Alan Scarfe obit

Alan Scarfe death: Star Trek and Double Impact actor dies aged 77

 

He was not on the list.

Alan Scarfe, the actor best known for his work in Seven Days and Double Impact, has died aged 77.

His family announced that the British-Canadian actor died from colon cancer at his home in Longueuil, Quebec, on 28 April.

Scarfe is survived by a son, the actor Jonathan Scarfe who is known for his roles in Van Helsing, Raising the Bar and The 100, a daughter Tosia, who is a musician and composer, and a brother named Colin.

Born in England and raised in Vancouver, Scarfe studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art from 1964 to 1966, in line with his desire to become a classical stage actor. He travelled all over Europe, the United States and Canada and performed more than 100 roles over the next two decades.

He also served as associate director of the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool from 1967 to 68. “I wanted to be a great classical actor in the long tradition of Burbage, Garrick, Kean, Booth, Olivier,” he said in an August 2007 interview.

“Forty five years ago when I began it was still possible to think in such a romantic, idealistic way.”

Scarfe’s time as stage actor included eight seasons at the Stratford Festival and two at the Shaw Festival, both in Ontario, where he performed a lot of Shakespeare, playing Macduff on Broadway in 1988 in a production of Macbeth with Christopher Plummer and Glenda Jackson.

He started his film career with roles in The Bay Boy (1984), Deserters (1984), Overnight (1986), Street Justice (1987), Iron Eagle II (1988), Aka Albert Walker (2003), and The Hamster Cage (2005).

He gained popularity with his science fiction roles, including Dr Bradley Talmadge from the National Security Agency in Seven Days, as well as for his guest roles as Romulans Tokath and Admiral Mendak on Star Trek in the 1990s.

Scarfe made several appearances at Star Trek conventions, endearing himself to fans, and spoke about his training coming in handy when playing sci-fi roles.

“Science fiction on film and television, especially if you are playing some kind of alien character with fantastic make-up, is great for actors with a strong stage background,” he said.

“The productions need that kind of size and intensity of performance. You can’t really mumble if you’re a Klingon.”

Scarfe also played the villain Nigel Griffith in the action film Double Impact in 1991 opposite twins Alex and Chad Wagner, portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme.

He then played the Internal Affairs chief Herman Walters in Lethal Weapon III in 1992.

In 1985, Scarfe won a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for playing Sergeant Tom Coldwell in The Bay Boy.

In addition to his acting career, Scarfe was a published author, writing under the pen name Clanash Farjeon.

His first novel, The Revelation of Jack the Ripper, was published in 2017 and was followed by The Vampires of Juarez, The Demons of 9/11, and The Mask of the Holy Spirit.

 

Actor

Hastings Street

6.8

Short

Charlie

2007

 

Bruce Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, and Peter Woodward in Babylon 5: The Lost Tales (2007)

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales

6.4

TV Mini Series

Father Cassidy

2007

2 episodes

 

The Hamster Cage (2005)

The Hamster Cage

6.7

Phil

2005

 

Kevin Sorbo, Laura Bertram, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, and Gordon Michael Woolvett in Andromeda (2000)

Andromeda

6.6

TV Series

Flavin

2004–2005

3 episodes

 

Danny Glover, Isabella Rossellini, Shawn Ashmore, and Kristin Kreuk in Earthsea (2004)

Earthsea

5.7

TV Mini Series

Arch Magus

2005

2 episodes

 

Joe Flanigan, David Hewlett, Torri Higginson, Rachel Luttrell, Paul McGillion, Jason Momoa, and Mitch Pileggi in Stargate: Atlantis (2004)

Stargate: Atlantis

8.1

TV Series

Chancellor Druhin

2004

1 episode

 

Kingdom Hospital (2004)

Kingdom Hospital

6.7

TV Series

Henry Havens

2004

8 episodes

 

Burn: The Robert Wraight Story

5.9

TV Movie

Weibo Ludwig

2003

 

Aka Albert Walker (2002)

Aka Albert Walker

6.6

TV Movie

Paul Morrow

2002

 

Seven Days (1998)

Seven Days

7.2

TV Series

Dr. Bradley Talmadge

1998–2001

66 episodes

 

Paul Gross and David Marciano in Due South (1994)

Due South

8.1

TV Series

Wilson Warfield

1998

1 episode

 

The Outer Limits (1995)

The Outer Limits

7.7

TV Series

Montgomery Bennett

Dr. Royce

1997–1998

2 episodes

 

Mark Dacascos in Sanctuary (1998)

Sanctuary

4.8

William Dyson

1998

 

Silence

7.2

Lawyer

1997

 

Dave Foley, Enrico Colantoni, Colm Feore, and Dan Redican in The Wrong Guy (1997)

The Wrong Guy

6.7

Farmer Brown

1997

 

Brian Bosworth and Joe Torry in Back in Business (1997)

Back in Business

4.4

David Ashby

1997

 

Tamlyn Tomita, James Black, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan in The Burning Zone (1996)

The Burning Zone

7.0

TV Series

The Coordinator

1997

1 episode

 

Ivan Sergei, Sandrine Holt, and Nicholas Lea in Once a Thief (1996)

Once a Thief

6.9

TV Series

Robertson Graves

1996

1 episode

 

Ivan Sergei, Sandrine Holt, and Nicholas Lea in Once a Thief (1996)

Once a Thief

5.2

TV Movie

Robertson Graves

1996

 

The Lazarus Man (1996)

The Lazarus Man

7.4

TV Series

Bartender

1996

1 episode

 

