Joyce Taylor obit

RIP Joyce Taylor

 

She was not on the list.

Joyce Taylor Hinnant, 1937–2024 

Fort Collins, Colorado

 Described as a petite, blue eyed brunette, Joyce Taylor was born as Joyce Crowder in Taylorville, Illinois. Her father was a vocalist with his own radio show in St. Louis and music was strong in the family. Joyce loved to sing and play the piano from an early age. At 15, she performed her own composition, 'You've Got Something', at a school talent contest. Spotted there by an agent for Mercury Records, she was promptly signed to a three-year contract (under the name Joyce Bradley), her song subsequently released as her debut commercial single. Joyce relocated to Chicago where she sang at the famous Chez Paree nightclub and at other venues, performing numbers like 'St. Louis Blues'. Her next stop was Billy Gray's Band Box comedy club in Los Angeles. In 1954, now aged 17, she sang on Walter Winchell's weekly television show on ABC. Around this time, she again changed her stage moniker, this time from Bradley to Taylor, a decision said to have been spearheaded by the residents of her home town.

Somehow, Joyce caught the ever-roving eye of Howard Hughes, who offered her a seven-year contract with RKO. She likely rebuffed the billionaire, since her only motion picture appearance during this tenure was a small part in the murder mystery Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956). In 1957, her contract was dropped prematurely and Joyce resumed work as a free-lancer in television, making appearances in classic shows like 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Sea Hunt (1958), The Untouchables (1959) and Tales of Wells Fargo (1957). She also featured as the wife of the main lead (William Lundigan) in several episodes of the sci-fi adventure series Men Into Space (1959). In 1959, Joyce married Beverly Hills stockbroker Edward S. Bellinson. This union produced a son several years later but ended in divorce.

Joyce made a return to motion pictures when George Pal was scouting for a brunette to play the part of Princess Antillia in his production Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961) (based on the play Atlanta by Gerald Hargreaves). The film was set in the days of the Roman Empire, allowing Pal to use footage from MGM's epic Quo Vadis (1951). The storyline called for the hero (Sal Ponti, as 'Anthony Hall') to protect the princess from death rays, mad scientists and the inevitable volcanic eruption at the climax.

In September 1960, Joyce won over fourteen other aspirants auditioning for the lead in writer-director Andrew L. Stone's crime drama Ring of Fire (1961). In this, she played a tough-talking juvenile delinquent in league with two hardened felons (Frank Gorshin and James Burr Johnson) who is ultimately reformed and joins the white hats out of love for the local deputy sheriff (David Janssen).

Joyce's last film role of note was in 'Rappaccini's Daughter', a segment of the anthology drama Twice-Told Tales (1963), based on a Gothic horror story by Nathaniel Hawthorne and set in 16th century Padua. On this occasion she portrayed Beatrice, the ill-fated daughter of a mad botanist (Vincent Price), who imprisons her in a garden filled with poisonous plants to keep out unwanted suitors. This works a treat, as Beatrice is also treated with a toxic plant extract which makes her touch lethal to others. Needless to say, the story doesn't end well.

Joyce did a few more TV guest spots before her retirement from acting in 1971. The following year, she got married a second time to one Richard Perry Hinnant. She continued to write music for other artists, having also set up her own publishing company, Joyce Taylor Music. She died as Joyce Taylor Hinnant in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2024.

Born Joyce Crowder, actress in the Golden Age of Hollywood as Joyce Taylor, and singer as Joyce Bradley. Taylor sang in amateur shows at age 10 and turned professional at age 15, signing with Mercury Records (billed as Joyce Bradley). When she was 16, she was singing at Chez Paree nightclub in Chicago and other similar venues.

She was under contract to Howard Hughes-owned RKO Pictures in the 1950s, but he only allowed her to act in one movie (a small part in Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in 1956). When her seven-year contract ended, she became a regular on the science-fiction adventure TV series Men into Space (1959–1960) as well as acted in many other TV shows and several feature films

The records show she remarried, in 1972, to Richard Perry Hinnant (b. 1943). Her first marriage certificate indicates she was born in 1937, not 1932 as stated on IMDb. Both of them show up as living in Fort Collins, Colorado as of 2021. She goes by the name of Joyce Taylor Hinnant

TAYLOR, Joyce (Joyce Bernice Crowder)

 

Born: 9/14/1937, Taylorville, Illinois, U.S.A.

 

Died: 1/?/2024, Ft. Collins, Colorado, U.S.A.

 

Actress

Jim McMullan in The Windsplitter (1971)

The Windsplitter

5.5

Jenny

1971

 

Santa and the Three Bears (1970)

Santa and the Three Bears

6.6

(voice, uncredited)

1970

 

Carl Betz and Stephen Young in Judd for the Defense (1967)

Judd for the Defense

7.7

TV Series

Amy Carroll

1967

1 episode

 

Jerry Van Dyke in My Mother the Car (1965)

My Mother the Car

4.7

TV Series

Marsha

1965

1 episode

 

The Littlest Hobo (1963)

The Littlest Hobo

7.6

TV Series

Helen

Felicia

1964–1965

2 episodes

 

Robert Vaughn, Pat Crowley, and Luciana Paluzzi in To Trap a Spy (1964)

To Trap a Spy

6.0

Margaret Oberon (uncredited)

1964

 

Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll, and David McCallum in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

7.7

TV Series

Margaret Oberon (uncredited)

1964

1 episode

 

Twice-Told Tales (1963)

Twice-Told Tales

6.6

Beatrice Rappaccini

1963

 

Joyce Taylor in 13 Frightened Girls (1963)

13 Frightened Girls

5.3

Soldier

1963

 

Bonanza (1959)

Bonanza

7.3

TV Series

Morvath Terry

1962

1 episode

 

Mark Damon and Joyce Taylor in Beauty and the Beast (1962)

