Two iconic pop culture figures from my childhood died yesterday.

Mary Travers was the female member of the legendary folk trio “Peter, Paul and Mary.”  They provided a bridge between the early pioneers of folk music like The Weavers and brought this soulful, activist sensibility to the masses.  They also helped cement the popularity of Bob Dylan by making huge hits of several of his songs.

Their songs, which include “If I Had a Hammer, ” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”, “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “Blowin’ in the Wind” became part of the soundtrack of American life when I was growing up.

But it’s their non-political hit “Leavin’ on a Jet Plane” which has always been my favorite PP&M song.  This lovely lament, written by John Denver, was their only #1 hit song.

Henry Gibson became famous on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In.”  His signature shtick was to recite a little poem, delivered with a stiff and formal style, while holding a stupidly huge fake flower. 

One of his pithy verses:

“Ostriches are not clumsy” by Henry Gibson

Ostriches, when they mate and such,
Frolic with a gentle touch,
They’re cautious when it comes to sex,
One false move, they’ll break their necks.
Imagine!

Though best known for “Laugh-In” and mountains of other television shows, Gibson was a superb actor and appeared in dozens of movies, including The Nutty Professor, Kiss Me Stupid, The Blues Brothers, and The Wedding Crashers. 

Perhaps his most notable film roles were as country singer Haven Hamilton in Robert Altman’s Nashville and as a faded barfly in Magnolia.

I’ll miss Mary and Henry.