Francine Pascal, Creator of ‘Sweet Valley High’ Book Series, Dies at 92
The series and its many spinoffs have sold more than 200 million copies and revolutionized the world of young adult publishing.
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CreditBantam Wolfgang Rihm, Prolific Contemporary Classical Music Composer, Dies at 72
Likened to a “court composer” for Germany, he wrote more than 500 pieces and was considered one of the most original and independent musical voices in Europe.
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CreditUli Deck/Picture Alliance, via Getty Images Edna O’Brien, Writer Who Gave Voice to Women’s Passions, Dies at 93
Her novels and short stories often explored the lives of willful women who loved men who were crass, unfaithful or already married.
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CreditNicole Bengiveno/The New York Times Jill Schary Robinson, Who Wrote of Her Hollywood Upbringing, Dies at 88
A screenwriter’s daughter, she grew up in the glittering world of privilege and its contradictions, which became rich material for her memoirs and novels.
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CreditBernard Gotfryd, via Library of Congress
James C. Scott, Iconoclastic Social Scientist, Dies at 87
In influential books, he questioned top-down government programs and extolled the power of the powerless, embracing a form of anarchism.
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CreditMichael Marsland, via Yale University Gail Lumet Buckley, Chronicler of Black Family History, Dies at 86
She wrote two books about multiple generations of her forebears, including her mother, Lena Horne.
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CreditFairchild Archive/Penske Media, via Getty Images Jerry Miller, 81, Lauded Guitarist With the ’60s Band Moby Grape, Dies
He drew praise for his blues-inflected fretwork as his critically acclaimed band rode high, if briefly, during San Francisco’s Summer of Love.
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Creditvia Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Roland Dumas Dies at 101; French Foreign Minister Tainted by Scandal
A lawyer and confidant of François Mitterrand, he was in the forefront of French politics for decades, only to be undone by his taste for the high life.
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CreditJoel Saget/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Bob Booker, Whose J.F.K. Parody Was a Runaway Hit, Dies at 92
Most record companies didn’t think “The First Family,” which he and his writing partner created, was a good idea. It became the fastest-selling album of the pre-Beatles era.
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More in Overlooked ›Overlooked No More: Willy de Bruyn, Cycling Champion Who Broke Gender Boundaries
A premiere cyclist in women’s competitions, he helped pave the way for future athletes when he announced that he wanted to live the rest of his life as a man.
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CreditCollection Fonds Suzan Daniel Overlooked No More: Ursula Parrott, Best-Selling Author and Voice for the Modern Woman
Her writing, from the late 1920s to the late ’40s, about sex, marriage, divorce, child rearing and work-life balance still resonates.
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CreditInternational Newsreel Photo, via Darin Barnes Collection Overlooked No More: Otto Lucas, ‘God in the Hat World’
His designs made it onto the covers of fashion magazines and onto the heads of celebrities like Greta Garbo. His business closed after he died in a plane crash.
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CreditEvening Standard, via Hulton Archive/Getty Images Overlooked No More: Lorenza Böttner, Transgender Artist Who Found Beauty in Disability
Böttner, whose specialty was self-portraiture, celebrated her armless body in paintings she created with her mouth and feet while dancing in public.
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Creditvia Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art Overlooked No More: Hansa Mehta, Who Fought for Women’s Equality in India and Beyond
For Mehta, women’s rights were human rights, and in all her endeavors she took women’s participation in public and political realms to new heights.
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William Calley, Convicted of Mass Murder in My Lai Massacre, Dies at 80
Hundreds of Vietnamese civilians died at the hands of American soldiers, but Lieutenant Calley was the only one found guilty.
By Robert D. McFadden
Erica Ash of ‘Mad TV’ and ‘Survivor’s Remorse’ Dies at 46
Erica Ash started out on sketch comedy shows in the 2000s before appearing in movies like “Scary Movie V” and the satirical reality show “Real Husbands of Hollywood.”
By Sara Ruberg
Sylvain Saudan, ‘Skier of the Impossible,’ Is Dead at 87
His audacious descents around the world inspired a generation of extreme skiers. “One mistake,” he once said, “you die.”
By Michael S. Rosenwald
Martin S. Indyk, Diplomat Who Sought Middle East Peace, Dies at 73
As ambassador to Israel in the Clinton administration and as a special envoy under Barack Obama, he was skeptical of Israeli settlements.
By Mark Landler
Darryl Daniel, Illustrator of Snoop Dogg’s First Album Cover, Dies at 56
The 1993 album “Doggystyle” went on to sell millions of copies around the world and solidified the career of Mr. Daniel, known as Joe Cool, as a hip-hop illustrator.
By Emmett Lindner
Michael Hardy, Sharpton’s Longtime Lawyer and Confidant, Dies at 69
He was general counsel of Mr. Sharpton’s civil rights group, the National Action Network, and defended him in a defamation suit arising from the Tawana Brawley case.
By Sam Roberts
Toumani Diabaté, Malian Master of the Kora, Is Dead at 58
He believed that music could transcend national borders set by colonialism and restore ancient ties, even as it embraced the changes of a globalizing society.
