dies

ATLANTA — A man charged in a string of shootings near Atlanta that left three people dead, including a Department of Homeland Security employee who was walking her dog, died in jail Tuesday night, authorities said.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, was found unresponsive in his cell, according to a statement from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. Officials provided medical treatment to the U.S. Navy veteran, but he was later pronounced dead.

The official cause of death has not been determined, but officials don’t suspect foul play, according to the office. Officials are conducting an internal review.

Adon Abel was accused of killing Prianna Weathers, 31, and Homeland Security auditor Lauren Bullis, 40, in last week’s attack. Authorities also had been seeking an additional murder charge for Tony Mathews, 49, who was injured in the attack and died Sunday.

Authorities haven’t offered a potential motive for the shootings. It’s unclear if Adon Abel knew any of the victims. Police have said they believe at least one was targeted at random.

Adon Abel was represented by a public defender, and the state council overseeing defenders’ work said Wednesday in a statement that his death denies him “the opportunity to contest the charges in court.”

“We also regret that the families, friends, and colleagues of the victims may now be left without the fuller answers a public legal process might have provided about how these deaths occurred,” the statement said. “That is a painful and sobering reality for everyone affected.”

Adon Abel faced state malice murder, aggravated assault and gun charges over last week’s attacks, court records show. He also faced a federal charge of illegally possessing the gun as a person previously convicted of a felony, which was filed Friday.

His roommates told the Associated Press that shortly before the shootings, he got in an intense argument over the air conditioning in their home and stormed out. He lived with six others in separate units of the home.

The United Kingdom native was granted U.S. citizenship in 2022 while serving in the U.S. Navy and stationed in the San Diego area.

The attacks in Georgia quickly drew the Trump administration’s attention, with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin raising concern that Adon Abel was granted U.S. citizenship when Democrat Joe Biden was president. Mullin cataloged a litany of Adon Abel’s previous alleged crimes, but it is unclear whether any of them occurred before he became a citizen.

Military records show the Adon Abel enlisted in the Navy in 2020, last serving in the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron in Coronado, Calif., and as a petty officer received a Navy “E” Ribbon for superior performance for battle readiness.

Adon Abel pleaded guilty in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and attacking another person when he was stationed in Coronado, near San Diego, according to California court records.

The attorney who represented him in that case, Brandon Naidu, has described him as polite, calm and soft-spoken in their interactions. He said Wednesday that his obligation to protect the confidentiality of their conversations limits what he can say publicly but, “Mental health was absolutely at the center of his San Diego case.” ““t was fueled by suicidal ideation as a result of mental health that he was self-treating with substances,” he said.

He added: “Nobody wins in this. We’ll never know the motives, what could have been done beforehand or even afterward. Nobody gets proper closure on this.”

Hanna and Golden write for the Associated Press. Hanna reported from Topeka, Kan., and Golden, from Seattle.

Dave Mason, a founding member of the British psychedelic rock band Traffic who wrote some of their best-known songs including “Feelin’ Alright?” and “Hole in My Shoe,” has died. He was 79.

The singer and guitarist died Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nev., his publicist confirmed to the Associated Press. No cause of death was given.

“On Sunday, April 19, after cooking an amazing dinner with his beloved wife Winifred, [Mason] sat down to take a nap with sweet Star (the maltese) at his feet,” said a post shared Tuesday on the musician’s Instagram page. “He passed away peacefully, in his favorite chair, surrounded by the beautiful Carson Valley that he loved so much. A storybook ending. On his own terms. Which is how he lived his life right up until the end.”

“He leaves a lasting imprint on the soundtrack of our lives and the hearts he has lifted. His legacy will be cherished forever,” the tribute concluded.

Mason canceled his 2024 tour dates after doctors “detected a serious heart condition” during a routine check-up that required “immediate medical attention.” He was expected to make “a full and successful recovery” after treatments. He later announced his retirement from touring in 2025, citing “ongoing health challenges.”

Born May 10, 1946, in Worcester, England, Mason was a teenager when he joined singer and keyboardist-guitarist Steve Winwood, drummer Jim Capaldi and woodwind player Chris Wood to form Traffic in 1967. The band was known for its psychedelic sound that blended elements (and instruments) of rock, blues, R&B and jazz.

Mason was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 for his work with Traffic, but the musician had a fraught history with the group.

“We did some good stuff,” Mason told The Times in 1995. “We were young kids. The first song I wrote was their first big hit in England (‘Hole in My Shoe’). But I was only 19 years old and couldn’t handle all the fame, really. It was just too much.”

He explained that after he left the band the first time, he was asked to come back because “they didn’t have enough songs for a second album,” while he had written “five or six” including “Feelin’ Alright?” The song, now considered a classic rock staple, has been covered by multiple artists including Joe Cocker, Huey Lewis, the Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Grand Funk Railroad.

“Then I found out that Steve [Winwood] didn’t really care for my stuff,” Mason said. “From my point of view, I think [our] differences made something better. … But it just pulled too much I suppose, and they couldn’t work it. I was more or less forced into having to leave.”

Mason’s subsequent solo career included three gold albums: his 1970 debut “Alone Together” — which featured hits like “Only You Know and I Know,” “Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave” and “World in Changes;” 1974’s “Dave Mason” and 1978’s “Mariposa de Oro.” His 1977 album “Let It Flow” was certified platinum.

He also collaborated with other notable acts such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen, and Fleetwood Mac.

Winwood shared a tribute to his bandmate on Wednesday on Instagram.

“Dave was part of Traffic during its earliest chapter, and played an important role in shaping the band’s sound and identity during that time,” said the caption accompanying a photo of a young Mason. “His songwriting, musicianship and distinctive spirit helped create music that has lasted far beyond its era, and continues to mean so much to listeners around the world.”

“Those years remain a special part of the band’s story, and Dave’s contribution to them is not forgotten,” Winwood continued. “His place in that history will always be remembered, and through the music, his presence endures.”

Mason is survived by his wife, Winifred Wilson, daughter Danielle, nephew John Leonard, niece Michelle Leonard and his brothers-in-law, Sloan Wilson and Walton Wilson.

ATLANTA — U.S. Rep. David Scott, a Georgia Democrat and the first Black chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, has died. He was 80.

Scott, who was seeking his 13th term in Congress despite challenges from within his party, was once a leading voice for Democrats on issues related to farm aid policy and food aid for consumers and a prominent Black member of the party’s moderate Blue Dog caucus. But he faced criticism and concerns in recent years because of declining health, enduring a primary challenge in 2024 and facing another one at the time of his death.

Democrats on Capitol Hill praised the longtime lawmaker.

“The news of Congressman Scott’s passing is deeply sad,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters on Wednesday.

“David Scott was a trailblazer who served district that he represented admirably, rose up from humble beginnings to become the first African American ever to chair the House Ag Committee,” Jeffries said. “He cared about the people that he represented. He was fiercely committed to getting things done for the people of the great state of Georgia, and he’ll be deeply missed.”

News of Scott’s death came during the Congressional Black Caucus’ weekly luncheon on Capitol Hill. The Black Caucus’ chair, Rep. Yvette Clarke, told lawmakers at the outset of the meeting, according to a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss a private conversation. Many lawmakers in the room, some of whom had served with Scott for decades, were shocked and saddened by the news.

Scott’s death slightly widens Republicans’ narrow House majority going into the thick of this midterm election year.

The congressman was not especially active on the campaign trail in 2026. But he had been dismissive of pressure to retire.

“Thank God I’m in good health, moving and doing the people’s work,” Scott said in 2024.

