Archive: Obituaries

Entries in this category going back awhile
 

Jonathan Gold, LA's preeminent food writer, has died at 57

jgold-scene-grab.jpg The restaurant critic, cultural anthropologist and voice of Los Angeles found out this month that he had pancreatic cancer.

Cory Iverson, 32, California firefighter dies on Thomas Fire

cory-iversons.jpg "The world stood still today for my sweet husband," his wife posted after a solemn procession Sunday drew crowds along several SoCal freeways. "He is home."

Bruce Brown, surfing filmmaker of 'The Endless Summer,' dies at 80

endless-summer-bbfilms.jpg Endless Summer changed the image of surfers and surfing culture in the 1960s and made Brown a legend on the beach.
la-raza-raided-maria-varela.jpg Daily News photographer takes to the streets. Visiting critic blinded by the light. Media notes and obits. More PST:LA/LA. Selected tweets.

LA Observed Notes: Trump's new war, media notes and more

Perla_Rooftop_HR.jpg On the ground in Mexico and Puerto Rico, another LA Times exit, media obits and selected tweets.

Gary Friedman, 62, longtime LA Times photojournalist

gary-friedman-endeavour-gl.jpg Friedman was a stalwart of the Los Angeles Times photo staff for more than 30 years.

Kelly Wong, 29, Los Angeles firefighter

kelly-wong-wife-child-eric-leonard.jpg Wong was based in Rancho Park and was training at his new station downtown when he fell from a ladder and died.

John Severson, 83, founder of Surfer magazine

severson-young-surfline.jpg "Before John Severson, there was really no surf art, no surf magazines, no real surf films, no surfwear industry, no pro surfing, no Surfrider Foundation, no surf culture as we know it."

Cecilia Alvear, 77, trail blazing NBC News producer

cecilia-alvear-560.jpg Alvear started at KNBC and became NBC's first Latina news producer when she led Latin America coverage.

Rosie Hamlin, 71, writer and singer of 'Angel Baby'

rosie-hamlin-grab.jpg We must have played "Angel Baby" a million times since the only hit from Rosie and the Originals came out in 1961, Art Laboe posts on Facebook.

Robert Osborne, 84, host on Turner Classic Movies

robert-osborne-2013-tcm.jpg Osborne's TV credits begin in 1954, but in 1977 he took up writing for the Hollywood Reporter and became the genial first host of TCM movies.

Amy Dawes, 56, journalist and author

amy-dawes-iw.jpg The Los Angeles entertainment journalist and author of "Sunset Boulevard: Cruising The Heart of Los Angeles” has died of cancer.

Richard Schickel, 84, film critic, director and author

richard-schickel-post-by-er.jpg "A giant of American film criticism," Kenneth Turan says of Schickel, the longtime Time critic, author and documentary maker.

Media notes: Anthony Marquez, 55, AP bureau chief in Los Angeles

cnn-black-panel.jpg Also: Exits from the LA Times, Google warns journalists, some Trump-inspired news jobs and more.

Kevin Starr, 76, the historian of California

kevin-starr-sf-chronicle.jpg The top contender for the title of preeminent observer of our state "chronicled the history of California as no one else," Gov. Jerry Brown said.

Lynne Westmore Bloom, 81, painted the Pink Lady of Malibu Canyon

pink-lady-in-pink.jpg As Lynne Seemayer, she created an indelible part of LA street art lore and became something of a legend.

Photographer dies in Port of LA copter crash

michael-justice-grab.jpg Michael Justice, who shot for the Wall Street Journal, Daily Breeze and LA Herald Examiner, was on assignment for the port in San Pedro.

Tyrus Wong, legendary Disney artist, was 106

tyrus-wong-bambi.jpg Wong's artwork inspired "Bambi." He contributed to other films and was also known for his beach kites.

Read the memo: LA Times finally names an obituary editor

latimes-sign-sideview.jpg It's been awhile since there was an editor in charge of covering prominent deaths. He doesn't get any assigned writers.

Gwen Ifill, Washington journalist, 61

gwen-ifill-pbs.jpg Ifill died of cancer complications. Co-anchor Judy Woodruff gave viewers the news on "PBS News Hour," where Ifill was managing editor.

Leonard Cohen, 82

leonard-cohen-fb.jpg Cohen's official Facebook page announced his passing without details.

Tom Hayden, 76, author and political activist

tom-hayden-michigan.jpg Author, activist and former California state assemblyman and senator Tom Hayden has died in Santa Monica after a lengthy illness.

John Scott Finnell, 65, Doo Dah Parade's Snotty Scotty

thehankies.jpg Snotty Scotty and the Hankies led every single version of the Occasional Pasadena Doh Dah Parade.

Steven Owen, Los Angeles Sheriff's sergeant, 53

steven-owen-lasd.jpg Owen was shot and killed answering a home burglary call in Lancaster.

Ed Edelman, 85, retired supervisor and LA councilman

ed-edelman-cello-grab.jpg Edelman represented the Westside and the Fairfax area for 29 years and led the fight for children's services, AIDS treatment, mental health services and the arts.

Stanley Sheinbaum, 96, LA liberal leader

sheinbaum-jane-fonda.jpg From his home on Rockingham Avenue in Brentwood, where he and his wife Betty hosted countless salons and strategy meetings, Stanley Sheinbaum played a key role in LA and world events.

Joe Hicks, political commentator, was 75

joe-hicks-cai.jpg Joe Hicks, the co-founder of Community Advocates Inc. and a long-time media commentator on race and columnist in Los Angeles, died Sunday.

Bob Long, former TV news executive in LA

bob-long-voa.jpg Long worked on "The Big News" at KNXT and was VP and news director at NBC 4.

Saul Halpert, 93, longtime TV journalist in LA

saul-halpert-tarlau-nbc4.jpg Halpert reported for all three network stations in LA and hosted "KNBC News Conference."

Michel Richard, 68, formative LA chef

michel-richard.jpg The French-born chef built a national empire after his two hit Los Angeles eateries.

Mollie Lowery, 70, longtime angel of Skid Row

Mollie-Lowery.jpg Steve Lopez has written a lovely column on his friend, the Skid Row organizer and housing advocate and co-founder of the LAMP Community.

Melvin Durslag, 95, longtime LA sports columnist

durslag.jpg Durslag wrote about sports for the Hearst newspapers in Los Angeles from the time he was a freshman at USC in 1939 until the HerEx closed in 1989.

Carolyn See, 82, LA author and critic

carolyn-see.jpg See was "the defining voice for a certain kind of California experience in the mid-’70s and 1980s."

Media and book notes for a summer weekend

press-club-awards-banner-2016.jpg Coming, goings, awards and Donald Trump. Plus that LAT photographer pleads no contest and gets community service.

Bill Cunningham, 87, New York Times photographer

bill-cunningham-street-hat.jpg Cunningham created the genre of street fashion photography and was featured in a 2010 documentary.

David Lamb, retired LA Times star reporter, 76

david-lamb-vietnam-nyt.jpg Lamb was "the consummate newspaperman in the glory days of the profession," his LAT obit begins.

Muhammad Ali, 74

ali-nationofislam-olympicaud-lapl.jpg Muhammad Ali, who died today at age 74, had a lot of connections to Los Angeles.

Garry Shandling memorial was 'funny, sad, perfect'

garry-shandling-gq.jpg 900 or so friends gathered Sunday night at the Wilshire Ebell.

Steve Julian, 57, KPCC's morning host since 2000*

steve-julian-kpcc.png KPCC posted a little while ago that Julian, the station's longtime morning host, has died of brain cancer.

Filthy McNasty, LA club owner of lore

filthy-and-friends.jpg The original Filthy McNasty's occupied the Sunset Strip spot now the Viper Room. He also ran FM Station in the Valley.

Merle Haggard, 79, dies in his tour bus on his birthday

merle-haggard-tny.jpg "Maybe the greatest combination country singer and songwriter of his generation," Robert Hilburn said today.

Tom Hennessy, 80: Retired Press-Telegram columnist

tom-hennessy-twitter.jpg Hennessy spent 27 years as the staff columnist at the Long Beach Press-Telegram, and another six years writing occasional pieces.

Bill Rosendahl, 70: Former councilman had cancer

rosendahl-gleonard.jpg The longtime Westside councilman and television host entered hospice care last month.

Ron Rogers, 72, public relations executive

ron-rogers-ruder.jpg Rogers grew up in the Hollywood PR business and launched his own firm, The Rogers Group, in 1978.

Christy O'Donnell, LAPD vet who sought right to die law

christyodonnell-daughter.jpg O'Donnell, 47, pushed Gov. Brown to sign California's new right-to-die act, which won't take effect until later this year.

Glenn Frey, 67, co-founder of the Eagles (video)

glenn-frey-eagles-site.jpg Not many top bands with more certifiable Los Angeles roots than the Eagles, who met Linda Ronstadt at the Troubadour, became her band and with her blessing went out and dominated the 1970s.

David Bowie, 69, dead after fight with cancer

david-bowie-bw.jpg Bowie's social media accounts posted tonight that the musician and actor has died after an 18-month fight with cancer.

Michael Hamilburg, literary agent, was 82

michael-hamilburg.jpg Michael Hamilburg was the book agent for Jim Morrison, Jackie Robinson, Vincent Bugliosi and many other writers — as well as a number of Los Angeles journalists through the years....

Frank Armitage, 91, Disney Imagineer and illustrator

frank-armitage-disney.jpeg His career included work with David Alfaro Siqueiros, illustrating for "Sleeping Beauty" and "Fantastic Voyage," and murals for Disneyland and other Disney parks.

Bob Flick, 84, retired news producer for KNXT and NBC*

Flick survived the attack on journalists covering Jonestown that killed Rep. Leo Ryan in 1978 and helped to start "Entertainment Tonight."

Melvin Feuer: School volunteer was 92

mike-feuer-mel-mailer.jpg The father of City Attorney Mike Feuer died today. His talks with students at Castle Heights Elementary School were featured in a Steve Lopez column this year.

Leonard Shapiro, City Hall gadfly and pre-blogger, was 96

lat-screen-shot-shapiro.jpg "If Los Angeles had another 100 Leonard Shapiros we'd be in a lot better shape than we are today," his wife wrote in a 1984 letter to the editor.

Scott Weiland was an LA media person*

scott-weiland-638.jpg Weiland, the singer with Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, has died at age 48. He was a paste-up guy at the LA Daily Journal in the early 1990s.

Ricardo Galvez, 29, Downey police officer shot in his car*

galvez-downey-pd.jpg Galvez was a five-year veteran of the Downey Police Department from Whittier. Three suspects have been arrested.

P.F. Sloan may be the most famous songwriter you never heard of

pfsloan-grab.png Sloan, 70, died Monday night. 'For those who grew up in Southern California in the golden glow of the mid-'60s," Joel Bellman writes, "he produced the soundtrack of our lives."

George Barris, LA's king of car customizers, was 89

george-barris-vla.jpg The creator of the Batmobile and many other "kustom" cars for Hollywood was first a legend in the LA car culture.

Allan Hoffenblum, 75, leading California political consultant

allan-hoffenblum-mug.jpg Hoffenblum was a Republican strategist who created the nonpartisan and respected California Target Book.

Martin Milner, 83, actor and iconic TV cop

henrys-reed-malloy.jpg LAPD Chief Charlie Beck credits Milner's Pete Malloy with inspiring him to join the force.

Gerald Ruben, 80, longtime TV news executive in LA

gerald-ruben-fb.jpg "One of the great news producers of all time, anywhere," says Bob Tarlau on Facebook.

Oliver Sacks, 82, neurologist and author dies of cancer

musicophilia.jpg Sacks announced in a February Op-ed piece that he had spreading cancer and was detaching from big world concerns like the Middle East and global warming. "My generation is on the way out…"

Alan Cheuse, novelist and NPR contributor, dies at 75

alan-cheuse.npr.jpg Cheuse was injured in a crash near Santa Cruz two weeks ago.

Bob Baker, 67, former LA Times journalist

Baker worked for the Times as a reporter and editor for 26 years. He also contributed to LA Observed in the site's early years.

Susan Ahn Cuddy, 100, Korean-American pioneer in LA

susan-ahn-cuddy.jpg Born to the first Korean couple to immigrate to Los Angeles, she was a Navy code breaker in World War II, an activist in LA and part of a popular postwar restaurant family in the San Fernando Valley.
frances-kroll-ring.jpg Ring was the assistant who hid F. Scott Fitzgerald's drinking by dumping his empty gin bottles in Sepulveda Canyon in the months before he died.

Danny Villanueva, 77, media executive and former LA Ram*

danny-villanueva-325.jpg The kicker for the Rams in the 1960s became the news director and president of KMEX and a co-founder of Univision.

Kirk Kerkorian, 98, went from dropout to billionaire

Kirk-Kerkorian.jpg He bought MGM three times, owned Las Vegas hotels and at times was the richest man in Los Angeles.

John Carroll, 73, former editor of LA Times

john-carroll-iwmf.jpg The editor who led the Times to 13 Pulitzers in the first five years of Tribune ownership, then left rather than begin to dismantle the paper with cuts, died in Lexington, Kentucky of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Vincent Bugliosi, Manson prosecutor and author, was 80

bugliosi-1971-herex.jpg After convicting Charles Manson and followers, Bugliosi wrote "Helter Skelter" and a number of other books.

Mary Ellen Mark, photographer, was 75

mary-ellen-mark.jpg The renowned photojournalist of topics as varied as Seattle runaways, Bombay prostitutes, high school proms, twins and film sets died on Monday in New York.

Anne Meara, 85*, and John Nash, 86

anne-meara-nyt.jpg Meara, the actress and comedian, died in Manhattan. Nash, the mathematician portrayed in "A Beautiful Mind," was killed with his wife Alicia in a New Jersey taxi crash.

Los Angeles artist Chris Burden dies at 69

urban-light-burden.jpg Burden's "Urban Light" outside LACMA has become one of the most admired and photographed works of art in Los Angeles.

Dave Goldberg's legacy in the music business

dave-goldberg.jpg The Survey Monkey chief executive who reportedly died outside the U.S. while on vacation with his wife -- no details have been released -- was a pioneer in bringing digital music to the Internet.

Ben E. King tribute by 'Rhapsody in Black' (videos)

bill-gardner-fb.jpg Bill Gardner soared with his on-air set devoted to the late Ben E. King on Saturday afternoon on KPFK.

Jack Ely, 71, lead singer on 'Louie Louie' (video)

kingsmen-cover.jpg Ely co-founded the Portland garage band the Kingsmen and was the lead singer on their 1963 cover of "Louie Louie." Written by Angeleno Richard Berry, "LL" may be the most recorded rock song ever.

Richard Corliss, Time film critic, was 71

richard-corliss-time.jpg Corliss wrote about film for Time for 35 years, becoming "perhaps the magazine’s most quoted writer of all time."

Betty Willis, designer of iconic Las Vegas sign, was 91

LVSign_.jpg "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" says the sign placed on the road into Vegas from LA in 1959. "A luminous diamond stretched like Silly Putty, each letter of 'Welcome' encircled by silver dollars."

Michael Higby, LA blogger, was 50

The lead blogger for many years at Mayor Sam's Sister City died Wednesday after a visit to the dentist.

Percy Sledge, soul singer, was 73

percy-sledge-rrhof.jpg "When a Man Loves a Woman" "raised the bar for soul balladeering for all time," the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wrote. Sledge died today in Baton Rouge.

David Laventhol, retired LA Times publisher, was 81

Laventhol created the Washington Post Style section and came to the Times through Newsday.
1969-Thunderbirds.jpg If you remember the names Ralphie Valladares and Shirley Hardman, this post is for you. Whoa, Nellie!

Stan Freberg -- satirist, ad man and more -- dies at 88

Stan-Freberg-album.jpg Stan Freberg had one of those Los Angeles careers. "The first great genius of American musical satire," says Harry Shearer.

Billy DeLury, Dodgers link to Brooklyn, was 81

vin-and-billy-soohoo.jpg Vin Scully had to announce another death in his Dodger family on Sunday, the day before the season opens at Dodger Stadium.

George Fischbeck, TV's Dr. George, dies at 92

dr-george-fischbeck.jpg Fischbeck was Channel 7's weatherman for nearly 20 years in the 1970s and 80s.

Joe McDonnell, 58, longtime LA sports media figure

mcdonnell-laradio.jpg McDonnell died today at Good Samaritan after a brief illness. He "worked at almost every sports outlet on the local radio dial," LA Radio's Don Barrett said.

Judd McIlvain, crusader for the consumer, was 73

judd-McIlvain-v.jpg McIlvain was the Troubleshooter on Channel 2 news in Los Angeles for many years. He died Monday.

Sam Simon, 59, Simpsons co-creator who gave away his wealth

SamSimon-save-the-children.jpg Simon donated his fortune from "The Simpsons" to children, animals and other causes.
pipeline-cover.jpg "Pipeline" became "one of Southern California's most recognizable musical exports — an instrumental anthem to riding the waves and living the life..."

Leonard Nimoy dies at 83

leonard-nimoy-spock.jpg The actor known for playing Star Trek's Mr. Spock died of smoking at his home in Bel Air this morning.

Michael Graham, 72, Daily News reporter turned screenwriter

michael-graham.jpg Graham reported the Billionaire Boys Club stories in the 1980s and wrote for "NYPD Blue" and other TV shows.

June Fairchild, 68, Gazzarri Dancer on TV and actress

june-fairchild-eddy-tk.jpg Fairchild's fans from 1960s TV, "Head" and "Up in Smoke" found her again dancing on YouTube. She recovered from a bout of homelessness on Skid Row.

Fred Prouser, 63, Reuters photojournalist in LA

fred-prouser-facebook.jpg Prouser started with Reuters here on the first day of the Rodney King riots and shot close to 3,000 Hollywood red carpets before he was done.

Gary Owens, longtime LA voice and media figure, dies at 80

gary-owens-ear.jpg Best known for "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," Owens was an LA radio fixture first. "One of the most famous broadcasters in Los Angeles radio history," says LA Radio's Don Barrett.

Stan Chambers, the dean of LA television reporters, dies at 91

stan-chambers-young.jpg KTLA just announced that Stan Chambers died this morning at his home in Holmby Hills. He did 22,000 stories in 63 years at Channel 5. Obits and tributes inside.

Laurie Becklund, journalist, dies at 66

laurie-becklund-stanford.jpg The award-winning former staff writer at the Los Angeles Times died Sunday night at home in the Hollywood Hills. Her husband, UC Irvine law professor Henry Weinstein, says that services are pending.

Rick Orlov obits and a Gary Leonard photo

rick-orlov-gary.jpg Colleagues and friends react to the passing of the Daily News' longtime presence at City Hall.

Rick Orlov, dean of LA City Hall reporters, dies at 66

rick-orlov-dn-640.jpg The Daily News announced this afternoon that Orlov died of diabetes complications. Mayor Garcetti: "City Hall is in mourning."

Al Martinez, our columnist, died today

al-martinez-close.jpg The Bard of LA, as he was called, had a long career at the Los Angeles Times and had also written columns for the Topanga Messenger, the Daily News and AARP — plus books and TV episodes.

Elizabeth Kaltman, Hollywood PR executive, dies at 41

elizabeth-kaltman.jpg Before moving on to Hollywood, Kaltman was a press deputy to Jim Hahn and Wendy Greuel in City Hall.

Michele Serros, poet and writer about Chicana life, dies at 48

michele-serros.jpg Serros is the author of "Chicana Falsa," "How to be a Chicana Role Model" and "Honey Blonde Chica," among other works.
stuart-scott-patrick-espn.jpg Scott was a popular ESPN anchor. Colleagues are remembering him in emotional on-air tributes.

Luise Rainer, first actor to win two Oscars, was 104

luise-rainer-bw.jpeg Rainer won her second Academy Award at 28 then left 1930s Hollywood in a dispute with Louis B. Mayer. Her quick rise and fall are Hollywood legend.

Obits: John Bowsher, Leonard Beerman, Peggy Stevenson

bowsher-lacma.jpg LACMA's VP in charge of getting the Levitated Mass boulder in place. A noted liberal rabbi. A former LA City Council member.

Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis dies at 89

rabbi-Schulweis-jj.jpg The rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino for nearly 45 years was "regarded as the most influential synagogue leader of his generation." "The John Wooden of rabbis," says Zev Yaroslavsky.

David Garth, NY consultant who helped elect Tom Bradley, was 84

david-garth-bradley.jpg Garth, a small, pugnacious political consultant, always said that in a campaign Bugs Bunny beats Daffy Duck -- the smooth unruffled character beats the berserk fool.

Larry Cano, founder of El Torito, dies at 90

oc-weekly-cano-cover.jpg Another of LA's chain restaurant pioneers passes away. He 'popularized the concept of the sit-down Mexican chain.'

Bob Baker, Los Angeles puppeteer, dies at 90

bob-baker-rocky-schenck.jpg The beloved Los Angeles puppeteer died today of natural causes, his representatives announced. In lieu of flowers, donations are urged to support the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

Mike Nichols: Director dies at 83

mike-nichols.jpg The director of "The Graduate" and so much more has won an Oscar, an Emmy, Tonys and a Grammy.
jimmy-ruffin-motown.jpg Look inside and turn up the sound: As I walk this land of broken dreams... I have visions of many things.

Charles Champlin: LA arts and film journalist was 88

charles-champlin-thr.jpg Charles Champlin wore a lot of hats on the Los Angeles arts and entertainment journalism scene: LA Times arts editor, film critic, book critic, columnist, author, host of TV programs and more.

Doc Paskowitz, California surfing legend, dies at 93

RIPdoc-paskowitz.jpg Dorian Paskowitz was a Stanford-trained doctor who raised nine children on the beach in Orange County, surfed the world and even tried to make peace on the Gaza Strip. He "lived the ultimate surfing life."

Richard Duardo, LA master printmaker and artist, has died

richard-duardo-fb.jpg Tributes to the Los Angeles printmaker and artist Richard Duardo are filling my social feeds. Duardo has been referred to as the "Warhol of the West" for his prints of pop-culture icons.

Frank Mankiewicz: Democratic insider dies at 90

frank-mank-her-ex.jpg Mankiewicz died last week in Washington of heart failure. Among his many roles in public life, he announced the death of Robert F. Kennedy in the darkness of a Los Angeles morning.

Elizabeth Peña, actress dies at 55

elizabeth-pena-variety.jpg Peña had a screen presence you remember in films like "Lone Star" and "La Bamba." She recently had been directing TV episodes, voicing for "The Incredibles" and "Justice League" cartoons, and had finished work on an action series for the El Rey Network.

Nati Cano, mariachi legend of LA was 81

nati-cano.jpg Natividad Cano, the founder of Los Camperos de Nati Cano — probably the most famous mariachi band to be based in Los Angeles — died Friday at age 81.

