Celebrity deaths 2024: Remembering the stars we've lost this year

Paying tribute to the entertainers who died this year.

After saying sad and shocking goodbyes to the many stars who died in 2023, with Matthew Perry, Tina Turner, Andre Braugher, Suzanne Somers, and Lisa Marie Presley among them, we are once again paying our respects after the deaths of entertainers and other notable figures in the new year.

Read on to remember the life and work of the celebrities who have died in 2024, including country music superstar Toby Keith, Broadway legend Chita Rivera, Rocky and Mandalorian actor Carl Weathers, Mary Poppins actress Glynis Johns, Honeymooners star Joyce Randolph, and Designated Survivor and X-Men: Days of Future Past actor Adam Canto.

Sonja Christopher

Sonja Christopher, the first person voted out of Survivor, died at age 87. Her death was first announced on April 26. The former music therapist made history on the show's first season, Survivor: Borneo, in 2000 when at she became the first contestant voted out at Tribal Council and the first to have her torch snuffed by host Jeff Probst. Christopher competed on Survivor at 63, just three years after battling cancer. "I was newly recovering from breast cancer treatment. And I had been in a 11-year relationship and my partner got consolation elsewhere during that time of the cancer," Christopher previously told EW. "So I had moved to a senior retirement community, and I was by myself, no ties, my son was grown and taking care of himself. I was reading the morning paper, and it said something in an article about CBS looking for 16 Americans to cast away on a deserted island and see who could survive for 39 days."

Marla Adams

Marla Adams, the Daytime Emmy-winning actress known for playing Dina Abbott Mergeron on the long-running CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, died April 25 at 85. Adams played her Y&R character off and on across 37 years and more than 200 episodes. Much of her career was spent on daytime TV, with credits including The Secret Storm, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, Generations, and Capitol. On the prime-time side, Adams appeared on The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Harry O, Starsky and Hutch, Marcus Welby M.D., Barnaby Jones, The Love Boat, Archie Bunker's Place, and more shows.

Mike Pinder

Mike Pinder, a founding member and keyboardist of progressive rock band the Moody Blues, died April 24 at age 82. He was the last surviving member of the band's original lineup. In 1961, Pinder formed the band alongside singer and guitarist Denny Laine, bassist Clint Warwick, and drummer Graeme Edge. After a few lineup changes, the Moody Blues would go on to release one of the greatest concept albums of all time, 1967's Days of Future Passed, which featured Pinder singing and playing the mellotron. He would go on to pen and perform songs on the band's next seven albums before eventually parting ways with the group. Pinder also released two solo albums, 1976's The Promise and 1994's Among the Stars, as well as a 1995 spoken word album, A Planet With One Mind. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his bandmates in 2018.

Terry Carter

Terry Carter, the groundbreaking actor, documentary filmmaker, and newscaster with screen credits including Battlestar Galactica, McCloud, and Foxy Brown, died April 23 at 95. Born John Everett DeCoste, Carter studied acting with Howard Da Silva in the early 1950s and played a number of roles in Broadway and Off Broadway stage productions during his early career, including Mrs. Patterson, in which he appeared opposite Eartha Kitt. His breakthrough screen project was The Phil Silvers Show, on which he played Pvt. Sugie Sugarman from 1955 to 1959 and was the only regular Black cast member. Carter served as an anchorman for Boston's NBC affiliate network WBZ-TV from 1965 to 1968, making him New England's first Black news anchor. He portrayed Pam Grier's boyfriend in Foxy Brown in 1974 and a cop in the dog-centric family film Benji, and played Colonel Tigh on the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica in the late '70s and Sgt. Joe Broadhurst on McCloud for seven seasons. Carter launched his own production company, Meta/4 Productions, in Los Angeles in 1975. He and his company produced more than 100 educational documentaries, some of which were for the Library of Congress, PBS, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Eva Evans

Eva Evans, TikTok star and creator of Prime Video's Club Rat webseries, died at age 29. "Yesterday my family received news that our sweet, fabulous, creative, caring, hilarious Eva, my beautiful sister, has died," Evans' sister Lila Joy Baumgardner wrote on Instagram. Evans was best known to fans on TikTok, where she amassed 300,000 followers, who flocked to her primarily for stories about her life in New York City. In 2023, she directed and starred in a five-episode webseries for Amazon called Club Rat, which followed an influencer who was attempting to date again after an embarrassing, viral breakup.

Mandisa

Mandisa, American Idol season 5 star and Grammy-winning Christian singer who also courted controversy for making anti-gay comments in 2006 — died April 18 at age 47. The religious performer rose to national stardom after her Idol audition with Alicia Keys' "Fallin" wowed judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. Though she was ultimately eliminated from the singing competition, she forged a successful career in music, earning five Grammy nominations — including one victory for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2014 for her Overcomer album.

Dickey Betts

Dickey Betts, a founding member and guitarist of the Allman Brothers Band, died on April 18. He was 80. Per his manager, David Spero, Betts died of cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite not being an Allman, Betts was one of the Allman Brothers' key original members whose work was crucial to the group’s pioneering sound. Following the death of fellow guitarist Duane Allman’s, two years after the group's debut album, Betts assumed lead guitar duties and led the band with Gregg Allman. He also composed music and penned songs for the group, including their biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man.” While Betts and Allman often clashed — the band broke up multiple times and had more than a dozen lineup configurations — the duo frequently reunited and toured together. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. They reconciled before Allman's death in 2017, just months after the death of bandmate Butch Trucks. Betts also performed as Dickey Betts and the Great Southern and briefly played as Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks in the '80s with Jimmy Hall and Allman Brothers' members Chuck Leavell and Trucks. Betts is survived by his wife, Donna.

Rico Wade

Rico Wade, who co-wrote and produced TLC’s 1995 smash “Waterfalls” as a member of Atlanta production team Organized Noize, died at 52. As a member of Organized Noize, Wade helped shape the sound of Southern hip-hop in the 1990s. In addition to co-writing and producing hits like TLC’s “Waterfalls,” En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love),” and Ludacris’ “Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!)," Organized Noize was best known for collaborating with the Dungeon Family, an Atlanta music collective that included OutKast, Goodie Mob, and more. They produced OutKast’s influential debut record, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, as well as Goodie Mob’s 1995 debut album, Soul Food. In 2016, the team became the subject of The Art of Organized Noize, a Netflix documentary directed by Quincy Jones III.

Eleanor Coppola

Eleanor Coppola, the award-winning documentarian, noted visual artist, and longtime wife of Francis Ford Coppola, died April 12 at 87. Born Eleanor Jessie Neil, Coppola was known for chronicling the making of films by her husband and two of their children, Roman Coppola and Sofia Coppola. (The couple's eldest child, actor and producer Gian-Carlo Coppola, died in a boating accident in 1986.) Eleanor Coppola shot and directed one of the most famous documentaries on filmmaking ever with Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, a behind-the-scenes look at her husband's famously fraught shoot for Apocalypse Now. The Emmy-winning doc candidly captured heavy rains that delayed production, a typhoon that destroyed sets, Martin Sheen's heart attack, and on-set struggles with Marlon Brando. She would go on to make more documentaries, including ones about her daughter's films Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides, and helmed two narrative features, 2016's Paris Can Wait and 2020's Love Is Love Is Love. In addition to making movies and raising a family of filmmakers, Coppola wrote two books, Notes: On the Making of 'Apocalypse Now' and the memoir Notes on a Life. At 87, she completed a second memoir, in which she wrote, "I appreciate how my unexpected life has stretched and pulled me in so many extraordinary ways and taken me in a multitude of directions beyond my wildest imaginings."

