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Simon Fisher-Becker
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Simon Fisher-Becker, who played Fat Friar in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Dorium Maldovar in Doctor Who, died on March 9. He was 63. Born in London, England, in 1961, Fisher-Becker had roles in more than a dozen TV shows, like Puppy Love and Getting On. He also appeared in the 2012 Oscar-winning adaptation of Les Misérables.
D’Wayne Wiggins
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D’Wayne Wiggins, one of the founders of R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, whose songs included ’90s hits “Feels Good” and “If I Had No Loot,” died March 7 after a struggle with bladder cancer. He was 64. Wiggins played guitar and provided vocals for the group, which was formed in 1986 in Oakland alongside his half-brother Raphael Saadiq and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. They recorded four albums and had a string of hits, which also included the Grammy-nominated “Anniversary,” as well as the tracks “It Never Rains (in Southern California)” and “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow.” After they split, Wiggins continued to work in music, often working with up-and-coming artists, including Destiny’s Child, Zendaya, and H.E.R. A reconfigured Tony! Toni! Toné! were again up for a Grammy at the 2004 ceremony for their collaboration with Alicia Keys, “Diary.” Wiggins and his original bandmates, Saadiq and Riley, reunited for a tour in 2023.
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff
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Pamela Bach, an actress and the ex-wife of David Hasselhoff, died March 5 in Los Angeles at the age of 62. She made her Hollywood debut in a 1973 episode of soap The Young and the Restless and went on to appear on shows Otherworld, T.J. Hooker, and Knight Rider. She wed Hasselhoff, whom she met on set of Knight Rider, in 1989 but separated in 2006. Bach, who also went by Pamela Hasselhoff, also starred in shows Cheers, The Fall Guy, and Sirens, and movies Appointment with Fear, Nudity Required, and Mansion of Blood.
DJ Funk
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DJ Funk, the influential Chicago music producer who coined the term “ghetto house” and pioneered the subgenre, died from cancer March 5, at 54. The artist, whose real name was Charles Chambers, began his career in the ’90s as a DJ at parties and underground raves, before building his reputation via collaborations with other up-and-coming artists. His 1999 album Booty House Anthems sold 1 million copies across the U.S., leading to the release of two additional volumes. His catalog boasted such tracks as “Pump It,” “Run” and “Work Dat Body,” which became dance floor staples across America. In 2006, he launched his record label, Funk Records, which he used to release several singles, mixtapes, and EPs.
Roy Ayers
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Roy Ayers, an acclaimed vibraphonist, record producer and composer who is widely considered “The Godfather of Neo Soul,” died March 4 at 84. He is best known for his compositions “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” “Lifeline,” and “No Stranger to Love” — among others. According to the New York Times, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” which was included on Ayers’ album of the same name, has been sampled nearly 200 times by the likes of Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg. In total, he released nearly four dozen albums, including Let’s Do It, You Send Me, and Fever. Ayers also made guest appearances on albums from Rick James, Whitney Houston, George Benson, the rapper Guru and more.
George Lowe
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George Lowe, a voice actor known for bringing Space Ghost to life in Space Ghost Coast to Coast, died March 2 at 67. Lowe first utilized his vocal talents working at local Florida radio station WWJB when he was 15. From there, he did voice-over work for TBWS and Cartoon Network before eventually landing his iconic lead role in the aforementioned animated series in 1994. The show first ran from 1994 to 1999 on Cartoon Network. It was later revived in 2001 on Adult Swim, where it aired through 2004. Lowe also voiced the beloved character in the Space Ghost Coast to Coast spinoff Cartoon Planet, as well as Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, The Brak Show, Jellystone, and Robot Chicken, among others.
Joey Molland
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Joey Molland, the rock guitarist and last surviving member of Badfinger, died on March 1 at 77. Born in Liverpool, England, on June 21, 1947, Molland began his recording career in earnest when he was 20. After playing in the short-lived group Gary Walker & the Rain, Molland joined Badfinger as their guitarist in 1970. The Welsh band was one of the first artists that the Beatles signed to their Apple Records label. The core Badfinger lineup of Molland, singer-guitarist Pete Ham, singer-bassist Tom Evans, and drummer Mike Gibbins recorded five albums, which yielded such hit singles as “No Matter What,” “Without You,” “Day After Day,” and “Baby Blue.” They stayed together until 1974. Molland also made appearances on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh, and played guitar on John Lennon’s 1971 album, Imagine. In later years, Molland recorded music as a solo artist and a member of the group Natural Gas, and he launched his own incarnation of Badfinger (dubbed Molland’s Badfinger) in the early ’80s. He remained active with the band until his death.
Angie Stone
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Angie Stone, the R&B and soul singer behind songs like the hit “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” died in a car accident on March 1 at the age of 63. Born in 1961, the three-time Grammy nominee formed the hip-hop trio the Sequence as a teen in the late 1970s, signing with Sugar Hill Records and releasing the single “Funk You Up,” later sampled by Dr. Dre. She also released music as a member of Vertical Hold and Devox. Her first solo album, 1999’s Black Diamond, spawned the hit single “No More Rain (In This Cloud).” She released nine more solo albums, including Mahogany Soul and The Art of Love & War, finding further success with singles like “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and “Baby.” Stone also acted in projects like the movie The Hot Chick, the sitcom Girlfriends (for which she also wrote the theme song), and Broadway’s Chicago, and appeared on reality shows like Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Wife Swap.
