The veteran actor, best known as Commissioner Gordon in four Batman films, died Jan. 3 at the age of 84 from blood cancer. Though never a household name, Hingle acted alongside many of Hollywood's top talents, including Clint Eastwood (Hang 'Em High), Sally Field (Norma Rae), Warren Beatty (Splendor in the Grass) and Marlon Brando (On the Waterfront).

The Secret Agent and Prisoner star died Jan. 13 at the age of 80 following a brief illness. McGoohan, who achieved cult status as a retired secret agent who's abducted and taken to a prison resort known as the Village on The Prisoner, won two Emmys for his work on Columbo.

The Fantasy Island star died Jan. 14 at age 88 of natural causes. After finding fame as Island's magnanimous Mr. Rourke, Montalban went on to star as villain Khan in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Best known as The Robot on the 1960s series Lost in Space, May, 69, died of congenital heart failure on Jan. 18. The actor also worked as a stuntman on Cheyenne, Surfside 6, Hawaiian Eye, The Roaring 20s and Stagecoach.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist succumbed to lung cancer at age 76 on Jan. 27. Updike, whose novel The Witches of Eastwick was adapted into a hit 1987 film, released his latest novel, The Widows of Eastwick, last year.

The One Life to Live actor died Jan. 31 at age 70 after a brief illness. Ritchie portrayed cowboy Clint Buchanan for more than 20 years on the ABC soap before retiring from the role in 1998. He made occasional guest appearances up until 2004.

The Emmy-winning actor died of lung cancer on Feb. 6 at age 87. Whitmore, also a stage and film vet, was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of President Truman in Give 'Em Hell, Harry!

The One Life to Live star died Feb. 6 at age 83 after a three-year battle with lung cancer. His Life character, Asa Buchanan, died in his sleep in 2007, but Carey made three subsequent appearances on the soap, most recently in December 2008.

The Tony-winning actor and political activist died March 15 of esophageal cancer at age 60. Silver, a Democrat-turned-GOP supporter, appeared in such shows as The West Wing, Chicago Hope and Veronica's Closet.

The Tony-winning actress and wife of Liam Neeson died March 18 at age 45 of blunt trauma to the brain after a skiing accident in Montreal. "The term 'life force' seems trite, but that is what she was: A woman who powered through life and fascinated everyone she encountered," said Cabaret co-star Alan Cumming.

The British reality star who rose to fame on the U.K. version of Big Brother died March 22 at the age of 27 following a seven-month battle with cervical cancer. In her final days, Goody wed her boyfriend Jack Tweed and held a baptism in her hospital room for herself and her sons, Bobby, 5, and Freddy, 4.

Hallett, 33, who played green-skinned demon Lorne on Angel, died March 29 after a five-year battle with heart disease. "Andy was a beacon of love and laughter," Angel co-star Charisma Carpenter said.

The 56-year-old adult film star was found dead in her Los Angeles home by her daughter on April 12. Chambers was best known for Behind the Green Door, a 1972 film that was central to the "porn chic" movement, in which upper-middle-class adults developed an interest in hardcore pornography.

The Emmy-winning Maude and Golden Girls star with that one-of-a-kind voice died April 25 at age 86. Arthur, who had cancer, was also an accomplished stage performer, having won a Tony for her work in Mame.

The 52-year-old Las Vegas entertainer and impressionist passed away May 1. The death, ruled accidental, was caused by a toxic reaction to a painkiller, which exacerbated his pre-existing heart conditions.

The cheerful comic died May 4 at age 75. "Dom always made you feel better when he was around and there will never be another like him," Cannonball Run co-star Burt Reynolds said. "I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. I will miss him very much."

The British actress, who played a reporter in Spider-Man 3, was found hanging in her Paris apartment on May 20, two days before her 29th birthday. Gordon, who also appeared in The Four Feathers with Heath Ledger, left a suicide note, according to her father.

The Kill Bill and Kung Fu star, 72, was found hanging in a Bangkok hotel room on June 3. While authorities continue to investigate his death, an independent forensic expert hired by the Carradine family has ruled out suicide.

McMahon, television's most famous sidekick, died June 23 at age 86. Though plagued with health problems in recent years, McMahon never slowed down. He most recently starred in a Cash4Gold commercial in which he amended his signature Johnny Carson introduction to "Heeeere's Money."

After waging a nearly three-year battle with cancer, the iconic Charlie's Angels actress and pinup star died June 25 at age 62. In her final days, Fawcett agreed to marry longtime companion Ryan O'Neal, he said, but Fawcett passed before they could.

The King of Pop died at the age of 50 on June 25 from acute propofol intoxication, leaving fans, family and friends in shock. "I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news," producer Quincy Jones said. "For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words."