Robert MacNeil

Robert MacNeil, the longtime PBS anchorman, died on April 12 at 93. MacNeil, who worked for decades with Jim Lehrer, was the voice through which many Americans learned about some of the most important events in American history. MacNeil and Lehrer earned an Emmy for their coverage of the Watergate hearings in 1973, shortly before launching the award-winning news program, The MacNeil/Lehrer Report. It became The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1983, the first hour-long news program in the U.S. Before being decorated with Emmy and Peabody Awards, MacNeil, as a White House correspondent, was in President John F. Kennedy's motorcade on the day of his assassination. During his career, he covered the war in Algeria, the construction of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Civil Rights Movement, and dozens of other pivotal stories in American history.

Meg Bennett

Meg Bennett, a longtime actress and writer of soap operas, died April 11 at 75. Her official obituary listed the cause of death as cancer. Born Oct. 4, 1948, Bennett first acted on stage in New York, starring in the off-Broadway musical Godspell as well as the Broadway version of Grease. She then moved to Los Angeles and began a long career in soap operas. She played Julia Newman on The Young and the Restless for a six-year run starting in 1980, and then transitioned into script-writing for that show and other soaps. She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1995 for her work writing on General Hospital, where she also met her husband Robert Guza, Jr.

Park Bo Ram

Park Bo Ram, the Korean pop singer behind hits like “Beautiful” and “Like a Dream,” died April 11 at age 30. Park’s agency Xanadu Entertainment told Soompi that her death is being investigated by police. Other outlets, including the Korean Herald, reported that Park was found in cardiac arrest at a friend’s house and was taken to a hospital. Born in 1994, Park’s breakthrough came with her 2010 appearance on the singing competition series SuperStar K2, where she placed in the Top 8. Her 2014 debut single “Beautiful” hit No. 2 on the Korean charts. Though she never released a full-length album, Park released two EPs (2015’s Celepretty and 2017’s Orange Moon) and over a dozen singles. She also contributed numerous tracks to soundtracks for series like W, Reply 1988,  Prison Playbook, and Hyde Jekyll, Me. She recently released “I Hope,” a collaboration with Huh Gak, in February.

O.J. Simpson

Controversial football star, actor, and former murder suspect O.J. Simpson — who was acquitted in the high-profile 1994-95 trial over the deaths of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman — died on April 10 at age 76. Simpson's family announced the news on social media, confirming that he died after a battle with cancer. Simpson's death drew a wide range of reactions, including from Brown Simpson's family attorney, Gloria Allred, who spoke out against him after the news broke. "I don’t mourn for O.J. Simpson. I do mourn for Nicole Brown Simpson and her family," Allred told New York City's ABC7 news. "They should be remembered. The system failed."

Mister Cee

Mister Cee, the New York radio personality and DJ who helped launch the careers of hip-hop artists including Jay Z, Alicia Keys, and 50 Cent, was confirmed dead on April 10 at 57. Born Calvin LeBrun, Mister Cee spent more than 20 years at Hot 97 as the host of shows such as Throwback at Noon and Friday Night Live. He played a major role in the discovery of the Notorious B.I.G. and served as associate executive producer on the rapper's 1994 debut, Ready To Die. After leaving Hot 97 in 2014, Mister Cee continued his work in radio, hosting a show on 94.7 the Block and working as a DJ on Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM.

Cole Brings Plenty

Cole Brings Plenty, an actor known for playing sheep herder Pete Plenty Clouds on two episodes of the Yellowstone prequel series 1923, was found dead at 27 on April 5, after going missing and being sought by Kansas police in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident. Brings Plenty's family members, including his uncle Moses Brings Plenty — a fellow actor who plays Mo on Yellowstone — had reported Cole as a missing person and sought help finding him on social media. In addition to 1923, Brings Plenty's TV credits included The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger and Into the Wild Frontier.

CJ Snare

Carl Jeffrey “CJ” Snare, a founding member of the hair metal band FireHouse, died on April 5, his bandmates confirmed on social media. He was 64. News of Snare's death comes six months after the group announced plans to postpone gigs ahead of his impending abdominal surgery. Snare was an original member of the glam metal band, which was founded in the mid-’80s but truly made a splash with the release of their self-titled album in 1990. The record boasted such chart-topping hits as “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “Love of a Lifetime,” both of which were co-written by Snare. The group released eight studio albums in total, with Snare co-writing most of the tracks. Outside of FireHouse, he also recorded with his band Rubicon Cross and occasionally played with Scrap Metal.

Keith LeBlanc

Keith LeBlanc, the drummer and record producer who worked with some of the most prominent musicians of the 1980s and '90s, died April 4 from an undisclosed illness. He was 69. Born in 1954, LeBlanc worked with seminal early hip-hop acts like the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five as a session drummer on Sugar Hill Records in the early 1980s. His 1983 solo single "No Sell Out" famously sampled the voice of Malcolm X, and is considered one of the first mainstream recordings to utilize sampling. LeBlanc was also a member of the groups Tackhead and Little Axe, and recorded with Tina Turner, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Annie Lennox, and Seal in the late '80s and '90s.

Adrian Schiller

Adrian Schiller, the actor known for his role in Netflix's historical drama The Last Kingdom, died on April 3, CNN has confirmed. He was 60 years old. No cause of death was disclosed. The English actor boasted an acting career that spanned over 30 years, including roles in such notable films as Meryl Streep’s Suffragette, 2015’s Oscar-winning drama, The Danish Girl, and 2017’s live-action reimagining of Beauty and the Beast. On the small screen, he appeared in the Masterpiece series Victoria and the Ridley Scott-helmed streaming drama, Raised by Wolves. He most notably spent three seasons playing Ealdorman Aethelhelm in The Last Kingdom, which was adapted from Bernard Cornwell's series of novels,The Saxon Stories. Schiller’s additional credits include Bright Star, A Little Chaos, Son of God, The Mercy, Doctor Who, and Censor.

Christopher Durang

Christopher Durang, a beloved playwright of absurdist comedies, died April 2 of complications from logopenic progressive aphasia. He was 75. Durang rose to fame in the 1980s, breaking out with Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All, which won the Obie Award for Best Playwright in 1980. His other hits include Baby With the Bathwater, The Actor's Nightmare, and The Marriage of Bette and Boo. He is perhaps best known for his series of comedic one acts, including Wanda's Visit and For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, which are performed under the heading Durang/Durang. In 2013, he won the Tony Award for Best Play for his Chekhov parody Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Joe Flaherty

Joe Flaherty, the actor and comedian who played Weir family patriarch on Freaks and Geeks after several years as a writer/performer of SCTV, died on April 1 after a brief illness. He was 82. Flaherty began his career at the legendary Second City comedy troupe in Chicago. After a year appearing on the National Lampoon Radio Hour, he relocated to Toronto where he starred on the hit Canadian sketch comedy show, SCTV, as one of its original writer/performers. He was joined by fellow comic performers, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Catherine O’Hara, Rick Moranis, and more. Flaherty went on to appear in several TV shows, including his memorable role as the embarrassing yet well-intentioned Harold Weir on Freaks and Geeks. He also made brief but memorable appearances in several hit films, including Happy Gilmore and Back to the Future Part II. Flaherty's additional credits include Police Academy: The Series, The King of Queens, Clone High, and the Canadian series Call Me Fitz.

Joshua-Michael Waring

Joshua-Michael Waring, the son of Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lauri Peterson, died March 31. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Peterson shared a moving post on Instagram confirming Waring’s death. “It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday,” Peterson wrote. “No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss. Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great. Waring had dealt with substance abuse issues throughout his life, and was arrested in 2022 for one felony and multiple misdemeanor drug charges, ultimately pleading guilty. He previously spent four years in prison for attempted murder from 2016 to 2020. He is survived by his daughter, Kennady.

