Celebrities who died in 2024
Cissy Houston (left) with daughter Whitney Houston.
Below, we look back at those we lost in 2024.
John Amos, 84
John Amos.
John Amos delivered legendary performances on TV and in movies for over five decades.
After starting his acting career playing weatherman Gordon “Gordy” Howard on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” his career took off with memorable roles like James Evans Sr. on “Good Times” and Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries “Roots,” the latter of which earned him an Emmy nomination.
He also appeared in films like “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” “The Beastmaster,” and “Die Hard 2,” and even made a surprise cameo opposite Adam Sandler in “Uncut Gems.”
But his most memorable performance was as Cleo McDowell in Eddie Murphy’s beloved comedy “Coming to America.”
Amos died on August 21 of natural causes.
John Ashton, 76
John Ashton played John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise.
Ashton made memorable turns as the grumpy LAPD sergeant in the “Beverly Hills Cop” movies, a concerned father in “Some Kind of Wonderful,” and a stubborn bounty hunter in “Midnight Run.”
Along with his work in movies, he also appeared in numerous TV shows over the ’70s and ’80s, including “Dallas,” “The A-Team,” and “MAS*H.”
Ashton died on September 26 of cancer.
Frankie Beverly, 77
Frankie Beverly.
Beverly’s iconic R&B music was a staple for decades.
The lead singer, songwriter, producer, and founder of the band Frankie Beverly and Maze, the group was responsible for such hits as “Before I Let Go,” “Joy and Pain,” and “Happy Feelin’s.”
“Before I Let Go” would be covered by Beyoncé for her 2019 album “Homecoming.”
Beverly died on September 10. No cause was given.
Seth Binzer (aka Shifty Shellshock)
Shifty Shellshock.
With his tattoos, frosted tips, and high energy, Crazy Town lead singer Shifty Shellshock was the epitome of the late 1990s-early 2000s rap-rock front man.
With that also came a hit song: 1999’s “Butterfly,” which hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a staple on the radio and MTV’s “Total Request Live.”
By 2003, the band had disbanded, and despite an attempt to reunite a few years later, Crazy Town was relegated to one-hit-wonder status.
Shifty Shellshock, whose real name is Seth Binzer, appeared on the first season of VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” in 2007 and the spin-off “Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House” a few years later.
Binzer died at his home in Los Angeles on June 24 from an accidental drug overdose, according to his manager.
Eric Carmen, 74
Eric Carmen.
Carmen was a rock ballad king whose songs still get constant play to this day.
“All by Myself” was a hit in the mid-1970s. It became an even bigger hit when Celine Dion did her own rendition in 1996.
The Grammy-nominated “Almost Paradise” from the soundtrack to the hit 1984 movie “Footloose” became a staple at school dances and weddings.
Carmen repeated the feat when his song “Hungry Eyes” showed up on the soundtrack for the 1987 classic “Dirty Dancing.”
Carmen’s death was announced on his website on March 12, stating he “passed away in his sleep, over the weekend.” No cause was given.
Roberto Cavalli, 83
Roberto Cavalli.
The Italian fashion designer was known for his flamboyant designs and game-changing innovations.
Cavalli’s use of leopard prints beginning in the 1970s became one of his trademarks. His revolutionary method of printing leather and patchwork denim was beloved by everyone from Madonna to Gwyneth Paltrow.
Cavalli died on April 12. No cause of death was given.
Bill Cobbs, 90
Bill Cobbs.
From playing the concerned manager opposite Whitney Houston in “The Bodyguard” to the kind-hearted coach in “Air Bud,” Bill Cobbs’ ability to play the voice of reason in his roles made him a memorable character actor for decades.
Cobbs’ other titles include “The Color of Money,” “New Jack City,” “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “Demolition Man,” and “Night at the Museum.”
He died at his home in California on June 25 following a recent bout of pneumonia.
Dabney Coleman, 92
Dabney Coleman.
Dabney Coleman became a captivating scene stealer in the 1980s thanks to his gruff demeanor and booming voice. Whether he was playing the mean boss opposite Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin in 1980’s “9 to 5,” or the nasty TV producer in “Tootsie,” or chasing Matthew Broderick in “WarGames,” Coleman had a talent for playing the heel.
