Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, dies at 82

Tributes are flowing in for Neil Armstrong, the quiet, self-described nerdy engineer who became a global hero when he stepped on to the moon.

Armstrong died on Saturday aged 82 from complications following heart surgery earlier this month.

NASA chief Charles Bolden recalled Armstrong's grace and humility in a statement on Saturday.

Advertisement "As long as there are history books, Neil Armstrong will be included in them, remembered for taking humankind's first small step on a world beyond our own," Bolden said.

The third astronaut on Armstrong's fateful mission in 1969, Michael Collins, told NASA on Saturday: "He was the best, and I will miss him terribly," Collins said.

One of Armstrong's closest astronaut friends was fellow Ohioan, Mercury astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth.

An American hero - Obama

A ‘‘deeply saddened’’ President Barack Obama hailed Armstrong as one of the nation’s greatest ever heroes, for having inspired a generation to reach for the stars.

‘‘When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation,’’ Obama said in a statement on Saturday.

‘‘They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable - that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible. And when Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time, he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.’’

Obama, who was just under eight years old when Armstrong and his fellow Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, said: ‘‘Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time.

‘‘Today, Neil’s spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown - including those who are ensuring that we reach higher and go further in space.

‘‘That legacy will endure - sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step.’’

Obama’s Republican challenger for the White House, Mitt Romney, said Armstrong now ‘‘takes his place in the hall of heroes’’.

Julia Gillard pays tribute

The death of Armstrong marks the end of an amazing era in human progress, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.

Ms Gillard said the Apollo 11 mission which took him to the moon had brought formidable achievements of science and knowledge that helped change human history.

‘‘And with that new knowledge came a new wisdom: literally a new perspective on human life,’’ she said in a statement today.

‘‘The image they brought to all our consciousness, of our lonely planet in space, transformed our understanding of the great tasks of human development, environmental protection and peace.’’

The prime minister reminisced about watching the moon landing.

‘‘I’ve never forgotten watching that great moment on television,’’ she said.

‘‘For me as a small girl, Neil Armstrong was the symbol of so much that is good in the world.’’

Ms Gillard said the Apollo mission was a fantastic achievement that lives on in labs and classrooms across Australia to the rover now exploring the surface of Mars.

‘‘I salute Neil Armstrong and the explorers who have followed him, and the worlds they continue to open for us.

‘‘His example of service, accomplishment and modesty - his triumph of reason and science and knowledge, and wisdom - will never die.’’

Tributes pour in

British astronomer Sir Patrick Moore said: "As the first man on the moon, he broke all records.

"I knew him well. He was a man who had all the courage in the world."

Just prior to the 50th anniversary of Glenn's orbital flight this past February, Armstrong offered high praise to the elder astronaut and said that Glenn had told him many times how he wished he, too, had flown to the moon on Apollo 11. Glenn said it was his only regret.

Noted Armstrong in an email: "I am hoping I will be 'in his shoes' and have as much success in longevity as he has demonstrated." Glenn is 91.

At the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on Saturday, visitors held a minute of silence for Armstrong. His family's statement made a simple request for anyone else who wanted to remember him: "Honour his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

Former British astronaut Tom Jones, who completed four space shuttle flights between 1990 and 2001, told Sky News: "Mr Armstrong was one of the astronauts that was my hero when I was growing up and I watched his initial landing on the moon in 1969 with incredible interest.

"I wanted to do exactly what Neil, and Buzz [Aldrin], and Mike Collins were doing that time. I hoped that one day I would have the chance to participate in the space program.

"He really was an inspiration to an entire generation of people."

It's the second death in a month of one of NASA's most visible, history-making astronauts. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, died of pancreatic cancer on July 23 at age 61.

Quotes reacting to Armstrong's death

- ‘‘For those who may ask what they can do to honour Neil, we have a simple request. Honour his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.’’ - Armstrong’s family, announcing his death in a written statement.    

- ‘‘Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time. When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable - that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible. And when Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time, he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.’’ - President Barack Obama. 

- ‘‘When I think of Neil, I think of someone who for our country was dedicated enough to dare greatly.’’ - John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth and Armstrong’s close friend. 

- ‘‘He was the best, and I will miss him terribly.’’ - Michael Collins, who flew to the moon with Armstrong and served as the command module pilot.   -

‘‘On behalf of the Aldrin family we extend our deepest condolences to Carol & the entire Armstrong family on Neil’s passing. He will be missed.’’ - Buzz Aldrin, second man on the moon, via Twitter. 

- ‘‘RIP Neil Armstrong. Thank you for everything, for your sacrifices, achievements, and inspiration. We will try to carry on your legacy.’’ - Bobak Ferdowsi, flight director on the current Mars Curiosity mission.

Jerry Nelson, Voice Of Sesame Street's The Count, Dies At 78

Jerry Nelson, the puppeteer behind a delightful menagerie of characters including Count von Count on "Sesame Street" and Gobo Fraggle on "Fraggle Rock," has died. He was 78.
Nelson, who suffered from emphysema, died Thursday night in his Massachusetts home on Cape Cod, the Sesame Workshop said Friday.
"Every description of his characters describes Jerry as well," said "Sesame Street" executive producer Carol-Lynn Parente. "Silly, funny, vulnerable, passionate and musical, for sure. That voice of his was superb."
Although he'd been in declining health for some time "his attitude was never bad," Parente said Friday. "He was always so grateful for what he had in his life."
"We're having a rough day on the Street," she said.
In a tribute posted online by the nonprofit Sesame Workshop, Nelson was lauded for his artistry and the "laughter he brought to children worldwide" with the Count and other Muppet puppets including Sherlock Hemlock, Herry Monster and the Amazing Mumford.

