Celebrity deaths in 2020: Remembering stars who died this year
Celebrity deaths: In memoriam 2020
As we near the end of 2020, we take time to look back at those celebrities and other famous individuals we have lost in the past year. Check out our slideshows to learn more about those stars who have passed on.
More: Celebrity deaths in 2019 | Celebrity deaths in 2018
Singer Hillard “Sweet Pea” Atkinson, 1945 – 2020
Ohio native and former member of Was (Not Was) also collaborated with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan and Sir Elton John over the course of his career
FILE – In this file photo dated Sunday Aug. 30, 2009, actor and comedian Orson Bean arrives at the Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, USA. According to a statement from the Police in Los Angeles Saturday Feb. 8, 2020, Orson Bean was hit and killed by a car in Los Angeles. Bean was 91. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, FILE)AP
Actor and comedian Orson Bean, 1928 – 2020
Longtime ‘To Tell the Truth’ panelist was also a regular on ‘The Tonight Show’ where he appeared more than 200 times.
Members of the band Kool & the Gang, from left, Larry Marano, Ronald Bell and Robert Bell arrive on the red carpet for the Goldene Kamera (Golden Camera) media awards in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Axel Schmidt)AP
Singer and composer Ronald Bell, 1951 – 2020
Ohio native and co-founding member of Kool & the Gang
FILE – In this B/W file photo dated March 25, 1964, British actor Sean Connery kisses actress Honor Blackman during a party at Pinewood Film Studios, in Iver Heath, England. Blackman, the actor best-known for playing Bond girl Pussy Galore, hasdied of natural causes unrelated to coronavirus, aged 94, according to an announcement Monday April 6, 2020. (AP Photo, FILE)AP
Actress Honor Blackman, 1925 – 2020
Longtime actress portrayed Catherine Gale on ‘The Avengers’ and may be best know for playing the James Bond character Pussy Galore in ‘Goldfinger’
FILE – In this Jan. 27, 2019 file photo, Chadwick Boseman arrives at the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, has died of cancer. His representative says Boseman died Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 in Los Angeles after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
Actor Chadwick Boseman, 1976 – 2020
Best known for his blockbuster role as Black Panther, Boseman also portrayed Jackie Robinson in the movie ’42′
FILE – In this Monday, Dec. 14, 2009 file photo, Actor Wilford Brimley attends the premiere of ‘Did You Hear About The Morgans’ at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York. Wilford Brimley, who worked his way up from stunt performer to star of film such as “Cocoon” and “The Natural,” has died. He was 85. Brimley’s manager Lynda Bensky said the actor died Saturday morning, Aug. 1, 2020 in a Utah hospital. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)AP
Actor Wilford Brimley, 1934 – 2020
Film and TV actor with notable roles in films like ‘The Natural’ may best be remembered for his long-running television commercials.
FILE – In this May 17, 2017, file photo, Lou Brock, a member of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1967 World Series championship team, takes part in a ceremony honoring the 50th anniversary of the victory before a baseball game between the Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox in St. Louis. Hall of Famer Brock, one of baseball’s signature leadoff hitters and base stealers who helped the Cardinals win three pennants and two World Series titles in the 1960s, has died. He was 81. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)AP
MLB All-Star Lou Brock, 1939 – 2020
Longtime Cardinals outfield was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1985.
FILE – In this June 7, 2009, file photo, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) points to a player behind him after making a basket in the closing seconds against the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the NBA basketball finals, in Los Angeles. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)AP
NBA star Kobe Bryant, 1978 – 2020
18-time NBA All Star was also 2008 league MVP and won 5 NBA Championships
Jeremy Bulloch speaks in front of the costume he wore while playing Boba Fett in « Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back » and « Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi » at the Star Wars Identities exhibition in London on July 26, 2017. Bulloch, the English actor who played Boba Fett in the original « Star Wars » trilogy, has died. His agents said in a statement that he died in a London hospital Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, after years of suffering from Parkinson’s disease. He was 75. (AP Photo)AP
Actor Jeremy Bulloch, 1945 – 2020
Best known as the original actor to play Boba Fett in ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’
FILE – This 1959 file photo shows Edward « Kookie » Byrnes. Edd Byrnes, who played cool-kid Kookie on the hit TV show “77 Sunset Strip,” scored a gold record with a song about his character’s hair-combing obsession and later appeared in the movie “Grease,” has died at age 87. Byrnes died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., his son, Logan Byrnes, said in a statement. (AP Photo, File)AP
Actor Edd Byrnes, 1932 – 2020
Longtime TV actor best known for his role in ’77 Sunset Strip’ and for playing TV host Vince Fontaine in ‘Grease’
FILE – In this May 3, 2005 file photo, French fashion designer Pierre Cardin presents his exhibition « Design and Fashion 1950- 2005 » at the academy for arts in Vienna, Austria. France’s Academy of Fine Arts says famed fashion designer Pierre Cardin has died at 98(AP Photo/Ronald Zak, File)AP
Fashion designer Pierre Cardin, 1922 – 2020
Longtime fashion designer was a pioneer in modern and futuristic styles
FILE – In this June 3, 2004 file photograph, author Mary Higgins Clark poses in her home in Saddle River, N.J. Clark, the tireless and long-reigning « Queen of Suspense » whose tales of women beating the odds made her one of the world’s most popular writers, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, at age 92. Clark’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, announced that Clark died in Naples, Fla, of natural causes. (AP Photo/Mike Derer, File)AP
Author Mary Higgins Clark, 1927 – 2020
Mystery and suspense writer with dozens of novels to her name.
