Elmer ‘Geronimo’ Pratt dies at 63; former Black Panther whose murder conviction was overturned

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Eva Zeisel was a ceramic artist and designer known for her tableware. Few who admired her often-abstract designs knew that she had been imprisoned as a young woman in the Soviet Union and later forced to flee Nazi-occupied Austria. She was 105. Full obituary (Talisman Brolin / Chronicle Books)

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A free-form sculptor, John Chamberlain crafted works from masses of crushed cars and automobile sheet metal. He was 84. Full obituary (Librado Romero / Associated Press)

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the mercurial strongman who styled himself as a “Dear Leader” while ruling over an impoverished police state, defied and baffled the world with his nuclear aims and bizarre actions. He was 69. Full obituary (Dmitry Astakhov / Itar-Tass / Abaca Press / MCT)

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A former dissident playwright, Havel was the revered first president of Czechoslovakia after it overthrew Communist rule in 1989. His slogan: “May truth and love triumph over lies and hatred.” He was 75. Full obituary (Petr David Josek / Associated Press)

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The British American’s polemical writings on religion, politics, war and other hot-button topics established him as a leading public intellectual. His openness about having cancer elicited thousands of letters and emails to Vanity Fair, where he was a longtime contributor. He was 62. Full obituary (Christian Witkin / TwelveBooks)

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Over the years, George Whitman sheltered about 50,000 young, struggling writer types for free at his legendary Paris bookshop Shakespeare & Co. on the Left Bank. It also was a magnet for writers like Allen Ginsberg, Anais Nin and Lawrence Durrell. He was 98. Full obituary (Kristin Jackson / Seattle Times)

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The iconoclastic producer of “Easy Rider,” “Five Easy Pieces,” “The Last Picture Show” and the Oscar-winning “Hearts and Minds” helped filmmakers break out of the studio system. Schneider also co-created the Monkees, the popular made-for-TV rock quartet modeled on the Beatles who starred in their own Emmy-winning sitcom from 1966 to 1968. He was 78. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Associated Press)

Harry Morgan right, with "MASH" costars Alan Alda and Mike Farrell.

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Emmy Award-winning Harry Morgan played LAPD Officer Bill Gannon opposite Jack Webb in “Dragnet” and Col. Sherman T. Potter in the hit series “MASH.” He also appeared on the Broadway stage and in more than 50 films. Above, Morgan, right, with “MASH” costars Alan Alda and Mike Farrell. He was 96. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 ()

$Hubert Sumlin's snarling guitar helped define Howlin' Wolf's sound. Though Sumlin never attained a fraction of the fame of his celebrated boss, he is revered by fellow blues musicians. He was 80. Full obituary Notable music deaths of 2011$

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Hubert Sumlin‘s snarling guitar helped define Howlin’ Wolf‘s sound. Though Sumlin never attained a fraction of the fame of his celebrated boss, he is revered by fellow blues musicians. He was 80. Full obituary

Notable music deaths of 2011 (Paul Hawthorne / Getty Images)

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The Hewlett-Packard chairwoman rose from secretary to leader of a financial firm before joining the HP board. She resigned in 2006 after it was revealed that she approved spying on other board members. She was 58. Full obituary (Chris Kleponis / Bloomberg News)

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Sues was a campy regular on “Rowan & Martin‘s Laugh-In,” playing characters including effeminate sportscaster Big Al and perpetually hung-over children’s show host Uncle Al the Kiddies’ Pal. He was 85. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Associated Press)

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The daughter of stars Loretta Young and Clark Gable, Lewis wrote tenderly about her only meeting with Gable at age 15. Young, an unmarried, staunch Catholic, faked an adoption of Lewis, who did not learn the truth about her parentage until she was an adult. She had careers as an actress and a psychotherapist. She was 76. Full obituary (Jill Connelly / Associated Press)

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The director of “Women in Love,” Russell was described as an enfant terrible of British cinema, specializing in films about musicians and music, notably the Who’s “Tommy.” Above, Russell with British model Twiggy during the filming of the movie “The Boy Friend” in 1971. He was 84. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Associated Press)

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The daughter of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin embarrassed the ruling Communists and caused an international furor by defecting to the U.S. during the Cold War. She later became a bestselling author. She was 85. Full obituary (Icarus Films)

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Known as “Father Dollar Bill,” Father Maurice Chase handed out dollar bills on Los Angeles’ skid row, caring more about the gift of human love than about what his beneficiaries did with the money. He was 92. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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The Bruins point guard, who in 1964 helped John Wooden win his first national championship at UCLA, coached the team for four seasons. He was 69. Full obituary

Notable sports deaths of 2011 (Harold Matosian / Associated Press)

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Lovelace led the Los Angeles-based American Funds mutual fund company, known for its buy-and-hold strategy, as it became one of the country’s largest money-management firms. He was 84. Full obituary ()

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The creator of the comic strip “The Family Circus” chronicled the lighter moments of family life for more than 50 years through gentle, heartfelt humor. He was 89. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (King Features Syndicate)

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Heavy D helped shaped rap music as the frontman of Heavy D and the Boyz, which fused New Jack Swing with reggae. He later became a record executive and had a successful acting career. He was 44. Full obituary

