Tributes

UPDATED 12/29/2008 at 01:00 AM EST • Originally published 12/29/2008 at 01:00 AM EST

Paul Newman, 83

"Paul Newman meant so much to me in so many different ways—as a star, a true star; as a great modern actor, an artist who spent his life honing and refining his craft to the point where he achieved a rare level of mastery; and as a friend. I feel privileged to have had the chance to work with him and to get to know him."
—Martin Scorsese

Suzanne Pleshette, 70

"There were several Suzies. The comic. The dramatic actress. And what a voice! Never again will I work with an actress whose voice is deeper than mine!"
—BOB NEWHART

Heath Ledger, 28

"Heath was magnetic. He was loved by everybody on the set. It's not all the time that the crews are interested in what's going on, but Heath was electric—we all watched him. It was amazing to see. People were in awe of Heath."
—Ledger's The Dark Knight costar Aaron Eckhart

Bettie Page
85, PINUP MODEL

Bobby Fischer
64, CHESS PLAYER

Allan Melvin
84, ACTOR

Christian Brando
49, SON OF MARLON

Isaac Hayes
65, MUSICIAN

Van Johnson
92, ACTOR

Shell Kepler
48, ACTRESS

Jim McKay
86, SPORTSCASTER

Studs Terkel
96, HISTORIAN

Mr. Blackwell
86, FASHION CRITIC

Eileen Herlie
90, ACTRESS

Tony Snow
53, BUSH PRESS SEC'Y

Eddy Arnold
89, MUSICIAN

Cyd Charisse
86, DANCER

Estelle Getty
84, ACTRESS

Yves Saint Laurent
71, DESIGNER

Sunny von Bülow
77, HEIRESS

Christopher Bowman
40, FIGURE SKATER

David Groh
68, ACTOR

Roy Scheider
75, ACTOR

Randy Pausch
47, PROFESSOR

David Foster Wallace
46, WRITER

Michael Crichton
66, WRITER

Jerry Reed
71, SINGER

Arthur C. Clarke
90, WRITER

Sydney Pollack
73, DIRECTOR

Jesse Helms
86, SENATOR

LeRoi Moore
46, MUSICIAN

Bo Diddley
79, SINGER

George Carlin
71, COMEDIAN

Anthony Minghella
54, DIRECTOR

Dick Martin
86, ACTOR

Harvey Korman
81, ACTOR

Levi Stubbs
72, SINGER

Brad Renfro
25, ACTOR

Miriam Makeba
76, SINGER

William F. Buckley
82, WRITER

Dody Goodman
93, ACTRESS

Richard Widmark
93, ACTOR

Larry Harmon
83, COMEDIAN

Don LaFontaine
68, VOICE ACTOR

Charlton Heston, 84
"He was this enormous presence. This incredibly vital, huge man with this booming voice. And whatever his politics, he was a very fair man."
—ACTOR ROBERT VAUGHN

BERNIE MAC, 50
"I used to call him the Ambassador of Goodwill because everybody liked him and he was kind to everyone."
—Mac's Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle costar Drew Barrymore

TIM RUSSERT, 58
"He was Everyman. When he sat down at that desk he made politics exciting and understandable to people. He was not just another blow-dried figure. He was the kind of guy people would look at and think, 'I'd like to have a beer with him.'"
—Tom Brokaw