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Natalie Cole -- one of the great voices in decades -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Cole, whose hits include "This Will Be" and "Unforgettable" which she performed as a virtual duet with dad Nat King Cole -- died from congestive heart failure, although we're told the underlying medical issues were complications from a kidney transplant and Hepatitis C.

Natalie had been very sick recently, cancelling several tour dates in late December including a New Year's Eve concert at Disney Hall in L.A. She also cancelled an upcoming February concert due to illness.

Natalie struggled with substance abuse and was plagued with health problems, suffering from liver disease in 2008. She also underwent chemo for Hepatitis C.

Natalie, who was married 3 times and has a son, was 65.

She died in a Los Angeles hospital.

RIP

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Wayne Rogers, whose Trapper John McIntyre on "M.A.S.H." was among the most beloved characters on one of the most popular shows of all time, died Thursday.

The actor was surrounded by family when he died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia at age 82, his publicist and longtime friend Rona Menashe told The Associated Press.

As army surgeon Trapper John on "M.A.S.H.," Rogers swapped wisecracks with partner in martinis and mischief Hawkeye Pierce, played by Alan Alda.

The two doctors blew off steam between surgeries pulling pranks, romancing nurses and tormenting their tent-mate Frank Burns, always with an endless supply of booze and one-liners.

In one typical crack, Trapper answers a question with "How should I know? I dropped out of school to become a doctor."

Rogers was on the show for just the first three of its 11 seasons on CBS, but his run, and his character, are especially revered by show devotees.

An Alabama native and Princeton graduate, Rogers had parts on many short-lived shows before "M.A.S.H.," specializing in westerns like "Law of the Plainsman" and "Stagecoach West."

In the years after MASH he returned to TV regularly, with a recurring role in the early 1990s on "Murder, She Wrote."

He moved beyond acting to see serious success later in life as a money manager and investor. In 1988 and 1990 he appeared as an expert witness before the House Judiciary Committee to speak in favor of maintaining the Glass-Steagall banking laws of the 1930s.

LONDON (AP) ? Robert Stigwood, the impresario who managed the Bee Gees and produced 1970s blockbusters "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever," has died. He was 81.

Stigwood's office said he died Monday. The cause of death was not announced.

Born in Adelaide, Australia, in 1934, Stigwood moved to Britain in the 1950s and soon became an astute player in Britain's embryonic rock music industry.

In the 1960s he managed rock super group Cream and its guitarist Eric Clapton before signing brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, collectively known as the Bee Gees, whose melodic folk-rock achieved late-'60s success before a career slump.

Stigwood moved into theater ? bringing Broadway hit "Hair" to the London stage ? and film, producing cinema versions of Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" and The Who's rock opera "Tommy."

He also produced the 1977 dancefloor drama "Saturday Night Fever," with a soundtrack that brought the Bee Gees mega-stardom that reached a pitch as high as Barry Gibb's signature falsetto.

That film and the Stigwood-produced "Grease," released in 1978, also made John Travolta into one of the decade's biggest stars.

"Robert changed the world and only for the better and he was certainly important to my career. His legacy lives on and he will forever be remembered," said Travolta, in a statement released by his publicist.

Singer David Bowie has died at the age of 69 following a battle with cancer.

His son director Duncan Jones confirmed the news and a statement was released on his official social media accounts.

"David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer," it said.

"While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family's privacy during their time of grief."

The singer only released his latest album Blackstar on his birthday on Friday.

David Bowie, a rock and roll icon who sustained a chart-topping career for five decades with hits including "Fame", "Heroes" and "Let's Dance", has died at the age of 69.

Rep Steve Martin said in a statement that the "Ashes to Ashes" singer was surrounded by his family when he died Sunday after an 18-month battle against cancer.

"While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family's privacy during their time of grief," Martin's statement concluded. No further details were provided.

The singer's son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, issued a confirming statement of his own on Twitter.

