LOS ANGELES — There were a number of notable deaths in 2024, from celebrities with long, award-winning careers to those whose lives were tragically cut short.
This year, we bid farewell to the voice of Darth Vader, a co-founder of the Grateful Dead, the “Say Hey Kid,” and a member of One Direction.
For a list of notable or famous people who died in 2024, take a look at the photo gallery above and learn more about each person below:
Judith Jamison
Born May 10, 1943 | Died Nov. 9, 2024
Judith Jamison was an acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and former artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Known for her role in “Cry” and her visionary leadership, she elevated the company to global prominence, blending ballet, jazz, and modern dance to celebrate African American culture. Her work earned her numerous accolades, including a Kennedy Center Honor and the National Medal of Arts. She died at the age of 81.
Quincy Jones
Born March 14, 1933 | Died Nov. 3, 2024
Producer, composer and performer Quincy Jones worked at Mercury Records and A&M Records before starting his own record label, Qwest, in 1980. He won an Emmy Award in 1977 for music on the TV show “Roots.” He produced Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album in 1982 and organized the “We Are The World” recording in 1985. Jones founded Vibe Magazine in 1993. In 1995, Jones won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscars. He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2001 and a National Medal of the Arts in 2011. Out of 75 Grammy Award nominations, he won 28 times. He died on Nov. 3 at the age of 91.
Teri Garr
Born Dec. 11, 1944 | Died Oct. 29, 2024
Teri Garr, the actress who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie,” has died at 79. Garr early on appeared on TV shows including “Star Trek,” “Dr. Kildare” and “Batman,” and was a featured dancer on TV and in films. Other standout roles included “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Mr. Mom,” and a recurring role as Phoebe’s mom on “Friends.” Garr died of multiple sclerosis. She battled other health problems in recent years and underwent surgery in January 2007 to repair an aneurysm. She died on Oct. 29.
Phil Lesh
Born March 15, 1940 | Died Oct. 25, 2024
Bass player Phil Lesh co-founded the Grateful Dead in 1965. Lesh was credited as a co-writer on such hits are “Truckin,” and “Box of Rain.” After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Lesh went on to play with other groups like The Dead, as well as his own band, Phil Lesh & Friends. In 2005, he released a memoir, “Searching for Sound: My Life With The Grateful Dead.” The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2024. Phil Lesh died on Oct. 25, at the age of 84.
Liam Payne
Born Aug. 29, 1993 | Died Oct. 16, 2024
Liam Payne rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction. The band released five albums and won numerous awards, including six Billboard Music Awards, seven Brit Awards, seven American Music Awards and 28 Teen Choice Awards. Payne’s first solo single “Strip That Down” peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, being certified platinum in both countries. His debut album, LP1, was released in December 2019. Payne died Oct. 16 after falling from his hotel room in Buenos Aires. He was 31.
Ethel Kennedy
Born April 11, 1928 | Died Oct. 9, 2024
Ethel Kennedy, widow of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and mother to their 11 children, was a constant presence in America’s most famous political family and one marked by tragedy. She worked on campaigns for her brother-in-law, John F. Kennedy, and was at pivotal events such as the McCarthy hearings, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the civil rights movement. After the assassination of her husband in 1968, she founded the nonprofit Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Kennedy died Oct. 9. She was 96.
Cissy Houston
Born Sept. 30, 1933 | Died Oct. 7, 2024
Cissy Houston was a Grammy-winning singer and the mother of Whitney Houston. She began her career as part of a gospel act before breaking through in popular music in the 1960s as a member of the prominent backing group “The Sweet Inspirations” with Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warwick. Houston would go on to sing with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and many others. Houston died Oct. 7 while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. She was 91.
Pete Rose
Born April 14, 1941 | Died Sept. 30, 2024
Pete Rose was a professional baseball player who played predominantly with the Cincinnati Reds during his 24-year career in MLB. During his time as a player, he held the records for most career hits, games played, plate appearances and at-bats. He was a 17-time All-Star and was MVP in 1973. His career was tarnished in the 1980s when it emerged he had been betting on baseball, including the Reds, a team he was managing at the time. He was banned for life from MLB and ineligible for induction into the Hall of Fame despite his resume. He was 83.
