David Warren invented the "black box" flight voice recorder used on airplanes to reconstruct flight information after a crash. He came up with the idea after investigating the world's first commercial airline crash in 1953.
He thought it would be useful for investigators to have voice recordings of the cockpit crew in the event of a crash. Although he built his prototype in 1956, it took several years before they were installed in commercial airliners around the world.
Mr Warren,85, died on July 18. 2010 at his home in Australia. His father was killed in a plane crash in 1934.
Mr Warren was the principal research scientist at the Defense Science and Technology Organization's Aeronautical Research Laboratory in Australia from 1952-1983.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Bob Sheppard - Yankees Announcer
Bob Sheppard served as the public address announcer at Yankee Stadium for 55 seasons. During that time from 1956-2005, he was a constant at over 4,500 regular season games. There were also 121 postseason games and 62 games in 22 World Series.
Mr Sheppard, 99, died on July 11, 2010 at his home in Baldwin, New York. He had been ill for a short time after leaving his job with the Yankees.
He will be forever known as "The Voice of God", a title given to him by Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson when he played with the team. It stuck with him the last 30 years of his career.
Mr Sheppard was a very prolific announcer. He also covered New York Giants football games from 1956-2005.
The team honored him in 2000 with a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. He was considered to be the only team employee who George Steinbrenner never yelled at.
Mr Sheppard, 99, died on July 11, 2010 at his home in Baldwin, New York. He had been ill for a short time after leaving his job with the Yankees.
He will be forever known as "The Voice of God", a title given to him by Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson when he played with the team. It stuck with him the last 30 years of his career.
Mr Sheppard was a very prolific announcer. He also covered New York Giants football games from 1956-2005.
The team honored him in 2000 with a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. He was considered to be the only team employee who George Steinbrenner never yelled at.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Ilen Woods - Voice of Cinderella
Ilen Woods, 81, was the voice of Cinderella in the 1950's Disney blockbuster animated film. She died on July 1, 2010 at a nursing home in Los Angeles from complications related to Alzheimer's disease.
As an 18 year old in 1948, she recorded a demo for an upcoming Disney feature. Two days later, she auditioned and won the featured speaking and singing role of Cinderella.
She later sang on the Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey shows in the 1950's before retiring from show business in the early 1970's.
As an 18 year old in 1948, she recorded a demo for an upcoming Disney feature. Two days later, she auditioned and won the featured speaking and singing role of Cinderella.
She later sang on the Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey shows in the 1950's before retiring from show business in the early 1970's.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Corey Allen- Played Opposite James Dean
Corey Allen played the role of a high school gang leader who got into a fight with actor James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause". His character, Buzz Gunderson, got into a losing knife fight with Dean and later died in the movie when his car plunged off a cliff.
Mr. Allen died at the age of 75 on June 25, 2010 at his home in Hollywood.
He had a number of other movie and television roles before he becoming a director in 1969. He won an Emmy in 1984 for directing an episode of "Hill Street Blues".
He also directed a two-hour pilot for "Star Trek - The Next Generation". He followed up with numerous episodes for that show as well as its sequel, "Star Trek - Deep Space Nine".
Mr. Allen died at the age of 75 on June 25, 2010 at his home in Hollywood.
He had a number of other movie and television roles before he becoming a director in 1969. He won an Emmy in 1984 for directing an episode of "Hill Street Blues".
He also directed a two-hour pilot for "Star Trek - The Next Generation". He followed up with numerous episodes for that show as well as its sequel, "Star Trek - Deep Space Nine".
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Allyn Ferguson - Composer
Allyn Ferguson was an Emmy-winning composer who co-wrote the theme songs for the 1970's television hits "Charlie Angels" and "Barney Miller". Mr Ferguson died on June 23, 2010 at the age of 85 at his home in Los Angeles.
He wrote the music scores for dozens of television episodes during the 1970's and 1980's, but was best known for "Charlie's Angels" and "Barney Miller" which he co-wrote with Jack Elliot.
The received eight Emmy nominations and won it in 1985 for the television adaption of the classic novel "Camille".
He was also the musical co-director for the Oscars, Emmy and Grammy Award shows.
He wrote the music scores for dozens of television episodes during the 1970's and 1980's, but was best known for "Charlie's Angels" and "Barney Miller" which he co-wrote with Jack Elliot.
The received eight Emmy nominations and won it in 1985 for the television adaption of the classic novel "Camille".
He was also the musical co-director for the Oscars, Emmy and Grammy Award shows.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
William Hollman - Helicopter Pilot
William Holloman was a member of the distinguished Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. The Tuskegee program was the only way Black pilots were allowed to fly.
He flew on numerous combat missions. After the war, he became a commercial pilot. He was called back to service in 1966 and became the first Black helicopter pilot during war in Viet Nam.
Mr Holloman, 85, died June 11, 2010 in Renton, Washington after suffering a heart attack. He had lived in the area for many years after growing up in St Louis.
He flew on numerous combat missions. After the war, he became a commercial pilot. He was called back to service in 1966 and became the first Black helicopter pilot during war in Viet Nam.
