We remember these celebrities who recently died for their iconic roles (Valerie Harper), literature (Toni Morrison), the music they created (Ric Ocasek, Eddie Money), the characters they portrayed (Rip Torn, Peggy Lipton), their lasting contributions to film (D.A. Pennebaker, John Singleton) and much more.
Here are the actors, directors, musicians, athletes, politicians and other well-knowns we’ve recently said goodbye to.
Ric Ocasek
Photo Credit: Getty Images For The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame/Mike Coppola
Ric Ocasek, lead singer of the new wave band The Cars, was
found dead in his Manhattan apartment Sunday, Sept. 15, the NYPD said. No foul play was suspected. Ocasek, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, was 75.
Eddie Money
Photo Credit: Getty Images for iHeartMedia/Steve Jennings
Brooklyn native Eddie Money, the singer behind hit songs “Two Tickets to Paradise” and “Baby Hold On,” died on Friday, Sept. 13, Variety reported, citing a statement from his family. He was 70. “The Money family regrets to announce that Eddie passed away peacefully early this morning,” the statement read.
Anthoine Hubert
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Charles Coates
French driver Anthoine Hubert died Saturday, Aug. 31, during a Formula 2 race at the Belgian Grand Prix, motorsport’s governing body confirmed to Reuters. Hubert, 22, died when his vehicle was hit by a car driven by Juan Manuel Correa. His car had gone off the track and into the barriers at the Spa-Francorchamps track at the time of the collision.
Valerie Harper
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto E. Rodriguez
Emmy Award-winning actress Valerie Harper, known for her role as Bronx-accented feminist Rhoda Morgenstern on the classic 1970s TV series “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and her own spinoff sitcom, died on Friday, Aug. 30, at the age of 80, according to
Variety.com. Her husband, Tony Cacciotti, said in July that doctors advised that the actress, who was suffering from brain cancer, be placed in hospice care. Harper was born in Suffern, N.Y. and performed on Broadway in 1959 in “Li’l Abner,” and went on to perform in Broadway shows such as “Wildcat” and “Take Me Along” and at Radio City Music Hall before going on to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Jessi Combs
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Frederick M. Brown
Race car driver Jessi Combs died after crashing her vehicle while attempting to break her own land-speed driving record
. The fatal crash took place Tuesday, Aug. 27, in Oregon, while Combs tried reaching speeds of 619 mph. She was 36. “It may seem a little crazy to walk directly into the line of fire … those who are willing, are those who achieve great things. People say I’m crazy. I say thank you,” Combs wrote on
Instagram in the days prior to the crash. “Jessi’s most notable dream was to become the fastest woman on Earth … she left this earth driving faster than any other woman in history,” Combs’ family said in a statement to
Autoblog.com.
Peter Fonda
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto E. Rodriguez
Oscar nominated actor Peter Fonda, who played a cool and introspective motorcyclist in the 1969 film “Easy Rider” that captured the spirit of the era’s counterculture movement, died on Friday, Aug. 16, at age 79, his family said in a statement, according to Reuters. Fonda, the son of Hollywood leading man Henry Fonda and the brother of Jane Fonda, died at his home in Los Angeles on Friday morning of respiratory failure from lung cancer, the statement said.
Toni Morrison
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Kris Connor
Nobel-winning author Toni Morrison died at age 88, her spokesman announced on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. Morrison, the author of novels “The Bluest Eye,” “Beloved” and “Jazz,” became the first black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in literature in 1993. According to reports, she died in a New York hospital.
D.A. Pennebaker
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Neilson Barnard
Director D.A. Pennebaker, a champion of the cinéma vérité (“cinema truth”) style of documentary filmmaking in the U.S., died at age 94 on Thursday, Aug. 1. He may be best known for “Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” (1967), a pioneering look at a musician on tour. Straddling interests in music and politics, he also put his lens on Bill Clinton’s early 1990s presidential campaign for “The War Room.” Pennebaker lived in Sag Harbor, NY.
Saoirse Kennedy Hill
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Evan Agostini
Saoirse Kennedy Hill, the 22-year-old granddaughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, died on Aug. 1, 2019 of an apparent overdose at the family’s compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts,
The New York Times reported. In a statement released to media, the Kennedy family confirmed the young woman’s death. “Our hearts are shattered by the loss of our beloved Saoirse,” the family statement said. “Her life was filled with hope, promise and love.” Hill, above with her mom in 2006, was the only child of Paul Michael Hill and Courtney Kennedy Hill, the fifth of 11 children of Ethel and Robert Kennedy. She was studying communications at Boston College, where she was the vice president of the Student Democrats, according to the Times. She had written about struggling with mental illness in 2016 when she was a student at the Deerfield Academy, a private preparatory school in Massachusetts, the Times reported.
Harold Prince
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Ethan Miller
Broadway producer/director Harold Prince — behind the musicals “Cabaret,” “Seeney Todd,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and “West Side Story” — died on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, his rep confirmed. He was 91. Prince died in Reykjavik, Iceland, after suffering a brief illness, according to his rep, Rick Miramontez. “As per his wishes, there will be no funeral but there will be a celebration of his life this fall with the people he loved most, the members of the theatrical community that he was a part of for seven decades,” a statement from Miramontez read.
Rutger Hauer
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto E. Rodriguez
Rutger Hauer, who starred in 1982’s “Blade Runner” as Roy Batty, died on Friday, July 19, 2019, his agent confirmed
to Variety on July 24. He was 75. The Dutch native nailed sinister roles — the creepy lead in 1986 horror film “The Hitcher,” Sly Stallone’s terrorist foe in 1981’s “Nighthawks.” More recently, his comedic side was on display in a recurring role as a curmudgeonly faerie on vampire series “True Blood.”
Art Neville
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Rick Diamond
Art Neville, a New Orleans musical legend who performed with the Meters and the Neville Brothers, died Monday, July 22, 2019, at 81. No cause of death was given. He joined the Hawkettes at the age of 17 and provided the vocals to the band’s song “Mardi Gras Mambo,” which still reigns as a Nola anthem. In 1964, Neville founded The Meters. The band put out hit songs like “Cissy Strut,” “Just Kissed My Baby” and “Fire on the Bayou.” After the band’s breakup in 1977, he founded the Neville Brothers with his siblings Cyril Neville, Aaron Neville and Charles Neville.
Robert Morgenthau
Photo Credit: Getty Images for HBO/Michael Loccisano
Robert Morgenthau, formerly the Manhattan district attorney, died on Sunday, July 21, 2019, his family told the New York Times. He was 99. Morgenthau became Manhattan’s chief prosecutor in 1975 and chose not to run for re-election at age 90, ending his 35-year run.
David Hedison
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Buckner
Actor David Hedison, best known for starring in “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” died on July 18, 2019, his family announced. He was 92. Hedison also appeared Off-Broadway in 1956’s “A Month in the Country.”