The Emmy winner most recently starred in the HBO hit series Boardwalk Empire from 2011 to 2014 and a 2019 episode of Yellowstone.
Coleman died on May 16. No cause was given.
Eleanor Coppola, 87
Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004.
As the wife of Francis Ford Coppola, Eleanor had to navigate the stress and complexities of living with one of the greatest directors of all time.
She channeled that by filming her husband while he made his landmark 1979 Vietnam movie “Apocalypse Now.”
Her documentary, “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse,” has gone down as one of the most honest accounts of the making of a movie.
Eleanor died on April 12. No cause of death was given.
Roger Corman, 98
Roger Corman.
To say Roger Corman was the king of B-movies is too simple of a characterization.
For decades, Corman made ultra-low-budget genre movies that featured everything from cheesy monsters to crazed bikers. Corman-produced titles almost always made a profit, and many of them became proving grounds for the directors and actors who would go on to change Hollywood.
After directing the 1967 acid-trip fantasia “The Trip” starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda and written by Jack Nicholson, the trio went on to make “Easy Rider,” which would usher in the New Hollywood era of the 1970s.
Corman also produced titles directed by then-unknowns like Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese before they went on to mainstream studio success.
Corman died on May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., surrounded by family members.
Gavin Creel, 48
Gavin Creel.
Known for his energetic performances, Creel was a fixture on Broadway. He won a Tony in 2017 for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in the revival of “Hello, Dolly!,” which was headlined by Bette Midler.
His other credits include recent runs of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Hair,” and “Into the Woods.”
Creel died on September 30 after being diagnosed with metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, in July.
Shannen Doherty, 53
Shannen Doherty.
It was hard to separate the characters Shannen Doherty played from who she was in real life, and that genuine quality led to her becoming an icon to a generation growing up in the 1990s.
Teens were glued to their TV sets every week to see the latest drama on “Beverly Hills, 90210” between Doherty’s character Brenda Walsh and heartthrob Dyan McKay (played by Luke Perry, who died in 2019).
The on-screen drama spilled into Doherty’s personal life, with tabloids chasing her to find who she was dating; she ultimately left “90210” after season four.
Though her star would never return to the heights of her “90210” days (she reprised her role for the revival series “BH90210,” which lasted for one season), Doherty worked steadily, starring in the popular series “Charmed,” making an appearance on “Dancing with the Stars,” and appearing in a TV reboot of the 1988 cult classic “Heathers” after starring in the original movie.
Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015; two years later she announced it was in remission. In 2019, it returned and spread to her brain.
She died on July 13 due to cancer, according to her publicist.
Phil Donahue, 88
Phil Donahue.
Before there was Oprah Winfrey, Geraldo Rivera, or Jerry Springer, there was Phil Donahue.
For close to 30 years, he ruled daytime talk with “The Phil Donahue Show,” asking the biggest celebrities probing questions about everything from politics to abortion.
Donahue’s style of mixing his own running commentary with questions from audience members became the blueprint for talk shows going forward. His efforts led to 11 Daytime Emmy wins.
Donahue died on August 18 following a long illness.
Shelley Duvall, 75
Shelley Duvall.
With her striking features and formidable acting talent, Shelley Duvall was born to be on the big screen.
A muse of Robert Altman, Duvall appeared in seven of his films, including “Nashville,” in which she played teen groupie, “L.A. Joan,” and “Popeye,” as Olive Oyl.
The two-time Emmy nominee also became a horror icon when she starred opposite Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”
Duvall died on July 11 due to complications from diabetes.
Joe Flaherty, 82
(L-R) Joe Flaherty and Eugene Levy on the set of “SCTV.”
As one of the original cast members of the Canadian sketch comedy show “SCTV” in the late 1970s, Joe Flaherty — alongside the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, and Rick Moranis — created a brand of comedy that was edgier and more outlandish than their competition “Saturday Night Live.”
In later decades, Flaherty made scene-stealing appearances as the Western Union worker who gives Marty McFly the 70-year-old letter from Doc Brown in “Back to the Future Part II” and the heckler Donald in “Happy Gilmore.”
He was also a regular on TV through the decades, with roles in “Married… with Children,” “Freaks and Geeks,” and “The King of Queens.”
