Death Anniversary Thread

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Doris Lessing, one of our greatest treasures, died ten years ago today. 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American soul singer Arthur Conley died on this day 20 years ago, aged 57.

 

[Hell 1,334]

Hungarian footballer and manager Ferenc Puskás died on this day 17 years ago, aged 79. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and the sport's first international superstar. He is a forward and an attacking midfielder. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary and played four international matches for Spain. He became an Olympic champion in 1952 and led his nation to the final of the 1954 World Cup. He won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966), ten national championships (five Hungarian and five Spanish Primera Division) and eight top individual scoring honors. He is known as the "Galloping Major". In 1995, he was recognised as the greatest top division scorer of the 20th century by the IFFHS. With 806 goals in 793 official games scored during his career, he is the seventh top goalscorer of all time.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 1 year ago, American computer scientist Fred Brooks passed away at the age of 91.

 

Photo Credit: SD&M per Creative Commons license

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Henry A. Wallace died on this day 58 years ago, aged 77.

- Wallace was the son of Harry Wallace, who served as the US Secretary of Agriculture during the Harding and Coolidge administrations. The senior Wallace was a professor of George Washington Carver during his time at the Iowa State Agricultural College, and Carver would pique the junior Wallace's interest in botany and plant breeding.

- Wallace would then invent a breed of hybrid corn called the Copper Cross, and founded his own company (Hi-Bred Corn) in 1926 to produce it on a mass scale.

- FDR would appoint Wallace as his Secretary of Agriculture for his first two terms, and would pick him as his running mate in the 1940 election. As VP, he would establish the War Production Board, and toured Latin America (managing to get some countries to declare war on Nazi Germany).

- Wallace would be dropped from the 1944 ticket in favor of Harry S. Truman, due to his anti-segregation stances and pro-Soviet statements (made during WWII). Roosevelt would then reappoint him as Secretary of Commerce, and he would serve in this position until being fired by Truman for urging reconciliation with the Soviet Union.

- Wallace ran on the Progressive Party ticket in 1948, coming in 4th place in the popular vote with 1.15 million votes (about 200,000 behind Strom Thurmond).

- Wallace was diagnosed with ALS in 1964, dying after a year-long battle with the disease.

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 1 year ago, American composer and diarist Ned Rorem, who was known for "Air Music", passed away at the age of 99.

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American painter, sculptor and print-maker Ivan Albright died on this day 40 years ago, aged 86.

 

[time 8,594]

Its 51 years since the death of the civil engineer Sir Herbert Manzoni, aged 73.

In his capacity of Chief Engineer & Surveyor for Birmingham (for 28 years 1935-63), he was responsible for the redevelopment of many of the slum areas of Birmingham, and post-war, the redesign of the city centre, which saw priority given to traffic flow, which in turn gave rise to the many unpopular subway pedestrian routes.

 

He'd anticipated the necessity for major works post-war, and set up advisory groups in 1941. Using his powers he designated areas for redevelopment, clearing half the cities slum dwellings, replacing them with tower blocks.

 

History has not served him well - it is said that he "brought more damage to the city than the Luftwaffe could ever dream of". He saw no value in the retention of historical buildings and traditional sites, leading to the demolition of the old Victorian Central Library (replaced by John Madin's brutalist edifice, also since demolisged) and the original Bull Ring Market (though it had been badly damaged during the war - the replacement has now also been replaced, a redevelopment which also saw Manzoni Gardens, named for him, disappear). 

[Toast 16,130]

7 minutes ago, time said:

Its 51 years since the death of the civil engineer Sir Herbert Manzoni, aged 73.

In his capacity of Chief Engineer & Surveyor for Birmingham (for 28 years 1935-63), he was responsible for the redevelopment of many of the slum areas of Birmingham, and post-war, the redesign of the city centre, which saw priority given to traffic flow, which in turn gave rise to the many unpopular subway pedestrian routes.

 

He'd anticipated the necessity for major works post-war, and set up advisory groups in 1941. Using his powers he designated areas for redevelopment, clearing half the cities slum dwellings, replacing them with tower blocks.

