Whether we like to think about it or not, death is a part of our lives. At some point, we’re going to have to deal with it. Some of us have dealt with it too soon, though. These celebs may not be our blood, but they’re family already. All those years we spent watching them make us feel like they have made a significant impact in our lives. I’m sure we miss them. Some of them are known for sports, Hollywood, music, TV, or movies. Some of these celebs were even our grandparents’ idols when they were kids! Some are probably too young to have lost their lives. Indeed, they are part of our culture, and they have contributed significantly to our entertainment. Their legacy goes on forever.
All The Celebrities We’ve Loved and Lost This 2020
Kobe Bryant
Black Mamba’s real name was Kobe Bryant. He was considered one of the best NBA players. For 20 years, he was Los Angeles Laker’s shooting guard. Because of his expertise in the court, value to teamwork, and strong character, he was able to bag five NBA titles, 18 All-Star honors, and two-time NBA final MVP status. In 2017, he also received a Film Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, “Dear Basketball.” Sadly, while traveling with his daughter, the private helicopter they were on crashed, ending their lives in early 2020.
Kobe Bryant
Juice WRLD
Jarad Anthony Higgins was a former Chicago rapper and singer known internationally as Juice Wrld. On Spotify, his song “Lucid Dreams” has been streamed over a billion times. In addition to an earlier hit, Lucid Dreams allowed Juice Wrld to purchase contracts with Lil Bibby’s Grade A Productions and Interscope Productions. After ingesting some unknown pills on a trip from Van Nuys, California, Higgins died to Chicago, Illinois.
Juice WRLD
Cameron Boyce
Boyce may be recognizable to the older crowd as the son of Adam Sandler in Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 and as one of the Eagle Eye plots featuring Shia Lebouf. He starred in Jessie, Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything, and Jake and the Never Land Pirates on the Disney Channel. Boyce died of epilepsy problems when he was only 20 years old.
Cameron Boyce
Rocky Johnson
Although Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson jumped ahead of Rocky Johnson in the Celebrity Department, Rocky Johnson was the family’s first professional wrestler. Rocky, born in Canada, began his professional wrestling career in 1964 and won several championships in the National Wrestling Alliance. With Tony Atlas, a tag team partner, they captured the 1983 World Tag Team Title, making them the first black champions of World Wrestling Entertainment. Johnson died of a pulmonary embolism in early January 2020, saying he had the flu and skipping a potential doctor’s appointment.
Rocky Johnson
Rip Torn
Rip Torn was a well-known actor and voice actor who had a 60-year career. He played Patches O’houlihan in Dodgeball: the Real Underdog Story, Zed in the Men in Black Franchise, and Arties in The Larry Sanders Show. Torn died at the age of 88 of Alzheimer’s disease and its symptoms.
Rip Torn
Neil Peart
Neil Peart, the lead lyricist and drummer for Rush, was inducted into the Current Drummer Readers Hall of Fame in 1983 at the age of 27. During his journeys, a well-known author, Canadian songwriter, and guitarist wrote many memoirs, thus mixing fantasy, faith, and humanitarian themes into his lyrics. Neil died of glioblastoma at the age of 67, after a three-plus-year fight with the disease.
Neil Peart
Chuy Bravo
Chuy Bravo, born Jesus Melgoza, is a famous Mexican-American actor who appeared on Chelsea Lately with Chelsea Handler. Bravo began playing in the 1990s after moving to the San Fernando Valley with his family when he was 15 years old. He also appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End in 2007. Chuy established the Bravo Academy in Los Angeles as part of a long-term strategy to assist his Latino group’s talent in landing positions in various entertainment projects.
Chuy Bravo
Stephanie Sherk
Stephanie Sherk was born in Ontario, Canada, and came to the United States to fulfill her dreams of being a model, producer, and actress. You can recall the CSI: Cyber actress from #Hashtag: The Movie. Valentine’s Day, Crash Landing, and Big Date are among the films for which he worked as a writer.
Stephanie Sherk
Beth Chapman
Dog the Bounty Hunter’s popular mom, Beth Chapman, co-starred in the reality TV series Dog the Bounty Hunter, Dog, and Beth: The Most Wanted Search Dog with her husband Duane “Dog” Chapman. However, in 2006, two years after the Dog’s show finished, the two married. In June of this year, she was put in a medical coma and died of cancer complications a few days later.
Beth Chapman
Ashley Massaro
Massaro is an ex-WWE wrestler, TV host, hot model, and Survivor: China participant. Massaro’s success as a wrestler was well-known, and he entered WWE in 2005. Her first attempt at SmackDown with the Raw brand was effective! Paul London and Brian Kendrick are the World Tag Team Champions. In July 2008, she left to serve as a DJ with 94.3 The Fish and appeared in TV and music videos.