David Hasselhoff and Kathy Ireland in Gridlock (1996)

Gridlock

4.5

TV Movie

Joss

1996

 

Mysterious Island (1995)

Mysterious Island

7.1

TV Series

Captain Cyrus Harding

1995

22 episodes

 

Robert Beltran, Jennifer Lien, Robert Duncan McNeill, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, Jeri Ryan, Roxann Dawson, Ethan Phillips, Tim Russ, and Garrett Wang in Star Trek: Voyager (1995)

Star Trek: Voyager

7.9

TV Series

Augris

1995

1 episode

 

Jane Kaczmarek and Sander Vanocur in Without Warning (1994)

Without Warning

6.8

TV Movie

General Lucian Alexander

1994

 

Adrian Paul in Highlander (1992)

Highlander

7.2

TV Series

Craig Webster

1994

1 episode

 

Jeff Kaake, Heather Medway, Joe Nipote, and Dawn Stern in Viper (1994)

Viper

5.8

TV Series

Flagler

1994

1 episode

 

Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice (1994)

Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice

7.0

TV Movie

Sean Devlin

1994

 

Jericho Fever (1993)

Jericho Fever

5.1

TV Movie

Claus

1993

 

Heart of Darkness (1993)

Heart of Darkness

5.7

TV Movie

Captain Fenard

1993

 

NYPD Blue (1993)

NYPD Blue

7.7

TV Series

Thomas Wagner

1993

2 episodes

 

SeaQuest 2032 (1993)

SeaQuest 2032

6.7

TV Series

Dr. Rubin Zellar

1993

1 episode

 

Heritage Minutes (1991)

Heritage Minutes

8.0

TV Series

Sam Steele

1993

1 episode

 

Christopher Plummer, Simon MacCorkindale, and James Purcell in Counterstrike (1990)

Counterstrike

7.2

TV Series

Lord Shefield

1993

1 episode

 

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

8.7

TV Series

Tokath

Adm. Mendak

1991–1993

2 episodes

 

The Portrait

5.6

David Severn

1992

 

Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and Joe Pesci in Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

Lethal Weapon 3

6.7

Herman Walters

1992

 

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell in Quantum Leap (1989)

Quantum Leap

8.2

TV Series

Dr. Mason Crane

1991

1 episode

 

Mark Harmon and Marlee Matlin in Reasonable Doubts (1991)

Reasonable Doubts

7.4

TV Series

Jack Quinn

1991

1 episode

 

Mimi & Me

7.0

TV Movie

1991

 

Adrian Paul in The Owl (1991)

The Owl

4.1

TV Movie

Hutchins

1991

 

Double Impact (1991)

Double Impact

5.6

Nigel Griffith

1991

 

Gabriel's Fire (1990)

Gabriel's Fire

7.3

TV Series

Professor Dennison

1991

1 episode

 

E.N.G. - Created by Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz

E.N.G.

7.6

TV Series

Roger Godson

1990

1 episode

 

Labor of Love

4.9

TV Movie

1990

 

DEA (1990)

DEA

7.8

TV Series

Carl Schleimann

1990

4 episodes

 

Richard Dean Anderson in MacGyver (1985)

MacGyver

7.6

TV Series

Major Krik

1990

1 episode

 

William Conrad and Joe Penny in Jake and the Fatman (1987)

Jake and the Fatman

6.4

TV Series

Jackson

1990

1 episode

 

Divided Loyalties (1990)

Divided Loyalties

7.1

George Washington

1990

 

Stephen Caffrey in Tour of Duty (1987)

Tour of Duty

8.3

TV Series

Colonel Stringer

Lt. Col. Stringer

1989–1990

5 episodes

 

Peter Falk in Columbo (1971)

Columbo

8.3

TV Series

Sir Harry Matthews

1990

1 episode

 

Trick or Treasure

Short

Enoch

1990

 

Alien Nation (1989)

Alien Nation

6.9

TV Series

Drevni

1989

1 episode

 

Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer in Hunter (1984)

Hunter

6.9

TV Series

Milo

1989

1 episode

 

Kingsgate

3.9

Daniel Kingsgate

1989

 

The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985)

The Ray Bradbury Theater

7.3

TV Series

John Oatis Kendall

Mr. Nesbitt

1986–1989

2 episodes

 

Day One (1989)

Day One

7.4

TV Movie

1989

 

Louis Gossett Jr., Maury Chaykin, Jason Blicker, Colm Feore, Sharon Hacohen, Mark Humphrey, and Clark Johnson in Iron Eagle II (1988)

Iron Eagle II

3.9

Vardovsky

1988

 

C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf (1988)

C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf

4.1

TV Movie

George Bekker

1988

 

Street Justice (1987)

Street Justice

5.8

Eugene Powers

1987

 

Nicholas Campbell and Peggy Smithhart in Diamonds (1987)

Diamonds

7.0

TV Series

1987

1 episode

 

Scott Hylands and Jeff Wincott in Night Heat (1985)

Night Heat

7.5

TV Series

Jason

1987

1 episode

 

American Playhouse (1980)

American Playhouse

7.3

TV Series

Dr. Jim Bayliss

1987

1 episode

 

Overnight (1986)

Overnight

4.8

Vladimir Jezda

1986

 

Tales from the Darkside (1983)

Tales from the Darkside

7.4

TV Series

Mysterious Man

1986

1 episode

 

Margot Kidder and Michael Sarrazin in Keeping Track (1986)

Keeping Track

5.4

Royle Wishart

1986

 

As Is (1986)

As Is

6.9

TV Movie

Brother

1986

 

