R.I.P.

Mark Madoff, the son of imprisoned stock broker and Ponzi scheme organizer Bernie Madoff, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment this morning. All signs point to suicide.

Madoff's hanging body was discovered by his father-in-law. Mark's two-year old son was also present at the time.

 Said an attorney for Mark Madoff:

"This is a terrible and unnecessary tragedy. Mark was an innocent victim of his father's monstrous crime, who succumbed to two years of unrelenting pressure from false accusations and innuendo."

Today actually marks the two-year anniversary of Bernie Madoff's arrest. Our thoughts go out to Mark's family.

Elizabeth Edwards, a lawyer, best-selling author, mother of three and the wife of two-time presidential candidate John Edwards, died peacefully in her home.

She was 61. Just days after doctors advised her to suspend her cancer treatment, Elizabeth tragically succumbed after battling the disease for over six years.

Elizabeth Edwards was surrounded by friends and family in her last days, including John himself. She and John were estranged following the Rielle Hunter scandal.

R.I.P. Elizabeth Edwards (1949-2010).

Monday, Elizabeth posted what read like a farewell message on her Facebook page reading, "The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that."

"And yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human,"she added.

"But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that, I am grateful."

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On the heels of Leslie Nielsen's death comes another sad passing in the Hollywood community. Irvin Kershner, director The Empire Strikes Back, has died.

He was 87. The director was in his 50s when he was tapped to head the Star Wars sequel. Kershner was a teacher at USC; George Lucas was a student.

The 1980 film was by far the best of the entire series, paving the way for Return of the Jedi and decades later, an entire prequel trilogy that Lucas ruined.

R.I.P. Irvin Kirshner (1923-2010).

While the critically acclaimed, massively successful Empire Strikes Back is certainly the film for which Kershner is best remembered, his credits don't stop there.

He's also known for helming 1983's James Bond film Never Say Never Again, which saw Sean Connery return to the role of 007, Robocop II and other movies.

He did some acting in his day as well, beginning with Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. He was actively working in photography until his death.

May he rest in peace.

Leslie Nielsen, an actor who starred in some of the funniest movies ever made, has passed away from complications related to pneumonia. He was 84.

Best known for his deadpan delivery of ridiculous lines, Nielsen anchored such films as Airplane! and The Naked Gun. His agent confirmed that he died near his home in Fort Lauderdale early Sunday evening, in the company of his "lovely wife and friends."

Leslie Nielsen Remembered

Said nephew Doug Nielsen of his uncle, who had been hospitalized for nearly two weeks prior to his passing:

"Just in this last 48 hours, the infection has gotten too much. He just fell asleep and passed away."

In Nielsen's honor, we encourage readers to submit their favorite movies quotes from the actor. We'll begin:

Frank: It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.
Jane: Goodyear?
Frank: No, the worst.

Close to a year after he suffered a stroke, the father of actress Shannen Doherty passed away on Friday. He was 66.

In March, immediately after the former Beverly Hills 90210 star was prematurely voted off Dancing with the Stars, she expressed gratitude merely for appearing on the show and seeing her dad's "face light up" as a result.

In her statement dealing with the passing of John Thomas Doherty, Shannen referred to her father as the "greatest man in the world" and said: "I love him with every inch of my being and cannot imagine life without him."

Our thoughts go out to this actress and her family.

Julien Hug, who wooed Jillian Harris on The Bachelorette in 2009, has died. He was found dead on Wednesday, according to Riverside County (Calif.) officials.

Hug's body was found in a remote area off Highway 74 near Pinyon Pines around 11 a.m. local time. The 35-year-old had been reported missing several days prior.

Officials say an autopsy has yet to be performed and the cause of his death is under investigation. Jillian Harris herself responded to the tragic news on Twitter.

Bachelorette hopeful Julien Hug has passed away.

"Please say a prayer for the loss of a friend this morning," the Canadian Bachelorette wrote her followers. "Life is fragile, don't forget to love the ones you love."

In 2009 on The Bachelorette, Julien Hug was one of 30 bachelors introduced to Jillian and received a rose that night. By the second episode, however, he was out.

Our condolences to his family and friends.

Fans of the Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers were shocked to hear that Matt Hughes died, but what caused his premature death was not actually chasing a storm.

Rather, it was something that chased him all his life.

Matt Hughes, who battled severe depression his entire life, died of complications from a reported suicide attempt, leaving behind a wife and two young sons.

Hughes, who joined Storm Chasers in 2009, passed away this past May. He was only 30. No additional motive or details of his tragic death have been published.

Wednesday’s night episode of Storm Chasers paid tribute to Matt in an episode named “Dedication.” It was a fitting title for a man who will be greatly missed.

Shannon Tavarez, a young actress who won a featured role on Broadway in The Lion King, lost her battle with leukemia earlier this week. She was 11.

The sixth-grader's plight became well-documented earlier this year when her quest to find a suitable bone marrow donor caught the eye of celebrities.

Several stars, including Alicia Keys, Rihanna and 50 Cent, were particularly moved, and appealed to fans to register as donors for Shannon Tavarez.

R.I.P. Shannon Tavarez (1999-2010).

Shannon's death was first reported via statement from Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, where she passed away.

In The Lion King she played young Nala, a lion cub who was the best friend of Simba, the show’s lead character. She beat out hundreds for the role.

“She was fearless, as a performer and as a young woman,” Ron Vodicka, the production manager for The Lion King, said in an interview Tuesday.

“She was never intimidated and she was constantly happy. After she was diagnosed, all she talked about was when she could come back.”

Surfing legend Andy Irons also died this week. May both rest in peace.

With his first child due next month, surfing legend Andy Irons was found dead in a Dallas hotel room yesterday morning. He was 32.

The three-time world champion was scheduled to return home to Hawaii, but reportedly felt sick and booked the room in Texas for a night. An employee found him in bed around 10 a.m. local time.

While an official cause of death has not been determined, the surfer's family released a statement saying, "[Andy] had reportedly been battling with dengue fever, a viral disease."

According to the police reports, cops found bottles of alprazolam (the generic version of Xanax)  and zolpidem (the generic version of Ambien) on tables near the bed.

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Lisa Blount, an Oscar-winning producer and actress who played Lynette Pomeroy in 1982's An Officer and a Gentleman, has passed away. She was only 53.

Blount was found at her home Wednesday. She more than likely died Monday, Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

There were no signs of foul play on the premises of her Little Rock, Ark., home.

R.I.P. Lisa Blount (1953-2010).

Blount and her widower, Ray McKinnon, who was not in town, together won the best live-action short film Academy Award in 2002 for their film, The Accountant.

"As one door was seemingly closing in my life, another door opened. And I only have one person to thank for that, my husband Ray McKinnon," Blount said then.

In addition to An Officer and a Gentleman, Blount appeared in films like Great Balls of Fire! and Chrystal, and shows such as Moonlighting and Picket Fences.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.