2011 Notable Deaths - Tributes.com

2011 Year In Review

Featured Tributes commemorating the lives of the most notable personalities lost in 2011.
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Pete Postlethwaite »
Oscar-nominated star dies at 64
DIED: January 2, 2011
GREGORY KATZ, The Associated Press LONDON (AP) — He could have stayed in teaching. That's what his parents wanted: it was the safe, secure route for a young man with working-class roots and a face few would describe as handsome. But Pete Postlethwaite wanted more. He wanted to pursue his...
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Anne Francis »
'Forbidden Planet' star dies at 80
DIED: January 2, 2011
BOB THOMAS, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actress Anne Francis, who was the love interest in the 1950s science-fiction classic "Forbidden Planet" and later was a sexy private eye in "Honey West" on TV, has died at age 80. Francis died Sunday at a Santa Barbara nursing home, said...
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Gerry Rafferty »
'Baker Street' singer dead at 63
DIED: January 4, 2011
The Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Gerry Rafferty, the Scottish singer-songwriter behind hit songs "Baker Street" and "Stuck in the Middle With You," has died. He was 63. Rafferty's agent Paul Charles confirmed Tuesday that his client had passed away following a long illness, but said he...
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David Nelson »
Surviving member of famous TV family dies at 74
DIED: January 10, 2011
The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — David Nelson, who starred on his parents' popular television show "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," has died, a family spokesman said. He was 74. Nelson, who was battling complications of colon cancer, died Tuesday at his Los Angeles home, said...
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Ellen Stewart »
Off-Off-Broadway pioneer dies at 91
DIED: January 13, 2011
MARK KENNEDY, The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Ellen Stewart, the founder and director of the Off-Off-Broadway pioneering group La MaMa Experimental Theater Club, died Thursday at New York's Beth Israel Hospital after an extended illness, said Mia Yoo, the theater's co-artistic director....
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Mississippi Winn »
Oldest living African-American dies at 113
DIED: January 14, 2011
The Associated Press
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — When she turned 113, Mississippi Winn could still stand up on her own and never thought her age was a detriment to her life.
The upbeat former domestic worker from Shreveport, known in the city as "Sweetie," died Friday afternoon at Magnolia...
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Susannah York »
Oscar-nominated British actress dies at 72
DIED: January 15, 2011
GREGORY KATZ, The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — British actress Susannah York, one of the leading stars of British and Hollywood films in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died in London. She was 72.
York received an Oscar nomination in 1970 for her role in "They Shoot Horses, Don't...
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Don Kirshner »
Rock promoter dies in Florida at age 76
DIED: January 17, 2011
OSKAR GARCIA, The Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Don Kirshner, a rock promoter and music publisher who helped garner hits for the make-believe groups The Monkees and The Archies and boosted the careers of Billy Joel, Neil Diamond and the Police, has died. He was 76. Promoter Jack Wishna,...
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Sargent Shriver »
Ex-VP nominee dies at 95
DIED: January 18, 2011
JESSICA GRESKO, The Associated Press BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — For all his accomplishments — Peace Corps director, ambassador, leader of the war on poverty — R. Sargent Shriver ultimately became known first as an in-law. The brother-in-law of President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Edward Kennedy...
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Jack LaLanne »
Fitness guru and juicing powerhouse dies at 96
DIED: January 23, 2011
ANDREW DALTON, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jack LaLanne, the fitness guru who inspired television viewers to trim down, eat well and pump iron for decades before diet and exercise became a national obsession, died Sunday. He was 96. LaLanne died of respiratory failure due to...
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Charlie Louvin »
Country hall of famer Charlie Louvin dies at 83
DIED: January 26, 2011
CHRIS TALBOTT, The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — When Charlie Louvin paired his voice with his brother Ira's on their first recordings in the late 1940s, they released a sound wave that still ripples through music nearly six decades later. As half of The Louvin Brothers duo,...
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Gladys Horton »
Marvelettes co-founder dies at 66
DIED: January 26, 2011
The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gladys Horton, a co-founder of the Marvelettes who helped put fledgling Motown Records on the musical map with its first No. 1 hit "Please Mr. Postman," has died at age 66. Horton died Wednesday at a nursing home in the Sherman Oaks area of Los...
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Gary Moore »
Thin Lizzy guitarist dead at 58
DIED: February 6, 2011
The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Bandmates say rock guitarist Gary Moore, a former member of influential Irish band Thin Lizzy, has died. He was 58.
Manager Adam Parsons told the BBC that Moore was found dead Sunday at a hotel on Spain's Costa del Sol, where he was on holiday. The cause...
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Kenneth Olsen »
Computer pioneer dies at age 84
DIED: February 6, 2011
JOELLE TESSLER, The Associated Press Kenneth Olsen, a computer industry pioneer and co-founder of Digital Equipment Corp., has died. He was 84. His death Sunday was announced by Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., where he was a trustee and benefactor. The college did not release a cause of...
