Is 2016 the year of celebrity deaths?
Photos: People we've lost in 2016
Actress Patty Duke,
star of "The Patty Duke Show," died March 29, at the age of 69. Duke
won an Academy Award at age 16 for playing Helen Keller in 1962's "The
Miracle Worker."
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Actor James Noble, who played Gov. Eugene X. Gatling in the television series "Benson," died from a stroke on March 28. He was 94.
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Author and poet Jim Harrison
died March 26 at his winter home in Arizona. He was 78. His many books
include "Legends of the Fall," which was made into a 1994 movie starring
Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.
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Garry Shandling,
the inventive comedian and star of "The Larry Sanders Show," died March
24. He was 66. Shandling's comedy and mentorship influenced a
generation of comedians.
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Ken Howard,
seen here as Hank Hooper on "30 Rock," died March 23. He was 71. Howard
also starred in "The White Shadow" and appeared in many other TV
series.
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Malik Taylor, better known to fans as Phife Dawg
of the rap group A Tribe Called Quest, died March 23 at the age of 45.
He's seen here at center during a performance in 1996. Taylor had long
suffered from health issues associated with having Type 1 diabetes. In
2008, he underwent a kidney transplant.
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Actor Larry Drake,
best known for his role as Benny on "L.A. Law," died at his home in Los
Angeles on March 17, according to his manager Steven Siebert. Drake was
66.
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Frank Sinatra Jr.,
the son of the legendary entertainer who had a long musical career of
his own, died March 16, said manager Andrea Kauffman. He was 72.
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Keith Emerson,
keyboardist for the influential progressive rock group Emerson, Lake
& Palmer, died March 10, according to the band's official Facebook
page. He was 71.
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Sir George Martin,
the music producer whose collaboration with the Beatles helped redraw
the boundaries of popular music, died March 8, according to his
management company. He was 90. Above, Martin poses with the Beatles
after the album "Please Please Me" went silver in 1963.
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Former first lady Nancy Reagan,
who joined her husband on a storybook journey from Hollywood to the
White House, died of heart failure on March 6. She was known as a fierce
protector of her husband, President Ronald Reagan, as well as a
spokeswoman of the "just say no" anti-drug campaign. She was 94.
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Pat Conroy, who
used his troubled family history as grist for a series of novels,
including "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini," died March 4 at
age 70.
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Bud Collins,
the legendary tennis writer who was the first newspaper scribe to
regularly appear on sports broadcasts, died March 4. He was 86. Collins
was beloved for his cheerful and enthusiastic coverage of a sport he
covered for almost 50 years.
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Lee Reherman, a former football player and star of "American Gladiators," was found dead on March 1. He was 49 years old.
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George Kennedy,
the brawny, Oscar-winning actor known for playing cops, soldiers and
blue-collar authority figures in such films as "Cool Hand Luke,"
"Airport" and the "Naked Gun" films, died February 28. He was 91.
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Tony Burton, who played trainer Tony "Duke" Evers in the "Rocky" film franchise, died on February 25. He was 78.
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Singer Sonny James, who ruled the country music charts for nearly 20 years, died February 22 at the age of 87.
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Umberto Eco,
author of the novels "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum,"
died February 19 at the age of 84, his U.S. publisher said.
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Harper Lee,
whose novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in
1961, was confirmed dead on February 19. She was 89. Her
long-anticipated second novel, "Go Set a Watchman," was published in
2015.
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Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was the United Nations' sixth secretary-general in the early 1990s, died on February 16. He was 93.
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George Gaynes, the veteran actor best known for "Punky Brewster" and the "Police Academy" films, died on February 15. He was 98.
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Denise Matthews,
who fronted the group Vanity 6 but was best known for her collaboration
with Prince, died February 15 at a hospital in Fremont, California. She
was 57.
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia,
the leading conservative voice on the high court, died at the age of
79, a government source and a family friend told CNN on February 13.
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Edgar Mitchell
was the sixth man to walk on the moon and just one of 12 total who have
done so. The Apollo 14 astronaut, who was 85, died on February 4.
