IN MEMORIUM: STARS WE LOST IN 2016
The year 2016 was a wretched one for the global entertainment industry, with more deaths of global entertainment icons than possibly any other year in recent history. Be it film, television or music, some of the brightest stars in their respective fields left us in the year.
Alan Rickman, one of the most prolific actors of the last two decades, died of pancreatic cancer at age 69 on January 14. Rickman made his big screen debut in 1998's “Die Hard,” and took on varied roles, most memorably as the antihero Severus Snape from the “Harry Potter” movies. Emma Thompson, who starred with Rickman in five films, called him “the finest of actors and directors.”
“Star Trek” actor Anton Yelchin was killed in a freak car accident on June 19, just weeks before the release of “Star Trek Beyond”. He was only 27. The young actor had assembled quite an impressive resume up to that point; in addition to the blockbuster “Star Trek” series, Yelchin had roles in films ranging from “Alpha Dog” to “Terminator Salvation” to “The Smurfs”.
Another prolific actor, Gene Wilder, died on August 29 from complication from Alzheimer's. Gifted with impeccable comedic timing, Wilder brought the laughs in many memorable roles, including “Young Frankenstein,” “Blazing Saddles,” and the title character in “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”.
Legendary Hollywood actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, whose 60-year career of playing herself helped paved the way for today's celebrity-obsessed culture, died on December 99, at age 99. While Gabor had multiple acting credits, her greatest performance was playing herself: She was famous for her accented English, eccentric name, off-screen antics, nine marriages and ex-husbands. Gabor appeared in films including the 1952 “Moulin Rouge”, 1953's “Lili”, Orson Welles' “Touch of Evil” and the 1958 camp classic “Queen of Outer Space”.
The mother-daughter duo of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher died in late December. Carrie, who famously played Princess (and later General) Leia in four “Star Wars” films, died after a heart attack at age 60. Fisher's mother Debbie Reynolds, a Hollywood icon in her own rights, died on December 28, a day after her daughter's death. She was 84.
The music industry was hit particularly hard in 2016, with the passing of many notable artistes, producers, and managers. The year got off to a rough start with David Bowie, who died two days after his 69th birthday on January 10. The pioneering British rocker had been diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months earlier but did not disclose his illness. Perhaps knowing that his days were numbered and as a parting gift to his fans, he released his 25th and final album “Blackstar” on his birthday. The album was nominated for the 2017 Best Alternative Music Album Grammy, and many consider it one of the best albums of the year.
April marked the unexpected death of Prince Rogers Nelson, best known by just his first name. Like Bowie, Prince was known for his incredible showmanship, style and musicianship. Prince died of a fentanyl overdose on April 21 in his Paisley Park recording studio and home in Minnesota. He was just 57. His magmum opus, the 1984 soundtrack to “Purple Rain,” earned him two of his seven career Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score in 1985.
Country music legend Merle Haggard also died in April. His career spanned five decades and spawned 38 No. 1 hits on the country charts. He died on April 6, his 79th birthday, in California.
Iconic musician Leonard Cohen died on November 10. The Canadian poet and novelist, who became a singular international presence as a singer-songwriter with songs like “Suzanne”, was 82. Only a month before, he released his final album, “You Want It Darker”, a deeply introspective work that focused thematically on mortality.
George Michael died on December 25, at age 53. The pop star was part of the popular '80s duo Wham! before branching out into his solo career. His powerful stage presence and overt sexuality were balanced by a giving spirit and desire for privacy. He was one of the earlier celebrities to come out as openly gay.
Numerous notable producers and managers died in 2016, including Beatles producer George Martin and Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil. A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg, The Surfer Blood's guitarist Tom Fekete, and rising star Christina Grimmie all died too young. Grimmie was murdered by a deranged fan at the age of 22. Other influential musicians lost in 2016 include musician and songwriter Leon Russell, who died November 13, and two-thirds of progressive rock trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer: Keith Emerson in March and Greg Lake earlier in December.
2016 also saw the passing of many notable television actors, including a TV mom and dad that many grew up watching. Florence Henderson, who played mother Carol Brady on “The Brady Bunch” and was a talented stage performer and singer, died on November 24 at age 82.
In December, Alan Thicke, the patriarch on “Growing Pains”, died at age 69. He died on December 13 after suffering a heart attack while playing hockey with his youngest son, Carter. A charismatic actor with a distinctive voice, Thicke played the father of four on the sitcom, which aired on ABC for seven seasons.
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