2019 Deaths in Movies, Stage, and Television

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Rene Aberjonois (age 79) - Aberjonois played a wide variety of characters in film and on television, ranging from Father MulCahy in the film version of M*A*S*H to the shape-shifting alien Odo on "Deep Space Nine." He was nominated for the Emmy Award nine times and SAG awards three. Aberjonois succumbed to lung cancer on December 8, 2019.

Julie Adams (age 92) - in a career that spanned more than sixty years, Adams appeared in dozens of movies and made guest appearances on many television shows. She may be bast known as the heroine of Creature from the Black Lagoon and recurring roles in the TV shows "Code Red" and "Murder She Wrote." Adams passed away February 3, 2019.

Danny Aiello (age 86) - Aiello's Italian good looks and gravel voice served him well in both film and television, beginning with a walk-on part as a low-level gangster in The Godfather Part II.  HIs breakout role was in 1989's Do the Right Thing as Sal, the pizza man. He also played Jack Ruby and had the lead role in ILieberman in Love. Aiello died  December 12, 2019.

Jed Allan (age 84) - Although he spent the bulk of his career on daytime soap operas ("Days of Our Lives," "Santa Barbara," and "General Hospital"), Allan may be best remembered as Ranger Turner in two seasons of "Lassie." He also hosted "Celebrity Bowling" in the 1970s and appeared in "Beverly Hills 90210." Allan succumbed March 9, 2019.

Bibi Andersson (age 83) - Andersson had a five-decade career in film, beginning as a teenager in 1951. She appeared both in her native Sweden and in English-language films. American viewers may remember her for roles in Scenes from a Marriage and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Although she did not receive any Oscars, Andersson does have a planet named for her. Andersson died April 14, 2019, of complications from a stroke suffered in 2010.

Carmen Argenziano (age 75) - Argenziano appeared in more than 100 television shows and over 50 movies in a career that spanned five decades. He had recurring roles in "Stargate SG-1" and "Melrose Place," among other television dramas; and small parts in movies as widely varied as Sudden Impact and Gone in 60 Seconds. Argenziano died February 10, 2019.

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Kaye Ballard (age 93) - The "big-mouthed" Ballard is best known as a television and movie actress, although her 1954 rendition of "Fly Me to the Moon" (aka "In Other Words") set the standard for the oft-covered tune. She acted in dozens of films and made many guest television appearances in a career that spanned the 1950s to the 2010s. Ballard succumbed to kidney cancer on January 21, 2019.

Kevin Barnett (age 32) - A comic and writer, Barnett co-created the Fox/20th Century comedy "Rel" and the "Eric Andre Show" for Adult Swim. Barnett died suddenly, apparently of pancreatitis, while vacationing in Mexico on January 22, 2019.

Verna Bloom (age 80) - Bloom was an actor  known for playing the wife of Dean Wormer in “Animal House,” Clint Eastwood's love interest in "High Plains Drifter," and the Virgin Mary in “The Last Temptation of Christ." She died of complications of dementia on January 9, 2019.

Rudy Boesch (age 91) - A retired Navy Seal, became the oldest person ever to "compete" on "Survivor," appearing twice – once in the show's inaugural season (2000) and again in "Survivor All-Stars" in 2004. His 45-year career in the U. S. Navy included assignment to Seal Team 2 in 1962. He retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in 1990. Boesch died November 1, 2019, of Alzheimer's disease.

Eunetta Boone (age 63) - Boone broke into television as a comedy writer for such sitcoms as "The Hughleys" and "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" before shifting into production. She produced the sitcom "One on One" and at the time of her death was showrunner for the Disney Channel series "Raven's Home." Boone died March 20, 2019.

Cameron Boyce (age 20) - Boyce was a child actor who appeared in Disney movies and television shows, including the Descendants franchises and the television show "Jessie." He appeared in feature films including Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2. He was known for his humanitarian work, including The Thirst Project and the LA United Way. Boyce died during an epileptic seizure on July 6, 2019.

Chuy Bravo (age 63) - Jesús "Chuy Bravo" Melgoza was a Mexican-American actor and comedian with a... wide array of credits. He made several pornos, as well as mainstream films such as The Honeymooners. He is perhpas best known as the diminutive (4'-3") sidekick of Chelsea Handler in the television show "Chelsea Lately." Chuy died December 15, 2019.

