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- Here are the famous people who died in 2024.
- O.J. Simpson, Glynis Johns, Carl Weathers, Chita Rivera, Bill Cobbs, Donald Sutherland, and Louis Gossett Jr. passed away.
- So did broadcaster Charles Osgood, fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, producer Roger Corman, NBA legend Jerry West, and MLB Hall of Famer Willie Mays.
Below, we look back at those we lost in 2024.
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With his tattoos, frosted tips, and high energy, Crazy Town lead singer Shifty Shellshock was the epitome of the late 1990s-early 2000s rap-rock front man.
With that also came a hit song: 1999's "Butterfly," which hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a staple on the radio and MTV's "Total Request Live."
By 2003, the band had disbanded, and despite an attempt to reunite a few years later, Crazy Town was relegated to one-hit-wonder status.
Shifty Shellshock, whose real name is Seth Binzer, appeared on the first season of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" in 2007 and the spin-off "Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House" a few years later.
Binzer died in a Los Angeles residence on June 24, according to USA Today. No cause was given.
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Carmen was a rock ballad king whose songs still get constant play to this day.
"All by Myself" was a hit in the mid-1970s. It became an even bigger hit when Celine Dion did her own rendition in 1996.
The Grammy-nominated "Almost Paradise" from the soundtrack to the hit 1984 movie "Footloose" became a staple at school dances and weddings.
Carmen repeated the feat when his song "Hungry Eyes" showed up on the soundtrack for the 1987 classic "Dirty Dancing."
Carmen's death was announced on his website on March 12, stating he "passed away in his sleep, over the weekend." No cause was given.
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The Italian fashion designer was known for his flamboyant designs and game-changing innovations.
Cavalli's use of leopard prints beginning in the 1970s became one of his trademarks. His revolutionary method of printing leather and patchwork denim was beloved by everyone from Madonna to Gwyneth Paltrow.
Cavalli died on April 12. No cause of death was given.
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From playing the concerned manager opposite Whitney Houston in "The Bodyguard" to the kind-hearted coach in "Air Bud," Bill Cobbs' ability to play the voice of reason in his roles made him a memorable character actor for decades.
Cobbs' other titles include "The Color of Money," "New Jack City," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Demolition Man," and "Night at the Museum."
He died at his home in California on June 25 following a recent bout of pneumonia.
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Dabney Coleman became a captivating scene stealer in the 1980s thanks to his gruff demeanor and booming voice. Whether he was playing the mean boss opposite Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin in 1980's "9 to 5," or the nasty TV producer in "Tootsie," or chasing Matthew Broderick in "WarGames," Coleman had a talent for playing the heel.
The Emmy winner most recently starred in the HBO hit series Boardwalk Empire from 2011 to 2014 and a 2019 episode of Yellowstone.
Coleman died on May 16. No cause was given.
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As the wife of Francis Ford Coppola, Eleanor had to navigate the stress and complexities of living with one of the greatest directors of all time.
She channeled that by filming her husband while he made his landmark 1979 Vietnam movie "Apocalypse Now."
Her documentary, "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse," has gone down as one of the most honest accounts of the making of a movie.
Eleanor died on April 12. No cause of death was given.
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To say Roger Corman was the king of B-movies is too simple of a characterization.
For decades, Corman made ultra-low-budget genre movies that featured everything from cheesy monsters to crazed bikers. Corman-produced titles almost always made a profit, and many of them became proving grounds for the directors and actors who would go on to change Hollywood.
After directing the 1967 acid-trip fantasia "The Trip" starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda and written by Jack Nicholson, the trio went on to make "Easy Rider," which would usher in the New Hollywood era of the 1970s.
Corman also produced titles directed by then-unknowns like Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese before they went on to mainstream studio success.
Corman died on May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., surrounded by family members.
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As one of the original cast members of the Canadian sketch comedy show "SCTV" in the late 1970s, Joe Flaherty — alongside the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, Martin Short, and Rick Moranis — created a brand of comedy that was edgier and more outlandish than their competition "Saturday Night Live."
In later decades, Flaherty made scene-stealing appearances as the Western Union worker who gives Marty McFly the 70-year-old letter from Doc Brown in "Back to the Future Part II" and the heckler Donald in "Happy Gilmore."
He was also a regular on TV through the decades, with roles in "Married… with Children," "Freaks and Geeks," and "The King of Queens."
Flaherty died on April 1 following a brief illness.
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Born in Brooklyn, New York, Louis Gossett Jr. made his stage debut at 17. After building his craft onstage through the 1960s, Gossett Jr. made the jump to screen and in 1977 was cast in the acclaimed miniseries "Roots" opposite the likes of Ben Vereen, LeVar Burton, and John Amos. He went on to win an Emmy for his performance as Fiddler.
He was nominated for seven more Emmys after that, most recently in 2020 for playing William Reeves in the HBO limited series "Watchmen."
He made history in 1983 when he won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his portrayal of the strict drill instructor Emil Foley in "An Officer and a Gentleman." It would mark the first time a Black actor won the prize in that category.
Gossett Jr. went on to star in hit movies and TV shows like "The Principal," "Toy Soldiers," "Iron Eagle," and "Boardwalk Empire."
