Sir Jimmy Savile dies, aged 84

Sir Jimmy Savile has died at his home at the age of 84.

The DJ and TV presenter, most famous for his show Jim'll Fix It, was just two days away from his 85th birthday.

Police were called to his address in Roundhay, Leeds at 12.10pm, where they discovered his body. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

Last month, it was reported that Sir Jimmy had been taken to Leeds General Infirmary after suffering a bout of pneumonia. It is as yet unknown whether the illness was the cause of his death.

Friend and fellow DJ Dave Lee Travis paid tribute to Sir Jimmy, saying: "For some unknown reason, with Jim, you couldn't anticipate that he wasn't going to be around anymore - he was such a powerful presence.

"He was one of the first DJs that actually became a personality."

Born in 1926, Sir Jimmy was the youngest of seven children, and worked in the coal mines during the war.

He became a Radio 1 DJ before fronting the original series of Top of the Pops in 1964. In 1975, he landed his own family show, Jim'll Fix It. At its peak, the show attracted 20,000 letters every week from children and adults who wanted the host to grant their wish.

Renowned for his trademark tracksuits, gold chains and cigars, he was also extremely charitable, and is thought to have raised more than £40m for good causes in his lifetime. A long-time friend of members of the royal family, he was knighted by the Queen in 1990.

Former Radio 1 DJ Mike Read said: "He was an exceptional character in a world that's got greyer, more normal, more dull. He was a one off. He was the first to go into halls and clubs and play records. You knew it was Jimmy, he stood out in the crowd. He was pure, pure showbiz."

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Renowned ghazal singer Jagjit Singh passes away

Renowned Indian ghazal singer Jagjit Singh passed away Monday at the age of 70 in the Intensive Care Unit of Mumbai Lilavati hospital in India due to brain hemorrhage.

The singer was admitted in ICU and underwent emergency Nueoro surgery twice. Jagjit Singh also had a history of heart ailments which were suspected to have trigger the damaged, reported a private news channel.

Singh was breathing with the aid of a ventilator. The 70 -years old also suffered from hypertension.

He was born on 8 February, 1941 in Rajhistan. 'The Ghazal King' was a singer, composer, activist and entrepreneur. He had sung in several languages including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Nepali.

Singh entered the music industry at a time which was primarily dominated by Pakistani ghazal singers, and Indian singers were considered relatively lesser authentic than their Pakistani counterparts.

Singh was the first Indian music director to use the technique of multi-track recording for his album 'Beyond Time'. Singh was admitted jus hours before he was to perform with another ghazal maestro, Ghulam Ali, in Mumbai.

Unlike other ghazal singers, Singh did not hesitate in lending his voice for films. His silky voice ruled during early 80's in films like Prem Geet, Saath Saath and Arth. However, his major work is spread over more than 60 filmy and non-filmy albums.

His music became popular in mass media through films such as Prem Geet (1981), Arth and Saath Saath (1982), and TV serials Mirza Ghalib (1988) and Kahkashan (1991).

Jagjit Singh is survived by his wife Chitra Singh, with whom he had produced several record-breaking albums. Their only son Vivek Singh had died in a road accident in 1990. (APP)

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Anil Kapoor's father dies, aged 84

Film producer Surinder Kapoor, the father of Anil Kapoor, died on Saturday following a cardiac arrest at the age of 84.

The veteran filmmaker produced films including Woh Saat Din, Pukaar, Loafer and Judaai, and had assisted director K. Asif during the making of Mughal-e-Azam.

Anees Bazmee, the director of Kapoor's home production No Entry, told IANS: "I'm at Surinderji's house right now. He had gone for a walk in the evening. He came back, drank a glass of water and while he was untying the laces of his shoes he suffered a heart attack and died on the spot."

Film critic Taran Adarsh was one of the first people to tweet his condolences, saying: "Veteran producer Surinder Kapoor, father of Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor & Sanjay Kapoor and grandfather of Sonam & Arjun Kapoor, has passed away. Condolences to the entire family. RIP."

Kapoor was the president of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India from 1995 to 2001 and was also given the L.V. Prasad Phalke Award in 2009.

Kapoor is survived by his wife, three sons Boney, Anil, Sanjay and daughter Reena.

