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Celebrity Deaths in 2016: The List 1/1/16-12/30/16 10am


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POP CULTURE
 
2016: YEAR IN REVIEW
 

Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Some of the Many Famous Figures We Lost This Year

 

The world lost superstar musicians, stars of stage and screen, some of the greatest athletes of all time and larger-than-life political figures in 2016. 

Here's a look at some of the many famous figures who passed away this year. Click through to read full obituaries. 

Pat Harrington Jr. 

Pat Harrington Jr., 86, the actor and comedian who in the 1950s got attention as a member of Steve Allen's fabled TV comic troupe and decades later as Dwayne Schneider, the cocky handyman on the long-running sitcom "One Day at a Time," died on Jan. 6.

Image: "One Day At A Time" cast members
 
Courtesy Everett Collection

David Bowie 

David Bowie, 69, the other-worldly musician who broke pop and rock boundaries with his creative musicianship that spanned six decades, striking visuals and a genre-spanning persona he christened Ziggy Stardust, died on Jan. 10.

Image: David Bowie’s work was celebrated in a 2013 retrospective at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum
 
Terry O'Neill / Getty Images Contributor

René Angélil 

Rene Angelil, 73, Celine Dion's husband and manager, who molded her from a French-speaking Canadian ingénue into one of the world's most successful singers, died on Jan. 14.

83rd Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
 
Ethan Miller / Getty Images, file

Alan Rickman 

Alan Rickman, 69, the classically-trained British stage star and sensual screen villain in the "Harry Potter" saga, "Die Hard" and other films, died on Jan. 14.

Image: Alan Rickman dies at 69
 
ANDREW COWIE / EPA

Dan Haggerty 

Dan Haggerty, 74, the rugged, bearded actor who starred in the film and TV series "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams," died on Jan. 15.

Dan Haggerty
 
Dan Steinberg / AP file

Glenn Frey 

Glenn Frey, 67, the rock 'n' roll rebel who co-founded the Eagles and helped write such hits as "Hotel California" and "Life in the Fast Lane," died on Jan. 18.

Image: Glenn Frey of the Eagles performs on stage
 
Gus Stewart / Redferns

Abe Vigoda 

Abe Vigoda, 94, the character actor whose leathery, sad-eyed face made him ideal for playing the over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series "Barney Miller" and the doomed Mafia soldier in "The Godfather," died on Jan. 26.

Image: Abe Vigoda
 
Evan Agostini / Getty Images file

Paul Kantner 

Paul Kantner, 74, the founding member of Jefferson Airplane who stayed with the seminal band through its transformation from 1960s hippies to 1970s hit makers as the eventual leader of successor group Jefferson Starship, died on Jan. 28.

Image: FILE: Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane, Has Died At 74 The Heroes of Woodstock Perform At Route 66
 
Steve Snowden / Getty Images Contributor, file

Joe Alaskey 

Joe Alaskey, 63, a prolific voice actor best known for portraying Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and other beloved "Looney Tunes" characters, died on Feb. 3.

Image: Joe Alaskey
 
Lee Roth / Star Max via AP Images

Maurice White 

Maurice White, 74, the Earth, Wind & Fire founder whose horn-driven band sold more than 90 million albums, died on Feb. 3.

Maurice White
 
AP

Dave Mirra 

Dave Mirra, 41, a legend of BMX racing who held the record for the most career medals in the X Games for many years and hosted MTV's "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" for two seasons, died on Feb 4.

Image: Dave Mirra
 
Gerry Broome / AP, file

Edgar Mitchell 

Edgar Mitchell, 85, the Apollo 14 astronaut who became the sixth man on the moon when he and Alan Shepard helped NASA recover from Apollo 13's "successful failure," died on Feb. 4.

Apollo 14 astronaut Ed Mitchell, December 1970.
 
SSPL via Getty Images file

Vanity 

Denise Katrina Matthews, 57, better known as Prince protege Vanity who sang in girl band Vanity 6 and appeared in the films "The Last Dragon" and "Action Jackson," died on Feb. 15.

Image: Vanity known as Denise Matthews
 
Ron Wolfson / Courtesy Everett Collection

Antonin Scalia 

Antonin Scalia, 79, an influential conservative and most provocative member of the U.S. Supreme Court, died on Feb. 13.

Image: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 2010
 
KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters

George Gaynes 

George Gaynes, 89, who portrayed an irritable foster parent on the '80s sitcom "Punky Brewster," the bewildered commandant in seven "Police Academy" films and a soap opera star with a crush on Dustin Hoffman's character in drag, in the hit feature comedy "Tootsie," died on Feb. 15.

