Famous People Who Died In 2023
Celebrity deaths certainly are not the best way to kick off a new year, but then again, death is a part of life. This list will catalogue famous people who died in 2023, as well as the cause of death (if that has been shared).
You may find yourself a bit broken-hearted, when the world loses big voices in comedy, fashion, art, etc. For example, legendary guitarist Jeff Beck passed away on January 10 due to an infection caused by bacterial meningitis. Supermodel Tatjana Patitz passed away due to breast cancer. Below you will read highlights of the late stars' lives, such as the fact that musician Fred White was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alongside other band members of Earth, Wind & Fire, in 2000.
Check back here throughout the year to stay up-to-date on the celebrity deaths in 2023.
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Renowned British actor Tom Wilkinson, known for his exceptional performances in films such as The Full Monty, Shakespeare in Love, and Michael Clayton, has passed away at the age of 75 on December 30. The news was confirmed by his family in a statement to the BBC, revealing that he died suddenly at home on December 30. Wilkinson, a two-time Oscar nominee, won a BAFTA for his supporting role in The Full Monty. His diverse career included notable roles in films like In the Bedroom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Wilkinson's contributions to both film and television, including his Emmy-nominated portrayal of James A. Baker in Recount, leave a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry. He is survived by his wife, actor Diana Hardcastle, and two daughters.
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- Age: Dec. at 75 (1948-2023)
- Birthplace: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK
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Guitarist Robbie Robertson passed away on August 9, 2023, in Los Angeles, after a long illness. He was 80.
The sad news was confirmed by his longtime manager, Jared Levine, who shared a statement from the musician's family.
Robertson was the founding guitarist of The Band, and wrote and played on hits like “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” He got his start at only 16, when he began playing with Ronnie Hawkins' The Hawks, before joining Bob Dylan on his Going Electric tours. He also worked on The Basement Tapes, which was said to have helped invent the Americana genre.
The Band's debut album Music from Big Pink made the U.S. Top 30, and went gold. The Band played at Woodstock in 1969, and went on to become the first North American rock band to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Other albums included (but are not limited to) The Band, Stage Fright, Cahoots, and Rock of Ages. They performed before the largest rock concert audience in history - around 650,000 people - at the Watkins Glen Festival in New York in 1973.
The Band released The Best of The Band in 1976, and it went gold. They went on to release more compilation collections, like Across the Great Divide and A Musical History.
Robertson kicked off a solo career in 1987, with his self-titled album. His mother's family is Mohawk, and a member of the Six Nations, so Robertson often referenced Native American music in his solo projects. The song “The Weight” was used in a number of films over the years, including Easy Rider, The Big Chill, The Last Waltz, Patch Adams, and The King of Staten Island. He also recorded a cover of The Band's “Christmas Must Be Tonight” for the holiday comedy film with Bill Murray, Scrooged. The five-time Grammy nominee was a frequent collaborator of Martin Scorsese', including Killers of the Flower Moon, The Irishman, The Wolf of Wall Street, Casino, Gangs of New York, and more.
The Bad was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and has been the subject of a number of documentaries, including 1998 PBS doc Making A Noise: A Native American Journey with Robbie Robertson, The Last Waltz from Scorsese, and 2019's Once We Were Brothers.
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- Age: Dec. at 80 (1943-2023)
- Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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- Victor S. Engel
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Voice actor Johnny Hardwick passed away on August 8, 2023, at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 64.
No cause of death was given, but the Austin coroner's office said that no foul play is suspected.
Hardwick was known for voicing the character Dale Dribble on King of the Hill. He - and his Texas drawl - were with the Fox animated series from its debut in 1997 until the final episode in 2010. In January 2023, it was revealed that Hulu would revive the series, and Hardwick was set to return.
He got his start doing local stand-up comedy in 1990, though he would go on to make appearances on The Jon Stewart Show, at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, and at the Montreal Comedy Festival. During the beginning seasons of King of the Hill on Fox, Hardwick was credited as a producer and writer. He was nominated for an Emmy as a supervising producer of the show in 2001 and 2002, and won an Emmy as a producer in 1999, when King of the Hill won for outstanding animated program.
Following King of the Hill, Hardwick started his own YouTube Channel.
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- Age: Dec. at 64 (1963-2023)
- Birthplace: Austin, Texas, USA
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- Luke Winterton
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Sixto Rodriguez - known professionally as Rodriguez - passed away on August 8, 2023. No cause of death was given. He was 81.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our Legend, Rodriguez,” said a statement shared to his professional Facebook page.
Rodriguez was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man. He was born in Detroit, and went on to record albums in 1970 - Cold Fact - and 1971 - Coming to Reality - which featured songs like “Sugar Man” and “I Wonder.” However, he did not find much success at the time, and he focused on his production line job, and even went on to run for office multiple times. He ran for Mayor of Detroit in 1981.
He was not aware that his music had become anti-apartheid anthems in South Africa. In 1998, he came out of retirement to tour the country. This revitalized his music career, and led to his albums being re-released by Light in the Attic in 2009, which finally found him success in the United States. He was the subject of the documentary in 2012, performed with the orchestra on The Late Show With David Letterman, headlined at New York's Beacon Theatre, and toured the world.
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- Age: Dec. at 81 (1942-2023)
- Birthplace: Michigan, USA, Detroit
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The Exorcist director, William Friedkin, passed away on August 7, 2023, at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, due to heart failure and pneumonia. He was 87.
Friedkin rose to fame in the 1970s, with other cutting-edge directors, like Francis Ford Coppola and Hal Ashby. The Oscar-winning director is perhaps best known for The French Connection, which won Oscars for best picture, director, and actor. He is also known for directing the iconic horror film, The Exorcist, which brought in $500 million worldwide. The film also earned him a nomination for best director, which doesn't happen that often for horror films.
Friedkin rose through the ranks, beginning at Chicago TV station WGN, where he directed TV shows and documentaries. From there he moved up to leading the documentary division, and then directing documentaries for producer David L. Wolper. From there, he directed an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, before getting his big break in 1967 directing Good Times, which featured Sonny and Cher.
He would go on to direct many other films, including, but not limited to Cruising, Deal of the Century, To Live and Die in L.A.The Hunted, and a Twelve Angry Men remake. The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is his final film, and is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival. He also had a lot of television credits, and worked on series like Tales from the Crypt, The Twilight Zone, Space Quest, and Rules of Engagement.
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- Age: Dec. at 87 (1935-2023)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Actor Mark Margolis passed away on August 3, 2023, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. He was 83.
In recent years, he was perhaps best known for playing Hector “Tío” Salamanca on Breaking Bad, and then for five seasons of the prequel series, Better Call Saul. He was nominated for an Emmy for his performance in Breaking Bad.
Margolis was born in Philadelphia, but moved to New York to pursue acting. He started in Broadway with Infidel Caesar, and went on to appear in over 50 Off-Broadway plays, including The Golem and Uncle Sam. As far as film, Margolis's breakout role came in the 1983 Brian De Palma film, Scarface. He often collaborated with Darren Aronofsky, appearing in Noah, Black Swan, The Wrestler, and Pi. However, he starred in a host of films throughout his career, and has over 70 film credits over five decades of work.
Other TV series that featured Margolis include (but are not limited to) American Horror Story: Asylum, Gotham, The Equalizer, Oz, and Kings.
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- Age: Dec. at 83 (1939-2023)
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Conductor and composer Carl Davis passed away on August 3, 2023, in Oxford. He was 86.
Davis, who was born in Brooklyn, provided music for the popular UK documentary series, The World at War. For the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Davis conducted the BBC's theme song for their coverage. Though he is perhaps best known for his work on the BBC TV Pride & Prejudice, which starred Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. He made the music for Florence Foster Jenkins, starring Meryl Streep, and he won a BAFTA for his music in The French Lieutenant's Woman.
He was commissioned to create music for a restoration of Napoleon from Abel Gance. His reputation led to him being chosen to produce scores for silent films like Ben-Hur, The Phantom of the Opera, and City Lights.
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- Age: Dec. at 86 (1936-2023)
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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Euphoria star Angus Cloud died in Oakland, California on July 31, 2023. He was 25.
The Oakland Fire Dept. responded to a medical emergency around 11:30 a.m., and reported that the patient was “already deceased.” No cause of death was given, but police confirmed it was an “active death investigation.”
“It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways. Last week he buried his father, and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health, and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone, and should not fight this on their own in silence," read a statement from Cloud's family. “We hope the world remembers him for his humor, laughter, and love for everyone. We ask for privacy at this time as we are still processing this devastating loss.”
Cloud rose to fame after being discovered walking on the street, and cast in HBO hit Euphoria, as a drug dealer with a big heart, named Fezco “Fez” O'Neill, a character that also had a developing love story with Lexi (played by Maude Apatow). He was a main character on the first two seasons, and quickly became a fan favorite.
He also appeared in North Hollywood (2021) and The Line (2023), and had recently been cast in a new horror movie alongside Melissa Barrera, from Scream VI directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Cloud also starred in music videos, like Becky G and Karol G's “Miamiii” and Juice WRLD's “Cigarettes.”