Gossett Jr. died on March 29. No cause was given.
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The legendary director was best known for his eclectic filmography that included the drama "In the Heat of the Night," the musical "Fiddler of the Roof," and the beloved comedy "Moonstruck," all of which garnered him best director nominations at the Oscars.
The Canadian filmmaker's specialty was getting top-notch performances out of A-list actors like Steve McQueen ("The Thomas Crown Affair") and Denzel Washington ("The Hurricane").
It often led to Oscar glory for his movies and their stars. Twelve actors received nominations over his 40-year career, with five of his movies earning best picture noms.
Jewison died on January 20. No cause of death was given.
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The English actor starred in over 60 films and 30 plays, and is known best for playing Mrs. Banks in the beloved 1964 Disney movie "Mary Poppins."
Legend has it that Johns originally thought she landed the role of Poppins. To let her down easy, Walt Disney made sure that she got to sing a big musical number in the movie. It led to the famous "Sister Suffragette" sequence.
In 1973, Johns' breathy voice caught the attention of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who cast her in the original Broadway production of "A Little Night Music." Sondheim wrote "Send in the Clowns," the song she performs, with her in mind. Johns would earn a Tony Award for her performance.
She was also nominated for an Oscar for her work in "The Sundowners" (1960).
Johns died on January 4. No cause of death was given.
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Keith became prominent in the 1990s thanks to his hit single "Should've Been a Cowboy."
It would make him one of the decade's top draws in country music.
Keith released 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and dozens of songs that topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in his career.
Keith died on February 5 following a bout with stomach cancer.
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In an era in the 1970s where stand-up comedy could be a path to superstardom, Richard Lewis was one of the biggest acts.
Often dressed in black and holding his hand up to his temple, his self-deprecating and neurotic style made him a constant visitor to Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show."
By the 1980s, he hit it big on TV, starring opposite Jamie Lee Curtis on the series "Anything but Love," which ran for four seasons.
His movie credits include the Mel Brooks comedy "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "Leaving Las Vegas," and John Candy's final role before his death, 1994's "Wagons East." Lewis has said Candy's death was one of the things that finally got him sober.
Lewis introduced himself to a new generation when Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiered on HBO in 2000. For 11 seasons, Lewis played a fictional version of himself as one of David's friends. Though he didn't return as a series regular for the series' final season, season 12, he popped up in a cameo in an episode that aired on February 18.
Back in April, Lewis revealed via a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and would be retiring from stand-up comedy after undergoing four surgeries.
Lewis died on February 27 of a heart attack in his Los Angeles home.
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Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, Willie Mays was astounding to watch.
He could hit and catch, had speed, and pulled off amazing feats that are still remarkable to this day.
One of his most memorable plays happened in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, which is simply known as "The Catch."
Mays' New York Giants were facing the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York. With the score tied 2-2 in the eighth inning and runners on base, Indians player Vic Wertz hit a towering 420-foot blast to dead center that in today's baseball would be deep in the seats for a homerun. But due to the Polo Grounds' massive outfield, it was in play, and Mays used practically all of it to track down the ball on the run with an incredible over-the-shoulder catch and then threw it into the infield quickly so no runner could score. The Giants went on to win the game in extra innings 5-2, and would go on to win the World Series. Many still regard Mays' catch as one of the greatest moments in baseball history.
Mays would go on to play 21 seasons with the Giants before being traded to the New York Mets for the 1972-73 season, which would be his last. He finished his career with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Mays died on June 18, no cause was given.
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A 1980s icon, Morgan found instant stardom in her film debut playing the stunning Lacey opposite Chevy Chase in the classic 1980 comedy "Caddyshack."
Two years later, she found herself in another iconic work, Disney's "Tron." As Dr. Lora Baines in the real world and Yori, who helps Jeff Bridges after he's sucked into the game world, Morgan once again showed she can shine opposite Hollywood's biggest leading men.
Though Morgan worked steadily the rest of her career, including a multi-episode run on the soap opera "Falcon Crest," she'll be forever known for her performances in two of the biggest movies of the '80s.
Morgan's death was first reported on January 6, though she died on December 30, 2023. No cause of death was given.
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The face of "CBS Sunday Morning" for over two decades, Osgood became a fixture in Americans' homes at the end of every weekend thanks to his wit, calming demeanor, and that bow tie.
Osgood had been at CBS since the early 1970s, first as a reporter, then the anchor of the "CBS Sunday Night News" from 1981 to 1987. From 1987 to 1992, he was often on "CBS This Morning."
In 1994, he became the face of "Sunday Morning," replacing Charles Kuralt. He would go on to earn two Daytime Emmys and a Peabody for his work on the show. He ended his run 2016, passing the reins to Jane Pauley.
Osgood died on January 23 after suffering from dementia.
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Perdomo was a rising star in Hollywood, having starred in Netflix's reboot "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "The Boys" spinoff "Gen V."
The British-American actor died on March 30 as a result of a motorcycle accident, his publicist confirmed.
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Perry, a professional surfer, appeared on screen in 2002's "Blue Crush" and 2011's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."
Perry died on June 23 after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the island of Oahu in Hawaii, according to
