A movie star, a theatre director who wanted to throw money from the roof of parliament, a beautiful singer and activist, and a university professor – we’re better for their being here.

Continue Reading »

Christoph Schlingensief, the German stage director who scandalised conservative Wagnerians with a rotting hare at the Bayreuth Festival, died on Saturday, 21 August of lung cancer, aged 49. The media-savvy provocateur had been diagnosed with the illness in early 2008.

He once almost won funding from Deutsche Bank AG for a performance piece titled “Save capitalism, throw the money away!” in which he intended to fling 100,000 deutsche marks from the roof of the Berlin Reichstag.

Schlingensief’s plays, mostly staged in Germany, Switzerland and Austria often proved controversial as they came with strong political messages.

For the full story, go to CI’s Farewells page.

'There are gorgeous women, there are spirited women, there are genius women — Abbey Lincoln was all of that. You don't find an artist that embodies this kind of level of physical beauty and cerebral magnificence in one package.'

Abbey Lincoln, a jazz singer and songwriter known for her phrasing, emotion and uncompromising style, died on Saturday in New York at age 80.

As a young woman, Lincoln made a splash not only because of her voice, but her beauty. Early album covers featured her in slinky dresses, and she appeared in a Jayne Mansfield movie wearing the dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”

But after falling under Roach’s influence, Lincoln turned her back on that image, casting herself instead as a civil rights advocate, dressing in African-inspired clothing and hairstyles, and making music with a political tone.

She had been declining in health for the past year. Her death was confirmed by friend and filmmaker Carol Friedman, who has been working on a documentary on Lincoln’s life.

For the full story go to CI’s Farewells page.

48 years ago today: farewell Marilyn Monroe

Screen icon Marilyn Monroe has been found dead in bed at her Brentwood, Los Angeles home.

The 36-year-old actress’ body was discovered in the early hours of this morning by two doctors who were called to her Brentwood home by a concerned housekeeper.

Continue Reading »

The world’s oldest Twitterer, the Way of the Intercepting Fist, two authors and a bolero singer … we’re better for their coming and passing.

Continue Reading »

Ivy Bean, 104, passed away in her sleep last night after being unwell for several weeks. Celebrities and politicians including Peter Andre, Sarah Brown and David Miliband paid tribute to the World’s oldest tweeter.

For the full story go to CI’s Farewells page.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Olga Guillot, the legendary Cuban bolero singer who became the first Latin artist to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York, has died. She was 86.











For the full story go to CI’s Farewells page

A great jazz saxophonist, a famous kiss, a great escapee and the creator of a giant spider. Continue Reading »

Farewell Jack Harrison

London (AP) — Jack Harrison, who survived the Great Escape plot by Allied prisoners in a German prison in World War II, has died at age 97, his family said.

For the full story, go to CI’s Farewells page.

Ronny James Dio, Lynn Redgrave, Dede Allen, Anna Walentynowicz, Edward Gorey, Sister Smile and Wilma Mankiller.


Continue Reading »

Dede Allen, the film editor whose pioneering work on movies like “The Hustler” and “Bonnie and Clyde” brought a new approach to shaping the look and sound of American movies, has died. She was 86.

Allen died on Saturday at her home in Los Angeles days after suffering a stroke.  Continue Reading »

MARCH 2010

“The atomic weapons race and the secrecy surrounding it crushed American democracy … it induced us to conduct government according to lies. It distorted justice. It undermined American morality.”
Continue Reading »