Stars we've lost in 2021 (original) (raw)

Betty White

Betty White has died at age 99. Amanda Edwards/WireImage

Betty White, the five-time Emmy Award-winning actress whose career spanned six decades and included pivotal roles on some of TV's most influential shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, died at 99 years old on New Year's Eve. The legendary comedic actress would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. White officially hit the TV airwaves in 1949 on the local variety show Hollywood on Television and went on to produce and star in the show's domestic spin-off comedy, Life With Elizabeth. An assortment of short-lived roles followed, including an eponymous variety show and the first of her famed spots on game shows, from What's My Line to Make the Connection to Password. Years later, White appeared on other game shows, including Pyramid and Match Game, as well as hosted NBC's Just Men! (for which she won a Daytime Emmy). The first of White's two most famous TV roles began in 1973, when she joined the cast of the super-successful sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, playing "happy homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens, which won her two Emmys. In 1985, she Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls. She was nominated for an Emmy during each of the show's seven seasons and won in its first. In her later years, White appeared on The John Larroquette Show, The Practice, Boston Legal, The Bold and the Beautiful, My Name Is Earl, and Community, and TV Land's Hot in Cleveland. She also had a memorable turn in the rom-com The Proposal.

Stephen J. Lawrence

'Sesame Street' composer Stephen J. Lawrence. Courtesy of Cathy Lawrence

Stephen J. Lawrence, a prolific composer best known for his work on Sesame Street and the children's entertainment album Free to Be… You and Me, died Dec. 30 in New Jersey. He was 82. Born Sept. 5, 1939, Lawrence would become a musical staple across the entertainment industry for five decades. He served most notably as a jack of all trades—composer, musical director, arranger, conductor—on Sesame Street, where he earned three Daytime Emmys for his achievements in music direction. Lawrence composed more than 300 songs and scores for the acclaimed children's series that are still known today, including the iconic "Fuzzy and Blue (and Orange)," which he wrote with David Axelrod. Lawrence's work in children's entertainment was a vital part of his career. He composed the score for The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss and worked on the popular 1972 children's album Free to Be… You and Me as a musical director and co-producer with Bruce Hart, composing the title song and two others, "When We Grow Up" and "Sisters and Brothers."

John Bowman

Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

John Bowman, co-creator of the Martin Lawrence-starring comedy Martin and writer of In Living Color, died Dec. 28 at the age of 64, his son told The Hollywood Reporter. He also worked on other shows including Saturday Night Live, Murphy Brown, and The Hughleys, and also co-created the sketch comedy shows Cedric the Entertainer Presents and Frank TV. For his work on SNL, he shared an Emmy win for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program with Mike Myers, Conan O'Brien, Greg Daniels, Bob Odenkirk, Phil Hartman, and more. He was also nominated for two other Emmys: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program and Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, both for In Living Color.

Tiffini Hale

Tiffini Hale on 'The All-New Mickey Mouse Club.'. Youtube

Tiffini Hale, who was a cast member on Disney Channel's All-New Mickey Mouse Club and pop group The Party, died at the age of 46 on Dec. 25.

"It is with the heaviest of broken hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of our beloved sister, Tiffini Talia Hale," reads a post on The Party's Facebook page signed by Hale's bandmates Deedee Magno Hall, Chase Hampton, Jeune Pierre, and Damon Pampolina.

"Early this month," they continued, "she suffered a cardiac arrest that resulted in her being left in a coma. After many prayers and with her family by her side, our dearest Tiff took her last breath Christmas morning. She is now resting peacefully."

Hale was an original member of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, which premiered in 1989. Hale and Hampton shared cohosting duties for the final season in 1994.

In 1990, Hale was chosen (alongside Hall, Hampton, Pampolina, and Pierre) to become part of Disney's new pop group The Party. The band released a total of two studio albums and three collections of outtakes and greatest hits, the biggest hit from which was a cover of Dokken's "In My Dreams."

John Madden

John Madden. Everett Collection

John Madden, the football legend who coached the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl title, worked as a broadcaster for all four major networks, and lent his name and voice to the massively popular Madden NFL video game series, died Dec. 28 at 85. A native of Austin, Minn., Madden played football in high school and college and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1958. He took up coaching after a training camp injury ended his playing career, and led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory in 1977. After coaching, he became a beloved color commentator, known for his distinctive voice, down-to-earth sensibility, and astute analysis. He won 16 Sports Emmys, and in 2006 was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But for generations of football and gaming fans, Madden was perhaps best known for his namesake video game series, Madden NFL. Launched as John Madden Football in 1988, the franchise has sold more than 100 million copies across countless platforms.

Harry Colomby

Film producer Harry Colomby dies at 92. Michael Keaton/Instagram

Harry Colomby, a film and television producer known for Johnny Dangerously and Body Shots, among others, died Dec. 25 in Los Angeles at 92. A cause of death was not specified. Colomby worked as a schoolteacher in New York before pivoting to a career as a manager to the stars, including jazz pianist Thelonious Monk and actor Michael Keaton, when the latter first began his career as a stand-up comedian. A frequent Keaton collaborator, Colomby co-created, produced, and wrote for the actor's sitcoms Working Stiffs and Report to Murphy in the late 1970s and '80s, as well as the films Mr. Mom, Touch and Go, One Good Cop, and Speechless. Keaton paid tribute to his longtime friend on Instagram, writing, "The great Harry Colomby has moved on. Unlikeliest of matches, we thought the same, felt the same and laughed at the same things. He was kindhearted, curious, thoughtful and man, was he funny. Forget 'was.' To me he still is. I loved him and so did all who met him."

Jean-Marc Vallée

Jean-Marc Vallée. Rich Polk/Getty Images

Jean-Marc Vallée, the director of the Oscar-winning Dallas Buyers Club and HBO hits like Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, died unexpectedly at the age of 58 in his cabin outside Quebec City over the Christmas weekend, his publicist confirmed to EW. A cause of death was not given. Over the course of his career, the filmmaker directed Marc-André Grondin in C.R.A.Z.Y., Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria, Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club, Reese Witherspoon in Wild and Big Little Lies, Jake Gyllenhaal in Demolition, and Amy Adams in Sharp Objects.

Candy Palmater

Candy Palmater. George Pimentel/WireImage

Candy Palmater, an Indigenous comedian from Canada, died Dec. 25 at the age of 53. She was best known for creating and hosting the comedy series The Candy Show, as well as her appearances on _Trailer Park Boy_s. A cause of death was not given at the time, but the comic revealed in mid-December that she was diagnosed with a rare condition called eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).

Harvey Evans

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Harvey Evans, an acclaimed actor, singer, and dancer who appeared in the original Broadway productions of West Side Story, Follies, and Hello, Dolly!, died Dec. 24 at the age of 80. A cause of death was not given. In addition to his many stage credits, his screen appearances include roles in both the original West Side Story, as a Jet named Mouthpiece, and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake, as a Gimbels security guard. He also appeared as a dancer in The Pajama Game, Enchanted, and Mary Poppins, in which he was one of the chimney sweeps.

Joan Didion

Joan Didion. Henry Clarke/Condé Nast/Shutterstock

Joan Didion, the groundbreaking journalist, memoirist, novelist, and screenwriter, died Dec. 23 at her home in Manhattan. She was 87. Paul Bogaards, an executive at Didion's publisher Knopf, said the cause of death was Parkinson's disease, The New York Times reported.

It's hard to pinpoint which genre most defined Didion—or which genre Didion did most to define—but she made her earliest mark as a young reporter. She graduated from Berkeley in 1956, where she won an essay contest that secured her a position at Vogue. Didion published her first novel, Run, River, in 1963, to lukewarm reviews, but she later won acclaim with the novels A Book of Common Prayer and Play It as It Lays, which she herself adapted into a screenplay.

Didion's most recent works include South and West: From a Notebook, published in 2017, and a collection of essays titled Let Me Tell You What I Mean, which was published in early 2021. She was also the subject of the recent Netflix documentary Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold.

Wanda Young

Wanda Young, singer in Motown girl group the Marvelettes, dies at 78. James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Wanda Young, an original member of the Motown girl group the Marvelettes, died Dec. 15 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She was 78. Young sang both backup and lead for the Marvelettes, singing lead most famously on the classic "Don't Mess With Bill," the last top 10 hit for the group.

Sally Anne Howes

Sally Ann Howes. Everett Collection

Sally Ann Howes, the child actor who rose to fame in the cult film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, died in her sleep on Dec. 19. She was 91. Howes' death was confirmed by her nephew, Toby Howes.

Howes was a prominent fixture in the entertainment world, racking up 40 credits in both film and television. Born in London, she made her acting debut at age 12 in the 1943 film Thursday's Child after being recommended for the role by a family friend. In the 1950s, she made the transition to theater while continuing to star in multiple films and television shows. She made her Broadway debut in 1958 as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, taking over for original star Julie Andrews—a role that catapulted her career to another level. Howe went on to earn a 1962 Tony nomination for her performance as Fiona in Brigadoon at the New York City Opera, a role she reprised when the show was made into a TV series and the role that brought her to star in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Howes is survived by one son.

Jack Hedley

Jack Hedley. ITV/Shutterstock

Jack Hedley, the prolific actor best known for appearing in the film For Your Eyes Only with Roger Moore, died Dec. 11. He was 92.

Born in London as Jack Hawkins in 1929, the actor changed his last name to Hedley to avoid being mistaken for another British actor of the same name. He started his acting career in the 50s, becoming a prominent fixture on both the big and small screen, with movie roles in The Scarlet Blade, Witchcraft, The Secret of Blood Island, as well as an uncredited role in Lawrence of Arabia.

Hedley's big break came when he was cast opposite Moore as Sir Timothy Havelock in the Bond film For Your Eyes Only. During his career, he amassed an impressive 99 credits over five decades across film, television, and theater, with roles in the British television shows Only Fools and Horses, Space Precinct, and Dalziel and Pascoe.

Sayaka Kanda

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Sayaka Kanda, the actress and singer who recently voiced Anna in the Japanese-dubbed version of Disney's Frozen, died on Dec. 18 in Japan. She was 35. The star apparently fell from a 22-story hotel in the city of Sapporo. The daughter of actor Masaki Kanda and idolized pop star Seiko Matsuda, Kanda was known for her voice work in animes Idoly Pride and Star Blazers 2202, as well as the film Real Girl and TV series High School Chorus, among others. Prior to her death, Kanda was also prepared to hit the musical theater stage for productions of My Fair Lady and Galaxy Express 999, based on a sci-fi anime written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto, in 2022.

Carlos Marín

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Il Divo singer Carlos Marín died Dec. 19 following a hospitalization, according to the remaining members of the vocal group. He was 53.

David Miller, Sébastien Izambard, and Urs Bühler announced the news of their friend's death on their website.

"It is with heavy hearts that we are letting you know that our friend and partner, Carlos Marin, has passed away. He will be missed by his friends, family and fans. There wiIl never be another voice or spirit like Carlos," Il Divo shared.

Drakeo the Ruler

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Drakeo the Ruler, the lionized Los Angeles rapper best known for "Impatient Freestyle" and "Betchua," among others, died on Dec. 18 after he was stabbed at the Once Upon A Time in LA festival held at Banc of California Stadium and Exposition Park in Los Angeles. He was 28. The rapper, born Darrell Caldwell, was slated to perform at the single day hip hop event alongside notable headliners Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Al Green, and more prior to his death. Throughout the course of his career, the influential rapper has released a series of mixtapes and albums, including The Truth Hurts, Thank You for Using GTL, So Cold I Do Em, and I Am Mr. Mosely.

Leonard Hubbard

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Leonard "Hub" Hubbard, a founding member and bassist for the Roots, died Dec. 16 of myeloma, a form of blood cancer. He was 62. "It's with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard," the band said in a statement posted to Twitter. "May your transition bring peace to your family to your friends to your fans and all of those who loved you." Hubbard joined Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, and the late Malik B. to form the Roots in 1992, and performed on seven of the group's albums starting with their 1993 debut, Organix. He departed the band in 2007 after he was diagnosed with cancer to focus on his work as a composer, his wife, Stephanie Hubbard, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "He wanted to be known for the type of music he was composing," she said, "and before he died, he was sitting there at night listening to the music, and he was so happy with it."

Flow La Movie

Flow La Movie/instagram

Jose Angel Hernandez, known as the music producer Flow La Movie, died in a plane crash on Dec. 15. The 38-year-old Puerto Rico native made a name for himself producing songs for Bad Bunny and Ozuna, as well as artists across Latin America. Hits he produced included "Te Boté" and Bad Bunny and Drake's "Mia." Hernandez was one of seven passengers on a private plane when it crashed near Las Américas International Airport in the Dominican Republic, en route to Florida. His son, Jay, and his partner Debbie Von Marie Jimenez Garcia were also among the victims.

Jason Hitch

Jason Hitch on '90 Day Fiancé'. TLC

Jason Hitch, who appeared on the second season of 90 Day Fiancé, died Dec. 14 from complications of COVID-19. He was 45. Hitch was featured on the TLC reality series—which follows couples in long-distance relationships who must decide if they want to get married within three months to satisfy U.S. visa requirements—in 2014. An Army veteran, Hitch married Cassia Taraves after she moved from Brazil to his native Spring Hill, Fla. The couple separated in 2017 and filed for divorce the following year.

bell hooks

bell hooks. Karjean Levine/Getty Images

bell hooks, the trailblazing author, educator, and critic who indelibly shaped conversations about race and gender in the U.S., died Dec. 15 at her home in Kentucky from an undisclosed illness. She was 69. Born Gloria Jean Watkins on Sept. 25, 1952, in Hopkinsville, Ky., hooks took on her pen name as a tribute to her great-grandmother Bell Blair Hooks. She published her first book, Ain't I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism, in 1981 and went on to publish dozens more titles over the course of her career, including essays, poetry, and children's books, that examined race, gender, class, spirituality, and more. hooks' writing inspired and influenced many artists and leaders of today, and she was also known for her pointed cultural analyses.

Ken Kragen

J.Sciulli/WireImage

Ken Kragen, who produced The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and Kenny Rogers' Gambler movies and was also the force behind the charitable events We Are the World and Hands Across America, died Dec. 14 of natural causes. He was 85. Kragen also managed the careers of Rogers and countless other entertainers, including Lionel Richie, the Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John, Burt Reynolds, the Smothers Brothers, and Trisha Yearwood. For his efforts with We Are the World, he received the United Nations Peace Medal in 1985, making him one of only a small handful of private citizens to receive the honor.

Anne Rice

Anne Rice. Joe Scarnici/Getty

Anne Rice, whose vampire fiction and other stories of the sexy supernatural enchanted readers ever since her 1976 debut novel, Interview With the Vampire, died Dec. 12 at her home in New Orleans due to complications from a stroke. She was 80. Rice set many of her most celebrated novels in her hometown, including Interview and the Lives of the Mayfair Witches series. Though she grew up Catholic, she abandoned organized religion while studying at San Francisco State University in the '60s. She wrote her best-selling novel Interview with the Vampire in 1976, after the death of her daughter, Michele, at age 5. In the decades following the book's success, Rice published dozens more enormously popular novels. She returned to the Catholic Church in the late '90s, at which time she moved away from vampire fiction and started exploring religious topics with her Christ the Lord series, her Songs of the Seraphim series, and a memoir of her spiritual transformation, Called Out of Darkness. In 2010, however, she posted to her Facebook page, where she was very active, that though she remained "committed to Christ as always," she was leaving the Church once again because "my conscience will allow nothing else." Rice's split from the church marked her return to gothic literature: 2012 brought the first book of the Wolf Gift Chronicles, which focused on werewolves, and in 2014, she revisited the bloodsucking antihero that made her famous with Prince Lestat.