Notable music deaths of 2011 (File photo)

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The heavyweight champ had epic bouts with Muhammad Ali. In 1971 he became the first fighter to defeat Ali, then lost two rematches. In his 37 professional fights, “Smokin’ Joe” won 32 times. But he never accepted his 1-2 record against Ali. He was 67. Full obituary

Notable sports deaths of 2011 (AFP / Getty Image)

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A writer who won Emmys for the Oscar telecasts, Kanter was the creator of the landmark TV show “Julia,” the first sitcom to star an African American actress as a professional rather than a domestic. He was 92. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Associated Press)

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A noted Hollywood costume designer, Van Runkle’s influence spanned four decades and a range of movie genres. She was catapulted to fame by her work on “Bonnie and Clyde.” She was 83. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Los Angeles Times)

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His end-of-show essays on “60 Minutes” turned him into a reluctant celebrity. TV Guide called him “America’s favorite grump.” He retired in October after 33 years on the show. He was 92. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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Matty Alou won the National League batting title in 1966 while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He and his brothers Felipe and Jesus became the only trio of brothers to play outfield together in a 1963 game. He was 72. Full obituary.

Notable sports deaths of 2011 (Diamond Images / Getty Images)

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A legendary producer, director and impresario of the Geffen Playhouse, Gil Cates restored the luster to the Academy Awards telecasts, recruiting hosts such as Billy Crystal and Steve Martin. He was 77. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press)

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Erratic and mercurial, the Libyan leader fancied himself a political philosopher, practiced an unorthodox, deadly diplomacy and cut an at times cartoonish figure in robes and sunglasses and surrounded by female guards. He was 69. Obituary | Full coverage of Kadafi’s death | Photos: Kadafi through the years

Notable deaths of 2010 (John Redman / Associated Press)

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Radio’s “poet laureate,” whose original radio plays for CBS moved a generation of listeners during radio’s golden age, was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. He was 101. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The Native American activist was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that accused the federal government of cheating Native Americans in its management of Indian land, resulting in a record $3.4-billion settlement. She was 65. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Louis Sahagun / Los Angeles Times)

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The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner was killed in a 15-car wreck in the IndyCar series’ season-ending race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He was 33. Full obituary

Notable sports deaths of 2011 (Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images)

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A top talent agent, Mengers was a skilled negotiator known for being tough and uncensored in her style. She blazed a trail for women in Hollywood. She was 79. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Los Angeles Times)

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The computer scientist wrote the popular C programming language in the early 1970s and helped develop the Unix operating system. He was 70. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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The Los Angeles arts patron and her husband, talent agent Phil Gersh, were early collectors of modern and contemporary art. They donated 13 important works to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which she helped found. Above, Gersh and her husband at the Museum of Contemporary Art. She was 87. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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Al Davis, the controversial longtime owner of the Oakland Raiders, started as the team’s head coach and general manager and rose to become its principal owner. He is perhaps best remembered in Los Angeles as the sweatsuit-clad rebel with slicked-back hair and a secretive nature who successfully sued to relocate his team from Oakland to L.A. in 1982, then moved it back to Oakland in 1995. He was 82. Full obituary

Notable sports deaths of 2011 (Associated Press)

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Roger Williams was of the most popular instrumentalists of the mid-20th century and hit No. 1 on the pop charts in 1955 with his arpeggio-strewn “Autumn Leaves.” Between 1955 and 1972, he had 22 hit singles -- including “Born Free” -- and 38 hit albums. He was 87. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Lawrence Lucier / Steinway & Sons via Getty Images)

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Apple’s co-founder transformed computers and culture. His legacy of blockbuster products includes the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Meanwhile, Jobs’ other firm, Pixar, revolutionized computer animation. He was 56. Obituary | Photos | Timeline | Full coverage

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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Fred Shuttlesworth was the last of the civil rights movement’s “Big Three.” With the Revs. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph David Abernathy, he founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957. Above, Shuttlesworth, center, with King and Abernathy in 1963. Shuttlesworth died Oct. 5 at 89. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The Scottish singer-guitarist influenced rock and folk greats including Neil Young, Jimmy Page, Paul Simon and Pete Townshend, who credit Jansch’s effect on their music and celebrate his virtuosic playing and evocative songwriting. He was 67. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Jim Dyson / Getty Images)

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Arthur C. Nielsen Jr.'s lifelong efforts remade his father’s once-obscure market research company into a global giant, with a brand name that became a symbol for television ratings. He was 92. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Handout photo)

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During a showdown with the Roman Catholic Church in the late 1960s, Anita Caspary and the Los Angeles order she led, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, were cast as “rebel nuns” for progressive reforms that included abandoning the nun’s habit and suspending a fixed time for prayer. She was 95. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (File photo)

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Ralph Steinman died just days before the Nobel committee announced he had won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. His heirs will still receive his share of the award because the Nobel committee did not know of his death. He and two others were honored for their work with the immune system. He was 68. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Mike Groll / Associated Press)

