Celebrity deaths 2024: Remembering the stars we’ve lost this year

Paying tribute to the entertainers who died this year.

After saying sad and shocking goodbyes to the many stars who died in 2023, with Matthew Perry, Tina Turner, Andre Braugher, Suzanne Somers, and Lisa Marie Presley among them, we are once again paying our respects after the deaths of entertainers and other notable figures in the new year.

Read on to remember the life and work of the celebrities who have died in 2024, including Beverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty, The Shining actress Shelley Duvall, Harry Potter and Downton Abbey star Dame Maggie Smith, celebrity fitness icon Richard Simmons, groundbreaking sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, country music superstar Toby Keith, Broadway legend Chita Rivera, and Rocky and Mandalorian actor Carl Weathers.

Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones, the Grammy-winning songwriter and arranger best known for producing Michael Jackson’s legendary hits, died on Sunday, Nov. 3. He was 91. Born in Chicago, Ill., in 1933, Jones discovered an interest in jazz and playing the trumpet at a young age. Though he scored several films, including The Pawnbroker, Jones soon turned to producing and arranging. Jones produced the best-selling album of all time, Thriller, as well as Jackson’s other hit albums Off the Wall and Bad. He also helmed Lesley Gore’s biggest hit songs — “It’s My Party” and “You Don’t Own Me” — and produced TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. With 28 Grammys, he’s currently the third-highest winner of all time. Jones will be awarded an honorary Oscar on Nov. 17; he previous was honored with the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995 and was the first African American nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars for “The Eyes of Love” in 1967’s Banning, the same year he was also nominated for Best Score on In Cold Blood. Jones was married three times and is survived by his seven children, including Parks and Recreation actress Rashida Jones.

Teri Garr

Teri Garr, the Academy Award-nominated actress known for her quirky comedic roles in movies like Tootsie and Young Frankenstein, died Oct. 29, at 79. Garr began her show business career as a dancer,  appearing in a number of Elvis Presley movies and landing bit parts on The Andy Griffith Show, Batman, and Star Trek before her big film break in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 neo-noir The Conversation. That would lead to a scene-stealing role in Mel Brooks’ comedy-horror classic Young Frankenstein as Inga, the assistant to Gene Wilder’s Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, and memorable turns in Oh, God!, Tootsie — which earned her an Oscar nomination for supporting actress — and Mr. Mom. Though known for comedic work, Garr also showed her dramatic chops in films including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Black Stallion, and The Escape Artist. Her other screen credits included The Odd Couple, M*A*S*H, The Sonny and Cher Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and Maude.

David Harris

David Harris, best known for portraying the gang member Cochise in the 1979 cult classic The Warriors, died Friday, Oct. 25 at age 75. Born in New York City on June 18, 1949, Harris attended the High School of Performing Arts and later the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His first major role was in the 1976 Emmy-nominated made-for-TV film Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys. The following year he appeared in the play Secret Service with Meryl Streep and John Lithgow, In 1979, he appeared in The Warriors, based on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel of the same name, about the titular gang falsely accused of murder who then has to fight its way through a gauntlet of other street gangs on their way home to Coney Island. In 2005, he reprised the character of Cochise in The Warriors video game.

Phil Lesh

Phil Lesh, the prolific bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Oct. 25. He was 84. Lesh was revered as one of the most pioneering and influential bassists in modern rock history, being described by Bob Dylan as “one of the most skilled bassists you’ll ever hear in subtlety and invention.” Born March 15, 1940, in Berkeley, Calif., Lesh met Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia in 1959, and was later invited to join his band the Warlocks in the early ’60s. Along with Bob Weir, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and Bill Kreutzmann, Lesh and Garcia formed the Grateful Dead in 1965, selling millions of records, touring the world, and making history until Garcia’s death in 1995. Lesh and other Dead members would continue to tour and record under monikers like the Dead, the Other Ones, and Furthur. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2007, and are set to be recognized at the next Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, alongside Francis Ford Coppola, Bonnie Raitt, and more.

Jack Jones

Jack Jones, the 86-year-old crooner known for singing TV’s The Love Boat theme, died Oct. 23, spokesman Milton B. Suchin confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. “Jack Jones passed away last night at 9:17 pm at Eisenhower Hospital [in Rancho Mirage, Calif.] after battling Leukemia for well over 2 years,” Suchin said in a statement. “He passed peacefully holding hands with his wife Eleonora and his beloved toy poodle – Ivy.” The two-time Grammy winner sang in the style of his inspiration, Frank Sinatra, whose daughter Nancy attended Jones’ Los Angeles high school. Singing songs such as “Lollipops and Roses” and “Wives and Lovers,” he recorded more than 50 albums, according to his website. In 1989, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which still notes that Judy Garland once called him “the best jazz singer in the world.”

Ron Ely

Ron Ely, the actor known for his portrayal of a more sophisticated version of Tarzan in the 1966-1968 TV series named after the character, died in California’s Santa Barbara County, his daughter, Kirsten “Kiki” Casale Ely, announced Oct. 23. He was 86. Ely said he was typecast after playing the iconic part, but his career featured an extensive list of other credits, including roles on series such as Father Knows Best, Wonder Woman, Fantasy Island, L.A. Law, and Hawkeye. In the 1978 movie Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, he again played a comic book character. “I thought I had learned my lesson,” he told NJ.com in April 2012. Off-screen, he suffered a family tragedy in 2019, when his wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was stabbed to death by their 30-year-old son, Cameron Ely, at their home. The son was then fatally shot by authorities.

Sarah Danser

Survivalist and reality TV veteran Sarah Danser, who appeared on Discovery’s Naked and Afraid; its spin-off, Naked and Afraid XL; and the CW’s competition Fight to Survive, died Oct. 22, two days after being involved in a car crash. The 34-year-old was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by a friend in the Kahala section of Honolulu, when he lost control and hit a parked car, according to Hawaii News Now. A native of Colorado, she had lived in Hawaii for 12 years. Following her death, her employer, Island Divers Hawaii, issued a statement: “Heavy hearts as we say goodbye to a good friend and great captain. Sarah brought such great energy to everyone she came in contact with. You will be greatly missed.” Her brother, Jake Danser, told the Hawaiian news outlet that his sister had a “positive energy” and was “magical.”

Liam Payne

Liam Payne, the pop singer best known as a member of the massively popular boy band One Direction, died Oct. 16 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires. He was 31. Payne had been in Argentina to attend a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan. Born in 1991, Payne formed One Direction with Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson after they all individually auditioned for the British reality competition series The X Factor in 2010. The group recorded five albums in six years before going on indefinite hiatus in 2016. Payne had songwriting credits on many of the group’s hits, including “Story of My Life,” “Steal My Girl,” and “Ready to Run.”

Cissy Houston

Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning gospel and soul singer who was the mother of music icon Whitney Houston, died Oct. 7, at 91. Born Emily Drinkard in 1933, she was a founding member of the family soul group the Drinkard Sisters as well as Sweet Inspirations, the girl group who provided backing vocals to artists like Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, and Elvis Presley. After her pioneering early success, Houston went on to release 10 solo albums across a span of five decades, winning two Grammys and lending her voice to films like The Wiz and View to a Kill. She had daughter Whitney with John Russell Houston Jr. in 1963, and served as the minister of music to the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark for more than 50 years. Houston said goodbye to Whitney in 2012 and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in 2015, and is survived by her remaining children and grandchildren.

Nicholas Pryor

A prolific actor on the stage and screen, Nicholas Pryor died Oct. 7 of cancer, his publicist confirmed to EW. He was 89. Pryor was perhaps best known to audiences for his work on Beverly Hills, 90210, as California University Chancellor Milton Arnold, the father of Kathleen Robertson’s Clare. In the 1983 movie Risky Business, he played the father of Tom Cruise‘s main character, Joel Goodsen. Pryor’s other notable work included Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and several soap operas, such as General Hospital spinoff Port Charles. He is survived by his wife Christina Belford, daughter Stacey Pryor, and grandchildren Auguste and Avril Bas.

John Lasell

John Lasell, who appeared in 70 projects over his 25-year career, died Oct. 4 in Los Angeles at the age of 95, according to a family notice. Lasell was best known for his recurring role on the cult ’60s soap Dark Shadows as vampire hunter Dr. Peter Guthrie in 25 episodes. Lasell was born on Nov. 6, 1928, in Worcester, Mass., and made his screen debut in 1960 on an episode of Armstrong Circle Theatre. He went on to work steadily throughout the decade, with parts on nearly everything from The Twilight Zone to Gunsmoke to Perry Mason and The Fugitive. He landed his role on Dark Shadows in 1967. His final role was in the 1985 TV miniseries A Death in California.

Michel Blanc

Michel Blanc, the French actor known for his role as awkward bachelor Jean-Claude Dusse in the 1978 film Les Bronzés (French Fried Vacation), died Oct. 4 at 72. Blanc was acclaimed for his role in Le Splendid troupe comedy films, including the cult classic Les Bronzés and its two sequels. He was also revered for his dramatic turns in such films as Patrice Leconte’s 1989 crime thriller Monsieur Hire and Pierre Schoeller’s L’Exercice de l’État (The Minister), which earned him the 2012 César for Best Supporting Actor. Blanc was recognized by the Cannes Film Festival on several occasions throughout his career: In 1986, he was awarded Best Actor for Tenue de soirée (Evening Dress) , and eight years later he received the festival’s Best Screenplay Award for Grosse fatigue (Dead Tired), a comedy that he also directed and starred in. French President Emmanuel Macron honored the actor’s legacy on social media, dubbing him “a monument of French cinema.”

Allan Blye

Allan Blye, the Emmy-winning comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Van Dyke and Company, who also portrayed Captain Blye on Mister Rogers Neighborhood, died Oct. 4 at 87. Born in Winnipeg, Blye began his career as a featured singer on variety radio shows across the country. At the urging of folk duo Tom and Dick Smothers, he relocated to Los Angeles in 1968 to serve as head writer and producer on their CBS variety show. He worked alongside such young comedians as Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, and Carl Gottlieb, and their efforts won an Emmy for Best Writing in a Variety Comedy Television series in 1969. Blye also caught the attention of Fred Rogers and appeared on his children’s program from 1961 to 1965. Blye went on to co-create, produce, and serve as head writer for The Andy Williams Show and The Sonny and Cher Show. He wrote several additional TV specials, including Elvis Presley’s iconic 1968 Comeback Special, before winning his second Emmy in 1977 for writing on Van Dyke and Company, featuring Dick Van Dyke.

Christopher Ciccone

Christopher Ciccone, Madonna‘s younger brother and former creative consultant, died Oct. 4 at 63 after battling cancer. Much like his sister, Ciccone grew up with a deep love of music and began his professional career as a dancer in 1980 with the Le Group de La Palace Royale in Ottawa. Two years later, he would relocate to New York to support his older sister’s burgeoning music career. He appeared in the music video for her 1984 hit single “Lucky Star” as one of her backup dancers, and also joined her on stage and in televised performances. As Madonna’s fame grew, Ciccone served as a dresser, art director, and interior designer for the star. He also collaborated with artists including Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett, for whom he directed music videos. In 2008, Ciccone released his autobiography, Life With My Sister Madonna, a tell-all that caused tension in his relationship with his sister, who did not approve of the book’s release. Years later, he would insist that they were in a much better place, which Madonna affirmed in a tribute to her brother following his death. “The last few years have not been easy. We did not speak for sometime but when my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other,” Madonna wrote. “I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere.” Ciccone died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones, including his husband, Ray Thacker.

Frank Fritz

Frank Fritz, an antique hunter and former cohost of History Channel’s American Pickers, died at 60 on Sept. 30. Fritz appeared in over 300 episodes of the hit antiquing show — which saw him and cohost Mike Wolfe hit the road to hunt for antiques and collectibles together — from 2010 until 2021. He ultimately parted ways with the series after 21 seasons, with Wolfe remaining as its host. Wolfe confirmed the news of his former cohosts death in a poignant Instagram tribute, writing, “I’ve know Frank for more than half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny. The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.” While their friendship had its hiccups — Fritz revealed in 2021 that he hadn’t spoken with Wolfe in two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic — the pair were able to rekindle their bond in recent years. Wolfe concluded, “I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home. I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know your [sic] in a better place.”

Ken Page

Ken Page, the veteran Broadway actor who starred in Cats, The Wiz, and Ain’t Misbehavin’, who also contributed his instantly-recognizable voice to The Nightmare Before Christmas, died on Sept. 30 at 70. Born Kenneth Page in St. Louis, Mo., on Jan. 20, 1954, Page began his pursuit of the arts as an elementary school student, and he went on to attend Fontbonne College on a full scholarship, where he majored in theater. During his time at the school, Page landed his first paid gig as an ensemble member of the St. Louis Municipal Opera (The Muny). He relocated to New York in 1974 and two years later, made his Broadway debut in an all-Black revival of Guys and Dolls. The following year he would understudy and eventually play the role of the Cowardly Lion in the original Broadway production of The Wiz. His success would continue in 1978, when Page featured as an original cast member in the Fats Waller musical Ain’t Misbehavin’. He was awarded the Drama Desk Award for his performance in the cabaret-style show and would reprise his role for an NBC television special and the 1988 revival. He next originated the role of Old Deuteronomy in the first Broadway production of Cats. Page also accrued several onscreen credits, most notable among them was voicing Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, the cult classic stop-motion Disney film from Tim Burton and director Henry Selick. Prior to his death, Page returned to The Muny for 2024 productions of Les Miserables and Waitress.

Gavin Creel

Gavin Creel, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning stage actor, died Sept. 30 from cancer. He was 48. He made his Broadway debut in 2002, starring opposite Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie and earning his first Tony nom. He’d later take home the statuette for his performance in the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly!, as well as the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk. Other performances include Hair, Waitress, Into the Woods, and The Book of Mormon, the latter of which won him an Olivier. On the screen, Creel appeared in Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Stories and TV movies Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime.

Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson, the legendary country singer and acclaimed actor, died Sept. 28 at age 88 in Maui, Hawaii. Kristofferson’s career in music and film spanned over half a century, releasing 18 studio albums and appearing in dozens of theatrical and television movies between the 1970s and the 2010s. He won three competitive Grammys from 13 nominations, and was also nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe. His gravelly voice and complex, poetic lyricism made him a favorite among his contemporaries. Though he released several albums in the 1970s, he spent the later part of the decade launching his acting career. His unique balance of ruggedness and sensitivity made him a beloved performer in both leading and supporting roles. His best known role came in 1976 with the second remake of A Star Is Born, starring Barbra Streisand. The film was the second-highest grossing movie of the year behind Rocky, and won Kristofferson a Golden Globe for Best Actor. The film’s soundtrack was also an enormous success, selling nearly 15 million copies worldwide and winning an Oscar and a Grammy. 

John Ashton

John Ashton, who starred as Sgt. John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, died peacefully at his Ft. Collins, Colo., home on Sept. 26, his manager confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. He was 76. Born John David Ashton on Feb. 22, 1948, in Springfield, Mass., Ashton would become a prolific actor, amassing over 200 credits in film and television throughout his career. His earliest gigs include roles in the 1973 horror film An Eye for an Eye, the Oscar-winning comedy Breaking Away, and the sixth entry in the King Kong franchise, 1986’s King Kong Lives. However, Ashton is most recognizable for his portrayal of Sgt. Taggart — the gruff, by-the-books police officer paired with Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley in 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, its 1987 sequel, Beverly Hills Cop II, and 2024’s Netflix-produced follow-up, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Ashton also appeared in the 1987 John Hughes comedy Some Kind of Wonderful as the father of Eric Stoltz’ Keith Nelson. He would later reunite with Hughes for the writer-director’s 1988 romantic comedy, She’s Having a Baby. His additional credits include starring in Midnight Run opposite Robert De Niro, Little Big League with Luke Edwards and a role in the 2007 Ben Affleck–directed drama, Gone Baby Gone. On the small screen, Ashton appeared in episodes of Columbo, M*A*S*H, Mr. Sunshine, The A-Team, JAG, Fairly Legal, and The Finder. He also headlined the short-lived NBC drama Hardball alongside Richard Tyson.

Drake Hogestyn

Drake Hogestyn, a Days of Our Lives veteran who spent nearly four decades playing the mysterious and often heroic John Black, has died at 70 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Born in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Sept. 29, 1953, Hogestyn attended the University of South Florida Tampa on a baseball scholarship and was drafted into the New York Yankees, playing third base before sustaining an injury in 1977. From there, Hogestyn pivoted to showbiz. Along with 29 others, the young actor was selected in a Columbia Pictures talent search that included 75,000 applicants. He landed his first starring role in the 1982 musical CBS series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, alongside River Phoenix. A few years later, Hogestyn made his Days of Our Lives debut on Jan. 24, 1986, as a mystery man initially referred to as “The Pawn.” He would later assume the identity of  John Black, a heroic spy, mercenary, police officer, private investigator, and secret agent. He quickly became a fan favorite among soap watchers and appeared in more than 4,200 episodes over the course of his 38 years on the NBC series. He was one half of many popular daytime TV pairings, but his most famous of them was his romance with Days‘ Deidre Hall, who starred as Marlena Evans. His additional credits include the TV movies Generation, Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues, One Stormy Night, and Night Sins, as well as guest stints on Criminal Minds and the sci-fi series Otherworld.

Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith — the grande dame of British theater who won two Academy Awards, mentored Harry Potter as Professor McGonagall, and embodied Downton Abbey’s sharp-tongued matriarch Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham — died Sept. 27 at age 89. Born in 1934, Smith became a titan of the stage in both the U.K. and the U.S., turning in legendary performances in productions of Othello, Private Lives, Antony and Cleopatra, Night and Day, Virginia, The Way of the World, Lettice and Lovage, The Importance of Being Earnest, Hedda Gabler, New Faces of 1956, and countless other plays. On screen, she starred in films like Gosford Park, A Room With a View, Sister Act, The Secret Garden, The First Wives Club, Death on the Nile, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Clash of the Titans, and Quartet, as well as seven of the eighth Harry Potter films. The six-time Oscar nominee ultimately won twice: Best Actress for 1969’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Best Supporting Actress for 1978’s California Suite. She became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1990.

Cat Glover

Cat Glover, a singer and dancer who collaborated with Prince, died on an undisclosed date in September in her home in Los Angeles. She was 62. Born in Chicago, Glover danced alongside Patrick Allen in the duo Pat and Cat, and found mainstream success as the first act to ever receive four stars on the TV competition Star Search. She went on to collaborate with Prince extensively in the 1980s, choreographing his music videos and serving as both backup singer and dancer on his Sign o’ the Times Tour. She also rapped on Prince’s 1988 single “Alphabet Street.” Glover released her EP Catwoman in 1989, and continued choreography and dance work until her death. She is survived by her four children.

Kathryn Crosby

Kathryn Crosby, the actress and widow of Bing Crosby, died Sept. 20 at age 90 .Crosby died of natural causes around 9pm on Friday at her home in Hillsborough, Calif., surrounded by family. Born in Texas, in 1933, Crosby launched her acting career as Kathryn Grant in 1953, appearing in small roles in films like Rear Window and Anatomy of a Murder. She met Bing Crosby when she interviewed him for a newspaper column in 1954 on the set of White Christmas, ultimately marrying him in 1957. Crosby largely retired from acting after her marriage, though she did appear alongside her husband and children in a number of his Christmas television specials and also guest-star on The Bing Crosby Show in the mid-1960s. In the 1970s, Crosby hosted her own local daytime talk show, The Kathryn Crosby Show, in San Francisco. She returned to the stage and small screen in small roles after her husband’s death in 1977. Crosby is survived by her three children and numerous grandchildren.

David Graham

David Graham, the British actor known for iconic voice roles in Doctor Who and Peppa Pig, died Sept. 20 at age 99. Born in London in 1925, Graham worked as a radar mechanic in Britain’s Royal Air Force during World War II. He began his career in entertainment after moving to the U.S. and studied acting in New York. Graham began working in TV in the early ’50s, but his voice got most of the attention by the 1960s. It was in 1963 that he first played the mutant creatures known as the Daleks on the BBC’s iconic sci-fi series Doctor Who. Two years later, he began voicing Parker the butler on the puppet series Thunderbirds. The actor also voiced Grandpa Pig on the popular children’s cartoon Peppa Pig beginning in 2012. Called “Papa Ig” by Peppa’s younger brother, George, he last appeared on the show in 2021.

J.D. Souther

John David “J.D.” Souther, a musician and songwriter known for collaborations with ’70s California artists like the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, died Sept. 17 at 78. Born Nov. 2, 1945, in Detroit, Souther was raised in Amarillo, Tex., and found his biggest career success after moving to Los Angeles in the late ’60s. In addition to his own lengthy career as a solo artist, Souther also wrote Eagles hits like “Best of My Love” and “James Dean,” and was a co-writer on “Heartache Tonight.” He dated Ronstadt for a time and they recorded several duets, including “Prisoner in Disguise” and “Hearts Against the Wind.”

Barbara Leigh-Hunt

Barbara Leigh-Hunt, the acclaimed British theater actress who also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy, died Sept. 16 in Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire. She was 88. Born in 1935, Leigh-Hunt acted on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and the Bristol Old Vic, winning a supporting actress Olivier Award in 1993 for An Inspector Calls. She starred in Hamlet, Sherlock Holmes, and Justice on Broadway. On screen, Leigh-Hunt collaborated with Hitchcock in his penultimate film Frenzy, playing a murder victim in the filmmaker’s most explicit project. She also played supporting roles in projects like BBC’s Pride and Prejudice miniseries, Billy Elliot, The Plague Dogs, and Vanity Fair.

