JC Olivera/WireImage; C Flanigan/WireImage; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Michael Madsen
Miramax/courtesy Everett
Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his collaborations with Quentin Tarantino, died July 3 at age 67 from cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles. Madsen was best known for his chilling turn as the psychopathic Vic Vega, also known as Mr. Blonde, in Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. He later went toe-to-toe with Uma Thurman’s Bride in Kill Bill Volume 2, portraying the assassin Sidewinder. Madsen also worked with Tarantino in small roles in The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His massive filmography also included projects like Thelma & Louise, the James Bond film Die Another Day, The Doors, Sin City, The Natural, Donnie Brasco, Free Willy, Species, Mulholland Falls, and Scary Movie 4. He later appeared on TV shows like 24, Powers, The Mob Doctor, Celebrity Big Brother, and Golden Boy. Madsen is survived by his sons Christian, Max, Calvin, and Luke.
Jimmy Swaggart
Cynthia Johnson/Getty
Jimmy Swaggart, the reverend who rose to prominence during the golden age of televangelism in the 1980s before a prostitution scandal rocked his evangelical empire, died July 1 at the age of 90. One of the most well-known Pentecostal televangelists in America, his ministry reached up to 2 million households and raised $150 million a year in revenue before his fall from grace in the late ‘80s, after he was photographed with a prostitute at a motel. In an infamous broadcast, he conceded that he had “sinned.” He remained in the pulpit after the scandal, launching his own network, SonLife Broadcasting, in 2010. He was also a gospel music artist, having recorded more than 200 gospel albums. The cousin of the late rock n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and country singer Mickey Gilley, Swaggart was recently inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame Class of 2025 the month before his death.
Kenneth Colley
LUCASFILM
Kenneth Colley, the British actor known for his role as Admiral Piett in the original Star Wars trilogy, died on Monday, June 30. He was 87. Colley’s agent, Julian Owens, confirmed the actor’s death to Entertainment Weekly, sharing that he died peacefully at his home with friends at his bedside in Ashford, Kent, after being admitted to a hospital with an injured arm and quickly contracting Covid, which developed into pneumonia. While Colley is known for his role as Admiral Piett — which he reprised in the 2012 animated film Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out — he’s earned an eclectic array of credits, including roles in Clint Eastwood’s Firefox, Aki Kaurismäki’s I Hired a Contract Killer, Ken Russell’s The Rainbow, and the Second World War series War and Remembrance.
He also notably played Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and Michael Palin.
Maureen Hingert
ANL/Shutterstock
Maureen Hingert, the Sri Lankan actress and former Miss Universe runner-up contestant who starred in films such as The King and I and Gun Fever, died of liver failure on June 29. She was 88. Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka (then known as Ceylon), in 1937, Hingert was just 18 years old when she was crowned the winner of the Miss Ceylon beauty pageant in 1955. She would go on to represent her home country at the televised Miss Universe competition in Long Beach, Calif., that same year, where she was the 2nd runner-up. Competing in Miss Universe earned Hingert a contract with Universal and an uncredited role in the 1956 Western, Pillars of the Sky. She would star in several more projects — including the Academy award-winning musical adaptation of The King and I — before landing her first credit in the 1957 sitcom, The Adventures of Hiram Holliday. Under the name Jana Davi, Hingert starred in a series of Westerns including The Rawhide Trail and Gunmen from Laredo before retiring from acting in the early 1960s.
Rick Hurst
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Rick Hurst, the actor known for playing Deputy Cletus Hogg on The Dukes of Hazzard, died on June 26 at age 79. His Dukes costar announced his death with a heartfelt tribute on the Facebook page of the show’s museum, Cooter’s Place in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Hurst was born Jan. 1, 1946 in Houston, Texas. The actor had some success early in his acting career, with roles on TV series such as Sanford and Son, The Partridge Family, Gunsmoke, Happy Days, Little House on the Prairie, and M*A*S*H throughout the ’70s. But it was landing the part of Boss Hogg’s cousin on The Dukes of Hazzard that made Hurst a household name. He appeared in 55 episodes of the CBS series from 1979 to 1982, and reprised his role for two Dukes TV films in 1997 and 2000. Hurst also appeared in shows like Murder She Wrote, 227, The Wonder Years, Family Matters, and Melrose Place. He starred in movies such as Earth Girls Are Easy (1988), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), Steel Magnolias (1989), and Anywhere But Here (1999). His last onscreen appearance was on a TV short titled B My Guest in 2016. Hurst is survived by his two sons, Ryan Hurst, an actor who appeared on Sons of Anarchy throughout its run, and Collin Hurst.
Kylie Page
Kylie Page/Facebook
Kylie Page, an adult film star, died on June 25 at the age of 28. Born in Tulsa in 1997, Page became known for the over 200 erotic films and scenes she made with outfits like Vixen Media Group and Brazzers. She was remembered by the latter company “for her laughter, kindness and bringing light wherever she went,” and by childhood friend Micquelle Riley as “unbelievably precious and special and interesting and smart and beautiful.”
Bobby Sherman
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Bobby Sherman, the pop singer and actor who rose to fame as a teen heartthrob in the 1960s, died at 81, his wife announced June 24. Sherman began his career as a singer on such shows as Hollywood a Go Go and Shindig! before landing his breakout role as the shy logger Jeremy Bolt on the comedy western series Here Come the Brides. He also embarked on a music career during that launched his teen idol status, recording more than 100 songs, including such chart hits as “Little Woman,” “Easy Come, Easy Go,” “La La La,” and “Julie, Do Ya Love Me.” He continued to act, appearing on such shows as The Partridge Family and its short-lived spinoff Getting Together; The Love Boat; Murder, She Wrote; and Sanchez of Bel Air. A guest appearance on an episode of Emergency! inspired a different career path for Sherman in the ’90s, as a paramedic and medical training officer in his native L.A. He left the entertainment industry during that time, becoming a technical reserve police officer with the LAPD. He would also serve as deputy sheriff with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, retiring in 2010.
Rebekah Del Rio
Universal PIctures
Rebekah Del Rio, the singer-songwriter who performed a defining Spanish-language cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” in David Lynch’s 2001 classic Mulholland Drive, died June 23 in Los Angeles. She was 57. Del Rio met the late Lynch through their mutual agent Brian Loucks, who brought “Llorando,” Del Rio’s cover of the Orbison song, to the auteur’s attention. Her performance is featured in the seminal Club Silencio scene in the surrealist noir starring Naomi Watts and Laura Harring, reducing the women to tears before she faints on stage. She would reunite with the filmmaker on Twin Peaks: The Return, performing alongside Moby in an episode. Del Rio also lent her voice to the Sin City, Southland Tales, Streets of Legend, and Man on Fire soundtracks. She released albums Nobody’s Angel, All My Life, and Love Hurts Love Heals.
Mick Ralphs
Fin Costello/Redferns
Mick Ralphs, who co-founded the influential rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, died at 81, according to an announcement June 23. Bad Company, the British rockers who pumped out hits in the ’70s including “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Can’t Get Enough,” are one of the 13 acts selected for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2025 class, which will be inducted in November. Ralphs’ bandmate Paul Rodgers said in a statement, “Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground. He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour. Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won’t be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter.” Ralphs is survived by “the love of his life,” Susie Chavasse, his two children, and three stepchildren.
Joe Marinelli
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Actor Joe Marinelli, who was best known for his work on General Hospital, Santa Barbara, and The Morning Show, died, his agent Julie Smith told Entertainment Weekly. He was 68. Martinelli’s wife of three decades, musician Jean Martinelli, told The Hollywood Reporter that his June 22 death followed a struggle with stomach cancer. Beginning in 1984, Marinelli was a guest star on popular shows including The West Wing, ER, L.A. Law, House, The King of Queens, and Desperate Housewives. He appeared on Santa Barbara, on which he portrayed cross-dressing gangster Bunny Tagliatti, between 1988 and 1990, and then played the character of Joseph Sorel on General Hospital a decade later. Marinelli was show director Donny Spagnoli on The Morning Show. The late actor’s friend and colleague, Leigh J. McCloskey, shared a tribute on Facebook, in which he referred to Marinelli as “a great acting partner, teacher, philosophical friend, passionate believer in people, and a storyteller extraordinaire that with laughter and depth revealed the human spirit so beautifully and in so many different ways.”
Lynn Hamilton
ABC via Getty
Lynn Hamilton, a renowned actress who starred on The Waltons, died on June 19 at 95. Born Alzenia ‘Lynn’ Hamilton in Yazoo City, Miss., on April 25, 1930, Hamilton began her career in Chicago’s community theater scene. At 29, she made her Broadway debut in 1959’s Only in America and went on to appear in numerous Broadway and Off Broadway productions, while also taking her talents to the small screen with roles on the television series Gunsmoke and Room 222. One of her most memorable roles was as Donna Harris on NBC’s Sanford and Son. She also starred as Miss Verdie on The Waltons, Vivian Potter on the daytime drama Generations, ex-con Cissie Johnson on the 1991 nighttime soap Dangerous Women, and Georgia Anderson in Roots: The Next Generation. Her additional TV credits include roles on 227, The Golden Girls, NYPD Blue, Cold Case, and Judging Amy.
Dave Scott
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Dave Scott, the choreographer for films such as You Got Served and Step Up 2: The Streets, and shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars, died on June 16. He was 52. Scott formed teen R&B group B2K in 2012, and was the choreographer and co-creator of teen R&B group Mindless Behavior and in 2012, co-choreographed the Ubisoft video game The Hip Hop Dance Experience with Laurieann Gibson and b-boy David “Kid David” Shreibman. He choreographed for various films, including You Got Served (2004), Step Up 2 (2008), Stomp the Yard (2007), Dance Flick (2009), House Party 4 (2001), Coach Carter (2005), and the 2013 film Battle of the Year: The Dream Team based on the 2007 documentary Planet B-Boy. Scott was also behind several TV productions, working as a guest choreographer on The Wade Robson Project in 2003, a guest choreographer on Step It Up and Dance in 2008, and on season 7 of Dancing With the Stars. He was also the recurring hip-hop choreographer from season 3 on of So You Think You Can Dance.
Anne Burrell
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Anne Burrell, the celebrity chef best known for hosting Worst Cooks in America on Food Network, died June 17 at age 55. Born in Cazenovia, N.Y., in 1969, Burrell studied at the Culinary Institute of America and Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Asti, Italy, in the 1990s. She made her TV debut as Mario Batali’s sous chef on Iron Chef America in 2005. She then headlined the Food Network series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef beginning in 2008. The series ultimately ran for nine seasons. She starred on Worst Cooks in America from 2010 to 2024 across 27 seasons, mentoring a new team of inexperienced cooks through culinary boot camp every season. She also appeared on other Food Network shows like Beat Bobby Flay, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and The Next Iron Chef.
Kim Woodburn
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Kim Woodburn, the British TV personality who fronted How Clean Is Your House? and competed on Celebrity Big Brother, died June 16 at age 83. Woodburn’s manager told Entertainment Weekly in a statement that she died following a “short illness,” while her husband, Peter, confirmed the news on social media.
David Hekili Kenui Bell
Disney
David Hekili Kenui Bell, who appeared in the live-action version of Lilo & Stitch, died June 12, weeks after the May 23 release of the blockbuster, his sister announced in a post on Facebook. Bell also acted in the reboots of Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I. He had been set to appear in the upcoming project The Wrecking Crew, with Jason Momoa and Morena Baccarin, according to IMDb. His sister noted that his voice plays at Kona International Airport, a role he particularly enjoyed. “He was and will remain a bright and shining star,” Jalene Kanani Bell wrote.
Ananda Lewis
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Ananda Lewis, known for hosting BET’s Teen Summit and, in the late ʼ90s, MTV shows such as Total Request Live, died June 11, her sister announced. Lewis, who was 52, had gone on to host her own talk show and to publicly share her struggle with breast cancer. The former VJ said in 2020 that she regretted having avoided mammograms and hoped to keep others from doing so. “I need you to get your mammograms,” she advised her followers. Following her death, MTV gave a statement: “We’re saddened to learn of the passing of beloved MTV VJ, Ananda Lewis. Through her on-air hosting and interviews, Ananda helped raise a generation of music fans. Our thoughts are with her family & loved ones.” In its own statement, BET noted that after leaving the network, “Ananda continued to soar in her career leaving an imprint that was and continues to be felt by many.”
Brian Wilson
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Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys songwriter who penned hits like “Good Vibrations” and “God Only Knows,” died at age 82, his family announced June 11. A cause of death was not immediately available. Born in 1942 in Inglewood, Calif., Wilson formed the band that became the Beach Boys in 1961 alongside his brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson, his cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Wilson served as the band’s primary songwriter and bassist, and wrote increasingly complex songs and experimented with studio production techniques throughout the 1960s. His experimentation culminated with 1966’s Pet Sounds, which boasted songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and is widely considered one of the greatest pop albums ever recorded. Wilson’s intensifying mental health struggles yielded inconsistent contributions to the Beach Boys’ subsequent albums in the 1970s and ’80s. He released his first solo album, Brian Wilson, in 1988, and eventually completed a new version of the long-abandoned Beach Boys album Smile in 2004. He continued recording and performing live through the 2020s, ultimately recording 12 solo albums and contributing (in various capacities) to 28 of the Beach Boys’ 29 studio albums.
Terry Louise Fisher
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Terry Louise Fisher, who co-created ‘80s TV hit L.A. Law and wrote for the same era’s Cagney & Lacey, died in her sleep June 10 in Laguna Hills, Calif., her cousin, Sharon Rosen told Variety. She was 79. A cause of death was not given, although Rosen said Fisher suffered from a long illness. She and Steven Bochco’s legal drama ran from 1986 to 1994. She also wrote and produced Cagney & Lacey, the ‘80s drama about two female police detectives, from 1983 to 1985. She won three Emmys: Outstanding Drama Series for Cagney & Lacey in 1985 and both Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series for L.A. Law in 1987. Before her TV career, Fisher had worked in entertainment law. She also authored two books in the 1970s.
