Pause a moment to mark the passing of some of our favorite people — whether they were worldwide celebrities or local artists, we are all the worse for their departure.

Who Died Age
Don Martin
Mad magazine’s maddest cartoonist		 Jan. 6 68

ScreaminÂ’ Jay Hawkins
Wildly original rock Â’nÂ’ roller, actor (“I Put a Spell on You,” Mystery Train … were you related?)

 Feb. 12 70
Ofra Haza
Internationally known Israeli singer; recorded songs for the Prince of Egypt
Feb. 23
42
Charles M. Schultz
Beloved cartoonist; sired Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang
Feb. 12
77
Ofra Haza
Internationally known Israeli singer; recorded songs for the Prince of Egypt		 Feb. 23 42
Ian Dury
British rocker formerly of the Blockheads; acted in several movies		 March 27 57
Edward Gorey
Author, illustrator, set designer; famed for his detailed gothic ink tableaus
April 15
75
Barbara Cartland
Eccentric British romance novelist
May 21
98
Sir John Gielgud
Esteemed British actor; yukked it up as ArthurÂ’s wry butler
May 21
95
Tito Puente
Latin jazzman: percussionist, bandleader,composer, actor, Grammy winner
May 31
77
June 30
23
Michael “Cub” Koda
Local musician — guitarist in Brownsville Station (“Smokin’ in the Boys Room”) and blues writer		 July 1 51
Walter Matthau
Oscar-winning actor, star of stage and film (The Sunshine Boys, The Odd Couple)
July 1
79
Dudley Randall
Local poet, pioneer of African-American lit
Aug. 5
86
Sir Alec Guinness
Oscar-winning actor (Bridge on the River Kwai, the elder Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars movies)
Aug. 5
86
Richard Mulligan
Actor who appeared in many TV sitcoms (“Empty Nest,” “Soap”)
Sept. 26
67
Pierre Trudeau
Liberal Canadian Prime Minister (1960s through 1980s)
Sept. 28
80
Sam Sanders
Local jazz saxophonist
Oct.
unknown
Pat Flowers
Local jazz pianist
Oct. 6
83
Richard Farnsworth
Oscar-winning actor; stuntman (The Straight Story)
Oct. 6
80
Frederick Clarke
Founder-publisher of Cinefantastique (fantasy and sci-fi film magazine)
Oct. 17
51
Edsel Reid
Local collector and archivist of African-American arts
Oct. 27
60
Steve Allen
Original “Tonight Show” host; writer, songwriter
Oct. 30
78
Martha Hall-Harris
Promoted husband Teddy Harris (local jazzman) and others; dedicated arts volunteer
Oct. 31
65
David Brower
Lifelong environmentalist; Sierra Club exec who broke with the group to support Ralph Nader		 Nov. 5 88
Gwendolyn Brooks
Poet; first African-American poet to win a Pulitzer (“She real cool”)
Dec. 4
83

Werner Klemperer
Actor; Col. Klink from “Hogan’s Heroes” (Metro Times reported him dead in 1998; sadly, it appears to be for real this time)
Dec. 6
80
Kirsty MacColl
Super talented singer-songwriter best known for her duet with Shane MacGowan of the Pogues (“Fairytale of New York”) 		Dec. 18 41
Robert Buck
Founding member of 10,000 Maniacs		 Dec. 19 42
Billy Barty
Perhaps the most famous of little people		 Dec. 23 76

The Famous Coachman
Former WDET radio host deejayed a popular late-night blues program

 Dec. 24 75
Jason Robards
Oscar-winning actor; had his swan song in Magnolia just last year		 Dec. 26 78

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This roundup was compiled by MT staff. Send comments to [email protected]

This article appears in Dec 27, 2000 – Jan 2, 2001.

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