FILE – In this file photo dated Sunday, Jan. 21, 1996, Sean Connery is honored at the Golden Globe Awards, in Beverly Hills, Calif., USA, when he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement Saturday Oct. 31, 2020, from his family. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, FILE)AP
Actor Sean Connery, 1930 – 2020
Hollywood legend who brought 007 James Bond to life on the silver screen
FILE – In this June 4, 1980, file photo, actors Ross Martin, left, and Robert Conrad, right, are shown while filming a scene of the motion picture « More Wild, Wild West, » in Los Angeles. Conrad, the rugged, contentious actor who starred in the hugely popular 1960s television series « Hawaiian Eye » and « The Wild, Wild West, » has died at age 84. A family spokesperson says the actor died Saturday morning, Feb. 8, 2020, in Malibu, Calif., from heart failure. (AP Photo/Wally Fong, File)AP
Actor Robert Conrad, 1935 – 2020
Played agent James T. West on the television show ‘Wild Wild West’ and Major Boyington on ‘Black Sheep Squadron’
FILE – In this April 10, 2014, file photo, actor Nick Cordero attends the after-party for the opening night of « Bullets Over Broadway » in New York. Tony Award-nominated actor Cordero, who specialized in playing tough guys on Broadway in such shows as “Waitress,” “A Bronx Tale” and “Bullets Over Broadway,” has died in Los Angeles after suffering severe medical complications after contracting the coronavirus. He was 41. Cordero died Sunday, July 5, 2020, at Cedars-Sinai hospital after more than 90 days in the hospital, according to his wife, Amanda Kloots. (Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP, File)Brad Barket/Invision/AP
Actor Nick Cordero, 1978 – 2020
Tony-nominated Broadway actor
FILE – Musician Mac Davis performs at the Texas Film Awards in Austin, Texas on March 6, 2014. Davis, a country star and Elvis songwriter, died on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 after heart surgery. He was 78. Davis started his career writing hits for Presley, including “A Little Less Conversation” and “In the Ghetto.” The Lubbock, Texas-native had a varied career over the years as a singer, actor and TV host and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. He was named ACM entertainer of the year in 1974 after the success of songs like “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.” (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File)Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP
Singer and songwriter Mac Davis, 1942 – 2020
Country music singer who wrote several hits for Elvis Presley including ‘A Little Less Conversation’
FILE – In this file photo dated Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004, Actress Olivia de Havilland, who played the doomed Southern belle Melanie in « Gone With the Wind, » poses for a photograph, in Los Angeles, USA. Olivia de Havilland, Oscar-winning actress has died, aged 104 in Paris, publicist says Sunday July 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, FILE)AP
Actress Olivia de Havilland, 1916 – 2020
Golden Age of Hollywood performer who appeared in multiple films opposite Errol Flynn; also appeared in ‘Gone With the Wind’ as Melanie Hamilton
Artist Gene Deitch, 1924 – 2020
Longtime comic artist and illustrator who created Tom Terrific and worked on series like ‘Popeye’ and « Tom & Jerry’
Actress Natalie Desselle-Reid, 1967 – 2020
TV and film actress, best known for her role in ‘B.A.P.S.’