Gerald Wilson, multi-faceted jazz great was 96

gerald-wilson-album.jpg Wilson, the jazz musician and arranger whose career spanned from 1930s swing to the present, died at home in Los Angeles today at age 96. He had come down with pneumonia two weeks ago.

Erick Alcaraz, off-duty LAPD officer was 24

alcaraz-lapd.jpg Alcaraz was killed on his motorcycle in a traffic collision in Torrance. He was due to start work in West LA division on Sunday.

Joan Rivers, comedy legend dies at age 81

joan-rivers-e.jpg Statement from Melissa Rivers says "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers….My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh."

A.J. Langguth, author and USC journalism professor was 81

ajlangguth-usc.jpg The emeritus professor at Annenberg was a prolific author and had been a correspondent for the New York Times and Look, and a writer for the late Valley Times newspaper.

Deborah Sussman, Los Angeles area designer was 83

olympics-sussman.jpg Sussman began her career as an office designer for Charles and Ray Eames. She created a distinctive graphic look for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Lauren Bacall dies at age 89

lauren-bacall-1944-wb.jpg Bacall, the New York model who became an overnight movie star at age 19 after appearing opposite Humphrey Bogart (then 44) in “To Have and Have Not,” died Tuesday of a stroke at her home in the Dakota building in Manhattan.
robin-williams-dies.jpg Marin County officials said the Oscar winner appeared to kill himself via asphyxia. “This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings,” his wife, Susan Schneider, said.

Dodgers organization mourns one of its own

april-thompson-usher.jpg April Thompson, who died on Saturday, was the Manager of Stadium Services at Dodger Stadium. Some may remember her as an usher starting in the 1970s.

Jess Marlow, longtime LA news anchor was 84*

jess+marlow+tv+blue.jpg Marlow had a long career reporting or anchoring on KNBC, KCBS and KCET — 37 years in all, ending with the old "Life & Times” program on KCET.

Louis Zamperini dies at age 97

louis-zamperini.jpg A noted local runner as a teenager, Zamperini competed in the Berlin Olympics in 1936 and during World War II survived 47 days adrift on a raft in the Pacific and years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. He was working on a new book with David Rensin when he died and a film of "Unbroken" is due out in December.

Jeffrey Ressner, LA journalist was 56

jeffrey-ressner-billboard.jpg Ressner began at the LA Weekly as a messenger, moved to the Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone and US Weekly, then was a Time magazine correspondent in Los Angeles for more than 10 years. He also wrote for Politico.

Paul Mazursky, director and screenwriter was 84

paul-mazursky-baer.jpg Mazursky died Monday of cardiac arrest while at Cedars-Sinai. Writer Adam Baer has posted a nice piece about "the day Paul Mazursky changed my life."

Bobby Castillo, a Dodger from Lincoln High School was 59*

Bobby-Castillo-card.jpg Babo Castillo is credited with teaching Fernando Valenzeula the screwball. Castillo pitched for the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series.

Tony Gwynn, baseball hall of famer was 54

gwynn-rip.jpg Gwynn, the most accomplished San Diego Padre ever, had cancer of the mouth he blamed on smokeless tobacco. He grew up in Long Beach and his son and brother both played for the Dodgers.

Casey Kasem, Top 40 legend was 82 (video)

casey-kasem-board.jpg Casey Kasem was one of the marquee names on KRLA when that mattered in Los Angeles, and after 1970 was America's Mr. Top 40. He died in Washington state surrounded by his children.

Bob Welch, ex-Dodgers pitcher was 57

BobWelch_1981_TBB1_624_Black.jpg Welch struck out Reggie Jackson in the World Series at age 21 and looked set for a great career. He had a pretty good run, especially for a guy who wrote a memoir about his alcoholism before he was 30.

Jim Hayes, journalism prof and writing coach was 88

jim-hayes-fb2.jpg Jim Hayes was a longtime reporter and editor who taught journalism at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and who served as a writing coach in several newsrooms, including at the Los Angeles Times.

Don Zimmer, Boy of Summer was 83

zimmer-as-dodger.jpg Zimmer was the last of the Brooklyn Dodgers to have an on-field job in baseball. Vin Scully told Zim stories between pitches of the second inning of tonight's game at Dodger Stadium.

Ernest L. Allen Sr., LAPD detective was 52

Allen was killed by a runaway truck on the same Beverly Hills street where officer Nick Lee also was killed by a truck. The city has ordered a halt to truck activity and put in radar to catch speeders.
roberto-sanchez-escort.jpg LAPD Chief Charlie Beck announced this morning's death of six-year veteran Roberto Sanchez, 32, of the Harbor station. He is the third officer to die while driving in recent weeks.
zimbalist-jr.jpg Great line (from 1959) about one benefit of his unusual name: "It’s kept me out of westerns. I can’t imagine a Hopalong Zimbalist.”

Chris Cortijo, LAPD motor officer was 51

Chris-Cortijo-lapd .jpg Officer Chris Cortijo of the Valley Traffic Division died today of injuries he suffered when his motorcycle was hit by a DUI suspect in Sun Valley on Saturday.

Mickey Rooney, actor was 93

mickey-rooney-young.jpg They don't make Hollywood careers like this any more. Rooney's IMDb credits span 1926 to 2014 (340 listings), plus two Oscars and four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Anja Niedringhaus, AP photographer, killed in Afghanistan

gannon-Niedringhaus.jpg The Associated Press says that an Afghan police commander opened fire with an AK-47 Friday on two AP journalists, killing Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Anja Niedringhaus and wounding veteran correspondent Kathy Gannon.

Hobie Alter, designer of surfboards and catamarans was 80

HobieAlter-maki-grindtv.jpg Alter opened the first surf shop in Dana Point in 1954 and became "the godfather of the surf industry." A memorial paddle out will be held in front of his family home in Laguna Beach.

LA Times alums: Ruth Ryon, Lonnie White*

Thumbnail image for lonnie-white-wearesc.jpg Ruth Ryon created the LA Times' Hot Property feature. Lonnie White covered sports and had played football at USC, where he set the school's single-season record for kickoff return yardage.

James Rebhorn, actor was 65

rebhorn-showtime.jpg Rebhorn's most recent high-profile part was as Frank Mathison, the father of CIA agent Carrie Mathison in "Homeland." He also prosecuted Seinfeld and friends in the final episode of that series.

Dr. Richard Grossman, burn treatment pioneer was 81

Grossmans-with-sign.jpg Saturday obits include Hollywood voice artist Hal Douglas and production manager Abby Singer, whose name has become affixed to the penultimate shot of the day on Hollywood sets.

Bob Thomas, Hollywood reporter for AP was 92

bob-thomas-judy-garland-ap.jpg Bob Thomas began to cover Hollywood for the Associated Press in 1944, after fleeing the Fresno bureau. When he retired in 2010, Thomas held records for longest career as an entertainment reporter and most consecutive Academy Awards shows covered.

Larry Burrough, Herald Examiner and OC Register editor was 66 *

larry-burrough-fb.jpg The Herald Examiner alumni on Facebook have posted the news that former city editor Larry Burrough died Monday in Washington state. He went to the Orange County Register and also was managing editor of the Denver Post.

Nicholas Lee, LAPD Hollywood officer was 40

nick-lee-grab.jpg Nicholas Choung Lee is the Hollywood division officer who was killed today in the collision of his patrol car with a truck in Beverly Hills. Chief Charlie Beck tweeted, "A man of greatness and selflessness. Nick was a great cop."

Tony Gieske, jazz reviewer and editor was 82

tony-gieske-fb.jpg Robert Anthony "Tony" Gieske worked for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and spent 18 years at the Hollywood Reporter.

Harold Ramis, writer and director of comedy was 69

harold-ramis-ice-harvest-focus-f.jpg Let's stop for a minute to appreciate the comedy of Harold Ramis: "Caddyshack" and "Groundhog Day," "Animal House," "Ghostbusters," "Stripes" and more.

William F. Thomas, editor of the LA Times at its peak was 89

bill-thomas-letter.jpg Bill Thomas was editor of the Los Angeles from 1971 to 1989, a time in which the paper's reputation grew nationally due largely to the expansion in coverage and ambition he led.

Sid Caesar, comedy treasure was 91 (video)

sid-ceasar-grab.jpg Caesar's 1950s NBC program "Your Show of Shows" featured Imogene Coca and writers such as Mel Brooks, Woody Allen and Larry Gelbart. Caesar died today at home in Beverly Hills.

Shirley Temple Black, America's child movie star was 85

shirley-temple-lapl.jpg For five years during the Great Depression, Shirley Temple was the most popular movie star in America of any age. Her popularity saved 20th Century Fox. She later became an ambassador and prominent Republican.

Leonard Knight, desert creator of Salvation Mountain was 82

salvation-mountain-knight.jpg Leonard Knight spent almost 30 years building a colorful mountain of adobe covered with donated paint in the Imperial Valley desert near Salton Sea. Knight and Salvation Mountain were featured in the film "Into the Wild."

Maximilian Schell, Oscar winner was 83

m-schell-judgement.jpg Schell won his best actor Oscar for the 1961 Staley Kramer film "Judgment at Nuremberg.” He later directed “Der Rosenkavalier” for the Los Angeles Opera in 2005.

Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in his New York apartment

philip-seymour-hoffman.jpg The Academy Award-winning actor was discovered this morning with a syringe in his arm and a packet of what appears to be heroin, a law enforcement source told the New York Times. He was 46. More inside.
tom-sherak-oscar-wife.jpg Sherak was Mayor Eric Garcetti's designated ambassador between the film industry, City Hall and Sacremento. He died today after a long battle with prostate cancer.
pete-seeger-rrhof.jpg Pete Seeger, a champion of American folk music and social change since the 1940s, collected songs in the South with Alan Lomax, traveled in California with Woody Guthrie, performed for President Barack Obama — and adapted the civil rights movement anthem "We Shall Overcome."

Thomas V. Jones, LA aerospace giant was 93

Thumbnail image for moraga-vineyard.jpg Jones led Northrop for three decades and after retiring created Moraga Vineyards and its respected winery on a slope in Bel Air — a premium winery within the city limits of Los Angeles.

Phil Everly, musical brother was 74 (video) *

everly-brothers.jpg Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, the influential duo that became one of the first ten groups inducted into the new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died in Burbank at age 74. He had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Susan Rasky, journalist and mentor at Berkeley was 61 *

susan-rasky-grab.jpg The lecturer in the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley covered Congress for the New York Times and helped train a generation of government reporters. She died on Dec. 29 after a long illness.

John Dominis, one of the great Life photographers was 92

mcqueen-adams-bath-dominis.jpg Dominis, a Los Angeles native, learned photography at Fremont High and went on to shoot several of the most iconic photos from the era when Life was America's most popular picture magazine.
mike-oconnor-fb.jpg O'Connor covered wars for NPR and the New York Times, and Los Angeles for Channel 2, before taking on the delicate mission of protecting journalists trying to cover corruption and the deadly drug wars in Mexico.

Paul Blair, center fielder from Manual Arts High was 69

paul-blair-2007.jpg If you formed an all-star team of baseball players from South Los Angeles — and you could, easily — the graceful Oriole who beat the Dodgers in the 1966 World Series would be on it.

Julian Myers, Hollywood publicist was 97

julian-myers-wrap.jpg Myers worked in Hollywood over at least five decades and was the publicist for, among others, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and Cary Grant.

Joan Fontaine, Oscar-winning actress was 96

joan-fontaine-imdb.jpg Joan Fontaine won her best actress Academy Award in 1941 for Alfred Hitchcock's "Suspicion" and was nominated twice more. She feuded for much of her career with sister Olivia de Havilland.

Peter O'Toole, actor who played Lawrence of Arabia was 81

otoole-1963-bbc.jpg O'Toole died Saturday in London. "Ireland, and the world, has lost one of the giants of film and theatre," said the president of Ireland in a statement.

Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, school board member was 80

lamotte-lausd.jpg LaMotte died this morning while in San Diego for the annual convention of the California School Boards Association. The longtime member of the Los Angeles Board of Education from South LA was first elected in 2003.

Nelson Mandela dies at 95

Nelson-Mandela-foundation.jpg Statements by the Mandela Foundation, President Obama, Mayor Garcetti and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

Andrew Youssef, OC writer-photographer was 38

andrewyoussefpic-ocw.jpg Youssef, the longtime OC Weekly music writer-photographer who documented his battle against colon cancer in a column for the paper, died over the weekend surrounded by family and friends.

Wanda Coleman, poet was 67 *

wanda-coleman-2012.jpg The Los Angeles poet "was a key figure in the literary life of Los Angeles....[and] helped transform the city's literature." Update: An appreciation by David Ulin.

Raul Ramirez, major Bay Area journalist was 67

Raul-ramirez-office.jpg His death was announced by KQED, the public radio station where he was executive director of news and public affairs. He previously was a reporter and editor at the San Francisco Examiner and the Oakland Tribune.

Bill Eppridge, photographer of iconic RFK image was 75

rfk-shot-eppridge.jpg The Life photographer took the most remembered image of Robert Kennedy in a pool of blood on the floor of the Ambassador Hotel pantry on June 5, 1968.

Les Plesko, Venice novelist was 59

plesko-twitter.jpg Plesko, the Budapest-born author "known for Beat Generation-inspired novels," died on Monday morning after jumping from the roof of the building where he lived in Venice, the authorities said.

Ray Dolby, sound pioneer was 80 (video)

ray-dolby-graphic.jpg Dolby revolutionized the recording industry with his noise-reduction system in the 1960s and transformed the way we hear movies starting in the 1970s.

Cal Worthington, SoCal TV ad icon was 92

cal-worthington-bee.jpg Cal Worthington might arguably have been the most recognized Southern California car dealer from his decades on television pitching his Worthington Ford dealership. Worthington "and his dog Spot" —which could have been an elephant or tiger or hippo — sold cars here starting in 1950 in Huntington Park.

Seamus Heaney, Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet was 74

seamus-heaney-guardian.jpg In "Remembering Malibu," Heaney wrote lovingly of the Pacific shore after lunch with novelist Brian Moore on the bluffs. Heaney died in Dublin after a short illness.

Murray Gershenz, actor and music man was 91*

tmz-gershenz.jpg Music Man Murray is the record collector who has a huge collection of vinyl kept in a building on Exposition Boulevard near La Brea. He became an actor at age 80.

Martin Burns, Fox 11 and ex-KCET producer was 56

martin-burns-fox11.jpg Fox 11 News in Los Angeles reported that its investigative reporter and producer Martin Burns was the hiker who died Sunday in a hiking accident in the foothills above Altadena.

Elmore Leonard, crime novelist was 87

elmoreatdesk.jpg The master of the crime novel and the writer of many screenplays and books that were turned into movies died at home in Michigan after suffering a stroke. "A modern master of American genre writing," says the New York Times.

Matthew McKnight, LAFD captain died on duty at 51

lafd-mcknight.jpg The Los Angeles Fire Department news and information blog announced today that Fire Captain/Paramedic Matthew G. McKnight was found unresponsive this morning inside the Metropolitan Fire Communications Center on East Temple Street.

Margaret Pellegrini, original Munchkin was 89 (video)

margaret-pellegrini-munchkin.jpg The Chinese Theatre, where "The Wizard of Oz" premiered in August 1939, will dim the lights tonight at 9 p.m. Two Munchkins are believed to survive.

Michael Ansara, actor of many ethnicities was 91

ansara-eden-imdb.jpg Michael Ansara had one of those Hollywood careers that lasted a long time and is fun to examine. Because he was of Lebanese heritage (born in Syria but raised in the U.S.), he went from the drama department at Los Angeles City College into a succession of "ethnic" roles.

Steve Chacon, longtime ABC 7 photographer was 58

steve-chacon.jpg The Channel 7 photojournalist popular among his colleagues and the LA press corps died Wednesday about two weeks after suffering a stroke. "Great guy, friendly and fair," Mayor Garcetti said by tweet.

Eileen Brennan, Emmy winner was 80

eileen-brennan-1971-nyt.jpg Brennan, who grew up in Los Angeles, won an Obie Award for "Little Mary Sunshine" [title fixed] and was memorable in "The Last Picture Show." But it's her role as Capt. Doreen Lewis in "Private Benjamin" that many will remember most.

Mick Farren, rocker and writer dies on stage at 69 *

mick-farren-citybeat.jpg Farren, founder and lead singer of The Deviants, wrote for the LA Reader and City Beat before returning to England in 2010. He collapsed Saturday night while performing with the band in London.

Art Ginsburg, deli owner was 78 *

art-ginsburg-fb.jpg Art Ginsburg was the proprietor of Art's Deli in Studio City, which has been a politics, community and Valleywood hangout for decades. The deli will be closed Friday.

Dennis Farina, cop turned actor was 69

dennis-farina.jpg Dennis Farina was a police officer and detective in Chicago for 18 years before he turned full-time to acting — playing mostly, but not solely, cops or gangsters.
helen-thomas-press-corps-lbj.jpg Thomas, who died today at age 92, was the dean of the White House press corps. In 2007 she spoke with Jacob Soboroff about women's equality and being a trailblazer.

Elisabeth Coleman, early Jerry Brown press secretary was 68

elisabeth-coleman-calif.jpg Coleman was part of the big sex discrimination lawsuit by women at Newsweek in 1970, then became the newsmagazine's San Francisco correspondent, then the first female press secretary for a California governor.
richard-matheson.jpg Richard Matheson wrote "I Am Legend," which was turned into films three times, and also wrote 16 episodes of the original "Twilight Zone" television series for Rod Serling. He was the screenwriter as well for "Duel," Steven Spielberg's 1971 TV movie debut.

Bobby "Blue" Bland, Blues man was 83 (video)

bobby-blue-bland.jpg Blues and R&B legend Bobby "Blue" Bland died Sunday night at his home in Memphis. The singer of "Turn on Your Love Light" and "Further On Up the Road" was known as "the Sinatra of the blues" and worked closely with B.B. King.

James Gandolfini on 'Inside the Actors Studio' (video)

gandolfini-vulture.jpg From 2004. "He is, as Tony Soprano might put it, a made man in the actor's studio," James Lipton said in his introduction.

James Gandolfini, Emmy-winning actor was 51

james-gandolfini-died.jpg The star of HBO's "The Sopranos" has died in Italy of a heart attack or a stroke.

Michael Hastings, 33, journalist dies in LA crash

michael-hastings-rs.jpg "We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone," says Ben Smith, the editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed. "Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians."

Helen Brush Jenkins, early LA news photographer was 94

helenbrushjenkins-rense.jpg Helen Brush Jenkins shot photos for the original Los Angeles Daily News, the long-defunct newspaper whose memory the LA journalist Rip Rense has carefully kept alive. He advises that Jenkins died today in Chicago. More inside.

Harry Lewis, Hamburger Hamlet founder was 93

hamlet-menu.jpg Lewis was an actor who played gangster “Toots” Bass in the Humphrey Bogart classic "Key Largo," then went on to open a number of restaurants that became Hollywood hangouts. Lewis and his wife, Marilyn, opened the first Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Strip in 1950.

Leonard Maltin remembers Esther Williams

photoplay-esther-williams.jpg Esther Williams, the swimming star of MGM's Technicolor musicals in the 1940s and 50s, died Thursday morning at home in Beverly Hills at age 91. "Esther’s movies were sheer escapism and didn’t pretend to be anything more," says Maltin

Don Oliver, NBC correspondent was 76

don-oliver-grab.jpg Don Oliver covered the Vietnam War, the civil rights era and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King before coming to the NBC bureau in Burbank. He was with the network for 25 years. Video inside: Brian Williams pays tribute.

Lee Melville, founding editor of LA Stage Times, dies at 74

Lee-Melville-lastagetimes.jpg "Melville was the most extraordinary advocate Los Angeles theater has known," says the CEO of LA Stage Alliance.

Ray Manzarek, co-founder of The Doors was 74 *

manzarek-morrison-boing.jpg Ray Manzarek, the Doors keyboardist, died at a clinic in Germany. Manzarek had cancer of the bile ducts. Sunset Strip clubs dimmed the lights Monday night in his honor. Video and photos inside.

Dean Jeffries, car customizer was 80

dean-jeffries-book-cover.jpg Jeffries was one of Los Angeles car culture's "preeminent automotive sculptors and engineers." He began pinstriping with Von Dutch in the early 1950s and settled into the Valley.

Ray Harryhausen, special effects pioneer was 92 *

Ray-Harryhausen-cyclops.jpg In an era before CGI, Harryhausen used clay monsters and mythical creatures to bring life to live-action adventure films like 'Clash of the Titans,' 'Valley of the Gwangi' and 'Jason and the Argonauts. He was one of the sci-fi club members who patronized Clifton's with Ray Bradbury in the 1930s.

Mario Machado, newscaster and voice of soccer was 78

mario-machado2.jpg Mario Machado was a familiar presence on Los Angeles TV and radio for a few decades starting in 1967, when he joined Channel 9 (then KHJ-TV) as the city's first Chinese-American TV news reporter. He was a soccer booster in LA before the sport was cool and a founder of AYSO. Girls play soccer today because of Mario Machado, a friend posted on Facebook.
fouronbed-sandstone.jpg Sandstone Retreat was a clothing-optional refuge in Topanga Canyon that began in the late 1960s, became famous during the sexual revolution, and survived efforts by the county to shut it down. John Williamson opened the retreat with his wife, Barbara, after being inspired by Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" to quit his aerospace job at Lockheed.

William Wilson, art critic was 78

Wilson was a Los Angeles Times art critic from 1965 until he retired in 1998, and the chief critic for 20 of those years.

Noel Greenwood, retired senior editor at LA Times was 75 *

Noel Greenwood was the editor in charge of local and California coverage at the Los Angeles Times during the 1980s and some of the '90s, I believe. He hired scores if not hundreds of the journalists who passed through the Times and went on to populate newsrooms around the world. Greenwood died today at his home in Santa Barbara of prostate cancer complications.

Sal Castro, Eastside educator and Chicano activist was 79 *

SalCastrolausd.jpg The high school social studies teacher gained legend status on the Eastside for his mentoring of Chicano students and for being arrested during the 1968 Chicano walkouts. The middle school on the campus of Belmont High was named for Castro in 2010.

John Galardi, founder of Der Wienerschnitzel was 75

galardi-wienerschnitzel.png Another of Southern California's fast food pioneers has died. John Galardi was a student at Pasadena Junior College when he started working for Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell. Galardi opened his first hot dog stand on Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington, next to a Taco Bell, in 1961.

Jonathan Winters, comedy legend was 87

jonathan-winters-variety.jpg Jonathan Winters had one of those long, varied entertainment industry careers after working New York comedy clubs and moving to early television in the 1950s. "One of the great comedians of the 20th century," the LA Times says.