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Chuck Tanner »
Former Pirates manager dies at 82
DIED: February 11, 2011
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chuck Tanner, the relentlessly upbeat manager who led the "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979 to one of the greatest comebacks in World Series history, died Friday after a long illness. He was 82.
He died at his home in his hometown of New...
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Betty Garrett »
Broadway star dies at 91
DIED: February 12, 2011
ANDREW DALTON, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Betty Garrett, the vivacious Broadway star who played Frank Sinatra's sweetheart in two MGM musicals before her career was hampered by the Hollywood blacklist, has died in Los Angeles, her son said Sunday. She was 91.
Garrett died...
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Kenneth Mars »
Co-star in Mel Brooks comedies dies at 75
DIED: February 12, 2011
The Associated Press
GRENADA HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Kenneth Mars, a Mel Brooks collaborator who played a Hitler-worshipping playwright in "The Producers" and an earnest police inspector with a malfunctioning artificial arm in "Young Frankenstein," has died. He was 75.
In a statement Monday,...
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Len Lesser »
'Seinfeld' actor dies at 88
DIED: February 16, 2011
The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Len Lesser, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing role as Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld," died Wednesday. He was 88. Lesser's family said in a statement that he died in Burbank, Calif., from cancer-related pneumonia. "Heaven got a...
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Bill Monroe »
Former 'Meet the Press' host dies at 90
DIED: February 17, 2011
JESSICA GRESKO, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Bill Monroe, who hosted the long-running Washington political television show "Meet the Press" for nearly a decade, died Thursday at a Washington-area nursing home. Monroe, 90, was the NBC show's fourth moderator, from 1975 to 1984, and...
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Dave Duerson »
Four-time Pro Bowl safety dies at 50
DIED: February 17, 2011
ANDREW SELIGMAN, The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Dave Duerson, a four-time Pro Bowl safety who played on Super Bowl winners with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, has died. He was 50.
The Bears released a statement Friday saying they were "stunned and saddened" by the news and...
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New Zealand Earthquake Victims »
NZ earthquake toll at 75 dead, 300 missing
DIED: February 22, 2011
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The siblings huddled Wednesday on sodden grass, staring at the smoldering remains of a building that collapsed with their mother inside. They hadn't heard from TV presenter Donna Manning since a powerful earthquake tore through one of New Zealand's largest...
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American Hostage Killings »
4 American hostages killed by pirates, US says
DIED: February 22, 2011
By JASON STRAZIUSO and MALKHADIR M. MUHUMED, Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya – A pirate fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a U.S. Navy destroyer shadowing a hijacked yacht with four Americans aboard Tuesday. Then gunfire erupted, the military said. U.S. special forces rushed to the...
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Duke Snider »
Hall of Fame center fielder dies at 84
DIED: February 27, 2011
BEN WALKER, The Associated Press Duke Snider played center in Ebbets Field and stickball on the streets of Brooklyn. He was immortalized in a song recalling a golden era in baseball and was once part of one of the sport's great debates. Snider, the Hall of Famer for the charmed "Boys of...
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Jane Russell »
Star of '40s and '50s films dies at 89
DIED: February 28, 2011
JOHN ROGERS, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — She was the voluptuous pin-up girl who set a million male hearts to pounding during World War II, the favorite movie star of a generation of young men long before she'd made a movie more than a handful of them had ever seen. Such was the...
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Frank Chirkinian »
Longtime golf broadcaster dies at 84
DIED: March 4, 2011
DAVE SKRETTA, The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Frank Chirkinian, the longtime golf producer for CBS who helped turn the Masters into one of the most watched events in sports television, has died. He was 84.
Chirkinian died Friday at his home in North Palm Beach, Fla., after a long...
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David Broder »
Washington Post: Columnist dead at 81
DIED: March 9, 2011
CHARLES BABINGTON, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — David Broder, one of the nation's premier political reporters for decades, was a curious mix of old and new. He combined unglamorous shoe-leather reporting with a knack for detecting trends ahead of his competitors. A rumpled dresser...
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Japan Earthquake Victims »
Japan works to contain nuclear threat after quake
DIED: March 11, 2011
By ERIC TALMADGE and SHINO YUASA Associated Press SOMA, Japan (AP) -- A nuclear power plant damaged by fire and explosions emitted a burst of radiation Tuesday, panicking an already edgy Japan and leaving the government struggling to contain a spiraling crisis caused by last week's earthquake...
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Nate Dogg »
Singer whose hooks boosted rap hits dies at 41
DIED: March 16, 2011
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Singer Nate Dogg, whose near monotone crooning anchored some of rap's most seminal songs and helped define the sound of West coast hip-hop, has died at age 41.
Nate Dogg, whose real name was Nathaniel D. Hale, died Tuesday of complications from...
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Warren Christopher »
Former Secretary of State dies at 85
DIED: March 18, 2011
BARRY SCHWEID, The Associated Press
Warren M. Christopher, a key figure in peace efforts in Bosnia and the Mideast as U.S. secretary of state in the Clinton administration, has died, a spokeswoman for his law firm said Saturday. He was 85.
