Sunday Morning

​Hail and farewell to those we lost in 2015

/ CBS News

Those we lost in 2015 150 photos

It's a "Sunday Morning" tradition. Come the end of the year, Charles Osgood takes time to remember some of the many people who left us in the year gone by. To them -- and so many others whose lives touched our own -- we say "Hail and Farewell":

Those we lost in 2015 150 photos

Omar Sharif: You were brilliant and handsome, with an easy smile and dark eyes that spoke of deeper passions.


As "Doctor Zhivago," your love for Lara burned hot on the frozen Siberian plains, and melted our hearts. Farewell.

And farewell to Maureen O'Hara, the feisty, fiery-haired Irish beauty...

"I prefer the company of men, except for Maureen O'Hara," John Wayne once said, "She's a great guy."

Ekberg in "La Dolce Vita." Astor

You can bet nobody ever said that about Anita Ekberg, whose sensuality made men swoon the world over.

Ciao, bella!

    "La Dolce Vita" actress Anita Ekberg dies at 83
    Gallery: Anita Ekberg 1931, 2015

    A fond farewell to George Winslow, who famously upstaged Marilyn Monroe as a seven-year-old. ("You've got a lot of animal magnetism.")

    And to Percy Sledge, who gave us one of the sexiest songs of all time: "When a Man Love a Woman."

      Percy Sledge, voice behind "When a Man Loves a Woman," dies
      Passage: Percy Sledge
      Single session launched Percy Sledge, No. 1 hit, and a sound

      Jackie Collins, your steamy romances always kept us coming back for more.

      David Canary kept us coming back to "All My Children" for 26 years as the ruthless Adam Chandler. He made soap opera history.

      Good bye to Al Molinaro. He was born to be funny.

      "Unless my clock is right, it's 'Sock it to me' time!"

      And to "Laugh-In"'s Gary Owens -- and Judy Carne. She was one funny lady.

      "Has Sunsweet managed to change your mind with their brand new pitted prunes?"
      "Possibly. They're still rather badly wrinkled, you know."

      Satirist and ad man Stan Freberg gave prunes a whole new life as "the funny fruit." Farewell to you, my brilliant, funny friend.

      And to you, Little Jimmy Dickens. The "Tater" was a big talent.

      Anne Meara, you were very funny as the tall Irish girl who married the short Jewish guy ... and kept us laughing for 60 years.

      Speaking of bagels ... if you're eating one now in Boise, Bozeman, or Kalamazoo, you can thank Daniel Thompson. His bagel machine spread the love (and the cream cheese) from coast to coast.

      Forrest Bird loved to fly, and to tinker, too. The ventilators he invented have breathed life into countless patients around the world. Thank you, Mr. Bird.

      Jane Briggs Hart was a pilot, too, who dreamed of blasting into space on a Mercury rocket, and passed all the tests to qualify -- but NASA wasn't ready for a woman astronaut.

      Reporter: "You don't think that a male test pilot would suddenly be disturbed to find a woman in the cockpit?"
      Briggs Hart: "I would hope that this would be a mutual training program and it wouldn't be any surprise to him."

      She had the right stuff!

      Betty Tackaberry Blake flew Army fighter planes during World War II, one of the first women to do so. She had the right stuff, too.

      Mary Doyle Keefe was a telephone operator during the war who posed for Norman Rockwell's "Rosie the Riveter" in 1943. ("He said, 'I apologize, I made you very large,'" she recalled.) Her larger-than life-portrait inspires women still.

      "Today, it's still a man's world ... and just look at it. Move over, gentlemen: Maybe you could use some help! This is Marlene Sanders."

      Marlene Sanders led the way for women in broadcast news.

      Evelyn Furtsch and her relay team sprinted to Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 1932. She led the way in sports.

      Annis Jensen was a tough blocker in a tough sport: Roller derby! She was quite a jammer, too.

      Farewell to Frank Gifford. As star receiver for the New York Giants, he was knocked out cold in 1960, by #60, Chuck Bednarik of the Philadelphia Eagles.

      "Concrete Chuck," as he was known, also left the field this year.

      Their historic collision was captured, back then, by a still photo. CBS' Tony Verna would change that three years later, by giving us "the instant replay."

      "The game is beautiful and I love it, and that's the way I want to portray it."

      Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films, used all of Hollywood's tricks to bring football's bruising drama into our living rooms. He made football a national obsession. You can thank him (or blame him!) for that.

      Yogi Berra loved baseball, passionately and exuberantly, as a player and as a manager. And he had a way with words, too: "When you come to a fork in the road, take it") which seemed to capture something true, while making no sense at all.

      Yogi, the future ain't what it used to be!

      Stuart Scott shared his exuberance for sports in his own inimitable style ("Boo-yah!"), and left us, too soon.

      George Barris created the Munsters' coach, the Beverly Hillbillies' jalopy, and the Batmobile -- shiny, sleek, and super-charged, the better to propel superheroes Batman and Robin on their crimefighting missions.

