Remembering The Passed

Remembering Pat Conroy, Nancy Reagan, Bud Collins

Pat Conroy was the award winning Southern novelist who wrote about his family, especially his domineering father. His best-known books were made into movies including “The Great Santini” (1979) and “Prince of Tides” (1986). Nancy Reagan was the wife of President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989). She was known for her devotion to her husband over the long years of their marriage and time in politics. Bud Collins was America’s most famous and well-respected tennis announcer.

Remembering Eddie Einhorn and the 1968 Game of The Century, Umberto Eco, Sonny James

Eddie Einhorn was a part-owner of the Chicago White Sox, but is better remembered for creating the television network that broadcast the 1968 college basketball game between #1 UCLA and #2 Houston. That game in the Astrodome was the most attended basketball game ever at the time and the broadcast began the era of college basketball on television. Umberto Eco was the Italian scholar/author who wrote the 1980 international best seller “The Name of The Rose”. It was made into a 1986 film of the same name starring Sean Connery. Sonny James recorded the 1956 classic “Young Love”, which became one of the first great crossover hits between rock and country.

Remembering Harper Lee, William Tankersley and the Smothers Brothers, The Jazz Record Mart

Harper Lee was the small-town author from Alabama who wrote one of the most influential novels of the 20th Century. To Kill A Mockingbird was the 1961 Pulitzer Prize winner and was made into a powerful movie starring Gregory Pack. It is a period piece about race relations in mid 20th Century America as well as a coming of age tale. William Tankersley was the head of programming standards at CBS television for over 20 years. His notorious battle with the Smothers Brothers over their late 1960’s television show was s critical battle over censorship in a changing era of broadcasting. The Jazz Record Mart was the iconic Chicago record store for blues and jazz records for over 50 years

Remembering Kenny Sailors, Paul Kantner, Signe Anderson, Sir Terry Wogan, Jim Conway

No one knows who invented basketball’s jump shot, but Kenny Sailors of Wyoming was certainly the man who popularized it in the 1940’s. It was as revolutionary a development as any in a single sport. Paul Kantner and Signe Anderson, who both died on the same day, were founding members of the San Francisco-based rock group The Jefferson Airplane. The Airplane was the only group to play all three of the legendary late 1960’s rock festivals –Monterey, Woodstock and Altamont. Sir Terry Wogan was a beloved broadcaster for the BBC for over 40 years. Jim Conway was one of the first television hosts in Chicago, as well as being a well-known newscaster.

Remembering Marvin Minsky and AI, Abe Vigoda, Johnny Bach, Bobby Wanzer,

Marvin Minsky was the MIT professor who was one of the fathers of artificial intelligence (AI). His work in AI was an inspiration for modern robotics, and his friendship with Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick was an influence in the book and movie 2001:A Space Odyssey. Abe Vigoda was the sad-faced actor best known for his role as the treacherous Mafia member Tessio in Godfather I and Godfather II. He was also a regular on the 1970’s police sitcom Barney Miller. Johnny Bach was the ex-Marine who became a basketball coach and was responsible for the defense on the great Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990’s. Bobby Wanzer was one of the first great guards in the NBA and was a key member of the 1951 NBA champion Rochester Royals.

Remembering Lois Weisberg, Alan Rickman, Brian Bedford, Dan Haggerty, Giorgio Gomelsky

Lois Weisberg was the legendary Cultural Commissioner of Chicago, responsible for many of the artistic programs that have enhanced the city’s international reputation. Alan Rickman was the British actor who became a well-known movie villain with his distinct voice and suave manner. He is best known as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. Brian Bedford was the voice of Robin Hood in the Disney animated version of the story who went on to become a distinguished stage actor at Stratford, Ontario. Dan Haggerty was the bearded actor who became famous as Grizzly Adams in the movie and television show of the same name. Giorgio Gomelsky was the owner of The Crawdaddy Club, the London club where the Rolling Stones made their name as the feature rhythm and blues act in 1963

A Legendary Jurist

Remembering Antonin Scalia, Johnny Lattner, Tommy Kelly

For thirty years Antonin Scalia was the conservative voice of the Supreme Court. His writings and decisions were among the Court’s most consequential of the last one hundred years. He never shied from the strong disagreement and debate generated by his position as an “originalist”, i.e. a judge who interpreted the Constitution according to what he thought the Founders meant. Johnny Lattner was one of the greatest football players ever to come from Chicago. Playing for Notre Dame, he won the 1953 Heisman Trophy and won consecutive Maxwell Awards as the country’s best college football player. Tommy Kelly was the child actor who starred in the 1938 classic “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”

Pierre Boulez was the groundbreaking avant-garde conductor who worked in classical music but also experimented in new musical forms. One of his great performances was conducting Igor Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” in 1968.  In one of the most legendary debuts ever, The “Rite of Spring” was first performed in Paris in 1913 and the music and dance caused a near-riot with the Paris audience who witnessed it. This became one of the most important historical musical events of the 20th Century. Pat Harrington Jr. was a standup comedian who became best known for his portrayal of Dwayne Schneider on the sitcom “One Day At A Time” (1975-1984).

Remembering Glenn Frey

Glenn Frey was the cofounder of The Eagles, the most popular American rock band of the 1970’s. Although he came from the Michigan, where his influences were Motown, country music and Bob Seger, Frey and his band mate Don Henley created a “Southern California cool” sound that morphed into country rock. Critics, often from the East, found fault with their sound but The Eagles sold tens of millions of records and filled large venues with their concerts. After The Eagles broke up Frey went on to do some television roles and a part in the 1996 film “Jerry Mcguire”. He also had several hits as a solo artist.

Remembering Natalie Cole, Wayne Rogers, Doug Atkins, Dave Henderson, Frank Malzone

Natalie Cole had a wonderful voice, and is best known for specially created duets with her father Nat “King” Cole. Although he died when she was a little girl, it was possible with technology to combine his voice while he was alive with her voice as an adult to create wonderful music with them singing together. Wayne Rogers played Trapper John in the long-running television series MASH (1972-1983). Doug Atkins was one of the great defensive ends in NFL history for the Chicago Bears, a stalwart of the 1963 Championship team. Dave Henderson hit one of the most famous playoff home runs in baseball history in 1986 for the Boston Red Sox. Frank Malzone played for an earlier Red Sox team; he was the bridge between the Ted Williams years and the Carl Yastrzemski years.