Punky Brewster
 
Gary Null / NBC

Boutros Boutros-Ghali 

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, 93, the veteran Egyptian diplomat who helped negotiate his country's landmark peace deal with Israel but clashed with the U.S. when he served a single term as U.N. secretary-general, died on Feb. 16. 

Image: Former UN secretary general Boutros Boutros-Ghali is dead
 
SERGEI SUPINSKY / EPA

Angela "Big Ang" Raiola 

Angela "Big Ang" Raiola, 55, the raspy-voiced bar owner who gained fame on the reality TV series "Mob Wives," died on Feb. 18.

Image: Angela Raiola, Big Ang
 
Charles Sykes / AP

Harper Lee 

Harper Lee, 89, the elusive novelist whose child's-eye view of racial injustice in a small Southern town, "To Kill a Mockingbird," became standard reading for millions of young people and an Oscar-winning film, died on Feb. 19.

Image: Bush Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom
 
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Umberto Eco 

Umberto Eco, 84, the Italian author who intrigued, puzzled and delighted readers worldwide with his best-selling historical novel "The Name of the Rose," died on Feb. 19.

Image: DOUNIAMAG-ITALY-LITERATURE-ECO-FILES
 
GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP - Getty Images

Sonny James 

Sonny James, 87, the country singer who recorded romantic ballads like "Young Love" and turned pop songs into country hits, died on Feb. 22.

Sonny James
 
Mark Humphrey / AP

Tony Burton 

Tony Burton, 78, who played Apollo Creed's inspirational boxing trainer in the "Rocky" franchise after his own glory days as a young prizefighter, died on Feb. 25.

Image: FILE: Actor Tony Burton Dies At 78
 
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

George Kennedy 

George Kennedy, 91, the hulking, tough-guy actor who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a savage chain-gang convict in the 1960s classic "Cool Hand Luke," died on Feb. 28.

George Kennedy
 
Yvonne Hemsey / Getty Images

Lee Reherman 

Lee Reherman, 49, the former Ivy League football star who shot to fame as the towering, muscular Hawk on the popular 1990s television show "American Gladiators," died on March 1.

Derby Prelude Party
 
Michael Kovac / WireImage

Joey Feek 

Joey Feek, 40, who with her husband, Rory, formed the award-winning country duo Joey + Rory, died on March 4.

Rory Feek's tribute to his daughter, Indiana, who was born with Down syndrome
 
Joey + Rory / YouTube

Pat Conroy 

Pat Conroy, 70, the author of "The Great Santini," ''The Prince of Tides" and other best-sellers, whose novels drew upon his bruising childhood and the vistas of South Carolina, died on March 4.

Image: Pat Conroy
 
Getty Images

Nancy Reagan 

Nancy Reagan, 94, an actress who became one of the most high-profile and influential first ladies of the 20th century as the wife of President Ronald Reagan, died on March 6.

Image: Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan aboard a boat in California, August 1964.
 
Reagan Presidential Library

George Martin 

George Martin, 90, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, died on March 8.

Image: George Martin poses next to a poster of the Beatles
 
Rob Verhorst / Redferns

Keith Emerson 

Keith Emerson, 71, founder and keyboardist of the progressive-rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer, died on March 11.

160311-emerson-lake-palmer-mn-1930_1da70
 
Alan Messer / REX via AP

Frank Sinatra Jr 

Frank Sinatra Jr., 72, who carried on his father's legacy with his own music career and whose kidnapping as a young man added a bizarre chapter to his father's legendary life, died on March 16.

Image: FILE: Frank Sinatra Jr. Dies At 72
 
Charley Gallay / Getty Images

Bob Ebeling 

Bob Ebeling, 89, the booster rocket engineer who spent decades filled with guilt over not stopping the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, died on March 21. 

160324-bob-ebeling-mn-1700_5161f40c9de9c
 
Courtesy of Leslie Serna

Phife Dawg 

Phife Dawg, 45, the lyricist whose witty wordplay was a linchpin of the groundbreaking hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, died on March 22. 

Image: FILE: Phife Dawg Dies At 45
 
Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images File

Rob Ford 

Rob Ford, 46, the pugnacious, populist former mayor of Toronto whose career crashed in a drug-driven, obscenity-laced debacle, died on March 22. 

Image: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford
 
Aaron Vincent Elkaim / Getty Images, file

Joe Garagiola 

Joe Garagiola, 90, the former former TODAY anchor and baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and New York Giants, died on March 23.