The Execution of Raymond Graham (1985)

The Execution of Raymond Graham

5.7

TV Movie

Governor Richards

1985

 

Joshua Then and Now (1985)

Joshua Then and Now

6.5

Jack Trimble

1985

 

Hide and Seek (1984)

Hide and Seek

6.8

TV Movie

Commissioner

1984

 

Lock Up (1984)

Lock Up

6.0

Ron Simmons

1984

 

Kiefer Sutherland and Liv Ullmann in The Bay Boy (1984)

The Bay Boy

6.3

Sgt. Tom Coldwell

1984

 

Louis Del Grande in Seeing Things (1981)

Seeing Things

7.9

TV Series

White

1984

1 episode

 

The Littlest Hobo (1979)

The Littlest Hobo

7.7

TV Series

Dr. Richard Kellerman

1984

2 episodes

 

Deserters

4.1

Sergeant Ulysses Hawley

1983

 

The Wars (1983)

The Wars

6.3

Captain Leather

1983

 

Susan George, Pia Zadora, Robert Klein, and Gwynyth Walsh in Pajama Tops (1983)

Pajama Tops

7.0

TV Movie

George Chauvinet

1983

 

Will There Really Be a Morning? (1983)

Will There Really Be a Morning?

6.8

TV Movie

Doctor #3

1983

 

Murder by Phone (1982)

Murder by Phone

5.4

John Websole

1982

 

The Great Detective (1979)

The Great Detective

7.6

TV Series

Martin Batcherly

1981

2 episodes

 

Deepa Mehta, Pawanjit Bains, and Sushma Sardana in For the Record (1976)

For the Record

8.2

TV Series

Brooks

1979

1 episode

 

A Gift to Last (1978)

A Gift to Last

8.7

TV Series

Harrison Sturgess

1978

1 episode

 

Randi Allen in Cathy's Curse (1977)

Cathy's Curse

4.4

George Gimble

1977

 

A Gift to Last (1976)

A Gift to Last

8.8

TV Movie

Harrison Sturgess

1976

 

Kristen Alderson, Kassie Wesley DePaiva, Erika Slezak, Trevor St. John, and John-Paul Lavoisier in One Life to Live (1968)

One Life to Live

6.9

TV Series

Leo Cromwell (1988-1989)

1968–2013

 

The Bitter Ash (1963)

The Bitter Ash

6.9

Des

1963

Norman Carol obit

Curtis Mourns the Loss of Norman Carol (Violin '47) 

He was not on the list.

Curtis mourns the loss of Norman Carol (Violin ’47), former longtime Curtis faculty member and former concertmaster for the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1966–94, who passed away in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, on April 28, 2024, at age 95. Born on July 1, 1928, in Philadelphia to Russian immigrants Anna and Max Carol, he began his violin studies at age six with Sascha Jacobinoff, following in the footsteps of his older sister, who also played the instrument. At age nine, he performed his first concert, and at thirteen, he was invited to attend Curtis, where he studied under the tutelage of Efrem Zimbalist. From 1946–47, he served as the concertmaster of the student orchestra at Tanglewood.

Shortly after graduating from Curtis, Mr. Carol made his Town Hall debut, was featured in Time magazine, embarked upon a solo career, recorded a solo recital for RCA in 1954, was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra under conductors Serge Koussevitzsky and Charles Munch.

Drafted by the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he served at the Presidio in San Francisco alongside musical luminaries Chet Baker and André Previn in the 6th Army Band, playing solo for Arthur Fiedler and the San Francisco Pops. During this time, he met his future wife, Elinor, whom he married in 1952.

Following his discharge from the Army in 1955, he became concertmaster of the New Orleans Symphony and, subsequently, the Minneapolis Symphony, where he premiered Polish-American conductor and composer Stanisław Skrowaczewski’s Violin Concerto. In 1965, he joined the Philadelphia Orchestra as concertmaster, where he served for almost three decades until a lingering rotator cuff injury subsequently ended his career in 1994 at age 66. Mr. Carol famously traveled with the orchestra to China in 1973, at the arrangement of then President Richard Nixon, to perform and conduct master classes in front of Jian Qing, also known as Madame Mao.

After he retired from the orchestra, he taught, performed, and recorded with the Philadelphia Piano Quartet, and taught orchestral repertoire at Curtis from 1979 to 2014. His prized instrument was violinist Albert Spalding’s Guiarnerius ‘del Gesu’ violin, constructed in 1743.

The Curtis community extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to Mr. Carol’s family, friends, former students, and colleagues.

Zach Norman obit

Zack Norman, Actor in ‘Romancing the Stone’ and Henry Jaglom Films, Dies at 83

He started out as a stand-up comic, produced plays and films and financed Peter Davis’ Oscar-winning documentary ‘Hearts and Minds.’ 

He was not on the list.

Zack Norman, the stand-up comic, actor and producer perhaps best known for his turn as a crocodile-loving antiquities smuggler in Romancing the Stone, has died. He was 83.

Norman died Sunday night of natural causes at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, his family announced.

Norman collaborated frequently with director Henry Jaglom, with the two working together on Tracks (1976), Sitting Ducks (1980), Venice/Venice (1992), Babyfever (1994), Déjà Vu (1997), Festival in Cannes (2001), Hollywood Dreams (2006), Irene in Time (2009), Queen of the Lot (2010), The M Word (2014) and Ovation (2015).

In Robert Zemeckis’ action-adventure Romancing the Stone (1984), starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Norman and Danny DeVito play the smuggling cousins Ira and Ralph, respectively.

