Actor Ed Reimers and Music Producer Jim Dickinson R.I.P.

Ed Reimers

Ed Reimers, actor and television announcer, passed on August 16, at the age of 96.

Ed Reimers was born Edwin Reimers in Moline, Illinois on October 26, 1912. He started his career in radio in the Thirties, working as an announcer for several stations. During World War II Reimers served in the Marines. He was responsible for setting up radio communications and broadcasting to American troops.

Following World War II, Reimers went into television, becoming an announcer at KTTV in Los Angeles, California in the Fifties. He also worked in the movies as well. He was an announcer in Hard, Fast, and Beautiful (released in 1951) and played a prosecuting attorney in One the Loose (released the same year). Reimers would go onto work as a narrator on the nationally broadcast television shows Thunderbolt the Wondercolt and Crusader. In 1956 he was briefly the announcer of the game show Do You Trust Your Wife.

The year 1957 was a bit of a turning point in Ed Reimers' career. That year he guest starred on The Millionaire and Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre. It was also in 1957 that Ed Reimers first started doing commercials for Allstate Insurance. Reimers was the announcer for Allstate commercials on both radio and on television, appearing in print ads as well. In the television commercials, Reimers would cup his hands at the end of the advert and intone the company's slogan, "You're in good hands with Allstate." He served as the announcer on Allstate commercials for 22 years.

In the late Fifties Ed Reimers served as the announcer for the TV series M Squad and the various Warner Brothers shows, including Maverick and Cheyenne. In the Sixties Reimers appeared in the movies Sergeant Dead Head and The Loved One. He also guest starred on The Munsters as an announcer and on Star Trek in the episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" as Admiral Fitzpatrick. In 1971 he appeared as an announcer in the Disney movies The Barefoot Executive and The Million Dollar Duck. Reimer also narrated industrial films for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company and Aerojet-General Corporation. Besides commercials for Allstate, he also served as the announcer on commercials for Crest toothpaste and Skippy peanut butter.

Ed Reimers was one of the great television announcers. Many people have probably heard his strong, yet mellifluous voice several times over and not even realised it. It was Reimers who provided the opening for Maverick and Cheyenne that began, "From the entertainment capital of the world, this is a Warner Brothers television presentation..." He did a number of different commercials over the years. While Reimers rarely acted, when he did he also gave a good performance. While many people might not recognise his name, it seems rather likely they would recognise his voice.

Jim Dickinson

Music producer, pianist, and singer Jim Dickinson passed on August 15 at the age of 67. He had just had triple bypass heart surgery.

Jim Dickinson was born on November 21, 1941 in Little Rock, Arkansas, although he grew up in Chicago. It was there that he learned to play piano. He attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas before transferring to Memphis State University. He had intended of becoming a history teacher, but still kept music as a hobby. After his wife saw him perform shows with Memphis blues legends, she suggested he focus solely on music. He performed with The Jester on their song "Cadillac Man" in 1966, playing piano and singing lead even though he was not a member of the band. With fellow Memphians Sammy Creason, Charlie Freeman, Tommy McClure, and Michael Utley he formed The Dixie Flyers. The Dixie Flyers worked as session musicians, performing back up for various artists on Atlantic Records. Jim Dickinson played piano on The Rolling Stones song "Wild Horses" and with The Dixie Flyers performed on Aretha Franklin's album Spirit in the Dark. In 1972 he released his first solo album, Dixie Fried.

In the mid Seventies Dickinson moved into music production. He served as the producer on legendary power pop band Big Star's album, Third, in 1974. In 1979 he co-produced Alex Chilton's album Like Flies on Sherbert with Chilton himself. Dickinson produced the 1987 Replacements album Pleased to Meet Me, the 1990 Mojo Nixon album Otis, the 1999 Willy DeVille album Horse of a Different Colour, and many others.

Jim Dickinson also composed the scores for the movies Running Fence and Stranded in Canton. He was a musician on the scores of such films as The Long Riders, Southern Comfort, and Black Snake Moan.

In 1986 Jim Dickinson released his first album with Mudboy And The Neutrons, Known Felons in Drag. Together they would release two more albums. Starting in 1997 with A Thousand Footprints in the Sand, Dickinson released four more solo albums. His last album, Killers from Space, was released in 2007.

