Stars we’ve lost in 2023

In memory of the actors, musicians, authors, and other famous faces who have died in 2023, including Tina Turner, Harry Belafonte, Raquel Welch, Lisa Marie Presley, among others. Read on to remember their life and work.

David McCallum, the Scottish actor best known for his role on NCIS, died of natural causes at age 90 on Sept. 25. McCallum’s breakout role was on the espionage series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., in which he played the Russian secret agent Illya Kuryakin, the partner of Robert Vaughn’s American Napoleon Solo. McCallum went on to appear in films such as The Great Escape, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Freud, and A Night to Remember. He appeared in episodes of numerous popular TV shows, including Sex and the City, Law & Order, and The Outer Limits. The actor’s biggest role in his later years came in NCIS, in which he played the cast’s beloved father figure Chief Medical Examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard. McCallum appeared in 457 episodes of the series, which has run for 20 seasons to date. McCallum is survived by his wife of 56 years, Katherine, as well as his four children and his eight grandchildren.

Terry Kirkman, a founding member and co-lead vocalist of the ’60s folk-rock band the Association, died on Sept. 23 at 83. The band quickly found success with its first album, And Then… Along Comes the Association. It featured their classic songs, “Along Comes Mary” and “Cherish,” for which the band would earn three Grammy Award nominations. The band, inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003, was the first to perform at the legendary Monterrey Pop Festival in 1967, opening the weekend’s performances. Kirkman left The Association after seven albums in 1972. He rejoined in 1979 for a five-year run before leaving music entirely. He spent time as an addictions counselor and as the clinical director of the Musicians Assistance Program, which became MusiCares, per Pitchfork.

Nic Kerdiles, the ex-fiancé of Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley, died Sept. 23 after a motorcycle accident in Nashville, local news outlet WRKN News 2 reported. He was 29. Kerdiles, who was previously engaged to Chrisley from 2018 until 2020, appeared on several episodes of her family’s reality series Chrisley Knows Best as well as its spinoff, Growing Up Chrisley. He was also a professional hockey star, playing for the Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets from 2014 until 2018.

Roger Whittaker, a folk singer known for his hits “Durham Town” and “The Last Farewell,” as well as his proficient whistling capabilities, died at 87. Born in Nairobi, Kenya to English parents in 1936, he first began singing and penning songs in Welsh folk clubs while studying at the University of Bangor. Since then, Whittaker went on to sell nearly 50 million records worldwide. Some of his other greatest hits include “New World in the Morning” and his 1982 take on “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

Irish Grinstead, a member of the R&B girl group 702, died on Sep. 16, according to an Instagram statement from her sister, Lemisha. Irish was 43. A cause of death was not disclosed but her sister cited a “long battle,” and the singer previously announced a break from performing due to “serious medical issues.” Her death comes 15 years after that of her twin sister, Orish Grinstead, who was part of the group’s original lineup before passing away from kidney failure in 2008. The Las Vegas–raised Grinstead sisters, who named their girl group after their hometown area code, rose to fame in the late ’90s. They are best known for their 1999 single “Where My Girls At?,” which was produced and co-written by Missy Elliott and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group released three albums before disbanding in the mid-2000s, but reunited in 2017 for live performances and a slot on the reality show BET Presents: The Encore.

Billy Miller, the soap opera star best known for The Young and the Restless and General Hospital died at 43. No cause of death was provided, but the actor was struggling with manic depression when he died. Born on Sept. 17, 1979, in Tulsa, Okla., Miller landed his first big role on All My Children in 2007, but rose to fame for the role of spoiled rich boy Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless. Miller was lauded by critics and audiences, eventually taking home three Daytime Emmys for his performance as the character. After leaving the show in 2014, Miller later returned to daytime television on General Hospital, as both Jason Morgan and his twin brother, Andrew Cain. His other notable credits include recurring stints on Ringer, Suits, Ray Donovan, and Truth Be Told. He also appeared alongside Bradley Cooper in the Clint Eastwood drama American Sniper, and owned several Los Angeles restaurants and bars for many years.

Michael McGrath, the Tony award-winning actor best known for originating the role of Patsy in Spamalot on Broadway, died at 65 on Sept. 14. A native of Worchester, Mass., McGrath made his Broadway debut in 1992 as part of the ensemble in the hit musical My Favorite Year. He would go on to star in more than a dozen different Broadway productions over the course of his 30-year stage career, including The Goodbye Girl, Wonderful Town, Memphis, Tootsie, Plaza Suite, and Nice Work If You Can Get It, which earned McGrath a Tony award in 2012. In addition to his stage career, McGrath’s film credits include 2002’s Changing Lanes, 2005’s The Interpreter, and 2009’s The Secret of the Kells.

Charlie Robison, the country singer-songwriter best known for the top-40 hit “I Want You Bad,” died Sept. 10 from cardiac arrest and complications that followed. He was 59. Robison began his career in the 1980s playing with Austin-based bands like Two Hoots and a Holler until he started his own group, Millionaire Playboys. In 1996, he went solo with the album Texas Hill Country. Just two years later, he signed with Sony’s country-focused Lucky Dog imprint. In 2001, “I Want You Bad,” off the album Step Right Up, gave Robison his biggest hit. He also spent a year serving as a judge on the USA reality show Nashville Star. In 2018, Robison revealed that a surgical procedure on his throat left him unable to sing. He retired from touring and recording.

Gary Wright, a musician best known for his hit songs “Love Is Alive” and “Dream Weaver,” died Sept. 4 at 80. Wright, who was also credited as a critical force in establishing the use of synth in rock and pop music, released his breakthrough album The Dream Weaver in 1975 after previously performing as a member of rock band Spooky Tooth as well as a solo artist. He also played keys as part of George Harrison’s 1970 album All Things Must Pass. Between 1970 and 2010, Wright released 12 albums, as well as several collaborations, an EP, and work on various soundtracks. More recently, Wright also released a greatest hits compilation in 2017.

Steve Harwell, founding member and former frontman of Smash Mouth, died Sept. 4 at the 56. A former rapper with the group F.O.S. (Freedom of Speech), Harwell formed Smash Mouth in San Jose in 1994 with Kevin Coleman, Greg Camp, and Paul De Lisle. The band was best known for the hits “Walkin’ on the Sun,” “All Star,” and a cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.” Though Smash Mouth’s popularity waned as the new millennium wore on, Smash Mouth continued to record and perform. In 2013, Harwell was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, which led to medical setbacks including heart failure and acute Wernicke Encephalopathy. In 2021, Harwell retired from performing altogether, citing ongoing health issues.

Marcia de Rousse, the actress best known for her role on HBO’s True Blood, died at 70 after a long illness on Sept. 2. After her first screen credit in 1981’s Under the Rainbow, de Rousse went on to appear in numerous television shows over the next two decades, including episodes of St. Elsewhere and The Fall Guy. She later appeared in the 2003 dramedy Tiptoes, starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Beckinsale. On True Blood, de Rousse played Dr. Ludwig, a physician specializing in care for supernatural creatures. In her final film role, she reunited with Beckinsale in 2016’s The Disappointments Room.

Jimmy Buffett, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter behind the escapist classic “Margaritaville,” died Sept. 1 at 76. His death was announced in a statement on his website. Though it did not specify a cause of death or where he died, Buffett had rescheduled a series of concerts this past spring, saying that he had been hospitalized. Buffett achieved international fame in 1977 with his breakthrough hit, “Margaritaville,” which has become a vacation anthem. He went on to transform the track into a business empire, launching several stores, a collection of hotels, the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain, and T-shirt and footwear lines. His beach-friendly musical style was partly inspired by a trip he took to Key West, Fla., with fellow musician Jerry Jeff Walker in 1971. Buffett began touring in the early years of his career and continued to do so until his death.

Gayle Hunnicutt, the actress best known for her turn as Vanessa Beaumont on Dallas, died on Aug. 31 at 80. Born in Forth Worth, Tex., Hunnicutt appeared in the final three seasons of the hit series as the mother of J.R. Ewing’s illegitimate son. Her career began, however, more than two decades earlier with appearances on Mister Roberts, Get Smart, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hey, Landlord. She moved to the U.K. after marrying British actor David Hemmings and made her mark in film and TV abroad, appearing in horror films like Fragment of Fear, Voices, and The Legend of Hell House. Prior to joining Dallas, she also made appearances on iconic ’80s shows like The Love Boat, Taxi, Fantasy Island, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Jack Sonni, the musician and writer endearingly and best known as “the other guitarist” in Dire Straits (besides the Knopfler brothers), died Aug. 30 at 68. He joined the band to help with their 1985 album Brothers in Arms, which became their most successful record, and performed on their subsequent tour. Sonni nominally retired from music in 1988 when his twin daughters were born, and pursued other interests like writing — but in later years performed alongside other former members of Dire Straits as part of the group Dire Straits Legacy.

Robert Klane, a screenwriter known for penning the films Weekend at Bernie’s and Where’s Poppa, died Aug. 29 at 81. Klane, who also served as executive producer on those films in addition to several others, wrote the screenplay for Unfaithfully Yours, The Man With One Red Shoe, Walk Like a Man, Folks!, Weekend at Bernie’s II, and National Lampoon’s European Vacation. Born Oct. 17, 1941 in Port Jefferson, Long Island, Klane was a graduate of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to producing and screenwriting, he also directed Thank God It’s Friday, an episode of the TV series Baby Boom, Weekend at Bernie’s II, and the TV movie Odd Couple: Together Again. Klane also wrote several novels.

Jamie Christopher, an assistant director who worked on the Harry Potter and Marvel series along with numerous other beloved films, died on Aug. 29 at age 52 from heart complications. Christopher worked on all eight Harry Potter movies and six films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Widow, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and this year’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Other prominent credits as an assistant director or second unit director include Alien 3, Goldeneye, The Fifth Element, The Mummy, The Da Vinci Code, The Bourne Ultimatum, Justice League, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Knives Out. Harry Potter star Tom Felton and directors Rian Johnson and James Gunn shared tributes to Christopher on their social media pages. “Jamie Christopher was one of the faces I most looked forward to seeing every day on the Harry Potter films,” Felton wrote. “He always kept spirits high on set, was incredibly cheeky & a brilliant Assistant Director.”

Faye Fantarrow, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from the U.K., died at age 21 on Aug. 26 after a battle with a rare Glioma brain tumor. Fantarrow had previously survived leukemia twice. The singer released her debut EP AWOL earlier this year with help from mentor and producer Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. Fantarrow’s mother announced the news on Twitter. Fantarrow had been named One To Watch by BBC Introducing, and also won Alan Hull’s annual Songwriting Award in 2021. The singer’s publicists said that Fantarrow had raised funds to receive experimental treatment in California, but was only able to undergo one round before becoming too unwell to travel back to the United States. The leftover funds were donated to charity for medical research.

Bob Barker, who was the affable host of The Price Is Right for 35 years, died on Aug. 26 at the age of 99. Barker was a steadfast presence on television for decades, hosting the longest-running game show in U.S. history and serving as the longest-tenured game show host. Barker began his showbiz career in radio before TV beckoned in 1956, when he was asked to host Truth or Consequences, a gig he would hold for 18 years. In 1972, CBS tasked Barker with spearheading one of the programs in its new 90-minute block of daytime game shows. The Price Is Right became an overnight hit, generating a 32 share in households — nearly a third of American televisions would be tuned to it when it aired. Barker stunned his legion of fans by announcing that June 7, 2007, would mark his last episode of Price. Before his retirement at the age of 83, Price devotees continued to wait for hours outside CBS Television City in Los Angeles just to hear Barker utter the phrase “And the actual retail price is…” years after the show hit primetime.

Arleen Sorkin, the actress best known for originating the role of Harley Quinn in the animated DC Universe, died in Aug. 24 at 67. Her breakthrough performance as Calliope Jones Bradford on Days of Our Lives earned her two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress and lay the ground for her next career milestone. Upon seeing an episode of the soap opera in which she dressed as a jester, Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Paul Dini reached out to Sorkin, an old college friend, asking her to join the series as a wise-cracking henchwomen for the Joker. This marked the first appearance of Harley Quinn, who was meant to appear in just one episode, but was such a hit that Sorkin returned for eight more episodes before reprising the role in video games, movies, and several more animated series. Harley Quinn has since become an internationally recognizable character who has been played by Margot Robbie, Kaley Cuoco, and Tara Strong. Dini credits Sorkin with giving Harley her bubbly personality, Jewish identity, and Brooklyn accent. Sorkin’s other TV credits include Duet, Open House, Frasier, and a brief stint hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Bernie Marsden, the rock and blues guitarist who rose to fame with the metal band Whitesnake in the 1970s and ’80s, died on Aug. 24 at 72. Marsden joined the newly formed rock group in 1978 and co-wrote several of their hits, including “Here I Go Again,” “She’s a Woman,” and “Fool for Your Loving.” After leaving Whitesnake in 1981, Marsden released several solo albums and formed the groups Alaska and MGM. The Buckingham, England, native was also a preeminent collector of guitars; his 2018 book, Tales of Tone and Volume, is a photographic ode to “one of the most unique and expansive private guitar collections in the world,” according to Marsden’s website. In his honor, Gibson Guitars released a limited-edition Gibson Les Paul solid-body electric guitar called “The Beast.”

Windham Rotunda, the third-generation WWE star better known by his ring name Bray Wyatt, died Aug. 24 at 36. Born into a wrestling family, he was the son of Mike Rotunda, the grandson of Blackjack Mulligan, the brother of Bo Dallas, and the nephew of Barry Windham and Kendall Windham. Over the course of his career, he won the WWE Championship, the WWE Universal Championship, the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship, and the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship.

Hersha Parady, best known for her role as schoolteacher Alice Garvey on Little House on the Prairie, died on Aug. 23 at age 78. Parady appeared in other shows and films, but none had the lasting impact of Alice. She first appeared on Little House‘s third season as a different character and then debuted as Alice in season four. She appeared in more than 30 episodes, up until her memorable final appearance, when Alice dies trying to rescue children from a burning schoolhouse accidentally set ablaze by Albert Ingalls. Parady also made appearances on Unsolved Mysteries, Second Noah, and a role as Principal Dimly on Keenan & Kel.

Professional wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk died Aug. 23 at age 79. Funk’s career spanned more than 50 years and he was hugely influential in the development of hardcore wrestling. Funk developed numerous rivalries during his career, most notably with Jerry Lawler and Ric Flair and was a mentor to Mick Foley. Like many pro wrestlers, Funk moonlighted in films and television shows, appearing in the Sylvester Stallone armwrestling drama Over the Top and the Patrick Swayze action thriller Road House, as well as episodes of Swamp Thing, Quantum Leap, and The Adventures of Brisco Country, Jr. Funk even had a brief career in music, releasing three albums of soft rock.