Harris Yulin
Moviestore/Shutterstock
Harris Yulin, the prolific character known for such films and TV shows as Scarface and Ghostbusters II died June 10, at 87. In a career spanning six decades, he played more than 100 roles on stage and screen Born in Los Angeles, Yulin landed his first screen role in the 1970 satire End of the Road, starring alongside James Earl Jones and Stacy Keach. He later made his Broadway debut in 1980’s Watch on the Rhine. One of the actor’s most memorable roles came in 1983, when he played corrupt police officer Mel Bernstein in Brian De Palma’s classic gangster movie Scarface. His additional film credits included Clear and Present Danger, Looking for Richard, Bean, and Training Day. Yulin also had a string of memorable television appearances, on shows including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Frasier, 24, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Entourage. More recently, he played Buddy Dieker, the terminal housemate and eventual friend of the Byrde family on the Netflix crime drama Ozark.
Sly Stone
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Sly Stone, the legendary singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who led his band the Family Stone to make an indelible mark on music history, died June 9 at 82 after battling COPD and other health issues. Born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas, Stone was raised in the Bay Area of California, where he embraced music from a young age, learning to play the keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums by 11. He also performed gospel music with his siblings (and future bandmates), Freddie and Rose. They would form Sly and the Family Stone in 1966, a groundbreaking group that produced music on the cusp of funk, soul, R&B, and psychedelic rock. They fused genres and pioneered a sound that would lay track for funk and soul music throughout the ’70s and ’80s. Though their 1967 debut album, A Whole New Thing, failed to make a mark, their experimental sound started turning heads the following year with their first hit single, “Dance to the Music.” The dance floor stomper was the first in a string of acclaimed singles, including, “Everyday People,” “Stand!,” “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” “I Want to Take You Higher,” and “Family Affair.” The group went on to triumph at Woodstock in 1969 before breaking up in 1975.
Chris Robinson
ABC /Courtesy Everett
Chris Robinson, beloved soap star and renown TV doctor, died June 9 on his ranch near Sedona, Ariz. He was 86. Robinson got his start with an uncredited role in the 1957 Tony Curtis-starring flick The Midnight Story. He went on making guest appearances on series such as Colt. 45, Hennesey, The Donna Reed Show, Wagon Train and The Fugitive, before scoring a series-regular role on the 1960s ABC war drama, 12 O’Clock High. In 1976, he was thrust into the daytime soap opera world with his General Hospital debut as Dr. Rick Webber, the two-time husband of Denise Alexander’s Lesley and adoptive father of Genie Francis’ Laura Collins. Robinson was a series regular on GH for 10 years and briefly returned in 2002, as well as playing Jack Hamilton on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful from 1992-2002, with a final appearance in 2005. The actor became so known for his various roles as TV doctors that he was tapped as the official pitchman for Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup during the mid ’80s. His infamous commercial line, in which Robinson reminds viewers “I’m not a doctor, but I do play one on TV,” quickly became a national catchphrase and the perfect statement for anyone looking to mockingly state the obvious.
Peter-Henry Schroeder
Lifetime
Peter-Henry Schroeder, a character actor known for playing a Klingon chancellor on Star Trek: Enterprise and a film producer in the Oscar-winning movie Argo, died June 7 at 90. Born in Syracuse, N.Y., Schroeder served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where he became a respected actor, director, producer, and recording artist. Early in his career, he found success at Capital Records and Ascot, releasing the singles “Where’s the Girl for Me” (1960) and “Memories of Marilyn” (1964). He launched his own production company, PHS Productions; was a guest teacher at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; and established the Actor/Artist Group Workshop, mentoring “hundreds of actors [and] continuing his legacy behind the scenes as a passionate teacher of the craft,” per an obituary posted to his website. Schroeder’s survivors include daughter Valerie Lynn Schroeder, son Peter Henry Schroeder II, and two grandsons.
Wayne Lewis
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Wayne Lewis, a founding member of the R&B group Atlantic Starr, died June 5 at 68. Lewis spent several decades as the vocalist and keyboardist of Atlantic Starr, the band he co-founded in 1976 alongside drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer, percussionist-flutist Joseph Phillips, and Lewis’ brothers David (vocals, guitar) and Jonathan (keyboard, trombone). Throughout the late ’70s through early ’90s, Atlantic Starr scored several hits on the R&B charts, including “Circles,” “Always,” and “Masterpiece.”
Arthur Hamilton
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Arthur Hamilton, the Oscar-nominated songwriter behind the classic hit “Cry Me a River,” died June 4 at 98. The prolific composer and lyricist originally penned the bluesy ballad for Ella Fitzgerald to sing in the 1950s-set film Pete Kelly’s Blues, but the recording didn’t make it off the cutting room floor. Julie London would go on to use the song for her 1955 debut album, and it soared to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Cry Me a River” has also been recorded by Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Susan Boyle, Michael Bublé, Björk, and Aerosmith, among many others. Hamilton would go on to be nominated for an Oscar, two Emmys, and a Golden Globe throughout his career.
Edmund White
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Edmund White, a pioneer of queer literature who broke ground with his semi-autobiographical novels chronicling gay life and the gay revolution, died of natural causes on June 3 at his home in Manhattan. He was 85. Born in Cincinnati in 1940, White made a major mark in the publishing world, writing honestly about the queer experience and chronicling the evolution of a community no longer afraid to declare and celebrate its existence. He wrote more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books, including notable novels like A Boy’s Own Story and The Married Man, which drew from his life, and Fanny: A Fiction, a historical novel about the author Frances Trollope and social reformer Frances Wright. Several of his works were best-sellers. The Chicago Tribune once called him “the godfather of queer lit.” He was the recipient of Lambda Literary’s 2018 Visionary Award, the National Book Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, and the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction in 2018. White is survived by his husband, Michael Carroll, whom he married in 2013, and his older sister, Margaret Fleming.
John Brenkus
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John Brenkus, the creator and host of the Emmy-winning TV series Sport Science, died May 31 at 54 after “battling depression,” according to a statement issued by his production company. Born in Washington, D.C., Brenkus attended the University of Virginia and originally aspired to be a film director. He launched Sport Science on Fox Sports Network in 2007, and the show moved to ESPN into the 2010s. The series won six Sports Emmys, following Brenkus as he uncovered “sports’ biggest myths and mysteries by using cutting-edge technology to measure momentum, friction and the laws of gravity,” according to an ESPN synopsis. Sport Science segments demonstrated sports through scientific principles and concepts, and science through sports, such as showing how golfers were able to drive balls such great distances and explaining the physics of Wiffle balls.
Jonathan Joss
Derek Storm/Everett
Jonathan Joss, the actor best known for voicing John Redcorn on King of the Hill and for starring as Chief Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation, died June 1 after being shot in San Antonio. He was 59. Born in 1965, Joss got his start appearing in several Westerns — including the 1994 rodeo biopic 8 Seconds alongside Luke Perry and Stephen Baldwin — before landing his beloved role as John Redcorn on King of the Hill in 1997. He would go on to provide the voice for the kindhearted character across the animated series’ entire 13-season run, until 2010. Joss’ other credits included films such as the 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven and True Grit, and television shows like Ray Donovan; Tulsa King; and Walker, Texas Ranger.
Valerie Mahaffey
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Valerie Mahaffey, the Emmy-winning star of Northern Exposure and Young Sheldon, died at the age of 71 on May 31 after a battle with cancer. Born in Indonesia in 1953 to a Canadian mother and an American father, Mahaffey’s six-decade career in Hollywood earned her enduring acclaim for roles like Eve, the wealthy hypochondriac on Northern Exposure (which won Mahaffey an Emmy in 1992), Alma Hodge, Orson’s (Kyle MacLachlan) unhinged first wife on Desperate Housewives, and Victoria MacElroy, the titular character’s English teacher on Young Sheldon. Mahaffey also turned in memorable appearances in series like The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, and Cheers, and films like Sully, Seabiscuit, and two Perry Mason made-for-TV movies. Mahaffey earned acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for one of her final big-screen performances, as Madame Reynard in the Michelle Pfeiffer indie drama French Exit.
Renée Victor
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Renée Victor, who provided the voice of Abuelita Elena in Pixar’s Coco, died of lymphoma on May 30 at 86. Born in San Antoni, on July 25, 1938, Victor began her career on the stage, singing and dancing professionally across Europe, Latin America, and the South Pacific. In addition to working with such musicians as Xavier Cugat and Perez Prado, Victor performed with her husband under the banner, Ray and Renée, which earned them the nickname, “the Latin Sonny & Cher.” She pivoted to television in the ’70s, landing roles in Masquerade, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and Matlock, The Tony Danza Show, and ER. In 2005, she joined the cast of Weeds as Lupita, the housekeeper to Mary-Louise Parker’s Nancy Botwin. From there, Victor appeared on several shows, including Gentefied, All Rise, Snowpiercer, Dead to Me, Mayans M.C., and A Million Little Things. In 2017, Victor provided the voice of the stern and protective Abuelita Elena in Pixar’s Coco, a film that garnered two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. The film notably featured an all-Latin cast. Victor is survived by her two daughters, Raquel and Margo.
Loretta Swit
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Loretta Swit, the actress who played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on M*A*S*H, died at 87 on May 30. The TV and stage star gained fame from playing the voluptuous head nurse in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit on the long-running CBS comedy, winning two Emmys for the role. Her early TV work included roles on Ironside, Love, American Style, and Hawaii Five-0. She even originated the role of Det. Christine Cagney in the TV movie Cagney & Lacey, before Sharon Gless went on to assume the part in the series spinoff.
Devin Harjes
Bobby Bank/WireImage
Devin Harjes, an actor on series like Boardwalk Empire, Daredevil, and Gotham, died at 41 on May 27. A native of Lubbock, Tex., Harjes moved to New York City after finding his passion for acting in the Dallas-Fort Worth arts scene. He starred in off-Broadway productions like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and small independent films like Boyz of Summer before launching a TV career with a memorable two-episode stint on Boardwalk Empire as the boxer Jack Dempsey. Further roles on series like Orange is the New Black and Blue Bloods led to a substantial role as Pete Baylor on seasons 2 and 3 of the Netflix supernatural drama Manifest.
Peter Kwong
Peter Kwong, the actor best known for his role as Rain, one of the Three Storms in the 1986 cult classic Big Trouble in Little China, died in his sleep overnight May 27, his agent confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. He was 73. The martial artist earned his first professional acting credits in the ’70s, with TV series such as Wonder Woman and Little House on the Prairie, then went on to appear in Dynasty, 227, Miami Vice, and Full House. His ‘80s work also included The Golden Child, alongside Eddie Murphy, and 1989 action-drama Gleaming the Cube. Over the following decades, Kwong was on shows such as General Hospital, My Wife and Kids, and JAG. He made one of his final appearances on a 2020 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Along the way, he served in leadership roles for organizations such as SAG and the Television Academy.
Michael Sumler
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Michael Sumler, Kool & the Gang’s resident hype man known as “Chicago Mike,” died May 25 in a car accident in Mableton, Ga. He was 71. Sumler spent more than three decades with the legendary R&B and funk group, whipping up audiences and acting as a stylist and choreographer. He was immortalized in 2024 when the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sumler was mourned on social media by Mableton Mayor Michael Owens and Con Funk Shun, the funk group he played with the night of his death. “We had no idea that Sunday night’s Love’s Train would be your last ride,” the group said. “Rest in heavenly peace.”
Ed Gale
Albert L. Ortega/Getty
Ed Gale, who provided the physical performance behind the killer doll Chucky in the Child’s Play movies, died May 27 at 61. Born in Plainwell, Mich., Gale moved to Los Angeles to become an actor and ultimately accrued more than 130 credits in movies, TV shows, and commercials. He made his film debut in 1986, suiting up as one of several performers portraying the title character in Howard the Duck. (Chip Zien voiced Howard.) Gale next donned a devilish doll suit as Chucky in Child’s Play. While Brad Dourif voiced the iconic horror character, a toy possessed with the soul of a serial killer, Gale physically portrayed the character in the original film and sequels Child’s Play 2 and Bride of Chucky. His other screen credits included Spaceballs, Baywatch, 3rd Rock From the Sun, My Name Is Earl, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, and Friday the 13th: The Series.
Presley Chweneyagae
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Presley Chweneyagae, the South African actor who rose to international fame with his role in the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, died May 27 at 40. Born Oct. 19, 1984, in Mafikeng, Chweneyagae worked in theater, television, and film for three decades. As a young actor, he catapulted to stardom at 21 with his breakthrough role in Tsotsi, a crime drama directed by Gavin Hood. The film about a hardened criminal who begins caring for an infant was widely praised, earning a Golden Globe nomination and winning the 2006 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It marked the first South African film to win the award. Chweneyagae went on to feature in a number of screen projects, including Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, More Than Just a Game, State of Violence, and Africa United.
Rick Derringer
Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty
Rick Derringer, the influential guitarist, McCoys frontman, and Grammy-winning producer for Weird Al Yankovic, died May 26 at 77. The son of an Ohio railroad foreman, Derringer grew to become one of the most pioneering guitarists and successful musicians of his generation, spawning the chart-topping hit “Hang On Sloopy” with his band the McCoys before he’d even turned 18. “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,” the lead single from his 1973 debut, All American Boy, has endured generation after generation, showing up on the soundtracks for 1993’s Dazed and Confused soundtrack and the fourth season of Stranger Things in 2022. He later collaborated with musicians and musical acts like Cyndi Lauper, Steely Dan, Barbra Streisand, and Weird Al Yankovic, the latter earning him two Grammys across their six-album collaboration.
