Stars who died in 2022, who died today yesterday, celebrity deaths today | Gallery
By Marisa Laudadio
8:12pm PDT, Apr 15, 2022
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Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the bold-faced names we lost in 2022, starting with this comedy star… Actress Liz Sheridan, who played Jerry Seinfeld’s mom on “Seinfeld” and the nosy neighbor on “Alf,” passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 15 — five days after her 93rd birthday, TMZ reported. The former dancer, who was also a successful Broadway actress, famously dated James Dean when they were both young performers in New York in the early 1950s. “Liz was always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for,” Jerry tweeted, adding, “Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her.”
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Gilbert Gottfried — the comedian known for his exaggerated voice and who played Iago in Disney’s animated “Aladdin” film and hosted television’s “USA Up All Night” in the ’80s and ’90s — died on April 12. He was 67. “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children,” his family said in a statement. “Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor.” The star’s longtime friend and publicist Glenn Schwartz shared more details with People magazine, including that Gilbert’s cause of death was due to complications from muscular dystrophy. “Beloved and iconic comedian Gilbert Gottfried passed away at 2:35 p.m. ET on April 12, 2022, from Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II,” he said in a statement. Grieving Hollywood stars and friends took to social media to mourn the funnyman.
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1960s teen idol Bobby Rydell died on April 5, media outlets in his hometown of Philadelphia confirmed. The “Wild One” and “Volare” hitmaker — who appeared opposite Ann-Margret in the 1963 movie “Bye Bye Birdie” and inspired Rydell High’s name in the hit film “Grease” — was 79. His cause of death was complications of pneumonia, a spokeswoman told The New York Times.
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Estelle Harris — the actress who played George Costanza’s mother, Estelle, on “Seinfeld” and voiced Mrs. Potato Head in Disney’s “Toy Story” films — died on April 2 in Palm Desert, California, of natural causes, her family confirmed to Deadline. She was 93. “It is with the greatest remorse and sadness to announce that Estelle Harris has passed on this evening at 6:25pm,” son Glen Harris said. “Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her.” Actor Jason Alexander mourned her on social media, writing, “One of my favorite people has passed – my tv mama, Estelle Harris. The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat. I adore you, Estelle. Love to your family. Serenity now and always.”
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Tom Parker, one of the singers in the boy band The Wanted, died on March 30 after a two-year battle with the brain cancer glioblastoma, wife Kelsey — with whom he shares children aged 1 and 2 — confirmed on Instagram. Tom was 33. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we confirm Tom passed away peacefully earlier today with all of his family by his side,” Kelsea wrote. “Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world and we can’t imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence. We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom’s light continues to shine for his beautiful children. Thank you to everyone who has supported in his care throughout, he fought until the very end. I’m forever proud of you.”
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Famed fashion and portrait photographer Patrick Demarchelier died on March 31 at 78. Page Six and other outlets reported that the Frenchman passed away on the island of St. Barts. Patrick became an icon thanks to his work with Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and was perhaps best known outside of fashion circles as the late Princess Diana’s personal photographer. “I am grateful to have been lucky enough to be in front of your lens. Most gentle, most legendary, soft but full of life. You will be missed Patrick. Rest In Peace,” supermodel Bella Hadid wrote on social media.
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Paul Herman — who played drug dealer-turned-pizza shop and club owner Peter “Beansie” Gaeta on HBO’s “The Sopranos” and appeared in movies including “The Irishman,” “Goodfellas” and “American Hustle” — died on March 29, which was his 76th birthday, TMZ confirmed. Former “Sopranos” co-star Michael Imperioli took to Instagram to share the sad news and mourn his friend, writing, “Paulie was just a great dude. A first class storyteller and raconteur and one hell of an actor. Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America , The Irishman and of course The Sopranos are some highlights.” Michael continued, “Paulie lived around the corner from me the last few years and I am glad we got to spend some time together before he left us. I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family, friends and our community of actors and filmmakers.”
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Taylor Hawkins, the drummer for the Foo Fighters, died on March 25 during a South American tour with his band. The New York Post reported that he died at the Casa Medina Bogota hotel, a Four Seasons property, in Bogota, Colombia, where the band was scheduled to perform at a festival later that day. “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever,” his bandmates wrote on Instagram. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member — who previously played drums for Alanis Morissette and also had has own band, Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders — was 50. On March 26, Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office released a preliminary “forensic medical study” report indicating that a preliminary toxicology test discovered 10 substances in the rocker’s urine including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids. The AG’s office continues to investigate to determine Taylor’s cause of death as Hollywood mourns the beloved rocker, a married father of three.