Christopher died at his home in Los Angeles late...
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Elizabeth Taylor »
Screen legend dies at 79
DIED: March 23, 2011
Liz Taylor buried in small ceremony at LA cemetery SANDY COHEN, The Associated Press GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — Elizabeth Taylor's funeral started late — just the way the screen legend wanted it. Her family held a brief private service Thursday at a Southern California...
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Geraldine Ferraro »
First woman VP candidate dies at 75
DIED: March 26, 2011
Ferraro funeral Mass scheduled for Thursday in NYC The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A funeral Mass for Geraldine Ferraro is set for Thursday morning in New York City. Ferraro, the first woman to run for U.S. vice president on a major party ticket, died Saturday of...
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Farley Granger »
1950s screen idol dead at 85
DIED: March 27, 2011
ULA ILNYTZKY, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Farley Granger, the 1950s bobby sox screen idol who starred in the Alfred Hitchcock classics "Rope" and "Strangers on a Train," has died. He was 85. Granger died Sunday of natural causes, said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the New York...
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Lou Gorman »
Former Red Sox GM has died
DIED: April 1, 2011
JIMMY GOLEN, The Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Former Boston Red Sox general manager Lou Gorman, the architect of the team that came within one strike of winning the 1986 World Series, died early Friday morning of congestive heart failure. He was 82. "All he wanted to do was make it to...
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Sidney Lumet »
'12 Angry Men' and 'Network' director dies at 86
DIED: April 9, 2011
BOB THOMAS, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Sidney Lumet, the award-winning director of such acclaimed films as "Network," ''Serpico," ''Dog Day Afternoon" and "12 Angry Men," has died. He was 86. Lumet's death was confirmed by relatives and friends, who said he died early Saturday...
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Orrin Tucker »
Bandleader dies at 100 in California
DIED: April 9, 2011
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bandleader Orrin Tucker has died at 100 in California. His orchestra had the 1939 hit "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!" and he later owned the Stardust Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Daughter Nora Compere tells the Los Angeles Times that Tucker died on April 9...
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Grete Waitz »
9-time NYC Marathon winner dies at 57
DIED: April 19, 2011
NILS MYKLEBOST, The Associated Press OSLO, Norway (AP) — Grete Waitz had never run a marathon before the New York City race in October 1978. After it, her name and New York would be forever linked. The lean Norwegian middle-distance runner, who had set two world-records in the 3,000 meters,...
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Tim Hetherington »
'Restrepo' co-director dies at 40
DIED: April 20, 2011
DERRIK J. LANG, The Associated Press
Tim Hetherington, the daring war photographer and Oscar-nominated co-director of the documentary "Restrepo" about a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, died Wednesday while covering battles between rebels and Libyan government forces. He was 40.
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Norio Ohga »
Former Sony Pres. credited with developing CD dies
DIED: April 23, 2011
YURI KAGEYAMA, The Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — As a young man, aspiring opera singer Norio Ohga wrote to Sony to complain about the quality of its tape recorders. That move changed the course of his life, as the company promptly recruited the man whose love of music would shape the...
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Phoebe Snow »
Bluesy singer who sang 1975 hit 'Poetry Man' dies
DIED: April 26, 2011
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — It wasn't long after the release of "Poetry Man," the breezy, jazzy love song that would make Phoebe Snow a star, that the singer experienced another event that would dramatically alter her life. In 1975, she gave birth to a daughter,...
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Tornado Victims of the South »
Tornadoes devastate South, killing hundreds
DIED: April 27, 2011
By GREG BLUESTEIN and JAY REEVES Associated Press PLEASANT GROVE, Ala. (AP) -- Dozens of massive tornadoes tore a town-flattening streak across the South, killing at least 250 people in six states and forcing rescuers to carry some survivors out on makeshift stretchers of splintered debris. Two...
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Jackie Cooper »
Former child star dies at 88
DIED: May 3, 2011
BOB THOMAS, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nowadays, Jackie Cooper may be best known for his role as the gruff newspaper editor in all four original "Superman" movies. But his Hollywood success story started long before that, with his reign as one of the most popular child stars of...
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Seve Ballesteros »
Spanish golf great dies at 54
DIED: May 7, 2011
PAUL LOGOTHETIS, The Associated Press
MADRID (AP) — Seve Ballesteros was a genius with a golf club in his hands, an inspiration to everyone who saw him create shots that didn't seem possible. The Spaniard's passion and pride revived European golf and made the Ryder Cup one of the game's most...
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Leo Kahn »
Co-founder of Staples dies at 94
DIED: May 11, 2011
MAE ANDERSON, The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Leo Kahn, who co-founded Staples and helped start the age of "big box" retail stores, died Wednesday in Boston. He was 94.
Kahn first made his name in the grocery business in New England. He started Staples with a former competitor, Tom...
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Edward Hardwicke »
TV's Dr. Watson dies at 78
DIED: May 16, 2011
ROBERT BARR, The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Edward Hardwicke, who played Dr. John Watson opposite Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes on television in the 1980s and '90s, has died of cancer at age 78.
