Lyudmila Gurchenko, Russian film actress and singer, People's Artist of the USSR Lyudmila Gurchenko died she was , 75. .

Lyudmila Markovna Gurchenko  was a popular Soviet and Russian actress, singer and entertainer died she was , 75.

(12 November 1935 – 30 March 2011)

Biography
Lyudmila was born in Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR in 1935 to Mark Gavrilovich Gurchenko (1898–1973) and Yelena Aleksandrovna Simonova-Gurchenko (1917–1999). Before the World War II they lived in a single room apartment on a ground floor at Mordvynivsky provulok #17. At that time her parents worked at Kharkiv Region Philharmony. Mark Gurchenko was known to play on bayan (Russian accordion). Part of her childhood Lyudmila with her mom spent under the German occupation of Ukraine in native city, while her father joined the army and together with his concert brigade came through the whole war. After the liberation of Kharkiv Lyudmila took an introductory test to the local Beethoven Music School where she performed a "song with gestures" About Vitya Cherevichkin. Thanks to that she was accepted as a "future actress".
She moved to Moscow enrolling into the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. At 21 after starring in young Eldar Ryazanov's 1956 directorial debut, musical Carnival Night, Gurchenko overnight achieved the fame as well as the celebrity status. The film was enormously popular and made her famous overnight. Throughout the next two years she toured the entire country with her Carnival Night-inspired musical numbers, attracting crowds of fans.
The Soviet cultural establishment, however, deemed her style too western and too out of line with Soviet standards. She was accused of receiving above State-set wages as compensation for her shows. She became the target of highly critical articles in several influential Soviet periodicals, including Tap dance to the left (Чечетка налево, Komsomolskaya Pravda, 1957, [1]) and Dositheos morals (Досифеевские нравы, Ogonyok, 1958, [2], devoted to her financial wrong-doing and her alleged lack of patriotism. The year of 1958 saw the release of another musical with Lyudmila, A Girl with a Guitar (Devushka s Gitaroi), shot mostly before these articles were published. The musical was not recommended for a wide distribution and was a box-office flop.
This branded Gurchenko as a one-hit wonder, not worthy of serious movie roles. According to the customs of the time, such branding effectively meant banning Her involvement in cinema and theater for several years. For the next two decades she struggled to get leading roles in new movies, while making a living by travelling all over the country with her stand-up acts and musical numbers.
In the mid 1970s Gurchenko starred in several films, which, although only moderately successful, helped showcase her dramatic talent. In 1979 she landed a role in director Andrei Konchalovsky's Siberiade and in 1982 in Station for Two, once again by Eldar Ryazanov, who by then had become one of USSR's most popular and prolific directors. The role of the forty-something waitress Vera in this touching film became her long-awaited comeback as a superstar of Soviet film. Subsequently, she starred in several more movies and TV shows. Her multifaceted talent was recognized on many occasions. She received the title of People's Artist of the USSR, the highest honour that could be bestowed to a musical artist, in 1983.
In 2010, she was awarded the 2nd Class Order of Merit for the Fatherland (she received the 4th Class of the same Order in 2000 and the 3d Class in 2005)^[1] , one of the highest civil decorations in post-Soviet Russia (with 3rd and 2nd Degree Orders having been awarded to very few extremely distinguished individuals, and the 1st Degree Order being nominally held by a serving President of Russia). At the age of 70, she still performed, and was frequently seen attending galas.

Personal life

Gurchenko was married five times, including a short-lived marriage to Iosif Kobzon in 1969. She had one daughter, Maria (born 1959) from her first marriage, and two grandchildren as well as one great-granddaughter.
On 14 February 2011, Gurchenko fell near her house and broke her hip. She was taken to the hospital and underwent an operation the following day. On 30 March, her condition worsened – either due to the operation or a heart failure – and she died that evening. She was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery (Moscow) after a civil funeral a few days later.

 

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Denis McLean, New Zealand diplomat, academic, author and civil servant died he was , 80.

