RIP The Final Impression

On this day 19 May death of Anne Boleyn – Nathaniel Hawthorne – José Martí – Ferdinand Hodler – T. E. Lawrence – Gabriele Münter – Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – Alice Notley

Posted on 29 MayamTue, 19 May 2026 00:15:00 -05002026-05-19T00:15:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

On this day in 1536, second wife of King Henry VIII and Marquess of Pembroke, Queen of England, Anne Boleyn was executed by beheading for high treason, adultery, incest and witchcraft, at the Tower of London. She was somewhere between 28 and 35 years old. Born in Norfolk at the Boleyn home at Blickling between 1501 and 1507. Henry’s marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the start of the English Reformation. Anne was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Howard, and was educated in the Netherlands and France, largely as a maid of honour to Claude of France. She returned to England in early 1522, to marry her Irish cousin James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond; the marriage plans ended in failure and she secured a post at court as maid of honour to Henry VIII’s wife, Catherine of Aragon. In February/March 1526, Henry VIII began his pursuit of Anne. She resisted his attempts to seduce her, refusing to become his mistress – which her sister Mary had been. It soon became the one absorbing object of Henry’s desires to annul his marriage to Queen Catherine so he would be free to marry Anne. When it became clear that Pope Clement VII would not annul the marriage, the breaking of the power of the Catholic Church in England began. In 1532, Henry granted her the Marquessate of Pembroke. Henry and Anne married on 25 January 1533. On 23 May 1533, Thomas Cranmer declared Henry and Catherine’s marriage null and void; five days later, he declared Henry and Anne’s marriage to be good and valid. Shortly afterwards, the Pope decreed sentences of excommunication against Henry and Cranmer. As a result of this marriage and these excommunications, the first break between the Church of England and Rome took place and the Church of England was brought under the King’s control. Anne was crowned Queen of England on 1 June 1533. On 7 September, she gave birth to the future Queen Elizabeth I, whose gender disappointed Henry. He was not entirely discouraged, for he said that a son would surely follow and professed to love Elizabeth. Three miscarriages followed, and by March 1536, Henry was courting Jane Seymour. Henry had Anne investigated for high treason in April 1536. On 2 May she was arrested and sent to the Tower of London, where she was tried before a jury of peers – which included Henry Percy, her former betrothed, and her own uncle, Thomas Howard – and found guilty on 15 May. She was beheaded four days later. Modern historians view the charges against her as unconvincing. Henry commuted Anne’s sentence from burning to beheading, and rather than have a queen beheaded with the common axe, he brought an expert swordsman from Saint-Omer in France, to perform the execution. Shortly before dawn, she heard mass and swore on the eternal salvation of her soul, upon the Holy Sacraments, that she had never been unfaithful to the king. She ritually repeated this oath both immediately before and after receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist. She wore a red petticoat under a loose, dark grey gown of damask trimmed in fur and a mantle of ermine. Accompanied by two female attendants, Anne made her final walk from the Queen’s House to the scaffold. Anne climbed the scaffold and made a short speech to the crowd:

Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.

In a 1,318 line poem, written in French, two weeks after Anne’s death, Lancelot de Carle provides a moving account of her last words and their effect on the crowd:

She gracefully addressed the people from the scaffold with a voice somewhat overcome by weakness, but which gathered strength as she went on. She begged her hearers to forgive her if she had not used them all with becoming gentleness, and asked for their prayers. It was needless, she said, to relate why she was there, but she prayed the Judge of all the world to have compassion on those who had condemned her, and she begged them to pray for the King, in whom she had always found great kindness, fear of God, and love of his subjects. The spectators could not refrain from tears.

Lancelot de Carle, a secretary to the French Ambassador, Antoine de Castelnau, was in London in May 1536, and was an eyewitness to her trial and execution. The poem, Épistre Contenant le Procès Criminel Faict à l’Encontre de la Royne Anne Boullant d’Angleterre, (A Letter Containing the Criminal Charges Laid Against Queen Anne Boleyn of England), provides a detailed account of Anne’s early life and the circumstances relating to her arrest, trial and execution. It is thought that Anne avoided criticising Henry to save Elizabeth and her family from further consequences, but even under such extreme pressure Anne did not confess guilt, in fact subtly implying her innocence, in her appeal to historians who “will meddle of my cause”. The ermine mantle was removed and Anne lifted off her headdress, tucking her hair under a coif. After a brief farewell to her weeping ladies and a request for prayers, she kneeled down and one of her ladies tied a blindfold over her eyes. She knelt upright, in the French style of executions. Her final prayer consisted of her repeating continually, “Jesu receive my soul; O Lord God have pity on my soul.”

The Final Footprint – The execution consisted of a single stroke. She was then buried in an unmarked grave in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula. Her skeleton was identified during renovations of the chapel in 1876 and Anne’s resting place is now marked in the marble floor. Following the coronation of her daughter, Elizabeth, as queen, Anne was venerated as a martyr and heroine of the English Reformation. Over the centuries, she has inspired or been mentioned in numerous artistic and cultural works. As a result, she has retained her hold on the popular imagination. Anne has been called “the most influential and important queen consort England has ever had”, since she provided the occasion for Henry VIII to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and declare his independence from Rome. Many legends and fantastic stories about Anne Boleyn have survived over the centuries. One is that she was secretly buried in Salle Church in Norfolk under a black slab near the tombs of her Boleyn ancestors. Her body was said to have rested in an Essex church on its journey to Norfolk. Another is that her heart, at her request, was buried in Erwarton (Arwarton) Church, Suffolk by her uncle Sir Philip Parker. In 18th-century Sicily, the peasants of the village of Nicolosi believed that Anne Boleyn, for having made Henry VIII a heretic, was condemned to burn for eternity inside Mount Etna. This legend was often told for the benefit of foreign travelers. A number of people have claimed to have seen Anne’s ghost at Hever Castle, Blickling Hall, Salle Church, Tower of London, and Marwell Hall. The most famous account of her reputed sighting has been described by paranormal researcher Hans Holzer. In 1864, Major General J.D. Dundas of the 60th Rifles regiment was quartered in the Tower of London. As he was looking out the window of his quarters, he noticed a guard below in the courtyard, in front of the lodgings where Anne had been imprisoned, behaving strangely. He appeared to challenge something, which to the General “looked like a whitish, female figure sliding towards the soldier”. The guard charged through the form with his bayonet, then fainted. Only the General’s testimony and corroboration at the court-martial saved the guard from a lengthy prison sentence for having fainted while on duty. In 1960, Canon W. S. Pakenham-Walsh, vicar of Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, reported having conversations with Anne. Other notable final footprints at the Chapel include: Lady Jane Grey, William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings; Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, the last of the Plantagenet dynasty; Queen Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII; Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford; and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.

On this day in 1864, novelist, dark romantic, and short story writer Nathaniel Hawthorne died in his sleep in Plymouth, New Hampshire, at the age of 59. Born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. His ancestors include John Hathorne, the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never repented of his actions. He entered Bowdoin College in 1821 and graduated in 1825. He published his first work in 1828, the novel Fanshawe; he later tried to suppress it, feeling that it was not equal to the standard of his later work. He published several short stories in periodicals, which he collected in 1837 as Twice-Told Tales. The next year, he became engaged to Sophia Peabody. He worked at the Boston Custom House and joined Brook Farm, a transcendentalist community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment as consul took Hawthorne and family to Europe before their return to Concord in 1860.

Much of Hawthorne’s writing centers on New England, many works featuring moral metaphors with an anti-Puritan inspiration. His fiction works are considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism. His themes often center on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works often have moral messages and psychological complexity. His published works include novels, short stories, and a biography of his college friend Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States.

The Final Footprint

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a tribute poem to Hawthorne published in 1866 called “The Bells of Lynn”. Hawthorne was buried on what is now known as “Authors’ Ridge” in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, Massachusetts. Pallbearers included Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson Alcott, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., James Thomas Fields, and Edwin Percy Whipple. Emerson wrote of the funeral: “I thought there was a tragic element in the event, that might be more fully rendered—in the painful solitude of the man, which, I suppose, could no longer be endured, & he died of it.” His wife Sophia and daughter Una were originally buried in England. However, in June 2006, they were reinterred in plots adjacent to Hawthorne. Other notable final footprints at Sleepy Hollow include; Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

#RIP #OTD in 1895 Cuban nationalist, poet, philosopher, essayist, journalist, translator, professor, publisher, Cuban national hero, José Martí died during the Battle of Dos Ríos, Cuba, aged 42. Cementerio Santa Ifigenia, Santiago de Cuba

#RIP #OTD in 1918, one of the best-known Swiss painters of the nineteenth century, Ferdinand Hodler died in Geneva aged 65. Cimetière de Saint Georges in Geneva

On this day in 1935, archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer T. E. Lawrence died from injuries in a motorcycle crash in Dorset close to his cottage Clouds Hill, near Wareham, England, at the age of 46 . Born Thomas Edward Lawrence on 16 August 1888 in Tremadog, Carnarvonshire, Wales. He was renowned for his liaison role during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. The breadth and variety of his activities and associations, and his ability to describe them vividly in writing, earned him international fame as Lawrence of Arabia—a title used for the 1962 film based on his wartime activities.

Soon after the outbreak of war, he volunteered for the British Army and was stationed in Egypt. In 1916, he was sent to Arabia on an intelligence mission and quickly became involved with the Arab Revolt as a liaison to the Arab forces, along with other British officers. He worked closely with Emir Faisal, a leader of the revolt, and he participated in and sometimes led military activities against the Ottoman armed forces, culminating in the capture of Damascus in October 1918.

After the war, Lawrence joined the Foreign Office, working with the British government and with Faisal. In 1922, he retreated from public life and spent the years until 1935 serving as an enlisted man, mostly in the Royal Air Force, with a brief stint in the Army. During this time, he published his best-known work Seven Pillars of Wisdom, an autobiographical account of his participation in the Arab Revolt. He also translated books into English and wrote The Mint, which was published posthumously and detailed his time in the Royal Air Force working as an ordinary aircraftman. He corresponded extensively and was friendly with well-known artists, writers, and politicians. For the Royal Air Force, he participated in the development of rescue motorboats.

The Final Footprint

Memorial near the crash site which is found south of his cottage at Clouds Hill, Wareham, Dorset

He is interred in the separate burial ground of St Nicholas’ Church, Moreton. Mourners included Winston, E. M. Forster, Lady Astor, and Lawrence’s youngest brother Arnold.

