Epilogues
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Neil Armstrong
The first man to set foot on another world, Neil Armstrong, learned to fly a plane before he could even drive. This Quirks and Quarks special explores his fascinating life and features a rare interview with the reclusive astronaut's biographer. (Quirks and Quarks, 08/27/2012)
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Jacques Barzun
Revered cultural historian and educator, Jacques Barzun, wrote many articles and books over almost seven decades. This fascinating portrait explores the many facets of his accademic and personal life. (The Intellectual Portrait Series, 2000)
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Ray Bradbury
Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury died in June this year. The author of classics such as "The Martian Chronicles" and "Fahrenheit 451" spoke with NPR's Steve Inskeep in 2004 about the future of space exploration. (All Things Considered, NPR, 1/17/2004)
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Helen Gurley Brown
Long time "Cosmopolitan" magazine editor, Helen Gurley Brown, was widely credited for helping to usher in the sexual revolution with her magazine's frank focus on sex. She spoke to The Leonard Lopate Show in February of 2000, when her memoir "I’m Wild Again" was published. (Leonard Lopate Show, WNYC, 02/15/2000)
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Dave Brubeck
In 1954 Jazz musician and composer Dave Brubeck became the second jazz musician ever featured on the cover of Time Magazine. This Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross was broadcast on his 90th birthday. (Fresh Air, NPR, 12/03/2010)
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Dick Clark
Beloved TV host and producer, Dick Clark, died of a heart attack in April. The man known as "America's oldest living teenager" hosted "American Bandstand" and earned a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Pat Morrison, KPCC, 04/18/2012)
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Stephen Covey
Best known for the book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey gave ordinary people the hope of achieving self-improvement and success. This celebration of his life includes clips of Covey speaking at a commencement ceremony in 2008. (All Things Considered, NPR, 07/16/2012)
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Phyllis Diller
Female stand-up comics aren't particularly uncommon these days, but that wasn't always the case. Pioneering female comedian Phyllis Diller helped paved the way for women in the industry with her manic housewife persona, but offstage she was a clever and hardworking business woman. In 2006, Diller told NPR's Lynn Neary about her career, her hats, and her wigs. (Talk of the Nation, NPR, 12/06/2012)
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Nora Ephron
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nora Ephron, known for the movies "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," and "Julie and Julia" died in June. She was also widely known for her smart and witty writing - especially on topics like aging and divorce. This interview originally aired on Radio Times on WHYY in 2006 but re-aired on Fresh Air just after her death. (Fresh Air, NPR, 06/27/2012)
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Jessica Ghawi
Jessica Ghawi was a talented, young sports journalist, and one of many victims of the Aurora shootings who captured the nation's imagination. Heartbreakingly, Ghawi had recently blogged about narrowly avoiding another mass shooting at a Mall in Toronto before she was killed in an even more shocking incident of gun violence. (All Things Considered, NPR, 07/20/2012)
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Andy Griffith
Actor Andy Griffith rose to stardom in the 1960's as Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show. He starred in countless other shows and films, but his most widely-loved role was in the TV crime drama Matlock. Weekend Edition reported on his move back to his North Carolina hometown in 2002. (Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR, 10/19/2002)
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Eric Hobsbawm
Britain's leading Marxist historian, Eric J. Hobsbawm, wrote expressively on the history of Communisim. In this hour long interview, recorded in Hobsbawm's house in London, he discusses his last book. (Radio Open Source, 3/4/2008)
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Whitney Houston
Award-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston was one of the most popular female pop stars of the past few decades, taking multiple Emmy, Grammy, and Billboard Music awards in a glittering career. Morning Edition recounted her journey from choir girl to pop legend. (Morning Edition, NPR, 02/13/2012)
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Etta James
Legendary singer Etta James, probably best known for her song "At Last," died after a long career that started when she was just a five-year-old gospel prodigy. Fresh Air's 1994 conversation covered her life and her lengthy career in the music business. (Fresh Air, NPR, 01/27/2012)
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Rodney King
Rodney King, whose beating by police sparked the Los Angeles race riots 20 years ago, was found dead in a swimming pool. When four white police officers were acquitted of beating King in 1991, despite video proof, Los Angeles erupted with deadly riots. Tell Me More explored how King wanted to be remembered. (Tell Me More, NPR)
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George McGovern
Former Senator George McGovern was probably best known for being the Democratic Party's losing candidate against Richard Nixon in 1972. This rememberance reflects on how, despite becoming a hero of the anti-ar movement during Vietnam, McGovern took pride in his role as a pilot in World War Two. (Weekend Edition Sunday, NPR, 10/21/2012)
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Marvin Miller
Marvin Miller transformed baseball - and many other sports - by representing players and transforming their union into one of the strongest in America. As a result, player wages increased from just a fraction of the profits of the game to the multi-million dollar contracts they recieve today. Only a Game looked back on his achievements and how he changed professional baseball forever. (Only a Game, NPR, 11/29/2012)
