legacy.com - 984 Showbiz News and Updates

Gerald Williams was a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Yankees, Brewers, Braves, Devil Rays, Marlins, and Mets. Gerald Williams was drafted by the Yankees in 1987 and made his major league debut with the club in 1992. He was known for his speed and defensive skill in the outfield and was nicknamed “Ice.” He was traded by the Yankees late in the 1996 season to the Brewers, so he did not play on the Yankees World Series winning team that year.

Howard Grimes was a drummer with the Memphis soul session band the Hi Rhythm Section, who backed singers including Al Green and Ann Peebles.Grimes grew up in Memphis, where he was inspired to be a drummer after watching Gene Krupa (1909–1973) play on TV. After learning to play drums – he was largely self-taught – Grimes attended school with Isaac Hayes (1942–2008). The two played together in a combo when they were young.

Ivan Reitman was a filmmaker who directed movies including “Ghostbusters” and “Stripes.”This is a breaking news story. We will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.

Luc Montagnier was a virologist who shared a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for co-discovering HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.Montagnier was the founder of the Viral Oncology Unit at the Pasteur Institute, a renowned facility where infectious diseases are studied. After founding the unit in 1972, he worked as its director, and it was in that capacity that he was sent a tissue sample that would lead to his crucial discovery.

Ian McDonald was a British multi-instrumentalist who co-founded King Crimson and Foreigner.After serving in the British Army as a bandsman, McDonald helped form the classic prog-rock band King Crimson. He played saxophone, flute, keyboards, and other instruments on their influential first album, 1969’s “In the Court of the Crimson King,” before leaving the band. He played with fellow King Crimson alum Michael Giles for a time, then briefly rejoined King Crimson before co-founding Foreigner in 1976.

Jeremy Giambi was an outfielder and first baseman who played for major league teams including the Oakland Athletics.Giambi played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans, helping the team to victory in the 1995 College World Series. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1996, making his major league debut with the team in 1998. Giambi was traded to the A’s in 2000, where he was involved in a notable moment during the 2001 American League Division Series.

Betty Davis was a pioneering singer known as the “Queen of Funk,” as well as jazz legend Miles Davis’ (1926–1991) second wife.This is a breaking news story.

Douglas Trumbull was a visual effects legend and filmmaker who created groundbreaking effects for films including “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Blade Runner.”Trumbull was new to the field of visual effects when he was hired to work on “2001” – his sole previous credit was a short about spaceflight for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, “To the Moon and Beyond.” But he created visual magic for “2001” as he built memorable effects including the “Star Gate” sequence. Trumbull innovated the use of slit scan photography for the sequence.

Martine Colette was an animal welfare activist who founded Wildlife Waystation, a Los Angeles-area sanctuary for wild and exotic animals.Colette was working as a costume designer in Hollywood when she rescued her first animal, a mountain lion that was being exhibited in an animal show. She took pity on the animal’s plight in a small cage and brought it to her own home. As Colette began rescuing more animals, her home and yard couldn’t contain them anymore, so she founded Wildlife Waystation in 1976.

Josh Neuman was a YouTube star and content creator known for his videos in which he skateboarded perilous routes in beautiful locales across the world.Neuman began making skating videos when he was just 12 years old, and his YouTube channel became increasingly popular as his feats became more incredible. From early videos on a quiet neighborhood street, he expanded to making runs in locations including the French Alps and the Italian Dolomites, along hairpin curves in Norway and next to traffic in Laguna Beach, California. Millions watched his successful runs as well as the crashes and bails he posted.

Syl Johnson was a soul and blues singer and guitarist known for songs including “Different Strokes,” “Is it Because I’m Black,” and “Take Me to the River.”Johnson grew up in a musical family that included his brother, blues guitarist Jimmy Johnson (1928–2022). In his early career, he played with blues legends including Junior Wells (1934–1998) and Howlin’ Wolf (1910–1976). Johnson began his own recording career in the late 1950s, and he began charting singles in 1967 with “Come on Sock it to Me” and “Different Strokes.” A top-15 R&B hit, “Different Strokes” became one of the most heavily sampled songs, heard in tracks by artists including Public Enemy and the Wu-Tang Clan.

Ashley Bryan wrote and illustrated award-winning children’s books including “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum Pum” and Beautiful Blackbird.”Bryan began creating art as a child and went on to study art at Cooper Union. While in school, he was drafted into the U.S.