Hardwicke died Monday in a hospice in Chichester in southern England, the Conway van...
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Harmon Killebrew »
Hall of Famer dies at 74
DIED: May 17, 2011
Teammates, family honor Hall of Famer Killebrew BOB BAUM, The Associated Press PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Harmon Killebrew's Hall of Fame career as one of the most powerful sluggers baseball has known was merely a subplot to his story as family and friends gathered to say goodbye...
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Don Barden »
Detroit businessman dies after long illness
DIED: May 19, 2011
The Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Don Barden, a prominent Detroit businessman who sold vegetables from the road as a child before making millions in casinos, cable TV and real estate, died Thursday. He was 67. Barden died from complications of lung cancer, two days after he was admitted...
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Randy Savage »
Professional wrestler "Macho Man" dies in car wreck
DIED: May 20, 2011
HARRY R. WEBER, The Associated Press Randy "Macho Man" Savage, a larger-than-life personality from professional wrestling's 1980s flying-elbow heyday known for his raspy voice, brash style and the young woman named Miss Elizabeth who often accompanied him, died in a car crash Friday in Florida....
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Tornado Victims of Joplin »
Missouri city walloped by deadly tornado
DIED: May 22, 2011
LATEST UPDATE -- 10 still missing in Joplin; 120 dead identified JOPLIN, Missouri (AP) — Fewer than a dozen people remain unaccounted for after the tornado that hit Joplin last week. Missouri Department of Public Safety Deputy Director Andrea Spillars said Tuesday that 10...
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Mark Haines »
CNBC 'Squawk' anchor dies at 65
DIED: May 24, 2011
PETER SVENSSON, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Haines, co-anchor of CNBC's morning "Squawk on the Street" show and one of the business news network's most recognized faces, died unexpectedly on Tuesday evening, the network said. He was 65. The network said he died in his home. It...
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Jeff Conaway »
'Taxi,' 'Grease' star dies at 60
DIED: May 27, 2011
LYNN ELBER, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jeff Conaway, who starred in the sitcom "Taxi," played swaggering Kenickie in the movie musical "Grease" and publicly battled drug and alcohol addiction on "Celebrity Rehab," died Friday. He was 60. The actor was taken off life support...
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Gil Scott-Heron »
Spoken-word musician dies in NYC
DIED: May 27, 2011
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Long before Public Enemy urged the need to "Fight the Power" or N.W.A. offered a crude rebuke of the police, Gil-Scott Heron was articulating the rage and the disillusionment of the black masses through song and spoken word. Scott...
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Clarice Taylor »
Grandmother from 'The Cosby Show' dies at 93
DIED: May 30, 2011
The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Clarice Taylor, the actress and comedian best known for playing grandmothers on "The Cosby Show" and "Sesame Street," has died at the age of 93. Taylor died of congestive heart failure in her home in Englewood, N.J., on Monday, said her son, William...
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James Arness »
Actor of TV's 'Gunsmoke' fame dies at 88
DIED: June 3, 2011
FRAZIER MOORE, The Associated Press It takes a special kind of lawman to carry on for 20 years in the Wild West of TV. Matt Dillon, the mythical marshal of Dodge City, stood tall — all 6 feet, 6 inches of him — on "Gunsmoke" from 1955 to 1975. He outlasted dozens of other Western heroes...
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Jack Kevorkian »
Assisted suicide advocate dies at age 83
DIED: June 3, 2011
COREY WILLIAMS, The Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Jack Kevorkian built his suicide machine with parts gathered from flea markets and stashed it in a rusty Volkswagen van. But it was Kevorkian's audacious attitude that set him apart in the debate over doctor-assisted suicide. The retired...
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Lilian Jackson Braun »
Author of 'The Cat Who' series dies at 97 in SC
DIED: June 4, 2011
The Associated Press LANDRUM, S.C. (AP) — The author who wrote 29 books in the "The Cat Who ..." mystery series almost quit writing after the third book was published because popular tastes had changed so much, but a casual conversation with her husband convinced her to try again. Lilian...
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Lawrence S. Eagleburger »
Ex-Secretary of State dies at 80
DIED: June 4, 2011
BARRY SCHWEID, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The only career foreign service officer to rise to the position of secretary of state, Lawrence Eagleburger was a straightforward diplomat whose exuberant style masked a hard-driving commitment to solving tangled foreign policy problems. ...
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Jim Northrup »
Ex-Tiger '68 Series star dies at 71
DIED: June 8, 2011
DAVID N. GOODMAN, The Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Jim Northrup, who hit a decisive two-run triple in Game 7 of the 1968 World Series, died Wednesday. He was 71.
Longtime friend Bill Wischman said Northrup after having a seizure at an assisted living...
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Clara Luper »
Oklahoma civil rights icon dies at 88
DIED: June 8, 2011
KEN MILLER, The Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — As she watched a television broadcast of President Barack Obama's inauguration in January 2009, Clara Luper had tears in her eyes. The Oklahoma civil rights icon knew that her and other activists' struggle had reached a milestone with the...
