Pelé, a Pope, and Barbara Walters: Last-Minute Deaths of 2022
Brazilian football legend Pele at China’s Imperial Palace in 2008 (WENN) 2022 was a typically busy year in famous deaths. We tracked the passings of 32 famous people, from world …..
Posts tagged: Celebrity Deaths
bell hooks outlived Evel Knievel
Both were daredevils in their own way. Evel Knievel jumped over buses and fountains on a souped-up motorcycle. Dr. bell hooks jumped over sexists and racists with her deep thinking …..
Tina Louise is the Last Surviving Cast Member of ‘Gilligan’s Island’
Tina Louise — who played movie star Ginger Grant — is the last surviving member of the cast of Gilligan’s Island. That became true when Dawn Wells (“Mary Ann”) died …..
2020 is a Rough Year for the Women of ‘Goldfinger’
2020 has been rough for everyone, but especially rough for the women of the James Bond film Goldfinger. First came the death of Honor Blackman, a good egg who played Pussy …..
Carl Reiner’s Last Day
In our recent post about the death of comedy legend Carl Reiner, we noted that his passing must have been rather sudden, since he’d been tweeting that same afternoon. Now …..
Verne Troyer’s Cause of Death Was Suicide by Alcohol
As the Who2 obituary desk looks back on the major deaths of 2018, we find that one particularly sad detail has been cleared up: the cause of death of Verne …..
Chuck Barris Dead at 87; Created ‘Dating Game’ and ‘Gong Show’
Producer, creator and professional imp Chuck Barris has died of natural causes at his home in Palisades, New York. The Hollywood Reporter has a full obituary. Barris created and hosted The …..
Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher: PHOTOS
Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, fellow actors as well as daughter and mother, have died one day apart. Fisher died of a heart attack on December 27th, and the next …..
Crikey! Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, Died 10 Years Ago
Steve Irwin, super-charismatic star of the Animal Planet show The Crocodile Hunter, died 10 years ago this month. He was barbed to death by a giant stingray while filming in …..
Do all pop stars die young?
Drug overdoses, but also rare forms of cancer and plane crashes. The good do die young.
Happy 400th Deathday (Maybe) to William Shakespeare!
William Shakespeare, the Immortal Bard, proved all too mortal on this day 400 years ago. Or close to this day: he died on or about April 23, 1616. The exact day of Shakespeare’s …..
Abe Vigoda Is Dead. Yes, Really.
Actor Abe Vigoda is dead. Yes, really. The character actor with the hangdog face and the amazing eyebrows died this morning: Vigoda’s daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told The Associated Press that Vigoda died …..
Remembering the Death of Winston Churchill
The “greatest man in the world” died 50 years ago this month.
P.D. James is Dead at Age 94
The celebrated mystery author has died “peacefully at her home in Oxford.”
Did Edgar Allan Poe Die of Rabies?
His death was long blamed on liquor or sheer craziness, but the famous author may actually have fallen victim to “an unrecorded animal exposure.”
Peaches Geldof Photos: No More the Wild Child?
She looked great in appearances over the last few months before her death.
Ariel Sharon is Dead at 85
In a coma for the past eight years, the former prime minister of Israel finally succumbs to heart disease.
Peter O’Toole is Dead
The Lawrence of Arabia star ‘had been ill for some time.’
Nelson Mandela Biography: Prisoner and President Dead at 95
“Never discount the difference that one person can make.”
Paul Walker Coroner’s Report: Actor Died of Trauma and Burns in Car Crash
The ‘Fast and Furious’ actor died “within seconds,” says the Los Angeles County Coroner.
Paul Walker Biography: ‘Fast and Furious’ Star is Dead at 40
The handsome star of the long-running car chase series has died at age 40 in a crash near Los Angeles.
John F. Kennedy: A Few Thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of His Death
Remembering a president who would have turned 96 this year.
Elmore Leonard is Dead at Age 87, Alas
The esteemed crime and western novelist who wrote Get Shorty and Out of Sight has died a few weeks after suffering a stroke.
‘Glee’ Star Cory Monteith is Dead at 31
Cory Monteith, who played hunky football star Finn Hudson on the popular TV show Glee, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel.
Jimmy Hoffa Was Buried Alive, Says Former Mobster
Everyone figured he met a bad end, but he may have met a really bad end.
