William Shakespeare aka John Stanley Cave aka Billy Shake

Australian glam rock singer -- via www.undercover.fm. It's hard to run this one -- the name, alone. He did some bad things, came down in the world, suffered addiction. When it comes down to it, he was a person. May he rest in peace.

Gilda O'Neill

Historian and novelist -- via the Guardian

Colette Renard

Chanteuse and actress -- via Telerama.fr. A saucy singer who originated the title role in "Irma la Douce."

Steve Lee

Lead singer of Swiss rock band Gotthard -- via Swissinfo.ch.

Gregorio Ros

Award-winning makeup artist and designer for TV, stage and film -- via Spain Broadway World. He worked on several films with Pedro Almodovar, including "Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and "High Heels."

Ed Wilson aka Edson Vieria de Barros

Singer and songwriter was a part of the Jovem Guarda movement in Brazilian music -- via O Globo.

Marshall Flaum

Top-notch, Emmy-wining and Oscar-nominated documentary producer, director and writer -- via the L.A. Times

Ray Picconatto aka "Tomato Man"

Gardener gave his time and expertise to others -- via the Duluth News Tribune.

Terry Blunt

Environmentalist -- via the Daily Hampshire Gazette

Maurice "Moss" Keane

Legendary rugby player -- and drinker -- via the Telegraph

Marjorie Henshaw aka Anabel Shaw

Actress worked during film noir period in postwar cinema -- via blogspot site dedicated to her, and the San Francisco Chronicle

Arthur Wilson

Classical trombonist -- via the Independent

Clifford B. Hicks

Author -- via the Times-Republican (Iowa)

Dolores Wilson

A Met soprano for many years -- via the New York Times. She originated the role of Baby Doe in Moore's opera "The Ballad of Baby Doe," at the Central City Opera House in Central City, Colorado on July 7, 1956.

Norman Wisdom

Comedian, singer and comic actor -- via the BBC. Now a cult figure, he was the most profitable comic of his day, a favorite of Chaplin's as well. He played coy, clumsy characters who fell in love and sang. Oddly, he is an object of worship in Albania, where good old dictator Enver Hoxha, for some reason (perhaps his wholesome tunefulness) named him as the only Western actor whose films were shown in that country.

Philippa Foot

Philosopher specializing in questions of morals and ethics -- via The Edge of the American West. She conceived the noted "trolley problem."

Andy Albeck

Producer and studio head -- via ABC News. He greenlighted "Raging Bull," and unfrotunately "Heaven's Gate" as well. He has a bit part as a movie producer in Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories."

Caroline Mueller

Pioneering organic farmer -- via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Harry Flavel

Eccentric and recluse -- via the Daily Astorian. He and his family's brushes with the law were documented in a New Yoker article by Calvin Trillin -- "First Family of Astoria."

Pat Cody

Bookstore owner and activist -- via Berkeyside

Maury Allen

Sportswriter -- via the New York Times. He wrote 38 books, most on the subject of baseball.

Anthony Close

Cervantes scholar who reminded us how funny "Don Quixote" is -- via the Guardian

Kurt Albert

Mountaineer -- via the Telegraph

Junko Ikeuchi

Actress -- via Tokyograph. Lovers of camp will remember her as a leading player in Japan's "Super Giant/Starman" series, which were cut up, dubbed and run on American TV in the mid-'60s as the film series "Attack from Space," "Atomic Rulers of the World," "Invaders from Space" and "Evil Brain from Outer Space." Surrealistic bliss!

Martin Ljung

Swedish comedian and actor -- via Radio Sweden's Facebook page. Here's him doing a "Viking" routine: don't know what he's saying, but he's killin' the crowd!

Stephen J. Cannell

Prolific and successful writer and producer for television -- via E! Online. He created some great series -- "The Rockford Files," "The Greatest American Hero," "Wiseguy," "The A-Team," "The Commish," Silk Stalkings" -- and about 30 others.

Mickey Freeman aka Irving Freeman

Comedian and actor -- via a paid announcement from the Friars Club in the New York Times. He'll be remembered for his role as Private Zimmerman in "You'll Never Get Rich/Sgt. Bilko/The Phil Silvers Show."

Jeanette Bruce

Long-time volunteer cooked for homeless youths -- via the Sacramento Bee

Aaron-Carl Ragland

Techno composer -- via residentadvisor.net.

Neil Alan Smith

Dishwasher -- via the St. Petersburg Times. A rude Web comment by a reader who stated that a 48-year-old dishwasher was "better off dead" provoked this obituary; one about an ordinary guy who did his job and behaved decently toward others.

Georges Charpak

Nobel-winning physicist, nuclear disarmament activist, Dachau survivor, resistance fighter -- via AP

Joe Mantell

Actor in film and television -- via The Wrap. Oscar-nominated for his supporting role in "Marty." As Walsh, he spoke the final, immortal line, "Forget it, Jake -- it's Chinatown" in "Chinatown."

Buddy Morrow

Trombonist and bandleader -- via the Independent. His 1952 recording of "Night Train" is arguably the last hit of the Big Band era.

Tony Curtis aka Bernard Schwartz

Actor -- via the New York Times. A "pretty boy" who could act, Curtis was an action hero, a comic leading man, and a strong supporting player. His best films: "Some Like It Hot," "Spartacus," "The Defiant Ones," "The Sweet Smell of Success." A guilty pleasure? "The Persuaders," an improbable but enjoyable private-investigator series that lasted for a year on British TV.