William F. Brown (age 91) - Brown was a Tony-winning playwright, probably best-known for his adaptation of The Wizard of Oz into the musical, The Wiz. Brown also wrote the plays The Girl in the Freudian Slip (based on his book of the same name) and How to Steal an Election. He also wrote for television. Brown died June 23, 2019.

Al Burton (91) - Burton teamed with Norman Lear to develop such properties as "Fernwood 2Night" and "One Day at a Time" before starting his own production company in the 1980s. There, he produced "Charles in Charge" and "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, among programs. His "Win Ben Stein's Money" segment on Comedy Central collected seven Emmy Awards. Burton is credited with starting the careers of such stars as Michael J. Fox and Christina Applegate. He passed away October 22, 2019.

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Diahann Carroll (age 84) - Often cited as a ground-breaking African-American artists, Carroll was the first Black woman to win a Tony Award (1962, for No Strings) and the first to have a starring role in a television show (1968, starring as a nurse in "Julia"). She was nominated numerous times for Emmys and once for an Oscar. In 2011, she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Carroll died October 4, 2019, of cancer.

Seymour Cassel (age 84) - Cassel's acting career lasted more than 40 years, includeing an Academy Award nomination for his work in the John Cassavetes film Faces. Cassel appeared in dozens of films ranging from Convoy to Minnie and Moscovitz, as well as "Batman" and "Tracey Takes On..." on the small screen. Cassel passed away from Alzheimer's Disease on April 7, 2019.

Carol Channing (age 97) - The gravel-voiced Channing will forever be identified with the title role in the Broadway musical "Hello Dolly," which she premiered in 1964 and revived at least twice. She received a Tony for that role and was nominated for an Oscar and won the Golden Globe for her performance in "Thoroughly Modern Millie,"; as well as a Grammy Hall of Fame award in 2002. Channing passed away on January 15, 2019.

Beth Chapman (age 51) - The onetime nightclub singer married Duane Chapman in 2006, eventually joining him in his bounty-hunting business. She joined her husband in reality television shows about their hunts, most notably "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Chapman died of cancer on June 26, 2019.

Larry Cohen (age 82) - Cohen cut his teeth as director, producer, and screenwriter with '70s and '80s horror and science fiction vehicles, including It's Alive and Return to Salem's Lot.  In later years, Cohen concentrated on script-writing for television and movies. Cohen passed away March 23, 2019.

Jessi Combs (age 31) - Combs was an xtreme sports television host and race car driver. She hosted racing-related television shows as well as appearing on "Mythbusters." Combs held several women's land-speed records and was attempting to set another when she crashed a jet car on August 27, 2019, and was killed.

Tim Conway (age 85) - Perhaps best known as a bumbling ensign in the '60s television sitcom "McHale's Navy," Conway went on to frequently guest star on "The Carol Burnett Show" and star in film, as well as a couple of short-lived television projects, including one ("Turn-On") that was cancelled only days after its premier episode.. In later years, he voiced Barnacle Boy for the animated series "Spongebob Squarepants." Conway died May 14, 2019.

Chris Cotton (age 32) - Cotton was a stand-up comedian from Philadelphia who was a writer and performer on the Comedy Central network, headlining an online talk show called "Every Damn' Day" since 2018. Cotton's death on December 11, 2019, was attributed to a blood clot.

Ann Crumb (age 69) - Crumb was a Broadway actor and a singer who recorded show tunes and jazz. She was nominated for a supporting actress Tony for her role in Anna Karenina, and toured as the lead in Evita. Crumb succumbed to ovarian cancer on October 31, 2019.

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Doris Day (age 97) - Daybroke into entertainment as a big band singer becoming a beloved film star in the late 1940s. After her last movie, With Six You Get Eggroll, Day discovered that her late husband and his business partner had squandered her life savings and left her in debt. After her last movie, she hosted a television variety show before leaving public life. Her last album, "My Heart," was recorded in 1967 but released 44 years later when she was 89. Day died May 13, 2019, of pneumonia.

Stanley Donen (age 94) - Donen started his career as a choreographer before co-directeing On the Town and Singin' In the Rain with Gene Kelly. He went on to direct dozens of otehr films including Charade! and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Donen received a Lifetime Achievement Award rom the Academy in 1998. He died of heart failure February 21, 2019.