Image: Joe Garagiola, Ken Kendrick, Derrick Hall
 
Ross D. Franklin / AP

Garry Shandling 

Garry Shandling, 66, the actor and comedian who masterminded a brand of phony docudrama with "The Larry Sanders Show," died on March 24.

Image: Garry Shandling stars in the acclaimed comedy series THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW
 
Darryl Estrine / Courtesy of HBO

Jim Harrison 

Jim Harrison, 78, the fiction writer, poet, outdoorsman and reveler who enjoyed mainstream success in middle age with his historical saga "Legends of the Fall," died on March 26.

IMAGE: Jim Harrison
 
State Library of Michigan

Mother Mary Angelica 

Mother Mary Angelica, 92, the folksy Roman Catholic nun who used a monastery garage to begin the Catholic TV powerhouse EWTN, died on March 27. 

IMAGE: Mother Angelica in 1999
 
AP

Patty Duke 

Patty Duke, 69, who won an Oscar as a teen for playing Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker," then maintained a long career while battling personal demons, died on March 29.

Image: Patty Duke
 
AP

Erik Bauersfeld 

Erik Bauersfeld, 93, who turned three words from a minor acting role — "It's a trap!" — into one of the most beloved lines of the "Star Wars" series, died on April 3.

Merle Haggard 

Merle Haggard, 79, the country giant who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs and an abiding sense of national pride in such hits as "Okie From Muskogee" and "Sing Me Back Home," died on April 6.

Image: Merle Haggard
 
Owen Sweeney / AP

David Gest 

David Gest, 62, a music producer, reality TV star and former husband of Liza Minnelli, died on April 12.

Image: File photograph of Liza Minnelli and David Gest arriving for their wedding reception in New York
 
CHIP EAST / Reuters

Doris Roberts 

Doris Roberts, 90, who played the tart-tongued, endlessly meddling mother on "Everybody Loves Raymond," died on April 17.

Image: Actress Doris Roberts and Host Ray Romano
 
Jason Merritt / Getty Images for IMF, file

Les Waas 

Les Waas, 94, the advertising legend behind the Mister Softee jingle heard in hundreds of ice cream trucks for more than half a century, died on April 19.

Image: Mister Softee Les Waas
 
Broadcast Pioneers

Chyna 

Chyna, 46, the tall, muscle-bound, raven-haired pro-wrestler who rocketed to popularity in the 1990s and later made the rounds on reality TV, died on April 20.

Image: "Chyna" Joanie Laurer
 
Chyna / Facebook

Prince 

Prince, 57, one of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times with hits including "Little Red Corvette," ''Let's Go Crazy" and "When Doves Cry," died on April 21.

ss-160421-prince-mn-10_26a37350eea7018e4
 
Liu Heung Shing / AP

Michelle McNamara 

Michelle McNamara, a crime writer and founder of the website True Crime Diary married to comedian Patton Oswalt, died on April 21.

"Young Adult" Los Angeles Premiere - Arrivals
 
Gregg DeGuire / FilmMagic

Isabelle Dinoire 

Isabelle Dinoire, 49, the French woman who received the world's first partial face transplant, died on April 22. 

Image:
 
MICHEL SPINGLER / AP

Papa Wemba 

Papa Wemba, 66, known around the world as "the king of Congolese rumba," died on April 24.

Image: FILES-FRANCE-CONGO-MUSIC-WEMBA-OBIT
 
PIERRE VERDY / AFP - Getty Images

Billy Paul 

Billy Paul, 80, the jazz and soul singer best known for the hit ballad and "Philadelphia Soul" classic "Me and Mrs. Jones," died on April 24

IMAGE: Billy Paul
 
Billy Paul Productions Inc.

Afeni Shakur Davis 

Afeni Shakur Davis, 69, the former Black Panther who inspired the work of her son, rap icon Tupac Shakur, and fostered his legacy for decades after he was slain, died on May 2.

Image: Afeni Shakur
 
Tim Goodwin / Star Max via AP Images

Jane Little 

Jane Little, 87, who at under five feet tall played the double bass for 71 consecutive years which earned her the Guinness World Record as the world's longest serving symphony player, died on May 15.

jane_little_8bfca78848606ebc638aaacd8869
 
 

Emilio Navaira 

Emilio Navaira, 53, the Grammy award winner, who with Selena was known as the king of Tejano music to her queen, died on May 16.