Denis McLean, CMG  was a New Zealand diplomat, academic, author and civil servant died he was , 80..

(18 August 1930 – 30 March 2011)

He began with the Department of External Affairs in 1957 after completing his Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford. He was posted to Washington DC, Paris, Kuala Lumpur and London, where he was deputy high commissioner from 1972-77. He was Secretary of Defence from 1979 to 1988 and Ambassador to the United States from 1991 to 1994. After his retirement from government service in 1995, Mr. McLean served as the Joan and James Warburg Chair of International Relations at Simmons College in Boston. Mr McLean's distinguished career as a public servant, writer, historian and commentator on international relations also led him to be a Guest/Visiting Scholor at the Strategic & Defense Studies Centre, ANU, Canberra, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the U.S. Institute of Peace. He wrote three books: The Long Pathway, Te Araroa, based on walking the North Island with his family, Prickly Pair, on Australian-NZ relations, and Howard Kippenberger: Dauntless Spirit, a biography of military commander Sir Howard Kippenberger. He also served on the Press Council. McLean died on 30 March 2011 at his home in Wellington.^[1]

 

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Wally Peterson, American actor, singer and stage manager died he was , 93.

Wally Peterson was an American actor, singer and stage manager. A frequent performer and producer on Broadway, Peterson was also known for his West End performances in the London productions of Oklahoma! and South Pacific.

(October 11, 1917 – March 30, 2011)

Peterson was married to the Australian performer Joy Nichols from 1949 until the mid-1970s when they divorced. They had three children: two daughters and a son. Peterson died in New York City on March 30, 2011 at the age of 93.^[2]

 

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Nutan Prasad Indian actor,died after a long illness he was , 65,.

Nutan Prasad was a Tollywood actor. He started his film acting career in the early 1970s died after a long illness he was , 65.

(12 December 1945 – 30 March 2011) 

Career

Nutan Prasad started his acting career with the play "Naa Votu" in Guntur.
He started acting in films with the movie Andala Ramudu starring Akkineni Nageshwara Rao in the year 1973. He continued his venture with movies like Needaleni Aadadi, but he was first recognized in the movie Muthyala Muggu when he acted as a villain along with Rao Gopal Rao.
His acting career reached its peak with the movie Rajadhiraju in which he acted as Satan. The movie became very popular due to his acting and the song "Kotta devudandi babu kotta devudandi", which is still popular today. Prasad, although he acted with all the generation of heroes, was particularly popular with the second generation heroes. Movies like Patnam vachina pativratalu, Khaidi (Village munsab), Magamaharaju, Srivariki premalekha, Kathanayakudu, and Aha Naa Pellanta, all continued his winning streak.
In 1989, while shooting for the film Bamma Maata Bangaru Baata, he had an accident and broke his back. This left him paralysed from the waist down and he had to use a wheelchair. He then quit acting in movies. Once in a while he appeared in guest roles. He also did voiceover and commentary for serials and movies. He dubbed for late Gummadi Venkateswara Rao in Aayanakiddaru (1995) as the artiste had issues with his voice at that time.
He died after prolonged illness at the age of 65 years on 30th March 2011 in Hyderabad. He is survived by a son (Nutan Kumar) and two daughters.

Awards

• In 1984, Prasad received the Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actor.^[3]
• NTR National Award in 2005.^[4]

Filmography

The partial filmography of Nutan Prasad is :