#RIP #OTD in 1962 expressionist painter who studied and lived with the painter Wassily Kandinsky, a founding member of the expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter, Gabriele Münter died at home in Murnau am Staffelsee, Germany aged 85. Friedhof Murnau, Murnau am Staffelsee, Landkreis Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany

On this day in 1994, wife of the 35th President of the United States, First Lady of the United States, fashion icon, editor, Jackie, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in her sleep from cancer at her apartment in New York City at the age of 64. Born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on 28 July 1929 in Southampton, New York. She is remembered for her contributions to the arts and preservation of historic architecture, her style, elegance and grace.

Jackie married John F. Kennedy on 12 September 1953. They had four children; Arabella (23 August 1956 – 23 August 1956), Caroline Bouvier (27 November 1957 – ), John Fitzgerald Jr. (25 November 1960 – 16 July 1999), and Patrick Bouvier (7 August 1963 – 9 August 1963). Jackie proved to be a very popular First Lady. When the Kennedys visited France, Jackie so impressed the public that President Kennedy remarked; “I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris — and I have enjoyed it!” Jackie’s steadiness and courage during and after JFK’s assassination and funeral won her admiration around the world. Lady Jeanne Campbell reported back to The London Evening Standard: “Jacqueline Kennedy has given the American people… one thing they have always lacked: Majesty.” During an interview with Theodore H. White of Life magazine she compared the Kennedy years in the White House to King Arthur’s mythical Camelot, commenting that the President often played the title song of Lerner and Loewe‘s musical recording before retiring to bed. She also quoted Queen Guinevere from the musical, trying to express how the loss felt. Following Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination on 6 June 1968, Jackie apparently began to fear for the safety of her children. Perhaps this was a factor in her decision to marry Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis; seeking the privacy and protection his vast wealth provided. They married on 20 October 1968 on his private island Skorpios in the Ionian Sea.

The Final Footprint – Jackie is interred next to JFK in Arlington National Cemetery. Her grave is marked by a flat granite engraved marker that matches her husband’s. Jackie’s legacy has been memorialized in various aspects of American culture and she is frequently alluded to and depicted in various forms of popular culture, including books, films, television series, cartoon series, video games and music. Other notable Final Footprints at Arlington include; Space Shuttle Challenger, Space Shuttle Columbia, Medgar Evers, Dashiell Hammett, JFK, RFK, Edward Kennedy, Malcolm Kilduff, Jr., Lee Marvin, and Audie Murphy.

#RIP #OTD in 2025, poet (165 Meeting House Lane, When I Was Alive, The Descent of Alette, Culture of One), member of the second generation of the New York School of poetry, Alice Notley died from a stroke at a Paris hospital at the age of 79. Her memorial was held at the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, East Village, Manhattan

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Posted in American Icon, Day in History, Extravagant Footprints, Literary Footprints, Political Footprints | Tagged Alice Notley, Anne Boleyn, Aristotle Onassis, Arlington National Cemetery, Buried, Cementerio Santa Ifigenia, Cemetery, chapel of st peter ad vincula, Cimetière de Saint Georges, Elizabeth I, ferdinand hodler, Friedhof Murnau, Gabriele Münter, Ground Burial, Henry VIII, History, jackie O, Jacqueline Bouvier, Jacqueline Kennedy, JFK, John F Kennedy, Jose marti, nathaniel hawthorne, riptff, Robert F Kennedy, salle church, Skorpios island, sleepy hollow cemetery, t e lawrence, tff, the final footprint, tower of london | 1 Comment

On this day 18 May death of Pauline Viardot – Gustav Mahler – Mt. Saint Helens – Jill Ireland – Elizabeth Montgomery – Alexander Godunov – Chris Cornell – Charles Grodin – Jim Brown

Posted on 29 MayamMon, 18 May 2026 00:03:00 -05002026-05-18T00:03:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

#RIP #OTD in 1910 mezzo-soprano, pedagogue, composer (operas Cendrillon, Le dernier sorcier) Pauline Viardot died in Paris, aged 88. Montmartre Cemetery, Paris

#RIP #OTD in 1911 Romantic composer (Das Lied von der Erde, Symphonies 1-10) Gustav Mahler died at the Löw sanatorium in Vienna, aged 50. Grinzing cemetery, Vienna

On this day in 1980, Mt. Saint Helens erupted killing 57 people including, USGS volcanologist David A. Johnston, Reid Blackburn, a National Geographic photographer. and innskeeper Harry R. Truman. Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, 96 miles south of Seattle, Washington and 50 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. The catastrophic eruption produced an eruption column that reached 80,000 feet into the atmosphere and volcanic mudslides that reached the Columbia River, nearly 50 miles away; deposited ash in 11 U. S. states and parts of Canada; destroyed 4 billion board feet of timber, 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway.

The Final Footprint – The Johnston Ridge Observatory was built near the site of Johnston’s camp on that morning and is named in his honour. A memorial located at the observatory lists the names of the 57 people believed to have been killed by the eruption.

#RIP #OTD in 1990 actress (The Valachi Papers, The Mechanic), singer Jill Ireland died; breast cancer; her Malibu CA home, aged 54. Cremated remains placed in a cane buried with husband Charles Bronson at Brownsville Cemetery, West Windsor, Vermont

#RIP #OTD in 1995 actress (Bewitched, A Case of Rape, The Legend of Lizzie Borden) Elizabeth Montgomery died from cancer at her Beverly Hills home, aged 62. Cremation

#RIP #OTD in 1995 ballet dancer (Bolshoi Ballet Premier danseur), actor (Witness, The Money Pit, Die Hard) Alexander Godunov died from hepatitis secondary to chronic alcoholism at his home in Shoreham Towers, West Hollywood, aged 45. Cremated remains scattered in the Pacific

On this day in 2017, musician, singer and songwriter Chris Cornell died from suicide by hanging at the MGM Grand in Detroit, at the age of 52. Born Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle) on July 20, 1964 in Seattle. Perhaps best known as the lead vocalist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. Cornell was also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1991, and as the founder and frontman for Temple of the Dog, the one-off tribute band dedicated to his late friend Andrew Wood.

In my opinion, Cornell is one of the chief architects of the 1990s grunge movement, and is well known for his extensive catalog as a songwriter, his nearly four-octave vocal range, and his powerful vocal belting technique. He released four solo studio albums, Euphoria Morning (1999), Carry On (2007), Scream (2009), Higher Truth (2015) and the live album Songbook (2011). Cornell received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his song “The Keeper”, which appeared in the 2011 film Machine Gun Preacher, and co-wrote and performed the theme song to the James Bond film Casino Royale (2006), “You Know My Name”. His last solo release before his death was the charity single “The Promise”, written for the ending credits for the 2016 film of the same name. He was nominated for 16 Grammy Awards and won three.

In 1985, Cornell started dating Susan Silver, the manager of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Screaming Trees, and they got married in 1990. He and Silver divorced in 2004. In 2004, he married Vicky Karayiannis, a Paris-based American publicist of Greek heritage.

The Final Footprint

Cornell’s body was cremated on May 23, 2017. His funeral took place on May 26, 2017, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. The ceremony began with the cemetery’s speakers playing Audioslave’s “Like a Stone”, as well as Cornell’s last solo song released before his death, “The Promise”. Chester Bennington performed Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. At the end of the funeral, Temple of the Dog’s song “All Night Thing” accompanied mourners as they exited. Cornell’s cremains were placed next to his friend Johnny Ramone’s cenotaph statue at Hollywood Forever.

Seattle’s Space Needle observation tower went dark from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST on May 18, 2017, in honor of Cornell and his contributions to the city’s music scene. In the same night, Ann Wilson paid tribute to Cornell singing Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Pearl Jam released a tribute on their website with a picture of Cornell entitled “Chris”. Cornell’s Audioslave bandmate, Tom Morello, wrote a poem in tribute to him. Alice in Chains paid tribute with a photo of Cornell on their social media pages with the caption, “We are heartbroken”. Faith No More changed the homepage of the band’s official website to a tribute to Cornell after his death.

The Seattle Mariners held a pregame tribute to Cornell prior to their game against the Chicago White Sox on May 19 with a moment of silence and videoboard tribute to Cornell. Oakland Athletics’s player Trevor Plouffe changed his walk-up music to “Black Hole Sun” to honor Cornell. Linkin Park dedicated their performance of “One More Light” on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, in tribute to Cornell. During the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, Imagine Dragons’ lead singer, Dan Reynolds, paid tribute to Cornell remembering his life and career and asking for a moment of silence as a photo of Cornell filled television screens at home and the monitors in the venue. On May 23, 2017, Norah Jones performed a solo piano cover of “Black Hole Sun” at Detroit’s Fox Theatre, the theatre Chris last performed in. On April 14, 2018, Ann Wilson and Jerry Cantrell paid tribute to him during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony with a rendition of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”. At the end of the performance, a photo of Cornell was displayed on a screen behind the stage and Cantrell turned around and raised his fist saluting Cornell. U2 dedicated the song “Running to Stand Still” to Cornell at their May 20, 2017 concert at the Rose Bowl. Before that concert began, “Black Hole Sun” played over the PA. One year later, they saluted Cornell with a snippet of “Black Hole Sun” during their concert in Inglewood, Calif., on May 16, 2018. Guns N’ Roses paid tribute to Cornell on their Not In This Lifetime… Tour. Since May 27, 2017, “Black Hole Sun” is played at every concert, and “You Know My Name” is the outro song of every show and gets played after the encore of the band.

Other notable Final Footprints at Hollywood Forever include; Mel Blanc (yes, his epitaph is “That’s All Folks!”), Cecil B. DeMille, Victor Fleming, Judy Garland, Joan Hackett, John Huston, Jayne Mansfield’s cenotaph, Hattie McDaniel‘s cenotaph, Tyrone Power, Nelson Riddle, Mickey Rooney, Bugsy Siegel, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, Rudolph Valentino, Fay Wray, and Anton Yelchin.