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Madeleine Albright — the first female U.S. secretary of state — died from cancer in Washington, D.C., on March 23, her family confirmed. She was 84. The famed diplomat and champion of democracy — who guided America’s foreign relations in the wake of the Cold War — first served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during President Bill Clinton’s first term before ascending to her cabinet role, a position that made her the top-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government at the time.
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“The Big Chill” and “Body Heat” actor William Hurt — who won an Oscar for his performance in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and earned three more Academy Awards nods for his work in “Children of a Lesser God,” “Broadcast News” and “A History of Violence” — died of natural causes on March 13, Variety reported. He was 71. In more recent years, a new generation of fans got to know him as General Thaddeus Ross in Marvel’s Avengers films.
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On March 12, the family of singer-actress Traci Braxton — who appeared with her famous sisters on the reality TV show “Braxton Family Values” — announced that Traci was dead after a cancer battle. She was 50. “We have come to a time where we must inform the public that after a year of privately undergoing a series of treatment for Esophageal cancer our beloved Traci Braxton has gone on to glory,” her husband, Kevin Surratt, said in a statement. Sister Toni Braxton took to Instagram to mourn, writing on behalf of her family, “She was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly.”
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On Jan. 31, TMZ reported that Moses J. Moseley — who’s best known for playing one of Michonne’s pet zombies on “The Walking Dead” and also appeared on HBO’s “Watchmen” and in the film “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” — was dead at 31. His body was found with a gunshot wound in Stockbridge, Georgia, the previous week after his family used OnStar to track his car after he went missing for several days, a family member told TMZ. Law enforcement sources confirmed to the webloid that the actor’s death was being investigated as a possible suicide, but weeks later, a police spokesman revealed that other leads were being “thoroughly investigated.” Moses’s sister Teera Kimbro told TMZ that people close to the actor believe he was kidnapped and then killed. On March 21, TMZ shared an update, revealing that according to the actor’s newly obtained death certificate, his cause of death — whether it was an accident, a suicide or a homicide — “could not be determined,” though the document stated that Moses “shot self with intent unknown.” His family, the webloid reported, continues to believe he was murdered.
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Clint Arlis — the contestant known for his slogan “villains gotta vill” on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season 11 of “The Bachelorette,” which aired in 2015 — died at 34 on Jan. 11, sister Taylor announced on Facebook. On March 11, TMZ reported that the coroner’s report revealed that Clint died by suicide at his parents’ Illinois home. Fellow contestant Nick Viall took to social media following his death to call Clint “a very kind, unique, and talented person who was taken from this world far too soon,” while Kaitlyn shared, in part, on her Instagram Story, “Even though things didn’t end on the best terms for us, from his time on the show to today, I have heard nothing but incredible things about that person. From his peers, his students, his coaches, his teachers, his friends, his family, Clint was very well respected in his world.”
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Emilio Delgado, who played Fix-It Shop owner Luis on “Sesame Street” for four decades, died on March 10 at his home in New York City surrounded by his family. His wife, Carol, told TMZ that the beloved actor, who was diagnosed with the blood cancer multiple myeloma in December 2020, had recently been in hospice care. Emilio was 81.
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Conrad Janis — the famed jazz trombonist, art gallerist and actor who was best known to TV audiences as Mindy’s father on the ’70s and ’80s sitcom “Mork & Mindy” — died on March 1 in Los Angeles, business manager Dean A. Avedon told The New York Times. Conrad was 94.
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Johnny Brown (right) — who played housing project superintendent Nathan Bookman on the hit show “Good Times” — died at 84. The actor’s daughter Sharon Catherine Brown told TMZ that he died suddenly after going into cardiac arrest and collapsing on March 2 following a routine doctor’s appointment to get his pacemaker checked. “Our family is devastated. Devastated. Devastated. Beyond Heartbroken. Barely able to breathe,” Sharon told TMZ, which reports that Johnny was a protege of Sammy Davis Jr. He also worked on Broadway in “Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights,” which was directed by Sidney Poitier, and in Neil Simon’s “The Out of Towners.” Additionally, he appeared on shows like “Laugh In,” “Julia,” “Maude,” “The Jeffersons,” “Archie Bunker’s Place,” “Family Matters,” “Sister, Sister,” “Moonlighting” and “Martin.”