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Joseph Murray
Doctor Joseph Murray was the very fist physician to carry out a kidney transplant. He was awarded the 1990 Nobel Prize in Medicine. Morning Edition celebrated his bold career and his dedication to medicine. (Morning Edition, NPR, 11/27/2012)
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Oscar Niemeyer
Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer revolutionised modern architecture and created some of the world’s most famous modernist buildings. His most famous works include the United Nations building in New York, and his country’s capital city, Brasilia. (Art Matters Radio, 12/07/2012)
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Elinor Ostrom
Elinor Ostrom, the only woman to ever win the Nobel Prize in Economics, was a political economist who challenged long held beliefs on resource management. Planet Money created this rememberance. (All Things Considered, 6/12/2012)
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Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno, the most successful coach in college football history, spent his last months embroiled in a scandal concerning child sexual abuse by a former assistant coach. This rememberance celebrates his life and his role as coach, while documenting his fall from grace. (Morning Edition, NPR, 01/23/2012)
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Jenni Rivera
Legendary Latin music star, Jenni Rivera was 43 when her plane crashed after a concert in December. The Mexican-American singer, known as the Diva, was born in Southern California but rose to dominate the Mexican Banda music scene. SCPR took listeners to the impromptu vigil outside Rivera's house in Los Angeles after news of her death broke. (SCPR, 12/10/2012)
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Vidal Sassoon
Veteran hairdresser Vidal Sassoon created hairstyles for Mia Farrow and Twiggy, and, in the process, helped to create the defining look of the 1960s. His cultural influence is widespread, and during an interview on the BBC, he remembered living in an orphanage as a child. (BBC R3Arts, 5/16/2011)
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Tony Scott
The suicide of "Top Gun" director Tony Scott shocked the film community this year. Besides "Top Gun," Scott directed "Enemy Of The State," "Beverly Hills Cop II," "Spy Game," "Unstoppable" and "Crimson Tide," a submarine thriller starring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington. The Brand and Martniez Show took a look back at his life and career. (Brand and Martinez, KPCC, 08/20/2012)
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Maurice Sendak
Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak was the creator of the classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are." His book became a touchstone for generations of children who didn't want to fit in. Beloved children's author Mo Willems, author of 'Knuffle Bunny', reflected on Sendak's legacy for Studio360. (Studio 360, WNYC/PRI, 05/11/2012)
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Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar was a master sitar player and made it popular in the western world by collaborating with The Beatles and other bands in the 1960s. Known as "the godfather of world music," he worked hard to bring the sitar and its unusual sound to Western ears. In 2005, Shankar visited NPR's studio with his daughter, the sitar player Anoushka Shankar, and gave listeners an engaging primer on Indian classical music (Performance Today, NPR, 04/06/10)
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Arlen Specter
Former senator Arlen Specter was part of American politics - both in the GOP and Democratic parties - for 40 years and made a name for himself as a sharp legal mind. In an interview, he recounted insider tales about what goes on behind the scenes in politics, including negotiations in the Senate gym's hot tub. (Radio Times, WHYY, 3/29/2012)
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Christopher Stevens
Ambassador Christopher Stevens was killed in an attack on the American consulate in Beghazi, Libya this year. He was the first American diplomat killed abroad in more than two decades. In this interview, his friend of 20 years former Ambassador Ryan Crocker, remembered Ambassador Stevens. (Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR, 09/15/2012)
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Arthur Sulzberger
Publisher Arthur Sulzberger is credited with guiding the New York Times through challenging times. He made many bold decisions - including printing the Pentagon Papers, and defying the Nixon White House - that helped revolutionize and then solidify the great newspaper. This story explores the challenges he faced. (All Things Considered, 9/29/2012)
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Donna Summer
Disco queen Donna Summer died of cancer at the age of 63 in May. Her voice and style defined the music scene of 1970s America. A look at her greatest hits demonstrates and celebrates how she helped change popular music. (All Things Considered, NPR, 05/17/2012)
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Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal wrote more than four dozen books during a career that spanned six decades. He was also a screenwriter, playwright, and political activist, and his outspoken views made him a favorite in the political media. This Ian Masters program collected a series of his best speeches and appearances. (Ian Masters, KPFK, 08/01/2012)
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Adam Yauch
Adam "MCA" Yauch, one of the founding members of the Beastie Boys, died this year after a lengthy battle with cancer. As part of the New York City hip hop group, he helped to popularize hip hop and sold 40 million albums worldwide. This rememberance includeds clips from the Beastie Boys' first appearance on public radio back in 1986 - produced by a young Ira Glass. (The Takeaway, WNYC/PRI, 05/072012)
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