The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 20

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1999 LOS ANGELES TIMES. Quentin Crisp; Witty, Flamboyant Gay Writer and Lecturer Was 90 Los Angeles Times Quentin Crisp, shown in 1978, wrote "The Naked Civil Servant." the invitation of "A Chorus Line" director Michael Bennett, who considered doing a musical of Crisp's life. That didn't happen, but Crisp discovered that in America "happiness rains down from the skies" and stayed on. Wisely building on his newfound momentum, Crisp devised and began touring his one-man show around America, including Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theater in 1979. A Times reviewer evaluated the show then as "a class act," noting that: "Despite the Crisp-ness of mind and diction, there's a great kindness in the man, a compassion.

The talk is witty and disarming but Obituaries never frivolous. The banter may be clever, but the intent is original and Crisp went on to write other books gleefully poking fun at his own egocentric to Have Lifestyle," "Doing It with Style," another autobiography in 1981 called "How to Become a Virgin," and "Resident Alien: The New York Diaries." Among his other much-loved books are "The Wit and Wisdom of Quentin Crisp" in 1984 and "Quentin Crisp's Book of Quotations: 1,000 Observations on Life and Love by, for, and about Gay Men and Women" in 1989. STAPP: Was 'Fastest Man' Continued from A3 Automotive Engineers to review the sled tests. Two years later, Volvo became the first automotive manufacturer to install seat belts in cars. In 1966, during a brief ceremony in the White House rose garden, President Lyndon B.

Johnson signed into law a measure requiring seat belts on all new automobiles sold in the United States. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader was the star of the show. But Stapp, a rather paunchy, unprepossessing man who stood on the sidelines, was the real hero. Born in Bahia, Brazil, to two Baptist missionaries, Stapp worked his way through college, earning a PhD in biophysics from the University of Texas and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota. Money was scarce during Stapp's college years.

So scarce, according to a longtime friend, Charley Barr of Rancho Palos Verdes, that Stapp. was reduced to dining on some his laboratory specimens. "He insisted that guinea pigs are quite delectable when cooked in a St. laboratory oven," Barr said. In 1944, at the height of World War II, Stapp joined the Army Air Corps, soon specializing in studies to determine the effects of everfaster flights--and bailouts--on the human body.

Published reports state that one of the early experiments inspired what became known as Murphy's Law. According to the reports, one of Stapp's assistants, Capt. Edward A. Murphy rigged a harness incorrectly. As a result, sensors designed to measure the strain to which Stapp was subjected during an early sled ride failed to register.

Hence the maxim, paraphrased a dozen ways: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." In 1947, Stapp was assigned to the Air Corps base at Muroc Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert -an installation now known as Edwards Air Force Base-where a cocky young pilot named Chuck Yeager was about to become the first man to break the sound barrier. A few months later, about the same time that the Air Corps became the Air Force, Stapp's tests were moved to Holloman Air Force Base, near Alamogordo. The first sled rides along a track skirting the White Sands National Monument were not as fast as his subsequent record run, but they were still daunting. Acceleration and deceleration forces rose to 45 times greater than gravity, driving Stapp's apparent body weight from its normal 170 pounds to 7,650 pounds. He suffered a concussion and an abdominal hernia, and broke several ribs, his coccyx and- -twice-a wrist.

"I set that myself," he said later. The record sled ride on Dec. 10, 1954, was Stapp's 29th, and his last. During a test about a week after that historic run, the sled came off the track at more than 600 mph, tumbling end over end across the desert. Fortunately, it had been: a dry run, with no one on board.

After that, the sled runs were made with dummies and animals as passengers. One in 1957 reached 1,335 mph. With his sled runs over, Stapp decided it was safe to marry. In 1958, he wed Lillian Lanese, a former ballet dancer. He threw himself into the auto safety campaign as wholeheartedly as he continued to pursue aviation safety.

In 1959, he traveled 170,000 miles and delivered 225 speeches. He appeared on talk shows, lectured on cruise ships and was featured in advertisements for everything from Boy George recordings to Calvin Klein perfume and Levi's jeans. Crisp became such a well-known character that he often played himself in motion pictures -in the documentary "Resident Alien" in 1990 of course, but also in "Camp Christmas" in 1993, "Naked in New York" in 1994 and "The Celluloid Closet" in 1995. But he also was memorable in unlikely acting roles, notably as Queen Elizabeth I in the 1992 "Orlando" based on Virginia Woolf's 1928 book. Another favorite was his judge of the New York pageant in the zany 1995 sleeper hit, "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar." Understandably, Crisp became a poster boy for the gay and lesbian movement.

