Hollywood lost another of its family yesterday, as Oscar-winner KARL MALDEN passed away. MALDEN died of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, at the age of 97.

He won his Academy Award for his work playing Mitch in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, which of course starred MARLON BRANDO. DESIRE won 4 Oscars including Best Actress for VIVIEN LEE and Best Supporting Actress for KIM HUNTER, and was nominated for 8 others. Ironically BRANDO did not win for Best Actor, and the picture did not take Best Picture, losing to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. Best Actor that year went to HUMPHREY BOGART in THE AFRICAN QUEEN. Talk about competition.

MALDEN was in many great films, receiving a second Oscar nomination for his role in ON THE WATERFRONT, again co-starring with MARLON BRANDO.

But it was television which brought MALDEN fame and recognition, first working alongside MICHAEL DOUGLAS in THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, and then as a spokesman for AMERICAN EXPRESS, frightening Americans about the risks of losing your wallet whilst on vacation, and the benefits of American Express Travelers Checks.

He was last on television in an episode of THE WEST WING in 2000. KARL MALDEN was married for more than 70 years to his wife, MONA, and often bragged about how lucky he was for his wife and family. MALDEN is survived by his wife MONA, two daughters, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

FARRAH FAWCETT'S funeral was held yesterday at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles. RYAN O'NEAL led the pall bearers of the flower draped coffin, tapped the window of the hearse carrying FARRAH'S body several times before it left the church, and waived to the media and fans assembled just across the street as he got into his car to leave, himself.

His son GRIFFIN was there, as was REDMOND, his and FARRAH'S son given a special release from jail to attend.

Other guests on hand for the ceremony included KATE JACKSON, CHERYL LADD, JACLYN SMITH, CHERYL TIEGS, MARLA MAPLES, ALANA STEWART, BARBARA DAVIS, BRUCE DAVISON, GARRY SHANDLING, LEE MAJORS, ERNIE HUDSON, DICK VAN PATTON hairstylist JOSE EBER and RYAN'S daughter TATUM.

photos by: Cheryl Riley

The day the music died, is a lyric from AMERICAN PIE, as DON McLEAN laments the death of BUDDY HOLLY and the disappearance of danceable tune after that tragic passing of an icon. Mark June 25th down as the real day the music died, as dance impressario, music genius and the King of Pop, MICHAEL JACKSON passed away of an apparent cardiac arrest at 1pm at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, the same hospital that processed another entertainment legend just 48 hours ago, ED McMAHON.

Los Angeles was still reeling from the announced death on this day of FARRAH FAWCETT, in Santa Monica, and not 10 miles away, MICHAEL JACKSON was preparing his leave.

He was to have gone to London next week for a series of concerts there, the first scheduled for July 8, 2009. Tabloids had been reporting that JACKSON'S health would not support the concert agenda the superstar had planned, either as a comeback, or as a farewell. JACKSON was under severe financial pressure, and the mega-million dollar deal was an attempt to get back control of his financial affairs, as well as to resurrect a career that had gone quiet in the last decade.

JACKSON originally agreed to do 10 dates, but those tickets sold out in 2 hours, and another 40 dates were added. At the time, a former publicist, ARTHUR PHOENIX, warned it would never happen. "I just don't see it happening..Michael is not mentally, physically or spiritually ready for these shows. There's something missing in his soul. He's like Mike Tyson-it's over."

JACKSON has been a lighting rod since he first stole the spotlight in musical group with his brothers, the JACKSON FIVE. He was all of 5 when he realized he had the singing and dancing skills to go wherever he chose, and go he did. At the age of 11, the JACKSON FIVE had their first Motown contract, and in 1979 QUINCY JONES produced MICHAEL'S first solo release, OFF THE WALL. It sold in excess of 10 million copies.

The rest has been music history. JACKSON'S 1982 release, THRILLER, has sold more than 41 million copies and is the best selling record of all time.

BAD and DANGEROUS followed, making JACKSON more rich, powerful, and famous than he could eventually come to handle. He withdrew, became obsessed with plastic surgery, his skin color, zoo animals and young children.

