The Stars We Said Goodbye To In 2021

When a famous person passes away, it can sometimes feel as though we’ve lost a member of our own families. After all, we’ve watched these people sing, dance, act, or otherwise perform for a large chunk of our lives. We basically feel as if we know them — and so it’s understandable that we should grieve for them, too. Here, then, are our heartfelt tributes to some of the pop culture greats we lost in 2021.

Christopher Plummer

The Sound of Music lost its captain on February 5, 2021. Christopher Plummer was 91 years old and died at home next to his wife, Elaine Taylor. Famously, Plummer disliked his most iconic film upon its initial release — but he did eventually come around to its charms. He even made friends with co-star Julie Andrews, who described the star as “a consummate actor” and “a cherished friend.”

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson died at the age of 96 on January 28, 2021. She was remembered in obituaries as a highly decorated actor who worked hard to pioneer more substantial roles for people of color. Tyson even rejected working in movies for four years because she didn’t agree with the Blaxploitation movement. So when Tyson did appear on screen, you knew she meant business.

Larry King

If you were asked to picture a TV interviewer, chances are you’d think of Larry King. The man started out on the airwaves around 63 years ago and put out as many as 50,000 interviews on the radio and on screen. His best moments are too numerous to list here — but, really, who can forget when Marlon Brando booped his nose? King died on January 23, succumbing to sepsis. He was 87 years old.

Dustin Diamond

Kids of the ’80s and ’90s will forever remember Dustin Diamond as Screech from Saved by the Bell. The actor played the inimitable character for the original show’s four-year run and returned as him repeatedly throughout the 1990s. Diamond struggled privately after the show’s end, but he was still fondly remembered by his co-stars. He passed away from lung cancer on February 2, aged 44.

Stephen Sondheim

It would be easier to list the achievements Stephen Sondheim didn’t earn during his incredible career in musical theater. The esteemed composer had one Oscar, eight Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize, and nine Tony Awards to his name. And that’s not to mention the sheer number of iconic songs and musicals that he authored. He passed away, aged 91, on November 27.

Anne Rice

Anne Rice carved a niche in publishing novels about undead beings — starting with 1976’s Interview with the Vampire. Yet while Rice’s incredible fiction will continue to thrive for many years to come, the best-selling author succumbed to health problems following a stroke. She died in her own house on December 11 at the age of 80.

James Michael Tyler

You probably know James Michael Tyler as Gunther, the beloved barista, from Friends. As Jennifer Aniston said in her tribute to Tyler, the show simply “would not have been the same” if he hadn’t been in it. Tyler had been told he had prostate cancer in 2018, and he fought it until he passed away, at 59, on October 24.

Willie Garson

The world knew William Garson Paszamant as Willie Garson — whose most famous appearance was as Standford Blatch in Sex and the City. The prolific actor notched up plenty of other credits, though, popping up in some 170 shows and films during his long career. He died on September 21 at the age of 57. The cause was given as pancreatic cancer.

Jane Powell

On September 16 the world lost a star from Hollywood’s golden age of musicals. Jane Powell will be forever remembered as Milly in the 1954 classic Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. And even though she stopped making movies at 29 years of age, she still lit up the stage and small screen with her delightful voice. Powell was 92 when she passed.

Norm Macdonald

Seth Rogan said the world will mourn a “comedy giant” after Norm Macdonald passed away on September 14. Likewise, director Edgar Wright thanked the late star for “all the laughs” he’d provided during his hilarious career. Macdonald was just 61 when cancer took his life. He was best remembered for his stint on Saturday Night Live in the ’90s.

Michael K. Williams

Michael K. Williams was propelled into the limelight thanks to his dazzling portrayal of Omar in The Wire. The actor also fought his personal demons to sparkle in acclaimed shows such as Broadwalk Empire and Lovecraft Country. Creator of The Wire, David Simon, rightly called him “a rare talent.” Sadly, though, 54-year-old Williams was found dead on September 6 after suffering an accidental overdose.

Willard Scott

Long-time viewers of the Today show were no doubt left heartbroken at the news of Willard Scott’s passing. The lovable host had given Today’s audience the weather for more than 30 years, livening up broadcasts with his memorable birthday announcements. He passed away among family on September 4, at the age of 87. Fun fact: Scott was actually the original Ronald McDonald. 

Ed Asner

People will be able to tell your age depending on which role it was that made you fall in love with Ed Asner. Was it the character of Lou Grant from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and, later, Lou Grant? Or was the curmudgeonly Carl from Up? Whichever one it was, you’ll know that Asner was a highly decorated actor beloved by all generations. He passed on August 29, aged 91.

