Dexter Wansel obit

Dexter Wansel, Philly soul legend with vast family legacy who produced Teddy Pendergrass’ ‘Love TKO,’ dies at 75

 

He was not on the list.

His son, Andrew “Pop” Wansel, shared the news of his death on social media, saying his father fought illness for nearly 20 years.

Days after Philadelphia’s music scene had a moment at the Roots Picnic, the community is mourning one of its brightest stars.

Dexter Wansel, a Philly soul and jazz pioneer whose work with the likes of Lou Rawls led to Grammy wins and crafted one of the most-sampled songs in hip-hop history, has died. He was 75 years old.

In an Instagram post, his son, Grammy-nominated music producer Andrew “Pop” Wansel, remarked that his father fought for 17 years before ascending beyond the astral plane.

“The space man finally made it to Mars early yesterday morning, May 31st, 2026,” Pop Wansel wrote. “He put up one hell of a fight for 17 long years and is now able to rest. This guy loved EVERYONE and he taught me to do the same. I love you all! KEEP SAMPLING HIS MUSIC! He absolutely loved that.”

He later asked for privacy and his family.

During his time at Philadelphia International Records, he released four solo efforts while also serving as a producer and songwriter for acts such as The Jacksons, Teddy Pendergrass, Rawls and Patti LaBelle. In 1976, he released “Theme from the Planets,” a synth-heavy song that became the base for several future tracks ranging from hip-hop to pop, including Eric B. & Rakim’s “I Ain’t No Joke,” J. Cole’s “Lights Please,” Ice-T’s “O.G. Original Gangster,” and more.

Among other songs Wansel produced that have been heavily sampled over the years are Pendergrass’ “Love TKO,” The Stylistics’ “Hurry Up This Way Again,” “Time Is The Teacher,” The Jones’ Girls’ “Nights Over Egypt,” and more.

The Wansel family also extended beyond music. Dexter Wansel’s sister, Teri Woods, authored one of the most talked-about urban fiction books of the 1990s, “True To The Game,” followed by several sequels and movie adaptations.

Jay Silva obit

Former UFC Fighter Jay Silva Dead at Age 45

 

He was not on the list.

Former UFC fighter Jay Silva has passed away at the age of 45, according to Fame MMA, the last promotion that he competed for.

Fame MMA announced the sad news via its social media accounts on Monday morning.

No cause of death was announced at this time.

“With immense sadness, we inform you of the death of FAME athlete Jay Silva. Jay brought great joy, positive emotions, and the professionalism of a true athlete through his performances. He will forever remain a part of our federation’s history! We extend our deepest condolences to Jay’s loved ones, family, and friends. Rest in peace!” Fame MMA wrote on Instagram.

Jay Silva Fought Twice in the UFC

Silva is most remembered by MMA fans for his two-fight stint in the UFC. In 2009, he made his UFC debut when he lost a decision to CB Dollaway, and he followed that up with another decision loss to Chris Leben, which led to his release from the organization.

The Angola native was well-traveled in MMA, however, as he fought for many different promotions all across the world.

He competed in Bellator MMA, KSW, and Golden Boy MMA. He fought notable names such as Hector Lombard, Kendall Grove, Sam Alvey, Mariusz Pudzianowski, and Michał Materla, whom he picked up a massive upset KO win over in 2013 while competing for KSW.

Silva also fought Plinio Cruz in his third career MMA bout in 2009, who later turned out to be one of the coaches of UFC superstar Alex Pereira.

Overall, Silva finished his MMA career with a 12-14-1 record. He also competed in kickboxing.

Jay Silva Finished his MMA Career With Fame MMA

At the end of his MMA career, Silva finished up his time fighting for Fame MMA in Poland.

His final MMA bout was a decision loss to Denis Labryga at Fame 25 in April 2025. He also fought in kickboxing for the promotion, with his final combat sports event being a kickboxing match against Tomasz Sarara at Fame 29 in January 2026, which he lost via decision.

Fame MMA promoter Michal “Boxdel” Baron also released the following statement on his social media this morning after his promotion revealed that Silva had passed away.

“You were a great man, Jay. Thank you for the cheerful moments on the shows, the good fights, and the private chats. We will all miss you very much,” Baron wrote on his X.

At this time of writing, no cause of death is known, though fans all over social media are wondering what happened to Silva, who turned 45 years old last week. It’s shocking and upsetting news for everyone in the MMA community, as Silva was known for being very well-liked in every organization that he fought for. It’s a big loss for the sport, and everyone who knew Silva, who watched him fight, and who trained with him, is going to miss his presence in this world.

We at Heavy extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Jay Silva during this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

Bruce P. Crandall obit

 

Congressional Medal of Honor Society Mourns the Passing of Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Bruce P. Crandall

He was not on the list.

Colonel Bruce Perry Crandall, United States Army (Ret.), a devoted husband, proud father, spirited storyteller, and cherished friend to many, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2026, at his residence at Mirabella at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. He was 93 years old. Now, there are only 63 living Medal of Honor Recipients.

Though recognized nationally for his heroism during the Vietnam War, those who knew Bruce best remember the warmth of his wit, the depth of his humility, and the fierce loyalty he gave to the people and communities he loved.

Bruce was born in Olympia, Washington, in February 1933. He grew up with a love for baseball and a strong sense of duty that would guide his life. An All-American high school athlete, he earned a scholarship to the University of Washington with hopes of one day playing professional baseball for the New York Yankees. That dream changed in 1953 when he was not drafted by the Yankees, but by the United States Army.

Bruce had already joined the Army National Guard at just 15 years old. After completing basic training at Fort Lewis, only a short distance from his hometown, he attended Engineer Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, followed by fixed-wing and helicopter flight training. Commissioned as an Army officer in 1954, his first assignment placed him with a topographical mapping unit in San Francisco, contributing to surveys of the Alaskan frontier.

His first overseas assignment came in 1956 at Wheelus Air Force Base in Libya, where he served as a flight instructor and unit test pilot while helping map the North African desert. Subsequent assignments took him to Panama and Costa Rica, where he flew thousands of miles of aerial mapping missions over previously unmapped regions of Central and South America. Later, as a platoon commander with the 11th Air Assault Division, he helped develop and refine the air assault tactics that would forever change Army aviation.

In early 1965, Bruce served with the Dominican Republic Expeditionary Force before deploying to Vietnam as a flight commander with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Known by the call sign “Ancient Serpent 6,” he quickly became affectionately known among his Soldiers as “Old Snake.”

