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ALEX BUZO

Australian playwright and author Alex Buzo has died at 62. One of his funniest recent books was Kiwese, a “guide, a ductionary, a shearing of unsights” into New Zealander English.

UPDATE. US character actor Bruno Kirby—he appeared in several hits, but I liked him best as David Letterman’s “cop on the edge”—has also died.

UPDATE II. And farewell to Lord Kilbracken:

The 3rd Lord Kilbracken, who died yesterday aged 85, hit the headlines in 1957 when he succeeded in gatecrashing the Great Red Square parade in Moscow on the 40th anniversary of the October uprising, wearing a pink Leander tie and with his trousers turned inside out.

Posted by Tim B. on 08/16/2006 at 10:32 AM
  1. How sad about Bruno Kirby---and only 57 years old.

    I loved his appearance in Spinal Tap; he played the Frank Sinatra loving limo driver.

    Posted by Bill Spencer on 2006 08 16 at 10:54 AM • permalink

  2. o/t U.N. Architect/Rapporteur Miloon Kathauri slams indigenous remote area housing as “the worst in the world”.
    He’s telling on us too he says.

    Posted by crash on 2006 08 16 at 12:10 PM • permalink

  3. My favorite Bruno Kirby (who, I believe, started out as Bruno I. Kirby) film is one of my all-time favorite comedies:  The Freshman. Funny, funny movie. If you haven’t seen it, don’t miss it. Kirby was the go-to guy when you couldn’t afford Joe Pesci. I liked him.

    RIP, gentlemen.

    Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 08 16 at 04:12 PM • permalink

  4. Lord Kilbracken sounds like a bit of a nut but he was probably a lot of fun to be around.

    Posted by dick on 2006 08 16 at 07:26 PM • permalink

  5. That Lord Kilbracken had balls to do that. Who was the guy who landed his light plane in Red Square years ago? How funny was that?

    Posted by amortiser on 2006 08 16 at 07:29 PM • permalink

  6. Mathias Rust

    Cheers

    Posted by J.M. Heinrichs on 2006 08 16 at 09:02 PM • permalink

  7. # 1 Of course! I could remember his character in Godfather 2 and Donnie Brasco but forgot about his role in Spinal Tap - what a funny movie.
    Very sad news and he was still young.

    Posted by Skeptic on 2006 08 16 at 09:02 PM • permalink

  8. I recall reading Alex’s satirical stuff about the New Class many years ago. Late 70s? Can’t find references to it now, but I think some of it was done for radio. Included a timeless scene where the stock-in-trade small talk of the hairdressing sisterhood is mercilessly illuminated. “Got the day off then?”. “Big plans for the weekend?”.
    The reporter finally tracks down one of these New Class people - obsessed with appearances, money, and real estate around Leichhardt.
    “You can still pick up property around here at a bargain price if you know where to look,” he told me.
    “Really?” I found myself saying before realising that I was falling for it ... I must not become like them, I must not become like them…
    The bio on the back cover started with something like “Alex Buzo’s parents underwent childshock in 1944 ...”
    While on the subject of humour from decades ago - does anyone know where to locate a copy of Patrick Cook’s brilliant cartoon strip “A Day In The Life - Don Dunstan”. I remember quite a few lines from it, but have not seen it for ages.

    Posted by blogstrop on 2006 08 16 at 10:09 PM • permalink

  9. blogstrop - try abebooks on the net. Mostly UK-US based, but I’ve found it useful several times.

    Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2006 08 16 at 11:52 PM • permalink

  10. Eric Butler died two months ago, and nobody mourned him.

    *sniff*

    Posted by Tex on 2006 08 17 at 12:55 AM • permalink

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