Year	Film	Character
1973	Andala Ramudu (debut)	Giri
1975	Muthyala Muggu	Kishtayya
1978	Chali Cheemalu
1978	Pranam Khareedu	Karanam Bullabbai
1980	Rajadhi Raju	Saitan
1980	Thathayya Premaleelalu	Thathayya
1982	Maro Malupu
1982	Patnam Vachina Pativrathalu
1982	Tingu Rangadu
1983	Khaidi	Munsiff
1983	Maa Inti Premayanam
1983	Maga Maharaju
1983	Manthrigari Viyyankudu
1984	Bobbili Brahmanna	Sastry
1984	Intiguttu
1984	Mahanagaramlo Mayagadu
1984	Rustum	Chalapathi
1984	Srivariki Premalekha	Bhaskaram
1984	Sundari Subbarao
1985	Adavi Donga
1985	Agni Parvatam
1985	Chattamtho Poratam	Jailor Hitler Sharma
1985	Chiranjeevi
1985	Donga
1985	Oka Radha Iddaru Krishnulu
1985	Raktha Sindhuram	Damodaram
1986	Kaliyuga Pandavulu
1986	Kirathakudu	Baby
1986	Veta
1987	Aha Naa Pellanta	Satyanarayana
1988	Donga Kollu	Bellam Apparao
1988	Khaidi No.786
1988	Trinetrudu
1988	Yudda Bhoomi
1989	Bamma Maata Bangaru Baata
1989	State Rowdy
1990	Karthavyam	ASP Ram Mohan Rao
1991	Sarpa Yaagam
1995	Big Boss
1995	Gharana Bullodu
1995	Taj Mahal
1997	Master	Canteen-in-charge
1998	Suryavamsam
2000	Nuvvu Vastavani
2005	Sadaa Mee Sevalo

Liaquat Soldier, Pakistani comedian, died from a heart attack he was , 56.

Liaquat Ali  better known by his stage name Liaquat Soldier was a Pakistani stage and television comedy actor, writer, and director died from a heart attack he was , 56..

(1952 – 30 March 2011)

Born in 1952, Soldier started his acting career in 1973. He featured in over 250 plays and co-starred with many famous theatre personalities, including the likes of Moin Akhtar, Furqan Haider, Umer Sharif, Hanif Raja and Shahzad Raza.^[1] He came from a modest, low-income family of Marwari background in Karachi. Soldier’s unusual last name was given to him by his friend Nazar Hussain, a stage artist.^[1] Channels for which Soldier worked included Geo TV, SAMAA TV, Dhoom TV, Metro, Hum TV and ARY Digital. Overseas, he worked in the United States, Dubai and South Africa.^[1]

Death

On 30 March 2011, Soldier died of a heart attack; before his immediate death, he was reportedly participating in a live TV show during a special transmission of the semi-final between India and Pakistan of the 2011 Cricket World Cup and had passed away by the time he was transported to the hospital.^[2][3] His death was called "a big loss to the world of comedy dramas", while, a friend described him as not only a good actor but a “humble, good person."^[1] The news of his death was also announced on Cricinfo, in the commentary scorecard at the start of Pakistan's innings in the match.^[4]
Soldier is survived by his wife, daughter and three sons. His body is buried in the old Mewa Shah graveyard located in SITE Town.

 

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José Alencar, Brazilian entrepreneur and politician, Vice-President (2003–2010), died from multiple organ failure he was , 79.

 José Alencar Gomes da Silva  was a Brazilian businessman and politician, and the Vice President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010 died from multiple organ failure he was , 79..

(17 October 1931 – 29 March 2011)

