Stars we lost in 2019

The titan of Broadway, who produced and/or directed many of the century’s most popular musicals, died July 31 at the age of 91. Over the course of his career in musical theater, Prince earned 21 Tony Awards — far more than any other individual. His first came in 1955 for The Pajama Game, and his last was a Lifetime Achievement Award granted in 2006. In between, Prince earned awards as both producer and director. He brought to the stage such influential musicals as Damn Yankees, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, and The Phantom of the Opera, which remains the longest-running show in Broadway history.

The actress who voiced one of Disney’s most recognizable characters in Minnie Mouse, as well as several characters on The Simpsons — died July 26 at the age of 75. A longtime fan of Disney, the Boston-area-born Taylor won the role of Minnie in 1986 and voiced her in such films as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Runaway Brain, Get a Horse!, and Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers. She also played Minnie on TV shows including Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Mickey and the Roadstar Racers, as well as in animated shorts and theme park projects. Russi’s voice carried throughout the Disney empire; she also played Nurse Mouse in The Rescuers Down Under, and Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and their friend Webbigail Vanderquack in the original DuckTales animated series, as well as characters in TaleSpin, The Little Mermaid, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Kim Possible, Sofia the First, The Lion Guard, and Tangled: The Series. Simpsons fans know as brilliant, bullied Martin Prince and twins Sherri and Terri, as well as Uter and occasionally Lewis Clark. 

The actor, known for his work on ABC’s Once Upon a Time, died July 23 at the age of 46. The Canadian actor played Sneezy, one of the Seven Dwarfs, on Once Upon a Time, and also appeared on Supernatural, iZombie, and Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, among other titles.

The Blade Runner star died on July 19 at the age of 75. Early in his career, Hauer collaborated with Paul Verhoeven on 1973’s Turkish Delight and 1977’s Soldier of Orange. He achieved almost instant iconic status among science fiction fans with his performance in Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner as the replicant Roy Batty. Hauer’s many other credits included 1985’s Verhoeven-directed Flesh+Blood, 1986’s The Hitcher, 1992’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1994’s Surviving the Game, 2005’s Sin City, the same year’s Batman Begins, the TV show True Blood, and 2011’s Hobo with a Shotgun.

The actor, best known for roles in Another World and two James Bond films, died July 18 at the age of 92. Hedison starred as scientist André Delambre in the classic 1958 horror film The Fly and later appeared in two James Bond movies, playing CIA operative Felix Leiter in 1973’s To Live and Let Die and then reprising the role in 1989’s License to Kill. His other credits include the TV shows Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and the daytime soap operas Another World and The Young and the Restless.

The Irish actor died July 15 at the age of 47. His screen credits included the films Batman Returns, Haywire, and Veronica Guerin and the TV series Peaky Blinders, Into the Badlands, and Fair City.

The actress best known for playing the spoiled, gum-obsessed girl Violet Beauregarde in the beloved film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, died July 10 at the age of 62. Nickerson was 13 when she appeared in Willy Wonka, which starred Gene Wilder as the eccentric chocolatier. Nickerson made her screen debut in an episode of the TV series Flipper, and appeared on shows including Dark Shadows, The Electric Company, and The Brady Bunch. She left Hollywood in 1978 and later became a nurse.

The Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor known for his work on The Larry Sanders Show and in the Men in Black movies died July 9 at the age of 88. The actor played the loyal late-night producer Artie on Larry Sanders. Torn was nominated for six Emmys for his work on the beloved sitcom, winning in 1996. He also earned Emmy noms for The Atlanta Child Murders in 1985, Chicago Hope in 1996, and 30 Rock in 2008. His other TV credits included Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Lyon’s Den, Will & Grace, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. In addition to his television nominations, Torn earned an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 1983’s Cross Creek. In Men in Black and its first sequel, Torn played Zed, one of the founding members of the eponymous alien monitoring organization. More recently, he was seen on the big screen in Dodgeball, Marie Antoinette, 3 Weeks to Daytona, and Bridge of Names.

