DCS: bass reeves

Bass Reeves was born into slavery, but escaped to “Indian Territory” (modern Kansas and Oklahoma) during the Civil War. Bass learned the languages of the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole tribes, as well as tracking and survival skills. After the Emancipation Proclamation, Bass returned to Arkansas and began farming near the town of Van Buren.

Because of his knowledge of Native American languages, Bass was appointed a Deputy US Marshal, the first black man to serve in that capacity west of the Mississippi River. Bass worked for 32 years as a deputy, bringing in some of the territory’s most dangerous fugitives. He was involved in quite a few gun battles, but Bass was an excellent marksman and was never wounded. When he retired in 1907, he had an estimated 3000 career arrests. He killed 14 outlaws in the line of duty. He even had to arrest his own son for murder. Nevertheless, Bass felt the law was the law. Bass arrested his son and the younger Reeves served 11 years in the prison at Fort Leavenworth.

When Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907, Bass served as an officer on the Muskogee Police Department. Poor heath forced him to leave the department after just two years. He passed away in January 1910 at the age of 71.

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DCS: cyd charisse

Young Tula Finklea enrolled in ballet lessons to strengthen her legs after a bout of polio. At 14, she auditioned for and danced with Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo . During a European tour, 22 year-old Tula met a former dancing partner, Nico Charisse, and the couple were married in Paris in 1939.

Now using the name “Cyd,” based on a nickname her brother had given her when he had difficulty pronouncing “Sis,” she made her film debut in an uncredited role in the 1941 film noir Escort Girl. From that point forward, Cyd danced in numerous Hollywood musicals. She performed alongside Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire (offering praise upon both). Cyd danced and danced and danced.

Until she stopped.

In the late 1950s, as movie musicals began to fall out of favor, Cyd hung up her dancing shoes. However, she continued to act in films and, later, television.

Not wishing to rest on her laurels, Cyd made her Broadway debut in 1992 at 70 years old.

In 2008, Cyd suffered a heart attack and passed away at the age of 86. Following a traditional Methodist funeral service, she was interred at a Jewish cemetery in California, at the request of her husband, singer Tony Martin.

My mom loved Cyd Charisse. Whenever she would see a Cyd Charisse movie on TV, my mom would proudly assert that “Cyd Charisse had legs that went all the way up her ass!”

Indeed she did!

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DCS: alice brock

A free spirit from a very young age, Alice Pelkey learned a love of cooking from her mother. After dropping out of college, Alice married Ray Brock, a woodworker and craftsman over ten years her senior. A gift from her mother allowed the couple to purchase an old church in Stockbridge, Massachusetts that was used as a residence and gathering spot for friends. Alice and her husband got jobs at the Stockbridge School. It was here that Alice met aspiring singer Arlo Guthrie. They bonded over common interests in counter-culture and the fact that they each had a Jewish parent.

Alice pursued her love of cooking and opened a restaurant in Stockbridge called, fittingly, “Alice’s Restaurant.” Though modestly successful, the establishment stayed open for just a year. Her friend Arlo was inspired to write a song based on Alice and the restaurant. Later, he expanded the song, adding verses alluding to a real-life incident involving dumping trash on Thanksgiving and a subsequent arrest.

In 1969, Arlo was approached to adapt the song into a film. With an expanded story, Arlo was cast as himself, along with a mix of actors and real-life counterparts taking the other roles. Arlo asked Alice to appear in the film and she refused. She earned a minimal amount of compensation for promotional appearances to promote the film. However, Alice was furious with director Arthur Penn’s addition of “fabricated incidents” inserted into the storyline. Alice asserted that she was not promiscuous, as depicted in the film, and that she never slept with Arlo Guthrie. She distanced herself from the film and claimed it afforded her unwelcome fame. She did endorse a cookbook published in conjunction with the film, claiming that the recipes went invented by her with her mother’s assistance.

She made an attempt at franchising “Alice’s Restaurants,” but the venture failed after the first location closed abruptly. A second, stand-alone “Alice’s Restaurant” was successful, despite a constant battle with local zoning ordinances. A third restaurant — Alice’s at Avaloch — was a victim of logistic nightmares, mismanagement and unreliable employees. After filing for bankruptcy, Alice was able to keep one memento from the restaurant — the table on which Arlo Guthrie wrote the song “Alice’s Restaurant.”

