Obituaries
American actor Ben Gazzara (1930-2012)
By David Walsh, February 9, 2012
Ben Gazzara had a long career in film, theater and television, which began in the mid-1950s. He worked with numerous interesting directors, although he seems to have found the greatest artistic satisfaction working with John Cassavetes.
The death of Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos
“I no longer deal with politics, with generalisations. I have stopped understanding them.”
By Stefan Steinberg, January 27, 2012
In many respects Angelopoulos expresses the artistic and political crisis of a generation of intellectuals who tragically failed to come to grips with the traumas of the past century and the extraordinary social and intellectual challenges of the new.
“Sing like your life depends on it”: Etta James—1938-2012
By Paul Bond, January 26, 2012
Etta James had an instantly recognisable voice, sinuous, tender and harsh in equal measure. She died a few days short of her 74th birthday.
Johnny Otis, R&B’s renaissance man, dies at 90
By Hiram Lee, January 24, 2012
Influential R&B musician Johnny Otis, best-known for the hit dance record “Willie and the Hand Jive” died January 17 at the age of 90.
Blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin (1931-2011): “Feel the soul and the pain”
By Paul Bond, January 5, 2012
The longtime sideman for Chicago blues great Howlin’ Wolf, Hubert Sumlin, died last month at the age of 80.
“Understatement never won a war”: British filmmaker Ken Russell (1927-2011)
By Paul Bond, December 29, 2011
British filmmaker Ken Russell, who directed Women in Love, The Music Lovers, The Devils and many other works, died last month aged 84.
Jazz drummer Paul Motian (1931-2011)
By Hiram Lee, December 28, 2011
Jazz drummer Paul Motian, a member of the classic Bill Evans Trio of the early 1960s, died recently at the age of 80.
Journalist, scoundrel Christopher Hitchens dies at 62
By David Walsh, December 17, 2011
Christopher Hitchens began his public life as a “left” journalist in Britain and moved on, without undergoing any apparent internal struggle, to become a proponent of imperialist war and oppression, residing in Washington, D.C.
Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director—a new biography of a major American filmmaker
By Charles Bogle, September 12, 2011
In writing Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director, biographer Patrick McGilligan has performed the valuable service of tracing the fitful arc of a great and troubled director’s life and career.
Motown songwriter Nick Ashford dies at 70
By Hiram Lee, September 6, 2011
Songwriter Nick Ashford who, along with his wife Valerie Simpson, wrote several significant hits for Motown records in the late 1960s, has died at age 70.
Prolific songwriter Jerry Leiber dead at 78
By D. Lencho, September 2, 2011
Lyricist Jerry Leiber who, with composer Mike Stoller, wrote such memorable hits as “Hound Dog” and “Stand By Me,” has died at the age of 78.
Gene McDaniels, soul singer and songwriter, dead at 76
By Hiram Lee, August 30, 2011
Soul singer and songwriter Gene McDaniels, composer of “Compared to What” and other protest songs, died July 29 at the age of 76.
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