Deaths: April 1
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Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. (known professionally as Marvin Gaye; April 2, 1939 - April 1, 1984) was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of successes, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul".
Gaye's Motown songs include "Ain't That Peculiar", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Gaye also recorded duets with Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, and Diana Ross. During the 1970s, Gaye recorded the albums What's Going On and Let's Get It On and became one of the first artists in Motown to break away from the reins of a production company.
His later recordings influenced several contemporary R&B sub-genres, such as quiet storm and Neo-Soul. He was a tax exile in Europe in the early 1980s; he released "Sexual Healing" in 1982, which won him his first two Grammy Awards on the album Midnight Love. Gaye's last televised appearances were at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, where he sang "The Star-Spangled Banner"; Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever; and Soul Train.
On April 1, 1984, the eve of his 45th birthday, Gaye was shot and mortally wounded by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., at their house in Hancock Park, Los Angeles, after an argument. Gay Sr. later pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, and received a six-year suspended sentence and five years of probation. Many institutions have posthumously bestowed Gaye with awards and other honors including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and inductions into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
Adam Schlesinger was born on 31 October 1967 in Manhattan, New York, New York, USA. He was a composer and writer, known for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015), That Thing You Do! (1996) and Music and Lyrics (2007). He was married to Katherine Michel. He died on 1 April 2020 in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA.- Alexandra Yakovleva was born on 2 July 1957 in Kaliningrad, Kaliningradskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She was an actress, known for Ekipazh (1980), A Man from Boulevard des Capucines (1987) and Prikazano vzyat zhivym (1984). She was married to Kalyu Aasmyae, Valeriy Kukhareshin and Aleksandr Nevzorov. She died on 1 April 2022 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Amsale Aberra was born on 1 March 1954 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She was married to Neil Brown. She died on 1 April 2018 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Angelique Mayhew was born on 24 October 1953 in Jacksboro, Texas, USA. She was married to Peter Mayhew, Philip Evans Luker Jr., John Leo Cigainero and Donald Mark Sanford. She died on 1 April 2023.
- Writer
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- Actor
Armando Vega Gil was born on 6 July 1955 in Mexico City, Mexico. He was a writer and director, known for Como perros y gatos (2012), Alivio (2004) and Chido Guan, el tacos de oro (1986). He died on 1 April 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Barbara Luddy was an American actress and vaudeville singer from Great Falls, Montana. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Luddy regularly worked as a voice actress for the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Her best known role was voicing the co-protagonist Lady in the animated romance film "Lady and the Tramp" (1955). Her other prominent voice roles included the heroic fairy Merryweather in "Sleeping Beauty" (1959) and the maternal kangaroo Kanga in the featurettes "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree" (1966), "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" (1968), and "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too" (1974). Archive footage of Luddy's voice was also used for Kanga in the feature film "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (1977).
In 1908, Luddy was born in Great Falls, Montana. The city was named for its proximity to the Great Falls of the Missouri River, a series of 5 waterfalls located in north-central Montana. The city was established in 1883 by the businessman and politician Paris Gibson (1830-1920), who planned to use the waterfalls as a source for hydroelectricity. Great Falls became the first city in Montana with its own hydroelectric dam. Luddy's parents were Will and Molly Luddy.
Luddy was educated in a convent for Ursulines, a Catholic religious order dedicated to the education of girls. Luddy started performing as a singer in the vaudeville circuit during her childhood. By the late 1920s, Luddy served as an actress in a touring company with fellow vaudevillian Leo Carrillo (1880-1961). In 1929, their company toured Australia. The press in Sydney praised Luddy for "her pert audacity and vivaciousness".
During the 1930s, Luddy started regularly performing as a voice actress in radio shows. From 1936 to 1943, Luddy was part of the main cast in the anthology series "The First Nighter Program" (1930-1953). Most of the series' episodes featured romantic-comedy plots. In 1937, Luddy signed a long-term contract for her exclusive services in this series.
During World War II, Luddy was part of the main cast in the radio soap opera "Lonely Women" (1942-1943). It was one of the many soap operas created by scriptwriter Irna Phillips (1901-1973), who typically focused on depicting the complexities of modern life. Luddy voiced Judith Clark, a lovesick secretary. The cast of characters in this series was originally all-female, but male characters were among the late additions to the series.