FILE – In this June 6, 1999 file photo, actor Brian Dennehy, left, applauds playwright, Arthur Miller, before awarding him the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tony Awards in New York. Dennehy, the burly actor who started in films and later in his career won plaudits for his stage work in plays, died of natural causes on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 in New Haven, Conn. He was 81. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)AP
Actor Bryan Dennehy, 1938 – 2020
Longtime television and film actor who appeared in a vide variety of movies like ‘First Blood,’ ‘Cocoon’ and ‘Tommy Boy’
Singer Tommy DeVito, 1928 – 2020
Founding member of The Four Seasons
Actor Kevin Dobson, 1943 – 2020
Soap opera actor best known for his roles on ‘Knots Landing’ and ‘Days of Our Lives’
FILE – This Nov. 16, 1982 file photo shows actor Kirk Douglas at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. Douglas died Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 at age 103. (AP Photo/Wally Fong, File)AP
Actor Kirk Douglas, 1916 – 2020
Longtime actor, father of Michael Douglas and Hollywood royalty, Douglas starred in many blockbusters including ‘Spartacus’ and ’20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’
FILE – In this Sept. 18, 1987, file photo, New York Yankees’ Rickey Henderson, bottom, steals second base below Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Tony Fernández during a baseball game in New York. Fernández, a stylish shortstop who made five All-Star teams during his 17 seasons in the major leagues and helped the Blue Jays win the 1993 World Series, died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, after complications from a kidney disease. He was 57. (AP Photo/G. Paul Burnett, File)AP
Shortstop Tony Fernandez, 1962 – 2020
Longtime member of the Toronto Blue Jays was best known for his defensive prowess, winning 4 consecutive Gold Gloves.
FILE – In this March 1, 1955 file photo, Actress Rhonda Fleming reads in her penthouse apartment in Rome. Actress Rhonda Fleming, the fiery redhead who appeared with Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston, Ronald Reagan and other film stars of the 1940s and 1950s, has died, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. She was 97.(AP Photo/Jim Pringle, File)AP
Actress Rhonda Fleming, 1923 – 2020
Longtime Hollywood actress was known as ‘The Queen of Technicolor’
FILE – In this June 12, 2016 file photo, former New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford waves to fans from outside the dugout at the Yankees’ annual Old Timers Day baseball game in New York. A family member tells The Associated Press on Friday, Oct. 9, 2020 that Ford died at his Long Island home Thursday night. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)AP
Pitcher Whitey Ford, 1928 – 2020
Longtime Yankees starter won the Cy Young Award and was world series MVP in 1961
FILE – In this May 17, 2017, file photo, Bob Gibson, a member of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1967 World Series championship team, takes part in a ceremony honoring the 50th anniversary of the victory, before a baseball game between the Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox in St. Louis. Gibson, the dominating pitcher who won a record seven consecutive World Series starts and set a modern standard for excellence when he finished the 1968 season with a 1.12 ERA, died Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. He was 84. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)AP
MLB pitcher Bob Gibson, 1935 – 2020
A 1981 HoF inductee was among the all-time strikeouts leaders
FILE – In this Sept. 26, 2018, file photo, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves the stage after speaking to first-year students at Georgetown Law in Washington. The Supreme Court says Ginsburg has died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at age 87. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)AP
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1933 – 2020
Supreme Court Justice from 1993 – 2020
Writer and actress Mary Pat Gleason, 1950 – 2020
Emmy Award winner who appeared in numerous television episodes and films
FILE – In this file photo dated Saturday, April 7, 2001, British rock and blues guitarist Peter Green, a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, backstage before performing with his own band, Peter Green’s Splinter Group, at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, in New York. Lawyers representing the family of Peter Green, say in a statement Saturday July 25, 2020, that he has died, aged 73. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, FILE)AP
Musician Peter Green, 1946 – 2020
Guitarist and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
FILE – In this Aug. 21, 1995, file photo, Winston Groom, author of « Forrest Gump, » the book on which the film was based, signs copies of « Gump & Co., » the sequel to « Forrest Gump », at a New York City bookstore. Groom, the author of the novel « Forrest Gump » that was made into a six-Oscar winning 1994 movie that became a soaring pop culture hit, has died, an Alabama official close to the writer said Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. He was 77. (AP Photo/Anders Krusberg, File)AP
Author Winston Groom Jr., 1943 – 2020
Wrote the novel ‘Forest Gump’ and its sequel ‘Gump and Co.’
