Celebrities We Lost in 2016
Debbie Reynolds
The death of the legendary movie star, on Dec. 28, was part of a one-two punch. Her daughter, Carrie Fisher, died the day before. Reynolds, who was 84, had a career spanning nearly seven decades. She rocketed to fame after her first leading role, at just 19, in Singin’ in the Rain, which also starred Gene Kelly. In addition to movies, she appeared on TV (from The Debbie Reynolds Show to Will & Grace), on Broadway, and headlined in Las Vegas. Her personal life was just as storied. Her first husband, Eddie Fisher, with whom she had Carrie and Todd, left her for her best friend, Elizabeth Taylor. Reynolds married two other times, both ending in divorce, but famously said, "I don’t blame anybody but myself, but I just seem to have very poor taste in men.” She lived next door to her only daughter in Beverly Hills and loved taking care of her, according to Todd, who was with her with she fell ill and was rushed to the hospital while planning Carrie's funeral. “She’s gone to be with Carrie,” Todd said. (Photo: Getty Images)
Carrie Fisher
The actress best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies died on Dec. 27. Days earlier, she had a heart attack while flying from London to Los Angeles. She was 60. The feisty galactic gal with the cool hairstyle that everyone fell in love with was just a small part of her accomplishments though. Known for her sharp wit, Fisher, the daughter of Hollywood powercouple (while they lasted) Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher had a very successful writing career — with acclaimed books and screenplays on her resumé. Her work often touched on her struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder. She also had a very successful one-woman show, Wishful Drinking, which she turned into a memoir. Fisher’s first movie role was at 15, followed by Shampoo (opposite Warren Beatty) two years later. She beat out the biggest actresses in the business for Star Wars two years after that. Fisher, who also appeared in movies including When Harry Met Sally, had a recurring role in the Netflix series Catastrophe when she passed away. As far as her personal life, Fisher had famous romances with Paul Simon (her only husband), Dan Aykroyd, and talent agent Bryan Lourd (the father of her only child, daughter, Billie Lourd). She was also “mom” to a service dog, Gary, who was her constant companion on the red carpet (and helped her combat anxiety) in her final years. (Photo: Getty Images)
Ricky Harris
The Everybody Hates Chris actor died on Dec. 26 at the age of 54. While his cause of death wasn't immediately known, he had suffered a heart attack two years earlier. A childhood friend of Snoop Dogg, he got his start appearing on HBO's Def Comedy Jam in the '90s. His first movie role was Poetic Justice (1993) with Tupac and Janet Jackson. As far as TV, he had a role on the short-lived semi-autobiographical Chris Rock series, as well as on Moesha. Earlier this year, he played a protestor on The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. (Photo: Getty Images)
George Michael's funeral 'delayed' by toxicology reports
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Before Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, Zsa Zsa was the original celebrity who was "famous for being famous." The Hungarian-born beauty, who was Miss Hungary in 1936, appeared in a handful of movies after moving to the States, which launched her career — but more importantly her stardom. Her personal life was much more interesting than her resumé. She was married a total of nine (or maybe 10?) times, including to Conrad Hilton (coincidentally Paris's great-grandfather). Zsa Zsa, who also had love affairs with Frank Sinatra and President Richard Nixon, also famously slapped a policeman who pulled her over in 1989. Capitalizing on her fame, Gabor — who loved saying, “dahling” — appeared on talk shows (from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to The Jack Paar Program), TV shows (Love Boat, Facts of Life, and Gilligan's Island), and in movies (The Naked Gun 2 1/2 and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors). Zsa Zsa, whose sisters were actresses Eva and Magda, was 99 when she passed away at home after a heart attack on Dec. 18. The blonde, who lived out of the spotlight after a 2002 car crash left her paralyzed, had been on life support for the five years leading up to her death. (Photo: Getty Images)
Bernard Fox