    Very sorry and sad to say it's true. I'll be offline for a while. Love to all. pic.twitter.com/Kh2fq3tf9m

    ? Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 11, 2016

Tributes poured in on social media from, among others, British Prime Minister David Cameron and comedian Ricky Gervais, who hosted Sunday night's Golden Globe Awards show in Los Angeles.

    I grew up listening to and watching the pop genius David Bowie. He was a master of re-invention, who kept getting it right. A huge loss.

    ? David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 11, 2016

    I just lost a hero. RIP David Bowie.

    ? Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 11, 2016

Bowie died two days after the release of "Blackstar", his 29th album, which had been timed to coincide with his birthday. The singer had kept a low profile in recent years after reportedly suffering a heart attack in the 2000s, and it had not been widely known that he was struggling with cancer.

Long before alter egos and wild outfits became commonplace in pop, Bowie set the music world on its ear with the release of the 1972 album, "The Rise of Ziggy Stardust and Spiders from Mars," which introduced one of music's most famous personas. Ziggy Stardust was a concept album that imagined a genre-bending rock star from outer space trying to make his way in the music world. The persona -- the red-headed, eyeliner wearing Stardust -- would become an enduring part of his legacy, and a touchstone for the way entertainers packaged themselves for years to come.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35278872

British actor Alan Rickman, a classically-trained stage star and sensual screen villain in the "Harry Potter" saga and other films, has died. He was 69.

Rickman's family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer.

Trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rickman was often cast as the bad guy; with his rich, languid voice he could invest evil with wicked, irresistible relish.

His breakout role was as scheming French aristocrat the Vicomte de Valmont in an acclaimed 1985 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Christopher Hampton's "Les Liaisons Dangereuses."

Film roles included the psychopathic villain Hans Gruber in "Die Hard" in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990's "Truly Madly Deeply"; the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" in 1991; and a wayward husband in 2003 romantic comedy "Love Actually."

Celine Dion's husband Rene Angelil has died at 73.

A statement released on the singer's Facebook page on Thursday read: 'It is with deep sadness that we announce that Ren? Ang?lil, aged 73, died this morning at her residence in Las Vegas after a long and courageous fight against cancer.

'The family wishes to live the mourning in privacy. Other information you will be provided in the next few days.'

NEW YORK -- David Margulies, a veteran actor of the stage and screen, whose career spanned decades on Broadway and numerous film roles including the mayor in "Ghostbusters," has died. He was 78.

Margulies died in New York on Monday, his agent Mary Harden said Tuesday. No cause of death was immediately available, she said.

The Brooklyn-born Margulies made his Broadway debut in the 1973 revival of "The Iceman Cometh." He performed on Broadway a dozen more times, including as Roy Cohn in "Angels in America."

He played the mayor of New York in 1984's "Ghostbusters," as well as its 1989 sequel. Most recently, he had roles in J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" and John Turturro's "Fading Gigolo." His numerous TV stints included playing Tony Soprano's lawyer, Neil Mink, on "The Sopranos."

Aside from writing two Fourth Doctor adventures ? Terror of the Zygons and The Seeds of Doom ? he co-created the well-remembered Shoestring (1979?80) starring Trevor Eve as a detective on the edge, and created the enormously popular Jersey-based cop show, Bergerac (1981?89). He also scripted episodes of the most iconic series of the 60s and 70s including Danger Man, The Avengers, Callan and The Sweeney and served as a producer on huge hits such as Hannay, The Darling Buds of May and Lovejoy.

But Doctor Who fans will remember Robert for his two fantastic stories from the 70s. The first, Terror of the Zygons, introduced the shapeshifting Zygons, a popular foe who returned in the 50th anniversary special and more recently, in a series 9 two-parter.

His second adventure, The Seeds of Doom, is a cracking six-parter full of wit, energy, terrific dialogue and superb characters. The alien menace of the story ? the Krynoids ? only made a single television appearance but they remain one of the best-loved monsters from the show?s early years.