      Barris died this year at 89 ... but the Batmobile lives on ...

      And even, occasionally, ferries other Caped Crusaders on high-minded missions. Lenny Robinson was one of those. His Batman brought a bit of joy to very ill children. He was a real superhero.

      "I learned to put on these shoes and this jersey to feel like a superhero again."

      And so was 19-year-old Lauren Hill, who lost her battle with brain cancer, but not before fulfilling her dream: playing college basketball.

      "This has been the best day I've ever had," she said, after competing with the Mount St. Joseph University team.

      "Gee, Superman!"

      Jack Larson, your Jimmy Olsen was no superhero, but he did have a superhero friend. Good bye to you.

      And to Yvonne Craig, who astonished everyone every time Batgirl came to save the day.

      On "Star Trek," Yvonne Craig used her considerable charms to seduce Captain Kirk. Those charms didn't work so well on the ever-analytical Mr. Spock. ("You've worked out an infallible method for assuring permanent male fidelity. Interesting.")

      A Vulcan salute to you, Leonard Nimoy ("Live long and prosper").

      And a long overdue salute to you, Calvin Spann. As one of the Tuskegee Airmen, he flew 26 combat missions in World War II. ("The Negro pilot has proved himself a capable, fearless fighter. Dangerous and deadly to the enemy, an able defender of the American way of life"), but could not get hired as a pilot after the war.

      Edward Brooke of Massachusetts did not think of himself as a black leader, but he was one -- the first African-American ever elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote.

      Julian Bond was a born leader, a very young Georgia legislator, who came to the national stage at the Democratic convention in 1968: ("I'm deeply appreciative of the honor of having my name placed in nomination as a vice presidential candidate. Unfortunately I have not yet reached the age.) He championed the cause of civil rights for the rest of his life.

      Mario Cuomo electrified Democrats in 1984, and might have been president, had he chosen to run.

      Fred Thompson first appeared on the national stage during the Watergate hearings -- and stayed there, as senator, presidential candidate, and actor.

      There are many ways to serve your country. Beau Biden served his country, faithfully and well, for far too short a time. Farewell.

      Ben E. King: Your song, "Stand By Me," gives us hope in our darkest hours.

      Nicholas Winton gave humanity hope in a very dark hour. He rescued 669 children from the horrors of the Holocaust.

      When Bob Simon asked Winton why he'd kept it secret, he replied, "I didn't really keep it secret; I just didn't talk about it."

      Thank you, Sir Nicholas.

      And thank you, Bob Simon, for telling that story, and so many others, honestly and eloquently, here at CBS News. You were family.

      As were you, producer Harry Radliffe ...

      And you, Sandy Socolow. You helped Walter Cronkite take us all to the moon.

      Ray Gandolf, your smart sports stories helped to get us started here at "Sunday Morning." You were family, too.

      What varied gifts they gave us: Gary Dahl gave us the Pet Rock (comes with its own carrying case!). He sold a million of them.

      Horst Brandstatter sold nearly 3 billion Playmobil pirates and cowgirls and knights, and the plastic worlds for them to live in.

      Don Featherstone fashioned plastic into pink flamingos to stick on your lawn.

      Architect and designer Michael Graves showed us that teakettles and toasters can be as beautiful as towers, in the right hands.

      Robert Loggia played the piano with his feet, a little tune that will cheer us up for years to come.

      Oliver Sacks explored the strange paradoxes of the human brain with humor, affection, and a never-ending curiosity.

      "I don't know why music is so powerful ... it's a great mystery."

      Farewell, Dr. Sacks.

      And farewell to E.L. Doctorow, who took us to earlier eras with his eloquent pen.

      Journalist David Carr explained our modern media world with brilliance and passion.

      Farewell to John Forbes Nash, whose "Beautiful Mind" inspired a movie.

      Charles Townes used his brilliant mind to harness the power of light. The lasers he developed changed our world forever.

      Joel Spira's invention, the dimmer switch, let us dim the lights now and then.

      "I got a phone call one day, they said The Beatles are arriving in two hours, would you like to make a film of it?' I put my hand over the phone and said to my brother, 'Who are the Beatyles, are they any good?' 'Yeah, they're great!'"

      Goodbye, Albert Maysles, who was glad he said "Hello" in 1964.

      "Sorry, girls, he's married!"

      And to Cynthia Lennon, who became famous as john's wife. That can't have been easy.

      Mrs. Margaretta Murphy scandalized the country when she married a presidential hopeful in 1963. Goodbye, Happy Rockefeller.

      And goodbye to Leslie Gore, who gave us a hit song for when we are sad.

      Donna Douglas: As Elly May Clampett, you kept us laughing for nine seasons on "The Beverly Hillbillies" ...

      ... which featured a band called The Enemies in 1965, a band that would become Three Dog Night. Singer Cory Wells died this year. It was fun, while it lasted.

