Bassey, others on UK’s Honors list
Singer Shirley Bassey, director Ridley Scott and actor Emilia Clarke were recognized Friday in the U.K.’s New Year Honors list, which celebrates the achievements and services of more than 1,000 people across the country.
Bassey, 86, who is already a dame — the female equivalent of a knight — was appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honor for her services to music. The Welsh singer, best known for her “James Bond” theme songs “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds Are Forever,” became the 64th living member of the order, a special status held by no more than 65 people at any one time.
“Entertaining audiences for over 70 years has been a privilege,” she said. “My heart is full of emotion and I am truly humbled.”
Scott, whose films include “Gladiator,”
“Alien” and more recently “Napoleon,” was awarded for his services to the U.K. film industry. He was made a Knight Grand Cross, upgrading his previous knighthood.
Other well-known names in entertainment on the list included “The Great British Bake Off ” judge Paul Hollywood, who was honored for services to baking and broadcasting, and “Game of Thrones” actor Clarke, who along with her mother were made Members of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, for their work founding a brain injury recovery charity. Clarke survived two brain hemorrhages and started the SameYou charity.
Comedian Griffin files for divorce:
Comedian Kathy Griffin has filed for divorce from longtime partner Randy Bick just shy of the couple’s fourth wedding anniversary.
Los Angeles Superior Court records show Griffin filed for divorce Thursday, citing irreconcilable differences.
The pair dated for several years before marrying on New Year’s Day 2020. They have no children together, and Griffin’s filing says a prenuptial agreement dictates how their assets should be divided.
Griffin, 63, who starred in the NBC series “Suddenly Susan” and poked fun at her celebrity on “My Life on the D-List,” began dating Bick in 2011.
Musician McCann dies at 88:
Les McCann, a prolific and influential musician and recording artist who helped found the soul-jazz genre and became a favorite source for sampling by Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest and hundreds of other hip-hop performers, has died. He was 88.
McCann died Friday in Los Angeles after being hospitalized with pneumonia, according to his manager and producer, Alan Abrahams.
McCann was a vocalist and self-taught pianist whose career dated back to the 1950s, when he won a singing contest while serving in the U.S. Navy and appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” He was best known for “Compared to What,” a funky protest song on which he first teamed up with saxophonist Eddie Harris.
Jan. 3 birthdays: Actor Dabney Coleman is 92. Songwriter Van Dyke Parks is 81. Singer Stephen Stills is 79. Actor Victoria Principal is 74. Saxophonist James Carter is 55. Actor Danica McKellar is 49. Actor Nicholas Gonzalez is 48. Actor Nicole Beharie is 39. Drummer Mark Pontius is 39. Actor Florence Pugh is 28.