Throughout 2022, we will continue to update this IN MEMORIAM photo gallery with notable celebrity deaths from film, television, theater and music. The first major entertainment figures to be honored in the 2022 gallery are beloved TV legend Betty White (who actually died on the final day of 2021), legendary actress and seven-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury, Oscar-winning actors Louise Fletcher, Sidney Poitier and William Hurt, Oscar-nominated director Peter Bogdanovich, Oscar nominee James Caan, Oscar/Emmy/Grammy winner Marilyn Bergman, actor/comedian Bob Saget, Emmy and Tony winner Robert Morse, Emmy winner Kirstie Alley, Emmy winner Ray Liotta, Emmy winner Leslie Jordan, Grammy winner Olivia Newton-John, Country Music Hall of Fame member Loretta Lynn and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jerry Lee Lewis, Ronnie Spector, Christine McVie and Taylor Hawkins.
In the previous year of 2021, our gallery featured talk show host Larry King, Emmy and Tony winner Hal Holbrook, Oscar and Emmy winner Cloris Leachman, Emmy winners Ed Asner, Peter Scolari, Cicely Tyson and Jessica Walter, Oscar champ Olympia Dukakis, Oscar/Tony/Emmy winner Christopher Plummer and legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, an Oscar, Tony and Grammy winner, among many others.
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Barbara Walters
Celebrated journalist and host Barbara Walters died on December 30 at age 93. Her career began in 1951 and included hosting “Today” and “The View.” She was also the first woman to co-host an evening news broadcast for ABC. She won three Daytime Emmy Awards and was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1989.
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Kirstie Alley
Image Credit: Courtesy Image Actress Kirstie Alley died on December 5 at age 71. She was known for her Emmy-winning role of Rebecca Howe on “Cheers,” which brought her a total of five nominations. She won another Emmy for the TV movie “David’s Mother.” Her films included “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” and “Look Who’s Talking.”
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Christine McVie
Fleetwood Mac singer and songwriter Christine McVie died on November 30 at age 79. Some of her biggest hits were “Don’t Stop,” “Everywhere” and “Little Lies.” The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
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Jerry Lee Lewis
Music legend Jerry Lee Lewis died on October 28 at age 87. He was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Hits included “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Breathless.” He was a Grammy Award winner and received their life achievement award.
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Leslie Jordan
Image Credit: David Buchan/Variety Actor Leslie Jordan died on October 24 at age 67. He won an Emmy for his guest role on “Will and Grace” in 2006 and was also currently a cast member on “Call Me Kat.” He was also known for many movies and shows, including “American Horror Story” and “The Help.”
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Robbie Coltrane
Actor Robbie Coltrane died on October 14 at age 72. He was best known as Rubeus Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” films but also had great roles in “GoldenEye,” “The World Is Not Enough,” “Mona Lisa,” “Nuns on the Run” and “Ocean’s Twelve.” He won three BAFTA TV Awards for his leading role in “Cracker” and also starred in “National Treasure.”
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Angela Lansbury
Image Credit: David Buchan/Variety Dame Angela Lansbury died on October 11 at age 96. She was one of the awarded performers in the history of theatre, music, film and TV. She was a five-time Tony Award winner, 18-time Emmy Award nominee (including 11 for “Murder, She Wrote”) and three-time Oscar nominee (for “Gaslight,” “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “The Manchurian Candidate”). Her career included honorary awards from the Tony Awards, Oscars and Screen Actors Guild, plus a Kennedy Center Honors and induction into the TV Academy Hall of Fame.
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Loretta Lynn
Legendary country singer and songwriter Loretta Lynn died on October 4 at age 90. Hit songs included “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin,'” “One’s on the Way,” “Fist City” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” She won three Grammy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honors and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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Louise Fletcher
Image Credit: David Livingston/Getty Images Actress Louise Fletcher died on September 23 at age 88. Her most famous role was as Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” which brought her Best Actress awards at the Oscars, BAFTA and Golden Globes. She was a two-time Emmy nominee for “Picket Fences” and “Joan of Arcadia.”