Vicente Fernández

Vicente Fernandez. Olivia Salazar/WireImage

Vicente Fernández, the Mexican singer who achieved fame for his soulful anthems and operatic voice, died Dec. 12 at 81. Born Vicente Fernández Gomez in 1940, the singer spent most of his early years in a rural settlement in Guadalajara, where his parents raised cattle. He dropped out of school in fifth grade, and as a teenager worked in Tijuana doing odd jobs. He started singing at 21 as a mariachi in Guadalajara, eventually graduating to restaurants and radio shows. Fernández, who was largely self-taught when it came to music, recorded more than 50 albums in Spanish and won Grammys and Latin Grammys for his work. He also created themes for numerous telenovelas and starred in more than two dozen moves in the '70s and '80s. In 1980, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Despite ongoing health issues that included prostate and liver cancer, Fernández continued to tour until 2013, when his farewell tour was cut short after he was hospitalized with a pulmonary embolism.

Michael Nesmith

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Michael Nesmith, the singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for his work as a member of the Monkees, died Dec. 10 at 78. Born in Houston, Texas, Nesmith auditioned to join the Monkees in 1965. Over the years, he amassed more songwriting credits than all the other members combined and wrote many of the band's most famous songs, including "Mary, Mary," "Circle Sky," "Listen to the Band," and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere." In 1968, Nesmith recorded his first solo album, Wichita Train Whistle Songs. He departed the Monkees in 1969 and started his own group, the First National Band. The group released two albums in 1970: Magnetic South and Loose Salute. He would also go on to create and produce TV shows and movies, such as Nickelodeon's PopClips and the films Repo Man and Tapeheads.

Rhonda Stubbins White

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Rhonda Stubbins White, a former recurring actress on Days of Our Lives, died Dec. 6 at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer, her manager confirmed to PEOPLE.

Over her almost 30-year career, White appeared on a wide variety of hit shows, including NYPD Blue, ER, The West Wing, Charmed, and Shameless. But her most extended TV run came in 2000 when she played Lady Vi for 17 episodes on NBC's long-running soap, Days of Our Lives. White could most recently be seen starring on Tyler Perry's Ruthless.

Carmen Salinas

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Mexican actress, producer, and political figure Carmen Salinas died at the age of 82 on Dec. 9. Her family confirmed the news via social media.

Best known for starring in movies such as Danzón, Man on Fire, and Bellas de Noche, as well as soap operas and television series María la del Barrio and Mujeres Asesinas, Salinas was hospitalized after she suffered a stroke and was in intensive care in a Mexico City hospital back in November.

Despite coming from humble beginnings, the iconic actress enjoyed a six-decade long career in film and TV, and was also elected to a seat in the Mexican Congress representing the Institutional Revolutionary Party in 2015. She's survived by her daughter, María Eugenia, and her grandchildren.

Skilyr Hicks

Skilyr Hicks performing on 'America's Got Talent'. Bill Records/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Skilyr Hicks, the singer who earned rave reviews on the eighth season of America's Got Talent for her impressive performance and original songwriting, died Dec. 6 in Liberty, S.C. She was 23. Hicks made headlines when she first appeared on the talent competition in 2013, performing an original song on her guitar for Howard Stern, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel. Although she earned four yeses from the judges, Hicks was eliminated before the show's live rounds. Still, her performance made an impact, with Klum telling her, "I feel like you won all of our hearts" while Mel B called her voice "way more mature" than one would expect from a 14-year-old.

Antony Sher

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Antony Sher, the South African-born actor best known for his Shakespearean roles and his association with the Royal Shakespeare Company died Dec. 3 at the age of 72. Sher joined the RSC in 1982 and played countless memorable roles there, including his career-defining turn as Richard III, Falstaff in Henry IV, Parts One and Two, and the title characters in Macbeth, King Lear, and Cyrano de Bergerac. Sher worked sparingly in film on projects such as Shakespeare in Love, Mrs. Brown, and The Wolfman. He won the Olivier award (the British equivalent of a Tony) for Best Actor twice.

Eddie Mekka

Eddie Mekka. ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Eddie Mekka, the veteran TV and stage actor best known for his role as Carmine Ragusa on the 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley, died on Nov. 27. He was 69.

Mekka got his start in the industry as a voice instructor at the Worcester County Light Opera Company and attended the Berklee College of Music. He landed his first major part in 1975, making his Broadway debut in The Lieutenant and earning a Tony nomination for his work. Soon after, he moved out to Los Angeles to pursue acting and landed roles on two sitcoms created by Garry Marshall, Blansky's Beauties and Laverne & Shirley, the latter of which gave him his breakout role as the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams).

In addition to his two '70s sitcoms, Mekka appeared in films such as Beaches, _Dickie Roberts: Former Child Sta_r, Dreamgirls, and Hail Mary! He also had an iconic cameo in A League of Their Own, in a scene in which he stole a dance with Madonna's character, Mae, at a bar.

Mekka's body of work included other television appearances: He guest-starred on soap operas such as The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful as well as on the shows It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Moonlighting, Family Matters, and The Love Boat.

Jonshel Alexander

Jonshel Alexander and Quvenzhané Wallis at the New Orleans premiere of 'Beasts of the Southern Wild.'. Skip Bolen/Getty Images

Jonshel Alexander, who at 12 years old was one of the child stars of 2012 Oscar-nominated film Beasts of the Southern Wild, died from fatal gunshot wounds in New Orleans. She was 22. Police confirmed she and a man were shot while in a vehicle the night of Nov. 27. Alexander was known for playing Joy Strong in Beasts of the Southern Wild opposite lead star Quvenzhané Wallis.

Jacqueline Avant

Suspect charged with murder in death of philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, wife of music exec Clarence Avant. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Jacqueline Avant, the 81-year-old philanthropist and wife of legendary music executive Clarence Avant, was shot and killed during an apparent home invasion in Beverly Hills on Dec. 1.

The philanthropist and former model married Clarence, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in May, in 1967. The two shared son Alex and daughter Nicole. Nicole produced a 2019 Netflix documentary about her father called The Black Godfather, and is married to Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

Marcus Lamb

Marcus Lamb, televangelist whose Daystar network warned against vaccines, dies of COVID-19 at 64. facebook

Marcus Lamb, a televangelist who spoke out against coronavirus vaccines, has died after contracting COVID-19, Daystar Television confirmed on Nov. 30. He was 64.

Lamb was the co-founder and CEO of Daystar, a conservative Christian TV network that frequently served as a platform for anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown speakers and groups.

"It's with a heavy heart we announce that Marcus Lamb, president and founder of Daystar Television Network, went home to be with the Lord this morning," the network said on social media. "The family asks that their privacy be respected as they grieve this difficult loss. Please continue to lift them up in prayer."

Tommy Lane

Tommy Lane in "Live and Let Die.". Danjaq/Eon/Ua/Kobal/Shutterstock

Tommy Lane, an actor and stuntman best known for his roles in the popular 80s films Shaft and Live and Let Die, died on Nov. 29, following a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was 83.

Lane, who was born as Tommy Lee Jones in 1937, was a fixture in several films in the 70s and 80s, including Cotton Comes to Harlem, Shamus,and Eureka, along with his big breakouts Shaft and Live and Let Die.

Lane also had television appearances in the shows Flipper, Shamus (with Burt Reynolds), and Simon & Simon. He also had a career as a jazz musician in the 80s, regularly playing the trumpet and flugelhorn at New York City's Blue Note.

Arlene Dahl

Arlene Dahl. Everett Collection

Arlene Dahl, the actress who was best known for her role in the 1959 adventure film Journey to the Center of the Earth and had a fascinating second act as an author, beauty magnate, and astrologist, died Nov. 29 at 96. A native of Minneapolis, Dahl began her screen career in 1947 with Life With Father and My Wild Irish Rose. Her other film credits included Three Little Words, Scene of the Crime, Here Come the Girls, and Sangaree. She was married six times, including to Fernando Lamas, with whom she had a son, the actor Lorenzo Lamas. Dahl also wrote a long-running syndicated beauty column, started her own cosmetics and lingerie lines, and cashed in on the astrology fad of the '80s with her own psychic hotline.

David Gulpilil

David Gulpilil. Don Arnold/WireImage

David Gulpilil, the Australian actor best known for his iconic role in Crocodile Dundee, died on November 29. He was 68 years old.

Known as Australia's pioneering Indigenous actor, Gulpilil hailed from the Mandhalpingu clan of the Yolŋu people and grew up in Northern Australia. He made his mark on Australian cinema in the 1971 movie Walkabout when he was 16, before breaking out in the blockbuster comedy Crocodile Dundee.

His 50-year career included films such as The Tracker, Charlie's Country, Mad Dog Morgan, The Last Wave, and Rabbit-Proof Fence, for which he received a best supporting actor nomination from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards. He also received a second award for the movie Charlie's Country, which acted as a personal comeback of sorts for the actor after spending time in jail for aggravated assault.

Gulpilil had been battling lung cancer for the past few years.

Virgil Abloh

Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton men's artistic director and the creative mind behind the album art of several hip-hop albums this past decade, has died of cancer at 41. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Virgil Abloh, the trailblazing artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear and one of Kanye West's enduring creative collaborators, died of cancer on Nov. 28. He was 41. Having befriended the rapper when they were interns at Fendi in 2009, Abloh helped run West's creative agency Donda, contributing to the art direction of major albums like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and West's 2011 collaboration with Jay-Z, Watch the Throne, the latter of which garnered Abloh a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package. Abloh later took the fashion world by storm with his irreverent brand Off-White, which was an LVMH prize finalist in 2015. In 2018, he was hired by Louis Vuitton, becoming the first person of African descent to lead the brand's menswear line. His shows were regularly packed with celebrities like Rihanna and led to gigs like designing Hailey Bieber's wedding dress for her marriage to Justin Bieber.

Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim. Everett Collection

Stephen Sondheim, the legendary composer and lyricist considered by peers and theater professionals alike as the most influential musical creator bar none, died Nov. 26 at 91, leaving behind a legacy as varied as the productions he penned during six decades in the business. In addition to just about every theater award imaginable, Sondheim was the recipient of eight Tonys, eight Grammys, and one Oscar (for the Madonna ballad "Sooner or Later," from the film Dick Tracy), with a palette as rich as his own Georges Seurat in one of his most beloved musicals, Sunday in the Park with George (for which he won his sole Pulitzer). Taking his cue from mentor and friend Oscar Hammerstein II, the era of the collectible cast album reaches its zenith in the 1950s and '60s with Sondheim's early work, with galvanizing contributions to masterworks West Side Story, Gypsy, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum achieving maximum overdrive as popular music in households all over the country in the 1960s. Nearly every theatrical endeavor touched thereafter was a hit, cult or otherwise, and even the misfires ended up becoming beloved by some faction of devotees, often many years after their premieres.

Thomas Wells

Thomas Wells. Thomas Wells/Facebook

Thomas Wells, a former contestant on the Fox singing competition show The X Factor, died after a reported workplace accident earlier this month. He was 46.

While on the job at a tire manufacturing plant in Oklahoma, Wells became caught in an automatic conveyer belt that did not stop, his wife Jessica Wells told TMZ. He died at a Texas hospital on Nov. 13.

Born in 1975, Wells competed on the American version of The X Factor in 2011 and on NBC's vocal competition The Winner Is in 2013. He also reportedly auditioned for America's Got Talent and The Voice.

Joey Morgan

Joey Morgan, 'Flowers' actor, dies at 28. Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

Joey Morgan, who starred in comedies such as Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocolypse and Flower, died on Nov. 21 at 28. No cause of death has been released.

Morgan made his acting debut as Augie Foster in 2015's Scout's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, starring alongside Tye Sheridan and Logan Miller. He also costarred as the lead in Compradres, playing a teen hacker in the Mexican-American comedy. His breakout role came in 2017 when he was cast in Max Winkler's Flower. Critics praised his performance as Luke Sherman, the troubled teen who befriends Zoey Deutch's Erica, calling him a breakout talent.

On Instagram, Deutch paid tribute to her former costar, posting a picture from the film and calling Morgan "a deeply kind, talented, special person."

Morgan's other television and film work included the 2018 indie comedies Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and Camp Manna, the sci-fi comedy Max Reload, and an episode of Chicago Med.

Peter Aykroyd

Peter Aykroyd. Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Peter Aykroyd, former Saturday Night Live cast member and brother of Dan Aykroyd, has died. He was 66. Akyroyd's death was announced on the Nov. 20 episode of SNL with a title card that read "Peter Aykroyd 1955-2021." On Twitter, the sketch show also paid tribute to the comedian's popular short film "The Java Junkie."

Following roles in "The New Avengers" and SCTV," Aykroyd got his start in comedy after joining the Second City comedy troupe in Toronto. He joined SNL in 1979 and served as both a writer and featured player, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program. He continued to work after leaving SNL, working alongside his brother with featured roles in Coneheads, Spies Like Us, and The Blues Brothers animated series.

A cause of death hasn't been disclosed at this time.

Art LaFleur

Art LaFleur. ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Art LaFleur, a prolific character actor known for his roles as Babe Ruth in The Sandlot and Chick Gandil in Field of Dreams, among many other movies and TV shows, died following a decade-long battle with Parkinson's disease. His wife, Shelley, announced his death in a Facebook post on Nov. 18, writing, "He was a generous and selfless man which carried over to his acting but more importantly it was who he was for his family and friends. I was so very lucky to have had a 43-year relationship with a man who cherished me and who I adored. Art was larger than life and meant the world to us." LaFleur's other credits included such TV classics as M*A*S*H and Hill Street Blues and movies including The Santa Clause 2 and 3 (in which he played the Tooth Fairy), 2008's Speed Racer, and more recent projects such as Key and Peele.

Dave Frishberg

'Schoolhouse Rock!' songwriter Dave Frishberg has died at age 88. MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images

Jazz musician and songwriter Dave Frishberg — best known for contributing songs like "I'm Just a Bill" to ABC's Schoolhouse Rock! — died Nov. 17 at age 88. In addition to his work in writing jingles for the animated show, he also released The Dave Frishberg Songbook, Volume No. 1 to critical success and a 1982 Grammy nomination. He followed the album up with another nod for Volume No. 2, and would go on to record two more Grammy-nominated albums: 1985's Live at Vine Street and the 1987 release Can't Take You Nowhere.

Bergen Williams

'General Hospital' actress Bergen Williams has died at age 62. Justin Kahn/WireImage

Five months after her sibling's death, Bergen Williams' sister, Lynda, revealed on Twitter that the General Hospital star died due to complications from Wilson's Disease on July 20, 2021—six days after her 62nd birthday. Williams played the role of Big Alice on the TV soap opera between 2002 and 2015, and also played small roles on television shows like Raising Hope, Happy Endings, and Nip/Tuck.

Heath Freeman

Heath Freeman at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010. Jesse Grant/Getty Images

Heath Freeman, the actor known for playing a calculating killer on the Fox procedural Bones, died in November at 41. A cause of death was not disclosed. Freeman portrayed Howard Epps, the first serial killer to appear on Bones, during the show's first two seasons. He previously studied acting and film at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the University of Texas at Austin. His first acting credit was an episode of ER, and he also appeared on NCIS, The Closer, Without a Trace, and Raising the Bar. Freeman's final screen projects were the upcoming films Devil's Fruit and Terror on the Prairie.

Gavan O'Herlihy

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Gavan O'Herlihy, the Irish actor known for playing Chuck Cunningham in early episodes of Happy Days, died Sept. 15 in England. He was 70.

O'Herlihy's agent, Michael Emptage, confirmed his death to EW. "He was a wonderful actor with a long and distinguished career in film, television, and theater and was respected as a man of directness, sincerity, and honesty," Emptage said in a statement. "Gavan was larger than life and is greatly missed by all who knew him, most particularly by his adoring wife and family."

Born in Dublin in 1951, O'Herlihy got his first major role in 1974 with the part of elder Cunningham sibling Chuck on Happy Days. However, he chose to leave the show after the first season, explaining in a 2007 interview, "I was going to come in, grunt, bounce a basketball once every couple of weeks for probably three or four years, and at 20 years old, that's not the gig you want to be doing." After O'Herlihy's exit, his character was briefly recast before disappearing from the show without explanation.

The actor went on to play numerous roles in such films and TV shows as Superman III, Lonesome Dove, Willow, Star Trek: Voyager, and Twin Peaks. He often portrayed villainous characters, such as Jack Petachi in the unofficial James Bond movie Never Say Never Again, the final film to feature Sean Connery as 007.