David Johansen
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David Johansen, the larger-than-life frontman of the flashy, in-your-face 1970s rock band New York Dolls, died Feb. 28. He was 75. Born in 1950, Johansen formed the New York Dolls in 1971, revolutionizing punk and rock music alongside groups like the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, and MC5. Following the Dolls’ dissolution in 1975, Johansen would release four solo albums and two live albums under his own name, four albums under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter, and two additional albums as David Johansen and the Harry Smiths. He also acted in projects like John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s experimental film Up Your Legs Forever, Scrooged, Miami Vice, Oz, The Equalizer, and Freejack.
Gene Hackman
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Gene Hackman, two-time Oscar-winning actor for the movies The French Connection and Unforgiven, was found dead on Feb. 26 at age 95. The bodies of the Hollywood icon and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered inside their Santa Fe, N.M., home. It was later revealed Hackman died from heart disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor, on or around Feb. 17, while Arakawa died days earlier at 65 was caused by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease usually contracted from exposure to mouse droppings that affects the lungs. The actor made his big screen debut in Mad Dog Coll, and had early roles in The Defenders, and Bonnie and Clyde, the latter of which snagged him his first Oscar nomination. Hackman earned a total of five career Academy Award nods for prestige projects, winning once as Best Actor and and another as Best Supporting Actor. He also starred in Wes Anderson’s 2001 comedy hit The Royal Tenenbaums, as Lex Luthor in multiple Superman franchise movies, The Poseidon Adventure, Mississippi Burning, and The Conversation.
Michelle Trachtenberg
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Michelle Trachtenberg, who broke out as the child star of Harriet the Spy and went on to play notable roles on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, died Feb. 26, at 39. After getting her start on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete and the soap All My Children, the precocious actress landed the lead role in the film adaptation of beloved children’s book Harriet the Spy, starring alongside Rosie O’Donnell. Trachtenberg went on to play stubborn little sister Dawn to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers on BTVS and the conniving Georgina Sparks on both the original Gossip Girl and Max’s reboot. Her other screen credits included Inspector Gadget, EuroTrip, Ice Princess, and 17 Again with the late Matthew Perry.
Roberta Flack
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Roberta Flack, whose tender vocals made her one of R&B’s most beloved singers, died Feb. 24, at 88. Born in North Carolina to musical parents, Flack learned to play the piano at 9. A prodigy, she soon became one of the youngest students ever accepted to Howard University when, at 15, she was offered a full scholarship to study music. She began her professional singing career in 1968 and would release two albums before her career truly took off: 1969’s First Take, which has since garnered wide acclaim, and 1970’s Chapter Two. Her rise to prominence came when director Clint Eastwood used one of her songs, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” in his first film, 1971’s Play Misty for Me. Flack’s rendition of the tune — originally penned by British folkie Ewan MacColl — soon became a smash hit and won the 1973 Grammy Award for Record of the Year. The very next year, Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song” (first recorded by Lori Lieberman in 1971) took home a Grammy in the same category. Flack continued scoring hits throughout the ’70s and ’80s, often dueting with artists such as Donny Hathaway and Peabo Bryson. In 1996, her music once again felt suddenly ubiquitous, as the Fugees’ cover of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” dominated pop radio. Later, Flack would be honored for her influential contributions to music across genres with such accolades as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Robert John
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Robert John, the singer behind the Grammy-nominated 1979 song “Sad Eyes” died Feb. 24, his son Michael Pedrick confirmed to Rolling Stone. John was 79. Pedrick said his father had still been recovering from a stroke he had a few years ago. “He was a really good dad,” Pedrick said. The Brooklyn-born artist released his first album when he was 12 and went on to score a hit a decade later with “If You Don’t Want My Love.” His take on “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” also made the charts in 1972, before his signature song hit the airwaves. John recorded his final album in 1980.
Sha’Vi Lewis
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Fashion designer Sha’Vi Lewis, who competed on the 18th season of the competition reality series Project Runway, died Feb. 24, at 38. The show’s producers said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by Sha’Vi’s passing. He was a talented designer whose loss is profoundly felt by our Project Runway family. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and all who knew him.” Lewis made it about halfway through his season, which aired from 2019 to 2020, and finished in 10th place. Prior to the show, he served as creative director for the menswear brand Stephen F and had his own clothing line. Lewis’ castmate Brittany Allen also paid tribute to him on social media, writing, “The world and this industry will be dim without your light in it.”