Billy Drago (age 73) - Born William Burroughs, Drago was a long-time character actor on television and in film, often cast as a villain. He appeared in such movies as The Untouchables, Pale Rider, and Delta Force 2. Drago had a recurring role as a demon in the television series Charmed." He is the father of actor Darren Burroughs. He died June 24, 2019, after a stroke.

Denise DuBarry (age 63) - DuBarry had a brief career in television and movies ("Black Sheep Squadron," Being There) in the '70s and '80s before switching careers to become an infomercial pitchwoman in a "direct response company." DuBarry died of a rare fungal infection on March 23, 2019.

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Robert Earle (age 93) - Earle took over hosting the television quiz show "The College Bowl" when Allen Ludden moved to Password. He hosted that show from 1962 until 1970, when NBC decided o cancel the show because of student activism. After the show's cancellation, Earle returned to teaching journalism at New York's Ithaca College. Earle died June 5, 2019.

Bob Einstein (age 76) - Einstein was an actor in television and movies, perhaps best known for his role as the hapless stuntman "Super Dave Osborne," and more recently as Marty Funkhouser in “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Einstein died after a long battle with leukemia on January 2, 2019.

Aron Eisenberg (age 50) - Eisenberg's most memorable role as an actor was that of the Ferengi, Nog, on the series "Deep Space Nine." He appeared in numerous other television shows and in film as well. Besides his acting career, Eisenberg was also a professional photographer. He died of kidney failure September 21, 2019.

Georgia Engel (age 70) - Known for her bright blonde hair and equally bright smile, Georgia Engel may well be remembered for her role as the quintessential dumb blonde, Georgette (Franklin) Baxter on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." She had two Emmy nominations for that role, and another three for guest appearances as Ray's mother-in-law on "Everybody Loves Raymond." Engel also appeared in several films and was a voice actor in many others. Engel died April 12, 2019.

Richard Erdman (age 93) - A prolific character actor, Erdman boasts more than 150 credits on his IMDB listing. Perhaps his most well-known role was in the motion picture Stalag 17, but he made many television appearances in the 1960s and 70s, including six different roles on the original "Perry Mason" series. Erdman died March 16, 2019.

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John Falsey (age 67) - A prolific screenwriter, director, and producer; Falsey created such television shows as “St. Elsewhere” and “Northern Exposure.” Falsey won three Emmy awards for his work. He died January 3, 2019, as a result of injuries suffered in a fall.

Albert Finney (age 82) - After his British debut as a Shakespearean actor, Finney went on to a fifty-year career in film. He had two wins in fourteen BAFTA awards and was also nominated for an Oscar five times. He was also nominated nine times for a Golden Globe, winning three, and won an Emmy for "The Gathering Storm." Among his better-known films are Tom Jones, Skyfall, Under the Volcano, and Erin Brockovich. Finney died after a brief illness on February 7, 2019.

Wayne Fitzgerald (age 89) - If you've been to the movies in the past five decades, it's almost a sure bet that you've seen main titles designed by Fitzgerald. He did titles for movies by almost every famous director from Coppola to Tarantino and films such as Bonnie and Clyde and Rosemary's Baby. He also worked in television, picking up Emmy nominations six times and winning three of them. Fitzgerald died September 30, 2019.

Peter Fonda (age 79)  Fonda, the son of actor Henry Fonda and brother of Jane Fonda, was an actor in his own right as well as a producer and director. He will be forever remembered by the boomer generation as Captain America astride a chopper with the American flag painted on the gas tank in "Easy Rider." He appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in a career that lasted from 1963 until his death. Fonda died of lung cancer August 16, 2019.

D. C. Fontana (age 80) - Dorothy Fontana used her initials early in her career as a television writer to avoid being stereotyped. It worked: Fontanta began writing on a military-themed series ("The Lieutenant"), which earned her a shot at a new television series: "Star Trek." She wrote episodes in all Star Trek series, as we;; as working as story editor and producer. Fontana was nominated for a Hugo Award for STTNG, and colelcted Writers Guild awards three times. She died December 2, 2019.

