Red Auerbach, 89: He coached NBA's Boston Celtics to nine championships in the 50s-60s, and his "trademark" was lighting a cigar on the bench after each Celtics victory; Basketball Hall of Fame, 1969.
Ed Bradley, 65: The popular news man for CBS hosted 60 Minutes for more than 25 years, and is a former school teacher who once accepted a dare to report the local news in Philadelphia.
James Brown, 73: the legendary "Godfather of Soul"; although he had hits spanning the decades, his best selling pop single didn't come along until 1985, Living In America.
Red Buttons, 87: He got his start in vaudeville and is known mainly for stand-up comedy, he was also a song writer, and won an Academy Award for Sayonora (1957).
Mike Douglas, 81: An infamous talk show host and singer, his show ran for 21 years and included many celebrities including seven US presidents.
Nellie Connally, 87: Wife of Texas governor John Connally at the time, she was riding in JFK's Lincoln Continental limousine back in Dallas on that fateful day, December 22, 1963, and was the last remaining survivor that had been in the vehicle during the assassination.
Gerald Ford, 92: former US President who has the dubious distinction of holding both the offices of Vice President (after Spiro Agnew's resignation) and President (after Richard Nixon's resignation) without ever having been elected to those posts.
Glenn Ford, 90: He starred in his first of over 100 films back in 1939, and is best known for Gilda (1946), in which he co-starred with legendary Rita Hayworth. His career was split due to serving in WWII, in which he built houses to hide those running from the Nazis. He is a descendant of President Martin Van Buren.
Curt Gowdy, 86: One of the most prolific sports announcers of the 20th century, he called numerous World Series, Super Bowls, Olympic events, Rose Bowls, and final fours, winning 13 Emmys and a Peabody Award.
Saddam Hussein: dictator of Iraq was hanged on December 29 for ordering murders.
Steve Irwin, 44: Known as the Crocodile Hunter, the
Australian was made famous worldwide on cable TV. He died doing what
he loved best, diving and filming a TV special, after being stung in the
heart by a stingray.
Don Knotts,
81: The beloved Barney Fife from The Andy Griffith Show and
Furley from Three's Company, Griffith had originally intended for
Knotts to be the straight man but quickly reversed thinking when he realized
how comical Knotts was.
Cory Lidle, 34: Journeyman Major League Baseball pitcher, Lidle was an amateur pilot when he crashed into a Manhattan condominium in October.
Darren McGavin, 83: While his acting career began in the 1940's, he is best remembered as Kolchak in the 1974 TV series The Night Stalker, and the father in the classic holiday film A Christmas Story (1983).
Byron Nelson, 94: Considered one of the greatest golfers in the history of the game, he entered the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. His play in 1945 is thought of as the greatest year ever by a professional golfer, with 11 of his 18 victories occurring consecutively, and an average score of 68 over the year.
Buck Owens, 76: Country singer of such hits as I've Got a Tiger By the Tail and star of TV series Hee Haw, he had over twenty #1 hits on the country charts
Jack Palance, 87(?-family): The star of many Western films, he had also been a successful boxer. He is perhaps best remembered for doing one-armed pushups during his Oscar speech for City Slickers, in 1992 at the age of 73.
Christopher Penn, 40: Most notably known as actor Sean Penn's brother, he was perhaps best known as Kevin Bacon's best buddy Willard in Footloose (1984).
Wilson Pickett, 74: Known to many as the Wicked Pickett, he became a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. He was the youngest of 11 siblings, and sang Mustang Sally.
Billy Preston, 59: Such a talented keyboarder that he was asked to perform in songs with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, he had two #1 hits of his own, Will It Go 'Round in Circles and Nothing from Nothing.
Kirby Puckett, 45: Famous baseball player for the Minnesota Twins, he boasts one of the most famous homeruns in World Series history, and became a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2001.
Lou Rawls, 72: His family was abandoned by their father and raised by his grandmother, Rawls began singing in a Baptist student choir at age 7, before going on to give us such hits as You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.
Joe
Rosenthal, 94: famed Pulitzer prize-winning photographer snapped one
of the most infamous photos ever after the Iwo Jima battle of World War II.
Bo Schembechler, 77: Famous Michigan college football coach, he passed away on the set of a TV interview on the eve of the #1 Ohio State - #2 Michigan football game. He had also been President of baseball's Detroit Tigers in the early 90s.
Aaron Spelling, 83: in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful TV producer ever, he gave us Charlie's Angels, The Mod Squad, Dynasty, Fantasy Island, and Beverly Hills 90210 (starring daughter Tori).
Shelley Winters, 85: She roomed with Marilyn Monroe when they were beginning their careers, and starred in over 100 films including 1972's The Poseidon Adventure.
Jane Wyatt, 96: Best known as the mother on the 50s TV series Father Knows Best, she was also a sought after actress on Broadway and the big screen.
