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Mercnbeth -> Dead Pool - 2007 a year in review. (1/2/2008 12:53:55 PM)
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If you see your name - stop reading...
JANUARY
Darrent Williams, 24. Denver Broncos cornerback. Jan. 1. Shooting.
Teddy Kollek, 95. Six-term mayor of Jerusalem; tried to balance needs of Jewish and Arab populations. Jan. 2.
Vincent Sardi Jr., 91. Consummate host of Sardi's, famed Broadway watering hole. Jan. 4.
Bobby Hamilton, 49. NASCAR driver who won the 2001 Talladega 500. Jan. 7. Cancer.
Yvonne De Carlo, 84. The vampire mom on "The Munsters." Jan. 8.
Carlo Ponti, 94. Italian producer who discovered -- and married -- Sophia Loren. Jan. 9.
Michael Brecker, 57. Versatile tenor saxophonist; won 11 Grammys. Jan. 13.
Art Buchwald, 81. Pulitzer-winning humorist who skewered Washington's elite. Jan. 17.
Denny Doherty, 66. Member of 1960s folk-rock group the Mamas and the Papas ("California Dreamin'.") Jan. 19.
E. Howard Hunt, 88. He helped organize the Watergate break-in. Jan. 23.
Eleanor McGovern, 85. George McGovern's wife; outspoken campaigner in his 1972 presidential run. Jan. 25.
The Rev. Robert Drinan, 86. Priest who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House during the 1970s. Jan. 28.
Gordon S. Macklin, 79. A founder and longtime president of Nasdaq stock market. Jan. 30.
Sidney Sheldon, 89. Stage and screen writer turned best-selling novelist ("The Other Side of Midnight.") Jan. 30.
FEBRUARY
Gian Carlo Menotti, 95. Pulitzer-winning Italian composer ("The Consul," "Amahl and the Night Visitors"); founded Spoleto arts festivals. Feb. 1.
Frankie Laine, 93. Big-voiced singer; one of the most popular entertainers of the 1950s ("That Lucky Old Sun.") Feb. 6.
Anna Nicole Smith, 39. Model, Playboy Playmate of the Year and sometime actress. Feb. 8. Accidental overdose of medication.
Robert Adler, 93. Co-inventor of the TV remote, the 1956 Zenith Space Command. Feb. 15.
David Berger, 94. Class-action lawsuit pioneer who won major cases in the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. Feb. 22.
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., 89. Pulitzer-winning historian; Kennedy administration "court philosopher." Feb. 28.
MARCH
Thomas Eagleton, 77. Former senator who resigned as George McGovern's running mate in 1972 after it was revealed he had been hospitalized for depression. March 4.
Ernest Gallo, 97. With his brother, he built the world's largest winemaking empire. March 6.
Betty Hutton, 86. Singer-actress who brought brassy vitality to Hollywood musicals ("Annie Get Your Gun.") March 11.
Bowie Kuhn, 80. Baseball commissioner during development of free agency, multimillion-dollar contracts. March 15.
John Backus, 82. Developer of Fortran programming language that changed how people interacted with computers. March 17.
G.E. Patterson, 67. Presiding bishop of 6 million-member Church of God in Christ. March 20.
Walter Turnbull, 62. Founded acclaimed Boys Choir of Harlem. March 23.
Robert E. Petersen, 80. Publisher whose Hot Rod, Motor Trend magazines helped shape car culture. March 23.
Tosiwo Nakayama, 75. First president of Federated States of Micronesia as it emerged from U.S. control. March 29.
APRIL
William Becker, 85. Co-founded the Motel 6 chain. April 2.
Eddie Robinson, 88. Longtime Grambling coach; transformed small college into a football power. April 3.
Nina Wang, 69. Hong Kong businesswoman; one of world's richest women. April 3.
Darryl Stingley, 55. New England Patriots player paralyzed during on-field collision in 1978. April 5. Complications of paralysis.
Johnny Hart, 76. Cartoonist whose "B.C." showed the Stone Age's humorous side. April 7.
Kurt Vonnegut, 84. Novelist who captured the absurdity of the world in darkly humorous works such as "Slaughterhouse-Five." April 11.
Don Ho, 76. Hawaiian crooner ("Tiny Bubbles"); entertained tourists. April 14.
Kitty Carlisle Hart, 96. Singer-actress; career spanned Broadway, opera, television and film ("A Night at the Opera.") April 17.
David Halberstam, 73. Journalist whose books included towering study of Vietnam War, poignant portrait of aging baseball stars. April 23.
Boris Yeltsin, 76. Former Russian president who helped bring demise of Soviet Union. April 23.
Warren Avis, 92. Founded Avis Rent A Car. April 24.
Jack Valenti, 85. Film industry lobbyist; instituted modern movie ratings system. April 26.