Beauty and the Beast

4.7

Althea

1962

 

Dale Robertson in Tales of Wells Fargo (1957)

Tales of Wells Fargo

7.9

TV Series

Rachel Whitman

Ann King

1960–1962

2 episodes

 

John McIntire in Wagon Train (1957)

Wagon Train

7.5

TV Series

Ruth Creech

1962

1 episode

 

Audie Murphy in Whispering Smith (1961)

Whispering Smith

7.4

TV Series

Edie Romack

1961

1 episode

 

David Janssen and Joyce Taylor in Ring of Fire (1961)

Ring of Fire

6.2

Bobbie 'Skidoo' Adams

1961

 

Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961)

Atlantis: The Lost Continent

5.5

Antillia

1961

 

Abel Fernandez, Nicholas Georgiade, Paul Picerni, and Robert Stack in The Untouchables (1959)

The Untouchables

8.0

TV Series

Singer

1960

1 episode

 

Ray Milland in Markham (1959)

Markham

8.2

TV Series

Sandy Boon

1960

1 episode

 

Men Into Space (1959)

Men Into Space

7.7

TV Series

Mary McCauley

1959–1960

8 episodes

 

Bat Masterson (1958)

Bat Masterson

7.3

TV Series

Jane Taylor

1960

1 episode

 

Shotgun Slade (1959)

Shotgun Slade

6.8

TV Series

Val Preston

1959

1 episode

 

Harriet Nelson, David Nelson, Ozzie Nelson, and Ricky Nelson in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952)

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

7.4

TV Series

Dorothy

Norma

Maria ...

1958–1959

6 episodes

 

The Man and the Challenge (1959)

The Man and the Challenge

8.5

TV Series

Dorrie Conway

1959

1 episode

 

Not for Hire (1959)

Not for Hire

8.1

TV Series

Cricket Kelly

1959

1 episode

 

This Man Dawson (1959)

This Man Dawson

8.0

TV Series

1959

1 episode

 

Ronald Reagan in General Electric Theater (1953)

General Electric Theater

6.8

TV Series

Bride's Friend

1959

1 episode

 

Lock Up (1959)

Lock Up

7.7

TV Series

Elaine Connors

1959

1 episode

 

James Stewart and Vera Miles in The FBI Story (1959)

The FBI Story

6.5

Anne Hardesty

1959

 

Lloyd Bridges in Sea Hunt (1958)

Sea Hunt

7.7

TV Series

Alma Carroll

Mrs. Susie Bryan

Mrs. Dinah Garrick

1959

3 episodes

 

The Rough Riders (1958)

The Rough Riders

8.0

TV Series

Jenny Kirby

1959

1 episode

 

John R. Ellis, Dean Fredericks, and Johann Mitchell in Steve Canyon (1958)

Steve Canyon

7.1

TV Series

Betty Berger

1959

1 episode

 

Lawman (1958)

Lawman

8.1

TV Series

Dora Mahan Steed

1959

1 episode

 

Edd Byrnes, Roger Smith, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in 77 Sunset Strip (1958)

77 Sunset Strip

7.7

TV Series

Doll

Nancy

1958

2 episodes

 

Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan in The Real McCoys (1957)

The Real McCoys

7.6

TV Series

Joy Reynolds

1958

1 episode

 

Suspicion (1957)

Suspicion

8.1

TV Series

1958

1 episode

 

The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna (1956)

The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna

7.8

TV Series

Lizabeth

1957

1 episode

 

Joan Fontaine and Dana Andrews in Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956)

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

6.9

Joan Williams

1956

 

Soundtrack

Jim McMullan in The Windsplitter (1971)

The Windsplitter

5.5

lyrics: "The Road Home"

music: "The Road Home"

1971

 

Santa and the Three Bears (1970)

Santa and the Three Bears

6.6

writer: "The Wonder of Christmas Time", "Wintertime", "Sleepytime Song", "The World of Toy People" (uncredited)

1970

 

Abel Fernandez, Nicholas Georgiade, Paul Picerni, and Robert Stack in The Untouchables (1959)

The Untouchables

8.0

TV Series

performer: "All of Me" (uncredited)

1960

1 episode

Al McBean obit

Former Pirates Pitcher Al McBean Dies in Native Virgin Islands

 

He was not on the list.

Photographer-turned-pitcher Al McBean has died. The former Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander was 85.

McBean died in his native Virgin Islands. No case of death was given.

McBean pitched for the Pirates from 1961-68 then again in 1970. He also spent time with the San Diego Padres (1969) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1969-70), finishing with a 67-50 record, 63 saves and a 3.13 ERA in 409 games, including 76 starts, over 10 seasons.

McBean finished in the top 10 in the National League in games pitched for three straight seasons from 1963-65.

The Pirates signed McBean out of a tryout camp in St. Thomas in 1957. He went to the camp to take photographs for a local newspaper and was convinced by some friends to take part in the tryout in front of scouts.

McBean made his major league debut on July 2, 1961 in the first game of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants at Forbes Field. Entered a tied game, the first batter he faced, Ed Bailey, reached on an error by second baseman Bill Mazeroski. A double, wild pitch & single later, the Giants had plated two runs. A four run eighth inning by the Pirates spared McBean from taking the loss in his major league debut.

In his next 6 appearances, McBean pitched 10.2 innings without surrendering a run, and earning the first two wins of his career. His first career start also came against the Giants on September 11. He allowed three earned runs over nine innings, and left with the game tied for the no-decision. For the season, he went 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA & 49 strikeouts.

McBean was converted into a full-time starting pitcher in 1962, and won his first three decisions. He finished with a 15-10 record & 3.70 ERA over the full season.

