Dave Jerden obit

Legendary Rock Producer Dave Jerden Passes

Producer/engineer Dave Jerden died Wednesday, February 5. Over the course of a four-decade career, Jerden worked on an astonishing number of albums that have come to define Alternative Rock 

He was not on the list.

Los Angeles, CA (February 6, 2025)—A cornerstone of modern alternative music, producer/engineer Dave Jerden has died. According to a social media post by his family, he quietly passed away in his sleep Wednesday, February 5, in Los Angeles. Over the course of a four-decade career, Jerden worked with a who’s who of rock, helping create classic albums by Talking Heads, Brian Eno, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Alice In Chains, The Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, Fishbone, Anthrax, The Offspring, Public Image Limited, Tom Verlaine, Spinal Tap, Armored Saint, Meat Puppets, Mary’s Danish, Social Distortion and many more.

Jerden grew up in Reseda, CA where, encouraged by his family to become a jazz musician, he began playing guitar and bass in bands as a pre-teen through his mid-20s. That plan was changed forever, however, when he befriended Eddy Schreyer, who would go on to become a noted mastering engineer and founder of Oasis Mastering. Inspired by Schreyer attending an audio engineering school, Jerden enrolled in University of Sound Arts at age 25, after which he took a job at Smoketree Ranch Studios in Chatsworth, CA. Moving on to Redondo Beach’s Redondo Pacific Studios in 1979, he landed at Hollywood’s Eldorado Recording Studio in 1980, and it was there that his career truly took off.

Charged with renovating Eldorado both acoustically and gear-wise, Jerden impressed Brian Eno when the music icon visited the studio to check out a then-brand-new Lexicon 224 digital reverb; Jerden had borrowed the scarce unit only for the day and pretended that the studio owned it—and that he was an expert in its use. The ruse worked as he and Eno hit it off, and Jerden was quickly tasked with recording Talking Heads’ seminal Remain in Light (1980), followed by the Eno/David Byrne collaboration, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981).

Before long, Jerden was working with Bill Laswell and Michael Beinhorn of Material to record Herbie Hancock’s Future Shock (1983) album and its groundbreaking single “Rockit,” one of the first hits to feature sampling and scratching. Soon he was recording Mick Jagger’s solo debut, She’s The Boss (1985), and that led to one of his earliest mentions in Mix, as producer Ron Magness told the magazine in April, 1985, “Jerden is an engineering genius, and deserves a lot of the credit for the work we have done together.”

While the Jagger album led to engineering The Rolling Stones’ mid-80s nadir, Dirty Work (1986), the years that followed were an incredible hot streak for Jerden, as he produced Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking (1988) and Ritual de lo Habitual (1990); engineered Red Hot Chili Peppers’ eponymous debut and mixed Mother’s Milk (1989); produced Alice in Chains’ debut Facelift (1990) and its follow-up, Dirt (1992); Social Distortion’s self-titled third album (1990) and Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992); Public Image Limited’s That What Is Not (1992); Fishbone’s The Reality of My Surroundings (1991); Spinal Tap’s Break Like The Wind (1992); Anthrax’s Sound of White Noise (1993); The Offspring’s Ixnay on the Hombre (1997) and Americana (1998); and more, while also working with buzz bands of the era such as Stabbing Westward, Goldfinger, MxPx, Ednaswap, Biohazard, Dig, Poe, Bullet LaVolta and others.

While most of Jerden’s work centered around rock, he wasn’t above working in other genres as well—a move that led to engineering the top-10 dance hit “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” by late-80s one-hit wonder Jane Child. In the 2000s, Jerden co-owned Tranzformer Studios in Burbank, CA with his longtime engineer Bryan Carlstrom, who died in 2013 at the age of 51. The studio closed two years later.

Regardless of the artist he worked with, Jerden always saw the job of producing as a multi-faceted role. He elaborated to then-Mix L.A. editor Maureen Droney in a December 1998 interview:

When people ask me to produce a record, that means, to me, to make a record by whatever means. I may be a psychiatrist, a technician, a musician, but the overlying important thing is that I have a point of view all the time. The main job, which may include all those other duties on top of it, is to be a person who has a point of view and maintains it on the whole project. I let the musicians make the record and do their parts, but it’s in the framework of a point of view that we’ve all agreed on. Because productions can get lost really quickly if the objective has not been maintained.

To do this, I use my initial reactions as a listener, and I ask questions. What do I expect to hear from this person or this band? What is the essence of this band? That is, stripping away everything they’re not, and then looking at what’s left. We get in agreement, musically and stylistically, about what they are, and we form a general image of what it’s going to be, the theme. We fine-tune as we go along, but we’re always moving toward the objective, so at the end of the day we can say, ‘Yeah, we made the record we wanted to make.’ That’s the job.

Jerden is survived by his children, Michelle Jerden Forrest and Bryan Jerden.

Virginia McCaskey obit

 

Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey dies at 102

She inherited the Bears from her father in 1983, one of the few women in sports to hold such a powerful position.

She was not on the list.

Virginia Halas McCaskey, the matriarch of the Bears franchise and the NFL’s most direct link to its founding, died Thursday morning at the age of 102.

In a statement, the Bears said, “While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on earth.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said she left a “legacy of class, dignity and humanity” and the “Bears that her father started meant the world to her.”

One of founder George Halas’ two children, Mrs. McCaskey was born Jan. 5, 1923. She and her late husband Ed McCaskey raised 11 children in an unassuming Des Plaines home.

After her brother, George “Mugs” Halas Jr., died in 1979, she was in line to inherit the team from her father. She did upon his death on Oct. 31, 1983, becoming one of the few women in sports to hold such a powerful position.

“He could have done things differently,” she told the Sun-Times in a rare interview in May 2018. “Some owners have planned to sell the team instead of handing it on to the next generation. He had faith in me after ‘Mugs’ died.

“I hope to justify the thing.”

Within two weeks of her father’s death, she and Ed — whom Virginia made chairman — named their son Michael the Bears’ president/CEO. Ted Phillips took his place in 1999, when Virginia decided to demote Michael to chairman in place of his father. When Michael retired in 2011, his brother George took over the role.

Ed died in 2003, two months after he and Virginia celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Virginia represented 13 family members in holding about 80% of the Bears. On the board of directors, she voted her family’s shares.

How that voting bloc will be affected after her death is unclear. When asked in recent years about the team’s future, George has said repeatedly that his mother had a plan that would keep the team in the family after her death. The NFL mandates each team have a succession plan, though public details are vague.

For years, Virginia, a devout Catholic, quoted her son, Pat, who said the Bears would stay in the family until the “second coming.”

Witness to football history

Halas bought the franchise for $100 in 1920 and attended the famous meeting in Canton, Ohio, that founded the American Professional Football Association. Two years later, it became the National Football League. The Staleys, who had relocated from Decatur to Chicago the year before, were renamed the Bears.