Barbara Rush

Barbara Rush, who starred in the 1950s sci-fi classic It Came from Outer Space, died on March 31 at 97 years old. An actress of stage and screen, Rush began her career in California playhouses after studying theater at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her screen acting debut came in 1950s The Goldbergs, followed by her breakthrough role in the Oscar-winning sci-fi film When Worlds Collide. Two years later, she won Most Promising Newcomer at the 1954 Golden Globes for her role in It Came from Outer Space. Rush continued to star in films and TV shows, with credits including The Young Philadelphians, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Hombre, Batman, The Bionic Woman, All My Children, 7th Heaven, and Flamingo Road.

Chance Perdomo

Chance Perdomo, star of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Gen V, died March 30 after a single-vehicle motorcycle accident. He was 27. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Southampton, England, Perdomo was one of the young stars of the college-set Gen V, Amazon Prime’s 2023 spinoff of The Boys. Perdomo played Andre Anderson, the son of superhero Polarity, who fights to break free of his father’s legacy while losing his battle to stay away from his best friend’s girl. Even with his flaws and failings, Perdomo’s Andre was possibly the closest thing to a moral center in the Boys universe. Perdomo's breakout role came in 2018, when he took on the part of Ambrose Spellman, teenage witch Sabrina’s familiar, in Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He also appeared in the After We Fell Netflix movie trilogy, based on Anna Todd's YA romances.

Tim McGovern

Tim McGovern, a visual effects veteran and an Oscar winner for his work on 1990's Total Recall, died in his sleep on March 30, his wife announced on social media. He was 68. A digital effects pioneer, McGovern started his career in the early '80s, working on the groundbreaking 1982 movie Tron. He went on to become a founding member of Sony Pictures Imageworks, serving as senior VFX supervisor. His numerous film credits include Last Action Hero, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Dunkirk, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Born in Chicago, McGovern was honored with a Special Achievement Award at the 1991 Oscars for his work on the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic Total Recall. Last year, he received the Visual Effects Society's Founders Award.

Louis Gossett Jr.

Louis Gossett Jr., a prolific character actor best known for his performances in An Officer and a Gentleman and the original Roots miniseries, died March 29 at 87. Gossett first began acting for the stage, and appeared in the original Broadway run of A Raisin in the Sun alongside Sidney Poitier; he then made his film debut in the 1961 movie adaptation of the Lorraine Hansberry play. His screen breakthrough came with his portrayal of the character Fiddler in Roots, which earned him an Emmy Award. A few years later, Gossett won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman, becoming the first Black actor to win a supporting Oscar and only the second to win an acting Oscar at all, following his old castmate Poitier. He continued acting for the rest of his life, recently appearing in HBO's Watchmen series and 2023's musical remake of The Color Purple.

Fritz Wepper

Fritz Wepper, a prolific German actor best known in the U.S. for his performance as Fritz Wendel in Cabaret, died March 25 at at 82. Wepper was a familiar face on German TV, playing Det. Sergeant Harry Klein on the series Derrick from 1977 to 1998, a run that spanned nearly 300 episodes. He also appeared in more than 250 episodes of the series For Heaven's Sake. However, his biggest turn for American audiences was as a friend to Liza Minelli's Sally Bowles and Michael York's Brian Roberts in Cabaret. His character longed for Natalia Landauer (Marisa Berenson) but would have to reveal himself as Jewish in a Berlin beset by Nazis. Cabaret marked one of Wepper's only Hollywood credits, along with from the 2001 TV movie version of Murder on the Orient Express with Alfred Molina. In his native Germany, his film and TV credits were extensive, including Der Kommissar, High Society Murder, and the Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning film Die Brücke.

Paula Weinstein

Paula Weinstein, producer of Analyze This and Blood Diamond, died on March 25 at age 78. Weinstein, who was the chief content officer at Tribeca Enterprises until 2023, produced dozens of films, including The Perfect Storm and The Fabulous Baker Boys. She was also the executive producer of the series Grace and Frankie and won a pair of primetime Emmys for the TV movies Truman and Recount. "The world is a lesser place without my mother," her daughter Hannah Rosenberg said in a statement. "She was a masterful producer and a force of nature for the things she believed in, including the many projects that spanned her illustrious career, the stories she fought to tell and the social justice causes she championed." Before her time at Tribeca Enterprises, she served as president of United Artists, executive vice president at Fox, and vice president at Warner Bros. In 2023, Weinstein left Tribeca Enterprises to focus on political causes. Her political work included being a founding member of the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, which raised millions for Democratic political candidates, and a former board member of the ACLU of Southern California.

Ron Harper

Ron Harper, the actor best known for his roles on the sci-fi series Planet of the Apes and Land of the Lost, died March 21 at 91. His first onscreen credit was in an episode of the series Kraft Theatre in 1955. Harper then scored small roles on Tales of Wells Fargo, Thriller, Wagon Train, The Deputy, The Tall Man, and Shotgun Slade before nabbing a breakout part as Det. Bert Kling in 30 episodes of 87th Precinct, which also starred Norman Fell, Robert Lansing, Gregory Walcott, and Gena Rowlands. Harper's successful stints on 1960s television continued with roles on Laramie, Wendy and Me, The Jean Arthur Show, and Garrison's Gorillas. The '70s saw Harper land memorable parts on the series Planet of the Apes (based on the movie series of the same name) and Land of the Lost. Though he was mostly known for his small-screen work, Harper's résumé on the film side included The Wild Season, The Soldier, Below Utopia, The Odd Couple II, Pearl Harbor, and The Poughkeepsie Tapes. Guest stints later in his TV career included Beverly Hills, 90210; Melrose Place; Walker, Texas Ranger; Boy Meets World; The West Wing; and Cold Case.

M. Emmet Walsh

M. Emmet Walsh, the actor best known for his work as private detective Loren Visser in Blood Simple, died March 19 of cardiac arrest, EW has confirmed. He was 88 years old. The beloved character actor is recognizable for his wry delivery and gruff persona. With over five decades in the industry under his belt, Walsh has appeared in 119 feature films and accrued over 250 television production credits. Born on March 22, 1935, the actor made both his Broadway and onscreen debut in 1969. His breakthrough came several years later in 1977's Slap Shot. He was recently seen as a security guard in Knives Out and as Granddaddy Roy Gemstone on HBO's The Righteous Gemstones. He also has memorable roles in Critters, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, the Julia Roberts-starring romcom My Best Friend's Wedding, and the 1979 comedy, The Jerk. He was best known for his role in the Coen Brothers' debut Blood Simple, in which he plays a crooked private detective who kills his client and frames the client's cheating wife for murder. Walsh never married and is survived by his niece, nephew, and two grandnephews.

Jennifer Leak

Jennifer Leak, the actress known for her role in the 1968 film Yours, Mine and Ours and her work on several daytime soap operas, died March 18 at 76. Born in Cardiff, Wales, Leak scored her first screen credit with the TV series Wojeck in 1966, before nabbing the role of Lucille Ball's daughter in Yours, Mine and Ours. She would meet her first husband, Tim Matheson, on the film as well. Leak's other film credits included Eye of the Cat, The Photographer, The Incubus, and Agent on Ice, but it was television where she would spend the majority of her acting career. She played Olive Springer Gordon Randolph on Another World, Blanche Bouvier on Guiding Light, and Gwen Sherman on The Young and the Restless, with additional credits on The Good Guys, Hawaii Five-O, Lost Flight, McMillan & Wife, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Leak was married to Matheson from 1968 to 1971, and to James D'Auria from 1977 until her death.