Over the years Jim Dickinson worked with legends ranging from The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan to Ry Cooder. While most of his work was as a session musician and a producer, he would prove to have a lasting influence, particularly on indie artists. His work with Big Star and Alex Chilton solo alone would have a huge impact on indie rock. Although not well known to the public, he would have influence that reached further than many better known musicians.

Songwriter Ellie Greenwich R.I.P.

Ellie Greenwich, who co-wrote "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes and either co-wrote or wrote other classic rock songs, passed this past Wednesday, August 26, at the age of 68. The cause was a heart attack, preceded by a bout with pneumonia.

Ellie Greenwich was born Eleanor Greenwich on Oct. 23, 1940 in Brooklyn. When the family was 11 they moved to Levittown. Musically talented at a young age, she was composing songs by the time she was thirteen. In high school she formed The Jivettes with two friends. They performed at hospitals, schools and charity benefits in the Long Island area. Her mother even arranged a meeting with Archie Bleyer, president of Cadence Records. Breyer advised her to continue writing songs, but to finish school.

Ellie Greenwich attended Queens College in Flushing. She had intended to become a teacher, but her talent for song writing led her in a different direction. It was while she was at Queens College that she recorded her first song for RCA Records. The song was "'Silly Isn't It," recording under the pseudonym "Ellie Gaye." After one of her professors criticised her for writing pop music, she transferred to Hofstra University in Hemptead, New York. It was while she was there that she met fellow song writer and future collaborator Jeff Barry, whom she would later marry. Greenwich graduated from there with a Bachelor's degree in English.

It was not long after she graduated that Greenwich had an appointment in the famous Brill Building with Trio Music, the music publishing company founded by song writing legends Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. After the meeting, she had a contract with the company. Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry recorded a few singles as The Raindrops. They would only have a little success. They had a hit with "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget," and recorded the original version of "Hanky Panky (later a hit for Tommy James & the Shondells). Both with others, individually, and together, Greenwich and Barry would find much more success writing for others. Greenwich's first major hit would be the song "This Is It," co-written by Doc Pomus and Tony Powers, and recorded by Jay and the Americans.

It was while at Trio Music that Ellie Greenwich met Phil Spector. In fact, he had produced some of her early hits, such as "Today I Met the Boy I�m Gonna Marry" by Darlene Love and "Why Do Lovers Break Each Others' Heart" by Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. With Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry produced some of their best work. In the period of 1963 and 1964 they composed "Da Doo Ron Ron (performed by The Crystals)," "Then He Kissed Me (also performed by The Crystals), and "Chapel of Love (performed by The Dixie Cups).

What may have been Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry'sthree greatest songs were also recorded during this period. Produced by Phil Spector, "Be My Baby" would be the biggest hit The Ronettes would ever have, and is now considered one of the greatest rock songs of all time. Also produced by Phil Spector, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" would become with time the best known song ever performed by Darlene Love. It is now considered by many to be the greatest rock Christmas song of all time. Co-written by George Morton, who co-wrote with Greenwich and Barry, "Leader of the Pack" became The Shangri-Las' biggest hit and perhaps the best known teen death song of all time. Greenwich and Barry would also compose such songs as "Do Wah Diddy Diddy (performed by Manfred Mann)," "I've Got a Dream (recorded by The Moody Blues)," "River Deep - Mountain High (performed by Ike and Tina Turner)," and many others.

During this period Ellie Greenwich also worked as an arranger and producer. In this capacity she would eventually work with such performers as Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra. She is credited with discovering Neil Diamond, and produced many of his early hits.

In 1965 Greenwich and Barry divorced, although they continued to work together. That year would be a turning point for Greenwich in other ways. The early Sixties had seen the rise of singer songwriters in the United States, such as Bob Dylan. By 1964 the British Invasion, led by The Beatles, was well underway. Most of the British bands also wrote their own songs. Between the American singer-songwriters and the British Invasion, the song writers of the Brill Building took a serious blow. Greenwich would still compose hits, but they were far fewer than in previous years.