#RIP #OTD in 2021 actor (Rosemary’s Baby, The Heartbreak Kid, Catch-22, King Kong, Heaven Can Wait, An Imperfect Murder), comedian, author, Charles Grodin died from multiple myeloma at his home in Wilton, Connecticut aged 86. Adath Jeshurun Cemetery, Allison Park, Pennsylvania

#RIP #OTD in 2023 American football running back , civil rights activist, actor (The Dirty Dozen, Ice Station Zebra, 100 Rifles, Take a Hard Ride, The Running Man), Jim Brown died at his home in Los Angeles aged 87. Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Brunswick, Georgia

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Posted in Day in History | Tagged Adath Jeshurun Cemetery, alexander godunov, Charles Grodin, chris cornell, cremated remains, Cremation, elizabeth Montgomery, evergreen memorial cemetery, Grinzing cemetery, gustav mahler, hollywood forever cemetery, jill ireland, Jim Brown, Johnston Ridge Observatory, memorial, Mt. Saint Helens, Pauline viardot, riptff, tff, the final footprint, volcanic eruption | Leave a comment

Day in History 17 May – Dorothy Levitt – Seabiscuit – Frank Gorshin – Donna Summer – Guy Clark – Herman Wouk – Vangelis

Posted on 29 MayamSun, 17 May 2026 00:15:00 -05002026-05-17T00:15:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

#RIP #OTD in 1922 the first British woman racing driver, holder of the world’s first water speed record, the women’s world land speed record holder, author, journalist Dorothy Levitt died; morphine overdose in Marylebone, London, aged 40. Brighton Jewish Cemetery, England

On this day in 1947, champion Thoroughbred racehorse, Seabiscuit died in his stall at Ridgewood Ranch near Willits, California at the age of 13. Foaled 23 May 1933 from the mare Swing On and sired by Hard Tack, a son of Man o’ War. Seabiscuit was named for his father, as hardtack or “sea biscuit” is the name for a type of cracker eaten by sailors. The bay colt grew up on Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression. In the “Match of the Century” on 1 November 1938, Seabiscuit ran against Triple Crown winner War Admiral in a match race. Seabiscuit won by four clear lengths. He was named the 1938 Horse of the Year and at the time of his retirement, he was racing’s all-time leading money winner. Seabiscuit became the subject of a 1949 film, The Story of Seabiscuit; a 2001 book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand; and a 2003 film, Seabiscuit starring Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The Final Footprint – Seabiscuit was interred at an undisclosed location at Ridgewood Ranch. Bronze statues of Seasbiscuit have been erected in his honour at Ridgewood Ranch and at Santa Anita Park, a racetrack in Arcadia, California.

#RIP #OTD in 2005 actor (The Riddler on Batman), comedian, impressionist, Frank Gorshin died from lung cancer in a Burbank, California hospital, aged 72. Calvary Catholic Cemetery in the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh

On this day in 2012, singer, songwriter, and painter, “Queen of Disco”, Donna Summer died at her home in Naples, Florida from lung cancer at the age of 63. Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on 31 December 1948 in Boston. Summer gained prominence during the disco era of the late 1970s. A five-time Grammy Award winner, she was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the United States Billboard album chart and charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 12-month period. Summer has reportedly sold over 140 million records, making her one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. A partial list of hit songs she sung include; “Love to Love You Baby”, “I Feel Love”, “Last Dance”, “MacArthur Park”, “Heaven Knows”, “Hot Stuff”, “Bad Girls”, “Dim All the Lights”, “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” (duet with Barbra Streisand), and “On the Radio”. “Last Dance” won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song on the “Thank God It’s Friday” movie soundtrack. At the time of her death, Summer was married to Brooklyn Dreams singer Bruce Sudano.

The Final Footprint – Summer’s funeral service was held in Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee on the afternoon of 23 May 2012. Summer is interred in the Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens cemetery in Nashville. In 2013, Summer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On this day in 2016, singer and songwriter Guy Clark died in Nashville at the age of 74 from lymphoma. Born Guy Charles Clark on November 6, 1941 in Monahans, Texas. He released more than twenty albums, and his songs have been recorded by artists including Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffett, Lyle Lovett, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, and Rodney Crowell. He won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album: My Favorite Picture of You.

Clark was born in Monahans, Texas, and eventually settled in Nashville, where he helped create the progressive country and outlaw country genres. His songs “L.A. Freeway” and “Desperados Waiting for a Train” that helped launch his career were covered by numerous performers. The New York Times described him as “a king of the Texas troubadours”, declaring his body of work “was as indelible as that of anyone working in the Americana idiom in the last decades of the 20th century”.

The Final Footprint

Memorial at Northern Rivers Memorial Park, South Gundurimba, Lismore City, New South Wales, Australia

At 6’ 2’’ Clark was reportedly too tall to fit in a casket arranged so family and friends could view his remains one final time before he was to be cremated. The funeral home had to remove his boots, and still the top of his head was pressed against one end of the box. Clark’s final wish was to have his cremains incorporated into a sculpture by Santa Fe – based singer/songwriter and artist Terry Allen. Following a picking session in Nashville around a homemade altar outfitted with Clark’s boots and favorite photos, close friends — including musicians Verlon Tompson, Rodney Crowell and Steve Earle — boarded a tour bus for “Guy’s last road trip” and headed to Santa Fe. Upon arrival in Santa Fe another vigil at Allen’s home where Ely and fellow artists Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Jack Ingram and painter Paul Milosevich paid their respects. That included a green chili enchilada and tamale dinner with toasts of wine, Topo Chico and Keen’s Honey Pils.

That, near about is the best ever final footprint.

#RIP # OTD in 2019, author (The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, War and Remembrance, Don’t Stop the Carnival, A Hole in Texas), Herman Wouk died in his sleep in his home in Palm Springs aged 103. Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, New York

#RIP #OTD in 2022 keyboardist, composer (Chariots of Fire, Blade Runner, Missing, Antarctica, The Bounty), Vangelis died of heart failure/COVID-19 at a hospital in Paris aged 79. Cremation

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Posted in American Icon, Athletic Footprints, Day in History, Musical Footprints | Tagged Beth David Cemetery, Brighton Jewish cemetery, Buried, calvary catholic cemetery, cremated remains, Cremation, donna summer, Dorothy levitt, frank gorshin, Ground Burial, guy clark, harpeth hills memory garden, Herman Wouk, History, horse racing, interment, Ridgewood Ranch, riptff, Santa Anita Park, Seabiscuit, tff, the final footprint, Thoroughbred horse, Vangelis, War Admiral | Leave a comment

Day in History 16 May – Grace Elliott – Django Reinhardt – James Agee – Andy Kaufman – Sammy Davis, Jr. – Jim Henson – Robert Mondavi – Ronnie James Dio – I. M. Pei – Dabney Coleman

Posted on 29 MayamSat, 16 May 2026 00:39:00 -05002026-05-16T00:39:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

#RIP #OTD in 1823 Scottish courtesan (Duke of Orléans, George IV), writer (Ma Vie sous la Révolution), spy resident in Paris during the French Revolution, Grace Elliott died at Ville d’Avray, France aged 68-69. Père Lachaise Cemetery

#RIP #OTD in 1953 jazz guitarist, composer (“Minor Swing”, “Daphne”, “Belleville”, “Djangology”, “Swing ’42”, “Nuages”) Django Reinhardt died from a brain hemorrhage in Samois-sur-Seine, France, aged 43. Cimetiere de Samois-sur-Seine.

#RIP #OTD in 1955 author (A Death in the Family, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men), journalist, poet, screenwriter (The African Queen, The Night of the Hunter), film critic, James Agee died from a heart attack in New York City, aged 45. Agee Family Farm Cemetery Hillsdale, New York

On this day in 1984, entertainer, actor, writer, and performance artist Andy Kaufman supposedly died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, at the age of 35. Born Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman on January 17, 1949 in New York City. While often called a comedian, Kaufman described himself instead as a “song and dance man”. He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood, once saying in a rare introspective interview, “I am not a comic, I have never told a joke. … The comedian’s promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him… My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can.”

After working in small comedy clubs in the early 1970s, Kaufman came to the attention of a wider audience in 1975, when he was invited to perform portions of his act on the first season of Saturday Night Live. His Foreign Man character was the basis of his performance as Latka Gravas on the hit television show Taxi from 1978 until 1983. During this time, he continued to tour comedy clubs and theaters in a series of unique performance art/comedy shows, sometimes appearing as himself and sometimes as obnoxiously rude lounge singer Tony Clifton. He was also a frequent guest on sketch comedy and late-night talk shows, particularly Late Night with David Letterman. In 1982, Kaufman brought his professional wrestling villain act to Letterman’s show by way of a staged encounter with Jerry “The King” Lawler of the Continental Wrestling Association (although the fact that the altercation was planned in advance was not publicly disclosed for over a decade).

The Final Footprint

Kaufman often spoke of faking his own death as a grand hoax, with rumors persisting, often fueled by sporadic appearances of Kaufman’s character Tony Clifton at comedy clubs after his death. In 2013, responding to rumors following the appearance of an actress who claimed to be Kaufman’s daughter and that he was still alive, Los Angeles County Coroner’s office re-released Kaufman’s death certificate to confirm he was indeed deceased and buried at Beth David Cemetery. Other notable final footprints at Beth David include; Sidney Lumet, Doc Pomus, and Abe Vigoda.

On this day in 1990, entertainer, singer, dancer, actor, member of the Rat Pack, Sammy Davis, Jr. died in Beverly Hills from throat cancer at the age of 64. Born Samuel George Davis, Jr. on 8 December 1925 in Harlem. Davis converted to Judaism in 1955. In 1959, he became a member of the famous “Rat Pack”, led by his friend Frank Sinatra, which included Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. Davis dated actress Kim Novak before his first marriage. He married three times: Loray White (1958-1959 divorce), May Britt (1960-1968 divorce) and Altovise Gore (1970-1990 his death). Davis was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP, and was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for his television performances. He was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1987, and in 2001, he was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Final Footprint – Davis is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California. His grave is marked by a flat bronze individual marker with the inscription “THE ENTERTAINER” HE DID IT ALL and YOUR LOVING WIFE ALTOVISE AND FATHER OF TRACEY, MARK, JEFF, MANNY. A nearby white marble statue has the name DAVIS engraved at the bottom. Other notable Final Footprints at Forest Lawn Glendale include; L. Frank Baum, Humphrey Bogart, Lon Chaney, Nat King Cole, Dorothy Dandridge, Jean Harlow, Sam Cooke, Walt Disney, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Michael Jackson, Carole Lombard, Tom Mix, Casey Stengel, Jimmy Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, and Spencer Tracy.

