Deaths: January 23

With her sweet, captivating voice, quirky yet insightful songwriting and bubbly, upbeat, free-spirited hippie persona, pop and folk singer/songwriter Melanie totally epitomized the whole "flower power" counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s.

She was born Melanie Anne Safka on February 3, 1947, in Queens, New York, and grew up in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. She made her first public appearance at age four, singing "Gimme a Little Kiss" on the radio show "Live Like A Millionaire." She began singing in Greenwich Village folk clubs while attending New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts and initially signed to Columbia Records in 1967. Her debut single, "Beautiful People", was a flop in America but a hit in the Netherlands. Melanie subsequently left Columbia Records and signed with Buddah Records. Her song "Bobo's Party" was a #1 hit in France in 1969. Melanie also sang "Birthday of the Sun" at the Woodstock music festival in 1969.

In 1970 she had a Top 10 hit with "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)." A powerful cover of The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday", and "Peace Will Come (According to Plan)" likewise did well. In 1971 she scored her greatest smash success with the cute, catchy and funny "Brand New Key"; the song peaked at #1 on the Billboard charts for three weeks, sold over three million copies, was featured on the soundtrack of the film Boogie Nights (1997) and has been covered by such artists as Deana Carter, Cher, Rasputina and The Dollyrots (the British comedy folk group The Wurzels had a 1976 #1 UK hit with a parody version of "Brand New Key" called "Combine Harvester".) The follow-up songs "Ring the Living Bell" and "The Nickel Song" were also successful. Melanie was awarded Billboard's #1 Top Female Vocalist in 1972. She had her last Top 40 hit with "Bitter Bad" in 1973. She won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1989 for writing the lyrics to the song "The First Time I Loved Forever" for the TV series Beauty and the Beast (1987). Her children Leilah, Jeordie and Beau-Jarred are all musicians. Almost all of her albums have been produced by her husband, Peter Schekeryk. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and continues to record the occasional album and perform live all over the world.

Alberto Grimaldi is a fine example of a lawyer who become film producer. His first contacts with cinema were of a legal nature, but these slowly led to production. By the early 1960s he had created his company Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA), and was very successful when he distributed Joaquín Luis Romero Marchant's «La venganza del Zorro» (1962), the second European western shot in Almería, Spain, where Sergio Leone had also made his first western, «Per un pugno di dollari». The filmmaker was having trouble with his producers for its sequel, he sought legal advice, and met Grimaldi, who became the majority investor in «Per qualche dollaro in più». With the following success and a third western, Leone turned into one of the greatest European filmmakers and PEA became a significant production company.

In 1967 another encounter and litigation diversified Grimaldi's profession. When Federico Fellini collapsed, after meeting many obstacles to do «Il viaggio di G. Mastorna» for producer Dino de Laurentiis, Grimaldi freed the maestro from the contract and produced him the short «Toby Dammit», for the film «Histoires extraordinaires». Thenceforth, while still producing more commercial films, Grimaldi became associated with several Italian filmmakers who also had artistic aspirations. He produced Gillo Pontecorvo's «Queimada», Elio Petri's «Un tranquillo posto di campagna», Pier Paolo Pasolini's 'Trilogy of Life' and «Salò o Le 120 giornate di Sodoma», Bernardo Bertolucci's «Ultimo tango a Parigi» and Francesco Rosi's «Cadaveri eccellenti»...

In the 1970s Grimaldi had different setbacks and his production activities decreased. First, «Il Casanova di Federico Fellini» was a financial failure, and the «Novecento» proved too problematic, although the cast and production values were attractive for the international markets. Bertolucci proposed a cut of 375 minutes and wanted to release the film in two parts, but Grimaldi had to deliver a 195-minute version to Paramount for the American market. When the producer decided to make the contractual version without the filmmaker and they ended in court, Bertolucci finally agreed and made a 280-minute version, but for Twentieth Century Fox. Then, in the next decade Grimaldi and Leone were reunited for «Once Upon a Time in America», but fearing a five-hour film after reading the final script, he stepped back and impresario Arnon Milchan took charge. Grimaldi only produced Fellini's nostalgic comedy «Ginger and Fred» in the 1980s.

Sixteen years passed until Grimaldi released a new production, when «Gangs of New York» opened in 2002. Under Martin Scorsese's direction, it was shot -like in the old times- in the Cinecittà studios in Rome, but it also had problems: a few months before shooting, Grimaldi sued Universal, Walt Disney, executive producer Michael Ovitz and other persons related to the film, claiming they had denied him the producer credit of a project he had planned for 20 years.