When Halas took Red Grange on a barnstorming tour after his 1925 college season — a move that helped to legitimize the professional sport — he brought along his young daughter. When Virginia was 9, she attended the NFL’s first championship game.

“It’s a special feeling to be part of that Bears history, which was very significant in the survival and history of the team,” she said. “And for George Halas.”

She enrolled at Drexel University at age 16, in part to be under the supervision of her uncle, Walter Halas, who coached football, baseball and basketball. She met Ed, a Penn student, as a sophomore. They attended the 1942 NFL title game between the Bears and Washington, hoping to ask Halas for permission to marry.

The Bears lost — so they eventually eloped.

“Early on in my childhood, I realized that if I really wanted something, the best time to ask was after the Bears won a game,” she said. “When we didn’t win? ‘Let’s wait awhile.’ ”

The face of the game

Virginia graduated in 1943. She and her husband were close with running back Brian Piccolo, who died in 1970 of cancer after playing for the Bears for four years. She learned then not to get too close to Bears players — until star running back Walter Payton joined the team.

“After Brian Piccolo died, my husband Ed and I promised ourselves we wouldn’t be so personally involved with any of the players,” she said, eulogizing Payton in 1999. “We were able to follow that resolve until Walter Payton came into our lives.”

Even into her late 90s, Virginia was an active part of the franchise. Her sedan with a bumper sticker that read “Pray the Rosary” was often seen parked near the entrance of the facility named after her father.

The league’s oldest owner since the Bills’ Ralph Wilson died in 2014, Virginia and George traveled to NFL owners meetings and to Bears road games, where they sat in the owner’s box. She made fewer and fewer such trips in recent years.

Virginia made her most public appearance in years on the final day of the Bears 100 Weekend Celebration in June 2018. She charmed her way through a round-table discussion, joking that the team’s throwback socks “don’t turn me on” and claiming that, as a girl, she paid more attention to the players wearing the uniform.

Under her guidance, the Bears won their only Super Bowl of the modern era in January 1986. The franchise struggled until 21 years later, when she accepted the NFC championship trophy named after her father. She declared it her best day since the Bears beat the Patriots to win Super Bowl XX.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, looking at the trophy. “Just beautiful.”

She’s pissed off — allegedly

The Bears lost to the Colts in Super Bowl XLI and returned to the playoffs only once — a 2010 run that ended with an NFC title-game loss to the rival Packers — until reaching the postseason in 2018.

The media-shy Virginia’s words were invoked by her son in recent years — and after franchise-changing decisions. After the 2014 season, George McCaskey decided to fire general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman.

“She’s pissed off,” George said then, explaining his decision. “She’s fed up with mediocrity. She feels that she and Bears fans everywhere deserve better.”

Virginia said later she never used that wording. When a nun chided her for it, Virginia smiled and told her not to be upset with her son for exaggerating.

In September 2018, George recounted the moment when he told his mom the Bears could trade for star pass rusher Khalil Mack. They were in a Halas Hall elevator, and she spent the ride with her mouth agape in disbelief. She was in the building that day to present the Virginia Award, given by the Bears to an employee who best displays the characteristics synonymous with the matriarch herself: grace, humility, loyalty and dedication.

Brian Urlacher exemplified the respect the Bears had for her in August 2018. Two days before he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the former linebacker threw a party at a Canton, Ohio, hotel, not far from where Virginia’s father founded what would become the NFL.

Virginia arrived to the party at 12:15 a.m., after the Bears’ exhibition game had ended. The room stopped, Urlacher said, and he went immediately to hug her.

“Unbelievable,” Urlacher said then. “She walked into the room, and everyone was like, ‘Whoa. That’s George Halas’ daughter.’ ”

She was that — and more.

“I’m still trying to find words for what [the Bears] have meant to me, and, I hope, to all of you,” she told the crowd at Bears 100. “It has made me even more grateful for what my life has been, and the position that I’m in. There’s so many privileges and perks and blessings. I just can’t believe I’m here and I’m enjoying life at my age, the way I am.”

She is survived by 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Irv Gotti obit

Irv Gotti, Murder Inc. Records Founder Who Worked With Ashanti and Ja Rule, Dies at 54

“Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers who was hip-hop,” says YouTube’s Lyor Cohen. 

He was not on the list.

Irv Gotti, a noted record executive, music producer and entrepreneur best known as the founder of Murder Inc. Records, has died, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. He was 54.

The cause of death has not been announced, but the music mogul did suffer a number of strokes in recent years and had also battled diabetes-related issues.

Rising to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gotti, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., played a key role in hip-hop and R&B records of the time, working with artists like Ja Rule, Ashanti and DMX, each of whom saw massive commercial success. His signature production style blended hip-hop beats with melodic hooks and influenced a wave of rap and R&B crossover hits that were inescapable from 2001 to 2004. Among them: several multi-platinum smashes with Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez, including “I’m Real” and “Ain’t It Funny.” With Ashanti, Ja Rule landed another hit with “Always on Time,” and she, as a solo artist, charted with “Foolish,” “Rain on Me” and “Mesmerize.”

Before launching Murder Inc. in New York City in 1998, Gotti worked as an A&R at Def Jam, where he helped bring DMX, Jay-Z and Ja Rule to the label. Under the moniker DJ Irv, he produced the song “Can I Live” from Jay-Z’s 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt.

Later called The Inc., Vanessa Carlton signed with the label and Gotti co-produced her 2007 album, Heroes and Thieves, with Rick Rubin and Third Eye Blind’s Stephan Jenkins.

Gotti’s production credits extend to records by Kanye West, Memphis Bleek, Fat Joe and Christina Milian. He also released several albums under his own name.

“Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers who was hip-hop,” says Lyor Cohen, who held chief executive roles at the label from 1988 to 2004 and was a presence from its nascent days (he currently serves as global head of music at YouTube). “When we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very tight beautiful family from Queens and it’s an honor and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed.”

His career faced some setbacks in the mid-2000s due to an FBI investigation — and a raid of Murder Inc.’s offices — into alleged ties with drug kingpin Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff. Though ultimately acquitted, the case damaged Murder Inc.’s reputation. In recent years, Gotti had reinvented himself, expanding into television with the creation of BET’s Tales, an anthology series blending hip-hop and storytelling.

Gotti is survived by his three children, Angie, Sonny and Jonathan Wilson; his mother, Nee Nee Lorenzo; sisters Tina and Angie; and his brother Chris Lorenzo, with whom he co-founded Murder Inc.

Reaction to news of his death from across the music world was swift. See some of the tributes on social media below.

50 Cent posted a photo on Instagram of himself smoking next to a grave headstone that reads “RIP.” He added in the caption, “I’m smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him LOL.”

Mike Ratledge obit

"He was the backbone of Soft Machine." Founding member and keyboard player Mike Ratledge dead at 81

 Soft Machine's longest-serving member Mike Ratledge, who also worked with Syd Barrett and Kevin Ayers, has died after a short illness

He was not on the list.

