R.I.P. CELEBRITY DEATHS 2019(NON WRESTLERS)

[jimsteel]

Legendary drummer Hal Blaine, who played on hits by Sinatra, Elvis, dead at 90

Hal Blaine, the Hall of Fame session drummer and virtual one-man soundtrack of the 1960s and ’70s who played on the songs of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and the Beach Boys and laid down one of music’s most memorable opening riffs on the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” died Monday.

Blaine died of natural causes at his home in Palm Desert, California, his son-in-law, Andy Johnson, told The Associated Press. He was 90.

On hearing of his death, the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson called him “the greatest drummer ever.”

The winner of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award last year, Blaine’s name was known by few outside the music industry, even in his prime.

But just about anyone with a turntable, radio or TV heard his drumming on songs that included Presley’s “Return to Sender,” the Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man,” Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were,” the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” dozens of hits produced by Phil Spector, and the theme songs to “Batman,” ”The Partridge Family” and dozens of other shows.”

“Hal Blaine was such a great musician and friend that I can’t put it into words,” Wilson said in a tweet that included an old photo of him and Blaine sitting at the piano. “Hal taught me a lot, and he had so much to do with our success — he was the greatest drummer ever.”

As a member of the Los Angeles-based studio band “The Wrecking Crew,” which also featured keyboard player Leon Russell, bassist Carol Kaye and guitarist Tommy Tedesco, Blaine forged a hard-earned virtuosity and versatility that enabled him to adapt quickly to a wide range of popular music. According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he played on 40 No. 1 hits, 150 top 10 songs.

“Trust me, you loved his work,” comedian J. Elvis Weinstein tweeted Monday.

Blaine also played on eight songs that won Grammys for record of the year, including Sinatra’s “Strangers In the Night” and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

[TTX]

A name I hadn't heard in a while...RIP Hal.

[jimsteel]

William J. Creber, ‘Planet of the Apes’ Production Designer, Dies at 87

Production designer William Creber, who served as art director on the original “Planet of the Apes” movies, died in Los Angeles on March 7 from pneumonia after a prolonged illness. He was 87.

“This was the man who designed and then flipped cruise ships, burned skyscrapers, and created an entire ape culture,” said Nelson Coates, president of the Art Directors Guild. “Though his last feature was 21 years ago, Bill Creber remained a vital influence in the industry, with his institutional memory, sharing of relevant production solutions, and his amazing skills devising, executing, and teaching incredible methods of in-camera visual fx.”

His three Oscar nominations came for his art direction on George Stevens’ “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” and on Irwin Allen’s “Poseidon Adventure” and “Towering Inferno.” Other projects he worked on include ABC series “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” for which he won an Emmy, ABC’s “The Time Tunnel,” and CBS’ “Lost in Space.”

Creber wasn’t the first in his family to work in Hollywood. The art director followed in the footsteps of his father, Lewis Creber, a former art director at Fox Studio whose credits include “State Fair” and all nine seasons of CBS’ “Perry Mason.”

Creber is survived by his Emmy-winning son Kenneth Creber, an art director and set designer who has worked on shows such as “Melrose Place” and “Pushing Daisies,” and his wife, Sally Queen.

[jimsteel]

Pat Laffan: Father Ted's 'Pat Mustard' dies aged 79

Irish actor Pat Laffan - best known for playing milkman Pat Mustard in Father Ted - has died at the age of 79.

Announcing the news, his agents described him as "one of the leading stage actors of his generation".

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan tweeted: "Rest in peace, Pat, a pleasure to work with you."

Throughout his career, Laffan appeared in almost 40 films and made 30 TV appearances, including in BBC's EastEnders and in RTE's The Clinic.

He was also known to Irish audiences for his portrayal of Mr Burgess in Roddy Doyle's 1993 film The Snapper.

[TTX]

RIP Pat.

[jimsteel]

Olympic gold medalist, ex-NFL wide receiver Johnny ‘Lam’ Jones dead at 60

Olympic gold medalist and former NFL wide receiver Johnny “Lam” Jones has died, the University of Texas Athletics announced on Friday. He was 60.

Jones was a member of the U.S. Olympic Track team and won a gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay in 1976, when he was 18.

Jones was also a celebrated college athlete. He played wide receiver and running back for the University of Texas Longhorns. He was named the MVP in 1978 and received All-American honors twice, in 1978 and 1979. Jones was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1994.

He was the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft in 1980 and was picked up by the New York Jets. He played five seasons with the Jets, finishing with 2,322 yards and 13 touchdowns, USA Today reported.

The Olympian was diagnosed with Stage 4 multiple myeloma in 2005. The University of Texas said he died “after a lengthy battle with cancer.”

[jimsteel]

Longtime Los Angeles TV Personality Tom Hatten Dies at 92

Los Angeles actor, writer and television host Tom Hatten, whose long and diverse career included hosting "Family Film Festival" on KTLA, died Saturday at age 92, according to longtime friend and former KTLA producer Joe Quasarano.

Hatten was a fixture on Los Angeles television since the 1950s as an announcer, actor, singer, producer, writer and television host.

He was born on Nov. 14, 1926 in Jamestown, North Dakota, and grew up in Caldwell, Idaho. He served in the U.S. Navy before attending the Pasadena Playhouse on the G.I. Bill.

Hatten joined KTLA as an announcer in 1952.

