Manute Bol was 47. He was the 7-foot-6 NBA star who played 10 seasons with the Bullets, Warriors, Sixers and Heat before devoting his life to humanitarian efforts in his native Sudan.

Garry Shider was 56. He was the longtime musical director of Parliament-Funkadelic  whose funky guitar work, songwriting  skills and musical arrangements thrilled fans around the globe and earned him a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Jimmy Dean was 81. He was the country music legend  for his smash hit about a workingman hero, "Big Bad John," and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand.

John Wooden was 99. He was college basketball's gentlemanly Wizard of Westwood who built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and became one of the most revered coaches ever.

Rue McClanahan was 76. She was the actress known  for her roles as the blowzy best friend Vivian on "Maude" and as the prowling Southern belle Blanche on "The Golden Girls."

Dennis Hopper was 74. He was the actor best known for directing and starring in the 1969 cult classic "Easy Rider." I loved him in True Romance. And as Shooter in Hoosiers.

Gary Coleman was 42. He was the child star best known for his stint on "Diff'rent Strokes," which aired from 1978 to 1986. I loved Diff'rent Strokes as a kid, but I was first introduced to Gary Coleman in The Kid with the 200 I.Q. Whatchu talkin' bout, everyone.

Art Linkletter was 97. He was host of People Are Funny, House Party and Kids Say The Darndest Things.

Jose Lima was 37. He was an All-Star right-hander who spent 13 years in the major leagues, going 21-10 with a 3.58 ERA in 35 starts for the NL Central champion Houston Astros in 1999.

Ronnie James Dio was 67. He was a singer with the bands Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio, whose powerful, semioperatic vocal style and attachment to demonic imagery made him one of the best-loved figures in classic heavy metal. If you want to see some great Dio footage, watch "Metal: A

Charlie Francis was 61. He was the sprint coach most noteworthy for being the trainer of sprinter Ben Johnson, the first competitor to be stripped of an Olympic gold medal for using banned drugs, and sprinters Angella Issajenko, Mark McKoy and Desai Williams. Francis was banned by Athletics Canada following

Lena Horne was 92. She was the enchanting jazz singer and actress who reviled the bigotry that allowed her to entertain white audiences but not socialize with them, slowing her rise to Broadway superstardom. In 1943, MGM Studios loaned her to 20th Century-Fox to play the role of Selina Rogers

Gwyn "Jocko" Thomas was 96. He was the Toronto Star's chief police reporter for 60 years.

Ernie Harwell was 92. He was the Detroit Tigers broadcaster for 42 years.

Lynn Redgrave was 67. She was a member of the famed Redgrave acting dynasty noted for her roles in "Georgy Girl" and "Gods and Monsters."

Juan Antonio Samaranch was 89. His 21-year term as president of the International Olympic Committee was marked by both the unprecedented growth of the games and its biggest ethics scandal.

Keith "Guru" Elam was 43. He and DJ Premier formed Gang Starr, one of the top hip hop crews of the 1990s. I remember picking up Daily Operation at the Sam the Record Man at Yonge and Dundas back in '92.

Peter Steele was 48. He was the vocalist and bassist of heavy metal band Type O Negative. Here's a nice cover they did of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl".

Dixie Carter was 70. She was the actress best known for her role as Julia Sugarbaker on the sitcom "Designing Women." I remember her well as Maggie McKinney on Diff'rent Strokes.

Malcolm McLaren was 64. He was the former manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls.

John Forsythe was 92. He was the actor best known as the voice of "Charlie" in the original television series "Charlie's Angels" and the two feature films, "Charlie's Angels" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle." He also portrayed Blake Carrington in "Dynasty."

Eric Tunney was 45. He was the comedian best known as Ed the Sock's co-host following the departure of Harland Williams and prior to the arrival of Humble Howard Glassman. I couldn't find any video of Eric Tunney hosting Ed the Sock, but I did find this clip of him

Robert Culp was 79. He was the actor best known as Kelly Robinson in the '60s TV show I Spy and more recently as Warren Whelan on Everybody Loves Raymond. I knew him best as Bill Maxwell on The Greatest American Hero.

Fess Parker was 85. He was the actor who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. I came within a Y chromosome have having a son named Daniel Boon.