Richard D. Trentlage

(FoxNews) – The man who got generations of hot dog lovers humming
along to the Oscar Mayer Wiener song has died.

According to an obituary posted online by a northern Illinois funeral home,
Richard Trentlage died on Sept. 21 at age 87.

His daughter Linda Bruun confirmed to the New York Times that the cause
of death was congestive heart failure.

Millions of Americans grew up humming along to Trentlage’s catchy tune:
“Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener.”

Trentlage, an advertising executive, reportedly came up with the jingle in
just an hour after learning that Oscar Mayer was in the market for a new
song to help sell its hot dogs. It debuted in the early 1960s and became
the meat company’s primary advertising jingle in over 20 English-speaking
countries around the world for half a century.

The song was retired in 2010, but has not been forgotten as plenty on
social media paid tribute to the songwriter with a post or Tweet.

Donovan made his first American television appearance on the ABC show “Shindig!”.

Donovan Philips Leitch turned 70 in May.

TIM MAGUIRE

James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955)

James Dean in his Porsche 550 Spyder.

The Red Skelton Show was a television staple for two decades, from 1951 to
1971. The variety show was second to Gunsmoke (1955–1975) and third to
The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971) in the ratings during that time. The host
of the show, Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton, who had previously been a radio
star, had appeared in several motion pictures as well. The series began and
ended on NBC. During its run, the show received three Emmy Awards, for
Skelton as best comedian and the program as best comedy show during its
initial season, and an award for comedy writing in 1961. In 1959 Skelton also
received a Golden Globe for Best TV Show.

 
Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton
(July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997)

From left: Bill Bixby and Ray Walston.

The TV sitcom My Favorite Martian aired on CBS from September 29, 1963,
to May 1, 1966, for 107 episodes (75 in black and white: 1963–65, 32 color:
1965–66). The show starred Ray Walston as Uncle Martin (the Martian) and
Bill Bixby as Tim O’Hara.