McBean was 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA when he was converted into a reliever in May 1963. He was dominant in that role, going 11-2 with a 2.12 ERA and earning eleven saves out of the bullpen. After the season, he joined Roberto Clemente's National League Latino All-stars for a game at the Polo Grounds on October 12. McBean followed Juan Marichal's four scoreless innings pitched with four scoreless of his own, and drove in a run with a sixth inning triple to lead the NL to a 5-2 victory.

McBean was even more dominant in 1964. Following a June 27 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, McBean was 3-0 with an 0.69 ERA & eight saves. He earned 21 saves over the season, which was good enough for second place in the NL (to the Houston Colt .45s' Hal Woodeshick). Coupled with his 8-3 record, he was named The Sporting News' NL Fireman of the Year. He was again one of the NL's top relievers in 1965, going 6-6 with a 2.29 ERA & 19 saves.

With Roy Face returning in 1966 from an injury plagued 1965 season, he resumed the closer role. Meanwhile, manager Harry Walker relegated McBean to mop up duty. He appeared in 32 of the Pirates' 70 losses; the Pirates were 15-32 in games he appeared.

McBean was the 50th player selected in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft by the San Diego Padres. He made just one appearance with the Padres before being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for shortstop Tommy Dean & pitcher Leon Everitt. Again a reliever, McBean went 2-6 with a 3.91 ERA & four saves out of the Dodgers' bullpen. After just one inning pitched with the Dodgers in 1970, McBean was released, and he returned to Pittsburgh. He would make seven appearances, all in relief, before his May 18 release. He would pitch in the Philadelphia Phillies' system into the 1971 season before retiring.

Isabelle Thomas obit

Isabelle Thomas, Filmmaker and Wife of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Producer Bradley Thomas, Dies at 39

She was found dead at a Los Angeles hotel this week.

 She was not on the list.

Isabelle Thomas, British documentary filmmaker and the wife of Oscar-nominated Killers of the Flower Moon producer Bradley Thomas, was found dead at a Los Angeles hotel this week, medical records show. Thomas was 39.

Isabelle Thomas died by suicide and was discovered with “multiple traumatic injuries” at a local hotel, according to online records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. Citing law enforcement sources, TMZ reported this week that on Monday, Thomas had lept from a high-up floor at the Hotel Angeleno; the 17-floor Westwood hotel is notable for the balconies that wrap around the building on each floor.

Police sources reportedly indicated that she was discovered dead at the scene when first responders arrived.

“Isabelle was the light of our lives,” said the family in a statement to the L.A. Times. “She was courageous and took all life’s opportunities without fear, showering love and kindness on her friends, family, and children along the way. Her projects were as diverse as her passions, reflecting a curiosity about people and our culture that inspired everyone lucky enough to spend time with her. We remember her as a soulmate, beautiful daughter, sister, devoted mother and wife.”

The British producer, also known as “Izzy,” is from the Cotswolds in the U.K and resided in California with her husband and their two children. According to her website, she graduated from Oxford University and went on to advise on projects for international entertainment companies, private family offices, global membership spaces, start-ups, the UN and The World Bank.

Isabelle married Bradley Thomas, a producer of major films for decades, in 2018. The couple was spotted at red carpet events around town while his career flourished as a producer on Clint Eastwood’s The Mule in 2018 and 2022’s Palme d’Or-winning satire Triangle of Sadness. The two were photographed together as recently as Jan. 13 at the 2024 BAFTA Tea Party at The Maybourne Beverly Hills.

Isabelle Thomas’ death comes as her husband is in the height of award season as he promotes Killers, which, alongside fellow producers Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, is up for the 2024 Oscars best picture trophy.

Bradley Thomas’ producing career began with the Farrelly brothers’ hit 1994 comedy Dumb and Dumber and has not lost momentum over 30 years. He produced several of the duo’s subsequent comedies, including There’s Something About Mary and Shallow Hal, then later teamed up with legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott for All the Money in the World and Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund as EP on the biting satires that followed his debut, Force Majure.

Joe Madison obit

RADIO REMEMBERS JOE MADISON

 

He was not on the list.

Radio Hall of Famer Joe ‘The Black Eagle’ Madison has died at the age of 74 following a bout with prostate cancer.

Madison began his career as an activist and then National Political Director with the NAACP by the age of 24. His radio career began in 1980 at 1270 WXYZ Detroit, and would later host at 96.5 WWDB-FM Philadelphia and then a long run at 980 WWRC Washington DC until its demise in early 1998. He moved to Radio One’s 1450 WOL Washington as Program Director and afternoon host that summer and would later be syndicated on the company’s network and on the channel they programmed for XM. In 2013, he moved exclusively to SiriusXM to host mornings on their “Urban View” channel. Madison was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2019.

The Madison family released the following statement:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved husband and father, Joe Madison. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. Joe dedicated his life to fighting for all those who are undervalued, underestimated, and marginalized. On air he often posed the question, “What are you going to do about it?”. Although he is no longer with us, we hope you will join us in answering that call by continuing to be proactive in the fight against injustice. The outpouring of prayers and support over the last few months lifted Joe’s spirits and strengthened us as a family. We continue to ask for privacy as we gather together to support each other through this difficult time.

Condolences can be sent to the family at joemadison.com.

Terry Beasley obit

Terry Beasley, Auburn’s record-setting receiver, dead at 73

 

He was not on the list.

Legendary Auburn wide receiver and College Football Hall of Fame member Terry Beasley died at his Moody home Wednesday evening, AL.com’s Carol Robinson confirmed with St. Clair County Coroner Dennis Russell.

Beasley’s death is currently being investigated as a possible suicide, according to Moody Police Chief Reece Smith.

“Officers were dispatched to his residence around 5:20pm tonight. He was found deceased inside the residence from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. This case is still under investigation and our thoughts are with the Beasley family at this time,” Smith added.

Beasley was 73.

