Karl Malden 1912-2009

Malden (born Mladen Sekulovich) was an Oscar-winning actor known for his numerous movie roles, including A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront, The Streets of San Francisco (a popular TV series co-starring Michael Douglas) and for his American Express commercials which popularized the expression, “Don’t leave home without it.” He died at his Los Angeles home at the age of 97. The cause of death is reported as “natural causes.”

“Natural causes” is a frequently given cause of death - but what specifically does it mean? Specifying a cause of death is required by law in all states. Death certification provides public health statistics and prevents cover-ups of murder. A death certificate requires two things:

• A cause of death: a disease or injury directly related to the death (such as heart attack, AIDS, kidney failure) or the circumstances of death (gun shot wound, hanging)
• The manner of death: natural,accidental, suicide, homicide, unknown, pending

Natural causes is a loosely-defined term used by coroners describing death when the cause of death was a naturally occurring disease process, or is not apparent given medical history orcircumstances. As long as a physician familiar with the patient agrees to sign the death certificate, no autopsy in required.

At Mr. Malden’s age, the most likely cause of death is heart failure. Even when a patient has no heart problems or other conditions, a body’s key cells and tissues can just wear down. It’s not so much a disease process, as a natural biological condition - the body just doesn’t last forever.

See larger image When Do I Start?: A Memoir (Paperback) By (author) Karl MaLden List Price: $18.95 USD New From: $11.63 In Stock Used from: $1.98 In Stock

See larger image The Streets of San Francisco - Season One, Vol. 1 (DVD) Starring: Karl Malden, Michael Douglas Rating: NR (Not Rated) List Price: $39.98 USD New From: $14.38 In Stock Used from: $12.99 In Stock Release date April 10, 2007.

See larger image The Streets of San Francisco: Season Two, Vol. 1 (DVD) Starring: Karl Malden, Michael Douglas Rating: NR (Not Rated) List Price: $39.98 USD New From: $14.04 In Stock Used from: $14.00 In Stock Release date July 1, 2008.

See larger image Tennessee Williams Film Collection (A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Two-Disc Special Edition / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1958 Deluxe Edition / Sweet Bird of Youth / The Night of the Iguana / Baby Doll / The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone) (DVD) Director: Elia Kazan, John Huston, José Quintero, Richard Brooks Starring: Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman Rating: NR (Not Rated) List Price: $68.98 USD New From: $25.90 In Stock Used from: $18.75 In Stock Release date May 2, 2006.