The Departed: Those We Lost in 2007

Remembering those we lost...

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Friday, December 28th 2007 at 2:48 PM

As the end of the year approaches it is time to look back and as a part of that I am continuing a tradition I started last year and taking a look at those we lost in 2007.

Looking back I begin to remember some of the names I had completely forgotten about. Most notably the very first one.

• Anna Nicole Smith (Died February 8, 2007) – Former model and ultimate reality TV star. Cause of death has been ruled an accidental prescription drug overdose.
• Benjamin "Bob" Clark (Died April 4, 2007) – Bob Clark was the director of A Christmas Story and Porky's and died at the age of 65 in a car accident caused by a drunken driver. His 22-year-old son Ariel was also in the car and died.
• Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Died April 11, 2007) – Famous American novelist who died weeks after a fall, which led to a brain injury.
• Boris Yeltsin (Died April 23, 2007) – Former Russian president who died of heart failure.
• Jack Valenti (Died April 26, 2007) – Former chief of the Motion Picture Association (MPAA). Died of a stroke.
• Liz Claiborne (Died June 26, 2007) – Famous clothing designer. She died after suffering from cancer for a number of years.
• Joel Siegel (Died June 29, 2007) – Famed ABC film critic who died after a long struggle with cancer, at the age of 63.
• Ingmar Bergman (Died July 30, 2007) – Famed Swedish director of such films as The Seventh Seal and Fanny and Alexander.
• Merv Griffin (Died August 12, 2007) – Probably most famous for creating game shows such as "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune". He died of prostate cancer.
• Phil Rizzutto (Died August 13, 2007) – Famous sportscaster and Yankee shortstop and MVP.
• Luciano Pavarotti (Died September 6, 2007) – One of "The Three Tenors" and known worldwide for his voice, Pavarotti died of Pancreatic cancer.
• Jane Wyman (Died September 10, 2007) – Oscar-winning actress (Johnny Belinda) and ex-wife of Ronald Reagan. Died due to complications from arthritis and diabetes.
• Brett Somers (Died September 15, 2007) – Oddly enough she is probably best known as a member of the celebrity panel on "Match Game". She died of stomach and colon cancer.
• Lois Maxwell (Died September 29, 2007) – The original Miss Moneypenny who starred in 14 of the James Bond films. She died from cancer.
• Deborah Kerr (Died October 16, 2007) – Honorary Oscar-winning actress (nominated six times). Her death was due to complications from Parkinson's disease.
• Robert Goulet (Died October 30, 2007) – After being diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis, he was waiting for a lung transplant when he passed away. He is quoted as telling the doctors before they inserted a breathing tube, "Just watch my vocal cords," his wife said.
• Paul Tibbets (Died November 1, 2007) – Nope, not a movie or TV star or even a musician, Tibbets was a World War II pilot, best-known for piloting the Enola Gay which dropped the first A-bomb on Hiroshima.
• Norman Mailer (Died November 10, 2007) – Popular writer that helped found "The Village Voice".
• Ira Levin (Died , 2007) – Famed author of such books as "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives".
• Evel Knievel (Died November 30, 2007) – Well known motorcycle daredevil.
• Ike Turner (Died December 12, 2007) – Grammy-winning musician, probably best known for his stormy marriage with singer Tina Turner.
• Benazir Bhutto (Died December 27, 2007) – Former prime minister of Pakistan forced out on corruption charges, shot while campaigning for another term.

Click here for last year's list.