Steve Harley

Steve Harley, frontman of Cockney Rebel, died on March 17 at age 73. Harley and his band began performing together in the early '70s. By 1975, they'd released their most influential song, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)." The song topped the U.K. charts, was covered by the likes of Duran Duran and Erasure, and was featured in many films and shows such as The Full Monty and Velvet Goldmine. However, "Make Me Smile" was far from Cockney Rebel's only success. They popped onto the charts again with "Judy Teen" in 1974, as well as their cover of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" in 1976. Harley later said George Harrison was a fan of Cockney Rebel's version of the song. Harley hit pause on touring for a stretch in the '80s and, when he finally returned to the stage, was thereafter a relentless performer for decades, playing shows up through 2023.

David Seidler

David Seidler, the Oscar-winning screenwriter, died March 16 while on a fly-fishing expedition in New Zealand, per his manager. He was 86. Born Aug. 3, 1937, Seidler spent his early childhood in London before his family relocated to New York amidst World War II. He developed a stutter on the voyage, and his subsequent years in speech therapy served as inspiration when he eventually penned The King’s Speech. The 2010 film about King George VI’s struggle to overcome his severe stutter received 12 Oscar nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards and won four, including Best Picture. Colin Firth also took home a trophy for his performance as King George, and Tom Hooper won for Best Director. The film earned many more accolades, including seven BAFTAs. Seidler later penned a stage adaptation of the film, which opened in London's West End in 2012. The script has since been translated into more than half a dozen languages and performed across four continents. Seidler’s additional credits include Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story, The King and I, Quest for Camelot, Madeline: Lost in Paris, and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1988 comedy drama Tucker: The Man and His Dream.

Joe Camp

Joe Camp, the writer and director best known as the creative force behind the Benji franchise, died March 15 at 84. Camp's career started with the original Benji movie in 1974, which was partly inspired by his own dog of the same name. After raising funds to make the movie, he had trouble selling it. "It was turned down by every studio in Hollywood," he later said. Camp ultimately distributed the film independently, and it turned into a massive success. He would go on to make more Benji films, TV shows, and Benji-related stories in other media. He also directed comedies like Hawmps; The Double McGuffin, with Ernest Borgnine; and Oh! Heavenly Dog, starring Chevy Chase as a detective who has to solve a mystery after being reincarnated as a dog. Outside of film and TV, Camp was a horseman and best-selling author whose works included the 2008 book The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd. He was also a donor and board member for many charities, rescue organizations, and schools, including the Piney Woods School in Mississippi.

Robyn Bernard

Robyn Bernard, the actress best known for her role as aspiring singer Terry Brock on General Hospital during the 1980s, died March 12 at 64. The older sister of Wings actress Crystal Bernard, she was born May 26, 1959, in Gladewater, Tex. Bernard made her professional acting debut with a small role in the 1981 French thriller Diva and went on to bit parts on TV series like Simon & Simon, Whiz Kids, and The Facts of Life. In 1984, she landed the recurring role of Terry Brock on General Hospital, appearing in 145 episodes from '84 to 1990. Bernard acted sporadically through the '90s, and her last credited role was in the 2002 straight-to-video movie Voices from the High School.

Bo$$

Bo$$, a rapper best known for her 1993 album Born Gangstaz and for being the first female rapper to sign with Def Jam, died at age 54. Born Lichelle Marie Laws, she used the stage name Bo$$ when she released her only studio album in May 1993, which sold nearly 400,000 copies, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It produced the singles "Deeper" and "Recipe of a Hoe." Additionally, Laws released two mix-tapes, and also featured on albums from AMG, South Central Cartel, Ice-T, Powerlord Jel, Spice 1, Ant Banks, Treach, Dori, Krayzie Bone, LaReece and more.

Malachy McCourt

Malachy McCourt, the Irish American author, actor, barkeep, and raconteur, died March 11 at 92. McCourt was beloved for portraying the bartender Kevin on the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope across the show's 14-year run, and also appeared annually as Father Clarence on All My Children during the holiday season. His other TV and film credits included Oz, Body & Soul, Remember WENN, Gods and Generals, The Devil's Own, and The Other Guys. McCourt founded an eponymous pub, Malachy's, in Manhattan, and ran for governor of New York in 2006 as the Green Party candidate. He was the younger brother of celebrated Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt and wrote two memoirs himself: A Monk Swimming and Singing My Him Song.

Karl Wallinger

Karl Wallinger, the Welsh musician known as the frontman of World Party and a former member of the Waterboys, died March 10 at 66. Wallinger formed World Party in 1986, following his departure from the Waterboys, recording the project's debut album, Private Revolution, largely alone in his home. When the album was released in 1987, it was a minor hit for the label, partly on the strength of the lead single, "Ship of Fools." The band's breakthrough came with the 1990 album Goodbye Jumbo, which was released after Wallinger contributed to Sinéad O'Connor's 1988 debut, The Lion and the Cobra. Wallinger and the group would tour and release four albums through 2000, with popular songs like "Put the Message in the Box" and "Is It Like Today?" While recording their fourth album, Egyptology, Wallinger decided to include "She's the One," a song that was originally written for the film of the same name. Not long after the release, Robbie Williams recorded a version of the track that became a hit. The situation upset Wallinger at the time, but he later came to terms with it. "I was so lucky that Robbie recorded 'She's the One,' because it allowed me to keep going," Wallinger later wrote on the band's website, referencing how the royalties helped him following a 2001 aneurysm. "He nicked my pig and killed it, but gave me enough bacon to live on for four years. He kept my kids in school and me in Seaview [Wallinger's recording studio], and for that I thank him." After Wallinger's recovery, World Party began to perform live again in 2006 and toured through 2015. Wallinger was also the musical director of the Rocky Horror Show on the West End in the '70s. He was later the musical director for the film Reality Bites and contributed to the popular soundtrack for 1996's Clueless.

Eric Carmen

Eric Carmen, who became a '70s icon as the frontman of the Raspberries, died in March at 74. Born Aug. 11, 1949 in Cleveland, the singer-songwriter forged his love for music at a young age, taking violin lessons at 6 and teaching himself to play the guitar as a teen. He joined the Raspberries in 1967 and they rose to fame as a pop-rock band in the style of the Beatles and the Who. Their hits would include “Go All the Way,” “I Wanna Be With You,” “Let’s Pretend,” “Tonight” and “Overnight Sensation." When they split in the mid-’70s, Carmen found success as a solo artist with hits including “All by Myself, “Make Me Lose Control,” and the Dirty Dancing song “Hungry Eyes.” Over the years, the band reunited to share the stage. Their final performance together was at Cleveland’s KeyBank State Theatre in December 2007.

Steve Lawrence

Steve Lawrence, the Grammy- and Emmy-winning entertainer who dazzled audiences as a nightclub and concert singer with his late wife, Eydie Gormé, died March 7 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was 88. Lawrence got his start in show business as a teenager, after winning a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey's CBS show, but his career truly blossomed after he crossed paths with Gormé. They became friends in 1953 while performing duets on Steve Allen's talk show and soon became known as Steve & Eydie, garnering acclaim as a musical duo who would record multiple albums, appear on variety shows, and headline famous Las Vegas venues. They married in 1957. With and without Gormé, Lawrence released dozens of albums in his lifetime, earning acclaim for hits like "Go Away Little Girl." As an actor, Lawrence's credits included a Broadway stint as Sammy Glick in What Makes Sammy Run?, a memorable turn as Maury Sline in The Blues Brothers and its sequel, and several guest-starring roles on TV. Gormé and Lawrence made several records and television specials, for which they won an Emmy and a Grammy. While also pursuing solo projects and gigs, the duo continued performing together until Gormé's death in 2013.

