Rod Beck was 38.  He was a relief pitcher who wore a bushy mustache while earning 286 career saves, primarily for the San Francisco Giants.

Hank Medress was 68.  His vocals with the doo wop group the Tokens helped propel their irrepressible single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to the top of the charts.

"Sensational" Sherri Martel was 49.  She was a professional wrestler who defeated The Fabulous Moolah for the WWF Women's Title.

Don Herbert was 89.  He explained the wonderful world of science on television as "Mr. Wizard."

Tony Thompson was 31.  He sang on the 1990s R&B hits "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" and "She's Playing Hard to Get" as part of the group Hi-Five.

Charles Nelson Reilly was 76.  He was the Tony Award winner who later became known for his ribald appearances on the "Tonight Show" and various game shows.

Bobby "Uncle Bobby" Ash was 82.  He was a popular Canadian children's entertainer during the 1960s and '70s.

Jerry Falwell was 73.  He was the leader of the religious right who battled in the political arena against abortion and homosexuality. He was also a evil bigot who preached hateful things and uttered disgusting phrases like this gem: "AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's

Wally Schirra was 84.  He was was one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts chosen for the Project Mercury, America's first effort to put men in space.

Gordon Scott was 80.  He was the "intelligent and nice" Tarzan in 1950s movies.

Tom Poston was 85.  He was the tall, pasty-faced comic who found fame and fortune playing a clueless everyman on such hit television shows as "Newhart" and "Mork and Mindy."

Josh Hancock was 29.  He was a relief pitcher who helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last season.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett was 69.  He was best known for singing and co-writing the 1962 hit novelty song, "Monster Mash".

Boris Yeltsin was 76.  As president he engineered the final collapse of the Soviet Union and pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy.

Kitty Carlisle Hart was 96.  Her long career spanned Broadway, opera, television and film, including the classic Marx Brothers movie "A Night at the Opera."

Gaetan Duchesne was 44.  He played 1028 NHL games for the Washington Capitals, Quebec Nordiques, Minnesota North Stars, San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers.

Don Ho was 76.  He entertained tourists for decades wearing raspberry-tinted sunglasses and singing the catchy signature tune "Tiny Bubbles."

June Callwood was 82.  She was a social activist, journalist, broadcaster and writer who was often described as Canada's social conscience.

Barry Nelson was 89.  He was an MGM contract player during the 1940s who later had a prolific theatre career and was the first actor to play James Bond on screen.

Roscoe Lee Browne was 81.  His rich voice and dignified bearing brought him an Emmy Award and a Tony nomination. I knew him best as the narrator in "Babe".

Kurt Vonnegut was 84.  He captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle." I wrote about Kurt Vonnegut in this entry from February 2006.  He will be missed.

Johnny Hart was 76.  He was the creator of the comic strip B.C. and co-creator of the strip The Wizard of Id.

Bob Clark was 67.  He was a film director best known for the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" and the Canadian sex comedy "Porky's".

Eddie Robinson was 88.  He was the Grambling State University football coach who sent more than 200 players to the NFL and won 408 games during a 57-year career.

Calvert DeForest was 85.  He was best known for his work as "Larry 'Bud' Melman" on Late Night with David Letterman.