Beasley was born in Montgomery and played at Auburn from 1969 to 1971 alongside Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Pat Sullivan. Beasley was drafted in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft and played from 1972-1975 with the San Francisco 49ers.

Paired with Sullivan, Beasley made up one half of “one of college football’s greatest pass combinations,” the National Football Foundation writes of Beasley, who was inducted into the National Football Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 2002.

As a freshman in 1969, Beasley hauled in 34 receptions for 610 yards and six touchdowns. Come his sophomore year, Beasley established himself as Auburn’s leading receiver, catching 52 receptions for 1,051 yards and 11 scores.

“He was way ahead of his time,” Sullivan once said of Beasley. “He was as fast as anyone playing the game. But the thing that really set him apart was that he was awfully, awfully, strong.”

In 1971, the same year Sullivan won the Heisman, Beasley put together a season that saw him log 55 receptions for 846 yards and 12 touchdowns. Bumper stickers reading “Super Sully and Terry Terrific” made their way onto countless cars in the Auburn area, supporting the offensive duo that helped the Tigers finish 9-2 that season.

During his time on The Plains, Beasley generated a lengthy list of accolades, which included being a two-time All-Conference selection and a consensus All-American in 1971.

To this day, Beasley still holds countless program records at Auburn, including career receiving yards (2,507), most touchdown receptions (29), consecutive games with a touchdown catch (8) and most 100-yard games in a season (6) and career (12).

Beasley is one of three Auburn players to have their number retired by the team, along with Sullivan and Bo Jackson. He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

Beasley was selected in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, with whom he spent the duration of his short professional career before injuries forced his retirement following the 1975 season.

Beasley’s successful three seasons at Auburn came after he spent his high school years playing for then-Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery.

Throughout his playing career, Beasley is believed to have suffered at least 19 concussions, which cut his professional career short.

In 2013, Beasley spent the better part of a month in an intensive care unit due to health problems Beasley’s family believed were linked to the concussions he suffered during his playing career.

“Beasley has chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the same disease former NFL linebacker Junior Seau and many other pro football players suffered,” Ryan Wood of the Opelia-Auburn News wrote in a 2013 article. “Doctors told him his brain looks like Swiss cheese. Each concussion punctured a hole.”

Beasley was married to Marlene Beasley, who appeared with Beasley and dozens of other of players as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the NFL which noted he suffered “multiple past traumatic brain injuries with symptoms including but not limited to, memory loss, headaches, anxiety and sleeplessness,” in court filings.

As a result of the lawsuit, a comprehensive settlement agreement was reached in 2016.

“Without admitting wrongdoing, the NFL agreed to an uncapped compensation fund that would potentially cover over 20,000 retired players in exchange for a release of all concussion-related claims against the league. At the time, it was predicted that the NFL’s outlay would ultimately exceed $1 billion,” Jodi Balsam of Law in Sport wrote in 2021.

Melinda Ledbetter Wilson obit

Beach Boys' Brian Wilson Announces Death of 'Savior' Wife Melinda: 'She Was My Anchor'

Brian Wilson married Melinda Ledbetter in 1995, and the pair were parents to five children 

She was not on the list.

Melinda Ledbetter Wilson, the wife of Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson for nearly three decades, has died. She was 77.

The musician, 81, announced Melinda’s death in an Instagram post on Tuesday, saying his “heart is broken” at the loss of his “beloved wife.”

“Our five children and I are just in tears. We are lost,” he captioned a set of throwback shots of Melinda. “Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us. Please say a prayer for her. Love and Mercy Brian.”

The post also included a message from the pair’s children, who said she died peacefully at home on Tuesday morning.

“She was a force of nature and one of the strongest women you could come by. She was not only a model, our father’s savior, and a mother, she was a woman empowered by her spirit with a mission to better everyone she touched,” they wrote. “We will miss her but cherish everything she has taught us. How to take care of the person next to you with out expecting anything in return, how to find beauty in the darkest of places, and how to live life as your truest self with honesty and pride. We love you mom. Give Grandma Rose and Pa our love.”

Wilson married Melinda in 1995, and the couple adopted children Dakota Rose, Daria Rose, Delanie Rose, Dylan and Dash. They first met when she sold him a Cadillac in 1986, and they dated on and off for three years. In 1992, the "God Only Knows" singer and his future bride bumped into each other once more in Los Angeles and rekindled their romance.

“I’ve never had a relationship with a girl like we have,” Wilson told PEOPLE in 1998. “She’s a partner who’s also a best friend.”

Melinda, meanwhile, praised her husband’s “vulnerability,” saying he was “probably the most sane person I know,” but struggled to “deal with the world’s insanity.”

In 2014, their life together got the biopic treatment with Love & Mercy, which starred John Cusack and Elizabeth Banks as Brian and Melinda. The film gave viewers a deep dive on Wilson’s struggles with mental illness, and chronicled his complicated relationship with his therapist and legal guardian Dr. Eugene Landy.

It was Melinda who helped free Wilson from Landy's grips, and in 1991, his brother, mother and daughters sued Landy, arguing he'd exerted "undue influence" over Wilson's life. Their suit was successful, and Landy was barred from contacting his famous client in 1992.

“I didn't know how tough it would be,” Melinda told ABC News of the film in 2015. “I think I was more nervous than him when I took him to see it, and after, I said, ‘So what did you think?’ And he goes, ‘Oh, it was really a lot worse in real life.’”

Banks, who played Melinda in the film, told the outlet that she was given some sage advice by the woman she portrayed: “She said to me, ‘Music is his first love. Nothing can replace it. It's his being, it's his essence, it's his everything, So I'm settling for second, but it's a pretty good — it's a pretty good second.”

Craig Chudy Obit

Craig Chudy Obituary

 

He was not on the list.

It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Craig Warren Chudy, aka "Deerman" on January 30, 2024. Born Craig Warren Chudy on October 21, 1937, to Joseph and Helmi in Waukegan, Illinois.

