RIP Nichols, Elliott and White

Last week we lost several great folks in the media.  A moment for each of them.

Bob Elliott was part of one of the great radio comedy teams of all time, “Bob and Ray”.  With his partner Ray Goulding. Beginning as radio announcers at a station in Boston, they discovered a natural and easy style of humor while filling in during baseball delays.  In 1946, they got their own fifteen-minute program, then a half hour program.  They would continue on the air in some of the largest markets in the nation for fifty years.  They were regulars on NPR, ending their run in 1987.  In the early ’50s, they had their own TV show.  Ray died in 1990.  Bob died last week at the age of 92.  This is one of their best-known routines, “The Slow Talker” and a perfect example of their humor.

Mike Nichols was probably better known at the time of his death as a film director.  His directing career began with “Who’s Afraid of Virginian Woolf?”, and “The Graduate”.  He was also part of an Emmy-winning comedy act that had a successful run on Broadway, Nichols, and May.  While the act only lasted a few years, they produced some wonderful comedy.

Maurice White was the founding member of the great ’70s band Earth, Wind, and Fire.  Rolling Stone magazine said that the group “…changed the sound of black pop”.  With 20 Grammy nominations and membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,  Earth, Wind and Fire was one of the most successful bands of the 20th Century.  As their lead singer, Maurice White was the voice of the band.