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Gent, a standout basketball player in college who chose the NFL over the NBA, turned his vivid memories of a five-year career with the Dallas Cowboys into the blisteringly candid novel “‘North Dallas Forty” that became a bestseller. He was 69. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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Robinson owned Sugar Hill Records. The label released “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang in 1979. It’s considered the first mainstream hip-hop hit. She also had a solo hit with “Pillow Talk” in 1973. She was 76. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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He invented the first practical implantable pacemaker. The electrical engineer’s handmade device was named by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1983 as one of the 10 greatest engineering contributions to society in the previous 50 years. He was 92. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Bill Sikes / Associated Press)

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The prolific Southern California architect helped develop new ways of wrapping buildings in smooth glass skins, accelerating a shift that reshaped skylines around the world. Above, a building he designed in Beverly Hills. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (File photos)

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The widow of Bob Hope oversaw the couple’s charitable giving and played a key role in establishing the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. She was a singer when she met Hope; their 69-year marriage ended with his death in 2003. She was 102. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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Kurt Sanderling led the Leningrad Philharmonic and the East Berlin Symphony Orchestra and was a guest conductor later in his career in Los Angeles, London and elsewhere. He was 98. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The Reno pilot was an experienced racer who loved to fly and had been competing for decades. Leeward crashed during a race in Reno while piloting the Galloping Ghost, a World War II-era P-51 Mustang fighter he and friends retrofitted for racing. Leeward was killed, as were spectators on the ground. He was 74. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Marilyn Newton / Reno Gazette-Journal)

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Starting as an actress later in life, Frances Bay found success in a series of character parts, including roles on “Happy Days” and “Seinfeld” and in David Lynch‘s films. Above, she plays Adam Sandler‘s grandmother in “Happy Gilmore.” She was 92. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Joseph Lederer)

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John Calley ran Warner Bros., United Artists and Sony Pictures and produced several notable films, including “The Remains of the Day,” “Catch-22" and “The Da Vinci Code,” in a long career capped in 2009 by an honorary Academy Award. He was 81. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The actor won an Oscar for “Charly,” played JFK in “PT 109" and exposed the check-forging scandal of David Begelman. He was 88. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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An e-book pioneer, Michael Stern Hart started Project Gutenberg to make books available via computer long before the spread of the Internet. He was 64. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Benjamin Stone)

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A pioneer in Southern California skiing, the outdoorsman and longtime owner of Mt. Waterman Ski Resort, was at the heart of the San Gabriel Mountains community. He was 91. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The NFL Hall of Famer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers teamed with his brothers to create a dominant defensive front and led Oklahoma to back-to-back national college championships. He was 56. (J. Meric / Getty Images)

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An audacious pilot and driver often called the “First Lady of Firsts,” Betty Skelton was a three-time women’s international aerobatics champion and the first female test driver in the auto industry. She was 85. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (National Air and Space Museum)

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The Chicago bluesman, the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, performed with the founders of the art form: Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Tommy McLennan, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams. He was the last of the bluesmen from his generation. He was 96. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Joe Brier / McClatchy-Tribune)

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June Wayne founded the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles in the 1960s, where leading artists collaborated with professional printers to create high-quality prints. She was also a prolific artist in her own right. She was 93. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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Nick Ashford and his wife Valerie Simpson made up the songwriting and performing team of Ashford & Simpson, which had success at Motown with classics such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand.” Above, an Ashford & Simpson performance in 1984. He was 70. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s first No. 1 hit was Elvis Presley‘s “Hound Dog.” They also wrote for the Coasters, the Drifters, Ben E. King and many other artists. A popular musical based on their songs, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” opened on Broadway in 1995. Above, Leiber, right, with Elvis and Stoller in 1957. He was 78. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives)

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Edie Wasserman and her husband, Universal Studios boss Lew Wasserman, were known as the “king and queen of Hollywood.” Their generosity helped fund the Music Center, the California Institute of the Arts and the Motion Picture and Television Fund. Above, Wasserman with her husband in 1973. She was 95. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Public Library)

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Marshall Grant, who worked as Johnny Cash‘s road manager and played bass for him for more than two decades, helped create the singer’s famous sound. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Wayne Risher / Associated Press)

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Bernadine Healy, a cardiologist and educator, was the first woman to head the National Institutes of Health. She led the Red Cross relief efforts after 9/11. She was 67. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press)

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The longtime Oregon senator was a bedrock of moderate Republicanism. He was a devout Christian who opposed prayer in the public schools and managed to negotiate common ground among the environmentalists, loggers, anti-abortion activists, death penalty foes, business owners, farmers and antiwar protesters who were his constituents. He was 89. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The NFL player, who was the No. 1 draft pick from Michigan State in 1967, played for the Baltimore Colts, the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Oilers. Later, he appeared in popular beer commercials and acted in films and on TV. He was 66. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (John Gwillim / Associated Press)

