Died On This Date (May 1, 1965) Spike Jones / Novelty Hit Maker
themusicsover Lindley “Spike” Jones
December 14, 1911 – May 1, 1965
Spike Jones was a musical genius who specialized in creating satirical versions of popular songs by injecting them with crazy sound effects made by anything from cowbells and whistles to oddball noises out of his own mouth. Although he achieved most of his fame and fortune in the ’40s and ’50s, his timeless novelties continued to reach new generations of fans thanks to such radio personalities as Dr. Demento. Spike Jones died at the age of 53 as a result of many years of heavy smoking.
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A long time headliner in Las Vegas, Danny Gans was known as “The Man of Many Voices.” Before he went into entertainment, Gans played baseball for the Durham Bulls, but an injury derailed his sports career so he set his sights on Broadway where he perfected his one man show. In 1996, he moved to Las Vegas, starting at the Stratosphere. He eventually moved his show to the Rio, the Mirage, the Encore, and most recently, the Encore. The sign advertising his show is reportedly the largest free-standing marquee in the world. In 1992, Gans portrayed 
Steve Gideon was a musical theater actor who has appeared in such plays as Marry Me and Naked Boys Singing. Gideon began performing in local theater while still in high school in North Carolina and could also be heard DJing at a local radio station. After high school, Gideon attended Harvard where he continued to perform on the stage. He eventually moved to Los Angeles where he became very active in the local theater scene. In 1995, Gideon released a CD, Feels Like Home. On May 1, 2009, Steve Gideon passed away at his home while battling colon cancer.