Godspeed Nathaniel Taylor

Actor Nathaniel Taylor, perhaps best known for playing Lamont Sanford's son Rollo on the classic sitcom Sanford and Son, died on February 27 2019 at the age of 80.The cause was a heart attack.

Nathaniel Taylor was born on March 31 1938 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was an electrician before becoming an actor and was working in that capacity at the Performing Arts Society of Los Angeles. Larry Clark, who taught film workshops at the Performing Arts Society of Los Angeles, asked him to try out for a part. He had Mr. Taylor read a few lines and then sent him to the room of fellow St. Louisan Redd Foxx. The two talked about St. Louis and eventually Mr. Taylor would be cast in the role of Rollo Larson on Sanford and Son.

Nathaniel Taylor made his film debut in Listen to the Man in 1969. On television he guest starred in the shows The Bold Ones: The Senator and The Bill Cosby Show. It was in 1972, on the first season of Sanford and Son, that Mr. Taylor first appeared in the role of Rollo Larson. He would continue to appear on the show for the rest of its run. He also made a guest appearance on the Sanford and Son spin-offs Grady and was a regular on the spin-offs Sanford Arms, and Sanford. He guest starred on the shows Adam-12, Harry O, Police Story, What's Happening!!, and 227. He would later have a recurring role on Redd Foxx's Eighties sitcom The Redd Foxx Show. He appeared in the movies Trouble Man (1972), Black Girl (1972), As Above, So Below (1973), Willie Dynamite (1974), Passing Through (1977), and The Hunter (1980). He would later teach acting and take part in community theatre.

On Sanford and Son, Rollo was often the target of Fred Sanford's scorn and even distrust. Despite this, Rollo was easily the coolest character on the show. He was streetwise and smooth talking, and always dressed in the snazziest, hippest clothes. Nathaniel Taylor played the role perfectly. Of course, Nathaniel Taylor played other roles than Rollo. On What's Happening!! he was Rerun's brother-in-law Ike, a compulsive gambler who often targeted Rerun with his humour. On The Redd Foxx Show he played Jim-Jam, the owner of the local Chinese restaurant. Nathaniel Taylor was certainly a fine actor with a gift for playing comedy. 

Godspeed #TCMParty Member Andrea Rosen

Last night #TCMParty members (including myself) received word that Andrea Rosen has died. Andrea was a long time member of #TCMParty and had met many fellow #TCMParty members at the annual Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival. Many #TCMParty members counted her as a dear friend.

I was not as close to Andrea as many of my #TCMParty friends were, but I always enjoyed interacting with her during TCMParties. She was a very sweet lady, and one who had a great sense of humour as well as incredible wit. She was always guaranteed to be on hand for Noir Alley, to the point that when Noir Alley returns March 9 it won't seem the same without her. Quite simply, to sum Andrea up in terms of the film noir she loved so much, Andrea was one classy lady.

My condolences go out to her husband Richard and her many friends in the TCM community.

Black Oscar Winners Before 1990

Even now it is clear that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has some progress to make with regards to diversity. A prime example of this is the In Memoriam segment of the recently held 91st Academy Awards. Aretha Franklin, who may well have been the single biggest name to die last year, was omitted from the In Memoriam segment, despite having appeared in several movies. Mexican American actress Vanessa Marquez was left out of the In Memoriam segment despite a petition with 8700 signatures encouraging the Academy to include her, as well as numerous letters, phone calls,and emails. Sadly, despite several people of colour that could have been included in the In Memoriam segment, it seemed to be primarily filled with white faces.

Of course, it must be admitted that the Academy has made progress in the past few years. This was the first time in Oscars history that the majority of Oscars in the acting categories went to people of colour. People of colour won other major awards as well. The incredible Ruth Carter won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Black Panther (2018), becoming the first African American woman to ever win in that category. Legendary director Spike Lee won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlacKkKlansman (2018), his first ever Oscar win. Over the years blacks, in particular, have made great strides with regards to the Academy Awards. Unfortunately this has been the result of a very slow process that has taken literally decades.