Flaherty died on April 1 following a brief illness.
Teri Garr, 79
Teri Garr.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, Teri Garr showed her range as a budding star. 1974 marked her breakout year, as she starred in two very different movies. In Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation,” Garr gave a beautifully subtle performance as a woman ending her relationship with the main character, played by Gene Hackman. She then showed her comedic side playing the female lead opposite Gene Wilder in Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein.”
From there, Garr landed roles in “Oh God!” opposite John Denver, Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Tootsie” opposite Dustin Hoffman (for which she earned an Oscar nomination), and the female lead opposite Michael Keaton in “Mr. Mom.”
Garr died on October 29 after battling multiple sclerosis since 1999.
Louis Gossett Jr.
Louis Gossett Jr. holding his best supporting actor Oscar.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Louis Gossett Jr. made his stage debut at 17. After building his craft onstage through the 1960s, Gossett Jr. made the jump to screen and in 1977 was cast in the acclaimed miniseries “Roots” opposite the likes of Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, and John Amos. He went on to win an Emmy for his performance as Fiddler.
He was nominated for seven more Emmys after that, most recently in 2020 for playing William Reeves in the HBO limited series “Watchmen.”
He made history in 1983 when he won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his portrayal of the strict drill instructor Emil Foley in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” It would mark the first time a Black actor won the prize in that category.
Gossett Jr. went on to star in hit movies and TV shows like “The Principal,” “Toy Soldiers,” “Iron Eagle,” and “Boardwalk Empire.”
Gossett Jr. died on March 29. No cause was given.
Cissy Houston, 91
Cissy Houston (left) with daughter Whitney Houston.
Emily “Cissy” Houston, the Grammy award-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, died on Monday at 91.
The soul singer was surrounded by family while in hospice, Gwendolyn Quinn, a representative for Whitney Houston’s estate, told B-17.
Cissy Houston had Alzheimer’s disease, according to a statement from Quinn.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family,” Houston’s daughter-in-law Pat Houston said in a statement shared with B-17. “Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives.
“A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community,” the statement continued. “Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Cissy Houston got her musical start at church before joining her siblings in a family gospel act. She gained commercial success in the 1960s as part of The Sweet Inspirations, a backing group that sang for soul singers like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Elvis Presley.
She later pursued a solo career and recorded hundreds of songs throughout her career as a popular session singer.
Cissy Houston frequently sang with her daughter, including backup on Whitney Houston’s successful first album.
Tito Jackson, 70
Tito Jackson.
Jackson was one of the original members of The Jackson Five.
The group comprised his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael. They found fame as kids in the 1960s thanks to hits like “Big Boy,” “I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save”, and “I’ll Be There.”
They would go on to sell millions of albums and perform alongside their famous brother Michael once he launched his solo career.
Jackson, who played guitar for the group, went on to have a solo career as a blues musician in the early 2000s.
Jackson died on September 15. No cause was given.
Norman Jewison, 97
Norman Jewison.
The legendary director was best known for his eclectic filmography that included the drama “In the Heat of the Night,” the musical “Fiddler of the Roof,” and the beloved comedy “Moonstruck,” all of which garnered him best director nominations at the Oscars.
The Canadian filmmaker’s specialty was getting top-notch performances out of A-list actors like Steve McQueen (“The Thomas Crown Affair”) and Denzel Washington (“The Hurricane”).
It often led to Oscar glory for his movies and their stars. Twelve actors received nominations over his 40-year career, with five of his movies earning best picture noms.
Jewison died on January 20. No cause of death was given.
Glynis Johns, 100
Glynis Johns.
The English actor starred in over 60 films and 30 plays, and is known best for playing Mrs. Banks in the beloved 1964 Disney movie “Mary Poppins.”
Legend has it that Johns originally thought she landed the role of Poppins. To let her down easy, Walt Disney made sure that she got to sing a big musical number in the movie. It led to the famous “Sister Suffragette” sequence.
In 1973, Johns’ breathy voice caught the attention of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who cast her in the original Broadway production of “A Little Night Music.” Sondheim wrote “Send in the Clowns,” the song she performs, with her in mind. Johns would earn a Tony Award for her performance.
She was also nominated for an Oscar for her work in “The Sundowners” (1960).
