Singer/actress Olivia Newton-John has passed away peacefully at her home at age 73, according to a statement from her family. Newton-John was British by birth but her family moved to Australia when she was five years old and rose to international fame there. Her talents were noticed when she performed in high school and she would go on to become an iconic international pop singer. In 1978, she made her screen debut opposite John Travolta in the blockbuster big screen adaptation of the stage musical "Grease". Other film roles would follow, but it was her singing career that never waned. Over the decades, she would sell over 100 million albums. In 1992, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer. She became a symbol of hope by going public with her struggle and raising many millions of dollars to combat the disease. The cancer would reoccur two more times over the years. For more about her life and career, click here.
Actress Nichelle Nichols has passed away at age 89. She is best-remembered professionally for her role as Lt. Uhura on the "Star Trek" television series which began on NBC in 1966. The character was groundbreaking. It was the first time an African-American woman had been presented as a powerful character who was essential to the plot lines. In 1968, she shared a screen kiss with William Shatner's Captain Kirk and the moment was a momentous one for American television: the first romantic interracial kiss seen on a television show. Nichols would later relate that she became bored with the character and was considering quitting the series. She was talked out of it by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , who impressed upon her that her character and presence on the show was an inspiration to young Black people as well as an important symbol of racial harmony. Nichols would go on to appear in the "Star Trek" feature films that derived from the original series. She was also a regular presence at fan conventions, where she related anecdotes about the series to appreciative admirers.