Tito Jackson

Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5 alongside little brother Michael Jackson and solo musician in his own right, died Sept. 15 at age 70. Tito played guitar, assisted on synthesizers, and provided backing vocals on songs like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There,” which landed the Jackson 5 on The Ed Sullivan Show and made them a favorite of stars like Diana Ross. The Jacksons continued performing together after Michael’s departure in 1984. Tito began touring as a solo blues singer in 2003, and executive produced the documentary The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty with his brothers in 2009 after Michael died. He only began recording his own solo music in the past 10 years, which saw the 2016 release of the album Tito Time and the 2021 release of the album Under Your Spell. He is survived by his three sons, seven siblings, and mother Katherine.

Emily Gold

America’s Got Talent contestant Emily Gold, who competed on the show’s 19th season as part of Los Osos High School dance team, died Sept. 14. The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department confirmed to EW that the 17-year-old died by suicide, weeks after the group performed routines to Usher, the Black Eyed Peas, and more during auditions and the quarterfinals round, when they were eliminated. After her death, loved ones raised more than $50,000 for her family through a GoFundMe campaign.

Tommy Cash

Tommy Cash, the younger brother of Johnny Cash and a country musician in his own right, died Sept. 13 at 84. His death was announced by a statement from the Johnny Cash Museum. “This great man will be deeply missed by his friends and many loyal fans around the world,” museum founder and CEO Bill Miller said. Born April 5, 1940, in Dyess, Ark., Cash joined the army at a young age and was a DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Network. After his military service, Cash played with Hank Williams Jr. and secured a record deal from Musicor Records in 1965. A few years later, he scored his biggest hit with “Six White Horses,” which was dedicated to John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy in the wake of their assassinations. Cash continued touring at least until 2016, per his website.

Kenneth Cope

Kenneth Cope, a British TV star who had acclaimed roles in the 1960s and ’70s, died Sept. 11 at 93. A Liverpool native, Cope studied acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His two most famous roles were as Jed Stone on the working-class soap opera Coronation Street, a role he originally played from 1961 to 1966 and then returned to in 2008, and as the titular Marty Hopkirk on Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), a murdered detective who comes back as a ghost to help his surviving partner solve the crime. In the United States, it was known as My Partner the Ghost.

Chad McQueen

Actor and auto racer Chad McQueen, best known for his role as Dutch, a member of Cobra Kai, in the original 1984 version of The Karate Kid and its sequel, The Karate Kid Part II, died Sept. 11. He was 63. The son of late actor Steve McQueen, the younger McQueen’s wife Jeanie and two of his children, Chase and Madison, made the announcement on social media. “His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent, but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him,” they wrote.

Michaela DePrince

Michaela DePrince, a barrier-breaking ballerina who appeared on Dancing With the Stars and in Beyoncé‘s Lemonade film, died at age 29 on Sept. 10. Born Mabinty Bangura in Kenema, Sierra Leone, in 1995, DePrince grew up in an orphanage, where she was cruelly mistreated and mocked for her vitiligo. She was adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince in New Jersey in 1999. DePrince enrolled in ballet school in Philadelphia and performed at the Youth America Grand Prix. She was one of six primary subjects in the 2011 documentary First Position, trained at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet in New York, and appeared in an episode of Dancing With the Stars the same year. She went on to join the Dutch National Ballet’s junior company and later became second soloist for the Boston Ballet. DePrince choreographed her own routine in the “Freedom” section of Beyoncé’s Lemonade film, and also starred in the 2021 ballet film Coppelia.

Frankie Beverly

Frankie Beverly, the soul and R&B legend who founded the funk band Maze, died Sept. 10 at 77. His family announced the news in an Instagram post, writing, “He lived his life with pure soul as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” Born Dec. 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Beverly initially founded the band in his hometown under the name Raw Soul in 1970. But after relocating to San Francisco and connecting with Marvin Gaye, who recommended a name change, the band began to go by Maze. Together, they released nine gold albums from the late 1970s to early 1990s, including hits like “Joy and Pain,” “We Are One,” “Can’t Get Over You” and “Golden Time of Day.” Their 1981 single “Before I Let Go” quickly became their most famous track and was years later covered by Beyoncé for her 2019 film and live album, Homecoming. “‘Before I Let Go’ really did turn out to be something more than I even imagined,” Beverly told Essence in 2020. “I got blessed with that.” Earlier this year, Beverly and Maze played a six-city farewell tour in their signature all-white outfits. In March, Beverly was awarded the lifetime achievement award at the NAACP Image Awards.

Peter Renaday

Peter Renaday, who originated the role of Master Splinter in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, died on Sept. 8 at 89, his agent confirmed to EW. News of his death led to meaningful tributes from fans, friends and former costars, including the voice of Michaelangelo (Townsend Coleman), Leonardo (Cam Clarke), and April O’Neil (Renae Jacobs). Born in Louisiana in 1935, Renaday would accrue over 200 credits across his voice acting career. One of his earliest gigs was voicing Grapple in 1985’s The Transformers. Just two years later, he would land the role of Hamato Yoshi aka Master Splinter, the wise rat sensei who acts as a mentor and father figure to the show’s titular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Renaday played Splinter across the show’s 10 season run, from 1987 to 1996, and later reprised the role for the non-musical spoken parts of the live-action concert event, TMNT: Coming Out of Their Shells in 1990. He voiced hundreds of other characters across TV and film, with credits including Darkwing Duck, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Animaniacs, Gargoyles, Superman: The Animated Series, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones, a titan of stage and screen whose unmistakable baritone provided the voice to such iconic characters as Darth Vader and Mufasa, died on Monday Sept. 9 at 93. The actor, who famously struggled with a childhood stutter that put him through several “mute years,” established himself as one of the most admired American actors of all time, earning acclaim with a prolific, versatile career that spanned 60 years from his 1958 Broadway debut to his most recent performance, in 2021’s Coming 2 America. His over 80 film credits include roles as a B-52 bombardier in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 satire Dr. Strangelove, a reclusive author and tormented Red Sox fan in Field of Dreams, a blind former baseball star in The Sandlot, and the fearsome villain of Conan the Barbarian. While his roles in the Star Wars saga and The Lion King have secured him a permanent place in the pop culture pantheon, he also earned two Tony Awards for 1969’s The Great White Hope and 1987’s Fences, the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama from August Wilson. Jones was also awarded a lifetime achievement Tony Award in 2017. With two Emmys, a 1977 Grammy and his 2011 honorary Oscar, Jones is one of a handful of actors to achieve an EGOT.

James Darren

James Darren, a singer, director, and actor known for playing a dreamboat surfer in Gidget and for roles on TV shows such as T.J. Hooker and The Time Tunnel, died Sept. 2 in Los Angeles. He was 88. Born in Philadelphia, Darren first signed a long-term contract with Columbia in July 1956, but it wasn’t until 1959 that he starred in what would become his first big hit. In Gidget, he starred alongside Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson, and played the dreamy surfer Moondoggie. He also sang the film’s title track, which much like the film, was a hit with teen girls. The song’s success led to him recording a series of pop hits for Colpix Records, the most notable of which was “Goodbye Cruel World,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. Darren would go on to reprise the role of Moondoggie in sequels Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963). He starred in a number films in the ’60s before transitioning more to television work in his later years. His first notable role was as Dr. Tony Newman in 30 episodes of adventure series The Time Tunnel, but perhaps his best-known TV work was as Officer Jim Corrigan opposite Heather Locklear in T.J. Hooker. In later years, he played Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Tony Marlin in Melrose Place. Darren was not just a singer and actor, however. His talents also included directing for series such as Hunter, Silk Stalkings, Melrose Place, Werewolf, The A-Team and Beverly Hills, 90210. Darren is survived by his wife, Evy Norlund; sons Jim Moret, Christian Darren, and Tony Darren; and five grandchildren. He was also the godfather of A.J. Lambert, Nancy Sinatra’s daughter.

Eric Gilliland

Eric Gilliland, a television writer and producer known for his work on Roseanne, died Sept. 1 at 62. An Illinois native, Gilliland booked his first big TV gig as a writer on Who’s the Boss?, the hit sitcom starring Tony Danza, Judith Light, and Alyssa Milano. He then worked on the coming-of-age comedy The Wonder Years before serving as a writer and producer on Roseanne from 1992 to 1996. His work on Roseanne earned him a WGA Award nomination for the 1992 episode “The Dark Ages,” and he later served as a consulting producer for the first two episodes of the spinoff The Conners. Gilliland’s other credits included Welcome to New York, That ’70s Show, Downwardly Mobile, My Boys, Mr. Sunshine, That’s Life, and The Who Was? Show.

Obi Ndefo

Obi Ndefo, who starred as Bodie Wells across several seasons of Dawson’s Creek, died at 51, his sister announced Aug. 31. News of Ndefo’s death came five years after a tragic hit-and-run accident led to the loss of both his legs. Born in 1973, Ndefo was a graduate of Yale University’s drama school. He landed his first onscreen gig in 1995, appearing in a single episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, followed by small roles in The Jamie Foxx Show, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Angel, and Star Trek: Voyager. When Dawson’s Creek debuted in 1998, Ndefo starred as Bodie, a chef who would partner with Gale Leery (Mary-Margaret Humes) to run the Capeside fish bistro Leery’s Fresh Fish. He was also the boyfriend of Bessie Potter (Nina Repeta), the elder sister of Katie Holmes’ iconic character, Joey Potter. Ndefo would later appear in episodes of NYPD Blue, The West Wing, and Stargate SG-1 and also founded the Los Angeles-based non-profit Arts Alliance for Humanity, which supports arts education in public schools and communities.

Betty A. Bridges

Betty A. Bridges, a veteran guest actress in series like Good Times, Scrubs, and Hill Street Blues and the mother of Diff’rent Strokes star Todd Bridges, died Aug. 29. She was 83. When she was starting out, Bridges played a memorable role on the infamous Good Time episode “The Nude” opposite Carl Weathers in 1975. Throughout her 40-year career, she acted alongside stars like George Clooney, Lee Grant, and Redd Foxx on series such as Dallas, The Bad News Bears, and Diff’rent Strokes. Later in life, Bridges founded the acting school Kane Bridge Academy and coached future stars including Nia Long, Regina King, and Sanaa Lathan.

Sid Vicious

Sid Eudy, a pro wrestler and former WWE and WCW champ also known by the monikers Sid Vicious, Sycho Sid, and Sid Justice, among others, died Aug. 26 at 63. In all, Eudy was a six-time world champion, counting among his wins two WWF Championships, two WCW World Heavyweight Championships, and two titles with USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship. He also had other accolades, including the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship title.

Phil Donahue

Phil Donahue, the legendary daytime talk show host, died Aug. 18 at 88. Renowned as the “King of Daytime Talk,” Donahue was a TV trailblazer due to his influential work on his issue-oriented program, The Phil Donahue Show from 1967 to 1996. Unlike other talk shows of the era, Donahue’s eponymous show focused on one guest or topic at a time, for its entire hour, while inviting the audience to ask questions. For his debut episode, Donahue hosted atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair, who had worked to throw prayer out of public schools — a controversial choice that made for revolutionary TV. From there, Donahue didn’t shy away from sensationalist or sensitive issues, often tackling those that other daytime TV shows wouldn’t dare to touch, including incest, abortion, and homosexuality. Across his 29-year tenure, Donahue interviewed feminists, Ku Klux Klan members, heads of state, politicians, porn stars, and more. The show attracted a largely female audience, and was held in high esteem for highlighting women’s issues. While chatting with Oprah for O magazine in 2002, Donahue said, “The show became a place where women discussed issues that didn’t naturally come up, and certainly not in mixed company. Much of what we talked about on the air is what women had been talking about in ladies’ rooms.” He earned nine Daytime Emmys and 21 nominations as well as a primetime Emmy for his special Donahue and Kids. Donahue also received a Peabody Award in 1981.

John Amos

John Amos, the actor who played the pivotal role of adult Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries Roots after cementing himself as one of America’s most beloved sitcom dads in Good Times,died on Aug. 21 of natural causes at 84. Amos’ acting career quickly picked up when he landed the role of weatherman Gordon “Gordy” Howard on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970. From there, he brought his comedic talents to CBS’ Good Times, a spinoff of Maude and All in the Family. The Norman Lear program made history as the first TV show to follow an African American, two-parent household. As James Evan Sr., Amos charmed America as a hardworking and devoted father figure. But after three seasons, the actor clashed with Lear and the writers and was fired — the beloved father figure was thus killed off in the season 4 premiere. Amos next landed a role in the 1977 miniseries Roots, which became a national sensation, earning 37 Emmy nominations. The actor remained a TV staple throughout the ’80s and ’90s, working steadily as a guest star and in recurring roles on Hunter, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and In the House. He was also heralded for his role as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace in The West Wing. Though best known for his TV roles, Amos’ film resume included Coming to America, The World’s Greatest Athlete, The Beastmaster, Die Hard 2, For Better or Worse, The Players Club, and Because of Charley.

Ed Wheeler

Ed Wheeler, the veteran character actor whose credits included Law & Order and Presumed Innocent, died Aug. 21, at 88. Beginning his career starring in commercials in the early 1970s, he would make his TV acting debut on the 1978 PBS dramedy Watch Your Mouth and go on to appear on shows including The Core of the Apple, Monsters, New York Undercover, and Cosby. On film, Wheeler played George Weln in James L. Brooks’ 1987 film Broadcast News, Detective Jim in the 1990 legal thriller Presumed Innocent, and a reporter in the 1999 crime comedy Mickey Blue Eyes. He last appeared on screen in 2010, in episodes of One Life to Live and Blue Bloods. More recently, he executive-produced the historical short Keepers of the Flame, about activist Mary Church Terrell during the 1913 inaugural women’s suffrage parade.

Ángel Salazar

Ángel Salazar, an actor and comedian best known for playing sidekick to Al Pacino in Scarface, died Aug. 11. He was 68. After Scarface, the Cuban-American star would go on to play alongside Tom Hanks in the 1988 comedy Punchline, before once more working with both Pacino and director Brian De Palma for the 1993 crime film Carlito’s Way. Other film roles included Sylvester, Where the Buffalo Roam, A Stranger Is Watching, The Wild Life, and more. On the television side, he appeared on the shows On Our Own, The New $treetz Seriez, Jersey Mafia Chronicles, and In Living Color. In addition to his talents as an actor, Salazar was also an accomplished comedian, appearing in the 2006 documentary Latin Legends of Comedy among other comedy specials.

Rachael Lillis

Rachael Lillis, the actress who lent her vocal talents to a wide variety of characters in anime series, movies, and video games — including to Pokémon’s Misty and Jessie — died Aug. 10 after a battle with cancer. She was 46. Lillis also provided the calls, grunts, and various noises of the popular Pokémon Vulpix, Venonat, Goldeen, and Jigglypuff. In addition to Pokémon the series, she also voiced Jigglypuff in the 2019 film Detective Pikachu and five games in the Super Smash Bros. video game franchise. Other credits to Lillis’ name included Your Lie in April, Berserk, Gokudo, Sonic X, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn; animated series such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Winx Club; and video games like Valkyrie Profile, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, and Lego Jurassic World. In the early 2000s, she also worked as a scriptwriter on Boogiepop Phantom and K.O. Beast.

John Aprea

John Aprea, who portrayed a young Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather Part II and the father of John Stamos’ Jesse Katsopolis in Full House, died on Aug. 5. He was 83. Born to Italian immigrants in Englewood, N.J., in 1941, Aprea made his film debut as Killer in the 1968 action pic, Bullitt, which also starred Steve McQueen. He would next appear in The Grasshopper and The Dark Side of Tomorrow, and around the same time, auditioned for the role of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. The role went to Al Pacino, who played the part in the 1972 film and its sequels, but Aprea eventually joined the critically acclaimed trilogy for The Godfather Part II as a younger version of Tessio, the mobster originally portrayed by Abe Vigoda. Aprea considered the highly-regarded film, which won six Oscars and became the first sequel to win Best Picture, a “monumental” role for him. He went on to lead the short-lived NBC sitcom, The Montefuscos, and had dual roles in Another World. Aprea also appeared in Falcon Crest, The Sopranos, Days of Our Lives, the telenovela American Heiress, and the acclaimed NBC miniseries The Gangster Chronicles. On the big screen, Aprea found further success in films including Caged Heat, The Manchurian Candidate, The Stepford Wives, David Fincher’s The Game, and more.

Maurice Williams

Maurice Williams, the frontman of the doo-wop group the Zodiacs and singer-songwriter behind their 1960 hit song “Stay,” died on Aug. 6 at 86. Born April 26, 1938, in Lancaster, S.C., Williams began performing in church at the age of six and formed his first group, The Royal Charms, during his high school years. That group went through several names and reformed before becoming Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs. They achieved their first hit in 1957, with “Little Darlin,” but it was their 1960 track “Stay” that cemented them in music history. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the shortest song to ever do so at just one minute and 32 seconds. It later featured in the 1987 classic Dirty Dancing, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey and was frequently covered by such artists as  The Hollies and the Four Seasons, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty. Following their massive success with “Stay,” the group also enjoyed success with their 1961 hit “May I,” and they continued touring and recorded music through 2000. Williams is survived by his wife, Emily.

Alain Delon

Alain Delon, the smoldering French leading man of the 1960s and ’70s known for such hits as René Clément’s Purple Noon and Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samouraï, has died at 88, his family told French news agency, AFP. Born on Nov. 8, 1935, in Sceaux, France, Delon earned a vocational degree as a teenager, worked in a butcher shop, and served in the French Navy before landing his first feature in the 1957 revenge thriller Send a Woman When the Devil Fails at 22. He worked steadily from there, with 1960’s Purple Noon — an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley — marking his breakthrough. The film was a critically acclaimed box office success, with some reviewers dubbing Delon “the new James Dean.” His additional credits include L’Eclisse, Histoires Extraordinaires, La Piscine, Borsalino, Nouvelle Vague, The Yellow Rolls-Royce, Once a Thief, Texas Across the River, and Lost Command. He was controversially awarded an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2019, despite a petition that protested his “racism, homophobia and misogyny” garnering more than 25,000 signatures. At the event, he bid farewell to his cinematic career, saying, “It’s a bit of a posthumous tribute, but from my lifetime. I am going to leave, but I won’t leave without thanking you.” Delon is survived by his son, Anthony, from his marriage to actress Nathalie Barthélémy and by children, Alain-Fabien and Anouchka, from his relationship with Rosalie van Breemen.

Afa Anoa’i

WWE wrestler Afa Anoa’i, who competed with his late brother, Sika Anoa’i, as the tag team Wild Samoans in the ’70s and ’80s, died Aug. 16 at 81. His daughter Vale announced the news on social media, just two months after Sika’s death. “Today, all of our lives are irreparably changed,” she wrote. “I love you so much, Dad. More than any words could ever express. Your strength was absolutely superhuman. You fought all the way to the end, and the end was peaceful.” She noted that he had suffered two heart attacks in January, among other health issues, and had been in hospice care. In his wrestling days, Anoa’i was a force. He and his brother won the World Tag Team Championship three times and were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007. Later, Anoa’i contributed to the WWE by managing his son and nephew, then by training future wrestlers. The WWE lamented his loss, remembering his tag team as “one of the most feared” in WWE history. Among his survivors is wrestler Roman Reigns, Sika’s son.

Peter Marshall

Peter Marshall, the original host of Hollywood Squares and a prolific actor on series like CHiPs and The Love Boat, died on Aug. 15 at 98. Marshall’s death was announced via a post on his official website, which noted, “According to his wife of 35 years, Laurie, Peter passed at home, surrounded by loved ones.” Marshall followed his sister, the actress Joanne Dru (Red River) to New York City in the late 1940s where he worked as an NBC page, took his comedy act to The Ed Sullivan Show, and won starring roles in theatrical productions like Bye Bye Birdie. Marshall was asked to host the inaugural edition of Hollywood Squares in 1966, and presided over the series as it made stars out of the likes of Paul Lynde, Joan Rivers, and Charo until 1981. Marshall also made a memorable appearance as the radio jockey Bert Healey in 1982’s Annie. Marshall is survived by his wife Laurie, daughters Suzanne Browning and Jaime Dimarco, son Pete LaCock, twelve grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Jack Russell

Jack Russell, a founding member of the hair rock band Great White, who rose to fame in the ’80s with their biggest hit, “Once Bitten Twice Shy,” died Aug. 15. He was 63. The frontman’s family announced his death on social media, a month after Russell shared that he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy. Though band members parted ways in 2001, Russell continued to perform under the name Jack Russell’s Great White, prompting a legal battle. This iteration of the group was moments into a performance at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., in 2003, when their pyrotechnics sparked a fire. When it was over, 100 people had died, including guitarist Ty Longley, and 230 people had been injured. While Russell was not charged in the deaths, the band paid victims $1 million. At the same time he announced the news about his health, Russell had said he was retiring from touring. “Words cannot express my gratitude for the many years of memories, love, and support,” he wrote. “Thank you for letting me live my dreams.”

Greg Kihn

Greg Kihn, the rock singer-songwriter who scored big with his early MTV-era hits “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)” and “Jeopardy,” died on on Aug. 13 of complications from Alzheimer’s. He was 75. Born Gregory Stanley Kihn in Baltimore on July 10, 1949, Kihn initially began his career in his hometown, playing music of the folksy singer-songwriter variety before relocating to San Francisco in the early ‘70s. There, he would gain acclaim for his unique blend of folk, classic rock, blues, and melodic pop that would heavily influence the Bay Area music scene of the ‘80s. By 1976, Kihn formed the Greg Kihn Band alongside guitarist Robbie Dunbar, bassist Steve Wright, and drummer Larry Lynch. The group released several albums together, scoring their first hit with “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” which got to No. 15 on the Hot 100 in May 1981. The group reached new heights with the release of their 1983 track “Jeopardy,” which became an MTV favorite, hit No. 2 on the Hot 100, and inspired the parody song from “Weird Al” Yankovic, “I Lost on Jeopardy.” Kihn also published several horror novels and served as a morning radio host on the San Jose, Calif.–based station KUFX-FM (KFOX) for nearly two decades.