In 2007 the Valladolid International Film Festival honored Grimaldi with a retrospective of his more significant films, and the book dedicated to his work «The Art of Producing with Success» by José María Otero and Paola Savino, was launched on the occasion. Alberto Grimaldi was also awarded for the body of his work by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists.

Aloysius Pang was born on 24 August 1990 in Singapore. He was an actor, known for C.L.I.F. (2011), Mata Mata (2013) and Beijing to Moscow (2019). He died on 23 January 2019 in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Amy Arnaz was born on 12 September 1951 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was married to Desi Arnaz Jr. and Gary Frederick Charf. She died on 23 January 2015 in Boulder City, Nevada, USA.

Andrés Restrepo was an actor and editor, known for Sara, the force of the sea (2023), Sin tetas no hay paraíso (2010) and Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso (2016). He died on 23 January 2022 in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.

Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was born on February 12, 1881, in Ligovo, near St. Petersburg, Russia. She was an illegitimate daughter to parents of a Russian-Jewish background. Her real father was a wealthy businessman named Lazar Polyakov. Her mother, Lyubov Fedorovna Pavlova, was a poor peasant. Her mother's husband, Mathwey (Mathew) Pavlov, was a retired soldier, who died when Anna was only two years old. Although she was registered under the name of Pavlova, her father Lazar Polyakov took good care of young Anna and also paid for her tuition at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg.

Young Anna Pavlova was raised by her grandmother at her villa in Ligovo, an upscale suburb of St. Petersburg. There she became acquainted with aristocratic society and attended ballet performances at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. From a young age, Pavlova had a dream of becoming a ballerina but she was rejected at the age of eight and practiced at home for two years. At the age of 10 she auditioned again and was admitted by Marius Petipa to the ballet class at the Imperial Ballet school in St. Petersburg. There she practiced ballet routines for eight hours daily and also studied music, having perfect pitch. As a ballet student, Pavlova adopted a strict diet with emphasis on fish and vegetables and followed that diet throughout her life. She lived at the boarding school of the Imperial Ballet until her graduation at the age of 18. Tamara Karsavina and 'Matilda Kshesinskaya' were among her classmates. Pavlova made her debut on September 19, 1899 and worked with the Mariinsky Ballet from 1899 to 1907. She shared the role of Gizelle with 'Matilda Kshesinskaya'. Her partner and choreographer was Mikhail Fokin. He choreographed Pavlova's best known showpiece "The Dying Swan" on the music of Camille Saint-Saëns. In 1908, Sergei Diaghilev hired Pavlova and Mikhail Fokin for his "Ballets Russes" (Russian Seasons) in Paris and London.

In 1904, Anna Pavlova met Victor D'Andre, a French-Russian aristocrat, who loved her at once. D'Andre was a businessman in St. Petersburg. At one time he was accused of embezzlement and imprisoned. Pavlova bailed him out of prison, then paid all his debts and legal expenses. D'Andre and Pavlova privately married in 1911. Victor D'Andre became her impresario and they formed a touring ballet troupe. In 1912 Pavlova and D'Andre bought Ivy House, Golders Green in Hampstead, London, which was their home for the rest of her life. On her expensive estate Pavlova kept a pond with swans, alluding to her favourite role. At her home Pavlova established a dance school which catered to her touring troupe. Initially her troupe had only eight Russian dancers. Later, with the growing success and popularity of Anna Pavlova, her troupe grew to sixty dancers and staff, all managed by D'Andre.

Pavlova made her Metropolitan Opera House debut in 1910, and toured America and Europe before her brief final return to Russia. She made her last appearance in St. Petersburg in 1913 and spent the rest of her life on tour. Pavlova toured all over the world including Europe, Asia, North and Central America, and Australia. Pavlova was able to make eight to nine performances per week and had a great interest in performing for inexperienced audiences in remote rural areas around the world. Her performances in Mexico, India, Japan and Australia were legendary. She was overworked and exhausted by her late 40s, but still danced vigorously. She gave over four thousand ballet performances during the years between 1913-1930. In January of 1931, Pavlova contracted double pneumonia on a train to Haage and her condition deteriorated rapidly. Dying, she looked at her swan costume. She died on January 23, 1931, in Haage, Netherlands. Her remains were buried in the Novodevichy Convent Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.

Pavlova's infinite finesse, delicacy and emotional dimension were captured by artist Valentin Serov, who painted her famous 1909 life-size portrait. Pavlova is depicted in her favorite role as a white swan on a blue background.