#RIP #OTD in 1990 puppeteer (The Muppets), animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, filmmaker (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth) Jim Henson died at New York–Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan from streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, aged 53. Cremated remains scattered near Taos in New Mexico

#RIP #OTD in 2008, winemaker whose technical and marketing strategies brought worldwide recognition for the wines of the Napa Valley, Robert Mondavi died at his Yountville, California aged 94. Saint Helena Cemetery, Saint Helena, California

Ronnie James Dio
performing in Chicago in 2009

On this day in 2010, singer, songwriter and musician Ronnie James Dio died in Los Angeles of stomach cancer at the age of 67. Born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He fronted and/or founded numerous groups including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell. He is credited with popularizing the “metal horns” hand gesture in metal culture and was known for his medieval-themed lyrics. Dio possessed a powerful versatile vocal range capable of singing both hard rock and lighter ballads.

Explanations vary for how Padavona adopted the stage name “Dio”. One story is that Dio was a reference to mafia member Johnny Dio. Another has it that Padavona’s grandmother said he had a gift from God and should be called “Dio” (“God” in Italian).

Dio’s first wife was Loretta Berardi (born 1941). After divorcing Berardi, he married Wendy Gaxiola (born 1945) who also served as his manager.

The Final Footprint

A public memorial service was held on May 30, 2010 at The Hall of Liberty, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. The hall was filled to capacity, with many more fans sitting outside the hall watching the memorial on multiple giant screens on both the east and south sides of the hall. Friends, family, and former and current band mates of Dio gave speeches and performed. On the screen was an accompanying documentary covering Dio’s career from his early days with Elf to his final project with Heaven & Hell. Dio is entombed at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. Other notable final footprints at Hollywood Hills include; Gene Autry, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, David Carradine, Scatman Crothers, Bette Davis, Sandra Dee, Michael Clarke Duncan, Carrie Fisher, Bobby Fuller, Andy Gibb, Michael Hutchence, Jill Ireland, Al Jarreau, Buster Keaton, Lemmy Kilmister, Jack LaLanne, Nicolette Larson, Liberace, Strother Martin, Jayne Meadows, Brittany Murphy, Ricky Nelson, Bill Paxton, Brock Peters, Freddie Prinze, Lou Rawls, Debbie Reynolds, Telly Savalas, John Singleton, Lee Van Cleef, and Paul Walker.

A tribute monument of Dio in Kavarna, Bulgaria

#RIP #OTD in 2019 architect, (Louvre Pyramid; JFK Library; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, National Gallery east building), I. M. Pei died in his Manhattan apartment aged 102. Kensico cemetery, Valhalla, New York

#RIP #OTD in 2024 UT at Austin grad, actor (9 to 5, On Golden Pond, Tootsie, WarGames, Cloak & Dagger, Boardwalk Empire), Dabney Coleman died at his home in Santa Monica, California of heart failure aged 92. Oakwood cemetery annex, Austin

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Posted in Day in History, Film Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Buried, Cemetery, cremated remains, Cremation, Dabney Coleman, Django Reinhardt, flat marker, Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale, Frank Sinatra, Grace Elliott, Ground Burial, History, I. M. Pei, Inscription, James Agee, Jim Henson, Kensico Cemetery, marble statue, Oakwood Annex Cemetery, Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Rat Pack, riptff, Robert Mondavi, ronnie james dio, Saint Helena cemetery, Sammy Davis Jr, Statue, tff, the final footprint | Leave a comment

On this day 15 May death of Emily Dickinson – Edward Hopper – June Carter Cash – Charles Strouse

Posted on 29 MayamFri, 15 May 2026 00:03:00 -05002026-05-15T00:03:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

On this day in 1886, renowned poet, Emily Dickinson died at her home in Amherst, Massachusetts at the age of 55. Born Emily Elizabeth Dickinson on 10 December 1830 in Amherst. She led a mostly introverted and reclusive life and never married. Fewer than a dozen of her poems were published during her lifetime. Those that were, were usually heavily edited to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson’s poems were unique for that era as they featured short lines, no titles, slant rhyme and unconventional capitalization and punctuation. After Dickinson’s death, her sister Lavinia, kept her promise and burned most of the poet’s correspondence. Fortunatley though, Dickinson had left no instructions about the forty notebooks and loose sheets gathered in a locked chest. The notebooks and loose sheets contained almost 1800 poems. Lavinia recognized the poems’ worth and decided they must be published. Today Dickinson is considered one of the most important poets and an important part of American culture. One of my favorite poets. Lately, my own poetry has been influenced by Dickinson. Here is her poem Wild Nights – Wild Nights! (249);

Wild Nights – Wild Nights!

Were I with thee

Wild Nights should be

Our luxury

Futile – the winds –

To a heart in port –

Done with the compass –

Done with the chart!

Rowing in Eden –

Ah, the sea!

Might I moor – Tonight –

In thee!

The Final Footprint – Dickinson is interred in the Dickinson family private estate in West Cemetery in Amherst. Her grave is marked by an upright stone marker. She requested Emily Brontë’s “No Coward Soul is Mine” be read at her funeral.

No coward soul is mine,
No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere:
I see Heaven’s glories shine,
And Faith shines equal, arming me from Fear.O God within my breast,
Almighty, ever-present Deity!
Life — that in me has rest,
As I — undying Life — have power in Thee!
Vain are the thousand creeds
That move men’s hearts: unutterably vain;
Worthless as withered weeds,
Or idlest froth amid the boundless main…
With wide-embracing love
Thy Spirit animates eternal years,
Pervades and broods above,
Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates, and rears.
Though earth and moon were gone,
And suns and universes ceased to be,
And Thou wert left alone,
Every existence would exist in Thee.
There is not room for Death,
Nor atom that his might could render void:
Thou — Thou art Being and Breath,
And what Thou art may never be destroyed.

On this day in 1967, realist painter Edward Hopper died in his studio near Washington Square, Manhattan at the age of 84. Born on July 22, 1882 in Upper Nyack, New York. While he was most popularly known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching. Both in his urban and rural scenes, his spare and finely calculated renderings reflected his personal vision of modern American life.

By 1923, Hopper’s slow climb finally produced a breakthrough. He re-encountered Josephine Nivison, an artist and former student of Robert Henri, during a summer painting trip in Gloucester, Massachusetts. They were opposites: she was short, open, gregarious, sociable, and liberal, while he was tall, secretive, shy, quiet, introspective, and conservative. They married a year later. She remarked famously, “Sometimes talking to Eddie is just like dropping a stone in a well, except that it doesn’t thump when it hits bottom.“ She subordinated her career to his and shared his reclusive life style. The rest of their lives revolved around their spare walk-up apartment in the city and their summers in South Truro on Cape Cod. She managed his career and his interviews, was his primary model, and was his life companion.

Summer Interior

Night on the El Train (1918)

House by the Railroad

Hopper’s The House by the Railroad inspired the look of the Bates house in Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho. The painting is a fanciful portrait of the Second Empire Victorian home at 18 Conger Avenue in Haverstraw, New York.

Nighthawks (1942)

The Final Footprint

He was interred in his family’s plot at Oak Hill Cemetery in Nyack, New York. Josephine died ten months later. Josephine bequeathed their joint collection of more than three thousand works to the Whitney Museum of American Art. Other significant paintings by Hopper are held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Des Moines Art Center, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

On this day in 2003, singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, comedian, author, member of the Carter Family and wife of Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash died in Nashville of complications following heart-valve replacement surgery, in the company of her family at the age of 73. Born Valerie June Carter in Maces Spring, Virginia, to Maybelle Carter and Ezra Carter. She played the guitar, banjo, harmonica, and autoharp, and acted in several films and television shows. Of course my favorite song that she wrote is “Ring of Fire”. Carter won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Carter was married three times: Carl Smith (1952-1956); Edwin “Rip” Nix (1957-1966); then in 1968, Cash proposed to Carter during a live performance at the London Ice House in London, Ontario, Canada. They married on 1 March in Franklin, Kentucky, and remained married until her death, just four months before Cash died.

The Final Footprint – Johnny and June are buried together in Hendersonville Memory Gardens near their home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Their graves are marked by full ledger companion markers. Other notable final footprints at Hendersonville Memory Gardens include; “Mother” Maybelle Carter, Helen Carter, Anita Carter, Ferlin Husky, Merle Kilgore, and Sheb Wooley.

#RIP #OTD in 2025, lyricist, composer (Broadway musicals Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, Annie; films Bonnie and Clyde, Ishtar; theme song “Those Were the Days” for the tv show All in the Family), Charles Strouse died at his Manhattan home at the age of 96.

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Posted in Artistic Footprints, Day in History, Literary Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Buried, Cemetery, Charles Strouse, Cremation, edward hopper, Emily Dickinson, Estates, Ground Burial, hendersonville memory gardens, Inscription, june carter cash, poetry, Private Estates, riptff, tff, the final footprint, upright marker, West Cemetery | 1 Comment

On this day 14 May death of Fanny Mendelssohn – Billie Burke – Rita Hayworth – Marjory Stoneman Douglas – Frank Sinatra – B. B. King – Powers Boothe – Tom Wolfe – Tim Conway

Posted on 29 MayamThu, 14 May 2026 00:03:00 -05002026-05-14T00:03:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

#RIP #OTD in 1847 composer and pianist of the early Romantic era Fanny Mendelssohn died from a stroke in Berlin aged 41. Cemetery of the Dreifaltigkeitsgemeinde, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Berlin

#RIP #OTD in 1970 actress (Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz, Merrily We Live) Billie Burke died in Los Angeles of natural causes, at the age of 85. Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, Westchester County, New York

On this day in 1987, dancer and actress, beauty icon, Rita Hayworth died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 68 in New York City. Born Margarita Carmen Cansino on 17 October 1918 in Brooklyn. Hayworth achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era’s top stars. Appearing first as Rita Cansino, she agreed to change her name to Rita Hayworth and her natural dark brown hair color to dark red to attract a greater range of roles. Her appeal led to her being featured on the cover of Life magazine five times, beginning in 1940. She appeared in a total of 61 films over 37 years. Hayworth married five times, apparently none of them happily; Edward C. Judson (1937–1942 divorce), Orson Welles
(1943–1948 divorce), Prince Aly Khan (1949–1953 divorce), Dick Haymes (1953–1955 divorce), James Hill (1958–1961 divorce).