Gary Lycan, radio columnist was 68

gary-lycan-fh.jpg The Orange County Register's longtime radio writer, Gary Lycan, died in his sleep on Tuesday, the paper reported this afternoon. Lycan had prostate cancer in recent years. His friend and collaborator Manny Pacheco posts a nice tribute: "the most difficult blog story I have ever written..."

Annette Funicello, most popular original Mousketeer was 70

annette-funicello-bc.jpg America's 1950s darling was discovered by Walt Disney in a dance recital at the Starlight Bowl in Burbank. After the original "Mickey Mouse Club" on ABC, she became popular again as a teen idol and in the mid-1960s "Beach" movies with Frankie Avalon. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she long ago lost the ability to walk or talk. Last year, Canada's CTV aired a superb report on Funicello and MS. Videos and links inside.

Dan Turner, LA Times editorial writer was 49

Dan Turner was a member of the Los Angeles Times editorial board who wrote on a wide range of topics. He died Saturday at home in Los Angeles of pancreatic cancer that was diagnosed about two years ago. He had continued to write editorials and blog items for the Times' opinion section until taking a leave of absence only about a week ago.

Bobby Rogers, original member of the Miracles was 73

Bobby Rogers shared a birthday with Smokey Robinson and they began singing together at Detroit's Northern High School. Their group, The Matadors, changed its name to The Miracles after Rogers' cousin, Claudette Rogers, joined. They became the first Motown Records success.

Colby Evett, model shop owner was 92

Thumbnail image for Evetts-model-shop-ad.jpg Colby Evett owned and operated Evett's Model Shop on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica. The store celebrated its 65th anniversary in January.

Mark Saylor, PR executive and ex-journalist was 58

Saylor started his own public relations firm in 2007 after leaving Sitrick & Co., and before that was entertainment editor for the LA Times Business section. He oversaw the Pulitzer-winning stories on the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, radio payola and luxury detox by reporters Chuck Philips and Michael Hiltzik.

Jerry Buss, Lakers owner was 80

jerry-buss-smiling.JPG Jerry Buss grew up in Depression-era Wyoming and moved to Southern California in 1953, worked for awhile in aerospace plants then made money in real estate — a West LA apartment building originally. He bought the Los Angeles Strings of the World Team Tennis league in 1974, and in 1979 was ready when Jack Kent Cooke, in the midst of a nasty divorce, needed to sell the Forum and his prize, the Los Angeles Lakers. Buss died today of kidney failure after fighting cancer.

Jeremiah MacKay, San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy was 35

jeremiah-mackay-sbsd.jpg MacKay died Tuesday of wounds incurred during the firefight with fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner outside a cabin in the 7 Oaks area of the San Bernardino Mountains. He lived in Redlands and was assigned to the Yucaipa station. MacKay is survived by his wife, 7-year-old daughter and four-month-old son.

Manuel Rojas, burrito maestro of El Tepeyac

manuel-rojas-el-tepeyac.jpg KFI News tweeted that employees of the burrito stand, on Evergreen Avenue since 1952, confirmed Rojas' death. Rojas is credited with creating the Hollenbeck Burrito.

Michael Crain, Riverside police officer was 34

michael-crain-rpd.jpg Crain, an 11-year veteran of the Riverside Police Department, was the officer killed the morning of Feb. 7 when allegedly ambushed by rogue ex-LAPD cop Christopher Dorner. He was an 11-year veteran of the Riverside PD, a Marine veteran of Kuwait, and leaves a wife and two children.

Michael Parrish, LA journalist

michael-parrish-niger-river.jpg Michael Parrish was a longtime presence on the magazine journalism scene in Los Angeles as an editor and writer. He was founding editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine, a contributor to Playboy, New West, California and other magazines, and a lecturer at USC Annenberg. He died today in the LA area, according to friends.

Jane Glenn Haas, OC journalist was 75

jane-haas-ocr.jpg Haas was a reporter and columnist at the Orange County Register for more than 20 years, a publicist for the Irvine Company, a book reviewer for Orange Coast magazine and a nationally syndicated columnist on aging and women's issues — and more.

Jimmy O'Neill, DJ and 'Shindig' host was 73

jimmy-oneill-yt.jpg O'Neill gained a measure of Los Angeles radio immortality when he became the first voice heard on KRLA when the AM station switched to rock and roll (from country western music) in 1959. He went on to become LA's top radio deejay, then at age 24 went national as the host of ABC's short-lived rock music show "Shindig" in 1964. Here's some video.

Leon Leyson, 83, the youngest survivor on Schindler's List

leon-leyson.jpg Leon Leyson, who died Saturday in Whittier, was not quite ten years old when the Nazis invaded Poland and pushed his family into the Krakow ghetto. He taught at Huntington Park High School for nearly four decades without talking much about his Holocaust experiences.

Aaron Swartz, tech prodigy was 26

aaron-swartz-boingboing.jpg Aaron Swartz, who as a teenager helped create RSS, then went on to become a folk hero for Internet users who believe information should be free online, was found hanged in his New York City apartment. He had faced a federal trial on charges of wire fraud and computer fraud in connection with the downloading of millions of documents from an MIT database.

Bill Mouzis, KHJ Boss Radio director was 90

khj-logo.jpg Mouzis was the production director at formative LA radio station 93 KHJ and editor of the 48-hour "History of Rock and Roll" — the station's 1969 rockumentary.

Huell Howser, California TV icon was 67 *

huell-lamag.jpg Gustavo Arellano at the OC Weekly reported late this morning that California television icon Huell Howser has died. Arellano based his story on sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. A few minutes later, KPCC "Off-Ramp" host John Rabe tweeted that Howser's assistant confirmed that he died last night at home.

Patti Page, one of top selling singers ever was 85

patti-page-baby.jpg Page was to receive a lifetime achievement Grammy Award next month. The top selling female recording artist of the 1950s died in a nursing home in Encinitas.

Year-end obits: Catherine O'Neill, Mark Hundahl, Lee Dorman

catherine-oneill.jpg I'm catching up on some locally prominent deaths I've missed during the holiday slowdown. Video inside: 17 minutes of "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida."

Harry Carey, Jr., character actor for John Ford was 91

harry-carey-jr-rifleman.jpg The son of cowboy star Harry Carey was born on his father's ranch near Saugus and went on to ride horses in the westerns directed by pal John Ford and act in many other films and TV shows. Through Ford, Carey also was part of an exclusive San Fernando Valley club of Hollywood men that's now mostly forgotten.

Fontella Bass, soul and gospel singer was 72

fontella-bass-record.jpg Fontella Bass, a church choir singer in St. Louis who recorded as a soul singer for Chess Records and had a hit with "Rescue Me" in 1965, died Wednesday at age 72 in her hometown. She suffered a heart attack three weeks ago.

Jack Klugman, last of the 12 angry men was 90

klugman-marshall-grab.jpg Actor Jack Klugman began on television in 1950 and became known as a character actor ( in "Twilight Zone" and many other series) until he broke through as the co-star of "The Odd Couple" from 1970-75 and the star of "Quincy M.E." from 1976-83. One of his most enduring roles, though, was as Juror #5 in the jury room in the Oscar-nominated 1957 film "Twelve Angry Men."

Gil Friesen, the 'ampersand' in A&M Records was 75

Friesen was the longtime president of A&M Records, executive producer of "The Breakfast Club" and was at work on a documentary about back-up singers called "Twenty Feet From Stardom."

Jeni LeGon, early movie tap dancer was 96

LeGon-obit-rko-nyt.jpg Jeni LeGon made her name in the 1930s singing and dancing with other African-American stars such as Bill Bojangles Robinson and Fats Waller. She later taught dance in Los Angeles, the NYT says.

Ray Briem, late-night radio host was 82

ray-briem.jpg Ray Briem was the overnight talker on KABC-AM from 1967-1994 and kind of pioneered the form here in Los Angeles. That made him the welcomed late-night companion to thousands.

Ravi Shankar, sitar maestro and Beatles inspiration was 92 *

ravi-shankar-2009.jpg Ravi Shankar has died in San Diego after being admitted to Scripps Memorial Hospital last week complaining of breathing difficulties. The legendary musician and his musician daughter Anoushka are nominated for 2013 Grammy awards in the world music category. The prime minister of India has confirmed the death and called Shankar a national treasure.

Remains of Jenni Rivera have been recovered

Thumbnail image for jenni-rivera-mun2.jpg Authorities in Mexico say that the remains of singer Jenni Rivera were found overnight in the wreckage field of her jet that crashed Sunday in mountains in the state of Nuevo Leon.

Jenni Rivera, 43, singing star dies in Mexico plane crash *

jenni-rivera-mun2.jpg Jenni Rivera, who was born in Long Beach, is a popular performer and songwriter in the Mexican Nortena and banda styles and a rising television star on both sides of the border. She recently signed a deal with ABC to develop a comedy around her. Rivera is divorced from former Dodgers pitcher Esteban Loaiza and leaves five children.

Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian architect was 104

strick-house-schall.jpg The modernist designed one home in the United States, the Strick House in Santa Monica. He never saw it.

Coast Guard colleagues of Chief Horne face the cameras

Grieving members of the Coast Guard Cutter Halibut and other friends spoke to the media in Marina del Rey Monday about their late shipmate, Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne.

Terrell Horne, 34, Coast Guard petty officer killed by smugglers *

uscgc-halibu-logo.jpg Chief Petty Officer Horne, of Redondo Beach, was out with the Marina Del Rey cutter Halibut when a suspected smuggling vessel rammed his inflatable boat, throwing Horne into the sea near Santa Cruz Island.

David Courtney, LA sports announcer was 56 *

courtney-cup.jpg David Courtney, the arena announcer for the Los Angeles Kings and Clippers at Staples Center and the stadium announcer in Anaheim for the Angels, has died at age 56. No cause was given by the Kings, but Courtney had tweeted yesterday that he was at a hospital awaiting an angiogram.

Actor Larry Hagman, 81, reported to have died

larry-hagman-amezcua.jpg The Dallas Morning News says that the longtime actor died this afternoon of cancer complications in a Dallas hospital. He was reportedly in town to film episodes of the TNT remake of the hit TV show "Dallas," in which Hagman played star J.R. Ewing.

Sam Benson, LA broadcaster was 90

sam-benson.gif Born Sam Bensussen, he worked for 40 years at KLAC radio and Metromedia, was the editorial director for Channel 11, and in the 1950s and 60s was a commercial pitchman on local airwaves: "Se habla espanol at Lou’s Garage."

Wilbur K. Woo, Chinese American leader was 96

Wilbur Woo immigrated to Los Angeles in 1921, became the head of his family's Chungking Produce Co., a vice president of Cathay Bank, and emerged as a top Chinese American community leader in Los Angeles. Woo, a Republican, was the top contributor when his son, Democrat Michael Woo, ran and became the first Chinese American elected to the Los Angeles City Council.

Arthur K. Snyder, ex-councilman was 79

Art-Snyder-oc-breeze.jpg Snyder represented Northeast LA's 14th district on the Los Angeles City Council for 18 years, until 1985. He was a City Hall deputy before that. Born in Los Angeles, Snyder attended Los Angeles City College, Pepperdine University and USC. He became a lobbyist after leaving office and was living in Huntington Beach, where he owned Don the Beachcomber, when he died in his sleep on Wednesday.

Joel Connable, former CBS2/KCAL reporter was 39 *

joel-connable-mug.jpg Friends on Facebook and Twitter and staffers at the duopoly newsroom in Studio City are saying that Joel Connable, a reporter at CBS 2/KCAL 9 for three years until 2005, has died. Connable had just started a new anchor gig at KOMO-TV in Seattle last month, after being out of the local news business since 2009.

Report: Carmen Warschaw, Democrat was 95 *

Carmen Warschaw was a major figure in Democratic politics in Los Angeles and beyond for decades. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky announced her death today at the Board of Supervisors.

Bill Dees, co-writer of 'Oh, Pretty Woman' was 73

Bill Dees was a Nashville songwriter working with Roy Orbison in 1964 when they wrote 'Oh, Pretty Woman," inspired by Orbison's wife Claudette. The song changed both of their lives forever.

John Retsek, creator of 'The Car Show' and KCET veteran

john-retsek-at-kcet.jpg Saturday morning on one of Los Angeles' longest-running radio programs, the hosts will announce the death of John Retsek, who created "The Car Show" on KPFK in 1973. They will talk about John and possibly take calls from the legions of listeners who have listened to the show or been guests in its nearly four decades on the air — the odd duck among the politically charged news, talk and revolutionary rhetoric at the Pacifica-owned radio station.

Maury Weiner, Mayor Bradley's chief of staff was 82 *

maury-weiner-chairman-tblf.jpg Maury Weiner was Mayor Tom Bradley's first chief of staff and a key figure in the black-Jewish liberal coalition that helped elect Bradley in 1973 and that was dominant in city politics for awhile. More recently Weiner was chairman of the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation at UCLA. Weiner died on Sept. 30.

John Greenwood, president of Coro Southern California *

The Coro community in Los Angeles is reporting online the death last night of John Greenwood, the president of Coro Southern California and a former president of the Board of Education. More details to come.

Steve Crawford, CBS LA veteran dies of cancer

After 35 years at CBS, assignment editor Steve Crawford left the newsroom at Channels 2 and 9 on May 23 without revealing to anyone that he had stage 3 esophageal cancer. He insisted that no one know, his wife says in a note posted at the station today.

Mervyn Dymally, South LA politician was 86

Mervyn_M._Dymally.jpg Mervyn Dymally served as California's lieutenant governor during Jerry Brown's first term as governor in the 1970s and also at various times represented the Compton area and southern LA County in Congress, the state Senate and the Assembly (twice.) His career as an elected office holder spanned four decades, starting with the Assembly in 1963.

Sheriff John Rovick, Los Angeles TV icon was 93

sheriff-john-mug.jpg If you didn't grow up in the Los Angeles area during the baby boom, you can leave the room for a couple of minutes. Though if your parents fit the description, you might want to stick around.

Lance LeGault, actor was 75

lance-legault-bhcourier.jpg.jpg Character actor Lance LeGault worked in Hollywood for 50 years. You know his face and his deep voice, as in the following video.

Pedro E. Guerrero, photographer from Art Center was 95

SturgesHouse.jpg Many in Los Angeles just became acquainted with the architectural photographs of Pedro E. Guerrero this April when he appeared at an exhibition of his work at Wodbury University's gallery...

Johnny Perez, Topanga drummer and songwriter was 69

sir-douglas-quintet-album.jpg Johnny Perez came out of San Antonio as the drummer of the 1960s band Sir Douglas Quintet, which had hits with 'She's About a Mover" and "Mendocino." Perez landed in Topanga Canyon and more recently owned Topanga Skyline Studio, a famous recording venue used by Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Sting, T-Bone Burnett and others.

Rev. Sun Myung Moon dies at 92

The North Korea-born self-proclaimed messiah who turned his Unification Church into a worldwide religious movement died Monday at a church-owned hospital near Seoul, AP reports.

Documentary producer Brian Gerber found dead on Angeles Crest

Gerber, 41, had left a suicide note. His crashed car was found this morning off Angeles Crest Highway.

Terry Tracy, Gidget's 'Tubesteak' was 77

kohner-tracy-keck.jpg Terry Tracy moved to the beach in Malibu in 1956, built a shack and became "the personification of the rebellious surf subculture that emerged in California in the late 1950s." He may — or may not — have also been the first surfer to call beach girl Kathy Kohner "Gidget."

Scott McKenzie, musician of the 1960s was 73

Screen shot 2012-08-20 at 6.59.06 PM.png Scott McKenzie, who died Saturday at home in Silver Lake, is best known for singing the ballad "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)," which beckoned the youth of the world to come to the first Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 and became an anthem of that year's Summer of Love. The song, written by John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas and released by Lou Adler's Ode Records, went as high as No. 4 on the Billboard chart but was No. 1 across Europe. Check out this video from Monterey.

Phyllis Diller, entertainer was 95 (with video)

p-diller-imdb.jpg Comic Phyllis Diller lived a good long time and had a long career. Many female comedians say she paved the way. She died this morning at her Los Angeles home, her manager Milt Suchin confirmed. Watch her with Groucho Marx on "You Bet Your Life," inside.

Artie Williams, ABC7 news photographer, dies while diving *

artie-williams-kabc.jpg Longtime Channel 7 photographer Artie Williams died over the weekend while diving with a friend off Catalina Island, the station announced.

Helen Gurley Brown, editor and media benefactor was 90 *

helen-gurley-brown.jpg Helen Gurley Brown was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazines for three decades and the author of the 1962 bestseller, "Sex and the Single Girl." "Helen Gurley Brown was an icon," said Frank A. Bennack, Jr., CEO of Hearst Corporation.

Karl Fleming, journalist was 84

KarlFleming.jpg Karl Fleming covered the civil rights movement in the South and Los Angeles for Newsweek, started a local magazine and was the editor of Chanel 2 news. His memoir was "Son of the Rough South: An Uncivil Memoir."

Ira Glass on the death of David Rakoff

"It was no surprise; he'd been talking about it for months. He even named August as when it would happen."

Nick Williams, LA Times retired journalist was 75

Nick B. Williams Jr., a veteran Los Angeles Times reporter and editor who also was the son of the paper's former editor, died this morning in Texas at age 75.

Judith Crist, film critic was 90

Judith Crist was the critic for many years on the "Today" show and in print at TV Guide and elsewhere. She had two long stints at TV Guide &mdash the first before they fired her in favor of computerized summaries of films, the second after a deluge of reader complaints forced the editors to ask her back.

Marvin Hamlisch, composer was 68

Hamlisch collapsed and died in Los Angeles on Monday. He has won three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize. He had been scheduled to return in September as conductor of the Pasadena Symphony and Pops.

Chavela Vargas, Mexico's 'rough voice of tenderness' was 93

Just your average cigar-smoking, tequila-swigging, pistol-packing lesbian Mexican ranchera singer who may have had a love affair with Frida Kahlo.

Gore Vidal, writer was 86

gore-vidal-82-upi.jpg Vidal died this evening at his home in the Hollywood Hills. Complications of pneumonia, his nephew Burr Steers has been telling the media.

John Bogert, Daily Breeze columnist with cancer was 63

john-bogert-mug-breeze.jpg John Bogert is the South Bay columnist who announced in his final column last month in the Daily Breeze that he had stopped treatment for his colon cancer. The paper has just posted the news that Bogert died Sunday afternoon at home in Pasadena.

Lupe Ontiveros, veteran actress was 69

lupe-ontiveros-400.jpg Ontiveros, a versatile actress from El Paso who came to Hollywood and once estimated she had a played a maid 150 times on stage or screen, died Thursday night of cancer in Whittier. She's being remembered as a Mexican American symbol and as an activist, as well as for her acting. "It is with deep sadness yet much pride that we reflect upon a woman whose immense contributions opened the door for Latinos and touched so many through her artistic talent," Mayor Villaraigosa said in a statement.

Hollywood passings: Chad Everett, Sherman Hemsley

Between them, Everett and Hemsley appeared on screen in many hours of episodic television. And for many, Everett played it just right during the scene of Betty's audition in David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive."

Sally Ride, LA-born astronaut and scientist was 61 *

sally-ride-space,jpg.jpg Sally Ride, who grew up in the Encino and graduated from Stanford, became in 1983 the first American woman to work in space. She was also the youngest American at the time to fly into space for NASA. She died today of pancreatic cancer.

Frank Pierson, Hollywood leader was 87

frank-pierson-obit.jpg Frank Pierson served as president of both the Writers Guild, West, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences. He rose in Hollywood as a screenwriter and director. He got his start on the TV series' "Have Gun, Will Travel," "Naked City" and "Route 66." He won the original screenplay Oscar in 1976 for "Dog Day Afternoon."

William Asher, prolific TV director-producer was 90

Asher directed 100 episodes of "I Love Lucy," brought the Gidget character to television, directed the popular series of 1960s beach movies starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, and produced the "Bewitched" TV series that starred his then-wife, Elizabeth Montgomery.

Willis Edwards, LA civil rights leader was 66

willis-edwards-sentinel.jpg Willis Edwards, part of the Robert F. Kennedy for president campaign in Los Angeles in 1968 and later a key member of the Tom Bradley adminsitration at City Hall, died today of cancer. He was the longtime president of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood Branch of the NAACP.

Richard D. Zanuck, Hollywood producer with lineage was 77

richard-zanuck.jpg Richard D. Zanuck, the son of 20th Century Fox legend Daryl F. Zanuck who grew up to produce "Jaws" and other major Hollywood films, died of a heart attack Friday in Los Angeles. He was 77.

Philip Fradkin, author and journalist was 77

phil-fradkin.jpg Philip L. Fradkin, a native New Yorker who I believe became the first environment reporter at the Los Angeles Times, died Saturday of cancer at his home in Point Reyes Station. After the Times he went on to write numerous books about California and the West, focusing on earthquakes, water, history and the natural environment.

Ernest Borgnine, actor was 95

ernest-borgnine-imdb.jpg How's this for an acting career? Raise a glass to Ernest Borgnine, who died about 1:30 this afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Michael J. Ybarra, journalist was 45

michael-ybarra.jpg Michael J. Ybarra, a freelance writer from Los Angeles who had a regular gig writing about extreme sports for the Wall Street Journal, died in a fall while mountain climbing in the Sierra Nevada.

Andy Griffith, actor was 86

andy-griffith-obit.jpg Griffith died Tuesday morning back home in Manteo, North Carolina. He received a Tony acting nomination for "No Time for Sergeants" on Broadway in 1955, before going into movies and on TV with "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960.

Jim Drake, father of windsurfing was 83

jim-drake-windsurfing.jpg Jim Drake is another example of an aerospace industry worker who pioneered the Southern California outdoor sports scene. Drake, an engineer who worked at RAND and elsewhere, didn't invent the sailboard, but he and a partner, Hoyle Schweitzer, perfected the design and got a patent for the Windsurfer.

Bob Banfield, longtime Channel 7 reporter was 82

banfield-chambers.jpg Banfield, a television presence in Los Angeles for 43 years, had cancer. Also: Cindy Frazier, city editor.

Nora Ephron, writer and director was 71

Nora-Ephron-New-Book.jpg Ephron grew up in Beverly Hills, made a name for herself as a journalist in New York, got into screenwriting via collaboration with then-husband Carl Bernstein on a version of "All the President's Men," and grew into what People magazine calls today "one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood as the creative force behind such blockbusters as 'You've Got Mail,' 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'When Harry Met Sally.'"

LeRoy Neiman, artist was 91

The painter mostly of sports scenes and the Olympics, and a longtime contributor to Playboy magazine, died today, his publicist told AP.