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Tim Considine — who played oldest son Mike on “My Three Sons” — died on March 3 in Los Angeles. The actor — who also notably appeared on Disney’s “Spin and Marty,” in “The Hardy Boys” serials and in movies like “The Shaggy Dog,” “The Clown” and “Patton” — was 81.
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Actress Farrah Forke — who’s best known for her role as helicopter pilot and Desert Storm veteran Alex Lambert on the hit ’90s NBC sitcom “Wings” — died of cancer in her Texas home on Feb. 25, a family friend confirmed to Variety. She was 54. Farrah also appeared on shows including “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” “Ned and Stacey,” “Party of Five” and more as well as in films like “Disclosure” and “Heat.”
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Character actor Ned Eisenberg, who was perhaps best known for his work on shows including “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Mare of Easttown,” died of cancer at his home in New York on Feb. 27. He was 65. “As Ned would say, he was attacked by two very rare assassins — cholangiocarcinoma and ocular melanoma,” his wife, actress Patricia Dunnock, said in a statement, as reported by USA Today. “Over the course of two years, he bravely fought the cancers in private while continuing to work in show business to ensure that his medical coverage paid for himself and his family.” Ned’s four-decade career also includes credits in films including “Million Dollar Baby” and “Flags of Our Fathers” and appearances on TV shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Good Wife,” “NYPD Blue” and “30 Rock,” among others. “SVU” stars Mariska Hargitay took to Instagram to mourn Ned, writing, “My heart is so full of sadness over the loss of our dear, dear Ned Eisenberg. What a light and what a love. And such a first-rate actor, which pales next to him as a first-rate human. We will remember him always with his bright, mischievous smile and his wide-open heart. We love and miss you, sweet Ned.”
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Actress Sally Kellerman — who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in 1970’s “M*A*S*H” movie — died on Feb. 24 in Woodland Hills, California, her publicist, Alan Eichler, confirmed to Variety. Sally also notably appeared in other Robert Altman films as well as in the film adaptation of Neil Simon’s comedy “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” in Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back to School” and more. She was 84.
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Entertainer Donny Davis — a star at Beacher’s Madhouse for two decades who’s also performed with celebrities including Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Seth MacFarlane, Joe Jonas and more — died in Las Vegas on Feb. 22 at 43. Two days later, TMZ reported that authorities believe his death could be the result of foul play. A police report obtained by the webloid reveals that Donny and another man spent time with two women at Resorts World’s Dawg House bar hours before he died and that one of the ladies later told cops that a bartender wouldn’t serve Donny because he was too intoxicated. A few hours later, Donny and the man went to the star’s room at the hotel for about an hour, at which point the man left and returned with one of the women who, as TMZ writes, “noticed Donny sitting in a chair and his hands looked pale and pink and began turning purple. The woman said Donny’s hands were ‘freezing’ and he was not breathing.” They moved him to the bed and called hotel security, who called 911; Donny was taken to a hospital and declared dead. Police suspect foul play, TMZ explained, because of the number of people in the room and because, according to the police report, Donny’s male guest wouldn’t talk to cops and wanted to speak to an attorney. Cops further said they had difficulties getting information from the people in his room.
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Mark Lanegan, the frontman of Screaming Trees — one of the pioneering bands in the Seattle grunge scene — is dead at 57. The musician, who’s also a former member of rock band Queens of the Stone Age, “passed away this morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland,” read a Feb. 22 statement on his Twitter account. “A beloved singer, songwriter, author, and musician he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time. The family asks everyone to respect their privacy at this time.”
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Political satirist, author and journalist P.J. O’Rourke died on Feb. 15 from complications of lung cancer, his publisher, Grove Atlantic Inc. Books, confirmed. The former editor-in-chief of the National Lampoon and regular panelist on NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me” show — who was known for his conservative and libertarian commentary — was 74.
