36 Celebrities Confirmed Dead

The entertainment industry suffered huge losses over the last month with the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays. With those deaths came the rumored demise of several other celebrities, along with mass confusion. To put rumors to rest, we CONFIRMED this list of 36 (plus four) deceased celebrities:

Billy Mays

Confirmed Dead. Pitchman Billy Mays died in his sleep on June 28, 2009 from heart disease. The Internet mourned Mays by declaring June 28 ALL CAPS DAY.

Michael Jackson

Confirmed Dead. This confirmation of death was slow coming, as TMZ was first to report the King of Pop had died, but other news outlets failed to confirm the death for nearly half an hour. Jackson died on June 25, 2009, apparently from an accidental prescription drug overdose.

Farrah Fawcett

Confirmed Dead. Farrah Faucett was an actress who became a pop culture icon and sex symbol in the 1970s. She was nominated for multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Awards and rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the television series Charlie’s Angels in 1976. Fawcett died on June 25, 2009 after a long battle with cancer.

Ed McMahon

Confirmed Dead. McMahon suffered from cancer and died from pneumonia on June 23, 2009. He was a decorated war veteran, a comedian, game show host, announcer, and television personality. Near the end of his life he was plagued with financial problems and faced foreclosure on his home.

David Carradine, actor, d. June 2, 2009

Confirmed Dead.

Carradine appeared in more than 100 feature films and starred in Kill Bill, Kung Fu and other TV Westerns. He was nominated four times for the Golden Globe Award. Carridine was found dead in his hotel room in Bankok, Thailand on June 29, 2009. Police reports indicate he was found hanging by a rope in the closet. Foul play and suicide were ruled out as causes of death.

Carradine was married five times. He had one son named “Free,” who now goes by the name Tom, with his domestic partner Barbara Hershey and one daughter named Calista, with his first wife, Donna.

Dom DeLuise, actor/comedian, d. May 4, 2009

Confirmed Dead.

Born Dominick DeLuise on August 1, 1933, Dom died of kidney failure and respiratory complications from diabetes and high blood pressure on May 4, 2009 in Santa Monica, CA. He is survived by wife Carol Arthur and three children.

As an actor, DeLuise mainly played comedic roles and in the 70s often co-starred with Burt Reynolds. He is fondly remembered from such movies as The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II, Smokey and the Bandit II, The End, All Dogs Go to Heaven and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. He also hosted the television show Candid Camera from 1991 to 1992.

DeLuise was cremated and his ashes were buried with his parents in New York.

Bea Arthur, actor, d. April 25, 2009

Confirmed Dead.

Born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in New York City, many knew Bea Arthur for her husky voice and sharp wit. She died on April 25, 2009 in Los Angeles to cancer.

Arthur’s career spanned six decades. She achieved fame in the 70s as Maude Findlay on the sitcom “Maude” and was later loved on Golden Girls as Dorothy. She won for Emmy Awards for both roles. She was also an accomplished stage actress, both before and after her television success. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Vera Charles in the original cast of Mame in 1966.

Arthur was married twice and had two adopted sons. She was an animal rights activist and supported PETA and also worked throughout her life for civil rights for women, the elderly and the LGBT community

Marilyn Chambers, aka Marilyn Ann Briggs, porn star, d. April 12, 2009

Confirmed Dead.

Born Marilyn Ann Briggs in Providence, Rhode Island on April 22, 1952, she performed as the cover girl on the Ivory Snow soap box where she posed holding a baby. She led a successful porn career, and recently did a voiceover in Porndogs: The Adventures of Sadie (2009). She died on April 12, 2009 in Santa Clarita California of a cerebral hemorrhage following an aortic aneurysm.

Chambers achieved fame as a porn star and was also an exotic dancer, model, actress and vice-presidential candidate. She was best known for her 1972 hardcore film debut Behind the Green Door.

Natasha Richardson, actor, d. March 18, 2009

Confirmed Dead.

Born Natasha Jane Richardson in London on May 11, 1963, Tasha appeared in many movies between 1986 and 2008. She died on March 18, 2008 of an epidural hematoma she received while skiing in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada.

Richardson she was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and director/producer Tony Richardson and the granddaughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson. She was married twice. Her first marriage to filmmaker Robert Fox ended in divorce in 1992. In 1994 she married Liam Neeson, who she met when the two appeared in Anna Christie. The couple had two sons, Micheál and Daniel.

Paul Harvey, radio broadcaster, d. February 28, 2009

Confirmed Dead.