David Albert Scott was born in rural Aynor, South Carolina, on June 27, 1945, in the era of Jim Crow segregation. He graduated from Florida A&M University, one of the nation’s largest historically Black college campuses — and in office he was an outspoken advocate for federal support of HBCUs. Scott also earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

He was already a veteran state lawmaker in Georgia before being elected to Congress in 2002.

Barrow, Brown and Amy write for the Associated Press. Brown reported from Washington.

Johnny Vegas has hailed his Benidorm co-star Elsie Kelly, who played his mum Noreen on the sitcom, as a “mother figure” to him following her death at the age of 89

Johnny Vegas has hailed Elsie Kelly as a “mother figure” to him following her death at the age of 89. The comedian, 54, was the on-screen son of Elsie ‘s character Noreen Maltby in the long-running ITV sitcom and after her passing, he has led the tributes with an emotional message.

The actor starred as Geoff Maltby, an obsessive quizzer who liked to call himself as The Oracle, and formed a memorable double act with Elsie, who, as long-suffering mother Noreen, was often at the resort with him and had to play along as he as he practiced his craft.

Taking to Instagram following the sad news on Wednesday, Johnny wrote: “A more generous, talented, funny, kind and hard grafting soul, and as an actor you could ever hope to meet. Elsie was a Mother figure to me, on and off screen. and guided me through many highs and lows whilst overseas together. When I say Elsie was loved by all, it is a wonderful fact, not merely an apt comment to make during such sad times.

READ MORE: Benidorm favourite Elsie Kelly dies as co-star pays heartfelt tributeREAD MORE: Sheridan Smith gives update on Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps reunion

“I had many young actors over the years saying to me ‘I worked with your mum,’ Elsie touched and guided so many careers and crammed more into her 89 years than anyone else I’ve known in this profession. When not giggling poolside, she was in her hotel room, putting together her next musical line-up for many a Liverpool theatrical production. “Elsie made going into work a true joy, in fact, it was more like playtime, and our time together, something to truly treasure. Bless you my other Mum, and thank you for the endless joy you brought into so many of our lives xxxx Elsie Kelly RIP.”

Crissy Rock, who played hotel manager Janey Yorke on Benidorm in the years before she was replaced by Sherrie Hewson, was the first to announce the news. She wrote on Instagram : “So sad to hear of the passing of Elsie Kelly this morning. We shared so many wonderful memories filming Benidorm, moments I’ll always treasure. She was an absolute joy to work with and brought so much warmth and laughter wherever she went.

She wrote on Instagram : “So sad to hear of the passing of Elsie Kelly this morning. We shared so many wonderful memories filming Benidorm, moments I’ll always treasure. She was an absolute joy to work with and brought so much warmth and laughter wherever she went.

“With a career spanning decades across television, theatre, and film, she most recently became a household name through her work on Benidorm…Her unmistakable charm, sharp timing and gentle humour made her a fan favourite.”

The cast was made up of other famous faces from British television, including the likes of Janine Duvitski, Steve Pemberton, Siobhan Finneran and Sheila Reid, who famously starred as Madge Bishop for several years.

Before joining Coronation Street as undertaker George Shuttleworth, actor Tony Maudsley was perhaps best known for his role as camp hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke on Benidorm. Other stars to enjoy short stints on the programme, which was created and written by Derren Litten, included Sheridan Smith, Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch, whilst showbiz legends like Dame Joan Collins and Cilla Black also made guest appearances.

As her on-screen career developed, she appeared in the sitcom Bread in the late 1980s, and took on the role of Enid in the film 1996 comedy Intimate Relations opposite Julie Walters, Les Dennis and Amanda Holden.

Elsie also filmed two episodes of Coronation Street in 2011, where she played Mrs Hargreaves, who died under a hairdryer at Audrey’s Salon, but, just months before her death, Elsie revealed that she had been in contact with Derren Litten amid speculation of a Benidorm comeback.

Speaking in a video that surfaced on TikTok, she said: “Hello all you holidaymakers in Benidorm! I do hope you’re having a lovely time, I am sure you are!

“We’ve just had a nice lunch with Derren and it will mean a lot to both of us. Anyway, I hope to see you soon, in Benidorm, and as Noreen would say, ‘I do hope your holiday is inconclusive!’ Siobhan Finneran, who played Janice Garvey also paid trubute, as she wrote on X: “We are devastated to hear about the passing of the incredible Elsie Kelly, known to many as Noreen in #Benidorm. Her acting + comedy abilities were out of this world. May she Rest In Peace.”

TV writer Derren, who starred alongside Catherine Tate on her sketch show before creating Benidorm, wrote: “So sad to pass on the news of the passing of Elsie Kelly aka Noreen in Benidorm.

“One of the best-loved characters in the show and certainly one of the most beloved cast members. Elsie’s acting abilities and comic genius were so natural they were almost taken for granted.”

“For someone who initially auditioned for the role of Madge (and gave an excellent reading of the part), her personality and natural warmth encouraged me to build up the part of Noreen from one or two lines in the first two episodes (initially intending to lose the character by the end of the first series) to many episodes and many series, culminating in her playing Noreen’s own twin, Doreen in series 10.

“Thanks for your talent, but most of all your friendship, Elsie. I am very sad today, but also happy to think of such a wonderful life well lived.”

THE oldest member of a much-loved 70s pop group has passed away, his family has announced.

Alan Osmond, the founding brother and guitarist of The Osmonds, died on Monday aged 76.

The family said in a statement that his wife Suzanne and their eight sons were beside Osmond at his bedside when he passed away, but did not reveal an official cause of death.

Alan Osmond had battled multiple sclerosis for 40 years after being first diagnosed in 1987.

He was the third-born child of parents George Virl Osmond Sr. and Olive Osmond, and in 1958 performed alongside his younger brothers Wayne, Merrill and Jay on a TV show at the age of 12.

The group first found fame as a barbershop quartet on The Andy Williams Show.

This early success set the stage for their siblings to join the lineup; once younger brother Donny arrived, the group transitioned into pop music as “The Osmonds,” quickly achieving superstar status as teen heart-throbs.

They had hits such as One Bad Apple, Yo-Yo, Down by the Lazy River and Love Me for a Reason.

Alan left the group in 2007, and his brothers went on with solo careers.

Alan and his brother Merrill founded the Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah, a massive Fourth of July celebration, and he also co-founded and ran the OneHeart Foundation.

He then published his memoir, “One Way Ticket,” in 2024.

Osmond is survived by his wife, their eight sons, 30 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Garret Anderson, the often misunderstood and always lethal Angels slugger who starred in the 2002 World Series, has died of a heart attack. He was 53.

Anderson’s most memorable moment was belting a decisive three-run double in Game 7 of the only World Series ever played by the Angels. Yet consistency over 17 seasons — 15 with the Angels and one each with the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves — was the hallmark of the taciturn left fielder.

“The Angels Organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” owner Arte Moreno said Friday in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series Championship.

Garret Anderson, who hit the game-winning three-run double, runs with the World Series championship trophy after the Angels beat the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the World Series in Anaheim on Oct. 27, 2002.

(Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press)

“Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable.”

Nicknamed “G.A.,” Anderson is the Angels leader in games (2,013), at-bats (7,989), hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489) and runs batted in (1,292). And he achieved it all without fanfare.

“Garret didn’t seek the limelight,” said Mike DiGiovanna, The Times’ Angels beat writer throughout most of Anderson’s career. “A classic lunch-pail guy. He was a superstar, he just didn’t act like it.”

