Former Variety staffer James Melanson passed away on February 5 at Calvary Hospital in Brooklyn, following a four-year bout with brain cancer. He was 62.
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By Doug Galloway

Joe X. Price, a longtime entertainment industry writer who served as a music reporter for Daily Variety back in the 1960s, died December 30 at his home in Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) of complications due to lung cancer. He was 81.
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Robert ( Bob ) Chandler, former Variety radio and tv reporter and one of the creator’s of “60 Minutes”, the CBS “newsmagazine”, died on Thursday (Dec. 11), at his home, in Pittsfield, Mass. He was 80 years old and died of heart failure, according to his son, Doug.

Chandler worked for Variety in the late 50’s, early 60’s and was hired by MGM, as a p.r. director, for its tv division. In 1963, he joined CBS and helped create “60 Minutes”, which is still on the air, after more then 40 years.

Chandler was born in Brooklyn, served in the U.S.Army and is survived by his wife and two sons.

John Madden, longtime administrative assistant to legendary Variety editor-in-chief Abel Green and a legit theatre reporter for the Weekly, died Sept. 10 at Memorial Regional South Hospital in Hollywood, Florida.
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We were saddened to learn that long-time Miami-based Variety stringer, Jack Zink, recently passed away. Variety ran the following obit on August 18:
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