It's entirely possible that I've been less vigilant about this recently than I could have been.
Stan Winston (1946-2008) - Hollywood makeup and effects guy extraordinaire, responsible for scaring the shit out of you with everything from giant killer cyborgs to T-Rex dinos, and designer of everything from Mr. Roboto all the way up to work on Iron Man. Predator's dreads and Michelle Pfeiffer's disintegrating patchwork costume in Batman Returns; the hands of Edward Scissorhands - you appreciated his work and you didn't even know it. It's all up to Rick Baker and legions of CGI folk, now. I always thought Mysterio had to have been based in part on Stan Winston.
Utah Phillips (1935-2008) - He and Ani DiFranco put this song where my ears could hear it, at a time when I really needed to hear it. Thanks, Utah.
Bo Diddley (1928-2008) - A former Golden Gloves boxer, a bluesman to his heart, and The Originator. One of the rawest personalities I've ever seen represented in interviews, in songs or onstage. My personal favorite is the Gunslinger album, which I wore out in 1994, and now cannot really listen to. Most of the rock (and a lot of the blues) you love does not exist without The Originator, folks.
Tim Russert (1950-2008) - One of the best interviewers on television, and could conduct Meet The Press with something sorely lacking in today's political discourse TV shows: A modicum of dignity and respect. There was no attitudinal bullshit, no O'Reilly puerile pandering, just well thought out Q & A, and a format of information gathering with a historical perspective.
Harvey Korman (1927-2008) - a gifted comedian and straight man; someone who completely understood how to both over- and underplay his role in a joke. Timing. Korman was all about timing. We'll miss you, Hedy.
Jim McKay (1921-2008) - Another of Frank DeFord's "World's Tallest Midgets," a true journalist whose area of interest is sporting, and so is destined to be known as a sportscaster. I remember him as the voice of the Indy 500 from when I was younger, and he is the "Agony of Defeat" guy for anyone else from my generation. Recordings of his reporting from the Munich Massacre at the '72 Olympic games are exceptional. This is quite good, too.