Some interesting articles on names in the news, as I finish up my Saturday morning stuff:
- Stephen J. Cannell. Stephen J. Cannell died a few days ago, and the LA Times has put up a nice remembrance page, including videos of all his logos. Cannell was a staple of TV during my college and later days, with shows such as “The Rockford Files”, “The Greatest American Hero”, “The A Team”, and numerous other programs.
- Tony Curtis. Of course, the other big celebrity death this week was Tony Curtis. Most people are remembering his performances in “Some Like It Hot” or “The Defiant Ones”, but for me, the definitive proformance is Tony Curtis as The Great Leslie in “The Great Race”, one of the best comedies ever made. At least his talent will be preserved on screen forever. ETA: Tony Curtis also clearly characterized the difference between a movie star and an actor, as described by Mark Evanier.
- Al Jaffee. The NY Times has a nice profile today of Al Jaffee, long time artist for Mad Magazine. We all likely grew up with his art, and it’s nice to see he is still chugging along.
- F.A.O. Schwartz. The NY Times also has a nice article on how Toys ‘R’ Us is overhauling the F.A.O. Schwartz brand. No, there won’t be giant pianos in malls everywhere.