Top 10 Saddest Deaths of 2024
James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 - September 9, 2024) was an American actor known for his film roles and his work in theater. He was one of the few performers to achieve the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985 and was honored with the... read more Another Hollywood legend gone! This actor, known for his very deep voice, voiced iconic movie characters such as Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise and Mufasa from The Lion King. As an actor, his most notable roles include The Great White Hope (1970), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Coming to America (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), and movie adaptations of Tom Clancy novels, among many others.
He also provided voiceover work for CNN's famous slogan, "This is CNN," during the 1980s and 1990s. He was 93 years old. RIP (1931-2024).
This is very sad for the acting world. He played Mufasa in The Lion King and voiced Darth Vader in Star Wars. R.I.P. 1931 - 2024.
Please let Jimmy Carter live to 100. He only has 20 days before his birthday.
Dame Margaret Natalie "Maggie" Smith CH DBE (28 December 1934 - 27 September 2024) was an English actress known for her wit in both comedic and dramatic roles. She had an extensive and varied career on stage, film, and television, spanning over 66 years. Smith appeared in over 50 films and was one of... read more Another legendary actress gone. This British actress was best known for portraying Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise (2001-2011) as well as Lady Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey. She was 89.
Let's all raise our wands now. RIP (1934-2024).
I loved her so much. She was an amazing Professor McGonagall and seemed like such a sweet lady.
Carl Weathers (1948-2024) was an American actor, director, and former professional football player. He is best known for portraying Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films. This is a significant loss for cinema. This American actor was best known for playing Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films, Colonel Al Dillon in Predator, and Combat Carl in the Toy Story franchise. He also played a role in Happy Gilmore and in The Mandalorian. He died three weeks after turning 76. Rest in peace (1948-2024).
Quite sad, he was truly great.
He was a massive icon in cinema.
Rest in peace.
Shelley Alexis Duvall was an American actress, producer, writer, and singer. Over the duration of her career, Duvall garnered critical acclaim for her portrayals of various eccentric characters.
Duvall began her career appearing in various Robert Altman films in the 1970s. Another sad loss for cinema. This Hollywood actress was best known for portraying Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980). She passed away in her sleep following diabetes-related complications. She was 75 years old. R.I.P.
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC, was a Canadian actor whose film career spanned more than six decades. Another sad loss for cinema. This Canadian actor had a career that spanned over seven decades. He rose to fame in the late 1960s after starring in The Dirty Dozen (1967) and appeared in several movies from the 1970s to the 2010s, including MASH (1970).
Nowadays, he is best known for portraying President Snow in the Hunger Games franchise. Aside from being an actor, Sutherland was also an anti-war activist. He was the father of five children, including his son Kiefer Sutherland, who also became a successful actor, notably for his portrayal of Jack Bauer in 24.
He was 88 years old. RIP (1935-2024).
I lost my breath from this, and I'm sure the world has too.
The creator of Dragon Ball died of acute subdural hematoma, which he was going to have surgery for, and he kept it private. Dragon Ball has been one of the most successful manga of all time, along with Pokémon, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Doraemon, and became a cultural phenomenon.
He had so much work left to do, even though he stopped doing Dragon Ball. Such a shocking loss, which makes me think of all the other great legends passing too soon. This should definitely be number one at this point.
R.I.P. to the master of Dragon Ball (April 5, 1955 - March 1, 2024).
Breast cancer is a terrible thing! Shannen left us too soon. Compared to most on this list, she died relatively young.
One of the Charmed ones. Shannen may be gone, but the Power of Three's legacy is eternal!
This totally shocked me.
Liam James Payne (August 29, 1993 - October 16, 2024) was an English singer and songwriter. He made his debut as a singer when he auditioned as a solo artist for the British television series The X Factor in 2008 with "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra. Yet another singer gone too soon. This former member of one of the most popular boy bands of all time, One Direction, just passed away in Argentina after falling three stories from a hotel. From what I've heard, the fall was likely a result of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which he struggled with in the past. He was only 31 years old. I know for a fact many former 1D fans will be very sad, and the chances of a reunion for them might be even more unlikely now.
RIP.
This one left me completely speechless. This ex-One Direction member was found dead after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was presumably drunk and aggressive before he died. He was 31 years old, which is yet another reminder that fame at an early age can have devastating effects on people.
A 1D reunion will definitely be done without Liam.
RIP, gone too soon. (1993-2024).
A courageous Russian opposition activist and hero for the people, for sure. His demise was absolutely no surprise and was expected. What is Putin's net worth again from his salary as a lifetime government employee?
This Russian dissident, who was imprisoned in the Arctic Prison, just died in his cell. His death intervenes a few weeks before the presidential elections in Russia and is a big blow to Russians who fled their country. The causes of his death have not yet been revealed.
He was serving a 19-year sentence for "extremism" and was only 47 years old. Rest in peace.
The Newcomers
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr (October 1, 1924 - December 29, 2024) was an American politician and author who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Carter Center. He served in public service on a scale that most other ex-presidents didn't come close to achieving. It's a big loss of a true gentleman.
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 - November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, conductor, arranger, composer, musician, television producer, film producer, instrumentalist, magazine founder, entertainment company executive, and humanitarian. Music just lost an absolute legend. Quincy Jones first started his music career as a jazz trumpeter, known for instrumentals such as "Soul Bossa Nova" and "Ironside," which have been used in multiple movies.