Ashley Massaro
Danny Aiello
Danny Aiello was a great American actor who was born in Italy and died in the United States. Once Upon a Time in America, The Purpose Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Harlem Nights, and, of course, The Godfather Part II were all films in which he starred. For his role as Salvator “Sal” Frangione in Do the Right Thing, Aiello was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Danny Aiello
John Witherspoon
John Weatherspoon (also known as Witherspoon) has appeared in films such as Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats, Vampire in Brooklyn, and television programs such as The Boondocks and The Tracy Morgan Show. In 1965, Wayans Bros. started his Hollywood career. The Detroit natives have appeared in music videos for Jay-“Just Z’s Wanna Love U,” LL Cool J’s “Ain’t Nobody,” and Goodie Mob’s “They Don’t Dance No Mo.”
John Witherspoon
Regis Philbin
“His family and friends are forever thankful for the time we have shared with him – for his love, his renowned sense of humor, and his remarkable capacity to make every day something worth talking about,” read the statement released after Regis’ passing. “We’d like to express our gratitude to his fans and admirers for their unwavering love during his 60-year career…”
Regis Philbin
Grant Imahara
Grant Imahara, the star of MythBusters, died of a brain aneurysm on July 13, 2020, at 49. The engineer made his Discovery Channel debut in season 3 and quickly established himself as a favorite team member.
Grant Imahara
Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera, best known for her time on ‘Glee,’ was the survivor of a tragic accident while enjoying the day at Lake Piru with her four-year-old baby. The little boy was discovered alone on the borrowed pontoon after they had gone swimming together. She never returned it to the port.
Naya Rivera
Kelly Preston
Kelly Preston, an actress, died of cancer on July 12, 2020, at 57, after a two-year battle with chemotherapy. Her appearances in ‘Jerry Maguire,’ ‘The Love of the Game,’ and ‘What a Girl Wants’ made her John Travolta’s late wife famous.
Kelly Preston
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner had a long and illustrious career as a comedy actor, producer, and performer that spanned six decades. Reiner passed away on June 29, 2020, at the age of 98, from natural causes. He won nine American Humor Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and a Mark Twain Award for his television, video, and theatre success.
Carl Reiner
Mary Pat Gleason
Mary Pat Gleason passed away on June 2, 2020, at the age of 70. You might not know her name, but you are familiar with her features and iconic personality. Her acting credits are extensive, but some of her most memorable TV roles include French teacher Madame Oeuf on Saved by the Bell, dressing room attendant Lucille on Sex and City, elementary school teacher Mrs. Butters on Desperate Housewives, and homeless lady Sally on Will & Grace. A Cinderella Tale, Unbearable Violence, The Crucible, and I Pronounce You Chuck and Larry are among her most well-known film roles.
Mary Pat Gleason
Fred Willard
Fred Willard was a comedy legend who appeared in a slew of famous TV shows and films. On May 15, 2020, he died of natural causes, leaving behind a reputation that inspired both the satire and Hollywood genres.
Fred Willard
Jerry Stiller
Jerry Stiller, the father of actor and producer Ben Stiller, died of natural causes on May 11, 2020. He wrote, “He’s been Anne’s most devoted husband for 62 years, and he’s been a great father and grandfather. He would be missing. Father, I adore you.” We best remembered Jerry Stiller for his roles as Frank Costanza on “Seinfeld” and Arthur Spooner in the sitcom “The King of Queens” a decade later.
Jerry Stiller
Little Richard
Little Richard, the crazy guy of early rock n’ roll, died on May 9, 2020, at 87, after a long struggle with bone cancer. He was the one behind such songs as “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.”
Little Richard
Sam Lloyd
On April 30, 2020, comedian Sam Lloyd succumbed to lung cancer. Whether you were a fan of ‘Scrubs’ or ‘Seinfeld,’ you would recall his face and what the shows would have been like without him. “Rest in Peace to one of the funniest actors I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” actor Zach Braff said. “Every time we did the scene together, Sam Lloyd helped me crack and break the part. He couldn’t have been a nicer person. I’ll never forget how much fun I had with you, Sammy.”
Sam Lloyd
Howard Finkel
Howard Finkel was a legendary ring announcer with the World Wrestling Federation, commonly known as WWE, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Finkel is said to have had a significant stroke in 2018 and has been sick ever since. His rich, rumbling voice is legendary, having attracted Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Ric Flair to the ring. On April 16, 2020, he passed away.