 

History has not served him well - it is said that he "brought more damage to the city than the Luftwaffe could ever dream of". He saw no value in the retention of historical buildings and traditional sites, leading to the demolition of the old Victorian Central Library (replaced by John Madin's brutalist edifice, also since demolisged) and the original Bull Ring Market (though it had been badly damaged during the war - the replacement has now also been replaced, a redevelopment which also saw Manzoni Gardens, named for him, disappear). 

 

Sad looking at the places where my ancestors lived.  I don't know how much is that guy's fault but he started the rot.

Yes, the houses were slums but today it's often a wasteland of industrial units.  Aston Cross is a tragic example.

 

 

 

[diego 1,980]

Constança of Portugal, Queen of Castile died 710 years ago in Sahagún, Castile, was a Portuguese princess, the firstborn daughter of Dinis I of Portugal and Queen Saint Isabel. She became queen of Castile through her marriage to King Ferdinand IV of León and Castile, in 1302, as a way of definitively sealing the Peace of Alcanizes signed five years earlier.died at age 23

Michael Kamen was born in New York and died 10 years ago at the age of 55, in London. He was a composer, conductor and arranger. Kamen studied at the New York School of Music and Art and quickly became one of the most sought after musicians in Hollywood, was nominated for an Oscar twice, created the main theme for the famous 1990s cartoon, X-Men: Animated Series. involved in several film soundtracks

 

 

[Hell 1,334]

Danish physicist Niels Bohr died on this day 61 years ago, aged 77. He made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. Bohr was also a philosopher and a promoter of scientific research. Bohr developed the Bohr model of the atom, in which he proposed that energy levels of electrons are discrete and that electrons revolve in stable orbits around the atomic nucleus but can jump from one energy level to another. Bohr founded the Institute of Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen, now known as the Niel Bohrs Institute, which opened in 1920. During the 1930s, Bohr helped refugees from Nazism. After Denmark was occupied by the Germans, he had a famous meeting with Heisenberg, who had become the head of the German nuclear weapon project. In September 1943 word reached Bohr that he was about to be arrested by the Germans, so he fled to Sweden. From there, he was flown to Britain, where he joined the British Tube Alloys nuclear weapons project, and was part of the British mission to the Manhattan Project. After the war, Bohr called for international cooperation on nuclear energy. He was involved with the establishment of CERN and the Research Establishment Risø of the Danish Atomic Energy Commission and became the first chairman of the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics in 1957.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Franz Schubert died on this day 195 years ago, aged 31.

- Schubert's father started giving him violin lessons when he was 8, and further musical training from his local church's choirmaster (specifically the piano). He was recognized by and then mentored by Antonio Salieri.

- Schubert was a teenage prodigy, writing over 150 songs- or "lieder"- in 1815 alone, when he was 18.

- Schubert would become a major celebrity during his lifetime, and parties (usually held at the home of one of his friends or sponsors) where he would perform got their own name- "Schubertiades".

- Of his over 600 lieder, his signature song was 1825's "Ellens dritter Gesang" ("Ellen's Third Song")- better known by its opening lyric, "Ave Maria":

- Schubert would perform at a public concert only once- March 26, 1828, the first death anniversary of Ludwig von Beethoven (one of Schubert's prime influences,- Schubert was a torchbearer at his funeral).

- Schubert's premature death has been contested. He was said to have died of typhoid fever, but other theories include longtime exposure to mercury (his health had been declining throughout the 1820s), syphilis, or salmonella.

[diego 1,980]

Tom Evans was born in Liverpool and died in London 40 years ago at the age of 36, he was an English musician and bassist, member of the British rock band Badfinger, in 1975 his friend and bandmate committed suicide by hanging and he did the same in 1983

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American actor Peter Coffield died on this day 40 years ago, aged 38.