O'Herlihy's Happy Days costar and Willow director Ron Howard paid tribute to him on Twitter, writing, "RIP Gavan. I knew him as the 1st of 2 Chucks on #HappyDays & then as Airk in #Willow where I had the pleasure of directing him. A talented actor with a big free spirit."

Graeme Edge

Graeme Edge, drummer and founding member of the Moody Blues, died of cancer on Nov. 11. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Graeme Edge, drummer and founding member of the Moody Blues, died of cancer on Nov. 11. He was 80. Born in the United Kingdom during WWII, Edge grew up to form what was initially a rhythm and blues band in 1964, with their second single "Go Now" topping the U.K. charts that year.

The Moody Blues would go through slight ups and downs through the rest of the 60s, with two members leaving, and guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist John Lodge joining. As the band got going, and their music got more progressive and experimental, Edge was the one writing the poems that were recited on albums like On the Threshold of a Dream.

When the band took a hiatus from 1974 to 1977, Edge took that time to sail on a round-the-world voyage on his yacht Delia. Reuniting in 1978, the band would reach another peak when the music video for their 1986 song "Your Wildest Dreams" became a staple on early MTV. Edge would stick around with the band, eventually becoming the sole original member still performing with them, until his retirement coincided with their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Upon news of his death, Lodge said "his beautiful poetry, his friendship, his love of life and his 'unique' style of drumming that was the engine room of the Moody Blues" while Hayward said Edge "was one of the great characters of the music business and there will never be his like again."

Coronji Calhoun Sr.

Halle Berry and Coronji Calhoun Jr. in 'Monster's Ball.'. Courtesy Everett Collection

Halle Berry's Monster's Ball costar Coronji Calhoun Sr. died Oct. 13 at age 30. The former child actor's sole screen credit was the role of Berry's son, Tyrell, in the Lee Daniels-produced film. Both Berry and Daniels donated over $3,000 to Calhoun's family following his death.

Dean Stockwell

Dean Stockwell. Nancy R. Schiff/Getty Images

Dean Stockwell, the award-winning actor who was best known for playing Admiral "Al" Calavicci on the popular sci-fi series Quantum Leap, died on Nov. 7 from natural causes. He was 85.

Born Robert Dean Stockwell in 1936, the actor had a long and prominent career that spanned both film and television, with roles in features like Air Force One, David Lynch's Dune, _Blue Velvet, The Rainmake_r, and Married to the Mob, which earned Stockell a 1989 supporting actor Oscar nomination.

In 1989, he became a household name when he starred opposite Scott Bakula as Admiral "Al" Calavicci on the quirky NBC series Quantum Leap. The show ran for five seasons, earning Stockwell multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations as well as a Golden Globe win in 1990. In 1992, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his achievements.

Multiple television projects followed, including shows like Battlestar Galactica; JAG, The Tony Danza Show and NCIS: New Orleans.

Stockwell officially retired from acting in 2015 and spent the last few years creating and exhibiting art under his full name.

Terence Wilson

Terence Astro Wilson.

Terence Wilson, a founding member of the popular reggae band UB40, died following a short illness. He was 64.

Wilson was best known to fans as Astro. The official UB40 Twitter confirmed his death on Saturday in a statement that read: "We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness. The world will never be the same without him."

UB40 was originally formed in England in the 1970s at the height of reggae's popularity. As four-time Grammy nominees, the band soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts with their covers of Elvis Presley's "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You" and Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine," also reaching No. 1 in the U.K. with their version of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe."

In 2013, Wilson left the original version of UB40 and formed his own iteration of the band with members Ali Campbell and Mickey Virtue. They continued to perform and write music, with a 2022 tour planned to celebrate the release of their latest album, Unprecedented.

William Lucking

William Lucking dies at 80. Jason Merritt/Getty Images

William Lucking, the actor best known for playing old-school biker Piney Winston on FX's Sons of Anarchy, has died. He was 80. A cause of death hasn't been disclosed at this time.

His Oct. 18 death in Las Vegas was announced by his longtime friend Stephen Macht on Facebook. Pals for 46 years, Macht called Lucking a "lion, and his memory will always be a blessing."

Lucking stayed busy with TV gigs — he was the original Colonel in NBC's The A-Team and played the green Bajoran on Star Trek Deep Space 9 — but he found a new community of fans with his role as an old biker on Sons of Anarchy.

Ronnie Wilson

Gap Band. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Ronnie Wilson, who founded the popular funk and R&B group The Gap Band, has died. He was 73. His wife, Linda Boulware-Wilson, confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Nov 2.

"The love of my life was called home this morning, at 10:01am," she wrote. "Ronnie Wilson was a genius with creating, producing, and playing the flugelhorn, Trumpet, keyboards, and singing music, from childhood to his early seventies. He will be truly missed!!!"

Wilson formed The Gap Brothers in the late 1960s alongside his brothers Charlie and Robert. Originally named The Greenworld Archer Pine Street Band (after the area in their Oklahoma town that was targeted during the 1921 Tulsa race massacre), the group rose to fame in the 70s and 80s releasing numerous albums and opening for The Rolling Stones. Over the years, their songs and sound have been sampled by iconic artists including Snoop Dogg, Janet Jackson, Nas, Mary J. Blige, Ice Cube, and more.

Pat Martino

Pat Martino. Frans Schellekens/Redferns

Internationally known jazz legend Pat Martino died Nov. 1 after a long illness, his longtime manager Joseph Donofrio confirmed to The Philadelphia Inquirer. He was 77.

Born Patrick Azzara, Martino started his career early at the age of 15, where he studied under Philadephia music scholars. In 1967, at the age of 22, he released "El Hombre," the album that would put him on the map and start him on a six-decade career.

Martino was born with abnormal blood vessels in his brain that led him to have frequent seizures. In 1980, he suffered a life-threatening aneurysm that left him near death. Although saved by surgery, he lost his memory and spent years re-learning how to play the instrument that had defined his career.

According to Donofrio, Martino had been suffering from a respiratory disorder since 2018 that had put a pause to his career. He is survived by his wife, Asako.

Mort Sahl

Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

Groundbreaking Canadian stand-up comedian Mort Sahl died Oct. 26 at age 94. The legend's friend, Lucy Mercer, told the Associated Press that Sahl died "peacefully" due to "old age" at his his Mill Valley, Calif. home, following a robust career that saw him blazing a trail for politically charged satirical comedy through the 1950s. In addition to appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Ed Sullivan Show, Sahl also appeared in films such as Johnny Cool, Don't Make Waves, and In Love and War, among others.

JoAnna Cameron

JoAnna Cameron starred in 'The Secrets of Isis' in the 1970s. Everett Collection

TV's Isis from the 1970s show The Secrets of Isis died at the age of 73 in Hawaii, a close friend of hers confirmed to EW. One of Cameron's costars on the DC Comics-inspired series, Joanna Pang Atkins, mentioned on social media that the actress died after suffering a stroke. Cameron was the first woman to play a title role on a superhero series, preceding Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman and Lindsay Wagner in Bionic Woman.

James Michael Tyler

James Michael Tyler. Mike Marsland/WireImage

James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on Friends, died on October 24. He was 59.
His manager confirmed to the BBC that Tyler died on Sunday, peacefully at his home. "If you met him once you made a friend for life," a statement from his manager read. "[He] is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno, the love of his life." In June, Tyler revealed he was battling stage 4 prostate cancer. "Wanting to help as many people as possible, he bravely shared his story and became a campaigner for those with a prostate to get a... blood test as early as 40-years-old," his manager said, per the BBC. Tyler was well-known for his role as Gunther, the Central Perk coffee shop manager, who had an unrequited crush on Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) throughout the show's run. While best known for Friends, his other onscreen credits include Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Showtime's _Episode_s, and Scrubs.

Jay Black

Jay Black. Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Jay Black, frontman for '60s pop-rock group Jay and the Americans, died on Oct. 22. He was 82. Black's family confirmed to Rolling Stone that he died of complications from pneumonia on Friday night. The mag reported he had also suffered from dementia. The band, known for hits including "Come a Little Bit Closer," and "This Magic Moment," shared a tribute to their former lead singer on Facebook on Saturday. "Today, we mourn the passing of David Blatt a/k/a Jay Black and we acknowledge the great successes we had with him both as a partner and as a lead singer," their post read. "We shared both wonderful and very contentious times, and much like an ex-wife, we are so proud of the beautiful children we created. We'll always remember The Voice." Black was born David Blatt in 1938 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the second "Jay" to front the Americans after John "Jay" Traynor left to pursue other musical projects.

Peter Scolari

Actor Peter Scolari has died at age 66. Michael Tran/FilmMagic

Actor Peter Scolari, best known for his roles on the TV comedies Bosom Buddies, Newhart, and Girls, died of cancer at the age of 66 on Oct. 22. While short-lived, Buddies introduced him to costar Tom Hanks who would become his lifelong friend. Scolari followed that breakout role by joining Newhart in 1984 as Michael Harris, a producer-boss to Bob Newhart's local TV host character, and earned three Emmy nominations during the long run of the CBS show. After spending some time on Broadway in the aughts, appearing in productions like Hairspray, Scolari finally won an Emmy for playing Lena Dunham's character's dad on the HBO show Girls, and would finish his career by frequently appearing across many shows shot in New York. He is survived by his wife, Tracy Shayne, and his four children: Nicholas, Joseph, Keaton, and Cali.

Halyna Hutchins

'Rust' cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on Oct. 21, 2021 in a shooting incident during production. Fred Hayes/Getty Images

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died at the age of 42 while working on the set of the Western film Rust, starring Alec Baldwin and Jensen Ackles. Baldwin had fired a prop gun that fatally wounded Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

Chris Ayres

Chris Ayres. Tommaso Boddi/Getty

Chris Ayres, a voice actor with over 200 credits to his name, best known for playing Frieza in the Dragon Ball series, died at the age of 56 on Oct. 18. Ayres' girlfriend and fellow actor Krystal LaPorte shared the sad news on social media, writing, "On October 18th at 8:40pm, my world went dark. Christopher Owen Ayres passed away peacefully, held close by his mother, brother, and girlfriend." Ayres first took on the role of Frieza in the Dragon Ball series after joining Funimation's dub of Dragon Ball Z Kai. He continued to be a part of the franchise, ending with the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie. Ayres also provided a number of other anime performances throughout his career such as those in Maburaho, Black Butler, Sengoku Basara, Gantz, Tears to Tiara, Fairy Tail, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and many others. He also served as ADR director and scriptwriter for numerous English dubs.

Betty Lynn

Don Knotts and Betty Lynn. Frank Carrroll/Getty

Betty Lynn, the actress best known for playing Barney Fife's (Don Knotts) girlfriend Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show died at 95.

The Andy Griffith Museum, which the Surry Arts Council operates in Mount Airy, N.C., announced the news in a Facebook post on Sunday, Oct. 17: "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we announce the passing of Betty Lynn."

Lynn began acting professionally in TV and film in the late 1940s, including in Sitting Pretty (1948), starring Robert Young, Clifton Webb, and Maureen O'Hara. In the run-up to her most prominent role on Andy Griffith, Lynn had parts on the big screen in 1950's Cheaper by the Dozen (again, with Webb), and the short-lived Where's Raymond? television series, starring Ray Bolger from 1953-1954.

Ruthie Tompson

Ruthie Tompson. Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Ruthie Tompson, a Disney Legend honoree who began her long career with the company as a scene painter in the 1930s, died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 111.

Tompson had ties to both Walt and Roy Disney, dating back to her childhood. The Disneys lived in the same neighborhood, and on her way to school, Tompson would pass by the shopfront where the men and their animators worked. Her first job for the company was in the Ink & Paint Department, where she painted for the animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was released in 1937. Tompson spent four decades as a Disney employee, retiring in 1975.

"Ruthie was a legend among animators, and her creative contributions to Disney — from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to The Rescuers — remain beloved classics to this day," Bob Iger, Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement. "While we will miss her smile and wonderful sense of humor, her exceptional work and pioneering spirit will forever be an inspiration to us all."

Andrea Martin

Andrea Martin. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Andrea Martin, a songwriter who worked on such R&B hits as En Vogue's "Don't Let Go (Love)," Toni Braxton's "I Love Me Some Him," and Monica's "Before You Walk Out of My Life," died Sept. 27 in New York City. She was 49. Martin also wrote for artists including Sean Kingston, Leona Lewis, and Melanie Fiona. She was a skilled vocalist as well, and released a solo album, The Best of Me, in 1998.

Ravil Isyanov

Ravil Isyanov. S Granitz/WireImage

Ravil Isyanov, the Moscow-born character actor whose numerous screen credits included NCIS: Los Angeles, GLOW, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, died Sept. 29 after a long illness. He was 59. Isyanov was known for playing the Russian mobster Kirkin on NCIS: Los Angeles, who would sometimes help and sometimes double-cross the good guys. He appeared in seasons 4, 7, 9 and 10. Isyanov also had roles in such films as Goldeneye, The Saint, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and on TV series including The Americans, 24, Alias, and GLOW.

Paddy Moloney

Paddy Moloney in 2012. Steve Thorne/Redferns via Getty Images

Paddy Moloney, the founder of the popular Irish folk band the Chieftains, died Oct. 11 at 83. The Chieftains won six Grammy Awards and collaborated with artists such as Mick Jagger, Luciano Pavarotti, Roger Daltrey, and Emmylou Harris. The band also worked on film soundtracks, including Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon and Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York.

Ricarlo Flanagan

courtesy KMR Talent

Ricarlo Flanagan, a rapper, actor, and comedian whose credits included Shameless, Insecure, and Last Comic Standing, died in October after contracting COVID. He was 41. "Ricarlo was truly one of the nicest people on the planet, a wonderful performer and we are heartbroken by the news of his passing," his agent, Stu Golfman of KMR Talent, said in a statement.

Jo-Carroll Dennison

20th Century-Fox/Film Favorites/Getty Images

The oldest surviving winner of the Miss America contest died at 97 in October in her California home. Born in 1923 in Florence, Ariz., Dennison joined her parents' traveling medicine show at a young age, singing, dancing, and performing on trick horses. She won the Miss America contest in 1942 at the age of 18 but later refused to wear bathing suits during her yearlong reign as Miss America. Dennison also signed a contract with 20th Century Fox, starring in movies such as The Jolson Story and Winged Victory. She married comedian Phil Silvers in 1945, but the couple divorced five years later. Dennison later appeared in the Dick Tracy series and worked behind the scenes on television productions. She married CBS producer and director Russell Stoneham. The couple also divorced but had two children.

Deon Estus

Bassist Deon Estus died Oct. 11 at age 65. Michael Putland/Getty Images

Deon Estus, the bassist and singer known for his work with George Michael and Wham!, died Oct. 11 at age 65. Born and raised in Detroit, Estus learned bass at an early age and was playing professionally by age 12. In the 1980s, he joined Wham!, the U.K. pop duo of Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael, and played bass on such hits as "Careless Whisper" and "I'm Your Man" before the group's split in 1986. After that, he continued collaborating with Michael, and performed with various other musicians over the years, including Tina Turner, Elton John, George Clinton, and Annie Lennox.

Chris Pearson

Chris Pearson. Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Chris Pearson, a reality TV personality, DJ, and music producer known for appearing on the first season of MTV's Ex on the Beach, died Oct. 10 at 25. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Pearson was fatally stabbed in an early morning altercation in Los Angeles. Pearson appeared on Ex on the Beach in 2018. The dating show brings together reality show alums (and occasional non-reality folks like Pearson at the time) and then ambushes them with their exes.

Granville Adams

Granville Adams on 'Oz'. Shutterstock

Granville Adams, who starred on HBO's Oz, died after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 58. Adams played Zahir Arif on Oz, which aired from 1997-2003. He was also known for playing Officer Jeff Westby in Homicide: Life on the Street.

His death was confirmed on social media by colleagues and friends, including Oz alum Dean Winters, who penned a tribute to Adams on Instagram: "His smile was infectious, his chuckle was intoxicating. He never, ever spoke ill of anyone and I defy anyone who knew him to say anything negative about this man. Granville was beloved, period. ... A humble, beautiful soul who just elevated the afterlife to a whole new level. You will be missed my friend. You are my brother and I'm a better human being for knowing you RIP G."