Robert Forster (age 78) - Forster's career in television and film spanned six decades, beginning in the 1960s with a part in John Houston's Reflections in a Golden Eye. He worked in both the large and small screens over the next fifty years, including television roles as the sherriff in the reboot of "Twin Peaks" and an Oscar-nominated role in Tarantino's Jackie Brown.  Forster succumbed to brain cancer on October 11, 2019.

James Frawley (age 82) - Frawley began his career as a move and television actor, but soon segued into directing. His first television job was directing "The Monkees," for which he won an Emmy in 1966. He went on to direct episodes of dozens of television shows, from "That Girl" to "Private Practice"; as well as TV Movies and theatrical releases, including "The Muppet Movie" in 1979. Frawley died of a heart attack on January 20, 2019.

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Clark James Gable (age 30) - The grandson of the movie star of the same name, the younger Gable was briefly the host of the television reality show "Cheaters." Gable also had a line of clothing and was the owner of an online electronics store. Gable was found unresponsive and pronounced dead on February 22, 2019.

Godfrey Gao (age 35) - Gao was a Canadian of Taiwanese descent who worked as a male model before launching an acting career. His best-known English-language role was in Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; he also starred in a Chinese television series. Gao suffered cardiac arrest while on location and died on November 27, 2019.

Leonard Goldberg (age 85) - The widely respected Goldberg had a long career in film, including classics such as Brian's Song, and in television. On the small screen, he was long associated with Aaron Spelling, which included both the television and film versions of "Charlie's Angels." He was, however, also responsible for "Fantasy Island" and "Starsky and Hutch," despite which Goldberg collected an Emmy and a Walk of Fame star. Goldberg died December 4, 2019.

Steve Golin (age 64) - Golin was a television and film producer and founder or co-founder of two production companies. His first company, Propaganda Films, specialized in music videos and indie films, and launched the careers of such directors as Michael bay and Spike Jonze. After leavinv PF, he founded Anonymous Content, at which Golin produced "Mr Robot" and "True Detectives" plus movies such as Babel and Spotlight. He won an Adademy award for Spotlight. Golin died April 21, 2019.

Laurel Griggs (age 13) - The rising Broadway star suffered a severe asthma attack and died on November 5, 2019. She made her stage debut at age 6 and, by some counts, was on stage more than 1000 times in such plays as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Once. She also made film and television appearances, including sketch comedy on "Sataurday Night Live."

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Sid Haig (age 80) Haig appeared in dozens of films and televisions shows, beginning in the 1960w and continuing through his death. He may be best known for appearances in "blaxploitation" films, and in horror flicks, for which he won numerous fan awards. A character actor instead of a leading man, Haig was often cast as a villain. He died September 21, 2019.

Valerie Harper (age 80) - Harper was originally cast as Mary Richards' neighbor on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," but became so popular that she spun off the character of Rhoda Morganstern in her own sitcom, "Rhoda." She was also the title character of the comedy "Valerie." Harper was an actor in theater and film, appearing in Freebie and the Bean and Chapter Two. She won four Emmys and a Golden Globe as Rhoda, and was nominated for a Tony for the play Looped. Harper died August 30, 2019.

Ruter Hauer (age 75) - the Dutch-born Hauer was a fixture in the '80s and '90s as a film villain, belying a gentle nature. He is often remembered for his breakout role as a replicant in the film Bladerunner (1982), but he had hundreds of film and television roles in a career that spanned five decades. Hauer died July 19, 2019.

Katherine Helmond (age 89) - The striking redheaded actor was nominated for a Tony and seven times for an Emmy. Helomond also won Golden Globes for her work in the television shows "Soap" and "Who's the Boss," in which she played the grandmother of Alyssa Milano's character. She succumbed to complications of Alzheimer's on February 23, 2019.

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Don Imus (age 79) - For many years a radio gadfly, Imus is credited - if that's the right word - with inventing the "shock jock" radio host. Often insulting, Imus was an equal-opportunity offender, whether insulting women of color or AM radio icon Rush Limbaugh. Whether he was truly "one of the 25 greatest talk show host of all time" or merely a dirtbag for hire, everyone knew his name. Imus died December 27, 2019.