Dikembe Mutombo
Born June 25, 1966 | Died Sept. 30, 2024
Dikembe Mutombo played 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for such teams as the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets. He was an eight-time NBA All-Star and won NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times. Mutombo retired in 2009 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, which focused on improving the lives of people in the Congo; in 2007, his foundation opened a 170-bed hospital in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital. He also worked with the Special Olympics International and UNICEF. Dikembe Mutombo died on Sept. 30, at the age of 58.
Gavin Creel
Born April 18, 1976 | Died Sept. 30, 2024
Gavin Creel was a beloved actor, singer and lyricist. He first appeared on Broadway in his breakout role as Jimmy Smith in “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” a role that earned him his first Tony Award nomination. His second nomination came for his role in “Hair” and his first win came in 2017 for his role in “Hello, Dolly!” He won a Laurence Olivier Award for his role in “The Book of Mormon.” In 2023, he earned a Grammy for his work in “Into the Woods.” He was 48.
Kris Kristofferson
Born June 22, 1936 | Died Sept. 28, 2024
Kris Kristofferson was more than just a country music icon and formidable actor, he was also a Rhodes scholar, Army veteran and Golden Gloves boxer. However, he’s most known for his roles in “Blade” and “A Star is Born,” which won him a Golden Globe. His musical talent included the hits “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” which earned him his first CMA Award for song of the year. Alongside friend Johnny Cash, he formed the supergroup The Highwaymen, which also included Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. He was 88.
Maggie Smith
Born Dec. 28, 1934 | Died Sept. 27, 2024
Maggie Smith performed in theater, movies and television during her over 60-year career. Having appeared in more than 50 films, Smith is known for her roles in the “Harry Potter” films and “Downton Abbey.” In addition to winning two Academy Awards, Smith earned five BAFTA Awards, four Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, five Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Tony Award. In 1990, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Smith died on Sept. 27. She was 89.
James Earl Jones
Born Jan. 17, 1931 | Died Sept. 9, 2024
James Earl Jones debuted in the movie “Dr. Strangelove” in 1964, and went on to appear in “Coming To America” in 1988, and “Field of Dreams” in 1989. Jones won a Tony in 1968 for his performance in “The Great White Hope,” and another for “Fences” in 1987. In 1991, he won two Emmys for “Gabriel Bird,” and “Junius Jackson.” Jones has voiced the roles of “Star Wars” character Darth Vader since 1977, and Mufasa in “The Lion King” in 1994. He was awarded a Kennedy Center honor in 1996 and a Tony for Lifetime Achievement in 2017. Jones died on Sept. 9. He was 93.
John Amos
Born Dec. 27, 1939 | Died Aug. 21, 2024
Actor John Amos starred in the hit TV show “Good Times,” which aired from 1974 to 1976, and in the iconic 1977 miniseries “Roots.” His movie credits include “Let’s Do It Again,” “Coming To America,” and “Die Hard 2.” More recently he appeared in the TV series “The West Wing,” and the movies “Uncut Gems” in 2019, “Coming 2 America,” in 2021, and “Block Party,” in 2022. John Amos died on Aug. 21, at the age of 84.
Phil Donahue
Born Dec. 21, 1935 | Died Aug. 18, 2024
Famed TV talk show host Phil Donahue was known for “The Phil Donahue Show,” which aired for nearly 30 years. Donahue began his career as a local TV reporter in his native Ohio. He earned 20 career Emmy Awards for “Donahue” and, in 1992, the Television Academy inducted him into its Hall of Fame. In 1980, he was awarded a personal Peabody Award. In May 2024, Donahue was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden. He died on Aug. 18 at age 88.
Gena Rowlands
Born June 19, 1930 | Died Aug. 14, 2024
Actress Gena Rowlands made her TV debut in 1954. After years of working in television, she started making movies, most notably, “Woman Under The Influence” in 1974, and “Gloria” in 1980. Throughout her career, she won two Golden Globes and four Emmy Awards. She also received an honorary Academy Award in 2016. More recently, she appeared in the 2004 hit movie “The Notebook” as well as TV shows such as “Monk” and “NCIS.” Gena Rowlands died on Aug. 14, at the age of 96.
Bob Newhart
Born Sept. 5, 1929 | July 18, 2024
Bob Newhart released “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” in 1960. It went on to become the first comedy album to reach number one on the Billboard charts. It also garnered him two Grammys, one for Album of the Year and one for Best New Artist. In 1961, his TV variety show “The Bob Newhart Show” ran for only one season, but earned him an Emmy and a Peabody. His TV sitcom “The Bob Newhart Show” ran from 1972-1978, and his sitcom “Newhart” ran from 1982-1990. He won an Emmy in 2013 for his recurring role in “The Big Bang Theory.” Bob Newhart died on July 18, at the age of 94.