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Dave Mirra,
whose dazzling aerial flips and tricks made him a legend in freestyle
BMX, died February 4 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police
in North Carolina said. He was 41.
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Maurice White,
the Earth, Wind & Fire leader and singer who co-wrote such hits as
"Shining Star," "Sing a Song" and "September," died on February 4, his
brother and bandmate Verdine White said. He was 74.
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Joe Alaskey,
a voice actor who performed such characters as Bugs Bunny and Daffy
Duck, died February 3 at the age of 63. The actor voiced many other
beloved Looney Tunes characters, including Tweety Bird, Sylvester the
Cat and Plucky Duck.
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At left is Bob Elliott,
half of the TV and radio comedy duo Bob and Ray. He died February 2 at
the age of 92. For several decades, Elliott and Ray Goulding's program
parodies and deadpan routines were staples of radio and television.
Elliott was the father of comedian and actor Chris Elliott and the
grandfather of "Saturday Night Live" cast member Abby Elliott.
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Paul Kantner,
a guitarist in the '60s psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane and
its successor, Jefferson Starship, died on January 28. He was 74.
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Abe Vigoda,
the long-surviving "Godfather" and "Barney Miller" actor, died January
26 at age 94. Vigoda became famous for his role as the decrepit
detective Phil Fish on the television series "Barney Miller," but it was
the inaccurate reporting of his death in 1982 that led to a
decades-long joke that he was still alive. He played into the joke in
late-night television appearances with Conan O'Brien and David
Letterman.
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Glenn Frey,
a founding member of the Eagles, died at the age of 67, a publicist for
the band confirmed on January 18. "Glenn fought a courageous battle for
the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from
rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia," read a
post on the band's official website. Frey had been suffering from
intestinal issues.
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Dan Haggerty,
who played mountain man Grizzly Adams in a hit movie followed by a TV
show, died on January 15. He was 74 and had been battling cancer.
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Alan Rickman,
the British actor who played the brooding Professor Severus Snape in
the "Harry Potter" series years after his film debut as the "Die Hard"
villain Hans Gruber, died January 14 after a short battle with cancer, a
source familiar with his career said. He was 69.
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Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin
died January 11 at the age of 96. Irvin was regarded as one of the best
hitters and all-around players in the Negro League, making five
All-Star teams. He became one of the first African-Americans to play in
the majors, and he played a vital role in the New York Giants' World
Series runs in 1951 and 1954.
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David Bowie,
whose incomparable sound and chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself
made him a pop music fixture for more than four decades, died January
10 after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was 69.
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French
fashion designer Andre Courreges, famous for his "space age" designs of
the 1960s and 1970s, died on January 7, his family told CNN affiliate
France 3. He was 92.
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Pat Harrington,
the popular comedian and voice-over talent who made a lasting impact as
superintendent Dwayne Schneider on the hit TV sitcom "One Day at a
Time," died on January 6. He was 86.
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Producer Robert Stigwood,
the creative force behind "Saturday Night Fever," "Grease" and other
cultural blockbusters of the 1970s, died on January 4. He was 81.
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Vilmos Zsigmond,
the Oscar-winning cinematographer whose varied work included "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind," "The Deer Hunter," "McCabe and Mrs.
Miller" and "Deliverance," died on January 1. He was 85.
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Dale Bumpers,
a former U.S. senator and Arkansas governor who defended President Bill
Clinton during his impeachment trial, died on January 1. He was 90.
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Former U.S. Rep. Mike Oxley -- co-author of a landmark anti-corporate-fraud law that bears his name -- died on January 1. He was 71.
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Actor Gene Wilder,
who brought a wild-eyed desperation to a series of memorable and iconic
comedy roles in the 1970s and 1980s, died Monday, August 29, at the age
of 83. Some of his most famous films include "Young Frankenstein,"
"Blazing Saddles" and "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."
