Remembrances

My Father Stood For The Anthem, For The Same Reason That Colin Kaepernick Sits

6:13pm August 31, 2016

by Keith Woods

As a child, I found my father's love of the national anthem utterly bewildering. His was the generation of men born free but shackled by bigotry. So why did he sound so proud, singing that song?

Check Out This 1999 Profile Of The Late, Great Juan Gabriel

7:20pm August 30, 2016

by Leah Donnella

Juan Gabriel stayed true to his roots, even when it wasn't easy. This Los Angeles Times piece takes a look at why that was.

Actor Gene Wilder, who entertained audiences with his performances in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, The Producers and Blazing Saddles, died Monday. He was 83 years old.

Arts

In This 2005 Interview, Gene Wilder Explains How He Learned To Get Laughs

3:50pm August 30, 2016

When he was 8, Wilder's mother had a heart attack, and he took it upon himself to cheer her up. We'll listen back to a Fresh Air interview with the comic actor, who died Monday at age 83.

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Gene Wilder Dies From Complications Of Alzheimer's At Age 83

8:07am August 30, 2016

by Bob Mondello

Wilder played neurotic, funny and emotional characters in some of the classic movies of the 1960s, 70s and 80s — including The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and Silver Streak.

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Actor Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory in 1971. Wilder died Monday at 83.

Gene Wilder, Star Of 'Willy Wonka' And 'Young Frankenstein,' Dies

8:09pm August 29, 2016

by Glen Weldon

The actor and writer who brought his signature manic energy to comedy classics died at his home in Stamford, Conn., of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 83.

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Gene Wilder's Nephew Remembers Late Actor Who Starred In 'Willy Wonka'

7:36pm August 29, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Jordan Walker-Pearlman, the nephew of Gene Wilder, who died Monday at 83. Wilder is best known for his roles in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Producers.

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In the 1980s and 1990s, Ross was a fixture on PBS. The Joy of Painting invited viewers to watch over Ross' shoulder as he created small masterpieces in under 30 minutes.

Arts

The Real Bob Ross: Meet The Meticulous Artist Behind Those Happy Trees

7:22pm August 29, 2016

by Danny Hajek

Don't be fooled by his mild PBS persona; the beloved painter was actually an exacting artist and businessman with — brace yourself — naturally straight hair.

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In 1999, NPR made a satirical musical about the Internet called Web Site Story.

Music & Culture

Listen: 'Web Site Story,' NPR's Musical About The Internet — From 1999

5:21pm August 29, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

Found in our archives: an Internet-themed remake of West Side Story from the dot-com bubble era. It begins with Bill Gates and features the sound of a modem but isn't as obsolete as you might expect.

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Remembering Juan Gabriel With NPR's Felix Contreras, Adrian Florido And Eyder Peralta

1:27pm August 29, 2016

by Leah Donnella

Join Code Switch and Alt-Latino today at 3pm EST for a Facebook Live chat about the late, great Mexican superstar Juan Gabriel.

National

Max Ritvo, Poet Who Chronicled His Battle With Cancer, Dies At 25

10:45pm August 27, 2016

by The Associated Press

The Los Angeles native was diagnosed at 16 with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer that affects bones and soft tissue in children. He gained wide recognition for his works on fighting the illness.