2009...A Year of Many Losses...A Farewell to Some Beloved Celebs

Looking back on 2009, one thing that stands out, sadly, is the number of celebrity deaths — many of them figures who left a lasting impact on the small screen. This year we bid farewell to a golden girl, an angel, and a moonwalker. We witnessed the passing of America's most trusted newsman and the sudden loss of TV's most prominent pitchman. Scroll through this slideshow to see some of the stars we said goodbye to in 2009.


Fred Travalena (October 6, 1942-June 28, 2009): Some considered Fred Travalena to be a poor man's Rich Little. We say that the master impressionist didn't really get the credit he deserved. "The Man of a Thousand Faces" was actually thought to have a cast of 360 characters that he could conjure, from Frank Sinatra to George W. Bush. He appeared on such TV shows as "Fantasy Island" and "Murphy Brown"

Ron Silver (July 2, 1946-March 15, 2009): If Ron Silver had done only one acting gig, playing the nice-guy next-door-neighbor Gary Levy on "Rhoda," that would've been enough for us. Then add his portrayal of Bobby Riggs in the TV movie "When Billy Beat Bobby," and the man's our hero. But Ron didn't stop there. He made the movies "Reversal of Fortune" and "Ali" and had a Tony-winning run on Broadway in "Speed-the-Plow." Then back to the small screen for "Chicago Hope," "Veronica's Closet," and "The West Wing."

"Gidget" the Taco Bell Dog (c. 1994-July 21, 2009): At the tender age of 15, Gidget, better known as the Taco Bell Chihuahua, crossed over the Rainbow Bridge to eat Chalupas for all eternity. Gidget pawed her way into our hearts in the late '90s, when the Mexican fast-food chain began airing a series of commercials featuring the talking Chihuahua, who demanded, "Yo Quiero Taco Bell!"
Billy Mays (July 20, 1958-June 28, 2009): We spent many a long night with Billy Mays. During those sleepless, restless, 3 a.m. TV sessions, when nothing is on but infomercials, it was Billy Mays to the rescue. And he could sell us anything: OxiClean, Steam Buddy, Engrave It, Orange Glo. (We admit it, we bought some ... and it works!) With both thumbs up, he would shout at us in the middle of the night, not really helping our insomnia, but becoming a pop culture icon. He said once that he gave away OxiClean to the guests at his wedding — much better than those candy-coated mints in a plastic champagne glass!

Dom DeLuise (August 1, 1933-May 4, 2009): Before there was John Belushi, before there was John Candy, before there was Chris Farley ... there was Dom DeLuise, the fat comedian. We're not being mean; he made his living being the heavy guy. He even starred in a movie called "Fatso." And he was one funny dude. A staple on the TV guest-star circuit in the '60s and '70s, he appeared on "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Muppet Show." But he also had his own variety projects; in fact, two were named "The Dom DeLuise Show" and, the obligatory sitcom, "Lotsa Luck." Plus, he took over for Alan Funt to host "Candid Camera" in the '90s.
Ken Ober (July 3, 1957-November 15, 2009): The host of one of MTV's early non-music series, "Remote Control," passed to that great game show in the sky this November. The 1980s pop culture quiz show tested contestants' knowledge of TV, music videos, and all things entertainment by strapping them into recliners and handing them a remote used to choose categories. Ober was quick-witted and casual, a perfect combo for the MTV audience. He was the Wink Martindale of Generation X, going on to host three more game shows ("Make Me Laugh," "Smush," and "Perfect Match") before trading in his blue cue cards for a job behind the camera. Most recently, he produced comedies, including "Mind of Mencia" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

Ricardo Montalban (November 25, 1920-January 14, 2009): Even though Ricardo Montalban acted for more than 30 years before being cast as Mr. Rourke, he will forever be remembered for playing the white-suited, fantasy-fulfilling tropical island host. Still, Montalban also spent many years on "The Colbys" and did guest spots on countless shows, including "Dr. Kildare," "Dynasty," and even "The Love Boat: The Next Wave." Outside the television world, he was best known for his role as Khan in "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan."
Henry Gibson (September 21, 1955-September 14, 2009):Henry Gibson's "Laugh-in" shtick was the flower power hippie who read his own wacky, offbeat poetry. His mild manner was the perfect contrast to the rest of the zany sketch comedy cast. He did guest spots on "Love, American Style," "McCloud," "Wonder Woman," and "Fantasy Island." On the big screen, he was best known for playing country singer Haven Hamilton in Robert Altman's "Nashville" In his later years, he spent several seasons playing the crotchety Judge Clarence Brown on "Boston Legal."
David Carradine (December 8, 1936-June 3, 2009):. David Carradine was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room earlier this year. We grew up watching David play "Kung Fu's" Kwai Chang Caine, the young orphan trained by Shaolin monks in the martial arts . Caine taught us life lessons, such as "Fear is the only darkness" and "The seeds of our destiny are nurtured by the roots of our past." Carradine went on from "Kung Fu" to make more than 100 films, including "Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill, Vols. 1 & 2," as the title character.

