Obituaries In The Performing Arts, 2007: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons And Pop Culture

Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2007 This page intentionally left blank Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2007 Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture by HARRIS M. LENTZ III McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London On the front cover, clockwise from top left: Ann Hovey, Merv Griffin, Anna Nicole Smith, Ike Turner. ISSN 1087-9617 / ISBN-13: 978-0-7864-3481-7 softcover : 50# alkaline paper ©2008 Harris M. Lentz, III. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Manufactured in the United States of America McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com To the memory of those friends and family lost during 2007 — Gene Bursi, Eleanore Kyle, Fred Wiseman, Dr. Leona Demere “Sissy” Dwyer, Ernest Biscio, Louis Berretta, Norman Ricci, Betty Jane Thurman, Ronnie Clark and Teddy Infuhr, Eleanore Stewart, Nicholas Worth, Robert Jordan ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Don and Elaine Kerley, Mark Webb, Wally Traylor, Letsie Axmaker, Jerry Van Hausen, Michael Roberts, Jennifer Eggleston, Lance Freemon, Darryl and Amy Wheeler, Grace Garcia, Daniel Dixon, Kevin Britt, Jordan Lacina, Steve Tines, Ronnie McAfee, Mark Ledbetter, Dennis Traylor, Gwen Beatley, John Anglin, Brian Theros, Jimmy Sowell, Reggie Johnson, Tony Mace, Marvin Massey, Bob Baldwin, Kira Christensen, Shannon Carrico, Heather Rich, Katie Brittney Peyton, Steve Montgomery, Keith Prince, Laura Crofcheck, Travis Williams, Derek Williams, Richard Dillingham, Bridgette Newman, Jessica Housley, Timothy Cleary, Josh Cleary, Tracy Long, Keith Lindley, Rebecca Hanson, Tina Bryant, Chad Wray, Holli and Nick Ayleward, Lane and Drew Lester, Kurt Carlsen, Suzanne and Flannigan Clifford, Mandy Lancaster, Jeff Eddy, Candace Bell, Jerry Warloh, Hayden, the fine folks at J. Alexanders, Willy Moffitt’s, Bob’s Sports Bar, the Memphis Film Festival, Glinda Kelley and Ray Grier of the Ellendale Post Office, the gang at AOL’s Classic Horror Film Board, Tommy Gattas, James Gattas, Emma Brown, the University of Memphis Library and the Memphis, Shelby County, and Bartlett public libraries. I greatly appreciate the assistance of my mother, Helene Lentz, and my good friend, Carla Clark. Special thanks also go to my sister, Nikki Walker, and to Bob King at Classic Images for granting permission to use information from my columns. Also, thanks to Rosa Burnett and the staff at State Technical Institute library, Tom Weaver, Fred Davis, Forrest J Ackerman, John Beifuss, Ray Neilson, John Whyborn, Boyd Magers, Larry Tauber, Andrew “Captain Comics” Smith, Jimmy Walker, Tony Pruitt, Greg Bridges, Bobby Mathews, Kent Nelson, George and Leona Alsup, Betty Alsup, Toni Cerritto, Dale Warren, Andrew Clark, Aarin Prichard, Dr. Mark Heffington, Anne Taylor, Andy Branham, John Nelson, Richard Allynwood, Frank de Azpillaga, Irv Jacobs, Bill Warren, Bob Cuneo, Alun Jones, Marty Baumann, Joe Caviolo, Rusty White of Entertainment Insiders, Russ Blatt of Life in Legacy, the folks at VoyForums: Celebrity Obits (especially Barbara, Peggy, Rocket, Loren, Greg, Chronicler, Danny), Joy Martin, Denise Tansil, Blaine Lester, Louis and Carol Baird, Carlin and Renee Stuart, Melanie Pinson, Marlene Taylor, Greg Bridges, Maggie Hernandez, Dia Barbee, “Doc,” Dave Ramsey, Ray and Judy Herring, vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments vi Introduction ix Reference Bibliography xiii The 2007 Obituaries vii 1 This page intentionally left blank INTRODUCTION The year 2007 saw t