Fuller Goldsmith

Fuller Goldsmith. Fuller Goldsmith/instagram

Fuller Goldsmith, the Alabama youngster who won Food Network's Chopped Junior as a seventh-grader, died following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 17.

Fuller had battled cancer from the age of 3, going in and out of remission. He went through several years of chemotherapy, spinal surgery, and a bone marrow transplant. Guy Fieri — one of his culinary idols — helped him through it, as the young man spent hours watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Guy's Big Bite as inspiration. "It was therapy," Fuller told EW of his watching marathons.

EW was there as Goldsmith met Fieri at the Stagecoach music festival in 2018. After a chat, where Goldsmith shared his love for cooking at tailgate parties, the pair prepared burritos together on site for Ashton Kutcher, who just happened to be passing by. Goldsmith had hoped to go to culinary school and one day open a restaurant.

Cynthia Harris

Cynthia Harris. Monti Spry/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Cynthia Harris, best known for playing Paul Reiser's mother on the hit comedy Mad About You, died Oct. 3 at the age of 87. Her family confirmed the news.

A fixture on both the big and small screen, Harris appeared as the landlady of Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson in Three Men and a Baby as well as in the seven-part miniseries Edward & Mrs. Simpson, where she earned a BAFTA nomination for best TV actress for her role as Wallis Warfield Simpson. She also had appearances on shows like L.A. Law, The Bob Newhart Show, Rescue Me, Three's Company, and Knots Landing.

Harris joined Mad About You in 1993 as Sylvia Buchman and starred in 71 episodes during the show's original run, returning to her role for the 2019 reboot.

Harris was also a theater veteran who played the role of Sarah in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Company. She co-founded The Actors Company Theater in 1993, serving as both an actor and as artistic director.

Alan Kalter

Alan Kalter. Dave Kotinsky/Getty

Alan Kalter, who served as the longtime announcer for The Late Show With David Letterman, died on Oct. 3 at 78.

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El in Stamford, Conn., confirms to EW that Kalter died at Stamford Hospital beside his wife Peggy and his daughters Lauren Hass and Diana Binger.

Kalter became Letterman's announcer in September 1995, taking over for the retired Bill Wendell and serving in the role until Letterman wrapped his run in May 2015.

In addition to announcing duties on Letterman, he occasionally appeared on the show in sketches, including one where he spoke to the camera and addressed divorcees in an amorous fashion.

Kalter also did announcing for a number of game shows, including To Tell the Truth and The $25,000 Pyramid.

Michael Tylo

Michael Tylo, veteran soap star, dies at 73. Everett Collection

Michael Tylo, the veteran actor who appeared on soap operas such as All My Children, General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, and Guiding Light, died Sept. 29. He was 73.

Tylo's first soap opera appearance came in 1980 when he was cast on Another World. In 1981, he would go on to cement his soap star status with one of his best-known roles: wealthy archaeologist Quinton Chamberlain on Guiding Light, where his character was paired with Lisa Brown's Nola Reardon.

Tylo joined the University of Nevada in 2003 as a visiting professor in theater and film, later becoming the assistant dean for the College of Fine Arts while also teaching acting.

Melissa Yandell Smith

LIZ HAFALIA/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Nomadland actress Melissa Yandell Smith died on Sept. 7 at 64, following a battle with colon cancer. Smith had played Dolly, the sister of Frances McDormand's character, Fern, in the 2021 Oscars Best Picture-winning film. Smith had been the longtime Director of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, Calif., where she was also an acting teacher. She hailed from Louisville, Ky., and got her undergraduate degree — and later, her MFA in acting — from Yale. Smith and McDormand first met during the Oscar winner's first week at Yale, leading to a friendship that spanned four decades.

Alan Lancaster

Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

Status Quo founding member Alan Lancaster died at the age of 72. Lancaster, who played bass, and frontman Frank Rossi, originally started out in an early '60s band called the Spectres, before a later rebrand as Traffic Jam, before eventually settling on Status Quo as guitarist Rick Parfitt joined. He reunited with the band during 2013-2014 for some shows with a lineup dubbed the "Frantic Four." In a statement, the band's manager, Simon Porter, mourned Lancaster. "'This is such sad news and my sincere condolences go out to Dayle and the family," his statement read. "It was an absolute pleasure to be able to reunite the original line up for two sellout tours in 2013/2014 and to give Status Quo Frantic Four fans a final legacy and such a lasting memory. Although Alan was not in the best of health even then, he got through the tours with determination and grit and was a pleasure to work with." Lancaster had suffered for many years from multiple sclerosis.

Jay Sandrich

Courtesy of the Family of Jay Sandrich

Jay Sandrich, the Emmy-winning director known for his work on such beloved TV programs as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Cosby Show, and The Golden Girls, died Sept. 22 at 89. A native of Los Angeles, Sandrich was the son of Shall We Dance director Mark Sandrich and studied at UCLA before serving in the Army. He went on to work as an assistant director on I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, and The Danny Thomas Show in the '50s and '60s and soon graduated to the ranks of director. His extensive directing credits included Get Smart, The Odd Couple, WKRP in Cincinnati, Soap, Night Court, The Bob Newhart Show, and the 1980 film Seems Like Old Times, starring Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn. Over his lengthy career, Sandrich won five Emmys, received numerous Director's Guild and People's Choice Awards, and was named to the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Roger Michell

Roger Michell. Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

Roger Michell, best known for directing the romantic comedy Notting Hill, died Sept. 22 at the age of 65. Michell's publicist confirmed the news to the Associated Press.

The veteran director had a long career in theater, particularly in the U.K., where he was resident director at the Royal Shakespeare. He shot to stardom with Notting Hill which led him to direct projects such as the 2002's Changing Lanes with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson and 2006's Venus, which earned Peter O'Toole a final Oscar nomination.

Melvin Van Peebles

Melvin Van Peebles. Alex Gotfryd/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Melvin Van Peebles, a pioneering force in Black and independent cinema and a celebrated actor, playwright, filmmaker, novelist, and composer, died Sept. 21 at 89. He made an indelible mark on culture and the arts and was perhaps best known for directing, writing, editing, starring in, composing the score of, and even running the marketing campaign for the 1971 film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. The film became highest-grossing indie release in history at the time, helped spark the blaxploitation craze of the 1970s, and delivered a potent political statement that remains resonant to this day. His son Mario Van Peebles, the actor and director, said in a statement, "Dad knew that Black images matter. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what was a movie worth? We want to be the success we see, thus we need to see ourselves being free. True liberation did not mean imitating the colonizer's mentality. It meant appreciating the power, beauty, and interconnectivity of all people."

Willie Garson

Willie Garson. John Sciulli/Getty Images

Sex and the City and White Collar star Willie Garson died Sept. 21 at the age of 57. Some of the actor's earliest jobs saw him doing small parts on Family Ties, Cheers, and The New Gidget. As his television career grew, he got meatier roles on Newhart and Mr. Belvedere, where he had a seven-episode arc playing a character named Carl. In 1998, he joined Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's gay bestie Stanford Blatch, a role he played across the films and into the spin-off series And Just Like That, set to be released this December on HBO Max. Garson also played Mozzie, the con man confidante of Matt Bomer's Neal Caffrey in White Collar from 2009-2014.

Sarah Dash

Sarah Dash. Al Pereira/Getty Images

Sarah Dash, cofounder of the trio Labelle and best known for performing the original hit "Lady Marmalade" died Sept. 20 at age 76. Dash met Patti LaBelle and Nona Hendryx when she moved to Philadelphia in the mid-60s, and formed the group Labelle, who quickly gained attention for their unique sound and talent. The band found mainstream success and international acclaim with "Lady Marmalade," a song off their "Nightbirds" album. Dash continued to have a successful solo career after the group disbanded in 1977.

Tim Donnelly

Tim Donnelly in 'Emergency!'. Everett Collection

Tim Donnelly, who starred on the 1970s TV series Emergency! as fireman Chet Kelly, died on Sept. 17, his director brother Dennis Donnelly told The Hollywood Reporter. Donnelly died at his home in New Mexico due to complications from surgery.

Anthony "A.J." Johnson

Anthony Johnson. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Anthony "A.J." Johnson, the comedian and actor best known for costarring alongside Chris Tucker and Ice Cube in the movie Friday, died at age 55. His rep confirmed the news on Sept. 20.

Johnson began his career performing stand-up comedy in the '90s and his breakthrough role came in the form of the character E.Z.E. in the 1990 Kid n' Play comedy House Party. He went on to appear on several other '90s TV shows including The Parent 'Hood, Malcolm & Eddie, Martin, and The Jamie Foxx Show, as well as in films such as Menace II Society, Lethal Weapon 3, I Got the Hook-Up, I Got The Hook Up 2, and Office Staff.

Basil Hoffman

Basil Hoffman. Michael Lamont

Basil Hoffman, a veteran character actor who appeared in two films that won the Oscar for Best Picture — 1980's Ordinary People and 2011's The Artist — died Sept. 17 at 83. Over the course of his career, Hoffman accumulated more than 200 credits across television and film. His TV credits included The Waltons, Columbo, M*A*S*H, CHiPs, Square Pegs, Hill Street Blues, and Dynasty, and he appeared in such films as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, All the President's Men, Night Shift, and Hail Caesar. The actor's final film role was the lead in the faith-based family comedy Lucky Louie. Beyond his work in front of the camera, Hoffman served as an acting teacher and coach, and penned three books on acting.

Patty Perez

Patty Perez. GoFundMe

Patty Perez, the Internet sensation best known for appearing in the Jackass films, died Sept. 17 from health complications. She was 57.

Perez's most notable feature was in the Jackass movies, where she was known as "Goddess Patty" and played herself in a skit called "Magic Trick" with Jason "Wee Man" Acuna. The sketch features Perez jumping onto Acuna while he's lying on the bed, causing him to disappear, while Johnny Knoxville appears to ask where "Wee Man" has gone. She also starred in one episode of "My Big Fat Fetish."

Jane Powell

Jane Powell. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Jane Powell, the effervescent star of Old Hollywood musicals, died Sept. 16 of natural causes. She was 92. Powell was best best known for her roles opposite Fred Astaire and Howard Keel in the musical classics Royal Wedding and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She had a lengthy film career, predominantly in musicals that showcased her dancing abilities and operatic soprano voice. But she also appeared on television in shows like Growing Pains and Law and Order: SVU, and performed in theatrical productions across the country.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Madonald on 'Saturday Night Live'. Al Levine/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Norm Macdonald, the beloved comedian known for his work as a cast member and Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night Live, died Sept. 14 after a previously undisclosed battle with cancer. He was 61. Macdonald had a five-year stint as an SNL cast member, and served as as Weekend Update anchor from 1994 to 1997. He developed several signature running gags during his time behind the Update desk, including recording a "note to self" on a tape recorder, referring to Germans' love of David Hasselhoff, and frequently mocking O.J. Simpson during the former athlete's murder trial. It has long been rumored that these jokes led to his firing from SNL in 1998, as NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer was a longtime friend of Simpson. (Ohlmeyer said Macdonald was fired simply because he was not funny.) Macdonald also helped create SNL's famous Celebrity Jeopardy sketch featuring Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek, with Macdonald frequently appearing as a defiantly uncooperative Burt Reynolds. Outside of his SNL tenure, Macdonald was highly regarded in comedy circles for his distinctive deadpan style, rambling stories, and incisive perspective.

Ben Best

Ben Best, co-creator of HBO's 'Eastbound & Down,' dies at 46. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Ben Best, best known as the co-creator of the HBO series Eastbound & Down, has died. The news was confirmed on Sept. 13. He was 46. No cause of death has been released at the time. Prior to creating Eastbound & Down, Best and Danny McBride teamed up on a number of projects including MTV Films' 2006 indie cult comedy The Foot Fist Way. In 2011, Best penned the 2011 period comedy Your Highness starring McBride, James Franco, and Natalie Portman. In addition to starring on the show as Clegg, Best appeared in films such as Superbad, What Happens in Vegas, Observe and Report, and Land of the Lost.

Art Metrano

Art Metrano, ‘Police Academy’ Actor and comedian, dies at 84. Everett Collection

Art Metrano, the comedian and actor who starred as Mauser in the Police Academy films, died Sept. 8 at 84. Born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, he earned a football scholarship to junior college in Stockton, Calif., and once worked as an automatic telephone system salesman. Metrano's television career began in the 1960s, and across the decades he appeared on shows including All in the Family, Wonder Woman, The Ted Knight Show, The Incredible Hulk, WKRP in Cincinnati, Fantasy Island, Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Joanie Loves Chachi, which saw him playing Chachi's Uncle Rick Mastorelli. Metrano was well-known for playing the ambitious Mauser in the Police Academy franchise, who goes from lieutenant to captain to commandant before being relegated back to lieutenant. His character was also the butt of plenty of jokes, including when he famously lost his eyebrows after ripping them off with tape. Metrano suffered a career-impacting injury in 1989 when he fell off a ladder while renovating his home, breaking his neck in four places.

Michael K. Williams

Michael K. Williams. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Michael K. Williams, the actor known for his complex and compelling performances on shows such as The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Lovecraft Country, was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment Sept. 6. He was 54. Williams' death came amid his most recent of five career Emmy nominations, for his performance in HBO's Lovecraft Country. He is considered to be one of the leading contenders in the Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category this year. He previously scored three nods for Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (for Bessie, The Night Of, and When They See Us) and one for Outstanding Informational Series or Special (as an executive producer of Vice). In addition to his work on television, Williams' big-screen credits included Inherent Vice, Gone Baby Gone, The Purge: Anarchy, 12 Years a Slave, and Assassin's Creed.

Jean-Paul Belmondo

French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. Pierre Vauthey/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo died on Monday, Sept. 5. He was 88. Best known for his breakthrough role in Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless, the quintessential film of the French New Wave movement, Belmondo had a career that spanned 50 years. While he was initially discouraged from pursuing lead parts, Belmondo eventually became the star of blockbusters like Cartouche and acted opposite screen icons like Sophia Loren, Jean Seberg, and Catherine Deneuve. The actor also won a César Award, the French equivalent of an Oscar, for his work in the 1988 film Itinerary of a Spoiled Child.

Erik Cowie

Tiger King' zookeeper Erik Cowie's cause of death revealed by chief medical examiner. Netflix

Tiger King zookeeper Erik Cowie died at age 52 on Friday, September 3. The zookeeper and one of the stars of the Netflix documentary series who worked closely with Joe Exotic was found dead in a residence in New York City on Friday evening, police officials told News 4 New York. Additionally, TMZ reported there was nothing suspicious about Cowie's death and no drugs were found on the scene, though a toxicology test will likely still be performed.

Michael Constantine

Everett Collection

Character actor Michael Constantine, known for his role as Windex-obsessed patriarch Kostas "Gus" Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and his Emmy-winning role as high school principal Seymour Kaufman on the ABC series Room 222, died at his home in Reading, PA, on Aug. 31, his agent confirmed. He was 94.

Sarah Harding

Sarah Harding. Danny Martindale/WireImage

Sarah Harding of British girl group Girls Aloud died on Sunday, Aug. 5 of breast cancer. She was 39. Harding's group, Girls Aloud, were created on the British reality competition Pop Stars: The Rivals in 2002. The group, which disbanded in 2013, consisted of Harding, one-time X-Factor U.S. judge Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh. They amassed four singles that reached No. 1 on the U.K. charts, and 21 that hit the top 10. Harding went on to release her memoir, Hear Me Out, earlier this year, where she revealed she had tumors in her lungs and brain.

Gregg Leakes

NeNe Leakes and Gregg Leakes. Tasos Katopodis/Getty

Gregg Leakes, husband to Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta alum NeNe Leakes, died on Sept. 1, following a long battle with cancer. He was 66.

Gregg was first diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018, and NeNe revealed his official diagnosis on the season 11 premiere of RHOA. He went into remission, but earlier this summer, NeNe revealed that the cancer had returned, and Gregg had undergone surgery. Gregg was well known to Real Housewives viewers, having appeared on 12 seasons of the Atlanta franchise alongside his wife. NeNe and Gregg separated in 2010, and divorced in 2013. But, the pair reconciled later that year.

