On December 20, founder of L.A.'s Circle West theater company and member of the off-Broadway Circle Repertory Company in New York, playwright and screenwriter John Bishop passed away from cancer during his stay at a clinic in Bad Heilbrunn, Germany.

Marshall W. Mason, founding artistic director of the Circle Repertory Company is quoted as saying, "John was one of our major writers. I think next to Lanford Wilson, he was our most prominent writer; he wrote many plays for us. Bishop had a remarkable insight into the dark side of human nature, which he saw in both a comic and satiric way. All this served him very well when he came to Hollywood because of that sardonic view, and also he was very into action. He made a good screenwriter as a result."

Bishop's credits are many, both as a playwright and screenwriter. Plays produced on Broadway included The Trip Back Down, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Elmer Gantry, Borderlines, The Great Grandson of Jedediah Kohler, Winter Signs and The Harvesting. He directed The Beaver Coat, El Salvador, Florida Crackers, and Empty Hearts. His screen credits included Drop Zone, The Package, Sliver and Beverly Hills Cops III. Described by the New Yorker as "one of our best dramatists," Bishop was 77.

This past summer, a man in the business of helping smokers quit, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Just months later, anti-smoking guru Allen Carr lost his battle with cancer. On November 29th, Carr died at his home in Malaga, Spain.

A heavy smoker for 33 years before quitting 23 years ago, Carr claimed to have found an easy way to quit smoking. From that discovery, he founded The Easy Way to Stop Smoking Program, which would eventually grow into 70 clinics in 30 countries. In addition, his company publishes how-to quit smoking books, CDs, tapes and DVDs.

Using cognitive therapy, Carr told smokers interested in quitting that they could do it without willpower, without suffering withdrawal and without gaining weight. The celebrity endorsements for his program include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sean Bean, Marie Helvin, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Lisa Stansfield, Sir Richard Branson, Britney Spears, Susannah York, Bruce Oldfield, Stefano Gabbana and Julie Christie.

Carr is credited with helping over 25 million people to quit smoking.

An Easy Way to Stop Smoking Program clinic spokesperson was quoted as saying, "Allen spent many years in smoke-filled rooms after he quit, while treating smokers for addiction. He is certain that had he not quit, he would have died 20 years ago." Near the time of his death, Carr wrote a letter to Tony Blair urging his government and NHS to accept the easy method program. Carr was 72.

The Runaways punk rock drummer, guitarist and songwriter Sandy West has died after a long battle with lung cancer. The Runaways, a 70s female punk rock band who made the tune Cherry Bomb a fan favorite, was attributed with being the launching pad for the solo careers of guitarists Joan Jett and Lita Ford.

Posted on West's website, "Sandy West was proud to be one of the founding members of The Runaways. While most teens were attending high school full time and planning for the prom, Sandy and The Runaways were forging a musical legacy. They were partly responsible for the punk movement, and played with or inspired bands like The Ramones, The Sex Pistols and Blondie."

The Runaways band members included Cherie Currie - vocals; Joan Jett - guitar, vocals; Lita Ford - guitar, vocals; Sandy West - drums, vocals; Michael Steele - vocals, bass; Peggy Foster - bass; Jackie Fox - bass; Vicki Blue - bass and Laurie McAllister - bass.

The Legacy page features comments from people in the industry who have worked with or have been inspired by The Runaways. Sandy West was 47.

In 1998, former Beatles Sir Paul McCartney lost his beloved wife Linda to breast cancer. At the time, she had been helping him work on his fourth classical album Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart). When Linda died, Paul says in his grief the music stopped and he could not work for a year.

Ecce Cor Meum is an orchestral work in four movements. Interlude is Paul's tribute to Linda. BBC News has quoted Paul as saying, "There is an interlude in the middle of Ecce Cor Meum which is a very sad piece of music. My colleague and I remember actually sitting at the keyboard just weeping when we were doing this piece. It does it to me every time. It was a very, very emotional, very sad time for me, obviously, losing Linda."

Last Sunday was Linda's birthday. The album Ecce Cor Meum, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, was released on Monday. For Paul, the timing of the release of this work is meaningful. If you plan to be in London on November 4, Ecce Cor Meum will be performed live at the Royal Albert Hall.

Ecce Cor Meum is available for sale at Amazon, with short audio samplings of Spiritus; Gratia; Interlude (Lament); Musica and Ecce Cor Meum. Some of the pieces have a delicate haunting sadness and an exquisitely beautiful emotional quality that makes the music superb. Ecce Cor Meum is a moving tribute of love and remembrance.

Two days ago, 2005 Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Lost in the Fog was put to sleep due to cancer that could not be cured. Bloodhorse has a very nice write-up about this most magnificent champion race horse.

His trainer Greg Gilchrist is quoted as saying, "We accomplished what we wanted to do. It was all about giving him quality time. We did everything we could for him. He was happy and content right up to the end. He went quietly and easily."

