obituaries

Markie Post, who played the public defender in the 1980s sitcom "Night Court," has died at age 70 after a years-long battle with cancer.

Arts

Markie Post, Who Was Known For Her Role On 'Night Court,' Has Died At Age 70

8:35am August 09, 2021

by The Associated Press

Post was a longtime television regular who appeared in shows from "Cheers" to "Scrubs." But she was best known for her seven-season run as the public defender on NBC's "Night Court."

Dennis Thomas performs with Kool & the Gang at a 2008 concert in Bethlehem, Pa.

Music & Culture

Kool & The Gang Co-Founder Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas Has Died At Age 70

9:32pm August 07, 2021

by The Associated Press

Thomas, a founding member of the long-running band known for soul-funk hits like "Celebration," played a trio of instruments and served as the Gang's emcee.

Arts

Remembering Inventor And TV Pitchman Ron Popeil

1:40pm August 06, 2021

by Terry Gross

Popeil, who died July 28, was an infomercial pioneer whose products included the Chop-O-Matic, the Veg-O-Matic, the smokeless ashtray and many other household gadgets. Originally broadcast in 1993.

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AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Dies At 72

6:25am August 06, 2021

by Andrea Hsu

Labor leader Richard Trumka died suddenly on Thursday. He's remembered by colleagues and friends as a tireless champion of workers' rights. President Biden called Trumka a very close friend.

He Came To America Looking For Stardom — And Found It As A Waldorf-Astoria Bellhop

4:10pm August 03, 2021

by Rosemary Misdary

Jimmy Elidrissi left his native Morocco and came to America with the dream of being a film actor, instead becoming the star of the Waldorf-Astoria as the bellhop for 51 years. He died at 74.

Music & Culture

Remembering Charles Connor, The Longtime Drummer For Little Richard

6:38am August 03, 2021

Seminal rock 'n' roll drummer Charles Connor died on Saturday, according to his daughter. He was 86. Connor played with Little Richard, Sam Cooke, James Brown and many others.

Remembering Ruth Pearl, Mother Of Slain Journalist Daniel Pearl

4:53pm August 02, 2021

Daniel Pearl was reporting on terrorism when he was kidnapped and beheaded in Pakistan. His mother, Ruth Pearl, spent years turning her grief into something positive. She died July 20 at age 85.

Saginaw Grant, a prolific Native American character actor and hereditary chief of the Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma, has died. He was 85.

Arts

Actor Saginaw Grant, Known For 'Lone Ranger' And 'Breaking Bad,' Dies At 85

9:41am August 02, 2021

by The Associated Press

Grant, who was hereditary chief of the Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma, played roles in dozens of movies and TV shows, including "The Lone Ranger," "The World's Fastest Indian" and "Breaking Bad."

Remembering An Inventor Who Sold Dreams In The Form Of Pocket Fishing Poles

4:34pm July 30, 2021

Ron Popeil, American inventor and beloved infomercial salesman died on Wednesday at 86. From Mr. Microphone to the Veg-O-Matic, Popeil's infomercials introduced us to problems we didn't know we had.

Listen Back To A 1993 Interview With The Late Civil Rights Pioneer Bob Moses

2:02pm July 30, 2021

by Terry Gross

In the 1960s, Moses led efforts to organize and register Black residents to vote in Mississippi and brought national attention to the state's entrenched white supremacy. Moses died Sunday at age 86.

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