The British actor died July 9 at the age of 91. Jones’ many credits included the Hammer horror films Frankenstein Must be Destroyed (1969) and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Federico Fellini’s And the Ship Sails On (1983), the fantasy film Krull (1983), and Barry Levinson’s Young Sherlock Holmes (1985). In recent years, he had become familiar to fans of the British soap Emmerdale for playing the role of Sandy Thomas. Jones was also a favorite of director David Lynch, who cast him in the films The Elephant Man (1980), Dune (1984), and Wild at Heart (1990).

The creator and director of the hit Broadway musical Annie died July 7 at the age of 84. Charnin won a Tony Award for Best Original Score, with composer Charles Strouse, for Annie. Charnin went on to write lyrics for dozens of productions, including seven Broadway musicals. He directed seven shows as well. He also received three Emmys for his work on television variety specials, and a Grammy for Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” which sampled the lyrics from Annie.

The Disney Channel star died Saturday, July 6 as a result of an ongoing medical condition. He was 20 years old. Boyce was best known to audiences for his roles on Disney Channel series Jessie and the television movie franchise Descendants, in which he portrayed Cruella de Vil’s son Carlos. 

The actor, best known to audiences as Superman’s adoptive father Pa Kent on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, died July 6. He was 84. Jones has a notable onscreen career, including as the widowed father to second baseman Marla Hooch (Megan Cavanagh) in 1992’s A League of Their Own and as owner of the horses War Admiral and Man O’War in 2003’s Seabiscuit. He made his biggest impression as the kindly Jonathan “Pa” Kent, father to Clark Kent/Superman (Dean Cain) on Lois & Clark. His feature film résumé was rich and included Bloodbrothers, Prince of the City, Year of the Dragon, The Grifters, Trading Places, The Rocketeer, and Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal. In addition to his recurring role on Lois & Clark, Jones also starred as the head of a spy agency on Syfy Channel’s The Invisible Man from 2000-02. Other television credits include guest starring roles on Veep, Aquarius, Crossing Jordan, Ghost Whisperer, Party of Five, Touched by an Angel, and Cheers.

The actor best known for playing the dirty old man opposite Ruth Buzzi’s purse-hurling spinster on Laugh-In died on July 3. He was 90 years old. The Michigan-born funnyman developed a prolific resume in Hollywood, starting with appearances in old sitcoms like The Danny Thomas Show, It’s Always Jan, and I Dream of Jeannie to variety shows like The Red Skelton Show, Bob Hope Presents Chrysler Theater, and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. From 1967 to 1971, Johnson was responsible for some of the variety show’s more memorable characters, like the German soldier who hissed “verrrrrrrryyy interesting” and the dirty old man who repeatedly tried to pick up on Gladys (Buzzi). He won an Emmy for his work on Laugh-In in 1969.

The Dog the Bounty Hunter star died June 26 at the age of 51. Chapman appeared on the A&E reality series Dog the Bounty Hunter alongside her husband Duane for eight seasons. Their new show Dog’s Most Wanted had been filming for several months at the time of her death and new episodes are expected to air eventually.

Actor Max Wright died June 26 at the age of 75. He was best known for portraying father Willie Tanner on the hit ’80s sitcom ALF.  Wright was a veteran actor of the small screen, popping up on a great many shows over a three-decade career, including Cheers, Taxi, WKRP in Cincinnati, and Mad About You. He also appeared in such films as Reds and Bob Fosse‘s All That Jazz, and the miniseries adaptation of Stephen King‘s The Stand. Wright had a substantial stage career in addition to his onscreen work. He received a Tony Award nomination in 1998 for his performance in Anton Chekhov’s Ivanov.

The heiress, socialite, fashion icon and mother of CNN’s Anderson Cooper died June 17 at the age of 95. Throughout her life, Vanderbilt made a name for herself as an actress, fashion designer, artist and author, but her time in the spotlight began at birth as she was born into one of the wealthiest families in America. Vanderbilt was synonmous with her jeans empire, but also designed home furnishings, dresses, and blouses.V anderbilt starred alongside Cooper in the 2016 HBO documentary, Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper, where she reflected on her remarkable life.