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The Oscar-nominated art director was best known for her work on “The Last Picture Show” and “Paper Moon,” both directed by former husband Peter Bogdanovich. She also was an executive in filmmaker James L. Brooks’ company. She was 72. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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A founding member of the band America, Dan Peek’s soft-rock trio had big hits in the 1970s with “A Horse With No Name,” “Ventura Highway” and “Sister Golden Hair.” Above, Peek, center, with bandmates Dewey Bunnel, right, and Gerry Beckley in 1976. He was 60. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The veteran character actor, a former Oklahoma oilman who didn’t begin acting until he was in his 40s, was known for playing authority figures, including roles in “The Godfather: Part II” and “Apocalypse Now.” He was 90. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Universal / Lorimar)

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He became the first foreign-born chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and guided military and humanitarian efforts in the post-Cold War era of the 1990s. He was 75. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press)

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A Democratic Party leader, Manatt founded an influential law firm in Los Angeles and helped rebuild the party’s fundraising and grass-roots operations as its chairman during the Reagan era. President Clinton appointed him ambassador to the Dominican Republic. He was 75. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The toy maker and co-founder of Mattel developed popular products including the Uke-A-Doodle, Burp Gun and Hot Wheels. With the help of his wife’s creation of Barbie, Mattel joined the Fortune 500 in 1965. Above, with his granddaughter Cheryl Segal in 1967. He was 95. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The British painter, whose works are highly prized by collectors, created subjects in anguished, anti-erotic poses. He used impasto, a technique involving the thick application of paint, to create his highly textured portraits. He was 88. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Stephan Agostini / AFP/Getty Images)

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Lillian Mobley, a tireless South Los Angeles activist, fought to establish the King/Drew hospital and its related medical school. Above, Mobley, right, looks on as Dr. George Locke greets Rep. Maxine Waters at King/Drew in 2004. She was 81. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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A native of Germany, Olberz bought a ski and tennis shop in La Cañada Flintridge and expanded it into outdoor-superstore chain Sport Chalet, with 55 outlets in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. He was 86. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The comedy writer and producer created “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Brady Bunch. " He also wrote the memorable theme-song lyrics for both the wacky tale of a shipwrecked “three-hour tour” and the story of the marriage between a “lovely lady” with three daughters and “a man named Brady” with three sons. Above, Schwartz in 2008 receives kisses from Florence Henderson, who played Mrs. Brady, and Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on “Gilligan’s Island.” He was 94. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

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The former first lady captivated the nation with her unabashed candor and forthright discussion of her personal battles with breast cancer, prescription drug addiction and alcoholism. She founded the widely emulated Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for the treatment of chemical dependencies. She was 93. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Anna Moore Butzner / Grand Rapids Press)

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The old-school manager won back-to-back World Series with the Oakland A’s. Williams spent more than six decades in pro baseball, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers on the day he graduated from Pasadena High in 1947. As a manager he also won pennants with the Red Sox and Padres. Above, Williams holds the National League trophy in San Diego in 1984. He was 82. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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John Mackey‘s speed and receiving ability over a 10-year pro football career that included a Super Bowl win in 1971 changed the way tight ends were perceived. In his final years, stricken by dementia, he became a symbol of the brutality of football. He was 69. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The internationally renowned American artist, whose work blurred the boundaries of painting, drawing and handwritten poetry, was recognized with Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg as one of the three most important American artists to emerge in the 1950s. Above, the artist at the Louvre, where he designed and painted the ceiling of a large gallery of bronze sculptures last year. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Christophe Ena / Associated Press)

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The gravel-voiced Falk had a more than 50-year acting career that spanned movies, stage and TV. He became an enduring television icon portraying Lt. Columbo, the rumpled raincoat-wearing Los Angeles police homicide detective who always had “just one more thing” to ask a suspect. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Universal Pictures)

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The saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band put his stamp on such Springsteen classics as “Born to Run” and “Rosalita.” He was known both for his full-throttle tenor sax work and his larger-than-life onstage persona as “the Big Man.” He was 69. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Hillery Smith Garrison / Associated Press)

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A founding member of the Coasters, Gardner was also lead singer of the R&B group, whose hits included “Yakety Yak,” “Charlie Brown” and “Poison Ivy.” Above, Gardner, left, with Earl Carroll, Billy Guy and Will Jones. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Gilles Petard / Redferns)

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The film producer blazed a trail for women in Hollywood and overcame obstacles to get the “Spider-Man” movies made. In doing so, she paved the way for the superhero fare now standard during the summer filmgoing season. She was 61. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 ()

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Best known for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon in “Gunsmoke,” one of the longest-running prime-time series in network TV history, Arness was a towering symbol of frontier justice in the series that broke the mold for TV westerns. He was 88. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (CBS)

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Known as “Dr. Death,” Kevorkian was an advocate and practitioner of physician-assisted suicide. The former Michigan pathologist claims to have assisted in the suicides of more than 130 terminally ill people between 1990 and 1998. He served eight years in prison for second-degree murder after he administered a lethal injection himself. He was 83. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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Pratt was a former Black Panther whose 1972 murder conviction was overturned after he spent 27 years behind bars for a crime he said he did not commit. He was 63. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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The singer and poet “set the template’"for rap music. He combined social and political commentary with spoken words and musical grooves in ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ and other songs. He was 62. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Mischa Richter)

