Author: John

Agathe Johanna Erwina Gobertina von Trapp (March 12, 1913 – December 28, 2010) was the eldest daughter of Baron Georg von Trapp and Agathe Whitehead. She was a member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the play and movie The Sound of Music. She was portrayed as the character "Liesl".

Agathe, her six siblings, father, and stepmother, Maria Augusta von Trapp, comprised the Trapp Family Singers, who inspired the 1959 Broadway musical and the 1965 Academy Award-winning Best Picture The Sound of Music. The von Trapps fled Austria after the German annexation of Austria, fearing reprisals resulting from declining to sing at Hitler’s birthday party and Georg von Trapp’s refusal to accept a commission in the German Navy. They came to the United States in 1938, settled in Vermont in 1942, and performed throughout the country.

Agathe wrote 2003’s Agathe von Trapp: Memories Before and After The Sound of Music, which chronicles the true story behind the film and includes dozens of her hand-drawn maps, portraits, and other illustrations.

Death of Agathe Von Trapp
Agathe Von Trapp died after suffering congestive heart failure in November.  Agathe Von Trapp was 97 years old at the time of her death.

Teena Marie (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010) was an American Grammy Award-nominated singer–songwriter–producer. Marie, nicknamed Lady Tee, (sometimes spelled Lady T), was a protégée of late funk legend Rick James, and was notable as one of the few successful white performers of R&B. She played rhythm guitar, keyboards and congas. She also wrote, produced, sang and arranged virtually all of her songs since her 1980 release Irons in the Fire. She said it was her favorite album. She had a daughter, Alia Rose, who, as of 2009, sang under the name Rose Le Beau.

As a child, she had an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies, credited as Tina Marie Brockert. She also sang at the wedding of actor Jerry Lewis’s son when she was 10 years old.

Death of Teena Marie
Marie died on Sunday, December 26, 2010, at home, as announced by her manager, Mike Gardner. She was 54.  She died in her sleep (Sunday nap).  Cause of death is not known for now.

"Lovergirl" by Teena Marie

Portugese Love – Teena Marie

Lead Me On

Bernard Wilson (1946 – December 26, 2010) was a second tenor and baritone R&B, funk and soul music vocalist who was a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and thus helped to define the “Sound of Philadelphia” in the 1970s.

Death of Bernard Wilson
Bernard Wilson died at a hospital in New Jersey after suffering a stroke and a heart attack.  Bernard Wilson was 64 years old at the time of his death

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – If You Don’t Know Me By Now

Bernard Wilson is on the far right (red, orange)
Lead Singer is Teddy Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 — January 13, 2010)

Geraldine Hoff Doyle (July 31, 1924 — December 26, 2010) was the real-life model for the World War II era We Can Do It posters, an embodiment of the iconic World War II character Rosie the Riveter.

Because the We Can Do It poster was created for an internal Westinghouse project, it did not become widely known until the 1980s, when it began to be used by advocates of women’s equality in the workplace.

In 1942 Geraldine found work as a metal presser in a Michigan factory. (As men started enlisting and being drafted into military service for World War II, women began to support the war effort by taking on roles, including factory work, that were formerly considered "male only.")

Because she was a cello player, Geraldine feared a hand injury from the metal pressing machines and soon left the factory. During the brief time she worked there a wire photographer took a picture of her. That image – re-imagined by graphic artist J. Howard Miller while working for the Westinghouse Company’s War Production Coordinating Committee — became the basis for the poster Miller created during a Westinghouse anti-absenteeism and anti-strike campaign.

Doyle didn’t know she was the model for We Can Do It until 1984, when she came across the original photograph in a 1940’s back issue of Modern Maturity Magazine.

Death of Geraldine Doyle
Geraldine Doyle died in Lansing, Michigan, due to complications from arthritis.
Geraldine Hoff Doyle was 86 years old at the time of her death.

Jonah J. "Bud" Greenspan (September 18, 1926 – December 25, 2010) was a film director, writer, and producer, mostly known for his sports documentaries.

Death of Bud Greenspan
Greenspan died of Parkinson’s disease on December 25, 2010, at the age of 84 in New York City.

 Greg Louganis – Film by Bud Greenspan

Frederick William Foy (March 27, 1921 – December 22, 2010) was an American radio and television announcer, who used Fred Foy as his professional name. He is best known for his narration of The Lone Ranger. Radio historian Jim Harmon described Foy as "the announcer, perhaps the greatest announcer-narrator in the history of radio drama."

Death of Fred Foy Fred Foy died on December 22, 2010 of natural causes. Fred Foy was 89 years old at the time of his death

Steve Landesberg (November 23, 1936  – December 20, 2010) was an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role of Arthur P. Dietrich on the ABC sitcom Barney Miller.

Death of Steve Landesberg

Landesberg died from colon cancer on December 20, 2010, aged 74. Initial reports of Mr. Landesberg’s death, relying on numerous biographical sources, said he was 65.

In acknowledging that he was actually nine years older, his daughter said he had provided varying birth dates over the years. "He got kind of a late start in show business," she explained, "so he tried to straddle the generations. He fooled the whole world. People were surprised to think he was even 65."

 Barney Miller: Dietrich Does Gregory Peck

Don Van Vliet (January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American musician and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians he called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12 studio albums. Noted for his powerful singing voice with its wide range, Van Vliet also played the harmonica, saxophone and numerous other wind instruments. His music blended rock, blues and psychedelia with free jazz, avant-garde and contemporary experimental composition. Beefheart was also known for exercising an almost dictatorial control over his supporting musicians.

Death of Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart)
Captain Beefheart died of complications from multiple sclerosis
Captain Beefheart was 69 years old at the time of his death

Captain Beefheart & Magic Band – Sure ’nuff ‘n Yes I do 

Neva Louise Patterson (February 10, 1920 – December 14, 2010) was an American character actress.

Her first feature movie was the 1953 film Taxi; other film credits include The Buddy Holly Story, All of Me, and as Cary Grant’s fiancee in An Affair to Remember.

Her television credits included Nichols, The Governor & J.J., and as Eleanor Dupres in V, which she reprised in V: The Final Battle. She made guest appearances on The Defenders, Ironside, Barnaby Jones, The Dukes of Hazzard, and St. Elsewhere.

Patterson died from complications from a broken hip at age 90.