Prior to acting, Cloud attended Oakland School of the Arts with Zendaya, his Euphoria co-star. He was cast in the HBO series while working as a waiter in Brooklyn.
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- Age: 25
- Birthplace: Oakland, California, USA
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Paul Reubens passed away due to cancer on July 30, 2023. He was 70.
The sad news was announced via a statement shared to the official Pee-wee Herman Instagram account, which said, “Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy, and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
There was also a statement shared from Reubens about the diagnosis, which read, “Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years. I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans, and supporters. I have loved you all so much, and enjoyed making art for you.”
Reubens was best-known for playing the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, with his red bowtie, signature haircut, and catchphrases like, “I know you are, but what am I?”
Reubens began his career in the Seventies, joining the Groundlings comedy troupe, and he launched The Pee-wee Herman Show stage production in 1980, featuring the character he created. After his show ran for five sold-out months, he got a special at HBO. He famously stayed in character for interviews and public appearances, as well as in guest appearances on shows, like Top Chef. His feature film debut came in 1985, with the help of Tim Burton. Pee-wee's Big Adventure was such a success that three years later, he returned to the character for Big Top Pee-wee.
Pee-wee moved to TV from 1986 to 1990 for CBS series Pee-wee's Playhouse. The popular series featured impressive guest stars like Laurence Fishburne, Natasha Lyonne, and Jimmy Smits, and featured trendy music like that of Cyndi Lauper and the Residents. The series won several Emmys, before ending in 1991 due to Reubens being arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater in Florida. He stepped back from playing Pee-wee, though he did appear in character at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards.
He didn't reprise the role until he revived The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway. He also made appearances on WWE Raw, and in digital sketches for Funny or Die? He co-wrote and starred in Netflix's Pee-wee's Big Holiday, which was a sequel to his 1988 film. This would be his final role before his death, though he had been working on developing two more Pee-wee projects - The Pee-wee Herman Story and Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Movie - before his death.
In 2002, Reubens was charged with misdemeanor possession of obscene material improperly depicting a child under the age of 18 in sexual conduct. A self-proclaimed collector of erotica, Reubens, who called himself a collector of erotica, disagreed with the classification of pornography, and his child pornography charges were dropped in 2004, when the actor agreed to plead guilty to a lesser misdemeanor obscenity charge. Regarding the charges, Herman told NBC News in 2005, "One thing I want to make very, very clear, I don’t want anyone for one second to think that I am titillated by images of children. It’s not me. You can say lots of things about me. And you might. The public may think I’m weird. They may think I’m crazy or anything that anyone wants to think about me. That’s all fine. As long as one of the things you’re not thinking about me is that I’m a pedophile. Because that’s not true.”
Mystery Men, Blow, Batman Returns, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Matilda were other film appearances of his. As far as TV shows, he also appeared on 30 Rock, The Blacklist, Pushing Daisies, Rugrats, Reno 911!, and What We Do in the Shadows.
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- Age: Dec. at 70 (1952-2023)
- Birthplace: Peekskill, New York, USA
Sinéad O'Connor passed away on July 26, 2023, after being found unresponsive at her flat in Herne Hill, South London. She was 56.
Her family confirmed the sad news with a statement, saying, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated, and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
O'Connor was known for her recording of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” written by Prince, which was a Billboard Music Awards number one world single in 1990. It topped the charts, and earned her three Grammy nominations. The music video for the single, which was directed by John Maybury, and featured mostly close-ups of O'Connor's face as she sang, which helped her to become as well-known as the song.
She was named Rolling Stone's artist of the year in 1991, and in 2023, she was presented with the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album at the RTÉ Choice Music Awards. When she accepted the award, she dedicated it to “each and every member of Ireland’s refugee community,” adding, “You’re very welcome in Ireland. I love you very much and I wish you happiness.”
The musician was also known for being outspoken, and for stunts such as in 1992, when she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II during Saturday Night Live to protest against child sex abuse in the Catholic Church. She also boycotted the Grammys in 1990, because she didn't want “to be part of a world that measures artistic ability by material success.” The singer also refused to play the US national anthem before concerts.
She has also been open about mental health, and went on Oprah's talk show in 2007 to talk about how she had been diagnosed as bipolar. In 2018, she converted to Islam, and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat, though she still performed under Sinéad O'Connor. She released a memoir called Rememberings in 2021.
The news of her death comes one year after tragic loss of her son, Shane, who died in 2022 by completing suicide.
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- Age: Dec. at 56 (1966-2023)
- Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
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Randy Meisner, bassist and co-founder of the Eagles, passed away on July 26, 2023, due to complications associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was 77.
The band released a statement that read, “Randy was an integral part of the Eagles, and instrumental in the early success of the band. His vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, ‘Take It to the Limit.’”
Before playing with Eagles, Meisner played with Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band, and played bass for the country-rock group Poco in the late Sixties. He was with the Eagles from their self-titled album in 1972 to 1977. The group initially began as Linda Ronstadt's backup band.
They were one of the world's largest acts, with their 1976 compilation set, Their Greatest Hits, becoming the top-selling album in U.S. history, with more than 38 million units. Their album, One of These Nights, spent five weeks and number one, and was nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year. The song “Lyin' Eyes” earned the group a Grammy for best pop vocal.
Meisner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with the Eagles) in 1998. After leaving the band, Meisner released three solo albums, including One More Song and Randy Meisner.
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- Age: Dec. at 77 (1946-2023)
- Birthplace: USA, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Tony Bennett passed away on July 21 at his home in New York City after battling Alzheimer's disease for seven years. He was 96.
“Tony left us today, but he was still singing the other day at his piano and his last song was, ‘Because of You,’ his first #1 hit. Tony, because of you we have your songs in our heart forever," read a statement shared to his official Twitter account.
Despite his Alzheimer's, Bennett continued to perform, releasing a Grammy-winning album with Lady Gaga in 2014, and performing with her in a series of concerts in New York that same year. A 60 Minutes segment from 2022 showed Bennett's magical talent and deep love for music, as he struggled to have long conversations, but could easily perform when it came time to sing. “That’s true of many great people, that they have an over-abiding passion that guides them and everything else is secondary. And for Tony, it’s always been music. And so, it’s no wonder that his brain has pretty much built itself around his music,” his neurologist said.
Prior to his prolific musical career, Bennett was called to serve in World War II. One of his last missions was to liberate a concentration camp in Landsberg, Germany. He was also at one point demoted from his rank of corporal for inviting a Black friend to dine with him during a time when troops were segregated.
Bennett's career spanned 70 years, and he officially retired in 2021. NBC celebrated his 90th birthday with a star-packed TV special. “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” is one of his best-known songs, as it became one of the city's anthems, and was selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2018. It also won Record of the Year and another Grammy, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994. The year prior, Bennett was recognized with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
He released Duets II for his 85th birthday, and the star-studded album featured artists like Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood, and Amy Winehouse. Bennett broke his own record three years later as the oldest living performer with a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart at age 88 for his duet with Lady Gaga, “Cheek to Cheek.” He also appeared in the documentary Amy, in which he is seen encouraging a young Winehouse in a performance of “Body and Soul.”
Other hits of his include 1951’s “Because of You,” 1953’s “Rags to Riches,” and “Stranger in Paradise,” and “There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight.” Love for Sale, released in 2021, was his final album.
In addition to his Grammy wins, Bennett also has two Primetime Emmy Award wins - 1996 and 2007 - for individual performance in a variety or music program. He was named an NEA Jazz Master, a Kennedy Center Honoree, and founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York.
Bennett was also an activist, and joined Harry Belafonte and Martin Luther King Jr. in the Selma-to-Montgomery march in 1965. He also performed at a rally at the state capitol in support for the Civil Rights Act. Later in life, he spoke out on gun violence, and was friends with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “He helped free the concentration camps during the time of World War II. He marched with Martin Luther King. He is a true American patriot," Pelosi has said.
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- Age: Dec. at 96 (1926-2023)
- Birthplace: Astoria, New York
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- Georges Biard
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Jane Birkin passed away in Paris, France on July 16. No cause of death was given, though the actress and singer had a mild stroke in 2021, and had previously dealt with heart problems. She was 76.
The French Culture Ministry said the country had lost a “timeless Francophone icon,” and the Paris Mayor said, “The ‘most Parisian of the English’ has left us. We will never forget her songs, her laughs and her incomparable accent which always accompanied us.”
She was born in London in 1946, and began acting when she turned 17. In 1965, she appeared in the musical Passion Flower Hotel. Birkin first achieved notoriety for her role in Michelangelo Antonioni's movie, Blow-Up, which featured a controversial sex scene. Many also knew her for she and then-lover, French singer and songwriter Serge Gainsbourg's 1969 hit, “Je t’aime...moi non plus,” which was also known for its explicit nature. The song was actually banned by the BBC and condemned by the Vatican. She burst onto the scene in France thanks to that relationship, which began after the pair met on the set of Slogan, and ended in 1981.
She released albums in 1983 - Baby Alone in Babylone - and 1990 - Amour es Feintes - that had been written by Gainsbourg, as well as her own album called Arabesque in 2002. Birkin also released a collection of live recordings, called Jane at the Palace, in 2009.