Johns died on January 4. No cause of death was given.
James Earl Jones, 93
James Earl Jones in 2014.
The legendary voice behind iconic characters like Darth Vader and Mufasa died on Monday, September 9, at 93.
James Earl Jones is also known for his roles in “Field of Dreams” and “The Great White Hope,” for which he was Oscar-nominated.
The actor overcame a childhood stutter to become a star of the stage and screen, working for more than 60 years in Hollywood and on Broadway.
Jones is also a rare EGOT winner. He won an Emmy, Grammy, honorary Oscar, and Tony.
Toby Keith, 62
Toby Keith.
Keith became prominent in the 1990s thanks to his hit single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
It would make him one of the decade’s top draws in country music.
Keith released 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and dozens of songs that topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in his career.
Keith died on February 5 following a bout with stomach cancer.
Kris Kristofferson, 88
Kris Kristofferson.
A multitalented performer, Kristofferson was a country music superstar known for hits like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “For the Good Times” before he became an A-list Hollywood actor with roles in “A Star is Born” and “Blade.”
The former US Army pilot had a larger-than-life personality and credited fellow songwriter Johnny Cash with encouraging him to pursue a musical career, the Associated Press reported.
On September 28, the singer-songwriter, age 88, died peacefully in his home on Maui, Hawaii, surrounded by family, his spokesperson confirmed to AP. No cause was given.
Dequantes Devontay Lamar (aka Rich Homie Quan), 33
Rich Homie Quan.
Thanks to his unique voice and lyrical prowess, Rich Homie Quan gained fame in the early 2000s in the Atlanta rap scene.
A member of Cash Money Records’ spin-off Rich Gang, Quan, whose real name is Dequantes Devontay Lamar, found success with hit tracks like “Type of Way” and “Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh).”
Lamar died on September 5. No cause was given.
Phil Lesh, 84
Phil Lesh.
As one of the founding members of The Grateful Dead, Lesh was instrumental in defining rock music for a generation.
As the group’s bassist, Lesh brought a steady rhythm to the band’s iconic songs. He also sang a few of their classics, including “Pride of Cucamonga,” “Unbroken Chain,” and “Box of Rain.”
When The Dead disbanded in 1995, he went on to jam with bands Phil Lesh and Friends and Furthur alongside Dead bandmate Bob Weir.
Lesh died on October 25. No cause was given.
Jon Landau, 63
James Cameron and Jon Landau at an “Avatar” press day in 2010.
Alongside James Cameron, producer Jon Landau was behind some of the most successful movies ever made.
Landau won the Best Picture Oscar with Cameron for 1997’s “Titanic,” which at the time was the highest-grossing movie ever.
He then broke the box office record again with Cameron’s “Avatar” in 2009.
Landau also produced Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 remake of “Solaris,” Robert Rodriguez’s 2019 “Alita: Battle Angel,” and Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar” sequels.
He died on July 5 of cancer.
Richard Lewis, 76
Richard Lewis.
In an era in the 1970s where stand-up comedy could be a path to superstardom, Richard Lewis was one of the biggest acts.
Often dressed in black and holding his hand up to his temple, his self-deprecating and neurotic style made him a constant visitor to Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show.”
By the 1980s, he hit it big on TV, starring opposite Jamie Lee Curtis on the series “Anything but Love,” which ran for four seasons.
His movie credits include the Mel Brooks comedy “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” and John Candy’s final role before his death, 1994’s “Wagons East.” Lewis has said Candy’s death was one of the things that finally got him sober.
Lewis introduced himself to a new generation when Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” premiered on HBO in 2000. For 11 seasons, Lewis played a fictional version of himself as one of David’s friends. Though he didn’t return as a series regular for the series’ final season, season 12, he popped up in a cameo in an episode that aired on February 18.
Back in April, Lewis revealed via a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and would be retiring from stand-up comedy after undergoing four surgeries.
Lewis died on February 27 of a heart attack in his Los Angeles home.
Willie Mays, 93
Willie Mays.
Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, Willie Mays was astounding to watch.
He could hit and catch, had speed, and pulled off amazing feats that are still remarkable to this day.
One of his most memorable plays happened in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, which is simply known as “The Catch.”