Kevin Sullivan

Kevin Sullivan, the wrestling icon who performed as the Taskmaster and worked extensively behind the scenes for WCW, died at Aug. 9 at age 74. A cause of death was not immediately released; however, Sullivan was involved in a “devastating accident” in Florida on May 12, and he was diagnosed with sepsis and encephalitis after undergoing emergency surgery. As a wrestler with WCW, Sullivan teamed with Cactus Jack to win a Tag Team Title before he formed the Three Faces of Fear with Avalanche and the Butcher to feud with Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Randy Savage. After that, Sullivan became the Taskmaster and formed the Dungeon of Doom, who faced off against Hogan’s Hulkamaniacs during WarGames and feuded with the Four Horsemen. At the end of his wrestling career, he feuded extensively with Chris Benoit, ultimately losing a retirement match to him in 1997.  Sullivan spent the rest of his career as a booker, and made occasional appearances for independent promotions. His podcast Taskmaster Talks has run since 2020.

Mitzi McCall

Mitzi McCall, the comedian and actress who famously shared the Ed Sullivan Show stage with the Beatles and indelibly played a dry cleaner’s wife with boundary issues on Seinfeld, died Aug. 8, at 93. McCall formed a comedy duo with her husband, Charlie Brill, who appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on the night that the Fab Four first performed on an American stage. Her best-remembered acting role came in the 1994 Seinfeld episode “The Secretary,” wherein Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) accosts her character, a dry-cleaner’s wife, for wearing his mother’s fur coat. In addition to recurring roles on Silk Stalkings, Alright Already, and Life Goes On, McCall appeared in episodes of shows like The Twilight Zone, The Tonight Show, Scooby-Doo, Roseanne, Ellen, Becker, Chuck, Hannah Montana, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

Connie Chiume

Connie Chiume, the trailblazing South African actress who broke through apartheid barriers and starred in both Black Panther films, died on Aug. 6 at 72. Her family announced the news on social media, stating that Chiume passed “after a period of illness.” Chiume became widely known to audiences around the world after appearing as Zawavari, the leader of a distinguished Wakandan mining tribe and a member of the Wakanda Tribal Council in 2018’s Black Panther. But by then Chiume was already in the fourth decade of her acting career, which followed a full tenure as a teacher in Johannesburg. She rose to fame in 1989 on the popular TV series Ikolm’ Edwa Yadwa. As apartheid was dismantled around her, Chiume’s star grew, leading her to award-winning roles in series like Soul City and Home Affairs, and films like In My Country, co-starring Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche. Chiume also appeared in Beyoncé’s 2020 film Black Is King and in more than 100 episodes of the popular South African TV series Rhythm City as the matriarch Mamokete Khuse.

Patti Yasutake

Patti Yasutake, the stage and screen actress best known for her roles as Alyssa Ogawa in the Star Trek franchise and Fumi Nakai on Beef, died Aug. 5 from cancer. She was 70. An East West Players alum, Yasutake made her feature film debut in Ron Howard’s 1986 comedy Gung Ho, reprising her role in the short-lived ABC sitcom sequel of the same name before making guest spots on shows like Take Five, Mr. Belvedere, Murphy Brown, and Picket Fences. Her most memorable role came as nurse Alyssa Ogawa in the 1990s series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which she would reprise for 1994’s Star Trek: Generations and 1996’s Star Trek: First Contact. Other credits include films Drop Dead Gorgeous and The Wash and shows Grey’s Anatomy, Cold Case, Bones, and the Young and the Restless. Yasutake’s final role was as Fumi Nakai, the domineering mother of Joseph Lee’s George, on the acclaimed series Beef starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun.

Charles Cyphers

Charles Cyphers, the character actor and frequent John Carpenter collaborator best known for playing Sheriff Leigh Brackett in the Halloween movies, died Aug. 4 after a brief illness. Born in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Cyphers studied acting at CSU Los Angeles and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His early screen credits included TV series like The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Charlie’s Angels, Roots, Wonder Woman, and The Betty White Show, and movies like Honkytonk Man, Coming Home, Gray Lady Down, Death Wish II, and A Force of One. Working with Carpenter, he appeared in the films Assault on Precinct 13, The Fog, Escape From New York, Halloween, Halloween II, and Halloween Kills.

Bobby Banas

Bobby Banas, best known to audiences as Joyboy, a member of the Jets, in the 1961 film adaptation of West Side Story, died on July 29. He was 90 years old. Banas danced in many memorable films of the 1950s and 60s, including The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Bye Bye Birdie, Damn Yankees, and Mary Poppins, in which he played a chimney sweep. Banas once memorably danced “The Nitty Gritty” on an episode of The Judy Garland Show, a number which went viral years later on YouTube and introduced him to new audiences. In his later years, he worked as a choreographer, mainly on television for shows such as The Virginian, Mork & Mindy, and Teen Witch.

Francine Pascal

Francine Pascal, author of the long-running, best-selling, and much-beloved Sweet Valley High series of young-adult books, died July 28 in Manhattan at the age of 92 after a battle with lymphoma. The series, which first had its debut in 1983, spawned multiple spin-offs, ran for 20 years, was translated into 27 languages, and reportedly sold 150 million copies worldwide. Sequels The Sweet Valley Confidential and The Sweet Life were published in 2011 and 2012 and followed the original characters as adults. A Sweet Valley High TV series ran from 1994 to 1997 in syndication and briefly on UPN. Non-SVH projects of Pascal’s included the Fearless books series, adult novel If Wishes Were Horses, psychological thriller Save Johanna!, and YA book The Ruling Class.

Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Nelon Clark, and Amber Nelon Kistler

Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband, Jason Nelon Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler of the Grammy-nominated gospel family group the Nelons were killed in a plane crash on July 26 while on their way to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska. Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler, was also killed, as well as the band’s assistant, Melodi Hodges, and the pilot and his wife, Larry and Melissa Haynie. The fourth member of the Nelons, the youngest daughter Autumn Nelon Streetman, was not onboard the plane and was informed of the accident after arriving in Seattle with her husband, Jamie Streetman. Originally formed in 1977 by Kelly’s father, Rex Nelon, the Nelons have released more than 40 albums and won 10 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards throughout their nearly 50-year music career. The band was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Kim Johnson

Kim Johnson, the retired schoolteacher who competed on Survivor: Africa and became the season’s runner-up, died July 23 at 79 after a long battle with cancer. Born in Cleveland and raised in Annapolis, Md., before moving to Oyster Bay, N.Y., Johnson was 56 when she competed on Survivor back in 2001. While she thought she would be the first person eliminated, Johnson made it all the way to the final four, and then surprised everyone by winning the final two immunity challenges. Though she ultimately lost to Zohn in a 5-2 jury vote at the final Tribal Council, Johnson is not only the oldest Survivor contestant to win a final immunity challenge, she also remains the oldest female finalist in franchise history.

Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir

Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last surviving original member of Motown’s the Four Tops, died on July 22 of heart failure. He was 88. Along with Obie Benson, Lawrence Payton, and Levi Stubbs, Fakir’s recordings included hits such as “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” and “Baby I Need Your Loving.” In 1990, Fakir and his bandmates were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Stevie Wonder. They were recognized with a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2009.

Evelyn Thomas

Evelyn Thomas, a disco singer best known for her hit track, “High Energy,” died July 21 at the age of 70. Thomas first garnered attention for her music in 1976, releasing two tracks, “Weak Spot” and “Doomsday.” Her debut album, I Wanna Make It On My Own, dropped in 1978. Her biggest hit came in 1984 with “High Energy,” which topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart for one week and reached No. 85 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track and Thomas were also credited with boosting the Hi-NRG genre, an even more up-tempo offshoot of disco.

Lou Dobbs

Longtime conservative talk show host and political commentator Lou Dobbs died July 18 at 78. The pundit hosted Lou Dobbs Tonight, originally Moneyline, on CNN. He revived the show after leaving the network for Fox Business Network, where it aired until February 2021. More recently he hosted iHeart Radio’s Great America Show.

Esta TerBlanche

Esta TerBlanche, the South African actress who starred as Gillian Andrassy in All My Children, died on July 18 at 51, her manager confirmed to Entertainment Weekly.  Born Jan. 7, 1973 in Rustenburg South Africa, TerBlanche got her start when she was crowned Miss Teen South Africa in 1991. She subsequently began her acting career with a role in the popular drama, Egoli: Place of Gold from 1992- 1995. She ultimately  left the show to relocate to Los Angeles, where she landed the role of Gillian in All My Children. A spoiled Hungarian princess, Gillian was initially a troublemaking addition to the show but eventually evolved into a much kinder person who romance with Cameron Mathison’s Ryan Lavery was a fan-favorite coupling. Gillian was killed off in a 2001 episode, when TerBlanche expressed a desire to return home to South Africa. After leaving the soap opera, the actress took a break from acting and opened a spa. TerBlanche was married to André Kock from 1997 to 2008, and is survived by her ex-husband and goddaughter Barbie Ashley.

Bob Newhart

Bob Newhart, one of television’s most revered comedic actors of all time, died July 18 at 94 after a series of short illnesses. His career spanned 60 years, from his early roots as a stand-up on The Ed Sullivan Show to his cameos as the beloved Professor Proton on Young Sheldon. His pitch-perfect timing and deadpan delivery made him a timeless comic force. Newhart’s first comedy album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1961, while Newhart was named Best New Artist. His work in stand-up got him noticed by NBC, which gave him a variety show in 1961. The program only lasted one season, but it showed Hollywood he had the chops for hosting — and for busting chops. He went on to help emcee on The Entertainers, The Dean Martin Show, Ed Sullivan, and The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. Newhart would go on to lead the eponymous sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, the latter of which was known for its iconic ending.

Cheng Pei-pei

Cheng Pei-pei, the Chinese actress known for her roles in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Come Drink with Me, died July 17. She was 78. A martial arts icon who was considered the first Chinese female action hero, Cheng starred in 20 wuxia action films from Shaw Brothers Studios, also including The Last Woman of Shang and The Jade Raksha. Cheng gained international recognition as assassin Jade Fox in Ang Lee‘s Academy Award-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Other notable credits in a career that spanned six decades include Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Lilting, Meditation Park, and the live-action Mulan.

Whitney Rydbeck

Whitney Rydbeck, an actor and mime perhaps best known as one Jason Voorhies’ victims in the sixth Friday the 13th movie — as well as one of the original crash test dummies in a memorable public service campaign for seat belts — died July 15 after battling cancer. He was 79. Rydbeck made his acting debut on a 1970 episode of Nanny and the Professor. He went on to put his mime talents to work on the 1973 Woody Allen film Sleeper and later appeared in Rocky II and the Steven Spielberg film 1941, both from 1979.Rydbeck appeared in over 50 movies and television shows from 1970 through 2007, including The Brady Bunch, Lassie, M*A*S*H, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Murder, She Wrote, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Party of Five, and Scrubs.

Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty, the actress known for her roles on the hit TV series Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, died July 13 at 53, after a long battle with cancer. Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and received chemotherapy; she had a single mastectomy in 2016 and underwent breast reconstruction in 2018. However, in 2020, her cancer returned. A Memphis native, Doherty got her start in Hollywood as a child actress, with her first TV role at age 10 and her first film role at 12. Her big break came in 1988’s Heathers, alongside a young Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Doherty became a household name thanks to her roles on 90210, where she played Brenda Walsh for four seasons, and Charmed, where she played Prue Halliwell for three seasons.

Naomi Pomeroy

Naomi Pomeroy, the chef and restaurateur known for for helping to put the Portland, Ore., dining scene on the map and for competing on the third season of Top Chef Masters, died July 13 in a water recreation accident. The 49-year-old James Beard Award winner drowned in the Willamette River, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. She had been out with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and a friend, who both survived. Pomeroy, the founder of the critically acclaimed restaurant Beast, also appeared on the original Top Chef as a guest judge, and on TV shows such as The Taste and American Masters over the years. In 2010, she competed on Iron Chef America. Her cookbook Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking was published in 2016.

James Sikking

James B. Sikking, who memorably starred as Lt. Howard Hunter on the police procedural Hill Street Blues and played the titular character’s father on Doogie Howser M.D., died July 13 of complications from dementia. He was 90. Born March 5, 1934, in Los Angeles, Sikking began his career with several guest roles on television series including Perry Mason, General Hospital, Bonanza, Starsky & Hutch, Hogan’s Heroes, and Hawaii Five-O. In 1981, he became a series regular on Hill Street Blues as the no-nonsense Vietnam War veteran, Howard Hunter. The tone-setting cop drama debuted to critical acclaim and went on to span seven seasons, earning 26 Emmy Awards (out of 98 total nominations) during its run. Sikking received an Emmy nomination for his performance in 1984. Two years after the drama concluded, Sikking reunited with Hill Street Blues creator Steven Bochco for Doogie Howser M.D. Starring alongside a young Neil Patrick Harris as his onscreen father, Dr. David Howser. Sikking also appeared in 1984’s Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, directed by and starring Leonard Nimoy, and the 1993 legal drama, The Pelican Brief. Sikking is survived by wife, two children, and four grandchildren.

Richard Simmons

Richard Simmons, the eccentric fitness instructor and media personality who rose to prominence in the 1980s, died July 13 at 76. He had celebrated his birthday just one day earlier. Simmons moved to Los Angeles in the 1970 and opened his own fitness studio, ​​Anatomy Asylum (later renamed Slimmons), in Beverly Hills. His studio, which focused on helping fitness newcomers gain an interest in exercise, was featured in a an episode of the NBC reality series Real People, which led to dozens of other media appearances. He starred as himself in several episodes of General Hospital in the 1980s, hosted his own Daytime Emmy–winning talk show, and produced more than 60 workout videos throughout his career.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Dr. Ruth Westheimer — the groundbreaking sex therapist, author, and TV and radio host who imparted hilariously candid sex advice on programs like Sexually Speaking and The Dr. Ruth Show — died July 12 at 96. Westheimer became an overnight sensation in the 1980s when she launched her call-in radio program Sexually Speaking, in which she answered sex- and relationship-related questions from listeners. She later made the jump to television, hosting several Lifetime sex advice programs including The Dr. Ruth Show. Westheimer also released her own board game, appeared in several film and television shows like Quantum Leap, and penned more than 40 books about sex and sexuality. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2019, and was also the subject of the 2013 play Becoming Dr. Ruth, starring Debra Jo Rupp, and the 2019 film Ask Dr. Ruth.

Shelley Duvall

Shelley Duvall, the actress who starred in several Robert Altman films and evaded an ax-swinging Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick‘s The Shining, died July 11 due to complications from diabetes. She was 75. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Duvall was discovered by Robert Altman, who cast her in his 1970 film, Brewster McCloud. The film would mark the first of seven projects that the pair would work on together over the next seven years, including 1975’s Nashville, 1977’s 3 Women, and 1980’s Popeye. She also etched her name into horror history as Wendy Torrance in The Shining, a taxing role that saw her star opposite Jack Nicholson. Outside of film, Duvall also created, hosted, and executive produced several popular children’s television programs throughout the 1980s, including Faerie Tale Theatre, Nightmare Classics, and Tall Tales & Legends. She retired from acting in 2002, before appearing in a controversial Dr. Phil episode where she revealed that she’d been struggling with her mental health. However, over two decades after saying farewell to Hollywood, Duvall returned to star in the 2023 indie horror film, The Forest Hills.

Benji Gregory

Benji Gregory, who rose to fame as a child star on ALF, died on June 13 after suffering from heatstroke, his sister told the New York Times. He was 46. Born Benjamin Hertzberg on May 26, 1978 in Los Angeles, Calif., Gregory quickly became a busy child actor after landing a role in the hit sitcom at 8 years old. He rose to fame playing Brian Tanner across 101 episodes of ALF, which premiered in 1986. The NBC sitcom chronicled life with an alien who lived with a suburban family. The series ran for four seasons. Gregory is also known for roles in The Twilight Zone, The A-Team, T.J. Hooker, Fantasy Island and Murphy Brown. He made several appearances as an orphan named Dash in Punky Brewster and was also featured in Whoopi Goldberg’s 1986 spy comedy, Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Gregory’s voice-over work included Pound Puppies, Fantastic Max, the Back to the Future TV series and his last credit, a voice role in 1993’s Once Upon a Forest. Gregory left Hollywood after his early acting career and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he graduated to become an aerographer’s mate, specializing in meteorology and oceanography. 

Carol Bongiovi

Carol Bongiovi, the former Playboy bunny, U.S. Marine, entrepreneur, and mother of legendary rocker Jon Bon Jovi, died July 9, at 83. Born Carol Sharkey and raised in Erie, Pa., she met her future husband, John Bongiovi, Sr. after enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1959. The couple later settled down in Sayreville, N.J., where they raised their three sons. An avid supporter of her son Jon’s dream to become a musician, Bongiovi bought him his first acoustic guitar at age 7 and later founded and operated the Bon Jovi fan club out of her flower shop. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, as well as their three sons, three daughters-in-law, and eight grandchildren.

Joe Bonsall

Joe Bonsall, an author and longtime member of The Oak Ridge Boys, died July 9 at 76 due to complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The Philadelphia native joined the Southern Gospel vocal group in October 1973, and went on to perform some of their biggest hits alongside bandmates Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban over the following decades. As a member of the quartet, Bonsall was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was also a prolific author, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and personally inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame in 1994. He retired from touring with the band in January 2024.

Jon Landau

Jon Landau, the Golden Globe– and Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on Titanic and his Avatar films, died on July 5 in Los Angeles. He was 63. Born on July 23, 1960, to producer parents, Landau studied at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles and later worked as a production manager on such titles as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Dick Tracy. By 29, he became the executive vice president of feature film production at 20th Century Fox, where he oversaw films including Home Alone, Die Hard 2, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Last of the Mohicans, and Speed. His collaborations with Cameron would result in three of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Titanic, which won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, became the first movie to gross more than $1 billion globally after its 1997 release. It eventually earned a record $1.84 billion, which the next film they made together, Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar, surpassed. The 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, became the third-highest-grossing film of all time, raking in $2.32 billion worldwide. Landau also worked as the chief operating officer of Cameron’s production studio, Lightstorm Entertainment, and was the driving force behind Disney World’s Avatar attraction. Cameron paid tribute to him in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “A great producer and a great human being has left us,” said the director. “Jon Landau believed in the dream of cinema. He believed that film is the ultimate human art form, and to make films you have to first be human yourself. He will be remembered as much for his vast generosity of spirit as for the movies themselves.”

Judith Belushi Pisano

Judith “Judy” Belushi Pisano, the actress, producer, and widow of legendary comedian John Belushi, has died at 73. Belushi Pisano first crossed paths with the future Saturday Night Live star while attending high school in Wheaton, Ill. They married in 1973. That decade would mark Belushi’s meteoric rise to fame as he found success with the Second City comedy troupe and was tapped to be part of the inaugural cast of SNL. At the time, Belushi Pisano worked as a New York City radio producer, but she would later have uncredited roles in Belushi’s two blockbuster hits, Animal House and The Blues Brothers. The couple remained  together until Belushi’s death from a drug overdose in 1982. She later married Victor Pisano in 1990 before filing for divorce two decades later, in 2010. Belushi Pisano spent many of her later years protecting and preserving her late husband’s legacy, including serving as a producer on The Best of John Belushi and the documentary John Belushi: Dancing on the Edge.

William ‘Rusty’ Golden

Rusty Golden, the singer-songwriter and son of The Oak Ridge Boys member William Lee Golden, has died. He was 65. Born the eldest son to William and Frogene Golden on Jan. 3, 1959 in Brewton, Ala., he was given the name William Lee Golden Jr. at birth but soon earned the lifelong nickname, Rusty. Surrounded by music from a young age, he played drums for the band The Rambos at 13 and began touring with Larry Gatlin as a keyboard player by 17. In the ‘80s, Rusty co-founded country-rock group The Boys Band. He would later collaborate with Marc Speer, of the The Speer Family, and launch Golden Speer, which included Rusty’s brother Chris on lead vocals. Rusty and Chris would later record as a duo, The Goldens. Their critically acclaimed 1990 album, Rush for Gold, produced three charting singles: “Take Me Back to the Country,” “Keep the Faith,” and “Long Gone.” In 2020, the brothers teamed up with their father to form the family band William Lee Golden and the Goldens. Joined by brother Craig, nieces Elizabeth and Rebekah and nephew Elijah, they created a family band spanning three generations.

KeKe Jabbar

KeKe Jabbar, a cast member of the OWN reality show Love & Marriage: Huntsville, died around July 2 at age 42. A cause of death was not immediately made available. The series “centers around the lives of three high-powered African-American couples who come together to revitalize the thriving city of Huntsville, Alabama, through their joint real estate venture, The Comeback Group.” Jabbar joined her cousin LaTisha Scott on the reality series last year.

Robert Towne

Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of neo-noir classic Chinatown, died on July 1 at the age of 89. Towne was a prolific screenwriter, known best for his mid-1970s stretch of hits that included Chinatown, Shampoo, and The Last Detail. He was also widely known as a script doctor, called upon to fix scripts or add scenes to the likes of The Godfather, Bonnie and Clyde, and more. His other titles include Days of Thunder, The Firm, the first two entries in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tequila Sunrise, and Ask the Dust, the latter two of which he also directed. In his later years, he also served as a consulting producer on Mad Men.

