Tag Archives: the 50s

The New York Daily News reports: Tony Dow, who starred as Wally Cleaver on the classic sitcom “Leave It to Beaver,” died Tuesday at age 77. His death was announced in a Facebook post shared by his management team. The actor appeared in several TV shows spanning decades and genres, including “Adam-12,” “Mod Squad,” “Emergency,” “The Love Boat,” “Murder, She …

Variety reports: Ken Osmond, best known for his role as the troublemaker Eddie Haskell on the television comedy “Leave It to Beaver,” died on Monday morning. He was 76. Sources tell Variety Osmond died at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family members. The cause of death is unknown. Osmond portrayed Haskell as sycophantic to grownups while making fun of …

Rolling Stone reports: Little Richard, a founding father of rock and roll whose fervent shrieks, flamboyant garb, and joyful, gender-bending persona embodied the spirit and sound of that new art form, died Saturday. He was 87.  Starting with “Tutti Frutti” in 1956, Little Richard cut a series of unstoppable hits – “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up” that same …

The Associated Press reports: The artist who created the first paint-by-numbers pictures and helped turn the kits into an American sensation during the 1950s has died, his family confirmed. Dan Robbins’ son says his father died Monday in Sylvania, Ohio. He was 93. Robbins came up with the idea for paint-by-numbers photos in the 1940s while working for the Palmer …

The Washington Post reports: Antoine “Fats” Domino, the jovial New Orleans entertainer whose bluesy singing and boogie-woogie piano style helped launch rock-and-roll in the 1950s with such rollicking songs as “Blueberry Hill,” “Ain’t That a Shame” and “I’m Walkin’,” died Oct. 24. He was 89. Among the early rockers, Mr. Domino was rivaled only by Elvis Presley in record sales. …