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Mexican music icon Juan Gabriel, who
wooed audiences with soulful pop ballads that made him a Latin American
music legend, died Sunday, August 28, at the age of 66.
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Actor Steven Hill,
best known for playing District Attorney Adam Schiff on NBC's "Law
& Order," died Tuesday, August 23, his son confirmed to CNN. He was
94.
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Matt Roberts,
former guitarist of the band 3 Doors Down, died August 21, his father
said. Roberts, seen here at center, was 38. A cause of death was not
immediately known.
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British actor Kenny Baker, best known for playing R2-D2 in the "Star Wars" films, died on August 13, Baker's niece, Abigail Shield, told CNN. He was 81.
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Famous New Orleans jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain died August 6 of heart failure. He was 86.
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Actor David Huddleston, perhaps best known for his role in the 1998 film "The Big Lebowski," died August 2 at the age of 85.
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Youree Dell Harris,
better known as "Miss Cleo," the pitchwoman for the Psychic Readers
Network, died July 26 of cancer, according to an attorney for her
family. She was 53.
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Timothy LaHaye,
the evangelical minister and co-author of the "Left Behind" book
series, died July 26 following a massive stroke. He was 90 years old.
Here, he is seen at left with co-author Jerry B. Jenkins in 2004.
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Garry Marshall,
who created popular TV shows such as "Mork and Mindy" and "Happy Days"
and directed hit films such as "Pretty Woman" and "The Princess
Diaries," died July 19 at the age of 81, his publicist said.
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Actress Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane in the 1950s TV version of "Superman," died July 3 at the age of 95.
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Director Michael Cimino, whose searing 1978 Vietnam War drama "The Deer Hunter" won five Oscars, including best picture, died July 2. He was 77.
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Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel
died at the age of 87 on July 2. Wiesel's book "La Nuit" is the story
of the Wiesel family being sent to Nazi concentration camps.
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Scotty
Moore, a legendary guitarist credited with helping to launch Elvis
Presley's career, died at the age of 84 on June 28. Moore is a member of
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was ranked No. 29 on Rolling
Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
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Pat Summitt,
who built the University of Tennessee's Lady Volunteers into a
perennial power on the way to becoming the winningest coach in the
history of major college basketball, died June 28 at the age of 64. Her
death came five years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
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Bill Cunningham,
one of the most recognizable figures at The New York Times and in all
of New York, died June 25 at the age of 87. Cunningham was a street-life
photographer; a cultural anthropologist; a fixture at fashion events;
and a celebrity in spite of his desire to keep the camera focused on
others, not himself.
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Bluegrass music pioneer Ralph Stanley died
June 23 at the age of 89, publicist Kirt Webster announced on Stanley's
official website. Stanley was already famous in bluegrass and roots
music circles when the 2000 hit movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
thrust him into the mainstream. He provided a haunting a cappella
version of the dirge "O Death" and ended up winning a Grammy.
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Anton Yelchin,
who played Pavel Chekov in the most recent "Star Trek" movies, died
June 19 after a freak car accident outside his home, police said. He was
27.
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Actor Ron Lester,
who portrayed Billy Bob in the 1999 football movie "Varsity Blues,"
died June 17 at the age of 45, according to his representative Dave
Bradley. Bradley said Lester died of organ failure -- specifically his
liver and his kidneys. Lester had openly talked about his struggle with
his illness on Twitter.
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Singer Attrell Cordes,
known as Prince Be of the music duo P.M. Dawn, died June 17 after
suffering from diabetes and renal kidney disease, according to a
statement from the group. He was 46.
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Michu Meszaros,
the actor who played "Alf" in the popular '80s sitcom, died June 12,
according to his longtime friend and manager Dennis Varga. Meszaros was
77.
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Singer Christina Grimmie
died June 11 from gunshot wounds. The 22-year-old singer, who finished
third on season 6 of "The Voice" on NBC, was shot while signing
autographs after a concert in Orlando.
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Hockey legend Gordie Howe,
left, scored 801 goals in his NHL career and won four Stanley Cups with
the Detroit Red Wings. Howe, also known as "Mr. Hockey," died June 10
at the age of 88, his son Marty said.