Phil Robertson
Karolina Wojtasik/A&E
Phil Robertson, the outdoorsman, entrepreneur, and star of the reality series Duck Dynasty, died May 25 at 79. Robertson founded Duck Commander, a company dedicated to making duck calls and other duck-hunting paraphernalia in 1973. He grew it into a multi-million dollar business, which then became the focus of the A&E reality show Duck Dynasty. The series, which ran from 2012 to 2017, chronicled the lives of Robertson and his family and the day-to-day of their business. Robertson courted controversy multiple times during his career, most notably in 2013 when he was temporarily suspended from the show over remarks he made about homosexuality in an interview. No cause of death was given for Robertson, but he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2024. His son, Willie, is set to be the star of Duck Dynasty: The Revival, a new iteration of the reality show.
Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina
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Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, the Algerian director whose 1975 drama Chronicles of the Years of Fire marked the first African entry to win the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, died May 23 at 91. Lakhdar-Hamina’s film screened again at the festival this year as part of the Cannes Classics programming, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its win. The acclaimed film retells the Algerian war of independence through the eyes of a peasant farmer, exploring the roots and evolution of the liberation movement under harsh French colonial rule. The filmmaker competed for the Palme d’Or four times, with films including The Winds of the Aures, Sandstorm, and Last Image.
James Lowe
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James Lowe, the musician and record producer best known as the frontman of psychedelic rock band the Electric Prunes, died peacefully of natural causes on May 22. He was 82. Formed in Los Angeles in 1965, the band released such hits as “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” and “Get Me to the World on Time.” Lowe would go on to work as an engineer and producer after the group first disbanded in the ’70s, collaborating with the likes of Todd Rundgren and pop duo Sparks. He reunited with his Electric Prunes bandmates Mark Tulin, Ken Williams, and Michael Weakley in the late ‘90s after the band went through several lineup changes, and continued to perform with the group until the end of his life, including at a 2023 Los Angeles tribute show in honor of the legendary Nuggets compilation album featuring psychedelic and garage rock singles of the ’60s. Lowe is survived by his wife of six decades and their three children.
George Wendt
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George Wendt, the prolific TV star who appeared on all 11 seasons of the beloved sitcom Cheers, died May 20 at the age of 76. Born in Chicago in 1948, Wendt got his start at the famed Second City comedy theater, where he met Bernadette Birkett, his future wife and the mother of their three children, Hilary, Joe, and Daniel. After several small roles in films like Clint Eastwood’s Bronco Billy and guest spots on series like Taxi and M*A*S*H, Wendt landed the role that would transform him into an enduring star. Wendt appeared as the lovably coarse barfly Norm Peterson on each of Cheers‘ 275 episodes, picking up six consecutive Emmy nominations from 1984 to 1989. Wendt would reprise and lampoon his iconic character for years to come after Cheers wrapped, on series like Wings, St. Elsewhere, and The Simpsons. He is survived by his wife, children, and nephew and fellow actor Jason Sudeikis.
Ben Rathbun
Ben Rathbun, who appeared on the TLC reality series 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, died May 19 at 55. Rathbun and wife Mahogany Roca starred together in season 5 of the show, from December 2021 to April 2022. The reality series is a prequel to TLC’s hit 90 Day Fiancé, which follows couples who unite in the U.S. under a special visa. Before the 90 Days tells of how these couples first got to know each other. Rathbun and Roca revealed that they’d tied the knot during an episode of 90 Day Diaries in February 2024. In addition to Roca, Rathbun’s survivors include his four children with ex-wife Lisa Perry Rathbun.
Latonya Pottain
TLC
Latonya Pottain, who appeared on a 2023 episode of TLC’s My 600-lb Life, died May 17, in Shreveport, La., the nearby Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. She was 40. The preliminary cause of death was officially noted as “acute on chronic congestive heart failure,” but the investigation was not yet complete. Pottain had said after the show aired that she was working with a trainer and attempting to lose enough weight to undergo weight loss surgery, but she was later the subject of a GoFundMe campaign after health struggles had caused her to gain more weight.
Roger Nichols
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Roger Nichols, the songwriter who teamed up with partner Paul Williams to pen one of the Carpenters’ most enduring hits, “We’ve Only Just Begun,” died May 17 at 84. Nichols was best known for his collaborations with Williams, his longtime writing partner who penned lyrics while Nichols focused on the music. Together, they conjured such hits as Three Dog Night’s “Out in the Country” (1970); Art Garfunkel’s “Traveling Boy”; and “I Never Had It So Good,” recorded by Barbra Streisand in 1975. For the Carpenters, they also wrote “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.”
Michael McStay
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Michael McStay, the British actor known for roles in Doctor Who and Coronation Street died on May 11 at 92. A prolific actor across several decades, McStay found early fame as Sergeant Perryman on the ITV detective series No Hiding Place. After appearing in over 80 episodes of the British drama, McStay went on to appear in such films as Peter Yates’ 1967 thriller Robbery and 1977’s The Stick Up. His TV credits include episodes of The Black Arrow, Park Ranger, Spy at Evening, EastEnders, and Ted and Alice. McStay memorably featured in two episodes of BBC’s Doctor Who as Derek Moberley in 1976. Though he only had a brief role as the ill-fated zoologist, McStay spoke fondly of being embraced by the fandom as recently as May 2024. McStay made his final onscreen appearance as Alan Hoyle in the ITV soap Coronation Street, a role he took over from actor John Woodvine when the character returned in 2011.
Sabu
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Terrance Brunk, an American professional wrestler better known by his wrestling moniker Sabu, died May 11 at 60. Sabu started his wrestling career learning from his uncle, Ed “The Sheik” Farhat. But he broke out with success of his own in the 1990s, during his time with ECW, where, according to ESPN, he “combined high-flying antics with ultraviolent matches that featured barbed wire, chairs, tables and more.” Accolades include being named a two-time ECW champion, ECW tag team champion, and ECW world television champion. Sabu also had stints in New Japan Pro Wrestling, WCW, and TNA, as well as a brief stint in WWE in the aughts. He also memorably performed at WrestleMania 23 in 2007. Just weeks before his death, Sabu competed in a WrestleMania retirement match against Joey Janela. Memorable wrestling feuds included those with Rob Van Dam and Taz.
Morris the alligator
Universal/ Everett
Morris, an alligator actor with a prolific filmography who wrestled Adam Sandler in a memorable scene in Happy Gilmore, died on May 11 of natural causes. He was 80-100 years old. Embarking on his big Hollywood career in 1975, Morris appeared in films like Interview with the Vampire, Dr. Doolittle 2, and Blues Brothers 2000 before retiring to the Colorado Gator Farm in 2006. The Farm noted in its announcement of Morris’ death, “While we knew this was inevitable, we are very saddened by his passing to old age.” Sandler shared a tribute of his own to social media days later, quipping, “Goodbye, Morris. We are all gonna miss you. You could be hard on directors, make-up artists, costumers — really anyone with arms or legs — but I know you did it for the ultimate good of the film.”
Robert Benton
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Robert Benton, the influential filmmaker who co-wrote the screenplay for Bonnie and Clyde and won the Oscar for Best Director for Kramer vs. Kramer, died May 11 at 92. Born Sept. 29, 1932, in Dallas, Benton got his start in show business collaborating with David Newman on the book for the 1966 Broadway musical It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman. The year after, the writing team hit it big when Warren Beatty picked their Bonnie and Clyde spec script up for development. A landmark of the New Hollywood movement, the film earned the first of several Academy Award nominations Benton would collect over the course of his four-decade career. The divorce drama Kramer vs. Kramer helped launch a young Meryl Streep to fame, and Benton beat out the likes of Bob Fosse and Francis Ford Coppola for Best Director gold at the 1980 Oscars. He won Best Adapted Screenplay the same year and took home another screenplay trophy for 1984’s Places in the Heart. Benton’s other films include Still of the Night, Nobody’s Fool, and The Human Stain.
James Foley
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage
James Foley, the director behind Glengarry Glen Ross and two Fifty Shades of Grey sequels, died the week of May 8 at age 71. His death followed a yearlong battle with brain cancer. Born in Brooklyn in 1953, Foley studied film at USC before making his feature directorial debut with 1984’s romantic drama Reckless. He followed that project with 1986’s At Close Range with Sean Penn and Christopher Walken — and featured Madonna’s song “Live to Tell,” for which Foley helmed the music video. He went on to direct the videos for the singer’s “Papa Don’t Preach” and “True Blue” the same year. Foley’s 1992 adaptation of David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross starred Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, and more, and became the filmmaker’s most critically acclaimed project. Foley later helmed Fear, Perfect Stranger, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed, as well as episodes of Twin Peaks, Hannibal, and House of Cards. “I am saddened by his passing,” Pacino, who earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nom for Glengarry, told EW in a statement. “I knew Jamie, I worked with Jamie, I loved Jamie. He will be missed.”
Millena Brandão
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Brazilian actress Millena Brandão, a child star known for her work on Netflix’s Sintonia, died May 2. She was 11. Her parents, Thays and Luiz Brandão, explained that she had been sick since April 24, when she came down with a severe headache, pain in her legs, and other symptoms. She was diagnosed with dengue fever, Thays said, but her condition worsened and she returned to the hospital twice more, once after fainting at home. She began to have “two to three cardiac arrests per day.” Her mom said it was “13 arrests in total.” From there, doctors said her brain was no longer functioning. Brandão’s parents remembered her as “the light in our lives” who had “joy that infected everyone around you.”
Kirk Medas
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Kirk Medas, the reality star who was part of the cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore successor Floribama Shore for all four of its seasons, died May 2 at age 33. Medas’ family established a GoFundMe campaign on May 1 to raise funds for his medical treatment, explaining that the reality star was being treated in the ICU fighting necrotizing pancreatitis. In addition to starring on Floribama Shore from 2017 to 2021, Medas also made guest appearances on shows like How Far Is Tattoo Far? and Fear Factor. Several Floribama Shore cast members paid tribute to Medas on social media, including Codi Butts, who wrote, “My heart is absolutely broken. I wish this was a bad dream that I could just wake up from. Thank you Kirk for giving me some of the best years of my life. You have made me a better person. I will forever love you and cherish our friendship!”
Charley Scalies
HBO
Charles “Charley” Scalies Jr., the talented actor best known for his roles as Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa on The Wire and as Tony Soprano’s high school football coach in The Sopranos, died May 1 at 84 following a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Scalies was born in 1940 and grew up telling jokes at his father’s pool hall, above which the family lived. After taking a hiatus from acting to raise his own family, Scalies returned to the stage in the early 1990s and landed his first film role as a driver in the Al Pacino-headlined 1995 drama, Two Bits. He would go on to star in films such as 12 Monkeys and Jersey Girl, as well as television series like Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Cold Case over the next decade.
Ruth Buzzi
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Ruth Buzzi, the comedian and actress who made audiences guffaw as the purse-wielding spinster Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series Laugh-In, died May 1, at 88. She appeared in myriad TV shows and films, but her most memorable role was the wary Gladys, who would use her handbag to wallop those who got a little too close, on NBC’s Laugh-In, which ran for six seasons between 1968 and 1973. She was the only cast member to appear in every season, winning a Golden Globe and earning two Emmy nominations for her work. She was also a fixture on the Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart-hosted The Entertainers, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour, and The Dean Martin Show. Buzzi appeared in episodes of The Monkees, Emergency, CHiPs, Days of Our Lives, The Love Boat, and Sesame Street, and in such movies as The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, Freaky Friday, and Bad Guys. She performed on stage as well, and was in the original Broadway production of Sweet Charity.
Jill Sobule
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Jill Sobule, the singer-songwriter behind the trailblazing ode to queer love “I Kissed a Girl,” and “Supermodel,” the signature tune from the Clueless soundtrack, died on May 1 at 66. Sobule died in a house fire in Minneapolis a day before she was scheduled to perform songs from her Drama Desk-nominated musical F— 7th Grade at a theater in Denver. Sobule was born in the Colorado capital in 1959, launching to fame with her self-titled 1995 album, which contained both “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel.” She released an additional eight studio albums, five EPs, two live albums, and one compilation over her prolific career. Sobule is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule; nephews Ian, Matthew, and Robert; and several cousins.
Priscilla Pointer
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Priscilla Pointer, the acclaimed star of Carrie, Dallas, and the mother of actress Amy Irving, died on April 28. She was 100. Irving said Pointer “died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 100, hopefully to run off with her 2 adoring husbands and her many dogs.” Pointer got her start on stage, co-founding the San Francisco Actor’s Workshop with Herbert Blau, Beatrice Manley, and husband Jules Irving. Pointer’s big break came with a 1972 role on the daytime soap Where the Heart Is, and she made her theatrical film debut alongside daughter Amy in Brian De Palma’s 1976 adaptation of Carrie. She went on to star in some of the most acclaimed films and series of the 20th century, including Blue Velvet, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and ER. She had three children with Irving, Amy, Katie, and writer/director David Irving, and married Robert Symonds after Jules died of a heart attack in 1979.
Lulu Roman
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Lulu Roman, singer and star of country variety show Hee Haw, died April 23 at the age of 78. Born Bertha Louise Hable in Dallas, Roman got her start as a go-go dancer in the Texas go-go scene but found fame as a comedic actress on the long-running CBS sketch comedy and country music variety Hee Haw, making her debut on the first episode in 1969 and playing an eclectic mix of characters. Roman, who had been vocal about her struggles with drug use, left the show after she was arrested for drug possession in 1971, but experienced a rebirth after she discovered Christianity in 1973 and rejoined the variety show, where she also delighted audiences with her gospel vocals. Roman recorded over a dozen albums and duetted with the likes of Dolly Parton and George Jones. She was granted a Dove Award by the Gospel Music Association in 1985 and inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999, among other accolades. Roman’s other credits included spin-off Hee Haw Honeys, The Love Boat, and Touched by an Angel. She published a memoir, This Is My Story; This Is My Song!, in 2019.