In 1967 she formed Pineywood Music with Mike Rashkow. For the next many years Greenwich and Rashkow wrote songs for Dusty Springfield, The Other Voices, and many others. Greenwich also recorded her own solo album, Ellie Greenwich Composes, Produces and Sings. Greenwich's collaboration with Rashkow ended in 1971. She would later collaborate with composers such as Ellen Foley and Jeff Kent, as well as Cyndi Lauper.

A look at Ellie Greenwich's musicography shows that she was without a doubt one of the greatest song writers of all time. It is not simply that she wrote many hits, but that she composed some of the best known songs of the rock era: "Be My Baby," "Leader of the Pack," "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," "Then He Kissed Me," and many others. I must confess that she co-wrote two of my favourite songs of all time, "Be My Baby" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." "Be My Baby" would probably rank in my top ten favourite songs of all time (one of the few songs not composed by The Beatles, The Who, or The Rolling Stones). "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is my favourite Yuletide song of all time. Few song writers boast the number of legendary songs that Greenwich had written.

Kim Kardashian Transformed for YRB Magazine

Kim Kardashian shoots for YRB Magazine #95. These photos done with Mike Ruiz and Darius Baptist. Kim�s makeup did by Troy Jensen. This shoot was done the day Kim left for Africa.

Kim Kardashian said, �I really love the transformation and the clothes were amazing. This has got to be one of the most unique shoots I've ever done! Not sure I'll ever go for a permanent short cut, but it definitely works for this shoot�.

The Late Great Dominick Dunne

Dominick Dunne, crime writer and investigative journalist, passed this Wednesday, August 26, at the age of 83. The cause was bladder cancer.

Dominick Dunne was born on October 29, 1925 in Hartford, Connecticut. He attended Kingswood School and Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut. It was when he was a senior in high school that he was draughted in the United States Army. During World War II he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, where he earned the Bronze Star. He also fought in the Battle of Metz. Following the war he attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. There he was part of a group (including Stephen Sondheim) started a theatre.

Following his graduation from Williams College in 1949, Dunne moved to New York where he became the stage manager for shows ranging from Howdy Doody to Robert Montgomery Presents. By 1954 he was working as an assistant director on Producer's Showcase. It was in 1957 that he moved to Los Angeles to work on Playhouse 90. By 1959 he was the executive producer of Adventures in Paradise. In the 1970's he was vice president of Four Star Television, and produced films including The Boys in the Band, Panic in Needle Park, and Play It as It Lays.

The Seventies saw Dunne descend into alcoholism to the point that it all but ended his career in Hollywood. It was in 1979, then, that he wrote his first book The Winners, based on his own experiences in Hollywood. While The Winners received over all bad reviews, it was the beginning of a successful new career for Dunne. It was his editor, the legendary Michael Korda at Simon & Schuster, who advised Dunne to take a different path. Namely, Korda pointed out that people loved to read about rich and powerful involved in crime. The resulting book from this advice was The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, which became a best seller.

It was also at this time that tragedy would make another change in his career. Dunne's daughter, Dominique Dunne, was murdered by her boyfriend on November 4, 2002. At the suggestion of Tina brown, then editor of Vanity Fair, Dunne kept a journal during the trial of his daughter's murderer. The journal would become the basis for the article Justice: A Father's Account of the Trial of His Daughter's Killer," published in Vanity Fair in 1984. Dunne then signed a long term contract with Vanity Fair to write articles on true crime. What is more, Dunne became a dogged champion of the victims of violent crime. He would cover some very high profile trials, including the Claus von B¨low trial, the Menendez brothers trial, and the O. J. Simpson murder trial.

Dunne continued to write fiction, including People Like Us, An Inconvenient Woman, and A Season in Purgatory, in which he skewered high society. The last trial he covered was ironically the O. J. Simpson armed robbery trial. Against his doctor's orders (Dunne was already suffering from cancer), he insisted on covering the trial.

Whether it was his non-fiction articles on real life crimes or his novels, Dominick Dunne was one of the best writers of our time. By his own admission, Dunne's coverage of criminal trials was not balanced--he always came down on the side of the victim. It was because of this, however, that he was such a great crime reporter. Dunne would report details of trials often ignored by others. Dunne was a master of observation when it came to the personalities involved in the trials he covered.

