21 movie legends who died in 2020
We lost several movie icons in 2020.
They included stars like Sean Connery, Kirk Douglas, Olivia de Havilland, and Chadwick Boseman.
There was also composer Ennio Morricone ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly") and the man behind the Darth Vader mask in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, David Prowse.
Here are 21 movie legends who died in 2020, listed alphabetically by last name.
Honor Blackman, 94
The English actress was one of the most iconic Bond girls with her performance as the tough and stunning Pussy Galore in 1964's "Goldfinger."
"As well as being a much-adored mother and grandmother, Honor was an actor of hugely prolific creative talent; with an extraordinary combination of beauty, brains and physical prowess, along with her unique voice and a dedicated work ethic, she achieved an unparalleled iconic status in the world of film and entertainment and with absolute commitment to her craft and total professionalism in all her endeavors she contributed to some of the great films and theatre productions of our times," her family wrote in a statement to The Guardian.
She died from natural causes on April 5.
Chadwick Boseman, 43
Hollywood was stunned by the death of Boseman, who is known best for playing T'Challa in 2018's "Black Panther," and made several appearances in other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
Boseman also made a career playing real-life icons like Jackie Robinson in "42" and James Brown in "Get on Up." But the most impressive work he did was at the end of his life with gripping performances in "Da 5 Bloods" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," which were both released this year.
"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much," his family said in a statement to the Associated Press.
He died from colon cancer on August 28.
Wilford Brimley, 85
The versatile character actor was best known for his scene-stealing roles in movies that spanned the 1980s and early 1990s, including "The Thing," "Tender Mercies," "The Natural," "Cocoon," and "The Firm." His deep voice, no-nonsense demeanor, and thick mustache was also a staple for years on TV as a pitchman for Quaker Oats.
"He was a wonderful man, a joy to be around, and his dry sense of humor and iconic voice left an everlasting impression on every person he met," his talent agent, Dominic Mancini, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
He died from a kidney condition on August 1.
Sean Connery, 90
Playing the original James Bond in the 1960s, Connery epitomized cool and sophistication. He took those traits into the rest of his roles throughout his career after handing in his 007 license to kill.
In 1987's "The Untouchables," he would earn an Oscar for his beat cop character who knows all the angles. And then in the 1996 movie "The Rock," he showed he could still kick butt.
"A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor," his son Jason Connery told the BBC.
He suffered from dementia in his final years and died of pneumonia and heart failure on October 31.
Olivia de Havilland, 104
This two-time Oscar winner was one of the main leading ladies in the late 1930s and 1940s. She came to prominence playing opposite Errol Flynn in movies like "Captain Blood" (1935) and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938).
Playing Melanie Hamilton in "Gone with the Wind" (1939) led to her first Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. She would then go on to win best actress Oscars for "To Each His Own" (1946) and "The Heiress" (1949).
She died of natural causes on July 26.
Brian Dennehy, 81
The gruff character actor was a staple in action and drama movies through the 1980s, including "First Blood," "Silverado," and "Cocoon." He also showed his lighter side as Chris Farley's father in 1995's "Tommy Boy" and Remy's dad in the 2007 Pixar animated film "Ratatouille."
He died from cardiac arrest due to sepsis on April 15.
Kirk Douglas, 103
An acting titan, Douglas had the talent to play virtually every single kind of role. His range included memorable characters in movies like early Stanley Kubrick work "Spartacus" (1960) and "Paths of Glory" (1957) the 1954 Disney classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," and Oscar-nominations for "Champion" (1949), "The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952), and "Lust for Life" (1956).
And the Douglas acting legacy has continued on with his son Michael also becoming a huge star.
"To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to," Michael said in a statement to People.
"But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband."
Kirk died on February 5. The cause of death has been kept private.
Buck Henry, 89
Along with being the co-creator of the 1960s TV show "Get Smart" alongside Mel Brooks and being a regular host in the early years of "Saturday Night Live," Henry was also a fixture in movies.
He co-wrote the 1972 movie "What's Up, Doc?" with Peter Bogdanovich and 1967's "The Graduate" (he also plays the hotel clerk in the movie) with Mike Nicholas, which earned them an Oscar nomination. He also scored an Oscar nomination for directing alongside Warren Beatty in "Heaven Can Wait" (1978).
He died of a heart attack on January 8.
Ian Holm, 88
Holm's talents have found their way into many genres of movies. Memorable performances include Ash in "Alien" as well as Bilbo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" franchises. He also earned an Oscar nomination for 1982's "Chariots of Fire."