Fans occasionally booed Anderson for a perceived lack of hustle. He didn’t dive for fly balls and on rare occasions failed to run hard when he hit a ground ball.

His teammates, however, backed him without hesitation, saying he was one of the smartest players in baseball and made the game look easy through hard work.

“He doesn’t dive for balls because he gets there quicker than most guys,” center fielder Darin Erstad said in 2003.

Fans cheered in shock when Anderson made a diving catch against the Minnesota Twins in 2002.

“But, see, that’s what I’m talking about,” he said. “I never should have had to dive for that ball. I got a bad jump. I study hitters. I have an idea of where the ball is going. I don’t dive because I don’t have to.”

The Angels’ Garret Anderson watches the ball after hitting a two-run homer against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning of a game in Anaheim on July 4, 2008.

(Mark Avery / Associated Press)

Anderson’s understated demeanor fit well in an Angels clubhouse stocked with young, rowdy personalities.

“We have so many emotional guys on this team, Garret is a calming force,” teammate Tim Salmon said in 2003. “He’s criticized for a lack of emotion, but I think it’s good.”

For his part, Anderson possessed a wry sense of humor and wasn’t above poking fun at himself.

“Interesting,” he told The Times Bill Plaschke with a faint smile. “I used to be called lazy. Now that we win a World Series, I’m called graceful.”

After Anderson retired in 2010, he worked as a television analyst for the Angels.

Garret Joseph Anderson was born June 30, 1972, in Los Angeles. He attended Granada Hills Kennedy High, where he starred in baseball and basketball. He remained close to his baseball coach, Manny Alvarado.

“I’ve lost a handful, some of them at a young age, but this one we had a relationship for a long time,” Alvarado said Friday. “I have a ton of memories, some of them from day one and some just recently. The one thing that comes to mind he was kind of an old soul. A lot of major leaguers have a lot to learn from him.

“He was very humble and always picked up the phone. He made it to a lot of alumni games, was very generous.”

Anderson was drafted in 1990 by the Angels in the fourth round and made his major league debut July 27, 1994 versus Oakland before going on to become one of the most productive players in franchise history.

Anderson had a stretch of eight consecutive seasons appearing in at least 150 games for the Angels and played in at least 140 games in 11 of his 17 major league seasons. He was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame in 2016.

“Teammates and fans came to appreciate him for his consistency,” DiGiovanna said. “He was like a metronome.”

In addition to his World Series Game 7 heroics, Anderson batted .300 with four doubles, two home runs and 13 RBIs during the 2002 postseason. He finished fourth in American League Most Valuable Player voting that year.

In 2003, he became the first player since Cal Ripken Jr. to become both the Home Run Derby champion and MVP of the All-Star Game. Anderson batted .293 with 287 home runs in his career.

His final season came with the Dodgers in 2010. At age 38 he batted only .181 but provided a settling influence on young Dodgers stars Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier.

The Angels will honor Anderson by wearing a memorial patch on their jerseys the rest of the season. There will be a moment of silence and a tribute video before Friday’s game.

Anderson is survived by his wife, Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey and son Garret “Trey” Anderson III.

Times staff writers Eric Sondheimer and Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.

Felipe Staiti, guitarist and founding member of Enanitos Verdes, has died. He was 64.

The seminal Argentine rock band’s official X account confirmed his death on Tuesday.

“His music, his dedication, and his story remain forever with us and with all those who accompanied him throughout these years,” read a statement posted on X.

Staiti died Monday due to health complications following his hospitalization in the Argentine city of Mendoza, per the national news outlet Los Andes.

Born in the province of Mendoza in 1961, Staiti was an original member of Enanitos Verdes, which formed in 1979 with lead vocalist and bassist Marciano Cantero and drummer Daniel Piccolo. The band later added guitarist and vocalist Sergio Embrioni and keyboardist Tito Dávila.

With beloved hits such as “Lamento Boliviano” and “La Muralla Verde,” the band was part of the Latin America rock scene that rose to global popularity in the 1990s. As of March 31, its classic soft rock ballad “Lamento Boliviano” about emotional anguish entered the Spotify Billions club, surpassing the 1 billion streams threshold on the platform.

In 1997, following the release of its eighth studio album, “Guerra Gaucha” — which marked the band’s shift into more social and political themes — former Los Angeles Times reporter Enrique Lavin called Enanitos Verdes a “perennial presence on the Southern California rock en español scene.”

Following the 2022 death of longtime band member Cantero, who died in September 2022 due to kidney complications, Staiti picked up Cantero’s responsibilities as lead vocalist, performing live for the first time that December at the Bésame Mucho Festival at Dodger Stadium.

According to Los Andes, Staiti had long suffered from health issues in the years preceding his death. He contracted a bacterial infection in Mexico in late 2024, which combined with his celiac disease triggered severe dehydration that resulted in a monthlong stay at the hospital. This led to severe weight loss, which affected his vocal muscles and resulted in the cancellation of several performances across South America.

In 2025, Enanitos Verdes joined forces with Hombres G for their “Huevos Revuletos Tour,” stopping in various cities across California, including the Yaamava’ Theater in Highland, the SAP Center in San Jose and the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Enanitos Verdes are currently still scheduled to perform at the Toyota Arena in Ontario on May 26.

TV producer Sid Krofft, the puppeteer and co-mastermind behind fantastical 1970s Saturday morning television shows like “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost,” has died. He was 96.

Krofft died in his sleep on Friday at the home of his friend and business partner Kelly Killian, she announced on Instagram. His youngest brother and business partner, Marty Krofft, died in 2023.

“I loved Sid with my whole heart. The last six years of my life were devoted to him, and his to me,” Killian wrote. “In that time, he taught me more than I could ever put into words — about the art of Hollywood, the magic of the stage, and the depth and complexity of human nature. I wish so very much that I had more time with him.”

“Sid Krofft was an icon who did what he loved most until the very end — being out in public with his legions of fans,” his publicist Adam Fenton said in a statement. “Sid never slowed down, attending his final show where it all began just last November in his home state of Rhode Island. Sid was a beacon of light and will be greatly missed.”

Sid co-created 1960s and ’70s children’s TV shows that featured colorful and quirky characters like Weenie the Genie, Horatio J. HooDoo and Cha-Ka the ape-boy. Together, he and Marty produced through their production company, Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures, popular series, including their television debut and cult hit, “H.R. Pufnstuf.”

“H.R. Pufnstuf,” a combination of live-action and puppetry that Sid once referred to as “our first baby,” follows the adventures of a young boy, a talking flute and a 6-foot-tall dragon. That was the start of a television enterprise. The brothers went on to create more (mostly short-lived) shows, including “Lidsville,” about a teenage boy who falls into the top hat of a magician. He finds himself in the titular Lidsville, a land of living hats.

Other shows included “The Bugaloos,” about four teenage musicians with wings and antennae, “Electra Woman and Dyna Girl,” which follows the adventures of a superhero and her sidekick, and “Pryor’s Place,” a live-action children’s show starring comedian Richard Pryor.

The Krofft puppets frequently made cameos on other well-known shows during the 1970s and ’80s.

Most recently, the beloved character H.R. Pufnstuf appeared in the brothers’ 2016 Nick Jr. show, “Mutt & Stuff,” about an animatronic dog at a canine school.

The brothers also produced other beloved shows such as “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters,” “Land of the Lost,” “D.C. Follies” and the prime-time variety shows “Donny and Marie” and “Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.”

Sid, left, and brother Marty Krofft pose with some of the life-size puppets created for their syndicated series “D.C. Follies” in Los Angeles in 1987.

