Sad news. I always loved Jane Russell. Like most screen legends of that time she is blatantly under-rated because of Marilyn Monroe..but Jane Russell was the bomb.

Discovered by Howard Hughes, she left the spotlight in the 1960′s for a quieter life after starring in tons of classic movies.

Russell, surrounded by family members, died Monday at her home in the central coast city of Santa Maria. Her death from respiratory failure came 70 years after Hughes had put her on the path to stardom with his controversial Western “The Outlaw.” She was 89.

Although she had all but abandoned Hollywood after the 1960s for a quieter life, her daughter-in-law Etta Waterfield said Russell remained active until just a few weeks ago when her health began to fail. Until then she was active with her church, charities that were close to her heart and as a member of a singing group that made occasional appearances around Santa Maria.

“She always said I’m going to die in the saddle, I’m not going to sit at home and become an old woman,” Waterfield told The Associated Press on Monday. “And that’s exactly what she did, she died in the saddle.”

Since I’m sure someone will say it..I’ll say it too. She was just THIS CLOSE to getting mentioned at this years Oscars. Now she’ll have to wait until the 2012 broadcast to for her death to be recognized.

What a random and very sad story this is. The body of 35 year-old former Bachelorette contestant Julien Hug was found in the remote Pinyon Pines area of Southern California Wednesday.

Riverside County authorities won’t confirm the identity or whether they suspect foul play. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.Sheriff’s Deputy Melissa Nieburger told the press that the body was found in an area that “you would need to hike into.”

A missing person’s report was reportedly filed for Hug on Monday, who was last seen leaving San Diego for Palm Desert, where his parents own a restaurant.

Hug was a contestant on the ABC show in May 2009.

Sad news kids. Tom Bosley passed away today at the ripe old age of 83. Tom died in a hospital in Rancho Mirage, California after battling lung cancer.

A few of his Happy Days co-stars have already given statements about their friend.

Henry Winkler :”I saw him before I ever got to Hollywood on Broadway, and he was great. And then I got to act with him for 10 years and he was great.  Tom Bosley was our mentor. He was a true artist … a great husband, and a fabulous father and grandfather. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.”

Scott Baio:”He was a good man who taught me a lot about the business and business itself. He was a professional guy … I’m sad.”

Ron Howard:  “I’m so saddened by the loss of our wonderful Tom Bosley. Remarkable on so many levels, Tom’s insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the Happy Days experience. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom lead by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it. My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already.”

Screen legend and father of Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Curtis has passed away at 85 years old.

The cause was cardiac arrest in his Las Vegas home early Wednesday, the Clark County coroner told the Associated Press.

Tony starred in more  than 150 movies, which took place along with an equally extravagant Hollywood high life: six wives, romances with starlets from Marilyn Monroe to Natalie Wood and six kids he candidly admitted he often failed – including Jamie Lee Curtis. Nor did he make a secret of his real name – Bernie Schwartz – or his onetime drug use, or his trips to the shrink to deal with debilitating depression.

You can read more about Tony’s interesting life here. His name may not be a household name to most of us and I’m sure he’s virtually unknown to most of our younger readers…but this dude was mah-jah back in the day.

We all know celebrities die in threes. With Greg Girlado and Tony Curtis both passing away yesterday that leaves one more spot for some lucky celeb.

Five days after he was hospitalized for an accidental overdose, comedian Greg Giraldo has passed away in a New Jersey hospital.

Greg had been hospitalized in New Brunswick, NJ after he overdosed on prescription pills last weekend. A source said the overdose was not a suicide attempt. Giraldo was best known for his celebrity roast appearances. He had also been a judge on “Last Comic Standing.” A source close to Greg tells us, “Greg passed away today at the hospital in New Brunswick as a result of an accidental overdose. His family was by his side.”

Sad news, this guy was really funny. Get ready for the skeleton’s…every time a celebrity dies a drug related death people start the slinging.

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