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Death of traditional qawwali?

‘Sar-i-Lamakaan se talab hui’, crooned the Sabri Brothers at their best. Yes, he’s been summoned by the Lamakaan, ‘One with no fixed abode’. And with this comes to an end a glorious chapter in traditional qawwali singing with the passage of Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (1941-2011). The erstwhile surviving of the legendary brothers breathed his last in a South African hospital on September 21. He had gone there for treatment, having abandoned singing three months before due to his failing health. This meant for him having had to leave the passion of his 70-year lifetime, a passion that had begun as early as at age four or five under the supervision of his own father, Inayet Sen Sabri—the middle name Sen kept in deference to their claimed ancestor, Taan Sen, whose singing talent shot to fame at the court of Akbar in 15th century Agra.

The Sabri Brothers, Ghulam Fareed (d.1994) and Maqbool Ahmed, however, garnered their own share of skyrocketing fame in our times. They were the trailblazers who ventured out to New York in 1975 to seek western audiences for the traditional qawwali, and kept winning laurels for their performing talent, both at home and abroad for a long time to come. Aziz Mian (d. 2000), Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (d. 1997), and now Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, were to reap the fruits of the trail that the Sabris laid so early in the day. Modern qawwali has long since come out of the shrine and made it to international pop charts, though the traditional genre has seen a tremendous setback through the loss of stalwarts like the Sabris and Aziz Mian. Amjad Sabri may look determined to keep the Sabri tradition alive, but where have the listeners gone?

The cultural onslaught of puritan, fundamentalist doctrine of Islam, especially through the petro-dollars poured into spreading this creed, has seen the audience of the traditional qawwali shrink in Pakistan (India has largely escaped this onslaught thanks to that state’s inherent pluralism which it has jealously guarded) by redefining cultural values. So much so that two years ago in Ramazan, a corporate giant in Pakistan shamelessly flouted its dishonesty by altering the lyrics of a Sabri super hit number, ‘Bhar do jholi meri, Ya Muhammad’ to ‘Ya Ilaahi’ in its advertising campaign. The change in insisting on supplicating to Allah (Ilaahi) alone and not to his Prophet or through his Prophet (or a Sufi saint by extension) was indicative of the growing literalism being associated with a faith whose practitioners have never been a homogenised entity – there being four established schools of fiqh amongst the Sunni majority alone, even if you leave aside the Sufi tradition and the followers of many minority Muslim sects. According to the Salafi creed, building shrines and praying besides the Sufis’ graves is shrine worship and therefore blasphemy.

The point is that if this kind of Salafi cultural onslaught backed by petro-dollars continues, Muslims everywhere risk losing their cultural genres, be they in the form of traditional qawwali in Pakistan or the tradition of Mawlud (Eid-i-Milad), celebratory poetry recitals (and dances) associated with Naat and Manqabat, which are so well entrenched in societies across the Muslim world, from Morocco to Indonesia. The authoritative and the earliest of the biographies of the Prophet of Islam are full of Arabic Qasida and Manqabat in the praise of the Prophet, but the Arabian peninsula is the only missing link today, from where the puritan Salafis rose with a mission to reconvert Muslims with a new zeal in the 19th century and gained more power as their wealth grew when they hit oil in the 20th century. In the subcontinent the Darul Uloom Deoband, UP, (est. 1866) pursued a similar puritan line in its interpretation of the Hanafi doctrine, while most Salafi followers are the adherents of the Hanbali school of thought centered on the Arabian peninsula, followed by the Malikis; Shafi’is have largely stayed away from fundamentalist doctrines though the Jamaa Islamiya in Indonesia remains a key proponent of this doctrine.

As for traditional qawwali in Pakistan (as in India), its sustaining spirit has been the shrine, from a neighbourhood one to that of a patron saint for the wider community with followers literally spread around the world. In Pakistan, however, the shrine culture has been in recession, first following the spread of more puritan strains of the faith, which has weaned away many of the better educated and wealthy patrons, and then the shrines coming under terrorist attacks by Islamic militants. This in turn has also meant a decline in the number of the initiated patrons of the shrine culture and the qawwali performances there. Under the circumstances, younger qawwals like Amjad Sabri need a lot of luck to keep the genre alive in its traditional form. Thus there’s no telling whether or when we’ll see another great Sabri or Aziz Mian with a matching fame and fanfare. However, modern qawwali, with fusion music as its survival kit and pop culture as its rendezvous, is in safe hands—that is, as long as modern qawwals delving in their jazzed-up versions continue to undergo rigorous training in classical singing which is a prerequisite. Credit

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'Spartacus' star Andy Whitfield dies - Hollywood pays tribute

Spartacus creator Steven DeKnight and comedian Joel McHale are among the stars who have paid tribute to the late Andy Whitfield.