Shannen Doherty
Born April 12, 1971 | Died July 13, 2024
Actress Shannen Doherty, best-known for her roles on TV’s “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed” series. Doherty began acting as a child but became a household name in the early 90s with her role as the bright-eyed Brenda Walsh in the Aaron Spelling-produced hit teen television drama “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Doherty also appeared in movies like “Heathers,” “Mallrats,” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” She returned to TV in another Spelling-helmed light drama series, “Charmed,” as good witch Prue Halliwell. Shannen Doherty lost her battle with cancer and died on July 13, at the age of 53.
Richard Simmons
Born 1943 | Died July 13, 2024
Richard Simmons was a fitness personality who, after going through his own weight-loss journey, wanted to motivate others. He opened a gym in Los Angeles in 1974 and released popular workout videos, such as “Sweatin’ To The Oldies.” He appeared on the soap opera “General Hospital,” and starred in his own TV series, “The Richard Simmons Show,” which went on to win four Daytime Emmy Awards. Simmons was the author of nine books, including an autobiography, released in 1998. He was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2006. Richard Simmons died on July 13, at the age of 76.
Dr. Ruth – Karola Ruth Westheimer
Born June 4, 1928 | Died July 12, 2024
Karola Ruth Westheimer, known as Dr. Ruth, was hired for a weekly 15-minute radio show called “Sexually Speaking,” in 1980. The show became so successful that it was expanded to an hour and became the most popular radio show in NY by 1983. That same year, her book, “Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Good Sex,” was published. She went on to publish more than 40 books. She hosted a self-titled TV series from 1984 to 1991. She held fellowships at Yale, Princeton and the NY Academy of Medicine. In 2019, a Hulu original documentary was released called “Ask Dr. Ruth.”
Shelley Duvall
Born July 7, 1949 | Died July 11, 2024
Shelley Duvall is best known for starring in Robert Altman’s “Nashville” and “3 Women,” and in Stanley Kubrick’s horror opus “The Shining.” She won the Cannes best actress award for her role in “3 Women” and later won a Peabody for producing and hosting the children’s anthology series “Faerie Tale Theatre.” Duvall was a regular figure of Altman’s, having appeared in seven of the director’s films, beginning with 1970’s “Brewster McCloud,” which was her first film role, and most famously in 1975’s “Nashville.” She was 75.
Jon Landau
Born July 23, 1960 | Died July 5, 2024
Producer Jon Landau worked at 20th Century Fox studios in the 1990s, producing films such as “Die Hard 2” and “True Lies.” He began working with filmmaker James Cameron and produced “Titanic,” which won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1995 and was the first film to surpass $1 billion at the box office. Landau also produced “Avatar” in 2009 and “Avatar: The Way of Water” in 2022. Jon Landau died at the age of 63.
Robert Towne
Born Nov. 23, 1934 | Died July 1, 2024
Robert Towne wrote the screenplay for the movie “The Last Detail,” in 1973. His next movie, 1974’s “Chinatown,” won an Academy Award, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for best screenplay. He also wrote such files as “Shampoo,” “Days of Thunder,” “Mission: Impossible” and “Mission: Impossible II.” More recently, he wrote for the TV series, “Mad Men,” which won a Writers Guild of America award for best drama series in 2016. Robert Towne died on July 1, at the age of 89.
Martin Mull
Born Aug. 18, 1943 | Died June 27, 2024
Actor Martin Mull first appeared on TV in the late 1970s in “Mary Hartman Mary Hartman” and “Fernwood Tonight.” He also appeared in such movies as “Clue,” “The Player” and “Mr. Write.” In the 1990s he appeared on the hit TV series, “Roseanne,” and was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2016 for his role in the TV series, “Veep.” More recently he had recurring roles on TV in “Arrested Development,” “The Cool Kids,” and “The Ranch.” Martin Mull died on June 27, at the age of 80.
