Mike Silverman dies at 90; touted himself as "the Realtor to the stars"

The son of a sweatshop tailor, he started life living above a pickle shop in the Bronx and ended it owning a Cape Cod-style home on a stretch of Malibu called Billionaire's Beach.

Alan Rich, classical music critic and champion, dies at 85

Over a long career, he wrote for many newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times and Newsweek. He helped promote several young composers and championed conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Funeral services for Daryl F. Gates

Giuseppe Panza di Biumo dies at 87; art collector legitimized MOCA

He sold 80 paintings and sculptures by Mark Rothko, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein and others to the fledgling Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Jack Herer dies at 70; author and advocate for marijuana legalization

Herer wrote ‘The Emperor Wears No Clothes,’ in which he was critical of the government’s ban on hemp cultivation and extolled the plant’s versatility as paper, fiber, fuel, food and medicine.

Gene Lees dies at 82; jazz historian and critic

A Canadian by birth who moved to Ojai more than 30 years ago, he wrote highly personal essays and biographies of such jazz greats as Oscar Peterson, Woody Herman and Johnny Mercer.

Whitney R. Harris dies at 97; prosecutor of WWII Nazi criminals

Harris was part of the team, led by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, that began the prosecution of war criminals in Nuremberg, Germany, shortly after the war's end.

Sharon L. Sievers dies at 71; pioneered women’s studies program at Cal State Long Beach

A noted scholar of Japanese history, she spent her entire 40-year career at the university, where her influence was described as ‘profound and enduring.’

Juan Antonio Samaranch dies at 89; longtime Olympics chief

As president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001, Samaranch helped bring the Olympic movement out of turmoil and into prosperity. But his tenure was marked by a corruption scandal and athletes' use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Peter Gold dies at 85; former head of Price-Pfister Inc.

The former president and chief executive officer began working as a salesman at the firm in 1956 and rose through the ranks.

Dorothy Height dies at 98; civil rights leader fought for women's, children's issues

She organized and marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and led the YWCA's integration. As president of the National Council of Negro Women for 41 years, she pushed to give women and families a voice.

Keith Elam dies at 47; rap singer known as Guru of duo Gang Starr

Elam, whose Gang Starr released six studio albums between 1989 and 2003, was also a highly sought-after collaborator who believed music could be a positive social force.

Carolyn M. Rodgers dies at 69; grappled with issues of African American identity

The Chicago native was recognized for poetry that delved into the problems and challenges facing African American women.

H. Guyford Stever dies at 93; former National Science Foundation director

The advisor to Presidents Nixon and Ford helped create NASA and restore its credibility after the Challenger crash.

Fred J. Ascani dies at 92; test pilot set speed record

Ascani, a retired Air Force major general, flew an F-86 Sabre jet at 628.698 mph at the National Air Races in Detroit in 1951. He later oversaw development of a supersonic bomber.

Mortimer Sackler dies at 93; arts patron was co-owner of Purdue Pharma

Purdue Pharma developed the painkiller OxyContin, which had sales of $3 billion by 2001. Sackler used profits from the firm to fund arts and universities in the U.S. and Europe.

Dede Allen dies at 86; editor revolutionized imagery, sound and pace in U.S. films

Her work on 1967's 'Bonnie and Clyde' ushered in a new aesthetic that's now the standard in American film. She earned Oscar nominations for 'Dog Day Afternoon,' 'Reds' and 'Wonder Boys.'

Daryl F. Gates dies at 83; innovative but controversial chief of the LAPD

Gates, who led the department for 14 years, was in charge at the time of the 1991 beating of Rodney King and the riots that followed. He also instituted SWAT teams and implemented anti-drug programs.

Norman McFarland dies at 88; second bishop of Orange County's Roman Catholic diocese

McFarland helped transform the Catholic Charities of Orange County into a multimillion-dollar operation. After his retirement, questions arose over his handling of sexual abuse by priests.