Passed after a 4 yr private battle against colon cancer, far too young. He also had starring roles portraying Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall. If you have family history get checked early (10 yrs before the age of someone in your family with the disease) and at the latest at age 50. I just had a Colonoscopy after a polyp was found on a Flex Sigmoidoscopy, and thankfully benign... had to wait 6 months due to blood-platelet treatment to prevent another heart attack, so I was a little concerned.