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Mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice
died June 6 at the age of 42. Slice, whose real name was Kevin
Ferguson, initially gained fame from online videos that showed him
engaging in backyard bare-knuckle fights. He then became a professional
fighter with a natural charisma that endeared him to fans.
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Muhammad Ali,
the three-time heavyweight boxing champion who called himself "The
Greatest," died June 3 at the age of 74. Fans on every continent adored
him, and at one point he was the probably the most recognizable man on
the planet.
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Drummer Nick Menza,
who played on many of Megadeth's most successful albums, died after
collapsing on stage during a show with his current band, Ohm, on May 21.
He was 51.
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Actor Alan Young, known for his role as Wilbur Post in the television show "Mr. Ed," died on May 19. He was 96.
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CBS News legend Morley Safer, whose work on "60 Minutes" embodied the show's 50 years on air, died at the age of 84, according to CBS on May 19.
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Grammy-winning songwriter Guy Clark died May 17 at the age of 74. The Texas native died after a long illness, according to a statement from his publicist.
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William Schallert,
a familiar face in television and film thanks to roles on "The Patty
Duke Show," "Star Trek" and many more, died May 8 at age 93, his son
said.
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Madeleine LeBeau,
known for her role in "Casablanca," died May 1 after breaking her thigh
bone, her stepson Carlo Alberto Pinelli told CNN. The actress, who
played the jilted girlfriend of Rick (Humphrey Bogart) in the movie, was
92.
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Papa Wemba,
one of Africa's most flamboyant and popular musicians, died after
collapsing on stage at a music festival in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on
April 23, according to a statement from the Urban Music Festival. He was
66.
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The musician Prince
died at his home in Minnesota on April 21 at age 57. The medical
examiner later determined he died of an accidental overdose of the
opioid fentanyl.
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Michelle McNamara,
the crime writer who founded the website TrueCrimeStory.com and the
wife of popular comedian Patton Oswalt, died April 21, her husband's
publicist confirmed. She was 46. No cause of death was provided.
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Joan Laurer, the former pro wrestler better known as Chyna,
was found dead in her Redondo Beach, California, apartment on April 20.
The cause of death is under investigation, but police said there were
no signs of foul play. Laurer was 45.
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Actress Doris Roberts, best known for her role as Marie Barone on the sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," died April 18. She was 90.
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Will Smith,
a former first-round pick in the NFL who played for the New Orleans
Saints' Super Bowl-winning team, was shot to death after a traffic
incident on April 10. He was 34.
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Country music legend Merle Haggard died on April 6 -- his 79th birthday -- of complications from pneumonia, his agent Lance Roberts told CNN.
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Architect Zaha Hadid,
whose designs include the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, died March 31,
a spokesperson from Zaha Hadid Design told CNN. She was 65. Hadid died
of a heart attack in a Miami hospital where she was being treated for
bronchitis, according to her firm's press office.
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Actress Patty Duke,
star of "The Patty Duke Show," died March 29, at the age of 69. Duke
won an Academy Award at age 16 for playing Helen Keller in 1962's "The
Miracle Worker."
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Actor James Noble, who played Gov. Eugene X. Gatling in the television series "Benson," died from a stroke on March 28. He was 94.
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Author and poet Jim Harrison
died March 26 at his winter home in Arizona. He was 78. His many books
include "Legends of the Fall," which was made into a 1994 movie starring
Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.
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Garry Shandling,
the inventive comedian and star of "The Larry Sanders Show," died March
24. He was 66. Shandling's comedy and mentorship influenced a
generation of comedians.
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Ken Howard,
seen here as Hank Hooper on "30 Rock," died March 23. He was 71. Howard
also starred in "The White Shadow" and appeared in many other TV
series.
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Malik Taylor, better known to fans as Phife Dawg
of the rap group A Tribe Called Quest, died March 23 at the age of 45.