David Jacobs, a writer and producer of iconic ’80s soaps such as Dallas and Knots Landing, died Aug. 20 at 84. He was first credited as a writer on the 1977 TV series Kingston: Confidential. Jacobs went on to produce or write for numerous shows in the decades that followed, including Family, Kaz, Married: The First Year, The Lazarus Syndrome, Secrets of Midland Heights, Shannon, Chicago Story, Bodies of Evidence, and Four Corners. But his most well-known work came in creating Dallas, which followed the saga of the Ewing family and its massive oil empire and ran for 356 episodes, as well as its California-based spin-off Knots Landing, which ran for 344 episodes. Jacobs also co-created the shorter-lived series Paradise, which ran for 56 episodes.

Ron Cephas Jones, the prolific stage and screen actor best known for his role as William Hill on the hit NBC family drama This Is Us, died Aug. 19 at 66. His work as William, the biological father of Sterling K. Brown‘s Randall Pearson, earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Emmys. On the stage, Jones garnered acclaim for his roles in Richard III, The Tempest, and Clyde’s. On the screen, he appeared in shows like Luke Cage, Mr. Robot, Truth Be Told, and Law & Order: Organized Crime and films such as Across the Universe, Dolemite Is My Name, and Half Nelson. He is survived by his daughter, fellow actor Jasmine Cephas Jones.

Ray Hildebrand, one half of the pop duo Paul & Paula, died of dementia on Aug. 18 at 82. At the request of a friend in 1962, Hildebrand wrote a romantic ballad called “Hey Paula” and recorded it with fellow musician Jill Jackson. The song was named after the friend’s girlfriend, but Hildebrand wrote it with his own former girlfriend, Judy Hendricks, in mind. It became a No. 1 hit in 1963, and Paul & Paula would record three albums that year. Hildebrand reunited with his muse, Hendricks, and they were together until her death in 1999. He and Jackson would also reunite as Paul & Paula to perform in oldies shows and other events.

Nancy Frangione, the soap star best known for her roles as Cecile DePoulignac on Another World and Tara Martin on All My Children, died Aug. 18 at 70. Frangione made her soap debut as Tara on All My Children in 1977, starring as the character until 1979 before landing her most notable role as the scheming Cecile in Another World in 1980, which nabbed her Soap Opera Digest‘s Outstanding Villainess award. She would go on reprise the role several times between 1980 and 1995. Her other credits included shows The Nanny, Matlock,  Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Highway to Heaven, and TV movies Sharing Richard and In the Line of Duty: A Cop for the Killing.

Rose Gregorio, a Tony-nominated actress who worked mostly in film and television, died Aug. 17 from pneumonia at age 97. A Chicago native, Gregorio got her start in Chicago theater before making her first television appearance in 1961. She later made both her film and Broadway debuts in 1968. Though in the following decade she mostly focused on film and television roles (The Eyes of Laura Mars, The Bob Newhart Show) she returned to Broadway after an eight-year hiatus in 1977 to star in the original production of Michael Cristofer’s The Shadow Box, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play.

Jerry Moss, a longtime music executive and co-founder of A&M Records, died Aug. 16 at 88. Alongside trumpeter Herb Alpert, Moss co-founded the record company — which famously signed acts such as Joe Cocker, Styx, Joe Jackson, Squeeze, Suzanne Vega, the Human League, Cat Stevens, Amy Grant, and Soundgarden — in 1962. Major albums released by A&M Records include Carole King’s Tapestry, Jackson’s Control, the Police’s Synchronicity, Bryan Adams’ Reckless, and Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive. Moss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Alpert in 2006.

Chris Peluso, a Broadway star known for starring roles in Mamma Mia and Wicked, died Aug. 15 at 40. Peluso first gained attention in the theater world as an understudy covering the Balladeer in the 2004 revival of Assassins, Louis and Nicolas in Elton John’s Lestat, and three leading male roles in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. However, his most notable roles included playing Sky in Mamma Mia on Broadway and both starring as and serving as an understudy for Fiyero on the Wicked tours. He also starred in the Off Broadway production of The Glorious Ones. Peluso’s talent extended overseas as well: He appeared in several London productions including Show Boat, Miss Saigon, The Woman in White, and Death Takes a Holiday, as well as the U.K. tour of Funny Girl.

Darren Kent, the actor and director best known for his performance on Game of Thrones, has died at the age of 36. An Essex native, Kent got his start as an actor in the early aughts, landing roles in the horror film Mirrors and the Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart-led fantasy film Snow White and the Huntsman before getting his big break in the season 4 finale of Game of Thrones. Kent, who had a rare skin condition, went on to star in several popular television shows, including EastEnders and the BBC adaptation of Les Misérables, as well as on the big screen in My Feral Heart, The Little Stranger, and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. He was also as involved behind the camera as he was in front of it — he wrote, directed, and produced several short films, including 2021’s You Know Me.

Magoo, the producer and one half of rap duo Timbaland & Magoo, has died at the age of 50. Born Melvin Barcliff, Magoo rose to prominence as a member of Timbaland & Magoo, formed in Norfolk, Va. in the 1990s when he and Timbaland were teenagers. The duo initially got their start as members of the group S.B.I. (Surrounded By Idiots), which also consisted of Pharrell Williams and Larry Live. Timbaland & Magoo released three studio albums: 1997’s Welcome to Our World, 2001’s Indecent Proposal, and 2003’s Under Construction, Part II. Jay-Z, Twista, Ludacris, and Brandy were among the collaborators. Along with “Up Jumps Da’ Boogie” featuring Missy Elliott and Aaliyah, other hits included “Luv 2 Luv Ya” and “People Like Myself.”

Clarence Avant, the influential music executive often dubbed the “Black Godfather” of music, entertainment, politics, and sports, died Aug. 13 at 92. For decades, Avant was one of the entertainment world’s most influential behind-the-scenes dealmakers and for Black artists in particular, he served as a crucial protector. Among those who credit him with providing guidance and support are Quincy Jones, Jay Z, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, and Pharrell Williams. Starting his career in the 60s, Avant founded two record labels, which helped to launch the careers of Little Willie John, Lalo Schifrin, Sarah Vaughan, Bill Withers, and Sixto Rodriguez, to name a few. He also aided athletes Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and record-breaking baseball player Hank Aaron, for whom he negotiated the largest endorsement deal in professional sports history. He advised President George H.W. Bush, and played a significant role in fundraising for Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Avant, who was inducted into the  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was also the subject of a Netflix documentary, The Black Godfather.

Shelley Smith, the 70s supermodel-turned-actress who starred in The Associates and For Love and Honor, died Aug. 8 at age 70. Her husband of 18 years, actor Michael Maguire, tearfully announced the news in a Facebook video, revealing that his wife passed after going into cardiac arrest days earlier. Born Oct. 25., 1952, Smith kicked off her successful modeling career in the early 1970s, landing the cover of Harper’s Bazaar and later earning features in Vogue, Glamour, Mademoiselle, and more. She pivoted to television in 1979, starring alongside Martin Short in all 13 episodes of the short-lived legal drama, The Associates. Around the same time, she became a popular contestant on game shows including Super Password, Body Language and Dick Clark’s $10,000 Pyramid. In 1983, she starred as Captain Carolyn Engel on the single season of the NBC military series For Love and Honor. Later TV appearances included Fantasy Island, Diff’rent Strokes, Magnum. P.I., and Murder She Wrote. In 1991, she founded an egg donor fertilization company, now known as Hatch Fertility, after successfully undergoing a vitro fertilization pregnancy and having twins of her own.

Tom Jones, the writer and lyricist behind The Fantasticks, died on Aug. 11 at age 95. Born Feb. 17, 1928, in Littlefield, Tex., Jones studied drama at the University of Texas where he met his longtime collaborator, Harvey Schmidt. They would go on to write all their major musicals together — including 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, and Celebration — but the musical that started it all, The Fantasticks, remains their biggest success story. While initial reviews were mixed, its staying power was undeniable. The original Off Broadway production ran for a total of 42 years, boasting more than 17,000 performances and making it the world’s longest-running musical. It was awarded the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 1991, and Jones was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1998. Cast members of the Off Broadway and touring production included names like Liza Minnelli, Kristin Chenoweth, Elliott Gould, F. Murray Abraham, and Glenn Close. In addition to celebrating a legendary run, The Fantasticks became a staple of regional and community theater. A film adaptation, penned by Schmidt and Jones, was released in 2000, and the show was revived Off Broadway in 2006.

Johnny Hardwick, the comedian and voice actor best known for his performance as Dale Gribble on King of the Hill, has died. Born in Austin, Hardwick got his start in comedy in the 1990s and went on to become the first-ever stand-up comedian to appear on The Jon Stewart Show. After a comedy gig in Los Angeles, Greg Daniels and Mike Judge approached him, thinking he would be a good fit for a show they were creating that would become King of the Hill. Hardwick was a writer, story editor, and producer on the Emmy-winning series, but he was more commonly associated with voicing Hank’s chain-smoking, bug-exterminating best pal, Dale. He starred in more than 250 episodes of the animated series, which ran from 1997 until 2010, and was set to reprise the character in its upcoming Hulu reboot.

Robbie Robertson, the legendary Canadian musician best known as the former frontman of The Band, died August 9 after battling a long illness. He was 80. Robertson worked as a songwriter, producer, performer, actor, and film composer for over six decades. Alongside Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Levon Helm, he was a member of The Band (formerly known as The Hawks), a group that gained notoriety after backing the likes of Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. Although they lasted just eight years after the release of their debut album, The Band is credited with popularizing Americana music with songs like “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Their farewell concert was captured in The Last Waltz, a concert documentary directed by Martin Scorsese. Robertson and Scorsese would go on to forge a decades-long partnership. Robertson worked with the acclaimed filmmaker as a composer, music supervisor, and music producer on films such as Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Irishman. Prior to his death, Robertson completed work on Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

Robert Swan, the veteran character actor known for roles in Hoosiers, The Untouchables, and Natural Born Killers, died on Aug. 9 after a long battle with cancer. He was 78. Born in Chicago on Oct. 10, 1944, Swan landed his first feature film role in Somewhere in Time, the 1980 sci-fi romance starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. He later became known for playing roles in a number of sports films. Swan starred alongside Gene Hackman in Hoosiers, John Goodman in The Babe, and then reunited with Hoosiers director David Anspaugh for Rudy. His other notable credits include Brian De Palma‘s The Untouchables and Oliver Stone‘s Natural Born Killers. On TV, he shared the screen with Jane Fonda in the 1984 ABC telefilm The Dollmaker and later appeared on All My Children. Swan also made a name for himself on stage in the local Chicago theater scene, and founded the Harbor Country Opera, a Michigan-based opera house.

Sixto Rodriguez, the Detroit musician whose overlooked talent was highlighted in the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died on Aug. 9, according to his official website. He was 81. Rodriguez’s songs about working-class struggles didn’t catch on with American audiences in the ’70s, but they became hugely popular among South Africans fighting against apartheid. The journey of a handful of international fans hoping to track down their hero was the subject of the documentary, which led to a revitalization of Rodriguez’s reputation in his home country and allowed him to tour successfully as recently as 2018.

DJ Casper, the Chicago musician who created the world famous dance anthem “Cha Cha Slide,” died on Aug. 7 after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 58. Casper began his career as a DJ and earned his stage name from his frequently all-white onstage attire. Initially a wedding and events DJ, he created the song “Cha Cha Slide” for his nephew, a personal trainer who taught an aerobics class. When it began gaining traction at local gyms and clubs, Casper released a new version in 2000 which soon topped charts internationally. Over the years, the infectious dance tune has become a staple at school dances, weddings, sports events, bar mitzvahs, and plenty of other celebrations worldwide.

William Friedkin, the Academy Award-winning director of The French Connection and The Exorcist, died Aug. 7 at the age of 87. A filmmaker associated with the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, Friedkin’s other notable works include 1977’s Sorcerer, 1985’s To Live and Die in L.A., and 2006’s Bug. Friedkin began his career in the mailroom of the Chicago TV station WGN before foraying into TV and documentaries, including the 1962 documentary The People vs. Paul Crump and 1965 series The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. He broke into feature film directing in the late ’60s with Good Times, The Night They Raided Minsky’s, and The Boys in the Band. Other credits include Rampage, The Guardian, Killer Joe, and The Devil and Father Amorth, as well as music videos for Wang Chung (“To Live and Die in L.A.”), Barbra Streisand (“Somewhere”), and Laura Branigan (“Self Control”).

Herbert J. Siegel, a billionaire entertainment industry mogul, died at 95 on Aug. 5, per the New York Times. A Philadelphia native, Siegel is best known for having had a hand in a number of significant entertainment industry deals. He sold 10 TV stations to media magnate Rupert Murdoch and played a significant role in the merger of Warner Communications and Time Inc. In the ’90s, he tried to launch a fifth national TV network through the 10 stations over which he had control. He launched the United Paramount Network (UPN) in 1995; it later became a joint venture with Viacom. His company sold its stake to Viacom in 2000. He is survived by his second wife, Jeanne Sorenson.

John Gosling, the former keyboardist for the Kinks, died at 75, the English rock band announced on their official account. Gosling made his debut on the Kinks’ 1970 single “Lola,” which dominated the U.K. and U.S. music charts when it was released. He would go on to play keyboard and provide backing vocals on the Kinks’ eighth album and their next seven before eventually departing the group in 1978. The musician was also a founding member of the Kast Off Kinks, a group composed of former members of the original band, alongside John Dalton, Mick Avory, and Dave Clarke, which formed in 1994. He remained a member until his retirement in 2008.

Mark Margolis, the actor best known for his captivating performance as Hector “Tio” Salamanca on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died Aug. 3 at 83 following a short illness. Margolis, who began his career on Broadway, carved out a career on screen with memorable turns as a character actor in Scarface, Oz, Ace Venture: Pet Detective, and American Horror Story: Asylum. He was also a regular in the movies of Darren Aronofsky, appearing in six of his works, including a starring role as Sol Robeson in the director’s debut feature film, Pi. In 2012, Margolis was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of the fearsome drug runner Hector in Breaking Bad, a role which he later reprised on Better Call Saul.

Broadway actor Clifton Oliver died Aug. 2 at the age of 47 of an undisclosed illness. Oliver made his mark on stage, portraying Simba in The Lion King in the show’s national tour, in its Las Vegas production, and on Broadway in 2011. He also appeared as an ensemble member in Wicked and portrayed Benny opposite Jordin Sparks in the musical In the Heights. His other theatrical credits include roles in Dreamgirls, Motown the Musical, and Miracle Brothers.

Angus Cloud, a breakout star on the HBO teen drama Euphoria, died July 31 at 25. His family said in a statement that Cloud had “intensely struggled” with the recent loss of his father and added, “Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence.” An Oakland native, Cloud was best known for his role as Euphoria‘s Fezco, a drug dealer with a heart of gold; he appeared on the Sam Levinson-created series from its launch in 2019. At the end of season 2, Cloud’s character was wounded and arrested, but no new episodes will arrive until 2025.

Carol Duvall, HGTV’s “Queen of Crafts,” died at 97 on July 31, according to the New York Times. Duvall got her start on local television in her home state before taking her crafts-focused shows nationally, with programs on ABC and HGTV. Her broadcasting career started in 1951 when she hosted a children’s show in Grand Rapids, Mich. She moved on to WWJ-TV in Detroit, where she eventually hosted her first arts-and-crafts program, Here’s Carol Duvall. She built a name on crafting approachable projects using with materials commonly found around the house. Her stint in Detroit landed her a job at ABC on The Home Show from 1988 to 1994. From the end of The Home Show until 2005, Duvall hosted versions of The Carol Duvall Show on HGTV (1994–2005) and on DIY Network (2005–2009), building an audience of devoted crafters across the country.

Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian beloved for his role as Pee-wee Herman, died July 30 at age 70. Reubens began his career in the 1970s as a member of the Los Angeles live comedy troupe the Groundlings. He rose to prominence for his role as the childlike Pee-wee Herman, first introduced in his 1981 stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show. The success led to an HBO special, three feature films (1985’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, 1988’s Big Top Pee-wee, and 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday), and TV series Pee-wee’s Playhouse, which ran on CBS between 1986 and 1990. He starred in a number of other projects throughout his career, including films Batman Returns, The Blues Brothers, Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie, Blow, Mystery Men, and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. Reubens also made appearances in shows 30 Rock, Pushing Daisies, Murphy Brown, and What We Do in the Shadows.

Marc Gilpin, the former child actor who played Sean Brody in Jaws 2, died July 29 at age 56. He was the brother of Frasier star Peri Gilpin, and passed after a long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. Gilpin landed his breakout role in 1978’s Where’s Willy?, playing the title character in the family film. That same year, he starred as Sean Brody in the sequel to the Steven Spielberg blockbuster hit Jaws. He beat out hundreds of other boys for his role in the Jeannot Szwarc–directed film, which also featured small roles for his sisters, April and Peri. Gilpin later appeared in films including The Legend of the Long Ranger, Earthbound, and Surviving, which co-starred Ellen Burstyn, River Phoenix, and Molly Ringwald. His part in the latter led to Gilpin signing with a manager, who also took notice of his sister Peri. After appearing in episodes of the series Silver Spoons and the films Right to Kill?, China Beach, and She’s Out of Control, Gilpin left acting to pursue a career as a software engineer.

Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor, best known for her hit cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” died July 26 at 56. O’Connor released 10 albums over the course of her career, including her 1987 debut, The Lion and the Cobra, and her biggest hit, 1990’s I Do Not Know What I Haven’t Got. But she was perhaps even more famous for her outspokenness and frequent brushes with controversy, including her 1991 boycott of the Grammys. She spoke openly about her personal struggles with mental health and abuse. O’Connor also routinely criticized the Catholic Church and its handling of sexual abuse accusations. In 1992, she tore up a photo of the Pope during her guest performance on Saturday Night Live, a move that dogged her career and her relationship with the media for the rest of her days. In the last few years of her life, she released a memoir titled Rememberings and participated in the documentary Nothing Compares, about her career and life.

Bo Goldman, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Melvin and Howard, died July 25 at 90. Based on the 1962 Ken Kesey novel, Cuckoo’s Nest was Goldman’s first produced screenplay, and remains one of only three films to win Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Goldman’s other screenwriting credits included Scent of a Woman, Meet Joe Black, and Rules Don’t Apply.

Inga Swenson, who received three Primetime Emmy nominations for her role as Gretchen Kraus on Benson, as well as two Tony nods for her work on Broadway, died on July 23 at 90. Born in Omaha on Dec. 29, 1932, Swenson first broke into television with a 1957 episode of Goodyear Playhouse. Several small stints on shows such as Folio, The United States Steel Hour, Playhouse 90, and more followed. After playing Lady Jane in the 1961 TV movie Victoria Regina, she landed roles in two critically acclaimed films — Advise & Consent and The Miracle Worker — in 1962. She then played Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mom of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova), on Soap, before nabbing the role of beloved German head housekeeper Gretchen Krause on that series’ spin-off, Benson. Appearing in 159 episodes, she was an Emmy nominee in 1980, 1982, and 1985 for her work on the sitcom. In addition to her film and TV work, Swenson also received Tony nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in 110 in the Shade and Baker Street. She ultimately retired from acting in 1998.

Pamela Blair, the Broadway actress best known for originating the role of Val in Broadway’s smash hit A Chorus Line, died on July 23 at 73. Born in Vermont on Dec. 5, 1949, Blair made her Broadway debut in 1968’s Promises, Promises. Greater success followed when she landed the role of Curley’s wife in the 1974 Of Mice and Men revival starring James Earl Jones. After an invitation from choreographer Michael Bennet, she joined workshops for A Chorus Line, which went on to become a critical and commercial hit worthy of nine Tony Awards and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Blair’s character, Valerie Clark, was largely based on her own life — sans the desire for plastic surgery, which was taken from another dancer. Following A Chorus Line, Blair continued her career both onstage and onscreen, including a successful stint in daytime television. For her guest role in All My Children, Blair earned a Daytime Emmy nomination.

Lelia Goldoni, best known as the star of John Cassavettes’ Shadows and as the friend of Ellen Burstyn‘s character in the Martin Scorsese film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, died July 22 at the age of 86. Other notable film roles include 1969’s The Italian Job, 1975’s The Day of the Locust, Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Robert Mulligan’s Bloodbrothers in 1978. On the television side, Goldoni had stints on Vega$, Cagney & Lacey, Knots Landing, L.A. Law, and The Pacific. In addition to her acting career, Goldoni also helmed the 1993 documentary Genius on the Wrong Coast as director and producer. She also taught acting techniques at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, UCLA, and Hampshire College, and also served as a lecturer at Stanford, CalArts, and the University of Massachusetts.

Tony Bennett, the velvet-voiced, impeccably elegant crooner who ruled America’s mid-century musical landscape, died July 21 at 96 following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, the vocalist used the GI Bill to study singing after serving as an infantryman in World War II and was signed to Columbia Records by 1949. A string of popular hits followed and by the mid-1950s, Bennett began to widen his musical reach, exploring jazz and swing with the likes of Count Basie and Art Blakey and developing his chops as a live performer with hits like “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” He released more than 60 studio albums — including two with close friend and collaborator Lady Gaga — and earned 20 Grammys (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), two Emmys, and at least one Guinness World Record entry for “the longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist” for the George Gershwin song “Fascinating Rhythm.”

Screenwriter, playwright, and screenwriting professor Jerome Coppersmith, best known for his work on the classic police drama Hawaii Five-O, died July 21 at age 97. Coppersmith began working in television in 1947, writing more than 100 scripts, including more than 30 for Hawaii Five-O. He received a Tony Award nomination in 1965 for Best Book of a Musical on the Harold Prince-directed Baker Street, a musical about Sherlock Holmes. He also previously served as an officer of the Writers Guild of America, East.

Linda Haynes, the actress best known for her performances in Rolling Thunder and Brubaker, died July 17 at age 75. Born in Miami, Haynes made her Hollywood debut as Doctor Anne Barton in the 1969 sci-fi flick Latitude Zero before landing roles in 1973’s Coffy, 1974’s The Nickel Ride, and the 1975 thriller The Drowning Pool. However, it was her portrayal of resilient barmaid Linda Forchet in the 1977 psychological thriller Rolling Thunder that captivated theatergoers like Quentin Tarantino, who called her “the performance of the film for me.” A member of the Actor’s Studio and Screen Actors Guild, Haynes earned her first leading part in the 1979 prison film Human Experiments and appeared in the Oscar-nominated 1980 film Brubaker before deciding to step away from the spotlight and work as a legal secretary.

Bill Cunningham, the crooner and talent agency founder who served as the original voice of Mattel’s Ken doll, died July 15 at 96. A San Francisco native, Cunningham began his career as a singer on NBC’s Voices of Walter Schumann and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. He also sang in movies and commercials, and performed alongside the likes of Judy Garland and Dinah Shore. His debut album, I’m Always Chasing Rainbows, was financed by Fred Astaire. Cunningham opened Pacific Artists Agency (now known as CESD Talent Agency) in 1963, and retired in 1989.

Nick Benedict, the Daytime Emmy–nominated actor best known for his roles on All My Children and Days of Our Lives, died July 14 at 77. Born Nicholas Joseph Sciurba, the son of actor and director Richard Benedict, he got his start as a child actor in the 1955 film Wiretapper before making spotlight appearances on several popular shows throughout the 1960s, including Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O, and Ironside. Benedict starred as Phil Brent on All My Children from 1973 until 1978 and received a Daytime Emmy nomination for his performance in 1979. His other credits include his performance as Michael Scott on The Young and the Restless and as Curtis Reed on Days of Our Lives, which he played across 93 episodes from 1993 until 2001.

Jane Birkin, the actress, singer, and style legend, died July 16 at 76. The London-born star rose to fame in France after her role in the romantic comedy Slogan alongside French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Their professional and personal relationship made them one of France’s most famous couples. They most memorably collaborated on a new version of Gainsbourg’s song “Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus,” which had lyrics so sexually explicit that it was declared offensive, denounced by the Vatican, and banned from radio stations worldwide. Across her acting career, which includes nearly 70 films, Birkin worked with revered directors like Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Bertrand Tavernier, Alain Resnais, and James Ivory. She was also the inspiration for the beloved Hermès Birkin handbag. The design originated from Birkin’s chance encounter with former executive chairman of Hermès Jean-Louis Dumas, who overheard her complaints on a plane about needing a bag better suited for a young mother.

Josephine Chaplin, the actress and daughter of screen legend Charlie Chaplin, died July 13 at 74. The third of Chaplin and Oona O’Neill’s eight children, she began her career acting in her father’s films, including an uncredited role in the 1952 dramedy Limelight and another small part in 1967’s A Countess from Hong Kong. She went on to appear in such movies as Escape to the Sun, The Canterbury Tales, Cop au Vin, Jack the Ripper, and Shadowman.

Carlin Glynn, who played Molly Ringwald’s mom in Sixteen Candles, won a Tony as the star of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and was the mother of fellow actress Mary Stuart Masterson, died July 13 at 83. Glynn’s first screen role came in the 1975 political thriller Three Days of the Condor, starring Faye Dunaway and Robert Redford. She made her Broadway debut in The Best Little Whorehouse four years later. Glynn’s other film and TV credits included Resurrection, Continental Divide, The Escape Artist, Mr. President, A Woman Named Jackie, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Andrea Evans, the soap opera star best known for portraying troubled teenager Tina Lord on One Life to Live, died July 9 at 66. Born in Aurora, Ill., Evans earned two Daytime Emmy nominations over the course of her career, for OLTL and the web series DeVanity. She was a fixture on daytime television, with credits including The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, Passions, and The Bay. Not long before her death, she completed work on a memoir, My One Life to Live.

George Tickner, a co-founding member and the original rhythm guitarist of Journey, died July 5 at 76. Tickner founded the rock band alongside Neal Schon, Prairie Prince, Gregg Rolie, and Ross Valory in 1973, and went on to co-write and compose several songs featured on Journey’s first three albums, including “Of a Lifetime” and “Mystery Mountain.” He departed the group in order to pursue a Ph.D. at Stanford University on a full scholarship, but remained in close contact with the founding members and reunited with them when Journey received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005.

Coco Lee, the Hong Kong singer-songwriter who voiced Mulan in the Mandarin version of the Disney classic and was featured on the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Runaway Bride soundtracks, died by suicide July 5 at 48. Born in Hong Kong and raised in the U.S., Lee began her singing career in the 1990s and went on to release more than 15 studio albums over the next 30 years. The vocalist, who performed in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, is best known for her hits “Di Da Di,” “Before I Fall in Love,” and “A Love Before Time,” the latter of which appeared on the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon soundtrack and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2001 Oscars.

Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, grandson of actor Robert De Niro, died July 2 at the age of 19. De Niro Rodriguez was the son of Drena De Niro, Robert’s adopted daughter by first wife Diahnne Abbott. He had appeared in a few films opposite his mother, most notably 2018’s A Star Is Born. He was one of De Niro’s four grandchildren.

Robert Lieberman, the director whose credits included the films D3: The Mighty Ducks and Fire in the Sky, the TV series The X-Files and Dexter, and countless commercials, died of cancer July 1. He was 75. An alum of the University at Buffalo, Lieberman became the school’s first student to graduate with a film degree. Over the course of his career he won more than two dozen Clio Awards, as well as the inaugural DGA Award for commercials. His other film and TV credits included Table for Five, All I Want for Christmas, Thirtysomething, The Dead Zone, The Expanse, and Criminal Minds.

Lawrence Turman, the Oscar-nominated producer of The Graduate, died July 1 at the age of 96. Turman was a pioneering producer of the 1960s and ’70s “New Hollywood,” putting together The Graduate from scratch and recruiting Simon & Garfunkel to do the music, as well as director Mike Nichols. His other producing credits include The Great White Hope, Pretty Poison, American History X, The Drowning Pool, and John Carpenter’s 1982 remake of The Thing. Turman also served as the chair of USC’s Peter Stark Producing program from 1991 until his retirement in 2021.

Alan Arkin, the prolific Oscar-winning actor, director, producer, and author, died at 89. His storied career spans more than 65 years and includes standout performances in Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Grosse Pointe Blank, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Pentagon Papers, Argo, The Kominsky Method, and his Academy Award–winning role in 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine. As talented behind the camera as he was in front of it, Arkin produced and directed several films, including Little Murders and Fire Sale. He was also an accomplished author, penning The Lemming Condition, its follow-up The Clearing, and the memoirs An Improvised Life and Out of My Mind.

Sue Johanson, the beloved Canadian sex educator who shared unabashedly honest sex advice on programs like Sunday Night Sex Show and Talk Sex With Sue Johanson, died at 93. Johanson rose to popularity when she began hosting her radio program Sunday Night Sex Show, which saw her answer all manner of sex-related questions live on air. The program went on to become a successful television series and received its own U.S. spin-off, Talk Sex With Sue Johanson, in 2002. Johanson was also the author of three books and starred on several episodes of the television series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi: The Next Generation.

The remains of 65-year-old English actor Julian Sands were identified June 27, more than five months after he was reported missing following a hike in the Southern California mountain. Sands first earned attention as an actor opposite Anthony Hopkins in the 1983 miniseries A Married Man, NBC’s adaptation of The Sun Also Rises, and The Killing Fields, before rising to prominence as the romantic lead of the 1985 drama A Room With a View. He went on to appear in such films and TV series as Leaving Las Vegas, Arachnophobia, Boxing Helena, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Ocean’s Thirteen, Smallville, Dexter, and 24.

Nicolas Coster, the soap opera star best known for playing Lionel Lockridge on NBC’s Santa Barbara, died June 26 after complications of myelodysplastic syndromes following a long battle with cancer. He was 89. Coster made his big-screen debut in the 1950s with an uncredited role in Titanic. The prolific character actor had a career that spanned several decades, including roles in All the President’s Men, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Charlie’s Angels, and All My Children. Coster received three Daytime Emmy nominations during his tenure on Santa Barbara and later won in 2017 for his turn as Mayor Jack Madison on Prime Video’s The Bay. In recent years, he appeared on The Young Pope, The Last Exorcist, and The Deep Ones, which he also co-produced. In 2021, Coster published a memoir, Another Whole Afternoon.