Soft Machine founding member and keyboard player Mike Ratledge has died aged 81, after a short illness. The news was confirmed by his former bandmate and current Soft Machine guitarist John Etheridge.

In a Facebook post, Etheridge wrote, "Incredibly sad news that my great friend and Soft Machine legend passed away two hours ago after a brief illness. Mike was the backbone of Soft Machine in the early years and a man with an absolutely incisive mind - a marvellous composer and keyboardist. A real renaissance man - so talented, cultured, charming - and a wonderful companion.

"We used to meet every few weeks for over 40 years - a treat for me. What a loss to all of us and his sisters and wonderful girlfriend Elena, who were with him at the end."

With his distinctive hairstyle, moustache and trademark dark glasses, Ratledge was, for many, the most easily identifiable member of Soft Machine, with whom he remained from their 1966 debut album through to 1976's Softs album.

"Cool as f...," is how Prog writer and Canterbury Scene fan Sid Smith paid tribute to Ratledge earlier today. "He had such a distinctive and inventive voice as a soloist. I count myself lucky to have seen him play several times. A brilliant composer."

Ratledge was born in Maidstone in Kent on May 6, 1943. He was schooled in classical music from a young. age, the only music his headmaster father would allow to be played in the family home. He attended the Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury – soon to become a hotbed of burgeoning progressive musical talent – where, through his friend Brian Hopper, he met Robert Wyatt and Hopper's brother Hugh.

In turn, they met Australian poet and musician Daevid Allen in 1961, who turned the young budding musicians on to jazz. By 1963 Ratledge was performing with Allen in the Daevid Allen Trio, but decided to concentrate on his studies when his friends formed the catalystic The Wilde Flowers, which would also feature the likes of Kevin Ayers as well as Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, Dave Sinclair and Richard Sinclair, who would all go on to form Caravan.

Ratledge formed Soft Machine with Ayers, Allen, Wyatt and guitarist Larry Nowlin in 1966. Nowlin soon quit, leaving the band as a quartet who became regulars on the growing London underground scene often playing alongside the likes of Pink Floyd. The quartet recorded some demos, from which came their debut single Love Makes Sweet Music. However by the time they came to record their debut album, Allen was in France launching Gong, having been denied re-entry to the UK.

1968's Soft Machine was recorded as trio, with former road manager Hugh Hopper filling in on bass. The band toured the US with Jimi Hendrix with future Police guitarist Andy Summers, but he and then Ayers both left and Ratledge, Wyatt continued with Hugh Hopper. The trio recorded Volume Two in 1969 and also featured on Syd Barrett's solo debut The Madcap Laughs.

The band were pioneers of both progressive rock and jazz fusion and operated an almost constantly shifting line-up, with Ratledge as the mainstay. Over the years such notable musicians as Elton Dean, Karl Jenkins, Allan Holdsworth, John Marshall, Roy Babbington and more.

Ratledge left Soft Machine in 1976, following the release of their Softs album. He would work with Mike Oldfield, composer David Bedford, Soft Machine colleague Karl Jenkins, and recorded film soundtracks, including 1977's experimental Riddle Of The Sphinx. Although he kept a relatively low profile regarding his Soft Machine exploits, he was active as a composer and musical producer for commercials and the theatre.

Leonardo Pavkovic of MoonJune Records, who has worked with many members of Soft Machine over the years, paid tribute, saying, "Mike Ratledge was my favourite keyboard player by far, the man who left the live music business almost 5 decades ago, leaving an eternal legacy of a true legend. One of my favourite musicians of all time. And I was really looking forward to seeing him again.

"The world is a sad and weird place right now, and this adds to the general sadness, and I was curious to know by the man himself, what Mike would think about what is going on in the world. He was one of the most knowledgeable, wise and read people I have ever met."

Howard Twilley obit

University of Tulsa mourns Hall of Famer Howard Twilley

 

He was not on the list.

TULSA, Okla. — The University of Tulsa announced former football player Howard Twilley passed away at 81.

Twilley set numerous NCAA receiving records in 1964 and 1965, catching 261 passes for 3,343 yards and 32 touchdowns in his career at TU.

His school record for career receiving yards stood for nearly 60 years, until being surpassed in 2022 by Keylon Stokes, the university said.

Twilley had 95 receptions for 1,178 yards and 12 TDs in 1964, and 134 catches for 1,779 yards and 16 TDs in 1965, while leading Tulsa to Bluebonnet Bowl appearances in each of those two seasons.

Twilley was also a two-time All-American and finished his career as the 1965 Heisman Trophy runner-up.

Twilley was inducted into the Tulsa Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1995. His jersey, No. 81, was retired by the university.

Twilley also won two Super Bowls and played in three with the Miami Dolphins. He played for the team from 1966 to 1976.

He was a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1966 to 1976. He played college football for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and was the runner up for the Heisman Trophy in 1965. Twilley and tackle Norm Evans were the only two players on the original 1966 Dolphins squad to play on the 1972 Dolphins team that had the NFL's only perfect season and won Super Bowl VII.

After Twilley's football career ended, he pursued a career in business. He owned 28 The Athlete's Foot sporting goods stores before selling them in 1990, and worked in an investment firm. In 1994, he actively considered a run for the United States House of Representatives to succeed Jim Inhofe in Oklahoma's 1st congressional district when Inhofe decided to run for the United States Senate but he ultimately decided to support the candidacy of another conservative Republican former NFL star, Steve Largent. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1995

Will Cagle obit

Modified Legend Will Cagle, 86, Passes Away

 

He was not on the list.

Will Cagle, one of the greatest of the Florida-based Modified drivers that invaded the northern dirt and paved tracks of the 1960s into the 80s, has passed away following a fall at his home in Tampa on January 27 and complication that developed afterwards at the hospital. A story in the AARN February 4th edition informed of him being in critical condition.

Will’s wife Barbara, always with him in racing and life during their 67 years of marriage, was by his side along with other members of his family. Barbara was the love of Will’s life, he was also very proud of his children Bill, Cindy and Vicki; grandchildren Chad, Gerry and Richie; and three great grandchildren.

Barbara said that Will had entered the hospital with a head injury after falling, and then complications developed. Will was 86-years-old, but has always been young at heart and active long after he stopped competing.

He has not only won in Modifieds but also with Supermodifieds, Late Models and open-cockpit cars. Barbara, who has consistently kept records on Will’s career, has documented that he has 498 wins going back to the 1950s, between the Northeast, Florida and southern tracks, and recently discovered three more for the total.

In fact, Will Cagle was recognized as one of the “Top 25 Dirt Modified Drivers of the 20th Century” in a Area Auto Racing News poll, with a panel of key journalists who covered racing in that era offering their opinions, in 1999… and was ranked number seven in that esteemed group of racers. Then, in recognition of the 50th year of Area Auto Racing News, he was honored as being one of the overall “Top-10 Race Drivers In the 50-Year History Of Area Auto Racing News.”

And, he has been honored with induction in many racing Halls of Fame in the north and in his native Florida.