Garrison Brown

Garrison Brown, known for appearing on the TLC reality series Sister Wives, was found dead at his home in Flagstaff, Ariz., on March 5. He was 25. Brown had been a part of Sister Wives, which follows the lives of a polygamist family, since its premiere in 2010. The family includes Kody Brown (Garrison's father) and wife Robyn; ex-wives Janelle (Garrison's mother), Christine, and Meri; and 18 children. In a statement posted to Kody and Janelle's respective Instagram accounts, she wrote that their son "was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory."

Anthony 'Baby Gap' Walker

Anthony Walker, known as "Baby Gap," a former member of the legendary funk group The Gap Band —as well as a dancer and choreographer in his own right — died March 4 at age 60 due to complications from a neck surgery. Hailing from Chicago, Walker joined The Gap Band in 1979 as a dancer and choreographer, and eventually contributing as a songwriter. He performed and toured with the group for 23 years. Walker co-wrote two tracks on the group's 1985 album The Gap Band V, "Automatic Brain" and "L'il Red Funkin' Hood." Also in 1985, Gap Band lead singer Charlie Wilson produced an album with Walker and fellow band member Billy Young, Billy & Baby Gap, which produced the hit "Rock the Nation." As a dancer, Walker formed the award-winning breakdancing group Tidal Wave in the 1970s, and taught breakdancing and moonwalking in the early '80s at John Travolta’s dance studio. Walker also worked as a choreographer for Disney.

Charlie Griffin

Capt. Charlie Griffin, a fisherman featured on National Geographic's reality series Wicked Tuna, died March 4 in a boating accident on the Outer Banks. Griffin, who captained the Reels of Fortune vessel, appeared in seasons 2 through 5 of Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, which follows fishermen who fish for lucrative bluefin tuna off the coast of North Carolina.

Brit Turner

Brit Turner, best known as the drummer for southern rock band Blackberry Smoke, died at 57 after a nearly two-year battle with glioblastoma. The group — which consists of Brit's brother, Richard Turner, Charlie Starr, Paul Jackson, and Brandon Still, as well as touring members Benji Shanks and Preston Holcomb — made the announcement of his death in a social media post on March 3. "If you had the privilege of knowing Brit on any level, you know he was the most caring, empathetic, driven and endearing person one could ever hope to meet," their statement read. "Brit was Blackberry Smoke’s True North, the compass that instituted the ideology that will continue to guide this band." The group was formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000. Since then, Blackberry Smoke has released a total of eight studio albums, and several live albums and extended plays, all of which Turner had a part in.

Jim Beard

Jim Beard, the jazz pianist best known for his work with Steely Dan, died March 2 at a New York hospital following complications from a sudden illness. He was 63. Born in Philadelphia in 1960, Beard studied under jazz musicians including Don Sebesky, Roland Hanna, and George Shearing during his youth. After moving to New York in 1985, Beard worked with Wayne Shorter, John Scofield, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, and John McLaughlin. He later worked with John Mayer, Esperanza Spalding, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Jarreau, and numerous other artists. Beard joined Steely Dan in 2008 and frequently toured with the band; his last performance with the group was on Jan. 20 of this year in Phoenix, where they opened for the Eagles’ Long Goodbye Tour. A teacher at Berklee College of Music, Beard’s music was nominated for seven Grammys, and he won one in 2007 for his work on Randy and Michael Brecker’s Some Skunk Funk. He also recorded six solo albums. He is survived by his mother, two children, and two siblings.

Mark Dodson

Mark Dodson, the voiceover artist known for his work in the Star Wars and Gremlins franchises, died on March 2 at age 64. Dodson spent over four decades as a radio personality, producer, and voice actor. He got his start as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’s Salacious Crumb, a memorably shrill monkey-lizard who served Jabba the Hut. The gig immediately earned him a part as a voiceover artist for the Mowgai in Joe Dante's 1984 classic, Gremlins. Dodson’s later credits include Day of the Dead, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and video games such as Ghostrunner, Bendy and the Dark Revival, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Star Trek Online. Dodson is survived by his daughter Ciara and his grandchildren.

Akira Toriyama

Akira Toriyama, the multidisciplinary artist who created iconic manga and anime series like Dragon Ball and also had a hand in video games including Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, died March 1 at 68, from an acute subdural hematoma. Toriyama was, sadly, still in the midst of working on future projects, but his lifetime of art has already had a lasting impact on global popular culture. Dragon Ball's combination of thrilling martial arts action with colorful characters, irreverent humor, and cosmic world-building has directly influenced many subsequent anime like Naruto and One Piece (whose creators wrote touching tributes to Toriyama in the wake of his death), as well as recent American movies like Black Panther and Creed III. But even the sheer familiarity that many Americans now have with manga and anime is a credit to Dragon Ball's legacy.

Michael 'Virgil' Jones

Michael Jones, the former pro wrestler who was best known by the ring name Virgil and also appeared under the names Vincent and Lucius Brown, died Feb. 28 at 61. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, though Jones had previously been diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer. Born in Wilkinsburg, Penn., in 1962, Jones began wrestling under the name Soul Train Jones in the Championship Wrestling Association in 1985. He changed his moniker to Lucius Brown when he moved to the WWF in 1986, then took on the Virgil persona in 1987. Virgil was in Ted DiBiase and Andre the Giant's corner when they faced Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage at Summerslam 1988, and eventually turned on DiBiase after years of allyship. He also trained Roddy Piper, and later wrestled in the National Wrestling Conference and World Championship Wrestling, before retiring in 2000.

Sean Garinger

Sean Garinger, who appeared on 16 and Pregnant alongside his then-girlfriend Selena Gutierrez, died on Feb. 28 at age 20. The reality star was driving an ATV near his home in Boone, North Carolina, when it flipped and crushed his skull. Garinger shared two daughters, Dareli and Esmi with his ex, Gutierrez. The pair starred in season 6 of the MTV series, split up, and were on-and-off in the aftermath of the show. Garinger is survived by his daughters, mother and sisters.

Michael Culver

Michael Culver, the English actor and peace activist who played a brief but memorable role as an Imperial officer ruthlessly terminated by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, died Feb. 27, at 85. The Star Wars sequel featured Culver as Captain Needa, who learns the consequences of failing Darth Vader: In a fan-favorite scene, Needa apologizes to the Sith Lord for losing a group of rebel soldiers and is swiftly Force-choked to death. Culver's other screen credits included A Passage to India, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Secret Army, Thunderball, The Avengers, Goodbye Mr. Chips, From Russia With Love, Squadron, Cadfel, and Wallander.

Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis, the actor and comedian known for his neurotic humor, his distinctive delivery, and his long-running role as a fictionalized version of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, died Feb. 27 after suffering a heart attack. He was 76. Lewis announced his retirement from stand-up comedy in April 2023 and disclosed that he'd been living with Parkinson's disease. He first rose to prominence with his stand-up in the '70s and '80s, becoming a fixture on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, Late Night With David Letterman, and other late-night programs. He worked on Curb with his longtime friend Larry David from the show's first episode in 2000, and his other screen credits included Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Leaving Las Vegas, 7th Heaven, Two and a Half Men, The Simpsons, Alias, Everybody Hates Chris, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Bojack Horseman, She's Funny That Way, and Sandy Wexler.

