Starting with the original Improv in Midtown Manhattan, he gave Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin and countless other comedians a launching pad to fame.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Budd Friedman, Who Built an Empire of Comedy Clubs, Dies at 90
The New York Times – Business: -
Fred Hickman, Longtime CNN Sports Anchor, Is Dead at 66
The New York Times – Sports:He was teamed memorably with Nick Charles for many years on “Sports Tonight” and gained praise early on for his interviews with sports figures.
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Ellen Levine, 79, Dies; Editor With Keen Sense of Women Readers
The New York Times – Business:She was Good Housekeeping’s first female top editor, earlier edited Woman’s Day and Redbook, and helped Oprah Winfrey create a newsstand sensation.
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Dan McCafferty, Nazareth Frontman Who Sang ‘Love Hurts,’ Dies at 76
The New York Times – Music:His band became known for hard-driving stadium rock, but its biggest hit was a cover of a country ballad about heartbreak.
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Mehran Karimi Nasseri, Who Inspired ‘The Terminal,’ Dies in Paris Airport
The New York Times – Travel:Mr. Nasseri lived in Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years, sleeping on a bench, after he was stuck in limbo as a refugee. His life was the inspiration for the Steven Spielberg film, which starred Tom Hanks.
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Mimi Parker, Moody Alt-Rock Vocalist, Is Dead at 55
The New York Times – Music:Her influential band, Low, emerged in the 1990s, but its minimalist sound stood in sharp contrast to the anthems of angst that came to define the grunge era.
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Overlooked No More: Cléoma Falcon, Queen of Cajun Music
The New York Times – Music:She and her husband, Joe, recorded the first commercial recording of Cajun music ever made, giving voice to French-speaking Louisiana.
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Jeff Cook, a Founder of the Country Band Alabama, Dies at 73
The New York Times – Music:His group had 32 No. 1 country singles, and his guitar and fiddle playing helped extend its reach to a generation raised on rock ’n’ roll.
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Jane Gross, Sportswriter Who Opened Locker Room Doors, Dies at 75
The New York Times – Sports:She made news by entering a pro basketball inner sanctum to do her job. Years later, her mother’s physical decline led her to write about aging for The Times and in a book.
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Gal Costa, One of Brazil’s Greatest Singers, Dies at 77
The New York Times – Music:Her graceful, flexible voice and ear for memorable songs sustained a five-decade career defining the sound of Brazilian pop.
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Joe Tarsia, an Architect of the Sound of Philadelphia, Dies at 88
The New York Times – Music:His work as an engineer at Sigma Sound Studios left a sonic stamp on R&B hits by the O’Jays, the Delfonics, the Stylistics and many others.
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Elizabeth Stewart, Champion of Scotland’s Folk Music, Dies at 83
The New York Times – Music:She was part of a musical family of Scottish Travellers that furthered the nation’s folk revival and influenced its American counterpart.