Our Daily Dead

Our buddies at the LA Times tell us that Daniel N. Finegood, the “prankster” known for creative alterations of Hollywood sign has died at age 52.

“The first time Danny Finegood played a word game with the Hollywood sign, he hung curtains to make it read Hollyweed. That was Jan. 1, 1976 — the day the state’s relaxed marijuana law took effect.

“The prankster and friends obscured consonants to coin Holywood for Easter later that year and Ollywood to protest the hero worship of Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North during the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987.

“In his final round of wordplay, Finegood made a political statement against the Persian Gulf War by draping plastic sheeting over the 50-foot-high letters to form Oil War in 1990.

“Finegood, who viewed his hillside handiwork as environmental sculpture, died of multiple myeloma Monday at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, said his wife, Bonnie. He was 52.”

If you are interested in ordering a poster of the “Hollyweed” sign, please visit Daniel and family’s Hollyweed.net web site.

~~The ODDones for OurDailyDead.com

Technorati tags: Daniel N. Finegood, Hollywood, marijuana, Oliver North, Oil War, environmental sculpture, multiple myeloma

There are things to do in Denver when you aren’t dead. Check into the new Tribal Paths: Colorado’s American Indians, 1500 to Today exhibit for example.

Or if you find yourself in Philly, then head into the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see Thomas Eakins’ The Gross Clinic exhibit. The museum PR says “The Gross Clinic, acclaimed as the greatest American painting of the nineteenth century, has been an icon of Philadelphia since it was painted in 1875.”

Omaha? You’re in Omaha? Well, try the Omaha Old Market then. Pick us up some steaks too while your there will you?

What about spending time in Fargo? Try visiting the Trollwood Park at Broadway/37th Ave. N. Our birthday(s) are due soon so get us a bangle or two will you?

There you stood
on the edge of your feather,
Expecting to fly.
While I laughed,
I wondered whether
I could wave goodbye,
Knowin’ that you’d gone.

~~The ODDones for OurDailyDead.com

Technorati tags: Denver, Tribal Paths, Colorado, Thomas Eakins, Gross Clinic, Philadelphia, Omaha, steaks, Fargo, Trollwood Park, Expecting to fly

From the one and only Kung Fu Cinema.comwe read: Hapkido Grandmaster Bong Soo Han, a pioneer in bringing real martial arts technique to American movies died on Monday at the age of 73 in his home in Santa Monica.

“The Korean-born instructor was greatly respected in the martial arts community and often called the father of Hapkido in the Western world for his many years of promoting and teaching the martial art in America. As a senior first-generation student to Hapkido founder Yong Sul Choi, Han is credited with first bringing the art to America in 1967.”

“His contribution to the development of martial arts action in American filmmaking is at least as noteworthy. In 1969, actor Tom Laughlin recruited Han after witnessing one of his demonstrations to assist in giving the star some credible martial arts moves in the film “Billy Jack”. Han not only choreographed the fight scenes, but also doubled Laughlin onscreen. Thanks in large part to never-before-seen screen fighting moves, this independent cult classic became the first widely popular American-made movie to prominently feature authentic martial arts screen fighting. In the process, Han helped to set a standard for screen fighting in Hollywood that was far ahead of its time.”

Kung Fu Cinema winds up their article with this public service notice: “Martialartsinfo.com has created an online tribute to Bong Soo Han that includes an hour-long video interview and comments from martial arts celebrities including Richard Norton, Simon Rhee, Phillip Rhee, and Cynthia Rothrock.”

~~The ODDones for OurDailyDead.com

Technorati tags: Kung Fu, Cinema, Hapkido, Grandmaster, Bong Soo Han, martial arts, died, Yong Sul Choi, Tom Laughlin, Billy Jack, Hollywood, Richard Norton, Simon Rhee, Phillip Rhee, Cynthia Rothrock