999–2006, King of the Hill, Sheriff Buford / Sports Jock (voice), 5 episodes


2000, That '70s Show, St. Peter, Episode: "Holy Crap"


2000, The Prosecutors: In Pursuit of Justice, Reenactment Actor, Episode: "The Bone Yard"


2001–2003, Oswald, Barber Bingo (voice), 2 episodes


2004, 8 Simple Rules, Guitar Player, Episode: "Let's Keep Going: Part 2"


2004, Johnny Bravo, Bee Bearded Man / Troubadour (voice), 2 episodes


2004–2006, Rodney, Carl, 13 episodes


2019, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, Reverend Riggs, Episode: "J.J. Sneed"

 

 

 

Gene Corman obit

Gene Corman, Producer and Brother of Roger Corman, Dies at 93

Gene Corman, the overshadowed movie producer who preceded his older brother, legendary “King of the B’s” filmmaker Roger Corman, in the business and frequently collaborated with him, has died. He was 93.

 He was not on the list.

Gene Corman, the overshadowed movie producer who preceded his older brother, legendary “King of the B’s” filmmaker Roger Corman, in the business and frequently collaborated with him, has died. He was 93.

Gene Corman, who received an Emmy Award for producing the 1982 telefilm A Woman Called Golda, starring Ingrid Bergman — in her final performance — as Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home of natural causes on Sept. 28, four days after his birthday, his family announced.

The Cormans launched FilmGroup in 1959 to produce and distribute their films, and among the first flicks to come out of their company was The Wasp Woman (1959) and Ski Troop Attack (1960). In 1970, they co-founded the hugely successful independent company New World Pictures.

Corman also produced more expensive studio fare like Arthur Hiller’s Tobruk (1967), starring Rock Hudson; F.I.S.T. (1978), directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sylvester Stallone; and The Big Red One (1980), written and directed by Sam Fuller.

When the Cormans were teenagers (Eugene Harold Corman was 17 months younger than his brother), the family moved from Detroit to Beverly Hills in 1940. Both attended Beverly Hills High School and Stanford University (Gene played on the tennis team and graduated from college in 1948).

Gene began his career as an agent at MCA, where he went on to represent the likes of Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray, Ray Milland (future star of Roger’s X: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes), Harry Belafonte, Richard Conte and, during the time he was directing Rebel Without a Cause, Nicholas Ray.

He arranged the distribution deal for Roger’s first film, Monster From the Ocean Floor (1954), and the first movie they produced together was Hot Car Girl (1958), directed by Cormans regular Bernard L. Kowalski.

The Cormans always turned a profit as they churned out science fiction/horror fare like Night of the Blood Beast (1958), Beast From Haunted Cave (1959), Premature Burial (1962) and Tower of London (1962), the latter two directed by Roger. They made their movies for as little as $65,000.

“We found them easy — fun — to make and more readily marketing than most other types of films,” Gene said in Tom Weaver’s book, Interviews With B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers.

“If you got away from that kind of horror or science fiction, you found yourself truly competing with the major studios, and in that arena it was impossible. One, you didn’t have the production values, and two, you could not afford the stories or the actors, For some reason, the other studios had laid back and let science fiction alone for a great deal of time.”

A hands-on producer, Gene also could be spotted in several of his films, including Machine-Gun Kelly (1958), The Wasp Woman and Secret Invasion (1964). “Generally it would happen when an actor didn’t show up, but also it did save a few dollars,” he said in the Weaver book. “I mean, we were there all the time on these films, so why not?”

The Cormans’ first bottom-line stumble came with The Intruder (1962), a drama about racial integration in the South that was directed by Roger and starred William Shatner. The socially conscious effort was a money loser (until its eventual DVD release many years later).

Gene’s producing resume also included the jazz-infused The Cat Burglar (1961); Cool Breeze (1972), a blaxploitation remake of The Asphalt Jungle; Vigilante Force (1976) with Kris Kristofferson; If You Could See What I Hear (1982); A Man Called Sarge (1990); and Harold Robbins’ Body Parts (2001), written and directed by his son, Craig Corman.

A Woman Called Golda, from Paramount Television, earned Bergman a posthumous Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or special. She died four months after its release.

Gene’s career also included a stint as vp television at 20th Century Fox starting in the early 1980s.

An avid art collector, he served as chair of the Beverly Hills Fine Arts Commission. He also was a member of the Beverly Hills Tennis Club for many years.

In addition to his brother and Roger’s wife, Julie, survivors include his wife of 65 years, Nan (they met when she was a legal secretary for MCA’s general counsel); sons Todd (and his wife, Jennifer) and Craig (and his wife, Karen); and grandchildren Wyatt, Bayley, Kyle and Paige.

Filmography

 

I Mobster (1958)

Hot Car Girl (1958)

Night of the Blood Beast (1958)

Beast from the Haunted Cave (1959)

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

Valley of the Redwoods (1960)

The Secret of the Purple Reef (1960)

The Intruder (1962)

The Tower of London (1962)

The Secret Invasion (1964)

The Girls on the Beach (1965)

Ski Party (1965)

Beach Ball (1965)

Tobruk (1967)

You Can't Win 'Em All (1970)

Von Richthofen and Brown (1971)

Cool Breeze (1972)

Private Parts (1972)

Hit Man (1972)

The Slams (1973)

I Escaped from Devil's Island (1973)

Darktown Strutters (1975)

Vigilante Force (1976)

F.I.S.T. (1978)

The Big Red One (1980)

A Woman Called Golda (1982) (TV movie)

Vital Parts (2001)

Bonni Lou Kern obit

Original Mickey Mouse Club 'Mouseketeer' Bonni Lou Kern passes away at 79 from natural causes

• The original Disney talent died in Wooster, Ohio on September 28th
• She had the honor of having the first episode of The Wonder Mouseketeers! named after her
• She appeared with famous Mouseketeers Annette Funicello, Judy Harriet and Eileen Diamond
• She married in the late 60s, changing her name to Bonni Carr
• Bonni is survived by three daughters, six grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren
  

 

 She was not on the list.

Bonni Lou Kern, an original member of Disney's Mickey Mouse Club, has died at 79.

The Mouseketeer passed away in Wooster, Ohio from natural causes this past Monday September 28th, according to TMZ.

Bonnie had the honor of having the very first episode of The Wonder Mouseketeers! named after her, cementing her place in Disney history.

The episode was titled Save Bonni Lou Kern!, featuring the pack help her get freed after getting stuck in a fishing net.

 As an original, she appeared opposite famous Disney players Annette Funicello, Judy Harriet and Eileen Diamond. 

She was also seen in the film Save The Wonder Mouseketeers!

A beloved member of the Disney family, Bonni was once given the Mousecar Award.

The award is one of the highest honors Disney gives out. She also received the key to Fantasy Land in Disneyland.

According to a 1956 issue of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club Magazine, Bonni was born in LA. 

The then 14-year-old's hobbies were listed as 'animals, horseback riding, swimming, stamp collecting, and dolls.'

After her time in the spotlight as a child, she went onto marry, changing her name to Bonni Carr after marrying Harold 'Bud' Carr in the late 60s.

She is survived by three daughters, six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.