Russell Connor, 89, TV Host
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From The New York Times – 3/29/2019
Beloved artist, museum educator, writer, TV host died March 24.
Born June 15, 1929, Cambridge, MA. Graduated Massachusetts College of Art and Yale Graduate School (MFA with Josef Albers).
Survived by life partner Adele Stroh, children Amy and Danny, sister Diane Connor. Predeceased by brothers Roy and Bob.
Private burial in Arlington, MA. Celebration of his life in spring.
Worked with Russell Connor on Museum Open House in 1962, 1963 as a cameraman.
Later on, in 2007 made a video (13 1/2 minutes) about his art, called the “Haunted Studio” now on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbKBOCwoaW0
All right, old friend, I miss you.
Peter
Beautiful film Peter. You captured him and his work perfectly.
Thanks David, a great talent, never at a loss for words…
Relaxed, funny, wry, knowledgeable, he brought art home to a lot of us. My first job at GBH was signing up with Paul Binder to pull camera cable at the MFA on what became one of many delightful Russel Connor evenings. Russel was unique and so was the crowd on the production, Marc Tucker, Linda Heller, Al Potter. We were sold on the job and that was before meeting the rest of the GBH crew and the cuff shooting Bob Moscone, Willy Morton, Kenny Anderson, ah, the good (very) old days when great TV came through the workings of a delapidated Greyhound. RIP Russel and thanks!
Alex Pirie and Paul Binder reporting for duty at Museum of Fine Arts on a Monday…Museum Open House with Russell Connor. Two snappy guys from Dartmouth…what are they doing here pulling cables says I the stage manager for the shoot. The best cable pullers ever. Paul Binder moved on and eventually created The Big Apple Circus – you say unique? I guess so. Paul moved on quickly but Alex stayed doing everything at WGBH. A great colleague.
Fondest of memories of that and especially the spirit and interlocutor Russell
For us BU Crew newbies, Alex was not only a great colleague but also privy to the best lunch break sausage and pepper subs ever. A 55-year coast-to-coast search odyssey for a comp has proven futile. Very best to you both!
Stage managed and became close friend with this free spirited, talented artist with the best sense of humor. Smart man. Loving man. He gave us and a large TV audience so much to think about. We took it all and added it to our lives.
Thanks Russell. If you’re up there and asked which instrument you’d like to play in celestial orchestra…tell them glockenspiel – you’d be a brilliant ringing tone.
love, Bill
Russell was a treasured friend for over 50 years. From the MFA/WGBH Museum Open House days, to sharing a backyard in Cambridge, to putting a website together, Russell was always a delight to be around. His wry observations not only informed his art, but made him a joy to be with. And of late a new found political activism gained him some well deserved positive attention (and sales). A major loss for the WGBH community and the world. I am so sad for his passing.
In 1965, my very first assignment as a PA at GBH was sitting in the bus with a stopwatch and make Russell’s program Museum Open House come out at 27:58… It was terrifying. Over many years Russell and I kept in touch and he was a dear friend. I am so sorry to hear of his passing.