On November 14, 1965, during the Battle of Ia Drang, Bruce led a flight of sixteen helicopters carrying Soldiers into Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley. As enemy fire intensified, follow-on aircraft were ordered to abort their mission. Recognizing that the infantry battalion on the ground desperately needed ammunition and that wounded Soldiers remained trapped under fire, Bruce made a decision that would define his legacy.

Though resupply and medical evacuation were not part of his assigned mission, he voluntarily returned to the embattled landing zone. With complete disregard for his own safety, he organized volunteer crews and repeatedly flew his unarmed helicopter into one of the most dangerous battlefields of the Vietnam War. Throughout the day and into the evening, he completed 22 flights through relentless enemy fire, delivering critical ammunition, evacuating wounded Soldiers, and inspiring fellow aviators to continue flying missions into the fight.

His actions saved countless lives, strengthened the resolve of the Soldiers on the ground, and became one of the most celebrated acts of courage in Army aviation history. For his extraordinary heroism, Bruce was awarded the Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush in 2007.

Bruce’s actions during the Battle of Ia Drang were later chronicled in the bestselling book We Were Soldiers Once… and Young by Lieutenant General Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway and portrayed in the 2002 film We Were Soldiers.

Crandall continued serving throughout the Vietnam War, including a second combat tour, and ultimately flew more than 900 combat missions. During Operation Masher in 1966, he earned recognition for rescuing 12 wounded Soldiers under fire. After being severely injured when his helicopter was shot down in 1968, he recovered and continued his Army career in a series of leadership and engineering assignments before retiring from the Army in 1977 as a lieutenant colonel.

His military decorations include the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, 24 Air Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal, and numerous other awards and commendations.

In retirement, Bruce remained a tireless ambassador for Army aviation, the Medal of Honor, and the men with whom he served. He was honored by the Air Force’s Gathering of Eagles in 1994, inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 2004, and recognized through the naming of the headquarters building of the 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in his honor.

Despite the many accolades he received, Bruce never sought recognition for himself. He consistently redirected attention to the Soldiers he served beside and the sacrifices made by those who never returned home. To the end of his life, he viewed the Medal not as a personal achievement, but as a reminder of duty, service, and the bonds forged in combat.

In the final decade of his life, Bruce was rarely seen without his beloved canine companion, Huey – appropriately named after the iconic UH-1 “Huey” helicopter he flew in combat. Faithful and inseparable, Huey accompanied Bruce through countless days, offering companionship, comfort, and no shortage of smiles. For those who knew Bruce, it was hard to imagine one without the other.

Above all else, Bruce was a family man, a loyal friend, and a humble servant whose life reflected courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, citizenship, and patriotism. Even as health challenges increased in his later years, he remained deeply committed to the Medal of Honor community and the fellowship of his fellow Recipients, making every effort to attend the 2025 Convention in Chattanooga and National Medal of Honor Day events in Washington, D.C., in 2026. His presence, humor, and friendship were cherished by those privileged to stand alongside him.

His legacy lives on in the countless lives he saved, the Soldiers he inspired, and the generations who will continue to learn from his example. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

. His actions in the battle of the Ia Drang valley were portrayed by actor Greg Kinnear in the Mel Gibson film, We Were Soldiers.

Robert Kya-Hill obit

Robert Kya-Hill

December 4, 1930 ~ May 31, 2026 (age 95) 

He was not on the list.

Robert Kya-Hill passed away on May 31, 2026, at age 95 in New Rochelle, New York.

Born Robert Hill on December 4, 1930, in Whitaker, North Carolina, he spent his early years in rural North Carolina and Virginia before moving to New York at age twelve. He later served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, where he was stationed in Germany.

A lifelong passion for the arts shaped the course of his life. Largely self-taught as a musician, he went on to study music and acting in New York, later earning a master’s degree in Theater Education from Goddard College in 1991. In his family, this love of music, learning, and performance was ever-present, woven into everyday life.

He built a wide-ranging career as an actor, director, playwright, musician, composer, and educator. He appeared in more than 140 stage productions across the United States and internationally, performing alongside artists such as James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis, and Dionne Warwick. His performances in Slaves, Purlie Victorious, and Othello drew critical acclaim, including an Obie Award nomination. He also appeared on screen in Shaft’s Big Score!, Death Wish, Good Times, and The Good Wife.

Beyond the stage, he created works exploring Black history, spirituality, and the human condition, and he taught widely, including at Hunter College, where he developed the first Black Theater studies course. He mentored students and young artists with patience, conviction, and generosity well into his later years. He served as director of the New York City Festival of the Arts, judged as a Blue ribbon panelist for the Emmy awards, and was featured in Who’s Who in America.

He will be remembered as a devoted father and grandfather, a man of deep faith, and someone whose warmth, laughter, and steady presence left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

He is survived by his daughter Bouqui, son-in-law Gero, and grandsons Eric and Luke. He was preceded in death by his cherished wife, Sally, who passed away in 2022, and they will be laid to rest together, as they wished. A small, combined memorial for both of them will be held at a later date.

 

Film and television

1961: Dark Valley - Jason

1969: The Pony Film - Father

1969: Slaves - Jericho

1970: Edge of Night (TV Series) - Apollo

1971: Another World - Frank Chadwick

1972: Shaft's Big Score! - Cal Asby

1972: Rivals - Second Policeman

1973: One Life to Live (TV Series) - Hogan

1974: Death Wish - Joe Charles

1974: Roots: The Next Generations (TV Mini-Series) - Minister

1977: The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer (TV Movie) - Henry

1978: The Perfect Gentleman - Harry Blount

1978: Good Times - J.J.'s boss

1978: Lou Grant - Foreign News Editor

1978: Eight is Enough (TV Series) - Trucking Company Owner

1978: The Critical List (TV Movie) - Judge

1980: Sanford Arms - Businessman neighbor

1980: Kaz - Ex-Convict

1997: Sue Lost in Manhattan - Willie

1999: The Shade Seller

2001: Beirut - Minister

2012: Celeste and Jesse Forever - Priest

2012: The Good Wife - Father

Stage

1963 Abe Lincoln in Illinois, as Gobey, Phoenix Theatre, New York City

1964 The Beggar's Opera, as Matt, Equity Library Theatre, New York City

1966 Winterset, as Shadow, Jan Hus Theatre, New York City

1966-67 Lost in the Stars, as Stephen Kumalo; Noah (Wakefield Mystery Plays), as Noah; King Lear, as Kent, Morris Repertory Theatre, Morristown, NJ

1967 The Merchant of Venice, as Prince of Morocco; Julius Caesar, as Pindarus, Soothsayer, American Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, CT