“Look at those snappers,” Ira says in admiration whenever he sees a croc.

(He and Douglas would get into a legal spat over a company that they co-founded.)

Norman also appeared on the big screen in James Toback’s Fingers (1978), Milos Forman’s Ragtime (1981), Robert Downey Sr.’s America (1986) and Roger Donaldson’s Cadillac Man (1990) and as a guest star on TV shows including The Flash, Baywatch, The A-Team and The Nanny.

Howard Jerrold Zuker was born in Boston on May 27, 1940, and raised in nearby Revere. He attended the Governor’s Academy and Vanderbilt University before receiving an executive MBA degree from Harvard Business School.

He started out as a stand-up comic, performing in Playboy clubs, at The Flamingo in Las Vegas and at the Copacabana in New York, and he made it onto The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1969.

Norman produced John Arden’s Live Like Pigs, a long-running drama that opened off-Broadway in 1965, and helped finance films including Peter Davis’ Hearts and Minds (1974), which won the Oscar for best documentary feature, and movies made in Italy.

In the presidential election year of 2016, Norman polished off Chief Zabu, a film he had directed, co-written and co-produced in 1986 about a real estate developer (played by Allen Garfield) with political ambitions. (He played a struggling comedian in the movie as well.)

“Though its mix of the loopy, the broad and the deadpan is uneven, its story of American business designs on a tiny Polynesian nation still has satirical bite,” The Hollywood Reporter’s Sheri Linden wrote in her review.

Norman began performing as a stand-up comedian in strip joints and nightclubs while producing his first Off-Broadway play, the New York premiere of John Arden's Live Like Pigs, which opened on June 7, 1965. In 1966 he left for Europe to work the U.S. Army base circuit operating out of Frankfurt, Germany, playing army clubs throughout Western Europe. On June 7, 1967, Norman opened at the Playboy Club in London, England, where Variety wrote he was "hysterical... one of the funniest guys ever to cross these shores". Soon he was appearing in every Playboy Club on their 18-venue circuit, as well as appearing in hotels and nightclubs such as The Flamingo in Las Vegas and New York's Copacabana with the Temptations. Norman made his television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on April 28, 1969. As a stage actor, he starred in more than 20 plays. His performance in the title role of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Stamford Center for the Arts in Connecticut (1980) was locally acclaime

Norman also was an art collector who owned paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy; sister Jane; daughters Lori and Tracy; sons Stephen and Michael; and grandchildren Sascha, Addison, Benjamin, Henry, Liliana, Jonathan, Justin, Jayden, Jackie, Gabrielle, Rachel, Susie, Joseph and Seth.

 

Filmography

Film acting

E.N.T.E.R. (2018)

Chief Zabu (2016)

Ovation (2016)

The M Word (2013)

Queen of the Lot (2010)

Irene in Time (2009)

Emma Blue (2008)

Hollywood Dreams (2006)

Festival in Cannes (2001)

Has Been (1998)

Get a Job (1998)

Crosscut (1996)

Mojave Moon (1996)

Babyfever (1994)[37]

Lucky Ducks (1993)

Venice, Venice (1992)

Cadillac Man (1990)

America

Romancing The Stone (1984)

Ragtime (1981)

Sitting Ducks (1980)

Fingers (1978)

Tracks (1977)

Gums (1976)

Touch Me Not (1974)

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me (1971)

Which Way Do You Dig? (1969)

Love with the Proper Stranger (1963)

Television acting

The A-Team (Double episode, 1985)

Az aranyifjú [The Golden Boy] (1986, Hungarian TV movie)

The Flash (1 episode, 1991)

At Home with the Webbers (1993)

Baywatch (1 episode, 1993)

Lush Life (1993)

Az áldozat [The Victim] (Hungarian TV documentary, 1994)

The Nanny (3 episodes, 1993–1995

CJ Sansom obit

Author C.J. Sansom dies aged 71 days before launch of new Disney Plus TV series

 

He was not on the list.

Author Christopher John Sansom, best known as C.J. Sansom has died aged 71 just a few days before the Disney series based on his Shardlake series hits screens.

His death was announced by publisher Pan Macmillan, with managing director Lucy Hale saying the news had left them with ‘immense sadness’.

‘It has been our profound privilege and pleasure to be Chris’s publisher from the very beginning, and Pan Macmillan will continue to celebrate him and introduce many more readers to his extraordinary body of work for many years to come. We are all thinking of his friends at this very difficult time,’ she said in a statement.

Sansom initially worked as a solicitor before leaving the legal profession to become a full-time writer.

His best known work was the Shardlake series, a historical mystery series set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century.

The first book, Dissolution, was released in 2003 and was followed by six others with the most recent being 2018’s Tombland.

When announcing Sansom’s death, his publisher revealed he’d also been working on another novel in the series.

‘He was working on his new Shardlake novel, Ratcliff, when he died but his worsening health made progress painfully slow: his meticulous historical research and his writing were always so important to him,’ his longtime editor and publisher, Maria Rejt said.

His death also comes just days before the Disney Plus adaptation of his series is set to hit screens.

Arthur Hughes stars as the eponymous Matthew Shardlake, alongside Sean Bean as Thomas Cromwell, with the show launching on the streaming service on May 1.

After the books were previously set to be adapted by the BBC and then ITV, plans fell through before Disney announced last year it would be bringing the story to screen.

The four-part drama is based on the first book in the series and has been described as a ‘eerie whodunnit adventure, set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries’.