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Laura Ziskin »
"Spider-Man" producer dies at 61
DIED: June 12, 2011
DAVID GERMAIN, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Laura Ziskin was a "Spider-Man" novice when she first met with her future producing partner on the blockbuster film franchise. She quickly became an expert on the Marvel Comics superhero and his alter-ego Peter Parker, applying the same...
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Clarence Clemons »
Legendary E Street Band saxophonist dies at 69
DIED: June 18, 2011
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Clarence Clemons, the larger-than-life saxophone player for the E Street Band who was one of the key influences in Bruce Springsteen's life and music through four decades, has died. He was 69. Clemons died Saturday night after being...
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Yelena Bonner »
Andrei Sakharov's widow dies at 88
DIED: June 18, 2011
The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — A family member says that Yelena Bonner, a Russian rights activist and widow of Nobel Peace Prize winner Andrei Sakharov, has died in Boston.
Both were prominent dissidents in the Soviet era.
Tatiana Yankelevich, Bonner's daughter, says her 88-year...
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Ryan Dunn »
'Jackass' star dies in Pa. crash
DIED: June 20, 2011
By JoANN LOGIVLIO Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- "Jackass" cast member Ryan Dunn died early Monday of injuries sustained in a fiery car crash, and speed may have been a factor, police said. Dunn and a passenger in his 2007 Porsche died after the car left the roadway and burst into...
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Peter Falk »
TV's Columbo has died
DIED: June 23, 2011
FRAZIER MOORE, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The best way to celebrate Peter Falk's life is to savor how Columbo, his signature character, fortified our lives. Thanks to Falk's affectionately genuine portrayal, Lt. Columbo established himself for all time as a champion of any viewer...
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Nick Charles »
CNN sportscaster dies at 64
DIED: June 25, 2011
The Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Nick Charles, the former taxi driver who became CNN's first sports anchor and served in that role for nearly two decades, died Saturday after a two-year struggle with bladder cancer, the cable network reported. He was 64. He died peacefully at his New...
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John Mackey »
Ex-Baltimore Colts Hall of Famer dies at 69
DIED: July 6, 2011
The Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — John Mackey revolutionized the tight end position, his incomparable ability to catch passes off the line of scrimmage helping to usher the NFL into the pass-happy modern era. After his retirement, Mackey remained on the forefront of change in...
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Dick Williams »
Hall of Fame baseball manager dead at 82
DIED: July 7, 2011
JOSH DUBOW, The Associated Press By taking over a ninth-place team and leading it to the pennant in his first year as a big-league manager in Boston, Dick Williams earned the reputation of being a turnaround artist that he built on later in Montreal and San Diego. By taking over an emerging...
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Betty Ford »
Former first lady dead at 93
DIED: July 8, 2011
Betty Ford wanted talk of politics at funeral LINDA DEUTSCH, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former first lady Betty Ford, always known for her take charge attitude, chose the people who will eulogize her and the subjects they would discuss, focusing on the power of...
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Sherwood Schwartz »
Creator of 'Brady Bunch,' 'Gilligan's Island' dies at 94
DIED: July 12, 2011
DENISE PETSKI, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sherwood Schwartz, writer-creator of two of the best-remembered TV series of the 1960s and 1970s, "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch," has died at age 94. Great niece Robin Randall said Schwartz died at 4 a.m. Tuesday at Cedars...
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Myra Kraft »
Wife of Patriots owner dies at 68
DIED: July 20, 2011
HOWARD ULMAN, The Associated Press FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Myra Kraft, the wife of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a hard-working philanthropist dedicated to numerous causes, died Wednesday. She was 68. She died Wednesday morning after a battle with cancer, the NFL team said in...
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Amy Winehouse »
Singer found dead in London
DIED: July 23, 2011
JILL LAWLESS, The Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Few artists summed up their own career in a single song — a single line — as well as Amy Winehouse. "They tried to make me go to rehab," she sang on her world-conquering 2006 single, "Rehab." ''I said 'No, no no.'" Occasionally, she...
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Polly Platt »
Oscar-nominated art director dies
DIED: July 27, 2011
The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Polly Platt, who was nominated for an Oscar for art direction for "Terms of Endearment" and went on to produce several successful films, has died. She was 72. Sashy Bogdanovich says her mother died Wednesday in New York of Lou Gehrig's disease. ...
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Bubba Smith »
Former NFL star turned actor dies at 66
DIED: August 3, 2011
The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former NFL star Bubba Smith, who went from feared defensive end on the field to endearing giant in his successful second career as an actor, died Wednesday. He was 66. Los Angeles County coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said Smith was found dead at his...
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Mark Hatfield »
Former Sen. of Oregon dies at age 89
DIED: August 7, 2011
TERRENCE PETTY, The Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — As a 23-year-old Navy officer in 1945, Mark Hatfield was among the first American servicemen to personally see the destruction wrought upon Hiroshima by an atomic bomb. It was an experience that helped shape Hatfield into an...
