monkeys and ponies

Catching up on some other things, it’s been a while since I’ve done the ever popular celebrity death watch. (Early February to be exact)

Celebrity Death Watch - February 2026: Sir Nicholas White was a tropical disease researcher, specializing in malaria treatments. Daryl Hoole wrote books about homemaking. Myra MacPherson was a journalist, primarily for The Washington Post. Chuck Negron was a founding member of Three Dog Night. Dame Carole Jordan was an astrophysicist. Lamont McLemore was a founding member of The 5th Dimension, Mickey Lolich was a pitcher, primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Sonny Jorgensen was a Hall of Fame football player. Ed Crane co-founded the Cato Institute (a libertarian think tank). Andrew Ranken played drums for The Pogues. Bud Cort was an actor, best known for playing Harold in Harold and Maude. Ed Graczyk was a playwright whose most successful play was Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. James Van Der Beek starred in Dawson’s Creek. Karen Glaser was an underwater photographer. Eric Dane was an actor, best known for appearing in Grey’s Anatomy. Dan Simmons was a fantasy, science fiction, and horror writer. Iris Cantor was a philanthropist. Coleman Barks was a poet and responsible for popularizing the works of Rumi. Sondra Lee originated the roles of Tiger Lily (in Peter Pan) and Minnie Fay (in Hello, Dolly!) on Broadway. Lauren Chapin was a child actress, best known for playing Kitten in Father Knows Best. Bobby J. Brown was an actor, best known for The Wire. Colman McCarthy was a peace activist.

Robert Duvall was an actor, He won a best actor Oscar for his performance in Tender Mercies and had won several other acting awards. He’s been referred to as “the American Olivier.”

Jesse Jackson was an ordained Baptist minister, a civil rights activist and a politician. He appeared to have repented for some antisemitic comments he made during his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984. I was once delayed at the Oakland airport while he and his entourage were there, but I don’t remember whether he was coming or going.

Isaiah Zagar was a mosaic artist, who created the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. This is my favorite thing in Philadelphia. I was introduced to it by artistic friends and I’ve gone back to see it multiple times since.

Bill Mazeroski was a second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who is best known for driving in a 9th inning home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series to defeat the Source of All Evil in the Universe.

Neil Sedaka was a singer and songwriter. Among the songs he is best known for are “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Love Will Keep Us Together.” I find those two an interesting juxtaposition.

Ali Khamenei was the ayatollah, supreme leader, and president of Iran. The world (and Iran, in particular) may well be a better place without him, but it’s not like he’s been replaced with anyone better.

Celebrity Death Watch - March 2026: Gary Walker was the drummer and a vocalist with The Standells, whose song “Dirty Water” is a Red Sox tradition. Lyle Conway designed the Audrey II puppet used in the film version of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. Russell W. Meyer, Jr. was the CEO of Grumman in the late 1960’s to mid-1970’s and of Cessna after that. Sir Anthony Leggett won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on superfluidity. Alexander Butterfield revealed Richard Nixon’s White House taping system during the Watergate investigation. Tommy DeCarlo was the lead singer for Boston. Paul Ehrlich wrote about the consequences of population growth. Christopher Sims won a Nobel Prize in economics. William C. Dietz wrote military science fiction. Dolores Keane sang with De Dannan. Terry Cox was the drummer for Pentangle. Mike Melvill was a test pilot for SpaceShip One, becoming the first commercial astronaut. Chuck Norris was a martial artist and actor. Nicholas Brendon played Xander in the TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Robert Mueller was the director of the FBI from 2001-2013. Calvin Tomkins was an art critic who wrote for The New Yorker. Chip Taylor wrote songs, including “Angel of the Morning” and “Wild Thing.” Dash Crofts sang with Jim Seals and wrote songs, including “Summer Breeze.”

Lou Holtz was a football coach for Notre Dame (and other schools). He earned me 19 ghoul pool points.

Country Joe McDonald headed up a musical group with the Fish. He’s best known for the “I-Feel-Like-Im-Fixing-to-Die” Rag,” which he wrote and performed at Woodstock.

Len Deighton wrote spy novels, including The IPCRESS File. He also wrote cookbooks.

George H. Goble won an Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry for preparing a barbecue using a smoldering cigarette, charcoal, and liquid oxygen.

Tracy Kidder wrote a number of important non-fiction books, including The Soul of a New Machine and Mountains Beyond Mountains. His writing was vivid and absorbing and well worth reading.

Celebrity Death Watch - April 2026: Jim Whittaker was the first American to climb Mount Everest. Barbara Gordon wrote the book I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can, about her pill addiction. Nick Pope investigated UFOs. Davey Lopes played second base primarily for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ray Monette sang and played guitar for Rare Earth. Africa Bambaataa was a hip hop pioneer. Moya Brennan sang with Clannad. Kevin Klose was the president of NPR from 1998-2008. Don Schlitz wrote country music songs and was best known for “The Gambler.” Roger Adams invented Heelys. Garret Anderson played left field for the Los Angeles Angels.

Sid Krofft was a puppeteer who, along with his brother, Marty, created such television shows as H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost.

Justin Fairfax was the lieutenant governor of Virginia under Ralph Northam. During his term in office, he had faced multiple allegations of sexual assault. He murdered his wife, Cerina, and killed himself.

Desmond Morris was a zoologist. He was best known for his book The Naked Ape, which has been widely criticized for sexist assumptions.

Belated Celebrity Death Watch: I only learned recently that Lyle Feisel died in November 2025. He was known for writing a column in The Bent, the magazine published by the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi, about the people various scientific units are named after.