Whether in his own, signature No. 24 Modifieds; or in cars fielded by others that had his own “special touch” for handling or under the hood, Will made his living as a professional race driver.

He first came north to race in 1959, towing a Sprint Car that he intended to run on the Pa. region tracks. But his path changed when he began driving the No. 2 Modified fielded by New Jersey’s Lucky Jordan. Barbara recalled that Will “picked up the ride with Lucky after seeing the Modified parked at his house. He stopped in to talk with him, and was offered the ride!”

Cagle immediately gained success with Lucky, initially winning Sportsman (small-block Modified) features at N.J.’s Old Bridge Speedway half-mile paved oval with the No. 2 through 1960. Although he would head back to his Florida home for the winter, the next year and in those to follow Will Cagle traveled north each spring to compete and win through the summer and autumn on the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York speedways.

While so many of Will’s wins came in his own No. 24s that spanned the coupe and coach era of the 1960s into the modern design cars of the 1980s, he triumphed for top car owners such as Jordan. That included Ken Brenn Sr., whose coupe he drove to victory in an All Star League race at Williams Grove, Pa. When Cagle took his third Eastern States 200 win at Orange County Fair Speedway in 1970 it was in the Modified of Ronnie Theil after Will’s car had been in a wreck earlier in the day. With his own No. 24, Will earned Modified crowns at Orange County from 1966 through 1970. After his retirement as an active race driver, he became OCFS’s General Manager from 1986 through 1997.

Will was champion at Pa.’s Nazareth Speedway (1967, with 40 victories between 1963 and 70) and N.J.’s East Windsor (1967, with 20 wins between 1967 and 70). He won seven times at N.J.’s Flemington Speedway between 1963 and ‘65 before becoming an Orange County regular after a dispute with Flemington’s NASCAR officiating. At N.J.’s Harmony Speedway, Cagle had 22 Modified wins… second all-time at that track, which ran betWill Cagle.tifween 1963 and 1972, behind victory leader Frankie Schneider. He also won in the Modifieds in 1965 at Pa.’s Allentown Fairgrounds.

Becoming primarily a New York State competitor, under the DIRT banner, as the 1970s unfolded, Will Cagle became a champion in the Modifieds six times at Canandaigua (Land of Legends Raceway), took three titles at Weedsport (Cayuga County) and five more at Rolling Wheels to go along with many wins on Glen Donnelly’s tough circuit of that era.

As noted, Will had early success in New Jersey at Old Bridge Speedway… having always been ultra-smooth on asphalt, first in the south as a young driver and then when he came north. In 1966, he won the Modified Race of Champions at Langhorne in the second year that legendary track became a paved mile. And he raced with success in the Modifieds during the early to mid-1960s on the New Jersey hardtop tracks of Atco, Fort Dix (the original New Egypt quarter-mile), Hightstown (quarter-mile that preceded East Windsor on that site) and Vineland’s half-mile. And, along with Langhorne, he competed in Modifieds on the major paved tracks of Daytona, Dover and Trenton.

In the midst of Will Cagle’s great career it almost ended in a freak mishap in August 1985. That’s when his left leg and knee were severely injured in a race at Weedsport when the driveshaft in his Modified broke and came up into the car. He not only recovered, but came back to compete successfully before ultimately leaving the driver seat for a long-term role in track management that along with Orange County included N.Y. ‘s Can-Am and Thunder Alley; and Fla.’s East Bay Speedway.

But Will Cagle never totally “retired” from race driving! He came back to compete in Legend Cars… running in the sedan of Rick Haring during a weekend in 2008 at Pa.’s Big Diamond, Grandview and Lincoln. In July 2010 he raced in the “Legend Car Million” on the inner quarter-mile oval at N.C.’s Charlotte Motor Speedway. There, he drove in the “Masters” division and finished third in the feature in a field of 30 starters.

And, at age 77 in 2016, he drove a TQ Midget fielded by Blu Metz during the Indoor Race at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa. But more than being back at the wheel of a race car that weekend, Will Cagle was in his element with the fans, many representing multiple generations who had watched him compete over the decades. Indeed, he met and chatted with hundreds of them at that Indoor event, sharing their memories and signing autographs on a special photo card that depicted Will standing alongside his fabled white, fuel-injected No. 24 coupe in the pit area at Nazareth Speedway in the 1960s.

In that “frozen in time” photo stood a man who defined the term “racing professional.”

“Driving a race car was how I supported my family, and it gave me a great life with Barbara and our children,” reflected Will when we spoke over the phone last summer, as to his determination that made him a winner not only on the track but in life. “But to do that, I had to be fully committed to that lifestyle… and Barbara was right there with me at the track and in the shop, with our family.

“I always tried to take care of myself physically, and never smoked or drank… to race like I did I needed to be in perfect health.

“When I raced in the north, I would run three and four nights a week, sometimes in the afternoon and then many miles away at a track at night, along with doing the work on the car at the track or in the shop.

“To be successful, I knew that I had to ‘eat and sleep’ racing. In my way of thinking, there was no other way. It was the racing life.”

Sid Ahmed Ghozali obit

Algeria's former Prime Minister Sid Ahmed Ghozali dies at 88

 He was not on the list.

ALGIERS — Former Prime Minister Sid Ahmed Ghozali passed away on Tuesday at 88 years of age, according to his close relatives.

He was the Prime Minister of Algeria from 1991 to 1992.

He was a member of the National Liberation Front party and an ally of President Houari Boumedienne, under whom he served as head of Sonatrach from 1966 to 1977, when he became Minister of Energy and Industry. He was removed from this post by the new president Chadli Bendjedid in 1979, becoming ambassador to France, but was brought back in 1988 as Minister of Finance until 1989, then foreign minister until 1991. On 5 June 1991 he succeeded Mouloud Hamrouche as Prime Minister; he remained Prime Minister following the January 1992 resignation of Bendjedid and takeover by the military, but he resigned on 8 July that year, shortly after the assassination of Mohammed Boudiaf. He ran for president in the 1999 elections, and attempted to do so again in 2004, but was disqualified by the Constitutional Council.

John Shumate obit

Former Suns forward, assistant coach John Shumate dead at 72

 

He was not on the list.

Former Phoenix Suns first-round draft pick John Shumate, who also served in the team’s front office and as Mercury head coach, died Monday morning at the age of 72, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro and the South Bend Tribune’s Tom Noie.

Shumate was drafted by Phoenix with the fourth overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. He did not appear during the 1974-75 season due to a blood clot found in his lung. Shumate eventually made it on the court the following season but only played in 43 games for Phoenix before being dealt to the Buffalo Braves midseason for Garfield Heard and draft capital.

Shumate also spent time with the Detroit Pistons (1977-79), Houston Rockets (1979-80), San Antonio Spurs (1980) and Seattle Supersonics (1981).

