His promotion of the sugar substitute was a success. But later, as head of Monsanto, he faced blowback after the company rushed into genetically altered products.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Johnny Rodriguez, Country Music Star, Dead at 73
He was best known for the 1970s hits “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind” and “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico,” and as the first popular Mexican American country artist.
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William L. Porter, Designer of Classic American Cars, Dies at 93
As a senior designer at G.M., he helped create the exuberant, elongated shape of 1960s and ’70s cars like the Pontiac GTO, the Bonneville and the Trans Am.
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Jack Katz, Pioneer of the Graphic Novel, Is Dead at 97
Hailed as a visionary (if a difficult one), he drew inspiration for his multivolume work “The First Kingdom” from no less a model than Homer.
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George Lee, Trailblazing Chinese Ballet Dancer, Dies at 90
He is believed to have been the first Asian to dance with New York City Ballet when he was cast in George Balanchine’s production of “The Nutcracker.”
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Robert A.G. Monks, Crusader Against ‘Imperial’ C.E.O.s, Dies at 91
A descendant of American wealth, he used his success in business to push for social responsibility in corporate leadership and encouraged shareholders to push back.
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Kenneth Walker, 73, Journalist Who Bared Apartheid’s Brutality
He shared an Emmy for his reporting on “Nightline” about South Africa’s policy of racial segregation. The National Association of Black Journalists named him journalist of the year.
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Clarence O. Smith, a Founder of Essence Magazine, Is Dead at 92
As president, he helped persuade companies like Estée Lauder and Ford to advertise in the pages of the first mass-circulation magazine directed at Black women.
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Lulu Roman, Who Brought Big-Hearted Sass to ‘Hee Haw,’ Is Dead at 78
Obesity was a source of trauma for her, but also of her comedy, which she showcased, along with gospel singing, on the long-running down-home variety show.
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Cora Sue Collins, a Busy Child Actress in the 1930s, Dies at 98
She was in films with Greta Garbo, who became a friend, and Myrna Loy, Bette Davis and others. She ended her career after being sexually harassed.
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Pierre Audi, Eminent Force in the Performing Arts, Dies at 67
After turning a derelict lecture hall into the daring Almeida Theater, he had a long career as a director and impresario in Europe and New York.
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Mike Peters, Frontman of the Alarm, Is Dead at 66
Leading the Welsh band known for 1980s anthems like “Sixty Eight Guns,” he later became a strong voice in the fight against cancer, which he battled for decades.