In business since a young age, Alencar was a self-made multimillionaire, as the chief executive of Coteminas, after working as travelling salesman and in failed food wholesale start-ups. He turned his family's small clothes factory and retail store into a leading textile manufacturer in his country, producing goods for traditional brands in its portfolio, such as Artex, Santista and Calfat, and vying for dominance of the global market after a merger with South Carolina-based Springs Industries. In the 1990s, Alencar groomed his son to succeed him at the company, and opted to enter politics in his home state, Minas Gerais.^[1]
Alencar had a business-oriented political platform, advocating market liberalization and deregulation of production. His expensive political campaigns received hefty funds from Coteminas. After a failed run in 1994 for governor of Minas Gerais, he won the election for the Senate of Brazil, representing his home state, in 1998. In 2002, Alencar was invited by the left-wing Worker's Party to run for Vice President, on the same ticket as Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The alliance between the leftist union leader and Alencar, an experienced entrepreneur, proved successful. They won the presidential elections in 2002 and were re-elected in 2006. Over the years, Lula da Silva and Alencar developed a close and affectionate friendship. Diagnosed with cancer of the stomach and kidney in 1997, Alencar succumbed to the disease in 2011.
Alencar came to be revered among journalists and politicians for his spirited posture and friendly demeanor. He overcame his lack of formal education, arguing vehemently in favor of less taxes, especially indirect taxation over consumers, and a simpler tax system; smaller interest rates and greater oversight of the banking industry; and social welfare and assistance programs. As Vice President, Alencar sometimes spoke out against his own government's orthodox policies, causing embarrassment for fellow administration members.^[2] His unwavering determination to live in the face of terminal cancer also marked public perception, during and after his time in office.

Personal life and early political career

Alencar kissing the hand of Cardinal Freire Falcão, the archbishop of Brasília

Alencar was born into a family of small entrepreneurs from Muriaé, in the inland state of Minas Gerais on 17 October 1931. He was the eleventh son of Antônio Gomes da Silva and Dolores Peres Gomes da Silva. He started working while still a child, dropping out of primary school to help his father in the family business, and then worked with his brothers until he became a successful businessman on his own. In 1967, Alencar founded Coteminas, which would become one of Brazil's largest textile manufacturers.^[3] In 2002, he left the presidency of the company, by then a leading player with roughly 850 million reais in yearly net sales, to his son Josué Gomes da Silva, in order to run for Vice President of Brazil.^[4][5]
In July 2010, retired teacher Rosemary de Morais was recognized in court as the daughter of José Alencar.^[6][7] Alencar refused to undergo parental testing, but, according to Brazilian law 12.004/2009^[8], this refusal is accepted as evidence of paternity.^[9] The legal case over Morais's parentage is still ongoing. Alencar had other children: one son, Josué, and two daughters, Maria da Graça and Patrícia.
Before being elected for the Senate in 1998, Alencar ran for governor of Minas Gerais in 1994. While in the Senate, José Alencar worked on several Commissions, including the Senatorial Commission for Economic and Social Matters. In 2002 he was tapped to be Lula's running mate, in an effort to assuage worries about the candidate's alleged anti-business bias. He was the honorary President of center-right Liberal Party, but left his party at the end of 2005 to associate himself with the new Brazilian Republican Party.^[3]

Vice Presidency

President Lula and Vice President Alencar in their second inauguration ceremony, walking into Palácio do Planalto, on 1 January 2007.

Alencar giving a speech on women's rights in Palácio do Planalto

In office, Alencar stood alongside another successful businessman in the cabinet, Luiz Fernando Furlan, to channel the demands of Brazilian businessmen against the government. Thus, they came to voice discontent over bureaucracy, insufficient infrastructure and cautious monetary policy. His efforts led to the strengthening of Apex-Brasil, a pro-export agency seen as instrumental in the Brazilian economy's recent rise in exports.^[10]
Alencar was the most notable person in government to openly complain of the conservative monetary policies of the Brazilian Central Bank, under Henrique Meirelles, backed by ministers Antonio Palocci and Paulo Bernardo. He often criticized his own administration for failing to lower the Central Bank's base interest rates and demanded a reform of the country's tax system. In November 2004 he was sworn in as Defense Minister, following the resignation of José Viegas Filho. Lula turned to him to occupy a vacant position for which the President found no better-suited candidate. Alencar tried to resign on several occasions, claiming that a businessman would hardly be the best choice for running a nation's military forces. Nevertheless, President Lula convinced him to stay until March 2006, when Alencar did resign his ministerial post, in favor of anti-graft activist Waldir Pires.^[11][12]
Despite his disagreements with some policies of the Lula administration, Alencar was officially invited by Lula to once again be his running mate in the 2006 general elections. With Lula's re-election victory on 29 October, Alencar secured his position as Vice President for another term. Alencar then adopted a lower tone, while still espousing his traditional positions. He sought to run for the Senate in 2010, but was forced to give up due to the advanced stage of his cancer disease.