Andrew Sarris, film critic was 83

Andrew Sarris, the former film critic for the Village Voice and the New York Observer who died Wednesday morning, taught American moviegoers to obsess about directors.

Rodney King found dead in his swimming pool *

rodney-king-patch.jpg Rodney King's fiancee called for help about 5:25 this morning, saying he was at the bottom of their swimming pool in the city of Rialto. Police officers removed King from the pool and attempted to revive him. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Elinor Ostrom, LA woman who won Nobel in economics was 78

elinor-ostrom-ucla.jpg Elinor Ostrom, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in economics, has an interesting personal story in addition to being highly accomplished in her field. She came to economics later in life, after putting her first husband through law school and working in the HR department at UCLA.

Ray Bradbury, writer and Angeleno was 91 *

bradbury-library-gary.jpg Ray Bradbury died last night, his daughter has confirmed. For his 90th birthday, Bradbury talked about remembering his birth and the womb. "I have total recall of all of my life." Updated stories, links and video

Herb Reed, last of The Platters was 83

herb-reed-later.jpg The Platters were another popular vocal group that formed in Los Angeles and lasted. Reed, a Kansas City native, was there at the beginning — he gets credit for naming the group — and he sang bass "on all of the 400 recordings the group made during its peak years, including four that reached No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart." Video and obits

Jim Paratore, TMZ co-founder was 58

Paratore was a television producer and president of Telepictures, a production division of Warner Bros. Television. He helped to create "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," and in 2006 he teamed up with Harvey Levin to create TMZ.com.

Howard Richmond, music publishing pioneer was 94

howard-richman.jpg The founder of music publisher TRO, The Richmond Organization, "contributed mightily and without fanfare to the music business for nearly three quarters of a century," family friend and former employee Michael Sigman, the former LA Weekly publisher, writes at the Huffington Post.

For Memorial Day: Just sayin'

lancflags06a.jpg There are more people interred at Los Angeles National Cemetery in Westwood than live in Westwood today. Or in Beverly Hills and Culver City combined. More stats for Memorial Day.

Claudia Laffranchi, Swiss journalist in LA was 49

claudia-laffranchi.jpg Claudia Laffranchi was part of the colony of overseas journalists who cover Hollywood for global media outlets and participate in related events. She was, for instance, the host and master of ceremonies of the Locarno Film Festival’s screenings. Laffranchi was found dead Tuesday in her Los Angeles-area apartment.

H.H. Brookins, bishop and pastor was 86

brookins-fame.jpg The Rev. Hamel Hartford Brookins, who was pastor of the influential First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles during the rise and tenure of Mayor Tom Bradley, died Tuesday in a Los Angeles retirement center.

Otto Jensen, Burbank photographer was 101

Otto Jensen, reportedly a longtime photographer for Hollywood studios, was 101 years old when he was struck and killed Tuesday night by a car driven by a 91-year-old woman, Burbank police said.

Calvin Hicks, LA artist-photographer was 71

calvin-hicks-figure-1973.jpg Artist J. Michael Walker sends word that his friend Calvin Hicks died on Sunday, from complications of cancer. Hicks' photography was most recently seen in the Pacific Standard Time exhibition, "Identity & Affirmation: Post-War African-American Photography," at Cal State Northridge.
 
Also: Otto Jensen, Burbank photographer was 101

Big Willie Robinson, street racer and peacemaker was 70

big-willie-jalopnik.jpg Los Angeles car culture never saw anyone like Big Willie Robinson — or needed anyone quite so much. In the mid 1960s, when baby boomers were racing hot rods and fighting each other and the cops all around town, he created the International Brotherhood of Street Racers and brought some order to the subculture. (Big Willie stood 6'6" and people listened.) I'm guessing he was the only 6'6" black man to speak at Otis Chandler's memorial service. Tributes, backstory and video

Donna Summer, disco queen was 63

donna-summer.jpg The singer known for her disco era hits such as "Love to Love You Baby," "Last Dance" and "On The Radio" has died of lung cancer.

Carlos Fuentes dies in Mexico City at age 83

carlos-fuentes.jpg The novelist, called in the New York Times obituary "Mexico’s elegant public intellectual and grand man of letters," died today in Mexico City. Fuentes was "one of the most admired writers in the Spanish-speaking world, a catalyst, along with Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and Julio Cortazar, of the explosion of Latin American literature in the 1960s and ’70s known as 'El Boom.'"

Carroll Shelby's LA connections and the Cobra *

carroll-cobras-venice.jpg Carroll Shelby, the auto racing legend who died last week in Dallas at age 89, apparently divided his time recently between Texas and Beverly Hills. The Southern California chapters of his career, though, are a pretty important part of the story.

Rich Buhler, Christian talk radio pioneer was 65

rich-buhler.jpg A former newshand at KFWB, Buhler moved into the Christian broadcasting side of radio in 1980. He did his final "Talk From the Heart" show on KBRT/740 AM in Costa Mesa last Sept. 16 due to advancing cancer of the pancreas.

Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator was 83

where-the-wild-thigs-are.jpg The creator of "Where the Wild Things Are" and other dark children's fantasy books died Tuesday at a hospital in Danbury, Conn. "Where the Wild Things Are," published in 1963, became one of the bestselling children's books of all time. Here he is with Stephen Colbert.

Artist Willie Middlebrook dies

willie-middlebrook-thesource.jpg The Inglewood artist died over the weekend, just a week after the opening of the Expo Line, which features his artwork in the Crenshaw station. The MTA joined friends on Facebook in announcing his death.

Junior Seau, former NFL and USC star, possible suicide at 43

Screen shot 2012-05-02 at 12.40.32 PM.png A 911 call came from Seau's Oceanside home about 10 a.m. Responders found Seau dead of a gunshot wound that appears to be self-inflicted.

Bill Skowron, ex-Dodger and Angel was 81

bill-skowron-card.jpg Back when most baseball players were lean and a little mean, Bill Skowron looked like his nickname: Moose. He was big and muscular, but he actually got the name in childhood because somebody thought he resembled the Italian dictator Mussolini. Obit material

Lucy Delgado, Mothers of East LA founder was 87

mothers-at-cesar-chavez.jpg Lucy Delgado, the founder of the Mothers of East Los Angeles activist group that formed to fight construction of a prison in Boyle Heights, died on April 11. She lived her entire life in Boyle Heights.

Bob Dylan on the passing of Levon Helm

levon-helm-rs.jpg "He was my bosom buddy friend to the end, one of the last true great spirits of my or any other generation. This is just so sad to talk about...." More inside.

Jesse Linares, city editor was 49 *

jesse-linares-hoy.jpg Jesse Linares, the city editor of Hoy Los Angeles, died on Saturday after a battle with cancer. From El Salvador, he had previously worked in the newsroom at La Opinión.

Dick Clark, TV music pioneer was 82 *

americanband-clark.jpg Television legend Dick Clark has died. The popularizer of "American Bandstand" in Philadelphia in the 1950s went on to become a true TV programming impresario. "The oldest living teenager" reportedly suffered a heart attack this morning after an outpatient procedure at St. John's hospital in Santa Monica.

Publicist Michael Sands dies after choking on sample at Gelson's

The Hollywood publicist choked on a meat sample at the Gelson's in Century City on March 24 and died after two weeks in the hospital, The Wrap reports.

Ed Savko, proprietor of the Rock Store was 86

the-rock-store.jpg Savko bought a small grocery on the twisty part of Mulholland Highway in the Santa Monicas west of the San Fernando Valley in 1961. He would park his Harley-Davidson out front, other bikers would see it, and they began stopping in.

Mike Wallace, TV journalism pioneer was 93

mike+wallace+secterserviceagent.jpg The television newsman who pretty much invented the style of the tough interview in the early years of the medium died Saturday at a care facility in Connecticut. His last appearance on "60 Minutes," and on TV, was an interview with Roger Clemens in 2008. We have vintage video as tributes pour in.

Rex Babin, Bee editorial cartoonist was 49

rex+babin+at+desk.jpg The Sacramento Bee announced the death of the paper's editorial cartoonist on Friday of cancer.

Joe Kimberling, magazine art director was 46

joe_kimberling+dipaolo.jpg Kimberlng, the art director of Los Angeles magazine from 2000 to 2009, died Thursday of complications from cancer.

Chuck Hollis, assignment desk editor was 76

chuck+hollis.jpg A memorial service is set for April 4 at Hollywood Forever for "the coolest news cat in town" and a revered figure at KCAL 9.
This piece ran in The Atlantic in March 1982 and is credited as an influential argument in the movement toward community policing embraced here and in New York by William J. Bratton. The magazine posted it online in its entirety following Wilson's death on Friday.

Andrew Breitbart, conservative LA web publisher was 43 *

andrew-breitbart-dies.jpg Andrew Breitbart's websites announced thus morning that the conservative commentator and founder of a number of news and political websites died overnight of natural causes.

Davy Jones, singer with The Monkees was 66

monkees-variety-ad.jpg The lead singer of the musical group The Monkees that was cast for a television show that ran on NBC from 1966-68 died of a heart attack in Indiantown, Florida, where he lived.

Mike Melvoin, Billy Strange and Lorin Levee, LA musicians

Two were session musicians and more, while Levee was the principal clarinetist of the LA Philharmonic.

Anthony Shadid, New York Times reporter, has died in Syria *

shadid_group_shot.jpg New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson just announced the death of foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid to the staff. He apparently was stricken with an asthma attack.

Gary Carter, catcher was 57 *

Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, born in Culver City, played one season with the Dodgers near the end of his career

Jeffrey Kaye, journalist was 57

Jeffrey Kaye worked at the San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Herald Examiner and The Hollywood Reporter, and wrote for TV Guide and the Los Angeles Times.

Grammys post quick web tribute to Whitney Houston (with ads!)

whitney-houston-grammys-previous.jpg "Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades," Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow says.

Singer Whitney Houston has died at 48, publicist says *

Whitney-Houston.jpg Publicist Kristen Foster told AP on Saturday afternoon that the singer had died. TMZ reports she died at the Beverly Hilton, where she was to attend a Clive Davis party tonight.

Jeffrey Zaslow, Wall Street Journal columnist was 53

jeffrey-zaslow-wsjgrab.jpg Zaslow, a longtime Wall Street Journal writer and the author of books on Gabby Gifford, Chesley Sullenberger and last lecture professor Randy Pausch, died Friday of injuries suffered in a car crash.

Jill Kinmont Boothe, L.A.-born ski racer and teacher was 75*

mccoykinmontsm.jpg I didn't really know the Jill Kinmont story until reading today's LA Times obituary, but it has so many noteworthy elements. I've spent an hour reading about her.

Bert Bonnett, horseman was 101

bert-bonnett-dn.jpg Equestrians of the northeast Valley will ride Sunday in memory of Bert Bonnett, a legend in the horsey communities of Shadow Hills and Sunland.

Mike Kelley, artist was 57

mike-kelley-artillery.png South Pasadena police say that artist Mike Kelley was found dead Tuesday night at home and may have killed himself.

Don Cornelius, 'Soul Train' creator was 75

Police responded this morning to his Mulholland Drive home and found Cornelius dead, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot.

Roger Carrick memorial draws a powerful group

Friends of the environmental attorney Roger Carrick held a well-attended life celebration last night at Para Los Niños, the Downtown childrens' center where he was on the board and the former chairman.

Gigi Gordon, lawyer was 54

The well-known criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles recently was directing attorney of the Post Conviction Assistance Center. She died last week.

John Levy, pioneering jazz manager was 99

John+levy+nea.jpg Levy's clients included Cannonball Adderley, Betty Carter, Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock, Shirley Horn, Freddie Hubbard, Ramsey Lewis, Herbie Mann, Les McCann, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson and many others. In 2006 the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Levy's role in jazz.

Sunday news shorts

philip vannatter-obit-ap.jpg Rep. Gabrielle Gifords to leave Congress, Simpson case detective Philip Vannatter dies and more.

Joe Paterno, former football coach was 85

The Penn State football legend who was fired last year over a child sex scandal involving an assistant died Sunday, his family announced. CBS Sports apologized for posting an erroneous news story about his death on Saturday.

Etta James, singer was 73

Etta James, who was 73, is another of the great R&B figures to come out of the Los Angeles area. She died Friday in Riverside after suffering from ill health, including leukemia and dementia.

Sarah Burke, Winter X Games champion was 29

angela-ruggiero-uni.jpg The 29-year-old freeskier from Canada who suffered a head injury and brain damage during a Jan. 10 training run on the superpipe at Park Mountain Resort in Utah, died this morning. Her organs and tissues were donated in accordance with her wishes.

Johnny Otis, R&B figure was 90

Johnny Otis, the white songwriter and singer from the Bay Area who said he "chose" to live as a black man, died in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday.

Surf culture stops and honors Sean Collins

sean-collins-paddleout-grab.jpg
sean-collins-paddleout-grab.jpg
They paddled out Sunday by the hundreds in Huntington Beach to chill for a few moments of silence in memory of pioneering wave forecaster Sean Collins — followed by a ritual splashing of water and cheering that could be heard from shore.

Tony Blankley, KCRW commentator was 63 *

blankley.jpg
Tony Blankley
Tony Blankley, the former Reagan speechwriter and press secretary to Newt Gingrich in Congress who was the conservative presence on KCRW's Left, Right and Center, died Saturday after battling stomach cancer.

Eve Arnold, photographer was 99

marilyn-monroe-arnold-magnum.jpg Eve Arnold was one of the first female photojournalists to join the Magnum Photos agency, in 1951. She did a book of her photos of Marilyn Monroe.

Sean Bonniwell, lead singer of The Music Machine was 71

The Music Machine got a regular gig at Hollywood Legion Lanes bowling alley and in 1966 scored their only chart hit, "Talk Talk."

Robert O'Rourke, Caltech spokesman was 72

robert-orourke-caltech.jpg Rourke, familiar to many journalists as the head of Caltech's communications office from 1986 to 2009, died at home in Pasadena after battling pulmonary fibrosis.

Sean Collins, founder of Surfline was 59

Sean Collins, a self-taught wave forecaster who changed the way that surfers find out where to take their boards, died yesterday after collapsing of a heart attack while playing tennis in Orange County.

North Korea announces death of leader Kim Jong Il

kim-jong-il-mug.jpg Death was attributed to a "severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack" in the report on North Korea television in Pyongyang, delivered by a tearful woman dressed in black.

Christopher Hitchens, writer was 62 *

hitchens-2004-vf.jpg The author and Vanity Fair contributing editor has died of cancer at a hospital in Houston, the magazine announced.

John Atterberry, music executive shot at Sunset and Vine was 40

The music industry veteran who was shot in his Mercedes by Tyler Brehm in Friday's rampage in Hollywood died of his injuries this afternoon, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announced.

Barbara Orbison dies on same date as Roy

roy_barbara_orbison.jpg Barbara Orbison, who was 60, died here in Los Angeles on Dec. 6, the 23rd anniversary of the death of her husband Roy Orbison.

Harry Morgan, actor was 96

harry-morgan-webb.jpg Wow, just take a look at Harry Morgan's career.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 12.7.11

Mayor chooses distance from Housing Authority scandal, DWP approves water rate increase, more politics and media notes, plus the most powerful images of 2011.

Dobie Gray, singer was 71

Dobie Gray, born in Texas, moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s to be an actor but had greater success as a singer. (He did spend a couple of...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 12.6.11

Voters want a do-over on high speed rail, DWP board takes up rate hike, a different Villaraigosa joins the Young Democrats, naming a Navy ship after Cesar Chavez and more.

Shaun Lumachi, Long Beach Post co-founder was 33

Lumachi died early Saturday in a car accident in Florida, where he was attending a conference in St. Petersburg.

Friday desk clearing

Media and politics notes, plus a Hollywood obituary and more.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 11.30.11

High winds, Westwood loses four movie screens, an old local pol dies and more.

Jean Yoo, LA 18's Korean anchor was 36

Jean_Yoo.jpg The co-host of the Korean-language Prime News on Los Angeles-area TV channel LA 18 was found dead in her Koreatown apartment last Monday after not reporting to work.

Dick Adler, author and journalist was 74

Dick_Adler-toon.jpg Dick Adler, who used to write the cheeky Page Two feature at the old Herald Examiner, and more recently a book reviewer and blogger, died on Nov. 11.

Friday desk clearing

Lowering expectations on Natalie Wood case, tearing down the 6th Street bridge, media notes and a local sports death.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 11.15.11

Mayor wants to trim trees too, the dangers of ignoring Mexico, Chelsea Clinton, Teresa Hughes and The Wave goes Christmas.

NYT does Alan Mootnick obit

alan-mootnick-lao.jpg Sunday's New York Times print edition carries an obituary of Alan Mootnick, the founder and director of Santa Clarita's Gibbon Conservation Center who died Nov. 4.

Weekend desk clearing

pomonacollegebowl.jpg Romenesko, the Geffen Playhouse, Evelyn Martinez, Haskell Wexler, Winston Doby and more.

Heavy D, hip-hopper was 44

The singer known as Heavy D collapsed this morning outside his home in Beverly Hills, and was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 11.8.11

Mayor appeals to car dealers, Madeline Janis steps down, Yaroslavsky takes a ride, Playboy moves back to Beverly Hills, Kirk Honeycutt out at THR and more.

Scott Wilson, founder of North East Trees was 89

scott-wilson-net.jpg Wilson, who pledged to plant five trees a day for the rest of his life, died after losing consciousness while taking clippings from a tree in hi sgarden.

Morning Buzz: Monday 11.7.11

Baca (and Lohan) and the jails, Durkee and the money, Jim Ladd gets to say goodbye, UCLA warns patients and more.

Harry Pachon, educator and Latino advocate

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced the death of USC professor of public policy Harry Pachon, founding board member and past executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund.

Andy Rooney, TV commentator was 92

CBS News announced that Rooney died Friday night in a hospital in New York City of complications following minor surgery.

Gil Cates, producer-director was 77 *

gil-cates-ucla.jpg Gilbert Cates, the stage, film and TV producer and director and the producing director of the Geffen Playhouse, has died at age 77.

Midday media notes: Larry Allison, editor was 77

Former Press-Telegram executive editor has died, plus more news items.

Barbara Kent, last silent film actress was 103

Barbara Kent, a 1925 graduate of Hollywood High School, is being called the last living actress to have achieved stardom in silent films.

Norman Corwin, poet of the airwaves and USC prof, dies at 101 *

corwin-at-cbs.jpg "The best radio writer-producer-director in the whole history of radio," said longtime friend Ray Bradbury.

Sue Mengers, super-agent turned maven was possibly 78

Mengers' death was announced by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, who posted this afternoon on his blog that she died last night "at her home, a short walk from the Beverly Hills Hotel, and surrounded by three of her close friends, Ali MacGraw, Joanna Poitier, and Boaty Boatwright."

Margaret Tante Burk, Round Table West co-founder was 93

Margaret Tante Burk, a publicist and businesswoman here, co-founded Round Table West with Marylin Hudson at the Ambassador Hotel in 1977. The forum for authors grew into one of the...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 10.13.11

Worst mass killing in OC history, new sheriff abuse report, feds to target media in pot war, Art Walk tonight and KCSN gets rock star support.

Al Davis, owner of Raiders was 82 *

al-Davis-halloffame.jpg The last owner of an NFL team in Los Angeles died this morning at home in Oakland.

Steve Jobs' 2005 commencement speech at Stanford

On life and death, among other topics.

Steve Jobs, inventor was 56

woz-jobs-1976.jpg Steve Jobs died today in Palo Alto of complications from pancreatic cancer.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 10.4.11

Warning Obama about Solyndra, warning victims about clemency, Villaraigosa wrong on prisoners, new book from Jim Newton, Red Line turnstiles and remembering Gregg Miller and Amy Pressman.

Morning Buzz: Monday 10.3.11

Brian Alexik goes free, Kinde Durkee's lifestyle, Baca listens in the jail, Jerry Brown and running again, plus more HuffPost announcements and a local media death. And: is Henry's Tacos worthy of historic status?

Morning Buzz: Monday 9.26.11

More fundraising after Obama, what to make of Yaroslavsky, Feuer waits on Trutanich, City Hall staff moves, a newspaper here is hiring, and the Angels beat the Dodgers. Plus more for Monday.

Kenneth Reiner, commissioned Silver Lake's Silvertop home

silvertop-birdseye.jpg Reiner never got to live there, but the home has become a modernist landmark considered one of John Lautner's masterpieces.

Dolores Hope dies at 102 *

The widow of comedian Bob Hope died this morning.

Morning Buzz: Monday 9.19.11

Emmy winners, Durkee fallout on campaigns, some candidate chatter, getting longer yellow lights in L.A., media notes and two journalist obit notes.

Eleanor Mondale, media personality was 51

france-bay-imdb.jpg The daughter of former Vice President Walter Mondale died of brain cancer.

Lewis Brown, basketball star featured in NYT, dies on streets

Back in May, New York Times bureau chief Adam Nagourney wrote about Lewis Brown, a homeless former star for Verbum Dei and UNLV who roamed the streets of Hollywood.

Hollywood obits: Cliff Robertson, Charles Dubin

Robertson, an Oscar-winning actor whose credits span "Picnic" (1955) and "Spider-Man 3" (2007), died Saturday on Long Island at age 88.

Lynn Newcomb Jr., local skiing legend was 91

Newcomb installed the first ski lift in Southern California, at Mt. Waterman.

Former L.A. hockey players presumed dead in Russia crash *

Former Kings forward Pavol Demitra and former Ducks defenseman Ruslan Salei.were believed to be on the plane.

Ezat Delijani, savior of Downtown theaters *

Councilman Jose Huizar tweeted tonight that Ezat Delijani, a leader in L.A.'s Persian Jewish community, died yesterday. No other details are immediately available.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 8.24.11

Villaraigosa woos Hollywood, Feinstein doubts the subway money is there, S.A. Griffin and the Times on Scott Wannberg, CBS web writers sign a guild deal and most ridiculous parking sign ever?

Couple more nice tributes to Scott Wannberg

Anyone who lived on the Westside of LA in the 80’s and 90’s and who read books knew Scott Wannberg, says Richard Rushfield.

Nick Ashford, Motown songwriter was 70

Bad day for legendary songwriting teams. Nick Ashford, a prolific writer of hits for Motown with his partner and later wife Valerie Simpson, died in New York City.

Jerry Leiber, songwriter was 78

Hound Dog Front.jpg Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller met in Los Angeles in 1950 and teamed up to write dozens of early rock and roll hits, including many for Elvis Presley. Leiber died today at Cedars-Sinai.

Scott Wannberg, poet of Dutton's was 58

Wannbergcrunch.jpg Scott Wannberg, a member of the traveling poet troupe known as the “Carma Bums” and a 23-year employee of the late Dutton's Brentwood Books, died Friday of an apparent heart attack in his recent hometown of Florence, Oregon.