Howard Finkel
Shirley Douglas
Shirley Douglas, Keifer Sutherland’s girlfriend, and star died on April 5, 2020, from pneumonia complications. Mrs. Starch in Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita” (1962) and David Cronenberg’s “Dead Ringers” (1988), as well as a widowed mother during the Great Depression in the television drama “Wind at My Back” (1996). For her TV movie “Shadow Lake,” which aired in 1999, she won the Gemini Award.
Shirley Douglas
Bill Withers
It would be a sin not to remember Bill Withers’ music, no matter what age you were when you were born. “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me,” and “Need Me” were among his songs as a singer/songwriter. After a long fight with cardiovascular disease, he died on March 20, 2020.
Bill Withers
Kenny Rogers
Rogers was one of the first true mainstream stars in music, with hits in both countries and popped with songs like “Islands in the Stream” and “Lucille.” “The Rogers family regrets to inform you that Kenny Rogers passed away at the age of 81 last night at 10:25 p.m.,” he said. “Rogers died peacefully at home from natural causes, surrounded by his relatives and under the care of the hospice.
Kenny Rogers
Max von Sydow
Max von Sydow died on March 8, 2020, in Provence, France. He was well-known for his roles in The Exorcist and Game of Thrones. For his gravitas, he was regarded as one of the most prominent Swedish actors of all time.
Max Von Sydow
James Lipton
James Lipton died at the age of 93 after a long battle with bladder cancer. He was the creator of the show ‘Behind the Actors Studio,’ on which he interviewed some of Hollywood’s biggest stars about their performance styles and inspirations that propelled them to stardom.
James Lipton
Esther Scott
Esther Scott died of a heart attack at the age of 66 in Los Angeles. She was well-known for her roles in The Birth of a Country and ‘Boyz n the Ghetto.’ She carved out a career as a loving and strict mother figure in over seventy films and television shows.
Esther Scott
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas, the legendary actor, died at the age of 103. “It is with great sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” Michael wrote on Instagram. He said, “He was a national hero, a veteran of the golden age of filmmaking who survived long into his golden years, and a humanitarian dedicated to justice and causes he believed in.
Kirk Douglas
John Singleton
At the age of 24, the director was the first African American and the youngest person ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Boyz n the Hood in 1991. 2 Swift 2 Furious, Shaft, Higher Learning, Poetic Justice, and Rosewood, a 1997 thriller, were both directed by Singleton. Singleton died in April 2019, just days before the stroke, when his family turned off his life support.
John Singleton
Sue Lyon
Sue Lyon began her career as a model in the film industry at the tender age of 13. In 1962, though, she won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Lolita. Lyon has also worked on projects such as The Iguana Time, Evel Knievel, Tony Rome, and 7 Women.
Sue Lyon
Silvio Horta
Silvio Horta, an American screenwriter, and producer, can remember the transformation of Colombian soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea into ABC’s Ugly Betty. He congratulated Ugly Betty on winning the Golden Globe for Best Satire Series, stating, “As the majority of us up here, Betty is a refugee, and The American Dream is still alive and well, and within sight of everyone who desires it.” The first ten Cuban-Americans formed their own production company, Silent H Productions, which was often misspelled as a sarcastic reference to their surname.
Silvio Horta
Elizabeth Wurtzel
Elizabeth Wurtzel, best known as the American writer/journalist for Prozac Nation, often focused her reports on emotional issues such as depression, depression, and family/work life. Due to her confessional memoirs, she established herself as a generation X voice, catalyzing an increase in this rather personal writing style. He died in 2020, at the age of 52, of complications related to metastatic breast cancer.
Elizabeth Wurtzel
Buck Henry
Mel Brooks, an American actress, producer, and screenwriter best known for co-writing The Graduate, Doc, What’s Up?, co-created Get Smart. Between 1976 and 1980, between Will & Grace, 30 Rock, and Hot in Cleveland, SNL was hosted ten times and featured guest stars. Henry died in 2020 in Los Angeles of a heart attack at the age of 89.
Buck Henry
Alexis Eddy
Alexis Eddy was a real-life Are You The One? contestant. Her prior involvement in drug abuse has shaped her on-screen persona significantly. She described herself as “just a washed-up MTV reality star who’s asking if anybody cares what she’s doing.” She died of a heart attack in early 2020 at her house.
Alexis Eddy
Ed Byrnes
Edward Byrne Breitenberger, alias Eddy Byrnes, was an American actor better remembered for his role as the Sunset Strip 77 star. Grease was also a famous cast member in 1978 as Vince Fontaine, a teenage dance host. Logan Byrne, an anchor for KUSI-TV News in San Diego, California, carries on Byrne’s family broadcasting legacy.