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Jeff Conaway came to fame in the movie “Grease” and on TV’s “Taxi.” More recently he was known for appearances on “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew.” He was 60. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 ()

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The reclusive heiress, a copper tycoon’s daughter, preferred to be known as Madame Clark and to be surrounded by her expensive French dolls. Relatives accuse her lawyer and accountant of mishandling her massive estate. She was 104. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The professional wrestling star Macho Man Randy Savage had multiple reigns as a WWE (then WWF) and WCW champion. He was widely recognized for his colorful fashion and signature cowboy hat. He was 58. | Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 ()

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The Hall of Famer was one of baseball’s premier home-run hitters. Known for his towering drives, Killebrew hit 573 homers in 22 seasons that included an American League pennant with the Minnesota Twins in 1965 and a most valuable player award in 1969. One manager said he could hit the ball out of any park, “including Yellowstone.” He was 74. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (File photo)

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The playwright and Broadway director, who won two Tony Awards, wrote the books for the classic Broadway musicals “West Side Story” and “Gypsy.” His screen credits include “The Way We Were” and “Rope.” He was believed to be 93. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 ()

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A child star in the ‘30s and part of the “Our Gang” cast, Jackie Cooper evolved into a successful 1950s TV star, a top ‘60s TV studio executive and an Emmy-winning director in the ‘70s. He was 88. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (MGM)

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Osama bin Laden, a scion of one of Saudi Arabia’s wealthiest families, became the grim apostle of a strain of Islamic radicalism that exalted violence against nonbelievers and the leader of a terrorist network that launched repeated attacks in the West, most spectacularly in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001. He was killed in a firefight with U.S. forces in Abbotabad, about 30 miles northeast of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The flashy, sharp-tongued former South Vietnam dignitary was dubbed the “Dragon Lady” for her often callous, inflammatory remarks, Ngo Dinh Nhu faded into exile after her family’s regime was toppled in the mid-1960s. She was 86. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The singer gained fame with her 1974 hit, “Poetry Man.” She received wide acclaim for her self-titled album, which showed off her multi-octave range and musical versatility. She had suffered a brain hemorrhage in January 2010. She was 60. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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The Hall of Fame fullback with the San Francisco 49ers was nicknamed ‘the Jet’ because of his speed. He became the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He was 84. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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He was considered a living god by millions of Hindus. After declaring himself the reincarnation of a Hindu saint in 1940, he built a loyal following, including politicians and celebrities, despite allegations of sexual abuse. He leaves a trust worth billions of dollars. He was 84. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Mustafa Quraishi / Associated Press)

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Raised in poverty in the West Virginia coal country, she formed a popular bluegrass singing duo with Alice Gerrard before continuing as a solo artist. She was a lifelong advocate for miners, the poor and women, causes that were infused into her music. She was 75. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Tom Hindman)

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The architect incorporated aerodynamic designs into his whimsical midcentury “Googie” coffee shops, including the original Norms on La Cienega Boulevard in L.A. and Pann’s in Westchester, to attract passing motorists. He was 94. Full obituary | Photos: “Googie” architecture

Notable deaths of 2010 (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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The developer of the Kendall-Jackson wine brand was a San Francisco lawyer who became a skilled wine merchant and titan of the industry. In recent years, Jackson owned winning racehorses, including Rachel Alexandra. He was 81. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Karen Tapia-Andersen / Los Angeles Times)

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The “I Love Lucy” writer collaborated with partner Bob Carroll Jr. on the groundbreaking series in the 1950s and continued to work with Lucille Ball over four decades. The pioneering female comedy writer is remembered as a “class act.” She was 90. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Los Angeles Times)

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The legendary Norwegian runner became the face of the New York City Marathon, winning the race nine times. She also set four marathon world records. She was 57. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Roald Berit / AFP/Getty Images)

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The Canadian actor may be best known for his role in 1969’s “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” with Jane Fonda, above. His other film credits include “The Sweet Ride,” “The Pursuit of Happiness” and “The Gumball Rally.” He was 70. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (File photo)

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The scientist won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for the first studies to explain the chemistry of boron, in particular the combinations of boron and hydrogen called boranes. He was 91. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The son of Groucho Marx went his own way with his career, becoming a TV writer, playwright and celebrity biographer; but his favorite, recurring subject was his famous father. He was 89. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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Harman was a philanthropist, polymath and pioneer in high-fidelity sound for homes and cars. Last year, he tried to resuscitate an icon of American journalism when he bought Newsweek. The husband of former Rep. Jane Harman died of complications from leukemia. He was 92. Full obituary

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The biochemist won the 1976 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovering the hepatitis B virus, which causes severe liver disease and cancer. He later developed the vaccine that protects against it. He was 85. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Eddie Adams / Associated Press)

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Prolific director Sidney Lumet, a four-time Oscar nominee, was known for guiding strong performances in films such as “12 Angry Men,” “Network” and “Dog Day Afternoon.” He directed more than 40 films in his long career, many of them in his hometown of New York. He was 86. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The handsome leading man was best known for roles in Hitchcock films. He began his acting career as a teenager in 1943’s “The North Star” (pictured) and went on to star in such movies as “They Live by Night” and Hitchcock’s “Rope” and “Strangers on a Train.” He later appeared on Broadway and in a range of TV roles. He was 85. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (File photo)