Bill Cobbs
Born June 16, 1934 | Died June 25, 2024
Bill Cobbs made his big screen debut in 1974 in “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.” He appeared in “The Bodyguard” and “Air Bud,” but he was perhaps best known for his role as Reginald in the 2006 movie “Night at the Museum” and the 2014 sequel “Night at The Museum: Secret of the Tomb.” He was also in many TV shows, including “The Slap Maxwell Story,” “The Others,” and “Go On.” In 2020, Cobbs won an Emmy award for his role in the series “Dino Dana.” More recently, he appeared in the 2023 miniseries, “Incandescent Love.” Bill Cobbs died on June 25, at the age of 90.
Donald Sutherland
Born July 17, 1935 | Died June 20, 2024
Donald Sutherland’s big break came when he starred in the 1970 movie comedy “M*A*S*H.” Other films included the 1978 remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and the Oscar-winning 1980 drama “Ordinary People.” He won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the 1995 miniseries “Citizen X,” and a Golden Globe in 2003 for the movie “Path to War.” He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2017. More recently, he appeared in “The Hunger Games” film series, and in the TV miniseries “Lawman: Bass Reeves.” Donald Sutherland died on June 20, at the age of 88.
Willie Mays
Born May 6 1931 | Died June 18, 2024
Willie Mays, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, began his career at the age of 16, playing in the Negro Leagues for the Birmingham Black Barons. During his illustrious career, he had 660 home runs, earned 12 Golden Gloves for fielding, and played in the All-Star Game 24 times. Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979. A statue of Mays was dedicated at 24 Willie Mays Plaza in San Francisco in 2000. Mays was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Willie Mays died on June 18, at the age of 93.
Bill Walton
Born Nov. 5, 1952 | Died May 27, 2024
Basketball player and sportscaster Bill Walton was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft. He would go on to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to an NBA championship in 1977 and was named MVP. In 1986, as a member of the Boston Celtics, he won his second NBA championship. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. After retiring in 1990, he became a basketball commentator. Walton died from cancer on May 27. He was 71.
Dabney Coleman
Born Jan. 3, 1932 | Died May 16, 2024
Perhaps best known for his role as the boss in the movie “9 to 5,” Dabney Coleman also had supporting roles in the hit movies “Tootsie” and “You’ve Got Mail.” He appeared in TV shows such as “The Fugitive,” “Bonanza,” and, more recently, “Boardwalk Empire,” for which he won two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Coleman won an Emmy in 1987 for the TV movie “Sworn To Silence.” He won a Golden Globe in 1988 for his starring role in the TV series, “The Slap Maxwell Story.” He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014. Coleman died on May 16 at the age of 92.
Roger Corman
Born April 5, 1926 | Died May 9, 2024
Roger Corman was known as the “King of the B’s” for directing a string of low-budget B movies in the 1950s and 1960s, including such movies as “Attack of the Crab Monsters,” “The Wasp Woman,” and “Bucket of Blood.” As a producer, Corman was known for spotting talent, giving first-directing jobs to Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, and Peter Bogdanovich. In 1991, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Corman was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2009.
O.J. Simpson
Born July 9, 1947 | Died April 10, 2024
O.J. Simpson, the former football great who was accused of and ultimately acquitted of the brutal 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, died on April 10, according to his family. He was 76.
Louis Gossett Jr.
Born May 27, 1936 | Died March 29, 2024
Actor Louis Gossett Jr. is most known for his role in the 1982 film, “An Officer and a Gentleman,” a role that earned him a Golden Globe and a best supporting actor Oscar. He was the first African American actor to win in the category. His other awards include a Primetime Emmy for “Roots” and two Daytime Emmys. Gossett started acting in high school while sitting out with a basketball injury. His first acclaimed stage role was alongside Sidney Poitier in “A Raisin in the Sun.” The role led him to Hollywood, where he starred in the film version. He was 87.
Joe Lieberman
Born Feb. 24, 1942 | Died March 27, 2024
In 1983 to 1988, Joe Lieberman served as the Connecticut Attorney General after serving 10 years in the state’s senate. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1989 and served for 24 years. Al Gore chose him as a presidential running mate for the Democratic ticket in 2000. Lieberman made another try for the White House in 2004, seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, but dropped out after the early primaries. Lieberman retired in 2012. A Democrat-turned-independent, he also was the founding chair of the group No Labels. Joe Lieberman died on March 27, 2024, at the age of 82.
