Darryl Dawkins obit

Darryl Dawkins, the legendary 'Chocolate Thunder,' dies at 58

He was not on the list.

Darryl Dawkins, the first high school player to go straight to the National Basketball Association when he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975, died Thursday at a hospital in Allentown, Pa. He was 58.

His death was confirmed by the coroner’s office in Lehigh County, Pa. His family said the cause was a heart attack, according to the Associated Press. An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.

Mr. Dawkins, who was nicknamed “Chocolate Thunder” and claimed to hail from the Planet Lovetron, played in the NBA for 14 seasons, his first seven with the 76ers. He was 18 when the team selected him with the fifth pick of the 1975 draft.

The 6-foot-11 Mr. Dawkins was known for his backboard-shattering slam dunks, for which he gave names such as “In-Your-Face Disgrace,” “Look Out Below,” “Rim-Wrecker,” “Spine Chiller Supreme” and “Cover Your Head.”

Mr. Dawkins first shattered a backboard on Nov. 13, 1979, in a road game against the Kansas City Kings. One month later, he shattered another — and pulled down the rim — at the Philadelphia Spectrum during a game against the San Antonio Spurs. Afterward, then-NBA Commissioner Larry O’Brien informed Mr. Dawkins that every time he broke a backboard, he would owe the league $5,000.

Mr. Dawkins played alongside players such as Julius “Dr. J” Erving, World B. Free and Doug Collins in Philadelphia, and lost three times in the NBA Finals. He left the 76ers after the 1981-1982 season, going on to play for the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons. Philadelphia won the NBA title in 1983.

Mr. Dawkins averaged 12 points and 6.1 rebounds a game over his NBA playing career, which ended after the 1988-1989 season. Along with stints afterward in Italy, Mr. Dawkins played for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Mr. Dawkins was born in Orlando on Jan. 11, 1957. His first wife, Kelly Barnes, committed suicide in 1987, while he was estranged from her. His second marriage, to former Nets cheerleader Robbin Thornton, ended in divorce.

Said Nets general manager Billy King: “So sad to hear of the passing of Darryl Dawkins. We loss one of the all time great guys. He will be missed by so many. R.I.P..”

    I'm going to miss you so much Uncle Darryl. There will never be another Chocolate Thunder. Love you so much and going to miss you so much.. — Karl-Anthony Towns

    Condolences to the family of Darryl Dawkins, a great man! Your smile personality and energy will truly be missed!!! — Allen Iverson (@alleniverson) August 27, 2015

    SAD SAD SAD, thoughts and prayers to the Dawkins Family.. Your smile will be missed my friend..… — Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) August 27, 2015

    R.I.P to Darryl Dawkins aka chocolate thunder! #LeagueLegend! #PrayersUp 🙏🏽 — Andre Roberson

    RIP Darryl Dawkins… Dr Dunk… Chocolate Thunder… one of THE nicest men… you will be missed. Prayers to his family, friends & fans  — Gabrielle Union

    RIP to Darryl Dawkins aka "Chocolate Thunder" – a great man, entertainer, athlete and ferocious dunker. He will be missed but not forgotten.  — Kevin Johnson

    Sad to hear the news. RIP Darryl Dawkins. Was definitely a pleasure working with you. #NYFamily

— Essence T. Carson (@Pr3pE) August 27, 2015

    R.I.P to Orlando florida's own "Chocolate Thunder" Darryl Dawkins. You will be missed my friend. You paved … — Vince Carter

    Damn RIP #DarrylDawkins aka Chocolate Thunder 🙏🏾🙏🏾🏀 😔 — Anthony Morrow

    Sad day. We lost Darryl Dawkins today. #NBAFamily #Pioneer — Mateen Cleaves (@Mateen_Cleaves) August 27, 2015

Survivors include his wife, Janice Hoderman. A complete list of survivors was not immediately available

Ron 'Chico' Maki obit

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Ron 'Chico' Maki dead at age 76

He was not on the list.



Longtime Chicago Blackhawks forward Ron "Chico" Maki has died at the age of 76.

A notice on the Blackhawks' website says Maki died at his home on Monday in Port Dover, Ont.

The right winger spent 15 seasons with the Blackhawks from 1961 to 1976 and won a Stanley Cup with the club in 1961. The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., also played in three NHL All-Star Games.

Maki collected 143 goals and 292 assists in 841 regular-season games and added 17 goals and 53 points in 113 playoff games.

Prior to the NHL, Maki played junior hockey in St. Catharines, Ont., and was the captain of a Memorial Cup winning team.

A visitation will be held on Friday in Simcoe, Ont., followed by a private family funeral on Saturday.

Maki's late brother Wayne played two seasons with the Blackhawks and also played for St. Louis and Vancouver.

Peter Feibleman obit

Author Peter Feibleman Has Died

 He was not on the list.

He was an American author and screenwriter. He won critical acclaim for his novels and received multiple awards for his writings, including a Guggenheim Award in 1960 and a Golden Pen Award in 1983. He also wrote a number of plays and screenplays.

