RIP

[Kobi]

ST. LOUIS (AP) - With a string of gold albums, a hit TV series and the signature "Moon River," Andy Williams was a voice of the 1960s, although not the '60s we usually hear about.

Williams' plaintive tenor, boyish features and easy demeanor helped him outlast many of the rock stars who had displaced him and such fellow crooners as Frank Sinatra and Perry Como. He remained on the charts into the 1970s, and continued to perform in his 80s at the Moon River Theatre he built in Branson, Mo. In November 2011, when Williams announced that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer, he vowed to return to performing the following year: His 75th in show business.

He became a major star the same year as Elvis Presley, 1956, with the Sinatra-like swing "Canadian Sunset," and for a time he was pushed into such Presley imitations as "Lips of Wine" and the No. 1 smash "Butterfly." But he mostly stuck to what he called his "natural style," and kept it up throughout his career. In 1970, when even Sinatra had given up and (temporarily) retired, Williams was in the top 10 with the theme from "Love Story," the Oscar-winning tearjerker. He had 18 gold records and three platinum, was nominated for five Grammy awards and hosted the Grammy ceremonies for several years.

Movie songs became a specialty, from "Love Story" and "Days of Wine and Roses" to "Moon River." The longing Johnny Mercer-Henry Mancini ballad was his most famous song, even though he never released it as a single because his record company feare d such lines as "my huckleberry friend" were too confusing and old-fashioned for teens. The song was first performed by Audrey Hepburn in the beloved 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's," but Mancini thought "Moon River" ideal for Williams, who recorded it in "pretty much one take" and also sang it at the 1962 Academy Awards. Although "Moon River" was covered by countless artists and became a hit single for Jerry Butler, Williams made the song his personal brand. In fact, he insisted on it.

The Andy Williams Show," which lasted in various formats through the 1960s and into 1971, won three Emmys and featured Williams alternately performing his stable of hits and bantering casually with his guest stars. It was on that show that Williams - who launched his own care er as part of an all-brother quartet - introduced the world to another clean-cut act - the original four singing Osmond Brothers of Utah. Their younger sibling Donny also made his debut on Williams' show, in 1963 when he was 6 years old. Four decades later, the Osmonds and Williams would find themselves in close proximity again, sharing Williams' theater in Branson, Mo.

[Kobi]

LONDON (Reuters) - Czech-born film star Herbert Lom, best known as the deranged Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in the "Pink Panther" comedies, has died, according to British media.

He portrayed Napoleon Bonaparte twice, including in "War and Peace" in 1956 alongside Henry Fonda and Audrey Hepburn, and the King of Siam in the first London production of the stage musical "The King and I" in 1953.

Two years later he collaborated with Peter Sellers in the dark comedy "The Ladykillers", and they would work together again in the 1960s and 1970s on the Pink Panther series.

In them Lom played the increasingly crazed Dreyfus alongside Seller's hapless Inspector Clouseau, and the success of his character owed much to Lom's own improvisations.

He also wrote two novels, "Enter A Spy" published in 1971 and "Dr Guillotine" in 1993.

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Never really understood the popularity of the Pink Panther films.

[LeftWriteFemme]

This is a favorite clip of mine....made all the dearer since the death of Andy Williams

[lusciouskiwi]

Tereska Torres, a convent-educated French writer who quite by accident wrote America's first lesbian pulp novel, and is best known for her 1950's Women's Barracks, died on Thursday at her home in Paris...She was 92.

[Kobi]

The Logo TV channel says that a contestant who competed on "RuPaul's Drag Race" as Sahara Davenport has died. Antoine Ashley was 27.

A channel spokesman says the cause of Ashley's death Monday was not immediately released. His manager, David Charpentier, says a statement is being planned by his family.

He was a contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race" in 2010. The classically trained dancer also released a dance single, "Go Off," this year.

[Kobi]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yvonne Mounsey, who danced major roles for George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins with the New York City Ballet in the 1950s and went on to found an influential West Coast ballet school, has died. She was 93.

Mounsey danced with the City Ballet from 1948 to 1958, rising from soloist to principal dancer.

She was the Dark Angel in Balanchine's "Serenade" and Siren in his 1950 revival of "Prodigal Son," which were among her favorite roles, her daughter said.

For Robbins, she originated the roles of the Queen in "The Cage," the Harp in "Fanfare" and the Wife in "The Concert."

In 1966, Mounsey moved to Los Angeles and opened the Westside School of Ballet, teaching the neoclassical Balanchine technique, which has become a signature style of ballet in America. The Santa Monica school became influential and its students have included former City Ballet star Jock Soto and current company principal dancers Andrew Veyette and Tiler Peck. The school also counts Joy Womack, the first American woman to dance with the Bolshoi Ballet, among the world-class dancers it has trained.

http://news.yahoo.com/ny-ballet-star...195815752.html

[Kobi]

Frank Wilson, the legendary producer for Motown who worked on music for The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, and more recently John Legend, died Thursday after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 71.

He churned out several hits, writing and producing songs such as Stevie Wonder's "Castles In the Sand;" Diana Ross and The Supremes' "Love Child," "I'm Living in Shame," "Up the Ladder to the Roof," and "Stone Love;" The Temptations' "All I Need;" Marvin Gaye's "Chained;" and Four Tops' "Still Water (Love)."

Wilson also helped write "You've Made Me So Very Happy," a 1967 Top 40 single for Motown's Brenda Holloway that soon became an even bigger hit for Blood, Sweat and Tears.

In 1976, Wilson left Motown to become a born-again Christian, according to AllMusic.com, though his song credits have continued up until present day, the most prominent of his recent music work being John Legend's "Each Day Gets Better."

Instead of music, Wilson began writing books. Before his death, Wilson became ordained as a minister and wrote two books: The Master's Degree--Majoring in Your Marriage and Unmasking the Lone Ranger. He also appeared on numerous talk shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, and spoke at several churches and conferences worldwide.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...in-gaye-375190