Mays’ New York Giants were facing the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York. With the score tied 2-2 in the eighth inning and runners on base, Indians player Vic Wertz hit a towering 420-foot blast to dead center that in today’s baseball would be deep in the seats for a homerun. But due to the Polo Grounds’ massive outfield, it was in play, and Mays used practically all of it to track down the ball on the run with an incredible over-the-shoulder catch and then threw it into the infield quickly so no runner could score. The Giants went on to win the game in extra innings 5-2, and would go on to win the World Series. Many still regard Mays’ catch as one of the greatest moments in baseball history.
Mays would go on to play 21 seasons with the Giants before being traded to the New York Mets for the 1972-73 season, which would be his last. He finished his career with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Mays died on June 18, no cause was given.
Cindy Morgan, 69
Cindy Morgan.
A 1980s icon, Morgan found instant stardom in her film debut playing the stunning Lacey opposite Chevy Chase in the classic 1980 comedy “Caddyshack.”
Two years later, she found herself in another iconic work, Disney’s “Tron.” As Dr. Lora Baines in the real world and Yori, who helps Jeff Bridges after he’s sucked into the game world, Morgan once again showed she can shine opposite Hollywood’s biggest leading men.
Though Morgan worked steadily the rest of her career, including a multi-episode run on the soap opera “Falcon Crest,” she’ll be forever known for her performances in two of the biggest movies of the ’80s.
Morgan’s death was first reported on January 6, though she died on December 30, 2023. No cause of death was given.
Martin Mull, 80
Martin Mull.
Mull could expertly play self-deprecating or the know-it-all jerk in everything from hit TV shows and movies to commercials. He was known for his roles in movies like “Clue” and “Mr. Mom,” and in TV shows like “Rosanne,” as boss Leon Carp, and “Arrested Development,” as private detective Gene Parmesan. He was also the voice of Red Roof Inn commercials for many years.
Mull died on June 27. No cause was given.
Dikembe Mutombo, 58
Dikembe Mutombo.
Over his 18 seasons in the NBA, Dikembe Mutombo was known by many as one of the greatest defensive big men to ever play the sport.
Nicknamed “Mount Mutombo,” the 7-foot-2-inch center entered the NBA as the fourth pick in the 1991 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets after an impressive college career at Georgetown. He would go on to lead the NBA in blocked shots three times over his career and was named to eight All-Star teams. By the time he retired in 2009, after playing for six teams and making two NBA Finals appearances, he was second on the list of all-time career leaders in blocked shots.
Outside basketball, Mutombo was also known for his humanitarian work. His work with his foundation improving the living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo made him one of the first global ambassadors of the NBA.
Mutombo died on September 30 following a bout with brain cancer.
Bob Newhart, 94
Bob Newhart.
Bob Newhart is regarded as one of the funniest men of the 20th century.
With his comedy albums and iconic TV shows like “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart,” the comic entertained audiences for generations.
The finale of the eight-season run of “Newhart” is regarded as one of the best in TV history. The last scene revealed that the entire series was a dream and that the show existed within the world of Newhart’s other show, “The Bob Newhart Show.”
Later in life, he played the heartwarming Papa Elf in the 2003 movie “Elf.” Newhart scored his only Emmy win in 2013 for his recurring role on CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory.”
Newhart died on July 18 following a series of short illnesses.
Charles Osgood, 91
Charles Osgood.
The face of “CBS Sunday Morning” for over two decades, Osgood became a fixture in Americans’ homes at the end of every weekend thanks to his wit, calming demeanor, and that bow tie.
Osgood had been at CBS since the early 1970s, first as a reporter, then the anchor of the “CBS Sunday Night News” from 1981 to 1987. From 1987 to 1992, he was often on “CBS This Morning.”
In 1994, he became the face of “Sunday Morning,” replacing Charles Kuralt. He would go on to earn two Daytime Emmys and a Peabody for his work on the show. He ended his run 2016, passing the reins to Jane Pauley.
Osgood died on January 23 after suffering from dementia.
Ken Page, 70
Ken Page.
Sporting a baritone voice and a flair for the dramatic, Ken Page forged a legendary Broadway career as he crafted some of the most memorable performances featured on The Great White Way.