FILE – In this Nov. 15, 1977, file photo, Buck Henry and Teri Garr appear at the opening of the movie « Close Encounters of the Third Kind » in New York. Henry, the versatile writer, director and character actor who co-wrote and appeared in « The Graduate » has died in Los Angeles. He was 89. Henry’s wife, Irene Ramp, told The Washington Post that his death was due to a heart attack. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz, File)AP
Director and writer Buck Henry, 1930 – 2020
Twice nominated for Academy Awards (‘The Graduate’ and ‘Heaven Can Wait’), Henry helped create the series ‘Get Smart’
FILE – In this May 3, 2018 file photo, Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. In a statement from a family member, Hibbert died on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Singer Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, 1942 – 2020
Longtime reggae singer and genre pioneer
FILE – In this Dec. 12, 2012 file photo, actor Ian Holm appears at the premiere of « The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey » in London. Holm, the acclaimed British actor whose long career included roles in “Chariots of Fire” and “The Lord of the Rings” has died, his agent said Friday. He was 88. Holm died peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by his family and carer, his agent, Alex Irwin, said in a statement. His illness was Parkinson’s related. (Photo by Jon Furniss/Invision/AP, File)Jon Furniss/Invision/AP
Actor Ian Holm, 1931 – 2020
Portrayed Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy and has appeared in many other notable films including ‘Alien’ and ‘Chariots of Fire’
FILE – In this Thursday, June 12, 2008, file photo, Roy Horn, of the illusionist team of Siegfried & Roy, kisses a 6-week-old, white-striped tiger cub at his Las Vegas home. Horn, one half of the longtime Las Vegas illusionist duo Siegfried & Roy, died of complications from the coronavirus, Friday, May 8, 2020. He was 75. (AP Photo/Louie Traub, File)AP
Magician Roy Horn, 1944 – 2020
Part of the Las Vegas entertainment duo Sigfried & Roy
File-This Dec. 12. 1956, file photo shows Notre Dame quarterback Paul Hornung imitating the posture of the Heisman Trophy that he received at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City. Hornung, the dazzling “Golden Boy” of the Green Bay Packers whose singular ability to generate points as a runner, receiver, quarterback, and kicker helped turn them into an NFL dynasty, has died, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. He was 84. (AP Photo, File)AP
Running back Paul Hornung, 1935 – 2020
Heisman Trophy winner and HoF player for the Green Bay Packers
TV host Grant Imahara, 1970 – 2020
Former engineer for Industrial Light & Magic is best known for his work on the TV show ‘Mythbusters’
Wrestler Rocky Johnson, 1944 – 2020
Longtime pro wrestler in Canada and the United states and father of mega star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
FILE – In this Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010 file photo, Terry Jones arrives at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Terry Jones, a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, has died at 77. Jones’s agent says he died Tuesday Jan. 21, 2020. In a statement, his family said he died “after a long, extremely brave but always good humored battle with a rare form of dementia, FTD.” (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)AP
Comedian and actor Terry Jones, 1942 – 2020
Part of the Monty Python comedy troupe, also directed multiple Monty Python movies
FILE – In this Aug. 25, 2002, file photo, Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline is honored for his 50 years with the Tigers organization at Comerica Park in Detroit. Al Kaline, who spent his entire 22-season Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Tigers and was known affectionately as “Mr. Tiger,” has died. He was 85. John Morad, a friend of Kaline’s, confirmed to The Associated Press that he died Monday, April 6, 2020, at his home in Michigan. (AP Photo/John F. Martin)AP
MLB outfielder Al Kaline, 1934 – 2020
Longtime Tigers outfielder went to 18 All Star Games and was a first ballot Hall of Famer.
TV host Tom Kennedy, 1927 – 2020
Host of many game shows including ‘You Don’t Say!’ and ‘Name That Tune’
Country singer and songwriter Hal Ketchum, 1953-2020
Known for hits like ‘Small Town Saturday Night’ and ‘Hearts Are Gonna Roll’
HOLLYWOOD, CA – MAY 07: Actor Hugh Keays-Byrne attends the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ « Mad Max: Fury Road » at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 7, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)Getty Images
Actor Hugh Keays-Byrne, 1947 – 2020
Best known for his role as a villain in ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’
FILE- In this May 3, 2013 file photo, Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan attends the National Film Awards ceremony where he was presented the Best Actor award for 2012 in New Delhi, India. Khan, a veteran character actor in Bollywood movies and one of India’s best-known exports to Hollywood, died on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, after being admitted to Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection. He was 54. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)AP
Actor Irrfan Khan, 1967 – 2020
Indian actor who appeared in multiple Hollywood films as well. Well known for his roles in ‘Life of Pi’ and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’
FILE – In this Sept. 16, 2009 file photo, actor David Lander arrives at The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s 35th Annual Dinner of Champions in Los Angeles. Actor David L. Lander, who played the character of Squiggy on the popular ABC comedy “Laverne & Shirley,” has died Friday, Dec. 4, 2020 after a decades-long battle with multiple sclerosis, his wife said. He was 73. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)AP
Actor David Lander, 1947 – 2020
Best known for playing the character Squiggy on ‘Laverne & Shirley’