George Jones Biography
The country music legend nicknamed “The Possum” has gone to the Great Beyond.
Hugo Chavez: His Top 10 Public Moments
Love him or hate him, el Presidente was certainly colorful.
Hugo Chavez Biography: 1954-2013
The Venezuelan leader who called George W. Bush “the devil” has died at age 58.
WWII Soldier Who Saved Tojo for Execution Has Died at 93
Lt. John J. Wilpers, Jr. captured the former prime minister and saved his life — so he could be executed for war crimes three years later.
Reeva Steenkamp Biography: New
The late South African model is, sadly, in the news.
Ulysses S. Grant: His Last Desperate Days
The cancer-ridden president knocked out 10,000 words a day as he raced to complete his memoirs before his death.
Oscar Pistorius Charged With Murder of His Girlfriend
It’s a shock. The double amputee, who ran in the Olympics last year, is one of South Africa’s most famous athletes.
JonBenet Ramsey Update: Grand Jury Voted to Indict Her Parents in 1999
A grand jury voted to indict John and Patsy Ramsey, say reports, but the district attorney decided not to follow through.
Jack Klugman Biography: Lovable Slob Has Died at 90
When you play Oscar Madison in a hit TV show, you know which adjectives are coming in your obituary.
Famous Deaths of 2012: Ranking the Mosts, Leasts and Oddests
Which 2012 death was the most startling? The oddest? Had the fastest burial? We’ve got the full list.
Arlen Specter Biography: Former Senator Has Died at 82
He was a Democrat, a Republican, then a Democrat again in 50 years of public service.
Steve Jobs Remembered, One Year Later
The Apple computer pioneer died last October. Yes, a year already.
Neil Armstrong Buried at Sea: Photos
The remains of the great astronaut have been committed to the Atlantic Ocean.
Tony Scott Had Brain Cancer: Report
ABC News is reporting that the action director had inoperable brain cancer when he jumped from a Los Angeles bridge yesterday.
James Bond Dies in the New James Bond Movie
And then he stays dead and the movie ends and that’s the surprise finale to the movie franchise, right?
Andy Griffith Has Already Been Buried
Always private, the famous actor was laid to rest before word of his death even spread.
Rodney King is the 19th Famous Person To Die in 2012
From sci-fi master Ray Bradbury to disco queen Donna Summer, it’s been an unpleasantly busy year for celebrity deaths.
Robin Gibb, Disco Prince, Dead at 62: Photos
Robin Gibb, singing star of the Bee Gees, finally lost his battle with cancer yesterday in England.
Mary Richardson Kennedy Hanged Herself: Reports
An autopsy will be held today for Mary Kennedy, the wife of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Local news reports now say that she hanged herself.
Abraham Zapruder and His Camera: Dual Birthdays
The man who filmed President Kennedy’s shooting would be 107 this year; his camera turns 50.
Thomas Kinkade Cause of Death: It Was Booze and Valium, Says the Coroner
More technically speaking, the ‘Painter of Light’ died of an unfortunate cocktail of ethanol and Diazepam.
Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys Dies
Adam Yauch, also known as MCA of The Beastie Boys, has died from cancer at the age of 47.
Junior Seau Dead at 43: Facts and Questions
The NFL star played for 20 years and seemed to be healthy and happy right up until his apparent suicide yesterday.
2012: A Banner Year for Celebrity Deaths?
Dick Clark is just the latest. Celebrity deaths in 2012 are way past 2011 numbers.
Dick Clark Dead at 82: Biography and Photos
The American Bandstand host died of a “massive heart attack” today at home in New York.
A Short History of Mike Wallace, Broadcast Brawler
Before he was respectable, the celebrated interviewer was a “stage actor, game show host, radio announcer, and commercial pitchman.”
The Thomas Kinkade Autopsy: Did He Die In His Sleep?
The painter “died in his sleep” says his live-in girlfriend. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
Peter Bergman of The Firesign Theater is Dead
He was the bald one with the fringe of hair. He’s dead of leukemia at age 72.
Exit Only: Whitney Houston’s Body Leaves the Beverly Hilton
Photo of the day: Whitney Houston leaves the Beverly Hilton hotel under a bad sign.
Whitney Houston Death: Fire Department Was Already Nearby
EMTs were just down the hall, it seems,when Whitney Houston was found on Saturday.