Frederic Forrest, a veteran character actor who was known for playing an excitable chef in Apocalypse Now and also received an Oscar nomination for his work in the 1979 musical drama The Rose, died June 24 at 86. Born in Waxahachie, Texas, Forrest moved to New York to study acting, and found success in the theater before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a film career. His big-screen credits included The Conversation, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Valley Girl, The Two Jakes, Falling Down, Chasers, Lassie, and Point Blank, while his TV credits included Lonesome Dove, Quo Vadis, and 21 Jump Street.

Betta St. John, the actress known for playing Lita in the original Broadway production of South Pacific and for starring alongside Cary Grant in Dream Wife, died June 23 at 93. Born Betty Jean Striegler in Hawthorne, Calif., she also appeared in a few Tarzan films — first Tarzan and the Lost Safari and later returning for Tarzan the Magnificent. Her other film credits included Corridors of Blood, The City of the Dead, High Tide at Noon, and The Naked Dawn. On the TV side, St. John appeared on International Detective, The Four Just Men, Armchair Theatre, and The Invisible Man, among others.

Malcolm Mowbray, the British filmmaker behind A Private Function and Out Cold, died June 23, at 74. The director and screenwriter was best known in his native U.K. His biggest hit was 1984’s A Private Function, starring Maggie Smith, Michael Palin, Denholm Elliott, and Richard Griffiths. The film won six BAFTAs, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Film. His other titles included The Revengers’ Comedies, Meeting Spencer, and The Boyfriend School. Since 2016, he served as the head of directing at Northing Film School Leeds.

Sheldon Harnick, Fiddler on the Roof lyricist, died June 23 at the age of 99. The Chicago-born Harnick moved to New York in 1950 and teamed with composer Jerry Brock, with whom he wrote 1959’s Fiorello!, 1960’s Tenderloin, 1963’s She Loves Me, 1966’s The Apple Tree, and 1970’s The Rothschilds. But the two collaborators will be best remembered for 1964’s Fiddler on the Roof, a tale of Jewish life in a Russian village, which premiered on Broadway in 1964 and was turned into the 1971 film of the same name with Chaim Topol playing the role of the milkman Tevye.

Teresa Taylor, former Butthole Surfers drummer and Madonna merch peddler in Richard Linklater’s 1990 film Slacker, died at the age of 60 after a battle with lung disease. Taylor was one of two active drummers for the Butthole Surfers from 1983 until 1989, performing alongside fellow drummer King Coffey on a host of the band’s records, including 1984’s Psychic… Powerless… Another Man’s Sac, 1986’s Rembrandt Pussyhorse, and 1987’s Locust Abortion Technician. Taylor is also known for her role as a woman attempting to sell Madonna’s pap smear in the film Slacker, and was often featured on the film’s posters and its physical release artwork.

Milton Powell, known as rapper Big Pokey, died June 18 at the age of 45. Powell collapsed on stage during a Juneteenth performance in Texas before being taken to the hospital, where he later died. Part of the Screwed Up Click rap collective, Powell was an influential figure in the Houston rap scene. His first full-length album Hardest Pit in the Litter was released in 1999, which he followed up the next year with D-Game 2000. His other albums included Da Sky’s Da Limit, Evacuation Notice, and Sensei. He also collaborated with the Wreckshop Wolfpack on 2001’s Tha Collabo.

Paxton Whitehead, the veteran British stage actor, died June 16 at the age of 85. Whitehead made his Broadway debut in 1962’s The Affair and appeared in 16 different Broadway productions, including a 1980 revival of Camelot for which he earned a Tony nomination for his work as Pellinore. Whitehead also had a memorable turn as the uptight school dean in 1986’s Back to School, which marked his feature film debut. He was best known to audiences for his long string of guest appearances on television, most notably recurring on Mad About You and Friends.

Jim Tweto, a pilot featured on Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska, died June 16 at the age of 68. Tweto died as a result of a plane crash while flying his Cessna 180, which appeared to have trouble immediately after take-off. He was flying the plane and accompanied by hunting and fishing guide Shane Reynolds. Tweto featured alongside his family on Flying Wild Alaska, which ran from 2011 to 2012. At that time, Tweto was operating their Era Alaska airline.

Glenda Jackson, the Oscar-winning actress and former British politician, died June 15 after a short illness. She was 87. After making a name for herself on the British stage in the ’60s, Jackson moved into movies and earned two Academy Awards for Best Actress in quick succession: The first was for 1970’s Women in Love, and the second came a few years later for 1973’s A Touch of Class. She also earned two Emmys for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth R. In the early ’90s, Jackson left acting to pursue politics. She was elected a member of Parliament in 1992, served as a transport minister in Tony Blair’s first government, and held her seat until 2015. She then returned to the theater, winning a Tony Award for her role in a Broadway revival of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women and playing the traditionally male lead of King Lear in a 2019 production.

Brett Hadley, a longtime member of The Young and The Restless cast, died June 14 at the age of 92. Hadley spent 10 years on the daytime soap portraying Genoa City police detective Carl Williams, father of Doug Davidson’s Paul Williams. After his stint from 1980 to 1990, Hadley left the show, with Williams mysteriously disappearing. He returned in 1998 as Jim Bradley, supposedly Carl returning with a serious case of amnesia. Hadley worked steadily as a guest actor on television in the 1970s and ’80s, including on shows such as Room 222, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Waltons, Ironside, Kojak, The Rockford Files, The F.B.I., and Police Story.

Cormac McCarthy, the celebrated author whose distinctive writing style blended sparse punctuation with eloquent meditations on the darkness of the human spirit, died of natural causes June 13, at 89. His work found both mainstream and critical success. All the Pretty Horses, which won the National Book Award, and The Road, which won the Pulitzer Prize, were both best-sellers, and No Country for Old Men was adapted into an Oscar-winning film by Joel and Ethan Coen. McCarthy published his final two novels in October and December 2022: The Passenger and Stella Maris.

Larry Myers Jr., who appeared on season 10 of the TLC reality series My 600-lb. Life and acquired the nickname “Mr. Buttermilk Biscuits” after a video of him singing about one of his favorite foods went viral, died June 13 at 49. An aspiring gospel singer, Myers appeared on My 600-lb. Life in a January 2022 episode titled “Larry’s Journey,” in which he described his binge-eating habits. He weighed 940 pounds when he was on the show, years after his attempt to lose weight through bariatric surgery.

John Romita Sr., the influential comic artist who shaped Marvel’s art style for generations, died June 12 of natural causes. He was 93. Romita had the unenviable task of succeeding Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko as the artist on Amazing Spider-Man, but his gorgeous art (shaped by the many romance comics he drew in the ’50s) propelled Peter Parker to his lasting status as Marvel’s most iconic superhero. Romita then became Marvel’s art director for decades, a position that allowed him to help design subsequent Marvel creations like Wolverine and the Punisher while mentoring younger artists. His son, John Romita Jr., is a celebrated comic artist in his own right and currently works on Amazing Spider-Man.

Pat Robertson, the controversial religious television personality and former 700 Club host who influenced a generation of conservative politics, died June 8 at age 93. He is best known as the face of CBN’s The 700 Club talk show, which allowed him to build an audience around the nation and welcome guests like Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump. Though he was popular with his religious base, Robertson, who also co-founded the Christian Coalition, drew heavy criticism during his life for his radical views, including fierce condemnations of abortion, feminism, and homosexuality.

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, the Iranian-born pro wrestler better known as the Iron Sheik, died June 7 at age 81. Initially dubbed “the Great Hossein Arab,” Vaziri made his World Wrestling Federation debut by winning the first-ever Battle Royal at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1979. Vaziri spent a few years wrestling in regional companies and officially changed his stage name to the Iron Sheik before returning to the WWF in 1983. He also partnered with Nikolai Volkoff and the pair became tag-team wrestlers in the late ’80s. They continued to make sporadic appearances in the WWF and its successor the WWE for decades. Vaziri was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Pat Cooper, the veteran stand-up comedian whose decades-long career included appearances on Seinfeld and the Howard Stern Show, died June 6 at age 93. Cooper, whose onstage persona earned him the nickname “Comedian of Outrage,” was a frequent guest host on the Mike Douglas Show, made regular appearances on the Howard Stern Show, and later appeared in films and TV shows, including Seinfeld, 1999 crime comedy Analyze This, and 2005 comedy documentary The Aristocrats, among other titles. He also released well-regarded comedy albums Our Hero and Spaghetti Sauce & Other Delights.

Kerri-Anne Donaldson, a former contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, died at the age of 38. She performed on the talent show as part of the dance group Kings and Queens, which reached the season 8 semi-finals in 2014. Donaldson also worked as a choreographer on The Masked Dancer UK.

Anna Shay, the heiress who rose to fame on the Netflix reality series Bling Empire, died June 5 at the age of 62. The daughter of late billionaire Edward Shay, founder of the American defense and government services contractor Pacific Architects and Engineers, Shay appeared on all three seasons of Bling Empire, which followed a group of wildly wealthy Asian and Asian Americans as they navigated life, love, and glamor in Los Angeles.

Mike Batayeh, the actor and comedian best known for his role on Breaking Bad, died June 1 of a heart attack at the age of 52. Born in Detroit, Batayeh moved to L.A. to pursue his acting career, though his family said he always kept in touch with his Michigan roots. His comedy career took him as far as the Middle East, where he performed at the Amman Stand-up Comedy Festival in Jordan two years in a row. Batayeh showed up on shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Shield over the course of his career, but his most prominent performance was as Dennis Markowski, the manager of Gus Fring’s industrial laundromat on Breaking Bad.

Award-winning songwriter Cynthia Weil died June 1 at the age of 82. Weil, who built a career co-writing hits with husband Barry Mann, was responsible for songs such as “On Broadway,” “Uptown,” and “Here It Comes Again.” She and Mann co-wrote The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” which has been credited as one of the 20th century’s most-played songs on radio and television. Weil also co-wrote “Somewhere Out There,” the Oscar-nominated track from An American Tail. Her songwriting partnership and relationship with Mann was chronicled in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, recounting her early days as a songwriter working in the legendary Brill Building in New York City.

Sergio Calderón, a veteran character actor best known for his appearances in the Pirates of the Caribbean and Men In Black franchises, died on May 31 at 77. The Mexican-born actor starred as Captain Eduardo Villanueva in the 2007 film Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and as Jose — who was secretly just a head on a stick operated by an undercover alien — in 1997’s Men in Black. Before becoming Captain Villaneuva, Calderón also played river pirate El Cajon, as well as bandit Malavida Valdez, in several episodes of The A-Team from 1983 to 1984. His other credits include roles in 2003’s The Missing, the 2008 horror film The Ruins, and 2010’s Little Fockers alongside Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Barbra Streisand, and more.

George Maharis, the actor best known for his role as Buz Murdock on the 1960 drama series Route 66, died May 24 at the age of 94, his longtime friend and caregiver Marc Bahan told The Hollywood Reporter. His part in the crime drama, a spin-off of Naked City, in which he also starred, earned him an Emmy nomination and led to roles in other TV series including Search for Tomorrow, Love Story, Journey to the Unknown, The Most Deadly Game, The Bionic Woman, Police Story, and Fantasy Island. His movie credits include Quick Before It Melts, Sylvia, A Covenant With Death, The Happening, The Sword and the Sorcerer, and Doppelganger. Maharis also recorded a few albums early in his career, with his 1962 single “Teach Me Tonight” charting on the Billboard Hot 100.

Tina Turner, the legendary singer often dubbed the Queen of Rock & Roll, died May 24, at 83. She first achieved musical success in the ’60s and ’70s as part of a duo with then-husband Ike Turner, but divorced him in 1976 after years of verbal and physical abuse. In the ’80s, Turner reinvented herself as a global rock superstar with songs like “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Let’s Stay Together,” and “The Best.” Turner performed in films like 1975’s Tommy and 1985’s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, while her 1986 memoir I, Tina inspired the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It — which earned Angela Bassett an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the musician. Turner’s life and legacy also inspired the jukebox musical Tina, which premiered in London in 2018.

Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor who played the Asgardian warrior Volstagg in the Thor movies and the antihero Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone, died May 21 at 58. Stevenson began his acting career in the 1990s, appearing in a string of TV shows before making his big-screen debut in Paul Greengrass’ romantic drama The Theory of Flight. A role in the HBO drama Rome introduced him to a wider U.S. audience, and he went on to star in King Arthur, Punisher: War Zone, Kill the Irishman, Thor, Thor: Ragnarok, RRR, the Divergent films, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Stevenson also voiced Gar Saxon on Star Wars: Rebels and The Clone Wars. His posthumous credits include the Disney+ series Ahsoka and the movies Cassino in Ischia and Gateway to the West.

Leon Ichaso, the Cuban American writer and director behind El Super, Piñero, and Bitter Sugar, died May 20 at 74. His other notable film credits included El Cantante, the 2006 Héctor Lavoe biographical drama starring Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, and the 2009 family thriller Paraiso, starring Miguel Gutierrez and Adrián Mas. Ichaso also directed dozens of high-profile TV projects, including episodes of Saturday Night Live, the original Equalizer, Miami Vice, Medium, Criminal Minds, Prodigal Son, and Queen of the South.

Martin Amis, the British author best known for his trilogy of novels Money: A Suicide Note, London Fields, and The Information, died May 19 at 73 following a battle with esophageal cancer. Over the course of his career, Amis published more than 30 works of fiction and nonfiction alongside several essay collections, short stories, screenplays, and a 2000 memoir titled Experience. Amis’ novels also served as inspiration for several films, including 1989’s The Rachel Papers, 2000’s Dead Babies, 2018’s Out of the Blue, and The Zone of Interest, which debuted at the 2023 Cannes International Film Festival on the day of his death.

Andy Rourke, the commanding bassist of the Smiths, died May 19 at 59 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Rourke joined the Smiths shortly after the band was formed in 1982 and is featured on all of their beloved hits, including “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out,” “This Charming Man,” and “How Soon Is Now?” Following the dissolution of the group, he went on to play and record with a host of other acts, including the Pretenders, Badly Drawn Boy, and Ian Brown. He was remembered by his Smiths bandmate Morrissey, who called him a musician who “didn’t ever know his own power,” adding, “He will never die as long as his music is heard.”

Jim Brown, the legendary fullback for the Cleveland Browns who also became known beyond his NFL stardom as a civil rights advocate and Hollywood action hero, died May 18 at 87. Hailed as one of the greatest pro football players in history, Brown won three MVP awards, led the Browns to a championship, and set numerous records in his nine seasons with the team. He retired from football in 1966 while making his second film, The Dirty Dozen, and pivoted to a career in acting. His screen credits included 100 Rifles, Ice Station Zebra, The Running Man, Any Given Sunday, The Split, Draft Day, and Mars Attacks. Brown was also a dedicated social activist, most famously standing alongside Muhammad Ali in 1967 when the boxer announced that he would not fight in Vietnam.

Sharon Farrell, best known for her roles in It’s Alive, Marlowe, and The Young and the Restless, died May 15 at age 82. The prolific actress had a career spanning several decades that included her debut feature film, Kiss Her Goodbye, and turns in The Reivers, Out of the Blue, and Can’t Buy Me Love. She also had a long list of TV credits, including a recurring part in the final season of the original Hawaii Five-O, several years spent on The Young and the Restless, and appearances on shows like My Favorite Martian, Gunsmoke, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Matlock, and JAG.

