September 26, 2003

Sad day for arts and sciences

R.I.P. George Plimpton. From his website:

"There are people who would perhaps call me a dilettante, because it looks as though I'm having too much fun. I have never been convinced there's anything inherently wrong in having fun."

He did a lot of things, but the one I'll remember best is his April Fool's Day story about Sidd Finch. Who wouldn't like a guy who could write a convincing story about a reclusive pitcher who threw a 168mph fastball in tryouts with the Mets? I was a Sports Illustrated subscriber even then, and the letters written by exultant fans which appeared in the magazine the following week were riotously funny.

Posted by Linkmeister at September 26, 2003 01:14 PM
Comments

As I listened to a radio report about him today, I was remembering a t.v. show or two that I seem to have seen in my youth that featured him trying on various careers. Besides being a literary giant, he was quite a wit.

Posted by: jadedju at September 26, 2003 02:29 PM

He was quite a guy. He boxed a round with Archie Moore, he played a (preseason)series at quarterback for the Detroit Lions, and he wrote about both experiences. He acted a lot. Last time I saw him on screen was during A&E's Nero Wolfe series a year or so ago; he played a bunch of different recurring roles.

Posted by: Linkmeister at September 26, 2003 02:42 PM

Plimpton also provided an authentically patrician voice to any number of Ken Burns documentaries.

Posted by: N in Seattle at September 26, 2003 08:27 PM

I saw him at a 4th of July fireworks on the Thames River in Connecticut quite a few years ago. He really seemed to be having fun then, too.

Posted by: Cassie-B at September 27, 2003 06:17 AM

I just love his story about meeting Bush. "He wanted to talk about Sidd Finch. I thought that was odd."

Oh, and Donald O'Connor died, too:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/27/obit.oconnor.ap/index.html

Posted by: Ezrael at September 27, 2003 04:52 PM

Damn, Matt, I hadn't heard that one. I'd have thought it odd too.

Cassie, I heard Calvin Trillin talking about Plimpton, and I think I heard him say that Plimpton was unofficial impresario of fireworks for NY.

Posted by: Linkmeister at September 27, 2003 08:28 PM