Tag Archives: the 70s

Variety reports: Loretta Swit, who played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on seminal TV comedy “MASH,” died Friday at her home in New York City. She was 87. Her rep Harlan Boll said the New York police reported her time of death at 12:01 p.m. on May 30, of suspected natural causes. For her work on “MASH” Swit was Emmy …

Variety reports: Legendary pop/R&B vocalist Roberta Flack, who was launched to stardom in the early ’70s by the Grammy-winning hits “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” has died, according to a statement from her rep. No cause of death was cited; she was 88. “We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Linda Lavin, the beloved veteran stage and TV actress known for her Emmy-nominated role in the 1976 sitcom Alice and for her Tony-winning performance in the 1986 play Broadway Bound, died today, Dec. 29. She was 87. The news comes as a shock as Lavin has been working as recently as this month, promoting her new Netflix …

NBC News reports: The Amazing Kreskin, the famous mentalist and frequent guest on “The Tonight Show,” died on Tuesday at age 89. Kreskin, whose real name was George Kresge, was born in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1935. He rose to fame in the ’70s through numerous TV appearances on shows including “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Mervin Griffin Show” and …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Peter Marshall, the velvety-voiced host who presided over NBC’s celebrity-filled game show The Hollywood Squares for 16 years, died Thursday. He was 98. Marshall, an accomplished singer who also was a leading man on Broadway and one-half of a popular comedy team before embarking on his game-show gig, died of kidney failure at his Encino home, …

Variety reports: Bob Newhart, the genteel but sharply satirical comic whose TV series “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart” were huge hits throughout the 1970s and ’80s, died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 94. Newhart’s publicist Jerry Digney said he died after a series of short illnesses. Before his TV success, Newhart’s comedy albums were wildly popular for their …

Billboard Magazine reports: Eric Carmen, the hitmaker behind ’70s and ’80s smashes like “All By Myself” and “Hungry Eyes,” has died at age 74, his wife Amy confirms. Carmen scored three top five hits on the Billboard Hot 100: the No. 2-peaking “All By Myself” in 1976, followed by the Dirty Dancing soundtrack standout “Hungry Eyes,” which peaked at No. …

The Independent reports: David Soul, the musician who appeared in TV series Starsky & Hutch, has died, aged 80. Soul’s wife Helen Snell confirmed the news in a statement on Friday 5 January, writing that he had died following a “valiant battle for life” while surrounded by his loving family. Soul, who starred opposite Paul Michael Glaser as Detective Dave …

Newsweek reports: Actor John Schneider has called for the execution of President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Recently unveiled as the Masked Singer on the reality TV series of the same name, Schneider took to X. “Mr. President, I believe you are guilty of treason and should be publicly hung. Your son too. Your response is..? Sincerely, John …

The Washington Post reports: Henry A. Kissinger, a scholar, statesman and celebrity diplomat who wielded unparalleled power over U.S. foreign policy throughout the administrations of Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald Ford, and who for decades afterward, as a consultant and writer, proffered opinions that shaped global politics and business, died Nov. 29 at his home in Connecticut. He was …

NBC News reports: Rosalynn Carter, the Georgia-bred former first lady and humanitarian who championed mental health care, provided constant political counsel to her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, and modeled graceful longevity for the nation, died Sunday at her home in Plains, Georgia, according to the Carter Center. She was 96. She was widely regarded for her political shrewdness, drawing …

Variety reports: Richard Roundtree, an icon of Blaxploitation film who starred as detective John Shaft in Gordon Parks’ 1971 action thriller, died Tuesday afternoon after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81 years old. Roundtree was a leading man from the very start of his lifetime in screen acting. After beginning his career in modeling, he secured “Shaft” …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Suzanne Somers, the Emmy nominee and star of hit shows like Three’s Company and She’s The Sheriff, has died. She was 76. Somers’ longtime publicist R. Couri Hay shared a statement on behalf of the actress’ family on Sunday with the news that she had passed away from breast cancer peacefully at her home in Palm …

NPR reports: The popular singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett died on Friday after living with Merkel cell skin cancer for four years, according to an announcement posted to his website on Sunday. “He continued to perform during treatment, playing his last show, a surprise appearance in Rhode Island, in early July,” the post read. Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare form of …

The Associated Press reports: Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who popularized beach bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavored song “Margaritaville” and turned that celebration of loafing into an empire of restaurants, resorts and frozen concoctions, has died. He was 76. “Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” a statement posted …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Cindy Williams, the energetic actress who appeared in a pair of Oscar best picture nominees before starring as the idealistic Shirley Feeney on the beloved ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley, has died. She was 75. Williams died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement …

The Associated Press reports: Loretta Lynn, the Kentucky coal miner’s daughter whose frank songs about life and love as a woman in Appalachia pulled her out of poverty and made her a pillar of country music, has died. She was 90. In a statement provided to The Associated Press, Lynn’s family said she died Tuesday at her home in Hurricane …

Variety reports: Larry Storch, the comedic character actor who also did voiceover work and impressions and was best known for his role as Corporal Randolph Agarn on “F Troop,” has died. He was 99. Storch was a familiar face on TV shows throughout the 1960s and ’70s — he starred in the 1970s children’s show “The Ghost Busters” and appeared …

The New York Times reports: Meat Loaf, the larger-than-life rocker whose 1977 album “Bat Out of Hell” was one of the best-selling albums of all time, died on Thursday. He was 74. His death was confirmed by his manager, Michael Greene. A statement on the musician’s Facebook page said his wife was by his side and his friends had been …

The New York Times reports: Bruce Springsteen has sold his music rights to Sony Music Entertainment in what may well be the biggest transaction ever struck for a single artist’s body of work, according to two people briefed on the deal. The arrangement, which has been gossiped about in music industry circles for weeks, includes both Springsteen’s recorded music catalog …