Joe Gayton, co-creator of AMC’s Western drama Hell on Wheels, died May 14 at the age of 66 following a protracted battle with prostate cancer. Gayton also wrote action films Uncommon Valor starring Gene Hackman and Bulletproof starring Damon Wayans and Adam Sandler. Gayton often worked with his brother, Tony. Together, the pair created Hell on Wheels, which ran for five seasons. The two also collaborated on Southern Comfort for Fox, The Novice for USA, and the 2010 film Faster, starring Dwayne Johnson.

Samantha Weinstein, the Canadian actress best known for starring in the 2013 Carrie remake and voicing many beloved animated characters, died at 28 from cancer on May 14. Weinstein appeared in several films throughout her childhood and teenage years like 2008’s The Rocker, 2011’s Jesus Henry Christ, and the 2013 Carrie remake alongside Chloë Grace Moretz. A talented voice actress, Weinstein also portrayed several characters on many popular cartoons, including Sloan Plunderman in D.N. Ace, Jalopi in Kingdom Force, and Clara Tinhorn in Dino Ranch.

Veteran actor Barry Newman, known for playing a maverick lawyer on the NBC drama Petrocelli and a daring speedster in the 1971 thriller Vanishing Point, died May 11 at 92. A Boston native, Newman studied under Method acting innovator Lee Strasberg in New York and made his Broadway debut as a jazz musician in Nature’s Way. He first portrayed defense attorney Anthony Petrocelli in the 1970 film The Lawyer, which was loosely based on the Sam Sheppard murder case. Four years later Newman’s character made the leap to the small screen for the TV movie Night Games and the subsequent series Petrocelli, which ran for two seasons and earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. In Vanishing Point, Newman memorably played Kowalski, a car transport driver white-knuckling through an existential cross-country trip. His other screen credits included the films Fear Is the Key, Daylight, and The Limey, and the TV series Murder She Wrote, The O.C., and NYPD Blue.

Kenneth Anger, one of America’s first openly gay filmmakers, died May 11 of natural causes. He was 96. Anger began making films as a teenager, and his surreal, homoerotic 1947 short film Fireworks is considered by many to be the first gay narrative film made in the United States. His other works include Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954), Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969), and Lucifer Rising (1972). He’s also remembered for authoring Hollywood Babylon, a collection of sordid tales about the early years of Hollywood that, despite being widely disputed, remain infamous and influential.

Jack Rebney, the foul-mouthed RV pitchman who became one of the internet’s first viral personalities and was profiled in the 2009 documentary Winnebago Man, died May 10 at 93. In 1988, Rebney, a former broadcast journalist, couldn’t contain his anger while filming a commercial for Winnebago recreational vehicles. His profanity-laced eruptions frustrated the crew to such a degree that they compiled the commercial’s most vitriolic outtakes and started circulating them via VHS tapes. The footage eventually migrated online, amassing millions of views and a rabid fan base. Director Ben Steinbauer’s earnest and affecting Winnebago Man finds a reclusive Rebney reckoning with his viral fame.

Jacklyn Zeman, the veteran actress who starred as Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital for more than 40 years, died May 9 at the age of 70 after a short battle with cancer. Born and raised in New Jersey, Zeman studied dance at New York University before rising to fame as Lana McClain on the hit sudser One Life to Live in 1976. She landed her career-defining role as the fiery nurse Bobbie on General Hospital the following year, starring as the character on more than 800 episodes and earning four Daytime Emmy nominations along the way. Zeman’s other credits include spotlight appearances on Chicago Hope and Misguided and her Daytime Emmy–nominated role as Sofia Madison on The Bay.

Lisa Montell, a Hollywood starlet of the 1950s and ’60s, died on March 7 of heart problems and sepsis, per The Hollywood Reporter. She was 89. Montell is known for starring opposite Rod Taylor in the 1956 sci-fi feature World Without End and with Dean Martin in the musical comedy Ten Thousand Bedrooms. Born in Warsaw, Montell grew up in New York City and studied drama at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art. She landed her first onscreen role in 1953, but the movie, The Daughter of the Sun God, was not released until 1962. She spent years bulking up her TV resume with shows like The Public Defender and The Magical World of Disney, but is best known for her work in the Western genre, including roles in Tomahawk Trail, The Firebrand, The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold, among others. After less than a decade in Hollywood, Montell left acting in the mid-’60s and went on to serve in the administration of L.A. mayor Tom Bradley.

Gerald Castillo, the veteran actor known for playing A.C. Slater’s dad on Saved by the Bell and Judge Davis Wagner on General Hospital, died May 4, at 90. Castillo began his career on the stage, performing opposite the likes of Rita Moreno and Sherman Hemsley. On the screen, he appeared on dozens of TV shows, including The Jeffersons, M*A*S*H, CSI, Hill Street Blues, Simon and Simon, and All in the Family. Castillo’s film credits included Delta Force 2, Through Naked Eyes, Above Suspicion, State of Emergency, The Crackdown, and Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects. Castillo retired from acting in 2012 but regularly directed productions at the Santa Paula Theatre Center in Southern California.

Sonia Pizarro, star of truTV reality series Operation Repo, died May 3 at the age of 60. Pizarro was best known for her appearance on Operation Repo, which depicted the world of car repossessions with a team of professionals from California’s San Fernando Valley, and the Operation Repo TV movies Operation Sonia: Love Thy Bleeping Neighbor and Operation Repo: Lou’s Revenge. She also starred in the 2009 comedy Repo Chick and had a cameo in the 2018 horror thriller Followed.

Barbara Bryne, a veteran theater actress known for originating roles in multiple Stephen Sondheim musicals, died May 2. She was 94. Her death was announced by Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater, where she was a frequent stage performer for decades, starting in 1970. Born April 1, 1929, in England, Bryne came to North America in the 1960s, where she earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role in the first American production of Joe Orton’s play Entertaining Mr. Sloane and played multiple matriarchs for Sondheim. She originated the parts of Jack’s mother in Into the Woods and George’s mother in Sunday in the Park With George, and played Madame Armfeldt in a Washington, D.C. production of A Little Night Music in 2002. She also portrayed Mozart’s mother-in-law in the Oscar-winning 1984 film Amadeus. “Her legacy will live on at the Guthrie and in our hearts forever,” a representative for the theater wrote on Twitter.

Eileen Saki, the actress known for playing the spirited owner and proprietor of Rosie’s Bar on the classic TV series M*A*S*H, died May 1 from pancreatic cancer. She was 79. Saki was the third and longest-tenured performer to play Rosie, appearing in eight episodes. (She also played a madam in an earlier M*A*S*H episode.) Saki’s other screen credits included Good Times, CHiPs, The Greatest American Hero, Without a Trace, History of the World: Part I, and Splash.

Canadian folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot — best known in the United States for his songs “Sundown,” “If You Could Read My Mind,” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” — died at a Toronto hospital on May 1. He was 84. His career included over 1,500 concerts and 500 songs, several of which were covered by the likes of Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, and the late Harry Belafonte. Lightfoot also scored four Grammy nominations throughout his career, and was remembered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “one of our greatest singer-songwriters” who “helped shape Canada’s soundscape” across his rise to prominence in the ’60s and ’70s.

Jock Zonfrillo, a celebrated Scottish chef, author, and MasterChef Australia judge, died April 30 in Melbourne. He was 46. A Glasgow native, Zonfrillo started his culinary journey as a dishwasher at 13, began working for British chef Marco Pierre White at 17, and by 22 was head chef at Cornwall’s Hotel Tresanton. He became the head chef at Sydney’s Forty One in 2000 and moved on to open several renowned restaurants in Adelaide, like Restaurant Orana and Nonna Mallozzi. His TV career flourished in 2019 when he joined MasterChef Australia as a judge alongside Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, replacing the show’s original hosts. Zonfrillo also wrote a memoir, Last Shot, published in 2021.

Veteran guitarist and vocalist Tim Bachman died at the age of 71 on April 28 after a battle with cancer. Bachman co-founded the Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive in Winnipeg with C.F. Turner and his brothers, Randy and Robbie. The rowdy rock outfit were known for hits like “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” “Takin’ Care of Business,” and “Roll On Down the Highway.” Bachman was a member of the band from 1973 until 1974 and reunited with the group a decade later for their reunion tour. He remained with the group until the late 1980s.

Jerry Springer, the iconic talk-show host, broadcast journalist, and former mayor of Cincinnati, died in his Chicago home at age 79 on April 27. As the host of The Jerry Springer Show, which aired for 27 seasons from 1991 to 2018, Springer helped mediate heated conflicts between couples and family members to stellar ratings. He also made cameos in numerous films, like 1999’s Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and on television shows, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Simpsons, and The X-Files. In addition to his work on screen, Springer served as a Cincinnati councilman before becoming the city’s mayor from 1977 to 1978.

Harry Belafonte, legendary singer, actor, and civil rights activist who marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., died Tuesday, April 25 at age 96 from congestive heart failure. In addition to his humanitarian work, which included being a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and earned him an honorary Oscar in 2014, the entertainer released the hit 1956 single “Banana Boat (Day-O)” and amassed awards from the Grammys, Tonys, and Emmys for his multi-decade career. One of his last projects was a role in Spike Lee’s 2018 Oscar-nominated film BlacKkKlansman.

Ginnie Newhart, wife of comedian Bob Newhart for 60 years, died April 23 at home in Los Angeles following a long illness, according to publicist Jerry Digney. Ginnie first met Newhart through fellow actor and comedian Buddy Hackett. The two wed in Jan. 1963. Ginnie Newhart is credited with inventing the legendary series finale to Newhart, in which Bob Newhart wakes up as his character from The Bob Newhart Show next to Suzanne Pleshette, who played his wife in the previous series. They had four children together.

Len Goodman, former head judge of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, died April 22 at a hospice in Kent, England, according to BBC News. A former professional ballroom dancer, Goodman began his TV-hosting career on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, a reality TV competition that pairs celebrities with ballroom dancing pros. He joined the U.S. version a year later, and served as head judge until 2022. “It has been a huge pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show,” Goodman told the Dancing audience, which gave him a standing ovation. “But I’ve decided I want to spend more time with the grandchildren and the family back in Britain.” In addition to his hosting duties, Goodman also ran his own studio, the Goodman Dance Academy, in the U.K.

Barry Humphries, the actor and creator behind Dame Edna Everage, died April 22 at the age of 89 in Sydney. The Tony-winning Australian comedian was readmitted to the hospital following hip surgery. Humphries had been receiving treatment after a fall in February. The performer, who was born in Melbourne in 1934, rose to fame in the 1950s after originating the drag-character housewife Edna Everage. Sporting lilac hair and funky glasses, the act served as a form of social satire. Humphries’ creation hit the London stage in the 1970s and gained a fanbase that landed him appearances in the worlds of theater, film, and TV for several decades.

Moonbin, a member of K-pop band Astro, died April 19 at the age of 25. Moonbin began his career as a model before he made acting appearances in the 2009 Korean drama Boys Over Flowers and 2015’s To Be Continued, among other titles. He joined Astro in 2016 alongside MJ, Rocky, Cha Eun-woo, Yoon San-ha, and Jinjin. The band’s hits include “Candy Sugar Pop,” “Blue Flame,” and “Baby.” In 2020, Fantagio formed Moonbin & Sanha, Astro’s first sub-unit comprised of the late singer and Yoon San-ha. The duo released their third EP, Incense, in January.

Keith Nale, a firefighter and two-time Survivor contestant, died April 18 after a months-long battle with cancer. He was 62. Nale competed alongside his son Wes on 2014’s Survivor: San Juan del Sur, where his affable nature and survival skills made him a fan favorite and propelled him to the final four. Two seasons later, he returned for Survivor: Cambodia and made it to day 37 before being sent home.

Mark Sheehan, the lead guitarist and co-founder of the Irish rock band the Script, died on April 14 following a “brief illness.” He was 46. Sheehan founded the band with Danny O’Donoghue in 2001. The group, which also included drummer Glen Power, is best known for songs “Hall of Fame,” “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved,” and “Breakeven (Falling to Pieces).” Sheehan is survived by his wife, Rina, and three children.

Carol Locatell, the actress best known for her fiery performance as the foul-mouthed Ethel Hubbard in Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning, died April 11 following a battle with cancer. She was 82. Locatell made her acting debut in a 1967 episode of the sitcom The Flying Nun before jumping to the big screen as Priscilla in the 1973’s Coffy. She delighted horror fans as the shotgun-wielding and stew-making mother in the 1985 sequel film. Over the course of her more than 45-year career, she starred in multiple movies including Paternity, Sharky’s Machine, Best Friends, and The Family Stone. Her TV credits include appearances on Bonanza, M*A*S*H, ER, Ally McBeal, NYPD Blue, Mad Men, Scandal, NCIS, Station 19, Shameless, and more.

Al Jaffee, an award-winning and record-breaking cartoonist for Mad magazine, died April 10 from multiple organ failure. He was 102. Jaffee worked for Mad for 65 years, easily the magazine’s longest contributor, and with a career running from 1942 to until 2020, he holds the Guinness World Record for longest career as a comics artist. Jaffee famously created the Mad Fold-In as well as “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.” He retired from being a cartoonist in 2020 at age 99.

Lotus percussionist Chuck Morris’ body was recovered April 9, weeks after he and his son Charley went missing during a kayaking trip in Arkansas. Morris was 47; his son was 20. Formed in the late ’90s in Indiana, Lotus are an instrumental electronic jam band with a current lineup of Mike Greenfield, Tim Palmieri, Luke Miller, and Jesse Miller. Previous members have included Michael Rempel, Steve Clemens, Joel Jimenez, and Andy Parada. They have released more than a dozen studio and live albums.

Elizabeth Hubbard, the Daytime Emmy-winning soap opera star known for her roles on As the World Turns and The Doctors, died April 8 the age of 89. The daytime star was beloved for her turn as Lucinda Walsh in CBS’ As the World Turns, a role she played from 1984 until the show’s final season in 2010. She earned eight Daytime Emmy nominations for her work on the series. Hubbard also starred as Dr. Althea Davis on NBC’s The Doctors, which earned her her first Daytime Emmy. Her other TV credits included One Life to Live, Law & Order, Hope & Faith, Life on Mars, and Anacostia. Hubbard also appeared in films The Bell Jar, Ordinary People, Cold River, and Center Stage.

Michel Lerner, a prolific character actor who was nominated for an Oscar for Barton Fink, died on April 8. He was 81. Lerner made his TV debut in 1963 on an episode of Dr. Kildare, then in 1968, while sharing a flat with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, he appeared in Ono’s experimental film Smile. Lerner appeared in numerous films and TV shows over his 60-year career, including, on television, The Brady Bunch, Glee, Entourage, M.A.S.H., and The Bob Newhart Show. Some of his most prominent films include The Candidate, the remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice, Eddie Murphy’s Harlem Nights, and the Coens’ A Serious Man, which was his second re-teaming with the brothers after being nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 1992 Oscars for his performance as studio head Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink.