Whitfield died at age 39 on Sunday after a long battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Spartacus exec DeKnight said that he was very sad to hear of Whitfield's passing, tweeting: "No words to express the depth of such a loss. You will be deeply missed, my brother."

Whitfield's Spartacus co-star Lucy Lawless said she was lucky to have known the actor, telling Entertainment Weekly: "Obviously, Andy Whitfield left an indelible mark on all of us in the Spartacus family. He was a gentle man who never said a bad word about anyone, a gifted photographer, engineer (no really!) and a brilliant actor.

"Andy's incandescent film presence made men want to be him and women want to marry him. Andy's two babies will always know that their Daddy cherished them and their mother, Vashti, above all things. How lucky we were to have him grace all our lives. Godspeed, Andy!"

The Soup host McHale described Whitfield's death as "terribly sad", while Dexter star Julie Benz wrote: "A life cut way too short. So sad."

Grounded for Life actor Donal Logue suggested that Whitfield's cancer battle should encourage his fans to donate bone marrow, writing: "Non-hodgkins lymphoma & 67 other terminal illnesses need not be fatal if a marrow donor can be found- @bethematch.org. save a life. (sic)"

Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff called Whitfield a "great talent and a true warrior" and Body of Proof actress Jeri Ryan added that "cancer sucks".

Whitfield is survived by his wife Vashti and their two children. Source

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Samir Chanda dies, aged 54

Celebrated Indian art director Samir Chanda has died as a result of a heart related illness.

Known for his work in films such as Guru, Omkara and Rang De Basanti, Chanda won the National Film Award for 'Best Art Direction' three times in his 32-year career.

Speaking of his passing, director Sangeeth Sivan told NDTV: "It is with deep regret that I convey the tragic news of the demise of my dear friend and reputed art director Samir Chanda a few hours back of a heart failure."

A favourite of film director Mani Ratnam, Chanda provided the art direction for films such as Dil Se, Aks, Raavan, Krrish and Ram Lakhan.

A trained painter from Calcutta Art College, Chanda drew on his training and understanding of Indian art and architecture to create sets from the 10th century to the present day.

film director Buddhadeb Dasgupta said: "We have worked together many times. He was a very good person and had a creative head. It will be difficult for the industry to get a man like him."

Filmmaker Goutam Ghose, who was to work with Chanda in his forthcoming film, expressed his sadness at the news.

"I am in deep pain after hearing this. He was a very down to earth despite being in the glamour world," he said.

Several Bollywood stars have paid their personal tributes to Chanda on Twitter.

Anupam Kher said: "Sad and shocked to knw about d sudden demise of Samir Chanda. One of d most brilliant art directors in d country. And a great person. RIP. (sic)"

Priyanka Chopra commented: "RIP Samir Chanda.Had the good fortune of knowing the incredible man he was in Kaminey and Saat khoon maaf. Thank u for always believing in me"

Singer Shreya Ghoshal wrote: "R.I.P. Samir Chanda. The extraordinary art director of so many stunning films. His contribution to indian films was immense."

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Legendary Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor, dies at 79

Legendary Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor, whose acting and dancing style heavily influenced modern-day Indian film stars, died on Sunday aged 79.

"Shammi Kapoor ji passed away this morning at 5:15 am," Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan wrote on Twitter, using the Hindi honorific, saying Kapoor brought had "flamboyance and joie de vivre" to the screen.

Nikhil Gangavane, a family friend who headed the official Shammi Kapoor fan club, said the actor was admitted to the private Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai earlier this week.

"He was on a ventilator for three or four days. He was having some chest infection, which he had had for the last one or two years. He died of renal failure this morning," Gangavane told AFP.