But he also managed to irk most of its leaders because he never believed in militancy and even opined that being gay might be an illness. "I want to join the real world, and I have made the whole journey from the outer suburbs of ostracism across open country under fire almost to the heart of the world," he told The Times in 1993. "I live in the most sophisticated city in the world, and I do as I damn well please. What more can you ask?" Crisp was born Denis Pratt on Christmas Day, 1908, in Sutton, Surrey, England, into a poor and debt-ridden family. He studied journalism briefly at King's College but dropped out, said Jon Hodge in "Gay Lesbian Biography" because he "felt the pressures of both finding a job and confronting his sexuality, two issues that simultaneously found resolution via each other while Crisp was wandering through the streets of London's West There he found and copied the campy flamboyant dress, makeup and work of the male prostitutes.

one Even as Crisp rose through the, economic ranks, he continued living his highly touted "style" in a one-room apartment in London's Chelsea and later in Manhattan. "Money," he told The Times, explaining his "nuts and champagne" diet came gratis on the party circuit, "is for saving, not for" spending. With luck you only have" to pay your rent and your telephone bill." Crisp envisioned no elaborate, funeral or wake. Only a day before his death he told the Times of London: "No flowers. No candles.

No long faces standing around in the rain, staring down into a hole in the ground while someone drones on about how wonderful I was. I'd rather just be shuffled off. Just drop' me into one of those black plastic bags and leave me by the trash can." "The Truth About Funeral Prices" Service Complete With Funeral Casket $988 Includes: Steel casket and service; Funeral Director and staff; Preparation; Transportation to cemetery; Transfer of deceased to funeral home; Embalming; Arrange obituary and news notices; Procure death certificate and burial permits; Receive and display floral pieces. Use of facilities for funeral service. $100 Use of facilities for visitation.

$100 Register Book, Memorial Folders and Acknowledgement Cards. $43 Total $988 "We thought the place would be too expensive, but there was never any pressure in getting what we needed. The feeling we were left with was so peaceful." MR. CARO, LOS ANGELES HOLLYWOOD FUNERAL HOME at HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90038 66 1 YES, I would like more information about Hollywood Funeral Home. OM Name Phone Address City S9 State Zip OR CALL (323) 469-6349 ANNOUNCEMENTS ATHEY, Harold Malinow Silverman Mortuary BARR, Rev.

Charles C.M., born, 1914 and ordained a Vincentian priest, 1940; served as professor of classical and modern languages in the L.A. archdiocesan seminaries from 1944-1981. Deceased, November 18, Ojai. Rosary, Monday, November 22 at St. Joseph's Health Center, Ojai at 1pm.

Funeral Mass to follow at St. John's Seminary College, Camarillo. Interment at Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 11am. Memorials can be made in his name to Vincentian Fathers Brothers, Montebello, CA.

Pierce Brothers Cunningham O'Connor, BLOCK, Renata Services Tuesday at at Armstrong Family Mortuary CAIN, Tom J. 96, of Yucaipa, California passed away Wednesday, November 17, 1999. Born in St. Louis, Missouri. Married 54 years to Mary Kathryn Newport of Perris, California.

He worked 35 years for Metropolitan Water District of Los Angeles; retired in 1965 as Superintendent of Aqueduct Maintenance. Burial will be 11am Wednesday, November 24, at Olivewood Cemetery, Riverside. DROESSLER, Carl died November 18, 1999, in Downey, California. He was owner of Lux and Droessler painting contractors, which served the Los Angeles County area for more than 50 years. He was a World War II Veteran, Army Air Corps Engineers, serving in England, Africa and Italy.

He is survived by his wife, Maxine; three sons, Steven of San Diego, Daniel of Bellflower and Larry of Arcadia and 5 grandchildren; 2 sisters, Veronica Cook and Corinne Rich and one brother, Earl Droessler. He is preceded in death by his son, Brian. Rosary, Monday, November 22, 8pm at St. Matthias Church, Huntington Park. Mass Tuesday, November 23, 9am.