The Final Footprint – A funeral service was held on 19 May 1987, at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Pallbearers included actors Ricardo Montalbán, Glenn Ford, Don Ameche, agent Budd Burton Moss, and the choreographer Hermes Pan. She was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City. Her headstone includes the inscription: “To yesterday’s companionship and tomorrow’s reunion.” Hayworth’s pin-up poster is portrayed in Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (1982), and was later brought to the screen in the film The Shawshank Redemption (1994) directed by Frank Darabont (which itself features a video clip of Hayworth in Gilda, shown as a film the prisoners are watching). Other notable final footprints at Holy Cross include; John Candy, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante, John Ford, Chick Hearn, Bela Lugosi, Al Martino, Audrey Meadows, Ricardo Montalbán, Evelyn Nesbit, Hermes Pan, Chris Penn, Jo Stafford, and Sharon Tate.

#RIP #OTD in 1998 journalist, author (The Everglades: River of Grass (1947)), women’s suffrage advocate, Everglades conservationist, Marjory Stoneman Douglas died; Coconut Grove, Miami, aged 108. Cremated remains scattered in the

On this day in 1998, legendary and iconic singer and actor; Academy Award winner, Grammy Award winner, producer, director, conductor, member of the Rat Pack, Ol’ Blue Eyes, The Chairman of the Board, The Voice, Frankie, Frank Sinatra died at 10:50 P.M. on a Thursday at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with his wife Barbara by his side, at the age of 82. Born Francis Albert Sinatra on 12 December 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Oh my, where to begin. This could take awhile. Sinatra is perhaps my favorite entertainer.

Sinatra was the only child of Italian immigrants Natalie Della “Dolly” Garaventa and Antonino Martino “Marty” Sinatra and was raised Catholic. His mother was from Northern Italy and his father was Sicilian. He left high school without graduating.

Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era first with bandleader Harry James and then with bandleader Tommy Dorsey. Sinatra became unhappy with his contract with Dorsey which awarded Dorsey one-third of Sinatra’s lifetime earnings from entertainment. Dorsey let Sinatra out of his contract which sparked rumours of Sinatra’s involment with the Mafia. A newspaper reported that Chicago mob boss, Sam Giancana coerced Dorsey. The incident was later fictionalized in Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. Sinatra went on to become a successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, becoming the idol of the “bobby soxers”. His career had stalled by the 1950s, but it was reborn in 1954 after he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (for his performance as Private Angelo Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953). This incident was later fictionalized in The Godfather as well. Sinatra received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role as Frankie Machine in The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), and he recevied critical acclaim for his performance as Captain Bennett Marco in The Manchurian Candidate.

Sinatra was an original member of the Holmby Hills Rat Pack along with, Judy Garland, Lauren Bacall, Sid Luft, Humphrey Bogart, Swifty Lazar, Nathaniel Benchley, David Niven, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, George Cukor, Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, and Jimmy Van Heusen. The 1960’s version of the Rat Pack included Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford. Reportedly Marilyn Monroe, Angie Dickinson, Juliet Prowse, and Shirley MacLaine were often referred to as the “Rat Pack Mascots”. This version of the Rat Pack did not use that term to describe themselves. They referred to the group as The Summit or The Clan.

My favorite Sinatra albums include; In the Wee Small Hours, Songs for Swingin’ Lovers, Come Fly with Me, Only the Lonely and Nice ‘n’ Easy, Ring-A-Ding-Ding, Sinatra at the Sands, Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim, and September of My Years. Sinatra was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997. Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Sinatra was married four times: Nancy Barbato (1939-1951 divorce), Ava Gardner (1951-1957 divorce), Mia Farrow (1966-1968 divorce, and Barbara Blakeley Marx (1976-1998 his death).

The Final Footprint – The night after Sinatra’s death, the lights on the Empire State Building in New York City were turned blue, the lights at the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed in his honor, and the casinos stopped spinning for a minute.

Sinatra’s funeral was held at the Roman Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, California, on May 20, 1998, with 400 mourners in attendance and thousands of fans outside. Gregory Peck, Tony Bennett, and Sinatra’s son, Frank Jr., addressed the mourners, who included many notable people from film and entertainment. Sinatra was buried in a blue business suit with mementos from family members—cherry-flavored Life Savers, Tootsie Rolls, a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, a pack of Camel cigarettes, a Zippo lighter, stuffed toys, a dog biscuit, and a roll of dimes that he always carried—next to his parents in section B-8 of Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California. Frank Jr. was interred there when he died in 2016.

His grave is marked with an individual engraved flat granite marker. The inscription reads: THE BEST IS YET TO COME and the term of endearment BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER. Other notable final footprints at Desert Memorial include; Sonny Bono, Frederick Loewe, and Jimmy Van Heusen.

B.B. King
at the 2009 North Sea Jazz Festival

On this day in 2015, blues singer, electric guitarist, songwriter, and record producer, The King of the Blues, B. B. King died in Las Vegas from congestive heart failure and complications from diabetes at the age of 89. Born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi. King introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that influenced many later electric blues guitarists.

In my opinion, he is one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname one of the “Three Kings of Orient Are” along with Albert King and Freddie King. King was known for performing tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing at more than 200 concerts per year on average into his 70s.

King playing his favorite guitar, Lucille, in the 1980s

President Obama and King singing “Sweet Home Chicago” on February 21, 2012

King was married twice, to Martha Lee Denton, November 1946 to 1952, and to Sue Carol Hall, 1958 to 1966. The failure of both marriages has been attributed to the heavy demands made by King’s 250 performances a year.

King’s favorite singer was Frank Sinatra. In his autobiography he spoke about how he was a “Sinatra nut” and how he went to bed every night listening to Sinatra’s classic album In the Wee Small Hours. During the 1960s Sinatra had arranged for King to play at the main clubs in Las Vegas. He credited Sinatra for opening doors to black entertainers who were not given the chance to play in “white-dominated” venues.

The Final Footprint

On May 27, 2015, King’s body was flown to Memphis. A funeral procession went down Beale Street, with a brass band marching in front of the hearse, playing “When the Saints Go Marching In”. Thousands lined the streets to pay their last respects. His body was then driven down Route 61 to his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi. He was laid in repose at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, in Indianola, for people to view his open casket. The funeral took place at the Bell Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Indianola, on May 30. He was buried at the B.B. King Museum.

Powers Boothe

On this day in 2017, actor Powers Boothe died from pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 68. Born Powers Allen Boothe in Snyder, Texas on June 1, 1948. Some of his most notable roles include his Emmy-winning portrayal of Jim Jones in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones and his turns as TV detective Philip Marlowe in the 1980s, Cy Tolliver on Deadwood, “Curly Bill” Brocious in Tombstone, Vice-President and subsequently President Noah Daniels on 24, and Lamar Wyatt in Nashville.

Boothe married his college sweetheart Pam Cole in 1969 and they remained married until his death.

The Final Footprint

Boothe is buried in Deadwood Cemetery, in Deadwood, Texas.

On this day in 2018, author and journalist Tom Wolfe died from an infection in Manhattan, at the age of 88. Born Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. on March 2, 1930 in Richmond, Virginia. Perhaps best known for his association with New Journalism, a style of news writing and journalism developed in the 1960s and 1970s that incorporated literary techniques.

Wolfe began his career as a regional newspaper reporter in the 1950s, achieving national prominence in the 1960s following the publication of such best-selling books as The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (a highly experimental account of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters) and two collections of articles and essays, Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. In 1979, he published the influential book The Right Stuff about the Mercury Seven astronauts, which was made into a 1983 film of the same name directed by Philip Kaufman.

His first novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, was met with critical acclaim and also became a commercial success. It was adapted as a major motion picture of the same name directed by Brian De Palma.

The Final Footprint

Wolfe is interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.

On this day in 2019, actor, comedian, writer, and director Tim Conway died from complications of normal pressure hydrocephalus in Los Angeles, at the age of 85. Born Thomas Daniel Conway on December 15, 1933 in . Willoughby, Ohio. From 1966 to 2012 he appeared in more than 20 TV shows, TV series and films. Among his more notable roles: Ensign Parker in the 1960s World War II TV situation comedy McHale’s Navy; as a regular cast member (1975–1978) on the TV comedy The Carol Burnett Show where he portrayed his recurrent iconic characters Mister Tudball, the Oldest Man and the Dumb Private; co-starred with Don Knotts in several films (1979–80); was the title character in the Dorf series of eight sports comedy direct-to-video films (1987–1996); and provided the voice of Barnacle Boy in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–2012). Twice, in 1970 and in 1980–1981, he had his own TV series.

Conway was admired for his ability to depart from scripts with humorous ad libs and gestures, which frequently caused others in the skit to break character while attempting to control their surprise and laughter. He won six Primetime Emmy Awards during his career, four of which were awarded for The Carol Burnett Show, including one for writing.

Conway was married to Mary Anne Dalton from 1961 until 1978. He was married to Char Fusco from May 18, 1984 until his death.

The Final Footprint

Conway was cremated and his cremated remains are inurned at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Other notable final footprints at Westwood include; Ray Bradbury, Sammy Cahn, Truman Capote, James Coburn, Rodney Dangerfield, Farrah Fawcett, Eva Gabor, Hugh Hefner, Florence Henderson, Brian Keith, Gene Kelly, Don Knotts, Burt Lancaster, Peter Lawford, Peggy Lee, Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Sondra Locke, Robert Loggia, Karl Malden, Dean Martin, Walter Mathau, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Montgomery, Carroll O’Connor, Roy Orbison, Bettie Page, Buddy Rich, George C. Scott, Dorothy Stratten, Joe Weider, Billy Wilder, Carl Wilson, Natalie Wood, and Frank Zappa.

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Posted in American Icon, Day in History, Extravagant Footprints, Film Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Ava Gardner, B B King, Buried, Cemetery, culver city, Frank Sinatra, History, hollywood cemetery, Holy Cross Cemetery, Inscription, Mario Puzo, Marker, powers boothe, Rat Pack, riptff, rita hayworth, term of endearment, tff, the final footprint, The Godfather, tim conway, tom wolfe, Westwood Memorial Park | 1 Comment

On this day 13 May death of Gary Cooper – Bob Wills – Chet Baker – Donald “Duck” Dunn – Margot Kidder – Doris Day

Posted on 29 MayamWed, 13 May 2026 00:27:00 -05002026-05-13T00:27:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

On this day in 1961, Academy Award-winning actor, Coop, Gary Cooper died from cancer at his home in Beverly Hills at the age of 60. Born Frank James Cooper on 7 May 1901 in Helena, Montana. His career comprised more than a 100 films. My favorite movies with Cooper include; as Will Cane in High Noon (1952) with Grace Kelly, as Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees (1942), as Robert Jordan in the film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) with Ingrid Bergman, as Howard Roark in the film adaptation of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead (1949) and as Frank Flannagan in Love in the Afternoon (1957) with Audrey Hepburn. Cooper married once; Veronica “Rocky” Balfe (1933-1961 his death). Cooper allegedly had affairs with famous co-stars Marlene Dietrich, Kelly and Patricia Neal.