Shumate’s post-playing career included an assistant coach gig at Notre Dame after his NBA retirement in 1981. He got his first shot as a head coach at Grand Canyon where he went 57-34 from 1983-86 before a seven-year run at SMU from 1988-95. He finished 78-118 in his SMU tenure.

From there, Shumate served as assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors from 1995-98. He returned to Phoenix as a community relations representative in 1998, eventually moving into a college scouting role for the Suns in 2000.

Shumate then took over as the Mercury’s head coach in 2003. He coached Phoenix to an 8-26 mark before leaving that post to rejoin the Suns’ front office as a college scout.

Shumate got back into coaching during the 2009-10 season as a Suns assistant under then-head coach Alvin Gentry. He later served as a scout once more after his one season as a Suns assistant.

Shumate, the son of a minister, was born on April 6, 1952, in Greenville, South Carolina. Shumate grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and played high school basketball at Thomas Jefferson High School. He was a high school All-American in his senior year. He starred in the Sonny Hill League in Philadelphia.

Career history

As player:

1975–1976      Phoenix Suns

1976–1977      Buffalo Braves

1977–1979      Detroit Pistons

1979–1980      Houston Rockets

1980    San Antonio Spurs

1981    Seattle SuperSonics

As coach:

1983–1986      Grand Canyon Antelopes

1988–1995      SMU

1995–1998      Toronto Raptors (assistant)

2003    Phoenix Mercury

2009–2010      Phoenix Suns (assistant)

Career highlights and awards

As player:

NBA All-Rookie First Team (1976)

Consensus first-team All-American (1974)

As head coach:

 

SWC regular season champion (1993)

Rich Dauer obit

Rich Dauer, Orioles Hall of Famer and former Astros coach, dies at 72

Dauer helped Baltimore win the World Series in 1983

He was not on the list.

The Baltimore Orioles have announced the death of Rich Dauer, a former big-league infielder and coach who was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2012. Dauer, 72, was roughly two years removed from suffering a massive stroke.

Dauer spent all 10 of his seasons as a player with the Orioles. He hit .257/.310/.343 for his career, compiling 43 home runs and six stolen bases along the way. Dauer played in two World Series with the Orioles, appearing in all five games as part of the club's championship victory in 1983 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Said title ensured Dauer a special place in baseball history, as he became one of the few players to win both an MLB and a College World Series championship. He'd previously won two CWS at Southern Cal.

Dauer later transitioned to coaching, filling various roles for five different teams. Most notably, he served as the Houston Astros' first-base coach from 2015-17. Dauer, perhaps infamously, required emergency brain surgery to repair a subdural hematoma that almost killed him during the Astros' 2017 World Series championship parade.

In addition to all of Dauer's actual baseball accomplishments, he also appeared as a coach in the 1988 movie Stealing Home that starred Mark Harmon, Jodie Foster, and Harold Ramis, among others.

He was primarily a second baseman and also played third base. Following his career as a player, he spent 19 seasons as an MLB coach for numerous teams, winning the World Series in 2017 as the first base coach for the Houston Astros. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012.

Born on July 27, 1952, in San Bernardino, California, Dauer graduated from Colton High School in Colton, California, in 1970. He played college baseball for the Indians of San Bernardino Valley College and transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), where he was an All-American at third base. He helped the USC Trojans win the College World Series in 1973 and 1974, USC's fifth consecutive title and sixth in seven years.

Selected in the first round of the 1974 MLB draft in early June, Dauer was the 24th overall pick and began his pro career in the Single-A South Atlantic League with the Asheville Tourists. He moved up to the Rochester Red Wings of the Triple-A International League (IL) late in the 1975 season. The following season with the Red Wings, he won the league batting title with a .336 average, was named Rookie of the Year and shared Most Valuable Player honors with Mickey Klutts and Joe Lis.[8] He was called up by the Orioles that year and struggled, getting only four hits in 39 at bats.

Dauer's struggles continued at the start of 1977, as he had just one hit in his first 41 at bats. He began the year as the Orioles' starting second baseman but lost the role to Billy Smith. He credited Brooks Robinson and Lee May with helping him out, saying, "You can't make it in the Majors by yourself. By the end of the year, he had regained the second base job from Smith. He batted .243 with 74 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs, and 25 RBIs in 96 games while compiling a .982 fielding percentage at second base.

Dauer played in the 1979 postseason. The Orioles defeated the California Angels in four games in the best-of-five 1979 American League Championship Series to secure the pennant, Baltimore's first since 1971. In the 1979 World Series, the Orioles built a 3–1 lead, then lost the last three games to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dauer's home run in Game 7 provided the O's only run of the game.

Dauer was given the nickname "Wacko" by Jim Palmer because of his sense of humor. During the Orioles' pursuit of the Milwaukee Brewers for the 1982 American League East title, he inspired his teammates with the rallying cry "Let's win one for the Duck" which was based on "Win one for the Gipper" and Earl Weaver's lame duck status as manager because of his impending retirement following the season.

He also played in the 1983 World Series, won by the Orioles over the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. He, along with Todd Cruz and Rick Dempsey, were regularly in the bottom third of the batting order and were affectionately known as "The Three Stooges", a moniker coined by Ken Singleton. Dauer was "Larry", Cruz was "Curly" and Dempsey was "Moe". Dauer's best postseason performance was in the 5–4 Game 4 win when he went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI, including the one which accounted for the margin of victory.

Dauer holds two American League single season fielding records for a second baseman, including 86 consecutive errorless games and 425 straight errorless chances, both set in 1978.

Teams

As player

Baltimore Orioles (1976–1985)

As coach

 

Cleveland Indians (1990–1991)

Kansas City Royals (1997–2002)

Milwaukee Brewers (2003–2005)

Colorado Rockies (2009–2012)

Houston Astros (2015–2017)

Career highlights and awards

2× World Series champion (1983, 2017)

Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame

Barbie Hsu obit

Barbie Hsu Dies: Taiwanese Actress Of ‘Meteor Garden’ Fame Was 48

 

She was not on the list.

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, who starred in hit 2001 series Meteor Garden, has died from pneumonia at the age of 48.

Her sister, Dee Hsu, confirmed her death to local Taiwanese media through a statement and said that Barbie Hsu passed away from pneumonia after falling ill during a family trip to Japan.

Barbie and Dee Hsu began their careers together in a pop duo, before picking up TV hosting and acting roles.

Barbie Hsu, who had a history of epilepsy and heart disease, was hospitalised previously due to seizures.

Hsu also starred in TV series like Summer’s Desire and Corner With Love, as well as films like Reign of Assassins and Motorway.

Taiwan‘s Meteor Garden was a series adaptation of a 1990s Japanese comic of the same name. Hsu played Shan Cai, a teenager from a middle-class family who attends an elite private school and becomes caught in a love web with the heirs of wealthy families.

Hsu’s four male Meteor Garden co-stars later formed the Taiwanese boyband F4, which became one of the most popular Mandopop groups in the 2000s.

Hsu was married to South Korean singer DJ Koo, and had two children from a previous marriage.