The first ever African American to win an Oscar was also the first ever African American ever nominated. At the 12th Academy Awards in 1940, Hattie McDaniel won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind. Sadly, Miss McDaniel was not treated with the respect one would expect of an Oscar nominated actress. The 12th Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. At the time the Cocoanut Grove did not allow blacks, so that producer David O. Selznick had to petition the nightclub for Hattie McDaniel to be allowed to attend the awards. To make matters worse, Miss McDaniel was not permitted to sit at the Gone with the Wind table alongside her white co-stars, but was instead taken to a small table against a wall where she sat with her date F.P. Yober, and her white agent, William Meiklejohn.

It would literally be years before another black actor won an Oscar. It was in 1964 that Sir Sidney Poitier became the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 36th Academy Awards and only the second black actor to win an Academy Award . It was for his role as Homer Smith in Lillies of the Field (1963). Fortunately, Mr. Poitier was treated much better in 1964 than Hattie McDaniel had been in 1940. Sir Sidney Poitier would later win  a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.

Even after Sir Sidney Poitier won an Oscar in 1964, it would be several years before another black artist would win an Academy Award. At the 44th Academy Awards in 1972, Isaac Hayes won the Oscar for Best Original Song for  the "Theme from Shaft".  It would be over ten years before another African American would win an Oscar. It was at the 55th Academy Awards in 1983 that Louis Gossett Jr. became the first male African American to win the award for Best Supporting Actor. It was for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982). To go off topic a bit, it was for the same movie that Buffy Sainte-Marie became the first indigenous woman to win an Academy Award. It was for Best Original Song for "Up Where We Belong". She shared the award with co-writers Jack Nitzsche and Will Jennings.

The Eighties would finally see a good deal of progress for black artists with regards to the Oscars. In 1984, at the 56th Academy Awards, Irene Cara became the first black woman to win the Oscar for Best Original Song for "Flashdance..What a Feeling" for the movie Flashdance (1983), an award that she shared with her co-writers Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey. In 1985, at the 57th Academy Awards, Stevie Wonder won Best Song for "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red (1984). That same year Prince won the Oscar for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain (1984). In 1986 Lionel Ritchie won the award for Best Original Song for "Say You, Say Me" from the movie White Nights (1985). In 1987 Herbie Hancock became the first African American to win the Oscar for Best Original Score, which he won for the movie Round Midnight (1986). In 1989 Willie D. Burton became the first black winner of the Oscar for Best Sound, sharing the award with Les Fresholtz, Dick Alexander, and Vern Poore for the movie Bird (1988). Mr. Burton would win the award a second time in 2007 for the movie Dreamgirls (2006). The year 1990 would see two more black artists win, both for the movie Glory (1989). Denzel Washington won Best Supporting Actor for the movie and later won for Best Actor for Training Day (2001) in 2002. Russell Williams III won Best Sound for Glory, sharing the award with Donald O. Mitchell, Gregg Rudloff, and Elliot Tyson.

Since the Nineties several black actors and other artists have won Oscars, showing great progress since the Golden Age of Hollywood when Hattie McDaniel was the only black person to ever win an Academy Award and was not even permitted to sit at the same table as her co-stars. Sadly, such strides have not been made for other groups of ethnicities. Merle Oberon (who was part Indian and part Maori) remains the only Asian to ever be nominated for Best Actress. No one of Asian descent has ever been nominated for Best Actor. The Academy has a similarly poor track record with regards to Latinos, Edward James Olmos remaining the only Latino to ever be nominated for Best Actor. The Academy has an ever worse track record with regards to the indigenous peoples of North America. To this day Chief Dan George and Graham Greene remain the only male Natives nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Chief Dan George for Little Big Man and Graham Greene for Dances with Wolves). Yalitza Aparicio is the only indigenous woman nominated for Best Actress, for the movie Roma. While the Academy has made great strides with regards to diversity, it is clear that they have much further to go.