Lasse Wellander, the longtime guitarist for ABBA, died on April 7. He was 70 years old. Born in 1952 in the Swedish village of Skrekarhyttan, Wellander took up the guitar after seeing The Beatles perform on Swedish TV in the early ’60s. Once he went professional, Wellander performed with a number of Swedish bands in the late ’60s and early ’70s, including Blues Quality and Nature, before linking up with ABBA in 1974. He became an important contributor both to their recorded albums and live shows, and worked with them up through recent projects like the Mamma Mia! movies and their 2021 comeback album Voyage. In a joint statement, ABBA founders Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad celebrated Wellander as “a dear friend, a fun guy, and a superb guitarist” who “played such an integral role in the ABBA story.”

Paul Cattermole, a founding member of British pop group S Club 7, died April 6. He was 46. No cause of death has yet been revealed. The tragic news comes little more than a month after the band announced they would be embarking on a tour later this year to mark their 25th anniversary. Formed in 1998, S Club 7 gained fame through chart-topping hits like “Bring It All Back” and their own TV series, Miami 7, before Cattermole’s departure in 2002 precipitated the group’s full breakup a year later.

Vivian Trimble, a multi-instrumentalist and singer best known as a member of the band Luscious Jackson, died April 4 due to complications from cancer. She was 59. The band announced the news on social media, writing, “We were not expecting this. She was a great friend and a gifted musician and choreographer, but it was being a partner to David and a mother to Nate and Rebecca that gave her the greatest joy.” Luscious Jackson was formed in 1991, their name a reference to the American basketball player of the same name, and released three albums over the course of the ’90s. They scored their biggest hit with the song “Naked Eye,” and reunited in 2013 for two new albums, including the children’s music compilation Baby DJ. Trimble also formed the side project Kostars with fellow band member Jill Cunniff; they released one album in 1996.

San Francisco drag legend Heklina died at age 54 on April 3. The performer was discovered by close friend and collaborator Peaches Christ in London where the drag queen duo was performing a two-week stint of “Mommie Queerest,” a Mommie Dearest parody. A cause of death was not announced. Heklina can be seen posthumously on Hulu’s Drag Me to Dinner competition series.

Judy Farrell, the actress and writer best known for her role as Nurse Able on CBS’ long-running wartime dramedy M*A*S*H, died April 2 after suffering a stroke nine days earlier. She was 84. Farrell first appeared on M*A*S*H in 1976, during the celebrated series’ fifth season, joining her then-husband, Mike Farrell, and an ensemble case. She would appear on seven more episodes before the show’s conclusion in 1983. Her other TV credits included roles on Get Smart, The Partridge Family, and Fame, and as a writer on the soap opera Port Charles.

Musician and co-founder of ’90s boy band LFO Brian Gillis died March 29 at the age of 47. LFO, short for Lyte Funkie Ones, was formed by Gillis, Brad Fischetti, and the late Rich Cronin in 1995 in Massachusetts. To date, the group has sold over 4 million records and is known for hit songs “Summer Girls” and “Girl On TV.” Though Gillis would leave the group in 1999 to pursue a solo career, his former bandmate Fischetti paid tribute to his legacy and what he meant to LFO in a lengthy and emotional Instagram post announcing his death. “Today I honor my former bandmate and friend, Brizz. If you watched the LFO Story livestream or have seen the band and me play it live, you know what Brian meant to LFO. If it wasn’t for his hard work and dedication in the early days of LFO, the first two chapters, the LFO you came to know and (hopefully) love would not exist,” he wrote.

Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Oscar-winning composer famous for his scores for The Last Emperor and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, died of cancer March 28 at the age of 71. Sakamoto gained prominence as a member of the Japanese electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra, which he co-founded in 1978 with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi. Their self-titled debut album helped set the stage for the synth-pop sounds of today, also influencing early hip-hop and techno. The artist made his movie debut in 1983’s Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, starring opposite David Bowie and providing the war drama with its BAFTA-winning score. He’d later star in and score 1987’s The Last Emperor, which earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Sakamoto was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his score for 2015’s The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Keith Reid, a lyricist for Procol Harum who wrote the English rock band’s 1967 hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” died March 23 at 76. Though he did not sing or play with the group, Reid was a founding member who penned all of their original songs except for those on their 12th and final album, Novum. Following Procol Harum’s first disbandment (they’d reunite several times), Reid started a management company in the late 1980s, where he composed songs for other artists, including John Farnham (his chart-topping “You’re the Voice”), Annie Lennox, and Willie Nelson, among others. Reid also released two albums under the Keith Reid Project: 2008’s The Common Thread and 2018’s In My Head.

Singer and guitarist Tom Leadon died on March 22, according to his former Mudcrutch bandmate Mike Campbell. Leadon co-founded the rock band alongside the late Tom Petty in the 1970s, continuing to perform with the collective after its revival in 2007. “Tom Leadon was my deepest guitar soul brother, we spent countless hours playing acoustic guitars and teaching each other things,” Campbell tweeted. “A kinder soul never walked the earth. I will always miss his spirit and generosity. Sleep peacefully my old friend.”

Darcelle XV, the Guinness World Record-holding drag icon — known as the oldest working drag queen — died in March at the age of 92. Scores of RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants, from Kerri Colby and Bosco to Mayhem Miller and Shangela, paid tribute to the industry icon on social media following her death. “I’ll never forget seeing her front row, tappin that foot while I twirled and death dropped for her enjoyment,” Shangela wrote on Instagram. “This loss makes me think of so many amazing drag entertainers who in their own way helped influence the world of drag, but are no longer with us.”

Nicholas “Nick” Lloyd Webber, a Grammy-nominated composer and the eldest son of Andrew Lloyd Webber, died March 25 following an 18-month battle with gastric cancer. He was 43. On March 23, the musician’s father announced that his son had been moved to hospice care after developing pneumonia as a result of his cancer. A composer like his father, Nicholas received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for co-producing and mixing the original cast album for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella in 2022. His other composition credits include music for the 2017 television series Love, Lies, and Records as well as the theatrical adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince.

Wayne Swinny, a guitarist and founding member of the nu metal band Saliva, died March 22 at 59 after suffering a brain hemorrhage while on tour. Swinny was the last remaining original member of Saliva, which formed in Memphis in 1996 with Josey Scott, Chris Dabaldo, Dave Novotny, and Paul Crosby. Current members include Bobby Amaru, Brad Stewart, and Sammi Jo Bishop. The band has released 10 studio albums, including Every Six Seconds; Love, Lies & Therapy; and 10 Lives. Their notable songs include “Your Disease,” which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2001, and “Click Click Boom.”

Gunter Nezhoda, a recurring fan favorite competitive bidder on A&E’s Storage Wars, died March 21 at 67. The actor and TV personality appeared on multiple seasons of the reality series, in which self-proclaimed treasure hunters buy repossessed storage units hoping the contents inside could score them a profit, between 2015 and 2019. Nezhoda also appeared as an actor in movies like I Am Here… Now, Astro Zombies: M4 – Invaders from Cyberspace, Do Not Disturb, and The Haunting at Death Valley Junction. He was also a photographer and a bass player who played with Pat Travers, Leslie West, and Michael Schenker, among others.

Peter Werner, the prolific director who won an Oscar for Best Live-Action Short as an AFI student and went on to work on such TV series as Moonlighting, Justified, and Elementary, died of a torn aorta on March 21. He was 76. Werner won his Oscar in 1977 for In the Region of Ice, a short film based on a Joyce Carol Oates short story. His other directorial credits included spotlight episodes on Blue Bloods, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Grimm, The Blacklist, and Medium.

Paul Grant, the British actor and stuntman who appeared in Star Wars and Harry Potter films, was pronounced dead March 21, at 56. The actor appeared as an Ewok in 1983’s Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi opposite Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and the late Carrie Fisher, and played a goblin in 1986’s David Bowie-led Labyrinth and in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Grant also appeared as a stuntman in 1985’s Legend and 1988’s Willow, and produced an episode of TV series Liquid Assets.

Lance Reddick, the veteran actor known for his work on TV shows including The Wire, Fringe, Resident Evil, and Bosch, and films including John Wick and its sequels, died March 17 of natural causes. He was 60. A Baltimore native, Reddick studied music at the University of Rochester and went on to attend the Yale School of Drama. His first major TV role came on the HBO prison drama Oz in 2000, and he went on to star on the network’s acclaimed series The Wire, playing a Baltimore police officer. With his commanding voice and imposing presence, Reddick often portrayed authority figures: a G-man on Fringe, a power-hungry scientist on Resident Evil series, a gruff LAPD chief on Bosch, a corrosive CEO on Corporate. His other screen credits included Lost, Godzilla vs. Kong, Rick & Morty, and One Night in Miami. Reddick also worked on a number of video games, such as Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, Destiny, Destiny 2, and Quantum Break.

Sharon Acker, the Canadian actress best known for playing faithful secretary Della Street in The New Perry Mason, died March 16, per The Hollywood Reporter. Born in Toronto, Acker got her start appearing in a made-for-television adaptation of Anne of Green Gables before making her film debut in 1957’s Lucky Jim. After taking a hiatus to raise her family, Acker returned to acting and starred in a 1961 adaptation of Macbeth opposite Sean Connery and Zoe Caldwell. Her other credits include the 1967 film Point Blank and the television series Star Trek, The Love Boat, The Rockford Files, Days of Our Lives, and The Young and the Restless. 

Norman Steinberg, the screenwriter known for such films as Blazing Saddles, My Favorite Year, and Johnny Dangerously, died March 15 at his home in upstate New York. He was 83. A former lawyer, Steinberg won an Emmy early in his writing career for his work on Flip, a Flip Wilson variety show. His TV credits also included Cosby; Doctor, Doctor; and Teech; and his other film included Yes, Giorgio; Wise Guys; and Funny About Love.

Bobby Caldwell, the soulful and versatile vocalist behind hits “What You Won’t Do For Love” and “Open Your Eyes,” died March 14 at age 71. He released over a dozen albums that spanned genres, including jazz, soul, and R&B, beginning with his eponymous debut in 1978, which featured “What You Won’t Do For Love.” A multi-generational hit that ascended the Billboard 100 chart, the song has been sampled or covered by the likes of Tupac, Boyz II Men, Michael Bolton, and more. Caldwell also penned hits for musicians like Neil Diamond, Bob Scaggs, and Amy Grant. He released his final non-compilation album, Cool Uncle, in collaboration with Jack Splash in 2015.

Constantinos Tsobanoglou, better known by his rap alias Costa Titch, died Mar. 11 after appearing to collapse while performing at the Ultra South Africa music festival in Johannesburg. He was 28. Titch was remembered as “a galvanizing voice among South Africa’s amapiano scene” and a talented rapper, dancer, singer, and songwriter. He released his critically-acclaimed debut album Made in Africa in 2020 and two years later his track “Big Flexa” became the most viewed amapiano music video on YouTube.

Chaim Topol, the veteran stage and screen actor who delighted audiences as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, died at 87. Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced his death on March 9. Born in Tel Aviv in 1935, Topol received international acclaim for his performance as Tevye — a pious, hard-working father raising seven daughters — in the 1971 film adaptation of the musical. His powerful performance earned Topol his second Golden Globe after he won for Most Promising Male Newcomer in 1964. Over the course of his career, Topol appeared, to his estimate, in more than 3,500 Fiddler on the Roof performances from the 1960s to 2009. He also starred in 1964’s Sallah Shabati, 1975’s Galileo, 1980’s Flash Gordon, and the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only.

Bert I. Gordon — the sci-fi director, writer, producer, and visual effects artist behind some of cinema’s greatest giant-monster films — died March 8 at the age of 100. He made his directorial debut with the 1955 film King Dinosaur, in which four scientists travel to a new planet only to discover that it’s inhabited by larger-than-life creatures including an iguana, an armadillo, and a mastodon. Gordon’s supersized adventures soared to new heights in the following years as he wrote and directed 1957’s The Amazing Colossal Man, unleashed large locusts to terrorize Chicago in 1957’s Beginning of the End, and set a small town up against a big arachnid in 1958’s Earth vs. the Spider. His other credits include 1960’s The Boy and the Pirates, 1972’s Necromancy, and 1977’s Empire of the Ants, starring Joan Collins and Robert Lansing.

Ian Falconer, the Caldecott-winning author and illustrator known for creating the Olivia series of children’s books, died March 7 at 63. Originally conceived as a Christmas gift for his young niece, the Olivia books chronicle the adventures of a smart, imaginative piglet and feature a strikingly minimal aesthetic. The first book was published in 2007, and seven sequels followed. Falconer also created 30 magazine covers for The New Yorker and designed sets and costumes for theater and ballet companies across the globe. Born in Ridgefield, Conn., he studied at New York University, the Parsons School of Design, and the Otis College of Art and Design.

Gary Rossington, a guitarist and the last surviving original member of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died March 5 at the age of 71. “Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does,” his bandmates said in a statement. Rossington founded My Backyard, the band that would eventually be renamed Lynyrd Skynyrd, with lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and drummer Bob Burns as teenagers growing up in Jackson, Fla. in 1964. Guitarists Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom were later added to the mix. The history of band is marked by the 1977 plane crash that killed multiple members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, including Van Zant. Rossington survived with severe injuries, but he rejoined the band a decade later when it was reformed by Van Zant’s brother. Rossington continued with the band, though he also formed the Rossington Collins Band with Collins and the Rossington Band with wife Dale Krantz-Rossington.

Judy Heumann, “mother of the disability rights movement”and star of the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp, died on Mar. 4. She was 75. Born in Brooklyn in 1947, Neumann developed polio at 18 months, causing her to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. From the ages of nine to 18, Heumann attended Camp Jened, a summer camp for disabled teens in the Catskills of New York run by self-professed hippies. In 2020, Heumann was featured in the documentary Crip Camp, produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, following how campers at Jened were inspired and invigorated by their time there and went on the become activists in their own right. The film was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2021 Academy Awards.

Ted Donaldson, the former child actor who starred as Cornelius “Neeley” Nolan in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Bud Anderson in the original radio version of Father Knows Best, died March 1 at the age of 89. He made his big screen debut in the 1944 fantasy comedy Once Upon a Time opposite Cary Grant and Janet Blair, and also headlined all eight of the Adventures of Rusty children’s films, centered on a German Shepherd dog named Rusty. Other credits included movies Mr. Winkle Goes to War, A Guy, a Gal and a Pal, Personality Kid, The Decision of Christopher Blake, and Phone Call from a Stranger, and shows Front Row Center, Matinee Theatre, and The Silent Service. Donaldson also starred in the Broadway productions of Life With Father and Sons and Soldiers. Later in life, Donaldson taught acting classes and worked at a bookstore in Hollywood.

Tom Sizemore, an actor who made memorable turns in Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and Heat, died March 3 at 61 after suffering a brain aneurysm. Sizemore worked with many of Hollywood’s most esteemed directors, including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, and Michael Mann, and amassed more than 200 film and television credits, including True Romance, Natural Born Killers, Born on the Fourth of July, Strange Days, The Relic, Passenger 57, and Blue Steel. The embattled star struggled with drug abuse and faced numerous legal troubles, including a 2003 domestic violence conviction involving former fiancee Heidi Fleiss.

