Jim Henson

Posted in Cremated with tags , on September 24, 2013 by Cade

henson1September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990

I know. I know. How do you do a grave blog post about someone who doesn’t have a grave?  I don’t care. Jim Henson was/is my hero. Today would have been his 77th birthday. I’m gonna write about him.

James Maury Henson was a beloved entertainer, writer, producer and, of course…puppeteer. Henson first found his way onto television via 5-minute segments called Sam and Friends on a local Washington D.C. TV station. The puppets in Sam and Friends (including a lizard named Kermit that he created out of an old, green coat) were used very differently than any in the past. Continue reading →

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Bruce Lee

Posted in Lake View Cemetery with tags on September 24, 2013 by Cade

lee3November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973

Perhaps the most famous martial artist of all-time, Bruce Lee transcended the physical art that made him famous and became a pop-culture phenomenon. The son of a Cantonese opera singer, Lee was born in San Francisco, spent most of his childhood in Hong Kong, and moved back to America with his father as a young man. He studied martial arts from the age of 13 and began teaching it in Seattle at 18.  He quickly gained a lot of attention within the tournament circles and drew significant criticism for teaching Chinese martial arts to non-Chinese people. Lee’s rise as a competitor caught the eye of television producers and he was cast as Kato in a short-lived Green Hornet series. This opened doors for Lee to eventually take on more roles. Though, he was frustrated with his limited success in the States, so he returned to Hong Kong where he received a very unexpected hero’s welcome. Continue reading →

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Dominique Dunne

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , on September 24, 2013 by Cade

dunne1November 23, 1959 – November 4, 1982

Not all Hollywood stories have happy endings.

Dominique Dunne was a rising star who had appeared in a number of television shows when her life was cut short by a jealous and possessive ex-boyfriend.  Dunne – the daughter of writer Dominick Dunne and sister of director/producer Griffin Dunne – appeared in the 1981 horror classic Poltergeist. This was to be her first and only feature film appearance.  She was cast in and was in rehearsals for a new mini-series, V, when she was attacked and strangled on her front porch by her estranged boyfriend. Continue reading →

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Miles Davis

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on September 23, 2013 by Cade

mdavis1May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991

I could go on and on about the impact that Miles Dewey Davis III had on not only jazz, but popular music in general.  I could list his accolades and triumphant successes like Milestones, Bitches Brew, On the Corner and his magnum opus, Kind of Blue.  I could talk about the Grammys. I could talk about the cocaine use, short temper and contentious relationships with the press, critics and fellow musicians (like fellow Hard-Bopper, Thelonious Monk).  But, why bother when we can both just sit and spend the next 9 1/2 minutes listening to this: Continue reading →

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Shelley Winters

Posted in Hillside Memorial Park with tags on September 23, 2013 by Cade

winters1August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006

Shelley Winters (née Schrift) was an Academy Award winning actress who shook off the shackles of the overused blonde bombshell Hollywood stereotype and crafted herself a fine career that lasted for more than 50 years. Winters, from St. Louis, was best known for her film and television roles, as well as her many theatrical performances. She was, however, also an author and wrote a couple of autobiographies in which she did not hold back about her personal life. Shelley was married four times and had romantic relationships with many of the biggest names in entertainment, including Burt Lancaster, William Holden, Errol Flynn and Marlon Brando. That’s quite a (partial) list. Continue reading →

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Irving Berlin

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on September 22, 2013 by Cade

berlin1May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989

To simply refer to Irving Berlin as a “composer” is like calling the Pacific Ocean a “puddle.” Berlin’s 70 year career broke when the Russian (Belarusian)-American songwriter wrote “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” The song became an international sensation and launched Irving from the stoops of Tin Pan Alley into the stratosphere…where he thrived for more than half a century. Many of the songs Berlin would write would become so common place to future generations, that it’s hard to imagine that someone actually wrote them.  “White Christmas,” “Puttin’ On The Ritz,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Easter Parade,” “Happy Holiday” and “God Bless America” to name just a few. It is said he wrote more than 1,500 songs. Continue reading →

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Kevin DuBrow

Posted in Pacific View Memorial Park with tags , on September 16, 2013 by Cade

dubrow1October 29, 1955 – November 25, 2007

As the lead singer for the popular Heavy Metal band, Quiet Riot, Kevin DuBrow became an ’80s music sensation. Quiet Riot had a monster hit with 1983’s “Cum On Feel The Noize” thanks, in part, to Kevin’s vocals. He was fired from the band in 1987 and worked on a number of solo projects before rejoining the band in the ’90s. He also had a gig as a Las Vegas DJ for a while. Dubrow died in 2007 at the age of 52 from an accidental cocaine overdose.  You can take the boy out of the ’80s… Continue reading →

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Florence Griffith Joyner

Posted in El Toro Memorial Park with tags on September 16, 2013 by Cade

joyner1December 21, 1959 – September 21, 1998

The American sprinter known world-wide simply as “Flo-Jo,” Florence Griffith Joyner electrified crowds with her speed and personality. In the trials leading up to the 1988 Seoul Olympics and in the games themselves, she set new World Records in both the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint. These records – though tainted by discussions of “wind assistance” and potential drug use (unfounded) – still stand to this day. Continue reading →

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William Howard Taft

Posted in Arlington National Cemetery with tags , on September 15, 2013 by Cade

taft1September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930

William Howard Taft was the only U.S. President (27th) to also serve as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (10th). Prior to becoming either, Taft was a lawyer, Governor-General of the Philippines and Secretary of War under President Teddy Roosevelt. He is probably remembered most for his weight, though he lost a good amount once he left the White House. He also suffered from sleep apnea and high blood pressure. Continue reading →

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Ann Miller

Posted in Holy Cross Cemetery with tags , on September 15, 2013 by Cade

miller1April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004

Ann Miller (born Johnnie Lucille Collier…yes, Johnnie, her father wanted a boy) was a popular dancer, singer and actress.  Discovered as a young teenager – she lied about her age – she went on to be a staple figure in the heyday of the MGM movie musicals of the 1940s and ’50s. She enjoyed success beyond that, appearing on stage and in television and films well into her 70s. She was largely responsible for the rise in popularity of pantyhose during her work in Hollywood. Being a dancer, this was not a surprise as she had – along with fellow hoofers Betty Grable and Cyd Charisse – some of the most famous legs in the world at the time. Miller died of lung cancer at the age of 80 in 2004. Continue reading →

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