R.I.P. Gerald McDermott, 71 (in Dec. 2012)

[l***@yahoo.com]

Sorry I didn't catch this earlier, but as it happens, I checked his name last December and his obit, incredibly, did NOT appear in any newspapers - as opposed to publications such as The Horn Book, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal - and THOSE magazines didn't mention his death online until mid-January. On top of that, the Something About the Author encyclopedias said NOTHING until late this November - when they gave him a five-page memorial, including pictures. Had they done so in any previous volume, I would definitely have caught it.

I mean, surely most people under 45 whose parents cared at all about award-winning picture books have read "Arrow to the Sun"? Why DIDN'T he get mentioned in the newspapers? (Though I'll admit, I found one pretty negative reader review of that book which just might be relevant.)

Anyway.....

Born in Detroit, he was enrolled in the Detroit Institute of Arts at age four.

He died in Los Angeles.

His website, unfortunately, is not available at the moment, so here are some pictures:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=962&oq=gerald+mcdermott+&gs_l=img.3..0j0i5j0i24l8.1440.1440.0.1900.1.1.0.0.0.0.51.51.1.1.0....0...1ac.1.32.img..0.1.51.Ev-SaC-wvN8&q=gerald%20mcdermott

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_McDermott
(includes booklist)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/obituaries/article/55452-obituary-gerald-mcdermott.html
(obit)

http://www.slj.com/2013/01/authors-illustrators/anansi-the-spider-authorillustrator-gerald-mcdermott-dies-at-71/#_
(longer obit; this mentions his awards)

http://www.slj.com/2013/01/authors-illustrators/gerald-mcdermott-a-legacy-of-magical-storytelling/
(even longer tribute)

http://www.hbook.com/2013/08/news/awards/profile-of-gerald-mcdermott/
(long profile of McDermott from 1975)

http://www.hbook.com/2013/08/authors-illustrators/on-the-rainbow-trail/
(VERY long piece by McDermott from 1975)

About his love of Paris:
http://www.hbook.com/2013/01/news/obituaries-news/gerald-mcdermott-in-paris/#_

http://www.hbook.com/2013/09/creating-books/publishing/george-nicholson-on-gerald-mcdermotts-arrow-to-the-sun/
(interview with George Nicholson, McDermott's editor)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0567518/
(filmography - I was amazed to see that he worked on "The Electric Company" - in 1971 - and "Sesame Street" - in 2012!)

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gerald+mcdermott&sm=3
(quite a few videos! The Electric Company short is included - it's "Shall I Shoot the Fish?")


Lenona.

[l***@yahoo.com]

Post by l***@yahoo.com
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gerald+mcdermott&sm=3
(quite a few videos! The Electric Company short is included - it's "Shall I Shoot the Fish?")

And on page 2, there's ANOTHER Electric Company video I didn't know was his at the time - it's "Steady Freddy."

Lenona.