David Edward Byrd obit

David Edward Byrd, Famed Rock and Broadway Poster Artist, Dies at 83

He did iconic work for Jimi Hendrix, The Who, KISS, ‘Follies,’ ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ ‘Godspell’ and much more 

He was not on the list.

David Edward Byrd, who created psychedelic posters for Jimi Hendrix, The Who and Grateful Dead shows and for such Broadway productions as Follies, Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar and Little Shop of Horrors, has died. He was 83.

Byrd died Monday at a hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, rep Jerry Digney announced. Jolino Beserra, his partner of 40 years, said on Facebook that he died of pneumonia.

One of the foremost graphic artists of 20th century pop culture, Byrd did lots of work for rock promoter Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, which opened in the East Village in Manhattan in 1968, and designed a poster for the original Woodstock festival (it turned out it wasn’t used when the event was moved). He designed posters for The Rolling Stones’ tour of the U.S. in 1969 and The Who’s performance of their rock opera Tommy at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1971 and album covers for Lou Reed’s Sally Can’t Dance in 1974 and the members of KISS in 1978.

He also worked with such other acts as Janis Joplin, Iron Butterfly, Frank Zappa, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ravi Shankar, Traffic, Prince and Van Halen, and his Broadway résumé included posters for Murder Among Friends, The Robber Bridegroom and The Grand Tour.

Born on April 4, 1941, in Cleveland, Tennessee, Byrd was raised in Miami Beach, Florida, before he attended Carnegie-Mellon, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. For a dozen years starting in 1990, he taught art at the Pratt Institute in New York.

After moving to Los Angeles, Byrd created artwork for the Mark Taper Forum and Pasadena Playhouse, among other venues; was an illustrator for Warner Bros.; and teamed with author J.K. Rowling to create visuals for the Harry Potter films.

A retrospective of his work can be seen in the 2023 book Poster Child: The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd.

P.H. Moriarty obit

Tributes pour in as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star P.H Moriarty dies aged 85

 He was not on the list.

The Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star, best known for his turn in 1980s gangster film The Long Good Friday, passed away beside his wife in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Confirming his death, charity Orchid Cancer said: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of P.H. Moriarty.

“He was a talented actor best known for his roles in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and The Long Good Friday.

“A gifted voice actor and a dedicated supporter of Orchid, his contributions and unwavering commitment will always be remembered.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Born in Deptford, London in 1938, Moriarty originally worked as a boxer and dock worker before finding his place on the silver screen in his 50s.

Following his decision to become an actor, he adopted the name P.H Moriaty - to avoid confusion with fellow actor Paul Moriarty.

He starred in a slew of British classics including Quadrophenia, Scum, A Sense of Freedom, The Riddle and Evil Never Dies.

His career ended in 2021 with his turn in Ian Jarvis’ Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins.

Fans have flooded social media with tributes to the star since his death was confirmed.

One wrote: "Sad to hear about the passing today of actor PH Moriarty, aka Razors in The Long Good Friday."

Another said: "So sorry to hear of the passing of P. H. Moriarty absolute gentleman "Razor" to some "Harry the hatchet" to others."

Filmography

Television

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1978    Law & Order                Television miniseries

1979    Play for Today  David Bray       Episode: "Billy"

1980    Bloody Kids     Police 1            Television film

1980    Fox       Wesley Episode: "Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble"

1981    The Chinese Detective            Rose     Episode: "Release"

1982    The Gentle Touch        Dealer Episode: "One of Those Days"

1982    Bird of Prey     Security Guard 2 episodes

1982    BBC2 Playhouse           Taylor  Episode: "Jake's End"

1982    Strangers         Jimmy McNemany      Episode: "With These Gloves You Can Pass Through Mirrors (Part 2)"

1982    The Professionals        Harris  Episode: "Operation Susie"

1982    The Nation's Health    Chris Hogan     4 episodes

1984    Number One   Mike the Throat          Television film

1986    The Monocled Mutineer         Wall Eye          Episode: "Before the Shambles"

1989    Screen One      Anthony James May    Episode: "The Accountant"

1990    Dear Sarah      Warder Deans Television film

1990    The Paradise Club       Evil Jim Dalton Episode: "Lord of the Flies"

1991    Palmer Clayton            Television film

1991    For the Greater Good  DAC Spittal      Episode: "Member"

1997    Thief Takers     Max     Episode: "After the Goldrush"

1989–2000      The Bill Various            4 episodes

2000    Frank Herbert's Dune  Gurney Halleck           3 episodes

2003    Frank Herbert's Children of Dune       Gurney Halleck           3 episodes

2004    Doctors            Archie Reece   Episode: "Rolling Stone"

2005    Judge John Deed         Steve Gross      3 episodes

2005    GB3-Being Young        Mr. Elak           Television film

Film

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1979    Quadrophenia Villain Club Barman   

1979    Scum   Hunt   

1980    The Long Good Friday Razors 

1981    A Sense of Freedom    Prison Warder

1981    Outland           1st Hitman     

1983    Jaws 3  Jack Tate         

1983    Slayground       Seeley 

1992    Patriot Games Court Guard   

1992    Chaplin            Workhouse Official    

1998    Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Hatchet Harry

2005    Submerged      Chief    Video

2006    The Battersea Ripper             

2007    The Riddle       D. I. Willis        Video

2014    Evil Never Dies Eugene McCann         

2015    Persian Eyes    James  Short film

2021    Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins          Ian Jarvis         Last film role prior to death in 2025

Music videos

2021: Macky Gee - "Not That Guy (ft. Tempa T)"

Tom Kraeutler obit

Home Improvement Radio Host Tom Kraeutler Passes Away at 65

 He was not on the list.

Tom Kraeutler, host of The Money Pit syndicated radio show and home improvement expert, passed away on February 2, following complications from surgery. He was 65. Kraeutler hosted the show alongside Leslie Segrete, with whom he also authored a book.

A craftsman, educator, and advocate for consumer home safety, Kraeutler built a career helping homeowners navigate repairs, renovations, and maintenance. He and Segrete built The Money Pit to 462 affiliates, creating one of the most listened-to home improvement podcasts in the process.

In addition to his work in broadcasting, Kraeutler played a key leadership role in Scouting America, serving as Chairman of the National Marketing Support Committee. He contributed to media teams for multiple National and World Scout Jamborees, helping promote the organization’s mission of leadership, service, and outdoor adventure for young people.

Segrete commented, “When my kids were born, Tom was there in the hospital. When my husband died, he held my hand and got me back to work. He was way more than just a friend and coworker. He was family.”

The Money Pit will continue airing with Segrete as the program’s production company, Squeaky Door Productions, explores options for a new host.

Gene Barge obit

Legendary saxophone player Gene 'Daddy G' Barge dies at 98

Mr. Barge, who also acted in bit roles in films such as “The Fugitive” and “Under Siege,” played sax until he was 92, said his daughter.

 

He was not on the list.