"He had been undergoing dialysis for the last six or seven years but developed complications."

Kapoor's dance performances in romantic hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha" (You're One of a Kind, 1957), "Dil Deke Dekho" (Give Your Heart and See, 1959) and "Junglee" (Wild, 1961) earned him comparisons with US singer Elvis Presley.

Key to his success was his avid interest in music. Kapoor personally selected the songs he would dance and mime to, mindful that they needed to fit his exuberant on-screen style.

In doing so, he and singers like Mohammed Rafi provided some of the industry's most popular and memorable tunes.

In later years, as he withdrew from acting and direction, Kapoor became a champion of the Internet and was the founder-chairman of the Internet Users Community of India, maintaining a Facebook page and a Twitter account.

His own web site www.junglee.org.in profiled his famous family, the Kapoors, who have dominated Hindi-language cinema virtually since its inception.

He described himself on his Twitter account profile as a "Renaissance man, retired actor, computer buff". (AFP)

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Warrant singer Jani Lane found dead, aged 47

Warrant singer Jani Lane has died at the age of 47.
Lane was found dead in a Comfort Inn hotel room in Woodland Hills, CA on Thursday, an LAPD officer confirmed to The AP.

The police spokesperson said that a cause of death has not yet been determined.Lane is survived by two daughters from two prior marriages.

Fellow heavy metal singer Bret Michaels reacted to Lane's death by tweeting: "We'd like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of Jani Lane regarding their loss. Respectfully, Bret and all at MEGI."

Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash described Lane's passing as a "shame", while Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx wrote on Twitter: "I just heard the sad news about Jani Lane. So hard to swallow when people have kids. RIP."

Lane fronted Warrant on-and-off for more than 25 years, scoring five US Top 40 singles including the 1989 hit 'Heaven'.

In July 2010, Lane was sentenced to jail time for a DUI conviction.

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Bubba Smith dies, aged 66

Charles 'Bubba' Smith has been found dead in his Los Angeles home at the age of 66.

The former NFL defensive lineman and Police Academy actor was found by his caretaker on Wednesday afternoon, reports The Los Angeles Times.

While a cause of death was not apparent, Smith is believed to have died of natural causes.

No signs of foul play were detected and an autopsy is due to be performed later this week, according to the LA County Coroner's Office.

Smith's long career in professional football included stints with the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers.

He later went on to pursue a career in film and TV, with roles in Family Matters, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Half Nelson and the first six Police Academy films.

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Barbie doll creator dead

The creator of the Barbie doll and Hot Wheels miniature cars, Elliot Handler, died here this week after dedicating most of his life to his toymaking company Mattel, the daily Los Angeles Times said. He was 95.

Handler died at home Thursday from heart failure, the newspaper cited his daughter Barbara Segal as saying.

In 1945 Handler founded the Mattel company, together with his wife Ruth and his partner Harold Mattson, to make gifts and toys, among which they developed the iconic Barbie and later her boyfriend Ken, both dolls named after the Handler kids.

Ruth Mosko, later Handler, worked as a secretary at Paramount Studios and became the driving force behind Mattel's business and sales.

Born April 19, 1916 in Illinois and raised in Colorado, he studied industrial design and was one of the pioneers in using the power of television to sell products to the kiddie market.

Mattel's first sales success was a plastic Uke-a-Doodle ukelele, followed by a toy gun promoted on TV programmes like "The Mickey Mouse Club".

In 1959 the Handlers developed Barbie and in 1969 Hot Wheels, two of the company's emblematic products which continue to make profits in the millions.

The couple left Mattel in the 1970s following a series of accusations related to the bad financial practices.

Ruth Handler died in 2002 and was known as "Barbie's mom".

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Amy Winehouse has been found dead at the age of 27.

The Grammy Award-winning singer died at her North London home this afternoon, just days after appearing onstage with her 15-year-old goddaughter Dionne Bromfield.

Metropolitan Police have released a statement, confirming: "Police were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square NW1 shortly before 16.05hrs today, Saturday 23 July, following reports of a woman found deceased.

"On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene. Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death. At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained."

London Ambulance Service said that it sent two vehicles to the flat after receiving an emergency call at 3.54pm, but Winehouse was unresponsive and could not be revived.