Chris Jasper
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Chris Jasper, the venerable soul artist and Isley Brothers member who sang about the power of love and the importance of making the world a better place on tracks like “For the Love of You” and “Caravan of Love,” died Feb. 23 at 73 following a battle with cancer. Born in Cincinnati, Jasper lived in the same apartment complex as the Isley family and formed a band with Marvin and Ernie Isley in high school. The trio later joined the Isley Brothers in 1973, transforming them from a vocal group into a self-contained, self-producing funk band with songs like “For the Love of You,” “Between the Sheets,” and “Fight the Power.” When the band broke up, Jasper teamed up with Marvin and Ernie to form Isley-Jasper-Isley and would go on to release the Billboard chart-topping hit, “Caravan of Love,” before embarking on his own solo career. As a member of the Isley Brothers, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and his other accolades include an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National R&B Society Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lynne Marie Stewart
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Lynne Marie Stewart, the character actress known for her work on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, died Feb. 21 after a short illness. She was 78. Stewart was best known for her collaborations with Paul Reubens in a multitude of Pee-wee projects, playing Miss Yvonne and a number of other characters. She also was responsible for numerous hilarious scenes in It’s Always Sunny, in which she played the chaotic, off-the-walls neurotic mother of Charlie (Charlie Day). Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Stewart was an early member of the Groundlings, a seminal improv comedy troupe that also included Reubens, Kathy Griffin, Phil Hartman, and Jon Lovitz. On the big screen, Stewart played supporting roles in massive films, including Bridesmaids (in which she played Maya Rudolph’s mother), American Graffiti, Clear and Present Danger, The Running Man, and Children of a Lesser God. On television, Stewart appeared in episodes of Laverne & Shirley, MASH, The Golden Girls, The Jeffersons, Night Court, Hawaii Five-O, Arrested Development, Grey’s Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and 2 Broke Girls.
Voletta Wallace
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Voletta Wallace, the mother of late rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as the Notorious B.I.G. died of natural causes in hospice care at her home in Stroudsburg, Pa., Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac confirmed on Feb. 21. Wallace was an advocate for her son’s legacy following the 27-year-old’s tragic death in a drive-by shooting on March 9, 1997, and she sought justice for him. Wallace participated in several projects meant to keep her son’s legacy alive, including the 2021 Netflix documentary Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell. “As long as I have life, there’s hope,” she told EW at the time. “I’ll never give up. And I hope when I’m not in this world anymore, my friends and family will carry on the fight. There is always hope.”
Jerry Butler
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Jerry Butler, the soul singer-songwriter and hit maker known as the Iceman, died Feb. 20 at the age of 85. His storied career began in the late 1950s as the original lead singer of the Impressions, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and coined the “sound of the Civil Rights Movement.” They released such hits as “For Your Precious Love.” Butler left the group in 1960 and went solo, topping Billboard charts with “He Will Break Your Heart,” “Let It Be Me,” and “Only the Strong Survive.” Inspired by Chicago’s first Black Mayor Harold Washington, he entered politics in 1985, having been elected as a Democrat to the board of commissioners for Cook County. He held the position for over three decades, retiring in 2018. Butler also authored an autobiography, Only the Strong Survive: Memoirs of a Soul Survivor, in 2000.
Peter Jason
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Peter Jason, the prolific character actor whose work in film and television has spanned nearly six decades, died Feb. 20 at 80. With more than 260 credits to his name, the Hollywood native was best known for his role as card-dealer-turned-sheriff Con Stapleton on the HBO series Deadwood and as a frequent collaborator of filmmakers Walter Hill and John Carpenter. He appeared in nine of Hill’s features, including The Driver and 48 Hrs., and seven of Carpenter’s, including Prince of Darkness and Escape From L.A. Other credits include shows Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, Mad Men, and Justified, as well as movies Texas Lightning, The Karate Kid, and Heartbreak Ridge.
Souleymane Cissé
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Souleymane Cissé, an award-winning Malian writer-director and lifelong champion of African cinema, died Feb. 19 at 84. He first broke out with his debut feature-length movie, Den Muso, in 1975. But it was Cissé’s fourth film, Yeelen, that cemented his legacy, making him the first Black African filmmaker to win the Cannes Film Festival’s Jury Prize and earning a nomination for Best Foreign Film at the 1989 Spirit Awards. Martin Scorsese once called Yeelen “one of the great revelatory experiences of my moviegoing life.” Cissé’s other directorial efforts include Waati, Tell Me Who You Are, O Sembene!, and several short films. His last screen credit was as a producer, writer, and director of the documentary Our House in 2015.
Rick Buckler
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Rick Buckler, best known as the drummer for British rock band the Jam, died Feb. 17 at 69. That band — which also consisted of Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton — was formed in 1972 while the trio were still in secondary school. It took five years, but their first album, In the City, was released in 1977. In total, the Jam released one live album and six studio albums, the last of which hit No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, and at one point they released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the UK, including “That’s Entertainment,” “Just Who Is the 5 O’Clock Hero?,” “Going Underground,” “Start!,” “Town Called Malic,” “Beat Surrender” and more. Other bands Buckler either formed or joined up with over his career include Time UK, Sharp, and the Gift.
Paquita la del Barrio
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Legendary Mexican singer Paquita la del Barrio, who was known for her tremendous voice and for being a feminist icon, died Feb. 17 at her home in Veracruz, Mexico, according to her social media accounts. No cause of death was disclosed, but the artist had struggled with health issues in her final years. Her powerful songs, such as “Rata de dos patas” and “Tres veces te engañé,” earned her accolades such as nominations from the Grammys and the Latin Grammys. In 2021, she won the Billboard Latin Music Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Alice Hirson
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Actress Alice Hirson, who was known for work on soap operas and for playing the mother of Ellen DeGeneres’ character on her groundbreaking ’90s sitcom, Ellen, died Feb. 14 of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles. She was 95. Hirson’s long list of roles since the 1960s included TV shows such as One Life to Live, General Hospital, Another World, Dallas, and 7th Heaven. Hirson also made a name for herself in films including Private Benjamin, Being There, Blind Date, and The Glass House.