Charles Dierkop

Charles Dierkop, the character actor who appeared in memorable projects like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, died Feb. 25 at age 87 at Sherman Oaks Hospital following a heart attack and a case of pneumonia. Dierkop played the outlaw George “Flat Nose” Curry in Butch Cassidy, and reunited with the film’s director George Roy Hill for The Sting. Dierkop had small supporting roles in The Hustler starring Paul Newman, Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker and Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Other film credits include the Christmas slasher Silent Night, Deadly Night, Messiah of Evil, and Maverick. On the small screen, Dierkop played undercover investigator Pete Royster in 90 episodes of Police Woman. He also appeared in supporting roles in some of the most prominent series of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, including Star Trek, The Andy Griffith Show, Mission: Impossible, Bonanza, Batman, Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, CHiPs, Fantasy Island, MacGyver, and ER.

Kenneth Mitchell

Kenneth Mitchell, best known for playing multiple roles in Star Trek: Discovery as well as Carol Danvers' dad in Captain Marvel, died Feb. 24 after a five year battle with ALS. He was 49. Mitchell portrayed the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as Aurellio, on Star Trek: Discovery. In addition, he voiced several characters in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Mitchell also had recurring roles on Jericho, Ghost Whisperer, Switched at Birth, The Astronaut Wives Club, and Nancy Drew among others, and in 2019 he was featured as Joseph Danvers in Captain Marvel.

Chris Gauthier

Chris Gauthier, an actor known for series like Once Upon a Time and Smallville died on Feb. 23 after a brief illness. He was 48. The English-born Canadian actor had notable roles as Café Diem owner Vincent on Eureka, the villainous Winslow Schott (aka Toyman) on Smallville, and first mate Smee on Once Upon a Time. He also enjoyed memorable turns in Freddy vs. Jason, Watchmen, Supernatural, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Pamela Salem

Pamela Salem, a British actress known for her work in the James Bond and Doctor Who franchises, died Feb. 21 at 80. Born in India, she attended Heidelberg University in Germany and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London before starting in repertory theater in Chesterfield and York. She played the character of Toos in a 1977 Doctor Who adventure, "The Robots of Death," and 11 years later portrayed a different character, Professor Rachel Jensen, in "Remembrance of the Daleks." Salem reprised both roles in audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions. Her other screen credits included the 1983 James Bond adventure Never Say Never Again, in which she played Miss Moneypenny, as well as the TV series Blake's 7, Eastenders, and The West Wing.

Tony Ganios

Tony Ganios, best known for playing fan-favorite character Meat in the Porky's films, died Feb. 18. He was 64. Ganios made his onscreen debut as Perry in the 1979 coming of age film The Wanderers. That film also starred Ken Wahl, and the two would reunite years later in crime series Wiseguy. Ganios followed The Wanderers up with three films in 1981 — Back Roads, Continental Divide, and Porky's. Ganios starred in both sequels to the teen sex comedy, 1983's Porky’s II: The Next Day and 1985's Porky’s Revenge. He also had roles in Body Rock, Die Hard 2, The Taking of Beverly Hills, and Rising Sun. His other television credits include the TV movie Ring of the Musketeers and stints on The Equalizer and Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Anne Whitfield

Anne Whitfield, the actress best known for playing Susan Waverly in White Christmas, has died at age 85. The actor died on Feb. 15 at Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Wash., following an accident, according to a death notice on the blog of Burien, Wash. Born in Oxford, Miss., in 1938, Whitfield moved to Hollywood with her mother as a child while her father was deployed in World War II. She quickly began working as an actor on nationally broadcast radio programs like The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show and One Man’s Family. At age 15, Whitfield played Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Major General Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger), in the holiday classic White Christmas. Susan encourages her grandfather to host a performance by the film’s main characters (played by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen) at his hotel, which ultimately yields a moving tribute to the general himself. Whitfield’s obituary states that she watched White Christmas with her family in December 2023 in celebration of the film’s 70th anniversary.

E. Duke Vincent

E. Duke Vincent, the prolific TV producer who worked on hit dramas like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210, died Feb. 10 at age 91 in Montecito, Calif. Born Edward Ventimiglia in 1932, Vincent entered the entertainment industry by way of aviation. He served as a Naval aviator and joined the Blue Angels flying team in 1961, where he helped capture aerial photo sequences for the TV series The Blue Angels. From there, he produced documentaries and shows like Gomer Pyle, Arnie, and The Little People. With his producing partner Aaron Spelling, Vincent worked on Dynasty, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, 7th Heaven, and Charmed. After retiring from television, he wrote four novels.

Henry Fambrough

Henry Fambrough, the singer known for his work in the R&B quintet the Spinners, died Feb. 7 at age 85. The singer, who retired from the group last year after over 70 years as its baritone, died of natural causes at his home in Virginia. The group formed in 1954 just outside of Detroit as the Domingoes before changing their name to the Spinners in 1961. For the next decade, the Spinners recorded numerous singles and two studio albums under Motown Records. They found more success after switching to Atlantic Records in the 1970s with songs like "I'll Be Around" and "How Could I Let You Get Away,” the latter of which featured co-lead vocals from Fambrough. Fambrough also sang lead or co-lead vocals on songs like "Ghetto Child,” "I Don't Want to Lose You,” "Ain't No Price on Happiness,” and "Living a Little, Laughing a Little." He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Cecilia Gentili

Pose actress Cecilia Gentili died on Feb. 6 from an undisclosed cause. She was 52. Gentili was a dedicated advocate of advancing LGBTQIA+ causes, including HIV/AIDS awareness and equity for sex workers and transgender people. She also appeared on Ryan Murphy's FX drama Pose as Miss Orlando, who first popped up on season 1 as a New York City woman who provides deeply discounted cosmetic surgery. She was also a published author of the book Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist. She had planned to star in a one-woman show, Red Ink, following her early life in Argentina and her lifelong dedication to "searching for faith while trans," in NYC later this year.

Toby Keith

Country music superstar Toby Keith died Feb. 5 at age 62 following a two-year battle with stomach cancer. After launching his career with his debut hit "Should've Been a Cowboy," the musician released a string of successful genre songs over the next two decades, including his biggest hit to date, 2011's "Red Solo Cup" and the divisive Sept. 11-inspired song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."

Don Murray

Don Murray, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in Bus Stop, died on Feb. 2. He was 94. Murray was known for his performance in the Joshua Logan-directed western, where he played opposite Marilyn Monroe as a lovestruck cowboy who falls for a beautiful saloon singer. Following his breakout performance in the drama, Murray went on to appear in films including A Hatful of Rain, Shake Hands with the Devil, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and Peggy Sue Got Married. In the late ‘60s, he led ABC’s one-season western, The Outcasts, and a decade later, starred in the Dallas spinoff, Knots Landing. The actor also appeared in the 2017 reboot of Twin Peaks. Murray is survived by his five children.

Wayne Kramer

Wayne Kramer, the guitarist who co-founded the proto-punk rock band MC5, died Feb. 2 at the age of 75 from pancreatic cancer. Born Wayne Kambes in Detroit in 1948, Kramer founded MC5 alongside Fred “Sonic” Smith. MC5 gained a following for its energetic performances and left-wing political platform, at one point performing for eight hours straight at the infamous protest against the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. MC5’s live album Kick Out the Jams and studio album Back in the USA were both heavily influential on the blossoming punk subgenre, and the group helped mentor other prominent bands like the Stooges. Kramer launched a successful solo career in the 1990s, and he later collaborated with artists like Rage Against the Machine, Bad Religion, and fellow Detroit rocker Alice Cooper. Kramer also helped compose the scores for Eastbound and Down, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers.

Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers, the actor and former pro football player best known for his work in the Rocky movies, died Feb. 1 at 76. Weathers' family said in a statement that he died peacefully in his sleep. After playing for the Oakland Raiders, Weathers rose to prominence portraying rival boxer Apollo Creed in Rocky, serving as the antagonist in the original 1976 film and the 1979 sequel Rocky II before becoming a friend and ally to Sylvester Stallone's Italian Stallion in Rocky III (1982) and Rocky IV (1985). He also starred in projects like Predator, Happy Gilmore, Arrested Development, and the Star Wars spinoff show The Mandalorian.

