[Deathwatch] Ron Taylor, actor, 49

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

my sources say that he was 49 years old... please correct me if you
have other info - ed.

Monday January 21 11:38 PM EST 

Ron Taylor, Tony Nominee for 'Ain't Nothin' But the Blues,' Dead
By Kenneth Jones

Ron Taylor, the double Tony Award nominee for It Ain't Nothin' But the
Blues in 1999, died the week of Jan. 14, according to colleagues in the
theatre community.

A cause and date of death were not immediately known, but Mr. Taylor
had struggled with past health problems, including a mild stroke during
the run of Blues. He was nominated for 1999 Tony Awards for Best Book
of a Musical and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for the blues revue
he co-wrote and developed in regional theatre. The show was "based on
an original idea by Ron Taylor," according to the Playbill title page.
The musical would make its way from Denver Center Theatre Company to
San Diego Repertory Theatre to Alabama Shakespeare Festival to
Crossroads Theatre over the years before landing on Broadway at the
Vivian Beaumont Theatre in spring 1999. It moved to the Ambassador
Theatre and would later tour and be trimmed down for a blues-club
version at B.B. King's venue on 42nd Street.

Mr. Taylor was a boisterous, rotund actor whose good humor helped buoy
It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, a show for which he also served as
associate producer. Among his songs in the show were "I'm Your Hoochie
Coochie Man," "The Thrill is Gone," "Blues Man" and the Act Two opener,
"Let the Good Times Roll."

In 1999, he celebrated 25 years as an actor. His New York credits
included the Miz, Jesus Christ Superstar, Eubie, The Three Musketeers
and, according to his bio, the original voice of Audrey II in
Off-Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors.

Mr. Taylor suffered a mild stroke June 11, 1999, and left Ain't
Nothin', but returned to the company Aug. 24. (Ken Page filled in for
Taylor in July-August 1999.)

A Los Angeles resident, Mr. Taylor appeared in more than 16 films and
on more than 35 TV shows (he was the voice of jazz great "Bleeding
Gums" Murphy on "The Simpsons"). He is survived by his wife, Deborah,
and son Adamah.