Celebrity deaths of 2024: The influential people we lost this year
New details in death of Liam Payne
According to TMZ, Liam Payne was trying to escape from his hotel when he fell to his death back in October. Infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss the effects of pink cocaine, the substance found in Payne's system at the time of his death.
The world said goodbye to a number of influential people in 2024.
From famous TV personalities like Phil Donahue to more infamous figures like O.J. Simpson, here’s a look back at the celebrities who passed away this year.
January
Lynn Yamada Davis – TikTok cooking star Lynn Yamada Davis, also known as Lynja, died Jan. 1. She was 67.
Glynis Johns – Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie "Mary Poppins" and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be "Send in the Clowns" by Stephen Sondheim, died Jan. 4. She was 100.
David Soul – David Soul, the American-British actor who played detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson in the original "Starsky & Hutch," died Jan. 4. He was 80.
Adan Canto – Adan Canto, who appeared on shows like "Narcos" and "Designated Survivor," died Jan. 8. He was 42 years old.
Peter Crombie – Actor Peter Crombie, best known for playing "Crazy" Joe Davola on "Seinfeld," died Jan. 10. He was 71.
Bill Hayes – Actor Bill Hayes, a longtime "Days of Our Lives" cast member, died Jan. 12. He was 98.
Joyce Randolph – Actress Joyce Randolph, best known for her role as Trixie Norton in "The Honeymooners," died Jan. 13. She was 99.
Marlena Shaw – Marlena Shaw, the voice behind the famous tune "California Soul," died Jan. 19. She was 81.
Mary Weiss – Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included "Leader of the Pack," died Jan. 19. She was 75.
Dexter Scott King – Dexter Scott King, the youngest son and third child of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died Jan. 22. He was 62.
Herbert Coward – Herbert Coward, known for his "Toothless Man" role in the movie "Deliverance," died Jan. 23. He was 85.
Chita Rivera – Legendary dancer, singer and actress Chita Rivera died Jan. 29. She was 91.
Carl Weathers – Carl Weathers, the former NFL linebacker-turned-actor who starred as Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" films, Chubbs Peterson in "Happy Gilmore," and "The Mandalorian," died Jan. 31. He was 76.
February
Toby Keith – Country singer Toby Keith died Feb. 4. He was 62.
Tony Ganios – Tony Ganios, who starred in the 1981 fan-favorite flick "Porky's," died Feb. 18. He was 64.
Kenneth Mitchell – Kenneth Mitchell, known for his roles in "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Captain Marvel," died Feb. 24. He was 49.
Richard Lewis – Richard Lewis, a stand-up comedian known for his role in Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and overall stream-of-consciousness diatribes, died Feb 26. He was 76.
Michael Culver – Michael Culver, a British actor who portrayed Captain Needa in "The Empire Strikes Back" and a police inspector in "A Passage to India," died Feb. 27. He was 85.
Cat Janice – Cat Janice, the D.C. musician whose final song, ‘Dance You Outta My Head,’ went viral and charted worldwide after it was released in January and dedicated to her young son, died Feb. 28. She was 31.
Michael Jones – Former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star Michael Jones, known by fans as Virgil, died Feb. 28. He was 61.
March
Iris Apfel – Fashion icon, textile expert, and interior designer Iris Apfel died March 1. She was 102.
Akira Toriyama – Akira Toriyama, the creator of the iconic manga and anime series "Dragon Ball," died March 1. He was 68.
Jim Beard – Steely Dan keyboardist Jim Beard died March 2. He was 63.
Eric Carmen – Eric Carmen, who became known as the frontman of the Raspberries before achieving success as a solo artist with hits like "All By Myself," "Hungry Eyes" and "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again," died March 10. He was 74.
M. Emmet Walsh – Actor M. Emmet Walsh, known by fans as a character actor in films including "Blade Runner" and "Blood Simple," died March 19. He was 88.
Joe Lieberman – Joe Lieberman, a former U.S. senator and vice presidential nominee, died March 26. He was 82.
Louis Gossett Jr. – Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar for his role in "An Officer and a Gentleman," died March 29. He was 87.
