We lost some true stars from all walks of life this year (and a couple of bona fide bad guys).

Some were lives cut tragically short such as Tom Maynard, Adam Yauch and Gemma McCluskie.

Others reached grand old ages such as Patrick Moore, Eric Hobsbawm and Sir Alastair Burnet but their loss is still as keenly felt.

dead in 2012

Whitney Houston, Clive Dunn, Frank Carson, Patrick Moore and Neil Armstrong

For a few individuals, their deaths were an integral part of their story. The long battle Tony Nicklinson fought to be allowed to die amply illustrates this.

So take some time and spare a thought for some of those who won't be around to see 2013.

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  • Frank Carson

    Age: 85 Occupation: Comedian and Actor Cause of Death: Poor health after suffering from stomach cancer Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/23/frank-carson-jokes-twitter_n_1295883.html">'Tiswas'</a>

  • Neil Armstrong

    Age: 82 Occupation: Astronaut, Test Pilot, Teacher, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/25/neil-armstrong-dead-first-man-in-space-dies_n_1830362.html">General Legend and All-Round Nice-Guy</a> Cause of Death: Complications from heart surgery Most Famous For: Being the first person to stand on the Moon

  • Ernest Borgnine

    Age: 95 Occupation: Actor Cause of Death: Renal failure Most Famous For:<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/09/ernest-borgnine-dead-remembered_n_1658937.html"> 'Airwolf' or being the voice of a character in Spongebob Squarepants, you decide</a>

  • Ray Bradbury

    Age: 91 Occupation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/06/best-ray-bradbury-quotes_n_1574219.html">Writer</a> Cause of Death: A "lengthy illness" Most Famous For: 'Fahrenheit 451'

  • Chuck Brown

    Age: 75 Occupation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/chuck-brown-dies">Guitarist and Singer</a> Cause of Death: Multiple organ failure Most Famous For: Being the "Godfather of Go-go"

  • Michael Clarke Duncan

    Age: 54 Occupation: Actor Cause of Death: Heart attack Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/03/the-green-mile-star-michael-clarke-duncan-dead-cardiac-arrest_n_1852740.html">Playing John Coffey</a> in 'The Green Mile'

  • Clive Dunn

    Age: 92 Occupation: Actor, Comedian, Artist and Author, Cause of Death: Complications following surgery Most Famous For: Playing <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11/08/clive-dunn-dead-dads-army_n_2091590.html">Lance-Corporal Jack Jones</a> BBC sitcom Dad's Army "Don't panic! Don't panic!"

  • Robin Gibb

    Age: 62 Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Cause of Death: Colorectal cancer Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/10/robin-gibb-funeral-widow-dwina-grief_n_1584261.html">Being one third of the Bee Gees </a>

  • Bob Holness

    Age: 83 Occupation: Radio and TV Presenter Cause of Death: Poor health following a stroke and dementia Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/06/bob-holness-dead-blockbusters_n_1189072.html">Blockbusters</a>

  • Henry Hill

    Age: 69 Occupation: Mobster Cause of Death: Heart failure Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/13/henry-hill-dead-a-life-in-pictures-of-the-mobster-who-inspired-goodfellas_n_1592301.html">Inspiring Martin Scorsese's 'Goodfellas'</a>

  • Ceefax

    Age: 38 Occupation: Teletext Information Service Cause of Death: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/23/ceefax-is-dead-teletext-goodbye_n_2004401.html">The inexorable advance of technology</a> Most Famous For: Being incredibly slow

  • Etta James

    Age: 73 Occupation: Singing Legend Cause of Death: Leukaemia Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/etta-james-songs-music-at-last_n_1219504.html">Classic hits</a> such as 'Something's Got a Hold on Me'

  • Rodney King

    Age: 47 Occupation: Construction Worker Cause of Death: Accidental drowning Most Famous For: Being beaten to a pulp by Los Angeles police, an event that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/rodney-king-dead-dies-age-47_n_1603604.html">sparked the 1992 LA riots</a>

  • T4

    Age: 14 Occupation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/t4">TV Show</a> Cause of Death: There's only so many times you can watch repeats of 'Friends' Most Famous For: See above

  • Gemma McCluskie

    Age: 29 Occupation: Actress Cause of Death: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/07/gemma-mccluskie-tony-mccluskie-brother-eastendersi-killed-her_n_2256228.html">Murder</a> Most Famous For: Playing Kerry Skinner in 'Eastenders'

  • Terry Nutkins

    Age: 66 Occupation: Naturalist and TV Presenter Cause of Death: Leukaemia Most Famous For: 'The Really Wild Show'.<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/07/tv-presenter-terry-nutkins-dies-leukaemia_n_1864012.html"> And for having two fingers bitten off by an otter named Edal</a>

  • Vidal Sassoon

    Age: 84 Occupation: Hairdressing Pioneer Cause of Death: Leukaemia Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/12/vidal-sassoon-memorial-michael-caine-john-frieda-terence-stamp-and-mary-quant-london-_n_1960726.html">The hairdressing empire </a>that bears his name

  • Tony Scott

    Age: 68 Occupation: Film Director Cause of Death: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/23/tony-scott-death-top-gun-director-sleeping-pills-anti-depressants_n_2004454.html">Suicide</a> Most Famous For: Directing 'Top Gun'