Villaraigosa statement on Edie Wasserman

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa goes with the end-of-an-era theme.

Edie Wasserman, philanthropist was 95

Edie Wasserman was called the first lady of Hollywood and with her late husband, the studio powerhouse Lew Wasserman, was a major donor to local institutions. She died today in...

Morning Buzz: Monday 8.15.11

A stadium endorsement, Howard Berman vs. Brad Sherman, Rainey on Schwada, Ross Porter gets a gig and more media and politics notes.

NFL star Bubba Smith found dead in L.A. home

No official word on cause of death, but police believe it was natural causes.

Former Yankee pitcher found dead in Rancho Palos Verdes

Authorities are investigating Hideki Irabu's death as an apparent suicide and hanging.

George Ramos, journalist was 63

george-ramos-calcoast.jpg The body of Ramos, the former L.A. Times staff writer and editor, was found in his Morro Bay home after he did not respond to calls from colleagues at CalCoastNews.com.

Charles Manatt, lawyer and top Democrat was 75

Chuck Manatt was co-founder in Los Angeles of the law firm now called Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and served as national (and California) chairman of the Democratic Party and co-chair of Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign for president. Manatt died Friday night at a Richmond, Va., hospital of complications from a stroke.

Amy Winehouse, 27

The British soul singer with a drug and alcohol problem was found dead in her London apartment on Saturday afternoon local time. An autopsy is pending.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 7.21.11

City Council hopefuls get a date, Garcetti gets an NYT story, Cenk Uygur gets mad and Katzenberg says the movies "suck." Plus more.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.19.11

New deputy mayor, new library hours, a new rainbow for Sony and a vote for Bill Simmons' Grantland.

Travis Bean, influential guitar maker in the Valley was 63

travis-bean-guitar.jpg "Born of the motorcycle and hot rod culture of Burbank California in the early 1970s, the Travis Bean guitar was fused from gear head sensibility and rock and roll creativity," says a website.

Sherwood Schwartz, creator of 'Gilligan's Island' was 94

Television writer and producer created Gilligan and "The Brady Bunch," TV sitcom milestones from the 1960s that remain popular in syndication.

Peggy Kaus, late-blooming politics blogger was 88

She was the mother of political writer and former U.S. Senate candidate Mickey Kaus and the widow of the late California Supreme Court Justice Otto Kaus.

Ramona Hahn, matriarch was 86*

Ramona Hahn, the mother of Councilwoman Janice Hahn and Superior Court Judge James Hahn, the former mayor, died today.

Catherine Mulholland, historian was 88

CMulholland.jpg The author and granddaughter of one of Los Angeles' most discussed historical figures, the water legend William Mulholland, died today of natural causes at her home in Camarillo.

Jean Harris, Democrat and lesbian was 66

Jean Harris. a former Deputy Mayor of San Francisco and an icon of the lesbian political community in California, died Sunday in Palm Springs.

Weekend reads

Topics include L.A.'s children's museum, LudoBites, Westside Pavilion parking, the 405, Los Angeles magazine and more.

Morning Buzz: Monday 6.20.11

California Republicans favor Mitt Romney so far, Villaraigosa takes a stand on wars, LAT backs AEG's stadium, plus more politics and media notes from the weekend.

Clarence Clemons, tenor sax player was 69

Clemons, a beloved member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band since 1972, couldn't survive the massive stroke he suffered a week ago. He died Saturday at a hospital in Palm Beach, Florida.

Wild Man Fischer, songwriter and performer was 66

wild-man-fischer.jpg Lawrence Wayne Fischer, known for a long time as Wild Man, was a musical partner of Frank Zappa until the two had a falling out, and the "spiritual godfather" of Rhino Records.

Carl Gardner, original Coaster was 83

Carl Gardner was singing in the Los Angeles R&B group The Robins in 1955 when he and other musicians formed The Coasters, the first vocal group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

LA Observed on KCRW

Tonight's weekly column features obits: Laura Ziskin, Joan Luther, Allen Levy.

Laura Ziskin, producer and activist was 61

Ziskin died at home tonight after a long and public battle with breast cancer.

Allen Levy, CBS producer was 59

Levy was working for CBS Newspath out of Los Angeles covering the Arizona wildfires when he failed to show up this morning to produce a live shot for "The Early Show." He was found dead in his hotel room, apparently of natural causes.

Joan Luther, restaurant publicist was 82

Joan Luther, called by some the first lady of restaurant PR in Los Angeles, died yesterday.

Andrew Gold, L.A. musician was 59

Andrew Gold, who died Friday at home in Encino, had serious roots in the Los Angeles music scene. His father, Ernest Gold, won an Oscar for his score on the...

Friday desk clearing

Mayor names new DOT head, stadium suspect stays in custody, Greuel on TV, James Arness dies and more.

Morning Buzz: Friday 6.3.11

John Edwards indicted, Jack Kevorkian dies, Tim Leiweke threatens, Hector Tobar columnizes, Denise Hamilton reviews and more.

Geronimo Pratt, ex-Black Panther was 63

Elmer G. "Geronimo" Pratt, the former Los Angeles Black Panther Party leader who spent 27 years in prison before his 1972 murder conviction was overturned, died today in a small village in Tanzania.

Matt Fong, former state Treasurer was 57

Matt Fong, a Republican who served as California's elected Treasurer for a term in the 1990s, died today of skin cancer at home in Pasadena.

Weekend obits

Gil Scott-Heron, Jeff Conaway, Margo Dydek, Irene Gilbert, Don Kubly, Dana Brand, Tom West.

James Kang, media manager at CBS LA *

At the end of the news at 11, Channel 2 anchor Pat Harvey's voice was thick with emotion as she announced the unexpected death of colleague James Kang.
garton-bike.jpg Andrew Garton, 44, a seven-year veteran of the Hawthorne Police Department, was escorting the procession for Manhattan Beach officer Mark Vasquez when his motorcycle was involved in a crash with another officer.

Barbara Stuart, actress in six decades was 81

STUART-obit-nyt.jpg Stuart worked in episodic television during almost the entire run of the genre, starting with "I Led Three Lives" in 1954 and concluding with the Showtime series "Huff" in 2006.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 5.19.11

A quick roundup this morning.

Arthur Laurents, playwright-director was believed to be 93

Laurents wrote the books for "West Side Story" and "Gypsy" and the screenplay (from his own novel) for "The Way We Were."

Friday briefs

Denise Hamilton's Native Intelligence tribute to the late journalist Terry McGarry will air this weekend on KPCC's Off-Ramp, noon Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday. Off-Ramp blog Police are preparing...

Morning Buzz: Monday 4.25.11

A round-up of news, politics and media notes and other observations to get the week started.

Eldon Davis, icon of L.A.'s googie architecture was 94

googies-olive-fifth.jpg We have Eldon Davis to thank for many of those Googie-style coffee shops that sprouted along Southern California boulevards in the 1950s, then spread across the country.

Hazel Dickens, soul singer of the South was 75

Bluegrass legend Hazel Dickens used her music to tell people about the plight of coal miners and working women in the South, and inspired the work of Emmylou Harris and others.

Madelyn Pugh Davis, 'I Love Lucy' writer was 90

Davis and her writing partner Bob Carroll Jr. were writing for Lucille Ball on radio when they collaborated on a TV pilot. The rest was television history. Also: Kevin Jarre.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.20.11

A year later in the Gulf, Bell's whistleblower, Villaraigosa's budget, when Obama moved to Indonesia and Grete Waitz.
Geoff-Miller-portrait---198.jpg Geoff Miller was the first editor of Los Angeles, starting in 1960 when it was called The Prompter, and in 1990 became the magazine's publisher. He died Saturday at home in L.A.

Friday quick links

No Dodger Stadium arrests, Trutanich endorses Hahn, former Daily News editor dies and public radio stations raise money for Japan. Plus more.

Arthur Marx, TV writer was 89

groucho-arthur-marx-nyt.jpg The son of Grouch Marx, he's known mostly for two books on his dad, sitcom work and the unauthorized and unflattering biography of Bob Hope.

Sidney Harman, Newsweek owner was 92

Sidney Harman died last night in Washington of complications from acute myeloid leukemia, a disease he was diagnosed with a month ago.

Kam Kuwata, political consultant was 57 *

kam-kuwata-thumb.jpg Kam Kuwata, a Democratic campaign strategist in California for at least 25 years, was found dead in his Venice condo Monday.

Sidney Lumet, 'quintessential NY filmmaker' was 86

sidney-lumet-200x150.jpg Sidney Lumet debuted in 1957 with "12 Angry Men," directed "Dog Day Afternoon," "Serpico" and "Network" later in his career, and was nominated four times for Oscars.

Conversations with Almena Lomax, journalist

rememberingalmenalomax_300.jpg BNill Boyarsky remembers the founder of the Los Angeles Tribune.

Al Martinez on the passing of his daughter

Veteran L.A. journalist and author Al Martinez has been keeping readers up to date on his daughter Cinthia's cancer in his Daily News columns.

Weekend news and notes

billcunningham-square.jpg Smithsonian withdraws bid for historic murals, LAUSD's Deasy won't take $55,000 raise, a City Hall exit, art and books notes and a local media obituary.

Lanford Wilson, playwright was 73

The Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist "rose to fame for his plays that explored such themes as contemporary gay identity, youthful angst and modern anomie."

Elizabeth Taylor, movie star was 79

liz-taylor-young.jpg Taylor died early today of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She entered the hospital six weeks ago. Taylor won two best actress Oscars, for "Who's Afraid of Virginia...

Pat Casey, TV news director was 54

pat-casey-obit.jpg Pat Casey, the former managing editor at Channel 2 in Los Angeles, died Saturday in Cincinnati after a year-long battle with brain cancer.

Warren Christopher, former Secretary of State was 85

WarrenChristopher-ucla.jpg The Secretary of State in the Clinton Administration and longtime Los Angeles civic leader and Democratic politics figure died Friday at home of complications from bladder and kidney cancer,

Nate Dogg, Long Beach rapper reported dead at 41

nate-dogg.jpg The Long Beach-raised rap music star Nathaniel D. Hale, known in the music industry as Nate Dogg, died today, his family told the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

David Broder, politics writer was 81 *

David S. Broder, 81, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Washington Post often called the dean of the Washington press corps, died Wednesday in Arlington, Va. of complications from diabetes.

Morning Buzz: Friday 3.4.11

Satellite launch from Vandenberg fails, Trutanich dismisses charges against protesters, city campaign notes, NYT editor on L.A. radio and the last founding member of The Mattachine Society dies.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 3.3.11

Rodney King day, more community college waste, DA Cooley promotes a key aide, rave review for "The Hollywood Sign" and more.

Jane Russell, movie sex symbol was 89

jane-russell-hurrell-1941.jpg Jane Russell is probably best known as the busty actress whose cleavage Howard Hughes exploited so flagrantly in "The Outlaw." Her life story, though, runs through several other prominent Los Angeles threads.

Mark Tulin, bassist was 62

Tulin was the bassist for the 1960s psychedelic garage band The Electric Prunes (formed in the Valley) and had been playing recently with the Smashing Pumkins and with Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan.

Weekend desk-clearing: L.A. people

Jeremy Bernard, Darryl Morden, Cardinal Mahony and more.

Morning Buzz: Friday 2.25.11

Brown to get support of L.A. Chamber for taxes, Tom Campbell to run Chapman Law, Villaraigosa wants higher wall around Getty House, plus Charlie Sheen, Cardinal Mahony, Frank McCourt, Chris Erskine, "Glee" and more.

Holiday weekend news and notes

Politics and media notes, plus obituaries.

Glenn Allen, Los Angeles firefighter was 58 *

glenn-allen-lafd.jpg Glenn Allen had been with the Los Angeles Fire Department for 38 years and had been contemplating retirement. He died after noon today of injuries incurred while battling a house fire in the Hollywood Hills on Thursday.

Afternoon news and notes

Veteran firefighter battling for his life, Jerry West statue unveiled and the mayor's stadium committee meets.

County worker dies at her cubicle, isn't found for a day

Rebecca Wells, 51, was found slumped over on her desk in the L.A. County Department of Internal Services in Downey by a security guard on Saturday.

Morning Buzz: Monday 2.14.11

No knives at the Grammys, Patsaouras writing memoir, Saenz on short list for state Supreme Court and city election endorsements.

Jesse Valadez, co-founder of The Imperials *

valadez-caravan-soqui.jpg Lowriders from around the West caravanned through East Los Angeles on Saturday in a funeral procession for Jesse Valadez, co-founder 45 years ago of The Imperials car club. His red...

Weekend desk clearing

Media and politics notes from around L.A. and the web.

Afternoon notes

Downtown stadium, City Hall, Egypt and more.

Charles Brittin, L.A. photographer was 82

brittinwalsh.jpg Charles Brittin was a beat-era photographer whose best-known work captured Los Angeles and the avant-garde artists of the decades when the Ferus Gallery was big. His photos from the streets...

Jack LaLanne, fitness innovator was 96

jack-lalanne.jpg Long before Jack LaLanne became an infomercial pitchman, he was America's best-known health and fitness advocate.

Sargent Shriver dies at 95 *

Sargent Shriver, a close confidante of brother-in-law John F. Kennedy and first director of the Peace Corps, died today in Bethesda, Maryland. Also: Dale Fetherling, Tom Ferguson.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 1.18.11

Jerry Brown, more Golden Globes reaction and fallout, showbiz numbers down, Regis Philbin retires, Dodgers add another cheap alternative and much more.

Kay Mills, writer was 69

kmills-210-exp-Mills_kay.jpg Kay Mills, the former Los Angeles Times editorial writer who authored five books, died Thursday at age 69.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 1.12.10

Giffords prognosis improves, wounded deputy identified, AP and Shepard Fairey reach settlement over the Obama Hope poster, plus Mark Kriski and a bunch of media notes.

Sylvia Bursztyn, Sunday crossword maker was 62

Sylvia Bursztyn created Sunday crossword puzzles for the Los Angeles Times for 30 years. She was found dead of natural causes in her Granada Hills home on Dec. 30, according...

John Olguin, San Pedro leader was 89

"It's hard to imagine San Pedro without John Olguin," says City Councilwoman Janice Hahn. "He was like a grandfather to everyone."

Thursday notes

Riordan to close two restaurants, Zine recuses over girlfriend, Yvonne Burke and Matt Toledo get state appointments and is Hollywood L.A. neighborhood of the year?

Joe Lumer, L.A. parking magnate was 62

Joes-parking-sign.jpg Joe Lumer is the name behind the Joe's Auto Parks lots so ubiquitous in Downtown Los Angeles.

Denis Dutton, Arts & Letters Daily founder was 66

arts-letters-header.jpg Denis Dutton in 1998 created the well-read Arts & Letters Daily, which the New Yorker's Blake Eskin today calls "the first and foremost aggregator of well-written and well-argued book reviews, essays, and other articles in the realm of ideas. Denis was the intellectual’s Matt Drudge."

Monday notes

Oscar ballots go out, the falling murder rate, new execs at KCET and more.

Graig Woodburn, hockey writer was 50

The Kings' press box crowd is mourning the death of their friend Graig Woodburn, a Los Angeles attorney who by night covered the Kings and Ducks for the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Associated Press and The Sporting News.

Mike Tetreault, letters editor was 66

Mike Tetreault was the longtime letters editor at the Daily News. He died last night after a long battle with cancer.

Kent Carter, LAPD officer was 60

Carter, a longtime specialist in labor relations for the LAPD, was off-duty when his motorcycle collided with another bike Sunday on Santiago Canyon Road in Santa Ana. He was struck by a car and died at the scene.

Frank Emi, Nisei leader in World War II was 94

Frank Emi worked in his family's Los Angeles market before being interned at the start of World II at Heart Mountain in Wyoming.

Elizabeth Edwards died this afternoon, she was 61

Various media are reporting that Elizabeth Edwards has died of complications from breast cancer.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 11.30.10

Spirit Award nominations are out, Maxine Waters could face trial by the Republicans, Caruso expands again, Ryan Seacrest has a deal, Michael Douglas seeks to quash the rumors and the Dodgers sign Uribe.

Catching up

Back from some holiday travel and going through the piles on my desk.

Leslie Nielsen, actor was 84

Leslie-Nielsen.jpg The Canadian actor who had a long dramatic career before he was cast in "Airplane!" and as LAPD Lt. Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun movies died near his home in Fort Lauderdale.

Some notable L.A. deaths to acknowledge

Jose Rodriguez, Harold Katz and Danny McDevitt.

Morning Buzz: Friday 11.19.10

LA's beach curfew, Ronni Chasen murder, redistricting panel, McCourts back before a judge, Villaraigosa to Mexico and a media person death. Plus more.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 11.17.10

Jerry Brown at work, L.A. ballot measures, Katz resigns from high speed rail board and those new Lakers books by Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson.

Dino De Laurentiis, producer was 91

De Laurentiis died Wednesday at home in Beverly Hills. Not many Hollywood producers have this range of credits, both hits and flops.

George 'Sparky' Anderson, Hall of Fame manager was 76 *

sparky-anderson.jpg Anderson was the first baseball manager to win World Series titles in both leagues, with the Reds and Tigers. He played ball at Dorsey High School.

Morning Buzz: Monday 11.1.10

Whitman and Brown donors are hedging their bets, the day's local campaign events, Brown denies he has tapped Gray Davis to run his transition, a possible new editor for Bon Appetit and and trouble again at the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

Election Sunday *

meg-bus-burbank.jpg Meg Whitman's bus pulled into the Burbank Marriott (after circling Bob Hope Airport) for a quick rally this afternoon before a few hundred supporters. Plus more notes.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 10.26.10

Sheriff's watchdog won't investigate Baca's help for a donor, but wait until you see why. Plus women prefer Brown and Boxer, Whitman goes the litmus test route, Soros to help Prop. 19 and the county's new bike-commuting health director.

Bob Guccione, Penthouse founder was 79

caligula_bob.jpg Guccione, the onetime New Jersey artist who gave the world Penthouse, the movie "Caligula" and the late Omni magazine, died Wednesday in Plano, Texas after a long battle with cancer.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 10.20.10

City traffic officials promise there will be fewer jams with Friday's campaign visit by President Obama, plus more inside.

Joshua J. Cullins, LAPD officer killed in Afghanistan

Cullins, 28, was a Marine reservist with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment in Marja, in Afghanistan's Helmand province. He was killed Monday by a roadside bomb.

Bob Kholos, former Bradley press secretary was 67

Kholos began volunteering with Tom Bradley's campaign for mayor in 1969 and became the first press secretary after Bradley was elected in 1973.

Morning Buzz: Monday 10.18.10

Weekend campaigning in the state races, last day to register to vote, Yaroslavsky will only say he's thinking about a run for mayor, Neon Tommy on NPR and the new Hollywood Reporter website launches.

Morning Buzz: Friday 10.15.10

Brown and the death penalty, Whitman on KABC, Props. 23 and 26, lowest homicide rate since 1975, and rough sex in the Jewish Journal. More inside.

Raymond M. Taix, restaurateur was 85

Taix ran the Taix French Restaurant in Echo Park, started Downtown by his father in 1927 and among the oldest family-owned restaurants in Los Angeles.

Frank Bourgholtzer, NBC newsman was 90

Frank Bourgholtzer was the first full time White House correspondent for NBC News and retired from the network's Los Angeles bureau.

Solomon Burke, 'king of rock and soul' was 70

solomon-burke-rollhall.jpg Burke died Sunday on board a flight from Los Angeles that had landed at Amsterdam, where he was due to play a concert. His family — which includes 21 children, 90 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren — posted the news on his website.

Morning Buzz: Friday 10.8.10

Brown apologizes for underling's Whitman slur, she has now spent $121 million of her own money to become governor, an LAPD officer convicted, plus book and media notes.

Joe Shumate, political consultant was 69

Shumate, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Pete Wilson, was advising both Carly Fiorina and Steve Cooley in this year's election cycle.

Stephen J. Cannell, writer-producer was 69

Cannell wrote best-selling novels and for TV shows like "Adam-12" and "Mission Impossible," then went on to produce series such as ""The Rockford Files," "The A-Team" and "21 Jump Street." He died Thursday at home in Pasadena from complications associated with melanoma.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 9.30.10

What the Whitman-housekeeper boomlet means, Whitman and Brown tied in another poll, the FBI and LAPD collaborate to solve a whole bunch of homicides, almost half don't pay their red-light camera tickets, plus one ex-councilman gets a job and another one passes on.

Tony Curtis, actor was 85

tony-curtis-imdb.jpg Tony Curtis starred opposite Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon in "Some Like it Hot" — which the American Film Institute named the best comedy of the 20th century.— and got an Oscar nomination for "The Defiant Ones."

Art Gilmore, Hollywood narrator was 98 *

Art Gilmore narrated hundreds of movie trailers, television episodes and radio shows. He also worked back in the day as a news announcer at KFWB and KNX.

Arthur Penn, director was 88

Arthur Penn, the director of "Bonnie and Clyde," The Miracle Worker" and "Alice's Restaurant," died Tuesday in New York a day after turning 88.

Sally Menke, film editor was 56

The body of a hiker reported missing yesterday in Griffith Park has been located at the bottom of a ravine. Law-enforcement sources say it's Sally Menke, Quentin Tarantino's editor on...

Patty Fox, fashion director and author was 62

Patty Fox, a longtime media commentator on fashion and the former fashion director of Divine Design, died Sunday of ovarian canc

Remembering Buddy Collette's Los Angeles

Buddy Collette, the legendary jazz musician and Los Angeles native who died here on Sunday at 89, "both profited from and contributed to the rich midcentury jazz scene along Los...

Weekend obits: James Bacon, Roderick Mann and more

Bacon and Mann both made their names interviewing movie stars and other Hollywood celebrities.

Weekend news and notes

Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere," a forthcoming film set mostly at the Chateau Marmont, won the top Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival. LAPD chief Charlie Beck said the...

Paul Conrad, political cartoonist was 86 *

conrad112006.jpg For decades, Paul Conrad's cartoons in the Los Angeles Times were conversation starters, debate shapers and eyeball attractors. He was one of the paper's best known journalists, the one sure to draw the longest lines at book signings and other public appearances.

Bruce Ackerman, Valley business leader was 64 *

Ackerman, chairman of the Community Redevelopment Agency board of commissioners, died today of cancer.

Weekend news and notes

A round-up from the weekend's email and media.

Mario Obledo, civil rights activist was 78 *

Obledo, a co-founder of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and sometimes called the "Godfather of the Latino Movement," was Gov. Jerry Brown's health and welfare secretary from 1975 to 1982.