Robert Banks Stewart (1931 - 2016)

Veteran comic actor Leslie Nielsen, star of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, has died at the age of 84.

He died in hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was being treated for pneumonia, his agent John S Kelly said.

Canadian-born Nielsen started out as a serious actor but in 1980, his role as a hapless doctor in the disaster spoof film Airplane! made him a comic star.

In all, he appeared in more than 100 films and had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

"With his friends and his wife by his side, he just fell asleep and passed away," his nephew Doug Nielsen told the AFP news agency.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-11860014

LOL...I thought he had died years ago, but it was posted such that I thought it just happened.

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Abe Vigoda Dies At 94 (Not a Hoax)
Abe Vigoda Dies at 94 (Not a Hoax)
27 minutes ago BY TMZ STAFF
Breaking News

0126-abe-vigoda-getty-01Legendary actor Abe Vigoda -- who starred in "The Godfather" -- died under hospice care at the age of 94 ... TMZ has learned.

Abe's death had been falsely reported countless times, dating all the way back to 1982.

Abe played Tessio in "The Godfather" and also "The Godfather Part II." In fact, he was still doing the voice for Tessio in 'Godfather' video games as late as 2007.

His most famous role on TV was as Detective Phil Fish on the '80s sitcom "Barney Miller" ... which once worked the infamous hoax reports of Abe's death into a storyline.

He was also the grandfather in "Look Who's Talking."

NEW YORK ?  Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White, whose horn-driven band sold more than 90 million albums and made hits like "September," ''Shining Star" and "Boogie Wonderland," died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, his brother Verdine said.

White, who was 74, suffered from Parkinson's Disease and had retreated from the public even as the band he founded kept performing.

"My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep," Verdine White, also a member of the band, told The Associated Press on Thursday. "While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes."

Vanity, Prince proteg? and lead singer of the ?80s girl group Vanity 6, has died after fighting kidney failure and, most recently, a reported abdominal illness, according to TMZ.

The singer, whose real name was Denise Katrina Matthews, died at a hospital in Fremont, California hospital on Monday, the report says.

She set up an online GoFundMe fundraiser page, saying she been diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, an inflammation of the small intestines, the report says:

She also battled crack addiction in the ?90s, and after a 1994 OD her kidneys were shot. She had to undergo nearly daily dialysis treatments.

"Naked Gun" and "Cool Hand Luke" star George Kennedy passed away Sunday at his home in Boise, Idaho, his son Cory Schenkel confirmed. Kennedy was 91.

Best remembered as a tough-guy character actor in westerns and disaster films, Kennedy won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his work in "Cool Hand Luke" opposite Paul Newman in 1968.

George Kennedy in a still from the 1967 film "Cool Hand Luke," distributed by Warner Bros. WARNER BROS.
Other notable film appearances included "Charade," "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot," "The Eiger Sanction," "Airport 1975," "Earthquake" and the comic "Naked Gun" films alongside Leslie Nielsen. His final film role was opposite Mark Wahlberg in 2014's "The Gambler."

"Movies have been my favorite entertainment," Kennedy said in a 2013 interview with CBS affiliate KBOI. "And for me to have ended up in that business is perhaps the most fortunate thing to ever happen to me."

George Kennedy and Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke were great!  He was a solid actor, and is one more face from a period of great acting in America.


Oscar-winner George Kennedy Dies at 91


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/oscar-winner-george-kennedy-dead-at-91/

Former first lady Nancy Reagan has died at the age of 94, according to multiple reports.

Reagan died Sunday. She had been living in Bel Air, Calif. and was in failing health in recent years.

    I am saddened by the passing of my step mother Nancy Reagan...She is once again with the man she loved.God Bless...
    ...
    ? Michael Reagan (@ReaganWorld) March 6, 2016

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She married former President Ronald Reagan in 1952 and served as first lady from 1981 to 1989.

She was perhaps best known for her ?Just Say No? campaign against drugs abuse.