(Reed Saxon / Associated Press)

Because the shows often featured eccentric and larger-than-life characters, Sid once told The Times that people were convinced the ideas came from using psychedelics. But he insisted the concepts were born during his daily runs along the Los Angeles coastline.

“I’m a runner, and I thought of them during my runs on the beach at Santa Monica,” Sid said. “That’s where they came from.”

While the 1970s were the defining decade for the Krofft brothers, they got their start as puppeteers decades prior.

In a long-standing rumor, Sid and Marty were said to be fifth-generation puppeteers. In an interview with The Times, Sid confessed that the whole thing was a lie concocted by a publicist in the 1940s. Their father, Peter Krofft, was a clock salesman and joined Sid when he was on tour as a teenager.

Sid was born July 30, 1929, in Montreal. The brothers immigrated to New York City from Canada with their father. Sid started working as a professional puppeteer at age 10. By the time he was 15, he had joined the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as “the world’s youngest puppeteer.” By his late 20s, he was working as the opening act for big industry figures like the Andrews Sisters, Judy Garland and Cyd Charisse. That’s around the time he hired his brother — who was seven years younger and a salesman — as his assistant.

“I desperately needed an assistant and saw this as a great opportunity to bring out my brother Marty,” Sid said of his youngest brother. “That single moment in my life is what started our long-running career together.”

They later created cabaret-inspired “Les Poupées de Paris,” which opened in 1961 at the Gilded Rafters in the San Fernando Valley, then played at Hollywood’s P.J.’s. It toured the country throughout the ’60s.

While Sid was the creative force behind their projects, Marty was the brains behind the business operation.

Sid Krofft sits for portraits at his home in Los Angeles in 2021.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Sid wrote a tribute to his brother for The Times after his death.

“Marty and I were oil and vinegar,” he wrote. “We worked in different ways, but if you shook us up, we were a great dressing.”

The brothers’ relationship was publicly known to be rocky at times. “It’s not easy for two brothers to work together,” Marty told The Times.

Their shows were low budget; shot on sets that were once thought to be outdated by the 1980s. But the brothers maintained the rights to their creative properties, and some of their most popular stories had revivals or remakes.

In 2009, Universal Pictures adapted “Land of the Lost” into a $100-million box-office flop about the tales of a family stranded in a dinosaur-ridden jungle.

In 2018, the brothers were honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Daytime Emmys, and in 2020, they received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2021, Kroff resurfaced in the public eye with an Instagram Live show called “Sundays With Sid.” Marty created his own YouTube series soon after called “Mondays With Marty.”

MY 600-LB. Life star Dolly Martinez has died at the age of 30, her sister has confirmed.

The TLC star died on Saturday, Lindsey Cooper shared in a heartbreaking social media post.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful sister, Dolly,” she wrote.

“Dolly had the brightest personality she could light up any room with her laughter, her kindness, and her loving spirit.

“She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her warmth will stay with us forever.”

Her family has not revealed a cause of death but hours before confirming her sister’s death, Lindsey wrote on Facebook that Dolly was in hospital “fighting for her life.”

read more on My 600-Lb Life

TLC TRAGEDY

My 600-lb Life star dead at 50 as daughter shares heartbreaking message

“While our hearts are broken here, I find comfort in knowing she is now reunited with our dad in heaven. I can only imagine the joy of that reunion,” her sister said.

“Rest peacefully, Dolly. You will always be loved, always be missed, and never forgotten.”

Dolly featured in season 10 of the television show which aired in January 2022 when she was 25 years old.

During her time on the show, she bravely opened up about her poor mental health and struggles with food addiction.

She started the process at 593 pounds which meant she needed extra oxygen and assistance to live her day to day life.

Dolly had already suffered from congestive heart failure as a result of her weight.

Originally from Fort Worth, she moved to Houston where she hoped she would be able to get weight loss surgery.

Despite losing 40 pounds while on the TLC show, she did not qualify for the procedure.

Her Instagram account details numerous struggles throughout her life.

While private, the bio states, “Not homeless anymore. Living day by day.”

During her time on the show, it was revealed that Dolly and her estranged husband were unable to look after their daughter who was removed from their care at just 6 days old by Child Protective Services.

It is understood that the child remains under the guardianship of Dolly’s mother.

After returning to live with her husband, his alleged abusive behavior saw Dolly enter a homeless shelter, according to IMDB.

Dolly’s death comes less than a year after fellow My 600-lb. Life alum Latonya Pottain died at the age of 40 from congestive heart failure.

BATMAN Begins and Dunkirk actor John Nolan has reportedly died age 87.

The star and uncle to famous director Christopher Nolan reportedly died today.

The British actor’s cause of death has not been revealed, according to local paper, the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald.

John was known for playing Wayne Enterprises board member Douglas Fredericks in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises.

The theatre veteran appeared in several of his nephew’s blockbusters including the 1998 crime thriller Following and in Dunkirk.

In 2013 he starred as former MI6 agent John Greer in the second season of Person of Interest, created by his other nephew Jonathan.

VAN PAIN

Gian van Veen still suffering with health issues after darts ace’s hospital dash

EAMONN’S FIGHT

Eamonn’s health battles from stroke to ‘terrible’ paralysis & double hip op

He later helped out behind the camera for the fifth and final season.

John featured in a variety of BBC series throughout the 1970s including Daniel Deronda and Doomwatch.

He also appeared in ITV‘s miniseries Shabby Tiger.

John’s last appearance was in a 2024 episode of American science fiction series Dune: Prophecy.

Before he got his break in film and TV, John spent two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company where he played roles in Julius Caesar and The Merry Wives of Windsor.

He played at the well-known Richmond Theatre and appeared on stage with the Royal Court Company.

John is survived by his wife, actress Kim Hartman, and their children Miranda and Tom.

For 20 minutes of his life, Jim Whittaker was on top of the world.

He was the first American to summit Mt. Everest, reaching the highest point on Earth on May 1, 1963, with Sherpa Nawang Gombu.

“We were standing in the jet stream, on the edge of space,” Whittaker wrote in his 1999 memoir, “A Life on the Edge.”

He returned home a hero, with his picture on the cover of Life magazine, a White House fete and unexpected celebrity. And though life off the mountain didn’t always go smoothly, he disdained regret.

“If you stick your neck out, whether it’s by climbing mountains or speaking up for something you believe in, your odds of winning are at least fifty-fifty,” he wrote. “On the other hand, if you never stick your neck out, your odds of losing are pretty close to 100%.”

An adventurer until the end, Whittaker died Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, Wash., his son Leif confirmed to the New York Times. Whittaker was 97. .

On March 24, 1965, Robert F. Kennedy, left, stands atop Mt. Kennedy in Canada after placing a black flag in memorial to his late brother, President John F. Kennedy. With him were Jim Whittaker; William Allard, a National Geographic Society photographer; and George Senner, a ranger.

(Doug Wilson / Associated Press)

He was 34 when he scaled Everest, a feat that shaped much of the rest of his life. His Washington state license plate read 29028, the generally accepted height of Everest when he climbed it. (GPS surveys later put it at about 29,035 feet.)

He was chosen for the expedition by its leader, Swiss mountaineer Norman Dyhrenfurth, because of his experience in climbing under icy conditions, including numerous summits of Mt. Rainier near his Seattle-area home.

But Everest, first scaled in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was a far more formidable and dangerous beast. And even if the Dyhrenfurth expedition was successful, only a chosen few of its 19 team members would reach the top. Still, Whittaker thought his chances were good.