Lar Park Lincoln
Everett Collection
Lar Park Lincoln, the actress known for playing the scheming Linda Fairgate on Knots Landing and Tina Shepard in the movie Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood in the ʼ80s, died April 22. She was 63. No cause was given. The actress amassed dozens of credits on TV movies and series, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Hunter, Highway to Heaven, Freddy’s Nightmares, and Murder, She Wrote. Lincoln’s stint on Knots began in 1987 and continued until 1991. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood was released in 1988. She continued to act and appeared on QVC for years. Lincoln coached aspiring actors, too, authoring a book, Get Started Not Scammed, and founding Actors Audition Studios
Will Hutchins
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Actor Will Hutchins, a former Warner Bros. contract player who starred in the ’50s Western Sugarfoot and later shared the screen with Elvis Presley, died of respiratory failure on April 21. He was 94. Hutchins was known for his role as main character Tom Brewster on Sugarfoot, although he played his evil cousin, the Canary Kid, on several episodes, too. He worked with Presley on the movies Spinout, in 1966, and Clambake the following year. Hutchins’ credits also include the 1968-1969 TV version of the comic strip Blondie, on which he played the part of Dagwood Bumstead, and, in his final film work, 2010 Katie Holmes movie The Romantics. He had left Hollywood in 1981 for work in the circus, where he was a ringmaster and a clown.
Pope Francis
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Pope Francis, who oversaw a groundbreaking pontificate as the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on April 21 at age 88. He made his final public appearance a day prior, on Easter Sunday, to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 17, 1936, Francis made history upon his 2013 appointment to the papacy as the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope since the eighth century not to be from Europe. As the leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years, Francis was known to frequently clash with traditionalists due to progressive stances that included speaking out against climate change and expanding the Church’s acceptance of same-sex couples and transgender people. He forged relationships with several Hollywood stars over his tenure as pope, including Martin Scorsese, Whoopi Goldberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Angelina Jolie. In 2016, Francis made headlines as the first pope to appear in a feature film, due to a brief cameo in the Ambi Pictures indie, Beyond the Sun, a faith-based film in which he appeared as himself. Francis was also the subject of Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, a 2018 Wim Wenders documentary based on his life, in addition to 2020’s Francesco and 2022’s In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis.
Damien Thomas
Courtesy Everett Collection
British actor Damien Thomas, who starred in the classic horror film Twins of Evil, died April 18 at Salisbury Hospice in Wilshire, England. He was 83. The cause of death was progressive supranuclear palsy. Thomas was best known for playing vampire Count Karnstein in the beloved 1971 movie, but his work also included turns in the 1983 TV miniseries Jane Eyre, 1980’s Shogun, director Roman Polanski’s 1986 movie Pirates, 2010 drama Never Let Me Go, and dozens more projects. His survivors include his wife, Julia, as well as children Dom, Maud, and Phoebe, along with stepchildren Kirsty, Hannah, and Gabe.
Wink Martindale
Family Channel/courtesy Everett
Wink Martindale, the longtime radio and TV personality known for hosting game shows like Tic-Tac-Dough and Gambit, died April 15 at 91. Though he began his career as a radio disc jockey, his first stint as game show host came on NBC’s What’s This Song? in 1964. He followed that up with Words and Music on NBC and Gambit on CBS. His biggest success was Tic-Tac-Dough, which he hosted from 1978 to 1985. Martindale also emceed popular game shows including Headline Chasers (which he created and executive-produced), High Rollers, The Last Word, The Great Getaway Game, Trivial Pursuit, Debt, and Instant Recall. Meanwhile, his radio work didn’t end in his youth. Martindale had stints at various stations, including KGIL-AM, KKGO-FM/KJQI, Gene Autry’s KMPC, and KABC. His radio credits included Your Hit Parade, Music of Your Life, 100 Greatest Christmas Hits of All Time, and The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In later years, he had a recurring spot on The Howard Stern Show.
Patrick Adiarte
CBS via Getty
Patrick Adiarte, an actor known for The King and I, Flower Drum Song, and M*A*S*H, died April 15 at 82. Adiarte first broke out in the 1952 stage production of The King and I opposite Yul Brynner as one of the royal children. When the show was adapted for the screen in 1956, Adiarte took part again, this time in the role of Prince Chulalongkorn. He also earned acclaim for the Broadway show Flower Drum Song and starred in its 1961 film adaptation. Adiarte is best known for his recurring role in the beloved series M*A*S*H as Korean orphan Ho-Jon. Brady Bunch fans will also remember his role in the show’s three-part Hawaiian vacation storyline. Other credits include episodes of It Takes a Thief, Ironside, Bonanza, Hawaii Five-O, and Kojak.
Sophie Nyweide
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Sophie Nyweide, the former child actor known for her work in Lukas Moodysson’s 2009 drama Mammoth and Darren Aronofsky’s biblical epic Noah, died April 14 at 24. Nyweide was just 6 when she booked her first movie, playing the title role in the 2006 drama Bella. She appeared across several more films and TV shows, portraying the daughter of Michelle Williams and Gael García Bernal in Mammoth and the daughter of Enid Graham and Michael Cullen Noah Baumbach’s Margot at the Wedding, which also starred Nicole Kidman. Nyweide worked with Jessica Alba in An Invisible Sign and James Franco in Shadows & Lies. Her TV credits included a 2007 episode of Law & Order and an appearance as herself in a 2015 episode of reality news program What Would You Do?, which marked her final screen appearance.
Nathaniel Pelletier
Martin Cummins/Instagram
Nathaniel Pelletier, an actor and crew member on the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart, died on April 11. He was 53. Pelletier’s obituary notes that he “passed away suddenly” while alone at home in Langley, British Columbia. Born in Toronto on Oct. 15, 1971, Pelletier appeared on several episodes of seasons 9, 10, and 11 of When Calls the Heart while also serving as a member of the transportation department. Production manager Mike Magnusson said that Pelletier “leaves a void of spirit we will not be able to replace” in a tribute shared by the official When Calls the Heart Instagram account. In his own heartfelt remembrance, series star Martin Cummins said of Pelletier, “He was a gentle soul and it was my honor to call him friend.”
Jean Marsh
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Jean Marsh, who co-created and co-starred in the 1970’s PBS drama Upstairs, Downstairs — a forerunner of Downton Abbey — died April 13 from complications of dementia, her close friend, filmmaker Michael Lindsay-Hogg, told the New York Times. Marsh portrayed Rose, the head parlor maid of the house, on the series that aired from 1974 to 1977 in the United States. She won the Emmy for best actress in a drama in 1975, after having spent 20-plus years acting in lower-profile projects. After the success of Upstairs, Downstairs, Marsh appeared in guest spots on shows including The Waltons, Doctor Who, and Murder, She Wrote. Her final credited appearance was in the 2022 Disney+ series Willow.
Ted Kotcheff
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Ted Kotcheff, the Canadian filmmaker who helmed hit movies like First Blood and Weekend at Bernie’s, died April 10 at 94. Born in Toronto to a family of Bulgarian immigrants, Kotcheff began his career directing TV programs at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He went on to direct television and theater in the U.K., and found major success in 1971 when he directed both the Australian New Wave film Wake in Fright, which competed at the Cannes Film Festival, and a TV production of Edna, the Inebriate Woman, which won him a BAFTA TV Award. Kotcheff later made Hollywood films like Fun With Dick and Jane, with Jane Fonda and George Segal, and North Dallas Forty, with Nick Nolte. Kotcheff introduced the world to Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo in 1982’s First Blood, which launched a franchise and made more than $125 million at the global box office. The 1989 comedy Weekend at Bernie‘s also proved to be a major success and spawned a sequel in 1993. Kotcheff executive-produced the first 13 seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as well.
Nicky Katt
Miramax/courtesy Everett Collection
Character actor Nicky Katt, known best for his film and television roles in Dazed and Confused, Boston Public, and Boiler Room, has died at age 54. Katt’s attorney John Sloss confirmed the news to Entertainment Weekly but did not disclose the actor’s cause of death. Born on May 11, 1970, Katt got his start at the age of 7, appearing in shows like Code Red, Father Murphy, Fantasy Island, and Herbie, the Love Bug, among numerous others. His breakout role was the bully Clint Bruno in the 1983 classic Dazed and Confused. Directed by Richard Linklater, the classic coming-of-age film focused on a group of Austin teenagers celebrating the last day of high school in 1976. Katt starred in the film alongside Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, and Ben Affleck. The actor reportedly died on April 8, according to Variety.
William Finn
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William Finn, one of the first artists to put to music the tragedy of the AIDS epidemic, which he did in his 1992 musical Falsettos, and achieved further success with 2005’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, died April 7. He was 73. The cause was pulmonary fibrosis, partner Arthur Salvadore told the New York Times. Finn won two Tonys for Falsettos, for the score he wrote and for its book, and it was revived in 2016. Spelling Bee, which debuted on Broadway in 2005, ran for nearly three years and has since been produced more than 7,000 times, per Music Theater International.
Clem Burke
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Clem Burke, drummer for legendary rock band Blondie, died April 6 after a private battle with cancer. He was 70. Burke joined Blondie in 1975, a year after frontwoman Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein formed the group in New York City, and has appeared across all of Blondie’s albums — from the landmark Parallel Lines to comeback No Exit. He has also performed with the likes of Bob Dylan, The Ramones, Eurythmics, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, and the Go-Go’s, among others. Blondie remembered Burke as “the heartbeat” of the band, adding that his “talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.”
Jay North
Bobby Bank/WireImage
Jay North, the titular star of the classic CBS sitcom Dennis the Menace, died April 6 at 73. North’s passing at home in Lake Butler, Fla., after a years-long battle with cancer was confirmed by his longtime friend Laurie Jacobson, who wrote in a Facebook post, “He had a heart as big as a mountain, loved his friends deeply. He called us frequently and ended every conversation with ‘I love you with all my heart.’ And we loved him with all of ours.” North was cast on the Hank Ketcham comic strip adaptation at only 6 years old. He played the series star Dennis Mitchell, a good-hearted yet mischievous prankster, for four seasons, and had a prolific TV acting career through the mid-1970s. He appeared on series like Wagon Train, The Lucy Show, and Arabian Knights, but largely stepped away from the industry after the 1974 film The Teacher. He is survived by wife Cindy and her daughters from a previous marriage.
Michael Haley
courtesy brendan haley
Michael Haley, the actor who voiced the titular superhero on the gritty MTV animated series The Maxx, died April 5 at 67 following a battle with cancer. Haley was born in 1957 and began acting in his youth in Southern California, appearing as a background player in the 1976 remake of King Kong and the 1978 hit Grease. Upon graduating high school, Haley was accepted to London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts but ultimately declined the opportunity to focus on his work in Los Angeles and New York. Haley was best known for his work on The Maxx, which was released in 1995 and ran for 13 episodes. He also contributed voice work to Blizzard Entertainment’s seminal video game Diablo, and later worked as a broadcast engineer for southern California’s PBS station, KCET, until 2015. He continued taking small acting roles until the end of his life.
Dave Allen
Ebet Roberts/Redferns
Dave Allen, the influential bassist and founding member of the influential post-punk band Gang of Four, died on April 5 after a struggle with early-onset dementia. He was 69. Allen’s death at his home in Portland, Ore., was announced with a post on the official Gang of Four Instagram account, which read, “Jon and I [Hugo] went to see him and spent a lovely afternoon with him and the family. We talked and laughed for hours, sharing rich and vivid memories of good times together. Adventures, careers in music, raising families, our interwoven lives spanning half a century. We’ve been so very lucky to have had the Ace of Bass in our lives.” Allen co-founded the band in 1976 in the city of Leeds in northern England alongside vocalist Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, and drummer Hugo Burnham. Their propulsive, genre-bending sound and stridently progressive lyrics kept them at the forefront of rock’s avant-garde for decades. The band is currently preparing to mount a farewell tour, which they note Allen “wanted nothing more” than to participate in.
Michael Hurley
Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty
Michael Hurley, a folk singer-songwriter who inspired musicians such as Cat Power, Lucinda Williams, and Yo La Tengo, died April 1, his family announced. He was 83. No cause of death was given. “I never thought of a career in music,” Hurley told the New York Times in 2021. “What I do is goof off — and try to get away with it.” He performed his songs about subjects such as love and werewolves in New York City’s Greenwich Village in the ’60s and released his first album, First Songs, in 1964. He went on to release about 30 in all.
Val Kilmer
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Val Kilmer, the star of Top Gun, and Batman Forever, died on April 1 of pneumonia. He was 65. After a battle with throat cancer, which was discussed in the 2021 documentary, Val, with son Jack taking on the bulk of the narration as a tracheostomy tube made it difficult for the actor to speak, Kilmer’s final appearance was opposite Tom Cruise in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to their 1986 hit. Kilmer’s other notable roles included spy spoof Top Secret, as rock icon Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors, as gunslinger Doc Holliday in Tombstone, opposite Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Heat, the voice of Moses in The Prince of Egypt, porn star John Holmes in Wonderland, and a tough-as-nails gay P.I. in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Brandyn Barbara Artis
Amanda Schwab/Starpix/Shutterstock
Brandyn Barbara Artis, an actress who appeared in films such as THX 1138, At the Top of the Pyramid, and The Doctor, died March 31. She was 81. In addition to her work in those films, Artis’ oeuvre also included television work on such shows as Man From Atlantis, The White Shadow, Knots Landing, Dynasty, and General Hospital. Artis was also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and wrote the autobiographical one-woman play Sister, Girl. In 2011, she wrote the romance novel Running Barefoot in Paris.