By Giovanni Russonello
Kathy Willens, Photojournalist Seemingly Everywhere, Is Dead at 74
Guided by a keen sense of timing, she covered wars, sports, riots, politics and more for The A.P. in the ’70s, when few women worked as news photographers.
By Trip Gabriel
Abner Haynes, a Star of the A.F.L.’s Early Years, Dies at 86
He was a threat as a halfback, receiver and returner for the Dallas Texans, the team that became the Kansas City Chiefs. But he still had to deal with racism.
By Richard Sandomir
Lewis H. Lapham, Harper’s Editor and Piercing Columnist, Dies at 89
Born into a patrician family, he used Harper’s and later his own Lapham’s Quarterly to denounce what he saw as the hypocrisies and injustices of a spoiled United States.
By Robert D. McFadden
Rosa Ross, Late-Blooming Author of Asian Cookbooks, Dies at 86
She was, she said, unable to cook a basic meal into her mid-20s. But she went on to a successful career as a restaurateur and an authority on Asian cuisine.
By Alex Williams
John Mayall, Pioneer of British Blues, Is Dead at 90
He was best known not for his own playing or singing but for recruiting and polishing the talents of one gifted lead guitarist after another, starting with Eric Clapton.
By Larry Rohter
Walter Shapiro, Political Columnist With a Contrarian Streak, Dies at 77
He brought to his writing a sharp sense of humor, honed in stand-up comedy clubs, and never pulled punches even though he was an unabashed Democrat.
By Sam Roberts
Noriko Ohara, Who Gave Voice to a Beloved Anime Character, Dies at 88
She starred in “Doraemon” and other animated shows watched by nearly every child in Japan, and her voice became widely recognized.
By John Yoon and Hisako Ueno
Robert L. Allen, Who Recounted a Naval Mutiny Trial, Dies at 82
He wrote of how 50 Black sailors were court-martialed for refusing to keep loading munitions onto cargo ships in 1944 after explosions had killed hundreds. They were exonerated this month.
By Richard Sandomir
Duke Fakir, Last Surviving Member of the Four Tops, Dies at 88
He sang tenor on hits like “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).”
By Jim Farber
Esta TerBlanche, ‘All My Children’ Star, Dies at 51
Ms. TerBlanche played Gillian Andrassy, a Hungarian princess whose story line was beloved by fans.
By Alexandra E. Petri
Thomas Neff, Who Turned Soviet Warheads Into Electricity, Dies at 80
An M.I.T. physicist, he engineered an East-West deal that reduced nuclear threats and produced one of the greatest peace dividends of all time.
By William J. Broad
Bernice Johnson Reagon, a Musical Voice for Civil Rights, Is Dead at 81
A singer, composer, curator and founder of the vocal group Sweet Honey in the Rock, she provided a gospel soundtrack for the civil rights movement.
By Trip Gabriel
Happy Traum, Folk Scene Mainstay and Dylan Collaborator, Dies at 86
A noted guitarist and banjo player, he emerged from the same Greenwich Village folk-revival scene as his friend and sometime collaborator Bob Dylan.
By Alex Williams
Bobby Grier Dies at 91; Overcame Resistance in Integrating Sugar Bowl
Early in the civil rights movement, a Georgia governor tried to ban Black players from the game, but after a protest by Georgia Tech students, Grier was allowed to play.
By Richard Sandomir
Tommy Robinson, Colorful Arkansas Sheriff and Congressman, Dies at 82
He gained national attention for his unorthodox approaches to policing in Little Rock and then went on to win three terms in the House of Representatives.
By Clay Risen
Nguyen Phu Trong, Powerful Vietnamese Leader, Is Dead at 80
Known for his “blazing furnace” anticorruption campaign, Mr. Trong consolidated power in one of the world’s few remaining Communist dictatorships.
By Sui-Lee Wee
Cheng Pei Pei, ‘Queen’ of Kung Fu Cinema, Dies at 78
She starred in kung fu movies from the modern origins of the form in midcentury Hong Kong to the worldwide breakout “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
By Alex Traub
Lou Dobbs, Former Fox Business Host and Trump Booster, Dies at 78
He used his platforms on CNN and Fox Business to share baseless conspiracy theories. His tenure at Fox ended after the network was sued for defamation over claims of voting machine fraud.
By Alex Williams and Michael Levenson
Bob Newhart, 94, Dies; Soft-Spoken Everyman Became a Comedy Star
He was a show-business neophyte when he stammered his way to fame in 1960. He went on to star in two of TV’s most memorable sitcoms.
By Neil Genzlinger
Founder of Fandango Dies After Plunge From Manhattan Hotel
J. Michael Cline was the co-founder of an online ticketing company that changed how Americans went to the movies.
By Annie Correal
Pat Williams, Charismatic N.B.A. Executive, Is Dead at 84
Known for his unorthodox marketing practices, Mr. Williams, a founder of the Orlando Magic, was sometimes called the P.T. Barnum of professional basketball.
By Harvey Araton
Peter Buxtun, Who Exposed Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Dies at 86
A Public Health Service employee, he turned whistle-blower after learning of decades-long research involving hundreds of poor, infected Black men who were left untreated.