St. Matthias. In lieu of flowers, donations to your favorite charity. Klinker, Cunningham Guerra Directors, DRUMEA, Traian Forest Lawn- Hollywood Hills For motorists, his research helped pave the way for padded dashboards, better bumpers and, of course, mandatory seat belts. For aviators, he assisted in the design of better seat belts and shoulder harnesses, improved escape mechanisms and stronger cockpit frames.

He served as a consultant for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics. Among his many awards are the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Service Medal and the presidential Medal of Technology. Stapp leaves his wife and a brother, Wilford. EISNER, Simon, one of America's city planning giants, passed from the scene October 28, 1999. He was 92.

Born in Bayonne, New Jersey, he moved to California in 1920, attended Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, and both the University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, graduated from Berkeley with a degree in architecture in 1933. After serving as a Regional Planner with the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission (1937-43) and Chief City Planning Architect for the City of Los Angeles (1943-1949), Eisner started his own planning consulting firm in 1950. During the period from 1950 to 1975, he completed comprehensive general plans for cities throughout California, including Beverly Hills, Burbank, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara, as well as most of the cities in the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire of southern California. He also taught at the University of Southern California (1946-1964) and later at UCLA, where he served as Director of the Urban Innovations Group. In 1950, Eisner co-authored the planning text "The Urban with Arthur B.

Gallion. The book, now in its sixth edition, continues to be used in colleges and universities worldwide. Eisner received numerous awards including The Distinguished Service Award from the American Institute of Certified Planners. At the time of his death, he had been nominated as a Fellow of the AICP. Simon leaves his wife of 64 years, Isabel; two sons (Stan, City Manager of Placerville, California, and Richard, Regional Administrator for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services); six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

ELLMORE, Steven Richard Forest Lawn -Hollywood Hills An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last chapter missing. -Quentin Crisp By MYRNA OLIVER TIMES STAFF WRITER Quentin Crisp, the more flamboyant if slightly less eloquent modernday Oscar Wilde, was better known for his autobiography, "The Naked Civil Servant," than anything else he ever wrote or uttered from any stage, television set or center of a cocktail party. The missing last chapter was written Sunday when Crisp died in London's Manchester Royal Infirmary at the age of 90. He was taken there after he was found unconscious in a private home arranged for him by the Green Room Theater of Manchester, England. A resident of New York City's East Village for the past two decades, Crisp was in England to tour his one-man show, 'An Evening With Quentin Crisp," which was to have begun tonight in Manchester and continue to five other cities.

The show stemmed from his autobiography, as did the 1975 television movie starring John Hurt as Crisp. The 1968 publication of Crisp's autobiography marked a remarkable turning point in Crisp's life, transforming him from prostitute, artist, artists' model, critic, actor and writer into the enormously popular, self-described "mother superior of homosexuality." Combing his hair into grandiose blue-tinted waves, wearing high heels and "as much makeup as the force of gravity would allow," Crisp made no secret of his homosexuality even when the topic was taboo in polite society. "People ask me," he told The Times in 1993, "'When did you come I never was in! I was a hopeless case. Long before I plucked my eyebrows or painted my nails and all that You have to know who you are and then become it." Crisp's autobiography was a breakthrough in its lucid description of the gay lifestyle in repressed early 20th century Britain. Scholars of gay and lesbian literature regard the book as a bold and singular look at the working classes' often violent reaction to gays during the Depression, the grim World War II years in London and the postwar recovery.

But perhaps most amazing was Crisp's extraordinary ability to tell the whole sad tale with little bitterness and with charming wit that indeed can rival that of Wilde. (Crisp was even asked to appear as Wilde in the party scene of Tom Hanks' 1993 film London's Observer Review marveled when the autobiography was published that "Crisp states his alarming case wittily and gracefully." The British humor magazine Punch echoed that Crisp "makes his outrageous life sound tremendously amusing." Hurt's television movie enhanced Crisp's burgeoning fame. The Briton came to America in 1977 at Alfred Haessig; Convicted in HIV-Tainted Blood Case Alfred Haessig, 78, a Swiss Red Cross doctor who was convicted of supervising distribution of HIV-infected blood products. Haessig was given a one-year suspended sentence in 1998 after a Geneva court held that he put people at risk through his actions in the 1980s as director of the Swiss central laboratory of the Red Cross. The court decided that Haessig had known since 1982 of the risk that blood products could transmit the virus that causes AIDS but failed to use available safeguards because of "pride and stubbornness." The doctor said he had not pasteurized blood products because he thought the process made them less efficient in treating hemophiliacs.