Arnie Kantrowitz was a pioneer of LGBTQ civil rights activism and one of the founders of GLAAD.Kantrowitz got involved with the gay rights movement shortly after the 1969 Stonewall riots that marked the movement’s birth. In 1970, he joined the Gay Activists Alliance, becoming the organization’s vice president. As an English professor at the College of Staten Island, Kantrowitz created one of the first gay studies courses in higher education in 1973.

Robin Herman was a journalist who became one of the first two women allowed in locker rooms of a men’s professional sport to interview players.Herman began her list of firsts while she was still a student, joining the first class of women to graduate from Princeton University. While at Princeton, she became the first woman to write for the Daily Princetonian, where she worked as sports editor and managing editor. Herman was hired by the New York Times as their first woman sportswriter in 1973.

Bill Fitch was an NBA Hall of Fame coach who led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title in 1981.Bill Fitch was a head coach in the NBA for 25 years, winning an NBA title with Boston in 1981. He won 944 games, which is 11th most all-time in the NBA and was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1976 and 1980. Besides the Celtics, he coached Cleveland, Houston, New Jersey, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Monica Vitti was the “Queen of Italian Cinema,” best known in the English-speaking world for her starring role in the spy spoof “Modesty Blaise.”Vitti began acting professionally in the 1950s and soon became well known in Italy. She became a muse of the great Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni, starring in several of his films including “L’Avventura” and “La Notte.” After gaining fame in Italy and as a rising star in international film circles, Vitti was cast in the 1966 British spy comedy “Modesty Blaise.” She starred in her first English-language film as the title character, a criminal mastermind hired by the British Secret Service.

Mel Mermelstein was a Holocaust survivor who successfully sued a group of Holocaust deniers and prompted a judge to declare that the many deaths were fact.Mermelstein and his family were living in Munkacs, Czechoslovakia when World War II broke out. They were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where his parents and sisters were killed in gas chambers and his brother was killed in an apparent escape attempt.

Jon Zazula was the founder of Megaforce Records, Metallica’s first label.Zazula began his influential career as the founder of Rock and Roll Heaven, a New Jersey record store that found its first home at an East Brunswick flea market, the Route 18 Indoor Market. Founded in 1981, the record store became a mecca for heavy metal lovers as Zazula imported rare metal records from overseas and traded underground tapes and demos. He came across Metallica’s 1982 demo tape, “No Life ‘Til Leather.” He loved what he heard, and he founded Megaforce Records along with his wife, the late Marsha Zazula, to give the band a record label home.

Dr. Jeremiah Stamler was a doctor whose research proved that cardiovascular disease was linked to our diet and lifestyle.Stamler began studying cardiovascular disease in the 1940s, after serving in the U.S. Army.

Jimmy Johnson was a legendary Chicago blues and soul guitarist who played with B.B. King, Magic Sam, and Otis Clay. Jimmy Johnson was an acclaimed Chicago blues guitarist and vocalist. He was born in Mississippi and moved to Chicago after an invitation from an uncle who lived there.

Robert “Bob” Wall was a martial artist and actor who appeared with Bruce Lee (1940–1973) in movies including “Way of the Dragon” and “Enter the Dragon.”Wall studied martial arts alongside Chuck Norris, becoming a ninth degree black belt in Norris’ Tang Soo Do. He became friends with Lee and first appeared in his 1972 film “Way of the Dragon.” The following year, Wall appeared in “Enter the Dragon,” which included a memorable fight scene with Lee.

Moses J. Moseley was an actor best known for his role as one of Michonne’s pet zombies, Mike, in “The Walking Dead.”“The Walking Dead” was Moseley’s first major role, after playing parts in the movies “Joyful Noise” and “Trouble with the Curve.” He appeared on six episodes of the popular horror drama. Moseley’s later TV appearances included “Queen of the South” and “Watchmen.” He was also in movies including “The Internship,” “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” and “Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies.”“The makeup process took about 2 1/2 hours and it was consistent with applying layers and layers of spray makeup and prosthetics.

Sam Lay was a legendary Chicago blues drummer who played with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.  Sam Lay started drumming for the Original Thunderbirds and then became the drummer for blues harmonica legend Little Walter. He was the regular drummer for Chicago Blues icon Muddy Waters band in the early 1960s.