Around 1991, the singer inspired the famous Birkin bag from Hermes, after chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas saw her struggling with her straw bag on a flight to London.
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- Age: Dec. at 76 (1946-2023)
- Birthplace: London, England, UK
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Mantaur
Wrestler Mike “Mantaur” Halac passed away on July 11, after a fall that landed him in the hospital. He was 55.
Another wrestler, Bryan Clark, confirmed Halac passed after suffering a fall, tweeting, “I'm very saddened to hear the passing of Mike Halac. I messaged him after his fall, and while he was in the ER. He never responded, which was very unlike him. I woke to hear the news. Prayers for Big Mike's family, I will always remember our laughs, and I will miss our conversations.”
Halac got his start in the German Catch Wrestling Association, using the stage name Bruiser Mastino, from 1991 to 1994. He initially joined the WWE using the name Bruiser, but later changed to “The Mantaur,” which is his character that was a minotaur who charged and mooed at his opponents. The first pay-per-view appearance for The Mantaur was the 1995 Royal Rumble versus Lex Luger.
He left for a bit to join Extreme Championship Wrestling, but returned in 1996. He played an unnamed bodyguard for Golddust in a special called In Your House 7. Halac continued to wrestle until 2019. Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3 Part 2 Battle Royal in April 2019 was Halac’s last match as Mantaur.
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- Age: Dec. at 55 (1968-2023)
- Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska
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Czech writer Milan Kundera passed away on July 11, after a prolonged illness. He was 94.
“Milan Kundera, a Czech-French author who is among the world’s most translated authors, died on July 11, 2023 in his Paris apartment,” the Moravian Library, a state-funded research organization, said in a statement.
He joined the Communist Party shortly after World War II, but was expelled in 1950 for criticizing the regime. However, his membership was restored not long after. Kundera was an influential voice, especially during the “Prague Spring,” - the late 1960s - which is when he published his first novel, The Joke. The controversial book took a satirical look at revenge set in the totalitarian country.
By the Seventies, after a Soviet invasion, Kunderas’ books were banned, and even removed from libraries. Due to his opinions, he lost his teaching job, and was barred from publishing anymore.The communist police harassed him, tapped his phone, and he was declared an enemy of the state. He was stripped of his Czechoslovak citizenship, and forced to flee to Paris, where he lived in exile. Kundera became a French citizen in 1981. That is where he published his three most acclaimed books, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and Immortality. In his later years, he became very protective of his work, banning all adaptations after the 1988 film based on The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
His Czech citizenship was restored in 2019, but by that point his home was France. Kundera’s legacy was questioned when a 2008 report by a Czech weekly newspaper accused him of having acted as a communist police informant in 1950. He didn’t often speak out, but in this case fiercely denied the accusations.
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- Age: Dec. at 94 (1929-2023)
- Birthplace: Brno, Jihovýchod, Czech Republic
Hong Kong singer-songwriter Coco Lee passed away on July 5, after attempting to complete suicide days earlier. She was 48.
Her sisters Carol and Nancy shared the sad news on Facebook, writing, “With great sadness, we are here to break the most devastating news: Coco had been suffering from depression for a few years but her condition deteriorated drastically over the last few months. Although Coco sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her.” They explained that she attempted suicide at her home on July 2, and was rushed to the hospital, where she was in a coma until passing on the 5. In her last Instagram post on December 20, 2022, Lee wrote of her struggles the previous year, saying, “Life seemed unbearable at times but I adapted the attitude of a ‘female warrior’ to face them head on fearlessly, but always had the biggest smile.”
Lee was born in Hong Kong, but moved to the US, where she attended middle school and high school, before launching a successful career as a pop star in Asia, singing Mando-pop, and then in Cantonese and English later in her career. Throughout her career she released 18 studio albums, two live albums, and five compilation albums.
She was offered a recording contract the summer after graduating high school, and went on to become the first Chinese singer to be signed to Sony Music globally. She also became the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars, singing “A Love Before Time,” from the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which had been nominated for best original song.
Lee voiced the character Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of the Disney animated classic, and also performed the Mandarin version of “Reflection” from the movie. In addition to Mulan, Lee acted in Stanley Kwan’s 2002 movie No Tobacco, Lee Xin’s Master of Everything in 2004, and He Jiong’s Forever Young in 2015. She was also a regular judge on Chinese talent shows, like Chinese Idol and Come Sing With Me.
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- Age: Dec. at 47 (1976-2023)
- Birthplace: Hong Kong, China
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Oscar winner Alan Arkin passed away on June 29 at his home in San Marcos, California due to heart ailments. He was 89.
His sons - Adam, Matthew, and Anthony - released a joint statement, which read, “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”
Arkin won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role in Little Miss Sunshine in 2007, a Golden Globe for best actor in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming in 1967, and a Tony in 1963 for acting in Enter Laughing. He was nominated for Emmys six times - for The Kominsky Method, The Pentagon Papers, Chicago Hope, Escape from Sobibor, and ABC Stage 67 - an Oscar for his work in Argo, and was Tony-nominated for directing for The Sunshine Boys.
He was an uncredited singer in Calypso Heat Wave in his big-screen debut in 1957. Arkin earned his first Oscar nomination for his role in 1966 Cold War comedy The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming. He was nominated again in 1968 for his work in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Throughout his career he appeared in more than 100 films, including Million Dollar Arm, The Muppets, Get Smart, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, So I Married an Ax Murderer, North, GlenGarry Glen Ross, Edward Scissorhands, and Slums of Beverly Hills. He also voiced J.D. Salinger in the Netflix series BoJack Horseman, and Wild Knuckles in Minions: The Rise of Gru, his last screen credit.
Arkin made his Broadway debut in the 1961 musical From the Second City, and then won a Tony for his work in the Broadway comedy Enter Laughing. He was involved in Broadway both as an actor and director, also appearing in From the Second City and Luv. He was nominated for a Tony for directing The Sunshine Boys, and also directed Hail Scrawdyke!, Molly, and, most recently, Taller Than a Dwarf (2000).
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- Age: Dec. at 89 (1934-2023)
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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- Sex with Sue
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Sex educator Sue Johanson passed away on June 28, in a long-term care facility in Ontario. She was 93.
Filmmaker Lisa Rideout, who directed Sex with Sue, a documentary about Johanson, confirmed the sad news via Instagram, writing, “We know firsthand the positive impact Sue had on millions of people around the world. Sue was an incredible, unstoppable force. She paved the way for how we talk about sex and sexuality today, unafraid of shattering taboos and toppling conservative viewpoints.”
Johanson, who was a nurse in Canada with a background in human sexuality and family planning, began offering sex advice via a Canadian radio show called Sunday Night Sex Show. In 1985, it became a TV show, and in 2002, it was picked up by Oxygen for American audiences, and was retitled Talk Sex With Sue Johanson. The famous, informative show featured a kind, older woman - Johanson - giving advice on taboo human sexuality topics, like different kinds of sex toys.
Johanson was not only known for her show, which ran until 2008, but also for appearances on late night talk shows like The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Show With David Letterman, and Late Night With Conan O’Brien. She also played a fictional version of herself - a sex educator and radio host named Dr. Sally - on two episodes of Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi: The Next Generation.
She authored three books, Talk Sex, Sex Is Perfectly Natural But Not Naturally Perfect, and Sex, Sex, and More Sex.
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- Age: Dec. at 93 (1930-2023)
- Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
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White Hall head football coach Ryan Mallett drowned in an accident in Destin, Florida on June 27. He was 35.
Mallett and about nine to 12 other people were caught in a rip current, and while others were able to make it to a sandbar, he was not, and was swept under the water. By the time lifeguards got to Mallett, he was not breathing. He was pronounced deceased after being rushed to a local hospital.
His girlfriend, Madison Carter, who he had been swimming with, confirmed the sad news in a heartfelt post on Facebook with the devastating line, “I'm so sorry I couldn't save you, and I hope you know how hard I tried.”
Mallett played college football - one at Michigan and three at Arkansas - and he holds the Razorbacks' all-time single-season passing yards and passing touchdown records, in addition to the single season records for total offense and total touchdowns. He was a two-time All-SEC Second-Team selection. He played in the NFL for seven years before retiring to coach, and played for the New England Patriots (2011-2013), the Houston Texans (2014-2015), the Baltimore Ravens (2015-2017), and the TSL Generals (2021). He was hired as the White Hall School head coach in 2022, after spending two years as an assistant.
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- Age: Dec. at 35 (1988-2023)
- Birthplace: Batesville, Arkansas
Billionaire businessman James Crown died in a racing accident at the Aspen Motorsports Park in Colorado on his 70th birthday, June 25. He reportedly passed after a single-vehicle crash from colliding into an impact barrier. Local officials are investigating the crash.
The family representative released a simple statement, saying, “The Crown family is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Jim Crown. The family requests that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.” JPMorgan Chase also released a statement, which read, “We extend our deepest condolences to Jim’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts are also with all of you who knew and loved Jim, as much as I did. He was an integral part of JPMorgan Chase and our lives, and his presence will be deeply missed.”
