Time marches on, and each year more people pass away from this world. That’s a sad fact of life, and death comes for celebrities, too. Here’s a list of some of the stars who have passed away so far in 2024.
Dame Maggie Smith
English actress Dame Margaret Natalie Smith (28 December 1934 – 27 September 2024) was renowned for her lengthy screen and stage career. She was highly lauded by critics, receiving many Academy, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Tony, and Emmy Awards. She is regarded as a national treasure in the UK, and her death led to an outpouring of sympathy and well-wishes for her family.
Kris Kristofferson
Country music legend Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was instrumental in ditching the polished sheen of the “Nashville sound” in the 1970s. He is credited with helping shape modern country music by defining a sound that would come to be known as “Outlaw Country.”
Pete Rose
MLB player and controversial figure Pete Rose (April 14, 1941 – September 30, 2024) earned the nickname “Charlie Hustle” for his absurd displays of (sometimes fruitless) energy on the field. He was wrapped up in a scandal involving sports betting while working as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. The gambling allegations have kept him out of the Baseball Hall of Fame despite him owning numerous impressive career records.
Dikembe Mutombo
Legendary basketball player and humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (June 25, 1966 – September 30, 2024) was known by basketball fans as “Mt. Mutombo.” The gigantic defensive player was renowned for his shot-blocking ability in the NBA and for his extreme generosity toward those in need. He also served as a director on the board of the Special Olympics.
Frankie Beverly
Howard Stanley Beverly (December 6, 1946 – September 10, 2024), known professionally as Frankie Beverly, was a singer known for his performance with the bank Maze. He was a renowned funk and soul singer and had a large following throughout his career.
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was a beloved American screen and stage actor. He was well-known for his role as Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, and for his numerous cameos in nerd culture-adjacent shows like The Big Bang Theory.
Rich Homie Quan
Dequantes Devontay Lamar (October 4, 1989 – September 5, 2024), better known by his stage name Rich Homie Quan, was a rapper who had success with numerous singles throughout the 2010s. He passed away due to an accidental overdose on several drugs, including fentanyl.
Phil Donahue
Philip John Donahue (December 21, 1935 – August 18, 2024) was a writer, producer, and the host of The Phil Donahue Show. He was a trailblazer in the world of talk shows because his was among the first talk programs to feature extensive participation from the live studio audience. His show often covered divisive topics like civil rights and consumer protections.
Gena Rowlands
Virginia Cathryn “Gena” Rowlands (June 19, 1930 – August 14, 2024) was a well-known and prolific actress who rose to fame in the 60s. She starred in numerous films either directed by or featuring (or both) her husband John Cassavetes, including Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence. She also appeared in the 2004 film The Notebook, directed by her son Nick Cassavetes.
Bob Newhart
Born George Robert Newhart (September 5, 1929 – July 18, 2024), Bob Newhart was a deadpan and dry comedian with a legendary career starting in the 1960s. He appeared on numerous comedy albums throughout the 60s and eventually even had a cameo on The Big Bang Theory as Professor Proton.
Grayson Murray
Grayson Colby Murray (October 1, 1993 – May 25, 2024) won two PGA Tour events and was one of the top-rated golfers in the world. However, he also struggled with depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. He took his own life on May 25, 2024 after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.
Johnny Wactor
John William Wactor III (August 31, 1986 – May 25, 2024) played Brando Corbin on General Hospital and also appeared as Johnny on Siberia. He was bizarrely shot and killed in downtown Los Angeles after running into three people trying to steal the catalytic convert from his car.
Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Valentine Spurlock (November 7, 1970 – May 23, 2024) was a documentary filmmaker who created the movie Super Size Me. That documentary saw him eating nothing but McDonald’s food in the effort to show how unhealthy the fast food restaurant is. He passed away of complications from cancer.
Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons (July 12, 1948 – July 13, 2024) came to national fame in the 80s due to a newfound interest in aerobics. Simmons’ line of motivation classes and campy fitness videos were a hit with the over-the-top ethos of the 80s, making his fitness videos a staple of the decade. He disppeared from the public eye around 2014, leading to much speculation into the final years of his life. Simmons, for his own part, always maintained that he was living the life he wanted and simply no longer wanted to be in the media.
