Attention must be paid
In Tuesday’s paper, we noted the passings of three legends in the fields of film, broadcasting and sports: Ingmar Bergman, Tom Snyder and Bill Walsh. Unfortunately, many days the finite space in The Oklahoman prevents reporting other notable deaths. Sometimes, it’s argued, that some names just aren’t as well known as others and while that is certainly true, a newspaper (or a news Web site) should be there to inform.
If a reader doesn’t know the person in question, most times they should. Knowledge is not a bad thing and with the alarming drop in common knowlege of history, we must fight against the growing sense that ignorance is a plus. Recently, when a poll of the greatest U.S. presidents skewed toward more recent occupants of the Oval Office (to the point that George Washington’s standing took a tumble), someone argued on “Hardball” that poll respondents just named the presidents with whom they were familiar. As Chris Matthews correctly argued, he wasn’t alive when Washington or Lincoln were in office, but he still recognizes their achievements. It’s disturbing when you see trends that seem to imply that if something didn’t happen within your lifetime, it doesn’t matter.
Tuesday, another legendary filmmaker passed on, Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni, but his death got such a brief mention in the paper, it would be understandable if you missed the news. The same cursory fate has befallen many other notables.
Obviously, people famous and not famous die every day, so there’s no way to get them all in, but there are some who have slipped through our cracks this year that I feel deserve a little tribute. For good lists of notable passings you might have missed, there are two good Web sites to check out, even though their names imply irreverence: Dead People Server and Celebrity Death Beeper.
So, here are just a handful that I think deserve a shoutout if you didn’t hear about their deaths.
Beverly Sills: The great opera singer known as the Diva Next Door.
King Mohammad Zahir Shah: The former Afghan monarch whose 40-year reign until his exile in 1973 coincided with one of the most peaceful periods in Afghanistan’s recent history.
Betty Hutton: Once one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
Kitty Carlisle Hart: A one-time game show panel staple and a living embodiment of Broadway history.
Stuart Rosenberg: Director of “Cool Hand Luke” and “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys,” which actually filmed in Oklahoma.
Bob Evans: The entrepreneur who launched a chain of breakfast-oriented restaurants that bear his name.
There are many, many others that span all areas of life from political leadership to business, sports and the entertainment industry. People who leave marks on all of our lives deserve to be remembered when their time has passed.
Scott Schuldt, Staff Writer
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