Saxophonist Gene “Daddy G” Barge, who toured with The Rolling Stones and Bo Diddley and produced Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf before trying his hand as actor in films like “The Fugitive” alongside Harrison Ford and “Under Siege” with Steven Seagal — died Sunday at his home in Bronzeville. He was 98.

Mr. Barge died in his sleep from natural causes, his daughter, Gina Barge, said.

“He prided himself on his arrangements but he really loved, just loved playing, the saddest part of the last six years of his life was that he wasn’t able to play sax, which was his first love,” she said. Mr. Barnes was the longtime saxophonist and vocalist for the hard-hitting Chicago Rhythm and Blues Kings, who graced the stages of area clubs and the Chicago Blues Festival over the years.

Mr. Barge, who was a longtime resident of Chatham before moving to Bronzeville about 13 years ago to be closer to his daughter, grew up in Norfolk, Virginia.

He moved to Chicago in the 1960s to become a staff musician and producer with Chess Records.

His first big break came when the tune “Quarter to Three” — which Mr. Barge arranged and Gary U.S. Bonds sang — shot up the charts in 1961. He later played on Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me.”

In addition to touring with the Rolling Stones, Mr. Barge also took to the road with Fats Domino, Bo Diddley and his good friend, Buddy Guy.

Mr. Barge was friends with film director Andrew Davis, a Chicago native who cast him in several of his films, including 1993’s “The Fugitive” in which he played a Chicago cop, and “Under Siege” iin 1992 in which he portrayed a naval officer.

In “The Fugitive,” he played a Chicago cop who, standing behind a two-way mirror as Ford’s character is interrogated in the murder of his wife, proclaims: “His fingerprints are all over the lamp, the gun and the bullets, and the good doctor’s skin is under her fingernails.” The final scenes of the movie were filmed at the Hilton Chicago, down the street from Buddy Guy’s Legends blues bar.

“Buddy was a great friend of Gene and Tommy Lee Jones (who also starred in the movie) ended up spending a lot of time at Legends to the point where he’d be over there having lunch and we’d have to send someone to drag him back to the set,” Davis said, when reached on Tuesday.

The first film they worked on was 1978’s “Stony Island,” a shoestring-budget project in which Mr. Barge played a veteran musician helping a group of young South Siders pull together a band.

Davis, who was connected to Mr. Barge through a mutual acquaintance, enjoyed telling people on set, “Do you realize who this guy is? The music he’s made? Who he’s worked with?”

“He blew his horn very well, but not when it came to talking about himself, so we’d toot it for him,” Davis said.

Though Mr. Barge started on the clarinet as a kid, the saxophone that would become his signature instrument entered his life in a most unique way.

A British ship, torpedoed in the Atlantic toward the end of World War II but not sunk, ended up in the shipyard where Mr. Barge’s father, James Barge Sr., worked as a welder. His father found the water-soaked instrument as he worked on the ship, fixed it up and gave it to his 20-year-old son, who had recently completed his service in the Air Force as a radio operator.

Mr. Barge played the instrument nine hours a day and was largely self-taught.

“He was a very integral part of [Chicago’s] Chess Records, which was a very special place, and Gene was one of the people who made it special,” said record producer Marshall Chess, the son of Leonard Chess, who co-founded the record company.

An entire wall of Mr. Barge’s home was dedicated to the gold records he earned, many through his work as a producer with songstress Natalie Cole.

Barge toured and played with such notables as Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Big Joe Turner, LaVern Baker, Ray Charles, Chuck Willis, the Rolling Stones, Gary U.S. Bonds, and Natalie Cole; and he had roles in major movies starring Gene Hackman, Chuck Norris, Harrison Ford and Steven Seagal. He has also toured in recent years under the pseudonym 'Daddy G.'

Barge also acted in a handful of films, including Under Siege and The Fugitive.

Mr. Barge’s wife, Sarah Barge, died in 2008. The couple had been married for more than 40 years.

Actor

Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher in The Guardian (2006)

The Guardian

6.9

Sax - Chicago Catz

2006

 

Morgan Freeman and Keanu Reeves in Chain Reaction (1996)

Chain Reaction

5.7

James Washington

1996

 

Harrison Ford in The Fugitive (1993)

The Fugitive

7.8

11th District Cop

1993

 

Steven Seagal in Under Siege (1992)

Under Siege

6.5

Bail Jumper

1992

 

The Package (1989)

The Package

6.4

Secret Service Agent

1989

 

Steven Seagal in Above the Law (1988)

Above the Law

6.0

Detective Henderson

1988

 

Chuck Norris in Code of Silence (1985)

Code of Silence

6.0

Music

1985

 

Stony Island (1978)

Stony Island

6.7

Percy Price

1978

 

Music Department

Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr., Isaac Hayes, Jesse Jackson, Tito Jackson, and Jackson 5 in Save the Children (1973)

Save the Children

7.0

musical director

1973

 

Thanks

Legacy: From Horns to House (2020)

Legacy: From Horns to House

additional thanks

2020

In addition to his daughter Gina, Mr. Barge is survived by another daughter, Gail Florence, as well as two grandchildren and several great grandchildren.

Services are pending.

Brian Murphy obit

Sitcom actor Brian Murphy dies aged 92

 He was not on the list.

Brian Murphy, the actor and comedian best known for his role in the 1970s British sitcoms Man About the House and George and Mildred, has died aged 92.

Murphy, who passed away at his home in Kent on Sunday morning, worked closely with theatre director Joan Littlewood throughout his early career.

More recently, he appeared in episodes of BBC medical drama Holby City, sketch programme The Catherine Tate Show and ITV sitcom Benidorm, as well as comedy show Last of the Summer Wine.

Paying tribute to his "talent and humanity", Murphy's friend and agent Thomas Bowington described him as a "joyful and profoundly good-hearted man".

Born on the Isle of Wight in 1932, Murphy's acting career began in the 1950s when he became a member of the pioneering Theatre Workshop.

Founded by Joan Littlewood and her partner Gerry Raffles, it was dedicated to modernising theatre and reaching working-class audiences.

Murphy performed in many Shakespeare productions directed by Littlewood, and acted in her only feature film, the kitchen sink comedy Sparrows Can't Sing.

He was best known for his role in Man About the House, an ITV sitcom exploring the dynamics of one man and two women flat-sharing in the 1970s.

He went on to star in the spin-off George and Mildred, in which Murphy played a henpecked George Roper opposite fellow Theatre Workshop actress Yootha Joyce as his wife.

He is survived by his wife, Hi-de-Hi! actress Linda Regan, and his two sons.

Ms Regan said: "I was lucky to have in my lifetime found my soulmate, Brian, who I will love forever."