--This breaking news report was last updated at 11:50 a.m.

The son of the legendary singer died after he suffered a heart attack while on tour in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Sinatra?s family confirmed his death in a statement to the Associated Press Wednesday.

The statement said that the family ?mourns the untimely passing of their son, brother, father and uncle,? but revealed no other details.

Sinatra Jr. followed his dad into the music business, and was famously kidnapped and held

Rob Ford, the Toronto city councillor who became the world?s most famous mayor during a wild, scandal-filled term, is dead at age 46.

The married father of two young children died after 18 months of treatment for a rare and aggressive cancer first diagnosed in the midst of his 2014 bid to be re-elected mayor. Ford would have turned 47 on May 28.

A brief statement from the Ford family announcing the death Tuesday described the former mayor as a ?dedicated man of the people? who ?spent his life serving the citizens of Toronto.?

?The family will not be making any statements to the media or taking any questions,? the statement said.

Beloved baseball announcer and former MLB player Joe Garagiola has died at the age of 90, the Arizona Diamondbacks confirmed Wednesday.

Garagiola started broadcasting games for NBC in 1961, and became the familiar play-by-play voice for fans across the country for nearly three decades after. Thanks to his NBC contract, Garagiola served as a frequent panelist on the ?Today? show and even guest hosted ?The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.?

LOS ANGELES ? Comedian Garry Shandling died at a Los Angeles area hospital on Thursday, March 24th according to TMZ.

The 66-year-old star was not suffering from any illness, TMZ is reporting,  so it appears this was sudden.

A source connected to Shandling says he was healthy and speaking to people on Thursday morning.

TMZ?s source says there was a 911 call from ?The Larry Sanders Show? star?s home, and he was transported to the hospital. TMZ was told Shandling was alive when he arrived at the hospital.

Last weekend, Shandling was hanging with friends Kathy Griffin and Bob Odenkirk, who also co-starred with Garry on ?Larry Sanders.?

Joe Garagiola, beloved baseball announcer, dies at 90

http://fox61.com/2016/03/23/joe-garagiola-beloved-baseball-announcer-dies-at-90/

(https://tribwtic.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/gettyimages-102820604.jpg?w=400&h=225&crop=1)
 

I always liked him. R.I.P.

RIP, sad to see Joe go.

Patty Duke, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker and starred as two cousins, different as night and day, on her own sitcom, has died, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. She was 69.

"This morning, our beloved wife, mother, matriarch and the exquisite artist and champion of mental health, Anna Patty Duke, closed her eyes, quieted her pain and ascended to a beautiful place," read a family statement.

Although she performed in films, theater and TV, Duke was most successful in her TV acting career. Overall, she won three Emmy Awards: The Miracle Worker, Captains and Kings and My Sweet Charlie, among eight total nominations.

She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Insight. Duke won a Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer for The Mira

Merle Haggard 1937-2016

Merle Haggard, the working man?s poet, an architect of the Bakersfield Sound, and an artist who influenced country music like few others, died Wednesday in California. He had just turned 79 years old, and had been in failing health for some time, leading to the cancellation of several concert dates, including two nights at the Ryman Auditorium that were originally scheduled for March.

Over the course of his half-century career, Mr. Haggard recorded 40 No. 1 country singles, and wrote some of the genre?s most revered classics, which have been recorded by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, The Byrds, Vince Gill, The Grateful Dead, and countless others.

Mr. Haggard?s life, which took him from a San Quentin prison cell to the Country Music Hall of Fame, was a truly American success story. ?In some ways, his life sounds like fiction, but if it were fiction, no one would believe it,? said Harris on the night of his Hall of Fame induction.

    TV personality and former husband of Liza Minnelli was found dead at the east London hotel this morning
    Police were called to reports of his 'unexplained death' at 10:17 and say his family have been informed
    A close friend announced his death, saying he was 'larger than life, a huge talent and a showbiz icon'
    He was due to start UK tour called 'David Gest Is Not Dead But Alive With Soul' based on his success in Big Brother

Doris Roberts, the beloved mom from "Everybody Loves Raymond," has died ... TMZ has learned.