Ruth Marks

Ruth Marx. Facebook

Ruth Marx, the singer of many classic TV commercial jingles and the mother of pop-rock singer Richard Marx, died Aug. 24 of lung cancer at her son's California home. She was 85. Ruth Marx performed several well-known jingles written by her husband, Dick Marx (who died in 1997), perhaps most famously the jingle for Chicken of the Sea tuna: "Ask any mermaid you happen to see, what's the best tuna? Chicken of the Sea!" Richard, the couple's only son, was born in Chicago in 1963. After his music career took off, Ruth Marx performed backup vocals on some of his songs, including "Streets of Pain," from 1991's Rush Street album.

Ron Bushy

Left to right: Erik Brann, Ron Bushy, Lee Dorman, and Doug Ingle of Iron Butterfly. Bettmann/Getty

Ron Bushy (second from left), the drummer for psychedelic hard rock legends Iron Butterfly, died on Aug. 29 at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital.

The drummer joined the band -- best known for its 17-minute song "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" -- in the 1960s. Although there were lineup changes in Iron Butterfly over the years, he appeared on all of the rock outfit's albums, including 1968's Heavy, 1969's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, and Ball, 1970's Metamorphosis, 1975's Scorching Beauty, and 1976's Sun and Steel. The band first broke up in 1971, but were later reformed in the same decade by Bushy, and guitarist. Erik Braunn.

Ed Asner

Michael Boardman/WireImage

Hollywood legend Ed Asner died "peacefully" on Aug. 29, his family said in a statement. He was 91.

Asner's iconic hard-drinking newsman Lou Grant – who he first brought to life for seven seasons in 1970 in the iconic comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show and then played for five seasons in dramatic spin-off Lou Grant – netted the actor five Emmy wins. It wasn't only the character of Lou Grant that brought Asner accolades: The beloved actor was nominated five other times for Emmys, and took home trophies twice, once for his much-lauded work in legendary mini-series Roots, where he played slave trader Captain Davies; and on another mini, Rich Man, Poor Man, in the dark role of Axel Jordache. The bulk of Asner's work in the 1990s and beyond came from voiceovers, his most famous voice role, however, came in the 2009 Pixar film Up, as he brought to life the old-man character of Carl Fredricksen.

Lee 'Scratch' Perry

Maria Jefferis/Redferns/Getty

Reggae artist, producer and dub pioneer Lee "Scratch" Perry died at Noel Holmes Hospital, in Lucea, Jamaica, on Sunday, Aug. 29. He was 85.

Perry was born Rainford Hugh Perry in Jamaica in 1936. He started off his music career on the studio side in the late 1950s, and early 1960s, before releasing a host of influential music under his own name, and various pseudonyms starting in the late 1960s. He named his house band, The Upsetters after releasing the song, "I Am the Upsetter," and forming his Upsetters record label. He released albums as Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters, including 1972's Cloak & Dagger, 1973's Blackboard Jungle Dub, and Super Ape in 1976. Perry was well-known for his work with, and influence on Bob Marley & the Wailers. Perry was a sought-after producer and songwriter and worked with a host of artists over the years, including The Clash, Beastie Boys, Andrew W.K., and Linda and Paul McCartney on her 1998 LP Wide Prairie.

Serge Onik

Serge Onik. FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

Serge Onik, the dancer and choreographer who gained national fame while competing on season 11 of So You Think You Can Dance, died in August at 33. Onik was born in Kharkov, Ukraine. His family moved to the U.S. when he was just 3. The trained ballroom dancer made it to the top 20 of SYTYCD in 2014, but was eliminated in week 4. Onik went on to perform on ABC's _Dancing With the Star_s and some dramas, including Marvel's Agent Carter on ABC, Fox's Bones, and the CW's Jane the Virgin. He also performed in the Warner Bros. film In the Heights.

Charlie Watts

Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones, during rehearsals for an episode of the Friday night TV pop/rock show 'Ready Steady Go!'. George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Charlie Watts, drummer for the Rolling Stones, died at age 80 on Aug. 24. A statement from his spokesperson, posted to the band's social media accounts, said Watts "passed away peacefully in a London hospital," and was "surrounded by his family."

While he is thought to be one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, and is the only member besides Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to have credits on every studio album, Watts managed to keep his other interests alive throughout his long career.

Having gone to art school, and became a graphic designer, he helped compose the Between the Buttons record sleeve, and would work with Jagger on conceiving elaborate staging for their tours. Watts also had a jazz quintet on the side, and organized tributes to Charlie Parker.

Marilyn Eastman

Marilyn Eastman in 1968 horror classic "Night of the Living Dead.". Alamy Stock

Night of the Living Dead actress Marilyn Eastman died at the age of 87 on Aug. 22. Eastman's passing was announced by her son, John, who revealed that she had died in her sleep.

In director George Romero's 1968 horror classic, Eastman played the character of Helen Cooper, one of several people who attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse in a remote farmhouse. She was also a founder of Image Ten Inc., the company which produced the film.

Brian Travers

Brian Travers, of UB40. Lorne Thomson/Redferns

Brian Travers, the saxophonist and founding member of the British reggae-pop band UB40, died Aug. 22 at 62, following a "heroic battle with cancer," his band said in a statement. Travers was a part of UB40's early lineup when they first formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978. The band found crossover success in the U.S. with songs including "Red Red Wine" and their version of the pop standard "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You." UB40 have been nominated for a total of four reggae-related Grammys.

Don Everly

Phil Everly and Don Everly. Harry Hammond/V&A Images/Getty

Don Everly, one half of the famed Everly Brothers, died Aug. 21 at his home in Nashville, Tenn. He was 84. Don and his brother Phil (who died in 2014) were known for their harmonious sound on songs like "All I Have to Do Is Dream," "Bye Bye Love" (their first single), "Cathy's Clown," "Wake Up Little Susie," and "When Will I Be Loved." The highly influential early rock & roll siblings found success in the 1950s and 1960s, influencing the likes of the Beatles. Don and Phil broke up the band in 1973 (Phil famously smashed a guitar on stage in Southern California), and Don pursued solo success. They reunited a decade later.

Tom T. Hall

GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty

Tom T. Hall, the country singer and songwriter known as "The Storyteller," died Aug. 20 in Franklin, Tenn. He was 85. Born in Olive Hill, Ky., Hall started out as a songwriter at a young age, and even performed during his stint in the Army in the late 1950s. One of his best-known songs, "Harper Valley P.TA.," topped the country charts in 1968 when Jeannie C. Riley recorded it. Hall first found success as a songwriter in the early 1960s, before becoming a performer in the later part of the decade. Hall was nominated for six Grammys during his career, winning one for Best Album Notes for Tom T. Hall's Greatest Hits in 1972. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Sonny Chiba

Sonny Chiba in 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1'. Andrew Cooper/Miramax

Sinichi "Sonny" Chiba, one of the first Japanese actors to gain international fame through his martial arts skills, died April 19 of complications from COVID-19. He was 82. Born in Fukuoka, Japan, Chiba was the third child of a military test pilot and was a gifted athlete in high school and college. He began studying karate at Nippon Sport Science University and would go on to practice disciplines including ninjutsu, shorinji kempo, judo, and kendo. His long acting career began in 1960, and his first screen roles were on the TV shows Seven Color Mask and Messenger of Allah. His first martial arts film was 1973's Karate Kiba, and his international breakthrough came a year later with 1974's The Street Fighter. Chiba appeared in dozens of action films and TV shows in the subsequent decades, including a series called Shadow Warriors in which he played multiple generations of ninja characters each named Hattori Hanzo. Chiba reprised that role in Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film Kill Bill, in which Hanzo runs a sushi restaurant and crafts a special samurai sword for Uma Thurman's vengeful lead character. American audiences might also recognize Chiba from a cameo in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Francis 'Frankie' Mossman

Frankie Mossman. Frankie Mossman/Instagram

Francis "Frankie" Mossman, the actor best known for his appearances on Spartacus: Blood and Sand, died Aug. 14 at his home in Sydney, Australia. The New Zealand actor also appeared on the soap opera Shortland Street and guested on shows like Americans in Oz and The Amazing Extraordinary Friends, as well as the web series The Horizon.

Sean Lock

Sean Lock. Yui Mok - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

Sean Lock, the British comedian known for his regular appearances on panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, died from cancer Aug. 16, at 58. His agency, Off the Kerb Productions, confirmed his passing and issued a statement that said: "It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock. He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family. Sean was one of Britain's finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy." In addition to 8 Out of 10 Cats, Lock appeared on the show QI with host Stephen Fry, and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year alongside James Corden. He also won a British Comedy Award for Best Live Comic in 2000.

Nanci Griffith

Nanci Griffith. Matthew Peyton/Getty Images

Prolific singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith died on Aug. 13 at 68. Griffith, whose music fell into the folk, country, and even pop realms, earned four Grammy Award nominations across her lengthy career that began in the late 1970s, with the release of her debut album, 1978's 'There's a Light Beyond These Woods.' She won her first and only Grammy in 1993 for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Other Voices/Other Rooms, which was released on Elektra records.

Una Stubbs

Actress Una Stubbs died Aug. 12, 2021 at age 84. Dave Benett/Getty Images

Actress Una Stubbs, a mainstay of British TV who appeared on such shows as Sherlock, Till Death Us Do Part, and EastEnders, died Aug. 12 at age 84 after an illness. Stubbs had a long and varied career on stage and screen, with her credits including Fawlty Towers, EastEnders, the beloved children's series Worzel Gummidge, and Midsomer Murders, among many others. Her last major role was as Mrs. Hudson, the title character's landlady on Sherlock, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch.

Chucky Thompson

Chucky Thompson. Kris Connor/Getty Images

Chucky Thompson, a producer who was part of Bad Boy Entertainment's in-house team in the 1990s (also known as Puffy's Bad Boy Hitmen), died in early August. Thompson had a hand in records from countless R&B and hip-hop acts such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, the Notorious B.I.G., Usher, New Edition, TLC, Jennifer Lopez, SWV, Color Me Badd, and Mya, earning credits as either a producer or composer. His hits included the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa," Faith Evans' "You Used to Love Me," and Nas' "One Mic."

Trevor Moore

Trevor Moore. Presley Ann/VMN18/Getty

Trevor Moore, the comedian best known for founding the sketch comedy troupe the Whitest Kids U Know, died Aug. 6 in an accident. He was 41. Moore founded the Whitest Kids U Know at the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1999, alongside Zach Cregger and Sam Brown. A self-titled television series followed and ran from 2007 to 2011 on IFC. Moore frequently collaborated with Comedy Central and Funny or Die and was the creator and host of Comedy Central's The Trevor Moore Show. He also wrote and directed Walk the Plank, a Disney XD series about kids who pull pranks on unsuspecting people.

Markie Post

Markie Post. Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty

Markie Post, the actress known for her roles in Night Court and The Fall Guy, died Aug. 7 at 70, after facing cancer for almost four years. Post was well-known for playing kindhearted public defender Christine Sullivan on more than seven seasons of the comedy Night Court. She joined the series after starring in the Lee Majors-fronted The Fall Guy from 1982-1985.

Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas

Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas of Kool & The Gang died Aug. 7, 2021 at age 70. Raymond Boyd/Getty

Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, a founding member and longtime fixture of the legendary R&B group Kool & the Gang, died Aug. 7 in his sleep at age 70. Thomas was a member of Kool & the Gang for its entire existence, from the band's origins in the 1960s to its most recent efforts, appearing on every album including 2021's Perfect Union. His last performance with the group took place at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl on the 4th of July. "An original member of Kool & the Gang, Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor," the band said in a statement posted to Facebook. "A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist as well as master of ceremonies at the band's shows."

Gina Krasley

Gina Krasley on 'My 600-lb Life'. TLC

Gina Krasley, who was featured on the TLC reality series My 600-lb Life in 2020, died Aug. 1 at her home in Tuckerton, N.J. She was 30. Krasley appeared in the show's eighth season in an episode that spotlighted her weight struggles, which she said stemmed from physical and verbal abuse during her childhood. TLC Network issued a statement Friday saying, "TLC was deeply saddened by the loss of Gina Krasley, who shared her weight-loss journey on My 600lb Life. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this difficult time."

Timothy Hall

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Better known as Timbo the Redneck, the 18-year-old TikTok star from Jennings, FL died after a fatal accident involving his truck that happened during the first weekend of August. Amassing over 202,000 followers on the social media platform, Hall made a name for himself posting videos of himself and friends having adventures in his pick-up truck. In wake of his death, his mother posted from his official TikTok account to share that "he loved TikTok and just believed in all the fans and everybody that supported him and it meant a lot to him."

Charles Connor

Charles Connor on drums with Little Richard in 'Mister Rock and Roll'. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Charles Connor, the influential drummer known for playing with Little Richard and pioneering the "choo-choo train" rhythm, died July 31 at 86. "He was one of those drummers that was a bricklayer of creating that rock 'n' roll genre," his daughter, Queenie Connor Sonnefeld, told the Associated Press. "He played behind so many legendary musicians in the 1950s. He was a loving grandfather and was very proud of his family and took a lot of pride in his contributions to rock 'n' roll." Connor also performed with artists such as James Brown and Sam Cooke, and he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

During his career, he also played with James Brown, and Sam Cooke. In 2008, he wrote the motivational book, Don't Give Up Your Dreams: You Can be a Winner Too!

Thea White

Thea White in 'Courage the Cowardly Dog'. Cartoon Network/Courtesy Everett Collection

Thea White, who voiced Muriel on the cartoon Courage the Cowardly Dog, died July 30 at age 81 following a battle with liver cancer. White got her start in theater and was even once Marlene Dietrich's assistant, but she was best known for voicing the fearful pink dog's elderly Scottish owner in Cartoon Network's Courage. White also voiced Aunt Margaret in the 2011 movie Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur and reprised her role as Muriel in the film Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog, out in September.

Jay Pickett

Jay Pickett. GP/Star Max/GC Images

Soap opera veteran Jay Pickett died July 30 while working on his Western drama film Treasure Valley in Idaho. He was 60. Pickett began his soap career as Dr. Chip Lakin on Days of Our Lives and later portrayed Det. David Harper on _General Hospital_in the 2000s. His most prolific work was playing Frank Scanlon on the ABC soap (and GH spinoff) Port Charles for over 700 episodes. Pickett also made appearances on series like Dragnet, Mr. Belvedere, Matlock, Dexter, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Queen Sugar.

Ron Popeil

Ron Popeil. Reed Saxon/AP/Shutterstock

Ron Popeil, the tireless inventor and pitchman who became known to TV audiences nationwide through his infomercials for products such as the Chop-o-Matic, GLH (a.k.a. Hair in a Can), and the Showtime Rotisserie, as well as the countless parodies he inspired on shows like Saturday Night Live, died July 28 at 86. Popeil pioneered the informercial game and was known for his fast-talking delivery and catchphrases like "Set it and forget it" and "But wait, there's more!" He became a household name and was spoofed on shows including I Love Lucy and SNL. On the latter program, Dan Aykroyd mimicked him by hawking the Super Bass-O-Matic 76, and Eddie Murphy did a Popeil gag peddling the Popiel Galactic Prophylactic.

Dusty Hill

Dusty Hill. Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Dusty Hill, the longtime bassist for the rock band ZZ Top, died in late July at 72. His bandmates Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons said in a statement, "We are saddened by the news today that our Compadre, Dusty Hill, has passed away in his sleep at home in Houston, TX. We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the 'Top'. We will forever be connected to that 'Blues Shuffle in C.'" They added, "You will be missed greatly, amigo." Hill was born in Dallas and founded ZZ Top with Beard and Gibbons in 1969, after he and Beard moved to Houston. Known for their blues-influenced rock & roll, the band achieved crossover success in the 1980s when they became MTV stalwarts with hits like "Gimme all Your Lovin'" and "Sharp Dressed Man," which had stylish videos to match.

Joey Jordison

Joey Jordison. Chelsea Lauren/WireImage; Mick Hutson/Redferns

Joey Jordison, best known as a founding member of the heavy metal band Slipknot, died "peacefully in his sleep" on July 26, his family said in a statement. He was 46.

Jordison helped found Slipknot alongside Shawn Crahan and Paul Gray in the mid-'90s. They broke through with their self-titled album, which was released in 1999.

