Ted Kennedy Dies

Senator Ted Kennedy passed away at the age of 77 on Tuesday night. He was at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts when he lost his year-long battle with brain cancer. The brother of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, he was one of the most influential and longest-serving senators in U.S history, elected at the age of 30 in 1962. He was a huge advocate of health care reform, and President Obama recently awarded him the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Kennedy family stated, "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it."

Natasha Richardson has passed away

Liam Neeson and family have released the following statment regarding the untimely and tragic death of Natasha Richardson:

"Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."

Our thoughts and prayers are definitely with the family as they deal with this terrible tragedy.

BREAKING NEWS: Michael Crichton Dead

Best selling author Michael Crichton died unexpectedly in Los Angeles after what his reps call a "courageous and private battle against cancer."

Crichton, best known for such books as "Jurassic Park" and "Disclosure," also created the hit TV series "ER."

His rep released the following statement: "While the world knew him as a great story teller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us -- and entertained us all while doing so -- his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes. He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget.

Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand.

He will be profoundly missed by those whose lives he touched, but he leaves behind the greatest gifts of a thirst for knowledge, the desire to understand, and the wisdom to use our minds to better our world.

Michael's family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time.

A private funeral service is expected, but no further details will be released to the public."

Tony Snow remembered

Former White House spokesman Tony Snow, who passed away from colon cancer at age 53 Saturday, has been remembered and mourned by those who knew him.

"I came to know Tony as a very smart and capable man," said President George W. Bush. "He had good values. He was an honest guy. He had a wonderful sense of humor. He loved to laugh. He loved his country and he loved his family."

Snow served both Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, during their tenures in the White House. He was also a radio and television journalist and a Fox News commentator before and between his stints as spokesman.

His love of his job was evident when he announced his resignation from the job in Sept. 2007. "Everybody talks about what a horrible job it is to brief the press," he said. "I love these briefings!"

This job has been the most fun I have ever had, the most satisfying, fulfilling job," he said. "I am sorry I have got to leave it. But I have got to say it has been a real honor and pleasure to work with everybody in this room."

Shortly after his 2 a.m. death at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., Vice President Dick Cheney told Fox News Sunday that Snow was a one-of-a-kind press secretary.

"He had this rare combination of intelligence, of commitment and loyalty to the President that he was working for, but also this great love of going out behind that podium and doing battle with what in effect were his former colleagues," Cheney said. "And it was this capacity that he had to be unfailingly polite, to maintain good humor under the most trying of circumstances, and do it, I thought, better and more effectively than anybody I have ever seen in that post."

Fox News' top anchor, Bill O'Reilly, anchored a live special edition of The O'Reilly Factor Saturday evening.

"At first we sparred on the air, but we shared a traditional point of view, and a sense of how absurd life can be," said O'Reilly. "He was one of President Bush's best hires."

Fox's Greta Van Susteren, who knew Snow since the '80s, told People that Snow made things fun on the job.

"On my first day, when I showed up at FOX, it was daunting being new at a job," she said. Tony came in, he dropped his body in the couch across from me. He acted like we had been friends forever. He welcomed me."

Current White House press secretary Dana Perino said that Snow was very dedicated to his job.

"His briefings were usually about 50 minutes – mine average about 20," he said. "He just had the gift for gab and he would hold them in there and make them understand what the president was trying to do."

But Perino said Snow's main concern was his family.

"His dedication and love for [them] was so admirable," she added. "I remember when his wife turned 50, he spent a week or so and he wanted to buy 50 gifts. Some were little, like a candy bar or something, but he had them all individually wrapped and ready for her on her 50th birthday."

Snow is survived by his wife, Jill Ellen Walker, and their three children.

Former senator Jesse Helms passed away

Former senator Jesse Helms, 86, passed away at 1:15 a.m. July 4 at Wingate University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Former chief of staff Jimmy Broughton said he died of natural causes.

"Today we lost a Senator whose stature in Congress had few equals," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement. "Senator Jesse Helms was a leading voice and courageous champion for the many causes he believed in."