Mstislav Rostropovich, 80. Ebullient master cellist who fought for the rights of Soviet-era dissidents. April 27.
Tom Poston, 85. The tall, pasty-faced TV comic whose characters were clueless. ("Newhart.") April 30.
MAY
Walter M. Schirra Jr., 84. An original Mercury Seven astronaut, who combined the Right Stuff with a pronounced rebellious streak. May 3.
Yahweh Ben Yahweh, 71. Former cult leader in Miami linked to nearly two dozen gruesome killings in the 1980s. May 7.
The Rev. Jerry Falwell, 73. Evangelist who used the power of television to transform the religious right into a mighty political force. May 15.
Yolanda King, 51. Actress and activist; daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King. May 15.
Charles Nelson Reilly, 76. Tony Award winner; known for ribald TV game show appearances. May 25.
Paul Yost, 87. Pioneer of hot-air ballooning. May 27.
Barbara Cox Anthony, 84. Heiress to Cox media fortune; one of world's richest women. May 28.
Preston Martin, 83. Top Federal Reserve official; helped create Freddie Mac. May 30.
JUNE
Wiley Mayne, 90. Four-term Iowa congressman; one of 10 Republicans who voted not to impeach President Nixon. June 3.
Bill France Jr., 74. Transformed NASCAR from a small Southern sport into a billion-dollar conglomerate. June 4.
Edwin Traisman, 91. Food scientist; helped develop Cheez Whiz. June 5.
Don Herbert, 89. Television's "Mr. Wizard." June 12.
Baron Guy de Rothschild, 98. Managed his family's French banking empire. June 12.
Ruth Graham, 87. Rev. Billy Graham's closest confidante, providing a solid foundation for her husband's evangelism career. June 14.
Kurt Waldheim, 88. U.N. secretary-general; Austrian president; was revealed to have been in German army unit that committed atrocities in World War II. June 14.
Bob Evans, 89. Created namesake restaurant chain. June 21.
Charles W. Lindberg, 86. Helped raise first American flag over Iwo Jima. June 24.
Chris Benoit, 40. World Wrestling Entertainment star. Found June 25; apparent suicide after killing wife, 7-year-old son.
Liz Claiborne, 78. Her fashion designs became a cornerstone of career women's wardrobes. June 26.
Joel Siegel, 63. "Good Morning America" movie critic. June 29.
JULY
Beverly Sills, 78. Opera diva with a dazzling voice, bubbly personality. July 2.
Boots Randolph, 80. His spirited saxophone made "Yakety Sax" a hit. July 3.
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, 68. Pioneer of the modern historical romance novel ("The Flame and the Flower.") July 6.
Doug Marlette, 57. Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist, creator of comic strip "Kudzu." July 10. Car accident.
Lady Bird Johnson, 94. Former first lady who championed conservation, worked tenaciously for the political career of her husband, Lyndon B. Johnson. July 11.
Tammy Faye Messner, 65. Helped then-husband Jim Bakker build a TV evangelism empire that later collapsed in disgrace. July 20.
Laszlo Kovacs, 74. Influential cinematographer ("Easy Rider," "Five Easy Pieces.") July 22.
Mohammad Zahir Shah, 92. Afghanistan's last king. July 23.
Alan Pottasch, 79. PepsiCo. exec whose '60s ads dubbed baby boomers "the Pepsi Generation." July 27.
Tom Snyder, 71. Late-late night TV talk show host with a robust laugh, trademark cloud of cigarette smoke. July 29.
Ingmar Bergman, 87. Swedish filmmaker; one of the greatest in cinema history ("The Seventh Seal," "Cries and Whispers.") July 30.
Michelangelo Antonioni, 94. Italian filmmaker whose depiction of modern-day malaise made him a symbol of art-house cinema ("Blow- Up," "L'Avventura.") July 30.
AUGUST
Merv Griffin, 82. Singer turned TV host turned impresario who parlayed game shows into a multimillion-dollar empire. Aug. 12.
Brooke Astor, 105. Philanthropist who gave millions to New York City institutions, large and small. Aug. 13.
Phil Rizzuto, 89. Hall of Fame Yankee shortstop; sportscaster much loved for exclaiming "Holy cow!" Aug. 13.
Max Roach, 83. Jazz drummer whose rhythmic innovations defined bebop. Aug. 16.
Michael K. Deaver, 69. Adviser to Ronald Reagan who directed the president's picturesque public appearances. Aug. 18.
Leona Helmsley, 87. Ran a $5 billion real estate empire with her husband but became known as the "queen of mean" during her 1989 tax evasion trial. Aug. 20.
Butch van Breda Kolff, 84. Led the Los Angeles Lakers to two NBA finals appearances, won 482 games as a college coach. Aug. 22.
Hilly Kristal, 75. His Manhattan club CBGB served as birthplace of punk rock. Aug. 28.