Crown was chairman and CEO of his family investment firm, Henry Crown and Company, and had been serving on the JPMorgan Chase board since the 1990s. He was also a board director at General Dynamics.
Though Crown lived in Chicago, he often traveled to Colorado, and he was a managing partner of Aspen Skiing Co., chair emeritus of the Aspen Institute, and a trustee at three institutions: the Museum of Science and Industry, the Civic Committee, and the University of Chicago. He was appointed to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board by President Barack Obama in 2014.
Crown, whose family Forbes estimates to be worth $10.2 billion, had just attended the White House State Dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi days earlier.
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- Age: Dec. at 70 (1953-2023)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
- Photo:
- Georges Biard
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY-SA 3.0
The remains of British actor Julian Sands, who had been missing since January 13, were found in the Mt. Baldy wilderness on June 24. He was 65.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed on June 27 that the remains belonged to Sands, though they are still investigating the manner of death. Hikers had discovered the body on June 24, and contacted authorities. “The identification process for the body… has been completed and was positively identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands,” said a statement from the sheriff's department.
Bad weather had impacted the search, making it impossible to look for periods of time. In June they had a renewed effort, with a team involving more than 80 people.
Sands found his breakout role as journalist Jon Swain in Oscar-winning film The Killing Fields (1984). He was known for his uninhibited performances, like as George Emerson in 1986's A Room with a View, and as Percy Shelley in Gothic. He went on to move to Los Angeles, but continued to work against becoming a “Hollywood actor," with more unconventional roles, like in Warlock (1989), David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch (1991), and Jennifer Lynch's Boxing Helena (1993). Other interesting roles include in The Loss of Sexual Innocence (1999), Timecode (2000), Dario Argento’s Phantom of the Opera in 1998, Ocean's Thirteen (2007), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), The Painted Bird (2019), and Benediction (2021). He did star in some conventional films, as well, like as the spider expert in Arachnophobia (1990), as well as roles in The Browning Version (1994) and Leaving Las Vegas (1995).
The love Sands had for mountain climbing was well-known, with the actor telling The Guardian in 2020 that he was happiest when he was “close to a mountain summit on a glorious cold morning.”
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- Age: Dec. at 65 (1958-2023)
- Birthplace: Otley, England, UK
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- Gotfryd, Bernard
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers whistleblower, died on June 16, about four months after sharing on Twitter that he had been diagnosed with “inoperable pancreatic cancer.” He was 92.
Harvard-educated Ellsberg enlisted in the Marines a couple years after graduation, but returned in 1957 to get his Ph.D. after he was discharged. In 1964, he went to work at the Pentagon for then-Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Ellsberg worked for the State Department, and was stationed in Vietnam for two years. It was after he returned to RAND in 1967 that he began contributing to the top-secret history of the war, commissioned by McNamara, which would later be called The Pentagon Papers.
Ellsberg is most known for leaking the Pentagon Papers to newspapers, along with Anthony Russo, in 1969. While working for the RAND Corporation, they photocopied a 7,000-page study privately commissioned by the Defense Department. The documents showed that the U.S. government knew the Vietnam War could not be won.
They were branded traitors by then-President Nixon, who tried to stop the documents from being published. However, The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the newspapers in 1971, in a landmark case regarding free expression. Ellsberg turned himself in to the U.S. Attorney’s office just days before the court’s decision. He and Russo were charged with espionage, theft, and conspiracy. They went on trial in Los Angeles, and could have faced up to 115 years in prison. However, the case was dismissed by a federal judge in 1973, ruling that the government had been guilty of misconduct.
He continued to speak out against wars in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and defended whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning. He last spoke out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a June 2022 interview.
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- Age: Dec. at 92 (1931-2023)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
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- Photo:
- David Styles
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Author Cormac McCarthy died due to natural causes at his home in Santa Fe on June 13. He was 89.
Many consider McCarthy to be one of America's greatest writers, known for his bleak depictions of the United States, in books like The Road, Blood Meridian, and All the Pretty Horses.
He won the MacArthur “genius grant” in 1981, and would often live on grants while writing. The New York Times called him a “writer's writer,” with a cult following “far out of proportion to his name recognition or sales.” McCarthy won the 1992 National Book Award for the first book in his “Border Trilogy,” All the Pretty Horses. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Road, which Oprah Winfrey made even more popular by adding it to her book club. His novel No Country for Old Men didn't receive the kind of acclaim his other books did, but it went on to be made into an Oscar-winning movie of the same name by the Cohen brothers, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem.
McCarthy went on to become a lifetime trustee at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico, where he was often seen working on novels - like The Passenger and Stella Maris - with his Olivetti typewriter.
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- Age: Dec. at 89 (1933-2023)
- Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island
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- Photo:
- Philipp Wüst
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY-SA 3.0
Treat Williams passed away on June 12 after a motorcycle crash on Vermont Route 30 in Dorset. He was airlifted to Albany Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He was 71.
His family shared the following statement with Deadline, “Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it… To all his fans, please know that Treat appreciated all of you, and please continue to keep him in your hearts and prayers.”
Williams was perhaps best known for playing the lead of WB series Everwood, from 2002 to 2006. He received two SAG Award nominations for the role. Other TV appearances include, but are not limited to, Dempsey, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Late Shift, and Good Advice. Most recently, he filmed for FX anthology series, Feud: Capote's Women, and appeared in Blue Bloods, We Own This City, and Hallmark Channel's Chesapeake Shores.
He made his film debut in 1975's Deadly Hero. His breakthrough came in 1979, with the role of George Berger in Hair, based on the Broadway musical. The performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Other film credits include 1941, Prince of the City, Dead Heat, and Deep Rising.
He appeared in a number of Broadway shows between 1974 and 2001, like Follies, Love Letters and The Pirates of Penzance.
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- Age: Dec. at 71 (1951-2023)
- Birthplace: Rowayton, Connecticut, USA
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- 2Mulholland Falls17 Votes
- 3The Deep End of the Ocean12 Votes
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Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi died on June 12 at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan due to a lung infection related to leukemia. He was 86.
Berlusconi was born in Milan, and first began his career by selling vacuum cleaners. Then he set up a construction company, which led to him becoming one of the richest men in Italy, thanks to owning television networks, publishing companies, and advertising agencies. Before he went into politics in the 1990s, Berlusconi saved the AC Milan football club from bankruptcy.
He was the longest-serving PM in post-war Italy, despite a myriad of sex scandals and corruption cases. He first came into office in 1994, and held office four times, until 2011. He was praised for his business acumen, but Berlusconi was a polarizing figure. He faced many legal troubles throughout his career, including for charges like bribery, tax fraud, and solicitation of underage sex workers. However, despite being convicted many times, he avoided jail because of his advanced age and statutes of limitations.
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- Age: Dec. at 86 (1936-2023)
- Birthplace: Milan, Italy
- Photo:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Theodore “Ted” Kacyznski, known as the Unabomber, was found dead in his cell at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina on June 10. He was 81. Federal prison officials believe Kacyznski died by suicide.
Kacyznski was known as the Harvard-trained math professor who planned a bombing campaign for revenge from his small shack in the wilderness of Montana. He had been serving eight life sentences after pleading guilty in 1998 for sending bombs through the mail, killing three people and wounding 23 others, from 1978 to 1995. The FBI, who had a 150-man task force, dubbed him the “unabomber,” by combining university, airline, and bombing. He had been making untraceable bombs, and delivering them. His first bomb targeted a university in Chicago in 1978. He published the Unabomber Manifesto, a 30,000 word document, in which he justified his attacks
He was arrested - thanks to a tip from his brother - at his remote Montana cabin in 1996.
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- Age: Dec. at 81 (1942-2023)
- Birthplace: USA, Evergreen Park, Illinois
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Christian televangelist Pat Robertson died on June 8 at age 93. No cause of death was given, but his passing was confirmed via press release.
The statement read, “Pat Robertson, longtime TV host, religious broadcaster, educator, humanitarian, and one-time presidential candidate died at his home in Virginia Beach early Thursday morning. He was 93.”
Robertson founded the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960, and became an ordained Southern Baptist minister a year later. He used that, and his daily show The 700 Club, to push the message of conservative values, targeting social issues like LGBTQ+ rights and women's rights.
He helped to make the conservative evangelical movement a political force, helping to elect Ronald Reagan, and trying - but failing - to secure the Republican nomination for president in 1988. He also founded the Christian Coalition of America. Robertson became known for his controversial comments, blaming natural disasters and acts of terrorism on perceived immorality. He linked Hurricane Katrina to abortion, and said Haiti had the earthquake because they made a “pact with the devil.” He supported Donald Trump in 2016, and blamed the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting on “disrespect for Trump.”
Robertson suffered a stroke in 2018, and stepped down as the host of The 700 Club in 2021.
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- Age: Dec. at 93 (1930-2023)
- Birthplace: USA, Virginia
- Photo:
- Kroon, Ron / Anefo
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Brazilian bossa nova singer Astrud Gilberto passed away at home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 5. She was 83.
