Obituaries - Feb. 17, 1999

Robert K. Fox; Represented Grocery Stores

Robert K. Fox, 81, former head of the Southern California Food Employers Council representing Southern California supermarkets. Fox became president of the neophyte organization in 1957 and continued in that post until his retirement in 1982. He was known as a hard-line management negotiator but fair to unions as well as grocery chain owners in his strike negotiations. He helped forge agreements that pioneered psychiatric, dental and vision care benefits and provided good wages and general benefits. Fox handled intricate contract negotiations involving multiple-employer bargaining with unions representing about 70,000 workers. The blunt Fox was skillful in keeping fractious industry executives together in dealing with unions during labor strife, including a disruptive strike in 1973 that lasted several weeks. On Thursday in Los Angeles.

Richard Janaver; Actor, Director and Writer

Richard Janaver, 87, actor, director and writer who worked on Broadway. A native of New York City, Janaver was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University Law School. But acting detracted from his law studies, and he began training with a Shakespeare troupe. He worked with Maurice Evans’ company in the Broadway productions of “Hamlet” and “Henry IV” and on tour. He also starred in “The Respectful Prostitute” on Broadway. Janaver was an announcer for radio stations and voiced many roles in radio shows, including “Our Gal Sunday,” “Just Plain Bill” and “This Is Your FBI.” He also appeared in television soap operas such as “Love of Life” and “Edge of Night.” He was a co-founder of the Long Beach Playhouse on New York’s Long Island and directed many of its productions. In California, Janaver was associated with the television game show industry, working for Heatter Quigley, Goodson-Todman and Reg Grundy Productions. He served in France during World War II. On Feb. 8 in Los Angeles of a heart attack.

Buddy Wayne Knox; Rockabilly Singer

Buddy Wayne Knox, 65, rockabilly singer and songwriter whose best-known hit was “Party Doll.” Knox wrote the song in 1948 but did not record it until 1956. By then he had formed Rhythm Orchids with Jimmy Bowen on bass and Don Lanier on guitar. Studio owner Norman Petty cut the first record, on his local Triple-D label, of “Party Doll” and Bowen’s “I’m Stickin’ With You.” The low-budget recording session employed a cardboard box instead of drums. Roulette later recorded the songs separately on its NYC label, and each sold a million copies with “Party Doll” hitting No. 1 on the charts. Knox had a string of other popular hits in the 1950s including “Hula Love,” “Rock Your Little Baby to Sleep” and “Somebody Touched Me.” Knox had continued to tour, predominantly in Europe and Australia, and appeared at the Foothill in Signal Hill in 1996. He performed with the Crickets, Bobby Vee and the Shirelles at a Buddy Holly tribute concert in 1997. On Sunday in Bremerton, Wash., of cancer.