Steve Allen created a television institution when he became the first host of "The Tonight Show" in 1954

Rick Parfitt, guitarist for the British rock band Status Quo, has died at the age of 68, according to multiple news sources

James Brown was the Godfather of Soul, one of the most influential musicians in the history of popular music

Curtis Mayfield provided the soundtrack to the civil rights movement

A Russian military plane carrying members of the army's official choir has crashed in the Black Sea near Sochi, Russia

The camera loved Ava Gardner

George Michael, the British singer who has sold more than 100 million albums, has died at the age of 53, according to multiple news sources

Humphrey Bogart may be remembered best for a line in the movie "Casablanca," "Play it again, Sam." Bogie was a cultural icon, appearing in other classic films i

It would be awfully hard to replace the great Walter Matthau in a role he seemed to be made for, but Jack Klugman made Oscar Madison his own onstage and on the

Corey Haim was one of the top teen idols of the 1980s, thanks to his boyish good looks, charmingly crooked smile, and, of course, his strong acting talent

Maurice and Robin Gibb were fraternal twins and two-thirds of one of the most successful pop groups of all time, the Bee Gees

Albert King was a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing

At least 33 people were killed and scores more injured Tuesday, Dec

When a loved one dies, we often want to share their story with the world – and, in this day and age, sometimes the world is really listening

Brittany Murphy believed from a young age that she was destined to be a star, and she devoted her life to performing

China Machado, the Shanghai-born supermodel who broke barriers in the fashion industry, died Sunday, Dec

Hope Lange found stardom in her performance as Selena Cross in "Peyton Place," earning her first Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and making a name for hersel

Betty Grable was one of the biggest stars of the golden age of Hollywood, and her triple-threat skill at acting, singing, and dancing made her perfect for music

Henry Heimlich, the physician who was known best for inventing the anti-choking Heimlich maneuver, died Saturday, Dec

Howard Bingham, a longtime personal photographer and friend of Muhammad Ali, died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, according to The Associated Press

Craig Sager, the longtime NBA sideline reporter known for his colorful attire, died Dec. 15, 2016, according to multiple news reports. He was 65

Oscar Peterson was called the Maharajah of the Keyboard by Duke Ellington, but simply O.P. by his friends

Joe Cocker was one of the most distinctive performers of the rock era, electrifying audiences with his gravelly voice and wild dancing

Marion Pritchard, a Dutch woman who helped save the lives of many Jews during the Holocaust, has died, according to multiple news sources

Fran Jeffries, a nightclub singer with a silky voice and an actress who performed a provocative samba dance in 1963's "The Pink Panther," died Thursday, Dec

Kevin O’Morrison, an actor who appeared in such films as “Sleepless in Seattle” and “The Set-Up,” has died at the age of 100, according to The Hollywood Reporte

Dick Latessa, an actor who won a Tony Award for best featured actor in a musical for "Hairspray,” died Monday, Dec

Gordie Tapp, the Canadian actor, comedian, and musician who played Cousin Clem on the CBS variety show "Hee Haw," died Sunday, Dec

A truck plowed through a busy Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring scores of others, according to multiple news

We analyzed 800,000 condolences. What we found may surprise you

Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Hollywood legend and socialite known for her European glamour and her many marriages, died Sunday, Dec

Comedian Chris Farley knew how to make people laugh

Paul Butterfield learned to sing the blues as a teenager in Chicago by hanging out at the city's well-known blues haunts

Justin Mentell was a young actor in Hollywood who was just starting to break out

Garrett Gomez, a former jockey who won 13 Breeders’ Cup races during his career, died Dec. 14, 2016, according to multiple news sources

Valerie Fairman, a former reality television personality who starred on the MTV series "16 and Pregnant," died Wednesday, Dec

We said goodbye to so many celebrities who died in 2016 — not only musicians, actors, and athletes, but stars of politics, science, and culture, too

Florence Griffith Joyner was the fastest woman on Earth – and of all time

Gordon Hunt, the director of TV cartoon favorites including "The Jetsons," "Scooby-Doo," and "The Smurfs," died Monday, Dec

Andrew Dorff, a songwriter who wrote No

John Spencer was known best for his Emmy-winning performance on "The West Wing" as White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, which he played until his death of a

Classic holiday film "It's a Wonderful Life" is 70 years old. To celebrate, we're looking back at its director, Frank Capra

Edith Piaf was one of France's greatest international stars. The cabaret singer is widely recognized as France's national chanteuse

Bob Coburn, the longtime host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline," has died, according to multiple news sources

Benjamin Gilman, a former U.S. representative from New York, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, in Wappingers Falls, New York, according to The Associated Press

Jennifer Jones won an Oscar for her portrayal of Christian mystic Bernadette Soubirous in 1943's "The Song of Bernadette." Today we remember Jones and other cel

Ray Price had one of the best voices in the history of country music. We remember Price as well as other  notable people who died this day in history