R.I.P. Ace Frehley

Well, here's another post I didn't plan on making.

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitar player for KISS, passed away at the age of 74. I've been a huge KISS fan since the summer of 1977. The first KISS record I ever owned was a 45. The A side was Christeen Sixteen (sung by Gene Simmons), the B side was Shock Me (sung by Ace Frehley).

In 1978/1979 Collegeville released KISS costumes for Halloween. Here's some pictures I found on the interwebs.

Rest in peace Space Ace.

Here's a costume released by Illusive Concepts in 1999.

NECA has been releasing Ben Cooper Costume Kids action figures in waves. 

They recently released a set of KISS figures.

R.I.P. Drew Struzan

This wasn't the post I had planned for today. But when I heard that illustrator Drew Struzan passed away on Monday, I knew I had to make a tribute post. 

Mr. Struzan is most famous for painting movie posters such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and hundreds more. 

To make this post relevant to the Countdown to Halloween, I'll include a few of his spooky movie posters. 

Rest in peace Drew Struzan.

R.I.P. Ted White

From Bloody Disgusting -- 

Best known to horror fans for playing Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, we’ve learned the sad news tonight that actor/stuntman Ted White has passed away.

Ted White was 96 years old.

Convention All Stars owner Sean Clark writes on social media tonight, “As I’m here setting up at Monsterpalooza I just got hit with the news that my dear friend Ted White has passed away. I was told he passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home.

“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him and working with him for close to 20 years. He was my adopted grandpa and hands down the best storyteller you could have ever met. If you haven’t read it yet check out his book Cast a Giant Shadow where many of those stories are told. I was honored to be mentioned in the book when he wrote about his time in the convention world. I am going to miss you immensely and those steak dinners we always had. Also teasing you about your red, white & blue banner that made you look like you were running for President.

“My heart goes out to his wife Jeri and his sons. It was an absolute honor my friend. Rest easy. Love you Ted.”

Ted White doubled for everyone from Clark Gable to John Wayne and Lee Marvin, and many horror fans consider his Jason Voorhees to be the definitive depiction of the character.

In addition to Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, Ted White also did stunt work for countless films including Creature from the Black Lagoon, Giant, Rio Bravo, Planet of the Apes, King Kong, The Manitou, Escape from New York, Road House, and Gone in 60 Seconds, and as an actor he appeared in TRON, Romancing the Stone, Starman, The Hidden, and “The X-Files.”

All of us here at BD send our deepest condolences to Ted’s family, friends, and colleagues.

R.I.P. Don Wescott

This article was written by Brian AR Washington from the Facebook group Power Records (Children's Records, Books and Tapes). 

Another voice is now silent.

Don Wescott has left us; he was one of the many voice talents of Power Records (and Peter Pan during and after the former’s activity).

Born in Massachusetts in 1940, he went into broadcasting in the 1960s and became a voice artist among his many accomplishments.

He narrated the majority of the stories on the labels, including Planet of the Apes, Wonder Woman, Monster Christmas Mash, and the second Superman album.

For the 12” comic read-along LP A Story of Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman, he was not only the narrator; he voiced several characters, including Dracula and Torc, the latter being one of the gypsies.

Among his versatility, he also voiced Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, Mr. Mxyztplk, Cornelius, Galen, and Lex Luthor.

Godspeed, Don. May your voice live on in our memories and hearts, especially as long as we spin the records that shaped our childhood.

R.I.P. Stan Lee

I knew this day would come, but I was still not prepared. Stan was a huge part of my childhood. Thank you Mr. Lee for your contribution to the pop culture world (especially the Incredible Hulk). You will be greatly missed.

I met Stan "The Man" Lee at the Pittsburgh Comicon in 1996. I had him sign a trading card for me. He also signed my program, but I'm not sure where that is at the moment.

EXCELSIOR!!!

R.I.P. John Zacherle

Sad news. Legendary horror host Zacherley has died. I met him at the Monster Bash back in 2006. 

"Good night, whatever you are!"

Zacherley and me.

From the WFMU blog:

The great John Zacherle, known to generations of horror fans as Zacherley, "The Cool Ghoul," has passed away at 98. The news came tonight as author Tom Weaver, a close friend of the Zacherle family, began informing colleagues of the the sad news, and an outpouring of tributes has already begun across the internet. 

A veteran of World War II, Zacherle started working at WCAU in Philadelphia in 1954, and in 1957, he got the job of being Philly's first late night horror movie host on Shock Theater, creating the character of Roland (pronounced Ro-LAND), who talked to his dead wife in her coffin. An association with Dick Clark, whose American Bandstand was based in Philadelphia, led to the recording of "Dinner With Drac" in 1958. He moved to New York's WABC in '59, became known as Zacherley and his show was renamed Zacherley At Large. He later hosted the Newark teenage dance show Disc-O-Teen, and was a DJ on WNEW and then WPLJ, where he stayed for ten years. 

Considered by many to be the greatest TV horror host of all-time, Zacherele has spent the last several decades appearing on TV, radio, and film and making personal appearances at conventions and special events. 

When I went to take a picture of his banner, he put his hand in the air. :)

I had him autograph his classic Monster Mash album

I bought his new CD at the time and he autographed it, also.

Janet Waldo, R.I.P.

I posted her death notice on the FB page earlier, but I wanted to say a little more about her here.

I have always loved cartoons and Janet Waldo did voices in many of my favorites. Besides Judy Jetson, she was Lana Lang in the 1960s Superman cartoons, Granny Sweet in The Atom Ant Show, Penelope Pitstop in Wacky Races, Josie in Josie and the Pussycats, Morticia in The Addams Family cartoon, Princess in Battle of the Planets, Hogatha in The Smurfs, and so many more. Rest in peace Ms. Waldo. I will miss your voice.

From ew.com --

Janet Waldo, the prolific voice actress best known for her role as The Jetsons’  eldest daughter Judy, has died, her daughter confirms to ABC News. Waldo was 96.

In addition to her work as the animated teen of the future, Waldo voiced a number of Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, ranging from Penelope Pitstop to Josie and the Pussycats’ Josie. Her last credited voice work came in 2000, when she reprised Pitstop in a Wacky Races video game.

Waldo, who passed away on Sunday morning, was diagnosed with a benign but inoperable brain tumor five years ago, says daughter Lucy Lee.

Born in Washington in 1920, Waldo began her career with an uncredited role in the 1938 film Cocoanut Grove, going on to do steady work in radio. In 1952, she appeared in an episode of I Love Lucy and went on to make television appearances on programs like The Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, and Petticoat Junction before transitioning to animation. The Jetsons ran from 1962-1987.