Four more losses to reflect on here, early Spring 2026…
These 4 guys were a songwriter and singer noted for writing “Angel of the Morning” and “Wild Thing”; a musician, one half of Seals & Croft; a keyboardist and founding member of Ambrosia; and a character actor best known for Top Gun and Back to the Future.
He was raised in a literate and cultured environment that fostered his early interest in writing and performance.
Wallace Shawn, born November 12, 1943, in New York City, is an American actor, playwright, and essayist known for his distinctive voice, intellectual wit, and sharp social commentary. The son of longtime New Yorker editor William Shawn and journalist Cecille Lyon Shawn, he was raised in a literate and cultured environment that fostered his early interest in writing and performance.
Willock’s easygoing manner and sharp delivery soon brought him to Hollywood.
Dave Willock was born on August 13, 1909, in The Bronx, New York, and grew up during an era when vaudeville and the early days of film comedy were shaping the entertainment landscape. Little is documented about his formal education, but from a young age he displayed a talent for humor and timing that led him into performance work. By the late 1930s he had begun carving out a place for himself in show business, first on stage and then in film.
Served in the United States Army during World War II.
Wallace Maynard “Wally” Cox was born in Detroit on December 6, 1924, and spent parts of his childhood in Evanston, Illinois and New York City, where he became a close lifelong friend of Marlon Brando; he graduated from Denby High School in Detroit, attended City College of New York, served briefly (about four months) in the United States Army during World War II, and after his discharge studied at
He served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant aboard the submarine USS Tirante (SS-420), receiving the Silver Star for gallantry.
Theodore Carroll “Theo” Marcuse born August 2, 1920, was an American character actor best known for formidable, often villainous turns across 1950s–60s film and television; born in Seattle and raised in San Francisco, he studied dramatic arts at Stanford University, where he was active on stage and later reported to have earned a master’s in classical literature before turning professional in theater under Guthrie McClintic alongside players such as Charlton Heston and touring in Medea in the late 1940s;
He served as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, where he wrote and performed music for morale-boosting shows.
Bobby Troup, born Robert Wesley Troup Jr., October 18, 1918, was an American jazz pianist, singer, songwriter, actor, and composer best known for writing the iconic song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” as well as “Daddy,” which became a hit for Sammy Kaye, and “The Girl Can’t Help It,” made famous by Little Richard; he was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
He served in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1961 before launching his professional acting career.
Anthony Jared Zerbe (born May 20, 1936, in Long Beach, California) is an American actor known for his intense and versatile performances on stage, television, and film. The son of Arthur LeVan Zerbe and Catherine Scurlock, he grew up in California,
She is survived by her grandchildren, including singer Joseph Williams of Toto.
Lurene Susie Tuttle (August 29, 1907 – May 28, 1986) was an acclaimed American actress whose versatile career across vaudeville, radio, film, television, and coaching earned her the title “First Lady of Radio.” Born in Pleasant Lake, Indiana, into a theatrical family—her grandfather ran an opera house and her father performed in minstrel shows—she was raised in Arizona and California, where a drama coach in Glendale inspired her to pursue acting.
A face and a voice you will remember!
Allan Melvin was an American character actor whose warm voice and affable screen presence made him a familiar face on television from the 1950s through the 1980s. He was born on February 18, 1923, in Kansas City, Missouri, but grew up in New York City. His early interest in the performing arts led him to Columbia University, where he majored in journalism and played on the football team.
He rose to prominence in 1962 with his chilling performance as Edwin Flagg in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Victor Charles Buono was born on February 3, 1938, in San Diego, California, to Myrtle and Victor F. Buono, the latter a former police officer who was later convicted of conspiracy and murder in 1959. Buono attended St. Augustine High School and became involved with San Diego’s Globe Theater Players, where he gained experience in Shakespearean drama. Though sometimes reported to have attended military school or Northwestern University,
