Lou Reed dead at 71

Lou Reed dead at 71. Lou Reed, a massively influential songwriter and guitarist who helped shape nearly fifty years of rock music, died today. The cause of his death has not yet been released, but Reed underwent a liver transplant in May.

With the Velvet Underground in the late Sixties, Reed fused street-level urgency with elements of European avant-garde music, marrying beauty and noise, while bringing a whole new lyrical honesty to rock & roll poetry. As a restlessly inventive solo artist, from the Seventies into the 2010s, he was chameleonic, thorny and unpredictable, challenging his fans at every turn. Glam, punk and alternative rock are all unthinkable without his revelatory example. "One chord is fine," he once said, alluding to his bare-bones guitar style. "Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz.

Wizard of Oz Munchkin dies

Wizard of Oz Munchkin dies, Margaret Pellegrini, who staked a claim in cinematic history when she was just 16 years old as one of the residents of Munchkinland in "The Wizard of Oz," died Wednesday at the age of 89 in Arizona. According to a spokesperson for the few surviving actors who appeared in the 1939 classic, Pellegrini was best known as one of the "Flower Pot" Munchkins who greet Dorothy (Judy Garland) when her house lands in Oz.

Dixie Evans dies

Dixie Evans dies, The veteran performer, who was known as the 'Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque', passed away at an assisted care facility in Las Vegas on Saturday (03Aug13), just months after she suffered a stroke.

Mel Smith dies of heart attack aged 60

Comic actor and writer Mel Smith has died of a heart attack, aged 60, his agent has confirmed.

The British comedian - known for the sketch shows Alas Smith and Jones and Not The Nine O'Clock News - died at his home on Friday, Michael Foster said.

Helen Thomas dies at 92

Helen Thomas, a trailblazing journalist who covered the White House for nearly five decades, has died aged 92.

She died at her Washington apartment after a long illness, the Gridiron Club, Washington's historic press organisation, said.

Ed Shaughnessy dies at 84

Ed Shaughnessy, a drummer on TV's "The Tonight Show" for nearly three decades, has died at the age of 84.

He passed away at his home in Calabasas, a Los Angeles suburb, on Friday according to multiple media reports.

S.W.A.T. star dies at 87

Steve Forrest, an actor best known for his role as Lt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson on ABC's "S.W.A.T.," died in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on Saturday. He was 87.

A cause of death was not made available, but he passed away peacefully surrounded by family, according to a statement from his publicist, Amanda Nguyen.

Ray Manzarek dies at 74

The Doors' founding keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, died in Germany Monday after a long fight with cancer, his publicist said in a statement. He was 74.

The artist had been diagnosed with bile duct cancer.

Related: Notable Deaths

William Fine dies at 86

William M. Fine, a former magazine publisher and retailer whose research for Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller helped shape New York State’s stringent narcotics laws, died on Friday in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 86.

The cause was multiple atrophy syndrome, his daughter-in-law, Delia, said.

Alan O'Day dies at 72

Singer/songwriter Alan O'Day, best known for the 1977 hit "Undercover Angel," has lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 72.

O'Day was surrounded by loved ones when he passed away at his home in Westwood, California, on Friday.

Jack Butler dies dies at 85

Jack Butler, who helped revolutionize the way cornerbacks played in the NFL during his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, died Saturday after a lengthy battle with a staph infection. He was 85.

Butler's son John said his father's heart stopped suddenly Saturday morning. The elder Butler had spent the last several months in the hospital dealing with a staph infection that plagued him since his career ended in 1959.

Missoni founder dead: Ottavio Missoni founder of Italy's fashion house Missoni dies at 92

Ottavio Missoni, founder of the global family fashion empire that spawned the no-bra look and revolutionized textile patterns with its trademark bold stripes and zig-zag patterns, died on Thursday aged 92.

A company spokeswoman said Missoni, commonly known by his nickname "Tai," died during the night in the northern town of Sumirago, at the family home next to the company's factory. He had been recently hospitalized for heart problems.

Comedian Charlie Callas dies

Callas, who was a regular on the “The Tonight Show” , has died in a Las Vegas hospice. He was 83. Callas had a screen part in “The Big Mouth” , and he toured with famous singers.Charlie Callas, a rubber-faced comedian who cavorted on television and the nightclub circuit in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, often punctuating punch lines with sound effects emanating from his motormouth, died on Thursday in Las Vegas. He was 83.