“I’d trained hard, put 60 pounds of bricks in my backpack,” he told National Geographic Adventure magazine in 2003. “I swam in Lake Sammamish in winter to build up to the cold we would encounter.

“I didn’t know anyone who was in better shape.”

On only the second day of the group’s climb from base camp, tragedy struck when a giant section of an icefall — a glacier formation resembling a frozen waterfall — shifted, crushing team member Jake Breitenbach.

“I had told everyone back home that Everest was not a difficult climb technically; the only problem was the lack of oxygen and the weather,” Whittaker wrote in “Life on the Edge.” “Now it had killed one of us, and we’d only just begun.”

Because the only way to get back to base camp was via that icefall, Whittaker chose to stay above it on the mountain for five steady weeks as more camps were established up Everest. He lost 25 pounds and a considerable amount of strength due to the thin air.

Still, he was in better condition than many of the other climbers, and Dyhrenfurth chose him for the final assault. He and Gombu left the last camp in the middle of a windstorm, with a scant supply of oxygen.

How hard was it to breathe? “Put a pillow on your face, run around the block, and try and suck oxygen through that pillow,” he said. It was so cold, one of his eyeballs froze, making it unusable.

Reaching the summit after several hours, they stayed only long enough to take pictures and plant flags as 50-mph winds whipped around them.

“When you are up there, you are not ecstatic, you are not afraid,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2013. “You’re really not anything. But in the back of your mind, you know one thing: You gotta get off. Half of the climb is getting up, the other half is getting down.”

James Whittaker was born on Feb. 10, 1929, in Seattle, about 10 minutes before the birth of Louie, his twin brother. As the boys grew up, they took to rough-housing around the house, much to the chagrin of their mother.

“I believe that command to ‘Go outside and play’ is what started Louie and me on the path we have taken every since,” Whittaker wrote.

He was active in Boy Scouts and as a teenager joined a mountaineering club that sponsored climbs on the nearby Olympic and Cascade ranges. He tested himself on increasingly higher peaks, relishing moments such as breaking through cloud layers.

“I think nature is a great teacher,” he told the Seattle Times in 2013. “Being in nature that way is a good way to find out who the hell you are.”

After finishing West Seattle High School, Whittaker went on to Seattle University, graduating in 1952. He was promptly drafted into the Army, but his mountaineering experience led him to be assigned to the Mountain and Cold Weather Training Command in Colorado instead of combat duty in Korea.

In 1955, he became the first full-time employee of the Recreational Equipment Cooperative (later called REI) when it was housed in a 20-by-30-foot space above a Seattle restaurant. In his first year, he expanded the co-op’s offerings into ski equipment and introduced new concepts — such as opening on Saturday mornings so customers could pick up equipment for weekend trips — that boosted sales.

Whittaker, pictured on April 12, 1975, in Seattle, shows some of the gear he would be taking for an expedition to climb K2 on the China-Pakistan border.

(Associated Press)

Because of his connection to the co-op, he was appointed equipment coordinator of the Everest climb, and REI agreed to keep him on the payroll during the expedition.

In July 1963, he and other members of the Everest team, including Gombu, were presented the Hubbard Medal of the National Geographic Society — which partially sponsored the expedition — by President Kennedy, four months before the president was assassinated.

Two years later, Whittaker led a climb up Mt. Kennedy, a nearly 14,000-foot Canadian peak named for JFK, with Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in the climbing party. The two men forged a close friendship that extended to the wider Kennedy clan. In subsequent years, Whittaker went on ski vacations with the Kennedys, was a guest at the family compound in Hyannis Port, Mass., and hosted gatherings in Seattle that included mountain climbing.

Whittaker organized Robert Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign efforts in the Pacific Northwest and spoke to him by phone only minutes before the candidate was fatally shot in Los Angeles. Whittaker caught a flight to L.A. and was at the senator’s hospital bedside when he died and then served as a pallbearer at the funeral.

In mountaineering, Whittaker was closely involved in more high-profile ventures. He led a 1975 expedition up the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, that failed to reach the top. His return expedition in 1978 was successful, though he chose not to go to the summit himself.

That same year, he decided to quit REI, partly because of friction with the co-op’s board. He had been president and chief executive since 1971, and when he left, the co-op was a $46-million business with more than 700 employees.

Whittaker throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Mariners and the Angels in 2013.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

Income from an endorsement agreement helped keep him financially sound, but an investment in a new outdoor gear company proved to be a disaster. The financial irregularities of a partner, who was convicted of felony bank fraud, doomed the venture, and Whittaker was left holding the financial bag.

He was nearly wiped out but got back on his financial footing when a venture capitalist asked him in 1986 to be chairman of the board, with stock options, of a new company called Magellan. It was a pioneer in GPS consumer electronics and holds numerous patents in the field.

Appropriately, Whittaker called one of the chapters midway through his book “Roller Coaster.” But he finished it with “Life Well Lived.”

“If you aren’t living on the edge,” he wrote, “you’re taking up too much space.”

Whittaker is survived by his wife, Dianne Roberts, and children Bobby, Joss and Leif.

Colker is a former Times staff writer.

Davey Lopes, the no-nonsense, base-swiping second baseman on a historic Dodgers infield that played together for a record 8½ seasons, died Wednesday at age 80, the Dodgers announced.

The first 10 years of Lopes’ 16-year major league career were spent with the Dodgers, and he returned to the organization in 2011 to serve as first-base coach for five years. Lopes was a four-time All-Star who won two stolen base titles, one Gold Glove and helped the Dodgers to four World Series, including the championship in 1981.

Taken in the second round of a 1968 Dodgers draft haul considered the most talented in baseball history, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Lopes rose from a rough-and-tumble Rhode Island upbringing to become the team’s everyday second baseman and leadoff batter by 1973.

Lopes played outfield in the minor leagues but became part of a bold move by Dodgers manager Walter Alston before the 1973 season: Lopes would move to second base, Bill Russell from center field to shortstop and Steve Garvey from third to first base. Ron Cey would be installed at third. The Dodgers moved longtime coach and scout Monty Basgall — known as an exceptional infield instructor — from the front office to the field to help the players adjust to their new roles.

The quartet took the infield together for the first time in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds in a sold-out Dodger Stadium on June 23, 1973. They stuck together through their 1981 World Series championship season, after which Lopes was traded to the Oakland Athletics for Lance Hudson, a utility player who never reached the major leagues.

Lopes continued to play well, not retiring until 1987 at age 42. He stole 557 bases and was successful in 83% of his attempts, one of the best rates in major league history. He also displayed power for a leadoff batter, hitting 155 home runs, including a career high of 28 for the Dodgers in 1979.

Although Lopes’ lifetime batting average was .263, he had an excellent eye, walking nearly as many times as he struck out and logging an excellent .349 on-base percentage. He scored 1,023 runs in 1,812 career games.

As games progressed, Lopes typically batted after the pitcher, who was at the bottom of the order. He became adept at stalling tactics that gave pitchers ample rest if they’d just returned to the dugout after running the bases.

Times assistant sports editor Houston Mitchell, a lifelong Dodgers follower, described what happened next: “Lopes was a magician at wasting time to give the pitcher a chance to towel off and cool down a bit. Especially if there were two out. Lopes would spend an extra moment or two in the on-deck circle. He’d take his time getting the round weight off his bat. Then he would slowly walk to the batter’s box.”

David Earl Lopes was born May 3, 1945, and raised in East Providence, R.I., a town of Irish, Portuguese and Cape Verdean immigrants seeking jobs in factories and along the waterfront. One of 12 children, Lopes was a toddler when his father died. Lopes’ mother, Mary Rose, worked as a domestic.