Mr Holloman, 85, died June 11, 2010 in Renton, Washington after suffering a heart attack. He had lived in the area for many years after growing up in St Louis.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Crispian St. Peters - British Singer
Crispian St. Peters was a British pop singer best known for his 1966 hit "Pied Piper" which reached the Top Ten in Brittan and America. He died on June 8, 2010 at his home in Swanley, Kent, England. He was 71 and had been recovering from a major stroke since 1995.
He began performing when he was 17, changing from his birth name of Robin Peter Smith to his stage name of Crispian St. Peters.
His stroke ended his 30 year singing career with a number of bands, but he continued to add to his 200 written sings.
He also scored a huge hit with his version of "You Were Always On My Mind".
He began performing when he was 17, changing from his birth name of Robin Peter Smith to his stage name of Crispian St. Peters.
His stroke ended his 30 year singing career with a number of bands, but he continued to add to his 200 written sings.
He also scored a huge hit with his version of "You Were Always On My Mind".
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Jerry Stephenson - Member of 1967 Red Sox
Jerry Stephenson pitch for seven season in the Major Leagues, compiling a 8-19 record with the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Pilots and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is best known for being a member of the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Boston Red Sox team that won the American League pennant.
Mr. Stephenson, 66, died of cancer at his home in Anaheim, California on June 6, 2010.He was signed out of high school by the Red Sox in 1961 and made his Major League debut two years later at the age of 19. Ironically, he was scouted by his father who was working for the Red Sox.
He spent five years with Boston. During the 1967 campaign, he had a 3-1 record with one save. He won a game in late August against Chicago which put the team into first place. He pitched in Game 4 of the World Series.
In 1969, he was released by the Sox and signed with Seattle. He spent a year with them before finishing his career with the Dodgers in 1970.
He spent 25 years as a scout for the Dodgers and another 14 with the Sox before retiring last October when he became ill.
Mr. Stephenson, 66, died of cancer at his home in Anaheim, California on June 6, 2010.He was signed out of high school by the Red Sox in 1961 and made his Major League debut two years later at the age of 19. Ironically, he was scouted by his father who was working for the Red Sox.
He spent five years with Boston. During the 1967 campaign, he had a 3-1 record with one save. He won a game in late August against Chicago which put the team into first place. He pitched in Game 4 of the World Series.
In 1969, he was released by the Sox and signed with Seattle. He spent a year with them before finishing his career with the Dodgers in 1970.
He spent 25 years as a scout for the Dodgers and another 14 with the Sox before retiring last October when he became ill.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Chris Haney - Developed "Trivial Pursuit"
Chris Haney developed the highly successful board game, "Trivial Pursuit", along with his friend Scott Abbott. Mr Haney died on May 31, 2010 in Toronto, Canada of undisclosed causes.
He came up with the game's idea in 1979 while working as a copy boy at The Canadian Press. While playing "Scrabble" with co-worker Scott Abbott, they discussed the concept of a trivia game.
Over the next two years, they would write 6,000 questions on their color-coded category cards. They were able to raise $40,000 in investment capital and found a small game maker to market the product.
Sales became brisk with $800 million worth of games being sold in 1984. The licensing rights change hands several times before they were bought by Hasbro in 2008.
By the time of his death, the game had sold over 100 million copies in 26 countries and 17 languages. The sales made Mr. Haney very wealthy with a portfolio of golf courses, vineyards and race horses.
He came up with the game's idea in 1979 while working as a copy boy at The Canadian Press. While playing "Scrabble" with co-worker Scott Abbott, they discussed the concept of a trivia game.
Over the next two years, they would write 6,000 questions on their color-coded category cards. They were able to raise $40,000 in investment capital and found a small game maker to market the product.
Sales became brisk with $800 million worth of games being sold in 1984. The licensing rights change hands several times before they were bought by Hasbro in 2008.
By the time of his death, the game had sold over 100 million copies in 26 countries and 17 languages. The sales made Mr. Haney very wealthy with a portfolio of golf courses, vineyards and race horses.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
John Shepherd-Baron - Invented ATM
John Shepherd-Baron, a Scotsman, was credited with inventing the automated cash dispensing machine now known as the ATM. He died in a hospital in Scotland on May 15, 2010 at the age of 84.
He conceived the idea of the ATM after being locked out of his bank and unable to obtain needed cash. His first machine was installed at a branch of Barclays in a suburb of London on June 27, 1967. Since the plastic bank card had not been invented, he used specially coated checks that were inserted into the machine, along with a personal identification number, to obtain the cash.
His initial PIN number was six digits, but was shortened to four at the urging of his wife. There are now than 1.7 million ATM machines around the world.
For his service to the banking industry, he was awarded the Officers of the Order of the British Empire in 2004.
He conceived the idea of the ATM after being locked out of his bank and unable to obtain needed cash. His first machine was installed at a branch of Barclays in a suburb of London on June 27, 1967. Since the plastic bank card had not been invented, he used specially coated checks that were inserted into the machine, along with a personal identification number, to obtain the cash.
His initial PIN number was six digits, but was shortened to four at the urging of his wife. There are now than 1.7 million ATM machines around the world.
For his service to the banking industry, he was awarded the Officers of the Order of the British Empire in 2004.
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