Una Stubbs

Sherlock showed the entire world what Brits had known for decades: Una Stubbs was amazing. The actress had been a fixture of British TV since she first showed up in the 1963 Cliff Richard vehicle, Summer Holiday. But international audiences got their taste of Stubbs’ unique talent in the wildly successful Sherlock. She died on August 12 at the age of 84.

Ned Beatty

It’s possible that audiences will always remember Ned Beatty for that upsetting scene in Deliverance. Yet the actor obviously had a sparkling career, filled with head-turning character roles in adored movies such as Superman, Network, and All the President’s Men. Younger generations might even know him as the voice of Lotso in Toy Story 3. The acclaimed actor died on June 13, aged 83. 

Charles Grodin

Charles Grodin once defined himself as “low key but high strung.” That could also serve as shorthand for his most well-remembered characters. The actor certainly brought these unique qualities to Midnight Run in 1988 and the Beethoven films in the early ’90s. Grodin passed away on May 18 as a result of bone marrow cancer.

Olympia Dukakis

Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis passed away on May 1 after suffering through months of being unwell. She was 89 years old and leaves behind two sons and a daughter. Fortunately for her fans, she also left a wealth of great work for us to enjoy for years to come. Who could forget her turns in Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias?

Jim Steinman

Bonnie Tyler, Céline Dion, and Meat Loaf owe some of their biggest hits to composer Jim Steinman. In fact, Meat Loaf’s whole Bat Out of Hell oeuvre is down in large part to Steinman’s skills behind the scenes. When Steinman succumbed to kidney failure at the age of 73 on April 19, the world of music became a little bit less bright. 

Helen McCrory

Peaky Blinders is loved all over the world, and this is due in no small part to Helen McCrory. So fans were no doubt in mourning when this British star of stage and screen passed away from cancer on April 16. Her Peaky co-star Cillian Murphy called her “a beautiful, caring, funny, compassionate human being.”

DMX

Earl Simmons literally made a name for himself in the rap world as DMX. During his iconic career, he dropped bangers such as “Party Up (Up in Here)” and teamed up with hip hop royalty such as Jay-Z. He had a troubled private life, but he did also father and love 15 kids. He died aged 50 on April 9, less than a week after having a heart attack.

Charlie Watts

Even if you don’t immediately recognize the name, you’ll certainly recognize the music. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”? “Sympathy for the Devil”? That’s right: Charlie Watts was the incredible drummer who helped propel the Rolling Stones into superstardom. He was 80 years old when he died on August 24 after weeks of declining health. The likes of Paul McCarney, Elton John, and Ringo Starr all had kind words to say about the star.

Robert Downey Sr.

Robert Downey Sr. could be more famous these days for fathering his Iron Man actor son — but he made other important contributions to pop culture, too. Take the director’s 1969 satire Putney Swope. That movie was ushered into the National Film Registry in 2016. Robert Downey Jr. praised his dad as a “true maverick” after the 85-year-old passed away following an extended struggle with Parkinson’s disease. 

Richard Donner

How can one man be responsible for so many classic movies? The Omen, Superman, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon… It seems director Richard Donner was a hit-making machine! In fact, Donner’s movies earned just shy of $2 billion at the global box office. Not bad, eh? He died on July 5, from heart failure, at 91 years of age.

Romy Walthall

At the age of only 57, Romy Walthall died when her heart unexpectedly stopped beating on May 19. And while audiences hadn’t seen her on screen since 2011, the retired actress had been teaching the craft in Los Angeles. She will naturally leave a hole in the lives of her loved ones. Her daughter said Walthall “possessed the kind of magic that you truly just don’t see.”

Tanya Roberts

Britt Ekland summed it up best in her tribute to Tanya Roberts. “Once a Bond Girl always a Bond Girl!” she tweeted. Roberts had memorably been Bond’s lover in A View to a Kill, of course. Audiences may also remember her for her six-year run in sitcom That ’70s Show. The 65-year-old died after a urinary tract infection ended up impacting other parts of her body.

Johnny Crawford

Fans of The Rifleman will know Johnny Crawford all too well. He starred as son Mark McCain from 1958 to 1963 and even earned himself an Emmy nod at the age of 13. The successful young actor was also one of the original Mouseketeers! He died on April 29, at 75 years old, after catching coronavirus and pneumonia.

