Bring Out Your Dead

A loving list of people who gave up the ghost in 2007. Last year is history, and unfortunately, so are all the people on these lists. And animals. RIP animals.

January 3, 2008; 9:31 AM • by Pete Humes

Last year is history, and unfortunately, so are all the people on these lists. If you were too busy embracing life to notice the handiwork of the Grim Reaper, consider these a friendly reminder that our mortal party won’t last forever. Happy New Year!

10 Dead People Who Make Me Nostalgic for My Childhood

1. Evel Knievel – the original “Jackass,” bus jumper and rocket bike straddler.
2. Dick Wilson – Mr. Whipple in the “Don’t squeeze the Charmin” TV commercials.
3. Friedman Paul Erhardt – Chef Tell, who inspired the Muppet character, The Swedish Chef.
4. Joel Siegel – longtime film critic for “Good Morning America” and mustache enthusiast.
5. Don Herbert – aka “Mr. Wizard.”
6. Tom Poston – Mr. Bickley from “Mork and Mindy” and George the handyman from “Newhart.”
7. Boris Pickett – singer of “Monster Mash.”
8. Bob Clark – director of “A Christmas Story” and “Porky’s.”
9. Calvert DeForest – aka Larry “Bud” Melman from “Late Night with David Letterman.”
10. Pamela Low – created the coating for Cap’n Crunch cereal.

10 Dead People Who Improved the Quality of Life

1. Vincent DeDomenico – inventor of Rice-a-Roni.
2. George Rieveschl – inventor of Benadryl
3. Momofuku Ando – inventor of Instant Ramen Noodles
4. Arthur Jones – inventor of the Nautilus exercise machines
5. Bob Evans – founder of Bob Evans Restaurants
6. J. Robert Cade – inventor of Gatorade
7. Warren Avis – founder of Avis Rent-A-Car
8. Robert Adler – co-inventor of the TV remote control
9. Alejandro Finisterre – inventor of foosball
10. Edwin Traisman – creator of Cheez Whiz and McDonald’s French Fries

10 Dead People Who I Like to Imagine Are Housemates on Some Celebrity Afterlife Reality Show

1. Tammy Faye Messner
2. Charles Nelson Reilly
3. Anna Nicole Smith
4. Leona Helmsley
5. Robert Goulet
6. Jerry Falwell
7. Don Ho
8. Norman Mailer
9. Marcel Marceau
10. Ike Turner

10 Dead Wrestlers

1. David Sheldon, professional wrestler aka “Angel of Death.”
2. Lillian Ellison,84, legendary female wrestler better known as “The Fabulous Moolah.”
3. Enrique Torres, 85, old school Mexican-American professional wrestler.
4. Billy Darnell, 81, old school pro wrestler of the 1940s and 1950s.
5. Karloff Lagarde, 79, Mexican lucha libre wrestler.
6. Dewey Robertson, 68, Canadian professional wrestler known as “The Missing Link.”
7. Brian “Crush” Adams, 44, Hawaiian wrestler famous for the “Kona Clutch.”
8. Karl Gotch, 82, German-born professional wrestler known as “The God of Pro Wrestling” in Japan.
9. Tor Kamata, 70, bad guy wrestler known as “Killer Moto.”
10. John Kronus, 38, one half of the tag-team known as “The Eliminators.”

10 Dead Animals

1. Tatiana, Siberian tiger at San Francisco Zoo shot during a Christmas Day mauling.
2. Washoe, African-born chimpanzee believed to be first non-human to acquire human language.
3. George Washington, Irish race horse.
4. Taku, American orca at SeaWorld San Antonio.
5. John Henry, 32, American Hall of Fame thoroughbred racehorse.
6. Alex, 31, American-born African grey parrot, subject of animal language experiments.
7. Gato Del Sol, 28, American racehorse, won 1982 Kentucky Derby.
8. Shambo, 6, British Hindu sacred bull.
9. Jake, 12, American search and rescue dog for September 11, 2001 attacks and Hurricane Katrina.
10. Arwon, 33, New Zealand-born racehorse, longest surviving Melbourne Cup winner.

10 Dead People Who Did It Themselves

1. John Berg, 58, American actor (bit parts on “Law & Order” and in “Star Trek: Nemesis”) suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.
2. José Luis Calva, 38, Mexican writer, serial killer and cannibal, hung himself in prison.
3. Katy French, 24, Irish model, suspected accidental cocaine overdose.
4. Casey Calvert, 26, guitarist for emo/post-hardcore band Hawthorne Heights, accidental drug overdose.
5. Kevin DuBrow, 52, lead singer of Quiet Riot, accidental cocaine overdose.
6. Landis Everson, 81, American poet, apparent suicide by gunshot.
7. Charmaine Dragun, 29, Australian news reporter, apparent suicide by jumping.
8. Jeremy Blake, 35, American video artist, suicide by drowning.
9. Jerry Hadley, 55, American opera singer, suicide by gunshot.
10. Zhang Shuhong, 50, Chinese company co-owner involved in Fisher-Price toy recall, suicide by hanging.

9 Dead Foreign Comedians

1. Mike Reid, 67, British comedian.
2. Lucky Grills, 79, Australian comedian.
3. Bernard Manning, 76, British comedian.
4. Yoyoy Villame, 69, Filipino comedian.
5. Knock Yokoyama, 75, Japanese comedian.
6. Basuki, 51, Indonesian comedian.
7. Rassim al-Jumaili, 69, Iraqi comedian.
8. Trond Kirkvaag, 61, Norwegian comedian.
9. Carlos Salgado, 67, Honduran comedian.

January 3, 2008 9:31 AM 3