Biff Wiff
A24
Biff Wiff, a comedic character actor known for his roles in I Think You Should Leave and Everything Everywhere All at Once, died following an extended battle with cancer, his management firm announced on Feb. 14. Wiff kicked off his decades-long career with a small part on the Gidget sequel series, The New Gidget. He went on to appear in popular shows like Moonlighting, Roseanne, Reba, iCarly, Pretty Little Liars, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Westworld, 9-1-1, Dave, and PEN15. He later made a splash with his first appearance in a season 2 episode of I Think You Should Leave, in which he played a profane Santa Claus who was also the star of an action film called Detective Crashmore. Wiff returned for the third season, giving a meme-worthy performance in the “Shirt Brother” sketch alongside star Tim Robinson. More recently, Wiff appeared in two episodes of the reality comedy series Jury Duty and played a small part in the Oscar-winning sci-fi comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo
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Peter Navy Tuiasosopo, an actor known for roles in New Girl, Magnum P.I. and many others, died Feb. 10. He was 61. Tuiasosopo’s first credit came in 1991, as Manumana in the sports comedy film Necessary Roughness. From there, he went on to appear in two episodes of Down the Shore and costar in the TV series Danger Theater as detective Al Hamoki. His impressive list of television credits also includes 8 episodes as Kaleo on Hawaii and 7 episodes of Young and the Restless as Koa. He guest-starred in numerous other series including NCIS, Mob City, Ray Donovan, black-ish, Mayans M.C. and most recently Magnum P.I. He also had a recurring role on New Girl as Big Bob. On the film side, Tuiasosopo appeared in a number of movies, including in the role of Willie Dumaine in 12 Rounds alongside John Cena, as well as The Fast and the Furious, A Perfect Getaway, Batman & Robin, BASEketball, Charlie’s Angels, Austin Powers in Gold Member, Savage and The Scorpion King, among others.
Tom Robbins
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Counterculture writer Tom Robbins, whose works included the 1976 book Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, died Feb. 9 at his home in La Conner, Wash., his family announced. He was 92. In 2014, Robbins told NPR that he was a storyteller even as a kid, when he would tell himself tales as he carried a stick. “I would beat the ground as I told the story,” he said. “And we moved fairly frequently. We would leave houses behind where one section of the yard was completely bare from where I destroyed the grass. But I realized much later in life that what I was doing was drumming. I was building a rhythm.” His other books included Another Roadside Attraction (1971), 1980’s Still Life With Woodpecker, and his 2014 memoir Tibetan Peach Pie.
Tony Roberts
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Tony Roberts, the character actor best known for playing Woody Allen’s best friend in Annie Hall, died Feb. 7 at 85. Born in Manhattan in 1939, Roberts made his Broadway debut in 1962’s Something About a Soldier. He went on to act in Barefoot in the Park and earned a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for How Now, Dow Jones. Roberts first collaborated with Allen in the 1960s plays Don’t Drink the Water and Play It Again, Sam, earning another Tony nom for the latter and reprising his character in the 1972 film adaptation. Roberts later reteamed with Allen in Stardust Memories, A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Radio Days. His other notable films included the 1973 crime drama Serpico and the 1974 subway thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Roberts also appeared in movies like Million Dollar Duck, Amityville 3-D, and Switch, as well as on TV shows like The Love Boat, Matlock, The Carol Burnett Show, and Law & Order.
Irv Gotti
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Irv Gotti, Murder Inc. Records cofounder and influential hip-hop and rap record producer died Feb. 5 after helping to launch the careers of iconic genre artists like Ja Rule and Ashanti. He was 54. In addition to developing Ja Rule’s debut album Venni Vetti Vecci and Ashanti’s first LP, Gotti produced numerous iconic singles throughout the years, including DMX’s “What’s My Name?” and Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real” remix.
Lee Joo-Sil
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Lee Joo-Sil, an actress known for Squid Game and Train to Busan, died Feb. 2. She was 81. Born 1944 in South Korea when the country was under Japanese rule, Lee began her career on the stage, appearing in productions of Death of a Salesman and Macbeth. She made her screen debut on the series Jeonwonilgi in 1980, and would go on to appear in films A Single Spark, The Uninvited, Running Wild, Punch Lady, and Commitment. In 2016’s Train to Busan, Lee played the mother of protagonist Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo). Her TV credits included Lady President, Ordinary Love, Stormy Woman, The Witch’s Diner, and The Uncanny Encounter. Lee’s two-episode arc on season 2 of Squid Game, as the mother of Wi Ha-joon’s former detective Hwang Jun-ho, marked her final onscreen appearance.
Marianne Faithfull
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Marianne Faithfull, the Grammy-nominated singer and actress known for hits like “As Tears Go By” and “Come and Stay With Me,” died Jan. 30. She was 78. Faithfull rose to prominence as a singer at the height of the Swinging Sixties with her single “As Tears Go By,” which was written by Rolling Stones members Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Her relationship with Jagger dominated the tabloids from 1965 until 1970, during which time she penned her own albums and starred in several films, including the 1968 erotic drama The Girl on a Motorcycle. After their breakup, Faithfull struggled for years with drug abuse and homelessness before having a career resurgence following the release of her Grammy-nominated 1979 album, Broken English. She continued to sing, write, and act over the course of the next 40 years, appearing in such films as Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and writing three books.