Filmography

Film

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1963    Sparrows Can't Sing    Jack    

1964    Love and Maud Carver           Guardsman     

1965    San Ferry Ann  British Tourist at Garage        

1969    The Activist     Member of Steering Committee       

1971    The Devils       Adam  

The Boy Friend            Peter  

1972    The Ragman's Daughter         Tony's Father  

1974    Man About the House George Roper 

1976    I'm Not Feeling Myself Tonight           Caretaker       

1979    The Plank        Truck Driver   

1980    George and Mildred    George Roper 

1981    Black Jack        Archibald        

1982    It's Your Move Chauffeur       

1997    Day Release                

2000    The Mumbo Jumbo     Mr. Tipple       

2003    The Booze Cruise        Maurice Stringer        

2005    Room 36          George Roberts          

2005    The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure Hunt          Maurice Stringer        

2006    The Booze Cruise III: The Scattering  

2011    Grave Tales      Arthur 

The Estate       Geoff  

2012    Blitz and Bananas        Clarence Spratt           

Run For Your Wife       Allotment Man            Cameo

Television

Year     Title     Role     Notes

1960    Probation Officer        Max Fletcher   Episode: "#2.1"

1961    The Avengers   Haslam            Episode: "The Springers"

The Interrogator          Corporal Doggart        TV film

1962    Z-Cars  Wallace Brackett         2 episodes

1963    ITV Television Playhouse         Man with Alsatian       Episode: "The Wedding Dress"

The Plane Makers       Sorbo   Episode: "Costigan's Rocket"

1964    Six        Mr. Gowing      Episode: "The Diary of a Nobody: The Domestic Jottings of a City Clerk"

1965    Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life        Various            24 episodes

A World of Comedy     Motorist          2 episodes

Blackmail        Talbut  Episode: "Cobb"

1966    Hope and Keen                        Episode: "S.S. Bounty"

Drama 61-67   Nick     Episode: "Drama '66: A Hero of Modern Industry"

Blackmail        Fletcher           Episode: "Vacant Possession"

1967    The White Rabbit        Perkins Episode: "The Beginning"

Baker's Half-Dozen      Various            5 episodes

1968    Love Story       Party guest      Episode: "S for Sugar, A for Apple, M for Missing"

Resurrection    Kriltsov            2 episodes

1969    Sez Les Various            12 episodes

1970    The Misfit        The drunk        Episode: "On Protest"

ITV Playhouse  Driver  Episode: "A Sound from the Sea"

1972    The Moonstone           Septimus Luker           3 episodes

Callan  Reeves Episode: "None of Your Business"

Alcock and Gander      Pluthero           Episode: "Soho Is Too Small"

Dixon of Dock Green   Percy Sinclair  Episode: "Ada"

1973    The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club        Detective         Episode: "Mr. Oliver"

1973–1976      Man About the House George Roper  All 39 episodes

1974    South Riding   Mr Hubbard     Episode: "In Sickness and in Health"

1976–1979      George and Mildred    George Roper  All 38 episodes

1981    The Incredible Mr Tanner       Ernest Tanner  All 6 episodes

Theatre Box     Hubert Dibble Episode: "Reasons to Be Cheerful"

1982    L for Lester      Lester Small    All 6 episodes

1984–1985      Lame Ducks     Ansell  11 episodes

1985    On Your Way, Riley      Arthur Lucan / Old Mother Riley        TV film

1986    Reasons to Be Cheerful          King     Episode: "Charlie Chuckles"

Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go On      Amnesia          TV film

1987    All in Good Faith         Greg Sproat     Episode: "The Patience of Job"

1992    Boon    Buster  Episode: "Shot in the Dark"

1993–1997      Wizadora         Stan     Recurring series 1-4, Main series 5-7

1994    One Foot in the Grave Mr. Foskett      Episode: "The Man Who Blew Away"

1995    Brookside        George Manners         5 episodes

Next of Kin      Salesman         Episode: "Expansion"

Paul Merton's Life of Comedy Grandad's friend         2 episodes

1996    Delta Wave      Mr. Seffel         Episode: "Dodgy Jammers: Part 2"

Mike and Angelo         Mervyn K. Mertz         Episode: "An Actor's Life for Me"

1996–2000      Pond Life         Len Pond         11 episodes

1997    The Famous Five         Mr. Wooh        Episode: "Five Are Together Again"

Western Lights: Laugh Until You Die   Ricky Chapple  TV film

Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...         Father  Episode: "Visiting Day"

Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...         Uncle Arthur   Episode: "Being of Sound Mind"

1998    Jonathan Creek           Ken Speed       Episode: "Mother Redcap"

1999    Mrs Merton and Malcolm      Mr Capstick     All 6 episodes

Hilltop Hospital           Dr. Atticus        Voice; Episode: "Gracey Greyshell's Last Day"

Casualty          Walter Burnley            Episode: "To Have and to Hold"

The Bill Danny the Elf  Episode: "When the Snow Lay Round About"

2000    Sunburn           Sid Dawson      Episode: #2.2

2001    Comedy Lab                Voice; Episode: "Knife & Wife"

2003–2010      Last of the Summer Wine       Alvin Smedley 73 episodes

2004    Monkey Trousers         Various            TV film

2005–2006      The Catherine Tate Show        Neville 5 episodes

2010    The Slammer  Alan     Episode: #1.12

Hustle  Larry    Episode: "The Thieving Mistake"

Paul O'Grady Live        Alvin    Episode: #1.6

Benidorm        Clive Mitchell  Episode: "Christmas Special"

2011    White Van Man           Albert  Episode: "Beginnings and Ends"

This Is Jinsy      Melty Harris    Episode: "Kelpman"

2011–2013      The Cafe          Jack Dobson     9 episodes

2013    Plebs    Victor  Episode: "Bananae"

Man Down       Mr Frank Field-Williams         Episode: "Christmas Special"

2014    It's an Unknown World           George Timemile        Unknown episodes

Holby City        Charlie Evans   Episode: "The Art of Losing"

2016    Casualty          Frank Haines   Episode: "Hopelessly Addicted"

2018    Claude Mr. Lovelybuns            Voice; Episode: "Gone Sock"

2019    Holby City        Buster Kitchener         Episode: "The Wrong Horse"

2020–2021      Mighty 6          Old Man L.      Voice; 2 episodes

2022    30 Years Of Laughs: Last Of The Summer Wine          Himself            Documentary

Theatre and radio

Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Christopher Bond), Theatre Royal Stratford East, Title role (Sweeney Todd), 1973

On Your Way, Riley (Alan Plater), The Queen's Theatre, Arthur Lucan (Old Mother Riley), February–March 1983

When We Are Married (J.B. Priestley), Whitehall Theatre, Herbert Soppitt, 1986

Roll on Friday (Roger Hall), Watford Palace Theatre, Jim, October 1989

From October 1987 to July 1991, Murphy played Ernest Bond in BBC Radio 4's drama series Citizens.

Murphy also played Robert Collins in an episode of the audio series of Doctor Who by Big Finish Productions in an episode entitled "The Home Guard" in November 2019

Murphy appeared for three episodes - along with his wife, Linda Regan - playing the role of Mayor, Lord Palmer, in podcast sitcom Barmy Dale