hn yg, nbc news, owoo, michigan. >>> we learned late today that larry gelbart has ed today in beverlylls. gelbart wrote so much of what made america laugh for so many years. 60-yeacareer, including the big one, "m.a.s.h." and films like "tootsie" and "o, god." he worked with bob hope, johnny carson, red buttons, sid ceasar and george burns. he contied wringntil three weeks ago. lay gelbart, a giantf hollywood, was 81 years old. >>> the oldest person in the world died today in los angeles. we last saw gertrude baines when she celebrat her 115th birthday last ril. she is believed to be the granddaughter of former slaves. when she was born in 1894, grover cleveland was president. there was no such thing as penicillin and the u.s. flag had just 44 stars. she cleaned college rm rooms for a living and she loved jerry springer, crispy bacon, fried chicken and ice crea she was mentally alert until the very end. she lived long enough to vote for barack obama for president last november. again, gertrude baines was 115 years old. >>> when we come back here tonight, spending american blood and tr