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A prolific thinker and creator, he is credited with innovations in cable modems, interactive TV, airport metal detectors and the “packet switching” technology that helped lead to the Internet. Above, Baran receives the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Bush in 2008. He was 84. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press)

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Ferraro shattered a political barrier for women as a vice presidential nominee in 1984. Her run with Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale made her a symbol for women’s equality. The candidacy of the congresswoman was an attempt to turn the “gender gap” of the 1980s to the Democrats’ advantage. She was 75. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright’s most notable works were “Talley’s Folly,” “The Hot L Baltimore” and “Burn This.” He was a longtime collaborator at New York’s Circle Repertory Company. He was 73. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The legendary star of stage and screen who won two Oscars, married multiple times, became a successful businesswoman and helped to pioneer the fight against AIDS, died of congestive heart failure. She was 79. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The influential steel guitarist played with Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. He was one of the architects of the “Bakersfield sound” of country music, a louder, more rhythmically propulsive version of the music coming out of Nashville in the ‘50s. He co-wrote the hit “Crazy Arms,” which became a No. 1 hit in 1956. He was 82. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Michael Manning)

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The former secretary of State’s quiet diplomacy was prized from Washington to Los Angeles. Christopher’s tenacity and decorum helped him secure the release of U.S. hostages from Iran for President Carter and broker the Bosnian peace agreement for President Clinton. He led a probe into the LAPD after the Rodney G. King beating that resulted in key reforms. He was 85. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The entertainer who came out of Bakersfield helped open doors for a California strain of country music. He charted more than 50 country hits from the 1950s to the 1970s. He created the template for the Nashville Sound, according to one music historian. He was 85. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (File photo)

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The West Coast rapper created the blend of singing-rapping known as G-funk. Born Nathaniel D. Hale in Long Beach, he gained attention for two tracks on Dr. Dre‘s 1992 debut “The Chronic.” He lent his baritone vocals to hits by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Warren G and earned a Grammy nomination for the track “Regulate” in 1995. He was 41. Full obituary

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Stanley was known as the “Acid King” of the ‘60s psychedlic era. He reputedly made more than 1 million doses of LSD, much of which fueled Ken Kesey‘s notorious Acid Tests -- rollicking parties featuring all manner of psychedelic substances, strobe lights and music. He was 76. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The political reporter and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist wrote more than four decades for the Washington Post, where he mentored countless colleagues. He appeared on “Meet the Press” some 400 times. He was 81. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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The Dutch physicist shared the 1984 Nobel Prize with Italian Carlo Rubbia for the discovery of elementary particles known as W and Z, which link two of the four fundamental forces of nature. He was 85. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (CERN)

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Frank Buckles, the last American veteran of World War I, drove ambulances in France and later spent years in an internment camp after Japan’s invasion of the Philippines in WWII. He was 110. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty Images)

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Duke Snider, an eight-time All-Star, was a Dodger in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. One of the “Boys of Summer,” he helped the team to Brooklyn’s only World Series title as well as six National League championships. He was 84. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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She dated Bob Dylan for four transformative years and wrote an acclaimed book about Greenwich Village in the ‘60s. The cover of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” shows the couple walking arm-in-arm. She was 67. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Columbia)

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The comic book and animation writer was a co-founder of Milestone Media, a landmark company that created a multicultural comics line that introduced black superheroes such as Hardware and Static. He was 49. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Kevin Parry, Paley Center for Media)

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The obstetrician championed abortion rights before switching sides. Nathanson helped found the National Assn. for the Repeal of Abortion Laws. But in the 1970s he professed unease about the procedure. In 1984 he narrated the anti-abortion film “The Silent Scream.” He was 84. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The corporate turnaround expert nicknamed “Mr. Chapter 11,” Sigoloff is credited with leading companies such as Wickes out of bankruptcy. Millions in Southern California know him from his “We got the message, Mr. Sigoloff” TV commercials for Wickes’ now-defunct Builders Emporium chain. He was 80. Full obituary

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Matson was an NFL Hall of Famer who played on some of the worst Rams teams. The Texas native blocked, caught passes and, early in his career, played defense as well as offense. Thanks to his Olympic-caliber speed -- he won two medals in the 1952 Helsinki Games -- he was known for his breakaway running with the ball. He was 80. Full obituary

Notable deaths of 2010 (Associated Press)

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The former Hollywood press agent made a successful leap to producing. Seltzer led successful ad campaigns for 1935’s “Mutiny on the Bounty” and 1955’s “Marty” and later helped Charlton Heston make “Soylent Green” and “The Omega Man.” In retirement he was a tenacious fundraiser for the Motion Picture and Television Fund. Above, he receives the Fund’s Silver Medallion from actors Burt Lancaster, left, and Kirk Douglas. He was 96. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (File photo)

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UC San Francisco geneticist Dr. Charles Epstein helped unlock the secrets of Down syndrome. He also survived an attack by the Unabomber. He was 77. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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A Southern California surfing and snowboarding enthusiast, Allen brought standards to surf and snowboard cultures, coaching Orange County high school surfing teams and establishing an organization to oversee snowboarding contests. He was 74. Full obituary (Peter Townend Collection)