Raj Kohli of the Metropolitan Police formally confirmed tonight that the deceased woman was Winehouse, and added that she was pronounced dead at the scene.

He also said that enquiries into the circumstances of her death are continuing and no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

"I am aware of reports suggesting that this death is the result of a suspect drugs overdose," Kohli told members of the press. "But I would like to re-emphasise that no post mortem examination has yet taken place and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of death.

"I would urge the media to avoid speculation that may cause further stress to Ms Winehouse's family at this diffcult time. The death of any person is a sad time for friends family, particularly somebody in the case of Amy Winehouse [who is] very well-known nationally and internationally. My sympathy extends not just to her immediate family, but to millions of fans across the world."

An autopsy is reportedly scheduled to take place tomorrow.

Winehouse's record label Universal described her as "a gifted musician, artist and performer", and added: "Our prayers go out to Amy's family, friends and fans."

Chris Goodman, Winehouse's spokesman, also released a statement, saying: "Everyone who is involved with Amy is shocked and devastated. Our thoughts are with her family and friends. The family will issue a statement when ready."

Despite receiving widespread critical acclaim for her 2003 debut album Frank and its 2006 follow-up Back To Black, Winehouse also became notorious for her continued struggle with drink and drug addictions and her repeated admissions to rehab.

She most recently sought treatment in May, which forced the delay of a planned third studio album.

She later cancelled her European tour after being booed offstage at a show in Belgrade, her last public performance. Witnesses at the doomed date claimed that she was intoxicated and did not want to play.

Winehouse was allegedly told by doctors in May that she would die if she refused to give up alcohol. She was said to have passed out after three separate drinking sessions in July. Credit : Digital Spy

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Painter Lucian Freud dies, aged 88

Lucian Freud has died at the age of 88.

The realist painter, one of Britain's most popular and highly celebrated artists, died at his London home after an illness.

Freud was the grandson of the psycho-analyst Sigmund Freud. He was born in Berlin in 1922, and moved to Britain with his family at the age of 10 in 1933.

New York dealer William Acquavella announced the news of his death, and described him as "one of the great painters of the 20th Century".

"In company he was exciting, humble, warm and witty," he added. "He lived to paint and painted until the day he died, far removed from the noise of the art world."

Tate gallery director Nicholas Serota said: "The vitality of [Freud's] nudes, the intensity of the still life paintings and the presence of his portraits of family and friends guarantee Lucian Freud a unique place in the pantheon of late 20th Century art.

"His early paintings redefined British art and his later works stand comparison with the great figurative painters of any period."

Freud's works have been highly sought after in recent years, including a painting of an overweight nude woman sleeping on a sofa, which was sold in 2008 for $33.6m (£20.6m).

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Angela Scoular died after drinking drain cleaner

Angela Scoular - a former 'James Bond' film actress and wife of the comic actor Leslie Phillips - died last April after drinking a corrosive cleaning liquid and pouring it over herself, Westminster Coroner's Court has heard.

The 65-year-old actress, who had been suffering from bowel cancer, drank the liquid after battling with alcoholism, manic depression and worries over debts, reports the BBC.Scoular, who played Buttercup in the 1966 spoof 'Casino Royale' and Ruby Bartlett in 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' in 1969, lived in Maida Vale, west London.

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox recorded a verdict that she killed herself 'while the balance of her mind was disturbed'.Scoular's death was not suicide, the coroner ruled.

The court heard Scoular suffered non-survivable 40 percent burns to her throat, body and dietary tract.The cause of death was ingestion of a corrosive substance and multiple fractures, said Wilcox.The coroner heard the actress died two hours after drinking the liquid, containing 91 percent sulphuric acid, and pouring it over her body.

The inquest was told Scoular had been diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and was given the all clear after treatment and surgery.But months before her death she began to fear the return of the disease.Scoular, who had battled alcoholism for years, used to drink between 150 and 210 units of alcohol a week.

Weeks before her death she was arrested for drink-driving while on bail after crashing her car in Wales.At the time she was on medication for bipolar disorder, the coroner heard.Phillips, 87, was too ill to attend the hearing but said in a statement read to the court that their life together was happy.