Last month, veterinarian Don Smith diagnosed Lost in the Fog with spleen cancer and cancerous tumors in his abdomen. Last year, Lost in the Fog made seven cross-country trips and won eight stakes, including the King's Bishop. Lost in the Fog won 10 races in a row to begin his career and 11 of 14 starts while earning almost one-million dollars.

At the time of Lost in the Fog's cancer diagnosis, Gilchrist stated "What a warrior -- I've never had a horse that comes close to this one."

When Lost in the Fog passed on, Gilchrist said, "It was very emotional. I probably won't ever get over it. I always said when it got too bad, Lost in the Fog would let me know. I think he did yesterday. If he was a person, he would have said, 'It's time.' That's life and we have to deal with it. People come and go. I'll just see him on the other side."

Due to the recent death of Ryder Cup golfer Darren Clarke's young wife Heather to breast cancer, golfer Padraig Harrington is donating all the prize money he earns from playing in the PGA Championship to breast cancer research. To honor the memory of Heather Clarke, if he takes the trophy, he plans to donate the $1.2-million dollar purse to the breast cancer charity of Darren Clarke's choice.

"Darren has his choice of charity, and I'll donate whatever I win this week." Harrington said. "This is at least a practical way of helping." Many of the golfers in the tournament are wearing black arm bands to show respect.

Late Saturday night, Heather Clarke, only 39 years of age, mother of two small boys, passed away in London's Royal Marsden Hospital after her struggle to survive breast cancer that had spread to her bones and liver.

"I think both Darren and Heather were exceptionally brave and so dignified about what they've gone through," stated Harrington. "It's been terribly hard."

On Thursday, the funeral for Heather Clarke will take place in Portrush and she will be laid to rest at Ballywillan Church. Just ten years ago, Heather and Darren were married at Ballywillan Church.

With the deepest sadness, we post that Darren Clarke has lost his wife Heather after her long struggle to survive breast cancer. It is reported that Heather, who was 39, and the mother of two small boys Tyrone and Conor, passed away peacefully in London's Royal Marsden Hospital.

Heather had been fighting recurrent breast cancer that had spread to her bones and liver.

"Heather's courage and bravery throughout the last two years when she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer has been an inspiration." said Clarke. "Heather never complained once throughout her ordeal and we will all miss her greatly. She was a wonderful and enormously supportive wife, mother and friend."

Three weeks ago, Ryder Cup golf pro Clarke announced on his blog that he was quitting golf to go home to support and care for Heather. "There are more important things in my life than golf and it's now time for me to be at home to continue helping Heather with her battle." Clarke said it was time to go home.

Related posts:
Darren Clarke: golfing under the shadow of cancer.
Tiger Woods and Darren Clarke leave golf course.
Darren Clarke: Shot of the Month trophy will be auctioned for cancer.
Darren Clarke: golf loses pro golfer due to cancer struggle.

Eccentric hotelier and television personality Tim Hadcock-Mackay, who is reported to have been an active fundraiser for Sargent Cancer Care for Children, was found hanged. While the police investigating do not suspect foul play, nothing at this time has been ruled out.

According to news reports, Hadcock-Mackay was found in the woodlands behind his lavish 19th century manor Barnby Moor Hall. At the time of his death, Hadcock-Mackay and life partner Torquil Mackenzie-Buist were in talks for a new television show featuring their home to the public called Mayhem At The Manor.

Japanese-American actor Mako Iwamatsu, who received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor when he played the Chinese character Po-ha in the 1966 movie The Sand Pebbles, is credited for Hollywood's acceptance of Asian-Americans as serious actors, not merely caricatures or stereotypes. Last Friday, Mako died of esophageal cancer.

During Mako's career in film and theater, he co-founded the first Asian-American theater company, East West Players, where he trained aspiring actors and playwrights. Mako had roles in the films Conan the Barbarian, Seven Years in Tibet, Pearl Harbor and the Japanese film Owls Castle.

Mako was the voice of evil demon Aku in the animated series Samurai Jack, and as the parody of Aku, Achoo, in Duck Dodgers, as well as Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

According to artistic director Tim Dang of East West Players, "If it wasn't for Mako there wouldn't have been Asian-American theater. He is revered as sort of the godfather of Asian-American theater." Born in Kobe, Japan, Mako was the son of noted children's book author and illustrator Taro Yashima. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mako was 72.

Theater, film and television actress Carrie Nye, wife of television talk show host Dick Cavett, has lost her life to lung cancer.

In 1965, she was nominated for a Tony Award for the musical Half a Sixpence, and in 1980 she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Tallulah Bankhead in the television movie The Scarlett O'Hara War. Her humor and accent were often compared with that of Tallulah Bankhead.

She performed at the Williamstown Theater Festival in northern Massachusetts from 1955 until the late 1970s with leads in A Streetcar Named Desire, The Skin of Our Teeth and Nude With Violin.