Later in life, Alice turned to artwork. She painted and drew. She even illustrated a children’s’ book written by her friend Arlo. Sadly, heath issues prevented her art career to further. A 2020 collection for assistance for medical bills netted Alice $180,000. She also recorded a series of radio promos to be aired before annual broadcasts of the song “Alice’s Restaurant.”

Just prior to Thanksgiving 2024, it was reported that Alice Brock passed away while in hospice. She was 83.

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DCS: anita bryant

In January 2025, when the announcement of Anita Bryant’s death was made public (nearly a month after the actual occurrence), most people thought that she had already been dead for a long time. That’s because her career died in the late 1970s.

Anita Bryant enjoyed a lot of success in the late 50s and early 60s. She released a number of popular albums and her takes on the songs “Paper Roses” and “Till There Was You” were certified gold. She accompanied comedian Bob Hope on USO tours of Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Medallion by the National Guard for outstanding service by an entertainer. Anita was a frequent guest on television variety shows and her nightclub performances drew large crowds.

In the 1960s and 70s, Anita was the spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Commission. She sang “Come to the Florida Sunshine Tree” (written by Disney songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman) in commercials featuring the Disney-designed Florida Orange Bird. Anita hoisting a big ol’ glass of orange juice while reminding everyone “Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine” was a ubiquitous image in 60s & 70s television advertising. In addition to orange juice, Anita shilled for Coca-Cola, Holiday Inn, Kraft and Tupperware. She sang at Super Bowl V, as well as at the funeral of President Lyndon Johnson. She also co-hosted the Orange Bowl Parade for almost a decade.

Then the proverbial shit hit the fan.

In 1977, Dade County, Florida passed an ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. An outraged Anita Bryant formed the Save Our Children Coalition and tirelessly campaigned to repeal the ordinance. At public rallies, she warned of homosexuals “recruiting” unsuspecting children and “risks of molestation if homosexuals are allowed to teach our children.” Sadly, the Anita Bryant-led campaign was the first organized opposition to gay rights that spread across the nation.

In 1977, Florida approved a measure to ban gay adoption. It was an early victory for Anita’s campaign. (It was repealed thirty years later as unconstitutional.) At an October 1977 rally, Anita spoke passionately, noting repeatedly, that she “loves homosexuals, but hates their sin.” Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, gay activist Thom Higgins slammed a pie in Anita’s face as she stood at the podium. Speaking through a face full of broken crust and whipped topping, Anita snidely quipped “At least it’s a fruit pie,” before bursting into tears.

Gay activists, with the vocal support from a number of celebrities, launched a nationwide boycott of Florida orange juice. Gay bars all over the country stopped serving screwdrivers, substituting vodka and apple juice, dubbed the “Anita Bryant Cocktail,” with proceeds from the concoction going towards funding their fight against Anita’s agenda. Anti-Anita buttons, bumper stickers, and T-shirts began to pop up all over. Anita was a regular target of ridicule from Johnny Carson, Saturday Night Live, a slew of sitcoms and other comedians.  Anita’s rallies and live appearances were picketed.

Anita continued to rally for the repeal of local anti-discrimination ordinances. Liberal organizations, with the support of California Governor Jerry Brown and Presidents Carter, Ford and even Reagan, raised awareness and ultimately defeated Anita’s efforts.

By 1978, Anita’s life and career was a shambles. She was dropped from consideration by the Singer Corporation as a product spokesperson. Other companies which employed Anita as a spokesperson ended their contracts. She opened Anita Bryant’s Music Mansion in Branson, Missouri to miserable results. Her show, combining songs from her musical catalog with preaching of her fundamental Christian belief, was not popular. She could not meet payroll and creditors went unpaid. Anita filed for bankruptcy in 2001. Another failed musical venture in Arkansas ended in bankruptcy in that state as well, with debts in excess of $172,000.

In 2021, after coming out on her 21st birthday, Sarah Green, Anita Bryant’s granddaughter, married a woman.

Anita Bryant passed away in December 2024. She said she never regretted what she did.

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