 

[Hell 1,334]

American slave owner, lawyer, military officer and politician Richard Mentor Johnson died on this day 173 years ago, aged 70. He served as the ninth vice president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841 under President Martin Van Buren. He is the only vice president elected by the United States Senate under the provisions of the Twelfth Amendment. Johnson also represented Kentucky in the US House of Representatives and Senate. He began and ended his political career in the Kentucky House of Representatives. He campaigned with the slogan "Rumpsey Dumpsey, Rumpsey Dumpsey, Colonel Johnson killed Tecumseh". He fell one short of the electoral votes needed to secure his election. Virginia's delegation to the Electoral College refused to endorse Johnson, voting instead for William Smith of South Carolina. The Senate elected him to the vice-presidential office. Johnson proved such a liability for the Democrats in the 1836 election that they refused to renominate him for vice president in 1840. Van Buren campaigned for reelection without a running mate. Johnson tried to return to public office but was defeated. He finally was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1850, but died two weeks later.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Allan Sherman died on this day 50 years ago, aged 48.

- Sherman's birth name was "Allan Copelon"- his parents divorced when he was 7, and he took his mother's maiden name.

- Sherman came up with the concept of the game show I've Got a Secret when he was 27 years old, and became the show's executive producer. He was fired from the show in 1958 due to not being able to produce enough scripted content for the show.

- Sherman was more known for his musical career- he was effectively the Weird Al Yankovic of his day, making song parodies by adding or changing lyrics over the instrumentals of Broadway songs and classical music- these would often be topical satire ranging from the Space Race, to suburbanization, to the still relevant topic of job automation.

- Sherman's biggest hit was 1963's "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"- a child's letter from summer camp set to "Dance of the Hours":

The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, kept from the top by Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips" and The Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back".

- Sherman would return to TV, starting off by guest hosting Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, and singing the song "The Dropouts' March" for That Was the Week That Was:

Sherman was also the voice of the Cat in the Hat for two TV specials in 1971 and 1973, the latter being his final work.

- Sherman had a multitude of health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, asthma, and emphysema. He died ten days before turning 49.

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American actor Jim Siedow died on this day 20 years ago, aged 83.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 1 year ago, American actor Mickey Kuhn, who starred in the movies "Gone with the Wind" and "Red River", passed away at the age of 90.

[Hell 1,334]

Spanish military officer Francisco Franco died on this day 48 years ago, aged 82. He led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975 as a dictator, assuming the title Caudillo. This period I. Spanish history, from the Nationalist victory to Franco's death, is commonly known as Francoist Spain or as the Francoist dictatorship. During World Wars II, he maintained Spanish neutrality, but supported the Axis damaging the country's international reputation in various ways. During the start of the Cold War, Franco lifted Spain out of its mid-20th century economic depression through technocratic and economically liberal policies, presiding over a period of accelerated growth known as the "Spanish miracle". He became a leader in the anti-communist movement, garnering support from the West, particularly the United States. As the dictatorship relaxed it's hard line policies, Luis Carrero Blanco became Franco's eminence grise, whose role expanded after Franco began struggling with Parkinson's disease in the 1960s. In 1973, Franco resigned as Prime minister due to his advanced age and illness.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

David Cassidy died on this day 6 years ago, aged 67.

- Cassidy was a nepo baby, the son of actors Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward. They divorced in 1956, and Jack remarried to actress Shirley Jones the same year.

- Cassidy's father would help him enter the acting industry, and he made his Broadway debut in 1969's The Fig Leaves Are Falling. He would soon sign with Universal, and appeared in episodes of Bonanza and Adam-12.

- The following year, he would have a breakout role- Keith Partridge on The Patridge Family, which he starred in alongside his stepmother. Cassidy became an A-list celebrity, constantly being followed by paparazzi.

- The show also netted him a Billboard number 1- "I Think I Love You", which he sang, topped the chart in December of 1970:

Cassidy also had a solo musical career, and got a UK number one in 1971 with his double A-side "Daydreamer"/"The Puppy Song". He became internationally popular, and it got to the point where in 1974, almost 800 people were injured in a crowd stampede at Wembley Stadium (one died; Cassidy talked to and sent flowers to the victim's family).