"Calling Dr. Bombay! Emergency! Come right away!" That is how Bewitched's Samantha would page the womanizing witch doctor Dr. Bombay, played by Fox, in the popular TV series. The Welsh actor who brought the character to life died as a result of heart failure on Dec. 14. He was 89. Fox, who did a stint with the Royal Navy during World War II, also appeared on Hogan's Heroes as Colonel Crittendon. He also appeared in two Titanic movies — one in 1958 and the other, James Cameron's hit, in 1997. (Photo: Getty Images)
Alan Thicke
The Canadian actor became a beloved figure playing superdad Jason Seaver on Growing Pains in the ’80s. He also wrote several popular TV theme songs, collaborations with first wife Gloria Loring, including ones for Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes. He also hosted game and talk shows. The father of singer Robin Thicke died suddenly on Dec. 13 after suffering a heart attack while playing hockey in L.A. with his youngest son, Carter. He was 69. (Photo: Getty Images)
Joseph Mascolo
The actor best known for playing supervillain Stefano DiMera on Days of Our Lives died on Dec. 7. He was 87. It was a role he played on and off for more than 30 years. He also appeared on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful for five years. Mascolo retired from daytime TV in 2015 — the year he suffered a stroke. He died after battling Alzheimer’s disease. (Photo: Getty Images)
Keo Woolford
The Hawaii Five-0 actor (he played Detective James Chang) died on Nov. 29. He was 49. According to his publicist, he suffered a stroke three days before his death. Woolford, who was born and died in Hawaii, also had small roles in several movies, including Godzilla. (Photo: Getty Images)
Ron Glass
The Barney Miller cast member died of respiratory failure on Nov. 25. Glass, who played Det. Ron Harris, was 71. He starred in other TV shows and films, including the 2002 sci-fi series Firefly and its 2005 film sequel, Serenity, and did episodic work in everything from Friends to Designing Women. (Photo: Getty Images)
Florence Henderson
The woman who brought Mrs. Brady to life in The Brady Bunch died unexpectedly from heart failure on Nov. 24, which was Thanksgiving, at the age of 82. After becoming a TV legend for her role as mom of a blended family, she continued entertaining as an actress, host, and reality TV personality. In 2010, she competed on Dancing With the Stars, making it to the fifth round, and visited the set just days before she died to root on TV daughter Maureen McCormick. Henderson, who appeared on Broadway before her TV stardom, dished heavily in her 2011 book Life Is Not a Stage about everything — including her sex life. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sharon Jones
The lead singer of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings died on Nov. 18. The 60-year-old soul and funk singer had pancreatic cancer. She became a star later in life, releasing her first album at 40. Up until then, she used to sing on the weekends and held jobs as a prison guard at NYC’s Rikers Island and an armed security guard for Wells Fargo. When the Dap-Kings, who were by her side when she died, introduced her at shows, they often called her "110 pounds of soul excitement." (Photo: Getty Images)
Gwen Ifill
The PBS NewsHour co-anchor lost her battle with uterine cancer on Nov. 14. She was 61. Earlier in the year, the Peabody Award-winning journalist — who previously covered politics over three decades for The Washington Post, The New York Times, and NBC — moderated a Democratic presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Ifill, who started working at PBS in 1999 and also moderated Washington Week for the network, took a monthlong leave from PBS this year, though she didn't disclose her illness. She went on leave again a week before she died. (Photo: Getty Images)
Leon Russell
The talented musician, who played backup to many big acts and made hits of his own, died on Nov. 13. The "A Song for You" and "Delta Lady'" songwriter had been recovering from heart surgery, according to his wife, and died in his sleep at his Nashville home. He was 74. Russell, who was known for rocking a top hat, was inducted into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011. (Photo: Getty Images)
Leonard Cohen
The Canadian singer-songwriter of mesmerizing hits like "I'm Your Man," “So Long, Marianne,” "Suzanne," and “Hallelujah” died on Nov 7. He was 82. Cohen died in his sleep after falling in the middle of the night, according to his manager. However, he was ready to go, telling the New Yorker the month before, "I am ready to die. I hope it's not too uncomfortable. That's about it for me," as he was releasing his 14th studio album. (Photo: Getty Images)