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Oscar- and Emmy-nominated director-producer Ivan Reitman died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Montecito, California, on Feb. 12, his family confirmed to The Associated Press. The man behind movies like “Animal House,” “Ghostbusters,” “Stripes,” “Meatballs,” “Kindergarten Cop,” “Beethoven,” “Old School” and many more — was 75. “Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” his children — filmmaker son Jason Reitman and daughters Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman — said in a statement. “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”
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Comedian Bob Saget was found dead in his room at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando, Florida, on Jan. 9. The beloved “Full House” and “Fuller House” star — who in addition to playing dad Danny Tanner on the hit sitcoms also notably hosted “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and voiced future Ted Mosby on “How I Met Your Mother” — was 65. According to a social media post from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, “Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case.” On Feb. 9, his family announced his cause of death after autopsy results came in. “The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved,” the Saget family said in a statement. One day later, the chief medical examiner for Orange and Osceola counties weighed in, stating that the beloved star’s death “was the result of blunt head trauma,” adding that “his injuries were most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall” and that “a toxicology analysis did not reveal any illicit drugs or toxins. The manner of death is accident.” Bob was performing Florida dates on his stand-up tour at the time of his passing. His “Full House” castmates and more stars took to social media to mourn their friend, with a grieving John Stamos writing, “I am broken. I am gutted. I am in complete shock. I will never ever have another friend like him. I love you so much Bobby.”
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Donald May — the handsome actor best known for playing righteous attorney Adam Drake on the daytime soap opera “The Edge of Night” in the ’60s and ’70s — died on Jan. 28 at his home in Kent, New York. Donald, who also notably appeared on shows including “The Roaring 20s” and “Falcon Crest,” was 92. His wife, actress Carla Borelli, told The Hollywood Reporter he’d recently been diagnosed with cancer of the larynx after suffering a major stroke five years earlier.
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Howard Hesseman — who’s best known for his roles as radio disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on “WKRP in Cincinnati” and history teacher Charlie Moore on “Head of the Class” — died on Jan. 29 from complications related to colon surgery, his manager confirmed to CNN. The Emmy-nominated actor was 81.
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Cheslie Kryst, an attorney, died by suicide in New York City on Jan. 30. She was 30. “In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie. Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined,” the former Miss North Carolina’s family said in a statement. “Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host on ‘Extra,'” her loved ones added. “But most importantly as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague — we know her impact will live on.”
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Jordan Cashmyer, who was featured on MTV’s “16 and Pregnant” in 2014 alongside then-boyfriend Derek Taylor — with whom she welcomed a daughter, Genevieve Shae — died in Maryland on Jan. 15. (MTV viewers will remember Jordan’s struggles with homelessness and her parents’ disapproval of Derek, which were chronicled on the show.) “Our hearts are truly broken. No parent should ever have to go through losing a child, ever. Please keep my family in your thoughts [and] prayers as we navigate through this terrible tragedy,” stepmother Jessica Cashmyer wrote on Facebook. Jordan — who gave birth to a second daughter, Lyla, in 2021, was 26. Later in the month, her family set up a GoFundMe to pay for a memorial and to raise money for 6-month-old Lyla’s future care — and revealed how they lost Jordan. “Addiction plagues many families, and our family was not immune to it,” the Cashmyers shared on the fundraising site, revealing that four months earlier, baby Lyla also “lost her father to addiction.” The heartbroken family added, “We are now faced with the grim outcome that our granddaughter that we have been raising will never get to make memories with her mother or father, never getting to know them. … We pray Jordan is finally at peace.” On Feb. 22, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner for the Maryland Department of Health confirmed to E! News that Jordan died of fentanyl and cocaine intoxication.
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Morgan Stevens — who was best known for his roles as teacher David Reardon on two seasons of “Fame” and as Nick Diamond on “Melrose Place” — was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Jan. 26. TMZ reported that a neighbor called police to do a wellness check after Morgan hadn’t been heard from in a few days; authorities confirmed the 70-year-old actor was found deceased in his kitchen. TMZ added that it’s believed he died of natural causes.
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Peter Robbins, the actor who voiced Peanuts character Charlie Brown — he started in 1963 — died by suicide in January, TMZ reported. The voice actor’s agent, Dylan Novak, told the webloid that Peter, who had bipolar disorder and struggled with addiction issues in the past, had sought in-patient treatment at a California mental health hospital but discharged himself on Jan 18. TMZ reported he was found dead sometime after that. Peter was 65.
