Since 1975, The People's Choice Awards ceremony has aired annually on CBS to honor achievements in all walks of entertainment and popular culture as determined by members of the general public. That year, The Sting as Favorite Picture, Barbara Streisand as Favorite Film Actress, and John Wayne as Favorite Film Actor became the first winners in the history of The People's Choice Awards. Bob Stivers created the show, and Proctor & Gamble bought the show from him in 1982.

At the dawn of a new year, we take stock of the major events in our personal lives, from the past 365 days. It's also the time to reflect on some of the celebrities who passed away during the previous year. In 2009, here are some major celebrities that lived their last year on Earth: Walter Cronkite: Cronkite became famous as the TV news anchor of "The CBS Evening News" (1962-1981).