He's seen here at center during a performance in 1996. Taylor had long
suffered from health issues associated with having Type 1 diabetes. In
2008, he underwent a kidney transplant.
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Actor Larry Drake,
best known for his role as Benny on "L.A. Law," died at his home in Los
Angeles on March 17, according to his manager Steven Siebert. Drake was
66.
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Frank Sinatra Jr.,
the son of the legendary entertainer who had a long musical career of
his own, died March 16, said manager Andrea Kauffman. He was 72.
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Keith Emerson,
keyboardist for the influential progressive rock group Emerson, Lake
& Palmer, died March 10, according to the band's official Facebook
page. He was 71.
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Sir George Martin,
the music producer whose collaboration with the Beatles helped redraw
the boundaries of popular music, died March 8, according to his
management company. He was 90. Above, Martin poses with the Beatles
after the album "Please Please Me" went silver in 1963.
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Former first lady Nancy Reagan,
who joined her husband on a storybook journey from Hollywood to the
White House, died of heart failure on March 6. She was known as a fierce
protector of her husband, President Ronald Reagan, as well as a
spokeswoman of the "just say no" anti-drug campaign. She was 94.
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Pat Conroy, who
used his troubled family history as grist for a series of novels,
including "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini," died March 4 at
age 70.
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Bud Collins,
the legendary tennis writer who was the first newspaper scribe to
regularly appear on sports broadcasts, died March 4. He was 86. Collins
was beloved for his cheerful and enthusiastic coverage of a sport he
covered for almost 50 years.
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Lee Reherman, a former football player and star of "American Gladiators," was found dead on March 1. He was 49 years old.
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George Kennedy,
the brawny, Oscar-winning actor known for playing cops, soldiers and
blue-collar authority figures in such films as "Cool Hand Luke,"
"Airport" and the "Naked Gun" films, died February 28. He was 91.
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Tony Burton, who played trainer Tony "Duke" Evers in the "Rocky" film franchise, died on February 25. He was 78.
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Singer Sonny James, who ruled the country music charts for nearly 20 years, died February 22 at the age of 87.
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Umberto Eco,
author of the novels "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum,"
died February 19 at the age of 84, his U.S. publisher said.
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Harper Lee,
whose novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in
1961, was confirmed dead on February 19. She was 89. Her
long-anticipated second novel, "Go Set a Watchman," was published in
2015.
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Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was the United Nations' sixth secretary-general in the early 1990s, died on February 16. He was 93.
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George Gaynes, the veteran actor best known for "Punky Brewster" and the "Police Academy" films, died on February 15. He was 98.
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Denise Matthews,
who fronted the group Vanity 6 but was best known for her collaboration
with Prince, died February 15 at a hospital in Fremont, California. She
was 57.
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia,
the leading conservative voice on the high court, died at the age of
79, a government source and a family friend told CNN on February 13.
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Edgar Mitchell
was the sixth man to walk on the moon and just one of 12 total who have
done so. The Apollo 14 astronaut, who was 85, died on February 4.
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Dave Mirra,
whose dazzling aerial flips and tricks made him a legend in freestyle
BMX, died February 4 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police
in North Carolina said. He was 41.
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Maurice White,
the Earth, Wind & Fire leader and singer who co-wrote such hits as
"Shining Star," "Sing a Song" and "September," died on February 4, his
brother and bandmate Verdine White said. He was 74.
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Joe Alaskey,
a voice actor who performed such characters as Bugs Bunny and Daffy
Duck, died February 3 at the age of 63. The actor voiced many other
beloved Looney Tunes characters, including Tweety Bird, Sylvester the
Cat and Plucky Duck.
Hide Caption
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At left is Bob Elliott,
half of the TV and radio comedy duo Bob and Ray. He died February 2 at
the age of 92. For several decades, Elliott and Ray Goulding's program
parodies and deadpan routines were staples of radio and television.
Elliott was the father of comedian and actor Chris Elliott and the
grandfather of "Saturday Night Live" cast member Abby Elliott.