Doug Sheehan

Doug Sheehan, who made a name for himself as a soap star and went on to play TV dads on ’90s shows like Clueless and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, died June 29 at 75. A California native, Sheehan landed his breakout role as lawyer Joe Kelly on General Hospital, which earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination. After staying with GH from 1979 to 1982, he booked the role of reporter Ben Gibson on Knots Landing, which he portrayed from 1983 to 1988. Sheehan went on to play Cher Horowitz’s father, Mel, on the UPN TV adaptation of Clueless, and to feature in two episodes as Sabrina’s father on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He also starred in two seasons of the NBC sitcom Day By Day.

Martin Mull

Comedian and actor Martin Mull, known for roles in Clue, Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Arrested Development, among many others, died June 27 at age 80 after an undisclosed illness. Mull originally rose to fame on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and its spinoffs, Fernwood 2 Night and America 2 Night. In 1985, he co-wrote and starred in the mockumentary The History of White People in America alongside frequent collaborator Fred Willard. Mull had memorable roles as Colonel Mustard in the 1985 cult comedy Clue, as Gene Parmesan on Arrested Development, as Russell on Two and a Half Men as Russell, and voiced the main villain Vlad Plasmius on animated series Danny Phantom. He earned his only Emmy nomination in 2016 for his work on Veep playing Bob “The Eagle” Bradley. Other onscreen appearances include The Ellen Show, Dads, Life in Pieces, Serial, FM, Mr. Mom, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Jingle All the Way.

Kinky Friedman

Texas-based country musician, author, and humorist Kinky Friedman died June 27 at his ranch near Austin, Tex., after a struggle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 79. Friedman’s music catalog, which he sometimes performed with the band he formed in the ’70s, Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, included irreverent songs such as “A–hole from El Paso,” “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to You,” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed.” The artist toured with Bob Dylan and performed on Saturday Night Live, and at the Grand Ole Opry. But that was just part of his expansive career, which also included writing mystery novels and a column for Texas Monthly. In 2006, he had a memorable run for governor of “The Lone Star State,” which he lost to Rick Perry. His death announcement said that he “endured tremendous pain & unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.”

Renauld White

Renauld White, an occasional actor who became only the second Black model to appear on the cover of GQ magazine in 1979, died on June 26. He was 80 years old. Starting modeling in the 1960s, White was known for championing more diversity in fashion. He walked the runway for Bill Blass in 1969 and went on to appear in shows by Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Donna Karan. He also worked for the likes of  Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Versace, Armani, and Cerutti. White came out of retirement in 2023 to model for a Dolce & Gabana campaign, shot by Steven Meisel. Though known primarily for his modeling, White also dabbled in acting, transitioning his good looks to daytime TV with a brief stint in 1986-87 on The Guiding Light as William Reynolds. White also appeared in the 2014 TV movie Gun Hill and the 2017 movie Central Park.

Pat Heywood

Pat Heywood, Scottish character actress who made her film debut at age 36 playing Olivia Hussey’s nurse and confidant in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, died on June 26. She was 92. For her role in Romeo & Juliet, Heywood was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA. Born on Aug. 1, 1931, in Gretna Green, Scotland, Heywood spent her early acting days in the theater but she would go on to make a career out of playing small roles in films such as 1969’s Goodbye, Mr. Chips, 1970’s Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, and Girly, and 1971’s Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?. On television, Heywood starred on the 1976 ITV sitcom Lucky Feller, as well as the 1978 BBC miniseries adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Her last appearance onscreen was also courtesy of Zeffirelli and his 1993 film Sparrow.

Sika Anoa’i

Sika Anoa’i, the WWE Hall of Famer and father of fellow pro wrestling star Roman Reigns, died June 25, at 79. Known as Sika in the ring, he was half of the Wild Samoans tag team, which also included his older brother, Afa Anoa’i. “The duo’s fearsome presence and unhinged style made them massive stars for WWE in the late ’70s and early ’80s as they dominated the tag team division, winning the championship on three separate occasions,” the WWE said in a statement. Sika retired from the ring in 1988, but his legacy continued, as he and his brother opened a training center for future wrestling stars. He was also the father of late pro wrestler Matthew Anoa’i, a.k.a. Rosey, who died in 2017.

Bill Cobbs

Prolific character actor Bill Cobbs, who appeared in movies such as The Bodyguard, Night at the Museum, and Demolition Man, as well as on shows such as The Sopranos, I’ll Fly Away, and One Life to Live, died June 25, at 90. His publicist, Chuck I. Jones, remembered him as “a phenomenal human being.” The Cleveland native spent eight years in the Air Force and also worked at a car dealership and at IBM before he began his half-century run in Hollywood. Along the way, he earned a Daytime Emmy for his work as Mr. Hendrickson on Dino Dana, a Canadian educational show for children.

Joan Benedict

Joan Benedict, the Candid Camera and General Hospital actress died on June 24 of complications from a stroke, a family spokesperson confirmed to EW. She was 96. Born July 21, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, Benedict began performing as a dancer at age 7. After training at the Rome Opera Ballet, she studied with acting coaches Robert Lewis and Stella Adler, two of the founders of New York’s famous Actor’s Studio. She went on to become a member of Allen Funt’s company for Candid Camera and was also an ensemble member on NBC’s The Steve Allen Show. Her later TV credits would include The Incredible Hulk, Fantasy Island, Days of Our Lives and Capitol. She also landed a recurring role as Edith Fairchild on General Hospital. Benedict was widowed twice: she first married actor John Myhers, of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying fame, in 1962. The couple, who share a daughter, spent three decades together until his 1992 death. She next wed Academy Award-winner Rod Steiger in 2000. He died two years later, of complications from surgery for a gallbladder tumor. She subsequently had a relationship with Once Life To Live actor Jeremy Slate until he died in 2006. Benedict is survived by her daughter and two granddaughters.

Shifty Shellshock

Shifty Shellshock, the lead singer of rap-rock band Crazy Town who performed hits like “Butterfly,” died at his home on June 24 at age 49, according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner report. Shellshock, born Seth Binzer, collaborated with Bret “Epic” Mazur under the name The Brimstone Sluggers before going on to co-found Crazy Town together. The band released their debut album, The Gift of the Game, in 1999, but it wasn’t until the release of their third single “Butterfly” the following year that they achieved mainstream success. The band broke up after their second album, but reunited over the following years and released their third album The Brimstone Sluggers in 2015. Binzer, who struggled with addiction throughout his life, also performed as a solo artist and as the frontman for Shifty and the Big Shots.

Pat Colbert

Pat Colbert, best known for her role as Dora Mae on Dallas, died on June 23. She was 77. Colbert appeared on a number of notable ’80s TV shows, including Benson and The Fall Guy. She also played Bill Cosby’s wife in the 1987 comedy film Leonard Part 6. But her most notable role came on Dallas, from 1983-1991. Starting in season 6, she played Dora Mae, hostess at the Oil Baron’s Club, the unsubtly-named restaurant (inspired by the real-life Dallas Petroleum Club) that served as a gathering place for the oil-rich Ewing family and their various associates.

Julio Foolio

Julio Foolio, the Florida rapper born Charles Jones and known for songs including “Crooks” and “Reach The Top,” was shot and killed June 23 in a hotel parking lot in Tampa. He was 26. Representative Lewis Fusco said Jones had been in Tampa to celebrate his birthday and was reportedly ambushed. As a rap artist, Jones had amassed 1.1. million followers on Instagram and nearly 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. He first made waves with the release of his 2018 single “Coming Up” and continued to cultivate a following via social media platforms and a YouTube channel. His 10 albums included 2024’s Resurrection.

Sarah Becker

Sarah Becker, a comic book store worker who appeared on The Real World: Miami, has died at the age of 52. Becker, who hailed from La Jolla, Calif., appeared on the Miami-set season 5 of MTV’s The Real World in 1996 alongside Dan Renzi, Melissa Padrón, Joe Patane, Cynthia Roberts, Flora Alekseyeva, and Mike Lambert.

Tamayo Perry

Tamayo Perry, a surfer, lifeguard and actor who appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, died on June 23 following a shark attack off the coast of Hawaii’s Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu. He was 49. Perry had been working as a lifeguard since July 2016 and prior to landing the gig, had been a professional surfer for over a decade. Perry was also an actor, appearing in small roles like 2002’s surfing romance Blue Crush and one episode of the Hawaii-set procedural, Hawaii Five-O.  He is also credited as a stunt performer on the Owen Wilson surfing movie The Big Bounce, adapted from Elmore Leonard’s novel of the same name. Perry appeared in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film in 2011, ahead of his final role in the 2015 short film, The Bridge.

Ryan Hadley

Ryan Hadley, the tattoo artist known for competing on season 6 of the reality series Ink Master, died June 20 at 46, after battling cancer. A statement posted to his Instagram account said, “While his life was cut short, in that time he left a legacy behind in both the art and tattoo world. He loved his many fans, his friends and clients, and most of all his children. He’ll be missed and always remembered.” Hadley appeared on Ink Master in 2015 and was eliminated in the second week. After the series, he continued to work as a tattoo artist, sharing photos of his latest work alongside updates on his health on social media.

Taylor Wily

Taylor Wily, known for playing Kamekona Tupuola on 171 episodes on Hawaii Five-0, plus additional appearances as the character on Magnum P.I. and MacGyver, died June 20 at the age of 56. Wily got his start as a sumo wrestler and competed in UFC matches under the name Teila Tuli. His breakthrough role was considered to be Kemo from the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, though he would debut as Kamekona on Hawaii Five-0 just a couple years later in 2010. Peter Lenkov, an executive producer on that series and a longtime friend of Wily’s, recalled in a tribute how he was won over by the actor from the first audition. “You came in with a towel on your head mopping up sweat, and I was smitten,” he wrote on Instagram. “You charmed me into making you a regular… on the show… and in my life. You were family.”

Donald Sutherland

Donald Sutherland, the venerated Canadian actor whose career spans seven decades, has died at 88. Born July 17, 1935, in Saint John, Canada, Sutherland began his acting career with small, unnamed roles in British television before landing small parts in low-budget horror films, including 1964’s Castle of the Living Dead and 1965’s Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors. His breakout role was in Robert Aldritch’s The Dirty Dozen, and he achieved further success as Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman’s 1970 war comedy, M*A*S*H. He went on to star in hits such as Don’t Look Now, Animal House, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, JFK, Six Degrees of Separation, The Italian Job, and Pride and Prejudice. He also played the Hunger Games series antagonist President Coriolanus Snow across the franchise’s original four films. While Sutherland was never nominated for a competitive Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him with an honorary statuette at the 2017 Governors Awards. Sutherland earned both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role in the detective drama, Citizen X, and an additional Golden Globe for the HBO series, Path to War. Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, and his four children, including fellow actor Kiefer Sutherland.

Anouk Aimée

Anouk Aimée, the French leading lady who worked with such auteurs as Federico Fellini, Sidney Lumet, Jacques Demy, and Bernardo Bertolucci died June 18 at age 92. The Oscar-nominated actress is perhaps best known for her role in Claude Lelouch’s beloved 1966 romance, A Man and a Woman, where she starred opposite Jean-Louis Trintignant. Following its release, Aimée achieved international acclaim, winning a Golden Globe for Best Actress. The film itself won the Palme d’Or at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival, a Golden Globe, and two Academy Awards. It also spawned two sequels: A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later and The Best Years of a Life. Aimée’s other notable credits include Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, Bertolucci’s Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man, Lumet’s The Appointment, Robert Altman’s Prêt-à-Porter, and Agnes Varda’s A Hundred and One Nights.

Hiram Kasten

Hiram Kasten, the New York stand-up comic who also appeared on TV shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, died June 16, at 71. A Bronx native, he began performing comedy in the 1970s at the Upper East Side jazz club Pearl’s Place before making his way to the Comic Strip, where he befriended emcee Jerry Seinfeld. Kasten later took over as the emcee at the Comic Strip, and also became a regular at clubs like Catch a Rising Star and Dangerfield’s in the 1980s. The comedian played Michael, a co-worker of Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), on three episodes of Seinfeld. Kasten also acted in a 2001 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and made one-episode appearances on shows like Everybody Loves Raymond, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Mad About You, and Saved by the Bell.

Nick Mavar

Nick Mavar, a deckhand who appeared on 17 seasons of Deadliest Catch, died on June 15 at age 59 after suffering a medical emergency at an Alaskan boatyard. Mavar made his Deadliest Catch debut in 2005, when he could be seen working as a deckhand on the Northwestern in the very first episode of Discovery’s crab fishing reality series. He appeared on 98 episodes across 16 years, serving as the right hand man for Captain Sig Hansen on that same vessel. His final episode aired during season 17 in 2021 following a ruptured appendix that led to the discovery of a cancerous tumor the year prior

Angela Bofill

Singer-songwriter Angela Bofill, best known for her hits “I Try,” “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter,” and “I’m On Your Side,” died June 13 at her daughter’s home in Vallejo, Calif. She was 70 years old. The Cuban-Puerto Rican musician was born May 2, 1954, and received a bachelor of music degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Bofill began recording in her teens and released her first studio album, Angie, in 1978, which included her hit “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter.” Her second album, 1979’s Angel of the Night, spawned additional hit singles “What I What Wouldn’t Do (For the Love of You)” and “I Try,” making Bofill one of the first Latina singers to achieve success in the R&B and jazz genres. Bofill continued to steadily release albums through the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, Her 10th and final studio album, Love in Slow Motion, was released in 1996. 

Johnny Canales

Tejano music legend Johnny Canales died June 12 at age 77. The Latino singer and musician was best known for hosting his program The Johnny Canales Show, where he would welcome well-known and up-and-coming groups from United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. The show debuted on KRIS in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1983 and aired on Univision Network from 1988 to 1996 and Telemundo beginning in 1997. He is widely regarded as the person who introduced mainstream audiences to Selena Quintanilla after she made one of her first live TV appearances on his show in 1985 and became a frequent returning guest with her band Selena y Los Dinos.

Tony Mordente

Tony Mordente, who played the short-tempered Jet named Action in West Side Story, died on June 11 at 88. Mordente first played a character named A-Rab in the original stage show on Broadway where he met and married his costar Chita Rivera, who originated the role of Anita. The couple had a daughter — Tony-nominated actress Lisa Mordente — before divorcing in 1966. Mordente went on to direct dozens of TV shows, including Rhoda; M*A*S*H; Family Ties; The A-Team; Matlock; Walker, Texas Ranger; and 7th Heaven.

Françoise Hardy

Françoise Hardy, the French singer, actor, and model who rose to fame in the ’60s, died June 11 after battling lymphatic and laryngeal cancer for over 20 years. She was 80. The pop icon had her first hit when she was just 18 years old, with “Tous les Garcons et les Filles” in 1962, and went on to release dozens of albums over the course of her career spanning six decades. She also modeled for many designers including Yves Saint Laurent and acted onscreen in John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix, and Claude Lelouch’s If It Had to Be Done Again, and more. And in 2018, she published her autobiography, The Despair of Monkeys and Other Trifles.

Tony Lo Bianco

Tony Lo Bianco, who starred as Sal Boca in William Friedkin’s Academy Award-winning film The French Connection, died June 11 at 87. Born in Brooklyn, New York on October 19, 1936, Lo Bianco was inspired to pursue acting by his high school drama teacher. He landed his breakout gig in the Friedkin-helmed film, which would go on to win Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director. Lo Bianco quickly earned acclaim for both The French Connection and The Honeymoon Killers, where he played the notorious “lonely hearts killer” Raymond Fernandez. He starred opposite Shirley Stoler in the 1970 film, which has since been reclaimed as a cult classic. Lo Bianco went on to appear in over 100 films, including Bloodbrothers with Richard Gere, City Heat with Clint Eastwood, and Kill the Irishman with Ray Stevenson. His final film was the 2022 Ray Romano-directed comedy, Somewhere in Queens. He also starred in several TV shows and in 1983, earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance as Eddie Carbone in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge.

Michael Mosley

Dr. Michael Mosley, a British TV host and author of diet books, was found dead at age 67 on the Greek island of Symi on June 9 after a dayslong search. He was a popular fixture in British media, and had a column in the Daily Mail in addition to several diet books, with most of his work focusing in the fields of health and science. Of particular note, his 2013 book The Fast Diet helped popularize intermittent fasting. He contributed to a number of British TV programs — usually for BBC Two — about science and wellness, including 2013’s Genius of Invention, which covered the history of British inventions, and the long-running Trust Me, I’m a Doctor!, which combined useful health advice with some satirical humor.

Mark James

Mark James, the Grammy-winning songwriter who crafted hits for Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson, died June 8 at the age of 83. He was behind such hits like Presley’s “Suspicious Minds,” B.J. Thomas’ “Hooked on a Feeling,” and Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” the latter of which won James two Grammys, one for best country song and other for song of the year. James was hailed as one of BMI’s Songwriters of the Century in 2000 and inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Ben Potter

Ben Potter, a popular YouTube star, died on June 8 at age 40 “in an unfortunate accident,” his wife Nathalie announced on social media. Known as Comicstorian, Potter was known for creating audio dramas of characters from the DC and Marvel universe, releasing nearly 4,000 videos and amassing over 3 million followers on YouTube. In her lengthy statement, Nathalie said she planned to “preserve everything” her husband had built. “To many of you, he was Comicstorian, voicing stories from across multiple different mediums. To his loved ones, he was one of the best and most supportive individuals anyone could ask for,” Nathalie wrote of her husband, whom she called “our rock” and “my world.” “As a husband, a son, a brother, a friend, or even just a stranger, Ben was loving and genuine.”

Tony Knight

British comedian and “Dog Listener” Tony Knight died June 7 in a freak accident, according to both a GoFundMe page started by his partner’s sister and French newspaper Le Tarn Libre. He was 54. Knight was struck by two large tree branches while attending the Rock & Cars Festival in Lavaur, France, just a few days into his annual trip to the country. The fundraiser noted that Knight was “an Englishman with Australian residency living in France,” who “was having the time of his life.” Knight was remembered as someone whose “passion was dogs” and who “helped people all over the world with his classes both in person, online, on radio and television, ebooks, and more. He was very well respected and admired. His method worked and he loved helping people with their dogs.” Before the tragedy, Knight had planned to tour his act through the United Kingdom and run dog classes in Europe.

Betty Anne Rees

Betty Anne Rees, best known for her roles in The Unholy Rollers and Sugar Hill, died June 3 at 81. Rees kicked off her screen credits with a 1966 episode of the David Carradine-starring ABC series Shane, before appearing in two films the next year, The Cool Ones and Banning. From there, Rees went on to appear on a slew of shows including Adam-12, Medical Center, Mannix, To Rome With Love, Mod Squad, Bearcats!, three episodes of My Three Sons, The F.B.I., Police Woman, S.W.A.T., The Streets of San Francisco, Lou Grant, Barnaby Jones and more. Other film roles included Deathmaster and The Photographer. Rees’ final credit was playing Molly Margo in the television show The Incredible Hulk in 1978.

Brother Marquis

Brother Marquis, the rapper known for being a core member of the controversial Miami hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, died June 3 at 57. Born Mark Ross in Rochester, N.Y., he moved to California as a teenager and formed the duo Caution Crew with Rodney-O in 1983. After releasing multiple singles with the Caution Crew, Ross gained notoriety for his rap battle talents, catching the attention of DJ Mr. Mixx, who invited him to join 2 Live Crew in Miami alongside Fresh Kid Ice and Luke, then known as Luke Skyywalker. 2 Live Crew gained both acclaim and infamy for their sexually explicit lyrics on such albums as 1986’s The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are, 1988’s Move Somethin’ , and 1989’s As Nasty as They Wanna Be. Ross also pursued a number of projects beyond 2 Live Crew. In 1993, he formed 2 Nasty with DJ Toomp, which released the album Indecent Exposure. He also featured on the song “99 Problems,” on Ice-T’s Home Invasion. Ice-T credits Ross with penning the lyric “I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain’t one,” which was further popularized by Jay-Z’s 2003 hit of the same title.

William Russell

William Russell, the English actor known for playing one of the first companions to the titular hero on the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who, died June 3 at 99. Born William Russell Enoch, he studied at Oxford and did his national service in the Royal Air Force before pursuing acting. Russell became known to U.K. audiences in the mid-1950s starring in The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, and he appeared on Doctor Who from its launch in 1963 until 1965. Current Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies memorialized him as “An absolute legend, for Doctor Who and the whole of television.” Russell’s other screen credits included The Man Who Never Was, The Great Escape, Superman, and Coronation Street.

Janis Paige

Janis Paige, the actress known for starring in big-screen and Broadway musicals and comedies like Silk Stockings and The Pajama Game, died June 2 at 101. A multitalented and enduring performer, she was a star of Hollywood’s Golden Age who continued her craft into her 90s. Born and raised in Tacoma, Wash., Paige sang in local amateur shows as a child and performed in theater productions in high school, after which she moved to Los Angeles to try to make it in show business. Discovered while performing at the iconic Hollywood Canteen, she would go on to appear in such films as Romance on the High Seas and Remains to Be Seen; to lead her own sitcom, It’s Always Jan; and to star in stage productions including Here’s Love, Mame, Sweet Charity, and Guys and Dolls.

Erich Anderson

Erich Anderson, the prolific television actor best known for playing Keri Russell‘s father on Felicity, died June 1 in Los Angeles. His wife, Saxon Trainor, announced on Instagram that his passing came after “a brutal struggle with cancer.” Anderson began his career in the ‘80s, landing his breakout role as Rob Dier in 1984’s Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. He would appear in several more films — including Welcome to 18, Patty Hearst, and Bat21 — but would notably establish recurring roles in several TV shows. He appeared as Bobby Stang in Bay City Blues, Billy Sidel in Thirtysomething, Don Kirkendall in NYPD Blue, and Dr. Edward Porter in Felicity. His additional TV credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation, NCIS, 7th Heaven, ER and The X-Files. He also penned three novels: 2012’s Hallowed Be Thy Name, followed by Thy Kingdom Come in 2014 and Rabbit: A Golf Fable in 2022.