Pernell Whitaker
Photo Credit: Allsport/Simon Bruty
Former professional boxer Pernell Whitaker died Sunday, July 14, 2019, after being hit by a vehicle in Virginia Beach, according to media reports from local news source News 3 WTKR. He was 55. A family member confirmed to News 3 that Whitaker died in the crash. Whitaker won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006. In his time, the four-division world champion earned the nickname “Sweet Pea.”
Jim Bouton
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Tim Boyle
Former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton, who published the baseball tell-all book “Ball Four,” died Wednesday, July 10, 2019, his family confirmed to multiple media outlets. He was 80. His book, published in 1970, was considered a “scandalous betrayal of the baseball clubhouse,” according to the New York Times. It recounted the 1969 season.
Rip Torn
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Carlo Allegri
Emmy-winning actor Rip Torn died on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, his publicist Rick Miramontez confirmed to multiple media outlets. He was 88. Torn was best known for his film roles, including that of 1997’s “Men in Black” and 2004’s “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.” From 1992 to 1998, he played Arthur in “The Larry Sanders Show” and made appearances on “Will & Grace” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” Torn’s decades-long career also brought him to the Broadway stage in 1959’s “Sweet Bird of Youth,” a role which he earned a Tony nomination for in 1960. His “Men in Black” co-star Will Smith posted an “R. I. P Rip” tribute to him on Instagram, sharing a still image from the film.
H. Ross Perot
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Justin Sullivan
Texas billionaire and former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot died on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, his family’s spokesman James Fuller confirmed to the Associated Press. He was 89. Perot, who twice ran for president as a third-party candidate, died at his home in Dallas, Texas. He challenged President George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton in the 1992 race.
Cameron Boyce
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Rodin Eckenroth
Cameron Boyce, known for his roles in Disney’s “Descendants” and the TV show “Jessie” died on July 6 at the age of 20 due to an ongoing medical condition, according to Variety. He died in his sleep after a seizure, a family representative said. On Sunday, Disney CEO Robert Iger tweeted “The Walt Disney Company mourns the loss of #CameronBoyce, who was a friend to so many of us, and filled with so much talent, heart and life, and far too young to die.”
Arte Johnson
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Harry Dempster
Emmy-winning comedian Arte Johnson, known for his years on the 1960s/’70s sketch show “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in,” died July 3 at age 90. He passed of heart failure in Los Angeles, after battling prostate and bladder cancer for years, as first
reported by Hollywood Reporter. His list of credits is long, from television (guest appearanes on “Love Boat,” voice work for numerous cartoons) to film – notably as Renfeld, acting alongside George Hamilton’s Dracula, in “Love at First Bite.” (Pictured, Johnson on the “Laugh-In” set with Jeanine Barrett in 1970.)
Lee Iacocca
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Dan Callister / Online USA
Ford and Chrysler auto executive Lee Iacocca, behind the creation of the Ford Mustang, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019, Fiat Chrysler said. He was 94. Iacocca died at his home in Bel-Air, California, of complications from Parkinson’s disease. “The company is saddened by the news of Lee Iacocca’s passing. He played a historic role in steering Chrysler through crisis and making it a true competitive force,” Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said in a statement to Reuters.
Billy Drago
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images / David Buchan
“The Untouchables” actor Billy Drago died Monday, June 24, 2019, in Los Angeles, his rep confirmed to multiple media outlets. Drago, born William Eugene Burrows, was 73. With a career that included more than 100 films and TV shows, fans remembered him for several roles. On TV, he also appeared in “X-Files” and “Charmed,” and on-screen in Clint Eastwood’s “Pale Rider.”
Gloria Vanderbilt
Photo Credit: Getty Images for SiriusXM/Robin Marchant
Fashion icon and designer Gloria Vanderbilt died Monday, June 17, 2019, her son CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper said. She was 95. Vanderbilt was hospitalized weeks before her death and was diagnosed with stomach cancer. On CNN Monday morning, Cooper said she told him of her health, “It’s like that old song: Show me the way to get out of this world because that’s where everything is.”
Sylvia Miles
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Loccisano
Oscar-nominated actress Sylvia Miles died Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Manhattan, her publicist confirmed to the
New York Times. She was 94. Publicist Mauricio Padilha told the publication she died in an ambulance on the way to a New York City hospital. The actress earned Academy Award nominations for her roles in “Midnight Cowboy” and “Farewell, My Lovely.”
Dr. John
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Mike Coppola
Six-time Grammy winning New Orleans musician Dr. John died on Thursday, June 6, 2019. He was 77. The performer, born Malcolm John Rebennack, died from a heart attack, his family announced on his Twitter page.
Lawrence Leathers
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Stephen Lovekin
Rising NYC jazz drummer Lawrence Leathers (pictured, right) died on Sunday, June 2, 2019, from an apparent assault,
the New York Times reported. He was 37. The drummer, who played on two Grammy-winning albums, was found dead in his Bronx apartment building on East 141st Street. Two suspects — Sterling Aguilar, 28, and Lisa Harris, 41 — were arrested in connection with his death, the Times reported, citing police.
Carmine Caridi
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Albert L. Ortega
Carmine Caridi, who portrayed Carmine Rosato in “The Godfather: Part II,” died on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, his reps confirmed. He was 85. Caridi, a native New Yorker, had been hospitalized in a coma in Los Angeles, Variety reported.
I.M. Pei
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Paul Hawthorne
Renowned architect I.M. Pei — known best for designing the glass pyramid entrance at the Louvre in Paris, among several other developments — died Thursday, May 16, 2019, at his home in Manhattan, the
New York Times reported. He was 102. Pei worked for a New York real estate developer in 1948 and opened his own firm in 1955. His notable projects, aside from the Louvre, include the renovation of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester, Massachusetts, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Dallas City Hall.
Herman Wouk
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Andrew H. Walker
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Herman Wouk died Friday, May 17, 2019, multiple outlets reported, citing his agent Amy Rennert. He was 103. Wouk was known for his novels “The Winds of War,” “War and Remembrance” and “The Caine Mutiny,” among others. “The Caine Mutiny,” published in 1951 and later turned into a film starring Humphrey Bogart, won the author a Pulitzer. Wouk was born in New York City in 1915 and attended Columbia College.
Ashley Massaro
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Kevin Winter
Ashley Massaro, a former WWE star and “Survivor” contestant, died at age 39, her daughter Alexa confirmed on Instagram on Friday, May 17, 2019. The New Yorker was 39. Massaro wrestled for WWE until 2008 and won the WWE Raw diva search competition in 2005. Police on Thursday responded to a call reporting a sick or injured person inside her Long Island home. Massaro was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead,
police told Newsday.