The Republican first won a seat in the Senate in 1972, and he continued to serve until 2002, when he decided not to run for a sixth term.

His tendency to block nominations and legislation earned him the nickname "Senator No."

When the GOP had Senate majority, Helms often served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee, using his position to protect North Carolina tobacco growers and other farmers. He also chaired Foreign Relations Committees at times, and became known for his strong opposition to communism.

He is also remembered for his divisive views, particularly regarding racial politics and homosexuality.

Helms' health had been declining for several years, as he suffered from prostate cancer, heart problems and a bone disorder. Near the end of his Senate tenure, he relied on a motorized scooter to traverse the Capitol.

In April 2006, he entered a convalescent home due to vascular dementia, which led to repeated minor strokes that damaged his brain.

In an August 2005 e-mail interview with The Associated Press, coinciding with the publication of his memoir, he said he hoped future generations' understanding and opinion of him "will be based on the truth and not the deliberate inaccuracies those who disagreed with me took such delight in repeating."

According to the website of The Jesse Helms Center, details on funeral arrangements are still pending. He is survived by his wife, Dot, and their three children and seven grandchildren.

Larry Harmon (aka Bozo the Clown) passed away

Larry Harmon, 83, passed away at his home Thursday due to congestive heart failure, his publicist told The Associated Press.

Harmon portrayed Bozo the Clown and, although he was not the original Bozo, he turned the character into a show business staple.

"Bozo is a combination of the wonderful wisdom of the adult and the childlike ways in all of us," he told the AP in a 1996 interview.

Harmon's wife of 29 years, Susan, said Thursday her husband was a perfect fit for the character: "He was the most optimistic man I ever met. He always saw a bright side; he always had something good to say about everybody. He was the love of my life."

Harmon licensed the character, allowing television stations to hire actors to play Bozo.

"You might say, in a way, I was cloning [Bozo the Clown] before anybody else out there got around to cloning DNA," he told the AP.

Harmon trained more than 200 Bozos to represent him at local stations or events.

"I'm looking for that sparkle in the eyes, that emotion, feeling, directness, warmth," he said about the criteria he sought in future Bozos. "That is so important."

Harmon was also responsible for Bozo's distinctive look of orange hair; a big, red nose; upside down U-shaped eyebrows and the red, white and blue costume.

"I felt if I could plant my size 83AAA shoes on this planet, [people] would never be able to forget those footprints," he said.

Karen Raugust, executive editor of The Licensing Letter, a New York-based trade publication, said in 1996 that a typical character only remains popular for three to five years.

'It takes a lot of effort and energy to keep a character that old fresh so kids today still know about him and want to buy the products," she added. "Harmon's is a classic character. It's been around 50 years."

Harmon credited Bozo's personality and characteristics with his popularity.

"Bozo is a star, an entertainer, bigger than life," he once said. "People see him as Mr. Bozo, somebody you can relate to, touch and laugh with."

Harmon is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.

Supermodel Dies In Manhattan

Sad news today. Ruslana Korshunova, 20, died in lower Manhattan yesterday after she fell nine stories from her apartment building. Witnesses discovered the body laying in the middle of Water St. in the Financial District of the city. Police are investigating the death. Korshunova has appeared in many magazines and graced the covers of Vogue and Elle.

Teen decapitated by Batman ride

A teenager at the Six Flags Over Georgia was killed around 2-2:30 p.m. today when he was hit and decapitated by the amusement park's popular Batman roller coaster, which can travel at up to 50 mph.

Cobb County police are investigating the death, which occurred after the 17-year-old scaled two six-foot fences marked with "Danger" and "Do Not Enter" signs.

"We do not know why this person was intent on gaining access to this restricted area,"
Park spokeswoman Hela Sheth said in a news release.

"Some witnesses have stated that the individual was trying to retrieve something he had lost. Others reported that he was trying to touch the ride," she added. "This is merely speculation at this point, and we are working with park visitors and local police to learn more."

Another Six Flags representative said the teen was one of a group of youth who jumped over the perimeter fence as the ride was coming, although none of the other kids, nor any of the people on the ride, were injured.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was reportedly with a church group at the time, although his family was at the park, as well, the Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote on its website.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family," a statement form the park read. Cobb County reports have not returned calls seeking comments, not have they confirmed that the teen was decapitated.

