The death of a celebrity is often as fascinating as - and sometimes more fascinating than - a star's actual life. From the grisly end of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family and the mysterious demise of Bob Crane to the peaceful passings of Lucille Ball and George Burns, ''The Hollywood Book of Death'' is a captivating and appealingly packaged volume of more than 125 television and movie stars' final curtain calls. Arranged in an encyclopedic approach by manner of death, these well-researched accounts include details of celebrities' colorful lives and unusual deaths, their funerals, and the intriguing aftermath. With more than 100 rare photographs and a special ''necrology'' index of more than 6,000 stars and directors, along with a section revealing where Hollywood personalities are resting in eternal sleep, this enthralling reference promises to be on every film and television buff's ''Top 10'' gift list.