Grumpy Cat
Photo Credit: Nicole Brown
Animal movie star Grumpy Cat, the internet-famous cat who captured fans with her grumpy glare, died Tuesday, May 14, 2019, her owners said. She was 7 years old. Grumpy Cat, the subject of thousands of memes, starred in her own TV movie, “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever” in 2014, had her own series of books, and made her Broadway debut in “Cats” in 2016. According to a
statement posted on her Twitter account, from owner Tabatha Bundesen, Grumpy died from complications from a urinary tract infection. “Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the world — even when times were tough,” the statement read. “Some days are grumpier than others.”
Tim Conway
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Vince Bucci
Comedian Tim Conway died on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, his rep confirmed to
Variety. He was 85. Conway starred in “The Carol Burnett Show” and was nominated for 13 Emmys over the course of his career. He reportedly died after suffering complications from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a build up of cerebrospinal fluid.
Doris Day
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Keystone
Legendary actress Doris Day, star of “The Doris Day Show,” died Monday, May 13, 2019. She was 97. The actress (“Pillow Talk”) and singer (“Qué Será, Será”), rose to fame in the ’50s and ’60s and was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. She made her film debut in 1948 in “Romance on the High Seas” and landed the title role in “Calamity Jane” in 1953. Day retired from acting in her 50s and opened the Doris Day Animal Foundation to fight animal abuse.
Peggy Lipton
Photo Credit: Getty Images/David Livingston
Actress Peggy Lipton has died from cancer at age 72. Her daughters with ex-husband Quincy Jones – actresses Rashida and Kidada Jones — announced her death on May 11 via a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Lipton was barely in her 20s when the boundary-pushing “Mod Squad,” which featured a multi-racial cast and sought to capture the counterculture of the late 1960s and early ’70s, broke. She won a Golden Globe for the role, and after would largely retire from acting until appearing as Norma Jennings in the “Twin Peaks” series.
Terry Allen Kramer
Photo Credit: Larry Busacca
Broadway producer Terry Allen Kramer, left, died May 2, 2019, according to the
New York Times. She was 85. The Tony Award-winning producer behind “Hello, Dolly” (2017) and “Kinky Boots” (2013), died at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan after battling pneumonia for nearly a month.
Peter Mayhew
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Disney/Jesse Grant
Peter Mayhew, the British-born actor who played Chewbacca in the “Star Wars” films, has died, his family said on Thursday, May 2. The 74-year-old died at his North Texas home on Tuesday, according to the family’s statement on Twitter. No cause of death was given in the statement.
John Singleton
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Christopher Polk
Filmmaker John Singleton died on Monday, April 29, 2019, after suffering a stroke less than two weeks prior, a family representative confirmed to Deadline. Singleton, 51, was taken off life support. The Oscar nominee was best known for his directorial film debut, 1991’s “Boyz n the Hood,” which depicted the crime life unfolding on the streets of Los Angeles, California. The project starred Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut and Angela Bassett.
Jo Sullivan Loesser
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Bryan Bedder
Tony-nominated actress Jo Sullivan Loesser died on April 28, 2019, of heart failure, her publicist David Gersten told Deadline and Playbill.com. The Broadway star was best known for her role in the 1956 production “The Most Happy Fella.” According to her publicist, she died at her home in New York City. She was 91. Above, she’s pictured with Paul McCartney at the Minskoff Theatre on Oct. 26, 2009.
Georgia Engel
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Stephen Shugerman
Actress Georgia Engel died Friday, April 12, 2019. She was 70. The actress was well known for her role of Georgette Baxter on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Engel also starred in “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Hot in Cleveland,” “The Office” and “One Day at a Time.” John Quilty, Engel’s friend and executor, told The New York Times that the cause of death is unknown.
Nipsey Hussle
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Warner Music/Matt Winkelmeyer
Rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed outside his clothing store in south Los Angeles on Sunday, March 31, 2019, authorities told The Associated Press. He was 33. Hussle’s debut album “Victory Lap” scored him a Grammy nomination for best rap album this year. Numerous musical artists, including Drake, Rihanna, Chance the rapper, ASAP Rocky and more responded to the rapper’s death on Twitter. Rhianna
said her “spirit is shaken by this” news. Pharrell Williams wrote that Hussle was a “positive” force who “inspired millions.” The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that the shooting was reported about 6:20 p.m. ET near Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard. Three victims were transported to a hospital where one was pronounced dead.
Scott Walker
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Express / Ballard
Singer Scott Walker, who made his debut as one of The Walker Brothers and found success as a solo artist, died Monday, March 25, 2019, according to his label, 4AD. He was 76. “From teen idol to cultural icon, Scott leaves to future generations a legacy of extraordinary music; a brilliant lyricist with a haunting singing voice, he has been one of the most revered innovators at the sharp end of creative music, whose influence on many artists has been freely acknowledged,” a
statement reads. Walker began releasing solo work in 1967, with a series of albums titled “Scott,” “Scott 2,” “Scott 3,” and eventually, “Scott 4,” in 1969. Above, Walker and pop singer Lulu pose with awards at the St. Valentine’s Day Presentation party in 1968.
Dick Dale
Photo Credit: Getty Images for NAMM / David Livingston
Dick Dale died Saturday, March 16, 2019, his former bass player Sam Bolle told Reuters. He was 81. The rock guitarist, aka the “King of Surf Guitar,” was best-known for his 1962 track “Misirlou,” which was featured in “Pulp Fiction.” His cause of death was not immediately released.
Jan-Michael Vincent
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Dan Callister
Actor Jan-Michael Vincent, who starred in the 1980s CBS series “Airwolf,” died on Feb. 10, 2019,
multiple media outlets reported on March 8, 2019, citing his death certificate. He was 74. The death certificate was first published by
TMZ. Vincent starred in several film roles in the ’70s, including “Going Home” (1971), “The Mechanic” (1972) and “Bite the Bullet” (1975). He struggled with substance abuse, and had several run-ins with the law involving drug posession, alcohol abuse and domestiv violence.
Luke Perry
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Jerod Harris
Actor Luke Perry died on Monday, March 4, 2019, five days after suffering a stroke, his publicist confirmed. He was 52. Perry was best known for his role as Dylan McKay in “Beverly Hills 90210” in the 1990s. He was later cast as father figure Fred Andrews on “Riverdale,” a role he held from 2016-2019. “The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time,” publicist Arnold Robinson said in a statement.
Keith Flint
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Jo Hale
Keith Flint, singer for the British electronic dance group The Prodigy died at age 49 on Monday, March 4. Standing on the shoulders of fellow system-buckers like John Lydon, Flint pushed fashion (witness hair styles from a double mohawk to brightly colored devil horn puffs) and, along with The Prodigy, BPM. Dance floor hits included “Firestarter,” and we challenge you to keep you feet still when listening to it.