The description of Batman: The Ride is described on the Six Flags website as such: "Soar like a bat out of Hades, through, above—and even underneath—Gotham City, suspended from the rails of one of the most innovative coasters of all time."

It is described as "one of the most spell-binding coasters ever," with "one-of-a-kind heartline spin producing a feeling of weightlessness."

It is not to be confused with the new The Dark Knight roller coaster, located at Six Flags Great Adventure. The ride's May 15 launch preceded the upcoming film by several months.

Comedian George Carlin Obituary

Legendary comedian George Carlin, 71, passed away Sunday evening from heart failure. His publicist, Jeff Abraham, said he went to St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica that afternoon after experiencing chest pain. He had performed only the weekend before at Las Vegas' Orleans Casino and Hotel.

"He was a genius and I will miss him dearly," Carlin's 1960s comedian partner, Jack Burns, told The Associated Press.

Carlin was well-known for his risque humor, particularly the routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." He said all those words at a 1972 Milwaukee show, leading to his arrest on charges of disturbing the peace. A Wisconsin judge later dismissed the case due to free speech, although he did say the routine was indecent.

Later the seven words were played on a New York radio station, leading to a 1978 Supreme Court ruling that said the government had the right to sanction media for obscenity during hours when children might be listening. All of the words Carlin uttered are now taboo on broadcast television and radio.

"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," Carlin told The Associated Press earlier this year.

Carlin hosted the debut of NBC's 'Saturday Night Live' in 1975, and he also produced 23 comedy albums, four of which won Grammy Awards for best spoken comedy album. He had 13 HBO specials, several TV shows, a couple of film appearances and three books to his name, as well.

He was nominated for five Emmy Awards, and last Tuesday he was proclaimed a recipient of the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The award will be presented in Washington Nov. 10, and it will be broadcast on PBS.

Carlin is survived by his second wife, Sally Wade; his daughter, a son-in-law, his brother and sister-in-law. His first wife, Brenda, passed away in 1997.

Tim Russert remembered, honored

NBC journalist Tim Russert's life and legacy was celebrated on The Today Show.

Colleagues and politicians have also expressed their sorrow and gave tribute to the newscaster.

"Tim had become an important part of our political process. He will be especially missed in this historic presidential election year," Dan Rather said. "Tim Russert was a beacon of quality journalism. At a time when quality journalism is in increasingly short supply, Tim Russert was a leader for what is best in American journalism. He was tough but fair, pulled no punches, played no favorites. As an interviewer, he had few, if any, peers."

Katie Couric called Russert a "big teddy bear of a guy" and a "pit bull of an interviewer."

"Laura and I are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Tim Russert. Those of us who knew and worked with Tim, his many friends, and the millions of Americans who loyally followed his career on the air will all miss him," said President George W. Bush. "As the longest-serving host of the longest-running program in the history of television, he was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades."

Both candidates for Election 2008 also paid their respects.

"I am very saddened by Tim Russert's sudden death," Senator John McCain said. "Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his generation."

Senator Barack Obama said he first met Russert at the 2004 convention.

"He’s somebody who, over time, I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend," he added. "There wasn’t a better interviewer in TV, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics, and he was also one of the finest men I knew."

Tim Russert autopsy findings

Newscaster Tim Russert's sudden death has been explained via a statement of autopsy findings from Dr. Michael Newman.

Russert, age 58, was known to have asymptomatic coronary artery disease which resulted in hardening of his coronary arteries," Newman said. "The autopsy revealed an enlarged heart and significant atherosclerosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery with [a] fresh clot which caused a heart attack resulting in a fatal ventricular arrhythmia."

In layman terms, the "Meet the Press" newsman had a heart attack and could not be resuscitated. Newman said lifesaving measures were taken immediately after Russert's collapse, and a full code was initiated after the D.C. paramedics arrived. Newman added that there is only a 4 to 5 percent survival rate in cases of sudden cardiac arrest such as Russert's.

