Andy Williams Dead at 84

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Legendary singer and TV host Andy Williams has died.

According to his rep, Williams passed away last night at his home in Branson, MO after a year-long battle with bladder cancer. He was 84.

The "Moon River" singer -- who recorded 18 gold and 5 platinum certified albums -- is survived by his wife Debbie and his three children, Robert, Noelle, and Christian.



He hosted "The Andy Williams Show" from 1962-1971. He also hosted the Grammys from 1971-1977.

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Michael Clarke Duncan, Star of The Green Mile, Dies at Age 54

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Michael Clarke Duncan

JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC

Michael Clarke Duncan, the Oscar-nominated star of The Green Mile, died Monday in a Los Angeles hospital after two months of treatment for a heart attack. He was 54. 

The imposing 6-ft., 5-in., 300-lb. actor with a warm smile and gentle demeanor "never fully recovered" from the July 13 heart attack, according to a statement issued on behalf of his fiancé, the Rev. Omarosa Manigault, the former star of The Apprentice. 

"Manigault is grateful for all of your prayers and asks for privacy at this time," says the statement. "Celebrations of his life, both private and public, will be announced at a later date."

The Chicago-raised Duncan worked as a ditch digger for the gas company before coming to Los Angeles where he was a bodyguard for stars including Jamie Foxx and Will Smith.

Duncan's breakout performance as imprisoned convicted murderer John Coffey in the 1999 Tom Hanks hit The Green Mile earned him a supporting-actor Academy Award nomination. 

He also appeared in such films as Armageddon, Planet of the Apes and The Whole Nine Yardsand provided his voice for Kung Fu Panda.

"I am terribly saddened at the loss of Big Mike," Hanks said Monday. "He was the treasure we all discovered on the set of The Green Mile. He was magic. He was a big love of man and his passing leaves us stunned." 

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Film director Tony Scott jumps to his death from Vincent Thomas Bridge

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British film director Tony Scott, known for such Hollywood blockbusters as "Top Gun," "Days of Thunder," "Beverly Hills Cop II" and "The Taking of Pelham 123," jumped to his death Sunday from the Vincent Thomas Bridge spanning San Pedro and Terminal Island, according to Los Angeles County coroner's officials.

Scott, 68, climbed a fence on the south side of the bridge's apex and leapt off "without hesitation" around 12:30 p.m., according to the Coroner's Department and port police.

A suicide note was found inside Scott's black Toyota Prius, which was parked on one of the eastbound lanes of the bridge, said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Osburn.

Scott directed Tom Cruise in "Top Gun," one of the highest-grossing films of 1986, and worked with the actor again four years later on the hit "Days of Thunder," which also featured his third and current wife, actress Donna Scott. The couple have twin boys.

Known for his trademark red baseball cap, Scott also directed "Beverly Hills Cop II," starring Eddie Murphy, "Enemy of the State," starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman, and "The Taking of Pelham 123," starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta.

Scott and his older brother, producer Ridley Scott, were co-producers on the CBS dramas "NUMB3RS" and "The Good Wife." The pair recently wrapped "Coma," a four-hour, two-night medical thriller starring Ellen Burstyn set for release next month on A&E.

Officers with port police, the Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol joined city firefighters and the Coast Guard in searching the water for his body.

Cargo vessels moved at slow speeds through the east side of the Main Channel during the search, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.

"It's a dolorous task and we're working to treat the deceased with the utmost dignity and respect," Humphrey said.

Authorities used sonar equipment to track the man in the port's murky waters and his body was recovered by a dive team around 4:30 p.m., Alva said. Scott's body was taken to a dock in Wilmington and turned over to the county coroner.

One lane of the eastbound side of the bridge was closed to traffic during the investigation.

Erected in 1963, the 6,060-foot bridge links San Pedro with Terminal Island and rises 185 feet at its highest point above the Main Channel of Los Angeles Harbor. Many have taken their lives by jumping from the span.
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