Pete Burns
The "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” singer died on Oct. 23. He was 57. His band, Dead or Alive, was set to release a new album just days after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest. The British personality, who was known for his glammed-up, androgynous look (similar to Boy George and David Bowie), also appeared on the U.K.'s Celebrity Big Brother. A month before his death, he also appeared on Celebrity Botched Up Bodies to discuss his numerous plastic surgeries, which he estimated to be "probably 300" different operations. (Photo: Getty Images)
Kevin Meaney
The standup comedian who was a late-night TV fixture, often delivering his signature "That's not right," was found dead at his Forestburgh, N.Y., home on Oct. 21. He was 60. He was also an actor, once starring in TV's Uncle Buck in the John Candy role and appearing in Broadway's Hairspray. It was after his theater turn that he came out as gay and ended his marriage, but his wife, with whom he shared a daughter, remained a confidante. (Photo: Getty Images)
Cecilia Hart
The Broadway and TV actress, who was married to James Earl Jones, died on Oct. 16. The 68-year-old lost a year-long battle with ovarian cancer. Hart and Jones co-starred in Othello on the Great White Way in 1982, the year they were married, playing Othello and Desdemona. They had met several years earlier on the set of the series Paris. They played a married couple in several plays during the years, including at their local Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut. (Photo: Getty Images)
Tommy Ford
The Martin actor died on Oct. 12. He was 52. Ford, who also appeared in The Parkers, had an aneurysm rupture in his abdomen and was on life support. He died in an Atlanta hospital surrounded by loved ones. (Photo: Getty Images)
Agnes Nixon
Soap opera fans have Nixon to thank for their drama fixes because she was the creator of One Life to Live, All My Children, and Loving. She was also the head writer on Search for Tomorrow, Guiding Light, and Another World, as well as on the writing staff of As the World Turns. So basically, if you watched daytime TV, you heard her words at one point or another. She was 93 when she died from pneumonia resulting from Parkinson’s disease on Sept. 28. She had recently completed her memoirs. (Photo: Getty Images)
Bill Nunn
The "Do the Right Thing" actor (he played Radio Raheem) died on Sept. 24 in his native Pittsburgh. Nunn, who had a long battle with leukemia, was 62. He also had roles in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy, Mo’ Better Blues, New Jack City, and He Got Game. (Photo: Getty Images)
Alexis Arquette
The actress, who was one of the Arquette siblings, died on Sept. 11 from AIDS-related complications. Alexis, who had roles in films including Pulp Fiction and The Wedding Singer, was 47. Born as Robert, her transition from male to female was documented in the 2007 film Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother. However, she later identified as “gender suspicious," according to brother David, who explained that she told him, "Sometimes I’ll be a man, sometimes I’ll be a woman." (Photo: Getty Images)
Gene Wilder
The two-time Academy Award nominee died Aug. 29 at his home in Stamford, Conn. He was 83. Best known for his roles in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, and Stir Crazy, Wilder largely lived out of the spotlight after the death of his third wife, Gilda Radner, followed by a battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Wilder wrote several books, occasionally doing appearances to promote them, and was often accompanied by his fourth wife, Karen. According to his nephew, Wilder was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2013 but kept the news quiet as not to upset young fans who approached him thinking he was Willy Wonka. Wilder died from complications of the disease while listening to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." (Photo: Getty Images)
Marvin Kaplan
A comedic actor who appeared on TV (Alice) and in movies (Adam's Rib, with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn) died Aug. 25 at a Los Angeles hospital. Kaplan, 89, had a heart ailment. (Photo: Everett Collection)
Steven Hill
The Law & Order star (he played district attorney Adam Schiff) died Aug. 23 at an NYC hospital. He came into the role with a background in Broadway and went on to accumulate two dozen movie credits over his career. His cause of death, at 94, was cancer. (Photo: Getty Images)
John McLaughlin