'The only exception was her alcoholism. But she was a kind, generous person who would help me with my work and I would help with hers,' he said.Scoular had made at least one previous attempt to kill herself in 1992 when she cut her wrists with a knife.

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Sylvester Stallone's father Frank Sr dies, aged 91

Sylvester Stallone's father Frank Sr has died at the age of 91.

Frank Sr passed away in Wellington, Florida earlier this week after a battle with prostate cancer, according to the Palm Beach Post.

The Italian-born Stallone family patriarch, who made his living by opening several hair salons, married former Celebrity Big Brother star Jackie in 1945.

Jackie and Frank Sr became parents to Sylvester and 'Far From Over' singer Frank Jr. Their troubled marriage lasted 12 years.

Frank Sr released his first novel Stewart Lane, the tale of a couple who attempt to renovate a dilapidated country house, at the age of 90 in 2010.

The Stallone family have yet to comment on Frank's passing.

Frank is survived by his five children and wife Kathleen.

Sylvester has lent his voice to the comedy Zookeeper, which is now playing in US cinemas and opens in the UK on July 29.

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'Home Alone' actor Roberts Blossom dies, aged 87

Roberts Blossom has died at the age of 87.

The actor passed away from natural causes in Los Angeles on Friday.

Blossom played a number of supporting roles in various Hollywood films including The Great Gatsby, Escape from Alcatraz and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

He is perhaps best known for playing Old Man Marley in 1990's Home Alone alongside Macaulay Culkin.

Blossom retired from acting in the late 1990s to focus on his poetry work.

He was married twice, and is survived by daughter Debbie and son Michael.

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Lyricist Khawaja Pervaiz is no more

Seasoned Lyricist Khawaja Pervaiz, the creator of more than 15,000 ever-green songs in Urdu as well Punjabi languages, passed away after protracted illness at the Mayo Hospital here on Monday.

The lyricist par-excellence, 78, was a chronic diabetic and suffered from asthmatic complication. He was admitted to the Mayo hospital last week with the symptoms of low- sugar where he breath his last this morning.

Khawaja Ghulam Mohyuddin (pen-name Pervaiz), born in 1932 in Amritsar (Indian Punjab), migrated to Lahore (Pakistan) in 1947 and settled in Gawalmandi.

By virtue of his poetic genius, Khawaja Pervaiz was ranked among the top lyricists of the Pakistani film industry who created thousands of filmi songs, ghazals,national and war songs as well as poems.

During his illustrious film career, spanning over 45 years, he created memorable songs for Urdu and Punjabi films which endeared to the music lovers for ever.

His best remembered songs are: 'Jub koi Pyar Sai Bulai Ga/ Tum Ko Aik Shakhs Yaad Aiy Ga', 'Kisay Da Yaar Na Wichray','Tum Hee Mehboob Mairay', and one of the best Punjab ever-greens 'Mahi Aavey Gaa Main Phulain Therti Sajawan gi.'

Madam Noor Jehan, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali khan,Ghulam Ali, Masood Rana and other great vocalists sang his songs.

Khawaja Pervaiz was laid to rest in the Miani Sahib graveyard in the presence of political, film, tv, stage figures as well as admirers.

The renowned lyricist is survived by two wives and six children. (APP)

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Famous artist MF Hussain passes away

LONDON: Renowned Indian painter Maqbool Fida Hussain passed away in the early hours of today in London at the age of 95.

According to reports, he died at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. He had been suffering from age-related ailments for some time and had been in hospital for the last two days. He was being treated for fluid in the lungs and breathing difficulties.

His sons and daughter were with him when the end came, the sources said.

Hussain had been living in self-imposed exile in Dubai and London since 2006 after coming under attack from fundamentalists at home for his paintings of Hindu deities. Early last year, Qatar conferred its nationality on him.

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'Gunsmoke' actor James Arness dies at 88

LOS ANGELES: James Arness, the towering actor who played rugged lawman Matt Dillon in long-running US television series "Gunsmoke," died Friday at the age of 88, his family said.

One of US television's most enduring stars during the show's 20-year run from 1955-75, he returned in a number of "Gunsmoke" TV movies in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Like John Wayne on the silver screen, the two meter (6 foot 7 inch) tall actor was an imposing presence on the small screen, and was nominated for Emmy awards three times during the series' early years.