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George Shearing, a top British jazz pianist, came to the U.S. in 1946, then hit on a musical formula that established him in the jazz world and made him one of its leading artists for half a century. Above, Shearing at a party with Lynn Redgrave in 1968. He was 91. Full obituary (Richard Drew)

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The versatile comedic actress was in MGM musicals and a regular on “All in the Family” and “Laverne & Shirley.” She also starred on Broadway and in Los Angeles theater productions. She was 91. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Columbia Pictures)

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Altmann forced the return of a Gustav Klimt portrait seized by Nazis. At age 82, she went to the U.S. Supreme Court and won the battle for a famous portrait of her aunt and other artworks. She was 94. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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The author of “Redwall” children’s fantasy novels, Jacques wrote in the British tradition of anthropomorphic literary animals and pop medievalism when he created one of the most popular fantasy series in contemporary literature. He preferred to say that he wrote a “good yarn.” He was 71. Full obituary (Los Angeles Times)

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J. Paul Getty III, the scion of the oil dynasty, was kidnapped at the age of 16 in Italy in 1973. The kidnappers severed his ear and sent it to Getty’s father and grandfather as proof. His grandfather then paid $2.2 million. Getty was incapacitated by a stroke in 1981. He was 54. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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The composer won five Oscars for films such as “Born Free” and “Out of Africa” and scored Bond films including “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever” and “From Russia With Love.” His work on the Bond franchise put him in the forefront of music composers. He was 77. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Dave Hogan / Getty Images)

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Grannis photographs documented California surf culture of the 1960s and ‘70s. His images helped popularize and immortalize the sport -- and the life behind it -- at a crucial point in its history. “His photos captured the real thing,” wrote surfing journalist Steve Barilotti. He was 93. Full obituary (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Maria Schneider starred in “Last Tango in Paris.” The film is considered a classic, but it also included notorious sex scenes. In her later years, Schneider expressed regret about appearing in the film, saying “I felt a little raped” by costar Marlon Brando and director Bernardo Bertolucci. She was 58. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (United Artists)

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The zany, character-oriented comedian’s visual brand of humor was punctuated with a bizarre array of facial expressions and sound effects. Mel Brooks says he “was a cast of thousands all by himself.” He was 83. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Joey Del Valle/NBCU Photo Bank)

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Horton sang “Please Mr. Postman” with the Marvelettes. She was just 15 when she recorded Motown Records’ first No. 1 pop single in 1961. The group had six top 20 singles, including “Beachwood 4-5789,” “Don’t Mess With Bill” and “Playboy.” Horton is pictured above, at left, with Katherine Anderson and Wanda Young of the Marvelettes. She was 65. Full obituary (Motown archive)

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With his brother and singing partner Ira, Charlie Louvin created a harmonizing sound that inspired the likes of the Everly Brothers, the Beatles, Emmylou Harris and successive generations of musicians. He was 83. Full obituary (Tennessean)

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The Mexican bishop championed rights of Maya Indians. He organized a network of lay Bible teachers who fanned out across Chiapas state, allowing Indians to participate in church worship in ways never before possible. In 1994, during the Zapatista rebellion, he mediated peace talks. He was 86. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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The relatively unknown photographer documented L.A.'s beat culture and emerging arts scene, the civil rights movement, the Black Panthers and antiwar protests. He was 82. Full obituary (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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The spiritual father of the U.S. fitness movement, LaLanne opened what’s believed to be the country’s first health club in Oakland in 1936. In the ‘50s he started a TV exercise show geared toward housewives, and he sold a popular line of exercise equipment, supplements and health food. He was 96. Full obituary (File photo)

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Dr. McCulloch and his research partner biophycisist James E. Till were the first to isolate and identify a stem cell. Their pioneering work opened the door to bone marrow transplants and to what researchers believe eventually will be a host of treatments for a broad spectrum of diseases. He was 84. Full obituary (University Health Network)

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Sargent Shriver, a lawyer and Kennedy in-law, worked for JFK’s and Lyndon Johnson’s administrations. He launched social programs including the Peace Corps, Head Start and the Job Corps and led the “war on poverty.” Programs he created “still change people’s lives,” says daughter Maria Shriver. Above, with his wife Eunice in 1968. He was 95. Full obituary (Charles Harrity / Associated Press)

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Don Kirshner guided the careers of songwriters, launched the Monkees and introduced TV audiences to an array of musicians and comics through his show in the 1970s. He was 76. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Joshua Prezan t/ Washington Post)

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Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm was an instant hit in the fad-crazy 1950s. More than 20 million were sold during Levine’s lifetime. “Humanity can learn a lot from the ant,” he said. He was 97. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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British actress Susannah York rose to fame in the 1960s for her work in such films as “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” for which she was nominated for an Oscar. She was 72. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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David Nelson and his brother, Rick, joined their parents on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” on radio in 1949. The show moved to TV in 1952 and ran for 14 years. David Nelson later became a director. He was 74. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Los Angeles Times)