Paul Harvey died on February 28, 2009 in a Phoenix hospital. He was born on September 4, 1918 and liked to say he was raised in a newsroom. His “And now you know the rest of the story…” segments on his radio show were famous and his listening audience was estimated at 22 million people a week.

Harvey’s delivery made him one of a kind. He inserted dramatic pauses that hooked listeners and was folksy enough for millions to feel a connection He was able to seamlessly segue from his monologue into commercial messages and was extremely loyal to his sponsors.

Bettie Page, pinup girl/Playboy centerfold, d. December 11, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Bettie Mae Page and known as “The Girl with the Perfect Figure”, she led a mythic and tragic life. She died on December 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, California after suffering a heart attack.

Bettie Page became famous in the 1950s for her fetish modeling and pin-up photos. Her jet black hair, pale skin and trademark bangs, has influenced many artists.

Her later life was marked by depression and violent mood swings. She spent several years in a state mental institution. In the 1960s, she converted to Christianity, went into seclusion and served as a Baptist missionary in Angola.

Eartha Kitt, singer, d. December 25, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Eartha Mae Keith on January 17, 1927, she was an American actress, singer, and cabaret star. She played Catwoman for the third season of the 1960s Batman television series. Eartha died on December 25, 2008 from colon cancer.

Eartha Kitt was perhaps best known for her 1953 Christmas song “Santa Baby” and Orson Welles once called her the “most exciting woman in the world.”

She had one daughter, Kitt, and two grandchildren.

Michael Crichton, writer, d. November 4, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born John Michael Crichton on October 23, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, most people know Michael Crichton for writing Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain, and ER. He died on November 4, 2008 from cancer.

Crichton was an author, producer, director, screenwriter, and physician who was best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted into films. In 1994 he became the only creative artist to ever have three works simultaneously charting at #1 in television, as creator of ER; in film, with the adaptation of Jurassic Park; and in book sales, with Disclosure.

Paul Newman, philanthropist/actor/race car driver, d. September 26, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Paul Leonard Newman on January 26, 1925, many recognize him as Cool Hand Luke or Fast Eddie Felson. He died on September 26, 2008 from lung cancer.

Newman was an actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and auto racing enthusiast. He won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for his performance in the 1986 Martin Scorsese film The Color of Money and eight other nominations, three Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, an Emmy award, and many honorary awards.

He also won several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing, and his race teams won several championships in open wheel IndyCar racing.

Newman was a co-founder of Newman’s Own, a food company from which Newman donated all post-tax profits and royalties to charity. As of October 2008, these donations had exceeded $250 million

Don LaFontaine, voice-over actor, d. September 1, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Donald Leroy LaFontaine on August 26, 1940, LaFontaine did the voice-over for more than 5,000 movie trailers (often leading off with “In a world…”), and thousands of television commercials. He also did voiceovers for many network promotions and video game trailers. He satirized himself in ads for Geico and the New York lottery.

Don died of a collapsed lung on September 1, 2008. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, California.

Jerry Reed, singer/actor, d. September 1, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Jerry Reed Hubbard on March 20, 1937, people knew Jerry for his country song “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot,” and his role in the Smokey and the Bandit flicks. He died September 1, 2008 from complications from emphysema.

Reed was a country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter, and actor who appeared in over a dozen films. As a singer, he may be best known for “(Who Was The Man Who Put) The Line In Gasoline,” “Lord, Mr. Ford (What Have You Done),” “Amos Moses.” He received the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 1972 for “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” and “East Bound and Down”, the theme song for the film Smokey and the Bandit.

Isaac Hayes, actor/songwriter/voice of Chef, d. August 10, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. on August 20, 1942, many knew Ike as the voice of Chef from South Park. The Black Moses died on August 10, 2008 of a stroke.

Hayes was a singer-songwriter, actor and musician. He was one of the main creative forces behind southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served as both an in-house songwriter and producer with partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Hayes & Porter were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of their string of successful hit songs in the late 1960s. Their hit song “Soul Man” by Sam & Dave has been recognized as one of the best or most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone magazine, and the RIAA Songs of the Century.

Bernie Mac, actor, d. August 9, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough on October 5, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois, many knew this tall actor from Friday, Booty Call, and The Bernie Mac Show. Mac suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body’s organs, but had said the condition was in remission in 2005. He died on August 9, 2008 due to complications from pneumonia.

Mac briefly hosted the HBO show Midnight Mac, and WHO U WIT and had smaller roles in several films. His most notable film appearance was as Frank Catton in the remake Ocean’s Eleven and its two sequels. He earned two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for The Bernie Mac Show, which ran from 2001-2006. He also had starring roles in Friday, Bad Santa, Head of State, Pride, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Guess Who, Madagascar 2 and Soul Men, which was one of his final films.

