Stars we lost in 2018
Dolores O'Riordan
The Cranberries frontwoman died suddenly at the age of 46 on Jan. 15. The Irish singer-songwriter released five albums with the band after joining as their lead singer in 1990. The band reunited following a break in the mid-2000s. O'Riordan also released two solo albums, most recently 2009's No Baggage.
Stephen Hawking
The famous theoretical physicist and cosmologist died at age 76 on March 14. Hawking is best known for his discoveries in relativity and black holes, which he explored in great detail in his 1988 best-seller A Brief History of Time. His life inspired the Oscar-winning film The Theory of Everything, and Hawking himself appeared in numerous films and television shows, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Simpsons, Futurama, and The Big Bang Theory.
Craig Mack
The hip-hop pioneer from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment label died at 46 on March 12. Mack’s biggest hit was the Grammy-nominated “Flava in Ya Ear,” off his debut album, Project Funk Da World. Mack was a protege of Diddy and was considered one of the foundational artists of Bad Boy.
David Ogden Stiers
The actor best known for his role as Major Charles Winchester III on M.A.S.H. died March 3 at the age of 75. Stiers earned two Emmy nominations for his role on M.A.S.H. and also had a prolific voice acting career, bringing to life the likes of Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in Pocahontas, Jumba in Lilo & Stitch, and the narrator in M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady in the Water.
Abigail Blumenstein
The 4-year-old daughter of Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles was killed in a car crash March 6. The girl and her mother, as well as a friend, Lauren Lew, and her 1-year-old-son were struck by a driver who ran a red light in Brookyln, New York. Both children were killed.
Billy Graham
The world-famous evangelist died at the age of 99 on Feb. 28. Known as "America's pastor," Graham harnessed the momentum of mass media and modern travel in the 20th century to reach millions with his Southern Baptist message. Radio and television appearances were commonplace for the charismatic preacher, and he embarked on preaching tours across the world throughout his long career.
Sridevi
The Bollywood icon died at the age of 54 on Feb. 24. Sridevi ascended to Bollywood stardom through her leading roles in the ’80s and ’90s, becoming one of the highest-paid actors in the industry, with several awards to boot. Her breakout role came in the 1983 Bollywood comedy Himmatwala, and from there she worked in a variety of genres, including song-and-dance melodrama and broad comedy. She appeared in some 300 films, and won six Filmfare Awards, one of the oldest film prizes in India.
Emma Chambers
The Notting Hill star died at age 53 on Feb. 24. Chambers was best known for portraying Honey, the younger sister of Hugh Grant’s William Thacker, in Notting Hill. She also had a memorable role on the British comedy The Vicar of Dibley, portraying Alice Tinker from 1994 to 2007.
Ensa Cosby
The daughter of comedian Bill Cosby died at the age of 43 on Feb. 23. She had a brief acting career, appearing in a 1989 episode of her father's sitcom The Cosby Show as a girl at a party. In recent years, she stood by her father amid mounting allegations of sexual assault.
Nanette Fabray
Star of stage and screen Nanette Fabray died Feb. 22 at age 97. Fabray won a Tony for best leading actress in a musical for 1949's Love Life. In the 1950s, she won multiple Emmy awards for her work opposite Sid Caesar on Caesar's Hour. Fabray was perhaps best known to audiences as Grandma Katherine Romano on the original version of Norman Lear's One Day at a Time.
Barbara Alston
The singer for the '60s girl group The Crystals died at age 74 on Feb. 16. Alston sang on many Crystals hits, including "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me." Alston was one of the founding members of the girl group and served as the lead singer.
Jan Maxwell
A veteran of the Broadway stage, Maxwell died at the age of 61 on Feb. 11. She made her Broadway debut as an understudy for the 1989 musical City of Angels and went on to become a celebrated and respected stage actress, earning five Tony nominations within seven years: for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2005), Coram Boy (2007), Lend Me a Tenor and The Royal Family (both in 2010), and Follies (2012). She was a two-time Drama Desk Award winner, for her roles in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Royal Family. Maxwell also had numerous guest starring roles on television shows inclduing Law & Order, All My Children, Gossip Girl, and The Good Wife.
