As a producer, he made the best-selling album of all time, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” He was also a prolific arranger and composer of film music.
Category: Deaths (Obituaries)
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James Ledbetter, Media Critic and Business Journalist, Dies at 60
He wrote the Press Clips column for The Village Voice, held top jobs at Inc. magazine and Slate, and wrote a book about how the startup magazine The Industry Standard fizzled.
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Tsunehisa Katsumata, Top Executive in Power Plant Meltdown, Dies at 84
He was sued and prosecuted for his actions as chairman of the Japanese power company that ran the Fukushima nuclear facility when it failed in a 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
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Isabelle de Borchgrave Dies at 79; Traced Sartorial History With Paper
An artist and designer, she transformed simple craft paper into elaborate trompe l’oeil confections, creating stunning life-size reproductions of period garments.
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Charles Brandt, Whose Book Inspired ‘The Irishman,’ Dies at 82
“I Heard You Paint Houses,” his true-crime best seller about the death of Jimmy Hoffa, was brought to the screen by Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro.
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Donald J. Hall, 96, Dies; Expanded Hallmark Beyond Greeting Cards
After succeeding his father as the company’s top executive, he added new product lines and increased its focus on family-friendly TV shows.
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Teri Garr, Comic Actress in Offbeat Roles, Is Dead at 79
An Oscar nominee for her role in “Tootsie,” she was also a favorite guest of David Letterman and Johnny Carson and a three-time host of “Saturday Night Live.”
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Steve Mariotti, Whose Trauma Led Him to Help Youths at Risk, Dies at 71
After he was mugged, he took a therapist’s advice to work with “difficult students at a difficult school.” They ignored him until the lessons turned to business.
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Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol’s Cinematic Collaborator, Dies at 86
In films like “Trash” and “Women in Revolt,” he brought movement, character and something resembling a story line to the Warhol film aesthetic.
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DJ Clark Kent, Who Introduced Jay-Z to the Notorious B.I.G., Dies at 58
He was a producer and club D.J. who helped rappers find their voices and fortunes, and who later became known as a raconteur of hip-hop history.
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Claire Daly, Master of the Baritone Saxophone, Dies at 66
She was celebrated for both her playing and her love of the jazz community. “My life in music,” she said recently, “is the smartest thing I’ve done.”
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Tom Jarriel, Globetrotting ABC News Reporter, Is Dead at 89
In his 37 years at the network, he was a White House correspondent, weekend anchor and correspondent for “20/20.” He won 19 Emmy Awards.