The charges stemmed from official complaints by eight infected Swiss hemophiliacs, four of whom died before the trial. On Nov. 14 in Geneva after a long illness. Jack Hooke; Manager for Recording Artists Jack Hooke, 83, manager for recording jazz to rock to salsa. Born Jacob Horowitz, maker but in the late 1940s opted to work the small jazz label Royal Roost Records, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.

Hooke stations promoting the records and later Alan Freed, whom he met on a stop in Hooke worked with Dick Clark Productions stars, including the Rolling Stones, Led Ross. When the 1980s brought salsa to organize regular shows in Greenwich RMM Records and was managing artists Santamaria and Giovanni Hidalgo. On Nov. artists whose styles ranged from Hooke was trained as a tool and die in music. He and a partner bought whose artists included Stan Getz, traveled among the nation's radio became the manager for disc jockey Cleveland.

In the 1960s and 1970s, and moved into dealing with rock Zeppelin, the Jackson Five and Diana New York City, Hooke helped Village. He had recently been with Tito Puente, Hilton Ruiz, Mongo 13 in New York. Daniel Nathans; Nobelist, Biotech Pioneer Daniel Nathans, 71, who shared a Nobel Prize for using "biochemical. scissors" to analyze DNA. The Johns Hopkins University molecular biologist shared the 1978 Nobel for medicine with his fellow research professor Hamilton O.

Smith and Swiss microbiologist Werner Arber. The three winners split the $165,000 award for their discovery of "restriction enzymes" and for using them to slice genes into fragments for detailed examination. The application, dubbed "scissors" by Smith, became a basic tool for much of today's genetic research and genetic engineering. Nathans' work helped launch the biotechnology revolution. Highly respected, the quiet, unassuming researcher was asked to serve as interim president of Johns Hopkins in 1995 Associated Press Daniel Nathans in 1979 after the sudden resignation of William C.

Richardson. Nathans, a native of Wilmington, earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Delaware and a medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis. He began teaching at Johns Hopkins in 1962 and remained there the rest of his career, serving as director of the department of microbiology from 1972 and director of the department of molecular biology and genetics after 1981. Nathans was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society and served for three years on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

In 1993, he received the National Medal of Science. On Tuesday in Baltimore of leukemia. Retired Brig. Gen. Austin Shofner; Wrote POW Diary Retired Brig.

Gen. Austin Shofner, 83, who managed to keep a hidden diary as a Japanese prisoner of war during World War II. Shofner's diary, preserved in the Tennessee State Library and Archives, describes the hardships at several POW camps where he was imprisoned. He told of seeing fellow soldiers beaten and killed or watching them die from starvation and disease. Shofner and nine other Marines managed to escape the Davao POW camp while on work details outside the camp, and to flee through the Philippine jungle.

Shofner was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross from Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1943 and went on to participate in several Pacific battles to liberate the Philippines. On Nov. 15 in Shelbyville, Tenn. Barbara Jean Wong; Movie Actress, Teacher Barbara Jean Wong, 75, pioneering Chinese American actress.

A fourth-generation Californian, Wong was born in Los Angeles to Thomas and Maye Wong, who ran a produce market. She broke into radio when she was 5 and, with her long black hair styled in ringlets, became known as the Chinese Shirley Temple for regular appearances on national radio dramas and comedies in the 1930s, including "Lux Theater," "I Love a Mystery" and "Amos 'n' Andy." She attended the Mar-Ken School for Professional Children in Hollywood, where Mickey Rooney was among her classmates. After earning degrees in drama and English at USC and Columbia University, Wong won roles in "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing," "The Good of God," "Calcutta" and "The Man From Button in 1950, she gave up her acting career. She credential and taught elementary school in Los retiring in 1992. A longtime Los Feliz resident, she of several organizations, including El Pueblo the Friends of the Chinese American Museum.

at 1 p.m. at Church of the Hills, Forest Lawn 13 in Tarzana of a respiratory illness. Funeral Directors OBITUARIES Athey, Harold Barr, Rev. Charles J. Block, Renata Cain, Tom J.