Estelle Getty, actor, d. July 22, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Estelle Scher on July 25, 1923 in New York City, this tiny actor began her acting career in 1978. She was the daughter of Sarah and Charles Scher, Jewish immigrants from Poland who worked in the glass business. Getty got her start in the Yiddish theater and also as a comedienne in the Catskills borscht belt resorts. Among her most notable stage roles was as Harvey Fierstein’s mother in Torch Song Trilogy during its original Broadway run.

Many remember Getty from her long-running role as Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls from 1985 to 1992 and The Golden Palace from 1992 to 1993. She also appeared on Empty Nest from 1993 to 1995.

She died of Lewy Body Dementia in Hollywood, California, on July 22, 2008.

George Carlin, comedian, d. June 22, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born George Denis Patrick Carlin on May 12, 1937, many will remember Carlin for his amazing wit and comedy. He was a brilliant stand-up comedian and was also an actor and author. He won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums.

Carlin was known for his dark humor, which chronicled his thoughts on politics, the English language, psychology, religion, and various taboo subjects. Carlin and his “Seven Dirty Words” comedy routine were central to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a narrow 5–4 decision by the justices affirmed the government’s power to regulate indecent material on the public airwaves.

He filmed the first of his 14 stand-up comedy specials for HBO in 1977. In the 1990s and 2000s, Carlin’s routines focused on the flaws in modern society. He often took on contemporary political issues in the United States and satirized the excesses of American culture. His final HBO special, It’s Bad for Ya, was filmed less than four months before his death.

Carlin was placed second on the Comedy Central cable television network list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians, ahead of Lenny Bruce and behind Richard Pryor. He was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show during the three-decade Johnny Carson era, and hosted the very first episode of Saturday Night Live.

Carlin died on June 22, 2008 of heart failure.

Tim Russert, political analyst, d. June 13, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Timothy John Russert on May 7, 1950 in Buffalo, New York, many will remember Tim as a political analyst and Buffalo Bills fan. He died on June 13, 2008 in Washington, DC, from a heart attack.

Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview program Tim Russert. He was also a frequent correspondent and guest on NBC’s The Today Show and Hardball.

Russert covered several presidential elections, and he presented the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey on the NBC Nightly News during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Time magazine included Russert in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. Russert was posthumously revealed as a 30-year source for syndicated columnist Robert Novak.

Bo Diddley, musician, d. June 2, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Ellas Otha Bates on December 30, 1928, in McComb, Mississippi, everyone will remember The Originator as an influential musician. Bo Diddley died on June 2, 2008 in Archer, Florida due to heart failure.

Bo Diddley was an original and influential rock & roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was known as “The Originator” because of his key role in the transition from blues music to rock & roll, which influenced a number of legendary acts including Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. He incorporated more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard-edged guitar sound into a wide-ranging catalog of songs. He was also known for his technical innovations, including his trademark rectangular guitar.

Diddley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Harvey Korman, actor/comedian, d. May 29, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Harvey Herschel Korman on February 15, 1927, many remember Harvey from the role of Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles. This tall actor died on May 29, 2008 at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles due to complications from rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurism.

Korman was a comedic actor who began performing in television and movie productions in 1960. He got his big break when he was a featured performer on The Danny Kaye Show, but he was probably best remembered for his performances on the sketch comedy series The Carol Burnett Show and in Mel Brooks’ comedy films.

Charlton Heston, actor, d. April 5, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1923, Chuck won hearts for his performance in Ben Hur. He died on April 5, 2008 in Beverly Hills, CA due to symptoms consistent with Alzheimer’s disease.

Heston was an actor of film, theater and television. He was known for having played heroic roles, such as Moses in The Ten Commandments, Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar in El Cid, and Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

In the 1950s and 1960s he was one of a handful of Hollywood actors to speak openly against racism and was an active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. He was Initially a moderate Democrat, but he later supported conservative politics. He served as president of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003.

Heath Ledger, actor, d. January 22, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Heath Andrew Ledger on April 4, 1979 in Perth, Australia, he played many roles starting in 1992. Heath died on January 22, 2008 in Manhattan at the age of 28 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

Ledger performed roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, then moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career. His work includes nineteen films, most notably 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), The Patriot (2000), Monster’s Ball (2001), A Knight’s Tale (2001), Brokeback Mountain (2005), and The Dark Knight (2008). He also produced and directed music videos and aspired to be a film director.

