John Sez: Although Mr. Mizzy’s career was larger than the Addams Family theme, one has to admit that one single 60 second song (harpsichord, finger snaps and Mizzy singing the fun and catchy lyrics) is one of the most recognizable TV themes ever created.

Rest easy, Mr. Mizzy.

Story from Variety:

Composer Vic Mizzy dies at 93 Wrote music for 'Addams Family,' 'Green Acres'

By JON BURLINGAME

Vic Mizzy, who composed the indelible theme music for "The Addams Family" and "Green Acres" died Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 93. For the "The Addams Family" theme, which became a long-remembered part of '60s pop culture, Mizzy played the harpsichord and sang the vocal parts (overdubbing his own voice three times) and coached the actors during the main-title sequence (including on-camera finger-snapping by the actors).

The equally iconic "Green Acres" theme was performed by stars Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor. Mizzy also wrote all the underscore for both series. His theme for "Addams" was reprised in the 1990s feature films.

Although he was most famous for his sitcom music, Mizzy also had a number of top-20 hits in the late 1930s, '40s and '50s when he was active as a New York-based songwriter. Doris Day sang the most popular, "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time," in 1945.


READ MORE

 
 
John Sez: I was REALLY into WWF wrestling in my youth.  Dusty Rhodes and the Iron Sheik bled all over each other, Andre the Giant fighting a platoon of dwarfs, Jimmy “Superfly” Snooka jumping off the top rope, George ‘The Animal’ Steel ate turnbuckles, and Bob Backlund held the champion chip belt. And Captain Lou was there through it all. Wide eyed, pot bellied, with the ever present rubber-bands tied up in his scraggly beard and pierced through his cheek, Captain Lou provided many a smile and ‘oh crap’ moments to my youthful brain. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

 
Rest Easy, Captain Lou.

Story from the Dayton Daily News:

Pro wrestler, music video icon Albano dies at 76

By CRISTIAN SALAZAR
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — "Captain" Lou Albano, who became one of the most recognized professional wrestlers of the 1980s after appearing in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video, died Wednesday. He was 76.

Albano, whose real name was Louis Vincent Albano, died in Westchester County in suburban New York, said Dawn Marie, founder of Wrestlers Rescue, an organization that helps raise money for the health care of retired wrestlers. He died of natural causes, Marie said.

World Wrestling Entertainment called him one of the company's "most popular and charismatic legends."

With his trademark Hawaiian shirts, wiry goatee and rubber bands hung like piercings from his cheek, Albano was an outsize personality who, in a career spanning nearly five decades, was known as much for his showmanship as for his talent in the ring.

READ MORE
 
 
John Sez: Ellie Greenwich was responsible for writing  some of the greatest hits of early rock music. Be My Baby, Da Doo Ron Ron, Leader of the Pack, Then He Kissed Me, Doo Wha Diddy (diddy dum diddy doo), and many more. Her legacy continued, and she also had credits as a singer and producer and even had a Broadway show based on her music (Leader of the Pack). She was 68. Rest easy, Ellie, you brought smiles to a lot of folks.

John E. Carter was a member of two seminal doo-wop groups, The Flamingos and the Dells. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once each for the aforementioned groups. As a member of the Flamingos (who are now all deceased) he was one of the people who put together one of the most chillingly perfect tracks (in my humble opinion), I Only Have Eyes For You. He was 75. Sleep well, Mr. Carter, and thank you for the music.
 
 
John Sez: I can’t even begin to sing the praises of Mr. Paul. In addition to being a guitar player non-parel, he was the inventor and innovator who(almost) single-handedly transformed the recording industry; think of where we would be without the electric guitar or multi-track recording. Although I use music technology which wasn’t available in Mr. Paul’s heyday, everything I use can trace its genesis to Les Paul.

 Although I never met the man, I owe him a great debt of gratitude. Rest easy, Les Paul. Thank you, sir. You will be remembered.

 Story from Press Association:

Guitar hero Les Paul dies, aged 94

Les Paul, the guitarist and inventor who changed the course of music with the electric guitar and multi-track recording has died, aged 94.

Paul died of complications from pneumonia at White Plains Hospital, New York, with his family and friends by his side.

As an inventor, Paul helped bring about the rise of rock and roll and multi-track recording, which enabled artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording.

READ MORE

 
 
Picture
Harry Patch

John Sez:  Mr. Patch was one of the last remaining links to the WW 1 era. In fact (as the following story points out) there are no German or French vets left, and only one American (Frank Buckles, aged 108) vet left alive, and Harry Patch was the last man left who actually fought in the trenches. They were first hand witnesses to a terrible time in our global history, a time that is oft forgotten by most in our modern era. I, for one, will not forget.

 I have a personal short list of people whom I would like to have long dinner with in the afterlife (if there is one). I don’t know much about the man, but from what little I have been able to gather, I think Mr. Patch just made that list.

Rest in peace, Mr. Patch.

Story from AP:

Last UK veteran of WWI trench battles dies at 111

By ROBERT BARR, Associated Press Writer  

LONDON – Harry Patch, Britain's last survivor of the trenches of World War I, was a reluctant soldier who became a powerful eyewitness to the horror of war, and a symbol of a lost generation.

Patch, who died Saturday at 111, was wounded in 1917 in the Battle of Passchendaele, which he remembered as "mud, mud and more mud mixed together with blood."

"Anyone who tells you that in the trenches they weren't scared, he's a damned liar: you were scared all the time," Patch was quoted as saying in a book, "The Last Fighting Tommy," written with historian Richard van Emden.


Patch was one of the last living links to "the war to end all wars," which killed about 20 million people in years of fighting between the Allied Powers — including Britain, France and the United States — and Germany and its allies. The Ministry of Defense said he was the last soldier of any nationality to have fought in the brutal trench warfare that has become the enduring image of the conflict.

READ MORE

 
 

John Sez: I thought thoes commericals were cute!

Story from OMG:

Taco Bell Chihuahua Dies at 15

Gidget, the famed Chihuahua who appeared in Taco Bell ads, died Tuesday at the age of 15.

Karen McElhatton, Gidget's owner, tells Usmagazine.com the dog was with her trainer, Sue Chipperton, watching television when she began making "strange noises" and suffered a stroke.

Before the dog's death, "She had a good day and was running around as normal," McElhatton tells Usmagazine.com. "We're happy that she was very well off right until the end."

Gidget -- whose "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" spots debuted in September 1997 -- also had a cameo in Legally Blonde 2, in addition to appearing in other TV spots.

READ MORE

 
 
Picture

From the Tampa Tribune

TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead in Tampa home TBO.com staff

Nationally known TV ad pitchman Billy Mays, 50, was found dead this morning in his Tampa home, the Tampa Police Department reported.

Mays was found unresponsive by his wife and the Tampa Fire Rescue pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m., the report said.

There were no signs of forced entry to the residence and no foul play is suspected, police said.

The Medical Examiner's Office is expected to complete the autopsy by Monday afternoon.

"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," Mays' wife Deborah said in a statement the police released.

"Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."

Mays rose to for promoting OxyClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom and other household products like the Mighty Putty glue.

In April, he launched a new reality series, "Pitchmen," on the Discovery Channel to show viewers new gadgets such as the Impact Gel shoe insert; the Tool Band-it, a magnetized armband that holds tools while you work; and the Soft Buns portable seat cushion.

Mays was on U.S. Airways Flight 1241 when it blew its front tires as it landed Saturday, forcing the airport to shut down the busy north-south runway, according to authorities.