FILE – In this June 28, 2012, file photo, New York Yankees great Don Larsen reacts during a news conference announcing the auction of his 1956 perfect game uniform, in New York. Larsen, the journeyman pitcher who reached the heights of baseball glory in 1956 for the New York Yankees when he threw a perfect game and only no-hitter in World Series history, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. He was 90. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)AP
Pitcher Don Larsen, 1929 – 2020
Pitched the only perfect game in World Series history
FILE – This Sept. 13, 2011, file photo shows British author John Le Carre at the UK film premiere of « Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, » in London. John le Carre, the spy-turned-novelist whose elegant and intricate narratives defined the Cold War espionage thriller and brought acclaim to a genre critics had once ignored, has died. He was 89, Le Carre’s literary agency, Curtis Brown, said Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020 that he died in Cornwall, southwest England on Saturday. (AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)AP
Author John le Carré, 1931 – 2020
British spy novelist who penned works including ‘The Spy Who Came In from the Cold’ and ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’
FILE – This Sept. 26, 2008 file photo shows debate moderator Jim Lehrer during the first U.S. Presidential Debate between presidential nominees Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. PBS announced that PBS NewsHour’s Jim Lehrer died Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at home. He was 85. (AP Photo/Chip Somodevilla, File)AP
News anchor Jim Lehrer, 1934 – 2020
Longtime PBS anchorman and presidential debate moderator
FILE – This June 16, 2010 file photo, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., participates in a ceremony to unveil two plaques recognizing the contributions of enslaved African Americans in the construction of the United States Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington. Lewis, who carried the struggle against racial discrimination from Southern battlegrounds of the 1960s to the halls of Congress, has died. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed his passing late Friday, July 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)AP
Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, 1940 – 2020
Served as a congressperson for the state of Georgia from 1987 until 2020
FILE – This June 14, 2007 file photo shows James Lipton with the Lifetime Achievement Awards from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ 34th Annual Daytime Creative Arts & Entertainment Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Lipton died Monday, March 2, 2020, of bladder cancer at his New York home, his wife, Kedakai Lipton, told the New York Times and the Hollywood Reporter. He was 93. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)AP
Actor James Lipton, 1926 – 2020
Longtime host of ‘Inside the Actors Studio’
FILE – In this June 29, 1986, file photo, Diego Maradona holds up his team’s trophy after Argentina’s 3-2 victory over West Germany at the World Cup final soccer match at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title died from a heart attack on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020, at his home in Buenos Aires. He was 60. (AP Photo/Carlo Fumagalli, File)AP
Soccer star Diego Maradona, 1960 – 2020
International soccer star was co-player of the century along with Pelé
FILE – In this April 1, 1010, file photo, playwright Terrence McNally poses at the Kennedy Center in Washington. McNally, one of America’s great playwrights whose prolific career included winning Tony Awards for the plays « Love! Valour! Compassion! » and « Master Class » and the musicals « Ragtime » and « Kiss of the Spider Woman, » died Tuesday, March 24, 2020, of complications from the coronavirus. He was 81. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)AP
Playwright and screenwriter Terrence McNally, 1938 – 2020
Winner of multiple Tony Awards, worked on shows including ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ and ‘Ragtime’
FILE – In this Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, file photo, Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan poses with his statue that was unveiled at Great American Ball Park, in Cincinnati. Joe Morgan has died. A family spokesman says he died at his home Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Danville, Calif.(AP Photo/David Kohl, File)AP
MLB player and coach Joe Morgan, 1943 – 2020
Hall of Fame player and former coach who transitioned to broadcasting
Singer and songwriter Johnny Nash, 1940 – 2020
Best known for his hit ‘I Can See Clearly Now’
FILE – In this Jan. 9, 2008, file photo, the Harlem Globetrotters’ Fred « Curly » Neal performs during a timeout in the second quarter in an NBA basketball game between the Indiana Pacers and the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix. Neal, the dribbling wizard who entertained millions with the Harlem Globetrotters for parts of three decades, has died the Globetrotters announced Thursday, March 26, 2020. He was 77. Neal played for the Globetrotters from 1963-85, appearing in more than 6,000 games in 97 countries for the exhibition team known for its combination of comedy and athleticism. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)AP
Fred ‘Curly’ Neal, 1942 – 2020
Longtime member of the Harlem Globetrotters
FILE – In this March 29, 2007, file photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades, mostly with the Atlanta Braves, has died after a long fight with cancer, the team announced Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. He was 81. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)AP
Pitcher Phil Niekro, 1939 – 2020
Hall of Fame pitcher who helped make the knuckleball famous won more than 300 games in his long pro career.
FILE – This Dec. 1, 2013 file photo shows Ken Osmond at the 82nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade in Los Angeles. Osmond, who played the two-faced teenage scoundrel Eddie Haskell on TV’s “Leave it to Beaver,” has died. Osmond’s family says he died Monday, May 18, 2020, in Los Angeles. He was 76. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Actor Ken Osmond, 1943 – 2020
Played Eddie Haskell on ‘Leave it to Beaver’
Pro wrestler Pat Patterson, 1941 – 2020
Longtime ring personality and producer; inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996.