Her granddaughter, Sofia Gilberto, confirmed the news, saying, ""I'm here to bring you the sad news that my grandmother became a star today, and is next to my grandfather João Gilberto. She was a pioneer and the best. At the age of 22, she gave voice to the English version of “Girl from Ipanema” and gained international fame."
While living in Rio de Janeiro in her teens, Astrud became a part of a “musical clan," which included singer Nara Leao, and the guitarist who helped create bossa nova, João Gilberto - who she later married. In 1963, her husband was working with jazz legend Stan Getz, and they needed a vocalist for the English version of “The Girl from Ipanema.” Astrud volunteered, and her vocals made the song an instant hit. It won the Grammy Award for record of the year.
She often had to fight misogyny in the industry, like when Getz said he rescued her from being a housewife. She wrote on her website, “Nothing is further from the truth. I guess it made them look 'important' to have been the one that had the 'wisdom' to recognize talent or 'potential' in my singing… I suppose I should feel flattered by the importance that they lend to this, but I can't help but to feel annoyed at the fact that they resorted to lying!” She began writing her own songs in the Seventies, which can be found on albums like That Girl From Ipanema and Astrud Gilberto Now.
Astrud also acted, appearing in The Hanged Man and Get Yourself a College Girl. She recorded the soundtrack for The Deadly Affair, working with Quincy Jones. She formed a group with her son, Maeclo, in the Eighties, and they toured the world, though avoided Brazil because Astrud never got the recognition there that they felt she deserved. In 1996, George Michael asked her to join him on a duet of “Desafinado” for charity album Red Hot + Rio. She recorded her final album - Jungle - in 2002, before retiring from public performances.
She went on to advocate against animal cruelty in her later years.
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- Age: Dec. at 83 (1940-2023)
- Birthplace: Salvador, Brazil
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- NBC Television
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public Domain
Ed Ames died at his Los Angeles home on May 21 at the age of 95. No cause of death was given.
Ames was best known for being a member of the Ames Brothers singing quartet, as well as for playing Cherokee tribesman Mingo on the TV show Daniel Boone.
He, along with his brothers Vic, Joe, and Gene, had their first major hit in the Fifties with “Rag Mop” and “Sentimental Me.” Before they broke up in 1963, the group had 49 songs that were charted. He also had a career as a solo artist, with hits like “Who Will Answer?,” “Try to Remember,” and “My Cup Runneth Over.”
Ames kicked off his acting career with off-Broadway performances, including in The Crucible and The Fantasticks, before moving to Broadway shows like Carnival! and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, in which he performed alongside Kirk Douglas. He actually got his role on Daniel Boone thanks to a talent scout seeing him perform as Chief Bromden in the show. He became known for his ability to throw a Tomahawk, thanks to his roles in which he played a Native American, and he famously showed his skill while doing a demonstration for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.
Other TV appearances of Ames include on McCloud, Murder She Wrote, and The Rifleman.
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- Age: Dec. at 95 (1927-2023)
- Birthplace: Malden, Massachusetts, USA
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Veteran actor Ray Stevenson passed away on May 21 in Italy. He was 58. His reps at Independent Talent confirmed the news, but did not reveal a cause of death.
Stevenson kicked off his career by starring in European TV series in the 1990s. His first big credit was in The Theory of Flight, in which he acted alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh. Roles in King Arthur, Punisher: War Zone, The Book of Eli, and The Other Guys followed, as well as one of his more famous characters, Volstagg in Thor. He reprised the role in Thor: Th Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
Other memorable roles include in RRR and Vikings, and he also voiced characters in Star Wars series The Clone Wars and Rebels, and had been planning on joining Rosario Dawson in The Mandalorian spinoff, Ahsoka. He played Titus Pullo in HBO series Rome, Blackbeard on Starz's Black Sails, and had appearances on Murphy’s Law, Dexter, Crossing Lines, Medici and The Spanish Princess. His most recent role was as Commander Jack Swimburne in season three of Das Boot.
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- Age: Dec. at 58 (1964-2023)
- Birthplace: Lisburn, Ireland
Legendary football player, activist, and actor Jim Brown passed away on May 18 due to natural causes. He was 87.
His wife confirmed the sad news on Instagram, writing, “It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown. He passed peacefully last night at our LA home. To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star. To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken.”
Brown was selected in the first round of the NFL draft in 1957. He played nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns - from 1957 to 1965 - and led the league in rushing for eight of those years. Brown was named a Pro Bowler every year that he played, leading the Browns to the league championship game three times, which they won in 1964. He was named MVP three times, and Sporting News called him the greatest football player ever in 2002. In 2020, Brown was selected to the NFL 100 all-time team, and was ranked as the No. 1 all-time player on the College Football 150 list.
Brown also acted, and was sometimes described as a Black Superman or a Black John Wayne. His first lead role was in MGM's 1968 film, The Split, which he followed with 1969's Riot. Due to roles like the Marine captain in 1968's Ice Station Zebra, some also called Brown “the first Black action star.” Other film roles include, but are not limited to, The Running Man, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Mars Attacks!, and Any Given Sunday. He also appeared on TV shows like Knight Rider, The A-Team, and CHiPs.
In addition to being a sports icon, Brown was also very involved in empowering the Black community during the Civil Rights Movement. He organized “The Cleveland Summit” in June 1967, bringing together the nation's top Black athletes to support Muhammad Ali's fight against serving in Vietnam. In 1988, he founded Amer-I-Can to help disadvantaged inner-city youth and ex-convicts. He also worked to curb gang violence in Los Angeles, and advocated for athletes to be more involved in the Black community.
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- Age: Dec. at 87 (1936-2023)
- Birthplace: St. Simons Island, Georgia, USA
- Photo:
- Marisa Rastellini
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Austrian actor Helmut Berger passed away on May 18, his agency, Helmet Werner Management confirmed. He was 78.
“Helmut Berger was one of the greatest and most talented actors European cinema had ever seen. His mentor, the Italian star director Luchino Visconti, recognized this talent immediately. With the films The Damned, Violence and Passion, and Ludwig II, he created an eternal monument to Helmut Berger. No other actor after him embodied the Bavarian fairy tale king as expressively as the native of Bad Ischl [Austria], whose portrayal of Ludwig II is internationally recognized as a masterpiece," the agency's statement read.
Berger was a prolific actor, appearing in movies like The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, Dorian Gray, and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part III, in addition to the Visconti films. He also appeared in the 1992 music video for Madonna’s song “Erotica.”
He was also known for his headline-making relationships - like with Visconti, Marisa Berenson, and, allegedly, both Mick and Bianca Jagger - as well as for being openly bisexual in a time when most stars were not vocal about such things.
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- Age: Dec. at 78 (1944-2023)
- Birthplace: Bad Ischl, Austria
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Pro wrestler “Superstar” Billy Graham passed away on May 17. No cause of death was given, though he had been on life support in the ICU. He was 79.
Graham - real name Eldridge Wayne Coleman - was a three-time world champion professional wrestler, with a 1977 - 1978 title run in what would become the WWE (but was WWWF at the time). He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
He first got involved in pro wrestling in the 1960s. Graham won the WWWF championship from Bruno Samartino in 1977. He ended up retiring in 1987, due to injuries and health issues, and went on to become a TV commentator. “Superstar” was said to have inspired other famous wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Scott Steiner and Ric Flair.
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- Age: Dec. at 79 (1943-2023)
- Birthplace: Arizona, USA, Paradise Valley
Experimental filmmaker and author Kenneth Anger passed away on May 11 at age 96. No cause of death was given.
The news was announced by his gallery, Sprueth Magers, who said, "It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of visionary filmmaker, artist and author Kenneth Anger (1927–2023),” the gallery posted on social media. “Kenneth was a trailblazer. His cinematic genius and influence will live on and continue to transform all those who encounter his films, words and vision.”
Anger was known for his avant-garde film and video art, like his 1947 film Fireworks, which was considered a cinematic achievement in the history of gay culture in America, while also garnering quite the controversy for the explicit contents. He also infamously wrote Hollywood Babylon, a book that focused on the gossip and rumor-mill of Hollywood. It is still a large part of the lore of Hollywood, despite the fact that many of the stories has since been discredited.
His short films were famous the artistry, the transgressive nature, and the incredible impact they had on the aesthetics - especially queer aesthetics - of the Sixties and Seventies. His influence can be seen throughout Hollywood history. For example, his montage and quick-cut techniques were put on display in the Frankie Goes To Hollywood music video for “Relax,” which was on an album called Welcome to the Pleasuredome, another reference to Anger's work.
Anger often courted controversy, whether for the explicit nature of his films, or for including satanic imagery in his works. His short film Invocation of My Demon Brother featured Bobby Beausoleil, who went on to be one of the Manson family members. His films inspired directors like Nicolas Winding Refn and Gaspar Noé, and “Sympathy for the Devil” from The Rolling Stones.
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- Age: Dec. at 96 (1927-2023)
- Birthplace: USA, California, Santa Monica
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- Gracenote
Soap opera star Jacklyn Zeman passed away due to cancer on May 9. She was 70.
General Hospital's executive producer shared the sad news on Twitter, posting, “ Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and true professional that brought so much positive energy with her to work. Jackie will be greatly missed, but her positive spirit will always live on with our cast and crew. We send our heartfelt sympathy to her loved ones, friends, and family, especially her daughters Cassidy and Lacey.”
