Jim Henson-someone already mentioned him but I wanted to second the motion.
John Gielgud-Miliana, you got there first on this one. Did you ever hear his statement “I’m an actor, of COURSE I can play a heterosexual!”
Isaac Asimov
Robert Heinlein
Sterling Morrison - the guitarist from the Velvet Underground. What a great thinker and musician.
William Burroughs - I always thought I’d get around to writing to him, but put it off until it was too late.
Chris Farley, my idol.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, although Jedi’s never die.
John Belushi, ever time I wear a toga I think of him.
Bob Hope, he was a genius.
I know he’s not dead, but damn close
Jim Henson, Jim Henson, Jim Henson…it can’t be stressed enough.
I have to agree with many said thus far
Audrey Hepburn
Jessica Tandy
Then are those who died young and leave me wondering what they could have accomplished:
Gilda Radner
Phil Hartman (Man, I miss Troy McClure and News Radio)
Madeline Kahn
Bob Marley
Kurt Cobain
Jimi Hendrix
This is an obscure one, but Pete Duel. He was in the popular (but short-lived) 70s western, “Alias Smith and Jones”. If he hadn’t killed himself, that show would have run several years. He robbed us of his talent, and of a great show.
Phil Hartman - another talent we were robbed of far too soon.
Walt Disney. It seemed when he died, the Disney company (amusement parks, production company) went to pot. (Or started to.)
Everyone I was going to say has been mentioned, but I’ll say some of them again: Phil Hartman (one of my personal heroes), John Belushi, Andy Kaufman, Chris Farley, Jimmy Stewart (still probably my favourite actor), John Lennon, and Jim Henson (I have the episode of the Muppets after he died, where all of the Muppets sing “If Just One Person Believes In You”…makes me teary-eyed just thinking of it).
Just reading this thread made me really sad. 
Stevie Ray Vaughan, definitely.
Jim Henson
Roger Zelazny (his Amber novels ended just begging for one last volume…alas, I’ll never know how it will end.)
Hendrix died before I knew who he was, (I was in diapers at the time) so I can’t honestly say I miss him, not knowing what it was like when he was around…but he could’a made so much more music…
Roy Orbison.
Desmond Llewellyn - “Q” from the James Bond series.
I have to agree with others’ choice of Jim Henson. Only after he died did I realize how much he actually meant. Ditto for Phil Hartman–especially as it was so unexpected.
One I’d have to vote for, who probably won’t be known by many people on the Board, is Malcolm Marshall. Marshall played cricket for West Indies, Hampshire, and various South African states, and coached Natal and West Indies until the summer of last year, when he died of cancer at the age of 41. At the time of his death Marshall was trying to lead the West Indies side to where it was while he was playing–as the best in the world. He was probably the greatest fast bowler of the last 30 years, and was quickly becoming one of the best coaches.
Marshall was important to me because he was my first “favorite player” when I started following cricket ten years ago. He was always just thrilled to be playing the game.
Amen! His two Dr. Phibes movies were excellent.
I miss Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman, and Elizabeth Montgomery.
Jim Henson.
John Lennon.
Freddy Mercury.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! how come I never heard of this until now? don’t they say stuff like this on the news? damn this sucks I really liked his stuff.
Chris Farley. Motivational Speaker. Enough said.
Phil Hartman. Brilliant. Simply brilliant.
Brandon Lee. His first few movies weren’t anything to brag about, but I enjoyed The Crow. He seemed to have a lot of potential.
Vincent Price (Edward Scissorhands; The Pit and the Pendelum are two of my all-time favorite movies)
Jim Henson (I grew up watching Sesame Street)
Chris Farley
Walter Matthau
And others:
Charles Schultz
John Denver
Princess Diana
Audrey Hepburn
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez
John F Kennedy Jr.
I’m sure I could think of more…
John Denver
I miss him.
I’ll echo two earlier names:
Robert Heinlein
Freddy Mercury
All mine have nothing to do with the other. In no specific order:
Chris Farley- Extremely talented you actor on the height of his career. Came to a very unexpected tradgic end. We will never know what might have came of the comedy industry now that this man is gone
Kurt Cobain-To hell with Courtney. I feel for his daughter and hope that her mother doesnt brain wash her. His career was much short lived and all his songs will remain #1 forever
Mother teressa- She done wonders for people with no hope left. She taught them to never give up and that there was always hope. She touched so many lives .
Princess Diana- A beautiful women with a huge heart for children. Her death shocked the nation with mother teressa’s death shortly after.
I’ll concentrate on people who died too soon, otherwise the list would be way too long and would include myriad historical figures.
Frank Zappa
Jerry Garcia
Charles Schultz
John Belushi
J.D. Salinger (OK, he ain’t dead, but he might as well be)
Jimi Hendrix
Andy Kaufman
Gilda Radner
Madeline Kahn
I can’t believe nobody else has mentioned…
Wally
Shel Silverstien. I love his books.
Jim Henson. I was quite young when he died, but I remember the muppets singing that song…
“That’s my fishing boat, Bond.” – Desmond Llewellyn. Good old Q. I’ll miss him.
Roger Zelazny. I’ll miss not knowing the ending to the saga, but I can always write my own…
Jim Henson. Definetly.
Walt Kelly.
BTW, you tried too hard with the grammar here. It should be “Famous people who are deceased.”