FILE – This June 25, 2015 file photo shows Neil Peart of the band Rush performing in concert during their R40 Live: 40th Anniversary Tour in Philadelphia. Peart, the renowned drummer and lyricist from the band Rush, has died. His rep Elliot Mintz said in a statement Friday that he died at his home Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 67. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP, File)Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP
Musician and songwriter Neil Peart, 1952 – 2020
Drummer and lyricist for the band Rush
FILE – In this Aug. 19, 2004 file photo, Little Richard performs at Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, NY. Little Richard, the self-proclaimed “architect of rock ‘n’ roll” whose piercing wail, pounding piano and towering pompadour irrevocably altered popular music while introducing black R&B to white America, has died Saturday, May 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Ed Betz, File)AP
Singer Richard Wayne Penniman (Little Richard), 1932 – 2020
One of the first members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
FILE – In this June 27, 2010 file photo, host Regis Philbin is seen on stage at the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Las Vegas. Philbin, the genial host who shared his life with television viewers over morning coffee for decades and helped himself and some fans strike it rich with the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” has died on Friday, July 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)AP
TV host Regis Philbin, 1931 – 2020
Longtime talk show host who also hosted game shows like ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’
FILE – In this May 15, 2018, file photo, actress Kelly Preston poses for photographers during a photo call for the film ‘Gotti’ at the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France. Actress Kelly Preston, whose credits included the films “Twins” and “Jerry Maguire,” died Sunday, July 12, 2020, her husband John Travolta said. She was 57.(Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File)Arthur Mola/Invision/AP
Actress Kelly Preston, 1962 – 2020
Appeared in dozens of films and TV shows from the ’80s onward; wife of actor John Travolta
FILE – Charley Pride performs « Kiss An Angel Good Morning » at the 50th annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. on Nov. 3, 2016. Pride will get a lifetime achievement award at the CMA Awards in November. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Singer Charley Pride, 1934 – 2020
Former baseball player, Grammy Award winner and 2000 inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame
FILE — In this June 20, 2017, file photo, John Prine poses in his offices in Nashville, Tenn. Prine died Tuesday, April 7, 2020, from complications of the coronavirus. He was 73.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)AP
Singer and songwriter John Prine, 1946 – 2020
Grammy-winning country and folk singer
Actor David Prowse, who was the man in the black Darth Vader suit in the first Star Wars film, signs autographs at Star Wars Celebration IV, billed as the world’s biggest Star Wars party, marking the 30th anniversary of the release of the first film in the Star Wars saga, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Saturday, May 26, 2007. The show runs through Monday. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Actor Dave Prowse, 1935 – 2020
Best know for being the man behind the mask of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films
FILE – In this Jan. 31, 2015, file photo, Australian-born singer Helen Reddy attends the 2015 G’DAY USA GALA at the Hollywood Palladium, in Los Angeles. Reddy, who shot to stardom in the 1970s with her feminist anthem “I Am Woman” and recorded a string of other hits, has died at age 78. Reddy’s children Traci and Jordan announced that the actress-singer died Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rob Latour/Invision/AP, File)Rob Latour/Invision/AP
Singer Helen Reddy, 1941 – 2020
Best known for her hit single ‘I Am Woman’
FILE – In this May 26, 1963 file photo, Carl Reiner shows holds two Emmy statuettes presented to him as best comedy writer for the « Dick Van Dyke Show, » during the annual Emmy Awards presentation in Los Angeles. Reiner, the ingenious and versatile writer, actor and director who broke through as a “second banana” to Sid Caesar and rose to comedy’s front ranks as creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and straight man to Mel Brooks’ “2000 Year Old Man,” has died, according to reports. Variety reported he died of natural causes on Monday night, June 29, 2020, at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 98. (AP Photo, File)AP
Actor and comedian Carl Reiner, 1922 – 2020
Won multiple Emmy Awards for his work on ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ among others; father of Rob Reiner
FILE – Ann Reinking holds her Tony Award for best choreography for the musical « Chicago » at the 51st annual Tony Awards on June 1, 1997, in New York. Reinking, the Tony Award-winning choreographer, actress and Bob Fosse collaborator who helped spread a cool, muscular hybrid of jazz and burlesque movement to Broadway and beyond, has died. She was 71. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)AP
Actress and choreographer Ann Reinking, 1949 – 2020
Broadway actress and dancer, best known for her roles in ‘Chicago’ and ‘Fosse’
Bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice, 1951 – 2020
Rice was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2013.