The Italian film director died June 15 at the age of 96. Zeffirelli was best known for his 1968 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which starred Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, and earned the filmmaker a Best Director Academy Award nomination. The filmmaker’s other directing credits included 1967’s Elizabeth Taylor- and Richard Burton-starring The Taming of The Shrew, the 1977 miniseries Jesus of Nazareth, 1981’s Endless Love with Brooke Shields, 1983’s La Traviata, and his 1990 adaptation of Hamlet, which starred Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Ian Holm, and Helena Bonham Carter. In 2018, actor Johnathon Schaech (That Thing You Do!) accused Zeffirelli of harassing and sexually abused him during the shoot for the 1993 film Sparrow.

The telenovela star died June 13 at the age of 54 following a three-year battle with cancer. Gonzalez is most known for her lead role as Monica in the 1993 telenovela series, Corazón Salvaje. She also starred in Mujer de Madera, Doña Barbara, Palabra de Mujer, Las Bravo and Eva la Trailera.

The co-founding member of the legendary rap trio Geto Boys died June 10 at the age of 52. He officially joined the Geto Boys in 1986 after performing as a backup dancer for the group. Together with Willie D and Scarface, the Geto Boys put Houston and southern hip hop on the map at a time when the East and West Coasts dominated the scene. With hits like “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” and “Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangster,” which was famously featured in 1999’s Office Space, the trio paved the way for future southern acts like OutKast, UGK, T.I., Lil Wayne, and many more.

Mary Duggar, grandmother to the reality television family The Duggars, died June 9. News of the matriarch’s passing was first shared by the Duggars on their official Facebook page Sunday afternoon, where the “feisty” and “incredible” County Onstar was remembered by her famous family in a tribute post. She had appeared with her family on television for 15 years. 

Musician, singer, and New Orleans music legend Mac Rebennack — a.k.a. “Dr. John” — died at the age of 77 on June 6. Dr. John’s 1968 debut album Gris-Gris failed to make a commercial impact upon its release, but over time came to be recognized as a classic mix of psychedelic rock and rhythm-and-blues. Five years later, he cracked the Top Ten with the song “Right Place Wrong Time.” His many collaborators included The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones, and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach, who produced his 2012 album, Locked Down.

The British actor Paul Darrow died June 4 at the age of 78. Darrow gained fame in his homeland in the late ’70s playing the sardonic, egomaniacal, and routinely insulting anti-hero Kerr Avon in the low budget but much-loved U.K. science fiction show Blake’s 7, about a group of spaceship-dwelling rebels attempting to outwit the totalitarian Federation. His many other credits include the TV shows Emmerdale, Z Cars, Little Britain, and Doctor Who, on which he appeared twice, playing different characters in the adventures “Doctor Who and the Silurians” and “Timelash.”

The actor died May 28 at 83. Caridi — who also appeared in Murder, She Wrote; The Money Pit; Starsky and Hutch; the ’80s Fame TV series; and NYPD Blue — was best known for his role in The Godfather: Part II as Carmine Rosato, part of the Rosato faction in a feud with Frank Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo). Caridi also appeared in The Godfather: Part III as Albert Volpe, one of Michael Corleone’s casino investors.

The former Biggest Loser contestant died May 26 at age 30, after a nearly two-year battle with leukemia. Wright appeared on seasons 7 and 8 of the NBC weight-loss reality show.

The Austrian car-racing icon and three-time Formula One world champion died at the age of 70 on May 21. Lauda became legendary for his participation in the 1976 world championship. The driver was horribly burned in a crash at the German Grand Prix but, after a brief period of recovery, returned to the competition, setting up a battle between himself and his rival, the British James Hunt, which the latter would ultimately win, narrowly beating Lauda. That struggle later became the subject of Ron Howard’s film Rush, in which Chris Hemsworth played Hunt and Daniel Brühl portrayed Lauda.