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Neal James (age 55) - James, with his buddy Ernie "The Turtleman" Brown, Jr., was a fixture on four seasons of Animal Planet's reality TV show "The Call of the Wildman." The Banjo Man, as James was known, accompanied Brown on expeditions to capture wild animals in central Kentucky. James, who had a history of heart disease, died of natural causes on February 1, 2019.

Jessica Jaymes (age 40) - Born Jessica Redding, Jaymes had a brief career as an elementary school teacher before posing nude for Hustler. She was Hustler Honey of the Year for 2992 and a Penthouse Pet of the Month in 2008. Her list of credits for adult productions includes over 300 titles, as well as appearances on mainstream television shows including "Weeds" and numerous reality shows. Jaymes was found dead in her home on September 15, 2019.

Arte Johnson (age 90) - Johnson is perhaps best-remembered for his four years as a cast member of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," for which he won a 1969 Emmy award. His characters included the smoking German general and the quintessential dirty old man. Johnson also appeared in films including Love at First Bite and The President's Analyst. Johnson died of cancer July 3, 2019.

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Ken Kercheval (age 83) - Best known as Cliff Barnes, J. R. Ewing's fiercest enemy on the telvision show "Dallas" (1978-1991), Ken Kercheval was a film actor (The Seven-Ups and F.I.S.T.) before taking the role that would apparently define him as an actor. He reprised his role in "Dallas reunion shows in 1996 and 2012. Kercheval, a native of a small northern Indiana town, died of pneumonia on April 21, 2019.

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Maury Laws (age 93) - For more than twenty years, Laws was the music director for the television company that would eventually become Rankin-Bass. In that position, Laws scored many of the animated classics that appeared on television screens, including such animated features as "Frosty the Snowman," "The Hobbit," and "The Last Unicorn." Laws passed away on March 28, 2019.

Peggy Lipton (age 74) - Perhaps best-known for her role as the flower child in television's short-lived "Mod Squad," for which she won a Golden Globe and four Emmy nominations; Lipton's career spanned five decades as a model, actor, and musician. She was married to Quincy Jones, with whom she has two daughters (actors Kadida and Rashida Jones). Lipton returned to television in the '80s, including stints in "Twin Peaks" and the show's reboot in 2017. Lipton died of cancer on May 11, 2019.

Carol Lynley (age 77) - A child model and actress, Lynley was one of the first actresses to pose nude for Playboy magazine in 1965. Her film career include the '70s disaster movie, The Poseidon Adventure, Under the Yum-Yum Tree, and Return to Peyton Place. She made many television appearances as well, generally as a guest star. Lynley appeared on "Fantasy Island" eleven times. She died after a heart attack on September 3, 2019.

Sue Lyon (age 73 - Forever to be known as the original Lolita (1962), for which she won a Golden Globe, Lyon fashioned a brief career as a seductive teenager. She reprised the casting in The Night of the Iguana two years later before moving on to occasional adult roles, including that of the wife of Evel Knievel and other occasional film appearances in the 1970s. Her last role came in 1980. She died December 26, 2019.

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Bill Macy (age 97) - No relation to actor William H. Macy, Bill Macy had a long and distinguished career of his own. His filmography includes such films as The Jerk, me, Myself and I, and Analyze This. He is probably best known as the hapless Walter, husband of Bea Arthur's "Maude." He appeared nude in the stage production of Oh! Calcutta. Macy died October 17, 2019.

Barry Malkin (age 80) - Malkin had a four-decade career as a Hollywood film editor, most notably teaming with director Francis Ford Coppola on many of the films in the Godfather series. He and his team were twice nominated for the Academy Award for editing; for The Godfather: Part II and The Cotton Club. Malkin passed away on April 4, 2019.

Ashley Massaro (age 39) - A wrestler, model, and occasional actor; Massaro was probably best known for her appearances on the television show "Survivor" and her work with WWE. She also posed for the cover of and within the pages of Playboy and made guest appearances on a handful of television shows and in music videos. Massaro died May 16, 2019.

Peter Mayhew (age 74) - The British-born actor parlayed his height (a maximum of 7'3") into character roles, especially that of Chewbacca in the Star Wars universe. He reprised the character in every episode until he retired in 2015 after Star Wars: The Force Awakens as well as occasional television appearances. Mayhew died at his Texas home April 30, 2019, of a heart attack.