Tom Bower

Tom Bower, a prolific character actor known for his work on such TV series as The Waltons and in such films as Die Hard 2, died May 30 at 86. A Denver native, he rose to prominence playing Dr. Curtis Willard on The Waltons, becoming a series regular on the show’s fifth season in 1975 and staying with the show until he was written out in 1978. His other most memorable role was as the janitor, Marvin, in Die Hard 2, who helps Bruce Willis’ John McClane defeat a group of terrorists. Bower’s additional credits on the big and small screens included Out of the Furnace, Crazy Heart, Nixon, Pollock, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Criminal Minds, Bosch, and Lucky Hank. Bower was also a staunch supporter of SAG-AFTRA and a co-creator of SAGindie.

Terrence Beasor

Terrence Beasor, a veteran character actor and voice-over performer whose credits included the films Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The Gods Must Be Crazy, as well as the TV series The Middle and Raising Hope, died May 28 at 89. An Omaha native, Beasor moved to Los Angeles with his family as a child and served in the Navy before embarking on an acting career that would span some 40 years. His lengthy résumé included Jaws: The Revenge, Pet Sematary, Memento, The Incredible Hulk, The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, Cheers, L.A. Law, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Scandal, Gilmore Girls, Scrubs, and Days of Our Lives.

Elizabeth MacRae

Elizabeth MacRae, who memorably played the title character’s girlfriend, Lou-Ann Poovie, in Gomer Pyle: USMC in the late 1960s, died on May 27. She was 88. Between 1958 and 1989, the actress racked up dozens of credits in some of the most popular TV shows of the day like I Dream of Jeannie; Bonanza; The Fugitive; Gunsmoke; and Rhoda, as well as in soap operas, including Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and Guiding Light. In film, she notably portrayed Meredith in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation. Her final acting project was Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! in 1989, in which she played Reporter #3, according to IMDb. According to her obituary, MacRae, who went by “Betsy,” later spent time working as a drug and alcohol counselor in New York and returned to her native North Carolina with her late husband, Charles.

Bill Walton

Bill Walton, NBA MVP and beloved basketball broadcaster, died May 27 at the age of 71, following a battle with cancer. Walton first came to national prominence playing college basketball at UCLA from 1971 to 1974. There, he led the Bruins to two consecutive national titles and helped secure their record-breaking 88 game winning streak. Walton played ten seasons in the NBA, and he was named the MVP of the 1977-78 season. He won two championships, one with the Portland Trail Blazers and the other with the Boston Celtics. Following his career on the court, he transitioned to broadcasting, working as an analyst for both NBA and NCAA basketball games. He won an Emmy in 2001, and he was named one of the top 50 sports broadcasters of all time in 2009.

Albert S. Ruddy

Albert S. Ruddy, best known for producing best picture winners The Godfather (1973) and Million Dollar Baby (2005), died May 25 at 94. The two-time Oscar winner and Montreal native studied architecture and worked at RAND Corporation before beginning steady work in entertainment in the ‘70s. Before his successful foray into film, the producer co-created 1960s sitcom Hogan’s Heroes. His credits also include The Cannonball Run, The Longest Yard, and Ladybugs. Ruddy was portrayed by Miles Teller in the Paramount+ series The Offer, which was about his perspective on the troubled making of The Godfather. Ruddy’s family said in a statement that he would be remembered for “his easy-going nature, his undeniable comedic sense, and his undying interest in people and the stories we tell. He also received tributes from stars such as Al Pacino. “Al Ruddy was absolutely beautiful to me the whole time on The Godfather,” Pacino said, “even when they didn’t want me, he wanted me. He gave me the gift of encouragement when I needed it most and I’ll never forget it.”

Johnny Wactor

Johnny Wactor, an actor best known for playing Brando Corbin on General Hospital, was shot and killed in Los Angeles on May 25 when three men attempted to steal the catalytic converter from his car. He was 37. The Charleston native began his acting career in 2007, appearing in minor roles in Army Wives, and over the years appeared in shows such as NCIS, The OA, and Westworld. In 2020, he landed the recurring role of Brandon Corbin on General Hospital, filming 164 episodes through 2022. He most recently appeared in the films Supercell and Dead Talk Tales Vol. 1 and the series Barbee Rehab and Station 19. Wactor also had a couple upcoming projects, including the film American Sognare, which is currently in post-production.

Richard M. Sherman

Richard M. Sherman, who worked with his late Robert to pen such tunes as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” and “It’s a Small World (After All),” died on May 25 due to an age-related illness. He was 95. The Walt Disney Company announced Sherman’s death the same day, noting that the Sherman Brothers were a key member of founder Walt Disney’s “inner circle of creative talent.” The songwriting duo first crossed paths with the mogul after writing “Tall Paul” for former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, followed by penning “Let’s Get Together” for 1961’s The Parent Trap. From there, they wrote music for dozens of projects at the studio, including The Sword in the Stone, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, and most notably, Mary Poppins. They earned two Academy Awards for the film, for which they handled the score, music, and lyrics. The making of the 1964 hit was later dramatized in the 2013 movie Saving Mr. Banks, which starred Jason Schwartzman as Richard and B.J. Novak as Robert. The Sherman’s also penned music for titles including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte’s Web, Bedknob and Broomsticks, and the Broadway musical Over Here. Richard was preceded in death by Robert, who died in 2012. Throughout their career, the duo earned two Academy Awards (nine total nominations), three Grammys, and 24 gold and platinum albums. Sherman is survived by his wife Elizabeth Sherman, his children and grandchildren.

Doug Ingle

Doug Ingle, a founding member of heavy rock band Iron Butterfly who co-wrote their 17-minute signature hit “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida,” died May 24 at age 78. The Ingle family announced the news on social media, though a cause of death was not disclosed. Ingle was the last surviving member of the band’s original lineup, which was formed in San Diego in 1966, and included drummer Ron Bushy, bassist Lee Dornan, and guitarist Erik Brann. Ingle was with Iron Butterfly throughout the release of its first four albums, including 1968’s Heavy, 1969’s In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, and Ball, and 1970’s Metamorphosis. The band originally broke up in 1971, and Ingle did not return when Iron Butterfly was reformed later that decade by Bushy and Brann. Much of the band’s success was due to “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida,” which became a radio hit. The album went on to become certified quadruple-platinum.

Morgan Spurlock

Morgan Spurlock, the charismatic filmmaker who started a national conversation about America’s reliance on junk food with his 2004 documentary Super Size Me, died on May 23 from complications of cancer. He was 53. After creating and hosting the show I Bet You Will for MTV in 2002, Spurlock began production on his first immersive documentary project the following year. He ate McDonald’s three meals a day for 30 days, and had his film crew document what all that fast food did to his body. The resulting documentary earned him an Oscar nomination and prompted McDonald’s to stop offering supersized portions, though the company did dispute many of the claims made in the film. Spurlock went on to create the documentary series 30 Days for FX, and his subsequent movies explored issues like the war on terrorism (Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?) and the role of product placement in entertainment (The Greatest Movie Ever Sold).

Darryl Hickman

Darryl Hickman, a child star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, died May 22 at 92. Hickman was best known for his string of success as a child and teen actor, particularly his role as Winfield, the youngest member of the Joad family, in John Ford’s 1940 adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath and his heartbreaking turn as the disabled Danny in technicolor noir Leave Her to Heaven. Hickman played the younger version or son of many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Ronald Colman, Van Heflin, and Clark Gable. His films included The Human Comedy, The Star Maker, Tea and Sympathy, The Prisoner of Zenda, Men of Boys Town, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, and Network. In his later years, he primarily worked behind the camera, serving as the head of CBS daytime programming for almost five years. He later decried the cost of being a child star and spoke out about the years he spent in therapy to overcome the impact of his lost childhood.

Richard Foronjy

Richard Foronjy, the character actor known for playing tough-guy roles in movies including Serpico, Midnight Run, and Carlito’s Way, died May 19 at 86. A Brooklyn native, Foronjy had a checkered past before getting into show business. He spent eight and a half years behind bars after being convicted of armed robbery, according to a 1987 interview, in which he also stated his trouble with the law was particularly helpful to all of his later roles. Indeed, following his role as a murderer in Serpico in 1973, Foronjy played cops in Lumet’s The Morning After (1986) and Prince of the City (1981), and a corrupt policeman in Once Upon a Time in America in 1984. He also portrayed mobsters in Martin Brest’s Midnight Run (1988), which also starred Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin, and Brian De Palma’s Carlito’s Way (1993), alongside Al Pacino and Sean Penn. Other film roles included Ghostbusters II, The Gambler, Fun With Dick and Jane, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, True Confessions, Man of the House, and others. On the television side, Foronjy also had roles in Who’s the Boss, Murphy’s Law, Silver Spoons, The Jeffersons, Cagney & Lacy, Hill St. Blues, M*A*S*H, The Streets of San Francisco, Taxi, and Hunter.

Fred Roos

Fred Roos, a casting director and producer who collaborated frequently with Francis Ford Coppola, died on May 18. He was 89. Roos worked as a casting director on a litany of famous films, like George Lucas‘ American Graffiti. He also worked as a producer, frequently with Coppola, getting producer or co-producer credits on The Godfather Part II and III, Apocalypse Now, and 10 other Coppola films, including the long-awaited Megalopolis. Those weren’t his only connections with the Coppola family, however. He not only babysat Sofia Coppola; he produced her films The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, The Bling Ring, and Marie Antoinette, and served as an executive producer on Priscilla. He also produced Eleanor Coppola‘s iconic documentary, Hearts of Darkness. Roos also served as an uncredited casting consultant on Star Wars. Having already cast Harrison Ford in American Graffiti, he pushed Lucas to give Ford the Han Solo role. “[Ford] was doing carpentry work for me, when he needed to make extra money. He had a family, he had kids,” Roos told Entertainment Weekly in 2016. “I was, from the get-go, pushing him for Han Solo. ‘George, you saw him right under your nose in American Graffiti,’ and finally it clicked with George. Other people were considered, but finally I won the day with George on that one.” Roos has been credited with casting early appearances from notable actors like Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Carrie Fisher, and Richard Dreyfuss. He also served as a casting director on other beloved films like Two-Lane Blacktop, Fat City, and Five Easy Pieces. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Casting Society of America in 1988.

Jon Wysocki

Jon Wysocki, founding drummer of rock band Staind, died on May 18. He was 56. The drummer co-founded Staind in 1995 with singer Aaron Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, and bassist Johnny April. Staind released their debut album, Tormented, in 1997. They found widespread success two years later with their major label debut, Dysfunction, which was co-produced by Limp Bizkit singer Fred Durst. The album’s singles “Mudshovel” and “Home” catapulted the band to the forefront of the nü-metal scene, landing them a co-headlining slot the 1999 Family Values Tour in 1999 with Limp Bizkit and Filter, as well as bands like Korn, Primus, and the Crystal Method. Their third album, Break the Cycle, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on the strength of the single “It’s Been Awhile.” It would eventually go five times platinum. Wysocki continued playing with Staind until 2011, recording on seven of the band’s eight albums. After Staind, Wysocki briefly played with the Chicago nü-metal group Soil before joining Lydia’s Castle in 2021. 

Alice Stewart

CNN political commentator and veteran GOP adviser Alice Stewart was found dead on May 18. She was 58. No foul play was suspected and police believed Stewart had suffered a medical emergency. Born March 11, 1966 in Atlanta, Stewart went on to work on the presidential campaigns of Mike Huckabee, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Ted Cruz. She joined CNN in 2016, last appearing the day before she was found dead on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. Stewart described her role on CNN as “a conservative voice yet an independent thinker.” She was also the co-host of the podcast Hot Mics From Left to Right, alongside fellow CNN commentator Maria Cardona.

Dabney Coleman

Dabney Coleman, the veteran character actor who played the villainous boss in 9 to 5 and won an Emmy for his supporting role in the TV film Sworn to Silence, died May 16 at 92. His career spanned nearly seven decades, starting with appearances on TV shows like The Outer Limits, The Fugitive, and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in the ’60s. By the time Coleman took on the role of sexist boss Franklin Hart Jr. in 9 to 5 — standing out despite starring opposite iconic actresses Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda — he had amassed a resume that included dozens of shows and films. His screen credits included Buffalo Bill, On Golden Pond, Tootsie, WarGames, The Muppets Take Manhattan, You’ve Got Mail, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Yellowstone.

Tony McFarr

Tony McFarr, a stunt actor who worked as a stunt double for actors like Chris Pratt and Jon Hamm, died May 13 at the age of 47. A stunt actor for more than a decade, McFarr began his career on a 2011 episode of Bones as Geoff Stults‘ stunt double before steadily snagging more work on titles like Teen Wolf, Homeland, Sleepy Hollow, The Walking Dead, and Manhunt. On the big screen, McFarr worked as Pratt’s stunt double on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Jurassic World, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom; other notable film credits include Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Furious 7, and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Alice Munro

Alice Munro, the acclaimed Canadian author known as a master of the short story, died May 13, at 92. Recognized for her deep and emotionally perceptive stories focused on womanhood, love, loss, and the vagaries of time, she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2013 and received the 2009 Man Booker International Prize for her lifetime body of work. Her short-story collections included Dance of the Happy Shades, The Beggar Maid, The Progress of Love, Away From Her, and her final publication, 2012’s Dear Life. Munro is survived by two daughters, Sheila and Jenny. Munro Books, the bookshop she founded in the 1960s in Victoria, Canada, with her first husband, James, is still in operation.

David Sanborn

Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanborn died May 12 after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications. He was 78. The renowned smooth jazz musician had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018 but was still playing live, and had concerts scheduled into 2025. Born July 30, 1945, in Tampa, Fla., Sanborn survived a polio diagnosis at age 3. He learned how to play the saxophone to help his recovery, and when he was a teenager, he was already performing with blues legends Little Milton and Albert King. When he was 30, he released his debut solo album, Taking Off, in 1975. Throughout his career, he went on to play with David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, B.B. King, and Carly Simon, among many others, and won six Grammy Awards.

Kevin Brophy

Kevin Brophy, an actor best known for his roles in the short-lived sci-fi series Lucan and the cult horror film Hell Night died May 11 at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, Cali. He was 70 years old. Brophy was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer 10 years ago. Born in Salt Lake City on Nov. 1, 1953, Brophy starred in a play about Jesse James during his senior year in college. As a result, his headshot appeared in the Los Angeles Times, leading an agent at William Morris to sign him. A year later, on his way driving to his audition for Lucan, he cut off what turned out to be an MGM executive, who thought Brophy was perfect for the part. Lucan, about a young man raised by wolves, lasted only one season. He later popped up in episodes of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, M*A*S*H, The Love Boat, Growing Pains, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and JAG. In addition to Hell Night, Brophy also appeared in films such as The Long Riders and GoodFellas.

Susan Backlinie

Susan Backlinie, an actress and stunt performer who is best known for playing the great white shark’s first victim, Chrissie, in Jaws, died May 11 at age 77. Backlinie, who was born on Sept. 1, 1946, appeared in a number of films and television roles until the early 1980s. She had parts in films such as the Jim Henson-directed The Great Muppet Caper (1981), and Steven Spielberg’s 1941 (1979), in which she famously spoofed herself in a Jaws parody scene. Other movie credits included The Grizzly & the Treasure (1975), A Stranger in My Forest (1976) and Day of the Animals (1977). On the television side, roles included The Quest, Quark and The Fall Guy. Backlinie also worked as an animal trainer, and after she retired from Hollywood, she worked as a computer accountant.

Rudy Moreno

Rudy Moreno, nicknamed the ‘Godfather of Latino Comedy,” died on May 11 at age 66 after being hospitalized with pneumonia. Born on July 24, 1957, in Los Angeles, Moreno was an influential stand-up comic who gave many other comedians their big breaks, including Ken Jeong, who paid tribute to him on social media. Moreno made appearances on numerous shows over the years, including Everybody Loves Raymond, The Shield, George Lopez, Monk, Arrested Development, American Vandal, Mom, and Dave.

Roger Corman

Roger Corman, the director, producer, and distributor of numerous low-budget horror, science fiction, and crime movies, whose career in Hollywood spanned eight decades, died at the age of 98. Nicknamed “King of the Bs” and “The Pope of Pop Culture,” Corman was the visionary behind cult classics like 1964’s The Masque of the Red Death and the original The Little Shop of Horrors, from 1960. Born in 1926 in Detroit and raised in Los Angeles, Corman worked his way up in the film industry after starting in a mail room at 20th Century Fox in 1950. He made his first feature in 1954, then produced and directed several B movies across a number of then-popular genres: Westerns, sci-fi creature features, and the rock & roll teen pictures Corman would later translate into ‘60s counterculture fare, like 1966’s The Wild Angels and 1967’s The Trip. As a producer, Corman famously opened Hollywood doors for a number of young and then-untested talents, including Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, Peter Bogdanovich, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, Joe Dante, Stephanie Rothman, and James Cameron. At the time of his death, Corman had a producer credit on an astonishing 495 films.

Sam Rubin

Sam Rubin, an Emmy-winning entertainment journalist who worked for Los Angeles news network KTLA for over three decades, died on May 10. He was 64. A news story posted by the station said that Rubin had “died suddenly,” but did not share any details on the cause, while Variety reported that the journalist died from a heart attack in his L.A. home. Rubin joined KTLA Morning News in 1991, where he remained for 33 years. Rubin became one of the most prominent entertainment journalists in Hollywood, bringing exuberance and enthusiasm to his countless interviews with celebrities and coverage of entertainment news. Rubin won multiple Emmy awards and a Golden Mike Award, and was named best entertainment journalist by the Los Angeles Press Club. Rubin frequently appeared as a version of himself in films and TV shows, including Fantastic Four, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Melrose Place.  He also wrote biographies on Jackie Kennedy Onassus and Mia Farrow, and was one of the founding members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the organization that launched the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.

Dennis Thompson

Dennis Thompson, longtime drummer of the Detroit-based proto-punk band MC5, died on May 9 at 75. Nicknamed “Machine Gun” for his hard-hitting, rapid-fire drumming style, Thompson had been recovering from a heart attack in April, the Detroit Free Press reports. He joined MC5 in 1965, two years after the band was founded by guitarist Wayne Kramer and bassist Fred “Sonic” Smith, the same year the band restyled their name from Motor City Five to MC5. After a series of successful singles and their first tour, which included opening for bands like Cream and the Stooges, they released their debut album, Kick Out the Jams, in 1969. By that time, the band had developed revolutionary, left-wing politics that were inextricable from their music. Their debut album, recorded live, opened with Brother J.C. Crawford introducing the band by saying, “Brothers and sisters, the time has come for each and every one of you to decide whether you are gonna be the problem or whether you are gonna be the solution.” The title track became a hugely influential — and controversial — song, inspiring countless bands to come. MC5 broke up in the early 70s, and Thompson went on to play in bands like New Order, the Motor City Bad Boys, and the New Race. He later participated in MC5 reunions, playing percussion on two tracks of a reunion album in 2022, which has not been released. It would have been the band’s first album in more than 50 years. Kramer died in early 2024, making Thompson the last living original member. The band will posthumously receive the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Music Excellence Award in 2024.

Steve Albini

Steve Albini, the punk rock icon known for both his own bands (Big Black, Rapeman, Shellac) and the beloved albums he engineered for other musicians (including Nirvana and The Pixies), died May 7, the staff at his Electrical Audio recording studio in Chicago confirmed to EW. He was 61. Albini was a longtime critic of the corporate music industry and the ways record labels exploited musicians. His personal philosophy around “engineering” (a term he preferred over “producing”) was to bring out the band’s sound rather than impose his own aesthetic on them.

Ian Gelder

Ian Gelder, a British actor best known for his portrayal of Kevan Lannister on Game of Thrones, died May 6 at 74. Gelder appeared on the HBO drama many times as the brother of Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), and the uncle of Lena Headey‘s Cersei, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s Jaime, and Peter Dinklage‘s Tyrion. Kevan was one of the characters killed in the 2020 series finale, when the Sept exploded. The violence had been planned by his niece, Cersei, whose authority he had refused to recognize. In addition to GOT, Gelder appeared in TV series such as Torchwood; Doctor Who; Poirot; Absolutely Fabulous; and His Dark Materials. Gelder’s work on the stage was prolific. When he died, the famed Royal Shakespeare Company said he had been “a regular on the RSC stage” since the ’70s, playing characters including Antonio in The Merchant of Venice and Clarence in Richard III. Gelder’s husband, actor Ben Daniels, shared on social media that Gelder had been diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December. “He was my absolute rock, “Daniels wrote, “and we’d been partners for more than 30 years.”

Barnard Hill

Bernard Hill, who played Captain Edward Smith in the 1997 record-breaking film Titanic, died on May 5, his manager confirmed to EW. He was 79. Born in Manchester in 1944, Hill studied theater in college and got his start with a small role in the BBC anthology series Play For Today. His breakout role came in 1983 when he memorably starred as Yosser Hughes in the BAFTA-winning BBC drama, Boys from the Blackstuff. Later, Hill earned acclaim for his portrayal of Captain Smith in Titanic. He also starred in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings franchise as King Théoden, appearing in both The Two Towers and The Return of the King. As both  Titanic and The Return of the King earned 11 Oscars each, Hill has a role in two of the three films with the most Academy Awards of all time (Ben-Hur is the third). Hill’s additional credits include I, Claudius, Clint Eastwood’s True Crime, 1999’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Scorpion King, Valkyrie, and Wolf Hall.