The legendary comedian, who had a knack for improv and cracking up his fellow cast members on The Carol Burnett Show, died May 14. He was 85. Conway launched his career on ABC’s The Steve Allen Show, but he didn’t achieve nationwide fame until taking the role as the blundering Ensign Parker on the ’60s sitcom McHale’s Navy. He went on to star on The Tim Conway Show in 1970 for a short stint before finally joining The Carol Burnett Show. Conway’s 11 years on the sketch show garnered him four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, thanks to his hilarious characters like the Old Man and Mr. Tudball. Later in his career, Conway provided the voice for Barnacle Boy on Spongebob Squarepants and even made a special appearance on the second season of 30 Rock, playing ’50s TV icon Bucky Bright, for which he received an Emmy. He also won a Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Emmy in 1996 for his turn on Coach as Hayden’s (Craig T. Nelson) gardener, Kenny.

The feline with a frown permanently scrawled across her face died May 14 at the age of 7. Grumpy Cat, whose real name was Tardar Sauce, became an instant internet star when a photo was shared to Reddit in September 2012 with the caption, “Meet grumpy cat.” The image spread like wildfire and earned the animal the Meme of the Year honor from the Webby Awards, as presented by Patton Oswalt. From there, Grumpy Cat became the face of a business, from clothing apparel to plushies to comic books to a cover of New York Magazine that chronicled the cat’s rise and popularity.

The actress and singer, who was beloved for her girl-next-door image in the 1950s and ’60s, died May 13 at 97. Day was best known for her romantic comedies opposite Rock Hudson, particularly Pillow Talk, for which she earned an Oscar nomination. Other notable films included The Man Who Knew Too Much, Calamity Jane, and Love Me or Leave Me. In her later years, Day left Hollywood and dedicated herself to animal activism with the Doris Day Animal League.

The actress and former model, who shot to fame in the late 1960s on the police series The Mod Squad and later starred on David Lynch’s surreal cult favorite Twin Peaks, died May 11. She was 72. Lipton became a Hollywoof “It” Girl and earned four Emmy nominations for her turn as Julie Barnes, the flower child turned undercover detective, on ABC’s counterculture crime drama The Mod Squad. In 1974, she married legendary music producer Quincy Jones, and they had two daughters, Rashida and Kidada Jones. She returned to acting in the role of Double R Diner owner Norma Jennings on Twin Peaks in 1989. Lipton reprised her role for Showtime’s Twin Peaks revival in 2017.

The two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter died May 9 at the age of 92. Sargent won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay for 1977’s Julia, about playwright Lillian Hellman (played by Jane Fonda) smuggling funds into Nazi Germany. He won his second Oscar in 1981, for Ordinary People, directed by Robert Redford. Other notable films he penned include three Spider-Man movies, Paper Moon, the 1976 A Star Is Born, and What About Bob?

The British actor best known for playing the furry hero Chewbecca in the Star Wars films died April 30, at 74. Mayhew’s 7-foot-3 frame made him a distinct presence in movies. Mayhew portrayed Chewbacca — Han Solo’s loyal Wookiee co-pilot on the Millennium Falcon — in each of the major phases of the Star Wars franchise, from the original trilogy to the prequel Revenge of the Sith to the next-gen sequel The Force Awakens.

The Oscar-nominated director died April 29 at 51, after suffering a major stroke. Singleton was the first black filmmaker to score an Oscar nomination for Best Director, for his 1991 debut, Boyz in the Hood. His other credits include Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, and Four Brothers.

An actor who appeared in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Fletch, and EDtv, Jenkins died April 25 at age 63. His other screen credits included the 2017 film Low Town and TV shows such as The White Shadow, Instant Mom, The Shield, The Fugitive, Home Improvement, and M*A*S*H. He’s perhaps best known on a mainstream basis for his brief appearance as one of the two guys who took a joyride in the car of Cameron’s dad in Ferris Bueller.

The actor died April 24 at 83. Kercheval became famous around the world for playing Cliff Barnes in the oil business drama Dallas. Cliff was the brother of Victoria Principal’s character, Pam, and always seemed to be one step behind his archenemy, Larry Hagman’s always-scheming tycoon J.R. Ewing, who was Pam’s brother-in-law. Kercheval was also an accomplished stage actor, appearing in the original Broadway productions of The Apple Tree and Cabaret. The actor’s many other screen credits included 1978’s Sylvester Stallone-starring film F.I.S.T., the 1993 TV movie Woman on the Ledge, and the TV shows L.A. Law and ER.

