PETE MARAVICH - January 5

Pro basketball player who mysteriously died
during a street basketball pickup game.
(An editor of this site recalls seeing Maravich the day he died -
or the day just before - doing a live basketball tricks
demonstration on a religious TV channel.)
(Age: 40.)
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TREVOR HOWARD - January 7

Actor in many well-received British movies.
(Age: 77. C.O.D.: Bronchitis and influenza.)
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HEATHER O'ROURKE - February 1

Child actress who played the youngest child in Poltergeist.
She died during emergency abdominal surgery.
(Age: 12.)
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DIVINE - March 7

Performer made famous is several John Waters-directed movies,
including Hairspray. Real name: Harris Glenn Milstead.
(Age: 42. C.O.D.: sleep apnea and related complications.)
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ANDY GIBB - March 10

Singer (Night Dancing) and brother of the always
annoying members of the Bee Gees, Maurice and Robin.
Hit the big 3-oh and it hit him back.
In fact, he died three days after said birthday.
(Age: 30. C.O.D.: Heart attack due to drug use.)
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JOHN HOLMES - March 13

Adult film actor immortalized in films like Wonderland, and spoofed in films like Boogie Nights.
(Age: 43. C.O.D.: AIDS.)
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ROBERT HEINLEIN - May 8

Influential and controversial science fiction writer,
wrote Stranger In A Strange Land and The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.
(Age: 80. C.O.D.: Emphysema and related disabilities.)
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ANDREW DUGGAN - May 15

Character actor who played in both movies and television.
On TV, best known for the series Room For One More.
(Age: 64.)
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DAWS BUTLER - May 18

Cartoon voice-over artists supreme. He did Huckleberry Hound
and many other Hanna-Barbera TV animation productions.
(Age: 71.)
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FLORIDA FRIEBUS - May 27

Actress who played Dobie Gillis' mom and "the knitting patient" on The Bob Newhart Show.
(Age: 80.)
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DENNIS DAY - June 22

Amazing Irish tenor singer on The Jack Benny Show,
performing on both the radio and TV versions.
(Age: 71.)
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JUDITH BARSI - July 25

Child actress who voiced the character Ducky in The Land Before Time,
and Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go To Heaven, and did many commercials.
Murdered by her father (who also killed her mother then himself).
Really don't have any of our usual snappy jokes for this.
Everyone draws the line somewhere, and this is it for us.
(Age: 10. C.O.D.: Murdered.)
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ALAN NAPIER - August 8

Played Alfred the butler on the 1960s Batman TV series.
(Age: 84.)
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ANNE RAMSEY - August 11

Actress best known for Throw Momma From The Train, and Goonies
(Age: 58. C.O.D.: Cancer.)
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GERT FROBE - September 5

German actor best known as Goldfinger
in the James Bond movie of the same name.
(Age: 75.)
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JOHN SYLVESTER WHITE - September 11

Actor who played the much-hated Mr. Woodman
in popular TV series Welcome Back Kotter.
(Age: 78.)
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CHARLES ADDAMS - September 29

Popular cartoonist and creator of many Addams Family one panel
black and white cartoons that later inspired the Addams Family TV series..
(Age: 76. C.O.D.: Heart attack.)
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WAYLAND FLOWERS - October 11

The developer of the "Wayland and Madam," comedy act.
Also starred on the "Madame's Place" TV series.
(Age: 48. C.O.D.: AIDS.)
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JOHN HOUSEMAN - October 31

Starred in The Paper Chase, and helped adapt
the radio version of The War of the Worlds
which stunned America, on October 31, 1938.
So he died on the 50th anniversary of that show.
Happy Halloween - you're dead!
(Age: 86.)
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BILLY CURTIS - November 9

Played one of the "city father" Munchkins in
The Wizard Of Oz, and Mordecai in High Plains Drifter.
(Age: 79.)
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JOHN CARRADINE - November 27

Longtime character actor, including
roles in The Grapes Of Wrath,
and The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance.
(Age: 82.)
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ROY ORBISON - December 6

Singer and guitarist most known for
writing and performing Pretty Woman.
(Age: 52. C.O.D.: Heart attack.)
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CHRISTOPHER CONNELLY - December 7

(Day after Roy Orbison.)
Cursed with too closely resembling Ryan O'Neal,
he played Ryan O'Neal's younger brother in
the 1960s soap opera Peyton Place,
and starred in the TV series
version of the film Paper Moon,
which had featured O'Neal.
Happy Pearl Harbor Day - you're dead!
(Age: 46. C.O.D.: Lung cancer.)
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= WELL, THAT'S ALL FOR THIS YEAR, FOLKS! BUT STAY TUNED - YOU KNOW THE GRIM REAPER AIN'T DONE WITH THOSE CELEBS YET! MEANWHILE, ON THE UPPER RIGHT YOU CAN ALWAYS CHECK OUT THE LIST OF LATE LAMENTED LAYABOUTS FROM OTHER YEARS! ENJOY! =