Katherine Helmond
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Disney Parks via Getty Images / Lisa Rose
Tony-winning “Who’s the Boss?” actress Katherine Helmond, whose career spanned five decades, died Feb. 23, 2019,
Deadline reports. The actress had been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She was 89. Helmond starred as Jessica Tate in the ’70s comedy “Soap” and, later, on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” She is survived by her husband, David Christian.
André Previn
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Keystone / Chris Ware
Award-winning composer André Previn died Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, in his Manhattan home, The New York Times reported, citing his manager, Linda Petrikova. He was 89. Previn served as the musical director for nearly half a dozen orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, pictured, in 1979. Over the course of his career, the German pianist worked with Ella Fitzgerald, among other artists, and won four Oscars for his film composing work, as well as 10 Grammys. He was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys ceremony in 2010.
Peter Tork
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Matthew Eisman
The Monkees member Peter Tork died on Feb. 21, 2019, according to a statement posted on his Facebook page. He was 77. “It is with beyond-heavy and broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our friend, mentor, teacher, and amazing soul, Peter Tork, has passed from this world,” the statement
read. “As we have mentioned in the past, the PTFB team is made up of Peter’s friends, family and colleagues – we ask for your kindness and understanding in allowing us to grieve this huge loss privately.” Tork’s cause of death was not immediately released, though
The Washington Post reported he was diagnosed with a rare cancer (adenoid cystic carcinoma) in 2009.
Karl Lagerfeld
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Andreas Rentz
Designer Karl Lagerfeld died at age 85, a source at Chanel confirmed on Feb. 19, 2019. Lagerfeld served as the artistic director for the elite fashion brand for more than three decades. The German native also worked for Fendi and released his own ready-to-wear clothing line. A cause of death has not yet been announced.
John Dingell
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Bill Pugliano
Former Michigan Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress, died on Feb. 7. He was 92. He died at his home in Michigan, the office of his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, who was elected to succeed him, said in a statement.
John Dingell, a Democrat, served in the House of Representatives for 59 years before retiring in 2015. He played a role in passing Medicare in 1965 and the Affordable Care Act in 2010. He also pushed legislation such as the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Air Act as chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Frank Robinson
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jason Miller
Frank Robinson, a Hall of Fame outfielder and the first black Major League Baseball manager, died on Feb. 7 at the age of 83. Robinson, who had a long-term illness, died at his California home, according to the MLB website.
Robinson hit 586 home runs and was a 14-time All-Star. He played for five teams throughout his career, including the Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Reds, where he made his professional debut. After retiring as a player, he went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, the Orioles and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.
Kristoff St. John
Photo Credit: Kevin Winter
Actor Kristoff St. John was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Feb. 4 at the age of 52, NBC reported. Mark Geragos, St. John’s attorney, confirmed the news.
St. John was best known as a longtime cast member of the CBS soap, “The Young and the Restless.” He was a two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and won eight NAACP Image Awards. St. John debuted on TV at age 7, according to his CBS biography, and his credits include “That’s My Mama,” “Suddenly Susan,” “The Cosby Show” and numerous feature films.
James Ingram
Photo Credit: Getty Images for One Kid One World / Jason Kempin
Grammy-winning R&B musician James Ingram, who rose to fame in the ’80s and ’90s, died at age 66, Variety reported on Jan. 29. “Grey’s Anatomy” actress Debbie Allen, a longtime friend of Ingram’s, tweeted the news, writing that she had “lost my dearest friend and creative partner James Ingram to the Celestial Choir.” Ingram was best known for his 1982 duet with Patti Austin, “Baby, Come to Me.” He was nominated for more than a dozen Grammys in the early ’80s and ’90s.
Kevin Barnett
Photo Credit: Getty Images for New York Magazine / Bryan Bedder
Comedian Kevin Barnett died while vacationing in Mexico, his talent agency tweeted on Jan. 22. Fox Entertainment released a statement following the tweet, writing, “he was an incredibly funny, wildly talented man who had so much more to do and so many more stories to tell.” Based in NYC, Barnett, in his early 30s, had a growing resume that included writing credits for “Broad City” as well as co-creator of the Fox sitcom “Rel.” In a tweet, Comedy Central wrote: “Kevin Barnett was an incredible comedian and writer, contributing to Broad City, the stand-up community and beyond. He’ll be greatly missed.”
Carol Channing
Photo Credit: Newsday/Dick Yarwood
Broadway actress Carol Channing died on Jan. 15 at the age of 97, her publicist Harlan Boll said. She died of natural causes at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, Boll said. Channing played Dolly Levi in the 1964 Broadway musical “Hello Dolly!”
Mel Stottlemyre
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Jim McIsaac
Former Yankees player and coach Mel Stottlemyre died on Jan. 13, the MLB team confirmed. He was 77 years old and died after a battle with cancer. “Beyond his tremendous accomplishments as a player and coach, Mel Stottlemyre was beloved for his class, dignity and fighting spirit,” a statement released by the team reads. “… His plaque in Monument Park will forever serve to celebrate the significance of his legacy.”
Daryl Dragon
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Ethan Miller
The musician behind the hit songs, “Love Will Keep Us Together” and “Do That to Me One More Time,” Daryl Dragon of the Captain & Tennille, died Jan. 2 at age 76, Reuters reported. He died of kidney failure, per a statement from his publicist. The duo’s debut album reached No. 1 in 1975 and won “Record of the Year” at the Grammy Awards the following year. His longtime wife, Toni Tennille — they divorced in 2014 — “was with him when he died, in Prescott, Arizona.
Bob Einstein
Photo Credit: Getty Images
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Bob Einstein died on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, according to Deadline. He was 76. The actor, who created 1987’s Super Dave Osborne (of “Super Dave”) had been battling cancer. Einstein won an Emmy for his work as a writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”
Gene Okerlund
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WWE / Bryan Bedder
Famous pro-wrestling announcer Gene Overland died at age 76, WWE confirmed on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. The WWE Hall of Famer was known as “Mean Gene.”
Pegi Young
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Stagecoach / Frazer Harrison
Musician Pegi Young died on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, a statement posted to her official Facebook page read. Young, the ex-wife of Neil Young, died at age 66 after a battling cancer. “With great sadness, we confirm that on January 1st, after a year-long battle with cancer, Pegi Young — mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, musician, activist and co-founder of the Bridge School — passed away surrounded by her friends and family in her native California,” the statement read.
Amos Oz
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Jason Kempin
Israeli author Amos Oz died at the age of 79 on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. He published award-winning and popular novels, like “Don’t Call It Night,” and a memoir, “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” His daughter, Fania Oz-Salzberger, confirmed the news of his death on Twitter, writing “My beloved father, Amos Oz, a wonderful family man, an author, a man of peace and moderation, died today peacefully after a short battle with cancer … May his good legacy continue to amend the world.”
Penny Marshall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for L’Oreal / Michael Buckner
Actress and director Penny Marshall, of “Laverne & Shirley” and “A League of Their Own” fame, died on Dec. 17, 2018, her rep confirmed to Variety. She was 75. The Bronx native was the first female director to gross $100 million, with 1988’s “Big.”