Feibleman was born in 1930 in New York City and was raised in New Orleans. He studied acting at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and also attended Columbia University. He was a member of P.E.N. and resided in Los Angeles.

Starting in 1940, Feibleman worked as an actor in radio. From 1951 to 1957, he worked as an actor in Spain. He began writing in 1958. Feibleman was also a co-founder of DBA, a screenplay consulting firm.

Feibleman finished his first literary work, A Place without Twilight, in 1958. The book was met with critical acclaim by the Saturday Review and other publications. Many of his other works were received well by critics.

Feibleman was Lillian Hellman's long-time lover and friend, although she was seven years older than his own mother. He was the dedicatee of Pentimento, and was her principal heir and literary executor.

 

Awards

Guggenheim Award for creative writing (1960)

Golden Pen Award for screenwriting (1983)

Selected bibliography

Memoir

Lilly: Reminiscences of Lillian Hellman (1988)

Novels

A Place without Twilight (1958)

The Daughters of Necessity (1959)

Strangers and Graves: Four Short Novels (Death of Danaues, Fever, Along the Coast, Eyes) (1966)

The Columbus Tree (1973)

Charlie Boy (1980)

Other writings

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright (based on A Place without Twilight, 1962)

Ensign Pulver (screenplay, 1964)

Profiles in Courage (TV series, 1964, episode 2 "Mary S. McDowell")

His Eye is On the Sparrow (screenplay, 1969)

The Bayous (1973)

Columbo (TV series, 1976, season 6, episode 1 "Fade in to Murder" & episode 2 "Old Fashioned Murder")

Maid in America (TV movie, 1982)

Cakewalk (play, 1998)

Writer

Maid in America (1982)

Maid in America

6.6

TV Movie

Writer (as Peter Feibleman)

1982

 

Peter Falk in Columbo (1971)

Columbo

8.3

TV Series

teleplay by

1976

2 episodes

 

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

7.6

TV Series

writer (as Peter Feibleman)

1967

1 episode

 

Profiles in Courage (1964)

Profiles in Courage

8.2

TV Series

writer

1964

1 episode

 

Ensign Pulver (1964)

Ensign Pulver

5.9

screenplay

1964

Billy Constable obit

IN MEMORIAM

Billy Constable

 

He was not on the list.

Billy Constable grew up in a very musical family in Avery County, and played music for most of his life. Billy was part of Avery County’s Wiseman family, which includes a number of professional musicians including Scotty Wiseman, Lawrence Wiseman, David Wiseman, Fiddling Jimmy Wiseman, banjo picker Kent Wiseman, and Billy’s mother, Lois.

Billy began playing guitar professionally as a youngster with bluegrass great Charlie Moore, who had married Billy’s mother. He also played in Douglas Dillard’s “post Dillards” bluegrass band The Doug Dillard Band from Hollywood, which also featured Byron Berline and occasional guests like Vassar Clements and Sam Bush.

After touring with The Doug Dillard Band, Billy took a break from the road in order to work on his banjo skills while playing in a family’s band, The Constables, who were living in California at the time. He later had the opportunity to tour with two more bluegrass greats, Kenny Baker, a veteran fiddler from Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, and Josh Graves, a long time Dobro player with Flatt & Scruggs‘ Foggy Mountain Boys.

Billy’s approach to the banjo was firmly rooted in Appalachian string music, but it could be deceptively eclectic. His influences began at home and with his family, but Billy’s repertoire was vast, and he was comfortable in most musical situations. In addition to being a master banjo player, Billy was also an accomplished musician on the guitar, mandolin, and violin.

In his later years, Billy carried his banjo into more jam-oriented groups such as Acoustic Forum from New York and New England’s Max Creek. He toured extensively and recorded with Hypnotic Clambake and The Larry Keel Experience. Billy appeared on many shows with Leftover Salmon, and he was also a featured guest on a handful of String Cheese Incident shows and one of their recent albums “Carnival 99.” Billy was also a member of the seasonal Big Daddy Bluegrass Band with Steve MacMurray, Curtis Burch, and Larry Keel.

Billy Constable passed away on August 22, 2015 at the age of fifty-six.

Melody Patterson obit

‘F Troop’ Actress Melody Patterson Dies at 66

 

She was not on the list.

TV actress Melody Patterson, best known for playing Wrangler Jane on “F Troop,” died Thursday at the age of 66. Patterson died in a nursing home after multiple organ failure, according to reports.

In addition to her starring role on “F Troop” from 1965-1967, Patterson appeared on other television shows of the era including “The Monkees,” “Adam-12” and “Green Acres.” She was also in a handful of episodes of “Hawaii Five-O,” which featured her husband at the time, James MacArthur.

Patterson also appeared in a few films, landing roles in “The Angry Breed,” “The Cycle Savages” and “Blood and Lace.”

Patterson’s “F Troop” co-star Larry Storch announced her death via Facebook post, saying, “It’s with a heavy heart that we can let you know our beloved Wrangler Jane, Melody Patterson passed away today. Our hearts are sad today. RIP Sweet Melody. We love you.”