Lopes often described his upbringing as difficult, referring to his neighborhood as a “ghetto” and describing it to Times columnist Jim Murray as “roaches, rats, poor living conditions, drugs as prevalent as candy.”

“If it hadn’t been for sports, there’s no telling what I’d be or where I’d be,” Lopes told The Times’ Ross Newhan in 1973. “All I had to do is step off the porch to a choice of all the things you associate with a ghetto.”

Long before he became an accomplished base stealer, Lopes said he became an expert at shoplifting. “I never stole anything major, just clothes and baseballs and bats,” he told Murray.

Lopes needed an adult role model and one came along in the coach at an opposing high school, Mike Sarkesian, who grew up in a Providence tenement but became the basketball coach and athletic director at Iowa Wesleyan College the year Lopes graduated from high school.

“Whatever I missed by having not really had a father, Sarkesian provided,” Lopes told Newhan. “He could relate to my problems, my environment. The drive, the determination, not to give in to the ghetto, to make something of my life, stems from my relations with him.”

Sarkesian recruited Lopes to play baseball at Iowa Wesleyan. Two years later, Sarkesian became athletic director at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., Lopes went with him. Lopes was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the eighth round of the 1967 MLB draft but opted to return to Washburn, where he played baseball and basketball well enough to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1987.

The Dodgers drafted him in the second round a year later and Lopes signed for $10,000. He skipped spring training his first two minor league seasons to complete his classes at Washburn and graduated in 1969 with a degree in elementary education.

Lopes spent the 1968 and 1969 seasons at Class-A Daytona Beach, and married Linda Lee Vandover during his first season. The night before the wedding he broke up no-hitters in both games of a doubleheader with late-inning hits.

A promotion to triple-A Spokane came in 1970. His manager was Tommy Lasorda and the team was exceptional, posting a record of 94-52. Among his teammates were Garvey and Russell as well as other future major leaguers Bill Buckner, Bobby Valentine and Tom Paciorek.

Lasorda recalled Lopes as so shy he wouldn’t speak to anyone. “It took two years, but he finally came around,” Lasorda said. “[He] finally got to the point where he felt he belonged.”

Lopes showed improvement at the plate his second year at Spokane, batting .306 with Cey as a teammate. The Dodgers moved their triple-A affiliate to Albuquerque in 1972 and in his third season at that level Lopes exhibited the blend of power and speed that would be his calling card, posting a slugging percentage of .476 while stealing 48 bases.

Five years in the minor leagues after having attended college meant Lopes was 27 when he made his major league debut that September. He was the opening day second baseman the following year and turned 28 a month into the season.

Lopes quickly made up for lost time, his stolen base totals increasing in each of his first three full seasons from 36 to 59 to 77. On Aug. 24, 1974, he stole five bases in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the first NL player to do so since 1904.

It wasn’t long before the best catcher in baseball, the Reds’ Johnny Bench, lauded Lopes, saying, “He’s the best there is at stealing. Lopes not only has the knowledge and speed, but also the quick acceleration. He has everything.”

The once reticent Lopes also showed leadership qualities as early as 1976, when a throw by new Dodgers outfielder Dusty Baker had missed the cutoff man.

“We don’t play that way,” Lopes told Baker.

“Hey, I almost threw him out.” the Dodgers newcomer replied.

“We don’t play that way,” Lopes emphasized.

“I’d never had a player get in my face like that, and I didn’t like it too much,” Baker recalled of the incident. “I looked up and the whole team was coming over to back up Davey.”

Lopes was popular with fans as well. In 1980, he received 3,862,403 votes to lead all MLB players and start at second base in the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. That was his third of four consecutive All-Star appearances.

The Dodgers were consistent winners with Lopes, Garvey, Russell and Cey anchoring the infield, but lost the World Series in 1974 to the Athletics and in 1977 and ’78 to the Yankees. In 1981, however, they broke through, winning the Fall Classic for the first time since 1966 by defeating the Yankees in six games.

“They can do anything they want with us now,” said Lopes, who set a record by stealing 10 bases in 10 attempts that postseason. “I’ve got the ring. They can’t take that away from me.”

Youngster Steve Sax, however, did take his job. Lopes, 36, was traded to the A’s during the offseason. He was hardly through, playing another six seasons and even stealing 47 bases in 99 games in 1985 for the Chicago Cubs to become the first 40-year-old player to steal more bases than his age.

Lopes retired after the 1987 season and spent the next four years as a coach under Valentine with the Texas Rangers. Next he coached for three years under another former teammate, Baltimore Orioles manager Johnny Oates, and for four years with the San Diego Padres under Bruce Bochy.

In 2000, Lopes got his shot at managing, signing a three-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, who posted losing records in his first two seasons. When the Brewers won only three of their first 15 games in 2002, Lopes was fired.

“A lot of people discouraged me from taking [the Brewers job] because they thought I was just setting myself up for failure,” Lopes told The Times’ Ross Newhan, sensing the odds were catching up to him, “but I was determined to show them I could do it.”

Lopes returned to the Padres as a first-base coach from 2003-2005. He spent one season as the Washington Nationals’ first-base coach and baserunning adviser, and he served in the same capacity for the Phillies from 2007 to 2010.

The Phillies led the major leagues in stolen base percentage three times during his tenure and won the 2008 World Series championship, but that season began with a serious health issue for Lopes. Days before spring training, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was in remission by opening day.

In 2011, Times columnist Bill Plaschke lobbied for the Dodgers to add Lopes to the coaching staff. General manager Ned Colletti did just that. Lopes displayed an empathy for young players, saying, “I’ve been there, I know what it’s like when you’re young and you need to know somebody is covering your back. Sometimes you feel lost, and you need a coach or manager to alleviate that.”

Lopes served as Dodgers first-base coach for five years — immediately improving the team’s base-stealing prowess — before closing out his five-decade baseball career in 2017 as a coach for the Nationals under his old teammate Baker.

“I’m not doing much. I’m retired, taking it easy,” Lopes said about retirement on a podcast. “It was not a difficult decision to make, but one I was kind of hesitant to make. But it all works out.

“I got the opportunity to play, manage or coach for a long, long time. I’m extremely thankful. I was one of the lucky ones in the big leagues for 45 straight years. That’s a long time. I have no complaints.”

Lopes is survived by two brothers, Patrick and John, and four sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.

James Gadson, a prolific drummer who worked closely with Bill Withers and as a member of the widely sampled Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band — and whose playing motored hits like Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover,” Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” — died Thursday, according to Rolling Stone. He was 86.

Rolling Stone didn’t say where Gadson died or specify a cause but said the drummer’s wife, Barbara, had confirmed the news; she told the magazine that Gadson had experienced a fall recently and undergone surgery.

Described by the Roots’ Questlove as “breakbeats defined,” Gadson was known for a funky, laid-back style best exemplified perhaps by his playing in Withers’ 1972 “Use Me,” in which he seems somehow to keep finding space for an extra beat. Forty years later, Kendrick Lamar borrowed Gadson’s intricate rhythm pattern for “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” from the rapper’s 2012 breakthrough album, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.”

In “Love Hangover,” which topped Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1976, Gadson’s drumming anchors a production that moves from lush soul balladry to a frisky disco groove; Gaye and his producer Leon Ware got a similar thump out of the drummer for “I Want You,” which reached No. 1 on the R&B chart in 1976 and was later interpolated by Lamar for his Grammy-winning “The Heart Part 5.”