1968 The Ballad of Joe Smith, as Old Man, Theater for Peace, Playwrights' Workshop Club, NYC

1968 Purlie Victorious, as Purlie, Erie Playhouse, Erie, PA

1968 The Trial, as Josef K, Vanguard Theater, Pittsburgh, PA

1969 Purlie Victorious, as Purlie, Equity Library Theatre, New York City

1969 Young Martin Luther King, Jr., as Martin Luther King Jr., Performing Arts Repertory Theatre, 4 -State tour

1969 Irma La Douce, as Persil, Dallas Summer Musicals, Dallas, TX

1969 Othello, as Othello, Champlain Shakespeare Festival, Burlington, VT

1970 The Trial of A. Lincoln, as Lucius Richardson, Hartford Stage Company, Hartford, CT

1970 Poetry Now!, as Performer, Periwinkle Productions, multi-state tour

1970 Othello, as Othello, Centaur Theatre Company, Montreal, Canada

1971 F. Jasmine Addams, as T.T. Williams, Circle in the Square, New York City

1972 The Legacy, One-Man Show, Brecht West, Princeton, NJ

1973-74 Between Two Worlds, with Maureen Hurley, multi-state tour

1974-75 Revelation…for the Time is at Hand, as John, McCree Theatre, Flint, MI

1975-76 The Tempest, as Caliban; Othello as Othello, Hayman Theatre, Perth, Australia

1981 The Merchant of Venice, as Prince of Morocco, Clarence Brown Theatre, Knoxville, TN

1984 The New Mt. Olive Motel, as Sid Ross, J. Pellmann Theatre, Milwaukee, WI

1993 Take Me Along, as Dave McComber, Performing Arts Center, Inc., New York City

2002 Standard of the Breed, Chuck, The Beckmann Theatre, New York City

2002 The Phoenician Women, Kreon/Tutor, The Ohio Theatre, New York City

2003 Betty Smith in 1-Act: Vine Leaves, as Mr. Leeper; Freedom's Bird, as Sam; Lawyer Lincoln, as Judge Davis, The Royal Theatre, Williamsburg/Brooklyn, NY

2004 Sin Paradise, as Jasper, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, New York City

2005 Einstein's Secret Letters, as Paul Robeson, Soho Rep/Walker Space, New York City

2005 The Later Medead, as Aegus, Tramway Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland

2006 Medea in Aia, Section 1 of The Medead, LMCC Swing Space, New York City

2006 The Prostitute of Reverie Valley, as John, Players Loft, New York City

2007 Driving Miss Daisy, as Hoke, Riverside Theatre, Vero Beach, FL

2007 Flight, as Charlie Parker, Metropolitan Playhouse, New York City

2008 The Tunnel, as Old Man, Axial Theatre, Pleasantville, NY

2009 Union, as Dr. Jone, Axial Theatre, Pleasantville, NY

2010 Shotgun, as Dexter, Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota, FL

Henry McMahon obit

‘A real gentleman and genius’ – tributes paid after death of Irish country music star Henry McMahon of The Mainliners

 

He was not on the list.

Musician Henry McMahon, who died peacefully at home on Sunday in his native Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, leaves a significant handprint on the Irish country music scene.

The sax player co-founded Ireland’s country music supergroup The Mainliners with his lifetime friend, the iconic Big Tom McBride, as singer back in 1965.

From humble beginnings playing dinner dances and small local halls, The Mainliners, who developed their own unique sound, became one of Ireland’s biggest bands after scoring a smash hit with Gentle Mother, a song that Big Tom picked up in London from Irish emigrant brothers while working there in the 1960s. Henry had also worked in London.

In addition to his success as band leader of The Mainliners, who all lived within a short distance of each other around Castleblayney, McMahon would go on to become a prolific songwriter in the 1990s for other artists.

He also helped to launch and manage the careers of newcomers who would go on to become household names on the Irish country scene.

It was Big Tom who recorded his first batch of original songs that included The Little Hills of Monaghan, An Irish Nurse, Old Father Time and One More Christmas With You.

His songs were recorded by country queens Philomena Begley (Way Back Then) and Margo (Footsteps Through The Rosses), and he wrote Robert Mizzell’s hit, Mama Courtney.

Country star Michael English credited McMahon with his own success as a singer describing him as “a true legend in Irish entertainment and someone I owe so much to throughout my career”.

“Henry was first and foremost a real gentleman. He was also a genius in every way and started my career when he wrote The Nearest to Perfect for me,” he said.

“I honestly believe that I wouldn’t be in showbusiness today without him and that song.

“It would certainly have been much more difficult to make that start without him by my side. I was also very fortunate to have Henry manage me in the beginning.

“Henry was truly one of life’s gentlemen and will be greatly missed by so many.”

Singer Jimmy Buckley said: “Henry played a huge part in my life through his management and songwriting.

“He wrote Your Wedding Day and co-wrote My Mother with me, among numerous other great songs. He was a brilliant character and he loved life, his family and all genres of music.

“His legacy will no doubt be his songwriting and the fact that he wrote many country hits in Ireland over the last 30-plus years.

“Those of us who were fortunate enough to receive a Henry McMahon song were so lucky.

“I went to see him in the last few days and had the opportunity to thank him for the impact he had on my life as an artist and a singer, to which he smiled and said in his humble way ‘you’re very welcome Jimmy’.”

McMahon also set singer Gerry Guthrie on the country road to a successful career.

Guthrie said: “In our business you need someone who believes in you and is in your corner at all times. Henry was both of those to me, and for that I will always be grateful.”

Henry McMahon will repose at Ward’s Funeral Home, Ballybay (A75 H585), on Wednesday from 1pm until 8pm.

His funeral cortege will proceed on foot from the Big Tom Statue, Castleblayney, on Thursday at 11.30am to arrive at St Mary’s Church in Castleblayney for funeral mass at 12 noon, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Ronald LaPread obit

Ronald LaPread, former Commodores bass player, dies in Auckland aged 75

Ronald LaPread, the former bass player for the American soul band The Commodores, has died in Auckland at the age of 75.

 He was not on the list.

LaPread spent the last 40 years of his life living in New Zealand after falling in love with a Kiwi woman, Farideh, on a flight from Sydney to Auckland.

His daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, confirmed the news on social media on Sunday.

"It's with a very heavy heart that I must announce that my father Ronald LaPread has passed," she said on Instagram.

LaPread was renowned for his bass lines on classic hits including 'Brick House', 'Three Times a Lady' and 'Easy', performing alongside well-known musicians including Lionel Richie.

The Alabama native was a member of the group from 1970 to 1986 and played on 11 of its albums.

LaPread later reunited with The Commodores and Lionel Richie when they toured New Zealand in recent years, including a performance at Spark Arena last year.