Soupy Sales (January 8, 1926-October 22, 2009): Milton Supman and his two brothers had unusual nicknames as kids: "Hambone," "Chicken Bone," and "Soup Bone," which they later shortened to Soupy. Soupy would become Soupy Hines and ultimately Soupy Sales as he started to develop his act as a comedian, singer, and disc jockey in the '40s. Sales became popular with local shows in Cincinnati, including the teen dance series "Soupy's Soda Shop" and the late-night variety show "Club Nothing!" But it would be on the kids' series "Lunch with Soupy Sales" (later known as "The Soupy Sales Show") that Sales welcomed celebrity guests, such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
Karl Malden (March 22, 1912-July 1, 2009): Malden began his acting career on radio and the stage before landing roles in such iconic '50s films as "On the Waterfront" and "A Streetcar Named Desire," for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. But despite his numerous film credits, Malden didn't become a household name until he appeared on the hit TV series "The Streets of San Francisco." He starred alongside the young Michael Douglas (and later Richard Hatch).The show was canceled after five seasons, and Karl would appear on TV again in guest spots on "The West Wing". But his greatest TV accomplishment was helping weary travelers stay safe from theft on the open road, pitching American Express Travelers Cheques with the famous line, "Don't leave home without them."

Ed McMahon (March 6, 1923-June 23, 2009): While Ed McMahon will be always remembered as Johnny Carson's sidekick, his list of accomplishments beyond "The Tonight Show" is impressive. He hosted the legendary talent show "Star Search" and the long-running "TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes," he was the face of the American Family Publishers sweepstakes, and he was Jerry Lewis' right-hand man on the annual MDA Telethon.

Bea Arthur (May 13, 1922-April 25, 2009): Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Bea Arthur caught TV lightning in a bottle twice, but she did not achieve success on the small screen until she was 49 years old. In 1971, she took a guest-starring spot on "All in the Family," which led to the title role in the ultra-liberal, highly controversial spinoff "Maude." And then again in the '80s, she had another sitcom hit, starring as one of four geriatric spitfires sharing a house in Miami, Florida, on "The Golden Girls." Arthur continued to work into her early 80s; her final TV appearance was in 2005, playing Larry David's mother on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Farrah Fawcett (February 2, 1947-June 25, 2009):. The "Charlie's Angels" star wasn't the best actress, but she cornered the market on '70s style — what girl didn't want to have that long, blond feathered hair? — wielding a gun in a bathing suit and high heels. (Don't try that at home.) She was only on the first season of the sexy detective series, but she obviously made her mark. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in the 1986 film "Extremities." And no one should forget her triumphant return to television in the 1984 TV movie "The Burning Bed," which earned her the first of her four Emmy nominations. The last nod came just last year, for the documentary "Farrah's Story," the graphic and tragic tale of her long battle with cancer. Source: GetBack
Michael Jackson (August 29, 2958-June 25, 2009): There probably isn't a person on this planet (or any other) who doesn't know that Michael Jackson died this year. . In 1969 Ed Sullivan introduced the world to the nine-year-old Jackson and his brothers, and their group, the Jackson Five, quickly became stars of the talk-and-variety-show circuit. They did them all, from "The Flip Wilson Show" to the "Sonny and Cher Show" and even "The Carol Burnett Show." They played on "American Bandstand," "Soul Train," and every awards broadcast known to man. But the highlight of Michael's TV career to us was his appearance on Marlo Thomas' "Free to Be You and Me," singing "When We Grow Up" with Roberta Flack. The rest of his career is well known history.

Patrick Swayze (August 18, 1952-September 14, 2009): From his classics, "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost," you might think of him more as a movie star, but Patrick Swayze kick-started his career on TV. One of his earliest featured roles was playing Bandit on a short-lived "Warriors"-inspired series, "The Renegades." He went on to share the spotlight on the big screen with the Brat Pack in "The Outsiders," but he then broke out for the 1985 TV miniseries "North and South." . And he came back to the small screen toward the end of his life to shoot one season of the A&E drama "The Beast," working right up until he lost his battle to pancreatic cancer.

Walter Cronkite (November 4, 1916-July 17, 2009): "And that's the way it was," in July 2009, when consummate newsman Walter Cronkite signed off one final time. "The most trusted man in America" brought us the news of Kennedy's assassination, showed us a man walking on the moon, took us to a war-riddled Vietnam, and gave us all the sordid details of Tricky Dick and the Watergate scandal. He was the embodiment of an era and one of the last of the great newsmen who reported facts instead of interpreted them.