As his career expanded, he was seen on shows including “Gomer Pyle, USMC,” “Hogan’s Heroes,” “Get Smart,” “Wings” and “Hawaii 5-0”.

He delighted children with his "Popeye and His Friends" show from 1976 to 1988, and hosted KTLA's "The Family Film Festival" from 1978 to 1992.

Hatten also served as entertainment editor at KNX 1070 News Radio from 1978 to 2007.

Hatten appeared on the big screen in features such as "Spies Like Us" and "Sweet Charity," and also performed on the Broadway stage.

He was known for a sharp wit, his in-depth knowledge of Hollywood and Broadway and his love of jazz and cabaret

[TTX]

As always...cancer sucks. RIP.

[jimsteel]

Surf Rock Legend Dick Dale Dead at 81

Dick Dale -- one of the most influential guitarists and rock 'n' roll artists of all time -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Dick passed away Saturday, according to Sam Bolle, Dick's former live bassist. Sam tells TMZ, "He was an original, he always did things the way he wanted to do them ... his own way. Long before punk rock, he was doing that."

A pioneer in music -- who was known as the King of Surf Guitar -- Dick spearheaded the surf rock sound that became globally popular through the Beach Boys and other bands in the '60s. He had tons of solo records and also performed with a group called the Del-Tones.

Dick also made multiple TV appearances over the course of his career with performances on "The Ed Sullivan Show," "Hollywood a Go Go," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Late Show with David Letterman," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and others music-variety/talk shows.

He also acted in quite a few TV shows and movies -- often playing himself -- including on projects like "Beverly Hills, 90210," "An American Vampire Story," "Let's Make Love," "Muscle Beach Party," "Aloha, Scooby-Doo!" and lots more.

[jimsteel]

Larry DiTillio, co-creator of She-Ra and well-known genre TV writer, has passed away at 79

Larry DiTillio, a genre-based television writer most known for co-creating the character of She-Ra with J. Michael Straczynski, has passed away. The news was confirmed by Straczynski in a lengthy Facebook post. Straczynski also created Babylon 5 on which DiTillio served as a writer.

"About an hour ago, I learned that writer and all around family guy Larry DiTillio had passed away after a long illness. He was a good and kind man, and I wanted to tell you a little about him," wrote Straczynski. "I met Larry while working on He-Man at Filmation Studios. Technically, five days after I started working there because I’d never worked on a TV show before, and buckled down to try and learn as much as I could as fast as I could, and never had the fortitude to go across the hall to introduce myself because it was clear that Larry was the brains behind much of the He-Man mythos. He was a world builder and a fierce creative force, so I wanted to stake out my territory and earn the courage to talk to him."

A member of the Writers Guild of America since the early 1970s, DiTillio's other writing credits can be found in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Rock 'n' Wrestling, Centurions, Galaxy High School, Bionic Six, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future,The Real Ghostbusters, Swamp Thing, Deadly Nightmares, Hypernauts, and Beast Wars: Transformers.

Larry DiTillio, a genre-based television writer most known for co-creating the character of She-Ra with J. Michael Straczynski, has passed away. The news was confirmed by Straczynski in a lengthy Facebook post. Straczynski also created Babylon 5 on which DiTillio served as a writer.

"About an hour ago, I learned that writer and all around family guy Larry DiTillio had passed away after a long illness. He was a good and kind man, and I wanted to tell you a little about him," wrote Straczynski. "I met Larry while working on He-Man at Filmation Studios. Technically, five days after I started working there because I’d never worked on a TV show before, and buckled down to try and learn as much as I could as fast as I could, and never had the fortitude to go across the hall to introduce myself because it was clear that Larry was the brains behind much of the He-Man mythos. He was a world builder and a fierce creative force, so I wanted to stake out my territory and earn the courage to talk to him."

A member of the Writers Guild of America since the early 1970s, DiTillio's other writing credits can be found in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Rock 'n' Wrestling, Centurions, Galaxy High School, Bionic Six, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future,The Real Ghostbusters, Swamp Thing, Deadly Nightmares, Hypernauts, and Beast Wars: Transformers.

"[It was] sheer idiot luck," DiTillio once told Marv Wolfman on breaking into the entertainment industry. "After 6 years of film school (4 at NYU, 2 at UCLA Grad) I was stupid enough to go door-to-door on Sunset Boulevard looking for an agent. Most of them threw me out with horrified looks. One was so amused, she agreed to read my scripts. She became my agent; a few months later she got me a deal to write a movie and presto I was in the business. 13 years later I was actually able to make a living at it."

In addition to writing for the initial He-Man series in the 1980s, DiTillio returned to the IP in the 2002 reboot, Masters of the Universe vs. the Snake Men. However, She-Ra remains, perhaps, his biggest contribution to the Filmation mythos.

"Filmation didn't have a lot of 'directives.' Once they made the deal with Mattel, they just kind of left us to figure it out," Straczynski told SYFY WIRE in an interview published last month. "One of the things Larry [DiTillio] and I decided, very early on, was that She-Ra couldn't just be 'He-Man with boobs.' The show had to go deeper than that, especially given that we were creating this for a female lead character."

DiTillio's legacy lives on in the She-Ra and the Princesses of Power series currently on Netflix. Created by Noelle Stevenson, the critically-acclaimed animated reboot will receive a second season April 26.