Patty Maloney
Peacock
Patty Maloney, the diminutive actress best known for her work on the Star Wars Holiday Special, Little House on the Prairie, and the projects of producers Sid and Marty Krofft, died March 31. She was 89. Maloney, who often worked with late actor Billy Barty, began her career in the circus. She earned her first professional credits in the ’70s on the popular TV series of the day, including Charlie’s Angels, Rhoda, and The Love Boat. Over the next two decades, her credits consisted of projects as diverse as children’s TV shows and films, such as Smurfs, The Addams Family, and Ernest Saves Christmas, and more adult fare like Star Trek: Voyager, Married… with Children, and Nash Bridges.
Richard Norton
Everett
Richard Norton, an Australian actor, martial arts expert, and stunt coordinator who trained such stars as Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson, died on March 30. He was 75. Born Jan. 6, 1950, in Croydon, Australia, Norton began practicing judo when he was 11. He was initially trained to become a bodyguard and worked for such acts as ABBA, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, and John Belushi. While serving as a fight choreographer, his credits included the 1993 CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger, The Condemned, Dark Phoenix, and both James Gunn’s Suicide Squad films. Along with coordinating stuntwork on both Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Mad Max: Fury Road, Norton also played the role of the Prime Imperator, a lead henchman to the villainous Immortan Joe. Across his career, Norton worked one-on-one with several screen stars, training Theron, Neeson, Scarlett Johansson, Sophie Turner, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ben Affleck, Margot Robbie, Charlie Hunnam, and more. He is survived by his wife, Judy.
Richard Chamberlain
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Richard Chamberlain, the leading man who launched his career as the dashing title character of NBC’s Dr. Kildare, died from complications following a stroke on March 29 at 90, two days away from his 91st birthday. The beloved TV actor, who won three Golden Globes and earned four Emmy nominations across his career, became a TV staple after landing the role of young medical intern Dr. James Kildare. The hour-long medical drama was an immediate hit, airing until 1966. Chamberlain’s success continued from there: He starred in 1978’s Centennial, originated the role of John Blackthorn in 1980’s Shōgun, and found further success with 1983’s The Thorn Birds. His work across the three projects earned him the nickname “King of the Miniseries.” Chamberlain also appeared in such notable films as Petulia, Julius Caesar, The Music Lovers, The Last Wave, The Three Musketeers, and The Towering Inferno.
Young Scooter
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Young Scooter, an Atlanta-based rapper who frequently collaborated with Gucci Mane and Future, died March 28 at age 39. Born Kenneth Bailey in 1986 in Walterboro, S.C., Scooter released his breakthrough mixtape, Finessin’ & Flexin, in 2011 on Future’s record label Freebandz. He appeared on six tracks on Gucci Mane’s 2012 mixtape Trap God, and received further attention for his own 2013 mixtape Street Lottery, which included the single “Colombia,” which spawned a remix featuring Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, and Birdman. Scooter released 17 more mixtapes in the 2010s and an additional six in the 2020s, including Fast Lane Juugin, which was released in February. His best-performing song was his feature on Future and Juice WRLD’s 2018 single “Jet Lag,” which peaked at No. 72 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. In the 2010s, the rapper appeared on tracks alongside the likes of Waka Flocka Flame, Lil Wayne, Chief Keef, Mike Will Made-It, Childish Gambino, Akon, and Migos.
Denis Arndt
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Denis Arndt, a Tony-nominated actor who appeared in Basic Instinct and S.W.A.T., died March 25 at 86. Throughout his career, Arndt worked on David E. Kelley shows, beginning with L.A. Law and Picket Fences. Kelley would bring him back for roles on Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Public, Boston Legal, and Mr. Mercedes. On the film side, he had roles in Distant Thunder (1988), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), Metro (1997), Bandidas (2006), and Undisputed (2006). Though he appeared in many regional theater productions throughout the years, his first and only Broadway stint earned him a Tony nomination for his turn opposite Mary-Louise Parker in Heisenberg. In addition to his acting career, Arndt was a Vietnam veteran helicopter pilot who was awarded the Purple Heart twice.
Larry Tamblyn
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Larry Tamblyn, a founding member and the lead singer of the band The Standells, has died at 82. His nephew, Dennis Tamblyn, announced his death on March 21 in a post to his Facebook, and the official band page followed with a similar post the day after. No cause of death has yet been revealed. The Los Angeles-born rocker, who was the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn and uncle of actress Amber Tamblyn, formed the influential garage group in the early 1960s with guitarist Tony Valentino, bass guitarist Jody Rich, and drummer Benny King. The quartet released the hit “Dirty Water” in 1965, which can still be heard today as the official victory anthem of the Boston Red Sox. The band appeared in several low-budget and B films during their heyday, including the exploitation classic Riot on Sunset Strip from 1967. Larry got the band back together in 2009, which led to their last album, 2013’s Bump, and a final tour in 2014, their first since the 1960s.
George Foreman
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George Foreman, the boxing legend and grill entrepreneur, died on March 21 at the age of 76. Foreman was born in 1949 in Marshall, Tex., ascending to the very top of his sport by the time he was 19. He was a two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, amassing a 37-0 record in his first four years as a pro boxer. But Foreman didn’t stop there, ushering in several successful afterlives after he stepped out of the ring as the mogul behind a popular portable grill, a TV star with his own ABC sitcom, and Masked Singer scene stealer. Foreman is survived by his wife and 11 children, including five sons, all named “George Foreman,” and six daughters.
Jack Lilley
Peacock
Jack Lilley, the actor, stuntman, and wrangler known for his work on Westerns including Little House on the Prairie, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Rawhide, died Mar. 19 at 91. Born in Santa Clarita, Calif., Lilley got his start in entertainment with an uncredited role as a cowhand in the 1956 Western film Gun for a Coward. He would go on pull double duty as an actor and stunt coordinator on films like 1974’s Blazing Saddles and television series like Rawhide, The Wild Wild West, and The High Chaparral. He was featured in more than 35 episode of Little House throughout its run from 1974 until 1983, and also appeared in its three made-for-TV movies. Lilley is survived by three sons, five grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.
Émilie Dequenne
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Émilie Dequenne, the Belgian actress whose debut performance in the 1999 film Rosetta won her the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival, died at 43 on March 16. Her family and longtime agent, Danielle Pain, announced to AFP that she died in a hospital outside Paris following a battle with adrenocortical carcinoma, which she had announced in October 2023. Dequenne became an international star overnight with her searing performance in the Dardenne brothers’ naturalistic drama, which she appeared in at only 17. She built over the next two and a half decades one of the most enviable filmographies of her generation of European actresses, featuring collaborations with directors like André Techiné, Emmanuel Mouret, Catherine Corsini, and André Forcier. One of Dequenne’s last films, Lukas Dhont’s Close, was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Jesse Colin Young
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Jesse Colin Young, one of the voices behind the Youngbloods’ 1960s anthem “Get Together,” died March 16 at 83. Young and his group’s most famous song reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969, and contained the famous lyrics, “Come on people now / Smile on your brother / Everybody get together / And try to love one another right now.” Their version of the track, originally the work of songwriter Chet Powers, was part of the self-titled debut album for the band, which also featured Jerry Corbitt, Lowell “Banana” Levinger, and Joe Bauer. While “Get Together” was their most successful hit, even ending up on the soundtracks of Forrest Gump and The Simpsons decades later, the Youngbloods recorded five albums in all before breaking up in 1972. In the following decades, Young wrote and recorded music as a solo artist, and he and his wife, Connie Young, formed an independent record label. He released his final album, Dreamers, in 2019.
Wings Hauser
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Actor Wings Hauser, died March 15 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., years after being diagnosed with COPD, his daughter, Bright Hauser, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 77. Hauser appeared on TV shows beginning in the ’70s from Baretta and Emergency! to The A-Team, China Beach, House, and Castle. He was in the movies Vice Squad, Norman Mailer’s Tough Guys Don’t Dance, and Michael Mann’s The Insider. He was perhaps best known for his role as Greg Foster on The Young and the Restless, which he first played in 1977 through 1981, before returning to it in 2010. In addition to Bright, Hauser was the father of Yellowstone actor Cole Hauser.
Bruce Glover
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Bruce Glover, the esteemed character actor who starred opposite Sean Connery as Bond villain Mr. Wint in Diamonds are Forever, died on March 12 at 92. Across his decades-long career, Glover accrued over 100 onscreen credits, and appeared in dozens of plays. Born on May 2, 1932 to parents Herbert and Eva, Glover began his career with a string of TV shows including Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and The Dukes of Hazard. His most high profile gig came in 1971, when he landed the role of assassin Mr. Wint alongside Putter Smith’s Mr. Kidd in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever. Glover furthered his success as Duffy in 1974’s Chinatown and hustler James Coburn in 1975’s Hard Times. He also appeared in the cult hit Walking Tall, and TV shows including Hart to Hart, The A-Team and Murder, She Wrote. The late actor is survived by his son, actor Crispin Glover, with whom he shared his final credit in 2015’s Influence. His wife, Betty Glover, died in 2016.
Mark Dobies
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Mark Dobies, an actor known for his work on soap operas, sitcoms, and other popular TV series, died March 11 at 65. Dobies portrayed Dr. Noah Chase on Guiding Light and later appeared on One Life to Live and All My Children as D.A. Theodore Daniel Colson. Between 1997 and 2016, he had roles on shows including Just Shoot Me, Nash Bridges, Home Improvement, Melrose Place, and Gossip Girl. In 2004, Dobies starred in the Off Broadway revival of The Normal Heart at the Public Theater in New York City.
Stedman Pearson
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Stedman Pearson, the eldest of the five siblings that made up the British pop group Five Star, died at 60 on March 10. Born in Romford, Essex, England, on June 29, 1964, Pearson studied dance and fashion in college, which would serve him well when the siblings became a group act in 1983. Stedman was not only a singer and dancer for Five Star, but also helped design their costumes. Often compared to The Jackson 5, the Pearson siblings had 10 singles climb the UK charts, including “System Addict,” “Can’t Wait Another Minute,” and “Rain or Shine.” Their sophomore album, Silk and Steel, hit No. 1, and in 1987, they sold out six nights at Wembley Arena on their UK tour and won the Brit award for Best British Group, becoming the first black group to do so. The band initially broke up in 1995 but began performing together again in 2001. They later reunited in 2012 and, after sister Lorraine departed, continued as a four-piece group until 2016. Stedman also made TV appearances in 2006 and 2008 on The All Star Talent Show and Celebrity Scissorhands.
Simon Fisher-Becker
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Simon Fisher-Becker, who played Fat Friar in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Dorium Maldovar in Doctor Who, died on March 9. He was 63. Born in London, England, in 1961, Fisher-Becker had roles in more than a dozen TV shows, like Puppy Love and Getting On. He also appeared in the 2012 Oscar-winning adaptation of Les Misérables.
D’Wayne Wiggins
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D’Wayne Wiggins, one of the founders of R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, whose songs included ’90s hits “Feels Good” and “If I Had No Loot,” died March 7 after a struggle with bladder cancer. He was 64. Wiggins played guitar and provided vocals for the group, which was formed in 1986 in Oakland alongside his half-brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. They recorded four albums and had a string of hits, which also included the Grammy-nominated “Anniversary,” as well as the tracks “It Never Rains (in Southern California)” and “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow.” After they split, Wiggins continued to work in music, often working with up-and-coming artists, including Destiny’s Child, Zendaya, and H.E.R. A reconfigured Tony! Toni! Toné! were again up for a Grammy at the 2004 ceremony for their collaboration with Alicia Keys, “Diary.” Wiggins and his original bandmates, Saadiq and Riley, reunited for a tour in 2023.
Brian James
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Brian James, songwriter and founding guitarist of the Damned, died March 6 aged 70. James penned the British punk single, “New Rose,” and served as the band’s lead songwriter on their debut album, Damned Damned Damned (1977), though he would depart to work on solo outings after the release of their poorly received sophomore album. This included being a founding member of The Lords of the New Church, which launched in 1981 and released three studio albums before their breakup in 1989 (James would regroup with them for brief stints in later years). The original members of the Damned also reunited memorably in 1988 and 2022 for a UK tour. Additionally, James also had notable collaborations with Iggy Pop, Stewart Copeland of the Police, Wayne Kramer of MC5, Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, and Clem Burke of Blondie, among others.
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff
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Pamela Bach, an actress and the ex-wife of David Hasselhoff, died March 5 in Los Angeles at the age of 62. She made her Hollywood debut in a 1973 episode of soap The Young and the Restless and went on to appear on shows Otherworld, T.J. Hooker, and Knight Rider. She wed Hasselhoff, whom she met on set of Knight Rider, in 1989 but separated in 2006. Bach, who also went by Pamela Hasselhoff, also starred in shows Cheers, The Fall Guy, and Sirens, and movies Appointment with Fear, Nudity Required, and Mansion of Blood.
DJ Funk
DJ Funk/Facebook
DJ Funk, the influential Chicago music producer who coined the term “ghetto house” and pioneered the subgenre, died from cancer March 5, at 54. The artist, whose real name was Charles Chambers, began his career in the ’90s as a DJ at parties and underground raves, before building his reputation via collaborations with other up-and-coming artists. His 1999 album Booty House Anthems sold 1 million copies across the U.S., leading to the release of two additional volumes. His catalog boasted such tracks as “Pump It,” “Run” and “Work Dat Body,” which became dance floor staples across America. In 2006, he launched his record label, Funk Records, which he used to release several singles, mixtapes, and EPs.