Gavin MacLeod

If you’re of a certain generation, you’ll know Gavin MacLeod from his remarkable TV run in the 1970s. The actor starred in The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970 to 1977 and then immediately started a ten-year stint in The Love Boat. He slipped off the radar after this, but he’d no doubt deserved to by then! MacLeod died at the age of 90 on May 29.

Barbara Shelley

Scream queen Barbara Shelley lost her life to the coronavirus on January 4. The actor will always be remembered for her starring roles in the beloved Hammer Horror films of the 1950s and ’60s. Shelley was described as “the technicolor queen of Hammer” by her agent, Thomas Bowington. And he added that she was capable of being “quietly evil” alongside Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

George Segal

George Segal’s career was quite something. The actor scored an Oscar nomination for the 1966 movie Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and then two Golden Globe nods for sitcom Just Shoot Me! Plus, right up until his death he was still plugging away on The Goldbergs. Segal died on March 23 after bypass surgery didn’t go as smoothly as experts had hoped. He was 87 years old.

Larry Flynt

You can’t talk about Larry Flynt’s career in polite circles, but there was more to the man than his publishing empire. In fact, he was a staunch defender of the First Amendment and sometimes even found himself in court fighting for what he believed in. He died at the age of 78 on February 10 from heart failure.

Cloris Leachman

Cloris Leachman packed a lot of work into her 70-year career. Some will remember her fondly for her Emmy-winning turn in The Mary Tyler Moore Show – or perhaps her Academy Award-winning role in The Last Picture Show. And ’00s kids will know her as Grandma Ida in Malcolm in the Middle — a role that also earned her Emmys! She died on January 27, aged 94, of a stroke.

Hal Holbrook

On January 23 the entertainment industry lost one of its great on-screen people of power. Hal Holbrook was a natural in these roles — perhaps most memorably in All the President’s Men — during his storied career. His incredible voice helped, but he also had a certain air about him as well. Who else but the 95-year-old could have performed as Mark Twain well over 2,000 times?

Hank Aaron

You don’t get the nickname “Hammerin’ Hank” for nothing! Hank Aaron was a baseball Hall of Famer who set the sporting world alight during his incredible career. He broke the records for runs batted in, total bases, extra-base hits, and — most importantly — most home runs. Aaron was even the home-run king for around 33 years. The national treasure died on January 22 at 86 years old.

Sonny Chiba

Western audiences might have only been introduced to Sonny Chiba in the Kill Bill movies or in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. But the legendary martial artist is known all over the world for his Japanese fight flicks and stunning action choreography. After all, he appeared in a massive 210 movies and TV shows! Chiba passed away from coronavirus complications on August 19.

Dusty Hill

On July 28 ZZ Top members Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons announced that bassist Dusty Hill had passed away. The pair praised Hill’s “steadfast presence,” his “good nature,” and his “enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the ‘Top.’” The 72-year-old Hill had, of course, given us that inimitable ZZ Top sound for more than half a century. “You will be missed greatly, amigo,” Gibbons and Beard signed off.

Halyna Hutchins

The world was stunned when news broke of Halyna Hutchins’ shocking death. The cinematographer’s life was tragically cut short after actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun while filming a movie called Rust. Hutchins was just 42 years old at the time — October 21 — and left behind a husband, a son, and the possibility of a long and promising career.

Yaphet Kotto

You might not know the name, but you’ll definitely know the face. Yaphet Kotto’s iconic roles in Alien and Live and Let Die, not to mention his long run in TV’s Homicide: Life of the Streets, ensure that the actor will live long in our memories. After the 81-year-old died on March 15, his wife called him “a good man, a good father, a good husband, and a decent human being.”

Michael Nesmith

The Monkees came together for a TV series from 1966 to 1968 — and for a short time even out-sold The Beatles. But when 78-year-old Michael Nesmith passed away on December 10, Micky Dolenz became the only living member of the band. Dolenz said the Nesmith’s death left him “heartbroken” but “grateful that [they] could spend the last couple of months together doing what [they] loved best — singing, laughing, and doing shtick.”

Dean Stockwell

TV fans will forever know Dean Stockwell as the holographic Al from Quantum Leap. It was easily the actor’s most famous role, even earning him a Golden Globe in 1990. Yet Stockwell had a long career, from child star to character actor for the likes of Robert Altman and David Lynch. The actor passed on November 7. He was 85 years old.

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Betty White

Beloved Emmy-winning actor Betty White was just 18 days shy of turning 100 years old when she died on December 31. But despite not being able to celebrate that three-digit birthday, White still left us with a lifetime of happy memories. She’ll be most remembered for her roles in The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show as everybody’s favorite horny grandma.