After making his Broadway debut playing the Lion in 1975’s “The Wiz,” he went on to play two landmark roles: Ken in the original production of “Ain’t Misbehavin'” (1978) and Old Deuteronomy in the original production of “Cats” (1982).
He also made an indelible mark on the big screen by voicing the villain Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton’s beloved 1993 stop-motion animated movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Page died on September 30. No cause was given.
Liam Payne, 31
Liam Payne.
As one of the members of the boy band One Direction, Payne brought joy and excitement to the band’s millions of fans around the world.
The band, which was formed after singers Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan were made into a group during the 2010 British talent show “The X Factor,” quickly became a sensation.
In 2011, One Direction released their first album, “Up All Night,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. They released another four albums before going on hiatus in 2016.
In 2019, Payne released his solo album, “LP1.” He released the song “Teardrops” in March.
Payne died on October 16 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Argentina.
Chance Perdomo, 27
Chance Perdomo.
Perdomo was a rising star in Hollywood, having starred in Netflix’s reboot “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “The Boys” spinoff “Gen V.”
The British-American actor died on March 30 as a result of a motorcycle accident, his publicist confirmed.
Tamayo Perry, 49
Tamayo Perry in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.”
Perry, a professional surfer, appeared on screen in 2002’s “Blue Crush” and 2011’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.”
Perry died on June 23 after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the island of Oahu in Hawaii, according to the Associated Press. He was brought to shore by paramedics and pronounced dead at the scene.
Chita Rivera, 91
Chita Rivera.
Rivera was a Broadway legend who originated some of the stage’s most memorable characters, including Anita in “West Side Story,” Velma Kelly in “Chicago,” and Rose in “Bye Bye Birdie.” She would go on to be nominated for 10 Tony Awards and win twice.
With Broadway credits spanning seven decades, Rivera’s singing and dancing shaped generations of performers.
Rivera died on January 30 following a brief illness.
Marian Robinson, 86
Marian Robinson.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, was often described as the matriarch of the White House during the Obama administration, but the Chicago-born daughter of seven never felt quite at home on Pennsylvania Avenue, according to her family.
“The trappings and glamour of the White House were never a great fit for Marian Robinson,” a statement from former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and other family members said. “‘Just show me how to work the washing machine and I’m good,’ she’d say.”
Robinson’s death was announced on May 31.
A cause and place of death was not revealed.
Pete Rose, 83
Pete Rose.
Pete Rose was one of the most polarizing figures in all of baseball history.
First known as “Charlie Hustle” because he never let up — he even famously crashed into catcher Ray Fosse during an All-Star Game — he also gained the nickname “The Hit King” when he passed Ty Cobb for the most hits in a career with 4,256.
But after he hung up his cleats, he was called other names, like “cheat” and “disgrace,” when he was given a lifetime ban for betting on games while manager of the Cincinnati Reds (Rose finally admitted to the charge in a 2004 autobiography).
Death may finally give Rose something he was never allowed in life: induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has the credentials: along with hits, he also holds the record for most games played. He made 17 All-Star Game appearances and won an MVP, three batting titles, two Gold Gloves, and three World Series championships with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Rose died on September 30. No cause was given.
Gena Rowlands, 94
Gena Rowlands.
For the current generation, Gena Rowlands is known as the older version of Rachel McAdams’ character in the 2004 adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ “The Notebook.”
But her career stretches back decades. From the late 1960s through the 1980s, Rowlands was one of the most respected and acclaimed actresses working in Hollywood. Thanks to the efforts of her husband John Cassavetes, she also became the muse of the burgeoning American independent film scene.
After conquering Broadway, Rowlands quickly found work in Hollywood in the late 1950s. As her star grew, her husband, a renowned actor himself, began making movies financed outside the Hollywood system, which was unheard of at the time. With Rowlands as his star, the two collaborated on 10 movies, two of which led to Oscar nominations for Rowlands (1974’s “A Woman Under the Influence” and 1980’s “Gloria”).
Rowlands’ other standout titles include Woody Allen’s “Another Woman” (1988), Jim Jarmusch’s “Night on Earth” (1991), and her son Nick Cassavetes’ “The Notebook” (2004).
Rowlands died on August 14 following a battle with Alzheimer’s.
Richard Simmons, 76
Richard Simmons.
