Arts' Greatest Generation Thinned in '07

Roscoe Lee Browne, 81. Emmy-winning actor known for rich voice, dignified bearing. April 11.

Don Ho, 76. Hawaiian crooner ("Tiny Bubbles"). April 14.

Kitty Carlisle Hart, 96. Singer-actress; long career spanned Broadway, opera, television and film. April 17.

David Halberstam, 73. Journalist whose acclaimed books included towering study of Vietnam War. April 23.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett, 69. Did his dead-on Boris Karloff impression in "Monster Mash." April 25.

Jack Valenti, 85. Film industry lobbyist who instituted the modern movie ratings system. April 26.

Mstislav Rostropovich, 80. The ebullient master cellist and National Symphony Orchestra music director who fought for the rights of Soviet-era dissidents. April 27.

Tom Poston, 85. The TV comic who portrayed clueless characters ("Newhart"). April 30.

MAY

Bernard Gordon, 88. Screenwriter, blacklisted in the 1950s ("55 Days at Peking"). May 11.

Charles Nelson Reilly, 76. Tony Award winner; later known for ribald TV game show appearances. May 25.

Gretchen Wyler, 75. Broadway actress ("Silk Stockings"). May 27.

Mark Harris, 84. Novelist ("Bang the Drum Slowly"). May 30.

William Meredith, 88. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. May 30.

JUNE

Don Herbert, 89. Television's "Mr. Wizard." June 12.

Gianfranco Ferre, 62. Italian fashion designer. June 17.

Antonio Aguilar, 88. Mariachi singer, actor. June 19.

Liz Claiborne, 78. Designer whose styles became a cornerstone of career women's wardrobes. June 26.

Joel Siegel, 63. "Good Morning America" movie critic. June 29.

JULY

Beverly Sills, 78. Opera diva with a dazzling voice, bubbly personality. July 2.

Boots Randolph, 80. His spirited saxophone made "Yakety Sax" a hit. July 3.

Regine Crespin, 80. French opera great. July 5.

Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, 68. Pioneer of the modern historical romance novel ("The Flame and the Flower"). July 6.

Charles Lane, 102. Prolific character actor whose face was recognizable to generations of moviegoers. July 9.

Doug Marlette, 57. Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist, creator of comic strip "Kudzu." July 10.

Tammy Faye Messner, 65. Helped then-husband Jim Bakker build an evangelism empire that later collapsed. July 20.

Laszlo Kovacs, 74. Influential cinematographer ("Easy Rider," "Five Easy Pieces"). July 22.

Ulrich Muehe, 54. German actor acclaimed for role in Oscar-winning "The Lives of Others." July 22.

George Tabori, 93. Avant-garde playwright-director in postwar Germany ("Goldberg Variations"). July 23.

Tom Snyder, 71. Late-late night TV talk show host with a robust laugh, trademark cloud of cigarette smoke. July 29.

Ingmar Bergman, 87. Swedish filmmaker; one of the greatest artists in cinema history ("The Seventh Seal," "Cries and Whispers"). July 30.

Michelangelo Antonioni, 94. Italian filmmaker whose depiction of modern-day malaise made him a symbol of art-house cinema ("Blow-Up," "L'Avventura"). July 30.

AUGUST

Lee Hazlewood, 78. Singer, songwriter; produced Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'." Aug. 4.

Merv Griffin, 82. Parlayed game shows into a multimillion-dollar empire. Aug. 12.

Brooke Astor, 105. Philanthropist who gave millions to New York arts institutions. Aug. 13.

Max Roach, 83. Jazz drummer whose rhythmic innovations defined bebop. Aug. 16.

Grace Paley, 84. Acclaimed poet and short story writer. Aug. 22.

Hilly Kristal, 75. His Manhattan club CBGB was birthplace of punk rock. Aug. 28.

Miyoshi Umeki, 78. Oscar-winning actress ("Sayonara"). Aug. 28.

SEPTEMBER

Marcia Mae Jones, 83. Child actress; Shirley Temple's pal in "Heidi." Sept. 2.