ABC also released a statement, sharing, "Jacklyn Zeman has been a beloved member of the General Hospital and ABC family since she originated the iconic role of Bobbie Spencer over 45 years ago. She leaves behind a lasting legacy for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of the bad girl turned heroine and will always be remembered for her kind heart and radiant spirit. We are devastated by the news of her passing, and send our deepest condolences to Jackie’s family, friends and loved ones.”
After graduating from NYU, she was a Playboy Bunny at the Playboy Club in 1972. Zeman's first soap opera appearance was on The Edge of Night, before she got the role of Lana McLain in One Life to Live. She also appeared in The New Mike Hammer, Sledge Hammer!, and Chicago Hope, securing her most famous role as Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital. For this role, she was nominated three times for Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series, and once for outstanding lead actress in a drama series.
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- Age: Dec. at 70 (1953-2023)
- Birthplace: USA, Englewood, New Jersey
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Youngest MVP in MLB history, Vida Blue, passed away on May 6, due to complications from cancer, per the Oakland Athletics' team officials. He was 73.
“There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue. He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Young Award winner, and an Oakland A’s Hall of Famer. Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time," the team also said in a statement.
Blue remains the youngest player - at 21 years old - since 1920 to throw a no-hitter, which he did while playing the Minnesota Twins. He went on to win the Al Cy Young and MVP Awards in 1971, with a 1.82 ERA and 301 strikeouts over 312 innings. He made six All-Star teams during his 17-year career, during which he also played for the Giants and Royals.
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- Age: Dec. at 73 (1949-2023)
- Birthplace: Mansfield, Louisiana
Talk show host and former mayor of Cincinnati, Jerry Springer, passed away on April 27, due to pancreatic cancer, a family spokesperson said. He was 79.
“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word. He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on,” the family spokesperson added.
Springer was most known for his infamous talk show, Jerry Springer, that ran for almost 5,000 episodes. It became a ratings hit once it pivoted to tabloid topics, featuring everyday people guests as who wanted to confront family and/or friends about issues such as adultery, and other controversial issues. Guests would often swear and fight each other, which caused many to say that the show ushered in the era of “trash TV.” It spawned a host of other programs, including Jerry Springer: The Opera, The Springer Show, The Springer Hustle, and The Jerry Springer Podcast.
Springer hosted America's Got Talent for three years, before returning to daytime TV with Judge Jerry. He was a contestant paired with Kym Johnson on the third season of Dancing with the Stars, and made his last on-screen appearance performing in the beetle costume on The Masked Singer.
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- Age: Dec. at 79 (1944-2023)
- Birthplace: London, England, UK
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- s_bukley
- Shutterstock.com
Singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte passed away due to congestive heart failure on April 25. He was 96.
Belafonte is known for being one of the most successful Caribbean-American musicians of all time, with memorable hits like “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).” He was also known for being an activist, who was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement.
The anti-apartheid movement, equal rights for women, juvenile justice, climate change, and the decolonization of Africa are just a few of the causes Belafonte championed. He was a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington.
Belafonte became a music star in 1954, with his debut album Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites hitting No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Throughout his music career, he had six gold albums, all of which made the Top 10. He won best folk performance for “Swing Dat Hammer” in 1960, and best folk recording for An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba at the Grammy Awards in 1965. He was nominated nine other times, and also took home a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to calypso, Belafonte also recorded gospel, American standards, blues, and show tunes. He was also a prolific actor, appearing in films like BlacKkKlansman, Bobby, Carmen Jones, and Uptown Saturday Night.
Belafonte was appointed as a cultural advisor to the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy, and was the second American to serve as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He was the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for juvenile justice issues. He was credited with guiding the USA for Africa project - along with manager Ken Kragen - which led to the famous celebrity-filled single, “We Are the World.”
Belafonte was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
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- Age: Dec. at 96 (1927-2023)
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
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- Gracenote
Dancing with the Stars judge Len Goodman passed away due to bone cancer on April 22 at age 78.
His manager confirmed his passing to ABC News, saying, “Len died on Saturday evening surrounded by his family in a hospice in Kent. He has bone cancer. He kept his sense of humour throughout his illness and was a ‘true gentleman.’”
Goodman started dancing at 19, because his doctor recommended it as a therapy for a foot injury. He went on to go pro, retiring after winning the British Championships at Blackpool in his twenties. He was also a recipient of the Carl Alan Award for his contributions to dance.
He was the head judge on BBC One's dancing competition series, Strictly Come Dancing, from 2004 until 2016. Beginning in 2005, Goodman was the head judge for the American adaptation of the series, called Dancing with the Stars. He worked with DWTS until November 2022, when he announced plans to retire. Other shows that featured Len include, but are not limited to, BBC Four's Len Goodman's Dance Band Days, and BBC One's Len Goodman's Perfect Christmas, Holiday of my Lifetime, and Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure.
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- Age: Dec. at 78 (1944-2023)
- Birthplace: Bethnal Green, London, England, UK
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Moonbin, a member of the K-Pop group ASTRO, was found dead at his home in Seoul on April 19, with police reporting that he completed suicide. He was 25.
ASTRO's label released a statement on social media, saying, “On April 19, ASTRO member Moonbin suddenly left us to become a star in the sky… We are heartbroken because we know the feelings of the deceased, who always loved and thought of his fans more than anyone else. We sincerely ask you to refrain from speculative and malicious reports so that the bereaved families, who are in a state of great sadness and sorrow due to the sudden news, can honor the deceased.”
Prior to debuting as a member of ASTRO in 2016, Moonbin was a child model and actor. With ASTRO, he had released three albums, in addition to three EPs he released with sub-group, Moonbin & Sanha.
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- Age: Dec. at 25 (1998-2023)
- Birthplace: Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea
British fashion designer Mary Quant passed away peacefully on April 13, at home at age 93, her family announced via statement, calling her “one of the most internationally recognized fashion designers of the 20th Century and an outstanding innovator.”
One of Quant's claims to fame is popularizing the miniskirt, which became a wardrobe staple during the “Swinging Sixties.” She also launched one of the first global super brands, as well as other trends like, her Vidal Sassoon bob; the “Chelsea girl” aesthetic; Peter Pan collars; colorful tights, the use of PVC for outerwear; male knits used as women's sweater dresses; and dress pockets.
Sadie Frost's 2021 documentary Quant showcased her contributions to the fashion industry, as well as the symbolism behind her colorful, bold designs. Her looks represented freedom and empowerment for women, as well as the courage to reject their parents' aesthetics and standards. In 2019, her work was displayed as an exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, where she served as a member of the advisory council from 1976 until 1978. “It’s impossible to overstate Quant’s contribution to fashion. She represented the joyful freedom of 1960s fashion, and provided a new role model for young women,” the museum said in a statement.
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- Age: Dec. at 89 (1934-2023)
- Birthplace: England, London
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Longtime Mad Magazine cartoonist Al Jaffee passed away on April 10 due to organ failure. His daughter confirmed the news to The New York Times. He was 102.
Jaffee is perhaps most known for creating one of Mag Magazine's most beloved feature, the back cover “Fold-In” illustration.
He began his comics career in the 1940s by contributing to Joke Comics, Atlas Comics, and Timely Comics. Jaffee worked as an artist for the military during World War II, and launched his Mad Magazine career in 1955. He contributed to the “Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions” feature, but his most enduring contribution was the “Fold-In” feature, a drawing that can be folded vertically to reveal a new illustration. His illustrations were documented in 1997's Fold This Book! as well as The Mad Fold-In Collection: 1964-2010.
His last Fold-In appeared in the magazines August 2020 issue, which was a tribute to him, as he retired at 99.
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- Age: Dec. at 102 (1921-2023)
- Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia
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- Harlem Nights
- Paramount Pictures
Michael Lerner passed away on April 8, his nephew, and The Goldbergs actor Sam Lerner, confirmed via Instagram. Michael died due to complications from brain seizures. He was 81.
“We lost a legend last night. It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me. His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time," Sam wrote.
Michael is perhaps best known for playing Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink, a role that earned him a best supporting actor Oscar nomination. Other well-known performances include in Mr. Greenway in Elf and Cher Horowitz's dad on the Clueless TV series.
He appeared in a production of Death of a Salesman when he attended Brooklyn College, and went on to receive his masters degree at UC Berkeley. He also received a Fulbright Scholarship to study theater in London for two years. There, he ended up sharing a home with Yoko Ono, and starring in one of her experimental films. Before moving to Los Angeles, Michael performed at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
Some TV credits include, but are not limited to, M*A*S*H, Starsky & Hutch, Hill Street Blues, and The Rockford Files. Eight Men Out, Harlem Nights, Newsies, Celebrity, and The Mod Squad are other films that starred Michael.
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- Age: Dec. at 81 (1941-2023)
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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- Gage Skidmore
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY-SA 3.0
Lance Reddick passed away on March 17 due to natural causes. He was 60.