The Chudy's moved to Southern California in 1940. Craig attended Narbonne High School in Lomita, CA where he excelled in football and track. While at Narbonne, Craig would meet the love of his life, Janice. Craig received a full ride scholarship to attend UCLA. While at UCLA 1956-60 he played football and ran track.

Craig and Janice were married on August 16, 1957. Where they would honeymoon at North Lake. Craig began coming to Bishop Creek and the Eastern Sierra as a young child camping, fishing and hunting with his father and would later proclaim he would one day move there.

Craig competed in the 1960 US Olympic trials and had brief stints in the NFL with the San Francisco 49-ers and Pittsburg Steelers. With two young boys Craig and Jeff and a newlywed wife Janice, Craig scrapped the sports dreams and started working at Universal Studios. Craig, Janice and kids would move to Malibu Canyon. Eventually along came the last of the Chudy clan, Chris. Craig would climb to Stunt Coordinator for Adam-12 and Emergency. He would also be remembered for his close-ups in the "Poseidon Adventure" and the movie "Mash." Throughout his movie business career, Craig loved to coach. He helped start football at Agoura High School and later he would coach both football and track at Chaminade High School in Chatsworth.

In 1973 the Chudy's moved to Bishop, where Craig began teaching and coaching both football and track at Bishop Union High School. Here is where the name "Deerman" was created! It was the BUHS faculty vs the students in a flag football game where "Deerman" pranced and floated like a Deer at John Schwab field. Deerman had a glorious coaching career at BUHS winning a CIF Championship in boys track and field and winning more than 100+ games as Head Football coach. His favorite Sundays were spent watching game film with his trusted assistants Al Summers and Troy Rowan. Craig eventually moved into administration, first as BUHS Athletic Director and eventually Vice-principal under Rich Tucker. Craig retired from BUHS in 2003. He didn't stay "retired" too long. In the fall of 2004, Deerman would migrate down to Bakersfield, where he would coach football with his son Jeff at Bakersfield College. Craig would come back again in 2007 to assist with the Renegades where there were three generations of Chudy's roaming the grass at Memorial Stadium.

Deerman had a fondness for cooking and hosted countless BBQs on Irene Way. One of his specialties was chicken fried steak on his birthday. He was beloved by his kids and many grandkids and great-grandkids who knew him as "Gramps." Gramps was a fantastic storyteller, and always had a rapt audience.

Craig loved UCLA football and basketball. He also would be caught cheering for whoever was playing against USC.

Deerman was an avid outdoorsman throughout his life deer hunting and trout fishing the eastern sierras; elk hunting in Utah; salmon fishing in Monterey and pheasant hunting in North Dakota.

Craig is survived by wife of 66 years Janice; his sister Mary Puerta of Long Beach; sons – Craig (Sue) of Bishop; Jeff (Katy) of Bakersfield; Chris of Bishop; grandchildren- Colin (Kassi); Kario (Lisa); Bryce (Brittni); Lowell; Hannah (Ben); and Drew. Great-grandchildren – Blakely, Hunter, Sullivan, Abbott, William, and Murphy.

A private service will be held by the family in June. An informal public gathering in remembrance will be held later this summer in Bishop with a published notice forthcoming.

Actor

Stacy Keach in The New Mike Hammer (1984)

The New Mike Hammer

6.8

TV Series

Blake

1986

1 episode

 

Days of Our Lives (1965)

Days of Our Lives

5.3

TV Series

Officer Harrison

1982

1 episode

 

Tron (1982)

Tron

6.7

Warrior #1

1982

 

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part II (1978)

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part II

6.2

Gary

1978

 

Noah Beery Jr. and James Garner in The Rockford Files (1974)

The Rockford Files

8.2

TV Series

Eunson (uncredited)

1976

1 episode

 

Emergency! (1972)

Emergency!

7.9

TV Series

Helicopter Officer - LAPD

Injured Firefighter

Dan ...

1972–1976

10 episodes

 

Peter Falk in Columbo (1971)

Columbo

8.3

TV Series

Policeman in Operating Theater (uncredited)

1973

1 episode

 

Ernest Borgnine, Gene Hackman, Leslie Nielsen, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Carol Lynley, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O'Connell, and Eric Shea in The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

The Poseidon Adventure

7.1

Helmsman (uncredited)

1972

 

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969)

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors

6.9

TV Series

Technician

1972

1 episode

 

George Peppard in Banacek (1972)

Banacek

7.7

TV Series

Man at National Meridian Bureau (uncredited)

1972

1 episode

 

Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and Greg Morris in Mission: Impossible (1966)

Mission: Impossible

7.9

TV Series

Guard

Prisoner (uncredited)

1969–1971

4 episodes

 

Kent McCord and Martin Milner in Adam-12 (1968)

Adam-12

7.7

TV Series

Willis

Bill

Policeman

1970–1971

3 episodes

 

Mike Connors in Mannix (1967)

Mannix

7.4

TV Series

Marv

Smitty

Martone ...

1968–1971

6 episodes

 

Darling Lili (1970)

Darling Lili

6.0

Squadron Pilot (uncredited)

1970

 

Robert Duvall, Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Sally Kellerman, and Jo Ann Pflug in M*A*S*H (1970)

M*A*S*H

7.4

Football Player (uncredited)

1970

 

The Bill Cosby Show (1969)

The Bill Cosby Show

6.1

TV Series

Policeman #1

1969

1 episode

 

The Invaders (1967)

The Invaders

8.0

TV Series

Alien

Alien Shooting Morgan Tate's Car

Highway Patrolman Alien (uncredited) ...