The Final Footprint – A requiem mass was held on May 18 at the Church of the Good Shepherd, attended by many of Cooper’s friends, including James Stewart, Henry Hathaway, Joel McCrea, Audrey Hepburn, Jack L. Warner, John Ford, John Wayne, Edward G. Robinson, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Fred Astaire, Randolph Scott, Walter Pidgeon, Bob Hope, and Marlene Dietrich. Cooper was initially interred in the Grotto Section of Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Culver City, California. In May 1974 his body was removed from Holy Cross Cemetery, when his widow Veronica remarried and moved to New York, and relocated to Sacred Heart Cemetery, in Southampton, New York, on Long Island. His grave is marked by an individual bronze marker and a three-ton boulder from a Montauk quarry. Veronica was buried next to him when she died in 2000. For his contribution to the film industry, Cooper has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6243 Hollywood Blvd. In 1966, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

On this day in 1975, musician, songwriter, and bandleader of the Texas Playboys; co-founder of Western Swing, the King of Western Swing, Bob Wills died in Fort Worth, Texas at the age of 70 from a stroke. Born James Robert Wills on a farm near Kosse, Texas on 6 March 1905. Wills formed several bands and played radio stations around the South and West until he formed the Texas Playboys in 1934 with Wills on fiddle, Tommy Duncan on piano and vocals, rhythm guitarist June Whalin, tenor banjoist Johnnie Lee Wills (his brother), and Kermit Whalin, who played steel guitar and bass, later adding Leon McAuliffe on steel guitar, pianist Al Stricklin, drummer Smokey Dacus, and a horn section that expanded the band’s sound. Wills favored jazz-like arrangements and the band found national popularity into the 1940s with such hits as “Steel Guitar Rag”, “New San Antonio Rose”, “Smoke on the Water”, “Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima”, and “New Spanish Two Step”. In 1950, he had two top ten hits, “Ida Red Likes the Boogie” and “Faded Love”. The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Wills in 1968 and the Texas State Legislature honored him for his contribution to American music. In 1972, Wills accepted a citation from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in Nashville. He was recording an album with Merle Haggard in 1973 when a stroke left him comatose until his death in 1975. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Wills and the Texas Playboys in 1999. I love to hear Bob holler.

The Final Footprint – Wills is interred in Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His grave is marked by a flat bronze on granite marker.

#RIP #OTD in 1988, jazz trumpeter, vocalist, known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the “Prince of Cool”, Chet Baker was found dead on the street below his room in Hotel Prins Hendrik, Amsterdam, with serious wounds to his head, apparently having fallen from the second-story window. Interred at the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California, next to his father.

#RIP #OTD in 2012 bass guitarist (Booker T. & the M.G.’s, session musician for Stax Records), record producer, songwriter, Donald “Duck” Dunn died in his sleep on tour in Tokyo, aged 70. Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis

On this day in 2018, actress and activist Margot Kidder died at her home in Livingston, Montana from suicide by alcohol and drug overdose, at the age of 69. Born Margaret Ruth Kidder on October 17, 1948 in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Her accolades include three Canadian Screen Awards and one Daytime Emmy Award. Though she appeared in an array of films and television, Kidder is perhaps best known for her performance as Lois Lane in the Superman film series, appearing in the first four films.

Born to a Canadian mother and an American father, Kidder was raised in the Northwest Territories as well as several other Canadian provinces. She began her acting career in the 1960s appearing in low-budget Canadian films and television series, before landing a lead role in Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970). She then played twins in Brian De Palma’s cult thriller Sisters (1973), a sorority student in the slasher film Black Christmas (1974) and the titular character’s girlfriend in the drama The Great Waldo Pepper (1975), opposite Robert Redford. In 1977, she was cast as Lois Lane in Richard Donner’s Superman (1978), a role which established her as a mainstream actress. Her performance as Kathy Lutz in the blockbuster horror film The Amityville Horror (1979) gained her further mainstream exposure, after which she went on to reprise her role as Lois Lane in Superman II, III, and IV (1980–1987). She was also photographed by Douglas Kirkland for the March 1975 issue of Playboy, accompanied by an article written by Kidder herself.

In 2005, Kidder became a naturalized U.S. citizen. She was an outspoken political, environmental and anti-war activist, and continued to participate in political and activist causes through the end of her life.

She co-starred with Peter Fonda in 92 in the Shade (1975), a drama directed by novelist Thomas McGuane, based on his own book. While filming, Kidder became romantically involved with McGuane, and in March 1975 relocated with him to Livingston, Montana. Kidder and McGuane married in August 1976, but the marriage ended in divorce on July 21, 1977.

On August 25, 1979, she married actor John Heard, but the couple separated six days into their marriage. Their divorce was finalized on December 26, 1980.

Kidder produced and starred in the French-Canadian period television film Louisiana (1984) as a plantation owner in the American South who returns from Paris to find her estate and holdings have been lost. Kidder began dating the film’s director, Philippe de Broca, and the two married in France in 1983. Her marriage to de Broca lasted one year, ending in divorce in 1984.

The Final Footprint

Kidder was cremated and her cremains were scattered.

On this day in 2019, actress, singer, and animal welfare activist Doris Day died in Carmel Valley Village, California at the age of 97. Born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, “Sentimental Journey” and “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time” with Les Brown & His Band of Renown. She left Brown to embark on a solo career and recorded more than 650 songs from 1947 to 1967.

Day’s film career began during the latter part of the Golden Age of Hollywood with the film Romance on the High Seas (1948), leading to a 20-year career as a motion picture actress. She starred in films of many genres, including musicals, comedies, dramas, and thrillers. She played the title role in Calamity Jane (1953) and starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) with James Stewart. Perhaps her best-known films are those in which she co-starred with Rock Hudson, chief among them 1959’s Pillow Talk, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also worked with James Garner on both Move Over, Darling (1963) and The Thrill of It All (1963), and starred alongside Clark Gable, Cary Grant, James Cagney, David Niven, Jack Lemmon, Frank Sinatra, Richard Widmark, Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, and Rod Taylor in various movies. After ending her film career in 1968, only briefly removed from the height of her popularity, she starred in her own sitcom The Doris Day Show (1968–1973).

In 2011, she released her 29th studio album My Heart which contained new material and became a UK Top 10 album. She received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Legend Award from the Society of Singers. She was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures in 1989. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom; this was followed in 2011 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Career Achievement Award.

Day was married four times. From March 1941 to February 1943, she was married to trombonist Al Jorden, a violent schizophrenic who later took his own life, whom she met in Barney Rapp’s Band. They had a son Terrence Paul “Terry” Jorden (1942–2004). When Doris refused to have an abortion, he beat her in an attempt to force a miscarriage.

Her second marriage was to George William Weidler from March 30, 1946, to May 31, 1949, a saxophonist and the brother of actress Virginia Weidler. Weidler and Day met again several years later during a brief reconciliation, and he introduced her to Christian Science.

Day married American film producer Martin Melcher on April 3, 1951, her 29th birthday, and this marriage lasted until he died in April 1968. Melcher adopted Day’s son Terry, who became a successful musician and record producer under the name Terry Melcher. Martin Melcher produced many of Day’s movies. They were both Christian Scientists, resulting in her not seeing a doctor for some time for symptoms which suggested cancer.

Day’s fourth marriage was to Barry Comden (1935–2009) from April 14, 1976, until April 2, 1982. He was the maître d’hôtel at one of Day’s favorite restaurants. He knew of her great love of dogs and endeared himself to her by giving her a bag of meat scraps and bones on her way out of the restaurant. He later complained that she cared more for her “animal friends” than she did for him.

The Final Footprint

Her death was announced by her charity, the Doris Day Animal Foundation. Per Day’s requests, the Foundation announced that there would be no funeral services, grave marker, or other public memorials. She was cremated and her cremated remains were scattered.

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Posted in Cowboy Footprints, Day in History, Film Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Audrey Hepburn, Ayn Rand, bob wills, Buried, Cemetery, Chet Baker, disinterment, Donald "Duck" Dunn, doris day, Ernest Hemingway, Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, History, inglewood park cemetery, Lou Gehrig, margot kidder, Marker, Marlene Dietrich, memorial park cemetery, patricia neal, riptff, Sacred Heart Cemetery, texas playboys, tff, the final footprint, western swing | Leave a comment

On this day 12 May death of John Dryden – Frances Sargent Osgood – Amy Lowell – Lillian Roth – Jean Debuffet – Lenny Montana – Mia Martini – Adam Petty – Perry Como – Robert Rauschenberg – H. R. Giger

Posted on 29 MayamTue, 12 May 2026 00:27:00 -05002026-05-12T00:27:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

John Dryden

On this day in 1700, poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright John Dryden died in London at the age of 68. Born on 19 August [O.S. 9 August] 1631 in Aldwincle, Thrapston, Northamptonshire, England. Dryden was made England’s first Poet Laureate in 1668. His influenced the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden. Walter Scott called him “Glorious John”.

Dryden, by John Michael Wright, 1668

Dryden, by James Maubert, c. 1695

Dryden is believed to be the first person to posit that English sentences should not end in prepositions because Latin sentences cannot end in prepositions. Dryden created the proscription against preposition stranding in 1672 when he objected to Ben Jonson‘s 1611 phrase, “the bodies that those souls were frighted from”, though he did not provide the rationale for his preference. Dryden often translated his writing into Latin, to check whether his writing was concise and elegant, Latin being considered an elegant and long-lived language with which to compare; then Dryden translated his writing back to English according to Latin-grammar usage. As Latin does not have sentences ending in prepositions, Dryden may have applied Latin grammar to English, thus forming the rule of no sentence-ending prepositions, subsequently adopted by other writers.

The phrase “blaze of glory” is believed to have originated in Dryden’s 1686 poem The Hind and the Panther, referring to the throne of God as a “blaze of glory that forbids the sight”.

On 1 December 1663 Dryden married Lady Elizabeth Howard (died 1714). The marriage was at St. Swithin’s, London, and the consent of the parents is noted on the licence, though Lady Elizabeth was then about twenty-five. She was the object of some scandals, well or ill founded; it was said that Dryden had been bullied into the marriage by her brothers. A small estate in Wiltshire was settled upon them by her father. The lady’s intellect and temper were apparently not good; her husband was treated as an inferior by those of her social status. Lady Elizabeth Dryden survived her husband, but went insane soon after his death. Though some have historically claimed to be from the lineage of John Dryden, his three children had no children themselves.