Marion McClinton (age 65) - McClinton was a theater director for both Broadway and regional theater, specializing in the plays of August Wilson. He was nominated for a Tony award in 2001 for his staging of Wilson's King Hedley II, and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2000 for his directing of Jitney. McClinton died of renal failure on November 28, 2019.

Philip McKeon (age 55) - McKeon was the elder brother of actor Nancy McKeon ("The Facts of Life"). At age 12, he was tapped to play the young son of the title character in the sitcom "Alice," based on tthe movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More. McKeon made occasional guest appearances after the show's end, spending most of his time as a radio host in Texas. He died December 10, 2019.

Mark Medoff (age 79) - Medoff was an actor, director, professor, and playwright; best known for writing such plays as Children of a Lesser God and When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? The former received a Tony and the film adaptation was nominated for an Academy Award; the latter received an Obie. Medoff passed away April 23, 2019.

J. Michael Mendel (age 54) - Mendel was working on "The Tracey Ullman Show" when that show spun off the animated series, "The Simpsons." Mendel was the shows producer in its first ten seasons, during which Mendel collected three Emmy awards. He received a fourth for producing another animated series, "Rick and Morty." Mendel passed away September 22, 2019.

Jan Merlin (age 94) - Merlin's show-business career covered more than five decades, beginning with a bit part in a 1950s monster flick. He had more than 100 credits as an actor, including both movies and television. Merlin also wrote for television, winning a daytime Emmy for writing on the soap "Another World." Merlin passed away September 20, 2019.

Dick Miller (age 90) in a career that spanned almost 60 years, Miller appeared in dozens of movies but almost never had a starring part. He played such characters as Murray Futterman in "Gremlins" and "the pawnshop clerk" in "The Terminator." By his own count, Miller played a character named "Walter Paisley" at least five times in different movies and TV shows. Miller died January 30, 2019.

Louisa Moritz (age 72) - Cuban-born Luisa Castro Netto emigrated to New York with her family after the revolution. Her first television role came in 1966, and was followed by appearances in dozens of television shows, including "The Rockford Files" and "Happy Days"; as well as movies. After leaving the industry, she practiced law in California. In 2014, Moritz was one of the women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault. Moritz succumbed to heart disease in January, 2019; with death announced on January 29, 2019.

Shelly Morrison (age 83) - Morrison acted in television and on the stage for more than fifty years, often as an ethnic maid or housekeeper. She played a maid more than 30 times, including what is probably her most recognizable role, that of Karen's backtalking maid Rosario on "Will & Grace." She also had recurring roles in "The Flying Nun" and "COurthouse." Morrison passed away December 1, 2019.

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Jimmy Nelson (age 90) - Boomers (and their parents) will perhaps best remember Nelson as the ventriloquist who spoke for Farfel the dog, the puppet who's snapping jaws closed out the TV ads for "N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestle's makes the very best, Chocolate!" Nelson, who also worked for Nestle with a dummy named Danny O'Day, died September 24, 2019.

Phyllis Newman (age 86) - Newman was a Tony Award-winning stage actress for her 1962 role in the musical Subways are for Sleeping. She appeared in motion pictures fron the '50s into the 2000s, and was a frequent guest star on television shows as well as a regular on "One Life to Live," "That Was the Week that Was," and "Hollywood Squares." Newman passed away September 15, 2019.

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Karen Pendleton (age 73) - Millions of boomer kids turned in every afternoon to head Pendleton announce, "I'm Karen!" Karen was one of the original Mouseketeers, lasting the show's entire five-year run (1955-1959). After The Mickey Mouse Club ended, Pendleton departed show business and became a social worker and advocate for the disabled. She died of a heart attack October 6, 2019.

D. A. Pennebaker (age 94) - Donn Alan Pennebaker was a documentary filmmaker, especially well-known for his early rock-and-roll films that included such legends as Lennon, Hendrix, Bowie, Dylan, and Redding. In later life, he also filmed the 1992 campaign of Bill Clinton. Pennebaker was awarded a lifetime Academy Award in 2013. He died August 1, 2019.

Luke Perry (age 54) - Perry may be best-known for the role of Dylan McKay on "Beverly Hills, 90210." He also appeared in such series as "Riverdale," where he played the role or Archie's father, Fred Andrews, and "Oz," as Rev. Jeremiah Cloutier. On the big screen, Perry appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Fifteh Element, among others. Perry suffered a stroke on February 27 and died as a result on March 4, 2019.