Slipknot parted ways with the drummer in 2013. Jordison went on to work in other metal groups, including Vimic, and later, Sinsaenum.

Rick Aiello

Rick Aiello. CBS via Getty Images

Rick Aiello, an actor who appeared opposite his father, Danny Aiello, in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, and also had a supporting role on The Sopranos, died July 26 of pancreatic cancer. He was 65.

Rick also worked with his father (who died in 2019 at 86) on the television series Dellaventura (1997-1998), which was about a former detective who intervenes for people when the law isn't able to. The father and son shared the screen in the 1998 film A Brooklyn State of Mind as well.

The actor appeared in many popular television shows over the years, with one of his earliest being the TV movie Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder in 1989. His resume also included roles on 21 Jump Street, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, Tales From the Crypt, CSI, and the original Walker, Texas Ranger.

Dieter Brummer

Tim Roney/Getty Images

Dieter Brummer, the actor best known for playing heartthrob Shane Parrish on the popular Australian soap opera Home and Away, died on July 24 at age 45. Brummer joined the Home and Away cast at 15 and quickly became a beloved character throughout his time on the show in the 1990's. After leaving the series, he starred in numerous other Australian television shows, including the soap opera Neighbours where he had a 26-episode arc as Capt. Troy Miller.

Óscar Serra

Oscar Serra. Oscar Serra/Instagram

Spanish surfer Óscar Serra died in mid-July. He was 22 years old. Serra fell from a 6-foot wave before hitting his head on the ocean floor in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Frankie Lons

Frankie Lons. Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Frankie Lons, Keyshia Cole's mother died at 61. Family members confirmed her death. Lons relapsed and overdosed on Sunday (her birthday) at her home in Oakland, Calif.

Lons appeared in Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is back in 2006 on BET and also was part of the spin-off series Frankie & Neffe (featuring Cole's older sister). She was also featured in Keyshia Cole: My New Life, a TV special that aired in 2019.

Robert Steinhardt

Robert Steinhardt performing with Kansas in New York, December 1977. Michael Putland/Getty Images

One of the founding members of the rock band Kansas who also served as frontman and violinist, Robert Steinhardt died July 17 after being hospitalized earlier in the year for acute pancreatitis. "On the day he was to be released from medical care and move to the rehabilitation center to build his strength, his body had other plans," his wife, Cindy, announced in a Facebook post.

Mat George

Mat George, podcast host. Mat George Instagram

The host of the popular podcast She Rates Dogs died after being struck by a driver in a hit-and-run accident in Beverly Hills. He was 26. The podcast, which George cohosted for just over a year, focused on relationship advice and dating stories. He was known for speaking openly about his experiences from an LGBTQ perspective.

Pilar Bardem

Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty

Award-winning Spanish actress Pilar Bardem, the mother of Javier Bardem, died July 17 due to complications from lung disease not related to COVID-19. She was 82. One of Spain's most famous actresses, Pilar was best known for starring in the 1995 film Nadie hablará de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto (Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead), which garnered eight Goya Awards. She was nominated again in 2005 for Best Leading Actress in María querida.

Biz Markie

Biz Markie in 2006. Rick Diamond/WireImage

Influential New York rapper Biz Markie died on July 16 at age 57. Known as the Clown Prince of Hip-Hop, the rapper was behind the infectious Top 40 hit "Just a Friend," as well as "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz," "Vapors," and more.

Renée Dorléac

Renée Dorléac (stage name: Renée-Jeanne Simonot). PAT/ARNAL/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Actress Renée Dorléac, the mother of film icon Catherine Deneuve, died July 11 in Paris at the age of 109. Dorléac, who went by the stage name Renée-Jeanne Simonot, forged a career with her dubbing work, providing the French voice for characters played by stars like Judy Garland, Olivia de Havilland, Sylvia Sidney, Donna Reed, and Esther Williams.

Paul Orndorff

Paul Orndorff. Bobby Bank/Getty Images

WWE Hall of Famer Paul Orndorff, who was known as Mr. Wonderful, died in July at the age of 71. His son revealed the news, though he did not disclose a cause of death. Orndorff appeared in the main event of the first WrestleMania in 1985, facing off against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Jeff LaBar

Jeff LaBar. Chris McKay/WireImage

Jeff LaBar, the guitarist best known for playing in the glam rock band Cinderella, died July 14 at age 58. LaBar replaced Cinderella's original guitarist, Michael Schermick, in 1985, right before the band recorded their debut album, Night Songs. Between their breakout single, "Nobody's Fool," and opening for Bon Jovi on tour, the band's first record ended up going triple platinum, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 300. Another hit song, "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," nabbed the group its highest Billboard Hot 100 placement at No. 12. The band put out a total of four albums, with the last one, Still Climbing, issued in 1994. After a brief hiatus, Cinderella reunited in 1996 and continued to perform live but never released any more studio material. LaBar also launched a solo career, releasing his debut record, One for the Road, in 2014.

Charlie Robinson

Charlie Robinson. Angela Weiss/Getty

Charlie Robinson, the veteran stage and screen actor known for playing the affable court clerk Mac Robinson on the long-running sitcom Night Court, died July 11 in Los Angeles at 75. The cause was cardiac arrest with multisystem organ failures due to septic shock and cancer. In a career spanning 50 years, Robinson also amassed stage credits including The Whipping Man, Fences, Death of a Salesman, and Some Old Black Man; film credits including Set It Off, Antwone Fisher, Even Money, and The House Bunny; and TV credits including Buffalo Bill, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, House, Hart of Dixie, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, and Mom.

Suzzanne Douglas

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Suzzanne Douglas died on July 6 at age 64. The actress was best known for her role as matriarch Jerri Peterson on the WB sitcom The Parent 'Hood from 1995–1999. Douglas also had roles in movies such as Tap, Jason's Lyric, and Stella Got Her Groove Back. Most recently, the actress played Grace Cuffee in Netflix's, When They See Us.

William Smith

William Smith. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

William Smith, the burly character actor known for playing tough guys and getting into fisticuffs with Clint Eastwood in the 1980 film Any Which Way You Can, died July 5 at 88. His many TV credits included the detective series The Asphalt Jungle, the Western Laredo, the finale of Batman, and I Dream of Jeannie. His film appearances included Red Dawn and Conan the Barbarian. For Smith, one of his most memorable roles was in the 1976 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. "My favorite TV screen villain would be Falconetti from the Rich Man, Poor Man miniseries and Rich Man, Poor Man Book II," he said in a 2010 interview. "I really enjoyed working with Nick Nolte and Peter Strauss. The fight scenes with Nick and I were good ones."

John Lawton

Former Uriah Heep singer John Lawton has died at 74. Fin Costello/Redferns

John Lawton, the rock and blues vocalist known for his stint as the lead singer of British rock band Uriah Heep in the 1970s, died June 29 of undisclosed causes. He was 74. Lawton joined Uriah Heep in 1976, following the departure of lead vocalist David Byron, and recorded three studio albums — Firefly, Innocent Victim, and Fallen Angel — with the band. "It is with deep regret that we share the devastating and tragic news of the sudden and totally unexpected passing of John Lawton on 29 June 2021," the band wrote on Facebook. "Contrary to reports, there was no illness involved, which makes his passing incomprehensible. He went peacefully with his wife at his side. John will be greatly missed."

Sanford Clark

Sanford Clark. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Rockabilly and country performer Sanford Clark died July 4 from COVID-19. He was 85. Clark began performing in the 1950s and had a Top 10 hit with his song "The Fool," which was later recorded by Elvis Presley. Clark's songs have been featured in numerous TV and film productions such as Nashville, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Justified, and Amazon's Transparent.

Richard Donner

Richard Donner. Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images

Richard Donner, the director behind hits such as The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, and Superman, died on July 5 at age 91. Although he was widely known for his beloved films, Donner got his start in television, with credits including Route 66, The Rifleman, The Twilight Zone, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Gilligan's Island, Perry Mason and The Wild Wild West. Donner's first major outing as a film director was the now-classic horror film The Omen in 1976.

Stuart Damon

Stuart Damon in 1980. Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Stuart Damon, the actor known for playing the fan-favorite character Dr. Alan Quartermaine on General Hospital for more than three decades, died in late June at 84. Damon appeared on the ABC daytime drama from 1977 to 2013, and also featured on the spin-off Port Charles. Though the character died in 2007, Quartermaine came back as a ghost. Damon won a Daytime Emmy for his work on GH in 1999, and his other TV credits included As the World Turns, Days of Our Lives, Diagnosis Murder, Hotel, and The New Mike Hammer.

Max Rosenthal

Phil and Max Rosenthal. Gary Gershoff/WireImage

Max Rosenthal, the father of Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal and a recurring actor on the series, died in June. He was 95. A Holocaust survivor who escaped Germany in 1938, Rosenthal was active in his son's creative work with a recurring role on CBS' Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, a part on the PBS series I'll Have What Phil's Having, and a turn on the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil.

Johnny Solinger

Johnny Solinger of Skid Row. Neil H Kitson/Redferns via Getty Images

Johnny Solinger, former lead vocalist for the band Skid Row, died at age 55. His bandmates confirmed his death via an Instagram post, writing "we are saddened to hear the news of our brother Johnny Solinger. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans. Godspeed Singo. Say hello to Scrappy for us."

Solinger joined Skid Row in 1999, replacing Sebastian Bach as the lead vocalist in the group and remained with the band until 2015.

Gift of Gab

Gift of Gab performing in 2013. Al Pereira/WireImage

Gift of Gab, the verbally dexterous rapper known as half of the Bay Area hip hip duo Blackalicious, died June 18 of natural causes. He was 50. Born Timothy J. Parker, he was widely praised for such songs as Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics," with a fast-paced, tongue-twisting set of lyrics progressing through the letters of the alphabet in order.

John Paragon

John Paragon. Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty

John Paragon, best known for playing Jambi the Genie on Pee-wee's Playhouse (as well as writing and directing for the beloved children's show) died in April at 66, according to TMZ. His cause of death was unknown. Paragon got his start as a part of the comedy troupe Groundlings, along with Paul Reubens and Cassandra Peterson (a.k.a. Elvira.)

Lisa Banes

Lisa Banes at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Lisa Banes, who was best known for her role in Gone Girl and starred in numerous television shows and movies, died June 14 following a hit-and-run accident in New York City. In addition to her storied Hollywood career, Banes had a long career on Broadway, winning Drama Desk and Obie Awards for her performances.

John Gabriel

John Gabriel on 'Ryan's Hope' in 1981. Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

John Gabriel, the actor and singer known for his long-running role as Dr. Seneca Beaulac on the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope, died June 13 at 90.

His daughter Andrea Gabriel, a fellow actor whose credits include Lost and The Twilight Saga, announced Gabriel's death on Instagram. "It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father's passing," she wrote. "John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy. I will love you forever."

Gabriel starred on Ryan's Hope from 1975 to 1985 and 1988 to 1989, and earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for the role in 1989. He was also the original actor to play the Professor on Gilligan's Island, in the unaired 1963 pilot.

Ned Beatty

Ned Beatty. Everett Collection

Character actor Ned Beatty died June 13 at age 83. Beatty garnered a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for his performance in Sidney Lumet's 1976 film Network. He also appeared in films like Superman, Deliverance, All the President's Men, Rudy, Toy Story 3, and Hear My Song, for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination. Beatty also scored Emmy nods for Friendly Fire opposite Carol Burnett and Last Train Home.

Ernie Lively

Ernie Lively and Blake Lively. Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Character actor Ernie Lively, who was also the father of actress Blake Lively, died June 3 of cardiac complications. Lively had a prolific list of credits, predominantly guest-starring on television. Some of his most notable roles came in The Dukes of Hazzard, Turner and Hooch, and two Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films (in which he played daughter Blake's onscreen dad).

Clarence Williams III

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Clarence Williams III died June 4 from colon cancer at the age of 81. He is best known for playing one-third of the hip undercover cop trio known as The Mod Squad, opposite Peggy Lipton and Michael Cole. The role made him one of the first Black actors to lead a TV series. Williams also starred in films including Purple Rain, Half Baked, American Gangster, and The Butler.

Robert Hogan

Robert Hogan. Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images

Robert Hogan, a veteran character and stage actor, died on May 27 at 87 from pneumonia. Hogan's impressive career included roles in more than 100 shows as well as roles in almost every daytime drama, including The Twilight Zone, Laverne and Shirley, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, I Dream of Jeannine, The Wire, M*A*S*H, Days of Our Lives, Young and the Restless, and Hogan's Heroes.

Wayne "Buddy" Van Horn

American actor, stunt coordinator, and film director Buddy Van Horn pictured at the Hilton Hotel in London in 1963. M. McKeown/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Celebrated director and stuntman, best known for working with Clint Eastwood on numerous films, died in May according to an obituary posted in the Los Angeles Times. Van Horn worked in Hollywood for more than 60 years as a stuntman, actor, and director. He directed three of Eastwood's films: 1980's Any Which Way You Can, 1988's The Dead Pool (starring Liam Neeson, Patricia Clarkson, and Jim Carrey), and Pink Cadillac in 1989.

Romy Walthall

Romy Walthall in 1994. CBS via Getty Images

Prolific television guest actress Romy Walthall died in May at age 57, her son Morgan Krantz and daughter Isabella Israel confirmed on social media. In addition to small parts on The X-Files, Quantum Leap, and L.A. Law, Walthall costarred alongside Jennifer Lopez in the short-lived CBS series Hotel Malibu in 1994. She also had roles in films like Face/Off, The Howling IV: The Original Nightmare, and the camp-horror classic The House of Usher.

B.J. Thomas

B.J. Thomas. Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty

B.J. Thomas, a five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, died from complications due to stage four lung cancer at his home in Arlington, Texas, on May 30. He was 78. The singer released a string of hits, including "Hooked on a Feeling," "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," which earned the Best Original Song Oscar, a cover of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," and "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song."

Gavin MacLeod

Gavin MacLeod in 'The Love Boat'. Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Gavin MacLeod, the actor who famously played Captain Merrill Stubing on the classic TV show The Love Boat, died at 90.

MacLeod also played Murray Slaughter, the head news writer for the fictional WJM-TV in Minneapolis, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1970s.

Ed Asner, who co-starred with MacLeod in TMTMS, turned to Twitter to share his grief over the loss of his friend. "My heart is broken. Gavin was my brother, my partner in crime (and food) and my comic conspirator.

Jerome Hellman

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Hollywood producer Jerome Hellman died at age 92 on May 26. Hellman took home the Best Picture Academy Award at the 42nd ceremony for Midnight Cowboy — the first and only X-rated film to nab the top prize. He was also behind 1978's Coming Home and 1986's The Mosquito Coast.

John Davis

John Davis singing with Milli Vanilli. Nico Schimmelpfennig/picture alliance via Getty Images

John Davis, one of the voices of the Real Milli Vanilli, died on May 24 at the age of 66 from COVID-19. Davis rose to fame with the legendary band by providing backing vocals that the band took credit for until their downfall in 1990. He later created his own band, The Real Milli Vanilli, releasing an album and three singles.

Eric Carle

Children's book author and illustrator Eric Carle. Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Eric Carle, the author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and dozens more beloved children's books, died May 23 at 91. Carle's most famous work, first published in 1969, sold millions of copies across the globe, even if the author wasn't originally sure it would be a hit. "I didn't think it was going to be an extraordinary book," Carle told EW in 1994, as the book turned 25. "But children love it. Caterpillar reassures young kids that 'you scrawny, ugly little thing will grow up and fly and display your talent and beauty."'

Kevin Clark

Kevin Clark from 'School of Rock'. Andrew Schwartz/Paramount; Facebook

Kevin Clark, the musician and former child star who played drummer Freddy "Spazzy McGee" Jones in the 2003 film School of Rock, died May 26 in Chicago after being struck by a car while riding a bicycle. He was 32. Former costar Jack Black paid tribute to Clark on social media, posting two photos of them and writing, "Devastating news. Kevin is gone. Way too soon. Beautiful soul. So many great memories. Heartbroken. Sending love to his family and the whole School of Rock community."

