The world lost many of those who made it turn in 2010, many who inspired dread, angst, perplexity, obedience, imitation, laughter, and love. It's a time to celebrate their achievements, mourn their misfortunes, and marvel at a world that has such people in it.
* Newsmakers: Notable conclusions included those for John du Pont, 72, member of the Delaware familial dynasty, who died at the Laurel Highlands state prison near Somerset, Pa., while serving a sentence for murder; Mark Madoff, 46, son of convicted finance fraud Bernie Madoff; and fashion designer Alexander McQueen, 40. Porn king Bob Guccione, 79, went to the final penthouse.
* Politics: Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, 77, joined the ever-growing celestial legislature, along with Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, 92, and former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, 86. Former U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig, 85, joined the shade cabinet, and forceful diplomat Richard Holbrooke, 69, eased shut his portfolio. Cancer took Elizabeth Edwards, 69, but not before she inspired millions. Longtime cartoonist Paul Conrad, 92, put the cap on his ink bottle.
* Movies: The moving image moved on. Gloria Stuart ("Titanic") made it to 100. Italian auteur Dino De Laurentiis, 91, moved to the ultimate Dino citta. Olympic documentarian Bud Greenspan broke the tape at 84. Arthur Penn, 88, director and producer on stage ("Wait Until Dark") and screen ("Bonnie and Clyde"), made his exit, as did French romantic Eric Roehmer, 89, and director Blake Edwards, 88, of the "Pink Panther" romps. Tony Curtis, 85, may now have to explain things to both Marilyn Monroe and Adolf Hitler. Dennis Hopper, 74, rode easy into the sunset. Kevin McCarthy, 96, is finally safe from the body-snatchers. And surely Leslie Nielsen, 84, whose name was not Shirley, is in a place of eternal laughter. Heroic Patricia Neal, 84; pensive-eyed Jill Clayburgh, 66; cute Dorothy Provine, 75; and regal Jean Simmons, 80, joined sparkling Lynne Redgrave, 67, and her brother Corin, 70.
* Television: Producer David L. Wolper ("Roots") closed his season at 82. Edwin Newman, 91, now transcends split infinitives, and James J. Kilpatrick ("60 Minutes"), 89, need no longer debate. Long-running soap queen Helen Wagner, 91 ("As the World Turns"), ended her run. Art Linkletter, 97, can play before his best audience. So can Barbara Billingsley, 94, everybody's June Cleaver, and John Forsythe ("Bachelor Father"), 92, everybody's dad. Peter Graves, 83, and Robert Culp, 79, solved their ultimate mysteries. (In a bizarre trifecta, Graves, Billingsley and Nielsen were all in the 1980 movie "Airplane!") Fess Parker ("Davy Crockett"), 85, and Pernell Roberts (Adam Cartwright in "Bonanza"), 81, galloped over the next rise. Dixie Carter, 70, is free of designing women, Rue McClanahan, 76, is forever golden, and Gary Coleman, 42, is now beyond diff'rence.
And let us remember Meinhardt Raabe, 94, the Munchkin coroner in Wizard of Oz, who pronounced the Wicked Witch of the East "really most sincerely dead," now beyond the clutches of witches forever more.
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