TVSquad

A roundup of people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Anne Pitoniak: She was a character actress who appeared on several TV shows over the years. She had a recurring role as Irene on Third Watch and guest starred on other shows including Law and Order: SVU, Becker, ER (she played Ruth Johnson in the "Good Luck, Ruth Johnson" episode), Cheers, Hill Street Blues, After MASH, and The Equalizer. She's probably best known for her work on stage in night, Mother and Picnic. She was nominated for a Tony Award for each role. She died of cancer in NYC at age 85.
  

• Jack Valenti: Valenti was on Lyndon Johnson's staff in the 1960s and later became head of the Motion Picture Association of America, where he was responsible for the movie ratings system we have today. He was often seen on the Oscars TV broadcast. He died at age 85 of complications from a stroke he suffered recently. His memoirs will be released next month.
  
• Jim Thurman: He was a writer who worked on such shows as Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, The Electric Company, Mathnet, 3-2-1 Contact and Roger Ramjet. He was also the voice of Teeny Little Super Guy on Sesame Street. He died at age 72 in Massachusetts.
  
• Ed Kroft: He was a news producer for NBC Nightly News who worked on many stories since 1964, including the O.J. Simpson trial. He died of prostate cancer at age 68.