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Editor's note: 2009 witnessed the sad passing of a number of stars of the stage and screen who touched many lives around the world. Here in a chinadaily.com.cn special, we look back at the celebrities we lost and pay tribute to them for the joy and memories they brought to us. [The Top 10 Everything of 2009]
1. Michael Jackson - the King of Pop
2. David Carradine - popular American character actor
3. Stephen Gately - lead singer of boyband Boyzone
4. Patrick Swayze - star of "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost"
5. Brittany Murphy - American actress and singer
6. Chen Lin - Chinese mainland pop singer
7. Li Yu - Chinese mainland actress
8. A Sang - Taiwan pop singer
9.Yan Huaili - Chinese mainland actor
10.Cheng Kui'an - Hong Kong actor
1. Michael Jackson - the King of Pop
2. David Carradine - popular American character actor
U.S. actor David Carradine died June 3 aged 72. The star of the 1970s television show “Kung Fu” was found naked and hanging from a rope in the closet of his luxury Bangkok hotel room, according to Thai police.
3. Stephen Gately - lead singer of boyband Boyzone
Stephen Gately, Irish singer died Oct. 10 aged 33. The member of Irish boyband Boyzone died due to fluid on his lungs while on holiday on the Spanish island of Majorca.
4. Patrick Swayze - star of "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost"
Patrick Swayze, U.S. actor died Sept. 14 aged 57. The actor best known as the smoldering dance instructor in “Dirty Dancing” died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He cemented his status as a big screen sex symbol with his performance in 1990 romance “Ghost” alongside Demi Moore.
5. Brittany Murphy - American actress and singer
Brittany Murphy, U.S. actress died Dec. 20 aged 32. Murphy suffered a cardiac arrest in her LA bathroom and was pronounced dead at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She co-starred in films such as “Clueless,” “8 Mile,” “Girl, Interrupted” and “Sin City,” and enjoyed enduring success on the small screen providing the voice of the vacuous Texan Luanne Platter in the cartoon series “King of the Hill.” But Murphy' career waned in recent years. Her emaciated appearance had also sparked concerns about her health.
6. Chen Lin - Chinese mainland pop singer
Chen Lin, Chinese singer died Oct. 31 aged 40. Mainland pop singer Chen Lin died after apparently leaping to her death from an apartment building in Beijing, on the same day as her former husband's birthday. Chen was emotionally stricken by the failure of her twelve-year marriage with her former husband, which resulted in depression. The singer rose to stardom in 1993 with her debut album "I Never Know Your Love", which sold over 1.5 million copies.
7. Li Yu - Chinese mainland actress
Li Yu, Chinese actress died Mar. 14 aged 33. She died of lymph cancer. Li rose to fame in 2001 with her debut acting in “Romance in the Rain”.
8. Judy Huang Yanlin (A Sang) - Taiwan pop singer
Judy Huang Yanlin, Taiwan singer died Apr. 6 aged 34. This pop singer died of breast cancer despite two-years of treatment. Her soothing voice and touching ballads enjoyed great popularity among listeners.
9.Yan Huaili - Chinese mainland actor
Yan Huaili, Chinese actor died Apr. 12 aged 73. The acclaimed actor best known for the 1982's classic TV series “Journey to the West” died from lung complications. The hit TV series, “Journey to the West” in which he played ‘Sha Wujing”, has impressed a whole generation and become collective memories.
10.David Tsui - Hong Kong actor
David Tsui (Cheng Kui’an), Hong Kong actor died Aug. 27 aged 54. He suffered from nasopharyngeal carcinoma, cancer in the nose, which later spread to his liver. In his 23-year performing career, David Tsui played various minor roles in 350 films with his characteristic and impressive acting.