Eric Pleskow (age 95) - Pleskow was assigned by the U. S. Army to rebuild the largest German movie studio after WW2, after which he was a European rep for United Artists. By 1973, he had risen to the position of CEO of the company, leading them during a period in which the studio had three consecutive Best Picture Oscars. He was later the founder and head of Orion Pictures, capping a career in which his studios won fourteen Academy Awards. Pleskow passed away October 1, 2019.

Michael J. Pollard (age 80) - Pollard's acting career reached its peak with his appearance as C. W. Moss in the 1967 version of Bonnie and Clyde, a role that won him a supporting actor Oscar nomination. In all, he appeared in almost 100 films ranging from Little Fauss and Big Halsy to House of 1000 Corpses. Pollard died November 22, 2019.

Harold Prince (age 91) - Hal Prince directed the first of dozens of plays, A Family Affair, in 1962; but didn't hit it big until 1965's Fiddler on the Roof. Over the next thirty years, Prince was regularly nominated for a Tony for his directing and/or producing, and won a total of 20 times for such productions as Evita, Sweeney Todd, and Phantom of the Opera. Prince received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2007. He died July 31, 2019.

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Chris Reccardi (age 54) - Reccardi wore almost every hat in the cartoon game, including director, animator, storyboard artist, producer, and writer. He is probably best known for The Ren & Stimpy Show, and contributed to Powderpuff Girls and  Tiny Toon Adventures.  Reccardi also contributed to Spongebob Squarepants. He passed away May 2, 2019, after suffering a heart attack.

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Alvin Sargent (age 92) - Sargent was an American screenwriter, known for two Oscar-winning scripts, Julia (1978) and Ordinary People (1981). In later years, Sargent contributed  multiple scripts to the Spiderman franchise. He also wrote or co-wrote such scripts as What About Bob and The Sterile Cuckoo. Sargent passed away May 9, 2019.

Kristoff St. John (age 52) - The child of actors, St. John entered the business early. He had several television appearances before his 1979 role as the young Alex Hailey in "Roots." He appeared in the soap opera "Generations" during its two-year run before joining the cast of "The Young and the Restless" as series regular Neil Winters. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy eight times, winning three. St. John was found dead in his New York apartment February 3, 2019.

Lisa Sheridan (age 44) - Sheridan had major roles in several television series, including "Invasion" and "FreakyLinks," none of which ran for more than one season. She made numerous appearances on both television dramas and comedies and also appeared in several indie films. Sheridan died at her home on February 25, 2019.

Larry Siegel (age 93) - Siegel was a comic who wrote across several media, but he is perhaps best known for several years as head writer for television's "The Carol Burnett Show," when he won three Emmy awards in four years. He won several other Emmys for that show and "Laugh-In," and wrote for Playboy and spent 33 yers writing for Mad Magazine. Siegel died August 20, 2019.

John Singleton (age 51) - Singleton's career took off at age 24 when he became the first African-American to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar; for the film Boyz 'n the Hood. He is still the youngest such nominee. In later years, Singleton also directed 2 Fast 2 Furious and a remake of Shaft. Singleton died of complications from a stroke in April 29, 2019.

Bernard Slade (age 89) - The Canadian-born Slade was a screenwriter and playright. In addition to writing scripts for many television series in the 1960s and 70s; including such series as "The Flying Nun," "Bewitched," and "The Partridge Family." He went on to write Same Time Next Year, earning a Tony nomination for the play and an Oscar nomination for his screen adaptation. Slade died October 30, 2019.

Carroll Spinney (age 85) - Spinney, a gifted puppeteer, spent five years inside the costume of the "Sesame Street" character Big Bird. He also played Oscar the Grouch and many other characters. He won four daytime Emmy awards for his work on the children's show, including a Lifetime Achievement award in 2006, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Spinney passed December 8, 2019.

Brody Stevens (age 48) - Primarily a stand-up comic, Brody also appeaed in numersou television how episodes and movies. He is perhaps best known for the Comedy Central reality show, "Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!" He also had a small part as Officer Foltz in The Hangover. Stevens committed suicide on February 22, 2019.