He died due to Parkinson's disease on June 19.
Terry Jones, 77
One of the members of Monty Python's Flying Circus, Jones directed the movies the comedy group made in the '70s and '80s, including "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (which he co-directed with fellow Python member Terry Gilliam), "Monty Python's Life of Brian," and "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life."
"We have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative, and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect, and extraordinary humor has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades," his family said in a statement to The Guardian.
Jones died from complications of dementia on January 21.
Hugh Keays-Byrne, 73
The British-Australian actor became a legend in the sci-fi genre thanks to playing two villains in the "Mad Max" franchise. First, as Toecutter in the original 1979 movie and then Immortan Joe in 2015's "Mad Max: Fury Road."
He died on December 2 and the cause of death has been kept private.
Irrfan Khan, 53
A legend in Indian cinema, Khan was beginning to get a foothold in Hollywood when he suddenly died. He found acclaim in movies like "The Namesake," "Life of Pi," "Slumdog Millionaire," and "Jurassic World."
After a two-year battle with cancer, he died on April 29.
Tommy "Tiny" Lister, 62
Thanks to his imposing size, Lister found a career playing intimidating characters, the most famous being Deebo in the 1995 comedy "Friday."
But he also crafted memorable roles in movies like 1997's "The Fifth Element," his voice can be recognized playing the tiny Finnick character in 2016's "Zootopia," and his role as Zeus in the 1989 Hulk Hogan-starrer "No Holds Barred" led to a stint as a pro wrestler.
"He was a gentle giant," Lister's manager Cindy Cowan told the Associated Press. "He had a smile as broad as you could imagine."
He died on December 10 and his cause of death has not been released as the coroner's office is investigating. Lister had recently recovered from COVID-19 before his death.
Ennio Morricone, 91
The legendary composer is responsible for not just memorable musical pieces in classics like "The Thing," "Once Upon a Time in America," and "The Untouchables," but arguably the greatest score of all time in the 1966 Western movie "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."
He died on July 6 due to injuries suffered during a fall.
Kelly Preston, 57
The actress will be known best for her roles in classics like "Twins" (1988) and "Jerry Maguire" (1996). She also had memorable roles in movies like "For Love of the Game," "The Cat in the Hat," and "Sky High." Preston was married to John Travolta in 1991.
"She was a bright, beautiful, and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched," a representative of Preston's family told People.
She died of breast cancer on July 12.
David Prowse, 85
This bodybuilder found a niche in Hollywood playing intimidating figures like the scantily clad Julian in 1971's "A Clockwork Orange" and the Black Knight in 1977's "Jabberwocky," but what he would be remembered for is being cast as Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" trilogy (James Earl Jones voiced the character).
He died on November 28 and the cause of death has been kept private.
Carl Reiner, 98
The legendary comic started his career as the straight man opposite Mel Brooks and helped create the successful "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
He moved on to direct movies and found success by helming early Steve Martin comedies in the '70s and '80s like "The Jerk," "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," and "The Man with Two Brains." He also starred as aging grifter Saul Bloom in 2001's "Ocean's Eleven."
"He was my guiding light," Reiner's son, actor-filmmaker Rob, tweeted about his father.
He died of natural causes on June 29.
Joel Schumacher, 80
Starting out as a fashion designer, Schumacher made a name for himself behind the camera in the 1980s and early 1990s with movies like "St. Elmo's Fire," "The Lost Boys," and "Flatliners." He then became notorious among comic book fans when he took over the Batman franchise from Tim Burton and made the disappointing "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin." He would rebound after with more gritty work like "8mm" and "Tigerland."
He died of cancer on June 22.
Lynn Shelton, 54
The shocking death of this acclaimed filmmaker shook the independent film world. Her dramedies like "Humpday," "Your Sister's Sister," and "Laggies" were praised for their comedy which came from collaboration in story structure with her actors.
She died of acute myeloid leukemia on May 16.
Fred Willard, 86
This funnyman was a staple in comedies since the late 1970s thanks to his witty delivery and sly look when doing it. He would become best known for his work in Christopher Guest mockumentaries like "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show," and "A Mighty Wind."
"He kept moving, working, and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much!" Willard's daughter, Hope, said in a tweet.
He died of cardiac arrest on May 15.
Max von Sydow, 90
Forever linked with director Ingmar Bergman thanks to teaming up on 11 movies, including the iconic "The Seventh Seal," Von Sydow also is known for diverse roles in movies like "The Exorcist," "Shutter Island," and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" over his 70-year career.
He died on March 8 and the cause of death has been kept private.
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