FILE – In this Sept. 20, 1972 file photo, British actress Diana Rigg and actor Anthony Hopkins attend the opening night of Macbeth at the National Theatre, London. Rigg plays Lady Macbeth opposite Hopkins’ Macbeth in the Shakespearean tragedy. Actress Diana Rigg, who became a 1960s style icon as secret agent Emma Peel in TV series “The Avengers,” has died at age 82. Rigg’s agent Simon Beresford says she died Thursday Sept. 10, 2020 at home with her family. (AP Photo/Bob Dear, File)AP
Actress Diana Rigg, 1938 – 2020
Longtime actress played Emma Peel on ‘The Avengers’ and also appeared as the wife of James Bond in ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’
FILE – In this Feb. 23, 2016, file photo, actress Naya Rivera attends Vanity Fair and FIAT Celebration of Young Hollywood in West Hollywood, Calif. An autopsy report released Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 says “Glee” actor Naya Rivera raised her arm and called for help as she accidentally drowned while boating with her 4-year-old son on a California lake. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Actress Naya Rivera, 1987 – 2020
Former ‘Glee’ actress
FILE- In this Feb. 28, 1980 file photo, Kenny Rogers holds a Grammy Award he received during presentation in Los Angles. Rogers, who embodied “The Gambler” persona and whose musical career spanned jazz, folk, country and pop, has died at 81. A representative says Rogers died at home in Georgia on Friday, March 20, 2020. (AP Photo/McLendon, File)AP
Singer and songwriter Kenny Rogers, 1938 – 2020
Multiple Grammy winner and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame best known for hits like ‘The Gambler,’ ‘Lucille’ and ‘Lady’
Actor John Saxon, 1936 – 2020
Appeared in multiple westerns and horror films and starred with Bruce Lee in ‘Enter the Dragon’
FILE – In this June 2, 2004, file photo, Gale Sayers addresses a luncheon sponsored by the College Football Hall of Fall in South Bend, Ind. Hall of Famer Gale Sayers, who made his mark as one of the NFL’s best all-purpose running backs and was later celebrated for his enduring friendship with a Chicago Bears teammate with cancer, has died. He was 77. Nicknamed “The Kansas Comet” and considered among the best open-field runners the game has ever seen, Sayers died Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond, File)AP
Running back Gale Sayers, 1943 – 2020
Youngest player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after injuries cut his career for the Bears short
Musician Florian Schneider, 1947 – 2020
Founding member of the band Kraftwerk
FILE – In this Oct. 25, 2009, file photo, former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula waves to the crowd during a half time ceremony of an NFL football game between the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints in Miami. Shula, who won the most games of any NFL coach and led the Miami Dolphins to the only perfect season in league history, died Monday, May 4, 2020, at his South Florida home, the team said. He was 90. (AP Photo/Jeffrey M. Boan)AP
Coach Don Shula, 1930 – 2020
Winningest coach in NFL history, coached Miami Dolphins to first perfect season in NFL
FILE – In this Jan. 29, 2010 file photo, director Joel Schumacher attends the premiere of « Twelve » during the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. A representative for Schumacher said the filmmaker died Monday, June 22, 2020, in New York after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 80. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)AP
Director Joel Schumacher, 1939 -2020
Directed many notable films throughout his career including ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ and ‘The Lost Boys’ in the ’80s and, more recently, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’
FILE – In this Aug. 4, 1985, file photo, Chicago White Sox pitcher Tom Seaver reacts as a fly ball hit by New York Yankees’ Don Baylor is caught, ending the game and giving Seaver his 300th win, in a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York. Seaver, the galvanizing leader of the Miracle Mets 1969 championship team and a pitcher who personified the rise of expansion teams during an era of radical change for baseball, has died. He was 75. The Hall of Fame said Wednesday night, Sept. 2, 2020, that Seaver died Aug. 31 from complications of Lewy body dementia and COVID-19. (AP Photo/Forrest Anderson, File)AP
Pitcher Tom Seaver, 1944 – 2020
Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, ‘Tom Terrific’ is still among the all-time leaders in strikeouts
FILE – In this Oct. 23, 2013 file photo, NBA Commissioner David Stern smiles during a news conference after an NBA board of governors meeting in New York. Stern is amazed when he looks at the NBA and compares it to the league that was struggling to stay afloat when he started. David Stern, who spent 30 years as the NBA’s longest-serving commissioner and oversaw its growth into a global power, has died on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. He was 77. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)AP
Executive David Stern, 1942 – 2020
Longtime commissioner of the NBA
In this Feb. 11, 2011, photo, Ben Stiller, left, and his father Jerry Stiller arrive at the Help Haiti benefit honoring Sean Penn hosted by the Stiller Foundation and The J/P Haitian Relief Organization, in New York. Comedian veteran Jerry Stiller, who launched his career opposite wife Anne Meara in the 1950s and reemerged four decades later as the hysterically high-strung Frank Costanza on the smash television show “Seinfeld,” died at 92, his son Ben Stiller announced Monday. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)AP
Actor and comedian Jerry Stiller, 1927 – 2020
Father of actor Ben Stiller, Jerry was a longtime Hollywood mainstay in his own right. Enjoyed a resurgence in popularity after appearing on ‘Seinfeld’ as George’s father.