He won the 2005 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor For his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain and was nominated for the 2005 Academy Award for Best Actor and the 2006 Best Actor award from the BAFTA.

Posthumously, Ledger was nominated and won awards for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Best Actor International Award at the 2008 Australian Film Institute Awards, for which he became the first actor to win an award posthumously, the 2008 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor, the 2009 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a motion picture and the 2009 BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Suzanne Pleshette, actor, d. January 19, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born on January 31, 1937, Suzanne played Annie Hayworth in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” and as Bob Newhart’s wife Emily Hartley on “The Bob Newhart Show.” She died on January 19, 2008 in Los Angeles, California due to respiratory failure as a result of lung cancer.

Pleshette was a stage, screen and television actress. She began her career in theatre and landed film roles in the early 1960s.She received Emmy Award nominations for her work on The Bob Newhart Show. She continued acting until 2004.

Christopher Bowman, skater/actor, d. January 10, 2008

Confirmed Dead.

Born Christopher Nicol Bowman on March 30, 1967, Christopher did stunts in movies such as Lost Boys and License to Drive. He died on January 10, 2008 in Mission Hills, California due to an accidental combination of prescription medication and alcohol, and an undiagnosed enlarged heart.

As a child, Bowman appeared in television commercials, and on two episodes of the TV series Little House on the Prairie.

As a figure skater, he was coached by Frank Carroll for eighteen years, a relationship that ended after the 1990 World Championships. Later, Bowman was coached by Toller Cranston and then John Nicks. In Inside Edge by Christine Brennan, Bowman admitted to having had a $950 a day cocaine habit during his eligible career, and that he had checked into the Betty Ford Center before the 1988 Olympic Games.

During his skating career he was known as “Bowman the Showman” for his crowd-pleasing performances. He was a two-time U.S. national champion and two-time World medalist. He won the 1983 World Junior Figure Skating Championships and competed in two Olympic Winter Games, placing 7th in 1988 and 4th in 1992. He retired from competitive skating after the 1992 World Championships, and toured with Ice Capades the following year. He left the tour when Ice Capades was purchased by Dorothy Hamill in 1993.

Dan Fogelberg, singer/songwriter, d. December 16, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Fogelberg died December 16, 2007 from prostate cancer. He was born August 13, 1951 and Sang and wrote classic pop, like “Leader of the Band”, “Longer” and “Same Auld Lang Syne”. His music was inspired by sources as diverse as folk, pop, classical, jazz, and bluegrass music.

Fogelberg’s mother was a Scottish immigrant, and his father was of Swedish descent. His father was the inspiration for the song “Leader of the Band.”

Dan taught himself to play a Hawaiian slide guitar, which was given to him by his grandfather, using a Mel Bay course book. He started his music career at age 14 when he joined his first band, The Clan, which paid homage to The Beatles. His second band was another cover combo, The Coachmen, who in 1967 released two singles on Ledger Records: “Maybe Time Will Let Me Forget” and “Don’t Want To Lose Her.”

Ike Turner, singer/songwriter, d. December 12, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Turner died from a cocaine overdose on December 12, 2007. He was born November 5, 1931 and wasted a potentially great career, Proud Mary.

Turner was a musician, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer who is considered to be one of the fathers of rock and roll. His first recording, “Rocket 88″ by “Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats,” in 1951, is considered by some to be the first rock and roll song. He is best remembered for his work with his ex-wife Tina Turner as one half of the Ike & Tina Turner revue.

His career spanned half a century and he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. In 2001 was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Turner also won two Grammy Awards.

Evel Knievel, daredevil, d. November 30, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Robert Craig Knievel, better known as Evel Knievel, was a popular motorcycle daredevil and entertainer between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Knievel’s nationally televised motorcycle jumps, including his 1974 attempt to jump Snake River Canyon at Twin Falls, Idaho, represent four of the twenty most-watched ABC’s Wide World of Sports events to date. His achievements and failures, including his record 37 broken bones, earned him several entries in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Kneivel died on November 30, 2007 from complications stemming from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis.

Norman Mailer, writer, d. November 10, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Norman Kingsley Mailer, a novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter and film director in the U.S died from kidney failure on November 10, 2007. He is considered one of the innovators of narrative nonfiction, a genre that is often called New Journalism. He received the Pulitzer Prize twice and the National Book Award once.

He was a controversial, pugnacious writer, acclaimed for his first novel The Naked and the Dead, he was considered counter-cultural in the ’50s and helped found The Village Voice.

In 2005, Mailer won the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from The National Book Foundation.