Susan Buckner

Susan Buckner, best known as bubbly cheerleader Patty Simcox in Grease, died on May 2. She was 72. Before joining the cheer squad at Rydell High, Buckner was Miss Washington in 1971 and represented her home state at the Miss America competition the following year. She would go on to perform on variety show programs like The Dean Martin Show, The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher, and The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. But it was her role as Simcox that put her in front of millions. After the success of Grease, Buckner took on roles in shows like The Love Boat, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and a costarring role on When the Whistle Blows. She also appeared in Wes Craven‘s Deadly Blessing alongside Sharon Stone and 1989’s Police Academy 6: City Under Siege, which was her final acting role. She stepped away from acting to focus on her family but continued to share her passion for the arts, teaching theater at a Florida elementary school and working as a dance instructor.

Richard Tandy

Richard Tandy, the longtime keyboardist for Electric Light Orchestra who made significant contributions to their biggest hits, died May 1 at age 76. No cause of death was given. “It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my long-time collaborator and dear friend Richard Tandy,” ELO co-founder and frontman Jeff Lynne wrote on social media. “He was a remarkable musician & friend and I’ll cherish the lifetime of memories we had together.” Tandy didn’t join the band until 1973, after the release of their first album, but his soaring synthesizers are a key element of iconic ELO songs like “Evil Woman.” Plus, that’s also his vocoder-altered voice saying the titular character’s name on “Mr. Blue Sky.” Tandy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with the rest of ELO, in 2017.

Diane Ford

Diane Ford, a stand-up comedian who appeared on multiple HBO specials as well as A&E’s hit series An Evening at the Improv, died April 30 following a battle with cancer, per The Hollywood Reporter. She was 68. Born Sept. 4, 1955, in Waseca, Minn., Ford starred in the HBO comedy special On Location: Women of the Night II in 1988 alongside Joy Behar, Susie Essman, and more. She also appeared on the network’s stand-up comedy series One Night Stand, performing her hilarious routines on two episodes, released in 1990 and 1992. Ford was also featured on 13 episodes of An Evening at the Improv and is credited with writing a 1994 episode of the Tim Allen–headlined sitcom Home Improvement. She is survived by her husband John; stepsons Rhett and Travis; grandsons Charles, Aubrey, Addison, Selkie, and Uhtred; and siblings Jerry, Lyle, Connie, and Carol.

Paul Auster

Paul Auster, the prolific Brooklyn-based writer and filmmaker, died April 30 at 77. Born Feb. 3, 1947, in Newark, N.J., Auster moved to Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood in 1980 and found his first literary success with 1982’s The Invention of Solitude (a memoir about his distant relationship with his father) and the New York Trilogy of novels later that decade. Auster’s writing drew on the archetypes of hardboiled detective fiction, as well as observations of the people around him in Brooklyn. He moved into filmmaking by writing the script for director Wayne Wang’s 1995 comedy Smoke, which revolved around a Park Slope tobacco shop and starred Harvey Keitel and William Hurt. Auster made his own directorial debut with 1997’s Lulu on the Bridge, starring Keitel as a jazz saxophonist whose life changes after he catches a stray bullet. Auster’s final novel, Baumgartner, was released in 2023.

Alan Scarfe

Alan Scarfe, the British Canadian actor who played heavies in the ’90s action films Double Impact and Lethal Weapon 3, died April 28 at 77. Born in Harpenden, England, Scarfe emigrated to Canada with his family as his father pursued an academic career. He studied a the Lord Byng Secondary School in Vancouver and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and began a lifelong career as a performer and director. Scarfe was known for playing internal affairs chief Herman Walters, who dogged Mel Gibson’s Riggs and Danny Glover’s Murtaugh in 1992’s Lethal Weapon 3. The year before, he appeared opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme as murderous businessman Nigel Griffith in Double Impact. His other screen credits included Star Trek: The Next Generation, Kingdom Hospital, NYPD Blue, and Stargate: Atlantis, and he worked as a stage actor and director across Europe, Canada, and the U.S.

Brian McCardie

Brian McCardie, known for roles in BBC’s Line of Duty and the 1995 drama Rob Roy, died suddenly on April 28 at age 59. The Scottish actor began his career with a brief appearance in a 1989 episode of EastEnders, and went on to become a prolific TV performer. When the show premiered  in 2012, McCardie earned praise for his role as John Thomas “Tommy” Hunter in the police procedural, Line of Duty. He memorably appeared in the three-part 2021 drama Time, starring opposite Stephen Graham and Sean Bean. McCardie also had small roles in such TV hits as Shameless and Outlander. On the big screen, McCardie starred alongside Liam Neeson as Alasdair in Rob Roy, with his additional film credits including Doors Open, Kiss of Death, 200 Cigarettes, and Low Winter Sun.

Zack Norman

Zack Norman, the actor-producer known for roles in Romancing the Stone and Cadillac Man, died on April 28 at 83. His daughter Lori Zuker Briller confirmed to The New York Times that he died in a Burbank, Calif hospital due to bilateral pneumonia related to coronavirus. Born May 27, 1940, Norman initially pursued theater and stand-up comedy, making his television debut as a comic on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson in 1969. Later an actor and producer, Norman was a scene-stealing performer whose credits include nearly 40 films and TV shows. He memorably played Cousin Ira in Robert Zemeckis’ Romancing the Stone, uttering the oft-quoted line “Look at those snappers!” He went on to star in films including Robert Downey Sr.’s America and 1990’s Cadillac Man opposite Robin Williams, Tim Robbins and Fran Drescher. He reunited with Drescher for a three episode arc in The Nanny, with his additional TV credits including Baywatch, The A Team, Lush Life, and The Flash.

Sonja Christopher

Sonja Christopher, the first person voted out of Survivor, died at age 87. Her death was first announced on April 26. The former music therapist made history on the show’s first season, Survivor: Borneo, in 2000 when at she became the first contestant voted out at Tribal Council and the first to have her torch snuffed by host Jeff Probst. Christopher competed on Survivor at 63, just three years after battling cancer. “I was newly recovering from breast cancer treatment. And I had been in a 11-year relationship and my partner got consolation elsewhere during that time of the cancer,” Christopher previously told EW. “So I had moved to a senior retirement community, and I was by myself, no ties, my son was grown and taking care of himself. I was reading the morning paper, and it said something in an article about CBS looking for 16 Americans to cast away on a deserted island and see who could survive for 39 days.”

Marla Adams

Marla Adams, the Daytime Emmy-winning actress known for playing Dina Abbott Mergeron on the long-running CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, died April 25 at 85. Adams played her Y&R character off and on across 37 years and more than 200 episodes. Much of her career was spent on daytime TV, with credits including The Secret Storm, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, Generations, and Capitol. On the prime-time side, Adams appeared on The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Harry O, Starsky and Hutch, Marcus Welby M.D., Barnaby Jones, The Love Boat, Archie Bunker’s Place, and more shows.

Mike Pinder

Mike Pinder, a founding member and keyboardist of progressive rock band the Moody Blues, died April 24 at age 82. He was the last surviving member of the band’s original lineup. In 1961, Pinder formed the band alongside singer and guitarist Denny Laine, bassist Clint Warwick, and drummer Graeme Edge. After a few lineup changes, the Moody Blues would go on to release one of the greatest concept albums of all time, 1967’s Days of Future Passed, which featured Pinder singing and playing the mellotron. He would go on to pen and perform songs on the band’s next seven albums before eventually parting ways with the group. Pinder also released two solo albums, 1976’s The Promise and 1994’s Among the Stars, as well as a 1995 spoken word album, A Planet With One Mind. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his bandmates in 2018.

Terry Carter

Terry Carter, the groundbreaking actor, documentary filmmaker, and newscaster with screen credits including Battlestar Galactica, McCloud, and Foxy Brown, died April 23 at 95. Born John Everett DeCoste, Carter studied acting with Howard Da Silva in the early 1950s and played a number of roles in Broadway and Off Broadway stage productions during his early career, including Mrs. Patterson, in which he appeared opposite Eartha Kitt. His breakthrough screen project was The Phil Silvers Show, on which he played Pvt. Sugie Sugarman from 1955 to 1959 and was the only regular Black cast member. Carter served as an anchorman for Boston’s NBC affiliate network WBZ-TV from 1965 to 1968, making him New England’s first Black news anchor. He portrayed Pam Grier‘s boyfriend in Foxy Brown in 1974 and a cop in the dog-centric family film Benji, and played Colonel Tigh on the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica in the late ’70s and Sgt. Joe Broadhurst on McCloud for seven seasons. Carter launched his own production company, Meta/4 Productions, in Los Angeles in 1975. He and his company produced more than 100 educational documentaries, some of which were for the Library of Congress, PBS, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Eva Evans

Eva Evans, TikTok star and creator of Prime Video’s Club Rat webseries, died at age 29. “Yesterday my family received news that our sweet, fabulous, creative, caring, hilarious Eva, my beautiful sister, has died,” Evans’ sister Lila Joy Baumgardner wrote on Instagram. Evans was best known to fans on TikTok, where she amassed 300,000 followers, who flocked to her primarily for stories about her life in New York City. In 2023, she directed and starred in a five-episode webseries for Amazon called Club Rat, which followed an influencer who was attempting to date again after an embarrassing, viral breakup.

Mandisa

Mandisa, American Idol season 5 star and Grammy-winning Christian singer who also courted controversy for making anti-gay comments in 2006 — died April 18 at age 47. The religious performer rose to national stardom after her Idol audition with Alicia Keys’ “Fallin” wowed judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. Though she was ultimately eliminated from the singing competition, she forged a successful career in music, earning five Grammy nominations — including one victory for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2014 for her Overcomer album.

Dickey Betts

Dickey Betts, a founding member and guitarist of the Allman Brothers Band, died on April 18. He was 80. Per his manager, David Spero, Betts died of cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite not being an Allman, Betts was one of the Allman Brothers’ key original members whose work was crucial to the group’s pioneering sound. Following the death of fellow guitarist Duane Allman’s, two years after the group’s debut album, Betts assumed lead guitar duties and led the band with Gregg Allman. He also composed music and penned songs for the group, including their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” While Betts and Allman often clashed — the band broke up multiple times and had more than a dozen lineup configurations — the duo frequently reunited and toured together. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. They reconciled before Allman’s death in 2017, just months after the death of bandmate Butch Trucks. Betts also performed as Dickey Betts and the Great Southern and briefly played as Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks in the ’80s with Jimmy Hall and Allman Brothers’ members Chuck Leavell and Trucks. Betts is survived by his wife, Donna.

Rico Wade

Rico Wade, who co-wrote and produced TLC’s 1995 smash “Waterfalls” as a member of Atlanta production team Organized Noize, died at 52. As a member of Organized Noize, Wade helped shape the sound of Southern hip-hop in the 1990s. In addition to co-writing and producing hits like TLC’s “Waterfalls,” En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love),” and Ludacris’ “Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!),” Organized Noize was best known for collaborating with the Dungeon Family, an Atlanta music collective that included OutKast, Goodie Mob, and more. They produced OutKast’s influential debut record, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, as well as Goodie Mob’s 1995 debut album, Soul Food. In 2016, the team became the subject of The Art of Organized Noize, a Netflix documentary directed by Quincy Jones III.

Eleanor Coppola

Eleanor Coppola, the award-winning documentarian, noted visual artist, and longtime wife of Francis Ford Coppola, died April 12 at 87. Born Eleanor Jessie Neil, Coppola was known for chronicling the making of films by her husband and two of their children, Roman Coppola and Sofia Coppola. (The couple’s eldest child, actor and producer Gian-Carlo Coppola, died in a boating accident in 1986.) Eleanor Coppola shot and directed one of the most famous documentaries on filmmaking ever with Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, a behind-the-scenes look at her husband’s famously fraught shoot for Apocalypse Now. The Emmy-winning doc candidly captured heavy rains that delayed production, a typhoon that destroyed sets, Martin Sheen‘s heart attack, and on-set struggles with Marlon Brando. She would go on to make more documentaries, including ones about her daughter’s films Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides, and helmed two narrative features, 2016’s Paris Can Wait and 2020’s Love Is Love Is Love. In addition to making movies and raising a family of filmmakers, Coppola wrote two books, Notes: On the Making of ‘Apocalypse Now’ and the memoir Notes on a Life. At 87, she completed a second memoir, in which she wrote, “I appreciate how my unexpected life has stretched and pulled me in so many extraordinary ways and taken me in a multitude of directions beyond my wildest imaginings.”

Robert MacNeil

Robert MacNeil, the longtime PBS anchorman, died on April 12 at 93. MacNeil, who worked for decades with Jim Lehrer, was the voice through which many Americans learned about some of the most important events in American history. MacNeil and Lehrer earned an Emmy for their coverage of the Watergate hearings in 1973, shortly before launching the award-winning news program, The MacNeil/Lehrer Report. It became The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983, the first hour-long news program in the U.S. Before being decorated with Emmy and Peabody Awards, MacNeil, as a White House correspondent, was in President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade on the day of his assassination. During his career, he covered the war in Algeria, the construction of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Civil Rights Movement, and dozens of other pivotal stories in American history.

Meg Bennett

Meg Bennett, a longtime actress and writer of soap operas, died April 11 at 75. Her official obituary listed the cause of death as cancer. Born Oct. 4, 1948, Bennett first acted on stage in New York, starring in the off-Broadway musical Godspell as well as the Broadway version of Grease. She then moved to Los Angeles and began a long career in soap operas. She played Julia Newman on The Young and the Restless for a six-year run starting in 1980, and then transitioned into script-writing for that show and other soaps. She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1995 for her work writing on General Hospital, where she also met her husband Robert Guza, Jr.

Park Bo Ram

Park Bo Ram, the Korean pop singer behind hits like “Beautiful” and “Like a Dream,” died April 11 at age 30. Park’s agency Xanadu Entertainment told Soompi that her death is being investigated by police. Other outlets, including the Korean Herald, reported that Park was found in cardiac arrest at a friend’s house and was taken to a hospital. Born in 1994, Park’s breakthrough came with her 2010 appearance on the singing competition series SuperStar K2, where she placed in the Top 8. Her 2014 debut single “Beautiful” hit No. 2 on the Korean charts. Though she never released a full-length album, Park released two EPs (2015’s Celepretty and 2017’s Orange Moon) and over a dozen singles. She also contributed numerous tracks to soundtracks for series like W, Reply 1988,  Prison Playbook, and Hyde Jekyll, Me. She recently released “I Hope,” a collaboration with Huh Gak, in February.

O.J. Simpson

Controversial football star, actor, and former murder suspect O.J. Simpson — who was acquitted in the high-profile 1994-95 trial over the deaths of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman — died on April 10 at age 76. Simpson’s family announced the news on social media, confirming that he died after a battle with cancer. Simpson’s death drew a wide range of reactions, including from Brown Simpson’s family attorney, Gloria Allred, who spoke out against him after the news broke. “I don’t mourn for O.J. Simpson. I do mourn for Nicole Brown Simpson and her family,” Allred told New York City’s ABC7 news. “They should be remembered. The system failed.”

Mister Cee

Mister Cee, the New York radio personality and DJ who helped launch the careers of hip-hop artists including Jay Z, Alicia Keys, and 50 Cent, was confirmed dead on April 10 at 57. Born Calvin LeBrun, Mister Cee spent more than 20 years at Hot 97 as the host of shows such as Throwback at Noon and Friday Night Live. He played a major role in the discovery of the Notorious B.I.G. and served as associate executive producer on the rapper’s 1994 debut, Ready To Die. After leaving Hot 97 in 2014, Mister Cee continued his work in radio, hosting a show on 94.7 the Block and working as a DJ on Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM.

Cole Brings Plenty

Cole Brings Plenty, an actor known for playing sheep herder Pete Plenty Clouds on two episodes of the Yellowstone prequel series 1923, was found dead at 27 on April 5, after going missing and being sought by Kansas police in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident. Brings Plenty’s family members, including his uncle Moses Brings Plenty — a fellow actor who plays Mo on Yellowstone — had reported Cole as a missing person and sought help finding him on social media. In addition to 1923, Brings Plenty’s TV credits included The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger and Into the Wild Frontier.

CJ Snare

Carl Jeffrey “CJ” Snare, a founding member of the hair metal band FireHouse, died on April 5, his bandmates confirmed on social media. He was 64. News of Snare’s death comes six months after the group announced plans to postpone gigs ahead of his impending abdominal surgery. Snare was an original member of the glam metal band, which was founded in the mid-’80s but truly made a splash with the release of their self-titled album in 1990. The record boasted such chart-topping hits as “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “Love of a Lifetime,” both of which were co-written by Snare. The group released eight studio albums in total, with Snare co-writing most of the tracks. Outside of FireHouse, he also recorded with his band Rubicon Cross and occasionally played with Scrap Metal.

Keith LeBlanc

Keith LeBlanc, the drummer and record producer who worked with some of the most prominent musicians of the 1980s and ’90s, died April 4 from an undisclosed illness. He was 69. Born in 1954, LeBlanc worked with seminal early hip-hop acts like the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five as a session drummer on Sugar Hill Records in the early 1980s. His 1983 solo single “No Sell Out” famously sampled the voice of Malcolm X, and is considered one of the first mainstream recordings to utilize sampling. LeBlanc was also a member of the groups Tackhead and Little Axe, and recorded with Tina Turner, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Annie Lennox, and Seal in the late ’80s and ’90s.

Adrian Schiller

Adrian Schiller, the actor known for his role in Netflix’s historical drama The Last Kingdom, died on April 3, CNN has confirmed. He was 60 years old. No cause of death was disclosed. The English actor boasted an acting career that spanned over 30 years, including roles in such notable films as Meryl Streep’s Suffragette, 2015’s Oscar-winning drama, The Danish Girl, and 2017’s live-action reimagining of Beauty and the Beast. On the small screen, he appeared in the Masterpiece series Victoria and the Ridley Scott-helmed streaming drama, Raised by Wolves. He most notably spent three seasons playing Ealdorman Aethelhelm in The Last Kingdom, which was adapted from Bernard Cornwell’s series of novels,The Saxon Stories. Schiller’s additional credits include Bright Star, A Little Chaos, Son of God, The Mercy, Doctor Who, and Censor.

Christopher Durang

Christopher Durang, a beloved playwright of absurdist comedies, died April 2 of complications from logopenic progressive aphasia. He was 75. Durang rose to fame in the 1980s, breaking out with Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All, which won the Obie Award for Best Playwright in 1980. His other hits include Baby With the Bathwater, The Actor’s Nightmare, and The Marriage of Bette and Boo. He is perhaps best known for his series of comedic one acts, including Wanda’s Visit and For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, which are performed under the heading Durang/Durang. In 2013, he won the Tony Award for Best Play for his Chekhov parody Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Joe Flaherty

Joe Flaherty, the actor and comedian who played Weir family patriarch on Freaks and Geeks after several years as a writer/performer of SCTV, died on April 1 after a brief illness. He was 82. Flaherty began his career at the legendary Second City comedy troupe in Chicago. After a year appearing on the National Lampoon Radio Hour, he relocated to Toronto where he starred on the hit Canadian sketch comedy show, SCTV, as one of its original writer/performers. He was joined by fellow comic performers, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Catherine O’Hara, Rick Moranis, and more. Flaherty went on to appear in several TV shows, including his memorable role as the embarrassing yet well-intentioned Harold Weir on Freaks and Geeks. He also made brief but memorable appearances in several hit films, including Happy Gilmore and Back to the Future Part II. Flaherty’s additional credits include Police Academy: The Series, The King of Queens, Clone High, and the Canadian series Call Me Fitz.

Joshua-Michael Waring

Joshua-Michael Waring, the son of Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lauri Peterson, died March 31. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Peterson shared a moving post on Instagram confirming Waring’s death. “It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday,” Peterson wrote. “No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss. Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great. Waring had dealt with substance abuse issues throughout his life, and was arrested in 2022 for one felony and multiple misdemeanor drug charges, ultimately pleading guilty. He previously spent four years in prison for attempted murder from 2016 to 2020. He is survived by his daughter, Kennady.

Barbara Rush

Barbara Rush, who starred in the 1950s sci-fi classic It Came from Outer Space, died on March 31 at 97 years old. An actress of stage and screen, Rush began her career in California playhouses after studying theater at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her screen acting debut came in 1950s The Goldbergs, followed by her breakthrough role in the Oscar-winning sci-fi film When Worlds Collide. Two years later, she won Most Promising Newcomer at the 1954 Golden Globes for her role in It Came from Outer Space. Rush continued to star in films and TV shows, with credits including The Young Philadelphians, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Hombre, Batman, The Bionic Woman, All My Children, 7th Heaven, and Flamingo Road.

Chance Perdomo

Chance Perdomo, star of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Gen V, died March 30 after a single-vehicle motorcycle accident. He was 27. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Southampton, England, Perdomo was one of the young stars of the college-set Gen V, Amazon Prime’s 2023 spinoff of The Boys. Perdomo played Andre Anderson, the son of superhero Polarity, who fights to break free of his father’s legacy while losing his battle to stay away from his best friend’s girl. Even with his flaws and failings, Perdomo’s Andre was possibly the closest thing to a moral center in the Boys universe. Perdomo’s breakout role came in 2018, when he took on the part of Ambrose Spellman, teenage witch Sabrina’s familiar, in Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He also appeared in the After We Fell Netflix movie trilogy, based on Anna Todd’s YA romances.

Tim McGovern

Tim McGovern, a visual effects veteran and an Oscar winner for his work on 1990’s Total Recall, died in his sleep on March 30, his wife announced on social media. He was 68. A digital effects pioneer, McGovern started his career in the early ’80s, working on the groundbreaking 1982 movie Tron. He went on to become a founding member of Sony Pictures Imageworks, serving as senior VFX supervisor. His numerous film credits include Last Action Hero, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Dunkirk, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Born in Chicago, McGovern was honored with a Special Achievement Award at the 1991 Oscars for his work on the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic Total Recall. Last year, he received the Visual Effects Society’s Founders Award.