Steve Lawrence
Born July 8, 1935 | Died March 7, 2024
Steve Lawrence released his first album in 1953. He married singer Edyie Gorme in 1957 and they formed an act, often billed as “Steve and Edyie.” They performed together for over 50 years. He maintained a solo career, and his song “Go Away Little Girl” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. Lawrence was nominated for a Tony Award in 1964 for his role in the musical “What Makes Sammy Run?” He also guest starred on such TV shows as “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Nanny” and had a role in the 1980 movie “The Blues Brothers.” Steve Lawrence died on March 7, 2024, at the age of 88.
Alexei Navalny
Born June 4, 1976 | Died Feb. 16, 2024
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was a lawyer when he started his political career in 2000, joining the Yabloko party. In 2011, he formed the Anti-Corruption Foundation. In 2013, Navalny ran for mayor of Moscow and won 27% of the votes. He announced his run for the Russian presidency in 2016 but was banned from running. In 2020, he was on a flight when he fell ill. He was flown to Germany where it was discovered that he had been poisoned with a nerve agent. When he returned to Russia in 2021, he was arrested and remained imprisoned until his death on Feb. 16, 2024.
Toby Keith
Born July 8, 1961 | Died Feb. 5, 2024
Toby Keith released his first album in 1993, which was RIAA-certified platinum. The hit single from that album, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” went to number one on the Billboard Country Songs chart. This was the first of Keith’s 20 Billboard No. 1 songs, along with “How Do You Like Me Now?!” and “Beer for My Horses.” He won three AMA Awards and three CMA Awards, as well as 12 ACM Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 2002 and 2003. Keith was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015 and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2021. Toby Keith died on Feb. 5 at the age of 62.
Carl Weathers
Born Jan. 14, 1948 | Died Feb. 2, 2024
After playing for the Oakland Raiders for two seasons, Carl Weathers retired from pro football in 1974 to pursue acting. In 1975, Weathers guest-starred in TV shows, such as “Good Times” and “S.W.A.T.” His breakout role came in 1976 when he played Apollo Creed in the movie “Rocky.” He would reprise that role in three “Rocky” sequels. He starred in the movie “Predator” in 1987 and “Action Jackson” in 1988. He did voice acting in “Toy Story 4,” and “Toy Story of Terror.” Weathers later starred in the hit streaming series “The Mandalorian.” Carl Weathers died on Feb. 2, at the age of 76.
Charles Osgood
Born Jan. 8, 1933 | Died Jan. 23, 2024
In 1967, Charles Osgood became a reporter for WCBS radio. He launched “The Osgood File,” a radio show in 1971. Osgood was also an accomplished musician. He co-wrote a song with John Cacavas called “Gallant Man,” which went on to win a Grammy in 1968. He began anchoring “CBS Sunday Morning” TV show in 1994 and remained on the show until he retired in 2016. Over the years, he won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Morning Program and three Peabody Awards. He continued with “The Osgood File,” on CBS radio until 2017. Charles Osgood died on Jan. 23, at the age of 91.
Norman Jewison
Born Ju.y 21, 1926 | Died Jan. 20, 2024
Norman Jewison began his career in 1952 directing television shows. He made the switch to feature films and went on to direct such iconic movies as “Fiddler on The Roof,” “In The Heat of the Night,” and “Moonstruck.” He received an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1999. In 2004, Jewison published an autobiography, “This Terrible Business Has Been Good To Me.” He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America in 2010. Norman Jewison died on Jan. 20, at the age of 97.
David Soul
Born Aug. 28, 1943 | Died Jan. 4, 2024
Actor David Soul is best known for his role as one-half of the ’70s buddy cop duo “Starsky & Hutch.” He played Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the television series that ran from 1975 to 1979. Soul would later reprise his role alongside partner Paul Michael Glaser in the 2004 big-screen remake starring Owen Wilson as Hutch and Ben Still as Starsky. Outside of acting, Soul was also a chart-topping singer who reached #1 on the Billboard charts with “Don’t Give Up on Us” and “Silver Lady.” He was 80.
Glynis Johns
Born Oct. 5, 1923 | Died Jan. 4, 2024
British actress Glynis Johns has appeared in over 60 films in a career spanning eight decades. Her most notable role came as Mrs. Banks opposite Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins.” Throughout her career, she received several nominations and awards including a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her role in “A Little Night Music.” Her TV roles included appearances on “Cheers,” “Murder She Wrote” and “The Love Boat.” Johns died at her home of natural causes. She was 100.
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