Porter Wagoner, country singer, d. October 28, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Porter Wayne Wagoner was born on August 12, 1927 and died from lung cancer on October 28, 2007. He was a popular country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour.

He had a long-running TV show and his “Green, Green Grass of Home” helped launch the career of Dolly Parton. He and Parton became a well-known duet team in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

During his career, Wagoner charted 81 singles and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Marcel Marceau, mime, d. September 22, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Marceau died on September 22, 2007. The French mime was born March 22, 1923 and had the only spoken line in Silent Movie. He was a member of the French Resistance and helped hide Jewish children from the Nazis. He later served as a translator for US troops.

Marceau created “Bip” the clown in 1947. Bip’s striped pullover and battered, beflowered silk opera hat signified the fragility of life and the character became his alter ego. His silent exercises, which include such classic works as The Cage, Walking Against the Wind, The Mask Maker, and In The Park, as well as satires on everything from sculptors to matadors, have been described as works of genius.

Jane Wyman, actress, d. September 10, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Wyman died on September 10, 2007. She was born on January 5, 1917. She was the ex-wife of Ronald Regan and starred on Falcon Crest.

Jane Wyman was born on January 5, 1917 and died on September 10, 2007 from natural causes. She was a prolific actress who began her film career in the 1930s, and was active for two decades. She received an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Johnny Belinda (1948), and later achieved success during the 1980s for her leading role in the television series Falcon Crest.

Wyman married Ronald Reagan in 1940. The couple divorced in 1948. To date, she is the only woman to have been an ex-wife of a U.S. president.

Luciano Pavarotti, opera star, d. September 6, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Luciano Pavarotti was born on October 1935 and died from pancreatic cancer on September 6, 2007. He was an Italian operatic tenor, who also crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most commercially successful tenors of all time. He was one of “The Three Tenors” and became well-known for his televised concerts and media appearances.

Pavarotti did charity work on behalf of refugees, the Red Cross and other charities. He and Michael Jackson teamed up for a benefit concert in 1999 in Modena, Italy to support of the non-profit organization Warchild. The artists raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo and also donated money to help the children of Guatemala.

Steve Fossett, pilot/aviation record-holder, d. September 3, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

James Stephen Fossett was born on April 22, 1944 and died in a plane crash in Nevada on September 3, 2007. He was a businessman, aviator, sailor, and adventurer and the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon. He made his fortune in the financial services industry, and was best known for many world records, including five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a long-distance solo balloonist, as a sailor, and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot.

Despite massive search efforts, Fossett’s remains were not found until long after the search efforts had been called off. He was declared legally dead on February 15, 2008, before his remains were discovered and positively identified.

Merv Griffin, singer/producer, d. August 12, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Merv Griffin was born in California into an extremely poor Irish family on July 5, 1925. He died from prostate cancer on August 12, 2007.

Griffin became a television host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer and went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. During the 1960s, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show, and created the game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.

He was a billionaire at the time of his death and is considered an entertainment business magnate.

Ingmar Bergman, director,  d. July 30, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Ingmar Bergman was born on July 14, 1918 and died on July 30, 2007.  He was a Swedish film director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. His work was very influential and often dealt with themes such as bleakness and despair and comedy and hope.

Bergman was described by Woody Allen as “probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera.” He is recognized as one of the most accomplished and influential film-makers of modern cinema. During his six decade career, he directed sixty-two films, most of which he also wrote, and directed over one hundred and seventy plays.

Tom Snyder, talk show host, d. July 29, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Snyder died of leukemia on July 29, 2007. He was born on May 12, 1936 and starred on The Tomorrow Show and The Late, Late Show. He was a news anchor on NBC television network in the late 1970s and 1980s and appeared on the CBS Television Network in the 1990s.

Snyder began his education in pre-med, but recognizing his love of media, changed his major to journalism. His unique conversational style with his guests set him apart from other television personalities. He was known for smoking cigarettes during the show while he asked hard-hitting questions and interjected his own personal observations.

Anna Nicole Smith, model, d. February 8, 2007

Confirmed Dead.

Smith died from an accidental drug overdose on February 8, 2007. She was born on November 28, 1967 and became a spokesmodel, Playboy centerfold and sex symbol.

Born Vickie Lynn Marshall on November 28, 1967, Smith dropped out of high school at 17 and married. She divorced and later married oil business executive and billionaire J. Howard Marshall, who was 63 years her senior. After Marshall’s death, a lengthy legal battle ensued, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Breaking: Jeff Goldblum, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Britney Spears, Harrison Ford, Rick Astley, Miley Cyrus and Abe Vigoda are still alive.