Louis Gossett Jr.

Louis Gossett Jr., a prolific character actor best known for his performances in An Officer and a Gentleman and the original Roots miniseries, died March 29 at 87. Gossett first began acting for the stage, and appeared in the original Broadway run of A Raisin in the Sun alongside Sidney Poitier; he then made his film debut in the 1961 movie adaptation of the Lorraine Hansberry play. His screen breakthrough came with his portrayal of the character Fiddler in Roots, which earned him an Emmy Award. A few years later, Gossett won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman, becoming the first Black actor to win a supporting Oscar and only the second to win an acting Oscar at all, following his old castmate Poitier. He continued acting for the rest of his life, recently appearing in HBO’s Watchmen series and 2023’s musical remake of The Color Purple.

Fritz Wepper

Fritz Wepper, a prolific German actor best known in the U.S. for his performance as Fritz Wendel in Cabaret, died March 25 at at 82. Wepper was a familiar face on German TV, playing Det. Sergeant Harry Klein on the series Derrick from 1977 to 1998, a run that spanned nearly 300 episodes. He also appeared in more than 250 episodes of the series For Heaven’s Sake. However, his biggest turn for American audiences was as a friend to Liza Minelli’s Sally Bowles and Michael York’s Brian Roberts in Cabaret. His character longed for Natalia Landauer (Marisa Berenson) but would have to reveal himself as Jewish in a Berlin beset by Nazis. Cabaret marked one of Wepper’s only Hollywood credits, along with from the 2001 TV movie version of Murder on the Orient Express with Alfred Molina. In his native Germany, his film and TV credits were extensive, including Der Kommissar, High Society Murder, and the Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning film Die Brücke.

Paula Weinstein

Paula Weinstein, producer of Analyze This and Blood Diamond, died on March 25 at age 78. Weinstein, who was the chief content officer at Tribeca Enterprises until 2023, produced dozens of films, including The Perfect Storm and The Fabulous Baker Boys. She was also the executive producer of the series Grace and Frankie and won a pair of primetime Emmys for the TV movies Truman and Recount. “The world is a lesser place without my mother,” her daughter Hannah Rosenberg said in a statement. “She was a masterful producer and a force of nature for the things she believed in, including the many projects that spanned her illustrious career, the stories she fought to tell and the social justice causes she championed.” Before her time at Tribeca Enterprises, she served as president of United Artists, executive vice president at Fox, and vice president at Warner Bros. In 2023, Weinstein left Tribeca Enterprises to focus on political causes. Her political work included being a founding member of the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee, which raised millions for Democratic political candidates, and a former board member of the ACLU of Southern California.

Ron Harper

Ron Harper, the actor best known for his roles on the sci-fi series Planet of the Apes and Land of the Lost, died March 21 at 91. His first onscreen credit was in an episode of the series Kraft Theatre in 1955. Harper then scored small roles on Tales of Wells Fargo, Thriller, Wagon Train, The Deputy, The Tall Man, and Shotgun Slade before nabbing a breakout part as Det. Bert Kling in 30 episodes of 87th Precinct, which also starred Norman Fell, Robert Lansing, Gregory Walcott, and Gena Rowlands. Harper’s successful stints on 1960s television continued with roles on Laramie, Wendy and Me, The Jean Arthur Show, and Garrison’s Gorillas. The ’70s saw Harper land memorable parts on the series Planet of the Apes (based on the movie series of the same name) and Land of the Lost. Though he was mostly known for his small-screen work, Harper’s résumé on the film side included The Wild Season, The Soldier, Below Utopia, The Odd Couple II, Pearl Harbor, and The Poughkeepsie Tapes. Guest stints later in his TV career included Beverly Hills, 90210; Melrose Place; Walker, Texas Ranger; Boy Meets World; The West Wing; and Cold Case.

M. Emmet Walsh

M. Emmet Walsh, the actor best known for his work as private detective Loren Visser in Blood Simple, died March 19 of cardiac arrest, EW has confirmed. He was 88 years old. The beloved character actor is recognizable for his wry delivery and gruff persona. With over five decades in the industry under his belt, Walsh has appeared in 119 feature films and accrued over 250 television production credits. Born on March 22, 1935, the actor made both his Broadway and onscreen debut in 1969. His breakthrough came several years later in 1977’s Slap Shot. He was recently seen as a security guard in Knives Out and as Granddaddy Roy Gemstone on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. He also has memorable roles in Critters, Ridley Scott‘s Blade Runner, the Julia Roberts-starring romcom My Best Friend’s Wedding, and the 1979 comedy, The Jerk. He was best known for his role in the Coen Brothers’ debut Blood Simple, in which he plays a crooked private detective who kills his client and frames the client’s cheating wife for murder. Walsh never married and is survived by his niece, nephew, and two grandnephews.

Jennifer Leak

Jennifer Leak, the actress known for her role in the 1968 film Yours, Mine and Ours and her work on several daytime soap operas, died March 18 at 76. Born in Cardiff, Wales, Leak scored her first screen credit with the TV series Wojeck in 1966, before nabbing the role of Lucille Ball’s daughter in Yours, Mine and Ours. She would meet her first husband, Tim Matheson, on the film as well. Leak’s other film credits included Eye of the Cat, The Photographer, The Incubus, and Agent on Ice, but it was television where she would spend the majority of her acting career. She played Olive Springer Gordon Randolph on Another World, Blanche Bouvier on Guiding Light, and Gwen Sherman on The Young and the Restless, with additional credits on The Good Guys, Hawaii Five-O, Lost Flight, McMillan & Wife, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Leak was married to Matheson from 1968 to 1971, and to James D’Auria from 1977 until her death.

Steve Harley

Steve Harley, frontman of Cockney Rebel, died on March 17 at age 73. Harley and his band began performing together in the early ’70s. By 1975, they’d released their most influential song, “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me).” The song topped the U.K. charts, was covered by the likes of Duran Duran and Erasure, and was featured in many films and shows such as The Full Monty and Velvet Goldmine. However, “Make Me Smile” was far from Cockney Rebel’s only success. They popped onto the charts again with “Judy Teen” in 1974, as well as their cover of the Beatles‘ “Here Comes the Sun” in 1976. Harley later said George Harrison was a fan of Cockney Rebel’s version of the song. Harley hit pause on touring for a stretch in the ’80s and, when he finally returned to the stage, was thereafter a relentless performer for decades, playing shows up through 2023.

David Seidler

David Seidler, the Oscar-winning screenwriter, died March 16 while on a fly-fishing expedition in New Zealand, per his manager. He was 86. Born Aug. 3, 1937, Seidler spent his early childhood in London before his family relocated to New York amidst World War II. He developed a stutter on the voyage, and his subsequent years in speech therapy served as inspiration when he eventually penned The King’s Speech. The 2010 film about King George VI’s struggle to overcome his severe stutter received 12 Oscar nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards and won four, including Best Picture. Colin Firth also took home a trophy for his performance as King George, and Tom Hooper won for Best Director. The film earned many more accolades, including seven BAFTAs. Seidler later penned a stage adaptation of the film, which opened in London’s West End in 2012. The script has since been translated into more than half a dozen languages and performed across four continents. Seidler’s additional credits include Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story, The King and I, Quest for Camelot, Madeline: Lost in Paris, and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1988 comedy drama Tucker: The Man and His Dream.

Joe Camp

Joe Camp, the writer and director best known as the creative force behind the Benji franchise, died March 15 at 84. Camp’s career started with the original Benji movie in 1974, which was partly inspired by his own dog of the same name. After raising funds to make the movie, he had trouble selling it. “It was turned down by every studio in Hollywood,” he later said. Camp ultimately distributed the film independently, and it turned into a massive success. He would go on to make more Benji films, TV shows, and Benji-related stories in other media. He also directed comedies like Hawmps; The Double McGuffin, with Ernest Borgnine; and Oh! Heavenly Dog, starring Chevy Chase as a detective who has to solve a mystery after being reincarnated as a dog. Outside of film and TV, Camp was a horseman and best-selling author whose works included the 2008 book The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd. He was also a donor and board member for many charities, rescue organizations, and schools, including the Piney Woods School in Mississippi.

Robyn Bernard

Robyn Bernard, the actress best known for her role as aspiring singer Terry Brock on General Hospital during the 1980s, died March 12 at 64. The older sister of Wings actress Crystal Bernard, she was born May 26, 1959, in Gladewater, Tex. Bernard made her professional acting debut with a small role in the 1981 French thriller Diva and went on to bit parts on TV series like Simon & Simon, Whiz Kids, and The Facts of Life. In 1984, she landed the recurring role of Terry Brock on General Hospital, appearing in 145 episodes from ’84 to 1990. Bernard acted sporadically through the ’90s, and her last credited role was in the 2002 straight-to-video movie Voices from the High School.

Bo$$

Bo$$, a rapper best known for her 1993 album Born Gangstaz and for being the first female rapper to sign with Def Jam, died at age 54. Born Lichelle Marie Laws, she used the stage name Bo$$ when she released her only studio album in May 1993, which sold nearly 400,000 copies, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It produced the singles “Deeper” and “Recipe of a Hoe.” Additionally, Laws released two mix-tapes, and also featured on albums from AMG, South Central Cartel, Ice-T, Powerlord Jel, Spice 1, Ant Banks, Treach, Dori, Krayzie Bone, LaReece and more.

Malachy McCourt

Malachy McCourt, the Irish American author, actor, barkeep, and raconteur, died March 11 at 92. McCourt was beloved for portraying the bartender Kevin on the ABC soap opera Ryan’s Hope across the show’s 14-year run, and also appeared annually as Father Clarence on All My Children during the holiday season. His other TV and film credits included Oz, Body & Soul, Remember WENN, Gods and Generals, The Devil’s Own, and The Other Guys. McCourt founded an eponymous pub, Malachy’s, in Manhattan, and ran for governor of New York in 2006 as the Green Party candidate. He was the younger brother of celebrated Angela’s Ashes author Frank McCourt and wrote two memoirs himself: A Monk Swimming and Singing My Him Song.

Karl Wallinger

Karl Wallinger, the Welsh musician known as the frontman of World Party and a former member of the Waterboys, died March 10 at 66. Wallinger formed World Party in 1986, following his departure from the Waterboys, recording the project’s debut album, Private Revolution, largely alone in his home. When the album was released in 1987, it was a minor hit for the label, partly on the strength of the lead single, “Ship of Fools.” The band’s breakthrough came with the 1990 album Goodbye Jumbo, which was released after Wallinger contributed to Sinéad O’Connor‘s 1988 debut, The Lion and the Cobra. Wallinger and the group would tour and release four albums through 2000, with popular songs like “Put the Message in the Box” and “Is It Like Today?” While recording their fourth album, Egyptology, Wallinger decided to include “She’s the One,” a song that was originally written for the film of the same name. Not long after the release, Robbie Williams recorded a version of the track that became a hit. The situation upset Wallinger at the time, but he later came to terms with it. “I was so lucky that Robbie recorded ‘She’s the One,’ because it allowed me to keep going,” Wallinger later wrote on the band’s website, referencing how the royalties helped him following a 2001 aneurysm. “He nicked my pig and killed it, but gave me enough bacon to live on for four years. He kept my kids in school and me in Seaview [Wallinger’s recording studio], and for that I thank him.” After Wallinger’s recovery, World Party began to perform live again in 2006 and toured through 2015. Wallinger was also the musical director of the Rocky Horror Show on the West End in the ’70s. He was later the musical director for the film Reality Bites and contributed to the popular soundtrack for 1996’s Clueless.

Eric Carmen

Eric Carmen, who became a ’70s icon as the frontman of the Raspberries, died in March at 74. Born Aug. 11, 1949 in Cleveland, the singer-songwriter forged his love for music at a young age, taking violin lessons at 6 and teaching himself to play the guitar as a teen. He joined the Raspberries in 1967 and they rose to fame as a pop-rock band in the style of the Beatles and the Who. Their hits would include “Go All the Way,” “I Wanna Be With You,” “Let’s Pretend,” “Tonight” and “Overnight Sensation.” When they split in the mid-’70s, Carmen found success as a solo artist with hits including “All by Myself, “Make Me Lose Control,” and the Dirty Dancing song “Hungry Eyes.” Over the years, the band reunited to share the stage. Their final performance together was at Cleveland’s KeyBank State Theatre in December 2007.

Steve Lawrence

Steve Lawrence, the Grammy- and Emmy-winning entertainer who dazzled audiences as a nightclub and concert singer with his late wife, Eydie Gormé, died March 7 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 88. Lawrence got his start in show business as a teenager, after winning a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey’s CBS show, but his career truly blossomed after he crossed paths with Gormé. They became friends in 1953 while performing duets on Steve Allen’s talk show and soon became known as Steve & Eydie, garnering acclaim as a musical duo who would record multiple albums, appear on variety shows, and headline famous Las Vegas venues. They married in 1957. With and without Gormé, Lawrence released dozens of albums in his lifetime, earning acclaim for hits like “Go Away Little Girl.” As an actor, Lawrence’s credits included a Broadway stint as Sammy Glick in What Makes Sammy Run?, a memorable turn as Maury Sline in The Blues Brothers and its sequel, and several guest-starring roles on TV. Gormé and Lawrence made several records and television specials, for which they won an Emmy and a Grammy. While also pursuing solo projects and gigs, the duo continued performing together until Gormé’s death in 2013.

Garrison Brown

Garrison Brown, known for appearing on the TLC reality series Sister Wives, was found dead at his home in Flagstaff, Ariz., on March 5. He was 25. Brown had been a part of Sister Wives, which follows the lives of a polygamist family, since its premiere in 2010. The family includes Kody Brown (Garrison’s father) and wife Robyn; ex-wives Janelle (Garrison’s mother), Christine, and Meri; and 18 children. In a statement posted to Kody and Janelle’s respective Instagram accounts, she wrote that their son “was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory.”

Anthony ‘Baby Gap’ Walker

Anthony Walker, known as “Baby Gap,” a former member of the legendary funk group The Gap Band —as well as a dancer and choreographer in his own right — died March 4 at age 60 due to complications from a neck surgery. Hailing from Chicago, Walker joined The Gap Band in 1979 as a dancer and choreographer, and eventually contributing as a songwriter. He performed and toured with the group for 23 years. Walker co-wrote two tracks on the group’s 1985 album The Gap Band V, “Automatic Brain” and “L’il Red Funkin’ Hood.” Also in 1985, Gap Band lead singer Charlie Wilson produced an album with Walker and fellow band member Billy Young, Billy & Baby Gap, which produced the hit “Rock the Nation.” As a dancer, Walker formed the award-winning breakdancing group Tidal Wave in the 1970s, and taught breakdancing and moonwalking in the early ’80s at John Travolta’s dance studio. Walker also worked as a choreographer for Disney.

Charlie Griffin

Capt. Charlie Griffin, a fisherman featured on National Geographic‘s reality series Wicked Tuna, died March 4 in a boating accident on the Outer Banks. Griffin, who captained the Reels of Fortune vessel, appeared in seasons 2 through 5 of Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, which follows fishermen who fish for lucrative bluefin tuna off the coast of North Carolina.

Brit Turner

Brit Turner, best known as the drummer for southern rock band Blackberry Smoke, died at 57 after a nearly two-year battle with glioblastoma. The group — which consists of Brit’s brother, Richard Turner, Charlie Starr, Paul Jackson, and Brandon Still, as well as touring members Benji Shanks and Preston Holcomb — made the announcement of his death in a social media post on March 3. “If you had the privilege of knowing Brit on any level, you know he was the most caring, empathetic, driven and endearing person one could ever hope to meet,” their statement read. “Brit was Blackberry Smoke’s True North, the compass that instituted the ideology that will continue to guide this band.” The group was formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000. Since then, Blackberry Smoke has released a total of eight studio albums, and several live albums and extended plays, all of which Turner had a part in.

Jim Beard

Jim Beard, the jazz pianist best known for his work with Steely Dan, died March 2 at a New York hospital following complications from a sudden illness. He was 63. Born in Philadelphia in 1960, Beard studied under jazz musicians including Don Sebesky, Roland Hanna, and George Shearing during his youth. After moving to New York in 1985, Beard worked with Wayne Shorter, John Scofield, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, and John McLaughlin. He later worked with John Mayer, Esperanza Spalding, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Jarreau, and numerous other artists. Beard joined Steely Dan in 2008 and frequently toured with the band; his last performance with the group was on Jan. 20 of this year in Phoenix, where they opened for the Eagles’ Long Goodbye Tour. A teacher at Berklee College of Music, Beard’s music was nominated for seven Grammys, and he won one in 2007 for his work on Randy and Michael Brecker’s Some Skunk Funk. He also recorded six solo albums. He is survived by his mother, two children, and two siblings.

Mark Dodson

Mark Dodson, the voiceover artist known for his work in the Star Wars and Gremlins franchises, died on March 2 at age 64. Dodson spent over four decades as a radio personality, producer, and voice actor. He got his start as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’s Salacious Crumb, a memorably shrill monkey-lizard who served Jabba the Hut. The gig immediately earned him a part as a voiceover artist for the Mowgai in Joe Dante’s 1984 classic, Gremlins. Dodson’s later credits include Day of the Dead, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and video games such as Ghostrunner, Bendy and the Dark Revival, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Star Trek Online. Dodson is survived by his daughter Ciara and his grandchildren.

Akira Toriyama

Akira Toriyama, the multidisciplinary artist who created iconic manga and anime series like Dragon Ball and also had a hand in video games including Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, died March 1 at 68, from an acute subdural hematoma. Toriyama was, sadly, still in the midst of working on future projects, but his lifetime of art has already had a lasting impact on global popular culture. Dragon Ball‘s combination of thrilling martial arts action with colorful characters, irreverent humor, and cosmic world-building has directly influenced many subsequent anime like Naruto and One Piece (whose creators wrote touching tributes to Toriyama in the wake of his death), as well as recent American movies like Black Panther and Creed III. But even the sheer familiarity that many Americans now have with manga and anime is a credit to Dragon Ball’s legacy.

Michael ‘Virgil’ Jones

Michael Jones, the former pro wrestler who was best known by the ring name Virgil and also appeared under the names Vincent and Lucius Brown, died Feb. 28 at 61. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, though Jones had previously been diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer. Born in Wilkinsburg, Penn., in 1962, Jones began wrestling under the name Soul Train Jones in the Championship Wrestling Association in 1985. He changed his moniker to Lucius Brown when he moved to the WWF in 1986, then took on the Virgil persona in 1987. Virgil was in Ted DiBiase and Andre the Giant’s corner when they faced Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage at Summerslam 1988, and eventually turned on DiBiase after years of allyship. He also trained Roddy Piper, and later wrestled in the National Wrestling Conference and World Championship Wrestling, before retiring in 2000.

Sean Garinger

Sean Garinger, who appeared on 16 and Pregnant alongside his then-girlfriend Selena Gutierrez, died on Feb. 28 at age 20. The reality star was driving an ATV near his home in Boone, North Carolina, when it flipped and crushed his skull. Garinger shared two daughters, Dareli and Esmi with his ex, Gutierrez. The pair starred in season 6 of the MTV series, split up, and were on-and-off in the aftermath of the show. Garinger is survived by his daughters, mother and sisters.

Michael Culver

Michael Culver, the English actor and peace activist who played a brief but memorable role as an Imperial officer ruthlessly terminated by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, died Feb. 27, at 85. The Star Wars sequel featured Culver as Captain Needa, who learns the consequences of failing Darth Vader: In a fan-favorite scene, Needa apologizes to the Sith Lord for losing a group of rebel soldiers and is swiftly Force-choked to death. Culver’s other screen credits included A Passage to India, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Secret Army, Thunderball, The Avengers, Goodbye Mr. Chips, From Russia With Love, Squadron, Cadfel, and Wallander.

Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis, the actor and comedian known for his neurotic humor, his distinctive delivery, and his long-running role as a fictionalized version of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, died Feb. 27 after suffering a heart attack. He was 76. Lewis announced his retirement from stand-up comedy in April 2023 and disclosed that he’d been living with Parkinson’s disease. He first rose to prominence with his stand-up in the ’70s and ’80s, becoming a fixture on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, Late Night With David Letterman, and other late-night programs. He worked on Curb with his longtime friend Larry David from the show’s first episode in 2000, and his other screen credits included Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Leaving Las Vegas, 7th Heaven, Two and a Half Men, The Simpsons, Alias, Everybody Hates Chris, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Bojack Horseman, She’s Funny That Way, and Sandy Wexler.

Charles Dierkop

Charles Dierkop, the character actor who appeared in memorable projects like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, died Feb. 25 at age 87 at Sherman Oaks Hospital following a heart attack and a case of pneumonia. Dierkop played the outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry in Butch Cassidy, and reunited with the film’s director George Roy Hill for The Sting. Dierkop had small supporting roles in The Hustler starring Paul Newman, Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker and Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Other film credits include the Christmas slasher Silent Night, Deadly Night, Messiah of Evil, and Maverick. On the small screen, Dierkop played undercover investigator Pete Royster in 90 episodes of Police Woman. He also appeared in supporting roles in some of the most prominent series of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, including Star Trek, The Andy Griffith Show, Mission: Impossible, Bonanza, Batman, Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, CHiPs, Fantasy Island, MacGyver, and ER.

Kenneth Mitchell

Kenneth Mitchell, best known for playing multiple roles in Star Trek: Discovery as well as Carol Danvers’ dad in Captain Marvel, died Feb. 24 after a five year battle with ALS. He was 49. Mitchell portrayed the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as Aurellio, on Star Trek: Discovery. In addition, he voiced several characters in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Mitchell also had recurring roles on Jericho, Ghost Whisperer, Switched at Birth, The Astronaut Wives Club, and Nancy Drew among others, and in 2019 he was featured as Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel.

