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In the year 2008

721 Notable deaths

Heath Ledger

Australian actor (1979–2008).

Born April 4th, 1979 in Perth. [ref]

Died January 22nd, 2008 at 28 years old in Manhattan (opioid overdose). [ref]

Paul Newman

American actor and film director (1925–2008).

Born January 26th, 1925 in Shaker Heights. [ref]

Died September 26th, 2008 at 83 years old in Westport (lung cancer). [ref]

Bobby Fischer

American chess player and chess writer.

Born March 9th, 1943 in Chicago. [ref]

Died January 18th, 2008 at 64 years old in Reykjavík (kidney failure). [ref]

George Carlin

American stand-up comedian (1937–2008).

Born May 12th, 1937 in New York City. [ref]

Died June 22nd, 2008 at 71 years old in Santa Monica (heart failure). [ref]

Nina Simone

American singer, songwriter and pianist.

Born February 21st, 1933 in Tryon. [ref]

Died April 21st, 2008 at 75 years old in Carry-le-Rouet (breast cancer). [ref]

Bernie Mac

American actor.

Born October 5th, 1957 in Chicago.

Died August 9th, 2008 at 50 years old in Chicago (pneumonia). [ref]

Charlton Heston

American actor and political activist (1923–2008).

Born October 4th, 1923 in Evanston.

Died April 5th, 2008 at 84 years old in Beverly Hills (pneumonia, leukemia). [ref]

Estelle Getty

Actress (1923-2008).

Born July 25th, 1923 in New York City. [ref]

Died July 22nd, 2008 at 84 years old in Hollywood (dementia). [ref]

David Foster Wallace

American fiction writer and essayist.

Born February 21st, 1962 in Ithaca. [ref]

Died September 12th, 2008 at 46 years old in Claremont (hanging). [ref]

Michael Crichton

American author, screenwriter, film producer (1942-2008).

Born October 23rd, 1942 in Chicago. [ref]

Died November 4th, 2008 at 66 years old in Los Angeles (lymphoma). [ref]

Deaths 1 to 10 of 721

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Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough. William Saroyan