Blackwolf the Dragonmaster's Diary of Magecraft

Being a Chronicle of the Inner Secrets of, and Spells of Magick as Wielded by, the Philosopher of the Internet and Unofficial Sorcerer-in-Residence of the City of New York

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Location: New York, New York, United States

As New York's Unofficial Wizard, my mission is to encourage the Mortals of Manhattan to imagine responsibly!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: Here Was the Story --- Sherwood Schwartz, 1916-2011

Farewell to the man who took us on the longest three-hour tour of our lives and told us the story of a man named Brady. This from the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Sherwood Schwartz, writer-producer-creator of two of television's best-remembered TV series of the 1960s and early 1970s --- Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch --- has died at the age of 94.

Great-niece Robin Randall said that Schwartz died at 4 am on Tuesday at Cedars-Sinai where he was being treated for an intestinal infection and underwent several surgeries. His wife Mildred and their children had been at his side.

Sherwood had partnered with his brother Al in the golden age of 1950s TV, said Doug, the late Al's son. "They helped shape TV's early days," he continued. "Sherwood is an American classic, creating Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island, iconic shows that are still popular today. He continued to produce all the way up into his 90s."

Sherwood was working on bringing Gilligan's Island to the big screen. Doug Schwartz, co-creator of another hit series --- Baywatch --- called his uncle a longtime mentor and caring "second father" who helped guide him successfully through show business.

Success had long been the hallmark of Schwartz' career. Neither Gilligan nor Brady pleased the critics, but they both reverberated in viewers' heads across the years as few TV series before or since did, lingering in the language and inspiring parodies, spin-offs and constant jokes.

Besides Mildred, Doug and Robin, Sherwood Schwartz leaves behind, among others, sons Donald, Lloyd and Ross; and daughter Hope Juber.

Happy 450th, St. Basil's!



450 years ago today, Mortals, Moscow's favorite shrine, both literally and figuratively --- St. Basil's Russian Orthodox Cathedral --- was completed and dedicated. From here, one of your Dragonmaster's Unexpectedly Cool People --- namely, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, oversees the destiny of his flock. And while it's never been easy to be able to do that since he was enthroned in December 2008, he continues to step up to any challenge that comes his way.

You're looking at cool Kirill on the morning of his Enthronement, January 2nd, 2009. He looks quite excellent, don't you agree?

Anyway, here's to 450 years of a great big, rainbow-colored icon of the magic of Moscow.

Skhoal!