Samuel E. Wright

Samuel E. Wright, the voice of Sebastian the Crab in 'The Little Mermaid,' has died at 74. Craig Barritt/Getty Images; Everett Collection

Samuel E. Wright, the Tony-nominated actor who voiced the beloved character Sebastian the Crab in Disney's The Little Mermaid and several sequels and spin-offs, died May 24, at 74. Wright had a notable Broadway career, taking over for Ben Vereen as the Leading Player in the original production of Pippin and originating the role of Mufusa in the stage production of The Lion King.

Lois de Banzie

Lois de Banzie in 'Annie'. Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives

Lois de Banzie, who played First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the theatrical release of Annie, died on May 24. She was 90. She had a lengthy career that spanned decades on stage, screen, and television. In 1980, she was nominated at the 34th annual Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Mornings at Seven.

Marcus A. York

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Marcus A. York, an actor best known for playing Billy Merchant on The Office, died May 19 after a "brief and unexpected illness." He was 55. York, who had been a paraplegic since 1988, memorably played a property manager brought in for Michael Scott's (Steve Carell) ham-fisted disability-awareness meeting. The actor also had roles in the films Profile and Fighting Words, and on the TV shows CSI: NY and 8 Simple Rules, among other credits.

Kentaro Miura

Books of the 'Berserk' manga collection on display at the Paris Book Fair in 2019. JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images

Kentaro Miura, the manga artist behind the groundbreaking, long-running, yet unfinished series Berserk, died May 6 of an acute aortic dissection. He was 54. Born in Chiba, Japan, Miura began writing and drawing manga at a very early age but was best known for Berserk, which began publication in Young Animal magazine in 1989. Centering on the mercenary Guts, an incredibly powerful fighter who wields a massive sword, it went on to become one of the best-selling manga of all time.

Paul Mooney

Paul Mooney at the 2004 BET Comedy Awards. M. Caulfield/WireImage

Legendary comedian Paul Mooney died on May 19 at age 79 following a dementia diagnosis and a heart attack. The comedy staple rose to prominence as a writer for the late Richard Pryor, and gained further fame for his performances as Sam Cooke in the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story, on Chappelle's Show and In Living Color, and in Spike Lee's 2000 movie Bamboozled.

Charles Grodin

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Midnight Run and Beethoven star Charles Grodin died May 18 from bone marrow cancer. He was 86. Grodin caught the attention of Hollywood after starring in a small but notable role in the 1968 film Rosemary's Baby. Throughout his career, the Emmy Award winner also appeared in The Virginian, Louie, and the 2016 miniseries Madoff.

Norman Lloyd

Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Actor Norman Lloyd, whose prolific career spanned from the 1930s until his death, died May 10 at the age of 106. Lloyd made his feature film debut in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur as a Nazi spy who plunges to his death from the top of the Statue of Liberty. He had a notable career as a director and producer too. Other memorable roles include turns in St. Elsewhere, Dead Poets Society, and Trainwreck.

Lloyd Price

Lloyd Price at the 26th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2011. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Lloyd Price, the singer-songwriter behind such hits as "Personality" and "Stagger Lee" who helped lay the groundwork for the rise of rock 'n roll, died May 3 of complications from diabetes. He was 88. Nicknamed "Mr. Personality" after his 1959 hit, Price became a crossover success early in his career with his song "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," which was successful with white and Black listeners alike years before the ascent of rock 'n roll. "I revolutionized the South. Before 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy,' white kids were not really interested in this music," Price later recalled.

Tawny Kitaen

Tawny Kitaen in 2018. Bobby Bank/Getty Images

Tawny Kitaen, the actress and model known for her role in Bachelor Party and for appearing in music videos for the rock band Whitesnake in the '80s, died May 7 of undisclosed causes. She was 59. Kitaen rose to fame as a "video vixen" in the 1980s, appearing in several music videos for Whitesnake, most famously the hit single "Here I Go Again" in 1987.

Nick Kamen

Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images

The English model and singer Nick Kamen died at the age of 59 on May 5, according to multiple reports. There's no information as to the cause of death available at this time.

The Essex-born star rose to fame at age 18, after he appeared in a Levi's 501 commercial, filmed in a launderette in 1985, where he strips off down to his underwear to do laundry, while onlookers ogle. He soon became a sex symbol. He later pursued a singing career, reaching the U.K. top 5 with a song penned by Madonna.

Billie Hayes

Walt Disney Television

Billie Hayes, best known as Witchiepoo on H.R. Pufnstuf, died April 29. She was 96. Hayes reprised the character of Witchiepoo, a villanous witch obsessed with stealing magical Freddy the Flute, several times throughout her career, including in a 1970 film Pufnstuf. She also played the role of Mammy Yokum in Lil' Abner on Broadway, as well as a 1959 movie and 1971 TV special.

Ray Reyes

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Former Menudo boybander Ray Reyes died on April 30 of a massive heart attack. He was 51. Reyes joined the group in early 1983 during its heydey, shortly before Ricky Martin and Draco Rosa.

Olympia Dukakis

Olympia Dukakis in 2015. Mireya Acierto/Getty Images

Olympia Dukakis, the dry-witted stage and screen actress known for her Oscar-winning turn in the 1987 rom-com Moonstruck, died May 1 at age 89. Dukakis toiled under the radar for nearly 30 years before becoming a household name with her scene-stealing turn as indomitable matriarch Rose Castorini in Moonstruck, which became one of the highest-grossing and most beloved films of 1987. With a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in hand, she soon landed high-profile roles such as the personnel director in 1988's Working Girl, the bemused widow Clairee in 1989's Steel Magnolias, and the hard-edged high school principal in Mr. Holland's Opus.

Johnny Crawford

Johnny Crawford in The Rifleman. Everett Collection

Johnny Crawford, who was nominated for an Emmy at age 13 for his portrayal of Mark McCain in the television series The Rifleman, died at 75 from COVID-19 and pneumonia on April 29. His career kicked off when he was cast as one of the 24 original Mousekeeters in the first season of The Mickey Mouse Club. He later appeared in acclaimed shows such as The Lone Ranger, The Count of Monte Cristo, Rawhide, and Hawaii 5-0. His film credits included William Tell and The Marshal.

Shock G

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Hip-hop legend and Digital Underground founder Greg "Shock G" Jacobs died in late April at age 57. Their biggest hit, "The Humpty Dance," featured Shock G as his alter ego Humpty Hump, whose persona would become synonymous with the group. The rapper was also known for helping to put Tupac Shakur on the map. He produced his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991, followed by his breakthrough single "I Get Around" and "So Many Tears." Shock G also famously produced hits for Dr. Dre, Bobby Brown, KRS-One, and others.

Les McKeown

Jorgen Angel/Redferns

Lew McKeown, the former lead singer of the Bay City Rollers, died on April 20 at age 65. Though he was not a founding member of the Scottish pop-rock group, he was there for their peak in the 1970s, singing hits like "Saturday Night" and "Bye Bye Baby." While he left the group in 1978, he reunited with them in 2015, and even wrote a 2019 memoir about his time in the band titled Shang-a-Lang: My Life With the Bay City Rollers. He is survived by his wife, Keiko, and son Jubei.

Joe Long

The Four Seasons, from left, Joe Long, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, and Frankie Valli. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Joe Long, the bassist for the iconic New Jersey band the Four Seasons, died on April 22 at the age of 88. Long joined the group in 1965, replacing one of the original band members, and remained with them through most of the 1970s.

Tempest Storm

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Burlesque icon and sex symbol Tempest Storm died April 20 at her home in Las Vegas. She was 93. The stripping legend — who continued her act well into her 80s — rose to prominence in the 1950s, starring in sold-out stage revues and sexy films alongside the likes of Bettie Page. She even caused a riot at the University of Colorado merely by removing her mink coat.

Monte Hellman

Monte Hellman made his directorial debut with the horror film 'Beast from Haunted Cave' (1959). Lionel FLUSIN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Monte Hellman, the cult director of Two Lane Blacktop and an executive producer on Reservoir Dogs, died on April 20. His daughter, Melissa Hellman, confirmed the director died at Eisenhower Health hospital in Palm Desert a week after he had fallen in his home.

Jim Steinman

'Bat Out of Hell' songwriter Jim Steinman. Terry Lott/Sony Music Archive via Getty Images

Jim Steinman, the songwriter and music producer who penned Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and Meat Loaf's breakthrough album Bat Out of Hell, died April 19 in Connecticut. He was 73. Steinman was known for his operatic pop-rock compositions and lyrics, and also wrote and produced such hits as Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" and Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me Now."

Black Rob

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Rapper Black Rob, best known for the 2000 single "Whoa!," died at age 52 on April 17 from a cardiac arrest after contending with multiple other health issues, including lupus, kidney failure, diabetes, and multiple strokes. Black Rob became part of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' label Bad Boy Records in the '90s and in 2000 released his debut record Life Story, with "Whoa!" fast becoming a standout single.

Felix Silla

Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Best known for originating the role of Cousin Itt on the 1960s ABC TV series The Addams Family, actor Felix Silla died April 16. He was 84. He played the role of Cousin Itt 17 times in the show's two-year run. He also worked as a performer and stuntman on projects such as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, The Black Bird, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and more.

Helen McCrory

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Harry Potter and Peaky Blinders actress Helen McCrory died April 16th at age 52 after a long battle with cancer. McCrory was best known for playing the role of Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter films and had roles in Skyfall, Hugo, and The Queen.

Rusty Young

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Rusty Young, a founding member and the frontman of the country-rock band Poco, died April 16th from a heart attack. In his long career with Poco, Young was the lead singer/songwriter and he played the pedal steel guitar, banjo, Dobro, guitar, and mandolin. He wrote "Crazy Love," the band's only No. 1 top 10 hit. In 1974, Young was inducted into the Guitar Player's Magazine "Gallery of Greats" and in 2012, he was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

DMX

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DMX, the hip-hop superstar known for such hits as "X Gon' Give It to Ya" and "Party Up (Up in Here)," died April 9 after he was hospitalized following a drug overdose the previous week. He was 50. Born Earl Simmons, DMX found massive success as a rapper despite a turbulent, troubled lifestyle that included a lifelong struggle with substance abuse. He was known for his distinctive snarling vocals and aggressive style, and appeared in films including Belly, Cradle 2 the Grave, Romeo Must Die, and Exit Wounds.

Prince Philip

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Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died April 9 at age 99.

"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," a Buckingham Palace statement read. "His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."

The British royal spent most of his adult life as the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, whom he married in 1947. He'd previously been hospitalized in March to undergo surgery for a heart condition. He later left the hospital March 16 and reunited with Elizabeth at Windsor Castle to recover.

Adam Perkins

Adam Perkins/Instagram

The musician and Vine star, who went viral on the former social media app for his seven-second "Welcome to Chili's" clip, died at the age of 24. His twin brother, Patrick Perkins, confirmed the news but did not disclose the cause of death.

Midwin Charles

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Midwin Charles, a CNN and MSNBC legal analyst, died after an illustrious career that included TV commentary, news reporting, and practicing as a defense attorney. She was remembered by colleagues like Joy Reid and Bernice King, who called her a "light that brightened the way for others."

Paul Ritter

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British TV star Paul Ritter died on April 5 at age 54 following a battle with a brain tumor. He was best known for his leading role on the hit English sitcom Friday Night Dinner as well as his ongoing role as part of the main cast of the Epix historical series Belgravia. His film work included small roles in major franchise productions like Quantum of Solace and Harry Poter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Walter Olkewicz

Walter Olkewicz in 'Wizards and Warriors'. Warner Bros. Television / courtesy Everett Collection

Walter Olkewicz, the veteran character actor known for playing bartender and croupier Jacques Renault on Twin Peaks, oil refinery worker Dougie Boudreau on Grace Under Fire, and Nick the cable guy on Seinfeld, died April 6 at 72. Over his long career, he also appeared on shows including Who's The Boss?, Night Court, Cheers, Taxi, Barney Miller, Married… With Children, Moonlighting, L.A. Law, The Rockford Files, Newhart, ER, Family Ties, Dharma & Greg, and Murder, She Wrote.

Mark Elliott

Mark Elliott. Courtesy Joe Cipriano

Mark Elliott, a voice actor heard in trailers for some of Disney's most beloved movies, died April 3, at 81. Elliott's iconic vocals featured in promos for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Lion King, Hercules, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, and many other Mouse House movies. He also provided voice-overs for Star Wars radio spots and Muppet movie trailers, but he said his proudest work was doing the trailers for the 1981 film Chariots of Fire and the final episode of M*A*S*H. In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, Elliott appeared in the 1997 short film 5 Men and a Limo and portrayed himself in Lake Bell's 2013 comedy In a World.

Gloria Henry

Gloria Henry. CBS via Getty Images

Gloria Henry, who played Alice Mitchell, the mom of the titular character in the sitcom Dennis the Menace, died April 4. She was 98.

In the '50s, Henry could be seen in TV shows like Perry Mason and The Files of Jeffrey Jones, but her starring role was as Dennis's warmhearted mother in the comedy series based on the long-running comic strip. She appeared in all 146 episodes of its 1959-1963 run.

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary. Alan McEwan

Beverly Cleary, the iconic children's author behind such books as Henry Huggins, Beezus and Ramona, and The Mouse and the Motorcycle, died March 25 in Carmel, Calif., where she had lived since the 1960s. She was 104. Cleary was famous for her iconic characters like the inimitable Ramona Quimby and her easily annoyed big sister "Beezus." Her first children's book — about a boy named Henry Huggins and his mutt Ribsy — was published in 1950, but more than half a century later, all her 40-plus novels remain in print.

Larry McMurtry

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American novelist Larry McMurtry died March 25, at age 84. His best-known books included Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, and Terms of Endearment — all of which were turned into beloved movies or, in Lonesome Dove's case, a popular TV miniseries. McMurtry was an accomplished screenwriter in his own right, and won an Oscar (alongside co-writer Diana Ossana) for Brokeback Mountain, which they adapted from Annie Proulx's short story.

Jessica Walter

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Jessica Walter, the actress best known for her portrayal of sarcastic Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development, died March 24 at the age of 80. Walter's career spanned five decades across the stage, television, and film. Her most memorable film roles included turns in Play Misty for Me, The Group, and Grand Prix. She possessed a staggering amount of TV credits, but had notable roles on Trapper John M.D., Amy Prentiss, Streets of San Francisco, Dinosaurs, and Archer to name a few.

Richard Gilliland

Richard Gilliand in 1977. Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Richard Gilliland, the veteran character actor whose credits included Designing Women, 24, Desperate Housewives, and many other TV shows and films, died March 18 after a brief illness. He was 71. Gilliland was married to his Designing Women costar Jean Smart, who he met while working on the CBS sitcom and wed in 1987. Gilliland had a recurring role on the series as J.D. Shackleford, the on-again, off-again love interest of Annie Potts' Mary Jo. "I met him when he was kissing someone else," Smart quipped to EW in 2017.

Sabine Schmitz

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The former Top Gear host and German racing giant died March 16 at age 51 after a years-long battle with cancer. Her Top Gear family paid tribute to the star in remembering how she "radiated positivity, always wore her cheeky smile no matter how hard things got, and was a force of nature for female drivers in the motoring world."

Yaphet Kotto

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Actor Yaphet Kotto died on March 15 at age 81. Kotto was best known for his roles in the films Alien and Midnight Run and the TV show Homicide: Life on the Street. Kotto's early film credits included 1968's The Thomas Crown Affair and 1972's The Limit, which he both directed and starred in, playing a highway patrolman. The following year, he portrayed the role of Bond villain Mr. Big in the 007 adventure Live and Let Die and was then nominated for an Emmy for his performance as Ugandan president Idi Amin in the 1977 TV movie Raid on Entebbe. He would go on to become a familiar face on the big screen, appearing in 1978's Blue Collar, 1987's The Running Man, and the 1991 horror sequel Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, among other films.

Taylor Dee

Taylor Dee. Facebook

Rising country singer Taylor Dee died March 14 after a car crash at age 33. Dee's first single, "The Buzz," was released in June 2019 and played on several Texas radio stations. Linda Wilson, president of the Texas Country Music Association, said Dee's death shocked the music community. "Taylor Dee was the real deal — a true talent with a heart and passion not only for her music but for people."

