Every year we lose some of the world's most beloved stars, and 2021 was no different. While we may have lost some iconic names this past year, their bodies of work and the impressions they made on people's lives around the world live on.
Betty White - 99
Just a couple of weeks shy of her 100th birthday, Betty White passed away on December 31st. The adored actress and producer snagged an Emmy for her role as Rose in "Golden Girls" in 1986. She continued to work in the entertainment world right up until her passing.
Norm MacDonald -61
The famed star of "Saturday Night Live" died this year at the age of 61 from cancer, a diagnosis he had been battling privately for nearly 10 years. Norm was well-loved in Hollywood by his peers and fans, and his career really took off after his time with SNL.
Prince Philip - 99
Prince Philip passed in April of 2021. After he and Queen Elizabeth married and she took the throne, he became Britain’s longest serving royal consort. He leaves behind his wife, four children, eight grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
Willie Garson - 57
A "Sex and the City" fan-favorite, Willie Garson played Sarah Jessica Parker's best male friend on the show. He recently starred in the newest sequel series "And Just Like That..." too. Sadly, he passed from pancreatic cancer in September.
Christopher Plummer - 91
The late actor Christopher Plummer was most well-known for his role as the Captain Georg von Trapp in 1965's T'he Sound of Music," alongside Julie Andrews. He had over 100 film credits to his name, but it was his performance in the Sound of Music that continues to be top of mind for his fans.
Jessica Walter - 80
Emmy Award-winning actress Jessica Walter passed back in March of 2021. She became best known for her role as Lucille Bluth on "Arrested Development," but she also had quite a career on Broadway as well.
Virgil Abloh - 41
Virgil Abloh was a well-known fashion designer and entrepreneur. He was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear line starting in 2018, and was given increased creative responsibilities across the LVMH brand in early 2021. Abloh was also the CEO of Off-White, a fashion house he founded in 2013. He passed away in November of 2021 from cancer, a diagnosis he had kept out of the press.
Cloris Leachman - 94
Cloris is Hollywood royalty. Tied for the most Emmy Award wins with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leachman also had an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe, and a Daytime Emmy. She passed away in January at the age of 94.
Michael K Williams - 54
Michael K. Williams was most well-known for his role on HBO's "The WIre." Unfortunately, Michael passed suddenly from an overdose at the age of 54. He had been open about his battles with addiction admitting it was a lifelong battle he had faced.
Roberty Downey Sr - 85
After years of fighting Parkinson's disease, Robery Downey Sr. passed away in his sleep from the disease at the age of 85. He was a filmmaker with 18 directorial credits, including three episodes of "The Twilight Zone."
James Michael Tyler - 59
James Michael Tyler was a beloved actor who played the iconic role of Gunther on "Friends." He passed away at age 59 from cancer.
Dustin Diamond - 44
Dustin Diamond was best known for his role as Samuel "Screech" Powers in "Saved By The Bell." While at the end of his life he ran into legal trouble, he passed away at the young age of 44 from advanced lung cancer.
Biz Markie - 57
Rapper Biz Markie passed away in 2021 at the age of 57. His biggest hit came out in 1989 titled "Just a Friend." The song made a comeback in 2002 when Mario covered it.
Stuart Damon - 84
Soap star, Stuart Damon, passed away in June after battling renal failure for quite some time. He was most well known for his role as Dr. Alan Quartermaine on "General Hospital" for over 50 years.
DMX - 50
After suffering a heart attack in April, rapper DMX tragically passed away a week later at the age of 50. He came onto the rap scene in 1998, and his first and second album both went No. 1 and he was nominated for three Grammy awards.
Cicely Tyson - 96
CIcely Tyson was a force in the entertainment industry. Throughout her career she was nominated 13 times for a Primetime Emmy, winning twice. She was most recently known for her role aws Viola Davis' mom on "How to Get Away with Murder." She was a Kennedy Center Honorary and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. She passed away in January of 2021 at the age of 96.
Joan Didion - 87
Joan Didion passed away in late December 2021 from Parkinson's disease at 87. She was a journalist and an author, coming onto the scene writing features for Life magazine, The Saturday Evening Post, and Vogue. She was a prominent figure in the litrary world, writing 12 nonfiction works, five novels, six co-written screenplays, and one Broadway play.
Charles Grodin - 86
Charles Grodin passed in May at the age of 86. He was known for his performances in films like The Heartbreak Kid, Midnight Run, Heaven Can Wait, Ishtar, the Beethoven films, Dave, and While We're Young.
Larry King - 87
Larry King was a household name for years during his time hosting his nightly talk radio show from 1978-1994. He went on to host a show on CNN "Larry King Live" for 25 years. He won two Peabodys and an Emmy award. He died on January 23, 2021.