Why I Am Angry About the In Memoriam Segment During the Oscars Telecast

Every year, on the day after the Oscars ceremony, I usually do a review of the ceremony itself. That isn't happening this year. Like many classic film buffs I was disappointed and angry at the many people omitted in this year's In Memoriam segment that aired during the telecast. In my case I was so disappointed and angry that I missed much of the rest of the ceremony. I had to look up who won Best Actor this year on the internet.

As to the primary source of my disappointment and anger, I think those who know me and those who read this blog probably know what it is. Quite simply, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences omitted my dearest Vanessa Marquez from the In Memoriam segment. They did this despite a petition to include her in the In Memoriam segment during the telecast having reached 8700 signatures. This petition was well publicised, with stories on it in such sources as The Los Angeles Times and Deadline. I know for a fact that the Academy received multiple letters, emails, and phone calls urging them to include Vanessa in the In Memoriam. I wrote the Academy a letter myself and signed another that had 59 other signatures. Not only did several people express their frustration at the Academy for having omitted Vanessa from the In Memoriam on Twitter and elsewhere, but several news sources, including The Los Angeles Times, Variety, and yet others noted her omission.

Now I know that many people will point out that I am biased with regards to Vanessa. After all, my feelings for her are no secret, not even in Hollywood. That having been said, I think there are some very good reasons that the Academy should have included Vanessa Marquez. First, Vanessa was a remarkably talented actress. She had a talent for transforming herself into any character she chose, and played such diverse roles as Ana Delgado in Stand and Deliver (1988), Melanie in Twenty Bucks (1993), and Nurse Wendy Goldman on ER. In every single review I have read of various plays in which she appeared, even when the play itself might not have been reviewed favourably, Vanessa was singled out for praise. Second, Vanessa was a true pioneer with regards to Latina actresses. At the time that Vanessa's career was flourishing, there was very little in the way of representation of Latinas in film and television. When she appeared on ER, Vanessa was one of the few Latinas to appear regularly on American television. What is more, Vanessa played non-stereotypical roles. Never in her career did she play a part that could be described as a stereotype. Third, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has historically had a problem with diversity, particularly with regards to Latinxs, Native Americans, and Asians. Vanessa Marquez is not the first Latina to be snubbed with regards to the In Memoriam segment that aired during the telecast by a long shot. In 2013 the Academy omitted Lupe Ontiveros from the In Memoriam segment, despite a career that spanned nearly 45 years. It is to be noted that those who were included in last night's In Memoriam segment were mostly white. If the Academy truly wanted to prove they have no problems with diversity, they should have included Vanessa and other people of colour in last night's In Memoriam.

While the Academy ultimately chose not to include Vanessa in the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars telecast, I would like to thank everyone who signed and shared the petition to include her in the In Memoriam. I would also like to thank everyone who wrote letters and emails to the Academy, and made phone calls to the Academy. In particular I would like to thank actress Lydia Nicole (who set up the petition to begin with), #TCMParty co-founder Paula Guthat (who alongside myself tweeted it regularly since October), the cast of Stand and Deliver (who promoted it and got it out to a wider audience), actress Julie Carmen (who tweeted it several times), and everyone who supported adding Vanessa to the In Memoriam in some way, shape, or form. Vanessa always seemed to think that she was underappreciated as an actress. I always told her that she was wrong, that people not only appreciated her, but loved her. I am glad to say that the campaign to get Vanessa added to the In Memoriam telecast has proven once and for all that Vanessa was very much appreciated and loved by many around the world. 

