obituary
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Caroll Spinney, the legendary puppeteer who captivated young audiences for nearly 50 years as Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, has died. He was 85 years old. The puppeteer had been “living with dystonia for some time,” according to a press release from Sesame Workshop. “Caroll was an artistic genius whose kind and loving view […]
Barbara Hillary, the pioneering African American explorer, died Saturday at the age of 88. The tragic news was announced on Hillary’s official website and Twitter account: Hillary made history at the age of 75 when she became not only the oldest person to ever reach the North Pole, but the first African American woman on […]
Godfrey Gao, a Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor who appeared in the 2013 film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, died Wednesday morning after he collapsed on the set of a Chinese reality TV show. The actor was appearing on Chase Me, a show that has celebrities go up against regular contestants in a series of challenges […]
Richard Williams, the celebrated animator behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit, has died at the of 86. His family announced he died Friday at his home in Bristol, England, following a battle with cancer. Williams began his career in the 1950s, working on shorts and features like The Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, A Lecture […]
Hollywood legend Peter Fonda has died at the age of 79. According to a statement released by his family, the actor/screenwriter died Friday morning in his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved-ones. The family says Fonda died of complications caused by lung cancer. “It is with deep sorrow that we share the news that Peter Fonda […]
D.A. Pennebaker, the man behind some of the most acclaimed music documentaries, died Thursday night of natural causes, Variety has confirmed. He was 94. Among Pennebaker’s most popular films were Don’t Look Back, which provided a behind-the-scenes look at Bob Dylan’s 1965 English tour; the David Bowie concert film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars; and Monterey Pop, which […]
Disney Legend Russi Taylor, best known as the voice of Minnie Mouse, died Friday at her home in Glendale, California. She was 75. The Walt Disney Company confirmed Taylor’s death Saturday, along with a statement from its CEO and chairman Bob Iger. “Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the passing of Russi Taylor,” he said. “For […]
New Orleans legend and all-around funk pioneer Art Neville, of Neville Brothers fame, died on Monday at the age of 81. TMZ, citing his family, adds that Neville’s health had been declining in recent years. Neverthless his longtime manager, Kent Sorrell, told the outlet that Art’s death was a “peaceful” one, and also said that […]
Legendary Brazilian musician João Gilberto died Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, according to a Facebook message posted by his family. He was 88 years old. Though a cause of death has not been revealed, Gilberto’s son, Marcelo Gilberto, suggested his father had been battling health issues. “My father has passed. His fight was noble, he tried to maintain dignity […]
Paul Benjamin, who played one of the three “cornermen” in 1989’s Do the Right Thing, has died at age 81. The film’s director, Spike Lee, announced the tragic news via Instagram on Wednesday, along with a touching tribute. “I’m Sad To Write That The Great Actor PAUL BENJAMIN (Who Played ML, {Far Left} One Of The Cornermen […]
