Archive for October, 2023

Tammi Terrell

Posted in Mount Lawn Cemetery with tags , , , on October 30, 2023 by Cade

April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970

This particular post should be a thrilling tale of resilience and overcoming incomprehensible adversity. It should be a celebration of the long and extraordinary career of a talented superstar.

It should be.

But life, as we know too well, is not always as it should be. Tammi Terrell was born Thomasina Montgomery in Philadelphia. The young girl loved to sing. She found solace in her music in defiance of the mounting horrors of her teenage years. Despite surviving a vicious sexual assault, Terrell remained focused and by the time she was 15, she had signed her first recording contract.

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Laurence Olivier

Posted in Westminster Abbey with tags , on October 23, 2023 by Cade

May 22, 1907 – July 11, 1989

Despite his legendary reputation, nothing came easy for Laurence Olivier during his 65 years in the business known as “Show.” Spurred to pursue acting by his father, young Laurence eventually settled into a stage career – often shunning work in film and (eventually) television – for the live artform he felt allowed him to shine brightest. Alongside friend, Ralph Richardson, and rival, John Gielgud, Olivier is regarded as one the greatest actors of his generation.

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Karl Marx

Posted in Highgate Cemetery with tags , on October 16, 2023 by Cade

May 05, 1818 – March 14, 1883

Love him, loathe him or just plain ignore him, it’s impossible to disregard the profound impact Karl Marx has had on the modern world. As a philosopher, economist and political theorist, his ideas of working class revolution as a means of stabilizing the corruption and imbalance he saw in capitalist society have influenced countless people – from idealistic students to full-on political rulers – over the past 150 years.

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Geoffrey Chaucer

Posted in Westminster Abbey with tags , , on October 9, 2023 by Cade

circa 1340s – October 25, 1400

Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the earliest English poets and writers whose works and legacy endure into modern times. He spent much of his life in or adjacent to the royal court thanks to his father’s position in London. Due to his life in public service, much was recorded officially about Chaucer which is why we know so much about him more than 600 years later.

Born into a family of winemakers, Chaucer served – among other stations – as page to the Countess of Ulster, who married the son of King Edward III. He served as part of the English army during the Hundred Years’ War. And, most notably to most high school students in English-speaking literature classes…he wrote really long poems.

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Yves Montand

Posted in Père Lachaise Cemetery with tags , , on October 2, 2023 by Cade

October 13, 1921 – November 09, 1991

Italian-born French singer and actor Yves Montand dropped out of school at age 11 to help his family make ends meet. He spent his spare time in movie theatres watching American comedies and westerns and decided he wanted to become a performer. He worked his way up through local amateur nights and eventually landed in Paris where he met the legendary singer Édith Piaf. Under Piaf’s guidance, Montand became a popular crooner and a successful career was launched.
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