The host of the political roundtable The McLaughlin Group died on Aug. 16. He was 89. A former Jesuit priest, he became a journalist after a failed bid for the U.S. Senate and launched his eponymous television program in 1982. A week before he died, his missed his show for the first time in 34 years because he was feeling "under the weather." His cause of death was prostate cancer. (Photo: AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Kenny Baker
The British actor and musician who was best known for portraying R2-D2 in the Star Wars franchise died from a lung condition on Aug. 13 — just before his 82nd birthday. Standing at just 3-foot-8, he wasn't expected to "live past his teenage years because he was a "little person," his niece told the Guardian. (Photo: Mirrorpix/Courtesy Everett Collection)
John Saunders
Saunders, who started his 30-year career at ESPN in 1986 as anchor of SportsCenter, died on Aug. 11. His wife found him unresponsive in their Westchester County, N.Y., home and emergency responders were unable to resuscitate him. He was 61. (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for ESPN)
David Huddleston
The character actor who played the title role in The Big Lebowski died on Aug. 2. A familiar face who popped up in everything from Gilmore Girls to Blazing Saddles (he had 145 credits to his name), had advanced heart and kidney disease when he died in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 85. (Photo: Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)
Matt Roberts
The ex-guitarist for 3 Doors Down died on Aug. 20. He had been in West Bend, Wis., along with his father, where he was due to perform at a charity event for veterans. Roberts, who struggled with anxiety and an addiction to prescription medication, was found dead on the floor of a hallway at his hotel. His cause of death was overdose, related to prescription drugs. He was 38. (Photo: Andy Kropa/Getty Images)
Miss Cleo
Youree Dell Harris (aka Miss Cleo) was best known for being the spokeswoman for the Psychic Readers Network. She died on July 26 at the age of 53 as a result of colon cancer. (Photo: Lilly Echeverria/Getty Images)
Garry Marshall
The director behind Pretty Woman died on July 19, his sister, Penny Marshall, confirmed. He was 81. After creating TV hits including Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley (starring his sister), and Mork & Mindy, he worked his magic on the big screen. In addition to directing the movie that made Julia Roberts a megastar, he was at the helm of Overboard, Beaches, Princess Diaries, and Runaway Bride. His cause of death was complications from pneumonia. (Photo: Getty Images)
Anton Yelchin
The Russian-born actor, who is best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek reboot, died June 19 in a freak accident at his home in L.A. His 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled back and pinned him to his security gate, killing him within a minute. He was 27. Some of his additional movie credits include voicing Clumsy in the Smurfs movie and playing a teen Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation. (Photo: Getty Images)
Christina Grimmie
The singer, who participated in Season 6 of The Voice, was fatally shot by a deranged fan during a meet and greet following a concert in Orlando, Fl. She died hours later, on June 11, at the age of 22. Adam Levine, who worked with Grimmie on the NBC competition show, paid for her funeral, which took place in Medford, N.J. (Photo: Getty Images)
Muhammad Ali
The iconic boxer known as "The Greatest," who also became known for his humanitarian work, died on June 3. Ali, who spent three decades battling Parkinson's disease, died of septic shock after spending five days at an Arizona hospital for what started out as respiratory problems and worsened. He was 74. (Photo: Getty Images)
Prince's Curious Record On Gold Investment
Doris Roberts
The Everybody Loves Raymond actress, who played Ray Romano's overbearing mother, died on April 17 at age 90. The Missouri native won a total of four Emmys for that role — and one more for a part on St. Elsewhere. The L.A. transplant, whose career in showbiz spanned six decades, died “peacefully in her sleep of natural causes," her son said in a statement. (Photo: Getty Images)
Chyna
The wrestling superstar and model, who also appeared in TV shows and movies, died at her Redondo Beach, Calif., home in mid-April. According to her manager, she died of an accidental overdose of the sleeping pill Ambien and a form of the tranquilizer Valium. Chyna (real name: Joan Marie Laurer) was 46. (Photo: Getty Images)
David Gest