He attended the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday night.

While he left the group after moving to New Zealand, LaPread remained close with his former bandmates.

In 2011 Richie invited LaPread and fellow former Commodore Thomas McClary on stage during a sold-out concert at Auckland's Vector Arena.

During a 2014 interview with Auckland-based music website 13th Floor, Richie joked that LaPread was always "practising" for a reunion whenever The Commodores or Richie visited New Zealand.

He would continue to make appearances alongside The Commodores and Richie whenever they came to tour in later years.

Away from the international spotlight, LaPread became a familiar figure in Aotearoa's music community. In a 2025 interview with World Equal magazine, he described New Zealand's music scene as diverse and collaborative, with a relaxed culture.

LaPread is survived by his wife, two sons and daughter Soraya.

Cleo Littleton obit

Wichita State legend Cleo Littleton, scoring king and trailblazer, dies at 93

 

He was not on the list.

Every summer, when Wichita State’s basketball legends returned to town, there was one appointment they tried not to miss.

It was not in Koch Arena. Not at a banquet where old box scores were pulled from memory and retold until the stories grew larger than life.

It was at Cleo Littleton’s house in east Wichita.

Aubrey Sherrod would be there. Cheese Johnson would be there. Xavier McDaniel and Antoine Carr and other former Shockers greats would make their way there, too, drawn to the man whose name had been hanging above them long before they ever pulled on a WSU jersey.

They came to visit one of the greatest players in program history. They stayed to talk about almost anything but basketball.

“I looked forward to every summer when we would get a chance to just sit and talk with him,” Sherrod said. “We had a lot of good old-time talks about life.”

Littleton, the trailblazing Wichita State legend who became the program’s career scoring leader, the first Black basketball star in WSU and Missouri Valley Conference history and a cornerstone figure in the Shockers’ rise to national relevance, died Sunday at age 93, according to his son, Barry Littleton.

“My father, the legendary Shocker Cleo Littleton, joined my beloved mother last night,” Barry Littleton wrote in a social-media post Monday. “He fought extremely hard the last 4 years, especially the last 3 months. Today I feel very broken.”

The news landed heavily across generations of Shocker basketball.

To some, Littleton was the No. 13 jersey in the rafters at Koch Arena, one of only four numbers retired by the program. To others, he was the name still sitting atop WSU’s career scoring list with 2,164 points, a record made more impressive by the era in which he played — before the 3-point line, before expanded schedules and before modern players had as many games to chase history.

To the men who came after him, he was something even more meaningful.

“Cleo paved the way for us to come to Wichita State,” Johnson said.

Littleton played for the Shockers from 1951 to 1955, when the school was still known as the University of Wichita and home games were played at the downtown Forum. The WU Field House — soon nicknamed the Roundhouse — did not open until December 1955, after Littleton had already completed one of the most consequential careers in school history.

He was 6-foot-3, graceful, quick and durable. He was coached by Ralph Miller at Wichita East, then followed Miller to WU, where he became the foundation of the Shockers’ first real climb into college basketball prominence.

Littleton averaged at least 18 points in all four of his seasons. He still owns the WSU freshman scoring record at 18.5 points per game. He led the Shockers to a 27-4 record in the 1953-54 season and the program’s first postseason appearance in the NIT. He remains the only men’s basketball player in Valley history to be named first-team all-conference four times.

He also played in 184 consecutive games without missing one from his sophomore year at Wichita East through his senior season at WU, a stretch that included helping lead East to the 1951 Class AA state championship over Newton.

He was drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1955, but Littleton stayed in Wichita to play for the Vickers AAU team and begin a career that would take him into banking, oil and construction.

Those numbers made him a legend.

What he endured made him a pioneer.

In 1951, Littleton became the first Black basketball player to play in road games in the Missouri Valley Conference. It was a distinction that came with pain. Other programs either refused to recruit Black athletes or sharply limited how many they would allow on their rosters. On road trips, Littleton could not stay in the same hotel as his teammates. WU would make arrangements for him to stay with a Black family in the city where the Shockers were playing. When the team ate together, even in Wichita, restaurants sometimes seated the Shockers in the back because Littleton was with them.

He absorbed vicious verbal abuse on the road. He carried the weight of being first in an era when first often meant alone.

“What is incredible to me is that he stayed strong and committed to what he believed in,” Sherrod said. “You learn about the conditions and some of the things he had to overcome and that had such a big impact for myself being an African-American.”

Littleton had followed another WU trailblazer, football great Linwood Sexton, who had arrived seven years earlier and offered him advice. Then Littleton set the stage for Dave Stallworth, the next towering figure in Shocker basketball history. Stallworth would help carry Wichita to even greater heights in the 1960s, but those close to the program understand the baton had first passed through Littleton’s hands.

“That’s why I will always put Cleo and Dave above guys like myself, Antoine and Cliff,” McDaniel said. “You have to remember the things that they had to endure. We didn’t have to experience all of those things that they did. I stayed in nice hotels. I could go eat in restaurants. It is remarkable how many points Cleo was able to score during an era when black people weren’t always accepted.”

Littleton’s barrier-breaking did not end on the road.

After graduating, he and his wife, Eloise, saved enough money to buy a plot of land in north Wichita, then an all-white area. There were protests about the Littletons moving there. One neighbor came over to try to talk him out of building.

Littleton built anyway.

And somehow, through all of it, those who knew him say bitterness never hardened him.

He stayed even-keeled. Jovial. Gentle. Easy to be around. A man who valued relationships. A man who could have filled every conversation with his own accomplishments and instead chose to lift up everyone else.

“He would never talk about his playing days,” Sherrod said. “He always wanted to talk about and praise the present. But we would always try to make sure we acknowledged his greatness, both for the university and in the community.”

Johnson said the same.

“He had so much wisdom and knowledge,” Johnson said. “That’s how you learn. You learn from history. I’m going to miss him.”

For later Shocker stars, Littleton was not a distant name in a record book. He remained a presence around the program. In his younger years, he regularly attended games. Even later in life, he tried to make it back to the Roundhouse when he could.

The stars of the 1980s remembered him being around after games, offering encouragement rather than critique. He was not the kind of former great who reminded current players how much better the game used to be or how he would have handled them in his prime.

He did not need to tell them how good he had been.

The record book did that.

McDaniel spent his senior season chasing Littleton’s scoring record. He averaged 27.2 points, earned All-American honors and became one of the most dominant players in the country. Around campus, he would sometimes see Littleton’s daughter, who worked for WSU, and joke that he was coming for her father’s record.

He nearly got there.