We're told Doris passed away Sunday in L.A.

She won 5 Emmy awards, 4 of them for 'Raymond.' She's also starred in tons of other TV shows and movies, like "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and "Grandma's Boy."

She's survived by her son, Michael Cannata Jr., who she had with her first husband. Doris' second husband, William Goyen, died in 1983.

Doris was 90 years old.

We last saw her about a month ago where we frequently got her -- going to the movies at the ArcLight in Hollywood. Doris said she wasn't feeling great, but she was as witty as ever.

Doris was awesome on ELR. I don't know how many of you may also watch "The Middle", another Patricia Heaton vehicle, but Doris had a guest shot on one of the shows in which she played the teacher of Patricia's youngest son, the oddball Brick. "The Middle" is funny but that particular episode was particularly good due to the interaction between Patricia and Doris.

Former WWE superstar Joanie Laurer, also known as Chyna, has died at the age of 45, her manager said in a statement on Twitter early Thursday.

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The immediate cause of death was unknown. Laurer?s manager told Pro Wrestling Sheet that she was found dead in her Redondo Beach, Calif., home Wednesday, and she had been taking medication for anxiety and sleep deprivation. It?s unclear if her medications played a part in her death, but TMZ reported that authorities are investigating her death as a possible overdose.

In a bizarre video posted on her YouTube channel on Sunday, Chyna was seen with smudged makeup, drinking water and juice. The star made a smoothie during the 13-minute video and wore feathers as she took the camera around her home and rambled to fans.

0421_remembering_prince_launch_2The artist known as Prince has died ... TMZ has learned. He was 57.

Prince's body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota early Thursday morning.

Multiple sources connected to the singer confirmed he had passed.

The singer -- full name Prince Rogers Nelson -- had a medical emergency on April 15th that forced his private jet to make an emergency landing in Illinois. But he appeared at a concert the next day to assure his fans he was okay. His people told TMZ he was battling the flu.

Prince has died aged 57 at his estate in Minnesota, just days after he was rushed to hospital from his private plane with flu.

Paramedics were called out to his Paisley Park estate at 9.43am and Carver County Sheriff's Department confirmed that there had been a fatality.

A forensics team and a medical examiner are at the scene.

Prince - full name Prince Rogers Nelson - was hospitalized six days ago with flu symptoms.

Prince overdosed on the opiate Percocet six days before he died and had to be given a 'save shot' sources said
Drug is a highly-addictive painkiller that contains acetaminophen and oxycodone and is used to treat acute pain
Friends said he had long-term hip issues but was rumored to refuse surgery because he was a Jehovah's Witness
Pop superstar's autopsy began today, although the results of the investigation could take weeks, officials said
Prince's private plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, so he could be rushed to hospital last week
The 57-year-old music icon was then seen on Wednesday at a Walgreens pharmacy looking 'frail and nervous' 
He died aged 57 at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota on Thursday after being found unresponsive in an elevator
Legendary singer and songwriter sold more than 100million records in his sparkling 40-year music career
Prince was known for his sexually charged lyrics and was romantically linked to a number of male and female stars

Prince's sister says the superstar musician had no known will when he died, and filed paperwork Tuesday asking a Minneapolis court appoint a special administrator to oversee his estate.

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The amount of money Prince left behind is unclear. A fortune originally estimated in the hundreds of millions could be much, much less, and future earnings off the pop star's catalogue and brand could dwarf what he died with.

Prince owned a dozen properties in and around his famous Paisley Park complex in suburban Minneapolis: mostly rural pieces of land and some houses for family members. Public records show those properties were worth about $27 million in 2016.