Nelson was part of other projects featuring Jim Henson's Muppets, including the 1984 movie "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and TV series including the 1980s "Fraggle Rock" and 1990s "Muppets Tonight."
In recent years, Nelson gave up the physically demanding job of operating the Count and other puppets on "Sesame Street" but still voiced the characters, the workshop said. The show's new season launches in September and Nelson's voice will be heard.
In 2010, he released the album "Truro Daydreams," the title that referred to the Massachusetts town.
Survivors include Nelson's wife, Jan, Parente said. Funeral plans were not immediately available.

Phyllis Diller dead at 95

Phyllis Diller, the frumpy comedienne whose jokes lampooning domestic life with her fictitious husband "Fang" laid the groundwork for a generation of female comedians, has died. She was 95.
Diller died today at her home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, her talent agent Fred Wostbrock said. He didn't know the cause of death. In March 1999, Diller suffered a heart attack and doctors implanted a pacemaker.
One of the first widely popular female stand-up comics, Diller went from being a 37-year-old housewife to a professional jokester after her real husband lost his job. She created a character based on her own persona - a disheveled, self-deprecating housewife - that would be used decades later by performers such as Joan Rivers, Brett Butler and Roseanne Barr.
Diller added to her fame through television appearances on Jack Paar's show and Bob Hope's specials. She also performed in numerous TV series, variety shows and specials in the 1960s and 1970s.
Advertisement With frazzled, bleached-blonde hair, outrageous costumes, a long cigarette holder and a maniacal laugh - which one reviewer said could "make strong dogs howl" - Diller fired off as many as 12 punch lines a minute. She wrote her own material and steered clear of obscenities.
Many of those one-liners had to do with her looks. Calling herself "frumpy grotesque," she was outspoken about her two facelifts, nose job, tummy tuck, breast reduction, cheek implants, under-eye lift, chemical peel and straightened teeth.
"I never liked the way I looked," she said when she was in her 70s. "I used to be young and ugly. Now I'm old and gorgeous."
In-Law Jokes
In addition to "Fang," she created a fictitious mother- in-law, "Moby Dick," and a sister-in-law, "Captain Bligh." Her husband's family sued her for $250,000 for denigrating him; the suit never reached court.
The American Academy of Plastic Surgery gave her the "Queen of Plastic Surgery" award for making the field more acceptable by publicizing her procedures.
Diller was the first woman honored by the Friars' Club in Los Angeles and got a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 1975. She won numerous awards for her humanitarian work on behalf of medical and other charitable causes.
Phyllis Ada Driver was born on July 17, 1917, in Lima, Ohio. The doctor who examined her mother initially thought she was a tumor, she wrote in her 2005 autobiography, "Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse," and her father told him to "leave it in." She said her father never showed her much more affection after she was born.
Lost Job
She studied classical piano at the Sherwood Conservatory of Music and received a bachelor's degree in music education from Blufton College. She was planning to teach music until she married Sherwood Anderson Diller in 1939. She stayed home to raise five children in the San Francisco suburbs.
By 1953, Diller's husband had lost his job. She worked as a copywriter at an Oakland department store and a writer/publicist for a radio station to support the family.
Because she had performed skits at PTA events, her husband encouraged her to try stand-up comedy. In March 1955, she gave her first performance, at San Francisco's Purple Onion, a club where many new comics were discovered.
Booked for two weeks, she stayed for 89, quitting her radio job. Her time at the Purple Onion was threatened when several male comics, jealous of her success, conspired to get her fired.
Carnegie Hall
Instead of lashing out, Diller thanked the club owner for hiring her in the first place. The owner was confused by her unexpectedly calm response and took her back a week later.
Helped by her TV appearances, she was hired to headline major shows, including at Carnegie Halll and Madison Square Garden in New York City and Caesar's Palace and the Tropicana in Las Vegas.
Diller credited Hope with starting her career. She appeared in three movies with the comedian and in every one of his Christmas specials from 1965 to 1994.
Diller made guest appearances as a classical piano soloist with more than 100 symphony orchestras from 1971 to 1982. She began painting in 1986 and created a studio after one work sold for $5,000 at an auction.
Her film credits included "Splendor in the Grass" (1961), and she performed on Broadway in "Hello Dolly!" (1970). She wrote humor books, including "Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints" (1966), and recorded comedy albums.
Last Performance
Diller and her first husband divorced in 1965. Her second marriage, to Warde Donovan, ended in divorce in 1975. She had five children: Peter III, Sally, Suzanne, Stephanie and Perry. When daughter Sally was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Diller battled to keep her at home. Eventually her daughter was institutionalized.
She retired from stand-up comedy in 2002, giving her last performance at the Suncoast Casino in Las Vegas. She continued to guest-star on TV shows such as "The Drew Carey Show" and "The Bold and the Beautiful."
Her autobiography, written with Richard Buskin, revealed many of the private hardships Diller endured over the years, adding fact to the fictional characters she created for her routines.
She told the Wall Street Journal in 2005 that she had no regrets that her stand-up days were over.
"I just wish I could think of something wonderful to say before I kick the bucket," she said. "My sense of humor will be the last thing to go."