By the 1950s, Luddy started regularly working for Disney Animation as a voice actress. By the 1960s, she started having minor roles in television. She appeared in then-popular series, such as the sitcom "Hazel" (1961-1966), and the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" (1965-).
In April 1979, Luddy died due to lung cancer. She was 70-years-old at the time of her death, dying a month before her 71st birthday. She is still fondly remembered by animation fans for her voice roles, long after her heyday. Her character of Lady became a regular supporting character in the Disney comic strip "Scamp" (1955-1988), where the eponymous protagonist was Lady's son.- Brooklyn born US actor who attained minor cult status through his portrayal of troubled teenager "Cotton" leading a group of other teen misfits to release caged buffaloes earmarked for shooting in the film Bless the Beasts & Children (1971) based upon the Glendon Swarthout novel of the same name.
His other work was restricted to a handful of appearances in several TV shows and telemovies.
Died from AIDS related illness on April 1, 1986. - Billy Dawson was born on 31 January 1927 in Blair, Nebraska, USA. He was an actor, known for The Major and the Minor (1942), Father's Son (1941) and Remember the Day (1941). He died on 1 April 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Bob Beattie was born on 24 January 1931 in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA. He was an actor, known for Over the Top (1987), Combat! (1962) and ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961). He was married to Cheryl Britton, Kiki Cutter, Ann Dwinnell and Marci Cohen. He died on 1 April 2018 in Fruita, Colorado, USA.
- Actor
- Producer
B. R. (Bobby) Harwell was born in Nashville, Arkansas on August 22, 1931. His first real taste of adventure came when, at the age of 18, he and his brother Bill signed on a Swedish freighter heading for India. The ship was forced to stop in Bermuda when a smoldering fire was discovered in the hold where he and Bill participated in an attempt to save the life of their trapped First Mate. The two of them later signed off the ship in India without proper papers. Considered illegals and getting no help from the US Embassy, their problem was solved by a caring Brit who was an agent for the Swedish ship they had recently left. B.R.'s adventures continued in Korea where he served in a combat medical group similar to the unit portrayed in the hit movie and TV series MASH. After the military he used the GI Bill to graduate Cum Laude from the University of Arkansas. Having a free spirit, he became a peregrinating observer of life, tasting it through an eclectic potpourri that included such diverse jobs as commercial fishing, hanging draperies, driving cabs, working in a skid row blood bank and teaching elementary school in a Miami ghetto. In the early eighties B. R. did his first print modeling job. From there he moved up to TV commercials and small roles in TV and film. At the age of 78 he wrote "Flawed", his first novel, which describes the frivolity of Hollywood commingled with incest, murder and betrayal.- Actor
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Bradshaw, disillusioned and working at his Father's Life Insurance Company, applied his singing talents on the "Ted Mack Family Hour" (1951). After this he studied at Harvard to earn a degree in English. At Harvard he met Joan Baez and played at Carnegie Hall, he also honed his acting skills at Harvard. In the early sixties he was given a full Scholarship to study at the Royal Academy in London. He is also an accomplished writer and has written material for TV Shows such as Planet of the Apes and Columbo.- Composer
- Actor
- Writer
Bruno Coquatrix was born on 4 August 1910 in Ronchin, Nord, France. He was a composer and actor, known for The Quiet American (2002), Revolutionary Road (2008) and Baratin (1956). He was married to Paulette Coquatrix. He died on 1 April 1979 in Paris, France.- Music Department
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Bucky Pizzarelli was born on 9 January 1926 in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Mighty Aphrodite (1995) and Two Family House (2000). He was married to Ruth Litchult. He died on 1 April 2020 in Saddle River, New Jersey, USA.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Caravelli was born on 12 September 1930 in Paris, France. He was a composer, known for Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), Stop Train 349 (1963) and Le Bal (1983). He was married to Yvonne. He died on 1 April 2019 in Le Cannet, Alpes-Maritimes, France.- A student of Northern Illinois University, Carrie switched to drama at Chicago's Goodman Theatre School where she won the Sarah Siddons Award as outstanding graduate. After graduating, Carrie worked in TV and also appeared in TV movies. She made her big screen debut in Rabbit, Run (1970), working with James Caan. Her next movie was Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970) for which her role as Tina Balser gave her an Academy Award nomination. With similar Golden Globe nominations, Carrie was on the brink of stardom when she left it all to live with rock musician Neil Young, the father of her son, Zeke. It would be almost 8 years before she returned to the screen as a supporting actor in Brian De Palma's The Fury (1978). After a few more films, Carrie debuted on Broadway in the 1981 play "A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking." She continued making movies in the 1980s, some of which were good; others were not. In the '90s, most of Carrie's supporting actor roles are being filmed for television. One of the big screen films which she made was the critically acclaimed Blue Sky (1994), which was released years after being shot,and gave Jessica Lange an Oscar. Carrie also turned up on series television in The X-Files (1993) and Murder, She Wrote (1984).
