Entertainment

WASHINGTON — The man whose parents’ battle to save him from a nerve disease was told in the movie “Lorenzo’s Oil” died Friday at his home in Virginia, having lived more than 20 years longer than doctors had predicted.

Television producer Sophie Altman, who created the long-running quiz show It’s Academic, pitting teams of high school students against each other, has died. She was 95.

Thelma Keane, the inspiration for the Mommy character in the long-running Family Circus comic created by her husband, Bil Keane, has died.

LOS ANGELES — Academy Award-winning director Sydney Pollack, a Hollywood mainstay who achieved commercial success and critical acclaim with the gender-bending comedy “Tootsie” and the period drama “Out of Africa,” has died. He was 73.

Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as “Sock it to me!” has died.

NEW YORK — Though going out on tour means connecting with fans, it can also mean long hours, high stress, and sleepless nights. Janet Jackson says she’s looking forward to all of it.

Duffy shows promise

Array

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a guru to the Beatles who introduced the West to transcendental meditation, died Tuesday at his home in the Dutch town of Vlodrop, a spokesman said. He was thought to be 91 years old.

British-Canadian actor-director Barry Morse, best known as the police detective in hot pursuit of David Janssen’s Dr. Richard Kimble in the TV series The Fugitive, has died in England at the age of 89.