The Canadian model and actress died April 20 at the age of 43. Sherk was married to Oscar nominee Demián Bichir. She had a number of acting credits to her name, including a role in Bichir’s directorial debut, Un Cuento de Circo & A Love Song, in 2016. Sherk also had roles in #Hashtag: The Series, Valentine’s Day, Star Power, Loco Love, and the upcoming horror movie Grudge, which she filmed with John Cho and Andrea Riseborough.

The paranormal investigator died April 19 at 92. Warren was portrayed by Vera Farmiga in 2013’s horror film The Conjuring and its 2016 sequel, The Conjuring 2. Farmiga will portray Warren again in this summer’s Annabelle Comes Home. Warren claimed to have clairvoyant powers and, together with her husband, Ed, investigated thousands of alleged hauntings, traveling as far as the U.K. and Japan. In 1976, she and Ed investigated the so-called Amityville Horror, a haunting in Long Island that inspired a 1979 film and a slew of spin-offs.

The science fiction author died April 14 at the age of 87.  He was the author of such acclaimed books as The Fifth Head of Cerberus and The Book of the New Sun. Since none of his books have yet been adapted for the screen, Wolfe is not well known in mainstream pop culture, but his work is beloved by fans of fantasy and sci-fi. 

The actress, who rose to fame as soft-spoken Georgette Franklin on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died April 12 at the age of 70. The actress has said her MTM role was meant to be a one-episode guest spot, but Engel went on to appear in almost 60 episodes of the top-rated comedy. After MTM ended in 1977, she continued to work with co-star Betty White on The Betty White Show and, more recently, on Hot in Cleveland. Over the decades, she appeared on everything from The Love Boat to Mork & Mindy to Fantasy Island to Coach to Passions. She had a recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005, and was nominated for an Emmy each of the three seasons she appeared on the sitcom. (She previously received two nominations for her work on MTM.)

The former quiz show contestant known for his role in rigging contests in the 1950s died April 9 at the age of 93. Van Doren, the son of two then-prominent literary figures, rocketed to fame with a 14-week winning streak on the NBC quiz show Twenty-One starting in November 1956. He earned $129,000, a record at the time, and a job at NBC News. But in 1959, he testified to Congress that the show’s producers had provided him with the answers, and pleaded guilty to perjury for lying to a grand jury. Ralph Fiennes portrayed him in Robert Redford’s 1994 film Quiz Show.

The Serbian actress, who appeared in two James Bond films, died April 8. She was 87. Regin made her first Bond appearance in 1964’s From Russia with Love alongside Sean Connery as 007, then returned for her second role in 1965’s Goldfinger, where she played a devious belly dancer attempting to seduce the spy. She later appeared in several British TV series before quitting acting in the 1980s to establish a publishing company, Honeyglen Publishing Ltd, with her sister Jelena.

The veteran character actor, known for his collaborations with filmmakers John Cassavetes and Wes Anderson, died April 7 at the age of 84. Cassel made several movies with Cassavetes and was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting performance in the filmmaker’s 1968 drama Faces. He also worked with Cassavetes on 1959’s Shadows, 1961’s Too Late Blues, 1971’s Minnie and Moskowitz, 1976’s The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, 1977’s Opening Night, and 1984’s Love Streams. Later in his career, Cassel became a favorite of Anderson, who cast him in 1998’s Rushmore, 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums, and 2004’s The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. Cassel’s many other film credits included 1990’s Dick Tracy and 1993’s Indecent Proposal.

The British actress and model died March 31 at the age of 77. Mallet, once described by her cousin Helen Mirren, 73, as “impossibly beautiful and kind,” rose to fame as a model in the ’50s and ’60s and is best known for appearing as Bond girl Tilly Masterson in 1964’s Goldfinger opposite Sean Connery.