Barbara Rush – Barbara Rush, the Golden Globe-winning star of "It Came from Outer Space" and "Peyton Place," died March 31. She was 97.
April
O.J. Simpson – O.J. Simpson, the NFL running back who was later infamously acquitted of his ex-wife's murder, died April 9. He was 76.
Trina Robbins – Trina Robbins, the American cartoonist, comic book artist, and writer who was based in San Francisco for much of her life, passed away April 10. She was 85.
Roberto Cavalli – Renowned Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, celebrated for his iconic animal prints, passed away April 12. He was 83.
Dickey Betts – Allman Brothers Band guitarist and founding member Dickey Betts died April 18. He was 80.
Terry Carter – Actor Terry Carter, best known for his roles as Sgt. Joe Broadhurst on the TV series "McCloud" and as Colonel Tigh on the original "Battlestar Galactica," died April 23. He was 95.
May
Bernard Hill – Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and went down with the ship as the captain in "Titanic," died May 5. He was 79.
Ian Gelder – British actor Ian Gelder, who starred on "Game of Thrones," died May 6. He was 74.
Steve Albini – Influential musician and studio engineer Steve Albini, best known for engineering Nirvana’s "In Utero" album, died May 6. He was 61.
David Sanborn – David Sanborn, the legendary saxophonist and Grammy Award-winning musician, died May 11. He was 78.
Charlie Colin – Charlie Colin, one of the founding members of Train, died May 17. He was 58.
Jim Otto – Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center known as "Mr. Raider" for his durability through a litany of injuries, died May 18. He was 86.
Ebrahim Raisi – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash on May 18. He was 63.
Morgan Spurlock – Morgan Spurlock, the Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker who made a big splash in 2004 with "Super Size Me," died May 22. He was 53.
Bill Walton – Bill Walton, an NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer, died May 26. He was 71.
Erich Anderson – Erich Anderson, the actor best known for his role on the show "Felicity" as the title character’s father, died May 31. He was 67.
June
Jerry West – NBA legend Jerry West, who spent his career playing with the Los Angeles Lakers, died June 11. He was 86.
Willie Mays – MLB legend Willie Mays, considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, died June 17. He was 93.
Donald Sutherland – Actor Donald Sutherland, known for his roles in films such as "The Dirty Dozen," "Klute," the "Hunger Games" franchise, and many more, died June 19. He was 88.
Martin Mull – Martin Mull, an actor known for his roles in "Roseanne", "Arrested Development" and many other shows, died June 26. He was 80 years old.
Orlando Cepeda – Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed "Baby Bull" who became a Hall of Famer among the early Puerto Ricans to star in the major leagues, died June 27. He was 86.
July
Jon Landau – Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on three of the biggest blockbusters of all time, "Titanic" and two "Avatar" films, died July 5. He was 63.
Shelley Duvall – Shelley Duvall, the actress known for her roles in "The Shining," "McCabe & Mrs. Miller," "Nashville," "Popeye" and "3 Women," died July 11. She was 75.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer – Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo topics, died July 12. She was 96.
Shannen Doherty – Shannen Doherty, famous for roles in "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Charmed,"died July 12. She was 53.
Richard Simmons – Richard Simmons, TV’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts, died July 12. He was 76.
TV Personality Richard Simmons attends the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards at the Barclays Center on August 25, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTV)
Lou Dobbs – Lou Dobbs, an American conservative political commentator and former television host, died July 17. He was 78.
Bob Newhart – Bob Newhart, actor and comedy icon, died July 17. He was 94 years old.
August
Patti Yasutake – Patti Yasutake, the actress known for her role as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and subsequent "Star Trek" franchises, died Aug. 5. She was 70.
Gena Rowlands – Gena Rowlands, best known for her performance in movies such as "The Notebook" and "A Woman Under the Influence," died Aug. 14. She was 94.
Phil Donahue – Phil Donahue, journalist and former daytime TV talk-show host, died Aug. 17. He was 88.
John Amos – John Amos, the actor known for his memorable roles in "Good Times," "Roots" and many more, died Aug. 21. He was 84.