Reggie Warren

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Reggie Warren, a member of famed R&B group TROOP, died on March 14 at age 52. TROOP (which stands for Total Respect of Other People) found a hit with 1989's "Spread My Wings," earning the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Souls Singles chart. During their reign, the quintet dropped three No. 1 hits and a total of 10 top 10 singles. TROOP's most popular hit singles include "Mamacita, "My Heart" and "Still in Love." The group's tunes "All I Do Is Think Of You" and "Sweet November" both peaked at No. 1. The group also appeared in the 1991 film New Jack City, starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T and Chris Rock.

Norton Juster

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Author of beloved 1961 children's book The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster, died March 8 of complications from a stroke. Though the cult classic remained his greatest legacy, Juster wrote several books over his lifetime, including The Dot and The Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning animated short. He re-teamed with Tollbooth illustrator Jules Feiffer in 2010 for The Odious Ogre.

Leon Gast

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Filmmaker Leon Gast, whose documentary When We Were Kings won an Academy Award, died March 8 at age 85. When We Were Kings chronicled Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's famous "Rumble in the Jungle" 1974 heavyweight championship boxing match. It took Gast 22 years to edit and finance the documentary. It was named best documentary feature at the 1997 Oscars.

Geoffrey Scott

Geoffrey Scott. Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

Geoffrey Scott, an actor and stuntman who appeared on Dynasty and Dark Shadows, died Feb. 23 at the age of 79. His wife Cheri Scott confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Scott died of Parkinson's disease the day after his birthday.

On Dynasty, Scott portrayed Mark Jennings, the first husband of Linda Evans' character Krystle Carrington, from 1982 through 1984. His other soap opera roles include General Hospital, Where the Heart Is, and Guiding Light.

Jahmil French

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Jahmil French, an actor known for his role on Degrassi: The Next Generation, died March 1 of undisclosed causes at age 29. French played Dave Turner on the Canadian teen drama from 2009 to 2013, with his other credits including Netflix's Soundtrack, the Pop TV series Let's Get Physical, and the 2017 film Boost.

Bunny Wailer

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Bunny Wailer, the reggae icon who founded the Wailers with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, died on March 2 in Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 73. A cause of death wasn't given at the time, but Wailer had been in and out of the hospital since his second stroke in 2020.

Prince Markie Dee

Prince Markie Dee.

The Fat Boys' rapper Prince Markie Dee died at age 52 on February 18. Dee's death was confirmed on Twitter by the band's manager Louis Gregory on Thursday. The songwriter would have been 53 on Friday. No cause of death has been released. "Forever in my Heart," wrote Gregory. "Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he was one of my very best and closest friends.

"My heart breaks today because I lost a brother," he added. "I'll always love you Mark and I'll cherish everything you taught me. Tomorrow is your birthday, swing my way big bro."

Brayden Smith

CBS Television Distribution

Brayden Smith, a recent five-game champion on Jeopardy, died Feb. 12 at age 24 of undisclosed causes. Smith's appearances were some of the final Jeopardy episodes hosted by Alex Trebek, who died in November. "[Trebek] did, I believe, really like Brayden," executive producer Mike Richards previously told EW. "I could tell that he very much enjoyed that young man, and that was fun to watch. I think that energized him."

Chick Corea

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Acclaimed jazz pianist Chick Corea died Feb. 9 from a rare form of cancer. He was 79. Corea was known for collaborating with numerous jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and Miles Davis. He played piano for Davis' group on albums such as In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew, which helped usher in the fusion era. Corea was also recognized for his band Return to Forever, which he helped found in 1971. With 23 Grammy wins, Corea is also the artist with the most jazz Grammys in the awards' history.

Larry Flynt

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Larry Flynt, the longtime publisher of Hustler who fought many high-profile legal battles over pornography and free speech, died of heart failure Feb. 10 at age 78. Flynt was memorably portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the 1996 film The People vs. Larry Flynt, which dramatized his rise to success and his legal battles with anti-pornography activists. He positioned himself as an advocate for free speech, arguing passionately throughout his career that pornography was protected by the First Amendment. "The question is, am I a smut peddler or a First Amendment crusader?" Flynt told EW in 1996. "I'd say a little bit of both."

Mary Wilson

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Mary Wilson, a co-founding member of Motown group The Supremes, died at the age of 76 on Feb. 8. As the longest-reigning member of The Supremes, she was there when the group was first known as The Primettes in the late 1950s and stayed until the group was officially disbanded in 1977.

Billy Brown

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Billy Brown, the patriarch from Discovery's Alaskan Bush People, died Feb. 7 after suffering a seizure. He was 68. The docudrama, which debuted in 2014, centered on Brown and his extended family living off the grid in Alaska and later in Washington. Brown's son Bear, who revealed the news, called his father "our best friend — a wonderful and loving dad, granddad and husband and he will be dearly missed."

Christopher Plummer

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Christopher Plummer, whose career in film, on television, and in the theater spanned more than half a century and earned him an Academy Award, two Emmys, and two Tonys, died on Feb. 5 at age 91.

For years, Plummer chafed against being typecast for his most famous role as Captain Von Trapp in the hit 1965 musical film The Sound of Music, which propelled him to worldwide stardom. But he continued to do varied work and late in his career scored Oscar nominations for the 2009 film The Last Station and the 2011 film Beginners, for which he became, at age 82, the oldest actor ever to win an Academy Award. (He also earned a third nomination for 2017's All the Money in the World after replacing Kevin Spacey in the role of J. Paul Getty.) In recent years, he also featured in the starry whodunnit Knives Out and the war film The Last Full Measure.

Jamie Tarses

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Jamie Tarses, the trailblazing TV executive and producer who became the first woman to serve as entertainment president of a broadcast network in 1996, died on Feb. 1 from heart complications at the age of 56. She suffered a stroke in the fall of 2020 and never regained consciousness. During her tenure as ABC president, Tarses launched such hits as Dharma & Greg, The Practice, and Sports Night. At NBC, she played a key role in developing Frasier, Friends, Mad About You, and Wings, among others. Her most recent triumphs included The Wilds on Amazon Prime and the upcoming The Mysterious Benedict Society on Disney+.

Allan Burns

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Allan Burns, the Emmy-winning writer and co-creator of The Munsters and The Mary Tyler Moore Show , died Jan. 30 at age 85. Burns also wrote for the big screen and scored an Oscar nod for co-writing the 1979 film A Little Romance. In addition, he created the Cap'n Crunch character for Quaker Oats. Burns' writing partner James L. Brooks and Ed Asner both paid tribute to the TV veteran on social media, with the actor calling Burns "a mensch like no other, a friend and so incredibly talented."

Sophie Xeon

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Sophie Xeon, the experimental and influential pop music producer known for her collaborations with Charli XCX, Vince Staples, and more, died on Jan. 30 after an accidental fall. She was 34. Known mononymously as Sophie, the Glasgow native made her way onto the music scenes with singles "Bipp" and "Lemonade," before collaborating with Madonna on "Bitch I'm Madonna" in 2015. After the release of her song "It's Ok to Cry" two years later, she came out as a trans woman. Her 2019 album Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Cicely Tyson

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Pioneering Hollywood actress Cicely Tyson died Jan. 28, at 96, only two days after the release of her memoir Just As I Am. Tyson excelled across film, television, and stage, winning three Emmy Awards, a Tony, and an honorary Oscar. She was also Oscar-nominated for her work in 1972's Sounder. As the first Black woman in a recurring role in a TV drama, Tyson made her mark as a trailblazer early, and continued to do so in her career-long refusal to take roles she viewed as demeaning or stereotypical. An icon of both stage and screen, she left behind a litany of memorable performances.

Cloris Leachman

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Cloris Leachman, the Emmy- and Oscar-winning actress known for her memorable roles in television shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, movies like The Last Picture Show, and stage productions such as South Pacific, died Jan. 27 of natural causes. She was 94. Leachman was one of the most decorated performers in Primetime Emmys history, with eight wins, and her career spanned a stunning eight decades. Her other notable credits included Phyllis (spun off from Mary Tyler Moore), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Young Frankenstein, and Malcolm in the Middle.

Bruce Kirby

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Bruce Kirby, the veteran character actor most famously known for his roles in Columbo and L.A. Law, died on Jan. 24 at the age of 95. Throughout his decades-long career, he appeared in a mix of popular film and TV projects, including I Dream of Jeannie, Night Court, The Golden Girls, and Punky Brewster. One of his sons was When Harry Met Sally star Bruno Kirby, who died in 2006.

Hal Holbrook

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Tony and Emmy winning actor Hal Holbrook, who parlayed early fame performing a one-man show as Mark Twain into a long and celebrated career in film, television, and on the stage, died on Jan. 23 at age 95. Holbrook, who for years was best known to movie audiences for playing Deep Throat in the 1976 hit All the President's Men, enjoyed a late-career resurgence following his critically acclaimed turn in the 2007 drama Into the Wild, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Holbrook regularly performed Twain monologues on stage for decades, even as he found a wide range of other roles in films such as Magnum Force, Wall Street, and The Firm as well as '80s and '90s sitcoms like Designing Women and Evening Shade. Holbrook continued to act in his elderly years, appearing in Water for Elephants and Steven Spielberg's 2012 period epic Lincoln.

Larry King

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Larry King, the famed interviewer and longtime CNN host whose career spanned more than six decades, died on Jan. 23, 2021. He was 87. King died early Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to a statement shared on his social media accounts. A cause of death was not given, but King was hospitalized earlier in January with COVID-19.

Mira Furlan

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Lost and Babylon 5 actress Mira Furlan died on Jan. 20 due to complications with West Nile virus, her manager confirmed in a statement to EW. She was 65. Lost creator Damon Lindelof and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski both shared tributes after her death.

Jimmie Rodgers

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Singer Jimmie Rodgers died on Jan. 18 of kidney disease. He had also previously tested positive for COVID-19. Known for songs like "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" and his cover of Bob Merrill's "Honeycomb," the versatile singer landed hits on Billboard's pop singles, hot country and western sides and hot rhythm and blues sides charts through the 50s and 60s. While a mysterious 1967 car accident forever changed him physically, Rodgers still released new music through 1979.

Phil Spector

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Grammy Award-winning producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector died on Jan. 16 of natural causes. He was 80. Spector was the creator of the music production technique known as the Wall of Sound. He was also behind some music's biggest hits for The Beatles, the Ramones, The Righteous Brothers, among others.

Sylvain Sylvain

Sylvain Sylvain. Barney Britton/Redferns

New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain died on Jan. 13 at age 69 after a battle with cancer. The New York Dolls' self-titled 1973 debut album, as well as their 1974 sophomore effort, Too Much Too Soon, became acclaimed and influential punk rock records. Although short-lived, the band went on to influence groups like Guns N' Roses, the Ramones, Sex Pistols, and the Smiths, whose frontman Morrissey helped reunite the surviving band members for a 2004 festival.

Peter Mark Richman

Petr Mark Richman. GETTY IMAGES

Peter Mark Richman, an actor with over 130 television credits, died on Jan. 14 at the age of 93 of natural causes. Richman notably held recurring roles on Three's Company as Reverend Snow — the father of Suzanne Somers' character Chrissy Snow — and on Dynasty as Andrew Laird, the attorney for Carrington family. He also appeared on Beverly Hills, 90210 and Longstreet and guest-starred on series such as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Murder She Wrote, The Fugitive, Bonanza, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. In his eight-decade career, Richman also produced works as a playwright. His one-man show 4 Faces was made into a movie in 1999, in which he also starred.

Joanne Rogers

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Joanne Rogers, the widow of television icon Fred Rogers died January 14 at the age of 92. She was married to Rogers for 50 years until his death in 2003. Rogers was the keeper of the flame for the "Mister Rogers" legacy, serving on the board of Fred Rogers Productions and helping celebrate his work in documentaries and feature films like It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Rogers was also an accomplished classically trained concert pianist and released two albums as part of a duo.

John Reilly

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Veteran soap star John Reilly died on Jan. 9 from unknown causes. He was 84. For five decades, Reilly starred in hit soaps including General Hospital, As the World Turns, Passions, and Sunset Beach. He also made one brief appearance on Days of Our Lives in 2001. In the '90s, he starred as Bill Taylor, Kelly Taylor's (Jennie Garth) unpredictable father, on Beverly Hills, 90210.

Angie Jakusz

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Angie Jakusz, a contestant on Survivor: Palau, died on Jan. 8 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 40.

Michael Apted

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British filmmaker Michael Apted died on Jan. 8, at 79. Apted directed the long-running Up documentary series and Oscar-nominated features including Coal Miner's Daughter and Gorillas in the Mist. Apted was a researcher on the first installment of the groundbreaking Up series, 1964's Seven Up, and he helmed the rest, concluding with 63 Up in 2019. In a career spanning genres and decades, he directed features including Nell, The World Is Not Enough, Stardust, Gorky Park, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Apted also served as president of the Directors Guild of America from 2003 to 2009 and received the organization's Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award in 2013.

Dearon 'Deezer D' Thompson

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Dearon "Deezer D" Thompson died Jan. 7, at 55. The actor was best known for portraying nurse Malik McGrath on the beloved NBC medical drama ER from 1994 until 2009, including the pilot and series finale. Thompson also appeared in movies such as Fear of a Black Hat, CB4, Bringing Down the House, and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.

Marion Ramsey

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Actress Marion Ramsey died Jan. 7, at 73. She was best known for portraying Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies. Ramsey was also an accomplished stage actor, appearing on Broadway in Grind and Eubie, as well as touring the country in Hello, Dolly, starring opposite Bette Davis in Miss Moffatt, and costarring in two productions of Little Shop of Horrors. She was one of the three singers that the original Broadway show Dreamgirls was based on and also performed many voice roles, including in Robot Chicken and the animated series The Addams Family.

Tanya Roberts

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Former Bond girl Tanya Roberts died Jan. 4, at 65, from a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis. Roberts starred as Stacey Sutton in 1985's A View to Kill, opposite Roger Moore as 007. She also starred on That '70s Show as Donna's sweet-but-dim mother, Midge. The actress worked on Charlie's Angels in the '80s and appeared in the shows Fantasy Island, Hot Line, The Blues Brothers Animated Series, and Eve, and in films like Sins of Desire, Legal Tender, Sheena, The Beastmaster, Almost Pregnant, and Tourist Trap. Her last role was playing Elle in the series Barbershop in 2005.

Barbara Shelley

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British actress Barbara Shelley died Jan. 4, at 88, after contracting COVID-19. She was best known for appearing in horror movies produced by Hammer Films, including 1958's Blood of the Vampire, 1966's Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and 1967's Quatermass and the Pit. Shelley also starred in 1960's non-Hammer horror classic Village of the Damned. Her many small-screen credits included the British TV shows Blake's 7, Doctor Who, and Eastenders.

Eric Jerome Dickey

Eric Jerome Dickey at the 5th Anniversary of the African American Literary Award Show in 2009. Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Best-selling author Eric Jerome Dickey died Jan. 3, at 59, after a long illness. Throughout the Memphis native's lengthy career, he published 29 novels, including multiple New York Times best-sellers: Milk in My Coffee, Cheaters, Chasing Destiny, The Other Woman, Sleeping With Strangers, _Resurrecting Midnigh_t, Sister, Sister, An Accidental Affair, and Decadence. Dickey also penned the 2007 Marvel Comics miniseries Storm, chronicling the epic love story between the Black superheroes Storm (of X-Men fame) and Black Panther.

Gerry Marsden

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Liverpool legend Gerry Marsden died Jan. 3, at 78, after an illness related to a heart infection. Marsden was the lead singer of the '60s British band Gerry and the Pacemakers, known for "You'll Never Walk Alone," which was a rendition of the song from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. The group's version became the anthem of Liverpool Football Club.

George Gerdes

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George Gerdes died Jan. 1, at 72. The actor appeared in the films The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Hidalgo, and Rumor Has It. He was a regular presence on TV, with roles inseries such as L.A. Law, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, The X-Files, Chicago Hope, Cold Case, ER, Lost, True Blood, and Dexter. Most recently, he appeared in Perry Mason and Grey's Anatomy, and portrayed Ray Scales in three episodes of Bosch.