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Anne Heche
Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Getty Images Actress Anne Heche died on August 12 at age 53. She was a Daytime Emmy winner for “Another World,” a Primetime Emmy nominee for “Gracie’s Choice” and a Tony Awards nominee for “Twentieth Century.” Major film roles included “Donnie Brasco,” “Volcano,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Six Days, Seven Nights,” “Psycho” and “Birth.”
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Olivia Newton-John
Image Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Actress and singer Olivia Newton-John died on August 8 at age 73. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner for “Let Me Be There,” “I Honestly Love You” and “Physical.” Other hit songs included “Have You Never Been Mellow,” “Please Mister Please,” “A Little More Love,” “Magic” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” Her most famous film roles were in “Grease” and “Xanadu.”
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Nichelle Nichols
Image Credit: Sebastian Artz/Getty Images Actress Nichelle Nichols died on July 30 at age 89. She was famous for playing Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” series and several feature films.
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Tony Dow
Image Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Actor Tony Dow died on July 27 at age 77. He was most famous as a child star, playing Wally Cleaver on “Leave It to Beaver.”
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Paul Sorvino
Image Credit: Sebastian Artz/Getty Images Actor Paul Sorvino died on July 25 at age 83. The father of Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, he was best known for his roles in the films “Goodfellas,” “Reds,” “Nixon” and “Dick Tracy” plus the TV series “Law and Order.”
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James Caan
Image Credit: Matt Carr/Getty Images Actor James Caan died on July 6 at age 82. He was an Oscar nominee for “The Godfather” and also starred in the films “Cinderella Liberty,” “Comes a Horsema,” “The Gambler,” “Thief,” “Misery,” “For the Boys,” “Honeymoon in Vegas” and “Elf.” He starred in the major TV movie “Brian’s Song” (which brought him an Emmy nomination) and was a regular on “Las Vegas.”
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Ray Liotta
Image Credit: 2018 Kathy Hutchins / Hutchins Photo/Newscom/The Mega Agency Steve Martin Actor Ray Liotta died on May 26 at age 67. He was best known for the films “Goodfellas,” “Something Wild,” “Field of Dreams,” “Hannibal” and “Marriage Story.” He won an Emmy for his guest role on “E.R.”
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Mickey Gilley
Image Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Hutchins Photo/Newscom/The Mega Agency Country music star Mickey Gilley died on May 7 at age 86. His popular Texas honky tonk bar and restaurant Gilley’s served as the backdrop for the film “Urban Cowboy” starring John Travolta. He had 17 #1 songs on the country charts and won six Academy of Country Music Awards.
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Naomi Judd
Image Credit: Ron Sachs - CNP / MEGA Country singer Naomi Judd died on April 30 at age 76. She and daughter Wynonna had major success as the duo The Judds. They won five Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
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Robert Morse
Image Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Hutchins Photo/Newscom/The Mega Agency Actor Robert Morse died on April 20 at age 90. He was a Broadway legend, winning as the lead actor for both “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Tru.” That latter adaptation for TV brought him an Emmy Award among his seven career nominations. Five of those were for his guest role on “Mad Men.”
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Gilbert Gottfried
Image Credit: Robin Platzer/Twin Images/LFI/Photoshot/Newscom/The Mega Agency Comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried died on April 12 at age 67. He was best known for the films “Aladdin,” “Beverly Hills Cop II” and “Problem Childs” plus his frequest comedy specials and guest appearances.
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Taylor Hawkins
Image Credit: AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN / MEGA Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins died on March 25 at age 50. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
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William Hurt
Image Credit: HRC/WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency Actor William Hurt died on March 13 at age 71. He was an Oscar winner for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” with other nominations for “Children of a Lesser God,” “Broadcast News” and “A History of Violence.” He was an Emmy nominee for “Damages” and “Too Big to Fail.” Other films included “Body Heat,” “The Big Chill,” “The Accidental Tourist” and “Into the Wild.”