Paul MacCready, 81. Designed the Gossamer Condor flying machine, which in 1977 made the first sustained, controlled flight powered solely by human muscle. Aug. 28.
Richard Jewell, 44. Former security guard wrongly linked to 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta. Aug. 29. Heart disease.
SEPTEMBER
The Rev. D. James Kennedy, 76. Megachurch pastor; prominent Christian broadcaster. Sept. 5.
Luciano Pavarotti, 71. Opera superstar hailed as "king of the high C's." Sept. 6.
Madeleine L'Engle, 88. Author who captivated children with "A Wrinkle in Time." Sept. 6.
Jane Wyman, 90. Won Oscar as deaf rape victim in "Johnny Belinda"; later in TV's "Falcon Crest." Ronald Reagan's ex-wife. Sept. 10.
Robert Jordan, 58. Author of "Wheel of Time" fantasy novels. Sept. 16. Blood disease.
The Rev. Rex Humbard, 88. His televangelism ministry once spanned the globe. Sept. 21.
Marcel Marceau, 84. French master of pantomime who transformed silence into poetry. Sept. 22. (Did anyone hear that?)
Wally Parks, 94. Founded National Hot Rod Association, helping turn drag racing into legitimate sport. Sept. 28.
OCTOBER
Al Oerter, 71. Discus great who won gold medals in four Olympics. Oct. 1.
Vernon Bellecourt, 75. Fought use of Indian nicknames for teams as a leader of the American Indian Movement. Oct. 13.
Deborah Kerr, 86. Actress who kissed Burt Lancaster on a beach in "From Here to Eternity" and danced with Yul Brynner in "The King and I." Oct. 16.
Barbara West Dainton, 96. Englishwoman believed to be one of the last two survivors from the Titanic. Oct. 16.
Joey Bishop, 89. Stone-faced TV and nightclub comedian; last of the Rat Pack. Oct. 17.
Teresa Brewer, 76. She topped the charts in the 1950s ("Till I Waltz Again With You.") Oct. 17.
William Crowe, 82. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ambassador to Britain. Oct. 18.
Max McGee, 75. Hero of first Super Bowl in 1967, helping Green Bay beat Kansas City 35-10. Oct. 20.
Dr. Arthur Kornberg, 89. His test-tube synthesis of DNA earned a 1959 Nobel Prize. Oct. 26.
Porter Wagoner, 80. Grand Ole Opry star; helped launch the career of Dolly Parton. Oct. 28.
Robert Goulet, 73. Baritone made Broadway debut in "Camelot;" won Tony in 1968 for "The Happy Time." Oct. 30.
NOVEMBER
Paul Tibbets, 92. Piloted the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Nov. 1.
Norman Mailer, 84. The pugnacious prince of American letters. Nov. 10.
Delbert Mann, 87. Directed "Marty," classic lonely-guy teleplay that became Oscar-winning film. Nov. 11.
Ira Levin, 78. Best-selling novelist ("Rosemary's Baby," "The Boys From Brazil.") Nov. 12.
Dick Wilson, 91. Played the fussy, mustachioed grocer who begged customers "Please, don't squeeze the Charmin." Nov. 19.
Dr. J. Robert Cade, 80. Inventor of Gatorade. Nov. 27.
Bill Hartack, 74. Hall of Fame jockey; one of only two to win five Kentucky Derbys. Nov. 26.
Bill Willis, 86. Hall of Fame guard with the Cleveland Browns; Ohio State's first black football All-American. Nov. 27.
Sean Taylor, 24. Washington Redskins' star safety; known as one of the hardest hitters in the NFL. Nov. 27. Shot in his home.
Henry Hyde, 83. Illinois congressman steered impeachment proceedings against President Clinton. Nov. 29.
Roger B. Smith, 82. Led General Motors Corp.; was subject of Michael Moore's documentary "Roger & Me." Nov. 29.
Evel Knievel, 69. Motorcycle daredevil known for spectacular jumps and bone-crushing crashes. Nov. 30.
DECEMBER
Roger M. King, 63. CBS/King World Productions exec; helped bring such stars as Oprah Winfrey to TV. Dec. 8.
Ike Turner, 76. Rock innovator who teamed with wife Tina Turner (and denied abusing her). Dec. 12.
Dan Fogelberg, 56. His gentle, poignant hits ("Longer," "Leader of the Band") helped define soft-rock. Dec. 16.
Michael Kidd, 92. Choreographer whose athletic dances for stage and screen ("Seven Brides for Seven Brothers") won him five Tonys and a special Oscar. Dec. 23.
Oscar Peterson, 82. Jazz pianist whose hard-driving swing and melodic improvs were hugely influential. Dec. 23.
Benazir Bhutto, 54. Served twice as Pakistan's prime minister. Returned as an opposition leader and was assassinated in a suicide attack. Dec. 27.
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