Luciano Pavarotti, 71. Opera superstar hailed as "king of the high C's." Sept. 6.

Madeleine L'Engle, 88. Author of "A Wrinkle in Time." Sept. 6.

Jane Wyman, 90. Won Oscar as deaf rape victim in "Johnny Belinda." President Reagan's ex-wife. Sept. 10.

Joe Zawinul, 75. Jazz keyboardist; member of Weather Report ("Birdland"). Sept 11.

Robert Jordan, 58. Author of "Wheel of Time" fantasy novels. Sept. 16.

Alice Ghostley, 81. Tony-winning actress. Sept. 21.

Marcel Marceau, 84. French master of pantomime who transformed silence into poetry. Sept. 22.

OCTOBER

George Grizzard, 79. Tony-winning actor ("A Delicate Balance"). Oct. 2.

Werner von Trapp, 91. Member of singing family made famous by "The Sound of Music." Oct. 11.

Deborah Kerr, 86. Actress who kissed Burt Lancaster on the beach in "From Here to Eternity" and danced with Yul Brynner in "The King and I." Oct. 16.

Joey Bishop, 89. Comedian; last of the Rat Pack. Oct. 17.

Teresa Brewer, 76. She topped the charts in the 1950s ("Till I Waltz Again With You"). Oct. 17.

Friedman Paul Erhardt, 63. Television's "Chef Tell." Oct. 26.

Porter Wagoner, 80. Grand Ole Opry star; helped launch the career of Dolly Parton. Oct. 28.

Robert Goulet, 73. Tony-winning baritone made Broadway debut in "Camelot." Oct. 30.

NOVEMBER

Igor Moiseyev, 101. Choreographer who transformed folk dance into a legitimate art. Nov. 2.

George Osmond, 90. Patriarch of singing Osmond family. Nov. 6.

Norman Mailer, 84. The pugnacious prince of American letters. Nov. 10.

Laraine Day, 87. Actress in nearly 50 films, including Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent." Nov. 10.

Delbert Mann, 87. Directed Oscar-winning "Marty." Nov. 11.

Ira Levin, 78. Best-selling novelist ("Rosemary's Baby," "The Boys From Brazil"). Nov. 12.

Dick Wilson, 91. Played the fussy grocer who begged, "Please, don't squeeze the Charmin." Nov. 19.

Kevin DuBrow, 52. Lead vocalist of Quiet Riot. Nov. 19.

Maurice Bejart, 80. French choreographer. Nov. 22.

Roger B. Smith, 82. As GM chief, was the subject of Michael Moore's "Roger & Me." Nov. 29.

Evel Knievel, 69. Motorcycle daredevil known for spectacular jumps and bone-crushing crashes. Nov. 30.

DECEMBER

Elizabeth Hardwick, 91. Author ("Sleepless Nights") and critic. Dec. 2.

Pimp C, 33. Rapper with the Texas hip-hop group Underground Kingz ("Super Tight"). Found dead Dec. 4.

Karlheinz Stockhausen, 79. Avant-garde German composer; pioneer of electronic music. Dec. 5.

Roger M. King, 63. CBS and King World Productions executive; helped bring such stars as Oprah Winfrey to television. Dec. 8.

Freddie Fields, 84. Colorful Hollywood agent, producer ("Glory") and studio executive. Dec. 11.

Ike Turner, 76. Rock innovator who teamed with wife Tina Turner (and denied abusing her). Dec. 12.

Dan Fogelberg, 56. His gentle, poignant hits ("Longer," "Leader of the Band") helped define soft-rock. Dec. 16.

Frank Capra Jr., 73. Television and movie producer; son of famed director. Dec. 19.

Michael Kidd, 92. Choreographer ("Seven Brides for Seven Brothers") who won five Tonys and a special Oscar. Dec. 23.

Oscar Peterson, 82. Jazz pianist whose hard-driving swing and melodic improvisations were hugely influential. Dec. 23.