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Paul Kantner,
a guitarist in the '60s psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane and
its successor, Jefferson Starship, died on January 28. He was 74.
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Abe Vigoda,
the long-surviving "Godfather" and "Barney Miller" actor, died January
26 at age 94. Vigoda became famous for his role as the decrepit
detective Phil Fish on the television series "Barney Miller," but it was
the inaccurate reporting of his death in 1982 that led to a
decades-long joke that he was still alive. He played into the joke in
late-night television appearances with Conan O'Brien and David
Letterman.
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Glenn Frey,
a founding member of the Eagles, died at the age of 67, a publicist for
the band confirmed on January 18. "Glenn fought a courageous battle for
the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from
rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia," read a
post on the band's official website. Frey had been suffering from
intestinal issues.
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Dan Haggerty,
who played mountain man Grizzly Adams in a hit movie followed by a TV
show, died on January 15. He was 74 and had been battling cancer.
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Alan Rickman,
the British actor who played the brooding Professor Severus Snape in
the "Harry Potter" series years after his film debut as the "Die Hard"
villain Hans Gruber, died January 14 after a short battle with cancer, a
source familiar with his career said. He was 69.
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Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin
died January 11 at the age of 96. Irvin was regarded as one of the best
hitters and all-around players in the Negro League, making five
All-Star teams. He became one of the first African-Americans to play in
the majors, and he played a vital role in the New York Giants' World
Series runs in 1951 and 1954.
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David Bowie,
whose incomparable sound and chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself
made him a pop music fixture for more than four decades, died January
10 after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was 69.
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French
fashion designer Andre Courreges, famous for his "space age" designs of
the 1960s and 1970s, died on January 7, his family told CNN affiliate
France 3. He was 92.
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Pat Harrington,
the popular comedian and voice-over talent who made a lasting impact as
superintendent Dwayne Schneider on the hit TV sitcom "One Day at a
Time," died on January 6. He was 86.
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Producer Robert Stigwood,
the creative force behind "Saturday Night Fever," "Grease" and other
cultural blockbusters of the 1970s, died on January 4. He was 81.
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Vilmos Zsigmond,
the Oscar-winning cinematographer whose varied work included "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind," "The Deer Hunter," "McCabe and Mrs.
Miller" and "Deliverance," died on January 1. He was 85.
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Dale Bumpers,
a former U.S. senator and Arkansas governor who defended President Bill
Clinton during his impeachment trial, died on January 1. He was 90.
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Former U.S. Rep. Mike Oxley -- co-author of a landmark anti-corporate-fraud law that bears his name -- died on January 1. He was 71.
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Actor Gene Wilder,
who brought a wild-eyed desperation to a series of memorable and iconic
comedy roles in the 1970s and 1980s, died Monday, August 29, at the age
of 83. Some of his most famous films include "Young Frankenstein,"
"Blazing Saddles" and "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."
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Mexican music icon Juan Gabriel, who
wooed audiences with soulful pop ballads that made him a Latin American
music legend, died Sunday, August 28, at the age of 66.
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Actor Steven Hill,
best known for playing District Attorney Adam Schiff on NBC's "Law
& Order," died Tuesday, August 23, his son confirmed to CNN. He was
94.
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Matt Roberts,
former guitarist of the band 3 Doors Down, died August 21, his father
said. Roberts, seen here at center, was 38. A cause of death was not
immediately known.
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British actor Kenny Baker, best known for playing R2-D2 in the "Star Wars" films, died on August 13, Baker's niece, Abigail Shield, told CNN. He was 81.
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Famous New Orleans jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain died August 6 of heart failure. He was 86.
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Actor David Huddleston, perhaps best known for his role in the 1998 film "The Big Lebowski," died August 2 at the age of 85.
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Youree Dell Harris,
better known as "Miss Cleo," the pitchwoman for the Psychic Readers
Network, died July 26 of cancer, according to an attorney for her
family. She was 53.
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Timothy LaHaye,
the evangelical minister and co-author of the "Left Behind" book
series, died July 26 following a massive stroke. He was 90 years old.