Kenny Edwards, musician was 64

You may remember last week's item on Edwards needing help for a medical airlift home from Denver. He got home to Santa Barbara and died there yesterday.

Richard Lopez of Cannibal & the Headhunters was 65

"Scar" Lopez co-founded Cannibal and the Headhunters at Lincoln High School, helping give birth to the distinctive Eastside sound.

Carolyn Jensen Chadwick, NPR producer

Carolyn Jensen Chadwick, who died here yesterday, "created sound-rich, evocative stories that once defined the NPR listening experience," writes Current. org. She also was NPR's first employee and the husband of former host Alex Chadwick.

Dan Avey, radio man was 69

Dan Avey, a longtime KFWB anchor, co-host of the KABC morning show with Ken Minyard, professor at USC and Cal State Northridge and former radio voice of the Los Angeles Kings, died over the weekend at Cedars Sinai.

John Chase, West Hollywood's urban designer was 57

john-chase-gelatobaby.jpg Chase, the author of several books on urbanism and Los Angeles, died Friday of an apparent heart attack. He was the godfather to the daughter of Frances Anderton, host of...

David L. Wolper, producer of 'Roots' was 82

Wolper also produced "L.A. Confidential" and the children's classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," as well as the opening and closing ceremonies at the 1984 Olympic Games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Weekend reads

ua-balcony-wsj.jpg Broadway theaters in WSJ, McCourts try to settle, Bell's $1.5 million city manager, Pau Gasol in scubs and more.

Morning Buzz: Friday 8.6.10

What Maxine Waters had to say, what Jerry Brown did say, what legal analysts are saying about the Prop. 8 ruling, Jack Shafer's advice on what Sidney Harman shouldn't say...

Lynne Doll, president of The Rogers Group *

The president and partner of The Rogers Group died last night. Eric Moses, president of the Public Relations of Society L.A. chapter, has put out a nice statement to his board.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 8.4.10

KCET's financial struggles, Prop. 8 ruling's timing, Tribune troubles redux, Tim Rutten on Anne Rice quitting the Christians, and will Los Angeles County cost the Democrats the election?

Marylin Hudson, co-founder of Round Table West was 76

An important figure in the Los Angeles book world has died. Marylin Hudson co-founded the legendary and long-running Round Table West book and author program.

Bobby Hebb, musician was 72 *

Bobby Hebb, who wrote the 1966 hit "Sunny," died today in Nashville at age 72.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 8.3.10

Greuel on a jury, Garcetti for Echo Park lake crackdown, Whitman's amazing spending, Lakers playoff tickets for lawmakers and more.

Weekend obits: Keith Richman, Jon Douglas

In the San Fernando Valley secession election in 2002, state Assemblyman Keith Richman received the most votes and would have become the first mayor of the newly formed sixth-most populous U.S. city if voters had allowed the split.

Eric Malnic, retired Times reporter was 73 *

Eric Malnic was a longtime mainstay of the Los Angeles Times Metro staff, as an assistant city editor and rewrite man on big stories, and late in his career as the paper's specialist on airplane crashes.

Ex-Burbank official dies on Northern California bridge

Kevin Jolly, 45, left as superintendent of the Burbank schools a few weeks ago to take over a troubled school district in Mendocino County.

Daniel Schorr, longtime commentator was 93 *

Schorr joined NPR as senior news analyst after being let go by CNN in 1985.

James Gammon, character actor and stage stalwart was 70

james-gammon-imdb.jpg Gammon's first television credits were in the 1960s in westerns such as "The Wild, Wild West," "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke" — though he also showed up on "Batman," "Charlie's Angels" and...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.13.10

Whitman's investment in Mike Murphy's movie career, Andrew Malcolm's flakkery again, LAT staffers warned about tweets, Polanski's victim still wants it to end, White House press secretaries in town, an arts blog dies and a books blog begins. Plus more, inside.

What Stephen Kanner meant to Westwood Village

IN-N-OUT-WW-KANNER.jpg A tribute that Westwood restaurateur and community leader Steven Sann wrote about architect Stephen Kanner, who died Friday of cancer at 54, shows how one architect can freshen and re-shape a place like Westwood (itself planned in the 1920s) while honoring its past.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.6.10

Soon-Shiong buys up Brentwood, a Manson girl comes up for parole again, what to do about L.A.'s watering rules, the jury deliberates in Oscar Grant killing and an architecture obituary. Plus more as we return from the long holiday weekend.

Paul Johnson, KNBC reporter was 75

Johnson had been battling brain cancer and underwent surgery in January. He died Tuesday evening at age 75.

Phillip Ortiz, CHP officer was 48 *

405-crash-ktla.jpg The California Highway Patrol is confirming for media that Officer Ortiz died at 5:50 p.m.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 6.16.10

Cardinal Mahony's deposition, the Obamas see the Getty, the City Council delays on Arizona, Gov. Schwarzenegger comes to the Press Club Awards, plus Joel Kotkin, Jeanie Buss, Glenn Beck and more.

Ernest Fleischmann, retired L.A. Phil leader was 85

Ernest Fleischmann, who died Sunday, ran the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra from 1969 to 1998.

Les Richter, ex-Rams linebacker was 79

After an All-Pro career in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, Richter went on to run Riverside International Raceway and Auto Club Speedw

James N. Wood, Getty Trust CEO was 69

The Getty has just announced the death of James N. Wood, the institution's president and CEO.

Stephen Rivers dies of cancer at 55*

steven-rivers.jpg Longtime political activist and Hollywood public relations strategist Stephen Rivers died Monday after a long battle with cancer.

Marvin Isley, one of the brothers was 56

Marvin Isley was the youngest member of the Isley Brothers — he came along in 1973 after his brothers had been performing since 1954.

Caffie Greene, South L.A. activist was 91

Caffie Greene was part of a group of Watts mothers who became a formidable community force after the Watts riots in 1965, and a former deputy to Supervisor Kenneth Hahn.

John Delloro, labor leader, reportedly dies

I noticed quite an outpouring of grief and and surprise on Facebook from friends, labor activists and colleagues on today's death of John Delloro, reportedly of a heart attack.

John Wooden, 1910-2010

UCLA's legendary coach dies of natural causes at age 99.

Joseph Strick, filmmaker was 86

Joseph Strick brought James Joyce's "Ulysses" to the big screen, won an Oscar for his documentary on My Lai veterans, made noteworthy documentaries on L.A.'s Muscle Beach in 1948 and an L.A. divorcee's life in 1960, and also commissioned a Santa Monica Canyon home that is the only North American residence by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

Jerry Clark, journalist

Friends of longtime Los Angeles journalist Jerry Clark are saying he died yesterday, possibly of a heart attack

Louise Bourgeois, artist was 98

bourgeois_maman-gugg.jpg On my trip to Bilbao in 2007, one of the more unforgettable visual aspects to the Guggenheim Museum (other than seeing a replica of Walt Disney Hall beside the xx river in Spain) was Louise Bourgeois' sculpture of a giant spider.

Dennis Hopper, actor, director & artist was 74

dennis-hopper-bwclose.jpg Dennis Hopper died this morning at home in Venice, likely from complications of advanced prostate cancer.

Gary Coleman, actor was 42

gary-coleman.jpg Coleman, the child star of the hit sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," died at a hospital in Provo, Utah after suffering a brain hemorrhage at home earlier this week.

Art Linkletter, timeless radio and TV voice was 97

art-linkletter-1.jpg Art Linkletter, who died today at home in Bel-Air, was a ubiquitous broadcast presence from the 1940s through the 1960s, and a voice and emcee at Los Angeles events for long after.

Morning Buzz: Monday 5.24.10

Sarah Ferguson and Bruce Beresford-Redman skulk into town, though not necessarily together. Plus a Monday assortment of media, politics and news notes.

Brittany Murphy's husband found dead at home

An LAFD crew answering a 911 call pronounced screenwriter Simon Monjack dead at his home in the Hollywood Hills.

Jose Lima, ex-Dodgers pitcher was 37

jose-lima-stadium.jpg Lima died today at home in Los Angeles, reportedly of a heart attack. A native of the Dominican Republic, Lima won 89 games in thirteen seasons as a pitcher, including in 2004 the Dodgers' first port-season win in more than a decade.

Morning Buzz: Monday 5.17.10

Schwarzenegger's onus, Mozingo's series, neglected ponies, a chef in trouble with the law, the Lakers begin round three and a blogger's photo gets picked up. Plus the death of Ronnie James Dio.

Two UCLA graduates killed in Maine crash

tam-cinthya.jpg Tam Ngoc Tran of Orange County and Cinthya Felix of Los Angeles had been activists for the DREAM Act, the proposed law to grant citizenship to undocumented students like themselves.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 5.12.10

New website for Sheriff Baca, boycotting Arizona, Jewish Journal up, Sarah Silverman down, and perhaps the last great newspaper novel.

Morning Buzz: Monday 5.10.10

Microsoft to convene in L.A., no Times endorsements for Whitman, Ponzer, Brown or Boxer, the return of Al Checchi and more bankruptcy talk from Dick Riordan.

Lena Horne, singer was 92

Lena Horne was the first black performer signed to a long-term contract by a major Hollywood studio — MGM, for whom she appeared in “Panama Hattie” in 1942 — and by the end of World War II was being called the country's top black entertainer.

Alan Rich memorial service

A public memorial for music critic Alan Rich has been set for Tuesday, May 25th in Zipper Hall at the Colburn School on Bunker Hill in Downtown

Max Palevsky, art collector and liberal Democrat was 85

Max Palevsky sold Scientific Data Systems to Xerox in 1969 for $1 billion, then used his money to collect art and to finance liberal causes and campaigns, including those of George McGovern, Jimmy Carter and Tom Bradley for mayor.

Lynn Redgrave, actress was 67

lynn-redgrave-people.jpg Redgrave died last night after a lengthy fight against breast cancer.

Peter Lopez, music lawyer was 60

Lopez, a name partner at Century City's Kleinberg Lopez Lange Cuddy & Klein, has represented Michael Jackson and members of the Eagles, and had been a producer on "Selena." He...

Mike Silverman, real estate agent was 90

Mike Silverman was one of L.A.'s "realtors to the stars" before he retired in 2001. He used to say he got his start when when he sold Frank Sinatra's house...

Reports: Music critic Alan Rich has died *

Friends and admirers are passing around on line the news that longtime Los Angeles music critic Alan Rich died yesterday. He would have been about 85.

SF Chronicle editor who wrote of her cancer dies at 28

alicia-parlette-sfc.jpg Alicia Parlette was diagnosed at 23 with a rare form of cancer in her hip and a breast. The copy editor's 17-part series in the San Francisco Chronicle under the Alicia's Story banner told of her experiences undergoing chemotherapy and coming to grips with her fate.

LA Sketchbook: Daryl Gates was a rock

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Daryl F. Gates, ex-LAPD chief was 83 *

Daryl_Gates_80515143copy.jpg Gates was chief of police in Los Angeles from 1978 to 1992, his tenure ending shortly after the riots that followed the jury verdicts exonerating officers in the Rodney King...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 4.1.10

Garfield High to name auditorium for Jaime Escalante, more on last night's DWP rates vote, big Bev Hills fundraiser for Meg Whitman, an anniversary for Larry Mantle and more.

Tom Dixon, voice of classical music on L.A. radio was 94

Dixon was on the air in Los Angeles for a half century. He died March 13 at a rehabilitation facility in Burbank.

LA Sketchbook: Stand and Deliver

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The Jaime Escalante obituary I wanted to read *

Thumbnail image for escalante-mural.jpg Jay Mathews used to be Los Angeles bureau chief of the Washington Post and now writes the paper's education blog. In 1988 he authored a biography of Garfield High teacher...

Jaime Escalante, revered math teacher was 79

esacalante-board.jpg Friends of Jamie Escalante are reporting that the retired Garfield High School teacher died this afternoon in Reno, where he was seeking treatment for bladder cancer.

Robert Cottle, LAPD officer killed in Afghanistan

robert-cottle.jpg Robert J. Cottle, a member of the LAPD's SWAT unit, is the first active Los Angeles police officer to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Cottle, 45, was a Sergeant Major with a United States Marine Corps Reserve battalion from Camp Pendleton. He was in the Marja region on Wednesday when a roadside bomb killed him and another Marine.

Jim Marshall, rock photographer was 74

grace-slick-joplin-marshall.jpg Marshall had the inside access and the eye to shoot some of the most iconic images of rock and roll musicians

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 3.24.10

City Council asserts itself on the DWP rates, California's algebra experiment not working, The Standard pays for pouring pool chemicals down the drain, plus Meg Whitman, Jerry Brown, Lee Baca, Walter Karabian and more.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 3.23.10

Baca goes right back at it after D.C. dustup, Whitman's spending, Jerry Brown's old apartment, LAist's owner close to sale and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle awards. Plus more, of course.

Mark Ferber, voice of Hollywood Bowl was 60

Ferber, the Hollywood Bowl's longtime production supervisor and special events manager, provided the voice that greeted concert-goers: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Hollywood Bowl."

Fess Parker, actor and winery owner was 85

Fess Parker's first credit was in the 1950 film "Harvey," but he became widely known as Disney's Davy Crockett later that decade and as Daniel Boone. More recently Parker has...

Alex Chilton, 1950-2010

The musician who began as the lead singer for the Box Tops in the 1960s died in New Orleans.

Peter Graves, actor was 83

peter-graves-bw.jpg Graves was found dead Sunday at home in Pacific Palisades.

Merlin Olsen, ex-Rams star and actor was 69 *

merlin-olsen-card.jpg When the Rams were a big deal in Los Angeles, Olsen anchored their Fearsome Foursome defensive line. He went on to be longtime color commentator for NBC’s pro football and Rose Bowl telecasts, and a television actor on “Little House on the Prairie” and in his own series, “Father Murphy.”

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 3.10.10

Gavin Newsom chatter, Cooley calls out his deputies, National Magazine Award finalists, another AOL Patch in South Bay, the death of Corey Haim and more.

Willie Davis, centerfielder was 69 *

willie-davis-dt.jpg Willie Davis, the Dodgers centerfielder through most of the 1960s who came out of Roosevelt High in Boyle Heights, was found dead today at home in Burbank.

Morning Buzz: Friday 3.5.10

Sheriff Baca releases inmates early, Joel Grover goes after bogus disabled parking, Arnold and Maria get paid to promote California, editor hospitalized after meeting with New Times' Mike Lacey, and more...after the jump.

Architect killed in crash after SCI-Arc lecture

raimund-abraham.jpg Raimund Abraham, a visiting faculty member at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, died in a Downtown crash hours after giving a lecture at the school.

Paul Serchia, blogger with AIDS was 52

I posted about Serchia in January, when I was introduced to his blog Thinking Positive, where he wrote with humor and insight about his life as a cancer and AIDS patient.

Morning Buzz: Monday 3.1.10

Villaraigosa wants another new fee on DWP customers, AP covers L.A's budget problems, Speaker Perez's influence issues, the Rafu Shimpo in big trouble and Ban Ki-moon comes to town.

Jacqueline Montalvo, LAPD officer was 37

Montalvo, an 11-year-veteran of the LAPD's Hollywood division, was the officer who died in an off-duty crash in Diamond Bar on Thursday.

Mosi Tatupu, former USC and NFL star was 54

The running back died at a hospital in Attleboro, Mass., on Tuesday. The cause of death has not been reported.

Mary Herczog, 45, loses battle with breast cancer *

Los Angeles writer Mary Susan Herczog wrote first-person stories about her experiences with breast cancer in the L.A. Times during the late 1990s and again in 2002.

Weekend (and holiday) reads

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (at the home of attorney Bruce Broillet and his wife Norah) and Sen. Mark Warner are among the Democrats holding L.A. area fundraisers during the congressional recess.

Charmette Bonpua, City Hall chief of staff

City Councilman Herb Wesson's chief of staff died this morning in Las Vegas, where she had suffered an aneurysm while visiting a week ago, Wesson's spokesman announced this afternoon.

Nina Blanchard, modeling agency founder was 81

Blanchard opened the Hollywood agency that bore her name in 1961 and represented, among others, Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, Shari Belafonte, Rene Russo and Cristina Ferrare.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 2.10.10

Wendy Greuel, Steve Bing, Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina, Jonathan Gold and Laurie Ochoa, James Rainey and more.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 2.9.2010

Jay Leno slinks out of prime-time, expect the Hollywood sign to be covered with a banner, more City Council drama over the budget and more.

Morning Buzz: Monday 2.8.2010

NBC makes Conan disappear online, feuding over Conrad Murray, the gay judge hearing the Prop. 8 case and plenty of politics notes for a Monday.

Kobe passes Jerry West, now all-time Lakers scorer

jerry-west-logo.gif Bryant scored 44 tonight in Memphis to take over the franchise lead from West, but the Lakers lost by two.

J.D. Salinger, author was 91

j-d-salinger-graphic-nyt.jpg Salinger died Wednesday at the home in Cornish, N.H., where he had lived in seclusion for more than 50 years. From the New York Times: Mr. Salinger’s literary reputation rests...

Sign of the (L.A.) Times

I have to wonder if the Times' near-total surrender of its award-winning tradition of covering a major local industry — cutting-edge science — helps explain why the New York Times beat the locals on the apparent suicide of a world-class Caltech scientist.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 1.28.10

Couple of LAPD Metro officers busted, Prop. 8 testimony ends, why the mud didn't flow and how movie portrayals of female journalists are always so lame (Maggie Gyllenhaal edition.)

Howard Zinn, author and activist was 87

howard-zinn.jpg Zinn died today of a heart attack while traveling in Santa Monica.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 1.26.10

More rain today, the inmate release plan kicks in, Inglewood's mayor pleads out and resigns, plus a couple of local obituaries — and more.

Obits: Guy Day, Gerald McCabe

Day co-founded the Chiat-Day advertising agency. McCabe started McCabe's Guitar Shop, the Santa Monica landmark.

Glen Bell, founder of Taco Bell was 86

taco-titan-cover.jpg Bell had opened a few fast food chains around Southern California after World War II, starting with a rival to McDonald's in San Bernardino. He also started Der Wienerschnitzel, but...

J. Putnam Henck, Santa's Village builder was 91

santasvillage.jpg Henck was known in the San Bernardino Mountains as the builder and manager of the Santa's Village amusement park in Skyforest, and as a keeper of the mountain communities' past.

Ken Genser, Santa Monica mayor was 59

kengenser.jpg Genser, in his third stint as mayor over 21 years on the Santa Monica City Council, had been ill since October and died on Saturday.

Not a bad epitaph at all

benbradley.jpg Everyone in the flamenco community in Los Angeles knew Ben Bradley made a wicked tortilla Espanola.

Tributes to Rory Markas

Channel 11's news at 10 p.m. opened tonight with five minutes of reporting and personal commentary about Rory Markas, the station's sportscaster who was discovered dead at home in Palmdale...

Thousands mourn Bobby Salcedo

At least 2,500 people, and perhaps as many as 5,000, attended last night's event in the stadium at Mountain View High School for El Monte school board member Agustin Roberto...

Angels broadcaster Rory Markas found dead

rorymarkas.jpg Team spokesman Tim Mead says the voice of the Angels was found dead at his Palmdale home on Monday.

William Tuohy, correspondent was 83

reyesnevarez.jpg Tuohy won the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in 1969 for his coverage of the Vietnam War for the Los Angeles Times.

David Levine, artist was 83

levinelbj.jpg He drew more than 3,800 caricatures and other pieces for the New York Review of Books.

Alice Schiller, 95, ran the Pink Pussycat

purrrfect.png If I were doing an end-of-year roundup of obits, Schiller would be in it. Her husband opened the Pink Pussycat in an old Hollywood jazz club on Santa Monica Boulevard,...

Brittany Murphy, actress was 32

brittanymurphy.jpg The actress died this morning of cardiac arrest at Cedars-Sinai, after being found in the shower at home by her mother, according to TMZ, citing reports from the LAFD and...

Morning Buzz: Friday 12.18.09

Getting rid of teachers who don't work out, the city's plans for Owens Lake and just how much Supervisor Molina meddled in the building of the Gold Line — plus...

Roy Disney, 79

roydisney.jpg Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt Disney and a director emeritus of the family studio, died Wednesday morning after battling stomach cancer. His name is on REDCAT downtown. Roundup of...

Larry Sultan, photographer was 63

persiansw.jpg Larry Sultan, who died Sunday of cancer at his home up in Greenbrae, grew up in the San Fernando Valley and in 2004 came out with a large-format book called...

Morning Buzz: Friday 12.11.09

Krekorian goes back to Sacramento, Art Torres gets a raise, another reporter move at the Times and City Hall's beacon shone last night. More news and notes after the jump....

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 12.8.09

More excessive radiation from CT scans, delays on the Expo Line, surviving six months on a bus bench in the Valley, and voting ends today in the 2nd district —...

Morning Buzz: Monday 12.7.09

Looking at all the labor money in the CD 2 race, old LAPD riot helmets headed to Washington state, and artist Richard Ankrom's guerrilla freeway sign has been found. Plus...

In praise of Alice McGrath

alicemcgrathvcstar.jpg Carlos Valdez Lozano, an assistant city editor at the Los Angeles Times, offers up a personal Op-Ed tribute to his friend Alice McGrath, a longtime union and left-wing activist in...

Kenneth Aragon, LAPD officer was 48

Officer Aragon was off-duty when his motorcycle crashed around 2:15 a.m. at Fletcher Drive and Larga Avenue, according to the L.A. Times and CBS 2. He was pronounced dead at...

Jim Perry of LAFD killed in crash

Retired Los Angeles Fire Department captain Jim Perry was killed today in a crash on U.S. 395 near Reno. Perry was well known to local media and was editor of...

Valor, Redondo Beach police dog

valorgreenleaf.jpg Redondo Beach Police officer Ken Greenleaf had to make the tough call yesterday and put down his dog. Valor, a 5-year-old black-and-gray German shepherd, had been in the hospital with...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 12.3.09

Schwarzenegger years labeled a disappointment, a newspaper calls for getting rid of the lieutenant governor, and you can now get Reagan on your iPhone. Plus more after the jump. Quick...

Penner and soccer

Sportswriter Scott French was at the World Cup match in Pasadena in 1994 where Mike Penner first discovered soccer. The late L.A. Times sports writer bought a ball, started kicking...

Bob Keane, Del-Fi Records creator, was 87 *

ritchievalensalbum.jpg Unofficial word from a former Del-Fi employee on Facebook is that Bob Keane, the record producer who signed Ritchie Valens out of Pacoima in 1958, died over the weekend. Keane...

Mike Penner's musical side

Kevin Bronson, the music writer formerly with the L.A. Times, remembers Mike Penner for more than his sports writing or his sexuality. They bonded over rock and roll. Penner was...