He then went on to produce iconic albums for great artists, most notably Michael Jackson's most iconic albums: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982, which went on to become the highest-selling album of all time), and Bad (1987). He also produced the 1985 charity single "We Are the World," which was meant to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia and became one of the highest-selling singles of all time.
He was 91. RIP (1933-2024).
Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 - September 28, 2024) was an American country singer, songwriter, and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee," "For the Good Times," "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," and "Help Me Make It Through the Night," all of which were hits for other artists... read more Country music has lost a legend. This singer-songwriter is best known for songs such as "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," "Me and Bobby McGee," and "Help Me Make It Through the Night." He was also a celebrated actor who notably starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born. He was 88 years old. RIP.
Another sad loss for music. This musician and producer was best known for producing some landmark alt-rock albums such as Surfer Rosa by the Pixies and In Utero by Nirvana, which are considered among the greatest albums of all time by publications such as Rolling Stone.
He was also the frontman of indie rock bands Shellac and Big Black. He was 61. RIP (1962-2024).
Anthony Tiran "Tony" Todd was an American character actor, voice artist, and film producer. He was best known for his role as Candyman in the horror film series of the same name and his recurring role as William Bludworth in the Final Destination franchise. This actor is best known for his roles in movies such as Candyman and Final Destination. He just died after a long illness at age 69. RIP.
One half of the biker cooks, The Hairy Bikers. So sorry to hear of his passing.
R.I.P. Dave, you'll be missed by so many.
This is a very sad loss for French chanson. This iconic French singer was best known for her delicate vocals and multiple hits, such as "Tous les garçons et les filles" (which she entirely wrote at only 18), "Mon amie la rose," "Comment te dire adieu" (a Serge Gainsbourg-penned adaptation of "It Hurts to Say Goodbye" by Margaret Whiting), "Message personnel," and "Le temps de l'amour" (which can be heard in the Wes Anderson movie Moonrise Kingdom).
She married fellow French singer Jacques Dutronc, with whom she had a son, Thomas, who also became a successful singer-songwriter and collaborated with artists such as Iggy Pop. She's also the only French singer to appear in Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time list and has been praised and fantasized about by male artists such as Mick Jagger, Morrissey, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan.
She had been battling cancer for two decades and just lost her brave fight at the age of 80. RIP to this great demoiselle (1944-2024).
He was the Grateful Dead's longtime bassist and one of its founding members. He just passed away at 84 years old.
The first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor has passed away.
R.I.P. to the Martin Luther King Jr. of Best Supporting Actor roles.
I'm afraid I have to disagree with many aspects of her tenure as CEO of YouTube. However, I don't wish for anyone to have a shorter-than-expected life. It's tragic that she passed away from cancer, and even more heartbreaking that her son died from a drug overdose months earlier. I pray for her entire family. Very sad.
I just found out about this today. Even though I didn't agree with her leadership as YouTube's CEO, it's still sad that she died from cancer. RIP.
She was known for her roles in Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Velma Kelly in Chicago, and her title role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. She was a Tony award winner as well as a dancer. Rest in peace (1933-2024).
This filmmaker was best known for being the director of Super Size Me (2004). He was 53 years old.
RIP (1970-2024).
I saw Super Size Me in 7th grade, and I loved Morgan. I am sorry he died.
She had many hit songs at the age of fifteen and sixteen as the lead singer of the Shangri-Las, one of the greatest pop bands of the sixties.
The band produced great melodramatic teenage music, and it's a total loss to see a woman like her pass away. Her music will stay for generations to come.
Toby Keith Covel, known professionally as Toby Keith (1961-2024) was an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and actor. Country music has lost a legend. This singer-songwriter from Oklahoma had a career that spanned more than 3 decades and is best known for songs such as "Beer for My Horses" (a duet with country legend Willie Nelson), "How Do You Like Me Now?!", "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue", "I Wanna Talk About Me", "Should've Been a Cowboy", and "Red Solo Cup". He lost a battle with stomach cancer, which he was diagnosed with in June 2022. He was 62. RIP (1961-2024).
Country music lost an icon after a long battle with cancer. He was the 90s king of country. May he rest in peace.
Another big loss for cinema. This actor, best known for his roles in The Bodyguard and Night at the Museum, had a career that spanned over six decades. He also acted in movies by great Hollywood directors such as Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, and the Coen Brothers. He just passed away at the age of 90. RIP.
He was an Australian rules footballer who played with the West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Bears in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/AFL).
He died of cancer.
R.I.P. (August 29, 1963 - April 16, 2024).
Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born 11 September 1945, died 7 January 2024) was a German professional footballer and manager. Early in his playing career, he was nicknamed "Der Kaiser" because of his elegant style, dominance, and leadership on the field. His first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian... read more Such a sad start to the year for football/soccer! This German icon, who played in a defending position known as "sweeper," won the UEFA Euro 1972 and the FIFA World Cup 1974 with the West Germany national team, and three European Cups (pre-Champions League) with Bayern Munich between 1974 and 1976. He also won the Ballon d'Or twice (in 1972 and 1976) and is one of only three defenders to win this trophy.
He later became the coach for the West Germany national team and won the World Cup in 1990 as Germany was reunifying. Just like Mario Zagallo, he is one of only three footballers who won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach (the third one is Didier Deschamps). He was also the president of Bayern Munich from 1994 to 2009. He died in his home in Salzburg, Austria, at the age of 78. Rest in Peace (1945-2024).