Photo of Emilio Navaira
 
@EmilioNavaira on Twitter

Guy Clark 

Guy Clark, 74, the Texas singer-songwriter who helped mentor a generation of songwriters and wrote hits like "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting for a Train," died on May 17.

2012 Americana Awards & Honors Show
 
Erika Goldring / Getty Images

Morley Safer 

Morley Safer, 84, the veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent who exposed a military atrocity in Vietnam that played an early role in changing Americans' view of the war, died on May 19.

Image: Morley Safer
 
Seth Wenig / AP file

Alan Young 

Alan Young, 96, the actor-comedian who played the amiable straight man to a talking horse in the 1960s sitcom "Mister Ed," died on May 19.

Image: Alan Young of "Mister Ed" died
 
AP, file

Nick Menza 

Nick Menza, 51, former drummer for the influential metal band Megadeth, died on May 21.

Image: Nick Menza with Megadeth members in 1997
 
Ethan Miller / Las Vegas Sun via AP

Muhammad Ali 

Muhammad Ali, 74, the silver-tongued boxer and civil rights champion who famously proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and then spent a lifetime living up to the billing, died on June 3.

Image: Muhammad Ali
 
Stanley Weston Archive via Getty Images

Kimbo Slice 

Kimbo Slice, 42, the bearded street fighter who parlayed his Internet popularity into a mixed martial arts career, died on June 6.

Image: MMA fighter Kimbo Slice
 
Brett Costello / Newspix/REX/Shutterstock

Theresa Saldana 

Theresa Saldana, 61, the "Raging Bull" actress who survived a stalker's brutal attack to become a crime victims' advocate and reclaimed her entertainment career with "The Commish" and other TV shows, died on June 6.

Theresa Saldana
 
AP

Gordie Howe 

Gordie Howe, 88, known as "Mr. Hockey," the rough-and-tumble Canadian farm boy whose blend of talent and toughness made him the NHL's quintessential star, died on June 10.

Image: Gordie Howe
 
Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press via AP file

Christina Grimmie 

Christina Grimmie, 22, the singer-songwriter and YouTuber who gained greater popularity on "The Voice," died on June 10.

Christina Grimmie
 
Robb Cohen/Invision/AP

Ron Lester 

Ron Lester, 45, who played no. 69 — the oversized offensive guard Billy Bob — in the 1999 high school football flick "Varsity Blues," died on June 17.

Image: The cast of Varsity Blues
 
Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

Anton Yelchin 

Anton Yelchin, 27, charismatic and rising actor best known for playing Chekov in the new "Star Trek" films, died on June 19

Cast member Yelchin poses during the photo call for the movie "Burying the ex" at the 71st Venice Film Festival
 
 

Ralph Stanley 

Ralph Stanley, 89, the godfather of traditional bluegrass music who found a new generation of fans late in life thanks to his Grammy-winning music for the 2000 movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" died on June 23.

Image: Ralph Stanley
 
EPA

Bernie Worrell 

Bernie Worrell, 72, the "Wizard of Woo" whose amazing array of keyboard sounds helped define the Parliament-Funkadelic musical empire and influenced performers of many genres, died on June 24.

Bernie Worrell
 
AP

Bill Cunningham 

Bill Cunningham, 87, the New York Times street-style photographer who for decades captured the fashions of everyday New Yorkers with the same zeal that he pursued celebrities and designers, died on June 25.

Bill Cunningham
 
Charles Sykes / Invision/AP file

Alvin Toffler 

Alvin Toffler, 87, a guru of the post-industrial age whose "Future Shock" and other books anticipated the disruptions and transformations brought about by the rise of digital technology, died on June 27.

IMAGE: Alvin Toffler in 1998
 
Paul Sakuma / AP

Buddy Ryan 

Buddy Ryan, a longtime coach who built perhaps the greatest defense in NFL history with the 1985 Bears, died on June 28.

Image: Former Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Buddy Ryan
 
Brian Garfinkel / AP, file

Scotty Moore 

Scotty Moore, 84, a pioneering rock guitarist best known for backing Elvis Presley as a member of his original band and into superstardom, died on June 28.

IMAGE: Scotty Moore in 2003
 
Judi Bottoni / AP

Pat Summitt 

Pat Summitt, 64, the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history who uplifted the women's game from obscurity to national prominence during her 38-year career at Tennessee, died on June 28.

Image: Basketball coach Pat Summitt dead at 64
 
Patrick Murphy-Racey / AP

Elie Wiesel 

Elie Wiesel, 87, the Romanian-born Holocaust survivor whose classic "Night" became a landmark testament to the Nazis' crimes and launched his career as one of the world's foremost witnesses and humanitarians, died on July 2.