McDaniel finished with 2,152 career points — 12 short of Littleton.

With time, McDaniel has come to see it differently. Chasing Littleton, he said, helped push him to greatness. Falling short allowed the record to remain with someone he believes deserved to keep it.

“A lot of times we didn’t even talk basketball,” McDaniel said. “We just talked about life. Those were some incredible conversations.”

McDaniel said he believes WSU should find a way to honor Littleton this season.

“I think the team should wear a patch in his honor,” McDaniel said. “Cleo was a true legend and a real ambassador for the school and represented Wichita State very well. They really should honor him like that.”

Longtime journalist Bob Lutz, who covered the Shockers for decades for The Eagle and has long studied the program’s history, said Littleton can be difficult for modern fans to fully appreciate because so few people remain who saw him play.

“A lot of Shocker fans are probably aware of the name Cleo Littleton, but there’s not many around who actually saw him play and the impact he had on the program,” Lutz said. “I think you can point to that era as the beginning of Shocker basketball.”

Lutz said he has often ranked Littleton among the top-5 Shockers ever, typically behind Stallworth, McDaniel and Carr. But the more he thinks about Littleton’s production, the era, the barriers and the accounts from those who did see him, the more he wonders if even that has not been high enough.

“I’ve probably underrated Cleo forever,” Lutz said. “Boy, I feel like I didn’t give him his due and that’s probably been the case for everyone. Because we didn’t see him play and we saw those other guys play, so maybe we sold Cleo a little bit short.”

Littleton was a charter inductee into the Wichita State Sports Hall of Fame in 1979 and later became a member of the MVC Hall of Fame. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame recognized him as the cornerstone of Wichita State’s first move into national basketball relevance.

But to Bob Powers, Littleton’s greatness was never confined to points, banners or Hall of Fame plaques.

Powers played for the Shockers from 1964-66, saw Stallworth up close and has spent much of his life working to preserve the legacy of former WSU athletes through the Lettermen’s Club. He revered Stallworth. He revered Littleton, too.

There were times when Littleton would stop by Powers’ office, sit down and have coffee. The conversations could drift anywhere. What Powers remembers most is the feeling of being around him.

“Personality-wise, he was an awful lot like Dave Stallworth,” Powers said. “He was a very kind and gentle man.”

That is the part that stayed with so many people Monday.

Littleton had every reason to be bitter. He had endured the loneliness of road trips without his teammates, the cruelty of opposing crowds, the humiliation of being treated differently in hotels and restaurants, the racism that followed him from the basketball floor to the neighborhood where he wanted to build a home.

He endured so much hate.

All he ever seemed to give back was love.

“It’s truly unbelievable that he was that good of a man,” Powers said. “From all of my years, spending time with Cleo was always a time in my life where I just enjoyed being with somebody. I’m going to miss him. I’m going to miss him a lot.”

He was drafted by the NBA Fort Wayne Pistons in 1955, but on the advice of coach Ralph Miller, he opted to stay in Wichita, playing with the Vickers AAU team, and beginning his business career. In 1987, he started his own construction company, Litco Inc., which he still managed as of 2000. He was named the 2004 Small Business Administration's (SBA) Graduate of the Year

Steve Barrow obit

Steve Barrow Tribute – A Tale of Three Tower Blocks

 

He was not on the list.

Geoff Sullivan introduced me to Steve Barrow in 1979. Of course, I knew of him due to Daddy Kool’s record shop a few years earlier.

It wasn’t long before Steve had moved from Manor Park to a tower block in Upton Park, right near the old West Ham football ground.

Not only was Steve seriously into Reggae music, he was also a left-winger. We got on very well.

At the time, Steve was well into Mikey Dread and Dread At The Control. From time to time, Mikey would release 12” on Black & White labels, and Steve would colour them in.

When we reached 1984, Steve had moved from Upton Park to Hume Point aka Small Axe HQ in Custom House.

It was then that I introduced him to Colin Moore. On the very first meeting, Steve suggested we create a book of listings on reggae rhythms. To be called ‘Chapter & Version’.

Over the next five years, many meetings between myself, Colin, and Steve took place. One of the most enjoyable was when Steve acquired a stack of white label 7” releases. He played the tunes at full blast, and kept shouting, “I can hear a vocal,” sticking his head right close to the speaker! Having been ‘decanted’ from Hume Point, Steve was now living in a Tower Block in Pelly Road, Plaistow.

One of the greatest successes of people power was the Newham Tenants Tower Block campaign, where nine blocks were demolished due to safety concerns. Steve had shared his concern about ‘Single Issue Politics’, but respected my involvement.

In 1989, with the ‘Chapter & Version’ book coming up to something like well over 300 rhythms. I asked Tero Kaski of Black Star in Finland if he would be interested in publishing it. Tero thought about it, but said it would cost too much to print.

I suggested to Steve a series of smaller books. He wasn’t keen on the idea. It was then that I said, “Would it be OK for me to use my research? To create ‘Rhythmwise’.” He agreed to this. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Rest In Peace – Ray Hurford – 30th May 2026

Kelly Curtis obit

Kelly Curtis, Actress and Sister of Jamie Lee Curtis, Dies at 69

The daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh starred in the foreign films ‘Magic Sticks’ and ‘The Devil’s Daughter’ and was a documentarian. 

She was not on the list.

Kelly Curtis, an actress, documentarian and daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, died Saturday morning, her younger sister, Jamie Lee Curtis, announced. She was 69.

Curtis died “in her home. In nature. At peace,” her sister wrote on social media. “She was my first friend and lifelong confidant. She was jaw droppingly beautiful, and a talented actress. She played a mean game of hearts, collected turtles, loved her family, nature, music, thrifting, travel, Facebook, and Pokémon Go. She was proud of her Danish roots and Hungarian Jewish ancestry and was a devoted American patriot.”

She died in Bellevue, Idaho, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. No cause of death has been revealed.

Kelly Curtis appeared in a small role with her sister in Trading Places (1983) and starred in the 1987 German comedy movie Magic Sticks and the 1991 Italian horror film The Devil’s Daughter, co-written and produced by Dario Argento.

She also had a recurring role as Lieutenant Carolyn Plummer on the first season of the 1996-99 UPN series The Sentinel and showed up on episodes of such shows as The Equalizer, Hunter, Silk Stalkings, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Judging Amy.

Born in Santa Monica on June 17, 1956, Kelly Lee Curtis made her first appearance on the screen in the adventure film The Vikings (1958), which starred her parents.

She graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, with a degree in business in 1972 and worked as a stockbroker, then studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute (she was a member of The Actors Studio). In 1982, she appeared onstage in Say Goodnight, Gracie.