Among the many other songs from the ‘70s featuring Gadson’s playing are the Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine,” Cheryl Lynn’s “Got to Be Real,” Smokey Robinson’s “Cruisin,’” Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You,” Tavares’ “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel,” Peaches & Herb’s “Shake Your Groove Thing” and Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” In later years he worked with the likes of Beck, D’Angelo, Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Harry Styles and Sturgill Simpson.

Gadson was born June 17, 1939, and grew up in Kansas City. His father was a drummer, and when Gadson and his brother were teenagers they played in a doo-wop group called the Carpets. Gadson moved to Los Angeles in the mid-’60s following a stint in the Air Force and joined the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, led by the singer and guitarist Charles Wright; the group scored hits such as “Do Your Thing” and “Express Yourself,” the latter of which N.W.A would eventually sample for its song of the same name from 1989’s “Straight Outta Compton.”

In the early ’70s, Gadson and several other Watts band members left the group and took up with Withers (who’d already broken out with “Ain’t No Sunshine”) to make his album “Still Bill.” In addition to “Use Me,” the LP spun off the hit single “Lean on Me,” which went to No. 1 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Gadson backed Withers in 1972 for a concert at Carnegie Hall that was recorded for a classic live album; the record opens with a version of “Use Me” that stretches past the eight-minute mark.

Though Gadson’s crack at a solo career around the same time didn’t pan out, he quickly became an in-demand session drummer, particularly for acts signed to the Motown label, which had just moved to L.A. from its original home of Detroit. He played on Motown records by the Temptations, the Miracles, the 5th Dimension and the Supremes’ Mary Wilson; over the decades that followed, he also worked with Philip Bailey, Anita Baker, Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, Norah Jones and Lana Del Rey.

On Friday, the jazz guitarist Jeff Parker wrote on Instagram about his experiences playing with Gadson.

“The last time we convened, he noticed me glaring at his drum kit in wonder — I knew that there had to be a LOT of history there,” Parker recalled. “He looked at me and said, ‘Jeff, that’s my disco kit.’ I said, ‘Are those the drums on “Love Hangover”?’ He nodded and said, ‘They’re the drums on a whooooole lot of records.’”

Melvin Edwards, a sculptor best known for abstract steel works that illustrated the history and resistance of African Americans, died March 30 at his Baltimore home. He was 88.

His death was confirmed by Alexander Gray Associates, the gallery that represents him.

Edwards rose to prominence in 1963 with the first works of what would become his most notable series, “Lynch Fragments.” A collection of small, wall-mounted sculptures, he combined fragments of found and recycled steel and welded them into forms of chains, sharp tools, barbed wire and other metal objects.

The series spans several decades, drawing inspiration from racial violence during the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, his personal relationship to Africa, people in his own community and across the African diaspora.

Over the years, Edwards made more than 300 “Lynch Fragments.”

Recurring materials in his works held layered meanings. Barbed wire served as a symbol of violence and oppression, but also of agriculture, cultivation and survival.

“Melvin was somebody who looked at multiple dimensions of any situation or person,” said Alexander Gray, a gallery owner and close personal friend of Edwards. “He really looked at the world, not through any kind of binary lens, but through a personal lens that was respectful of other people’s perspective.”

Born May 4, 1937, in Houston, the eldest of four children, Edwards grew up surrounded by racial segregation. As a child, he took drawing classes and visited museums, and he also played football.

“The world that I came from was American racism, segregation. I may have been young, but I paid attention,” Edwards said in an introduction to “Lynch Fragments” at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Melvin Edwards, seen here in fellow sculptor Hal Gebhardt’s class at USC sometime between 1959 and 1960, died March 30 at his home in Baltimore.

His artistic career began while studying art on a football scholarship at USC, where he met and was mentored by Hungarian painter Francis de Erdely. Edwards’ L.A. roots were critical to his identity as an artist. Here, he began experimenting with welded steel, which became his primary medium.

After moving to New York City in 1967, he became, in 1970, the first African American sculptor to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Throughout his career, Edwards remained committed to public art, creating sculptures for universities, public housing projects and museums around the world.

Those who knew him described him as overwhelmingly positive, which shaped both his work and his relationships.

“Melvin’s community of artists was remarkable because it spanned the globe. You could spin a globe, land anywhere, say the name of the country or the city, and he would know three people there, minimum,” said Gray. “He could recall a conversation he had with a person 35 years ago without any hesitation. He had an incredible constellation of people that he was surrounded by.”

New motives look set to be revealed on Coronation Street next week that could give away which of the five potential victims is killed off in April, with one killer possibly exposed

Spoilers for next week on Coronation Street could tease which character dies in the murder plot in April, as there’s new motives and new confessions.

Fans know that either Jodie Ramsey, Maggie Driscoll, Megan Walsh, Carl Webster or Theo Silverton will be brutally murdered in a dark episode next month. While moments on screen have proven why each of them is a worthy candidate for the grim death twist, new spoilers could make one character a front runner.

Next week, one character’s killer secret could finally be exposed by another villain. While all five potential victims take centre stage and are causing drama, there’s one villain in particular that could see his dark actions come to light very soon, and it could give away that Theo is the one who dies.

Spoilers for next week reveal that, Ben who’s facing drama with his ex-wife, suffers a dizzy spell, and his mum Maggie wants to call an ambulance, but Ben insists he’s fine. When he demands the truth about his dad, Maggie finally admits that Alan wasn’t his real father, but she doesn’t say who is.

READ MORE: Emmerdale icon says ‘good things come to an end’ after 17 years on soap amid big shake-upREAD MORE: EastEnders favourite left ‘broken’ over ’emotional’ baby twist in labour plot

Will Maggie be forced to reveal all when a situation between Amy and Ollie leaves her panicked? Ben tells his mum he wants nothing to do with her. Elsewhere, Kevin reveals Debbie has won her prison appeal, but she soon goes missing.

Carl soon finds her, and asks for £10,000 to pay off his debt to Fiona. Ronnie’s suspicious and calls Fiona, but will she back Carl’s claim? Later in the week, Debbie sparks concern at the hotel when she offends Tracy and Mary’s customer.

Will offers Sam an apology over the Megan situation, and Sam reluctantly shakes his hand but it’s clear he still doesn’t trust him. He tells Hope he’s been looking into grooming cases, as Toyah urges him to stop worrying about Megan and Will.

Soon a clash between Sam and Will leaves their loved ones rowing too, but is Will really to blame? When a paranoid Sam spots Megan and Will at the precinct he rushes to get someone, only for Will to claim he’s been at the pub all morning.

Also next week, Jodie pulls a sickie at work to spend the day with David, while Tim prepares to confront Trisha over their past. Lisa announces her divorce from Becky has come through, and as they celebrate they ask Jodie to look after baby Connie.

Meanwhile, Sarah shares her concern for Todd, leading to her meeting with Theo’s ex Danielle to ask if Theo was ever violent towards her. The incident leaves Theo furious, and he tells Todd their moving to Belfast in a matter of days.

Finally next week, Abi suggests to Summer that Debbie might not have been driving the car on the night of the crash. When Summer asks Debbie if Carl was driving, she panics and ends up injuring herself.

After a scan, Debbie learns she’s deteriorated after her dementia diagnosis. As for Summer, she’s told by Carl that if she wants to know who killed Billy she needs to stop pointing the finger at him and look closer to home.

So does this final spoiler make it clear that Theo will finally be exposed for killing Billy? Will this lead to residents finding out the truth and then taking revenge?

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Actor James Tolkan, known for his role as the Hill Valley High principal in “Back to the Future” and the no-nonsense commanding officer in “Top Gun” has died. He was 94.