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In a career that spanned seven decades, Margaret Whiting, who was mentored by Johnny Mercer, recorded more than 700 songs, including “That Old Black Magic” and “Come Rain or Come Shine,” and had a dozen gold records. She was 86. Full obituary (File photo)

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The British director earned Academy Award nominations for “Breaking Away” and “The Dresser.” “Bullitt” was Yates’ American directing debut. It starred Steve McQueen as a detective and featured a memorable car chase on the streets of San Francisco with McQueen at the wheel of a Mustang. He was 81. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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U.S. District Judge John Roll had stopped by to say hello to his friend Rep. Gabrielle Giffords at a Jan. 8 Tucson event that Giffords was hosting for constituents when a gunman opened fire. Six people, including Roll, were killed. The judge had received death threats in the past over disputes involving illegal immigration. Full obituary (Associated Press)

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The exiled Hmong general and fabled soldier was a key ally to the United States during the Vietnam War. He was 81.Above, the general in 1963 during a troop briefing in the jungles of Laos. Full obituary (File photo)

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The actor was nominated for an Oscar for “In the Name of the Father.” Steven Spielberg, who directed Postlethwaite in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and “Amistad,” once called him “probably the best actor in the world.” Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2010 (Los Angeles Times)

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A shapely blond with a beauty mark next to her lower lip, the New York native costarred in the 1950s science-fiction classic “Forbidden Planet.” She also played the title role in “Honey West,” the mid-1960s TV series about a sexy female private detective with a pet ocelot. She was 80. Full obituary

Notable film and television deaths of 2011 (Universal Television)

By Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times

March 16, 2014 5:04 AM PT

Elmer G. “Geronimo” Pratt, a former Los Angeles Black Panther Party leader whose 1972 murder conviction was overturned after he spent 27 years in prison for a crime he said he did not commit, has died. He was 63.

Pratt, whose case became for many a symbol of racial injustices during the turbulent 1960s, died Thursday at his home in a small village in Tanzania, said his sister Virginia. The cause was not given.

Pratt’s case became a cause celebre for a range of supporters, including elected officials, activists, Amnesty International, clergy and celebrities who believed he was framed by Los Angeles police and the FBI because he was African American and a member of the radical Black Panthers. Pratt maintained that the FBI knew he was innocent because the agency had him under surveillance in Oakland when the slaying was committed in Santa Monica.

“Geronimo was a powerful leader,” Stuart Hanlon, Pratt’s longtime San Francisco attorney, told The Times. “For that reason he was targeted.”

Pratt was arrested in 1970 and two years later convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 1968 fatal shooting of Caroline Olsen and the serious wounding of her husband, Kenneth, in a robbery that netted $18. The case was overturned in 1997 by an Orange County Superior Court judge who ruled that prosecutors at Pratt’s murder trial had concealed evidence that could have led to his acquittal.

A federal judge later approved a $4.5 million settlement in Pratt’s false-imprisonment and civil rights lawsuit.

Pratt, who also went by Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt, was born on Sept. 13, 1947, in Morgan City, La., a small town about two hours from New Orleans. The youngest of seven children, Pratt was raised as a Roman Catholic by his mother and his father, who operated a small scrap-metal business.

Growing up in the segregated South amid a tight-knit black community had a profound effect on Pratt, he later told interviewers.

“The situation was pretty racist, on the one hand,” he said in an interview with Race and Class magazine. “On the other, it was full of integrity and dignity and the pride of being part of this community … the values, the work ethic, very respectful to everyone.”

Pratt volunteered to join the Army and served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. After he was discharged, Pratt moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and enrolled at UCLA. While attending classes, he met Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter, a Louisiana native and an early member of the Black Panther Party who recruited him to the cause and gave him the “Geronimo” nickname.

Pratt was convicted in the 1968 shooting after compelling testimony by Julius C. (Julio) Butler, a one-time Black Panther associate who told jurors that Pratt discussed “the mission” with him before the attack and admitted later that evening that he had shot the couple. Government records later showed that Butler was an FBI informant at the time. Butler denied being an informant.

Nonetheless, three jurors who convicted Pratt said they would have held out for acquittal if they had known of Butler’s relationship with the FBI.

For more than two decades, Pratt’s legal team — led by Hanlon and Los Angeles attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. — struggled to win Pratt’s freedom. Cochran, who was a key member of O.J. Simpson’s “Dream Team” before his death in 2005, said Pratt’s case was the most important of his career.

After he was released from Mule Creek State Prison in Amador County, Pratt held no animosity toward authorities who had imprisoned him, Hanlon said. “He was at peace with himself,” the attorney said.

Pratt is survived by a daughter, three sons, two sisters and two brothers.

robert.lopez@latimes.com

Obituaries

Robert J. Lopez

Robert J. Lopez is an accountability reporter for the Los Angeles Times, with a special focus on underserved communities. He was part of a team that won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for public service for stories that uncovered alleged corruption in the city of Bell. He also helped run L.A. Now, The Times’ breaking news blog. A Los Angeles native, he has taught journalism and social media to reporters, students and academics in Latin America, the Caribbean and Middle East.