Steve Mackey, a record producer and bass guitarist for English rock band Pulp, died on March 2 following a three-month-long stay in the hospital. He was 56. Mackey joined Pulp a decade into the band’s career in 1989 and is featured on some of its biggest hits including “Common People,” “Do You Remember the First Time,” and “Disco 2000.” He was also a prolific producer who helped co-write Marianne Faithfull‘s “Sliding Through Life on Charm,” Florence + The Machine‘s “Kiss With a Fist,” and Arcade Fire‘s “Everything Now.” Alongside Pulp bandmate Jarvis Cocker, Mackey also appeared as a member of fictional wizard rock group The Weird Sisters in the 2005 film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Wayne Shorter, a master jazz saxophonist and composer, died March 2 at the age of 89. Shorter began his musical career in the 1950s as a member of the prominent jazz group Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He would later join Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet in the 1960s before going on to co-found the jazz fusion band Weather Report in the following decade. The 12-time Grammy award-winning musician released more than 20 albums over his lifetime and frequently collaborated with an array of artists including Joni Mitchell, Carlos Santana, and Steely Dan. In 2002, Norah Jones told EW that there was simply “no way to be as cool as Wayne Shorter,” adding, “Who is that cool?”

Ricou Browning, the actor who donned the Gill-man suit in extensive underwater sequences in Creature From the Black Lagoon, died Feb. 27 at 93. Browning, who reportedly could hold his breath for up to four minutes, was widely considered the last surviving actor to have played one of the original Universal monsters. He reprised the role in two sequels to the original 1954 film. Browning also worked extensively in marine coordination for television and film, often directing underwater sequences, including scenes in Thunderball, Never Say Never, and Caddyshack. He was also the creative force behind Flipper, both the movie and the TV series, directing 37 episodes of the television show and co-writing the film.

Dorian Zev Kweller, son of singer-songwriter Ben Kweller, died Feb. 27 at the age of 16. A rising musician, the young Kweller followed in his famous father’s footsteps as an aspiring artist who created music under the name Zev. He released the singles “SH3,” “How I Am,” “4th of July,” “Parachute,” “Nobody’s Perfect,” and “Hickeys,” and was set to play his first gig at South by Southwest weeks before his untimely death. He is survived by his parents and younger brother, Judah.

Burny Mattinson, Walt Disney Animation’s longest-serving employee who worked as an animator, story artist, director, and producer across multiple films, died Feb. 27 at the age of 87. Mattinson was involved in many of the studio’s classics, from 1977’s The Rescuers all the way up to 2022’s Strange World. Disney had been planning to award Mattinson a first-of-its-kind honor on June 4 for 70 years of service to the company. Mattinson had been named a Disney Legend in 2008. In 2018, he broke the record for longest-serving Disney employee, which was previously held by Disney artist and Imagineer John Hench, who worked for nearly 65 years.

Gordon Pinsent, the prolific Canadian actor who gained international recognition in Away From Her and voiced beloved children’s book character Babar the Elephant, died Feb. 25 at the age of 92. With more than 150 film and TV credits, Pinsent’s seven-decade-spanning career made him a household name in his native country. Notable credits include The Rowdyman, Due South, John and the Missus, A Gift to Last, The Red Green Show, Quentin Durgens, M.P, and American productions It Takes a Thief, Colossus: The Forbin Project, Banacek, and The Thomas Crown Affair. A three-time Genie Awards winner, Pinsent was also named a Companion of the Order of Canada and the recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and the Earle Grey Award. He voiced Babar in Babar: The Movie and on the animation series Babar and the Adventures of Badou. Beyond acting, Pinsent was a painter, writer, playwright, and director; he authored memoir By the Way and novels The Rowdyman and John and the Missus, which serve as the basis of the films in which he starred.

Jansen Panettiere, an actor who appeared on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon projects occasionally alongside his sister Hayden Panettiere, died on Feb. 19 from an enlarged heart. He was 28. After his first on-screen performance in an episode of Disney Channel’s Even Stevens, Jansen went on to give voiceover performances in animated movies and TV shows including Blue’s Clues, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and The X’s. His final screen performances were in 2019, for the film How High 2 and an episode of The Walking Dead. Since then, he seemed to dedicate himself more to visual art like graffiti and shoe designs, as seen on his Instagram.

Richard Belzer, the comedian and actor best known for his role as John Munch on the Law & Order franchise, died Feb. 19 at the age of 78. Belzer began his career as a stand-up comic, but his most memorable role came as investigator John Munch in the NBC crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street, which aired between 1993 and 1997, before becoming a fixture on the long-running Law & Order franchise. Over the course of two decades, Belzer played the wisecracking investigator not just within the franchise but in several other shows that spanned different networks, including The X-Files, The Wire, Arrested Development, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and 30 Rock. His other credits included films Scarface, Missing Pieces, The Puppet Masters and shows Mad About You, Minding the Store, and American Dad. A self-proclaimed conspiracy theorist, Belzer also authored a series of books, including UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe and Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination. Belzer survived testicular cancer in 1983, which he discussed in his stand-up special Another Lone Nut.

Barbara Bosson, the Emmy-nominated actress best known for her role on Hill Street Blues, died Feb. 18. She was 83. Bosson’s first major onscreen role was in Steve McQueen’s 1968 crime film Bullitt, but she rose to critical acclaim while playing Fay Furillo on NBC’s 1980s drama Hill Street Blues — which was created by her then-husband, Steven Bochco. She earned five Emmy nominations from her time on that series, as well as an additional nomination a decade later for her work playing Miriam Grasso on ABC’s drama Murder One.

Kyle Jacobs, a songwriter and the husband of American Idol alum Kellie Pickler, died on Feb. 17 at the age of 49. A CMA Award and ACM Award winner, Jacobs penned and produced a collection of country staples throughout his musical career, including co-writing Garth Brooks‘ 2007 hit “More Than a Memory,” which made history by becoming the first song ever to debut at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Jacobs went on to write for numerous country legends including Tim McGraw, Kelly Clarkson, Scotty McCreery, and his wife. Two of his co-written songs — “Back Home” and “Already Gone” — were also featured in the pilot episode of the musical series Nashville.

Stella Stevens, the beloved 1960s actress and bombshell who dazzled on screen in The Nutty Professor and Too Late Blues, died Feb. 17 at the age of 84. Born Estelle Eggleston, Stevens began her film career as a chorus girl in the 1959 film Say One for Me, a role that won her the Most Promising Female Newcomer award at the 17th Annual Golden Globes in 1960. She went on to share the screen with other legends, including Elvis Presley in the 1962 musical Girls! Girls! Girls!, Jerry Lee Lewis in 1963’s The Nutty Professor, and Dean Martin in 1966’s The Silencers. Her 50-year career in entertainment also included credits in 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure, 1975’s Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, 1980’s Make Me an Offer, and 2005’s Pop Star.

Chuck Jackson, an R&B singer and one of the first artists to make hit records out of music written by Burt Bacharach, died on Feb. 16 — little more than a week after Bacharach himself. Jackson was 85; his cause of death has not been disclosed. Born in Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1937, he grew up singing gospel music in church and began his professional career as a member of doo-wop group the Del-Vikings. After leaving the group in 1959, Jackson began recording as a solo artist and had his biggest hit with the Bacharach-composed “Any Day Now,” which became Jackson’s signature song and scored him a deal with Motown Records. Jackson’s longtime friend and fellow Bacharach collaborator Dionne Warwick had this to say after this death: “Another heartache has come my way. Chuck Jackson has made his transition. He was my label mate on Scepter Records and was like a big brother to me. I’ll truly miss his daily calls checking on me and his wonderful voice. Rest in heavenly peace, my dear friend.”

Raquel Welch, an actress who rose to fame as a sex symbol during the 1960s, died Feb. 15 at the age of 82. Born Jo Raquel Tejada, Welch entered the zeitgeist with her roles as Cora in the 1966 sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage and Loana in the fantasy film One Million Years B.C. Though she only had a handful of lines in the latter title opposite John Richardson, her memorable outfit — a risqué deerskin bikini — turned her into an international sex symbol. She appeared in a steady number of films throughout the ’60s and ’70s, including The Queens, Bedazzled, Lady in Cement, Hannie Caulder, 100 Rifles, The Three Musketeers, and Crossed Swords. She won a Golden Globe for her work in The Three Musketeers in 1975. Other credits included Mork & Mindy, Evening Shade, Seinfeld, and, most recently, Legally Blonde, American Family, and How to be a Latin Lover.

Austin Majors, the former child star known for for playing Dennis Franz’s son on NYPD Blue, died Feb. 11 at 27. Majors appeared on the long-running police drama from 1999 to 2004, and received a Young Artists Award for his work in 2002. His other screen credits included ER, Threshold, NCIS, Desperate Housewives, American Dad, According to Jim, and How I Met Your Mother. Majors, who also went by Austin Majors Setmajer-Raglin, graduated from the University of Southern California in 2017, after studying film production and cinematography. He also created music under the moniker Pope.

David Jolicoeur, member of the iconic hip hop trio De La Soul who performed under the stage name Trugoy the Dove, died at the age of 54. Jolicoeur formed De La Soul alongside Kelvin Mercer (also known as Posdnuos) and Vincent Mason (Maseo) in 1988, and the group burst into the scene with their 1989 debut album 3 Feet High and Rising, which featured classic tracks such as “Buddy” and “Me Myself and I.” The trio, best known for their use of eclectic samplings, have been celebrated for introducing rap to a broader audience, with Jolicoeur’s lyricisms and wordplay helping cement the group’s icon status on music charts and within the wider culture. Later albums include De La Soul is Dead, Stakes is High, Buhloone Mindstate, The Grind Date, and And the Anonymous Nobody.

Hugh Hudson, the British filmmaker who made his directorial debut with the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire, died after a short illness on Feb. 10 at 86. His 1981 film — which starred Ben Cross and Nigel Havers as two British track stars whose separate religious beliefs influence their experiences at the 1924 Olympic Games — has been lauded as one of the greatest British films of all time and went on to win four Academy Awards including Best Picture. The director’s other credits include the 1984 Oscar-nominated adventure film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes and the Al Pacino-fronted historical drama Revolution in 1985.

Carlos Saura, a renowned auteur at the forefront of Spanish filmmaking, died Feb. 10 at 91. The director’s death came just one day before he was to receive an honorary award at the 2023 Goya Awards. The Film Academy of Spain announced that Saura was awarded the trophy days earlier and said the event would “commemorate the memory of an unrepeatable creator.” Saura’s credits included 1966’s The Hunt, which explored the lasting effects of the Spanish Civil War, and a revered Flamenco-inspired musical trilogy: 1981’s Blood Wedding, 1983’s Carmen, and 1986’s El Amor Brujo. His final film, the documentary Walls Can Talk, was released in Spanish cinemas a week before his death.

Cody Longo, an actor and musician known for his roles on Hollywood Heights and Days of Our Lives, died Feb. 8 at 34. Born March 4, 1987, in Denver, Colo., Longo started his career on the stage before moving on to television and film roles. His first on-screen roles include the video Hip Hop Kidz: It’s a Beautiful Thing and the music video for Jojo’s 2006 hit “How to Touch a Girl.” One of his most notable roles was as teen heartthrob Eddie Duran in Nick at Nite’s Hollywood Heights for 78 episodes. Fans of daytime television will recognize him as Nicholas “Nikki” Alamain from eight episodes of the soap Days of Our Lives. Longo also had other notable television appearances on CSI: NY, CSI, Nashville, The Catch, Secrets and Lies, and more. On the film side, he had roles in Fame, High School, Piranha 3D, The Silent Thief, Bring It On: Fight to the Finish, For the Love of Money, The Last Movie Star, Death House, and more.

Burt Bacharach, the legendary composer behind beloved hits like “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and “Walk on By,” died Feb. 8 at 94. Bacharach is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. Alongside longtime collaborator and lyricist Hal David, he composed hundreds of pop songs that have since gone on to become modern standards, including the Academy Award-winning “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and “That’s What Friends Are For,” which was later popularized by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder‘s 1985 cover. The six-time Grammy award winner released over 20 albums and arranged, conducted, and produced most of his own material, which has gone on to be recorded by over 1,000 different artists in the following years.

Scott Alexander, the magician who captivated judges on season 6 of America’s Got Talent, died Feb. 5 following a stroke. Alexander appeared on the competition series in 2011 and impressed judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel by making his assistant, wife Jenny, appear out of thin air. He advanced to the Vegas Round and later Quarterfinals, where he created the illusion of a disappearing gospel choir, but did not receive enough votes to place in the competition. Alexander later appeared on season 2 of Penn & Teller: Fool Us in 2015, performing as part of a double act with season 7 AGT contestant the Magic of Puck, but the duo was unable to fool magician duo Penn & Teller. Alexander is survived by his wife and their three children.

Paco Rabanne, the iconic Spanish fashion designer known for his futuristic creations, died Feb. 3 at 88. In a statement posted on social media, the House of Paco Rabanne thanked him for “establishing our avant-garde heritage and defining a future of limitless possibilities.” Born Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo in Spain’s Basque region, Rabanne moved to Paris with his mother (a seamstress for Balenciaga) after his father died in the Spanish Civil War. He grew up to become a star of ’60s French fashion thanks to his use of unconventional materials like metal and plastic. One of his most iconic designs was the green sci-fi costume worn by Jane Fonda in Barbarella.

Annie Wersching, an actress best known for her work in 24, Bosch, Runaways and voicing the character Tess in the video game The Last of Us, died Jan. 29 at the age of 45 following a battle with cancer. Born and raised in St. Louis on Mar. 28, 1977, Wersching started her acting career in 2002 with a guest appearance on Star Trek: Enterprise, and continued racking up credits on Frasier, Angel, Charmed, Boston Legal, and Supernatural. In 2009, she was cast as FBI special agent Renee Walker on the seventh season of 24 and in 2013, Wersching voiced the character Tess in the video game The Last of Us, who is played by Anna Torv in HBO’s adaptation. Wersching’s other notable credits include Julia Brasher on Bosch, Emma Whitmore on Timeless, Leslie Dean on Runaways, and the Borg Queen on Stark Trek: Picard.

Lisa Loring, the former child star who played Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family 1960s sitcom, died Jan. 28 from a stroke caused by smoking and high blood pressure, according to Loring’s agent and friends. She was 64. Born Lisa Ann DeCinces in the Marshall Islands in 1958, Loring started her career as a child model. She soon scored a part on the Dr. Kildare medical drama. At the age of 5 and a half, she landed the role of Wednesday in the first adaptation of the Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons. Loring would go on to appear in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., Fantasy Island, Barnaby Jones, As the World Turns, Savage Harbor, and Doctor Spine.