  • Griselda Blanco

    Age: 69 Occupation: Drug Queen Cause of Death: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/griselda-blanco-cocaine-grandmother-dead_n_1853328.html">Executed by gunmen as she left a butchers shop</a> Most Famous For: Being a pioneer in the Miami cocaine trade

  • Yitzhak Shamir

    Age: 96 Occupation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/30/yitzhak-shamir-former-isr_n_1640204.html">Politician</a> Cause of Death: Poor health compounded by Alzheimer's Most Famous For: Being the seventh Prime Minister of Israel

  • Donna Summer

    Age: 63 Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Cause of Death: Lung cancer Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/17/donna-summer-dead-10-best-songs_n_1524496.html">Classic disco hits</a> such as 'I Feel Love'

  • Chris Stevens

    Age: Diplomat Occupation: 52 Cause of Death: Killed in a terrorist attack Most Famous For: Unfortunately, the manner in which he died

  • Gore Vidal

    Age: 86 Occupation: Writer Cause of Death: Complications from pneumonia Most Famous For: His vast body of work and for describing George W. Bush as "the stupidest man in the United States"

  • Adam Yauch

    Age: 47 Occupation: Rapper/Songwriter Cause of Death: Salivary gland cancer Most Famous For: Being a founding member of the Beastie Boys

  • Whitney Houston

    Age: 48 Occupation: Singer/Actress Cause of Death: Accidental drowning Most Famous For: Being one the<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/06/the-bodyguard-review_n_2250701.html"> greatest female singers of all time</a>

  • Tony Nicklinson

    Age: 58 Occupation: Cause of Death: Starvation Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/22/right-to-die-campaigner-tony-nicklinson-died_n_1820927.html">Not being allowed to die</a>

  • Winnie Johnson

    Age: 78 Cause of Death: Cancer Most Famous For: Never finding out where <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/tag/winnie-johnson-death">Ian Brady hid the body </a>of her murdered son

  • Sir Alastair Burnet

    Age: 84 Occupation: Broadcaster Cause of Death: Ill health after a series of strokes Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/20/sir-alastair-burnet-dead-itn-news-at-ten_n_1688536.html">Being Chief Presenter</a> ITV's News at Ten for eighteen years.

  • Bill Tarmey

    Age: 71 Occupation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11/09/bill-tarmey-coronation-street_n_2099726.html">Actor</a> Most Famous For: Playing 'Coronation Street' stalwart, Jack Duckworth

  • Tom Maynard

    Age: 23 Occupation: Cricketer Cause of Death: Electrocuted on a London Underground line Most Famous For: Having a promising career <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/04/tom-maynard-funeral-attended-trescothick-flintoff_n_1648868.html">cut tragically short</a>

  • John Lord

    Age: 71 Occupation: Musician/Composer Cause of Death: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/16/jon-lord-dead-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water_n_1676943.html">Pancreatic Cancer</a> Most Famous For: Playing with Deep Purple

  • Eric Sykes

    Age: 89 Occupation: Comedy Writer, Actor and Director Cause of Death: Poor health Most Famous For:<a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.co.uk%2F2012%2F07%2F04%2Feric-sykes-dead-the-plank-video-pictures_n_1648530.html&ei=M9_EUO3vF4TB0QXF_4CIDw&usg=AFQjCNFD29fqGldbbF2VdmhRDKA7ZHyeAQ"> A glittering career spanning over 50 years</a>

  • Maeve Binchy

    Age: 72 Occupation: Author Cause of Death: Died "after a short illness" Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/31/maeve-binchy-dies-age-72-irish-novelist_n_1722064.html">Outselling fellow Irish write, Oscar Wilde</a>

  • Eric Hobsbawm

    Age: 95 Occupation: Historian Cause of Death: Pneumonia Most Famous For: Being<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/01/eric-hobsbawm-dead-british-marxist-historian-dies-at-95_n_1928345.html"> a prolific Marxist writer</a>

  • Sir Bernard Lovell

    Age: 98 Occupation: Physicist/Radio Astronomer Cause of Death: Old Age Most Famous For: Developing the 76m (250ft) radio telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire

  • Herbert Lom

    Age: 95 Occupation: Actor Cause of Death: Old Age Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/27/herbert-lom-pink-panther-dies-95_n_1918570.html">His roles in 'The Ladykillers' and 'The Pink Panther' film series</a>

  • Ian Abercrombie

    Age: 77 Occupation: Actor Cause of Death: Kidney failure Most Famous For: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/28/ian-abercrombie-dead-dies-seinfeld-77-hollywood_n_1239076.html">Playing Chancellor Palpatine in 'The Clone Wars'</a>

  • Patrick Moore

    Age: 89 Occupation: Astronomer Cause of Death: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/09/sir-patrick-moor-death-astronomer_n_2266729.html">Old Age</a> Most Famous For: Being the nation's most <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/20/patrick-moore-brian-may-the-cosmic-tourist_n_1992982.html">beloved monocle wearer</a>

  • Ravi Shankar

    Age: 92 Occupation: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/12/sitar-player-ravi-shankar-dies-dead-92_n_2282280.html?ncid=GEP">Musician and Composer</a> Cause of Death: Upper-respiratory and heart issues Most Famous For: Inspiring the Beatles

  • Kenneth Kendall (right)

    Age: 88 Occupation: TV Presenter Cause of Death: Complications following a stroke Most Famous For: Hosting 'Treasure Hunt'