Colin Kroll
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Bryan Steffy
Colin Kroll, the co-founder of the Vine video app and the HQ Trivia game, died on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, of an apparent drug overdose in his SoHo apartment, according to
Variety. Kroll founded Vine with Rus Yusupov in 2012 and sold it to Twitter later that year — it officially shut down in 2017. Kroll’s latest venture, HQ Trivia, a live game that awards actual cash to players, has become a viral app since he created it in in 2017. He was 34.
Nancy Wilson
Photo Credit: Getty Images/John Minihan
Across a long, award-winning career that included Grammys and many TV appearances (“Hawaii Five-O,” “Room 222”), Nancy Wilson kicked her career as a jazz singer into high gear shortly after
arriving in New York City in the late 1950s. After signing with Capitol Records and releasing an early 1960s record with Cannonball Adderley, she went on to put out dozens of albums — across an array of genres including pop and R&B — and became known to NPR listeners as the host of “Jazz Profiles.” She died on Dec. 13, 2018, at 81, in California.
George H.W. Bush
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Al Bello
Former President George H.W. Bush died on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, a family spokesman said. He was 94. Bush served as the 41st president of the United States, from 1989 to 1993. His son, former President George W. Bush, released a statement on Twitter, writing, “Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear Dad has died. George H.W. Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41’s life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for Dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens.”
Stephen Hillenburg
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Junko Kimura
The creator of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” Stephen Hillenburg, died following a battle with ALS, Nickelodeon announced on Nov. 27, 2018. He was 57. Hillenburg’s cartoon made its debut on Nickelodeon in 1999 and attracted viewers both young and old. It breached out into two films and a Broadway production. “We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with ALS. He was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family,” the network said in a statement. The creator, above, in Tokyo in 2006, revealed he was suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2017.
Bernardo Bertolucci
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ernesto Ruscio
Bernardo Bertolucci, the director of “Last Tango in Paris,” died Nov. 26, 2018, his publicist said. He was 77. The Italian director had been battling cancer for several years and died at home in Rome, according to Variety. He was known best for his brazen works, like the 1972 Marlon Brando film, “Tango,” and released his last project, “Me and You,” in 2012.
Roy Clark
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Hope Powell
Country star Roy Clark, the guitar virtuoso and singer who headlined the cornpone TV show “Hee Haw” for nearly a quarter century and was known for such hits as “Yesterday When I was Young” and “Honeymoon Feeling,” died Nov. 15, 2018, of complications from pneumonia. Clark, shown in a 1970s photo, was 85.
Katherine MacGregor
Photo Credit: NBC via Getty Images
“Little House on the Prairie” actress Katherine MacGregor died Nov. 13, 2018, her representative, Tony Sears, told the Associated Press. She was 93. MacGregor played Harriet Oleson, the mother of “Prairie” mean girl Nellie. She appeared on the series NBC series from 1974 to 1983.
Stan Lee
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Rich Polk
The man behind our favorite superheroes, Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk and so many other Marvel Comics died at the age of 95 on Nov. 12. While the writer and editor had help designing the superheroes, he took ownership of promoting them and made cameos in each of the Marvel movies that were made in the first decades of the 21st century, which grossed over $20 billion at theaters worldwide, according to Reuters.
Roy Hargrove
Photo Credit: Paul Morigi
Legendary jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove died on Nov. 2 at age 49 in Manhattan; he had battled kidney disease for years. Embraced by the jazz community, he also tooted his horn as a member of the Soulquarians, a soul-hip-hop collective that included Questlove, Erykah Badu and Q-Tip, among many others. As
the New York Times wrote in its obit, even in “his final days, dogged by failing health, Mr. Hargrove remained a fixture of the jam sessions at Smalls in Greenwich Village. When not on tour, he spent multiple nights each week in that low-ceilinged basement, his slight, nattily dressed frame emerging occasionally from a corner to blow a smoky, quietly arresting solo.”
Mac Miller
Photo Credit: Rich Fury / Getty Images
Mac Miller has died of an apparent overdose, Variety and TMZ reported on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018. The 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Malcolm James McCormick, had been open about his struggle with substance abuse in the past, Variety reported. He released his latest album, “Swimming,” in August and was scheduled to perform at MSG Hulu Theater on Nov. 23.
Burt Reynolds
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Michael Tullberg
Actor Burt Reynolds, who rose to fame in the ’70s with “Smokey and the Bandit,” died Sept. 6, 2018, at age 82, a spokesman for his Los Angeles agent confirmed. His career was marked by his roles in Hollywood films such as “Smokey” (1977), “Deliverance” (1972) and “The Longest Yard” (2005), as well as a TV stint in “Gunsmoke” (1962-1965). His role in the 1997 flick “Boogie Nights” earned him a best supporting actor Oscar nod, and he was set to appear in the upcoming “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” crime drama from Quentin Tarantino.
Neil Simon
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Cindy Ord
Neil Simon, one of Broadway’s most popular playwrights, died on Aug. 26, 2018. He was 91. Simon was beloved for his works “The Odd Couple,” “The Goodbye Girl” and “Lost in Yonkers,” among others. Simon was being treated for pneumonia at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City at the time of his death.
John McCain
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Sen. John McCain died Aug. 25, 2018, at age 81, according to a statement from his office. McCain had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. His family announced he was ending treatment for the cancer the day before he died.
The Arizona senator, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008.
“Senator John Sidney McCain III died at 4:28 p.m. on August 25, 2018. With the senator when he passed were his wife Cindy and their family. At his death, he had served the United States of America faithfully for sixty years,” the statement from his office said.
Robin Leach
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ethan Miller
Journalist Robin Leach, known for his role on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” died Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John Katsilometes revealed on Twitter. Leach was 76. “Sad to report the death of famed celeb reporter, friend and colleague #RobinLeach @ 1:50 a.m. in #LasVegas. He would have been 77 Wednesday. He suffered a second stroke Monday. He in hospice care. He’d been hospitalized since Nov. 21, after suffering a stroke in Cabo San Lucas,” Katsilometes wrote on Twitter. He followed his note with a statement from Leach’s family confirming the news. Leach hosted “Lifestyles” between 1984 and 1995 and was best known for his work as a celeb columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Craig Zadan
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Kevin Winter
Hollywood producer Craig Zadan died Aug. 20, 2018, at age 69. Zadan, pictured, left, one half of the studio company Storyline Entertainment, was behind several TV and film musicals, including 1984’s “Footloose” and 2007’s “Hairspray,” and several of his team’s productions went on to win Academy Awards. Zadan was a Miami native, but moved to New York to attend Hofstra University before starting his production company in NYC in the ’70s.