The other novels in the Shardlake series are Dark Fire, Sovereign, Revelation, Heartstone and Lamentation.

Sansom also wrote Winter in Madrid, a thriller set in Spain in 1940 in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and Dominion, an alternate history novel set in a Britain following a fictional Axis victory in World War II.

He won many accolades for his work, including the Crime Writers’ AssociationCartier Diamond Dagger Award for his outstanding contribution to the genre.

In her tribute, Rejt said the author was an ‘intensely private person’ who ‘wished from the very start only to be published quietly and without fanfare’.

‘But he always took immense pleasure in the public’s enthusiastic responses to his novels and worked tirelessly on each book, never wanting to disappoint a single reader,’ she added.

One of Britain’s bestselling historical novelists, Sansom was born in 1952 in Edinburgh.

He was educated at Birmingham University with a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer.

There are over three million copies of his novels in print.

Robin George obit

Much-travelled guitarist and producer Robin George dead at 68

 The death of Robin George, who worked with Phil Lynott, Robert Plant, Asia, Magnum, Glenn Hughes and many more, has been confirmed by his family

He was not on the list.

Guitarist and producer Robin George, who made his name in the 1980s with his album Dangerous Music and collaborated with the likes of Robert Plant, Magnum, Glenn Hughes and Phil Lynott, has died at the age of 68. The news was confirmed on his personal Facebook page.

The statement read: "On Friday 26th April at 11.45 our beautiful Robin left this world and flew away to the next life where we hope he’s partying with the family, friends and musicians he loved and lost over the years. Robin had been fighting a long illness but by Christmas, it became obvious that he was not long for this world.

"He was devastated when he was no longer able to play his beloved guitars but he continued to write songs, do interviews, make videos and tell his story here on Facebook and through his biography. He desperately wanted his music to live on because music was in his heart and soul. Robin leaves behind his adored wife, four beloved children, two beautiful sisters, nine lovely grandchildren, many dear friends and the animal family that he rescued over the years.

"We are devastated because there will never be another Robin George. LovePower with you always. You're with your angels now."

George was born in Wolverhampton, and released his first EP, the six-track History, in 1983. An iconic Kerrang! cover feature picturing him with a BC Rich guitar once owned by Slade was published the same year – describing him as "The Axe of Tomorrow" – and debut album Dangerous Music followed in 1984. It featured contributions from the likes of Magnum keyboardist Mark Stanway, future Who bassist Pino Palladino, then-Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland and Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott. George – who'd auditioned for Lizzy several years earlier – returned the favour, playing on Lynott's solo single Nineteen in 1985.

"He asked me to fly up to Newcastle with him to promote the single on a TV show called Razzmatazz," George told Classic Rock in 2015. "At the airport in Newcastle they searched me and my guitar but left Phil alone. When we got to the TV studio he winked and threw me this massive chunk of dope. I couldn’t believe he’d just waltzed through, but he was always Mr Cool.

“On the plane home, Phil asked Brian Downey and I to re-form Thin Lizzy and we both agreed. So we made some recordings in the studio in his back garden in the house at Kew during December [1985]. It went absolutely great and we took a break for Christmas. His driver took me to the station and Phil came along for the ride. As we got to Euston, Phil asked for the tape of the material we’d been working on, saying he wanted to listen to it over the holiday break. I gave it to him, of course.

“A few days afterwards I was working in my studio when I got a call from a radio station in Stoke, asking me to comment on Phil’s death. It shocked the fuck out me. I knew he was ill, but not the full extent. I told the DJ to fuck off – how unprofessional of them. Unfortunately, the cassette of our material failed to resurface after his death. It was the only copy."

George joined former Uriah Heep frontman David Byron in the Byron Band, and also played with Roy Wood, The Climax Blues Band, Magnum, Notorious – with former Diamond Head singer Sean Harris – Asia and Damage Control (featuring former UFO bassist Pete Way, AC/DC/The Firm drummer Chris Slade, and Quireboys frontman Spike). He also recorded an album with Glenn Hughes, Sweet Relief, in 1989, which remained unreleased until 2008.

Amongst Geoerge's production credits were Diamond Head's early single Sweet & Innocent, plus albums by Quartz and Witchfinder General, as well as Wrathchild's glam metal classic Stakk Attack. He also wrote Red for Danger with Robert Plant, a song that appears on the former Led Zeppelin man's Sixty-six To Timbuktu compilation.

George continued to release his own albums, including a sequel to Dangerous Music, Dangerous Music II, in 2015. His last album was Wilderness, released in 2021. A retrospective collection, Ace In My Hand, was put out last year, featuring liner notes from late Classic Rock writer Malcolm Dome.  

Frank Wakefield obit

RIP: Frank Wakefield, Bluegrass Mandolin Innovator 

He was not on the list.

Born into a musical family in Emory Gap, Tennessee, Wakefield by age eight already knew how to play harmonica, guitar and bass. In 1950, his family moved to Dayton, Ohio. At the age of 16 he had switched to the mandolin and began playing music with his brother Ralph on guitar. The duo called themselves The Wakefield Brothers and in 1951, made their first radio appearance playing gospel and old-time music on WHIO in Dayton.

