newsmakers

newsmakers

‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ songwriter dies

KITTERY, Maine

Gene McDaniels, who recorded the 1961 hit “A Hundred Pounds of Clay” and later wrote Roberta Flack’s chart-topping single “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” has died. He was 76.

McDaniels died Friday at his home in Kittery after a brief illness, his wife, Karen McDaniels, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

“A Hundred Pounds of Clay,” McDaniels’ first hit, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard pop chart in 1961, the same year “Tower of Strength” hit No. 5. He also recorded “Point of No Return,” “Another Tear Falls” and other hits.

He later earned success as a writer whose songs were recorded by artists including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Johnny Mathis and Ray Charles. Flack’s version of “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” McDaniels’ most well-known song, hit No. 1 in 1974.

ABC Family rated tops for gay, lesbian roles

NEW YORK

The advocacy group GLAAD rated ABC Family as “excellent” in its portrayal of gay and lesbian characters, only the second television network to get such a designation in the five years the group has monitored television content.

ABC Family was cited for both a large number of gay and lesbian characters and the way those characters fit naturally into the shows.

The only other network judged “excellent” by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation was MTV last year.

Lost Hitchcock film found in New Zealand

LOS ANGELES

Alfred Hitchcock is still surprising his fans. Film preservationists say they’ve found the first half of “The White Shadow,” the earliest surviving feature film on which Hitchcock has a credit.

The first three reels of the six-reel film made in 1923 were discovered by the National Film Preservation Foundation at the New Zealand Film Archive.

“The White Shadow” was directed by Graham Cutts, and Hitchcock is credited as writer, assistant director, editor and art director.

Foundation Director Annette Melville said Wednesday that the reels of “The White Shadow” were found among films donated to the archive by the family of New Zealand projectionist and collector Jack Murtagh.

No other copy of “The White Shadow” is known to exist.

Faye Dunaway named in eviction lawsuit

NEW YORK

A New York City landlord is suing Faye Dunaway, claiming the actress’s rent-stabilized apartment is not her primary residence.

The suit also names the actress’ son, Liam Dunaway O’Neill, as a subtenant of the Manhattan apartment.

The New York Times says the housing court suit was filed Tuesday.

The suit says the “Bonnie & Clyde” actress owns a house in West Hollywood, Calif., and has her voter and car registrations there.

Rent-stabilization rules require tenants to use those apartments as a primary residence.

Vindicator wire services