In books such as "Slaughterhouse-Five," "Cat's Cradle," and "Hocus Pocus," Kurt Vonnegut mixed the bitter and funny with a touch of the profound.
Vonnegut, regarded by many critics as a key influence in shaping 20th-century American literature, died Wednesday at 84. He had suffered brain injuries after a recent fall at his Manhattan home, said his wife, photographer Jill Krementz.
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He's being remembered for his rich baritone voice and dignified bearing.
Actor Roscoe Lee Browne has died. A family spokesman said that Browne, who was 81, died Wednesday of cancer in Los Angeles.
Browne's career stretched from classic theater to cartoons.
His deep, cultured voice was heard narrating the 1995 hit movie "Babe." On screen, his character often was smart, cynical and well-educated, whether a congressman, a judge or a butler.
On television, he had several memorable guest roles. He was a snobbish black lawyer trapped in an elevator with bigot Archie Bunker in an episode of `All in the Family" and the butler Saunders in the comedy "Soap."
Browne won an Emmy in 1986 for a guest role as Professor Foster on "The Cosby Show."