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- Writer
Christopher Cary was born on 16 June 1934 in Surrey, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for The Time Tunnel (1966), Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985) and The Wild Wild West (1965). He was married to Elen Julie Orson, Victoria Judith Canning, Cheri Maugans, Loretta Elizabeth Dement and Maureen Bailey. He died on 1 April 2000 in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Cynthia Powell was born to Charles Edwin and Lillian Powell on September 10, 1939 in Blackpool, England. Is the mother of John Charles Julian Lennon, born April 8, 1963. John Lennon had planned to marry Cynthia Powell in a later date, but they had to get married too soon after she informed him that she was pregnant. Remarried to Roberto Bassanini, a restaurant owner, and John Twist, an engineer. Was involved with Jim Christie, a motorcycle teacher, and is presently involved with former nightclub owner, Noel Charles. Met John Lennon at Liverpool College of Art in Liverpool, England in 1957 but they got involved in the summer of 1958. Published her autobiography, "A Twist of Lennon". Her ex-husband, John, tried to prevent the book from being published and sued her for libel. John lost the case.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Dario Campeotto was born on 1 February 1939 in Frederiksberg, Denmark. He was an actor, known for Flagermusen (1966), Han, Hun, Dirch og Dario (1962) and Peter's Baby (1961). He was married to Gertrud and Ghita Nørby. He died on 1 April 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark.- David Driskell was born on 7 April 1931 in Eatonton, Georgia, USA. He was an actor, known for Refuge (2017), Hidden Heritage: The Roots of Black American Painting (1991) and The History Makers (2005). He was married to Thelma Grace and Thelma Deloatch. He died on 1 April 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Dieter Reith was born on 25 February 1938 in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He was a composer, known for Date Movie (2006), Die Unternehmungen des Herrn Hans (1977) and Gina Wildkatze (1975). He died on 1 April 2020 in Germany.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Duane Earl Poole was born in Prescott, Arizona USA. He was a writer and producer who worked continuously for 50 years in television and theater until he died of cancer on April 1, 2023 in Studio City, CA. . Many of his prestigious movies include Hallmark Hall Of Fame's A Christmas Memory based on a story by Truman Capote. Duane later adapted the same Capote story as an award-winning stage musical with lyrics by Carole Hall and music by Larry Grossman. In addition to his many Christmas movie comedies, which Duane loved writing, Duane also wrote many dramatic movies like "For The Love Of A Child", a movie about child abuse which had a special screening in Washington, D.C. and a meeting at the White House. Duane's original musical, the award-winning "Scrooge In Love", with lyrics by Kellan Blair and music by Larry Grossman, plays in dozens of theaters worldwide every year. Duane is survived by his loving husband Frank Bonventre, their family and their "family-friends"- Ed Farmer was born on 18 October 1949 in Evergreen Park, Illinois, USA. He was married to Barbara. He died on 1 April 2020 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Rear Adm. Edward L. Feightner, a Navy air ace of World War II who shot down nine Japanese planes while flying propeller-driven fighters, then played a prominent role in the testing and development of postwar Navy jets. He became the head of the Navy's fighter design program and was twice awarded the Legion of Merit for his testing and administrative activities. He received four Distinguished Flying Crosses for his combat exploits.
In the early 1950s, Admiral Feightner was a member of the Navy's Blue Angels, whose close-formation flying and acrobatics thrilled crowds at air shows.