Prince sold over 100 million albums on his lifetime, according to
Warner Music Group. And Pollstar, a concert industry magazine, said that in the years that his tours topped the charts ? 10 years over four decades performing ? the tours raked in $225 million in ticket sales. Prince's best-earning touring year, when he took in $87.4 million, was 2004, the year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and two  decades after the soundtrack to "Purple Rain" went multi-platinum.

Actor-comedian Alan Young, who played the amiable straight man to a talking horse in the 1960s sitcom "Mister Ed," has died, a spokeswoman for the Motion Picture and Television Home said Friday. He was 96.

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The English-born, Canadian-educated Young died Thursday, according to Jaime Larkin, spokeswoman for the retirement community where Young had lived for four years. His children were with him when he died peacefully of natural causes, she said.

Young was already a well-known radio and TV comedian, having starred in his own Emmy-winning variety show, when "Mister Ed" was being readied at comedian George Burns' production company. Burns is said to have told his staff: "Get Alan Young. He looks like the kind of guy a horse would talk to."

Mr. Ed was a golden Palomino who spoke only to his owner, Wilbur Post, played by Young. Fans enjoyed the horse's deep, droll voice ("WIL-bur-r-r-r-r") and the goofy theme song lyrics ("A horse is a horse, of course, of course ... "). Cowboy star Allan "Rocky" Lane supplied Mr. Ed's voice.

One of the greatest hockey players of all time, Gordie Howe, passed away at the age of 88, FOX 2 has confirmed with close family friends.

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Howe was a legend in Detroit, winning four Stanley Cup Championships in his 25 years as a player for the Red Wings. He took the ice for the first in 1946 and would be named an NHL All-Star 23 times in his illustrious career.

After his career ended in Detroit, he landed in the World Hockey Association with the Houston Aeros.

A cause of death was not immediately known. Howe had been battling severe health issues for years, including a stroke in 2014.

Police say the gunman who opened fire and murdered The Voice star Christina Grimmie on Friday came to her concert heavily armed for a targeted attack against the singer.

During a press conference on Saturday, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said the gunman was a 21-year-old white male who traveled to Orlando from another city in Florida to specifically kill Grimmie.

Mina said that the suspect did not know her, despite coming to the concert at the Plaza Live Theater armed with two handguns, extra magazines and a knife.

The 22-year-old singer was attacked while backstage around 10.30pm when she was signing autographs with the band Before You Exit at a merchandise table when the gunman fired at her.

The singer's brother, Mark, tackled him before the gunman killed himself as the shocking incident happened in front of about 60 children and teenagers.

She was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center in a critical condition; one witness said he saw her bleeding from the head and being given chest compressions.

Sources tell TMZ that police were called to actor and political talk show host's Las Vegas home Wednesday afternoon after he was found unresponsive.

It's still unclear how the actor died.

A post on his Twitter page stated that 'the cause of death is unknown at this time'.

However sources who spoke with TMZ said no foul play is suspected.

An autopsy is pending.   

Doyle was born in Brooklyn, New York and spent the first six months of his life in an orphanage before being adopted by a police officer and his wife. He grew up in Sparta, New Jersey and went on to receive a degree in Aeronautics.

In his early career he worked as a corporate jet pilot and then as a stockbroker before abruptly changing paths to become an actor. Babylon 5 was his first significant starring role and it became what he is most known for.

When the shown ended in 1998, Doyle changed careers yet again to become a political talk show host.

The Jerry Doyle S

Steven Hill, who originated imposing lead roles on two notable television series, ?Mission: Impossible? in the 1960s and ?Law & Order? in the 1990s, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. He was 94.

His daughter Sarah Gobioff confirmed his death. He lived in Monsey, N.Y., a hamlet in Rockland County.

Mr. Hill was 44 and a veteran stage and television actor in 1966 when he was cast as Daniel Briggs, the leader of an elite covert-operations unit, in the new series ?Mission: Impossible.? But he left after the first season, paving the way for Peter Graves?s six-season run as the show?s lead.

Even decades later, Mr. Hill declined to discuss his reasons for leaving the series, other than to say that the first season had been a bad