Rolling Obituary Thread 2026

The thread of the dead.

James Grauerholz, William S. Burroughs' longtime assistant/manager/editor/everything else. When I called Burroughs in Kansas to request an interview as a high school student, I spoke to Grauerholz. (Didn't get the interview.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3atJxdNJGc

(xpost)

Legendary Japanese psych-rock guitarist Munehiro Narita (High Rise, etc.).

Damn shame I never saw him live.

co-founder of Sega Games David Rosen, 95
(also a pilot in the Korean War!)

Andrew Bodnar, bassist for (Graham Parker &) the Rumour who also appeared on Nick Lowe's "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" with Bob Andrews (both got a co-writing credit), Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives," The Pretenders' Learning to Crawl, and a few of Garland Jeffreys's best records.

correction, he played on the Pretenders' cover of "Thin Line Between Love and Hate," not the entire album

Molly Parkin, painter novelist and journalist, 93

Andrew Bodnar was a favorite of mine, RIP :( Glad I got to see one of the Rumour reunion shows.

biographer/author Michael Schumacher, aged 75

i’d forgotten all about molly parkin. i used to have some sort of vague ongoing connection with her - it must have been back when i worked in a bookshop.

Béla Tarr

Only 70, I had assumed he was quite a bit older

Dunno why you would associate him with longevity

Bye bye Béla

damn, one of the greats imo. RIP Bela

RIP Béla, I will endeavour to actually watch Sátántangó this year in your honour. I've only had it on DVD for what, ten years?

RIP

RIP, Werckmeister Harmonies would be in my top 10 films of this century. One of these days I'll rewatch Sátántangó too.

I've got the Curzon box and have been trying to motivate myself enough to crack it open. Guess this is it.

i had about half the curzon box on £5 dvds from fopp so i didn't bother, but there's a lot of non-feature extras and it's a bump in quality. expensive though.

So did I but mine was a present so yay for me I guess.

Extremely sad news to wake up to. I'm glad he lived long enough to see his all of his work return to circulation in spectacular quality - it used be so difficult to see his films and even more difficult to do so in decent quality. (One of my most memorable filmgoing experiences was seeing Sátántangó in 35mm at Lincoln Center, years after the DVD fell out-of-print and years before it was finally restored in 4K.)

Only 70, I had assumed he was quite a bit older

I saw him at his last NYC appearance 16 months ago, and I was stunned how unhealthy he looked. In 2011, he was at the NYFF to present his final film, and on that gorgeous, unseasonably warm October afternoon, he walked onstage and said "what are you doing here? It's beautiful outside!" He looked great striding along with the ponytail and the shades on his head.

In fact, you can see him here at the free talk he gave at the festival (maybe even the same day):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxHNl2H8IO0

Now flash forward to June 2023, and he looked frail and physically unsteady, hunched over and tremoring while using a cane. I would've guessed he was easily in his 70s, maybe in his 80s. (He was 68.)

But he was still as sharp as ever and still had the same fire - when someone asked about making a film, he got worked up, whipped out his iPhone and basically said: "You have THIS in your pocket. You don't need anything else, just fucking make your movie and don't let anyone else tell you that you can't."

Afterwards he sat outside, smoking another cigarette (I'm guessing he never cut back) and when people asked him to sign their DVD's, he agreed while saying "promise not to sell this, I already saw one script I signed yesterday on fucking eBay."

He was never going to make another movie, but he was dedicated to mentoring and teaching new and uncompromising filmmakers. An Elephant Sitting Still is perhaps the best film made from one such filmmaker, though sadly the same person committed suicide before it ever saw release.)

(IIRC that free talk was probably the same day and before his film was scheduled to play - he probably gave the talk and walked over to Alice Tully afterwards. The NYFF's schedule is usually packed pretty tight that way.)

Martin Chivers, footballer.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/07/martin-chivers-former-tottenham-england-southampton-striker-dies-aged-80

Aldrich Ames, CIA agent who spied for the Soviet Union - died in prison, aged 84

The NYT obituary for Ames is a very entertaining read in its vociferousness. RIP to all those people Ames exposed

Michael Reagan

Rest In Piss

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the city's paper of record.

(Actually, it won't officially die until May 3.)

Just read about Bob Pulford, a Leaf mainstay when I was a kid and watched hockey:

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/01/06/bob-pulford-the-engine-of-the-maple-leaf-dynasty-in-the-1960s/

In the HOF, too. 16 seasons, never more than 30 goals, never fewer than 10.

Terry Yorath, ex dirty Leeds scum

I used to deal with him when I worked in the bookies when he was Jacko's assistant. He was such a rude, arrogant glowering presence. If you knocked him back on a price that had gone his puce bald head would start glowing an even brighter shade of puce. Horrible guy. tbh.

So RIP then?