Droessler, Carl J. Drumea, Traian Eisner, Simon Elmore, Steven R. LaCour, Verre E. Lewison, Lori Littenberg, Harold Little, Erma L. Meyer, Sidney L.

Neville, Margaret LA COUR, Verre E. Pierce Brothers Cunningham O'Connor, LEWISON, Lori Groman Eden Mortuary Directors LITTENBERG, Harold Loving bama. LITTLE, Erma L. Forest Lawn- -Hollywood Hills husband and father passed away on November 18, 1999. He was born in Brooklyn, New York; graduated from Brooklyn College in 1934 and moved to California in 1936.

He served in the United States Army in the European Theater of Operations. He is survived by his wife, Celia and son, Michael who loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Barbara just two years ago. Services will be held Monday, Nov. 22, at 1 pm at Eden Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Cedars Sinai Medical Center Parkinson's Research or The Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala- be made to Sunset Hall, 2830 Francis Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90005. NEVILLE, Margaret Neptune Society NOLAN, Deborah passed away November 18, 1999 in Hawthorne, California, survived by two daughters, 2 grandchildren, mother, stepfather, sister, other relatives and friends. Service Tuesday, November 23, 1999 10:00 a.m. at Long Beach Colonial Mortuary 638 Atlantic Long Beach, CA 1601) SCHNEIDER, Evelyn Born in Chicago, Illinois on August 16, 1906. Passed away in Long Beach, California on November 15, 1999.

Survived by her daughter, Mary (Frank) and treasured grandchildren, Tiffany (Scott) Romero and Amy Sanford. Private services were held by the family. Gates, Kingsley Gates Moeller Murphy Directors (310) 395-9988. SHIRAISHI, Gary. Age 49.

Owner of Gary's Television and beloved husband of Joy A. Shiraishi; son of Sachiye Shiraishi; brother of Anne (Kenny) Kaino, Lucy (Ron) Lam, and Kim Shiraishi; son of Henry (Fumi) Inagi; -inlaw of Heidi (Harrison) Higaki of Northern California and Kirk (Juli) Inagi; uncle of 2 nephews and 3 nieces. The family requests that flowers please be omitted. Funeral service will be 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 23, at Mission Valley Free Methodist Church 1201 S. San Gabriel San Gabriel.

Fukui Mortuary Directors 626-0441) MEYER, Sidney passed away November 13th in Santa Monica, at age 81. A graduate of both UCLA and USC and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, Sidney will be well-remembered for his keen intellect, his support of progressive causes, and his sparkling humor. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Harriet in 1979. Sidney is survived by his son, Fred (Joanne); grandchildren, Stephanie and Gregory; sister -inlaw, Rose Marie (Norm); nephew, Alan; nieces, Gail, Nancy (Yossi), Joy (Bruce) and Jeanne and their children, and many cousins.

Services were private. The family requests donations in Sidney's name Nolan, Deborah L. Schneider, Evelyn M. Shiraishi, Gary Shishido, Chuck Y. Snyder, Charlotte Whaley, Wilma May away on November 18, resident of Gardena.

Beloved husband of Kay Shishido; father of Jack (Jenni) Shishido and Cheryl (Gary) Oshiro; grandfather of Dr. Cherie (Dr. David Johnson) Oshiro-Johnson and Jon Oshiro; brother of Tom (Kinu) Shishido, Saburo (Kazuko) Shishido and Haruko (Jack) Koshimizu, brother-in-law of Hoover (May) Kuriyama, George Ito, Inez (Fred) Tanaka, Lillian (Larry) Rozadilla and Niova Kuriyama, also survived by many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, November 23, from 10:00 a.m. at Faith United Methodist Church 2115 W.

182nd Torrance, with Rev. Keith Inouye SHISHIDO, Chuck Yoro 72, passed SNYDER, Charlotte Neptune Society WHALEY, Wilma May Beloved mother of Leslie Whaley and sister of Florence Bonham. Visitation to be held on Tuesday, November 23, 1999, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 at Forest Lawn Mortuary, Glendale. Service will be on Wednesday, November 24, 1999 at 10:30 at the Little Church of the Flowers, Forest Lawn Glendale. Cemetery Valhalla Memorial Park, 6 Cemetery Lots for sale, "Restland (323) 660-7105 Al Lierman PP Rose Hills Whittier "The Popular Lawn" Two lots together.

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