She also directed the 2018 documentary Marby Jets Are Go, about an Australian high school track team, and served as an assistant to her sister on Freaky Friday (2003), Christmas With the Kranks (2004) and You Again (2010).

Her parents married in 1951, and after Jamie Lee was born in 1958, they divorced in 1962, when her mother wed financier Robert Brandt. They were together until Leigh’s death in 2004 at age 77. Brandt died in 2009 at 82.

Tony Curtis, who was married six times and died in 2010 at age 85, received an Oscar nomination for his turn in The Defiant Ones (1958) and starred in such classics as Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and Some Like It Hot (1958). Leigh also was nominated for an Oscar, for her performance in Psycho (1960), and she had memorable performances in Touch of Evil (1958) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962) as well.

Jamie Lee Curtis won an Oscar for her work in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).

Kelly and her dad (birth name Bernard Schwartz) helped raise money to refurbish and restore the historic Dohàny Street Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary, through the Emanuel Foundation, named after Tony’s father, Emanuel Schwartz.

In addition to her sister, survivors include her second husband, John Marsh, a filmmaker, producer and professor emeritus at the College of Southern Nevada (the couple partnered on the documentary production company Liberty Films); her brother-in-law, actor-director Christopher Guest; and half-siblings Alexandra, Allegra, Ben and Nicholas.

Actress

Judging Amy (1999)

Judging Amy

7.1

TV Series

Leslie Wirth

1999

1 episode

 

LateLine (1998)

LateLine

6.7

TV Series

Shelly

1999

1 episode

 

June

Short

1998

 

Mixed Blessings

6.3

Annie Weaver

1998

 

Richard Burgi in The Sentinel (1996)

The Sentinel

6.5

TV Series

Carolyn Plummer

1996

7 episodes

 

River of Rage: The Taking of Maggie Keene (1993)

Search and Rescue

6.5

TV Movie

Susan

1994

 

Ex-Cop (1993)

Ex-Cop

6.3

Officer

1993

 

Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell, Colm Meaney, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Armin Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois, Cirroc Lofton, and Alexander Siddig in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

8.1

TV Series

Miss Sarda

1993

1 episode

 

Silk Stalkings (1991)

Silk Stalkings

6.6

TV Series

Sarah Lawton

1992

1 episode

 

Robert Wagner and Donna Mills in False Arrest (1991)

False Arrest

6.4

TV Movie

Mary Durand

1991

 

The Sect (1991)

The Sect

6.0

Miriam Kreisl

1991

 

Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer in Hunter (1984)

Hunter

6.9

TV Series

Amy Rivers

1991

1 episode

 

Thanksgiving Day (1990)

Thanksgiving Day

5.3

TV Movie

Barbara Schloss

1990

 

Kojak: Ariana (1989)

Kojak: Ariana

6.3

TV Movie

Whitley

1989

 

The Equalizer (1985)

The Equalizer

7.8

TV Series

VickiPaula Whitaker

1986–1988

2 episodes

 

Checkpoint (1987)

Checkpoint

8.3

Joyce

1987

 

George Kranz in Magic Sticks (1987)

Magic Sticks

4.4

Shirley

1987

 

Trading Places (1983)

Trading Places

7.5

Muffy

1983

 

Patrick Swayze, Tracy Scoggins, Fausto Bara, Randy Brooks, Paul Mones, Robert Thaler, and Brian Tochi in The Renegades (1983)

The Renegades

7.1

TV Series

Cynthia Holtson

1983

1 episode

 

Kirk Douglas, Ernest Borgnine, Tony Curtis, and Janet Leigh in The Vikings (1958)

The Vikings

7.0

Young Girl (uncredited)

1958

 

Director

Curling in Stanley (2019)

Curling in Stanley

Director

2019

 

Marby Jets Are Go (2018)

Marby Jets Are Go

Director

2018

 

Jamie Lee Curtis and Jonathan R. Ayers in The Night She Came Home!! (2013)

The Night She Came Home!!

6.7

Video

Director

2013

 

Additional Crew

Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Kristen Bell, Betty White, and Odette Annable in You Again (2010)

You Again

5.8

assistant: Jamie Lee Curtis

2010

 

Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tim Allen, and Erik Per Sullivan in Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Christmas with the Kranks

5.6

assistant: Ms. Curtis

2004

 

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday (2003)

Freaky Friday

6.4

assistant: Jamie Lee Curtis

2003

 

Producer

Curling in Stanley (2019)

Curling in Stanley

executive producer

2019

 

Soundtrack

The Sect (1991)

The Sect

6.0

performer: "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" (uncredited)

1991

 

Thanks

Tales from the Mist: Inside 'the Fog' (2002)

Tales from the Mist: Inside 'the Fog'

6.4

Video

special thanks

2002

 

Self

Biography (1987)

Biography

7.7

TV Series

Self

2001–2003

2 episodes

 

Hollywood Greats (1977)

Hollywood Greats

7.6

TV Series

Self

2002

1 episode

 

The 24th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

TV Special

Self

1999

 

Celebrity Profile (1998)

Celebrity Profile

6.8

TV Series

Self

1998–2001

1 episode

 

The 10th Annual American Cinema Awards

TV Special

Self

1994

 

Paul Newman, Harvey Keitel, Sally Kirkland, Gene Wilder, Ellen Burstyn, Elia Kazan, Sydney Pollack, Rod Steiger, Shelley Winters, Lee Grant, Arthur Penn, Maureen Stapleton, and Eli Wallach in Hello Actors Studio (1988)

Hello Actors Studio

7.2

TV Series

Self

1988

1 episode

 

Mike Douglas in The Mike Douglas Show (1961)

The Mike Douglas Show

7.0

TV Series

Self

1973

1 episode

 

Owain Rhys Davies obit

‘Twin Peaks’ actor Owain Rhys Davies dies at 44

 He was not on the list.

Welsh actor Owain Rhys Davies, who appeared in the revival of the television series “Twin Peaks” in 2017 and in one episode of “The OA” two years later, died over the weekend, the BBC reported. He was 44.

The actor, who was born in Cardiff, died “suddenly, naturally, and peacefully,” his brother Rhodri Davies wrote in an Instagram post.

“This news will come as a great shock to many,” Rhodri Davies wrote. “While there are still questions that remain unanswered regarding the circumstances of his death, our understanding at this stage is that Owain passed suddenly, naturally, and peacefully.

An exact date and place of death was not provided.

Davies was best known for playing FBI Agent Wilson in the revival of “Twin Peaks,” appearing in three episodes, Variety reported.

