From left: Al Franken and writer Tom Davis

 

    Thomas James "Tom" Davis (August 13, 1952 – July 19, 2012)

HUDSON, N.Y.(AP) – Tom Davis, an Emmy Award- winning writer who
with Al Franken helped develop some of the most popular skits in the
early years of "Saturday Night Live," died on Thursday at age 59.

His wife, Mimi Raleigh, said he died of throat and neck cancer at his
home in the Hudson Valley, north of New York City. He was diagnosed
in 2009.

Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton (July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997)

Diller was born Phyllis Ada Driver in Lima, Ohio. She began her career working at
KROW radio in Oakland in 1952. Phyllis first appeared in March of 1955 as a stand-
up at The Purple Onion, a cellar club in the North Beach area of San Francisco.

Although she has made her career in comedy, Diller studied the piano for many
years. She later decided against a career in music after hearing her teachers
and mentors play with much more ability than she thought that she would be able
to achieve. She still plays in her private life, however, and owns a custom-made harpsichord.

Cosby on the football team at Central High School in Philadelphia

William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is a comedian, actor, author, television producer, 
educator, musician and activist. He is a veteran stand-up performer, he got his
start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the NBC 1960s action show,
I Spy. He later starred in his own series on NBC, the situation comedy The Bill
Cosby Show (1984-1992). He was one of the major characters on the PBS
children’s television series The Electric Company for its first two seasons,
and created the educational cartoon comedy series Fat Albert and the
Cosby Kids on CBS (1972 –1984). Cosby has also acted in a number of
films. In 1976, Bill Cosby earned a Doctor of Education degree from the
University of Massachusetts Amherst.

 

            Warren Mercer Oates (July 5, 1928 – April 3, 1982)

Actor Warren Oates was best known for his roles in several films directed
by Sam Peckinpah including The Wild Bunch (1969) and Bring Me the
Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974). He starred in numerous films during the
early 1970s which have since achieved cult status including The Hired
Hand (1971), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) and Race with the Devil
(1975). Oates also portrayed Sergeant Hulka in Stripes (1981).

Gunsmoke episode, "Circus Trick" from 1965

Warren Oates in Stripes