Lisa O
Reflecting on this year so far, we honor the legacies of the remarkable celebrities who left an indelible mark on the world stage in 2024. From iconic actors to influential musicians, their contributions to the arts and entertainment industry will forever be remembered. Join us as we pay tribute to these talented individuals and celebrate the lasting impact they have had on our lives.
Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons died at 76 in July, his longtime publicist, Tom Estey, confirmed. The fitness guru passed away at his home in Los Angeles right after his birthday. His fitness studio, which helped beginners get into shape, became famous after appearing on the NBC show Real People, leading to many other media spots. He also played himself in several episodes of General Hospital back in the 1980s.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Dr. Ruth Westheimer—the famous sex therapist, author, and T.V. and radio host who gave hilariously candid sex advice on shows like Sexually Speaking and The Dr. Ruth Show, died on July 12 at 96. She shot to fame in the 1980s with her radio program Sexually Speaking, where she answered all sorts of questions about sex and relationships from listeners.
Shannen Doherty
Actress Shannen Doherty passed away at the age of 53 on Saturday, July 13. She had been battling cancer since 2015 and succumbed to the disease. Her publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday, July 14. Shannen Doherty—known for her super famous role in Beverly Hills 90210, fought bravely against cancer for so many years.
Shifty Shellshock
Shifty Shellshock, the frontman of Crazy Town, died at 49 on June 24. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s site mentioned his passing at his home in L.A. but didn’t list a cause of death. Seth Binzer, his real name, struggled with addiction and also rocked out solo and with his band, Shifty and the Big Shots.
Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall, the actress from Robert Altman’s movies and the one who dodged Jack Nicholson’s ax in The Shining passed away on July 11 due to diabetes complications. She retired from acting in 2002 but made a splash on a controversial Dr. Phil episode where she talked about her mental health struggles. Even though she said goodbye to Hollywood for over twenty years, Duvall came back in 2023 to star in an indie horror flick.
Joe Bonsall
Joe Bonsall, a longtime member of The Oak Ridge Boys and a well-known author, passed away on July 9 at 76 due to complications from ALS. Originally from Philly, he joined the Southern Gospel group back in October ’73, rocking out with his bandmates on their biggest hits. Besides his music gig, Joe was also a busy author and proudly part of the Grand Ole Opry.
Jon Landau
Jon Landau, the producer who won Golden Globe and Oscar awards for his work with director James Cameron on Titanic and the Avatar movies, passed away on July 5 in Los Angeles at 63. He started young, becoming the EVP of feature film production at 20th Century Fox at just 29. There, he handled hits like Home Alone, Die Hard 2, and Speed. Landau also ran things as the COO at Cameron’s studio, Lightstorm Entertainment.
Martin Mull
Martin Mull, the funny guy from Clue and Arrested Development, passed away on June 27 at 80 after dealing with an undisclosed illness. In ’85, he teamed up with his buddy Fred Willard to write and star in the mockumentary The History of White People in America. Mull nailed it as Colonel Mustard in the cult classic Clue, played Russell on Two and a Half Men, and voiced the villain Vlad Plasmius in Danny Phantom.
Kinky Friedman
Kinky Friedman, the Texas country music icon, author, and funnyman, passed away on June 27 at his ranch near Austin after battling Parkinson’s disease. He toured with Bob Dylan, rocked Saturday Night Live, and hit the stage at the Grand Ole Opry. But that was just the start of his cool career, which also saw him write mystery books and contribute to Texas Monthly.
Bill Cobbs
Bill Cobbs, the versatile actor known for roles in Night at the Museum, The Bodyguard, and Demolition Man, as well as appearances on The Sopranos and One Life to Live, passed away on June 25. Originally from Cleveland—he served eight years in the Air Force and had jobs at a car dealership and IBM before starting his illustrious five-decade career in Hollywood. Cobbs won a Daytime Emmy for playing Mr. Hendrickson on Dino Dana.
Tamayo Perry
Tamayo Perry, a surfer, lifeguard, and actor who was in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides—passed away on June 23 after a shark attack at Hawaii’s Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu. Perry had been a lifeguard since July 2016 and was a pro surfer for over ten years before that. He also had small acting roles in movies like Blue Crush in 2002 and did stunts for the film The Big Bounce.
Ryan Hadley
Ryan Hadley, the tattoo artist from season 6 of Ink Master, passed away on June 20 at 46 after battling cancer. He rocked Ink Master in 2015 but got eliminated early. After the show, he kept tattooing and sharing his latest ink and health updates on social media. Even though he left us too soon—he made a big mark in the art and tattoo world.
Taylor Wily
Taylor Wily, famous for playing Kamekona Tupuola in 171 episodes of Hawaii Five-0 and popping up on Magnum P.I. and MacGyver, passed away on June 20 at 56. Wily started out as a sumo wrestler and UFC fighter known as Teila Tuli. He got noticed as Kemo in the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but his gig as Kamekona on Hawaii Five-0 from 2010 made him a star.
Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland, the legendary Canadian actor who rocked screens for seven decades, has passed away at 88. He kicked off with small gigs on British TV and in cheap horror flicks like 1964’s Castle of the Living Dead. Then he hit big in movies like Don’t Look Now, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Pride and Prejudice. And who can forget him as the sneaky President Coriolanus Snow in the original Hunger Games series?
Anouk Aimée
Anouk Aimée, the legendary French actress who worked with big names like Federico Fellini, Jacques Demy, Sidney Lumet, and Bernardo Bertolucci, passed away on June 18 at 92. She was Oscar-nominated and is best known for her role in Claude Lelouch’s beloved 1966 romance, A Man and a Woman, where she starred with Jean-Louis Trintignant. That role made her a global star, bagging her a Golden Globe for Best Actress, too.