LOS ANGELES — Peter Mayhew, the towering actor who donned a huge, furry costume to give life to the rugged-and-beloved character of Chewbacca in the original "Star Wars" trilogy and two other films, has died, his family said Thursday. Mayhew died at his home in north Texas on Tuesday, according...
RIP, King Kong Bundy, 61, a Giant in Pro Wrestling
King Kong Bundy, the 400-pound behemoth who once headlined WrestleMania 2 against Hulk Hogan, has died at the age of 61. Bundy died Monday, said promoter and longtime friend David Herro. He posted on Facebook : "Today we lost a Legend and a man I consider family." The cause of...
Hall of Famer, Pioneering Manager Frank Robinson Dies at 83
Crowding the plate, fearsome and fearless, Frank Robinson hammered his way into the Hall of Fame. His legacy, however, was cemented that day in 1975 when he simply stood in the dugout at old Cleveland Stadium — the first black manager in Major League Baseball. Robinson, the only player to...
Celebration of McDonald's Life Is Thursday at Saroyan Theatre
A celebration of the life of former Pelco leader and community philanthropist David McDonald will be held Thursday, Jan. 24, at 3:30 p.m. at the Saroyan Theatre in downtown Fresno. Here is McDonald's obituary provided by his family to GV Wire: David Lupton McDonald April 30, 1949 – Jan. 2,...
Sad Day for Giants Fans. RIP, Hank Greenwald, 83.
Hank Greenwald, the witty, erudite and iconic voice of the San Francisco Giants and San Francisco/Golden State Warriors, died Monday at age 83. “Hank was a broadcasting legend throughout the Bay Area and was a huge part of the Giants throughout his 16 seasons as our play-by-play announcer,” said Giants...
Cancer Claims Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, at 76
NEW YORK — Aretha Franklin, the undisputed "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think," ''I Say a Little Prayer" and her signature song, "Respect," and stood as a cultural icon around the globe, has died at age 76 from pancreatic cancer. Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn...
Cronauer, Who Inspired 'Good Morning, Vietnam,' Dies
NORFOLK, Va. — Adrian Cronauer, the man whose military radio antics inspired a character played by Robin Williams in the film "Good Morning, Vietnam," has died. He was 79. Mary Muse, the wife of his stepson Michael Muse, said Thursday that Cronauer died Wednesday from an age-related illness. He had...
Harvey Hall, ex-mayor known as 'Mr. Bakersfield,' dies at 77
BAKERSFIELD — Harvey Hall, who served four terms as mayor of Bakersfield, and founded a namesake ambulance company that serves the majority of the surrounding county, has died. He was 77. Hall Ambulance Service said its founder died Saturday after being treated for what the firm called a "rapidly progressing...
RIP, Augie Garrido, Former Bulldog & College Baseball's All-Time Wins Leader
Augie Garrido, perhaps the greatest college baseball coach ever, died early Thursday morning after suffering a stroke Sunday. August Edwin Garrido Jr., a native of Vallejo, was an all-conference outfielder at Fresno State, where he played on the Bulldogs' 1959 third-place College World Series team. Enrolling at Fresno State required...
Astronomer Martin Rees Looks Back at Stephen Hawking's Success Against All Odds
Soon after I enrolled as a graduate student at Cambridge University in 1964, I encountered a fellow student, two years ahead of me in his studies, who was unsteady on his feet and spoke with great difficulty. This was Stephen Hawking. He had recently been diagnosed with a degenerative disease,...