160702-elie-wiesel-mdl_71bebf88d39ad3725
 
Bebeto Matthews / AP

Michael Cimino 

Michael Cimino, 77, the Oscar-winning director whose film "The Deer Hunter" became one of the great triumphs of Hollywood's 1970s heyday and whose disastrous "Heaven's Gate" helped bring that era to a close, died on July 2.

Image: FILE: Director Michael Cimino Dies At 77
 
Bruno Vigneron / Getty Images

Noel Neill 

Noel Neill, 95, the first actress to play Lois Lane — the intrepid journalist with a soft spot for Superman — in the 1948 movie serial "Superman," alongside Kirk Alyn, died on July 3.

Image: Superman (Kirk Alyn) saves Lois, (Noel Neil)
 
Everett Collection

Abbas Kiarostami 

Abbas Kiarostami, 76, Iranian director whose 1997 film "Taste of Cherry" won the prestigious Palme d'Or and who kept working despite government resistance, died on July 4.

Image: FILES-IRAN-CINEMA-KIAROSTAMI-OBIT
 
ERIC ESTRADE / AFP - Getty Images

Garry Marshall 

Garry Marshall, 81, the legendary writer and director who created the wildly popular television programs "Happy Days," "The Odd Couple," "Laverne & Shirley" and "Mork & Mindy," died on July 19.

Premiere Of Open Road Films' "Mother's Day" - Arrivals
 
Mat Hayward / Getty Images

Mark Takai 

Mark Takai, 49, the U.S. representative, war veteran and long-time legislator known for his bright nature and deep commitment to service, died on July 20. 

Image: Mark Takai
 
Marco Garcia / AP, file

Rev. Tim LaHaye 

Rev. Tim LaHaye, 90, the co-author of the "Left Behind" series, a multimillion-selling literary juggernaut that brought end-times prophecy into mainstream bookstores, died on July 25.

IMAGE: Tim LaHaye in 2004
 
Shane Bevel / AP

Miss Cleo 

Youree Del Cleomill Harris, 53, an actress who became famous playing the Jamaican psychic Miss Cleo, claiming to know callers' futures in ubiquitous TV infomercials and commercials, died on July 26.

160726-miss-cleo-youree-harris-mdl_7ec52
 
Youtube

David Huddleston 

David Huddleston, 85, a character actor best known for portraying titular roles in "The Big Lebowski" and "Santa Claus: The Movie," died on Aug. 2.

Image: FILE: Actor David Huddleston, Big Lebowski Star, Dies At 85
 
Bennett Raglin / Getty Images

Pete Fountain 

Pete Fountain, 86, a clarinetist whose Dixieland jazz virtuosity and wit endeared him to his native New Orleans and earned him national television fame, died on Aug. 6.

Image: Pete Fountain
 
Bill Haber / AP

Barry Jenner 

Barry Jenner, 75, the veteran character actor who rocketed into space as an admiral on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and made dozens of other TV appearances during a 40-plus year career, died on Aug. 8.

11th Annual Official Star Trek Convention
 
Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images

Kenny Baker 

Kenny Baker, 81, who played the lovable droid R2-D2 in the "Star Wars" films, achieving cult status and fans' adulation without showing his face or speaking any lines, died on Aug. 13. 

Kenny Baker
 
Joel Ryan / Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

Fyvush Finkel 

Fyvush Finkel, 93, the Emmy Award-winning actor whose career in stage and screen started in Yiddish theater and led to memorable roles in "Fiddler on the Roof" on Broadway and on TV in "Boston Public" and "Picket Fences," died on Aug. 14.

FYVUSH FINKEL
 
ASSOCIATED PRESS

John McLaughlin 

John McLaughlin, 89, the conservative commentator and host of a long-running television show that pioneered hollering-heads discussions of Washington politics, died on Aug. 16.

Capitol File Hosts White House Correspondents? Dinner After Party-Arrivals
 
Jason Kempin

Lou Pearlman 

Lou Pearlman, 62, the band boy mogul who launched the hit groups Backstreet Boys and 'NSync but was later sentenced to prison for a $300 million Ponzi and bank fraud scheme, died on Aug. 19.

Lou Pearlman
 
JOHN RAOUX / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Matt Roberts 

Matt Roberts, a guitarist and founding member of the rock band 3 Doors Down, died on Aug. 20.