Barbara Krafftówna was born on 5 December 1928 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland. She was an actress, known for Jak byc kochana (1963), Ashes and Diamonds (1958) and Upal (1964). She was married to Michal Gazda and Arnold Seidner. She died on 23 January 2022 in Skolimów, Mazowieckie, Poland.

Barrie Ingham was born on 10 February 1932 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Day of the Jackal (1973) and Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965). He was married to Tarne Phillips. He died on 23 January 2015 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA.

Bill Zuckert was born on 18 December 1915 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) and Star Trek (1966). He was married to Gladys Holland and Margaret Lottie Wallace. He died on 23 January 1997 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Bimba Bosé was born on 1 October 1975 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. She was an actress, known for Julieta (2016), The Consul of Sodom (2009) and La que se avecina (2007). She was married to Diego Postigo. She died on 23 January 2017 in Madrid, Spain.

Television producer and host Robert James Keeshan was born in Lynbrook, Long Island, New York. As a young man he served in the US Marine Corps Reserve. Starting as a page at the National Broadcasting Company, Keeshan later began his on-air career as the original "Clarabell, the Clown" for the NBC The Howdy Doody Show (1947) (aka "The Howdy Doody Show"). He was then the first host/performer of WJZ/WABC TV Ch. 7 NYC's "Time For Fun" / "The Johnny Jellybean Show". Keeshan emceed the show as "Corny The Clown" weekdays at noon from Monday, September 21st, 1953, to Friday, July 29th, 1955. He co-created, co-produced and hosted "Tinker's Workshop" with Jack Miller on WJZ/WABC TV Ch. 7 in New York City weekday mornings from Monday, November 15, 1954 to Friday, September 9, 1955. The show continued without Robert until Friday August 22, 1958. The later hosts of the show were Henry Burbig, Gene London & Dom DeLuise.

When asked to put together a show for children, he leaped at the chance. On Monday, October 3rd, 1955, Captain Kangaroo (1955) began its near 30-year run on CBS, until it was moved to Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the 1980s. There was a lot of fun in the "Treasure House", with Bunny Rabbit swindling carrots before lunch from The Captain or Mister Moose finding yet another way to get the Captain to stand still long enough to drop dozens of ping-pong balls down on the ever-unsuspecting Captain's head. Dennis (Cosmo Allegretti) asking so many questions that Mister Bainter would almost always lose his cool. All the while during this, Captain Kangaroo taught us values and gave those with busy or absent fathers a gentle and caring male role model to learn good behavior and manners from. A love of reading was encouraged and the animals that Mister Green Jeans (Hugh Brannum) showed allowed children who had never seen a particular animal to experience it though his fascination with it. During its run in 1964, Keeshan also took on a Saturday morning persona as "Mister Mayor" for a year, but remained the Captain until the end of its run on PBS in 1993. Over the years he and the show won six Emmy's and three Peabody Awards, totaling nine awards, altogether, and he was also elected to the Clown Hall of Fame.

In 1989 he published "Growing Up Happy" and then in October of 1996 he published "Good Morning Captain: 50 Wonderful Years with Bob Keeshan, TV's Captain Kangaroo". Keeshan is also the author of the "Itty Bitty Kitty" children's book series. Widowed in the 1990s, he died in Vermont in 2004.

Bobby Freeman was born on 13 June 1940 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is known for American Graffiti (1973), Bio-Dome (1996) and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004). He died on 23 January 2017 in Anson, Texas, USA.

Bobby was born in Indiana and may have inherited his show business talent from his grandfather who played the alto horn and disappeared- never to be seen since-with a carnival that was passing thru Indiana. Bobby, who is multi-talented, recorded a song called "Yes Indeed", in which he plays ten instruments, sings all four voices of the quartet, sings the solo, and also arranged the song. Sherwood's father was a singer and trambone player and his mother was a pianist. They had a vaudeville act called Bob-Gayle Sherwood & Co. Bobby joined the act when he was ten singing , dancing, and playing the banjo. Playing the horse was a favorite pastime of Bobby's. To quote "I didn't learn much about history and arithmetic, but I could tell you the best time of any horse at any track.". After vaudeville folded, Bobby played in clubs around Los Angeles, and became Bing Crosby's accompanist on records, in the band, in movies, and on radio. He later played on radio shows with Burns and Allen, Al Jolson, Rudy Vallee, Edie Cantor, and many more. Later he formed his own band, and starting appearing on television getting his first taste in Cleveland in 1948 appearing in everything from straight dramatic roles to a straight man for top comedians.

