http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-paul-mazursky-20140701-story.html

Paul Mazursky, a five-time Oscar nominee who wrote and directed humorously compassionate films about male-female relationships, including “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” “Blume in Love” and “An Unmarried Woman,” has died. He was 84.

Mazursky died of pulmonary cardiac arrest Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to family spokeswoman Nancy Willen.

Mazursky earned a place in the top ranks of Hollywood writer-directors for his gently satiric examinations of infidelity, wife-swapping, drug experimentation and other social trends of the late 1960s and the 1970s.

He wrote and directed most of his 17 films, including “Harry and Tonto” (1974), which brought Art Carney a best actor Oscar for his portrayal of a dejected retiree.

“I seem to have a natural bent toward humor and I seem to make people laugh,” Mazursky once told the Chicago Tribune, “but I think there is in me a duality. I like to make people cry also. … I like to deal with relationships. The perfect picture for me does all that.”

The filmmaker, who has been compared to Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.

A full obituary will follow.

http://tinyurl.com/nl25pcq

Grammy-winning jazz flutist and New Age music pioneer Paul Horn has died. He was 84.

Horn's son, Marlen, says his father died Sunday in Vancouver, British Columbia, after a brief illness. He declined to provide further details.

Horn's career spanned five decades, 50 albums and five Grammy nominations. He performed in concert tours and recording sessions with such artists as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.

His album "Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts" won Grammys in 1966 for best original jazz composition and photographic cover album.

Horn's albums "Inside the Taj Mahal" and "Inside the Great Pyramid" laid the groundwork for the New Age music genre and earned him the nickname "Father of New Age Music."

http://tinyurl.com/qxlhv7c

Deanna Lund just sent word about the passing of a friend, one who before he became an actor was a hero in the military. Don Matheson.

Prior to entering acting, Don served in the military. While serving in Korea, he was awarded the Bronze Star for valorous leadership and a Purple Heart for injuries suffered in an explosion. After serving six years, he joined the Detroit Police Department.

He then left law enforcement to begin a career in acting. In 1965 Matheson appeared in the Lost in Space episode, The Sky Is Falling in the non-speaking role of the alien Retho and then in 1968 as Idak Alpha 12 in the episode Revolt of the Androids. In 1967 he appeared as a guest star in the episode "Deadly Amphibians" on the sci-fi TV show's 4th season Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

After working in a number of plays, television episodes and commercials, Matheson was signed to join the cast of the Land of the Giants. There he met and married co-star Deanna Lund in 1970. Years later they divorced, however they remained devoted to each other. When we visited Deanna we often saw him and he was always doing chores for her. They had one daughter, Michele who was a child star on TV, became an author and is now a mother of two.

In 1976, Don played the role of wealthy industrialist, Cameron Faulker, who married Lesley Williams (Denise Alexander) on General Hospital. His mistress, Peggy Lowell, was played by Lund. Cameron was later murdered.

In 1984, Matheson had a regular role in the primetime series Falcon Crest. He played Richard Channing's henchman for a season. He also appeared briefly in another primetime soap, Dynasty. He made appearances on a number of popular shows including a few on The Waltons. In regard to the latter the Walton's director was Harry Harris. Harris was also the director of land of the Giants and became the godfather for Michele Matheson.

In addition to visiting Don in California he was here for two conventions that we ran. A dry sense of humor, he was fun to be around. His last days were painful, however Michele had him move in her home so he could spend time with his grandchildren. We know this was a delight for him.

Prayers are requested for the whole family.