Chris Gauthier

Chris Gauthier, an actor known for series like Once Upon a Time and Smallville died on Feb. 23 after a brief illness. He was 48. The English-born Canadian actor had notable roles as Café Diem owner Vincent on Eureka, the villainous Winslow Schott (aka Toyman) on Smallville, and first mate Smee on Once Upon a Time. He also enjoyed memorable turns in Freddy vs. Jason, Watchmen, Supernatural, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Pamela Salem

Pamela Salem, a British actress known for her work in the James Bond and Doctor Who franchises, died Feb. 21 at 80. Born in India, she attended Heidelberg University in Germany and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London before starting in repertory theater in Chesterfield and York. She played the character of Toos in a 1977 Doctor Who adventure, “The Robots of Death,” and 11 years later portrayed a different character, Professor Rachel Jensen, in “Remembrance of the Daleks.” Salem reprised both roles in audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions. Her other screen credits included the 1983 James Bond adventure Never Say Never Again, in which she played Miss Moneypenny, as well as the TV series Blake’s 7, Eastenders, and The West Wing.

Tony Ganios

Tony Ganios, best known for playing fan-favorite character Meat in the Porky’s films, died Feb. 18. He was 64. Ganios made his onscreen debut as Perry in the 1979 coming of age film The Wanderers. That film also starred Ken Wahl, and the two would reunite years later in crime series Wiseguy. Ganios followed The Wanderers up with three films in 1981 — Back Roads, Continental Divide, and Porky’s. Ganios starred in both sequels to the teen sex comedy, 1983’s Porky’s II: The Next Day and 1985’s Porky’s Revenge. He also had roles in Body Rock, Die Hard 2, The Taking of Beverly Hills, and Rising Sun. His other television credits include the TV movie Ring of the Musketeers and stints on The Equalizer and Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Anne Whitfield

Anne Whitfield, the actress best known for playing Susan Waverly in White Christmas, has died at age 85. The actor died on Feb. 15 at Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Wash., following an accident, according to a death notice on the blog of Burien, Wash. Born in Oxford, Miss., in 1938, Whitfield moved to Hollywood with her mother as a child while her father was deployed in World War II. She quickly began working as an actor on nationally broadcast radio programs like The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show and One Man’s Family. At age 15, Whitfield played Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Major General Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger), in the holiday classic White Christmas. Susan encourages her grandfather to host a performance by the film’s main characters (played by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen) at his hotel, which ultimately yields a moving tribute to the general himself. Whitfield’s obituary states that she watched White Christmas with her family in December 2023 in celebration of the film’s 70th anniversary.

E. Duke Vincent

E. Duke Vincent, the prolific TV producer who worked on hit dramas like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210, died Feb. 10 at age 91 in Montecito, Calif. Born Edward Ventimiglia in 1932, Vincent entered the entertainment industry by way of aviation. He served as a Naval aviator and joined the Blue Angels flying team in 1961, where he helped capture aerial photo sequences for the TV series The Blue Angels. From there, he produced documentaries and shows like Gomer Pyle, Arnie, and The Little People. With his producing partner Aaron Spelling, Vincent worked on Dynasty, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, 7th Heaven, and Charmed. After retiring from television, he wrote four novels.

Henry Fambrough

Henry Fambrough, the singer known for his work in the R&B quintet the Spinners, died Feb. 7 at age 85. The singer, who retired from the group last year after over 70 years as its baritone, died of natural causes at his home in Virginia. The group formed in 1954 just outside of Detroit as the Domingoes before changing their name to the Spinners in 1961. For the next decade, the Spinners recorded numerous singles and two studio albums under Motown Records. They found more success after switching to Atlantic Records in the 1970s with songs like “I’ll Be Around” and “How Could I Let You Get Away,” the latter of which featured co-lead vocals from Fambrough. Fambrough also sang lead or co-lead vocals on songs like “Ghetto Child,” “I Don’t Want to Lose You,” “Ain’t No Price on Happiness,” and “Living a Little, Laughing a Little.” He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Cecilia Gentili

Pose actress Cecilia Gentili died on Feb. 6 from an undisclosed cause. She was 52. Gentili was a dedicated advocate of advancing LGBTQIA+ causes, including HIV/AIDS awareness and equity for sex workers and transgender people. She also appeared on Ryan Murphy’s FX drama Pose as Miss Orlando, who first popped up on season 1 as a New York City woman who provides deeply discounted cosmetic surgery. She was also a published author of the book Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist. She had planned to star in a one-woman show, Red Ink, following her early life in Argentina and her lifelong dedication to “searching for faith while trans,” in NYC later this year.

Toby Keith

Country music superstar Toby Keith died Feb. 5 at age 62 following a two-year battle with stomach cancer. After launching his career with his debut hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” the musician released a string of successful genre songs over the next two decades, including his biggest hit to date, 2011’s “Red Solo Cup” and the divisive Sept. 11-inspired song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).”

Don Murray

Don Murray, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in Bus Stop, died on Feb. 2. He was 94. Murray was known for his performance in the Joshua Logan-directed western, where he played opposite Marilyn Monroe as a lovestruck cowboy who falls for a beautiful saloon singer. Following his breakout performance in the drama, Murray went on to appear in films including A Hatful of Rain, Shake Hands with the Devil, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and Peggy Sue Got Married. In the late ‘60s, he led ABC’s one-season western, The Outcasts, and a decade later, starred in the Dallas spinoff, Knots Landing. The actor also appeared in the 2017 reboot of Twin Peaks. Murray is survived by his five children.

Wayne Kramer

Wayne Kramer, the guitarist who co-founded the proto-punk rock band MC5, died Feb. 2 at the age of 75 from pancreatic cancer. Born Wayne Kambes in Detroit in 1948, Kramer founded MC5 alongside Fred “Sonic” Smith. MC5 gained a following for its energetic performances and left-wing political platform, at one point performing for eight hours straight at the infamous protest against the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. MC5’s live album Kick Out the Jams and studio album Back in the USA were both heavily influential on the blossoming punk subgenre, and the group helped mentor other prominent bands like the Stooges. Kramer launched a successful solo career in the 1990s, and he later collaborated with artists like Rage Against the Machine, Bad Religion, and fellow Detroit rocker Alice Cooper. Kramer also helped compose the scores for Eastbound and Down, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers.

Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers, the actor and former pro football player best known for his work in the Rocky movies, died Feb. 1 at 76. Weathers’ family said in a statement that he died peacefully in his sleep. After playing for the Oakland Raiders, Weathers rose to prominence portraying rival boxer Apollo Creed in Rocky, serving as the antagonist in the original 1976 film and the 1979 sequel Rocky II before becoming a friend and ally to Sylvester Stallone’s Italian Stallion in Rocky III (1982) and Rocky IV (1985). He also starred in projects like Predator, Happy Gilmore, Arrested Development, and the Star Wars spinoff show The Mandalorian.

Mark Gustafson

Mark Gustafson, the Oscar-winning co-director of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, died on Feb. 1. The animator and director was 64. Gustafson’s career in animation began in the ’80s, taking a variety of forms in addition to the claymation work he would become known for. His early work included the TV special Claymation Christmas Celebration and the Emmy-nominated Meet the Raisins special, which starred the California Raisins. Later, he would direct episodes of the Eddie Murphy-led series, The PJs. Gustafson would go on to work as the animation director for Wes Anderson‘s Fantastic Mr. Fox and lead the claymation sequences in A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas. “I admired Mark Gustafson, even before I met him. A pillar of stop motion animation — a true artist,” Guillermo del Toro wrote in tribute to the animator on X. Their work together on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio would win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2023, as well as a Golden Globe, three Visual Effects Society Awards, and five Annie Awards, including an award for Outstanding Achievement in Directing. “He leaves behind a titanic legacy of animation that goes back to the very origins of claymation and that shaped the career and craft of countless animators,” del Toro continued. “He leaves friends and colleagues and a historic filmography.”

Chita Rivera

Chita Rivera, the legendary Tony award-winning actress and singer who originated the role of Anita in West Side Story on Broadway, died on Jan. 30 after a brief illness. She was 91. Rivera made her first appearance at 19 as a principal dancer in the 1952 touring company of the musical Call Me Madam before making her Broadway debut in Guys and Dolls the following year. In 1957, she landed her history-making role as Anita in Stephen Sondheim‘s West Side Story that would turn her into an overnight sensation. Her other stage credits include originating the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago, Anna in The Rink, and Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman, the latter two of which saw her win Tony Awards for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Rivera was one of the most-nominated stars in Tony Awards history, with 10 nods to her name for her performances in Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Merlin, Nine, and her musical career retrospective, Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life. She made her final Broadway stage performance in the 2015 musical The Visit.

Hinton Battle

Hinton Battle, the three-time Tony-winning actor who originated the role of Scarecrow in The Wiz on Broadway, died Jan. 29 at 67. Battle won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his work in 1981’s Sophisticated Ladies, 1984’s The Tap Dance Kid, and 1991’s Miss Saigon. He also starred in the Broadway productions of Dreamgirls (and its 2006 film adaptation), Dancin’, and Chicago. In addition to his work on the Great White Way, Battle appeared on several television shows, including Quantum Leap, Sweet Justice, High Incident, Touched by an Angel, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the latter of which saw him memorably portray a singing villain in a 2001 musical episode.

Sandra Milo

Sandra Milo, the Italian actress best known for appearing in Federico Fellini’s autobiographical classic 8 ½, died Jan. 29 at 90. She passed away in her sleep at home in Rome surrounded by family. Born Elena Salvatrice Greco, Milo collaborated with numerous renowned filmmakers, including Roberto Rossellini, Jean Renoir, and Gabriele Salvatore. In addition to playing the protagonist’s mistress Carla in 8 ½, she appeared in Fellini’s Juliet of the Spirit and later became a well-known talk show host.

Melanie Safka

Melanie, the folk-pop singer and songwriter known for such hits as “Brand New Key” and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” died Jan. 23 at 76. Born Melanie Safka in New York City, she got her start performing in coffeehouses and made a splash at Woodstock as a relative unknown in 1969. The latter experience provided the basis for her breakthrough hit, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” which was followed by her inescapably popular single “Brand New Key,” her sole top 10 hit in the U.S. Over the course of her career, Melanie released 28 studio albums, with notable songs including  “What Have They Done to My Song Ma,” “Ring the Living Bell,” “Together Alone,” and a cover of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow.” In 1968, Melanie married record producer Peter Schekeryk, who died in 2010. The couple shared three children.

Charles Osgood

Charles Osgood, the venerable CBS news anchor and radio personality, died Jan. 23 at 91-years-old. His family told CBS News that the cause of death was dementia. Osgood was best known as the Sunday Morning news host who helmed the show from 1994 to 2016, after original host Charles Kuralt. He was also the voice of The Osgood File, a daily news commentary series for the network’s radio station. During his tenure, Sunday Morning reached new highs, including a ratings spike and three Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Morning Program. Outside of the newsroom, Osgood served as the narrator of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who and was an acclaimed author and poet.

Gary Graham

Gary Graham, the actor known for starring on the television series Alien Nation and appearing in various Star Trek screen projects, died Jan. 22 at 73. Graham led Alien Nation for its single season from 1989 to 1990 as Det. Matthew Sikes, an L.A. cop who works with extraterrestrial “Newcomers” like Sam “George” Francisco (Eric Pierpoint) to solve crimes. He would reprise the role for five TV movie follow-ups. Graham also portrayed as the Vulcan ambassador Soval on Star Trek: Enterprise and played different characters in other Star Trek works. His other TV credits included The Incredible Hulk, Scruples, CHiPs, The Dukes of Hazzard, Ally McBeal, and JAG.

Mary Weiss

Mary Weiss, lead singer of ’60s girl group the Shangri-Las, died Jan. 19. She was 75. Formed while still in high school with her sister Elizabeth and twins Mary Ann and Marguerite Ganser, the Shangri-Las scored their first top 10 hit with the single “Remember (Walking in the Sand).” Other hits include “Give Him a Great Big Kiss” and “Maybe,” and their chart-topping anthem “Leader of the Pack,” which was later featured in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. The Shangri-Las released just two albums — Leader of the Pack and The Shangri-Las ’65! — before disbanding in 1968 amid legal troubles. The group reunited for several performances in the 1970s and one final gig in 1989, but Weiss largely stayed out of the spotlight until 2005, when she decided to pursue a solo career. Her debut album, Dangerous Games, was released in 2007.

Norman Jewison

Norman Jewison, the versatile Canadian filmmaker who directed some of the 20th century’s most beloved movies, such as In the Heat of the Night and Moonstruck, died Jan. 20 at 97. After working with stars like Judy Garland, Danny Kaye, Harry Belafonte, and Jackie Gleason on TV specials, Jewison helmed a wide variety of popular films in wildly different genres, including Fiddler on the Roof, The Thomas Crown Affair, Rollerball, The Cincinnati Kid, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Jewison received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1999, and his films won a total of 12 Oscars from 41 nominations, including a Best Picture win for In the Heat of the Night.

David Emge

Actor David Emge, well known to horror fans for playing the role of helicopter pilot Stephen in the 1978 zombie classic Dawn of the Dead, died Jan. 20 at 77. After serving in the Vietnam War, Emge starting his acting career at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and then moved to New York. He was working as a chef when Dawn of the Dead director George Romero cast him as Stephen, who in the film is bitten and becomes a zombie. An image of the undead pilot featured in a book about horror movies later attracted the interest of a young Simon Pegg, helping to inspire the future Shaun of the Dead star and cowriter’s interest in zombies. “I would stare at the image of David Emge’s zombified flyboy character,” Pegg recalled in his 2011 memoir Nerd Do Well. “The film became something of an obsession for me.” Emge’s other film credits included 1976’s The Booby Hatch and 1990’s Basket Case 2.

David Gail

David Gail, best known for a recurring role as Brenda Walsh’s fiancé on Beverly Hills, 90210 and as Dr. Joe Scanlon on the daytime soap Port Charles, died Jan. 20. He was 58. Gail made his television debut in a 1990 episode of Growing Pains, and went on to guest star on Doogie Hoswer, M.D., Murder, She Wrote, and Matlock. before landing a recurring role as Stuart Carson on Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1993. After 90210, Gail went on to star in the short-lived primetime soap Savannah from 1996 to ’97, and landed in the daytime soap Port Charles (a spin-off of General Hospital) in 1999, replacing Michael Dietz as Dr. Scanlon. Gail stayed in the role for 216 episodes and then worked sporadically through the early ’00s.

Marlena Shaw

Marlena Shaw, who famously sang “California Soul,” died on Jan. 19 at age 81. Her cause of death was not disclosed by her daughter, who shared the news with a video posted to Shaw’s official Facebook page. The legendary jazz and soul singer began her career with a performance at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1952, after being invited onstage by her uncle, a jazz trumpet player. She went on to perform in jazz clubs across the county, eventually signing to Chess Records in her early 20s. Across her career, Shaw released 17 albums total with eight different record labels. Her most famous tune is “California Soul,” penned by Ashford & Simpson and first recorded by The Messengers. It is oft-sampled by other artists and used in various commercials.

Nerene Virgin

Canadian broadcast journalist, host, and actress Nerene Virgin died on Jan. 15 at age 77. She was best known to ’80s kids as Jodie on the TV show Today’s Special, about a department store mannequin who comes to life after closing time. The Canadian series ran from 1981 to 1987 and aired on Nickelodeon in the U.S. Virgin also worked as a broadcaster, hosting CTV’s current affairs show Eye on Toronto in the late ’80s and early ’90s. She spent the later part of her career as a writer and educator, who championed teaching Black history in schools, and worked as an anti-racism advocate.

Joyce Randolph

Joyce Randolph, the last surviving member of The Honeymooners cast, died Jan. 13 of natural causes. She was at 99. The actress is best remembered for playing housewife Trixie Norton across 39 episodes of the classic TV sitcom. She starred alongside Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, and series creator Jackie Gleason. The show was canceled after its original run, but gained acclaim in syndication. Though Elaine Stritch originated Trixie when “The Honeymooners” was first a series of sketches on the variety show Cavalcade of Stars, Randolph later became synonymous with the character after Gleason spotted Randolph doing a commercial for Clorets in 1951 and flagged her for the part.

Alec Musser

Alec Musser, the actor best known for his role as Del Henry on All My Children and his brief but memorable appearance in the movie Grown Ups, died Jan. 12 by suicide. He was 50. Musser was a model prior to his acting career, appearing in Men’s Health and ads for Abercrombie and Fitch. After winning the SOAPnet reality TV contest I Wanna Be a Soap Star, Musser made his debut on All My Children in 2005.  For two seasons, Musser played the illegitimate son of Seabone Hunkle (Steve Kanaly), before exiting the show in 2007. His last role was in 2011, as Friedrich in the final season of Desperate Housewives. 

Bill Hayes

Bill Hayes, the beloved daytime television actor who starred as Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives for more than five decades, died Jan. 12 at 98. A talented singer and actor, Hayes originated the role of Doug on the NBC sudser in 1970 and would become one of its longest-running stars, appearing in more than 2,000 episodes over the next 53 years. He married his costar Susan Seaforth Hayes in 1974 and, two years later, their super-couple characters on the show similarly followed them down the aisle. In 2018, both of them received a Lifetime Achievement Award for their work on the show at the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Lynne Marta

Lynne Marta, an actress known for her guest starring roles in TV and bit parts in films like Footloose and Three Men and a Little Lady, died Jan. 11 after a battle with cancer. She was 78. Marta made her professional acting debut in 1966 on an episode of Gidget before becoming a featured player on the ABC anthology series Love, American Style in 1969. Marta appeared in the 1972 western Joe Kidd starring Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall, which was probably her most high profile film role until 1984’s Footloose. The actress was also a regular on television, guest starring on the likes of Kojak, Charlie’s Angels, and Designing Women. Marta also appeared in 24 episode of Days of Our Lives from 1983 to 2003.

Roy Battersby

British film and television director Roy Battersby died Jan. 10 following a brief illness, his stepdaughter Kate Beckinsale announced on social media. He was 87. Born in London, Battersby made his directorial debut in the 1969 made-for-television film Some Women and is best known for his work on several popular British crime dramas including Between the Lines, Inspector Morse, Cracker, and A Touch of Frost. His film credits include the 1984 drama Winter Flight and 2005’s Red Mercury.

Peter Crombie

Peter Crombie, the actor known for playing “Crazy” Joe Davola on Seinfeld, died Jan. 10 following a short illness. He was 71. Crombie starred as Davola, a psychopath dead set on terrorizing Jerry, throughout a stint of episodes in season 4 of the classic comedy series. The actor’s other credits include spotlight roles in television shows like Loving, Law & Order, NYPD Blue, Picket Fences, L.A. Firefighters, Diagnosis Murder, and Get Smart. He also appeared in films such as Se7en, The Doors, Rising Sun, My Dog Skip, Natural Born Killers, and The Blob.

Adan Canto

Adan Canto, the actor known for his work on TV series including The Cleaning Lady and Designated Survivor, and in such films as X-Men: Days of Future Past, died Jan. 8 from appendiceal cancer. He was 42. Born in Mexico and raised in Texas, Canto first pursued a career in music and later branched out into acting. He made his American acting debut on the thriller The Following and went on to play White House Chief of Staff Aaron Shore on Designated Survivor, real-life politician Rodrigo Lara Bonilla on Narcos, and mobster Arman Morales on The Cleaning Lady. He portrayed the powerful mutant Sunspot in Days of Future Past, and his other screen credits included Blood & Oil, Second Chance, The Catch, Bruised, and Agent Game.

Christian Oliver

Christian Oliver, the actor best known for his roles as Snake Oiler in Speed Racer and Emil Brandt in The Good German, died Jan. 4 at 51 in a plane crash that also killed his two young daughters. Born Christian Klepser, the star was born in Germany and relocated to the States to pursue a Hollywood career. His other credits include TV shows Alarm für Cobra 11, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Sense8, and Hunters. In addition, Oliver — who was also a writer and producer — appeared in the films Valkyrie, The Baby-Sitters Club, Hercules Reborn, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Glynis Johns

Glynis Johns, who played dedicated suffragette mother Winifred Banks in the original Mary Poppins, died on Jan. 4 at age 100. The British actress was recruited by Walt Disney himself for the beloved 1964 musical starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in which Johns’ character begins the film with a rousing performance of “Sister Suffragette.” Johns earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Sundowners and won a Tony Award for the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, in which she sang “Send in the Clowns.”

David Soul

Starsky & Hutch actor David Soul, who helped popularize one of the most iconic TV series of the 1970s, died Jan. 4 at age 80. His first major TV roles were small parts in I Dream of Jeannie and Flipper, followed by a two-season run on the western comedy Here Come the Brides from 1968 to 1970. From 1975 to 1979, Soul starred as Kenneth Richard “Hutch” Hutchinson opposite Paul Michael Glaser’s David Michael Starsky in Starsky & Hutch. Outside of his acting career, Soul released five albums and a handful of successful singles, including the 1976 rock hit “Don’t Give Up on Us,” which reached No. 1 in the United States.

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson, a veteran actor who appeared on hit television shows such as Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Law & Order, died Jan. 2 following a long illness. He was 81. Johnson began his career as one of Universal Studios’ final contract players and made his television debut as a warrior in a 1978 episode of the sci-fi epic Battlestar Galactica. He would go on to land guest roles on several more beloved television series throughout his 40-year career in entertainment, including: M*A*S*H, The Incredible Hulk, The A-Team, L.A. Law, Dynasty, Who’s the Boss?,  and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was also a prolific ADR voice actor and starred as Harry in the “Harry & Louise” political advertisements that aired throughout the early 1990s.

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Credit: Original article published here.