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Ivan Reitman
Image Credit: Rob Latour/Variety Ivan Reitman died on February 12 at age 75. The director and producer was best known for “Ghostbusters,” plus the films “Meatballs,” “Stripes,” “Kindergarten Cop,” “Twins,” “Dave” and “Draft Day.”
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Howard Hesseman
Image Credit: Daniel Tanner/ WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency Actor Howard Hesseman died on January 29 at age 81. He was known for playing Dr. Johnny Fever on “WKRP in Cincinnati,” a role which brought him two Emmy nominations. He also starred on “One Day at a Time” and “Head of the Class.” He guest starred on “The Rockford Files,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Laverne and Shirley,” “Boston Legal,” “House,” “That 70s Show,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” plus guest hosted “Saturday Night Live.”
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Louie Anderson
Image Credit: Rob Latour/Deadline Actor and comedian Louie Anderson died on January 21 at age 68. He broke through in 1984 as a stand-up on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” He then starred on “Life with Louie,” “The Louie Show,” “Baskets” and as the host of “Family Feud.” He won a Primetime Emmy in 2016 and two Daytime Emmys in 1997 and 1998.
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Meat Loaf
Image Credit: News Licensing / MEGA Actor, singer and songwriter Meat Loaf (Marvin Aday) died on January 20 at age 74. Top songs included “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and “I’d Do Anything for Love,” which brought him a Grammy Award. His best known film roles were in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Fight Club” and “Wayne’s World.”
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Ronnie Spector
Image Credit: PHOTOlink/Newscom/The Mega Agency Ronnie Spector, lead singer of The Ronettes, died on January 12 at age 78. Top hits included “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You,” “Do I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain.” The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Bob Saget
Image Credit: Mega Actor and comedian Bob Saget died on January 9 at age 65. He was mostly known for his long-running ABC series “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” He was also a 2014 nominee at the Grammy Awards for comedy album.
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Dwayne Hickman
Image Credit: TEAK PHILLIPS/KRT/Newscom/The Mega Agency Actor Dwayne Hickman died on January 9 at age 87. He was best known as the star of the early TV series “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” Films included “How to Stuff a Wild Bikini,” “Ski Party” and “Cat Ballou.” He later became an executive at CBS.
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Marilyn Bergman
Image Credit: Kathy Hutchins Photography/Newscom/The Mega Agency Songwriter Marilyn Bergman died on January 8 at age 93. She and her husband Alan Bergman won three Oscars for songs from “The Thomas Crown Affair,” “The Way We Were” and “Yentl.” They also won two Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards.
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Sidney Poitier
Image Credit: Anthony Dixon/WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency Sidney Poitier died on January 7 at age 94. The trailblazing actor and director was the first black man to win as Best Actor at the Oscars. Top films included “Lillies of the Field,” “The Defiant Ones,” “Porgy and Bess,” “A Raisin in the Sun,” “A Patch of Blue,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “In the Heat of the Night.” He received the Cecil B. DeMille award at the Golden Globes, the AFI life achievement prize, the Kennedy Center Honors, the SAG life achievement Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Peter Bogdanovich
Image Credit: AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN / MEGA Director Peter Bogdanovich died on January 6 at age 82. He was best known as the Oscar-nominated writer and director of “The Last Picture Show,” plus for his films “Paper Moon” and “What’s Up Doc?.” He was a noted film historian, plus acted on occasion, including a recurring role on “The Sopranos.”
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Betty White
Image Credit: CBS Legendary actress Betty White died at age 99 on New Year’s Eve. She was just days short of her 100th birthday on January 17, 2022. She was a five-time winner of Primetime Emmys for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Golden Girls,” “The John Larroquette Show” and “Saturday Night Live.” She also won a regional Emmy early in her career, plus a Daytime Emmy for hosting the game show “Just Men.” She was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1996. She received the Screen Actors Guild life achievement award in 2010.