Mark Gustafson

Mark Gustafson, the Oscar-winning co-director of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, died on Feb. 1. The animator and director was 64. Gustafson's career in animation began in the '80s, taking a variety of forms in addition to the claymation work he would become known for. His early work included the TV special Claymation Christmas Celebration and the Emmy-nominated Meet the Raisins special, which starred the California Raisins. Later, he would direct episodes of the Eddie Murphy-led series, The PJs. Gustafson would go on to work as the animation director for Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox and lead the claymation sequences in A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas. "I admired Mark Gustafson, even before I met him. A pillar of stop motion animation — a true artist," Guillermo del Toro wrote in tribute to the animator on X. Their work together on Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio would win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2023, as well as a Golden Globe, three Visual Effects Society Awards, and five Annie Awards, including an award for Outstanding Achievement in Directing. "He leaves behind a titanic legacy of animation that goes back to the very origins of claymation and that shaped the career and craft of countless animators," del Toro continued. "He leaves friends and colleagues and a historic filmography."

Chita Rivera

Chita Rivera, the legendary Tony award-winning actress and singer who originated the role of Anita in West Side Story on Broadway, died on Jan. 30 after a brief illness. She was 91. Rivera made her first appearance at 19 as a principal dancer in the 1952 touring company of the musical Call Me Madam before making her Broadway debut in Guys and Dolls the following year. In 1957, she landed her history-making role as Anita in Stephen Sondheim's West Side Story that would turn her into an overnight sensation. Her other stage credits include originating the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago, Anna in The Rink, and Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman, the latter two of which saw her win Tony Awards for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Rivera was one of the most-nominated stars in Tony Awards history, with 10 nods to her name for her performances in Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Merlin, Nine, and her musical career retrospective, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life. She made her final Broadway stage performance in the 2015 musical The Visit.

Hinton Battle

Hinton Battle, the three-time Tony-winning actor who originated the role of Scarecrow in The Wiz on Broadway, died Jan. 29 at 67. Battle won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his work in 1981's Sophisticated Ladies, 1984's The Tap Dance Kid, and 1991's Miss Saigon. He also starred in the Broadway productions of Dreamgirls (and its 2006 film adaptation), Dancin', and Chicago. In addition to his work on the Great White Way, Battle appeared on several television shows, including Quantum Leap, Sweet Justice, High Incident, Touched by an Angel, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the latter of which saw him memorably portray a singing villain in a 2001 musical episode.

Sandra Milo

Sandra Milo, the Italian actress best known for appearing in Federico Fellini's autobiographical classic 8 ½, died Jan. 29 at 90. She passed away in her sleep at home in Rome surrounded by family. Born Elena Salvatrice Greco, Milo collaborated with numerous renowned filmmakers, including Roberto Rossellini, Jean Renoir, and Gabriele Salvatore. In addition to playing the protagonist's mistress Carla in 8 ½, she appeared in Fellini's Juliet of the Spirit and later became a well-known talk show host.

Melanie Safka

Melanie, the folk-pop singer and songwriter known for such hits as "Brand New Key" and "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)," died Jan. 23 at 76. Born Melanie Safka in New York City, she got her start performing in coffeehouses and made a splash at Woodstock as a relative unknown in 1969. The latter experience provided the basis for her breakthrough hit, "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)," which was followed by her inescapably popular single "Brand New Key," her sole top 10 hit in the U.S. Over the course of her career, Melanie released 28 studio albums, with notable songs including  "What Have They Done to My Song Ma," "Ring the Living Bell," "Together Alone," and a cover of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow." In 1968, Melanie married record producer Peter Schekeryk, who died in 2010. The couple shared three children.

Charles Osgood

Charles Osgood, the venerable CBS news anchor and radio personality, died Jan. 23 at 91-years-old. His family told CBS News that the cause of death was dementia. Osgood was best known as the Sunday Morning news host who helmed the show from 1994 to 2016, after original host Charles Kuralt. He was also the voice of The Osgood File, a daily news commentary series for the network’s radio station. During his tenure, Sunday Morning reached new highs, including a ratings spike and three Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Morning Program. Outside of the newsroom, Osgood served as the narrator of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who and was an acclaimed author and poet.

Gary Graham

Gary Graham, the actor known for starring on the television series Alien Nation and appearing in various Star Trek screen projects, died Jan. 22 at 73. Graham led Alien Nation for its single season from 1989 to 1990 as Det. Matthew Sikes, an L.A. cop who works with extraterrestrial "Newcomers" like Sam "George" Francisco (Eric Pierpoint) to solve crimes. He would reprise the role for five TV movie follow-ups. Graham also portrayed as the Vulcan ambassador Soval on Star Trek: Enterprise and played different characters in other Star Trek works. His other TV credits included The Incredible Hulk, Scruples, CHiPs, The Dukes of Hazzard, Ally McBeal, and JAG.

Mary Weiss

Mary Weiss, lead singer of '60s girl group the Shangri-Las, died Jan. 19. She was 75. Formed while still in high school with her sister Elizabeth and twins Mary Ann and Marguerite Ganser, the Shangri-Las scored their first top 10 hit with the single "Remember (Walking in the Sand)." Other hits include "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" and "Maybe," and their chart-topping anthem "Leader of the Pack," which was later featured in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. The Shangri-Las released just two albums — Leader of the Pack and The Shangri-Las '65! — before disbanding in 1968 amid legal troubles. The group reunited for several performances in the 1970s and one final gig in 1989, but Weiss largely stayed out of the spotlight until 2005, when she decided to pursue a solo career. Her debut album, Dangerous Games, was released in 2007.

Norman Jewison

Norman Jewison, the versatile Canadian filmmaker who directed some of the 20th century's most beloved movies, such as In the Heat of the Night and Moonstruck, died Jan. 20 at 97. After working with stars like Judy Garland, Danny Kaye, Harry Belafonte, and Jackie Gleason on TV specials, Jewison helmed a wide variety of popular films in wildly different genres, including Fiddler on the Roof, The Thomas Crown Affair, Rollerball, The Cincinnati Kid, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Jewison received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1999, and his films won a total of 12 Oscars from 41 nominations, including a Best Picture win for In the Heat of the Night.

David Emge

Actor David Emge, well known to horror fans for playing the role of helicopter pilot Stephen in the 1978 zombie classic Dawn of the Dead, died Jan. 20 at 77. After serving in the Vietnam War, Emge starting his acting career at the Pittsburgh Playhouse and then moved to New York. He was working as a chef when Dawn of the Dead director George Romero cast him as Stephen, who in the film is bitten and becomes a zombie. An image of the undead pilot featured in a book about horror movies later attracted the interest of a young Simon Pegg, helping to inspire the future Shaun of the Dead star and cowriter’s interest in zombies. “I would stare at the image of David Emge’s zombified flyboy character,” Pegg recalled in his 2011 memoir Nerd Do Well. “The film became something of an obsession for me.” Emge’s other film credits included 1976’s The Booby Hatch and 1990’s Basket Case 2.

David Gail

David Gail, best known for a recurring role as Brenda Walsh's fiancé on Beverly Hills, 90210 and as Dr. Joe Scanlon on the daytime soap Port Charles, died Jan. 20. He was 58. Gail made his television debut in a 1990 episode of Growing Pains, and went on to guest star on Doogie Hoswer, M.D., Murder, She Wrote, and Matlock. before landing a recurring role as Stuart Carson on Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1993. After 90210, Gail went on to star in the short-lived primetime soap Savannah from 1996 to '97, and landed in the daytime soap Port Charles (a spin-off of General Hospital) in 1999, replacing Michael Dietz as Dr. Scanlon. Gail stayed in the role for 216 episodes and then worked sporadically through the early '00s.

