David O. Russell is on the phone, eager to talk about The Fighter, a movie whose unexpected dash to the top is not all that dissimilar from the story it tells.

Here's my own brief look at some of the more notable celebrity deaths of 2009. As always, they fall into two categories: "The Good Riddance List" and "The Folks We'll Miss List."

NEW YORK — We had been told to expect the deaths of the famous to come in threes, not in the dozens. But all through the summer of 2009 came a ...

Everybody dies. Why, from a spiritual point of view, are celebrity deaths such an extra big deal?

LOS ANGELES — At a tribute to the late sidekick of "The Tonight Show," Ed McMahon was remembered as a rare individual in the entertainment indus...

Believers have their "proof" this month after the departures of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson in quick succession. Three celebrities! Game, set, match for the urban legend!

(AP) LOS ANGELES "Tonight" host Conan O'Brien paid tribute to Ed McMahon as a "truly funny man" whose partnership with Johnny Carson on the late-night...

MSNBC interviewed Joan Rivers about the sad passing of legendary entertainment figure Ed McMahon. Rivers had nothing but praise for McMahon, however ...

LOS ANGELES — Ed McMahon, the loyal "Tonight" show sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Jo...

LOS ANGELES — Ed McMahon, former sidekick to Johnny Carson on "Tonight" and a familiar TV commercial pitchman, is hospitalized in intensive care...

Financially-challenged stars MC Hammer & Ed McMahon are finally making bank ... pimpin' for Cash4Gold.com during the Super Bowl. ...

Citibank has just won a judgment against Ed McMahon for $179,687.08 Citi had sued Ed in L.A. County Superior Court last June. A judge has issued a ...

LOS ANGELES — Ed McMahon can stay put. Publicist Howard Bragman confirmed Thursday that the TV icon and his wife have no plans to move from thei...