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Actress Kathryn Kates, who appeared on shows including “Orange Is the New Black,” “Seinfeld” and “The Good Fight,” is dead at 73. “After a long, hard-fought battle with lung cancer, Kathryn passed away peacefully [on Jan. 22] surrounded by her brother Josh, his wife Sue Ann and her sister Mallory,” Headline Talent Agency told CNN in a statement. “Kathryn was our client for many years, and about one year ago, after finding out that the lung cancer she was treated for 20 years ago had returned, we grew even closer. She was incredibly brave, thoughtful, wise and loving. Kathryn approached every role she ever played, as well as her daily life with the greatest of passion. We will do our best to honor her incredible legacy. The world truly lost one of the good ones.”
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Vachik Mangassarian died from complications of COVID-19 on Jan. 22, his manager, Valerie McCaffrey, confirmed to USA Today days later. The actor was 78. Though Vachik posted memes on Facebook that appeared to oppose vaccines and downplay the coronavirus pandemic, the newspaper reported, Vachik’s manager said the actor — who appeared on shows including “NCIS,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and in movies like “The Stoning of Soraya M.” and “The Book of Daniel” — was vaccinated.
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Thierry Mugler — the iconic French fashion designer who’s dressed celebrities from Kim Kardashian and Cardi B to Demi Moore, Madonna and Beyonce — died on Jan. 23, his design house announced on Instagram. He was 73. No other details concerning the respected style star’s death were publicly shared.
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Don Wilson — the rhythm guitarist and last surviving founder of surf-rock pioneers The Ventures — died on Jan. 22 in Tacoma, Washington, of natural causes. He was 88. The influential band — who were inducted into the Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 — gave the world hits like “Walk, Don’t Run” and the “Hawaii Five-O” theme song.
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Meat Loaf passed away on Jan. 20, 2022, at 74, his manager confirmed. TMZ reported that the Grammy winner behind hits like “Bat Out of Hell,” “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” died from complications of COVID-19; his rep has not publicly shared his cause of death. It’s unknown if Meat Loaf (real name: Marvin Lee Aday) — who also appeared in films like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Fight Club” — was vaccinated, though he’d been publicly critical of masks and what he called being “controlled,” he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2021.
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French actor Gaspard Ulliel — who stars as Midnight Man in Marvel’s buzzy upcoming “Moon Knight” series — died on Jan. 19 following a ski accident in the French Alps, news agency AFP reported. The father of two was 37. Gaspard was a two-time César Award winner (France’s version of the Oscars) with his performances in “It’s Only the End of the World” and “A Very Long Engagement.” Variety reported that, according to AFP, Gaspard — who also modeled and was the face of the fragrance Bleu de Chanel — was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Grenoble, France, after suffering serious brain trauma when he collided with another skier at the intersection of two slopes on Jan. 18.
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Larger-than-life fashion editor André Leon Talley — Vogue’s famed former creative director — died on Jan. 18 at a hospital in White Plains, New York, following a series of health struggles, TMZ reported. He was 73.
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Famed country music radio and TV broadcaster Ralph Emery died at Tristar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville on Jan. 15 of natural causes after a week-long stay, son Michael told The Associated Press. He was 88. “Ralph Emery’s impact in expanding country music’s audience is incalculable,” Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said in a statement. “On radio and on television, he allowed fans to get to know the people behind the songs. Ralph was more a grand conversationalist than a calculated interviewer, and it was his conversations that revealed the humor and humanity of Tom T. Hall, Barbara Mandrell, Tex Ritter, Marty Robbins and many more. Above all, he believed in music and in the people who make it.”
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On Jan. 15, Nino Cerruti — the famed fashion stylist who founded the haute couture design house Cerruti in Paris in 1967 — died at a hospital in Vercelli, Italy, where he’d been hospitalized for a hip operation, the Italian family business Lanificio Fratelli Cerruti said in a statement. He was 91.