Patterson entertained troops in Vietnam with the Johnny Grant and Friends show. Her first tour was in December 1967, with Diane McBain, Sherry Jackson, and Sabrina Scharf. Her second tour was in June 1968 with Vicki Lawrence and Karen MacQuirk (Miss Welcome to Long Beach 1968). Patterson was a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio Service. She later wrote a column called "Wrapping with Wrangler" for Wildest Westerns magazine.

Melody Patterson was married three times, the first was to actor James MacArthur in July 1970, and lasted until 1977. MacArthur was known for the role of Dan "Danno" Williams in the TV series Hawaii Five-O. During their marriage, she put her career aside to move to Honolulu, where the show filmed. Her second marriage was to Robert Hill Crump Seaton, Jr., and ended in divorce April 29, 1998. Her last marriage was to musician Vern Miller on November 28, 1998, and ended with her death. Patterson had no children from those marriages.

 

Actress (13 credits)

 1989 The Immortalizer (Video)

Nurse Blaine

 1969-1974 Hawaii Five-O (TV Series)

Kathy / Sherry / Missy

- Bomb, Bomb, Who's Got the Bomb? (1974) ... Kathy

- Nightmare in Blue (1974) ... Sherry

- The Devil and Mr. Frog (1969) ... Missy

 1973 The Harrad Experiment

Jeannie (uncredited)

 1971 Blood and Lace

Ellie Masters

 1969 The Cycle Savages

Lea

 1968 Green Acres (TV Series)

Lorelei Appleby

- Eb's Romance (1968) ... Lorelei Appleby

 1968 Adam-12 (TV Series)

Valerie

- Log 141: The Color TV Bandit (1968) ... Valerie

 1968 The Angry Breed

April Banner

 1967 The Monkees (TV Series)

Ella Mae

- Hillbilly Honeymoon (1967) ... Ella Mae

 1965-1967 F Troop (TV Series)

Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift

- Is This Fort Really Necessary? (1967) ... Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift

- Our Brave in F Troop (1967) ... Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift

- The Majority of Wilton (1967) ... Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift

- Carpetbagging, Anyone? (1967) ... Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift

- Marriage, Fort Courage Style (1967) ... Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift

1965 Wendy and Me (TV Series)

Eleanor Martinson

- You Can Fight City Hall (1965) ... Eleanor Martinson

 1963 Bye Bye Birdie

Teenager (uncredited)

 1960-1961 The Jim Backus Show (TV Series)

Teenager winking at Melvin / Teenager with Pink Dress / Teenage Girl

- When a Body Meets a Body (1961) ... Teenager winking at Melvin

- Sidney's Scoop (1961) ... Teenager with Pink Dress

- The Three Sisters (1960) ... Teenage Girl

 

Soundtrack (2 credits)

 1967 F Troop (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)

- That's Show Biz (1967) ... (performer: "Lemon Tree", "Mr. Tambourine Man" - uncredited)

 1965 Shindig! (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)

- Episode #2.22 (1965) ... (performer: "You're the One", "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands")

 

Self (8 credits)

 1972-1973 It's Your Bet (TV Series)

Self

- James MacArthur and Ben Murphy (1973) ... Self

- Pat O'Brien, James MacArthur and Melody Patterson (1972) ... Self

 1973 Joanne Carson's VIPs (TV Series)

Self

- Episode #1.105 (1973) ... Self

 1967 The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (TV Series)

Self - Panelist

- Episode #1.188 (1967) ... Self - Panelist

- Episode #1.187 (1967) ... Self - Panelist

- Episode #1.186 (1967) ... Self - Panelist

- Episode #1.185 (1967) ... Self - Panelist

- Episode #1.184 (1967) ... Self - Panelist

 1966-1967 Dream Girl of '67 (TV Series)

Self - Fashion Hostess

- The Dream Girl of 1967 (Show No. 130) (1967) ... Self - Fashion Hostess

- The Dream Girl of 1967 (Show No. 129) (1967) ... Self - Fashion Hostess

- The Dream Girl of 1967 (Show No. 128) (1967) ... Self - Fashion Hostess

- The Dream Girl of 1967 (Show No. 127) (1967) ... Self - Fashion Hostess

- The Dream Girl of 1967 (Show No. 126) (1967) ... Self - Fashion Hostess

1967 Dateline: Hollywood (TV Series)

Self / Self - Actress

- Episode dated 2 June 1967 (1967) ... Self

- Episode dated 26 May 1967 (1967) ... Self - Actress

 1967 Gypsy (TV Series)

Self

- Episode #3.124 (1967) ... Self

 1966 Hollywood Deb Star Ball (TV Special)

Self - 1966 Deb Star

 1965 Shindig! (TV Series)

Self - Singer / Self

- Episode #2.22 (1965) ... Self - Singer

- Episode #2.16 (1965) ... Self

Archive footage (1 credit)

 2007 Fall in with F Troop (Documentary short)