Betty A. Bridges – Actress Betty Bridges, the mother of actor Todd Bridges most remembered for her roles in "Good Times", "ER" and "2 Broke Girls," died Aug. 27. She was 83.
September
James Darren – James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film "Gidget," died Sept. 2. He was 88.
James Earl Jones – Actor James Earl Jones, who famously voiced "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader and Mufasa in "The Lion King," died Sept. 8. He was 93.
Frankie Beverly – Frankie Beverly, an American singer, songwriter, and producer best known as the founder and frontman of the R&B band Maze, died Sept. 10. He was 77.
Chad McQueen – Chad McQueen, an actor known for roles in films like "Karate Kid" and the son of the late actor and race car driver Steve McQueen, died Sept. 10. He was 63.
Michaela Prince – Michaela DePrince, the star ballerina and author who escaped war-torn Sierra Leone to become the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, died Sept. 10. She was 29.
Tito Jackson – Tito, one of the brothers who made up the iconic pop group the Jackson 5, died Sept. 14. He was 70.
Maggie Smith – Maggie Smith, the British actress who won an Oscar for "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in 1969 and later became known to millions for roles in "Downton Abbey" and the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 26. She was 89.
John Ashton – John Ashton, best known to many audiences for his work in the"Beverly Hills Cop" films, died Sept. 26. He was 76.
Kris Kristofferson – Kris Kristofferson, a country music legend and actor, died Sept. 27. He was 88.
Drake Hogestyn – Drake Hogestyn, longtime star of the hit soap opera "Days of Our Lives," died Sept. 28. He was 70.
Pete Rose – Baseball's all-time hit king Pete Rose died Sept. 29. He was 83.
Ron Ely – Ron Ely, known as the star of the television series "Tarzan," died Sept. 29. He was 86.
Frank Fritz – TV personality Frank Fritz, known for his time on "American Pickers," died Sept. 30. He was 60.
October
Ethel Kennedy – Ethel Kennedy, widow of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the matriarch of the Kennedy family, died Oct. 10. She was 96.
Liam Payne – Former One Direction singer Liam Payne died Oct. 15. He was 31.
Michael Newman – "Baywatch" star Michael Newman died Oct. 20. He was 68.
Fernando Valenzuela – Fernando Valenzuela, a Los Angeles Dodgers legend, died Oct. 21. He was 63.
Phil Lesh – Phil Lesh, bassist and one of the founding members of The Grateful Dead, died Oct. 24. He was 84.
Teri Garr – Teri Garr, the comedy icon who quickly rose from a background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Oct. 28. She was 79.
November
Quincy Jones – Quincy Jones, a music mogul whose career in the industry spanned over seven decades, died Nov. 2. He was 91.
Music titan Quincy Jones dead at 91
Quincy Jones, the multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic "Thriller" album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, has died at 91. Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, says he died Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.
Tony Todd – Veteran actor Tony Todd, best known for his iconic role in "Candyman," died Nov. 5. He was 69.
Judith Jamison – Internationally acclaimed dancer Judith Jamison, who later served as artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for two decades, died Nov. 9. She was 81.
Chuck Woolery – Chuck Woolery, former game show host of "Wheel of Fortune," "Love Connection" and "Scrabble," died Nov. 23. He was 83.
Earl Holliman – Earl Holliman , who was best known for his roles in various Western television shows and films, including "The Twilight Zone," "Police Woman," and "The Rainmaker," died Nov. 25. He was 96.
December
Israel Vázquez – Israel Vázquez, the Mexican fighter known as ‘El Magnifico’ who won three bantamweight world titles, died Dec. 3. He was 46.
Nikki Giovanni – Nikki Giovanni, the poet, author, educator and public speaker who went on to become a literary celebrity, died Dec. 10. She was 81.
The Amazing Kreskin – George Joseph Kresge Jr., known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, died Dec. 10. He was 89.
Rickey Henderson – Rickey Henderson, an Oakland Athletics’ legend, MLB Hall-of-Famer and one of the greatest players in baseball history died Dec. 20. He was 65.