The Final Footprint

Dryden was initially buried in St. Anne’s cemetery in Soho, before being exhumed and reburied in Westminster Abbey ten days later. He was the subject of poetic eulogies, such as Luctus Brittannici: or the Tears of the British Muses; for the Death of John Dryden, Esq. (London, 1700), and The Nine Muses. A Royal Society of Arts blue plaque commemorates Dryden at 43 Gerrard Street in London’s Chinatown. Other notable Final Footprints at Westminster include; Robert Browning, Lord Byron, Charles II, Geoffrey Chaucer, Oliver Cromwell, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, Edward III, Edward VI, Edward The Confessor, Elizabeth I, George II, George Frideric Handel, Stephen Hawking, Henry III, Henry V, Henry VII, James I (James VI of Scotland), Samuel Johnson, Ben Jonson, Rudyard Kipling, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Mary I, Mary II, Mary Queen of Scots, John Milton, Isaac Newton, Laurence Olivier, Henry Purcell, Thomas Shadwell, Edmund Spenser, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Dylan Thomas, and William III

Dryden near end of his life

“A man is to be cheated into passion, but to be reasoned into truth.”

Lines 789–795 of Book 2 when Aeneas sees and receives a message from the ghost of his wife, Creusa.

iamque vale et nati serva communis amorem.’
haec ubi dicta dedit, lacrimantem et multa volentem
dicere deseruit, tenuisque recessit in auras.
ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia circum;
ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago,
par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno.
sic demum socios consumpta nocte reviso

Dryden translates it like this:

I trust our common issue to your care.’
She said, and gliding pass’d unseen in air.
I strove to speak: but horror tied my tongue;
And thrice about her neck my arms I flung,
And, thrice deceiv’d, on vain embraces hung.
Light as an empty dream at break of day,
Or as a blast of wind, she rush’d away.
Thus having pass’d the night in fruitless pain,
I to my longing friends return again

On this day in 1850, poet Frances Sargent Osgood died of tuberculosis at her home in New York City at the age of 38. Born Frances Sargent Locke on June 18, 1811 in Boston. She was one of the most popular women writers during her time. Nicknamed “Fanny”, she was also famous for her exchange of romantic poems with Edgar Allan Poe. In 1834, while composing poems inspired by paintings, Frances met Samuel Stillman Osgood, a young portrait artist at the Boston Athenaeum. He asked her to sit for a portrait. They were engaged before the portrait was finished and married on October 7, 1835.

In February 1845, Poe gave a lecture in New York in which he criticized American poetry, especially that of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He made special mention, however, of Osgood, saying she had “a rosy future” in literature. Though she missed the lecture, she wrote to her friend, saying Poe was “called the severest critic of the day”, making his compliment that much more impressive.

It is believed Poe and Osgood first met in person when introduced by Nathaniel Parker Willis in March 1845 when Osgood had been separated from (but not divorced from) her husband. Poe’s wife, Virginia, was still alive, but in ill health. Poe may have been attracted to Osgood because they were both born in Boston and possibly due to her childlike qualities which were similar to Virginia’s. She may have already been in an early stage of tuberculosis, just like Virginia.

In 1845, Poe used his role as one-third owner of the Broadway Journal to print some of Osgood’s poems, including some flirtatious ones: “The Rivulet’s Dream” (1845), “So Let It Be. To–” (1845), “Love’s Reply” (1845), “Spring” (1845), “Slander” (1845), “Echo-Song” (1845), “To–” (1845), “A Shipwreck” (1845) and “To ‘The Lady Geraldine” (1845). Poe responded with published poems of his own, occasionally under his pseudonym of Edgar T. S. Grey. Most notable is his poem “A Valentine”. The poem is actually a riddle which conceals Osgood’s name, found by taking letter 1 from line 1, letter 2 from line 2, and so on. Despite these passionate interchanges, the relationship between Poe and Osgood is often considered purely platonic.

Virginia approved of the relationship and often invited Osgood to visit their home. Virginia believed their friendship had a “restraining” effect on her husband. Poe had given up alcohol to impress Osgood, for example. Virginia may also have been aware of her own impending death and was looking for someone who would take care of Poe. Osgood’s husband, Samuel, also did not object, apparently used to his wife’s impetuous behavior. He himself had a reputation as a philanderer.

The Final Footprint

Her last word, “angel”, was written on a slate to her husband. She was buried in her parents’ lot at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1851, a collection of her writings was published by her friends and titled The Memorial, Written by Friends of the Late Mrs. Frances Sargent Locke Osgood. It was reissued as Laurel Leaves in 1854. The volume was meant to raise money for her memorial headstone. However, Fanny Fern noted that, by 1854, the plot remained unmarked and criticized Samuel Osgood in her book Fern Leaves from Fanny’s Port-Folio. Samuel Osgood noted in the New York Evening Post that he had already designed a monument, inspired by her poem “The Hand That Swept the Sounding Lyre”, which was soon installed. Other notable final footprints at Mount Auburn include; Winslow Homer, Julia Ward Howe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Amy Lowell (see below), and Bernard Malamud.

On this day in 1925, poet Amy Lowell died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Brookline, Massachusetts, at the age of 51. Born Amy Lawrence Lowell on February 9, 1874 in Brookline. Her poetry is classified as being from the imagist school. She posthumously won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1926.

In 1912 she and actress Ada Dwyer Russell were reputed to be lovers. Russell is possibly the subject of Lowell’s more erotic works, most notably the love poems contained in ‘Two Speak Together’, a subsection of Pictures of the Floating World. The two women traveled to England together, where Lowell met Ezra Pound, who at once became a major influence and a major critic of her work. Pound considered Lowell’s embrace of Imagism to be a kind of hijacking of the movement. Lowell has been linked romantically to writer Mercedes de Acosta.

Lowell publicly smoked cigars, as newspapers of the day frequently mentioned. Journalist Heywood Broun in his obituary tribute to Amy wrote, “She was upon the surface of things a Lowell, a New Englander and a spinster. But inside everything was molten like the core of the earth… Given one more gram of emotion, Amy Lowell would have burst into flame and been consumed to cinders.”

The Final Footprint

Lowell is interred in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Other notable final footprints at Mount Auburn include; Winslow Homer, Julia Ward Howe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Bernard Malamud, and Frances Sargent Osgood (see above).

#RIP #OTD in 1980 singer and actress, her life story was told in her memoir and 1955 film I’ll Cry Tomorrow (portrayed by Susan Hayward, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress), Lillian Roth died at De Witt Nursing Home in Manhattan aged 69. Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York

#RIP #OTD in 1985 painter and sculptor of the Ecole de Paris, founder of the art movement art brut, Jean Debuffet died from emphysema in Paris aged 83. Cimetière de Tubersent, France

#RIP #OTD in 1992 wrestler, enforcer for the Colombo crime family, actor (Luca Brasi in The Godfather,), Lenny Montana died of a heart attack in Lindenhurst, New York aged 66. St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York

#RIP #OTD in 1995, singer, songwriter, musician (Padre davvero, Piccolo uomo, Donna sola, Minuetto, Inno, Al mondo, Che vuoi che sia se t’ho aspettato tanto, Per amarti, La costruzione di un amore), Mia Martini died from a drug overdose at her home in Cardano al Campo, Lombardy, Italy aged 47. Cremated remains interred in the cemetery of Cavaria con Premezzo

On this day in 2000, professional racing driver, great-grandson of Lee Petty, grandson of Richard Petty, son of Kyle Petty, Adam Petty died when his Busch series car crashed during a practice run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, at the age of 19. Born Adam Kyler Petty on 10 July 1980 and raised in High Point, North Carolina.

220px-George_W__Bush_at_Victory_Junction_Gang_Camp_-_Randleman,_N_C__with_NASCAR_drivers

President George W. Bush is joined at Adam’s Race Shop on the grounds of Victory Junction Gang Camp, Inc., in Randleman, N.C., by NASCAR drivers Kyle Petty, Richard Petty, Michael Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson

The Final Footprint – Adam was cremated and his cremains were returned to his family. In October 2000 five months after Adam’s death, his family partnered with Paul Newman and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp to begin the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a camp for terminally and chronically ill children, in Randleman, North Carolina, as a memorial to Adam. The camp has received support from many NASCAR drivers, teams, and sponsors, including Cup Series sponsor Sprint, which has placed a replica of Adam’s 1998 car in the camp. The Victory Junction Gang camp began operation in 2004, and is an official charity of NASCAR. I have been fortunate enough to spend a weekend at Victory Junction. Enough good things cannot be said about this wonderful place and what it means to the kids and families who visit. Thank you to the Petty family and all those involved in creating and maintaining VJ. More importantly, thank you Adam.

Perry Como
on the Perry Como Show set, c. 1956

On this day in 2001, singer and television personality, Mr. C, Perry Como died at his home in Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida at the age of 88. Born Pierino Ronald Como on May 18, 1912 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with it in 1943. He pioneered a weekly musical variety television show, which set the standards for the genre and proved to be one of the most successful in television history. Como’s appeal spanned generations and he was widely respected for both his professional standards and the conduct in his personal life. In the official RCA Records Billboard magazine memorial, his life was summed up in these few words: “50 years of music and a life well lived. An example to all.

Como received five Emmys from 1955 to 1959, a Christopher Award (1956) and shared a Peabody Award with good friend Jackie Gleason in 1956. He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1987. Posthumously, Como received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Como has the distinction of having three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio, television, and music.

in 1939, when he was with the Ted Weems Orchestra.

publicity photo

with the Ray Charles Singers on the set of The Perry Como Show during “Sing To Me, Mr, C.” segment, c. 1950s. Como’s “sweater era”.

In 1929, the 17-year-old Como met Roselle Belline at a picnic on Chartiers Creek that attracted many young people from the Canonsburg area. Como, who attended the cookout with another girl, did not spot Roselle until everyone was around the campfire singing and the gathering was coming to a close. When it came Como’s turn to sing, he chose “More Than You Know”, with his eyes on Roselle for the entire song. The teenage sweethearts were married July 31, 1933. In 1958, the Comos celebrated their silver wedding anniversary with a family trip to Italy.

