Stars who said goodbye to us in 2024

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne died unexpectedly after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31 years old. As it turned out, the artist had been consuming a dangerous mix of narcotic substances. Three people have been arrested in connection to the case.

The acclaimed British actress Maggie Smith, remembered for iconic roles like Professor Minerva McGonagall in the 'Harry Potter' film series and the Dowager Countess of Grantham in 'Downton Abbey', died at the age of 89.

James Earl Jones gave his voice to Darth Vader in the 'Star Wars' saga and Mufasa in 'The Lion King'. He was also Eddy Murphy's regal African father in 'Coming to America' (1988). The legend of Hollywood died at the age of 93.

The actress from 'Beverly Hills, 90210', and 'Charmed' died of bre4st cancer diagnosed in 2015. time. Days before she died at the age of 53, she narrated on the 'Let's Talk Off Camera' podcast the personal drama she was suffering due to her illness and the cost of the treatments.

The music producer behind stars like Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, and Frank Sinatra, died at age 91 surrounded by his family. Quincy Jones has been considered the 'Godfather' of 20th-century pop music.

This Canadian actor, an idol to generations of movie fans and the father of actor Kiefer Sutherland, died at age 88. He was known for decades of acting, ranging from 'M.A.S.H' to 'The Hunger Games'.

Athlete, actor, and TV personality OJ Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. He was acquitted in the criminal trial but lost a civil procedure. At the age of 76, the fallen star died of prostate cancer.

Many will instantly remember her as Winifred Banks in 'Mary Poppins' (1964) but Glynis Johns played many other parts on stage and the big screen during her impressive 70-year career. She died at the respectable age of 100 years.

American Football player and actor Carl Weathers, known for the role of Apollo Creed in the 'Rocky' franchise, died at 76. Shortly before his death, he appeared in the Disney series 'The Mandalorian'.

Toby Keith was a giant in country music, selling nearly 40 million albums throughout his career. He died of stomach cancer at age 62.

He was a regular guest in the HBO sitcom 'Larry David'. Actor and comedian Richard Lewis had suffered from several health issues over the years and often joked about being a recovering alcoholic in the show. In 2023, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's but he continued to appear in 'Larry David' until February 2024. Richard Lewis died at age 76.

This prolific actor won an Emmy for the series 'Roots' in 1977 and an Oscar for 'An Office and a Gentleman' in 1983. In the later years of his decades-spanning career, he also participated in the series 'Watchmen'. Louis Gossett Jr. passed away at age 87.

Not the average celebrity, Alexei Navalny was world-famous as an activist and opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Navalny, 47 years old, died in a Siberian prison under ambiguous circumstances.

At age 92, Canadian writer Alice Munro passed away in an Ontario nursing home. She had suffered from dementia for over a decade. Munro wrote famous short stories and received a Nobel Prize in 2013.

As he was driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma, the life of music legend Tito Jackson suddenly ended at age 70. The cause of death is believed to be an acute myocardial infarction, BBC reports. He was a member of the famous Jackson 5 and father of the musical trio 3T.

Actress Teri Garr, famous from 'Young Frankenstein' and 'Tootsie' - or, for a younger generation, as the mother of Phoebe in 'Friends' - passed away from the complications of multiple sclerosis at age 79.

Chuck Woolery, the host of the original 'Wheel of Fortune', passed away in late November. He died at his home in Texas at the age of 83, with his wife Kristen at his side.

On November 12, South Korean model and actor Song Jae-rim Song was found dead in his home in Seoul. It appears he had taken his own life. The artist was only 39 years old.

On November 5, the death of American news anchor Chauncy Glover, winner of three Emmy Awards, was announced by several US media. The cause of his death was not revealed.

Cancer claimed the life of former American basketball player Robert Earl Love, better known as Bob Love. The Chicago Bulls legend died at the age of 81.