Tito Matos was an acclaimed percussionist known for his skill playing the traditional Puerto Rican music called plena.Tito Matos was a highly acclaimed percussionist known for playing the Puerto Rican music genres Plena and Bomba. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, his grandfather gave him his first hand-held drum called a pandereta when he was a child. Pandereta is one of the primary instruments used in plena, an Afro-Puerto Rican style of rhythmic folk music.

Hargus “Pig” Robbins was a country music session pianist who played on hits including Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” and on Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” album.Blind since childhood, Robbins learned to play piano while attending the Nashville School for the blind. He began playing for Nashville’s greatest musicians in the 1950s, his first big hit coming with George Jones’ (1931–2013) “White Lightning” in 1959.

Cheslie Kryst was an attorney and TV correspondent named Miss USA in 2019.Kryst began competing in pageants as a teen, and she won Miss North Carolina in 2019. At the time, she was working as an attorney at Poyner Spruill LLP, having graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law. She did pro bono work for people who were unjustly incarcerated, including for minor drug crimes.

Howard Hesseman was an actor known for his starring role as Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.”This is a breaking news story. We will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.

Gene Clines was an outfielder who was part of Major League Baseball’s first all-minority lineup and who won the 1971 World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Gene Clines was a speedy line-drive hitting outfielder who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the 1971 World Series championship. He played center field for the Pirates on September 1, 1971, when they fielded the first all-minority lineup in Major League Baseball history featuring players of Black and Latino descent.

Vachik Mangassarian was a character actor known for appearances on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “NCIS.”A native of Iran, Mangassarian had his earliest credits with mid-1980s TV appearances including “The Fall Guy,” “The A-Team,” and “Remington Steele.” He continued to work actively for decades, with his most prominent roles coming on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” as Qasim Zaghlul and on “NCIS” as a fake Iranian president. Mangassarian’s other TV appearances include episodes of “Murder, She Wrote,” “In Living Color,” “NYPD Blue,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” He also appeared in such movies as “The Stoning of Soraya M.” and the upcoming “Moving On.”Truly saddened to hear about the passing of my friend, legendary actor #VachikMangassarian Here's a photo pre-covid with myself, Vachik and two other legends, acclaimed actor #NavidNegahban and renowned musician #AndyMadadian.

Rabbi Israel Dresner was a civil rights activist who protested segregation alongside his friend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968).Dresner began his life of activism young, well before he became a rabbi, as World War II raged overseas.

Jana Bennett was the former director of BBC TV who oversaw the reboot of “Dr. Who” and the popular series “Sherlock.”  Jana Bennett was the first woman to be the director of television for the BBC. While in the position, she oversaw the successful series “Sherlock,” “Life on Mars,” and the reboot of “Dr.

Sister Janet Mead was an Australian Catholic nun who had an international hit single in 1974 with “The Lord’s Prayer.”Mead began combining her love of music and her Christianity when she was still a teen, forming a rock band to perform at her church’s weekly Mass. She joined the Sisters of Mercy, where she taught music in local schools as well as continuing to offer rock music in worship services, one of the first to do so in Australia. Her 1974 recording of “The Lord’s Prayer” became a hit in Australia, the U.S., and Canada, making it to No.

Morgan Stevens was an actor known for TV roles including drama teacher David Reardon on “Fame.”Stevens had early TV roles on “The Mod Squad,” “One Day at a Time,” and “Quincy M.E.” before landing a role on “The Waltons” as Paul Northridge. He appeared in just one episode of “The Waltons,” but he returned for three of the series’ TV movies, including marrying Erin Walton in “A Wedding on Walton’s Mountain.” His role on “Fame” began with the show’s second season and continued for three seasons.

Kathryn Kates was an actress known for her roles in TV shows including “Seinfeld” and “Orange Is the New Black.”Acting careerKates was best known by many TV viewers for her appearances on two memorable episodes of “Seinfeld.” She played the counter woman at the bakery in iconic episodes featuring a babka and a loaf of marble rye bread. A later notable role for Kates came on several episodes of “Orange Is the New Black” as she played Amy Kanter-Bloom, mother of Jason Biggs’ character, Larry Bloom.

Peter Robbins was an actor who provided the original voice of Charlie Brown in classic specials including “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, they should not be left alone. Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides free, confidential support for people in crisis or emotional distress, 24/7 year-round.

https://t.co/KOYgUJ9luFA sad loss for NW Rock And Roll today. The last founding and original member of The Ventures, Don Wilson a very dear friend passed away.