RIP, Gordon Parks. A photographic genius and the director of one of the all-time great blaxploitation flicks, Shaft.

As if Christopher Reeve’s untimely paralysis death was sad enough, Dana Reeve passed away. She was only 44. She did not smoke and yet somehow died of lung cancer.

[UPDATE: Elizabeth Crane offers some personal thoughts on Reeve’s death.]

RIP (via Mark)

Dennis Weaver too? Jesus, what a lousy couple of days. I’ll always remember Weaver’s fantastic performance as the Night Man from Touch of Evil.

Novelist Frederick Busch also passed over the weekend and Slushpile is on the case.