Aretha Franklin
Photo Credit: Getty Images
“The Queen of Soul,” who released hits such as “Think” and “Respect” during the course of a several-decades-long musical career, died on Aug. 16, 2018, officials said. She was 76. The singer, who had been battling advanced pancreatic cancer, died at her home in Detroit, according to one of her publicists. She became the first woman voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and won 18 Grammys throughout her career.
Her last large-scale performance took place at Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City during the November 2017 Elton John AIDS Foundation concert. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press on Aug. 16, 2017, Franklin said she had wanted to open a nightclub in her hometown of Detroit called “Aretha’s,” where she planned to sing occasionally.
Charlotte Rae
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Frederick M. Brown
Charlotte Rae, of the ’80s sitcoms “The Facts of Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes,” died on Aug. 5, 2018, at her home in Los Angeles, according to the New York Times. She was 92. Rae, known best in the role of Edna Garrett, started out on Broadway.
Tab Hunter
Photo Credit: Getty Images for SXSW / Michael Loccisano
Actor Tab Hunter, who rose to fame in the ’50s and later became a symbol of the gay rights movement, died July 8, 2018, according to a post on his Facebook page. The New York-born celebrity was 86. The post, on the “Tab Hunter Confidential” Facebook page, did not provide further details on his cause of death. He was known best for his roles in “Damn Yankees!” and “The Burning Hills,” as well as a notable turn in John Waters’ “Polyester,” in which he played upon his heartthrob image. In 2005, his “Confidential” autobiography exposed he’d been living out his fame in Hollywood as a closeted gay man. A movie of the same title was released in 2015.
Steve Ditko
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Rob Kim
The comic book artist and co-creator of such legendary comic book characters as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange was found dead in his Manhattan home on June 29, 2018, the NYPD confirmed to Variety on July 6. He was 90 years old. Ditko was responsible for conceiving Spider-Man’s signature attributes, such as his costume and web shooters. The superhero is one of the most popular ever invented, generating over 360 million book sales and several movie franchises since his debut. Among Ditko’s fans was author Neil Gaiman, who tweeted, “I know I’m a different person because he was in the world.”
Joe Jackson
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ian Gavan
The late Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, died Wednesday, June 27, 2018, his family said. He was 89. The music manager behind the careers of the Jackson 5 had reportedly been battling pancreatic cancer. On June 24, Jackson tweeted that he had “seen more sunsets than I have left to see.”
Richard ‘Old Man’ Harrison
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ethan Miller
Reality star Richard Harrison, left, who appeared in “Pawn Stars,” died at age 77, his son Rick Harrison revealed on Twitter June 25, 2018. Known best as “Old Man,” Harrison and his son and grandson ran the Las Vegas pawn shop depicted in the series. Harrison, who TMZ reports suffered from Parkinson’s disease, opened Gold & Silver Pawn in 1988. “He lived a very full life and through the History television show ‘Pawn Stars’ touched the lives of people all over, teaching them the value of loving your family, hard work and humor,” his son wrote on Instagram in tribute to his late father. “Pawn Stars” has aired 15 seasons on History and A&E since premiering in 2009.
Charles Krauthammer
Photo Credit: William Regan / Globe Photos / Zuma Press / TNS
Pulitzer Prize winner and conservative political commentator Charles Krauthammer died on Thursday, June 21, 2018, at the age of 68, according to The Washington Post and Fox News. Krauthammer, who died of cancer of the small intestine, was a fixture on the Fox News Channel as well as on editorial pages of The Washington Post and other national newspapers.
XXXTentacion
Photo Credit: Getty Images for BET / Bennett Raglin
Rapper XXXTentacion was shot dead in South Florida on Monday, June 18, 2018, TMZ first reported. The rapper, 20, released his first album in August 2017 and reached the Billboard 200 album chart for his second, titled “?” XXXTentacion, whose birth name is Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, was fatally injured in a drive-by shooting, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s office. The Florida native was involved in legal problems over his alleged beating of a girlfriend while pregnant.
Jackson Odell
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Alberto E. Rodriguez
Songwriter and actor Jackson Odell, who appeared in popular shows such as “iCarly” and “The Goldbergs,” was found dead on June 8 at his home in Tarzana. The cause of death has not been released, pending an autopsy. No foul play is suspected. He was 20.
Odell played Gumbo in “iCarly,” Kyle in “The Fosters,” and appeared several times as Ari Caldwell in “The Goldbergs,” among other roles. He recently finished writing songs for the soundtrack of the film “Forever My Girl,” a drama about a country musician who tries to get his ex-fiancée back, according to his website.
“He will always be a shining light and a brilliant, loving and talented soul,” the family said in an emailed statement to amNewYork. “He had so much more to share. Our family will always carry that truth forward. Our wish is that the rest of the world does as well. We are now going to try to make sense of our immeasurable loss privately.”
Anthony Bourdain
Photo Credit: Getty Images for The New Yorker / Craig Barritt
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain died on June 8 at 61. The host of CNN’s food and travel series “Parts Unknown” was found dead in a hotel bathroom in France, where he had been working on an upcoming episode. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging; the New York Times later reported that a toxicology report found no narcotics in his system.
Kate Spade
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Evan Agostini
Katherine Noel Brosnahan, known as designer Kate Spade, was found dead in her apartment in Manhattan on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, the NYPD confirmed. She was 55. She was the designer behind her brand, Kate Spade New York. On Thursday, June 7, 2018, her death was ruled a suicide by hanging by the medical examiner’s office.
Alan Bean
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Steven Henry
American astronaut Alan Bean, who walked on the moon in 1969 during the Apollo 12 mission and commanded a crew on the Skylab space station in 1973 before giving up his career to become a full-time painter, died in Houston on May 26, 2018, officials said. He was 86. Bean had fallen ill two weeks earlier while traveling in Indiana, his family said. He was only one of 12 people to ever set foot on the moon, and when he gave up his career at NASA, he created paintings that focused on the Apollo missions and sold for tens of thousands of dollars each.
Philip Roth
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Mark Wilson
Author Philip Roth died on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, his agent said. He was 85. Roth, who died in New York City of congestive heart failure, wrote more than 30 books. “Patrimony,” a memoir published in 1991, nabbed him the National Book Critics Circle Award. Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for 1997’s “American Pastoral.”
Tom Wolfe
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Fernando Leon
Tom Wolfe, author and journalist behind the New Journalism movement, died on May 15, 2018, his agent said. He was 87. Wolfe was the bestselling author of “The Right Stuff” and “Bonfire of the Vanities.” A Virginia native, Wolfe moved to New York City in 1962 when he began working for the New York Herald Tribune, according to the New York Times. He died at a Manhattan hospital.
Margot Kidder
Photo Credit: Composite photo; Getty Images / Central Press, left, and Getty Images / Alberto E. Rodriguez
Margot Kidder, “Superman’s” Lois Lane, died on May 13, 2018, according to a representative at Montana Funeral Home. Kidder was 69. The actress starred in the 1978 “Superman” film alongside Christopher Reeve. In total, she portrayed the superhero’s reporter love interest in four “Superman” flicks — in 1987, 1983, 1980 and 1978.