Tim Russert passes away

Tim Russert passed away Friday after suffering a heart attack at the Washington Bureau, NBC News reported. The 58-year-old was the NBC News Washington bureau chief and the moderator of 'Meet the Press.'

According to the network, Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday's episode of "Meet the Press" at the time of his collapse. He had just returned from a family vacation to Italy to celebrate his son's college graduation.

He was "one of the premier political journalists and analysts of his time," said Tom Brokaw, former longtime anchor of 'NBC Nightly News,' when he announced Russert's death. "This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice."

Russert joined NBC News in 1984 and has hosted 'Meet the Press' since December 1991. The show is in its 60th year, making it the longest-running program in TV history. Russert has also held the positions of vice president of NBC News and head of its Washington operations.

In 2008, Russert was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.

He received an Emmy Award in 2004 for his coverage of President Ronald Reagan's funeral, and his 2000 "Meet the Press" interviews with George W. Bush and Al Gore earned him the Radio and Television Correspondent's Joan S. Barone Award and the Annenberg Center's Walker Cronkite Award. Other accolades included the Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Television Journalism, the John Peter Zenger Award, the American Legion Journalism Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society Journalism Award and the Allen H. Neuharth Award for Excellence in Journalism.

A member of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, Russert also penned two New York Times bestselling books, 2004's Big Russ and Me and 2006's Wisdom of Our Fathers.

Russert is survived by his wife, Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth, and his son, Luke.

Sportscaster Jim McKay passed away

Legendary sportscaster Jim McKay, 87, passed away Saturday from natural causes at his farm in Monkton, Md.

"There are no superlatives that can adequately honor Jim McKay," said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports. "He meant so much to so many people. He was a founding father of sports television, one of the most respected commentators in the history of broadcasting and journalism."

For over 40 years, starting in 1961, McKay hosted ABC's weekend series, "Wide Word of Sports." He also covered 12 Olympics, including the memorably tragic 1972 Summer Games in Munich, Germany. He was the anchor who reported the kidnapping and deaths of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists.

"They're all gone," he said," a comment that was replayed numerous times as the events were chronicled over the years. McKay won a news and sports Emmy Award, as well as the George Polk award for his coverage of the Munich Olympics.

McKay called that the "most memorable single moment of my career," although he was also in the studio when the United States' "Miracle on Ice" team defeated Russia. "I don't know what else would match that," he said.

The sportscaster won 12 Emmys and was the first sportscaster to ever receive one. He covered over 100 different sports in 40 countries, although he said horseracing was his favorite.

"He had a remarkable career and a remarkable life," said his son Sean McManus, also the president of CBS News and Sports. "Hardly a day goes by when someone doesn't come up to me and say how much they admired my father."

Dick Ebersol, Chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, also released a statement Saturday. Ebersol had worked with McKay for six years while at ABC Sports and called him "the most respected and admired sportscaster of his generation."

"While we all know what an absolute titan he was in his chosen field, I will always remember him as an extraordinary human being guided by a strong moral compass," Ebersol said. "He was the best husband to his wife, an extraordinary father to his own children and for all of us who had the privilege to grow up around him as boys, he helped shape us into men."

McKay also was remembered by U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Peter Ueberroth and numerous other colleagues, including Bob Costas, Al Michaels and Mike Tirico.

"He brought a reporter's eye, a literate touch, and above all a personal humanity to every assignment," Costas said. "He had a combination of qualities seldom seen in the history of the medium, not just sports."

Tatum O'Neal blames drug bust on dog's death

When Oscar-winning former child star Tatum O'Neal was arrested in New York Sunday after a narcotic team spotted her buying crack and cocaine, she said she was "doing research" for an upcoming role as a junkie.

But now the actress, who wrote a 2004 memoir "A Paper Life" about her recovery from heroin addiction, says her dog's death "set her off."

"There's no excuse for what I did. (But) I lost my Scottish terrier, Lena. That seemed to set me off," O'Neal told The New York Post. "She got old. She got cancer. She was the fabric of our family. We had to let her go to heaven. My daughter and I had to put her down. It was too horrible for words.