The show won praise for bringing psychologically complex characters into the TV format. "Matt is very human and has all the failings and drives common to anyone who is trying to do a difficult job the best he knows how," Arness said.

Born in Minnesota, Arness was chosen when producers were looking for an actor to play Dodge City Marshal Dillon on television, after "Gunsmoke" had been a hit radio show for years.

He was already a well-known film actor, including in the sci-fi classics "The Thing From Another World" in 1951 and "Them!" in 1954, and was initially reluctant to give up his fledgling movie career.

But Wayne urged him to take the role, and provided an on-camera introduction in which he praised the new TV Western series for being honest, adult and realistic.

"I knew there was only one man to play in it, James Arness," Wayne told viewers. "He's a young fella and may be new to some of you. But I've worked with him, and I predict he'll be a big star."

Arness died on natural causes in his home in Los Angeles, said family spokesperson Ginny Fazer. (AFP)

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'Poetry Man' singer Phoebe Snow dies, aged 58

Singer Phoebe Snow has died at age 58 after suffering complications from a 2010 brain haemorrhage.

The musician, who was best known for the 1975 hit 'Poetry Man', passed away this morning in Edison, NJ, her rep Rick Miramontez confirmed to The AP.

Achieving her most notable success in the 1970s, Snow collaborated with many of the era's most popular musicians, including Paul Simon and Jackson Browne.

She was also a frequent musical guest in the early years of Saturday Night Live, appearing on the programme's second-ever telecast, and later returning with friend Linda Ronstadt to duet on 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)' in 1979.

Snow gave birth to disabled daughter Valerie in 1975, and largely shunned the spotlight in order to care for the child. Valerie died in 2007 at 31 years old.

In recent years, the 'Gone at Last' musician was plagued with a series of health problems, including suffering both a stroke and congestive heart failure.

She was reportedly working on her first new studio LP in eight years at the time of her death.

Her long-time manager Sue Cameron described Snow's passing as "incalculable", adding: "Phoebe was one of the brightest, funniest and most talented singer-songwriters of all time and, more importantly, a magnificent mother to her late brain-damaged daughter, Valerie, for 31 years. Phoebe felt that was her greatest accomplishment."

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Pakistan’s pride Moin Akhtar passes away

KARACHI: Moin Akhtar, the legendary artist of television, stage and film passed away here on Friday at the age of 61.

Moin Akhtar was under treatment at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for a heart disease, Geo News reported.

Moin Akhtar was a television, film and stage actor, as well as a comedian, impersonator, and a host. He was also a play writer, singer, film director and a producer.

A highly dynamic and versatile performer from Karachi, Moin Akhtar made his debut appearance on PTV on 6 September 1966, in a variety show telecast on the occasion of the first defense day of Pakistan. Since then, he had performed numerous roles in TV plays/shows and later teamed up with Anwar Maqsood and Bushra Ansari to get an overwhelming public applause.

Whether on the stage or on the screen, Moin Akhtar was one of the most sought after actors in Pakistani entertainment industry. His apparent attempts to avoid vulgar in his humor has rendered him a favorite amongst family audiences.

He is an inspiration for the generations to come and is one of the few that stands out so distinguishably. Akhtar was fluent in several languages, including English, Bengali, Sindhi, Punjabi, Memon, Pushto, Gujarati and others, while in the Urdu-speaking world, he is beloved for providing humor for people of all ages, and with an etiquette that remains unmatched.

He has a following not only in Pakistan but on the other side of the border, India, too due to the stage shows, Bakra Qiston Pe and Buddha Ghar Pe Hai with Umer Sharif. It would not be wrong to say that his ardent fans are spread all around the globe.

Moin Akhtar rose to the national spotlight and gathered critical acclaim for his performance in the drama Rosy /Rozy, in which he played the role of a female TV artist. Rozy was an Urdu adaptation of Hollywood movie Tootsie starring Dustin Hoffman.

Moreover, in a talk-show namely Loose Talk, which began in 2005 on a private television channel, he has appeared as a different disguised guest who is interviewed by Anwar Maqsood, the writer and the host of the program. Loose Talk ended after over 400 episodes, each seen with Moin disguised as a different personality.

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