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Jani Lane »
Former Warrant lead singer dies at 47
DIED: August 11, 2011
ANTHONY McCARTNEY, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — As investigators searched for clues Friday as to what killed Jani Lane, the former lead singer of the metal rock band Warrant, his family and friends prepared for a pair of memorial services to honor the rocker. Lane, 47, was found...
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Jerry Leiber »
'Jailhouse Rock' songwriter dead at 78
DIED: August 22, 2011
JACOB ADELMAN, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jerry Leiber, who with longtime partner Mike Stoller wrote "Hound Dog," ''Jailhouse Rock," ''Yakety Yak" and other hit songs that came to define early rock 'n' roll, died Monday. He was 78.
He was surrounded by family when he died...
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Nick Ashford »
One-half of legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson dies at 70
DIED: August 22, 2011
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Ashford, one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for the likes of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye and funk hits for Chaka Khan and others, died Monday at age 70, his former...
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Frank Potenza »
Uncle Frank of 'Kimmel Show' fame dies at 77
DIED: August 23, 2011
LYNN ELBER, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Frank Potenza, a former New York City police officer who turned to comedy as "Uncle Frank" on his nephew Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, died early Tuesday. He was 77. A statement from ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" said Potenza was ...
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Cliff Robertson »
Oscar winner dies in NY at 88
DIED: September 10, 2011
KAREN ZRAICK, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — President John F. Kennedy had just one critique when he saw photos of the actor set to play him in a World War II drama. The year was 1963 and actor Cliff Robertson looked convincing in his costume for "PT-109," the first film to portray a...
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Andy Whitfield »
'Spartacus' star dies of lymphoma at 39
DIED: September 11, 2011
ANDREW DALTON, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Whitfield, who played the title role in the hit cable series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," has died at age 39, according to representatives and family.
Whitfield died Sunday in Sydney, Australia, 18 months after he was diagnosed...
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Frances Bay »
'Happy Gilmore' actress dies at 95
DIED: September 15, 2011
The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Frances Bay, who tussled with Jerry Seinfeld over a loaf of marble rye and played Adam Sandler's grandmother in "Happy Gilmore" during a career that began in the 1930s, has died. She was 92. Her cousin Les Berman says Bay died Thursday at a Los...
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Kara Kennedy »
Oldest daughter of late Sen. Ted Kennedy dies
DIED: September 16, 2011
ANDREW MIGA, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Kara Kennedy accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom with tears welling in her eyes on behalf of her ailing father at a 2009 White House ceremony but also managed a smile as Sen. Ted Kennedy's life was honored. After the Democratic senator...
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Dave Gavitt »
Basketball Hall of Famer dies at 73
DIED: September 16, 2011
JIM O'CONNELL, The Associated Press
Dave Gavitt had an impact on the world of basketball. From a career as a successful coach to changing the face of college sports to introducing the Olympics to a Dream Team, Gavitt's touch was everywhere.
His death Friday night after a long illness was...
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Eleanor Mondale »
Daughter of Walter Mondale dies at 51
DIED: September 17, 2011
JEFF BAENEN, The Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eleanor Mondale, the vivacious daughter of former Vice President Walter Mondale who carved out her own reputation as an entertainment reporter, radio show host and gossip magnet, has died at her home in Minnesota. She was 51. Mondale, who...
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Dolores Hope »
Wife of Bob Hope dies at 102
DIED: September 19, 2011
BOB THOMAS, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dolores Hope, the sultry-voiced songstress who was married to Bob Hope for 69 years and sometimes sang on his shows for U.S. troops and on his television specials, has died at age 102. Hope family spokesman Harlan Boll said Hope died...
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Robert Whitaker »
Beatles photographer dies at 71
DIED: September 20, 2011
JILL LAWLESS, The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Photographer Robert Whitaker, who shot some of the most famous — and infamous — images of The Beatles, has died at the age of 71.
Whitaker's friend, photo archivist Dave Brolan, said he died of cancer Sept. 20 in Sussex, southern...
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Vesta Williams »
R&B singer found dead at 53
DIED: September 22, 2011
The Associated Press EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Big-voiced R&B diva Vesta Williams, perhaps best-known for her 1980s hits "Don't Blow A Good Thing" and "Congratulations," has been found dead of a possible drug overdose in a Southern California hotel room, coroner's investigators said Friday....
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Wangari Maathai »
First African woman to win Nobel Peace Prize dies at 71
DIED: September 26, 2011
JASON STRAZIUSO, The Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya's former president called her a mad woman. Seen as a threat to the rich and powerful, Wangari Maathai was beaten, arrested and vilified for the simple act of planting a tree, a natural wonder Maathai believed could reduce...
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Jessy Dixon »
Songwriter, gospel singer dies at 73
DIED: September 26, 2011
HERBERT G. McCANN, The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Jessy Dixon, a singer and songwriter who introduced his energetic style of gospel music to wider audiences by serving as pop singer Paul Simon's opening act, died Monday. He was 73. Miriam Dixon said her brother died Monday morning at...