American actor Tony Todd, 69, best known for his roles in the 'Final Destination' film franchise, died on November 6 at his home in Marina del Rey, California. According to media outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter, he was battling cancer.

Remember the theme song from 'Love Boat'? Its singer, Jack Jones, died in October at age 86 from leukemia.

American actor Michael Newman, best known for his role in the series 'Baywatch', died from the complications of Parkinson's disease. He was 67 years old.

Famous as an activist and Kennedy family member through her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy, the socialite Ethel Skakel Kennedy died from complications of a stroke at age 96.

Kris Kristofferson was a gifted composer and actor. He wrote songs like 'Me and Bobby McGee' and appeared as an actor in the cult film 'Blade'. His life ended at age 88.

The famous Brazilian musician, known for his bossa nova and funk music with the group Brasil '66 ('Mas Que Nada'), passed away at the age of 83 from complications of Covid.

French actor Alain Delon, an icon of the golden age of French cinema and remembered for films such as 'The Leopard' (1963) and 'Borsalino' (1979), died at the age of 88.

Gena Rowlands will always be remembered, among other films, for her work in the 2004 movie 'The Notebook'. In it, she played a woman with Alzheimer's, the illness that would eventually lead to her own death as well.

Former basketball player and coach Joe Bryant, who was also the father of Kobe Bryant, died at age 69 due to a massive stroke.

American television personality Richard Simmons, known for his exercise and fitness videos, died on July 13, just one day after his 76th birthday. Apparently, hours before his death, he suffered a fall in the bathroom of his house, which could be related to his death, according to TMZ.

With Françoise Hardy, a French icon is gone. She battled illness for many years and passed away at the age of 80. Hardy was an actress and a singer-songwriter representing the so-called yé-yé wave in the 1960s, a musical trend inspired by the counterculture and Anglophone rock 'n' roll but sung in the native language.

'General Hospital' star Johnny Wactor was shot and killed in Los Angeles as he tried to prevent thieves from taking the catalytic converter from his car. He was 37 years old.

The documentary filmmaker who rose to fame with his Oscar-nominated documentary 'Super Size Me' died at the age of 53. It wasn't his fast food consumption that did him in, though, but complications of cancer.

Italian designer Roberto Cavalli passed away after a long illness. His fashion brand was known for luxury clothing with exotic patterns and perfumes. The celebrity had six children with three women.

Having appeared in more than a 100 productions, this actor was a familiar face in Hollywood. His work included 'Blade Runner' (1982) and 'Blood Simple' (1984). Actor M. Emmet Walsh passed away from cardiac arrest at 88.

'General Hospital' actress Robyn Bernard was found dead in a field on March 12. She was 64 years old. According to Hello magazine, she had been "living in a mobile home and was known locally to be homeless."

The exact circumstances and date of singer-songwriter Eric Carmen's death at age 74 have not been revealed. He will surely be remembered for many more years though, as his legendary songs 'All By Myself' and 'Hungry Eyes' are played on the radio regularly.

This well-respected cartoonist created the 'Dragon Ball' universe in the setting of Japanese manga. Akira Toriyama passed away at age 68 from an acute subdural hematoma.

'Beverly Hills, 90210' star David Gail tragically passed away at age 58. Police sources revealed to TMZ that the cause of death was an overdose.

Another tragic passing in the American TV world. Alec Musser was 50 years old when he took his own life in his California home, police reported. The actor is remembered for performances in 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Grown Ups'.

A soccer legend that cannot be missing from the list of stars we lost in 2024, Franz Beckenbauer died at age 78. Nicknamed 'Der Kaiser', the German athlete won the World Cup with his national team, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or.

David Soul, the famous Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson from the series 'Starsky & Hutch', died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Next to him in the photo is Lynne Mart who also acted in 'Starsky & Hutch' and reportedly had a romance with him. Marta, also known for the movie 'Footloose', died a few days after Soul at age 78 of cancer.

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