Tag Archives: the 60s

Just in via press release: Comedian Tom Smothers, one half of the legendary Smothers Brothers comedy team, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at the age of 86, following a recent battle with cancer. Dick Smothers, Tom’s brother and co-star of the celebrated and groundbreaking Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, announced that Tom was at home with his family …

The New York Post reports: Actress Raquel Welch, who rose to fame as a sex symbol of the 1960s, died Wednesday after a brief illness, TMZ reported. She was 82. Her long resume includes “Fantastic Voyage,” “Bedazzled” and “Hannie Caulder.” She also appeared on “The Cher Show” in 1975 and performed “I’m a Woman” with Cher. Welch is a two-time …

The Guardian reports: Burt Bacharach, the songwriter and performer who turned easy listening into high art, has died aged 94. A representative for Bacharach that the singer died at home in Los Angeles of natural causes. In all, he scored 73 Top 40 hits in the US and 52 in the UK. Together, he and lyricist Hal David created a …

Variety reports: Lisa Loring, who played the young Wednesday Addams on “The Addams Family” from 1964 to 1966 and also appeared in “As the World Turns,” died Saturday of a stroke, her daughter Vanessa Foumberg confirmed. She was 64. “She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands,” Foumberg said. A friend, Laurie Jacobson, reported her death on Facebook, …

Variety reports: Singer-songwriter-guitarist David Crosby, a founding member of two popular and enormously influential ’60s rock units, the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), has died. He was 81 years old. His wife released a statement to Variety, saying, “It is with great sadness after a long illness, that our beloved David (Croz) Crosby …

The Guardian reports: Jeff Beck, the celebrated guitarist who played with the Yardbirds and led the Jeff Beck Group, has died aged 78, his representative has confirmed. Beck died on Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis”, the representative confirmed. “His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss,” they added. Often described as one of the greatest guitarists …

The Associated Press reports: Bob McGrath, an actor, musician and children’s author widely known for his portrayal of one of the first regular characters on the children’s show “Sesame Street” has died at the age of 90. Sesame Workshop tweeted Sunday evening that it “mourns the passing of Bob McGrath, a beloved member of the Sesame Street family for over …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Robert Clary, the French actor, singer and Holocaust survivor who portrayed Corporal LeBeau on the World War II-set sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, has died. He was 96. Clary, who was mentored by famed entertainer Eddie Cantor and married one of his five daughters, died Wednesday morning at his home in Los Angeles, his granddaughter Kim Wright told …

Variety reports: Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed chief communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” series, died in Silver City, N.M. She was 89 years old.  Nichols shared one of the first interracial kisses in television history on “Star Trek.” That moment, shared with her co-star William Shatner, was a courageous move on the part of Nichols, “Star Trek” …

Variety reports: Larry Storch, the comedic character actor who also did voiceover work and impressions and was best known for his role as Corporal Randolph Agarn on “F Troop,” has died. He was 99. Storch was a familiar face on TV shows throughout the 1960s and ’70s — he starred in the 1970s children’s show “The Ghost Busters” and appeared …

Rolling Stone reports: Ronnie Spector, the leader of the girl group the Ronettes and the voice behind immortal classics like “Be My Baby” and “Walking in the Rain,” died Wednesday after a brief battle with cancer. She was 78. Spector sang with the Ronettes from their formation in 1959 through their dissolution in 1967, though there were several reunions over …

Variety reports: Michael Nesmith, who attained TV and pop stardom in the Monkees and later became a prophetic figure on the Los Angeles country-rock scene and then a multimedia entrepreneur, died Friday of natural causes. He was 78. “With Infinite Love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of …

The Washington Post reports: A California parole board panel on Friday voted in favor of Sirhan B. Sirhan’s request for release from prison on parole, 53 years after he was arrested and convicted of the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, finding that he was no longer a threat to society, according to Sirhan’s brother, one of Kennedy’s sons and …

Variety reports: Vocalist Mary Wilson, who co-founded the Supremes as a 15-year-old in a Detroit housing project and stayed with the fabled, hitmaking Motown Records trio until its dissolution in 1977, died on Monday night at her home in Las Vegas. She was 76. Wilson’s longtime publicist, Jay Schwartz, reported that she died suddenly. The circumstances of her death were …

Rolling Stone reports: Phil Spector, a monumentally influential music producer whose “Wall of Sound” style revolutionized the way rock music was recorded in the early 1960s, died Saturday at the age of 80. Spector’s life was tumultuous and ultimately tragic; as groundbreaking as his studio accomplishments were, those achievements were all but overshadowed by his 2009 conviction for the murder …

Variety reports: Dawn Wells, who starred as the demure Mary Ann in long-running sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died Wednesday of causes related to COVID-19 in Los Angeles. She was 82. A native of Reno, Wells also appeared in “77 Sunset Strip,” “Maverick,” “Bonanza,” “The Joey Bishop Show” and “Hawaiian Eye.” Publicist Harlon Boll announced her death. Deadline Hollywood reports: Wells, who …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Hugh Downs, the congenial broadcaster whose thousands of hours on network television included two decades on the ABC primetime newsmagazine 20/20 and nine years as the head man on NBC’s Today Show, has died. He was 99. Downs, who also served as Jack Paar’s announcer/sidekick for five years on The Tonight Show and hosted the game …

Variety reports: Carl Reiner, the writer, producer, director and actor who was part of Sid Caesar’s legendary team and went on to create “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and direct several hit films, has died. He was 98. He died of natural causes on Monday night at his home in Beverly Hills, his assistant Judy Nagy confirmed to Variety. Reiner, …

Page Six reports: For baby boomers and classic TV fans, the name Burt Ward is instantly recognizable as the loyal and extremely excitable Robin on the campy “Batman” series which ran on ABC from 1966-1968. Just this week he happily unveiled a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame which he called an “amazing experience.” The Caped Crusaders costumes were …

NBC News reports: Peggy Lipton, actress and singer known for her roles in “The Mod Squad” and “Twin Peaks,” and the mother of Rashida Jones, has died at 72 of cancer. Her daughters Rashida and Kidada Jones announced her death in a statement. She had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2004. Lipton won a Golden Globe and was Emmy-nominated …