Verne Troyer
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Mark Davis
Verne Troyer, best known for playing the evil sidekick Mini-Me in the “Austin Powers” movie series, died on Saturday, April 21, 2018, according to a statement posted to his verified social media accounts. He was 49. Standing at 2 foot 8 inches, Troyer was one of the shortest men in the world. “Even though his stature was small and his parents often wondered if he’d be able to reach up and open doors on his own in his life, he went on to open more doors for himself and others than anyone could have imagined,” reads the statement announcing his death. In addition to his role in the “Austin Powers” films, Troyer had more than 25 other film credits to his name.
Avicii
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Rolling Stone / Rich Polk
EDM star Avicii, known for his radio hits like “Wake Me Up” and “Hey Brother,” died April 20, 2018, his representative Diana Baron said in a statement. He was 28. A cause of death was not immediately released, though his family later said he “struggled” with the meaning of life and “could not go on any longer.” Avicii received two Grammy nominations for best dance recording, in 2013 for “Levels” and in 2012 for “Sunshine.” He retired from touring in 2016 citing health reasons.
Barbara Bush
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Tom Pennington
Former first lady Barbara Bush died at the age of 92 on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, the Bush family confirmed in a statement. She was the only woman to witness her husband and son sworn in as president.
R. Lee Ermey
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ethan Miller
Former marine and Hollywood actor R. Lee Ermey died April 15, 2018, due to complications from pneumonia, his manager Bill Rogin tweeted. He was 74. Ermey is remembered for his role as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 “Full Metal Jacket.” The Golden Globe-nominated actor also appeared in “Apocalypse Now,” “Mississippi Burning” and did voice work for “Toy Story.”
Milos Forman
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Bjorn Elgstrand
The Czech-born movie director, best known for his Oscar-winning classics “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Amadeus,” died at age 86 on Friday, April 13, 2018. His other notable work included the 1979 rock musical “Hair,” the 1981 drama “Ragtime,” and 1996 biopic “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” which earned a nomination for an Academy Award.
Chuck McCann
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Madame Tussauds Hollywood / Ben Horton
Chuck McCann — the voice behind the “I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs” commercial — died at age 83, his publicist said on April 9, 2018. The Brooklyn-born voice actor and comedian died of congestive heart failure at a Los Angeles hospital. He was known for roles including “Little House on the Prairie,” “Bonanza” and “Columbo,” including that of the Cocoa Puffs breakfast cereal advertisement. “His work was legendary,” his publicist Edward Lozzi said. “What baby boomer doesn’t know cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs?”
Steven Bochco
Photo Credit: Los Angeles Times
Prolific television producer Steven Bochco died April 1, 2018, at 74. Bochco, who battled a rare form of leukemia, is credited with breaking ground with his genre-bending TV dramas, including “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law” and “NYPD Blue.” Bochco, who won 10 Emmy Awards, also developed “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” and in a rare miss, the oft-maligned “Cop Rock.”
Andrew Balducci
Photo Credit: Balducci’s
The founder of Balducci’s, the specialty foods market that got its start as a fruits stand in Greenwich Village, died of leukemia on Thursday, March 22, 2018, at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, New York. He was 92. Born in Greenpoint, he spent most of his childhood in Italy before returning to the U.S. and opening his brick-and-mortar store selling gourmet goods like prosciutto and fresh mozzarella in Manhattan. Today, there are five Balducci’s stores in New York and Connecticut.
Stephen Hawking
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize Foundation / Bryan Bedder
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking died on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at his home in Cambridge. He was 76. Hawking, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, when he was 21 years old, sought to understand some of the most complicated topics, including the origins of the universe and the mysteries of black holes.
Craig Mack
Photo Credit: WireImage / Johnny Nunez
Rapper Craig Mack died Monday, March 12, 2018. He was 46. The “Flava in Ya Ear” rapper was among the first to sign with Bad Boy Records in the early ’90s. The Long Island-born rapper died at his home in South Carolina.
Hubert de Givenchy
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Carlos Alvarez
Designer Hubert de Givenchy, center, died Saturday, March 10, 2018, a representative for his fashion label confirmed to The New York Times. He was 91. The French fashion icon was known for dressing Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy, among other famous faces. Givenchy was behind the little black dress that has become iconic to “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
David Ogden Stiers
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Matt Winkelmeyer
David Ogden Stiers, known for playing surgeon Maj. Charles Winchester III on “M.A.S.H.,” died March 3 after battling bladder cancer, according to his talent agency. The Oregonian had more than 150 film and TV credits with voice acting roles in a number of Disney films, including in “Beauty and the Beast” as Cogsworth and characters in “Lilo & Stitch” and “Pocahontas.” He also appeared on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and in “Perry Mason” movies. He was 75.
George Kaufman
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Robin Marchant
Chairman of Kaufman Astoria Studios George Kaufman died Feb. 20, 2018, his publicist said. He was 89 years old. Kaufman is credited with rejuvenating the neighborhood with the success of the historic production venue, the filming location for several NYC-set shows like “Orange is the New Black” and “Blue Bloods.” “George was so much more than a real estate developer. He understood deep in his bones the importance of investing in New York’s communities because they are the very foundation of the City’s greatness,” Hal Rosenbluth, the president and CEO of Kaufman Astoria Studios, said in a statement.
Billy Graham
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Mario Tama
Evangelist Billy Graham, who counseled presidents and preached to millions across the world from his native North Carolina to communist North Korea during his 70 years on the pulpit, died on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. He was 99, a spokesman said. According to his ministry, he preached to more people than anyone else in history, reaching hundreds of millions of people either in person or via TV and satellite links.
Vic Damone
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Keystone / David Ashdown
Singer Vic Damone, known for “On the Street Where You Live,” among other singles, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, his daughter told The Associated Press. He was 89. The legendary performer also had several TV and film credits, including “The Vic Damone Show,” “Rich, Young and Pretty” and “Kismet.”
Jan Maxwell
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Michael N. Todaro
Tony-winning actress Jan Maxwell died Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, after battling cancer, her son confirmed to Deadline. She was 61. Her theater roles included “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “The Sound of Music.” On TV, she had notable stints on “Law & Order,” “The Good Wife” and “The Divide.”
Reg E. Cathey
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Jason Kempin
Actor Reg E. Cathey, who played Freddy on “House of Cards” and appeared in “The Wire,” died at age 59 after reportedly battling cancer. “The Wire” creator David Simon first reported his death on Feb. 9, 2018. Cathey guest starred on numerous TV shows, but won an Emmy in 2015 for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his work on Netflix’s “House of Cards.”