Ryan Whyte Maloney
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Ryan Whyte Maloney, a singer and musician who was one of Blake Shelton’s top five finalists on The Voice season 6, died Jan 28 at 44. Maloney was born in Traverse City, Mich., in 1981, and started playing guitar, violin, cello, and drums when he was 9. From there he started writing songs and formed the band Indulge, with which he recorded the album Tomorrow’s Another Day in 2005. After 10 years with that band, Maloney struck out on his own, which led to him recording the solo album Where I’ve Been and eventually starring on The Voice in 2014. On the NBC singing competition, Maloney received a four-chair turn with his blind audition song, “Lights,” by Journey. He chose to be on Shelton’s team, where he went through two battle rounds and made it to Shelton’s top five finalists. Maloney returned to the show to perform in the season finale.
Ken Flores
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Ken Flores, the Chicago-born comedian who was a rising star in the stand-up world, died on Jan. 28. He was 28. Flores’s family announced his passing on the comedian’s Instagram the day after, asking fans to “please respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated” by the loss of “our friend, brother, and son Kenyi Flores.” The comedian was in the midst of his “Butterfly Effect Tour,” his first solo headlining comedy tour of the country. Flores created the Chicago Laugh Factory’s popular LatinXL comedy show in 2022 before embarking to Los Angeles to pursue his career. He had become a regular at L.A. comedy institutions like The Comedy Store and Hollywood Improv, and appeared as a guest on the Netflix is a Daily Joke podcast last year. Hollywood Improv eulogized Flores on X on Jan. 29, with a post that read in part, “We were honored to share your talent on our stages. You were greatness, and it was only a matter of time until the whole world saw it.”
DJ Unk
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DJ Unk, the Atlanta hip-hop artist behind the 2006 hit “Walk It Out,” died Jan. 24. He was 43. Born in 1981, Platt began DJing as a teenager, joining forces with DJ Jelly and DJ Montay to form the Southern Style DJs. He signed to Big Oomp in 2000, eventually releasing his debut album, Beat’n Down Yo Block, on Koch Records in 2006. The album included the hit single “Walk It Out,” which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop charts and No. 10 on the Hot 100 chart. A remix of the song featured André 3000 and Jim Jones. Another single from the album, “2 Step,” also became a hit, and spawned a remix featuring T-Pain, E40, and Jones. Unk released his sophomore album, 2econd Season, in 2008. He later dropped several singles in the early 2010s, including “Get Em Up,” “Trap It Out,” and “Have a Toast.” He released his third album, Fresh Off Dem Papers, in 2017.
Barry Michael Cooper
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Barry Michael Cooper, the investigative-reporter-turned-screenwriter who penned a trio of influential films dubbed the “Harlem trilogy,” died Jan. 21 at 66. Born and raised in Harlem, Cooper began his writing career as a music critic for the Village Voice. He soon gained notoriety for his reporting, including the 1987 cover story “Kids Killing Kids: New Jack City Eats Its Young,” detailing Detroit’s violent drug-trade scene in gory detail. The piece put him on the radar of Quincy Jones, who asked Cooper to rewrite a screenplay about ’70s drug lord Nicky Barnes, leading him to pen the 1991 film New Jack City. The critically acclaimed crime thriller starred Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Allen Payne, and Chris Rock, and marked the first entry in Cooper’s trilogy. Next he penned Sugar Hill, a drug-hustling drama that reunited him with Snipes, and Above the Rim, the basketball drama led by Tupac Shakur. Cooper would later team up with Spike Lee to write and produce the Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, based on Lee’s debut feature.
Garth Hudson
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Garth Hudson, the keyboardist, saxophonist, and multi-instrumentalist who was the last surviving member of Rock and Roll legends, the Band, died Jan. 21 at 87. The Canadian musician served as the principal architect of the Band’s sound. Born into a family of musicians on on Aug. 2, 1937, Hudson began piano lessons at an early age. He was playing professionally with dance bands by age 12 and went on to study music at the University of Western Ontario, where he was classically trained in piano, music theory, harmony and counterpoint. When he joined the Band in 1961, part of his deal was being paid an additional $10 per week to give his bandmates music lessons. Originally named the Hawks, the group — consisting of Hudson, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko — served as a backing band for Ronnie Hawkins before splitting from the singer to play with Bob Dylan on his electric 1965-66 world tour. In time, the Hawks became the Band and sent shockwaves through the music industry, popularizing Americana music with classic songs like “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” They called it quits after a 1976 farewell concert, and Hudson went on to work as a session musician with many artists, including Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen. The band later reformed for a couple more records; Hudson also worked with his bandmates on several solo projects and films. The Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
Bertrand Blier
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Bertrand Blier, the provocative French filmmaker whose 1978 rom-com Get Out Your Handkerchiefs won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, died Jan. 20 at 85. The son of pianist Gisèle Brunet and actor Bernard Blier, the writer-director was immersed in the arts from a young age, and made his directorial debut with the cinema verité documentary Hitler — Never Heard of Him at 24. He would next direct his father and future César Award winner Suzanne Flon in the 1967 thriller If I Were a Spy. Blier’s breakthrough came in the form of 1974’s Going Places, a comedy that stirred controversy for its vulgarity but would garner acclaim and a sizable cult following, also launching the career of its star, Gérard Depardieu. After Blier’s Oscar win, he would find continued success with such titles as Buffet Froid (for which he won a César), Our Story (his second César win), and Too Beautiful For You (which earned him the Cannes Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Director). His final film was 2019’s Heavy Duty, with Depardieu and Christian Clavier.