Roy Ayers
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Roy Ayers, an acclaimed vibraphonist, record producer and composer who is widely considered “The Godfather of Neo Soul,” died March 4 at 84. He is best known for his compositions “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” “Lifeline,” and “No Stranger to Love” — among others. According to the New York Times, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” which was included on Ayers’ album of the same name, has been sampled nearly 200 times by the likes of Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg. In total, he released nearly four dozen albums, including Let’s Do It, You Send Me, and Fever. Ayers also made guest appearances on albums from Rick James, Whitney Houston, George Benson, the rapper Guru and more.
George Lowe
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George Lowe, a voice actor known for bringing Space Ghost to life in Space Ghost Coast to Coast, died March 2 at 67. Lowe first utilized his vocal talents working at local Florida radio station WWJB when he was 15. From there, he did voice-over work for TBWS and Cartoon Network before eventually landing his iconic lead role in the aforementioned animated series in 1994. The show first ran from 1994 to 1999 on Cartoon Network. It was later revived in 2001 on Adult Swim, where it aired through 2004. Lowe also voiced the beloved character in the Space Ghost Coast to Coast spinoff Cartoon Planet, as well as Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, The Brak Show, Jellystone, and Robot Chicken, among others.
Joey Molland
Fin Costello/Redfern
Joey Molland, the rock guitarist and last surviving member of Badfinger, died on March 1 at 77. Born in Liverpool, England, on June 21, 1947, Molland began his recording career in earnest when he was 20. After playing in the short-lived group Gary Walker & the Rain, Molland joined Badfinger as their guitarist in 1970. The Welsh band was one of the first artists that the Beatles signed to their Apple Records label. The core Badfinger lineup of Molland, singer-guitarist Pete Ham, singer-bassist Tom Evans, and drummer Mike Gibbins recorded five albums, which yielded such hit singles as “No Matter What,” “Without You,” “Day After Day,” and “Baby Blue.” They stayed together until 1974. Molland also made appearances on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh, and played guitar on John Lennon’s 1971 album, Imagine. In later years, Molland recorded music as a solo artist and a member of the group Natural Gas, and he launched his own incarnation of Badfinger (dubbed Molland’s Badfinger) in the early ’80s. He remained active with the band until his death.
Angie Stone
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Angie Stone, the R&B and soul singer behind songs like the hit “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” died in a car accident on March 1 at the age of 63. Born in 1961, the three-time Grammy nominee formed the hip-hop trio the Sequence as a teen in the late 1970s, signing with Sugar Hill Records and releasing the single “Funk You Up,” later sampled by Dr. Dre. She also released music as a member of Vertical Hold and Devox. Her first solo album, 1999’s Black Diamond, spawned the hit single “No More Rain (In This Cloud).” She released nine more solo albums, including Mahogany Soul and The Art of Love & War, finding further success with singles like “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and “Baby.” Stone also acted in projects like the movie The Hot Chick, the sitcom Girlfriends (for which she also wrote the theme song), and Broadway’s Chicago, and appeared on reality shows like Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Wife Swap.
David Johansen
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David Johansen, the larger-than-life frontman of the flashy, in-your-face 1970s rock band New York Dolls, died Feb. 28. He was 75. Born in 1950, Johansen formed the New York Dolls in 1971, revolutionizing punk and rock music alongside groups like the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, and MC5. Following the Dolls’ dissolution in 1975, Johansen would release four solo albums and two live albums under his own name, four albums under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter, and two additional albums as David Johansen and the Harry Smiths. He also acted in projects like John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s experimental film Up Your Legs Forever, Scrooged, Miami Vice, Oz, The Equalizer, and Freejack.
Jan Schwieterman
Paramount Pictures
Jan Schwieterman, the Good Burger actor who played owner of the titular restaurant’s rival, Mondo Burger, in the 1997 film, died Feb. 28. His brother, Chad Schwieterman, shared the news on social media. He was 52. In addition to the Nickelodeon film that became a cult classic, beginning in 1994, Schwieterman had roles in TV shows such as McKenna, ER, Felicity, and MTV’s Undressed. He was also cast in movies including NightMan, Fallen Arches, and Warlock III: The End of Innocence. In 2007, he made his final credited appearance in Along the Way.
Gene Hackman
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Gene Hackman, two-time Oscar-winning actor for the movies The French Connection and Unforgiven, was found dead on Feb. 26 at age 95. The bodies of the Hollywood icon and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered inside their Santa Fe, N.M., home. It was later revealed Hackman died from heart disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor, on or around Feb. 17, while Arakawa died days earlier at 65 was caused by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease usually contracted from exposure to mouse droppings that affects the lungs. The actor made his big screen debut in Mad Dog Coll, and had early roles in The Defenders, and Bonnie and Clyde, the latter of which snagged him his first Oscar nomination. Hackman earned a total of five career Academy Award nods for prestige projects, winning once as Best Actor and and another as Best Supporting Actor. He also starred in Wes Anderson’s 2001 comedy hit The Royal Tenenbaums, as Lex Luthor in multiple Superman franchise movies, The Poseidon Adventure, Mississippi Burning, and The Conversation.
Michelle Trachtenberg
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Michelle Trachtenberg, who broke out as the child star of Harriet the Spy and went on to play notable roles on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, died Feb. 26, at 39. After getting her start on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete and the soap All My Children, the precocious actress landed the lead role in the film adaptation of beloved children’s book Harriet the Spy, starring alongside Rosie O’Donnell. Trachtenberg went on to play stubborn little sister Dawn to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers on BTVS and the conniving Georgina Sparks on both the original Gossip Girl and Max’s reboot. Her other screen credits included Inspector Gadget, EuroTrip, Ice Princess, and 17 Again with the late Matthew Perry.
Roberta Flack
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Roberta Flack, whose tender vocals made her one of R&B’s most beloved singers, died Feb. 24, at 88. Born in North Carolina to musical parents, Flack learned to play the piano at 9. A prodigy, she soon became one of the youngest students ever accepted to Howard University when, at 15, she was offered a full scholarship to study music. She began her professional singing career in 1968 and would release two albums before her career truly took off: 1969’s First Take, which has since garnered wide acclaim, and 1970’s Chapter Two. Her rise to prominence came when director Clint Eastwood used one of her songs, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” in his first film, 1971’s Play Misty for Me. Flack’s rendition of the tune — originally penned by British folkie Ewan MacColl — soon became a smash hit and won the 1973 Grammy Award for Record of the Year. The very next year, Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song” (first recorded by Lori Lieberman in 1971) took home a Grammy in the same category. Flack continued scoring hits throughout the ’70s and ’80s, often dueting with artists such as Donny Hathaway and Peabo Bryson. In 1996, her music once again felt suddenly ubiquitous, as the Fugees’ cover of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” dominated pop radio. Later, Flack would be honored for her influential contributions to music across genres with such accolades as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Robert John
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Robert John, the singer behind the Grammy-nominated 1979 song “Sad Eyes” died Feb. 24, his son Michael Pedrick confirmed to Rolling Stone. John was 79. Pedrick said his father had still been recovering from a stroke he had a few years ago. “He was a really good dad,” Pedrick said. The Brooklyn-born artist released his first album when he was 12 and went on to score a hit a decade later with “If You Don’t Want My Love.” His take on “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” also made the charts in 1972, before his signature song hit the airwaves. John recorded his final album in 1980.
Sha’Vi Lewis
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Fashion designer Sha’Vi Lewis, who competed on the 18th season of the competition reality series Project Runway, died Feb. 24, at 38. The show’s producers said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by Sha’Vi’s passing. He was a talented designer whose loss is profoundly felt by our Project Runway family. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and all who knew him.” Lewis made it about halfway through his season, which aired from 2019 to 2020, and finished in 10th place. Prior to the show, he served as creative director for the menswear brand Stephen F and had his own clothing line. Lewis’ castmate Brittany Allen also paid tribute to him on social media, writing, “The world and this industry will be dim without your light in it.”
Chris Jasper
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Chris Jasper, the venerable soul artist and Isley Brothers member who sang about the power of love and the importance of making the world a better place on tracks like “For the Love of You” and “Caravan of Love,” died Feb. 23 at 73 following a battle with cancer. Born in Cincinnati, Jasper lived in the same apartment complex as the Isley family and formed a band with Marvin and Ernie Isley in high school. The trio later joined the Isley Brothers in 1973, transforming them from a vocal group into a self-contained, self-producing funk band with songs like “For the Love of You,” “Between the Sheets,” and “Fight the Power.” When the band broke up, Jasper teamed up with Marvin and Ernie to form Isley-Jasper-Isley and would go on to release the Billboard chart-topping hit, “Caravan of Love,” before embarking on his own solo career. As a member of the Isley Brothers, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and his other accolades include an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National R&B Society Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lynne Marie Stewart
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Lynne Marie Stewart, the character actress known for her work on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, died Feb. 21 after a short illness. She was 78. Stewart was best known for her collaborations with Paul Reubens in a multitude of Pee-wee projects, playing Miss Yvonne and a number of other characters. She also was responsible for numerous hilarious scenes in It’s Always Sunny, in which she played the chaotic, off-the-walls neurotic mother of Charlie (Charlie Day). Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Stewart was an early member of the Groundlings, a seminal improv comedy troupe that also included Reubens, Kathy Griffin, Phil Hartman, and Jon Lovitz. On the big screen, Stewart played supporting roles in massive films, including Bridesmaids (in which she played Maya Rudolph’s mother), American Graffiti, Clear and Present Danger, The Running Man, and Children of a Lesser God. On television, Stewart appeared in episodes of Laverne & Shirley, MASH, The Golden Girls, The Jeffersons, Night Court, Hawaii Five-O, Arrested Development, Grey’s Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and 2 Broke Girls.
Voletta Wallace
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Voletta Wallace, the mother of late rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G. died of natural causes in hospice care at her home in Stroudsburg, Pa., Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac confirmed on Feb. 21. Wallace was an advocate for her son’s legacy following the 27-year-old’s tragic death in a drive-by shooting on March 9, 1997, and she sought justice for him. Wallace participated in several projects meant to keep her son’s legacy alive, including the 2021 Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell. “As long as I have life, there’s hope,” she told EW at the time. “I’ll never give up. And I hope when I’m not in this world anymore, my friends and family will carry on the fight. There is always hope.”
Jerry Butler
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Jerry Butler, the soul singer-songwriter and hit maker known as the Iceman, died Feb. 20 at the age of 85. His storied career began in the late 1950s as the original lead singer of the Impressions, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and coined the “sound of the Civil Rights Movement.” They released such hits as “For Your Precious Love.” Butler left the group in 1960 and went solo, topping Billboard charts with “He Will Break Your Heart,” “Let It Be Me,” and “Only the Strong Survive.” Inspired by Chicago’s first Black Mayor Harold Washington, he entered politics in 1985, having been elected as a Democrat to the board of commissioners for Cook County. He held the position for over three decades, retiring in 2018. Butler also authored an autobiography, Only the Strong Survive: Memoirs of a Soul Survivor, in 2000.
Peter Jason
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Peter Jason, the prolific character actor whose work in film and television has spanned nearly six decades, died Feb. 20 at 80. With more than 260 credits to his name, the Hollywood native was best known for his role as card-dealer-turned-sheriff Con Stapleton on the HBO series Deadwood and as a frequent collaborator of filmmakers Walter Hill and John Carpenter. He appeared in nine of Hill’s features, including The Driver and 48 Hrs., and seven of Carpenter’s, including Prince of Darkness and Escape From L.A. Other credits include shows Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, Mad Men, and Justified, as well as movies Texas Lightning, The Karate Kid, and Heartbreak Ridge.
Souleymane Cissé
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Souleymane Cissé, an award-winning Malian writer-director and lifelong champion of African cinema, died Feb. 19 at 84. He first broke out with his debut feature-length movie, Den Muso, in 1975. But it was Cissé’s fourth film, Yeelen, that cemented his legacy, making him the first Black African filmmaker to win the Cannes Film Festival’s Jury Prize and earning a nomination for Best Foreign Film at the 1989 Spirit Awards. Martin Scorsese once called Yeelen “one of the great revelatory experiences of my moviegoing life.” Cissé’s other directorial efforts include Waati, Tell Me Who You Are, O Sembene!, and several short films. His last screen credit was as a producer, writer, and director of the documentary Our House in 2015.
Rick Buckler
Fin Costello/Redferns
Rick Buckler, best known as the drummer for British rock band the Jam, died Feb. 17 at 69. That band — which also consisted of Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton — was formed in 1972 while the trio were still in secondary school. It took five years, but their first album, In the City, was released in 1977. In total, the Jam released one live album and six studio albums, the last of which hit No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, and at one point they released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the UK, including “That’s Entertainment,” “Just Who Is the 5 O’Clock Hero?,” “Going Underground,” “Start!,” “Town Called Malic,” “Beat Surrender” and more. Other bands Buckler either formed or joined up with over his career include Time UK, Sharp, and the Gift.
Paquita la del Barrio
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Legendary Mexican singer Paquita la del Barrio, who was known for her tremendous voice and for being a feminist icon, died Feb. 17 at her home in Veracruz, Mexico, according to her social media accounts. No cause of death was disclosed, but the artist had struggled with health issues in her final years. Her powerful songs, such as “Rata de dos patas” and “Tres veces te engañé,” earned her accolades such as nominations from the Grammys and the Latin Grammys. In 2021, she won the Billboard Latin Music Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Alice Hirson
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Actress Alice Hirson, who was known for work on soap operas and for playing the mother of Ellen DeGeneres’ character on her groundbreaking ’90s sitcom, Ellen, died Feb. 14 of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles. She was 95. Hirson’s long list of roles since the 1960s included TV shows such as One Life to Live, General Hospital, Another World, Dallas, and 7th Heaven. Hirson also made a name for herself in films including Private Benjamin, Being There, Blind Date, and The Glass House.