Of course, my beloved Vanessa Marquez was in good company in being omitted from the In Memoriam segment of last night's Oscars telecast. Many were outraged that the legendary Carol Channing was omitted from the In Memoriam. While Miss Channing appeared in only a few films, the films in which she appeared were significant and she was a long-time supporter of the Academy. They also excluded Stanley Donen, the director of such legendary films as Singin' in the Rain and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. While Mr. Donen died only recently, today we have the technology to edit film and video very swiftly. Indeed, I could have added Mr. Donen here at home with the video editing software I have! Even if they did not have time to add Stanley Donen, they could have at least mentioned him prior to the In Memoriam segment. They also excluded legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who appeared in several films and probably had a greater impact on popular culture than many who were included. As to yet others who did not appear in last night's In Memoriam segment, they include Julie Adams, Joseph Campanella, Mary Carlisle, Dick Miller, Abe Vigoda, and yet others. Despite this, the Academy had plenty of time to include publicists and agents in the In Memoriam segment that even Academy members in the auditorium probably did not recognise. Sister Celluloid has an extensive list of those who were omitted in the In Memoriam on her blog.

What makes the omissions during this year's In Memoriam segment all the more worse is that people have been complaining about beloved actors, actresses, and directors being omitted during In Memoriam segments for literally years.  Indeed, in 2013 they omitted such heavyweights as Harry Carey Jr., Andy Griffith, Dorothy McGuire, and Ann Rutherford. Every year the Academy omits people from the In Memoriam segment, and every year viewers are outraged. You would have thought they would have learned by now.

The past many years both ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have been concerned about the falling ratings of the Oscars ceremony. Quite frankly, I think much of the reason ratings have been falling is the omissions during the In Memoriam. I know a few people who have entirely stopped watching the Oscars simply because they have grown increasingly angry about the many omissions during the In Memoriam segment. What the Academy ought to realise is that the In Memoriam segment should be made for the viewers at home, not members of the Academy. That means that they should include people that the viewers know and love, such as Carol Channing, Aretha Franklin, and Julie Adams. And when a petition for someone like my beloved Vanessa reaches 8700 signatures and receives nationwide coverage in the press, they should be sure to include her in the In Memoriam segment. What the Academy has to realise is that when they omit someone that the audience loves and respects, the audience is likely to take it as a personal insult. They can always omit the publicists and agents. Believe me, no one in the audience will notice.

The Late Great Stanley Donen

Every classic film buff has his or her favourite directors. Among mine numbers Stanley Donen. Both with Gene Kelly and on his own, Mr. Donen directed some of my favourite movies: Singin' in the Rain (1952), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Charade (1963), and Bedazzled (1967).  And while he directed some of the greatest movie musicals in film history, Stanley Donen was versatile. Over the years he directed everything from comedies (such as The Grass is Greener) to dramas (Two for the Road). Stanley Donen died on Feburary 21 2019 at the age of 94.

Stanley Donen was born on April 13 1924 in Columbia, South Carolina. Young Mr. Donen faced anti-Semitism growing up and found refuge in movie theatres. Among the films to have an impact on him in his childhood was Flying Down to Rio (1933) . In an interview he said that he must have seen it thirty or forty times. His love of the film would lead him to take dance lessons and he would even perform at the Town Theatre in Columbia. While on summer vacations he would visit New York City where he also took dance lessons and watched various Broadway musicals. Mr. Donen graduated high school when he was 16 and then enrolled at the University of South Carolina for a single, summer semester.

His mother encouraged him to pursue his dreams of being a dancer, and so he moved to New York City. There he made his Broadway debut in Pal Joey (1940) as one of the dancers. It was there that he met the man who would be his frequent collaborator, Gene Kelly. Stanley Donen then appeared in Best Foot Forward on Broadway, on which he served as assistant stage manager. MGM bought the rights to Best Foot Forward and Stanley Donen appeared in a small role in the 1943 film adaptation and served as an assistant to dance director Jack Donohue. Stanley Donen moved to Hollywood and it was there that he resumed his friendship with Gene Kelly. Over the next few years Stanley Donen would serve as assistant choreographer on Cover Girl (1944) and Hey, Rookie (1944), and as a choreographer on Jam Session (1944), Kansas City Kitty (1945),  Holiday in Mexico (1946), No Leave, No Love (1946), This Time for Keeps (1947), Killer McCoy (1947), Big City (1948), A Date with Judy (1948), The Kissing Bandit (1948), and Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949, with Gene Kelly). He was an assistant choreographer to Gene Kelly on Anchors Aweigh (1945). He made his directorial debut in 1949 with Anchors Aweigh, co-directing with Gene Kelly.