In 1993, an allegation of child molestation was settled out of court for millions of dollars.
In 1994 he married LISA MARIE PRESLEY, which only fueled the gossip mills and rumor mongers.
He was divorced 2 years later, but married DEBBIE ROWE in 1997 and had 2 children with her, PRINCE MICHAEL and PARIS MICHAEL.
They divorced in 1999.
In 2002 he attended the lavish wedding of LIZA MINELLI to DAVID GUEST with longtime friend ELIZABETH TAYLOR.
Trouble returned in 2005 with more child abuse allegations, charges he was eventually acquitted of, but from which he never fully recovered.
He left his famed NEVERLAND ranch, which went into foreclosure in 2007.
JACKSON has been in virtual seclusion since, and the London dates were going to be a grand re-entry into te entertainment world.

Perhaps, it really was too much for him to handle.

"I'm Gonna Make A Change
For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right... "

The Man in the Mirror
MICHAEL JACKSON
lyric by SIEDAH GARRETT

see video

FARRAH FAWCETT, a beauty pageant contestant from Texas, who was the biggest star in Hollywood in 1976 thanks to CHARLIE'S ANGELS has succumbed to anal cancer at the age of 62. Her first appearances on television dated back to 1969, on shows like MAYBERRY RFD, I DREAM OF JEANNIE, THE FLYING NUN and THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY. She even had a small role in MYRA BRECKINRIDGE, the sexy film starring RAQUEL WELCH in 1970.

But it was CHARLIE'S ANGELS, where she costarred alongside JACYLN SMITH and KATE JACKSON as the crime fighting triumvirite with that something extra. CHARLIE'S ANGELS was the number 1 show in 1976. Ironically, she only appeared on 1 season, opting to leave the show, but later appeared in 6 or so episodes over the next couple of years as a result of a legal settlement. Her poster, with that cascading hair and the dazzling smile was a must-have in every college guy's dorm room. I had one in my room at UCLA, where she would show up with JIMMY CONNORS to play tennis at the courts outside Sproul Hall. You've never seen so many guys ditch their lunch trays and scramble for the tennis courts so fast, but FARRAH had that power in 1976.

She went on to star in a number of films and television shows, but never managed the supernova brilliance that shone from her persona in 1976. A disjointed appearance on THE LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN led to rumors of drug use, and nearly completed her decline from the halcyon days of her meteoric rise as JILL on ANGELS.

But a documentary, shot by ALANA STEWART, her friend, about the battle she had in her last year with cancer, helped restore FARRAH'S relevance and image in the world.

RYAN O'NEAL, her longtime companion, with whom she had her only son REDMOND, had just days ago announced their intentions to be finally married. O'NEAL emerged from St. John's hospital in Santa Monica, just after FARRAH'S death, and issued this statement:

"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away. Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."

It certainly did.

ED McMAHON, the best wingman ever, alongside talk show host and legend, JOHNNY CARSON, died Tuesday in Los Angeles after battling a number of health issues that nearly brought him to financial ruin. He fell and broke his
neck in 2007, and experienced health concerns relating to mold in his home, but eventually passed with pneumonia at UCLA Medical Center early Tuesday morning, with his wife Pam at his side.

McMAHON got his start in entertainment more than 50 years ago, but his signature role was announcer, sidekick, and chief laugher for THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW. JOHNNY was funny to be sure, one of the best, but it was ED
and his thunderous hearty laugh that insured the gags always worked, even when they didn't.

As defining as that position was, ED McMAHON had a memorable career even after the 30 or so years with CARSON, as a game show host, as pitchman for PUSLIHER'S CLEARING HOUSE Giveaways, and as the producer and host of
STARSEARCH which ran for 12 years on television. The list of talent that appeared on the pre-cursor to AMERICAN IDOL reads like a who's who of the entertainment industry.

BRITTANY SPEARS, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, ALIYAH, DREW CAREY, DAVE CHAPELLE, ROSIE O'DONNELL, DESTINY'S CHILD, BRAD GARRETT, KEVIN JAMES, NORM MacDONALD, DENNIS MILLER, ALANIS MORRISETTE, LEANN RIMES, RAY RAMANO, ADAM SANDLER, JESSICA SIMPSON, SINBAD, SHARON STONE, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and USHER all appeared on ED'S STAR SEARCH, which had not only singing competitions, but also comedy and spokesmodel categories.

Either of those careers, being JOHNNY'S right hand man, or to have produced and hosted STAR SEARCH would have been a stellar impact in Hollywood. ED did both, and so much more.