Here, he is seen at left with co-author Jerry B. Jenkins in 2004.
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Garry Marshall,
who created popular TV shows such as "Mork and Mindy" and "Happy Days"
and directed hit films such as "Pretty Woman" and "The Princess
Diaries," died July 19 at the age of 81, his publicist said.
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Actress Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane in the 1950s TV version of "Superman," died July 3 at the age of 95.
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Director Michael Cimino, whose searing 1978 Vietnam War drama "The Deer Hunter" won five Oscars, including best picture, died July 2. He was 77.
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Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel
died at the age of 87 on July 2. Wiesel's book "La Nuit" is the story
of the Wiesel family being sent to Nazi concentration camps.
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Scotty
Moore, a legendary guitarist credited with helping to launch Elvis
Presley's career, died at the age of 84 on June 28. Moore is a member of
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was ranked No. 29 on Rolling
Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
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Pat Summitt,
who built the University of Tennessee's Lady Volunteers into a
perennial power on the way to becoming the winningest coach in the
history of major college basketball, died June 28 at the age of 64. Her
death came five years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
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Bill Cunningham,
one of the most recognizable figures at The New York Times and in all
of New York, died June 25 at the age of 87. Cunningham was a street-life
photographer; a cultural anthropologist; a fixture at fashion events;
and a celebrity in spite of his desire to keep the camera focused on
others, not himself.
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Bluegrass music pioneer Ralph Stanley died
June 23 at the age of 89, publicist Kirt Webster announced on Stanley's
official website. Stanley was already famous in bluegrass and roots
music circles when the 2000 hit movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
thrust him into the mainstream. He provided a haunting a cappella
version of the dirge "O Death" and ended up winning a Grammy.
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Anton Yelchin,
who played Pavel Chekov in the most recent "Star Trek" movies, died
June 19 after a freak car accident outside his home, police said. He was
27.
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Actor Ron Lester,
who portrayed Billy Bob in the 1999 football movie "Varsity Blues,"
died June 17 at the age of 45, according to his representative Dave
Bradley. Bradley said Lester died of organ failure -- specifically his
liver and his kidneys. Lester had openly talked about his struggle with
his illness on Twitter.
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Singer Attrell Cordes,
known as Prince Be of the music duo P.M. Dawn, died June 17 after
suffering from diabetes and renal kidney disease, according to a
statement from the group. He was 46.
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Michu Meszaros,
the actor who played "Alf" in the popular '80s sitcom, died June 12,
according to his longtime friend and manager Dennis Varga. Meszaros was
77.
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Singer Christina Grimmie
died June 11 from gunshot wounds. The 22-year-old singer, who finished
third on season 6 of "The Voice" on NBC, was shot while signing
autographs after a concert in Orlando.
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Hockey legend Gordie Howe,
left, scored 801 goals in his NHL career and won four Stanley Cups with
the Detroit Red Wings. Howe, also known as "Mr. Hockey," died June 10
at the age of 88, his son Marty said.
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Mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice
died June 6 at the age of 42. Slice, whose real name was Kevin
Ferguson, initially gained fame from online videos that showed him
engaging in backyard bare-knuckle fights. He then became a professional
fighter with a natural charisma that endeared him to fans.
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Muhammad Ali,
the three-time heavyweight boxing champion who called himself "The
Greatest," died June 3 at the age of 74. Fans on every continent adored
him, and at one point he was the probably the most recognizable man on
the planet.
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Drummer Nick Menza,
who played on many of Megadeth's most successful albums, died after
collapsing on stage during a show with his current band, Ohm, on May 21.
He was 51.
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Actor Alan Young, known for his role as Wilbur Post in the television show "Mr. Ed," died on May 19. He was 96.
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CBS News legend Morley Safer, whose work on "60 Minutes" embodied the show's 50 years on air, died at the age of 84, according to CBS on May 19.
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Grammy-winning songwriter Guy Clark died May 17 at the age of 74. The Texas native died after a long illness, according to a statement from his publicist.