In the Fifties, as directors Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly would collaborate on the movies Singin' in the Rain (1952) and It's Always Fair Weather. Over time Messrs. Donen and Kelly's relationship deteriorated and It's Always Fair Weather would be their last collaboration. The first movie Stanley Donen directed on his own was the classic Royal Wedding (1951). He would also direct one of the greatest movie musicals of all time, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). In the Fifties, Mr. Donen would direct the films Love is Better Than Ever (1952), Fearless Fagan (1952), Give a Girl a Break (1953), Deep in My Heart (1954), Funny Face (1957), The Pajama Game (1957), Kiss Them for Me (1957), Indiscreet (1958), Damn Yankees (1958), Once More with Feeling! (1960), Surprise Package (1960), and The Grass is Greener (1960). 

Stanley Donen would continue to have a successful career into the Sixties as he expanded from musicals into other film genres. He directed the comedy thriller Charade (1963), the drama Two for the Road (1967), and the comedy Bedazzled (1967). He also directed the films Arabesque (1966) and Staircase (1969). The Seventies would see Mr. Donen direct the films The Little Prince (1974), Lucky Lady (1975), Movie Movie (1978), and Saturn 3 (1980). Mr. Donen directed a musical sequence for the 1986 Moonlighting episode "Big Man on Mulberry St." He also produced the 58th Annual Academy Awards in 1986. It was also in the Eighties that he taught a seminar on film musicals at the Sundance Institute. His last directorial work would be the made-for-TV film Love Letters in 1999.

Stanley Donen was one of the first director of whom I was actually aware. I saw both Singin' in the Rain and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers while I was very young and I fell in love with both of them. Over time I would see the other films in his oeuvre. While I cannot say I love very film Mr. Donen ever directed (Saturn 3 is not a particularly good film), I love most of them. And there are many that I would count among the greatest films ever made, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, Royal Wedding, Charade, and Bedazzled.

Of course, there have always been questions about how much Stanley Donen contributed to the films on which he collaborated with Gene Kelly. There are those who have diminished his contributions to those films. My own thought is that his contributions were probably far greater than many might realise. While I am a huge Gene Kelly fan, I think Stanley Donen's solo work was far superior to Gene Kelly's solo work. While Mr. Kelly directed many fine films, he directed nothing on his own to match the quality of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, let alone Royal Wedding or Charade. While I do not wish to diminish Gene Kelly's contributions to On the Town, Singin' in the Rain, and It's Always Fair Weather, given the respective solo work of the two men, I think Stanley Donen had considerable input into the films they made together.

Indeed, Stanley Donen made some very strong films. Regardless of the genre, most of his films are characterised by strong stories, strong performances, and some very solid direction. I think one would be hard put to find better movies than Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or Charade. As to why Mr. Donen was such a good director, I think it comes down to the fact that he was a born entertainer.  His acceptance speech for his honorary Oscar in 1998 is my all time favourite Oscar moment. He did a soft shoe and delivered a speech filled with humour and wit. It actually makes me wonder how great Mr. Donen would have been had he chosen to pursue a career in front of the camera. Stanley Donen had a gift for knowing what people would find entertaining and for being able to create great films. He leaves behind a body of work that few directors could ever match.

