John Deaven

Deaven, John
John Deaven a N.Y. actor who came to Hollywood in the 1970s and opened his own storefront coffee comedy club called ``John's Place" has died. He was fifty-four, Deaven, who was diagnosed with Anal Squamous Cancer in 2001, died on April 4, 2002 at his residence. ``John's Place" provided free comedy entertainment every weekend for four years (1978-1981), first on Vermont Avenue, then later on Melrose Avenue. It was a grassroots operation, serving free coffee to anyone willing to watch an endless line-up of stand-up comics. Regulars at ``Johns Place'' included young Alison Arngrim (``Nellie Olson" on Little House on the Prairie"), The Village Idiots regulars at the time on ``Don Kirshner's Rock Concert", and performance artist Johanna Went. L.A. critic Ray Loynd once wrote ``of any comedy club in town, John's Place is the most original", (Herald Examiner 1/24/1978). Once the club moved to Melrose Avenue, John's next-door neighbor was then reclusive Vampira (rea name: Maila Nurmi), who ran an antique store. John convinced the former 1950s late night move, T.V. hostess of ``The Vampira Show" of black dress, long black tresses, and blood-red fingernails to don her famous trappings one last time to star in a featured player of Ed Wood's Plan Nine From Outer Space:, a homemade film titled ``The Bungalow Invader" that Deaven produced, directed and acted in. The short horror spoof was added to the ``John's Place" line-up every weekend after that. Deaven also appeared in several national television commercials, most noted Pringle's new promo for their ``country-style" potato chips with country singer Roy Clark. Deaven dropped out of show business in 1985 to marry and raise children with a steady 9 to 5 income. He worked later in his life as an Activities Director for California Lutheran Homes in Alhambra. Deaven is survived by his wife, Nancy and their children Peggy Sue and Joseph Abraham, all of Los Angeles, along with his mother Ellen of Ohio and his sister Sandra Reck of Germany. A viewing will be held at on April 6, 2002 from 3:00pm -7:00pm., The funeral will be held on April 7th, 2002 at 2:00 pm. Both will be at Hollywood Forever Cemetery , 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA.