Two Musicians Die

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/27/1997 at 12:00 AM EST

Benjamin Orr, 53, bass player of the Cars, died in Atlanta on Tuesday of pancreatic cancer. He was 53. Born Benjamin Orzechowski in Cleveland, Orr and Ric Ocasek formed the Cars in Boston in 1976. (The Cars broke up in 1986.) Their hits included "Drive" and "Just What I Needed" . . . Robert Allen, 73, the composer of such standards as "Home for the Holidays" and "Chances Are" for Johnny Mathis, died in Quogue, N.Y., on Sunday. Tony Bennett, Billie Holiday and the Four Lads also performed his songs.