Caio Junqueira was born on 15 November 1976 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor, known for Elite Squad (2007), Buena Sorte (1996) and Central Station (1998). He died on 23 January 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Charles Osgood was born on 8 January 1933 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Horton Hears a Who! (2008), CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley (1979) and A Science Odyssey (1998). He was married to Jean Crafton and Theresa Audette. He died on 23 January 2024 in Saddle River, New Jersey, USA.

Diane Gibson was born on 11 January 1946 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She was married to Joseph Gibson. She died on 23 January 2022 in Wyckoff, New Jersey, USA.

Earl Wild was born on 26 November 1915 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Greta (2018), The United States Steel Hour (1953) and The Revlon Revue (1959). He was married to Rolland Davis. He died on 23 January 2010 in Palm Springs, California, USA.

Eugenio Martín was born on 15 May 1925 in Ceuta, Spain. He was a writer and director, known for Horror Express (1972), The Ugly Ones (1966) and Viaje romántico a Granada (1955). He was married to Lone Fleming. He died on 23 January 2023 in Spain.

Everett Quinton was born on 18 December 1951 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Natural Born Killers (1994), Pollock (2000) and The Sorrows of Dolores (1986). He died on 23 January 2023 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.

Ezra Swerdlow was born on 2 March 1953 in Great Neck, Long Island, New York, USA. He was a producer and production manager, known for Spaceballs (1987), The Equalizer (2014) and Southpaw (2015). He was married to Lindsey Hicks. He died on 23 January 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

His father, a fine furrier, died as a soldier in the Second World War in Smolensk, Russia, the year he was born. Frank and his two older siblings, Hertha and Heinz, grew up with their mother in simple but sheltered circumstances. His mother Cilli, who worked as a teacher, noticed Frank's voice and had him sing in the church choir. His musical ability became apparent early on; Frank got his first guitar at the age of 12. After graduating from school, he apprenticed as a chef. This career took him from Saarbrücken via Lindau to Ettelbruck in Luxembourg. His love for rock'' n'' roll was also awakened here. Through the stationed American GI's and their parties he became aware of bands like the "Drifters", Elvis Presley and Bill Haley. Now Frank Farian hung up his chef's hat and decided to form his own rock band. He took all of his savings and bought various equipment for his band, which didn't even exist yet. He changed his name from Franz to Frankie and finally to Frank.

In 1961, his five-piece band "Frank Farian and the Shadows" was put together and they toured the bars. Two years later, in 1963, the first self-produced record was released with a print run of 1,000 copies. The "Schatten" had their first highlight in 1964. They were one of only three German groups to appear at the international rock festival in the Starclub in Hamburg. In 1967 Frank Farian got his first record deal with Ariola. The band later broke up and Farian decided to remain solo as an artist and producer. He now devoted himself more to the more lucrative hit business. This also led to an appearance on the ZDF hit parade in 1969. In 1971 a production contract was signed with Hansa-Berlin, which still exists today. Farian had his big breakthrough in 1976 with the start of the group "Boney M." The single "Daddy Cool" hit like a bomb. The hit was placed in the charts not only in Germany, but throughout Europe. "Sunny" also became a huge success and Boney M's debut album "Take The Heat Of Me" proved to be an absolute top seller. But the nerve-wracking and strenuous work also left its mark.

Farian suffered a heart attack at the age of just 36, but that didn't stop him from producing one mega-success after another. "Boney M." had 38 top ten hits between 1975 and 1988, including 15 No.1 placements in Germany, 22 top ten hits in England, five of which were No.1 placements. Three titles by Boney M. grace the all-time bestseller list in England: "Mary's Boychild", "Rivers Of Babylon" and "Brown Girl In The Ring". Frank Farian didn't just concentrate on "Boney M.", in 1977 he helped the group "Eruption" into the top ten. In 1978, Farian's entry into the Guinness Book of Records followed: 175,000 singles of "Mary's Boychild" sold in just one day and 2.2 million within four weeks, which was a world record. He was also awarded the "Carl Allen Award" and Queen Elizabeth II received "Boney M." as the most successful pop group in England. Frank Farian's name was now in high demand on the international music scene. Big stars produced in his Rosbach studio, including Stevie Wonder, who recorded his global hit "I just called to say I love you" with Farian in 1982.