      Jack Ely's song "Louie Louie" was considered so scandalous in 1963, it was investigated by the FBI. They never figured out what it meant, either!

      What a remarkable band of musicians left us this year:

      Clark Terry (no need to call in the FBI!) ... Allen Toussaint ... Buddy Emmons ... Ornette Coleman ... Phil Woods ... Chris Squire ... and Cynthia Robinson, the Queen of Funk. She played a mean horn with Sly and the Family Stone.

      B.B. King, how can we even begin to thank you, for all the good times? You were, are, and always will be, the King of the Blues.

      James Horner, your talent was "Titanic," and your music will go on, and on.

      As will the moments great and small given to us by those we came to think of as family: Dick van Patten, the ever-reliable TV dad ... Roger Rees, the ever-predictable TV cad ... "L.A. Law"'s Richard Dysart ... and Daniel von Bargen, who played George Costanza's terrible boss on "Seinfeld."

      "Do you know who I am? I'm Moe Greene!"

      Alex Rocco played a mob boss in "The Godfather." Good bye to him.

      And to Taylor Negron ... and Rick Ducommun...

      Patrick Macnee, you were dashing on "The Avengers."

      Suzanne Crough, as the littlest Partridge, you were cute!

      So were you, Ellen Albertini.

      Goodbye to James Best, Hazzard County's bumbling sheriff ... and to Martin Milner. His cop was a real pro.

      Farewell to Rod Taylor, who battled Hitchcock's "Birds."

      And to Gilbert Lewis, Pee Wee's King of Cartoons!

      Gregory Walcott will be remembered best for starring in a movie that was one of the worst: Ed Wood's "Plan 9 From Outer Space":

      "I saw a flying saucer."
      "You mean the kind from up there?"
      "Yeah, or its counterpart."

      Christopher Lee, your villains and vampires will never die.

      And neither will director Wes Craven's creepy creations, such as "Nightmare on Elm Street"'s Freddy Kruger. He left us screaming this year.

      As will Gunnar Hansen, who wielded that terrible chainsaw in Texas, and died quietly, on the coast of Maine.

      Burt Shavitz kept bees, quietly, in the Maine woods -- even after he became famous for the lip balm and beauty products he and his bees helped to produce. He buzzed off this year.

      Au revoir to Paul Prudhomme ("Now THAT'S what I call a pot of jambalaya!"). He gave us Cajun recipes to spice up our lives.

      Chuck Williams, of Williams-Sonoma, provided the cookware.

      Lillian Vernon put her stamp of approval on lots of things, which could be monogrammed for free.

      Farewell to Betty Willis, who gave us the fabulous "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign.

      And to Michael Gross, who designed the "Ghostbusters" logo.

      So long to Ronnie Gilbert, who sang with The Weavers in union halls, and started a folk music revolution.

      It's been good to know you, Ronnie ... and each of the admirable, amazing men and women who left us this year.

      Thank you, one and all.

      CBS News

      Top row, from left: Author Gunter Grass, auto racer Buddy Baker, prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, singer Andraé Crouch, novelist Robert Stone, former West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, novelist James Salter, surgeon James "Red" Duke.

      Second row, from left: Golfer Billy Casper, civil right activist Amelia Boynton Robinson, baseball player Ernie Banks, Japanese actor and yakuza Noboru Ando, basketball player Darryl Dawkins, actor Louis Jourdan, National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, actress Patricia Elliott, poet Mark Strand, musician Scott Weiland.

      Third row, from left: Wrestler Dusty Rhodes, Lamaze founder Elisabeth Bing, "Marlboro Man" Darrell Winfield, novelist Colleen McCullough, golfer Louise Suggs, oldest World War II veteran Emma Didlake, actress Betsy Palmer, quarterback Ken Stabler, basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, Eagle Scout elder Robert D. Douglas Jr.

      Fourth row, from left: Fashion designer Arnold Scaasi, actress Catherine Coulson, child actress Jean Darling, Bobbi Kristina Brown, National Civil Rights Museum founder D'Army Bailey, football player Melvin Gordon, actress Marjorie Lord, golfer Charlie Sifford, singer Billy Joe Royal, Paul Gallagher, poet Philip Levine.

      Fifth row, from left: Country singer Lynn Anderson, wrestler Roddy Piper, North Face co-founder Douglas Tompkins, producer Jerry Weintraub, Wesight Watchers founder Jean Nidetch, actress Pat Woodell, poet-songwriter Rod McKuen, actress Mary Ellen Trainor, self-help author Wayne Dyer, extreme athlete Erik Roner.

      Sixth row, from left: child actor Sawyer Sweeten, "Simpsons" co-creator Sam Simon, actor Bruce Hyde, actor Kevin Corcoran, college basketball coach Dean Smith, singer Frederick "Dennis" Greene, comedian Marty Ingels, actor-folk singer Theodore Bikel, subject of "Bettyville" Betty Hodgman, basketball player Moses Malone.


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