The Final Footprint

His funeral Mass took place at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Palm Beach, Florida. Como and his wife, Roselle are interred at Riverside Memorial Park, Tequesta (Palm Beach County), Florida.

#RIP #OTD in 2008 painter and graphic artist whose early works anticipated the Pop art movement (Combines, Canyon, Monogram), Robert Rauschenberg died of heart failure on Captiva Island, Florida, aged 82

#RIP #OTD in 2014, artist (album covers; Danzig III: How the Gods Kill, Deborah Harry’s KooKoo), film special effects designer (Alien), H. R. Giger died in Zürich from injuries from a fall, aged 74. Cimetière Gruyeres, Gruyeres, Switzerland

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Posted in Athletic Footprints, Day in History, Literary Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Adam Petty, amy lowell, Cimetière Gruyeres, cremated remains, Cremation, frances sargent osgood, h r giger, hole in the wall gang camp, Jean debuffet, john dryden, Kyle Petty, Lee Petty, Lenny Montana, Lillian roth, Mia Martini, mount auburn cemetery, Mount pleasant cemetery, Paul Newman, Perry Como, Richard Petty, riptff, Robert Rauschenberg, St charles cemetery, tff, the final footprint, Victory Junction, Westminster Abbey | Leave a comment

On this day 11 May death of John Cadbury – Bob Marley – Doris Eaton Travis – Peggy Lipton – Jerry Stiller

Posted on 29 MayamMon, 11 May 2026 00:24:00 -05002026-05-11T00:24:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

#RIP #OTD in 1889 Quaker and English proprietor, tea and coffee trader and founder of Cadbury, John Cadbury died in Birmingham, England, aged 87. Witton Cemetery, Metropolitan Borough of Birmingham, West Midlands, England

On this day in 1981, singer-songwriter and musician, Bob Marley died from cancer at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami (now University of Miami Hospital) at the age of 36. Born Robert Nesta Marley on 6 February 1945 in the village of Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica.

He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers (1963–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. His best-known hits include “I Shot the Sheriff”, “No Woman, No Cry”, “Could You Be Loved”, “Stir It Up”, “Jamming”, “Redemption Song”, “One Love” and, together with The Wailers, “Three Little Birds”, as well as the posthumous releases “Buffalo Soldier” and “Iron Lion Zion”. The compilation album Legend (1984), released three years after his death, is reggae’s best-selling album, going ten times Platinum (Diamond) in the U.S. Marley was married once to Rita Constantia Anderson (1966-1981 his death). Marley has evolved into a global symbol, which has been endlessly merchandised through a variety of mediums.

The Final Footprint – Marley is entombed, either with his Gibson Les Paul or with his red Fender Stratocaster and a stalk of ganja, in the Bob Marley Mausoleum in Nine Mile, Saint Ann, Jamaica. Marley received a state funeral in Jamaica on 21 May 1981, which combined elements of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and Rastafari tradition.

#RIP #OTD in 2010 dancer, stage and film actress, dance instructor, owner and manager, writer, rancher, the last surviving Ziegfeld Girl, Doris Eaton Travis died of an aneurysm in Commerce, Michigan, at the age of 106. Guardian Angel Cemetery in Rochester, Michigan

#RIP #OTD in 2019 actress (The Mod Squad, Twin Peaks), model, singer Peggy Lipton died of colon cancer in Los Angeles, aged 72. Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California

#RIP #OTD in 2020 comedian, actor (Seinfeld, King of Queens), part of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, father of Ben, Jerry Stiller died at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at the age of 92. Nantucket Jewish Cemetery, Nantucket, Massachusetts

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Posted in Day in History, Extravagant Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Bob Marley, Crypts, Doris Eaton Travis, Entomb, guardian angel cemetery, Hillside Memorial Park, Jerry Stiller, John Cadbury, Mausoleum, nantucket Jewish cemetery, Peggy Lipton, Private Mausoleum, Rastafari, reggae, riptff, ska, tff, the final footprint, witton cemetery | Leave a comment

On this day 10 May death of Susan Oliver – Walker Percy – Joan Crawford – Shel Silverstein

Posted on 29 MayamSun, 10 May 2026 00:03:00 -05002026-05-10T00:03:00-05:0012 2011 by MacGregor

#RIP #OTD in 1990, actress (Your Cheatin’ Heart, The Disorderly Orderly, Star Trek episodes; The Cage, The Menagerie), director, aviator, Susan Oliver died from colorectal cancer at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California aged 58. Cremated remains scattered in the Pacific Ocean near Catalina Island

On this day in 1990, author Walker Percy died from prostate cancer in Covington, Louisiana, at the age of 73. Born on May 28, 1916 in Birmingham, Alabama. interests included philosophy and semiotics. Percy is known for his philosophical novels set in and around New Orleans, the first of which, The Moviegoer, won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction. He devoted his literary life to the exploration of “the dislocation of man in the modern age.” His work displays a combination of existential questioning, Southern sensibility, and deep Catholic faith.

Percy married Mary Bernice Townsend, a medical technician, on November 7, 1946. They settled in the suburb of Covington, Louisiana across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Percy’s wife and one of their daughters later had a bookstore, where the writer often worked in an office on the second floor.

The Final Footprint

He is buried on the grounds of St. Joseph Benedictine Abbey in St. Benedict, Louisiana. He had become a secular oblate of the Abbey’s monastic community, making his final oblation on February 16, 1990, less than three months before his death.

On this day in 1977, Academy Award winning actress, Joan Crawford died at her New York apartment from a heart attack at the age of 72. Born Lucille Fay LeSueur on 23 March 1905 in San Antonio, Texas. Crawford became one of Hollywood’s most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the United States. In 1931, she starred opposite Clark Gable in Possessed. They began an affair during the production, that lasted for many years. Crawford won her Oscar for the title role in Mildred Pierce (1945). She was married four times; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (1929-1933 divorce), Franchot Tone (1935-1939 divorce), Phillip Terry (1942-1946 divorce) and Alfred Steele (1955-1959 his death).

The Final Footprint – Crawford was cremated. Her cremains were entombed in a crypt next to her husband, Alfred Steele, in the Ferncliff Mausoleum, Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. A funeral service was held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel (a Dignity Memorial property) in Manhattan. Crawford’s hand and footprints are immortalized in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1750 Vine Street. In NovembeRrer 1978, a year and a half after Crawford’s death, her adopted daughter, Christina published Mommie Dearest, which contained allegations that Crawford was emotionally and physically abusive to Christina and her brother Christopher. The book was made into a movie of the same name in 1981 with Faye Dunaway as Crawford. Other notable funerals at Frank E. Campbell include; Aaliyah, Jean-Michael Basquiat, Irving Berlin, Lord Buckley, James Cagney, Oleg Cassini, Montgomery Clift, Frank Costello, Malcolm Forbes, Greta Garbo, Judy Garland, George Gershwin, Jim Henson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Peter Jennings, Madeline Kahn, Bat Masterson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Heath Ledger, John Lennon, Norman Mailer, Mary Tyler Moore, Notorious B.I.G., Les Paul, Ayn Rand, Igor Stravinsky, Ed Sullivan, Arturo Toscanini, Rudolf Valentino, Luther Vandross, Mae West, and Tennessee Williams. Other notable Final Footprints at Ferncliff include: Aaliyah, James Baldwin, Béla Bartók, Cab Calloway, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern, Malcolm X, Thelonious Monk, and Ed Sullivan.

On this day in 1999, poet, singer-songwriter, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children’s books, Shel Silverstein died from a heart attack in Key West at the age of 68. Born Sheldon Allan Silverstein on 25
September 1932 in Chicago. I remember him best for the songs he wrote including; “A Boy Named Sue”, “Put Another Log on the Fire”, “One’s on the Way”, “25 Minutes to Go“, “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone'”, “Freakin’ at the Freakers’ Ball,” “Sylvia’s Mother”, “The Things I Didn’t Say”, “Rosalie’s Good Eats Café”, “The Mermaid”, “The Winner”, “Warm and Free” and “Tequila Sheila”, he co-wrote with Baxter Taylor “Marie Laveau”, “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan“, and “Queen of the Silver Dollar”.

The Final Footprint – Silverstein is interred in Westlawn Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois. Other notable final footprints at Westlawn include Jack Ruby and Gene Siskel.

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Posted in Day in History, Film Footprints, Literary Footprints, Musical Footprints | Tagged Academy Award, Clark Gable, cremated remains, Cremation, Crypts, Entomb, Faye Dunaway, Ferncliff Mausoleum, Joan Crawford, Mausoleum, Mommie Dearest, Oscar, Susan oliver, walker percy | Leave a comment

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On this day 19 May death of Anne Boleyn – Nathaniel Hawthorne – José Martí – Ferdinand Hodler – T. E. Lawrence – Gabriele Münter – Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – Alice Notley

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

On this day 18 May death of Pauline Viardot – Gustav Mahler – Mt. Saint Helens – Jill Ireland – Elizabeth Montgomery – Alexander Godunov – Chris Cornell – Charles Grodin – Jim Brown

The Final Footprint

Day in History 17 May – Dorothy Levitt – Seabiscuit – Frank Gorshin – Donna Summer – Guy Clark – Herman Wouk – Vangelis

Day in History 16 May – Grace Elliott – Django Reinhardt – James Agee – Andy Kaufman – Sammy Davis, Jr. – Jim Henson – Robert Mondavi – Ronnie James Dio – I. M. Pei – Dabney Coleman

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

On this day 15 May death of Emily Dickinson – Edward Hopper – June Carter Cash – Charles Strouse

The Final Footprint

On this day 14 May death of Fanny Mendelssohn – Billie Burke – Rita Hayworth – Marjory Stoneman Douglas – Frank Sinatra – B. B. King – Powers Boothe – Tom Wolfe – Tim Conway

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

On this day 13 May death of Gary Cooper – Bob Wills – Chet Baker – Donald “Duck” Dunn – Margot Kidder – Doris Day

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

On this day 12 May death of John Dryden – Frances Sargent Osgood – Amy Lowell – Lillian Roth – Jean Debuffet – Lenny Montana – Mia Martini – Adam Petty – Perry Como – Robert Rauschenberg – H. R. Giger

The Final Footprint

The Final Footprint

On this day 11 May death of John Cadbury – Bob Marley – Doris Eaton Travis – Peggy Lipton – Jerry Stiller

On this day 10 May death of Susan Oliver – Walker Percy – Joan Crawford – Shel Silverstein

The Final Footprint

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