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Sylvia Robinson »
Early hip-hop pioneer dies at 76
DIED: September 29, 2011
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The woman some call the mother of hip-hop has died.
Sylvia Robinson, who had a hit as a singer-songwriter with the sexually charged "Pillow Talk" but was later known as one of hip-hop's early founders as the record label owner that...
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Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth »
Civil rights leader dies at 89
DIED: October 5, 2011
JAY REEVES, The Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth refused to back down despite huge risks, enduring arrests, beatings and injuries from fire hoses aimed at blacks marching for racial equality in the segregated South of the early 1960s. He died this week at...
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Charles Napier »
Character actor dies at 75
DIED: October 5, 2011
The Associated Press BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) — His granite jaw, toothy grin and steely stare were the tools that made Charles Napier one of the most recognizable actors movie and TV audiences never heard of. From the dim-witted country music star John Belushi flimflammed in "The Blues...
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Bert Jansch »
Folk legend dies at 67
DIED: October 5, 2011
GREGORY KATZ, The Associated Press LONDON (AP) — He was quiet, modest, uncomfortable in the spotlight — not looking for No. 1 hits or commercial ditties. But when Bert Jansch picked up an acoustic guitar, people listened, often spellbound by his subtle innovation and mastery. Jansch,...
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Steve Jobs »
Founder and former CEO of Apple dies at 56
DIED: October 5, 2011
JORDAN ROBERTSON, The Associated Press CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former CEO who invented and masterfully marketed ever-sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone, died Wednesday. He was 56. Apple...
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Roger Williams »
Famed pianist dies at 87
DIED: October 8, 2011
CHRISTOPHER WEBER, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Roger Williams, the virtuoso pianist who topped the Billboard pop chart in the 1950s and played for nine U.S. presidents during a long career, died Saturday. He was 87. Williams died at his home in Los Angeles of complications from...
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Al Davis »
Oakland Raiders owner dead at 82
DIED: October 8, 2011
JOSH DUBOW, The Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Al Davis was a rebel with a cause — "Just win, baby" he exhorted his beloved Oakland Raiders. And as the NFL well knows, he was also a rebel with a subpoena. Davis, who bucked league authority time and again and won three Super...
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Joel "Taz" Digregorio »
Co-writer of 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' dies
DIED: October 12, 2011
JOE EDWARDS, The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country star Charlie Daniels says his longtime keyboardist and co-writer of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" had his own musical personality Joel "Taz" DiGregorio, 67, was killed Wednesday night in a single-car accident on Interstate...
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Dan Wheldon »
IndyCar driver dead at 33
DIED: October 16, 2011
The Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dan Wheldon, who moved to the United States from his native England with hopes of winning the Indianapolis 500 and went on to twice prevail at his sport's most famed race, died Sunday after a massive, fiery wreck at the Las Vegas Indy 300. One of the...
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Moammar Gadhafi »
Libya's leader for 42 years killed
DIED: October 20, 2011
By CHRISTOPHER GILLETTE and KIM GAMEL Associated Press SIRTE, Libya (AP) -- Moammar Gadhafi, who ruled Libya with a dictatorial grip for 42 years until he was ousted by his own people in an uprising that turned into a bloody civil war, was killed Thursday when revolutionary forces overwhelmed...
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Dorothy Rodham »
Mother of Hillary Rodham Clinton dies at 92
DIED: November 1, 2011
DOUGLASS K. DANIEL, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Dorothy Rodham, mother of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton's mother-in-law, died Tuesday at age 92 after an illness. The family said Rodham died shortly after midnight, surrounded by her...
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Andy Rooney »
Former '60 Minutes' commentator dies at 92
DIED: November 4, 2011
DAVID BAUDER, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Andy Rooney, the curmudgeonly commentator who spent more than 30 years wryly talking about the oddities of life for the TV news magazine "60 Minutes," died Friday night, CBS said. He was 92. Just a month ago, Rooney delivered his last regular...
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Joe Frazier »
Boxing great dies after fight with cancer
DIED: November 7, 2011
DAN GELSTON, The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joe Frazier had to throw his greatest punch to knock down "The Greatest." A vicious left hook from Frazier put Muhammad Ali on the canvas in the 15th round in March 1971 when he became the first man to beat him in the Fight of the...
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Heavy D »
Rap legend dead at 44
DIED: November 8, 2011
MESFIN FEKADU, The Associated Press MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (AP) — A private funeral will be held Friday in Mount Vernon for hip-hop star Heavy D, who died last week at a Los Angeles hospital after collapsing outside his home. He was 44. His family said he died of complications from pneumonia. ...
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Bil Keane »
'Family Circus' creator dies at 89
DIED: November 8, 2011
AMANDA LEE MYERS, The Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Bil Keane's "Family Circus" comics entertained readers with a simple but sublime mix of humor and traditional family values for more than a half century. The appeal endured, the author thought, because the American public needed the...