Ten Years on Twitter

As of 2:17 PM Central Time today it has been ten years since I have had a Twitter account. While I set up my account on February 22 2009, it would be a while before I would follow someone. The first person I followed was my dear friend Raquel Stecher (although she was still going by her maiden name Matos back then). It would be a few weeks before I would actually make a tweet. It was on March 9 2009 (the day before my birthday) at 12:37 PM that I made my first tweet, which was a link to my blog post on the passing of Charlie Chaplin's son Sydney. Over time the number of tweets I made on any given day would increase dramatically. And while Twitter has received a good deal of bad press over the years, except for the days when Google+ was in its prime, it has always been my favourite social media service.

Among other things Twitter has given me access to a wider audience than I had before. While A Shroud of Thoughts had a readership well before Twitter (the blog was a few months shy of five years old when I joined Twitter), its audience would grow substantially once I began regularly tweeting links to my blog posts. For much of the past ten years, Twitter has provided more hits to A Shroud of Thoughts than any other social media service. In fact, there are some days when most of the hits on my blog come from Twitter.

It was also through Twitter that I met the majority of my fellow classic film buff friends. While I had a few prior to joining Twitter from my years of blogging (the aforementioned Raquel being one of them), I would meet many more on the social media service. Many of them now number among my closest friends. Indeed, I would be one of the original members of #TCMParty, the group of Turner Classic Movies fans who live tweet movies on that channel. It would be through #TCMParty that I would make even more friends, some of who would also number among the closest friends I have ever had. I would also be able to connect to people I respect and admire. Among the people whom I follow and who follows me is Nell Minow, movie critic and the daughter of my hero Newton Minow. I am proud to count her among my friends. I have also been able to interact with such people as Illeana Douglas, Michael Des Barres, Josh Mankiewicz, and Tommy James.

Indeed, it would be through #TCMParty and Twitter that I would meet the most important person in my life. Vanessa Marquez was another one of the original members of #TCMParty and, like me, she live tweeted to such shows as Mad Men and Downton Abbey as well. At first my friends and I were not quite sure that she was the Vanessa Marquez of Stand and Deliver (1988) and ER fame, as we  had encountered people impersonating celebrities on Twitter before. That having been said, Vanessa turned out to be who she claimed to be, and she proved to be entirely wonderful. Being close to the same age and sharing many of the same interests, it was not long before Vanessa and I bonded and became friends. Our friendship would grow to the point that I would count Vanessa as my very best friend. I am not sure when I fell in love with her, but I believe it was well before I consciously realised it. Vanessa would become the one person I love more than anyone else in my life. I might never have met her had it not been for Twitter.

Of course, Twitter has a reputation for trolls, something that has received a good deal of press over the years. That having been said, I have actually found Facebook to be a much worse haven for trolls than Twitter ever has been (there is a reason my Facebook posts are private and I am not active on very many groups). This is not to say that I haven't had a few bad experiences on Twitter with regards to trolls. When Vanessa died, one of my tweets made national news sources (it is odd seeing one's tweet alongside those from famous actors). As a result I received replies from sociopaths who apparently took joy in trying to hurt someone who was experiencing the worst grief he has ever experienced in his life. I responded to none of them and reported and blocked each and every one of them. That having been said, in Twitter' defence, I had many complete strangers who took up for me and defended me against the trolls, often quite vehemently. To them I am eternally grateful.

While I don't think Twitter's reputation for trolls is quite warranted, I do think Twitter has a problem in dealing with trolls. It often seems that trolls can continue tweeting unabated even after their tweets and accounts have been reported by several people. In fact, at least two very famous trolls come to mind. At the same time, while Twitter gives a few trolls free reign, it seems to me that they will suspend the accounts of women who speak out about sexual harassment. The Twitter account of my Vanessa was suspended after she complained about sexual harassment on the set of ER. I complained to Twitter about her account being suspended, as did many of Vanessa's other friends, to no avail. After her death I asked Twitter to reopen her original account, as did many of her other friends, to no avail. I even tweeted and emailed Jack Dorsey himself about it, but received no response. I cannot deny that I am still a bit angry at this, especially given the trolls who regularly tweet truly offensive things are allowed to continue with their accounts regardless of how many complaints there are against them.