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William Schallert,
a familiar face in television and film thanks to roles on "The Patty
Duke Show," "Star Trek" and many more, died May 8 at age 93, his son
said.
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Madeleine LeBeau,
known for her role in "Casablanca," died May 1 after breaking her thigh
bone, her stepson Carlo Alberto Pinelli told CNN. The actress, who
played the jilted girlfriend of Rick (Humphrey Bogart) in the movie, was
92.
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Papa Wemba,
one of Africa's most flamboyant and popular musicians, died after
collapsing on stage at a music festival in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on
April 23, according to a statement from the Urban Music Festival. He was
66.
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The musician Prince
died at his home in Minnesota on April 21 at age 57. The medical
examiner later determined he died of an accidental overdose of the
opioid fentanyl.
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Michelle McNamara,
the crime writer who founded the website TrueCrimeStory.com and the
wife of popular comedian Patton Oswalt, died April 21, her husband's
publicist confirmed. She was 46. No cause of death was provided.
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Joan Laurer, the former pro wrestler better known as Chyna,
was found dead in her Redondo Beach, California, apartment on April 20.
The cause of death is under investigation, but police said there were
no signs of foul play. Laurer was 45.
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Actress Doris Roberts, best known for her role as Marie Barone on the sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," died April 18. She was 90.
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Will Smith,
a former first-round pick in the NFL who played for the New Orleans
Saints' Super Bowl-winning team, was shot to death after a traffic
incident on April 10. He was 34.
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Country music legend Merle Haggard died on April 6 -- his 79th birthday -- of complications from pneumonia, his agent Lance Roberts told CNN.
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Architect Zaha Hadid,
whose designs include the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, died March 31,
a spokesperson from Zaha Hadid Design told CNN. She was 65. Hadid died
of a heart attack in a Miami hospital where she was being treated for
bronchitis, according to her firm's press office.
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Actress Patty Duke,
star of "The Patty Duke Show," died March 29, at the age of 69. Duke
won an Academy Award at age 16 for playing Helen Keller in 1962's "The
Miracle Worker."
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Story highlights
- 2016 hit with deaths of larger-than-life stars
- The toll: David Bowie, Prince, Muhammad Ali
(CNN)Enough already, 2016.
So far through
the year, there's a theme: the death of larger-than-life stars. David
Bowie, Prince, and Muhammad Ali. How could these giants among us no
longer be among us?
We go to social media to mourn. We shake a collective fist at the unfairness of it all.
Comedic
actor Chris Rock summed it up when he tweeted a picture of Ali with
Prince. "I wish this year would stop already it's just to much," he
wrote in June.
Death comes for us all, but
when it is a beloved celebrity so recognizable, the grief takes on a
different significance. Celebs are as deeply woven into our lives as
those we can reach out and touch. They inspire us, entertain us, delight
us and sometimes infuriate us.
So
far this year a number of accomplished artists from various fields have
died: Hip hop lost rapper Phife Dawg. Hollywood lost actress and mental
health advocate Patty Duke, comedian Garry Shandling and actor Gene
Wilder. The literary world said goodbye to Harper Lee and Pat Conroy.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel died in
July.
Music seems to have been especially hard hit.
In
addition to Bowie, Prince and Phife Dawg, other deaths include country
star Merle Haggard; Grammy winning singer-songwriter Guy Clark; "Me and
Mrs. Jones" soul singer Billy Paul; internationally acclaimed Congolese
singer Papa Wemba; and record producer George Martin, also known as "the
fifth Beatle."
There has been much discussion about what has been referred to as the "2016 death curse."
With so many luminaries
dying this year, the question has been raised whether more celebrities
are dying or are the celebs who are dying such major ones that it seems
that way?
BBC's obituary editor Nick Serpell noted
several significant deaths and said it's because "People who started
becoming famous in the 1960s are now entering their 70s and are starting
to die."
He anticipated that the wave of celebrity deaths could be the new normal.
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