
3 -- Blues queen Koko Taylor, 80, complications from stomach surgery.
3 -- 'Enter the Dragon' villain Shih Kien, 96, kidney failure.
4 -- David Carradine, 72, asphyxiation.
23 -- Ed McMahon, 86, natural causes.
25 -- Farrah Fawcett, 62, cancer.
25 -- Michael Jackson, 50, homicide caused by acute propofol intoxication.
28 -- TV pitchman Billy Mays, 50, heart disease.
28 -- Entertainer Fred Travalena, 66, cancer.
29 -- 1950s sitcom star Gale Storm, 87, natural causes.
JULY Deaths
1 -- Karl Malden, 97, natural causes.
1 -- 'Fargo' actor Harve Presnell, 75, pancreatic cancer.
4 -- 'Tarzan' actress Brenda Joyce, 92, pneumonia.
17 -- Walter Cronkite, 92, natural causes.
19 -- 'Angela's Ashes' author Frank McCourt, 78, melanoma.
19 -- British invasion singer Gordon Waller, 64, cardiovascular disease.
21 -- 'You Can't Do That on Television' star Les Lye, 84.
22 -- 'American Idol' contestant Alexis Cohen, 23, struck by car.
AUGUST Deaths
6 -- John Hughes, 59, heart attack.
10 -- Folk music revivalist Mike Seeger, 75, cancer.
13 -- Guitar innovator Les Paul, 94, pneumonia.
28 -- Adam Goldstein (DJ AM), 36, cause pending autopsy results.
It's being called the Summer of Death, and for good reason. Beginning with the bizarre passing of 'Kung Fu' actor David Carradine and then recently the sudden end to DJ AM's life, the past few months have been rife with over 20 fallen celebrities and pop culture figures.
There was no pattern in the levels of prestige among the fallen, just death upon death, involving the trustworthy (Walter Cronkite), the quirky (Billy Mays) and the innovative (Les Paul). Each were met with sadness, or shock, or ambivalence -- depending on the person.
Which celeb left the biggest legacy? How did you react? Take our end of summer (of death) polls after the jump.




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For your tribute questions. you did not show the picture of M. Jackson. for an example. Therefore. your tally might be misleading.
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Thank God for taking the loud mouth Billy Mays. That will save me from getting carple tunnel from hanging onto the remote just in case he came on.
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Hey, what about comedian Dom Deluise? He died on May 4th!
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god it sounds like you guys care more for some star (that you probably never met) more than people in your own life that you have met. no one will ever know what really happened behind his closed doors.
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Re: Bub...Yes, people do die day in and day out, but it's figures such as these in the media that stand out and take personal meanings to many people. Why shouldn't they be honoured?
Response: Are they the ones that gave you the gift of life...Are they the ones who stood by you in times ot trouble and or happiness...No, these "actors and etc." only stood next to you to long enough for you to empty wha ever money you had into their pockets and in "MJ" case, his families bank account.
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As someone said above, they were either old or drug addicts. And I don't think someone who auditioned for American Idol needs to be added to that list.
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Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah! BLAH BLAH BLAH!
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