To oblige an eager reporter, he invented a story about the holiday’s origin. He didn’t realize it would turn out to be his “Andy Warhol moment.”
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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Rick Levine, Who Gave Commercials Cinematic Flair, Dies at 94
An award-winning director, he created ads for brands like Diet Pepsi (starring Michael J. Fox) and Wells Fargo by bringing a Hollywood sensibility to the small screen.
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Alice Tan Ridley, a Subway Singer Who Dazzled on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ Dies at 72
The mother of the actress Gabourey Sidibe, she spent decades singing full time as a busker in the New York City subways.
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Michael Hurley, a Singer Both Eccentric and Inspirational, Dies at 83
A folk troubadour with an eclectic style, he built a devoted following for his songs about love, death, drinking and a particularly sad werewolf.
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Tracy Schwarz, Mainstay of the New Lost City Ramblers, Dies at 86
He was the last surviving member of a retro-minded string trio whose celebration of prewar songs of the rural South put them at the heart of the folk revival.
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John Nelson, Conductor Who Got France to Cherish Berlioz, Dies at 83
He revived interest in a “problem child” in the pantheon of high romantic composers, bringing Berlioz overdue recognition as one of France’s greatest composers.
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Bob McManus, Blunt Editorial Voice of New York Post, Dies at 81
As the editor of the tabloid’s editorial page and as a columnist, he skewered those he considered phonies and symbols of failed progressivism.
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Robert W. McChesney, Who Warned of Corporate Media Control, Dies at 72
In over a dozen books, he explored the failures of journalism and the internet, blaming capitalism and calling for the nationalization of Facebook and Google.
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Clem Burke, Versatile, Hard-Driving Drummer for Blondie, Dies at 70
He provided both the explosive percussion on hits like “Call Me” and the laid-back rhythm on the reggae-influenced “The Tide Is High.”
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Amadou Bagayoko, Half of Malian Duo Who Went Global, Dies at 70
As Amadou & Mariam, he and his wife were improbable pop stars on two counts. Their style was venturesome and eclectic, and they were blind virtuosos.
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Marcia Marcus, Painter Rediscovered in Her Last Decade, Dies at 97
A popular downtown artist in the 1960s, she worked in obscurity after art world trends left her behind. Now her startlingly fresh work is on view again.
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John Peck, Underground Cartoonist Known as The Mad Peck, Dies at 82
Among many other accomplishments, he illustrated a scholarly work on the history of comic books and wrote record reviews in four-panel comic-strip form.