His instinct for talent and trends is also undisputed. He discovered, among others, Terence Trent D''Arby and helped him launch his career. In 1988, Farian achieved another milestone. With Milli Vanilli's "Girl you know it's true", the single and album were number one on the charts for six weeks. Milli Vanilli even reached platinum in the USA. In 1989 they received a Grammy for "Best New Act". Farian was honored with two 10x platinum diamond LPs in 1991 for Milli Vanilli and "Boney M." albums. This award made him the most successful producer in pop history. In the same year the Milli Vanilli scandal broke out. It turned out that the two actors had never sung themselves; Milli Vanilli was purely a studio production. The fans were outraged. Farian didn't allow himself to be irritated any further and devoted himself to new projects, including the formation "La Bouche" from 1994 and the group "No Mercy", with which he also celebrated global success. In 1997, Farian was awarded the "Echo" for his life's work.

It made its debut as a car in 2004 with the title "Stupid This Bohlen". The book is Farian's answer to Bohlen's "Behind the Scenes". The title is a reference to Michael Moore's "Stupid White Man", which accuses George W. Bush of not telling the truth. All proceeds from "Stupid This Bohlen" will go to the Nordhoff/Robbins Foundation, which aims to help autistic children with music therapy.

Franz Mazura was born on 12 April 1924 in Salzburg, Austria. He was an actor, known for Great Performances at the Met (1977), Lulu (1979) and Der Ring des Nibelungen (1980). He was married to Elisabeth Friedmann. He died on 23 January 2020 in Mannheim, Germany.

One of the most popular child actors in film history, Child superstar Freddie Bartholomew was born Frederick Cecil Bartholomew in Harlesden, London, the son of Lilian May (Clarke) and Cecil Llewellyn Bartholomew. From age three, he grew up in the town of Warminster under the care of his father's unmarried sister Millicent. A precocious lad, Freddie was reciting and performing on stage at three years of age, and was soon singing and dancing as well. By age six he had appeared in his first movie, a short called Toyland (1930). Three other British film appearances and the recommendation of his teacher Italia Conti led him to be cast in the MGM film David Copperfield (1935), as the title character, resulting in a seven-year MGM contract and a move to Hollywood with his aunt. The illustrious, star-studded and highly successful David Copperfield (1935) made Freddie an overnight sensation, and he went on to star in a succession of high-quality films through 1937, including Anna Karenina (1935); Professional Soldier (1935); the riveting Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936); Lloyd's of London (1936); The Devil Is a Sissy (1936); and Freddie's biggest success, Captains Courageous (1937), opposite Spencer Tracy.

Following the success of Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936), Freddie's birth parents, who were strangers to him, stepped in and attempted for seven years to gain custody of him and his fortune. His aunt Millicent attempted to offset these legal expenses and payouts by demanding a raise in Freddie's MGM salary in 1937. Another slew of court cases ensued, this time over the MGM contract, and Freddie missed a critical year's work and some golden film opportunities. By the time he resumed acting work in 1938, he was well into his teens, and audiences grew less interested in literary period pieces as World War II erupted in Europe. Following Kidnapped (1938), many of his ten remaining films through 1942 were knock-offs or juvenile military films, and only two were for MGM. The best of the films after Kidnapped (1938) were Swiss Family Robinson (1940), Lord Jeff (1938), Listen, Darling (1938), and Tom Brown's School Days (1940). His salary soared to $2,500 a week making him filmdom's highest paid child star after Shirley Temple.

In 1943, Freddie enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for a year to work in aircraft maintenance, exiting with both a back injury and American citizenship.

The additional time away from the screen had not done him any favors, though, and efforts to revive his career on film were unsuccessful. His efforts performing in regional theaters and vaudeville did not spark a comeback either. Aunt Millicent left for England when Freddie married publicist Maely Daniele in 1946 against her wishes. Freddie toured a few months in Australia doing nightclub singing and piano, but when he returned to the U.S. in 1949 he switched to television, making a gradual move from performer to host to director, at New York station WPIX. In 1954, re-married to TV cookbook author Aileen Paul, he moved to Benton & Bowles advertising agency, as a television director and producer. He remarked at the time that the millions he had earned as a child had been spent mostly on lawsuits, many of which involved headline court battles between his parents and his aunt for custody of young Freddie and his money. "I was drained dry," he said.

He became vice president of television programming in 1964, directing and producing several prominent long-running soap operas. Bartholomew retired due to emphysema by the late 1980s, and eventually moved with his third wife Elizabeth to Florida, where he died in 1992, but not before being filmed in several lovely interview segments for the lengthy 1992 documentary, MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992).