Whitney Houston is Dead: Photos and Videos
Singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48, her publicist announced on Saturday. We look back at her early hits.
Andy Rooney is Dead
A few short weeks after his final 60 Minutes broadcast, the gently grumpy journalist has died after surgery.
“Oh, Wow. Oh, Wow. Oh, Wow.”
The mysterious last words of Steve Jobs.
Did Sobriety Kill Amy Winehouse?
The coroner has ruled that Amy Winehouse drank herself to death. But there could be a little more to the story.
Dictatorial Quote of the Day
“He could have left and gotten out of the country and lived a happy life.”
Muammar Gaddafi ‘Has Met His Fate’
After 42 years in power and two months on the run, the Libyan dictator has been killed.
Wangari Maathai, Nobel-Winning Planter of Trees, Dead at Age 71
Three billion trees, millions of fiery words, and one Nobel Peace Prize later, Wangari Maathai has died in Kenya.
Dan Peek, Founding Member of ‘America,’ Dead at 60
Oh, wow. Dan Peek, one of the three founding members of the 1970s band America, has died. His wife found him dead in bed at their home in Missouri on Sunday.
‘Just a Sweet Tiny Thing With a Huge Great Voice’
Tracy McVeigh remembers the late Amy Winehouse.”The reservoir of goodwill in the industry towards Winehouse was enormous. She had been a huge trailblazing force in the music industry, credited with clearing the way for, and inspiring, Adele, Duffy and even Lady Gaga.”Still…
Amy Winehouse, Talented Train-Wreck Singer, Dead at 27
“It sounds like such a wank thing to say,” Ms. Winehouse once said, “but I need to get some headaches goin’ to write about.”The Big Headache came for Amy Winehouse today. She was found dead at her home in London this afternoon.
Gil Scott-Heron: The Funeral Will Not Be Televised
“The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal.The revolution will not get rid of the nubs.The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner,Because the revolution will not be televised, Brother.”Gil Scott-Heron has died at age 62. The news came out today via a tweet from his publisher, Jamie Byng. No cause of death was announced.
Famous People Who Died in 2010
Here’s our big list. It starts with feminist Mary Daly on January 3rd, and ends (so far) with JFK advisor Ted Sorensen on October 31st.Who was the most famous person to die in 2010? Tthere’s no real standout there. I give the nod either to Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger, or to Hollywood icon Tony Curtis.
The Spot Where John Lennon Died Is Now the Shampoo Aisle
Surely this will be the strangest photo to come out of the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death.
Irvin Kershner, ‘Empire Strikes Back’ Director, Dead at 87
Irvin Kershner, who directed the Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back, has died after a long illness
Leslie Nielsen: His Career in Three Photos
Actor Leslie Nielsen has died at age 84. The cause was complications from pneumonia, a spokesman said.
John F. Kennedy: How Many Remember His Death?
John F. Kennedy was shot to death on this day in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald. Lyndon Johnson is sworn in as president on Air Force One after the death of John F. Kennedy on 22 November 1963.
Tom Bosley Has Died at Age 83
[Note: Posted in October 2010]
Tony Curtis Dead at Age 85
Actor and old-school Hollywood icon Tony Curtis has died at his home near Las Vegas. Tony Curtis served in the Navy in World War II (he was in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender was signed) and then worked his way up through the old Hollywood studio system. He acted with everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Cary Grant to Laurence Olivier — well over 100 movies in all.
Segway CEO Dies in Segway Cliff Plunge
A sad story, and not exactly the best PR: Jimi Heselden, CEO of the Segway corporation, has died after
River Phoenix Doesn’t Turn 40 Today, Alas
Actor River Phoenix would have turned 40 today.
George Steinbrenner, Farewell!
George Steinbrenner, the feisty owner and boss-man of the New York Yankees, has died at age 80. He’d been in failing health for years after some strokes, but a “massive heart attack” is what got him.
Beryl Bainbridge, Distinguished and Not-Eccentric Author, Dies at Age 75
Beryl Bainbridge, author of An Awfully Big Adventure and many other dark-ish novels, has died at age 75. Cancer was the cause.She was a fascinating gal, but didn’t like being called “eccentric”:
Peter Graves, Enemy of Leaf Blowers, Dead at 83
“In 1998, he joined his wife, Joan, in an effort to get Los Angeles to ban gasoline-powered leaf blowers from residential areas, testifying before the City Council, ‘We’re all victims of these machines.'”Jeepers, good for Peter Graves.