Image: Matt Roberts
 
Rick Scuteri / AP

Toots Thielemans 

Toots Thielemans, 94, the Belgian harmonica player whose career included playing with jazz greats like Miles Davis and whose solos have figured on numerous film scores, died on Aug. 22.

Image: Toots Thielemans in performance in 2005
 
Rick Nederstigt / AFP - Getty Images

Steven Hill 

Steven Hill, 94, a versatile character actor in theater, films and television who achieved his greatest success late in life as grumpy District Attorney Adam Schiff on TV's long-running "Law & Order," died on Aug. 23.

Law & Order
 
NBC / NBC via Getty Images file

Sonia Rykiel 

Sonia Rykiel, 86, the French designer dubbed the "queen of knitwear" whose relaxed sweaters in berry-colored stripes and eye-popping motifs helped liberate women from stuffy suits, died on Aug. 25.

Sonia Rykiel
 
JEAN-PIERRE MULLER / AFP - Getty Images

Juan Gabriel 

Juan Gabriel, 66, the Mexican songwriter and singer who was an icon in the Latin music world, died on Aug. 28.

Image: US-MEXICO-MUSIC-JUAN GABRIEL-HEALTH-FILE
 
MARK RALSTON / AFP - Getty Images

Gene Wilder 

Gene Wilder, 83, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in "The Producers," the mad scientist of "Young Frankenstein," and the title character in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," died on Aug. 28.

Image: VARIOUS - 1979
 
STEVE WOOD/REX/Shutterstock / Shutterstock

Jon Polito 

Jon Polito, 65, the raspy-voiced actor whose 200-plus credits ranged from "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Modern Family" to the films "Barton Fink" and "The Big Lebowski," died on Sept. 1.

Image: Jon Polito
 
Matt Sayles / AP

Jerry Heller 

Jerry Heller, 75, the recording impresario who helped N.W.A. bring West Coast rap acts to worldwide fame, died on Sept. 2. 

Image: Jerry Heller
 
Jim Cooper / AP

Phyllis Schlafly 

Phyllis Schlafly, 92, an outspoken conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and founded the Eagle Forum political group, died on Sept. 5. 

Phyllis Schlafly
 
Associated Press

Lady Chablis 

Lady Chablis, 59, the transgender performer who became an unlikely celebrity for her role in the 1994 best-seller "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," died on Sept. 8.

MIDNIGHT IN SAVANNAH
 
The Savannah Morning News via AP file

Greta Zimmer Friedman 

Greta Zimmer Friedman, 92, the woman in an iconic photo shown kissing an ecstatic sailor celebrating the end of World War II by smooching a nurse in Times Square, died on Sept. 8.

A jubilant American sailor clutching a white-unifo
 
Alfred Eisenstaedt / Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Alexis Arqueete 

Alexis Arquette, 47, the pioneering transgender actress and member of the prominent Hollywood family, died on Sept. 11.

Image: Alexis Arquette in 2008
 
Matt Baron - BEI / Shutterstock

Edward Albee 

Edward Albee, 88, the three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who challenged theatrical convention in masterworks such as "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "A Delicate Balance," died on Sept. 16.

Slug: ST/Albee Date: 01.08.2009 Kevin Clark/The Washington P
 
Kevin Clark / Washington Post/Getty Images

W.P. Kinsella 

W.P. Kinsella, 81, the Canadian novelist who blended magical realism and baseball in the book that became the smash hit film "Field of Dreams," died on Sept. 16.

Kinsella
 
AP

Curtis Hanson 

Curtis Hanson, 71, who won a screenwriting Oscar for "L.A. Confidential" and directed the psychological thriller "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" and Eminem's tale of Detroit hip-hop "8 Mile," died on Sept. 20.

Image: 'Lucky You
 
Camilla Morandi/REX/Shutterstock / Shutterstock

Shawty Lo 

Carlos Walker, 40, an Atlanta rapper known by the stage name Shawty Lo who was named MySpace Music Rookie of the Year at the 2008 BET Hip-Hop Awards, died on Sept. 21.

4th Annual Street Execs Christmas Concert
 
Marcus Ingram / Getty Images

Bill Nunn 

Bill Nunn, 62, a veteran character actor who broke through in movies in the late 1980s, first in Spike Lee's "School Daze," then as the ill-fated Radio Raheem in the Oscar-nominated "Do the Right Thing," as well as appearing in the "Spider-Man" movie franchise, died on Sept. 24.