- Outside of The Partridge Family, Cassidy would also make guest appearances in shows ranging from The Love Boat to Malcolm in the Middle to Kim Possible to CSI. He also competed in the 11th season of The Apprentice, being the first celebrity contestant Donald Trump fired.

- Cassidy had a drinking problem throughout his life- a fall at a 2017 concert of his led to him announcing he had dementia (in actuality a case of alcohol poisoning). He died nine months after that performance from liver and renal failure.

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American actor Bill Bixby died on this day 30 years ago, aged 59.

 

[diego 1,980]

Stéphane Proulx was born in Sainte-Adèle, and died in the same city at the age of 27. 30 years ago, he was a Canadian motorsport driver. He competed in the Canadian Formula Ford 2000. In 1988, he participated in a regional championship that used Porsche 994 models. Showing talent in both single-seaters and tourism, he won one race and reached the podium in another. Also in 1988, Proulx was arrested for 21 days after racing at more than 200 km/h on a road in his country. In 1989 he went to the formula 3000 He also competed in the Atlantic formula. A routine blood test changed the Canadian's life forever: he discovered that he was a carrier of the HIV virus. The driver had ended up contracting the disease from his girlfriend, who was French, even so he raced in season 93 in F-Atlantic but precisely in the first race, in Phoenix, a wheel ejected by another competitor's car hit the Canadian's head, causing fractures. in the skull. Unconscious, he could no longer control his car, which crashed soon after.
In a very serious condition, Proulx was taken to the hospital, but made a slight recovery and spent time at home recovering. However, trapped in his room, the Canadian could not resist AIDS and the cerebral edema he had suffered in the accident.

[Hell 1,334]

24th vice president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his death in 1899 Garret Hobart died on this day 124 years ago, aged 55. Prior to serving as vice president, Hobart was an influential New Jersey businessman, politician and political operative. He was a longtime party official, and during the 1896 Republican National Convention, New Jersey delegates to the convention were determined to nominate him for vice president. Hobart's political views were similar to those of William McKinley, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. With New Jersey a key state in the upcoming election, McKinley and his close adviser, future senator Mark Hanna, decided to have the convention select Hobart. As vice president, Hobart proved a popular figure in Washington and was a close adviser to McKinley. Hobart's tact and good humor were valuable to the President, as in mid-1899 when Secretary of War Russell Alger failed to understand that McKinley wanted him to leave office. Hobart invited Alger to his New Jersey summer home and broke the news to the secretary, who submitted his resignation to McKinley on his return to Washington. Hobart died from a heart disease; his place on the Republican ticket in 1900 was taken by Theodore Roosevelt.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 2 years ago, American poet Robert Bly passed away at the age of 94.

 

Photo Credit: Nic McPhee per Creative Commons license

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Blackbeard died on this day 305 years ago, aged 38.

- Blackbeard's real name is often given as "Edward Teach"- however, pirates would often use aliases to cover their tracks, and there is a lack of records of his childhood. It's probable that this was not his actual identity.

- Blackbeard was born in England and would later move to Jamaica. He would move to the island of New Providence (in the modern-day Bahamas), having heard of the confederation of pirates that had made it their base of operations. He joined the crew of Benjamin Hornigold, taking charge once Hornigold retired from piracy.

- In November of 1717, Blackbeard seized a French slave ship named "La Concorde", renaming it to the famous "Queen Anne's Revenge". His fleet of ships would increase throughout 1718, and he would ally with other pirate fleets. He appointed himself as a commodore.

- Blackbeard notoriously blockaded Charleston in what is now South Carolina, pillaging the city until hearing that the British government had sent warships. He would sail north, notably getting stuck on a sandbar off the coast of North Carolina.

- Blackbeard accepted his Act of Grace pardon in June of 1718, but was soon spotted back at sea. A group led by Robert Maynard would be sent to capture and arrest him; Blackbeard would fire upon their boats as they approached. Blackbeard would end up being killed by one of Maynard's men (getting his throat slit by their cutlass) in the ensuing battle once they boarded. His head was reportedly severed and then displayed upon the bowsprit of Maynard's ship: