Monday, November 10, 2008

Dead Page: Blighted Gardner-- JFK's Photographer-- Dinosaur Guy-- Under the Boardwalk

November Deaths


VELMA JOHNSON 1946-2008

Her group turned blighted spots of Chicago's North Lawndale Neighborhood into bright spots.

As president of the North Lawndale Greening Committee, she and her volunteers filled more than a dozen vacant and debris-strewn lots with flowers, vegetables, walking paths, and benches.

She was a career postal worker. This part of Chicago is what is referred to as a really bad neighborhood, dangerous for passers-through and those who live there. Her efforts helped improve the situation and I hope others will take up her work.


CECIL STOUGHTON 1920-2008

JFKs Photographer. First White House Cameraman who took famous picture after assassination.

Cecil Stoughton took the famous photo of Lyndon Johnson being sworn in as president on board Air Force One. A stunned Jacqueline Kennedy stood beside him.

His photographs of the Kennedy White House helped create the aura of what later became known as Camelot. He was an Army captain in 1961, when he was picked to photograph daily life in the White House. In all, he shot about 12,000 pictures during the Kennedy years.


MICHAEL CRICHTON 1942-2008

Screenwriter and author of "Jurassic Park" and "The Andromeda Strain." Also, the popular TV series "ER" is based on his work.



RAY ELLIS 1923-2008

Pop music arranger and writer who worked with the Four Lads, Bobby Darin and others.

Arranged music for Four Lads' "Standing on a Corner" and "Moments to Remember;" "Splish Splash" and Dream Lover" for Bobby Darin; and "Where the Boys Are" for Connie Francis.

Working with Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records, he arranged R&B classics such as Ben E. King's "Spanish Harlem" and the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk."

In 1958, he arranged Billie Holiday's last two albums.

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