Mike Penner, 52, believed to be suicide

Sad news at the Los Angeles Times website about one of their own. Mike Penner, the veteran sportswriter who in 2007 and '08 was known publicly as Christine Daniels, was...

Avery Clayton, curator of black archives*

News is spreading fast via email and Facebook that Avery Clayton died of a heart attack on Thanksgiving. He was an artist and executive director of Western States Black Research...

In praise of Charis Wilson, muse

florasmall.jpg Author and Jewish Journal book editor Jonathan Kirsch blogs that his "very first experiment in the deconstruction and interpretation of sexual imagery" took place when, as a child, he found...

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 11.25.09

Quick roundup for getaway day: Roman Polanski was granted bail and possibly house arrest in Switzerland, but an appeal is pending. L.A. Now Pot dispensaries could continue to accept cash...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 11.24.09

Color commentary all around on yesterday's LAPD brass shake-up, Schwarzenegger parks in the red, Sarah Palin and Latinos and Supervisor Ridley-Thomas dodges the media. Those and more after the jump....

Morning Buzz: Friday 11.20.09

Beck's popular first order, Leiweke calls Trutanich's bluff, what it's like to be 33, gay and a deputy mayor, and the LAT's Rainey weighs in on Ruth Seymour. Plus a...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 11.17.09

Beck's confirmation vote, Villaraigosa gets a Thai massage, Broad still talking museum with Beverly Hills and much, much more in today's catch-up buzz. Tucked neatly after the jump,. as usual....

Boyarsky remembers Doug Ring

LA Observed columnist Bill Boyarsky was a friend of the late Doug Ring and describes his role in preparing Bill to be an effective ethics commissioner in City Hall, and...

Villaraigosa on death of Doug Ring *

From the mayor's office: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued the following statement regarding the death of Douglas R. Ring: “I am deeply saddened by the death of my friend Doug Ring,...

Doug Ring, 65, found dead at home *

Developer, lawyer and philanthropist Doug Ring was discovered at the Brentwood home he shares with his wife, former City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, the L.A. Times' news blog says. Ring and...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 11.12.09

Back from the holiday with a reading of the Jerry Brown tapes, a conspiracy theory about Charlie Beck, big layoffs at Current TV in L.A. and more after the jump...

Howard Jacobs, AIDS activist was 45

West Hollywood City Councilmember Jeff Prang announced the death of his former deputy this morning. Karen Ocamb has more....

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 11.10.09

More on that secret taping of reporters by a Jerry Brown aide, Beck moves forward and the City Council is gone to Texas. Plus more, of course, after the jump....

Morning Buzz: Thursday 11.5.09

More analysis of Charlie Beck, plus the state's big water deal, blacks and pot in Pasadena, Andrew Breitbart and more after the jump. Also see Mark Lacter's morning headlines at...

Morning Buzz: Monday 10.26.09

Bad circulation numbers for the L.A. Times, the mayor steps out with Lu Parker, new controversy around David Lizarraga and a media apology — plus more after the jump, of...

Soupy Sales, comedian was 83 *

Born Milton Supman, Soupy Sales became one of the enduring comic faces of 1950s and '60s television. His show, first in Detroit then in Los Angeles, was a hit with...

Big turnout for Nancy Daly

Friends and family of the late philanthropist and civic leader Nancy Daly heard heaps of praise last night at a memorial gathering in UCLA's Royce Hall. Times columnist Patt Morrison,...

Jack Nelson, journalist was 80

Jack Nelson led the Los Angeles Times Washington bureau during much of the time that the paper's reputation for national reporting was growing, and before that was known for his...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 10.20.09

Blogger offers three finalists for LAPD chief, Polanski staying put and more. After the jump....

Morning Buzz: Monday 10.19.09

Falcon and the snow job, interviewing begins for LAPD chief and more news and notes after the jump. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and...

Morning Buzz: Friday 10.16.09

Anschutz, Schwarzenegger, Nahai and more, after the jump. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin on Twitter....

Lili Smith, activist was 15

Former president Bill Clinton wrote this week that "Lili Smith was a beautiful girl...taken from her family and friends far too soon." Smith is the daughter of political consultant Ace...

Remembering Brendan Mullen

When Brendan Mullen came to Portland last year for a book event at Powell's, Nancy Rommelmann threw a party and introduced him around. She remembers her friend, who passed away...

Brendan Mullen, punk promoter was 60

brendan-mullen.jpg Brendan Mullen, author and the founder in 1977 of local punk rock club the Masque, died today after suffering a stroke while celebrating his birthday on the road with his...

Irving Penn, photographer was 92

pennfireman.jpg The iconic fashion and portrait photographer — most notably for Vogue — died this morning at his home in Manhattan. His death was announced by Peter MacGill, his friend and...

Morning Buzz: Monday 10.5.09

Clinton in town to endorse Newsom, H1N1 vaccine is coming and Adam Carolla's podcast, plus the return of Frosty, Heidi and Frank to the airwaves. Those and more are below...

Nancy Daly, activist was 68

Nancy Daly, who helped found United Friends of the Children after being disturbed by what she saw at MacLaren Children's Center, died of pancreatic cancer while riding back to Los...

William Safire, columnist was 79

safirenytreuters.jpg The New York Times columnist of three decades died today of pancreatic cancer at a hospice. Safire had been a speech writer for President Richard Nixon and an influential conservative...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 9.22.09

In the morning news: a couple of local genius grant winners, a big gang raid, voting in the Valley and a bunch more notes. Also see Mark Lacter morning headlines...

Patrick Swayze dies

The star of "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost" had been battling pancreatic cancer. He was 57. (AP)...

Danny Pang dies

Pang is the Newport Beach financier accused by federal regulators of a massive fraud in which millions of dollars were re-directed for his personal use. He had been taken from...

Gelbart explains the craft

Here's an extended excerpt from a series of interviews he did in 1998 for the Archive of American Television. He talks about working with Bob Hope, Carl Reiner, Sid...

Larry Gelbart dies

One of the greatest comedy writers - ever. He's probably best known for the TV series "MASH," but there also was "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the...

Oldest person dies in L.A.

Gertrude Baines was 115, the world's oldest person. She died in her sleep at Western Convalescent Hospital. Baines was a native of Shellman, Ga., and her father was believed to...

Good morning 9.11.09

It's the 8-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and while the memorial at Ground Zero remains mired in money woes and petty (are there any other kind?) politics,...

RIP: William Trombley

The long-time education writer at the LAT was 80. From the Times obit: At The Times, where he was a reporter for nearly 30 years starting in 1964, Trombley was...

Army Archerd, Hollywood legend was 87

archerdobit.jpg Army Archerd was a Variety columnist for 52 years, a fixture on the red carpet and at Hollywood parties — and he liked to say that his style made him...

Capt. Tedmund Hall, 47
Arnaldo Quinones, 35

The two firefighters killed in a vehicle accident Sunday on Mount Gleason above Acton were identified by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Tedmund Hall, who lived in San Bernardino...

LA Sketchbook: Ted Kennedy

sgTed Kennedy.jpg Steve Greenberg's take on the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. See more by Greenberg in the LA Sketchbook archive....

Ellie Greenwich, songwriter was 68

elliegreenwich.jpg For those who keep score, we have our third newsworthy passing of the last 24 hours. Greenwich collaborated with Phil Spector and Jeff Barry on a bunch of hit songs...

Dominick Dunne, writer was 83 *

Dunne is the father of actor Griffin Dunne and wrote extensively about the Los Angeles murder of his daughter, the actress Dominique Dunne. He also wrote best-selling books and produced...

Cardinal Mahony on Ted Kennedy

Add Cardinal Roger Mahony to the legions releasing official condolences and praise on last night's death of Sen. Edward Kennedy. From the Archdiocese of Los Angeles: Cardinal Roger M. Mahony...

Hiatus at LA Biz Observed

Mark's mother Helen Lacter passed away Tuesday evening in Plantation, FL. She was 96. Posting at LA Biz Observed will be intermittent over the next week or so while Mark...

Don Hewitt, creator of '60 Minutes' was 86

The New York Times obituary says Hewitt "changed the course of broadcast news by creating the television magazine '60 Minutes,' fusing journalism and show business as never before, and who...

Morning Buzz: Monday 8.17.09

News and notes are hidden after the jump. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin on Twitter....

Budd Schulberg and Watts

budddonna.jpg Donna Myrow, the founder and publisher of LA Youth, met the novelist and screenwriter Budd Schulberg soon after he launched the Watts Writers Workshop following the 1965 riots. He became...

Les Paul, guitar master was 94

"It’s safe to say that rock and roll as we know it would not exist without his invention," says the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That invention? The solid-body...

Roger Wetherington, journalism adviser

Roger Wetherington -2009.pdf Roger Wetherington, who died July 26, had been the adviser to the student newspapers at Cal States Northridge and Long Beach. As such, he worked closely with a number of...

Michael Viner, publisher was 65

The president of Phoenix Books in Beverly Hills was 65. He died of cancer over the weekend. Viner has published or tried to publish several controversial books, including in 2003...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 8.11.09

Today's news and notes, hidden after the jump, were delayed by a computer crash. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin...

Morning Buzz: Monday 8.10.09

Today's Buzz is tucked away after the jump. Also see Mark Lacter's morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin on Twitter....

John Hughes, director was 59

The screenwriter and director known for the films "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," "Pretty in Pink" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" among others died today while walking in Manhattan. A...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 8.6.09

Today's news and notes are after the jump. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin on Twitter....

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 7.29.09

News and notes are hidden after the jump. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin on Twitter....

Morning Buzz: Monday 7.27.09

Some week-starting news and notes for today are after the jump. For a quick look back at the past week at LA Observed, click here. Also see today's Mark Lacter...

City Hall office shuffle

City Council President Eric Garcetti grabs Wendy Greuel's old suite on the fourth floor where they keep the elected inmates. Same square footage but more windows, says Rick Orlov at...

Lily Burk, 17 *

The daughter of Los Angeles journalist Greg Burk and Southwestern Law adjunct professor Deborah Drooz was found slain this morning in her car near Alameda and Fourth Street downtown. A...

Author E. Lynn Harris dies here at 54

The best-selling writer of gay black fiction fell ill yesterday at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. He lived in Atlanta. LAT...

Morning Buzz: Friday 7.24.09

Whoa, the news and notes run a bit long today — that's what happens when you take the night off. The buzz is after the jump. Also see Mark Lacter's...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 7.23.09

News, notes and observations are after the jump. Also see Mark Lacter's morning headlines at LA Biz Observed and follow us on Twitter....

Shulman radio documentary

shulmanchemosphere.jpg Nice photograph by Juergen Nogai of Julius Shulman at John Lautner's Chemosphere house. Nogai, Frank Gehry, Dion Neutra and others, including Shulman himself, talk during a radio documentary on the...

Walter Cronkite, 92

Media sites are saying that the longtime CBS News anchor has died, according to his family. Cronkite announcing the assassination of President John Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963:...

Talking about Shulman

In today's LA Observed segment on KCRW, I honor Julius Shulman as a foremost chronicler and interpreter of Los Angeles and get personal on behalf of my wife, who has...

Julius Shulman, 1910-2009

shulman255.jpg Julius Shulman, the dean of Los Angeles photographers, died Wednesday at home in Laurel Canyon. He was 98 years old. “He led a charmed life right up to the...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 7.16.09

Quick first read of the day's news and notes is after the jump. Also see Mark Lacter's morning headlines at LA Biz Observed and follow us on Twitter....

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.14.09

A quick first look at today's items on politics and the city, with a media obit. Inside after the jump....

Ray Watt, developer was 90

The real estate developer who may have had a hand in 100,000 new homes was a condo and strip mall pioneer in Southern California and built office towers in Century...

Steve Brennan, Hollywood Reporter editor

Cynthia Littleton at Variety reports that Brennan, a longtime reporter and editor for The Hollywood Reporter, died today at Cedars-Sinai after a yearlong struggle with cancer. "He was my friend,...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 6.30.09

Registerletter62909.pdf California's $24 billion budget deficit is bigger than the budgets of some states, and Sacramento looks no closer to resolving the problem as IOUs are prepared. Rough & Tumble...

Sylvia Levin, 91, registered 47,000 voters

Levin was a familiar sight around the Westside signing up voters — which Bob Pool at the Times says she did six days a week for 36 years. Levin's son...

Morning Buzz: Friday 6.26.09

Today's Michael Jackson mourners in Hollywood are able to get to his actual Walk of Fame star instead of radio host Jackson's star, where they gathered yesterday. Gatherings also...

Michael Jackson, pop culture icon was 50

Jackson died this afternoon at UCLA Medical Center after suffering cardiac arrest at home in Holmby Hills, the Los Angeles Times and TMZ are reporting. Jackson is survived by his...

Farrah Fawcett, actress was 62

Farrah Fawcett died at 9:28 AM at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, according to TMZ. Ryan O'Neal and Alana Stewart were at her bedside....

Morning Buzz: Monday 6.22.09

Mayor Villaraigosa plans to appear on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" at 1 p.m. PDT and make some kind of statement about his plans on running for...

Nic Fiore, Yosemite icon was 88

nicfiore.jpg Nic Fiore taught skiing at Badger Pass in Yosemite National Park for more than 50 years, but Scott McAuley of Angel City Press remembers his friend as the summer impresario...

Sheryl Flowers, radio producer was 42

Sheryl Flowers was the executive producer of Tavis Smiley's shows on National Public Radio and Public Radio International and his Director of Communications. "When I left NPR, Sheryl was the...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 6.4.09

Cardinal Mahony wagers a case of wine on the Lakers, a councilman resigns in disgrace, David Carradine is found hanged and more, including the local gay Asian-American mayor. Mark Lacter's...

Morning Buzz: Monday 6.1.09

Wow, it's June already. Today's Morning Buzz has much talk about Antonio Villaraigosa and his intentions, more questioning of the Los Angeles magazine failure cover, plus some other politics and...

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 5.27.09

Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed cutting deeply into health and welfare, letting non-violent felons out of prison a year early and closing most state parks as a start on closing the...

Appreciating Lee Solters

Los Angeles Times columnist Patrick Goldstein says he'll miss the occasional calls from the longtime publicist, "one of the last remaining links to the Damon Runyon-esque era where you could...

Lee Solters, PR rep was 90

Solters at various times represented Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson and other celebrity clients, says Nikki Finke. She reports that Solters died in his sleep at home, and gets...

Morning Buzz: Monday 5.18.09

Former Speaker Willie Brown says Sacramento is in "total panic" believing the tax props will lose on Tuesday's ballot, and he blames years of bad decisions by the governor...

Vu Nguyen, reporter was 34

vunguyen.jpg The Daily Breeze education reporter died Friday night after being taken off life support with his family by his side. Here's the Daily Breeze story and blog post by his...

LA Sketchbook: A two-fer

sgadenhart1.jpg This cartoon was created by Steve Greenberg several weeks ago when the Los Angeles City Council was still debating whether to finish the elephant enclosure at the L.A. Zoo....

Dom DeLuise dead at 75, TMZ says

The celebrity news site says that the comic actor died in his sleep last night at a Los Angeles hospital. TMZ The French Mistake scene in "Blazing Saddles" with DeLuise...

Weekend news and notes

That Long Beach State student and two other L.A. County residents are confirmed cases of the new H1N1 or swine flu. More local cases are expected, but the outbreak appears...

Morning Buzz: Friday 5.1.09

At least seven May Day marches are scheduled today around L.A., including four in Downtown. LAT, DN Only 14 percent of registered voters approve of the California Legislature's performance,...

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.29.09

A Mexican child who died in Texas [fixed] is the first confirmed U.S. death from swine flu, and a Marine at Twentynine Palms may have swine flu and has...

Bob Oates, sportswriter was 93

The longtime sports beat byline for the Examiner, Herald Examiner and L.A. Times died Monday at home in Baldwin Hills of age-related causes. Oates served on the original pro football...

Morning Buzz: Monday 4.27.09

Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman caused a stir Sunday night at Disney Hall by announcing from the stage it would be his last U.S. performance because of the nation's military...

Mike Menza, 'secret weapon' of LA Weekly

Menza, the circulation director of the LA Weekly, died last night after battling cancer. Steven Mikulan, speaking for the staff in a story on the Weekly website, says the news...

Annette Haddad, LAT reporter and editor

Longtime Los Angeles Times journalist Annette Haddad has died of cancer. Here's the newsroom announcement by editor Russ Stanton: From: Stanton, RussSent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 10:57 AMTo: yyeditallSubject: Annette...

Earl Gustkey, sportswriter was 69

Gustkey's byline appeared in the L.A. Times sports section for more than three decades, most notably on stories about boxing, the outdoors and the WNBA. "He was a sports editor's...

Shawn Mortensen, photographer was 43

The Los Angeles pop culture photographer died last night, according to several websites. SuperTouch, Daily Swarm, ThaIndian News...

Sal Guarriello, West Hollywood councilman was 90

West Hollywood mayor Jeffrey Prang announced the death of the city's long-serving councilman, and one of the oldest elected officials in the state. From Prang's statement: He died peacefully this...

Lesley Taplin, Downtown volunteer

Taplin, who was involved with the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council from its inception in 2002, was killed Tuesday in a freeway car accident. Blogdowntown says that Taplin and her...

Jerry Gillam, reporter was 77

Jerry Gillam covered California government and politics for 40 years, most of that time in the Sacramento bureau of the Los Angeles Times. He left the Times in 1995. Gillam...

Madeline Alice Spohr, 17 months

A memorial service is scheduled Tuesday for the baby of Heather and Mike Spohr, who live in Brentwood. Maddie, as she is known to many across the blogosphere, was born...

Angels postpone tonight's game

The team released a statement on the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart, and a statement from his family. Tonight's game was cancelled at the family's request. KPCC's Steve Julian talks...

Dan Miller, TV news anchor was 67

danmiller.jpg Dan Miller anchored at Channel 2 in the 1980s and was the sidekick on Pat Sajak's late-night show, as well as a frequent guest host for Tom Snyder on radio....

Nick Adenhart, Angels pitcher, killed in crash

The rookie started last night, then was among three people in a Mitsubishi who died when a red-light runner hit the car in Fullerton. Adenhart, who was 22, threw six...

Steve Plesa, editor at Register was 55

Over two and a half decades, Steve Plesa was the Orange County Register's features editor, cities editor and special sections editor overseeing coverage for the Food, Travel and Home &...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 4.7.09

Mayor Villaraigosa told city unions that to avoid layoffs, workers need to defer raises, cut work hours and pay more for retirement benefits. The Times editorialized for the plan....

Morning Buzz: Monday 4.6.09

Mayor Villaraigosa has called an 11 a.m. news conference to announce steps to avert thousands of city layoffs. "The City currently faces a Fiscal Year 2009-10 deficit of $530...

Weekend reads

L.A. Times writer Thomas Curwen's and photographer Allen J. Schaben's series on Ana Rodarte, 3½ years in the making, has award contender all over it: "Ana Rodarte had given...

Michael Sommer, ex-journalist was 73

Sommer died in a trauma helicopter en route to UCLA after being hit by a car in an Agoura Hills parking lot last week. His mother Ann, 98, also suffered...

Steven Bach, studio exec & author was 70

stevenbach.jpg Steven Bach was the executive at United Artists who took the fall for "Heaven’s Gate" and went on to write "Final Cut," which William Grimes in the New York Times...

Maurice Jarre, Oscar-winning composer was 84

mauricejarre.jpg Jarre won Oscars for the scores of "Lawrence of Arabia," " Doctor Zhivago" and "A Passage to India," and composed music for more than 150 other films. He died in...

David Lee Briggs Sr., shoeshine man was 56 *

Briggs was known around Los Angeles police headquarters at Parker Center as Dr. Dave, Minister of Leather. He shined shoes in the lobby for 21 years and on Monday he...

Bellows remembered by Mary Anne Dolan

Mary Anne Dolan was hired at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner by Jim Bellows and followed him as editor. Below are her remarks at last Friday's memorial service for Bellows,...

Natasha Richardson dies of brain injury

The British-born actress, 45, is survived by her husband Liam Neeson, mother Vanessa Redgrave, sister Joely Richardson, aunt Lynn Redgrave and two children. Richardson won a Tony in 1998 as...

Coy Watson, photog and child actor was 96

James Caughey "Coy" Watson, Jr. was the eldest of the Watson offspring — six boys and three girls — who made a mark in Los Angeles first as child actors,...

William Claxton memorial

Friends of the late jazz and fashion photographer William Claxton are gathering this evening at LACMA's Bing Theater to celebrate his life. Scheduled speakers include his wife, the actress and...

Ron Silver, actor was 62

Silver had been undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer for two years. He died today at home in New York. Silver won a best actor Tony in 1988 for "Speed-the-Plow" and...

George Hedges, 'Indiana Jones of Hollywood lawyers'

Hedges died Tuesday morning at home in South Pasadena of melanoma. He was 57. He was a leading Hollywood lawyer and also made a name for himself as an archaeologist....

Going way back with Bellows

I haven't gotten to all the Jim Bellows appreciatons that have been posted or published, but today's by columnist Jon Carroll in the San Francisco Chronicle is a bit different...

Jim Bellows, editor was 86

Bellows died Friday at a nursing home in Santa Monica after suffering from Alzheimer's. He had been an editor in New York, then the overseer of the features sections at...

Kenneth Garner, LAPD deputy chief was 53

Nothing posted yet at the Los Angeles Police Department newsroom or blog, but the officers' union has issued a statement mourning the death at home this morning of South bureau...

Mary Ridgway, probation officer was 66

Celeste Fremon writes at Witness LA that Ridgway, a supervising deputy probation officer for Los Angeles County, "changedand in many cases, savedmore lives than anyone can adequately count." Ridgway died...

Nell Soto, former state Assembly member *

Soto, who left office last year after missing significant amounts of time in Sacramento due to illness, apparently died today. She was at least 82. A statement from Speaker Karen...

Venice remembers Marvin Rand

Architectural photographer Marvin Rand was 84 when he died on Feb. 14. Along Abbot Kinney Boulevard, where he kept his studio, Rand is being called one of them — a...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 2.24.09

Is Kenneth Turan rebutting critics within the L.A. Times in his column praising the revamped Oscars show? Patrick Goldstein and Mary McNamara go unnamed by him, but readers reject...

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 2.18.09

Senate Republicans dumped their leader overnight because he dared to support the Democrats' plan for ending the embarrassment in Sacramento. LAT, Bee, APPlus: Gov. Schwarzenegger returns to Los Angeles....

A son remembers his dad

James Whitmore, the award-winning actor who died of lung cancer on Feb. 6, wanted to be wakened to see the inauguration of Barack Obama. He wasn't always lucid by then,...

Ladies and gentlemen — the Ronettes!