In 1952 Wakefield began a long and productive collaboration with the bluegrass singer and guitar player, Red Allen. For the next 3 years Wakefield toured with Red Allen and the Blue Ridge Mountain Boys. Through the rest of the decade Wakefield also toured with Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys as well as Marvin Cobb and the Chain Mountain Boys, with whom he recorded his first 45 RPM—which included his now most famous bluegrass composition, "New Camptown Races". In 1958 Wakefield reunited with Red Allen and his band the Kentuckians. The popular Kentuckians cut many 45s in following years, had a weekly radio show, and even played at Carnegie Hall in 1963. Important CD recordings surviving from this period of Wakefield's career include Red Allen and Frank Wakefield: the Kitchen Tapes and Red Allen: the Folkway Years 1964-1983. In 1960, Wakefield moved to Washington, D.C., with Red Allen and there began giving private lessons. One of his students at this time was a young David Grisman.

In the mid-1960s Wakefield began playing mandolin with the Greenbriar Boys as well as appearing with Ralph Stanley. Also in this period he began turning to new influences, composing classical mandolin sonatas and arranging classical pieces for traditional bluegrass instruments. This innovative style offered him the opportunity to play with the New York Philharmonic, led by Leonard Bernstein in 1967 and an invitation to appear as a guest with the Boston Pops in 1968.

By the 1970s Wakefield launched a solo career. He released his first solo album in 1972 and his second in 1975 backed up by bluegrass heavyweights Don Reno and Chubby Wise. He toured with Jerry Garcia, and New Riders of the Purple Sage and opened for the Grateful Dead. By mid-decade Wakefield began working with his newly formed band, The Good Ol' Boys with whom he would enjoy a productive collaboration until the mid-1980s. Since 1989 he has toured with the Frank Wakefield Band. In 1999 he earned a Grammy Nomination for best bluegrass album of the year for his work on the album Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza on which he played with fellow mandolin greats Sam Bush, David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne, Ricky Skaggs and Buck White.

Mandolin player David Grisman said of Wakefield's influence, "He split the bluegrass mandolin atom. Some of us, obviously, will never be the same again." Wakefield continued to record and tour nationally.

Wakefield died on April 26, 2024, at the age of 89.

Tony Pigg obit

Tony Pigg, Longtime Rock Radio DJ in New York, Dies at 85

 

He was not on the list.

Tony Pigg, the popular DJ and on-air personality at WPLJ-FM and two other New York rock radio stations for more than three decades, has died. He was 85.

Pigg died Friday of natural causes at his home in New York City, his wife of 37 years, Lucinda Scala Quinn, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Pigg also served as the staff announcer of the New York-based live morning show co-hosted by Regis Philbin and, after his retirement, Kelly Ripa. Pigg held that job for 30-plus years through 2019.

Richard Quinn was born in Sacramento on April 11, 1939. He studied art with painter Wayne Thiebaud at Sacramento State and served with the U.S. Army before beginning his radio career at an AM station in Winslow, Arizona, and then at KROY-AM in his hometown.

He called himself Tony Bigg, named for a favorite uncle and the fact that he was 6-foot-4. But when someone mispronounced "Bigg" as "Pig," he switched to a different spelling of that after arriving at San Francisco's KSAN-FM circa 1966.

"We were a bunch of hippies - long-haired freaks - who started the radio station KSAN and a free-form, underground progressive sound, which eventually evolved into what you hear today," he told the New York Daily News in 1989.

Pigg came to prominence during the Haight-Ashbury scene, and as KSAN music director and a good friend of the Grateful Dead's first manager, Owsley "Bear" Stanley, he is thought to have been the first jock to put that band on the FM airwaves.

Pigg joined WABC-FM in New York in 1970, with the station becoming WPLJ with a format change in 1971, and he worked there for more than a decade, followed by stints at WXRK-FM (known as K-Rock) and WNEW-FM. (Howard Stern, Pigg's onetime colleague at K-Rock, recently said on his SiriusXM show that Pigg helped inspire his radio career.)

"The warmth and wit of Tony Pigg entertained an entire generation of New York radio listeners," Jim Kerr, another famed DJ at WPLJ, said in a statement. "His talent was a major reason why in the 1970s, WPLJ became the most-listened-to FM station in America and is so fondly remembered today. Tony loved his audience. At the end of each show he delivered his signature line, ‘Nothing but thanks' and he meant it."

Philbin cold-called Pigg when launching his Live! morning show in New York after hearing him on the radio, his wife said. He also voiced commercials during his career.

Survivors also include his sons, Mark, Calder, Miles and Luca; daughter Lisa; granddaughter Angela; and siblings David and Susan.

Marla Adams obit

Marla Adams, Dina on ‘The Young and the Restless,’ Dies at 85

The Emmy winner also appeared on Broadway, played Natalie Wood's BFF in 'Splendor in the Grass' and starred on 'The Secret Storm.' 

She was not on the list.

Marla Adams, the Emmy-winning soap opera veteran who starred as the scheming Dina Abbott Mergeron during parts of five decades on The Young and the Restless, has died. She was 85.

Adams died Thursday in Los Angeles, Matt Kane, director of media and talent for Y&R, announced.

When she was just starting out, Adams appeared in 1958 alongside Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway in The Visit and portrayed June, the high school best friend of Natalie Wood‘s Deanie, in Elia Kazan‘s Splendor in the Grass (1961).

Her first prominent role on a daytime drama came on CBS’ The Secret Storm, where she played bad girl Belle Clemens from 1968 until the show’s 1974 demise. “I was the bitch of daytime,” she said in a 2016 interview. “I played a good bitch.”

Adams joined Y&R in 1982 but left when her three-year contract was up. She returned to Genoa City for brief stints in 1991, 1996 and 2008 before being asked by head writer-producer Sally Sussman to go it again in 2017.

