Michael Jackson

The year of 2009 witnessed the sad passing of a number of stars of the stage and screen who touched many lives around the world. Here through the article from a chinadaily.com.cn special, we look back at the celebrities we lost and pay tribute to them for the joy and memories they brought to us.

Michael Jackson - the King of Pop

Michael Jackson, U.S. singer died June 25 aged 50. Jackson died suddenly after suffering a cardiac arrest in a rented Los Angeles mansion. The Los Angeles coroner ruled his death a homicide, and several doctors who treated Jackson have been investigated. Officials have focused on the singer's use of a powerful anesthetic called propofol to help induce sleep.

David Carradine

David Carradine - popular American character actor

U.S. actor David Carradine died June 3 aged 72. The star of the 1970s television show "Kung Fu" was found naked and hanging from a rope in the closet of his luxury Bangkok hotel room, according to Thai police.

Thai police will know how Carradine died in one month

BEIJING, June 9 -- Thai police said on Monday that the cause of U.S. actor David Carradine's death in a Bangkok hotel room would not be known until they had the results of the autopsy and toxicology tests in a month's time.

Stephen Gately

Stephen Gately - lead singer of boyband Boyzone

Stephen Gately, Irish singer died Oct. 10 aged 33. The member of Irish boyband Boyzone died due to fluid on his lungs while on holiday on the Spanish island of Majorca.

Hundreds attend Gately's funeral

Hundreds of fans have crowded streets around a Dublin Church for the funeral of Irish pop star Stephen Gately. He died from fluid in the lungs last week while on holiday on the Spanish resort island of Majorca.

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze - star of "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost"

Patrick Swayze, U.S. actor died Sept. 14 aged 57. The actor best known as the smoldering dance instructor in “Dirty Dancing” died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

He cemented his status as a big screen sex symbol with his performance in 1990 romance “Ghost” alongside Demi Moore.

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy - American actress and singer

Brittany Murphy, U.S. actress died Dec. 20 aged 32. Murphy suffered a cardiac arrest in her LA bathroom and was pronounced dead at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She co-starred in films such as "Clueless," "8 Mile," "Girl, Interrupted" and "Sin City," and enjoyed enduring success on the small screen providing the voice of the vacuous Texan Luanne Platter in the cartoon series "King of the Hill." But Murphy' career waned in recent years. Her emaciated appearance had also sparked concerns about her health.

U.S. star Brittany Murphy dies at 32

BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- U.S. star Brittany Murphy who stared in films such as "Clueless" and "8 Mile" died Sunday in Los Angeles at age 32.

Natasha Richardson

Natasha Richardson - British actress

Natasha Richardson, a gifted and precocious heiress to acting royalty whose career highlights included the film "Patty Hearst" and a Tony-winning performance in a stage revival of "Cabaret," died on March 18, 2009 at age 45 after suffering a head injury from a skiing accident.

Chen Lin

Chen Lin - Chinese mainland pop singer

Chen Lin, Chinese singer died Oct. 31 aged 40. Mainland pop singer Chen Lin died after apparently leaping to her death from an apartment building in Beijing, on the same day as her former husband's birthday. Chen was emotionally stricken by the failure of her twelve-year marriage with her former husband, which resulted in depression. The singer rose to stardom in 1993 with her debut album "I Never Know Your Love", which sold over 1.5 million copies.

Singer Chen Lin dead in suspected suicide

BEIJING, Nov.2 -- Mainland pop singer Chen Lin is dead after apparently leaping to her death from an apartment building in Beijing, on the same day as her former husband's birthday.

Li Yu

Li Yu - Chinese mainland actress

Li Yu, Chinese actress died March 14 aged 33. She died of lymph cancer. Li rose to fame in 2001 with her debut acting in "Romance in the Rain".

A Sang

A Sang - Taiwan pop singer

Judy Huang Yanlin (A sang), Taiwan singer died on April 6 aged 34. This pop singer died of breast cancer despite two-years of treatment. Her soothing voice and touching ballads enjoyed great popularity among listeners.

Cheng Kui'an

Cheng Kui'an - Hong Kong actor

David Tsui (Cheng Kui’an), Hong Kong actor died Aug. 27 aged 54. Cheng suffered from nasopharyngeal carcinoma, cancer in the nose, which later spread to his liver. In his 23-year performing career, Cheng played various minor roles in 350 films with his characteristic and impressive acting.