Larry King
Larry King, the famed interviewer and longtime CNN host whose career spanned more than six decades, died on Jan. 23, 2021. He was 87. King died early Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to a statementĀ shared on his social media accounts. A cause of death was not given, but KingĀ was hospitalizedĀ earlier in January with COVID-19.
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Mira Furlan
Lost and Babylon 5 actress Mira Furlan died on Jan. 20 due to complications with West Nile virus, her manager confirmed in a statement to EW. She was 65. Lost creator Damon Lindelof and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski both shared tributes after her death.
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Phil Spector
Grammy Award-winning producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector died on Jan. 16 of natural causes. He was 80. Spector was the creator of the music production technique known as the Wall of Sound. He was also behind some music's biggest hits for The Beatles, the Ramones, The Righteous Brothers, among others.Ā
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Sylvain Sylvain
New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain died on Jan. 13 at age 69 after a battle with cancer. The New York Dolls' self-titled 1973 debut album, as well as their 1974 sophomore effort,Ā Too Much Too Soon, became acclaimed and influential punk rock records. Although short-lived, the band went on to influence groups like Guns N' Roses, the Ramones, Sex Pistols, and the Smiths, whose frontman Morrissey helped reunite the surviving band members for a 2004 festival.
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Peter Mark Richman
Peter Mark Richman, an actor with over 130 television credits, died on Jan. 14 at the age of 93 of natural causes. Richman notably held recurring roles onĀ Three's CompanyĀ as Reverend Snow ā the father of Suzanne Somers' character Chrissy Snow ā and onĀ Dynasty as Andrew Laird, the attorney for Carrington family. He also appeared onĀ Beverly Hills, 90210Ā andĀ LongstreetĀ and guest-starred on series such asĀ The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Murder She Wrote,Ā The Fugitive,Ā Bonanza, andĀ Star Trek: The Next Generation. In his eight-decade career, Richman also produced works as a playwright. His one-man showĀ 4 Faces was made into a movie in 1999, in which he also starred.
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Joanne Rogers
Joanne Rogers, the widow of television icon Fred Rogers died January 14 at the age of 92. She was married to Rogers for 50 years until his death in 2003. Rogers was the keeper of the flame for the "Mister Rogers" legacy, serving on the board of Fred Rogers Productions and helping celebrate his work in documentaries and feature films like It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.Ā Rogers was also an accomplished classically trained concert pianist and released two albums as part of a duo.
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Siegfried Fischbacher
Siegfried Fischbacher, one half of the iconic Las Vegas magician duo Siegfried & Roy, died Jan. 13 of pancreatic cancer at age 81. His death came less than a year after his longtime professional and romantic partner Roy Horn, who died of complications from COVID-19 last spring. "There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried," Fischbacher said at the time.
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John Reilly
Veteran soap star John Reilly died on Jan. 9 from unknown causes. He was 84. For five decades, Reilly starred in hit soaps including General Hospital,Ā As the World Turns, Passions, and Sunset Beach. He also made one brief appearance on Days of Our Lives in 2001. In the '90s, he starred as Bill Taylor, Kelly Taylor's (Jennie Garth) unpredictable father, on Beverly Hill, 90210.
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Michael Apted
British filmmaker Michael Apted died on Jan. 8, at 79. Apted directedĀ the long-running UpĀ documentary series and Oscar-nominated features includingĀ Coal Miner's DaughterĀ andĀ Gorillas in the Mist. Apted was a researcher on the first installment of the groundbreaking Up series, 1964's Seven Up, and he helmed the rest, concluding with 63 Up in 2019. In a career spanning genres and decades, he directed features including Nell,Ā The World Is Not Enough, Stardust, Gorky Park, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Apted also served as president of the Directors Guild of America from 2003 to 2009 and received the organization's Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award in 2013.
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Dearon 'Deezer D' Thompson
Dearon "Deezer D" Thompson died Jan. 7, at 55. The actor was best known for portraying nurse Malik McGrath on the beloved NBC medical drama ER from 1994 until 2009, including the pilot and series finale. Thompson also appeared in movies such as Fear of a Black Hat,Ā CB4, Bringing Down the House,Ā andĀ RomyĀ andĀ Michele's High School Reunion.
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Marion Ramsey
Actress Marion Ramsey died Jan. 7, at 73. She was best known for portraying Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy movies. Ramsey was also an accomplished stage actor, appearing on Broadway in GrindĀ andĀ Eubie, as well as touring the country inĀ Hello, Dolly, starring opposite Bette Davis inĀ Miss Moffatt, and costarring in two productions of Little Shop of Horrors. She was one of the three singers that the original Broadway show Dreamgirls was based on and also performed many voice roles, including in Robot Chicken and the animated series The Addams Family.
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Tanya Roberts
Former Bond girl Tanya Roberts died Jan. 4, at 65, from a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis. Roberts starred as Stacey Sutton in 1985'sĀ A View to Kill, opposite Roger Moore as 007. She also starred on That '70s Show as Donna's sweet-but-dim mother, Midge. The actress worked on Charlie's Angels in the '80s and appeared in the shows Fantasy Island, Hot Line, The Blues Brothers Animated Series,Ā andĀ Eve, and in films like Sins of Desire, Legal Tender, Sheena,Ā The Beastmaster, Almost Pregnant, and Tourist Trap.Ā Her last role was playing Elle in the series BarbershopĀ in 2005.
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Barbara Shelley
British actress Barbara Shelley died Jan. 4, at 88, after contracting COVID-19. She was best known for appearing in horror movies produced by Hammer Films, including 1958's Blood of the Vampire, 1966'sĀ Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and 1967'sĀ Quatermass and the Pit. Shelley also starred in 1960's non-Hammer horror classic Village of the Damned. Her many small-screen credits included the British TV shows Blake's 7,Ā Doctor Who, andĀ Eastenders.
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Eric Jerome Dickey
Best-selling author Eric Jerome Dickey died Jan. 3, at 59, after a long illness. Throughout the Memphis native's lengthy career, he published 29 novels, including multiple New York TimesĀ best-sellers:Ā Milk in My Coffee,Ā Cheaters,Ā Chasing Destiny,Ā The Other Woman,Ā Sleeping With Strangers,Ā Resurrecting Midnight,Ā Sister, Sister,Ā An Accidental Affair, andĀ Decadence. Dickey also penned the 2007 Marvel Comics miniseriesĀ Storm, chronicling the epic love story between the Black superheroes Storm (of X-Men fame) andĀ Black Panther.
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Gerry Marsden
Liverpool legend Gerry Marsden died Jan. 3, at 78, after an illness related to a heart infection. Marsden was the lead singer of the '60s British band Gerry and the Pacemakers, known for "You'll Never Walk Alone," which was a rendition of the song from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. The group's version became the anthem of Liverpool Football Club.
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George Gerdes
George Gerdes died Jan. 1, at 72. The actor appeared in the films The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Hidalgo, and Rumor Has It.Ā HeĀ was a regular presence on TV, with roles inĀ series such asĀ L.A. Law,Ā Seinfeld,Ā NYPD Blue,Ā The X-Files,Ā Chicago Hope,Ā Cold Case, ER, Lost, True Blood, and Dexter. Most recently, he appeared inĀ Perry MasonĀ andĀ Grey's Anatomy, and portrayed Ray Scales in three episodes ofĀ Bosch.