Remembering The Passed

Remembering Dan Alon and the Munich Massacre, Vic Damone, Marty Allen, Wally Moon

On September 5, 1972, eight Palestinian gunmen invaded the Israeli compound at the Summer Olympics in Munich. Although sixteen people were killed - including 11 Israeli Olympians, five gunmen and one German policeman – Dan Alon, an Israeli fencer, managed to shepherd the members of his floor out of the compound safely. Vic Damone was the baritone who performed often on television and in Las Vegas. He is best known for his 1956 hit from My Fair Lady, “On the Street Where You Live”. Marty Allen was the wild-haired comic who performed a popular comedy routine with singer Steve Rossi, in the manner of Martin and Lewis. Wally Moon was the hard-hitting outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who helped them win the 1959 World Series.

Remembering John Mahoney, John Gavin, Oscar Gamble

John Mahoney started acting in his late 30’s at

Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and then went on to Broadway, movies, and television. His most famous role is as Martin Crane, the father on “Frasier” (1993-2004) one of the most successful ensemble sitcoms in television history. John Gavin was the rugged actor, best known for his role opposite Janet Leigh in “Psycho” (1960). He left acting and became the American ambassador to Mexico in the 1980’s. Oscar Gamble was the long-time outfielder for a host of teams in the 1970’s and 1980’s, best known for his stylish Afro hairdo, often considered the best in sports.

Remembering Dennis Edwards, Walter Goldbach and Chief Wahoo, and Ray Kroc’s First McDonald’s

In 1968 Dennis Edwards took over the role of lead singer in The Temptations, after David Ruffin had been asked to leave the group. Edwards’s singing style reinvigorated the group, and The Temptations had some of their biggest hits with him from 1968 to 1973 including “Cloud Nine”, “Ball of Confusion”, I Can’t Get Next To You” and “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”. Walter Goldbach won a 1947 contest sponsored by Cleveland Indians’ owner Bill Veeck to draw a logo for the team. Goldbach drew the now controversial Chief Wahoo, which is being phased out by the club. The first McDonald’s that Ray Kroc opened was in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955. After it closed, it became a museum, then a tourist site, and was finally torn down in late 2017.

Remembering Mort Walker, Naomi Parker Fraley, Ingvar Kamprad, Ursula Le Guin

For over 60 years Mort Walker penned the comic strip “Beetle Bailey”, lampooning life in the military. It was one of the most successful comic strips in the 20th Century. Walker was also a collector of other comic strips and donated his collection to The Ohio State University. Naomi Parker Fraley was the woman captured in a 1941 photo at a California naval air station, who may have been the model for one of the iconic “Rosie the Riveter” posters. She certainly has a claim to being a “Rosie the Riveter”, if not the first. Ingvar Kamprad was the founder of the Swedish furniture giant IKEA, and he eventually became one of the world’s wealthiest men. Ursula Le Guin was one of the top female science fiction writers of our generation. Her Earthsea series of fantasy books are today considered groundbreaking fiction.

Remembering Hugh Masakela, John Coleman, Bradford Dillman

Hugh Masakela was the legendary South African trumpet player, known as much for his struggle against apartheid as for his music. He is best known in the United States for his performance at the Monterey Pop festival in 1967 and his 1968 hit “Grazing in the Grass”. John Coleman was the quirky weatherman who made his name in Chicago and then moved to San Diego. Along the way he was a cofounder of The Weather Channel and part of Good Morning America. Bradford Dillman was the handsome actor whose most famous role was in the 1959 movie “Compulsion”, a retelling of the notorious Leopold and Lobe “thrill killing” in 1924

Remembering Dorothy Malone, Jo Jo White, Delores O’Riordan, Mathilde Krim

Dorothy Malone was the beautiful and talented actress who got her start playing a nameless bookshop girl opposite Humphrey Bogart in “The Big Sleep” (1946). She won an Academy Award for her role in “Written on The Wind” (1956), and became a household name for her role as Constance Mackenzie in the television adaptation of Peyton Place (1964-1969). Jo Jo White was the stellar guard for the Kansas Jayhawks, 1968 US Olympic Team and the Boston Celtics. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mathilde Krim was a researcher, founder of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, and a tireless fundraiser and advocate for AIDS patients. Delores O’Riordan was the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Cranberries

Remembering Doug Harvey, Dan Gurney, Edwin Hawkins

Doug Harvey was the top umpire in baseball for over 30 years. His no-nonsense approach, knowledge of the rules, and his silver hair made him a respected figure across the game. Dan Gurney was a racecar driver, often considered the best of his generation in both Europe and the US. He was a team owner and an innovator having devised the full- ace helmet and the aerodynamic “Gurney flap”. He may also have been the first to spray champagne as part of a victory celebration. Edwin Hawkins was the Bay Area gospel musician, whose 1970 crossover hit “Oh, Happy Day” became an enduring classic.

Remembering Keith Jackson, Dr. Milt Rosenberg, Thomas Bopp

Keith Jackson was the voice of college football for decades. His down-home delivery and his love for the game were a television highlight for millions. He was also on the first broadcast of Monday Night Football in 1970 along with Howard Cosell and “Dandy” Don Meredith. Dr. Milt Rosenberg was the University of Chicago professor who had a nighttime radio interview show in Chicago on WGN for 40 years. With an eclectic group of guests and a strong nighttime signal, it was widely listened to across the country. Thomas Bopp was the amateur astronomer who, along with Alan Hale, discovered Comet Hale-Bopp in 1995. It was one of the brightest comets ever seen.

Remembering Rick Hall and Fame Studio, John Young, Jerry Van Dyke, Carm Cozza

Rick Hall was the music producer responsible for the Muscle Shoals sound that was a primary influence in bringing together white and black musicians. He also worked with different types of music, primarily country, rock, and rhythm and blues, and artists including Clarence Carter, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Duane Allman and Bobbie Gentry. John young was a NASA astronaut for 42 years, who flew on Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions, as well as walking on the moon. Jerry Van Dyke, younger brother of Dick, was a longtime television performer, noted for the failed television show, My Mother The Car (1965-66) and the popular show Coach (1989-97). Carm Cozza was the Yale football coach for four decades and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history

Remembering Gen. Anna Mae Hays, The Culligan Man, Ray Thomas

In 1970 Anna Mae Hays became the first female general in the United States Army. She served as a nurse in World War II, during the Inchon Campaign in Korea and made tours of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Prior to being promoted to general, she was the Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. The Culligan Man was a memorable ad campaign of the Culligan Water Softener Company that featured the familiar slogan “Hey Culligan Man!” Ray Thomas was a founder and long-time member of the British rock group, The Moody Blues. He is best known for one of the most famous flute solos in rock history in the Moody Blues rock classic, Knights In White Satin.