Tolkan died Thursday in Lake Placid, N.Y., where he lived, his booking agent, John Alcantar, told the Associated Press on Saturday.

In “Back to the Future,” Tolkan portrayed Vice Principal Gerald Strickland, who surveyed the school’s halls with a whistle around his neck and a tardy slip burning a hole in his pocket.

“You got a real attitude problem, McFly,” Tolkan’s character snaps at Michael J. Fox’s character, Marty McFly, in the cult classic 1985 film. “You’re a slacker. You remind me of your father when he went here. He was a slacker, too.”

The line became one of Tolkan’s most famous, and mega-fans would flock to Comic-Cons around the country to ask the star to call them a slacker, requests he typically obliged.

The actor had a number of film and television gigs through the 1960s and ’70s, but he was doing David Mement’s Broadway play “Glengarry Glen Ross” when he got the offer to play Strickland in “Back to the Future.”

“I always said, ‘I’m never going to Hollywood until they send for me,’ ” he told T.C. Restani during a 2015 interview. “And I said, OK, this is my chance. And of course, nobody realized that it was going to be such an important picture. But it was. It was one of those marvelous events where all the planets were aligned and ‘Back to the Future’ became this shooting star of a movie.”

Tolkan was also well known for drilling Maverick and Goose with swift reprimands and tough love between puffs of his cigar as their commanding officer, Tom “Stinger” Jardian, in the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun.”

“That was very special, because when you make a movie you never know, but in ‘Top Gun,’ everybody felt like it was going to be a success,” Tolkan told Bob McCarthy during a 2016 Comic-Con interview. “ They just felt it, knew it right from the first day.”

Born June 20, 1931, in Calumet, Mich., Tolkan was the son of a cattle dealer — Ralph M. Tolkan. He moved around in his adolescence, spending time in Chicago and landing in Arizona after his parents’ divorce. It was there that his athletic skills got him noticed by the Eastern Arizona College football coach. Tolkan landed a scholarship to the college, but his academic career was short-lived, and he left to enlist in the U.S. Navy.

After a year of service during the Korean War, he was discharged due to a heart ailment, and with $75 to his name he set out for the Big Apple to try his hand at acting. In New York, Tolkan studied under Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg at the famed Actors Studio and started landing stage roles before working his way to the big screen.

Although his experience in the military informed the types of roles Tolkan would play — Army office, Air Force commander, police lieutenant, attorney — his work as an actor was his passion. “If you choose to be an actor, you have to choose to be an actor, and you have to stick with it through thick and thin,” he told a FanX audience member during a 2023 panel at the Salt Lake City pop-culture convention. “When things get tough, you can’t think about doing something else. You’ve got to say to yourself, ‘I’m gonna do this.’ ”

Other notable acting projects of Tolkan’s include the 1973 film “Serpico,” starring Al Pacino; the 1981 movie “Prince of the City”; the role of Napolean in Woody Allen’s 1975 film, “Love and Death”; and the 1983 film “WarGames,” in which he acted alongside Matthew Broderick.

Tolkan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Parmelee Welles.

COMEDIAN and actor Alex Duong has died aged 42 after a year-long battle with cancer.

The funny man was known for his appearances on Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle and Blue Bloods.

A close friend who was by his side confirmed to TMZ that Duong passed away 11am Saturday at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by family and friends.

Duong reportedly went into septic shock Friday night.

He was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare and aggressive cancer – last year.

A biopsy found an extremely aggressive tumour after he had experienced headaches behind his eye.

He eventually lost sight in his left eye.

In August, his comedians contemporaries hosted the The Alex Duong Has Cancer In His Eye Comedy Benefit Show in LA.

Ronny Chieng and Atusko Okatsuka were among the comedians involved.

He leaves behind his wife Cristina and daughter Everest, 5.

Duong grew up in Dallas, Texas as the youngest of six children.

He graduated high school and went on to pursue medicine before finding success in the creative industries.

His writing about the Vietnam War gained him meetings with producers in California, according to IMDB.

Duong left school to pursue a feature development deal with Melody Phan of Zenoost Media.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online.

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @sunbizarre.

A FOUNDING member of Seventies glam rock band Showaddywaddy, guitarist Trevor Oakes, has died the group announced today.

Former lead singer Dave Bartram who is now manager, said the 79-year-old musician passed away peacefully on February 18 after “a long illness”.

The band specialised in Fifties and Sixties classics including their only UK No1 single Under the Moon of Love in 1976 and still tours but with only drummer Romeo Challenger from the original line-up.

It enjoyed 15 Top Twenty hits during their peak from 1974 to 1979.

Bartram, also the group’s manager, said: “Trevor was a unique character and a dedicated professional, without whom the band would never have quite scaled the dizzy heights we seemed destined to achieve.

“He was also a caring and affectionate family man, with a mischievous sense of humour, which will be sadly missed by all those dear to him.

STAR GONE

Back to the Future & Top Gun star dies after 55-year acting career

Trailblazer

British Olympic legend who shattered world record on way to winning gold dies

“ I could write a book about the incredible memories we’ve shared over the past fifty-seven years, but most of all I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his unwavering friendship. Your true friend Dave.”

A source claimed to The Sun that Bartram died in a Leicester care home and that his funeral has already taken place.

No further details have been released about Oakes’ illness or cause of death.

The musician was born in Leicester and worked as press knife maker before becoming a professional musician.

Oakes quit the band when he was aged 62 in May 2009 after suffering ill health, according to his biography on its website.

He has two ex-footballer sons, Stefan Oakes who played for Leicester City in the Premier League, and Scott Oakes, whoi had a spell at Luton Town.

Rights groups in Bahrain say a 32-year-old man, arrested for opposing the war on Iran, was killed in police custody. Bahraini authorities dispute the account, but activists say the incident is part of a widening crackdown on opposition to the war.

BACK to the Future and Top Gun actor James Tolkan has sadly died aged 94.

The Hollywood star passed away peacefully at his New York state home on Thursday after a celebrated TV and stage career spanning 55 years.

His death was announced on the Back to the Future website as well as by writer-producer Bob Gale, but a cause was not provided.

Tolkan played the slacker-hating teacher Mr. Strickland in the first two films of the iconic 80s franchise, returning as the grandfather of his character in the third.

He was also known for his performance as air group commanding officer “Stinger” Jardian in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, alongside stars Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Meg Ryan.

Tolkan’s five-decade-long career started in the 1960s series Naked City and called it a day after the 2015 film Bone Tomahawk.

He was born on June 20, 1931 in Calumet, Michigan and served in the brutal Korean War as part of the United States Navy.

The young sailor was discharged due to a heart condition and set his sights on becoming an actor, earning a BA in drama from the University of Iowa.

An obituary on the Back to the Future website says that he then “got on a bus for New York City with $75 in his pocket, went to work on the docks and enrolled with both Stella Adler and Lee Strasburg to learn the art of acting. 

“He spent 25 years in New York theater, from off off Broadway to the great White Way.

“Notably, he was a member of the original ensemble cast of the  ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’.”

Tolkan moved his career from New York to California and Canada in 1983 when he was cast in War Games.

After his roles in Back to the Future and Top Gun, Tolkan had a dual role in Woody Allen’s Love and Death.

Tolkan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Parmelee – whom he met in the off-Broadway play Pinkville in 1971 – and his three nieces in Des Moines, Iowa.

The late actor adored animals and the obituary asked for donations in his memory to your local animal shelter, animal rescue organisation or Humane Society chapter.

Breaking news… More to come…