Reggie Battise of Sha Na Na at 55
tr...@iwvisp.com
Reggie Leon Battise, an actor, choreographer and member of throwback
rock 'n' roll group Sha Na Na for more than two decades, died Oct. 8
from prostate cancer in Los Angeles. He was 55.
Battise played bass with Sha Na Na since the late 1980s after touring
as a member of the rock band the Bus Boys as Reggie Leon.
Battise also served as a principal dancer in the film "Stayin'
Alive" (1983) with John Travolta, helped with the soundtrack of
"Glory" (1989), was an actor and script consultant on "White Men Can't
Jump" (1992) and appeared on the ABC series "Moonlighting."
At age 20, Battise was a TV celebrity in his hometown of Chicago,
hosting "Dancing With Robyn" and "Reggie," and was a member of the
42nd Street Dance Company, appearing in "Gotta Dance" throughout the
city.
After moving to Los Angeles and his stint with the Bus Boys, Battise
toured Europe with the Houston Grand Opera's "Porgy and Bess" and co-
hosted "Fantastico," a TV variety show in Rome on which he sang in
three languages.
Survivors include his son, Brando Battise; his mother, Comella Smith;
a sister, Wendy Nelson; brother Randall Smith; a brother-in-law,
Patrick Nelson; and nephews and nieces Patrick Nelson, Chase Nelson,
Marcus Smith, Kisonah Smith and Randi Smith.
A private memorial service will be held. The family has set up a
college fund for his son, and donations may be made to Brando Battise
c/o Di Moda Public Relations in Beverly Hills.
Ray Arthur
Kris Baker
<tr...@iwvisp.com> wrote in message
news:52107af0-ae6d-4975...@x42g2000yqx.googlegroups.com...
> Hollywood Reporter.com...
>
> Reggie Leon Battise, an actor, choreographer and member of throwback
> rock 'n' roll group Sha Na Na for more than two decades, died Oct. 8
> from prostate cancer in Los Angeles. He was 55.
There's few original members left; only those who kept up with the
changing faces, would recognize a newer replacement.
The most fascinating original member is Dr. Robert A. Leonard, who
holds a PhD specializing in forensic linguistics.
http://people.hofstra.edu/robert_a_leonard/index.htm
Kris
Angela Monger
Actually he sang bass with Sha Na Na. Chico Ryan played bass until he
died in 1998.
Rick B.
@mid.individual.net:
> The most fascinating original member is Dr. Robert A. Leonard, who
> holds a PhD specializing in forensic linguistics.
> http://people.hofstra.edu/robert_a_leonard/index.htm
He always wanted to find out who put the ram in the rama-lama-ding-dong.
Kris Baker
"Rick B." <deep...@sprynet.com.aq> wrote in message
news:Xns9E0FBBB05...@130.133.4.11...
Fer shure.
Kris
Father Haskell
Sha Na Na started as a gag at Woodstock, IIRC. The hippies
didn't know to think, but ended up loving them.
R H Draney
>
>On Oct 12, 1:57=A0pm, "t...@iwvisp.com" <t...@iwvisp.com> wrote:
>> Hollywood Reporter.com...
>>
>> Reggie Leon Battise, an actor, choreographer and member of throwback
>> rock 'n' roll group Sha Na Na for more than two decades, died Oct. 8
>> from prostate cancer in Los Angeles. He was 55.
>>
>didn't know to think, but ended up loving them.
Actually, I'm in the midst of reading Ken Jennings' book "Brainiac", and at one
point he mentions that the a cappella group who used to accompany some of his
college quiz bowl contests got hooked on doo-wop when they were called upon to
add something non-classical to their repertoire, and ultimately morphed into Sha
Na Na....
Before that, they were called The Kingsmen but changed their name to avoid
confusion with that other group....r
--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.
Steve Miller - A Famous Rock Star!
Kris Baker <paralle...@ggmail.com> wrote:
>
><tr...@iwvisp.com> wrote in message
>news:52107af0-ae6d-4975...@x42g2000yqx.googlegroups.com...
>> Hollywood Reporter.com...
>>
>> Reggie Leon Battise, an actor, choreographer and member of throwback
>> rock 'n' roll group Sha Na Na for more than two decades, died Oct. 8
>> from prostate cancer in Los Angeles. He was 55.
>
>There's few original members left; only those who kept up with the
>changing faces, would recognize a newer replacement.
>
--
Steve Miller
Serial obituarist
Kris Baker
"Steve Miller - A Famous Rock Star!" <scmi...@panix.com> wrote in message
news:i94c16$18h$2...@reader1.panix.com...
It's part of the time and space continuum.
We could start a nostalgia newsgroup to discuss nostalgia groups.
Then, when we all declined into dementia, we'd be nostalgic for
the nostalgia group that discussed the nostalgia group.
Kris
Brad Ferguson
<paralle...@ggmail.com> wrote:
> "Steve Miller - A Famous Rock Star!" <scmi...@panix.com> wrote in message
> news:i94c16$18h$2...@reader1.panix.com...
> > In article <8hjrhh...@mid.individual.net>,
> > Kris Baker <paralle...@ggmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >><tr...@iwvisp.com> wrote in message
> >>news:52107af0-ae6d-4975...@x42g2000yqx.googlegroups.com...
> >>> Hollywood Reporter.com...
> >>>
> >>> Reggie Leon Battise, an actor, choreographer and member of throwback
> >>> rock 'n' roll group Sha Na Na for more than two decades, died Oct. 8
> >>> from prostate cancer in Los Angeles. He was 55.
> >>
> >>There's few original members left; only those who kept up with the
> >>changing faces, would recognize a newer replacement.
> >>
> > Sounds like we're getting nostalgic for a nostalgia group. Egad.
> >
> > --
> > Steve Miller
> > Serial obituarist
>
> It's part of the time and space continuum.
>
> We could start a nostalgia newsgroup to discuss nostalgia groups.
> Then, when we all declined into dementia, we'd be nostalgic for
> the nostalgia group that discussed the nostalgia group.
> Kris
"When"?
Steve Miller - A Famous Rock Star!
I remember when nostalgia groups evoked the past in a way that was
really palpable - not the half-assed nostalgia groups you got today.
Kris Baker
"Brad Ferguson" <thir...@frXOXed.net> wrote in message
news:131020101427413374%thir...@frXOXed.net...
You forgot already?
Kris