Joe Camp, the filmmaker behind the beloved "Benji" franchise, passed away at the age of 84. He defied the odds to create a successful live-action film series from a dog's perspective and revolutionized the film industry in the process. Camp's son confirmed his death, citing an unspecified illness as the cause. Camp's creative journey began with rejections and led to the formation of his own production company in Dallas, where the idea for "Benji" was born from observing his own dog's expressions. His legacy will live on through the enduring impact of the "Benji" films.
Ellen Holly, the pioneering Black actress known for her role as Carla on the soap opera "One Life to Live," has passed away at the age of 92. Holly made history as the first Black actress to gain stardom on a daytime soap opera, but faced challenges in her career due to being a light-skinned African American. Despite the success and popularity she garnered on the show, Holly experienced difficulties with her salary, storylines, and reduced workload, leading her to quit in 1980. She later returned to the show but ultimately faced mistreatment from producers. Holly's legacy as a trailblazer in the industry will be remembered.
Maria Martin, a pioneering Latina journalist in public radio, is being remembered for her contributions to the field. As a White House correspondent for NPR, Martin covered multiple presidential administrations and high-profile events. Her work included coverage of President Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Obama's NATO summit. Martin's legacy as a trailblazer in journalism lives on.
This article highlights the Google scientists who played a crucial role in pioneering the AI revolution, particularly in the field of Transformers. These researchers have made significant contributions to the development of advanced language models and have revolutionized natural language processing tasks. Their work has had a profound impact on various industries and has paved the way for advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Grace Bumbry, the first Black singer to perform at Germany's Bayreuth Festival and a pioneering mezzo-soprano, has died at the age of 86. Bumbry had a career of more than three decades on the world's top stages and was part of a generation of acclaimed Black opera singers. She won the Met National Council Auditions in 1958 and made her Paris Opéra debut in 1960 as Amneris in "Aida." Bumbry's final full opera at the Met was as Amneris in Verdi's "Aida" on Nov. 3, 1986.