Hank Aaron - 86
Hank Aaron, famed MLB player, died at the age of 86 in January of 2021. He held the record for career home runs for 33 years with 755, until the record was beat in 2007. He joined the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002.
Colin Powell - 84
Former Secretary of State, and the first black man to ever do the job, Colin Powell passed away in October at age 84. He died from COVID-19 complications at Walter Reed National Medical Center. His health was already in jeopardy as he suffered from multiple myeloma and Parkinson's disease. He was a Vietnam vet and played an important role in the Panama invasion, Desert Storm, and Desert Shield.
Stephen Sondheim - 91
Stephen Sondheim was a famed Broadway composer, the mastermind behind the music for West Side Story, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Company, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, and so many more shows. He also mentored Jonathon Larson of Rent and Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton. He won eight Tony Awards, eight Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award in his illustrious career.
Clarence Williams III - 81
Clarence Williams III was born with entertainment in his blood. He served as a paratrooper in the US Army before he headed to Broadway. He passed away from colon cancer in June at the age of 81.
Janet Malcolm - 86
was an American writer, journalist on staff at The New Yorker magazine, and collagist. She wrote The Journalist and the Murderer in 1990, which became a mainstay of journalism-school curiculum.
Sophie - 34
Sophie was a Scottish musician, record producer, singer and DJ. She produced for acts such as Charli XCX, Vince Staples, Kim Petras, and Madonna. She died in January of 2021 from an accidental fall.
Phil Spector - 81
Phil Spector was a convicted murderer, who first found fame as a music producer. He worked with acts like the Beatles, Leonard Cohen, the Ronettes, Ike & Tina Turner, the Righteous Brothers, and the Ramones. He was convicted of murder in 2009 for killing actress Lana Clarkson. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison, but died in jail at the age of 81.
Beverly Cleary - 104
Beverly Cleary, famed children's author, passed away in March of 2021 at the age of 104. She created many beloved children's characters including the most famous of all, Ramona Quimby. She wrote her last book "Ramona's World" in 1999, ending the Ramona series.
Rush Limbaugh - 70
Rush Limbaugh died back in February of 2021. The conservative radio host had been diagnosed the previous year with lung cancer. He hosted his popular conservative political talk radio show for over 30 years.
bell hooks - 69
Esteemed author and activist bell hooks, born Gloria Jean Watkins, passed away at the age of 69 in December. Her first book "Ain't I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism" led the way for inclusive feminism. She published over 30 books and numerous scholarly articles over the course of her career and established the bell hooks Institute in 2014.
Eric Carle - 91
Eric Carle was the authoer and illustrator of the famed children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Carle passed of kidney failure at the age of 91. He wrote over 70 children's books in his career.
Ned Beatty - 83
Ned Beatty was an actor with a long list of work. He debuted in Deliverance in 1972 and starred in other films like Network, Nashville, All the President's Men, Superman, and voice work in Toy Story 3. He also starred in many television roles like Homicide: Life on the Street, Roseanne, M*A*S*H, Hawaii Five-0, Law & Order, and CSI.
Alber Elbaz - 59
ALber Elbaz was an Israeli fashion mogul. He was creative director of Lanvin for 14 years, ending in 2015. After spending time with other major labels, he founded his own label AZ Factory in 2019. Alber passed away from COVID-19 in Paris, France.
Hal Holbrook - 95
Hal Holbrook had a long career in Hollywood. He won a Tony and an Emmy and was best-known for playing Mark Twain on stage and on screen. He appeared more recently in shows like The Sopranos, The West Wing, and Grey's Anatomy, and films like Water for Elephants, Lincoln, and Into the Wild, for which he received an Oscar nomination.
Jackie Mason - 93
Jackie Mason was a rabbi-turned-comedian who made it big for his one-man shows and his film and TV roles. He passed away in July of 2021 just after his 93rd birthday.
Gavin MacLeod - 90
Gavin MacLeod played Murray Slaughter on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70s. He appeared in every episode of the show and then went on to play Captain Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat." He died in May at the age of 90.
Tanya Roberts - 65
Tanya Roberts was a triple threat. She was a model, actor, and producer, and was beloved for her role in the James Bond film "A View to a Kill." She also played "hot mom" Midge Pinciotti on "That '70s Show." She died at age 65 in January of 2021.
Peter Scolari - 66
Peter Scolari, known for his work with Tom Hanks on "Bosom Buddies," in addition to later roles on the hit series “Newhart” and "Girls,"passed away in October of 2021 at the age of 66.
Charlie Watts - 80
Drummer of The Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts, passed away in London on August 24th, 2021. He was supposed to go out on the road with the band again, but sadly, he never got the chance.
Art LaFleur - 78
Art LaFleur played the iconic role of Babe Ruth in "The Sandlot" in 1993. His typical roles were tough guys, cops, and baseball players. He was battling Parkinson's for quite some time before he passed away in November.