Disease and death

Alencar, visited by Presidents Lula and Dilma, receiving anticancer treatment at Hospital Sírio-Libanês, in São Paulo, December 2010.

On a routine check-up, José Alencar was diagnosed with stomach and kidney cancer in 1997. After undergoing treatment for some length of time, he had his right kidney and two-thirds of his stomach surgically removed. Five years later, a malignant tumor in his prostate was removed. However, the disease continued to spread, and in 2006 doctors discovered a sarcoma in his abdomen. On 26 January 2009, a surgery extirpated eight tumors, along with compromised portions of his small and large intestine and the ureters.

Alencar lying in state. From the left: his wife Mariza Gomes, his son Josué, President Lula da Silva and First Lady Marisa Letícia

He was treated for digestive hemorrhage in December 2010 with an urgent surgery, his last as Vice President; though doctors could not remove the tumors present in Alencar's abdomen, because of the number of surgeries to which he had been subjected – eighteen in all. Alencar received chemotherapy for many years. He was mostly attended at Hospital Sírio-Libanês, in São Paulo, and also received experimental treatment at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.^[13][14][15]
Alencar died in March 2011, in the city of São Paulo, after 13 years battling recurrent malignant tumors.^[16] His death was met with expressions of grief and respect by members of different institutions and across the political spectrum^[17] – former President Lula said he knew "few men with José Alencar's goodness and spirit" ^[18] and President Rousseff said it was an "honor" to have served alongside him.^[19] Brazil held a state funeral for José Alencar, and Vice President Michel Temer decreed seven days of official mourning.^[20] Alencar is remembered as an honest and independent politician who favored social welfare and economic freedom.^[11]

 

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Iakovos Kambanelis, Greek author, playwright, poet, lyricist and journalist, died from kidney failure he was , 88.

Iakovos Kambanelis or Kampanellis  was a Greek poet, playwright, lyricist, and novelist died from kidney failure he was , 88.

  Born 2 December 1922 in Hora in the island of Naxos, Kambanelis appears as one of the most prominent Greek artists of the 20th century. As a survivor of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, he authored a Mauthausen cantata[1] with music by Mikis Theodorakis[2]. He also authored at least 12 films and he directed two of them. In addition, he was known as a verse writer and for his membership at the board of the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece (MIET – Morfotiko Idryma Ethnikis Trapezis), along with some of the most prominent Greek artists [3]. Iakovos Kambanelis was rushed at hospital on February 4, 2011 due to complications of his long-term kidney failure.^[2]

(December 2, 1922 - March 29, 2011)