By Trip Gabriel
Monte Kiffin, N.F.L. Defensive Coaching Mastermind, Dies at 84
He distinguished himself as the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who rode his game calling to an easy victory in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.
By Richard Sandomir
Dave Loggins, Who Wrote Hits for Himself and Others, Dies at 76
After tasting fame with “Please Come to Boston” in 1974, he became a major Nashville songwriter. He also wrote the theme to the Masters golf tournament.
By Alex Williams
Renauld White, Debonair Model Who Broke Barriers, Dies at 80
The first Black American model to appear on the cover of GQ magazine, he was an avatar of male beauty for nearly half a century.
By Penelope Green
Robert Pearson, Hair Stylist Turned Acclaimed Barbecue Chef, Dies at 87
His Texas-style brisket, made with exacting precision, inspired a generation of New York City pit masters, who opened a wave of smoky joints in the 2000s.
By Clay Risen
Naomi Pomeroy, 49, Chef Who Made Portland a Dining Destination, Dies
Her refined palate and pursuit of excellence made her the city’s culinary matriarch, attracting diners and talent alike to Oregon. She died in a tubing accident.
By Kim Severson
Herbert Hoelter, Prison Consultant to the Rich and Infamous, Dies at 73
He helped Martha Stewart, Leona Helmsley, Michael Milken and other white-collar criminals win lighter sentences, and prepared them for life in prison.
By Michael S. Rosenwald
James B. Sikking, Actor Best Known for ‘Hill Street Blues,’ Dies at 90
His natural rectitude landed him roles on hundreds of TV dramas and comedies, including the beloved “Car Pool Lane” episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
By Alex Traub
Larry Light, Marketer Behind Revival of McDonald’s, Dies at 83
A branding expert, he deployed the “I’m lovin’ it” campaign globally in 2003 to bring customers and sales back to the fast-food giant when it was in a slump.
By Richard Sandomir
Joe Bryant, Former N.B.A. Player and Kobe’s Father, Is Dead at 69
A 6-foot-9 forward known as Jellybean, he was drafted out of La Salle and had pro stints in Philadelphia, San Diego and Houston before playing in Italy.
By Victor Mather
James R. Tallon Jr., Who Steered Health Care Reforms, Dies at 82
As an influential committee leader and the majority leader in the New York Assembly, he led efforts, later embraced in Washington, to expand coverage.
By Sam Roberts
Evan Wright, Award-Winning Reporter and Author of ‘Generation Kill,’ Dies at 59
His best seller about Marines in Iraq, members of a “disposable generation,” was made into an HBO mini-series. He focused on subjects outside mainstream media coverage.
By Alexandra E. Petri
Bengt Samuelsson, 90, Dies; Nobelist’s Research Led to Medical Advances
A Swedish biochemist, he shared the 1982 prize for breakthrough discoveries that led to drugs that treat inflammation, glaucoma and allergies.
By Delthia Ricks
Jacqueline de Jong, Rediscovered Avant-Garde Artist, Dies at 85
A Dutch painter, sculptor and engraver, she worked in experimental mediums, founded an influential multidisciplinary journal and enjoyed a late-career resurgence.
By Nina Siegal
Shannen Doherty, ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Star, Dies at 53
Ms. Doherty, who also had roles in the TV series “Charmed” and the comedy-thriller “Heathers,” had continued to work after a breast cancer diagnosis.
By Katie Rogers
Richard Simmons, ‘the Clown Prince of Fitness,’ Dies at 76
He turned exercise from an arena of musclebound pride into a variety act of cross-dressing gags, teeny-weeny shorts and saucy repartee.
By Alex Traub
Thomas Hoepker, Who Captured an Indelible 9/11 Image, Dies at 88
His photograph of five young people lounging on the Brooklyn waterfront as smoke engulfed Manhattan mesmerized viewers and stirred controversy.
By Trip Gabriel
Abe Krash, Who Fought for a Constitutional Right to Counsel, Dies at 97
He provided the research and drafts that helped bring about the Supreme Court’s landmark Gideon v. Wainwright decision in 1963.
By Clay Risen
Some of Dr. Ruth’s Most Memorable Moments
After rising to fame in the 1980s, Ruth Westheimer, known as Dr. Ruth, mingled with celebrities, wrote dozens of books and was named as New York’s “loneliness ambassador.”
By Emmett Lindner
Ruth Westheimer, the Sex Guru Known as Dr. Ruth, Dies at 96
Frank and funny, the taboo-breaking therapist said things on television and radio that would have been shocking coming from almost anyone else.
By Daniel Lewis
Bill Viola, Celebrated Video Artist Who Played With Time, Dies at 73
Inspired by Renaissance painters, he explored life’s passages — birth, death, romantic love, redemption and rebirth — in often moving, often thrilling exhibitions.
By Jori Finkel
Anthea Sylbert, Costume Designer Who Became a Producer, Dies at 84
Her career unfolded in three phases: as the creator of costumes for movies like “Chinatown,” as a studio executive and as a producer, largely with her friend Goldie Hawn.
By Richard Sandomir
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