Peter Aykroyd - 65
Peter Aykroyd was a long-time writer and feature player on "Saturday Night Live." He started comedy with Second City and joined SNL in 1979. He passed away in November at the age of 65.
Richard Donner - 91
Richard Donner directed massive box office hits like "The Omen," "Superman," "The Goonies," and "Lethal Weapon." He began his career directing for television but hit it big when he switched to film. He passed away in June at the age of 91.
John Madden - 85
John Madden, HoF football coach and broadcaster died on December 28th at the age of 85. He won a Super Bowl coaching the Raiders in 1976, and once he retired from coaching he began an illustrious career broadcasting for CBS Sports.
Jean-Marc Vallée - 58
Filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallee was found dead of a suspected heart-attack in Quebec City, Canada at the age of 58. He directed award-winning films like "Dallas Buyers Club," "Wild," and "The Young Victoria." Most recently he directed "Big Little Lies" and "Sharp Objects," and won an Emmy for "Big Little Lies."
Michael Nesmith - 78
Guitarist for The Monkees, Michael Newsmith, passed away in December at the age of 78. Outside of The Monkess, he worked for several years as a songwriter.
Bob Dole - 98
Former Senator Bob Dole passed in 2021 at the age of 98. He ran for president in 1996 against Bill Clinton and was regarded as one of the most powerful and adept politicians in the republican party.
Eddie Mekka - 69
Eddie Mekka was best-known for his role on "Laverne & Shirley." He passed in November at the age of 69. He appeared on other shows after "Laverne & Shirley" like "24" and
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and in movies like "Dreamgirls" and "A League of Their Own."
Jerry Douglas - 88
Icon of "The Young and Restless," Jerry Douglas, died in November at the age of 88. He played the character John Abbott on the soap for 24 years.
William Lucking - 80
Actor William Lucking played Piney Winston on "Sons of Anarchy" for four seasons. He died in October at the age of 80.
Melvin Van Peebles - 89
Melvin Van Peebles, an Indie filmmaker and actor, passed away in September at the age of 89. His most iconic film, "Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song" was financed and released by Melvin himself. He leveraged music by Earth, Wind, and Fire in the film to gain traction.
Jane Powell - 92
Jane Powell died in September at the age 0f 92. She was a beloved MGM musical starlet, most notably "Royal Wedding" and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."
Art Metrano - 84
Comedian Art Metrano passed away in September at the age of 84. He stepped onto the scene as a stand-up comedian and was best known for his role as the police captain in two "Police Academy" movies.
Michael Constantine - 94
Film and TV actor, Michael Constantine, passed away in August at the age of 94. While he is most known for his role in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," he also starred in many TV roles on shows like "The Untouchables," "The Twilight Zone," and "Perry Mason."
Lee "Scratch" Perry - 85
Reggae and dub legend Lee "Scratch" Perry passed away in August at 85 years old. He began his career in the 1950s. He was a notable producer and artist who worked with artists like Bob Marley, the Beastie Boys, and The Clash.
Joseph "Dusty" Hill - 72
Bassist for ZZ Top, Joseph "Dusty" Hill passed away in July at the age of 72. In the late '70s the band was one of the country's top concerts.
Joey Jordison - 46
Joey Jordison was a co-founder and the original drummer for Slipknot. He died in July at the young age of 46. He played drums and co-wrote songs for the band until he left the group in 2013.
Frankie Lons - 61
Reality star and mother to singer Keyshia Cole, Frankie Lons died in July of an overdose. During her life, she starred on four different BET reality shows where she was open about her struggle with addiction.
John Langley - 78
Creator of "Cops," John Langley, passed in June at 78. He was in an off-road race when he suffered a heart attaack which led to his death.
Lisa Banes - 65
Lisa Banes was tragically killed in June after a hit-and-run accident in NYC at the age of 65. She starred in "Gone Girl" and "The Orville," and she also worked on stage plays as well, like "Present Laughter" and "High Society."
Arlene Golonka - 85
Arlene Golonka was an accomplished starlet from the late 1960s to the 1990s. She appeared on many shows including "The Rookies," "M*A*S*H," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Maude," and "One Day At A Time."
Samuel E. Wright - 74
Samuel E. Wright, an accomplished actor and voice actor, died in 2021 after a three-year-long battle with cancer. His most iconic role was in voice acting where he played Sebastian the Crab in Disney's "The Little Mermaid."
Dean Stockwell - 85
Dean Stockwell, who starred in "Quantum Leap," passed away in November at the age of 85. He had a long Hollywood career, and was nominated for four Emmys and won a Golden Globe for his performance as Admiral Al Calavicci on "Quantum Leap," which aired from 1989 to 1993.