This person died in 2020 at age 73. He was a relative unknown in 1970 when Kris Kristofferson first heard him play one night at a Chicago club. Roger Ebert, the film critic, wrote an early review of him with the headline “Singing Mailman Who Delivers a Powerful Message in a Few Words.” He won a Grammy for best new artist in 1972, and again in 2020 for Lifetime Achievement.  Today’s dead celebrity is John Prine.

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for John Prine

John Prine official website

‘John Prine’s Perfect Songs’ in the New Yorker

‘John Prine Isn’t Counting the Time’ from The Ringer

Video for ‘When I Get to Heaven’

Kacey Musgraves sings “Burn One with John Prine” live

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The person died in 2013 at age 70. The force and grace of his opinions propelled him into the mainstream of American culture. He went on two dates with Oprah Winfrey. In 1975 he became the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize.  He had multiple operations for cancer and eventually lost his ability to eat, drink and speak. His thumbs-up-or-down approach drew scorn from some critics, who said it trivialized film criticism. Today’s dead celebrity is Roger Ebert. 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Roger Ebert

Dead or Alive quiz game

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This person died in 2012 at age 82. His most famous moment lasted 2 hours and 19 minutes. He was a quiet, private man, and at heart an engineer. He was part of a mission that capped a tumultuous and consequential decade.  On July 20th, 1969, he said “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Today’s dead celebrity is Neil Armstrong. 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Neil Armstrong

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This person died in 2020 at age 80. He won six Emmys and a lifetime achievement award. He ran a leg of the Olympic torch relay in advance of the 1996 Games in Atlanta. He was an authoritative and unflappable fixture for millions of Americans. He had impeccable diction, and had a friendly rivalry with Pat Sajak. He hosted “Jeopardy!” for a record-setting 37 years. Today’s dead celebrity is Alex Trebek.

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Alex Trebek

Washington Post Obituary for Alex Trebek

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This person died in 2020 at age 60. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, voted him and Pelé the sport’s two greatest players of the century. He led Argentina to win a legendary World Cup in 1986, scoring one of history’s most controversial goals and one of its most celebrated in the span of four minutes during a quarterfinals match. His ability to surprise and startle developed a darker edge as he became addicted to cocaine. After he retired from playing soccer, his thick musculature bloated into unhealthy corpulence. Today’s dead celebrity is Diego Maradona. 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Diego Maradona

Video of Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal from 1986 World Cup Quarterfinals

Maradona’s “Goal of the Century” in the same game

“The Two Sides of Diego Maradona” article from The Ringer

Trailer for HBO’s “Diego Maradona” documentary on IMDB

List of 6 Great Films & TV Series about Diego Maradona

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This person died in 2014 at age 85. In the 1930s, she was a determined child actress who sang and tap-danced her way to the height of Hollywood stardom. In 1972 she held a news conference in her hospital room after her mastectomy, encouraging women discovering breast lumps to not be afraid. She was the United States ambassador to Ghana from 1974 to 1976, and to Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992. Today’s dead celebrity is Shirley Temple Black. 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Shirley Temple Black

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This person died in 2016 at age 53. He was a handsome, smiling teen-pop idol making lighthearted singles like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” then arriving as a grown-up pop sex symbol with his 1987 album “Faith.” He was the most-played performer on British radio from 1984 to 2004. In 1998 he came out as gay. Today’s dead celebrity is George Michael.

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for George Michael

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This person died in 2013 at age 95. His given name translates colloquially as “troublemaker.” The question most often asked about him was how, after all he’d been through, he could be so evidently free of spite. In 1956, he was arrested on charges of treason. He was a symbol of the opposition to apartheid in South Africa. Today’s dead celebrity is Nelson Mandela. 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Nelson Mandela

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This person died in 2014 at age 81. In her twenties, she worked in the publicity department at Lord and Taylor, and was a fashion coordinator for the Bond Clothing Store. She joined the Chicago-based Second City comedy troupe in the 1960s. She was one of America’s first successful female stand-up comics in a tradition that had been almost exclusively male. In 2010 she became a star of the E! show “Fashion Police.”  She was described as vivacious, even as a nipped and tucked octogenarian. Today’s dead celebrity is Joan Rivers. 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Joan Rivers

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This person died in 2014 at age 82. He once said his technique of using biographical teasers to introduce songs drew upon the Arabic tradition of storytelling that he witnessed as a child of Lebanese immigrants. His biggest role off the radio was in the TV cartoon series “Scooby-Doo” as the voice of Shaggy. He retired in 2004, handing over host duties of American Top 40 to Ryan Seacrest. Today’s dead celebrity is Casey Kasem.

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

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New York Times Obituary for Casey Kasem

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Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

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