The famed music performer, whose marriage to Liza Minnelli put him on the map in the gossip world, died on April 12 from a stroke. The 62-year-old died in his London hotel room. Earlier this year he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother U.K. and was set to embark on the David Gest Is Not Dead But Alive With Soul tour. He was a successful producer and created the highest-rated special in music history: Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration in 2001. The L.A. native was best known, however, for being married to Minnelli from 2002-2003 and for their over-the-top wedding, which had a 36-member bridal party (including co-bestman Michael Jackson and co-matron of honor Liz Taylor) and 850 guests. (Photo: Getty Images)
Daisy Lewellyn
The TV personality who appeared on Bravo's Blood, Sweat & Heels died on April 8. She had been battling stage III cancer in her bile ducts since 2014. She was 36. (Photo: Getty Images)
Merle Haggard
The country music legend died on April 6, which was his 79th birthday. Known for hits including "Okie From Muskogee" and "The Fightin' Side of Me," he had been battling pneumonia. A California native, he spent time in San Quentin State Prison following an attempted burglary but found fame in the music world after his release. He received several Grammys and saw his song "Mama Tried" be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. (Photo: Getty Images)
Patty Duke
The Oscar-winning actress died on March 29. She was 69. A child star, she won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award at 16 for her performance as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker, a role she had originated on Broadway. Duke went on to appear in other movies, including Valley of the Dolls. However, she's probably best remembered for playing identical cousins on The Patty Duke Show, and she won three Emmys for My Sweet Charlie, Captains and the Kings, and Miracle Worker. The mother of actors Sean and Mackenzie Astin, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982 and became a passionate advocate for mental health. Her cause of death was sepsis from a ruptured intestine. (Photo: Everett Collection)
James Noble
The actor who's best known for playing Governor Gatling on Benson died on March 28. The 94-year-old Texas native died at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut after suffering a stroke. In addition to playing the absentminded politico for seven seasons on the sitcom, he appeared on The Love Boat and Perfect Strangers. (Photo: Getty Images)
Garry Shandling
The comedian died suddenly on March 24 after suffering a massive heart attack in his home, with his official cause of death determined to be pulmonary thrombosis — a blood clot that traveled from his leg to his lungs. He was 66. In his early days in Hollywood, he wrote such TV shows as Sanford and Son. After a few years, he decided to put his comedy chops on display, doing standup, and soon became known for his neurotic sense of humor. He later had his own shows, including It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. He also hosted awards shows, including the Emmys, and appeared in many movies. (Photo: Getty Images)
Ken Howard
The president of SAG-AFTRA died on March 23 at his home near L.A. He was 71. He was a Long Island, N.Y., native you may recognize from 30 Rock or, more recently, his part in the Jennifer Lawrence movie Joy. An Emmy and Tony Award winner, he also acted in TV's The White Shadow, Murder, She Wrote, and Melrose Place. (Photo: Getty Images)
Phife Dawg
The rapper, whose real name was Malik Taylor, died on March 22 at the age of 45. He had health issues for several years, undergoing a kidney transplant in 2008 to deal with a longtime battle with diabetes. He was known best for being part of A Tribe Called Quest and also put out a solo album, Ventilation: Da LP, in 2000. (Photo: Getty Images)
Erin Storm
The former Bachelor contestant died on March 21 when a small plane she was piloting solo crashed in Los Angeles. Storm, who vied for Matt Grant's heart on the reality show, was engaged to be married. (Photo: ABC)
Larry Drake
The actor, who died on March 17 at the age of 67, will be best remembered for his role on L.A. Law. He played developmentally disabled legal clerk Benny Stulwicz, earning two Emmy Awards for his work. He also voiced the role of Pops in the animated series Johnny Bravo. Drake had a rare form of cancer related to an overproduction of red blood cells in the bone marrow, but other causes of death included cardiac arrest, hypertension, and morbid obesity. (Photo: Getty Images)
Frank Sinatra Jr.