He also appeared in the 2016 movie “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” and the 2019 horror film “A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life," according to IMDb.com.

According to the BBC, the Welsh National Theatre also paid tribute to the actor in a statement.

“Owain was a remarkable talent whose work enriched Welsh theatre and screen, and whose contribution to the performing arts will be remembered by audiences, colleagues, and friends alike,” the organization said in a statement. “His passion, creativity, and dedication to his craft made a lasting impact on the cultural life of Wales. The Welsh performing arts community is poorer for his loss, and we can only imagine the many more stories he would have gone on to tell.

“Cysga’n dawel, Owain.”

 

Actor

La Fantasia

Joe

Post-production

 

Jeff the Killer

Bus Driver

Completed

 

Impact Winter (2022)

Impact Winter

8.5

Podcast Series

Anton DevereEric

2022

3 episodes

 

Steve Gagliastro, Owain Rhys Davies, Christina Wren, J.J. Dunlap, Sarah Ann Masse, and Nick Afka Thomas in The Real Founding Fathers of America (2020)

The Real Founding Fathers of America

TV Movie

Alexander Hamilton

2020

 

Poppy Roe and Katie Brayben in A Serial Killer's Guide to Life (2019)

A Serial Killer's Guide to Life

5.1

Marcus

2019

 

Brit Marling in The OA (2016)

The OA

7.8

TV Series

Dave (Audio Engineer)

2019

1 episode

 

Tall Tales (2018)

Tall Tales

Short

Eric

2018

 

Ryan Lee and Katherine Hughes in My Dead Ex (2018)

My Dead Ex

7.3

TV Series

Mr. Mann

2018

1 episode

 

Viking Siege (2017)

Viking Siege

3.4

Captain Howe

2017

 

Gossip Spy (2016)

Gossip Spy

TV Mini Series

Bag Spy

2017

1 episode

 

Tall Tales (2017)

Tall Tales

TV Series

Eric

2017

1 episode

 

Twin Peaks (2017)

Twin Peaks

8.5

TV Series

Agent Wilson

2017

3 episodes

 

Porn Again (2017)

Porn Again

TV Mini Series

Damien

2017

1 episode

 

The Relationtrip (2017)

The Relationtrip

5.6

Bobby

2017

 

Pivot (2016)

Pivot

Short

Irritable Man

2016

 

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Matt Lucas, and Mia Wasikowska in Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Alice Through the Looking Glass

6.2

Delivery Frog (voice)

2016

 

Karen Gillan in Conventional (2015)

Conventional

6.6

Short

Photographer

2015

 

Fun Size Horror: Volume Two (2015)

Fun Size Horror: Volume Two

4.8

Photographer (segment "Conventional", voice, uncredited)

2015

 

Baby (2015)

Baby

5.6

Short

Elevator Guy

2015

 

PG Pals (2014)

PG Pals

TV Movie

Ian

2014

 

Teulu Ty Crwn (2012)

Teulu Ty Crwn

TV Movie

Mr. Llewelyn

2012

 

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (2011)

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

8.5

Video Game

Smiley (voice: English version)

2011

 

Sanjeev Bhaskar in The Indian Doctor (2010)

The Indian Doctor

7.9

TV Series

Aled

2010

1 episode

 

Videotapes

Short

Edward

2009

 

Y Pris (2007)

Y Pris

8.0

TV Series

Flash

2007

1 episode

 

PSI-5 Troubled Spirits (2007)

PSI-5 Troubled Spirits

TV Movie

Gogor

2007

 

Cowbois Ac Injans (2006)

Cowbois Ac Injans

TV Series

Nico

2006

1 episode

 

RuneScape (2001)

RuneScape

8.1

Video Game

Goblin (voice)

2001

 

Thanks

Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, and Ray Panthaki in Boiling Point (2021)

Boiling Point

7.5

special thanks

2021

Matt Brown obit

 

Matt Brown Dies: ‘Alaskan Bush People’ Star Was 43

He was not on the list.

Matt Brown, a member of the family featured in Discovery’s Alaskan Bush People, has died. He was 43.

On Saturday night, Matt’s brother Bear Brown announced that his body was identified hours before in a nearby river, having died from an apparent suicide.

“This is an update about Matt,” he said in a TikTok video. “They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt. Noah [Brown, their brother] was with him and helped pull him out of the water, and Noah identified him.

“I would have never suspected he would have hurt himself, honestly. He struggled for a long time, as I’ve mentioned. I was so worried he was gonna end up OD’ed or something like that, I didn’t think that he would hurt himself. It does look as though the injury is self-inflicted. Obviously, the coroner still has to look at him and stuff, but I thought that y’all guys should know that it is him,” added Bear.

The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that they received a 911 call Wednesday from someone reporting that a man was sitting in the shallow waters of the Okanogan River just south of the city of Oroville, WA. The caller turned away for a bit, heard a sound and then saw the man “face down in the water drifting away in the current.” The sheriff’s department said a firearm was recovered from the water where the man was last seen. A search for the man had been suspended at 4pm Thursday due to severe weather.

Bear previously shared that Matt had been struggling with drugs and alcohol “for a very long time” and that he had been getting increasingly worried about him.

In Saturday’s video, Bear asked his followers to “please be respectful to my family and to my mom. And please, watch the comments that you leave, guys. Sometimes, words can hurt more than fists can.”

“A lot of people have logged negative comments on Matt’s stuff too. One of his last videos, he was actually talking about how negative people were on his posts. And y’all should keep in mind that people on the other side of the screen, people that you’re watching a video of, they’re real people too.”

Appearing on Alaskan Bush People for the first eight seasons from 2014 to 2019, Matt Brown was the oldest child of Billy and Ami Brown, who built a life off the grid in the with their family in the docuseries. Billy died of a seizure at age 68 in 2021.

Hours later, Noah Brown confirmed in his own social media video that he was part of the search-and-rescue group that retrieved the body of his oldest brother, who had his ID and Social Security card on him.

"Say your prayers and tell people that you love that you love them while you can," Noah concluded.

Bear pointedly asked followers to "please, please be respectful to my family and to my mom, and please watch the comments that you leave, guys."

Joe Negri obit

Joe Negri, jazz guitar virtuoso and Mr. Rogers’ ‘Handyman,’ dies at nearly 100

‘Joe Negri radiates life as an art form’ 

He was on the list.

Joe Negri, one of America’s best jazz guitarists and a key part of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” died Saturday, just days short of turning 100.

Lisa Negri, his oldest daughter, said that her father died of natural causes. He and his family, along with many in Pittsburgh’s music world, were preparing to celebrate his legacy for his 100th birthday, June 10.

