With apologies to Cousin Rendell, here is part one of our annual round-up of the Year in Info-Tainment as we remember those we lost. 

Entertainers who crossed the way this year included Robert Redford, who dominated cinema for years with some genuinely genre-defining classic films including “Jeremiah Johnson,” “The Sting,” “The Way We Were,” “All the President’s Men,” “The Candidate,” “Three Days of the Condor,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” and more. Diane Keaton was also a star for decades and, like Redford, appeared in iconic films such as “Annie Hall,” “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” “Baby Boom,” “The Godfather,” “Sleeper,” “Father of the Bride,” and others. Brigette Bardot was the ultimate sex kitten in French films of the 1960s and her celebrity status endured beyond her retirement. Chris Rea will be remembered for his bluesy vocals and the often-heard hit “Fool If You Think It’s Over.” Lalo Schifrin composed for films and television but will be remembered into perpetuity for his intense 5/4 theme to “Mission: Impossible.” 

Michael Bird is an associate professor of music at Faulkner University.