"I couldn't get out of it. I was going to my psychiatrist. I was doing everything I could do. I have the disease of alcoholism. It's lifelong. I treat it every day by going to my 12-step program."

O'Neal credits the police who arrested her for dissuading her to go back down the path of alcoholism and addiction.

She told The Post: "I'm still sober! Just when I was about to change that and wreck my life, the cops came and saved me! I was saved by the bell, by the guys in the Seventh Precinct."

The actress was arrested and charged with one misdemeanor charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance. She was released on her own recognizance and is due to return to court July 28.

Legendary singer Bo Diddley died

Rock pioneer Bo Diddley, 79, passed away at his home in Archer, Fla. Monday after months of poor health.

"One of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll has left the building he helped construct," said a statement from his management agency, Talent Consultants International.

Diddley was surrounded by more than 35 family members when he passed away at 1:45 a.m. EDT.

"There was a gospel song that was sang and he said 'wow' with a thumbs up," Diddley's grandson Garry Mitchell told Reuters about the scene at the singer's deathbed. "The song was 'Walk Around Heaven' and in his last words he stated that he was going to heaven."

The musician had a heart attack in August, just three months after he had a stroke while on a tour stop in Iowa. MSNBC reports that doctors said the stroke affected his speaking ability.

A founding father of rock ’n’ roll, Diddley was known for his dark, thick-rimmed glasses, black Stetson and rectangular guitar. He had a distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm, dubbed the "Bo Diddley beat," and was considered a pioneer of the electric guitar.

"He treats it like it was a drum, very rhythmic," E. Michael Harrington, professor of music theory and composition at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., said in 2006.

Diddley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 and was No. 20 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

He influenced musicians from the Grateful Dead to U2.

"He was a wonderful, original musician who was an enormous force in music and was a big influence on the Rolling Stones," Mick Jagger said in a statement. "We will never see his like again."

His management agency said public and private services will be held this weekend.

Yves Saint Laurent passed away

Designer Yves Saint Laurent, 71, passed away at his Paris home Sunday evening. According to Pierre Berge, a longtime friend and associate of the legendary couturier, Saint Laurent had been battling an illness for a long time.

Sources told People that the designer entered a Paris hospital last week and fell into a coma Wednesday night.

Saint Laurent "knew that he had revolutionized fashion, that he had revolutionized the second half of the 20th century. His designs accompanied the evolution of women," Berge told French news chain LCI.

The couturier was considered the most influential designer of his time, the last of a generation that included Coco Chanel and Christian Dior and made Paris the epicenter of fashion.

With the Left Bank, or Rive Gauche, as his headquarters, Saint Laurent revolutionized the way women dressed in the 20th century, especially in his elegant pantsuits and classic gowns.

He said that "fashion was not only supposed to make women beautiful, but to reassure them, to give them confidence, to allow them to come to terms with themselves."

The designer retired at age 65 in 2002, closing his Paris-based haute couture house as well. Saint Laurent founded the label 40 years ago. Rive Gauche, his ready-to-wear label, was sold to Gucci in 1999.

In an editorial The Independent of London wrote after Saint Laurent's retirement: "More than any other designer since Chanel, YSL represented Paris as the style leader. By putting a woman in a man's tuxedo, he changed fashion forever, in a style that never dated."

Saint Laurent was born Aug. 1, 1936, in Oran, Algeria. He first emerged on the fashion scene at age 17, win he won first prize for a cocktail dress design in a contest sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat.

He rose to prominence when, at age 22, he succeeded Christian Dior following Dior's sudden death in 1957.

According to embroiderer Jacques Lesage, who worked with Saint Laurent for 50 years, "He invented everything. He reinvented everything."

Harvey Korman passes away

Four-time Emmy-winning actor and comedian Harvey Korman passed away today at the age of 81.

Korman, known for his contributions to "The Carol Burnett Show" and the film "Blazing Saddles," died at UCLA Medical Center due to complications from an aortic aneurysm he suffered four months ago.

In a family statement released by the hospital, his daughter, Kate Korman, said it was a "miracle" her father had survived the aneurysm at all and that he also underwent several major surgeries.