“I remember when [Sussman told her], ‘I’m going to bring you back on The Young and the Restless, but you’ve got Alzheimer’s,’ and I said, ‘What!? You’re bringing me back so you can kill me off?'” she recalled in 2020. “And she said, ‘Oh no, it’ll be about a year.’ That dissolved into four years.”

Viewers watched the Abbott matriarch slowly and heartbreakingly unravel before dying in an episode in October 2020. In her final moments, she addressed her kids, Traci (Beth Maitland), Jack (Peter Bergman) and Ashley (Eileen Davidson), before being welcomed into heaven by her first husband, John Abbott (Jerry Douglas).

Eight months later, Adams received the lone Daytime Emmy of her long career.

“From all the characters I’ve played, from The Secret Storm to Broadway, this has been the most astonishing, amazing part I’ve had the privilege to play,” she said.

Marla Adams was born on Aug. 28, 1938, in Ocean City, New Jersey. She was named Miss Diamond Jubilee at the 75th anniversary celebration of her hometown in 1954 and graduated two years later from Ocean City High School.

She spent two years with The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and was hired for The Visit, directed by Peter Brook, on the day she graduated. “I played Alfred Lunt’s daughter, and I thought, ‘Well, it’s going to be downhill from here,'” she told Soap Opera Digest in 2018.

Adams made her big-screen debut in the period drama Splendor in the Grass, which was Warren Beatty‘s first movie, too.

After Belle made life miserable for Jada Rowland’s Amy Ames on The Secret Storm, she moved to Los Angeles when the soap was canceled and guest-starred on episodes of The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Harry O, Adam-12, Starsky and Hutch, Marcus Welby, M.D., Barnaby Jones, The Love Boat, Emergency! and Archie Bunker’s Place before landing on Y&R.

The actress also portrayed Mildred Deal on ABC’s General Hospital in 1963; the conniving Myrna Clegg — between turns by Carolyn Jones and Marj Dusay — on CBS’ Capitol in 1983; Helen Mullin on NBC’s Generations in 1989-90; Beth Logan on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful in 1990-91; and Dr. Claire McIntyre on NBC’s Days of Our Lives in 1999.

She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her turn as Dina in 2018 before winning one three years later.

“On behalf of the entire company of The Young and the Restless, we send our deepest sympathies to Marla’s family,” Josh Griffith, executive producer and head writer of Y&R, said in a statement. “We’re so grateful and in awe of Marla’s incredible performance as Dina Mergeron as both Marla and Dina made an unforgettable mark on [the show].”

Survivors include her children, Gunnar and Pam; grandchildren Gefjon and Stone; and great-grandson Remi.

In her later years, Adams said she was still getting spotted in public. “I’m very big at Walmart,” she said with a laugh. “When I was younger, I was recognized all the time, and now that I’m older, people are like, ‘Is that her? No, that’s not her. It couldn’t be! Just some old lady in sneakers and sweats.'”

Actress

Eileen Davidson, Bryton James, Joshua Morrow, Gina Tognoni, Justin Hartley, Melissa Claire Egan, and Peter Bergman in The Young and the Restless (1973)

The Young and the Restless

5.3

TV Series

Dina Abbott Mergeron

Dina Mergeron

Dina Abbott

1983–2021

235 episodes

 

Mira Sorvino and Paul Sorvino in Beneath the Leaves (2019)

Beneath the Leaves

4.5

Nadine

2019

 

Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)

Walker, Texas Ranger

5.6

TV Series

Betsy Harper

2000–2001

3 episodes

 

The President's Man (2000)

The President's Man

4.7

TV Movie

First Lady Mathews

2000

 

Jennifer Love Hewitt in Time of Your Life (1999)

Time of Your Life

6.1

TV Series

Lauren

1999

1 episode

 

Days of Our Lives (1965)

Days of Our Lives

5.2

TV Series

Claire McIntyre

1999

50 episodes

 

Tony Danza, Majandra Delfino, Maria Canals-Barrera, Ashley Malinger, and Shaun Weiss in The Tony Danza Show (1997)

The Tony Danza Show

5.0

TV Series

Mrs. Paxton

1998

1 episode

 

Don Johnson and Cheech Marin in Nash Bridges (1996)

Nash Bridges

6.8

TV Series

Mrs. Van Pelt

1997

1 episode

 

LL Cool J, Alfonso Ribeiro, Maia Campbell, and Kim Wayans in In the House (1995)

In the House

6.8

TV Series

Mrs. Tuckman

1997

1 episode

 

Undercover (1994)

Undercover

6.9

TV Movie

Sheila Byrnes

1994

 

The Good Life (1994)

The Good Life

7.4

TV Series

Kate Donnetti

1994

1 episode

 

Sela Ward, Swoosie Kurtz, Patricia Kalember, and Sheila Kelley in Sisters (1991)

Sisters

7.5

TV Series

Madeline Brady

1992

1 episode

 

Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul, David Hasselhoff, David Chokachi, Gena Lee Nolin, and Jaason Simmons in Baywatch (1989)

Baywatch

5.4

TV Series

Trish McClain

1992

1 episode

 

Susan Griffiths in Marilyn and Me (1991)

Marilyn and Me

5.7

TV Movie

Gladys Baker

1991

 

Loni Anderson and Robert Davi in White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991)

White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd

5.8

TV Movie

Mrs. Ford

1991

 

Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Betty White in The Golden Girls (1985)

The Golden Girls

8.2

TV Series

Woman #1

1991

1 episode

 

Bronson Pinchot and Mark Linn-Baker in Perfect Strangers (1986)

Perfect Strangers

7.2

TV Series

Mrs. Catherine Lyons

1991

1 episode

 