Richard Simmons would use his drive for weight loss to become one of the most recognizable fitness gurus in the world.
Overweight in his youth, Simmons began opening gyms around Los Angeles in the 1970s after losing 123 pounds. Simmons found fame in the 1980s for his energetic aerobic videos like “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” and his Emmy-winning daytime show, “The Richard Simmons Show,” which captured the nation’s obsession with weight-loss programs.
For the rest of his life, Simmons’ celebrity would only grow thanks to his flamboyant personality, which made him a fixture on game shows and late-night talk shows.
Simmons died on July 13. No cause was given.
O.J. Simpson, 76
O.J. Simpson.
O.J. Simpson had a life of high highs and low lows.
Finding fame initially on the football field, he became one of the greatest running backs ever to play in the NFL in the 1970s. He had an MVP season in 1973 when he set a single-season rushing record and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985 after his retirement.
He was set to live out his days as a hero and grow even more famous thanks to endorsements, movie roles, and broadcasting.
But all of that changed in June of 1994 after his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside her condo. Days later, Simpson, who was a person of interest in the murders, led Los Angeles police on a slow-speed chase in his Ford Bronco, finally giving up when he got back to his home.
Simpson’s televised trial for the deaths of Nicole and Goldman a year later became one of the biggest spectacles in modern-day American history.
Simpson was acquitted of the murders, was found guilty in civil court in 1997.
The story of Simpson’s incredible rise and fall still fascinates people to this day. The 2016 ESPN docuseries “O.J.: Made in America” won an Oscar and Emmy, and Ryan Murphy’s 2016 scripted series “The People vs. O.J.: American Crime Story” won eight Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.
Simpson died on April 10. He had been diagnosed with cancer, his family said.
Maggie Smith, 89
Maggie Smith.
Dame Maggie Smith was a two-time Oscar winner and one of Britain’s most acclaimed actors. Over her seven-decade career, she played every type of role on the stage and screen.
She’ll perhaps be best known for her work later in life, especially her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” franchise and Violet Crawley on “Downton Abbey.”
Smith won an Oscar for best actress for 1969’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and a best supporting actress Oscar for 1978’s “California Suite.”
She also won five BAFTAs, four Emmys, three Golden Globes, and a Tony over her career.
Smith died on September 27. No cause was given.
David Soul, 80
David Soul.
Soul found instant fame in the mid-1970s playing Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson, one half of the hip crime solvers in “Starsky & Hutch.”
Before hitting it big on the show, Soul was a folk singer through the 1960s, opening for the likes of Frank Zappa and The Byrds. At one time he even sang while his face was covered with a mask, calling himself “The Covered Man.”
After “Starsky & Hutch,” Soul went back to music and scored the No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Don’t Give Up on Us.”
Soul also made appearances on shows like “Star Trek,” “Gunsmoke,” the Clint Eastwood movie “Magnum Force,” and a miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel, “Salem’s Lot.”
Soul died on January 4. No cause of death was given.
Morgan Spurlock, 53
Morgan Spurlock.
In 2004, an unknown documentary filmmaker arrived in Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival. Overnight, his life was changed — because he made a movie about eating McDonald’s.
If there’s one thing Morgan Spurlock knew how to do, it was get people’s attention. With a big personality and an unusual idea, Spurlock changed the way we look at fast food when he made “Super Size Me,” a documentary in which he ate nothing but McDonald’s for a full month, to stomach-churning effect.
The documentary earned an Oscar nomination and became a box-office sensation. Weeks after its release in theaters, McDonald’s discontinued its supersize portions.
Spurlock used that success to become one of the stars in the documentary medium, which was growing in popularity in the early 2000s. He would go on to direct and produce dozens of documentaries for the big screen and TV, focused on everything from Osama bin Laden to One Direction.
His legacy would be tarnished in late 2017, at the height of the #MeToo movement, when Spurlock confessed to multiple acts of sexual misconduct in his past.
Spurlock died on May 23 due to complications related to cancer.
Donald Sutherland, 88
Donald Sutherland.
Donald Sutherland had the incredible talent to be the life of the party in one performance or a wallflower in the next. Need a dark and disturbing presence for a role? He’s your guy. Or he could do a wise-cracking know-it-all character.
