Obituaries

Oleksandr Shapoval volunteered to fight after the Russia invasion. The National Opera of Ukraine says he was killed on the battlefield.

Ukrainian ballet dancer Oleksandr Shapoval is killed on the battlefield

4:44pm September 15, 2022

by Elizabeth Blair

The 48-year old Shapoval volunteered to fight after Russia invaded Ukraine. His unit was recently sent to one of "the hottest zones" in the country, according to The National Opera of Ukraine.

National

Fred Franzia, creator of 'Two Buck Chuck' and champion of affordable wine, has died

10:10am September 15, 2022

by Wynne Davis

The California winemaker firmly believed that no bottle of wine should cost more than $10. He created a business that struck bargain wine gold with Charles Shaw — also known as "Two Buck Chuck."

A 1952 portrait of Greek actress Irene Papas taken in Paris. Papas died Wednesday at age 96.

Irene Papas, celebrated Greek actress from 'Zorba' to 'Iphegenia,' has died

11:19am September 14, 2022

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Papas catapulted to international fame in such films as Zorba the Greek, Z and The Guns of Navarone. She also earned acclaim for her work in classical Greek plays. She died Wednesday at age 96.

Politics & Government

Prosecutor on the Clinton Whitewater probe, Ken Starr, has died at 76

5:13am September 14, 2022

by Deepa Shivaram

Ken Starr, a former federal judge who rose to prominence investigating former President Bill Clinton, has died. Starr's inquiry led to Clinton's impeachment.

Ken Starr, the independent counsel who investigated Clinton, has died at 76

8:36pm September 13, 2022

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with journalist Michael Isikoff about the death of Ken Starr, who became a household name for investigating then-President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Queue Listen Now

Independent counsel Ken Starr testifies before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee in April 1999.

Politics & Government

Ken Starr, the prosecutor on the Clinton Whitewater investigation, has died at 76

8:36pm September 13, 2022

by Becky Sullivan

As independent counsel, Starr and his investigations loomed over much of the Clinton presidency. His 1998 report about Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky helped lead to the president's impeachment.

Film director Jean-Luc Godard at Cannes festival in 1982. He was a key figure in French New Wave cinema. He died at 91, according to French media.

Film director Jean-Luc Godard of the French New Wave has died at 91

7:22pm September 13, 2022

by Bob Mondello

Godard, the "enfant terrible" of the French New Wave who revolutionized popular cinema in 1960 with his debut feature Breathless, stood for years as one of the most vital and provocative directors.

Queue Listen Now

Music & Culture

Remembering jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis who has died at age 87

5:07am September 13, 2022

Legendary jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis was propelled to fame with his trio's 1965 hit — "The 'In' Crowd." The Grammy-winning Chicago pianist, composer and radio host died peacefully in his home Monday.

Ramsey Lewis, seen here performing at the Ontario Jazz Festival in 1981, died Monday at his home in Chicago.

Music & Culture

Ramsey Lewis, the pop chart's favorite jazz pianist, dies at 87

11:23pm September 12, 2022

by Gene Seymour

The Grammy-winning Chicago pianist, composer and radio host died peacefully in his home on Monday morning.

Arts

Hollywood star and blacklist victim Marsha Hunt dies at 104

2:23pm September 10, 2022

by The Associated Press

Hunt was one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood's Golden Age of the 1930s and 1940s. Her career was disrupted for a time by the McCarthy-era blacklist.