Biff Wiff
A24
Biff Wiff, a comedic character actor known for his roles in I Think You Should Leave and Everything Everywhere All at Once, died following an extended battle with cancer, his management firm announced on Feb. 14. Wiff kicked off his decades-long career with a small part on the Gidget sequel series, The New Gidget. He went on to appear in popular shows like Moonlighting, Roseanne, Reba, iCarly, Pretty Little Liars, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Westworld, 9-1-1, Dave, and PEN15. He later made a splash with his first appearance in a season 2 episode of I Think You Should Leave, in which he played a profane Santa Claus who was also the star of an action film called Detective Crashmore. Wiff returned for the third season, giving a meme-worthy performance in the “Shirt Brother” sketch alongside star Tim Robinson. More recently, Wiff appeared in two episodes of the reality comedy series Jury Duty and played a small part in the Oscar-winning sci-fi comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo
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Peter Navy Tuiasosopo, an actor known for roles in New Girl, Magnum P.I. and many others, died Feb. 10. He was 61. Tuiasosopo’s first credit came in 1991, as Manumana in the sports comedy film Necessary Roughness. From there, he went on to appear in two episodes of Down the Shore and costar in the TV series Danger Theater as detective Al Hamoki. His impressive list of television credits also includes 8 episodes as Kaleo on Hawaii and 7 episodes of Young and the Restless as Koa. He guest-starred in numerous other series including NCIS, Mob City, Ray Donovan, black-ish, Mayans M.C. and most recently Magnum P.I. He also had a recurring role on New Girl as Big Bob. On the film side, Tuiasosopo appeared in a number of movies, including in the role of Willie Dumaine in 12 Rounds alongside John Cena, as well as The Fast and the Furious, A Perfect Getaway, Batman & Robin, BASEketball, Charlie’s Angels, Austin Powers in Gold Member, Savage and The Scorpion King, among others.
Tom Robbins
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Counterculture writer Tom Robbins, whose works included the 1976 book Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, died Feb. 9 at his home in La Conner, Wash., his family announced. He was 92. In 2014, Robbins told NPR that he was a storyteller even as a kid, when he would tell himself tales as he carried a stick. “I would beat the ground as I told the story,” he said. “And we moved fairly frequently. We would leave houses behind where one section of the yard was completely bare from where I destroyed the grass. But I realized much later in life that what I was doing was drumming. I was building a rhythm.” His other books included Another Roadside Attraction (1971), 1980’s Still Life With Woodpecker, and his 2014 memoir Tibetan Peach Pie.
Tony Roberts
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Tony Roberts, the character actor best known for playing Woody Allen’s best friend in Annie Hall, died Feb. 7 at 85. Born in Manhattan in 1939, Roberts made his Broadway debut in 1962’s Something About a Soldier. He went on to act in Barefoot in the Park and earned a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for How Now, Dow Jones. Roberts first collaborated with Allen in the 1960s plays Don’t Drink the Water and Play It Again, Sam, earning another Tony nom for the latter and reprising his character in the 1972 film adaptation. Roberts later reteamed with Allen in Stardust Memories, A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Radio Days. His other notable films included the 1973 crime drama Serpico and the 1974 subway thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Roberts also appeared in movies like Million Dollar Duck, Amityville 3-D, and Switch, as well as on TV shows like The Love Boat, Matlock, The Carol Burnett Show, and Law & Order.
Irv Gotti
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Irv Gotti, Murder Inc. Records cofounder and influential hip-hop and rap record producer died Feb. 5 after helping to launch the careers of iconic genre artists like Ja Rule and Ashanti. He was 54. In addition to developing Ja Rule’s debut album Venni Vetti Vecci and Ashanti’s first LP, Gotti produced numerous iconic singles throughout the years, including DMX’s “What’s My Name?” and Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real” remix.
Lee Joo-Sil
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Lee Joo-Sil, an actress known for Squid Game and Train to Busan, died Feb. 2. She was 81. Born 1944 in South Korea when the country was under Japanese rule, Lee began her career on the stage, appearing in productions of Death of a Salesman and Macbeth. She made her screen debut on the series Jeonwonilgi in 1980, and would go on to appear in films A Single Spark, The Uninvited, Running Wild, Punch Lady, and Commitment. In 2016’s Train to Busan, Lee played the mother of protagonist Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo). Her TV credits included Lady President, Ordinary Love, Stormy Woman, The Witch’s Diner, and The Uncanny Encounter. Lee’s two-episode arc on season 2 of Squid Game, as the mother of Wi Ha-joon’s former detective Hwang Jun-ho, marked her final onscreen appearance.
Marianne Faithfull
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Marianne Faithfull, the Grammy-nominated singer and actress known for hits like “As Tears Go By” and “Come and Stay With Me,” died Jan. 30. She was 78. Faithfull rose to prominence as a singer at the height of the Swinging Sixties with her single “As Tears Go By,” which was written by Rolling Stones members Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Her relationship with Jagger dominated the tabloids from 1965 until 1970, during which time she penned her own albums and starred in several films, including the 1968 erotic drama The Girl on a Motorcycle. After their breakup, Faithfull struggled for years with drug abuse and homelessness before having a career resurgence following the release of her Grammy-nominated 1979 album, Broken English. She continued to sing, write, and act over the course of the next 40 years, appearing in such films as Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and writing three books.
Ryan Whyte Maloney
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Ryan Whyte Maloney, a singer and musician who was one of Blake Shelton’s top five finalists on The Voice season 6, died Jan 28 at 44. Maloney was born in Traverse City, Mich., in 1981, and started playing guitar, violin, cello, and drums when he was 9. From there he started writing songs and formed the band Indulge, with which he recorded the album Tomorrow’s Another Day in 2005. After 10 years with that band, Maloney struck out on his own, which led to him recording the solo album Where I’ve Been and eventually starring on The Voice in 2014. On the NBC singing competition, Maloney received a four-chair turn with his blind audition song, “Lights,” by Journey. He chose to be on Shelton’s team, where he went through two battle rounds and made it to Shelton’s top five finalists. Maloney returned to the show to perform in the season finale.
Ken Flores
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Ken Flores, the Chicago-born comedian who was a rising star in the stand-up world, died on Jan. 28. He was 28. Flores’s family announced his passing on the comedian’s Instagram the day after, asking fans to “please respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated” by the loss of “our friend, brother, and son Kenyi Flores.” The comedian was in the midst of his “Butterfly Effect Tour,” his first solo headlining comedy tour of the country. Flores created the Chicago Laugh Factory’s popular LatinXL comedy show in 2022 before embarking to Los Angeles to pursue his career. He had become a regular at L.A. comedy institutions like The Comedy Store and Hollywood Improv, and appeared as a guest on the Netflix is a Daily Joke podcast last year. Hollywood Improv eulogized Flores on X on Jan. 29, with a post that read in part, “We were honored to share your talent on our stages. You were greatness, and it was only a matter of time until the whole world saw it.”
DJ Unk
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DJ Unk, the Atlanta hip-hop artist behind the 2006 hit “Walk It Out,” died Jan. 24. He was 43. Born in 1981, Platt began DJing as a teenager, joining forces with DJ Jelly and DJ Montay to form the Southern Style DJs. He signed to Big Oomp in 2000, eventually releasing his debut album, Beat’n Down Yo Block, on Koch Records in 2006. The album included the hit single “Walk It Out,” which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop charts and No. 10 on the Hot 100 chart. A remix of the song featured André 3000 and Jim Jones. Another single from the album, “2 Step,” also became a hit, and spawned a remix featuring T-Pain, E40, and Jones. Unk released his sophomore album, 2econd Season, in 2008. He later dropped several singles in the early 2010s, including “Get Em Up,” “Trap It Out,” and “Have a Toast.” He released his third album, Fresh Off Dem Papers, in 2017.
Barry Michael Cooper
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Barry Michael Cooper, the investigative-reporter-turned-screenwriter who penned a trio of influential films dubbed the “Harlem trilogy,” died Jan. 21 at 66. Born and raised in Harlem, Cooper began his writing career as a music critic for the Village Voice. He soon gained notoriety for his reporting, including the 1987 cover story “Kids Killing Kids: New Jack City Eats Its Young,” detailing Detroit’s violent drug-trade scene in gory detail. The piece put him on the radar of Quincy Jones, who asked Cooper to rewrite a screenplay about ’70s drug lord Nicky Barnes, leading him to pen the 1991 film New Jack City. The critically acclaimed crime thriller starred Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Allen Payne, and Chris Rock, and marked the first entry in Cooper’s trilogy. Next he penned Sugar Hill, a drug-hustling drama that reunited him with Snipes, and Above the Rim, the basketball drama led by Tupac Shakur. Cooper would later team up with Spike Lee to write and produce the Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, based on Lee’s debut feature.
Garth Hudson
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Garth Hudson, the keyboardist, saxophonist, and multi-instrumentalist who was the last surviving member of Rock and Roll legends, the Band, died Jan. 21 at 87. The Canadian musician served as the principal architect of the Band’s sound. Born into a family of musicians on on Aug. 2, 1937, Hudson began piano lessons at an early age. He was playing professionally with dance bands by age 12 and went on to study music at the University of Western Ontario, where he was classically trained in piano, music theory, harmony and counterpoint. When he joined the Band in 1961, part of his deal was being paid an additional $10 per week to give his bandmates music lessons. Originally named the Hawks, the group — consisting of Hudson, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko — served as a backing band for Ronnie Hawkins before splitting from the singer to play with Bob Dylan on his electric 1965-66 world tour. In time, the Hawks became the Band and sent shockwaves through the music industry, popularizing Americana music with classic songs like “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” They called it quits after a 1976 farewell concert, and Hudson went on to work as a session musician with many artists, including Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen. The band later reformed for a couple more records; Hudson also worked with his bandmates on several solo projects and films. The Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
Bertrand Blier
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Bertrand Blier, the provocative French filmmaker whose 1978 rom-com Get Out Your Handkerchiefs won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, died Jan. 20 at 85. The son of pianist Gisèle Brunet and actor Bernard Blier, the writer-director was immersed in the arts from a young age, and made his directorial debut with the cinema verité documentary Hitler — Never Heard of Him at 24. He would next direct his father and future César Award winner Suzanne Flon in the 1967 thriller If I Were a Spy. Blier’s breakthrough came in the form of 1974’s Going Places, a comedy that stirred controversy for its vulgarity but would garner acclaim and a sizable cult following, also launching the career of its star, Gérard Depardieu. After Blier’s Oscar win, he would find continued success with such titles as Buffet Froid (for which he won a César), Our Story (his second César win), and Too Beautiful For You (which earned him the Cannes Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Director). His final film was 2019’s Heavy Duty, with Depardieu and Christian Clavier.
Lynn Ban
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Lynn Ban, a celebrated jewelry designer who starred on Netflix’s Bling Empire: New York, died Jan. 20, just weeks after undergoing emergency brain surgery following a skiing accident. She was 52. Ban starred on the first season of Netflix’s Bling Empire spinoff, Bling Empire: New York, which spotlighted the luxurious lives of a group of wealthy Asian Americans residing in the Big Apple. In addition to appearing on the reality series, Ban was the owner of Lynn Ban Jewelry, and her designs have been worn by celebrities like Rihanna and Beyoncé.
John Sykes
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John Sykes, the electrifying guitarist who rocked the world in legendary bands Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, died Jan. 20 at 65. Sykes rose to prominence as a member of heavy metal outfit Tygers of Pan Tang, recording two albums with the band before departing in 1982. He later joined Thin Lizzy and is credited with co-writing the single “Cold Sweat” on the band’s twelfth and final album, Thunder and Lightning. Following Thin Lizzy’s dissolution, Sykes was recruited by English hard rock band Whitesnake. He recorded guitar parts for their highly-successful 1984 album, Slide It In, and was heavily involved in the recording process for the band’s seventh studio album, co-writing nine songs on the album including hits “Is This Love” and “Still of the Night.” However, due to disagreements with frontman David Coverdale, Sykes was fired from Whitesnake before the album’s release in 1987. Sykes would go on to create his own band, Blue Murder, and perform as a member of the touring version of Thin Lizzy for over a decade. He also released four solo albums.
Jan Shepard
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Jan Shepard, an actress who appeared on dozens of TV Westerns and performed opposite Elvis Presley in the films King Creole and Paradise, Hawaiian Style, died Jan. 17 at 96. Born in Quakertown, Pa., Shepard came to Los Angeles in 1949 and got involved in the local theater scene. She would go on to book roles on such television series as Death Valley Days, The Lone Ranger, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Laramie, Lawman, The Virginian, Perry Mason, and Mannix. Her big-screen credits also included the B-movie Attack of the Giant Leeches and the drama Third of a Man.
Jules Feiffer
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Jules Feiffer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and author who famously illustrated Norton Juster’s beloved children’s book The Phantom Tollbooth, died of congestive heart failure on Jan. 17. He was 95. As a teenager, Feiffer got his start as an assistant to Will Eisner, helping to write and illustrate his crimefighter comic book stripThe Spirit. He joined The Village Voice in 1956, penning his own weekly comic book strip, Feiffer, at the publication until 1997. In addition to his career as a cartoonist, Feiffer wrote more than 35 works throughout his lifetime, including his 1958 comic strip collection Sick, Sick, Sick, the 1963 novel Harry the Rat with Women, and the screenplay for the 1960 animated film Munro, which won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. He also illustrated several children’s books like The Phantom Tollbooth and The Odious Ogre. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his political cartoons in 1986 and was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Writers Guild of America in 2010. He is survived by his wife, JZ Holden, and three children.