25th Anniversary Screening Of "Do The Right Thing" Arrivals - 2014 BAMcinemaFest
 
Ilya S. Savenok / Getty Images

José Fernández 

José Fernández, 24, the Miami Marlins pitcher who won the National League's Rookie of the Year award in 2013, died on Sept. 25.

jose_fernandez_4bd21d34378d10938571fd3cf
 
Getty Images

Arnold Palmer 

Arnold Palmer, 87, the golfing great who brought a country-club sport to the masses with a hard-charging style, charisma and a commoner's touch, died on Sept. 25.

Image: Arnold Palmer
 
Mike Blake / Reuters

Shimon Peres 

Shimon Peres, 93, the former Israeli president and prime minister, whose life story mirrored that of the Jewish state and who was celebrated around the world as a Nobel prize-winning visionary who pushed his country toward peace, died on Sept. 28. 

Image: Ambrosetti International Economic Forum
 
Pier Marco Tacca / Getty Images

Tommy Ford 

Tommy Mykal Ford, 52, best known for his role as Tommy on the hit '90s sitcom "Martin," died on Oct. 12.

Image: Thomas Mikal Ford
 
Johnny Louis / WireImage file

King Bhumibol Adulyadej 

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, the world's longest reigning monarch who was revered in Thailand as an anchor of stability through decades of upheaval at home and abroad, died on Oct. 13. 

Image: Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej leaves the Siriraj Hospital for a ceremony at the Grand Palace in Bangkok
 
Sukree Sukplang / REUTERS

Steve Dillon 

Steve Dillon, 54, a celebrated comic book artist best known for co-creating the "Preacher" and illustrating the popular Marvel title "The Punisher," died on Oct. 22.

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Original "Preacher" art by Steve Dillon Steve Dillon/DC Entertainment

Janet Reno 

Janet Reno, 78, the first woman to serve as U.S. attorney general and the epicenter of several political storms during the Clinton administration, including the seizure of Elian Gonzalez, died on Nov. 7.

Image: Attorney General Janet Reno
 
New York Daily News Archive / NY Daily News via Getty Images

Leonard Cohen 

Leonard Cohen, 82, the baritone-voiced Canadian singer-songwriter who blended spirituality and sexuality in songs like "Hallelujah," ''Suzanne" and "Bird on a Wire," died on Nov. 7.

Image: Leonard Cohen
 
Istvan Bajzat / DPA via AP

Robert Vaughn 

Robert Vaughn, 83, the debonair, Oscar-nominated actor whose many film roles were eclipsed by his hugely popular turn in television's "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," died on Nov. 11.

Image:Robert Vaughn
 
Anonymous / AP

Leon Russell 

Leon Russell, 74, a singer-songwriter who emerged in the '70s as one of rock'n'roll's most dynamic performers after playing anonymously on dozens of pop hits as an in-demand studio pianist and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, died on Nov. 13.

Image: Leon Russell
 
Steve Jennings / WireImage

Gwen Ifill 

Gwen Ifill, 61, the co-anchor of PBS' "NewsHour" with Judy Woodruff and a veteran journalist who moderated two vice presidential debates, died on Nov. 14.

2011 Matrix Awards
 
Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images

Holly Dunn 

Holly Dunn, 59, a country singer who rose to fame with hits like "Daddy's Hands" and "You Really Had Me Going," died on Nov. 14.

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MARK HUMPHREY / AP

Sharon Jones 

Sharon Jones, 60, the powerhouse singer who shepherded a soul revival despite not finding stardom until middle age, died on Nov. 18.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Perform At Palau De La Musica In Barcelona
 
Jordi Vidal / Redferns via Getty Images

Florence Henderson 

Florence Henderson, 82, the Broadway star who became one of America's most beloved television moms in "The Brady Bunch," died on Nov. 24.

Image: Actress Florence Henderson poses in Beverly Hills
 
FRED PROUSER / Reuters

Fidel Castro 

Fidel Castro, 90, the cigar-chomping Cuban revolutionary leader and dictator who defied U.S. efforts to topple him for five decades, died on Nov. 25. 

Image: Fidel Castro in 2005
 
Claudia Daut / Reuters / Reuters, file

Ron Glass 

Ron Glass, 71, the veteran television and film actor known for his Emmy-nominated role as NYPD Det. Ron Harris on the classic cop sitcom "Barney Miller," and later the deeply religious preacher Derrial Brook on the cult sci-fi show "Firefly," died on Nov. 25.

Image: Ron Glass in 2005
 
Jim Smeal/BEI/BEI/Shutterstock / Shutterstock

Grant Tinker 

Grant Tinker, 90, the television broadcasting legend and former NBC chairman who brought new polish to the TV world with beloved shows including "Hill Street Blues," died on Nov. 28.

