This week: a star of MASH, the founder of Tower Records, and an Italian footballer
THE actor David Ogden Stiers, who has died aged 75, was a prolific actor best known for playing the surgeon Charles Winchester on the cult TV sit-com MASH
He was not in the original cast of the long-running show, but joined as the pompous Major Winchester from the sixth season onwards and became a popular member of the ensemble. He joined after the departure of actor Larry Linville's Frank Burn.
In addition to playing Winchester, Stiers also did voice acting in several Disney films. He voiced the character of Cogsworth in the 1991 film Beauty and the Beast and played characters in Lilo & Stitch and Pocahontas.
He was also the voice of an announcer in George Lucas’s 1971 feature directorial debut, THX 1138.
Stiers received two Emmy nominations for his work on MASH.
He had more than 150 film and television credits. Away from acting, Stiers was the resident conductor of the Newport Symphony Orchestra in Oregon. Adam Flatt, the symphony's music director, described Stiers as a generous, loving, and inspirational friend and pillar to the orchestra. "Our orchestra would not be here if it weren't for his great support and inspiration," he said.
THE businessman Russ Solomon, who has died aged 92, was the entrepreneur who established Tower Records, the giant music store beloved by music fans and musicians.
The hugely popular chain began as a tiny operation in Solomon’s home state of California, but grew to become the biggest chain of record stores in the world, with branches around the world, including in London and Glasgow.
Solomon had begun selling second-hand records when he was still a teenager growing up in Sacramento and established Tower Record Mart in 1960. Later the company expanded to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and then around the world.
The company was at its absolute height in the 1980s and 1990s, but was slow to respond to changes in the market, particularly the growth of online stores and music sharing sites. Solomon also acknowledged that the company had borrowed too much money. It ultimately went out of business in 2006.
Solomon’s son Michael, a former chief executive of Tower, said his father had died while watching the Oscars with his wife Patti.
“He was giving his opinion of what someone was wearing that he thought was ugly, then asked Patti to refill his whiskey,” said Michael Solomon said. When she returned, he had died.
THE footballer Davide Astori, who has died aged 31, was the captain of the Italian side Fiorentina and was capped 14 times for his country.
Astori started his career with AC Milan but did not play a competitive match, and after loan spells with Serie C clubs Pizzighettone and Cremonese he joined Cagliari in 2008, playing for the club until 2016.
During his time on the books of the Sardinian side, Astori had loan spells with Roma and Fiorentina, joining the latter permanently in 2016.
After representing Italy Under-18s, he played 14 times at senior level. His debut in March 2011 in a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in Kiev was eventful - he was introduced as a first-half substitute before being sent off with 15 minutes remaining after receiving two yellow cards.
Astori scored his only international goal in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup third-place play-off against Uruguay in Salvador, giving Italy a first-half lead in a match which finished 2-2.
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