Reddick had been in the middle of a press tour for the fourth movie in the John Wick franchise. He played Charon in the popular film series. He was also known for playing Baltimore Police Department officer Cedrick Daniels on HBO hit series The Wire. He was a part of the series for all five seasons.
He also had recurring roles on TV series like Fringe, Bosch, Oz, and Lost. He also memorably played Papa Legba in the third season of American Horror Story, Coven. Reddick, who earned a music degree from the University of Rochester and got his MFA from Yale, also starred in a myriad of films, including but not limited to Godzilla vs. Kong, Angel Has Fallen, Little Woods, and The Guest.
Reddick had numerous projects in development, including playing Zeus in the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Other projects include White Men Can't Jump, Shirley, and Ballerina.
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- Age: Dec. at 60 (1962-2023)
- Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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- Star Trek
- NBC
Sharon Acker passed away on March 16, at the age of 87. No cause of death was given, but her daughter, Kim Everest, did confirm her passing.
Acker was perhaps best known for starring as Lynne Walker in Point Blank, though she has a long career in film, television, and on stage. Some other movie roles include, Lucky Jim, Don't Let the Angels Fall, and Waiting for Caroline. In 1969, Acker was chosen by the Motion Picture Exhibitors of Canada as their Film Star of Tomorrow.
Executive Suite, Star Trek, Galactica 1980, Perry Mason, The Wild Wild West, Get Smart, and Gunsmoke were just a handful of her TV appearances. She appeared as Lady MacDuff in an adaptation of Macbeth. Acker starred alongside William Shatner in a production of The Merry Wives of Windsor through the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. She also starred in the CBC adaptation of Anne of Green Gables.
Her last TV appearance was on The Young and the Restless in 1992, and her last film role was in 1981 horror film Happy Birthday to Me.
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- Age: Dec. at 87 (1935-2023)
- Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Robert Blake passed away on March 9 due to heart disease, his niece, Noreen Austin, confirmed to Deadline. He was 89.
Blake was initially known as an actor, starring in Baretta, In Cold Blood, and Lost Highway, but later a murder trial would end his career.
Blake began acting as young as five, starring on the Our Gang TV series. He continued for another 60+ years, working on projects like Treasure of the Sierra Madre, as well as a bunch of studio westerns, under the name “Bobby Blake.” He starred as streetwise undercover detective Tony Baretta in the series Baretta, which earned him an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1975. He played that role from 1975 to 1978, and was known for catchphrases like “And that’s the name of that tune” and “You can take that to the bank.” He was a recurring guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and he became the lead of short-lived NBC drama Hell Town in 1985.
He was also known as a pitchman in commercials for brands like STP and Geico.
In 2001, Blake's wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, was found shot to death outside of Vitello's restaurant, after the couple had dined there. Blake said that when his wife was shot, he had gone back into the restaurant to retrieve a handgun he had left on the floor of the booth they had been sitting at. He was charged with Bakley’s murder in 2002, along with solicitation of murder, conspiracy, and special circumstances of lying in wait. However, after a widely watched three-month trial, a jury acquitted him.
In 2011, Blake self-published a memoir called Tales of a Rascal: What I Did for Love.
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- Age: Dec. at 89 (1933-2023)
- Birthplace: Nutley, New Jersey, USA
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- Rob C. Croes / Anefo
- Wikimedia Commons
Chaim Topol passed away on March 9 in Israel, following a long illness, his rep confirmed to CNN. He was 87.
Topol, who began acting when he was assigned to the entertainment troop while doing army service in Israel, was known by his last name throughout his career. He was Oscar-nominated for his work as Tevye the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof in 1971. He won two Golden Globes, most promising newcomer in 1965 for Sallah Shabati, and best actor in a motion picture comedy or musical for Fiddler on the Roof in 1972.
Topol also played Dr. Hans Zarkov in Flash Gordon in 1980, and Milos Columbo in For Your Eyes Only in 1981. He was awarded the Israel Prize in 2015, which is said to be the country's most prestigious award. Israeli President Isaac Herzog released a statement on Twitter, paying tribute to the late actor.
“From fiddler on the roof to the roof of the world, Haim Topol, who has passed away from us, was one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists, a gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence, and above all entered deep into our hearts. Topol was one of the giants of Israeli culture, and he will be greatly missed."
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- Age: Dec. at 87 (1935-2023)
- Birthplace: Tel Aviv, Israel
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Gary Rossington, the last surviving original member of the generational rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, passed away on March 5. He was 71.
The founding member of the group, guitarist, and songwriter was arguably the heart and soul of the beloved and influential rock group that revolutionized the rock world throughout the 60s and 70s. With 14 esteemed albums under his belt, and of course one of the most legendary guitar solos the world has ever heard, Rossington is an absolute legend in the music industry. He helped influence and teach generations of guitarists how to put on a fantastic show. Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, Rossington continued to rock until 2015, when he suffered a heart attack. In 2021, Rossington had to undergo emergency heart surgery, before tragically passing in 2023.
Lynyrd Skynyrd took to Facebook to announce the passing of the beloved member of the group, writing, “It is with our deepest sympathy and sadness that we have to advise, that we lost our brother, friend, family member, songwriter and guitarist, Gary Rossington, today. Gary is now with his Skynyrd brothers and family in heaven and playing it pretty, like he always does.”
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- Age: 73
- Birthplace: Jacksonville, USA, Florida
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Tom Sizemore passed away on March 3 after being taken off of life support, after a brain aneurysm on February 18, his manager Charles Lago confirmed to Variety. He was 61.
“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore, aged 61, passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank. His brother Paul, and twin boys Jayden and Jagger (17) were at his side," Lago's statement read.
On February 18, Sizemore had collapsed in his Los Angeles home, and was transported to the hospital by paramedics. Doctors said he had a brain aneurysm as the result of a stroke. The True Romance actor remained in critical condition, and was in a coma under under intensive care. On February 27, Lago said that “doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end of life decision.”
Sizemore was born in Detroit, but moved to New York City to pursue acting in the ’80s. One of his first credits came with a 1989 appearance in Born on the Fourth of July. He rose to fame the following decade, appearing in films like Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, Passenger 57, and Natural Born Killers. He famously Technical Sergeant Mike Horvath in 1998's best picture nominee Saving Private Ryan. Sizemore received a Screen Actors Guild nomination for the role.
In darker periods of Sizemore's life, he was convicted in 2003 and 2017 of domestic violence against his partner. He was also jailed in 2005, after being caught trying to fake a urine test. He was arrested for possession of methamphetamine in 2007, and in 2019, he was brought in again for possession of “various illegal narcotics.” The actor was open about his struggles with addiction, appearing on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew and Dr. Phil. Sizemore said that Robert De Niro (with whom he starred in Heat and Witness to the Mob) helped him enter a rehabilitation program.
Sizemore released a memoir called By Some Miracle I Made It Out of There In 2013.
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- Age: Dec. at 61 (1961-2023)
- Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Multi-talented guitarist and acclaimed sessions musician David Lindley, who collaborated with the stars throughout the 70s and 80s, passed away after a long illness on March 3. He was 78. Lindley's family said he had COVID-19 in 2020, and that it turned into Long COVID, with lasting kidney damage.
Lindley was known for over two decades as one of the best and brightest working guitarists in the music industry. Collaborating with Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, and dozens of other incredibly talented musicians, Lindley solidified himself as the music superstar he had wanted to be his whole life.
As a child, Lindley began playing music on the banjo and fiddle, and by his teenage years, he had grown a strong passion for all things guitar. While his work with the band Kaleidoscope in 1970 seemed to be a devastating blow, it proved to be just the first step in an epic and wonderful journey. Whether he was helping record in the studio or going on tour with the biggest bands in the world, Lindley was always ready to rock and roll.
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- Age: Dec. at 78 (1944-2023)
- Birthplace: San Marino, California
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- Collin Barnes
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY-SA 4.0
Ricou Browning passed away on February 27 at his home of natural causes. He was 93.
Browning is perhaps best known for playing the Gill-Man for 1954's Creature from the Black Lagoon, but he was also a cinematographer and stuntman.
He began his career in water shows, moving up the ladder to producing shows, and then in the 1940s performing in underwater newsreels by Newt Perry. In 1953, Browning was asked to show a film crew around Wakulla Springs, his workplace, as they were scouting locations. Days later they offered him the titular role in Creature from the Black Lagoon. Browning reprised the role in Revenge of the Creature in 1955 and The Creature Walks Among Us in 1956. He had been the last surviving original actor from the classic Universal Monsters movies.
Browning also directed underwater scenes in films, such as in 1965's Thunderball, 1969's Hello Down There, 1980's Caddyshack, and 1983's Never Say Never Again. He went on to direct the movies Salty in 1973, and Mr. No Legs in 1978, and co-created the Flipper franchise.
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- Age: Dec. at 93 (1930-2023)
- Birthplace: USA, Florida, Fort Pierce
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- Law & Order: SVU
- NBC
Richard Belzer passed away on February 19 due to complications from unspecified circulatory and respiratory conditions, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 78.
Belzer was perhaps best known - and most beloved - for playing Detective Munch, first on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1999, again in TV movie Homicide: The Movie in 2000, in four episodes of Law & Order, and then 326 episodes of Law & Order: SVU, from 1999 to 2016.
