Category Archives: ’50s

Inga Swenson, ‘Benson’s’ Tough Cookie Kraus, Dies @ 90

Inga Swenson, the Broadway star who played stern Kraus on the sitcom Benson, died July 23 at 90. A memorable Golden Girls guest star (Image via video still) THR confirmed with her son, Mark Harris, that she died in hospice care. Born December 29, 1932, in Omaha, she studied under Alvina Krause at Northwestern. She also…
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Tony Bennett, Masterful Pop Interpreter, Dies @ 96

July 21, 2023 One of the all-time greats. (Image via vintage still) Tony Bennett, the vintage crooner who re-established himself in old age as an eternally hip American original, died Friday at 96 after battling Alzheimer's disease. Bennett had been dealing with the illness since 2016, yet carried on performing and recording until 2021, when…
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Aretha Franklin’s Will Validated, Joan Collins on YOUNG Men & More

July 11, 2023 Links to the past, with relevance today: Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul, but not very good at wills. (Images via news reports & Interview Magazine) NYT: When Aretha Franklin died at 76, her family thought she'd left no will. Turns out she left TWO wills, both handwritten, neither prepared by…
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Alan Arkin, ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ Oscar Winner, Dies @ 89

June 30, 2023 Alan Arkin, the esteemed actor of stage and screen who won the Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, died June 29 at 89, his family confirms. His most famous role. (GIF via GIPHY) His three sons told People magazine: "Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and…
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Schooling Those Sharing an Anti-Feminist Meme

June 19, 2023 The image reveals three lovely young women in '50s-looking skirts and sweaters, all made up, their hair styled, and striding confidently to the camera. How 'bout we asked these women if times were better in 1960?! (Image via meme) The meme harps on the fact that the seemingly conservative women — "no…
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Barry Newman, ‘Vanishing Point’ Star, Dies @ 92

June 4, 2023 Vanishing Point actor Barry Newman died May 11 at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center, ExtraTV reports. With co-star Susan Howard (b. 1944) in a scene from Petrocelli (Image via NBC) Though all online sources listed him as having been 84, his widow, Angela, confirmed he was actually 92. Newman was born…
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George Maharis, Eternally Handsome ‘Route 66’ Star, Dies @ 94

May 27, 2023 George Maharis, who played Buz Murdock on Route 66 from 1960-1963, died Wednesday, May 24, at 94. Maharis never lost his trademark looks. (Image via handout) His death, according to ExtraTV, was confirmed by a close friend. Maharis was a sensation on the series opposite co-star Martin Milner (1931-2015), but departed after…
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Ed Ames of ‘Daniel Boone’ & Ames Brothers Fame Dies @ 95

Singer and actor Ed Ames, whose poor marksmanship with a tomahawk made for the most hilarious Tonight Show blooper, died at his L.A. home on May 21, Variety reports. Ames's music was counterprogramming during the hippie era. (Image via RCA) He was 95. Ames played Mingo, a Native American, on TV's Daniel Boone (1964-1968), though he…
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