Francisco San Martin
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Francisco San Martin, a soap actor who appeared on Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful, died Jan. 16. He was 39. Born in Spain but raised in Montana, San Martin originated the role of Dario Hernandez on Days of Our Lives in his TV debut, appearing on the soap between 2010 and 2011 before he was recast. It led to a bit role in the 2013 romance drama Behind the Candelabra alongside Matt Damon and Michael Douglas. San Martin also starred as telenovela actor Fabian on the CW’s Jane the Virgin, and the shorts Hotter Up Close and Dot.
Bob Uecker
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Bob Uecker, the beloved sports broadcaster and comedic actor died Jan. 16. He was 90. Uecker parlayed his stint as an unremarkable MLB catcher into a successful second act as a Hall of Fame broadcaster and comedy star in all three of the Major League and Mr. Belvedere, and cameoed on shows like Who’s The Boss?, Futurama, and Teen Titans Go. He also made regular appearances on The Johnny Carson Show, the Late Show with David Letterman, and hosted Bob Uecker’s Wacky World of Sports and Bob Uecker’s War of the Stars. In 1982, Uecker published a memoir titled Catcher in the Wry: Outrageous but True Stories of Baseball. He was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick award in 2003 and was similarly recognized by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, the Radio Hall of Fame, and the WWE.
Joan Plowright
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Dame Joan Plowright, the venerable stage and screen actress and widow of Laurence Olivier, died Jan. 16. She was 95. Over the course of her more than 65-year career in entertainment, Plowright delivered celebrated performances in films such as Equus and in plays such as John Osborne’s The Entertainer, which saw her work alongside Olivier, and her Tony-winning turn in A Taste of Honey. Plowright and Olivier later reprised their roles for the 1960 film adaptation of The Entertainer, and were married a year later. When Plowright was not onstage, she could likely be found onscreen, appearing in several film and television projects including Mike Newell’s 1991 historical drama Enchanted April, for which her performance as Mrs. Jane Fisher saw her both nominated for an Oscar and win a Golden Globe. Plowright also won a second Golden Globe that same evening for her for her performance in HBO’s made-for-television film, Stalin. She was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, and worked for another decade in entertainment before retiring in 2014.
David Lynch
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David Lynch, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the monumental mystery series Twin Peaks and films like Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, died January 15. He was 78. Lynch’s unique and constant fascination with dreamlike rhythms, character doppelgangers, Americana, offbeat humor, ambient soundscapes, and the tension between darkness and light led critics and cinephiles to describe works with similar qualities as “Lynchian.” After studying painting and experimenting with short filmmaking, Lynch completed his first film, Eraserhead, in 1977. In the ’80s, he directed the biopic The Elephant Man, the sci-fi epic Dune, and the controversial neo-noir Blue Velvet. In 1990, Lynch’s romance road film Wild at Heart earned the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and his TV series Twin Peaks captured the zeitgeist by blending soap opera, mystery, and horror elements. Lynch returned to the series with the 1992 prequel movie Fire Walk With Me, and later helmed an 18-episode revival for Showtime in 2017 that ultimately capped his career. Later projects included the acclaimed Mulholland Drive and the dizzying Inland Empire. Though some of his films polarized critics at the time, they have all gained strong acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Paul Danan
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Paul Danan, the British actor and reality star best known for playing Solomon “Sol” Patrick on the long-running sudser Hollyoaks, died on Jan. 15. He was 46. An Essex native, Danan rose to prominence portraying Sol — the adopted son of Jill Patrick (Lynda Rooke) — on Hollyoaks from 1997 until 2001. His performance as the troubled teenager landed him a Best Actor nomination at the Inside Soap Awards in 1999. Danan would go on to star in spotlight roles on television shows such as The Queen’s Nose, Casualty, and Adventure Inc, before making the leap to reality television. He appeared on several popular programs including Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Coach Trip, and two seasons of Celebrity Love Island in 2005 and 2006. Danan, who was open about his struggles with substance abuse, founded the Morning After Drama theater company, which offers free arts-based workshops to those in active recovery, in 2020.
Jeannot Szwarc
Everett
Jeannot Szwarc, a French director known for Supergirl, Jaws 2, Somewhere in Time, and numerous notable TV projects, died Jan. 14. He was 87. His work in Hollywood began in earnest on the television side, with his first credit to that effect coming as a writer, producer, and eventually director of Ironside in the late ’60s. Throughout the early 1970s, he directed episodes for a slew of shows including It Takes a Thief, Matt Lincoln, and Sarge. He helmed 7 episodes of Marcus Welby, M.D. and 19 episodes of Night Gallery, before then working on several different TV movies. His first feature credit as a director came in 1973’s Extreme Close-Up, which he followed up with 1975’s Bug, before finally stepping into Steven Spielberg’s shoes to direct Jaws 2 in 1978. That gig kicked off the film side of his oeuvre, which went into high gear in the ’80s and ’90s with movies including Enigma, Supergirl, Hercule & Sherlock, and Somewhere in Time. In later years, Szwarc continued to work in television, directing episodes of JAG, Scandal, Bones, Castle, Ally McBeal, Smallville, Supernatural and Grey’s Anatomy.
Tony Slattery
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Tony Slattery, the British actor and comedian known for his sharp improv skills on Channel 4’s Whose Line Is It Anyway?, died on Jan. 14. He was 65. He appeared across seven seasons of the Clive Anderson-hosted improv game show and was an alum of Cambridge University’s comedy troupe Cambridge Footlights alongside then-students Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, and Sandi Toksvig. Slattery’s movie credits include Peter’s Friends opposite former peers Fry, Thompson, and Laurie; The Crying Game; and How to Get Ahead in Advertising, while TV credits include Saturday Stayback, Behind the Bike Sheds, Gems, and This Is David Harper. He also appeared on the West End stage, starring in musicals Me and My Girl, Radio Times, and Neville’s Island, the latter of which earned him an Olivier Award nomination.
Leslie Charleson
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Leslie Charleson, the actress best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital, died on Jan. 12. She was 79. Producer Frank Valenti confirmed Charleson’s death in a post on the official General Hospital Instagram which read in part, “Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on General Hospital alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew.” The Kansas City, Mo.-born actress appeared in brief stints on soaps like As The World Turns and Love Is a Many Splendored Thing before joining the GH cast as Monica, the matriarch of the powerful Quartermaine family. Monica owns Quartermaine Mansion, is former chief of staff of General Hospital, and is known for her enduring and often fractious relationship with ex-husband Alan (Stuart Damon). Charleson’s moving performance throughout Monica’s breast cancer storyline of the mid- to late-1990s earned her the last of four Daytime Emmy nominations. With her last onscreen appearance in December 2023, Charleson became General Hospital‘s longest-tenured cast member.
James McEachin
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James McEachin, the actor known for appearing on All in the Family and in multiple Clint Eastwood projects, died Jan. 11 at 94. Born in 1930 in Rennert, N.C., McEachin enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1947 and was wounded in an ambush during the Korean War. He then became a songwriter known as Jimmy Mack, working with artists like Otis Redding and the Furys. McEachin pivoted to acting in the 1960s, and appeared on shows like Hawaii Five-O, It Takes a Thief, and The Rockford Files. He portrayed Solomon Jackson and Mr. Turner on separate episodes of All in the Family in the 1970s, and briefly headlined the series Tenafly. McEachin also appeared in four films opposite Eastwood: Coogan’s Bluff, Play Misty For Me, Every Which Way but Loose, and Sudden Impact. In his later career, he was best known for playing Lt. Ed Brock in numerous Perry Mason TV movies. McEachin received the Purple Heart and Silver Star in 2005, and spent his final years writing books and working on military-based projects.
Sam Moore
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Sam Moore, the Grammy-winning soul singer and one-half of the duo Sam & Dave, died Jan. 10. He was 89. Born in 1935 in Miami, Moore began singing at a young age in church and clubs before joining forces with Dave Prater to form Sam & Dave. The duo released a string of R&B hits in the mid-1960s, including “Hold On! I’m Comin’,” “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby,” “I Thank You,” and, most notably, “Soul Man,” which won the 1968 Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental, and surged in popularity when John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd covered the song as the Blues Brothers on their 1978 album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Sam & Dave split up in 1970, and Moore recorded a solo album that wasn’t released until 2002. Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 following Prater’s death in a car accident. In 2006, Moore released the solo album Overnight Sensational, featuring collaborations with Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Fantasia, Sting, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and many more.
Bill Byrge
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Bill Byrge, best known for playing Ernest’s neighbor Bobby in several of the Ernest comedy films, died on Jan. 9. Byrge’s first onscreen credit came in 1985 as the gas station attendant in sci-fi comedy Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, which also starred Jim Varney. So began a long partnership between the two, which included the 1988 film Ernest Saves Christmas and TV show, Hey, Vern, It’s Ernest!, 1990’s Ernest Goes to Jail, 1991’s Ernest Scared Stupid and 1994’s Ernest Goes to School. Byrge also reprised the character and produced 2010’s Billy & Bobby the Whacky Duo on Vacation!, which was released 10 years after Varney died in 2000 of lung cancer at age 50. Byrge had an additional uncredited role in the 1988 short Harry the Dirty Dog.
Peter Yarrow
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Peter Yarrow, the singer, songwriter, and political activist who was a major figure in the folk revival movement of the 1960s as one third of the music trio Peter, Paul and Mary, died on Jan. 7 at 86 after a four-year battle with bladder cancer. Along with Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers (who died in 2009), Yarrow helped to comprise the folk trio beloved for their politically-charged songs and three-part harmonies. The group played a critical role in turning the folk music scene into a massively popular movement in the 1960s. Throughout their time together, they earned five Grammys, released two No. 1 albums, and scored six top-10 hits. The trio split up in 1970 to pursue solo careers, a year after Yarrow pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a 14-year-old girl. He served three months in jail and was ultimately pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1981. In subsequent years, the musician continuously apologized for and expressed regret over the incident. Peter, Paul and Mary reunited in 1978 for an anti-nuclear-power concert and remained together until Travers’ death, at which point Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform both separately and together. Stookey is now the last surviving member of the group.
Mike Rinder
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Mike Rinder, a former high-ranking Scientology executive who became a vocal critic of the church and cohosted the Emmy-winning docuseries Scientology and the Aftermath with Leah Remini, died on Jan. 5. He was 69. Rinder renounced Scientology in 2007, becoming a prominent whistleblower against the organization. He was featured in the Emmy- and Peabody-winning HBO documentary Going Clear in 2015, before teaming up with the King of Queens actress for the A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Remini and Rinder continued their partnership with the podcast,Scientology: Fair Game.
The Vivienne
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The Vivienne, the drag entertainer who won the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and competed on All Stars 7, died on Jan. 5 at 32. A cause was not disclosed. The British queen won fan affection and RuPaul’s admiration for her stunning looks on the runway and comedic prowess, including a fan-favorite Snatch Game impersonation of U.S. President Donald Trump. She returned as the only international franchise representative on the all-winners cast of All Stars 7, again wowing the judges with her fashions and excelling at the season’s comedy challenges. In addition to her tenure on Drag Race, The Vivienne also regularly appeared in British films and TV programs, including the Absolutely Fabulous movie in 2016 and as a contestant on season 15 of the celebrity-focused Dancing on Ice show in 2023.
Jeff Baena
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Jeff Baena, the independent filmmaker who collaborated with his wife, Aubrey Plaza, on projects like The Little Hours and Life After Beth, died Jan. 3. He was 47. Medical examiner records indicated that Baena’s death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Born in Miami in 1977, Baena made his screenwriting debut with 2004’s I Heart Huckabees, a collaboration with director David O. Russell that starred Dustin Hoffman. Baena began dating Plaza in 2011, and made his directorial debut with 2014’s Life After Beth, Baena released 2016’s Joshy, a dark comedy that centered on a protagonist (Thomas Middleditch) reeling from the death of his fiancée (Alison Brie). Brie headlined Baena’s next two projects, 2017’s The Little Hours (which also starred Plaza) and 2020’s Horse Girl. He later created the experimental dramedy series Cinema Toast in 2021, which reunited him with a number of past collaborators, including Plaza (who made her directorial debut in an episode) and Brie. His final film was 2022’s Spin Me Round, a dark comedy he wrote with Brie, who also starred alongside Alessandro Nivola and Plaza.
Brenton Wood
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Brenton Wood, the soul singer and songwriter known for a string of ’60s hits including “The Oogum Boogum Song,” “Gimme Little Sign,” and “Catch You on the Rebound,” died Jan. 3 at 83. Born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, La., Wood grew up singing wherever he could — audience or not — and began to write songs and excel at playing the piano while attending high school and junior college in Compton, Calif. He first went into a studio in 1957, and went on to release music and tour for decades. His manager said that on his last night, Wood shared a message for fans: “Catch you on the rebound.”
Wayne Osmond
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Wayne Osmond, the singer and musician known for performing alongside his siblings as a member of the Osmond Brothers, died Jan. 1 at 73. He was 64. Born in Ogden, Utah, in 1951, he began his musical career in a barbershop quartet with his brothers Alan, Jay, and Merrill, gaining prominence during a televised Disneyland performance in 1961 and regularly appearing on several TV shows throughout the 1960s. After adding brothers Donny and Jimmy to their lineup, the Osmonds performed as a pop group, nabbing a No. 1 hit with “One Bad Apple” in 1971. Wayne, who had perfect pitch, helped arrange the band’s harmonies and played lead guitar. Though the group’s popularity dwindled as younger siblings Jimmy, Donny, and Marie launched solo careers in the mid-’70s, the original four Osmond Brothers reunited as a country act in the ’80s and performed until the 2010s. Wayne eventually retired from the band in 2012, following treatment for a brain tumor that left him deaf. He reunited with the group for a performance in Honolulu in 2018, then had one final performance on The Talk in 2019 to celebrate Marie’s birthday.
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