Vic Damone
The legendary crooner died Feb. 11 at age 89. Damone released more than 2,500 records during his seven decades in music, and Frank Sinatra said he had "the best pipes in the business." Damone topped the charts with hits like "You're Breaking My Heart," "My Heart Cries for You," and "Tzena Tzena Tzena," as well as Broadway musical numbers like "On the Street Where You Live."
Jóhann Jóhannsson
The Oscar-nominated composer died at the age of 48 on Feb. 9. Jóhannsson was best known for writing the Oscar-nominated scores for The Theory of Everything and Sicario. He also had a working relationship with director Denis Villeneuve, writing scores for the films Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival. His final scores before his death included one for mother! and the not-yet-released Mary Magdalene.
Reg E. Cathey
The actor, who won an Emmy for his work on House of Cards, died at the age of 59. His death was reported Feb. 9. Though he'd won recent acclaim for his portrayal of rib maestro Freddie Hayes on the Netflix political drama, he also had memorable turns on HBO's The Wire and Oz. The Wire creator David Simon first reported his death and wrote, "Not only a fine, masterful actor — but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set. On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing."
John Gavin
A midcentury star of films including Psycho and Imitation of Life, John Gavin died Feb. 9 at the age of 86. He was best known for portraying Janet Leigh's boyfriend in Psycho and starring opposite Lana Turner in Douglas Sirk's lush remake of melodrama Imitation of Life. Gavin also had memorable roles in films including Spartacus, Midnight Lace, and more. He also served as the President of SAG in the 1970s and as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under Ronald Reagan.
Mickey Jones
The actor best known for stints on Justified and Home Improvement died at the age of 76 on Wednesday, February 7. Jones had a long career as a character actor, but was beloved for his work as Pete Bilker of K&B Construction on 13 episodes of Home Improvement. More recently, he starred as Rodney “Hot Rod” Durham, a player in the Harlan County crime scene, in the second and third seasons of Justified.
John Mahoney
The beloved actor, best known for his role as Frasier Crane's father on sitcom Frasier, died on Feb. 4 at the age of 77 following a brief illness. Mahoney began his acting career in his late thirties, becoming a member of the renowned Chicago Steppenwolf Theatre company. He won a Tony in 1986 for his role in John Guare's House of Blue Leaves. In addition to his most indelible role on Frasier as curmudgeonly Martin Crane, he made memorable appearances in films including Say Anything, Reality Bites, and The American President.
Dennis Edwards
A key member of legendary Motown vocal group The Temptations, Dennis Edwards died Feb. 2 at the age of 74. Though he joined the group eight years into their existence, Edwards helped catapault them to success, singing on hits like I Can’t Get Next to You,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone." He left and rejoined the group many times throughout his life and had a brief stint as a solo artist in the '80s and '90s.
Mark Salling
Best known for playing Puck on Fox's musical dramedy Glee, Salling died of an apparent suicide on Jan. 30. He was 35. In December 2016, Salling pled guilty to child pornography after authorities discovered more than 25,000 images and 600 videos depicting child pornography on computers and thumb drives that belonged to the actor.
Mort Walker
Prolific cartoonist Mort Walker as best known for creating lazy private character Beetle Bailey, which he wrote for over four decades. Walker died of natural causes at his home in Connecticut on Jan. 27 at the age of 94. He began publishing comics at the age of 11, and though Beetle Bailey was his most famous creation, he worked on many others including Hi and Lois, Boner’s Ark, and Sam & Silo.
Olivia Cole
An Emmy-winning actress known for her work in such TV programs as Roots and Backstairs at the White House, died Jan. 19 at her home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, at the age of 75. She won an Emmy for portraying Mathilde, wife of Ben Vereen's Chicken George on groundbreaking mini-series Roots. Cole also had memorable roles on North and South, Murder She Wrote, and appeared alongside Oprah on The Women of Brewster Place.
Joel Taylor
Star of Discovery Channel’s documentary reality television series Storm Chasers, Joel Taylor died on January 23 at the age of 38. The cause of death was unclear, but did not appear to be related to chasing storms. "I am shocked and absolutely devastated by the loss of my incredible, caring friend,” former co-star Reed Timmer tweeted. “We chased so many intense storms, and I wish we could have just one more storm chase. I’ll miss you forever, Joel. We lost a legend.”