John Gavin
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Hulton Archive
The actor who peaked with roles in Douglas Sirk’s “Imitation of Life,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” and the epic “Spartacus” died on the morning of Feb. 9, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 86. In addition to his acting career, he also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild in the early ’70s and as U.S. ambassador to Mexico under Ronald Reagan.
Lovebug Starski
Photo Credit: Getty Images for BET / Isaac Brekken
Lovebug Starski, right, died after suffering a heart attack in Las Vegas on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, his manager confirmed. A native of the Bronx, along with Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, Starski was a key member of the late 1970s scene that spawned hip-hop.
Mickey Jones
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Rick Diamond
Mickey Jones, whose resume as an actor stretched back to the early 1970s, died on Feb. 7, 2018, at age 76, his rep confirmed to Deadline. You loved him as the pot dealer with a heart, Hot Rod Dunham, in “Justified,” while your parents might remember him from the short-lived “Alice” spinoff “Flo.” The character actor popped up in roles across film (“Sling Blade”) and television (“Home Improvement”), as well as TV movies (“V”). Deadline reported that his death followed a long illness.
John Mahoney
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Kevin Winter
John Mahoney died on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, while in hospice care, his manager Paul Martino said. He was 77. The SAG Award-winning actor played “Frasier” dad Martin Crane on all 11 seasons of the NBC show from 1993 to 2004.
Louis Zorich
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Desiree Navarro
Tony Award-nominated actor Louis Zorich, who played the father of Paul Reiser’s character on NBC’s “Mad About You,” died on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, at his Manhattan home. He was 93. While the majority of his roles on TV and film were of the character-actor kind, he also tackled big parts like King Lear and Agamemnon on stage. He is survived by his wife, fellow actor Olympia Dukakis, and other family members.
Mark Salling
Photo Credit: Getty Images for Tinder / Tommaso Boddi
“Glee” actor Mark Salling died on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018. He was 35. He appeared as Noah “Puck” Puckerman on all six seasons of the Fox series which aired its final episode in 2015. While the medical examiner had not officially released cause of death, TMZ reported Salling died of an apparent suicide. In December 2017, Salling had plead guilty to child pornography charges and was facing up to 7 years in prison. His sentencing was scheduled for March 7.
Ursula K. Le Guin
Photo Credit: Marion Wood Kolisch
Author Ursula K. Le Guin, whose most recent book was “No Time to Spare,” died on Jan. 23, 2018. She was 88. Le Guin was known best for her sci-fi and gender-bending tales, including her breakout 1969 novel “The Left Hand of Darkness.”
Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker
Photo Credit: AP / Bebeto Matthews
The Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, an influential figure in the civil rights movement and chief of staff to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., died Jan. 23, 2018. He was 88.
Keith Jackson
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Alberto E. Rodriguez
Legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson, the signature voice of college football for ABC, died on Jan. 12, 2018 at age 89. “For generations of fans, Keith was college football,” said Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, in a statement. “When you heard his voice, you knew it was a big game.” Listeners could identify Jackson by his signature “Whoa, Nellie” call. Jackson is credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl “The Granddaddy of Them All” and Michigan’s stadium “The Big House.”
David Cassidy
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Rick Diamond
David Cassidy, the singer and actor who became a teen heartthrob after starring in “The Partridge Family” in the 1970s, died Nov. 21, 2017. He was 67. Cassidy had entered a Florida hospital for treatment of liver failure.
Fats Domino
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Hulton Archive / Daily Express / Clive Limpkin
New Orleans pianist Fats Domino died at age 89, his family told WWL-TV on Oct. 25, 2017. The artist, whose full name was Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., was best-known for his hits “I’m Walkin'” (1957) and “Ain’t That a Shame” (1955), among others.
Tom Petty
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Kevork Djansezian
Singer Tom Petty died on Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, at age 66, his long-time manager, Tony Dimitriades, said in a statement. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office attributed his death to a “multisystem organ failure” brought on by an accidental overdose of seven medications, the agency said Friday, Jan. 19, 2018. Petty was found unconscious at his home in Malibu in October and taken to UCLA Medical Center, but could not be revived, Dimitriades said.
Hugh Hefner
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Central Press
Hugh Hefner, who built what became known as the popular Playboy empire after debuting the men’s magazine in the 1950s, died Sept. 27, 2017, Playboy Enterprises said. He was 91. In this undated photo, Hefner and his girlfriend Barbi Benton are welcomed by “Bunny Girls” from the London Playboy Club, on their arrival at Heathrow Airport aboard his private DC 9 jetliner, which bears the Playboy logo. One Bunny Girl is wearing a Union Jack costume.
Jake LaMotta
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Keystone
Bronx-born boxer Jake LaMotta died Sept. 19, 2017, one of his daughters, Christi LaMotta, announced. He was 95. LaMotta, “The Bronx Bull,” was portrayed by Robert De Niro in the 1980 Martin Scorsese-directed city-set film “Raging Bull” focused on his time in the ring. According to TMZ, he died in a nursing home after suffering from pneumonia.
Chester Bennington
Photo Credit: Getty Images for iHeartMedia / Rich Fury
Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington died Thursday, July 20, 2017, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office confirmed. He was 41. According to The New York Times, his death is being investigated as a suicide. Bennington had been the band’s vocalist since 1999. Linkin Park rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like “Numb” and “In the End.” The band was set to perform at Citi Field on July 28. The CEO of WB Records, Cameron Strang, said in a statement: “Chester Bennington was an artist of extraordinary talent and charisma, and a human being with a huge heart and a caring soul. Our thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family, his band-mates and his many friends.”
Adam West
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox / Getty Images
Adam West, star of the 1960s “Batman” television series, died June 9, 2017. He was 88. A representative for the actor told Variety he died after battling leukemia. His family issued the following statement on Twitter: “Our beloved AW passed away last night. He was the greatest. We’ll miss him like crazy. We know you’ll miss him too – West Family”
Roger Moore
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Express / Larry Ellis
Actor Roger Moore, best known for his role of Bond, James Bond, died on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, his family said on his Twitter account. “With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated,” the tweet read. The 89-year-old died after suffering from cancer. Moore played the leading role in the Bond movies for 12 years.
Chris Cornell
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Kevin Winter
Chris Cornell, the frontman for hard rock bands Soundgarden and later Audioslave, died in Detroit on May 17, 2017, his rep said. He was 52. The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a suicide. The rocker was known as the face of one of the leading bands in ’80s and ’90s grunge music.
Chuck Berry
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Timothy Hiatt
Rock ‘n’ roll songwriter and guitarist Chuck Berry died at age 90 on March 18, 2017, in his home in Missouri, St. Charles County police said. Berry was considered one of the founding fathers of rock ‘n’ roll.
Mary Tyler Moore
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Emmy-winning actress Mary Tyler Moore died on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. Moore, a Brooklyn native, was known best for her roles in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Ordinary People” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” She was 80.