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The Ronettes leader Ronnie Spector — who sang hits like “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain” with her girl group in the ’60s — died on Jan. 12 from cancer, her family confirmed to The Associated Press. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member was 78. “Our beloved earth angel, Ronnie, peacefully left this world today after a brief battle with cancer. She was with family and in the arms of her husband, Jonathan,” her family said in a statement. (Ronnie wed manager Jonathan Greenfield in 1982 years after leaving an abusive relationship with famed Wall of Sound producer Phil Spector, who died in 2021 while serving a prison sentence for murder.) “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude,” the statement continued. “Her joyful sound, playful nature and magical presence will live on in all who knew, heard or saw her. In lieu of flowers, Ronnie requested that donations be made to your local women’s shelter or to the American Indian College Fund.”
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Dwayne Hickman — who’s best known for his starring role on the sitcom “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,” which ran from 1959 to 1963 — died on Jan. 9 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease, Variety confirmed. He was 87. After “Dobie,” he continued to act but in the 1970s, Dwayne transitioned to working behind the scenes in Hollywood, becoming a network exec at CBS Television where he supervised productions for shows like “Maude,” “M*A*S*H” and “Designing Women.”
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Lauded lyricist Marilyn Bergman — who won a trove of awards including Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and more — died of respiratory failure at her Los Angeles home on Jan. 8. Her husband and writing partner, Alan Bergman, was by her side when she passed away at 93, The New York Times reported. The pair, married since 1958, penned the lyrics for notable songs including “The Windmills of Your Mind” from “The Thomas Crown Affair,” “The Way We Were” from the Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford movie of the same name and “Moonlight” from “Sabrina,” plus the score for “Yentl” and more.
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On Jan. 7, “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer Sinéad O’Connor’s shared on social media that son Shane, the third of her four children, was dead at 17 following earlier posts revealing he was missing. “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” tweeted the music star, who had Shane with ex Donal Lunny, an Irish folk musician. “May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.” In another post, she tweeted a Bob Marley song that she dedicated to her son — seen here as a teen — writing, “This is for my Shaney. The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us.” She also revealed Shane had been in the care of a state hospital at the time of his disappearance and accused the facility of allowing her son to get “out of their grasp.” She later added, “May God forgive the Irish State for I never will.”
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Sidney Poitier — the first Black performer to win an Oscar for best actor, for his performance in 1963’s “Lilies in the Field” — passed away at his Los Angeles home on Jan. 6. He was 94. The star of films including “To Sir With Love,” “In the Heat of the Night” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” was a pioneering force in Hollywood who paved the way for other actors of color like Denzel Washington, who said of the icon, “It was a privilege to call Sidney Poitier my friend. He was a gentle man and opened doors for all of us that had been closed for years. God bless him and his family.” In addition to his Oscar, the Bahamian-American star received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
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Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich died at 82 on Jan. 6 at his home in Los Angeles. The director of celebrated ’70s films “The Last Picture Show,” “What’s Up, Doc?”and “Paper Moon” also notably appeared on TV’s “The Sopranos” as the psychiatrist who treats Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist, who was played by Lorraine Bracco. He made headlines for his romances with beauties like actress Cybill Shepherd and Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten — who was murdered by her estranged husband after moving on with Peter — and he later married and divorced Dorothy’s little sister, Louise Stratten.
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South Korean actress Kim Mi-soo, who had a supporting role on the Disney+ series “Snowdrop,” died at 29 at the start of the year. “Kim suddenly left us on Jan. 5,” her agency, Landscape, said in a statement, as reported by Variety and translated by Joongang Daily. “The bereaved are deep in their sorrow at the sudden sadness. Please refrain from reporting false rumors or speculation so that the family can mourn in peace.” A cause of death was not announced.
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Broadway and daytime drama actress Joan Copeland, famed playwright Arthur Miller’s sister, died at her New York City home on Jan. 4, Variety confirmed. She was 99. She appeared not only in Broadway shows including “Sundown Beach,” “Detective Story,” “Coco,” and “45 Seconds From Broadway” but had a following for her work on soap operas like “Search for Tomorrow,” “Love of Life,” “The Edge of the Night” and “How to Survive a Marriage.”
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Actor Max Julien, who was best known for his starring role in the classic 1973 Blaxploitation film “The Mack” with Richard Pryor, died on Jan. 1 at 88. He also notably appeared in 1968’s “Uptight” and co-wrote and co-produced the 1973 Blaxploitation flick “Cleopatra Jones” before appearances on shows like “The Mod Squad,” NPR reported.