Man Run Over & Killed While Pretending to Be Bigfoot

A Montana man has died after apparently donning a suit and being run down by two vehicles while trying to make passing motorists call in a "Bigfoot" sighting.

Police in Kalispell, Montana, believe that 44-year-old Randy Lee Tenley was wearing a military-style Ghillie suit (also known as a yowie suit or camo tent) and was walking near a busy roadway in an effort to convice passersby that they had witnessed seeing the mythical creature Sasquatch.

Tenley was standing in the roadway when he was first struck by a car driven by a local teenager. Moments later, a second car also ran over him as he lay injured in the roadway. Police and paramedics state that Tenley died at the scene due to massive trauma and blood loss. Local media reports that Tenley's friends believe he was playing a prank in order to get people to report they had seen the legendary Bigfoot creature.

"He was trying to make people think he was Sasquatch so people would call in a Sasquatch sighting," stated Montana State Trooper Jim Schneider. "You can’t make it up. I haven’t seen or heard of anything like this before." The police believe Tenley was standing in the middle of the right lane in an area of the road where it is difficult to see anything in the road from a long distance. Authorities also believe that alcohol may have played a role in the accident and are awaiting toxicology reports to see if the deceased was drunk at the time of his death.

Ghillie suits are a type of full-body clothing made to resemble heavy foliage and used to camouflage military snipers. They are also often used by hunting enthusiasts to prevent being spotted by wild game in the forest. 

Goodbye, Mayberry: Andy Griffith Passes Away at 86

Beloved actor Andy Griffith has passed away at the age of 86.

The star who endeared himself to millions the world over with his portrayal of Sheriff Andy Taylor in the fictional Southern hamlet of Mayberry on the Andy Griffith Show passed away at his Roanoke Island, North Carolina home Tuesday morning after an illness, said a statement from Griffith's family. "Mr. Griffith has been laid to rest on his beloved Roanoke Island," the statement continued.

Most critics consider The Andy Griffith Show one of the Top 10 best American television shows of all time. It was Griffith's simple, Southern charm that made the show such a huge success. The program has never left the air since it originally aired during the 1960s, and continues to be popular in reruns today. Griffith brought to life the town of Mayberry, where he watched over colorful characters with the help of his Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife, played memorably by the late Don Knotts.

Much of the action centered around Andy Taylor's home life, which consisted of young son Opie (Ron Howard) and the much-loved Aunt Bea. The show captured the true essence of small-town Americana, which Griffith knew intimately, as he grew up in quaint Mount Airy, North Carolina, which he is believed to have been the basis for the town of Mayberry. Mount Airy is now the home of the Andy Griffith Museum and also hosts the "Mayberry Days" festival each September.

Griffith would experience more success later on in his life, with the hit drama series Matlock, which ran from 1986 through 1995, first on NBC then later on ABC. The show featured Griffith as crotchety criminal defense lawyer Ben Matlock, who was so good that he charged $100,000 to take on a case.

Griffith graduated from the University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with a degree in music. He started his career acting and singing in musicals, scoring Tony Award nominations for his turns in the plays "No Time for Sergeants" and "Destry Rides Again" on Broadway. He made his big screen debut with legendary actress Patricia Neal in the film A Face in the Crowd, where he played a singer who turns into a monster after experiencing great success.

 Griffith never forgot about his musical roots. He received a Grammy Award for best Southern, country or bluegrass gospel album for "I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns," in 1997.

He had been plagued by health problems in recent years, including a quadruple heart-bypass surgery following a heart attack in 2000 and hip surgery after a fall. He was also diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can cause sudden paralysis.

Griffith was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. Bush was an admitted fan of Griffith and his show of simple, homespun values.

Swedish Zoo Keeper Killed by Wolves

A zoo keeper in Sweden has been attacked and killed by a pack of wolves in her care, many she had taken care of since they were pups.

The 30-year-old female worker was attacked by at least eight wolves after she entered their enclosure at the Kolmården  Zoo. Her body was recovered by other zoo workers who had to form a human chain in order to force the wolves back and away from the body. The worker had been an employee at the zoological park for over three years, and had worked intensively with the wolves.

Animal experts say that such an attack by wolves on a human is an extremely rare occurrence, but that similar incidents have taken place. Experts also exert that zoo animals do not have a fear of humans, which can put some zoo workers in danger. No decision has been made if any of the wolves will be removed from Kolmården in light of the vicious attack.

Yoda, The World's Ugliest Dog, Dead at 15

Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Yoda, the homely pooch who took home the title "World's Ugliest Dog" has died at the age of fifteen.

The Chihuahua and Chinese Crested Mix won the title for the homeliest canine at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Peteluma, California in 2011, beating out 28 other dogs with pitiable mugs, and taking home a $1000 prize as well as instant celebrity status. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, according to owner Terry Schumacher.

Yoda experienced luck despite her off-putting appearance by arriving in the Schumacher home, after Terry's daughter found the puppy outside of their apartment. Schumacher initially believed the dog was a rat before discovering it was actually a member of the canine species. The family took the unusual looking dog in and quickly named her Yoda, after the wise but not terribly attractive Jedi master from the Star Wars films.

Officials from the World's Ugliest Dog competition state that Yoda will continue to hold the title posthumously until a new dog receives the title in June.

Degrassi Actor's Remains Identified After 4 Years

Degrassi Junior High actor Neil Hope (in glasses)

An actor who once starred on popular Canadian school melodrama Degrassi Junior High has finally been announced dead, four years after his unclaimed body was buried.

