Top 10 Saddest Deaths of 2024

The Top Ten

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 - September 9, 2024) was an American actor known for both his film roles and his work in the 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 received 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.
Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers (January 14, 1948, to February 1, 2024) was an American actor, director, and former professional football linebacker. He gained fame for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series, a character that became iconic in American cinema. He also appeared in notable productions such as... read more

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.
Donald Sutherland

Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC, was a Canadian actor whose film career spanned more than six decades. He starred in numerous acclaimed films, including MASH, Klute, Ordinary People, and The Hunger Games series. In 2017, he received an Academy Honorary Award for his contributions to cinema.

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).
Shelley Duvall

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.
Shannen Doherty

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.
Akira Toriyama

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).

There are no words to tell you how much this hurt the world. He was among the most prolific animators of all time and helped bring the Dragon Ball franchise to life.
He had a subdural hematoma, and what's really shocking was that he never publicized it. A truly devastating loss for entertainment and should be number one. R.I.P. (1955-2024).
Toby Keith

Toby Keith Covel, known professionally as Toby Keith, was an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and actor who lived from July 8, 1961, to February 5, 2024. He released 19 studio albums and 61 singles, with 20 reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs... read more

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.
Maggie Smith

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 seven decades. Smith appeared in more than 50 films and was... 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.
Alexei Navalny

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.

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?
Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is 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 is the longest-lived president in U.S. history.

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.

The Newcomers

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Quincy Jones

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. He worked on landmark projects across several... read more

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).

I feel like another one of the great music producers who have passed this year is someone who is on the same boat as Quincy Jones, and that's Brazilian jazz/bossa nova artist Sergio Mendes. He was notable for being one of the major factors of the bossa nova boom during the 60s with his collaborations with Herb Alpert and for one of the best Beatles covers of all time, "The Fool On The Hill". He straight-up just epitomized chill music for everyone and even went so far as doing movie soundtracks ("Rio" is probably one I can remember) and yes, like Quincy Jones, he was an all-around legend. "See the sun going down and the eyes in his head..."
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Tony Todd

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. He worked in film and television until his... read more

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.

The Contenders

Teri Garr
Liam Payne

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. His audition song was "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).
Bob Newhart

This actor and comedian was seen in The Big Bang Theory. He was 94.
RIP (1929-2024).
Kris Kristofferson

Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 - September 28, 2024) was an American country singer, songwriter, and actor. His songwriting credits include "Me and Bobby McGee," "For the Good Times," "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," and "Help Me Make It Through the Night," all of which became 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.
Louis Gossett Jr.

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.
Tito Jackson

One of the Jacksons just passed away at age 70. He was the third of the nine Jackson siblings and the older brother of Michael and Janet Jackson, who have gone on to become the worldwide superstars we know today.
He was also the guitarist for the Jackson 5/Jacksons and the father of Taj, Taryll, and TJ Jackson, who founded the boy band 3T. RIP (1953-2024).
Susan Wojcicki

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.
Chita Rivera

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).
Gena Rowlands

This legendary actress, who was the muse of John Cassavetes, died at 94. Rest in peace.
Cissy Houston

This Grammy-winning gospel and soul singer was the mother of the late Whitney Houston. She died at the wise age of 91 and has now officially joined not only her daughter, but also her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, who passed away in 2015 at age 22.
She was also the aunt of soul singers Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick. RIP to Mother Houston (1933-2024).
Françoise Hardy

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).
Willie Mays

Willie Howard Mays Jr., nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder. He spent the majority of his 23-season MLB career playing for the New York and San Francisco Giants. He finished his career with the New York Mets and is widely considered one of the greatest baseball... read more
Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945, died January 7, 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" also evokes the legacy of 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).
Dave Myers

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.
M. Emmet Walsh

A major loss for cinema.
The character actor who appeared in over 200 films and television series, including small but important supporting roles such as Earl Frank in Straight Time, the Madman in The Jerk, Captain Bryant in Blade Runner, Harv in Critters, and Walt Scheel in Christmas with the Kranks, died of cardiac arrest just three days before his 89th birthday.
R.I.P. (March 22, 1935 - March 19, 2024).