Publication: Dead End
Claydes Smith, Vincent Sherman | |
Subscribe FREE to Dead End by clicking here.
@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@
@@@ DEAD END - Friday, June 23, 2006 @@@
@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@
------------------------------------------------------------
"Death borders upon our birth, and our cradle stands in the
grave. Our birth is nothing but our death begun." Bishop Hall
------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to another edition of Dead End.
This week we say goodbye to Claydes Charles Smith, one of
the co-founders of Kool & the Gang and lead guitarist for
the group. He died Tuesday at the age of 57. We also say
goodbye to Warner Bros. director Vincent Sherman, character
actor Arthur Franz, and Frederick Franck - artist, author
and spiritual authority.
Remember you can comment on any part of this issue or read
comments by visiting: Dead End Blog
****
CLAYDES SMITH, CO-FOUNDER OF KOOL & THE GANG, DEAD AT 57
One of the co-founders of the music group Kool & the Gang,
Claydes Charles Smith, died Tuesday after a long illness. He
was 57. Smith was also the lead guitarist of the group. Kool
& the Gang grew from jazz roots in the 1960s to become one
of the major groups of the 1970s, reported CNN.com. Smith
was responsible for writing the hits "Joanna" and "Take My
Heart," and co-wrote others, including "Celebration,"
"Hollywood Swinging" and "Jungle Boogie." His father intro-
duced him to jazz guitar in the early 1960s. Later in that
decade, Smith joined the group of New Jersey jazz musicians,
including Ronald Bell, Robert "Kool" Bell, George Brown,
Dennis Thomas and Robert "Spike" Mickens, who would become
Kool & the Gang.
*
Lose Weight Now: Oprah & 60 Minutes Agree Hoodia Works
Curb Your Cravings(R) Hoodia Patch System is here to help you.
All natural Hoodia is an appetite suppressant: You can
eat less, reduce your calorie intake and the lose weight.
"I'd have to say Hoodia did work" - Leslie Stahl, 60 minutes
Get your One (1) Week Free* Trial. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
Visit: Lose Weight Now with Hoodia
*
VINCENT SHERMAN, WARNER BROS. DIRECTOR, DEAD AT 99
Vincent Sherman, whose film directing career began in 1939 at
Warner Bros. in Hollywood, Calif., and who made 30 movies and
television shows, has died at 99. Sherman died Sunday at the
Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, the
Los Angeles Times reported. In 1937, he was hired by Warner
Bros. to rewrite old scripts for the B-picture unit. He went
on to direct films starring Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis and
Errol Flynn in the 1940s. In 1943, Sherman directed "The Hard
Way," which was spotlighted as a forgotten masterpiece at the
Telluride Film Festival in 1996. During the McCarthy era,
Sherman was "gray listed" and lost what he considered his most
productive years for standing by colleagues accused of being
communist. He is survived by his son Eric, companion Francine
York, daughter Hedwin Naimark, four grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren.
**********
ARTHUR FRANZ, CHARACTER ACTOR, DEAD AT 86
Character actor Arthur Franz has died from heart failure and
emphysema at St. John's Hospital in Oxnard Calif., at age 86.
Franz is best known for his role in the 1957 film "Hellcats
of the Navy," which also featured Ronald Reagan and his wife,
Nancy Davis, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday. Usually
playing a sympathetic and friendly character, Franz, in the
prime of his career had very steady work. He had one star-
ring role, which earned him the best reviews of his career,
in the 1952 blockbuster "The Sniper" in which he played an
ex-soldier who goes on a rampage in San Francisco. Franz
played a character the exact opposite of his usual screen
roles. For nearly 30 years, he often had guest roles on such
popular television series as "Perry Mason," "The FBI," "The
Mod Squad," "The Virginian" and "Rawhide." Survivors include
his fourth wife, Sharon; daughters Gina Martenson and Melissa
Franz, and his son, Michael.
*
"Absolutely Priceless" - Rolling Stone
"Freshly Irreverent" - The New York Times
"Pertinent, Personal, Outrageous" - Playboy
Before Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and George Carlin
there was LENNY BRUCE. To this day he is considered
to be America's most controversial comedian.
In this brilliant DVD you'll see Lenny in what would
be his second-to-last performance. Historic and still
timely today, it's a no-holds-barred performance that
includes some of his famous stand-up bits including
prison riot with Dutch, the warden, Father Flotski and
more. It's the ONLY full-length unedited film of Lenny.
See why critics hail this as THE Lenny Bruce performance
to own. Get it today and SAVE $5.00 by visiting:
Rare Lenny Bruce Complete Performance DVD
*
FREDERICK FRANCK, ARTIST, DEAD AT 97
Frederick Franck, artist, author and spiritual authority,
died June 5 at his home in Warwick, N.Y., at the age of 97.
The New York Times said Franck died of congestive heart
failure. Franck's works are displayed around the country.
He is known for spare sculptures of steel, glass and wood
depicting mystical scenes, the Times said. The struggling
Central Ward of Newark, N.J. includes four of Franck's out-
door sculptures representing rebirth. Franck's paintings and
drawings are on display at the Museum of Modern Art and the
Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Franck also was
the author of numerous books, including "The Zen of Seeing
-- Seeing and Drawing as Meditation" (1973) and "To Be Human
Against All Odds" (1991). The Times said Franck died at his
home near a park dedicated to peace where his works are
displayed.
*
John Cleese - Wine For The Confused...
Join John Cleese as he tours through California's
wine country for a thoroughly entertaining, informative
and ALWAYS amusing look at the world of winemaking.
Not only will you have a great time, you'll discover:
- How to find wines that taste good to you
- How to make sure you get the best value
- How to keep and serve wine at home
Includes DVD Extras and more. Plus, we'll save you
$5.00 on John's jolly-good-time of a DVD. Just $14.99
for over 90 minutes. To get more info or order, visit:
John Cleese - Wine For The Confused DVD
*
Notable deaths this week in history...
In 1959, Ethel Barrymore, last of the trio known to Broadway
and Hollywood as "The Royal Family" of acting, died of a
heart ailment. She was 79.
In 1969, Judy Garland, one of MGM's biggest stars, who
starred in some of the studio's greatest musicals, including
The Wizard of Oz, died of an accidental overdose. She was 47.
In 1987, actor and comedian Jackie Gleason, best known for
his classic television series The Honeymooners and his
character Ralph Kramden, died at the age of 71.
In 1995, Dr. Jonas Salk, who in the 1950's developed the
first successful vaccine against polio, died of heart
failure at the age of 80.
------------------------------------------------------------
GopherCentral's Question of the Week
Is the war in Iraq going well?
Question of the Week
-----------------------------------------------------------
Visit the archives:
Dead End Archives
------------------------------------------------------------
To get FUN & AMUSEMENT by Email: F-R-E-E Newsletters
************************************************************
END OF DEAD END Another F-R-E-E GopherCentral publication
Copyright 2006 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.
 E-Mail this issue
Subscribe FREE to Dead End by clicking here.
|