R.I.P. continued

Two more 1930s legends gone: Shirley Temple (1928-2014), aged 85, and Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) aged 93. 

Kate O'Mara: British glamour actress Kate O'Mara has died aged 74. Her best known role was as Caress Colby, the scheming sister of Alexis in DYNASTY in the 80s, where she was the equal of Joan Collins. Kate had a distinctive glamour and was well known here in the UK for her roles in Hammer horror films like THE VAMPIRE LOVERS, and that hilarious cult tv series TRIANGLE where she braved the North seas in her bikini on that ferry that sailed from the UK to Sweden. She was also in DR WHO among tv roles, and did a lot of theatre work. She was also Jackie Stone, the sister of Joanna Lumley's Patsy Stone in ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.

 I saw her once, on the London Underground, early in the morning when on my way to work - she was kitted out in a fur coat and the full slap on, as she hung on to a rail, like the rest of us, to the astonishment of some girls sitting down who recognised her. It was always easy to recognise Kate who was always absolutely fab when playing up to being a legendary vamp, but she was a serious actress too, but with those looks glamour tv and Hammer Horror movies played their part too. The newspaper obituaries referred to her "cliff high cheekbones which one could cut serrano ham on". 

Frankie Knuckles, 1955-2014, aged 59. It is hard to exaggerate the role disk jockey and record producer Frankie Knuckles played in the growth and popularity of electronic dance music. He oversaw a gay, black underground scene in the '80s in Chicago which became "house music", a vast worldwide leisure culture. He began in that pre-Aids worldL the 1970s Continental Baths in New York where musical entertainment was laid on for the clients, this was where the likes of Bette Midler and Barry Manilow began. When Knuckles's career started the concept of a Superstar DJ or dance music conquering America would have been unthinkable.  "The Godfather of House" provided the soundtrack to those clubbing nights for many around the world.