Tom Verlaine, the influential guitarist and frontman of the pioneering punk-rock band Television, died Jan. 28 in New York City. He was 73. Born Thomas Miller, Verlaine moved to New York City in the late 1960s and changed his last name as a nod to the French poet Paul Verlaine. In 1973, he co-founded Television with bandmates Richard Hell, Richard Lloyd, and Billy Ficca. The group went on to shape the sound of New York City’s burgeoning punk-rock scene, performing at famed venues across the city, including CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. They released two critically acclaimed albums — 1977’s Marquee Moon and 1978’s Adventure — before breaking up in 1978. The following year, Verlaine kick-started his career as a successful solo artist, releasing several albums and frequently collaborating with other musicians, including Patti Smith. He reunited with Television in 1992, when they released their third, self-titled album, and Verlaine continued to perform with the band throughout his life.

Sylvia Syms, a British actress best known for her roles in 1958’s Ice Cold in Alex and 2006’s The Queen, died “peacefully” on Jan. 27 at Denville Hall, a London retirement home for actors and entertainers, the Associated Press reported. She was 89. Born in London in 1934, Syms graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before embarking on a 64-year career in entertainment during which she starred as Sister Diana Murdoch in the 1958 war story Ice Cold in Alex, sang and danced alongside Cliff Richard in 1959’s Expresso Bongo, and played the wife of a gay lawyer in the 1961 thriller Victim, the first British film to openly discuss homosexuality. Syms continued to appear on screen in multiple film and television series until 2019, landing roles in 1974’s The Tamarind Seed, 2003’s What a Girl Wants, and as the Queen Mother in 2006’s The Queen opposite Helen Mirren.

Cindy Williams, who starred as Shirley Feeney on beloved sitcom Laverne & Shirley, died Jan. 25. She was 75. Williams first portrayed the role of Shirley opposite Penny Marshall as Laverne on Happy Days in 1975. They proved to be such popular characters that Garry Marshall spun them off into their own series, which ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983. She notably featured in George Lucas’ American Graffiti as Laurie Henderson, high school sweetheart to Ron Howard’s Steve, and appeared in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation as Ann, one of the people whom Gene Hackman’s surveillance expert Harry Caul has been hired to spy on. Williams also guest-starred in shows like 8 Simple Rules and Law and Order: SVU, and she made her Broadway debut in 2007 in The Drowsy Chaperone.

Lance Kerwin, the former child actor who made a name for himself with roles on the coming-of-age drama James at 16 and in the Stephen King miniseries Salem’s Lot, died Jan. 24 at 62. Kerwin began his career in the 1970s and appeared in more than 50 TV shows and movies. His titular role in James at 16 (originally James at 15), as a teenager adjusting to life in Boston after his family makes the move from Oregon, propelled him to heartthrob status during its run from 1977 to 1978. Kerwin’s other screen credits included the TV series Wonder Woman, Little House on the Prairie, The Family Holvak, The New Lassie, and Insight, as well as the movie Outbreak. He recently returned to acting after decades away with a small role in the independent film The Wind & the Reckoning.

David Crosby, the legendary rocker and co-founder of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, died Jan. 18 at age 81. A Grammy winner and 10-time nominee, Crosby was a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for his work with influential rock groups the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), the latter of which he co-formed in 1968. The band’s debut album, which featured hits “Marrakesh Express” and “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and won them Best New Artist at the Grammys. Crosby, who briefly studied drama in college, also made a string of TV appearances in The John Larroquette Show, Roseanne, and The Simpsons, as well as film appearances in Hook and Thunderheart.

Van Conner, the bassist and co-founder of the alternative rock band Screaming Trees, died Jan. 17 at 55. Conner founded Screaming Trees in 1984 with his guitarist brother Gary Lee Conner, vocalist Mark Lanegan, and drummer Mark Pickerel; Barrett Martin replaced Pickerel in 1991. The band released eight studio albums, including Buzz Factory, Sweet Oblivion, Invisible Lantern, and Uncle Anesthesia, and several EPs. Their notable songs included “Nearly Lost You,” “All I Know,” and “Clairvoyance.” After various hiatuses, Screaming Trees released their final album, Last Words: The Final Recordings, in 2011 and went on to pursue solo careers.

Gina Lollobrigida, an actress and postwar international sex symbol once declared the “most beautiful woman in the world,” died Jan. 15 at 95. The Italian film star rose to prominence in post-war cinema ranging from epics like Solomon and Sheba to dramas like Trapeze to outright comedies like Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell and Come September. She was also a gifted artist, photojournalist, and sculptor. She officially retired from acting in 1997, but remained an active public figure, returning to her first loves of painting and sculpting and even making an unsuccessful run for European Parliament in 1999. Her art has been displayed all over the world and she won numerous accolades, including the “Legion of Honor” as “artiste de valeur” from France. Earlier this year, she announced plans to run for Senate. “I was just tired of hearing politicians arguing with each other without ever getting to the point,” Lollobrigida said in August. “Italy is in bad shape, I want to do something good and positive.”

Yoshio Yoda, a Japanese actor and businessman best known for his role on the ’60s TV series McHale’s Navy, died on Jan. 13 in Fullerton, Calif. He was 88. Born in Tokyo, Yoda moved to the United States to pursue an acting career. His fluency in English and Japanese helped him land his first role was in the 1962 war film The Horizon Lieutenant. That led to his role in McHale’s Navy, where he portrayed Japanese prisoner of war Fuji Kobiaji on all 138 episodes.

Al Brown, who played the savvy and menacing Baltimore Police Department commissioner Stan Valchek on HBO’s The Wire, died on Jan. 13 in Las Vegas at 83. Brown came to acting later in life, after serving for 29 years in the Air Force. He began his Hollywood career in the ’90s, with small roles in television (Homicide: Life on the Street, The F.B.I. Files) and movies (12 Monkeys, The Replacement). His breakthrough role came in 2002 with David Simon’s The Wire. As Stanislaus “Stan” Valchek, Brown appeared in all five seasons of the critically adored drama. His character took on a primary role in season 2, which centered on corruption at Baltimore’s shipping docks — and Valchek’s petty feud with dockworker union boss Frank Sobotka (Chris Bauer) over the donation of a stained glass window to a local church. Though Brown’s Valchek was one of many intimidating yet hilarious characters on The Wire, the actor’s comedic timing and brash swagger made Stan Valchek a fan favorite.

C.J. Harris, who made it into the top six on American Idol season 13, died on Jan. 13 in Jasper, Ala., after suffering a medical emergency. Born in Jasper in 1991, Harris was inspired to take up music by his grandfather, who gave him a guitar when he was a child. “He had one in the shed and it had three strings on it,” Harris told The Hollywood Reporter in 2014. “He said I didn’t need to buy a whole new set of strings.” The singer first auditioned for American Idol in 2010, and also tried out unsuccessfully for Fox’s The X-Factor and NBC’s The Voice. Undaunted, Harris returned to audition for Idol again in 2014, where he impressed the judges with his rendition of The Allman Brothers’ “Soul Shine.” After placing sixth on American Idol, Harris performed with other contestants on the show’s live tour, and he played with one of his musical influences, Darius Rucker, at the Grand Ole Opry in 2014. His debut single, “In Love,” was released in 2019.

Daredevil Robbie Knievel, the stunt performer famous for record-breaking motorcycle jumps and the son of Evel Knievel, died on Jan. 13 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 60. During his lifetime, “Kaptain Robbie Knievel” set 20 world records and completed hundreds of dangerous jumps, some paying tribute to the feats of his father. In 1989, Knievel successfully jumped the fountains at Caesars Palace in Vegas, two decades after his dad’s failed attempt. In 1999, Knievel cleared a portion of the Grand Canyon, something his father had dreamed of doing. Throughout his career, he jumped over such imposing obstacles as 30 limos, five military planes, and a moving train, as well as the gap between two 13-story buildings. Knievel also headlined the 2005 A&E reality series Knievel’s Wild Ride.

Lisa Marie Presley, the singer-songwriter and daughter of Elvis Presley, died Jan. 12 following a suspected cardiac arrest. She was 54. The only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie proved she was a musician in her own right by releasing her debut album, To Whom It May Concern, on which she wrote or co-wrote every song. The album reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, and would later go on to be certified gold. Her sophomore album Now What, also debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. She was married four times, to Danny Keough, Michael Jackson, Nicolas Cage, and Michael Lockwood, and had four children, including actress Riley Keough.

Robbie Bachman, the drummer of the legendary ’70s rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive, died Jan. 12 at 69. Born in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1953, Robin “Robbie” Peter Kendall Bachman grew up playing drums in a musical family alongside older brothers Randy and Tim. The trio performed together in the band Brave Belt, which later changed its name to Bachman-Turner Overdrive in 1973. As the co-founder and original drummer of BTO, Robbie’s rollicking drumming can heard on eight of the band’s chart-topping records. He also helped co-write some of their biggest hits — including 1973’s “Hold Back the Water” and 1974’s “Roll On Down the Highway” — and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

Charles Kimbrough, the Tony and Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role as straight-faced anchorman Jim Dial on the hit sitcom Murphy Brown, died Jan. 11 at the age of 86. A veteran stage actor, Kimbrough got his big break in the original production of Stephen Sondheim‘s Company, for which he earned a Tony nomination in 1971. He later appeared in another acclaimed Sondheim musical, 1984’s Sunday in the Park With George, and has also starred in Candide, as well as Same Time, Next Year, Accent on Youth, The Merchant of Venice, and most recently, the 2012 revival of Harvey opposite Jim Parsons. Kimbrough would go on to achieve greater mainstream success for his role as Jim Dial on Murphy Brown, which he starred on throughout its 10-season run between 1988 and 1998. He even reprised the role for a few episodes of the 2018 reboot. His other credits include TV shows  Kojak, All My Children, American Playhouse, Love Boat: The Next Wave and movies The Front, It’s My Turn, and The Good Mother. Kimbrough also did voiceover work for the 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame and shows Recess and Pinky and the Brain.

Ben Masters, who starred as billionaire Julian Crane on the soap opera Passions, died Jan. 11 at 75. The actor also appeared on Broadway and had roles on the big screen in All That Jazz, Key Exchange, Dream Lover, and Making Mr. Right. However, he was best known for playing the cheating billionaire in a whopping 772 episodes of Passions, a role for which he received three Soap Opera Digest Awards nominations. Masters had many other roles on TV over the years, however, including in the miniseries Celebrity and Noble House, and on shows such as Kojak, Petrocelli, Touched by an Angel, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Barnaby Jones, Diagnosis Murder, Sisters, and Pensacola: Wings of Gold.

Carole Cook, the comedic actress who rose to fame with the help and mentorship of Lucille Ball, died Jan. 11. She was three days shy of her 99th birthday. Born Mildred Frances Cook in Abilene, Tex. on Jan. 14, 1924, Cook changed her first name to Carole on the suggestion of Ball, after Carole Lombard. Ball, after reading a review of Cook’s performance in Annie Get Your Gun, invited the young actress to audition for her Desilu Workshop. After signing with Ball’s production company, Cook even lived with the legendary comedian after her divorce from Desi Arnaz. Cook went on to appear in a number of films and TV shows, working with Ball on The Lucy Show and Here Comes Lucy, playing Don Knotts’ wife in The Incredible Mr. Limpet, and notching memorable roles in American Gigolo and Sixteen Candles. A prolific guest actress, she made appearances on everything from That Girl and Maude, to Charlie’s Angels and Kojak, Starsky & Hutch and Laverne & Shirley, to Dynasty and, of course, The Love Boat. In 2018, Cook was the subject of some unintended controversy when she suggested the best way to deal with then-President Donald Trump was assassination, asking, “Where’s John Wilkes Booth when you need him?” As a result, Cook was paid a visit by the Secret Service, whom she said “couldn’t have been nicer.” Of the incident she quipped, “I said, ‘I can’t go to prison, the stripes are horizontal, they don’t look good on me.'”

Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck died on Jan. 10 at 78 after contracting bacterial meningitis. Once named one of the five greatest guitarists ever by Rolling Stone, Beck’s influence was immense. He is widely credited with expanding the possibilities of blues music and popularized the use of audio feedback and distortion, influencing the sound of heavy metal. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once as a member of the Yardbirds and again for his work with the Jeff Beck group. Beck won eight Grammy Awards over the course of his career, the first being Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1986 for “Escape” from the album Flash. In recent years, the rocker had collaborated with embattled actor Johnny Depp. The duo released a cover of John Lennon’s “Isolation” in 2020, playing off the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Depp joined Beck on stage in the U.K. in June 2022 after his victory in the defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. The pair’s collaborative album, 18, was released in July 2022.

Supermodel Tatjana Patitz died on Jan. 11 at 56. Considered one of the original supermodels, the Germany-born beauty modeled for the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Chanel, and Donna Karan, among others, and appeared on the cover of Vogue six different times. She also famously appeared in George Michael’s “Freedom ’90” music video alongside Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington. Her cause of death was not made public.

Melinda Dillon, best known as harried and loving Mrs. Parker, in 1983’s A Christmas Story, died Jan. 9. She was 83. Though she is most recognizable for her role in the holiday classic, Dillon had a long career and was twice Oscar-nominated, for her turn as a single mom in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and as a sheltered Catholic woman in Absence of Malice. Dillon also earned a Tony nomination for her Broadway debut as Honey in the original 1962 production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Other notable roles include turns in Magnolia, Bound for Glory, Slap Shot, Harry and the Hendersons, and The Prince Of Tides.

Adam Rich, the former child star who played Nicholas Bradford on the sitcom Eight Is Enough, died Jan. 7 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 54. A cause of death was not made public. In addition to the family sitcom, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981, Rich also appeared on several shows and TV movies throughout much of the late 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s, including CHiPs, Fantasy Island, Small Wonder, Dungeons & Dragons, Code Red, and Baywatch. He briefly returned to acting in 2003 to play himself in the comedy film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. He also reprised his role as the youngest Bradford son in the TV movies Eight Is Enough: A Family Reunion and An Eight Is Enough Wedding.

Earl Boen, a prolific character and voice actor best known as Dr. Peter Silberman in the Terminator films, died Jan. 5 in Hawaii. He was 81. Boen flexed his acting skills in over 250 different films, television series, and video games throughout his decades-long career in entertainment. He is widely recognized for his performance as the dreaded Dr. Silberman in 1984’s Terminator — a role which he reprised in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and via archival footage in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate.

Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White died Jan. 1 at 67. White joined Earth, Wind & Fire as a teenager in 1974, helping them score their first Billboard No. 1 song with “Shining Star,” and providing beats for their other hits like “September” and “Let’s Groove.” His brother, Verdine White, a founding member of the group, announced the death on New Year’s Day, saying he joins their late bandmate siblings, Maurice, Monte, and Ronald. “Child protégé, member of the EWF ORIGINAL 9, with gold records at the young age of 16 years old!” Verdine wrote on Instagram. “He was brother number 4 in the family lineup. But more than that at home and beyond he was the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous!”

Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, better known as the rapper Gangsta Boo, was found dead Jan. 1, though no cause of death was determined. She was 43. The Memphis native was a member of Three 6 Mafia and released six albums with them before leaving the group in 2001. She also released three solo albums and a number of mixtapes, in addition to regularly making guest appearances on other artists’ tracks.

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