List of Famous people who died in 2006

Eugene Ellsworth Landy was an American psychotherapist known for his unconventional 24-hour therapy and especially for his treatment of the Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson in the 1970s and 1980s. His treatment of Wilson was deemed unethical by Californian courts and was later dramatized in the 2014 biographical film Love & Mercy, in which Landy is portrayed by Paul Giamatti.

Jack Palance was an American actor of Ukrainian descent. Known for playing tough guys and villains, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, receiving nominations for his roles in Sudden Fear (1952) and Shane (1953), and winning the Oscar almost 40 years later for his role in City Slickers (1991).

Carl Maxie Brashear was a United States Navy sailor. He was a U.S. Navy master diver, rising to the position in 1970, despite having his left leg amputated in 1966. The film Men of Honor was based on his life.

The AVN Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the adult entertainment industry since 1995. The individuals inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame have "made significant contributions to the adult industry" and have had "a minimum of 10 years in the industry" to be considered for induction.

Peter M. Barbolak was a professional American football offensive tackle in the National Football League.

Gianclaudio Giuseppe "Clay" Regazzoni was a Swiss racing driver. He competed in Formula One races from 1970 to 1980, winning five Grands Prix. His first win was the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in his debut season, driving for Ferrari. He remained with the Italian team until 1972. After a single season with BRM, Regazzoni returned to Ferrari for a further three years, 1974 to 1976. After finally leaving Ferrari at the end of 1976, Regazzoni joined the Ensign and Shadow teams, before moving to Williams in 1979, where he took the British team's first ever Grand Prix victory, the 1979 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

John Stanley Joseph Wojtowicz was an American bank robber whose story inspired the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon.

Kenneth Lee Lay was the founder, CEO and Chairman of Enron and was heavily involved in the Enron scandal, a major accounting scandal that unraveled in 2001 in the largest bankruptcy ever to that date. Lay was indicted by a grand jury and was found guilty of 10 counts of securities fraud at the now infamous Enron trial. Lay died in July 2006 while vacationing in his house near Aspen, Colorado, three months before his scheduled sentencing. A preliminary autopsy reported Lay died of a myocardial infarction caused by coronary artery disease; his death resulted in a vacated judgment.

Alvis Edgar Owens Jr., known professionally as Buck Owens, was an American musician, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was the front man for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, which had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts. He pioneered what came to be called the Bakersfield sound, named in honor of Bakersfield, California, Owens' adopted home, and the city from which he drew inspiration for what he preferred to call "American music".

Markus Johannes Wolf was head of the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance, the foreign intelligence division of East Germany's Ministry for State Security. He was the Stasi's number two for 34 years, which spanned most of the Cold War. He is often regarded as one of the most well known spymasters during the Cold War. In the West he was known as "the man without a face" due to his elusiveness.