Every once and awhile, a friend will ask me why I listen to Tony Kornheiser’s radio show (through its various incarnations, including its latest on WTEM/ESPN 980). I don’t disagree that Kornheiser can be completely unreasonable, cranky, myopic and anything else you want to call him. (His current claim that he was fired by the Washington Post is absurd even by Tony’s standards, given that most of his fans remember him explaining that the Post offered him a healthy buyout when he took it.) Anyways, the other day, I was reminded what makes his radio show so great.
In the middle of a regular show of pleas to fire Redskins coach Jim Zorn, political observation and the latest on the balloon boy family, Kornheiser devoted a few moments to comment on the passing of producer Daniel Melnick. Numerous outlets covered Melnick’s passing, but the best obit was written by the LA Times’ Valerie Nelson. Years ago, I wrote about the art of writing a great obit (inspired by 52 McGs.: The Best Obituaries from Legendary New York Times Reporter Robert McG. Thomas).
What makes Nelson’s obit of Melnick so effective is that while she covers the same vital ground that others did (he was a member of the Gourmet Poker Club along with Steve Martin, Johnny Carson and other Hollywood legends; he produced Martin’s Roxanne; and he had a son from his marriage to the daughter of composer Richard Rodgers), she also unearthed vital details that most others (the NY Times‘ Douglas Martin one notable exception) did not cover. Most importantly, Nelson notes that while Melnick never remarried, he did have a daughter from a relationship, Gabrielle Wilkerson-Melnick. I’m sure Ms. Wilkerson-Melnick appreciated getting recognized for her loss, while being omitted from several other obits.
According to Nelson, one of my favorite Martin films, L.A. Story, was made because “the pair had lengthy conversations about life (during the making of Roxanne) … They led Martin to write 1991’s “L.A. Story,” which Melnick produced.”
Go read the obit. See Melnick’s films. He helped make some great ones. And, in a sense, because of his work, part of him will never die. And I hope that’s some solace to his children.