Dr. Ruth
Dr. Ruth Westheimer (June 4, 1928 – July 12, 2024), often mononymously known as just Dr. Ruth, was well-known for her talk show and her work as a sex therapist. She was born in Germany in the late 20s and eventually trained as a sniper with the IDF, fighting in the Israeli War of Independence. As a therapist, she grew to national fame due to her 80s radio show, Sexually Speaking, and her TV series, The Dr. Ruth Show.
Shannon Doherty
Shannen Maria Doherty (April 12, 1971 – July 13, 2024) was well-known for many TV roles, including as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills 90210 and Prue Halliwell in Charmed. She passed away at only 53 after a nearly decade-long battle with breast cancer. She was known as a “90s Hollywood Bad Girl” early in her career and was the subject of numerous tabloid articles and rumors.
Benji Gregory
American actor and voice artist Benji Gregory (May 26, 1978 – June 13, 2024) played Brian Tanner on the beloved NBC sitcom ALF. However, following the 80s, he had few acting credits and served in the Navy in the early 2000s. The circumstances of his passing are still mysterious—he and his service dog were found dead in a car outside a bank in Peoria, Arizona. He may have died from heatstroke.
OJ Simpson
What’s left to say about OJ Simpson (July 9, 1947 – April 10, 2024)? Once renowned as one of the greatest running backs in the NFL, all conversations about him now circle back to his arrest and trial for the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. Did he do it? He was acquitted of his charges, but questions still linger even following his passing in April.
Donald Sutherland
The well-known father of actor Keifer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland (July 17, 1935-June 20, 2024) was known for his immense range and unusual charisma. He could play heroes and villains with equal ability and showed up everywhere from the film MASH to The Hunger Games.
Willie Mays
One of baseball’s greatest players, Willie Mays (May 6, 1931-June 18, 2024), got his major league start with the New York Giants in 1950. He famously hit .274 with 20 homers in his first season with the Giants, landing a Rookie of the Year Award and making himself a household name for New York sports fans.
Bernard Hill
British actor Bernard Hill (December 17, 1944-May 5, 2024) was known for playing authority figures in huge films. He was the captain of the Titanic in James Cameron’s film of the same name, and he played King Théoden in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Dickey Betts
Songwriter Dickey Betts (December 12, 1943–April 18, 2024) is perhaps best known as a co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, for which he both sang and played guitar. His songs, like “Ramblin’ Man,” “Blue Sky,” and “Straight from the Heart” helped The Allman Brothers earn serious radio play in the early 1970s.
Alexey Navalny
Russian politician Alexey Navalny (June 4, 1976-February 16, 2024) opposed the regime of Vladimir Putin and died under mysterious circumstances. He was poisoned by the Russian government in 2020 but survived and was the central subject of the documentary film Navalny.
Toby Keith
Say what you will regarding Toby Keith’s (July 8, 1961-February 5, 2024) politics, he was a beloved songwriter who sold 40 million records and ran his own label. He had big songs in the 90s, including “I Love This Bar” and “As Good As I Once Was,” and grew to massive fame in the US with his 9/11 response track, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
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Carl Weathers
Legendary actor Carl Weathers (January 14, 1948-February 2, 2024) became a superstar after appearing in Rocky along with Sylvester Stallone. He went on to have a major role in Predator alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. More recently, he portrayed Greef Karga in The Mandalorian and directed episodes of the series.
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Shelley Duvall
Beloved character actor Shelley Duvall (July 7, 1949 – July 11, 2024) is perhaps best known for her heart-stopping performance in The Shining. Her huge, expressive eyes and thin build made her a natural fit for horror. Duvall also famously starred as Olive Oyl in Popeye alongside Robin Williams. She was a very private person, but details of her personal life and health issues became a focus for media outlets in the final years of her life. She passed away in her sleep at home due to complications from diabetes on July 11, 2024.
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