Peggy Stewart (age 95) - Stewart's IMDB listing includes well over 100 credits in television and movies. She broke into film in the 1930s, appearing in a long list of so-called B movies, especially westerns like The Cisco Kid installments and Tucson Raiders. In later years, she was often called on to play grandmothers, neighbors, and aging aunts in television shows ranging from "Seineld" to "The Office." Stewart died May 29, 2019.

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Brian Tarantina (age 60) - Tarantina was a New York-based actor who had small parts in a number of television shows, including recurring characters in "Gilmore Girls" and "The Black Donnellys." He had most recently been cast as Jackie the bartender in Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Tarantina was found dead on November 2, 2019.

Russi Taylor (age 75) - For more than thirty years, Taylor was the voice of Minnie Mouse. She also voiced several characters on "The Simpsons" as well as a host of other animated characters from the '80s until her death. Taylor, who was married to the voice of Mickey Mouse (Wayne Allwine) was nominated for Emmy awards in 2006,02007, and 2018; and was a Disney Legend. She died of colon cancer on July 26, 2019.

Rip Torn (age 88) - Elmore "Rip" Torn had a decades-long career in film, television, and on the stage. A Texas native and the cousin of Sissy Spacek, Torn's career dates back to the 1950s. His roles ranged from that of Judas in King of Kings to Zed in Men In Black  (and MIB2). He received six Emmy nominations for his work on "The Larry Sanders Show," winning once (1996), and an Oscar nomination for Cross Creek. Torn died July 9, 2019.

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Andrew Vajna (age 74) - The Hungarian-born Vajna emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12. After a stint as a wigmaker, Vajna formed a film distribution society. His first producing credit was "Rambo: First Blood," and over the years he was producer or executive producer of that series and the Terminator films, among many others. He died January 20, 2019.

Jan Michael Vincent (age 74) - An actor in film (White Line Fever and Buster and Billie) and on television in series such as "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke," Vincent is probably best known as Stringfellow Hawke, the pilot of a high-tech helicopter in the 1980s television show "Airwolf." His career entered a tailspin in the late 1980s amid bar fights and drug use. He died February 10, 2019.

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William Whitliff (age 79) - Whitliff was a Texas-born screenwriter who penned the scripts for such movies as Perfect Storm and  Barbarosa, the latter of which was one of his two partnerships with Willie Nelson. Whitliff also wrote television scripts, including the television miniseries Lonesome Dove," for which he won a Screenwriters Guild Award. Whitliff passed away June 9, 2019, after a heart attack.

David Winters (age 80) - Winters was an actor and dancer who appeared in the stage production of West Side Story, and later in the film adaptation. He had few appearances on television before shifting his focus to choreography, where he made his name. He choreographed the 1976 version of A Star Is Born as well as dozens of television specials and other movies. Winters died April 23, 2019.

John Witherspoon (age 77) - A comedian and actor, Witherspoon may have been best known for the recurring role of Willie Jones in the "Friday" film series, including Friday and Next Friday. In addition to a long list of film roles, he also made guest appearances in dozens of television series, ranging from "Barnaby Jones" to "Blackish." Witherspoon also toured as a comedian. He died October 29, 2019.

Morgan Woodward (age 93) - A fixture for decades in westerns, Woodward had hundreds of acting credits, including two different roles in the original "Star Trek." He is said to hold the unofficial record for most guest appearances on "Gunsmoke" and had a recurring role on "Dallas." On the big screen, Woodward's best-known role came in Cool Hand Luke.  Woodward died of cancer on February 22, 2019.

Max Wright (age 75) - Wright's forty-year career included dozens of small parts in film and guest appearances on television, but he will be best remembered for a four-season stint as the "father" of an alien puppet on the television series "ALF." He also had recurring  roles in "Dudley" and "Buffalo Bill." Wright died June 26, 2019.

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Franco Zeffirelli (age 96) - Zeffirelli's wide-ranging career include directing operas, television and movies; as well as a seven-year stint as a senator in the Italian Parliament. He may be best known for his adaptations of Shakespeare's  Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew, plus such films as Jesus of Nazareth  and Endless Love. He was made a Knight of the British Empire in 2004. Zeffirelli died June 15, 2019.

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