Negri, a Pittsburgh native, was a musician from childhood. He began to play guitar at age 8 and was touring nationally with swing bands by 16. Except for a brief stint in New York City, Negri spent his life in Pittsburgh, as a musician, educator and TV performer.

On “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” he was Handyman Negri, the fix-it man in the Land of Make-Believe, as well as proprietor of Negri’s Music Shop, where he’d perform and showcase music. Negri was on the show for its entire three-decade run.

As an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University for decades, Negri instructed generations of musicians in the art of jazz guitar. At Duquesne, he founded the jazz guitar program and taught there until 2022. He retired from Pitt in 2019, after nearly 50 years of teaching.

“Joe Negri radiates life as an art form,” said Pitt professor of music Deane Root, then chair of the department. “He crosses generations and he brings out the best in the musicians he plays with.”

A 2016 TribLive article previewed a performance of “Mass of Hope: The Mass in the Jazz Idiom,” a composition by Negri. “My love and my passion for music continues to dominate my daily life,” he said.

As a performer, he played widely, from the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild and Pittsburgh Symphony to jazz clubs large and small.

In 2019, Negri received a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award from the state of Pennsylvania, part of the Governor’s Awards for the Arts.

He appeared as himself and as "Handyman Negri" in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He appeared on the 1959 children's television program Adventure Time with Paul Shannon and with Johnny Costa on the 1954 TV series 67 Melody Lane hosted by Ken Griffin.

Negri taught jazz guitar for 49 years at the University of Pittsburgh, where jazz guitar was first offered as a discipline in higher education. He taught for 46 years at Duquesne University, as well as at Carnegie Mellon University.

At the age of three, Negri began performing on radio, playing the ukulele and singing. He joined the local musicians' union and began playing professional engagements. In the 1940s, he toured nationally and was a member of the Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra from 1943 until 1944, when he served in the U.S. Army for two years.

After returning home, he performed in Pittsburgh with his brother, pianist Bobby Negri. In the 1950s, he enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University, concentrated on music composition, spent the majority of his time playing locally around the Pittsburgh area and often worked with pianist Johnny Costa on KDKA television. His trio, with accordionlist Dom Trimarkie and bassist Lou Mauro, were the regular band on the live KDKA variety show Buzz and Bill, hosted by the team of Buzz Aston and Bill Hinds. Around 1960, WTAE, Pittsburgh's ABC television outlet, hired him as its music director, assuming the role for over 20 years. Negri played on various live programs and composed theme music. He met Fred Rogers at WTAE, when Rogers hosted a short-lived children's show. In 1968, Negri began appearing as Handyman Negri on the children's program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood until Rogers ceased production of new episodes in 2000. Though many assume Negri was part of the musical ensemble on the show, in fact he only occasionally joined the show's band on special occasions. Most of his work on the program involved his Handyman Negri character or portraying himself as owner of "Negri's Music Shop" when Rogers presented musical guests.

Negri taught guitar and later helped Duquesne University establish a jazz guitar program. Over the years he taught many students including Ralph Patt, the inventor of major-thirds tuning. Negri and Patt recorded together in 1989.

In 2010 he recorded the album Fly Me to the Moon with Michael Feinstein and performed with him during the following year at the Newport Jazz Festival. Negri was the subject of a profile in the September 2010 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine written by Rich Kienzle.

Joe Negri died on May 30, 2026, at the age of 99, 11 days before his 100th birthday.

 

Discography

As leader

Guitar, With Love (True Image Recordings, 1960)

Afternoon in Rio (MCG Jazz, 1998)

Guitars for Christmas (MCG Jazz, 2003)

Uptown Elegance (MCG Jazz, 2004) with Buddy DeFranco

Dream Dancing (Noteworthy Jazz, 2010)

As sideman

Michael Feinstein, Fly Me to the Moon (DuckHole, 2010)

Other works

A Common Sense Approach to Improvisation for Guitar (Mel Bay, 2002)

 

Actor

Lenny Meledandri and Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968)

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

8.8

TV Series

Handyman NegriJoe NegriFather Elephant ...

1968–2001

331 episodes

 

Kismet (1967)

Kismet

7.6

TV Movie

Courtier (uncredited)

1967

 

Fred Rogers in MisteRogers (1961)

MisteRogers

8.9

TV Series

Handyman NegriJoe NegriMr. Negri

1964–1966

9 episodes

 

Music Department

Lenny Meledandri and Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968)

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

8.8

TV Series

musician

1998

1 episode

 

Old Friends... New Friends (1978)

Old Friends... New Friends

8.2

TV Series

musician

1980

1 episode

 

Morgan Freeman in Drink, Drank, Drunk (1974)

Drink, Drank, Drunk

TV Special

arranger (segment "There's a Tavern in the Town")

1974

 

Summer Sounds

TV Movie

musician: guitar

1966

 

Composer

Summer Sounds

TV Movie

Composer

1966

 

Soundtrack

Official Alongside Night Movie Poster

Alongside Night

2.9

Soundtrack ("Gypsy Jam")

2014

 

Lenny Meledandri and Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968)

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

8.8

TV Series

performer: "Let's Think of Something to Do While We're Waiting", "A Man Who Manufactures"performer: "Let's Think of Something to Do While We're Waiting", "I'm a Man Who Manufactures"performer: "Once Upon Each Lovely Day" (uncredited) ...

1970–2000

22 episodes

 

Summer Sounds

TV Movie

Soundtrackmusic: "Pittsburgh, Pa.}performer: "Pittsburgh, Pa.}, "The River is Wide", "Lazy Afternoon", "The Things We Did Last Summer" ("Got a Lot of Living to Do", "Once in a Lifetime", "Cruisin' Down the River", "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", "(You Gotta Have) Heart", "On a Picnic We Will Go")

1966

 

Self

Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968)

Mister Rogers: It's You I Like

8.3

Self

2018

 

We Knew What We Had: The Greatest Jazz Story Never Told (2018)

We Knew What We Had: The Greatest Jazz Story Never Told

Self

2018

 

Fred Rogers in Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

8.3

Self - 'Handyman Negri'

2018

 

Speedy Delivery (2008)

Speedy Delivery

8.6

Self

2008

 

Christmastime with Mister Rogers

8.8

TV Special

Self - Handyman Negri

1977

 

Summer Sounds

TV Movie

Self - Host, performer

1966

 

Fred Rogers in MisteRogers (1961)

MisteRogers

8.9

TV Series

SelfSelf - Handyman Negri

1965

2 episodes

 

Archive Footage

Lenny Meledandri and Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968)

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

8.8

TV Series

Joe Negri (archive footage)

1976

1 episode