Heather Tom, Thorsten Kaye, and Katherine Kelly Lang in The Bold and the Beautiful (1987)

The Bold and the Beautiful

3.4

TV Series

Beth Logan

1990–1991

6 episodes

 

Kelly Rutherford, Anthony Addabbo, and Kristoff St. John in Generations (1989)

Generations

7.4

TV Series

Helen Mullin

1989–1990

49 episodes

 

The New Adam-12 (1990)

The New Adam-12

6.0

TV Series

Carol Miller

1990

1 episode

 

Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure, Richard Mulligan, and Park Overall in Empty Nest (1988)

Empty Nest

6.6

TV Series

Elna

1989

1 episode

 

Dabney Coleman and Jane Curtin in Maybe Baby (1988)

Maybe Baby

5.3

TV Movie

Shirley

1988

 

Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman in Beauty and the Beast (1987)

Beauty and the Beast

7.0

TV Series

Helen Thompson

1988

1 episode

 

Andy Griffith in Matlock (1986)

Matlock

7.1

TV Series

Roselle

1988

1 episode

 

Alyssa Milano, Tony Danza, Katherine Helmond, Danny Pintauro, and Judith Light in Who's the Boss? (1984)

Who's the Boss?

6.6

TV Series

Connie

1987

1 episode

 

Robert Clohessy, Michael Warren, and Bruce Weitz in Hill Street Blues (1981)

Hill Street Blues

8.2

TV Series

Mrs. Fein

1987

1 episode

 

Anthony Edwards and Linda Fiorentino in Gotcha! (1985)

Gotcha!

6.2

Maria

1985

 

Concrete Beat (1984)

Concrete Beat

5.0

TV Movie

Cathy Lord

1984

 

Trauma Center (1983)

Trauma Center

6.6

TV Series

Dr. Chas Sternhause's Secretary

1983

1 episode

 

Bruce Boxleitner, Clyde Kusatsu, and Cindy Morgan in Bring 'Em Back Alive (1982)

Bring 'Em Back Alive

7.1

TV Series

Martha Nielsen

1983

1 episode

 

Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Marion Ross, Tom Bosley, Erin Moran, Don Most, and Anson Williams in Happy Days (1974)

Happy Days

7.4

TV Series

Millicent 'Milly' Pfister

1983

1 episode

 

Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, Charles Frank, Jerry Hardin, Michael Lombard, Nedra Volz, and Ann Wedgeworth in Filthy Rich (1982)

Filthy Rich

7.8

TV Series

Muffy Newkirk

1982

1 episode

 

Martin Balsam, Carroll O'Connor, Danielle Brisebois, and Jean Stapleton in Archie Bunker's Place (1979)

Archie Bunker's Place

6.4

TV Series

Ann Marlowe

1982

1 episode

 

Debrah Farentino, Nicholas Walker, and Jess Walton in Capitol (1982)

Capitol

7.2

TV Series

Myrna Clegg #2 (1983)

1982–1987

 

Hart to Hart (1979)

Hart to Hart

6.7

TV Series

Evelyn Carney

1981

1 episode

 

Victor French and Kene Holiday in Carter Country (1977)

Carter Country

6.8

TV Series

Florabelle

1979

1 episode

 

Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)

Barnaby Jones

6.9

TV Series

Eleanor Raymond

Sandra Lassiter

Audrey Meyer

1974–1978

3 episodes

 

Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)

The Love Boat

6.3

TV Series

Arlene Simpson

Glenda Fairbanks

1978

2 episodes

 

Emergency! (1972)

Emergency!

7.9

TV Series

Mrs. Anderson

Soap Opera Patient

Rita Hudson

1975–1978

3 episodes

 

The Streets of San Francisco (1972)

The Streets of San Francisco

7.3

TV Series

Cecilia Roman

1977

1 episode

 

Raymond Burr in Kingston: Confidential (1976)

Kingston: Confidential

6.4

TV Series

Lila Perry

1977

1 episode

 

Richard Schaal in Phyllis (1975)

Phyllis

6.4

TV Series

Mrs. Snyder

1977

1 episode

 

Johnny Staccato (1959)

Delvecchio

6.7

TV Series

Mrs. Fred Nailor

1976

1 episode

 

Special Delivery (1976)

Special Delivery

6.1

Mrs. Hubert Zane

1976

 

James Brolin, Robert Young, Barbara Sigel, and Elena Verdugo in Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969)

Marcus Welby, M.D.

7.0

TV Series

Olivia Randall

Marian Blakely

1974–1976

3 episodes

 

Jackie Cooper in Mobile One (1975)

Mobile One

6.1

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

Starsky and Hutch (1975)

Starsky and Hutch

7.0

TV Series

Sheila

1975

1 episode

 

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

Adam-12

7.7

TV Series

Mildred Bell

1975

1 episode

 

The Secret Night Caller (1975)

The Secret Night Caller

6.7

TV Movie

Ruth (uncredited)

1975

 

David Janssen in Harry O (1973)

Harry O

7.6

TV Series

Janet Rankin

1974

1 episode

 

The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971)

The New Dick Van Dyke Show

6.6

TV Series

Gloria

Brenda

1973

1 episode

 

Nicolas Coster in The Secret Storm (1954)

The Secret Storm

5.2

TV Series

Belle Clemens Britton Kincaid

1968–1973

5 episodes

 

General Hospital (1963)

General Hospital

6.6

TV Series

Mildred Deal

1963

 

Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty in Splendor in the Grass (1961)

Splendor in the Grass

7.7

June

1961