Theatre

Year	Transliteration	Title	Performed at
1950	Choros pano sta stachya	Χορός πάνω στα στάχυα	Ad. Lemos Company
1955–56	Evdomi imera tis dimourgias	Έβδομη μέρα της δημιουργίας Seventh Day of Creation"	National Theatre, 2nd stage
1957	Aftos kai to panteloni tou	Αυτός και το παντελόνι του That Person and His Pants	Vassilis Diamantopoulos
1957	Kryfi zoi/Krifi zoi	Κρυφή ζωή Secret Life	Vas. Diamantopoulos
1957–58	I Avli ton Thavmaton	Αυλή των Θαυμάτων The Backyard of Miracles	Art Theatre
1958–59	I ilikia tis nihtas	Η ηλικία της νύχτας	Art Theatre
1959	O Gorillas ke i Ortansia	Ο Γορίλας και η Ορτανσία	E. Vertis Theatrical Company
1959–60	Paramythi choris onoma	Παραμύθι χωρίς Όνομα An Unnamed Tale	New Vas. Diamantopoulos Theatre
1963–64	Geitonia ton angelon	Γειτονιά των αγγέλων Neighborhoood of Angels	Karezis Company
1966–67	Viva Aspasia	Βίβα Ασπασία	Karezis Company
1966–67	Odissea yirise spiti	Οδυσσέα γύρισε σπίτι Ulysses come home	Art Theatre
1970–71	Apikia ton timorimenon	Αποικία των τιμωρημένων	Rialdis Experimental Theatre
1971–72	Aspasia	Ασπασία	Karezis-Kazakou Company
1972–73	To megalo mas tsirko	Το μεγάλο μας τσίρκο Our Large Circus	Karezis-Kazakou Theatre
1974	To kouki kai to revythi	Το κουκί και το ρεβύθι The Cookie and the Pasta	Karezis-Kazakou Theatre
1975	O echthros (ehthros) Laos	Ο εχθρός λαός The Rival People	Karezis-Kazakos Company
1976–77	Prossopa yia violi ke orhistra	Πρόσωπα για βιολί και ορχήστρα Principes For Violin And Orchestra	Art Theatre
1978–79	Ta tessera podia tou trapeziou	Τα τέσσερα πόδια του τραπεζιού Four Legs of the Table	Art Theatre
1981	O babas o polemos	Ο μπαμπάς ο πόλεμος	Art Theatre
1988	O aoratos Thiasos	Ο αόρατος Θίασος The Unseen Company	National Theatre

He also wrote several scenarios on cinematographic films including:

• Stella directed by Kakogiannis
• O Drakos (The Dragon) directed by Koundouros
• Arpagi tis Persefonis (The Rape of Persephone) directed by Grigoriou
• To kanoni kai t'aïdoni directed by himself and Giorgos Kampanellis

He also written a book known as Mauthausen.
He also translated works and acted in Austria, Bulgaria, England, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Sweden.
He was educated as a journalist in newspapers Eleftheria (1963–65), Anendotos (1965–66) and since 1975 (Nea). He has been a member of the Greek Theatrical Writers' Company.

Bob Benny (born Emilius Wagemans, 18 May 1926—29 March 2011) was a Belgian singer and musical theatre performer, who participated in the Eurovision Song Contests of 1959 and 1961.

Early career

Benny began his singing career at the end of World War II when he started performing regularly at a café in Sint-Niklaas. By the early 1950s, he had regular spots on radio, and released his first album, Mijn haart spreekt tot u (My Heart Speaks to You). In 1957, he had his first hit single with "Cindy, Oh Cindy", which reached #2 on the Belgian chart.

Eurovision Song Contest

In 1959, Benny was chosen, with the song "Hou toch van mij" ("Do Love Me"), as the Belgian representative in the fourth Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 11 March in Cannes, France.^[1] "Hou toch van mij" received votes from five of the other 10 participating countries and finished in sixth place.^[2]
In 1961, Benny was again selected to represent Belgium, with the song "September, gouden roos" ("September, Golden Rose"), in the sixth Eurovision, which again was held in Cannes, on 18 March.^[3] Although the contest had now expanded to 16 participants, "September, gouden roos" only managed to pick up one point from Luxembourg, consigning Benny to a joint last-place finish with Austria's Jimmy Makulis.^[4]

Later career

Benny had two further hit singles in 1963, "Waar en wanneer" (#3) and "Alleen door jou" (#5). He became a musical theatre performer and played in many long-running shows in Belgium and Germany.
In 2001, Benny suffered a stroke and fell into financial difficulties. A benefit concert on his behalf took place in Antwerp in April 2003, featuring the music of Richard Rodgers performed by well-known Flemish artists. In 2006, Benny celebrated his 80th birthday and claimed he was back to full health.^[5]

Private life

In 2001, Benny came out as homosexual. ^[6]

Death

On 29 March 2011, is was reported by the Flemish broadcaster, Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep (VRT), that Benny had died at a nursing home in Sint-Niklaas.^[7][8]

 

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