“I would never be a detective, but if I were, that’s how I’d be. The character is very close to how I would be. They write to all my paranoia and anti-establishment dissidence and conspiracy theories, so it’s been a lot of fun for me. It’s been a dream actually,” Belzer said of the role, in an interview with The Boomer Tube.
That wasn't the only time he played a detective, however, appearing on other popular series, like The Wire, The X-Files, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He was even turned into a muppet for the Sesame Street skit “Special Letters Unit.”
Law & Order producer Dick Wolf said Belzer’s Munch was “one of television’s iconic characters." In a statement posted to the Twitter account for Wolf Entertainment, he also said, "I first worked with Richard on the Law & Order / Homicide crossover, and loved the character so much. I told Tom (Fontana) that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on SVU. The rest is history. Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional, and we will all miss him very much.”
Prior to becoming the beloved detective character, Belzer appeared in New York City comedy clubs like Catch a Rising Star and The Improv, with his breakout role coming in the 1974 film The Groove Tube, which he starred in alongside Chevy Chase. He worked as a warm-up act for Saturday Night Live, and appeared in some of their sketches.
Belzer also starred in 1980 movie Fame as M.C., 1982's Night Shift, and Scarface in 1983. He appeared in 1990s TV series The Flash and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. His last credited role came in 2016 film The Comedian.
Belzer was also an author and conspiracy theorist. He wrote the book UFOs, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe, as well as the comedy book I Am Not A Cop!
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- Age: Dec. at 78 (1944-2023)
- Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
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Actor Jansen Panettiere - actress Hayden Panettiere's brother - passed away on February 19. No cause of death was given. He was 28.
Like his older sister, Jansen went into acting, appearing on TV and in film, predominantly in the early 2000s. Some projects include Even Stevens, The X's, Tiger Cruise, Racing Stripes, The Martial Arts Kid, The Walking Dead, Perfect Game, and How High 2. His most recent role had been in the 2022 holiday movie Love and Love Not.
Jansen was also passionate about art, with a focus on color portraits and abstract pieces, which he often displayed on his Instagram.
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- Age: Dec. at 28 (1994-2023)
- Birthplace: Palisades, New York, USA
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Kyle Jacobs
Songwriter Kyle Jacobs died by an apparent suicide on February 17. He was 49.
Jacobs - who had a decade-long marriage with American Idol star Kellie Pickler - worked with artists like Kelly Clarkson, Randy Travis, Scott McCreery, Tim McGraw, and George Strait. Just before his death, he had posted online celebrating the success of a song he wrote with Lee Brice.
“Platinum?! SWEEEET!!! An amazing crew of incredibly talented peeps put this one together… Deeply honored to be a creative part of it…Thank you Jesus!!!” he wrote on Instagram.
Pickler and Jacobs tied the knot in 2011. They appeared in their own CMT reality show, I Love Kellie Pickler, from 2015 to 2017.
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- Age: Dec. at 49 (1973-2023)
- Birthplace: Nashville, TN
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- St. Louis Cardinals
Former All-Star catcher and longtime voice of the World Series, Tim McCarver passed away on February 16. He was 81.
A World Series champion who played 21 seasons in the MLB with the Cardinals, Phillies, Expos, and Red Sox, McCarver was one of the best MLB players to ever step foot on the diamond. A two-time All-Star, McCarver batted an impressive .271 for his career, and had 97 home runs with 645 RBIs.
After his illustrious career, McCarver went up to the broadcaster booth, where he served as a color commentator for the Phillies, Mets, Yankees, Giants, and Cardinals, and called 24 World Series. A voice fans will immediately recognize, McCarver has had a calm, cool, and interesting cadence whenever he spoke about the game, and always treated the viewer as an equal. A dedicated athlete who loved the game more than nearly anything, McCarver dedicated every waking moment of his life to baseball, and the fans adored him for this fact.
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- Age: Dec. at 81 (1941-2023)
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
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Raquel Welch passed away on February 15, following a “brief illness,” per a statement provided by her manager, Steve Sauer. She was 82.
Welch was known as an international sex symbol, due in no small part to her fur bikini in One Million Years, B.C. The movie poster was later used as a central device in The Shawshank Redemption.
Welch got her start as a spokesmodel on variety show Hollywood Palace, and later appeared in the Elvis Presley film, Roustabout, before acquiring another 70+ film and TV credits. Some other film projects include Myra Breckinridge in 1970, The Three Musketeers in 1973 - which earned her a best actress Golden Globe - The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge in 1974, and Legally Blonde in 2001. Some TV projects include Seinfeld, Spin City, Evening Shade, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Date My Dad (her final credit in 2017).
Welch also had a career as an entrepreneur, with jewelry, skincare, and wig lines.
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- Age: Dec. at 82 (1940-2023)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura passed away due to respiratory failure on February 10, the day before he was due to receive the Honorary Goya Award at the annual awards ceremony for The Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences. He was 91.
Saura was known for dealing with Spanish themes, often evoking the 1936-39 Civil War, and the rule of Franco that ended in 1975.
He was born in Huesca, Spain in 1932, and his brother Antonio would also go on to become an artist, one of Spain's leading modern painters. Saura had initially been studying engineering, before focusing on photography, journalism, and film-making. From there, he worked on several short films before making his feature debut with The Delinquents in 1960. He also gained international attention from his 1977 film Cria Cuervos, which starred his muse and common-law wife, Geraldine Chaplin.
Though he enjoyed popularity in Spain, the 1983 production of Carmen gained him attention worldwide. That, along with Blood Wedding and El Amjor Brujo, make up what was known as his “Flamenco Trilogy.”
Saura once described cinema as “a type of drug, an obsession,” adding, "What I like is that it is a solitary pleasure." He credited fellow artist and friend Luis Bunuel with inspiring his use of fantasy, flashbacks, and his criticism of bourgeois culture.
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- Age: Dec. at 91 (1932-2023)
- Birthplace: Spain, Huesca
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- Spotify Aftica
AKA
Popular South African rapper Kiernan Forbes, known by the stage name AKA, was killed on February 10, 2023. He was 35.
Forbes was shot outside of a restaurant in Durban, along with his friend, chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane. The two were thought to be heading to a club for a performance by Forbes, when they were approached by two armed men, and shot at close range, per police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda. The shooters then fled on foot.
Forbes began his career as part of rap group Entity, before launching his solo career. He won several awards for his work in South Africa, and received nominations for BET Awards and an MTV Europe Music Award. Just before his death, Forbes had posted on social media about his upcoming album, Mass Country.
“To us, Kiernan Jarryd Forbes was a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend, most importantly father to his beloved daughter Kairo. To many, he was AKA, Supa Mega, Bhova and the many other names of affection his legion of fans called him by. Our son was loved, and gave love in return,” his parents said in a tribute shared to social media.
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- Age: Dec. at 35 (1988-2023)
- Birthplace: Cape Town, South Africa
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- David Livingston/Contributor
- Getty Images Entertainment
Composer Burt Bacharach passed away on February 8, due to natural causes, his publicist said. He was 94.
Bacharach was a six-time Grammy Award winner, in addition to winning three Oscars for his music in films Arthur and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
He grew up being inspired by artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie, who would go on to influence his compositions. Bacharach was drafted into the army in 1950, and played piano in officers' clubs in Germany. He became an arranger and conductor for Marlene Dietrich's nightclub shows, before meeting longtime collaborator, lyricist Hal David.
His breakthrough hit came in 1957, when “The Story of My Life” was recorded by Marty Robbins. He worked with artists like Dionne Warwick, and had his music performed by The Beatles, The Carpenters, and Elvis Presley. Other recognizable songs of his include 1969's “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head," 1970's “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” 1986's “That’s What Friends Are For," and “The Look of Love,” from 1967 film Casino Royale.
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- Age: Dec. at 93 (1928-2022)
- Birthplace: Kansas City, USA, Missouri
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Actor Cody Longo passed away on February 8, with the suspected cause being alcohol poisoning. His agent Alex Gittelson confirmed the sad news on Twitter. He was only 34.
“Devastated beyond words at the tragic loss of my dear friend and client, Cody Longo. My heart breaks for his beautiful family. You will be missed, brother,” he wrote. His loved ones suspect a relapse, as the actor had dealt with alcoholism, and was said to have most recently underwent rehab in the summer of 2022.
Longo was known for the leading role of Eddie Duran in Nickelodeon series Hollywood Heights, and for playing Nicholas Alamain on long-running soap opera Days of Our Lives. He also appeared in films Ball Don't Lie, Bring It On: Fight to the Finish, Fame, High School, and Piranha 3D, and TV series Medium, Make It or Break It, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: NY, Nashville, The Catch, and Secrets and Lies.
He released his debut single “Atmosphere” on August 22, 2012, and it reached the third position on the iTunes Pop Charts. He released "Falling Into You" in December 2012, and "She Said" in February 2013. “She Said” landed in the number three spot on the iTunes Top 100.
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- Age: Dec. at 34 (1988-2023)
- Birthplace: Littleton, Colorado, USA