Jack Ketchum
Author Dallas Myer, better known by his pen name Jack Ketchum, died from cancer Jan. 24 at the age of 71. Ketchum was beloved for his horror novels, including 1980’s Off Season, 1989’s The Girl Next Door, and 1995’s Red, the latter two of which were both adapted for the big screen.
Mark E. Smith
Founder and lead singer of The Fall Mark E. Smith died Jan. 23 at the age of 60. Smith formed The Fall in 1976 with fellow original members Martin Bramah, Una Baines, and Tony Friel. But throughout the British post-punk band’s prolific run, which included 32 studio albums, Smith was the only constant.
Ursula K. Le Guin
The influential science fiction and fantasy author died Jan. 22 at the age of 88 in her home in Portland, Oregon. Le Guin penned dozens of novels and short stories and earned praise for injecting issues of politics, sexuality, and feminism into sci-fi/fantasy literature. She had a prolific output as a writer and earned numerous Hugo and Nebula Awards, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Foundation.
Hugh Masekala
Known as the "father of South African jazz," musician Hugh Masekala died Jan. 23 at the age of 78 after a battle with prostate cancer. The trumpeter was an innovative jazz musician and an anti-apartheid activist. "“His contribution to the struggle for liberation will never be forgotten,” said President Jacob Zuma of the Republic of South Africa.
Dorothy Malone
The Oscar winner for Douglas Sirk melodrama Written on the Wind died on January 19 at the age of 92. Malone was best remembered for her Oscar-winning turn as a man-eating heiress opposite Rock Hudson in Written on the Wind and her more than 400 episodes as Constance Mackenzie on long-running primetime soap Peyton Place. One of the last remaining stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Malone also had memorable roles in projects like The Big Sleep, The Tarnished Angels, and Basic Instinct.
Peter Wyngarde
Wyngarde, who was best remembered for portraying the titular adventurer and spy in U.K. television series Jason King, died on January 18 in London following a long illness. He also had memorable turns in The Innocents, Flash Gordon, and Doctor Who.
Bobby Zarin
Husband of Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin, Bobby Zarin died on Jan. 13 following a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 71. Zarin ran Zarin Fabrics, which was opened by his father, Harry Zarin, in 1936. Tributes immediately poured out from other members of the RHONY cast, as well as Andy Cohen and other Bravo staff.
Doreen Tracey
One of the original Mousekeeters on the 1950s iteration of Disney's Mickey Mouse Club, Doreen Tracey died from pneumonia at the age of 74 on Jan. 10. She continued her career as a child star in an Annette Funicello-led spin-off and a Disney Western film with Fess Parker before becoming a publicist in later life. Tracey represented legendary musician/artist Frank Zappa. Despite straining relations with Disney by posing naked in her mouse ears for Gallery magazine in 1976, Tracey maintained a bond with the studio and her fellow Mouseketeers, attending reunions and appearing on television specials.
Eddie Clarke
The Mot?rhead guitarist died from pneumonia at the age of 67 on Jan. 11. Known to fans as “Fast” Eddie because of his blisteringly fast playing, he was an essential part of the British heavy metal band’s early success. The guitarist co-wrote many of the band’s best-known tracks, including “Ace of Spades.” Clarke left Mot?rhead following the release of 1982’s Iron Fist and formed the band Fastway. He was the last surviving member of what many deemed the band's definitive line-up.
Donnelly Rhodes
Rhodes was best known for playing the hapless escaped convict Dutch Leitner on Soap and the gruff medical officer “Doc” Cottle on the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. He died of cancer on Jan. 8 at the age of 81. Though best known for those two roles, he had an extensive career as a journeyman actor, popping up in bit roles in numerous films and television shows.
Jerry Van Dyke
Beloved for his four-time Emmy-nominated role as Luther Van Dam on the ABC sitcom Coach, Jerry Van Dyke died at the age of 86 on Jan. 5. Brother to song-and-dance-man Dick Van Dyke, Jerry made a career as a comic actor, appearing alongside his brother as Stacey Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Most recently, he earned new fans portraying the father of Patricia Heaton's Frankie on ABC's The Middle.
Celebrity deaths 2018: Stars we lost