At any rate, while I will admit that I do have some problems with Twitter as far as the way it deals with trolls and as far as suspending accounts that absolutely should not be suspended, it remains my favourite social media service. To this day I receive more hits on A Shroud of Thoughts from Twitter than I do any other social media service. To this day I continue to make new friends there. And to this day it remains the primary means through which I stay in touch with many of my friends. Twitter has enriched my life much more than some other social media services (*cough* Facebook *cough*) and I have no regrets about having created an account there.

For Pete's Sake: The Late Great Peter Tork

There are those music artists and TV shows that we can remember from our earliest days, those music artists and TV shows that shape who we are, those music artists and TV shows that we love all our lives. As those of you who know me and my regular readers know, for me one of those groups of music artists are The Monkees and for me one of those TV shows is the one in which they starred, The Monkees. I discovered The Monkees in childhood, through reruns on CBS on Saturday mornings and my sister's record collection. I loved both the band and TV show and I love both the band and TV show still. Whenever I am feeling down, I can always put on a Monkees album or an episode of The Monkees, and fairly soon I will feel better. They have seen me though good times and bad.

Sadly, Peter Tork, the multi-instrumentalist who played bass and keyboards with the band, died today a the age of 77. The cause was complications from a rare cancer with which he was first diagnosed in 2009.

Peter Tork was born Peter Thorkelson on February 13 1942 in Washington, D.C. He was the son of Virginia Hope (née Straus) and Halsten John Thorkelson. The family moved to Connecticut while Peter was still young, and his father was an economics professor at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Peter displayed musical talent while still young. He began studying piano when he was only nine. He eventually learned to play several instruments, including banjo, acoustic bass, guitar, and electric bass. Mr. Tork attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, but left before graduating to pursue a career in folk music in New York City. It was while he was there that he met another young folk musician named Stephen Stills. It was also during this period that Mr. Tork developed the persona he described as "a lovable dummy", sort of a cross between Harpo Marx and Gracie Allen. Like Harpo Marx and Gracie Allen, in reality Peter Tork was remarkably intelligent and very talented.

Both Peter Tork and Stephen Stills moved to California. It was there that Stephen Stills tried out for a new television show about a struggling rock band. Ultimately the producers rejected Mr. Stills, according to some sources because he did not have good enough hair or teeth and according to Mr. Still because he wanted to write his own songs and did not want to surrender his music publishing rights. He suggested Peter Tork to the producers, because the two of them resembled each other a good deal. It was then that Peter Tork became one of The Monkees.

While Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Davy Jones played characters who were not too far removed from themselves, Peter Tork played the "lovable dummy" persona he had perfected in his days as a folk singer. As one of The Monkees, Peter Tork wrote or co-wrote several of the band's songs, including "For Pete's Sake" (which was used as the closing theme for the show's second season), "Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again?", "Can You Dig It?", and many others.

After The Monkees ended its run he appeared with his fellow Monkees in the cult film Head (1968) and the TV special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee. While with The Monkees he played banjo on George Harrison's sound track for the movie Wonderwall (1968). Unfortunately, being a Monkee was not particularly easy on Mr. Tork. Pleading exhaustion, he bought out his contract and left the band. After leaving The Monkees, he formed the band Peter Tork And/Or Release. The band failed to get a recording contract and broke up in 1970.

Despite having been on a hit TV series and one of the biggest bands of the Sixties, Peter Tork struggled for much of the Seventies. In 1970 he was forced to sell his house and for a time he even lived in David Crosby's basement. He taught at Pacific Hills School in Santa Monica, California for a time. On July 4 1976 he joined Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart on stage in Disneyland. Later in the year he would reunited with Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones for the single "Christmas Is My Time of Year", which was released only to fan club members. In the Eighties he appeared regularly on The Uncle Floyd Show, which aired in New York and New Jersey television markets. In 1981 he released the single "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (which The Monkees had recorded in the Sixties) with The New Monks. He performed at clubs and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. In 1985 Peter Tork toured Australia with Davy Jones.

