Passings

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Legendary rhythm-and-blues singer Teddy Pendergrass died of colon cancer January 13 at a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was 59. The dynamic crooner was known to millions simply as "TP."
Although Teddy Pendergrass became famous for his smoldering baritone vocals and seductive stage presence, he first worked as a drummer in Philadelphia's premier soul group Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. When Teddy was promoted to lead singer, The Blue Notes rose to new heights on the Philly International Records label, producing one of the biggest R&B hits of 1972, "If You Don't Know Me By Now."
Teddy continued to record for Philly International after leaving Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes for a solo career in 1976. The label's co-founder and composer Leon Huff recalled the singer's solo debut at a nightclub in Los Angeles, saying "When Teddy walked out on the stage, he didn't even open his mouth and the place went crazy with screaming females."
Riding his success with five successive multi-platinum albums and a string of hit ballads like "Close The Door," Teddy's career suddenly took a tragic turn. In 1982, he was nearly killed in a car accident in Philadelphia that left him paralyzed from the waist down and bound to a wheelchair for life. While most thought he would never return to the stage or studio, Pendergrass surprised fans with his first appearance from his wheelchair at the Live Aid concert in 1985.
Teddy's first album after the accident was "Love Language," featuring the duet "Hold Me" with then up-and-coming singer Whitney Houston. He continued to record throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and he even starred in a touring company of the gospel musical "Your Arms Too Short to Box with God." In 1998, he released his autobiography, "Truly Blessed." Although he announced his retirement in 2006, he performed in "Teddy 25: A Celebration of Life, Hope and Possibilities" in 2007. The event raised money for his charity The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance.

French filmmaker Eric Rohmer, a founding director of the French "New Wave" movement, has died at the age of 89.

Rohmer died Monday in Paris. Relatives say he was hospitalized a week ago, but gave no further details about his condition.
Rohmer's films explored relationships and love affairs from a philosophical perspective.
Rohmer achieved critical acclaim in the late 1960s and early 1970s with films such as My Night at Maud's and Claire's Knee.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy said the filmmaker created the "Rohmer style" that will survive for years to come.

African-American lawyer and politician Percy Sutton has died at age 89.

Sutton was born the son of an ex-slave in Texas and went on to become one of New York City's most powerful voices.
As a young man, Sutton hid on a passenger train to make his way to New York. He became a lawyer after serving with the famed all-black Tuskegee Airmen Air Force unit in World War II.
His most famous legal client was controversial black Muslim leader Malcolm X.
Sutton also served in the New York state assembly, and as president of Manhattan, the largest of New York City's five boroughs, making him one of the city's most powerful politicians.
Sutton also owned a string of radio stations and bought Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater, saving the landmark building from destruction.
President Barack Obama issued a statement saying Sutton's fight for civil rights and career as an entrepreneur made the rise of countless young African Americans possible.

Popular U.S. television comedian Soupy Sales has died. He was 83 years old. Sales died Thursday at a hospice in New York City. He suffered from a number of health problems.
The U.S. comedy icon was wildly popular in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best remembered for his pie-in-the-face acts, with thousands of pies smashed over his career.
His television career began with a 1950s children's program that developed into the popular The Soupy Sales Show. He played a host of characters in the show, which featured puppets and popular stars.
Celebrities including Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine appeared on his show to be splattered with a pie. His television fame had begun to fade by the late 1960s, but he continued to appear as a guest in various television shows.
Sales was born Milton Supman in Franklinton, North Carolina, in 1926. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

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