Ed Byrnes
Emily Hartridge
Emily was a well-known YouTuber and television host in the United Kingdom. Her vlogs started in 2012 with the publication of the Ten Explanations Why… collection. In her videos, she also discusses modern life, dating, genders, relationships, and mental health. In July 2019, she was struck by a car while riding an e-scooter in South West London. She is believed to be the first human in the world to die in an e-scooter crash.
Emily Hartridge
Kevin Fret
Kevin Fret was the first openly gay Latin trap artist. He was also a famous Puerto Rican rapper and vocalist. Fret graduated from Springfield’s Roger L Putnam Vocational-Technical High School. Everyone knew Fret for “bending gender stereotypes […] and stigmatizing being transgender, non-conformance with gender, and free speech of gender orientation – in a nation where homosexual people are already humiliated, bullied and assassinated,” according to the queer protester and filmmaker Samy, Nemir Olivares. Fret was shot and killed in January 2019 while riding his motorcycle.
Kevin Fret
Scott Patric
Patric, a makeup artist on the Project Runway All-Stars, died of a heart attack in his sleep at 53. The singer has worked with several actors on calls, including Taylor Swift, Kate Moss, and Madonna. His peers realized that he was likely to lose a lot of weight due to his generosity, ingenuity, and robust beard.
Scott Patric
Stan Kirsch
Stan Kirsch developed an interest in television at the age of four when he appeared in several Campbell’s soup commercials. In 1992, he starred in Riders at the Sky and General Hospital. The actor is most known for his role as Richie Ryan in Highlander: The Series, but he also appeared in Buddies, Family Rule, and JAG.
Stan Kirsch
Norma Michaels
Norma Michaels is most known for her role as Josephine in The King of Queens, and she has a six-decade Hollywood career. Michaels hired her to start the Jack Benny Show, but she would gain awards for her roles in Modern Families, Highway to Heaven, Everyone Loves Raymond, and The Wedding Crashers and Simple A films.
Norma Michaels
Chadwick Boseman
Chadwick Boseman’s death came as a complete shock to viewers and co-stars, as his wife revealed that he had been fighting colon cancer for the past four years. Throughout it all, Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and, of course, King T’Challa in Marvel’s “Black Panther” were adamant about working through counseling and making the planet a better place.
Chadwick Boseman
Diana Rigg
Dame Diana Rigg is most known for her portrayal of Olenna Tyrell in the HBO series Game of Thrones. Her daughter confirmed that she died of cancer at the age of 84 in March 2020 after being hospitalized. “She spent the last few months joyfully reflecting on her incredible life, full of passion, laughter, and great pride in her career,” she said in a statement.
Diana Rigg
Alex Trebek
Trebek said that he spent his last year working on tiny house designs because he was too stubborn to resign after the pandemic. His daughters and a small group of relatives welcomed him when he died at the age of 80. Trebek wrote of his plans for a family biography. “I’d like to be known first and foremost as a strong and caring husband and father, as well as a decent guy who tried his utmost to support others do their best,” he said.
Alex Trebek
MF Doom
Daniel Dumile, also known as MF Doom or Doom, was a British-American rapper and album maker who died in October at 49. Daniel rose to prominence in the early 2000s due to his underground hip-hop, complex wordplay, trademark metal masks, and onstage ‘supervillain’ persona. Variety called him one of the scene’s “most celebrated, volatile, and mysterious personalities” after his passing.
MF Doom
Dawn Wells
Dawn Wells was elected Miss Nevada in 1959 and went on to represent her state in the 1960 Atlantic City pageant. She made her television debut on ABC’s The Roaring Twenties and The New Interns in Hollywood. She also performed on The Joey Bishop Show, 77 Sunset Strip, Cheyenne, Maverick, and Bonanza, among other series. Her most famous part was Mary Ann in Gilligan Island, which she portrayed in 1964. Dawn died on December 30, 2020, at the age of 82, due to COVID-19 complications.
Dawn Wells
Joe Clark
Joe Clark was the principal at Paterson Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey. When he made severe strides to strengthen educational conditions around the world, he received national recognition. Joe was the model for Morgan Freeman’s film Lean On Me, released in 1989. He died on December 29th, at the age of 82, following a long illness. Joe died in Florida, surrounded by loved ones, according to his family’s account.
Joe Clark
Phil Niekro
Phil Niekro was a well-known Major League Baseball pitcher whose knuckleball won him a place in the Hall of Fame in 1997. He had been fighting cancer for some time, but on December 26th, he passed away peacefully in his sleep at 81. Following his passing, the Atlanta Braves issued a statement describing him as “a consistent presence throughout the years, in our clubhouse, our alumni events, and around Braves Nation.”
Phil Niekro