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Evelyn Lauder »
Breast health advocate dies at 75
DIED: November 12, 2011
CRISTIAN SALAZAR, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Pink was Evelyn Lauder's color. In her long career as an executive at cosmetics giant Estee Lauder Cos., the company founded by her mother-in-law, Lauder worked with many shades of red, peach, bronze and even blues, but pink was the one...
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Judy Lewis »
Daughter of Clark Gable, Loretta Young dies in Pa.
DIED: November 25, 2011
PATRICK WALTERS, The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — For decades, the identity of Judy Lewis' parents was one of the best-kept secrets in Hollywood. Not until Lewis acknowledged her story in the 1994 autobiography "Uncommon Knowledge" did the general public know the truth: Lewis was...
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Tom Wicker »
Former NYT columnist, author dies
DIED: November 25, 2011
DAVE GRAM, The Associated Press MONTPELIER, Vermont (AP) — On Nov. 22, 1963, Tom Wicker was in the first press bus following John F. Kennedy's motorcade when the president was assassinated. Wicker, The New York Times' White House correspondent, would later write in a memoir that the day was a...
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Ken Russell »
British film director dies at 84
DIED: November 27, 2011
JILL LAWLESS, The Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Director Ken Russell got Oliver Reed and Alan Bates to wrestle naked, turned Vanessa Redgrave into a demonic nun and cast Ringo Starr as the pope. Critics and mainstream audiences often hated his films. Actors and admirers loved him. The...
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Patrice O'Neal »
Stand-up comedian dies at 41
DIED: November 29, 2011
KAREN MATTHEWS, The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Veteran stand-up comic Patrice O'Neal, who gained a wider following through TV and radio and helped roast Charlie Sheen, died Tuesday from complications of a stroke he suffered last month. He was 41. O'Neal's manager, Jonathan Brandstein,...
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Chester McGlockton »
Stanford assistant coach dies at 42
DIED: November 30, 2011
JANIE McCAULEY, The Associated Press STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Chester McGlockton, a four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman who emerged as a talented assistant coach and mentor at Stanford, died Wednesday. He was 42. McGlockton also spent time helping the San Francisco 49ers and former Cardinal...
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Patricia Dunn »
Former HP chair dies after cancer bout
DIED: December 4, 2011
JORDAN ROBERTSON, The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Patricia Dunn, the former Hewlett-Packard Co. chairwoman who authorized a boardroom surveillance probe that ultimately sullied her remarkable rise from investment bank typist to the corporate upper class, has died after a long bout...
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Barbara Orbison »
Widow of Roy Orbison dies in LA
DIED: December 6, 2011
DENISE PETSKI, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Barbara Orbison, widow of rock n' roll pioneer Roy Orbison, died Tuesday on the 23rd anniversary of her husband's death, a family spokeswoman said. She was 61. Barbara Orbison died from pancreatic cancer at Keck Hospital of USC...
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Harry Morgan »
TV's Colonel Potter from 'M*A*S*H' dies at 96
DIED: December 7, 2011
GREG RISLING, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Harry Morgan never planned to be an actor, yet he spent 10 years on one of the top TV series of all time, made 50 films and appeared on Broadway. He became one of the best-known character actors in Hollywood. But it was Morgan's...
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Hector Silva »
Boston-born San Salvador mayor dies
DIED: December 8, 2011
The Associated Press
SAN SALVADOR (AP) — A Boston-born Salvadoran physician who helped the Central American nation recover from its 12-year civil war has died of a heart attack. Hector Silva was 64.
Public Works Minister Gerson Martinez said Silva collapsed at the presidential palace on...
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Bert Schneider »
'New Hollywood' producer dies at 78
DIED: December 12, 2011
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Five Easy Pieces" producer Bert Schneider, credited for inspiring a "New Hollywood" band of independent filmmakers, has died in Los Angeles at 78.
With producer-director Bob Rafelson, Schneider also created the Monkees pop band.
Daughter...
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Christopher Hitchens »
Militant pundit dies at 62
DIED: December 15, 2011
HILLEL ITALIE, The Associated Press Cancer weakened but did not soften Christopher Hitchens. He did not repent or forgive or ask for pity. As if granted diplomatic immunity, his mind's eye looked plainly upon the attack and counterattack of disease and treatments that robbed him of his hair, his...
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Kim Jong Il »
North Korean leader dead at 69
DIED: December 17, 2011
North Korea mourns Kim Jong Il; son is 'successor' RAFAEL WOBER, The Associated Press PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Koreans marched by the thousands Monday to their capital's landmarks to mourn Kim Jong Il, many crying uncontrollably and flailing their arms in grief...
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Vaclav Havel »
Hero of anti-communist revolution has died
DIED: December 18, 2011
KAREL JANICEK, The Associated Press PRAGUE (AP) — The end of Czechoslovakia's totalitarian regime was called the Velvet Revolution because of how smooth the transition seemed: Communism dead in a matter of weeks, without a shot fired. But for Vaclav Havel, it was a moment he helped pay for with...