ATAS Hall Of Fame Ceremony - Inside
 
Michael Buckner / Getty Images

Greg Lake 

Greg Lake, 69, the prog-rock pioneer who co-founded King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, died on Dec. 7.

Greg Lake
 
Getty Images

John Glenn 

John Glenn, 95, the all-American hero who was the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth before being propelled into a long career in the U.S. Senate, died on Dec. 8.

JOHN GLENN - ASTRONAUT - RETROSPECTIVE - 1998
 
REX/Shutterstock

Joseph Mascolo 

Joseph Mascolo, 87, the actor who portrayed iconic "Days of Our Lives" villain Stefano DiMera, died on Dec. 7.

"Days of Our Lives" Set Cast Photo Gallery Shoot
 
 

E.R. Braithwaite 

E.R. Braithwaite, 104, a Guyanese author, educator and diplomat whose years teaching in the slums of London's East End inspired the international best-seller "To Sir, With Love" and the movie of the same name, died on Dec. 12.

E. R. Braithwaite
 
FPG / Getty Images

Alan Thicke 

Alan Thicke, 69, the versatile performer who gained his greatest fame as the beloved dad on the sitcom "Growing Pains," died on Dec. 13.

IMAGE: Alan Thicke
 
 / TVGN

Craig Sager 

Craig Sager, 65, the longtime TNT sports broadcaster with a passion for colorful attire, died on Dec. 15.

2016 NBA Finals - Game Six
 
Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

China Machado 

China Machado, 87, a groundbreaking model and fashion editor who broke barriers in 1959 when she became the first non-white model to appear on the cover of a major fashion magazine, died on Dec. 18. 

IMAGE: China Machado
 
Victoria Will / AP

Zsa Zsa Gabor 

Zsa Zsa Gabor, 99, the Hungarian beauty queen-turned-nine-times-married Hollywood icon who once served three days in jail for slapping a cop, died on Dec. 18.

Zsa Zsa Gabor
 
AP

George Michael 

George Michael, 53, the pop heartthrob whose career began with the hit duo Wham! in the 1980s and went on to have a hit solo career beginning with the chart-topping album "Faith," died on Dec. 25.

George Michael
 
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ricky Harris 

Comedian Ricky Harris, who had a recurring role on Chris Rock's "Everybody Hates Chris" sitcom and voiced several characters that appeared in hip-hop albums, died December 26

Image: Actor Ricky Harris
 
Actor Ricky Harris in 2011. Jerod Harris / Getty Images, file

Richard Adams 

British author Richard Adams, whose 1972 book "Watership Down" became a classic of children's literature died on Dec. 27.

Richard Adams At Home
 
English novelist Richard Adams holding a pet mouse, March 3, 1974. Express / Getty Images

Barbara Tarbuck 

Barbara Tarbuck, best known for her long-running role as Lady Jane Jacks in "General Hospital" and more recently as Mother Superior Claudia on "American Horror Story: Asylum," died on Dec. 27.

Barbara Tarbuck
 
Dan Steinberg / Invision for Twentieth Century F

Carrie Fisher 

Carrie Fisher, 60, best known for her portrayal of the tough-talking Princess Leia who defies the Evil Empire in "Star Wars," died on Dec. 27. 

Image: Carrie Fisher poses for cameras as she arrives at the European Premiere of Star Wars, The Force Awakens in Leicester Square, London
 
Paul Hackett / Reuters, file

Debbie Reynolds 

Debbie Reynolds, 84, the actress and singer who rose to fame opposite Gene Kelly in "Singin' in the Rain," died on Dec. 28, one day after the death of her daughter, Carrie Fisher. 

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24 minutes ago, JOJOTOWNSELL said:

No offense but you just can't have ANY list that mentions both David Bowie and BIg Ang. I don't care what it is about, those two can't be mentioned in the same list ever


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Why would I be offended? It's true that Big Ange has contributed significantly more to society than that scarecrow Bowie, but today's "celebrity via Social Media" global culture demands that these two be recognized, lauded, and mourned on the same level due to their lifetime achievements which got them that initial recognition to begin with. 

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On 12/31/2016 at 5:07 PM, Panzer Division Marduk said:

Funny how the list misses the one guy who did more for humanity than every single person on this list combined.

D.A. Henderson, the guy who led the campaign that eradicated smallpox, died in August.

I was sure you were gonna say lemmie. 

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