He made billions selling energy with his Coastal Corporation, courted presidents and dictators, and eventually went to prison for paying kickbacks to the Iraqi government.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Ken Jacobs, Visionary of Avant-Garde Film, Is Dead at 92
Using found footage and toying with dimensions (2-D could seem like dazzling 3-D), he sought to explode cinema’s traditional boundaries.
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Chris Dreja, a Founding Member of the Yardbirds, Dies at 78
A rhythm guitarist and bassist, he was a “rock” for a band whose fiery lead players, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, had no shortage of ego.
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Belva Davis, West Coast Trailblazer in TV News, Dies at 92
Overcoming poverty and prejudice, she was the first Black woman to be hired as a television reporter in the region and later became a popular anchor.
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Leo Hindery Jr., Dealmaking Power in the Cable TV Industry, Dies at 77
He was president of one of the nation’s largest cable operators and chairman of the Yankees’ YES Network. He also drove his sports car to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Marilyn Knowlden, Child Actress of 1930s Hollywood, Dies at 99
A spontaneous screen test led to a career that lasted into her teens. She appeared alongside stars like Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn, played piano with Chico Marx and danced with Charles Laughton.
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Viv Prince, Rock’s Original Madman Drummer, Is Dead at 84
A drummer for the 1960s British band the Pretty Things, “the high priest of lunacy” set a high bar for fiery performances and offstage misbehavior.
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Leo Gerard, Who Led a Growing Steelworkers Union, Dies at 78
He helped make it the largest industrial union in North America as he fought an influx of cheap metal from China and lobbied for anti-dumping tariffs.
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Neil Kraft, Visionary Adman Who Sold ‘a Mood and a Lifestyle,’ Dies at 67
His ads for Calvin Klein and others captured a fizzy moment in the 1980s and ’90s, featuring celebrities like the young rapper Marky Mark wearing nothing but underwear and a grin.
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Henry Jaglom, Indie Director Who Mined the Personal, Dies at 87
His discursive films, often centered on women and their emotions and relationships, confounded and delighted critics in equal measure.
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Akiko Tsuruga, Inventive Jazz Organist, Dies at 58
Known for her vast sonic palette, she made her mark playing with the saxophone master Lou Donaldson and also had a prolific solo career.
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Mel Taub, Creator of a Pun-Loving Puzzle, Is Dead at 97
He was the main whiz behind a crossword variation for The Times, whose readers loved his anagrams and sometimes groan-inducing wordplay. (Try one yourself.)