Famously kidnapped at the age of 19, the son of "Ol' Blue Eyes" and his first wife, Nancy, died March 16. He was 72. A singer himself, he had a long musical career and was on tour in Florida when he unexpectedly suffered cardiac arrest. (Photo: Getty Images)
George Martin
Known as the “Fifth Beatle," the British music producer had a huge part in making the Fab Four as successful as they were. He went on to work with Elton John, the Who's Pete Townshend, and Dire Straits, among others. He died on March 8 at the age of 90. (Photo: Getty Images)
Nancy Reagan
Of course she was the first lady when her husband, Ronald Reagan, was president of the United States, but she had a film and TV career — mostly playing housewives and mothers — before politics took over her life. In her later years, Reagan became a leading activist for Alzheimer's research. She died on March 6 at the age of 94. (Photo: Getty Images)
Joey Feek
The country singer — who performed with her husband, Rory, as Joey + Rory — lost her long battle with cervical cancer on March 4. She was just 40. (Photo: Getty Images)
George Kennedy
The actor, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Cool Hand Luke, died on Feb. 28. The 90-year-old NYC native, whose last role was in 2014's The Gambler, lived in Middleton, Idaho, where he died in his sleep as a result of a heart condition. (Photo: Getty Images)
Harper Lee
The novelist died in her sleep at her Monroeville, Ala., assisted living facility on Feb. 19. She was 89. Her 1960 book To Kill a Mockingbird, which won her the Pulitzer Prize for fiction the next year, catapulted her into a literary celebrity. (Photo: AP Photo)
Big Ang
Angela Raiola, who is known to Mob Wives fans as Big Ang, lost her battle to lung and brain cancer on Feb. 18. The Staten Island, N.Y., bar owner, who loved plastic surgery and her family, was 55. (Photo: Getty Images)
George Gaynes
The actor, who was best known for playing Punky Brewster's foster dad and the absentminded commandant in the Police Academy movies, died at his daughter's home in Washington on Feb. 15. Born in Helsinki, Finland, he was 98. (Photo: Getty Images)
Vanity
Denise Matthews, better known as Vanity, died Feb. 15 after battling kidney failure and an abdominal illness. She was Prince's protégé and fronted the group Vanity 6. While she had her fair share of demons, Vanity eventually became an ordained minister. She was 57. (Photo: Getty Images)
Lex McAllister
The blonde, who took part in Season 14 of The Bachelor, died of a drug overdose in Columbus, Oh., on Feb. 13. Family members told TMZ she suffered from depression and bipolar disorder. The 31-year-old reality TV personality competed for Jake Pavelka's heart on the ABC series. (Photo: ABC)
Dave Mirra
The BMX rider extraordinaire, who hosted two seasons of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge, died on Feb. 4. A former People magazine hottest bachelor, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a friend's driveway in Greenville, N.C. It was later determined he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the same brain disease that has been diagnosed in a number of former professional football players. He was 41. (Photo: Getty Images)
Katie May
The Playboy pinup and Instagram sensation died on Feb. 4 as a result of "neck manipulation by chiropractor" that tore her vertebral artery and subsequently cut off blood flow to her brain. She was 34. (Photo: Instagram)
Maurice White
The founder of the band Earth, Wind, & Fire was as smooth as they come, which you could hear on tracks including "September," "Shining Star," and "Boogie Wonderland." He died on Feb. 3 at the age of 74 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. (Photo: Getty Images)
Joe Alaskey
The actor was known by fans as "the man of a thousand voices" because, after Mel Blanc died in 1989, he landed the prized gig of voicing several of the Warner Bros. cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Tweety. The 63-year-old died at home in New York on Feb. 3 while under hospice care after a battle with cancer. (Photo: Getty Images)
Paul Kanter
The co-founder of psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane died on Jan. 28. Kanter, who was 74, suffered a heart attack, which led to multiple organ failure. With his band, he played at Woodstock and was known for hits including "White Rabbit." (Photo: Getty Images)
Signe Anderson