FILE – In this Oct. 1, 1999, file photo, former Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson addresses the media during a news conference for inductees to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a “Hoya Paranoia” powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men’s basketball championship, has died. He was 78. His death was announced in a family statement Monday., Aug. 31, 2020. No details were disclosed. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)AP
Coach John Thompson Jr., 1941 – 2020
Longtime Georgetown basketball coach
Author Christopher Tolkien, 1924 – 2020
Son of author J.R.R. Tolkien and longtime editor of many of his father’s works.
FILE – This June 4, 1967 file photo shows Peter Tork, center, of The Monkees at the 19th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Tork, who rocketed to teen idol fame in 1965 playing the lovably clueless bass guitarist in the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, died Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, of complications related to cancer, according to his son Ivan Iannoli. He was 77. (AP Photo, File)AP
Musician Peter Tork, 1942 – 2020
Keyboardist for The Monkees
FILE – This May 5, 2019, file photo shows Alex Trebek gestures while presenting an award at the 46th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Pasadena, Calif. Jeopardy!? host Alex Trebek died Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, after battling pancreatic cancer for nearly two years. Trebek died at home with family and friends surrounding him, ?Jeopardy!? studio Sony said in a statement. Trebek presided over the beloved quiz show for more than 30 years. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
TV host Alex Trebek, 1940 – 2020
Longtime host of ‘Jeopardy!’ and many other game shows
FILE – David Lee Roth, left, and Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen perform on Aug. 13, 2015, in Wantagh, N.Y. Van Halen, who had battled cancer, died Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. He was 65. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File)Greg Allen/Invision/AP
Guitarist Eddie Van Halen, 1955 – 2020
Co-founder and songwriter for Van Halen
FILE – In this Feb. 10, 2012 file photo, actor Max von Sydow poses at the photo call for the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close during the 62 edition of International Film Festival Berlinale, in Berlin. Max von Sydow, the self-described ?shy boy?-turned-actor who played the priest in the horror classic ?The Exorcist,??has died, it was reported on Monday, March 9, 2020. He was 90. He was known to art house audiences through his work with Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. But it was his role as the devil-evicting priest in William Friedkin’s controversial 1973 film « The Exorcist » that brought him to international attention. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File)AP
Actor Max von Sydow, 1929 – 2020
With a film and television career that spanned more than 60, Max was most visible in his later years thanks to appearances in the ‘Game of Thrones’ series as well as in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
FILE – In this Oct. 4, 2017, file photo, Lyle Waggoner arrives at the « The Carol Burnett 50th Anniversary Special » in Los Angeles. Waggoner, who played comic foil on the show, has died. He was 84. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
Actor Lyle Waggoner, 1935 – 2020
Longtime actor on ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ Waggoner also played Steve Trevor on ‘Wonder Woman’ in the ’70s
FILE – In this April 29, 2016 file photo, Dawn Wells arrives at the Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. Wells, who played the wholesome Mary Ann among a misfit band of shipwrecked castaways on the 1960s sitcom « Gilligan’s Island, died Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, of causes related to COVID-19, her publicist said. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Actress Dawn Wells, 1938 – 2020
Best known for playing Mary Ann on ‘Gilligan’s Island’
FILE – In this Jan. 26, 2016, file photo, Fred Willard attends the LA Premiere of « 50 Shades of Black » held at Regal L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. Willard, the comedic actor whose improv style kept him relevant for more than 50 years in films like ?This Is Spinal Tap,? ?Best In Show? and ?Anchorman,? has died at age 86. Willard?s daughter, Hope Mulbarger, said in a statement Saturday, May 16, 2020, that her father died peacefully Friday night. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)John Salangsang/Invision/AP
Actor Fred Willard, 1933 – 2020
The Ohio native had a string of guest appearances on popular television shows in the ’80s and ’90s while appearing in many Christopher Guest films as well
FILE – This April 18, 2015 file photo shows singer-songwriter Bill Withers speaking at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland. Withers, who wrote and sang a string of soulful songs in the 1970s that have stood the test of time, including ?Lean On Me,? ?Lovely Day? and ?Ain?t No Sunshine, » died in Los Angeles from heart complications on Monday, March 30, 2020. He was 81. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)AP
Singer Bill Withers, 1938 – 2020
Member of the Rock Hall and Songwriters Hall of Fame, Withers’ hits included ‘Lean on Me’ and ‘Just the Two of Us’
Singer Betty Wright, 1953 – 2020
Known for her hits like ‘Tonight is the Night’ and ‘Clean Up Woman’
FILE – In this Sept. 4, 1985, file photo, Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier in 1947, poses at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in front of the rocket-powered Bell X-IE plane that he flew. Yeager died Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, at age 97. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)AP
Aviator Chuck Yeager, 1923 – 2020
Former military pilot and first man to break the flight sound barrier