Lynn Ban
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Lynn Ban, a celebrated jewelry designer who starred on Netflix’s Bling Empire: New York, died Jan. 20, just weeks after undergoing emergency brain surgery following a skiing accident. She was 52. Ban starred on the first season of Netflix’s Bling Empire spinoff, Bling Empire: New York, which spotlighted the luxurious lives of a group of wealthy Asian Americans residing in the Big Apple. In addition to appearing on the reality series, Ban was the owner of Lynn Ban Jewelry, and her designs have been worn by celebrities like Rihanna and Beyoncé.
John Sykes
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John Sykes, the electrifying guitarist who rocked the world in legendary bands Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy, died Jan. 20 at 65. Sykes rose to prominence as a member of heavy metal outfit Tygers of Pan Tang, recording two albums with the band before departing in 1982. He later joined Thin Lizzy and is credited with co-writing the single “Cold Sweat” on the band’s twelfth and final album, Thunder and Lightning. Following Thin Lizzy’s dissolution, Sykes was recruited by English hard rock band Whitesnake. He recorded guitar parts for their highly-successful 1984 album, Slide It In, and was heavily involved in the recording process for the band’s seventh studio album, co-writing nine songs on the album including hits “Is This Love” and “Still of the Night.” However, due to disagreements with frontman David Coverdale, Sykes was fired from Whitesnake before the album’s release in 1987. Sykes would go on to create his own band, Blue Murder, and perform as a member of the touring version of Thin Lizzy for over a decade. He also released four solo albums.
Jan Shepard
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Jan Shepard, an actress who appeared on dozens of TV Westerns and performed opposite Elvis Presley in the films King Creole and Paradise, Hawaiian Style, died Jan. 17 at 96. Born in Quakertown, Pa., Shepard came to Los Angeles in 1949 and got involved in the local theater scene. She would go on to book roles on such television series as Death Valley Days, The Lone Ranger, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Laramie, Lawman, The Virginian, Perry Mason, and Mannix. Her big-screen credits also included the B-movie Attack of the Giant Leeches and the drama Third of a Man.
Jules Feiffer
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Jules Feiffer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and author who famously illustrated Norton Juster’s beloved children’s book The Phantom Tollbooth, died of congestive heart failure on Jan. 17. He was 95. As a teenager, Feiffer got his start as an assistant to Will Eisner, helping to write and illustrate his crimefighter comic book stripThe Spirit. He joined The Village Voice in 1956, penning his own weekly comic book strip, Feiffer, at the publication until 1997. In addition to his career as a cartoonist, Feiffer wrote more than 35 works throughout his lifetime, including his 1958 comic strip collection Sick, Sick, Sick, the 1963 novel Harry the Rat with Women, and the screenplay for the 1960 animated film Munro, which won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. He also illustrated several children’s books like The Phantom Tollbooth and The Odious Ogre. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his political cartoons in 1986 and was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Writers Guild of America in 2010. He is survived by his wife, JZ Holden, and three children.
Francisco San Martin
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Francisco San Martin, a soap actor who appeared on Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful, died Jan. 16. He was 39. Born in Spain but raised in Montana, San Martin originated the role of Dario Hernandez on Days of Our Lives in his TV debut, appearing on the soap between 2010 and 2011 before he was recast. It led to a bit role in the 2013 romance drama Behind the Candelabra alongside Matt Damon and Michael Douglas. San Martin also starred as telenovela actor Fabian on the CW’s Jane the Virgin, and the shorts Hotter Up Close and Dot.
Bob Uecker
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Bob Uecker, the beloved sports broadcaster and comedic actor died Jan. 16. He was 90. Uecker parlayed his stint as an unremarkable MLB catcher into a successful second act as a Hall of Fame broadcaster and comedy star in all three of the Major League and Mr. Belvedere, and cameoed on shows like Who’s The Boss?, Futurama, and Teen Titans Go. He also made regular appearances on The Johnny Carson Show, the Late Show with David Letterman, and hosted Bob Uecker’s Wacky World of Sports and Bob Uecker’s War of the Stars. In 1982, Uecker published a memoir titled Catcher in the Wry: Outrageous but True Stories of Baseball. He was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick award in 2003 and was similarly recognized by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, the Radio Hall of Fame, and the WWE.
Joan Plowright
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Dame Joan Plowright, the venerable stage and screen actress and widow of Laurence Olivier, died Jan. 16. She was 95. Over the course of her more than 65-year career in entertainment, Plowright delivered celebrated performances in films such as Equus and in plays such as John Osborne’s The Entertainer, which saw her work alongside Olivier, and her Tony-winning turn in A Taste of Honey. Plowright and Olivier later reprised their roles for the 1960 film adaptation of The Entertainer, and were married a year later. When Plowright was not onstage, she could likely be found onscreen, appearing in several film and television projects including Mike Newell’s 1991 historical drama Enchanted April, for which her performance as Mrs. Jane Fisher saw her both nominated for an Oscar and win a Golden Globe. Plowright also won a second Golden Globe that same evening for her for her performance in HBO’s made-for-television film, Stalin. She was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, and worked for another decade in entertainment before retiring in 2014.
