Harry Olswanger
Today, Charmaine Snow posted on Facebook the above photo along with her touching thoughts below. RIP Harry.
Dear BHS classes of 1979-1981
I just saw notes about Harry's death (and life).
I remember playing my trumpet for him onstage for a talent assembly at BHS (He sang “New York City Rhythm” a la Barry Manilow - with a newfangled cordless mic, too!) Many of us did the school operetta of Hello Dolly! I was in the pit. A rarity, it was the first time any high school play was held over for an extra week! It was so fun, My mom surprised the entire cast with a wrap party at my house - lots of fun and great memories.
Harry O did live every bit of life to its fullest. After leaving high school, he worked in Long Beach, with Joanne Worley in Hello Dolly! (big surprise). He lived in Hollywood for a couple of years. His folks moved to Roseville to retire, he soon joined them, traipsing from Sacramento to San Francisco with his dance and singing talents. He played a production of “Hair” in SF..He became very sober before 1990 & stayed that way, as it kept him alive & fairly healthy. He moved to Palm Springs & met Angie Dickinson. With her, he choreographed, danced, and sang a gig for the Coachella Valley Water District. Harry had a very good love life with his friend Miles. They went to Hawaii in 1996 and were very grateful for their lives together.
When his father died of ALS, he was quite lost & took care of his mom as much as he could. His parents were both very kind to me and welcomed me to their new home in Roseville several times. When my own mother died, It was Harry who went to comfort her husband, Sam. (Sam had joked in the past about how H.O. reminded him of Loretta Young, with his floor-length bathrobe). Only after Sam died, did I find a lovely card (to him from Harry), saying that my mom was a good friend & she should have lived longer.
Harry met a few older celebrities became good friends with a gal who was an MGM Girl - they had so much in common! She was Vivian Coe, (Vivian Austin & Vivian Grow - she married her eye Dr - Dr Grow). When (blind) Vivian moved to a retirement home for actors, Harry followed and stayed in North Hollywood nearby. I lived in Long Beach. When I learned we had lost Harry, I could only feel sad. He was the One who was always a friend to me after high school. It was Harry that kept me encouraged and playing my horn. Still does. It was Harry who treated me to a Hollywood premiere of the original “A Star is Born” remastered with unseen scenes & music, A Chorus Line at the Pantages, Joan Baez in Concord CA.
I graduated from BHS in 1979 & in 1980, in college, heard of this ‘strange, hard to define GAY Cancer’. The PTBs called it GRID at first, not wanting to define the anagram. We tried. We cried. We lost so many great people we never even got to know!
Over my life, I recall Harry H Olswanger as my dearest friend, and a smart & loving man to all who knew him. I am now in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs. When I’m driving around town & hearing the old music, I feel Harry at nearly every turn. He haunts me at stoplights & I truly get a chill on the hottest days, just thinking of him. Lost, but Never forgotten!
….C
¦\_____ --- _____
¦/ (___=¦¦¦¦=__)
☆☆☆☆☆
Find A Grave link:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126981358/harry-herman-olswanger
A FEW FACEBOOK COMMENTS
Nadine Aguirre Lujan
A beautiful memory and tribute.
Anissa Iverson
What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful man. Your friendship is magical. 💙
John D'Elia
What a lovely thing to share—thank you! I was in a few shows with Harry at Muir and BHS. He was such a talented, gentle guy.
Sherrie King
Lovely read and tribute!
Robert Elizabeth Flores
Very lovely tribute! God bless and keep him. ❤❤🙏
Dianne Marie Long
Harry taught me to dance for several shows. I took photos of his performances for him and loved capturing him on film. I can still hear his out of control laugh. Im glad he had you for a friend.
Jabneel Rama Flores Gms
What a beautiful tribute to such a beautiful Soul ❤️
Art Boylan
Harry was a huge talent, such a tragic loss for the theater and the arts community.
Toni Sarno
Beautiful tribute ... may God’s Perpetual Light shine upon him and grant him eternal rest🙏✨🌈😇 Another gone too soon😢
Lisa Skewes Galloway
Beautiful tribute. May all those who knew Harry well, be continually blessed by the many memories he has left with you all.❤🙏🌈😊
Bonnie Galloway
Beautiful memories of a talented soul!
Anne Tackett Williams
That was a beautiful tribute and brought tears to my eyes as I grew up with Harry and he was a dear friend❤️😇
Jodi Stevens Blatz
Thanks for sharing this
Bob Moore
Beautiful tribute. Harry was so talented and kind.
Lisa Thomas
Wow I had Drama with him and did all the skits with him ❤
Carole Wells
What a nice tribute. It made me think of another very talented actor in my brother's class of '66 - who died in a car crash a few years after he starred in My Fair Lady....I think he last name was Romano. And of Terry Pittsford, who played Harold Hill in BHS's first production (and it was truly fabulous) of The Music Man. Terry, who was wonderful in the role, did live a much longer life, dying in his late sixties/early seventies a couple of years ago. Many talented people went to BHS.
Donna Stagg Queenen
What an awesome man he must have been <3 an="" and="" awesome="" br="" dear="" friends="" had="" he="" life="" like="" many="" sounds="">
<3 an="" and="" awesome="" br="" dear="" friends="" had="" he="" life="" like="" many="" sounds="">
Stacy Homan
Thank you for posting this. He is so talented, even when we were in middle school.
No comments:
Post a Comment