1967–1968

6 episodes

 

June Lockhart, Angela Cartwright, Mark Goddard, Jonathan Harris, Marta Kristen, Bill Mumy, and Guy Williams in Lost in Space (1965)

Lost in Space

7.2

TV Series

Alien Soldier #3 (uncredited)

1967

1 episode

 

Elvis Presley in Double Trouble (1967)

Double Trouble

5.1

Cruise Ship Steward (uncredited)

1967

 

Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll, and David McCallum in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964)

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

7.7

TV Series

Thrush Agent

1967

1 episode

 

Robert Loggia in T.H.E. Cat (1966)

T.H.E. Cat

8.1

TV Series

First Hood

1966

1 episode

 

Patty Duke in Billie (1965)

Billie

5.7

Starter (as Craig W. Chudy)

1965

 

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!

5.0

Football Player (uncredited)

1965

 

Harriet Nelson, David Nelson, Ozzie Nelson, and Ricky Nelson in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952)

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

7.4

TV Series

Fraternity Member

Student in Class

Party Guest ...

1963–1965

6 episodes

 

Stunts

Die Laughing (1980)

Die Laughing

4.8

stunts (as Craig Warren Chudy)

1980

 

Emergency! (1972)

Emergency!

7.9

TV Series

stunts (uncredited)

1973–1978

4 episodes

 

Ernest Borgnine, Gene Hackman, Leslie Nielsen, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Carol Lynley, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O'Connell, and Eric Shea in The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

The Poseidon Adventure

7.1

stunts (uncredited)

1972

 

Beau Geste (1966)

Beau Geste

6.1

stunts (uncredited)

1966

Chita Rivera obit

Broadway Icon Chita Rivera Dies at 91

Rivera passed away after a brief illness. 

She was not on the list.

Broadway legend Chita Rivera has died at the age of 91.

Rivera died peacefully on January 30 after a brief illness, according to daughter Lisa Mordente and publicist Merle Frimark.

Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in Washington, DC on January 23, 1933, Rivera trained as a ballerina from the age of nine, receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet. Her first major role, at the age of 19, was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her career was dotted with legendary original productions: Guys and Dolls and Can-Can, among them. Her performance as Anita in West Side Story made her a star, and she cemented her reputation as the original Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie and Velma in Chicago. She was a two-time Tony winner for The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman, as well as the recipient of a a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2018.

Among Rivera’s other Broadway roles are Lilliane in Nine opposite Antonio Banderas; Princess Puffer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood; herself in her biographical musical The Dancer’s Life; and Claire Zachannassian in The Visit, which marked her final Broadway appearance in 2015. She earned 10 Tony nominations over the course of her career.

Rivera was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Barack Obama, and Living Landmark status from the New York Landmarks Concervancy. She toured throughout the world as a cabaret performer, playing sold-out shows at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Cadogan Hall. Her career retrospective concert Chita Rivera: A lot of Livin’ to Do was presented on PBS’s Great Performances, and her memoir, Chita, was published by HarperOne in April 2023.

In addition to Mordente, she is survived by siblings Julio, Armando, and Lola del Rivero, along with many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents and older sister, Carmen.

Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and a Drama League Award. She was the first Latina and the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. She won the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018.

After making her Broadway debut as a dancer in Guys and Dolls (1950), she went on to originate roles in Broadway musicals such as Anita in West Side Story (1957), Velma Kelly in Chicago (1975), and the title role in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993). She was a ten-time Tony Award nominee, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical twice for her roles in The Rink (1984) and Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993). She was Tony-nominated for her roles in Bye Bye Birdie (1961), Chicago (1975), Merlin (1983), Jerry's Girls (1986), Nine (2003), and The Visit (2015).

Rivera acted in the film Sweet Charity (1969) and appeared in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978), and Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021). She played Connie Richardson in the CBS sitcom The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1973–1974). She also appeared on television in The Judy Garland Show (1963), The Carol Burnett Show (1971), and Will & Grace (2005). Her autobiography, Chita: A Memoir, was published in 2023.

Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson was born in Washington, D.C. on January 23, 1933, the daughter of Katherine (Anderson), a government clerk, and Pedro Julio Figueroa del Rivero, a clarinetist and saxophonist for the U.S. Navy Band. Her father was Puerto Rican and her mother was of Scottish, Irish, and African-American descent. Rivera was one of five children. Rivera was seven years old when her mother was widowed and went to work at The Pentagon.

 

Acting credits

Film

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1969    Sweet Charity Nickie 

1978    Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band            Guest at Heartland     

1983    He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' Herself            Documentary

2002            Chicago          Nickie            Cameo

2003            Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There   Herself            Documentary

2006            Kalamazoo?            Giannina         

2010    The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! Singer            Voice

2012    Carol Channing: Larger Than Life      Herself            Documentary

Show Stopper: The Theatrical Life of Garth Drabinsky            Herself            Documentary

Ben Vereen: Last of the Showmen            Herself            Documentary

Move   Herself            Documentary

2018    Still Waiting in the Wings            Broadway Diva            Documentary

2021    Tick, Tick... Boom!            "Sunday" Legend        

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1956    The Maurice Chevalier Show            Herself            1 episode

1960    The Gary Moore Show   Herself            1 episode

1963    The Judy Garland Show   Herself            Episode 17

1964    The Outer Limits            Mrs. Dame            Episode: "The Bellero Shield"

1965    The Hollywood Palace  Herself            1 episode

1971    The Carol Burnett Show   Various characters            Episode: "4.22"

1973    The Marcus-Nelson Murders            Josie Hopper            Television film

1973–1974            The New Dick Van Dyke Show            Connie Richardson            Main role; 7 episodes

1977    Once Upon a Brothers Grimm            Gingerbread Lady            Episode: "Hansel and Gretel"

1981    Pippin: His Life and Times            Fastrada            Television film

1982    One Life to Live            Melody Rambo            Recurring role

Strawberry Ice            Performer            Television film

1987            Mayflower Madam            Risa Dickstein            Television film

1997    Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child            Katy            Voice, episode: "Thumbelina"

2004, 2019            Dora The Explorer            The Witch   Voice, 2 episodes

2005    Will & Grace   Lenore Portillo            Episode: "Dance Cards and Greeting Cards"

2008    Johnny and the Sprites            The Queen            Episode: "Johnny Not Invited"

2011            Submissions Only            Gladys Franklin            Episode: "Yore So Bad"

Theatre (selected)

Year     Title            Role            Venue            Ref.