David Lynch
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David Lynch, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the monumental mystery series Twin Peaks and films like Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, died January 15. He was 78. Lynch’s unique and constant fascination with dreamlike rhythms, character doppelgangers, Americana, offbeat humor, ambient soundscapes, and the tension between darkness and light led critics and cinephiles to describe works with similar qualities as “Lynchian.” After studying painting and experimenting with short filmmaking, Lynch completed his first film, Eraserhead, in 1977. In the ’80s, he directed the biopic The Elephant Man, the sci-fi epic Dune, and the controversial neo-noir Blue Velvet. In 1990, Lynch’s romance road film Wild at Heart earned the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and his TV series Twin Peaks captured the zeitgeist by blending soap opera, mystery, and horror elements. Lynch returned to the series with the 1992 prequel movie Fire Walk With Me, and later helmed an 18-episode revival for Showtime in 2017 that ultimately capped his career. Later projects included the acclaimed Mulholland Drive and the dizzying Inland Empire. Though some of his films polarized critics at the time, they have all gained strong acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Paul Danan
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Paul Danan, the British actor and reality star best known for playing Solomon “Sol” Patrick on the long-running sudser Hollyoaks, died on Jan. 15. He was 46. An Essex native, Danan rose to prominence portraying Sol — the adopted son of Jill Patrick (Lynda Rooke) — on Hollyoaks from 1997 until 2001. His performance as the troubled teenager landed him a Best Actor nomination at the Inside Soap Awards in 1999. Danan would go on to star in spotlight roles on television shows such as The Queen’s Nose, Casualty, and Adventure Inc, before making the leap to reality television. He appeared on several popular programs including Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Coach Trip, and two seasons of Celebrity Love Island in 2005 and 2006. Danan, who was open about his struggles with substance abuse, founded the Morning After Drama theater company, which offers free arts-based workshops to those in active recovery, in 2020.
Jeannot Szwarc
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Jeannot Szwarc, a French director known for Supergirl, Jaws 2, Somewhere in Time, and numerous notable TV projects, died Jan. 14. He was 87. His work in Hollywood began in earnest on the television side, with his first credit to that effect coming as a writer, producer, and eventually director of Ironside in the late ’60s. Throughout the early 1970s, he directed episodes for a slew of shows including It Takes a Thief, Matt Lincoln, and Sarge. He helmed 7 episodes of Marcus Welby, M.D. and 19 episodes of Night Gallery, before then working on several different TV movies. His first feature credit as a director came in 1973’s Extreme Close-Up, which he followed up with 1975’s Bug, before finally stepping into Steven Spielberg’s shoes to direct Jaws 2 in 1978. That gig kicked off the film side of his oeuvre, which went into high gear in the ’80s and ’90s with movies including Enigma, Supergirl, Hercule & Sherlock, and Somewhere in Time. In later years, Szwarc continued to work in television, directing episodes of JAG, Scandal, Bones, Castle, Ally McBeal, Smallville, Supernatural and Grey’s Anatomy.
Tony Slattery
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Tony Slattery, the British actor and comedian known for his sharp improv skills on Channel 4’s Whose Line Is It Anyway?, died on Jan. 14. He was 65. He appeared across seven seasons of the Clive Anderson-hosted improv game show and was an alum of Cambridge University’s comedy troupe Cambridge Footlights alongside then-students Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, and Sandi Toksvig. Slattery’s movie credits include Peter’s Friends opposite former peers Fry, Thompson, and Laurie; The Crying Game; and How to Get Ahead in Advertising, while TV credits include Saturday Stayback, Behind the Bike Sheds, Gems, and This Is David Harper. He also appeared on the West End stage, starring in musicals Me and My Girl, Radio Times, and Neville’s Island, the latter of which earned him an Olivier Award nomination.
Leslie Charleson
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Leslie Charleson, the actress best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital, died on Jan. 12. She was 79. Producer Frank Valenti confirmed Charleson’s death in a post on the official General Hospital Instagram which read in part, “Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on General Hospital alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew.” The Kansas City, Mo.-born actress appeared in brief stints on soaps like As The World Turns and Love Is a Many Splendored Thing before joining the GH cast as Monica, the matriarch of the powerful Quartermaine family. Monica owns Quartermaine Mansion, is former chief of staff of General Hospital, and is known for her enduring and often fractious relationship with ex-husband Alan (Stuart Damon). Charleson’s moving performance throughout Monica’s breast cancer storyline of the mid- to late-1990s earned her the last of four Daytime Emmy nominations. With her last onscreen appearance in December 2023, Charleson became General Hospital‘s longest-tenured cast member.
Sam Moore
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Sam Moore, the Grammy-winning soul singer and one-half of the duo Sam & Dave, died Jan. 10. He was 89. Born in 1935 in Miami, Moore began singing at a young age in church and clubs before joining forces with Dave Prater to form Sam & Dave. The duo released a string of R&B hits in the mid-1960s, including “Hold On! I’m Comin’,” “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby,” “I Thank You,” and, most notably, “Soul Man,” which won the 1968 Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental, and surged in popularity when John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd covered the song as the Blues Brothers on their 1978 album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Sam & Dave split up in 1970, and Moore recorded a solo album that wasn’t released until 2002. Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 following Prater’s death in a car accident. In 2006, Moore released the solo album Overnight Sensational, featuring collaborations with Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Fantasia, Sting, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and many more.