What we’re trying to say is whatever the role, Sutherland could pull it off. And he did it so well that he delivered some of the most memorable roles ever put on screen over the last six decades.
Playing a Nazi-killing grunt in “The Dirty Dozen” (1967), creating one of the greatest screen duos ever opposite Elliott Gould in “MAS*H” (1970), acting as a laid-back professor in “Animal House” (1978), delivering one of the best surprise endings ever in a remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978) — he could do it all. He was both the man who knew the truth behind the Kennedy assassination in “JFK” (1991) and the villain in the “Hunger Games” franchise (2013-2015).
He was a fixture in our lives over generations.
Sutherland died on June 20 in Miami following a “long illness.”
Robert Towne, 89
Robert Towne.
Towne is regarded as one of the greatest screenwriters who ever lived thanks to his contributions during the New Hollywood era of the 1970s.
Known best for penning the acclaimed script for Roman Polanski’s 1974 classic noir “Chinatown,” which earned Towne his only Oscar win, he was also Oscar-nominated for “The Last Detail” (1973), “Shampoo” (1975), and “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” (1984). For the latter, Towne famously removed his name from the credits and replaced it with the nom de plume P.H. Vazak, which was later revealed to be the name of his sheepdog.
Towne’s other credits include Tom Cruise movies like “Days of Thunder” (1990), “The Firm” (1993), and the first two “Mission: Impossible” movies from 1996 and 2000.
He also was a prolific script doctor, an uncredited but paid position in which the screenwriter helps punch up a movie. Classics like “Bonnie and Clyde,” “The Godfather,” and “Marathon Man” all received tweaks from Towne.
Towne died on July 1. No cause of death was given.
Johnny Wactor, 37
Johnny Wactor.
Wactor was best known for his role as Brando Corbin on the soap “General Hospital.” He appeared in more than 160 episodes during his two seasons on the series before leaving in 2022.
His résumé included guest roles on “Westworld,” “The OA,” “Station 19,” “Siberia,” “Agent X,” “Vantastic,” “Animal Kingdom,” “Hollywood Girl,” “Training Day,” “Criminal Minds,” “Struggling Servers,” “Age Appropriate,” “NCIS,” “The Passenger” and “Barbee Rehab.”
He also starred in the 2016 Mario Van Peebles-directed movie “USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage” alongside Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, and Thomas Jane.
His family confirmed that Wactor was shot and killed on May 25 in Los Angeles during a robbery.
M. Emmet Walsh, 88
M. Emmet Walsh in “Blood Simple.”
You may not know the name, but you definitely know this face.
Character actor M. Emmet Walsh showed up in more than 150 movies over his career, many of which have gone on to become classics: “Blade Runner,” “Blood Simple,” “Slap Shot,” “Fletch,” “The Jerk,” “Back to School,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and “Knives Out.”
He also has appeared in many popular TV shows over the decades, including “Home Improvement,” “The X-Files,” and “Frasier.”
Walsh died on March 19. No cause was given.
Carl Weathers, 76
Carl Weathers.
Thanks to his bravado and astounding physique, Weathers found fame when he was cast as heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in 1976’s “Rocky.”
The following years and decades brought more memorable roles, whether he was sizing up biceps with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987’s “Predator,” or trying to teach Adam Sandler how to play golf in 1996’s “Happy Gilmore.”
Most recently, he played Greef Karga in the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian.” Along with appearing in front of the camera, he also showcased his talents behind it, directing multiple episodes.
Jerry West, 86
Jerry West.
You can give several examples to show just how great a basketball player Jerry West was. He won an NBA title, an Olympic gold medal, and is the only player on the losing team of an NBA Finals to be named MVP.
But there’s one that overshadows all of these accomplishments: he was the logo.
That’s right. The actual NBA logo is a silhouette of Jerry West dribbling a basketball.
Known for his tenacious play and ability to score in the clutch, West was one of the stars in the NBA before its enormous popularity in the 1970s, when players like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and later, Michael Jordan, became household names.
After his retirement, West became an executive of the Los Angeles Lakers and was instrumental in the “Showtime” Lakers’ championship dynasty through the 1980s. He made the key signings to get Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to the Lakers, creating another dynasty in the early 2000s.
West died on June 12. No cause was given.