The Degrassi Junior High actor Neil Hope, who played Derek "Wheels" Wheeler on the popular 1980s TV series, died in near-anonymity over four years ago, his family has confirmed after lengthy attempts to track down his whereabouts.

The reclusive actor had little contact with family and friends during his final years and died alone in an Ontario, Canada, rooming house in 2007, claims his ex-fiance Christina Boulard. Boulard says that the star of the groundbreaking television series died from natural causes at the age of 35 but declined to elaborate, only saying Hope suffered from diabetes.

Hope was one of Degrassi's earliest stars, appearing as Griff on the first installment, The Kids of Degrassi Street, in 1979.On the later Degrassi Junior High he portrayed the troubled character Derek Wheeler, known as  "Wheels", who struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse. The actor was candid about his own difficult childhood growing up with parents who were alcoholics.

Hope would make guest appearances on Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2001 and 2003, but parts became scarce for the struggling actor. Boulard is planning a private memorial in June for Hope's old Degrassi colleagues and close friends in order to pay tribute to their fallen fellow actor and friend.

So Emotional: A Personal Essay on the Life & Death of Whitney Houston

With the sad news of the death of singing superstar Whitney Houston,  I just felt the need to reflect on what she meant to me...

Her incredible talent, energy and breath-taking beauty were an inspiration to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Bursting onto the scene in the mid-1980s, her angelic voice and supermodel looks enthralled the planet, and she scored hit after hit after hit. No matter if she was singing a soul-stirring ballad or a dance floor anthem, she put everything into her performances. For a long period of years in the 80s and 90s, she was one of the most popular and top-selling recording artists.

When she was hit by the acting bug, Hollywood beckoned, banking on her gorgeous looks and incredible singing talent to carry her through a movie. In 1992, she hit the big time with the film The Bodyguard co-starring Oscar winner Kevin Costner. The movie was a smash hit, and Houston's recording of the Dolly Parton standard "I Will Always Love You" cemented her position as one of the world's most talented and beloved singers. The song topped the charts in practically every country in the world, winning her even more accolades and awards.

She certainly had the pedigree for singing greatness, being the cousin of singing legend Dionne Warwick and the god-daughter to the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. Her mother Cissy Houston was also a well-known and highly-respected singer.

The singer began experiencing career setbacks in the late-90s, and she became the fodder for the tabloids with her tempestuous relationship with former New Edition bad boy singer Bobby Brown. She stuck by Brown during his many run-ins with the law and jail sentences, even as she drew great criticism. Speculation of her drug use was rampant, as she exhibited odd behavior in public. Her looks began to suffer, and her voice, once spectacular and pristine, began to crack and break. Her concert performances, once a top international draw, began to dry up as well.

However it will be discovered how she died, I will prefer to keep my memories of a happy, beautiful and amazing Whitney Houston in my mind. Whenever I was feeling a little depressed or sad about something, all I had to do was listen to one of her songs such as "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" or "How Will I Know?" and my sadness would completely disappear for those three minutes. Listening to those songs right now won't make me happy, I'm afraid. They will just remind me of what the world has lost at a far too young age. In time, however, I will remember just how happy those songs made me, and this will be her great legacy to the world. Goodbye, Whitney... I will always love you...

Beam Me Up, Scotty: William Shatner Fired from Priceline Commercials

He had a great many memorable battles as Captain James T. Kirk on the original classic Star Trek television series, and now William Shatner is poised to face another battle: to find employment again after being sacked as the Priceline.com spokesperson.

Television ads airing Monday will show Shatner's Grand Negotiator character hopping on a bus...that promptly drives off a cliff. The former Rescue 911 host has been shilling for Priceline, an online site for people looking to bid on travel and vacation packages, for the past 14 years. It appears the dot.com is dropping Shatner and placing more focus on its fixed-priced deals, as opposed to those won by bidding.

 "I'm in grief mode," Shatner says. "It's not the first time I've had an iconic character die off." His return to a regular television series, the comedy $#*! My Dad Says, was cancelled last year after only one season.

Gone with the Wind: The Secret Love Child of Clark Gable & Loretta Young Dies at Age 76

The daughter of two Hollywood legends passed away last week at her home in Pennsylvania. Judy Lewis was the secret love child of Gone with the Wind actor Clark Gable and actress Loretta Young, the product of a clandestine love affair on the set of the 1935 film The Call of the Wild. At the time, the 22-year-old Young hid her pregnancy and placed her daughter in an orphanage, only to reclaim the girl when she was nineteen-months old, claiming she had adopted the child. Gable was married at the time to another woman. Young was terrified that her secret would be revealed and destroy her career, so she did everything in her power to keep her secret well-hidden from the world, and most importantly from her very own daughter!

In her 1995 memoir Uncommon Knowledge, Judy writes that her mother went to great lengths to protect her secret, even going so far as to have plastic surgery on her daughter's ears...because they were large and stuck out just like Gable's! Lewis saw her father in person only once, when she was fifteen. Speaking of the brief encounter, she says, "As he left, he gave me a kiss on my forehead, but I didn't know he was my father. I cry when I watch his films. Why didn't he ride up on a white horse and rescue me?"

Although she did not know who her father was when she was young, Lewis claims that it was an open secret throughout Hollywood, and that even her childhood friends were aware, but had been instructed not to tell her the truth.

Clark Gable died in 1960 at the age of 59. Loretta Young, one of the great beauties of the silver screen during the 1930s and 40s,  passed away in 2000.