1950    Guys and Dolls            Dancer (replacement)            46th Street Theatre  

1953    Can-Can      Dancer            Shubert Theatre

1955    Seventh Heaven Fifi            ANTA Playhouse        

1956    Mr. Wonderful            Rita Romano            Broadway Theatre    

1957            Shinbone Alley            Mehitabel       

West Side Story    Anita            Winter Garden Theatre           

1960    Bye Bye Birdie            Rose Alvarez Martin Beck Theatre   

1964    Bajour            Anyanka          Shubert Theatre

1975            Chicago          Velma Kelly    46th Street Theatre  

1981    Bring Back Birdie            Rose Alvarez Martin Beck Theatre   

1983    Merlin            The Queen  Mark Hellinger Theatre

1984    The Rink     Anna            Martin Beck Theatre   

1985    Jerry's Girls            Performer      St. James Theatre 

1993    Kiss of the Spider Woman            Spider Woman/Aurora            Broadhurst Theatre     

2003    Nine            Liliane La Fleur            Eugene O'Neill Theatre

2005    Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life            Herself            Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

2012    The Mystery of Edwin Drood            The Princess Puffer / Miss Angela Prysock            Studio 54       

2015    The Visit     Claire Zachannassian            Lyceum Theatre

Jean Carnahan obit

 

Jean Carnahan, first Missouri woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, dies at 90

She was not on the list.

Carnahan was named to the U.S. Senate in 2000 after her husband, former Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, was killed in a small plane crash and was elected posthumously. Carnahan served for two years before losing the election for the full term.

Former Missouri U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan, who was the state’s first woman to serve in the Senate and the widow of the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, died Tuesday. She was 90.

She sought to be a conciliatory figure, lamenting in late 2000 the political divisiveness that already was rising around the country.

Before heading to Washington, she observed in an interview that “the whole idea of duking it out in the public arena and seeing who’s the last person standing – that atmosphere is what has brought us the problems we have now.”

Carnahan is the matriarch of one of Missouri’s most well-known Democratic families. A son, Russ Carnahan, is a former member of the U.S. House and currently heads the Missouri Democratic Party. Her daughter, Robin Carnahan, served eight years as Missouri secretary of state and is now administrator of the General Services Administration in Washington.

Jean Carnahan resided largely in Clayton since she left office after she was defeated in a 2002 bid to fill the final four years of her late husband’s Senate term. She has written a number of books.

Carnahan was thrust into the national spotlight on Oct. 16, 2000, after then-Gov. Mel Carnahan was killed in a small plane crash in Jefferson County while campaigning for the Senate seat held by Republican John Ashcroft.

The plane’s pilot was the Carnahans’ eldest son, Randy. Also on board was the governor’s top aide, Chris Sifford. Both died in the crash.

Then-Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson, who was sworn in as the state’s new governor within hours after the crash, announced a few days later that he would appoint Jean Carnahan to her late husband’s Senate post should he win posthumously. By law, Mel Carnahan’s name remained on the ballot.

Some Missouri Republican officials loudly objected to Wilson’s plan, but Mel Carnahan went on to defeat Ashcroft. He remains the nation’s only Senate candidate to win a seat after his death.

Jean Carnahan’s Senate appointment was for two years. During that time, she focused on improving public education, supporting Social Security, and adding prescription drug benefits to Medicare.

She also championed three of her husband’s causes: campaign finance reform, abortion rights and some gun restrictions, such as limiting minors’ access to automatic weapons.

While in Washington, she carved her own bipartisan path, while also sharing her late husband’s political vision.

On a weekend in early September 2001, she was at the family’s rural home in Rolla when a fire broke out. She managed to rescue her husband’s formal portrait before the flames destroyed much of the house.

In 2002, she narrowly lost to Republican Jim Talent, who served the remaining four years of her late husband’s term.

In a St. Louis Public Radio interview in 2004, she observed that Democrats “are often fragmented. There’s just so many different parts of us.”

Later, in her best-known book – “Don’t Let the Fire Go Out” – she reflected on her life, including the challenges and tragedies.

“For most of us, life is more conquest than victory,’’ she wrote. “Life is about squandering ourselves for a good and godly purpose. Mostly, it’s about stoking the fire.”

She was born in Washington D.C. and met her future husband in high school; his family resided in Washington while his father was in Congress.

She graduated from George Washington University, and married Mel Carnahan in 1954.

The couple moved to his home state of Missouri. He was a lawyer and was active in local and state politics for decades with his wife often by his side. They had four children.

Born Jean Anne Carpenter in Washington, D.C., to a working-class family, Carnahan was determined to go to college. She and her future husband, Mel, both went to Anacostia High School, where they sat next to each other in class. Jean worked through the year while attending George Washington University. She graduated in 1955 with a degree in Business and Public Administration, the first in her family to graduate from high school and college. She was an alumna of Kappa Delta sorority.

Jean and Mel married on June 12, 1954. Two years later, they moved to his home state of Missouri. They settled in Rolla, where Mel opened a law practice, in 1959.

Carnahan's survivors include: daughter Robin, sons Russ and Tom, and several grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Richard Howard obit

Theatre actor Richard Howard dies aged 79

 

He was not on the list.

Theatre actor Richard Howard has died aged 79, his agent has announced.

He was a star of Olivier-nominated productions including as Sir Robert de Lesseps in the original cast of historical fiction Shakespeare In Love – an adaption of the 1998 film – at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Howard also taught at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada).