Looked like a serious boozer to me.

peace was not a word to associate with Tel!

oh he was a boozer, in fact he was let go during his last period at Town for a drink driving incident

Actually from late 2025:

Marcia Rodd, actress who was very memorable (actually unbelievable) in Alan Arkin's Little Murders (1971) which was her film debut after doing Broadway, and was also acclaimed for her work in Jonathon Demme's Handle with Care, aka Citizens Band (1977), 87.

Yorath's son died in front of him aged 15 and he, being an unreconstructed man of a certain age, decided on drinking rather than counselling (according to a clip I just saw there).

Gabby Logan is his daughter and that's why she disappeared in the middle of MOTD last night.

Marcia Rodd also played Maude's daughter Carol in the All In The Family episode that was a backdoor pilot for Maude, but quit after the show was picked up for series and was replaced by Adrienne Barbeau.

I used to deal with him when I worked in the bookies when he was Jacko's assistant. He was such a rude, arrogant glowering presence. If you knocked him back on a price that had gone his puce bald head would start glowing an even brighter shade of puce. Horrible guy. tbh.

― calzino, Thursday, 8 January 2026 11:17 (seven hours ago)

So RIP then?

― Wilfried Nuance (Tom D.), Thursday, 8 January 2026 11:25 (seven hours ago)

Rest in puce, surely?

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/movies/bahram-beyzaie-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DVA.y69j.Vha3CKOF6pCF&smid=nytcore-ios-share

RIP Bahram Beyzaie, pioneer in Iranian film and theatre

T.K. Carter, best known for playing Nauls in The Thing

Bob Weir

British character actor Derek Martin.

Lovely memory here from The Curious Orange.

Farewell Derek Martin. R.I.P.

Derek once came in to do a Fat Fighters sketch. Marjorie introduces him to the group, "he plays a character from EastEnders, but not one of the main ones". Derek roared with laughter. He was a really good sport & top bloke.https://t.co/6zozl0Da6R

— Paul Putner (@RealPaulPutner) January 11, 2026

92! I had not idea he was that old.

The thumbnail made me think Matt Lucas had died and was somehow 92.

erich von däniken (90)

https://childofatlantis.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/img_0141.png

Country singer John Anderson, 71. Blond guy, deep voice, had a bunch of hits I'm sure.

― wipes chooser (unperson), Thursday, October 22, 2026 12:53 AM (twenty-one hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Correction: Anderson's voice was not all that deep. I was confusing him with Alan Jackson, I think.

― wipes chooser (unperson), Thursday, October 22, 2026 12:55 AM (twenty-one hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

"Swingin'" was his song iirc. RIP.

― Abbott and Costello Meet Wittgenstein's Mistress (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, October 22, 2026 1:28 AM (twenty hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

"She Just Started Liking Cheatin' Songs" was another good one.

― Abbott and Costello Meet Wittgenstein's Mistress (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, October 22, 2026 1:29 AM (twenty hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Aw, that's a loss. I greatly enjoyed his 2020 album; "I'm Still Hanging On" was something of a lockdown-era anthem for me.

Yeah, the first time I remember seeing Tom Skerritt in anything was as Evan Drake. Just really perfect in that role, as this not unkind, but totally disinterested crush object for Rebecca.

Picket Fences was great, I watched it pretty religiously at the time when I was in high school & uni

Dunno if it holds up now though. But it was pretty popular at the time!

I wonder if it holds up better than northern exposure, gave that one a shot recently and tapped out pretty fast. Might’ve stayed with it except for the fact that it’s a show from the 90s and therefore it wasn’t 30-40 episodes but rather 110.

Ron Duguay, NHL star and Sarah Palin's boyfriend

Great Skerritt interview Bilge Ebiri did a few years back that he reshared, gift link:

https://www.vulture.com/2021/10/tom-skerritt-has-a-story-to-tell.html?view_token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6ImVKWUx2bllOS0MiLCJwIjoiLzIwMjEvMTAvdG9tLXNrZXJyaXR0LWhhcy1hLXN0b3J5LXRvLXRlbGwuaHRtbCIsImV4cCI6MTc5MzkwNzAzMCwiaWF0IjoxNzkyNjk3NDMwfQ.Pmn4vptaGZQcfOjwB0C3hO7jGmBnFde4rONTvtHvjA4&utm_medium=gift_link

Picket Fences apparently won the Emmy for Best Drama twice - not even NYPD Blue or ER matched that despite much greater popularity and longevity.

rip tom skerritt

among similar Guys, scott glenn is now in his late 80s

Yeah, the first time I remember seeing Tom Skerritt in anything was as Evan Drake. Just really perfect in that role, as this not unkind, but totally disinterested crush object for Rebecca.

ngl when I first heard the news I misinterpreted it as being about Tom Berenger, another Rebecca Howe beau.