"Carrie Nye will be remembered as a woman whose vibrant spirit and wonderful acting in many roles enriched the Festival," said Roger Rees, Williamstown's artistic director. "On a personal note, I fondly remember many summer afternoons spent at her home in Montauk where she reminisced about Tennessee Williams visits to the Berkshires and his great affection for the Williamstown Theatre Festival."

She appeared in films which included Creep Show and Hello Again, as well as the CBS daytime soap Guiding Light. Nye was 69.

weSPARK - an acronym for support, prevention, acceptance, recovery, knowledge -- was the cancer support center Wendie Jo Sperber wished she could have visited when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. A place more like home than a hospital. Sperber, a single mother, felt that the emotional challenges of cancer were more difficult than the physical ones. Four years after her breast cancer diagnosis, she opened the doors to a community-based recovery center that offered free holistic services designed to heal the mind, body and soul.

Sperber, an actress who starred in the television series Bosom Buddies, lost her life to breast cancer in 2004. In July, a second weSPARK center will open offering support groups for patient, family and friends, grief workshops, art classes, yoga, drum circles, teen drama groups and meditation. The dream of Wendie Jo Sperber in creating a place of warmth and comfort for others struggling to survive cancer continues.

"A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians." -- Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa -- intelligent and articulate; gifted and prolific as a rock musician and composer; guitarist, singer/songwriter, film director, and satirist -- lost his life to prostate cancer in 1993. During his musical career, he gained a cult-like following of fans by pushing the iconoclastic envelope and by mastering the technology needed to create his complex musical compositions.

One of Frank's sons, Dweezil Zappa, wants to set the record straight about his father. According to Dweezil, "There are so many things that are misunderstood or not recognized about my father's music because they've been filtered by people who work for magazines like Rolling Stone.

For example, Rolling Stone recently printed a poor, artist-rendering of Frank holding a joint.

Frank has always been well-known for being anti-drug yet they would rather continue to perpetuate a false image of him, even after death. It's irresponsible, it's obnoxious and offensive. I think it's time people know what Frank was really about, and they should discover it through his music."

To that end, Dweezil, with his brother Ahmet, are touring Zappa Plays Zappa and introducing a whole new generation to Frank Zappa's music. You can follow the tour at the Zappa Plays Zappa blog.

The last post in Anita Robert's blog My Journey -- where she shared her thoughts and feeling about the difficulties and surrealism of being diagnosed with cancer, going through cancer treatments and trying to survive cancer -- reads: Anita's journey ended peacefully at home on May 26, 2006. Robert's journey battling gastric cancer has come to an end.

Dr. Roberts, the 49th most-cited scientist in the world and the third most-cited female scientist, chief of the Laboratory of Cell Regulation and Carcinogenesis at the National Cancer Institute, had found blogging a therapeutic tool for introspection and in communicating and connecting with others online. She had created a special page in her blog for devotions, mantras, words of faith, guidance or wisdom tradition, and invited readers to share some of their own. She was highly-regarded and much loved by the people she worked with, and most deeply loved by her family and friends. Her adult children wrote The Song of BellaDonna: a true story of hope when they learned of her cancer diagnosis. Dr. Anita Roberts was 66.

Irishman avoids temptations of St. Patrick's Day, a sports feature written by Steve Campbell for the Houston Chronicle, Campbell wonders how Darren Clarke, an Irishman who never met a pub or a pint he didn't like, rang in a holiday that celebrates drinking without drinking. Clarke, who is currently 10 under, tied with Lucas Glover and Greg Owen, and four strokes behind Rod Pampling in the Bay Hill Invitational, answered with, "By remaining ridiculously sober, which goes against all my principles." Saturday morning, in his first round after St. Patrick's Day, Clarke went on a birdie binge and surged from a tie for 39th to a tie for second with a bogey-free, 9-under 63.

All joking aside, Clarke's wife, Heather, is gravely ill with breast cancer that has spread to her bones and liver. They have two sons, and while Clarke is a competitive athlete, his first priorities and heart are with his wife, as she struggles with ongoing cancer treatments. Clarke keeps an online journal at his website, where he talks about golf, his wife's cancer, family and life.

On the last day of 2005, he wrote, "I'll sign off for this year by wishing every one of you a very prosperous, happy and successful 2006. These last 12 months have been difficult to say the least, but when I have been able to get out on the course there have been enough signs to convince me that there are good times ahead. It was no coincidence that my late flourish to the season coincided with an improvement in Heather's condition and hopefully that trend will continue next year."

Today he wrote, "Actually I didn't do anything outrageous or hole any ridiculously long shots. I just played well and everything clicked together. I haven't been able to play a lot of golf this year so it's good to score well on a very tough golf course. Hopefully I'll be able to keep it going. I'll certainly be trying to." We are hoping today is the start of many good times ahead.

8.13.2006 UPDATE: Darren Clarke has lost wife after long struggle with breast cancer.
7.21.2006 UPDATE: Darren Clarke: golf loses pro golfer due to cancer struggle.