Estelle Bennett, original Ronette and sister of Ronnie Spector, died this week at her home in Englewood, N.J. She was 67. They're forever young on YouTube, especially in the...

James Whitmore, actor was 87

The Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor died today at home in Malibu. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer a week before Thanksgiving, said his son Steve Whitmore, a Los...

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 2.4.09

Tim Rutten suggests an anti-trust exemption to let newspapers collude on charging for web content. LAT Op-Ed A string of street robberies and attacks in Silver Lake and environs...

Sgt. Curt Massey, officer killed on freeway

The Culver City Police Department is mourning the death of Sgt. Curt Massey in this morning's wrong-way crash on the Santa Monica Freeway. He was a 17-year veteran and recipient...

James Brady, editor and Parade interviewer was 80

Brady did the celebrity profiles for Parade magazine for nearly 25 years — his last, of actor Kevin Bacon, runs February 15. Before that he was a Washington reporter for...

Jennifer Pendleton, L.A. journalist was 56 *

Business writer Jennifer Pendleton died yesterday after a fifteen-month battle with cancer, according to a friend. Pendleton specialized in advertising, entertainment and entrepreneurship and her work appeared in Fortune, Essence,...

John Updike, writer was 76 *

John Updike released more than 50 books in a career that started in the 1950s. He won two Pulitzer Prizes, for ''Rabbit Is Rich'' and ''Rabbit at Rest,'' two National...

Afternoon news and notes

Because the desk is flowing over, and I have a few minutes... Film critic John Anderson repeatedly punched veteran publicist Jeff Dowd over a disagreement at Sundance about "Dirt! The...

Morning Buzz: Friday 1.16.09

An airline pilot uses his 40 years experience to bring his stricken jetliner down safely in the Hudson River, and the governor of New York dismisses it as "a...

Death of Ricardo Montalban announced

City Council President Eric Garcetti announced this morning that actor Ricardo Montalbn died today at home in his district, surrounded by family. Montalban was 88, according to Garcetti, who made...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 1.13.08

LAFD inspector Dennis Archie was arrested and accused of taking a $500 bribe from a board and care facility operator. L.A. Now So-called moderates on the Screen Actors Guild...

Morning Buzz: Monday 1.12.08

If anyone remembers the 2009 Golden Globes, it will be for "Slumdog Millionaire" and Kate Winslet. Variety, NYT, LAT, winners list "It's a completely meaningless awards show by a...

Morning Buzz: Friday 1.9.09

Santa Ana winds are back and the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning effective from noon today until 4 p.m. Sunday. Wires Mayor Villaraigosa's pro-Israel comments have...

Matthew William Bernsen, 35

The son of former LAPD spokesman and Fox 11 reporter Rod Bernsen died of cancer. The family suggests donations be made to the Memorial Hospital Cancer Center's Circle of Hope,...

Herb Katz, Santa Monica ex-mayor

The city of Santa Monica website says that Katz, a member of the City Council, died today with family and close friends by his side. The family appreciates everyones prayers...

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 1.7.09

Some top LAPD officials pushed hard, but unsuccessfully, to get the coroner to change the finding that a SWAT bullet killed 19-month-old Suzie Pea in 2005. LAT, Witness LA...

Alan Rich on Betty Freeman *

The longtime L.A. music critic blogs about this week's death and the legacy of arts patron Betty Freeman. (Here's my news post from yesterday.) Rich: She insisted on facing death...

Ned Tanen, studio exec and producer was 77

Variety reports that Ned Tanen, who served as president of Universal and Paramount and produced three popular "Brat Pack" films in the 1980s, died today in Santa Monica. He was...

Betty Freeman, arts patron was 87

Betty Freeman, who died at her home in Los Angeles on Sunday, was a leading patron of the arts and new music. That's her in David Hockney's Beverly Hills Housewife,...

Gene Parrish, KUSC host

Gene Parrish was from 1984 to 1996 a host and producer on classical music station KUSC-FM. Its website says that Parrish passed away after a long illness and most recently...

Glenn Goldman, Book Soup founder was 58 *

Goldman died today of pancreatic cancer, a disease that was just recently diagnosed. He leaves two teenage sons. As I posted earlier today, Goldman and staffers at the Sunset Strip...

2008 passings: Notable Angelenos

Noting the deaths of prominent, newsworthy or interesting Los Angeles figures and of LA Observed's colleagues in the media is a regular thing we do here. There seems to be...

2008 passings: Journalists and media

Bob Benoit, photographer Mr. Blackwell, fashion figure Manuel Bogran, Breeze carrier Bernie Boston, photographer P.J. Corkery, editor Elmer Dills, TV restaurant critic Bill Drake, radio executive Clay Felker, editor...

2008 passings: Sports

Art Aragon, boxer Buzzie Bavasi, baseball man John Buttera, hot rodder Billy Consolo, player Dock Ellis, pitcher Craig Fertig, USC star Georgia Frontiere, owner Ed Justice Sr., motors Pete...

2008 passings: Hollywood

Ron Boltz, announcer Bernie Brillstein, manager Bud Browne, filmmaker George Carlin, comedian Warren Cowan, publicist Gene Evans, fireworks showman Johnny Grant, honorary mayor Charlton Heston, actor Bobbi Holtzman, director...

2008 passings: Music, arts & letters

Forrest J Ackerman, archivist Tina Allen, artist Arthur C. Clarke, author Philip Conisbee, curator Michael Crichton, author Bo Diddley, rocker Elaine Dundy, author Patricia Faure, art dealer Robert Graham,...

2008 passings: Thin blue line

Randal Simmons, LAPD SWAT "It wasn't until I saw the 10 o'clock news that I fully appreciated how many people lined Vermont and Slauson to greet the procession escorting...

Freddie Hubbard, trumpeter was 70

Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who played with John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock and other legends, died today at Sherman Oaks Hospital. He was 70 and had suffered a heart...

Robert Graham, sculptor was 70 *

The Venice sculptor Robert Graham died Saturday at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center after being ill for six months. Born in Mexico City on Aug. 19, 1938, Graham moved to...

Arthur Spiegelman, Reuters journalist was 68

Arthur Spiegelman, called by Reuters one of the wire's "finest writers and longest-serving correspondents," died at home in Los Angeles on Saturday. He was 68. From the Reuters story: He...

Mark Felt, Watergate's 'Deep Throat' was 95

The former FBI official who secretly confirmed reporting by the Washington Post's Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal of the Nixon Administration died Thursday afternoon up in Santa Rosa. From...

Joseph Sanders, CHP officer was 29

Officer Sanders was killed this morning on the eastbound 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights when struck by a car while he was tending to a traffic accident. Sanders leaves a...

Bettie Page, fetish model was 85

Page never recovered from the heart attack she suffered earlier this month and died today in Los Angeles. Louis Sahagun in the LAT: Bettie Page, the brunet pinup queen with...

Forrest Ackerman dies at 92

Here's how AP announces the news: Forrest J Ackerman, the sometime actor, literary agent, magazine editor and full-time bon vivant who discovered author Ray Bradbury and was widely credited with...

Morning Buzz: Monday 12.1.08

There was a big turnout Sunday outside Chabad House in Westwood for a memorial to Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivkah, who were killed in the Mumbai attacks....

Ethel Bradley, wife of mayor was 89

The wife of the late Tom Bradley died of pneumonia today at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center. She lived for many years in the View Park neighborhood after...

Pete Newell, ex-Lakers GM was 93

As general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers from 1972 to 1976, Pete Newell made the trade that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Milwaukee Bucks. Newell's mark on basketball also...

Jay Fiondella, Chez Jay founder was 82

Jay Fiondella moved to Los Angeles to act, roomed with Leonard Nimoy, and opened Chez Jay near the beach in Santa Monica in 1959. It became a showbiz hangout for...

Michael Crichton dies at 66 *

The author and creator of "ER" died yesterday in Los Angeles "after a courageous and private battle against cancer," his website announced. His books included "Jurassic Park" and "The Lost...

Yma Sumac, singer with 5-octave range

You've got to hear Peruvian-born singer Yma Sumac go from baritone to super high notes in this clip from last night's report on NPR's All Things Considered. Sumac was a...

Bill Stall, editorial writer was 71 *

Word from Sacramento is that Bill Stall, the Los Angeles Times' Pulitzer-winning editorial writer, died today after suffering from emphysema. The Times is working on an obituary, and colleague Karin...

Studs Terkel, 96

The Chicago Tribune summarizes Studs Terkel as "author-radio host-actor-activist and Chicago symbol." He died today at home there, with his book scheduled for release next month, "P.S. Further Thoughts From...

Delmar Watson, photographer was 82

Delmar Watson came from a family of nine children that supplied kids to the movies — he was in more than 300 during his youth — and later became a...

Nice Tony Hillerman tribute

Deanne Stillman posts at Native Intelligence about Tony Hillerman, her former professor who died yesterday and who provided inspiration for her own writing about the West. I can't remember any...

Tony Hillerman, mystery writer was 83

Tony Hillerman introduced readers to the Navajo culture of the Southwest through his series of mystery novels centered on Navajo Tribal Police Lt. Joe Leaphorn and officer Jim Chee. Hillerman...

Story on 107-year-old Rosie the Riveter

An item in last Wednesday's Morning Buzz out of the paid obits in the Times mentioned the passing of Marie Dey, who was 107 and worked at Douglas Aircraft during...

Patricia Faure, L.A. art dealer was 80

Patricia Faure ran the gallery that bore her name at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, and other notable Los Angeles galleries before that: Nicholas Wilder Gallery, Asher/Faure Gallery. Times art...

Mr. Blackwell, designer was 86

Richard Blackwell was an obscure dress designer who became a media star of sorts after issuing his celebrity worst-dressed list starting in 1960. He died Sunday of complications from an...

Carmen Rocha, nachos creator was 77

Carmen Rocha waited tables at the original El Cholo on Western Avenue for nearly four decades and in El Cholo lore gets credit for introducing patrons to nachos. From Mary...

Mark Gold on Dorothy Green

The current president of Heal the Bay posted a personal tribute to the death earlier today of the organization's founder and inspiration. Mark Gold calls his blog post "the passing...

Mayor announces death of Dorothy Green

Heal the Bay founder Dorothy Green has passed away, according to a release from Mayor Antonio Villarigosa's office. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued the following statement today on the passing of...

Gil Stratton, 86, called 'em as he saw 'em *

A friend of longtime Los Angeles sportscaster Gil Stratton emailed the news that Stratton died this morning at home in Toluca Lake. He was 86 and had suffered heart problems....

Chucko the Clown, 86

Another familiar figure from 1950s and '60s TV in Los Angeles has died, the L.A. Times reports. Charles Runyon portrayed Chucko the Birthday Clown on Channel 7 from 1955 to...

Lloyd Thaxton, Los Angeles TV vet dies at 81

Lloyd Thaxton created and hosted a popular dance show for teenagers in the 1960s, later produced segments for NBC's "Today" and directed Fight Back! With David Horowitz, and most recently...

Morning Buzz: Monday 10.6.08

The Angels stayed alive in the American League playoffs, dropping the Red Sox 5-4 in 12 innings. ESPN Update: The Dodgers open against the Phillies Thursday in Philadelphia, play...

Paul Newman, 83

The Hollywood legend died yesterday at home near Westport, Connecticut, according to his publicist, Jeff Sanderson at Warren Cowan and Associates. Newman had been battling cancer for years and recently...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 9.16.08

The Legislature finally passed a state budget, throwing the political hot potato into the hands of Gov. Schwarzenegger, who is threatening veto. LAT, Dan Walters Times columnist Sandy Banks...

David Foster Wallace, writer was 46

Novelist David Foster Wallace, best known for "Infinite Jest" and other books, hanged himself at home in Claremont, police said in the city east of Los Angeles. He had been...

Officer Spree Desha, 35, dies in Metrolink train *

The Los Angeles Police Department officer who died in the Chatsworth train collision was identified by the LAPD as Spree Desha, a seven-year veteran who worked in the Office of...

George Putnam, TV news figure was 94

L.A. Radio.com reports that George Putnam died this morning, citing Putnam's long-time friend and producer Chuck Wilder. Putnam moved to Los Angeles in 1951 and quickly became the city's dominant...

Alice Broude, Redwood waitress was 89

Every big newspaper used to have a bar nearby where reporters stayed too late, editors brought new hires to get acquainted over drinks, and Pulitzers were celebrated. For the L.A....

Ed Guthman, professor and journalist was 89 *

Word was circulated tonight at the USC Annenberg School of Journalism that senior scholar Edwin O. Guthman has died. Guthman served as president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission...

Paul Starr, make-up artist found dead at home

Starr, the makeup artist for Angelina Jolie and other celebrities, was found deceased inside his Silver Lake Elysian Heights apartment. He was described variously as 48 or 51. Police forced...

Leroy Sievers, TV news producer was 53

Leroy Sievers is the former "Nightline" executive producer who has been commenting on the air and blogging about his cancer for National Public Radio. Sievers had previously been the CBS...

Engineer Bill, final red light at 97

A generation of Los Angeles kids grew up watching cartoons on Channel 9 and drinking their milk when Engineer Bill or his announcer said "green light" — and stopping...

Rensin and Brillstein

LA Observed author David Rensin was on a book tour-vacation when Hollywood manager and producer Bernie Brillstein ">died, but I for one have been anticipating David's reaction. He helped Brillstein...

Bo Taylor, L.A. peacekeeper dies of cancer

Darren "Bo" Taylor was co-founder with USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll of A Better LA and ran Unity One. The Coach Pete Carroll website posts: There are superheroes. And then...

Last interview with Isaac Hayes

Photographer and music journalist Rena Kosnett thinks she got one of, if not the, final interview with the singer, songwriter, musician and former "South Park" voice who died Sunday. Hayes,...

Bernie Brillstein, manager was 77

Bernie Brillstein, the successful Hollywood manager and producer, died last night after suffering from complications following double-bypass heart surgery in February. Here's a snip from Cynthia Littleton's story on the...

Voice of 'Police Call' dies

Back in 2005 we told you about Gene Hughes, creator of the bible of police scanner frequencies. He also volunteered at the desk at the LAPD's Wilshire division. His real...

Juan Escalante, off-duty sheriff's deputy killed

Juan Abel Escalante, a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy assigned to the Men's Central Jail, was shot and killed outside his Cypress Park home as he left for work about...

Matt McHale, sports editor and writer *

Matt McHale, the former assistant sports editor at the Daily News and longtime Dodgers beat writer for the Daily News, Pasadena Star News and Orange County Register, died today in...

Founder of Benihana dies

Tokyo-born Rocky Aoki was 69 when he died last night in New York, Bloomberg reports. The Benihana version of Japanese teppanyaki cooking began in New York, but of course they...

Mando Ramos, 'quintessential L.A. fighter'

Boxer Mando Ramos, who died Sunday at age 59, fought 27 of his 49 matches in the Olympic Auditorium and also got into the ring at the Coliseum and the...

Ken Reich memorial service *

It's not clear who was putting out the Los Angeles Times this afternoon, since the top editors attended the service for retired reporter Ken Reich. No hard feelings about his...

Jules Tygiel, historian of L.A. and baseball was 59

Tygiel, a professor at San Francisco State, was the author of "The Great Los Angeles Swindle: Oil, Stocks and Scandal in the Roaring Twenties," the fascinating story of C.C Julian...

Pete Kameron, LA Weekly co-founder was 87

An obituary going around says that business entrepreneur and philanthropist Pete Kameron died peacefully on June 29th at the age of 87 at his home in Beverly Hills. He was...

Clay Felker, magazine pioneer was 82

The founder of New York as a Sunday supplement to the New York Herald-Tribune, and later as a standlone glossy weekly, changed the face of American magazines. He also edited...

Don White, activist was 71

Don White, a longtime Los Angeles political, social and labor activist, died in his Los Angeles apartment and was discovered on June 20. White had been a Los Angeles Unified...

Larry Oakley, Westwood stalwart was 80

Oakley's Barber Shop is the last of the original businesses in Westwood Village, dating to 1929. It started on Vermont, near the original UCLA campus that now houses Los Angeles...

Ken Reich's daughter posts *

Kathy Reich, who is familiar to many on the California politics scene, posts at Take Back the Times: I am deeply saddened to write that my father, Ken Reich, died...

Ken Reich, retired Times reporter, dies *

Word at the Los Angeles Times is that retired reporter Ken Reich, 70, died in his sleep. He was found this morning. Friend and former Tom Bradley deputy mayor Anton...

James Melroy, P-T prep editor was 36

From the Long Beach Press-Telegram website: The sudden death of James Melroy, 36, whose byline has graced these pages both as a prep editor and a keen chronicler of MMA,...

George Carlin, comedian was 71

The once-edgy comic who played on his counter-culture roots died about 6 pm at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. He was admitted in the afternoon for chest pains,...

Tim Russert coverage

The longtime moderator of "Meet the Press" and chief of NBC's Washington bureau collapsed this afternoon in the bureau and could not be resuscitated. He was 58. Here are links...

Pat Tobin, honored PR executive was 65

Patricia Tobin, co-founder of the National Black Public Relations Society, died today at Cedars-Sinai. She had been treated for colon cancer. The Black Journalists Association of Southern California reported on...

Bo Diddley, 79

Heart failure in Florida. Here's the lede of the New York Times obituary: Bo Diddley, a singer and guitarist who invented his own name, his own guitars, his own beat...

Q&A with the obituary editor

Jon Thurber, the LAT's obits editor, gets some ink on Claire Hoffman's religion blog for Newsweek and the Washington Post. To me, one of the most desirable jobs in newspapers...

Sydney Pollack, filmmaker was 73

Cancer claimed Oscar winning director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack Monday at his home in Pacific Palisades. Pollack won his Academy Awards for best director and best picture for "Out...

Robert Mondavi, winemaker was 94

Appropos of not much, when my daughter was about nine months old Robert Mondavi stopped by our table at Mustard's, beside his winery in the Napa Valley, and offered to...

Warren Cowan, publicist supreme was 87

Variety calls Cowan the "father of Hollywood press agents" and his firm, Rogers and Cowan, at one time "the biggest entertainment PR firm in the world, with a list of...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 5.8.08

Council happy with Lindsey Councilwoman Janice Hahn says, "We have great confidence in Gina Marie Lindsey," but acknowledges the way contracts are issued at LAX could be better. LAT, DN...

Buzzie Bavasi, baseball exec was 93

E.J. Bavasi was the last general manager of the Dodgers in Brooklyn (and their first in Los Angeles), then created the San Diego Padres and later presided over the California...

Charles Hillinger, reporter was 82

In the early 1990s, my beat at the Times was to rove California's small towns and far-flung regions and cover stories that needed telling. Just about every time I would...

Ollie Johnston, animation pioneer was 95

Animation specialist Charles Solomon writes in the LAT obituary: Oliver Martin "Ollie" Johnston Jr., the last living member of the celebrated "Nine Old Men" of Disney animation whose work set...

Charlton Heston, 84

Real name: John Charles Carter. Passing: Saturday at home in Beverly Hills. Previous diagnosis: Neurological symptoms "consistent with Alzheimers disease." IMDb credits: 1941-2007. Selected films: Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments, The...

Will Spens, TV reporter was 57

Spens reported in the 1990s for KNBC, KCBS and KNX Newsradio and was known for wearing a trench coat and walking while delivering his televised field reports. Pete Noyes, managing...

Brent Lovrien funeral coverage

Brent Lovrien, 35, was remembered Friday as a hero during emotional services downtown that were carried live on some Los Angeles TV stations. Lovie, as he was known at...

Dith Pran, NYT photographer was 65

Dith Pran was the Cambodian journalist whose ordeal in the Khmer Rouge death regime was depicted in the 1984 film "The Killing Fields" and, earlier, described in the book by...

Brent A. Lovrien, LAFD firefighter was 35

The firefighter who suffered fatal injuries today in Westchester was identified this evening as Brent A. Lovrien. He was a 10-year veteran assigned to the 'A' Platoon at Fire Station...

'Golden Boy' Art Aragon, 80

Back when boxing was a big spectator sport in Los Angeles, Art Aragon fought major bouts at the Olympic Auditorium, Wrigley Field and Hollywood's Legion Stadium. He was "the top...

Morning Buzz: Monday 3.24.08

Contents of SWAT report Reporter Eric Leonard obtained a copy from outside the LAPD, posts the PDF file and summarizes the conclusions, including a relaxation of physical standards so that...

Arthur C. Clarke, 90

The English-born writer of science fiction died in Sri Lanka, his home since 1956. NYT, BBC, AP...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 3.18.08

Director Anthony Minghella dies after surgery The Oscar winner, who directed "The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cold Mountain," died this morning in a London hospital of complications...

Arnall's Villaraigosa connection

Mark over at LA Biz Observed hopped quickly on the death today of Roland Arnall, founder of subprime loan giant Ameriquest. Arnall has been a major money guy for Republicans...

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 3.11.08

Latest round of Chick v. Cardenas Exchange of letters yesterday afternoon with City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo over gang programs. WitnessLA Jane Usher email invites suits against the city The president...

Buddy Miles, Hendrix drummer was 60

Not too many musicians follow this particular career arc. Buddy Miles, who died yesterday in Austin of congestive heart failure, began as a session player with the Delfonics and on...

Morning Buzz: Thursday 2.21.08

Variety for sale Reed Elsevier wants to sell Reed Business Information and get far away from the advertising-driven market. In addition to Variety, this puts Broadcasting and Cable, Publishers Weekly...

Holiday shorts

Holiday hours today so no Morning Buzz, but stuff has still been piling up on my desk. City Council members are lining up to object to Controller Laura Chick's move...

Morning Buzz: Friday 2.15.08

Randal Simmons funeral and burial See last night's post for details and street closures. Burke makes Parks endorsement official Retiring Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke said at a Thursday news conference,...

Morning Buzz: Monday 2.11.08

Rep. Tom Lantos dies The Northern California congressman, who was 80, said recently he wouldn;t run again due to cancer of the esophagus. He passed away at Bethesda Naval Medical...

Leo Greene, journalist with ALS was 62

Leo Greene chronicled his fight with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for more than a year in the pages of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, where he was a reporter, columnist and...

Simmons 'a professional police officer'

The LAT's Al Seib captures the memorable image of a sad day for the LAPD. It's posted on the Times website, along with a profile of slain officer Randal Simmons...

Randal Simmons, LAPD veteran killed in action

SWAT team veteran Randal Simmons, left, was killed this morning during a shootout with a suspect in the Valley community of Winnetka. He is the first member of the Special...

Lovie Yancey, founder of Fatburger

The bad run continues for founders of Southern California's fast-food icons. Yancey, who died Jan. 26 at age 96, and a partner reportedly used scrap materials to build a three-stool...