Dunne also paid attention to details in his fiction, to the point that his novels read almost as if they could have been real life crimes. Indeed, most of his novels were inspired by real life cases. The Two Mrs. Grenvilles was loosely based on the murder of Billy Woodward in 1955. A Season in Purgatory was based on the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley. As in his nonfiction, Dunne's sympathies were with the victims in his novels.

Dominick Dunne was unique among modern writers. He not only wrote novels, but he reported on actual criminal cases. And he did so with a flair and an attention to detail that very few others have ever done. He was well known for his hard work in his career. He would often show up at trials early and often stayed late. Dedicated to his career, Dunne was one of the greatest crime novelists and reporters of our time.

Kim Kardashian Producing New Reality Show

E! Star Kim Kardashian is ready to try as executive producer a new reality show. Kim has been working on a series which follows her PR pals Jonathan Cheban and Simon Huck.
Kim Kardashian said that �is the next step in my career. I�ve always wanted to get into producing. After my reality TV show is done, the next step is producing. I definitely see myself in the producing chair.� I�ve definitely seen the ins and outs of reality TV. I definitely love reality TV shows. It�s something I�m passionate about.

Miss Kardashian tells, �It�ll show all the ins-and-outs or PR. It�s going to be really fun. It�ll show how there�s lots of drama and crisis in the PR world. Every week we�ll have a different celebrity and a different crisis and drama. The great thing about Jonathan and Simon is that they focus on corporate PR and building brands; they don�t represent any individuals, so they see the bigger picture. They see how to make a celebrity into a brand. I�ve seen so many things go so close to going wrong, and then they fix everything.�

Kim Kardashian: Water Goddess

Here are some shoot pics of Kim Kardashian and Troy Jensen. Kim wears the silver sequin drape. Troy Jensen and Kim Kardashian venus at water goddess. Troy Jensen and Kim Kardashian shoot at in Mexico.

Miranda Kerr and Melissa Rycroft Victoria Secret Fragrance Launch in Los Angeles

Miranda Kerr and Melissa Rycroft Launch Victoria Secret Fragrance in Los Angeles. As for the new Victoria Secret scent, the brand tells: �Inspired by the lingering warmth of dream angels heavenly, dream angels heavenly enchanted is richer, more sensual. Wild and mysterious. Magical with Sparkling Raspberry, Coconut Milk and Amber.�

Available in 75 ml Eau de Perfume or 250 ml Sheer Fragrance Mist, MSNBC insiders tell that Heavenly Enchanted could be described as having �woody� notes.

Ashley Tisdale Enjoying with Her mom at Toluca Lake

Ashley Tisdale enjoying out lunch at Mo�s in Toluca Lake with her mom on Wednesday afternoon (August 26).
She wearing a cute little white dress, colorful floral patterns and her fringy black handbag

The Disney star Ashley tweeted, �Morning tweeters! Didn�t sleep well. Coffee bean def woke me up tho! Headed to meetings. Then gonna rock the gym!�

Kendra & Kourtney Show Off Baby Bumps in US Weekly Magazine

E!'s Stars Kendra Wilkinson and Kourtney Kardashian are showing off their bumps together on the latest cover of Us Weekly.

Hilary Duff at the Britney Spears Concert in New York City

Hilary Duff was spotted at the Britney Spears concert in New York City last night 24 August. Hilary Duff looked very excited as arrived at Madison Square Garden. She looks hot in a black top with black leggings and tan boots.
Hilary Duff these days was busy working on her current gig as a guest star on the hit CW show �Gossip Girl.�
Duff told press, �Everyone�s been really, really gracious to me and sweet to me. I�m a huge fan of the show. They called me and said come on and do a few episodes. I jumped at the chance.�

Kim Kardashian at Beso Restaurant

Kim Kardashian was spotted at Beso Restaurant on 24 August. Tht Dash cutie looked lovely to help celebrate celebrity hair designer Ken Paves� birthday.

Kim said source, �They�re taking it day by day. They�re not sure what the future holds, but they love each other enough to give things another shot.