Bill Byrge
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Bill Byrge, best known for playing Ernest’s neighbor Bobby in several of the Ernest comedy films, died on Jan. 9. Byrge’s first onscreen credit came in 1985 as the gas station attendant in sci-fi comedy Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, which also starred Jim Varney. So began a long partnership between the two, which included the 1988 film Ernest Saves Christmas and TV show, Hey, Vern, It’s Ernest!, 1990’s Ernest Goes to Jail, 1991’s Ernest Scared Stupid and 1994’s Ernest Goes to School. Byrge also reprised the character and produced 2010’s Billy & Bobby the Whacky Duo on Vacation!, which was released 10 years after Varney died in 2000 of lung cancer at age 50. Byrge had an additional uncredited role in the 1988 short Harry the Dirty Dog.
Peter Yarrow
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Peter Yarrow, the singer, songwriter, and political activist who was a major figure in the folk revival movement of the 1960s as one third of the music trio Peter, Paul and Mary, died on Jan. 7 at 86 after a four-year battle with bladder cancer. Along with Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers (who died in 2009), Yarrow helped to comprise the folk trio beloved for their politically-charged songs and three-part harmonies. The group played a critical role in turning the folk music scene into a massively popular movement in the 1960s. Throughout their time together, they earned five Grammys, released two No. 1 albums, and scored six top-10 hits. The trio split up in 1970 to pursue solo careers, a year after Yarrow pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a 14-year-old girl. He served three months in jail and was ultimately pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1981. In subsequent years, the musician continuously apologized for and expressed regret over the incident. Peter, Paul and Mary reunited in 1978 for an anti-nuclear-power concert and remained together until Travers’ death, at which point Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform both separately and together. Stookey is now the last surviving member of the group.
Mike Rinder
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Mike Rinder, a former high-ranking Scientology executive who became a vocal critic of the church and cohosted the Emmy-winning docuseries Scientology and the Aftermath with Leah Remini, died on Jan. 5. He was 69. Rinder renounced Scientology in 2007, becoming a prominent whistleblower against the organization. He was featured in the Emmy- and Peabody-winning HBO documentary Going Clear in 2015, before teaming up with the King of Queens actress for the A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Remini and Rinder continued their partnership with the podcast,Scientology: Fair Game.
The Vivienne
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The Vivienne, the drag entertainer who won the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and competed on All Stars 7, died on Jan. 5 at 32. A cause was not disclosed. The British queen won fan affection and RuPaul’s admiration for her stunning looks on the runway and comedic prowess, including a fan-favorite Snatch Game impersonation of U.S. President Donald Trump. She returned as the only international franchise representative on the all-winners cast of All Stars 7, again wowing the judges with her fashions and excelling at the season’s comedy challenges. In addition to her tenure on Drag Race, The Vivienne also regularly appeared in British films and TV programs, including the Absolutely Fabulous movie in 2016 and as a contestant on season 15 of the celebrity-focused Dancing on Ice show in 2023.
Jeff Baena
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Jeff Baena, the independent filmmaker who collaborated with his wife, Aubrey Plaza, on projects like The Little Hours and Life After Beth, died Jan. 3. He was 47. Medical examiner records indicated that Baena’s death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Born in Miami in 1977, Baena made his screenwriting debut with 2004’s I Heart Huckabees, a collaboration with director David O. Russell that starred Dustin Hoffman. Baena began dating Plaza in 2011, and made his directorial debut with 2014’s Life After Beth, Baena released 2016’s Joshy, a dark comedy that centered on a protagonist (Thomas Middleditch) reeling from the death of his fiancée (Alison Brie). Brie headlined Baena’s next two projects, 2017’s The Little Hours (which also starred Plaza) and 2020’s Horse Girl. He later created the experimental dramedy series Cinema Toast in 2021, which reunited him with a number of past collaborators, including Plaza (who made her directorial debut in an episode) and Brie. His final film was 2022’s Spin Me Round, a dark comedy he wrote with Brie, who also starred alongside Alessandro Nivola and Plaza.
Brenton Wood
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Brenton Wood, the soul singer and songwriter known for a string of ’60s hits including “The Oogum Boogum Song,” “Gimme Little Sign,” and “Catch You on the Rebound,” died Jan. 3 at 83. Born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, La., Wood grew up singing wherever he could — audience or not — and began to write songs and excel at playing the piano while attending high school and junior college in Compton, Calif. He first went into a studio in 1957, and went on to release music and tour for decades. His manager said that on his last night, Wood shared a message for fans: “Catch you on the rebound.”
Wayne Osmond
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Wayne Osmond, the singer and musician known for performing alongside his siblings as a member of the Osmond Brothers, died Jan. 1 at 73. He was 64. Born in Ogden, Utah, in 1951, he began his musical career in a barbershop quartet with his brothers Alan, Jay, and Merrill, gaining prominence during a televised Disneyland performance in 1961 and regularly appearing on several TV shows throughout the 1960s. After adding brothers Donny and Jimmy to their lineup, the Osmonds performed as a pop group, nabbing a No. 1 hit with “One Bad Apple” in 1971. Wayne, who had perfect pitch, helped arrange the band’s harmonies and played lead guitar. Though the group’s popularity dwindled as younger siblings Jimmy, Donny, and Marie launched solo careers in the mid-’70s, the original four Osmond Brothers reunited as a country act in the ’80s and performed until the 2010s. Wayne eventually retired from the band in 2012, following treatment for a brain tumor that left him deaf. He reunited with the group for a performance in Honolulu in 2018, then had one final performance on The Talk in 2019 to celebrate Marie’s birthday.
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