Coincidentally, the same day Kanter died, so did Anderson, who was the first female vocalist of Jefferson Airplane. She suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and her former bandmate Jack Casady said she had recently entered into hospice care. She was also 74. (Photo: Getty Images)
Abe Vigoda
The Brooklyn native with the sunken eyes was best known for his starring role in TV's Barney Miller as well as playing Salvatore Tessio, who tried to off Michael Corleone, in The Godfather. Although People magazine reported he had died in 1982, something he enjoyed poking fun at over the years, he died of old age on Jan. 26, while asleep at his daughter's home in Woodland Park, N.J. He was 94 and “never sick," his daughter said. (Photo: Getty Images)
Glenn Frey
There is some "Heartache Tonight" over the passing of Glenn Frey, one of the founding members of the Eagles, which is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time. The singer and guitarist, who also had a successful solo career, died on Jan. 18 from "complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia," according to his family. He was 67. (Photo: Getty Images)
Dan Haggerty
Dan Haggerty, the actor who played woodsman Grizzly Adams on both the big and small screen in the 1970s, died on Jan. 15 at a Burbank, Calif., hospital after battling cancer for five months. An animal lover in real life too, he was 74. (Photo: Getty Images)
René Angélil
Céline Dion's manager, mentor, and, most notably, husband died in Las Vegas on Jan. 14 after a long fight with throat cancer. The 73-year-old started his career as part of the Canadian pop rock group the Baronets before he transitioned to managing careers. Angélil discovered Dion when she was 12 and went on to marry her 14 years later. (Photo: Getty Images)
Alan Rickman
The British actor best known for his roles in Harry Potter (Professor Snape!) and Die Hard succumbed to cancer, it was announced on Jan. 14. The Shakespeare-trained star got his start in theater and on TV, but made the jump to movies, for which he is best known. Rickman, who was 69, is survived by his wife, Rima, whom he married in 2012 after a 40-year romance. (Photo: Getty Images)
David Margulies
The New York City native, who died of cancer on Jan. 11, was best known for his role as the mayor in Ghostbusters and Tony's lawyer in The Sopranos. The 78-year-old actor is survived by actress Lois Smith. (Photo: Getty Images)
David Bowie
The rock legend's death was a shock, as it wasn't public knowledge that Bowie had been battling cancer for 18 months before he died on Jan. 10. The "Heroes" singer, who was 69, was a master at reinventing his image and had dropped his 25th album, Black Star, just two days before his death. As much as the London native — who was married to supermodel Iman — will be remembered for his catalog, the stylish, endlessly cool crooner will be appreciated for giving a voice to misfits. (Photo: Getty Images)
Michael Galeota
The actor who played Nick Lighter in the Disney Channel's The Jersey died at home in Los Angeles on Jan. 10. The cause of death was heart disease in addition to hypertension. He was 31. (Photo: Getty Images)
Pat Harrington Jr.
The actor was best known for his role as vest wearing, sleeve rolling, building superintendent Schneider on TV's One Day at a Time. He died on Jan. 6, after a battle with Alzheimer's disease, at the age of 86. (Photo: Getty Images)
Nicholas Caldwell
A singer with the group the Whispers, his hits included "And the Beat Goes On." He suffered congestive heart failure and died at home in San Francisco on Jan. 5. He was 71. (Photo: Getty Images)
Richard Libertini
The character actor, who appeared in films including the Fletch franchise and Lily Tomlin's All of Me, died Jan. 7 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 82. (Photo: Getty Images)
It seemed like an especially big year of loss — so much talent gone in the blink of an eye. It started with the surprise passing of David Bowie, who lost his private battle with cancer, in January and we were hit in the gut again when Prince overdosed in April. We also said goodbye to Gene Wilder, Florence Henderson, Alan Thicke, Patty Duke, Alan Rickman, Garry Shandling, Anton Yelchin, and Leonard Cohen. And just when we thought we were done saying goodbye, George Michael left us on Christmas followed by Carrie Fisher and then her mom, Debbie Reynolds, a day later. #Brutal. Here, we honor all the entertainers and personalities who faded away this year. They will be missed.
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