A statement from Scott Marshall Partners said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved client, Richard Howard, at the age of 79, after a short illness.

“He is survived by his son, three stepdaughters and nine grandchildren.”

His other theatre work included tours of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Macbeth and Romeo And Juliet across America, Europe and Asia.

Howard was also in Stanley at the National Theatre, which was about the life of painter Sir Stanley Spencer and won an Olivier for best new play in 1997, and a Kiln Theatre adaption of James Baldwin’s play about racial oppression in the US called Blues For Mr Charlie.

He was part of the Stables Theatre Club in Manchester, and Brian Friel and Stephen Rea’s theatre company Field Day.

“Howard acted and directed with the Jill Freud Theatre Company for many seasons, and was a member of the London Shakespeare Group,” his agent said.

Howard also appeared in an episode of Poirot, titled Four And Twenty Blackbirds, and BBC Radio 4 play The People’s Princess about George IV’s wife Caroline of Brunswick.

Actor

Daydreams and Fairytales

7.9

Short

PC Davies

2010

 

The Invisibles (2008)

The Invisibles

7.0

TV Mini Series

Dr. Faulkner

2008

1 episode

 

Mark Rylance in The Government Inspector (2005)

The Government Inspector

7.5

TV Movie

Donald Anderson (uncredited)

2005

 

Born and Bred (2002)

Born and Bred

7.5

TV Series

Freddie McClintock

2003

1 episode

 

Megan Dodds in Love in a Cold Climate (2001)

Love in a Cold Climate

7.0

TV Mini Series

Lawyer

2001

 

David Copperfield (1999)

David Copperfield

7.7

TV Mini Series

Doctor

1999

1 episode

 

Oliver Twist (1999)

Oliver Twist

7.7

TV Mini Series

Dr. Critchley

1999

1 episode

 

Sean Arnold, Philip Martin Brown, Kate Buffery, and George Irving in Wing and a Prayer (1997)

Wing and a Prayer

6.7

TV Series

George Martin

1999

1 episode

 

Playing the Field (1998)

Playing the Field

7.4

TV Series

Father Thomas

1998

2 episodes

 

McLibel! (1997)

McLibel!

8.2

TV Mini Series

Dr. Richard North

1997

1 episode

 

Call Red (1996)

Call Red

4.3

TV Series

Hartman

1996

1 episode

 

Colin Blumenau, Nula Conwell, Peter Ellis, Trudie Goodwin, Jon Iles, Gary Olsen, Eric Richard, John Salthouse, Tony Scannell, Jeff Stewart, Mark Wingett, and Delia Swan in The Bill (1984)

The Bill

6.7

TV Series

Davies

Dr. McDade

Mr. Austen

1991–1996

3 episodes

 

Richard Griffiths in Pie in the Sky (1994)

Pie in the Sky

7.7

TV Series

MC at Theatre

1995

1 episode

 

John Thaw in Kavanagh QC (1995)

Kavanagh QC

7.7

TV Series

Dr. Stephen Grindlay

1995

1 episode

 

Ian Richardson and Kitty Aldridge in To Play the King (1993)

To Play the King

8.3

TV Mini Series

John Sarkey

1993

1 episode

 

Ian McShane in Lovejoy (1986)

Lovejoy

7.8

TV Series

Haynes

1993

1 episode

 

Tony Doyle, Tom Georgeson, Neil Pearson, and Siobhan Redmond in Between the Lines (1992)

Between the Lines

8.1

TV Series

Inspector Carter

1992

1 episode

 

Barry Foster in Van der Valk (1972)

Van der Valk

7.1

TV Series

Pathologist

1991

1 episode

 

Ned Beatty, Peter Boyle, and Vincent Gardenia in The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story (1990)

The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story

6.5

TV Movie

Berndt Meyer

1990

 

This Is David Harper

6.6

TV Series

Vicar

1990

1 episode

 

Drop the Dead Donkey (1990)

Drop the Dead Donkey

8.0

TV Series

Vicar

1990

1 episode

 

TECX

7.9

TV Series

Etienne

1990

1 episode

 

4 Play (1989)

4 Play

7.3

TV Series

Detective

1990

1 episode

 

Casualty (1986)

Casualty

6.1

TV Series

Administrator

1989

1 episode

 

David Suchet in Poirot (1989)

Poirot

8.6

TV Series

George Lorrimer

1989

1 episode

 

Playing for Real (1988)

Playing for Real

8.6

TV Mini Series

Ted Slattery

1988

1 episode

 

Paradise Postponed (1986)

Paradise Postponed

8.0

TV Mini Series

Dennis Kitson

1986

6 episodes

 

Liza Goddard and Nigel Planer in Roll Over Beethoven (1985)

Roll Over Beethoven

6.0

TV Series

Waiter

1985

1 episode

 

Uliisses (1982)

Uliisses

5.7

1982

 

Emmerdale Farm (1972)

Emmerdale Farm

4.8

TV Series

Rev. Bob Jerome

1979–1981

20 episodes

 

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

Crown Court

7.3

TV Series

Mr. Tapp

1974

3 episodes

 

ITV Playhouse (1967)

ITV Playhouse

6.9

TV Series

PC Tom Corsby

Mr. Mulcahey

O'Kelly ...

1970

2 episodes

 

ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969)

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

6.3

TV Series

Robert

1970

1 episode

 

Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)

Oh! What a Lovely War

7.0

Young Soldier at Mons (uncredited)

1969

 

Vendetta (1966)

Vendetta

8.1

TV Series

Police Constable

1966

1 episode

 

The Wednesday Play (1964)

The Wednesday Play

7.5

TV Series

Terry, a milkman

1966

1 episode

 

Sunday Night

TV Series

Photographer

1966

1 episode