"Tragically, after such a hard fought battle he passed away," she said in the statement.

Korman first came onto the scene on "The Danny Kaye Show" from 1964-1967. He was also a cast member on "The Carol Burnet Show," and he and Burnett paired up to perform burlesque versions of classic movies and soap operas.

According to Burnett's assistant, Angie Horejsi, the actress and comedian was devastated by the news of Korman's death.

"She loved Harvey very much," Horejsi said, noting that Burnett had not yet released a statement.

Korman is survived by his wife and four children.

Oscar winner Sydney Pollack dies

Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack passed away Monday afternoon in his Pacific Palisades home in Los Angeles after a nine-month bout with cancer. According to his publicist, Leslee Dart, the 73-year-old Hollywood mainstay was surrounded by family at the time.

Also an occasional actor, Pollack's career reached its apex during the 1970s and 1980s. He achieved success with his gender-bending film "Tootsie" and the period drama "Out of Africa," and worked with some of Hollywood's best actors, including George Clooney.

"Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act," Clooney said in a statement from his publicist.

"He'll be missed terribly," Clooney added.

Other A-list actors Pollack worked with include Sally Field and Paul Neman ("In Absence of Malice"), Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn ("The Interpretor"), Robert Mitchum ("The Yakuza"), Tom Cruise ("The Firm"), Robert Redford ("Three Days of the Condor" and "The Way We Were") and Barbra Streisand ("The Way We Were").

"Having the opportunity to know Sydney and work with him was a great gift in my life," Field said in a statement. "He was a good friend and a phenomenal director and I will cherish every moment that I ever spent with him."

In his later years, Pollack spent more time in front of the camera. He appeared in the films "Husbands and Wives," "The Player," "Death Becomes Her," "Eyes Wide Shut" and "Made of Honor." He also played Will's father on "Will & Grace" and made appearances on "The Sopranos," "Frasier" and "Mad About You."

Pollack is surved by his wife, Claire; two daughters, a brother and six grandchildren, according to MSNBC. His son Steven died in a 1993 plane crash.

Laugh-In's Dick Martin has passed away

Dick Martin, the former co-host of the ground-breaking comedy show “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in,” died on Saturday at the age of eighty-six from respiratory complications.

Martin and Rowan, the Laugh-In comedy Duo, met in 1952 and worked up the night-club circuits before making it to television. Martin described their earlier acts as “raw” but “funny,” and their popular TV show lasted from 1968 to 1973. The pair continued to do performance until 1977 when the parted amicably.

Martin, who is responsible for coining the phrase “Sock it to me,” went on to become a successful director, taking part in television shows such as “In the Heat of the Night,” “Archie Bunker’s Place,” and “Family Ties.”

As a teenager Martin lost one of his lungs and needed oxygen in the latter part of his life. During his 80th birthday, he fainted from his condition, but always in good humor, remarked “Boy, did I make an entrance!”

Dick passed away at 6:PM in a Santa Monica hospital surrounded by family, and will not be having a funeral, as per his request.

'Harry Potter' actor killed

A teenager who played a minor character in the upcoming film, 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' was fatally stabbed in a bar brawl in south London on Saturday.

According a statement from London's Metropolitan Police, the actor, 18-year-old Rob Knox, who plays Ravenclaw student Marcus Belby in the sixth movie in the series, was caught in a fight around midnight outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup.

The fatality occurred just two weeks after another teen was killed only a few miles away.

Warner Brothers said it was shocked by the news.

"Rob was kind and thoughtful and would always help out others—he would always spend his last penny on other people instead of himself," Knox's parents, Sally and Colin, said in a statement Sunday.

"The life and soul of the party, he was very outgoing, loved sports, and would always strike up a conversation with people. He was respectful to others and adored by all his family and friends. He was (an) asset to the family."

Knox and four other teens were taken to various hospitals after the fight, according to police. One of them was a 21-year-old who was later arrested on suspicion of Knox's murder.

Police said that while the fight was probably not gang-related, there have been 14 violent teen deaths in London so far this year.