Harry Herman Olswanger, BHS 1981

Harry Herman Olswanger
Born: May 5, 1963 - Died: Nov 8, 2004
Last residence was Palm Springs, CA.

Posted on Facebook from a friend Charmaine Snow, BHS 1979

Dear BHS classes of 1979-1981
I just saw notes about Harry's death (and life).

I remember playing my trumpet for him onstage for a talent assembly at BHS (He sang “New York City Rhythm” a la Barry Manilow - with a newfangled cordless mic, too!) Many of us did the school operetta of Hello Dolly! I was in the pit. A rarity, it was the first time any high school play was held over for an extra week! It was so fun, My mom surprised the entire cast with a wrap party at my house - lots of fun and great memories.

Harry O did live every bit of life to its fullest. After leaving high school, he worked in Long Beach, with Joanne Worley in Hello Dolly! (big surprise). He lived in Hollywood for a couple of years. His folks moved to Roseville to retire, he soon joined them, traipsing from Sacramento to San Francisco with his dance and singing talents. He played a production of “Hair” in SF..He became very sober before 1990 & stayed that way, as it kept him alive & fairly healthy. He moved to Palm Springs & met Angie Dickinson. With her, he choreographed, danced, and sang a gig for the Coachella Valley Water District. Harry had a very good love life with his friend Miles. They went to Hawaii in 1996 and were very grateful for their lives together.

When his father died of ALS, he was quite lost & took care of his mom as much as he could. His parents were both very kind to me and welcomed me to their new home in Roseville several times. When my own mother died, It was Harry who went to comfort her husband, Sam. (Sam had joked in the past about how H.O. reminded him of Loretta Young, with his floor-length bathrobe). Only after Sam died, did I find a lovely card (to him from Harry), saying that my mom was a good friend & she should have lived longer.

Harry met a few older celebrities became good friends with a gal who was an MGM Girl - they had so much in common! She was Vivian Coe, (Vivian Austin & Vivian Grow - she married her eye Dr - Dr Grow). When (blind) Vivian moved to a retirement home for actors, Harry followed and stayed in North Hollywood nearby. I lived in Long Beach. When I learned we had lost Harry, I could only feel sad. He was the One who was always a friend to me after high school. It was Harry that kept me encouraged and playing my horn. Still does. It was Harry who treated me to a Hollywood premiere of the original “A Star is Born” remastered with unseen scenes & music, A Chorus Line at the Pantages, Joan Baez in Concord CA.

I graduated from BHS in 1979 & in 1980, in college, heard of this ‘strange, hard to define GAY Cancer’. The PTBs called it GRID at first, not wanting to define the anagram. We tried. We cried. We lost so many great people we never even got to know!

Over my life, I recall Harry H Olswanger as my dearest friend, and a smart & loving man to all who knew him. I am now in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs. When I’m driving around town & hearing the old music, I feel Harry at nearly every turn. He haunts me at stoplights & I truly get a chill on the hottest days, just thinking of him. Lost, but Never forgotten!

Harry Olswanger was laid to rest in the Roseville Public Cemetery District, Roseville, California.