Did Branwell Brontë Die Standing Up?
Did Branwell Bronte really die standing up?So says Somerset Maugham.We mentioned earlier that Maugham lists Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights in his book on the 10 greatest novels of all time. Emily was preceded in death (barely) by her older brother Branwell, and Maugham relates a curious anecdote about his death.
Alexander McQueen Hanged Himself: Inquest
Fashion designer Alexander McQueen hanged himself last week, according to evidence presented at an inquest today.McQueen left a note and there were “no suspicious circumstances.”More from BBC News and the Daily Telegraph.
Rep. John Murtha Dead at 77, Two Days After Setting Longevity Record
Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha has died at age 77. He had been suffering from an infection after gall bladder surgery.Just two days ago Murtha became the longest-serving Congressman in Pennsylvania history. He took office in 1974 and was reelected 17 times.A Vietnam War veteran as a Marine, John Murtha was a “master of pork barrel politics” and an ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
J.D. Salinger, Author of ‘Catcher In the Rye,’ Dead at 91
Last year we noted that author J.D. Salinger was 90 and deaf. Now, alas, he’s 91 and dead. Salinger passed away of natural causes, according to his son, at his remote compound in Cornish, New Hampshire.
Happy 82nd Birthday Simon Raven, You Naughty Boy
The death of Simon Raven, at the age of 73 after suffering a stroke, is proof that the devil looks after his own. He ought, by rights, to have died of shame at 30, or of drink at 50.British author Simon Raven was born on this day in 1927 and died in 2001, prompting one of the more colorful obituaries of the decade.
Connie Hines of ‘Mister Ed’ is Dead – PHOTOS
[Editor’s note 2016: Most of the text of this post about the death of actress Connie Hines was deleted by accident in a 2015 technical revamp of Who2. Sorry! But we’ve left the photos …..
Brittany Murphy: “My Heart Would Explode”
LA station KTLA digs up digs up an eerie Brittany Murphy quote from the past: In 2005 the actress faced questions about her apparent weight loss and conjecture that it …..
Brittany Murphy Dead — Morning Update
Brittany Murphy “began vomiting early Sunday morning and told family members she was feeling very ill,” according to TMZ. The gossip site says Murphy was “taking prescription meds for flu-like …..
Brittany Murphy Dead; Cardiac Arrest Blamed
Brittany Murphy is dead. The actress, who got her break in Clueless and played rough-around-the-edges chums and lovers in films like 8 Mile and Sin City, died this morning at age 32.
Happy 10th Deathday, Desmond “Q” Llewelyn
Desmond Llewelyn, the actor who played gadget wizard ‘Q’ in James Bond films for nearly four decades, died 10 years ago today — at age 85 in a head-on crash …..
Oscar-Winner Jennifer Jones is Dead at 90
Actress Jennifer Jones, who won an Oscar for her performance in the 1943 film The Song of Bernadette, has died at age 90.
Happy 20th Deathday, Lee Van Cleef!
Lee Van Cleef, the nine-fingered master of the sidelong Western sneer, died 20 years ago today.Had he lived, he’d be 84 years old now.
Happy 43rd Deathday, Walt Disney!
The animation king was only 65 when he died on this day in 1966, of lung cancer.
How To Bury A Millionaire
Someone just paid $4.6 million for the crypt directly above Marilyn Monroe.”Here is a once in a lifetime and into eternity opportunity to spend your eternal days directly above Marilyn Monroe,” the eBay auction description boasted.
Weird New Images From Heath Ledger’s Last Film
Heath Ledger was filming a movie when he died: not Batman but The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, the latest hallucinatory (and typically cursed) project from Monty Python alumnus Terry Gilliam.How hallucinatory? New photos below.The flick was described this way at Cannes:
The Eclipsed Celebrity Death Club
Groucho is included.
Jeff Goldblum Is Not Dead
Farrah Fawcett, yes. Michael Jackson, yes. Jeff Goldblum, no. Reports of Goldblum’s death are not true. His publicist says the actor is alive and well in Los Angeles.Apparently the rumor, that Goldblum had fallen off a cliff in New Zealand, first began in 1999 and somehow cropped up again today.