Marlena Shaw

Marlena Shaw, who famously sang “California Soul,” died on Jan. 19 at age 81. Her cause of death was not disclosed by her daughter, who shared the news with a video posted to Shaw’s official Facebook page. The legendary jazz and soul singer began her career with a performance at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1952, after being invited onstage by her uncle, a jazz trumpet player. She went on to perform in jazz clubs across the county, eventually signing to Chess Records in her early 20s. Across her career, Shaw released 17 albums total with eight different record labels. Her most famous tune is “California Soul,” penned by Ashford & Simpson and first recorded by The Messengers. It is oft-sampled by other artists and used in various commercials.

Nerene Virgin

Canadian broadcast journalist, host, and actress Nerene Virgin died on Jan. 15 at age 77. She was best known to '80s kids as Jodie on the TV show Today's Special, about a department store mannequin who comes to life after closing time. The Canadian series ran from 1981 to 1987 and aired on Nickelodeon in the U.S. Virgin also worked as a broadcaster, hosting CTV’s current affairs show Eye on Toronto in the late '80s and early '90s. She spent the later part of her career as a writer and educator, who championed teaching Black history in schools, and worked as an anti-racism advocate.

Joyce Randolph

Joyce Randolph, the last surviving member of The Honeymooners cast, died Jan. 13 of natural causes. She was at 99. The actress is best remembered for playing housewife Trixie Norton across 39 episodes of the classic TV sitcom. She starred alongside Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, and series creator Jackie Gleason. The show was canceled after its original run, but gained acclaim in syndication. Though Elaine Stritch originated Trixie when "The Honeymooners" was first a series of sketches on the variety show Cavalcade of Stars, Randolph later became synonymous with the character after Gleason spotted Randolph doing a commercial for Clorets in 1951 and flagged her for the part.

Alec Musser

Alec Musser, the actor best known for his role as Del Henry on All My Children and his brief but memorable appearance in the movie Grown Ups, died Jan. 12 by suicide. He was 50. Musser was a model prior to his acting career, appearing in Men's Health and ads for Abercrombie and Fitch. After winning the SOAPnet reality TV contest I Wanna Be a Soap Star, Musser made his debut on All My Children in 2005.  For two seasons, Musser played the illegitimate son of Seabone Hunkle (Steve Kanaly), before exiting the show in 2007. His last role was in 2011, as Friedrich in the final season of Desperate Housewives.

Bill Hayes

Bill Hayes, the beloved daytime television actor who starred as Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives for more than five decades, died Jan. 12 at 98. A talented singer and actor, Hayes originated the role of Doug on the NBC sudser in 1970 and would become one of its longest-running stars, appearing in more than 2,000 episodes over the next 53 years. He married his costar Susan Seaforth Hayes in 1974 and, two years later, their super-couple characters on the show similarly followed them down the aisle. In 2018, both of them received a Lifetime Achievement Award for their work on the show at the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Lynne Marta

Lynne Marta, an actress known for her guest starring roles in TV and bit parts in films like Footloose and Three Men and a Little Lady, died Jan. 11 after a battle with cancer. She was 78. Marta made her professional acting debut in 1966 on an episode of Gidget before becoming a featured player on the ABC anthology series Love, American Style in 1969. Marta appeared in the 1972 western Joe Kidd starring Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall, which was probably her most high profile film role until 1984's Footloose. The actress was also a regular on television, guest starring on the likes of Kojak, Charlie's Angels, and Designing Women. Marta also appeared in 24 episode of Days of Our Lives from 1983 to 2003.

Roy Battersby

British film and television director Roy Battersby died Jan. 10 following a brief illness, his stepdaughter Kate Beckinsale announced on social media. He was 87. Born in London, Battersby made his directorial debut in the 1969 made-for-television film Some Women and is best known for his work on several popular British crime dramas including Between the Lines, Inspector Morse, Cracker, and A Touch of Frost. His film credits include the 1984 drama Winter Flight and 2005's Red Mercury.

Peter Crombie

Peter Crombie, the actor known for playing “Crazy” Joe Davola on Seinfeld, died Jan. 10 following a short illness. He was 71. Crombie starred as Davola, a psychopath dead set on terrorizing Jerry, throughout a stint of episodes in season 4 of the classic comedy series. The actor's other credits include spotlight roles in television shows like Loving, Law & Order, NYPD Blue, Picket Fences, L.A. Firefighters, Diagnosis Murder, and Get Smart. He also appeared in films such as Se7en, The Doors, Rising Sun, My Dog Skip, Natural Born Killers, and The Blob.

Adan Canto

Adan Canto, the actor known for his work on TV series including The Cleaning Lady and Designated Survivor, and in such films as X-Men: Days of Future Past, died Jan. 8 from appendiceal cancer. He was 42. Born in Mexico and raised in Texas, Canto first pursued a career in music and later branched out into acting. He made his American acting debut on the thriller The Following and went on to play White House Chief of Staff Aaron Shore on Designated Survivor, real-life politician Rodrigo Lara Bonilla on Narcos, and mobster Arman Morales on The Cleaning Lady. He portrayed the powerful mutant Sunspot in Days of Future Past, and his other screen credits included Blood & Oil, Second Chance, The Catch, Bruised, and Agent Game.

Christian Oliver

Christian Oliver, the actor best known for his roles as Snake Oiler in Speed Racer and Emil Brandt in The Good German, died Jan. 4 at 51 in a plane crash that also killed his two young daughters. Born Christian Klepser, the star was born in Germany and relocated to the States to pursue a Hollywood career. His other credits include TV shows Alarm für Cobra 11, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Sense8, and Hunters. In addition, Oliver — who was also a writer and producer — appeared in the films Valkyrie, The Baby-Sitters Club, Hercules Reborn, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Glynis Johns

Glynis Johns, who played dedicated suffragette mother Winifred Banks in the original Mary Poppins, died on Jan. 4 at age 100. The British actress was recruited by Walt Disney himself for the beloved 1964 musical starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in which Johns' character begins the film with a rousing performance of "Sister Suffragette." Johns earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Sundowners and won a Tony Award for the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, in which she sang "Send in the Clowns."

David Soul

Starsky & Hutch actor David Soul, who helped popularize one of the most iconic TV series of the 1970s, died Jan. 4 at age 80. His first major TV roles were small parts in I Dream of Jeannie and Flipper, followed by a two-season run on the western comedy Here Come the Brides from 1968 to 1970. From 1975 to 1979, Soul starred as Kenneth Richard "Hutch" Hutchinson opposite Paul Michael Glaser's David Michael Starsky in Starsky & Hutch. Outside of his acting career, Soul released five albums and a handful of successful singles, including the 1976 rock hit "Don't Give Up on Us," which reached No. 1 in the United States.

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson, a veteran actor who appeared on hit television shows such as Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Law & Order, died Jan. 2 following a long illness. He was 81. Johnson began his career as one of Universal Studios’ final contract players and made his television debut as a warrior in a 1978 episode of the sci-fi epic Battlestar Galactica. He would go on to land guest roles on several more beloved television series throughout his 40-year career in entertainment, including: M*A*S*H, The Incredible Hulk, The A-Team, L.A. Law, Dynasty, Who’s the Boss?,  and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was also a prolific ADR voice actor and starred as Harry in the "Harry & Louise" political advertisements that aired throughout the early 1990s.

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Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.