Although I've seen Alien a number of times, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Skerrit's name is the early viral video, Shoes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCF3ywukQYA

dónal lunny

novelist Ryu Murakami 74. wrote Audition, Almost Transparent Blue, In The Miso Soup amongst others

I really wish the Picket Fences/X-Files crossover episode (which ended up as "Red Museum") had happened

RIP R. Murakami, can't wait for all the "Japanese novelist Murakami dies" confusion. Almost Transparent Blue is great, haven't read more than about 4 or 5 of his voluminous total output though.

Derrick Harriott, rocksteady and reggae singer & producer, has died at the age of 87.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20261024/derrick-harriott-pioneering-reggae-singer-and-producer-has-died

RIP

Rest in Peace.

His nephew Duane is a NYC DJ mainstay/ex Other Music employee. I didn’t know much about his uncles history but was delighted to hear him mentioned in the Andrew Hickey podcast.

Duane is also a WFMU guy and sometime collaborator with Captain Jay Vee up here I should add!

Custom Car & Toy Designer Tom Daniel

https://imodeler.com/2026/10/im-memory-of-tom-daniel/

https://www.nashvillescene.com/music/nashvillecream/lorenzo-washington-obituary-jefferson-street-sound-museum-nashville/article_f9b47219-443f-43ca-8a4b-baa177b4d13f.html

Lorenzo Washington ran the Jefferson St Sound Museum that archived Black music history in Nashville

P. Inman, an interesting and singular poet of the “iinovative” variety, passed last week, according to his son.

Inman’s wife, the poet Tina Darragh, passed earlier this year

NPR host Noah Adams. I grew up on his voice.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/24/business/media/noah-adams-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.LlE.SeM2.NDIcrPWABi55&smid=url-share

Eric Bauza. This really sucks. He was a genuinely great voice actor, up there with Mel Blanc and Billy West, apparently he did pretty much *all* the voices in the last two (extremely good) Looney Tunes movies, in addition he was such a nice and accomodating dude. I've seen him pop up on a few podcasts (including Office Hours) and he was so genuine and fun, just had a way of disarming people...man, what a loss

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/eric-bauza-voice-bugs-bunny-daffy-duck-porky-pig-dies-46-rcna605663

Walter Koenig, as reported by what looks like a reputable source here: https://bsky.app/profile/jessethorn.bsky.social/post/3mys2nxdi622w

Oh no!

xxp Bauza— only 46! 😟

pittsburgh rock legend donnie iris ('ah! leah!'), 83

;_; Rip Donnie

The Jaggerz.

was in Wild Cherry for a bit too

Oh man, "Ah! Leah!" was literally the first 45 I ever bought. That was right when I had started listening to pop and rock radio, I loved that song. I never heard much else by him, there was another song that got some airplay that I don't even remember. But Leah is all-time.

when the brits wake up this will be their version of 'americans when a slade sideman dies'

nevertheless here's donnie doing, at age 66 on a riverboat in pittsburgh, a slow-burn -> straight-up version of 'ah! leah!'. that shit never got old for him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2tuTi5tkSI

<3

Tetsuya Chiba 74, legendary sports manga artist including drawing Ashita no Joe

when the brits wake up this will be their version of 'americans when a slade sideman dies'

Not quite, there are some Americans who've heard of Slade.

fair

Plus they are all alive

RIP Walter Koenig, I did think he was already dead. I probably saw more of him in Babylon 5 than the original Star Trek, but he is great in B5.

Plus they are all alive

gud 4 them

Susan Saint James, 80

loved her in Kate & Allie tbh

I think I've seen all the McMillan & Wifes, which are slightly daffy comfort viewing

I bought the dvd set of McMillan & Wife at a thrift shop a few years back, based on some wholly unspecific fond memories of watching the show in reruns when I was young, although even then I suspect I may be mixing it up with Hart to Hart. It’s something I’ll get to once I’ve thoroughly exhausted Columbo and Monk.

Never watched Kate & Allie but when I saw the headline “Kate & Allie star dies” on my phone this morning my mind went to Jane Curtain.

To be fair, Saint James and Curtin had previously costarred in How to Beat the High Cost of Living (alongside Jessica Lange!), which unfortunately isn't half as good as that cast and premise suggests.

Willowy. So, so willowy.

xp That same year, Gilda Radner was in a similarly "should've been great" type film with a stacked cast called First Family. The Curtin/Saint James film is actually the much better of the two.

God, I saw First Family with my parents on Christmas Day, the day it came out, when I was nine years old, and it was the first experience of something that looked great on paper (Newhart, Kahn, Radner, Fred Willard, Rip Torn) and was and remains the worst movie I've ever seen.

Never saw How to Beat..., but classic poster:

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/film-poster/9/4/5/5/8/94558-how-to-beat-the-high-cost-of-living-0-600-0-900-crop.jpg?v=b65d27f473

Plus they are all alive

Not only that---Dave Hill's got his debut solo album of songs about people who meant a lot in his life: Dirty Foot Lane, named for a road in the area where he lived as a kid and does once again, or always has, mebbe:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8dx3rkl131wo