List of Famous people who died in 2009

Yasmine Belmadi was a French actor of Algerian parents. He appeared in 13 films, and had completed his final role, in a television production, the day before his death.

Yelena Sergeyevna Bondarchuk was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actress.

Taylor Josephine Stephanie Luciow, known by her stage name Taylor Mitchell, was a Canadian country folk singer and songwriter from Toronto. Her debut and only album, For Your Consideration, received encouraging reviews and airplay. Following a busy summer performance schedule, which included an appearance as a young performer at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Taylor embarked on a tour of Eastern Canada with a newly acquired license and car.

William Darrell Mays Jr. was an American television direct-response advertisement salesperson. Throughout his career, he promoted a wide variety of products, including OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom, and Zorbeez. His promotions aired mostly on the Home Shopping Network through his company, Mays Promotions, Inc although they aired on various other syndicated networks.

Clodovil Hernandes was a Brazilian fashion designer, television presenter, and politician. Hernandes made his fame as a fashion stylist during the 60s and 70s, after which he was invited to work on television. His dedication and fame on television lasted for over 40 years and various television stations. In his political career, Hernandes was known for statements deemed inappropriate, often directed at other famous personalities. Among other controversies, he was accused of racism and antisemitism. Hernandes was the first openly gay congressman in Brazil.

John Milton Stephens was a professional American football player who was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft. At 6 feet 1 inch and 215 pounds, he was a running back from Northwestern State University in Louisiana. Stephens played in six NFL seasons from 1988 to 1993 for the Patriots, the Green Bay Packers, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a rookie for the Patriots during the 1988 NFL season, Stephens rushed for 1,168 yards and was selected to his one and only Pro Bowl.

Sir Clement Raphael Freud was a British broadcaster, writer, politician and chef.

Robert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He played a major role in escalating the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War. McNamara was responsible for the institution of systems analysis in public policy, which developed into the discipline known today as policy analysis.

Dominick DeLuise was an American actor, director, producer, chef and author. Known primarily for his comedic performances, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a frequent guest on television variety shows. He is often identified for his work in the films of Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, as well as a series of collaborations and appearances with Burt Reynolds. Beginning in the 1980s, his popularity expanded to younger audiences from voicing characters in several major animated productions, particularly those of Don Bluth.

Karl Peglau was a German traffic psychologist who invented the iconic Ampelmännchen traffic symbols used in the former East Germany in 1961. The Ampelmännchen depicts a symbolic person on the red and green pedestrian traffic lights.