In 1986 MTV aired a marathon of The Monkees which introduced both the TV show and the band to a new audience. With new interest in both the show and the band, Peter Tork reunited with Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones for a highly successful 20th anniversary tour. The three of them recorded the first all-new Monkees album in years, Pool It!, which was released in 1987. Peter Tork contributed the song "Gettin' In" to the album. The Monkees would continue touring from 1986 to 1989, visiting the United States, Japan, and Australia. In the Eighties Peter Tork also toured with his band The Peter Tork Project.

In the Nineties Peter Tork guest starred on the TV shows California Dreams, Boy Meets World (in one of the two episodes he appeared alongside Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones), The King and Queens, and 7th Heaven. All four Monkees reunited for the television special Hey, Hey, It's The Monkees, which aired in 1997. All four Monkees also recorded the album Justus, released in 1996. Mr. Tork contributed the songs "Run Away from Life" and "I Believe in You" to the album. It was in 1994 that Peter Tork released a solo album, Stranger Things Have Happened. With James Lee Stanley he released the album Two Man Band. It was in 1996 Peter Tork joined Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones for a 30th anniversary tour. Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones also appeared in The Brady Bunch Movie (1996).

In the Naughts Peter Tork would release two more albums with James Lee Stanley, Once Again in 2001 and Live/Backstage at the Coffee Gallery in 2006.  Peter Tork would release two albums with his new band, Shoe Suede Blues, Saved by the Blues in 2003 and Cambria Hotel in 2007. He toured briefly with Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones, although he parted ways with them due to various differences. He appeared in the movie Catheral Pines (2007).

Shoe Suede Blues released two more albums in the Teens, Step by Step in 2013 and Relax Your Mind in 2018. He reunited with Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones for a 45th anniversary tour in 2011. Following the untimely death of Davy Jones in 2012, Peter Tork reunited with Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith as both a tribute to Davy Jones and to honour the 45th anniversary of their album Headquarters. They would tour again in 2013 and 2014. In 2016 Peter Tork appeared with Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith at some concerts. He contributed to The Monkees' 2016 album Good Times! (which also featured Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith, with a previously unreleased track by Davy Jones). He also contributed to The Monkees' 2018 holiday album Christmas Party.

Every Monkees fan has his or her favourite Monkee, and for many people that was Peter Tork. And there should be little wonder why. On the TV show The Monkees  Mr. Tork played a wonderful character that was more complicated than he might appear on the surface. On the surface Peter appeared dim-witted and could be absent minded, but at the same time he possessed a child-like innocence and vulnerability, and he could sometimes express a surprising amount of wisdom. And, arguably, it was Peter who was the most pure of heart of The Monkees. He was always faithful to his bandmates and in the episode "The Picture Frame" it is actually Peter who saves them. Like Harpo Marx and Gracie Allen, Peter on The Monkees was no simple buffoon.

As a musician it was arguably Peter who was the most talented of The Monkees. Peter could play multiple instruments, including guitar, bass, acoustic bass, banjo, piano, organ, and French horn. Peter Tork was the only Monkee to play an instrument on the band's first album. While The Monkees were not permitted to play their own instruments, Michael Nesmith had him play guitar on the two tracks he produced ("Papa Gene's Blues" and "Sweet Young Thing").

Of course, Peter Tork was also a good songwriter. Once The Monkees were allowed to play their own instruments, he contributed several songs to the band. His song "For Pete's Sake" was featured as the closing theme of The Monkees in its second season. His song "Can You Dig It?" was featured in the movie Head. Many of Mr. Tork's songs numbered among the best The Monkees ever recorded.

As one of The Monkees, Peter Tork played an important role in the lives of multiple generations. Both on the TV show The Monkees and as a songwriter and musician he has brought joy to many. As one of The Monkees, he certainly made life more bearable for me, and as I am sure he has for many others. It is for that reason that so many are saddened by his passing.