Richard Sandomir

He was also the chief counsel to the House Select Committee on Assassinations in the late 1970s and spent years as a Notre Dame law professor.

He directed nearly 1,000 comedic commercials, including a much-quoted spot for Wendy’s and one for FedEx featuring a manic speed talker.

He helped create Buckwheat, Mister Robinson and other characters Mr. Murphy played on “Saturday Night Live,” and was a writer of films like “Coming to America.”

Barry Blaustein, a comedy writer who had a long collaboration with comedian Eddie Murphy, helping to develop Buckwheat, Gumby, Mister Robinson, and

As Mr. Bruce’s daughter, she maintained boxes of video and audio of his groundbreaking and often scandalous work.

She helped preserve the legacy of her father, Lenny Bruce, a countercultural comedian in the 1950s and '60s

He was a creator and producer of “Real People,” a hit NBC series about eccentrics and unusual lifestyles, which spawned imitators like “That’s Incredible!”

Bob Horner, a powerful third baseman for the Atlanta Braves who hit a home run in his major league debut and later whacked four home runs in a game, a rarity, has died at 68.

Manny Fernandez, the brawny, tenacious anchor of the Miami Dolphins' “No Name Defense,” which helped carry the team to an undefeated season in 1972