The OxiClean pitchman and Discovery Channel star died in his sleep on June 28 at age 50. An autopsy showed cocaine contributed to Mays' heart disease, which is listed as the primary cause of death.

The noted celebrity and political impressionist died June 28 at age 66 of an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphona, with which he was first diagnosed in 2002. Travalena was a late-night staple in the 1970s, '80s and '90s, appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and The Late Show with David Letterman.

The Golden Globe winner died at 75 on June 30 from pancreatic cancer. Best known as William H. Macy's father-in-law in Fargo, Presnell was also a stage vet, starring in the musicals The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Annie.

The Oscar- and Emmy-winning character actor died of natural causes at age 97 on July 1. With his bulbous nose (broken twice in his teens from playing basketball), Malden said he was determined to be "No. 1 in the No. 2 parts I was destined to get," and did he deliver in such classics as A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, Patton and more. On the small screen, Malden nutured a young Michael Douglas in the cop drama The Streets of San Francisco.

Dubbed "the most trusted man in America," the legendary CBS Evening News anchor died July 17 at the age of 92. Cronkite, who had cerebrovascular disease, anchored the Evening News for 19 years, steering America through many of its turbulent times — including the assassination of President Kennedy — and signed off each night with his famous catchphrase: "And that's the way it is."

The Pulitzer-winning memoirist died July 19 at age 78 from metastatic melanoma. A former schoolteacher, McCourt rose to prominence in his 60s when he published his memoir, Angela's Ashes, about his poor Irish upbringing, to worldwide acclaim and awards. McCourt, whose novel was adapted into a 1999 film of the same name, penned two more memoirs, 'Tis and Teacher Man.

The 59-year-old director who helmed such 1980s classics as The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller's Day Off suffered a heart attack during a morning jog on Aug. 6. "I was stunned and incredibly sad to hear about the death of John Hughes," Molly Ringwald, who worked with Hughes on three films, said. "He was and will always be such an important part of my life."

The conservative political columnist and Crossfire host died at age 78 from brain cancer on Aug. 18. Novak, whose career spanned five decades, was the first to identify Valerie Plame as a CIA operative in a column that sparked a three-year federal investigation into the leak and resulted in the conviction of Bush administration official I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby for perjury.

The 60 Minutes creator died at age 86 on Aug. 19. Credited with pioneering the modern newscast, Hewitt directed the first network TV newscast, featuring Douglas Edwards, in 1948, and executive-produced the first half-hour network newscast — CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite — in 1963.

The "Lion of the Senate" succumbed to brain cancer at age 77 on Aug. 25, two weeks after his sister, Special Olympics co-founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, passed away. A liberal icon who championed the poor and working class, Kennedy was the third-longest serving senator in history. President Barack Obama, who delivered his eulogy, called him "the greatest United States senator of our time."

The novelist and high society crime writer died Aug. 26 at age 83 from bladder cancer. A longtime Vanity Fair contributor, Dunne was noted for his coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial and those of Phil Spector and the Menendez brothers, and President Bill Clinton's impeachment. Dunne also hosted a truTV series called Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice.

The 36-year-old celebrity DJ died of an accidental drug overdose Aug. 28, less than a year after he survived a plane crash with Travis Barker. AM, whose real name was Adam Goldstein, was a recovering drug addict and had just finished filming an MTV series, Gone Too Far, which focused on helping young people overcome their addictions. The series premiered in October with the blessing of his family.

The Emmy-winning writer of M*A*S*H died Sept. 11 at 81 after a battle with cancer. Gelbart found success on the big screen as well, earning Oscar nominations for the George Burns comedy Oh, God! and Tootsie.

The Ghost and Dirty Dancing star died Sept. 14 at 57 after a 20-month fight with pancreatic cancer. Swayze "was fearless and insisted on always doing his own stunts, so it was not surprising to me that the war he waged on his cancer was so courageous and dignified," Jennifer Grey said of her Dirty Dancing co-star.

The veteran character actor, best known as "The Poet" on Laugh-In, died Sept. 14 at 73 from cancer. In recent years, Gibson appeared in Magnolia, Wedding Crashers and recurred as Judge Clark Brown on Boston Legal.

The wrestling icon credited with pioneering the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection" after starring in Cyndi Lauper's music videos died Oct. 14 at 76. Albano, who segued into acting in the '80s, "was a great, gregarious, hilarious fellow who had this lovable presence," Lauper said.

The boundary-breaking comedian, known for his trademark pie-in-the-face shtick, died Oct. 22 at 83. Born Milton Supman, Sales enjoyed success with his slapstick program, The Soupy Sales Show and estimated he took more than 20,000 pies to the face in his career.

The Clueless and 8 Mile star died Dec. 20 at age 32 after suffering full cardiac arrest. "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon," ex-boyfriend and Just Married co-star Ashton Kutcher tweeted.